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Coffee is Good. Coffee is Bad. You Choose
40 Yard Dash, 20 & 60 Yard Shuttle, 3 Cone Drills #NFLCombine
NFL Combine Class of 2008 Results #NFLCombine

Coffee is Good. Coffee is Bad. You Choose

Posted: 24 Feb 2010 01:00 AM PST

If you drink alcohol, you've seen the ads where there are different portion sizes for various drinks.

A beer is served in a 10-12 oz glass. A glass of wine is 5 oz, and a shot of hard liquor is 1.25 oz.. For the purpose of conversion, 1 US fluid ounce (oz) = 29.57 milliliters or about 30 mL.

So, how big is a cup of coffee? That's like asking, "How long is a piece of string"?

Go to any diner or restaurant, and you'll generally see a cup of coffee served in a cup as shown on the photo.

That cup is 6 oz. Maybe 5 oz when filled near the top. And for decades, that was in the industry standard. I know, I worked in a restaurant in the 70's and 80's. They don't serve you wine in a beer mug, right?

So why on earth do coffee shops serve coffee in 3 sizes… 12oz, 16oz, and heaven forbid, 20 oz? Venti is Italian for 20, and 20 oz is equivalent to 4 cups of coffee with over 300 mg of caffeine.

My position on coffee and espresso (of course!) is if you drink it in moderation by itself, it should pose very minimal risk.

My problem with coffee is that it's abused by office workers who are overweight, have a sedentary lifestyle, and have a terrible diet full of simple sugars and starches. Thank God people are smoking less these days (well, maybe not in Italy).

Insulin is the Controller

My biggest concern with aging and overweight people is their resistance and sensitivity, especially insulin.

Excessive coffee & caffeine will raise Insulin levels, and too much insulin isn't a good thing as your body becomes resistant to it.

Another problem with coffee is people will have a sweet pastry or dolci to go with it. Yes, more simple sugars and carbs!

And we know how sugar or glucose increases insulin, right?

It's the same with overweight people with Diabetes Insipidus (not Diabetes Mellitus). Their fat cells have become desensitized to insulin, and usually losing weight is a quick short term fix.

Insulin stimulates the release of interleukin-6 or IL-6 which leads to more inflammation and hypersensitivity. For more information on food, inflammation and pain, see the previous article called Are the Foods You Are Eating Keeping You in Pain?

Increased insulin leads to the release of cortisol, and that means more glucose. And more glucose means more insulin. It's a vicious cycle.

And you wonder why your body is out of whack after a modern day coffee break at Starbucks?

Tags: Health & Wellness, Nutrition

40 Yard Dash, 20 & 60 Yard Shuttle, 3 Cone Drills #NFLCombine

Posted: 23 Feb 2010 09:00 AM PST

This week is dedicated to the NFL Scouting Combine, held February 24 – March 2, 2010.

Basically, it's a Job Fair for 300 of the best college football players seeking employment. Everyone will be there and everyone will be watching.

A lot of emphasis is on the 40 yard dash, but the other skills tested are equally as important.

Here are the drills you need to master:

Vertical Jump – designed to test leg strength and lower-body explosiveness
Standing Long Jump – designed to test leg strength and lower-body explosiveness
225 lb. Bench Press – designed to test the upper-body strength and strength endurance
10 Yard Dash – times show how explosive a player is off the line
20 Yard Dash – times show how explosive a player is off the line and how he maintains it
40 Yard Dash – times show how explosive a player is off the line and how he maintains it
20 Yard Shuttle – designed to test explosiveness, how a player bends and changes direction, and body control
60 Yard Shuttle – designed to test explosiveness, flexibility, and body control plus a test of endurance
3-Cone Drill – designed to test a player's efficiency in changing direction moving left and right, explosiveness, balance, body control and mobility

In addition to the 40 Yard Dash, here is a good video with Melvin Bullitt demonstrating the 20 Yard and 60 Yard Shuttle plus the 3 Cone Drill on YouTube.

With a last name of "Bullitt", how can you not be fast?

Tags: 40 Yard Dash

NFL Combine Class of 2008 Results #NFLCombine

Posted: 22 Feb 2010 09:00 AM PST

This week is dedicated to the NFL Scouting Combine, held February 24 – March 2, 2010.

The class of 2008 remains special to me because we saw 21 men under 4.40 in the 40 yard dash. and 42 under 4.50 seconds!

Speed is one thing, and so is strength and agility. Those qualities are innate (but can be trained, to a certain degree). Football skills and rules can be taught.

But how about measuring intelligence?

Enter the Wonderlic test.

What the Heck is a Wonderlic Test?

The Wonderlic Test is an intelligence test that has been around in the National Football League since the 1970s. The Wonderlic is a 12 minute, 50 question exam to judge their aptitude for adapting to certain situations.

The Wonderlic test comprises of a multiple choice questions and answers with increasing difficulty. The Wonderlic test is designed so most players will never have enough time to complete it.

Of course, Pat McInally, a punter and wide receiver from Harvard is the only football player to record a perfect score of 50. I guess that's why he went to Harvard.

A score of 20 is intended to indicate average intelligence.

This table is sorted by 40 yard dash times only because of the recent buzz of Chris Johnson challenging Usain Bolt in the 40. They should have this race and give all proceeds to Haiti.

Combine results, plus their stats from College, will give football scouts a field day during the NFL draft in April!

