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08/25/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
Country: China
FIBA Ranking: 9
Head Coach: Bob Donewald
Key Players: Yi Jianlian, Wang Zhizhi, Sun Yue
Overview: China will be without the services of superstar Yao Ming as he continues to battle injuries, however, they still have talented players in Yi and Sun. Expect a strong showing as the sport of basketball continues to grow in popularity in the most populous country in the world.
Strengths: Unlike a lot of teams in this tournament, China has great height at all positions. It's a very versatile team with front court players that possess face-up and perimeter skills to go along with smooth and finesse-type low-post games.
Weaknesses: China's guards may have great height but that's about it. With the exception of Sun, the Chinese guard play is not as developed as their play in the front court, and that can present problems in turning the ball over when under pressure, not to mentioned weak shooting from beyond the arc.
Tournament Expectations: China will be fighting for the top spot in group C with Greece. It should easily make it to the Round of 16 and China has a realistic chance at making it to the semi finals in the tournament. If they want to make it that far, the Chinese will need to get stronger guard play than they've had in past international events.
Country: Cote d'Ivoire
FIBA Ranking: 41
Head Coach: Randoald Dessarzin
Key Player: Pape-Philippe Amagou
Overview: After an inspired performance at the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship that saw it capture a silver medal, Cote d'Ivoire will be making its the first FIBA World Championship appearance since 1986.
Strengths: The team is young, athletic and plays well in the open court. This strength is further bolstered because its big guys can run the floor. Like most teams defined by athleticism, Cote d'Ivoire is adept at slashing to the basket as opposed to spotting up for jumpers.
Weaknesses: With only have two players that can be considered true "bigs", grabbing rebounds and defending the paint with be a problem for this team. Its offense is also one-dimensional with a lack of strong perimeter shooting.
Tournament Expectations: The Ivory Coast is not expected to make it out of the group stage. They will most likely finish last in group C and that is because every other team in the group will be able to take advantage of their undersized roster. This is a team that will struggle to win a single game.
Country: Greece
FIBA Ranking: 4
Head Coach: Jonas Kazlauskas
Key Players: Vassilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis
Overview: The storied history of Greek basketball will continue to be written, and its hoping to do one place better in this year's world championship after capturing silver at the 2006 world championship.
Strengths: Greece boasts deadly accurate shooters and a strong interior presence that can stymie attackers in the lane. They are one of the most well balanced teams in the tournament and, if they execute their half-court sets the way they can, they are also one of the most exciting teams to watch if fundamental basketball is to your liking.
Weaknesses: A major reason why Greece plays so solidly fundamentally is because they do not have the athleticism required to play a more up tempo, freestyle game. They have the shooters to get themselves back into contests, but those shooters still require time to get to the right spots within their offense, thus, if the game starts to speed up, their game plan will be disrupted.
Tournament Expectations: Greece will vie for first place in group C with China. With its all-around skill and depth, it should finish first in the group. Beyond that, Greece is one of the teams that can aim for winning it all as it remains one of the few countries with its full roster of talent.
Country: Russia
FIBA Ranking: 17
Head Coach: David Blatt
Key Players: J.R. Holden, Viktor Khryapa
Overview: Traditional powerhouse Russia has seen a turn for the worse lately, as evidenced by its seventh-place finish in EuroBasket 2009. The program is going through a state of transition with a lot of the previous staple players getting up in their years and with no younger players emerging to take the mantle. This tournament looks like it will be a place for Russia to find a player to carry on the Russian basketball tradition moving forward.
Strengths: The team's primary players comprise of guys who have been there before and will not be flustered by the bright lights of an international tournament. Their big men have a small amount of versatility in that they can step outside to knock down mid to long range shots, but they feel most comfortable in the post. The team also plays solid defense, anchored by this year's Euroleague top defender, Khryapa.
Weaknesses: Its overall offense is weak because it relies far too heavily on Holden. If he cannot get it going, then the offense has a tendency to stagnate because of the lack of creativity on the offensive end to get other players involved.
