Schlagwort-Archive: recreation

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Broncos Avoid Winless Preseason With Win Over Cards

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The Arizona Cardinals haven’t looked anything like a Superbowl team in the NFL preseason. They entered their final exhibition contest against the Denver Broncos looking for their first win. Denver, likewise, has struggled in their exhibition games and the result was a contest between two teams with identical 0-3 records. The Broncos controlled the contest on both sides of the ball en route to a 19-0 shutout victory over the struggling Cards. Denver managed to improve their preseason record to 1-3, while Arizona ended the exhibition campaign winless at 0-4.

Arizona was installed as -3 road favorites, but NFL preseason bettors who backed Denver ended up collecting the money with the outright win. The Broncos scored 16 of their 19 points in the first half, and the eventual outcome“straight up or against the spread“was never really in doubt after that.

Denvers biggest issue has been injuries, with their starting QB Kyle Orton and backup Chris Simms both out of action. Orton is suffering from a cut and dislocated finger on his throwing hand, while Simms is recovering from a sprained ankle. That provided a great opportunity for rookie Tom Brandstater, and he may find himself playing next Sunday for real. Afterwards, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was full of praise for his young signal caller:

„For a rookie quarterback, and I’ve had a chance to coach a number of them, he’s really done a nice job. It’s not too big for him, the game’s not too big for him, the huddle’s not too big for him. He operated with that first unit pretty good.“

Despite the talk that he may be the Broncos starting QB“at least in the short term“Brandstater is keeping it all in perspective:

„Things happen — just last week alone with the Kyle injury. That’s a pretty freak accident that no one can predict at all. I’m glad I got my shot and hopefully I did some good with it. I’m trying to make this team. I still haven’t guaranteed myself a spot in this team and I’m trying to do everything I can to make it just like every guy on the team is.“

Arizona played starting Kurt Warner and their first string offense for several series, but they were again ineffective. Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt tried to put a positive spin on a winless preseason:

„We’ll clean it up. I still feel good about our football team and the way we’ve been working.

Kurt Warner, meanwhile, was just looking forward to starting the regular season:

„I never really felt like I got into a rhythm today for whatever reason. I’m looking forward to game-planning a team, putting in some plays and some things we’ve done in the past that we really haven’t done in preseason. I’m looking forward to all of that. But you still don’t leave preseason extremely excited about what we’ve accomplished.“

Arizona will try to put their dismal preseason behind them when they kick off the 2009 NFL campaign at home against the San Francisco 49ers. The Cards are a -6 point home favorite, with the total set at 46. Denver will play on the road against the Bengals at Cincinnati in their regular season opener. Cincinnati has been installed as a -4 home favorite with the total set at 43.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

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Clippers Fire Head Coach Dunleavy

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In one of the stranger front office shakeups in recent NBA history, the Los Angeles Clippers have ‚relieved‘ Mike Dunleavy of his head coaching duties effective immediately. He’ll remain on board as the Clippers‘ general manager, and both he and the team cited the demands of the forthcoming trade deadline and free agent market as a catalyst for the change. Dunleavy leaves as the most successful head coach in the team’s less than distinguished history.

Not surprisingly, there is much speculation as to the back story behind the move. Some with knowledge of the situation suggest that Clippers‘ owner Donald Sterling wanted to fire Dunleavy altogether, but relented due to the $5 million the team will owe him in the final year of his contract next year. More recently, a bizarre rumor has been circulating that Sterling has approached Isiah Thomas about taking over Dunleavy’s coaching position and becoming team president. These rumors have had enough traction that Thomas issued a denial this weekend, stressing that his focus is still on his current assignment as Florida International University head coach.

Dunleavy issued this statement, playing along with the team’s insistence that the decision to give up coaching was ‚mutual‘:

„I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the ideal time for me to direct my efforts toward the many personnel opportunities that lie before us, such as the trade market, the draft and the free-agent process. We fully expect to be active and productive on all those fronts.“

Team President Andy Roeser gave this statement:

„We fully agree with Mike that this is the right time to make this change. It just seems clear that the team needs a fresh voice and we hope that our players will respond in a positive way.As we approach the trade deadline, the NBA draft and the upcoming free-agent period, our team is very well positioned from a salary-cap standpoint. Mike’s experienced input will be vitally important as we continue to develop our young talented nucleus and shape our team’s future.“

Dunleavy’s agent Warren LeGarie continued the spin:

„This is something we’ve been contemplating for some time. There’s a shelf life to coaching sometimes. So you constantly have to keep measuring whether [the team’s inconsistency] is because of injuries, because of you, or something else. And at some point you have to make a judgment call about what’s best for the team, and that’s what Mike did.“

The Clippers have lost 7 of their last 10 games to fall to 21-29 on the year. They’re 17 games behind the Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers and 8 games out of the final playoff spot. The schedule won’t get any easier for the Clippers over the next week, as they host the red hot Utah Jazz on Tuesday and head into the All Star Break with a game on the road against the Golden State Warriors. They’ll resume play after the break as they head to Portland’s Rose Garden Arena to take on the Blazers.

Ross Everett is a highly respected cheerleading coach and a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports. He provides Internet and broadcast media outlets with daily free sports picks when not working with Olympic bound ice skaters. He is a widely published writer specializing in sports handicapping, falconry, auto racing and wombat breeding. He lives in Las Vegas with his Asian houseboy, three dogs and a wombat.

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UFC Pioneer Kimo Leopoldo Victim Of False Death Reports

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Former UFC fighter Kimo Leopoldo is alive and well after numerous mainstream media reports of his death. The New York Daily News was first to report the story that Kimo had died of a heart attack, and it quickly spread to other media outlets. MMA insiders were immediately skeptical, as there were few details or any independent confirmation.

A few hours later, the story began to unravel. First, Kimo’s agent indicated that he had spoken to him at 11 PM Monday night and that he was alive and well. He did add that he hadn’t spoken to him since, but that he had not received word from anyone close to Kimo of a problem nor had he been contacted by any authorities. Shortly after 2:00 PM Tuesday, Kimo’s attorney reported that the fighter had been located and was alive and well. Theres still a question of how the report that he was dead made it out in the first place, but the New York Daily News isnt providing much of an explanation–theyve simply deleted the report without comment and will presumably pretend it never happened. There’s some suggestion that the rumor started in an online MMA forum, and Kimo has suggested that he’ll pursue legal action against the perpetrator.

The false death rumors are the most recent twist in the bizarre life of Kimo Leopoldo. A native of Munich, Germany, Kimo–he claimed later in his life that he had legally changed his name to simply ‚Kimo‘–was the UFCs first over the top personality back when the promotions events were still in the single digits. He burst onto the scene at UFC 3 when“in his pro MMA debut“he gave the legendary Royce Gracie a brutally tough battle. Gracie had won the tournament style format at UFC 1 and 2, and managed to eventually defeat Kimo via armbar submission but took so much of a beating that he was forced to forfeit his UFC 3 final against Harold Howard.

By the end of 1997, Kimo had compiled a 6-2-1 record with his only losses coming to Gracie and another UFC Hall of Famer, Ken Shamrock. He also earned a draw against a third UFC Hall of Famer, wrestling specialist Dan Severn. His career would be downhill from that point, the result of better fighters entering the sport and his own self destructive lifestyle choices.

Kimo became known as much for his flamboyant personality as for his toughness as a competitor. He was a devout Christian, and sported many religious tattoos“most famously a large Jesus inscription across his stomach.

Kimo has battled drug and alcohol addiction throughout his life, and in recent years has reportedly became addicted to meth. In one of his more recent run ins with the law, he was playing with a yo-yo in a parking lot while wearing an orange jumpsuit made for law enforcement disaster response. He was approached by police who questioned him about the outfit, and upon searching him he was found to be in possession of marijuana and subsequently arrested.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on NFL football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

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Football Flashback: Cards Outlast Packers In Wild OT Shootout

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The Green Bay Packers entered the NFL playoffs as one of the league’s hottest teams, and mounted a 21 point second half comeback to force overtime against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Things looked good when Green Bay won the toss, but only moments later their season was over after an Aaron Rodgers fumble that Karlos Dansby returned 17 yards for the game winning score. It was a strange ending to a classic offensive display.

Arizona sent much of the NFL football betting public home unhappy as well with their 6 point outright victory. The Cardinals had opened as -2′ home favorites but public sentiment favoring Green Bay had moved the line so significantly that Arizona was a +2′ home underdog by kickoff. With the victory, the Cardinals improved to 5-4 both SU and against the NFL pointspread at home this season. Obviously, the 96 points the two teams put on the board went well OVER the posted total of 48′.

Cardinals‘ quarterback Kurt Warner improved his postseason record to 9-3 SU with one of the most impressive performances in league history. Warner finished with 379 yards passing and 5 touchdowns with no interceptions. After the game, he reflected on his performance:

„We knew how tough it was going to be on our defense with all the weapons they have offensively and how they’ve been playing. It was just one of those games where I felt great. I loved our playing. I felt like I was seeing everything well and it accumulates to 51 points.“

Packers‘ QB Aaron Rodgers might be remembered more for the game ending fumble than his own impressive performance, but he matched Warner play for play in what will certainly go down as one of the best quarterback duels in NFL playoff history. Not surprisingly, the entire Packers‘ team along with head coach Mike McCarthy took the loss hard:

„It’s clearly one of the toughest losses I’ve been a part of. I’m very proud of our football team and fight. This is a hard game to swallow.“

Quarterback Rodgers was in no mood to reflect on his excellent numbers, but was instead focused on reliving the decisive final play:

„I was trying to unload it. I should have held on to the ball. I was looking at the front side for Driv [Donald Driver]. It looked like he was getting grabbed a bit. Then I was looking for James [Jones] and they were driving in on him as he was running a little in cut, so I kind of pulled the ball back and someone hit my arm.“

Arizona will head to New Orleans to face the Saints at the Superdome next Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals are a +7 road underdog with the total set at 57. The two teams haven’t met since 2007, a game won by the Saints 31-24 on their home field.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

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NFL Flashback: Colts Top Jets In AFC Championship Game

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Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes as the Indianapolis Colts rallied from an eleven point first half deficit to beat the New York Jets and advance to the Superbowl for the second time in four years. New York held their own in the early going but had no answer for Manning and company in the second half as the Colts scored 17 unanswered points to take the 30-17 victory. Indy will now take on the New Orleans Saints in Superbowl 44 in Miami.

The Colts also rewarded NFL football betting enthusiasts who had laid the -7′ points with the pointspread victory. The Jets finished their campaign with an 11-8 record against the NFL pointspread. The 47 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 40. The Colts have now gone OVER in five of their last six contests.

Manning and the Colts didn’t have much to say in the week prior to their confrontation with the Jets, which the four time NFL MVP insisted was by design:

„I thought we just kept our mouths shut and went to work this week. We talked about being patient against these guys. We knew it would be a four-quarter game.“

Linebacker Gary Brackett added these thoughts:

„We’ve been here before, we had seven comeback wins this year. I think the guys were a little rattled at first, I think we took their best shot, but we came back. I think we did a great job of being the hunters and imposing our will today.“

Indy head coach Jim Caldwell was pleased with his team’s resolve despite their slow start:

„The guys have always been a very confident bunch and they do a great job of hanging in there. Peyton had just an outstanding game. He’s one of those guys that can adjust to different situations. … A real champion.“

Jets‘ coach Rex Ryan sounded a philosophical note in defeat:

„Today wasn’t our day. There’s no question. You have to give credit to the Colts. Obviously they’re the cream of the crop right now.

Ross Everett is an widely published freelance writer specializing in sports handicapping, auto racing, fencing, clogging and fantasy role playing games. He is a staff handicapper for Oddsbay and is responsible for providing free sports picks to a variety of broadcast media outlets. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a retired racing wombat.

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NFL Flashback: Saints Beat Vikings To Advance To Superbowl

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Until Sunday, it looked as if the return of Brett Favre to the NFL would have a storybook ending and propel the Minnesota Vikings to the Superbowl. Instead, the New Orleans Saints will be heading to the Superbowl for the first time in franchise history. Garrett Hartley nailed a 40 yard field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 31-28 victory in the NFC Championship game after Brett Favre was intercepted deep in Saints territory during the final seconds of regulation. Favre may be headed back to retirement, while the Saints are headed to Miami to play the biggest game of them all.

The Vikings did reward NFL betting fans who took them as +4 underdogs with a pointspread cover. Minnesota finished the season a solid 11-6-1 against the NFL pointspread. The 59 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 53′. The Saints went OVER for the second consecutive game after playing four straight UNDER verdicts to close out the regular season.

