Helpful tips for all of Saturday's action
Bulldogs still have bite
Oklahoma State kicks off the season against Georgia having won 13 straight home openers. The Bulldogs, however, counter with eight straight road wins, yielding an average of just 11.2 points in their past five. Georgia also returns seven of its top nine tacklers and the Cowboys are without tight end Jamal Mosley and quarterback Zac Robinson is dinged up. The Bulldogs have a lot to wag about at +5.5 points and +180 straight up.
Bulldogs QB Joe Cox is under the weather heading into the weekend. He didn't travel with the team but is expected to play despite flu-like symtoms. Cox is filling the massive void left by Matthew Stafford, who went first overall in the NFL Draft. Sophomore Logan Gray is Georgia's backup should Cox's condition get worse.
Bulldogs still have bite II
Call it the week of the Bulldog. Louisiana Tech won?t be scared to open its season against Auburn. The Bulldogs are 2-2 ATS against BCS opponents each of the past two years, including a 22-14 win over Mississippi State to start last fall. Meantime, Auburn still is trying to figure out an offensive identity, as the Tigers are a horrible 1-9 ATS in their past 10 overall. La Tech getting 13.5 points? Bow WOW.
No defense for the defense
A disastrous game of musical chairs isn?t as messy as what could happen to the United States backline in its World Cup Qualifier against El Salvador Saturday. American center backs Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit are both out, meaning Carlos Bocanegra likely will have to move back inside and the horrible Steve Cherundolo is put into the lineup at left back. El Salvador figures to pack it in and try to play for the draw, putting Los Cuscatlecos at a great value at +2 goals for even money, or the total under three goals at -125.
What a Georgia Peach
Why can?t Melanie Oudin keep stunning the world? The Georgia native is listed at +400 in her mid-morning matchup against Maria Sharapova (-900). The heavily-favored Russian, however, has yet to win a tournament this year, including losses in the French Open and Wimbledon to much lesser players before even reaching the semis. Oudin made it into the fourth round at Wimbledon and, with a win over Elena Dementieva earlier this week, she has proven she has the potential to be great.
Enough is enough
Cleveland Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore is packing it in to have season-ending elbow surgery. Sizemore has been playing through the pain after missing time this season. He led the team with 18 home runs and was hitting .248 on the year. Sizemore will also have surgery below the belt (yikes!) to repair a lingering groin injury that has slowed his since the winter.
The Tribe giving Sizemore the green light on surgery is a sure sign that the club is packing it in on the season. Cleveland is currently 14 games out of the AL Central lead and had lost four in a row heading into Friday.
Toronto should make Rapids see Red
The Colorado Rapids are without top striker Connor Casey ? away with the U.S. national team ? and top midfielder Pablo Mastroeni ? yellow card accumulation. Toronto, however, is at nearly full strength as midfielder Carl Robinson is expected to play. The Reds also beat the Rapids, 1-0, and 3-1 last season. This first meeting this year should go to Toronto, which is a steal at +280.
Atlanta or bust
Carl Edwards should give gymnast Keri Strug a call if he plans on doing a back flip out of his car this weekend. The always exciting No. 99 will start his engine at Atlanta Sunday night with a broken foot. Edwards suffered a fracture in his right foot while playing Frisbee this week.
"I know this probably sounds ridiculous to a lot of people and I could hardly believe it myself," Edwards said in statement. "I was playing frisbee with a couple of buddies and we both went for the Frisbee at the same time. I put my foot on it, my friend dove for it, and the next thing you know ... we all heard a pop.
"I knew it was broken and we all kind of looked at each other in disbelief that of all things, I would break my foot playing frisbee."
Despite the injury, Edwards is scheduled to start the Pep Boy Auto 500. He has three wins at Atlanta in just 10 career starts at the half-mile oval. In his most recent running at AMS, Edwards finished third in the Kobolt Tools 500 back in March. Edwards sits fifth in the points standings despite not having won a race this season.
