[CNOTES]

Daily Sports Roundup

Friday, November 20

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Boise State takes on Utah State, the Hawks play host to the Rockets, and the Magic and Celtics meet for a contest in Boston.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

There are three college football games on the schedule for Friday, with Akron at Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan at Toledo, and No. 6 Boise State at Utah State. The ranked Broncos (10-0 SU, 7-2 ATS) kept their record perfect last time out, rolling over Idaho 63-25; Kellen Moore had five TD strikes in that game. The Aggies (3-7 SU, 7-2 ATS) got past San Jose State 24-9 last game. Oddsmakers have Boise State as 23.5-point favorites for Friday, with a total set at 61.5 points.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA offers up a slate of 10 games on Friday, including a matchup of the Magic and Celtics in Boston. The Magic (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS) are coming off a 108-94 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, with Vince Carter scoring a team-high 18 points in the contest. The Celtics (9-3 SU, 5-7 ATS) topped Golden State 109-95 in their Wednesday outing. Paul Pierce led the way with 19 points for the Celtics in that win, while Rajon Rondo picked up 18 points and 12 assists.

Rounding out the NBA schedule for Friday: Miami at Toronto, Memphis at Philadelphia, Cleveland at Indiana, Washington at Oklahoma City, Sacramento at Dallas, Charlotte at Milwaukee, Portland at Golden State, Denver at the Clippers, and Houston at Atlanta. The Hawks (10-2 SU, 11-1 ATS) will put their spotless home record (6-0 SU, 6-0 ATS) on the line in that last matchup. Atlanta beat Miami 105-90 at home on Wednesday, with Joe Johnson pouring in 30 points.

Also, college hoops preseason tourneys remain in full swing on Friday, including games in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Paradise Jam, Charleston Classic, Air Force Classic, and Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. As well, No. 2 Michigan State will try to run their season record to 3-0 on Friday night when they play host to winless Toledo. The Spartans grabbed a 75-71 win over Gonzaga in their last contest on Tuesday, with Durrell Summers picking up 21 points and 11 boards on the night.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are a half-dozen games on the NHL schedule for Friday, with Boston at Buffalo, Florida at Detroit, the Islanders at Minnesota, Philadelphia at San Jose, Colorado at Vancouver, and Montreal at Washington. The Canadiens are now 10-11-0 on the season after slipping past Carolina 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday; Habs forward Brian Gionta is out indefinitely with a foot injury. The Capitals, now 13-4-4, doubled up on the Rangers by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday.

[CNOTES]

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Friday, November 20

Noisy Boise

Boise State has another national TV game to impress the BCS voters when it visits Utah State. The Broncos have gone 7-0-2 against the spread in the last nine meetings and are 4-1 against the over in the last five matchups, winning 52-0 with a total of 60 in 2007. In addition, Boise has averaged 51.8 points in its last four games overall and 46.3 in its last seven vs. Utah State. The Broncos are giving 23 points with a total of 61.5.

League leaders

When the Houston Rockets visit the Atlanta Hawks, it will be a matchup of two of the NBA's top teams against the spread. The Rockets are fourth with an ATS record of 8-4, while the Hawks lead the NBA at 11-1 ATS, including 6-0 at home. Houston has covered the last four meetings. Atlanta is favored by seven points with a total of 206.5.

Grounded ground game

The Atlanta Falcons likely will be without running back Michael Turner and could be without running back Jerious Norwood vs. the New York Giants on Sunday. Turner missed practice Thursday with a high ankle sprain and Norwood was limited in practice with a hip injury. Jason Snelling, who has 37 carries this season, likely will start against a defense ranked 13th vs. the run. The Giants are favored by 6.5 points with a total of 45.5.

Spur of the moment

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will be out a week with a strained left groin. The Spurs began a four-game homestand vs. Utah on Thursday that also includes games vs. Washington (Saturday), Milwaukee (Monday) and Golden State (Wednesday). Ginobili averages 14.1 points off the bench.

