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02/07/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Before Peyton Manning's future become dissected and over-analyzed to tiresome Favrethian degrees over the next month, it's time to give his little brother some very big credit.
If there were any lingering doubts about Eli Manning's worthiness among the NFL's upper echelon of quarterbacks heading into Super Bowl XLVI, they were erased much like the New England Patriots' once-mighty mystique in the aftermath of Sunday's latest vintage performance by the NFL's new king of clutch.
Eli Manning's fearless and flawless effort in the late stages of his New York Giants' 21-17 edging of the Patriots at The House that Peyton Built, Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, is certainly nothing new -- he's now engineered two Super Bowl-winning touchdown drives and three overall in the final minute against the very same foe within a four-year span.
His present mentioning in the same stratosphere of the all-time greats at the sport's most glorious position? Now that's anything but old hat.
What a difference a year can make.
Twelve months ago, the younger Manning was still considered one of the game's true enigmas -- terrific at times, maddeningly horrid at others -- and was coming off a particularly frustrating 2010 season in which he threw a league- high 25 interceptions and was responsible for a whopping 30 total turnovers in 16 starts. But jump ahead to the Monday after the NFL's most recent showcase extravaganza, and the talk isn't whether he belongs in the elite category -- it's whether he'll be one day sharing a bust alongside his brother in Canton.
And such an argument can no longer be viewed as either preposterous or premature. Manning is now the proud owner of two Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards following this cold-blooded come-through, placing him in the company of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr and the man he outgunned on Sunday, Tom Brady.
Those first three are already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brady's going there someday. And Manning has now bested the New England superstar in three consecutive head-to-head meetings, two of which came in the game that most defines a quarterback's legacy.
And Manning's importance to the Giants' fourth Super Bowl title run, a prospect that seemed unfathomable when the team was stuck in playoff purgatory with a 7-7 record entering the regular season's final two weeks, can absolutely not be understated. Twelve times New York trailed in the fourth quarter of a game, and they rallied to win seven of those contests. Five of them came on the road.
And in those seven victories, Manning threw for a total of nine touchdowns.
"We've been in this situation time in and time out," said wide receiver Hakeem Nicks afterward. "We knew what we were capable of doing, and we got the job done."
To be fair, Manning did have some help in pulling off this feat, from both his teammates and the opponent. The comeback wouldn't have been possible without wide receiver Mario Manningham channeling his inner David Tyree and making a stupendous 38-yard catch along the sidelines to begin the deciding drive. The Giants may not have had a chance to take the lead if the ever-reliable Wes Welker doesn't let a Brady deep strike slip through his fingers on the preceding series, or if the Patriots managed to successfully recover any of three New York fumbles over the course of the night.
And even referee John Parry's ruling of intentional grounding by Brady in the end zone in the first quarter had a profound effect on the game's ending. If Parry doesn't make that call -- though justifiable, probably half of the officials rule in Brady's favor -- the Patriots likely are trailing by only a field goal (assuming the Giants kicked the extra point instead of going for two on the last score) when getting the ball back with 57 seconds left instead of needing a touchdown.
Still, none of that takes anything away from Manning's superb play, both on New York's critical last possession or the game itself, or how one man's exploits has permanently changed the fortunes of both of these two franchises.
Just think about if the Giants don't come out on top on Sunday, or if Manning and Tyree fail to connect for that miracle reception that triggered New England's demise in Super Bowl XLII four years ago. The Patriots would have an unprecedented five Lombardi Trophies in an 11-year span (the 49ers won four over 11 seasons from 1984-94) and a deserved reputation of one of the NFL's most dominant dynasties, instead of the tarnished label they now carry courtesy of the team that's become their biggest nemesis (sorry, Rex Ryan).
And Manning doesn't achieve the distinction he now rightfully holds -- that of the best quarterback in the league today with the game on the line.
"A game like this, I didn't expect nothing less," quipped Nicks.
As for Peyton, it's anybody's guess as to whether he'll ever have another opportunity to play in a Super Bowl, and it seems inevitable that the four-time league MVP will have to chase that goal in some other locale than the only one he's ever known as a professional and where's he's held in a reverence reserved for royalty. But that's a topic for another day...and the day after...and so on until his 2012 fate is finally determined.