After the game, head coach Sean Payton drew an analogy to the city of New Orleans‘ recovery after Hurricane Katrina:

„This is for everybody in this city. This stadium used to have holes in it and used to be wet. It’s not wet anymore. This is for the city of New Orleans.“

Winning quarterback Drew Brees extended that same metaphor:

„In reality, we had to lean on each other in order to survive and in order to get where we are now. The city is on its way to recovery, and in a lot of ways has come back better than ever. We’ve used the strength and resiliency of our fans to go out and play every Sunday and play with the confidence that we can do it, that we can achieve everything we’ve set out to achieve.“

Place kicker Hartley was low key despite securing the victory with his overtime field goal:

„Just helping my team get to Miami. Just doing my part.“

Brett Favre didn’t have much to say in defeat:

„I’ve felt better. It was a physical game. A lot of hits. You win that and you sure feel a lot better.“ Mississippi native Favre did throw his support behind the Saints:

„I would have loved to represent the NFC. But, as I told Sean throughout the year when we talked, if it’s not us, I hope it’s you guys.“

The Vikings gave up a total of five turnovers including three fumbles. That, said running back Adrian Peterson, was the game:

„We really gave those guys the game. Too many turnovers. It’s eating me up inside.

Ross Everett is a staff handicapper for Oddsbay. He’s a highly respected expert on soccer betting, as well as a published freelance writer specializing in sports betting, harness racing, judo and model railroading. He lives in Las Vegas with his Asian houseboy, three dogs and a retired racing wombat.

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MMA Flashback: Lashley Blitzes Cook In Maximum Fighting Challenge Main Event

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Here’s a word of advice to future opponents of Bobby Lashley–don’t make fun of his background in professional wrestling. Mike Cook found that out the hard way in the co-main event of the Maximum Fighting Championships MFC 21: Hard Knocks event. After spending the run up to fight week making fun of Lashley’s tenure in the WWE, Cook lasted a mere :24 seconds before being choked unconscious via a guillotine choke.

Perhaps Cook felt he was creating some sort of self doubt in the former WWE superstar by suggesting that he was out of his element in a real fight, but he turned it up a notch at the weigh in and in his ring entrance by donning a Mexican Lucha Libre mask. In prefight interviews, Cook had suggested that Lashley would soil himself once he entered the ring (though in not so erudite terms). That clearly incensed the massive 64 250 pound Lashley, who despite his inexperience in MMA is hardly the sort of individual prone to losing bowel control at the prospect of a fight.

A smirking Cook attempted to tap gloves with Lashley before the fight, but his obviously insulted opponent would have none of it. Even after the opening bell rang, Cooks arrogant approach to the fight continued as he immediately clinched with his opponent as if he had no regard whatsoever for Lashleys strength. Lashley immediately locked in a guillotine choke and basically yanked Cook down to the mat by his head. Once on the canvas, Lashley cinched it in deeper as Cook flopped around“partially in an effort to escape, partially in an involuntary muscle reaction as he sunk into unconsciousness. Cook didn’t even get the chance to tap out as veteran referee Big John McCarthy recognized he was out cold and pulled Lashley off of him.

After the fight Lashley gave his opponent a hug and flashed his trademark megawatt smile as if to say I told you so. In his postfight interview, however, he did slip in a final verbal jab toward his vanquished opponent saying that he didn’t come to play and that he is all business.

Despite the fact that mixed martial arts and professional wrestling have been interwoven from the beginning, the American Top Team trained Lashley has been singled out by less knowledgeable fans for his tenure in the WWE. Against his next opponent, Bob Sapp, hell be facing a foe that has also spent some time in the worked environment of professional wrestling. In addition to his legit fighting experience in K-1 and PRIDE, Sapp has worked for several Japanese pro wrestling organizations and briefly held the prestigious IWGP Championship. The IWGP title has been held by pro wrestling legends such as Keiji The Great Muta Mutoh, Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami, as well as reigning UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

Even though Sapp’s days as a serious fighter are long past and he likely spends less time in the gym during a given year than Lashley does in a month, he does present an element of danger. Hes still got decent punching power, and his sheer bulk will be a challenge for Lashley who could give up as much as 100 pounds come fight night. Still, Sapp’s only victories in several years have been against overmatched and/or outsized opponents. In his last fight against an opponent of similar stature he was destroyed in under a minute by Jan Nortje who entered the matchup with a 1-6 career MMA record. Sapp remains a hugely popular personality in Japan, however, and simply by fighting him Lashley’s marketability in the lucrative Japanese fight sport market increases significantly.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

categories: pro wrestling,MMA,UFC,sports,entertainment,recreation,hobbies,leisure

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Brian Bowles Shocks Miguel Angel Torres At WEC 42

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Brian Bowles used a counter right hook late in the first round to defeat Miguel Angel Torres by TKO and win the WEC Bantamweight title in the main event of another exciting fight card from Zuffas MMA promotion showcasing the lighter weight classes.

One day after a UFC 101 card that was lackluster at best and disappointing at worst, MMA fans were hoping that the WEC would deliver an exciting event as they almost inevitably do. They werent disappointed, and there really wasnt a bad fight on the card which featured several brutal knockouts along with tightly contested decisions. The event will be remembered for the main event and the shocking upset of Torres, whom commentator Frank Mir had been championing as the pound for pound best fighter in the sport of late. Torres certainly had the credentials“a fighter equally as dangerous on his feet as on the ground, hed compiled a 37-1 record entering the fight against Bowles. Since a 2003 decision loss to Ryan Ackerman, Torres had run off 17 straight victories including his most recent triumph by decision over a tough challenge from Japanese striking machine Takeya Mizugaki.

Bowles quickly announced his presence with authority rocking Torres with an overhand right and scoring a takedown within the first minute. After a groundfighting sequence, the two fighters exchanged punches again and initially it looked like Torres was getting the best of things as he landed a multiple punch combination that sent Bowles backing up. Almost out of nowhere, however, Bowles countered with a perfectly placed short right hook that sent the champion to the canvas. He followed up with some nasty ground and pound punches including a big left hand that knocked his opponent unconscious and forced the referee to wave off the fight.

In his postfight interview, Bowles was clearly pleased but not exactly surprised by the result. His comments indicated that hed been very well prepared for Torres considerable skills and though he conceded that hed been stung by the punching barrage waited for the opening to throw the right hook that ended the fight. Bowles displayed considerable class in victory, and Torres conducted himself in a matter befitting a champion as he accepted the defeat.

A rematch between Bowles and Torres is almost inevitable, but theres plenty of talent in the WEC bantamweight division. The semifinal bout on the card pitted two of these competitors in what may have been an elimination match for #1 contender status as Dominick Cruz handed feisty Joseph Benavidez his first professional loss via unanimous decision. The unorthodox and insanely athletic Benevidez had a good deal of trouble with the superior height and reach of Cruz. Benavidez managed to give a good account of himself, but in the end the physical disparity along with Cruzs repeated takedowns and sharp striking skills spelled the difference in this matchup.

Further muddling the picture in the bantamweight division was an earlier fight on the card, in which Takeya Mizugaki outlasted Jeff Curran to win a split decision victory. Mizugaki had trouble with the active guard of Curran, but scored takedowns in all three rounds. He did enough from the top position while fending off submission attempts to earn the verdict and to make his claim for #1 contender status.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

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Raiders Upset Visiting Eagles

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The Oakland Raiders scored the only touchdown of the game in the first quarter and then prevailed in the kicking duel that followed en route to a–9 upset of the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. Much maligned quarterback Jamarcus Russell played his best game of the season despite two interceptions, throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown.

NFL betting enthusiasts who backed the Raiders as a whopping +14 home underdog were never in any trouble as Oakland took the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Oakland evened their mark against the NFL pointspread at 3-3, while the Eagles dropped to 3-2 against the number. The 22 points scored went well UNDER the posted total of 40′. It was the Raiders‘ fourth UNDER in six outings, while it was the Eagles‘ first UNDER of the season against four OVER verdicts.

After the victory, Raiders‘ coach Tom Cable said for the first time all season his team focused their intensity in the right direction:

„We went out and threw a fight on somebody and said, ‚Enough. Let’s play. That’s all you can say. There’s no magic words or anything like that.“

Last week’s 44-7 loss to the New York Giants may have served a wakeup call to the Raiders. In particular, they were offended by comments made by Giants‘ linebacker Antonio Pierce that the game ‚felt like playing a scrimmage‘. Raiders‘ wide receiver Louis Murphy didn’t dispute the comments but instead took them to heart:

„That gave me extra fuel. You have to look yourself in the mirror and man up. His comments were true. We played flat. We didn’t play with any emotion. This game was totally different. We took those comments to heart.“

The Raiders‘ defense received the bulk of the credit for the victory as they pressured Donovan McNabb all day, sacking him six times. The Eagles became the first team in three years to not score an offensive touchdown against the Raiders. Richard Seymour and Trevor Scott each had a pair of sacks, and Scott had the following observation:

„I’m sure they watched the Giants game and thought we were sorry. But all week coach Cable talked about persevering and forget the past and move forward so we can get to where we want to go.“

After the game, McNabb had little to say:

„I’m embarrassed by the way we came out here and played. We’re a much better football team.“

The Raiders will try to put together an actual winning streak as they host the New York Jets next Sunday. Oakland is a +7 home underdog with the total set at 35. They’ll play their hated rivals the San Diego Chargers on the road the following Sunday before a bye week. Philadelphia will play the Redskins at Washington next Monday night. The Eagles are a -6′ road favorite with the total set at 38′. They’ll return home for games the following two Sundays against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

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UFC Flashback: Joe Lauzon Tops Jeremy Stephens In Ultimate Fight Night Main Event

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Ever since he burst onto the MMA scene with a shocking first round KO upset of Jens Pulver at UFC 63, Joe Lauzon has been working to earn respect. For some reason hes had trouble being taken seriously as a top contender in the UFCs lightweight division. He may not fit the classical profile of a fighter, looking more like a fresh faced kid and is often referred to as a geek due to his educational background in computer science. In the main event at the UFC Ultimate Fight Night in Tampa, Lauzon withstood a game challenge from late replacement Jeremy Stephens to earn a 2nd round submission victory.

Lauzon was in control of the fight throughout, but Stephens gave a good account of himself despite his opponents obvious technical superiority on the ground. Lauzon appeared to be on the verge of ending the fight midway through the second with a ground and pound assault that he attempted to transition into a rear naked choke. Stephens fought back with a vengeance despite his disadvantageous position and opened a nasty cut on Lauzon’s forehead with an elbow strike.

Lauzon gained a new sense of urgency not wanting to lose on a stoppage due to the cut. He regained control on the ground and from full mount twisted into a nasty arm bar. Stephens tried to extricate himself, but was eventually forced to tap giving the bloody Lauzon a hard fought triumph.

The semifinal matchup featured another impressive effort from Cain Velasquez, who many have pegged as the heavyweight superstar of the future. Velasquez is a formidable physical presence at 6’2″ 241 pounds, and has very well developed technical skills for a fighter with only five bouts under his belt. He trains with the American Kickboxing Academy, and has a reputation as the hardest worker and most dominant sparring partner in a gym who includes among its membership superstars such as Bobby Southworth, Cung Le and Josh Thompson.

Velasquez had some difficulty finishing off tough UFC newcomer Dennis Stojnic. Stojnic displayed impressive toughness and a chin of granite, which is less surprising given his training home at Amsterdam’s Golden Glory gym where he works alongside such fighters as K-1s Semmy Schilt and DREAMs Alistair Overeem. Stojnic did become the first of Velasquez’s opponents to make it into the second round as he withstood a brutal beating near the end of the first to make it to the bell.

In the second round, Velasquez quickly caught his opponent and sent him to the canvas with a nice combination which he followed up with another ground and pound attack to earn the TKO verdict.

On the undercard, Josh The Dentist Neer earned a tapout victory over the sports best known (and perhaps only) vegan, Mac Danzig.

In the opening bout of the evening, up-and-coming welterweight Anthony Rumble Johnson used his significant height and reach advantage to dispatch tough Luigi Fioravanti. Though most observers were impressed with Johnson’s wall to wall domination of the tough US Marine Corps veteran, he was very critical of himself in his postfight interview calling his performance sloppy.

The live crowd in Tampa gave a very poor account of themselves, at times booing fighters mercilessly for no apparent reason whatsoever. Their behavior reached a nadir in Cain Velasquez’s post fight interview, where he was booed mercilessly despite an impressive victory and informing Joe Rogan that he was about to become a father for the first time.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and respected authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

categories: UFC,mixed martial arts,sports,recreation,hobbies,entertainment