Should the Packers be 2011 betting favorites? - Cappers Mall

The Green Bay Packers are the favorite to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but do they provide value at their 13/2 odds?

Odds below courtesy of Bodog.eu

Green Bay blew through the NFC Playoffs last year with wins at the Eagles (21-16), Falcons (48-21) and Bears (21-14). They then capped their exploits with a somewhat surprising win (31-25) over Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the star at only 27-years-old and coming off a 3,922-yard regular season (101.2 QB rating). He was even better in the postseason (109.8 QB rating) on his way to winning Super Bowl MVP.

Besides Rodgers, a big part of the team success was overcoming injuries. Running back Ryan Grant went down early in the season, but rookie James Starks provided a huge spark in the postseason.

This is just one example of a young player stepping up and now these guys will be more seasoned for another title run.

The Packers are trying to become the first team since New England (2003, 2004) to win back-to-back Super Bowls. That team had a marquee quarterback in its own right (Tom Brady), but there are several differences.

The biggest difference was the Patriots had a ton of veteran leadership like Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi. These guys demanded that there wouldn’t be a letdown even after all the post-Super Bowl celebrating.

The Pats also had a Hall-of-Fame coach in Bill Belichick who always demands complete responsibility. Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy proved his worth last year, but is no Belichick yet.

My opinion is there are better value options to win it all next year. Take a look at the list below and pick one - or more! NFL fans, check out the NFL forums or like us on facebook!

 

2011-12 Super Bowl Favorites

 

Green Bay Packers 13/2

New England Patriots 7/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

San Diego Chargers 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

New York Jets 14/1

Atlanta Falcons 16/1

Dallas Cowboys 16/1

Indianapolis Colts 16/1

New Orleans Saints 16/1

Philadelphia Eagles 16/1

New York Giants 18/1

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Source: "Super Bowl 2011" via Glen in Google Reader

Packers' No. 12 shouldn't be No. 11, No. 1 no doubt - The Times of Trenton - NJ.com

When “the boss” is upset, I usually get a call.

And the NFL Network’s top 100 players ranking Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers No. 11, leaving him out of the top 10, drew the ire of “the boss” as if it were a rainy weekend down the shore.

So my assignment was to come up with the real top 10 players in the NFL today, realizing it’s 2011 and not 1995.

The 10 players left on the network show, which will be announced next week, will include in whatever order Baltimore’s Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, Chicago’s Julius Peppers, Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu, Houston’s Andre Johnson, Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, New England’s Tom Brady, New Orleans’ Drew Brees (over Rodgers? Seriously?), Indy’s Peyton Manning and the Jets’ Darrelle Revis.

“The boss” and I agreed on less than half of that top 10.

Lewis and Reed are two bona fide Hall of Famers, two of the best to ever play their positions, but their time has passed. Are they still in the top 100? Sure. Top 50?

Probably, maybe even top 25 — just not top 10.

Same goes for Polamalu. Those who voted for him over Clay Matthews as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year were wrong.

Then again, if you watched the Super Bowl, you saw why. Matthews made the play of the game when he hit the Steelers’ conspiracy theorist Rashard Mendenhall, causing a fumble that turned the game back in Green Bay’s favor, while Polamalu was exposed and abused in coverage all night by the Packers and Rodgers.

Peppers? A very good player but not among the 10 best in the game. The same for Johnson and Brees, who are probably good “fantasy” players, but we’re talking about real football here, right?

So here goes with a top 10 of today’s NFL players based somewhat on if there was a draft of all players in the league who you would select No. 1 and so on down the line.

• 10. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota — I had to get special dispensation from “the boss” to put a Viking on the list. But he was on board with the game’s best, young running back (he’s only 26) since as he said “the Vikings aren’t going anywhere, except Los Angeles.”

• 9. Joe Thomas, T, Cleveland — In 2011, left tackle has become the second most important position in the game, and Thomas, the Browns’ 26-year-old star, is the best left tackle in the game.

• 8. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona — If you can have any wide receiver in the game, this is the one you want.

• 7. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis — He’s getting older, and he needs surgery on his neck, but he’s still Peyton.

• 6. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Oakland — Once free agency starts, you’ll see how much teams value him. He’s the league’s best shutdown corner since Deion Sanders.

• 5. Tom Brady, QB, New England — Some may put him No. 1, and you can make that argument. But, like “the boss” says, he hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2007 AFC Championship.

• 4. Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay — In just two years, he has become the kind of terror on defense that causes insomnia for offensive coordinators. If the Packers find an above average complement on the other side, look out.

• 3. Darrelle Revis, CB, Jets — He’s almost five years younger than Asomugha and makes more plays.

• 2. DeMarcus Ware, LB, Dallas — In time, Matthews will push him for this, but right now, Ware is still the best overall defensive player in the game, and he won’t turn 29 until next month.

• 1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay — This isn’t just about what he’s done (although last year’s Super Bowl run was very impressive), but what he’s going to do.

Contact Mark Eckel at meckel@njtimes.com.

