scottshapell's Blog
Posted Wednesday, July 15, 2009 04:27 AM
At
the All-Star game, determined his ceremonial first pitch would reach
the plate on the fly Tuesday night, Obama delivered - barely. St. Louis
Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols helped him out in moving up to scoop
the low toss inches off the dirt.
Obama
said, "We did a little practicing in the Rose Garden. This is as much
fun as I've had in quite some time. I did not play organized baseball
when I was a kid and so, you know, I think some of these natural moves
aren't so natural to me".
However,
Television viewers were initially left to wonder whether the
presidential pitch skipped. Many people at Busch Stadium were not
completely sure. Obama’s pitch to the nation is described in detail at baseball betting lines. Watch out the video as well.
Fox
showed a replay from the center-field camera that proved the ball made
it home in the air, when Obama later visited the broadcast booth.
Obama
was at ease visiting the teams before the game and during his time on
the air. Asked whether there were bailout funds to help the National
League's losing streak, he cracked, "We're out of money."
Obama
with a Chicago White Sox jacket, jeans and sneaker... [More]
Posted Tuesday, July 14, 2009 03:07 AM
In St. Louis, Prince Fielder blasts the winning home run in the final round to win the 2009 All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
On Monday, In the Final, Prince Fielder won the Home Run Derby beating Nelson Cruz.
2009 Home Run Derby Results – Baseball Betting Lines
Player Round One Round Two Two-round total Championship
Nelson Cruz 11 5 16 5
Prince Fielder 11 &nb... [More]
Posted Monday, July 13, 2009 07:16 AM
Brett Favre Given Deadline for Vikings Decision.Brett Favre has only 2 weeks to decide whether or not to animate his NFL career.
Darrell Bevell, The Vikings Offensive Coordinator, has put Favre through a stringent passing session last week and reportedly liked what he saw.
NFL Football Picks says that, "to play for the Vikes this season following arthroscopic shoulder surgery, Brett Favre has been demure on whether he'll be equipping in time."
On July 29, Minnesota goes into mini-camp and sources claimed that Favre must give the franchise his decision before then.
The Minnesota Vikings have long been rumored to be interested in signing the 39-year-old gun slinger and it seems the moment of truth is not far away.
The decision is likely to be right on the July 29 deadline, with Favre hesitant to commit until he's 100% certain his body can handle the strain of another grueling season.
In 2007, after retiring from the Packers, Brett Favre decided to come back and signed a deal with the New York Jets.
This year, in April, Favre then retired for the 2nd time after the Jets decided they would not extend his 1 year contract.
Posted Thursday, July 09, 2009 05:28 AM
After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo by signing winger Gabriel Obertan on a 4-year contract from French champion Bordeaux, Manchester United continued to revamp its attacking options.
Alex Ferguson, united manager had been watching the 20 year old french winger's development.
The words of Alex Ferguson with club's website - betrepublic are foregrounded:
"We
are delighted to get him now as he is an exciting prospect. We like to
get young players and develop them, and we will see that in Gabriel
over the next two years."
The words of Gabriel Obertan:
"I am very happy
to join Manchester United. This is a big opportunity for me to play at
such a great club. I am very excited to be here and I look forward to
proving what I can do."
Obertan, who has played for France's
under-21 team, spent the 2nd part of last season on loan to Lorient as
he did not figure in Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc's plans.
Obertan
has scored 3 league goals in 55 games for Bordeaux, and 1 goal in 15
appearances for Lorient, although he is considered more of a provider
than a scorer and can play on either flank.
For 80 million
pounds ($141 million), Fergu... [More]
Posted Thursday, July 02, 2009 03:15 AM
WIMBLEDON 2009 TENNIS TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP
And
then there were four. Nine days ago, the men’s locker rooms were
heaving with 128 hopefuls, all with their eyes on the trophy.
As
of Wednesday evening, we were down to the semi-finalists: Roger
Federer, the man chasing history; Andy Murray, the man with the weight
of the home nation of his shoulders; Andy Roddick, the two-time
finalist who has worked himself narrow to have another crack at
greatness and Tommy Haas. Yes, that’s right: Tommy Haas.
Exciting tennis betting odds and Watch Wimbledon 2009 Tennis Tournament Championship here.
Haas pulled off the sensation of the tournament, brushing aside Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3.
Wimbledon 2009 Tennis Tournament - Tommy Haas
At
the age of 31 and after a career plagued by injury and lack of
confidence, the German is playing the tennis of his life and looks
ready to make a habit of upsetting the favourites.
That may
not be quite so straightforward as he now plays Federer, but he still
feels that his Wimbledon fortnight is not over yet. He is servi... [More]
Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 09:03 AM
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A look at the top picks for today's quarterfinals action on the ladies side of the draw at Wimbledon....
