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02/09/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Louis van Gaal was still settling into his new job as Bayern's Munich coach in July when he made it clear Lucio, the captain of Brazil's national team and a five-year starter in Munich, did not fit into his plans.
Van Gaal won the Champions League with Ajax, had two successful coaching stops at Barcelona, and led the Netherlands national team, but his quick decision on Lucio stunned most in Munich.
Within weeks, Lucio was sold to Italy's Inter Milan, and a huge hole opened in central defense in Munich. And along with it, a huge bull's eye was planted on Van Gaal's odd decision.
Van Gaal insisted the vacated role was up for grabs, but Belgian international Daniel van Buyten was the obvious pick. Van Buyten appeared in just 18 matches - including four off the bench - the previous season, while Lucio led the team with 43 starts in all competitions.
Van Buyten had proved his worth at Bayern after he signed in 2006, only to see his playing time dwindle. Van Buyten knew after Lucio's departure that his chances of starting got "a little bit bigger."
Now, just 21 games into Van Gaal's tenure, nobody is questioning his decision.
Van Buyten, who just turned 32 on Sunday, has started all 21 of Bayern's games in the Bundesliga. He's started five of six games in the Champions League - he was suspended for the one he missed - and has seven total goals, or as many as Lucio notched in his five seasons at Bayern.
"I've definitely improved under this coach," Van Buyten said on the club's web site. "He's getting things out of me which I didn't necessarily think I had."
Van Gaal obviously believed he had a suitable replacement in Van Buyten, or he would not have been so quick to part with Lucio.
Although Lucio's transfer was unexpected, a look inside the numbers proved that Van Gaal wasn't crazy. Sure, Bayern looked horrible when Lucio sat out a 4-0 loss against Barcelona last season. Bayern also played poorly against Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, losing by a combined score of 10-3, when Lucio was in the starting lineup.
Van Gaal obviously felt like a change was necessary.
Van Buyten has been as strong as Lucio in central defense, helping Bayern give up the third-fewest goals (18) in the Bundesliga. Offensively, he's added such a huge weapon and is tied for third on the team in league goals.
"He's really blossomed," Bayern's Mario Gomez said. "He clears everything at the back, and he's scoring vital goals at the other end. I think he's taken a big step forward, even at his age."
Van Buyten has scored in Bayern's last two games, has three goals in his last five, and has been a major factor during Bayern's current eight-match winning streak and its rise to the top of the Bundesliga after a slow start.
He has one less goal than Arjen Robben, who was acquired from Real Madrid for $33 million early this season, and is just three off the pace of Gomez for the team lead.
Last Thursday, Bayern rewarded Van Buyten with a two-year contract extension. Van Buyten, a towering presence at 6-foot-5, deserved it. He has rewarded Van Gaal, and Bayern, all season.
<< Brewers sign LHP Schoeneweis to minor league deal
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday signed
veteran left-handed pitcher Scott Schoeneweis to a minor league contract with
an invitation to spring training.
The 36-year-old finished 2009 with a 1-2 record
<< Dundee signs defender Mihadjuks
Dundee, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dundee United has completed the signing of
former Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender Pavels Mihadjuks on an initial
short-term contract.
The 29-year-old Latvian center back is a free agent after leav
<< Webb throws off mound for first time since surgery
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arizona Diamondbacks ace starter Brandon
Webb threw off the mound Tuesday for the first time in his rehabilitation from
right shoulder surgery.
Webb had the shoulder surgery in August and, prior to Tuesd
<< Argonauts again name Barker head coach
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Argonauts have again named Jim
Barker the team's head coach.
Barker was the club's head coach in 1999, when the Argonauts went 9-9 and
earned a playoff berth. He joins the Argonauts aft
Bolts take a chance with Parrish >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning made a depth move on
Tuesday, bringing in veteran forward Mark Parrish on a one-year, two-way
contract.
The Minnesota native has spent the entire season with Tampa's AHL cl
Schiavone, Peer roll in Paris openers >>
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone
and sixth-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer were among Tuesday's second-round victors
at the $700,000 Open GDF Suez tennis tournament.
Schiavone double-bageled helples
Twins bring Jacque Jones back on minor league deal >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins have signed Jacque
Jones to a minor league contract, bringing the outfielder back to the
organization with which he began his career.
The deal includes an invitation to spr
U.S. women schedule friendlies against Mexico >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The United States women's national team will
play their first two domestic matches of 2010 against Mexico on March 28 and
March 31, the team announced Tuesday.
The U.S. players will be called up from WPS
The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
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