Bernard Hopkins to dance with Kelly Pavlik October 18

Can the Executioner slay a Ghost?

That's probably the mindset promoters of this Bernard ''The Executioner'' Hopkins vs Kelly ''The Ghost'' Pavlik extravaganza are in. Hopkins, even at the late stages of his career, is still one of the best in the game right now but when he's matched up against an undefeated Ghost like Pavlik, you have to ask yourself, how in the hell can you execute a freakin' ghost?

And when you're talking about the world middleweight champion Kelly ''The Ghost'' Pavlik, trying to slay THE Ghost is more of an impossibility. After all, he is not the undisputed king of the middleweight division for nothing and after surprising the world by beating then champ, Jermain ''Bad Intentions'' Taylor, Kelly Pavlik has arrived with a bang and by the looks of it, he's here for the long haul.

STILL, if there's one guy who can shock the world, it's Bernard ''The Executioner'' Hopkins. There are not many boxers who can claim they can stay on top of the game at 40. B-Hop has.

Hopkins is 43 for crying out loud people and he can still bitch-slap Manny Pacquiao faster than Pacquiao can eat duck fetus. When Hopkins' mother, Shirley Hopkins, passed away in 2003, she made her son promise that he will retire by the age of 40. Five years later, Hopkins is still mixing it up with the best in the business and since he can still go toe-to-toe with these younger guys, why retire?

Hopkins has already become the most exceptional over-40 fighters ever. Jeez... Not even Rocky Balboa himself can claim that. STILL, he is facing a tough opponent in Kelly Pavlik and since Pavlik already scored two victories over the very guy that took Hopkins out of the middleweight throne he's been sitting on for years, that being Jermain ''Bad Intentions'' Taylor, the guy Hopkins already lost to TWICE, ''a tough opponent'' could very well be an understatement.

Pavlik is obviously younger and stronger than anyone Hopkins has faced recently inside the squared circle. After beating Taylor in convincing fashion, Pavlik has become America's ''great white hope'' if you will. The only advantage Hopkins will be bringing inside the ring with him is his mastery of the game. He has become a crafty veteran after years and years fighting inside the ring. That enabled him to survive the wear and tear of the sport even at 43.

Let's hope he survives his battle with a ghost on October 18.

Can Bernard ''the Executioner'' Hopkins KO Kelly ''the Ghost'' Pavlik? Bodog Sportsbook has the odds. Bet now.

Bernard ''the Executioner'' Hopkins 3.75

Kelly ''the Ghost'' Pavlik 1.29

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for the best boxing betting odds there is available today.

Bernard Hopkins Kelly Pavlik

Who are leading the exciting 2008 English Premiership?

And in case you were wondering, we meant that with a hint of sarcasm.

The 2008-09 English Premier League season is just starting to heat up as teams have already played at least twice in this early start of the season.

As of the current standings, Chelsea FC and Liverpool are on top, winning both of their fixtures with a total of 6 points each.

On the other hand, Blackburn Rovers, Hull City, Newcastle United, and Manchester United are all tied with the same number of points with 4.

There are 10 teams tied with three points apiece. Those teams are Aston Villa, Manchester City, Bolton, Everton, Middlesbrough, Fulham, Sunderland, Arsenal, Stoke City and West Ham.

At the bottom, we have Tottenham, West Brom, Wigan and Portsmouth, all scoreless still in the Premiership.

In other Premier League season news, Vince Grella of Torino has moved to Blackburn signing a four-year deal reportedly around £4million.

Grella ends a ten-year stint playing in Italy having first arrived in Serie A in 1998 when he joined Empoli.

He joined Parma in 2004 and Torino in 2007, but he has now sealed his move to the Premier League where he will link-up with Australian international teammate Brett Emerton.

Can Manchester United defend their title and win the 2008-09 English Premiership? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Manchester United 2.40

Chelsea FC 2.75

Arsenal 5.50

Liverpool 7.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more international football odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Manchester United English Premier League

Maybe this bitch will think twice before filing a lawsuit against PokerStars from now on eh?

Online poker sure is a tricky business.

Why? A certain Natalie ''TheV0id'' Teltscher thought she was seeing a major payday after her account won $1,228,330.50 for first place in PokerStars' 2007 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Main Event.

Her dreams were burned to the ground, however, when PokerStars disqualified her after discovering that she never played in the event herself. What's a girl to do? Why, deny everything and file suit, of course!

Unfortunately for Natalie, who happens to be the sister of 2005 European Poker Tour winner Mark Teltscher, after being faced with overwhelming evidence of her wrong-doing, had no choice but to drop the charges.

Teltscher admitted during court proceedings that she never played in the online poker event but instead hired an ''agent'' to play on her behalf. The agent is said to have used ''TheV0id'' nickname and several other accounts in an all-out multi-accounting effort to clinch the championship.

To add drama and mystery to this already sordid tale, the agent in question was never officially named. (HINT: She is the sister of 2005 European Poker Tour winner Mark Teltscher.)

So what happened to the prize money? The full prize was awarded to the runner-up ''ka$ino''. The other poker players who made it in the money were also bumped up on the pay scale.

Wondering what happens to people who file frivolous law suits and then drop them? You should know that Teltscher wasn't left unscathed. To make up for the wrong she's done, she agreed to pay a sum of PokerStars' legal fees. Well, at least the lawyers are getting a part of the action.

Naturally, PokerStars is pleased with Teltscher's decision. In a press statement, PokerStars states, ''the decision of Ms. Teltscher to withdraw her claim fully vindicates PokerStars' decision to disqualify her from the tournament and subsequently defend the claim, actions which were taken in order to protect the integrity of the games on offer at PokerStars.''

