 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||
|
||||
If healthy, Blackmon provides versatility for PackFootball Betting Lines08/17/2010 - GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -Sometimes, Will Blackmon's versatility even surprises his teammates. Exhibit A came early in training camp, when wide receiver Greg Jennings ran his route and plowed straight into a safety. Then Jennings looked up and did a double-take. ``He looked up and said, 'Safety?,''' Blackmon said. ``He said, 'I didn't know you were at safety.' I said, 'Yeah, they're not getting rid of me.''' Blackmon spent the offseason preparing to move from cornerback to safety, although he'll still try to get some snaps at cornerback when the Packers deploy their nickel and dime defenses. And he'll try to play a featured role in the Packers' return game. If he can stay healthy, that is. Blackmon is less than 10 months removed from surgery on his left anterior cruciate ligament, the latest and most serious in a string of injuries that have held back the 2006 fourth-round pick out of Boston College. Blackmon has been a sporadic participant in Packers camp so far. But he was practicing Tuesday after an extended absence, and insists he will be ready for the Sept. 12 opener at Philadelphia. ``It's not even a concern about the opener,'' Blackmon said. ``The main thing is just make sure that I do this, come back strong, do it right. Because I will say this whole injury is a nine to 11 month (recovery). I'm in month nine. So I could sit there, be cool and be prideful, and be like 'I came back in seven months, I came back in eight months,' tell them how strong I am. The bottom line is, six-seven-eight-nine-10-11 months, as long as you're ready by the first game, that's the most important thing.'' With depth issues in the defensive backfield and a need for a consistent threat in the return game, Packers coach Mike McCarthy hopes Blackmon can get back on the field consistently - and stay there. ``I had a chance to watch Will out there today,'' McCarthy said. ``He looks really good in the return game. It was good to have him back there. But Will is definitely a factor at the safety position and the corner position. It's good just to get Will healthy and hopefully we can stack some practices with him.'' Injuries have limited Blackmon to only 32 regular-season games in four seasons. Foot problems plagued him in 2006 and 2007 but he had a productive 2008, playing 16 games and scoring twice on punt returns. Then he sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 last season. ``Unfortunately and fortunately, I've gone through something before,'' Blackmon said. ``Obviously this is the major one of them all, but I'm still here, I have confirmation from the doctors that I'm going to be back to elite form. Because that was my main concern when I got hurt, it was like, 'Aw, man, will I be the same, will I be elite?' And then as I started progressing, I started getting more and more confidence.'' Blackmon credits a unique nutritional program for his quick recovery this time around. ``I grew up, I had digestive problems, I lost my mother to Crohn's, which is a digestive disease,'' Blackmon said. ``So my main thing is I wanted to make sure that my system was OK.'' So Blackmon said he started working with an enzyme chemist. ``I feel like that kind of sped up a lot of stuff,'' he said. ``Because for me having all my situations, like non-contact, like self-inflicted (injuries), then there must be something wrong with me internally, so we were trying to figure that out and we thought that was one of the things that could help.'' Blackmon admits he still has something to prove. It's one thing to identify the calls he'll need to make as a safety in the meeting rooms, and another thing to do it quickly and correctly on the field. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers acknowledged that Blackmon is in a tough spot. ``It's been awful hard,'' Capers said. ``I mean, it's hard for a guy that's played the position not getting reps. But a guy that's making a move and not getting reps, it's extremely hard.'' But Blackmon is confident he can make his mark this season, both in the defensive backfield and on special teams, where the Packers are trying to create competition in the return game. ``The bottom line is, I'm still here,'' Blackmon said. ``They've still got to compete. I know what I've done. So I'm making sure I get myself back to full strength so that I can continue to do what I was doing.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Lakers owner still enjoying Hall of Fame induction
BELL GARDENS, Calif. (AP) -Relishing the afterglow of being inducted into the Hall of Fame last week, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was candid, funny and reflective when sharing his thoughts on his life, his team and the Miami Heat.Buss, a pok
<< Mets withhold K-Rod's salary, put him on DQ list
<< Oklahoma's Hand out five months
<< Rockies recall Chacin, place Buchholz on DL
<< Mets place Rodriguez on disqualified list after thumb surgery
Nolasco leads Marlins to shutout of Pirates >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ricky Nolasco threw six shutout frames and drove in two runs to lead Florida to a 6-0 win over Pittsburgh in the second meeting of a four-game set. Nolasco (14-8) allowed five hits, walked one and st
Buchholz strong on mound, Kalish hits slam as Red Sox blank Angels >>
Oswalt, Rollins lift Phillies over Giants >>
Tuiasosopo, French lead Mariners over Orioles >>
Prado returns to help Braves stay hot with win over Nats >>
Online Sportsbook Football BettingLaDainian Tomlinson Favorite to be 2007 NFL MVP This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone after his all out assault on the record books last season. For those suffering from amnesia or were under a rock last football season, all L.T. did last season was set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns (28), total touchdowns (31) and total points scored (186) to go along with his 1815 rushing yards and 508 receiving yards. At 6-1, Tom Brady is next in line which isn’t surprising considering all of the firepower the Pats added over the off-season. With the addition of Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker; it would be quite difficult for Brady’s numbers not to improve from last years 3529 yards and 24 touchdowns. There appears to be some decent value in Drew Bees at 10-1 considering he probably would have won the award last year if it wasn’t for L.T.’s record breaking season. There is no reason to think the Saints will come back to earth this season and playing in a weak NFC, they should have as good a shot as any to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. At 15-1, Donovan McNabb could also be worth a look. Remember, many felt he was the MVP of the first half of the season before going down with a season ending injury. Reportedly, he is in great shape and well ahead of schedule to return to form. Also, he could have some added motivation to put up big numbers this season with the Eagles using their first pick in the draft on McNabb’s future successor Kevin Kolb. MySportsbook is considered one of the finest football sportsbooks according to several surveys performed by independent industry analysts considering such factors as payout accuracy and timeliness, overall quality of website, and bettor satisfaction. MySportsbook is a large company with strong financial backing. Considered the best sportsbook for betting football online You will find their customer service is second to none and their web site is extremely user friendly and easy-to-use. All major professional sports games are available. Once you signup with MySportsbook, you may never use another online sportsbook again. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football gambling needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards. |
|
