A Boxing Upset

Ruiz!

Australian Open Day 1: Match of the Day

Bernard Tomic vs. Fernando Verdasco

Should be some great shot making in this one.

These two have played once and Verdasco won it in straight sets at Brisbane in 2009.

Tomic is a much better player now and appears to like playing playing on a big stage.  Tomic stands 6'5' and is one of those players that does use his height to his advantage.

This match has all the makings of a 5-setter.

Look for Tomic to pull off this minor upset in 5 sets.

Week 17 NFL Play of the Day: Detroit Lions

The line on this game is moving and I'm not sure how much more it will move.

The Packers went from favorites to home dog when word crept out that they will rest most of their important players.  I don't expect to see Aaron Rodgers or anyone else who is nicked up or questionable.

The Pack may play this like a glorified exhibition game and with the current line of Green Bay getting 4.5, I'd stay with the Lions.

Nothing is on the line for the Packers here and the Lions want to make sure they go intothe playoffs on a roll.

Take the Lions.

U.S. Open Match to Watch: Day 2

A good day of tennis on Monday should be followed up with an even better day of play on Tuesday.

We'll go over to the women's draw for Tuesday's match to watch.

It wil be on Louis Armstrong as the second match on.

This could be a war:

Galina Voskoboeva(KAZ)    vs.      Francesca Schiavone(ITA)[7]

Voskoboeva is really a player to watch. She's tall, she well coached and she plays hard.  She had a great run in Canada this summer and any top player that goes up against her should be on upset alert.

Schiavone isa warrior and a thinker on the court.  Hard is not her best surface and that will turn this into a close three-setter.  I still like Schiavone, the Italian to pull it out 7-5 in the third.

Francesca Schiavone

Day 5: Australian Open Match of the Day

Men's 3rd Round on Rod Laver Court

Stanislas Wawrinka vs. Gael Monfils

It doesn't get much better than a night match on Rod Laver with these two shotmakers.  I don't expect either player to give and inch and we should see a tie-breaker or two.

The two have played 3 times with Monfils holding a 2-1 advantage.  They have never played a 3 out of 5 set match, though.

Stan reached the third round with two straight-set wins while Monfils had to come from two down to beat Thiemo DeBakker and dropped a set to young Federico Gil in the second.  This is a match Monfils should win, but I think in the end, Wawrinka comes through with a 5-set win.

*Upset alert - Don't be surprised at all if Venus Williams goes out tonight losing to Andrea Petkovic, a German that will be in every point.