American Sports Thread

[Minder]

On another note, people from omagh have been called Biffos before.

Well that's just piggybacking, we are the BIFFOS.

I was a season ticket holder with the Cardinals. How's that for dedication

Although it had it's benefits. At least I got to see the last ever TD pass from Steve Young to Jerry Rice, just before Aneas Williams gave Young his final and decisive concussion. It was a Monday night game at Sun Devil Stadium.

Is that the game where Lawrence Phillips looked like Barry Sanders for the Niners,i think he is in the clink now, that was probably the start of a downward spiral for them they finished 4-12 that year i think.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Pictures from the parade yesterday







That's the police bagpipe band.  You can see all the stuff flying around the air too.



The first three players that came by, I'm not even sure who they are.



Amani and others!



Tom, Eli, Strahan, and the mayor with the trophy!  :d





Steve Tisch, one of the owners.



Antonio!

[Minder]

Saw a good bit of coverage on NFL Access, when Eli was in the locker room after the game Peyton came in to congratulate him and they were talking about the blitzing packages and safety cover the Pats had on that last drive, i think most other players would have been lying with a cigar and a bottle of champagne......

[magickingdom]

great pictures gab, thanks for that...

[Puckoon]

NevadaSports books took 'super' bath
RAY HAGAR
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 2/6/2008

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Super Bowl betting
Amount bet in Nevada sports books
2008: $92 million
2007: $93.1 million
2006: $94.5 million
2005: $90.8 million
2004: $81.2 million
2003: $71.7 million
2002: $71.5 million
How the sports books did
2008: Lost $2.57 million
2007: Won $12.9 million
2006: Won $8.8 million
Largest win: $15.4 million, 2005
Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board



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Nevada sports books and casinos lost a record $2.57 million on Super Bowl bets, according to statistics released Tuesday by the State Gaming Control Board.

The 17-14 victory by the underdog New York Giants over the heavily favored New England Patriots was just the second time Nevada books lost money on the Super Bowl since the Gaming Control Board started tracking Super Bowl bets in 1992, GCB analyst Frank Streshley said. In 1995, the state lost $400,000 when the San Francisco 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers, 49-26.

"It was a very difficult day," said Kenny White, chief

operating officer for the Las Vegas Sports Consultants, a group of bookmakers who set Nevada's betting line.

Many bookmakers were unfazed by the record losses as Super Bowl winners probably stayed in Nevada casinos and used their winnings to play other games, White said.

"We lost $2.5 million, but with the game ending at 7:30, I can guarantee you that the casino handle that night was probably better than any other Sunday of the year," White said.

"This is not going to close us up," said Chris Andrews of Leroy's Race & Sports Book, which has more than 60 outlets across Nevada. "I am certain that there are weekends over the course of the season that the collective books of Nevada lost more than that."

The Giants' late touchdown drive that included one of the most spectacular catches in Super Bowl history cost the state dearly, White said.

"If the Pats get the ball back and win the game 14-10, I think the state wins about $15 million," White said. "So that is a $17.5 million swing."

Many bookmakers hoped that the matchup of teams from two large Eastern television markets would attract $100 million for the first time. But the handle of $92 million was the smallest since $90 million in 1995.

Some bookmakers blamed the nation's economy.

"I don't have a good answer for that," Andrews said. "I can tell you that our business was pretty strong. It might have been that just a couple of heavy hitters at a couple of locations that showed up last year didn't show up this year. That is very possible because that is how (handle) records get set."

White said Las Vegas sports books lacked that Super Bowl buzz of prior years in the days leading up to the game.

"I think it was the economy, because most of the people that I talked to felt that it was a little slow compared to last year," he said. "Friday was a dead day for a lot of the casinos in town (Las Vegas). That was surprising because it is usually very, very lively on Fridays. And Saturday, it was more like a regular NFL day where we had a pretty good house but nothing spectacular."

Money-line bets (picking only a winner) and the 14- to 12-point spread were the keys to the heavy losses, Streshley said.

"I was told that one out of the 30 people who were betting the money line were betting the Patriots and the other 29 were betting New York," Streshley said. "So a substantial amount of people bet the money line, and going into the game, it was 3½, so if you bet one dollar (on the Giants), you'd win $3.50 versus having to put own $4 on the Patriots to win $1.

