Rams make Bradford deal official
Football Betting Lines
07/31/2010 - Earth City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams made it official Saturday and announced they have signed quarterback Sam Bradford, the top overall draft choice in 2010.
While the team did not disclose terms of the deal, the sides reportedly agreed to a six-year deal that is worth a record $50 million in guarantees.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bradford's deal is worth a total of $78 million. The guaranteed money is the most ever for a single contract in league history -- for rookies or veterans.
Bradford, 23, will be counted upon to help a Rams franchise that went a league-worst 1-15 last season. He had been the Oklahoma Sooners' starting quarterback for the last three seasons, despite playing in only three games in 2009 due to an injury to his throwing shoulder.
The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, Bradford helped lead Oklahoma to the National Championship Game that season before falling to Florida. That season, Bradford threw for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns, helping the school break an NCAA record for most points in a 14-game season with 716.
The Rams continued a popular trend of teams selecting a quarterback with the first overall pick. Dating back to the Colts' selection of Peyton Manning leading off the 1998 NFL Draft, quarterbacks have been picked first overall in 10 of 13 drafts. St. Louis last picked first overall in 1997 and took Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace.
The Rams have struggled mightily since "The Greatest Show on Turf," led by quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk, produced two Super Bowl appearances, one title, three MVP winners and three straight top-ranked offensive teams from 1999-2001. St. Louis has posted one winning season in the last eight years and has won a total of six games in the last three campaigns -- the fewest in the NFL in that timeframe.
The club's quarterback for the last eight seasons, Marc Bulger, was released earlier in the offseason, so Bradford figures to be in the mix for the starting position as a rookie. The other three signal-callers currently on the roster are veteran A.J. Feeley, Keith Null and Thaddeus Lewis.
Bethlehem, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Eagles have signed veteran wide receiver Kelley Washington to a one-year contract. Washington caught 34 passes for 431 yards, both career-highs, and a pair of touchdowns last sea
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Umag, Croatia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero and Italian
Potito Starace will contest the final at the clay-court Croatia Open after
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Ferrero, a former world No.
<< New York waives forward Wolyniec
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Wolyniec played in four regular season matches, including two starts, for New
York this season. He also recorded four goals in four Lamar Hunt U
<< Veteran WR Patten announces retirement
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Patten will not play a 13th NFL season in
2010, instead announcing his retirement as a member of the New England
Patriots on Saturday.
Patten played for the Patriots from 2001-04, during which tim
<< Prado has fractured pinky
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Braves second baseman Martin Prado
has a broken right pinky finger and could miss only a week.
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into home plate on Jaso
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shin-Soo Choo went 2-for-5 and hit the go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning, as the Cleveland Indians edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1, in the middle test of a three-game series. The victory snaps Clevel
A's recall Bonser, option Bowers >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics have selected pitcher
Boof Bonser from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned pitcher Cedrick Bowers to
the same club.
Bonser joined the Oakland organization on July 2 after being desi
Sadler earns first truck win at Pocono >>
Long Pond, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Elliott Sadler held off Kasey Kahne during a
second green-white-checkered finish to win the inaugural Pocono Mountains 125
Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway.
Just after the restart for th
N.Y. to reveal third designated player Tuesday >>
Secaucus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York, which recently added French
star Thierry Henry as its second designated player, announced Saturday it will
reveal a third designated player Tuesday at Red Bull Arena.
Juan Pablo Angel and
Royals extend manager Yost through 2012 >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Royals extended manager Ned
Yost's contract through the 2012 season on Saturday.
Yost is in the midst of his first season with the Royals after replacing Trey
Hillman earlier in the year.
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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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
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