NFL Football And Soccer Betting

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2007-10-22T18:58:00.000-06:00

NFL Football And Soccer Betting: JustBet's Oktoberfest 25% CASH BONUS

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2007-10-22T18:49:00.000-06:00

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Poker

2007-06-04T19:53:00.000-06:00

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Most online internet poker gambling sites will allow the gambler to practice with free money until they feel comfortable with paying real money to play at the virtual online poker table. Understanding poker odds and how to play the different games will help you before your next online poker gambling session. Discover how easy it is to get in on the action of playing the game and visit http://www.englishharbour.com/index.php?c=26036&s=195 today. If you’re into poker gambling and gaming, the chances are you want to increase your chances of winning in whatever way you can at http://www.caribbeangold.com/index.php/?c=26036&s=194. The most popular form of poker gambling because of its very large television success and popularity is Texas Holdem poker but Video Poker is a whole other bag of chips when it comes to online internet poker gambling. Advanced Video Poker is the cutting edge gambling machine simulator that features 3 standard versions of this ever popular video game plus 4 additional modes new to poker gambling, introducing a whole new dimension to video Bombs Away. Online internet poker gambling is seeing tremendous growth online and poker gambling besides at casinos and poker rooms is one of the fastest growing forms of wagering on the Internet. You can find poker gambling in a casino but it is much more enjoyable to play online poker gambling on the internet because of the choices available.

Horse Betting

2007-06-04T19:51:00.000-06:00

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Horse betting is the major part in the sport of hose racing and it is what makes the sport of horse racing work. Horse betting is what keeps the sport of Kings and Queens alive because it provides the funds to keep this noble sport running. Horse betting is even better when you use the Internet and the computer. Don't let the ease of use for internet horse betting trap you into making uninformed decisions. Horse betting is a complex game of observation of understanding, calculation and to a great extent, the luck factor. Horse betting is a big business and horse racing fans can bet online on the internet, view live horse racing online, view horse race results from major horse races and maintain an online horse racing betting account. Horse betting is a legal activity and catches the attention of millions of people from different professions disregarding financial status or ethnic background.
All are fascinated and excited by the money, adventure and excitement offered by online internet horse betting. Horse betting is an ancient tradition that's open for the enjoyment of people from all socio-economic classes. Horse betting is a great pastime that's been enjoyed the world over for hundreds and hundreds of years and the most exciting thing about online horse betting is that you can move at your own speed to choose to wager at the time and location that is most convenient for you. Horse betting is a very lucrative opportunity, but only if you know how to chose a bet. Live online internet horse betting is one of the most sought after tracks for millions of gamblers and online horse betting is a great way to enjoy the sport of horse racing even if you live a long way away from the race you chose. The main attraction of online horse betting is that you can bet on your favorite horse races in the comfort of your own home while watching it live on your computer. Internet horse betting is an outgrowth of the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 that allowed interstate simulcast wagering. Winning at the track to earn profits through horse betting is not simple, but with the necessary information it is very doable. The superfecta in horse betting is the equivalent of a parlay with a whole handful of plays in football betting. Online horse betting is great for weekdays when you are in the office and can't go to the track or the OTB, nothing beats being at the track, and all horse bettors know that. Horse betting, as a pastime goes back hundreds of years in human history and apart from betting on football, basketball or baseball, horse betting is also made available on the internet.

Horse Racing Terms

2007-06-04T19:47:00.000-06:00

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Accross The Board is a bet on a horse to win, place and show.

Added Money is money added to the purse of a race by the racing
association or by a breeding or other fund.

All Out is when a horse extends himself to the utmost.

Allowance Race is a race other than claiming for which the racing
secretary drafts certain conditions to determine weights.

Allowances is weight permitted to be reduced because of the
conditions of the race or because an apprentice is on a horse.
Also, a weight females are entitled to when racing against males.

Also Eligable is a horse officially entered, but not permitted to
start unless the field is reduced by scratches below a specified
number.

Also Ran is a horse who finishes out of the money.

Apprentice is rider who has not ridden a certain number of winners
within a specified period of time. Also known as a bug boy.

Apprentice Allowance is weight concession to an apprentice rider:
usually 10 pounds until the fifth winner, seven pounds until the
35th winner and five pounds for one calendar year from the 35th
winner.

Baby Race is a race for 2-year-olds.

Backstretch is straight of far side of track between the turns.

Backside is stable area. (not the horses ass)

Bearing in or out is deviating from a straight course.

Blanket finish is horses finishing so closely together they could
be covered by a blanket.

Blinkers is device to limit a horse’s vision.

Blowout is a short, final workout, usually a day or two before a
race.

Board is board on which odds, betting pools and other
information are displayed.

Bobble is a bad step.

Bolt is sudden veering from a straight course.

Breakage is a pari-mutuel payoff which is rounded out to a
nickel or dime, those pennies that are left over. Breakage is
generally split between the track and state and in some cases,
breeding or other funds, in varying proportions.

Breakdown is when a horse suffers an injury.

Breeder is the owner of dam at time foal is dropped.

Bloodmare is a female Thoroughbred used for breeding.

Bull Ring is a small racetrack usually less than one mile.

Checked a horse pulled up by his jockey.

Chute is an extension of the backstretch or homestretch.

Claiming is buying a horse out of a race for the entered price.

Claiming race is a race in which horses are entered subject to claim
for a specified price.

Classic is race of traditional importance.

Closer a horse who runs best in the latter part of the race.

Colt is male horse under 5 years of age.

Condittion race is an event with conditions limiting it to a
certain class of horse.

Coupled is two or more horses running as an entry in a single
betting unit.

Dayly Double is a type of wager calling for the selection of winners
of two consecutive races, usually the first and second.

Dead Heat is two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the
wire.

Disqualification is a change of order of finish by officials for an
infraction of the rules.

Driving is a strong urging by rider.

Dropdown is a horse facing a lower class of rivals than he had
been running against.

Eighth is a furlong; 220 yards; 660 feet, 1/8 of a mile.

Eligable is a horse qualified to start in a race, according to conditions.

Entry is two or more horses owned by the same stable or trained by the same trainer and thus running as a single
betting unit.

Equivilent odds is mutual price horses pay for each $1 bet.

Evenly is neither gaining nor losing position or distance during a
race.

Exacta is a wager in which the first two finishers
in a race, in exact order of finish, must be picked.

Faltered is a term used for a horse that was in contention early
and drops back in the late stages. It is more drastic than
weakened but less drastic than stopped.

Filly is a female horse up to and including the age of 4.

Foal is a newly born Thoroughbred, or until weaned. Male or female.

Four furlongs is half a mile; 880 yards; 2,640 feet.

Front runner is a horse who usually leads (or tries to lead) the
field.

Furlong is one-eighth of a mile; 220 yards; 660 feet.

Gait is the way in which a horse moves - walk, trot, canter,
gallop, run, etc.

Gallop is a type of gait, a fast canter. Also, to ride a horse at
that gait.

Gelding is an incomplete male horse.

Half is half a mile, four furlongs; 880 yards; 2,640 feet.

Handicap is a race a handicapper assigns weights to be carried.
Also, to handicap a race, to make selections on the basis of the
past performances.

Handicapper is one who assigns weights. Also one who makes
selections on past performances.

Handle is the amount of money wagered in the pari-mutuel pool on a
race, a program, a meeting or a year.

Hand Ride is a jockey urging a horse with the hands and not using
the whip.

In The Money is finishing first, second or third.

Late double is a second daily double offered on the latter part of
the program.

Lead Pony is a horse or pony who heads parade of field from paddock
to starting gate.LEG UP - to help a jockey mount his horse.

Lock is slang for a sure thing winner.

Middle distance is from one mile to less than a mile and
an eighth.

Minus pool is a mutual pool caused when one horse is so heavily
wagered on, that after deductions of state tax and commission,
there is not enough money left to pay the legally prescribed
minimum on each winning bet.

Morning line is approximate odds quoted before wagering determines
exact odds.

Objection is a claim of foul lodged by a rider.

Odds on is odds of less than even money.

On The Board is finishing among the first four.

On the nose is betting a horse to win only.

Overlay is a horse going off at a higher price than he appears to
warrant based on his past performances.