In case you were wondering, NO, you can't pull this off at the 2008 World Series of Poker.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker PokerStars

2008 World Series of Poker Final 9 Part 3: Craig Marquis

The online world probably has an official representative in the final table of this year's WSOP.

Craig Marquis is probably representing the online generation at the main event final table of the 2008 World Series of Poker. Even with well known players like David Rheem and Scott Montgomery on the poker table, Marquis now has his own name in poker he can be proud of.

Known as ''CraigMarq'' he has been tearing his opponents in the online world for about a year now. In 2007 he came 34th in the $5,000 PLH for $14,030 as well as 30th in the $1,000 NLH re-buys for $16,133 his biggest cash prize.

The 23-year-old Craig Marquis, from Arlington, Texas, has only been playing poker for about 18 months but has rocketed through the levels from $2/$4 to $200/$400 & beyond on Full Tilt. Given his background on the Internet it is hardly surprising that Marquis has just $35,759 in live winnings to his name, with all 3 of his cashes coming in the WSOP.

When he plays live poker, his signature Oakley sunglasses are firmly on his face to hide his eyes from competitors. During fifteen hour poker sessions, it's not unusual to see a cup of coffee at his side every two hours. His style of play is much focused and he takes his time when the cards cause a situation that requires deep concentration. Yep, he wants that 2008 WSOP bracelet bad.

Craig Marquis claims that live poker is too slow, making it easy for him to lose focus.

One would have thought that he would have entered an online satellite tournament to earn his seat at the WSOP, but instead he bought directly into the $10,000 Texas Hold'Em Poker tournament.

He quit his job selling cell phones after learning how to play poker, determined to go professional. He used his cash winnings to pay his bills and support himself while entering mid to high level staked cash games online.

Marquis is a heads-up specialist so expect to see his 10.2 million chips being used more regularly than some of his rivals. He won't be afraid to gamble and a quick double-up would make his 12/1 price start to look very appealing.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker Craig Marquis

No Maria Sharapova in the 2008 U.S. Open Championships

Awww... Now this officially sucks.

The 2008 U.S. Open Championships is underway but it seems the last Grand Slam of the tennis calendar seems to miss something very very important, it's most marketable entity. I'm referring to Maria Sharapova and as sad as it may sound, yes, she'll be out of the tourney because of an injury.

You read it, the hot and sexy Maria Sharapova will miss the 2008 U.S Open because of an injury on her right shoulder. This marks the first major championship that she will miss since her Grand Slam debut back in 2003.

Sharapova claims that there is no surgery needed. She also tells she'll be back in two or three months. But STILL, a Grand Slam tournament without her long legs, short skirts and cute little panties is like dropping an atomic bomb on Florida when the Miami Heat is having a vacation in some other part of the world.

The world no.3 Maria Sharapova has played in each of the past 23 major championships, winning titles at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in January.

A doctor who looked at tests on her shoulder from April told Sharapova that she has been playing with a torn rotator cuff tendon since spring.

''He actually couldn't believe that I've been playing this long with this injury. You can imagine that I was not very thrilled to hear that my medical team did not see this tear in my shoulder back in April,'' Maria Sharapova said.

''The good news is that it didn't get much worse since April, but we could have started the healing time back then instead of now.''

That leaves this year's U.S. Open without it's two past champions, Sharapova because of the injury and Justine Henin who retired already.

Visit Bodog sportsbook for more tennis betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 U.S. Open Maria Sharapova

2008 NCAA College Football Season bans Horse-Collar Tackle (among the other rules they changed...)

And yes, these guys sure changed a lot for the coming season.

The 2008 NCAA college football season is upon us, giving college football programs a fresh start after successful or pathetic or even utterly miserable campaigns only teams from Miami can pull off.

And it certainly looks like the league is looking at it fresh as well, coming up with new rules that aims to give its fans a better brand of football that can compete or even surpass the professional atmosphere NFL football brings every week.

One of the new rules that stands out is the banishment of horse-collar tackles for the coming season. Following the NFL's lead and acting on the proposal by its Football Rules Committee (FRC) the NCAA will slap a penalty this season for horse-collar tackles.

Just what is a horse-collar tackle anyway? A horse-collar tackle happens when a player is yanked down to the ground from the inside collar of his shoulder pads or jersey. Banning these kinds of tackles will help football players to lessen the tendencies of suffering nasty back injuries.

''What we're hearing from trainers and physicians is we're getting some back injuries when the ball carrier is immediately snapped to the ground by being jerked quickly,'' Rogers Redding, NCAA football secretary-rules editor and coordinator of football officials for the Southeastern Conference (SEC), said.

''If the ball carrier is grabbed by the shoulder or jersey and just ridden to the ground over a couple of yards, that's not going to be a foul.''

Other changes include a clarification of rules on chop blocks or tackling a player below the knees. A chop block is now defined as any high-low combination block by any two players against an opponent other than the runner, anywhere on the field, anytime in the game and with or without delay between the hits.

The league will also implement a 40-second play clock that will start as soon as the ball is ruled dead from the 25-second clock they were using in the past that begins only on the game official's signal.

Who will win the 2009 BCS national championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

LSU Tigers 13.00

Ohio State Buckeyes 7.00

Oklahoma Sooners 7.00

USC Trojans 4.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more college football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NCAA College Football Horse-Collar Tackle

How is Brett Favre doing with the New York Jets?

Lost. That's for sure.

