12/04/2008 - Hull, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hull City striker Caleb Folan has been ruled out of the next two games following minor surgery to cure a knee problem.
Folan has missed the last two games with the problem and will now sit out Saturday's visit of Middlesbrough and the following weekend's clash with Liverpool at Anfield.
The striker has started just one Premier League game for the Tigers this season, but has made nine appearances in all competitions.
"Unfortunately we're going to have to do a small operation where Caleb is concerned," manager Phil Brown told the club's official website.
"He definitely won't be involved on Saturday. We think he will be out for the same length of time that Bernard Mendy was - around ten days to a fortnight.
"Fingers crossed, everything will go okay."
Meanwhile, Dean Marney is set to face Boro at the KC Stadium on Saturday following the midfielder's return to training from a dead leg injury.
(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)
<< Admirals add Quick, Lawrence from now defunct ECHL Augusta
Norfolk, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned defenseman
Kevin Quick and right winger Chris Lawrence to their American Hockey League
affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, from the now defunct Augusta Lynx of the
ECHL, i
<< Fresno State to play in New Mexico Bowl
Fresno, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresno State has accepted a bid to play in the
New Mexico Bowl.
The Bulldogs (7-5) will face a Mountain West school on Saturday, December 20
in Albuquerque. It marks the ninth bowl game in the past 10 season
<< Espanyol's Tamudo to miss two months
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Espanyol skipper Raul Tamudo is set to be
sidelined for around two months due to a hamstring injury.
The 31-year-old Spain international striker suffered his injury in the 1-0 home
defeat by Sporting Gi
<< Manning, Peppers, Smith capture NFC monthly awards
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning,
Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick
returner Clifton Smith were chosen as the NFC's top players for the month of
Novembe
Ottawa returns Shannon to Binghamton >>
Binghamton, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators returned right winger
Ryan Shannon to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton
Senators, it was announced on Thursday.
Shannon was recalled on Nov. 12 and recor
Andersen named new football coach at Utah State >>
Logan, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Utah State has named Gary Andersen its new head
football coach.
Andersen has been an assistant at Utah for the past five years and for 11 of
the past 12 years. The run was interrupted by a one-year stint
Japanese P Tazawa signs with BoSox >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa has signed a
three-year contract with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Boston Globe said the
contract is around $3 mill
Blue Jackets LW Torres to have surgery >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Columbus Blue Jackets forward Raffi Torres
will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday.
Torres, who was placed on the injured reserve list on Tuesday for the second
time this season, is expected to
The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
The 2008 NFL betting lines season is almost upon us! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join sportbook today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond!
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting