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03/13/2010 - Hot Springs, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Champion colt Lookin At Lucky made a successful debut Saturday as a three-year-old in the $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The 2009 champion two-year-old was the even-money favorite in the seven horse field.
The Rebel is the final local prep race before the $1 million Arkansas Derby, set for Saturday, April 10.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin at Lucky was ridden by Garrett Gomez and broke from the two post. The Rebel was the colt's first career start outside of California.
Lookin at Lucky broke in a tangle when the field left the gate. He settled several lengths off the leaders as the field headed into the backstretch. Setting the pace was Royal Express with Uh Oh Bango in second and Cardiff Giant running in third.
Lookin At Lucky began his rally around the turn for home and was able to join the leaders at the top of the stretch. Noble's Promise had the lead in midstretch as the favorite continued to drive.
The two colts battled to the wire where Lookin At Lucky prevailed by a neck over Noble's Promise. Dublin finished third followed by Uh Oh Bango, Cardiff Giant, Pleasant Storm and Royal Express.
The time for the Rebel was 1:43.06 on a fast track.
Owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weltman, Lookin At Lucky earned $180,000 with the victory. He has won six of seven starts for more than $1.4 million.
The colt was second to Vale of York in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, but came back to win the CashCall Futurity the following month at Hollywood Park.
Lookin At Lucky returned $4.20, $2.80 and $2.20. Noble's Promise paid $4.00 and $2.60, and Dublin paid $2.40 to show.
<< Yellow Jackets hold off NC State to make ACC final
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derrick Favors registered 17 points and
eight rebounds, as Georgia Tech overcame sloppy play down the stretch to get
by NC State, 57-54, and advance to the ACC Tournament final.
Gani Lawal posted 12
<< Chad Collins leads in Puerto Rico
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chad Collins found himself alone in
the lead during the suspended second round of the Puerto Rico Open.
Collins is six-under par through 11 holes of his second round and is in first
place at nine-u
<< Minnesota crushes Purdue to reach Big Ten final
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ralph Sampson III scored a team-high 13
points and Minnesota continued its quest to an unlikely NCAA Tournament bid
with a dominating 69-42 drubbing of No. 6 Purdue in the semifinals of the Big
Ten Tou
<< Zardana edges Rachel Alexandra in New Orleans Ladies
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, making
her first start in six months, was defeated by Zardana in Saturday's $200,000
New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds.
The 1 1/16-mile race had a field of five
NBA suspends Bulls' Hinrich one game, fines Suns coach Gentry >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NBA suspended Chicago Bulls guard Kirk
Hinrich for one game and fined Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry $25,000
for separate incidents from Friday.
Hinrich made contact with an official during
No. 2 Stanford handles Cal, on to Pac-10 final >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nnemkadi Ogwumike led all scorers with 18
points along with 10 rebounds as the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal handled the
California Golden Bears, 64-44 in the semifinals of the Pac-10 Conference
Tournam
Sidney's Candy garners San Felipe Stakes >>
Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sidney's Candy, winner of the San Vicente
Stakes, made it two straight Saturday by winning the $150,000 San Felipe
Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The colt covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:42.30.
Ridden by
Kansas captures Big 12 title with third win over K-State >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marcus Morris donated 18 points and nine
rebounds to lead No. 1 Kansas to its seventh Big 12 Tournament championship
behind a 72-64 victory over ninth-seeded Kansas State.
The Jayhawks (32-2) never
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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Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
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