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NFL Football Week 5 News & Headlines Cycle:

• NY Daily News; Jerricho Cotchery Sits Again in Week 5
• My Fox Philly; Philadelphia Eagles at Full Force on Sunday
• ESPN; Cowboys To Go Without Roy Williams on Sunday
• ESPN; Lions Still Unsure Who Will Start at QB for Week 5
• Fox Sports; NFL Fines Six Defensive Players This Week
• Fox Sports; Cleveland Browns D.C. Believes Bengals Missed FG Last Week
• Sporting News; Black Players Voice Opposition To Rush Owning Rams
• Eat and Drink Sports; Matt Hasselbeck Likely To Start Sunday vs. Jags
• Philly.com; Eagles Indicate New Contract For Andy Reid
• NFL Gridiron Gab; Colts’ Sanders Status Still A Mystery

NFL Football Week 5 Blog Opinion/Picks/Betting Cycle:

• Cippin on Sports; Week Five NFL Bet of the Week Picks
• BetUS BetFlix; The Drunk Handicapper Week 5 Picks (Video) 
• Bleacher Report; 49ers Should Have Little Difficulty Grounding Falcons
• Miami Sports Generation; WR Trade Opportunities For Miami Dolphins
• LeBrownsTown; Throwin’ Heat: Battered Browns Edition
• Fox Sports; Schein’s Week Five NFL Picks (Video)
• Bleacher Creature; Week Five ATS & SU NFL Picks 
• Fang’s Bites; Week 5 NFL Preview Press Clippings

2009 Week 5 NFL Fantasy Football Cycle:

• America’s White Boy; Fantasy Football Week Five Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• Camel Clutch Blog; Fantasy Football Week Five Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• ESPN.com; Matthew Berry’s Guys I Love, Guys I Hate, Girls I Date (Video)
• Top Fantasy Football; Fantasy Football Impact of the Braylon Edwards Trade
• Hawk Fantasy Sports; Week 5 Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em Quarterback Rankings
• Sports Judge Blog; Things My Dog Has Taught Me About Fantasy Football
• Fantasy Football Maniaxs; Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickup Recommendations
• Fantasy Pro’s 911; Helping With Struggling Fantasy Football Teams
• Fantasy Pro’s 911; Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickup Recommendations
• Pro Football Weekly; Match-ups To Exploit or Avoid For Week Five
• Fantasy Football Maniaxs; Sleepers/Busts For Week Five
• Club Seat; Week 5 In The Club/Out (Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em)
• Club Seat; Time To Shop: Selling High

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NASCAR’s version of the playoffs will kickoff this weekend from Loudon Speedway for the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Last week in Richmond it was the final chance for drivers to earn their spot among the top 12 drivers in the standings. Those 12 drivers will now be the lone contenders battling for the 2009 Championship. Brian Vickers raced his way into the Chase last weekend edging out Kyle Busch by just 8 points. It may be an even bigger surprise to see the younger Busch not in the Chase since many consider the young driver one of the most talented if not the most talented driver in NASCAR. Busch will now take a back seat ride for his hopes of winning his first championship for at least another year.

The focus now turns back to the 12 drivers who will be putting it all on the line for their chance at glory. Hendrick Motorsports houses 3 contenders in the Chase this season which is not any surprise considering they have dominated over the past few years. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon share 7 championships between each other which is more than any other duo in the sport. These two guys will be big favorites to add another piece of hardware over the next 10 races; especially Jimmie Johnson who is only the 2nd driver in history to win 3 straight championships. The other driver is Mark Martin who came out of retirement for a chance to driver the #5 car for the Hendrick owned team. What a story it would make if Martin could pull of his first championship after 21 years of racing and uncountable accomplishments. With Hendrick Motorsports unprecedented success over the last few years, there is no reason not to assume these 3 drivers will not be big favorites to win the 2009 Sprint Cup Title.

However, there will be many more drivers led by the likes of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, and more who will be extremely hungry for a shot at NASCAR immortality. Stewart has led the points for the majority of the season in his first year as owner of Stewart-Haas racing. The success was not expected to come so soon for Stewart after departing from Joe Gibbs Racing last season. However, Stewart has been successful behind the wheel in every car/division throughout his career and is a former 2-time Cup Champion. If anyone has any chance of breaking up the Hendrick show, it could come from Tony Stewart and the #14 team. Stewart also fields another car in the field by teammate Ryan Newman. Newman had a solid year behind the wheel with 12 top 10 finishes in his first season with Stewart-Haas and that should indicate how well their cars have run this season. If you still not sold on betting on Stewart-Haas racing, they are powered by Hendrick Motorsports equipment which should speak for itself.

Breaking away from everything Hendrick Motorsports related, drivers like Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards have to be on the radar for championship talks. Hamlin especially has been one of the hottest drivers in the sport over the past few weeks. The driver of the #11 FedEx won at Pocono over a month ago and also scored a victory last week at Richmond. The #11 team seem to be peaking at the perfect time and could be the perfect candidate to steal the spotlight. Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards are also both legitimate threats. Edwards won more races than anyone in 2008 (9). However, Edwards has yet to get his first victory of the season and is driving with a fractured foot. The foot should not be an issue considering Edwards has won on the Nationwide Series, but the #99 team’s ability to get back to the front may be as issue. Kurt Busch has been very strong this year as well. The elder Busch has not had much success since his 2004 Championship. However, Penske Racing has made a big turn around and the driver of the #2 car could be a big threat if they continue to gain on the competition.

Teammates Kasey Kahne and Juan Pablo Montoya are two drivers who have really come on strong towards the end of the year. Montoya is a former open wheel star who has had his best year of his career making his first Chase. Kahne and Montoya will both be seeking their first championship opportunity. Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing has made big strides in getting back to a competitive standing in the sport and Montoya has surprised many with how well he has run over the past two months. Also, Greg Biffle is the last unmentioned driver in the Chase. Biffle has had a quiet season for Rousch Racing who has struggled to say the least. However, Biffle exploded at this time last year winning the first two races of the Chase and if not for troubles in the last few races could have pulled a huge upset in terms of the 2008 Title. Biffle will look to make those kinds of headlines early in this season’s Chase and contend for another shot at history. While all these drivers will be eager to prove they have what it takes to be called Sprint Cup Champion, we take a look at the odds for the 2009 Championship. Check out all drivers odds at the bottom of the page, and we provide our top 5 drivers to win the 2009 Championship.

Picks -

#1. Jimmie Johnson

How do you not bet on the 3 time reigning NASCAR Champion? Jimmie Johnson is the leading favorite to win this year’s title at +250 odds. Johnson always seems to shine in the last 10 races of the season despite how much success he has had early on. Johnson has 3 wins this season, but only one of those tracks will be revisited during the Chase (Dover). However, Johnson is able to put up strong finishes when others are not. The #48 bunch has not only possibly the best driver, but equally important the best team and crew chief. They are able to make changes to the car better than anyone throughout the race and salvage finishes better than anyone. If they avoid big mistakes like normal again this year, there is no reason not to say Jimmie Johnson can not rewrite history again with his 4th consecutive championship.

#2. Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart knows exactly what it takes to win the Sprint Cup playoff format as he conquered the feat in 2005. Stewart has not been running as well in the last few weeks as he did midway through the season, but do not let that fool anyone. Stewart has more top 5 finishes than any other driver this season at 13 and has also scored 3 victories on the year as well. The #14 bunch is eager to prove they are not a rookie organization and with Stewart at the wheel they are primed for success. Remember, Stewart has captured wins on some of the biggest stages of the season including the All Star Race held at Lowes Motorspeedway earlier this year and capping off a championship would be the perfect end to the season.

#3. Mark Martin

Rest assured it is not any type of fluke that the 50 year old is in the Chase for the Championship. Martin has taken advantage of his opportunity to drive for the #5 car out of the Hendrick stable and has looked very impressive throughout the year. Martin has scored more wins than any other driver this season at 4 victories and will be the #1 seed in the points going into the first race. Martin has also been running very well over the last few weeks, but on the counter side he has really not run badly at all this season. Earlier this season there was a few runs of mechanical failure, but other than that the veteran driver has been superb. Martin will definitely be the sentimental favorite to win the Championship since it has eluded him his entire career and this may be one of the best opportunities he has ever had through his career to end the season on top.

#4. Denny Hamlin

As noted before, there has not been any other driver hotter than Denny Hamlin heading into the Chase. Hamlin has scored 2 wins in the last 6 races and during that stretch has an average finish of 5.3. The average finish is fairly staggering considering those tracks have been from road courses, short tracks, and super speedways. The simple fact is that the #11 guys are fast everywhere and momentum is a big thing in NASCAR. Hamlin is also very strong at the flat races tracks and could get off to a fast start this week at Loudon (New Hampshire). Only Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have more top 10 finishes this season than Hamlin and it has been nearly two months since the #11 car finished outside of the top 10. If that type of consistency continues, Hamlin will be very tough to beat.

