Pees tabbed as Ravens defensive coordinator
Football Betting Lines
01/27/2012 - Owings Mills, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Ravens elevated linebackers coach Dean Pees to defensive coordinator on Friday.
Pees takes over for the departed Chuck Pagano, who was named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts earlier this week.
"It's an incredible opportunity to be a defensive coordinator in this league, but it's especially humbling to be one for the Ravens," Pees said. "We've got a great group. It is a unique group, one of the most unique groups I've ever been around. They've got their own style, their own personality. It's not going to change and I'm not going to change it."
The 62-year-old will guide a defense which finished the 2011 season third in the NFL in points allowed (266) and yards allowed per game, also racking up the most sacks (48) in the AFC.
"The tradition of this defense will continue, and it will flourish and it will get even better," Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said.
Pees also coached the linebackers at New England from 2004-05 before taking over the coordinator's position -- which he held until joining the Ravens following the 2009 season. The Patriots' defense allowed less than 20 points per game in every season under Pees' guidance.
Alameda, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Raiders have made it official and named Dennis Allen as their new head coach. According to the club's website, Allen will be introduced at a news conference on Monday. Allen, who spent this p
<< Gnakpa heads to Inverness on loan
Inverness, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Inverness announced Friday that it has
acquired 28-year-old winger Claude Gnakpa on loan from League One side Walsall
until the end of the season.
Gnakpa, who can also play at left back, has also featu
<< Hughes completes Dons move
Aberdeen, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aberdeen completed the signing of
Stephen Hughes on Friday after the midfielder departed from Scottish Premier
League rivals Motherwell.
Hughes put pen to paper on a contract that will keep h
<< Werder Bremen lands Junuzovic
Bremen, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Werder Bremen announced Friday that it has
signed Austrian midfielder Zlatko Junuzovic from FK Austria Vienna on a three-
and-a-half-year deal.
Junuzovic, 24, will undergo a medical on Monday before being
<< A legend is laid to rest
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Few college coaches embody an entire
university and everything that the program, school and community as a whole
stands for. Like Paul "Bear" Bryant in Tuscaloosa and Knute Rockne in South
Bend, Happy Valley
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Devin Thomas always believed he'd be an impact player in the National Football League, albeit with another team and in a far different role than the one he currently occupies with the New York Giants. Four years ago, the p
Brady's promise weighs about seven pounds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After what Tom Brady thought would be a private moment with
owner Robert Kraft became public, the world is now aware that the New England
Patriots quarterback vows to play better in Super Bowl XLVI.
Brady admitted on the c
Larranaga receives three-year extension >>
Coral Gables, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami-Florida men's basketball coach Jim
Larranaga has agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep him
with the Hurricanes through the 2018-19 season.
Larranaga is in his first year with
Western Carolina to face Marshall, Alabama in 2012 >>
Cullowhee, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Speir's first season as Western
Carolina's head football coach will include games against FBS opponents
Marshall and Alabama.
Western Carolina also will play five home games in a schedule announced
Frid
Ruler On Ice targets Donn Handicap >>
Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Breeders' Cup Classic third-place
finisher Ruler On Ice is on target to begin his 2012 racing campaign in next
month's 1 1/8-mile Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. The four-year-old has
been tr
Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa
Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.
Should be in:
Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?
Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.
Work left to do:
Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.
Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.
Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.
Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.