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08/19/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a few weeks time, the importance of NFL training camp will be called into question when Brett Favre starts the regular season under center for the Minnesota Vikings.
At 40 years of age, Favre will get just over three weeks of practice in with his teammates before the start of the 2010 season, and the abbreviated training camp will likely give the legendary quarterback more than enough time to get back into the swing of things.
The Philadelphia Flyers could learn a thing or two from Favre when contemplating the situation concerning their No. 1 defenseman Chris Pronger, who is currently recovering from surgery to his right knee.
Pronger underwent a procedure on July 27 to remove loose bodies from his knee and his recovery time is expected to bleed into the start of training camp. There is also concern that the veteran blueliner will not be ready to play for the defending Eastern Conference champion Flyers when they begin the regular season in Pittsburgh on October 7.
Like Favre, Pronger is a seasoned professional who at this stage of his career needs little time to get prepared for a season. Unlike NFL players, Pronger doesn't even need to study a bulky playbook to get ready for the campaign; he simply needs to be physically fit.
It's no secret that Pronger is an immensely unpopular player amongst NHL fans (unless he suits up for your favorite team, of course), but there are few people who can deny the mammoth defenseman's work ethic and passion for the game of hockey. His current injury and the way he battled through it during the Flyers' run to the Stanley Cup Finals last spring stands as a testament to his determination.
Pronger originally suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston, but the ailment never caused him to miss a game. In fact, Pronger still wound up leading the entire league in ice time during the postseason, averaging just over 29 minutes of action per contest. He even managed to log a whopping 37 minutes and 33 seconds of ice time just six days after hurting the knee.
But, that was the playoffs, the time of the year when players of Pronger's ilk prove what their true value is to an NHL team. There is little doubt that Pronger will do everything in his power to be back for the start of the regular season, but both he and the Flyers know that the former Hart and Norris Trophy winner's overall health is the bigger priority.
"I do not have a time frame. The team knows that," said Pronger last week. "I spoke to the doctor and trainer and it is really just about when my knee feels good and strong again. I don't want to come back early and play a couple of games and then be out of the lineup and then play a few more and be out. I want to come back when the knee is as close to 100 percent as possible so I can play every single game from then on."
The fact that the Flyers have shored up their blueline over the course of this offseason should also be a factor in Pronger taking his time getting back into game shape. Philly acquired Andrej Meszaros and Matt Walker in separate trades with the Tampa Bay Lightning and also signed veteran Sean O'Donnell. That trio, combined with Kimmo Timonen, Matt Carle and Braydon Coburn, could be a solid six-man rotation for the Flyers while the club waits to regain the unique skill set Pronger brings to the ice.
The Flyers should be able to keep their heads above water if Pronger happens to miss the start of the season. After all, unlike the NFL, the regular season in hockey is an 82-game marathon and not a 16-game sprint.
Just as Favre knows the importance of getting on the field in time for the start of the campaign, Pronger has been around long enough to realize that his club can hold on for a couple of weeks before he joins them on their long road to qualify for the playoffs.
It's not an ideal situation for the Flyers and Pronger, but it's also not an issue that should have a big effect on their postseason dreams.
<< Kansas City Chiefs 2010 Season Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In the critically acclaimed but sadly short-lived Starz
comedy series "Party Down," boss Ron Donald and his catering team are
confronted with a pre-banquet choice.
They can take a 20 percent gratuity in advance for the wor
<< Slimmed-down Powe ready to power Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -For six years, everyone else has had their say.Now it's Jerrell Powe's turn.As the Mississippi defensive tackle enters his senior season, he's in the best shape of his life, he's on the verge of earning his degree and he's up for
<< Jets bond in camp after busy offseason of changes
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) -The New York Jets give themselves an ``A'' for chemistry.After a busy offseason in which several popular players were released or traded and plenty of new faces were brought in, the Jets used training camp in SUNY Cortland to bo
<< Kapur in front at Czech Open
Celadna, Czech Republic (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shiv Kapur fired a six-under 66 on
Thursday to take the first-round lead of the Czech Open at Prosper Golf
Resort.
