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Indy 500 odds and French Open betting are the minds of those who are betting sports this weekend, but you shouldn’t forget about the exciting matches lined up for UFC 98, which will be held this Saturday in Las Vegas. In the main event, Lyoto Machida will challenge Rashad Evans for the light-heavyweight championship in a meeting of undefeated fighters, while a legend will be making his curtain call as Matt Hughes takes on Matt Serra.
Evans vs Machida odds (Machida -200)
Machida (14-0) is known as one of the most technical fighters in the UFC, but he showed a new skill when he knocked out Thiago Silva in the first round of their meeting in UFC 94. Even before he got to UFC, Machida was beating fighters like Rich Franklin, Stephen Bonnar and B.J. Penn. The next scalp on his list is Evans (13-0-1), who was supposed to fight “Rampage” Jackson, who needed jaw surgery from an injury suffered in a training camp. Evans was actually being dominated by Forrest Griffin before catching him with a knee that turned the tables, and he came away with the belt. He’ll need a much better performance against Machida, who is rather conservative, but he doesn’t make many mistakes and hopes that his opponents will grow impatient, which will lead them to a mistake. This is Evans’ chance to show he belongs up there with the big names of the UFC. Too bad it’ll end badly. (MMA betting pick: Machida)
Hughes vs Serra odds (Hughes -300)
There’s no love lost between these two fighters, who were the coaches for season No.6 of the “Ultimate Fighter”, and they’ve had a couple of fights already cancelled due to injuries. Hughes (43-7) has been a welterweight champion twice and is considered the best fighter ever at that weight class, but with three losses in his last four fights, he sees the end of the road is near. Serra (9-5) hasn’t fought since he was routed by Georges St. Pierre at UFC 83. There was a year-long hiatus for Serra before that fight, as he had beaten GSP for the belt at UFC 69, and this could end the same way. Hughes will be focused to go out on top, especially because of the bad blood between he and Serra. (MMA betting pick: Hughes)
The New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Dodger Stadium.
The Mets will pin their hopes on the pitching of righthander Livan Hernandez in this game. Hernandez has a 3-1 record and a 5.59 ERA this season.
Meanwhile, it’ll be Jeff Weaver who starts for the Dodgers. Righthander Weaver is 2-1 with a 3.37 ERA so far this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Dodgers listed as 129-moneyline favorites versus the Mets, while the game’s total is sitting at 9½.
Casey Blake belted a three-run homer to lift the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Mets on Tuesday, as -155 favorites. That game’s eight runs went as a PUSH against the posted over/under (8).
Chad Billingsley tossed 6 1-3 innings for the win, allowing four hits and three runs. Jonathan Broxton secured the win with his 10th save of the season.
John Maine drove in two runs to lead the Mets, but took the loss after surrendering eight hits and five runs. The Mets were +135 underdogs in that game.
Current streak: New York has lost 3 straight games. Los Angeles has won 3 straight games.
Team records: New York: 21-18 SU Los Angeles: 28-13 SU
New York most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 4-6 Before playing Boston are 5-5 After playing LA Dodgers are 4-6 After a loss are 6-4
Los Angeles most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 3-7 Before playing LA Angels are 6-4 After playing NY Mets are 6-4 After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider: NY Mets are 11-5 SU in its last 16 games NY Mets are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers LA Dodgers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games LA Dodgers are 16-3 SU in their last 19 games at home LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Next up: NY Mets at Boston, Friday, May 22 LA Dodgers home to LA Angels, Friday, May 22
The Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Quicken Loans Arena in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Oddsmakers currently have the Cavaliers listed as 8½-point favorites versus the Magic, while the game’s total is sitting at 184.
The Magic defeated Boston 101-82 as a 3-point underdog in Game 7 of their second-round series on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (187).
Hedo Turkoglu scored 25 points and dished out 12 assists for Orlando, while Dwight Howard had 12 points and 16 rebounds.
LeBron James had 27 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Cavaliers past the Hawks 84-74 to sweep their second-round series 4-0 last time out.
Cleveland covered as 9.5-point road favorites as the game played under the 180-point total set by oddsmakers.
