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      Week 5 College Football Odds

      September 29, 2009 /

      Odds makers have released the point spreads for Week 5 in college football. Below are a list of odds for the top 25 teams and a quick-hit look at some of the marquee matchups.

      No. 3 Alabama at Kentucky, 12:21PM ET
      Why have Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide become the red headed stepchild of college football this year? Nobody is talking about ‘Bama and they’ve already beaten a top 10 team (Virginia Tech) and held the No. 2 offense in the nation (Arkansas) to only seven points last week. Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks proved to be of little challenge last Saturday as the Tide limited Arkansas to only 254 total yards. This week, ‘Bama takes on a Kentucky team that couldn’t stay within four touchdowns of a Florida program that was ransacked by the flu.
      Odds: Alabama –17.

      No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia, 3:30PM ET
      The Tigers had to stave off a late rally by Mississippi State last week to beat the Bulldogs and will face a Georgia team this Saturday that has won three straight games. UGA’s three wins haven’t been pretty (especially defensively), but the Dawgs are averaging over 30 points a game and have gotten good position thanks to their return game. They’re going to need all the offense they can get this week, because LSU ranks 23rd in the nation in scoring defense. The Tigers are only allowing 15.25 points per game and rank 10th in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
      Odds: Georgia –3.

      No. 7 USC at No. 24 California, 8:00PM ET
      The significance of this game took a hit last week didn’t it? Cal was ranked sixth in the nation entering play last week, but a 42-3 drubbing at the hands of Oregon dropped them to No. 24. USC rebounded from their 16-13 defeat to Washington by beating Washington State 27-6 last Saturday, but they received somber news earlier this week when running back Stafon Johnson injured his throat in a weight lifting accident that required emergency surgery. The focal point this week for Southern Cal will be to contain Heisman candidate Jahvid Best, who ranks ninth in the country in rushing yards. If any defense can slow Best down, it would be the Trojans, who currently rank fifth in rushing defense.
      Odds: USC –6.

      No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami, 8:00PM ET
      This is another Week 5 matchup that took a hit last week when the Canes were absolutely embarrassed in Blacksburg 31-7. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris looked mortal for the first time all season thanks to the Hokies’ excellent pass rush and the Canes defense didn’t show enough gap discipline as VA Tech complied 272 rushing yards. Despite losing quarterback Sam Bradford, the Sooners still own the eighth best scoring offense in college football and the 33rd best rushing attack. Miami will find it tough to move the ball on Oklahoma’s fifth best defense, one that has allowed only 4.67 points per game and has pitched two shutouts the past two weeks.
      Odds: Oklahoma –7.

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      College Football

      Colts’ lose Freeney for two weeks – Niners lose Gore for three

      September 29, 2009 /

      According to Adam Schefter’s Twitter page, Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is expected to miss 2-3 weeks due to a right quad injury and 49ers.com reports that Frank Gore will miss three weeks with a high right ankle and a right hind foot sprain.

      I don’t know if “devastating” is the right word to describe these injuries, but they’re both significant.

      The Colts defense has played excellent so far this year, partly because they’ve been able to generate pressure using only their front four. Freeney has been a one-man wrecking crew at times, especially last Sunday night in Arizona. With him out, Indy might not be able to create pressure solely from their front four and it could change the way they game plan.

      If rookie Glen Coffee can pick up where he left off in preseason, then the Niners will stay afloat without Gore for a couple weeks. Coffee showed a surprising burst and quickness in preseason and will now have to become a full-time back in just his first year.

      What will be interesting to watch unfold is if Coffee can’t be productive. That would put pressure on Shaun Hill to make more plays in the passing game and outside of his play at Minnesota on Sunday and the game-winning drive in Arizona in Week 1 he hasn’t done that.

      If San Fran wants to stay atop the NFC West, it’s time for Hill to step up and give the Niners a balanced offensive attack while Gore is out.

      NFL

      Omar Vizquel wants to fight bulls…seriously.

