McGregor's family issues statement

Baseball Betting Lines

08/30/2010 - San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The family of late Colorado Rockies president Keli McGregor issued a statement Monday, saying he died of a rare virus that infected the heart muscle.

McGregor was found dead in a Salt Lake City hotel room on April 20, while he was on a business trip with other team executives. He was just 48 years old.

On Monday, McGregor's family gave details on the cause of his death, saying the virus disrupted the electrical pathways that signal the heart to beat properly.

"The heart muscle may have recovered from the viral attack had these electrical pathways not been destroyed, but the muscle may have been permanently weakened and destined for eventual heart failure," the statement said. "This infectious process most likely occurred during the last week of Keli's life, causing nothing more than flu-like symptoms."

The statement said McGregor was an advocate for early detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease, lived an active life, and had his cardiovascular status evaluated regularly.

"Like you, we miss Keli every minute of every day," the statement said. "We're so very grateful for the love and support shown to our family and we wanted to share this information with all of those who, like us, have searched for answers."

McGregor was named Rockies president in October 2001, and joined the organization after serving as associate athletic director at Arkansas.

The native of Iowa who grew up in suburban Denver was a two-time All-American tight end at Colorado State and was taken in the fourth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by Denver. He played for Denver, Indianapolis and Seattle before retiring.

Wwwhkcyber Baseball Betting News

<< USA squeezes by Brazil to stay undefeated at Worlds
Istanbul, Turkey (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Durant recorded 27 points and 10 rebounds, as the United States held off Brazil, 70-68, to remain undefeated at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. It was the first test at this tournament f

<< Rangers activate OF Cruz from DL
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers activated outfielder Nelson Cruz from the 15-day disabled list among several roster moves on Monday. The 30-year-old has landed on the DL three times this season -- all w

<< Rachel Alexandra in good shape after Personal Ensign loss
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra came out of Sunday's upset loss in the Personal Ensign Stakes in good condition and will return to training on Wednesday. Trainer Steve Asmussen sa

<< Roddick rolls at U.S. Open
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birthday boy and former champion Andy Roddick was an easy opening-round winner Monday at the U.S. Open. The ninth-seeded former world No. 1 Roddick, celebrating his 28th birthday on Monday, blasted hel

<< Shunted aside by Sabres, Kennedy signs with Rangers
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers agreed to terms with free-agent forward Tim Kennedy on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but multiple outlets revealed it is for one year. The Buffalo Sabres waived

Heat agree to terms with second-round pick Butler >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat signed 2010 second-round pick Da'Sean Butler to a contract on Monday. Terms were not announced, per team policy. The 6-foot-7 forward was taken with the 42nd overall selection after playin

Cowboys, two employees settle lawsuit from training camp accident >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Dallas Cowboys employees have agreed to settle a lawsuit against companies run by franchise owner Jerry Jones. The Morning News reported on Monday that Rich Behm and Joe DeCamillis will each be p

Braves recall Kawakami >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves have recalled pitcher Kenshin Kawakami from Triple-A Gwinnett. Kawakami appeared in 16 games (15 starts) earlier this season for the Braves, and went 1-9 with a 4.75 earned-run av

Broncos release RB Fargas >>
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos have released running back Justin Fargas. Fargas signed with the Broncos on August 11, but was let go after recording 17 yards on 10 carries in two preseason games. Fargas spent his fi

Bengals' Purify suspended one game >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Football League has suspended Bengals wide receiver Maurice Purify for one game without pay and fined him two game-checks for a violation of the league's personal conduct policy. The Enqui

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.

Betting the NFL preseason

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.