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04/20/2010 -
NEW YORK (AP) -Alarmingly, the number of athletes dying from heat-related illnesses is rising. Kelci Stringer, the widow of Vikings tackle Korey Stringer, who died from heat stroke nine years ago, hopes to do something about it.
So do the NFL and the University of Connecticut, who have partnered with Stringer to open the Korey Stringer Institute at UConn's Neag School of Education. The creation of the institute will be announced Friday at the NFL draft.
If the last 35 years are broken into blocks of five years, the worst segment for such deaths has been, shockingly, the last five years. According to Doug Casa, professor of kinesiology at UConn and the lead researcher for the institute, there have been twice as many deaths in that span than was the average for previous five-year blocks.
``That shows why this institute is needed so much,'' Casa said. ``The legacy of Korey Stringer could be saving lives.''
Stringer died of complications due to heat stroke on Aug. 1, 2001 during training camp. At 27, he was the first professional football player to die from the illness.
Kelci Stringer spent several years in court suing the NFL and equipment manufacturers, all the while envisioning a day when there are athletic trainers at every high school in the nation; today, only about half of the schools have one. And she imagined a time when pro, college and youth sports organizations have set policies on prevention of heat illnesses.
She believes that day soon will arrive.
``The first goal is to make sure this is not some sort of fly-by-night institute,'' she said. ``I hope we are around a long time. There's constant research that comes out each day and we want to continue to put out that information and be a resource for every athlete in any sport at any level.
``I would hope in the short term we can help eradicate these type of heat-related deaths.''
To give the institute some cachet, Kelci Stringer sought the aid of the NFL and of Casa. The league, which settled the lawsuit over Korey's death out of court, was impressed by her plan and her goals. So much so that the league is providing financial help, as is one of its main sponsors, Gatorade.
The NFL also will help publicize and market the institute, and few sports organizations are more effective in those areas.
In late 2008, Kelci Stringer, Casa and Jimmy Gould, who was Korey Stringer's agent, met with NFL executives, including commissioner Roger Goodell.
``It was clear they had a strong commitment and passion in doing work in the heat illness prevention area,'' said Gary Gertzog, the NFL's senior vice president of business affairs. ``We all thought this was a terrific opportunity to increase the education at all levels of sports, particularly at the youth level, so that they understand how to prevent heat illness.
``We all have been parents or coaches for youth sports and we all have seen kids playing in very extreme weather conditions. They wanted to make sure everyone understands how important it is to be properly hydrated.''
One of the primary missions of the institute will be to extend awareness, education and advocacy about the proper precautions to avoid heat stroke through its website (ksi.uconn.edu). The institute also will offer its services to athletic trainers, team physicians, athletic directors, coaches, league supervisors, parents, principals, equipment manufacturers and others to create proper protocols, policies and emergency action plans to prevent sudden death in sport, especially as it relates to heat stroke.
Casa had worked for several years with Kelci Stringer on the lawsuits. UConn has a history of research on heat illnesses and hydration, and Stringer says Casa ``is like a god in this area.''
``This is a place that makes sense because of the knowledge base we have,'' Casa said. ``We won't be just sharing information that we have, but we'll be inviting other universities and high schools to share their plans related to heat stroke with us, for us to help them and critique them.''
Eventually, Kelci Stringer hopes her husband is remembered for more than the ``senseless and tragic way'' his life ended.
``What I really wanted while pursuing all these legal avenues is to have the NFL support my efforts in creating a legacy for Korey,'' she said. ``What's been driving me was the number of young athletes we were losing each year.
``I want to make sure we almost use Korey as the catapult to bring attention and awareness to what is going on with young athletes and NFL athletes as well.''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.
<< Eckstein's homer in 10th sends Padres past Giants
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Eckstein's solo home run to lead off
the 10th inning helped San Diego take a 3-2 decision over San Francisco in the
opener of a three-game set.
Eckstein was the first batter in the 10th and he hit
<< Fister, Mariners dominate O's
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Casey Kotchman's two-run homer punctuated a
seven-run third inning, as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Baltimore
Orioles, 8-2, in the opener of a three-game series at Safeco Field.
Doug Fister (
<< Cardinals hand Diamondbacks fifth straight loss
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Holliday went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer
to help the St. Louis Cardinals take a 4-2 decision over the Arizona
Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series.
Colby Rasmus had two hits, an
<< Pineiro helps Angels blank Detroit
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joel Pineiro continued his solid April with 7
1/3 shutout frames, as the suddenly streaking Angels blanked Detroit, 2-0, in
the first game of a four-game set.
Pineiro (2-1) scattered nine hits with four st
Coyotes' Doan to miss Game 4 against Detroit >>
DETROIT (AP) -Phoenix Coyotes forward Shane Doan will miss Game 4 of the Western Conference playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night because of an upper-body injury.The Coyotes' captain left Game 3 on Sunday when he stumbled over Detr
Petersen's new contract awaits board approval >>
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -Boise State coach Chris Petersen is poised to get a new five-year contract worth more than $8 million.The new deal awaits approval Thursday by the Idaho State Board of Education.University officials announced the new contract duri
Kesler, Datsyuk, Staal up for Selke Trophy >>
NEW YORK (AP) -Detroit star Pavel Datsyuk has been nominated for the Selke Trophy, joining fellow finalists Ryan Kesler of Vancouver and Jordan Staal of Pittsburgh for the award given to the NHL's top defensive forward.The Red Wings star has won the
Howard wins consecutive defensive player awards >>
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Dwight Howard has won his second straight NBA defensive player of the year award after becoming the only player to lead the league in blocks and rebounds in the same season twice - let alone in consecutive years.Orlando Magic coa
American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies
It's that time of year folks. Betting on American Idol Season 9. And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below. With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.
No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.
Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.
Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.
Odds to Win
There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.
All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.
A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.
Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.
Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol.
Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.
If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.
Elimination Props
Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.
Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.
Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups
The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.
Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.
And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.
Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.
So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.
Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)
The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.
As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.
The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.
In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.
Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.
And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.
So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.
There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.
So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.
And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.
There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)
Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.
Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.
Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.
So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
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