That controversy has overtaken a lot of the headlines with the Oregon vs. LSU matchup. A handful of LSU players have been charged with crimes after a bar fight a few weeks ago, and starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson has been suspended indefinitely as a result. It’s a major blow for the team to lose your starting QB and also deal with this distraction when you’re trying to win the SEC and play for the BCS title.

But backup QB Jarrett Lee is more than capable, and he has experience as the starter too. Plus, many people behind the scenes actually believe that Lee is the better player between the two regardless. Even if that is the case, this is a lot of hassle and headache for the team, and it’s an unwanted distraction. Les Miles will need to circle the wagons with his team and get them to come together and be stronger than ever.

Oregon has been dealing with their own distractions with player arrests and offseason controversy surrounding rumors of big payouts to recruiting services who may or may not have been funneling players to the program. All American cornerback Cliff Harris has been suspended for this match for his involvement in that car speeding and marijuana run in with the police, although QB Darron Thomas has been cleared to play. That doesn’t concern Chip Kelly and company though, not with a team that was a few plays away from winning the national title, and not with Heisman candidate LaMichael James toting the ball and going off for explosive plays one after another.

Heading into the game, Oregon is the favorite by 3.5 points. For a straight bet, the Ducks are at -170, and LSU is at +150. The over-under line for the game is set at 54.5 points. This is a tough one to call, and fans and experts alike will be split. Taking LSU in a straight bet at +150 is attractive, as long as you think the team is focused and will be well led by Lee at QB instead of Jefferson.

But either team could win this game, and it’s going to be a damn fun one to watch. Some seasons don’t have any games of this caliber, but this year we get to enjoy one on the very first college football weekend of the season. It’s going to be a thriller between Oregon and LSU, and one team will emerge as a legitimate national title favorite.

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LSU has seemingly been the focal point of last second crazy endings, weird plays and referee calls, and more. It has earned Les Miles the nickname of the Mad Hatter, but his team continues to win, and he continues to haul in the talent. He has won a national championship after all, and it’s a good thing too, because his predecessor, Nick Saban, won a national championship with the school, and has since gone on to win another championship with Alabama.

Those two schools will be headed straight toward one another this season, and will be the shared center of attention as one of the biggest storylines of the upcoming season. LSU will be depending on the improved play of quarterback Jordan Jefferson to lead them to what they hope will be an undefeated season and an SEC title, and the chance to lay it all on the line for a BCS national championship victory.

Ultimately, the grueling SEC schedule is going to make or break your 2011 LSU football predictions. Last season, LSU was in so many tight games against so many good teams, and they managed to win almost all of them. This year, while there are tons of daunting games, there are two huge ones. The first is the first week of the season, as right out of the gate they meet Oregon at a neutral site. A loss there already derails their season and your 2011 college football predictions for the team.

They certainly have what it takes to win that though, and then they’ll be marking the calendar for two months down the road when they hit the road to visit the Alabama Crimson Tide. This will basically be a title game for the division if everyone’s 2011 college football predictions goes according to plan. The winner here will gain entry to the SEC championship game, and therefore, a shot at the BCS national title game.

Many people are forecasting a championship season in Baton Rouge with favorable 2011 LSU football predictions. The team is more talented and experienced than ever, and everyone is ready to build off of last season. But they have a certain other title contender to worry about, and the always tough SEC, not to mention a week 1 game that could potentially derail them right from the opening gates. It’s going to be a fun ride down in Louisiana, that’s for sure.

Check out the expert college football predictions for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

2011 SEC East Football Predictions

2011 Kentucky Football Predictions	2011 Vanderbilt Football Predictions
2011 South Carolina Football Predictions	2011 Tennessee Football Predictions
2011 Florida Football Predictions	2011 Georgia Football Predictions

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Two major moves shook up the Patriots and all of the NFL really as the 2011 off season finally got underway after the lockout ended. First, the Patriots traded for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth has a bad reputation right now, but you know that the Patriots will be able to reel him in, and he can help fix the team’s lone true weak spot, and that was the pass rush.

Then, the Patriots traded for veteran wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. Chad gives the Patriots what they were missing last year after getting rid of Randy Moss, and that’s a big receiver and a true vertical threat, to compliment the great capabilities of Wes Welker and Deion Branch, and the tandem of tight ends that the team deploys.

