The Belfast Giants are a successful ice hockey team that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League, which features the cream of ice hockeys talent and covers the United Kingdom area including Northern Ireland.

 The League is professional, and is the highest level of ice hockey in the region, in essence a premier league featuring ten teams. The League is sponsored by Air Travel provider Bmibaby.

 The Belfast Giants were formed in 2000, and are currently sponsored by lager producers Coors - previously they were sponsored by Harp Lager.

 It's true to state that in the past, the ugly face of sectarianism has long cast a shadow over sport in Belfast, in particular in the world of soccer. Because of this the founders of the Belfast Giants were keen that the team were independent of the religious divide, and wanted to represent the city as a whole, which is a sure sign of changing attitudes in the city.

 The team play their home games at the impressive 7,000 capacity Odyssey Arena at 2 Queens Quay, Belfast, in the arena part of the spectacular venue.

 The Giants management have adopted a policy of non-sectarianism for these home matches  fans are not permitted to wear soccer jerseys or bring their national flags to games. This is to alleviate any tensions that might evaporate. This policy has been successful, and the team is known for its exciting style of play rather than any political leanings.

 The Giants play in Red, Black, White and Teal jerseys, and wear black helmets, and have 5 sponsor logos. The team logo features legendary giant Irish hero Fionn McCool (who is said to have resided in the Giants Causeway) with a hockey stick! The teams motto is "In the land of the Giant, everyone is the same" which sums up their "non-sectarian" ethos.

 The present team captain is George Awada, head coach and current player is Steve Thornton, and the General Manager being Todd Kelman. The Club is owned and run by Jim Gillespie & Tom and Donna Mallon.

 Some of the team were originally members of the former Superleague and won the title in 2001-02. However, the league ran into financial difficulties, as did the Belfast Giants. The Giants had run up sunstantial debts of over 600,000, and were threatened with closure.

 After a major salvation plan by the club's creditors, the club survived and competed in the new Elite Ice Hockey League in 2004. That was a poor season for the Giants though, but it was a period of consolidation. In the 2005 season, the Giants revived themselves to finish runners up to Coventry Blaze, one of the forerunners in the league, and they won the League Cup.

 In 2005, the Giants cemented themselves as one of the major players in the Elite League, with the inspired signing of Theoren Fleury, Canadian NHL and Olympic Gold winner. The Coors Giants (as they are known) have had several former NHL players like Jason Bowen and Paul Kruse on their books at particular times.

 In 2006, the team romped to victory in the Elite League, coached by Ed Courtenay, with Fleury the star player, amassing a total of 81 points, one of the highest in a season. After finishing runners up in 2006-07, the Giants had a poor season in 2007-08, and this led to Courtenay departing as his contract ran out.

 Nevertheless, the Giants have a popular fan base, and home games at the Odyssey Arena are often sell outs. You may not be aware that the team have two supporters clubs, a testimony to their popularity and talent!

 The 2008-09 Season

 For this season, the club has a new coach, current player Steve Thornton, a Canadian who has had a distinguished career in Europe. He replaces former coach Ed Courtenay, who left at the end of last season.

 The Giants have won 13 matches this season out of 16, and are well placed for a winter assault on the title. Last weekend, they defeated the Sheffield Steelers 3-2 (after shootout) & beat Edinburgh Capitals 5-2 to move into 4th position. This Friday 28th November, the Belfast Giants have a home game against Coventry Blaze and on Sunday they travel away to Hull Stingrays.

 To purchase tickets for any of the upcoming matches featuring the Belfast Giants visit Ticketmaster.

 So what are you waiting for! Face off time for all of the Belfast Giants home matches is at 7.30pm. Why not support this team of character and passion after your day exploring Belfast and the many attractions it has to offer?

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Coach Alex Ferguson with Manchesterunited Jersey Soccer has experienced a number of powerful opponents: such as Wenger led arsenal, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, and Mancini now Manchester City, they all have forced Ferguson's utter bootless cries, but eventually was defeated by Ferguson. Was able to continue along a new, one single brush all the Giants, in addition to the strong coaching abilities, Ferguson also unique for training of young players. Alex successfully cultivated a "92 golden generation", the growing number of English Premier League Giants began to lay stress on developing young players. Under the powerful Scout system, most genius player was excavated in the age when I was young. The daily mirror said Manchester United recently signed a football prodigy who was 5 years old. It is understood that this child prodigy named Charlie Jackson, Manchester United Scout as early as the time he was only 3 had found his incredible football talent, and waiting 2 years later, that is, Charlie Jackson, under 5 years old to check it. Nevertheless, Charlie-Jackson with Soccer Jersey Online is still the smallest of the Manchester United Youth team, other children are at least a year older than him. More interesting was that Jackson and his parents were Manchester City fans. Raising reminiscent of Ferguson's personal visit that year Ryan Giggs, yingshengsheng from the Manchester city youth training camp, he grab over the past. While city fans, but Jackson's parents are happy about their children to join Jackson's father said to do accounting work: "he (Jackson)-Joe Hart, and Mario-Mario Balotelli is the idol of, (join) began he felt himself very embarrassed, but now it seems that he has no problem, he likes there. - Think join the Jackson Jackson's father was a rare opportunity, but his son looked out Manchester City: "this is a unique opportunity. He no matter to what will become the focus of attention because his football talent. We are not going to put pressure on him, but if he can force Manchester City one day it would be nice. 5 magical power grows what no one dares say that Ferguson with Soccer Jersey Buy is also more thoughts in young talent that already possesses the adult team capacity. To be invited by the clubs like Manchester United makes me very excited, but now I will attention has focused on working for Real Betis, and following the success of the team now. In the face of a reporter in an interview, Pozuelo so conservative said. Alex young achievers vigorously taken up by the other side, was not kind about players fail to meet their own needs. Since Hernandez and Willbeck, even if your gold boot of the Premiership last season Berbatov has to come. The daily mail said, Berbatov of Manchester United abandoned by Alex, it is possible to go back to Russia's super super Giants An Zhi Makhachkala team. An Zhi Berbatov for 30 years is interested in, they want to be able to Manchester United in January next year to buy cool brother, because of Berbatov and Manchester United's contract was less than a year, so Russia who intends to put outsome feelers to the price of 15 million pounds. Berbatov broker Amir-Dancev with Cheap Soccer Uniforms said: "we are interested in the opportunity is given An Zhi, I will be dimita sat down to discuss the matter. I don't know if dimita in Manchester have happy, but he could only sit on the bench. And according to daily mirror reported under said, An Zhi has and Beiba of broker Amir-Dancev for has met, An Zhi willing to for Bulgaria people out 7.5 million pounds of annual salary, but Berbatov and broker Dancev has told An Zhi, Beiba can to Russia, but An Zhi must to out 12 million pounds of annual salary (240,000 pounds weekly), and daily Star reported under is think Beiba to An Zhi made has a copies 280,000 pounds of sky-high contract, but nevertheless, This is for former Inter star Eto'o earned 350,000 pounds weekly with not a small gap. The asking price to that demand an exorbitant price, An Zhi also did not respond. Although Manchester United hold Beiba priority right to renew their contracts, but if you really have a team out of the 15 million pounds of cash to buy, Ferguson still would be good to think about it.

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Advantages & Disadvantages Of Artificial Grass
 Advantages
 Artificial turf can be a solution when the environment is particularly hostile to natural grass.
 Artificial turf can withstand more use than natural grass.
 Low maintenance.
 Suitable for roof gardens and swimming pool surrounds (chemicals and high heat wont damage the turf).
 Some artificial turf systems allow for the integration of fiber-optic fibres into the turf. This would allow for lighting or advertisements to be directly embedded in a playing surface.
 Disadvantages
 Some artificial turf requires infill such as silicon sand and/or granulated rubber made from recycled car tires. This material may carry heavy metals which can leach into the water table.
 Periodic disinfection is required as pathogens are not broken down by natural processes in the same manner as natural turf. Despite this, recent studies suggest certain microbial life is less active.
 Friction between skin and artificial turf causes abrasions and/or burns to a much greater extent than natural grass. This is an issue for some sports. However, with some third-gen grasses, this is almost completely eliminated by the use of polyethylene yarn.
 Artificial turf tends to be much hotter than natural grass when exposed to sunlight.
 Artificial Grass Uses
 Baseball
 Artificial turf was first used in Major League Baseball in the Houston Astrodome in 1966, replacing the grass field used when the stadium opened a year earlier. Since then it has been used is several different venues and is one of the main reasons that research and development went into artificial grass to help improve the grass types available for sports.
 The biggest difference in play on artificial turf was that the ball bounced higher than on real grass, and also travelled faster, causing infielders to play farther back than they would normally, so that they would have sufficient time to react. The ball also had a truer bounce than on grass, so that on long throws fielders could deliberately bounce the ball in front of the player they were throwing to, with the certainty that it would travel in a straight line and not be deflected to the right or left. However, the biggest impact on the game of "turf", as it came to be called, was on the bodies of the players.
 The artificial surface, which was generally placed over a concrete base, had much less give to it than a traditional dirt and grass field did, which caused more wear-and-tear on knees, ankles, feet and the lower back, possibly even shortening the careers of those players who played a significant portion of their games on artificial surfaces. Players also complained that the turf was much hotter than grass, sometimes causing the metal spikes to burn their feet, or plastic ones to melt. These factors eventually provoked a number of stadiums, such as Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, to switch from artificial turf back to natural grass.
 American Football
 In 1969, Franklin Field, the gridiron stadium of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, switched from grass to artificial turf this was the first American football field to have a artificial grass field.
 In 2006, Gillette Stadium, the football stadium of the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, switched from grass to FieldTurf due to the conflict of poor weather and hosting many sporting and musical events at the stadium. It is one of 13 National Football League stadiums that have turf instead of grass fields; the Patriots shared stadium actually switched from AstroTurf to natural grass before reverting to a next-generation artificial surface.
 Styling
 Many residential supports of artificial grass have chosen to use it as it is maintenance free, you do not have to water, cut or care for the grass. It is also used near many swimming pools and balconies as the grass isn"t affected by chemicals or the lack of water. The newest generation of artificial grass is also extremely hard to notice the differences between traditional grass and artificial, with it only being noticed by touch.
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