09/29/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With three races now completed in this year's "Chase for the Sprint Cup," all three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers - Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart - are for all intents and purposes done in the championship.
After recording eight victories in the regular season, Busch started the "Chase" at New Hampshire with a 30-point lead. But engine and mechanical problems have plagued him in the last three races, resulting in finishes of 34th (New Hampshire), 43rd (Dover) and 28th (Kansas). He is now last in the 12-driver "Chase" standings, 311 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, who won at Kansas.
The tumble in points has been a huge disappointment for Busch, who was a favorite to win the title when the "Chase" began earlier this month.
Stewart dropped four positions to 11th in the "Chase" after a 40th-place run at Kansas. On Lap 129, he made contact with Brian Vickers and slid through the infield grass. Stewart's crew removed grass and other debris from the front end of his car during his pit stop. He had to pit again later, and fell seven laps behind as his crew repaired a broken splitter caused by the incident. Stewart is 255 points behind Johnson.
Despite dealing with an ill-handling car, Hamlin had the best result among Gibbs' drivers at Kansas with an 11th-place finish. But he also finished 38th last week at Dover, after suffering rear-end issues during the mid-stages of the race. Hamlin is currently 10th in the rankings (-243).
The battle for this year's Sprint Cup Series championship has come down to Johnson, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, who coincidentally finished one-two- three at Kansas. Just 30 points separate the top-three drivers, with Talladega the next stop on the series schedule.
While it comes as a major surprise to see Busch at the bottom of the standings, it's not as much of a shock to notice where Hamlin and Stewart now rank.
Hamlin struggled to make the "Chase" as he fell to 12th in the standings after a 39th-place finish last month at Michigan. He finished third in the final three races of the regular season to secure him the sixth seed in the playoffs. Hamlin has scored one victory for the season, coming in March at Martinsville, VA.
Stewart has yet to win a race this season, but finished a close second to Johnson earlier this month at Richmond. He would like to notch one more victory for team owner Gibbs before he departs at the end of the season to start his own team.
Gibbs has won three Cup championships this decade, two with Stewart (2002 and '05) and one with Bobby Labonte (2000).
During a season in which JGR has dominated the Nationwide series in record fashion, scoring 17 victories so far this year, the team has experienced a setback in Sprint Cup since the "Chase" began.
In the end, Gibbs will have to find a way to rally his troops in preparation for next season.
<< Liberty's Jennings, Scott of Colgate head FCS players of the week
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rashad Jennings of Liberty, Jordan Scott
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been named The Sportsbook Betting Lines's FCS national players of the week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE
<< James Madison rolls into No. 1 spot in poll
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Madison survived a challenge from
Maine for a 24-10 victory on Saturday evening and moved into the top spot of
The Sportsbook Betting Lines poll on Monday.
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Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Curlin, North America's all-time leading money
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second
<< Tribe's Shoppach has knee surgery
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach
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knee.
Team medical director Dr. Mark Schickendantz performed the routine surgery a
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Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time in 18 months, Champions
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Bayern got its Cha
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Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks placed goaltender
Nikolai Khabibulin, according to a report in the Chicago Sun Times on Monday,
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New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Rays infielder Ben Zobrist and
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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.
"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."
Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com
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