NFL/College Football News Clippings Cycle:

• NY.com; Ahmad Bradshaw’s MRI Reveals Cracked Bone in Foot
• ESPN.com; SEC To Fine / Suspend Coaches For Criticizing Refs
• Fox Sports; Tennessee Titans Will Give Vince Young Another Shot
• KansasCity.com; Chiefs And Larry Johnson Working On Settlement
• Husker Extra; Pelini Not Ready To Name A Starting Quarterback
• St. Louis Today; Rams Wide Receiver Eager To Show He Can Play
• NBC Pro Football Talk; Bart Scott Wants To Hurt Chad Henne
• The 506; FOX’s NFL Regional Early Game Listings – Late Game Listings
• The 506; CBS’s Sunday NFL Regional Game Listings
• Contra Costa Times; Raiders Teammates Back Russell
• Times Daily; Bowden Rumors Abound

Blogisphere & Football Opinion/Entertainment Cycle:

• Bankroll Sports; Week 8 NFL Power Ratings
• BetUS Locker Room; SEC Power Poll Rankings For Week 9
• BetUS Locker Room; College Football Games of the Week
• Sparty & Friends; Top 10 NFL Players of the Past 30 Years
• Rumors & Rants; Lovie Smith Is Now Officially On The Hot Seat
• Fanhouse; Tatum Bell Thinks His USFL Team Would Beat Tampa Bay
• Sports Illustrated; 49ers Give Smih Chance – Will They Use Him Correctly?
• NFL Spin Zone; Blown Call May Have Saved The Saints Perfect Record
• Club Seat; Can Someone Please Find Donovan McNabb A Rulebook
• Sports Chump; What to Watch in This Weekend’s Football Action
• Fanhouse; Week 8 NFL Power Ratings

Amatuer Handicappers & Bloggers Free Football Picks:

• Free Week 8 NFL Picks From; The Chickenhawk
• Free Week 8 NFL Picks From; Masterballer of FF Baller
• Free Pac 10 Football Picks From; Ted Miller of ESPN.com
• Week 8 NFL Pick Em’ Picks From; Derek Lofland of FF Maniax
• Free College Football Picks From; Mike of Borderline Fantastic
• Free Week 8 NFL Picks From; The Drunk Handicapper & BetUS
• Free Week 8 NFL Picks From; Chris Cipriano of Cippin on Sports
• Free Week 8 NFL Picks From; Matt Bowen of National Football Post
• Week 8 NFL Survivor Picks From; Scott Simon of Sports Judge Blog

Week 8 NFL Fantasy Football Cycle:

• Sharapova’s Thigh; Week 8 Fantasy Football Roundup
• Camel Clutch Blog; Week 8 Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• ESPN.com; Matthew Berry’s Week 8 Engineered To Win (Video)
• Top Fantasy Football; Week 8 Quarterbacks Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• Midwest Sports Fans; NFL Injury Updates For Week 8
• Hawk Fantasy Sports; Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups
• Pro Football Weekly; Ten Most Intriguing Players Of Week 8
• Razzball; Game Day Theory Sleeper Math

At the bottom of this page, you will find the complete listing of week two lines for all the NFL games from BetUS Sportsbook (100% football signup bonus at BetUS when you click here). There were a few small surprises in week one, such as the New York Jets who handled the Huston Texans on the road, the San Francisco 49ers who upset the defending NFC Champion, Cardinals in Arizona, and the Denver Broncos took care of Cincinnati in a tight, and very ugly game. The Niners are 1.5 point favorites at home vs. the Seattle Seahawks (1-0) and the Denver Broncos are 3 point favorites at home vs. the Cleveland Browns (0-1). The oddsmakers have the New York Jets listed as 5 point home underdogs vs. the New England Patriots.  The Pats squeaked by the Buffalo Bills at home on Monday Night Football in week 1. There is not a single winless team that is favored in week two of the 2009 NFL season, including the Chicago Bears who lost star linebacker Brian Urlacher for the season on Monday Night. The Bears opened as 1 point underdogs at home vs. the defending Super Bowl Champion, Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettors quickly jumped on that line as the Steelers jumped to -3 in just a few short hours after the week two line opened for this game. Perhaps this was due to Jay Cutler’s pitiful performance on Sunday night where he threw 5 interceptions. The biggest line on the board is the Washington Redskins (1-0); listed as 10 favorite over St. Louis.  The Rams (0-1) may have looked like the worst team in football in week one. 2008’s worst team, the Detroit Lions (0-1) are listed as 9.5 home dogs vs. the Minnesota Vikings (1-0), who looked very impressive in their week one win at Cleveland where star running back Adrian Peterson ran wild. The Bears, Lions and Jets are three of the only four home underdogs listed on the week two schedule. The other is the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0), who may be without star Quarterback, Donovan McNabb. The ‘Iigles are listed as 1 point home dogs vs. the New Orleans Saints (1-0), who spanked the lowly Lions on Sunday. As for the Monday Night Football matchup, we have another home underdog in the Miami Dolphins (0-1). The Fins are listed as 3 point dogs at home vs. the 1-0 Indianapolis Colts (1-0).  Full list of week 2 spreads are listed below.  We will update these lines throughout the week as they are updated at Bet US. 

