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11/08/2007 - Foxborough, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A couple days after the New England Revolution won their first trophy in franchise history, the U.S. Open Cup, Major League Soccer's 2007 Defender of the Year Michael Parkhurst said, "These opportunities don't come very much in the sport. We want to take advantage of these championship runs when they come along."
After a Taylor Twellman bicycle kick goal held up on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium in a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire in the MLS Eastern Conference final, the Revs have a chance to take advantage of another championship run. This time for the MLS Cup after the team advanced to the league championship game for the third consecutive year.
Twellman scored the spectacular goal in the 38th minute after winger Wells Thompson crossed into the Chicago penalty area. Twellman headed the ball straight up in the air, turned and fired an overhead shot between defenders Dasan Robinson and Logan Pause and past goalkeeper Matt Pickens for the 1-0 lead.
The goal was Twellman's ninth in MLS playoff history to tie him with Brian McBride for seventh all-time. Twellman has tallied six goals in his last seven playoff games, including two in three games this season.
His fifth career playoff goal against the Fire would hold up as the Revolution knocked rivals Chicago out of the playoffs for the fourth time in their playoff history. The Revs also improve to 6-0-0 all-time at home against the Fire in the postseason while snapping the visitors 10-game unbeaten streak.
The game started with the Revolution getting a couple early shots - by Twellman and Thompson - in the first four minutes, but neither was on target.
C.J. Brown had Chicago's first shot, but it also went wide in the sixth minute.
Chicago forward Paulo Wanchope had the first legitimate chance two minutes later when he took control of the ball in the box, but his shot from the right side of the penalty area went wide of the far post.
Twellman had the best early chance of the game about 10 minutes later when he headed a shot from about six-yards out toward the far post, but a diving Pickens got a hand on it to tip it over the crossbar and keep the game scoreless.
Chicago's best chance of the first half occurred on a free kick from outside the left side of the Revs' box. Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who drew the foul, took the kick and played a perfect ball to Wanchope, who was alone in the middle of the six-yard box and onside only because defender Avery John was level with him. Wanchope got his head on the cross, but he snapped it wide of the near post.
Twellman then gave the home side the first-half lead with a his bicycle kick goal seven minutes before the break.
Revs' captain Steve Ralston had a great look from the top of the box in the 44th minute after Twellman and Pat Noonan worked the defense before playing a ball to the veteran, but the league's all-time leader in assists blasted the shot high and wide.
The second half started slow as the Revs defense, led by Parkhurst and central midfielder Shalrie Joseph, shut down the Fire attack. The visitors did get a chance when a Chad Barrett blast from the top of the box went wide of the left post just before the hour mark.
Wilman Conde let a 30-yard knuckler loose three minutes later, but it just wide of the left post also.
Five minutes later, Twellman tried for the double with a chip shot after Khano Smith received a pass from Noonan and found the forward on the right side at the top of the box, but it was saved by Pickens.
About 10 minutes later, with the Fire pressing for the equalizer, Chicago defender Gonzalo Segares blasted long shot in on goal that was saved by Matt Reis, one of his 10 saves in the game.
Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio brought in Justin Mapp, who has missed the previous 11 games with an ankle injury, in the 77th minute in an effort to spark his team's offense, but the talented American had little impact in the final 13 minutes.
Pickens kept it close seven minutes from time with a save on Noonan, who drove at the defense, beat a defender then hit a shot from a crowd in the box.
Fire attacker Chris Rolfe, held in check most of the game after scoring two goals in the semis against D.C., had two shots in the final five minutes, but was unable to beat Reis.
The Fire's last good chance came in the 90th minute when late substitute Calen Carr headed a Blanco cross on goal from close range, but Reis did well to hang on for his third shutout in three postseason games this season and seventh all-time, good for a fourth-place tie with former Columbus 'keeper Tom Presthus.
The Revs will now play the winner of the other conference final between defending champs Houston and Kansas City on Saturday. The MLS Cup final will be Nov. 18 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
<< Devils continue dominance over Flyers at home
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Karel Rachunek had a goal and an assist as the
New Jersey Devils downed the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1, at Prudential Center.
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<< Holmqvist, O'Brien lead Lightning over Canes
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane O'Brien netted a pair of goals to pace
the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1, at the RBC Center.
Vaclav Prospal had a goal and two assists and Michel Ouellet donated a pair of
helpe
<< Wolverine guard Smith suspended one game
Ann Arbor, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michigan junior guard Jerret Smith has been
suspended for the Wolverines' season opener against Radford on November 9 for
violating the team policy regarding class attendance, the school announced
Thursda
<< Tampa Bay Rays introduce new name, mascot, uniforms
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays officially
dropped the "Devil" from their name, and the new Tampa Bay Rays introduced
their new image, mascot, and uniforms in a ceremony held in downtown St.
Petersb
Kozlov, Capitals stun Senators >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Viktor Kozlov had a goal and two assists as the
Washington Capitals shocked the Ottawa Senators with a 4-1 win at Scotiabank
Place.
Nicklas Backstrom scored his first career goal while Tomas Fleischmann a
Canadiens edge Bruins >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tomas Plekanec tallied a goal and an assist to
lead the Montreal Canadiens to 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins in a tight
contest between two Original Six and Northeast Division rivals at TD Banknorth
Garden.
Fasth and Stadler lead in Shanghai >>
Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Niclas Fasth and Kevin Stadler each fired
rounds of eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the
HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan International Golf Club.
This is the first
Thomas leads the way as Bulls get first win, hand Pistons first loss >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tyrus Thomas scored 19 points and grabbed 14
rebounds, leading the Chicago Bulls to their first win of the season, 97-93,
over the previously unbeaten Detroit Pistons.
The win for the Bulls came despite a
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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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