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02/05/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks continue their eight-game road trip tonight, when they visit the Calgary Flames and Pengrowth Saddledome.
The Blackhawks are 3-1-0 so far on the trek. They won two of three in California to begin the swing and kicked off a three-game tour through Western Canada with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
Cristobal Huet made 20 saves for the Blackhawks, while Dave Bolland and Martin Havlat had a goal and an assist each. Cam Barker also scored for Chicago, which improved to 14-9-3 on the road this season and will play in Vancouver on Saturday. Following that test, the Blackhawks return east to visit Atlanta and St. Louis.
Success so far on the road has helped Chicago close the gap a bit in the Central Division. With the Red Wings having struggled as of late, the Blackhawks have closed to within nine points of first-place Detroit.
Chicago try to sweep its four-game season series with Calgary tonight for the first time since winning all four meetings in 1993-94. The Blackhawks have outscored the Flames 14-5 this year and have won five of the last seven meetings between the clubs. Chicago has also claimed victory in each of its last four trips to Calgary.
Havlat has posted five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in three games versus the Flames this year, while Patrick Kane has notched four points (2g, 2a) in two contests this year against Calgary.
The Flames have lost back-to-back contests, but bring a 19-5-3 home record into this evening's clash. Calgary, which begins a three-game homestand tonight, has won three straight and 10 of its last 11 as the host.
Michael Cammalleri has been red-hot for the Flames as of late. He notched the lone goal in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Dallas, giving him a team-best 26 goals on the season and 12 tallies over his last 10 contests.
Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff was solid versus the Stars, turning aside 29 shots. He is 8-6-3 with a tie and 2.63 goals against average lifetime versus Chicago, but has posted a 4.87 GAA in three losses versus the club this season.
Calgary is in first place in the Northwest Division, as it owns a nine-point lead over Minnesota.
<< First meets worst in Bruins-Sens divisional tilt
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators will again try to get their first win
under Cory Clouston when they welcome the first-place Boston Bruins to
Scotiabank Place for tonight's Northeast Division matchup.
Clouston was named the Senators' n
<< Scorching Caps play host to Kings
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals will shoot for a fourth consecutive
victory when they welcome the Los Angeles Kings for tonight's interconference
battle at the Verizon Center.
In addition to winning three straight, the Capitals ha
<< Jazz welcome Mavs to town
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz conclude a quick two-game homestand tonight
hoping to slow down a streaking Dallas Mavericks club at EnergySolutions
Arena.
The Mavs won their fourth straight game on Wednesday at home when Josh Howa
<< Sixers host Pacers at Wachovia Center
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers will try to recover from a last-
second loss to the defending champion Boston Celtics Thursday when they resume
a seven-game homestand versus the Indiana Pacers at the Wachovia Center.
The Sixers dro
Butler seeks quick turnaround in bout with Detroit >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 11th-ranked Butler Bulldogs will attempt to
bounce back from their first Horizon League loss as they take on the Detroit
Titans on the road this evening.
On Monday, Butler dropped a 75-66 decision to Wiscon
Badgers hope to end run of futility in clash with Illini >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 23rd-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini will
take on the slumping Wisconsin Badgers this evening in what figures to be a
highly-competitive Big Ten Conference battle.
Illinois has won three of its last four ga
Utah State hopes to extend nation's longest win streak >>
Logan, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a matchup that is sure to confuse the casual
fan, the New Mexico State Aggies make the trip to Logan tonight to do battle
with the 25th-ranked Utah State Aggies in a Western Athletic Conference bout
at the D.G. S
High-flying Pilots host 18th-ranked Bulldogs >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 18th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs are the class
of the West Coast Conference, and they will attempt to hold on to first place
as they take on the surprising University of Portland Pilots tonight at the
Chiles Cent
Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com
In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.
And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.
Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.
So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.
Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)
The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.
As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.
The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.
In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.
Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.
And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.
So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.
There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.
So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.
And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.
There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)
Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.
Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.
Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.
So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
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