#5. Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon has had the season he needed to get the #24 Dupont program headed in the back direction. Gordon is still not putting up the wins like the team feels they should be grabbing, but there is no other driver that has run up front more than the #24 this season. Gordon got the season of strong with a victory at Texas, but has failed to reach victory lane since. However, Gordon has posted 12 top 5 finishes this season which is 2nd most of all drivers behind Jimmie Johnson. Not only does the entire team seem to be getting back to premier form, but Gordon has run very well in the last few weeks. There are some concerns of how the 4-time Champions back troubles will hold up as the season progresses, but you must consider Gordon in the championship talk considering how well they have run.

Complete NASCAR odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup From BetUS (as of 9/17/09)
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• Brian Vickers +2000
• Carl Edwards +1000
• Denny Hamlin +800
• Greg Biffle +2500
• Jeff Gordon +400
• Jimmie Johnson +250
• Juan Pablo Montoya +2000
• Kasey Kahne +2000
• Kurt Busch +2000
• Mark Martin +300
• Ryan Newman +3000
• Tony Stewart +300

Complete NASCAR odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup From Sportsbook.com (as of 9/19/09)
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• Brian Vickers  +3000
• Carl Edwards  +1000    
• Denny Hamlin  +800    
• Greg Biffle  +2500    
• Jeff Gordon  +400    
• Jimmie Johnson  +250    
• Juan Pablo Montoya  +3000    
• Kasey Kahne  +2500    
• Kurt Busch  +2500    
• Mark Martin  +300    
• Ryan Newman  +3000    
• Tony Stewart  +300

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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

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At the Bottom of this Post is the List of Odds to Win the 2009 PGA Championship

The PGA Tour will make their stop at Hazeltine National Golf Club this Thursday for the final major golf event of the year at the PGA Championship. Located in Chaska, Minnesota, Hazeltine has hosted prior major golfing events including the 2002 PGA Championship. Rich Beem took home the title in that event in his only major victory holding off a strong charge from Tiger Woods in the final round. Hazeltine Golf Course will have a different look when the best players in the world roll back into town. The course which was already monstrous in length has been stretched out even more since 2002 and has also added plenty more bunkers making the course more challenging. The course will play at an insane 7,674 yards for this year’s PGA Championship making it the longest major in PGA history. The course’s tremendous length will include 3 different Par 5 holes over 600 yards. The course will not only be extremely long, but it also has very narrow fairways making it very difficult for competitors. Hazeltine will put every golfer to the extreme test demanding length and accuracy. To compete for the win at this year’s PGA Championship, players must be at the best in every aspect of their game.

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Of course everybody’s favorite to nearly every golf event is Tiger Woods. However, Woods has yet to score a major victory this year. If Woods does not win this week, it would be the first time since 2004 that Woods did not score a major championship during the year. Golf’s biggest superstar has played superb leading up to the majors this year winning an event two weeks before each of the 4 majors this season. Woods latest accomplishment come by victory at the Buick Open and is also in contention this weekend again at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. However, the question is will Woods be able to carry that momentum to Hazeltine? Despite not contending at the previous majors this year, Woods is always a threat any time he tees it up and will enter the event as a +200 favorite to win the PGA Championship. Other notable contenders that many will have their eyes on are last year’s PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington. Harrington actually leads the Bridgestone Invitational heading into the final round and his golf swing has been slowly coming around since the swing change. At one time this season, Harrington had missed 4 out of 5 straight cuts including the U.S Open. However, this week’s performance will have bring a lot of attention back to the defending champion as he stands at a +3000 long shot.

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Phil Mickelson had to take some time off and missed out on the British Open due to his wife battling breast cancer. Mickelson has returned to action, but his game seems to show the time off as his has not been at his best. Mickelson normally would be one of the favorites considering his ability to hit the long ball and premier accuracy. However considering how much “lefty” has had on his plate over the past few weeks, I don’t see the sentimental favorite doing much good this week. Mickelson will enter the event at +1500 odds to win at Hazeltine. Stewart Cink captured his first major tournament title by defeating the legendary Tom Watson in a 5 holes playoff at the British Open. Cink has played very well over the last few weeks finishing in the top 30 in 6 of his last 7 outings. Eyes will be on Cink to see if he can continue his impressive play and show that the British Open was not just a one hit wonder. Cink will be tremendous underdog receiving +5000 odds to win the tournament.

The longer hitters who are able to keep it in the fairway will definitely have an advantage will they tee it up at Hazeltine. Some of those long hitters to keep on your radar include Anthony Kim, Paul Casey, and even Sergio Garcia. Garcia has long waited for his first major championship and this could be a course that suits him well. The Spaniard earned a top 10 finish at the U.S Open and has played solid all season. Garcia is one of the longer hitters on tour despite struggling with accuracy issues over the past few years. Garcia enters as a +2500 odds to win. Anthony Kim is a youngster who is destined for success in the near future. After going heel to heel with Tiger Woods at the AT&T Invitational, Kim has continued to play well with a 3rd place finish at the Canadian Open. Kim who is another strong hitter should do very well this coming week. Kim will hold as a +3000 underdog to win. Paul Casey has been a guy we have kept our eyes on all year. Casey has played solid, but has yet to capture the breakout win we have expected. Casey will look to change that this week as he is another +3000 underdog.

