10/15/2008 - Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - U.S. Open champion Roger Federer, Australian Open titlist Novak Djokovic and former world No. 1 Andy Roddick highlighted Wednesday's second-round winners at the $2.78 million Madrid Masters -- the eighth of nine ATP Masters Series events this year.
The second-seeded Swiss Federer, playing his first ATP match since capturing a fifth straight U.S. Open title last month, drove past dangerous Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) on the indoor hardcourt at Madrid Arena.
The 13-time major champion and 2006 Madrid titlist Federer was upset by Argentine star David Nalbandian in last year's finale here.
Federer's third-round opponent on Thursday will be Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.
The third-seeded Djokovic was leading qualifier Victor Hanescu 3-1 in the third set on Day 4 when the Romanian retired due to a leg injury. The Serbian Djokovic dropped the first set 6-7 (8-10) and won the second 7-6 (8-6) before embarking on the abbreviated third.
Up next for Djokovic will be 6-foot-10 Croatian slugger Ivo Karlovic.
An eighth-seeded Roddick rolled past Spanish crowd favorite Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-4 in a brisk 68 minutes to setup a third-rounder against French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils. Roddick fired 13 aces at the overmatched Robredo, who failed to break the American's massive serve throughout.
Upsets came when American qualifier Robby Ginepri took out fifth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, Feliciano Lopez upended sixth-seeded fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) and the French Monfils toppled 12th-seeded Olympic silver medalist Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-4. Monfils was a runner-up in Vienna last week. The Chilean Gonzalez reached the final here in Madrid in 2006, losing to Federer.
Meanwhile, a seventh-seeded and defending Madrid champion Nalbandian got past big Czech Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, ninth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro downed Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 4-2 and 10th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka overcame German Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5). Nieminen retired in the second set against del Potro due to a leg injury. Nalbandian, who also reached the Madrid finale in 2004, is fresh off his title in Stockholm last week.
In other second-round action, a 14th-seeded Karlovic snuck past last week's Stockholm runner-up Robin Soderling, of Sweden, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (10-8) and a 16th-seeded Tsonga came back to beat Spanish qualifier Marcel Granollers 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
In addition to Federer-Tsonga, Djokovic-Karlovic and Roddick-Monfils here on Thursday, world No. 1 Spanish hero Rafael Nadal will take on 15th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet. The 2005 Madrid titlist Nadal is the reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champ.
Some other marquee third-rounders on Day 5 will pit fourth-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Andy Murray against rising Croat Marin Cilic and Nalbandian versus his Argentine countryman del Potro.
The 2008 Madrid titlist will collect $490,000.
<< Blue Jackets put F Boll on IR
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Jared
Boll on injured reserve Wednesday.
Boll, who is suffering from a head/neck injury, is expected to be out for the
next seven-to-10 days.
In his second season
<< Report: Celtics to exercise option on Rondo
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics reportedly plan to exercise
their option for the 2009-2010 season on point guard Rajon Rondo, an integral
member of the club's championship run last season.
Celtics general manager Danny
<< Federer, Djokovic reach third round at Madrid Masters
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - U.S. Open champion Roger Federer and
Australian Open titlist Novak Djokovic were among Wednesday's second-round
winners at the $2.78 million Madrid Masters -- the eighth of nine ATP
Masters Series events thi
<< Furyk clips Harrington to win PGA Grand Slam of Golf
Tucker's Town, Bermuda (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jim Furyk sank an 8-foot putt for
eagle on the first playoff hole to defeat Padraig Harrington and capture the
26th annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
This event is reserved for the year's four ma
Former Chargers DL Mims dead >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former San Diego Chargers defensive lineman
Chris Mims was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment on Wednesday. He was
38.
According to KTLA in Los Angeles, police say that Mims was found around 9:30
Report: Notre Dame TE Yeatman suspended for season >>
South Bend, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Notre Dame has reportedly suspended tight
end Will Yeatman for the rest of the 2008 season after a second alcohol-
related offense this year.
The South Bend Tribune reported Wednesday that Ye
North Carolina WR Tate undergoes surgery >>
Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - North Carolina senior wide receiver Brandon
Tate underwent successful surgery on his right knee Wednesday to repair a torn
ACL and MCL.
The operation was performed by Dr. Tim Taft at UNC Hospitals.
"We
Seven groups submit applications for MLS expansion >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seven potential ownership groups submitted
official applications to become one of the next two Major League Soccer
expansion teams, MLS President Mark Abbott announced on Wednesday.
The U.S.'s top-
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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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.
The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.
MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.
A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.
A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.
Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
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