Thursday, August 27th, the Pro Golf Playoffs begin in search of the FedEx Cup and the Ten Million Dollar reward that waits at the end of the 4 week tournament. The battle begins at the Barclays. 124 of the best Pro Golfers will begin in the competition. This will include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. There is much discussion about these playoffs and where they should rank in importance compared to a Major Tournament. Every Pro Golfer has their own opinion.

Many feel like a Major is more important because they have been around for so much longer. Others feel like this 4 week playoffs for the FedEx Cup brings the best field together for the longest period of time. In addition, the ten million dollar reward is nothing to laugh at either.

The 4 week playoffs begin at the Barclays in Jersey City, New Jersey the first week. The second week will have the top 100 moving on to the TPC Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship. Week 3 of the playoffs will be held at Cog Hill, which is located just outside Chicago.

Here the top 70 players to that point will compete in the BMW Championship. The top 30 players will then meet in Atlanta for the final competition for the FedEx Cup and ten million dollars. It is hard enough to play well against a great field in a one week tournament; it is even harder to do so for a month. The excitement is definately building.

There is one thing the Pro Golfers do agree on when it cups to winning the FedEx Cup. They all agree that you will not see just anybody win it. During a one week Major Championship every once in a while a golfer comes out of no where to snatch it away like Y.E. Yang did at the PGA Championship over Tiger Woods. However, this is not likely to happen in these playoffs. The name that you will see on this Championship Cup will be a well known seasoned golfer.

Y.E. Yang deserves all the credit for winning the PGA Championship but it takes pure greatness to play better than anyone else in the field for 4 straight weeks. Perhaps Yang will surprise again but it is not likely. The FedEx Cup was created to allow the best golfers in the world to compete in a playoff system that is as grueling and competitive as any tournament imaginable. This is a tournament that seperates the men from the boys, the flukes from the real deal. One good week will not do it, two great weeks will not help you; even three great weeks can leave you empty handed. You have to play well in all 4 weeks.

Tiger Woods won the first FedEx Cup but even he will have to play his best for all 4 weeks. This tournament is not for the meek at heart. So who do you put your money one? It is going to be tough but lets face it, Tiger Woods is favored whenever he starts a tournament. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Remember also to catch up on the latest game odds at Betus.com!

In the tennis world Roger Federer became a proud father of twins last month and to sweeten his life a little more he won the Cinncinati Masters on Sunday beating Novak Djokovic 6-1 and 7-5. It was Federer’s first win as a father and it choked him up a bit. Next week he will play in the U.S. Open which he has won the last 5 tournaments. He looks confident enough to make it number 6.

The NFL Preseason is well under way and in Philadelphia Michael Vick seems ready to step on the field this coming Thursday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Vick, the former QB for the Atlanta Falcons just finished a prison sentence for association with dog fighting. The Eagles have given him a chance to prove he is a changed man and can still deliver a peak performance. In other NFL news it is true that it is only preseason but this is the time to test the veterans and the rookies to see what they can bring to the table.

You cannot help but be curious as to how some of the big trades will work out over the past off season. Jay Cutler, the former Denver QB was traded to the Chicago Bears. Jay Cutler looked pretty good over the weekend as Chicago defeated the New York Giants 17-3.

Chicago is my pick to win the NFC Central as long as they stay healthy. Cutler is the missing ingredient this team has needed for years. Chad Pennington was traded to the Miami Dolphins last year from the New York Jets when they signed Brett Farve for one season.

Pennington lead the Dolphins from a 1-15 season the previous year to a 11-5 record. Then he stumbled in the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens throwing 4 interceptions. Chad knows he cannot make that mistake again this year. He knows this may be his last chance. The Ravens take on the New York Jets tonight on Monday Night Football.

In NCAA Football the Associated Press released their preseason top 25 and Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators were at the top of the list. The Gators have a relatively easy schedule and they should do well. The Gators received 58 out of 60 votes for number one. No other team has ever done that in the preseason 25 poll. Texas, Oklahoma, USC and Alabama rounded out the top 5. Ten preseason number ones have won the National Championship in the past, perhaps Florida will be number 11. It is going to be an exciting college season for sure.

There will be some very competitive games, you can bet on that. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Remember also to catch up on the latest game odds at Betus.com!

Y.E. Yang became the first Asian player to win a major championship this past Sunday.  This was a remarkable feat considering he was paired with Tiger Woods.  Tiger began the final round on Sunday leadng the pack and it appeared he would easily win the tournament.  It was not to be.  Yang who hails from South Korea played steady with confidence.  Tiger had trouble on the green all day.  Tiger missed some relatively short putts that allowed Yang to first tie and then take the lead.

Tiger Woods looked very comfortable as the day began.  After all, he was 14-0 in tournaments when he had the lead going into the final round.  All in all Tiger proved that he was human after all.  Tiger knew he had played well enough to win the championship but he also knew that unless you get the ball in the hole when on the green bad things are going to happen.  Tiger normally displays great putting technique and has surprised more than one opponent over the years with his short game.  That short game was not to be seen this past Sunday.

Therefore, the 37 year old Y.E. Yang overcame the odds and won the PGA Championship by 3 strokes.  His win inspired Asian golfers around the world.  Not only had Yang beaten Woods in a tournament but in a major as well.  In the end it would be justifiable to say that Tiger Woods defeated himself on Sunday.  After all, Golf is a individual game.  Each player has the responsibility of playing their best game and not truly defeating him or herself.  If Tiger had brought his short game with him on Sunday he would have won the championship.

Never the less it is what it is.  Tiger did not win a major this season.  He may have come close but close only counts in the game of horse shoes.  Y. E. Yang deserves to be proud of his accomplishment.  He played his game on Sunday and displayed moments of excellence that led him to victory.  Anyone who knows anything about golf knows that Tiger will be back.  He is after all, the number one golfer in the world with good reason.  This week however Y. E. Yang can rejoice.  He broke the odds.  I would not bet on him doing so against Tiger again.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

In the world of Golf Tiger Woods takes a two stroke lead into the final round of the PGA Championship.  Tiger has never lost a major when he has lead going into the final round.  There are two other golfers tied for second.  One of those is Padraig Harrington and he is breathing down Tiger’s neck pretty hard.  So it would appear that this one is Tiger’s to lose.  The odds are heavily in his favor at this point.  Tiger, even playing on a course that was pounded with rain overnight, is in a good position to win another PGA Championship and his first major of the year.

The NFL Preseason is well under way.  It is hard to make anything out of the preseason though.  Some coaches really try to win those games just to pump their team up and get them ready for the real season.  Other coaches use it for what it was created to watch their players and see how they are going to perform in real time and contact.  In the rematch of the Super Bowl from last season the Steelers beat the Cardinals 20-10.  Pittsburgh is under a lot of pressure since they won their 6th Super Bowl last year.  The last time they won the Super Bowl in 2005 they finished 8-8 the next season.  They don’t want to repeat the same process this season.  Most of the Super Bowl team is still in tact and the Steelers will be in the thick of things again this year.

Tom Brady is back after his injury and started the Patriots preseason game against Philadelphia.  He threw a couple touchdowns and an interception and the Patriots squeaked out a victory.  New England will be in the thick of things as well.  Michael Vick signed a two year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles and is in his first NFL practice since he left the Atlanta Falcons to serve a prison sentence for dog fighting issues.  Having Michael Vick in Philly won’t make their QB Donovan McNabb very happy.  There were other teams where Michael Vick may have been more beneficial but it is what it is.

In Major League Baseball the New York Yankee’s have won 12 out of their last 13 games and are really making a run of it.  Some of the division races are really beginning to narrow and there should be some tight finishes.  Some of these pennant races are going to come right down to the wire.

Look for Tiger Woods to win the PGA Championship today and for the Yankee’s to continue their rampage in baseball.  Monday night the Carolina Panthers play the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.  Once again it is a preseason game but it should still be fun to watch.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Tiger Woods may have missed the cut at the British Open but he has won 2 tournaments since then, the Buick and the Bridgestone, and he now leads the PGA Championship by 1 after his first day.  He shot a 5 under 67 and went bogey free.  He is one stroke ahead of his playing partner.  This would be the same playing partner he dueled with at Bridgestone, Patraig Harrington.  Harrington won the PGA Championship last year and would certainly like to do so again.  Woods, the number one golfer in the world, is favored even though he is yet to win a major this year.  He has won at least one major in each of the last four years.

There has been much discussion about Tiger Woods coming into the PGA Championship.  Tiger has won 5 tournaments this year.  That would be great for the average golfer but once you have taken golf to an entirely different level 5 just is not enough.  Besides, none of those five wins was a major.  Therefore the question posed is if Tiger does not win the PGA and ends the season without a major could he still consider it a successful year?  Most say this year would be a failure for him without a major under his belt.  Perhaps this is true.  Even Tiger judges his success by his ability to win majors.