Overnite line is prices quoted the night before the race.

Parimutuel is a form of wagering that originated in France in
which all money bet is divided up among those who have winning
tickets, after taxes, takeout and other deductions are made
.
Past Performances is a compilation in the Daily Racing Form of a
horse’s record, including all pertinent data, used as a basis for
handicapping.

Place is the second position at finish of a race.

Place bet is a wager on a horse to finish first or second.

.
Pocket is being boxed in, shut off. Running in a position with horses in
front and alongside.

Post is the starting point or position in the starting gate.

Pool is the total sum wagered on a race.

Post posittion is the position of stall in starting gate from which a
horse starts.

Post time is the time a race is scheduled to start.

Purse is the prize money.

Quarter is one-quarter of a mile; 440 yards; 1,320 feet.

Quinella is a wager in which the first two finishers must be
picked in either order.

Rabbit is a horse that is considered to have little chance of
winning a race but is entered purely to ensure a fast pace,
softening up the competition for the benefit of the entry mate.

Rail runner is a horse who prefers to run next to inside rail.

Router is a horse who perfoms well at distance races.

Scratch is a horse taken out of a race.

Seven furlongs is seven-eighths of a mile; 1,540 yards; 4,620
feet.

Show is third position at the finish of a race.

Show bet is a wager on a horse to finish in the money, third or
better.

Stakes placed is finishing first, second or third in a stakes
race.

Stake is a race for which the owner must pay a fee to run his
horse. Some stakes races are by invitation and require no payment
or fee.

Stretch is the final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.

Stretch call is the position of horses at the eighth pole, usually
about halfway down the stretch.

Stretch Runner is a horse who finishes fast.

Take is a commission deducted from pari-mutuel pools.

Taken up is a horse pulled up sharply by his jockey.

Trifecta is a wager picking the first three finishers
in exact order.

Triple Crown is the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont
Stakes.

Horse Racig

2007-04-21T19:51:00.000-06:00

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NBA Sunday Gameday

2007-02-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

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NBA Sunday Gameday

The NBA’s Central Division grabs the hoops spotlight on Sunday afternoon, with its top teams looking to end the week with a win. Here is your NBA Gameday.

Chicago Bulls at Detroit Pistons, 1:00pm ET

The Bulls have won three games in a row, but they’ve still lost quite a bit of ground to the Pistons in the Central Division over the past couple of weeks. The Bulls currently find themselves 4.5 games back of Detroit for first place despite consecutive wins over Atlanta, Cleveland, and Washington. That mini-streak, however, came on the heels of five losses in six games at the beginning of the month. Chicago forward Andres Nocioni is now out indefinitely with a foot injury.

The Pistons have won nine of their past 10 contests to move into first place in both the Central Division and the Eastern Conference standings. Detroit’s only loss over that span came on February 14, when they scored just 81 points in a 90-81 defeat versus San Antonio. Detroit has the definite advantage in the splits on Sunday afternoon as well – they’re 18-10 at home this season, while the Bulls are just 10-18 on the road. The Bulls, though, are 8-2 versus Central opponents.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat, 3:30pm ET

The Cavaliers sit right between the Pistons and the Bulls in the Central Division right now, 3.5 games back of Detroit and a game up on Chicago. This will be the third time that the Cavs will take on the Heat in the month of February – they lost to Miami 92-89 back on February 1, but picked up a 103-79 victory at home on February 9. LeBron James led the way for Cleveland in that win, scoring a game-high 29 points. Larry Hughes had 16 points, while Drew Gooden had 13 boards.

Dwyane Wade poured in 27 points for Miami in their loss on February 9, but the star guard’s dislocated shoulder will keep him out of today’s game – and many more games to come. In fact, if Wade decides to have shoulder surgery he could be out of action until next season. That would be bad news for the Heat, who have won seven of their past 10 games but are still just barely in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference (and, shockingly, are two games below .500).

Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors, 6:00pm ET

The Lakers have little chance of catching the Suns in the Pacific Division this season, but they’re still comfortably in the Top 8 of the Western Conference despite having lost seven of their past 10 contests. In fact, Los Angeles’ win over the Celtics on Friday night put an end to an ugly six-game losing streak, in which they fell short versus Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, New York, Cleveland again, and Portland. Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic is out with a shoulder injury.

The Warriors are hoping they have better luck against the Lakers than they did versus the other Los Angeles team on Saturday afternoon. Al Harrington scored 24 points against the Clippers on Saturday, but Golden State was still defeated 103-90 on the road. Jason Richardson had 18 points in that game, while Monta Ellis picked up 17 points and 13 assists. The Warriors are still in the hunt for a postseason berth in the West, but they’re also a sub-.500 team right now as well.

http://www.nfl-sports-betting.net

NBA First-Half Roundup

2007-02-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

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NBA First-Half Roundup

The Western Conference routed its Eastern counterpart 153-132 in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night, but they start playing for real again on Tuesday. Here's a look back at how each of the 30 teams fared over the season's first half:

ATLANTIC DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Toronto --- 29-24 --- 33-19-1 --- 21-32
New Jersey --- 25-29 --- 28-24-2 --- 27-25-2
New York --- 23-30 --- 28-25 --- 28-25
Philadelphia --- 17-36 --- 24-26-3 --- 25-26-2
Boston --- 13-38 --- 22-27-2 --- 23-28

CENTRAL DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Detroit --- 32-19 --- 25-26 --- 21-28-2
Cleveland --- 31-22 --- 25-27-1 --- 25-28
Indiana --- 28-24 --- 29-22-1 --- 28-24
Chicago --- 29-25 --- 23-31 --- 26-27-1
Milwaukee --- 19-34 --- 26-27 --- 31-21-1

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Washington --- 29-21 --- 23-25-2 --- 28-22
Orlando --- 27-26 --- 25-28 --- 21-31-1
Miami --- 26-26 --- 28-22-2 --- 26-26
Atlanta --- 21-31 --- 24-28 --- 26-26
Charlotte --- 19-33 --- 23-29 --- 24-28

NORTHWEST DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Utah --- 35-17 --- 26-24-2 --- 29-22-1
Denver --- 26-25 --- 26-24-1 --- 26-22-3
Minnesota --- 25-27 --- 27-25 --- 30-21-1
Portland --- 22-32 --- 26-28 --- 27-27
Seattle --- 20-32 --- 25-24-3 --- 27-24-1

PACIFIC DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Phoenix --- 39-13 --- 28-22-2 --- 26-26
LA Lakers --- 30-24 --- 27-25-2 --- 29-24-1
LA Clippers --- 25-28 --- 19-33-1 --- 25-28
Golden State --- 25-29 --- 27-27 --- 33-21
Sacramento --- 22-29 --- 21-29-1 --- 27-24

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

TEAM --- SU --- ATS --- OVER/UNDER
Dallas --- 44-9 --- 28-21-4 --- 22-31
San Antonio --- 35-18 --- 27-26 --- 23-30
Houston --- 33-19 --- 25-25-2 --- 25-27
New Orleans --- 25-28 --- 31-22 --- 26-27
Memphis --- 14-40 --- 23-31 --- 31-21-2

The current playoff teams in the Eastern Conference are the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, and Miami Heat. The New Jersey Nets are two games back of the Heat for the conference's eighth postseason berth at this time.

Over in the Western Conference the current playoff teams are the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Los Angeles Clippers and the New Orleans Hornets are both a half-game back of the T-Wolves for eighth place, while the Golden State Warriors are a full game back.

OVER bettors have been making money on the Golden State Warriors so far this season - they lead the league with 33 OVER results to date. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies have each put up 31 OVER results so far, while the Minnesota Timberwolves have 30. At the other end, the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, and Orlando Magic have all put up just 21 OVER results

Here's how the league's 30 teams are currently ranking on the points-scored-per-game and the points-allowed-per-game charts through the All-Star Break . . .

Ranking: Points-Scored-Per-Game

Phoenix --- 110.7
Golden State --- 105.9
Washington --- 105.8
Denver --- 105.6
LA Lakers --- 103.1
Utah --- 102.3
Memphis --- 100.7
Seattle --- 100.4
Sacramento --- 100.2
New York --- 100.1
Dallas --- 99.9
Milwaukee --- 99.5
Toronto --- 99.1
Chicago --- 99.1
San Antonio --- 98.3
New Jersey --- 97.2
Indiana --- 96.8
Detroit --- 96.6
Boston --- 96.6
Minnesota --- 96.5
Miami --- 96.5
Cleveland --- 96.4
Houston --- 95.9
LA Clippers --- 95.7
Charlotte --- 94.8
Philadelphia --- 94.8
Orlando --- 94.3
Portland --- 93.6
New Orleans --- 92.6
Atlanta --- 92.5

Ranking: Points-Allowed-Per-Game

Houston --- 90.3
San Antonio --- 91.0
Dallas --- 92.5
Detroit --- 92.8
Orlando --- 93.4
Cleveland --- 93.9
New Orleans --- 94.4
Chicago --- 95.4
Atlanta --- 96.8
Indiana --- 96.8
Minnesota --- 97.2
LA Clippers --- 97.3
Portland --- 97.8
Miami --- 98.0
New Jersey --- 98.4
Toronto --- 98.7
Philadelphia --- 99.0
Utah --- 99.4
Charlotte --- 99.8
Boston --- 99.8
Sacramento --- 100.8
LA Lakers --- 102.2
New York --- 102.3
Seattle --- 102.9
Phoenix --- 103.4
Denver --- 103.9
Milwaukee --- 104.0
Washington --- 105.7
Memphis --- 105.7
Golden State --- 107.5

The NBA returns with a 10-game schedule on Tuesday night, including the Denver Nuggets at the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns at the Los Angeles Clippers. Also on tap for Tuesday are New Orleans at Charlotte, Minnesota at Washington, Orlando at New York, Detroit at Milwaukee, Atlanta at Chicago, Utah at Portland, Boston at Sacramento, and then Memphis at Seattle.

College Basketball Gameday

2007-02-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

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College Basketball Gameday

How much stock do you put in the polls?

If you’re a casual college basketball fan, it might be difficult for you to get interested in teams who lie outside the Top 25. That’s too bad. What if we told you that’s where the money is? Six of the 10 most profitable teams against the spread are unranked. As long as they stay out of the limelight, their chances of staying profitable will be enhanced. But let’s risk shining a little light on some of these teams and their Saturday matchups.

Mississippi at Arkansas

The Mississippi Rebels are one of the big surprise stories of the 2006-07 season. Picked by many to finish at the bottom of the SEC West, the Rebels have instead stormed out to a 17-8 record straight up, including 6-5 in a tough conference. That turnaround translates to 16-6 against the spread.

Ole Miss remains under the radar, though, with an RPI rating of 54. The non-conference portion of the schedule was softer than ice cream on a summer day in the Magnolia State – then the Rebels opened up SEC play at 1-4 before putting together their current four-game winning streak. One of the key changes for Ole Miss is the decision to convert senior guard Clarence Sanders from a starter to a sixth man. The last time the Rebels faced the Razorbacks, Sanders was still in the rotation and shot just 5-for-13 (38.5 percent); however, in five games coming off the bench, the Alabama native is shooting 36-for-73 (49.3 percent). Arkansas will have its hands full Saturday.

Davidson at Western Carolina

Welcome to the Southern Conference. Davidson is sitting pretty on top of the South Division at 13-1 SU (22-4 overall) and third in the ATS standings at 16-6-1. That seems like reason enough to get to know the Wildcats.

The big story on this team is freshman guard Stephen Curry. He’s mowing down opponents with 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and two steals per game, nailing 40 percent of his 3-point attempts along the way. And he just keeps getting better. Curry has more than just filled the void that opened up after the Wildcats lost so many talented seniors from last year’s squad, including the school’s top scorer of all-time, Brendan Winters.

Beating the Catamounts for the second time this season shouldn’t be a problem. The ‘Cats won the last matchup (also at Western Carolina) 79-59 to cover the 16-point spread. Davidson is 4-0 ATS this year when favored by more than 12 points.

Towson at Bucknell

The Colonial Athletic Association gave us some great stories last year, none greater than the George Mason Patriots. But this year’s unlikely candidates for your attention are the Towson Tigers, a perennial doormat in the CAA. No longer; Towson is 14-13 overall, 8-8 in conference action, and a very healthy 16-8 against the spread.

This is all a little less surprising when you look at the recent history of the program. The Tigers hired Pat Kennedy to take over the coaching reins in 2004. Kennedy was an assistant under the legendary Jim Valvano at Iona; as a head coach, Kennedy twice took the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament, then returned to the big dance with both FSU and DePaul. His work turning the flagging Blue Demons program around earned him the job at Towson, and Kennedy is once again working his magic.

The Tigers won’t be making the Tournament this year, barring a fluke, but they are well on their way to respectability. They’re also playing very good basketball right now. Towson covered 10 of its past 12 games, including a pair of close losses to Virginia Commonwealth and another pair to Hofstra, two of the top teams in the CAA. Now they get to travel outside of the conference for what should be another tight matchup versus Bucknell of the Patriot League. The Bison generally don’t see any betting lines in their own conference, but this is a BracketBuster contest, and Bucknell has been in the Tournament each of the last two seasons. Towson will have a lot of trouble getting to the basket in this one. The total will be the lowest the Tigers have seen in at least 12 games – the OVER has a slim 7-5 advantage during that span.

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NBA Infirmary Report

2007-02-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

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NBA Infirmary Report

With Steve Nash out of the lineup the Phoenix Suns are finding out how the other half lives. The Suns dropped their second straight game on Sunday night, and are hoping the two-time NBA MVP returns quickly from his shoulder injury. In the meantime, here's another edition of the NBA Infirmary Report . . .

Steve Nash - G - Phoenix Suns
Nash isn't expected to be back on the floor for the Suns again until next week, and he's also reportedly going to sit out this weekend's All-Star festivities in Las Vegas (the guard's sore shoulder didn't feel any better as of Monday). The Suns' first game after the break is on February 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Boris Diaw - F - Phoenix Suns
Kurt Thomas - F - Phoenix Suns
Suns forward Diaw is listed as questionable for Wednesday night's game against the Seattle SuperSonics, as he's suffering from back spasms (he also missed the game against the Bulls on Sunday). As for Thomas, he has been cleared to practice and could return from his elbow injury shortly after the All-Star break.

Paul Pierce - G - Boston Celtics
The return of Pierce from the injured list hasn't been enough for the Celtics to put an end to their losing streak (as of Monday), but he's at least giving Boston fans someone to watch. However, Pierce hurt his hip against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night and is listed as day-to-day right now.

Rashard Lewis - F - Seattle SuperSonics
Lewis has returned from his hand injury, and he scored 23 points for the Sonics against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. Seattle, though, is still mired in the basement of the Northwest Division.

Michael Redd - G - Milwaukee Bucks
There has been some speculation that Redd might be able to return from his knee injury for the Bucks' two games this week (on Tuesday and Wednesday), but the team hasn't officially announced his status for those contests. Redd has missed the Bucks' last 18 games with the ailment, and he would be a big help against the powerful Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Carlos Boozer - F - Utah Jazz
Andrei Kirilenko played through a sore back for the Jazz on Saturday night, but Boozer has yet to return from his leg injury. There had been some talk last week that Boozer would be able to play in this weekend's All-Star Game, but the league has since announced that Carmelo Anthony and Josh Howard have been selected as replacements for Boozer and Yao Ming.

Grant Hill - G - Orlando Magic
The Magic are falling down the Eastern Conference standings, and could use the boost that Hill's return to the lineup would give them. The guard isn't expected to suit up for the team this week, but could be back just after the All-Star break.

Antawn Jamison - F - Washington Wizards
Jamison has been out of the Wizards' lineup with a sprained knee since the beginning of February, and is expected to be out of action until at least the end of the month. The official diagnosis of the injury was three-to-six weeks, which would mean a return date of no later than mid-March.

Yao Ming - C - Houston Rockets
The Rockets are playing pretty well with Ming on the sidelines, but they'd still like to have their big man back on the court before the end of the regular season. Ming actually led all Western Conference players in All-Star votes this year, but obviously won't be able to participate in the game.

