Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
07/22/2007 - Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Ramirez hit a three-run home run and drove in four, while Mike Lowell also hit a three-run bomb as Boston topped Chicago, 8-5, in the finale of a four-game set from Fenway Park.
Kevin Youkilis drove in the other run for the Red Sox, who won the final three games of the series. Coco Crisp added three hits and Ramirez scored two runs. Tim Wakefield (11-9) earned the win despite being charged with six hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings.
David Ortiz was not in the lineup for the second straight game after suffering a left shoulder strain on Friday. An MRI taken Saturday revealed no structural damage, and he is listed as day-to-day. Ramirez was the designated hitter and Youkilis played first base.
Chicago starter Jon Garland (7-7) was charged with six runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings, fanning three but walking five in the loss, snapping a personal three-game win streak on the road for the crafty right-hander.
Josh Fields went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for the White Sox, who have lost three straight and four of six. Juan Uribe had three hits, while Rob Mackowiak, Alex Cintron and Jim Thome knocked in a run apiece.
Chicago put together a rally in the seventh, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring four times. Pierzynski singled and Dye doubled to start the frame. Mackowiak followed with a sacrifice fly and Fields singled which made it 8-3.
Wakefield exited for Manny Delcarmen, but Uribe singled to load the bases and Cintron's base hit brought in another run and moved the runners up one base. Thome walked to force in a run for an 8-5 game. Paul Konerko popped out to first and Hideki Okajima was called on to face Pierzynski, who fanned on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Okajima retired the White Sox in order in the eighth, but Chicago loaded the bases with none out in the ninth on singles by Uribe and Jerry Owens and a walk to Cintron. Thome struck out swinging, and Konerko bounced into a 5-4-3 game-ending double-play which earned Jonathan Papelbon his 22nd save.
Ramirez gave the home team a jolt in the first with a three-run opposite-field blast into the bullpen. Julio Lugo and Youkilis drew walks to set up the homer.
In the fourth, Crisp singled and Eric Hinske followed with a ground-rule double but the Red Sox didn't score. Chicago responded with a run in the fifth on Jermaine Dye's double followed by Fields' RBI single.
Boston went up 6-1 in the fifth, as Lowell barely cleared the Green Monster with a line-drive three-run shot with two down. In the sixth, a Youkilis sac fly and a Ramirez single pushed the advantage to 8-1.
Game Notes
Boston completed its 11-game homestand at 6-5...The Red Sox and White Sox meet in Chicago from August 23-26...Boston will recall pitcher Jon Lester from his rehab stint at Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday, and he will make his first start of the season in Cleveland, his first since leaving the club last September due to lymphoma. Pitcher Joel Pineiro will be designated for assignment to make room on the roster...The Red Sox are a major-league best 22-8 in day games and 15-2 at Fenway.
<< Petit pitches Arizona past Cubs
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Yusmeiro Petit pitched six scoreless innings
and Chris Snyder homered as the Arizona Diamondbacks blanked the Chicago Cubs,
3-0, in the finale of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.
Petit (2-2) yielded just t
<< Saunders, Angels salvage game with Twins
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Saunders hurled seven solid innings,
and Garret Anderson homered as the LA Angels of Anaheim downed Minnesota, 7-2,
in the finale of a three-game set at the Metrodome.
Saunders (4-0), who was calle
<< Houston's Pence sprains wrist
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence
suffered a sprained right wrist during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh
Pirates.
Pence was hurt in the fourth inning while swinging at a pitch. As he poppe
<< Yankees score 21 runs to pound Devil Rays
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shelley Duncan capped a 10-run fourth inning with
a three-run homer and added a solo shot in the sixth, as the New York Yankees
again roughed up Tampa Bay pitching in a 21-4 victory over the Devil Rays at
Yankee
Retamoza claims Futures event in Syracuse >>
Syracuse, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Violeta Retamoza fired a bogey-free, four-
under 67 Sunday to come from behind and win the Alliance Bank Golf Classic.
Retamoza completed her first Duramed Futures Tour victory at five-under-par
208, o
Ching nets a pair as Houston earns draw at Revs >>
Foxborough, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Ching scored two second-half goals
within a minute of each other to help the Houston Dynamo leave Gillette
Stadium with a point in a 3-3 draw with the New England Revolution.
Dwayne De Rosa
Brewers top Giants; Bonds sits >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Braun homered and drove in three runs,
as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the San Francisco Giants, 7-5, in the
conclusion of a three-game series at Miller Park.
Barry Bonds, sitting two home run
Blanco scores in American debut >>
Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored in his American
debut to help the Chicago Fire walk away with a 1-1 tie in a friendly with
Scottish Premier League power Celtic at Toyota Park.
The 34-year-old attacker had b
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting