08/12/2008 - Colorado Springs, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Catherine "Cammi" Granato will become the first woman inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame when she and a triumvirate of NHL stars will join the vast list of American greats in a ceremony in Denver, Colorado on October 10.
Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter will join the most recognizable face in women's hockey in the prestigious Class of 2008, as announced by USA Hockey Tuesday.
Granato, an Illinois native, was a 15-year member of the U.S. Women's National Team, pioneering the Americans to a gold medal in the 1998 Olympics -- the first year women's ice hockey was included in the Games. She is the all-time leading scorer for the national team with 343 points (186 goals, 157 assists) in just 205 games.
In 2007, Granato was the first woman given the NHL's Lester Patrick Award in recognition of outstanding service to hockey in the United States, and earlier this year was enshrined into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
Hull, who ranks third on the all-time NHL goal scoring list with 741, won two Stanley Cups throughout his 20-year career. He was a sixth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in the 1984 draft and was traded to the St. Louis Blues four years later, where he spent 11 seasons, including a Hart Trophy-winning, 86- goal campaign in 1990-91.
Hull went on to play for the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings, winning championships with the latter two in 1999 and 2002, respectively.
Though he was born in Canada, Hull played for Team USA in national competitions, helping the Americans win the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics, as well as winning the World Cup of Hockey in 1996.
Leetch, born in Corpus Christi, Texas, was an 11-time All-Star that spent the majority of his 18-year career with the New York Rangers before short stints with Toronto and Boston. The ninth-overall pick in the 1986 draft is just one of five defensemen to record more than 100 points in a season (102 in 1991-92) and one of seven to log more than 1,000 points in a career (1,028).
The two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman was the first American-born player to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs in 1993-94, leading the Rangers to their first Staley Cup since 1940.
Richter was the netminder for that curse-breaking squad, was the MVP of the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 and played his entire 14-year career in New York. He ranks first in club history with 301 wins in 666 games. The three-time All- Star is one of just 10 Americans ever to compete in at least three Olympic Games, including the silver-medal winning 2002 squad.
The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1973. To date, there are 134 enshrined members in the Hall.
<< Petrova wins Cincy opener
Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova was an easy
first-round winner Tuesday at the $175,000 Western & Southern Financial
Group Women's Open, a hardcourt U.S. Open tune-up.
The former Top-10 star Petrova p
<< Georgia loses OT Sturdivant for season
Athens, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of Georgia sophomore offensive tackle
Trinton Sturdivant suffered a season ending knee injury on Monday and will
miss the entire season, according to head coach Mark Richt.
Sturdivant started all
<< Donald to miss rest of 2008 golf season
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luke Donald will miss the remainder of the 2008 golf season
after undergoing surgery on his left wrist Monday.
Donald was hurt during the final round of the U.S. Open in June. He hit a
drive on the 15th tee at Torrey
<< Report: Vikings S Williams to miss opening of season
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Vikings safety Madieu Williams
could miss the first three weeks of the regular season due to a neck injury.
Williams, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, missed Friday's
presea
The future is now for Safina and del Potro >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Perhaps we can stop using words like
"promising" when it comes to players like Dinara Safina and Juan Martin del
Potro, or in this case, specifically Dinara Safina and Juan Martin del Potro.
Both players a
NCAA Football Preview - Wisconsin Badgers >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Wisconsin Badgers put together a 9-4 campaign in
2007, marking the fourth straight season they've won at least nine games.
However, it was a step back from their 12 wins in 2006. Th
Indians deal Byrd to BoSox >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians traded pitcher Paul
Byrd to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later or cash
considerations Tuesday.
Byrd, 37, was 7-10 with a 4.53 earned run average in 22 sta
NCAA Football Preview - Cincinnati Bearcats >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: Not much was expected of Cincinnati before the season,
so the fact that the Bearcats won their first six games in 2007 served as a
surprise to most fans and analysts.
Included in th
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers SPORTS TRASH TALK
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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