Talbot adds heat to Winter Classic

Hockey Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thank goodness the NHL still has a few guys like Max Talbot.

Today's athletes are generally so concerned with image that they are constantly guarding themselves against saying something controversial. If you've watched a lot of post-game NHL interviews, it wouldn't surprise you that hockey players are the most restrained of all the major sports.

So, when Talbot went on a Pittsburgh radio show on Tuesday morning and called Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin a word that is most accurately used to describe a feminine hygiene product, like it or not, I bet it grabbed your attention.

And the fact that the insult was hurled just hours before Talbot represented the Penguins at a Heinz Field press conference to officially announce the Winter Classic contest between the Pens and Caps, makes the gritty Pittsburgh forward a marketing genius.

Some might say that Talbot was simply caught up in the morning zoo atmosphere of the WXDX program, but the timing of the verbal barb can't be a coincidence.

Even though Talbot was somewhat diplomatic and certainly cleaned up the language when asked about Ovechkin at the Heinz Field press conference, it's hard to believe he simply slipped up on the morning show. Talbot was on 105.9 The X to talk about the Winter Classic and about 20 seconds after being asked about Ovechkin, Talbot said "I just hate the guy".

One of the hosts followed up that remark by saying that's why he wanted Talbot on the show and not Sidney Crosby because he knew Sid would have chosen the PC route in answering questions about Ovie. Talbot -- a Stanley Cup hero for Pittsburgh in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit in 2009 -- didn't need to add fire to the already smoldering rivalry between the Caps and Pens, but it seems to be his nature to stir the pot, on and off the ice.

How long this Talbot-created controversy will last is now largely in Ovechkin's hands. If the Russian icon chooses to take Talbot's bait we could be in for the type of offseason war of words that is not a frequent occurrence in the buttoned-up world of the NHL.

My guess is Ovechkin will fire back with some sort of jab regarding the gap in talent between he and Talbot, but you never really know how, or if, Ovie will respond. Like his Penguins detractor, the Capitals sniper is an interesting guy in his own right.

I'm sure Gary Bettman is so happy he could kiss Talbot for his remarks. After all, the commissioner already has a marquee matchup for his league's precious outdoor game and any added interest could only help TV ratings come January 1.

The only problem is that the Pens and Caps won't face each other in the regular season until December 23 in Washington, giving a whole lot of time for the Talbot-Ovie spat to go away. But, rest assured, the media won't forget and we'll be here to remind everyone of Massengill-gate, every chance we get. And don't worry, the fans will join in on the fun as well. In fact, I can already amuse myself by imagining the signs that will be visible at the Verizon Center in late December.

I know the whole thing is childish and possibly even offensive, but covering hockey in the summer can get a bit boring. That is, unless people continue to ask Max Talbot questions about a certain Capitals superstar.

KOVALCHUK SAGA ENTERS LEGAL LIMBO PHASE

Another reason to cheer the Talbot-Ovie story is that the Ilya Kovalchuk free agency saga is getting too boring for words. As if the chase to land the superstar winger could drag on any longer, Kovalchuk's future, at least for the time being, is now for an arbitrator to decide.

The yet-to-be-named arbitrator will determine whether Kovalchuk's contract with the New Jersey Devils, a 17-year, $102 million deal, is valid or if it "deliberately circumvented" the salary cap, as the NHL said it did when it rejected the contract last week.

Since free agency began on July 1, the biggest talent to be had on the open market this summer has been rumored to be heading to Los Angeles, New Jersey and even St. Petersburg (Russia, not Florida). It appeared that the Devils had finally sealed the deal with their offer last week, but the league stepped in and rejected the contract. On Monday, The NHL Players Association filed a grievance on Kovalchuk's behalf, prompting the need for an arbitrator.

Now, all we can do is wait for the union and the league to agree on an arbitrator. After one is selected, the arbitrator will have 48 hours to decide on the validity of the contract.

No matter which way the arbitrator rules, it is seeming like more of a sure thing that the Devils are going to land Kovalchuk. After all, they've already done the hard part and worked out a deal that made both sides happy. If the arbitrator says the deal is valid, then Kovalchuk will head back to Newark, where he played the end of last season following a trade with Atlanta. However, if arbitration winds up favoring the league on this situation, there still should be no reason the Devils and Kovalchuk can't tweak the deal a bit and make it work.

Hopefully, this marks the final phase of Kovalchuk's search for a long-term destination. If not, I guess hockey enthusiasts will go back to what we've all been doing since July 1, waiting for one of the NHL's most talented scorers to finally make up his mind.

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MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?

Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite.  Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight.  With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites.  As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).

Midwest

#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler

The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April.  Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT.  After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games.  Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season.  As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers.  Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS).  Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field.  With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.

#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV

As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year.  If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season.  As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well.  This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons.  Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late.  There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games.  It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.

East

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown

“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season.  Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU.  They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games.  With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field.  Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense.  Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc.  The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range.  Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.

#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC

The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country.  Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times.  Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter.  UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen.  UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS.  An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games.  This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS.  USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types.  An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough.  USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS.  They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12.  When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

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