Bulldogs still have bite
Oklahoma State kicks off the season against Georgia having won 13 straight home openers. The Bulldogs, however, counter with eight straight road wins, yielding an average of just 11.2 points in their past five. Georgia also returns seven of its top nine tacklers and the Cowboys are without tight end Jamal Mosley and quarterback Zac Robinson is dinged up. The Bulldogs have a lot to wag about at +5.5 points and +180 straight up.
Bulldogs QB Joe Cox is under the weather heading into the weekend. He didn't travel with the team but is expected to play despite flu-like symtoms. Cox is filling the massive void left by Matthew Stafford, who went first overall in the NFL Draft. Sophomore Logan Gray is Georgia's backup should Cox's condition get worse.
Bulldogs still have bite II
Call it the week of the Bulldog. Louisiana Tech won?t be scared to open its season against Auburn. The Bulldogs are 2-2 ATS against BCS opponents each of the past two years, including a 22-14 win over Mississippi State to start last fall. Meantime, Auburn still is trying to figure out an offensive identity, as the Tigers are a horrible 1-9 ATS in their past 10 overall. La Tech getting 13.5 points? Bow WOW.
No defense for the defense
A disastrous game of musical chairs isn?t as messy as what could happen to the United States backline in its World Cup Qualifier against El Salvador Saturday. American center backs Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit are both out, meaning Carlos Bocanegra likely will have to move back inside and the horrible Steve Cherundolo is put into the lineup at left back. El Salvador figures to pack it in and try to play for the draw, putting Los Cuscatlecos at a great value at +2 goals for even money, or the total under three goals at -125.
What a Georgia Peach
Why can?t Melanie Oudin keep stunning the world? The Georgia native is listed at +400 in her mid-morning matchup against Maria Sharapova (-900). The heavily-favored Russian, however, has yet to win a tournament this year, including losses in the French Open and Wimbledon to much lesser players before even reaching the semis. Oudin made it into the fourth round at Wimbledon and, with a win over Elena Dementieva earlier this week, she has proven she has the potential to be great.
Enough is enough
Cleveland Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore is packing it in to have season-ending elbow surgery. Sizemore has been playing through the pain after missing time this season. He led the team with 18 home runs and was hitting .248 on the year. Sizemore will also have surgery below the belt (yikes!) to repair a lingering groin injury that has slowed his since the winter.
The Tribe giving Sizemore the green light on surgery is a sure sign that the club is packing it in on the season. Cleveland is currently 14 games out of the AL Central lead and had lost four in a row heading into Friday.
Toronto should make Rapids see Red
The Colorado Rapids are without top striker Connor Casey ? away with the U.S. national team ? and top midfielder Pablo Mastroeni ? yellow card accumulation. Toronto, however, is at nearly full strength as midfielder Carl Robinson is expected to play. The Reds also beat the Rapids, 1-0, and 3-1 last season. This first meeting this year should go to Toronto, which is a steal at +280.
Atlanta or bust
Carl Edwards should give gymnast Keri Strug a call if he plans on doing a back flip out of his car this weekend. The always exciting No. 99 will start his engine at Atlanta Sunday night with a broken foot. Edwards suffered a fracture in his right foot while playing Frisbee this week.
"I know this probably sounds ridiculous to a lot of people and I could hardly believe it myself," Edwards said in statement. "I was playing frisbee with a couple of buddies and we both went for the Frisbee at the same time. I put my foot on it, my friend dove for it, and the next thing you know ... we all heard a pop.
"I knew it was broken and we all kind of looked at each other in disbelief that of all things, I would break my foot playing frisbee."
Despite the injury, Edwards is scheduled to start the Pep Boy Auto 500. He has three wins at Atlanta in just 10 career starts at the half-mile oval. In his most recent running at AMS, Edwards finished third in the Kobolt Tools 500 back in March. Edwards sits fifth in the points standings despite not having won a race this season.
