 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||
|
||||
Czech friendly is vital for a number of USA hopefulsSoccer Betting Lines05/24/2010 - Hartford, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tuesday's friendly between the United States and the Czech Republic will be used as much more than just a way to keep the American team sharp ahead of next month's World Cup. It will give USA head coach Bob Bradley another chance to decide on just who will get a seat on the plane to South Africa, and who will be left watching from home. Obviously players like Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey won't be too concerned with making the final 23-man roster, which must be submitted by June 1, but there are plenty of other players who have some work to do. Bradley named a provisional 30-man squad a few weeks ago, meaning that he must cut seven players from that team by next week. The goalkeeping position is pretty much set with Howard, Brad Guzan and Marcus Hahnemann each expected to make the trip. But there are plenty of question marks in the other areas of the field, starting in defense. Injuries have been a big issue in the back line for Bradley with Oguchi Onyewu having not played a game since suffering a serious knee injury in October, while captain Carlos Bocanegra underwent hernia surgery May 5 and continues to recover. Jay DeMerit is another player who will likely find his way into the starting 11, but he is struggling with an abdominal strain, leaving many of the fringe players with a chance to impress on Tuesday. Players like Chad Marshall, Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein, Jonathan Spector and Clarence Goodson will all be fighting for one of the last spots in defense with more experienced players like Bocanegra, DeMerit, Onyewu and Steve Cherundolo likely safe. A number of places in midfield look pretty secure, but there should still be some good battles between veteran DaMarcus Beasley, whose place seems to still be uncertain, as well as more inexperienced players like Sacha Kljestan, Stuart Holden and Alejandro Bedoya. It's anyone's guess as to who might join presumed starter Jozy Altidore up top, with Major League Soccer standouts Edson Buddle, Brian Ching and Robbie Findley battling Herculez Gomez and former MLS player Eddie Johnson. It was just four years ago that these two teams played in the 2006 World Cup, with the Czech's handing the United States a heavy 3-0 defeat. But the team is undergoing a major overhaul with players like Tomas Rosicky and Milan Baros battling injuries, and they will have only four players involved in Tuesday's match from that World Cup side. The United States will play one more friendly on May 29 against Turkey before the June 1 deadline, while they will face Australia on June 5 in South Africa as a warm-up match before their opening World Cup contest against England one week later.
<< Pacers G Price hurts knee
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indiana Pacers announced on Monday that guard A.J. Price suffered a left knee injury in a charity basketball game on Saturday night in New York. The Pacers said Price will be examined by the
<< Karmanos seeking minority partner for 'Canes
<< NL West: Fortunate Giants search for life at home
<< Bears ink LB Iwuh to one-year deal
<< Saints add McKie
In the FCS Huddle: Salukis hope to wow 'em in new stadium >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It had gotten to the point that Southern Illinois coaches tried not to show McAndrew Stadium or the Salukis' football locker rooms during on-campus recruiting visits. The 73-year-old stadium had become so out
Teams on the clock in deep NHL draft >>
Collins returns home to lead Sixers >>
This Week in Golf - May 27th through May 30th >>
Federer, Djokovic, Murray win French openers >>
Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana Should be in: Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it? Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel. Work left to do: Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third. Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim. Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either. Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim. For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.
|
|