Perhaps best of all for the Patriots and for people choosing them as favorites with their NFL football picks is that the club didn’t give up anything significant for either man. That means Tom Brady and company is going to be ready to go to work this year, and they will only have one goal in mind. It’s Super Bowl or bust for the always in contention Patriots, and you better believe that you won’t be the only one selecting them as favorites as you think about your NFL football picks for 2011.

2011 Denver Broncos NFL Predictions	2011 Kansas City Chiefs NFL Predictions
2011 San Diego Chargers NFL Predictions	2011 NFL Oakland Raiders NFL Predictions

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We are going to be positive and assume that the players and the owners resolve their differences and remove the NFL lockout and football handicappers and fans get a decent season. But it is not just the fans that are itching for play, the rookies that will be looking forward to their first NFL season will also be keen to play and compete for the NFL Rookie of the Year. Let’s take a look at the potential contenders and the betting odds you can get on them winning.

The NFL ROTY is split into defensive and offensive draws and has been awarded by the Associated Press since 1967. In 2010 the offensive award was picked up by the St. Louis Rams Quarterback Sam Bradford and the defensive side by Ndamukong Suh.

So who is in the frame this year?

On the offensive side of the draw Cam Newton is the odds on favorite at 11/2 (this is down from an opening of 5/1). Newton, who picked up the BCS title with the Auburn Tigers in college football last season, was the first overall selection in the Draft. It was the Carolina Panthers who picked him, even though just about any player will improve the Panthers, and at 6 foot 5 and 248 pounds he will need to be strong next season behind a suspect defense. This is a big step up for Cam and he will find life a lot more difficult in the NFL, he could have a great showing, however it is just as likely that he could end up on his back a lot.

Tied with Cam at 11/2 in the player odds is Julio Jones. Jones left his mark on the record books in Alabama taking the single season record for yards and receptions (1,133 and 78 respectively). The Atlanta Falcons took him and in this young and improving team he might find just the home he needs to shine. Matt Ryan is a solid QB and Julio Jones can expect some good service.

A.J. Green was picked up by Cincinnati and the 211 lb wide receiver was one of the University of Georgia’s standout players in the school’s history. However unlike Julio Jones he will not benefit from the Ryan quality of QB with the Bengals. He is third favorite at 13/2.

Defense, defense

On the more confrontational side of the ROTY the number one pick in the NFL draft has to be Patrick Peterson. He is out on his own in the odds at 6/1 and was widely considered the overall best player. Peterson set defensive records at LSU for kickoff return yards and backed this up with four interceptions and 42 tackles. The 6ft 0.5 inch, 219 lb corner back was picked up by the Arizona Cardinals for next year. In a team that ranked 30^th on defense for rushing yards and average score against he can certainly expect to see action.

The Detroit Lions collected the second favorite player in the defensive rookie of the year, Nick Fairley. The big (6ft 4inches, 291 lbs) defensive tackle was one of the stand-out defenders in NCAA Football last season. He recorded 60 tackles and 11 sacks. The South East conference Defensive Player of the Year will have a big season with the Lions.

Rounding out the top three on defense we have Von Millar the linebacker from Texas A&M. The Denver Broncos got a much needed player in a key position. Miller was the recipient of the 2010 Butkus Award so he has already caught judges’ eyes. He will get thrown straight into the fray for the Broncos and with a season full of games under his belt he may well be a strong contender.

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The Miami Dolphins will be playing host to the the New York Jets tonight at 8:30 pm ET. The Dolphins probably won’t be serving up much for the Jets other than a check mark in the loss column. The Dolphins are favored by 1 point to  beat the Jets. The Sunday night football picks favor the Dolphins obviously but you can get the New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins SNF Odds to come out on the winning side.

The two teams hit the field tonight, the posted game total is 35.5 points. The Jets are 1-1 going to Miami tonight and the Dolphins are undefeated. In the meantime, 54% of the betting population are betting with the Dolphins as well. If you are ready to place your bets, check the Sunday Night Football Picks: New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins SNF Odds.

This division match-up has definitely been plagued by big stories unrelated to actual plays and game plans. The Ines Sainz issue has been a big one for the Jets and then a DUI charge that Braylon Edwards managed to earn. Both teams have a lot going behind the scenes but have to find a way to focus tonight. The Sunday night football picks are posted and the New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins SNF odds can help you come out a winner tonight too.