Name	Pos	40 Yard	Max Bench	Max Bench	Vertical	Squat	Wonderlic
			lbs	reps @225	inches	lbs
Chris Johnson	RB	4.24	375		43.5	425	10
Terrence Wheatley	CB	4.29	320		39		21
DeSean Jackson	WR	4.29	250		35	395
Andre Caldwell	WR	4.29	360		36	400	8
Donnie Avery	WR	4.29	300			475	14
Charles Godfrey	FS	4.30	410		34		11
Tyvon Branch	CB	4.31		19	34		24
Jack Williams	CB	4.32		18	41		18
Darren McFadden	RB	4.33	330		33
Harry Douglas	WR	4.33	260		34.5	320	11
Felix Jones	RB	4.37	305		39	550	22
Dexter Jackson	WR	4.37	240		34
William Franklin	WR	4.37	241		34.5	441	11
Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie	CB	4.38		18	40.5		19
Jonathan Wilhite	CB	4.38		20	34		15
Justin King	CB	4.38		14	40		24
Jamaal Charles	RB	4.38
Antwuan Molden	CB	4.39		23	38		12
Justin Tryon	CB	4.39		21	35		11
Quentin Demps	FS	4.39	308		35.5		19
Eddie Royal	WR	4.39		24	36
Jonathan Stewart	RB	4.40	410		36	555	20
Devin Thomas	WR	4.40	365		33	500
Patrick Lee	CB	4.41		15	35		10
Tracy Porter	CB	4.41			37.5		4
Tyrell Johnson	FS	4.41		27	33.5	520
Steve Slaton	RB	4.41	305		38
Kenny Phillips	FS	4.43	335			405
Quentin Groves	OLB	4.43	365		36.5	530	25
DaJuan Morgan	SS	4.43	345		34	470	22
Leodis Mckelvin	CB	4.44		14	37.5		13
Ray Rice	RB	4.44			39
Rashard Mendenhall	RB	4.45	355		33	511	23
Mario Manningham	WR	4.45		12	32		6
James Hardy	WR	4.47	255		39		14
Kenaan Burton	WR	4.47	315		43	430	14
Xavier Abidi	OLB	4.48	390		34.5	515	13
Limas Sweed	WR	4.48	355		34.5	440
Lavelle Hawkins	WR	4.48	250		26.5	335	17
Brandon Flowers	CB	4.49		14	30		15
Reggie Corner	CB	4.49		15	36
Arman Shields	WR	4.49		19	38	415	14
Jordy Nelson	WR	4.51	280		31		28
Earl Bennett	WR	4.51	250		34	500
Marcus Smith	WR	4.51	355		34	455	22
Jerod Mayo	OLB	4.53	370		32
Antoine Cason	CB	4.54	310		35		16
Jack Ikewguonu	CB	4.54	290		34		29
Malcolm Kelly	WR	4.54	300		38
Dwight Lowery	CB	4.55		17 @185lbs	34
Stanford Keglar	OLB	4.55	355		34	575
Vernon Gholston	DE	4.56	455		33	580	21
Peyton Hillis	FB	4.56	355		31
Chris Ellis	OLB	4.56	360		35.5	510	14
Bryan Kehl	OLB	4.56	360		35	475	29
Early Doucet	WR	4.56	365		33.5		20
Thomas Decoud	FS	4.57	265		34.5	455	24
Shawn Crable	OLB	4.57	385		33	535
Jerome Simpson	WR	4.57	295		38.5	390	17
Dennis Dixon	QB	4.58	260		28	325	29
Dustin Keller	TE	4.58	430		37	585
Terrell Thomas	CB	4.59	330		36.5		20
Tavares Gooden	OLB	4.59	325		31
Matt Forte	RB	4.59	355		33	500	18
Kevin O'Connell	QB	4.61		20	31
Tashard Choice	RB	4.62	350		37		21
Jordon Dixon	OLB	4.63	300		30.5	586	21
Chevis Jackson	CB	4.64	385				15
Jacob Hester	FB	4.64	425				23
Beau Bell	ILB	4.65	385		27.5		14
Fred Davis	TE	4.66	290		33.5	435
Derrick Harvey	DE	4.67	350		39	500
Dan Connor	ILB	4.67		22	33		21
Keith Rivers	OLB	4.67	260		32.5	480
Cliff Avril	OLB	4.67	405		32
Taylor Mehlhaff	K	4.72	335		32		27
Chad Henne	QB	4.76	310		32		22
Bruce Davis	DE	4.77	340
Chris Long	DE	4.78	370			640	34
Jason Jones	DT	4.78		18	25.5		24
Brian Brohm	QB	4.79	300		26.5		32
Matt Ryan	QB	4.79	255			320	28
Calais Campbell	DE	4.82	440		34	560
Philip Wheeler	ILB	4.83	350		39.5	500	29
Sedrick Ellis	DT	4.89	440		32.5	560	15
Pat Sims	DT	4.89	392		32	526
Lawrence Jackson	DE	4.90	345		32		25
Duane Brown	OT	4.91	400		33	530	29
Mike Pollak	C	4.92	460		540		24
Kendall Langford	DE	4.94	343		30.5	575	17
Kentwan Balmer	DT	4.96	360			485
John David Booty	QB	4.97	300		28		14
Erik Ainge	QB	4.98	240
Jeremy Zuttah	G	4.99	475		31	550	26
Andre Fluellen	DT	5.00	422		28	580	25
Brandon Coutu	K	5.00	300			410
Oniel Cousins	DT	5.03	330		25	440	11
Marcus Harrison	DT	5.05	405		30	500
Joe Flacco	QB	5.06	265		32.5	365	24
Glen Dorsey	DT	5.09	425			600	21
Gosder Cherilus	OT	5.12	390		27.5	440	25
Jake Long	OT	5.13	380		28	520
Kory Lichtensteiger	C	5.16	410		520		29
Josh Sitton	G	5.24	430		29	630
Sam Baker	OT	5.28	485			600
Ryan Clady	OT	5.28	355			475
Jeff Otah	OT	5.33	405		26	535	16
Chris Williams	OT	5.33	425		25	500	31
John Greco	OT	5.34	420		28		28
Cody Wallace	C	5.36	480		740		26
Chad Rinehart	OT	5.38	420			530	35
Brandon Albert	G	5.41	375			500	19