LeBron must decide if it's time to leave home

Basketball Betting Lines

06/29/2010 -

CLEVELAND (AP) -As he dressed in his spacious corner locker, LeBron James glanced over at the news scrolling across the flat-screen TV on the far wall. The ticker read: ``NBA: Kobe Bryant signs three-year contract extension with Los Angeles Lakers.''

Buttoning his shirt following the game in April, roughly one month before his quest for a championship would end awkwardly and two months before becoming The Free Agent Of All Free Agents, James wasn't a bit surprised.

``Did anyone really think he was leaving?'' he asked incredulously. ``Kobe's been there since he was like 17. That's his home. He wasn't going anywhere.''

Hmm. Sound like someone you know, 'Bron?

The league's MVP grinned and bit his top lip. Not saying.

Soon enough, we'll have his answer.

At the heart of James' impending free agency, a moment of controlled chaos hyped beyond anything in recent sports memory, is one underlying question: Can he move away from the only place he has ever known?

James hits the market at 12:01 a.m. Thursday as the valedictorian of this historic 2010 free-agent class. He might have already decided where he'll dribble, drive and dunk next. Even if he has, he's still going to listen to offers and can't sign with anyone until July 8.

Depending on whom you believe, the soon-to-be No. 6 is either headed to New York to resurrect the sorry Knicks; or to New Jersey to plot global domination with rap mogul pal Jay-Z and Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov; or to Chicago to follow Michael Jordan's magnificence; or to Miami to join Olympic teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in a terrifying trifecta; or to Dallas where he could play with buddy Jason Kidd and watch his beloved Cowboys all the time.

Or, he'll stay in Ohio, kick back in the 40,000-square-foot palace he built not far from the Akron streets where he was raised and continue to play for the Cavaliers.

Right now, nobody knows.

In a guessing game changing by the minute, one thing is certain: James' decision will be made by one person - LeBron Raymone James.

He has listened to his advisers, consulted with friends, former coaches, Nike bigwigs, gazillionaire Warren Buffett and others of influence. But James and only James will make the final choice before signing on the dotted line.

What's he going to do?

``What's best for him and his family,'' teammate Shaquille O' Neal said before the Cavs' postseason collapsed in a second-round loss to Boston. ``He's 25, but he's something I've really never seen before.''

There's never been anyone like him - or anything like this.

Never before has one player carried such clout into free agency. Despite never winning a championship - or even one game in the finals - James has the league bowing at his expensive sneakers. The anticipation of his league-tilting decision has caused an information feeding frenzy only rivaled by Tiger Woods' sex scandal.

Teams have revamped their rosters for him, with Chicago and Miami doing the most maneuvering.

Cities have spent big bucks campaigning for him, calculating the economic impact of his arrival, or in Cleveland's case, a possible departure.

Corporate jets will descend upon Northeast Ohio in the coming days, loaded with teams hoping to lure James away. The Nets' delegation led by Prokhorov, Jay-Z, new coach Avery Johnson and outgoing president Rod Thorn will make their sales pitch first, followed by the Knicks and at least four other teams.

Everyone wants him.

All that matters, though, is what James wants.

He has spent seven seasons in Cleveland, a marriage manufactured by the lucky bounce of a draft lottery ball that sent the local kid up Interstate 77 to play as a pro and transformed a forgotten franchise into one of the league's powerhouses.

Although the Cavs have enjoyed unparalleled success with James, events over the past month or so have threatened to drive them apart forever. Cleveland's postseason flop - losing three straight, including Game 5 at home by 32 points to the Celtics - was followed by coach Mike Brown's firing, the resignation of GM Danny Ferry and owner Dan Gilbert's failed pursuit of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.

As of Tuesday, Cleveland still hadn't hired a coach but was zeroing in on Lakers assistant Brian Shaw.

If the Cavs were hoping to make an impression, this isn't the one James wanted to see.

James, who will pass on his $17.1 million option for next season to officially become a free agent, wants stability and structure, not an organization seemingly making changes on the fly.

Although other teams can't formally meet with James until Thursday, the Cavs have been in touch with him, agent Leon Rose and business manager Maverick Carter since Cleveland's season ended. Gilbert and new GM Chris Grant recently visited James at his Bath, Ohio, home, and the Cavs are expected to make a final run at the superstar after the other suitors make their presentations.

``Our goal is to re-sign LeBron,'' Grant said stating the obvious.

Cleveland, a city tortured by a pro sports title drought approaching a 47th birthday, is counting on loyalty to put a full-court press on James' heart and persuade him to stay. The Cavs can offer him more money (as much as $30 million on a six-year contract), and they have one asset no other team can offer - this is home.

Since his season ended, James, whose puzzling performance in the Game 5 loss to Boston will tarnish his legacy should he sign elsewhere, has given no hints at his plans. He has made two public appearances, most recently at a LeBron Appreciation Day in Akron, where he showed up as the event was winding down. He professed love for his hometown, saying ``everything I do is for this city.''

If that's true, he'll follow Bryant's lead and stay home.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Wwwwhatsthedownload Basketball Betting News

<< Sens buy out final year of RW Cheechoo's contract
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) -The Ottawa Senators are buying out the final year of forward Jonathan Cheechoo's contract.One day after waiving the 2006 winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy, when Cheechoo scored an NHL-best 56 goals, the Senators said Tuesday

<< Strasburg should be Stars-burg
Ryan Franklin spent more than 15 seasons trying to become an All-Star, wending through Bellingham and Appleton and Port City, working as a starter, middleman and setup guy, waiting for that special night to hear the PA announcer call his name, jog t

<< Athletics' Braden scratched from start
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden was scratched hours before his scheduled start against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday due to elbow stiffness. In 15 starts this season, Braden is 4-7 with a 3

<< A Little Warm comes up hot in Delaware
Stanton, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Three months after finishing second in the Louisiana Derby, A Little Warm got back into action Tuesday afternoon at Delaware Park. The three-year-old colt returned to racing in a 1 1/16-mile allowan

<< Braves activate OF Diaz from DL
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves activated outfielder Matt Diaz from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday. Diaz, who was placed on the DL on May 15 and underwent surgery on his infected right thumb shortly after, takes t

La Russa: Ejection was not strategic move >>
ST. LOUIS (AP) -St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa says getting ejected near the end of a comeback victory was definitely not a strategic move.Arizona pitcher Dan Haren, who came up in the Cardinals organization, accused his former manager of

Rays' Upton not in lineup against Red Sox >>
BOSTON (AP) -Center fielder B.J. Upton was not in the starting lineup against Boston on Tuesday night, and Rays manager Joe Maddon said it was not because of Upton's confrontation with teammate Evan Longoria in the dugout Sunday.Upton and Longoria h

Yankees pitching coach Eiland returns >>
NEW YORK (AP) -Pitching coach Dave Eiland has rejoined the Yankees after taking nearly a month off to attend to what he described as a personal private matter.Eiland says he was able to keep up with the Yankees while he was away. Starter A.J. Burnet

Habs send Kostitsyn to Nashville for two players, pick >>
Montreal, Quebec (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens traded forward Sergei Kostitsyn to Nashville for forward Dustin Boyd and goaltender Dan Ellis, the club announced on Tuesday. Both teams will also be swapping future considerations.

Barnes and Holmes win CVS Charity Classic >>
Barrington, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ricky Barnes and J.B. Holmes teamed for an impressive 13-under 58 on Tuesday to win the CVS Charity Classic at Rhode Island Country Club. Barnes and Holmes finished at 21-under 121 and edged out

Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard