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01/31/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The indelible image from the last time the New York Giants and New England Patriots squared off with an NFL title on the line was left by a seldom-used wide receiver who went from obscurity to permanent Super Bowl hero in one life-altering play.
If you thought David Tyree was a great story, folks, wait until you hear that of Victor Cruz.
The second-year receiver's rise from anonymity to record-setting superstar occurred a bit more gradually than Tyree's sudden placement into Giants' lore via his unforgettable "Helmet Catch" that helped Big Blue cut down the seemingly-invincible Patriots in Super Bowl XLII four years ago, but it's a tale no less unlikely or fascinating.
"I wake up every day and just pinch myself and kind of think about how far I have come and all the stuff I have done," Cruz said.
Cruz had already beaten long odds by making New York's roster as a college free agent following an impressive 2010 preseason, but the playmaking 25-year- old defied all logic when he orchestrated the most prolific campaign by a wideout in club history in helping the Giants reach Indianapolis for another championship bout with New England.
It wouldn't be the first time Cruz has been underestimated.
He was one of the star players of a powerhouse program at Paterson Catholic High School, around a 20-minute drive from the Giants' training facilities in Northern New Jersey, yet couldn't draw the attention of major college recruiters despite a 19-touchdown campaign as a senior. Rutgers had mulled offering the then 5-foot-9, 160-pound prospect its final scholarship, but instead decided to give it to Devin McCourty, now a cornerback for the Patriots who ironically may be lining up opposite Cruz in the Super Bowl.
Cruz eventually landed at FCS-level Massachusetts, but made a minimal impact his first two seasons while struggling with both academic and personal issues. He persevered through those tough times to emerge as one of the subdivision's most productive receivers during his final two years with the Minutemen, however, earning a camp invite from the Giants shortly after receiving his degree.
A head-turning performance in the 2010 preseason opener against the rival Jets, in which Cruz scored three touchdowns and racked up 145 yards on six catches, would land the undrafted long shot a spot on the active roster, though both his rookie season and the outset of this one would be spent buried on the depth chart at a position where the Giants were well-stocked with young talent.
Cruz's big break would finally come in this season's second game, when veteran No. 3 receiver Domenik Hixon tore his ACL in a Monday night triumph over St. Louis. And once again, the local boy made good would make the most of the chance.
In his first game as a full-fledged member of the rotation, Cruz hauled in two long touchdown passes from quarterback Eli Manning to help stake New York to a big win at preseason NFC East favorite Philadelphia. He proved it was no fluke with an eight-catch, 161-yard outburst against Seattle two weeks later, and later totaled at least six receptions and 84 yards each time during a terrific six-game stretch from Oct. 30-Dec. 4.
The stylish youngster, who's gained some additional fame for his patented end- zone salsa dances, capped off his unexpectedly superb regular season with a flair as well, amassing 342 yards in huge decisions over the Jets and Dallas that gave the Giants the NFC East crown. His 99-yard score late in the first half versus the Jets may have been the team's most important play of the year, as the Giants were trailing their fellow Met Life Stadium tenants at the time and were faced with a 3rd-and-long situation deep in their own end.
Cruz would finish the schedule with 1,536 receiving yards, the third-highest total in the NFL this season and the most ever by a Giant in a single year, blowing away franchise icon Amani Toomer's mark of 1,343 in 2002.
I didn't anticipate having this kind of season," Cruz admitted. "I just wanted to come in and hopefully do some things well and find my place, and to now have my place in history is crazy."
So has been all the attention. Cruz was reportedly targeted by the producers of "Dancing with the Stars" to appear in the hit show's upcoming season (he turned down the request) and struck up a friendship with rap artist and noted Giants fan 50 Cent, though that newfound celebrity status hasn't kept him from maintaining an active and positive presence in his native Paterson, a city hit hard by high crime and rising employment that could really use a favorite son.
And with his hometown team just one victory away from capturing a world championship, Cruz can close the book on what's been an absolutely amazing chapter with a storybook ending.
But no matter the result of Super Bowl XLVI, he's already come out a winner.
"I'm just a fortunate guy. It's really starting to sink in -- how rare my story is and how far I've come."
Below is a capsule look at the offense of the New York Giants, with regular season statistics in parentheses:
Quarterback: Manning (4933 passing yards, 29 TD, 16 INT) caused a mini- controversy by stating he considered himself on par with New England counterpart Tom Brady prior to the season, then went out and backed up that claim by delivering easily the best year of his highly-scrutinized career. The levelheaded quarterback set a Giants' season record for passing yards while engineering five fourth-quarter comebacks, including one against the Patriots in November that halted New England's 20-game home winning streak in non- playoff tilts. Manning's play hasn't dropped off this postseason either, with the Super Bowl XLII MVP having thrown eight touchdown passes against one interception over New York's three playoff games while twice eclipsing the 300- yard barrier.
