THE WEEK IN SPORTS
One of the best weeks in sports awaits us this week as the US Open gets under way today at 11 A.M., college football is back and the MLB playoff race really heats up. The summer doldrums have finally given way as the return of college football signals the return of some actual gambling excitement. We will take a look at the US Open and post the TV schedule for the week and we will also look at college football year and the TV schedule and take a look at one of the most surprising stories in the major league baseball season year.
First off the the last grand slam of the year gets under way as the US Open kicks off. Here is a quick run down of the size of the draw and the prize money, dates etc.
US Open 2009
Place: New York, USA
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Date: August 31- September 13, 2009
Draw Size: 128
Surface: DecoTurf
Prize Money: US $19,600,000 + $2.6 million bonus prize
If you are planning on placing a futures bet check out my previous blog for some futures odds and get in on it quick this morning but there will be plenty of great single match action as the whole week promises to be exciting. Some great wagers will certainly be found in the womens section as a rather lopsided draw has the Williams sisters and Kim Clijsters on the bottom half and a brutal draw on the other half. Kim Clijsters is back playing tennis, a wife and mother of a 1-year-old daughter, she will certainly relish being in the place where she enjoyed her single biggest tournament triumph, the U.S. Open. But more often than not over the last 15 months, women’s major tennis tournaments have been dominated by sisters Serena and Venus Williams, who between them have won four of the last six Grand Slam singles titles.
Because of the draw, second-seeded Serena and third-seeded Venus can’t play for the title. If they meet, it will be in the semifinals and, as John McEnroe said last week, “That’s a shame. They are the two to beat. They always seem to rise to the occasion at the big ones.”
At the last major, Wimbledon, Serena beat Venus to win her 11th Grand Slam title and give herself an 11-10 advantage in matches against her sister.
Some other dangerous names are Dinara Safina who will bring a No. 1 ranking and the honored spot as the No. 1-seeded player to Flushing Meadows, N.Y., but she will also carry her reputation of failing to win the big one as, so far, she has been unable to to win any of the four major championships. Elena Dementieva, the Russian with powered ground strokes but a sometimes unreliable serve, has had the best summer hard-court season of any of the top female players.
Maria Sharapova, 22, is still working her way back from October shoulder surgery that took her off the tour for eight months, and has spent the summer trying to find her form but is always a dangerous opponent.
And Clijsters, 26, returned to tennis last month from a two-year hiatus after she got married to former Villanova basketball player Brian Lynch. She had a daughter, Jada, last year.
Clijsters made the semifinals and quarterfinals of her first two tournaments back and could be a dangerous opponent for Venus Williams in that quarter of the draw.
TV NOTES:
TV schedule through Friday
Monday, August 31 11:00 am – 7:00 pm* Opening Round Tennis Channel
Monday, August 31 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Opening Round ESPN2
Monday, August 31 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm US Open Scoreboard ESPN2
Monday, August 31 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Opening Round ESPN2
Monday, August 31 11:00 pm – 12 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 12 am – 3:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 3:00 am – 4:00 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 4:00 am – 6:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 6:00 am-7:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 7:00 am-10:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 10:00 am-11:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 11:00 am – 7:00 pm* Opening Round Tennis Channel
Tuesday, September 1 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Opening Round ESPN2
Tuesday, September 1 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm US Open Scoreboard ESPN2
Tuesday, September 1 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Opening Round ESPN2
Tuesday, September 1 1:00 pm – 12 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 2 am – 3:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis
Wednesday, September 2 3:00 am – 4:00 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 4:00 am – 6:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 6:00 am-7:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 7:00 am-10:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 10:00 am-11:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 11:00 am – 7:00 pm* Men’s First Round/Women’s Second Round Tennis Channel
Wednesday, September 2 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Men’s First Round/Women’s Second Round ESPN2
Wednesday, September 2 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm US Open Scoreboard ESPN2
Wednesday, September 2 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Men’s First Round/Women’s Second Round ESPN2
Wednesday, September 2 11:00 pm – 12 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 12 am – 3:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 3:00 am – 4:00 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 4:00 am – 6:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 6:00 am-7:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 7:00 am-10:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 10:00 am-11:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 11:00 am – 7:00 pm* Second Round Tennis Channel
Thursday, September 3 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Second Round ESPN2
Thursday, September 3 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm US Open Scoreboard ESPN2
Thursday, September 3 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Second Round ESPN2
Thursday, September 3 11:00 pm – 12 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 12 am – 3:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 3:00 am – 4:00 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 4:00 am – 6:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 6:00 am-7:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 7:00 am-10:00 am US Open Daily Match Encores Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 10:00 am-11:00 am Breakfast at the Open Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 11:00 am – 7:00 pm* Men’s Second Round/Women’s Third Round Tennis Channel
Friday, September 4 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Men’s Second Round/Women’s Third Round ESPN2
Friday, September 4 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm US Open Scoreboard ESPN2
Friday, September 4 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Men’s Second Round/Women’s Third Round ESPN2
Friday, September 4 11:00 pm – 12 am US Open Tonight Tennis Channel
The weather seems to finally be cooling down and that can only signal the return of autumn and the return of college football. I am going to take a brief look at my choices for teams to watch out for this year.
I realize the BCS system is put in place to insure parity in the league but its not working judging from the string of titles an increasingly small number of schools are winning. Judging by recent years, only a handful of teams will be in the running for the national title when the season concludes Jan. 7 at the Rose Bowl. If the last few year are any indication,Florida won titles in 2006 and last season, LSU in 2003 and 2007, USC in 2004 and Texas in 2005.
I don’t see how anyone can doubt Floridas chances for a title this year. The Gators, who won their second title in three seasons last year, have the makings for another title run. Florida, ranked No. 1 to begin the season, returns all 11 starters on defense and has the best quarterback in college football- quarterback Tim Tebow.
The Southeastern Conference may be college football’s toughest conference, but that won’t be enough to stop the Gators, whose only competition in the SEC will come from No. 5 Alabama
So who else may have a chance to challenge Florida? USC or either Oklahoma or Texas may have a chance but I just don’t see it. Don’t forget Ohio State as well to give Florida a run for the money. The Buckeyes and sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor have a decent schedule and should be in the top 10 at the end of the year.
USC ? Everyone seems to be saying the same thing, the Trojans are supposed to be on a rebuilding year. They’re young on defense, they have an inexperienced quarterback but you can count on Pete Carroll having the the Trojans ready and I see them in the race at the end of the year. Texas and Oklahoma both have their stars from last year and will also be very dangerous this year but if you have some money to wager right now you would be hard pressed to find a better wager right now than a futures bet on Florida to win the title right now.
BetUS NCAA College Football Futures Odds To Win BCS National Title
Florida +180
Oklahoma +500
TEXAS +650
Southern Cal +650
OHIO STATE +1000
Alabama +1200
Louisiana State +1800
Notre Dame +2000
Florida State +2200
Penn State +2500
TV Notes:
Schedule through Saturday
South Carolina at North Carolina State 6:00 p.m. ESPN (HD)
North Texas at Ball State 6:30 p.m. ESPNU (HD)
Oregon at Boise State 9:15 p.m. ESPN (HD)
Friday, September 4th
Tulsa at Tulane 7:00 p.m. ESPN (HD)
Saturday, September 5th
Kentucky vs. Miami Ohio (Cincinnati) 11:00 a.m. ESPNU (HD)
Minnesota at Syracuse 11:00 a.m. ESPN2 (HD)
Montana State at Michigan State 11:00 a.m. BTN (HD)
Navy at Ohio State 11:00 a.m. ESPN (HD)
Western Kentucky at Tennessee 11:21 a.m. ESPN-GP *2 / SEC Network *4
Portland State at Oregon State 1:30 p.m. FSNW (HD)
Baylor at Wake Forest 2:30 p.m. ABC *1 / ESPN2 *7 / ESPN-GP *2
Georgia at Oklahoma State 2:30 p.m. ABC *1 / ESPN-GP *2
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) 2:30 p.m. ESPN (HD)
Jackson State at Mississippi State 2:30 p.m. ESPNU (HD)
Nevada at Notre Dame 2:30 p.m. NBC (HD)
San Jose State at USC 2:30 p.m. FSN (HD) / FCS Atlantic (cable)
Western Michigan at Michigan 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2 *7 / ABC *1) (HD)
Stanford at Washington State 5:00 p.m. FSNW (HD)
BYU vs. Oklahoma (Arlington) 6:00 p.m. ESPN (HD)
Louisiana Tech at Auburn 6:00 p.m. ESPNU (HD)
Indiana State at Louisville 6:30 p.m. ESPN-GP *2 / (ERTV / WHAS) (cable)
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta) 7:00 p.m. ABC (HD)
Idaho State at Arizona State 9:00 p.m. FSAZ (HD) / FCS Pacific (cable)
Maryland at California 9:00 p.m. ESPN2 (HD)
LSU at Washington 9:30 p.m. ESPN (HD)
Finally, one of the most surprising stories for me has been the absolute dominance of St. Louis Cardinal pitching. This is a team you need to keep an eye on as we head into the playoffs. That dominance continued as Adam Wainwright became the first pitcher in the majors to win 16 games. Wainwright celebrated his 28th birthday Sunday by beating the Washington Nationals 2-1 as the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep. Albert Pujols’ tie-breaking RBI single in the sixth inning was the difference.
Wainwright shined on a day in his honor. With many in the crowd of 41,083 in possession of Wainwright bobbleheads, the 6-foot-7 right-hander (16-7) allowed just one run (earned) on three hits in six innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Its not only Carpenter and Wainwright but the closers that make St. Louis so dangerous, add in Pujols and newly acquired Matt Holliday and they may give the Yankees a run for their money in the world series. They may.
No related posts.
