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Thanksgiving Weekend NFL

2006-11-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

Twelve games played out on the Sunday ticket thanks to the Thanksgiving tripleheader. Thanksgiving game results were led by Dallas who won 38-10 over the Buccaneers. Dallas are now four of fivewith Romo as QB.

The Chiefs also made a statement with a 19-10 victory over the Bronos. Both AFC West squads now have identical records and look a good chance to reach the playoffs at current standings.

The big game on Sunday was Chicago at New England. The Patriots hadn't done so well at home and this was their chance to beat a good opponent at Gillette.

New England won 17-13. The Patriots are now 8-3 with a two game lead in the AFC East division, while Chicago is 9-2 and still in charge of the NFC.

Baltimore Ravens won at home with a 27-0 win over Pittsburgh.

The Jets made sure they took care of business by a 26-11 beating of Houston. The Jets stayed alive in the AFC East.

Cincinnati won their second game in a row by beating the Browns 30-0.

Jacksonville is 6-5, and that is because they dropped a 27-24 decision to the Buffalo.

Carolina lost 17-13 at Washington.

The Giants blew a 21-0 fourth quarter lead, and lost 24-21 to Tennessee. Unreal. It was a major blow to the Giants' NFC East title hopes.

The Chargers struggled against the Raiders but pulled away late for a 21-14 win.

Look forward to next week!

Steelers Looking for Resurrection

2006-09-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

Just over half a year since winning a hard fought Super Bowl title everyone is wondering if the Pittsburgh Steelers have been affected by what has happened since.

Last season they were the sixth-seeded wild card and got up some momentum to take them all the way. They are not firing on all cylinders now though - and the Dolphins arrive tonight.

You cannot pay too much attention to their 0-4 pre-season - coaches experiment during this period - especially experienced ones. Ben Roethlisberger looked good despite his accident three months ago. But he's out for the opener due to a medical procedure.

Jerome Bettis has retired and receiver Randle El and two other starters have left on free agency. Bill Cowher has not committed to further than this season. In the past he has received extensions with two years remaining.

Yet the Steelers also have the bulk of their lineup back - they have been blessed with continuity by the Rooney family and they could be there or thereabouts again.

Thursday, is the funeral of Pittsburgh mayor Bob O'Connor. O'Connor's son, Corey, 22, will begin Steelers fans in the "Terrible Towels" wave before kickoff.

It remains to be seen if that wave pushes them all the way to the post season.

Favre Positive...

2006-08-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Brett Favre's could be accused of being a little over confident as regards the current Green Bay Packers Team. A week ago he declared in a press conference: "I really feel, as far as talent is concerned, this is the best team that I've been part of..."

This from a QB who is has just had his worst pro season and is approaching the end of his career. Of course Favre might not have been referring to himself in his statement.

The alleged 'talent' will have to combine to get it together on the field if the Packers are to have any hope of making the post season this year.

Cowboys Secure Witten

2006-07-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Tight end Jason Witten has signed a new six year deal with the Dallas Cowboys reported to be worth USD 28m - even though the team has not yet confirmed the report.

The 24 year old Witten caught 66 passes for 755 yards - with six touchdowns in the 2005/6 season. His best performing year however, was 2004 with 87 receptions for 980 odd yards.

Dallas are likely to continue to use Witten as the pass-catching tight end and will be hoping he can eclipse his 2004 season best - certainly if the USD 28m figure proves to be accurate.

Pittsburgh Steelers a Big Price for Repeat

2006-07-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a whopping 15/1 shot win their second straight Super Bowl in 2007.

Dynasty team the New England Patriots are just 5/1, with the Colts at 6/1. Seattle are currently 11/1, with Denver and Carolina at 12/1.

"That puts five teams ahead of Pittsburgh in the betting" said Daniel Barty-King owner of Betfile, "and at 15/1 some might consider the Steelers decent value."

Lines will shift in the lead up to the start of the season. Sometimes it is good to get on before the start of the pre-season.

Williams Takes To Canadian Football

2006-06-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Ricky Williams found his feet in Canadian Football on Saturday.

Williams managed only 8 yards rushing in the first half, but picked up the pace in the second when he completed 98 yards on 18 carries and helped the Toronto Argonauts to a 27-17 win over the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the opening game of the season.

Williams, former Miami Dolphin, was suspended a year from the NFL for his fourth positive drug test.

Roethlisberger In Bike Accident

2006-06-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

You have to ask yourself what a valueable commodity like Ben Roethlisberger, on the verge of becoming a football icon, was doing riding a motorcycle in the first place. For those of us who have ridden one, well, lets just say we understand why he was on one. The issue of 'no helmet' is perhaps surprising especially when you consider that the majority of his injuries were head injuries.

