Lekic, Osasuna sink Barcelona
Soccer Betting Lines
02/11/2012 - Navarra, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona's title ambitions took a massive hit on Saturday as Dejan Lekic scored a first-half brace to help Osasuna stun the defending champions, 3-2, at the Estadio El Sadar.
Lekic provided an early blow to the visitors when he scored in the fourth minute, while the advantage was doubled in the 21st when Lekic got on the other end of a low cross from Alvaro Cejudo to finish off the play at close range.
Barca found a way back into the match early in the second half with Isaac Cuenca's cross being converted from a few yards out by Alexis Sanchez, only for the hosts to restore their two-goal lead five minutes later with Raul Garcia knocking a shot off the near post and into the net.
Cristian Tello came off the bench to pull a goal back for Barca in the 73rd with a fine left-footed strike from inside the penalty area, but Osasuna continued to threaten as Francisco Punal struck the post.
The visitors poured on the pressure over the final 15 minutes, and after Sanchez had a goal ruled out for offsides, the Chile international was denied by a good save from Osasuna goalkeeper Andres Fernandez.
Barca's final chance to claim a point came deep into stoppage time when a header from Cesc Fabregas was saved by Fernandez from eight yards.
Pep Guardiola's men are now seven points back of leaders Real Madrid, who can move 10 points clear with a win on Sunday at home against Levante.
Real Betis 2, Athletic Bilbao 1
Seville, Spain - Real Betis moved three points above the drop zone on Saturday as Nelson's stoppage-time goal handed the home side a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Ruben Castro fired Betis in front in the opening 10 minutes when he curled a shot inside the far post from 10 yards, only for Javi Martinez to cancel out the tally 12 minutes later with a headed goal from a corner kick for Athletic.
But Martinez received his second yellow card in the 63rd, and Nelson snatched all three points for his side with a well-struck volley from the edge of the penalty area to help Betis snap a run of three losses in four games.
Racing 0, Atletico Madrid 0
Santander, Spain - Atletico Madrid was held to a second successive 0-0 draw on Saturday, this time at Racing.
The visitors dominated play for long spells, especially in the second half, but were unlucky not to leave El Sardinero with three points.
Atletico was especially in control in the second half as Diego struck the post after exchanging passes with Arda Turan, while Radamel Falcao also wasted a great opportunity as he shot the ball against the post after collecting a rebound from Diego's shot.
A win could have temporarily lifted Atletico into the top four, but the club will have to settle for extending its unbeaten streak to six games.
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder each scored 23 points, as the 18th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles dominated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 95-78. Jamil Wilson and Vander Blue added 15 and 14 points
<< Wojta powers Green Bay past Wright State
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Julie Wojta may only be six feet tall, but
she stood head and shoulders above Wright State on Saturday.
The undersized forward scored 30 points, pulled down 20 rebounds, blocked four
shots and added eight
<< Senior joins Pavin in the lead in Boca Raton
Boca Raton, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Peter Senior birdied the final hole Saturday
to join Corey Pavin atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the Allianz
Championship.
Senior carded a four-under 68 in round two, while Pavin managed a two-under
<< Hall lifts Oilers over Senators in OT
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Taylor Hall scored 17 seconds into overtime to
lift the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Magnus Paajarvi, Ben Eager and Shawn Horcoff also scored for the Oilers and
Horcoff
<< Milan rallies to down Udinese
Udine, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - AC Milan scored twice in the final 15 minutes
to claim a 2-1 comeback win at Udinese on Saturday, moving the Rossoneri two
points clear of Juventus at the top of Serie A.
Antonio Di Natale fired Udinese i
Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thomas Robinson had 26 points and 14 rebounds, helping the seventh-ranked Kansas Jayhawks dominate the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 81-66. Jeff Withey also had a double-double with 18 points and 19 boa
Thunder Moccasin strikes in Hutcheson Stakes >>
Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Odds-on favorite Thunder Moccasin had
a successful three-year-old debut Saturday in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at
Gulfstream Park. The colt covered the seven-furlongs in 1:24.16 on a track
listed
UNLV holds off San Diego State >>
Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Hawkins forced a turnover with one
second remaining and UNLV preserved a 13-point second-half edge as they held
off San Diego State, 65-63, at Thomas & Mack Center.
Mike Moser led the way w
Tennessee knocks off No. 8 Florida >>
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trae Golden had 17 points to go with seven
assists as the Tennessee Volunteers earned their first true road win of the
season with a 75-70 triumph over No. 8 Florida.
Jeronne Maymon recorded a double-
Morgan's late heroics lift U.S. past New Zealand >>
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Morgan scored twice in the final minutes to
cap a 2-1 comeback win for the U.S. women's national team against New Zealand
in a friendly on Saturday.
The Americans dominated play in the first half but were
MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines
Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow. Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season. Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints. These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order. As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS. The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens. The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.
MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:
Saints +6 @ Colts -6
Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)
Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)
Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5
Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1
Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3
Patriots -5 @ Jets +5
Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5
Steelers -4 @ Browns +4
Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6
Bears +6 @ Chargers -6
Lions +3 @ Raiders -3
Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5
Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4
Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3
Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3
Super Bowl line (2008)
NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5
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FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million
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.
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