07/04/2008 - Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool has completed the signing of Switzerland fullback Philipp Degen on a free transfer.
Degen, 25, had agreed to join the Reds from Borussia Dortmund prior to the start of the recently completed European Championship.
The former FC Basel defender has now officially put pen to paper on a four-year contract at Anfield.
He was part of the Swiss squad at Euro 2008 but a pre-tournament injury prevented him from making any appearances.
Degen will challenge Alvaro Arbeloa and Steve Finnan for a starting spot at right-back next season.
"He is an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality," manager Rafael Benitez told the club's official website. "His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad.
"Sometimes you can find these players on the market. When you find a player like him who costs no money it means you can use money for improving other parts of the squad.
"He is a good signing, a player of potential, who can help us improve in the wide areas."
(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)
<< Villa coach O'Neill won't budge on Barry
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Martin O'Neill again warned Liverpool
that Gareth Barry will not be leaving Aston Villa unless they match the value
of the wantaway midfielder.
The Villa boss has now rejected three bids from t
<< Grant: Scolari faces impossible job at Chelsea
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant has warned
successor Luiz Felipe Scolari that he is embarking on an impossible job at
Stamford Bridge.
Scolari was confirmed as the replacement for the sacked Grant
<< Sparta's Emnes secures Boro switch
Middlesbrough, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Middlesbrough has swooped to sign
Dutch midfielder Marvin Emnes in a nearly $5.5 million deal from Sparta
Rotterdam.
The 20-year-old winger is Boro boss Gareth Southgate's first signi
<< Newcastle signs Taylor to new contract
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor
has finally ended speculation about his future by signing a new three-year deal
with Kevin Keegan's side.
The 22-year-old had only 12 months remaining on his p
Arshavin fails to impress Mourinho >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has ruled his
club out of the race to sign Russia star Andrei Arshavin from UEFA Cup champion
Zenit St. Petersburg.
The 27-year-old is one of Europe's hottest properties afte
Johnson, Braves take down Astros >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kelly Johnson hit a two-run homer to lead
Atlanta past Houston, 6-2, in the opener of a three-game weekend set from
Turner Field.
Chipper Jones and Brian McCann each had a pair of hits, an RBI
Tale of Two Cities: Surging Twins upend slumping Tribe >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Delmon Young went 3-for-5 with a three-run
home run and finished with four runs driven in, and Nick Punto hit a solo home
run while also driving in four runs, as the Minnesota Twins crushed the
Clevela
Phils down Mets on Victorino's two-out, game-winning single >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Victorino's two-out single in the
bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 win over
the New York Mets in the opener of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
Duaner
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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