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08/28/2010 - Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Blackburn hurled 8 2/3 scoreless innings and Denard Span drove in the lone run as Minnesota clipped Seattle, 1-0, in the middle test of three from Safeco Field.
Blackburn (8-8) yielded two hits to win for the first time since June 29, and failed to allow a run in a start for the first time since May 9 against Baltimore.
He retired 21 batters in succession from the second through the ninth and finished with a season-high six strikeouts. Brian Fuentes made his Twins debut a successful one, a four-pitch strikeout to notch his 24th save.
Delmon Young added two hits and Danny Valencia scored for the Twins, who have won three in a row and extended their lead over Chicago in the AL Central to four games. The White Sox and Yankees play later Saturday.
Russell Branyan and Jose Lopez collected the lone hits for the Mariners, who suffered their sixth loss in seven.
Doug Fister (4-10) was the hard-luck loser as he scattered six hits and one run over seven innings, fanning six with two walks.
Valencia singled to begin the Minnesota third, advanced on a J.J. Hardy double and scored when Span followed with a base hit.
Meanwhile, Blackburn mowed down the Mariners lineup. He issued a one-out walk in the second inning to Ryan Langerhans then didn't allow another baserunner until a two-out walk to Chone Figgins in the ninth.
That signaled Fuentes' entrance -- his first with the Twins since being acquired from the Angels on Friday -- against Branyan, striking him out swinging to end the game.
Game Notes
Minnesota has won six of nine meetings with Seattle this season...This was Blackburn's first road victory since May 16 at Yankee Stadium...Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson left the game in the second inning with a right ankle sprain...Minnesota DH Jim Thome left the game with back stiffness...It was Seattle's second shutout loss this week, after being blanked 10-0 by the Yankees on Sunday.
<< Afleet Express holds off Fly Down to win Travers
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Afleet Express, ridden by Javier
Castellano, edged a late running Fly Down to capture Saturday's $1 million
Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The time for the 1 1/4-miles was
2:03.28
<< Dallas, Columbus battle to scoreless draw
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FC Dallas extended its road unbeaten run to
10 Major League Soccer games, and its overall league unbeaten run to 12 games,
by earning a 0-0 draw at Columbus on Saturday afternoon at Crew Stadium.
The game,
<< Laird three clear at The Barclays
Paramus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Scotland's Martin Laird carded a six-under 65
in the third round Saturday to grab a three-stroke lead at The Barclays.
Laird, who won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last
year, comp
<< Wie, Shin share lead at Canadian Women's Open
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michelle Wie shot an even-par 72 on Saturday
and was joined in the lead by Jiyai Shin after three rounds of the Canadian
Women's Open.
Shin carded a three-under 69, bouncing back from a pair of bogeys with thr
Browns DB Sorensen leaves game >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Browns defensive back Nick
Sorensen left Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury.
Sorensen was hurt in the second quarter when he was blocked by a pair of Lions
defenders on a kickoff.
Victorino, Blanton and bullpen get Phils past Padres >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Victorino provided a much-needed
offensive spark with two hits and two RBI for the Phillies, who defeated the
San Diego Padres, 3-1, in the second of three games at PETCO Park.
Victorino, who
Rangers put P Francisco on DL >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers placed closer Frank
Francisco on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a strained right
latissimus dorsi muscle.
The right-hander suffered the injury in Friday's game aga
Toulouse continues perfect with win over Nancy >>
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - French Ligue 1 leaders Toulouse continued its
perfect start to the 2010-11 season with a 2-0 win over Nancy on Saturday.
Midfielders Etienne Capoue and Franck Tabanou scored second-half goals to lead
Toulouse
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
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The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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