Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has hit out at star quarterback Peyton Manning describing the four time MVP as a ‘politician’ and says he doesn’t appreciate Manning’s public campaign after he openly criticised the side’s training facilities.
Manning’s comments coincided with the introduction of new coach Chuck Pagano and comes exactly six weeks before the owner has to make a decision on whether the franchise will decide to keep him on for another year and pay the still-recovering 35-year-old a $28million bonus.
The playmaker missed the whole of the season due to a neck injury and speculation is rife that he may leave the side the Lucas Oil Stadium in the off-season. Anyone looking at the Super Bowl 2012 betting will be keeping one eye on developments in Indianapolis.
The owner has now come in defence of his club and openly criticised the man who led the team to Super Bowl glory in 2006.
“I don’t think it’s in the best interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don’t,” Irsay said following Pagano’s introduction.
“The horseshoe always comes first, and I think one thing he’s always known, because he’s been around it so long, is that, you know, you keep it in the family.
“If you’ve got a problem you talk to each other, it’s not about campaigning or anything like that.”
Manning is known for his outspoken views and has never been afraid to speak his mind. However, Irsay’s comments obviously struck a chord with the playmaker who has says in future he’ll try to act more professionally and says his comments were borne out of frustration after a number of the coaching staff recently lost their jobs. Fans of Betfair NFL should bear this in mind.
“I wasn’t trying to paint the Colts in a bad light, but it’s tough when so many people you’ve known for so long are suddenly leaving. I feel very close to a lot of these guys and we’ve done great things together. It’s hard to watch an old friend clean out his office. That’s all I was trying to sad” he added.
Although the NFL has been slightly slower than expected to move towards basing a single team overseas in recent years, the announcement that the St. Louis Rams have been designated as the team set to visit Wembley for the next three years means that they have made a major step forward in the decision to base one franchise in London on a permanent basis one day.
Whether or not the Rams are going to be that team, or whether the NFL are just testing the waters, hoping to see that there is still the hunger among UK NFL fans for a team (or several) to be based in Europe is not yet clear. What is clear, though, is that the decision to allow Stan Kroenke to buy the franchise when it would normally have been firmly against the rules of the NFL to do so, before letting him bring that same side to London where he already owns Premier League side Arsenal, hints at a push forward in the quest to commercially expand the NFL into the UK. Those looking at the Super Bowl Betting will be wondering if American football is about to change forever.
With American Football fans in the UK now granted three years to get behind an emerging, but not amazing, team, the time is coming for fans of the NFL over here to decide whether they are just curious as to what the NFL is about, or hold genuine affection for the sport. Anyone looking at www.betfair.com should remember this.
If it is the latter, then don’t be shocked to see the NFL start to become a major player in Europe over the next few decades, perhaps even eventually emerging as a threat to the absolute dominance of football in the UK.
There is no doubting that the New York Giants looked pretty decent against the Green Bay Packers, and the San Francisco 49ers looked like they possess a defence to turn tight games in their favour, but there is one team that boasts a long history of success and glory and also has the experience needed to pull through when the going gets tough. That team is none other than the New England Patriots.
With the Pats boasting the single greatest quarterback in modern NFL history (perhaps even of all time) as well as a defence that can mix it up with the best of them, few can doubt that they are perhaps the team to beat when it comes to winning the Super Bowl this season. Those looking at the American Football Betting should bear this in mind.
As the Baltimore Ravens are a long shot to do anything but provide cannon fodder for the majestic Tom Brady, the real question now remains whether they can overcome the ghosts of a few seasons back when they had a near perfect season that ended 18-1. While the 1 in the losses column was the most painful loss that could have occurred, the nature of the defeat was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the game, with Brady and co doing almost everything possible to win the Super Bowl before a last minute moment of magic from a player who decided to make his name there and then in the last seconds of the game popped up from nowhere. Fans of betfair.com should remember this.
Should Brady and his team end up facing the Giants again, they will not only be looking to prove that this year isn’t the one that sees the underdogs sneaking through with a win, but is rather one of retribution, where the strong make sure that they are in total control, showing everyone watching what should have happened back before Eli Manning decided to take it upon himself to make history for the Giants.
New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin says he has confidence in his side’s ability to secure a trip to the Super Bowl after upsetting Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional play-off game (Giants 7/2 to win Super Bowl with bet365).
