10/13/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester tries to continue his tremendous postseason when the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play Game 3 of the American League Championship Series this afternoon, as the best-of-seven set shifts to Fenway Park.
Lester was tremendous in the Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, picking up two wins while surrendering just one unearned run in 14 innings. He is 2-0 lifetime in the postseason and has yet to give up an earned run in 19 2/3 frames.
The 24-year-old left-hander, who was 11-1 in 17 home starts during the regular season, is also 4-0 in his career against the Rays with a 3.38 ERA in seven starts.
Lester was brilliant against Tampa at Fenway back on September 8, holding the upstarts to six hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings. He was 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his three starts against the Rays this season, fanning 19 batters in 20 innings.
Tampa will counter with righty Matt Garza, who absorbed the Rays' lone ALDS loss to the Chicago White Sox. He gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings of that one and is now winless in his last six starts.
Garza had never previously thrown more than 100 innings in his career, and with 190 and change under his belt now, he could be running out of steam.
He is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA in six starts against the Red Sox. However, Garza was banged around in his lone start in Boston this season, giving up seven runs (5 earned) and six hits in 5 1/3 frames to take the loss.
Tampa evened this series at a game apiece on Saturday, as Fernando Perez raced home on B.J. Upton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning to give the Rays a dramatic 9-8 win.
Boston's Mike Timlin (0-1) walked Dioner Navarro to start the bottom of the 11th. Perez then came on as a pinch-runner and Ben Zobrist drew a walk before Jason Bartlett grounded out to third to advance both runners. Timlin then intentionally walked Akinori Iwamura before Upton lofted a fly ball to short right field. J.D. Drew made the catch, but his throw home was toward the third base line, and Perez was easily safe to end the 5-hour, 27-minute marathon.
Evan Longoria had three hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs for the Rays. Upton also homered off Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, as did Cliff Floyd.
Dustin Pedroia homered twice while Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay belted home runs of their own for Boston, which went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base. Youkilis has now hit safely in all nine ALCS games he has played in.
The seven combined home runs tied a postseason record.
David Price (1-0), the first overall pick in last year's draft, recorded the final two outs in the top of the 11th to get the win. Another key part of the victory was a 3 1/3-inning performance on the mound by Rays closer Dan Wheeler, who allowed just one hit and had four strikeouts.
Both starting pitchers were knocked out after 4 1/3 innings, with Beckett and Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir each surrendering a trio of homers. Beckett was tagged for eight runs on nine hits, while Kazmir was charged with five runs on six hits.
Now the series shifts to Fenway, where Boston was 56-25 this season. The Red Sox have also won 12 of their last 15 postseason games there.
While the defending world champion Red Sox are ALCS regulars, appearing in this round for the fourth time in the last six years, the Rays of course are new to the party, playing in their first-ever postseason.
These teams are obviously no stranger to one another, having played 18 times throughout the regular season. Tampa managed to win 10 of those contests, but just two of those wins came at Fenway.
Game 4 of this series will be played on Tuesday.
<< Rivers, Chargers dominate Patriots
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philip Rivers threw for 306 yards and three
touchdowns as the San Diego Chargers dominated the New England Patriots,
30-10, exacting some revenge in a rematch of last season's AFC Championship
game.
<< Boucher helps Sharks blank Kings
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Boucher stopped 21 shots for his 15th
career shutout, and Lukas Kaspar scored his first NHL goal as San Jose earned
a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings to complete a home-and-home sweep.
The Sharks
<< Bears off to roaring 3-0 start
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Hershey Bears, the American Hockey League's oldest
active team, are off to a roaring start to the 2008-09 season, going 3-0
through the first weekend of the season.
The Bears won their opener at the
<< Dodgers fight their way back into series with win over Phillies
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blake DeWitt's three-run triple highlighted
a five-run first inning, and Hiroki Kuroda threw six-plus strong innings as
the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-2, in a fiery Game 3 of the
Nationa
Hurricanes try to stay unbeaten, host Red Wings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to win their third
straight game to start the 2008-09 campaign when they welcome the Detroit Red
Wings for tonight's test at the RBC Center.
The Hurricanes began the year with a 6-4 home vi
Blackhawks aim to get in win column versus Preds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks will aim for their first win of the
2008-09 campaign tonight, when they welcome the Nashville Predators for the
home opener at the United Center.
Chicago was dealt back-to-back 4-2 losses on the road
Leafs host Blues in matinee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ron Wilson's home debut as Toronto head coach didn't
exactly go as planned. Wilson will try to get his first home win this
afternoon, as his Maple Leafs host the St. Louis Blues at Air Canada Centre.
Wilson, in his inaugur
Isles welcome Sabres for afternoon test at the Coliseum >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After sitting out New York's first two games of the season,
goaltender Rick DiPietro could make his season debut this afternoon in the
Islanders' clash with the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum.
DiPietro has been serving
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 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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Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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