10/15/2008 - Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wimbledon champion Venus Williams was an easy second-round winner at the $600,000 Zurich Open.
The third-seeded former world No. 1 Williams handled Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 6-4 in a second-round affair Wednesday on the indoor hardcourts at Hallenstadion.
Williams' next opponent will be Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, who handled Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 7-5 in Wednesday's singles nightcap.
The first round concluded with a trio of matches on Day 3, as Italian Flavia Pennetta pasted Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-1, Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik whipped wild card and Swiss crowd favorite Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3 and Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson came from behind to oust Austrian Sybille Bammer 0-6, 7-5, 6-4.
This week's top seeds are red-hot world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who is seeking her fourth title in four events, and French Open champ and Aussie Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic. Jankovic captured her latest title in Moscow last week, by beating Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final, and was last month's runner-up at the U.S. Open.
On Thursday, Jankovic will battle Italian Flavia Pennetta and Ivanovic will take on France's Marion Bartoli in the second round.
This week's winner will claim $95,500.
<< Caddies and bosses to do battle in Skills Challenge
Aventura, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 2008 version of the ADT Skills Challenge
will feature a significantly different motif, as four PGA Tour veterans will
team with their caddies in the annual event on November 3.
The quartet of Greg No
<< Leafs' Hollweg gets three-game suspension
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Hockey League announced Wednesday
that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Hollweg has been suspended for three
games without pay.
The penalty was automatic after Hollweg earned his fourth g
<< Wild place D Zidlicky on injured reserve
St. Paul, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Wild placed defenseman Marek
Zidlicky on injured reserve with an ankle injury on Wednesday.
Zidlicky suffered the injury in an exhibition game against the Chicago
Blackhawks on Septe
<< Richardson, Cahoon among CFL weekly award winners
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montreal Alouettes receiver Jamel
Richardson and slotback Ben Cahoon highlighted the list for the top
players in the CFL for Week 16.
Richardson was awarded offensive honors after ha
News and Notes on the Breeders' Cup Classic >>
Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is the official race order for
the 25th Breeders' Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing's most
prestigious global event, to be held on Friday, October 24 and Saturday,
October
Cardinals claim P Manning from Nats >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals claimed reliever
Charlie Manning off waivers from the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old lefty made his major league debut this past season for the
last-place
Report: Colts RB Addai out two-to-four weeks >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts will reportedly be
without running back Joseph Addai for two-to-four weeks while he rests a
slightly torn hamstring.
The NFL Network reported Wednesday that Addai, who was
Around FCS: Mickey being Mickey >>
Philadelphia, PA. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Those of us who are baseball fans,
particularly in Boston, Cleveland and now Los Angeles, are well aware of the
saying "Manny being Manny," in regards to Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez.
But in FCS, we have
MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect
LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.
Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.
Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.
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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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