However, Tiger, although we seldom allow him to be, is still human.  A year without a major would not be the end of his career or a tarnish on his legacy.  He is still the best overall golfer of his generation.  Tiger knows the importance of getting off to a good start.  He also knows that a great day one does not win a tournament.  Tiger is well aware of his field and he knows that to win he will have to be at his very best, which he appears to be after day one.  Tiger has won 2 straight and he knows more than any sports writer how important this major is to him.

At 7,674 yards this course is the longest in PGA Championship history.  That did not stop Tiger today.  Tiger knows that it is not how long the course is but how long you play it.  Tiger has a strong field and although he is favored to win and the odds are normally in his corner the pressure is on.  With players like Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera and Stewart Cink on his tail he will have to play the course short.  I know it gets boring betting on Tiger Woods but I find it hard to bet against him.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Ohio State is ranked in the top ten of most NCAA football polls.  Their first game has the Buckeyes hosting Navy.  Not the biggest matchup in the world but it is very important that Ohio State gets off on the right foot this year.  Their second game will have them hosting a powerhouse in USC.  They need to hit the ground running and be up and ready for that game.  As usual Ohio State has a tough schedule facing Penn State, USC, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin just to name a few.  It all begins with Navy and the Buckeyes will need a win there to make it all happen.  The Buckeyes have won or shared the Big Ten Championship for the last 4 years.  Don’t look for that to change.  The Buckeyes should win this one easily.

The USC Trojans kick off their season on September 5th against San Jose State.  Although that does not strike much fear in the hearts of gridiron elite USC also needs a big win before they travel to Ohio State.  The Trojans won big in the Rose Bowl last January and their defense should be great even with some new starters in the front seven.  However that offense will have to contribute even more this season for them to go all the way.  Look for USC to win this one with ease.

The Oklahoma Sooners open up September 5th hosting Brigham Young University.  Brigham Young has always been known for their explosive offense but they need their defense to step up as well.  This will be an important year for QB Sam Bradford as he leads the Sooners in hopes of their 4th straight Big 12 Championship.  Bradford needs to show that he can play well even if his offensive line does not.  Oklahoma has new starters on the offensive line a new receivers as well.  If they click with Bradford early they will dominate, if not it could be a long season.  This game has all the makings of a shootout.  Look for Oklahoma to pull out a close one.

The Alabama Crimson Tide open up September 5th against the Virginia Tech Hokies.  Virginia Tech has been putting up ten win seasons without garnering much respect.  A big win here would take them up a notch.  Alabama Coach Nick Saban has brought the Tide back to it’s glory years in a very short time.  Game one of this season will be time to put up or shut up.  This game is going to be a tough one but look for Nick Saban to pull a rabbit out of his hat.  We will review more games tomorrow.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

In Akron, Ohio at the Bridgestone Invitational Tiger Woods trails Padraig Harrington by three strokes.  Harrington was feeling pretty comfortable until he looked up at the scoreboard and realized that Tiger was in second place.  Tiger has been almost unbeatable at Firestone and Harrington is well aware of it.  Harrington wanted to have the best lead possible going into Sunday but he knows there may not be a safe lead over the number one golfer in the world.  Tomorrow should really be interesting.  Tiger has won 6 out of 10 times playing at Firestone and he would like to make it 7 of 11.  Harrington and Woods will be paired up in the same group and it should be a great finish.

UFC 101 is about to begin and there are some pretty good matches tonight.  B.J. Penn is taking on Kenny Florian and is the favorite to win.  Anderson Silva is facing Forrest Griffin and is a huge favorite to win this one.  Johny Hendricks is set to battle Amir Sadollah with Sadollah picked to win.  There are quite a few less known contests but the Penn fight and Silva fight will get all the attention.  Anderson Silva should beat Griffin as long as he does not get to cocky and Penn should have no real problem with Kenny Florian but as with any competition you just don’t know until it is over.

The College Football polls came out today with a list of the top ten NCAA teams in the country.  The list goes as follows:  Florida at number 1, Texas at number 2, Oklahoma at number 3 and USC at number 4.  Alabama rounded out the top 5.  Ohio State came in at number 6 with Virginia Tech at number 7.  Number 8 was Penn State with LSU and Mississippi rounded out the top ten.  It is going to be another great NCAA Football season.

