09/05/2008 - St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Top-10 player Alicia Molik has announced her retirement from professional tennis.
The 27-year-old Aussie had her career derailed by an inner ear infection in the spring of 2005. The problem, which affected her vision and balance, knocked her out of the sport for almost a year.
After two years of trying to fight her way back to the upper echelon of the game, Molik called it quits this week after battling a series of injuries over the past couple of years.
"It's tiring and it's very draining but I guess it's a number of things culminating," Molik said. "I've spent a lot of time thinking. I did have a huge setback three years ago, with my middle ear problem. It took a while to get back, and since then I've just struggled with a few more things that I never imagined would come along the way. But that isn't the only thing. I think I'm still young enough to focus my energies on something that I feel is again challenging."
In 2004, Molik won three WTA events and a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney. The next season, Molik became the first Aussie woman in more than 20 years to crack the Top-10.
Molik's singles career on the circuit was highlighted by five titles and the aforementioned bronze medal. She was also a Top-10 player in doubles, winning seven titles, including two majors. Molik reached three Grand Slam mixed doubles finals and represented Australia in Fed Cup play for eight years and at three Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008).
<< Torrid Astros head to Colorado for key series
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros have had to put together a pair of
lengthy winning streaks to stay in the National League wild-card race, while
the Colorado Rockies are still in the hunt due to a weak NL West.
The Astros and
<< Marlins get chance to end recent woes against Cardinals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It has been over a month since the Florida Marlins won
back-to-back games. It's been over five years since they posted consecutive
wins over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Marlins start up a three-game set with
<< CC tries to stop Brewers' skid in game two with Padres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Southpaw CC Sabathia can continue a masterful streak in the
National League when the Milwaukee Brewers host the San Diego Padres tonight
in game two of a four-game series from Miller Park.
The 6-foot-7, 290-pound Sabat
<< Cubs head to Cincinnati hoping to end rough stretch
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With two injured aces, a season-high losing streak and a
horrid homestand despite having the best record as the host in the National
League this season -- maybe the Chicago Cubs really are cursed.
Chicago will try t
Men's semis on tap for Saturday at U.S. Open >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The men's semifinals are scheduled
to be staged Saturday at the U.S. Open, where top-ranked Rafael Nadal will
take on sixth-seeded Andy Murray and second-seeded and reigning four-time
champion Roger Fe
U.S. names Davis Cup squad for semis >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The USTA and captain Patrick McEnroe
announced that the defending champions named world No. 8 Andy Roddick, No. 9
James Blake and the doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan to represent the U.S.
in the 2008 Davis C
LPGA changes tune on language requirement >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Facing substantial criticism, the LPGA
Tour announced Friday that it would rescind a recently-announced policy that
would have required players to learn and speak English.
The tour was to call for
Orioles to bring back Trembley in 2009 >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dave Trembley will manage the Orioles for at
least one more season, and maybe more.
The Baltimore Orioles have exercised their option on Trembley for the 2009
season and added a club option for 2010, the
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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