One of the biggest names that you may not hear in the days leading up to the PGA Championship is David Toms, but he is a person who we think has a terrific shot this coming week. Toms is our dark horse pick considering he leads the PGA Tour in driving accuracy and can also has plenty of length with the package as well. Toms has not posted any wins in 2009, but has resulted in 3 different runner-up finishes. Toms who is an experienced former major champion has all the tools to make a run at this year’s PGA Championship at wonder +5000 odds to consider. What holds in store over the next few days? Well time will only tell, but we may be on the verge of another great story in golf. Will elder veterans make a run at the PGA Championship similar to how Tom Watson defied age at the British Open or will it be a new young face to take home the crown? One thing that is for sure is there will be plenty of hungry competitors ready to step their way into the spot light at Hazeltine National Golf Club as we anticipate the start of the 2009 PGA Championship.

Current 2009 PGA Championship Odds From BetUS Sortsbook:
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PGA Championship Tournament Matchup Odds From Sportsbook.com:
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At The Bottom of This Post is The Full List of Odds to Win the 2009 British Open

The PGA Tour will host the 3rd Major of the season starting this Thursday at the British Open. The spectacular links event will take place at Turnberry on the Ailsa Course in Turnberry, Scotland. The British Open has long been the oldest and most traditional major sporting event in the world. Dating back to the 1860s, the British Open has long held its reign as one of golf’s most prestigious events. The winner receives the infamous Claret Jug that has all the previous winners inscribed in the trophy. Padraig Harrington has won the last two British Opens and has the chance to become only the 2nd player in history to win 3 straight Open events. However, Harrington will have to hold off Tiger Woods and a hungry field of competitors all playing for one of golf’s most historic prizes.

Turnberry has hosted 3 previous British Opens over the last 30 years dating back to the first event in 1977. Tom Watson won that event posting 12 under par. Turnberry hosted two more events in 1986 and 1994. The two other winners included Greg Norman who shot even par back in 86 and Nick Price who also posted a 12 under in the most recent visit in 1994. The course has received a bad reputation for not being as challenging as other British Open courses. However, the course has received an upgrade in difficult over the last few years. The par 70 course has been added with 21 new bunkers and extended around 300 yards. The course now measures out at 7204 yards which is fairly lengthy for a par 70 style course. However to win at Turnberry, players do not have to hit bombing 350 yard drives. Instead the course is rewarding to good decision making and smart shots. Basically meaning that their will be plenty of competitors who will be in contention this weekend.

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Leading favorite Tiger Woods will seek his 4th Claret Jug and his first major victory of the season. Woods is no stranger to being a favorite at the majors, but has surprisingly yet to play extremely well in any major this year. Woods won the AT&T National just two weeks ago and will be riding momentum into the event. Woods has won every event this season (3) last player before a major this year. However, the results have yet to stick with him into the majors. Woods is a +200 favorite to win the event and we will give you a few reasons why this major could be different than the others this season. The main reason Tiger is rightfully such a big candidate to win this coming weekend, is he appeared to be a totally different golfer at the AT&T National. Unlike his other two wins where he blistered a final round 65 at the Memorial or grinded out a 5 under victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Woods was in complete control of his golf swing at the AT&T National. Woods placed shots where ever he wanted controlling his aggressiveness when only he needed. That type of control with his shots will be vital at Turnberry. Also, the Ailsa course has long rewarded great putting. If you have followed Woods over the years, then perhaps you know that no other golfer stands a chance if he gets the flat stick rolling. It’s easy to pick Woods as a winner, but we have warned you before taking bets on him in events so far this season. However, it looks like the pieces are starting to fall into place with his swing for the first time back from knee surgery.

Outside of Tiger, most would agree Padraig Harrington should have a great opportunity this weekend. Despite poor playing this season, Harrington has been tremendous in the Open Events. Surprisingly, the odds indicate how Harrington has been playing and he is a huge +3000 underdog. That may be just worth the smallest of bets heading into this Thursday. Phil Mickelson will not be playing in the event. Mickelson who is always a big name to bet on in the majors will miss the event as he will be with his wife who is trying to recover from breast cancer surgery. Anthony Kim stringed together some strong rounds of golf at the AT&T National. Kim was tied with Tiger going into the final round before losing his composure on Sunday. However, Kim is loaded with talent making him a promising figure in golf’s future. Kim will be a +2500 long shot at the Open Championship.

