Flyers C Rinaldo suspended two games

Hockey Betting Lines

02/13/2012 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Hockey League suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo for two games without pay on Monday.

Rinaldo was given the ban for an illegal check on Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson late in the first period of a 3-2 Detroit victory on Sunday night. He was given a minor for charging on the play.

"Ericsson is eligible to be hit in this situation, and Rinaldo is in position to deliver a legal, punishing hit. Instead, Rinaldo launches himself high and into Ericsson, his skates considerably leaving the ice. This is charging," said NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan in his video explanation of the incident.

"Though Ericsson should have been more aware in order to face an oncoming check after reversing the puck, that still doesn't allow Rinaldo to launch himself and deliver such a high hit. By doing so, he turned what might have been a hard, legal body check into an illegal charge."

Rinaldo will forfeit $5,885.88 in salary, which automatically goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, and will not be eligible to return until February 21 when the Flyers play in Winnipeg.

It is the second time in a week the NHL has taken action against the 21-year- old suburban Toronto native.

He was fined a total of $5,000 for two separate incidents in a February 4 game against New Jersey. The first came for a late hit on Jacob Josefson and the second for an intentional slew-foot of Zach Parise.

Rinaldo received a minor for interference for the incident involving Josefson, but was not assessed a penalty on the action against Parise.

Wwwlaa Hockey Betting News

<< Lopez out, Gasquet moves on at Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Feliciano Lopez was a first-round loser, while fifth-seeded Richard Gasquet moved on Monday at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. Lopez suffered a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 defeat at

<< Bulls' Rose has no structural damage in back
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bulls guard Derrick Rose has no structural damage in his back, according to the results of an MRI performed Monday. A team spokesman said the reigning NBA MVP, who has missed two straight games with a sor

<< Bears LB Thomas arrested for marijuana possession
Morgantown, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Bears linebacker J.T. Thomas was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana after he was pulled over early Monday morning going the wrong way on a one-way street. Thomas w

<< Hobbled Comrie finally retires
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Comrie, who hasn't played in the NHL yet this season due to multiple hip surgeries, retired on Monday. Comrie's agent. Ritch Winter, made the announcement earlier in the day on his Twitter account.

<< Bryant to play six home games in 2012
Smithfield, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bryant University football will play six home games as part of its first season of FCS playoff eligibility, Bulldogs head coach Marty Fine said Monday. Bryant has posted a combined 26-18 record in first four

Harvard wins Beanpot consolation game >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luke Greiner notched the game-winner late in the third period as Harvard topped Northeastern, 3-2, in the Beanpot consolation contest on Monday evening at TD Garden. Alex Killorn and Alex Fallstrom also tal

Blue Jays ink P Janssen to 2-year deal >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays signed pitcher Casey Janssen to a two-year contract on Monday. The deal, which is worth $5.9 million, includes a $4 million club option for the 2014 season. Janssen, 30, appeare

Mountain West, C-USA to form new conference >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A new superconference consisting of the remaining members of the Mountain West Conference and Conference-USA, plus others, will be formed in time for the 2013-14 academic year. The MWC and C-USA h

Former 49ers, Dolphins WR Solomon dies >>
Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Freddie Solomon, a wide receiver and punt returner for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s and 80s, has died. Solomon, 59, died Monday, the 49ers said in a statement. He had been bat

No. 9 Baylor handles Iowa State >>
Waco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Perry Jones III netted a game-high 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds as No. 9 Baylor handled Iowa State, 79-64, on Monday. Quincy Miller finished with 16 points and six assists, while Anthony Jones

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.