Penguins PA announcer Barbero dies

Hockey Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Penguins' longtime public address announcer John Barbero passed away Monday evening at the age of 65.

Barbero had been battling a brain tumor since February 2009.

"On behalf of the entire Penguins organization, I want to express our deepest sympathy to John's family," said team owner and former team superstar Mario Lemieux. "John was one of a kind, a true professional, and he always will be remembered as a member of the Penguins family. He will be missed."

Barbero worked 36 seasons for the team, starting in 1972-73, which included all three Stanley Cup championship campaigns. His final game was Game 6 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit, when the Penguins won the last of their three titles.

Casino-online-betting Hockey Betting News

<< Reeling Rockies return home to battle Bucs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly-skidding Colorado Rockies welcome another struggling National League team to Coors Field tonight, when they open a three-game midweek series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Colorado, which has lost six straight g

<< Braves get another look at Strasburg
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nationals' Stephen Strasburg hasn't faced many hiccups since reaching the majors, but the 22-year-old phenom wasn't at the top of his game when he first faced the Braves. Strasburg will look for better results tonigh

<< A-Rod continues quest for 600 vs. Indians
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees used the long ball to come through with a win over the Cleveland Indians last night, but none came off the bat of Alex Rodriguez. With their star slugger still stuck on 599 career home runs, the Yankee

<< Lackey returns to Anaheim as Red Sox take on Angels
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Lackey returns to Anaheim for the first time since leaving for Boston as a free agent when the Red Sox continue their three-game set against the Angels this evening. Lackey, who was 49-32 with a 3.72 earned run averag

<< Johnson hopes for record-setting start in Marlins-Giants tilt
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Johnson could put himself into the record books when the Florida Marlins continue their four-game series with the San Francisco Giants this evening at AT&T Park. Johnson has gone 13 straight starts without allowin

Isles avoid arbitration with Moulson >>
Uniondale, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders agreed to a one-year contract with forward Matt Moulson, avoiding an arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday. According to Newsday, the deal is worth $2.45 million. Mo

Prairie View A&M names Wilson head women's basketball coach >>
Prairie View, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prairie View A&M University named Toyelle Wilson the head women's basketball coach on Tuesday. Wilson spent the last four seasons as an assistant with the school, but was promoted when former head

Union acquire midfielder Mapp from Fire >>
Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union acquired midfielder Justin Mapp from the Chicago Fire on Monday in exchange for allocation money. Mapp, 25, is a nine-year veteran of Major League Soccer. He was drafted

Rangers bring in Alexander Frolov >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with free agent forward Alexander Frolov. Terms of the deal were not disclosed for the 28-year-old veteran, who spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Los Angel

U.S. U-20 forward Salgado signs with MLS >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States U-20 forward Omar Salgado signed with Major League Soccer on Monday, and will be eligible for the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Salgado left Mexican club Guadalajara following his decision to play

Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.