Team records: Orlando: 59-23 SU, 49-32-1 ATS Cleveland: 66-16 SU, 49-33 ATS
Orlando most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 5-5 Before playing Cleveland are 4-6 After playing Boston are 5-5 After a win are 4-6
Cleveland most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 6-4 Before playing Orlando are 5-5 After playing Atlanta are 9-1 After a win are 9-1
A few trends to consider: Orlando is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland Orlando is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando’s last 5 games Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland Cleveland is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games Cleveland is 20-1 SU in its last 21 games at home Cleveland is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games
Next up: Orlando at Cleveland, Friday, May 22 Cleveland home to Orlando, Friday, May 22
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RICHMOND, Va. -- A government official says imprisoned NFL star Michael Vick has been approved for release to home confinement. NFL.com Video The No. 4 mobile quarterback of all time is Michael Vick.
Vick's lawyers have said they expected him to be moved any day into a halfway house in Newport News, Va. But the official says there's no bed space, so Vick could be released to his Hampton, Va. home as soon as May 21st.The official has knowledge of the case but requested anonymity because the individual was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The official says Vick will be on electronic monitoring and will only be allowed to leave home for activities approved by his probation officer. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is serving a 23-month sentence at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., for a dogfighting conspiracy.
By Staff Reports Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Florida offensive lineman Carl Johnson is facing an allegation of multiple date-rapes. Top Sports Stories
Johnson, a 6-7, 350-pound rising junior who is expected to start at tackle, was arrested Feb. 16 for violating a temporary restraining order filed by an ex-girlfriend, who claims Johnson date-raped her three times from September to November. On Tuesday, Johnson had his hearing pushed back to April 7, at the request of his attorney. The Orlando Sentinel, citing court documents, reported that the ex-girlfriend claimed to have experienced “regular” physical and emotional abuse, including shaking, biting and hitting, during her relationship with Johnson. The petition also states Johnson said that a goal in life was “to shoot and kill someone.” After being informed of the accusations, Johnson told the ex-girlfriend that he had plans to “go upstairs and get his gun.” When she told him he could go to jail, he said “I don’t care, at least it would be for something good.” Florida coach Urban Meyer has not commented publicly on the case.
Everton boss David Moyes is keeping tabs on CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love, but the 24-year-old Brazilian would prefer a move to Manchester City. (The Sun)
Was waiting for the Vagner Love rumors to start up again after his goal against Aston Villa on Wednesday. He made Zat Knight look like he was running in slow motion as Love breezed by him for CSKA Moscow’s only goal.
Love is happy to stay in Moscow and it would take a huge offer to tempt him away from Russia. (Daily Mirror)
A Brazilian isn’t going to play in Russia because of the weather. I’m sure Love earns a nice living playing for CSKA Moscow.
Arsenal and Chelsea are both keeping tabs on 18-year-old Bordeaux striker Henri Saviet. (Daily Mirror)
Henri Saviet is a favorite of many Football Manager players. It was only a matter of time before Saviet showed up on Arsenal’s radar.
Didier Drogba has lifted the lid on life at Chelsea under Luiz Felipe Scolari and said the Brazilian tried to divide the dressing room by blaming players for poor results and singled him out after the 3-0 defeat by Manchester United, making the striker train with the youth team. (The Sun)
To be fair Drogha looked like he could of cared less during that game against United. Rafael Benitez has said Liverpool need to win all of their remaining games if they are to win the Premier League this season. (Various)
Realistic they need to win at Old Trafford against Manchester United to have a chance. If Liverpool can somehow win that game, then they have a chance. Lose that game and United would need to collapse in order for Liverpool or anyone else to win the league.
Sir Alex Ferguson says his Manchester United side are capable of an unprecedented quadruple after Arsene Wenger branded them the “untouchables”. (Daily Express)
All I keep thinking about is that Inter match up is tough for United. They better be up for it on Tuesday. New Arsenal signing Andrey Arshavin will pay for his hairdresser from St Petersburg to fly to London to cut his hair because his wife does not trust British stylists. (Daily Express)
Nice to see Arshavin (or his girlfriend at least) adapting to life in London smoothly.
