yes its a real sport

NFL Betting – Thursday Night Preview

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:36:04 +0000

NFL Betting – Thursday Night Preview
While the bulk of this weeks NFL action takes place this Sunday, the NFL officially kicks off its season on Thursday night in New Orleans. What better way to get NFL betting started than with a rematch of last years thrilling NFC Championship Game? Heres a closer look at the 2010 season opener. [Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 60% bonus on your first deposit…

Cricket Betting Friends Provident Twenty20 Quarterfinals Heating Up
Somerset and Northants couldnt have had more polar opposite results in their final pool games of the Friends Provident Twenty20 competition if they had tried but with a semifinal spot on the line; both teams will be looking for any edge they can get. Friends Provident Twenty20 Cricket Betting [Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 60% odd bonus on your first deposit here at BetUS? So go…

Baltimore Signs T.J. Houshmandzadeh
The Baltimore Ravens have made another bold move in the wide receiver department, signing T.J. Houshmandzadeh. NFL rumors seemed to insist that Houshmandzadeh, who was released by the Seahawks over the weekend, would sign with the receiver desperate Vikings.

Sports, we all love em…

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:31:08 +0000

Sports, we all love em, theres no two ways around it, and from time to time we miss the game and desperately want to know the live score. If you need to find out quickly Livegoals has real time scores coming through the second they happen. And what else do us men like to do (I know what youre thinking keep it clean-ish) I was talking about gambling not drinking, I know shocker. So, back to the point, basicly, you can bet on the games too, sound good? Because it certainly does to me, but perhaps thats just because I won, and we all know betting is about chance and educated guesses and Livegoals gives you all the stats to make an informed decision about the football particularly. So maybe your thinking I need to put my money where my mouth is and back my club, maybe youre just after a cheap thrill or some easy money. Or maybe you just want to innocently check the live scores you can do all that here at Livegoals. So anyway while Im rambling on abit I just thought Id ask what the hell happened to Everton this season, I mean really how are they in the bottom two of the division after 6 games, talk about a bad start, theyve been playing terrible football I know, but Moyes must be worried by now.

kazino

Saints will honor suspended Sean Payton with empty chairs

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:18:16 +0000

Saints will honor suspended Sean Payton with empty chairs
(Getty Images)The New Orleans Saints will honor Sean Payton this season by leaving an empty seat for the suspended head coach in their locker room and on team buses and planes. Payton, who is in exile in a downtown New Orleans skyscraper after his season-long ban, won’t rejoin the team until after next year’s Super Bowl. The Saints will compensate for his absence by acting like he died, rather than looked the other way during a pay-for-play bounty system. This is sort oflike leaving an empty chair for grandma at Thanksgiving because it’s her year to eat at your uncle’s house. [Related: Saints rookie CB Corey White gets reality check from Drew Brees] This information comes from Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. We’ve pulled some of the quotes from his article to highlight the Saints’ deep love of their banned coach. “How would Pittsburgh react if Chuck Noll was gone? Or how would Dallas react if Tom Landry wasn’t there? Or San Francisco without Bill Walsh? Sean’s put those kinds of numbers up. He has that kind of recognition in the league.” — Joe Vitt, interim head coach Super Bowl victories 4 — Chuck Noll 3 — Bill Walsh 2 — Tom Landry 1 — Sean Payton NFL victories 270 — Tom Landry 209 — Chuck Noll 102 — Bill Walsh 67 — Sean Payton Seasons coached 29 — Tom Landry 23 — Chuck Noll 10 — Bill Walsh 6 — Sean Payton So, yeah, they’re all pretty close. “Sean had a quality in this building that you knew things were going to be all right.” — Greg Bensel, vice president of communications Particularly if you knocked out opposing quarterbacks. “He is as confident as anyone I have seen in the position.” — Bensel Pride goethbefore destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Or something like that. a) “[He has] some magic to him.” b) “[He has] pure nerve and outstanding courage.” One of those lines was said by offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. about Payton. The other was said by Albus Dumbledore about Harry Potter. That it would take you a few seconds to figure out that Carmichael’s was the first one tells you all you need to know about the New Orleans Saints’ reverence for the not-really-departed Mr. Payton. Other popular content on the Yahoo! network: Adrian Wojnarowski: Spurs’ Tim Duncan goes old school on Clippers in Game 1 win Iole Mailbag: Lamont Peterson’s explanation of failed test won’t change minds GrindTV: See fishermen go berserk after 40-pound barracuda jumps in their boat Y! News: Hole-in-one contest winner cheated of $18K prize