Other talented golfers who are bound to score big victories in the near future include Englishman Paul Casey. Casey has won 3 events this season once on the US Tour and twice more on the European Tour. Casey is ranked 11th on the money list this season even though he has kind of fell of the radar over the last few weeks after missing cuts at the AT&T and US Open. Casey will also be receiving +2500 odds to win the event. Other names to watch out for include David Duvall. That’s right Duvall made his presence felt at the U.S Open finishing tied for 2nd only 2 shots off the win. The turnaround in Duval’s career has been remarkable to watch, but he is swinging the club very nicely heading into the event. If there is any player in the field that is dangerous when swinging confidently it is David Duval. Ricky Barnes is another youngster to consider this weekend. After coming off his best major finish in history tied for 2nd place, Barnes is ranked 5th in putting on tour in 2009. Considering how vital putting will be this weekend, Barnes could make another strong run at victory. Finally one last veteran to have on your radar this weekend is 54 year old Greg Norman. As crazy as it may sound, Norman plays as well as anyone on the open links courses. Norman finished 3rd at last year’s British Open proving he can still contend with the youngsters on Tour. Norman won this exact event at Turnberry back in 1986 and at amazing +20000 odds he is definitely worth a small wager for the most unexpected of winners at the 2009 British Open.

Current odds to win the British Open From BetUS:
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Current matchup odds for the 2009 British Open From Sportsbook.com:

There is just something special about going under the lights at one of the most famous super speedways in the world while celebrating our nation’s Independence Day. The dream scenario is exactly what will play out this Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. The best drivers in the world will take to the 2.5 mile high banked track at speeds of over 200 miles per hour while racing merely inches a part. Over the past few weeks, NASCAR has been highlighted with a lot of big news with Tony Stewart grabbing his first points win as a driver/owner and rookie Joey Logano becoming the youngest driver in the history of the sport to win with last week’s victory at Loudon, New Hampshire. The big stories are sure to continue this Saturday night as drivers go door to door in restrictor plate style racing that allows cars to run all bunched together at amazingly high speeds. Restrictor plate racing has always been popular among the fans, but the night race at Daytona every July 4th weekend has become one of the most popular sporting events year round in NASCAR. As fans anticipate the upcoming race, major sports books like Betus.com have already released early betting opportunities for one of the bigger races of the year. We break down some of the best betting scenarios to take advantage of before this Saturday night.

Prop Bet #1 - Tony Stewart (-115) vs. Jeff Gordon (-115)

This match-up is fairly interesting considering how both drivers have exceeded expectations thus far in the year. Gordon maintained the points lead after grabbing early victory at Texas this season and has been a consistent front runner the entire season. Stewart has had a huge impact this season taking over what is now Stewart-Haas Racing. Who could have imagined in Stewarts first season taking over the team, he would have an All-Star victory and leading the points. Despite how they have run this season, they are both great drivers on the super speedways. Stewart has two top 10s in his last two trips to Daytona and went through an impressive stretch from 2003-2006 only finishing outside the top 10 once at Daytona International. Gordon has 6 victories to his resume at Daytona including 15 other top 10 finishes. However, Gordon has not done much of anything at Daytona in his fast few attempts, but still remains excellent in restrictor plate racing. When breaking down this Saturday night’s race, there is simply no reason to bet against Tony Stewart for the race much less against Jeff Gordon. Stewart has been on fire lately, winning at Pocono and was the car to beat last week at Loudon before rain shortened the event. Stewart may not get the recognition he deserves for being superb at the super speedways, but he could likely be the best driver at restrictor plate racing outside of Dale Earnhardt Jr. If you would like some extra assurance, Jeff Gordon’s back problems remain a big issue as well. Gordon has been getting weekly treatments to avoid back surgery. Daytona is a very fast track that presents a lot of g-force in the driver’s seat and that could take a toll by race end. Expect Stewart to be the man to beat in the field.