2009 NFL Football Week Two Lines & Odds From BetUS (as of 9/15 @ 11am ET):
(Get a 100% Signup Bonus When You Use This Link & Mention Bankroll Sports at Signup)

* Denotes Line Is From Sportsbook.com / Currently Off The Board At BetUS
Will Be Updated Once The In-Week Line is Posted At BetUS Sportsbook

NFL Football Week 1 News & Headlines Cycle:

• ESPN; Richard Seymour Expected To Arrive in Oakland on Saturday
• ESPN; Browns’ James Davis Now Questionable
• ESPN; Appeals Court Rules Vikings Can’t Suspend Two Players
• Twin Cities; Tarvaris Jackson to Backup Favre This Season
• NBC Sports; Arron Ross Out For Giants This Week
• NFL Spin Zone; Jon Runyan To Join a Team on Monday
• Baltimore Sun; Ravens’ L.J. Smith Will be a “Gameday” Decision
• Seattle New Tribune; Deion Branch May Miss Opener With Injury
• Fox Sports; Tamoa Bay Buccaneers Have 30 Million in Cap Space

Blogisphere & NFL Football Week 1 Opinion/Entertainment Cycle:

• Sharapova’s Thigh; The Fastest Freaking NFL Preview Ever
• Cheddar’s Sports Blog; Week 1 NFL Preview – Lots of Questions
• Bleeding Green Nation; Holmes Wears Vick Jersey at Press Conference
• Biz of Football; NBC Has Highest Rated Kickoff Game in Seven Years
• Randall Simon’s Sausages; NFL Week 1 Hot Off The Grill
• The Ebony Bird; Joe Flacco Highlight Reel (video)
• Midway Illustrated; Bears Match-up Well With Packers Receivers
• The Viking Age; Sean Salisbury Fired For ‘Sexting’

2009 Week 1 NFL Fantasy Football Cycle:

• Midwest Sports Fans; Week 1 NFL Fantasy Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• Top Fantasy Football; Week 1 Last Minute Updates
• Rotoworld; Week 1 Waiver Wire Pick-Up Recommendations
• Favre Dollar Footlongs; Fantasy Football is a Game of Poker
• CBS Sports; Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchups
• Pro Football Weekly; Ten Most Intriguing Players For Week 1
• Gang Green Nation; Week 1 NFL Football Fantasy Focus
• Rumors & Rants; Who Will Sink or Swim in Week 1
• Club Seat; Week 1 In The Club / Out The Club

        Below you will find all the NFL game lines for week 1 of the 2009 NFL season at BetUS Sportsbook (100% football signup bonus when you click here), starting on Thursday, September 10, 2009.  The 2009 NFL football season will kick off with the defending Superbowl champion, Pittsburgh Steelers playing at home (as 5-point) favorites vs. Kerry Collins and the Tennessee Titans in annual Thursday Night NFL Kickoff game.  As for the rest of the schedule, once again, parity is the name of the game in the NFL as there is just two or three double-digit favorite on the first full slate of NFL games starting Sunday September 14, 2009.  One of the big favorites would of course be the improved New Orleans Saints -13 at home vs. the 08′ record breaking, 0-16 Detroit Lions and the Joe Flacco lead Baltimore Ravens who are 13 point favorites over Kansas City.  There are two other games where there are spreads of at least one touchdown. Those are Indianapolis -7 at home vs.  Jacksonville and Seattle -8½ at home vs. St. Louis.  There are just three home underdogs on the week 1, Sunday NFL slate; Philadelphia -1½ at Carolina, Minnesota -4 at Cleveland, and Dallas -6 at Tampa Bay.  The Monday Night Football matchup on ESPN also features a home dog in San Diego -9 at Oakland.  It also looks like the oddsmakers will be getting a feel for the totals, as the majority of the week one totals all fall between 43 and 47.  There are just three games where the total is set under 40 points including the Thursday Night NFL Kickoff Game which has the lowest total (35) of the entire weekend slate.  The other two are Minnesota/Cleveland (39.5) and Washington/N.Y. Giants (37).  Here is the complete list of 2009 NFL week 1 lines from BetUS Sportsbook along with the date and times for all the games.

