It seems like every industry has an email newsletter which is a “must have” for those in the biz.   But you can get really great fun stuff via email, too.  In fact, some of the best stuff you can read comes special delivered, direct to your email inbox.  And best of all, its typically free.  We scanned the World Wide Web for these great email newsletters which every man should receive, and after weeks of getting them on a regular basis, here’s our verdict: We should have been reading these beforehand.

Honorable Mentions

12: The Daily Beast. Their core offering is the snarky, Huffington Post-esque political beat, but their newsletter is pretty darn good, too — and will give you the necessary tools so you’re not that guy who thinks Nino Scalia is the lead singer of KISS.  The signup is buried in the bottom right of their homepage but if you register for an account, by default (boo!) they opt you in.  Good thing it’s a good read.

11: Links of the Week.  Best of the web, in link form, in your inbox, once a week.  LotW will make you smarter, more attractive, and bring women to you in droves.  Okay, maybe not.  But it will help you find such web gems as this 2003 Honda ad and will keep you awake enough to avoid this.

10: The Morning Bark.  A product of the Yardbarker sports network, the Morning Bark is a daily link dump of all things sports.  Like Links of the Week, above, there’s no actual content in it — just links — which is why we went with another sports list at #3 (keep scrolling…).  But if links are your thing, the Morning Bark is solid.

9: The Daily Tube. The best videos from the web, the Daily Tube offers a vertically-customizable mailer each day.  It’s not targetted toward men and certainly has its share of chick stuff, but you can avoid it (and should) pretty easily.

8: National Geographic’s Photo and News of the Week. It’s the second one down on that page.  It’s only a weekly and it’s really only worth it for the photos, but the monthly one is not as good and it comes out too rarely.  Ignore the (typically weird in a bad way) news but check out the (typically weird in a good way) photos like this one.

7: Comedy Smack. A best-of-the-web type of deal where all you get is funny, and you get it for noooo money.  (Sorry.)  Their Best of 2008 is worth twice the price.

6: The Toilet Paper.  Taglined “Daily News For the Thinking Man,” this four-times-a-weeker has become a mainstay in our toilet reading.  How else would you know that Fran Tarkenton thinks Brett Favre is a d-bag?

The awesomely! Fab Five

5: Flavorpill.  An events guide for your city, showing the hyper-trendy to just plain cool ways to enjoy the culture and happenings around town.  Focused on New York, LA, San Fran, Chicago, London, and Miami (hello South Beach!), Flavorpill does the deep dive that will make you the guy in your group who knows where the best live music is that weekend, and the endearing mensch who can talk about the hot new museum collection you think your better half will enjoy.  Live outside these cities? Their website will give you all the culture you can handle — but the mailers aren’t going to help much.

4: Tasting Table.  For the man-as-foodie, Tasting Table rules.  It’s not just about food, but where food and culture come into that perfect zen moment which makes dining out the awesome experience it can be.  They also give a great look at wine and beer, and sprinkle in a chef’s recipe or two.  But hey, if your worldview is “Big Mac, large fries, and a Coke,” it’s not for you.  Tasting Table has a New York, LA, Chicago, and a national version, with a San Fran one coming soon.

3: Daily Tailgate.  The new kid on the block is a best-in-class sports e-magazine.  I was lucky enough to be invited to be an alpha tester — it’s awesome.  Daily Tailgate gives a dose of that world of sports, but not just your top stories.  Sure, they have the ESPN nuts-and-bolts, but there’s more.  They bring you the ultimate watercooler fodder through their interviews with athletes and other sports celebs (did you know Linda Cohn was a college hockey goalie?), a shot of trivia and fantasy sports advice, and strange sports (defined loosely) like Sholf.  (Seriously, if you know of a Sholf tournament near New York City, I want in.)

2: Urban Daddy.  Yes, the title sounds like something from Michael Vick’s “Ron Mexico” conquests, but the content rocks.    For example, did you know that there’s something called a beer pager?  You know, which pages your beer?  Yeah, hit a button, and your beer starts beeping, screaming, “I’m here! Drink me!”   You would have if you were an Urban Daddy reader.

1: Thrillist.  The granddaddy of them all, Thrillist and its million of readers — literally — get first-hand news of bundles of awesomeness.  Find out about great new websites, products, bars, live shows, gear… honestly, everything a guy could ever want.  It’s a broad net but they’re masterfisherman, and make us feel more manly just by being subscribers.  Seriously, it’s that good.

With these five tools arriving every day or week in your inbox, you’ll be sure to be the man with the answers.  You’ll know everything you need to about sports, music, gear, events, food, and just plain awesomeness in every facet of life.

