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Brandon Roy To Remain A Blazer For The Foreseeable Future
March 25, 2010
After extensive negotiations, the Portland Trailblazers have signed All Star shooting guard Brandon Roy to a five year contract extension. Roy will be in the final year of his rookie contract in the 2009-2010 NBA season, and securing the services of a player that did no less than turn around the franchise was the teams top summer priority.
Brandon Roy may have saved the Portland NBA franchise thanks to his on-court talent and off the court class. The Blazers slumped from their glory years of the 1970′s and 1980′s as the 1990′s progressed, eventually pulling together a roster consisting of character challenged reprobates that earned the moniker JailBlazers for their frequent legal transgressions.
In the late 1990′s, Portland owner Paul Allen finally had enough and cleaned house. The new management was given the charge to put together a roster that would not only win games, but win back the Rose City fans. The acquisition of Roy will likely be looked at as the turning point for this effort. The Blazers acquired Roy on draft day 2006 for Randy Foye, and would go on to win the NBAs rookie of the year award.
Since that point, Roy has become the face of the franchise. The Blazers”who were 21-61 the year before Roy arrived”posted a 54-28 record last season. Roy has become the centerpiece of a talented young team had has not only become a force in the NBAs Western Conference but has gone a long way to winning back the Portland fan base. The current crop of Blazers is more likely to be found in the aisles at Home Depot or at Starbucks than in the police blotter, and the team seldom puts forth a substandard effort on the court.
Roy will earn $4 million dollars in the last year of his rookie season, after which his five year $82 million dollar contract will kick in. The first four years are guaranteed, while the fifth is at the players option. Roys agent Bob Myers strongly suggested that Roy wanted to remain with the Blazers for his entire career, noting that he “is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team.”
The team will now turn its attention to signing a long term deal with forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is also in the final year of his rookie contract and a key component to the teams recent success. At last report, talks between the two sides are progressing.
Ross Everett is a freelance writer and highly respected authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Blazers Add Camby For Stretch Run
March 21, 2010
The Portland Trailblazers have needed a big inside presence ever since starting center Greg Oden and backup Joel Pryzbilla went down with season ending injuries. They finally found one on Tuesday as they acquired veteran Marcus Camby from the Los Angeles Clippers. Camby is expected to make his debut in a Blazers’ uniform on Friday when Portland hosts the Boston Celtics.
The transaction also served to answer the nagging question about Portland’s point guard situation. Steve Blake and Andre Miller have shared time running the offense, but Blazers’ management apparently felt that Miller was a better fit with superstar shooting guard Brandon Roy.
All three players involved are in the final year of their current contract, meaning that barring anything unforeseen Camby’s career in Portland will probably last only 23 games plus the playoffs. Outlaw and Blake may or may not fit into the Clippers longterm plans.
Camby was introduced to the Rose Garden crowd during Portland’s rout of his old team, the LA Clippers receiving a standing ovation. Earlier, he’d indicated that he was excited to be going to the Blazers:
“I think it’s a great situation for myself. It’s a first-class organization that really takes care of their own. I hope I can bring my knowledge of the game, and blend in these last 27 games. I’m really excited to be here.”
He talked about the strange situation of actually being in Portland when the trade went down:
“I only brought one change of clothes. It’s been a real rough, rough 24 hours for me, but real exciting at the same time.”
Camby also said that he’s interesting in staying in ‘Rip City’ longterm:
“Hopefully things work out for myself and work out for the team. Hopefully they have plans for me in the long term.”
Portland GM Kevin Pritchard added:
“We are very excited to bring an experienced big man of Marcus’ caliber to the team and we feel he’ll help us a great deal down the stretch run. He’s a fierce competitor and has been one of the league’s best defensive players for quite some time.”
The 35 year old Camby has long been considered one of the NBA’s best defensive big men. Despite playing on a LA Clippers team well off the playoff pace in the Western Conference, he’s second in the league in rebounds with 12.1 per game.
Ross Everett is a well known freelance writer specializing in travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Superstar Shortage At NBA All Star Game
March 21, 2010
The NBA All Star game was played without a couple of high profile participants this year as the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson would not play due to injury. Kobe and ‘AI’ were the latest in a string of injuries to All Star players that also claimed Portland’s Brandon Roy and New Orleans’ Chris Paul. The NBA has been much more strict about missing the All Star game after many players would come up with illusory ‘injuries’ right before the game that miraculously healed before play resumed after the break.
