Sunday Trends and Indexes 01/06

[Udog]

Pregame Wire Alerts


NFL

01/06/08
11:58 AM Lineups
NFL
Bucs LB Cato June (foot) has been downgraded to out of today's game.

01/06/08
11:12 AM Injuries
NFL
Giants CB Sam Madison (abdomen) and C Shaun O'Hara (knee) will be worked out before the game, but seem likely to be inactive.

01/06/08
11:02 AM Injuries
NFL
Giants LB Kawika Mitchell (knee) and CB Kevin Dockery (hip) are expected to play limited snap counts today agaisnt the Bucs.

01/06/08
10:31 AM Bet Percents
NFL
40% of public on Titans; 60% on Chargers

01/06/08
10:30 AM Bet Percents
NFL
60% of public on Giants; 40% on Bucs.

01/06/08
10:29 AM Weather
NFL
Titans @ Chargers: Cloudy; 40% chance of light showers; west winds at 15 mph; 59 degrees.

01/06/08
10:28 AM Weather
NFL
Giants @ Bucs: Sunny; east winds at 10 mph; 76 degrees.

01/06/08
01:58 AM Injuries
NFL
Bucs LB Cato June (foot) is listed as questionable for Sunday.

01/06/08
01:57 AM Injuries
NFL
Giants CB Sam Madison (abdominal), LB Kawika Mitchell (knee), and C Shaun O'Hara (knee) are questionable for Sunday.

01/06/08
01:55 AM Lineups
NFL
Giants WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) is expected to play on Sunday.

01/06/08
01:53 AM Injury Alert
NFL
Titans placed TE Bo Scaife on injured reserve with a lacerated liver, ending his season.

01/06/08
01:52 AM Lineup Alert
NFL
The Titans will be without top WR Roydell Williams for the first round of the playoffs after he broke his right ankle in practice.

01/06/08
01:51 AM Lineup Alert
NFL
Titans QB Vince Young (quadriceps) increased his participation in practice and is expected to start against the Chargers.

01/06/08
01:50 AM Lineups
NFL
Chargers K Nate Kaeding (leg) is expected to play on Sunday.


NBA

01/06/08
11:26 AM Injuries
NBA
Heat G Dwyane Wade (25 ppg; shoulder) has been added to the injury report as questionable for today's game.

01/06/08
11:24 AM Lineups
NBA
Pacers G Jamaal Tinsley (14 ppg; hamstring) is not expected to play tonight.

01/06/08
11:23 AM Lineups
NBA
Heat C Shaquille O'Neal (14 ppg; hip) has been downgraded to not expected to play today.

01/06/08
11:17 AM Injuries
NBA
Dallas G Jerry Stackhouse (thumb) will be evaluated in today's shootaround to see if he can play against the T-Wolves.

01/06/08
11:07 AM Lineups
NBA
Clippers F Tim Thomas (sore knee) is expected to return for tonight's game against the Spurs.

01/06/08
02:07 AM Injuries
NBA
Sonics C Chris Wilcox (13 ppg; finger) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game.

01/06/08
02:05 AM Injuries
NBA
Heat C Shaquille O'Neal (14 ppg; hip) is listed as doutful for Sunday's game.

01/06/08
02:04 AM Injuries
NBA
Spurs G Manu Ginobili (19 ppg; finger) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game.

01/06/08
01:44 AM Lineups
NBA
Bucks guard Michael Redd is still recovering from a deep left thigh bruise and is not expected to play against the Bobcats Sunday.

01/06/08
01:42 AM Boxscore
NBA
Raja Bell left the Suns game on Saturday just two minutes into the first period, because of flu symptoms.

01/06/08
01:41 AM Injuries
NBA
Brandon Roy returned from a tailbone injury to start for the Blazers on Saturday, but ledt the game after playing only nine minutes.


NCAAB

01/06/08
11:31 AM Injuries
CBB
Siena F Alex Franklin (15 ppg; back) is doubtful for today's game.

01/06/08
02:02 AM Lineups
CBB
Auburn F Korvotney Barber (13 ppg; hand) is listed as out of Sunday's game.

[pm530]

College Football – Write up

NCAAF
Write-up

2007-2008 Bowl Analysis
Bowl games for January 6 - 7, ‘08
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Sunday, January 6

#31-- GMAC Bowl, Mobile, AL, 1/6
Tulsa started out 4-3, then won five in row to get to C-USA title game, then lost again at Central Florida; they gave up 39-43-44 points in last three games; in five of their nine wins, they gave up 30+ points, so they're running no-huddle offense to create a pace and try to outscore you, which is why total in this game is in mid-70's. Not many bowl teams go seven games in row with a negative turnover ratio, but Tulsa did; they also had 21+ points at the half in each of their last five games.

Bowling Green won, covered their last four games, scoring 37.8 ppg; in eight of their twelve games, Falcons had turnover ratio that was 2 or more, either + or -. Their opponents were 34 for last 73 on third down (46.6%), so not a great defensive team; they've picked off only six passes in last eight games. BG has balanced offense, gaining 407+ yards in each of last five games, but have shaky special teams. They were 3-2 as an underdog this season.

