02/24/2007 - Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American Venus Williams moved to the brink of a title in her comeback week on the WTA Tour with a resounding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Romanian teenager Ioana Raluca Olaru on Friday at the $175,000 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and Cellular South Cup. . Williams, the seventh seed, will take on top-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer in Saturday night's final, in what will be a contrast of histories in the first meeting between the pair.
The 19-year-old Peer, who has yet to drop a set this week, including three bagel sets, got past American Meilen Tu 6-4, 7-5 at The Racquet Club of Memphis. Peer improved to a perfect 4-0 lifetime versus Tu, including a second-round victory at the Australian Open last month.
Williams, who has 33 career titles, 30 more than Peer, had been off the circuit for most of the last eight months with a left wrist injury.
Peer, who commenced mandatory Israeli Army military training in November 2005, is one of the hottest players around at the moment. She's coming off her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in Australia and has never lost in three career finals, with all those victories coming last season.
Saturday night's victor will collect $25,840.
<< Ninth-ranked Colonials ground Hawks
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sarah-Jo Lawrence and Jessica Adair scored
16 points apiece, as ninth-ranked George Washington downed Saint Joseph's,
87-60, at the Smith Center.
Kenan Cole added 13 points for the Colonials (24-2, 13
<< Boyes, Bruins rout Lightening
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brad Boyes scored two goals, as the Boston Bruins
continued their domination of Tampa Bay with a 6-2 romp over the Lightning at
St. Pete Times Forum.
Brandon Bochenski had a goal and two assists, while Marc S
<< Marion and Phoenix down Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shawn Marion scored 27 points and pulled
down 14 rebounds, as Phoenix topped Minnesota, 116-104, for its third
consecutive victory.
Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns,
<< Hornets hang on to sting Sonics
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David West posted 23 points and 11
rebounds, as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets made it five home wins in a
row and to the eighth spot in the Western Conference with a 98-97 victory over
the Sea
Lightning forward Roy suspended three games >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NHL suspended Tampa Bay Lightning right wing
Andre Roy for three games for abuse of officials on Friday.
At the end of the Lightning's 6-2 loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins on
Friday, Roy, who recei
Almagro reaches Copa Telmex semifinals >>
Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas
Almagro was a straight set quarterfinal victor Friday at the clay-court
$445,000 Copa Telmex tennis event.
Almagro got past seventh-seeded Argentine Jua
Lakers stop slide with blowout of Boston >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant scored 22 of his 38 points in
the first quarter, as the Lakers pounded Boston, 122-96, snapping a six-game
skid, the first such losing streak in Phil Jackson's 16-year NBA coaching
career.
Prammanasudh leads delayed Fields Open >>
Kapolei, HI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stacy Prammanasudh posted a four-under 68
Friday and leads at 10-under-par 134 with the second round of the Field Open
in Hawaii suspended due to darkness.
There was a lengthy rain delay in the middl
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting