Author Archives: @bossportsextra

Patriots’ Unheralded Defense Coming Together

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Bill Belichick doesn’t do flashy when it comes to free agency, although there are exceptions like
the signing of Darrelle Revis back in 2014, expressly intended to bring a lockdown cornerback to
the defense who eventually helped New England win a Super Bowl. However, Belichick is all
about filling square holes with square pegs. There is never a thought to wooing a big-money
free agent into the fold just to put fans in the seats and hype the upcoming season. This is
Titletown, and there is more than enough rapt attention surrounding this team each and every
year. Belichick crafts each iteration of the Patriots with the express design of being able to
morph his team each week into whatever it is that will present their adversaries with the most
daunting lineup to confuse, and ultimately defeat them.
Unless the Patriots decide to make a bid for the services of former Buccaneers defensive
lineman, and six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy, the die is cast and the Patriots will go into this
season with their usual collection of plug-n-play role players. They are all more than willing to
serve the specific purpose for which the Dark Master has uniquely conjured for each and every
member of his squad. A quick check of the NFL odds found over at Sportsbook Review, tells us
that all of the best online sportsbooks are again unfazed at the Patriots’ lack of star power
being culled from this year’s free agency herd, and have again made them one of the favorites
to win the AFC and the Super Bowl.
With the possible exception of former Eagles defensive lineman, Michael Bennett, who was
acquired via a trade with Philadelphia and not a free agent signing, the new names on New
England’s defensive roster won’t be familiar to the casual NFL fan. Hopefully, Bennett will fill
the void left by last season’s defensive stalwart Trey Flowers, who exited Foxboro for “greener”
pastures in Detroit, but the rest will fill a role that will change, to varying degrees, each week
depending on the opponent.
Belichick decided that re-signing the immortal John Simon was a small piece of the puzzle, as
was signing safety and special teams’ specialist Terrence Brooks. New England could very well
have gotten a steal by inking former Jets’ defensive lineman Mike Pennel to a two-year pact
after Pro Football Focus rendered him a lofty 87.1 grade for his performance last season. Let’s
also not forget that Belichick tapped four defensive players in the draft by trading up to select
rangy cornerback Joejuan Williams at the top half of the second round, linebacker Chase
Winovich of Michigan in the third round, defensive tackle Byron Cowart of Maryland in the fifth
round, and lastly Ole Miss cornerback Ken Webster in the seventh.

Just when you thought Belichick was done, he reached out to old friend Jamie Collins, who was
dealt under a cloud of suspicion to the Cleveland Browns for a conditional third-round pick in
the midst of the 2016 campaign. It was rumored that Collins had done a bit too much
freelancing and wasn’t sticking to Belichick’s defensive script. Collins had been tapped by the
Patriots in the second round of the 2013 draft and was a second-team All-Pro just two years
later. But Belichick doesn’t play favorites and many were stunned at Collins’ sudden departure,
but even more, groused about the return New England was given for a player of his caliber and
physical attributes. Collins would sign a four-year $50 million deal with the Browns in 2017 but
after an administrative shakeup he was shown the door after last season and Bill came calling
for his old pal…at a discount price.
The Patriots were ranked a woeful 29 th in rushing yards allowed last season and it wouldn’t take
much for this year’s defense to improve upon that. The question remains, as it does every year
at this time, whether or not the injection of new, unheralded, talent will be good enough to
take the Patriots to another championship title? If history tells us anything, we’ve got a pretty
good feeling that Bill’s master plan will deliver yet again.

