Reviews of Collegiate PhotoStamps; Coaching Science: Theory into Practice; and FindStadiums.com
Postage Pattern
Stamps.com appears to be making stamp collecting cool again with its collegiate PhotoStamps®. The provider of Internet-based postage services recently launched a series of designs featuring the logos (as well as mascots, football helmets and seals) of 41 colleges and universities in the United States, including Washington State and Pepperdine. Each school boasts at least two different stamp designs, and a portion of the proceeds from each collegiate PhotoStamps order will benefit the individual school. All stamps are U.S. Postal Service-approved and can be printed straight from Stamps.com's web site. As of this writing, the company was working on adding to its catalog of schools.
www.stamps.com
As more colleges and universities begin to offer coaching studies courses, the demand for specialized textbooks such as Coaching Science: Theory into Practice (Wiley, softcover, $45) will increase. Coaching Science goes beyond simply covering theory and practice; it also combines the two in an effort to demonstrate how theory informs practice. Each chapter highlights practical applications of specific theories regarding motivation, leadership and coaching styles, as well as specific skill acquisitions, performance-limiting factors, physiological and motor development, and principles of physical training. Co-author Terry McMorris has professional coaching experience, while colleague Tudor Hale has worked in sports science for more than 30 years. Both men are professors at University College in the United Kingdom.
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Blimp's-Eye View
If you're tired of surfing the same old sites on the Internet, FindStadiums.com could provide some diversion with its aerial views of professional football and baseball stadiums, and basketball and hockey arenas. Granted, it's not the most attractive web site you'll visit today, but how many people outside of Memphis know that the FedEx Forum's roof is stamped with its namesake's logo? Special features allow viewers to zoom in and out, as well as pan the image in all directions to view parking-lot layouts and nearby landmarks. That said, some venues are noticeably absent, including Milwaukee's Miller Park and Bradley Center, while the photo of Houston's Reliant Stadium was taken during construction. And even though FindStadiums.com has sections for soccer stadiums and racetracks, none are yet featured.
www.findstadiums.com
