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Most can't separate Penn State scandal, JoePa's legacyNCAA Football Betting Lines01/23/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The thing about the water cooler is no one is wrong there. For some of us, it's still where we go for opinions - mostly to give ours, of course, but that doesn't mean our co-worker's thoughts are less valid. Sure, in today's world the information is always there at our fingertips as the internet seemingly gives us the news before it even happens. But there's nothing like banter with others. And few topics elicit such strong feelings as the scandal that has rocked Penn State over the last three months. Joe Paterno's passing from lung cancer at age 85 on Sunday is everywhere, of course. It's the sad, numbing ending to the firestorm that surrounded the final months of his life, and the Jerry Sandusky case continues to leave us all unsure of how to view JoePa's life and career. One writer, astutely, pointed out how complicated it is to write an obituary for Paterno. JoePa is the man who won a Division I record 409 games, helped make Penn State what it is today - a great, proud university - through his 46 years as head coach and six-plus decades on the job in State College, Pa. His players graduated with regularity and so many of his actions represented the values we aspire for in life. Knowing that about Paterno, the knee-jerk reaction in his death is that one can't let the last three months overshadow his devoted career at Penn State. But is that too naive? Can Paterno be separated from Sandusky, the former assistant coach who faces more than 50 counts of charges related to sexually abusing young boys? Even Paterno admitted during the scandal's fallout that he wished he had done more when presented with information on Sandusky's alleged acts. The headlines in the last day are both telling and varied: "Joe Paterno's legacy forever tainted." "Joe Paterno's death shouldn't turn him into Sandusky case's martyr." "Joe Paterno: A legend lost, a legacy lives." "What is Joe Paterno's legacy?" It's dizzying. That's why talking to others lets us empty our souls. The therapy at the water cooler remains second to none even while our world changes. One by one, they stepped up today, colleagues with strong feelings. It seems everybody longs to separate JoePa from the events of the last three months, but, even as we mourn him, it's impossible. "The fact that he seemed inept, ill-prepared and ultimately unable to handle the abuse issues makes me wonder if he was still qualified to be in such a position," one colleague voiced. "If it was about more than football to him - education, shaping human beings, etc. - I can't imagine a greater situation where he needed to step up as opposed to looking clueless. In my opinion, pleading ignorance is not a free pass here. "Ultimately all of the horrible things associated with the abuse scandal happened at his "house" and under his watch. I'm sure he was a human being with a great heart and a good soul, but there is no way you can overlook what ultimately happened." "He should have done more," another person said. "Any human being would have done more. To say you passed the buck to your superiors is actually insulting. If we are to believe that he was this God-like figure out there, how can what he did after finding out be considered acceptable? Keep in mind when all this was going on, he wasn't the old man he was at the time of his death. He still had all his faculties about him. ... His legacy will be that he put Penn State football above everything else, including the safety of those boys." Others have a little more compassion in their words, no doubt still filled with that numbing feeling that doesn't escape us all. "The last couple of months are the freshest things in our memories," one person said, "but he was still a great man, who, unfortunately, made some mistakes when it came to Sandusky. Let's not forget that Sandusky is the actual villain here ... and not Joe. It was popular to pile on Joe in November, but now it is time to admit that there will never be another one like him." "Simply stated, Paterno put Penn State on the map and is the owner of a record that isn't likely to be touched any time soon," another person said. "For that reason he should always be held up as legendary figure in college football. The events of the past few months - as horrible as they might be - should not be the lasting image that people have of the man. During his lengthy tenure at Penn State, Paterno has always been the embodiment of class and dignity, and that shouldn't change because of the despicable acts of another individual. I have always found it comical when a player gets in trouble for something off the field and the coach is the one who ends up bearing part of the blame. Just because the coach is the face of the school doesn't mean that he can be responsible for the actions of everyone associated with it. In hindsight, Paterno might have done things differently when first presented with the information, but this one mistake shouldn't wipe out four decades of unparalleled success and service to the school." Penn State alums, not surprisingly, are particularly conflicted, having seen Paterno's down-to-earth greatness up close, and no doubt still wanting to believe he never could be involved in such a scandal. "The first time I even went to main campus, I was taken on a tour of the surroundings and found it all amazing, and so grown up," one alum said. "All of sudden, my friend and I are strolling through the campus and walking directly in front of us is Joe Paterno. He stopped and shook our hands and even discussed our school work. We asked him a question about the game that weekend and he answered with no problem. He was so approachable if you saw him on campus." "His legacy will be restored a little bit," said another passionate alum. "But, yes, as a former student it stinks to know what happened." "I think we'd be a little shortsighted just to remember Joe Paterno for the revelations of the past few months," another alum said. "Did he make a horrific mistake? And I am not sure 'mistake' is even the right word. Yes, he did. To what length or what reason that mistake was made, we may never know fully, though knowing the man's reputation from before the scandal broke, solely making that mistake just to preserve football wins seems a big stretch for me. But, in the end he did, still is, and always will pay the price for that. And don't mistake what I mean, he deserved to lose his job over it. But Paterno also did so much good with his life, he donated so much money back to the university and other charities, he helped countless others through his stature and position in life to lead better lives of their own, and not just football players, and he helped educate a lot of young men who may well never have had a chance to get that education. To ignore all that and just focus on the recent stuff wouldn't do him justice." We may all remember Joe Paterno a little differently - some more fondly that others - but no matter who you talk to, it just seems what he did for six decades at Penn State can't be separated from what we have learned in the last three months. It's sad, painful, inescapable.
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Super Bowl 2009 BettingSuper Bowl 2009 Betting propositionsUnderdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder. Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while. Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books. If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl. Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX. By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI. In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite. So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs. While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl. There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog. In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl: SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots. XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired. XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers. Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard 2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year. Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.” “ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.” MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards: Odds to win the Achievement in Directing: Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1 Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17 Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1 Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1 Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1 Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1 Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1 Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5 Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1 Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11 Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1 Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1 Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50 Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1 Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1 Best Animated Feature Film: "Cars": 1/3 "Happy Feet": 2/1 "Monster House": 20/1 Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year: "Water" – Canada: 22/1 "The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2 "After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1 "Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1 "Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10 Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film: "Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5 "Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2 "Helmer & Son": 5/2 "The Saviour": 6/1 "West Bank Story": 7/2 Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay: "Babel": 7/4 "Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1 "Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20 "Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4 "The Queen": 5/4 Best Motion Picture of the Year: "Babel": 11/4 "The Departed": 1/2 "Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2 "Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10 "The Queen": 20/1 Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10 Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1 Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1 Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5 Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1 Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1 Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1 Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1 Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8 Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1 Film To Win Most Oscars: Dreamgirls: 2/3 Pans Labyrinth: 6/5 The Departed: 6/1 The Queen: 11/1 Babel: 15/1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1 Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1 Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards. |
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