NBA referee report finds no additional illegal activity
Basketball Betting Lines
10/02/2008 -
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NBA released the results of a review of
the league's embattled officiating program Thursday in the wake of the Tim
Donaghy scandal.
Donaghy, a former NBA referee, received a 15-month prison sentence for his
role in betting on NBA games.
Lawrence B. Pedowitz, a former chief of the Criminal Division in the United
States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, was appointed
by the NBA to review the officiating program and make recommendations.
Following a 14-month investigation, Pedowitz recommended significant changes,
but found no evidence of illegal activity by any referees other than Donaghy.
The 116-page report recommended strengthening the NBA's anti-gambling rules,
improving the enforcement of these rules and creating a "culture of
compliance" among all league and team employees, including through the
reorganization of the management of the referee program and the creation of an
anonymous hotline for gambling information.
The report also said the league should increase monitoring of games for
suspicious activity, and should increase efforts to eliminate the perception
of referee bias by making more information available about the referee program
and increasing access to the referees by fans and media.
"We are very appreciative of the effort by Mr. Pedowitz and his staff
considering the extraordinary nature of the review," NBA commissioner David
Stern said. "Mr. Pedowitz, who together with his team conducted approximately
200 interviews, was given the broadest possible mandate and was provided
unfettered access to our employees, records, data and video library to ensure
the independence and thoroughness of his report.
"We welcome the recommendations from Mr. Pedowitz in areas where we can
improve -- all of which will be adopted, and many of which have already been
adopted, including the hiring of Army Major General (Ret.) Ronald L. Johnson
as the senior vice president, referee operations. These measures are a
beginning, not an end. We know that the NBA's success hinges on the integrity
of our sport and on competition that allows teams to win based on their own
skill and performance. We expect nothing less from our referees than the
highest level of accuracy, professionalism and integrity."
Meanwhile, Stern has also asked Pedowitz to review the new program at the end
of the upcoming season.
"I have asked Mr. Pedowitz to continue his service by reviewing our program at
the end of the season to ensure that it comports with his recommendations and
aspires to the highest levels of integrity."
<< Mets give GM Minaya extension
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets officially signed general
manager Omar Minaya to a three-year contract extension through the 2012 season
on Thursday.
The deal also contains club options for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
<< Phillies slam Sabbathia, take 2-0 lead in NLDS
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Victorino hit a grand slam, and
Brett Myers tossed seven strong innings as Philadelphia downed Milwaukee, 5-2,
in Game 2 of the teams' National League Division Series.
The Phillies took a 2-0 l
<< Bears suspend DT Harris
Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears suspended three-time Pro
Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris for Sunday's road game against the Detroit
Lions for breaking an unspecified team rule.
Harris missed this past Sunday's victo
<< Rays 1B Pena leaves game
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Carlos
Pena left Thursday's 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the
American League Division Series with blurred vision in his left eye.
Pena had appa
<< Colgate-Georgetown football game cancelled
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The football game between the Colgate
Raiders and Georgetown Hoyas scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled.
Due to an outbreak of norovirus on the Georgetown campus, the contest will not
be played.
Rays sting ChiSox in postseason debut >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Evan Longoria finished 3-for-3 with two
home runs and three RBI as Tampa Bay made its postseason debut a winning one,
with a 6-4 triumph over Chicago in Game 1 of the American League Division
Series
Shin leads Samsung World Championship >>
Half Moon Bay, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning Women's British Open champion
Ji-Yai Shin fired a five-under 67 on Thursday to take the first-round lead of
the Samsung World Championship.
Paula Creamer is alone in second place at minus-
Phillies slam Sabathia, take 2-0 lead in NLDS >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Victorino hit a grand slam off
CC Sabathia, and Brett Myers tossed seven strong innings as Philadelphia
downed Milwaukee, 5-2, in Game 2 of the teams' National League Division
Series.
Knicks' Jeffries fractures fibula >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Knicks forward Jared Jeffries will
miss up to two months after fracturing his left fibula during Thursday's
practice.
Jeffries suffered the injury after landing awkwardly and breaking the
No Bull! Pittsburgh downs No. 10 South Florida >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeSean McCoy ran for 142 yards and a pair of
touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 4:43 remaining in the fourth
quarter, boosting Pittsburgh to a 26-21 upset of 10th-ranked South Florida.
McCoy,
Online Sportsbook Football Betting
Colts give the ‘D’ its due
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smith and Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running back Deuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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