Stanley Cup Rematch – Nearly Fifty Years in the Making

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The lasting image of the 1970 Stanley Cup was the iconic photo of Bobby Orr flying through the
air after scoring the winning overtime goal that clinched the series and brought the Cup back to
Boston. Bobby Orr was, and remains, the greatest hockey player ever to grace the ice in Boston
and arguably the best ever to don a pair of skates. All Orr needed was a cape to complete the
picture now known simply as, The Goal. The betting odds on the Bruins back then were
certainly higher than the -150 the best online sportsbooks, found over at Sportsbook Review,
are dealing on the 2019 Boston edition.
An interesting footnote to that series sweep is that the Blues used three goalies, due to Jacque
Plante taking a screaming drive off the stick of Freddie Stanfield, which was subsequently
deflected, and split Plante’s mask down the middle. Plante was knocked out of the game and
never seen again in the series, being replaced by the overwhelmed Ernie Wakely. It wouldn’t
take long for St. Louis coach Scotty Bowman to give Shaky Wakely the hook and replace him in
Games 3 and 4 with Glenn Hall, who was in the sunset of his brilliant career.
But now here we are again, and the Big Bad Bruins of 1970 are now in their golden years while
some are, unfortunately, on the other side of the grass. This 2019 iteration is favored to win
this rematch so long in the making but predicting a series sweep may be a bit optimistic. The
Blues are resilient, gritty, and feature a solid corps of blueliners capable of shutting down even
the best offenses. In addition, the Blues are not afraid of playing in hostile territory as
evidenced by their 7-2 road mark during the playoffs and were 21-13-7 on the highway during
the regular season.
But what St. Louis doesn’t have is a steel curtain in the crease, and as good as rookie Jordan
Binnington has been playing, he’s not been nearly as dominating as Boston’s Tuukka Rask. The
Boston netminder has won his last seven games and boasts a sizzling 1.84 goals against average
complemented by a .942 save percentage over his 17 postseason starts. He has also recorded
two shutouts and is the leading candidate to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to
the most valuable player during the playoffs.
In deference to the stat geeks out there, the Bruins lead the Blues over the course of the
postseason in all four of the major categories. Boston is scoring 3.35 goals per game versus 3.00
for the Blues, 1.94 GAA vs. 2.52 GAA, 34 percent power play success vs. 19.3, and an 86.3 kill
rate on penalties versus 78 percent for St. Louis.
Despite all the good omens for Boston, there has been speculation from some of the “hot-
takers” out there who make a living on contrived, contrarian opinions. And in that vein, their
narrative speaks to the exorbitant length of time away the Bruins have had from live
competition due to their expedient expulsion of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Eastern

Conference Finals. But this team is different, and there will be no malaise when the puck is
dropped on Monday night. These teams split their two regular season games with Boston
taking the first 5-2 followed a month later by the Blues avenging their loss in a 2-1 shootout
victory. There will be no shootouts in this series and when the dust settles, Boston will be
hoisting the Stanley Cup on June 3 rd , in front of a dejected St. Louis crowd frantically searching
for the exit doors of the Enterprise Center. That’s right, just like the last time, 49 years ago, the Bruins will sweep and another championship will come to Titletown.

Sports People Who Changed The History

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Athletes not only improve their bodies, but they also can change history. Football players aren’t an exception. They are more than examples of society, and they are more than idols for thousands of fans around the continent. Here are sportspersons who transformed sports

Sports people who changed the history

There are many examples of soccer stars who affected the most famous game in the best ways. Sports people changed the perception of fans for decades, and some are truly the icons of football.

Stanley Matthews

British legend was one of the earliest football stars who earned his status and reputation by demonstrating amazing and terrific skills on the field. He also managed to avoid yellow and cards throughout his whole career. Furthermore, Sir Stanley Matthews ended his career at the age of 50.

Pele

Hard to imagine Brazilians who have never heard of Pele. He is an idol of Brazilian history since the last century. Despite that football is the game number one in Brazil, Pele changed the perceptions of many generations globally. He still keeps the all-time career goals record (1281 goals).

Diego Maradona

While Brazilian fans were crazy about Pele, their fans-rivals from Argentina accepted only one player – Maradona. Alongside with Pele, he was named as the FIFA Player of the 20th Century. Then and now, Maradona is a classic definition of #10.

Johan Cruyff

The Dutch Master is the best forward in the history of Hollandian football, and his playstyle became a textbook for many generations since. Johan Cruyff had a perfect combination of the feints, speed, and technical attributes. He invented a ‘Cruyff’s turn’ and later became a very successful coach. Like all premium betting users, he always knew the taste of victory.

