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11/06/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Early returns are not necessarily a harbinger of the future.
If they were, John Kerry would have been running for reelection on Tuesday and John McCain would have cried uncle two months ago.
So, we all went through the motions, while McCain hoped every single poll in the civilized world got it wrong.
"It ain't over til it's over," isn't just a rallying cry.
Just ask the Atlanta Hawks, who stormed back from a 23-point deficit to stun the Philadelphia 76ers in Atlanta last week.
And that brings me full circle to Andre Iguodala, the Sixers' "star" swingman who inked a six-year $80 million dollar extension in the offseason.
A.I. version 2.0 had his coming out party last season, his first free of the "selfish" Allen Iverson. And give Iggy credit, he looked a lot more comfortable being "the guy" who never shied away from a big shot in a big situation.
The Sixers surprised everyone by finishing 40-42, making the playoffs and taking the mighty Detroit Pistons to six games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Of course at the end of the day, 40-42 is what it is...mediocrity.
Sixers basketball chief Ed Stefanski knew Iguodala was best-suited as a complimentary piece, a player that should pattern his game after Scottie Pippen -- stuff the stat sheet and help your team win a different way every night.
Stefanski got his primary option during the offseason in Elton Brand and the former Duke product has been as advertised, averaging a double-double, 16.4 ppg and 11.8 rpg, through five contests.
The problem in Philadelphia has been Iguodala, who can't seem to accept his reduced role, at least if the early returns can be trusted.
When Iverson was in Philly, everyone was quick to write off Iguodala's faults. After all, the enigmatic Iverson needed the ball and ignored his teammates. So, when Iguodala went in his funks, the Sixers conveniently blamed it on a player they wanted to go.
What's the excuse now?
Brand is the most unselfish star in the NBA this side of Kevin Garnett. Iguodala gets plenty of touches but seems to sulk on the floor.
Through five games, the former Arizona star is shooting a woeful 38.8 percent from the floor and averaging just 10.0 points a game -- fifth on the team He's also turning the ball over at an alarming rate for a team that leads the NBA in flubs.
Things hit rock bottom in South Beach on Wednesday when the Sixers were routed by a poor Miami team, 106-83, to fall to 2-3 on the season.
Heat superstar Dwyane Wade piled up 29 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals and three blocks with Iguodala as his primary defender. The offensive end of the floor was even worse for Iggy, as he was limited to two points on 1-of-7 shooting.
It's conceivable that Iguodala's start is an anomaly and he flips the switch, finally accepting his role and flourishing.
Of course, the last time I looked Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday.
Moral of the story?
Sometimes the early returns are spot-on.
<< Golf Tidbits: Superstars heading to Europe?
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The European Tour kicked off its 2009
season this week, and thus began the inaugural Race to Dubai.
The PGA Tour has the FedEx Cup, and now the European Tour has responded with
the Race to Dubai. The Race
<< Bolton's Vaz Te to miss rest of season
Bolton, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bolton Wanderers striker Ricardo Vaz Te has
been ruled out of the rest of the season following knee surgery.
The Portugal Under-21 international has made just two substitute appearances
this season, bu
<< United's Ferguson charged with improper conduct
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.
The charge relates to the veteran manager's behavior at the end of last
weekend's 4-3
<< U.S. women settle for tie against South Korea
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States goalkeepers Nicole Barnhart and
Briana Scurry combined to shutout Korea Republic on Wednesday, helping the U.S.
post a 0-0 tie at Paul Brown Stadium.
The draw was just the third time this year
Oilers D Grebeshkov placed on IR >>
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Oilers on Thursday placed
defenseman Denis Grebeshkov on injured reserve, retroactive to November 1.
The fourth-year pro has missed the Oilers' last two games, in Philadelphia and
Columbus
Bordeaux's Chamakh eyes future in England >>
Bordeaux, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bordeaux's Moroccan striker Marouane
Chamakh has admitted that he would like to try his luck in England in the
future.
The 24-year-old is out of contract with the French club at the end o
Juventus coach credits Del Piero with CL win >>
Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero took the
plaudits after guiding his team to a superb 2-0 Champions League victory over
Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.
Del Piero netted two superb strikes to down the Span
Richardson, Hunt, Congi and Jackson named CFL Players of the Month >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - BC teammates Aaron Hunt and Paris Jackson,
Montreal's Jamel Richardson and Saskatchewan's Luca Congi were named CFL
Players of the Month for October.
Richardson caught 38 balls for 423 yards and e
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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