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02/03/2009 - Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Northeastern and Boston University will face each other in the final as each team won its semifinal game of the 57th annual Beanpot on Monday night.
Chris Donovan had a goal and three assists and Brad Thiessen made 45 saves and Northeastern beat Boston College 6-1, while Nick Bonino scored twice and Zach Cohen also scored a goal in Boston University's 4-3 win over Harvard.
Louis Liotti, Dennis McCauley, Steve Quailer, Ryan Ginand and Greg Costa also scored for the Huskies (18-6-2), ranked No. 3 in the nation.
Jason Lawrence scored a power-play goal with 1:46 left to snap a 3-3 tie and lead the Terriers (20-5-1) to victory.
The final will be next Monday night.
Since 1952, the Beanpot has matched the Boston area's four college hockey powers in a pair of doubleheaders for citywide supremacy. Boston University has dominated the series, winning the trophy a record 28 times.
BU owns 11 of the past 14 championships and has reached the final in 25 of the last 27 years, while Northeastern has won only four overall, with the last coming in 1988.
The Huskies are in first place in the conference, with the Terriers sitting in second place in the standings.
<< Svaots, Avalanche douse Flames
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marek Svatos had two goals and an assist as the
Colorado Avalanche downed the Calgary Flames, 4-3, at the Pepsi Center.
Milan Hejduk and Ruslan Salei each lit the lamp for the Avalanche, who snapped
a four-game
<< Dodgers offer Manny one-year, $25 million deal
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly
offered left fielder Manny Ramirez a one-year, $25 million contract.
Several media outlets reported the offer, which is the Dodgers' latest attempt
to keep the su
<< Stoudemire stars in Phoenix's historic rout of Kings
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Amare Stoudemire led a balanced attack with 25
points and eight rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns set a US Airways Center record
for largest winning margin with a 129-81 blowout of the Sacramento Kings.
Jason Ri
<< Injury-depleted Jazz crush Bobcats
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mehmet Okur poured in a game-best 22
points and Ronnie Brewer added 21, as Utah didn't miss a beat without Deron
Williams in a 105-86 rout of Charlotte at EnergySolutions Arena.
Paul Millsap dona
Capitals' Clark to have wrist surgery >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Capitals forward Chris Clark will
undergo surgery on his right wrist later this week and is expected to miss the
remainder of the regular season.
Clark, the team's captain, has one goal and fiv
Duncan dominant as Spurs top Warriors in OT >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Duncan scored 32 points and pulled down 15
rebounds, and Manu Ginobili got the game into overtime with two free throws
late in regulation, as the Spurs downed the Warriors, 110-105.
Duncan fouled out w
Manny turns down Dodgers' one-year, $25 million offer >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Slugger Manny Ramirez has turned down a
one-year, $25 million contract offer by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Earlier Monday night several media outlets reported the offer, which was the
Dodgers' latest a
Report: Clemens' DNA linked to syringes >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The DNA of Roger Clemens has been linked to
blood on syringes that ex-trainer Brian McNamee said he used to inject the
former star pitcher with performance-enhancing drugs, according to a published
report.
(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.
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.
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