Tournament Expectations: With first and second in group C probably going to Greece and China, Russia will almost certainly be competing for third and fourth with Puerto Rico and Turkey. This three-way clash in the group will prove to be entertaining, but, based on the factors of talent, youth and home- court, it wouldn't be a stretch to see Russia on the outside looking in.
Country: Puerto Rico
FIBA Ranking: 10
Head Coach: Manuel Cintron
Key Players: J.J. Barea, Carlos Arroyo
Overview: After being eliminated in the group stage of the 2006 FIBA World Championship and being able to qualify for the 2008 Olympics, Puerto Rico make its return to the international stage and will look to reclaim the past successes it experienced at the 2002 World Championship and the 2004 Olympics.
Strengths:
With two of the best point guards in the tournament running the show, offence will come easy to Puerto Rico. Both Barea and Arroyo are smart decision makers, knowing when and where to get the ball to a teammate as well as when to decide to look for their own on offense.
Weaknesses:
What Barea and Arroyo do great offensively also has an equal bad part defensively. They both do not defend particularly well. This is an overall theme of the Puerto Rican guards as they will have be broken down too early on the perimeter, putting their big men in difficult predicaments to save a basket.
Tournament Expectations: Puerto Rico will be a part of the aforementioned three-team battle in Group C. With its talent, it should be able to capture third place in the group. Judging by the way the draws have been expected to play out in the Round of 16, Puerto Rico will have a good chance at advancing to the quarter finals.
Country: Turkey
FIBA Ranking: 18
Head Coach: Bogdan Tanjevic
Key Players: Hedo Turkoglu, Ersan Ilyasova
Overview: Nine years ago, Turkey hosted EuroBasket 2001 and ended up with a silver medal. They are hoping the same perfect storm of good fortune and exceptional play will lead them to another great success on home soil in this year's world championship.
Strengths:
The home-court advantage is not to be underestimated, as teams always play better in front of their home fans, and having an entire nation as home fans will only fire up the Turkish players even more. Besides from what being the host nation can do, Turkey's other strength is in its versatility. The team's two best scorers, Turkoglu and Ilyasova, are front court players who can handle the ball decently, shoot it well and pass it even better. This allows the rest of the team to play off the two forwards like they are point guards.
Weaknesses: The team is coming in with a lot of players who had poor seasons, including Turkoglu, especially in shooting the ball. This glaring fault may have been covered up if they were athletic enough to get to the hole consistently, but that's not the case here.
Tournament Expectations: Turkey will probably come out of the three-team fight for third and fourth place in Group C, beating out Russia for the fourth and final advancing spot. It's not likely it will advance past the Round of 16 but, with how emotional some of the players can be, and the positive vibes that will be surrounding the team everywhere they are during the tournament, it could end up upsetting some big teams.
<< FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group A
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
Country: Angola
FIBA Ranking: 12
Head Coach: Luis Magalhaes
Key Players: Joaquim 'Kikas' Gomes, Olimpio Cipriano
Overview: For years, the Angolan team has been associated as the African
nation C
<< Hara will take charge of Japan on interim basis
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hiromi Hara, the technical director of the
Japanese Football Association, will take charge of the national team for a
pair of upcoming friendlies as he continues to search for a new manager.
Japan adv
<< Juventus confirms Aquilani move
Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juventus announced on Wednesday that the club
has acquired Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani on loan, with an option for
a permanent move for $20 million at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old Aquila
<< Bolts re-sign Downie
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have reportedly re-
signed restricted free agent Steve Downie.
According to TSN of Canada, the right winger signed a two-year, $3.7 million
deal.
Downie, 23, had 22 goals, 24 a
FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group D >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
Country: Canada
FIBA Ranking: 19
Head Coach: Leo Rautins
Key Players: Joel Anthony, Andy Rautins
Overview: It's been sometime since Canada has made an impact on the world
stage and since the de
Kroenke becomes majority owner of Rams >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams announced on Wednesday
that E. Stanley Kroenke has become the majority owner of the club.
The decision was made via a vote by the rest of the league's owners at a
meeting in Atlanta.
