What better way to ring in the New Year than celebrating with fellow collegiate students, alumni and fans with a neutral site city full of nightlife as your proverbial playground? The Bowl Championship Series allows for followers of 10 high-performing programs to enjoy themselves at the most elite levels, with every .500 or better squad eligible for bowl competition in some capacity. The BCS bowls, however, are exalted above the rest, rewarding conference champions and high ranking qualifiers by pitting them against one another in blood-pumping showdowns. The 2011 lineup looks to be promising as always, with tickets already on sale for the following matchups:January 1st5:00 p.m. Pasadena, California Rose Bowl Big 12 co-Champion and tie breaker winner Wisconsin matches up against an undefeated Texas Christian team, testing the Horned Frogs’ mettle against the upper level of auto-qualifier competition. TCU will be out to prove it belongs among the top tier of programs in the country, slighted by the BCS Championship Game due to strength of schedule, overriding its perfect regular season mark.8:30 p.m. Glendale, Arizona Fiesta Bowl Someone had to come out of the Big East, sending UConn, the least qualified of all BCS participants with a record 4 losses, into a David vs. Goliath matchup against the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma Sooners. The Huskies have reason to hope for the upset against the Sooners, however, as Oklahoma has struggled in bowl games of late, losing 5 of their last 7, without a BCS bowl win since the 2002 Rose Bowl. January 3rd8:30 p.m. Miami, Florida Orange Bowl Virginia Tech has rallied after two early season losses to win the ACC crown, going unbeaten over the remaining course of the schedule, earning a matchup with Pac-10 runner-up and 4 BCS ranked Stanford. The Cardinal have been the surprise of the season, suffering just an on the road loss to 1 ranked Oregon as their lone blemish in 2010.January 4th (more…)

With the NBA Draft in the rear view mirror, July offers many fans and teams alike their first look at their highly touted picks in a professional setting. A right of passage for the NBA’s rookie class, summer league play has helped cut the teeth of some of the NBA’s most talented youngsters in recent years including the past two Rookie of the Year winners, Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans, not to mention 2010 scoring leader Kevin Durant. Summer league action has also served as a launching pad for undrafted free agents to show their skills in hopes of winding up on an NBA roster, with Golden State’s Anthony Morrow among recent success stories.The AirTran Airways Pro Summer League will be hosted by the Orlando Magic at the local RDV Sportsplex. Competition kicks off on July 5^th at 1:00 p.m. when the Charlotte Bobcats summer squad takes on the Utah Jazz. NBA teams sending players to Orlando include the Celtics, Bobcats, Pacers, Nets, Thunder, Magic and Sixers. Highlighting this group will be Philadelphia’s rookie shooting guard Evan Turner, The number 2 overall pick in the draft. (more…)

The Tour de France, known as Le Tour or Le Grande Boucle in its native country, will finish its final stage on July 25, culminating with its famous final stretch along the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France. In what may surprise most sports fans, 15 million people attend the bicycle road race, giving it the 3^rd largest in-person viewership among sporting events, behind only the Olympics and the World Cup. The Tour de France is second to none in cumulative attendance among events held annually.This year’s Tour is particularly significant as the all time winningest Tour de France cyclist, American Lance Armstrong, has announced it will be the final year he competes in the sports most fabled race. Armstrong is a 7 time winner, trying to improve on his already record holding mark with an 8^th yellow jersey finish this year. For years he was simply unbeatable, winning an unprecedented 7 consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005, a feat made even more impressive considering it was on the heels of his battle with cancer in 1998.Like legends in other sports before him, Armstrong has already retired once, announcing his retirement after the 7^th victory, only to come back and make a run at last year’s Tour. He did indeed work his way back into Tour competition shape, finishing 3^rd overall, just under 5 and a half minutes behind victor and Astana teammate, Spaniard Alberto Contador. Now racing with Team RadioShack, Armstrong is 38 years old and 5 years removed from his last yellow jersey, hardly a safe bet to extend his record to 8. Of course, the betting man should always be cautioned towards betting against Lance Armstrong. Cantador, who is still just 27 years old, is the early favorite to defend his 2009 Tour victory a make a run at the 2010 title.

Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California will play host to its third All-Star Game come July 13, and its first since 1989. In what should be another gripping test of skill between the National League’s and American League’s best, the Angels home to feature a few of their own hometown heroes on the American League squad. Leading the way for the Angels, who look to take a second place AL West stand into the mid-season clubhouse, is starting pitcher Jered Weaver, sporting the team’s best ERA, WHIP and strikeout totals, who hopes to make his first All-Star appearance. On the other side of the ball, center fielder Torii Hunter, a 3 time All-Star already, has been a bright spot in the Angels’ lineup this season, tops in both batting average and RBI, and should make a push for his fourth selection.Recent Midsummer Classics have been overwhelmingly dominated by the American League, winning 12 of the last 13 contests dating back to 1996, with the lone exception of the controversial tie ruling in 2002. After the infamous draw, a 2003 rule entitled the winning side to home field advantage in the World Series, upping the stakes for participants across major league baseball (except of course in cities like Kansas City and Pittsburgh). While the AL has enjoyed overwhelming All-Star success and home field advantage in every series since the rule change, World Series victories have been split almost evenly with a slight AL edge at 4-3.The weekends’ festivities are not limited to the game itself. Kids and parents alike will enjoy the All-Star Fanfest, open from July 9 to July 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Featuring interactive games, the chance to meet current baseball players and legends, memorabilia, historic exhibits and more, Fanfest is a yearly favorite for baseball fans of all ages. Events at Angel Stadium kick off on July 11 with the Futures Game, the Legends & Celebrity Softball Game. The Futures Game offers a look at some of baseball’s hottest young prospects while the Legends Game gives younger fans a chance to see the game’s greats take the field in person, along with popular public figures. The night before the game the State Farm Home Run Derby pits the League’s top sluggers against one another in the much hyped annual competition.