After all, any dude from Wisconsin will feel lost in a city like New York City. But since Brett Favre will start to salvage what's left of his NFL career playing for the city that never sleeps in the coming 2008-09 NFL football season, this is probably the first and last time we'll make fun of him.

Because hey, we like Brett Favre and you can bet your ass we'll love to see the guy succeed on his latest venture. Heck, as long as this dude suits up, it doesn't matter anymore if he's 50 or 60 and plays like a jackass, he's one of the best athletes of our time and just like any legend of the game, we want his show to move on as long as it can.

And while the Green Bay Packers look like they have finally moved on since trading away the biggest star of their franchise to New York, it's still uncertain what did the Jets actually got from arguably the biggest deal of the offseason.

The New York Jets need a solid effort from the quarterback position and by landing Brett Favre, they're hoping to have just that. But is Favre ready? Can he still overcome father time?

One guy in the Jets roster rooting for Favre to succeed is his teammate from Green Bay, New York Jets tight end Bubba Franks. Franks is more than happy to reunite with Favre in New York. He knows what no.4 can do and he is looking forward to catch some footballs from that cannon of an arm one more time.

''I'm glad he's been keeping himself in shape. It's good to see him playing football again,'' Bubba Franks said.

''He's picking them up real fast,'' Franks added, referring to the Jets offensive schemes. ''Brett's a quick learner. Football is football no matter how you draw it up. It's pretty much the same system. He'll pick it up pretty fast.''

Can Favre lead the Jets to Super Bowl XLIII at Tampa, Florida and surprise even himself? We'll know in the next few months.

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Brett Favre New York Jets

Tom Brady, just how serious is your foot injury?

For some reason, Tom Brady and his foot can't seem to cooperate as one cohesive unit.

You read it, as the 2008-09 NFL football season draws near, Tom Brady continues to have problems with his foot, dating as far back as Super Bowl XLII when his then undefeated Patriots lost to the New York Giants after Brady was seen in New York wearing a ''special boot'' of some sort.

And while Tom Brady continues to deny that this is the same injury that led to his New England Patriots losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl, we can't help but to think otherwise. After all, it is on the same leg.

For now, Tom Brady is trying to be smart about his latest injury, resting his injured leg until the regular season, where it counts, officially starts.

''Just trying to be smart,'' Brady said after skipping the trip to Tampa Bay for Sunday night's 27-10 loss to the Buccaneers. ''The preseason is important, but I think the idea is to be ready for when the regular season kicks off.''

''I'm doing good, doing good, just wishing I could have been out there last night. I'll try to get treatment this week. I'm feeling better every day.''

''Training camp is very physically demanding. There's some things that come up, whether it be a foot or an arm. It's just trying to be smart, trying to understand it's a long season and not going out there and aggravating something.''

Tom Brady's foot may determine if the New England Patriots will make a return to the Super Bowl and hopefully, win it for a change. Sure, Brady is a pocket passer and he really doesn't need that much mobility from his injured foot but since it was one of the reasons why they lost (their only one...) in what was suppose to be an undefeated run to the Super Bowl last season, the 'Brady Bunch' needs to fix this foot.

Quick.

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

New England Patriots Tom Brady

Is U.S. Swimmer Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China?

Dominance. Yeah, Phelps is now the poster boy for that exactly.

Sensational American swimmer Michael Phelps did the impossible, winning eight gold medals, seven of them world records, in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The United States is lucky to have this guy playing for them. The question now is, is he the greatest American Olympian ever?

The answer is a resounding yes. Michael Phelps has beaten the 36-year-old record set by fellow American Mark Spitz, whose seven swimming gold medals at Munich in 1972 were the most at a single Games. That's until Phelps came up with eight this year.

His remarkable feat is considered to be one of the greatest accomplishments in Olympics history. The 23-year-old cemented his name to Olympic greatness as he won all of the gold medals in all of the events in swimming so far.

Michael Phelps now has 14 gold and 2 bronze medals in his Olympic career. He won six of the his gold, including a couple of bronze medals, in Athens 4 years ago. The rest he won this year, in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

One reporter agrees that Michael Phelps is indeed the best Olympian ever, saying that Phelps has a wide variety of skills to be considered as the Willie Mays of swimming. He also added that Phelps swims for distance, for sprints, for relays, in free, in butterfly.

He is the ultimate five-tool athlete.

''I really wanted to do something that no one's ever done before in this sport,'' Michael Phelps said. Nobody anticipated that the American swimmer will be THIS serious about it.

''The term 'Spitzian feat' may be outdated,'' American teammate Aaron Peirsol said, referring to the Olympic record Mark Spitz set in swimming. ''It may now be 'Phelpsian feat.''''

''When someone says you can't do something, it shows that anything is possible,'' Phelps adds. ''When you put your mind to a certain thing, it can happen. The biggest thing is nothing is impossible. All it takes is an imagination.''

A better way to close that statement is an Adidas logo. Unfortunately, we still haven't received any sponsorship deals from them. Hee hee...

Who will be the winners of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Most Overall Medals

China 1.80

United States 2.10

Russia 15.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more Olympic Games betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 Beijing Olympic Games Michael Phelps

Will the Ravens finally let Troy Smith lead Baltimore?

It's about time.

With only a few more days before the brand new 2008-09 NFL football season explodes on your face, the Baltimore Ravens are still contemplating on when will they actually let the future arrive.

Of course, I'm referring to Troy Smith, the young quarterback who won a Heisman and yet, didn't see that many minutes last season, playing third string in the Ravens quarterback depth chart.

