5 Recipes to Try This Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is all about football, but we all know the experience wouldn't be the same without pick me ups, appetizers and hor dourves (or what ever you want to call them). Today, we're going to cover the MVP of game day, the food. Here are 5 recipes to try out this Sunday.

BBQ Chicken Wings
Can't go wrong with this game day favorite. This one has a little honey twist.

Best Ever Jalapeno Poppers
You may have seen these in the freezer section, but nothing beats a homemade popper.

Cocktail Meatballs
Easy to eat with simply a toothpick and oh so good.

Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Ribs
Rare to see a rack of ribs as an appetizer, but wow them at the party with this one.

Rotel Cheese Dip
Along with salsa, possibly the most important part of the game day spread.

Monday: 8 Tips to Make Your Super Bowl Party the Best in the Neighborhood 
Tuesday: The 5 Best North Carolina Born NFL Players of All-Time
Wednesday: Read This to Wow Your Friends This Super Bowl Sunday  

Read This to Wow Your Friends This Super Bowl Sunday

At Hardison & Cochran, we're all about education. Usually that is based around an education of your rights when an accident occurs or you are fighting for Social Security disability benefits, but today it is going to be all about football. Staying with our theme this week of the Super Bowl, below we are offering up many links where you can read up before the game on Sunday. If you want to wow your friends with your football knowledge, this is a great place to start. If you'd also like a little education on personal injury laws, check out our free book and report page on our website.

Pro Football Reference
If it happened in professional football, this website has documentation of it. If you get into a debate with your friend about who is the best player or who is the best team, start here for some statistical evidence.

Football Strategy
Days, weeks, months and even years of film is viewed before games to build a solid game plan. Every team has a method to their madness on both sides of the ball. Brush up on the finer details of the game by checking out what some teams are trying to do with different sets, motions and personnel. 

NFL Official Signals
Everyone knows when the yellow flag comes out something illegal is going on, but what's up with all the gyrations by the official when he is explaining the call? Glad you asked. The above link is to the official NFL website that explains each motion a referee may go through with explanations of the penalty.

Super Bowl History
This is the best Super Bowl since _________. If you say those words, make sure you know about every Super Bowl played. This website from NFL.com will make sure you know everything about the Super Bowl.

New York Giants Roster
New England Patriots Roster
Get to know all the players who will be taking the field this Sunday.

This post is the third in a five part series of a celebration of the Super Bowl. Be sure to check in each day as we visit a topic associated with football. Previous topics are linked below:


Monday: 8 Tips to Make Your Super Bowl Party the Best in the Neighborhood
Tuesday: The 5 Best North Carolina Born NFL Players of All-Time

The 5 Best North Carolina Born NFL Players of All-Time

When you speak the words "North Carolina" to someone in the sports world, most times their mind goes straight to basketball. As we're about to show below, North Carolina has its fair share of football talent as well. Below is a list of the 5 best players to suit up in the NFL who were born in North Carolina. If you click the name of the player, you will be sent to their ProFootball reference page where you can check out all their information and stats. This list wasn't easy to pick, and we're sure folks have some strong opinions on this, so we welcome you to drop your thoughts in the comment section.



1. Bruce Matthews - Offensive Line - (Born: Raleigh, North Carolina)
1983-2001 (NFL Hall of Fame)
Matthews longevity in the NFL is something to marvel, but he wasn't just a body, he was a impact player on the offensive line. In his 19 year NFL career, Matthews was a 14 time Pro-Bowler and was selected to the First Team All Pro team seven times. He was also inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2007. From 1988 to 2001, Matthews did not miss a start on the offensive line. He was 40 years old during his last season in the NFL. (Wiki)

2. Bobby Bell - Linebacker - (Born: Shelby, North Carolina)
1963-1974 (NFL Hall of Fame)
The title reads NFL players, so it should be noted that Bobby Bell spent more than half of his career playing in the AFL before the two leagues merged in 1970. That fact does not take away the fact that Bell was an absolute athlete from his linebacker position. In his playing days, he stood 6'4, weighed in at 230 pounds and was reported to run a 4.5 40 yard dash. Those numbers today may be a little more frequent in today's NFL, but we're talking about the 60's and 70's here. His coach was quoted as saying, "He could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well." In addition to being a nine time Pro Bowler, being voted to the First-Team All Pro team, being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1983, Bell was a member of two AFL Championship teams and one Super Bowl Championship team. (Wiki)

