MLB odds: Terrible news for Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays likely will be without one of their best young pitchers for the rest of the season, no matter what they are saying now, as Dustin McGowan has been shown to have the dreaded tear in his rotator cuff.

Now, the Jays are saying only that the club is expecting McGowan to miss “probably longer than four weeks,” but that is being overly optimistic.

"The severity of it we won't really know until (the pain) calms down," GM J.P. Ricciardi said.

McGowan, long considered to have the best pure stuff in the organization, came out of his last start on Tuesday after four innings, complaining of soreness. His velocity was down noticeably.

He will see a specialist, where film of his shoulder will be compared with that of previous years to determine whether the tear in his shoulder has worsened or not. He has had some level of tear in his shoulder for a while, as most pitchers do, but it's not clear how much more damage has been done.

"We're not anticipating anything good or bad at this point," Ricciardi said when asked about the severity of the tear. “The best-case scenario is it calms down and he's able to get throwing again.”

Asked whether surgery was an option, Ricciardi did not rule it out.

"Not today, but obviously anytime you talk about stuff like that it could be," he said.McGowan had a breakout 2007, going 12-10 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, working a career-high 166 2/3 innings. He took a bit of a step back this year, 6-7 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, but is considered a big part of Toronto’s future plans.

Reliever Brian Tallet has been promoted from the bullpen and inserted into the rotation to fill in. Tallet is 0-1 with a 2.83 ERA this season with 30 strikeouts in 35 innings. He has six career starts to his credit, and his last one was in 2006. Toronto has been without right-hander Shaun Marcum (right shoulder), since June 19, but he is expected back following the All-Star break.

Expect McGowan’s injury to expedite the Jays’ trying to deal fellow starter A.J. Burnett while he still has value. This season is pretty much a lost one for Toronto, which is last in the AL East.

Bet on the Blue Jays at WagerWeb.com

MLB odds: Soriano out, Holliday in as NL starter

Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano, being a former Yankee, really wanted to play in next week’s All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, but it became official this week that he won’t be able to do that.

Soriano, on the DL since June 12 with a broken left hand, will be in attendance, but his starting spot will be taken by Colorado’s Matt Holliday.

Soriano took some batting practice in St. Louis last weekend and experienced some pain and weakness in the hand. Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday he expects Soriano back with the team in time for its second series after the All-Star break—July 21-23 in Phoenix.

However, the Cubs are hoping he takes a brief rehab stint in the minors before that, something a veteran player must approve.

"We're going to approach him on it," Piniella said. "I think it will be good for him. This isn't a two weeks thing—it's going on five weeks or so—so it's a long time. And [a player needs to] get your legs under him a little bit, catch some balls, maybe one game under the lights, get some at-bats. … But we'll see. I think it would help him, yes."NL manager Clint Hurdle of the Rockies said Thursday that Holliday will get to start because he finished second to Ryan Braun in player voting, which is used to select the reserves. Hurdle planned to wait to fill Soriano's roster spot until after Thursday's competition of fan voting for the final place on the team.

Holliday is making his third consecutive All-Star appearance. This will be his first start, but for the third All-Star Game in a row he will play right field. Hurdle said he will leave Braun of Milwaukee in left field and move Kosuke Fukudome of the Cubs to center field.

Holliday, runner-up in NL MVP voting last year, is fourth in the NL with a .343 average and has hit 14 home runs and collected 51 RBIs this season.

Bet on the All-Star Game at WagerWeb.com

NCAA basketball odds: Indiana's loss again Xavier's gain

Former Indiana guard Jordan Crawford, who left the team in June as a result of the NCAA infractions case that led to former coach Kelvin Sampson’s departure, is transferring to Xavier.

Crawford averaged 9.7 points last season, seventh among Big Ten freshmen. He also averaged 25.3 minutes and made 36.6 percent of his three-point shots. Crawford, the brother of former Kentucky player Joe Crawford, was considering Cincinnati, Texas, , N.C. State, Oklahoma and Central Michigan other than Xavier, where he almost went out of high school.

Jordan Crawford is expected to appeal for immediate eligibility at Xavier, citing the unusual circumstances of Indiana's predicament as cause for lenience. Other players recently have been granted waivers of the year-in-residence rule, including Tennessee's Tyler Smith (from Iowa) and Georgetown's Julian Vaughn (from Florida State); those two cases involved medical issues with family members that made moving to schools closer to home important.

