Column: Watch what schools do, not what they say

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/21/2011 -

When news breaks about college football these days, nothing is exactly what it seems.

Maybe that suspicion is the result of watching university presidents trample one another like McDonald's franchisees fighting over a hot location - then deny the footprints on a rival's back are theirs.

Or perhaps it's hearing the Pac-12 Conference invoke the ``best interests'' defense in refusing membership to potential applicants - when all it was really interested in was more money.

Both things happened in the span of a few hours Tuesday night, though you wouldn't know it simply by reading the official version of events.

For nearly a year now, Texas and Oklahoma - with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in tow - have been considering bailing out on the Big 12 Conference to join the Pac-12. This week, both schools finalized details that made it possible to do just that. They didn't even reach the threshold when word came back that there was no more room at the inn.

``After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference,'' Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. ``While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve.''

Scott didn't expand on the statement, but it's the last part of that - the bit about preserving the ``culture of equality'' - that killed any chance of a deal.

Texas has its own cable network, which is already a sore spot among Big 12 schools because it refuses to share the revenues generated by the contract with other league members. When Texas apparently told Scott the same thing - despite a revenue-sharing agreement already in place in the Big 12 - the conference's dozen chancellors told the Longhorns not to let the door hit them on the way out.

That decision, as they say in Texas, was no big whoop. The Longhorns have made it clear they're also happy enough staying put in the Big 12, even if the three schools that were busily packing their bags - not to mention just about every other school still residing there - are anything but.

The biggest loser in the shakeout is Oklahoma. Only a day earlier OU president David Boren received permission from the school's board of regents to choose a new conference - a step Texas also had taken - and he said, ``we do not want to continue to have these kinds of situations where our membership in a conference has to be revisited every year.''

But after the Pac-12 told Oklahoma ``no deal,'' Boren scrambled to save face.

``We were not surprised by the Pac 12's decision to not expand at this time,'' he said. ``Even though we had decided not to apply for membership this year, we have developed a positive relationship with the leadership of the conference and we have kept them informed of the progress we've been making to gain agreement from the Big 12 for changes which will make the conference more stable in the future.

``Conference stability has been our first goal,'' he claimed, despite going through the trouble of getting the authorization to leave, ``and we look forward to achieving that goal through continued membership in the Big 12 Conference.''

What Boren is really looking forward to is some help forcing Texas to share some of the loot from the Longhorn Network, or at the very least scale it back and , if published reports are correct, to unseat current Big 12 commissioner Don Beebe.

Unsettled as the landscape in the Big 12 seems at the moment - it's now effectively a nine-team league, since Texas A&M has already been accepted by the Southeastern Conference - it must look stable to everybody still stuck in the fast-shrinking Big East.

Pittsburgh and Syracuse have already announced they're leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference, a situation that's going to get uglier after commissioner John Marinatto wrapped up a three-hour meeting with league officials determined to enforce a bylaw that requires departing schools to give 27 month's notice. If he's successful, it's going to be a fun couple of years for Pitt and Syracuse making the rounds.

Not only that. Marinatto said league members also committed to recruiting replacements for the two - TCU has already agreed to join the Big East in 2012 - and ``pledged to each other that they are committed to move forward together.''

If current events are any indication, he'll be eating those words soon enough.

---

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org. Follow him at http://twitter.com/JimLitke.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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