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04/10/2009 - Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, will host the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
MLB has called a news conference for Saturday afternoon when an official announcement is expected from commissioner Bud Selig.
The city of Phoenix hosted the NBA All-Star Game this past February. The event brought in an estimated $35 million, according to the Arizona Republic.
The 2011 All-Star Game would be held on July 12 with the annual Home Run Derby taking place the night before.
This year's All-Star Game is being held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis and the 2010 contest is slated for Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
<< Mickelson bounces back with a 68
Augusta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After struggling to a one-over 73 on Thursday,
Phil Mickelson bounced back with a four-under 68 Friday to move into share of
11th at three-under-par 141 after two rounds of the Masters.
Mickelson was well o
<< Gilroy wins 2009 Hobey Baker Award
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Executive
Committee announced Friday that Boston University senior defenseman Matt
Gilroy was named the 29th winner of college hockey's most prestigious
individ
<< Weeks leads Brewers' ninth-inning comeback over Cubs
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rickie Weeks doubled home the tying run in
the ninth, took third on a ball in the dirt and scored the winning run on an
infield hit with a head-first slide just ahead of the tag to give Milwaukee a
thrilling 4-3
<< Pirates/Reds postponed
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Friday's game between the Pittsburgh
Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park was postponed because
of rain.
A makeup date has not been announced.
Pittsburgh's Jeff Karstens and Cincinnati
Petrova sneaks into MPS semis, Wozniacki breezes in >>
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova
barely won her quarterfinal match Friday at the inaugural MPS Group
Championships.
The world No. 10 Petrova had to come from behind to best seve
Cavs wrap up East's top seed in Philadelphia >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeBron James scored 27, dished out 10
assists and Cleveland hit 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc to help clinch
homecourt advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 102-92
triumph
Griffin, Moore 2009 Wooden Award winners >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oklahoma standout forward Blake Griffin was
named the 2009 Wooden Award winner as college basketball's player of the year,
while Connecticut's Maya Moore captured the women's version of the honor.
Griffin,
Orioles stay hot to start season, clip Rays in series opener >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Melvin Mora went 2-for-4 with three RBI as
the Baltimore Orioles took a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener
of a three-game set at Camden Yards.
Adam Jones had two hits and two runs scored
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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