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Source: "Super Bowl 2011" via Glen in Google Reader

Lauren Alaina's Post-Idol Success

American Idol runner-up and Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope artist Lauren Alaina is receiving tremendous support from fans and country radio alike for her first recordings, which hit No. 9 on the Billboard Digital Albums and Country Albums charts and No. 11 on the Digital Songs chart in last week's chart debut.

"Like My Mother Does," which was sent to radio after she performed it on American Idol on May 24, debuted at No. 11 on the Digital Songs chart and No. 20 on the Hot 100 chart for sales of 121,204, making it the highest debut for a second-place finalist in six years. The single also makes a stellar debut at country radio, launching at No. 49 on the Hot Country Songs chart. This week the song jumps six spots to No. 43.

A compilation album of her performances from American Idol, called American Idol Season 10: Lauren Alaina, is ranked No. 9 on the Digital Albums and Country Albums charts for sales of 10,651.

"This is so awesome!" she says. "American Idol has changed my life, so I'm excited that the songs I performed on there are doing so well. I can't believe that I have a song out on country radio, much less that so many stations started playing it right away. I can't wait to get out and meet everybody and thank them personally for playing my song. Not only is 'Like My Mother Does' important to me professionally, but it's also special to me personally because my mom has been beside me through this whole thing. She has been my biggest cheerleader and my biggest supporter when I was feeling ... read more

Source: "American Idol 10 Live Feed" via Glen in Google Reader

David Cook’s “This Loud Morning” is Available Now

Today, American Idol's seventh champion, David Cook, released his second album since his 2008 victory. This Loud Morning is available everywhere today as both standard and deluxe editions. In addition, David's Official Online Store has exclusive fan editions that include posters, t-shirts, and more.

David told Billboard.com, "You can listen to the single if you want to go to listen to the single, but if you listen to the record as a whole, it takes on this entire experience." The first single off This Loud Morning is "The Last Goodbye," which David performed on a Season 10 results show. View pictures of his performance.

The track listing for This Loud Morning is:
Circadian
Right Here, With You
We Believe
Fade Into Me
Hard To Believe
Take Me As I Am
Time Marches On
The Last Goodbye
Paper Heart
4 Letter Word
Goodbye To The Girl
Rapid Eye Movement

David has made quite a transformation since his time on American Idol. Take a look at his Season 7 Transformations photo gallery.

Source: "American Idol 10 Live Feed" via Glen in Google Reader

Roethlisberger says he might need foot surgery - STLtoday.com

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Saturday he might eventually need surgery on a broken right foot that bothered him during the team's run to the Super Bowl last year.

Roethlisberger aggravated the injury during a game against Buffalo last November, though he did not miss a snap. He played the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs with a special cleat fitted with two metal plates. (AP)

NFL players updated on lockout

Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson said conference calls were held during the past couple of days to update NFL players on the lockout and other issues discussed in recent negotiations with owners. The lockout is in its fourth month.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, several owners and players are scheduled to meet again at an undisclosed location this week. One source with knowledge of the discussions said "not much progress" was made in the fourth round of recent meetings, in Hull, Mass. (AP)

Sorenson wins Nationwide race

Justin Allgaier ran out of gas under caution, handing a victory to Reed Sorenson in a chaotic finish to the Nationwide race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Allgaier took the lead from Michael McDowell on the second of three attempts at a green-white-checkered overtime finish. Allgaier held the lead after the final restart and appeared to have the win sealed up when the yellow flag waved for the final time because of another rash of crashes. But Allgaier didn't have enough fuel to make it to the finish after running so many extra laps on the four-mile track.

Sorenson and Ron Fellows took the checkered flag side-by-side and both drivers seemed to think they'd won. NASCAR officials took several minutes to declare Sorenson the winner. (AP)

Vettel takes pole for European Grand Prix

Formula One points leader Sebastian Vettel took pole position for Sunday's European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. (AP)

Greg Anderson wins K&N Horsepower Challenge

Greg Anderson won the K&N Horsepower Challenge for the second consecutive year, beating Mike Edwards in the final of the Pro Stock bonus event at the NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

Robert Hight (Funny Car), Del Worsham (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) raced to the No. 1 qualifying spots in their divisions in the regular NHRA Full Throttle competition. (AP)

Sturm retains WBA middleweight title

Felix Sturm (36-2-1) retained his WBA middleweight title with a split-decision win over challenger Matthew Macklin (28-2) in Cologne, Germany. (AP)

Felix, McQuay win 400-meter titles at nationals

Allyson Felix and Tony McQuay won the 400-meter races at the U.S. championships in Eugene, Ore. (AP)

Minnesota golf director resigns amid lawsuit

John Harris, the golf director at the University of Minnesota accused of firing a coach because she's a lesbian, is resigning July 1. Harris said his decision to leave was not because Gophers women's assistant golf coach Kathryn Brenny filed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against him last year. The lawsuit is scheduled for a December trial. (AP)

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Source: "Super Bowl 2011" via Glen in Google Reader