Pick – Tony Stewart -115

Prop Bet #2 – Dale Earnhardt Jr (-115) vs. Carl Edwards (-115)

Dale Earnhardt Jr is NASCAR’s most popular driver, but he has been a part of a lot of criticism throughout the season for under performing. While the Hendrick cars have been impressive all season, the #88 machine has failed to compete. Long time crew chief Tony Eury Jr was replaced and in just few short races Earnhardt has looked a lot better throughout the race. The driver of the #88 ran great at Sonoma before getting wrecked late in the race and also ran very strong at Loudon before the rain hurt his finish. Earnhardt will make his much anticipated return to Daytona this weekend after causing a big wreck in the Daytona 500 that also stirred up a bit of controversy. While Earnhardt has been criticized for not living up to his popularity, his accomplishments on the super speedway are unchallenged. He is a former Daytona 500 winner and has 7 victories combined at Talladega and Daytona which are very similar. Carl Edwards on the other hand is not known at all for his restrictor plate racing. Edwards did make an impressive showing few weeks back at Talladega when he was caught up in that big wreck going for the win in the final quarter mile of the last lap. Edwards’ career poses a surprisingly low 23rd place average finish and the driver of the #99 machine have never won a restrictor plate race. We will side with the numbers here and Earnhardt’s family inherited talent of being perhaps the best driver ever in the draft.

Pick – Earnhardt Jr -115

Prop Bet # 3 - Who will be faster in qualifying?

Jeff Burton (-110) vs. Kevin Harvick (-120)

This particular betting match-up simply considers composes of some repeating factors. Jeff Burton has made a reputation for being a poor qualifier. Whether it is he is not exactly that fast, for one lap or the way the #31 guys setup the car is not known. However, Burton has been nearly bottom of the board with average start position holding at the 22nd position. Kevin Harvick has not been very impressive qualifying this season either holding down a 21st average starting position. The different here is Harvick has been fairly consistent qualifying in the top 15 at Daytona over the past few races. While the teammates continue to face hard times at Richard Childress Racing, we expect Harvick to win this battle hands down.

Pick – Harvick (-120)

Bonus Bet – To Win the Coke Zero 400

Pick – Tony Stewart +700

The NBA regular season will end later this week as we head towards the post-season. The Cleveland Cavaliers have locked up home court advantage throughout their Eastern Conference playoff run and are one game away from clinching home court advantage in the NBA Finals if they can make it that far in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are coming off a huge blowout win over the defending Champions the Boston Celtics 107-76 on Sunday. The Cavaliers big win over the number 2 ranked team in the East is actually Cleveland’s biggest victory in franchise history over the Celtics. The Cavaliers amazing home game run extended to a mark of 38-1 inside Quicken Loans Arena with the victory. The Cavaliers appear to be big favorites considering they will get the majority of the games at home were they have been unstoppable. However, the Eastern Conference has been extremely tough this year as Orlando blew out Cleveland a few short weeks ago similar to the Cavaliers big win over Boston. The 3 horse race all season out of the East will carry over to the post-season. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the big favorites after a big win over Denver last Thursday night. The return of Andrew Bynum will only be more beneficial for the Lakers who have appeared as the top notch team in the West all season. However teams like Denver, Houston, and Portland have really closed out the year strong and could be teams to put together impressive runs in the playoffs. We give brief breakdown of the major contenders for the 2009 NBA Playoffs along with their odds to win it all.

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers (7/5)

The Cavaliers extremely impressive home record makes them big favorites in the NBA playoffs. Their 38-1 record is among the best ever string of runs by a home team in NBA history. Lebron James is averaged 28.3 points per game, but more importantly is getting a lot of help from the rest of the team. Cleveland only lost one game all season at home meaning for them to be beaten in the playoffs a team is going to have to win at least one game in Cleveland while sweeping the Cavaliers away from Cleveland. Good luck with that.

Boston Celtics (4/1)

The Celtics chances to repeat as NBA Champions took a big hit with their embarrassing loss to Cleveland. However, Boston has played very well to close out the season winning 8 of their last 10 games. The Celtics are another team that plays very well at home with a 34-6 record for the season. However, Boston is only 4-4 against Orlando and Cleveland on the year meaning they have been anything but dominant over the top teams in the East. Still the Celtics know what it takes to be Champions, but can they do it again?

Orlando Magic (8/1)

The Magic got the big win over Cleveland back in the first week of April, but they have now lost 3 of their last 4 games. Orlando got off to a tremendous start to the season, but really suffered a hit with the loss of Jameer Nelson despite putting together some solid winning streaks in recent weeks. Also, Rashard Lewis will likely miss the final games of the regular season with a knee injury and the Magic simply look to be too banged up down the stretch to be a legitimate threat as they appeared earlier this year.

Team to Watch – Chicago Bulls (100/1)

The Chicago Bulls have won 4 straight games and 12 of their last 15 games during that stretch. Chicago has put together a solid home record this season that is always crucial during the post season. If the Bulls can keep up the momentum and get some more big performances from Ben Gordon, they could really pull off a string off upsets and perhaps take down either Boston or Orlando who they will be likely playing in the opening round.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (8/5)

Thursday night’s victory over the emerging Denver Nuggets was icing on the cake for Western Conference bragging rights. The Lakers simply looked too strong for their closest competitors in the West and are big favorites at 4/9 favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. The Lakers got beat by a streaking Portland team on Friday 106-98, but they still appear to be too strong in terms of being beat in an entire series. The Lakers have had more problems with the teams in the Eastern Conference this season and until someone proves us wrong we will ride the Lakers bandwagon.

