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07/09/2010 - Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union host the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer action at PPL Park on Sunday evening.
Both teams are coming off of disappointing draws in their last league fixtures, and will be gunning for the full points on Saturday.
The Union earned a 1-1 tie at Chivas USA a week after earning an impressive win over Seattle in the opener of its soccer-specific stadium. The team was hoping the momentum gained from the PPL park opener would transfer to The Home Depot Center, but that was not the case.
"I think we were trying to ride the emotion that we had at the home opener, but its difficult to carry that emotion 3000 miles and it was a tough night," Union captain Danny Califf told mlssoccer.com. "I feel like we played well in spurts and then we didn't play well in long stretches as well. I think overall it was tough to carry over that energy but we managed a result and that's a good thing and we can use that going forward."
Luckily for the Union (3-7-2), who are in need of a run of wins to get back into the playoff picture, they lay five of the next six games at PPL Park.
San Jose (5-4-4) is disappointed in its 1-1 draw with D.C. United in its last match because it held an early lead at home and couldn't hang on.
"Obviously, we're disappointed to not win at home," Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop told mlssoccer.com. "You're always on a bit of a tightrope when it's one-nil. It's just unfortunate we couldn't stick that second goal in."
Midfielder Bobby Convey, who has been one of the team's best players this season, took the loss on his shoulders after not having a particularly strong game.
"I don't think I pulled my weight or carried the team like I usually do, and that makes a difference," he said. "Sometimes you have to get bailed out by finishing your couple of chances, and we didn't finish. They had their one good chance and they scored, and we had three or four and we only scored one."
<< Wizards' top pick Wall sits out with injury
WASHINGTON (AP) -Washington Wizards top draft choice John Wall has missed practice after injuring his groin a day earlier during his first workout with the team.Coach Flip Saunders says the overall No. 1 pick in last month's NBA draft has tightness
<< Rangers re-sign D Girardi
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers have re-signed defenseman
Daniel Girardi to an undisclosed contract.
The 26-year-old registered six goals and 18 points with a minus-two rating
over a full 82-game schedule in 2009-1
<< AHL extends president's contract
Springfield, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American Hockey League president David
Andrews has agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep him in his
position through June, 2015.
"All of us with an interest in the American Hockey L
<< Norman withdraws from British Open Championship
St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Greg Norman has withdrawn from next
week's British Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Norman, a two-time winner of the Claret Jug, has been unable to get back into
competitive form after shoulder su
Chivas wants to spark revival against Wizards >>
Kansas City, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA is winless in seven straight MLS
games, but first-year coach Martin Vasquez believes Tuesday's victory over the
Houston Dynamo in U.S. Open Cup play could ignite the struggling team.
Vasquez has
Dulgheru, Szavay into Budapest semis >>
Budapest, Hungary (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second seed Alexandra Dulgheru was
a hard-fought quarterfinal winner, while reigning champion Agnes Szavay of
Hungary was an easy victor Friday at the $220,000 Budapest Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old Dul
Revs hope to make statement vs. Galaxy >>
Foxborough, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Revolution have won just one
of their last 11 Major League Soccer fixtures.
The Los Angeles Galaxy have lost just one in 15 to start the 2010 season.
Obviously Saturday's game between the
Toronto adds former Chivas USA striker Santos >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC signed forward Maicon Santos, who
was the released earlier this week by Chivas USA, the Major League Soccer club
announced on Friday.
"We are delighted to welcome Maicon on board," TFC manager, di
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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