Golf Tidbits: Should we believe Finchem?
Golf Betting Lines
07/02/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem met the media on Wednesday at Congressional Country Club, site of this week's AT&T National, and discussed many subjects.
The biggest topic was drug testing. Finchem announced that one year into testing, the PGA Tour is clean.
"The players took it very seriously. They got educated," Finchem stated. "We've had over 1,000 tests in the last year. The testing processes worked extremely well. The players have cooperated."
Though who gets tested is anonymous unless a player talks about it, one could gather that every PGA Tour player has been tested. If you combine the 2008 and 2009 money lists, there are over 500 names but many are duplicates.
The drug tests screen for a variety of drugs, but suspensions would only have been handed down for performance-enhancing drugs. A failed test for a recreational drug such as cocaine or marijuana would not result in a suspension.
"I said we have had no positive tests with respect to performance-enhancing," Finchem said. "We may have had some test results that trouble us in other areas that we treat in a different bucket. But we don't publicize those. We treat those as 'conduct unbecoming.' I'm not saying this has happened or not."
Should we believe Finchem that the tour is clean? I think you can read between the lines of Finchem's quote and know that the answer is no, the tour isn't clean.
Obviously, as he states, there were no failed tests for PED's. But the gray area for the tour, the players and the media alike is those who may have failed tests for recreational drugs. It is easy to see why those names and results would not be published.
If someone were to fail a test, that person obviously used illegal drugs. Charges could be filed, though just as it is with any member of the public, authorities would have a tough time charging said player though as it would be tough to prove in which jurisdiction the person may have taken or possessed the drugs.
Finchem said the testing process has gone from random to selective. If a player hadn't been chosen randomly, the tour would then choose that player for testing. Under the current system, the tour has shifted to regular testing.
"We have reason to believe that a player may be using an illegal substance or may have a substance problem and he's in a program and we want to test him, we just test him on a regular basis," said Finchem.
"You've got to play by the rules."
Whether players are truly playing by those rules is open to your own interpretation of Finchem's comments.
BOOM OR BUST FOR GLOVER?
Lucas Glover followed his first major championship win with a share of 11th place last week at the Travelers Championship. It's hard to say based on that result whether the U.S. Open victory launched Glover's career, or launched a drought.
Since Tiger Woods burst onto the scene at the 1997 Masters, there have been seven multiple major winners and 19 others that have won a single major title. Three of those 19 had won major titles before Woods turned professional.
Some of those 19 winners have seen their careers go into a tailspin after their major championship victory. David Duval's plummet in the world rankings is well documented, though part of that was injury-related.
Since 2002, three major winners have not won another event, four if you include Glover, who is playing this week for the second time since winning the U.S. Open.
Rich Beem (2002 PGA Championship), Shaun Micheel (2003 PGA Championship) and Trevor Immelman (2008 Masters) are winless since claiming those major victories.
Glover, like Immelman, is young and is still gathering experience. But neither would he fall into the flash-in-the-pan category, as the win was his second on the PGA Tour and he has also played on a Presidents Cup team.
It is too early to tell which direction Glover's career will go, but there are indications based on a solid follow-up performance that his first major championship win could be the first of many.
MINI-TIDBITS
- There are more financial woes on the horizon for the LPGA Tour. This week's 25th Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic may be the last and the organizers of the two-year-old Kapalua LPGA Classic have pulled out of their contract with financial problems.
- No surprise that Tiger Woods topped the list of highest-earning American athletes with nearly $100 million earned last year. Phil Mickelson at No. 2 is a mild surprise, and Jim Furyk's name also made the top 50 at the No. 41 spot.
Opelousas, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Retired jockey Shane Sellers begins his return to the races tonight (Thursday) at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana. Sellers has been away from racing for 4 1/2 years due to a serious knee injury.
<< Flames sign Garth Murray
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames have signed veteran center
Garth Murray and forward Riley Armstrong.
Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Murray appeared in 10 games last season for Phoenix and did not registe
<< Blackhawks sign Madden away from New Jersey
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks have signed center John
Madden to a one-year contract.
Financial terms of the deal for the long-time New Jersey Devils defensive
standout were not disclosed, but the Newark Star-Le
<< Serena outlasts Dementieva to reach fifth Wimbledon final
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In one of the best women's matches
played here in some time, two-time champion Serena Williams snuck past Olympic
gold medalist Elena Dementieva on Thursday to reach her fifth Wimbledon final.
The second
<< Creamer withdraws from title defense
Sylvania, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paula Creamer withdrew from her title defense
at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic before teeing off Thursday.
Creamer injured her left thumb last week and had received treatment on the
injury since wi
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's every NHL player's dream to win a Stanley Cup title, and Marian Hossa is certainly no exception. Over the past few years, Hossa's travels have taken him from Atlanta to Pittsburgh to Detroit, and desp
Sister Act 4: Serena, Venus to meet in fourth Wimbledon final >>
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Serena Williams and third-
seeded Venus Williams will square off in Saturday's ladies' final at
Wimbledon, where Venus topped Serena in last year's third all-Williams finale
at the All England
Rockies deal Baker to Cubs >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies traded infielder Jeff Baker
to the Chicago Cubs Thursday in exchange for minor league pitcher Alberto
Alburquerque.
The Rockies had placed Baker on the 15-day disabled list with a
Altidore among seven added to U.S. Gold Cup team >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jozy Altidore was among seven players added to
the United States' Gold Cup roster, a change allowed by CONCACAF for any team
also playing in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Forward Conor Casey, midfielders
Materazzi signs three-year extension with Inter >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defender Marco Materazzi has signed a three-
year contract extension with Inter Milan.
Materazzi, 35, had 12 months remaining on his existing deal but is now under
contract at the San Siro until 2012.
Football Betting: Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds
With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season. What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season. Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all. Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13). Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two. Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury. Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven. Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury. Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.
In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons. Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4. Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1). The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this. No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.
Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend. Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend. With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.
MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:
Atlanta Hawks 1000-1
Boston Celtics 5000-1
Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1
Chicago Bulls 20-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1
Dallas Mavericks 2-1
Denver Nuggets 25-1
Detroit Pistons 6-1
Golden State Warriors 250-1
Houston Rockets 12-1
Indiana Pacers 60-1
Los Angeles Clippers 45-1
Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1
Miami Heat 9-1
Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1
Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1
New Jersey Nets 50-1
New Orleans Hornets 150-1
New York Knicks 150-1
Orlando Magic 75-1
Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1
Phoenix Suns 5-2
Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1
Sacramento Kings 250-1
San Antonio Spurs 9-1
Seattle Sonics 5000-1
Toronto Raptors 35-1
Utah Jazz 20-1
Washington Wizards 25-1
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