Richard Jefferson - F - New Jersey Nets
Jefferson's return from ankle surgery is currently on schedule, and he could be back on the floor at the end of February or at the beginning of March. The Nets are riding a three-game winning streak right now as they try to chase down the Toronto Raptors for first place in the Atlantic Division.

http://www.betjm.com/default.aspx?ZID=N992

Horses to Watch

2007-01-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

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Horses To Watch

Horses worth watching compiled by handicapper/racing writer Greg Melikov won five races and finished second four times since Dec. 30.

AQUEDUCT

Nedjma: Bumped after start, dropped to last more than 14 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, advanced along rail to fifth in stretch, made up more than 6 ½ lengths and lost by 2 ½ lengths at six furlongs.

FAIR GROUNDS

Bureauractic: Poor start, trailed by more than 10 ½ lengths after a half-mile, swung out widest for drive, rallied from fourth to make up nearly four lengths in stretch and lost by a neck at a mile and 40 yards on a sealed sloppy surface Jan. 19.

GULFSTREAM PARK

Dream Rush: Raced third early, steadied behind leader on backstretch, boxed in around turn into stretch, angled out and lost by three-quarters of a length on Jan. 20; ran final quarter in 24 3/5.

OAKLAWN PARK

Brighton Bull: Raced sixth early, dropped to seventh six lengths behind after advancing six wide into stretch, rallied late and lost by a neck at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 19.

PHILADELPHIA PARK

Call You Raise You: Broke in air, raced fifth 10 lengths behind after a half-mile, closed gamely from outside in fourth heading home, made up nearly three lengths and was nosed out at a mile and 70 yards on Jan. 20.

TURFWAY PARK

Classy Brute: Broke last, trailed by more than 9 ½ lengths after a half-mile, angled out in seventh for drive, closed fast to make up 4 ½ lengths and lost by a neck at six furlongs on Jan. 20; ran final quarter in 24

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NFL Football And Soccer Betting

2007-01-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

NFL Football And Soccer Betting

2007-01-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

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By Randy Rosetta
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

The Big East's two winningest programs over the last six years lock horns on Tuesday night - one sitting on top of the league standings and another hungry to rediscover its mojo.

Reeling Connecticut (13-3, 2-2 Big East) is out of the national polls for the first time since 2003 as it heads to Western Pennsylvania to take on sixth-ranked Pittsburgh (16-2, 4-0), which has re-established itself as a Final Four contender with a quick start in league play.

The Huskies and Panthers square off at 7 tonight on ESPN2.

UConn has lost three of the last five games, although the Huskies righted the ship Saturday night by edging St. John's 68-59 at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies' defense still ranks among the Big East's upper echelon, leading the league in field-goal defense (35.2 percent) and blocked shots (9.5 per game) and ranking sixth with 8.9 steals a contest.

Freshman guard Doug Wiggins has emerged as one of the top sixth men in the Big East, notching double-figure scoring totals six times this season, including games of 19 vs. Marquette and 20 against West Virginia.

Wiggins helped Connecticut shoot 50 percent from the floor against St. John's, anchored by a 6-for-11 team performance from 3-point territory. Freshmen Stanley Robinson and Hasheem Thabeet came up big against the Red Storm - Robinson with 13 points and 12 rebounds and Thabeet with 12 points, 10 boards and 7 blocks.

Pittsburgh has lost three of the last four meetings with UConn, including a rare home loss at the Peterson Center against the Huskies in 2005.

But the Panthers are flying high after a methodical and thorough 74-69 triumph against Georgetown on Saturday. In that win, Pitt weathered the Hoyas' 60.9 percent shooting performance by hitting 56.9 percent themselves and winning the battle on the glass, 23-18. The Panthers' rebound total was a season-low, but so were their 7 turnovers.

Pitt junior Mike Cook recorded a season-high 18 points against GU and has quietly put together a solid season with 11.9 points and 3.2 rebounds a game, 55 assists and 54.2 percent shooting (77-of-142) from the floor. In the Panthers' four Big East wins, Cook is producing 11.3 points a contest, which is big because foes are focused on slowing down 7-footer Aaron Gray.

UConn is averaging 69.3 points a game in Big East play and will likely need to come near that total to have a shot at upsetting Pitt, which is limiting league foes to only 58 a game. The Panthers are -7.5

ST. JOHN'S at DePAUL (8:30 p.m. EST Tuesday): These two teams meet for the second time in 13 days with the Red Storm looking for the season sweep after claiming a 64-53 triumph in New York on Jan. 3. The Blue Demons notched one of the more dominant defensive efforts in their recent history - a 60-37 victory against Rutgers on Saturday. DePaul (11-7, 2-2) held the Scarlet Knights to the second-lowest point total by a Big East team in the league's 26-year history. The Demons have been very solid defensively over the last 12 games, holding foes to 37 percent shooting (251-of-678) and 60.2 points a game. DePaul is 9-3 over the stretch. Karron Clark was the offensive sparkplug in the Demons' effort against Rutgers with a season-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field (4-of-6 3-point range). St. John's (10-7, 1-3) has lost all three games since defeating DePaul and is averaging only 56 points in those setbacks. In a 68-59 loss to Connecticut, the Red Storm won the battle of boards (39-36) and turned the ball over fewer times than the Huskies, but couldn't overcome 33.3 percent shooting. Lamont Hamilton scored only 9 points vs. UConn but still leads St. John's with 13.4 points a game. DePaul is -12 for tonight's game.

NOTRE DAME at VILLANOVA (7 p.m. EST Wednesday): The Fighting Irish (15-2, 3-1) are off to their best start under Coach Mike Brey after their third Big East home win, 88-79 over Seton Hall on Sunday. Notre Dame leads the Big East with 84.1 points a game, led by Russell Carter's 18.8 points a game and 14.4 from Rob Kurz. Carter and Irish backup Zach Hillesland each logged double-doubles against the Pirates - Carter with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Hillesland with 12, 10 and 8 assists. Notre Dame and Villanova meet Wednesday night and again Jan. 27. The Wildcats (11-5, 1-3) need to get in a groove after losing three of their last four Big East games - including a 75-64 setback at Syracuse on Saturday. Curtis Sumpter came up big against the Orange with 24 points and 12 boards and was 9-of-17 from the floor. 'Nova guards Mike Nardi and Scottie Reynolds added 14 and 13 points, respectively, but each was just 2-for-10 from 3-point range against SU. The Wildcats are 10-2 against Notre Dame since the Irish joined the Big East and need a win this week to get back on track.

Randy Rosetta
Author Bio: Randy Rosetta is a veteran sportswriter who has made stops in four major-college towns. He is currently the LSU men's basketball beat writer for the Baton Rouge Advocate, and was previously the beat writer for the Texas Tech men's program for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. A University of Kansas graduate, Rosetta was appropriately born on Oct. 14 -- the first day of college basketball practice every year -- and attended the same high school as Dean Smith in Topeka, Kan. He counts Allen Fieldhouse, Gallagher-Iba Arena, Walton Arena and the O'Connell Center as his four favorite venues for hoops.

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Patriots-Chargers Preview

2007-01-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

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Patriots-Chargers Preview

By Chris Cluff

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Patriots (13-4) at Chargers (14-2), 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (CBS)

line: Chargers -4.5 (46.5)

Perhaps the best matchup of the divisional playoffs pits league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers against Tom Brady and the New England

Tomlinson put together one of the best seasons in history, leading the league with 1,815 rushing yards and scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns as the Chargers secured the AFC’s top seed.

Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback, has led the Patriots to seven wins in the past eight games, including an easy 37-16 blowout of the New York Jets in the wild-card round last weekend.

That made Brady 11-1 as a starter in the playoffs, and Coach Bill Belichick 12-2.

“You definitely respect them for the things they’ve done in the past and the things they’ve done throughout the season,” Chargers tight end Antonio Gates told reporters. “You just want to go out and play with respect. But at the same time, you fear no one. That’s our mindset.”

Tomlinson certainly does not fear the Patriots. In 2002, he rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers’ 21-14 home win. And last season, he rushed for 134 yards and two scores as the Chargers won 41-17 to end the Patriots’ 21-game home winning streak.

“He’s the MVP. I don’t know how you could be any more complete than that,” Belichick told reporters. “He’s looked pretty good to me, unfortunately, every time we’ve seen him. We’re usually looking at the back of his jersey. We haven’t done very well against him. He’s killed a lot of people besides us, and he’s killed us.”

But this is the playoffs, where the Chargers have not had nearly as much success as the Patriots. San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer has lost his last five playoff games, including a 20-17 overtime loss to the Jets two seasons ago, and is 5-12 in the postseason.

The Chargers won all eight games at home this season, but the Patriots went 7-1 on the road and are facing Philip Rivers, San Diego’s inconsistent first-year quarterback who will be making his first postseason start.

“I’m not sure what to expect from him,” Tomlinson admitted. “He is excited about being in the playoffs. Part of being a quarterback, you keep that even keel of not getting too excited.”

Best bet: In the past two seasons, teams with quarterbacks making their first playoff starts are 0-6. New England, 27-20.

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bet365poker

2007-01-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

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Como habrá visto en las secciones ‘Gestionar Enlaces’ y ‘Galería Creativa’ de su cuenta de afiliados, hemos cambiado el objetivo url para bet365poker. Esto se ha hecho por razones de seguridad y le pedimos que reemplace todos los textos en los enlaces de póquer y los banners con el nuevo código, lo antes posible.

Note que estamos simplemente utilizando un nombre de dominio diferente para asegurar que todos los nuevos clientes de póquer son registrados correctamente en el sistema de afiliados y que continuará dirigiendo a los clientes a la misma página web de bet365poker que antes.

2007-01-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

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GET IN THE GAME WITH BET365

2007-01-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

NFL WEEK 4 - GET IN THE GAME WITH BET365’S NIGEL RIDGWAY

It was another wacky week in the world of NFL with plenty of close finishes, record breaking performances and come-from-behind wins but, at the end of it all, the Colts continued their inevitable march towards the Playoffs with a 14-7 win over the Jags – 5/1 with bet365 for the Super Bowl. And, providing you were on at the early line of 6.5, they also improved to 3-0 ATS for their legions of backers, but can they go 4-0 this week?

Well, bet365 bettors have already fired away pushing the Colts to -9.0 against the New York Jets and, as hard as the Jets play, it’s not hard to see them covering this line. The Bengals (9/1 outright) have also been attracting plenty of support this week, and they have been bet up to -6.0 against New England. That seems like a lot of points to give the Patriots but, remember, you can buy and sell points at bet365, which takes a lot of the heartbreak out of Sunday, and can turn a losing week into a winning one.

Baltimore are one of the most improved teams this year, and it’s a little surprising to see them as 2.5-point underdogs against San Diego. Sure, the Chargers are rested after their bye week, but this is Philip Rivers going into Ravens territory (allowing just 1.8 yards rushing!), and the value lies with the home side. The 6/5 straight-up with bet365 is also pretty tempting too!

Carolina finally got off the mark for the season, albeit narrowly against a banged-up Tampa Bay, and they should have too much firepower for the Saints, who might be slightly less motivated this week. Other picks include, Dallas (-9.5), Cleveland (-3.0) and Jacksonville (-2.5) – a parlay on all four pays out a healthy $2922.33 for a $200 stake, which is inflated by a bet365 Parlay Bonus of $265.67 (10%). Each week, bet365 pays up to 50% more every week on winning parlays!

Chicago have been chalked up as 3.5 point favourites (from 3.0) to beat Seattle on Sunday night - live betting available via the bet365 In-Play Console. However, the best play could be to go under the current total of 34.0. The total has gone under in seven of Chicago’s last eight home games, while Seattle’s Shaun Alexander is out with a broken foot. The Monday night game (Philly v Green Bay) should be an old fashioned shootout with a few scores along the way, so the over (currently 48.0) looks the safest bet with bet365.

Enjoy the games with bet365!

Shaq Is Close

2007-01-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Shaq Is Close

By Marty Gitlin
Contributing Writer

A comforting sight at practice Thursday in the massive form of Shaquille O’Neal has bolstered the hopes of the Miami .

O’Neal won’t play Friday night at Golden State or the following night in Utah. He said he would need at least four or five practices to return, which could also count him out against his former Los Angeles Lakers team Monday night.

The Heat should benefit against the Warriors from the return of forward Antoine Walker and James Posey, who had been placed on the inactive list Jan. 3 for failing to meet team conditioning standards. Neither will start, however.

WagerWeb.com lists Miami as a 5-point underdog at Golden State.

WORSE THAN EXPECTED: Among the lone bright spots for Boston this season has been the continued development of guard Tony Allen.

Not anymore.

Allen, who had been averaging 20 points a game over the last two weeks, will miss the rest of the season with two torn ligaments in his left knee. His injury occurred when he landed awkwardly following a meaningless dunk late in a 97-84 defeat to Indiana on Wednesday.

The battered Celtics, who have lost eight of their last 10 games, are already missing leading scorer Paul Pierce with a stress fracture in his left foot. Forward Wally Szczerbiak will miss a week due to ankle injuries and starting guard Delonte West is out with a sore back.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t complaining. They are a 5.5-point favorites Friday night in Boston, according to WagerWeb.com.

BOYKINS BACKCOURT BOOST FOR BUCKS: The Denver Nuggets claimed they wanted to see diminutive guards Earl Boykins and Allen Iverson on the court at the same time.

They apparently didn’t like what they saw. Though the pair scored plenty of points, they presented matchup disadvantages. And with Carmelo Anthony returning after serving four more games of his suspension, they believed Boykins was expendable.

That’s why they traded the explosive 5-foot-5 bundle of energy to the decimated Milwaukee Bucks, along with guard Julius Hodge and cash for reserve guard Steve Blake.

Boykins, who has scored 20 or more points in eight of 10 games since the arrival of Iverson, should provide much-needed punch. The Bucks will be without starting point guard Mo Williams (shoulder) for 2-3 weeks, as well as backcourt mate and NBA fifth-leading scorer Michael Redd (knee) for at least a month. Starting forward Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) is also out indefinitely.

Boykins will help Milwaukee fans forget fellow waterbug point guard T.J. Ford, who was traded to Toronto during the offseason.

WagerWeb.com lists Milwaukee as a 6.5-point underdog Friday night in Philadelphia and Denver as a 2.5-point underdog against visiting Houston.

DRIBBLES: The Detroit Pistons had to be happy Thursday night. Only two games were played, but both of their top Central Division rivals lost. Chicago dropped its fifth in six, 86-83, to visiting New Jersey. It marked the second time in a week the Nets erased an 18-point deficit to defeat the Bulls, who fell behind Indiana into fourth place in the Central. Meanwhile, surging Cleveland was stopped dead in its tracks in a 109-90 loss at sizzling Phoenix. Suns point guard Steve Nash tied a personal best with 14 first-half assists and finished with 21 in just 31 minutes. The Pistons, who remain a half-game behind Cleveland, are 7.5-point favorites Friday night in Atlanta. … A home win against weak Charlotte on Friday night would vault New York to within a half-game of first place in the Atlantic Division. The Knicks are 6-point favorites, according to WagerWeb.com.

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Pat's Daunting Challenge

2007-01-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

Pats' Daunting Challenge

By Tim Sullivan
contributing writer

This is where the ride came to an end last season. The unstoppable Patriots, winners of three out of four Super Bowl championships, took their act on the road in the divisional round and were sent packing by the Broncos.

Fast forward a year later. The Patriots are again in the divisional round, they are again on the road, and they are again facing an AFC West team, this time the Chargers (San Diego is -5 Sunday on WagerWeb.com).

But for a change, the focus is off the Patriots. They are the underdog this time. They are the less explosive team. They are the less likely to move on.

"They're the best team. They've been the best team. Pretty much from the start of the season until the present day, so I'm sure they're going to play the type of game that they've played all year, which is pretty good," Patriots defensive back Artrell Hawkins said of the Chargers. "They've played well from ahead, they've played well from behind. They have a bunch of guys who play good on an individual level, which makes them good collectively while executing."

Look no further than running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Quarterback Philip Rivers? He may be staring at his first playoff test, but for Tomlinson, this is Test No. 2. He and the Bolts lost to the Jets in the wild-card round two years ago and have been hungry to redeem themselves ever since.

"I think he does a great job of running the ball, not just him but the offensive line, the tight ends, the fullbacks, they do a good job blocking for him," Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said. "Obviously everything he's done this year has been tremendous. It's going to be up to us to limit that come Sunday."

Good luck. After all, the Patriots may have a tremendous defense, but let's face it, they beat the Jets, 37-16, last week at Gillette Stadium.

These aren't the Jets. And this isn't Foxborough.

"Their team is built real well. They've got a great defense, great special teams. Their offense can move the ball, especially in the running game," Colvin said of the Chargers. "Possession of the football is definitely going to be a must in this game, in any game it is. But definitely when you come down to crunch time in a playoff game, you definitely want to have possession of the ball."

The Patriots will try to accomplish that with their young-old duo in the backfield, rookie Laurence Maroney and veteran Corey Dillon. Of course, if all else fails, there's can't-miss quarterback Tom Brady.

"We have to work together. If we make a mistake it can cost our offense," Patriots tight end Daniel Graham said. "We have to work together and be on the same page."

They've done a good job of doing that in the Bill Belichick Era. Only time will tell if the Chargers can change that.

FLYING DOLPHIN: The winter weather hasn't been bad in the North, and that's a good thing for Miami owner Wayne Huizenga, who flew all over the region on Wednesday looking for a new coach. He first landed in Newark, N.J., and interviewed Giants outgoing defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. He then flew to Long Island to interview Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

From there, he flew to Michigan to interview Lions offensive coordinator and former Rams head coach Mike Martz.

Lots of miles, lots of interviews. Huizenga can thank Nick Saban for that.

EXTRA POINTS: Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman (back) has been practicing and should play against the Eagles on Sunday. He is listed as questionable. The Bears are -8.5 on WagerWeb.com. ... Colts rookie running back Joseph Addai (chest) has also been practicing and will start against the Ravens on Saturday. Baltimore is -4 on http://www.wagerweb.com/affiliatesred/AF3487/23//www.wagerweb.com

New Life For Biffle

2007-01-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

New Life For Biffle

By Brit Fryer
Contributing Writer

It looks the “The Biff” is doing just fine.

Greg Biffle took part in the Nextel Cup Series’ preseason test session this week at Daytona International Speedway — just one month after the Roush driver injured his shoulder during a tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I was a little nervous coming down here about how it was going to be inside the car,” Biffle said. “Not driving the car but reaching everything … reaching over and getting the helmet hook and trying to hook up the things behind your head that are hard to get to and getting to the seatbelts that are behind you. It seems to be the reach is the biggest thing that hurts your shoulder is the range of motion.

“Actually, I’ve been fairly well, doing really well. I’m pretty happy about that.”

The 2006 season was disappointing for Biffle. He missed the Chase a year after finishing second in points.

But Biffle has new life, a new crew chief (Pat Tryson) and a new sponsor (Ameriquest).

“I hate to talk about our crash in Las Vegas, but that was a big event. It was a really big crash, and it was our first test together,” Biffle said of Tryson. “It was our first time together as a team. It was our first time together as a group.

“We are definitely coming back from that incident, but we’re really working well together. I like Pat and the way that he executes things.”

TESTING MAKES PERFECT: Preseason testing cranked up Monday at Daytona, with half the Nextel Cup Series hitting the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Jeff Green posted the fastest lap through the first three days. On Wednesday afternoon, his No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet was clocked at 186.722 miles per hour. Second fastest was Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose No. 8 DEI Chevrolet turned a lap at 186.606 mph on Day Two’s second session.

The surprise of testing was Tony Raines. He has been guaranteed a full schedule with Hall of Fame Racing, and he’s making the most of the opportunity early on. Raines was at the top of the charts all week.

“The Daytona 500 is obviously the biggest race of the year,” Raines said. “I was down here last year every day in the trailer and at the track with the team and the crew. I’m looking forward to actually being able to drive. It’s a big race, and I’m pumped up about getting to it.”

Last season, two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte ran the first five races for the first-year team, while Raines — the eventual full-time driver — stayed on the sidelines.

Testing continues next week.

GOOD-BYE, BOBBY: Veteran driver Bobby Hamilton died Sunday night after a year-long battle with neck cancer. He was 49.

“A lot of people didn’t know him real good, but he kind of came up when I did, and he didn’t have nothing,” said Sterling Marlin, a fellow driver and Tennessee native. “He was driving a wrecker in 1990. He was a nice guy ... a
good driver who never had the best equipment.”

Hamilton was a winner in all three of NASCAR’s top series, claiming four Nextel Cup victories in a career that spanned 371 starts. Hamilton won a single Busch Series race and was a 10-time winner in Craftsman Truck, taking
the championship in 2004 in a truck he owned.

PERSONNEL CHANGES: Ricky Rudd returned to Nextel Cup and Robert Yates Racing. He’ll drive a Ford alongside teammate David Gilliland. … Roush Racing hired veteran crew chief Larry Carter to work with Jamie McMurray on the No. 26 Ford. … Derrick Finley has been named crew chief for the No. 36 Bill Davis Racing Toyota driven by Jeremy Mayfield. … Mike Bliss is back to drive for BAM Racing.

Big12 Basketball Notebook

2007-01-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Big 12 Basketball Notebook

By Randy Rosetta
Contributing Writer

It’s a little early to call the Kansas http://www.wagerweb.com/affiliatesred/AF3487/23//www.wagerweb.com game tonight the most important of the Big 12 season, but it’s hard not to place a lot of weight on the early-season showdown at 9 p.m. EST Wednesday night in Lawrence, Kan.

The Cowboys come in ranked ninth nationally, while the Jayhawks are No. 6. KU has ticked off seven wins in a row and is expected to be the team to beat in the Big 12. OSU was somewhat of a mystery before the season began but has re-emerged on the national scene.

The heart of this battle seems to come down to how the Cowboys’ high-octane attack will stack up against the Jayhawks' stifling defense.

OSU comes in averaging 84.9 points a game (second in the league), with the Big 12’s best 1-2 punch in senior Mario Boggan and junior JamesOn Curry. Boggan stands second in the league with 21.9 points a game, while Curry is fifth at 18.9. Those two have scored 20 points or more each in a game six times this year, including Saturday when Boggan logged 26 and Curry 20 as Oklahoma State began league play by holding off Baylor 81-77.

Kansas, meanwhile, is using defense and balance to plow past opponents. The Jayhawks have held 21 consecutive opponents below 50 percent shooting, and nine foes have failed to crack 40 percent this season. KU is the Big 12’s top shot-blocking unit with 108 and ranks second with 9.2 steals per game. The Jayhawks have also forced 20 turnovers or more five times this season.

Defending Kansas is a challenge for opponents because the Jayhawks have a bevy of different weapons. In fact, five different players lead KU in a statistical category this season – Brandon Rush is the leading scorer (13.3 ppg), Julian Wright is the top rebounder (8 rpg), Russell Robinson is the Jayhawks’ assists leader (71), Mario Chalmers’ 43 steals top the team, and Darrell Arthur paces the club with 32 blocked shots.

Chalmers has been an offensive spark lately, averaging 18.7 points over his last four games.

KU is an 8.5-point favorite on http://www.wagerweb.com/affiliatesred/AF3487/23//www.wagerweb.com .

MISSOURI at TEXAS (8 p.m. EST Wednesday): Though a little less out of the spotlight than Oklahoma State-Kansas, this game looms large in the first wave of league play because Missouri’s frenetic style could pose problems for the youthful Longhorns. The Tigers have lost eight games in a row to Texas and are 8.5-point underdogs on WagerWeb.com. Don’t bet against Mizzou giving the ’Horns trouble, though. Missouri leads the Big 12 and ranks second nationally with 12.1 steals a game and can match up with UT at most spots on the floor. Two players who might actually give the Tigers an edge are 3-point marksman Matt Lawrence and unheralded forward Marshall Brown. Lawrence is one of the country’s top perimeter shooters, hitting 54.5 percent (61 of 112) from beyond the arc this season. He has been particularly damaging over the last three games when he has knocked down 13-of-20 3s and scored 51 points. Brown, an Austin native, is coming off a season-high 19-point, 6-rebound performance in a 66-65 loss to Iowa State. Freshmen and a sophomore continue to lead the Longhorns, who blazed past Colorado 102-78 in their Big 12 opener. Kevin Durant is the Big 12’s top scorer and rebounder (22.6 points, 10 boards per game), while first-year teammate D.J. Augustin leads the league with 6.6 assists per contest. UT sophomore A.J. Abrams could go toe-to-toe with Lawrence from 3-point range. Abrams is 54-of-126 from long distance – the most makes and attempts in the Big 12.

NEBRASKA at IOWA STATE (8 p.m. EST Wednesday): The Cyclones came back to stun Missouri 66-65 Saturday in the Big 12 opener. Iowa State overcame a 16-point second-half deficit as freshman Wesley Johnson tipped in a missed 3-pointer with 1.4 second left. Johnson scored the Cyclones' last four points in the closing 11 seconds and finished with 14 – 12 in the second half to fuel ISU’s rally. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and has corralled 37 caroms the last three games. Nebraska is the last team to open Big 12 play and comes in loaded with confidence after going 11-3 in non-conference play, the Cornhuskers' best start since 1994-95. Nebraska has hung up 80 points or more in its last seven games with Australian big man Aleks Maric leading the way with 18.1 points a game. Maric is the league’s top shooter (90-of-141, 63.8 percent) and also ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 7.5 rebounds per game. The Cyclones are 1-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

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Unlikely Laker Hero

2007-01-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Unlikely Laker Hero

By Marty Gitlin Contributing Writer

One would expect Kobe Bryant to play a lead role in a spotlight game. And he did Sunday night, scoring 26 points as his Los Angeles Lakers halted Dallas’ 13-game winning streak, 101-98.

But Sasha Vujacic? Now that’s a shocker.

The little-used guard emerged from the bench to hit 6 of 7 shots and score 16 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 28.5 seconds remaining as the Lakers continued their improbable run despite injuries that have sidelined frontcourt starters Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown.

Though coaches haven’t always shown confidence in the Slovenian, who entered averaging just over 11 minutes a game, he certainly expresses it in himself.

“Always, always,” Vujacic replied to the Associated Press when asked about his confidence level. “My teammates found me for open shots. I just wanted to take the responsibility. It feels great.”

It didn’t feel so great for the 22-year-old third-year pro when he missed all five attempts from the field Friday night against Denver to lower his shooting percentage this season to 37.4 overall and 31 percent from 3-point range. But Vujacic nailed 4 of 5 from beyond the arc to help defeat the torrid Mavericks.

NO REDD: The Milwaukee Bucks have slid under .500 again after a hot stretch and are now without leading scorer Michael Redd.

The fifth-leading scorer in the NBA at 27.7 points a game will miss Monday night’s showdown against fellow offensive machine Allen Iverson in Denver with a strained knee. He is listed day-to-day.

The Bucks must also play without forward Charlie Villanueva, who is still sidelined with tendinitis in his right shoulder. He is averaging 12.7 points a game.

WagerWeb.com lists the Nuggets as 2.5-point favorites. Denver is 2-6 since trading for Iverson, greatly because of suspensions to leading scorer Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

DRIBBLES: Dwyane Wade returned Sunday to rescue the drowning defending NBA champions. He scored 33 points to lead Miami to a 93-90 comeback victory in Portland. The Heat, who are expecting Shaquille O’Neal to return by the end of their West Coast trip, outscored the Blazers 33-21 in the fourth quarter. … How deep is Phoenix? Leandro Barbosa and James Jones combined for 51 points off the bench Sunday in a 128-105 trouncing of Golden State. The Suns have won 22 of their last 24 games. … Boston guard Tony Allen ran his 20-plus scoring streak to six games Sunday, but his collapsing team still lost to Orlando, 87-79. … A right hip strain has sidelined San Antonio point guard Tony Parker, but backcourt mate Manu Ginobili erupted for a season-high 34 points in a 110-96 victory Sunday over Memphis. Parker is listed as day-to-day.

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Peeved Pacer

2007-01-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Peeved Pacer

By Marty Gitlin Contributing Writer

It worked for Allen Iverson. It appears Jermaine O’Neal hopes it will work for him as well.

That is, asking to be traded.

The talented Indiana power forward is disgruntled over his team’s mediocrity. The Pacers have been hanging around .500 for a while. They finished 44-38 two years ago, 41-41 in 2005-06, and own an 18-16 record this season.

It’s not O’Neal’s fault. Playing with an average team in a small market has resulted in a lack of recognition for his talent, but he remains one of the premier players in the . He is averaging 19.3 points a game and is among the NBA leaders at 10.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots a game.

And as an 11-year veteran, O’Neal fears a championship will elude him if he remains with the Pacers. So for the first time, he’s hinting he wants out.

“We’re a very average team right now,” O’Neal told the Indianapolis Star. “We’re going to be average until we decide as players that we want to win and do the right things we’re supposed to do to win. If we don’t do it, we’re going to mingle around .500, get in the playoffs, and then be out.

“If I can’t take this team to another level, I truthfully believe we should go our separate ways at the end of the season. I’m saying in general, the bottom line is you play to win. If we don’t have a system set to win a championship, if we don’t have the crew to win a championship, then what are we doing? … I don’t want to play 82 games and then exit to watch somebody else pop champagne. I’m tired of that.”

Team CEO Donnie Walsh didn’t criticize O’Neal for the public airing of his frustrations.

“I think he’s played really well, and if the time comes for (talking about O’Neal’s future), then that will be the time,” Walsh told the Star. “We’ll see. We’re going through a difficult part of the season. I’m frustrated, the coaches are frustrated on occasion, and the team is frustrated.”

O’Neal might have been frustrated Saturday night, but he focused enough to score 22 points in a 100-93 defeat of New Orleans. Despite the mediocre play, Indiana remains just 3.5-games out of first place in the balanced Central Division.

ROLLING WOLVES: Among the surprises of the NBA this season has been Minnesota. After winning just 33 games a year ago, the Timberwolves have played consistently well and have now inched over .500.

A three-game winning streak has pushed Minnesota to 16-15 and just a half-game behind second-place Denver in the Northwest Division.

The Wolves are receiving plenty of points and rebounds from Kevin Garnett, as usual, but the guard tandem of Mike James and Ricky Davis has also proven productive.

The most notable difference, however, has been center Mark Blount, who is having a career year at 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds a game. He’s shooting 55 percent from the field.

The Wolves can forge a tie with the Nuggets with a home victory against streaking Houston on Sunday afternoon. lists Minnesota as a 2.5-point favorite.

INJURY TO INSULT: Ben Wallace not only bolted Detroit to sign a free agent contract with Chicago during the offseason, but now he’s tormenting the Pistons on the court.

Wallace scored an unusually high 12 points and added 14 rebounds, six blocked shots, and three steals in the Bulls’ 106-89 victory Saturday night that knocked Detroit out of first place in the Central Division.

With Chauncey Billups still sidelined, the Pistons need replacement Ronald (Flip) Murray to produce. But Murray made just 1 of 9 shots against the Bulls and combined with Tayshaun Prince to hit 3 of 21 from the field.

DRIBBLES: Diminutive guards Earl Boykins and Iverson started in the same backcourt for the first time Saturday night, but the result was still Denver’s sixth loss in the last eight games. Utah guard Deron Williams took advantage of the height disparity to score 28 points in a 96-84 victory. … Power forward Drew Gooden’s third consecutive double-double helped Cleveland win its fourth game in five days, 96-91, over New Jersey Saturday night. The Cavaliers now boast the best record in the Eastern Conference. … The Game of the Night Sunday will be Dallas at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Mavericks are 2.5-point favorites to win their 14th straight game, according to WagerWeb.com.

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2007-01-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

NFL Crystal Ball
By Chris Goudey
Contributing Writer

This year’s playoffs look to be as unpredictable as the entire year has been itself. No one could’ve guessed that teams like San Diego, Baltimore and New Orleans have played as well as they have and teams like Pittsburgh, Carolina, Cincinnati, Denver and Washington would be sitting at home. There are the usual suspects in this year’s playoffs, like Chicago, Seattle, Indianapolis and New England, but as to who’s going to win it all, well that’s anyone’s guess.