2009 NFL Football Week 1 Lines & Odds From BetUS (as of 9/9 @ 8:00am ET):
(Get a 100% Signup Bonus When Using This Link & By Mentioning Bankroll Sports) 

Week One Lines for Thurs, Sep 10, 2009 (ET)
8:30p
	451	Tennessee Titans	+6  -110		34½	O -110
	452	Pittsburgh Steelers	-6  -110			U -110
NBC
NFL Week One Lines for Sun, Sep 13, 2009 (ET)
1:00p
	453	Miami Dolphins	+4  -110		43½	O -110
	454	Atlanta Falcons	-4  -110			U -110
1:00p
	455	Kansas City Chiefs	+13		36	O -110
	456	Baltimore Ravens	-13			U -110
1:00p
	457	Philadelphia Eagles	-1½  -110		43½	O -110
	458	Carolina Panthers	+1½  -110			U -110
1:00p
	459	Denver Broncos	+4  -110		43	O -110
	460	Cincinnati Bengals	-4  -110			U -110
1:00p
	461	Minnesota Vikings	-4  -110		40	O -110
	462	Cleveland Browns	+4  -110			U -110
1:00p
	463	New York Jets	+5  -110		43½	O -110
	464	Houston Texans	-5  -110			U -110
1:00p
	465	Jacksonville Jaguars	+7  -110		44	O -110
	466	Indianapolis Colts	-7  -110			U -110
1:00p
	467	Detroit Lions	+13  -110		49	O -110
	468	New Orleans Saints	-13  -110			U -110
1:00p
	469	Dallas Cowboys	-6  -110		39	O -110
	470	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	+6  -110			U -110
4:15p
	471	San Francisco 49ers	+6½  -110		46½	O -110
	472	Arizona Cardinals	-6½  -110			U -110
4:15p
	473	Washington Redskins	+6½  -110		37	O -110
	474	New York Giants	-6½  -110			U -110
4:15p
	475	St Louis Rams	+8½  -110		41½	O -110
	476	Seattle Seahawks	-8½  -110			U -110
8:20p
	477	Chicago Bears	+3½  -110		46½	O -110
	478	Green Bay Packers	-3½  -110			U -110
NBC
NFL Week One Lines for Mon, Sep 14, 2009 (ET)
7:00p
	479	Buffalo Bills	+10½ -110		47½	O -110
	480	New England Patriots	-10½ -110			U -110
ESPN
10:15p
	481	San Diego Chargers	-9  -110		43	O -110
	482	Oakland Raiders	+9  -110			U -110
ESPN

The National Football League along with the NCAA and the other professional sports leagues in the United States have filed suit against the state of Delaware (on July 24, 2009) to prevent legal sports betting from taking place. The state of Delaware had passed a law (on May 12, 2009) giving the state the right to allow and accept legal sports wagers. The law’s affect would make Delaware the 4th state in the U.S. to allow legal wagering on major sporting events. However, the NFL has led other sports organizations in legal battles opposing the state of Delaware’s legislation. The NFL claims that sports betting “would irreparably harm professional and amateur sports by fostering suspicion and skepticism that individual plays and final scores of games may have been influenced by factors other than honest athletic competition.” The actions from the NFL and the magnitude the league has implemented in opposing this new law has escalated into a nationwide debate. Many people question why the NFL would spend millions of dollars tackling an issue as large as sports betting when preventing it would perhaps jeopardize their popularity amongst fans.  Other sports writers and fellow bloggers across the web have voiced their displeasure in the NFL’s actions, stating that the league’s actions are extremely hypocritical.  

The NFL has long been the leader of major sports in the United States. However, their firm stand opposing legal sports betting has produced a lot of mixed emotions. Most people would question why the league would contest the sports betting industry when it promotes so much attention to the NFL. The NFL states that the intentions behind their actions are to keep illegal favoritism out of pro football. However, their stance is an unfair assumption to connect that type of illegal activity with the sports betting industry as a whole.  Wouldn’t legalization and more regulation make it easier to spot the cheats and scandals in their game?  One would think that a computerized system taking bets would be more likely to notice a fix or irregular betting patterns then many illegal bookies.  The National Football League is perhaps worried that some of the gambling issues that have risen in sports like baseball and basketball will carry over into the NFL. Over the past few years there have been cases where players, coaches, and referees have wagered on sports, meaning their actions may have threatened the true outcome of the game. If that were to happen in professional football, it would have a much bigger impact on the sport. However those instances where unfair favoritism has been questioned in sports have been very rare occurrences and most of those instances were related to illegal sports betting operations rather then a legal and regulated type of sports betting.