3. Carl Eller - Defensive End - (Born: Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
1964-1979 (NFL Hall of Fame)
We mentioned size in Bobby Bell's profile above and we'll talk about it again here when it comes to 6'6' defensive end Carl Eller. Eller was part of the defensive line for the Minnesota Vikings know as the "Purple People Eaters." The defensive front with the funny name did not disappoint as they led the Vikings to 10 Central division titles in 11 seasons from 1968 to 1978. In that time frame the Vikings went to four Super Bowl, but were unable to get a victory. Eller was a six time Pro Bowler and was voted to the First Team All Pro team five times. After being a finalist many years, Eller was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2004. (Wiki)

4. Sonny Jurgenson - Quarterback - (Born: Wilmington, North Carolina)
1957-1974 (NFL Hall of Fame)
There must be something in the water down in Wilmington. In addition to bringing the world one the best, if not the best, basketball players of all time, they produced one of the first outstanding passing QB's in the NFL. Before the Dan Marino's, Peyton Manning's, Tom Brady's and Drew Brees' of the passing world, there was Sonny Jurgenson. He was a 5 time Pro Bowler and was voted to the First-Team All Pro Team twice in his career. He was voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1983. (Wiki)

5. Dwight Stephenson - Center - (Born: Murfreesboro, North Carolina)
1980-1987 (NFL Hall of Fame)
He has the shortest NFL career on this list, but he produced results. His bust sets in the NFL Hall of Fame, which he was inducted to in 1998, to prove it. Coming from Alabama where legendary coach Bear Bryant said Stephenson was the best player he ever coached, he quickly became the offensive captain and starting center of the Miami Dolphins. In the 80's the Dolphins' offensive line had an amazing streak of the least QB sacks given up for nine years in a row. Six of those years, Stephenson manned the center position. Stephenson was a five time Pro Bowler and voted to the First Team All Pro team four times. (Wiki)

This post is the second in a five part series of a celebration of the Super Bowl. Be sure to check in each day as we visit a topic associated with football. Previous topics are linked below:

Monday: 8 Tips to Make Your Super Bowl Party the Best in the Neighborhood

8 Tips to Make Your Super Bowl Party the Best in the Neighborhood

This Sunday folks will be getting together to watch an American Classic, the Super Bowl. There will be all kinds of gatherings and parties across the Tar Heel state for the game, but today we're offering some tips that will make sure your party is the talk of the neighborhood.

1. Plenty of Seating
If your place is set up for a family of 3 or 4, you might want to look into changing around your TV and living room set-up a little bit to get the maximum amount of chairs for folks to watch the game. You don't want to put everyone on top of each other, but you also don't want the majority of your guests standing up or sitting on the floor.

2. Ask Everyone You Invite to Bring their Favorite Appetizer
If you want a variety of foods, just ask everyone you invite to bring their own appetizer. In addition to having an array of great food, it could be a great conversation starter between two of your pals that don't know each other very well.

3. Don't Skimp on the Salsa
While number two above has you asking your friends to bring a variety of appetizers, it is an unwritten rule that the party host must provide the salsa. They must provide the salsa like a champion. If you're hosting, you might want to check out some salsa recipes at AllRecipes.com.

4. If Need Be, Go Multiple
Sometimes, you just have to call the audible at the line. It happens. If you have more than one TV in the house, you might want to check out your set-up and put another TV in the watching area for maximum coverage. Your guests will thank you.

5. Gussy Your Place Up A Little
This one may be for the ladies more so than the men, but it says a lot when you walk into a house for a party and decorations are placed everywhere. Placing balloons, streamers, and colored napkins is a good place to start. Last year, you may have had to look around for green and yellow streamers and balloons (Green Bay Packers), but this year both team have the same colors; red, white and blue.

6. Have a Prize at the End of the Night
When everyone gets to your place, have them write down what they think the score will be to the game. When the game is over, check out all the scores and award the person with the closest score a little prize of your choosing. Extra point if it football themed.

7. Tailgate Before the Game
If you have been to a college or pro football game, you know it is all about the tailgate. Just because you're not at the game doesn't mean you can't have a little bit of outside fun. Kickoff is slated for 6:30pm on Sunday, so just have the outside tailgate where you grill up some chicken wings, hamburger sliders, etc. from 3:00pm till 6:00pm. At six, everyone can start making their way inside to find a seat for the game. If you're real hardcore, just bring the TV outside, but this is not reccommended.

