Iowa Hawkeyes 2010 Preview
It was a hugely successful 2009 season for Coach Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes as the Hawkeyes finished second in the Big Ten but earned a bid to the Orange Bowl, where they stomped ACC champion Georgia Tech to finish 11-2. It was Iowa’s first-ever BCS bowl win and the 11 wins tied a school record. In fact, it was Iowa’s first major bowl game win since 1959 when it beat Cal in the Rose Bowl during the 1958 season.
Thus expectations are understandably high this season for the Hawkeyes, with most experts predicting another second-place finish in the Big Ten behind Ohio State. Iowa is +350 to win the conference on WagerWeb.com’s betting odds, tied for second behind the Buckeyes with Wisconsin.
Iowa has 14 starters back, among them are star senior end Adrian Clayborn and all four starters from a very good defensive line, both safeties, including All-America candidate Tyler Sash, and senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The schedule also sets up well as Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State all must face Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes have won 44 of their last 53 games.
But was Iowa good or lucky (or both) last year? The Hawkeyes won four games by three points or less. They rallied in the second half for wins at Penn State and Wisconsin. They won on a last-second touchdown pass against Michigan State, and they erased a two-touchdown deficit in the second half against Indiana, scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
However, this might be Iowa’s best collection of skill players since its 2002 Big Ten championship team. It might be Iowa’s best defense since the Hawkeyes claimed the 2004 conference crown. And the Hawkeyes could be even better with the return of RB Jewel Hampton. He was expected to replace 2008 Doak Walker Award winner Shonn Greene as the feature running back as a sophomore but missed the season with a knee injury. Iowa then ranked just 10th in the Big Ten and 99th nationally in rushing offense. Hampton is healthy after being redshirted in ’09, and he will team with Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher to form one of the best backfields in the Big Ten if not the nation.
Top returners: QB Ricky Stanzi, WR Marvin McNutt, WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, RB Adam Robinson, OT Riley Reiff, DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Karl Klug, DE Broderick Binns, S Tyler Sash
Key losses: LT Bryan Bulaga, RT Kyle Calloway, TE Tony Moeaki, G Dace Richardson, C Rafael Eubanks, LB Pat Angerer, LB A.J. Edds, CB Amari Spievey
Predicted 2010 record: 9-3
Sept. 4 Eastern Illinois
Sept. 11 Iowa State
Sept. 18 at Arizona
Sept. 25 Ball State
Oct. 2 Penn State
Oct. 9 Open
Oct. 16 at Michigan
Oct. 23 Wisconsin
Oct. 30 Michigan State
Nov. 6 at Indiana
Nov. 13 at Northwestern
Nov. 20 Ohio State
Nov. 27 at Minnesota
Bet on Iowa Hawkeyes futures at WagerWeb.com
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
2010 Michigan Wolverines preview
It’s a make-or-break year in Ann Arbor for Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez as the Wolverines enter off a 5-7 record and just one win in the Big Ten in 2009 (and five total in two seasons). Remember, this team was 4-0 and 1-0 in the Big Ten and had entered the Top 25 but then could only beat Delaware State the rest of the season. If the Wolverines somehow miss a bowl game again, Rodriguez, especially after the NCAA found some violations in the program, will be a goner. The Wolverines are +1200 to win the Big Ten on WagerWeb.com’s betting odds.
This year likely comes down to quarterback play in Rodriguez’s spread offense. Denard Robinson, arguably the fastest QB in the nation, closed the gap with returning starter Tate Forcier and put on a show in the spring game, leading many to believe he may win the No. 1 job this fall. Robinson completed just 14-of-31 last season for 188 yards, with two touchdowns and four picks last year. He ran for 351 yards and five touchdowns in spot duty as a freshman.
In 2008, Michigan had the worst offense in the Big Ten (290.8 ypg). Last season, the attack ranked seventh (384.5 ypg). Expect this season’s offense to be the best yet under Rodriguez. Plus players will be comfortable in the system and there’s more talent on offense than during Rodriguez’s first two years.
The defense was a weak point last year and lost one of the nation’s most disruptive defenders in Brandon Graham, who recorded 26 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown last season. The Wolverines allowed 393.3 yards per game last season, the worst showing in program history. The defensive line still looks like a strength led by nose tackle Mike Martin, who had 51 tackles, 8.5 for loss, despite often inviting double teams last year. The big change is the installation of a 3-3-5 scheme that Rodriguez employed at West Virginia. With two safeties typically playing near the line of scrimmage, Michigan usually will have eight men in the box.
Top returners: QB Tate Forcier, QB Denard Robinson, WR Roy Roundtree, C David Molk, LG Stephen Schilling, CB Troy Woolfolk, LB/DE Craig Roh, NT Mike Martin
Key losses: RB Carlos Brown, RB Brandon Minor, C/G David Moosman, DE Brandon Graham, CB Donovan Warren, LB/S Stevie Brown, P Zoltan Mesko
Predicted 2010 record: 8-4
Sept. 4 Connecticut
Sept. 11 at Notre Dame
Sept. 18 Massachusetts
Sept. 25 Bowling Green
Oct. 2 at Indiana
Oct. 9 Michigan State
Oct. 16 Iowa
Oct. 23 Open
Oct. 30 at Penn State
Nov. 6 Illinois
Nov. 13 at Purdue
Nov. 20 Wisconsin
Nov. 27 at Ohio State
Bet on Michigan futures at WagerWeb.com
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Could Strasburg be done for season?
Most experienced pitchers in the major leagues will pitch through some stiffness while warming up, but you can’t blame the Washington Nationals for handling rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg with kid gloves and pulling him from Tuesday’s start when he said he couldn’t get loose in the bullpen while warming up. Just like you can’t blame the Nats for putting Strasburg on the disabled list because he represents the future of the franchise, not just on the field but in marketing terms and fans in the seats. Thus don’t be surprised if Strasburg doesn’t take the mound again this season.
“They’re talking every precaution with me,” Strasburg said. “It’s feeling great already. I’m making big strides. I’m just going to keep getting better, keep getting stronger, and when the time comes I’m going to be ready to go.”
Since Strasburg has not pitched since July 21, he could return to the rotation as soon as Aug. 6. That seems unlikely given the necessary caution the Nationals are taking. Strasburg, though, will travel with the Nationals and believes he could pitch again shortly after he is eligible.
The Nationals believe Strasburg will return before the end of the season.
“Absolutely,” Manager Jim Riggleman said. “If he’s 90 percent healthy, we shut him down. He’s got to be 100 percent”
Strasburg is not going to throw for the next three or four days, and his right shoulder will be re-evaluated by the team after that. Strasburg was scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale against the Phillies. There’s no official word yet on who will pitch.
Republican senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky, a starting pitcher for 17 big-league seasons, basically called Strasburg a wimp for not pitching Tuesday. Bunning grabbed his arm with a fake exclamation of pain and then basically questioned Strasburg’s manhood.
“Five-hundred twenty starts, I never refused the ball,” Bunning said. “What a joke!”
White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper compared Strasburg to Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, two pitchers who had a litany of arm troubles.
“The real concern is what I call an upside-down arm action,” Cooper said. “I am not wishing this guy bad, but for him to be having problems right now when they are really, really watching him, what are they going to see when they are trying to get 220 innings from him? He does something with his arm action that is difficult, in my mind, to pitch a whole lot of innings on.”
Bet on Nationals futures at WagerWeb.com
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Phillies are NL favorites again with Roy Oswalt
The two-time NL champion Philadelphia Phillies looked done just a few weeks ago as they were third in the NL East and 7.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves But entering Thursday the Phillies are rolling despite injuries to Chase Utley, Shane Victorino (put on DL Wednesday) and Chase Utley (likely out until Labor Day) and now they are set to add Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt.
Philadelphia outbid teams like the Cardinals and Mets for Oswalt by sending lefty pitcher J.A. Happ – last year’s NL Rookie of the Year runner-up — and two prospects to the Astros for Oswalt and cash (reportedly Houston will pay about $11 million of the $23 million owed Oswalt this season and next). This move gives the Phillies a formidable top three rotation of Roy Halladay, Oswalt and Cole Hamels.
The Astros were off to a National League-worst 14-27 start when Oswalt asked for a trade on May 22. As of Thursday he was 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA. He was scheduled to start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Happ was scheduled to start Friday for the Phillies against Washington.
Since breaking into the big leagues in 2001, Roy Oswalt has 143 victories — 28 more than any other NL pitcher. And his 1,593 strikeouts are the most for any NL pitcher with 100 starts since 2001. Oswalt will end his Houston career one victory short of Joe Niekro’s team record of 144 on the club’s all-time list,
Oswalt is owed about $5 million more this year and is due to make $16 million next season in the last year of his contract, but there’s a club option for 2012 that would pay him another $16 million. He said last week the option wouldn’t be an issue when it came to approving a trade and it’s not immediately clear if he waived that option.
With Oswalt and Dan Haren off the market, Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly becomes the most coveted starting pitcher still available. Look for the Braves to possibly make a move to counter Philly getting Oswalt.
Bet on Phillies futures at WagerWeb.com
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Buck Showalter to take over Orioles
The long downtrodden Baltimore Orioles have lured Buck Showalter away from ESPN to be their new manager. Showalter has managed the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers in his career and hasn’t been on a bench since 2006 with Texas.
Showalter has compiled 882-833 record, twice being named American League Manager of the Year (1994, 2004). He’ll replace interim Juan Samuel, the club’s third base coach who compiled a 16-31 record after taking over for Dave Trembley on June 4. Showalter, 54, will lead his fourth team in what will be his 12th season as a big league manager. He becomes the Orioles’ 10th manager since principal owner Peter Angelos took over in August 1993.
The Orioles were arguably baseball’s premier franchise in the 1990s when Camden Yards opened but haven’t had a winning team since 1997 — the team’s last playoff appearance. And the Birds will have trouble competing with the deep-pocketed Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Plus the Tampa Bay Rays have tons of young talent. The Orioles are also a major-league worst 18-33 at home.
The Yankees hadn’t made the playoffs in 14 years when he got them into the postseason in 1995. A year after taking over a last-place Rangers team, he had Texas in playoff contention for most of the 2004 season. He built the Diamondbacks from the ground up as the first manager in club history, guiding them from 97 losses in their debut in 1998 to 100 wins in 1999.
Showalter’s first game as manager will be Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, the first game of a seven-game homestand. He is probably a good fit because of his reputation for dealing with inexperienced major leaguers and the current club’s lack of discipline and fundamentals.
Samuel, former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, former Cleveland skipper Eric Wedge and popular ex Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey also interviewed for the job.
Bet on Orioles futures at WagerWeb.com
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
It’s official: Amy Fisher is now a professional porn star
Homicidal teen mistress-turned-stay-at-home-mom-turned-amateur-pornstar Amy Fisher has inked a contract to become a featured star for an adult film company.
Fisher, now 35, will produce and star in four films for Dreamzone Entertainment, RadarOnline.com learned this week. The first — tentatively called The Making of Amy Fisher: Porn Star — goes into production next month and is expected to hit the racks of adult DVD sellers later this year. The other three films will be released in 2011.
Amy’s certainly no stranger to the adult industry. In 2007, the married mother-of-three appeared in an X-rated video with her then-estranged husband that found its way online. She often strips for charity efforts. The bisexual vamp even has her own adult website, where she is recorded bedding other women.
“Our society loves sex. It feels so good and we should enjoy it. Sex is beautiful, powerful, and simply put, no one has the right to tell me what I can or can not do with my own private parts. This time, I get to make the choices on what kind of movies I want to make, and I am excited to work with Dreamzone to make my dreams a reality,” the Original Long Island Lolita explains.
Fisher, then-16, made headlines in 1992 when she shot Mary-Jo Buttafuoco in the head after carrying on a lengthy affair with the woman’s mechanic husband, Joey.
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Bianca Balti
Bianca Balti is an Italian model born in Lodi, in the Lombardy region of north Italy.
She has appeared on the covers of many fashion magazines, including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire, as well as men’s magazine Playboy. She also appeared in the 2005 Victoria’s Secret fashion show and in their catalogs.
Balti was cast in Abel Ferrara’s “Go Go Tales” as one of the lead erotic dancers.
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Haskell Features Cream of Triple Crown Runners’ Crop
The cream of the 3-year-old crop that won or finished second in at least one of the Triple Crown legs collide on Sunday in the $1 million Haskell Invitational.
In addition, three runners have six Grade 1 triumphs to their credit. Preakness champ Lookin at Lucky has accounted for three of them. His trainer Bob Baffert also has the number 4 in mind – he saddled the winner of Monmouth Park’s premier race three times in the 21st Century.
Baffert can’t hide his excitement about his colt’s chances in the 43rd renewal. “He’s such a gritty little horse and tries so hard,” said the conditioner, according to BloodHorse.com. “He’s always shown me signs of greatness, but he’s had such bad luck in so many major races his name has really come back to plague him. But he looks fantastic now and is really in the zone.
“He had missed one week with a slight fever and has been on a tight schedule, but he looks like he’s caught up and is doing real good right now. He’s happy, he worked really well yesterday and came out of it great.”
The son of Smart Strike on Monday posted a bullet 58.60 seconds for five furlongs out of four-dozen-plus horses working at Del Mar.
“I’ve always done well there,” Baffert explained, especially in the Haskell. His Forestry finished third in 1999 while Captain Steve was the runner-up in 2000. He won with Point Given in ’01, War Emblem in ’02 and Roman Ruler in ’05.
“Monmouth is one of my favorite tracks,” he added. “The fans really get into it. All I know is he looks great and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Four of his challengers have scored three times in their career, including Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who hasn’t raced since running eighth in the Preakness. On Monday, the son of Maria’s Mon breezed five furlongs in 1:00.77 at Saratoga, the 12th fastest over the main track.
His trainer Todd Pletcher is going for his third Haskell victory in five years: Bluegrass Cat won in ’06 followed by Any Given Saturday in ‘’07.
Other contenders include Ice Box, the Belmont runner-up, and First Dude, second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont.
“You really can’t sleep on the other runners,” warned Paul Grimm, editor of Oceanport Racing Report (http://oceanportracingreport.com). “Trappe Shot, Uptowncharleybrown and Afleet Again have all either run or trained at Monmouth.”
Afleet Again hit the board twice in his past two stakes outings at Monmouth, finishing second in the Pegasus last month. The others have trained at the track. Trappe Shot took three consecutive allowance races, but has only sprinted. Uptowncharleybrown ran third in two of his past four stakes’ and finished out of the money in the Belmont.
“Regardless of who runs there are some things this year that need to be mentioned about handicapping this event,” Grimm said. “First, there’s the main track. You will see that the times are slower. Some even speculated that dirt has been added in the stretch, more or less water has been debated as the reason while there have been fewer races this year.
“Zito says horses from off the pace seem to be running better, hence his decision to run Ice Box. This is true and it seems that it can even be more pronounced in the claiming ranks. Then there’s the weather.”
The Northeast has just endured the worst heat wave in years. “It has been brutally hot at the Jersey Shore,” Grimm pointed out Monday. “I have lived here my entire life and can’t remember a July like the one we’re struggling through. It’s like two months of August.”
Sunday’s forecast for Oceanport calls for much cooler temperatures than the recent upper 90s, plus a chance of showers. The high is expected to be around July’s usual maximum average of 82.60 degrees.
Horse Racing betting odds at WagerWeb Racebook.
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Amazon introduces new, smaller, cheaper, Kindle
Amazon has announced a new, improved and cheaper version of the Kindle, boasting that the price cut will make it a “mass market” device.
The new, slightly smaller, device boasts a higher-contrast screen and a one-month battery life, but can be had for just $139 for the WiFi-only model. Adding 3G connectivity boosts the price to $189. “We developed this device for serious readers,” Amazon boss Jeff Bezos tells the Wall Street Journal. But “at these price points, it may be much broader than that.”
The prices put the Amazon just one step ahead of Barnes and Noble’s Nook in the price wars. The WiFi-only Nook sells for $149. Bezos resists comparisons to his other big competitor, Apple’s iPad, stressing that the Kindle is a pure reading device. He says he purposely left off bells-and-whistles like color or a touch screen controls, which would have necessitated a screen with glare. “For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful,” he says, “It is distracting.”
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Carla Bruni needs 35 takes for single scene… with no lines
Carla Bruni may be Woody Allen’s latest muse, but that doesn’t mean her acting skills are so hot.
The French first lady needed 35 takes to film one simple scene in Allen’s Midnight in Paris. Bruni didn’t even have any lines in the scene, which involved her entering a grocery store and then exiting with a baguette. “’She seemed to be struggling to avoid looking directly into the camera, which didn’t impress Woody,” a bystander tells the Mail.
“The baguette scene could not have been simpler, but she wanted to make it a big one,” the source continues. “Woody was prompting Carla constantly, although he was very careful to show a lot of respect, especially as she was surrounded by security guards.”
More on this story here.
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]