Weekend Action
England
Aston Villa-Chelsea over 2 and 2.5 +105 Arsenal -1 and -1.5 -102 vs Sunderland West Brom +0.5 and +1 -117 vs Fulham Newcastle-Everton under 2 and 2.5 -102
Germany
Bayer Leverkusen-Hamburg over 2.5 and 3 -104
Italy
Roma-Siena under 2.5 -114 Napoli pk and -0.5 -110 vs Genoa Sampdoria-Atalanta under 2 and 2.5 -106
Spain
Espanyol +1.5 and +2 -112 vs Barcelona Sevilla Atletico Madrid under 2.5 -103 Recreativo pk and -0.5 -115 vs Almeria
Portugal
Benfica pk and +0.5 -112 vs Sporting Lisbon
Record
122-109-28 +8.01
For the Best Soccer Information on the Internet Please Visit Sinnacle
Two missed free throws, ordinarily the cause of a coach's headache, became the symbol of sportsmanship in a Milwaukee boys basketball game earlier this month. Milwaukee Madison senior Johntell Franklin, who lost his mother, Carlitha, to cancer on Saturday, Feb. 7, decided he wanted to play in that night's game against DeKalb (Ill.) High School after previously indicating he would sit out. He arrived at the gym in the second quarter, but Franklin's name was not in the scorebook because his coach, Aaron Womack Jr., didn't expect him to be there. Rules dictated Womack would have to be assessed a technical, but he was prepared to put Franklin in the game anyway. DeKalb coach Dave Rohlman and his players knew of the situation, and told the referees they did not want the call.
As a principal, school, school district staff, and community you should all feel immense pride for the remarkable job that the coaching staff is doing in not only coaching these young men, but teaching them how to be leaders.
--Milwaukee Madison boys basketball coach Aaron Womack Jr.
The referees had no choice. But Rohlman did. "I gathered my kids and said, 'Who wants to take these free throws?'" Rohlman said, recounting the game to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Darius McNeal put up his hand. I said, 'You realize you're going to miss, right?' He nodded his head." McNeal, a senior point guard, went to the line. The Milwaukee Madison players stayed by their bench, waiting for the free throws. Instead of seeing the ball go through the net, they saw the ball on the court, rolling over the end line. "I turned around and saw the ref pick up the ball and hand it back to the player," Womack said in the Journal Sentinel. "And then [McNeal] did the same thing again." Said Rohlman: "Darius set up for a regular free throw, but he only shot it two or three feet in front of him. It bounced once or twice and just rolled past the basket." "I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal told the newspaper. "It was the right thing to do."
Womack, overwhelmed by DeKalb's gesture, wrote a letter to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, which had first reported the story. "As a principal, school, school district staff, and community you should all feel immense pride for the remarkable job that the coaching staff is doing in not only coaching these young men, but teaching them how to be leaders," Womack wrote. DeKalb had traveled more than two hours for the game, and waited another two as Womack rushed from the hospital, where he had been with Franklin, to the school to gather his team. "We were sympathetic to the circumstances and the events," Rohlman said in the Journal Sentinel. "We even told Coach Womack that it'd be OK to call off the game, but he said we had driven 2½ hours to get here and the kids wanted to play. So we said, 'Spend some time with your team and come out when you're ready.'"
The two schools had met twice previously, and this one ended with a Madison victory, but as in the other games, they also a shared pizza dinner "four kids to a pizza, two Madison kids and two DeKalb kids," Womack told the Journal Sentinel. "That letter became a big deal in DeKalb," Rohlman said in the paper. "We got lots of positive calls and e-mails because of it. Even though we lost the game, it was a true life lesson, and it's not one our kids are going to forget anytime soon." Womack, in his letter to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, added this at the end: "I'd like to recognize Darius who stepped up to miss the shot on purpose. He could have been selfish and cared only for his own stats [I hope Coach Rohlman doesn't make him run for missing the free throws].
By MICHAEL PEARSON The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday, February 15, 2009 Fourth-grader Donovan Bohannon showed up at Roswell’s City Hall Sunday to see Negro League baseball infielder James “Red” Moore and an exhibition of photographs featuring many of Moore’s teammates from baseball’s segregated era. “I never thought I’d be able to meet any of them,” said Donovan, a student at Hembry Springs Elementary School in Roswell. He and a few dozen other people came to meet the man who was known for putting on flashy fielding demonstrations before games. Enlarge this image Joey Ivansco/Staff Donovan Bohannon, 9, (left) and Josh Bell, 10, got face to face with history in the person of James ‘Red’ Moore, who played in the Negro Major Leagues.
Enlarge this image Joey Ivansco/jivansco@ajc.com James ‘Red’ Moore, 92, autographs a shirt for Tawanna Sellars. Moore was the guest of honor Sunday during the ‘Legends, Legacies and Torchbearers: The Brenda J. Turner Collection’ exhibit celebrating the Negro Major League for Black History Month in Roswell.