A native of Detroit who attended prep school at Virginia's Hargrave Military Academy, Crawford is 6-4, 195 pounds and can play point guard or either wing position.Xavier previously added Terrell Holloway, a point guard from New York who played last season at Cincinnati's Harmony Christian Academy. He signed a letter of intent with IU last fall but was released from the commitment following Sampson's departure.

Crawford’s departure makes 12 players who started the 2007-08 season with the Hoosiers who are no longer with the team. There are seven scholarship players for next season. Kyle Taber, a former walk-on who was put on scholarship for the first time last season as a junior, is the leading returning scorer at 1.3 points per game.

Junior college transfers Devan Dumes and Tijan Jobe join freshmen Matt Roth, Tom Pritchard, Nick Williams and Verdell Jones on scholarship. Indiana will also have four walk-ons.

NCAA basketball futures coming soon to WagerWeb.com

NASCAR odds: Franchitti gets Nationwide ride

After losing his ride in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, Dario Franchitti

Franchitti, who is part of the field at +1000 at WagerWeb.com, will pilot the No. 40 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing. Ganassi shuttered Franchitti's Sprint Cup Series team last week because of a lack of funding, leaving the 2007 IndyCar Series champion's future in doubt.

But Ganassi has sponsorship for his Nationwide car, and is giving Franchitti the option to drive that until they figure out a long-term plan. Bryan Clauson drove the car last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, winning his first career pole.

This will be Franchitti’s 11th start of the year and the 15th of his career in the second-level series. His return is not full-time yet, as the Scot’s plans for the rest of the season will probably be disclosed next week after he and Ganassi meet to discuss their options.

But Franchitti made it clear what he wants.

"I want to be successful in NASCAR and I certainly don't want it to end like this," he said. "I made a big commitment coming over here [from IndyCar] and I'd like to get in a [situation] to be successful. When I made the decision to come here I wasn't going to do the IndyCar thing anymore, so this isn't a case of missing out on what could have been. That wasn't a direction I wanted to go. Never say never, but it's unlikely I'll go back."

Franchitti's race at Chicago on Friday will be his first in stock cars at the 1.5-mile oval. He does have three IndyCar starts there, including wrapping up the 2007 IndyCar Championship there by starting from the pole and winning the season finale.Franchitti was disappointed in Ganassi’s decision to shut down his Sprint Cup ride, saying his broken ankle suffered at Talladega and the five missed races after that certainly didn’t help matters.

"The injury didn't help, and I know I still have a lot to learn, but we were moving in the right direction,” Franchitti said. “There were some very difficult days and there were also days where we felt we were making progress, and those days were fun. I'd love to start again with the level of experience I have in NASCAR now and that is why I want to continue and show what I can do. I got the feeling whatever could go wrong did go wrong, but I think we were turning things round."

Bet on NASCAR at WagerWeb.com will be back behind the wheel Friday when he races in the Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Horse racing odds: Curlin to run in Man o'War

Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, will make his grass debut Saturday in the 1 3/8-mile Man o'War Stakes at Belmont Park after a licensing issue was resolved.

The New York State Racing and Wagering Board will issue a license to the receiver representing the minority ownership interest in Curlin. Stonestreet Stables, which owns 80 percent of Curlin, is already licensed in New York, but Midnight Cry Stables, which owns the other 20 percent, has faced ongoing legal problems since late last year that have complicated its eligibility for licensing in many jurisdictions, but it got the OK.

Midnight Cry Stables is owned by Lexington lawyers William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., who are currently in jail as they await a retrial in a case alleging that they defrauded their clients in a 2002 settlement with the manufacturer of the diet-drug combination fen-phen.

The Man o' War would be Curlin's first race on the turf. Trainer Steve Asmussen said if Curlin runs and performs well, he will ship to Saratoga before shipping to France for a possible start in the Prix Foy, a race on the grass at Longchamp, as a prep for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France on Oct. 5, also at Longchamp.

"I think the Arc is one of the greatest races in the world," Asmussen said, "and we want to establish Curlin as one of the greatest horses in the world."

No American-based horse has won the 1 1/2-mile Arc, Europe's most prestigious event. Among those who failed were Tom Rolfe, sixth in 1965, and Carry Back, 10th in 1962. A victory by Curlin, who has won nine of 12 starts on dirt, would place him among the best of all time. But first Curlin must perform Saturday."We do expect a Curlin race Saturday, but there are questions out there. We don't want to kid ourselves about his turf form if we're going to try the Arc. I think we're going to get a gauge of his turf ability, but even if all goes well, we'll still have a lot to do," Asmussen said.