The Pittsburgh Steelers QB suffered a broken jaw, broken teeth and lacerations that required 7 hourse of surgery. Despite this the injuries are not considered too serious and people close to the big man expect him to make a full recovery before the start of the NFL season in September.

Fans and well-wishers waited outside of the hospital. His coach and some team-mates have already been to see him.

The accident occurred at an intersection where a serious collision too place involving the bike BR was riding and a silver Chrysler New Yorker.

Police are currently investigating the crash which is standard procedure.

In only his second year in the NFL, Roethlisberger helped the Steelers to the Super Bowl title at just age 23.

Free Fantasy Football

2006-06-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Football!

Our 2006 Fantasy Football Comp is coming to Betfile / VIPon July 1 and it is, as usual, free!

The majority of of the fantasy football sites have moved to a pay service model, from anything up $50 for an annual subscription.

Crazy, we offer all the stats and info you need absolutely free.

Football Draft:

Positional Player Rankings: Over 150 player profiles with detailed analysis and information that you will be pushed to match anywhere else.

Top 100 Players List: the Top 100 fantasy players that is needed to make your draft a success.

'Sleepers' and 'Busts': Check out who is being underrated, and which players to avoid on draft day.

Rookies: Which 2006 draft picks will make an impact and who will fall by the wayside

We will be offering daily breaking NFL news - from a fantasy perspective.

Monday's Rewind: We'll take a look at the previous weekend's action including game reviews and great fantasy performances.

Tuesday's Fantasy Value Stock Market: Which player values are rising and falling.

Wednesday's NFL Selections: A five year running column that picks NFL games against the spread, and charts the results through the year.

Thursday's Play or Stay: Which players should be in your first team and which should be on the bench.

Join Betfile today!

Spurs and Pistons Face Game 6 Crunch

2006-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Last years finalists the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons both need to win their Game 6's on the road tonight to keep their final hopes alive.

T.Duncan has been in great form for San Antonio averaging 32 points, just under 12 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.8 on shots blocked while shooting over 60% in the series.
The Mavs will need to double-team him at the right moments in order to stifle his play.

As far as the Pistons are concerned - they averaged a league-best 11.4 turnovers a game during the regular season but are committing closer to 14 against the Cavaliers. The Pistons have averaged 15.2 turnovers in the past three games, all of which they have lost.

Detroit have play like champions or at least finalists in order to get there. Billups may be the man to lift spirits.

Kentucky Derby Winner

2006-05-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby by 6.5 lengths - a huge winning margin when you think about it as no horse had one by such a distance since Assault took the Derby by eight lengths victory in 1946.

Barbaro has now won six races in six starts. The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown and takes place on May 20th. This is followed by the somewhat tougher Belmont Stakes which takes place on June 10th and makes up the Crown's final leg.

We already have odds drawn up as to whether or not Barbaro will win the Preakness, as well as his chances of winning the Triple Crown.

Foreign Players Making Impact In NBA

2006-04-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Bargnani is a seven foot Italian forward with a good long range shot, he also has an inside power game and will end up being a top ten NBA draft pick. It's just a question of whether he enters this year or next year.

There has been something of a 'foreign invasion' as regards the NBA. They already make up nearly 20% of players. The San Antonio Spurs have seven alone - they are now looking for their third title in four years. The Phoenix Suns have a coach who did a lot of his work in Italy and has helped build the fourth best team on paper this season. The Dallas Mavericks have Dirk Nowitzki, a seven footer who has already reached superstar status - and is always hovering around the list of MVP 'possibles'.

Around sixty percent of these international players are from Europe - where various 'academies' produce strong players with great basic skills. They arrive in the US game 'trained up' and the league has welcomed them as historically these fundamentals have been lacking. The Euros are more coachable - without the 'hangers on' or attitude often displayed by American players.

Know this, the Europeans have come and are still coming. It is estimated that international players will make up over 50% of the NBA league within the next five years.

Find NBA Betting Odds at Betfile Sports.

Spurs Dig In To Grizzilies

2006-04-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

Pau Gasol had two chances to make big plays in the final minute in Sunday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Tim Duncan didn't allow him too make those plays by blocking Gasol's shot with less than a minute remaining and defended Gasol when he missed a potential game-tying opportunity with six seconds remaining. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies 83-81. This after the Spurs had trailed by seven points with under ten minutes remaining in the game.

