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02/19/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Antonio Taylor served as the player representative during Eastern Illinois University's final interviews with head football coaching candidates this past fall.
His thoroughness as an interviewer impressed the eventual choice, Dino Babers.
"To me it was more about the presentation," Babers remembers, "how you were going to work for him and he wasn't coming to work for you."
There was plenty Taylor wanted to learn about Babers - his coaching style, plans to restore a traditionally strong program that has fallen off the last two seasons, how he would be different than the previous coaching staff ...
Taylor got his answers that day. Or at least he thought he did.
It's since Dec. 9, when Babers was introduced as the Panthers' 22nd head coach, that Taylor has witnessed the answers at work.
"It's a 180-degree change, if I could say that," said Taylor, an outside linebacker who will be a redshirt junior this fall. "Coach Babers lit a fire under this community like he said he would, starting off with the team. I feel like the team has a new-found motivation. Everyone's working a little bit harder than they were. I see more hunger out of this team. Everybody is trying to get on one page and one goal, and I credit that to Coach Babers."
People at EIU knew the day would come when legendary head coach Bob Spoo would not be patrolling the sidelines anymore, and it has arrived after 25 years. But few foresaw the disappointing ending the last two seasons, back-to-back 2-9 records and a last-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference this past season.
The 50-year-old Babers has re-energized the Panthers. He's embracing Spoo's legacy at EIU, especially after having spent his first season as a paid coach under him in 1987. Babers, though, is adding a lot to what he has learned since then, including the last four seasons at Baylor, where he helped contribute to the success of Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Babers was the wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator.
"You can't replace Coach Spoo, you can't replace Bob Spoo," said Babers, who has coached at 13 different schools and in 12 bowl games. "I can still remember in 1987 when he would come in the office and say good morning, his voice would just echo through the building. Guys would spill coffee in their laps. It was like a 'Top Gun' fly-by with Tom Cruise.
"I think what needs to stay the same is there's been a great tradition here. We have alumni, we have the starting quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys (Tony Romo). We've got guys that have played quarterback here that have won Super Bowls, coaches who have coached here - Mike Shanahan, Sean Payton, Brad Childress - who have run NFL football teams. We've got some major shakers that have gone through these doors. The history and the tradition of the alumni of this school, that needs to stay the same. There needs to be a connection from the past to the present going into the future, that's what's great about Eastern Illinois. The things that need to change is we need to get back to work, we need to get back to that blue-collar work ethic."
Until the last two seasons, EIU had come to be the top gun in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers finished first or second in the conference and made the FCS playoffs in seven different seasons under Spoos from 2000.
The offense then struggled while Spoo neared the end of his career and it's the offensive-minded Babers who is in charge of retooling it.
His Panthers will spread out teams with their key returnees in the skills positions. Junior-to-be quarterback Jimmy Garopollo threw for 2,644 yards and 20 touchdowns with 14 interceptions last season and can look to two wide receivers, seniors Chris Wright (735 yards and 11 touchdowns) and Kenny Whittaker, who caught 42 passes each plus the All-OVC second-team tight end, senior Von Wise (32 receptions). Also, Jake Walker is coming off a redshirt freshman season in which he rushed for 580 yards and 10 touchdowns.
"I believe in trying to score points and giving yourself as many opportunities to do that," Babers said. "I believe in up-tempo, I believe in the speed and the problems that that speed causes. We're to going to try to play as fast as we can as much as we can.
"We have to come out and build a foundation, so we can build all the stuff on top of it. People see the final product of the Baylor-Washington bowl win and as exciting as that offense was, (with) RG3 (Robert Griffin III) and all the bells and whistles that go along with it. But that was the icing on the cake. That cake was built four years ago and three years ago by the things that we did in laying the foundation - the same foundation that we're going to lay here at EIU. We'll start with the basics and we'll build that stuff up. And then once we've got that imbedded in all of our young people in this football team, they'll start to teach the young guys as they come in, and we can get back to that point where everything looks easy and not as difficult as I'm sure our struggles are going to be earlier running the system."
Babers, whose 11-player recruiting class was the smallest in the OVC, is emphasizing physicality throughout his team. Defensively, EIU will utilize multiple formations, but be simpler so the unit can play a lot faster.
The Panthers will feature senior defensive end Artavious Dowdell, who made the All-OVC second team last year, and Taylor, their top returning tackler.
Ironically, Taylor learned on his first day of classes this semester that he shares a class with Babers' daughter, Tasha. Babers joked with Taylor that he doesn't care if he ever gets on the field, his job is to watch over his daughter.
So if it appeared in the interview process that Taylor was wondering how Babers could work for him, it turns out Taylor doesn't mind working for Babers after all.
