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01/26/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For a second straight offseason, football recruiting at the University of Rhode Island may be the toughest job in CAA Football, yet the easiest in the Northeast Conference.
A year ago, URI head coach Joe Trainer and his staff faced having to assemble their first recruiting class since the university announced two summers ago it would leave the CAA to join the smaller NEC for the 2013 season.
The coaches basically had to attract players who would enter college at a higher level of competition than they would leave it. That could have alienated the Rams from some prospects whose aspirations rest with playing on the highest level of the FCS.
Trainer said he didn't sense reservation from last year's incoming players about the impending switch, and after the newcomers showed promise this past season, URI is clearly inching closer toward being a NEC contender from a CAA also-ran.
URI expects to bring in 13 or 14 recruits in a signing class that can be announced Wednesday on National Letter of Intent Day.
"To be candid, we've never beaten Villanova and William & Mary and James Madison and Delaware and those schools for kids anyway," Trainer said. "To me, it really hasn't changed much. You're trying to go and find diamonds in the rough and maybe go into some areas that other people don't necessarily go in there to pick kids.
"I think time with tell. A lot of times my analogy is always recruiting's like marriage - you don't know what you get until you're living it. A lot of those kids are going to be really good players."
The CAA allows for the full 63 scholarships on the FCS level, but URI has to shed some in moving down to the NEC, where 40 will be allowed in 2013. In addition to the athletic grants, NEC programs are allowed to offer need-based aid.
Trainer kept his recruiting class to 12 last year. It produced a gem in gritty junior college transfer Doug Johnson, a linebacker who was second on the team with 79 tackles and first with six sacks and two interceptions. He was named to the All-CAA third team.
Among the freshmen, linebacker Andrew Bose was particularly effective on special teams while winning URI's rookie of the year honors. Running back Assani Mudimbi had his redshirt taken off late in the season and showed promise, while offensive tackle Andrew Kestenbaum and defensive tackle Damen Vargas played well in reserve roles.
"I know personally I take a lot of pride in evaluating players," Trainer said. "You know I think I'm probably a better evaluator than I am a coach. Whatever kids you get, you hope you're doing a better job developing them than some of the big teams you compete against."
URI coaches are targeting offensive and defensive linemen as well as defensive backs as the focus of this year's recruiting class because they are areas of concern due to graduation.
With fewer scholarships, but a chance to have more impact players in the NEC than the CAA, the Rams can be selective in recruiting. As Keith Croft, the veteran head coach of Rhode Island's top-ranked 2011 high school team, Division I state champion Bishop Hendricksen in Warwick, points out, the Rams don't necessarily have to find talent that possibly slipped through the FBS cracks. They can focus on players ready to be performers on the FCS level.
"I think maybe the expectations and the realistic ideas of recruiting may be toned down a little," Croft said.
"I think they're going to be more selective. I think they're probably going to look for some kids that academically will be a little stronger than they've had in the past.
"I think it's a positive. I think the people in Rhode Island, especially the high school coaches, are excited about URI moving to this new league."
Although URI has posted only three winning records in the last 26 seasons - it was 3-8 last season - NEC coaches fully expect the Rams to be a strong program in their conference. The Rams will have an instant rivalry upstate with Bryant University.
The Rams were an original member of the Yankee Conference, now the CAA. In their final season in the conference this fall, they hope to build off their 7-3 home record over the last two seasons, which included victories over CAA stalwarts Delaware and William & Mary last season.
Quarterback Bob Bentsen, a Rhode Island native who threw for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns in a part-time role, will return for his junior season with an improved command of the offense.
The Rams also will return wide receiver Brandon Johnson-Farrell (44 receptions, team leader in all-purpose yards), running back Travis Hurd (team- high 433 rushing yards) and linebacker Dave Zocco (team-high 99 tackles) as well as running back Ayo Isijola, wide receiver Daril Geisser (another member of last year's recruiting class) and defensive lineman Ali Muhammad from injuries.
"I think we're going to know who our top 15 players are, but we'll be trying to find out who that next group of 15 is, knowing you go into every season with probably 30 to 35 players that are in the mix, so to speak," Trainer said.
"Honestly, at this level, teams that win championships in my personal opinion are teams that are developing the kids when they get there, not necessarily recruiting people. You can argue the kid from Towson (running back Terrance West), he was an unheralded recruit and he comes in and has an All-American freshman year. The great players at this level, recruiting isn't an exact science."
If Rhode Island picks the recruits correctly on the CAA level, imagine what they can be in the NEC in future seasons.
<< Bryans reach eighth Aussie doubles final
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The world No. 1 twin Bryan brothers,
Bob and Mike, were come-from-behind semifinal winners Thursday at the
Australian Open.
The Bryans saved a match point and overcame a 2-5 deficit in
<< Nadal beats Federer to reach Aussie final
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two of the all-time greats did
battle in a Grand Slam event once again on Thursday, and once again it was
Rafael Nadal beating his fellow former world No. 1 star Roger Federer, this
time in the Austral
<< Azarenka, Sharapova to clash in Aussie final
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova
will square off in Saturday's women's Australian Open final after they both
survived tense three-set semifinal matches on Thursday.
Azarenka, seeded third, e
<< Sharapova, Azarenka to meet in Aussie finals
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka
will square off in the Australian Open final after they each survived tense
three-set semifinal matches on Thursday.
Azarenka, seeded third, ended Kim Clijs
SEC action pits Gators against Rebels in Oxford >>
Oxford, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 14th-ranked Florida Gators take their act on
the road, as they invade Oxford this evening for an SEC showdown with the Ole
Miss Rebels at the Tad Smith Coliseum.
Billy Donovan's Gators have won three straigh
Top-25 foes collide in Big Ten brawl >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A top-25 showdown is on tap in Madison this
evening, as the 25th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers play host to the 16th-ranked
Indiana Hoosiers in Big Ten action from the Kohl Center.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers were one of t
No.7 Tar Heels take on rival Wolfpack >>
Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Instate rivals collide in ACC action in
Chapel Hill this evening, as the seventh-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
welcome the NC State Wolfpack to the Smith Center.
The Tar Heels were handed their worst loss
Cavs and Eagles meet in ACC affair >>
Charlottesville, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 19th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers will
look to bounce back from its first home loss of the season as they host the
Boston College Eagles for an Atlantic Coast Conference battle at the John Paul
Jones Aren
In any football or basketball game (the main sports that use point spreads) there are two teams playing against each other.
Those teams, though, are rarely exactly evenly matched – meaning that typically one team has a better chance than the other to win the game. If bettors were allowed to bet on who was simply going to win the game, smart ones would obviously bet on the better team (likely winning more than 50% of the time in the process).
If winning were that easy the Las Vegas and online sportsbooks would stop taking any bets! This is where the point spread comes in: the basic function of the point spread is to balance the likelihood of each team “winning” by adjusting the final score by the point spread. After this adjustment is made you get the Against The Spread result (ATS result for short).
Let’s look at Super Bowl XXXIX, New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Most people believed the defending champ Patriots to be the better team – so if betting were simply based upon which team would win the game, an uneven majority of people would have wagered on New England. But, by using the point spread, the bookmakers adjusted the terms of the bet, evening the proposition so about half the people believed the Pats to be the smart bet, while the other half considered Philly to be the smart bet.
New England Patriots -7 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The better team, called the Favorite, is expected to win the game and must “give” or “lay” points to the weaker team. The favorite is listed with a minus sign and the number of points they are favored by (e.g., New England -7)
In the case of our example, New England must not only win the game, but they must win by more than 7 points for Pats bettors to have a winning ATS result. An Eagles bettor wins his bet either if:
There was also the possibility that the final score could land exactly on the spread number (for example, the Pats winning 28-21 when -7), which is called a “push” or “no action” and a refund is then issued to bettors of both teams.
The same game with the same point spread can be considered from the weaker team’s perspective: The Underdog (Philly in the case of our example) is not expected to win the game and online football betting thus receives or “gets” points given by the stronger team. When a game is stated from the underdog’s perspective the team is listed with a plus sign and the number of points they are underdogs by:
Philadelphia Eagles +7 vs. New England Patriots
Keep in mind that Philadelphia +7 and New England -7 is the same point spread on the same game, simply stated differently. The first is from the underdog’s perspective; the later is from the favorite’s.
Not a must, but for some a mathematical approach is insightful. You can determine the ATS winner by either:
Let’s look at the actual result of Super Bowl XXXIX: New England 24 Philadelphia 21
The favorite, New England, won the game but not by more than the point spread they were favored by (7), so the ATS result was a LOSS for Pats bettors.
Looking at it from the underdog’s perspective, Philly did not win the game, but they lost by less than the point spread (7), so the ATS result was a WIN for Eagle bettors.
Mathematically considered, 24 for the favorite Pats minus 7 equals 17, which is less than the 20 the Eagles scored, so the underdog Eagles win the ATS result (or you could figure 20 plus 7 equals 27 for the Eagles, which is more than 24 for the Pats).
Emily’s boyfriend understood the point spread and wagered $100 on the Eagles at +7. The Eagles may not have gotten a Super Bowl ring, but since they won the ATS result Emily’s boyfriend cashed his bet – giving him money to take her out to a nice dinner.
And now hopefully you understand how to read point spreads, putting you one step closer to joining the fun of sports betting.
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting and World Series odds.
Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.
MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts US credit cards needs.
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