Culture

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/33585-sec-football-2008-week-by-week-preview The SEC is without a doubt the toughest conference in college football—no other conference can even compete. This year looks like the most up-for-grabs year yet. No one team is really standing out over the rest. There are a few favorites, but not a year goes by without seeing a couple of upsets. I will give you my picks and predictions of the main SEC games throughout this year and we will see how it all turns out. In the second week of the season we get the first conference game—South Carolina at Vanderbilt. Vandy had a shocking season last year and was one win away from making it to a bowl game, but ended up losing the last four games and killing their season. I don't see them being able to make it two years in a row. Steve Spurrier will find a way to get it done, and South Carolina will open the SEC season off with a win. In the third week we really start the season with a couple of revenge games. Auburn has to play at Mississippi State, and Auburn will be looking to recover from last year's 19-14 upset. I don't see Mississippi State winning again, and I have Auburn winning. The game of the week will be Georgia at South Carolina. South Carolina gave Georgia a 16-12 loss last year that kept Georgia out of the SEC championship, and possibly the national championship. Georgia had not found Knowshon Moreno at that time, but he will definitely be here this year, and he will lead Georgia to their first SEC win of the season. In the fourth week we get a few rivalry games. Alabama has to play at Arkansas and will be looking to beat them two years in a row. If Alabama could beat Arkansas with Darren McFadden last year, I see Alabama beating them again. This time, though, it won't be as close as the three-point game last year. If Alabama wants any chance at competing in the SEC West, they need to start the season off right with a win. We also get to see LSU play at Auburn. This will be the first SEC game that the defending champions will play, and if they want to win it all two years in a row, they will need to win this game. I don't think Auburn has enough talent on their team to upset possibly the No. 1 team in the nation, and LSU will escape with a win. bleacherreport 6/29/08

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280630130 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- No punches, no angry words exchanged. With first place on the line in the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox stuck to playing baseball Monday night. James Shields scattered five hits over 6 1/3 innings and B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross homered, helping the Rays remain unbeaten at home against the Red Sox with a 5-4 victory that hiked their lead to 1 1/2 games in the division. "This is an intense series," Boston's Mike Lowell said. "I know there's a little history, but I think both teams played good baseball." The Rays (50-32), surprising owners of the best record in baseball, have won six of seven and shrugged off a six-game losing streak to Boston, which is 6-0 against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park but 0-4 at Tropicana Field. espn 7/1/08