"I feel like we're getting our swagger back," Taylor said. "When I say that, I feel like people are playing with confidence and walking around campus like, you know what, we're football players, we've had 2-9 seasons in the past, but we're going to win for our campus, for our community."
<< Ware named Western Illinois' offensive coordinator
Macomb, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Western Illinois has promoted running backs
coach KiJuan Ware to offensive coordinator, football coach Mark Hendrickson
announced.
Ware enters his second year on the Leathernecks staff, He will continue to
coac
<< Liberty faces tough schedule in Gill's debut
Lynchburg, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liberty football will play a strong schedule
in head coach Turner Gill's first season, including games against Wake Forest
and four qualifiers for the 2011 FCS playoffs.
The Flames, the Big South Conference r
<< Tseng holds off Miyazato to repeat in Thailand
Chonburi, Thailand (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Yani Tseng birdied the final two holes
Sunday to fend off Ai Miyazato and win the Honda LPGA Thailand.
In a battle of the last two winners of this event, Tseng fired a six-under 66
to repeat as champion.
<< Paddison wins Victorian PGA by one
Victoria, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gareth Paddison struggled to a three-
over 74 in the final round Sunday, but held on for a one-shot win at the
Victorian PGA Championship.
Paddison, who played the final nine holes in six-ov
Penguins, Sabres get together in Buffalo >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the recent struggles of the Sabres' power play, the
Penguins might not mind skating a bit shorthanded in today's matinee at
Buffalo given the performance of Pittsburgh's penalty kill on Saturday.
The Pens look to secu
Red Wings try to set another record at home in clash with Sharks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings are on the verge of setting another
record, but if anyone can bring a halt to their incredible home winning streak
it may just be the San Jose Sharks.
The Pacific Division leaders look to bring an end
Blues aim to establish road game in Chicago >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues have proven they can get it done at
home. Picking up some wins on the road will show just how much of a contender
they actually are.
The Blues begin a stretch of seven of eight away from St. Louis this
Federer tops del Potro in Rotterdam final >>
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top seed Roger Federer earned his
first title of 2012 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Argentine Juan Martin del Potro
in Sunday's final at the ABN AMRO World tournament.
The Swiss world No. 3 earned
New York, NY – October 3, 2007 – The dress rehearsal is over! The NHL preseason has ended and now that fans have had a glimpse of what is to come it is time to hit the book! Stanley Cup odds are live at MySportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings remain on top of the odds charts after an impressive start in the preseason. Betting lines opened for both teams at 6-1 in June. Since then the Sens have fallen to 7-1 and the Red Wings are now caught in a pack including the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes, the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks, all at 10-1.
MySportsbook.com has also posted props on each team’s point total for the regular season. The Senators lead the charge at 108.5 followed by the Ducks at 106.5. Detroit will attempt a repeat for the prize as the Red Wings are deadlocked with the Predators at 104.5 a piece. The temporary loss of highly touted rookie Evgeni Malkin puts a lot of pressure on the stick of assistant captain Sidney Crosby - his lowly Pittsburgh Penguins are listed at 71.5.
Even if bettors are not brave enough to put their money on the underdog, an early bet on the favorites at sportsbook.com tends to produce bigger payouts than a mid-season wager. Placing a $1,000 bet last summer on the Detroit Red Wings or Ottawa Senators would have paid out to $8,000 and $10,000 respectively, opposed to a $2,500 or $3,000 payout at the beginning of the playoffs.
| Ottawa Senators Detroit Red Wings Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Anaheim Ducks Philadelphia Flyers Calgary Flames New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Dallas Stars New York Rangers Nashville Predators Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avalanche Minnesota Wild Tampa Bay Lightning Boston Bruins Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Atlanta Thrashers Toronto Maple Leafs Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings New York Islanders Columbus Blue Jackets St. Louis Blues Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals Chicago Blackhawks |
7-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 80-1 80-1 100-1 100-1 |
NHL Regular Season Points - Team Must Play 82 Games
| Team Ottawa Senators Anaheim Ducks Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators San Jose Sharks Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Dallas Stars New York Rangers Minnesota Wild Atlanta Thrashers Montreal Canadiens Team Los Angeles Kings Tampa Bay Lightening Vancouver Canucks Boston Bruins Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Toronto Maple Leafs Florida Panthers Columbus Blue Jackets New York Islanders Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals Pittsburgh Penguins |
Over/Under 108.5 106.5 104.5 104.5 103.5 101.5 100.5 99.5 97.5 97.5 97.5 95.5 94.5 93.5 92.5 Over/Under 91.5 91.5 91.5 89.5 89.5 88.5 88.5 86.5 84.5 82.5 80.5 72.5 72.5 72.5 71.5 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey sportsbook needs.
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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