WOMEN'S QUARTER FINALS
Venus Williams v Agnieska Radwanska
Head-to-head: Williams leads 3-1; never met on grass
Last Meeting: Williams won 6/1, 6/2 at Rome 07/05/09
Venus Williams has been making serene progress through the draw as she looks to claim a third successive Venus Rosewater Dish and a sixth in total. After four matches she has dropped just 16 games and extended her winning streak at SW19 to 18 matches with the last 15 coming in straight sets. She has won each of her matches so far this year by at least seven clear games and back to the 2000 Championships has won all eight of her matches against 6-16 seeds with six wins by six or more games.
Agnieska Radwanska has lost half her six Wimbledon matches against seeded players and in particular three of four against top eight seeds. Each of these three defeats was by seven or more games. As well as her heavy defeat against Venus in Rome back in May she was also thrashed at the US Open in the last 16 last year – winning just four games – and similarly managed to win just four games in each of her two meetings with Serena Williams. Her record in quarter-finals of Tier One and Grand Slam events does not make good reading as she has gone W1-L7 with all seven defeats in straight sets and six by at least a si... [More]
Posted Thursday, June 18, 2009 02:10 AM
Bet UK last week’s Weekly Sports Pick’em Jackpot as Philip S.
Enter Bet UK and win weekly Sports Pick’em Jackpot. In weekly Sports
Jackpot Can you get all 7 correct and win this amazing cash prize?
‘So near, yet so far’ was the tale of last week’s Weekly Sports Pick’em Jackpot as Philip S.
predicted six of the seven fixtures! Philip was the only player to
correctly predict that France would beat New Zealand in their Rugby
Union friendly match, as well as correctly predicting all four football
matches and that the Lions would triumph over Western Province in a
warm-up before they meet South Africa on the 20 June.
This had given him six out of six correct going into the week’s final fixture - USA v England Saxons. He predicted a USA win and for the first 20 minutes the game was close, but the Saxons ran out 56-17 winners.
As a result of this, the jackpot now rolls over to £1,350! Do you think
you can do better than six out of seven? Can you get all seven correct
and win this amazing cash prize? Enter here and win BIG!!
...
[More]
Posted Wednesday, June 17, 2009 06:02 AM
A full list of fixtures and results for the
FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.
GROUP STAGE
Sunday June 14 - Group A
Johannesburg - South Africa 0-0 Iraq
Rustenburg - New Zealand 0-5 Spain
Monday June 15 - Group B
Bloemfontein - Brazil 4-3 Egypt
Pretoria - USA 1-3 Italy
Wednesday June 17 - Group A
Mangaung/Bloemfontein - 17:00 - Spain v Iraq
Rustenburg - 21:30 - South Africa v New Zealand
Thursday June 18 - Group B
Tshwane/Pretoria - 17:00 - USA v Brazil
Johannesburg - 21:30 - Egypt v Italy
Saturday June 20 - Group A
Johannesburg - 21:30 - Iraq v New Zealand
Mangaung/Bloemfontein - 21:30 - Spain v South Africa
Sunday June 21 - Group B
Tshwane/Pretoria - 21:30 - Italy v Brazil
Rustenburg - 21:30 - Egypt v USA
SEMI-FINALS
Wednesday June 24
Mangaung/Bloemfontein - 21:30 - Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B
Thursday June 25
Johannesburg - 21:30 - Winner Group B v Runner-up Group A
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
Sunday June 28
Rustenburg - 16:00
FINAL
Sunday June 28
Johannesburg - 21:30
Eurosport
Watc...
[More]
Posted Monday, June 15, 2009 10:28 AM
t’s Royal
Ascot Gold Cup week and five glorious days of top class racing action begins at the Berkshire course tomorrow.
As usual Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who had six winners last year, is sending a large team over from his stables in Ireland.
He is very much the ‘handler’ to follow and there are sure to be more winners among the 15-strong team he is sending over.
You can get the week off to a flying start by backing an O’Brien horse called Mastercraftsman in the St James’s Palace Stakes (3.45pm) on Tuesday.
Aidan
O’Brien has won five of the last nine runnings of this Group 1 contest
and we can’t see past can’t see past Mastercraftsman, currently priced
at 4/5 with BetUK.
Unbeaten as a 2-year-old, where he won twice
in Group 1 company, he stepped up considerably on his 5th in the 2000
Guineas by hosing up in the Irish version.
This race has been
on the agenda ever since and with quicker conditions no problem, he’s
going to be very tough to beat. Delegator, who didn’t handle the ground
in Ireland last time, looks the biggest danger but we think the
favourite should have his measure.
Stay in touch with ...
[More]