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Every team (in NFL and College football, soccer and basically every sport) has its set of key players, the ones who seem to make everything happen and the ones considered like the real soul of the team when they are on their best. However, relying on a team’s key players when looking for a good sports betting strategy is just dumb.
Of course everybody thinks about the key players. Even the oddsmakers will set the betting lines according to the starting QBs, starting pitchers and so on. But the truth is, ANYTHING could happen during a game and nobody knows how things are going to turn out. Even with the superstars we put our trust on.
A perfect example of these unexpected streaks of bad luck is the sad, sad story of the L.A. Galaxy: Once upon a time, there was an MLS soccer team that seemed to have everything fixed to become the next champions. They could even afford an imported $250 million player like David Beckham. Everything was set and everyone was positive that this could only mean improvement and success. What they could not anticipate was the amount of injuries that were going to come along with this expensive star and how he would have to stay off the field for so long.
The Galaxy hit rock botton last Wednesday on the SuperLiga Final. Besides the fact that they were defeated, the matchup brought Beckham a brand new injury: a sprained knee. No wonder why some are changing the popular saying to “mend it like Beckham”.
Even when some might say “you could see that coming”, I bet nobody actually thought Landon Donovan was going to miss a penalty on the tie breaker. That’s just plain bad luck. Anyway, key players costed the team, in some way, the victory against Pachuca.
All this could happen in any sport. NFL football relies on key players a lot, but if your favorite team has a great starting QB it doesn’t mean that your money is guaranteed. College football puts a lot of pressure on their star Quarterbacks. And so on. So, if you are going to place your money thinking of your team’s best players, just keep in mind that there are some things that not even the best handicappers can predict.
Sources: Yahoo! Sports
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Trying to step away from NFL football a little bit, we can focus today on Soccer. And even with the shocking news of Sevilla player Antonio Puerta who died a few days ago, we will stay in this continent. Soccer is a very popular sport with a very unpopular U.S. League. However, the MLS has been drawing a lot more attention since David Beckham -superstar for some, overrated for others- came all the way over from England and entered the L.A. Galaxy.
Tonight, the Galaxy will face Mexican squad Pachuca on the SuperLiga final. Many soccer betting fans are confident with the selection of great players for Los Angeles, but the truth is that we can not forget that the Galaxy players have been a wreck lately when it comes to injuries. Landon Donovan has always been considered one of their key players (for the U.S. National squad too). About 10 days ago, Donovan strained his calf during a game against the New York Red Bulls, and that has kept him away from the field. Coach Frank Yallop said he was feeling much better now and it is likely that he will be playing tonight. Still, we have to consider that he’s had minimum rest and it could affect in some way during the matchup.
On the other side, there’s Beckham with his never-healing sprained ankle that made him move to the bench for most of the games (including his official “opening game” with the U.S. team). It’s pathetic how the attention of every camera has been all over a player that is not even playing in most of the shots. But leaving all that aside, the British player has shown that he’s still “got it”, by scoring a very impressive free-kick goal against D.C. United during SuperLiga Seminfinals (I bet none of you missed it even if you wanted to, because the miracle of him finally scoring was on TV over, and over, and over…).
Beckham is aware that his injury is going to bother him for a little more time, so it is expected that he plays against the Mexicans, but nobody can know for sure for how long he’s going to be playing and if during that time he will do something worth recording.
For all bettors and bookies out there expecting some cash tonight, just don’t forget that Soccer injuries are all over L.A. Galaxy, specially on key players, and it could affect the results. Also, we have to remember that Soccer is THE major sport in Mexico, so they will probably put a good fight for that SuperLiga title.
Sources: Sports Illustrated, Yahoo!
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