But after last year's starter Kyle Boller committed a team-high three turnovers in two preseason games, the Baltimore Ravens started looking for a positive change and as of press time, they're looking at Smith to give them just that.

This Saturday, the Heisman trophy winner will be put to the test against the St. Louis Rams in what would be Baltimore's third preseason game. I'm really hoping Smith does good because being a third string Heisman trophy winning quarterback is just not fair.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh claims he hasn't made up his mind on who will he start at quarterback when they begin their campaign for Super Bowl XLIII at Tampa, Florida. This Saturday's preseason game might just influence his decision drastically.

''He will play as much as we need to have him play,'' Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. ''The thinking is that Kyle has had 42 starts and we have a good idea of what he is and what he's been. We need to find out more about Troy Smith. He needs those reps. He needs them against a defense in a third preseason game where they're game-planning him a little bit and we'll see how he does.''

For what it's worth, Troy Smith is ready to take on the challenge, bringing with him a sense of confidence only the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady has.

''I am confident in what I can do and what I will do,'' Troy Smith said. ''Obviously being a young player, I haven't had that much time on the field. I'm very, very thankful for the situation and the opportunity and I'm grateful for everything to come.''

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Baltimore Ravens Troy Smith

2008 F1 Season resumes in Valencia with European GP

After three weeks of absence, F1 racing returns.

Yep, the 2008 F1 season continues after a three-week absence probably to pave the way for the Beijing Games. Seven more races are left and at this point of the year, there's no clear cut winner for the world championship yet.

Still leading the drivers' championship standings is Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren - Mercedes driver has 62 championship points, overcoming a somewhat slow start to the season thanks to a pair of wins in his home country Britain and in Germany.

Defending world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, is not far behind. He only trails the young British phenom by five, scoring 57 championship points to pull within striking distance of winning the world title again with seven more races to go.

Raikkonen knows the F1 season is nearing its conclusion and in these last seven races, the fiery Finn is hoping to finish strong. It all begins in the 2008 European Grand Prix in Valencia where he looks to start well.

''We have to start well at Valencia, where it's more important than in other places to drive with continuity from Friday on,'' Kimi Raikkonen said.

''I hope I'll have a trouble-free weekend to try to set up the car the best way possible, especially for the qualifying lap. The qualifying will be extremely important, although I think that there are some possibilities on the track to overtake.''

''If it's hot that will help Ferrari. Like at Montreal you also need a bit of luck and I hope that it will not end for me as it did in Canada.''

''We just have to fight until the end and try to win.''

Raikkonen's teammate Felipe Massa, is also in contention for the world title. As of press time, the brilliant Brazillian has 54 championship points, only three points behind Raikkonen and good for third overall.

After a very disappointing finish in Hungary, you just know this guy will be out for blood.

Who will win the 2008 F1 Drivers Championship? Bodog Sportsbook has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 2.75

Lewis Hamilton 3.00

Fernando Alonso 7.00

Felipe Massa 7.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more F1 betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

European GP 2008 F1 Season

Which Country will win the Gold Medal Race in the 2008 Beijing Olympics? USA and China are favorites.

Obviously.

The United States remain to be the country to beat in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But for some reason, China has surpassed the proud U-S-of-A in terms of gold medal count.

USA, China, and Russia are the top three favorites to collect the most medals. They have been the biggest powerhouse countries for the past few years. In the 2004 Olympics, the medal count consisted of Team USA winning 102 medals, 32 of them gold, followed by Russia with 92.

China, this year's Olympic hosts, is only good for third with 63 medals then, probably the reason why many people can't seem to fathom how much the Chinese are leading in this year's race for gold.

The Chinese and the American anthems will be heard often during these events, specifically in the gymnastics competition. China's men athletes won the team title during last year's world championships, led by all-around winner Yang Wei. Xiao Qin won on pommel horse and Chen Yibing won on still rings. The Americans were shut out in the finals but only had two fourth-place finishes.

On the other hand, the U.S. women team defeated China for the 2007 world team title by nearly a point. Shawn Johnson won gold in the all-around and floor exercise, Nastia Liukin won gold on balance beam and silver on the uneven bars, and Alicia Sacramone won bronze on vault and silver on floor exercise.

China's Cheng Fei won gold on vault, Yang Yilin won bronze on the uneven bars and Li Shanshan won bronze on the beam.

China should thrive in weightlifting, having led the medal table during last year's world championships, with seven gold medals and 12 overall. The U.S. had none. Rowing should also put Chinese athletes on the podium, thanks to a $10 million, government-built training complex.

Who will be the winners of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Most Overall Medals

China 1.80

United States 2.10

Russia 15.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more Olympic Games betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 Beijing Olympic Games Team USA

Who should you pick in your 2008 NFL Fantasy Draft?

Because the start of football season means it's time to live out your fantasies.

Unfortunately, that doesn't include a seven-hour ''humping'' marathon with Anne Hathaway. The 2008-09 NFL football season is upon us people and when full grown men talk about their fantasies, they're not talking about tits and ass but their own fantasy football teams.

Who should you pick in the first round of your fantasy draft? Did you win it all with your Tom Brady - Randy Moss combo? Or did you suffered a tragic loss playing for the championship when Brady and Moss both had terribly bad performances when the Patriots ALMOST lost to the Giants in their last game of the regular season? (Remember that? I almost did...)

Of course, the hot pick in this year's NFL fantasy draft is last season's rookie of the year Adrian Peterson. He has singlehandedly carried the Minnesota Vikings back from obscurity. They ALMOST made the playoffs to boot too.

I won't be surprised to see the young runningback beat LaDanian Tomlinson for the top spot in fantasy ratings this season.

However, as impressive as Peterson has become in fantasy football, there's this one guy that has done better, Philadelphia Eagles runningback Brian Westbrook. Westbrook became the poster boy for consistency last season, playing in 14 of the 15 games played with double digit fantasy points.

However, with the passing game making a return to the Eagles offense now that Donovan McNabb is healthy again, I'm not expecting Westbrook to have the same kind of numbers he had last season.

Tom Brady should still be a high pick. Even if you took out the MVP year that he had last season, he will still have a career completion percentage of 62 percent. His favorite targets; Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Ben Watson will all return to the Patriots offense so I'm not expecting Brady to ease up on his fantasy production.

And finally, there's Brett Favre. Unlike last season, Favre shouldn't be a high draft pick this time. There are a lot of quarterbacks out there that you can get who'll give you consistent numbers than what Favre, with his aging arm, can give.

However, Favre can still be a solid backup to your Tony Romo or Carson Palmer. Because hey, you'll never really know how good can Favre will still be until he plays his first game with the New York Jets.

How about that huh? The backup role is exactly what the Packers were planning to give him if he stayed in Green Bay and that's where he might end up in your fantasy teams. Sheesh... Fantasy football is eerily starting to become closer to real life.

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds on that one people.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

NFL Fantasy Football 2008-09 NFL Season

Espinar wins PokerStars LAPT Punta del Este Title

How's that for making a name for yourself huh?

While the 2008 World Series of Poker gets ready for the final table on November, Jose Miguel Espinar wanted to prove his poker prowess despite being a newbie in the game.

Well, do that he just did. Jose Miguel Espinar came out on top at the end of PokerStars' Latin America Poker Tour Punte del Este championship. This may have proven that despite starting his poker career only in December 2007, Espinar's previous cash win at PokerStars' Caribbean Adventure was not a fluke.

The LAPT Punte del Este, which kicked off last August 7, attracted a total of 351 players. It was a $2,500 buy-in tournament and the total prize pool exceeded $850,000. This meant that the Spaniard Espinar took home a very respectable $241,735.

This guy only started in late 2007? This is the stuff poker dreams are made of.

Espinar was third in chips coming into the final table but he soon emerged on top after eliminating Paulo Cesar Ribeiro and Jose Perez in quick succession. Espinar's luck seemed unbeatable early in the game when he hit quads to bust Ribeiro and dealt Perez with an ugly bad beat after his A-J won against Perez' pocket aces.

When the dust settled, it was Espinar and Alex Brenes left standing with Espinar holding a slight chip advantage. Heads up play lasted for several hours with both players choosing to play cautious. Unfortunately for Brenes, he ended up crippled after a hand involving A-10 and A-9.

In an effort to double up, Brenes pushed in desperation with an A-10 but it was Espinar's day when he hit the flop hard with his K-3. Brenes had to be satisfied with 2nd place and $127,675.

Lisandro Gallo finished in 3rd place for $93,630 while Alexandre Gomes came in at fourth place for $68,100. Other poker notables who made ITM at the LAPT Punte del Este were Alex Brenes' popular brother, Humberto Brenes, who cashed in at 20th place and Vanessa Rousso who displayed a strong showing by coming in 10th.

Just a little something while you prepare for the final table of the 2008 WSOP.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker Latin America Poker Tour

Can the USC Trojans remain on top of the BCS Rankings and win the 2008 NCAA College Football Title?

If basketball has the Spurs, college football has these guys.

The USC Trojans have always been the picture of success in college football. However, as the brand new 2008 NCAA college football season opens up the door of opportunity for other teams to shine, can USC remain on top?

The last time the USC Trojans dominated the college gridiron is when Matt Leinart was playing. Leinart led the Trojans to an AP national championship in 2003, a BCS national championship in 2004, and an appearance in the 2005 BCS national championship game.

Since Matt Leinart went pro, the Trojans were left for John David Booty to carry on that winning tradition. And although he has, in some way, accomplished that task, the domination USC once had was gone.

Now that John David Booty has joined Leinart in the NFL, leaving the Trojans wondering if they can remain on top with two of their greatest quarterbacks gone, what's in store for USC this season?

For what it's worth, Mark Sanchez looks primed and ready to take over after successfully filling in for Booty when he was injured last season. Sanchez is fortunate to have a defense dubbed as ''best defense in the nation'' by many observers, to back him up too.

And if they can live up to the billing, the offense should have plenty of time to gel behind Sanchez. It's no surprise that USC, thanks to that defense, is once again a heavy favorite to win the BCS national championship game given their immense talent and schedule.

Playing in the PAC 10 awards the Trojans arguably an easier road too compared to those programs that have to do battle in the rigorous SEC.

Who will win the 2009 BCS national championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

LSU Tigers 13.00

Ohio State Buckeyes 7.00

Oklahoma Sooners 7.00

USC Trojans 4.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more college football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NCAA College Football USC Trojans

Rivalries in the 2008 NCAA College Football Season

Oh you just know it will be there one way or another.

Football has always been all about rivalries and coming to the brand new 2008 NCAA college football season, you can expect old rivalries renewed and new ones born.

And while we count the remaining days before the new season of college football begins this month, have you ever wondered which of the great rivalries in football will continue this season? Never fear. As always, we have you covered.

Starting of is the rivalry between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Both teams have played 116 times, listed as the most played rivalry in NCAA college football history.

Both teams are set to meet again on November 15 when the Golden Gophers visit the Wisconsin Badgers, expect this one to be personal.

