Red Bulls, Crew both gunning for first MLS Cup

Soccer Betting Lines

11/21/2008 - Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the dust settles on the Major League Soccer title game at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, one of the two combatants - the New York Red Bulls or the heavily favored Columbus Crew - will be hoisting their respective franchise's first ever MLS Cup Trophy.

Sunday will mark the first time since the league's inaugural season that two teams who have never before played in the MLS Cup Final will meet for the league championship. Columbus will be looking to be the first Supporters' Shield winner since 2002 to win the MLS Cup while New York will aim to match the 2005 Los Angeles Galaxy as the lowest seed (No. 8) to win the league title game.

The game will feature two of the brightest stars in MLS, with New York striker Juan Pablo Angel and Columbus attacker Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

"Every team has important players in this league," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said. "I mean, one of the things I say to coaches, especially guys if they call me and talk to me, guys who are starting off in this league is, I've always said every team has good players, every team has players you need to be concerned and worried about."

Schelotto was just named the league's Most Valuable Player on Thursday after collecting seven goals and a league-leading 19 assists while Angel is considered by many to be the top striker to ever play in the league after collecting over 30 goals in his two-year MLS career.

"I think they have, in my opinion, one of the premiere strikers in this league, if not the premiere striker in Juan Pablo Angel," Schmid said. "He's a classic center forward. Good in the air, can hold the ball. He's lethal with his finishing. That's certainly an important weapon to have."

The Crew have one of the best center backs in the league - Chad Marshall - to match up with Angel, however.

"I'm very happy for Chad, and I'm pleased at the season he's had and the accolade that he received, because I think he was the best defender in the league this year in terms of central defenders for sure in my opinion," Schmid said of Marshall winning the league's defender of the year award. "... He knows that he's had to be the leader because he's the more experienced player of our two center backs and he stepped into that role. He's been a good passer for us out of the back with the ball. And obviously he's come up with some very timely goals on set pieces and is a very dangerous force for us on those kind of things."

Another key battleground could be the wings, where the Crew feature a solid tandem in Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and the Red Bulls feature the experienced Dave van den Bergh and the speedy Dane Richards. All four have been key contributors for their respective teams in the playoffs.

Regardless of who prevails, however, it should an exciting game because of what is at stake.

"Obviously for me it's been a long time coming," veteran Crew fullback Frankie Hejduk said. "I think being here in Columbus for six years, it's been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hard work. But with Sigi coming in and taking the reins and pointing this organization in the right direction, you know, a lot's changed. And it's going to be a very exciting game."

Wwwfllottery Soccer Betting News

<< Stars' Morrow to miss six months
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow is expected to miss up to six months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the club announced on Friday. The 29-year-old Morrow skated in

<< Jets QB Ainge suspended four games by NFL
Florham Park, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Jets rookie quarterback Eric Ainge has been suspended by the NFL for four game on Thursday for violating the league's policy on steroids and related substances. Placed on injured reserve

<< Griffins' Wilson recalled by Dallas
Grand Rapids, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Grand Rapids Griffins left winger Landon Wilson was recalled by the Dallas Stars on Friday, the American League Hockey club announced. Wilson, 33, leads the AHL with seven power-play goals and rank

<< U.S. men to open 2009 schedule against Sweden
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The United States men's national team will kick off a busy 2009 schedule when they face Sweden on Jan. 24. The game, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., follows a training camp that begins the first

<< Bengals place CB Joseph on IR, sign Castille
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Bengals placed cornerback Johnathan Joseph on the injured reserve list and signed cornerback Simeon Castille on Friday. Joseph has been sidelined with a foot injury he suffered

Let's make a deal: Knicks trade away Crawford, Randolph >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks made a couple of big trades on Friday, including a trade of guard Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for forward Al Harrington. Later on Friday, the Knicks announced t

Rampage winger Lisin rejoins Coyotes >>
Glendale, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phoenix Coyotes recalled right winger Enver Lisin from their American Hockey League affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, to replace Daniel Winnik, who was placed on injured reserve, it was announc

Around the CFL: Montreal trying to win big one at home >>
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Alouettes will definitely have home-field advantage for the Grey Cup. The Alouettes will have the support of 60,000-plus rabid supporters on Sunday when they take on the Calgary Stampeders at

Gibson leads USC past Chattanooga >>
San Juan, PR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Taj Gibson poured in 17 points and added nine rebounds as 19th-ranked USC bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 73-46 win over Chattanooga in the second round of the Puerto Rico Tip- Off Cla

Around the CFL: Burris feels Stamps must win Grey Cup to get respect >>
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Henry Burris wasn't a happy camper at the CFL's awards banquet Thursday night. After both he and Calgary Stampeders kicker Sandro DeAngelis were snubbed for individual awards, a rather testy Burris greeted rep


Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.