Asmussen chose the 1 3/8th-mile Man o'War over Saturday's Arlington Park Handicap at Arlington Park near Chicago, in part because the lure of stiff competition. Curlin should get it against a field that will include former Breeders' Cup Turf winners Better Talk Now and Red Rocks.

Bet on horse racing at WagerWeb.com

NASCAR odds: Who replaces Tony Stewart?

In a huge move in NASCAR circles, Joe Gibbs Racing will release Tony Stewart from his contract at the end of the season, and “Smoke” will join forces with Haas CNC Racing for the 2009 season, where he reportedly own a 50 percent stake in the organization.

“We've had a lot of success with Tony in our 12 years here," Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs said in the release. "While this moment is bittersweet, we're parting on good terms and we know that each of us has benefited greatly from the other.”

With 32 career victories, Cup championships in 2002 and 2005 and more than $68 million in winnings, it's been one of the most steady and successful partnerships in NASCAR history. JGR wanted Stewart to sign an extension to stay with the No. 20 team beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of 2009.

However, Stewart is winless this season and was intrigued in an ownership stake – he already owns several smaller racetracks. He will finish out 2008 with JGR.

Haas CNC has two cars, the Nos. 66 and 70 Chevys currently driven by Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter. Ryan Newman, who is in the final year of his contract with Penske Racing, is widely considered the leading candidate to become Stewart's teammate.

But who fills his big shoes at JGR?

It's expected that 18-year-old Joey Logano will replace Stewart in the No. 20 Sprint Cup Series car. Logano made his Nationwide Series debut in May and became the youngest driver ever to win in the division when he was victorious in his third series start on June 14.Logano acknowledged Wednesday that he is a candidate to fill that spot.

“It has been brought up a few times," Logano said.

Logano said he will focus the rest of this season on his Nationwide Series ride and hope to get into a few Cup races before the end of the year to prepare him for next season. In four Nationwide starts, Logano has finished sixth, 31st, first and second.

"It's a big deal," Logano said of Stewart leaving. "But Joe Gibbs Racing will go on and continue to do well. I don't see the team taking a very big hit."

J.D. Gibbs has said in recent weeks that the organization is in no rush to move Logano up but also that he thinks Logano is ready to compete at stock car racing's highest level.

Bet on NASCAR at WagerWeb.com

NBA odds: What does Brand to Sixers mean?

Well, Elton Brand surprised everyone, especially the Los Angeles Clippers, by signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

The former Duke star is being pilloried in much of the media for supposedly going against his word after saying his “intention” was to re-sign with L.A. after opting out of his contract. However, the market for Brand suddenly changed when the Warriors and Sixers offered deals that were millions more than the Clippers’.

So despite Brand supposedly luring friend Baron Davis to L.A. and asking that team to improve around him, he took the money and headed back East – he’s from New York.

Brand, who got a five-year, $82 million deal, joins a Sixers team that is no longer the lottery-bound loser it was a year ago. Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and the blossoming Thaddeus Young turned the 76ers into a surprise playoff team, even stretching Detroit to six games in a first-round series. And that was with a starting power forward, Reggie Evans, who averaged only 5.2 points. Brand is a career 20-10 guy.

Now the Sixers should be a top-four team in the East and could even surpass Detroit and Cleveland as a main challenger to Boston.

As for the other teams involved in this merry-go-round:

The Warriors have made two moves in the wake of losing Davis and not getting Brand. First, they signed Corey Maggette to a five-year, $50-million deal.Maggette averaged 22.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 35.7 minutes for the Clippers last season. His relentless attacking approach to offense produced a career-high 681 free throws, sixth-most in the league.He said he asked the Clippers if they would match Golden State’s deal. The answer was no.

"I wish the Clippers would have at least given me an opportunity, and they didn't," he said. "But there's no bad blood, and I wish them the best."

In addition, the Warriors have offered a four-year deal to Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf, but L.A. has seven days to match that contract.

The Clippers, as usual, are the big losers in all this.

They are expected to focus their wallet on Hawks swingman Josh Smith as well as Charlotte Bobcats restricted free-agent Emeka Okafor to fill Brand's spot. However, the Hawks and Bobcats can offer more money and one more maximum year than the Clippers, and the Hawks for sure are expected to do so. Okafor reportedly is pondering taking a one-year deal from Charlotte and then becoming an unrestricted free agent next year.

