Aaron Layman's Katy Texas Real Estate Forum

Cortes Bank And The Biggest Waves On Earth

Chris Dixon talks about the unique features at Cortes Bank  which produce some of the largest waves on earth...

Evolution Of Tennis Continues

Interesting article on the evolution of the game of tennis, and the challenges posed by improving technology and athleticism of players.  Andy Murray recently cracked a 124 mph forehand; Ivo Karlovic blasted a new world-record 156 mph serve.  If that werent' enough, you have spin doctors like Rafael Nadal who now generate 3200 revolutions per minute on their strokes.  The ITF and other governing bodies of tennis are struggling to maintain the integrity of the game.

Katy Ski Jam Hosts World Professionals This Weekend

The Katy Ski Jam will host 60 water skiers from around the world this weekend.  Skiers will participate in slalom and jumping events held at Lakes of Katy's South Shore.  The 2nd annual Katy Ski Jam kicks off Friday morning with qualifying rounds.

31st Annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival This Weekend

The Katy Rice Harvest Festival will get underway this Saturday and Sunday, October 8-9.  Admission is $7, and a free parking & shuttle service will be available behind the Merrill Center.  The entertainment kicks off Saturday at 11:15 on the main Katy Stage. 

To Be Tops In Tennis, You Need To Be Perfect

The latest Wimbledon final sums up why this isn't the easiest time to make a living at the sport of tennis.  The quality of athletes competing in the sport continues to improve and as this article suggests, excellence no longer guarantees success.  To be tops in the sport of tennis these days, you need to be perfect.  Novak Djokovic is a remarkable 47-1 this year, now with a 5-0 head-to-head record against Rafael Nadal.

While NFL and NBA players are whining about missing a season of action and their million dollar paychecks, tennis players have no one to blame but themselves for an unsuccessful season.  A professional tennis player's paycheck is directly proportional to his or her success on the court.  Wouldn't it be nice if that was the case with all professional athletes!

 

How Sports Teams Make Money Disappear

As the NFL, and now apparently the NBA, take to locking out players, Tommy Craggs takes a look at some of the accounting trickery owners use to pad their books.  There are some surprisingly generous tax benefits for owners of professional sports teams.  Ever heard of a Roster Depreciation Allowance?  It seems the RDA has been around since 1959, and it allows owners to deduct roster expenses not once, but twice; once for "player salaries", and second time under "loss on players' contracts".

"Every year, taxpayers hand the plutocrats who own sports franchises a fat pile of money for no other reason than that one of those plutocrats, many years ago, convinced the IRS that his franchise is basically a herd of cattle. Fort calls it "special-interest legislation." "It's not illegal," he says. "It's just weird."

ESPN took a closer look at the numbers as well.  The reality is that a team's paper losses are sometimes just an accounting fiction courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers.

Katy Triathlon at Firethorne Early Registration Ends September 1st

Early registration ends today for the Katy Triathlon at Firethorne.  This year's race will be held Sunday, October 24th at 7:30 am.  Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Katy, the race includes a 16-mile bike ride, three-mile run, and a 500-meter swim in Firethorne's main lake.  The Firethorne visitor center will again serve as Race Central for the event.

Seven Meadows Swim Team SMST Registration Ends April 6th

The Seven Meadows Swim Team SMST will kick off their 4th season this spring.  Interested participants can register through April 6th.  Volunteer positions are still available.  For more information visit the SMST website.

Cinco Ranch Triathlon Now Katy Triathlon At Firethorne

Katy's annual triathlon will bear a new name and location in 2009.  Now named the Katy Triathlon at Firethorne, this year's event will be held October 25th with a start time of 7:30 AM.  The event includes a 500 meter swim, 15 mile bike, and a 3 mile run.  Age divisions range from 10 & under to 70 plus.  The Katy Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event, so membership is required.  To register for the Katy Triathlon at Firethorne visit the official website for the Katy Triathlon

Seven Meadows, Cinco Ranch, Grand Lakes Swim Teams Kick Off Summer Meet Schedules

Katy area swimmers will be practicing their strokes again this summer.  Community swim teams from Seven Meadows (SMST), Cinco Ranch and Grand Lakes will begin summer meets this weekend, with Seven Meadows holding its first practice meet Saturday May 30th.  For more information you can visit the links below:

Seven Meadows Swim Team (SMST) - Download SMST Facts

Cinco Ranch Swim Team

Grand Lakes Swim Team