Kobe Bryant has been plagued with minor injuries all year, but missed the Lakers’ last three games prior to the All Star contest due to an ankle sprain. Los Angeles is hopeful that by not playing in the game that Kobe will be able to return to action immediately after play resumes following the All Star break. Bryant did travel to Dallas to participate in All Star game festivities.
Iverson has missed Philadelphia’s past five games due to an illness suffered by one of his young children. Unlike Kobe, Iverson wasn’t expected to be in Dallas this weekend due to the nature of his situation. It’s debatable that Iverson deserved an All Star game nod in the first place. He quickly wore out his welcome in Memphis to start the year, and eventually landed back in Philadelphia where he’s averaged 14.4 points per game since his return. He was voted in to the starting lineup by NBA fans, and this renewed calls from the media to revise the procedure for selecting All Star game participants. Unfortunately, many of the All Star voters are dimwits and pick players based on their ‘name recognition’ rather than their in-season performance.
Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks was chosen to replace Bryant in the Western Conference lineup, while New York’s David Lee was the East’s fill in for Iverson. The West already had two ‘fill ins’ named to their roster as Denver’s Chauncy Billups and the LA Clippers’ Chris Kaman took the place of Chris Paul and Brandon Roy respectively.
NBA betting enthusiasts had several options on the menu beginning with the annual ‘rookies vs. sophomores’ game on Saturday. The Sophomores were a -12 point favorite with the total set at 245′ but were crushed by the rookie team.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Arena Football Back On American TV Screens
March 20, 2010
Though it enjoyed solid fan support and was popular among sports betting enthusiasts, arena football fell off the map with the demise of the Arena Football League. The AFL suspended play under the weight of a poor business model in 2009 and later pulled the plug altogether. Since then, a new league has announced plans to take its place. Arena Football One (AF1 for short) will begin play in April and on Thursday secured a TV contract to broadcast games on the NFL Network in the United States. The TV deal should help the new arena football entrant to get off to a successful start as they attempt to revive the sport. Obviously, the long term goal is a higher profile outlet but this deal is a start.
Superficially, there are many similarities between the defunct Arena Football League and the upstart AF1 circuit. Several former AFL franchises have joined the new league, with several others having previously played in the AFL’s developmental ‘minor league’ known as Arena Football 2. The new league’s organizers are hoping that the similarities remain superficial, and have taken great pains to avoid many of the high salaries and dimwitted business decisions that doomed their predecessors. They’ve also learned from a crucial error of the AFL and will coordinate promotion and publicity of all teams as well as the league as a whole at the corporate level.
The original Arena Football League also made the mistake that many growing companies make in trying to grow too big too fast. Though the league prospered for years by keeping a tight rein on player salaries and team budgets, in the past few years there had been a drastic upward spiral in the cost of player contracts. A division between old line owners dedicated to fiscal responsibility and deep pocketed newcomers (including 80′s rock idol Jon Bon Jovi) anxious to spend as much as they wanted further exacerbated a business model that became more and more unsustainable. They lost touch with their average fan, a fact evidenced by downright bizarre choices in halftime entertaining including poetry readings, figure skating exhibitions and wombat racing.
The AF1 deal with the NFL Network is for one year, with a network option for a second year. The NFL Network will air a ‘game of the week’ every Friday night beginning in April. In addition to providing a good broadcast outlet for the fledgling league it also provides some much needed off season programming to the NFL’s 24/7 cable network.
Though Arena Football 1 is the largest and best known arena football league, there are actually two other leagues that will begin playing in the coming months. While most are focusing on smaller markets than AF1, the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) and the Indoor Football League ( IFL) are also in the mix. Eventually, the AF1 will prevail as the top level arena football league with the other two circuits serving as minor league developmental partners.
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and respected authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
Richard Seymour Fails To Report After Trade To Oakland
March 8, 2010
Trades and similar player movements are a fact of life for NFL players. While players may not always be happy with a trade to a new team, more often than not they willingly accept their new assignment and try to make the best of it. That’s apparently not the case with the Oakland Raiders newly acquired defensive end Richard Seymour. Seymour was acquired by the Raiders on Sunday and as of yet has not reported to his new team.
The trade surprised NFL observers, with the Patriots sending Seymour to Oakland for a 2011 first round draft pick. There is some speculation that hes doing a de facto hold out in hopes of getting the Raiders to re-work his contract but this hasn’t been confirmed by anyone involved.
