I love that they show that girls can be girls – purple nail polish and all – and still like to put on their skates, shoulder pads and helmets and skate FAST. I love that it talks about making friends through hockey. I love that it shows little girls doing hockey drills side by side with older girls.

Well done NHL!! This commercial is a great way to show girls that hockey is a fun, challenging and rewarding sport that everyone can play.

They sent me a Herbie duffel bag and wallet to review and let me just say WOW! Now, I know this is supposed to be a “men’s” duffel bag, but I am going to put a red ribbon on the handle and claim it as my own. The leather is thick but amazingly soft and I love the brushed silver hardware. It has a zippered top closure, double handle and an adjustable shoulder strap. The duffel is available in brown genuine leather with brown silk lining or black genuine leather and a cool green silk lining.

As you can see from the photo, the Herbie duffel is plenty big enough to hold all the gear a gal (or guy) would need for a day at the golf course or a quick weekend trip. The silk lining is a very nice touch and there is a roomy interior zippered pocket and two open top pockets perfect for stashing your phone or wallet.

Speaking of wallets, Junior Drake also sent me the “Herbie” wallet that goes with the duffel bag. My husband loves it. Again, the first thing I noticed was the quality of the leather – it is just so soft! My husband likes the configuration of the slots for credit cards and ID and the divided pocket for cash (he uses one section for cash and the other section for receipts). Keep the “Herbie” line in mind come time for Dad’s birthday or Father’s Day. The Herbie line is definitely style meeting function – and doing it well!

Junior Drake will be adding an exclusive line of “Herbie” golf accessories which will include “Herbie” logo hats and golf towels, too. Now if we can just convince them to release a ladies golf line! I’m sure it would be beautiful – based on what I have seen of their handbags.

Junior Drake Handbags has teamed up with the Golf Channel reality show “Pipe Dream” with an exclusive offer for both handbag lovers and golf fans!

Watch “Pipe Dream” which premiered January 11th on the Golf Channel to see Mark Burk resume his journey to become a touring professional. After playing for many years, then leaving the game, Mark is picking up the club again and with the support of his friends, will seek to fulfill his dream. The Junior Drake Herbie line will appear on episode numbers 6 and 7. Enter “Pipe Dream” at checkout and receive 60% off your purchase.

And don’t forget what Herbie always says:
“You’ve Gotta FINISH!”

**Disclosure: I did receive both the Herbie Duffel and the wallet to review, however, all opinions of the product are my own.

WomenTalkSports highlighted the athlete video which is narrated by Natalie Coughlin. There is also one celebrating the PAC-10 fans. Check out all three videos, they really are very powerful.

• Looking for ways to make your football party even more fun? Check out my Tailgating Tips plus all the great Tailgating recipes at Snackpicks.com.
• Print out free football inspired invitations for your football get together.
• Women Are Football Fans Too! Stock up on your favorite teams’ jerseys now at LadyFanatics.com!
• Keep the kids busy while getting ready for game time with some fun football printable games.
• How about some women’s football? You got it! Check out the Endzone Airways - a blog by Palm Beach Punishers womens football player Sally Maple.
• Get your friends out for a little pregame touch football game or incorporate some fun football drills into your own workout today just to mix it up a bit!

Have a great day and I hope the team your are rooting for wins!

The season premiere will be September 21. Natalie Coughlin will be joined by 15 other contestants including Tom DeLay, Donny Osmond, Kathy Ireland, Kelly Osborne, Melissa Joan Hart and more.

Coughlin is excited about having the opportunity not only to learn to dance but also to train hard at something else besides swimming. I know we will be looking forward to seeing what she can do and cheering her on!

PopTower’s synopsis:

Set in the world of competitive gymnastics, “Make It or Break It” follows a group of teen Olympic hopefuls as they train and prepare for their day in the spotlight. The cast of “Make It or Break It” includes Chelsea Hobbs (“Lords of Dogtown”) as gymnastic newcomer Emily Kmetko; Ayla Kell (“CSI: Miami“) as top gymnast Payson Keeler; Josie Loren (“17 Again“) as the beautiful gymnast Kaylie Cruz; Cassie Scerbo (“Bring It On: In It to Win It”) as ultra competitive Lauren Tanner; and Zachary Burr Abel (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager“) as the gym’s resident hottie, Carter Anderson. Peri Gilpin (“Frasier”) and Candace Cameron Bure (“Full House”) both make a return to series television in starring roles on “Make It or Break It.”

For those of us who have been involved in the sport for so many years, we will cringe at the flurry of over dramatizations and inaccuracies – but we will watch it anyway – for the gymnastics. We can’t help ourselves.  But the scenes and storyline around the gymnastics – they may just  be too much for me to stomach! So, the big question remains – will the series help or hurt the sport of gymnastics?

I do, however, LOVE this quote from the trailer:

Behind every great champion there is a greater story.

This really is true – and that is what often draws us to a sports story – its not always the performance rather the back story that is so compelling.

What do you think? Will this series have staying power? Will it soon be forgotten? Will the gymnastics and story line be too cheesy to stomach? Only time will tell – I will have to watch the premier!

The event, which was organized to raise awareness and money for women’s cancers, was taped in San Diego on September 14. Frosted Pink with a Twist brings together sports, music and celebrities for a great cause and a wonderful show.

The show is hosted by Olympic greats Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller and Scott Hamilton. Musical artists include: Cyndi Lauper, Natasha Bedingfield, KSM, Carole King and more.

For photos of the “Pink Carpet” event, check out this whole group of them on Flickr.

Athletic Girl Productions launched a brand new girls’ website called Girls are Champions. Led by Lisa Izzi, former Stanford Women’s Gymnastics Coach and NCAA National Champion, Girls are Champions entertains and inspires with health and sport-related features, and invites girls to share their stories and experiences. Come visit! Go to www.GirlsAreChampions.org and have fun!

If you like gymnastics, don’t forget to watch, record or Tivo the Tyson’s American Cup Gymnastics competition which will be aired live on Saturday, March 3 on NBC. I have it Tivo-ed and look forward to watching it later in the weekend as we will be at a gymnastics competition at the same time.

This meet has a very strong history and often features up and coming gymnasts along with some well known champions! This year the American womens’ team features Jana Bieger, Bianca Flohr, Shawn Johnson, Natasha Kelley and Samantha Peszek.