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05/01/2009 - Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes insists his goal is not another Bundesliga title, but instead finishing at least second to secure a berth in the group stage of next season's Champions League.
Heynckes, who previously coached at Bayern from 1987-91 and led Real Madrid to the Champions League title in 1998, replaced fired coach Jurgen Klinsmann this week.
The 63-year-old former West German international was clear that his goal was "a direct qualifying place for the Champions League."
For Bayern to accomplish that, it must finish in the top two in the Bundesliga. With just five weeks remaining, the Munich side sits third - which is also good enough to make the Champions League but would force the team play a qualifying series.
Entering this weekend's match against Monchengladbach, Bayern is even on points with fourth-place Stuttgart and fifth-place Hamburg, meaning there isn't a lot of room for error. Hertha Berlin is one point away in second, while first-place Wolfsburg is three away.
Bayern midfielder Mark van Bommel, who will retain the captain's armband under Heynckes, completely backed the new coach.
"This club has to qualify for the Champions League. We'll aim for that at the minimum," Van Bommel said. "I'm confident we'll do it."
Bayern fired Klinsmann on Monday, just two days after a 1-0 loss to Schalke in Munich. The loss capped a 21-day period where Bayern lost 5-1 to Wolfsburg, and 4-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Heynckes plans to turn Bayern into a more attacking side, something Klinsmann was known for as German coach but couldn't accomplish in his first stint as a club coach.
With the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Hamit Altinop, Tim Borowski and Jose Sosa, Heynckes will scrap the two defensive midfielder system and likely deploy one of the previously mentioned players in an attacking role in a 4-4-2 system.
Considering Heynckes wants two forwards on the pitch also means Lukas Podolski should end his Bayern career - he's joining Koln this summer - starting next to Luca Toni.
Altintop also agreed with Heynckes and Van Bommel about repeating as Bundesliga champions, saying "it's about the team, and it's about the club.
"I want this team to play in the Champions League again next season," Altintop added. "I honestly don't care whether we finish first or second right now.
"I think all the players have realised time's almost up."
Time is also running out on Monchengladbach, which is next-to-last entering the final five weeks of the season. Monchengladbach has been able to steal points from the top clubs this season - it tied Bayern 2-2 earlier this season - and could take a major step toward survival with at least a point in Munich.
On Friday, Hannover topped Bochum 2-0 to move 10 points clear of the drop zone and all but guarantee its survival in the Bundesliga. Bochum is just three out of danger.
Also Saturday, Wolfsburg - which had its 10-game win streak snapped last week - will try to bounce back against struggling winter champions Hoffenheim, Arminia Bielefeld hopes to move out of the drop zone when it hosts surging Stuttgart, sixth-place Schalke wants to keep its slim European hopes alive when it hosts Bayer Leverkusen, Energie will try to build on its win over Wolfsburg and move further away from the relegation zone when it visits last-place Karlsruhe, and Eintracht hosts Borussia Dortmund.
On Sunday, Hamburg will try to build on its win over Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup when it hosts Hertha Berlin. Hamburg won at Bremen, 1-0, on Thursday in the first leg of the Cup semifinals, and the fifth-place club could make a move up the Bundesliga table with a win over second-place Hertha.
Hamburg is level on points with Bayern and Stuttgart. Werder also plays Sunday, visiting Koln as it tries to secure a top-10 finish in the league. Bremen ended last season second, but sits 10th entering the weekend.
<< Zola denies contract clause
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has
dismissed rumors suggesting that he has a get-out clause in his new Hammers
contract.
The Italian has impressed since taking the reins at Upton Park earlier
<< Allardyce confirms Tugay departure
Blackburn, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has
confirmed that veteran Turkey midfielder Tugay will leave Ewood Park at the
end of the season.
The 38-year-old joined Rovers in the summer of 2001 from Sc
<< Safina, Dementieva reach semis; Jankovic ousted in Germany
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Dinara Safina and Olympic
gold medalist Elena Dementieva of Russia landed in Saturday's semifinals,
while defending Stuttgart champion Jelena Jankovic came up a quarterfinal
loser a
<< O'Neill admits Barry could leave
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has
admitted that midfielder Gareth Barry could finally leave the club at the end
of the current campaign.
The 28-year-old England international came close to jo
Red Wings D Rafalski out for Game 1 >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian
Rafalski will miss Friday's series opener against the Anaheim Ducks with an
upper-body injury.
Rafalski did not practice with the club on Thursday, but Wings h
Mikel commits future to Chelsea >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel will
ignore interest from elsewhere in Europe to remain at Stamford Bridge for the
foreseeable future.
The 22-year-old Nigeria international has been linked with Se
Toronto hopes to build on big week against Crew >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC earned two big wins, switched coaches
and moved into first in MLS's Eastern Conference to cap a busy week at the end
of April.
TFC defeated previously unbeaten Chivas USA on April 22 in John Carver
Marcelo backs Ramos return >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid defender Marcelo believes interim
manager Juande Ramos should be retained for next season.
The former Sevilla and Tottenham coach replaced Bernd Schuster in the Bernabeu
hot-seat in December.
R
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
MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).
Last two contestants will be?
1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)
2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)
2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.
Trash talk has a place in every competitive endeavor (except baseball; those stirrup-wearers are too busy chewing on their sunflower seeds and their supplements to worry about what their opponents are doing).
Fantasy sports is no exception. Any intelligent discussion of the subject would probably start with a thesis statement or a definition of terms. Thankfully, this wont be an intelligent discussion.
Let me just say that I am happy to take a place in this space alongside my talented colleagues, even our commissioner. (You should see how she bleats like a demented paper boy about league fees on our fantasy site).
Trash talking, I would argue, is primarily about amusing your friends, their sheeplike demeanors and sloping foreheads notwithstanding. The best place I have found for football trash talking is at www.SportsAlarm.com.
Beyond the entertainment factor, though, I would recognize that the sophomoric ritual has one advantage, when properly applied. It magnifies your fantasy triumphs and mitigates your fantasy failures by transforming the eventual point total into an afterthought. Winning makes it seem like your opponent really is a truss-owning, lapel-pin-wearing nitwit. And in defeat, trash talk can be the air bag to break the fall from your hyperbolic heights. The plug-necked yahoos on your team, you can say, will be sacking groceries by the end of the season.
The best trash talk, in my view, is layered and nuanced. And it doesnt focus only on your opponents team. It picks apart your opponent. The idea is to create a shock-and-awe-scale blizzard of nonsense, and the goal is to make your opponent drop his hands from his keyboard in exasperation.
What team does your opponent root for? Accuse a Giants fan of having a Joe Namath pillowcase. Wheres your opponent from? Give a look of concern no matter his reply, then say, I'll try to type slower for you next time. Is your opponent into politics? Label everyone a tax-and-spend corporate shill.
Cap all that with a liberal application of irrelevance. For instance, dont just conclude by saying your opponent is a twerp who drafts like my grandmother. Say that your opponent is a sweater-wearing, eyebrow-plucking twerp who drafts his team about as well as Zsa Zsa Gabor gave acceptance speeches at the Oscars. By the time your foe makes sense of that, his starting running back will have had puppies.
But what about you? Hmm? Recall a memorable slam? Have a tried-and-true technique? Know someone who seems impervious to insult? Take a moment and tells us about it. Put together some (fit-for-publication) thoughts. You wont be too busy returning phone messages from your friends, Im sure, to reply.
In addition to the trash talking, the Sports Alarm has a huge gallery of high resolution pictures of beautiful women and models in bikinis. The most popular models are: Lindsay Lohan, Carrie Underwood, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Paris Hilton.
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