For the time being, Raiders coach Tom Cable is being vague about the situation. He informed the media that hed spoken to Seymour earlier in the week then added:
I really have nothing to report on that. Nothing has changed at this point.”
He also declined to comment on questions about a potential new contract, which makes it more likely that is the sticking point with Seymour joining the team:
“I don’t want to comment about anything of that until we have something that’s done and concrete.
Seymours former coach in New England, Bill Belichick also gave his version of a no comment:
“Because we don’t have rights to Richard, there really isn’t anything I can say about him or his situation. So I’ll have to pass on those questions at this time. There’s a lot of things that Richard did well but that’s the way it is and we’re moving forward and our team’s moving forward.”
Pats defensive coordinator Dean Pees also gave a ‘no comment’:
“This is not going to be an interview about Richard. It’s really about Buffalo and whoever we have here to face the Bills.
As did NFL spokesman Greg Aiello:
“Any comment at this time would have to come from the teams.
Most NFL observers think that the Patriots made the move in order to free up money to negotiate with defensive lineman Vince Wilfork. That has raised concern that New Englands defense has quickly become very young and more problematically without a strong leader on that side of the ball. Belichick isnt concerned:
“We have a lot of good leaders on our team and especially on the defensive side of the ball. No doubt about it, it’s different, but I think it’s good.”
The Patriots open their 2009 NFL regular season on Monday night at home against the Buffalo Bills. The Raiders will also kick off their campaign on Monday night as they host their hated rivals the San Diego Chargers.
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer specializing in travel, poker and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, flower arranging and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Detroit Names Matthew Stafford As Starting QB
March 8, 2010
Matthew Stafford has yet to play a regular season NFL game and hes already the Detroit Lions starting quarterback. First year coach Jim Schwartz named Stafford as his starter for as the NFL regular season gets underway. Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the spot, though Schwartz went out of his way to stress that the rookie won the job as opposed to Culpepper losing it.
Schwartz made clear that hes very confident with his personnel at the position including third stringer Drew Stanton:
“I’ve had a lot of very tough decisions in the last few days — guys making the 53-man roster or not making it — but none more difficult than at quarterback. We announced to our team this morning that Matt Stafford is going to be our starting quarterback.”
“I’m very, very comfortable with the quarterback position here, not just one and two, but also three. What made this decision difficult was that I think we can win with Daunte Culpepper, I think we can with Matt Stafford, and I think we can win with Drew Stanton.
Stafford indicated that while hes always been confident that hed be named the teams starter he didnt know for sure until Schwartz gave him the word:
“I definitely thought I was going to be the guy, but as competitive as Daunte is, I’m sure he thought he was going to be the guy, too. Coach Schwartz called me in this morning and told me, and I went out and practiced with the first team. That was exciting.”
Despite the Lions dismal 0-16 record a year ago, Stafford stressed that hes not just happy to be in the NFL”he wants to win:
“I’m going to try to win football games. I think, just like everyone else on this team, that we can go out on Sunday and be competitive against the Saints and give ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s our job.”
Schwartz said that he plans to give his quarterback the opportunity plenty of margin for error as he learns the ropes:
“This isn’t an internship. This isn’t a trial basis. He’s our starting quarterback. We said that, to win the job, he had to be ready, and he had to be our best quarterback, and that’s what he has shown.”
He also praised Culpepper:
“Daunte Culpepper is back — there’s no doubt in my mind and there’s no doubt around this league. He’s going to be back as a starting quarterback in this league, and with a high level of success.”
Culpepper didnt speak to the media, but that wasnt a surprise since he never speaks to the media. Stafford had some props for his backup:
“I’m sure it is tough for him, but Daunte’s been great for me and he will continue to be. I can’t think of a better guy to learn from and to have in my corner.”
The Lions will start the NFL regular season at New Orleans on Sunday. Theyll play the following two games at home, hosting the Minnesota Vikings in week #2 and the Washington Redskins on Sunday, September 27.
