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02/09/2007 -
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -Tim Connolly is free of his headaches, but not of some questions.
The Buffalo Sabres center still couldn't say Friday when he would be ready to return after sustaining the second serious concussion of his career 10 months ago.
``There's no set date. There's no timeline,'' Connolly said after taking part in his fourth practice this week since being cleared to skate with his teammates. ``I'm not going to speculate about that right now. I just come in each day knowing what I have to do and work as hard as I can to get through.''
What mattered most to Connolly is that he made it through another session free of the debilitating headaches that have sidelined him since he was hurt in Game 2 of Buffalo's second-round playoff series against Ottawa last May.
``I feel pretty good,'' Connolly said smiling through a sheen of sweat that covered his face after the 90-minute session in which he was the second-to-last player off the ice.
Still not allowed to take part in contact drills, Connolly showed he had not lost some of his shooting touch, twice banging slap shots off the post.
With his head clear, a neck and jaw problem also corrected and his rusty skills beginning to re-emerge, Connolly's final test is getting his body in shape after being stagnant - he didn't start working out until about six weeks ago - for an extended period.
``It was up there but it's coming off quickly,'' Connolly said, referring to his body weight. ``It's going to be a long process and a lot of hard work, but I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge.''
Coach Lindy Ruff said it's possible Connolly could be back within two months, just in time for the playoffs. But Ruff cautioned that he's not going to rush him back.
The Sabres are taking a cautious approach in part because the six-year NHL veteran missed the entire 2003-04 season after sustaining a concussion during a preseason game.
Connolly's potential return, however, would provide the Eastern Conference-leading Sabres a big boost.
He's a play-making center, who was enjoying a breakout year last season, his fourth in Buffalo after the team acquired him in a deal that sent former captain Michael Peca to the New York Islanders.
Despite missing 19 games with a knee injury, Connolly finished fifth on the Sabres with 16 goals and 39 assists in 63 regular-season games. He had five goals and six assists in eight playoff games before he was hurt, caught skating through the middle with his head down when he failed to avoid a clean check by Ottawa's Peter Schaefer.
Although the injury was severe, it didn't stop the Sabres from re-signing Connolly to a three-year $8.7 million contract in July. The prognosis at the time was Connolly would potentially miss the start of training camp.
Connolly, however, was still experiencing headaches in December, which raised fears that he would miss the entire season.
The initial breakthrough came when doctors discovered Connolly had a degenerative protruding disk in his upper back that was affecting his neck and potentially contributing to his headaches. Doctors also corrected a jaw joint that prevented him from closing his mouth.
Connolly then began a series of light workouts at the University at Buffalo as part of the school's newly introduced post-concussion rehab program.
The combination of treatments led to Connolly receiving clearance to skate on his own earlier this month.
``I knew I'd eventually be here. But I didn't know it would take this long,'' Connolly said. ``It's kind of been frustrating not to be out there.''
His teammates were happy to see him back practicing.
``It's very encouraging,'' co-captain Daniel Briere said. ``The first thing we want for Tim is to get back to living a normal life. After that, if he can come back and play, it's a big plus.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Park and Mets reach deal
NEW YORK (AP) -Chan Ho Park is joining the expanding list of pitchers trying to earn spots in the New York Mets' rotation.Park and the Mets agreed Friday to a $600,000, one-year contract, giving the team another option for its starting rotation head
<< Park and Mets near deal
NEW YORK (AP) -Chan Ho Park is joining the expanding list of pitchers trying to earn spots in the New York Mets' rotation.Park and the Mets reached a preliminary agreement on a $600,000, one-year contract, giving the team another option for its star
<< Wizards seek to downplay hype as Arenas aims for 50-point game against Portland
WASHINGTON (AP) -Perhaps the Washington Wizards are showing the effects of a little too much Gilbertology. Two days before what Gilbert Arenas has proclaimed will be his next 50-point game, no one wanted to say much about it.``I'm not going to comme
<< Fassero retires after 16 major league seasons
Jeff Fassero is retiring from baseball after winning 121 games over 16 major league seasons.The 44-year-old lefty, cut by the San Francisco Giants in May, worked out for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Feb. 2.``I thought I threw really well. I guess they
Old Dominion hires Maine assistant Wilder as coach >>
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -Former University of Maine associate head coach Bobby Wilder was hired as the second football coach ever at Old Dominion, which will field a team in 2009 for the first time since 1940.Wilder will be introduced to the media Monday
Hurricanes recall Bayda from Albany >>
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -The Carolina Hurricanes recalled left wing Ryan Bayda on Friday to replace winger Cory Stillman, who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.Stillman left during the second period of Carolina's 2-1 win Tuesday over the M
Nash misses second game with sore shoulder >>
PHOENIX (AP) -All-Star Steve Nash sat out the Suns' game against Atlanta because of a sore right shoulder.It was the second game in a row that the league's two-time defending MVP was sidelined. He missed Tuesday's overtime victory at Portland and sa
Lightning-Rangers, Sums >>
Tampa Bay 0 0 0-0N.Y. Rangers 2 2 1-5First Period-1, N.Y. Rangers, Orr 1 (Tyutin, Betts), 4:28. 2, N.Y. Rangers, Hossa 4 (Rozsival, Straka), 11:32. Penalty-Shanahan, NYR (hooking), 13:24.Second Period-3, N.Y. Rangers, Hollweg 1 (Jagr), 8:28
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds
With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season. What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season. Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all. Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13). Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two. Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury. Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven. Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury. Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.
In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons. Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4. Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1). The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this. No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.
Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend. Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend. With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.
MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:
Atlanta Hawks 1000-1
Boston Celtics 5000-1
Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1
Chicago Bulls 20-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1
Dallas Mavericks 2-1
Denver Nuggets 25-1
Detroit Pistons 6-1
Golden State Warriors 250-1
Houston Rockets 12-1
Indiana Pacers 60-1
Los Angeles Clippers 45-1
Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1
Miami Heat 9-1
Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1
Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1
New Jersey Nets 50-1
New Orleans Hornets 150-1
New York Knicks 150-1
Orlando Magic 75-1
Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1
Phoenix Suns 5-2
Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1
Sacramento Kings 250-1
San Antonio Spurs 9-1
Seattle Sonics 5000-1
Toronto Raptors 35-1
Utah Jazz 20-1
Washington Wizards 25-1
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MySportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best online Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.
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