"Plus, the opening line started at 14 and immediately went to 12½ so initially, that tells you right there that people were betting on the Giants."

Many people bet with their hearts and many despised the Patriots, who sought to become the second NFL team in history to be undefeated, bookmakers said.

"Almost everybody that walked up to the window seemed to be betting the money line and the Giants," White said. "And that is the main area where the books lost. The totals were very good and the props (proposition bets) were excellent and the futures ended up being very good."

"But the main thing is that people really had a dislike for the Patriots for some reason," White said. "That surprised me. I thought that they would be rooting for history, but that was not the case."


From the Reno Gazette Journal

[Gabriel_Hurl]

serves the feckers right

[magickingdom]

would have thought they'd have lost a lot more than $2.5m....

[Puckoon]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3240117

Zednik in stable condition after having surgery on cut neck
ESPN.com news services

Updated: February 11, 2008, 7:20 PM ET
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Zednik Cut by Skate in Panthers LossBUFFALO, N.Y. -- Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik underwent surgery to close a deep gash on the right side of his neck and was in stable condition Sunday night after he was cut by a teammate's skate during a game.

"The surgery was successful and he's resting comfortably in the hospital," Panthers spokesman Brian Goldman said.

Blood gushed from Zednik's neck after he was hurt midway through the third period of Buffalo's 5-3 victory, creating a frightening moment that delayed the game for about 15 minutes. There was also a brief discussion about postponing the game altogether.

Zednik was behind the play and skating into the right corner of the Sabres' zone, when teammate Olli Jokinen was upended by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell head-first to the ice, and his right leg flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.

Clutching his neck, Zednik raced to the Florida bench, leaving a long trail of blood. When he arrived, he nearly fell into the arms of a team trainer, who quickly applied a towel to the cut. Zednik was then helped off the ice by the trainer and teammate Jassen Cullimore, and escorted to the Panthers' dressing room.

"We shouldn't have finished the game," Jokinen said. "I saw the replay, that it was my skate that hit him in the throat. I think we were all in shock. I've never seen anything like that. There are bigger things than [finishing the game]. It was terrifying.

"I didn't think anyone on our team was thinking hockey out there after an injury like that. If it was my call, I would have gone to the hospital with him."



Panthers spokesman Justin Copertino said Zednik was transported by ambulance to Buffalo General Hospital. Copertino said the team was making arrangements to have Zednik's wife, Jessica, fly from South Florida to Buffalo by a charter flight Sunday night.

The team was scheduled to return to Miami, but assistant general manager Randy Sexton and assistant trainer Dave Zenobi planned to stay behind with Zednik, Copertino said.

• EnlargeAP Photo/Don Heupel
  
  Buffalo defenseman Jaroslav Spacek skates past a trail of blood left when Florida's Richard Zednik hurried off the ice Sunday in Buffalo, N.Y.
  Zednik's injury left players and coaches on both benches stunned, and a silent hush fell over the crowd at HSBC Arena.
  
  NHL vice president Colin Campbell consulted with Sabres general manager Darcy Regier and referee Bill McCreary in a tunnel after Zednik was loaded into an ambulance. Campbell, who was not available for comment, attended the game in part because his son, Gregory, plays for the Panthers.
  
  In a statement, the NHL said that Campbell talked to commissioner Gary Bettman and decided to continue the game after knowing that Zednik was stable, that trainers had stopped the bleeding, and that the teams were willing to go on.
  
  The league said: "The thoughts and prayers of the NHL family are with Richard Zednik, his loved ones, his teammates and the Florida Panthers organization."
  
  "I can fully understand if they wanted to cancel the whole game," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "It was pretty solemn. There wasn't a lot being said [on the bench]. There was just more concern for Richard than anything else.
  
  "When you see something like that, it isn't about playing anymore. But I said, 'We're going to finish the game and it's going to be what it's going to be.'"
  
  As crews scraped the blood from the ice and the surface was cleaned by Zambonis during the extended delay, the public address announcer said: "Richard Zednik is in stable condition and on his way to a Buffalo hospital."
  
  The crowd stood in applause during the announcement.
  
  
  Several Florida players were shaken after seeing the gruesome injury.
  