8. Make Designated Driver Plans Well Before the Game
If you are going to one or hosting a Super Bowl party, make sure you and the people at the party have a way to get home if they have been drinking alcohol. If you want to be the best host in the world, have someone on stand-by who is able to take people home safely.

This is post 1 of 5 of an ongoing celebration of the 2012 Super Bowl. Come back tomorrow for more!

Do Women Feel More Pain Than Men?

New research shows that women may feel pain more intensely than men do according to an article on medical website, WebMD. The study referenced in the article used the medical records of more than 11,000 men and women. After being asked about their conditions, and rating their pain on a scale of zero (no pain) to ten (worst imaginable), women said they felt more extreme pain in 14 of the 47 conditions reviewed by the study. Women suffered substantially more pain in the musculoskeletal category.

Why do women feel more pain? No one has a clue.  “We don’t know why. But it’s not just a few diseases here and there; it’s a bunch of them,” said Atul Butte an associate professor of medicine at Stanford University.

Click here to check out the full article from WebMD.

*Photo courtesy of wolfgangfoto via Flickr Creative Commons.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech

Top 5 Injuries in Worker' Compensation Claims

Liberty Mutual recently released their Workplace Safety Index (WSI). The WSI identifies the top causes of serious non-fatal workplace injuries based on information from the insurance carriers' workers' compensation claims, the US Bureau of Labor Stats (BLS), and the National Academy of Social Insurance.

The data which formed this top five list below use injury-event definitions developed by the BLS and data on injuries that keep employees out of work for six or more days. These injuries are then ranked by the total of the workers' compensation costs for each type of injury.

The following list represents claims from 2009. This is the most recent year for which data are available.

1. Overexertion
Excessive lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying and throwing

2. Fall on Same Level
Tripping, slipping and tumbling without falling to another level of flooring.

3. Fall to Lower Level
Tripping, slipping and tumbling down to another level of flooring.

4. Bodily Reaction
Bending, climbing, reaching, standing, sitting, slipping and tripping without falling.

5. Stuck by Object
Objects falling such as a tool falling and hitting a construction worker.

Click here to see the full 2011 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index in PDF format.

* Photo courtesy of gregor_y via Flickr Creative Commons.

What is Seasonal Depression?

Have you ever heard of the "winter blues" or "cabin fever"? Those phrases are two of many that describe seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder. As context clues may lead your to conclude, this type of depression is only felt during certain months of the year. Many people feel the effects starting in September and it lasts until April or May. Those who suffer from seasonal depression have the common signs of depression such as anxiety, loss of interest, lessened social interaction, lack of energy and of course sadness.

So what is the reason for being a little bit down during only certain months of they year? The sun might be the answer. The following is from the Cleveland Clinic's page on seasonal depression:

The exact cause of this condition is not known, but the influence of latitude on SAD strongly suggests that it is caused by changes in the availability of sunlight. One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter. Exposure to light may reset the biological clock.

Another theory is that brain chemicals that transmit information between nerves, called neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), may be altered in individuals with SAD. It is believed that exposure to light can correct these imbalances.

If the lack of light is the problem, then getting some light seems to be the simple solution. Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat seasonal depression. Following are two types of light therapy from WebMD's page on seasonal depression:

• Bright light treatment. For this treatment, you sit in front of a "light box" for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning.
• Dawn simulation. For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.

If you are suffering from seasonal depression, you might be able to pull yourself out of the blues with a home remedy. TLC offers 27 Home Remedies for Season Depression on their website.

Additional Reading on Seasonal Depression:
Seasonal Affective Disorder (About)
Seasonal Depression (SAD) (EMed Health)
Great Plains Lab Researches Seasonal Depression (Fox4 Kansas City)
5 Food Tips to Beat the Winter Blues (MindBodyGreen)

* Photo courtesy of Adam Swank via Flickr Creative Commons.

Whiplash: What is it? How Does it Happen?

One of the most common injuries sustained in an auto accident is whiplash. Chances are that you have heard the word and you know that it is associated with the neck area, but what is exactly going on with this type of injury? Read On.

