Blanco makes MLS home debut as Fire host Crew

Soccer Betting Lines

08/03/2007 - Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago will try to continue its resurgence into the Eastern playoff picture when it hosts the Columbus Crew Saturday night at Toyota Park.

The Fire, who are primed to climb out of the Eastern Conference's second-to- last spot, have a new look with Cuauhtemoc Blanco making his second start and Costa Rican international Paulo Wanchope making his debut up top with the team.

"I think the (addition of) Paulo Wanchope can only be good news for everyone involved with the club," Fire head coach Juan Carlos Osorio said after he was signed on July 27. "Paulo is a very experienced striker, and has scored goals at all levels. I think he will improve our attacking force and hopefully he will be someone challenging the rest of the strikers on the starting line, helping us score more goals, winning more matches, and achieving our goal of making the playoffs."

Blanco's presence was definitely felt in his league debut last weekend in Toronto, a 3-0 win for the Fire. Blanco, a Mexican icon, had an assist as the Fire snapped a six-game winless streak and won for just the second time in 13 games. It was also just the second time this season the team scored more than two goals.

Along with Blanco and Wanchope, striker Chris Rolfe, who has been out since early May with an ankle injury, is scheduled to return in the near future. Despite missing the last 10 games, he is tied for the team lead with four goals. Rolfe is listed as probable on the team's injury report.

Columbus is also coming off a win against Toronto, a 2-0 contest on July 22nd in its most recent game. The win was the team's fifth in the last seven fixtures to get the Crew back into the playoff race.

The play of Argentinean Guillermo Barros Schelotto has been a main reason for the resurgence of the Crew. Schelotto was named MLS's Player of the Month on Thursday after having recorded three goals and one assist in four games in July. He has four goals and seven assists on the season and ranks second in the league in assists while playing just 13 games.

"I thought Guillermo [Barros Schelotto] obviously has been very instrumental since he has been with us," Crew head coach Sigi Schmid said. "I think when you look at all the foreign signings in the league, he's definitely, in my mind, in the top two."

The play of goalkeeper Will Hesmer has also been pivotal in the turnaround after the Crew starting the season with one win in its first 11 games.

Since Hesmer took over for goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum eight games ago, he has four shutouts, five wins and just one loss while the Crew have climbed to fourth in the East.

"Obviously, the team is riding high right now and the chemistry is really there," Hesmer said. "Guys are starting to figure out each other, especially up top with Guillermo, Alejandro (Moreno), Eddie (Gaven), Robbie (Rodgers); everybody's starting to get on the same page. I think defensively we've been doing the same thing the whole time and getting it done. We're doing well."

After Saturday's fixture, Chicago will have a week off before traveling to Real Salt Lake while Columbus travels to FC Dallas on Aug. 11.

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March Madness odds and printable March Madness brackets

With the field of 64/65 set, MySportsbook.com has the Florida Gators as the 4-1 favorite to successfully defend their National Championship.  Men’s Division-1 College Basketball has not seen a team repeat as National Champions since Duke won back to back championships in ’91 & ‘92.  After losing three out of four late in the season, the Gators are full of momentum as they won their last four games by an average of 18 points.  Not surprisingly, right behind the Gators are the other three top seeds: Kansas 5-1, UNC 6-1, and Ohio State 7-1.  Many consider Kansas to be the hottest team in the country, having won 11 straight. With Kansas, it is hard to ignore all of the early exits from the “dance” in recent years.  With an impressive ACC Tournament, UNC ensured themselves the other top seed.  UNC has about as much talent as any other team in the tournament but with a team that’s best players are primarily freshman and sophomores, could youth be a concern.  Behind freshman sensation, Greg Oden, OSU will look to do what their football team failed to do just a few months earlier.  OSU seems to have peeked at the right time, as they currently have a 17 game winning streak.  Since the tournament field was expanded in 1985, there has never been an instance where all four #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four.  It is obvious that each of the top seeds have the talent to make it through to Atlanta.  But as everyone knows, when makes the NCAA Tournament so special are all of the spoilers and “Cinderella” stories that knock off the favorites on a daily basis.

Be sure to logon to MySportsbook.com to see check out all of the early lines and “March Madness” props.  Also be sure to enter the “$10,000,000 Perfect Bracket Contest”. If someone has the skills to predict every winner, they will be set for life and walk away with $10,000,000.  Even if no one can cash in on the Grand Prize, with a $35,000 guaranteed prize pool and a Mazda RX-8 to the first prize winner, Sportsbook.com’s bracket is a must for all “March Madness” fans.

MySportsbook.com’s odds to win the Championship and Regions:

EAST National Championship Region
Arkansas 300-1 50-1
Belmont 1000-1
Boston College 100-1 40-1
Eastern KY 1000-1
George Washington 75-1
Georgetown 10-1 3-2
Marquette 100-1 40-1
Michigan State 100-1 25-1
New Mexico St. 500-1 200-1
UNC 6-1 6-5
Oral Roberts  500-1
Texas 15-1 5-1
Texas Tech 200-1 5-1
USC 75-1 20-1
Vanderbilt 100-1 30-1
Washington State 40-1 15-1
WEST
Duke 50-1 10-1
Florida A&M 1000-1
Gonzaga 200-1  40-1
Holy Cross 300-1
Illinois 300-1 60-1
Indiana 75-1 40-1
Kansas 5-1 13-10
Kentucky 100-1 40-1
Niagara 1000-1
Pittsburgh 40-1 8-1
Southern Ill. 50-1 12-1
UCLA 10-1 3-2
VCU 500-1 100-1
Villanova 100-1 40-1
VA Tech 50-1 15-1
Weber St 1000-1
Wright St 1000-1 300-1
MIDWEST
Arizona 50-1 30-1
Butler 40-1 30-1
Davidson 300-1
Florida 4-1 4-5
Georgia Tech 75-1 25-1
Jackson State 1000-1
Maryland 30-1 6-1
Miami-OH 300-1
Notre Dame 100-1 20-1
ODU 500-1 100-1
Oregon 40-1 6-1
Purdue 300-1 60-1
Texas A&M CC 1000-1
UNLV 100-1 30-1
Winthrop 500-1 100-1
Wisconsin 15-1 7-2
SOUTH
Albany 200-1
BYU 200-1 40-1
Central CT St. 1000-1
Creighton 100-1 35-1
Long Beach St. 500-1 200-1
Louisville 40-1 10-1
Memphis 30-1 4-1
Nevada 75-1 35-1
North Texas 500-1
Ohio State 7-1 6-5
Penn 500-1
Stanford 200-1 50-1
Tennessee 100-1 20-1
Texas A&M 12-1 11-5
Virginia 75-1 18-1
Xavier 100-1 40-1

Field                                              100-1

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