The Spurs have swept the four games against the Grizzlies this season.

Duncan had 23 points and 12 rebounds to help the Spurs stay ahead of Dallas for the top spot in the West. San Antonio had lost two straight games both at home.

The Grizzlies (44-33) stay in sixth place in the West. Memphishad won three straight games.

In more detail, Gasol missed a 17-foot jump shot that Nick Van Exel rebounded for the Spurs with 1:37 left. He tried a different strategy when the Grizzlies got the ball back on Duncan's pass that Eddie Jones stole.

Gasol had averaged 24 points in the previous three games this season against San Antonio and was expecting to do well. Sometimes it isn't the number of points but the crucial points that make the difference.

Gasol went 5-of-19 from the floor and committed eight of Grizzlies' twelve turnovers. He missed all of his four shots in the final quarter. Gasol did go 3-of-4 from the floor to open the match.

Interesting Stats:

The Spurs are the fourth-best in the league in three-point shooting at around 38% but they missed their first eight three-point shots to finish 4 from 15.

Clippers Cast Spell On Wizards

2006-03-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

Clippers routed Washington 116-101 yesterday for their fortieth victory of the season.

They could break the franchise record (Buffalo Braves in the seventies)and need to go 9-5 the rest of the season to do so.

Cassell scored twenty-six points for the Clippers. Antawn Jamison scored thirty one points for the Wizards, who had beaten the Clippers eight of the previous ten occasions.

"They did a good job not letting me get free for easy baskets," Arenas said. "They're more mobile than other teams..."

The Wizards were just 5-for-24 (behind the arc) against the Clippers. Arenas was 1-for-7 on three-pointers and 5-for-16 overall.

What a difference from their 109-97 victory at Utah.

Washington Spike Pistons

2006-03-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Wizards certainly know how to beat the Detroit Pistons. They ended a five game losing streak by beating Detroit in two overtimes on Nov. 25, and they are still the only Eastern Conference team with a road win over them.

The Wizards are one of two teams (the other being Utah) with two victories over Detroit this season. They shot 59% through the first three quarters and led by six points at halftime. They then pulled away, scoring the first eight points of the second half to build a fourteen point lead.

Wallace scored 18 and Hamilton 16 - for the Pistons, who had won seven straight road games against the Washington. Detroit has now lost three of the last five.

Arenas ended 13 for 19 and was 50% on three pointers in his thirtieth thirty-point game this season. Washington coverted a season-high twelve three-pointers.

The Wizards quickly led 67-53 in the second half.

Facts and Figures:
In allowing 59 first half points Detroit equalled their worst performance of the season

The Wizards' last home win against the Pistons was on March 14, 2001.

Miami Heat Hot

2006-02-23T18:57:00.000-08:00

Dwyane Wade - the boy wonder - and Jason Williams each had 24 points and five assists, as the Heat demolished New York by 103-83 on Wednesday night.

Walker and O'Neal added 31 points between them to continue their recent dominance over New York. The Knicks, who are in last place, acquired Francis from Orlando earlier on Wednesday in a trade for Penny Hardaway and Trevor Ariza. It could be that Francis may be paired up with Marbury in the back-court as the Knicks attempt to save their season.

Francis could make his Knicks debut against New Jersey. They will need him as they have now only won two of their last nineteen.

The Heat took control in the first quarter and never relinquished a comfortable lead
that they had for most of the game. They were in at the break with a 57-38 lead.

The Knicks managed to get within nine points of the Heat late in the game but that was as close as they got in the latter stages.

76ers Overrun By Stampeding Bulls

2006-02-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

Chicago Bulls crushed Philly tonight, beating the 76ers 117-84.

Chicago were two games behind the inconsistent 76ers in the Eastern Conference - but were charged up going for the final playoff spot. Kirk Hinrich scored 18, and reserve forward Malik Allen added 16 for Chicago. Andres Nocioni scored 16, and Tyson Chandler got in on the act with eleven rebounds.

Philadelphia have now lost six out eight games. Despite beating the Spurs in overtime on Wednesday - they lost their touch tonight.

The Bulls saw a 22 point lead shrink eleven at the half. Philadelphia got within nine in the third quarter before the Bulls finally buried them.

The Bulls piled on the points and ended with a comfortable 33 point victory.

Plagued Martin Gives Denver Victory

2006-02-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Kenyon Martin finally let his play do the talking for him. He scored a massive thirty four points in Denver's victory over Dallas 113-104. That broke the Mavs thirteen-game winning streak.