For Donovan’s father, Ken Bohannon, the event was an opportunity to show his kids that the opportunities now open to African-Americans weren’t always available. “They don’t know how we got here,” he said. Moore was born in Atlanta and, at age 92, still lives here. He played first base for the Atlanta Black Crackers, among other Negro League teams in the era before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947 and became the first African-American to play for a major league team. The Atlanta Black Crackers played home games at the old Ponce de Leon Park in Midtown Atlanta, the same field used by the white Atlanta Crackers. Brenda Turner, a Marietta photographer, started the collection of Negro League players. She became fascinated by the history of African-Americans in sports when she stumbled across a pin featuring black gymnast Dominique Dawes at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She was glad for the opportunity to show off her collection and to let people meet Moore, whom she called a “real hero.” But she wishes Americans would give more attention to Negro League players and other African-American achievers during months other than February — Black History Month. “It’s sad to me that it constantly has to be tied into black history,” said Turner, who is herself African-American. “It’s not just black history. It’s American history.” For his part, Moore is pleased for the run of attention he and the few other surviving Negro League players have been receiving in recent years. He has been inducted into the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame, honored by a Georgia General Assembly resolution and drafted by the Atlanta Braves in an honorary draft for Negro League players. “I’m just glad God’s let me live this long to enjoy it,” he said.
By STEVE HUMMER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday, February 15, 2009 In his throwback Dan Bouchard No. 30 Atlanta Flames sweater, Marty Fischer was dressed for the icemaker chill of Philips Arena. But he is a man who has loved and lost at hockey before, and merely the thought of the Thrashers going the way of those old Flames was enough to send a shiver through him.
1. The NHL wants a presence in the eighth-largest television market in the United States.
2. Moving the team could threaten the $9.3 million-a-year arena naming rights agreement with Philips.
3. There is evidence Atlanta would support a competitive team — attendance and interest spiked around the only playoff season — if the Thrashers put one on the ice consistently.3 REASONS HOCKEY COULD LEAVE
1. There is the perfect storm of a bad economy, the uncertainty that goes with the court battle over ownership and the team's bad performance of late.
2. Vultures are circling: There is interest in acquiring hockey in cities such as Kansas City, Las Vegas, Quebec City and Winnipeg (although each city has its own set of issues).
3. Unlike the NBA's Hawks, the Thrashers are not tied to the Philips Arena bond payment agreement.
Worried about the future of hockey in Atlanta? “The way things are going, yeah, it’s worrisome,” said the 60-year-old die-hard fan from Marietta, while awaiting a faceoff at a recent Thrashers game. In 1980, Atlanta lost one NHL team — those old Flames — to the Canadian wilderness. “It was like a divorce,” Fischer remembered. And Calgary got the kids. And now, another set of uncertainties swirl around the Thrashers, who brought hockey back to Atlanta in 1999, playing on all those old hockey insecurities. Welcome to Blah-land — formerly Blueland — where the ownership is fighting itself, the team is in the cellar and angst grows over the very future of hockey in Atlanta. A Feb. 3 story in the Toronto Sun listed the Thrashers among six NHL teams most vulnerable to either being moved or being shuttered. “This could be a blueprint of how not to operate an expansion franchise,” the newspaper warned, referring to the Thrashers. There is no consolation to be found in the local paper, either. This week, the three-year-long dispute among the eight-man Atlanta Spirit group — which owns the Thrashers, Hawks and Philips Arena operating rights — goes to trial again. On the ice, the Thrashers have been downright dispiriting, owning the second-worst record in the NHL. And in this most gate-driven of professional sports, Thrashers attendance at Philips Arena has dropped proportionately (ranking 29th in the 30-team league). Some of those absentees are catching the game on TV — ratings are up 27 percent this year — but that still amounts to fewer than 5,000 Atlanta households. Officially, the word is: Remain calm, all is well. “We’re not planning on contraction. We’re not planning on moving clubs,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “There is a strong core of fans who we are certain will support the team in increasing numbers as things progress on the ice and with the economy.” Speaking for the Spirit group, Thrashers executive vice president and GM Don Waddell said, “In countless meetings with ownership, never once have we expressed any interest in