Oregon makes Creighton's Altman next basketball coach

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

04/26/2010 - Eugene, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Oregon has made Creighton's Dana Altman its next head basketball coach.

The 51-year-old Altman has compiled a 327-176 record in 16 seasons for the Bluejays. They went 18-16 last season, losing to Missouri State in the semifinal round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Before the 2009-10 season, Altman led Creighton to 11 straight seasons of 20 or more wins. They have been to postseason play 13 consecutive years.

Prior to his stay at Creighton, Altman coached at Kansas State for four seasons (1990-94) and at Marshall (1989-90). His career record is 409-243.

The Ducks needed a replacement for Ernie Kent, whose contract was terminated last month. Kent guided the program for 13 years. The Ducks finished 16-16 overall and 7-11 in the Pac-10. Kent was the longest tenured coach in the Pac-10 Conference and is the school's all-time wins leader.

Worldwideganble NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Berdych, Ljubicic advance; Ferrero exits Rome
Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tenth-seeded Tomas Berdych and 11th-seeded Ivan Ljubicic were a pair of first-round winners, while former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero came up a loser Monday at the $2.97 million Italian Masters

<< De La Rosa has MRI done on left middle finger
DENVER (AP) -Colorado Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa had an MRI done on his left middle finger Monday, a day after suffering a bone bruise on his pitching hand.Manager Jim Tracy said the team wanted to determine if the injury was more serious than

<< Coyotes want to be more than 'nice story'
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -While on their way to 50 wins and their first playoff berth since 2002, the Phoenix Coyotes were labeled a feel-good story and Cinderella.They believe a Game 7 win Tuesday will show they're much more.The Detroit Red Wings are t

<< Titans sign Blount, Stafon Johnson among rookie FAs
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tennessee Titans announced Monday they have agreed to terms with 15 undrafted free agents, including running backs LeGarrette Blount and Stafon Johnson. Blount played in just three games last seaso

<< Jaguars release DT Henderson
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday released two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson. A first round pick in 2002, Henderson recorded 29 sacks and 563 tackles in 124 career games (120 start

No one injured in Hawks' bus accident >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks' team bus was involved in an accident Monday, but no one was injured. According to a story on the team's website, the bus was hit by a white Cadillac while leaving the Bradley C

Cardinals place INF Lopez on DL >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals have placed infielder Felipe Lopez on the 15-day disabled list with a right elbow strain. Lopez is batting .273 (12-for-44) with a home run and four RBI in 15 games this season.

Creighton brings in McDermott as men's hoops coach >>
Omaha, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Creighton University hired Greg McDermott as its new men's head basketball coach on Monday. McDermott, who will be officially introduced at a Tuesday morning press conference, takes over for Dana Altma

Matsuzaka throws simulated game >>
TORONTO (AP) -Daisuke Matsuzaka threw a 69-pitch simulated game before the Red Sox played the Blue Jays, the injured right-hander's final hurdle before returning to Boston's starting rotation.Manager Terry Francona said Monday, ``The ball came out o

Rangers' McCarthy on minor league DL >>
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Oft-injured Texas Rangers pitcher Brandon McCarthy is hurting again.McCarthy, at Triple-A Oklahoma City after not making the Rangers' rotation out of spring training, has been put on the seven-day disabled list in the minor le

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.


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.