George Weah

The best African player – is George Weah. His achievements and career was the best example for all African young people from Morocco to Tanzania, from Liberia to Uganda. The unique play style with perfect skills was a key factor of George Weah’s success. He continues to promote football and related things in Africa, and many fans can even try sport betting tanzania to enjoy the game.

Zinedine Zidane

He is a perfect example of the athlete who proved to be the best player and the best coach in the same game. His astonishing dribbling skills and smart decisions on the field could turn the game in a flash. He demonstrates outstanding manager skills with Real Madrid, which led Los Blancos to win three Champions League titles in a row and their fans to earn more on sports betting online.

Christian Ronaldo & Lionel Messi

This sweet couple continues to shock the world with their unbelievable techniques, goals, and results. Unlike Maradona and Pele, who didn’t play at the same time, these two are truly the greatest players in modern football history. We can witness the battle of two evil geniuses, and they do everything to add more titles and victories for their clubs. They continue changing the game in the best way.

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Interesting Facts About Famous Basketball Players

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Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, especially the US. It doesn’t matter if you are a Boston Celtics fan or Golden State Warriors fan, Los Angeles Lakers fan or Houston Rockets fan, NBA is known for providing quality entertainment in all seasons. However, there are some interesting facts about famous basketball players and the league itself that you may not know of but you should especially if look forward to building a career in the sport by learning all about basketball players. These are:

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  • Shaquille O’Neal who is easily one of the most famous NBA players of all time with achievements like 15-times NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion scored only one three-pointer in his entire career. What’s also interesting is that he actually attempted 22 three-pointers!
  • The first NBA contract of Kobe Bryant was actually co-signed by his parents.  He was picked by Charlotte Hornets for the 1996 NBA draft and was the 13th player on the list. However, at the time he wasn’t old enough to be formally included in the team (he was under 18 years) which is why his parents had to co-sign his NBA contract until he reached the required age which was just a few months later.
  • When Josh Howard was young, he had to get his legs broken and reset for fixing. This is because he was bow-legged and still is, even more than LeBron James. In fact, there was a possibility that he would never be able to walk, as he said in his own words to NYTimes. However, as we all know, he overcame the medical limitation and recovered only to become a top NBA player.
  • It’s no secret that sports betting is one of the most popular pastimes of millions of people which explains the success of websites like nj-licensed-sportsbooks.com. However, did you know that opinionated NBA analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has a penchant for betting on the NFL too? Not only he loves to gamble and bet on sports tournaments, he’s actually lost a million dollars on at least 20-30 occasions!
  • We all know the nickname that Richard Hamilton is known by- Rip, which is pretty cool. However, you can’t possibly imagine the story behind this sobriquet. He got the name from the fact that he would rip his diapers when he was a toddler. Whether it was because he was too fierce or strong for the diapers, or the diapers themselves were weak for him, the story is odd and interesting for sure.
  • Paul Pierce has earned the reputation for being one of the bravest players in court. However, he is a strong person is real life too, as evident by an incident that took place on September 25th, 2000 at the Buzz Club in the theatre district of Boston. A fight broke out at the club during the night and Pierce intervened to stop the same. However, his good intentions were met with violence and he was stabbed not 1 or 2 but 11 times! However, his friend Tony Battie was quick to respond and took him to the nearest hospital where the doctors were able to save his life. However, that’s not what makes him brave, it’s the fact that he played every single game in that season (2000-2001). You can imagine what kind of mental strength he has when he can put the pain aside and give his best performance in the court.

So, there you have it- some of the most fun and interesting facts about the NBA that you may not know of. Which one did surprise you the most? Let us know in the comments section below.  

Belichick Keeps Changing the Game – No Tight End – No Problem

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Rob Gronkowski won’t be walking through that door this season due to his somewhat surprising announcement he would retire, effective immediately. With no legitimate backup waiting in the wings, the conventional wisdom had the Patriots moving up from their No. 32 overall pick to jockey into a slot that would allow them to snatch Iowa’s talented tight end T.J. Hockenson. However, with the eighth overall pick, the Detroit Lions selected Hockenson in what many draft pundits considered a bit of a reach – just a bit.