selling the Thrashers or moving the Thrashers.” But the Spirit group is facing serious challenges, prompting some sports business experts to question its ability to hold on to the Thrashers. In nine seasons, the Thrashers have gained precious little traction in Atlanta. Today they face threats to their long-term health on three distinct fronts. The Economy Perhaps you’ve heard — it’s tough out there right now. “In the city of Edmonton, hockey is the No. 1 thing. When the economy is bad, people will give up on other things rather than hockey,” said Dan Mason, a professor of sports management and a hockey business expert at the University of Alberta. “Atlanta may choose to give up hockey before any number of other things.” “You’d have to be completely naïve not to think that franchise is struggling,” said Ray Ferraro, a former Thrashers captain, now a hockey broadcaster living in Vancouver. There are bargains to be had, but the NHL can be an awfully expensive date. The man in the Atlanta Flames sweater, Fischer, paid $156 for lower bowl seats for a night at the Thrashers game with his wife. His Flames season tickets averaged out to $7 each per game, he said. When the Flames left in 1980, no one blamed the loss on the lack of fan support — it was more an offshoot of a financial crisis by then-owner Tom Cousins. Nor is anyone prepared to claim the Atlanta fans can’t sustain hockey now. Former coach Bob Hartley has been to two Thrashers games this season. “The crowds weren’t very good,” he said. But, he maintains, “Is it the greatest hockey market? Maybe not. Is it a market that should do well? Absolutely. Atlanta deserves a hockey team.” Whether Atlanta chooses to pay for one during grim economic times is another matter. The Ownership Figures filed prior to this week’s trial showed the Atlanta Spirit losing millions of dollars on its two franchises — an average of more than $21 million a year since it took over in 2004. That average could have been worse, if not for the hockey lockout of 2004. Without the need to support the Thrashers, the Spirit’s losses were cut to $12.5 million that year. One perception of the ownership is common in the stands: “They’re basketball guys,” said Tim Thompson, a season-ticket holder from Lawrenceville. Those same fans wonder how long the Spirit — in whatever shape it’s in after the trial — is willing to absorb losses from this “stepchild” property. But the team argues that the Thrashers are an important part of a larger financial package. “A stand-alone hockey team in this city? It would be very tough [to survive]. Very tough,” Waddell said. Since the Spirit also operates Philips, however, the Thrashers are intertwined in lucrative arena sponsorships, Waddell said. The largest of those is the $9.3 million-a-year naming rights deal signed by Philips, which extends through 2019 but could be voided if either of the two “anchor” sports franchises pulled out. Fans aren’t fed on sponsorships; they live on results. According to the Web site HockeyBuzz.com, the Thrashers have the fourth-lowest payroll in the league ($47.5 million, which is about $9 million below the cap ceiling). Whether the Spirit is able or willing to spend enough to build a winner is the question customers are most passionate about. “Everyone wants to focus on that $57 million [cap ceiling],” Waddell said. “We’re one of those franchises that economically can’t be at the cap. We have to have a budget we can live with.” Ultimately that feeds into the last, most important, issue facing the Thrashers. The Product “Certain teams have an identity. With Detroit, you know what you’re going to get. With Philadelphia, you know. With most good teams, that’s the way it is. I don’t know what the Thrashers’ identity is,” said Tim Ecclestone, the former Flames winger who settled in Atlanta after the team left. Under Waddell’s watch, the Thrashers have been to the playoffs once in eight seasons — and got swept by the New York Rangers. While not always to blame, the franchise has lost some of its most dynamic, marketable players, such as Dany Heatley and Marian Hossa. All-Star winger Ilya Kovalchuk, with one more year left on his contract, could have one skate out the door. This, the Thrashers’ ninth season, has represented a significant backslide, and the fans are restless. The first customer wearing a paper bag over his head was spotted in the stands a week ago. One anonymous grump has begun an e-mail campaign to protest what he called the Spirit group’s “running this franchise into the ground” with more paper bags and banners during a game with Montreal next month. One of the most reliable clichés in sports states that winning cures all ills. That has never been truer than with this town and this team. “Put a couple of winning seasons together, have a nice playoff run, then you build a following,” Thrashers defenseman Garnet Exelby suggested. Nearly a decade after the NHL’s return to Atlanta, though, how much longer must fans wait for that promise to bloom? Or, more to the point of hockey’s future in Atlanta, how much longer will they wait?