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05/01/2009 - Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes insists his goal is not another Bundesliga title, but instead finishing at least second to secure a berth in the group stage of next season's Champions League.
Heynckes, who previously coached at Bayern from 1987-91 and led Real Madrid to the Champions League title in 1998, replaced fired coach Jurgen Klinsmann this week.
The 63-year-old former West German international was clear that his goal was "a direct qualifying place for the Champions League."
For Bayern to accomplish that, it must finish in the top two in the Bundesliga. With just five weeks remaining, the Munich side sits third - which is also good enough to make the Champions League but would force the team play a qualifying series.
Entering this weekend's match against Monchengladbach, Bayern is even on points with fourth-place Stuttgart and fifth-place Hamburg, meaning there isn't a lot of room for error. Hertha Berlin is one point away in second, while first-place Wolfsburg is three away.
Bayern midfielder Mark van Bommel, who will retain the captain's armband under Heynckes, completely backed the new coach.
"This club has to qualify for the Champions League. We'll aim for that at the minimum," Van Bommel said. "I'm confident we'll do it."
Bayern fired Klinsmann on Monday, just two days after a 1-0 loss to Schalke in Munich. The loss capped a 21-day period where Bayern lost 5-1 to Wolfsburg, and 4-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Heynckes plans to turn Bayern into a more attacking side, something Klinsmann was known for as German coach but couldn't accomplish in his first stint as a club coach.
With the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Hamit Altinop, Tim Borowski and Jose Sosa, Heynckes will scrap the two defensive midfielder system and likely deploy one of the previously mentioned players in an attacking role in a 4-4-2 system.
Considering Heynckes wants two forwards on the pitch also means Lukas Podolski should end his Bayern career - he's joining Koln this summer - starting next to Luca Toni.
Altintop also agreed with Heynckes and Van Bommel about repeating as Bundesliga champions, saying "it's about the team, and it's about the club.
"I want this team to play in the Champions League again next season," Altintop added. "I honestly don't care whether we finish first or second right now.
"I think all the players have realised time's almost up."
Time is also running out on Monchengladbach, which is next-to-last entering the final five weeks of the season. Monchengladbach has been able to steal points from the top clubs this season - it tied Bayern 2-2 earlier this season - and could take a major step toward survival with at least a point in Munich.
On Friday, Hannover topped Bochum 2-0 to move 10 points clear of the drop zone and all but guarantee its survival in the Bundesliga. Bochum is just three out of danger.
Also Saturday, Wolfsburg - which had its 10-game win streak snapped last week - will try to bounce back against struggling winter champions Hoffenheim, Arminia Bielefeld hopes to move out of the drop zone when it hosts surging Stuttgart, sixth-place Schalke wants to keep its slim European hopes alive when it hosts Bayer Leverkusen, Energie will try to build on its win over Wolfsburg and move further away from the relegation zone when it visits last-place Karlsruhe, and Eintracht hosts Borussia Dortmund.
On Sunday, Hamburg will try to build on its win over Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup when it hosts Hertha Berlin. Hamburg won at Bremen, 1-0, on Thursday in the first leg of the Cup semifinals, and the fifth-place club could make a move up the Bundesliga table with a win over second-place Hertha.
Hamburg is level on points with Bayern and Stuttgart. Werder also plays Sunday, visiting Koln as it tries to secure a top-10 finish in the league. Bremen ended last season second, but sits 10th entering the weekend.
<< Zola denies contract clause
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has
dismissed rumors suggesting that he has a get-out clause in his new Hammers
contract.
The Italian has impressed since taking the reins at Upton Park earlier
<< Allardyce confirms Tugay departure
Blackburn, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has
confirmed that veteran Turkey midfielder Tugay will leave Ewood Park at the
end of the season.
The 38-year-old joined Rovers in the summer of 2001 from Sc
<< Safina, Dementieva reach semis; Jankovic ousted in Germany
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Dinara Safina and Olympic
gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia landed in Saturday's semifinals,
while defending Stuttgart champion Jelena Jankovic came up a quarterfinal
loser a
<< O'Neill admits Barry could leave
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has
admitted that midfielder Gareth Barry could finally leave the club at the end
of the current campaign.
The 28-year-old England international came close to jo
Red Wings D Rafalski out for Game 1 >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian
Rafalski will miss Friday's series opener against the Anaheim Ducks with an
upper-body injury.
Rafalski did not practice with the club on Thursday, but Wings h
Mikel commits future to Chelsea >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel will
ignore interest from elsewhere in Europe to remain at Stamford Bridge for the
foreseeable future.
The 22-year-old Nigeria international has been linked with Se
Toronto hopes to build on big week against Crew >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC earned two big wins, switched coaches
and moved into first in MLS's Eastern Conference to cap a busy week at the end
of April.
TFC defeated previously unbeaten Chivas USA on April 22 in John Carver
Marcelo backs Ramos return >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid defender Marcelo believes interim
manager Juande Ramos should be retained for next season.
The former Sevilla and Tottenham coach replaced Bernd Schuster in the Bernabeu
hot-seat in December.
R
2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds
The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.
Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”
“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”
MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:
Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:
Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1
Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17
Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1
Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1
Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1
Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1
Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5
Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1
Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1
Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1
Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50
Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1
Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1
Best Animated Feature Film:
"Cars": 1/3
"Happy Feet": 2/1
"Monster House": 20/1
Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:
"Water" – Canada: 22/1
"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2
"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1
"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10
Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:
"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5
"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2
"Helmer & Son": 5/2
"The Saviour": 6/1
"West Bank Story": 7/2
Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:
"Babel": 7/4
"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1
"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20
"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4
"The Queen": 5/4
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11/4
"The Departed": 1/2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10
"The Queen": 20/1
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10
Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1
Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1
Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5
Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1
Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1
Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1
Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8
Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1
Film To Win Most Oscars:
Dreamgirls: 2/3
Pans Labyrinth: 6/5
The Departed: 6/1
The Queen: 11/1
Babel: 15/1
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1
Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1
Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
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