Denver Nuggets (20/1)

The Nuggets are really playing well to close out the season despite their setback to the Lakers last Thursday. Carmelo Anthony and J.R Smith are becoming a dynamic duo posting big figures every night. The Nuggets have put together wins in 13 of their last 15 games The Nuggets could face the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round if things were to stay the same. Denver would not mind the pairing considering they are a perfect 4-0 on the season against Dallas. If the Nuggets could keep the momentum rolling I am sure they will be eager to get their chance at a series with the Lakers.

Portland Trailblazers (25/1)

The Trailblazers are in a heated battle with the Houston Rockets for 3rd place in the West as both teams stand at a mark of 52-28. The Trailblazers and the Rockets have also both put on a solid 4 game winning streak as Portland will get the Thunder and the Nuggets in the final two games. The battle for 3rd dictates whether they will get New Orleans or San Antonio in the playoffs. The Trailblazers have played the most solid basketball the 2nd half of the season and they should give teams problems if they can stay hot.

Team to watch – Houston Rockets (20/1)

The Rockets have put together 4 straight wins along with Portland. The only difference is Houston beat up on the Trailblazers 102-88 to start their winning streak. The Rockets have what it takes to match-up with the other teams from the West in the playoffs giving them a chance to knock off some wins in the postseason. The only thing is the Rockets have failed to beat the Lakers once this season at 0-4 meaning any dream type run at an NBA Finals may be more of a dream than a reality.

             The question at the start of Spring Training within the American League West is, can anyone compete with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? Despite being the overwhelming favorite, the Angels appear to have their share of question marks within their Tempe Arizona spring training facility. With additions to the Mariners and Athletics rosters, the American League West could turn from a blowout from start to finish in 2008 to a very competitive race in 2009.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finished 100-62 in 2008 running away with the division, but losing in the American League Division Series. Anaheim was not able to re-sign high powered offensive machine Mark Teixeria, but they did improve their squad by signing Bobby Abreu to a year one $5 million contract. The Angels also added a veteran presence in Juan Riveria to a three-year $12.75 contract. Brian Fuentes will replace the lights out Francisco Rodriguez at the closer position. Fuentes is a three time All Star, but struggled in his final season in Colorado, losing his role at one point in the season. Who will fill Teixeria position at first base? From the start of training in Tempe, the Angels appear to be leaning the direction of Kendry Morales, a 25 year old with just 127 games of major league experience. The rest of the offensive will be surrounded by Vladmir Guerrero, who is coming off a .303 season with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs. The rest of the outfield is jammed packed with a ton of experience. Torri Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Gary Matthews Jr., Reggie Willits and Juan Riveria are all vying for positions for Mike Scioscia’s squad. Hopefully with the experience and talent flowing in Anaheim, this will give Scioscia more opportunities to allow Guerrero to pinch hit, which should aid in his ability to stay healthy. On the pitching end, Anaheim will once again be very solid with John Lackey running the show. Lackey went 12-5, starting 24 games in 2008. Ervin Santana came onto his own last season finishing with a 16-7 record, starting 32 games, with 2 of them complete games. Jered Weaver, who turns 27 years old this season, finished the 2008 season with an 11-10 record, hovering below .500 for a portion of the season. Nick Adenhart, Dustin Moseley and Anthony Ortega will be waiting in the wings if any of the rotation run into hiccups during the season.

The Oakland Athletics finished 11 games under .500 in 2008, and definitely are looking for improvement in 2009. The finish for the Athletics was their worst in ten seasons. General Manager Billy Beane made a splash this off-season by trading for former Colorado All Star Matt Holliday. Holliday, 29 years old, hit .321 and belted 25 home runs in 2008 for the Rockies. The question on Holliday is, will he be able to duplicate those numbers away from Coors Field in Denver? The Athletics also signed Jason Giambi to play in his second stint in an Oakland uniform. Giambi hit .286 in 2008, but if his power numbers can climb back to his glory day’s form, Oakland could be in business offensively. Eric Chavez only played in 23 games in 2008 hitting a measly .247 with just 2 home runs. His career numbers of .269 and 229 home runs, poise a great deal of hope for the Athletics.  Joining Holliday in the outfield will be a combination of guys such as Jack Cust, Travis Buck and Chris Denorfia. Look for youngster Aaron Cunningham to get a sniff at some point in the season. Cunningham who is just 22 years old hit .300 or above in every stop he made in 2008. Bobby Crosby looked to have the shortstop role wrapped up for Oakland, until the Athletics signed Orlando Cabrera to a contract at the beginning of the spring training. Billy Beane also recently signed Nomar Garciaparra who turns 36 years old this season Garciaparra played in just 55 games in 2008. The starting rotation will be very young. A projected rotation within their training facility in Phoenix is Justin Duchscherer, Dana Eveland, Sean Gallagher, Gio Gonzalez and Dallas Braden has just 109 starts between them. Eveland leads the group with 35 career starts, but it appears Duchscherer will be the staff ace, compiling a 31-24-career record. Out of the bullpen, Oakland picked up crafty veteran Russ Springer to go along with a young, unproven staff.

