Liverpool's Suarez makes a bad situation worse

Soccer Betting Lines

02/12/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester City's continued rise to prominence, Chelsea's sudden decline and Tottenham's blistering form have each been major storylines in the 2011-12 English Premier League season.

Yet racism has emerged as the hot-button issue in England these days, with Liverpool's Luis Suarez pouring more gasoline on the already smoldering fire over the weekend.

Already this season, Chelsea captain John Terry has been accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, a charge that Terry will stand trial for in July and one that has had a major impact on the sport in England.

Not only did the FA cancel the pre-match handshake between Chelsea and QPR when the two clubs met in the FA Cup in January, but it also saw fit to strip Terry of his England captaincy.

The decision angered former England manager Fabio Capello, who handed in his resignation earlier this week.

So it was only fitting that Suarez - who recently returned from an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra during a match in October - decided to further fan the flames by refusing to shake the hand of the United defender prior to Saturday's match between the two rivals.

It's hard to remember a time when the pre-match pleasantries have come so into focus the way they have this season.

But by snubbing Evra prior to the game, Suarez threatened to turn an already tense situation into a chaotic one.

Had he simply extended his hand to Evra and moved on, both sides could have done their best to bury the hatchet.

Yet the actions of the Uruguayan have now stirred up strong emotions on both sides which could have been easily avoided.

"I couldn't believe it [Suarez refusing to shake Evra's hand]. He's a disgrace to Liverpool football club. He shouldn't be allowed to play for Liverpool again," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said of Suarez following his team's 2-1 win.

The reaction might be a bit overblown, but the simple fact is that Suarez is behaving as though he is the victim, not the other way around.

Simple name-calling between opposing players on the field is one thing, but racial abuse is something that no player should have to put up with.

Had Suarez admitted he was wrong and attempted to move past the incident we would be talking more about the two goals that Wayne Rooney scored in an important win Saturday instead of something that took place prior to kickoff.

But Suarez doesn't seem ready to let go of the ordeal, seemingly placing blame for it at the feet of Evra, who apparently shouldn't have made a big deal about it.

The actions of the Liverpool striker not only reflect poorly on the club, but also put his coaches and teammates in the awkward position of trying to defend him while at the same time doing their best not to condone his actions.

Some may say that it was only a handshake and that too much is being made about it. Yet had Suarez simply done the right thing, it would be much easier to move on.

Racism has already stolen too many headlines this season. It's a shame Suarez allowed it to claim a few more.

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Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds.  The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.

Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.

Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).

Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.

World Series odds

Adam Dunn 15-1

Albert Pujols 5-1

Alex Rodriguez 12-1

Alfonso Soriano 15-1

Andruw Jones 25-1

Barry Bonds 50-1

Carlos Delgado 40-1

David Ortiz 8-1

Jermaine Dye 40-1

Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1

Lance Berkman 40-1

Manny Ramirez 20-1

Richie Sexson 40-1

Ryan Howard 6-1

Travis Hafner 20-1

Vladimir Guerrero 40-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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