Bet on the NBA at WagerWeb.com

MLB odds: Yanks crossing fingers on Matsui

Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui, on the disabled list since June 27 with an inflamed left knee, took 45 swings off a tee Tuesday and reported nothing negative, which is a positive for New York.

"I felt pretty good. No pain," he said in a statement issued by the team. "I hope to keep going in a positive direction."

Now Matsui is headed to the team's minor-league complex in Tampa to continue rehabbing. Matsui is hitting .323 in 251 at-bats over 69 games, including seven home runs and 34 RBIs.

"With this type of injury he has, you just take it day by day and hope that each step, when you come back the next day, you can take another step," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

If he continues in a pain-free direction, Matsui should be able to avoid surgery, embark on a quick rehab assignment and be back with the Yankees after the All-Star break.

But Matsui will have to progress to more intensive drills, then batting practice, and then he could go on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment. The Yankees seem pessimistic that he will be able to do anything but be a designated hitter for the rest of this season, however.Matsui originally was eligible to return for Wednesday's game against the Rays. But when he responded poorly to physical therapy and felt unable to take batting practice over the weekend, those plans changed.

Girardi said season-ending surgery has not been ruled out, especially if Matsui's pain returns when the rehab sessions step up.

"As you start to increase the workload," Girardi said, "you have to see how his leg responds."

The team should know if Matsui will need surgery within the next few weeks. You can bet the Yanks' position in the standings will play a big part in that decision.

Bet on the Yankees at WagerWeb.com

NCAA basketball odds: Top Arizona recruit to Europe

The University of Arizona looked to be a preseason top 10 team next season with Chase Budinger returning to school and top prep point guard Brandon Jennings arriving in Tucson. However, Jennings has decided to play in Europe for a year instead of attend college.

Wildcats coach Lute Olson blames the “one-and-done” rule instituted by the NBA in 2006, saying it needs to be retooled. Jennings, 18, under NBA rules must be 19 and a year removed from high school to be eligible for the NBA draft.

“Kids should be able to come out of high school," Olson said. "They need to institute something like what baseball has. Once someone enters school, they have to stay a minimum of either two of three years.

"We as coaches warned the NCAA about this when it was first put in place," he added. "It's going to turn into a bigger mess."

Olson also said his outlook with regards to recruiting some of the elite players will change in the wake of the Jennings situation.

"We're going to change our position and if we think someone we're recruiting has that kind of thought about going to Europe, we're going to stop trying to recruit those type of guys."

Jennings had not passed his first two attempts at a standardized test qualifying score but decided not to even wait for his third test result, which are due later this week.

"Over the course of the last two months I have consulted a number of people in basketball before coming to this decision," Jennings said in a statement released through his attorney. "I would like to thank the University of Arizona for their interest and support through this process." ...Jennings expects to earn "certainly, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars," in both a playing contract and shoe and other endorsement deals, his attorney said.

This could truly be a landmark decision by an American prep recruit. If Jennings lands a contract in the hundreds of thousands, which is doubted by some European basketball experts, plays well and is a high NBA draft pick, this could be the wave of the future for top incoming college freshmen. And a killer to college basketball.

Once a player shows that Europe is viable, more will follow, said Sonny Vaccaro, a former marketing executive with Nike Inc, Adidas AG and Reebok. "Once one does it, we will have a migration of young people."

Meanwhile, without Jennings, the Wildcats of 2008-09 have Nic Wise, Budinger and forward Jordan Hill and a lot of questions after them. Could be another mediocre season in Tucson.

Bet on college basketball at WagerWeb.com

NFL odds: Favre saga drags on

Another day, another news item about whether Brett Favre will return to the Green Bay Packers.

If you ask the team’s current and former presidents, No. 4 will stay retired, which, if you read between the lines, appears to be what the Packers want him to do.

"I keep going back to his retirement announcement and how sincere and heartfelt that was," current president Mark Murphy said. "I think it's pretty reasonable that, as an organization, we're going to move on. … It's a very delicate situation, because he has such a special place in Packers history."

Murphy did say any decision on Favre's status with the team, should he request to be reinstated from the reserve/retired list, would be left up to the football side of the operation, headed by GM Ted Thompson.

A Milwaukee television station reported that Favre sent a text message to Thompson on Saturday. Thompson reportedly replied that he was on vacation and they would have to talk later. Add that to a Sports Illustrated report from Peter King that Thompson also isn't returning agent Bus Cook's phone calls.