Most of the mock drafts and some of the best online betting sites found over at Sportsbook Review, had the 6’5” John Mackey Award winner landing somewhere between the mid-teens and early 20’s, a spot where Bill Belichick could reasonably swap first-round picks plus a bit more without too much collateral damage to the many picks he had acquired in preparation of the 2019 draft. Besides, there was always Hockenson’s teammate, Noah Fant, the Robin to his Batman in the Hawkeyes’ battery of twin tight end terrors. But Belichick likes a tight end who can block and catch, however, Fant was more adept at the latter rather than the former, and that limitation wouldn’t warrant Belichick trading up to nab Gronkowski’s heir apparent.

Fant would vanish from the draft board at No. 20 when Denver decided to make him a Bronco but there was still one more tight end to be had, Irv Smith Jr., formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Many believed Belichick had once again masterminded his way into a top tier tight end without moving an inch. After all, Smith had NFL pedigree with his father Irv Smith Sr. having toiled in the professional ranks during the ’90s and was also mentored under the legendary Nick Saban, with whom Belichick shares a deep friendship and has profound respect.

The pieces had all fallen into place but whatever you think Belichick will do, you can be sure he won’t. Yet again, Belichick flipped the script and added a player the same height as Smith Jr. (6’2”) but with more speed and a greater vertical downfield threat when he selected N’Keal Harry as the newest weapon in his offensive arsenal. Think of it this way, when you’ve been tooling around in a Lamborghini for so long, it’s tough to trade it in for a Ford F-150. Sure, a pickup is durable, practical, and will get you from point A to point B but when you already have a few in your garage, it doesn’t make sense to go out and buy a newer model just hoping the engine has a little more giddy-up.

Instead, Belichick took a hard look at his receiving corps and realized that this was the area of greatest concern. With all due respect to Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and the rest of the 2018 New England Patriots’ wideouts, that crew was simply not going to cut it in light of an aging Edelman with plenty of wear on his treads, and a wildcard in Josh Gordon whose status is perpetually uncertain. The coup de grace is that Belichick not only passed on a tight end in the first round but didn’t even have to trade up to land Smith in the second, as he was still sitting there when the Patriots selected Vanderbilt’s rangy cornerback Joejuan Williams at No. 45. Irv Smith Jr. would be taken a few minutes later at No. 50 by the Minnesota Vikings so that ship had sailed. However, there was still some decent tight end talent to be had as Drew Sample of Washington went to the Bengals in the second round shortly after Smith. Four tight ends were taken in the third round and a grand total of 16 overall were plucked from the 2019 draft, but not one was selected by New England.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins will headline the tight end stable this season, but the former second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs has never lasted a full season without injury. Maybe Belichick overplayed his hand this time and Tom Terrific will have one less pass-catching outlet this season. However, if you’ve been watching Bill Belichick long enough, chances are things will work out just fine.

Kiss Kyrie Goodbye

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The Celtics are on the precipice of a season-ending defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks and soon
travels plans will be made to whatever exotic destinations multi-million-dollar athletes travel.
The end will most likely occur this Wednesday night as the best sports betting sites found all in
one place at Sportsbook Review, are hanging the Bucks as 9 to 9 ½ point home favorites in
Game 5. However, if the Celtics wrangle a Game 6, they will return to the Garden and will be
ousted in front of their home crowd if things go as they did in their previous two in Boston.
Should, by some divine intervention, the Green get to a Game 7 then at least we can say they
were gritty, determined, and resilient even if they ultimately lose. If they win Game 7…well,
they won’t because they will be long gone before then.
And now we focus our attention on the Celtics’ most polarizing superstar in recent memory,
Kyrie “Flip the Switch” Irving. Apparently, the regular season meant more than he believed
because the postseason came and the switch that was supposed to be flipped, where the
Celtics would suddenly morph into the team that had everyone salivating before the season
began, never really materialized. Sure, they swept the Pacers, but Indiana was a shadow of
their former selves without Victor Oladipo and barely recognizable as a legitimate playoff entry.
And now all of that bravado has turned into bluster with the C’s getting spanked by a bona fide
championship contender.
Gun to your head, will Kyrie return to Boston and sign a multiyear pact? Remember, this pistol
is loaded, and your answer will either be your best or your last. Only the most optimistic fans
would say yes because Kyrie will be a Celtic no longer once he hits free agency this summer. He
came to Boston looking to be the alpha dog amongst a pack of talented pups. To say Kyrie was a
disappointment would be unfair because he was as good as advertised in his two years in
Boston if you look at his numbers.
But the thing is, his greatness didn’t seem to translate into making his teammates better. It
seemed to be all about Kyrie and less about the team. Maybe that’s the missing link and why
Kyrie is a much better Robin than a Batman. Imagine Scottie Pippen carrying a team without
Michael Jordan at his side? How about Kevin McHale without Larry Bird or Clyde “The Glide”
Drexler without the Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon? There are some players who thrive as the
main attraction and others whose greatness emerges basking in their glow. Irving is the latter
and without LeBron, it wasn’t that he wilted statistically but he just wasn’t as important as he
had been with King James in Cleveland.
We will soon know for sure where Kyrie will land but his destination will have much to do with
where other free agent superstars will join him or where he will join them. Maybe he winds up

on the Knicks with Kevin Durant or returns to his mentor in LA where he will once again be part
of the most dynamic duo in NBA history as a member of the Lakers. It’s become apparent that
the NBA hotbed that is Boston, is a bit too scrutinizing for his taste and a destination where he
is constantly feted, rather than questioned, would be more to his liking. Whether an athlete is a
member of the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, or Bruins, he must know that this fanbase is rabid and
eager to embrace when the going is good but ready to revolt when times get tough. Well, the
going got tough here for Kyrie and it looks like the tough will get going…right out of Boston.

Best Online Casinos in Canada

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What Are The Best Online Casinos in Canada (my conclusion)? 

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Celtics Will Reveal Themselves Against Milwaukee

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Celtics fans have been confounded throughout the season because the team they cheer for has
been, at times, very good but mostly just good enough. If someone told you before the season
began that the Shamrocks would be the No. 4 seed in the East when the playoffs commenced,
you would have to believe that your local entry either underachieved or was ravaged by
injuries. Did Hayward’s leg not heal? Did the long grind that is the NBA season, take its toll on
Kyrie again – only in December instead of March? How about the young guns, Tatum, Brown, or
Terry? Maybe Big Al got beat up in the paint and beaten down in the homestretch?
Injuries would have at least given fans a reason to forgive and forget but the lack of cohesion
and team chemistry has been nothing short of stunning, considering last season’s gutsy run into
the conference finals without their two resident superstars. However, sports is a what have you
done for me lately kind of business and right now you can’t complain about the results. Boston
is fresh off of a series sweep of the Indiana Pacers and even the most jaded cynic would be
hard-pressed to complain. But now the rubber hits the road as the Celtics prepare for the beast
of the East, the Milwaukee Bucks. Some of the best betting websites found all in one place at
Sportsbook Review, are dealing the Bucks as 7 ½ point Game 1 favorites and -270/+230 series
chalk over the lads in green. Now we will find out what this team is truly made of, and whether
or not all of this talent on paper will bear fruit in April, May, and dare we say June?
Enjoy basking in the afterglow of Boston’s 110-106 series-clinching win over the Pacers because
the road will be quite a bit bumpier from here on out. But why not revel in Gordon Haywood’s
20-point performance and cheer another unsung hero effort by Marcus Morris? Kyrie only got
14 but played solid defense and got back in transition. Things are looking up, right? Kyrie told us
the playoffs would change everything, the Celts would flip a switch, and right now it’s hard to
doubt him. The Celtics’ superstar was also complimentary of Hayward.
“I knew there was going to be a spark off the bench. (On Sunday) and that person was Gordon
Hayward,” All-Star guard Kyrie Irving said. “This is his city. I’m glad he had a chance to put on a
performance like that in a closeout game.”
Jayson Tatum echoed Irving’s sentiments regarding the playoff Celtics versus the regular season
Celtics. “We’re clicking at the right time. We look like the team everybody thought we would be
at the beginning of the season. It took some ups and downs for us to get here, but I like the way
we look.”

