Isiah nixes Knicks? Not so fast

Basketball Betting Lines

08/12/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Isiah Thomas' status in New York is all about semantics now.

Consultant or not, it's clear Thomas still has the ear of Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan, a scary thought for Knicks fans who regard the former All-Star guard as a pariah who ruined their favorite franchise in the 4 1/2 years he was the team's basketball chief.

A controversial reunion between Thomas and the Knicks that stunned Gotham was spiked by NBA commissioner David Stern on Wednesday.

On the surface Stern was concerned about a possible conflict of interest since Zeke is still the head coach at Florida International University, but you can't help feeling the commish was throwing Dolan a life raft, trying to save the Knicks owner from himself.

Thomas was allowed to bow out gracefully, releasing a statement that he was declining the consultant position because of possible red tape. NBA bylaws state that league personnel are forbidden from having contact with players who aren't eligible for the draft.

"After speaking with commissioner (David) Stern and Knicks executives, it has become apparent that my new agreement violates certain NBA bylaws," Thomas said. "Because of this, I have decided to rescind my contract with the team."

Now let's be honest, FIU is not exactly Kentucky or Duke and with Thomas at the helm likely never will be. But, by pointing to his involvement with underclassman not eligible for the upcoming draft, Stern was able to nix the deal that the Knicks announced last Friday.

"We have been informed by the Knicks that Isiah Thomas has rescinded his consulting agreement with the team," Stern said in a statement. "As a result, it is not necessary for the league to take any formal action on the proposed arrangement. However, we have reminded the Knicks of NBA rules that prohibit team personnel, including consultants, from having contact with players not eligible for the draft."

New York fans are probably at the florist in droves today firing off thank you bouquets to Stern but they best be wary. This ruling only buys Dolan time to come to his senses, something he has shown no penchant for in the past.

In fact, Dolan has already informed us all that Isiah will always have "strong ties" to him.

"Although I'm disappointed that Isiah will not be working with the Knicks as a consultant, I continue to believe in his basketball knowledge, including his ability to judge talent," Dolan said. "He's a good friend of mine and of the organization and I will continue to solicit his views. He will always have strong ties to me and the team."

And let's be honest, Thomas had already been working as a consultant to the team. Remember, it was Thomas who "helped" the Knicks during free agency when he, not current president Donnie Walsh, was dispatched to Ohio to speak with LeBron James' camp, and Walsh was actually forced to single out Thomas during a press conference to announce the signing of Amare Stoudemire.

With Stern's blessing or not it's conceivable Dolan and Thomas have already agreed to a wink-wink deal and Isiah will put the wheels in motion to leave FIU, while Dolan figures out a way to gracefully push Walsh out the door.

It's certainly clear Thomas would like a second chance to clean up the mess he created when he was team president from December 2003 through April 2008.

"One of the biggest regrets of my life is that the Knicks didn't perform up to the standards the fans had every right to expect while I was in charge," Thomas said. "I take full responsibility for that."

"Consultant" is just a job title. With or without it, Dolan will find a way to keep Thomas involved with the Knicks. Stern simply can't legislate taking advice from a friend and he certainly can't force Dolan to make prudent decisions.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

MySportsbook.com refunds all bets on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay from NFL week one.

(September 14) – Week one of NFL action saw three teams go scoreless for the first time since 1977.  Another four were unable to get a touchdown and almost half of the underdogs covered the spread. Those three teams saved bettors at MySportsbook.com from losing out completely, thanks to the company’s unique NFL Shutout Rule -- which ensures that if the team you backed goes scoreless, your wager is refunded.

Sportsbook refunded tens of thousands of dollars to customers who bet on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay, the three teams that stunk up the field so badly that their fans and backers never had a chance to get up from their couches and cheer.  In the spirit of the low scoring start to the season, odds makers at the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino have set odds on how many total shutouts there will be this season. 

MySportsbook.com has posted updated sports betting lines for week two of the season.  Ben Roethlisberger’s health status is still questionable, so Willie Parker will try to lead Pittsburgh again as they travel to Jacksonville as a one point favorite.  After beating up on his little brother last week, Peyton Manning will look to lead the Colts to victory against Houston. Indianapolis is a whopping 13.5 favorite in the match-up.

Seattle, last year’s highest scoring team, showed the power of their defense with their gritty 9-6 win in Motown over the ravenous Lions.  They take their act back home to the comforts of Qwest Field where they will face the resurgent Arizona Cardinals.  The Seahawks are favored by a touchdown. 

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