All this after a tough week for Martin, during the course of which he was forced to answer questions about why he left the court with three minutes to play in Denver's loss at Utah as well as his part in an argument involving individuals in the crowd. One fan was later said to have exchanged words with Martin after the game.

Things went further awry after this game when he exchanged obscenities with a reporter while he was getting changed.

Denver had lost six of their last seven games and were playing without Marcus Camby, who was out with a back injury. But they made their victory look relatively easy.

Pittsburgh Get Super Bowl And More

2006-02-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl XL was generous to Pittsburgh - it handed them the Lombardi trophy, gave Bill Cowher his legacy and made Ben Roethlisberger the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at 23. The only regret is that Jerome Bettis announced his retirement after the game - he will be missed as a strong man and character in football - but you have to applaud his timing. He retires a champion.

The Steelers trailed early but went into the half ahead. Two big plays knocked the wind out of Seattle - once when running back Willie Parker's ran 75-yard for his touchdown - the longest touchdown run yardage in Super Bowl history, and then again in the fourth quarter when Randle El passed over 40 yards to Hines Ward on a 'reverse'.

Cowher deserves it - he has waited a long time for this, the 5th time Pittsburgh have won the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl Shaun

2006-02-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Shaun Alexander is very far away from Super Bowl stardom and hopefully for him, glory. Yet it was so nearly very different.

Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys) was largely responsible for Seattle's good fortune in having a player like Shaun Alexander. Jones made the first move in 2000, a move that would cruelly send Dallas into a flat spin and help to rebuild the Seahawks.

He sent two first-round draft picks to Seattleand in return snapped up Joe Galloway -a geat wide-receiver. Jones hoped it would give him one final Super Bowl run with his current ageing team.

Unfortunately Galloway received a bad knee injury in his first game with the Dallas Cowboys. Galloway never really reached his potential - it was more to do with inexperienced team members than himself.

For Seattle things were looking up because one of the two draft picks was Shaun Alexander, a young running back from the South. He has accumulated 7817 yards including 1880 this last 2005/2006 season.

It was Seattle coach Holmgren went for the Galloway trade. Maybe he will have similar luck on Sunday. Check out our Super Bowl markets.

Depressed Detroit Welcomes Bowl

2006-01-30T07:43:00.000-08:00

Detroit is not proving to be the big crowd puller of other destinations in previous years. Sure, the Super Bowl is biggest US sporting event and it will be as popular as ever - but package deals have to sell the destination too. It's proving harder this year.

Since 1950, Detroit's population has diminished from 1.8 million to less than a million. It has one of the country's highest murder rates and more than a third of its population live at or below the federal poverty line. It's unemployment stands at just under 7%.

Ford has just announced plans to cut at least twenty-five thousand jobs nationally. General Motors announced that it had lost $8.6 billion in 2005.

Still, 100,000 visitors should show up in Detroit next Sunday - so the city has a
chance to show people that it isn't all bad. The city is going to get a significant financial boost. More than $100 million has been invested in businesses, apartments and street improvements. Over fifty businesses have relocated or opened downtown in the last two or three years. People now fill the sidewalks night and day.

The weather is naturally a reason why people aren't killing themselves to get to Detroit this weekend. There aren't really any luxury hotels around, no beaches or warm weather or other outdoor activities.

Based on previous host cities Super Bowl experience, visitors could spend as much as $180 million and the total financial boost could top $300 million. The game is sold out as usual, hotels in the surrounding areas are full, restaurants are overbooked, everyone is expecting a profitable week.

Good luck to them.

Cowher Destined For Victory

2006-01-25T18:54:00.000-08:00

The Steelers are back on the big Stage in around ten days time, for the first time since they lost to the Cowboys ten years ago in Super Bowl XXX.

Cowher has done the right things this season and one gets the feeling that the fiery coach will not be denied the elusive Superbowl title with the Steelers.

The management have importantly brought on the young Roesthlisberger - and he has transformed the team. At times the young man reminds you off Tom Brady, with this stature and throwing ability. As Roethlisberger has grown, so has Cowher - and in turn the team - into a formidable unit.

Cowher has simply destroyed his demons, reversing a 1-4 record in AFC Championship Games of yester-year, as his underdog team has ruled the road. It's seven victories in a row now and you get the feeling they have an unstoppable momentum.

Six Of The Worst

2006-01-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

Before we charge with untamed enthusiasm towards yet another Super Bowl final - let us spare a quick, if unsympathetic, thought for the six teams that have never made a Super Bowl.

Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals. Seattle was in amongst them too...until this year.

