05/14/2008 - Washington, DC (Football Betting) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell may consider "Spygate" over but Senator Arlen Specter continues to push for further investigation.
Specter (R-PA), the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for an independent investigation of the New England Patriots' videotaping practices, similar to the Mitchell Report on performance enhancing drugs, sanctioned by Major League Baseball.
Specter, who has been steadfast in his public criticism of Goodell and the NFL for destroying previous evidence handed over to the league by the Patriots, again lambasted the league's handling of the investigation during a news conference Wednesday after meeting with former Pats video assistant Matt Walsh a day earlier.
"Everybody pooh-poohs it," Specter said of the investigation. "It's ridiculous to make that kind of contention. That sequence is incomprehensible. It's an insult to the intelligence of the people who follow it. They owe the public a lot more candor and a lot more credibility."
Walsh also met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for over three hours on Tuesday to discuss what he knew about the team's videotaping practices.
Walsh sent the NFL eight tapes showing that the team recorded play-calling signals by coaches of five opponents over six games between 2000 and 2002.
However, the tapes did not include video of the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough practice prior to Super Bowl XXXVI, which Walsh had been rumored to possess.
The taping of such signals is in violation of league rules.
After the meeting, the NFL played the tapes Walsh provided. The clips cut from shots of opposing coaches giving signals to the ensuing play and didn't show any new rules violations.
"(Walsh) was responsive and well prepared," Goodell said at a press conference after the meeting. "The fundamental information that Matt provided was consistent with what we disciplined the Patriots for last fall."
Last year, a New England employee was caught videotaping New York Jets coaches during the 2007 season opener.
Pats head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, and the team was fined $250,000 and forfeited its first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft for that indiscretion.
Goodell had suggested that further evidence could lead to additional penalties to both Belichick and the franchise.
Walsh confirmed that saying he had no knowledge of anybody with the Patriots taping the Rams' final walkthrough before the Super Bowl.
"It was clear there was not an overt attack or access to the Rams walkthrough," Goodell said. "No one asked him to tape the walkthrough and he's not aware of anyone else who taped the walkthrough. I don't anticipate any further sanctions. "What we heard and saw was fundamentally consistent with what we already knew."
Meanwhile, the Boston Herald, the original source of the Rams walkthrough story apologized to its readers and the Patriots for shoddy reporting.
The Herald admitted that it neither possessed nor viewed a tape of the Rams' walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI and never spoke to anyone who had.
"We should not have published the allegation in the absence of firmer verification," the newspaper said in a statement on its Web site.
"The Boston Herald regrets the damage done to the team by publication of the allegation, and sincerely apologizes to its readers and to the New England Patriots owners, players, employees and fans for our error." Specter previously met with Goodell in February after raising the possibility of congressional hearings if he wasn't satisfied with the commissioner's handling of the investigation.
Walsh, who is now a golf pro in Hawaii, was fired by the Patriots in January 2003 for allegedly tape-recording a conversation with vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli.
<< Killie inks Russell from Airdrie United
Kilmarnock, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kilmarnock have confirmed the signing
of striker Allan Russell from Airdrie Utd on a two-year contract.
The 27-year-old former St Mirren and Partick Thistle frontman netted 26 goals
in the season j
<< St Mirren begins looking to next year
Paisley, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson has allowed
Alan Reid and Stewart Kean to leave the club, but has signed former Clyde
striker Tom Brighton.
Utility man Reid and striker Kean have not been offered new
<< Freier leaves Leverkusen for Bochum return
Bochum, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Midfielder Paul Freier will return to
former club Bochum in the summer, ending a four-year stint with Bayer
Leverkusen.
The 28-year-old former Germany international has fallen down the peckin
<< Agent says Laudrup will likely leave Getafe
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Getafe coach Michael Laudrup is almost
certain the quit the club this summer, according to his agent, Bayram Tutumlu.
The Dane is wanted by a number of clubs across Europe, with Tutumlu
regi
Pirates place Doumit on DL >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit was placed on the
15-day disabled list on Wednesday with a fractured left thumb.
He injured the thumb in the first inning of Tuesday's 8-4 win in 10 innings
against the Cardinal
Rangers activate OF Byrd from DL >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers activated veteran
outfielder Marlon Byrd from the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday.
Byrd, who was on the shelf with inflammation in his left knee, was batting
just .129 with
Mellanby joins Canucks front office >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former NHL player Scott Mellanby will
join the Vancouver Canucks as a consultant to the general manager and hockey
operations department.
Mellanby, who played 20 years in the NHL with five diff
Angels' Lackey to make first start of season >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher John
Lackey will be activated from the 15-day disabled list and will start
Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox.
Lackey has been sidelined since la
Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.
"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."
Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com
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Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook
Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds. The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.
Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.
Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).
Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.
Adam Dunn 15-1
Albert Pujols 5-1
Alex Rodriguez 12-1
Alfonso Soriano 15-1
Andruw Jones 25-1
Barry Bonds 50-1
Carlos Delgado 40-1
David Ortiz 8-1
Jermaine Dye 40-1
Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1
Lance Berkman 40-1
Manny Ramirez 20-1
Richie Sexson 40-1
Ryan Howard 6-1
Travis Hafner 20-1
Vladimir Guerrero 40-1
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