09/23/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Heading into the 2007-08 season the Montreal Canadiens were expected to be a few years away from contending for a Stanley Cup title. To say that expectations have risen considerably a year later would be an understatement.
The Habs weren't even expected to make the playoffs last year, but nonetheless wound up finishing the regular season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. A second-round postseason exit against the Philadelphia Flyers dampened spirits in Montreal a bit, but that was a minor stumbling block for a young Canadiens squad that is expected to challenge for a Stanley Cup title in 2008-09.
Head coach Guy Carbonneau deserves much of the credit for keeping the youthful Habs focused during the ups-and-downs of an NHL season and was rewarded with a second-place finish in voting for the Jack Adams Award. Carbonneau has an even tougher task this year of not letting the pressure of being a contender get to the Canadiens.
The key for Montreal last year was the excellent season turned in by enigmatic winger Alexei Kovalev and the veteran sniper will once again be the x-factor for the Habs. Will Kovalev be the player who scored 84 points a year ago or will he revert to the lows of his 47-point campaign in 2006-07?
With or without Kovalev, things are looking up in Montreal and the rabid fan base is beginning to smell Cup no. 25.
FORWARDS - As stated above, the biggest reason for the Canadiens' surprising season a year ago was that few people expected Kovalev to return to his dominant form.
The 35-year-old notched 35 goals and 49 assists last season for easily his best season since recording 95 points with Pittsburgh in the 2000-01 campaign. Motivation shouldn't be a problem for the Russian sniper in 2008-09, as he's in the final season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract.
Montreal's top-scoring center last season was 25-year-old Tomas Plekanec, who had a breakout year in 2007-08, finishing second on the Habs with 69 points (29 goals, 40 assists).
The Canadiens could use rising star Andrei Kostitsyn to play opposite Kovalev on the left wing. The 23-year-old Belarusian made a big leap in his development last year with 26 goals and 27 helpers for Montreal.
Andrei's younger brother, right wing Sergei Kostitsyn, also played in 52 games for the Habs last season and recorded 27 points (9g, 18a).
Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, the face of the Montreal franchise for most of his 12-year NHL career, is back once again to center a line for the Habs. Koivu had a career-high 75 points in 2006-07, but dropped off to 56 points (16g, 40a) a year ago.
Koivu will have a new weapon on his line after general manager Bob Gainey traded for veteran left wing Alex Tanguay in the offseason. Tanguay had 81 points two seasons ago with the Flames, but fell to just 18 goals and 40 assists in 2007-08. Still, the 28-year-old, who is free agent after this season, has five 20-goal seasons on his resume.
Right wing Christopher Higgins could also play on the Koivu line and the 25- year-old hopes to notch his fourth 20-goal season in as many NHL campaigns this year. Higgins had his best year in 2007-08, setting career highs in goals (27), assists (25), points (52) and games played (82).
The Habs added another solid centerman to their roster in early September, acquiring Robert Lang from Chicago for a second-round draft pick in 2010. The 37-year-old Lang had 21 goals and 33 assists in 76 games with the Blackhawks last season.
Another huge pickup came in the form of the 6-3, 243-pound winger Georges Laraque, one of the league's top enforcers. Laraque, who signed a three-year deal, had 141 penalty minutes while protecting Sidney Crosby and other Pittsburgh stars last season and will fill that same role for the Habs, who certainly lacked a physical presence last year, especially in the playoffs.
Also, keep an eye out for a breakout season from Guillaume Latendresse, a 21- year-old left wing who has scored 16 goals in each of the last two seasons for Montreal.
DEFENSE - The Montreal defense will be largely unchanged from last season and the Habs hope that means Andrei Markov will have the same type of year he did in 2007-08.
Markov was left with the role of Montreal's top defensemen after Sheldon Souray opted to sign with Edmonton in the summer of 2007. The Russian filled those shoes both on offense and defense, steadying the Montreal blueline while posting career bests in goals (16), points (58) and games played (82).
Markov will once again be paired with the immense Mike Komisarek, who packs a wallop at 6-4, 242 pounds and was a plus-nine for the Habs last year. The 26- year-old also had 17 points (4g, 13a) and 101 penalty minutes in 2007-08.
Veteran blueliner Roman Hamrlik will be back this year after recording 26 points (5g, 21a) in 77 games for Montreal last year. Josh Gorges, 24, will likely be paired with Hamrlik once again after turning in nine assists in 62 games last season.
The Canadiens also opted to re-sign 37-year-old Patrice Brisebois, who is injury prone and played in just 43 games for the Habs in 2007-08.
Francis Bouillon and Ryan O'Byrne will also battle for playing time at the back end this season.
GOALTENDING - Gainey took perhaps the biggest gamble of the 2007-08 season when he opted to trade starting goaltender Cristobal Huet at the deadline, thus leaving a then 20-year-old rookie Carey Price as the primary option for the upcoming playoffs.
Price played well down the stretch for the Habs and ended the season with a 24-12-3 record to go along with a solid 2.56 goals against average and .920 save percentage.
However, Gainey took some hits when the young netminder struggled in the postseason, but Montreal still has tremendous faith in Price, who was taken fifth overall in the 2005 draft.
One of the reasons the Habs decided to deal Huet was that they also have a solid goaltending prospect in Jaroslav Halak, who will back up Price this season. The 23-year-old Slovakian has played in just 22 NHL games, but has shined for the club's AHL affiliate in Hamilton.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE - Last year wasn't a fluke, the Habs just developed quicker than most pundits expected. The Canadiens won't have the element of surprise on their side this year, but when you are blessed with speed, skill and youth the way Montreal is, that shouldn't really matter. Expect Montreal to challenge for the No. 1 seed in the East once again and don't be shocked if the team wins it all.
<< AFC East: What Does Win No. 1 Mean for Dolphins?
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Signs of progress have been located for the 2008 Miami
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and it never t
<< 2008-09 Minnesota Wild Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Wild have proven themselves to be a perennial
playoff participant in recent years, but entry into the tournament is about as
far as the club has gotten.
The Wild have made three consecutive trips to the posts
<< 2008-09 Los Angeles Kings Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings had some salary cap issues this
summer.
Unlike many NHL teams the rebuilding Kings weren't worried about going over
the cap, but making sure they spent enough money to get above the mandatory
minimum
<< Unusual prep race for Breeders' Cup Classic
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the running of the 90th Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, featuring
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Smooth
2008-09 New Jersey Devils Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In recent years the New Jersey Devils have gone from
perennial Stanley Cup contender to a mere participant in the annual
postseason.
The Devils rode goaltender Martin Brodeur to an 11th straight playoff
appearance in 2007
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It's very easy to
2008-09 New York Islanders Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders were in the hunt for a playoff spot
for a large portion of the 2007-08 season. While that was surprising, it would
be downright shocking if this year's edition of the Isles could stay in the
race past D
Former Vikings great Hilgenberg dies >>
Eden Prairie, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings are mourning the
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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
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Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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