Blanc suspends French World Cup squad

Soccer Betting Lines

07/23/2010 - Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New France manager Laurent Blanc has decided to suspend the entire 23-man team that took part in this summer's World Cup for their friendly match against Norway next month.

Under the direction of former boss Raymond Domenech, France scored only one goal and earned just a single point from its three group stage matches as Les Bleus finished on the bottom of Group A.

Making matters even worse for France was the fact that the squad refused to train prior to their final match against South Africa in protest of striker Nicolas Anelka being sent home by Domenech after the two exchanged words.

A statement on the French Football Federation website read: "Laurent Blanc met this Friday, July 23, with the federal council, to whom he presented his staff and his sporting project. He also proposed to the federal council, who accepted, not to retain for the friendly against Norway, on Wednesday, August 11 in Oslo, any of the 23 players officially selected by the French Football Federation for the World Cup in South Africa. Laurent Blanc will release the list of players retained for this match against Norway on Thursday August 5."

Vegaas Soccer Betting News

<< New England Patriots 2010 Training Camp Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATES: July 25th (Rookies), July 28th (Veterans) SITE: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA CAMP OBJECTIVES: Apart from Randy Moss, the men Tom Brady will be throwing to on Week 1 are unknown. Wes Welker is unlikely t

<< Cincinnati Bengals 2010 Training Camp Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATE: July 28th SITE: Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY CAMP OBJECTIVES: After making the playoffs with what was primarily a ground- control offense last season, the Bengals made a number of moves in the offs

<< Buffalo Bills 2010 Training Camp Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATE: July 29th SITE: St. John Fisher College, Pittsford, NY CAMP OBJECTIVES: Chan Gailey, the only new head coach in the AFC in 2010, has some work cut out for him in his first training camp with the Bills. Fi

<< Denver Broncos 2010 Training Camp Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATE: July 26th (rookies), July 31st (veterans) SITE: Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre, Englewood, CO CAMP OBJECTIVES: It's going to be a messy summer at the glamour positions for the Broncos. Kyle Orton

<< Cleveland Browns 2010 Training Camp Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATE: July 23rd (Rookies), July 30th (Veterans) SITE: Cleveland Browns Training Facility, Berea, OH CAMP OBJECTIVES: Eric Mangini's second training camp as head coach of the Browns should go much more smoothly

Browns make it official with McCoy >>
Berea, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns made it official on Friday and signed quarterback Colt McCoy to a multi-year contract. Terms of the deal for the former University of Texas star were not disclosed, but the Cleveland Plai

Canucks D Sami Salo tears Achilles' tendon >>
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -Vancouver Canucks defenseman Sami Salo has torn his Achilles' tendon and is out indefinitely.The team said Friday that Salo was hurt ``while training'' and would not comment further. But a report in his native Finla

Cavaliers sign 2009 first rounder Eyenga >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Christian Eyenga. Per team policy, no details of the deal were announced. The 21-year-old Eyenga was the Cavs' first-round choice and the 30th o

Bacsinszky, Meusburger advance in Bad Gastein >>
Bad Gastein, Austria (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland and Austrian veteran Yvonne Meusburger were among the quarterfinal winners Friday at the Gastein Ladies tennis tournament. Bacsinszky, the highest-rem

Choi takes 1-shot lead in Sweden >>
Stockholm, Sweden (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - K.J. Choi took the lead Friday at the Scandinavian Masters with a five-under 67 in the second round. Choi finished 36 holes on the Stadium Course at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club with a nine-under 135, movi

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.