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The chaos of the NBA free agency ran right into the frenzy of the NFL free agency. The talk of retirement by one of the NFL’s most retired players of yet just floated around the NFL with ease. Yes, Brett Favre is back and yes, players retired after just one season in the NFL. In the meantime, the NFL schedule week 1 will get underway tonight with Favre and the Vikings head to New Orleans to face the defending Super Bowl Champions.

Many analyst predict that the winner of the game tonight could be a definitely look at the team to head to the Super Bowl months from now.  The Saints have dealt with Reggie Bush being stripped of his Heisman trophy that he won years ago and the Saints have managed to add veteran linebacker Danny Clark to their already tough looking line. Darren Sharper is still with the Saints too so don’t get too excited. The NFL schedule week 1 definitely has the potential to kick start off tonight with a bang.

Minnesota heads into tonight’s game with the possibility of Cedric Griffin playing in New Orleans. Moreover, the coaching staff and Adrian Peterson have spent an inordinate about of time studying film as it relates to fumbles and turnovers which have plagued them. The first game gets underway tonight in the Superdome at 8 PM ET. That will kick the NFL schedule week 1 into action and the weekend is nothing but pigskins a flying.

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MMA fans are raising their hands in victory but boxing fans are not prepared to go away that easily. Toney hit the ring last night with nine months of ground training. The short fight last night should be an eye opener for those fighters who think they can just jump from one type of fighting to the other. Watch the Toney vs Couture Fight Video and then decide for yourself if Toney ever had a chance.

In the meantime, fans of the MMA who hope to see their favorite boxer in the cage soon should remember that the boxer is going to need significant training. Making the move from one way of fighting to another is not as simple as it seems. Boxers will need to watch the MMA fighters and find a trainer to teach how to defend against the various submission holds. Watching Toney vs Couture Fight Video makes it clear that without a doubt,the athletes within the sports are not interchangeable.

Although Toney entered the cage looking confident and ready, the crowd didn’t appear to care for him at all. In the meantime, Couture made his way to the cage sporting a new tattoo. That’s the difference in true MMA fans and fans of fighting in general, the MMA fans noticed the tattoo almost immediately. Watching Toney vs Couture Fight Video, the true diehard fans aren’t hard to spot, nor is the clear winning.

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After watching the Little League World Series this summer, the careful monitoring of the youngsters pitching is more than admirable. Even though Stephen Strasburg hasn’t been abused, the expectations for him are just so much. A majority of the pitchers who have this surgery overcome it, ten of the pitchers in the All Star came this year had been under the knife for this same reason. The question is, even with Tommy John Surgery, will Stephen Strasburg be ready to pitch again?

In the meantime, the guys pitching behind him for the Nationals have to understand the problems with being pushed too hard. Analysts indicate that watching Strasburg when he first entered the leagues, pitching coaches alerted Strasberg and others that he was susceptible to problems simply due to his delivery. However, his delivery has been extremely successful and this surgery shouldn’t slow him down. Strasberg is getting a second opinion prior to having the Tommy John Surgery but almost everyone agrees that’s where he is headed.

The major leagues has 43 active pitchers that have gone through this same surgery and are still pitching. Red Sox trainer Mike Reinold indicated that the success rate for this surgery was upward of 85 to 92 percent for elite pitchers. Strasburg is looking at approximately 12 months of recovery time from start to finish, so expecting to see him in April may just be asking a little bit too much. Strasburg is definitely an elite pitcher and its difficult to find players of his talent who have had Tommy John Surgery to gauge his possible recovery time by is not that easy either.

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If you aren’t familiar with exactly how hard these kids play baseball, you can still catch some great games on various networks. The story of the 2010 World Series though goes to Washington who was playing Connecticut last night. Washington had the lead 9-5, 2 outs in the bottom of the last inning and bases loaded. Washington also had their ace on the mound in the Little League World Series.

The score was in their favor but  Washington had one problem. The only problem was the kid who was pitching  the ball upwards of 70 mph, had reached his pitch count. One more pitch by this kid and he wouldn’t be eligible for the championship series tonight even if they did win. Washington’s coach went to the mound to make a big decision in this Little League World Series game.

The coach for Washington met with several players trying to decide who could pitch and still be available the next day. The kid playing in centerfield is quickly getting a lot of attention. He actually pitched his last inning sometime well before the regional tournaments even started. He got the nod from the head coach, ran to the mound, threw a few warm-up pitches and with a ground ball force out put in play, Robbie became this year’s Little League World Series hero.

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