Hardaway won't represent NBA at All-Star game after anti-gay remarks
Basketball Betting Lines
02/15/2007 - The NBA banished Tim Hardaway from All-Star weekend in Las Vegas because of his anti-gay remarks. Hardaway, who played in five All-Star games during the 1990s, was already in Las Vegas and scheduled to make a series of public appearances this week on behalf of the league. But after saying, ``I hate gay people'' during a radio interview, commissioner David Stern stepped in. ``It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours,'' Stern said in a statement Thursday. Hardaway's comments - for which he later apologized - came a week after John Amaechi became the first former NBA player to say he was gay. ``I don't need Tim's comments to realize there's a problem,'' Amaechi told The Associated Press in a phone interview. ``People said that I should just shut up and go away - now they have to rethink that.'' On a Miami radio show Wednesday, Hardaway was asked how he would interact with a gay teammate. ``First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team,'' the former Miami Heat star said. ``And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that is right. I don't think he should be in the locker room while we are in the locker room.'' When show host Dan Le Batard told Hardaway those comments were ``flatly homophobic'' and ``bigotry,'' the player continued. ``You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people,'' he said. ``I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States.'' Hardaway also said if he did find out that a teammate was gay, he would ask for the player to be removed from the team. ``Something has to give,'' Hardaway said. ``If you have 12 other ballplayers in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate.'' Later that night, Hardaway apologized during a telephone interview with WSVN-TV in Miami. ``Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that,'' he said. ``That was my mistake.'' Two major gay and lesbian groups denounced Hardaway's remarks. ``Hardaway's comments are vile, repulsive, and indicative of the climate of ignorance, hostility and prejudice that continues to pervade sports culture,'' said Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. ``And by apologizing not for his bigotry, but rather for giving voice to it, he's reminding us that this ugly display is only the tip of a very large iceberg.'' Said Matt Foreman, president of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force: ``Hardaway is a hero to thousands of young people. And that's what makes his comments so troubling. Sadly, his words simply put the pervasive homophobia in the NBA on the table.'' Amaechi, who detailed his life in his recent autobiography ``Man in the Middle,'' hoped his coming out would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse. ``His words pollute the atmosphere,'' Amaechi said. ``It creates an atmosphere that allows young gays and lesbians to be harassed in school, creates an atmosphere where in 33 states you can lose your job, and where anti-gay and lesbian issues are used for political gain. It's an atmosphere that hurts all of us, not just gay people.'' Amaechi taped a spot Thursday for PBS' gay and lesbian program ``In the Life'' before heading to a round of television interviews. He said the anti-gay sentiment remains despite the apology. ``It's vitriolic, and may be exactly what he feels,'' he said. ``Whether he's honest or not doesn't inoculate us from his words. It's not progress to hear hateful words.'' Amaechi said he hasn't heard from any ex-teammates, but called it ``heartwarming'' to hear supportive words from Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who coached Amaechi in Orlando, and other training staff. The 6-foot-10 Amaechi played for Cleveland, Orlando and Utah in a five-year NBA career. ``It's difficult for straight people in a hyper-masculine role to stand up for gay people,'' he said. ``When people start talking about gay players being bold and stepping up, let's talk about straight players being bold and stepping up.'' 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.
<< Yankees general partner arrested
LARGO, Fla. (AP) -George Steinbrenner's son-in-law and designated successor to run the New York Yankees was arrested early Thursday for suspicion of driving under the influence.Yankees general partner Steve Swindal was arrested by the St. Petersburg
<< Zambrano backs off threat to leave Cubs
MESA, Ariz. (AP) -Carlos Zambrano backed off recent comments that he would leave the Chicago Cubs as a free agent after this season if he doesn't get a multiyear contract during spring training.Although he would rather get a new deal done by opening
<< Cowher joins CBS as studio analyst
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher will be an analyst for CBS on the network's ``The NFL Today'' studio show next season.Cowher resigned as the Steelers' coach last month following 15 seasons, and less than a year after wi
<< Doan says commitment to winning was key in decision to stay
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -If team captain Shane Doan finishes his new five-year, $22.5 million contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, he could be one of the few professional athletes to spend his entire career in the same organization.It's a franchise, th
<< Bonds finally signs contract
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Barry Bonds finally signed his $15.8 million, one-year deal Thursday, ending more than two months of wrangling between the slugger and the San Francisco Giants over contract language.With both sides satisfied, Bonds is schedu
'There's no walking in baseball': Acta keeps Day 1 crisp >>
VIERA, Fla. (AP) -``There's no walking in baseball.''Day 1 on the job, and Manny Acta coined a phrase.The Washington Nationals' new field boss conducted his first spring training workout as a major league manager Thursday, and when he noticed some o
Mauresmo, Petrova land in Antwerp quarters >>
Antwerp, Belgium (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time defending champion Amelie
Mauresmo of France and third-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova posted second-round
victories Thursday at the $600,000 Proximus Diamond Games tennis event.
The top-see
Gordon to be sent to back of Daytona 500 field >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Gordon, who won the second Gatorade
Duel at Daytona on Thursday, has been sent to the back of the 2007 Daytona 500
grid after a defective shock mount left the No.24 Chevrolet failing post-race
inspectio
Houston Dynamo (MLS) >>
Re-signed forward Brian Ching.
Flyers deal Forsberg to Nashville >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers have dealt center
Peter Forsberg to the Nashville Predators for two players and two draft picks.
Nashville will send right wing Scottie Upshall, defenseman Ryan Parent and a
first-r
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl
NFL Super Bowl Betting
The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.
Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.
The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
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Bonds nearly hits HR 751, SF wins
4 and drove in
a pair of runs, and Barry Bonds nearly hit homer No. 751 as San Francisco beat
1, in the middle contest of three at AT&T Park.
6) allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning
eight and walking three.
game slide.
Bonds, who came within five homers of Hank Aaron's record on Friday, went
1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice. The double ...
read more
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