"St
CFL Previews - August 27-28 - Week Nine >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
CALGARY STAMPEDERS (6-1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS (1-6)
DATE & TIME: Friday, August 27, 10:30 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: A couple of teams heading in opposite directions in the CFL's
Western Division
NL West: Padres running away with division >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Only a monumental collapse or some gypsy curse over the
next few weeks can derail the San Diego Padres in their quest for a third
division title since 2005.
The Padres won the NL West five years ago and share
Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.
Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.
That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.
Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.
After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.
The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).
To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.
NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV
New England Patriots 8/1
Dallas Cowboys 9/1
New York Giants 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1
Indianapolis Colts 12/1
San Diego Chargers 12/1
Baltimore Ravens 14/1
Tennessee Titans 16/1
Carolina Panthers 18/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
New Orleans Saints 20/1
Atlanta Falcons 25/1
Denver Broncos 25/1
Green Bay Packers 25/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
New York Jets 25/1
Arizona Cardinals 30/1
Chicago BearS 30/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1
Buffalo Bills 35/1
Houston TexaNS 35/1
Miami Dolphins 35/1
Washington Redskins 35/1
Seattle SeahawkS 50/1
Cleveland Browns 55/1
Cincinnati Bengals 60/1
San Francisco 49ers 60/1
Oakland Raiders 75/1
St. Louis Rams 75/1
Detroit Lions 100/1
Kansas City Chiefs 100/1
Odds as of: 2/2/09
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
American Idol odds : Blake Lewis the Early Standout
An important American Idol betting lines recap from February 20 Guys episode. The 12 men came out flat overall with Blake Lewis appearing to have the early edge after the first hour and a half.
Rudy - was quite good singing "Free Ride" to start off. Randy was not impressed though. Paula thought he started off fantastic. "Never had anyone stop off so lively" said Paula but Simon (who does not like Rudy) does not feel he has a distinct voice and was not impressed either.
Brandon was a little pitchy according to Randy and Paula agreed. Simon said he was a good singer but the song was "too safe" and he needs to make an impact. He was listed at +1200 odds or $1200 paid out on a $100 bet should he win the competition.
Big favorite Sundance came in with a flat version of "Knights in White Satin" and the judges let him have it, including Paula. Randy claimed the song was out of pitch throughout.
Korean American - and a Jenny Woo favorite - Paul Kim was up next. Another pitchy flat one but Randy said he still liked his potential. Kim at +3000 odds was said to have sung a "third rate version of that (George Michael) song" according to Simon Cowell. He sang "Careless Whisper".
22 year old Chris Richardson was up next. He was listed with +1100 odds coming in. He got the best response from the judges though Simon did not believe the vocal was that great.
Nick was boring and pitchy. Simon didn't think he was that bad though and predicted he would be back next week. Nick Pedro was a big +3000 dog coming into this competition.
Beat boxer Blake Lewis was listed with early +1000 odds or $1000 payout on a $100 bet if he were to become the next American Idol winner odds . These of course were the early odds. He was considered original for picking an "odd song". He did not beat box and the judges felt it was the best vocal of the night.
Sanjaya came in as the second biggest favorite after Chris Sligh but his performance Tuesday night was not very good.
Chris Sleigh was the early favorite at +450 odds. Great voice and a great sense of humor. He's a real standout. Randy felt it was on point but maybe ahead of the chorus a little bit. Simon Cowell said he felt like he was in some "sort of weird student gig".
Jared Cotter followed. He was listed with +2000 odds early on to win the competition. The judges felt he needs to take more risks but looked good.
22-year old AJ Talbado, who has tried out for American Idol five times, was up next. "Kind of a theme park performance" said Simon. Though the judges felt he performed okay. Simon did feel AJ might be better than he originally thought.
Phil - this season's military favorite - came into this competition with +1200 odds to win the competition. He was the last to perform. He was certainly strong enough to get through this stage of the competition and perhaps the best one after a shaky start.
Tomorrow night, the ladies perform and I sure hope they do a better job than the boys. Check out all the American Idol betting odds here.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
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