Ross Everett is a well known freelance writer specializing in travel, poker and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Chiefs’ Cassel May Not Be Ready For NFL Opening Game
March 8, 2010
The good news for the Kansas City Chiefs as they prepare for the start of the NFL regular season is that their starting quarterback is back at practice. The bad news is that they still don’t know when hell be able to play. Matt Cassel returned to the Chiefs practice field on Monday for the first time since he injured his left knee in a NFL preseason game on August 29th. Still, there’s been no confirmation from either he or the team as to when hell return to action. It would be an ironic twist if Cassel lost significant time due to injury, as it was a knee injury to Tom Brady while in New England that first brought him mainstream attention
Cassel, who saw his stock shoot up precipitously as an NFL QB following his solid play in New England after starter Tom Brady went down to a season ending injury, signed a six year, $28 million contract with the Chiefs in the off season. Although Cassel was in full uniform at Mondays practice, head coach Todd Haley was noncommittal about whether he or Brodie Croyle would start Sundays NFL regular season opener on the road against the Baltimore Ravens:
“I think that as the week goes on, we’ll know a little bit more. We’ll know a little bit more with Matt for sure. But it was good that he was out there. He was able to get through some things. As the week goes on a little further, we’ll know a little more as far as where he’s at.”
“It’s good this is a long week. That will help with anybody who’s nicked up. I would say generally you would need to have a full practice to have a chance to play. Generally, you need to have a full Friday practice to have a chance.”
With or without Cassel, the Chiefs offense sputtered in the preseason scoring only two touchdowns. The lack of productivity cost offensive coordinator Chan Gailey his job and Kansas City stumbled to a 0-4 record in their NFL exhibition contests. Haley has taken over the offensive play calling for the time being, though it made no difference in the Chiefs final preseason game. Neither Croyle nor third stringer Tyler Thigpen was particularly sharp in preseason play, though Croyle got the most work and should get the nod on Sunday if Cassell is unable to play. Better to bring Cassel back slowly even if it means losing a game or two rather than rush him back and potentially have him re-injure his knee.
No matter who ends up under center for Kansas City as they start their NFL regular season, theyll face a tough assignment against the defensive tenacity of the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs will welcome the Oakland Raiders to Kansas City in week 2 of the NFL season, and play the next game on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer specializing in travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Car Rental : The Ultimate Convenience!
March 7, 2010
Automotive rentals have grown to be more common in the last few years. Now people regularly rent an automobile for family trips, business and simply for fun. You can get excellent deals for auto rentals and much less favorable deals so what do you do to obtain the best deal for the auto you would like and also steer clear of unnecessary cost?
Automobile rental companies offer specials and busy periods are when the small fuel efficient cars or automobiles having special characteristics may be harder to obtain, so know which kind of rental car you need before you go shopping and book ahead when possible, particularly when it’s a holiday or simply busy time period for travel.
Check your own insurance policy prior to adding additional insurance to a car rental. You must have insurance coverage and rental companies provide it but if your own auto insurance carrier already insures you while in a rental auto then extra insurance is not necessary.
Seek out car rental discounts. Some companies will offer a weekly price that is a significant cost savings over a day rate and frequently will offer you specials. While looking for a good car deal then compare apples to apples.
There might be a significant difference in applicable surcharges and fees from state to state and that best deal on a rental-car can wind up costing you if you do not look over the terms.
Inquire about drop off fees. If you are picking up the automobile rental but returning it at another location, automobile rental companies often times convey a drop off charge. Charges or taxes can be added for taking the car out of state.
Car seats are mandatory when driving together with little children within the United States. however; the cost of renting a child car seat instead of bringing your own might cause sticker shock. Extra supplies may possibly add substantial costs for a rental-car; determine what you are happy to pay for extras such as navigation systems or child car seats.
Motor vehicle rentals are usually for a full day, a 24-hour time period with a one-hour grace period (that differs by the company). If you are several hours overdue, you may end up paying for another day.
Look over the stipulations of the contract meticulously. If you’re returning an automobile you rented on a weekly rate a full day earlier, you may be charged for a day rate. Understand what if any fees apply if you bring back the automobile rental early or return it late.
If you return the car rental having an empty gas tank you’ll find the fees billed by the rental-car service will be significantly more than if you had stopped and filled it up yourself. Purchase your own gas when possible.
Inspect the vehicle and also the mileage just before you drive away. Ensure that any kind of damage is listed on the rental contract and also the mileage is correct.
When you shop carefully, determine what additional fees are enforced by states and locations and know how much you’ll be driving with the car rental you’ll be able to acquire the best package for the precise vehicle you want.
Angela Johnson has written many articles about Car Rental . She comes from US. We suggest you check out her other guide on cheap one way car rentals tips, and holiday car hire guide!
Football Flashback: Saints Win NFC Championship Game
February 28, 2010
Until Sunday, it looked as if the return of Brett Favre to the NFL would have a storybook ending and propel the Minnesota Vikings to the Superbowl. Instead, the New Orleans Saints will be heading to the Superbowl for the first time in franchise history. Garrett Hartley nailed a 40 yard field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 31-28 victory in the NFC Championship game after Brett Favre was intercepted deep in Saints territory during the final seconds of regulation.