In Peoria, Arizona the Seattle Mariners new general manager Jack Zduriencik has revamped a team that finished 61-101 for fourth place in the division in 2008. The Mariners added Franklin Gutierrez and Endy Chavez in a 12-player deal. All in all, Seattle has 22 new faces on their 2009 roster. First year manager Don Wakamatsu will have a future hall of famer in the lineup in Ken Griffey Junior. The Mariners have elected to give Griffey Jr. a shot after seeing his best days in the major leagues in a Seattle uniform. Griffey spent 11 seasons in Seattle, and has played in 13 total All Star Games. Seattle hopes to use Griffey Jr. as a designated hitter, but playing in the outfield is not out of the realm of possibilities. The loss of Raul Ibanez will hurt the Seattle outfield, but Ichiro Suzuki continues to hit at the top of the lineup. The rest of the outfield will be sketchy at best with guys like Gutierrez, Endy Chavez and Mike Morse looking for roles. Behind the plate Kenji Johjima and Rob Johnson will see competition from youngster Jeff Clement. Clement was the Mariners first round draft pick in 2005. The Mariners have also added big man Russell Branyan to play first base. Ronnie Cedeno may get a chance to play full time in Chicago, after playing sparingly in Chicago in recent years. Adrian Beltre played in 143 games in 2008, hitting .266 and hitting 25 homeruns. Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Brandon Morrow, Carlos Silva and Jarrod Washburn are certainly a formidable starting rotation, but health concerns continue to play a huge roll for the Mariners. Bedard has been fighting injuries, and was recently treated with an injury to his right buttocks. This injury does not give the Mariners executives much to worry about, but with his recent history, it is noteworthy.  Seattle recently signed Chad Cordero to assist in the late innings out of the bullpen. Cordero will likely miss a portion of the first half of the season as he continues rehabilitation from right shoulder surgery. The Mariners hope he is ready to help the big league club in 2009, but that could be a lofty goal.

The name of the town the Texas Rangers train in is called Surprise Arizona. The Rangers hope they can do exactly that during the 2009 season. Despite finishing in second place in the American League West, the Rangers still finished below .500 with a 79-83 record. The Rangers did not do a great deal in the off-season, but the addition of Andruw Jones could pay dividends. That of course is, if Jones can regain his former power stroke that led him to 371 career homeruns in 1750 games in an Atlanta uniform. Texas signed Jones to a $500,000 contract minor league deal. Jones has played in five All Star games. Texas also signed former Milwaukee ace Ben Sheets to a two-year deal. Sheets health continues to be questioned, but he won 86 games in 8 seasons as a Brewer. Mike Maddux was hired as the new pitching coach in Texas and will work with Sheets along with Jason Jennings, Brandon McCarthy, Kevin Milwood and Vicente Padilla. Milwood has the best career numbers winning 142 games in 352 games. Milwood’s last season above .500 was in 2006 when he finished 16-12. Padilla had a nice 2008 season finishing 14-8 with a 4.74 era in 29 starts. Jennings was signed to a minor league contract at the end of January, while McCarthy has made just 28 starts in two seasons, battling injuries. Out of the bullpen guys such as Frank Francisco, Derrick Turnbow and C.J. Wilson will all be battling for the closer role. Josh Hamilton will anchor the offense after a .302, 32 home runs and 130 runs batted in 2008 season. Assisting Hamilton in the offense will be Michael Young, who will move to third base this season. Youngster Elvis Andrus looks to get the nod at shortstop. Andrus is just 20 years old and has not seen a pitch above the AA level. If Andrus is not ready come April, Texas signed Omar Vizquel to a minor league contract. Vizquel has won 11 gold gloves in his career. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden are battling for the catching position during the spring. Saltalamacchia is 23 years old, but hit just .253 in 61 games last season. Teegarden does not have the major league experience that Saltalamacchia has, but scouts claim he has a much better ability to call the game.

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