What is Whiplash?
Whiplash, which is not a medical term, describes an injury when someone is involved in an accident where there is a sudden distortion of the neck. In medical jargon this is known as a cervical sprain or more specific to auto accidents, cervical acceleration-deceleration injury. What is actually happening within the neck area is muscles, ligaments and tendons are overstretching due to the force of impact.  The tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerve roots, etc. are known as soft tissue, hence the phrase "soft tissue injury."

Does it Heal Fast?
It depends. Every whiplash injury is different. The severity of the accident needs to be taken into account along with many other factors. Some people involved in accidents will still be feeling the effects of the whiplash two years after the accident. Some will feel better in a matter of weeks. No two whiplash injuries are exactly alike.

If I get rear-ended, what is going on in the moments that I am hit? 
The following provides an example of the occupant and seat interaction sequence for a collision lasting approximately 300 milliseconds: (From Wikipedia's Page on Whiplash)

0 Milliseconds
• Rear car structure is impacted and begins to move forward and/or crushes
• Occupant remains stationary
• No occupant forces

100 Milliseconds
• Vehicle seat accelerates and pushes into occupant’s torso (i.e. central portion of the body in contact with seat)
• The torso loads the seat and is accelerated forward (seat will deflect rearward)
• Head remains stationary due to inertia

150 Milliseconds
• Torso is accelerated by the vehicle seat and may start to ramp up the seat
• Lower neck is pulled forward by the accelerated torso/seat
• The head rotates and extends rapidly rearward hyper-extending the neck

175 Milliseconds
• Head is still moving backwards
• Vehicle seat begins to spring forward
• The torso continues to be accelerated forward
• The head rotation rearward is increased and is fully extended.

300 Milliseconds
• Head and torso are accelerated forward
• Neck is “whipped” forward rotating and hyper-flexing the neck forward
• The head accelerates due to neck motion and moves ahead of the seat back

If I am rear ended and feel pain should I go see a doctor?
Yes, a thousand times yes. After an accident, if you are experiencing any kind of discomfort or pain in your neck, or any other part of your body for that matter, see a doctor. Do not fabricate a story of pain or exaggerate the severity of the pain to the doctor, but if you feel that you may need to see a doctor, go.

* Photo courtesy of Caitlinator via Flickr Creative Commons    

5 Ways To Save Money on Heating Costs This Winter

The New Year is here and the New Year came in cold. While North Carolina enjoyed a mild late fall, it feels like Old Man Winter is moving into the Tar Heel state more and more each day. Dropping tempratures means rising heating costs, but with a few simple steps, you can make sure those costs don't skyrocket this winter. Below we have listed tips and links to websites that will have you preparing your home to save money today. If you have any tips of your own, please share them with us in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

1. Break Out The Sweaters, Slippers and Long Johns
Instead of blasting your thermostat up, just break out all your sweaters, sweatshirts, long johns, fuzzy socks, slippers and blankets. Keeping your house a few degrees cooler than normal will save you money. Wearing more of the cold weather gear you already have will cost you nothing.

2. Cook, Eat, Heat
 If you prepare a meal or even some cookies, don't shut the oven after you're done. Let some of the heat escape into your house. If you have small children running around, this may not be a good option for you, but if your place only has adults within the walls, let your oven take a little work off your heating system.

3. Heat Your Main Hang Out
If you normally hang out in the living room in the evenings as a family, look into purchasing a space heater. Focus on heating the room you spend the most time in instead of heating the whole house. With all this being said, make sure you use your space heater exactly how it is intended to be used. Read through the litrature that comes with the unit. Check out some space heater safety tips here.   


4. Check Out Your Doors and Windows
A lot of heat could be escaping through your doors and windows, so check them out. When you first check them, feel around to see if there are any drafts. If you have some drafts, you'd be amazed at how much money you can save by filling in the holes the drafts come through. Here is a great guide from the DIY Network on checking for drafts and what to do after you find them. Simple fixes that will save you money!

5. Turn It Down
If everyone leaves during the day time to go to school and work, just drop the thermostat before you leave. According to Mr. Electricty, re-heating a home does not cost more than keeping it constantly heated.

Additional Reading:How to Save Money on Heating Costs (Saving Electricity)
Cut Your Heating Costs and Save Money This Winter (Good Housekeeping)
Save Money On Your Home Heating Costs (Today)
10 Ways to Save Money on Heating Bills this Winter (My Two Dollars)

* Photo courtesy of Muffet via Flickr Creative Commons.