The Vikings did reward NFL betting fans who took them as +4 underdogs with a pointspread cover. Minnesota finished the season a solid 11-6-1 against the NFL pointspread while the Saints head into the Superbowl with a 9-9 ATS mark. The 59 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 53′.
After the game, head coach Sean Payton drew an analogy to the city of New Orleans’ recovery after Hurricane Katrina:
“This is for everybody in this city. This stadium used to have holes in it and used to be wet. It’s not wet anymore. This is for the city of New Orleans.”
Winning quarterback Drew Brees extended that same metaphor:
“In reality, we had to lean on each other in order to survive and in order to get where we are now. The city is on its way to recovery, and in a lot of ways has come back better than ever. We’ve used the strength and resiliency of our fans to go out and play every Sunday and play with the confidence that we can do it, that we can achieve everything we’ve set out to achieve.”
Place kicker Hartley was low key despite securing the victory with his overtime field goal:
“Just helping my team get to Miami. Just doing my part.”
Brett Favre didn’t have much to say in defeat:
“I’ve felt better. It was a physical game. A lot of hits. You win that and you sure feel a lot better.” Mississippi native Favre did throw his support behind the Saints:
“I would have loved to represent the NFC. But, as I told Sean throughout the year when we talked, if it’s not us, I hope it’s you guys.”
The Vikings gave up a total of five turnovers including three fumbles. That, said running back Adrian Peterson, was the game:
“We really gave those guys the game. Too many turnovers. It’s eating me up inside.
Ross Everett is a staff handicapper for Oddsbay. He’s a highly respected expert on soccer betting, as well as a published freelance writer specializing in sports betting, harness racing, fencing and model railroading. He lives in Las Vegas with his Asian houseboy, three Jack Russell Terriers and a retired racing wombat.
Miami Tops Tampa Bay In NFL Preseason Florida Battle
February 28, 2010
Success in the NFL mandates that even when teams aren’t playing their best they need to find a way to win. The Miami Dolphins found a way to win ugly in their NFL preseason battle of Florida on Thursday night. After spotting the Bucs a 6-0 lead, Miami used a late first half field goal and scored the only touchdown of the second half to comeback for the 10-6 win. The victory improved Miamis preseason NFL record to a perfect 3-0 while Tampa Bay dropped to 1-2.
A starting QB battle in Tampa was the biggest storyline of the game and veteran Byron Leftwich appears to have gained the edge over Luke McCown. Bucs coach Raheem Morris has indicated that hell be making a decision soon, though he refused to show his cards in postgame media comments:
“Obviously you want somebody to jump up and take it. We’ll find out when we go back, look at the tape and evaluate this thing.”
McCown had a rough night, with two sacks and no points scored. He gained 38 yards on 5 for 11 passing and after the game gave a verbose no comment on his status as starter:
“It’s not for me to say. … My part in it is preparing every day, being the best I can be and getting better from my mistakes. As long as I feel like I’m doing that, then I’m OK.”
Leftwich, meanwhile, was 9 of 17 for 100 yards and came up big on several third down completions. He had very little to add after the game:
“Hopefully, I’m the guy. I felt good. I missed a few, but I hit a few also. Luckily for me on the ones I missed, I made plays on the following play to get those first downs.”
Bucs running back Cadillac Williams returned to action after major knee surgery seven months ago. Hes been limited in the last three seasons due to injuries, but looked solid in picking up 54 yards on eight carries. Afterwards, he said the knee problems are not an issue:
“The knee is not an issue to me. … I feel great. I’m just loving what I do.”
Dolphins QB Chad Pennington said that its hard to take much away from a strange game like this one. The game had several delays due to rain and lightening, the longest a 45 minute stoppage:
“It was a very odd game for us, as far as the rain delay, a lot of stoppages of play and things like that We were able to come out get a score before halftime and get a score after the half. We’ll build on that. We’ll be critical of ourselves and make sure we don’t let a win overshadow what we need to do to get better.”
The Dolphins will conclude their NFL preseason play next Thursday against the Saints at New Orleans. Tampa Bay will host Houston next Friday in their final preseason contest. Miami will get the NFL regular season underway against the Atlanta Falcons at The Georgia Dome on Sunday, September 13. Tampa Bay will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to The Cigar City on the same day to kick off their 2009 campaign.
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, flower arranging and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.