NFL: Study says former players live longer (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:36:10 +0000

NFL: Study says former players live longer (Yahoo! Sports)
NEW YORK (AP) The NFL is telling retirees about a medical study that says former players live longer than men in the general population. While player safety issues related to brain trauma and other football-related injuries dominate the headlines, the study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found 334 deceased men in a sampling of 3,439 former NFL players. Estimates for the general population anticipated 625 deaths. Players in the study participated in the NFL for at least five seasons from 1959 through 1988, and were observed by NIOSH through 2007. The study is a follow-up to a 1994 report the institute did at the request of the players’ union to, ”investigate concerns that players were dying prematurely.” The latest findings, which contradict that idea, were published earlier this year in the American Journal of Cardiology and on NIOSH’s blog. The NFL sent a newsletter from NIOSH about the study’s finding to about 3,200 pre-1993 retired players on Tuesday. The results come as NFL veterans by the hundreds – from both recent years and decades ago – are suing the league because of long-term health effects, many head injuries they sustained playing football. The league maintains player safety was and is a major priority. The latest study found that players had a much lower rate of cancer-related deaths, with 85 dying from the disease as opposed to a projected 146 based on estimates from the general population. One reason for that could be low levels of smoking among athletes, but NIOSH did not attempt to contact former players about their smoking habits. Larger players, particularly defensive linemen, had a higher level of deaths from heart disease, 41 as opposed to an expected 29. There were 498 defensive linemen studied. Offensive and defensive linemen, of course, are likely to have a higher body mass index, a measuring factor for obesity. Overall, though, the study showed that the risk of players dying of heart disease was lower than the general population, with 126 deaths while the anticipated number was 186. The report made several recommendations to former football players about maintaining a healthier lifestyle. ”Though football-related injuries may make it hard to exercise regularly,” the report said, ”it is important that players continue to be active or maintain a healthy weight. It is also important to not smoke, eat right and treat medical conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.” NIOSH also is studying neurological causes of death among the NFL players, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Lynn goes to 6-0, 5 Cardinals homer in 9-6 victory (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:36:10 +0000

