FBS Football: Agent-Gate 2010

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Throwing the word "Gate" behind subject matter gives the impression of impropriety, and in turn draws a line in the sand for those trying to decide what to make of an issue.

At SEC Football Media Day earlier this month, Alabama head coach Nick Saban described unscrupulous sports agents as "pimps." While I'm sure there are some people out there, especially among the collegiate coaching ranks, that believe that comparison gives pimps a bad name, is Saban really serious? I mean, in watching his press conference it was hard not to think that Ashton Kutcher was going to walk out at some point and let us all know we were being punked.

Saban's comments may have been a knee-jerk reaction to the recent discovery that one of his top players, defensive end Marcel Dareus, is under investigation by the NCAA for attending a party in South Beach funded by an NFL agent. More absurd and transparent comments would come later, when Saban suggested that Alabama may be best served to sever its ties with the NFL.

Are you kidding me?

Cutting ties with the NFL for Alabama would be tantamount to program suicide. Saban himself would soon be looking for another job if he wasn't able to go into recruits' living rooms and tout the successful transition from the University of Alabama football program to the NFL.

For a lot of college recruits, the NFL carrot determines where they will go to school. For many, such a career is all that matters. Escaping their current situation and becoming a savior to their family and friends is the only incentive needed to make a decision, and the promise of an NFL salary certainly tips the scales.

What sports agents are doing is no different than what collegiate coaches do in courting high school kids. The only real difference is that the NCAA actively investigates the first, while all but turning a blind eye to the below-board things that happen with the latter.

The programs themselves often look the other way in regard to their own boosters, who lavish gifts on the truly talented players, yet the same schools are crying foul when sports agents do the very same thing?

The argument against such activity is that the student-athlete receives a first-class education at little to no cost, and that should be sufficient reward. The reality, however, in the case of top football programs, is that the student-athlete generates far more revenue for the schools than benefits received, and what the school gets out of the relationship monetarily far outweighs what the player attains.

The task of bridging that gap has fallen on the sports agent. In all professions there are good and bad practitioners. While some agents will go to any extreme to get their hooks into a potential client and exploit their current situations, there are plenty of others that follow the rules to the letter of the law.

College football at the highest level, is a money-making machine. Everyone in the process seems to get a piece of the pie, from gamblers to universities to the coaches they employ. However, the NCAA says that the only ones "not allowed" to get in on the action are the young men who actually play the game.

We can't have it both ways. If college football at the FBS level is a business, why are we outraged that student-athletes are starting to make business decisions?

South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have joined the group of SEC programs under NCAA scrutiny for what it deems to be improper contact with agents.

In the wake of all the press given to Reggie Bush's transgressions at USC, expect similar stories across the nation to pop up as the 2010 season approaches and throughout the year.

This particular problem has always been here, and until the NCAA lessens the restrictions on the student-athlete, Agent-Gate isn't going away anytime soon.

Lesseters NCAA Football Betting News

<< Hudson tries to get Braves back on track in Washington
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Atlanta Braves want to hold onto first place in the National League East, they must find a way to consistently beat teams like the Washington Nationals. Lucky for them, that is Tim Hudson's specialty. Hudson will tr

<< Dodgers shoot for another win in key set with Padres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Excellent pitching and timely hitting made the Los Angeles Dodgers look like the first-place team last night versus the San Diego Padres. Los Angeles goes for its first four-game winning streak in almost two months tonight

<< Rangers seeking to extend lead on second-place A's
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cliff Lee sure is one tough act to follow. Colby Lewis will have to do just that tonight as he aims to pitch the Texas Rangers to a fourth straight victory over the Oakland Athletics in the middle contest of a three-game s

<< Posey puts 20-game hit streak on the line as Giants battle Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Buster Posey tries to extend his 20-game hitting streak this evening when the San Francisco Giants and Florida Marlins resume their four-game series at AT&T Park. San Francisco stayed hot on Tuesday, as Juan Uri

<< Santana, Garcia duel again in Mets-Cards clash
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jamie Garcia faced New York Mets ace Johan Santana, the rookie was able to match the two- time Cy Young Award winner pitch-for-pitch. He may find that to be more difficult tonight.

Reds wrap up set in Milwaukee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After breaking out of an offensive slump last night, the Cincinnati Reds hope to be swinging hot bats for a second straight day when the National League Central co-leaders conclude a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewe

Twins hope to continue offensive onslaught in Kansas City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With their offense producing runs at an incredible rate, the Minnesota Twins set their sights on a fifth straight victory as well as a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals when the American League Central foes square o

Phillies try to extend season-best win streak against D-Backs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Halladay tries to extend the Philadelphia Phillies' season-high win streak to seven games this evening when they continue their three-game set at Citizens Bank Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Halladay won for th

Argos and Als square off for first in the East >>
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With their touchdown drought now a memory, the Montreal Alouettes turn their attention to the Toronto Argonauts as the two clubs, tied for the lead in the CFL's Eastern Division, tangle at McGill Stadium on Thurs

Roughriders seek return to win column in clash with Tiger-Cats >>
Regina, SK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - No longer the last undefeated team in the CFL this season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders try to continue their recent dominance over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when the two squads clash at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on S

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.

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.