In fact, after you subscribe to these five (or 12!) above, you’ll wonder how you made it through your week beforehand.

Have you heard that “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships?” I hope so, because it is true. You look at all teams and it holds water. This is because offense might not show up because shots sometimes do not go in, but defense does. Defense is always there for you no matter what if you put the hard work in.

Then why is it that casual ballplayers never practice there defense? You always see them practicing their shooting, dribbling, or passing, but never defense.  They probably do not even know how to practice it alone.  Here are six easy ways to do exactly that.

Drills to Build Quickness

1: Lines. Jump back and forth, and side to side over lines with both feet and then one foot at a time. You want quick little jumps.  Time yourself to see how many you can do in 60 seconds.  This not only builds reaction time and better motor coordination, but also endurance if you do multiple sets each workout.

2: Five Dots. Make 5 dots, 1 in the middle and 4 in the shape of a box outside of the middle one, about two feet from the center.   Hop on both feet from the outer dots onto the middle one, and repeat outward to the next dot.  Try and do some jumps backward.  This will increase your spatial awareness as well as your quickness.

3: Bounding.  This drill trains you to explode onto the scene on defense — and not just default by running. Start this drill out on one foot and then jump as far as you can in a random direction. Keep on doing this, but only do it for a short period of time. You are wanting to train your muscles to be explosive so go hard for a short amount of time.

Different Game Situations

4. Shuffle. This is good for guarding a man with the ball.  We suggest the “push slide step technique” — push with one leg; slide the other one next to it, and then step. In this technique do not overlap your feet, and you create a human wall which makes it difficult for the player to dribble or pass around.  In practicing, go from one end of the lane to the other. While doing this, you must have one almost touching the ground and one high. The one hand high is to be in the players face in game ready to block/distract shot while the low hand is the pesky hand preventing the crossover. This hand is then dictating to the ball handler which direction he can go.

5.  Crossing Out. Sometimes, you need to get to the shooter, and quickly.  This helps you practice that situation.  Start out of bounds and put a cone at the free throw line. Imagine the cone as an imaginary person. Run at it and then chop step when you get close with your but down and hands up being ready for the shot and drive. Practice like it is a real game, or you will get burned in a real game.

6: Ball Shuffle Drill. Pass the ball along the wall while shuffling your feet parallel to the wall, moving laterally the entire time. Always stay in your defensive stance while doing this.  This will allow you to improve your lateral movement against a ball-handler and will focus your concentration on the ball.  See how quickly you can get from one baseline to the other, and how many Remember that for all the defensive drills and you will get a great workout.

The highly anticipated Madden 2010 will be on shelves next month, and in anticipation of its release, I have decided to write the the ultimate Madden guide for the rules and proper etiquette for the game.

Quarter Length: 3 or 5 minutes
Difficulty: All-Pro or All-Madden
Penalty Frequency: Please keep normal. The game needs to be played the right way without holding, clipping, or other penalties. They are a part of the game whether you like it or not.

Picking Teams

• The host always gets first choice when it comes to the selection of teams, determination of the home stadium, and weather.
• You cannot play with the same teams. It’s a silly idea so you will just look like a major idiot if you even suggest such an idea like “hey, let’s both be the Steelers!!”
• The Patriots are off limits. While New England is arguably the best team in the NFL, EA annually makes them a near flawless team. Therefore, you are pathetic if you need to use the Pats to win. In order to show that you are the superior player, use a good but hardly invincible team like the Eagles, Packers, or even the Titans.

Randy Moss Rule

• While you may have a dominant receiver like the Patriots’ Randy Moss, please don’t throw it to him on every single play. A couple of months ago, I was playing against my brother and the only play he knew was a deep route to Moss. By throwing to just your star receiver, you end up looking like a seven year old.

Other In-Game Rules

• Do not use the same blitz package on every single down. This isn’t Madden 2000 so you do have more than one play — use them
• On offense, feel free to use the same play over and over, but you’re going to be beaten badly if you do.  Your choice.
• In the past, I always was a staunch proponent of no previewing your play. However, EA has now added a bluff screen, which can trick your opponent. With this now available, feel free to either check out your play or bluff.
• If you are winning by three touchdowns than there is no need to go for a two point conversion.
• If you are winning by a touchdown with less than a minute left in the game and your opponent has no timeouts than please, don’t take a knee. You don’t have to pass but a a FB smash would be a more respectable way to finish the game.  This isn’t the NFL and millions of dollars aren’t on the line.

