Henry not the solution as MLS seeks legitimacy

Soccer Betting Lines

07/22/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer has long been hoping to acquire a sense of legitimacy within the soccer world. The acquisition of players with marketing appeal has long been a tenet the league has used in order to gain such acceptance.

Thierry Henry is the latest high-profile player to be brought into the league in order to give it a better chance at such legitimacy. The problem in this philosophy, however, is that the players being brought in are long past their prime and are shadows of their former selves talent-wise, Henry fitting right into that mold.

The former Arsenal great managed only four goals for Barcelona last year, and at age 32 is in the twilight of his career. What he does bring to the New York Red Bulls and the MLS is the reputation as one of the all-time great soccer players but one only needs to look at the recent past to see how this has worked out before.

In 2007, the Los Angeles Galaxy brought in publicity magnet David Beckham in hopes of boosting the team's profile and that of soccer in North America. The long-term results have been underwhelming to say the least, with Beckham's extraordinary jersey sales numbers being the most positive aspect thus far, and his play being well below par.

Much like Beckham, Henry could provide a boom when it comes to merchandise but the likelihood of him having a lasting effect on the game in North America is a moderate one at best. A new philosophy is needed by the MLS to grow the game, and the options are vast if implemented properly.

Acquiring younger players with potential, over former stars that are over the hill, could lead to a change in the mindset about the MLS throughout the world. With players like Henry and Beckham seemingly making the MLS their final stop in their playing days, the perception of the MLS as a retirement home for former star players is growing.

The likelihood of the MLS being able to draw the likes of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to the league at this point are slim, but nothing stops teams in the league from searching the globe for young talented players that have yet to become established stars.

This is the model of many of the smaller soccer leagues in Europe, and allows them to be competitive while maximizing their assets when cash-laden teams from bigger leagues come calling.

To date, MLS teams have had very few players that have garnered interest across the bigger leagues such as the English Premier League, Italian Serie A and the Spanish La Liga. The most notable player to come out of the MLS and make a strong impression on the top tier in Europe is American Landon Donovan, who has seen time with Bayern Munich and Everton on loan over the last few years.

Though his stint at Bayern Munich saw mixed results, his stint at Everton was much more successful and that, perhaps more than the Beckham signing, made people take note that the MLS does indeed have some world-class players in their midst.

With such success outside the MLS, the league should be branding Donovan as its poster boy, and not the likes of Beckham or the incoming Henry. Though Donovan was originally discovered by Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, he has played the majority of his career in the MLS with San Jose and Los Angeles, as a key contributor to both teams success.

Donovan was only 19 when he made his debut, and the model by which he became a star in the MLS, and a widely-known soccer player, should be used more often in the league to give it the legitimacy it so desperately needs at this point in its existence.

Though not having reached the success of Donovan as of yet, fellow American national team member Jozy Altidore possesses a vast amount of skill that was first honed with the Red Bulls. He has yet to leave his mark in Europe after being sold to Villarreal, but provides yet another example of a young player groomed for success. At only 20, should Altidore return to the MLS in the near future, he could become the long-term heir apparent to Donovan on the North American soccer scene.

The signing of Thierry Henry by the Red Bulls seems to be an attempt at a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Trying to capitalize on the fading star of a recognizable player is nothing new to the MLS, though succeeding with that approach is foreign territory.

Casinoxtc Soccer Betting News

<< Struggling Tigers in need of deadline help
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the MLB non-waiver trade deadline fast approaching and the post-all-star break blues in full effect, the Detroit Tigers have some serious soul-searching to do before July 31st. Heading into the Mid-Su

<< Rockets feel ready to contend in West
HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Rockets think they are ready to contend in the Western Conference, even after striking out on the big names in this summer's free-agent bonanza.When their main target, Chris Bosh, opted to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade

<< D-Backs edge Mets in 14 to complete rare sweep
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Snyder's hit to the gap in left-center field scored Justin Upton with the winning run in the 14th inning, boosting Arizona to a 4-3 win over the New York Mets, as the Diamondbacks completed their f

<< Billingsley tosses shutout as Dodgers avoid sweep
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Casey Blake hit a solo homer and drove in another run with a single to back Chad Billingsley's second career shutout, as the Los Angeles Dodgers snuck past the San Francisco Giants, 2-0, in a pitcher

<< Gutierrez gets clutch hit in 11th as M's top ChiSox
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Franklin Gutierrez stroked a two-run single in the bottom of the 11th inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, to salvage the finale of a three-game series at Safeco Field. The White S

Tigers hope to build a win streak versus Blue Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After finally putting an end to their worst skid of the season, the Detroit Tigers will turn to their ace pitcher in hopes of starting a winning streak in this afternoon's opener of a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Ja

Reds' Volquez takes mound in finale with Nationals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nationals' rotation has gotten a jolt ever since Stephen Strasburg joined the club in June. The Reds are hoping for a similar result from Edinson Volquez. Volquez will make his second start since returning

Rockies hope to solve Marlins ace Johnson >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Rockies struggled against one Marlins starter last night. Their offensive scuffle could be extended another day as Colorado is set to face Florida's Josh Johnson this afternoon in the finale of a four-game set at

Padres go for series win over Braves in Dixie >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Outstanding play at home and the ability to hold late leads are the main reasons why the Braves own the top spot in the National League East. The Padres overcame both last night. After an extra-inning victory on W

Twins hope to solve road struggles in trip to Baltimore >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins have had their problems when playing on the road in recent weeks, but a visit to Baltimore's Camden Yards could help solve those struggles. Minnesota starts up a week-long trek with tonight's opener of

Online Sportsbook Football Betting

Colts give the ‘D’ its due

The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.

They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.

"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."

Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.

New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.

Not so sound on the ground

If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.

Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com

“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.

Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.

Brees says bring it on

Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.

Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.

Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.

"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."

SportsBooks ready for a shootout

Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.

“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”

New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.

The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.

“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards