Lakers set for downsized championship parade in LA

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06/21/2010 -

LOS ANGELES (AP) -Unlike the gritty comeback that gave the Los Angeles Lakers an NBA title against their rival Boston Celtics, this year's victory parade will have no rallies.

A compact championship parade - scaled back to rein in costs - is scheduled to stream through the streets of downtown Monday, minus the flashy rallies and side celebrations of past years.

This year's bash will begin at Staples Center and make its way down Figueroa Street to the edge of the University of Southern California campus. Much of downtown will be shut down for the event, and city officials are urging fans to use public transportation.

Lakers officials expect between 500,000 and 2 million fans to line the two-mile route as the team celebrates its second straight NBA title and 16th overall, earned with a Game 7 victory over Boston on Thursday.

Fans won't be without a chance to celebrate with the team - players are expected to address the crowd from a sound-equipped flatbed float instead of making speeches at large crowd-drawing rallies, officials said.

The more modest celebration will cost between $1.5 to $2 million - a tab the world champions plan to pay - to cover police overtime and other city services, team spokesman John Black said.

The city had to reach out to private donors to fund the 2009 celebration so that taxpayers wouldn't have to foot the $1 million bill as Los Angeles faced a more than $500 million budget gap.

An enormous rally at the end of last year's parade at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew about 95,000 people.

The Staples Center and Nokia Plaza, which were also once sites of parade-day revelry, will be locked and bars and restaurants will be closed during the parade Monday, AEG officials said.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 The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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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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