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Most can't separate Penn State scandal, JoePa's legacy

NCAA Football Betting Lines

01/23/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The thing about the water cooler is no one is wrong there.

For some of us, it's still where we go for opinions - mostly to give ours, of course, but that doesn't mean our co-worker's thoughts are less valid.

Sure, in today's world the information is always there at our fingertips as the internet seemingly gives us the news before it even happens.

But there's nothing like banter with others.

And few topics elicit such strong feelings as the scandal that has rocked Penn State over the last three months.

Joe Paterno's passing from lung cancer at age 85 on Sunday is everywhere, of course. It's the sad, numbing ending to the firestorm that surrounded the final months of his life, and the Jerry Sandusky case continues to leave us all unsure of how to view JoePa's life and career. One writer, astutely, pointed out how complicated it is to write an obituary for Paterno.

JoePa is the man who won a Division I record 409 games, helped make Penn State what it is today - a great, proud university - through his 46 years as head coach and six-plus decades on the job in State College, Pa. His players graduated with regularity and so many of his actions represented the values we aspire for in life.

Knowing that about Paterno, the knee-jerk reaction in his death is that one can't let the last three months overshadow his devoted career at Penn State.

But is that too naive? Can Paterno be separated from Sandusky, the former assistant coach who faces more than 50 counts of charges related to sexually abusing young boys? Even Paterno admitted during the scandal's fallout that he wished he had done more when presented with information on Sandusky's alleged acts.

The headlines in the last day are both telling and varied: "Joe Paterno's legacy forever tainted." "Joe Paterno's death shouldn't turn him into Sandusky case's martyr." "Joe Paterno: A legend lost, a legacy lives." "What is Joe Paterno's legacy?"

It's dizzying.

That's why talking to others lets us empty our souls. The therapy at the water cooler remains second to none even while our world changes.

One by one, they stepped up today, colleagues with strong feelings. It seems everybody longs to separate JoePa from the events of the last three months, but, even as we mourn him, it's impossible.

"The fact that he seemed inept, ill-prepared and ultimately unable to handle the abuse issues makes me wonder if he was still qualified to be in such a position," one colleague voiced. "If it was about more than football to him - education, shaping human beings, etc. - I can't imagine a greater situation where he needed to step up as opposed to looking clueless. In my opinion, pleading ignorance is not a free pass here.

"Ultimately all of the horrible things associated with the abuse scandal happened at his "house" and under his watch. I'm sure he was a human being with a great heart and a good soul, but there is no way you can overlook what ultimately happened."

"He should have done more," another person said. "Any human being would have done more. To say you passed the buck to your superiors is actually insulting. If we are to believe that he was this God-like figure out there, how can what he did after finding out be considered acceptable? Keep in mind when all this was going on, he wasn't the old man he was at the time of his death. He still had all his faculties about him. ... His legacy will be that he put Penn State football above everything else, including the safety of those boys."

Others have a little more compassion in their words, no doubt still filled with that numbing feeling that doesn't escape us all.

"The last couple of months are the freshest things in our memories," one person said, "but he was still a great man, who, unfortunately, made some mistakes when it came to Sandusky. Let's not forget that Sandusky is the actual villain here ... and not Joe. It was popular to pile on Joe in November, but now it is time to admit that there will never be another one like him."

"Simply stated, Paterno put Penn State on the map and is the owner of a record that isn't likely to be touched any time soon," another person said. "For that reason he should always be held up as legendary figure in college football. The events of the past few months - as horrible as they might be - should not be the lasting image that people have of the man. During his lengthy tenure at Penn State, Paterno has always been the embodiment of class and dignity, and that shouldn't change because of the despicable acts of another individual. I have always found it comical when a player gets in trouble for something off the field and the coach is the one who ends up bearing part of the blame. Just because the coach is the face of the school doesn't mean that he can be responsible for the actions of everyone associated with it. In hindsight, Paterno might have done things differently when first presented with the information, but this one mistake shouldn't wipe out four decades of unparalleled success and service to the school."

Penn State alums, not surprisingly, are particularly conflicted, having seen Paterno's down-to-earth greatness up close, and no doubt still wanting to believe he never could be involved in such a scandal.

"The first time I even went to main campus, I was taken on a tour of the surroundings and found it all amazing, and so grown up," one alum said. "All of sudden, my friend and I are strolling through the campus and walking directly in front of us is Joe Paterno. He stopped and shook our hands and even discussed our school work. We asked him a question about the game that weekend and he answered with no problem. He was so approachable if you saw him on campus."

"His legacy will be restored a little bit," said another passionate alum. "But, yes, as a former student it stinks to know what happened."

"I think we'd be a little shortsighted just to remember Joe Paterno for the revelations of the past few months," another alum said. "Did he make a horrific mistake? And I am not sure 'mistake' is even the right word. Yes, he did. To what length or what reason that mistake was made, we may never know fully, though knowing the man's reputation from before the scandal broke, solely making that mistake just to preserve football wins seems a big stretch for me. But, in the end he did, still is, and always will pay the price for that. And don't mistake what I mean, he deserved to lose his job over it. But Paterno also did so much good with his life, he donated so much money back to the university and other charities, he helped countless others through his stature and position in life to lead better lives of their own, and not just football players, and he helped educate a lot of young men who may well never have had a chance to get that education. To ignore all that and just focus on the recent stuff wouldn't do him justice."

We may all remember Joe Paterno a little differently - some more fondly that others - but no matter who you talk to, it just seems what he did for six decades at Penn State can't be separated from what we have learned in the last three months.

It's sad, painful, inescapable.

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MySportsbook.com: NFL draft - The NFC South


In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South.  Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC.  The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game.  For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft.  Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.

1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign?  New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1.  Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT.  Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.

Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami

2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season.  With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round.  LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems.  If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU

3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season.  The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach.  The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub.  High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career.  With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson. 

Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season.  The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age.  It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot.  This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.

Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas

It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season.  On the clock: the NFC North

Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2    

Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1

Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1

To visit this sportsbook get to MySportsbook.com for all your online sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”.  With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit.  Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.

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