The Kansas Jayhawks have two rivalries going to be renewed this season.

First, the Jayhawks will be playing their rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, in the coming season. These teams will be meeting for the 114th time on November 8. It doesn't get any better than a classic rivalry like that people.

Next up is their feud with the Missouri Tigers. Both the Jayhawks and the Tigers have played each other for a total of 115 games in their rich history with the NCAA. They started playing way WAAAY back in 1891. They are set to have another chapter of their long feud on November 29.

Of course, like any season in college football, the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies are set to meet again in what would be another struggle for Texas. This has been an annual thing in college football and when these two Texas teams lock horns on November 27, it won't be pretty.

Being a Longhorns fan like me, I reckon the Texas A&M Aggies won't have a chance.

Who will win the 2009 BCS national championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

LSU Tigers 13.00

Ohio State Buckeyes 7.00

Oklahoma Sooners 7.00

USC Trojans 4.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more college football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NCAA College Football College Football Rivalries

Donovan McNabb misses Terrell Owens

How about that huh?

The brand new 2008-09 NFL football season is almost here and somewhere in Philly, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has began to reminisce what would've it been if he and Terrell Owens got along.

You read it, apparently, Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb misses former teammate Terrell Owens, saying that is T.O. stayed in Philly instead of leaving for Dallas, ''it could've been great.''

''It could've been great,'' Donovan McNabb said. ''What did we have, 30 TDs? You don't see that type of combination very often. That's like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. We would've been up there.''

You really can't blame McNabb for thinking the way he does right now. He spent most of the last two seasons in the injury list while former teammate Terrell Owens came THAT close from reaching the Super Bowl again with the Dallas Cowboys.

McNabb knows too that Owens finally have a quarterback he can trust and listens to in Tony Romo. And while the Cowboys are slowly becoming the team to beat in the NFC, McNabb's Eagles are slowly falling to the pits of obscurity after every season.

For what it's worth, McNabb says he's healthy again.

''[Last year] was a grind, but the injury actually helped acclimate me to being the type of quarterback that I've wanted to be. It's helped me in certain areas,'' McNabb said.

Asked about the Eagles' chances this year, McNabb said, ''I still put us at the top of the NFC. I feel confident in saying that because all the best teams are pretty much in our division. The Giants and Cowboys are coming off great seasons and the Redskins had a decent year.''

STILL, after spending most of the last two seasons injured, McNabb knows he might end up elsewhere if the Philadelphia Eagles decide to rebuild. ''I might end up somewhere else,'' McNabb said. ''And I'm prepared for that.''

Maybe he'll join T.O. and play for the Dallas Cowboys too? Anything's possible people as long as the money is right.

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds on that one people.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Donovan McNabb Terrell Owens

Can Poker Players in the 2008 World Series of Poker withstand this 36-Hour Cash Game Marathon?

A contest of endurance.

That's exactly what poker players not participating in the 2008 World Series of Poker will have once the 36-hour poker cash game gets underway. Some people call it the toughest cash game in the world, obviously because of how long players would have to sit on that table.

A handful of the most-seasoned professional poker players will fight it out in a marathon high-stakes cash game in front of TV cameras. Poker TV doesn't get any better than this. It's no wonder Party Poker's ''Poker Den - The Big Game,'' the entity hosting this poker marathon, is back for a third installment in London's Poker Den.

The poker pros set to make an appearance are some of the best and most colorful personalities in the game. Scheduled to play are Phil Hellmuth, Dave Ulliot, Tony G, Jamie Gold, Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Brian Townsend, Mike ''The Mouth'' Matusow, Jennifer Tilly, Andrew Feldman, Sammy ''Any Two'' George, and Robert Williamson III.

The third game is going to be even more tasking for the seasoned veterans. While the first two Big Games were held for 24 hours, this year, the Big Game will run for 36. ''The Poker Den has come a long way since we started back in the summer of 2005,'' noted Eddie Hearn, head of the online gaming at Matchroom Sport. ''The Big Game has been such a huge success, and the two series so far have attracted the best players in the world.''

You can be sure you'll see some great poker action since the stakes are high. Players will sit down with either $10,000 or $20,000 and deal with $25-$50 blind levels. As usual, there will be a lot of straddling, guaranteeing a lot of action. Players are free to leave the table at any time.

The show will be filmed September 30 and October 1 and will be shown on Channel 5 in the U.K. next year. Commentator Jesse May will be present during the entire duration of the event.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker Poker Den

2008-09 NBA Regular Season Schedule is Here

That's right, the NBA has released its schedule for the coming season.

And while we're still preparing for the coming football season ahead, the schedule for the 2008-09 NBA basketball season has arrived, teasing us on what we can expect in Boston's first season since the 80s as world champions.

And speaking of the Boston Celtics, they have LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on opening night at the TD Banknorth Garden where they will receive their NBA championship rings.

Cruel huh? Nights when you receive championship rings are suppose to be a night of celebration but with LeBron James and company coming to town, I'm not expecting Boston to remain in a celebratory mood after five minutes.

NBA Finals runner-up, Los Angeles Lakers, will be hosting the Portland Trail Blazers as Greg Oden finally makes his long-awaited debut in the NBA after sitting out the rest of what was suppose to be his rookie season.

Is Greg Oden really worth all the hype? I have a feeling Kobe Bryant will prove otherwise.

That's only day one of the brand new NBA season. Day 2, on the other hand, still has some interesting FIRSTS as well. How? Elton Brand and Jermaine O'Neal will each be making their respective debuts for their new teams when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Toronto Raptors. We'll know then which team improved their frontcourt better.