As for Indianapolis, Super Bowl XLVI should in no way be its last after how the city expertly handled its first shot as a host.
Though the bar may have been set somewhat low, as let's face it, Central Indiana isn't normally on most people's preferred list of desired destinations for the first week of February. Indianapolis knew it needed to swing for the fences to make an impression on the NFL, the national media and all it's visitors -- and by all accounts knocked it out of the park.
There were no embarrassing ticket snafus like the one that gave Dallas a black eye at last year's game, or long and tedious shuttle rides across the prairie to get to and from the stadium. Nothing was overdone, but everything was done right.
And in reality, that shouldn't have come as a surprise. With a centrally- convenient layout and a relatively close proximity to a number of major markets, Indianapolis is a place built to host championships. And the town has plenty of experience in doing so, having put on seven NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours in its history and four since 1997. Plus you may be familiar with a certain auto race held on the city's outskirts every Memorial Day weekend, which just happens to be the largest-attended single-day sporting event in the United States.
Now, there's no question Indy got a big assist from Mother Nature, with this past week's weather more in line with the middle of May than the middle of winter. But even if the temperature had been hovering in the 20's instead of the 50's, it would have been hard to come away displeased after how professional and hospitable the city and its people were.
If there's one factor that could work against Indianapolis in its quest for more Super Bowls, it's size. Lucas Oil Stadium's maximum capacity of around 70,000 makes it among the NFL's smaller venues, and it was a bit of a chore at times getting through the mammoth crowds that had packed the downtown streets and its establishments to the brim.
But that's nitpicking. Here's hoping the league puts public satisfaction above attendance and revenue maximizing when reviewing Indy's Super Bowl candidacy in the future.
<< Defensive backs lead FCS contingent going to NFL Combine
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defensive backs from Football Championship
Subdivision schools will be on display at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.
Half of the 22 FCS players who have been invited to the Feb. 22-28 showcase
at Lucas Oil
<< UC Davis switches date of 2012 opener
Davis, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The UC Davis football team's 2012 season opener
against Azusa Pacific has been changed to Thursday, Aug. 30 at Aggie Stadium.
The game was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday, Sept. 1.
The Aggies are
<< Flyers seek rebound effort against Islanders
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers will try to rebound after a dismal
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The Flyers played divisional opponents on back-to-b
<< Zvonareva, Hantuchova advance; Cibulkova exits Pattaya Open
Pattaya City, Thailand (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time champion Vera Zvonareva
and reigning titlist Daniela Hantuchova posted first-round wins, while second-
seeded Dominika Cibulkova came up a loser Tuesday at the $220,000 Pattaya Open
tennis tou
Johnson granted sixth season at Eastern Washington >>
Cheney, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eastern Washington linebacker Zach Johnson has
been granted a medical waiver by the NCAA for a sixth season, Eagles head
coach Beau Baldwin announced Tuesday.
Johnson has lost 19 games due to a chronic knee inju
Bears bring in Jeremy Bates to work with QBs >>
Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears on Tuesday reached an
agreement with Jeremy Bates to become the team's quarterbacks coach.
Bates is familiar with Chicago starter Jay Cutler, having worked with him for
three seasons
Santana to replace Luxemburgo at Flamengo >>
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Flamengo announced Tuesday that it
has hired Joel Santana to replace Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who was relieved of
his managerial duties last week due to a reportedly rocky relationship with
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Sevilla names Michel new coach >>
Seville, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sevilla named former Real Madrid and Spain
midfielder Michel its new manager Tuesday, one day after Marcelino was fired.
Michel, 48, spent almost his entire club career with Real Madrid, playing for
the S
In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South. Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC. The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game. For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft. Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.
1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign? New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1. Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT. Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.
Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami
2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season. With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round. LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems. If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.
Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season. The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach. The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub. High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career. With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson.
Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season. The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age. It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot. This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.
Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas
It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season. On the clock: the NFC North
Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2
Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1
Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1
To visit this sportsbook get to MySportsbook.com for all your online sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
(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.
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