Cunningham's revival may lead to World Cup

Soccer Betting Lines

01/21/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Flipping through an old U.S. soccer media guide, it's easy to overlook Jeff Cunningham in the all-time player register.

On the same page of the 2008 guide, current star Landon Donovan and ex-player Thomas Dooley - two World Cup veterans - easily take the focus off Cunningham and the other players who managed just a handful of appearances.

Cunningham, a Jamaican native who moved to Florida when he was 14, broke into the U.S. team in 2001, making just one appearance as a substitute.

A year later, Cunningham managed four appearances for the U.S., but totaled a mere 83 minutes of action. Three more matches followed in 2003, but then 2004 rolled around and Cunningham didn't play a single minute.

The 5-foot-8 striker made two more appearances in 2005, including his second start, then vanished as the 2006 World Cup approached.

Although Cunningham excelled in MLS before his national team debut, and added his finest season in 2006, totaling 16 goals and 11 assists, getting one more chance with the U.S. never seemed likely.

Cunningham, who turned 30 in 2006, began to decline following that incredible season. He lasted just seven matches into the 2007 season with Real Salt Lake and scored but three goals in 16 matches after joining Toronto FC.

Toronto retained him into 2008, but he quickly fell out of favor with manager John Carver, who criticized Cunningham when he said, "I am thinking, 'How did he score 99 goals?' That's what I thought."

Cunningham was soon on his way out of Toronto, joining FC Dallas via trade in exchange for a third-round draft pick. He scored five goals in 11 matches with FC Dallas to increase his career MLS total to 104, in what looked like a nice cap to his career.

Although Cunningham showed flashes of his former brilliance, 2009 did not get off to a good start - he scored just one goal through Dallas' first 15 games.

His future, even in MLS, was in doubt.

Then, Cunningham was given another chance. Oddly, because Kenny Cooper choose to leave FC Dallas to join German second division squad 1860 Munich, in hopes of bolstering his chances of earning a regular role with the U.S. and a berth on this year's World Cup roster.

As it turns out, Cunningham could be the one keeping the young Cooper off the squad.

Cunningham, who turned 33 in August, was revived after Cooper left. He scored four goals in his first game following Cooper's departure, and bagged 12 more before the season was over to total 16 in the final 15 games. He finished the season as the leading scorer in MLS with 17, a career-high.

"I felt I had a lot to prove," Cunningham said last year. "After 12 years in the league, I still feel I need to prove myself."

Mission accomplished.

Just ask U.S. coach Bob Bradley.

With the World Cup on the horizon, Bradley added Cunningham to the U.S. team in November.

Cunningham's four-year absence was over, and he played in friendlies against Slovakia and Denmark. He was a substitute against Slovakia, playing the last eight minutes.

But Bradley handed the veteran a start Nov. 18 against Denmark and he scored his first international goal in a 3-1 loss.

Cunningham decided to join France's Auxerre in December to stay in shape for this month's U.S. camp - which consists mainly of MLS players - and could be in line for a start Saturday when the U.S. plays Honduras in a friendly.

Although it's long shot, Cunningham has a chance to sneak onto the squad for the World Cup in South Africa.

Bradley lost striker Charlie Davies to injury following a car accident in October, and although he's walking unassisted as he recovers from several broken bones and a lacerated bladder, a return to health in time for the Cup in June would be a miracle.

Just this month, Clint Dempsey injured his knee playing for England's Fulham and could miss the World Cup. Dempsey does not need surgery, but with only a few months left before the start of the event, Bradley faces a tough call.

Jozy Altidore is Bradley's top option at striker, and Dempsey - who normally plays midfield - could move to forward if he's healthy.

Bradley will look at Eddie Johnson, Conor Casey and Brian Ching and selected Justin Braun, Robbie Findley, Brandon McDonald and Marcus Tracy to camp also.

Bradley will not likely switch Dempsey to forward and play-making midfielder Donovan - another option at forward - would leave such a huge hole there, it would cause the coach even more concerns.

With Dempsey (if healthy), Donovan and Michael Bradley in midfield and young Altidore up top, coach Bradley needs another option who will finish any chance those more dynamic players set up.

Cunningham, perhaps?

His recent form suggests he might be the United States' best option.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.