MLS names inactive All-Stars

Soccer Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer announced the final seven All-Stars on Tuesday, although the additions are inactive for Wednesday's game against Manchester United at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Goalies Jimmy Nielsen (Kansas City Wizards) and Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC), midfielders Joel Lindpere (Red Bull New York), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew) and Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders FC), and forwards Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders FC) and Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids) were added.

MLS recognizes 32 All-Stars each season, with the final members recognized as All-Stars despite not being available for the match.

Wwwlakings Soccer Betting News

<< Marlins release Robertson
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins released pitcher Nate Robertson a week after designating him for assignment. Robertson allowed eight runs (seven earned) in five innings and took the loss in last Tuesday's game

<< Patriots place WR Welker on unable to perform list
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -The New England Patriots say they have placed wide receiver Wes Welker on the active/physically unable to perform list.Welker, who has made a strong recovery from knee surgery in February, could come off the list at any time,

<< Bucs ink rookie WR Benn to four-year deal
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to terms with rookie wide receiver Arrelious Benn on a four-year contract on Tuesday. Financial details were not disclosed. Benn was selected in the second round -- 39th ov

<< EverBank, Jaguars agree to naming rights pact for stadium
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - EverBank and the Jacksonville Jaguars announced a five-year agreement Tuesday for the naming rights to the team's stadium. EverBank Field will replace the moniker of Jacksonville Municipal Stad

<< Petzschner, Stakhovsky fall in Umag
Umag, Croatia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seeded players Philipp Petzschner and Sergiy Stakhovsky were a pair of first-round upset victims Tuesday at the clay-court Croatia Open. Belgian Olivier Rochus, a runner-up on the grass in Newport two week

Report: Bengals sign Terrell Owens >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A report on the Cincinnati Bengals' website cites a league source as saying the team has agreed to terms on a one- year contract with wide receiver Terrell Owens. The source indicated Owens is expected to

D.C. United waives forward Khumalo >>
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United waived forward Thabiso Khumalo on Tuesday. Khumalo, nicknamed "Boyzzz," was originally acquired by United in 2008 and made 27 appearances in all events. Khumalo scored one goal and provide

United ready for challenge against MLS All-Stars >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester United has not been very impressive in its two exhibitions against Major League Soccer opponents, but veteran Ryan Giggs believes the English club "will be up for the challenge" against the MLS All-Sta

Maradona finished as Argentina's coach >>
Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Diego Maradona's tenure as coach of Argentina ended Tuesday, when the Argentine Football Association announced his contract would not be renewed. Maradona, 49, became Argentina's manager in November

Rockies activate Tulowitzki from DL >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies activated shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has missed the last 33 games with a fractured left wrist he sustained on June 17 when

FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million

Football Betting

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.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.

Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.