In the NFL the Hall of Fame Game will be played on Sunday between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans.  This event kicks off the NFL preseason and I can feel the excitement building.  The NFL season is upon us again and it should be a lot of fun.  There are going to be some great match ups and we will keep you posted on them all season long.  There may be some surprises in the NFL this year like Arizona in 2008.  Betters be ready because it is going to be a great season.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and may you always remember to be a good sport.

The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is becoming more popular each and everyday.  Mixed martial arts contests have been going on for many decades but the UFC has taken it to an entirely different level.  In my youth I was a Bruce Lee fan and to this day I have still yet to see a mixed martial artist of his caliber but the UFC could have come from his own imagination. 

The UFC pitts two competitors against each other inside a cage.  The blood that spills in these fights is real.  The bruises and bumps are real and when someone is put in a choke hold the danger of them passing out is real.  There is nothing fake about the UFC.  When you watch these fights you know that most every fighter will enter that ring and fight with intensity and determination lacking in other areas.

UFC 101 on Saturday promises to be more of the same.  Middleweight Anderson Silva will take on Forrest Griffin in a fight that promises fireworks in dramatic fashion.  Griffin is a straight ahead fighter who does not back off and refuses to quit until you make him quit.  Silva has been a monster in the cage but appears to lose his intensity if a competitor does not show it as well. 

He won’t have that problem with Forrest Griffin.  Forrest Griffin may very well lose this fight but it will not be for the lack of trying and that is where the UFC is different.  Just because you lose a fight does not mean you lack respect.  The fans love a good fight and they remember those who provided it for them win or lose.

Anderson Silva has a knee that loves to catch aggressive fighters coming in.  If Griffin can avoid that knee he stands a fair chance.  Anderson may be one of the best pound for pound fighters in the UFC and Griffin may have one of the biggest fighting hearts. 

Griffin has a 16-5 record in the UFC but he is still very respected for his intensity.  Silva had to pack on 20 pounds to fight Griffin.  This should not take anything away from his dominate personality.  This fight will definately be a good one and that is why the UFC expects to pick up one million units for this pay per view fight.

Anderson Silva is going to be the favorite in this fight.  Griffin will find himself in a familiar underdog role.  Never the less when this contest begins sparks will fly and the fans will be on their feet and in the UFC anything is possible.  One thing you can almost certainly guarantee is that this fight will not go the distance.  This will be a slugfest. 

Bet your money wisely on this one.  Expect the unexpected but you know where the odds lay in this one.  Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.

Tiger Woods won the Buick Open in Michigan by 3 strokes and enhanced the ratings of the tournament by 167%.  Tiger had opened the Buick Open with a less than impressive first round but bounced back to take the victory even thought the field of competition was a little weak to say the least.  The Warwick Hills Golf Course hosted its first Buick Open back in 1958 but by the looks of the ratings it could be their last.  If Tiger Woods had not been there the ratings would have been dismal.  Tiger needed this victory so he could feel good about himself once again.  He needed to rebuild his confidence.  Now he feels ready for the next two tournaments where the road to victory will be a little tougher to drive.

Later this week Tiger will begin play at the Bridgestone Invitational.  From there he ventures on to Hazeline for the PGA Championship.  It will be Tiger’s only opportunity to win a major this year.  The Buick Open win was Tiger’s 3rd victory there and his 69th PGA tour victory.  Tiger knew that the end of an era was taking place as he approached the 17th and 18th holes.  He knew he would not be playing on this course again for a Buick Open.  On both the 17th and 18th holes he threw a ball into the crowd.  He never does that but he felt the irony of the moment.  The Greenbrier in West Virginia will pick up the Buick Open in 2010.

Tiger Woods 69 PGA wins place him 3rd all time behind Jack Nicklaus who had 73 and Sam Snead who had 82.  Tiger has won 4 tournaments this year and that is twice as many as any other pro golfer.  He has won 4 out of 11 since coming back from his knee surgery.  Tiger is still at another level even when he is coming off surgery.  That is why he is still the number one golfer in the world.  At the end of the first round Tiger was 95th.  He ended up taking home the trophy.  It was the biggest jump he has ever made in a tournament.

So how will Tiger fare at the Bridgestone Invitational?  I would be willing to bet that Tiger will be very competitive.  He is finally getting back into his stride.  When Tiger Woods is on his game there is no one in the world who can touch him.  Tiger knows how important these last two tournaments are and he will be up for them.  He cannot afford to start off 95th in the first round of the Bridgestone.  He will have to prove here that he is truly back in stride and back on his game.  Are you willing to bet against him?  Until we meet again may your betting be better and may you remember to always be a good sport.