The Packers have yet to publicly address reports that Favre, who announced his retirement on March 6, again has "the itch" to play football.

"What I remember about him is he was ready to retire, and that's how I feel today. I think down deep, that's exactly how he feels," team chairman emeritus Bob Harlan said.

The one player most affected by Favre’s return would be presumed starter Aaron Rodgers. He swears he’s been “immune” to the furor swirling in Green Bay.“As the organization has commented, I’m going to keep it pretty much the same. I’m not going to comment on any of the rumors that are out there.”

Should Favre announce his intention to report for training camp, Thompson must decide whether he is welcome. It would seem the club would want back a Pro Bowl quarterback as Favre was last year. But Favre turns 39 in November and struggled the NFC Championship game loss to the New York Giants, not to mention in the 2006 season.

In addition, Rodgers spent the entire off-season solidifying himself as Green Bay's new starter, and the club has reworked its offensive scheme to Rodgers’ skills.

Would the club dare release or trade a franchise icon?

“There's no need to speculate about 'What ifs?' " Thompson said. "You could do that with any team. We're just going by what we have and what we know and trying to put the best team we can on the field."

Bet on the Packers at WagerWeb.com

MLB odds: Angels' Escobar likely done

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim say they don’t expect to make a major trade move for pitching despite a recent setback by starter Kelvin Escobar .

The right-hander sought a second opinion this week on recurring pain in his right shoulder. This is definitely a blow for the Angels, as a few weeks ago Escobar's shoulder was progressing well and the Angels thought he would be back as early as the All-Star Break.

This came about when, after an MRI exam of his shoulder showed no deterioration last week, Escobar couldn't complete 10 tosses at Angel Stadium before discomfort forced him to stop throwing.

“I think we were very excited in seeing where he was in simulated games and rehab appearances," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Obviously, he's had setbacks since then and rebounded from where he felt was a minor setback to where now he wants to look at some things a little deeper and see what's happening."

Escobar is now weighing his options, which include exploratory surgery that could stop short of repairing the labrum tear, surgery to repair the tear, or more rest and rehabilitation in the hope that the current discomfort is just temporary.Either surgical option would end any chance of him pitching this season though exploratory surgery could require a shorter recovery period than the 12 months after a repaired labrum.

"We haven't had Kelvim on our club for awhile and we've been able to navigate this season successfully," GM Tony Reagins. "We'd love to have him back in the fold, but that's one of those things that happens over a long season."

Escobar, 32, is coming off a career season in which he set a career-high in wins with 18 and carried a 3.40 ERA.

“It's not fun," Escobar said of the herky-jerky rehabilitation process. "Mentally, it's just not good for me because it's up and down, up and down."

Bet on the Angels at WagerWeb.com

NHL odds: Vancouver or Montreal for Sundin?

Unrestricted free agent Mats Sundin has most of Canada holding its breath, as the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens both feel confident the former Maple Leafs star will sign with them.

Sundin issued a statement last week thanking all the teams that have shown their interest, but indicated that he'll need more time before he makes his decision.

The Canucks have offered a whopping $20 million for two years (which would make him the NHL’s highest-paid player at age 37), yet the team’s GM even says he will alter that if need be.

"I want to give him a little time to get his head around playing here and the team that we have," said Mike Gillis, who will reduce the term to one year if that would lure Sundin.

Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund makes no secret that he is willing to try and recruit Sundin.

"Mats Sundin is one of the biggest hockey players our country has had in the last 15 years along with Peter Forsberg and Nicklas Lidstrom," Ohlund said. "So whatever he does gets pretty big headlines over here. He's been one of the best players in the NHL for a lot of years. It would obviously be a big, big boost for us.”

Canadiens GM Bob Gainey has made quite a few calls to Sundin and his agent during the past week but now is in wait-and-see mode. If Sundin doesn't call, Gainey said he is prepared to go with Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec, Maxim Lapierre and Kyle Chipchura as his four centers."Mats made it clear he wants some space and we'll respect that," Gainey said.

Yet Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau is confident his team will win the race. The Canadiens have supposedly offered Sundin a two-year deal in the $7 million range.

"The Rangers and the Maple Leafs have signed players and don't have any cap room," he said.

New York signed free agent Markus Naslund, which eliminated its cap room, while Detroit, another team that has shown interest, added Marian Hossa. So it’s really down to the Canadian clubs.

