Arenas, Boozer capture NBA weekly honors

Basketball Betting Lines

12/18/2006 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas and the Utah Jazz' Carlos Boozer were dubbed the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for the period ending December 17.

Arenas led the league in scoring with 40.3 points per game on .487 shooting in helping the Wizards to a 3-0 record. He also had 6.3 assists, six rebounds and three steals per game, and registered a franchise-record and NBA season-high 60 points against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.

Boozer averaged 22.8 points and 12 rebounds per game to lead the Jazz to a 3-1 week. He netted 31 points against Dallas on December 11, as Utah coach Jerry Sloan earned his 1,000th career victory.

Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Chicago's Ben Wallace, Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Houston's Yao Ming, New Jersey's Jason Kidd, and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.

Betting-express Basketball Betting News

<< Panthers' Rucker out for season
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Rucker suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Panthers' 37-3 l

<< Mariners acquire Vidro from Nationals
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners have acquired second baseman Jose Vidro from the Washington Nationals in exchange for outfielder Chris Snelling and pitcher Emiliano Fruto. "Jose is a professional hitter," Seattl

<< ACC again dominates top of women's poll
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Duke continued as the top four teams in the latest Associated Press women's college basketball poll. The top 17 spots remained the same from last week and only Bowling

<< NFL
Fined Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens $35,000 for a spitting incident in Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

<< FIFA names World Players of the Year
Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - First-time winners, Fabio Cannavaro, of Italy and Brazilian Marta have earned the titles of FIFA World Player and FIFA Women's World Player of the year, respectively for 2006. The announcement came Mo

Report: BC hires Jagodzinski >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Boston College will name Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski head football coach, the Boston Globe reported. The school will make the announcement official at a press conferenc

Bucs name Rattay starter >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden named Tim Rattay the starting quarterback for Sunday's game at Cleveland. The Bucs (3-11) suffered a 34-31 overtime loss at Chicago Sunday, but forced the sudden-dea

Lemieux says deal with Balsillie to buy Penguins "is dead" >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux said in a statement released Monday a deal to sell the team to Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-CEO of Research in Motion, "is dead." Lemieux said the Penguins a

Nutt gets contract extension at Arkansas >>
Fayetteville, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arkansas has extended the contract of head football coach Houston Nutt through the 2012 season. Nutt has led the Razorbacks to a 10-3 record this season and into the Capital One Bowl against Wisconsin o

NFL Inactives (Monday, December 18, 2006) >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of the players placed on the inactive squad for this week's NFL games. CINCINNATI BENGALS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS , 8:30 P.M. (ET) Bengals -3RD QB Doug Johnson, S John Busing, LB Ah

Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

Bet on NFL

Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

Bet on NFL

Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard