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05/26/2010 -
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Mike Wallace is on the fast track to replacing Santonio Holmes as the Steelers' primary deep passing threat. Byron Leftwich needed only one practice to realize that.
During a 7-on-7 passing drill recently in a voluntary practice, Wallace beat his man cleanly, but Leftwich's pass landed behind the receiver. The timing and precision needed to correctly execute the fly pattern weren't there.
Clearly, it's going to take the Steelers some time to adjust to having a receiver other than Holmes lining up with Hines Ward in a tandem that, for one season, paired two Super Bowl MVPs.
Or maybe it won't.
Wallace is convinced the transition will take less time than expected, given he's replacing a former first-round draft pick who caught 79 passes last season and had a combined 18 touchdown receptions the last three seasons.
``I feel like they believe I can do the same things Santonio did,'' Wallace said. ``I don't feel like there's anything Santonio did that I can't do. I'm still running some of the routes I ran last year, it's just that I have more of them to run.''
Maybe Wallace doesn't have Holmes' knowledge of NFL cornerbacks, or of opponents' defensive tendencies. And he's still not certain how running plays out of Holmes' position will differ from running them out of Ward's position; he spent last season as Ward's backup.
Leftwich does know this: Few defenders will be faster than Wallace.
``We all know what Santonio can do,'' said Leftwich, who is running the first-team offense during Ben Roethlisberger's absence. ``Mike, he's running by a lot of people. He's got speed that not a lot of people have. We haven't seen that in the league a lot. There's only a few people who can run like that.''
Holmes is fast, but he's not as fast as Wallace, who caught 39 passes for 756 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 19.4 yards per catch as a rookie. His speed was such an asset, the Steelers felt confident they didn't need to look elsewhere for a replacement last month when they decided to trade Holmes to the Jets following a series of off-field missteps.
After compensating for Wallace's speed, Leftwich managed to hit the former Mississippi receiver on the same deep pass play that didn't work the first time.
``When you think of Mike, you think of a deep threat,'' quarterback Dennis Dixon said. ``Whenever you go up top with Mike, you've got to be sure to release it early because he can outrun your arm.''
To Ward, the biggest adjustment for Wallace won't be in lining up at a different position, but learning how to get open while running precise patterns on first and second downs.
Last season, Wallace - a third-round draft pick - mostly played in multiple receiver packages in which he rarely opposed top-line cornerbacks or was double-teamed.
``Sometimes the (top) guys lined up on me, but for the most part they were on Santonio or Hines,'' Wallace said. ``But I'm always ready for a challenge. I don't feel like I'm afraid of anybody, I don't fear anybody and they go to work just like I go to work. I'm going to be ready for them, just like they're going to be ready for me.''
Wallace also benefited from the instruction time Ward and Holmes gave him.
``I learned how to be a pro, coming in every day and working and never being satisfied with a good game or having one good week,'' Wallace said. ``If you're hanging onto that, you're going to get whipped. Every day's a new day, that's the main thing.''
Every season's a new one, too, and this could be an especially demanding one for the Steelers because Roethlisberger will be suspended until October.
``We know what type of business we're in and we're ready to roll with whoever's in,'' Wallace said. ``It's always going to be hard when he's not here, but we've got to keep rolling. I feel like when he comes back, we're going to pick up where we left off.''
Wallace also hopes to pick up where Holmes left off, averaging seven catches per game during the second half of last season.
``That's the nature of the business,'' Wallace said. ``One guy's out and the next day I have to step in.''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.
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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6
The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.
Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com. "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis. It's like Week 1 of the NFL. Pre-season means nada!
We do know the 24 finalists however.
Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24. He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway. He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien.
Brandon Rogers - Who?
Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition. He should go a good distance.
Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was. And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition. He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice! People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way.
"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks. He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes. But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.
A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”
Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes.
"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate. "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past. He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far. Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."
Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts)
And the others:
Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter
The girls
"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis. "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has. The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive. I think she will go far."
Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.
"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams. Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth. "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.
Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.
Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.
Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan
MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).
Last two contestants will be?
1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)
2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)
2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds
Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.
Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.
"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."
Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.
Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.
But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.
Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.
Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.
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