MLS announces 2009 Best XI

Soccer Betting Lines

11/16/2009 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced the 2009 Best XI on Monday afternoon.

The Best XI recognizes the league's top 11 players at each position on the field - one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards.

Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton earned his third major award of this year and his second career Best XI nod. This year's Goalkeeper of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year, Thornton was a Best XI member in 1998 when he helped lead the Chicago Fire to an MLS Cup championship.

The defense includes Columbus Crew center back Chad Marshall - a two-time Best XI member and this year's Defender of the Year - the Houston Dynamo's Geoff Cameron and the Chicago Fire's Wilman Conde.

The midfield includes two four-time honorees, New England's Shalrie Joseph and Toronto FC's Dwayne De Rosario. The Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan earned his third selection, while Seattle Sounders FC's Freddie Ljungberg and Houston's Stuart Holden earned their first selections.

Up top, the league's top two goal-scorers, statistically, from the regular season, FC Dallas striker Jeff Cunningham and Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey earned the honor.

Six members of the 2009 Best XI are prior recipients of the honor, while five have been named to the squad for the first time. The members received the most votes from the media, MLS players and MLS coaches and general managers.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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