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09/09/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In case you haven't noticed, Italian soccer is not exactly flourishing.
Yes, the national team won the World Cup four years ago, and Serie A side Inter Milan became the first Italian team to win the treble just last season.
But after a dismal showing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa that saw the Azzurri fail to advance beyond the group stage, Italy's national team could be in for some rough times, which was reiterated by the fact that they could only manage a 2-1 comeback win over Estonia in the first match of Euro 2012 qualification.
On the domestic front, Inter's Champions League victory last season was a major achievement, but it also came without one single Italian player on the field during the final win over Bayern Munich.
Also, the man who guided the team to its historic season, manager Jose Mourinho, bolted for Real Madrid at the end of the season, citing his disgust for the Italian league as a major reason why.
The quality of play in the league as a whole has taken a dramatic turn for the worse, as La Liga in Spain as well as the English Premiership have both moved past Serie A, with Germany's Bundesliga closing fast in the rearview mirror.
It wasn't too long ago that powerhouse Italian teams like AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus were the envy of the European game.
Those teams routinely attracted the top talent, with players like Zinedine Zidane, Brazilian great Ronaldo, and Luis Figo among others coming to Italy to play in the world's finest league.
Top Italian talent like goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, striker Roberto Baggio and defender Paolo Maldini also starred on these loaded clubs, which were regular finalists in the Champions League.
From 1990 to 1999, either AC Milan or Juventus represented Italy in the final of Europe's premier club competition seven times in 10 years.
In 2003, Serie A put three teams in the semifinals, while Milan also reached the final in 2005 and won the competition in 2007.
But those days now seem like ages ago as the economic downturn has hit Italy particularly hard, making it difficult for even top teams like Inter, Milan and Juventus to attract top-end talent.
Now, teams like Barcelona, Manchester City and Real Madrid have their choice in the transfer market, while Italian sides wait to see what the leftovers look like.
The league itself has become extremely predictable in recent years as Inter has ruled Italy with an iron fist since the match-fixing scandal that relegated Juventus to Serie B.
Juve has not been the same team since its return to the top flight, while AC Milan has failed to live up to expectations, leaving Roma as the only side to seriously challenge Inter in league play.
And while the Nerazzurri has produced some good results in recent years, they have been criticized for their unappealing style of play, making it necessary for a new challenger to emerge from an underwhelming list of candidates.
Up until the end of August, Milan appeared to be a team headed for another top- three finish in the league, maybe a trip to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and another season of having to look across town at Inter winning another title.
But things shifted in the final week of the transfer window, as the Rossoneri was able to land two impact players who were deemed to be surplus to needs at powerhouse clubs.
Milan used to be a club that had trouble figuring out how to get all of its talent on the field at the same time, but have recently benefited from the fact that Barcelona and Manchester City have that trouble.
Barca's signing of Valencia striker David Villa over the summer made Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic excess to requirements, allowing him to be snapped up on loan from the Spanish giants for a reasonable price.
Then there is Robinho, the talented but sometimes troubled attacker. He was so unhappy at City last season that he forced a loan move to Brazilian side Santos, and he was able to get his permanent move away from England for a little over $30 million, or nearly $20 million less than City paid for him.
The additions of Ibrahimovic and Robinho have now transformed Milan from a team that sometimes struggles to score goals into a team that possesses an array of talented attacking options, and one that could potentially add a dash of excitement to an otherwise drab Serie A campaign.
Milan can now boast an attack that includes Ibrahimovic, Robinho, Pato and Ronaldinho, making them a formidable challenge for any opposing defense.
Another thing that makes Milan attractive is the fact that - unlike Inter - the team includes a number of Italian players, like Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini and Gennaro Gattuso.
The financial situation in Italy is not getting any better, and it is about to get much worse with Serie A potentially losing a Champions League place to the Bundesliga, and the millions of dollars that go along with it.
Werder Bremen's win over Sampdoria in a two-legged playoff in Champions League qualification ensured Italy of only three teams in this year's competition, while Germany also has three.
And as long as German sides like Bayern Munich and Schalke don't completely collapse in the group stage, it looks as though Serie A will need not only Inter to make a deep run in the competition, but also for Milan to have success as well.
Losing a Champions League place would be a big blow to an already reeling league, as well as to one of the premier soccer countries in the world.
The situation in Italy is not good at the moment, but Milan is equipped to help try and turn things back in the right direction.
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Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was
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WEEI-AM cited sources as saying Brady was "shaken," but did not go to a
hospital.
The
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan saw running back Derrick Locke dart through the hole during one practice this summer and waited for the shifty 5-foot-9 speedster to sprint for the sidelines.Wrong.Heading out of harm's way is
NL West supremacy on line in San Diego >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - First place in the National League West will be on the line
as the top two teams in the division, San Francisco and San Diego, kick off an
important four-game series tonight at Petco Park.
The Padres currently lead the div
Rockies go for sweep of Reds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The red-hot Colorado Rockies look to sweep a four-game set
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finale from Coors Field.
Colorado has won six straight overall and recorded a 9-2 victory
Cardinals start series in Atlanta >>
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Rangers, Blue Jays conclude set in Toronto >>
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Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends
We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com
New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.
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JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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