Smack Talk

• Feel free to talk trash as long as you want, but if you start losing don’t get upset if your buddy starts talking back.
• As long as you don’t mind your buddy jumping for joy, you’re free to celebrate as much as you want.

Breaks/Timeouts

• Do you really have to use the restroom or get a quick snack? Or, is this some way for you to stop your friend’s momentum and readjust your strategy? You can only take a break if it’s okay with both parties. However, at halftime, you’re more than welcome to leave the gaming area for a trip to the john or quick stop in the kitchen.

Leaving the Game

• Are you getting killed? Down by 28 after the first quarter? You can whine all you want, but you’re in it until the other party gives up too. Expect to get routed, and take it like a man.
• If you’re good enough to build up a 28 point lead than feel free to celebrate even after your tenth touchdown of the night.
• If you’re playing in a group and you are losing by at least 28 points in the second half, then the person winning may end the game so the next person can play.

Things You’ll Need

• Steak – 100% Canadian “AAA” Beef if available, or USDA Prime or Choice U.S. beef or well trimmed Black Angus
• Garlic Clove
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• Soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce
• A Lemon or Lime
• Dijon mustard or Chili sauce
• Spices: Cumin, Cilantro, Salt, and Pepper
• Brown sugar
• Wine
• Beer
• Black Pepper

Steps

1. Choose a nice cut of steak from the butcher or local supermarket; cuts from the tenderloin or rib are best. Excellent cuts include T-bone, rib eye, club, porterhouse, N.Y. Strip, Chateaubriand, and filet mignon. Choose the best grade you can afford: In the USA, that is: Prime (best), Choice (very good), Select (average). Prime grade can be difficult to find, so call several butchers to locate. Be prepared to pay at least USD$15 to USD$25 per pound for Prime. Aged Prime is superior, but aged meats aren’t for everyone.
2. Remove steak from refrigerator about 90 minutes before cooking. The steak should be at room temperature before it touches the grill.
3. Peel a clove of garlic and crush lightly to release juices.
4. Rub crushed garlic clove onto all sides of the steak.
5. Coat each side of the steak with fresh ground black pepper and salt. Gently press spices into the flesh.
6. For inexpensive cuts, squeeze the juice of half a lemon or lime on both sides of the steak. It may also be necessary to brush some corn or vegetable oil on the steak to prevent it from sticking to the grill. This will help tenderize the tougher steaks.
7. A marinade can help less tender cuts, such as flank. It can improve the taste and tenderize select grade steaks as well.
8. Do not marinate aged choice or prime beef, or you will ruin the steak!
9. Preheat gas grill on high for 10 to 20 minutes. If you pay close attention, you will not overcook your steak. Be prepared to douse flare-ups with water.
10. Grill steak on high for four minutes with lid closed. The key to a great steak is very high heat, so make sure your grill is on the highest setting possible.
11. Flip steak using tongs or spatula, do not use a fork as you will lose juices.
12. Grill on high for another four minutes with lid closed. Your steak will be about medium rare, depending on thickness.
13. Remove steak from grill and immediately place on a warmed platter.
14. Allow steak to rest for a full five minutes before cutting. This allows the juices and full flavors to develop.

Alternate Method

1. Use these ingredients instead: Fresh ground pepper, salt, lime, beer, flank or skirt steak, and chili powder. Feel free to add more spices depending on your preference and taste.
2. Transfer beer into a bowl (big enough to contain the steak and marinade so that the marinade covers enough of the meat to tenderize it) and season it with chili powder.
3. Get half of the lime, squeeze some to the marinade sauce.
4. Soak the beef in the marinade for around 30 minutes inside a refrigerator.
5. Before setting it off to be grilled, give the steak a good rubbing of fresh ground pepper and salt.
6. Let the steak sit in a prepared sauce some 20 minutes or even as long as 6 hours. This would ensure that all the good flavors of the ingredients would be absorbed by the meat.

Tips

• Keep some freshly prepared marinade on the side if you’re going to apply while cooking – Never allow marinade that has come in contact with raw meat to be applied during cooking – it not only increases unhealthy bacteria, but also tends to destroy the flavor of a good cut of meat.
• If you have a small brush, apply the extra marinade from dish to steak while cooking or brush your steak with your favorite HP or Teriyaki sauce while cooking.
• How do you know when your steak is done? Here are some tips using a 1″ cut of meat as an example…
  • Rare (all red in the middle) 120-125 degrees, feels roughly like the flesh between the thumb and the forefinger of a relaxed hand
  • Medium Rare (all pink in the middle – but only the middle!) 125-140 degrees
  • Medium / Medium Well (some pink in the middle/mostly gray) 145-155 degrees, feels roughly like the flesh between the thumb and the forefinger of a straightened hand
  • Well Done (no pink), >160 degrees, feels roughly like the flesh between the thumb and the forefinger of a clenched hand
• Fool-proof method for getting perfect medium steaks: Leave the steak to cook on one side (do not touch!). When you see blood rising on the upper side turn over and cook the other side for almost as long as the first side.
• In a shallow dish, mix the following:
  • 1 cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup of soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
  • freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard or chili sauce
  • spices (i.e. 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp cilantro)
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar and beer to taste

  Marinate the steak for at least 3 hours to a full 24 hours. Note: do not do this for tender cuts like rib eye.

Warnings

• Do not overcook steak.
• Optionally preheat for 5 minutes on high, all burners. Open grill and leave all burners on high! Add steak. Close grill lid. Cook on first side, depending on steak thickness and desired style (med rare, med, well) for 4 minutes, flip, and cook on the other side for 4 minutes.
• Never, ever poke holes in your steak. It will lose valuable juices.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Grill Steak.

This photo is making its way around the web, appearing at This is Photobomb, Awkward Boners (really, there’s a site about that), and by now, eleven billion other places. Take a look at the guy lying down, asleep, on the beach, and at the smoking hot girl smiling at the camera.

Most commentary around the Web are about how embarrassed the guy must have been and about how hot the girl is.  But some of the commentary has bee to the effect of: “dude, she should have given that guy a bj!!!”  Like something right out of a porn flick.

But really, man, we live in the real world, where stuff like that doesn’t happen.  And while we at awesomely! were shocked — shocked! — that someone could not tell the difference between the real world and the world that only exists in porno movies, that shock subsided quickly, as we found dozens of comments that were, apparently, confused.

So here is our gift to the world:

THE awesomely! GUIDE PRESENTS…

HOW TO TELL IF YOU ARE LIVING IN A PORNO MOVIE

We’ll be using the scene from above to help you here.

It’s not even August yet, and my Mets are already also-rans in the National League. Even if you’re more likely to mock the Mets as $140 million failures, it’s happened to you before. No team is going to win every year.

So what are you supposed to do when your team isn’t up to snuff? What happens when your team is out of the running before the season even STARTS? Here are six things to do to keep you interested and occupied when your team is stinking up the joint.

1. Remain Loyal.
Make sure everyone in earshot realizes you are a long-time fan and live and die with your team. Of course if you’re a long-time fan of the Cincinnati Bengals or Washington Nationals now might be time to consider alternatives.

2. Adopt a Backup Team.
Maybe between your regular team and this other team, they’ll have enough good players to challenge the eventual league champion. Ideally, this other team will be out of your regular team’s home division, so if you decide you actually like this team long term you won’t be stepping on your allegiances and breaking the fan code.

3. Make Your Fantasy Team Killer.
This will keep you in tune with the sport, and with the stars you would rather be following over the scrubs on your team. And if you are lucky enough to draft Alex Ovechkin or LeBron James, people will curse your good fortune rather than mock you for liking the Phoenix Coyotes or New Jersey Nets.

4. Heckle Your Opponents.
If you’ve got good seats for your team’s home losses, come up with good heckles for your team’s opponents. “Our players’ wives are hotter” is always a good one.

5. Be A Publicity Whore.
Planning on going to the game?  Do what it takes to get on camera. Got your paper bags for your heads ready? Got posterboard for a sign with the broadcast network’s name as an acronym for something? Got a player’s hot wife in your row?

6. Celebrate The Small Stuff.
Remember to cheer every minor victory. Did your $11 million first baseman hit a double? Awesome! Did your pitcher have a 1-2-3 inning? Amazing! Did your superstar outfielder on the Disabled List wake up and make it to his physical therapy appointment on time? All right!!

But, whatever you do, don’t waste the tickets.

Via the Times Union comes this amazing and, basically, stupid story, where a pair of New York state employees allegedly kicked back, relaxed, smoked up, and started a drug-dealing operation — all while collecting overtime for work otherwise performed:

Their so-called “man cave,” situated inside the East Garage off Phillip Street, featured couches, a television and DVDs, a refrigerator, and rolling papers and scales to weigh marijuana, the IG’s office said in announcing suspensions of the men on Friday.

Fisch’s office alleged the men used the secret party lounge, located in a maintenance area, to sell drugs, get high and sleep while other janitors [did the dude's jobs]. The IG’s office said the janitor made pot deliveries in his OGS vehicle to electricians, plumbers and fellow state workers. He was charged with misdemeanor use of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana.

They banked almost $30k before the story hit.  Read the rest at the Times Union.