  "It's something you never want to see," Panthers center Stephen Weiss told The Miami Herald. "It's the worst thing I've ever seen in hockey. The worst went through my mind ... Just his face [when he was] coming off [the ice], was just, you know, something you don't want to see. I don't know how to explain it, but it was a scary look. He looked very scared."
  
  Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun described the situation off the ice.
  
  "I walked in and saw him on the stretcher," Vokoun told The Herald. "I was very concerned when he came off. He was obviously very scared. He was conscious, I guess, that's what the trainer said. His eyes were closed, but he was moving and moaning."
  
  
  Zednik's injury was eerily reminiscent of an injury sustained by Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk about 19 years ago at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. On March 22, 1989, Malarchuk severed his jugular vein when St. Louis Blues forward Steve Tuttle was upended while skating toward the crease, slicing Malarchuk with a skate.
  
  "I was back here watching, and I knew what it was right away," Sabres longtime equipment manager Rip Simonick told The Buffalo News. "Just like that night."
  
  Malarchuk required over 300 stitches but spent only one night in the hospital, returning to practice after four days. On April 2, he played the final five minutes in the season finale, less than two weeks after his injury.
  
  Panthers defenseman Steve Montador recalled seeing Zednik in a state of shock as he got to the bench.
  
  "He looked pale, he was obviously standing and to a degree, coherent. But he didn't look as focused as you or I right now. He was staring at nothing," Montador said. "That's a pretty brave guy to realize what's going on: Grab your neck and get off the ice."
  
  Zednik has 15 goals and 11 assists this season.
  
  It was the second serious injury caused by a skate this weekend.
  
  On Saturday, NHL linesman Pat Dapuzzo needed dozens of stitches to close a cut on his face after he was hit by the skate of Philadelphia Flyers forward Steve Downie in a game against the N ew York Rangers.
  
  Dapuzzo, scheduled to retire at the end of the season, didn't return after the second-period injury.
  
  The Associated Press contributed to this report.
  
  

[DrinkingHarp]

I saw that on espn brutal to look at, the man is very lucky to be alive.

[thejuice]

http://www.nypost.com/video/?channel=PostSportsFeed&clipid=1458_237375&bitrate=300&format=flash

pretty humourous 18-1

[heganboy]

Any thoughts on the Clemens affair.

To my mind he's ties himself in knots. the points below combine to swing it for me

• Andy Petit says Clemens said he did it
• he has messed up dates consistently in his story (ies)
• Why would he tell the truth about the other 59 names and then just add Clemens his big mate
• Clemens' wife took HGH
• McNamee has the syringes and swabs which he has handed over
• The abscess in his ass is consistent with steroid injection - no recorded cases of it happening with b12 ever

I think he's going to have to cop to it, though he seems like he's ready to brass it out...

[Carmen Stateside]

Was working late this week and missed most coverage on it. Clemens lied IMO, Pettites admission plus Clemens wife admitting to taking the growth hormones finally convinced me! Mc Namee though aint no saint, cop turn drug dealer! Why would he keep the syringes etc for so long?

[Puckoon]

Any thoughts on the Clemens affair.

To my mind he's ties himself in knots. the points below combine to swing it for me

• Andy Petit says Clemens said he did it
• he has messed up dates consistently in his story (ies)
• Why would he tell the truth about the other 59 names and then just add Clemens his big mate
• Clemens' wife took HGH
• McNamee has the syringes and swabs which he has handed over
• The abscess in his ass is consistent with steroid injection - no recorded cases of it happening with b12 ever

I think he's going to have to cop to it, though he seems like he's ready to brass it out...

After 60 minutes - I thought he was guilty as sin

After his public press conference on ESPN where he played the taped phone conversation with McNamee - I thought he was innocent

Now I feel like he really believes he didnt do it. He is in denial. Maybe if I say enough times that I didnt do it, then I wont have done it. It looks ridiculous but Ill keep on denying it. My mates did it, my trainer says he gave it to me, my wifes admitted to doing it but Im clean



Oh and I forgot Im as big as a f**king house and what I shouldnt be wearing to court is a suit that highlights my monstrous size.


I enjoyed Clemens lawyer today on McNamees lawyer:


"He needs to stop smoking his own dope"

[Puckoon]

Anyone watch Andy Pettites press conference at Yankee spring camp?

[Declan]

Clemens is as guilty as sin and then hangs his wife out to dry - Classy guy.