Change in the tide

When Alabama hosts Providence, it will be without starting senior guard Anthony Brock, who has been suspended indefinitely for a team rules violation. Brock scored 15 points in a season-opening loss to Cornell. The Tide are giving 5.5 points to the Friars, who won three neutral-site games in as many nights last weekend.

Hole in the center

Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, who is averaging 16.1 points and a team-best 9.2 rebounds, will miss two to four weeks with a strained left leg. Bogut's absence comes just as Michael Redd was preparing to return. Some of Bogut's minutes may go to face-up forward Ersan Ilyasova, who averages 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 20 minutes. Milwaukee is giving 5.5 points to visiting Charlotte with a total of 179.

Lucky 13?

New Jersey Nets All-Star point guard Devin Harris said he will "definitely play" Saturday against the New York Knicks. The Nets are 0-12 (4-8 ATS), and Harris has missed 10 games with a groin injury. No line has been posted yet.

Absentee Senator

The Ottawa Senators will be without right wing Alexei Kovalev, who is going to Russia for his mother-in-law's funeral. Fifth on the team with 10 points, Kovalev will miss Saturday's game vs. Buffalo and could also miss Monday's match vs. Washington. Ottawa is 6-2 when Kovalev scores a point and 6-3-3 at home.

Line movement

The New York Rangers have taken slumping Enver Lisin off their top line and replaced him with right wing Ales Kotalik, who will now skate with Marian Gaborik and Vaclav Prospal. New York's top three scorers are now all on the same line. Lisin, who is scoreless in his last eight games, will skate with Christopher Higgins and Pierre Parenteau. The Rangers host the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Notable quotable

"We’re a 3-6 team with nothing to lose. I know they have playoff aspirations and everything, so we’re really looking forward to come down to Houston and destroying all playoff thoughts and aspirations they have."

-- Tennessee Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck, talking about Sunday's road game vs. the Houston Texans.

[CNOTES]

Six-pack for Friday

Week 11 NFL trends, with the weekend approaching

-- Chiefs covered six of last eight as a double digit underdog.

-- Redskins are 6-1 vs spread as a divisional road underdog.

-- Jaguars covered one of last eleven as the favorite.

-- Arizona covered seven of its last nine road games.

-- Patriots are 3-8 vs spread as a divisional home favorite.

-- Giants are 15-6 vs spread as a non-divisional favorite.

[CNOTES]

Friday's List of 13: What I'm looking for this weekend.......

13) Jim Boeheim is coaching his 122nd game at Madison Square Garden Friday night; can his Orangemen hang with the young Tar Heels?

12) Can Michigan shock Ohio State, or will they stay home for bowl season for the second year in a row?

11) Will LSU get any production from its QBs? Lee was 7-22 passing in last week's shaky win; he's all they got if Jefferson can't go.

10) 5-5 Florida State finishes with the Gators, so they need to win this week against Maryland to become (minor) bowl eligible.

9) Iowa lost its last two games; will they beat a Minnesota team they humiliated 55-0 last year? Young Vandenberg looking good at QB.

8) Can Nevada keep running ball down people's throats? They've run it for at least 317 yards in each of their last seven games.

7) 8-2 Temple's dream season started with a disappointing 27-24 loss to Villanova, a I-AA team; they've won their last eight games, are favored to make it nine. Owls will be one of the better bowl stories.

6) Would be funny if Patriots deactivated their punter this week, went for it on every fourth down against the Jets. Well, I would laugh.

5) Whats the over/under for the crowd at Browns-Lions Sunday?

4) 9-0 Saints, 9-0 Colts are both on road this week; will they both get to 10-0? Indy is actually a small underdog as I write this.

3) Football coaches aren't often fired on Tuesdays and it usually doesn't take half the day to name a replacement. Safe to say the Bills have some turmoil in their organization-- how will they play in Jacksonville?

