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11/08/2008 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Clippers forward Tim Thomas left Friday's 92-83 loss to the Houston Rockets in the first quarter with a sprained left ankle.
Thomas had to be helped off the floor after turning the ankle with 58.4 seconds left in the first and did not return. X-rays were negative.
The 11th-year pro out of Villanova logged a little over 4 1/2 minutes and did not record a statistic.
Through five games this season, Thomas posted averages of 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds for Los Angeles.
<< Report: Nuggets to buy out McDyess' contract
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets will reportedly buy out
the contract of forward Antonio McDyess, who was acquired in Monday's trade
with the Detroit Pistons.
McDyess, along with guard Chauncey Billups and center Che
<< Around FCS: Garton keeps Penn's hopes alive
Princeton, N.J. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Keiffer Garton has spent much of his time at
Penn directing the Quaker scout team offense. But with injuries decimating the
team's top-two quarterbacks, Robert Irvin and Kyle Olson, Garton made his first
caree
<< Rockets keep Clippers winless
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ron Artest netted 23 points and brought
down eight boards to help the Houston Rockets to a 92-83 victory over the
winless Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center.
Carl Landry scored 20 points a
<< Kings hand T-Wolves fourth straight loss
Sacramento, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Martin scored 26 points and tallied
six assists, and the Sacramento Kings routed the Minnesota Timberwolves
121-109.
John Salmons scored 23 points for the Kings, who won their second straigh
Penn holds off Princeton, 14-9 >>
Princeton, N.J. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quarterback Keiffer Garton accounted for
221 yards of total offense and two touchdowns, including 89 well-earned
rushing yards, to lead Penn to a 14-9 win over Princeton on Friday night
before 8,966 fans at Pr
Shin leads Mizuno Classic by two shots >>
Shima Mie, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ji-Yai Shin fired a six-under 66 to take
the second-round lead Saturday at the Mizuno Classic.
Shin stood at 10-under-par 134 overall, two shots ahead of first round co-
leader Mayu Hattori (69).
Garcia, Stenson share lead at suspended HSBC Champions >>
Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sergio Garcia shot a four-under 68 and
Henrik Stenson had a three-under 69 to share the lead Saturday at the HSBC
Champions.
Garcia and Stenson stood at 10-under-par 134 when the second round was f
LeBron leads Cavs into Windy City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers shoot for their
fourth straight win tonight, when they take on the Central Division-rival
Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
The Cavs posted their third consecutive win wit
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds
With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.
Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season. Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money.
This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy. A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.
Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:
| Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame) Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma) Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State) Michael Bush (RB, Louisville) Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia) Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville) Chris Leak (QB, Florida) Mike Hart (RB, Michigan) Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State) Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame) Drew Tate (QB, Iowa) Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal) Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn) Chad Henne (QB, Michigan) Kyle Wright (QB, Miami) Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State) Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama) JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU) Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State) Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina) Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech) |
5-2 7-2 7-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 18-1 18-1 20-1 30-1 35-1 35-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 |
For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.
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