Van Gundy said. We need to find people that play that hard.T

To see Bob Backlund return to Monday Night Raw has been a throwback to the character he portrayed early on during his return in the 1990s. Hes intense, driven and almost maniacal in his enthusiasm to Make Darren Young Great Again!In reality, Backlunds the same kind of person off-screen as he has been on-screen since his first WWF run in the 1970s and 80s -- intensely committed to physical fitness and clean living.Backlund is applying that same intensity to a new endeavor, touring the country doing motivational speaking events, where he touts the benefits of physical fitness and living right. Think of him as someone carrying on the tradition of legendary fitness guru Jack LaLanne, only with a bow tie, suspenders and a couple of WWE championships to go along with the presentation.Harvard Step TestBacklund is locked in to providing the highest levels of performance advice to Young on-screen, but hes also eager to spread the message to the youth of the world that being physically active and fit is a goal worth striving for.To really understand why Backlund is so uniquely qualified to preach the advantages of working out, look no further than the Harvard Step Test?and Backlunds continued excellence in performing it.The Step Test consists of stepping up and down on a single 12-inch step at 24 steps per minute for three minutes. It might sound easy, but this test was initially designed during World War II as a way to measure cardiovascular endurance. It can wear out even the most in-shape person in a hurry.This was not the case with Backlund, who was so adept at doing hour-long Step Test workouts that the WWE eventually used it as a promotional tool. Backlund would start doing the test at the beginning of a one-hour show and do it nonstop until the end of the show. The WWE also used the Step Test as an angle between Backlund and Sgt. Slaughter.Backlund recently noted that he actually received a legitimate Step Test challenge from an award-winning marathon runner who saw Backlund doing this exercise in a gym. When the marathoner indicated he thought he could keep up with or surpass Backlund in this type of workout, Backlund smiled and said, You better be ready, because youll actually have to work to do this.Backlund said the runner was able to do the test for about 20 minutes but finally ran out of gas, stopped stepping, turned around and walked out of the gym without saying a word to anyone.This wasnt the only conditioning challenge Backlund has won over the years. In the book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes & Icons, authors Steven Johnson and Greg Oliver tell a story of a 62-year old Backlund attending a Massachusetts police academy as a guest instructor and proceeding to outwork every recruit in pushups, squats, pullups, situps and leg lifts.His feverish workout pace continues to this day. Backlund indicates he does the Harvard Step Test for 30 minutes a day and could still do it for an hour straight if need be.One-of-a-kind short-arm scissor high spotOne of the ways Backlunds elite constitution helped him in the ring during his days as WWE champion was with a short-arm scissor spot.Watch the clip embedded here on this page, and youll see it in all of its glory. Ivan Koloff put Backlund into a short-arm scissor armlock, Backlund tried to find a way to maneuver out of the hold, and his efforts were to no avail.Thats when his endurance came into play.When somebody gets you into the short-arm scissor, youve got to pick them up, Backlund said. You got to be able to last, too, because youve got to finish the match [once thats done]. Most people would have been gassed just picking [the other wrestler] up. When they have you in the short-arm scissor, they keep you in it for quite a while, and youre fighting to get out. And the more enthusiasm you can do when youre fighting to get out, the better. But if youre not in shape, youre not going to keep up with that rate.And then when you pick them up [to get out of the short-arm scissor], youve got to walk around with them [in the air] and leave them there for a while so the people all see it. Then you go set them on the top rope, give them a slap, then he comes running at you and you backdrop him. Then you give him a body slam and then small-package him or backslide him to try to pin him. Its important to be in shape so you can do the [high spot] at the right level of intensity.There is no such thing as a rest holdBacklunds approach to fitness even helped him take a different kind of position on so-called rest holds than most of the wrestling industry.Youre not resting when you get a hold on [another wrestler], he said. Youre getting the people emotionally involved. Its that guy thats trying to fight to get out of it. The other wrestler would do something to get me into a headlock, maybe by pulling my hair, and I was constantly fighting to get out [of the hold]. Its up to the guy thats in that hold to keep moving. I was trying to make it look like I was trying to figure out how Im going to get out of that hold. Id be always on the move.I dont want to lie around all day and take pills to stay aliveBacklund doesnt view staying in shape as an option -- its a necessity.I have to sleep to stay alive, he said. I have to eat to stay alive. I tell