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04/02/2010 - Commerce City, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rapids are coming off a road win to start their Major League Soccer season for the first time in club history, and will be aiming to build on the effort when they host the Chicago Fire in their home opener on Saturday evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
"I'm very pleased, of course, to get some points on the board," Rapids coach Gary Smith told MLSsoccer.com after the match.
What made the season opening win even more impressive was the fact that the Rapids had five players making their debuts in Rapids' uniforms, including starting defenders Danny Earls and Marvell Wynne, and midfielder Jeff Larentowicz.
"I have to give credit to the debutants," Smith said. "Danny Earls was away from home and under a lot of pressure but he played very well.
"Marvell was outstanding at center back. He had a five-hour flight, a three- hour time difference and played out of position. I think he was the difference between us getting some points and not. He recovered very well on two or there occasions when mere mortals wouldn't have got there."
The Fire, on the other hand, will be trying to rebound from a 1-0 loss on the road at Red Bull New York in coach Carlos de los Cobos' first match behind an MLS bench.
"I am disappointed, because our team played with order," de los Cobos said after the loss. "This is the one thing that I ask from them all the time. We are trying to transmit to the players to play with some style, I wanted them to put the ball on the ground and try to start structuring our game to a forward attack; they are making progress and it's a shame how we lost the game."
The Fire played a scrappy game at New York, with a brilliant strike by Red Bull midfielder Joel Lindpere being the difference in the evenly-played match.
"Defensively we were solid, we didn't give them much," Fire forward Brian McBride said. "The goal they scored was half a chance and he took it extremely well and that's a credit to them."
McBride and striker partner Patrick Nyarko could be the key against a Rapids backline that showed improvement from a season ago. Collins John could also factor into the discussion up top for the Fire.
"He can have a huge impact for us, he has a great ability of using his body he is very strong, he is powerful and he is a very good finisher, he definitely could help us," McBride said of John. "He always wants the ball and that is great."
The Fire (0-1-0) are relatively healthy, with midfielder John Thorrington, forward Calen Carr and defender Wilman Conde all listed as questionable, and forward Nyarko probable on the club's injury report.
Colorado (1-0-0) will be without midfielder Ciaran O'Brien and forward Ross Schunk, while midfielder Jamie Smith is questionable and defender Julien Baudet and forwards Conor Casey and Omar Cummings - who scored the Rapids' goal last weekend - are probable.
<< Canucks-Kings Sum
Vancouver 0 2 1-3Los Angeles 3 2 3-8First Period-1, Los Angeles, Frolov 18 (Brown, Halpern), 5:26. 2, Los Angeles, Kopitar 34 (J.Johnson, Smyth), 14:01. 3, Los Angeles, Brown 19 (J.Johnson, Frolov), 18:02.Second Period-4, Los Angeles, Stoll
<< Venus to meet Clijsters in Miami final
Key Biscayne, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kim Clijsters needed more than 2 1/2 hours
to beat Justine Henin in a thrilling all-Belgian semifinal Thursday night at
the $4.5 million Sony Ericsson Open.
The 14th-seeded Clijsters posted a 6-2, 6-7 (
<< Davis spot on as Dynamo top RSL, 2-1
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brad Davis scored two goals in a three minute
span in the second half to lead the Houston Dynamo past Real Salt Lake, 2-1,
in their home opener at Robertson Stadium on Thursday night.
RSL, which was coming
<< Stars give Wandell two-year extension
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Stars on Thursday signed center
Tom Wandell to a two-year contract extension, keeping him in Dallas through
the 2011-12 season.
The deal will pay the 23-year-old Wandell $700,000 in the
Red Bull, Sounders FC collide at Qwest >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York travels to take on Seattle
Sounders FC at Qwest Field on Saturday night as the two Major League Soccer
sides will aim to build on their season-opening wins last week.
Seattle (1-0-0) ki
'Melo leads Nuggets over Portland >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and overcame a
multitude of turnovers and foul trouble to lead Denver to a much-needed 109-92
win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Anthony picked up his fourth foul early in th
Brown's hat trick leads Kings over Canucks >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dustin Brown recorded his second career hat
trick to lead the Los Angeles Kings to an 8-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks
at Staples Center.
Alex Frolov, Anze Kopitar and Jarret Stoll each had a goal and
Butler's Final Four run gives Indiana new favorite >>
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Butler finally has the Indiana spotlight all to itself.With the Hoosiers missing the NCAA tournament again, Notre Dame eliminated in the first round and Purdue ousted in the regional semifinals, the state's rabid basketball fans h
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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.
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