Still in Day 2, that insignificant moron, Dwyane Wade, will make his ''debut'' since getting his ass fucked by injuries last season as he tries to lead the fucked up Miami Heat team against the New York Knicks in a game between the two worst teams in the league.

And finally, Oklahoma City will have its first game as a full-time NBA city against the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, we still have no idea what the folks from Oklahoma will call their team.

Who will win the 2009 NBA Finals? Bodog sportsbook has the EARLY odds.

Boston Celtics 4.00

Los Angeles Lakers 4.50

Detroit Pistons 9.00

San Antonio Spurs 9.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more basketball betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008-09 NBA Season Schedule Boston Celtics

Bet you don't have this poker scandal in the 2008 WSOP

Everything (or everyone) popular needs a good scandal and poker is certainly no exception.

UltimateBet is still under fire for the cheating that occurred on the vastly popular online poker site and as expected, owners of the site are doing damage control by training their fire extinguishers on a searing blaze trying to extinguish the flames. And all this while the 2008 World Series of Poker is going on.

UltimateBet proprietor Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG has issued an official statement after it turned over to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission its investigative results on the cheating that occurred on the poker site.

It confirmed what we already know, cheaters were able to view other players' hole cards and that the scheme dates back to at least early 2005.

Can you imagine how much hard-earned money the cheaters milked out of the defenseless poker players in that long period of time? Especially since a total of 19 accounts and 88 screen names were reportedly involved in this grand scheme. Evidence accumulated included IP addresses and withdrawal and transfer histories.

Naturally, Tokwiro is ''outraged'' at the cheating that occurred in the online poker room and is determined to get to the bottom of things. The company, however, is quick to stress that the illicit software used to cheat was installed prior to Tokwiro's purchase of the company which happened in 2006.

Tokwiro also vowed to be transparent to the players and that they will continue to release more information to the poker community and general public as the investigation continues.

Will this put a damper on online poker?

With the thousands of poker players all over the world scrambling for a game, that is unlikely. However, you can be rest assured that people will be more wary. Now let's hope they catch those cheats and refund some of that money.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker UltimateBet

Which team has gone better this 2008 NCAA College Football Season? Ohio State Buckeyes or LSU Tigers?

Football season is finally here!

You read it, the brand new 2008 NCAA college football season has arrived and teams are once again set for new challenges, victories and setbacks. Looking back at 2007 BCS finalists; LSU Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes, both these teams have made in one way or the other significant roster changes. The question now is, who's better?

To start of with the LSU Tigers, these guys still doesn't need their quarterback to be great, but they need him to be consistent, just like Matt Flynn was last season. Even without Early Doucet, the receiving corps should be able to help out the new man under center.

Brandon LaFell could emerge as the new top receiver if he can get over his habit of dropping passes and Demetrius Byrd is a threat to score every time the ball is thrown in his direction.

Overall there is enough talent to win another BCS national championship, but a whole slew of inexperienced players better be experienced by the time the big conference games come around.

For the Ohio State Buckeyes, the 2008 version of the OSU offense should be exciting to watch. Nine starters will return on the offensive side of the ball and fans in Columbus, OH are ready for the Buckeyes to start this season and make another run at the BCS championship game.

The defense will be stifling, and turnovers should be the focus. Last season, the Buckeyes did not commit turnovers as often as coach Jim Tressel would like to see.

Fortunately, with stars at nearly every position on defense, opponents will find it difficult to match the output of the Ohio State offense, no matter how much they turn the ball over.

Who will win the 2009 BCS national championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

LSU Tigers 13.00

Ohio State Buckeyes 7.00

Oklahoma Sooners 7.00

USC Trojans 4.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more college football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Ohio State Buckeyes LSU Tigers

The 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins in NASCAR

Well, we still have a few weeks before that happens but since nothing big really happens in NASCAR...

From 2004 through 2007, the championship system in NASCAR racing was known as the ''Chase for the Nextel Cup'', but with the 2005 merger of Sprint and Nextel, the name of the series became known as the Sprint Cup Series in 2008.

The 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup will begin with the Sylvania 300 on September 9 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 16 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This year's Chase for the Sprint Cup consists of the final ten races that conclude the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The new system was changed last year and it follows a new format. Following 26 regular season races, the top 12-ranked drivers, determined by points accumulated during the season, will advance to contend for the Cup championship. Thus the 12 drivers' championship points are reset to a base of 5,000 points per driver, with a bonus of 10 points awarded to each driver for each win during the regular season.

The driver who finishes with the most points after the conclusion of the Ford 400 will be declared the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and will be presented with the Sprint Cup trophy.

During the Chase for the Sprint Cup, normal scoring applies, with drivers who win a race receiving 185 points for the win, 5 bonus points for leading a single lap, and 5 points for leading the most laps. This also marks the second year that the current system will be in effect.

The following are the race tracks where the final ten Chase for the Sprint Cup races are ran, one of them, the Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas) was added in 2005 as a result of outcome of the Ferko lawsuit.

Prior to this suit, the final three races of the NASCAR season, and thus, the final three race tracks for The Chase, will be held at the Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, Arizona), Darlington Raceway (Darlington, South Carolina, eliminated by NASCAR as a result of the lawsuit), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida).

Who will win the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Kyle Busch 2.00

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6.50

Jimmie Johnson 7.00

Jeff Gordon 11.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more NASCAR betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NASCAR Season Sprint Cup

Former F1 champion Fernando Alonso to join Honda

Yes, he STILL has plans to join Ferrari but it looks like he would have to make a pitstop (no pun intended...) with Honda first.

