11/26/2008 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer announced early on Wednesday that Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer at Arsenal of the English Premier League.
"Ivan Gazidis was one of the founding executives of Major League Soccer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "His 14 years of service to the league and the sport of soccer in America have helped establish Major League Soccer as a legitimate first division sports league in North America and a respected soccer league throughout the world. Major League Soccer's on-field product has marched steadily forward, primarily due to Ivan's thorough understanding of the game and its global market, his impressive reasoning and judgment, and his deep-rooted desire to see soccer grow in North America."
As Deputy Commissioner, Gazidis, who will leave MLS to begin working for Arsenal in January, oversees all aspects of competition and player contracts for MLS.
"I have been privileged in my 14 years with MLS to have worked with and for some of the best sports executives and owners in the world, whose vision, commitment and expertise have taken the league from strength to strength," Gazidis said. "The league is superbly positioned for future growth and this provides me the opportunity to return home after 16 years in the United States. I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to work at Arsenal, a club rich in heritage and tradition, and I will bring all of my experiences at MLS to bear in my new role."
MLS Executive Vice President Todd Durbin and MLS Senior Vice President Nelson Rodriguez will handle Gazidis' duties until a replacement is named. Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner Joe Machnik, Director of Player Programs Alfonso Mondelo and MLS President Mark Abbott will also help out.
"I am confident that these functions will be filled by an executive or executives with similarly exceptional qualities who will continue the forward progress he charted," Garber said.
<< Siedlecki steps down as Yale coach
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jack Siedlecki announced his retirement as
Yale's football coach on Wednesday and that he has accepted a position as
assistant athletics director.
Over the past 12 years, Siedlecki has coached
<< Norfolk recalls Henley from Augusta
Norfolk, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Norfolk Admirals recalled forward
Brent Henley from their ECHL affiliate, the Augusta Lynx.
The 28-year-old Henley appeared in two games for the Lynx after being assigned
on Nov. 12 and was score
<< Browns lose Quinn for season
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel
announced on Wednesday that Brady Quinn's broken index finger on his right
hand will end the quarterback's season.
"Brady is going to need time or surgery fo
<< Light, Crowder fined by NFL for fight
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Offensive tackle Matt Light of the New
England Patriots and linebacker Channing Crowder of the Miami Dolphins have
been fined $15,000 apiece by the NFL for what the league called "a verbal and
physica
Cassel, Reed, Higgins earn AFC weekly honors >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel,
Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed and Oakland Raiders punt returner Johnnie Lee
Higgins have been selected as the AFC Players of the Week for Week 12 of the
NFL sea
Edwards highlights Southern Conference all-league squad >>
Spartanburg, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Appalachian State junior quarterback
Armanti Edwards was named the Roy M. "Legs" Hawley Offensive Player of the
Year by the Southern Conference Sports Media Association (SCMSA). Georgia
Southern senior linebac
Labinjo agrees to extension with Calgary >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Stampeders announced on
Wednesday that defensive end Mike Labinjo has agreed to a multi-year contract
extension that will keep him with the club through the 2011 season.
Labinjo, 28, w
Monsters' Cumiskey joins Colorado >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Avalanche recalled defenseman
Kyle Cumiskey from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie
Monsters.
Cumiskey leads all Monsters' defensemen in scoring with a goal and
The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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