Pervak, Erakovic win in Memphis
Tennis Betting Lines
02/21/2012 - Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - No. 2 seed Ksenia Pervak was an easy first- round winner Tuesday at the $220,000 Memphis International tennis event.
The Russian Pervak handled Canadian Rebecca Marino 6-2, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at The Racquet Club of Memphis. Marino was last year's Memphis runner-up to Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova, who lost on Sunday.
In second-round play, No. 4 seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand took down Russian Evgeniya Rodina in straight sets 6-3, 6-4; and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands knocked off Olga Govortsova of Belarus 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Govortsova was the runner-up in 2008.
American Varvara Lepchenko upended seventh-seeded Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-4 and Russian Vera Dushevina bested American qualifier Jamie Hampton 6-4, 6-3 in other second-round action Tuesday.
Fifth-seeded Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier held off Czech Andrea Hlavackova 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, while France's Stephanie Foretz Gacon doused struggling American wild card Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-3 in the first round. Up next for Parmentier will be Swede Sofia Arvidsson, who titled at this even in 2006 and was the runner-up in 2010.
The 2012 winner will collect $37,000.
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Georgetown University football coach Kevin Kelly announced Tuesday that Vinny Marino has joined the staff as the offensive coordinator. Marino has 20 years of coaching experience, including the last six as
<< Ex-Brazil boss Luxemburgo to coach Gremio
Porto Alegre, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ex-Brazil coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo
was named new boss of Gremio on Tuesday, one day after Caio Junior was fired.
Luxemburgo will be officially introduced Thursday, when the 59-year-old will
begin
<< Sporting, U.S. defender Onyewu suffers knee injury
Lisbon, Portugal (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sporting Lisbon and U.S. defender Oguchi
Onyewu has suffered a torn ligament in his right knee and will be sidelined
two months, the Portuguese club announced Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Onyewu was injur
<< Auburn's Fortner to resign at season's end
Auburn, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Auburn women's basketball coach Nell Fortner
will resign as head coach at the end of the 2011-12 season, the university's
director of athletics Jay Jacobs announced on Tuesday.
Fortner has served as the te
<< Former Fiesta Bowl director pleads guilty
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The former longtime executive director of the
Fiesta Bowl has pled guilty to a felony count of solicitation to commit fraud
schemes.
John Junker, who was fired in March 2001 after a probe uncovered a schem
Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off his title in Sao Paulo last week, reigning Buenos Aires champion Nicolas Almagro continued his winning ways Tuesday with a first-round victory at the Copa Claro tennis event.
Lecavalier has broken hand, out indefinitely >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will have to continue
their playoff push without captain Vincent Lecavalier, who will be sidelined
indefinitely due to a non-displaced fracture in his right hand.
Lecavalier sat out
No. 12 Florida clamps down in second half, beats Auburn >>
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kenny Boynton scored 20 points and No. 12
Florida pulled away in the second half to beat Auburn, 63-47, on Tuesday.
Bradley Beal and Erving Walker added 13 points apiece for the Gators (22-6,
10-3 SEC
Seton Hall upends No. 9 Hoyas >>
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jordan Theodore scored a career-high 29 points
on Tuesday, leading Seton Hall to a 73-55 toppling of No. 9 Georgetown.
Herb Pope added 12 points, while Brandon Mobley and Fuquan Edwin both had 10
for the P
Buckeyes roll over Illinois >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deshaun Thomas scored 19 points and grabbed
five boards as eighth-ranked Ohio State took down Illinois, 83-67, on Tuesday.
William Buford added 17 points and Aaron Craft contributed 11 for the Buckeyes
(23-
NFL Football Betting
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.