I’ve studied this week’s matchups and possible future matchups and because I feel I know the league and its tendencies about as well as anyone, I’ll take a stab at predicting what’s going to happen. Here’s what I see happening the next few weeks:Wild Card round (this weekend) Dallas at Seattle – I really think that last week’s horrible performance by the Cowboys in losing to the Lions is going to give them the kick-in-the-pants they needed coming into the postseason. I’m sure Bill Parcells has made this a real fun week of practice for the ‘Boys, so I anticipate them coming out fired up and ready to kill. Seattle’s defense has simply been atrocious this year, and the Seahawks will be missing both of their starting cornerbacks, and against the talented WR duo of Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, that is going to be their downfall. Look for Dallas to win a close one in the Northwest. N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia – No team was more fortunate to make the playoffs than the Giants. They lost 6 out of their last 8 games and if not for the fantastic performance by Tiki Barber last Saturday night, they probably wouldn’t have made it at all. The Eagles are playing extremely well, and I just can’t see the Giants keeping up with them in the un-friendly environs of Philly. The Eagles win by 7-10 points here. Kansas City at Indianapolis – This game smells like an upset, as Indianapolis could have the worst run defense in the league and the Chiefs are about the worst possible team for them to play with all-world RB Larry Johnson on their side. That being said, however, K.C. has been a horrible road team all season, and I think the Colts can score enough points to keep them at bay, but it should be a close one. N.Y. Jets at New England We all know that playoff time is Tom Brady’s time to shine, and even with all the injuries his team has suffered, the Pats still have him to count on when it matters. The Jets have been a fantastic story this year, as they have achieved far more than anyone thought they would under rookie head coach (and Bill Belichick apprentice) Eric Mangini. This is where the road ends for them, though, as Brady’s will and the rabid home crowd in Foxborough takes care of things. Divisional Playoffs NFC Dallas at Chicago – After taking care of business on the road against the Seahawks, confidence has been restored in the Dallas offense, and the Cowboys are ready to take on a Bears defense that has been very shaky recently. When you combine that and the inconsistent play of Bears’ QB Rex Grossman, I think this one is definitely in Dallas’ favor and shouldn’t really be considered that much of an upset. Philadelphia at New Orleans – Jeff Garcia has been a great story for the Eagles the past 6-8 weeks, but I think is where the wheels come off his train. The Saints, now playing a home playoff game in the Superdome after all that city has been through? Give me a break! The crowd will give them a huge advantage, not to mention the fact that they have the best offense in the league and have had two weeks to prepare. The Saints win this one easily in my opinion and make their first NFC Championship Game appearance. Indianapolis at Baltimore – The classic great offense against a great defense matchup will take place, and once again Peyton Manning will fall to a team that understands that you have to be strong defensively to have any chance to win a title. Manning is a fantastic player, no question, but he simply can’t deliver a ring to Indy unless he gets help on the other side of the ball. Baltimore has the best defense in the league, and with the pounding running game of Jamal Lewis and accurate passing of Steve McNair, should be able to score at least 24 points on the Colts. I just can’t see the Colts being able to score that much against the Ravens, especially in a cold and hostile environment. New England at San Diego – This is where all the injuries on the Patriots will take their toll. If this game was in New England, I’d pick the Pats, simply because they have the experience and coaching to come through, but I just think that the homefield advantage, which is usually worth about 3 points, is going to allow the Chargers to win a nail-biter. I have no confidence in Marty Schottenheimer as a coach, and I think Belichick can come up with a plan to slow down LaDainian Tomlinson, but with all the injuries in the Patriots secondary, QB Philip Rivers will somehow get enough points on the board to win it. This is the pick I am least confident about, though, just because the Chargers can be beaten through the air and the Pats have the best playoff QB around. AFC/NFC Championship GamesNFC Dallas at New Orleans – These are the two best teams in the NFC in my opinion and only because this game is in New Orleans am I going to go with the Saints. Yes, the Saints whipped the Cowboys in Dallas earlier this year, but no one important on New Orleans has been in a game this big. Dallas has the coaches and many players who have played in conference championship games, so this one should be a high-scoring, very close game. I just see something magical happening for the Saints late in the 4th quarter, and I see them dancing on Bourbon Street as they make their first Super Bowl appearance. A Cowboys road sweep to the Super Bowl wouldn’t surprise me, however. Baltimore at San Diego – We could have two teams that have never won a title playing against each other if San Diego wins, but I just can’t see it happening. Defense wins championships, and the Ravens have almost exactly the same type of formula going that they did when they won their first title a few years ago. Run the ball, get solid QB play and ride the defense to the victory. McNair has been around forever and was within one play of winning a Super Bowl in Tennessee, while Rivers is just getting started. I’m going with the experience and the defense here, as Marty-ball doesn’t get it done yet again. Super Bowl New Orleans vs Baltimore – Well, here we go. We have the best offense in the league against the best defense. I just said it in the last paragraph – DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS! You can’t find a team that’s won the Super Bowl that didn’t have at least a very good defense. The Saints simply don’t have it. They have been opportunistic and had timely turnovers, but overall they are simply average, and when you get this far down the road, that doesn’t cut it. The Ravens’ offense is not a top one, to be sure, but it can control the clock and keep that high-powered attack of the Saints off the field, and when the Saints do take the field, they’re going to face pressure like they never have. Final score: Baltimore 24, New Orleans 17 http://www.wagerweb.com/affiliatesred/AF3487/23//www.wagerweb.com

Class Of NBA?

2007-01-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Class Of NBA?

By Marty Gitlin
Contributing Writer

Has the best of the best of the West separated itself from the best of the West?

Let’s break down that rather complicated question. The premier teams in the Western Conference remain clearly the class of the NBA.

San Antonio and Utah have no peer in the East. Even the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets arguably fall into that group.

But have the Mavericks, winners of 12 in a row, risen above all of them? An answer will be provided Friday night when they play at San Antonio in a game nationally televised by ESPN. WagerWeb.com lists the Spurs as a 5-point favorite.

The Mavericks have certainly proven superior to one and all since the first week of the season. They are a downright absurd 26-3 since opening the year with four consecutive defeats and have held 11 consecutive opponents under 100 points.

The continued development of forward Josh Howard and guard Devin Harris to complement Most Valuable Player candidate Dirk Nowitzki and speedy backcourt standout Jason Terry could elevate Dallas from NBA finalist to NBA champion.

The Mavericks don’t sit atop the league in any major statistical category, but are strong in all areas. They are third defensively behind Houston and San Antonio at 91.9 points surrendered a game and among the leaders in rebounding differential, 3-point shooting differential, free-throw percentage, and blocked shots per game.

Dallas showed its strength in a 100-91 victory Thursday night over visiting Indiana. The Mavericks won despite receiving no points from their three centers. Harris scored a career-high 24.

TIME TO CATCH THEIR BREATH? The depleted Lakers won’t exactly be well-rested for visiting Denver Friday night.

But they’ll come in smiling, courtesy of a 132-128 overtime victory at Sacramento Thursday night. The Lakers have continued to play well despite injuries to frontcourt starters Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown and a recent scheduled dominated by road games.

In fact, their replacements proved critical in defeating the Kings. Power forward Brian Cook scored 26 points while 19-year-old center Andrew Bynum added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Of course, Kobe Bryant remained the dominant contributor with 42 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

According to Wager.Web.com, the Lakers are a 5-point favorite against a Nuggets team still missing suspended Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

DRIBBLES: At least one of the four key injured players has returned to the New Orleans Hornets. Bobby Jackson scored seven points off the bench Thursday night, but his team still fell at home to Detroit, 92-68. … Orlando and sizzling Washington, who are tied atop the Southeast Division, both play home games against under-.500 teams Friday night. WagerWeb.com lists the Magic as a 9-point favorite against Charlotte and the Wizards as a 5 ½-point favorite against the Los Angeles Clippers. ... Dwyane Wade (right wrist) has accompanied his Miami teammates to Phoenix, but won't play Friday night against the Suns.

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