08/26/2008 - Statesville, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced Tuesday that Reed Sorenson has signed a multi-year contract to join the team, starting with the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
"I'm pretty pumped up about this," Sorenson said. "I can't wait to get in their cars. I really believe in what they are doing with their program with all their wins and poles this year."
Sorenson's car number and team sponsorship will be announced at a later date.
Sorenson will finish the 2008 season in the No.41 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing. He has recorded five top-five finishes, including a fifth-place finish in this year's Daytona 500, in 97 Sprint Cup starts for Ganassi. He has also scored three Nationwide Series victories.
"Reed is a highly talented driver with a wealth of experience and accomplishments for a 22-year-old," Mark McArdle, the team's vice president and managing director of competition, said. "We believe he has a great future ahead of him here at Gillett Evernham Motorsports. He will be a great fit with our drivers, sponsors and employees."
GEM owns 15 victories and 27 poles since it began racing full-time in 2001.
Juan Pablo Montoya is now the only driver signed with Ganassi in Sprint Cup for next year. Dario Franchitti was released from his driving duties two months ago when the No. 40 team ceased operations due to lack of sponsorship. Ganassi will also loose its sponsorship with Texaco Havoline for Montoya's No.42 team at the end of the season.
<< Ivanovic sneaks into second round in New York
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic survived
her first-round match Tuesday at the U.S. Open.
The Serbian Ivanovic, who's battled a thumb injury in recent weeks, snuck past
Russian Vera Dushevina 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 o
<< Fire tab industry veteran Greeley as top executive
Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Fire appointed sports industry
veteran Dave Greeley as President, the Major League Soccer club announced on
Tuesday. Greeley will oversee the day-to-day business operations and will be
the to
<< Report: LPGA to require English proficiency
Orlando, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The LPGA plans to require its members to learn
and speak English, according to Golfweek.
The new requirement was revealed to the tour's increasing South Korean
membership in a mandatory meeting at th
<< Miami Dolphins 2008 Season Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Only Bill Parcells could be retired, move to South Florida
and undertake a laborious NFL rebuilding effort.
The soon-to-be 69-year-old left Dallas in '07 and went all of one year without
feeding his football addiction. To
Colts' Manning ready to practice >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indianapolis Colts superstar quarterback
Peyton Manning was activated off the physically unable to perform list
Tuesday.
Manning had been on the PUP list since training camp opened after underg
Colts still murky on Saturday injury >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts are still not
sure how bad the right knee injury to center Jeff Saturday is.
Coach Tony Dungy told the Indianapolis Star that further evaluations will
determine if an inju
Format changes for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Next year's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona
will have a new format. NASCAR officials announced Tuesday the pre-season,
non-points race at the Daytona International Speedway will feature the top-six
teams
Sakic decision could come this week >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Colorado Avalanche veteran center Joe Sakic
might announce Thursday whether or not he will be back on the ice for a
20th season.
According to the Denver Post, Sakic will speak at a news confer
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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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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