Favorite covered last five GMAC Bowls; totals in the six years of this game have been: 125-53-77-87-35, with last year the first MAC loss in six tries. Bowling green won this games three years ago, beating Memphis. Tulsa coach Graham is terrific; last year, he got Rice into bowl for first time in 45 years. Tulsa has senior QB, probably the better coach and an offense that is difficult to deplicate in practice situations. Tulsa is the right side here.


Monday, January 7

#32-- BCS Championship Game, New Orleans, 1/7
Both LSU losses came in OT games, at Kentucky, vs Arkansas; Tigers have +18 turnover ratio, time to heal injured DT Dorsey, a great player who limped thru second half of season. DC Pellini is leaving to be coach at Nebraska but LSU players are used to the circus atmosphere after all the Miles-Michigan rumors this year. Bayou Bengals played six games decided by seven pts or less; they play in best league in country, are certainly more tested in big games than Ohio State, which played three MAC teams and Washington in four non-Big 11 games. LSU beat Va Tech 48-7.

Ohio State is 0-8 in bowl games against SEC teams, but Tressel beat Miles 33-7 three years ago in bowl games when Miles was at Oklahoma State. Unfortunately for Tressel, Miles has LSU's resources and talent for this game. Buckeyes lost 28-21 Nov 10 to Illinois, then slogged through 14-3 win over Michigan, with no takeaways in either game, although they did hold Michigan to 99 total yards. Ohio State is underdog for first time all season and they have motivation after being squashed 41-14 by Florida in this game last year. Make no mistake, there is big-time talent on both squads here, but LSU has more experienced QB, which offsets Tressel's track record in championship games.

Underdog won this game SU five of seven years; LSU plays to level of their opponent, going just 1-7-2 vs spread in last 10 tilts; huge question is health of Glenn Dorsey, who got hurt when he got chop-blocked in Auburn game- if he is back to 100%, that is huge for LSU defense. Tressel won four national titles in I-AA, another with Buckeyes, so going against him in these spots has been bad idea, but LSU plays in better league, has been tested a lot more than Buckeyes, plsu this game is in Superdome, so it is going to be an LSU crowd. Slightest of leans to the Tigers.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Sunday

-- Celtics avenged their last loss when they beat Pistons at the Palace Saturday night. No one thought Boston would be this good this season.

-- Trailblazers are 16-1 in their last 17 games. Amazing.

-- After three rounds of golf at Kapalua, in first PGA Tour event of the year, lefty Mike Weir holds a one-shot lead.

-- Allegheny Gators increased their record to 7-4 with 73-56 win over Earlham in Richmond, Indiana Saturday afternoon Gators are now 2-1 in conference play.

-- Steelers became a finesse team fairly quickly. Interesting to see what changes they make between now and summer.

-- Packers have been installed as 8.5-point favorites over Seattle in next weekend's playoffs. Giant-Buc winner gets a trip to Dallas as a reward for their victory today.

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[pm530]

Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday....

13) Since 1990, NFL playoff teams with a turnover ratio of +2 or better are an impressive 34-5.

12) There are 20 Division I hoop teams whose top scorer is a freshman.

11) Ole Miss is only SEC hoop team that has beaten a ranked opponent this season.

10) Oregon has five players who already graduated college; to play hoops, they still have to be enrolled in school-- three of the five are taking a billiards class this semester.

9) No fun to be Billy Gillispie this year; Kentucky is now 6-7, and lost at home to Louisville; things are officially ugly, and the early part of their SEC schedule is very tough.

8) Kansas, UCLA, Memphis and North Carolina are the chalk right now to be #1 seeds, though it is very early still. Kansas was really dominant in an easy win at Boston College.

7) 61 D-I hoop teams have new coaches this season (17.9%).

6) I'll say this; sometime soon, I'll do a comparison of digital cable and DirecTV, with regards to sports stuff, but there is no doubt the college hoop package on DirecTV is a lot better.

5) UConn has slipped badly; this group of kids they have has not beaten anyone of note. Huskies trailing by 20+ in the first half at Notre Dame is something that just hasn't happened in a long time in Storrs.

4) Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos were down 16 at the half at Wyoming, rallied to win in OT. Alford is doing an excellent job in his first year leading the Lobos.

3) The best teams advance in the playoffs, but officials' crews are All-Star crews. It makes no sense; they don't work as well together. They should reward the best crews, just same way the best teams move on to each round.

2) Mike Tomlin misused 2-point conversions in 4th quarter on Saturday night; he should have kicked the PAT after penalty pushed ball back to the 12-yard line

1) You can take your QB rating stat and flush it; the measure of a QB is what David Garrard did in last 2:00 Saturday, as he brought his team back for the winning FG, after they blew the big lead they had. I don't care what Garrard's rating was, the main thing is he led his team to points when it counted most.

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