2) Will the Giants snap the 4-game losing streak against the Falcons?

1) Cincinnati just swept the Steelers, now they head west to play the Gradkowski-led Oakland Raiders. The mother of all trap games.

[CNOTES]

Len's Top 5

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for November 20, 2009 from Len Berman.

1. Quick Hits

Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants wins the National League Cy Young award for the 2nd straight year.
Starting today, baseball free agents are free to sign with any team. Who will be shopping in this economy?
Ireland's demand is rejected that their World Cup qualifying soccer loss to France be replayed. France won the game thanks to an obvious handball. Major League baseball umpires are relieved that for once it wasn't their fault.

2. Crime and Punishment

It only took 7 years but it looks like former NBA star Jayson Williams will finally head to jail for shooting his limo driver to death. He will reportedly plead guilty today and get 3 years (a minimum of 18 months). I can't help but feel sad. Jayson was one of my favorite all time interviews. Right behind O.J. Simpson. Am I a great judge of character or what?

3. Homework

Here's your weekend assignment boys and girls. Steve B. messaged me on Facebook at "Len Berman's Top 5" with an interesting question. He wondered if there was another pair of athletes like the Yankees Mariano Rivera and the Devils Martin Brodeur? Two of the all time greats in the same market, at the same time, who played their entire careers with one team. I can think of Ted Williams and Bill Russell in Boston. Anyone else?

4. Friday Mailbag

In response to the suggestion that if football players didn't wear helmets they would play less violently and there would be fewer head injuries, S.V. sarcastically writes: "We could stop requiring seat belts in our cars, and maybe we would all drive more carefully."
But rugby player D.L. points out that rugby players don't wear helmets, he writes: " If you looked at the concussion rates between football and rugby at each level I will bet that rugby would be significantly below football." And D.A. says: "If you really want to eliminate reckless play, have them go without cups. you could turn hockey into ice dancing.
Editor's Note: Ooh, with the Olympics right around the corner, ice dancing rears its ugly head.

In response to the New York sports fan who wrote: "The Giants suck, the Jets suck, the Knicks suck, the Nets suck and I cannot watch hockey." J.F. responds from Chicago: "Oh cry me a river. New York is more competitive in every sports league every year than any other city on the country. Try being a fan in a town that only has one or two franchises that always stink, say Kansas city. NY'ers don't know how good they have it."

As for The Who (whose music is used on CSI) playing at halftime of the upcoming Super bowl, "dances_w_vowels" tweeted me @LenBermanSports, "So what we know, the Super Bowl is on CBS, in Miami, starring The Who at halftime. Is David Caruso investigating replays?"
Editor's Note: I always wanted to dance with vowels.

And from B.B. "If the Knicks get Iverson, maybe they'll have some "Curry-ier & Ives-rson" moments for the upcoming holidays..."
Editor's Note: Groan, Groan, and more Groans.

5. What's Your Moment?

In conjunction with my new kids book "The Greatest Moments in Sports," fans are voting for their favorite all time moment at my website. So far you've voted for lots of baseball with Jackie Robinson, the Red Sox comeback against the Yankees and a couple of Derek Jeter moments (His flying catch into the stands and his November World Series homer). And many of you voted for the "Miracle on Ice," the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. We chose that as the #1 sports moment of all time in my book.
If you want to join the party, go to Vote Now: What's Your Greatest Sports Moment?

Happy Birthday: Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew. 34.
Bonus Birthday: The perfect "10," actress Bo Derek. 53.
Bobby Kennedy would have been 84 today.

Today in Sports: The late great Walter Payton of the Bears sets the record by rushing 275 yards against Minnesota. (The current record holder is Adrian Peterson of the Vikings 296). 1977.
Bonus Event: 7 year old Drew Barrymore hosts Saturday Night Live. 1982.

I have a book signing tomorrow at noon at the Barnes and Noble in Manhasset on Long Island.