It’s hard not to like the way the C’s look because a sweep is indeed a rare occurrence. However,
it’s just business as usual when it comes to Kyrie Irving. Between his tenure in Cleveland and his
stint in Boston, Irving is a mind-boggling 16-0 in his four first-round series’. Don’t forget, he
didn’t dress last year when the Celtics knocked off the Bucks in seven games, thus his record
remains pristine. Irving is, of course, just one piece of the puzzle and the Celtics will need a
complete team effort if they are to get by what many believe is their biggest adversary in the
postseason. Time will tell and so too will Boston’s defense. Shutting down the Greek Freak,
Giannis Antetokounmpo, won’t be easy but this team has the ability to do just that…don’t they?

Horse Racing: Popular Around the World

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Even the most casual horse racing fan has heard of the Kentucky Derby and Ascot. But how about the Takamatsunomiya Kinen? Or the Champ de Mars Racecourse? We’re going to take you on a (virtual) trip through horse races around the world, from big-ticket events to those that carry a slightly lower profile (but are perhaps just as impressive!).

United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States

The UK, Australia, and the United States offer some of the most historic, celebrated, and lucrative horse races on the planet. So it’s no surprise we start our tour with the so-called Big Three.

The festive hats. The delicious mint juleps. Celebrities everywhere you look. That’s right, it’s time for My Old Kentucky Home. In the United States, the Kentucky Derby is synonymous with horse racing. And that’s not a surprise, considering it’s one of the most famous races anywhere. In fact, many would argue that it’s the number 1 racing event on the planet. Its popularity ensures that fans can stream the yearly edition online quite easily.

But no matter which celebrity the Kentucky Derby attracts, you can’t beat the Queen. And at Ascot in the UK, the Royal Family is a mainstay of the race that just oozes tradition. The dress code is thoroughly royal, with everyone in attendance expected to don the proper attire (think your best suit, rather than shorts and a t-shirt!).

And let’s not forget Down Under. In Australia, racing is so popular that Melbourne Cup day is a national holiday. It offers over $6 million in prize money, and is without a doubt the most popular race in the country. It’s so big that its tagline is “the race that stops the nation”.

Asia

We’ve covered the “Big Three”: the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. But claiming horse racing is limited to these three countries alone would be doing a huge disservice to Asia, home to some of the most popular races on the planet.

Japan, for example, boasts an incredible 21,000 horse races per year. While the first race in European format wasn’t held until 1862, racing has been popular for centuries. The Japan Cup is a worldwide event, with people tuning in from all over.

And how about Hong Kong? The Hong Kong Jockey Club was founded way back in 1884, which means horse racing is deeply embedded in the local culture. Originally confined to the elite, it’s now a mainstream sport that generates millions in revenue. Happy Valley and Sha Tin are both world-class tracks in their own right, with the atmosphere in each akin to a football World Cup match (locals take the sport very seriously!).

Africa

Perhaps surprising to the casual fan, but not to the true connoisseur: horse racing is incredibly popular in Africa, and hosts some of the most popular racing events around.

Mauritius, for example, is home to the Mauritius Turf Club, the oldest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere (and only the second-oldest overall!). Champ de Mars Racecourse, host to a thoroughbred race in Port Louis, harks back to 1812. Crowd numbers easily reach 20,000 for your average event day. For Mauritians, it’s not football, but racing that takes the crown as the most popular sport.

Coverage of horse racing in Africa wouldn’t be complete with a mention of South Africa. The country has enjoyed official races since 1797, and hasn’t looked back since. The Durban July Handicap is the country’s most celebrated event, with the first race harking back to 1897. While the purse, sitting at almost $300,000 USD, can’t match some of the others mentioned so far, it’s nevertheless one of the world’s most historic thoroughbred horse races.

We’ve given you just a small taste of what’s out there for horse racing fans. There’s so much more than what we’ve mentioned here. The Dubai World Cup. The Cheltenham Festival. The Palio Di Siena. We know, we know. We’ve missed out some good ones. But it just goes to show just how big horse racing is, and just how much people enjoy it. So either go out there and visit one in person (our preferred method), or do the next best thing: grab a cold beverage, your favorite snack, relax, and enjoy one in front of your screens!

Celtics Can Rock but Will They Roll?

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The Celtics won ugly in their first playoff game against the Pacers, but it’s preferable to losing ugly. Just ask Indiana. Boston proved they can get up off the mat after being knocked down and play physical if that’s what needed. Well, a little muscle never hurt any team and that’s what the doctor ordered when they defeated Indiana 84-74, in what could only be described as a game between two offenses that were nothing short of offensive.

If you were to peruse the best online sportsbooks over at Sportsbook Review, you would find that one of the very best among them, Intertops , was dealing the C’s as 7 ½ point favorites in Game 1 with a total of about 210, depending on what time you went shopping for numbers. Imagine that, the oddsmakers believed these teams would combine for somewhere in the vicinity of 210 points when in fact, they managed only 158 between them. If you’re combing the internet for early numbers on Wednesday’s Game 2 then look no further than SBR Odds, where Intertops is once again installing the Celtics as 7 ½ point home chalk, however, the total has dropped markedly to 203 in that game.

If you’re a glass-half-full kind of guy then you can take solace in the fact that the Green deserved their victory, despite their offense’s horrendous shooting, because the defense suffocated the Pacers in the second half, limiting Indiana to just 29 points. However, for those of us who are far more skeptical, the Celtics shot a dismal 36 percent and had a whopping 20 turnovers. And in addition, the Pacers had themselves to blame as much as any defensive wizardry from Boston, as they continually missed open shots without a Celtics’ defender to be found. That’s not to say the C’s didn’t play very good defense, but the narrative has been hyperbolic because the Pacers shot a dreadful 33 percent yet committed seven fewer turnovers than Boston.

Okay, so we know the boys in green can rock with a physical team like the Pacers, but can they roll through this first-round and contend against a far more talented opponent? If you’re not sure, then join the club. It’s tough to tell what this team is really all about. We know Kyrie is a superstar because he routinely plays like one but what about the other max contract guy, Gordon Hayward? Yes, we’ve seen glimpses of greatness, but it’s been about as often as a full moon and impossible to predict. What we can give Hayward credit for is accepting his reduced role on the bench without responding like a diva whose name has been removed from the marquee.

But the real problem this season has been Jaylen Brown and it was evident again on Sunday afternoon. Head coach Brad Stevens started Brown in place of the injured Marcus Smart, but he was quickly supplanted by Marcus Morris and Gordon Hayward. Morris went on to bucket 20 points while Hayward ended the night with 10 but Brown was a dismal 1-of-5 from the field for two points in 28 minutes of action. Talk about ugly.

Brad Stevens had this to say about the Game 1 victory, “Those guys guarded their butts off. That game looked like a 1980s playoff game in a lot of ways with the score. But it’s tough. Those guys are physical. …We have a lot to get better at.”

Indeed, the Celtics do need to get better and if they expect to win when scoring under a hundred points then they should think again. Prior to Sunday’s victory, the C’s had not won a game this season when scoring less than triple digits. We know the Celtics can beat a struggling team without its leading scorer (Victor Oladipo) but had they met any other Eastern Conference playoff opponent on Sunday, besides perhaps the Detroit Pistons, Boston would be down a game, and not up one. Hopefully, the offense wakes up in Game 2 and we’re talking about a series sweep but until then, it’s anybody’s guess with this team.