08/26/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Things are starting to change in Seattle. However, for the Seahawks and their fans, the hope is that the alterations the club is undergoing won't affect what has been a very successful run.
The Seahawks enter this year knowing it will be the last under head coach Mike Holmgren, who will be stepping away from football at the end of this season. Thankfully for the Emerald City, there won't be any Brett Favre-like distractions surfacing, as Seattle has already named assistant and defensive backs coach Jim Mora Jr. his successor.
Holmgren has gone 82-62 in the regular season since joining the Seahawks in 1999. He took the Seahawks to the postseason in his first year, snapping a 10- season absence from the playoffs, and guided the club to a Super Bowl appearance following the 2005 regular season. Seattle also enters this season as defending NFC West champions for a fourth straight year.
The division was expected to be a little tighter last year, but Seattle went 5-1 versus fellow NFC West residents and used a five-game winning streak from November 12-December 9 to wrap up the division.
Seattle was able to roll past an emotionally-charged Washington Redskins club thanks to a solid late effort by the defense in the playoff's first round, but the Seahawks saw a 14-0 lead over Green Bay in the NFC Division playoff series evaporate into a 42-20 setback.
Due to the breakdown of former MVP running back Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks relied heavily on the pass last year while riding the coattails of a defense that was tied for sixth in the league in points allowed, while amassing 45 sacks (4th in the NFL) and 20 interceptions (tied for 4th).
Seattle set a pair of team records on offense due to the pass-heavy schemes, posting new marks in passing yards (Matt Hasselbeck - 3,966) and receptions (Bobby Engram - 94), and finally realized that Alexander is no longer the back he once was, releasing its all-time leading rusher in late April.
Newcomers Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett join holdover Maurice Morris in the backfield, one that Seattle hopes has more speed and durability.
Defensively, the club returns the same unit from last year. That's one area of the club that has yet to be touched by the winds of change.
Below we take a capsule look at the 2008 edition of the Seattle Seahawks, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:
2007 RECORD: 10-6 (1st, NFC West)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2007, lost to Green Bay, 42-20, in NFC Divisional Playoff
COACH (RECORD): Mike Holmgren (82-62 in nine seasons with Seahawks, 157-99 overall)
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Gil Haskell
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: John Marshall
OFFENSIVE STAR: Matt Hasselbeck, QB (3966 passing yards, 28 TD, 12 INT)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Julian Peterson, DE (74 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 2 INT)
OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 20th rushing, 8th passing, t9th scoring
DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 12th rushing, 19th passing, t6th scoring
KEY ADDITIONS: RB Julius Jones (from Cowboys), RB T.J. Duckett (from Lions), FB Owen Schmitt (5th Round, West Virginia), TE John Carlson (2nd Round, Notre Dame), TE Jeb Putzier (from Texans), G Mike Wahle (from Panthers), DE Lawrence Jackson (1st Round, USC), DT Larry Tripplett (from Bills), DT Chris Cooper (from Cardinals), LB D.D. Lewis (from Broncos), K Olindo Mare (from Saints), K Brandon Coutu (7th Round, Georgia), P Reggie Hodges (free agent)
KEY DEPARTURES: RB Shaun Alexander (released), WR D.J. Hackett (to Panthers), TE Marcus Pollard (to Patriots), G Chris Gray (retired) DT Ellis Wyms (to Vikings), DT Chuck Darby (to Lions), DT Marcus Tubbs (released), LB Kevin Bentley (to Texans), LB Niko Koutouvides (to Broncos), K Josh Brown (to Rams)
QB: Things stay the same under center for the Seahawks, as Hasselbeck (3966 passing yards, 28 TD, 12 INT) enters his sixth straight season as Seattle's number one quarterback. Since taking over full-time duties from Trent Dilfer in 2002, Hasselbeck has been to three Pro Bowls, including last year when he also set new franchise records for completions (352) and pass attempts (562) in a season while also posting a career-high 28 passing touchdowns. Set to turn 33 at the end of September, Seattle would love to give its quarterback better run support this year, but at least know that Hasselbeck, who has been battling a stiff back in preseason, can respond to the pressure. Seneca Wallace backs up Hasselbeck again this year, while Seattle has an experienced emergency quarterback in Charlie Frye.
RB: It will look odd without Alexander in the backfield this year, but the time had come for Seattle to part ways with its former workhorse. Alexander is a mere shell of the back that rushed for 1,880 yards and scored a total of 28 touchdowns during a 2005 MVP campaign, as multiple injuries have hampered him over the last two seasons. That left a bulk of carries last year for Morris (628 rushing yards, 4 TD), who averaged a full yard per carry more than Alexander. However, the club still brought in Jones and Duckett to make the backfield bigger and faster. Jones (588 rushing yards, 2 TD) shared time in Dallas last year and could likely do that again in Seattle, while the 254- pound Duckett (335 rushing yards, 3 TD with Lions) can relieve the two in short-yardage situations. Part of Seattle's rushing woes from last year could be blamed on the sudden retirement of Mack Strong due to a neck injury. That forced Leonard Weaver (146 rushing yards, 1 TD, 39 receptions) into a starting role, and he struggled in the blocking game. Seattle used its fifth-round pick to draft fullback Owen Schmitt out of West Virginia.
WR/TE: Seattle entered last year with four capable wide receivers, a good thing because two of them missed time with injury. D.J. Hackett was limited to six games last year due to injury and signed with Carolina as a free agent, while Deion Branch (49 receptions, 4 TD) missed five tests because of a foot, and later calf, ailment before injuring his ACL in the playoffs. That has the former Super Bowl MVP doubtful for the start of the season. Engram shouldered most of the load last year, racking up 1,147 receiving yards and six touchdowns, but the 35-year-old suffered a cracked shoulder in Seattle's preseason opener and could miss up to the first three weeks of the regular season. That will give wideouts Nate Burleson (50 receptions, 9 TD), Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor chances to shine early. The Seahawks got little production out of the tight end spot last year, and that could also be the case again this year. Will Heller (13 receptions, 3 TD), free agent pickup Jeb Putzier and second-round pick John Carlson out of Notre Dame are Holmgren's options at that position.
OL: This unit struggled last year, its second since the departure of Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson to Minnesota and first since the retirement of center Robbie Tobeck after the 2006 season. Seattle ranked 20th in the league in rushing last year at 101.2 yards per game and allowed 36 sacks, tied for 14th in the NFL. Left tackle Walter Jones was the lone bright spot, as he was selected to his seventh straight Pro Bowl. Seattle made its left side stronger when it signed two-time Pro Bowl participant Mike Wahle after he was cut by Carolina, while the club also hopes that center Chris Spencer and right guard Rob Sims can improve after becoming full-time starters last year. Sean Locklear started all 16 games at right tackle in 2007 after a rough previous season. The club did lose some depth when guard Chris Gray retired due to a back/spine injury suffered early in training camp.
DL: The Seahawks managed to post 45 sacks last year, fourth-best in the NFL. Ends Patrick Kerney (62 tackles, 14.5 sacks) and Darryl Tapp (49 tackles, 7 sacks) combined for 21 1/2 of those, with Kerney setting a new career high while being selected to start the Pro Bowl. Despite outstanding seasons by that duo last year, the Seahawks still drafted 270-pound defensive end Lawrence Jackson out of USC in the first round of the 2008 draft. Jackson is a good talent, though, and Kerney will be 32 in December. Rocky Bernard (35 tackles. 3.5 sacks) and Brandon Mebane (19 tackles, 2 sacks) return to fill in the middle of a line that was ranked 12th in the league against the rush last year. Seattle added some more size to the defensive tackle spot when it drafted 328-pound Texas A&M product Red Bryant in the fourth-round of the draft.
LB: The Seahawks' linebacking group produced a pair of Pro Bowl starters in outside linebacker Julian Peterson and middle man Lofa Tatupu. The versatile Peterson showed once and for all he is past a 2004 Achilles tendon injury, posting 74 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks, while Tatupu (1 sack, 4 INT) led the team with 109 tackles and was given a six-year contract extension following last season. Leroy Hill (81 tackles, 3 sacks) rounds out Seattle's explosive unit and is no slouch himself given his ability to accomplish everything that is asked by the coaching staff. Seattle lost Kevin Bentley and Niko Koutouvides as free agents, adding D.D. Lewis to the unit. Lance Laury and David Hawthorne also backup.
DB: The secondary is another strong unit for Seattle, and like the linebackers also features a Pro Bowl selection in corner Marcus Trufant. Trufant (85 tackles, 7 INT) set a career-high in interceptions last year, earning him a new six-year contract after Seattle had placed the franchise tag on the former first-round pick. Opposite Trufant is Kelly Jennings (55 tackles), who served as a starter last year in just his second season in the NFL. Seattle entered last year with two fresh faces at safety in Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and both performed very well. With Grant (78 tackles, 3 INT) at the free safety position, and Russell (68 tackles, 1 INT) manning the strong spot, Seattle tied for sixth in the NFL in points allowed. Jordan Babineaux (63 tackles, 1 INT) can back up either the safety or corner spots, while second-year corner Josh Wilson aims for another year of improvement.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The Seahawks saw kicker Josh Brown, who had spent the last five seasons in Seattle, leave to division-rival St. Louis in the offseason, replacing him with 35-year-old Olindo Mare while also drafting Brandon Coutu out of Georgia in the seventh round. Mare made just 10-of-17 field goal attempts with New Orleans last year before a hip injury ended his season early. Ryan Plackemeier returns to handle punting duties. Seattle has Burleson (21.9 kick return avg., 11.3 punt return avg.) slated to return punts and kicks on its depth chart, but with the lack of depth and injuries at the wideout spot, would love for Wilson (27.5 kick return avg.) or Obomanu to steal the job away. Seattle raised some eyebrows went it used a sixth-round pick to draft long snapper Tyler Schmitt.
PROGNOSIS: Seattle didn't necessarily get better in the offseason, but it didn't really need to either. The club should be concerned about the lack of health and capable bodies at the wideout spots, meaning the three-headed dragon at running back needs to take the Seahawks' ground game way beyond where it was at last year. Still, Seattle is very good on the defensive side of the ball, which will help compensate for when the offense is off track. A fifth straight NFC West title seems likely, even with a tougher schedule, and the club would love nothing more than to cap the Holmgren era with a Super Bowl win. That scenario is not out of the question by any means.
<< Former Blazer Duckworth dies
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin
Duckworth died Monday. He was 44.
A member of the Trail Blazers from 1986-93, the 7-footer also played for San
Antonio, Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angele
<< Cards try to shuffle woes vs. Brewers at Busch
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Cardinals are unable to capture the National League
wild card, their inability to defeat the Brewers this season may be to blame.
St. Louis will try to halt a six-game losing streak to Milwaukee tonight in
the
<< Dodgers hoping to get back on track at Nationals' expense
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers were shown no mercy in the City of
Brotherly Love to start their current road trip. The club will try to reverse
its misfortunes when it visits the nation's capital tonight for the first of
three s
<< Astros attempt to maintain mastery of Reds
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros will try to continue their dominant edge
over the National League Central-rival Cincinnati Reds tonight, when both
clubs meet for the first of three straight games at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros
St. Louis Rams 2008 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A rash of injuries last year left the Rams at a bit of a
crossroads this offseason. Did the club need to get better, or just healthier?
St. Louis answered the question by going out and doing both.
The Rams went just 3-13
Arizona Cardinals 2008 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last season didn't go quite as planned for the Arizona
Cardinals and new head coach Ken Whisenhunt. However, due to years of futility
in the desert, a .500 record was still pretty darn good.
Under the guidance and discipli
San Francisco 49ers 2008 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - That last thing that the San Francisco 49ers expected to
have three years after taking Alex Smith first overall in the 2005 draft was
uncertainty at the quarterback position.
Yet, in that short time Smith has fallen out of
Chicago Bears 2008 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears have two divisions: the one they share
with Green Bay, Detroit and Minnesota, and the one between their offense and
defense. It's the second one that kills their chances in the first.
Chicago's defense is
American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies
It's that time of year folks. Betting on American Idol Season 9. And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below. With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.
No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.
Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.
Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.
Odds to Win
There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.
All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.
A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.
Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.
Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol.
Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.
If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.
Elimination Props
Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.
Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.
Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups
The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.
Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
The most popular sports to bet on are NFL and college football along with NBA and NCAA basketball. There are multiple betting opportunities within those sports, beginning with the basic wager on a game’s outcome (also called betting the side). College Football Point spreads are used in both football and basketball in an attempt to even the attractiveness of each team in a match-up. ( See our article detailing how and why point spreads are made)
But you could also simply bet on the money line, or straight-up winner of the game. Oddsmakers use the money line so that more money must be risked on the favorite or expected winner and less money on the underdog to balance the action on both sides. While money line gambling is an attractive option for football and basketball bettors who only care about picking a winner, it is the primary option for those bettors who enjoy wagering on MLB baseball and individual sports like boxing, tennis, golf and racing events such as NASCAR. ( More details on playing the Money Line)
Another bet across all major team sports including football, basketball, baseball, and hockey involves wagering on the amount of scoring in a game, called an Over/Under total. For example, the Over/Under total on Super Bowl XXXIX was 48, which means a bettor could wager whether there would be more or less than 48 points scored by both teams combined in the game.
The final score of Super Bowl XXXIX was 24-21; the scoring of both teams added up to 45, which means the game went Under . So Under bettors won, and Over bettors lost.
Sports gambling doesn’t end there. Betting sides and totals are the most common wagers available everywhere, but many sportsbooks also offer future bets on big upcoming events like who will win next year’s Super Bowl and what movie will win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
The main advantage of futures is that you can get appealing odds by betting far in advance. For example, with NFL futures you often can get much higher odds on a team by betting before the season even starts. A NFL future bet on a team to win the Super Bowl odds might be 20/1 in the preseason; but by midseason, their odds might decrease to 10/1 if they turn out to be legitimate championship contenders.
Involves one individual wager, whether it be on your team to cover the point spread, to win the game straight-up on the money line, or to go over/under the total.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting