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.
<< 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
NFL Football Betting Online
The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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Bonds nearly hits HR 751, SF wins
4 and drove in
a pair of runs, and Barry Bonds nearly hit homer No. 751 as San Francisco beat
1, in the middle contest of three at AT&T Park.
6) allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning
eight and walking three.
game slide.
Bonds, who came within five homers of Hank Aaron's record on Friday, went
1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice. The double ...
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