The NFL’s fight against legal and regulated sports betting also shows less faith in the league own governing body and the people that are hired to make sure the game is “on the up and up.” Does the NFL really think that referees that they hire would show favoritism in any relation to sports betting? If a referee or any other type of league official were subject to some type of influential favoritism, then perhaps they should have never been given that opportunity or job in the first place.  Instead of spending millions on legal teams to fight online gambling, perhaps the league could put their money toward hiring and testing full-time officials that work all year round to improve the game.  If the NFL wants to spend millions cleaning up the “integrity of the game,” perhaps they could put that money toward hiring better referees and actually improving the screening and testing that these officials are put to.  I am sure most would agree that there many more productive ways to spend millions of dollars toward improving the quality and integrity of the game then to spend it on bunch of lawyers. 

The reason the NFL may be in a losing battle here is because they are contesting not only an industry that allies their own popularity, but they are also taking on issues like personal rights. Most people would agree, whether you approve or oppose sports betting, that any type of gambling should be a personal right that one can participate in by choice. Along with personal rights, the NFL is trying to prevent policy that could generate billions in revenue for the states, which in turn would help a dire economy; taking money away from illegal betting operations, turning them into regulated and control business enterprises.  Again, most would also agree that legal and regulated businesses are much less open to corruption then illegal bookmaking operations.  Does the NFL really have the power and money to prevent an industry from legally flourishing that could create millions of jobs and revenue for the state and federal government?

People must abide by governing laws, but the National Football League is suggesting that even legal types of sports betting are wrongful by nature and negatively impacts all sports by producing the possibility of “unfair competition”.  However, these issues are even questioned in games over the past few years with favoritism perhaps being shown to teams with larger fan bases.  Many people have raised the “fair competition” issue after games where there public is clearly betting on one side and the opposite side seems to win on what many would call “unfair” and “skeptical” calls by officials.  An example of this would be in last year’s regular season Chargers/Steelers game (on 11/16/08) where a backdoor cover was taken off the board without an explanation by the officials (video).  The result of the call, which the NFL stated was a mistake by the officials after game, ended up being the opposite side of the most bet on team of the day, generating tens of millions of dollars for the Vegas casinos and illegal bookmakers.  Assuming a regulated and legal form of sports betting would increase this type of behavior may be an unreasonable and hypocritical speculation.  Again, the NFL and many sports leagues could spend their money and time increasing regulation in their sport, in effort to prevent cheats and scandals behind sports betting, but an overall opposition to the legalization of sports betting seems to baffle the NFL’s fan base with any knowledge on the subject. 

For the most part, the NFL has done a good job throughout their history at keeping instances of cheating and unfair types of competition from evolving.  It is very unlikely that the legal and controlled sports betting industry could change those values; not to mention how the NFL may be making their fans who actively participate in legal betting feel by suggesting all types of sports gambling is frowned upon. I am not trying to enter the debate on whether or not betting on sports in general is morally right or wrong, but new legalization laws should not give the NFL the right to give their own preference towards the gambling industry. 

This particular story has grown into a much bigger issue and debate than just the state of Delaware. If the NFL opposes the Delaware sports betting legislation, does that mean they oppose all other states that allow sports betting? Why don’t they feel the need to oppose the sports betting laws in Las Vegas? Why release injury reports a week before the game to the general public? If sports betting as a whole were to cease existence as of today, the National Football League would feel a tremendous impact. The NFL television ratings would take catastrophic drops.  Think of all the sports bettors that tune in every Sunday to games after making a wager or filling a parlay card in hopes to make a few bucks. One thing sports’ betting provides is an uncontested excitement to the games, whether the wager is a large or small one. Those who live for and appreciate that very excitement would not have nearly as much interest in the NFL every Sunday. However, I believe the real issue lies in the NFL’s stance to prevent a person from making their own choice in the sports betting industry. The National Football League should not have the right to insist that there is any wrong doing for those that do participate in sports betting.

