03/01/2007 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Three-time champion Roger Federer inched closer to a fifth final here in five years, while reigning titlist Rafael Nadal came up a quarterfinal loser Thursday at the $1.5 million Dubai Tennis Championships.
The top-seeded/world No. 1 Federer got past rising seventh-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 to extend his personal-best winning streak to 39 straight matches. Federer was last year's Dubai runner-up to Nadal and captured this lucrative hardcourt event back-to-back-to-back from 2003-05.
On Monday, Federer was honored here when he officially set the record by topping the ATP rankings for a 161st straight week. American legend Jimmy Connors set the original mark of 160 back in 1977.
The reigning four-time Wimbledon, three-time U.S. Open and two-time Aussie Open champion Federer will face red-hot German Tommy Haas in Friday's semifinals at Dubai Tennis Stadium. The "Fed" is 7-2 lifetime against Haas, including wins in their last six matchups.
A second-seeded Nadal, the reigning two-time French Open champion, succumbed to a hot Mikhail Youzhny, as the unseeded Russian knocked off the champ in 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 fashion on Day 4. Youzhny is fresh off his title in Rotterdam and has now won his last eight matches on the ATP circuit.
A fifth-seeded Haas extended his current winning streak to 10 matches by dispatching Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-0, 6-2. The world No. 9 Haas is fresh off his title in Memphis, where he upended U.S. Open runner-up Andy Roddick in last week's finale there.
One other quarterfinal bout saw Swede Robin Soderling sneak past crafty Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-0. The veteran Santoro titled here in 2002.
Friday's other semi will pit Soderling against the surging Youzhny, a semifinalist at last year's U.S. Open.
This week's titlist will collect $300,000.
<< Report: Lions deal Bly to Broncos for Bell, Foster
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions have
finalized a deal that will send cornerback Dre' Bly to Denver in exchange for
running back Tatum Bell, right tackle George Foster and a draft pick, the
Denver
<< Blue Jackets G Leclaire out for the season
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets announced on
Thursday that goaltender Pascal Leclaire will miss the rest of the season
with a nagging left knee injury.
The 24-year-old Leclaire recently re-aggravated a
<< Cowboys hire Stewart as defensive coordinator
Irving, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Cowboys announced the hiring of
Brian Stewart as their defensive coordinator Thursday, completing new head
coach Wade Phillips' staff.
The 42-year-old Stewart worked under Phillips in San D
<< Jets release Blaylock and Hamilton
Hempstead, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Jets released running back
Derrick Blaylock and defensive lineman Bobby Hamilton on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Blaylock played in just 11 games (three starts) with the Jets
over the last t
Steelers release Joey Porter >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Steelers released standout
linebacker Joey Porter along with running back Verron Haynes on Thursday, just
hours before the free agency period was set to begin.
Porter has played each of h
Saints release WR Horn >>
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Orleans Saints released veteran
wide receiver and four-time Pro Bowl selection Joe Horn on Thursday.
The decision came after Horn reportedly met with the organization regarding a
restructure an
Henin reaches semis; Hingis falls in Doha >>
Doha, Qatar (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Belgian Justine Henin highlighted
Thursday's quarterfinal winners, while her fellow former world No. 1 Martina
Hingis went by way of the upset at the $1.34 million Qatar Open.
Henin, fresh off
Vikings cut trio of veterans >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings released a trio of
veterans on Thursday, hours before the NFL free agency period was to begin.
The Vikings jettisoned tight end Jermaine Wiggins, offensive lineman Mike
Rosenth
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)
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