Maybe we can forgive the Saints for going nowhere this season, after what happened to their home town of New Orleans. We should also remember that the Texans are a relatively new team. The Jaguars gave fans some hope this season - but in the end it wasn't to be. As for when the rest will make it the the Bowl? That's anyone's guess.

So let's welcome Seattle to the club and just pray for the rest. Maybe we should start a book on who will be the first of the 'last six' to make the Super Bowl - the only problem is that customers could wait a long time to collect any winnings!

Patriots Finally Fall in AFC Playoff.

2006-01-16T12:38:00.000-08:00

The Denver Broncos' Champ Bailey returned an interception one hundered yards to set up a touchdown and the team recovered three fumbles to take a 27-13 win over the New England Patriots.

It was the first post-season loss for Tom Brady, who won his first ten games to set a record for quarterbacks. New England were trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls and four in five years. In all honesty most did not expect them to make it this year with the injury problems they had suffered.

Yet to a degree it was Patriot errors and turnovers that cost them - and they really beat themselves.

New England seemed to be about get back in the game at 10-6 down - when Tom Brady threw into the end zone for Troy Brown but was intercepted by Baily who brought it back downfield to the Patriots one yard line. On the next play the Broncos scored a touchdown with to take a 17-6.

Later, Jake Plummer rolled to his right and connected with Smith for a touchdown pass to make it 24-6 under nine minutes remaining.

But Brady was on fire, connecting with Branch on bomb over the middle and David Givens less than a minute later - to haul back some of the deficit.

The Patriots then let it go with a Broncos field goal and another interception and the game ended 27-13.

Playoffs Superbowl

2006-01-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

This years Playoff picture has developed and Super Bowl contenders know what they have to do. Below is a quick peek at a few of the issues surrounding the teams:

Have Jacksonville been lucky with their schedule and season's opponents? If Byron Leftwich returns after missing nearly half a dozen games with a fractured ankle, he'll have to be sharp.

Is Washington currently the best team in the NFC? Coach Joe Gibbs takes his team to face Tampa Bay with the longest current winning streak of any playoff team. Can the master craft a memorable Super Bowl win?

Have the Bengals had their confidence knocked by back to back losses for a combined seventy four points? The manner of those defeats was telling.

What is the state of play with Denver's secondary? Denver's last two seasons ended in RCA Dome defeats. To get to the Super Bowl, they could find themselves back there again. Although the Broncos have the second-worst pass defense of any playoff team, they have allowed just 16.1 points a game.

Chicago's offense is no where near as effective as its own defense, the best in the league. If they can put it all together they could surely go all the way.

Tampa Bay has allowed over forty one, which is more than any playoff squad. They will need some better QB protection for the playoff run.

Will the Steelers ride with Jerome Bettis (The Bus) to the bowl? Bettis may no longer be Pittsburgh's preferred runner but he still represents the power rushing game that is Steelers football.

Can the Patriots overcome the loss of Harrison and others? Belichick is still the best coach in the NFL. Tom Brady has passed for an NFL-high 4,110 yards but going against them is the fact that no playoff team has allowed more touchdown passes (twenty-five) than New England.

Can Seattle end their twenty-one year run without a playoff win? With players like Shaun Alexander this is the year to make up a lot of ground and banish the playoff demons of yesterday.

Does Carolina have a good enough rushing game? In Super Bowl XXXVIII two years ago, they had a great rusher in Stephen Davis. This time they have Steve Smith - with Davis injured.

Giants stumbling? The NYG defense has been affected by a sudden crop of injuries at linebacker. One feels that Eli Manning needs to find some consistency if they are to progress.

Will the RCA Dome and homefield advantage help the Colts finally get to the Bowl? Having dispelled their Patriots demons - the Colts should fear no-one. If they end up playing an improving New England again, then at least it wouldn't be in the cold of Gillette Stadium, it will be in an AFC title game...indoors.

On To The Football Playoffs

2006-01-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Week 17 Results:

Indianapolis 17, Arizona 13
Kansas City 37, Cincinnati 3
Pittsburgh 35, Detroit 21
Miami 28, New England 26
Tampa Bay 27, New Orleans 13
Cleveland 20, Baltimore 16
Jacksonville 40, Tennessee 13
Minnesota 34, Chicago 10
Washington 31, Philadelphia 20
St. Louis 20, Dallas 10
N.Y. Jets 30, Buffalo 26
Carolina 44, Atlanta 11
Green Bay 23, Seattle 17
San Francisco 20, Houston 17 (OT)
Denver 23, San Diego 7
N.Y. Giants 30, Oakland 21