For any free-thinker, this entire issue and debate has to raise other questions. Are there, perhaps other motivations behind the NFL’s fight to stop legal sports betting in the United States?  Why would the NFL care if Delaware legalizes betting similar to the type of sports wagering that goes on in Las Vegas and other legal venues?  Why doesn’t the NFL put all the money they are using on lawyers into increasing the league’s own conduct and integrity?  There are also much bigger issues that the NFL could be focusing on rather than blurring the lines of such a personal issue that would most likely have no impact on the actual game. Of the biggest focuses, the league should be on keeping their athletes safe off the field. In the last year, we have lost two big NFL stars in Sean Taylor and the retired Steve McNair from murders. Also, NFL players are consistently in the headlines everyday for criminal activity. Does this mean the NFL is now trying to control their fans when they can’t even control their own players? The NFL attempts to tackle a legislative issue in order to prevent their fans from participating in a safe, legal activity when they can’t even keep their own employees from criminal, unlawful, and harmful behavior. Is it really worth the time and money to go to a legal war with an industry that has helped make the NFL the leading sports association in the world when the league has so many other big problems?  I don’t think so. What do you think?  Let the Bankroll Sports staff and other NFL fans aware of your thoughts on this major issue by leaving your comments below…

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Pacquiao was involved previously in one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory when he battled with the legend Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao dominated the fight throwing flurries that were simply too quick for De La Hoya to defend. By the time the 9th round had begun, De La Hoya with a nearly swollen shut eye threw in the towel giving the win by way of technical knockout to Pacquiao. Pacquiao is considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world and rightfully so. Pacman will be competing in his 4th different weight class in the last 4 fights as he won all previous battles. Pacquiao sports tons of speed that never goes away even late in fights. Speed so great that once De La Hoya started tiring the fight turned from bad to worse as Pacquiao was relentless with connects. Pacquiao may be among the most popular fighters in the world for his exciting fast paced style of punches. With a career record of 48-3-2, Pacquiao will be heavy favorite at -275 odds to win the fight this Saturday night.

Click Here For A Complete List of Boxing Betting Odds & Lines

Ricky Hatton is another fighter that seems to have it all. The fighter out of Greater Manchester, England is very popular among the British fans. However, Hatton is being overshadowed by the Pacman crazed society. Hatton has lost only once in his 12 year career and that was to the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr who retired last year at the top of his game. In that fight, Hatton actually got off to a great start against the undefeated icon. Hatton landed some early punches that got Mayweather off balance. However, as the fight went on Mayweather was able to adapt and landed some punches that cut the fighter’s eye eventually leading to his defeat the only one of his career. After the fight, Mayweather called the fight “possibly the toughest of his career.” Hatton is very aggressive fighter that comes right at his opponents. On top of his stellar resume which consist of a career record of 45-1 (32 KOs), Hatton has a great asset in his corner in trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr who was also needless to say a great fighter in his day. Hatton will enter the fight as a +190 underdog and will be trying to score the same type upset Pacquiao completed over De La Hoya.

The fight has many interesting tidbits to consider if you plan on putting down a wager. Hatton is turning out to be a sizeable underdog; however he is fighting at a weight class which he has never been defeated. Pacquiao will be fighting at the 5th different weight class of his career which has not seemed to matter considering he has dominated at every division. Pacquiao is generally the smaller and quicker puncher. However, the “Hitman” is known for landing some vicious punches that can change the fight with one blow. Pacquiao should have the advantage out of the gates, but it will be interesting to see how the fight turns out if it makes it to the later rounds. Hatton could really give Pacquiao problems with his relentless in your face style of boxing while Pacman is sure to give the Hitman some issues with his speed. The over/under for the contest has been set at 9.5 rounds which is slightly later than most junior welterweight bouts last. However, this fight could be one for the ages. Major sports books are offering all types of different betting options for the fight including the fight outcome, round betting, round group betting, and if the fight will go the distance. We would definitely like to jump on the -180 side to place a bet the fight will not go the scheduled 12 rounds. With these two quick hard hitting fighters in the ring, 12 rounds seems a bit of a stretch.

Bet #1 – PGA Golf (The Masters)
Head to Head – Paul Casey (-130) vs. Sergio Garcia (Even) (Thursday)
The PGA Tour will make a stop in Augusta, Georgia this weekend to tee off for the first Major Tournament of the 2009 campaign. The Masters has been one of the most beautiful and exciting golf spectacles for many years now providing some great action for the PGA Tour’s first big event. Bodog Sportsbook has many great betting actions on the event from head to head matchups, opening round group odds, and more. We found a very interesting match-up between Paul Casey and Sergio Garcia. Garcia made the news earlier this season as he closed in on Tiger Woods number 1 ranking while Woods was still recovering from knee surgery. However, Garcia has been playing anything but strong over the past few weeks heading into the Masters. Garcia has played in 4 events and has not been in the top 10 once including a 77th finish in the Shell Houston Open last week. Casey on the other hand won the Shell Houston Open making it his first victory in the United States and jumped from 12th to 6th in the world rankings. Garcia has never been consistent at Augusta National and we expect some more of the same type performance this weekend. While Casey will be riding a wave of confidence and we expect him to play well. Consider placing an above average type bet on Casey. Pick – Casey -130

Bet #2 NBA (Denver at Los Angeles) (Thursday)
The Los Angeles Lakers host the Denver Nuggets late Thursday night at home in a showdown of front runners in the Western Conference. The Lakers are winners of 4 straight games and own a 2-1 record against the Nuggets so far this season. However, Denver is playing better than any team in the league perhaps winning 12 of their last 13 games and 7 straight. In the previous meetings these games have stayed unpredictably low in scoring despite both teams tendency to have high scoring averages. While nearly all indications point to the Lakers having a big night considering they are playing at home where they are 33-5 this season and Andrew Bynum will possibly return to the lineup. However, we are going to take Denver in this game considering how well they have been shooting the ball to be the spoiler this Thursday. J.R Smith and Carmelo Anthony have led the team in scoring every game since the middle of March. Both standouts are averaging right at 20 points per game over the winning streak. Even though Kobe Bryant has been stellar against the Nuggets this season, we expect Denver to have a similar outcomes as they did back in the previous meeting back in February when they got the victory 90-79 except this time there will be more points scored. Pick – Denver

Bet #3 – Kentucky Derby (May 2nd)
Whether you are a fan of horse racing or not, one thing is for sure that when you hear the Kentucky Derby you know it means something special. While most bettors tend to shy away from Horse Racing bets because they simply may not keep up with the sport, betting on a horse race may be the most profitable sport to bet on considering you always get great odds. The 2009 run for the roses is being hyped to be a very exciting spectacle mainly because there are so many great horses with legitimate shots to win this year. One of the horses to have your eye on is “I Want Revenge.” This California bred horse is a proven runner who captured a win just a few weeks back at the Gotham at Aqueduct. I Want Revenge is being posted as a 7/2 favorite to win the entire event this weekend. The horse is quickly emerging as the leading favorite to be covered in the blanket of roses after the most famous dash in horse racing on May 2nd. However, go ahead and get the odds while they are still reasonable and if you do not feel comfortable picking I Want Revenge as a winner be sure to place the horse for a bet to be a top 3 finisher. Pick – “I Want Revenge” (7/2)

• NFL – Torry Holt Wants Out of St. Louis (My Sports Rumors)
• NFL – Terrell Owens Signs One-Year Deal With The Buffalo Bills (ESPN)
• MLB – 2009 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Shortstops (Sharapova’s Thigh)
• MLB – Ten Excellent Reasons to Watch the WBC (Sports Rubbish)
• CBB – Free NBA & College Basketball Picks For Sunday (Visionary Sports Picks)
• NHL – Sunday Morning’s NHL Hockey Report (The Hockey Program)
• GEN - Athletes That Make Me Cringe When I Hear Their Names (Sports2Debate)

Tiger will make his return to in an event he has player very well in the past. Woods has won the WGC Accenture Match Play Tournament 3 different times in his career. This event is different than most as it breaks down the top 64 golfers in the world into a March Madness type tournament over 4 days. Lose one match and you are eliminated and players may be involved in two 18 hole matches in one day meaning that Tiger’s leg will have to be very healthy to hold up over the weekend. The Tournament will move to untamed ground as it moves to the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana, Arizona for the very first time. However, Tiger is usually the favorite no matter what course the PGA Tour attends. Woods return comes at a great time for the sport of Golf considering they have been hit hard by economic times and ratings plummeted during Woods’ absence from the sport. Tiger will return will be one of the most anticipated and widely viewed events of the season and it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

Woods numbers in the match play event speak volumes for his dominance over the sport. Tiger has played in 37 events in the WGC Match Play event throughout his career with a sporty 31-6 all-time record. Out of the 64 competitors to take the course next Thursday Davis Love III is has the 2nd most matches trailing Woods by 11 matches. Not to mention Tiger holds the most dominating Match Play Championship defeat in the event’s history when he beat Stewart Cink last season 8 and 7. Tiger also has won 15 of the 26 WGC events in his professional career. That means that Woods has won 57% of the WGC events he has entered, simply incredible. However, leading into next week’s event many have distorted views on how the superstar will perform. Many experts believe that it will take Woods some time to regain dominance after nearly missing the entire winter without swinging a club. Then again there are many like myself who believe if the man could win the U.S Open on one leg, then shouldn’t he be fine on two?

The betting props and odds have yet to be released at most sportsbooks for next week’s event, but rest assure there will be plenty of opportunities to place wagers in the midst of Tiger’s return. Bodog Sportsbook will have odds available for predicting how far Tiger will go and odds for each round he could get knocked out. Bodog already list Woods as already the leading favorite to win the Masters which is the first major of the year every April at an amazing 2/1 odds. In Golf, normally your favorites range in the 10/1 range, but 2/1 is simply amazing for peoples expectation of the best golfer on the planet. Tiger is also listed as a huge favorite to win the British Open that takes place in July standing at 9/4 odds. However, next week’s betting figures will offer a lot more opportunities for people looking to gamble on Tiger’s return. There will be odds at most sportsbooks for each match play and tons of prop bets. Tiger has almost been expected to come back in this Tournament and win hands down. That is a lot of expectation for a man who has not swung a club very much through the off-season fresh off serious surgery. However, many believe that Tiger will once again electrify the sports world in a way in which only he can. Then again are we building him up to a level above reality?

There are so many factors that determine crowning a winner at the high banks of Daytona. You need a car that of course has a lot of horsepower, it needs to handle well, and stay out of trouble in the race. However, even the best of cars can go from the lead to the tail of the pack in a split second if they lose the draft. Drivers can not lose focus at anytime as they try and position themselves for a chance to be there at the end. If they are there at the end then they still need the right drafting help and a little bit of luck to score a victory. It truly is one of the most exciting events in sports. Last year’s Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman left the #12 Alltel Penkse Dodge last season, and will driver for Stewart-Haas racing this year in the #39 US Army Chevrolet. Although, Newman victory last year was a big surprise he has had a strong car this week in speedweeks. However, Newman was wrecked in the Gatorade 125 qualifying races on Thursday and will start in a backup car come Sunday afternoon.

Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing last season to take control of what is now Stewart-Haas racing driving the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice machine. Stewart has always run well at the restrictor plate tracks Daytona and Talladega. The driver of the #14 machine has been strong all week in his own ride including a 2nd place finish in the duel races on Thursday. Stewart will be one of the leading favorites to win this Sunday and score his first ever Daytona 500 victory. Kyle Busch had a dominating season last year winning 8 races and started off 2009 strong with a victory in the Gatorade 125 on Thursday. Busch won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in July last season and he has won nearly ever track on the tour. Winning the Daytona 500 would be fitting for the young talent considering his success over the last year or so of racing. Busch is the overall favorite heading into this Sunday.

One thing is certain heading into the Daytona 500 and that is that all of the Hendrick Racing cars should be very strong. Mark Martin at 50 years of age and his first year with Hendrick qualified on the outside pole while appearing to have the fastest car on Thursday. Martin lost the 2007 Daytona 500 by near inches to Kevin Harvick and would love nothing more than to win the race that has eluded him through his career. Martin has an amazing 4 runner-up finishes in the event and he should have a good chance to finally get the win this weekend. Teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr all having considerable chances to win as well this Sunday. Jeff Gordon won the other Gatorade 125 on Thursday and will go after his 4th Daytona 500 victory to add to his remarkable career. Jimmie Johnson is the defending back to back to back Champion in the Spring Cup Series only the 2nd driver to ever accomplish the feat. Johnson has also run well all week and the 2006 Daytona 500 could be a force on Sunday. Finally, the #88 car driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr will be certainly watched by many. Earnhardt is always a favorite at the restrictor plate tracks considering his overwhelming talent and understanding of the draft. Earnhardt won the Budweiser Shootout and Gatorade 125 last season, but has had trouble through the week including a wreck in the Shootout and tire problems in the duel race that has not allowed him to get a quality finish. However, Earnhardt is without much doubt probably the best driver at the big super speedways and will attempt to make some noise in attempt to capture his 2nd Daytona 500 victory.

Other drivers to watch out for in the field include the young 18 year old Joey Logano. Logano may have flown under the radar through speedweeks after a disappointing performance in the Bud Shootout. However, the young talent opened some eyes in the 1st duel race on Thursday with a 3rd place finish behind Tony Stewart. Logano is already the youngest driver to start a race at Daytona and he definitely has the talent to pull off what would be one of the most surprising of victories due to his age and inexperience to win the Great American Race. Carl Edwards led the Sprint Cup Series last season with 9 wins, but has failed to consistently run up front this week. Edwards drew a lot of scrutiny after taking out nearly an entire field last year at Talladega and I believe it is safe to say that restrictor plate racing is not his best quality, but do not misunderstand Edwards has all the ability in the world to get up front and challenge for the win. However, considering the way he has looked thus far in the week I would not have him in the fantasy lineups this week.