      September 29, 2009 /

      Forty-two year old Omar Vizquel has already compiled three All-Star appearances, 11 Gold Gloves, is the all-time leader in double-plays while playing shortstop and this past summer, he recently held an 11-foot anaconda by its head.

      But apparently that’s not enough because Omar also wants to play at least one more season and also become a bullfighter, you know, for fun.

      From ESPN.com:

      “Just go and learn the basics and stuff,” Vizquel said. “It’s one of my things on the to-do list. There’s a lot of things still to do.”
      There are few players who can match Vizquel’s offseason pursuits. Among the other adventures he hopes for: parachuting, flying in an F-16 jet and attending all three Triple Crown horse races.

      Last winter, Vizquel and some buddies went to a wildlife refuge in Venezuela in the search for anaconda and to view other wildlife as well. About four hours into their trip, they found their snake.

      In a video that Vizquel shared in the Rangers clubhouse during spring training, the group’s guide stepped into shallow water to grab an 11-foot anaconda by the tail and pulled it onto dry land.

      The 5-foot-9 Vizquel was all smiles when he got his chance to take the agitated nonvenomous snake by the tail, and he eventually held the head of the snake, its mouth opened wide and its body coiling. The anaconda was released unharmed.

      “Anacondas already done, that’s a dream I’ve already conquered,” Vizquel said.

      Now, it’s time for the toros.

      “Bullfighting? You are the most interesting man in the world,” Chris Davis, his 23-year-old teammate, said after overhearing the latest plans.

      As Chris Davis some amply points out, they’re going to have to replace the Dos Equis guy with Vizquel, because Omar is clearly the most interesting man in the world.

      Stay thirsty, Omar…stay thirsty.

      MLB

      Waiver Wire Watch: Week 4

      September 29, 2009 /

      Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of at least 50% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to mention a few players that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters. I’ll rank them in the order I’d pick them up in a league with a high-performance, PPR scoring system.

      Please note that these rankings are for total value through the end of the year. Players with particularly good matchups this week are in bold.

      Mark Sanchez (45.1)
      Sanchez posted his third-straight solid fantasy day. He’s averaging 202 yards and 1.3 TD per game in his young career. He can be trusted for fill-in duty.
      Shaun Hill (8.5)
      Hill is going to put up good fantasy numbers when the 49ers can’t run the ball down their opponent’s throat.
      Jason Campbell (20.4)
      Campbell is averaging 264 yards and 1.0 TD per game. He has a nice matchup next week against the Bucs.
      Jake Delhomme (19.2)
      Kerry Collins (10.7)
      Matthew Stafford (6.7)
      It’s probably not a good idea to roster Stafford in a league that penalizes INTs heavily, but he could be okay in deep leagues that don’t.
      Seneca Wallace (0.3)
      Kyle Boller (0.1)
      It looks like Marc Bulger is going to be out for a while and Boller is a journeyman who could put up decent fantasy numbers since the Rams will be trailing most of the time.
      JaMarcus Russell (9.9)
      Chad Henne (0.3)

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      Fantasy Football

      Panthers’ issues on full display in Monday night loss to Cowboys

      September 28, 2009 /

      For those who couldn’t tune into Monday night’s game between the Cowboys and the Panthers, you didn’t miss much.

      The Cowboys were sloppy, the Panthers were sloppier and thus Dallas won the ultimate snooze fest 21-7. Victories are hard to come by in the NFL, but if I were Wade Phillips or Jerry Jones, I wouldn’t be breaking out the party favors and bubbly after this one.

      The Panthers are bad – real bad. And it’s not fair to pin all of their problems on Jake Delhomme, who threw two more interceptions tonight to run his season total to 407. Delhomme has been bad, but he’s hardly the only reason why Carolina is 0-3 right now and has little to no chance of repeating as NFC South champions.

      The Panthers might as well cheat and set up speed bumps on every play, because their run defense is horrible. The Cowboys rushed for 212 yards tonight on 32 carries (6.6 YPC) without Marion Barber as Carolina made Felix Jones and Tashard Choice look like Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen.

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      NFL

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