Bet on the NHL at WagerWeb.com

NFL odds: Plax to Giants: I'll be at camp

Earlier this month, Giants receiver Plaxico Burress skipped the team’s minicamp and vowed never to practice again until he got a contract more indicative of his standing as one of the NFL’s best receivers.

Burress has three years remaining on the deal he signed with the Giants as a free agent prior to the 2005 season. He's scheduled to make $3.25 million this season and a total of $7.25 million in the next two years. But after big deals for Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Javon Walker, Burress wants a raise.

But he also wants to stay in New York.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I made that very evident," Burress said. "If I wanted to go somewhere else or if I didn't want to be there, I would have let that be known, too.”

While Burress undoubtedly is underpaid comparatively speaking, he now says there’s “no question” he will be at and participate in training camp, which begins July 25.

"I'm getting good feedback," Burress said about a new deal. "I think it's going to get done. I'm not concerned about it. I just want to make sure I'm here for a long time."

Burress played last season with ailments that included a severe ankle injury, a torn ligament in his pinkie, a separated shoulder and a sprained knee suffered days before the Super Bowl. But he says he is about 100 percent healthy.“I’m feeling pretty good,” Burress reports. “The knee is 100%, shoulder is 100%. My pinkie will be what it is. My ankle is probably 90%. I am expecting to be full speed in camp. I’m not going to make a prediction of what I can put up but if I’m healthy, all I can tell people is to watch out.”

To say the Giants need a healthy, happy Burress is an understatement. He caught the winning touchdown in the upset of the Pats, was the best player on the field in the NFC title game against the Packers and is far and away the team’s top offensive threat. It also will help the Giants to minimize the circus that will undoubtedly follow the team at camp because of outspoken and unhappy Jeremy Shockey.

Bet on the Giants at WagerWeb.com

NCAA football odds: Indiana star QB back on team

It’s rather symbolic of the state of Indiana football (or lack thereof) that arguably the best quarterback in the Big Ten this season was kicked off the team for months and hardly anyone made mention of it.

Well, that problem was rectified this week when Kellen Lewis was reinstated to the Hoosiers after being suspended for about four months. The school has never explained why Lewis was booted off the team, however.

"Kellen has worked very hard and reached all the benchmarks we set for him," coach Bill Lynch

Lewis is just the fifth quarterback at IU to reach 5,000 career passing yards and the fourth player to collect 6,000 total yards. He is tied for first on Indiana’s career list with 42 passing touchdowns, fifth with 5,264 passing yards, third with 6,441 total yards, third with 455 completions, third with 788 attempts and second in completion percentage at 57.7.

He joined Tim Tebow of Florida and Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan as the only quarterbacks in the nation to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 700 yards last season (Lewis was IU’s leading rusher).He is coming off a record-breaking sophomore season, helping the Hoosiers make a bowl game for the first time since 1993. He set a school mark with 3,043 passing yards. Lewis also holds the single-season school record for passing touchdowns (28) and completions (265).

Lewis set IU bowl game individual records for attempts and completions, completing 22 of 43 passes, in the Hoosiers’ 49-33 loss to Oklahoma State in the Insight Bowl. His two passing touchdowns tied an IU bowl game record.

A second-team All-Big Ten selection, the dual-threat weapon had been serving an indefinite suspension since March 6. Lewis missed the entire spring practice. In that time, Ben Chappell ran a newly installed no-huddle attack, but Chappell threw just two passes as a freshman in 2007.

Watch out for IU this year. Another bowl game seems a lock, and with eight home games and not having to face Ohio State and Michigan, the Hoosiers could be a surprise team in the Big Ten if not the country. They open the season Aug. 30 against Western Kentucky.

Bet on Indiana at WagerWeb.com said in a release. "He is committed to this football program and is excited to rejoin his teammates. We are happy to welcome him back."

NBA odds: Where will Brand land?

With NBA free agents eligible to sign with teams officially on Wednesday, it’s the Elton Brand saga that is the most interesting, and there apparently is another team in play on trying to acquire the Clippers forward.

According to ESPN.com, the Philadelphia 76ers are maneuvering to get enough cap space to win the Brand sweepstakes that originally was thought to be between Brand returning to the Clippers or heading up the California coast to Golden State.

It’s possible that Philly could offer a five-year deal starting at $15 million per year, which would be higher than the Clippers would go and still be able to pay Baron Davis, whom they lured from Golden State. Those Warriors then made a counterstrike offer to Brand.

