Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
01/14/2012 - Honolulu, HI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Every fired a six-under 64 Friday to grab a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Every, who is starting his second season on the PGA Tour, completed 36 holes at 10-under-par 130.
Two years ago, Every was a rookie on the PGA Tour when he was arrested in a marijuana related incident. The charges were eventually dropped, but he was suspended by the tour for three months. He also missed six weeks that season due to a broken finger.
"I honestly kind of feel like a rookie out here this year, because I was doing just fine until I got to Hilton Head," Every said of where he broke his finger in 2010. "I (missed) six weeks there, then I get back and I was out for like two weeks, then got in trouble, there's three months. I still almost kept my status and played half the tournaments that everybody else played."
Every's lone professional win was at the 2009 Nationwide Tour Championship. This is second time he will sleep on a lead on the PGA Tour. Every was the first-round leader at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic.
David Hearn (66) and Carl Pettersson (67) are tied for second place at minus- eight. Brendon de Jonge fired the low round of the week with his eight-under 62. He soared into a share of fourth place at seven-under 133. He was joined there by Pat Perez and Doug La Belle II, who both shot 67 on Friday.
PGA Champion Keegan Bradley (67) and Sean O'Hair (67) in round two, are among 10 players tied for seventh at six-under-par 134.
Every had a kick-in birdie on the par-four 12th. He parred the other eight holes on his opening nine at Waialae Country Club.
The 28-year-old started to make his move up the leaderboard with a 24-foot birdie putt on the par-four third. He made it two in a row with a short birdie effort on the fourth.
Every parred two in a row before catching fire at the end of his round. He drained a 22-footer for birdie on No. 7. Every converted a 15-foot birdie chance at eight, then closed with a two-putt birdie at the ninth, his last.
"I just didn't make many mistakes and made some putts, hit some good irons, just kind of normal stuff," Every said.
He went on to add, "I'm not saying I'm going to be on top of the leaderboard every week, but it's not a surprise to me. I know that I can, you know? It's only two rounds, though, so it's not that big a deal."
Every has just one career top-10 finish, a share of eighth at the 2010 Phoenix Open, in 29 previous PGA Tour starts.
Hearn rebounded from bogeys on two and three to shoot 66. He did so with three birdies in a four-hole span from the fifth. He made the turn at minus-seven after making eagle on the par-five ninth. Hearn parred his next eight holes before closing with a birdie at the last.
Pettersson, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, had a birdie and a bogey on the back nine, his opening nine Friday. Around the turn, Pettersson had birdies on four and five. He finished his round with a birdie at the ninth to share second place.
"I started on the back nine. I played really solid on the back nine," said Pettersson. "Could have made a few more, missed a couple of short ones. Then I made a few longish putts for birdies on four and five and a nice save on eight. It was a solid round."
NOTES: First-round leader Graham DeLaet struggled to two-over 72, which dropped him into a share of 17th at minus-five. He was joined there by among others last week's winner Steve Stricker (69)...The cut line fell at one- under-par 139 with 80 players advancing to the weekend...Among those that missed the cut were 2011 champion Mark Wilson, 2006 winner David Toms, Rocco Mediate, Ryo Ishikawa and U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
<< Deron Williams leads Nets past Suns
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deron Williams scored 35 points to go along
with 14 rebounds to lead the New Jersey Nets past the Phoenix Suns, 110-103,
on Friday.
MarShon Brooks dropped in 20 points, Anthony Morrow scored 16 and Mehme
<< Rose returns to guide Bulls past Celtics
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derrick Rose returned from a one-game absence to
score 25 points and the Chicago Bulls survived a big rally in the second half
to beat the Boston Celtics, 88-79, on Friday night.
The Celtics nearly erased a 20-
<< Sabres split home-and-home with Leafs
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Pominville scored the game-winning goal
in the second period as the Buffalo Sabres topped the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-2
at First Niagara Center to earn a split of a home-and-home series between the
teams.
<< Spurs finish strong to down Blazers
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tony Parker scored 12 of his 20 points in
the fourth quarter, as the Spurs controlled the final stanza to upend the
Trail Blazers, 99-83.
Tiago Splitter was a spark with 14 points, while fellow re
Red Sox avoid arbitration with Sweeney >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox have signed Ryan Sweeney to a
one-year, non-guaranteed contract, avoiding arbitration with the outfielder.
Sweeney, acquired by Boston in its trade with Oakland during the offseason, is
a car
Ferrer takes down Rochus in Auckland finale >>
Auckland, New Zealand (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded world No. 5 David Ferrer
made easy work of Olivier Rochus on Saturday to take the title of the
Heineken Open, a final hardcourt Australian Open tuneup.
The Spaniard earned his
Wade leaves game with ankle injury >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade left during the
fourth quarter of Friday's game at Denver with an apparent ankle injury.
Wade twisted his right ankle while scrambling for a loose ball. He was helped
off the co
Bryant, Lakers down Cavaliers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant eclipsed the 40-point plateau
for the third straight game, and the Lakers dropped the Cavaliers, 97-92, to
give head coach Mike Brown a win against his former team.
Bryant finished with 42
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting