Mankins mess a situation that bears watching
Football Betting Lines
07/22/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFL's training camp season is once again approaching. Time for grueling two-a-days, the emergence of fantasy sleepers, and Brett Favre's annual yo-yo act with the inevitable familiar ending.
And of course, no summer in the National Football League would be complete without the time-honored tradition of contract squabbling between players and teams, usually resulting in contentious holdouts that pose a dangerous threat to the on- and off-field harmony the preseason programs are designed to achieve.
There's a particularly nasty situation brewing in New England, where the Patriots and All-Pro guard Logan Mankins are embroiled in a dispute that has shown no early signs of reaching a quick accord. Both parties have drawn lines in the sand, with the notoriously rigid Pats slashing Mankins' still-unsigned restricted free agent tender by over 50 percent, and the sixth-year pro sitting out last month's mandatory mini-camp in protest of the lack of progress on a long-term deal.
Mankins, one of more than 200 players who missed out on a chance for unrestricted free agency in the spring due to the league and its Players Association's failure to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining plan, reportedly turned down a multi-year offer believed to average between $6.5 and $7 million per season from the Patriots a few months back. That's a nice chunk of change, especially at a position that rarely commands top dollars, but would still be dwarfed by the eye-opening seven-year, $56.7 million pact Jahri Evans -- a player with a similar experience level and credentials as Mankins -- received from the Super Bowl champion Saints in May.
New England countered by reducing Mankins' tender from $3.268 million (the highest amount a restricted free agent could receive this season) to $1.54 million (the minimum 10 percent raise over his 2009 salary), further heightening tensions between the two sides and showing the organization is going to take a hard-line stance on the matter.
That unyielding approach should come as no surprise, however. The Patriots were involved in a comparable situation with Deion Branch, then the team's No. 1 wide receiver, back in 2006, and also refused to budge as the equally-as- stubborn former Super Bowl MVP held out the entire preseason. New England eventually traded Branch to Seattle for a first-round draft choice, then replaced him by stealing a disgruntled Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders the following April. We all know how that move worked out.
The Patriots aren't averse to shipping off cornerstone players for monetary reasons either, as last year's startling trade of five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour to the Raiders will attest. And with Tom Brady's contract set to expire at the end of the season, owner Bob Kraft could be less willing to pony up the big bucks to keep Mankins alongside his franchise icon in the coming years.
New England was able to avoid a potential summer standoff with nose tackle Vince Wilfork by signing the premier run-stopper to a lucrative five-year contract back in March, which would seem to work in Mankins' favor at first glance. But with Brady likely to command a deal in the neighborhood of $20 million per season and the Patriots having morphed into a more pass-oriented team in recent years, having an elite run-blocker like Mankins on board could be viewed as more of a luxury than a necessity. And with the speedy emergence of 2009 rookie Sebastian Vollmer into a starting-caliber tackle, the club may be able to slide deposed starter Nick Kaczur into the left guard spot without a precipitous drop-off.
Mankins and his camp still seem to be steadfast in their demands despite the obvious risks, and appear more than willing to hold their ground as well.
"I'll tell you one thing, I'm old-school, he's old-school," agent Frank Bauer told the Boston Herald last week. "We're two highly principled guys. If everyone's making two bucks, I'll make two bucks. If everyone is making $8 million, I'm making $8 million."
At just 28 years old and unequivocally among the top three or four players at his position at the very least, Mankins stands a good chance of the big payday he's seeking. Just don't be surprised if it's with a team other than the Patriots.
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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl
The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.
Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.
The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
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