As we go deeper and deeper into the 2008 F1 season, we learned that double world champion Fernando Alonso is going to leave Renault (again...) to become the No.1 guy in Ferrari.

However, as it turns out, Fernando Alonso would have to join Honda first before making the move that just might reshape the entire sport of Formula One as we know it. Whether you like the guy or not, Alonso is the most successful guy in F1 since Michael Schumacher and him joining Ferrari is like Kobe Bryant joining, say... the Pistons.

Alonso's move to Ferrari is scheduled some time in 2010. But after realizing that his current team is in no condition to compete with the top dogs of the sport, it looks like he can't wait that long. He wants to leave Renault now and give himself a shot of winning races again. Which brings us to his move to Honda next season.

After all, both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are set to be retained by Ferrari anyway until Raikkonen switches to rally and Massa gets tired of blown engines. (Hee hee...)

Of course, a return to McLaren - Mercedes is highly unlikely with Lewis Hamilton now lording over there. BMW, with their recent success this season, was also considered a likely destination but after those guys learned that Alonso has already agreed some sort of deal with Ferrari in the future, they were reluctant to sign the guy.

Honda on the other hand, needs all the help they can get and they would sign anyone, no matter what it takes, if that will give them a couple more wins. And I guess, ''borrowing'' a driver of Alonso's caliber is OK with them.

''Fernando is a wonderful driver who would be a fantastic asset to any of the top teams, including this one. The job Ross Brawn and I have is to build a world championship-winning team,'' Honda chief executive Nick Fry said.

Who will win the 2008 F1 Drivers Championship? Bodog Sportsbook has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 2.75

Lewis Hamilton 3.00

Fernando Alonso 7.00

Felipe Massa 7.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more F1 betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Fernando Alonso Honda

Maybe PokerStars will think twice putting up a 1.5 Million Guarantee in their Sunday tournaments eh?

What happens when you offer a $1.5 Million Guaranteed Pot on a Sunday tournament online?

If the PokerStars Sunday Tournament 1.5 Million Guarantee is any indication, you'll find yourself with 8,431 entrants and a massive $1,686,200.00 total prize pool. This ensured a cool $204,198.82 to the winner and with that kind of prize money, you can be certain this tournament is taken seriously.

With such a monstrous field, did the online poker wizards stood a chance? Once again proving that poker is a game of skill, online phenoms Andy McLEOD and Zach ''nofingclue11'' Clark emerged as chip leaders going into the final table despite the sheer number of poker wannabes in their midst. (Yep, these guys should've just stayed home watching the 2008 World Series of Poker on TV...)

Unfortunately for both, despite their strong showings, Andy McLEOD and nofingclue11 ended up in 4th and 5th place respectively. Hey, don't feel too bad for them, that was $75,879.00 for 4th place and a very respectable $59,017.00 for 5th.

The final three saw RProps, betofetus and Fred_Brink battling for glory with Fred_Brink dead last with only 13,553 in chips. The three discussed a possible deal and luckily for Fred_Brink, the deal was never agreed upon.

With RProps having 43,391,921 in chips and betofetus having 27,284,169, Fred_Brink seemed to be well on his way out. But Fred_Brink doubled up against RProps and it was RProps who was out in third place with $93,584, 10 burning a hole in his pocket.

Betofetus had a slight chip advantage over Fred_Brink during heads-up play and this went on for 51 hands. But Fred_Brink won a 70-million chip pot in hand 52 with a bottom set and the tournament ended four hands later with Fred_Brink sealing a thrilling come-from-behind victory. Betofetus still goes home with a $137,425.30 payday.

Not bad for a day's work at the poker tables.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more poker betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 World Series of Poker PokerStars

Can the Indianapolis Colts overcome their Injuries?

Yes, injuries are plaguing one of the best teams in football.

While we count down the remaining days left before the 2008-09 NFL football season kicks off, the Colts are on dangerous grounds these days with three of their main stars injured.

Bob Sanders has an injured shoulder, Marvin Harrison has an injured knee, Dwight Freeney's Lisfranc and probably the biggest of them all, Peyton Manning has an infected bursa sac.

With all these injuries, you've got to wonder, can these guys keep up with their AFC rivals, New England Patriots, and climb back on top of the mountain like they did a year ago?

Being the competitors that they are, the Indianapolis Colts are not giving up on hope just yet, after all, the brand new season is yet to start. In fact, they are coming into the season with a whole lot of confidence, claiming that they may have put together one of their most talented rosters in franchise history.

You have to wonder how in the hell can these guys claim that with their leader Peyton Manning out at least a month. STILL, Colts team president Bill Polian likes his team's chances this season. It is up to us to determine if all these are nothing more but wishful thinking.

''Talentwise, I think we're a bit better, but that remains to be seen,'' Bill Polian said. ''We'll find that out over the course of the preseason. I never make any judgments at this point, nor do I pay any attention to offseason standings.''

The Colts' chances of winning the big one again solely depends on the availability of their injured quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning led the Colts to a Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears in Miami and now that Super Bowl XLIII will return to Florida, the Colts would love to have Peyton back and get them another championship ring there again.

Besides, he can't just sit back and let little brother Eli have all the fun right?

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Sportsbetting.com has the odds on that one people.

New York Giants 12-1

New England Patriots 5-2

Dallas Cowboys 7-1

Indianapolis Colts 8-1

Want more odds? Visit Sportsbetting.com for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning