NASCAR Nextel Cup Series – GFS Marketplace 400

Su Aug 22 – 2:00 pm EST (TNT)/18:00 GMT (NASN)This week’s race is the second to be held at the track this season, thelayout of which is almost identical to its sister track in California, bothbeing wide and spacious two-mile D shaped ovals. Consequently severaldrivers do well on both tracks, so analysis of the results from Michiganand California this season will give us an angle to base our wagers on thisweek. Jeff Gordon won the California race in May with his teammate JimmieJohnson, a 2002 California winner, close behind in second. Gordon is atwo-time winner at Michigan, the last being in 2001, although he struggledthis year. Johnson finished 3rd this year, despite some previous mediocreruns on the track, and has been in good form of late, which is why he’sfavorite this week. The track is perfect for him; no downshifting or tightturns, just mash the pedal for 200 laps. The Gibbs Chevy team of TonyStewart and Bobby Labonte have been very good at Michigan. Labonte had muchof his early career success here; including a sweep of the ‘95 season,while Stewart won at Michigan in 2000, and has 3 other top-5 finishes inhis 11 career starts.

AFC West

The Chiefs return 21 of 22 starters to a team that went 13-3 a year ago, sothey have to be favored in the AFC West and are widely viewed as an offensethat will challenge the Indianapolis Colts for point-scoring supremacy thisseason. The return of their former head coach Gunther Cunningham should seea more aggressive blitz-orientated approach that will take the players somegetting used to. He has his work cut out to get a defense that was last inthe league two years ago and 29th last season into shape. Denver need tofind a replacement for back Clinton Portis. That won’t be easy for a guywho rushed for 1,500 yards each of the past two seasons and was effectivein the passing game as well. Bad news for Oakland fans was Tim Brown havingto be cut due to salary capping, after playing a record 240 games for thefranchise. His departure could be a blow to morale? The Manning’s decisionnot to allow their son play in San Diego exposed fully the problems of theChargers!

We can't forget the Olympic games...

Olympics – Men’s 100m, Final, Su Aug 22 – 10:50 pm EST (NBC)
Asafa Powell defeated reigning Olympic champion Maurice Greene over 100metres for the second time in seven days at the recent Zurich Golden Leaguemeeting. Powell had a fantastic start and narrowly held off the challengefrom his rival to win in 9.93 seconds. The reigning Olympic champion hadearlier lost to rising Jamaican star Powell in the London Super Grand Prixmeeting at Crystal Palace. The net result is that Powell is now our Evensfavourite to win next week’s Olympic 100 metre gold medal. However, itwould be foolish to write off the chances of reigning Olympic ChampionGreene, who was recording his 50th sub-10 second run in Zurich (9.94), andhad earlier in the season booked his place at Athens with a blistering 9.91in Sacramento. Greene’s time that day was the second fastest in the worldand his fourth in the IAAF top 10 list this year. Victory in Athens wouldgo a long way to confirming him as the G.O.A.T, a reference to the acronymtattooed on his arm which stands for Greatest Of All Time!

AFC North

As has been the case the past few seasons, the worry for Baltimore has beenon the offense. Defensively they finished 3rd in the League and theyproduced 47 sacks, but can their offense go? All will hinge on the fate ofrunning back Jamal Lewis who rushed for over 2,000 yards despite havingeight-man fronts facing him almost every time he carried the ball. It isworrying that his legal problems could end his season before it begins,with his court date fixed for November 1st. This could have a seriousaffect on his games before that date, and could serious jeopardize hisavailability for the games in November and December. The Bengals were arespectable 8-8 last season, but may find things tough this season withoutthe services of Corey Dillon and the benching of of quarterback Jon Kitna,after the best season of his career, in favor of untested ex-No. 1 pickCarson Palmer. Cleveland also have questions to be asked on offence, whilePittsburgh just couldn’t run the ball last season, and finished 31st in theNFL in rushing, gaining only 1,488 yards.

AFC East

This season’s New England’s look a far better team that will try to defendits title than the one that failed to make the playoffs after winning SuperBowl XXXVI. Their line-up remains virtually intact, apart from guard DamienWoody, and they look to hold all the aces under coach Bill Belichick. TheBulls will bring a new offensive scheme to the table under new coach MikeMalarkey, but will that be good enough? Buffalo may have been second intotal defense last season, but were only 30th in total defense and 30th inscoring. You see the problem? The key to the Jets success this season willbe their health. Chad Pennington enters his fifth season in New York and hestill hasn’t started an opener. He is a very accurate passer in the short-to medium-range mold of Tom Brady and is clearly the leader of the offense,so they will be counting on him. Expectations are not high at Miami afterthe departure of Ricky Williams, but now the pressure is off they could bedangerous!

AFC South

Indianapolis and it’s high-powered offense should take another divisiontitle, although questions still remain on defense. The Colts posted 79points in two playoff tilts against Denver and Kansas City, but wereclamped down in the AFC Championship against New England, 28-14. In PeytonManning they have arguably the best quarterback in football, but he’s 2-8against New England and hadn’t won a playoff game until last season. Soeven with a 3-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio and never having misseda NFL start, it won’t be enough until he wins it all. Tennessee have lost alot of free agents including solid veterans Jevon Kearse and Eddie George.Their rookies second-year players will have to step up quickly, or theTitans could be in for a long season. The Jaguars were 5-11 last season,but it’s how they finished not how they started that is giving them hopefor the new season. Quarterback Byron Leftwich showed some poise in hisdebut season and a sound defense should only get better. The Texans will behoping for a clean bill of health this time round but are still 0-8 againstdivisional foes Indianapolis and Tennessee.

Get In The Game With Nigel Ridgway

With the preseason games well under way, now would seem a good idea to takea look at how the teams are shaping up for the new season, and theirposition in the betting. This week we start with the race for the AFCChampionship and the divisional titles.

So, stay tuned for fresh info, they are on their own way!