Sunshine State showdown pits Bulls against Gators
NCAA Football Betting Lines
09/08/2010 - Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-ranked Florida Gators struggled a bit in their season opener, and they are undoubtedly eager to get back on the field this weekend against the South Florida Bulls in a non-conference affair from The Swamp.
USF is led by Skip Holtz, who became the new leader of the program in January, and his debut was a memorable one. Last weekend, the Bulls crushed Stony Brook by a 59-14 final, but the level of competition in that tilt was a far cry from what the squad will face on Saturday.
"The goal was 1-0, and we are 1-0," said Holtz after his debut. "I'm proud of the way this team competed, proud of the way we went out there and the way we played."
As for Florida, it beat Miami-Ohio by a 34-12 final in the opener, but the performance of the Gators was a bit concerning. They were held scoreless in the first quarter and did very little offensively in the first game of the post-Tim Tebow era.
"I'm very disappointed with our performance; that's obvious," said head coach Urban Meyer. "I told the team I don't mind coaching guys that want to work. It's when you coach entitlement where it's hard to get guys to react."
Florida returns plenty of talent from a team that went 13-1 in 2009, and the Gators are the first team in FBS history to capture 13 victories in back-to- back campaigns.
Last season, USF finished 8-5 overall, including a win in the Independence Bowl over Northern Illinois, but the Bulls were just 3-4 against Big East Conference opposition and want to prove that they are contenders in that league.
Surprisingly, this game marks the first-ever meeting between USF and Florida on the gridiron.
Last season, BJ Daniels was forced to start at quarterback for USF as a freshman because of an injury to the team's veteran starter. That experience proved to be invaluable, and Daniels impressed everyone with his play. In the opener against Stony Brook, the now-sophomore completed 15-of-22 passes for 264 yards with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for a score, showing off his versatility.
"You've got to treat every game just like the other, but Florida is a great team," said Daniels, looking forward to this weekend's showdown. "They're athletic and they're fast. It will definitely be exciting to go down to Gainesville next week."
Evan Landi, who Daniels calls "Mr. Surehands," made six catches for 104 yards against Stony Brook, while Marcus Shaw paced the ground attack with 86 yards and a score. Moise Plancher, another talented tailback for the squad, has a shoulder injury that has him questionable for this weekend. The Bulls posted 563 total yards against Stony Brook and easily overcame a pair of fumbles.
On the defensive side of the ball, Holtz has to be proud of the way that his team played in the opener. Sure, the Bulls did allow Stony Brook to score a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, but considering the fact that the TD drives covered just 35 and 27 yards, it is hard to pin too much blame on the defense. After those touchdowns, USF shut the door for the rest of the contest.
In total, USF allowed 254 total yards and 12 first downs. The Bulls limited Stony Brook to 2-of-11 success on third down conversion attempts and intercepted an impressive total of four passes. Four different players were responsible for those picks, and while no single player stepped forward with a monumental performance, the overall effort of the defense was strong.
There is no player in the nation that will be more heavily scrutinized this season than Florida quarterback John Brantley, who is replacing Tebow under center in Gainesville. In the opener against Miami-Ohio, Brantley completed 17-of-25 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions, but his 17 completions covered just 113 yards, proof that few big plays were made through the air. Also, there were major snap issues between Brantley and center Mike Pouncey.
"We have a long way to go as an offense," said Pouncey. "We did some good things, but everybody watching the obvious stuff knows we did terrible."
Jeff Demps ran for 98 yards and a touchdown for the Gators on just eight carries, and Chris Rainey caught a touchdown pass. Florida finished the tilt with a mere 212 total yards and 12 first downs. The squad held possession of the ball for barely over 25 minutes and was 3-of-12 on third-down conversion attempts.
The Florida defense certainly played better than the team's offense, limiting Miami-Ohio to 212 total yards and preventing the RedHawks from scoring a single touchdown. Miami was just 4-of-15 on third-down conversion attempts, a credit to the Gators.
Ahmad Black came through with 12 total tackles, seven more than his closest teammate, and he finished with 1.5 TFLs and an interception. Janoris Jenkins returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown.
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vaulting into the AP poll at the 20th position, the Utah Utes are at home again this week as they kick off their Mountain West Conference schedule against the UNLV Rebels at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake
<< No. 4 TCU hosts FCS foe Tennessee Tech
Fort Worth, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With one of the toughest games on their
schedule already out of the way, the fourth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs now focus
their attention on the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech in a non-conference
showdown at Amon
<< Sooners and Seminoles meet in Top-25 showdown
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams with a lot to prove square off in a
tiop-25 showdown in Norman this weekend, as the 10th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners
play host to the 17th-ranked Florida State Seminoles.
The Seminoles got the Jimbo Fisher
<< Yellow Jackets and Jayhawks square off in Lawrence
Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 15th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
take their act on the road for the first time this season, as they invade
Lawrence this weekend, for a showdown with the Kansas Jayhawks in an ACC/Big
XII non-conferenc
<< Fireworks likely in showdown between Ducks and Volunteers
Knoxville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off perhaps the most impressive
performance in week one of the 2010 college football season, the seventh-
ranked Oregon Ducks take to the road, as they invade SEC Country to battle the
Tennessee Volunteer
Little Rock, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 14th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC will attempt to knock off the UL-Monroe Warhawks, a team from the Sun Belt Conference set to open its season. In December, ULM announced Todd Berry as the prog
Cavaliers travel across country to tangle with Trojans >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Virginia Cavaliers will play their
first-ever game in the state of California on Saturday night, as they take on
the 16th-ranked USC Trojans in a non-conference affair.
Last weekend's opener against Ric
Bragging rights on line as West Virginia visits Marshall >>
Huntington, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - State rivals will square off in Huntington
on Friday night, as the Marshall Thundering Herd welcome the 23rd-ranked West
Virginia Mountaineers to town.
On opening weekend, West Virginia cruised past Coastal
Grief-stricken Cowboys face tall task in clash with Longhorns >>
Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a game overshadowed by tragedy, the grieving
Wyoming Cowboys take on the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns in a non-conference
affair.
On Monday, 19-year-old Wyoming freshman linebacker Ruben Narcisse was killed
Spartans face another uphill battle in bout with Badgers >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Spartans continue their early-
season trek through some of the most treacherous waters imaginable as a week
after taking on the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide, they
head north to bat
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt
Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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