Steelers agree to five-year deal with Pouncey

Football Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - Latrobe, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to terms on a five-year deal with first round draft choice Maurkice Pouncey. He is expected to be with the team for its' first official practice on Saturday.

Financial details of the deal were not released.

The 6-foot-4, 304-pound Pouncey was the 18th overall selection in the 2010 draft and was the first center tabbed in the first round by the Steelers since they took Mike Basrak in 1937.

He was the first Florida player to win the Rimington Trophy, given each year to the best college center, last season after not drawing a penalty or allowing a sack or a quarterback pressure during any of the Gators' 919 offensive snaps.

Pouncey started 39 of the 41 games he played in during his three years in Gainesville and was part of the 2008 national championship squad.

Diamondclubcasnio Football Betting News

<< A's activate Anderson, disable Bailey
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics made several moves on Friday, among them reinstating pitcher Brett Anderson from the 15-day disabled list and placing pitcher Andrew Bailey on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 21.

<< Fisher flirts with 59, takes Irish Open lead
Killarney, Ireland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ross Fisher fired a 10-under 61 on Friday to grab sole possession of first place after the second round of the Irish Open. Fisher finished 36 holes at 12-under 130 and is three strokes cl

<< Vikings come to terms with RB Gerhart
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly signed running back Toby Gerhart. The Star Tribune revealed Friday that Gerhart, the 51st overall draft pick back in April, was given a four-year, $3.767 mill

<< German midfielder Khedira joins Real Madrid
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid agreed to a transfer for Germany midfielder Sami Khedira from Stuttgart on Friday. The 23-year-old will sign a five-year contract after undergoing a physical in Madrid. Khedira emerged in the re

<< NL Central: Pirates' purge won't be like years past
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The final few days of July are almost always antsy ones for veteran players of the Pittsburgh Pirates, not to mention an absolute nightmare for the organization's media relations staff, equipment managers and clubhouse attend

Zambrano rejoins Cubs >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs have reinstated pitcher Carlos Zambrano from the restricted list prior to Friday's road game against the Rockies. The right-hander's placement on the restricted list stemmed from a du

Redskins' Haynesworth held out of practice again >>
Ashburn, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was held out of practice for a second straight day Friday after again failing to pass his conditioning test. Haynesworth was held out of the R

Senators re-sign D Campoli >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators have re-signed defenseman Chris Campoli to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday. Campoli, 25, appeared in 67 games for the Senators last season, collecting four goals and 18

Hat Trick: Jets bring back Coles for third time >>
Florham Park, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Jets and wideout Laveranues Coles have renewed relations. The Jets' Twitter page on Friday revealed the signing, and while terms have yet to be released, the New York Post repo

Cowboys' WR Bryant injured >>
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant suffered an apparent right ankle injury during Friday's practice. Bryant was helped off the field after colliding with a defender toward the end of the se

Horse Betting

(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.