Running Backs: The Giants still have the same two backs that split ball- carrying duties during their memorable upset of the Patriots four years back, though the tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw (659 rushing yards, 34 receptions, 11 total TD) and Brandon Jacobs (571 rushing yards, 15 receptions, 8 total TD) both averaged under four yards per attempt during the regular season and the team ranked dead last in rushing offense (89.2 ypg). New York's ground game has been more effective down the stretch, however, with Bradshaw's health having improved after missing part of the year with a cracked bone in his foot. He sat out the Week 10 meeting with New England due to the injury, with Jacobs gaining a solid 72 yards and a touchdown on 18 totes as the lead man.
Wide Receivers: Manning's rise to the elite quarterback ranks was aided by the work of a wideout corps that really came of age in 2011. Cruz (82 receptions, 1536 yards, 9 TD) was a revelation in his first year as a full-time player and 2009 first-round pick Hakeem Nicks (76 receptions, 1192 yards, 7 TD) turned in a second straight outstanding campaign, with the duo giving New York its first pairing of 1,000-yard receivers in team history. Nicks, who's fully expected to play in the Super Bowl despite spraining his right shoulder in the NFC Championship win over San Francisco, has piled up 335 yards and four touchdowns on 18 receptions in the G-Men's three playoff tests, while fourth-year pro Mario Manningham (39 receptions, 4 TD) has a scoring catch in all three of those games and gives Manning a dangerous No. 3 target that can also stretch the field.
Tight Ends: The Giants were thought to be in dire straits at this position heading into the season following the free-agent defection of Kevin Boss to Oakland, but former practice-squad member Jake Ballard (38 receptions, 4 TD) eased concerns with an unexpectedly solid year. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound undrafted player averaged nearly 16 yards per catch in addition to providing a big body for the running game, and came up with a four-catch, 67-yard effort against New England in November that included the go-ahead touchdown grab in the final seconds. Backup Travis Beckum has made a greater contribution as of late, as his seven receptions in the playoffs were two more than he had during the entire regular season.
Offensive Line: Though three starters from New York's 2007 Super Bowl champion squad remain on the current roster, a combination of age and injuries has taken a toll on what's been the offense's weak link. Left tackle David Diehl and right-sider Kareem McKenzie are both seasoned veterans with considerable big- game experience, but each struggled in protection for much of the year and Manning was sacked six times while facing constant pressure in the Giants' narrow win over the 49ers in the NFC Championship. A season-ending detached retina to the group's best pass blocker, tackle Will Beatty, in November has compounded the problem, with Diehl forced to shift back outside after opening the year at left guard and pedestrian fill-in Kevin Boothe moving into the starting lineup as a result. Center David Baas, a high-profile offseason pickup from San Francisco, also missed considerable time with neck problems in his Giants' debut. The line's stalwart is right guard Chris Snee, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who's sat out just one game over the past seven seasons.
<< Clippers cruise past NBA-best Thunder
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Paul scored 26 points with 14 assists
and Blake Griffin added 22 points and seven rebounds, as the Los Angeles
Clippers jumped out early and rolled past the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-100,
at Stap
<< Mavericks pound Suns behind three-point exhibition
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Delonte West drained five of the Mavericks
season-high 14 three-pointers en route to 25 points and six assists off the
bench as Dallas thumped Phoenix, 122-99, at U.S. Airways Center.
Vince Carter also
<< Dixon, No. 4 Missouri edge Texas
Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Dixon's trip from goat to hero took all
of 25 seconds.
After committing an offensive flagrant foul that helped Texas take the lead,
Dixon converted a difficult left-handed floater with 31 seconds le
<< Utah outlasts Portland in comeback win
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gordon Hayward came up big on the
defensive end late in regulation and hit the clinching free throws in the
waning seconds, as the Jazz came back and defeated the Trail Blazers, 93-89.
Paul
Hawks finish up road trip in Toronto >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta suffered what seemed to be a devastating blow when
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Hawks have held up remarkably well without their two-time All Star and will
aim to keep t
Irving, Cavs aim to sweep home-and-home set with Celtics >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers will aim for a home-and-home
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set in Cleveland.
The Cavs won a thriller in Boston on Sunday when Irving's layup with
UNC faces off with local rival Wake Forest >>
Winston-Salem, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fifth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
will try to keep up in the Atlantic Coast Conference race as they head to the
Lawrence Joel Coliseum for a league bout with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
This wi
Tigers tangle with Cavs in ACC action >>
Charlottesville, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Clemson Tigers will try to gain
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This will be the 118th meeting
The NFL preseason is approaching. Time for players, coaches and teams to turn over a new leaf. General managers have hired some new coaches, while coaches have added some offensive and defensive assistants to try and improve things. Here’s a look at some changes to look for in the preseason.
New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. online football betting Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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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
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