The Warriors initially proposed five years at about $90 million, while the Clippers offered about five years at $75 million. L.A.’s offer is less because of bringing in Davis, but it was reported that Brand was willing to take less to stay if the club signed Davis, even if it cost Brand some money. In addition, L.A. appears willing to offer the former Duke star a no-trade clause.“It makes sense for Elton to wait till the salary-cap numbers come out, because then he knows exactly what teams can offer and what his options are," says one league source. "He wants the max. He can put the Clippers in a situation that they have to give it to him."

The NBA salary cap will be announced Tuesday night, and if the Warriors can't lure Brand away, they would join the Sixers in the pursuit of the remaining top available players. Golden State would have all that money ticketed for Brand to play with, while the Sixers expect to have around $11.5 million to spend. It is thought Philly’s top target was Atlanta’s Josh Smith, who also could interest Golden State now.

Bet on the NBA at WagerWeb.com

NFL odds: Redskins' Campbell must adjust again

The Washington Redskins made a surprise run to the playoffs last season behind backup quarterback Todd Collins, but the future of this club clearly is Jason Campbell under center, which was reinforced when the team hired Jim Zorn, a former quarterback and QBs coach, to be the head coach.

Zorn has asked Campbell to bend his legs more and be more athletic in the pocket while adjusting to his West Coast offensive style.

“What we're doing now, what we're learning and the work we're putting in, we're going to have the ability to be a fast-paced offense, a quick-strike offense," Campbell said at the recently completed minicamp. "We definitely have the talent to be that type of offense.

"The talent has been here, and now we're really going to give guys a chance to do a lot of different things. That's what you're seeing out there right now."The talent around Campbell certainly was addressed in the draft, as Washington selected big receivers Devin Thomas (Michigan State) and Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma). Last year, the Redskins’ receivers weren’t much of a threat. Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley led the team in catches. And running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts combined for 68 receptions, seven more than any receiver. It took almost three months for a Redskins wideout to catch a touchdown pass last year.

Campbell has shown flashes in his three seasons in the NFL. He made his first start in a regular season game during Week 10 in 2006, and he started the first 13 games last season before injuring his kneecap against Chicago.

He finished the season with 2,700 yards passing while completing 60 percent of his passes. Campbell had 12 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 77.6 passer rating. But he had to sit and watch as Collins led the team to a remarkable late-season turnaround in what turned out to be Joe Gibbs’ final season as coach.

The team brought back Collins, but Zorn has said he is committed to Campbell as the starter, and he has taken off some of the conservative shackles that Gibbs had placed on the former Auburn star.

"Now I'm in Coach Zorn's offense. It's a different offense and you have to do different things, and this is another change for me after only 20 games," Campbell said. "Now I have to change my whole mind-set again and go back and learn something new. That's fine. I feel good about what I've done. I think I've shown what type of quarterback I can be."

Washington is +3500 to win the Super Bowl at WagerWeb.com.

NFL odds: Horn to Dallas a non-story

OK, this much we know for sure: Falcons wide receiver Joe Horn has asked the team to trade him.

This much we don’t know: Does anyone want him?

Reportedly, the Dallas Cowboys were considering sending a late-round draft pick to Atlanta for Horn as Dallas is still dealing with the Terry Glenn issue. However, Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said that’s not true.

"I've made no contact with Dallas or they with me," Dimitroff said.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also shot down the rumors as speculation.

“Yeah, that's not correct," Jones said. "I haven't expressed any interest there and haven't evaluated him. That's just not correct."

Jones has been frustrated in his attempts throughout the offseason to acquire a veteran wide receiver option other than Glenn, who is at odds with the Cowboys over attempts to sign him to a contract that would reduce his salary by $1.2 million if he reinjures the right knee that caused him to miss 15 games last season."We're having to sit down here and look at what I should be looking at, is how he fits and what we can do with him as a player for this year. That's what this is all about," Jones said of Glenn.

As for a veteran wide receiver being added to the fold, Jones said that's not in the plans because of the talks with Glenn. Also, the younger receivers, Sam Hurd and Miles Austin, are gaining the coaches’ confidence in their abilities to get it done on the field.

Dallas reportedly tried to acquire a big-name receiver (Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin) via trades during the spring but was rebuffed.

The Falcons, meanwhile, don’t want to pay Horn’s $2.5 million salary this season, nor should they, really, since the guy is 36 and hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season in four years. He averaged 1,257 receiving yards from 2000 through 2005 but only 525 yards the past three seasons. Injuries cut into his 2006 with New Orleans and last year in Atlanta.

While Horn started 12 games, he began taking a backseat to Roddy White (83 catches) and Laurent Robinson (37 catches), and then found himself running behind those two guys during minicamp. Expect him to be released.

Bet on the NFL at WagerWeb.com

NFL odds: Another Texan poised to break out

Mario Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2006 draft, proved to be arguably the NFL’s biggest breakout defensive player last year (OK, maybe San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie has an argument), and one of Williams’ Houston Texans teammates might be the rising defensive star of 2008.

Amobi Okoye, who only turned 21 a few weeks ago, was the team’s most impressive player in minicamps this offseason, according to coach Gary Kubiak. The Texans had only 31 team sacks last season, 14 by Williams. That’s not enough to be a playoff team, which means Houston needs Okoye to grow up fast. The 2007 first-round pick started last year strong with five sacks in his first four games, but then opposing teams figured him out, limiting him to just a half-sack the rest of the year.

"Well, I want to knock on wood, but in all honesty, I think he's the most improved player," Kubiak said. "He's a pretty dang good player to begin with but what you saw take place this offseason ... it tells me he's growing up. He's becoming better. He's becoming a pro. And if that happens, we're going to be a better football team.”That second year often is the year a player “gets” it. For example, Williams had 4.5 sacks as a rookie and then those 14 in his sophomore campaign.

"Well, hopefully we see the same thing," Kubiak said. "I don't think it's fair to compare players. They're different. But the thing that is very comparable right away is the maturity, I guess I should say, and how he's handling himself right now.”

When the Texans chose Okoye 10th in the 2007 draft, he was just 19, making him the youngest player drafted in the NFL since 1967. Okoye's youth is a rarity in the league where rules demand a player be three years out of high school before entering the draft.

Okoye, Williams and young linebacker DeMeco Ryans form a talented nucleus for a team looking to improve upon last year’s best-ever 8-8 finish. Houston is +2800 to win the AFC title on WagerWeb.com.

"A lot of things start up front with us, as far as me and Amobi," Williams says, "but collectively, as a defensive unit, we all count on one another to get it done."

But the Texans defense will be without star cornerback Dunta Robinson to start the season, as he is dealing with knee and hamstring injuries that will carry into this season.

Kubiak says losing Robinson "hurts us a great deal. We felt he was well on his way to becoming a Pro Bowl player last year. There's nothing we can do. We expect him to be back somewhere around Week 7.”

Bet on the NFL at WagerWeb.com

NFL odds: Bucs reward Earnest Graham

Apparently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do believe Earnest Graham is a No. 1 back, as the club has given him a three-year, $10.5 million extension good through the 2011 season.

Once Cadillac Williams went down with a career-threatening injury early last season, Graham exploded, rushing for 898 yards on 222 carries with 10 TDs, all career-bests. He also caught 49 passes for 324 yards and left many in Tampa wondering why Jon Gruden didn’t let this former Florida Gator off the bench sooner.

He could have had well over 1,000 yards rushing, but he did not play in the final game of the regular season and had only nine carries the week before. The Buccaneers chose to rest Graham after winning the NFC South. Graham also did not enter the starting lineup until Week 6 of the season.

The 28-year-old did not participate in voluntary workouts or the offseason workout program because he wanted a contract extension. He did take part in mandatory minicamp. He was entering the final year of his contract that would have paid him a base salary of about $600,000.

Tampa Bay opens training camp in less than a month and Williams is not ready for contact. As a result, Williams likely will begin this season on the physically unable to perform list. He would sit out the first six weeks and become eligible to play again in Week 7, a home game against Seattle on Oct. 19.That means Graham will shoulder the load, with Warrick Dunn as his main backup, and the Bucs are happy with Michael Bennett as a change of pace back. Graham’s contract is quite cap-friendly for a No. 1 back and could signal the end of Cadillac’s time in Tampa but almost certainly as the starter.

Next up for the Bucs may be addressing QB Jeff Garcia’s wishes. Garcia, who earned more than $5 million in salary and bonuses for his part in resurrecting the Bucs, wants to be paid like the Pro Bowler he was in 2007.

Talks aimed at accommodating him have been held but have dragged, according to Garcia. Unlike Graham, Garcia participated regularly in the Bucs' offseason workout program. He has, however, hinted at the possibility of a training camp holdout.

The Bucs are +3500 to win the Super Bowl at WagerWeb.com.