There are a few more young guys to take a look at heading into the big event this weekend. While some of these drivers may not be individuals with great shots of winning, they are still some that could surprise a lot of people on Sunday. Among these dark horses is A.J Allmendinger, who had to race his way into the event on Thursday. Allmendinger was not even sure he would have a chance at making the Daytona 500, but the driver of the #44 car has looked rather impressive this week. Despite not having much success on the Cup side, Allmendinger has a load of talent that is in dire need to be unraveled. Jamie McMurrary topped the speed charts in final practice #26 Crown Royal Ford is another car that could emerge as a front runner this weekend. Drivers like Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Kasey Kahne are also other drivers that deserve to keep an eye on this Sunday as well.

Picking racing drivers may be a difficult task to come by, but if you looking at placing a bet or picking a fantasy lineup then let me give a few choices for Sunday. I really like Mark Martin in the event to run strong. The savvy veteran has a knack for staying out of trouble and you can get him for good odds in fantasy lineups and well as good odds to win the event in the sports books. Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Kyle Busch would also equally be thrown in there as the biggest favorites to win the Daytona 500 this weekend. Many believe Stewart does not have the equipment to stay up front, but I really beg to differ considering his amazing talent at these size tracks. One final name to throw into the list as a dark horse include the #83 Toyota Red Bull Racing car driven by Brian Vickers.

Also a large cast of Spring Cup drivers will also participate in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday at Daytona that should be interesting as well. Among some of the notable names that will participate include Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, and more.

Daytona 500 Betting Odds From BetUS Sportsbook:
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Dale Earnhardt Jr: 6/1
Mark Martin: 10/1
Jimmie Johnson: 6/1
Kevin Harvick: 15/1
Denny Hamlin: 12/1
Kyle Busch: 5/1
Joey Logano: 40/1
Tony Stewart: 7/1
Jeff Gordon: 5/1
Carl Edwards: 10/1
Kasey Kahne: 35/1
Brian Vickers: 40/1

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Team to receive the opening kickoff?

Steelers +145
Cardinals -175

This bet is as simple as it gets. Arizona always wants the ball when they win the coin flip so they can put their high power offense on the field. The Arizona offense leads the team and definitely not the defense which gave up nearly 27 points on the board every game this season. The Cardinals offense will be eager to get on the field if they win the toss and possibly make some big plays early and not allow the Pittsburgh defense to dominate like they have all season. Pittsburgh on the other hand is definitely going to put their defense on the field if they win the toss. The Steelers have the best defense in the NFL and they will definitely want to shut down the Arizona offense right off the bat to make a statement. The Steelers defense ranks first in 3 of 4 major defensive categories and 2nd in the other major category which is rushing defense. The Steelers will definitely be trying to prove early that they can shutdown the Cardinals offense and control the pace of the game. Throw some extra money on this prop if you have the chance. The odds may not be favorable to making a big win, but this is a certain winner.

Pick: Arizona -175

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Will there be a score in the first 7:30 of the first quarter?

Yes -170
No +140

I know a lot of people are jumping on the over total for the game due to the fact both offenses have performed really well through the playoffs and many are anticipating for their to be a good bit of points scored. However while that may or may not happen, teams less likely come out of the gates with a bang on offense in the Superbowl. A lot of times the defenses control the first minutes of the games and the play calling is a bit conservative until the tempo picks up. Going back to the first prop bet, I believe Arizona gets the ball and will attempt to move it up the field through the air. I like to think Pittsburgh defense will at least win the first battle against the Arizona offense on the field. Predicting that the Pittsburgh offense will then take over and then move the ball rather slowly as they usually do with a good bit of running plays with a pass thrown in here and there. The first few minutes usually fly by and believe it will again. Place a wager that there will not be any points scored in the opening minutes on this game and get some good odds as well.

Pick: No +140

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First team to be penalized for pass interference?

Steelers -140
Cardinals +110

This is a bet like other prop bets that are simply by the trend of the game. Arizona will be throwing the ball all over the field while Pittsburgh will throw the ball more sparingly. Expecting that the Steelers get many more chances to make a pass interference and the difficulty they may have covering the Arizona receivers I would place my money on Pittsburgh. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have been unstoppable all year long with over 25 combined touchdowns grabs. Fitzgerald caught 3 touchdown passes in the first half of the NFL Championship and has also broken a postseason record with 419 receiving yards. It is safe to say that the Pittsburgh defense will have a tough task in trying to control these playmakers that lead one of the best air attacks in the NFL. Not to mention how the NFL has gotten fairly absurd with their pass interference calls over the last few years. It seems like the defender is to a big disadvantage with the rules and the first touch they make on a receiver the yellow flag flies. Again the odds may not be what you would like on a winning bet, but follow the likelihood of what will happen and place this wager with Pittsburgh.

Pick: Pittsburgh -140