11/20/2008 - Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez and defender Martin Skrtel have denied reports linking the Slovakia international with a return to the club he left in January.
Reports in Russia suggested Skrtel had spoken to one of his former Zenit St. Petersburg teammates about moving back to last season's UEFA Cup winners.
However, Skrtel, who has been sidelined since early October when he damaged a posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the 3-2 win at Manchester City, insists the story has been fabricated.
"I am very happy here at Anfield. It was always my dream to play here in England and I'm with one of the biggest clubs in the world," he told the Reds' official website.
"I spoke to my friend in Russia and we talked about Zenit. I have great friends there but I never said I am not happy here, and I never said I didn't like the city.
"I didn't say the city is boring. That's just not true and I'd like to repeat I am very happy here. This is a special club and a city with a lot of history. I have been made to feel very welcome here at Liverpool."
"These sorts of stories always tend to come out during an international week," Benitez added. "I was talking with Martin at Melwood yesterday and it was clear that he is very happy and just wants to get back playing.
"He is working very hard to get himself fit again and he is very settled at Liverpool - both in the city and at the club."
(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)
<< Hull leads ADT Championship by one
West Palm Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Katherine Hull posted a four-under 68
Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the season-ending
ADT Championship.
Hull collected her first win earlier this season at the Canadian
<< Sunderland's Keane requests FA hearing
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunderland boss Roy Keane has denied an
FA charge of improper conduct after he was sent to the stands by referee Martin
Atkinson for the second half of the 5-0 defeat at Chelsea earlier this month.
The
<< L.A.'s Donovan set to join Bayern Munich on loan
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States star Landon Donovan is set to
join Bayern Munich on loan in January, it was revealed Thursday, and the German
club hopes the likely two-and-a-half month deal could become permanent.
Donovan,
<< Kenseth signs contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing
Concord, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roush Fenway Racing announced Thursday it has
signed Matt Kenseth to a multi-year contract extension. Kenseth, the 2003 Cup
Series champion, has been with the racing organization since 1998.
"It's been a g
Rams' Jackson won't play Sunday, again >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson
will not play Sunday against the Chicago Bears because of a strained right
thigh muscle.
Jackson was hurt during the October 19 game against Dallas, despit
Colorado Golf Club awarded 2010 Senior PGA >>
Palm Beach Gardens, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The PGA of America announced
Thursday that the Colorado Golf Club has been awarded the 2010 Senior PGA
Championship.
Colorado Golf Club just opened in 2007, but has been recognized as o
Newcastle's Owen set to start against Chelsea >>
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newcastle United striker Michael Owen is
set to make his first start since the beginning of October in Saturday's match
with Chelsea.
Owen, 28, has made three substitute appearances following his r
Hamburg loses De Jong to knee injury >>
Hamburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hamburg will be without midfielder Nigel de
Jong for the rest of the calendar year because of a knee injury.
The Netherlands midfielder, who has only just returned to action after a knee
ligament injury
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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