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03/08/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 39th annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament will begin on Tuesday, and the Morgan State Bears will look to claim their second straight tournament title. Morgan State, which defeated Norfolk State (83-69) in last season's title game, continued its dominance over league opponents by posting a 15-1 ledger in conference action this year. The Bears have participated in the last two tournament title games, but fell to Coppin State in 2008.
Along with Morgan State, Delaware State, South Carolina State, Norfolk State and Hampton will each enjoy a bye through the opening round of action. Delaware State edged out South Carolina State for the second seed, as the Hornets finished with an 11-5 mark, while the Bulldogs posted a 10-6 ledger. As for Norfolk State, the team was just 11-18 over on the year, but still managed to collect a 9-7 record in league action. The Pirates of Hampton avoided opening round play thanks to the fifth-seed, which was collected with an 8-8 mark on the season. Surprisingly those four teams were the only schools to finish the regular season with winning records in league play. The remainder of the teams in the MEAC will collide on the hardwood in opening round competition.
Tuesday night starts the opening round when the 10th-seeded Florida A&M Rattlers take on seventh-seeded Bethune-Cookman. The Rattlers claimed the MEAC Tournament title back in 2007, but since then the team has combined for just 19 total victories over the past two seasons. Florida A&M finished with just five league wins, but was able to close the regular season with three wins in its last five games. The Wildcats earned the seventh seed in the tournament with a 7-9 ledger in league action. However, down the stretch the team struggled, losing six of its last eight matchups. These two schools closed out the regular season against each other on Florida A&M's homecourt. The Rattlers won the matchup, but earlier in the year, the Wildcats clawed their way past Florida A&M at home.
The second contest on Tuesday will have the ninth-seeded North Carolina A&T Aggies square off against the eighth-seeded Howard Bison. The Aggies have the most MEAC titles amongst the team's currently in the league with 15, but have not claimed the tournament's top prize since 1995. This year the Aggies finished 6-10 in conference action, but closed the regular season with four consecutive losses. As for the Bison, they also finished 6-10 in league play, and finished with just seven victories overall. Howard has claimed this title on three different occasions, but the last time occurred back in 1992. These two schools collided twice on the hardwood, with both matchups favoring Howard, including a 59-49 victory at home back in February.
The third and final opening round game will be played on Wednesday when the 11th-seeded Coppin State Eagles battle the sixth-seeded Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks. The Eagles did not soar high this season, collecting just eight total wins, while finishing with a meager 3-13 ledger in conference action. Coppin State closed its year with five losses in its last six contests. In 2008 the Eagles grabbed the conference title, making it the team's fourth in the MEAC, but grabbing a fifth will be an uphill battle. As for the Hawks, they finished with an 8-8 mark in MEAC action, but dropped two of the last three regular season matchups. UMES has not enjoyed much success in this tournament, posting a meager 11-34 ledger. The season series between the two schools was dominated by the Hawks, who won both meetings in convincing fashion.
Over the past couple of seasons the Bears have been an elite team in this conference, and this year was no different, as Morgan State claimed the top seed by finishing the season with an amazing 15-1 league mark. Last year Morgan State posted a 13-3 league ledger and went on to win the tournament title a year after falling short in the championship contest. Morgan State only lost twice in its last 18 matchups, and enters this tournament as the team to beat. For Morgan State to claim its third MEAC Tournament title the team will need to continue to play at a high level offensively, as the Bears come into this event averaging an impressive 76.9 ppg.
The second seed belongs to Delaware State, which finished the regular season with an 11-5 mark against league foes. The Hornets won five of their last seven games heading into this event with a strong chance to grab their second MEAC Tournament title. The only other time Delaware State reigned supreme in this event was in 2005, but overall the team is a meager 18-37 in tournament play. The Hornets will be successful in this event if they can enforce their style of play on their opponent, as Delaware State clearly feels comfortable playing at a slower pace. The Hornets are only posting 58.3 ppg, but at the same time the team is limiting the opposition to just 58.0 ppg.
The Bulldogs of South Carolina State stumbled down the stretch this season, losing five of their last eight games, but even with the late struggles the team still finished 10-6 in conference action, which was good enough for the third seed. South Carolina State was not overwhelming at either end of the floor this season, averaging just 70.1 ppg, while allowing 70.3 ppg. The Bulldogs have won this event on five different occasions, but the last title came in 2003.
The fourth seed was claimed by Norfolk State, which is only 7-10 all-time in this tournament. The Spartans finished the regular season with a 9-7 conference mark, but it was the team's success down the stretch that vaulted Norfolk State into the quarterfinals. The Spartans won six of their last seven contests, and eight of their last 10, and that run placed the team in the fourth seed. What will likely hurt the Spartans in this event is their play defensively, as Norfolk State is surrendering 75.4 ppg.
The fifth-seeded Hampton Pirates are no stranger to raising the MEAC Tournament trophy, as the team has accomplished the feat three times in the school's history. The last time Hampton was crowned tournament champion was back in 2006. This season was a struggle for the Pirates as the team finished with 17 overall losses. However, the squad picked up its play down the stretch, winning its last five matchups, four of which were league games that pushed Hampton into the fifth slot with an 8-8 mark.
<< Line of Scrimmage: Big Ben, bad choices, and more free agency
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Roethlisberger now has as many sexual
assault allegations on his resume' - two - as he has Super Bowl titles. Wanna
wager which category gets to No. 3 sooner? I'm no gambler, but I bet those
odds would be
<< Mountaineers battle Terriers for SoCon title
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Wofford Terriers make their first-ever
appearance in the title game of the Southern Conference Tournament tonight as
they tangle with the Appalachian State Mountaineers for the right to move on
to the NCAA T
<< Stags and Saints meet in MAAC championship game
Albany, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Siena Saints make their fourth straight
appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship
game as they clash with the Fairfield Stags tonight in familiar surroundings
at Times Union C
<< Gaels and Zags duke it out for West Coast Conference crown
Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - As expected, the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs
and the second-seeded Saint Mary's-CA Gaels will meet this evening in the
championship game of the 2010 West Coast Conference Tournament.
This game is a rematch of
2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Preview >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jackson State has played in the last three
Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship games and the top-
seeded Tigers have a strong chance to reach that point again in the 33rd-
annual SWAC Tou
Mighty Caps host sliding Stars >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals were struggling heading into the
Olympic break but the NHL's point leaders seemed to regain their swagger last
week.
The Caps will shoot for a fourth straight victory tonight, when they host the
Da
Kings try to bounce back against Blue Jackets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings will try to avoid a three-game losing
streak when they host the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Staples
Center.
The Kings won their first game following the Olympic break, pounding Dallas,
5-1
Eagles bring back Avant; Vick next >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Eagles and wide receiver
Jason Avant have agreed to terms on a five-year contract, and it appears as
though the team will pick up the 2010 contract option on quarterback Michael
Vick.
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
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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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