Tano Goya and Peter Hanson are knotted in second place at five-under
Ribery motivated to play larger role for Bayern >>
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga title last
season with star winger Franck Ribery starting less than a third of the games,
and the Frenchman is motivated to play a larger role this season.
Bayern opens the
Rangers add striker Jelavic, winger Weiss >>
Glasgow, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rapid Vienna striker Nikica Jelavic will
join Rangers after the teams reached an agreement on a transfer of the 24-year
old Thursday, when Rangers also signed winger Vladimir Weiss.
Jelavic will finalize
Woods commits to playoffs opener >>
Orlando, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tiger Woods will defend his FedEx Cup title.
The world No. 1 announced on his website Thursday that he will play in The
Barclays next week. The event kicks off the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs for
the top
Nats go deep to down Braves, avoid sweep >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Morse and Willie Harris each homered, as
the Washington Nationals took down the Atlanta Braves, 6-2, to avoid a three-
game sweep at Turner Field.
Ryan Zimmerman, Roger Bernadina, and Ian Desmond ea
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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Two playoff teams from 2007 take center stage on the NFL Network Sunday night in a Week 2 NFL betting match-up when the (0-1) New England Patriots betting head south to Florida for a contest with the (1-0) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New England HC Bill Belichick couldn’t care less about the way his team plays in the preseason. With a chance to tie last week’s game with the Baltimore Ravens betting, He elected to go for the two-point conversion and outright victory. The conversion failed, and the Pats ended up falling to the Ravens by a 16-15 final count.
New England rolled off twelve unanswered points to give it a chance at securing the victory, but it never threatened to cover the 3.5-point spread. NFL bettors saw this one coming, as they bet the Ravens down from +6 to +3.5 as the week progressed. QB Tom Brady didn’t take part in the Patriots first preseason clash, but could see action this weekend.
His three replacements all put up embarrassing numbers. They went a combined 17 for 33, and threw three interceptions and no touchdowns. The New England defense was encouraging, as they held the Ravens to 2/12 third down conversions and surrendered just ten first downs. That ‘D’ should be bolstered with the addition of former Bucs and Denver Broncos betting safety John Lynch, who could make his Patriots debut on Sunday against his former mates.
HC Jon Gruden had to be impressed with the way his Bucs played on both sides of the ball in their dominating 17-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1’s NFL pre-season betting action. Bucs bettors were quite happy with the effort, as they made a mockery of the fact that they were underdogs in the game.
The logjam at the quarterback position didn’t get any easier to separate for Gruden, as all four of his QBs had positive experiences in the first exhibition of 2008. The four combined to complete 28 of their 40 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, and that was without starting QB Jeff Garcia in the lineup.
RB Michael Bennett had 19 carries and four receptions, totaling 90 yards and a touchdown. Expect to see more of Bennett, Kenneth Darby, and Earnest Graham, as they all compete for playing time with Warrick Dunn in the backfield this season. Defensively, the Bucs recorded four sacks and held the Fins offense in check all day.
First round draft pick Aqib Talib was impressive in the secondary, recording a tackle and two pass defenses in his debut. Don’t be surprised to see Talib in the starting lineup opposite Ronde Barber for the Bucs in ’08.
The betting trends suggest that NFL bettors should be backing the Bucs in this intra-conference exhibition.
These two teams hooked up last year in Tampa Bay, with the Bucs winning that game 13-10. The Buccaneers have only lost one preseason game at home dating back to the beginning of the ’05 preseason. The Patriots have had a mixed bag of results in their recent exhibitions. They have gone 2-2 ATS and SU each of the last three years.
New England currently sits as modest 1-point favorites in this preseason showdown with the ‘total’ now sitting at 34.5.
You can find these lines and all of the NFL betting lines , so be sure to login and get your wagers down before kickoff!
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
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