Source: Babby to head Suns basketball operations

Basketball Betting Lines

07/19/2010 -

PHOENIX (AP) -A person with knowledge of the situation says the Phoenix Suns have hired agent Lon Babby to head the team's basketball operations.

The person, who asked not to be identified because the official announcement has not been made, told The Associated Press that Babby will be introduced at a news conference at US Airways Center on Tuesday.

Until his move to the front office, Babby represented the Suns' newly acquired Hedo Turkoglu and is the former agent of Phoenix's other recent addition, Josh Childress.

Babby emerged in recent days as the leading contender in Suns owner Robert Sarver's search for a replacement for general manager Steve Kerr, who stepped down at the end of June and has returned to his previous role of NBA analyst for TNT.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 The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Mlifw Basketball Betting News

<< GM: Trade market quiet for White Sox
SEATTLE (AP) -General manager Kenny Williams says he doesn't see any deals on the horizon for the Chicago White Sox because the current market is limited.Williams spoke in the visiting dugout before Monday night's game at Seattle, 12 days before bas

<< Fish eases into second round in Atlanta
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sixth-seeded Mardy Fish advanced into the second round of the Atlanta Tennis Championships with a straight-set win over Britain's James Ward on Monday. The American, who brings some momentum into the t

<< Clippers agree on deal to bring back Craig Smith
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a contract with free agent forward Craig Smith. Smith averaged 7.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 16.4 minutes of action in 75 games last season for LA while hittin

<< Suns reportedly set to add Babby to front office
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phoenix Suns have called a news conference for Tuesday morning, when it is expected Lon Babby will be named president of basketball operations. Phoenix indicated only that a "major announcem

<< Nowitzki re-signs with Mavs
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nine-time All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki signed his contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. The deal, which is reportedly worth $80 million over four years, allows Nowitzki to remain with the team

Rangers' Nippert takes line drive off head >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers reliever Dustin Nippert was drilled on the side of the head by a line drive off the bat of Austin Jackson during Monday's game versus the Tigers at Comerica Park. The right-hander tried in

Tigers lose 3B Inge for 4-6 weeks with hand fracture >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit's Brandon Inge was hit on the left hand by a pitch in Monday's game versus Texas and suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone. He's expected to miss the next 4-to-6 weeks. Rangers

Pujols, Cardinals charge past Phillies >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Albert Pujols crushed a two-run homer as part of a five-run fifth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame an early deficit to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-4, in the opener of a four-game series

Donnie Murphy homers in ninth to lift Marlins over Rockies >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pinch-hitter Donnie Murphy hit a two-run homer off Huston Street in the bottom of the ninth, as the Florida Marlins edged the Colorado Rockies, 9-8, in the opener of a four-game series at Sun Life Stadium

Seven-run third inning propels Rays to win over O's >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wade Davis threw eight strong innings and was backed by a seven-run third inning, as the Tampa Bay Rays crushed the Baltimore Orioles, 8-1, in the opener of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Davis

Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds  
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.

Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.

Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.

Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.

Arizona 20-1

Butler 20-1

Duke 30-1

Florida 7-2

Georgetown 30-1

Indiana 35-1

Kansas 15-1

Marquette 25-1

Maryland 40-1

Memphis 50-1

Nevada 50-1

UNC 9-2

OSU 8-1

Oregon 30-1

Pittsburgh 15-1

Texas 30-1

Texas A&M 18-1

UCLA 6-1

Wisconsin 10-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.

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.