Lynn goes to 6-0, 5 Cardinals homer in 9-6 victory (Yahoo! Sports)
PHOENIX (AP) Lance Lynn wasn’t at his best Monday night – just good enough for five scoreless innings and another victory. The big, young St. Louis right-hander gave up three hits to become the majors’ first six-game winner and the Cardinals held on for a 9-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Rafael Furcal hit the 30th leadoff home run of his career for St. Louis, the first of five homers for the Cardinals on the night. Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit consecutive homers to open the third off Joe Saunders (2-2). Allen Craig and David Freese homered to start the seventh after Arizona had scored six times in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-6. ”It was nice for them to come out swinging the bats right from the top, a pretty good display of some power,” manager Mike Matheney said. ”Then obviously the ones we got later were a lot more valuable than what we thought they would be.” Lynn (6-0), the first St. Louis pitcher to start the season with six wins since Bob Tewksbury in 1994, left with a 7-0 lead. Cody Ransom hit a two-run homer in the Diamondbacks’ rally. ”We’re winning games while I’m on the mound,” Lynn said. ”That’s all that matters.” Jason Motte gave up a pair of singles in the ninth but no runs for his fifth save in six tries. Lynn struck out seven and walked four. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound 24-year-old has allowed six earned runs in six starts. It was his shortest outing of the season, and he acknowledged he had problems with his command. ”Tonight was a struggle,” Lynn said. ”You know you’re not going to have your best stuff every time out. Tonight I was able to battle through it.” Saunders, who entered the game with a 1.24 ERA, allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in 3 1-3 innings. ”I just didn’t have it,” he said, ”plain and simple.” The Diamondbacks, back from a 5-5 road trip, have lost three in a row and five of six. They have dropped eight of their last 10 at home. ”We haven’t played the way we’re capable of recently,” manager Kirk Gibson said. ”If we’re going to beat this team we’re going to have to play a lot better.” Furcal put St. Louis ahead to stay with a leadoff shot an estimated 441 feet onto the porch in left-center, just above the 413-foot sign. After two outs, Allen Craig singled, then scored on Freese’s double into the left field corner. The Cardinals made it 3-0 when Yadier Molina singled to right field. Justin Upton’s throw to the plate was high and Freese slid under catcher Miguel Montero’s tag. Beltran’s eighth home run, leading off the third, followed by Holliday’s sixth homer of the season, put the Cardinals up 5-0. They made it 7-0, with help of an unearned run, in the fourth. Tyler Green singled, then Montero threw the ball away on Lynn’s sacrifice bunt try. Furcal followed with an RBI single, then Holliday walked to load the bases. Reliever Brad Ziegler walked home the seventh run on four pitches. Arizona broke through against reliever J.C. Romero, who faced five batters without an out in the sixth inning. Montero led off with a single, then Ransom hit his fourth home run of the season, a 452-foot shot into the left field seats. Lyle Overbay walked and Aaron Hill singled, then both scored on Ryan Roberts’ double. A.J. Pollack reached on an infield single, then Gerardo Parra’s bunt brought Roberts home to make it 7-5 with no outs. Fernando Salas relieved Romero and retired the next two batters, but Montero’s RBI singled up the middle cut the lead to 7-6. Reliever Bryan Shaw gave up home runs to Craig and Freese to start the seventh as St. Louis stretched it to a three-run game. NOTES: St. Louis batters have hit consecutive home runs four times this season. … The Cardinals’ Lance Berkman, on the DL with a left calf strain, says he expects to be activated on Friday. … The Diamondbacks were without first base coach Eric Young because of the death of his father. Bullpen coach Glen Sherlock filled in at first base. … Upton batted second in the lineup for the first time since Sept. 14, 2010. He was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts before being lifted in a double switch after the fifth. … The Cardinals have scored in the first inning in each of their last seven games. … The Diamondbacks send ace Ian Kennedy (3-1, 3.23) to the mound Tuesday night against the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook (3-2, 2.12). … Arizona’s franchise record for coming from behind to win is six runs, accomplished six times. … The final seconds of the Phoenix Coyotes’ series-clinching NHL playoff victory over Nashville were shown on the Chase Field big screen.

Pacers defeat Magic 93-78, even series 1-1 (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 05:18:24 +0000

Pacers defeat Magic 93-78, even series 1-1 (Yahoo! Sports)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The challenge before the Indiana Pacers wasn’t about game plans, execution or matchups. It was simply about toughness. An Orlando team without its top rebounder, injured All-Star center Dwight Howard, dominated the boards in the first half to take a two-point lead. The heavily favored Pacers stewed in their locker room as they faced the possibility of taking a two-game deficit to Orlando for Game 3 on Wednesday. ”No one liked the way we were playing,” Indiana forward Tyler Hansbrough said. ”I didn’t think we were playing with energy or aggressive enough.” The Pacers responded, asserting complete control inside during the second half of a 93-78 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Indiana grabbed 12 of the first 13 rebounds in the third quarter and outrebounded Orlando 26-13 in the second half. ”That’s what it’s exactly about,” Indiana forward Danny Granger said. ”This time of year, games are a lot harder. Everybody’s playing twice as hard. You have to be the team with the most resolve, the team just playing with the most attitude to try to get the win. It was just something everybody knew.” The Magic had no choice but to concede that they were outhustled. ”In the third quarter, they just kicked our butts,” Orlando center Glen Davis said. ”They got every loose ball.” Indiana lost Game 1 81-77 on Saturday and felt its season slipping away in Game 2 before rallying. ”We just came out with a different type of energy,” Granger said. ”We knew how important this game was. We couldn’t lose two games in a seven-game series on our home court. With that in hindsight, we went after it.” David West had 18 points and 11 rebounds and has emerged as a stabilizing force for the Pacers. ”He’s leading our team right now in competitive spirit and will and desire and all that stuff that doesn’t show up on the box score, providing our team with the necessary swagger to get a good playoff win,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. ”He’s just dialed in. A playoff tested veteran. Hopefully he’s going to lead us very far in the playoffs.” Granger and George Hill each added 18 points and Paul George had 17 points and eight rebounds for Indiana. The Pacers won despite making just 2 of 20 3-point attempts and Granger, the team’s leading scorer this season, shooting just 7 for 21 from the field. Indiana held the Magic to 36 percent shooting overall. Indiana has held the Magic below 40 percent shooting in both games. ”We’re going to have to be better offensively,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. ”I’m going to have to find something that works.” Davis led the Magic with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but he shot 5 for 16 from the field. Davis, the loudest talker after Saturday’s win, was the first player off the court on Monday. J.J. Redick scored 13 points and Jameer Nelson added 12 for Orlando. Orlando knows it still has control of the series because of the split. ”We tried to get two, got one,” Davis said. ”We’re still in a good position. We just need to make sure that we play with a lot of energy and not let up.” Orlando led 44-42 at halftime despite shooting just 32 percent from the field. The Magic stayed in the game with 12 offensive rebounds. Davis had 14 points and eight rebounds in the first half. Granger hit a 3-pointer to tie the game early in the third quarter, then Hill made a layup to give the Pacers a 54-52 lead with 7:17 left and bring an uneasy crowd back into the game. Granger’s three-point play extended Indiana’s lead midway through the quarter, and a 3-pointer by Hill made it 64-55 and forced Orlando to call a timeout. The Pacers poured it on the rest of the quarter and led 72-57 heading into the fourth. Indiana outscored Orlando 16-2 over the final 6:40 of the quarter and held the Magic to 1-for-8 shooting. George’s stepback jumper on the baseline as the shot clock expired gave Indiana a 78-64 lead with 9 minutes to play, and his three-point play 2 minutes later pushed the lead to 15. The poor second half left Orlando feeling like it wasted an opportunity. ”We feel like we could have won tonight,” forward Ryan Anderson said. ”The fact that we played so hard and had the lead, it makes it that much more tough.” Indiana plans to take its heightened intensity on the road. ”It was just a scrappy night for us,” George said. ”And that’s how we’ve got to play throughout this whole series.” — Notes: Orlando missed its first four shots and didn’t score for nearly 3 minutes to start the game. … Indiana shot 55 percent in the first quarter. … Anderson had eight points and six rebounds in the first quarter, but fouled out with 11 points and eight boards. … Indiana C Roy Hibbert was in foul trouble throughout the game and finished with four points and 13 rebounds in 23 minutes. … Davis is shooting 13 for 36 from the field in the series. … Indiana, which shot 13 for 22 from the free-throw line in Game 1, was 25 for 28 on Monday. — Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap

Ogwumike taken No. 1 by Sparks in WNBA draft (AP)

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:36:26 +0000

Ogwumike taken No. 1 by Sparks in WNBA draft (AP)
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) Nnemkadi Ogwumike is excited to be staying in California. The Stanford senior was picked No. 1 in the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday. ”I’m grateful for the L.A. Sparks for picking me,” Ogwumike said. ”It means a lot and it’s one of the highest accolades I’ve ever received. I’m looking forward to going back to Cali.” Ogwumike helped guide the Cardinal to the Final Four during all four of her seasons at the school, including this year’s loss to eventual champion Baylor. The 6-foot-2 forward, who averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds this past season, is the first Stanford player to be taken with the No. 1 pick. Previously three Cardinal players have been drafted third overall. ”I think looking back, a lot of the players could have gone No. 1,” Ogwumike said. ”Things go different ways. I’m really proud to be part of this legacy.” Despite finishing with the fourth-worst record in the league at 15-19, the Sparks won the draft lottery in November. They had the smallest chance of the four teams with a shot at winning with only a 10 percent chance. They are the second team in the 11-year history of the lottery to win with the fewest number of chances. Phoenix did it ahead of the 2007 draft. Los Angeles also had the top pick in 2008 and selected Tennessee star Candace Parker, who went on to win Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in her first professional season. While Ogwumike’s selection was almost a certainty with the top pick, the rest of the draft was a bit more of a mystery with no clear-cut choices going in. Tennessee guard Shekinna Stricklen went second to the Seattle Storm, who will be without star Lauren Jackson for the first part of the season since she will stay in Australia to train for the London Olympics this summer. ”I was a little surprised,” Stricklen said. ”It helped when I did a workout with coach Brian (Agler), I had a feeling but wasn’t sure.” Notre Dame post Devereaux Peters went third to the defending champion Minnesota Lynx, who had five of the first 20 picks in the draft. She was surprised she was picked so high, having recovered from two ACL surgeries on her left knee since entering Notre Dame. ”I never thought I’d be (drafted) at that point,” Peters said. ”When they interviewed me they talked about my knee. To come this far and have 2 1/2 years where I got to play free from injury is great. It’s great to see all my dreams come to fruition here.” The Lynx also picked Damiris Dantas of Brazil with the final choice of the first round. Minnesota drafted mid-major stars Julie Wojta of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Kayla Standish of Gonzaga in the second round. The Lynx rounded out their five picks with Russian guard Nika Baric. Tulsa, which had the worst record in the league last season with just three victories, took Glory Johnson fourth. The Tennessee forward has a good chance to make an immediate impact with the Shock. The team also picked Miami guard Riquna Williams in the second round. She missed the Hurricanes two NCAA tournament games after being suspended for conduct detrimental to the team by coach Katie Meier. Williams wasn’t surprised she slid down the draft. ”I mean after what happened at the end of the season, I wasn’t expecting to go in the first round. It was a mistake I made and something I had to deal with the outcome,” she said. ”I’m not this horrible person that the media portrayed me to be after one mistake. I think with Tulsa picking me, it’s a great honor for them to believe in me and to know one situation doesn’t determine who I am.” Williams’ teammate at Miami Shenise Johnson went fifth to San Antonio. Phoenix took Ohio State point guard Samantha Prahalis sixth. ”It’s the perfect fit,” Prahalis said. ”They love playing up-tempo and so do I, I’m really looking forward to playing with Diana Taurasi.” The New York Liberty drafted Kelly Cain seventh. Natalie Novosel went eighth to Washington. The Mystics also took LSU’s LaSondra Barrett with the 10th pick. Connecticut chose 6-foot-8 Astan Dabo from Mali with the ninth pick. Georgia Tech’s Sasha Goodlett went 11th to Indiana. The WNBA season will begin on May 18 with training camps opening on April 29.

Tigers place Inge on 15-day DL (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:18:29 +0000

Tigers place Inge on 15-day DL (Yahoo! Sports)
DETROIT (AP)The Detroit Tigers have placed infielder Brandon Inge on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin. The move is retroactive to March 30 and means there should be room for infielder Danny Worth on Detroits opening day roster. Inge has been trying to earn regular playing time again after hitting .197 in 2011. Hes even attempting to move from third base to second after Detroit added Prince Fielder at first and moved slugger Miguel Cabrera to third. Detroit opens the season at home Thursday against the Boston Red Sox.

NFL Betting Trends

admin — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:00:16 +0000

NFL Betting Trends
NFL Playoff Betting Trends Banner -Online Sports Bettingat Bodog Sportsbook NFL Football Game Picks Super Bowl 46 ATS Pick Super Bowl 46 Quarterback Props Super Bowl MVP Odds Weird Super Bowl 46 Prop Bets Giants at 49ers ATS Pick Ravens vs. Patriots Spread Pick Broncos vs. Patriots Spread Pick NY Giants vs. Green Bay ATS Pick Houston vs. Baltimore ATS Pick New Orleans vs. San Francisco ATS Pick Pittsburgh vs. Denver ATS Pick Atlanta vs. NY Giants ATS Pick Detroit vs. New Orleans ATS Pick Cincinnati vs. Houston ATS Pick Bettors Toolbox 2011 NFL Betting Trends 2011 Strength Of Schedule Free Office Football Picks NFL Handicapper’s Database Weather Forecasts NFL Future Odds AFC East Odds AFC West Odds AFC South Odds AFC North Odds NFC West Odds NFC East Odds NFC South Odds NFC North Odds Super Bowl Odds Rookie of the Year Odds Top Defensive Rookie Most Passing Yards Most Rushing Yards Most Receiving Yards NFL Handicapping Halftime Betting Tips Strategy for Wagering NFL Totals Sandwhich Game Handicapping Theory 8 Myths about Betting on Football NFL Key Numbers Halftime Betting Preseason Betting Football Gambling – How to Win Overlooked Handicapping Tools NFL Betting Basics

Magic Johnson group to buy Dodgers for record $2B (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:18:06 +0000

Magic Johnson group to buy Dodgers for record $2B (Yahoo! Sports)
NEW YORK (AP)A group that includes former Lakers star Magic Johnson and longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten agreed Tuesday night to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt for $2 billion. Mark Walter, chief executive officer of the financial services firm Guggenheim Partners, would become the controlling owner. The price would shatter the record for a North American sports franchise, topping the $1.1 billion Stephen Ross paid for the NFLs Miami Dolphins in 2009. The deal, revealed about five hours after Major League Baseball owners approved three finalists for an intended auction, is one of several steps toward a sale of the team by the end of April. It is subject to approval in federal bankruptcy court. Magic Johnson issued a statement expressing his excitement over becoming part of the “historic Dodger franchise.”(Getty Images) As part of the agreement, the Dodgers said McCourt and certain affiliates of the purchasers would acquire the land surrounding Dodger Stadium, including its parking lots, for $150 million. The acquiring group, called Guggenheim Baseball Management, has several other investors, among them Mandalay Entertainment chief executive Peter Guber. This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community, McCourt said. McCourt paid $430 million in 2004 to buy the team, Dodger Stadium and 250 acres of land that include the parking lots, from the Fox division of Rupert Murdochs News Corp., a sale that left the team with about $50 million in cash at the time. The teams debt stood at $579 million as of January, according to a court filing, so McCourt stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars even after a $131 million divorce payment to former wife Jamie, taxes and legal and banking fees. Kasten is expected to wind up as the teams top day-to-day executive. The other two finalists were: Stan Kroenke, whose family properties own the NFLs St. Louis Rams, the NBAs Denver Nuggets, the NHLs Colorado Avalanche and Major League Soccers Colorado Rapids, and who is majority shareholder of Arsenal in the English Premier League. Steven Cohen, founder of the hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors and a new limited partner of the New York Mets; biotechnology entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong; and agent Arn Tellem of Wasserman Media Group. It remains to be seen whether Major League Baseball will challenge the deal in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, where the case is before Judge Kevin Gross. Under an agreement reached by MLB and McCourt in November, a private auction among the finalists was to have started Wednesday and McCourt was to select the winner by Sunday. The sales agreement is to be submitted to the bankruptcy court by April 6, ahead of a hearing seven days later, and the sale completed by April 30, the day McCourt is to make the divorce settlement payment. I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section in our wonderful community of Los Angeles, Johnson said in a statement. The acquiring group will gain the ability to sell the Dodgers local broadcasting rights starting with games in 2014. The Guggenheim group likely would use money gained from the saleor form the teams own network with outside investmentand use those funds to pay down the debt from the acquisition. The amount of leverage is a big question, said Marc Ganis, president of the Chicago-based consulting firm Sportscorp, which is not involved. The likely scenario is that they have a broadcasting deal in mind so that they pay up now and pay themselves down from a big broadcasting up-front payment. The problem with this strategy is that the more paid upfront by the broadcast deal, the less money is available for team operations. The more debt they take on, the more debt service is required, the less money thats available for team operations. With the only beneficiary being the man walking out the door. A challenging result that baseball tried to avoid. The current record for a baseball franchise is the $845 million paid by the Ricketts family for the Chicago Cubs in 2009.