myself I have to work out to stay alive. Im not just staying alive to stay alive, I mean stay alive and live a quality life. One of my biggest things is I dont want to have to lie around all day and take pills to stay alive. And I think working out is a better alternative to some doctor giving me pills all day. I dont want that to happen. Its a big reason I work out.The driving forceBacklund said that his never-ending drive to work out began during a very difficult childhood. He describes in his autobiography?how drinking brought out his fathers violent temper, how it was so bad at one point that Backlunds older brother Norval had to jump in and save their mother from being beaten by their father.This difficult beginning could have driven Backlund in many negative directions, but he instead decided to never capitulate -- his favorite saying -- and chose a route that eventually led him to develop his 18 principles of healthy living. These guidelines include staying in shape, eating the proper foods, maintaining a positive mental attitude, being kind to other people and turning any negative into a positive.The best way to sum up Backlund and his path of positivity is that he decided to be a real-life babyface and not just play one inside of the ring. That hasnt always been the case with wrestlers who portray good guys on-camera over the years, but its a big reason why Backlund stands out as the real deal to this day in an otherwise kayfabe world. Wholesale Rays Jerseys . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Cheap Rays Jerseys China . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. http://www.cheapraysjerseys.com/ . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. Cheap Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Cheap Wade Boggs Jersey . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. CLEVELAND -- Kyrie Irving had a big game. LeBron James returned to the court. And the Cleveland Cavaliers put it all together Friday night.Irving scored 25 points and James, returning to the lineup after sitting out a game, added 21 to help the Cavaliers rolled past the Detroit Pistons 104-81.Offensively and defensively it was the best weve played all year, as far as close to 48 minutes, said James, who rested Wednesday night in a loss at Indiana.James, made 9 of 14 shots and played only 28 minutes. Irving was 11 of 15 from the field with 11 assists -- one short of his career high -- in 29 minutes.Following a slow start that saw Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue call a timeout less than 2 minutes into the game after the Pistons hit a pair of wide-open 3-pointers.Lue only smiled when asked for specifics about what he told the players, but he was clearly unhappy.He didnt like our effort to start the game, James said. We got the message and we were able to change it around.He didnt need to tell us much, Irving said. We all understood.Cleveland led by 11 at the end of the first quarter, took a 56-39 lead into halftime and continued to dominate. The Cavaliers built the lead to 33 points in the fourth quarter, allowing Lue to rest his starters for the entire final period. The defending NBA champions dont play again until Wednesday night.J.R. Smith, who returned after missing three games with a sprained right ankle, hit three 3-pointers and moved past the Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki into 15th place on the NBAs career list for 3s.Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy, who was unhappy with his teams defense and rebounding in Wednesdays loss to New York, benched his starters for the fourth quarter.There is no takeaway from tonight, we got crushed, Van Gundyy said.dddddddddddd We were just awful.Cleveland was 11 of 25 on 3-pointers and has reached double figures in all 12 games, an NBA record to start the season.Kevin Love scored 12 points and had 14 rebounds, and Tristan Thompson also had 14 rebounds.Lues early timeout paid off when Smith hit three 3-pointers, and James and Tristan Thompson scored on dunks.Jon Leuer led Detroit with 15 points. The Pistons starting five of Tobias Harris, Marcus Morris, Andre Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith combined for only 37 points.Their guys all played really, really hard, Van Gundy said. We need to find people that play that hard.TIP-INSPistons: Harris was hit with a technical foul in the second quarter. ... Van Gundy plans on sticking with a nine-man rotation until his team is at full strength. G Reggie Jackson is still rehabbing from surgery on his left knee and hasnt played this season.Cavaliers: James had three assists and is four away from passing Guy Rodgers for 17th on the career list. .... Cleveland blocked eight shots, including four by Thompson. .... G Mike Dunleavy, who didnt play against Indiana, entered the game in the second quarter. He scored five points.TAKE A BREAKThe Cavaliers wont practice the next two days, which will provide a much-welcome rest.I cant remember when I had it like this in a season, James said. Were going to take full advantage of it.Its very important for our team, Lue said. Guys should feel refreshed and healthy.UP NEXTPistons: Host Celtics on Saturday night. Detroit is 5-0 at The Palace of Auburn Hills this season.Cavaliers: Host Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. ' ' '