The Giants stunned the reigning Super Bowl champions at Lambeau Field with a 37-20 victory, spearheaded by a scintillating display from quarterback Eli Manning.
He threw three touchdown passes and a total of 330 yards in the game to help the Giants book a date with the San Francisco 49ers, who overcame the New Orleans Saints, in the NFC Championship game next Sunday (49ers 16/5 Super Bowl outright with bet365).
Coughlin, who was unhappy with the officiating against the Packers, reckons he is happy with how the Giants are now looking as they look to secure a first Super Bowl victory since 2008.
“I think we’re a dangerous team,” Coughlin said. “I like where we are.”
In the AFC, Baltimore Ravens proceeded to the AFC Championship game after beating Houston Texans, where they will face the New England Patriots after they overcame the challenge of the Denver Broncos (Patriots 11/10, Ravens 7/1 Super League outright).
Tags: American Football bet, american football odds, giants betting, green bay packers bets, green bay packers odds, new york giants odds, NFL bets, NFL betting, NFL odds, tom coughlin
NFL (USA) | American Football Betting News | January 16, 2012 15:52 |
Green Bay Packer’s star B.J. Raji has started the tough talking ahead of his side’s NFC Divisional game against the New York Giants by criticising their offensive line.
The two sides face off at Lambeau Field on Sunday to see who will progress in the play-offs and Raji has start the pre-game war of words by saying that Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs is tougher than the blockers he’ll be facing. Anyone following the NFL betting should remember this.
“Not saying they’re soft, but it’s not the toughest group I have been against,” according to Raji, a New York City native who starred in high school at Westwood in Bergen County (N.J.).
“I played [the Giants offensive line] once this year and once last year,” Raji added, referring to a pair of Green Bay victories.
“I can only judge from my vantage point up front — not necessarily the most physical. Their backs are pretty physical, but it’s not the toughest [offensive line].”
The slight is obviously an attempt at mind games as the Packers’ defence has disappointed all season and are ranked the worst in the lead, despite their 15-1 record.
Raji himself has come in for criticism this season, despite making the Pro Bowl and was ranked by one website as the worst defensive tackle in the league with only 10 hits made all season. Fans of the Betfair Super Bowl Betting should bear this in mind.
The Giants were ranked last in rushing in the regular season but Raji says he is still impressed by their attacking roster, especially the aforementioned Jacobs.
“Ahmad [Bradshaw] is always tough,” Raji said. “He’s a good player, and he plays hard all the time. When Brandon’s running like Brandon, he’s very tough to tackle.”
New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees has created history by breaking Dan Marino’s NFL record for yards passed in a season.
Brees broke the record, which was set in 1984, in the Saints’ 45-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons by throwing a touchdown pass to Darren Sproles and the 32-year-old admits that it’s been difficult not to think about the record.
“Honestly, I was really trying not to think about the record or anything,” Brees said. “I knew we were close. A couple guys mentioned stuff to me on the sideline. I didn’t want to hear it. It’s like a pitcher with a no-hitter, I guess.”
Brees went into the match on 4,780 yards for the season and broke the record in the final stages as he threw his 12th 300 yard game of the season and the sixth in a row that he thrown over 200 yards. Those looking at the Super Bowl football betting will have been impressed.
The record was marked by a trademark celebration from Brees as he pumped his fist triumphantly and started walking towards the midfield as the crowd went wild. Anyone looking at the NFL odds will have been impressed.
Carl Nicks tried to pick him up but it was impossible as his teammates swarmed around him in what was a wonderful moment for both the quarterback and his team.
“If I could have put him on my shoulders and paraded him around the whole stadium I would have done that. He deserves it,” Nicks said.
“It’s like a movie, man. Just a movie ending. It’s beautiful. … You could tell by everyone’s reaction after he did it how much people care about that guy. We all love him.”
Green Bay Packers are 8/5 favourites with bet365 to win Super Bowl XLVI after sealing the number one seeding berth in the NFC.
The Packers (5/7 to win NFC Conference title) improved their impressive regular season record to 14-1 after a 35-21 success over rivals Chicago Bears – a result which ended the Bears’ play-off hopes.
Aaron Rodgers threw five touchdown passes for the first time in his career, with the quarterback throwing two TD passes each to Jordy Nelson and James Jones, as well as one to tight-end Jermichael Finley.
The victory means the Packers will now have home-field advantage in the NFC (4/6 – Winning Conference) and they will head into the play-offs as the team to beat.
Green Bay, who are going in search of their third Super Bowl crown, will end their regular-season fixtures with a home clash against Detroit Lions on New Year’s Day.
Meanwhile, the Packers’ win over the Bears has enabled the Atlanta Falcons to qualify for the play-offs as at least a wild card.
Tags: American Football bet, american football betting, american football odds, bet on American Football, bet on Super Bowl XLVI, bet on the NFC Conference, green bay packers, NFC Conference bet, NFC Conference betting, NFC Conference odds, Super Bowl XLVI bet, Super Bowl XLVI betting, Super Bowl XLVI odds
NFL (USA) | American Football Betting News | December 26, 2011 13:57 |
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay says the only way quarterback Peyton Manning won’t be playing for the franchise next season is if he’s still injured.The four time MVP has missed the 2011 season after undergoing neck surgery earlier in the year but is expected to be back fit and raring to go at the start of next season.
The Colts have struggled without their star man and had 0-13 record before winning their last two games and have used three different quarterbacks in Manning’s absence. Anyone looking at the Super Bowl 2012 Betting will know how poor they have been.
Irsay is clearly desperate to get his best player back on the field but insists he’ll only play if his health allows him.
“I think the situation is if he’s back and he’s healthy, I see him coming back and playing here,” Irsay said.
“I think the hope is that his health is in the position where he could return again. That remains uncertain and that’s something that’s first and foremost on my mind.”
Speculation has arisen recently that Manning, 35, may be let go in the draft due to his advancing age. The star playmaker is also due a $28million bonus in March, despite not playing a single game this season leaving many to predict the Colts may dump him. Fans of the Betfair NFL betting should remember this.
However owner Irsay says this will not be the case and that the franchise will have no problems giving him his big pay day.
“I don’t see that being an issue,” Irsay said. “I paid him $26 million this season and he didn’t play and I knew it was an iffy situation. If he’s healthy and he can play, he’ll be back here.”
Indianapolis Colts, who go in search of just their second win of the season on Friday (bet365 Money Line – Houston Texans 10/31, Colts 5/2), have confirmed quarterback Peyton Manning will not play this season.
The 35-year-old recently started throwing again in practice, as he steps up his rehabilitation from a neck operation.
But despite talk that the four-time NFL MVP could return before the end of the year, the Colts are determined not to rush back their star man, despite their nightmare 1-13 record.
Colts vice chairman Bill Polian stated: “His rehabilitation has not come far enough to make it prudent for him to step on the field in game action. He will not play, either in the upcoming game on Thursday night or in the last game at Jacksonville.”
Meanwhile, Chicago Bears’ (200/1 to win NFC Championship) slim hopes of reaching the play-offs have been dealt a blow, with wide receiver Johnny Knox undergoing back surgery.
Knox needed an operation to stabilise a vertebra an injury he suffered in the Bears’ 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month.
Former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick has told the Miami Herald that he would consider taking over as the head coach at the Dolphins if offered the post.
Billick has been out of the coaching game since leaving the Ravens in 2007 and is currently working for the NFL Network as an analyst. The 57-year-old is understood to be looking for a new coaching job after his time in the media and the struggling Dolphins could offer him the perfect opportunity to re-establish himself as a coach.
The Dolphins sacked coach Tony Sparano on Monday and have left one of his former assistants Todd Bowles in temporary charge for their trip to Buffalo on Sunday. People following the American Football Betting should remember this.
Billick coached the Ravens to the Super Bowl in 2000 as well as taking them to the post season on four other occasions. However, he was fired in 2007 after a disappointing season in which they finished with a 5-11 record.
After four years as an analyst he has been linked with a move to Florida and told the Herald on Thursday that he would be seriously interested. Those looking at the Super bowl betting online need to bear this in mind.
“The Dolphins are a marquee franchise. But at the end of the day, it’s the structure of what they put together” he said.
“It has to be a partnership between the head coach, general manager and ownership with a very specific vision. The Dolphins are probably a long way from formulating their plans.”
However, he is not the only high-profile name linked with the post former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Titans boss Jeff Fisher also heavily linked with taking over the side and he admits that he may not be the favourite as ‘there’s a few of us with the (Super Bowl) ring”.
Sport News 24/7
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has hit out at star quarterback Peyton Manning describing the four time MVP as a ‘politician’ and says he doesn’t appreciate Manning’s public campaign after he openly criticised the side’s training facilities.
