Are Patriots proving theory of once a cheater, always a cheater?

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes breaks down the Patriots history of cheating and why we shouldn’t be surprised by latest allegations.

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes breaks down the Patriots history of cheating and why we shouldn’t be surprised by latest allegations.

Rockets discuss James Harden’s historic start

What I’m Hearing: USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Medina spoke to members of the Rockets and James Harden himself about the point guard’s historic start to the season.

What I’m Hearing: USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Medina spoke to members of the Rockets and James Harden himself about the point guard’s historic start to the season.

The 10 best sports bets of the decade

You could have made so much money off these!

This might turn out to be a list that will make you sad at all the money you had an opportunity to win in the last decade.

But think of it differently: this is a list of miraculous things we saw happen in sports over the last 10 years. And who doesn’t love a longshot, even if you’re not betting on it?

Of course, some of these were actually events people bet on happening, so you also need to take a second and bow down at their sports gambling prowess.

So here are some of the best bets of the last 10 years, which — in hindsight — might have won you so much money.

1. The Cardinals were 999-to-1 longshots in the middle of September and went on to win the World Series

Deadspin had the story of someone who took those looooong odds with the Cards five games back of the Wild Card with 15 games left in the season.

2. Harry Wilson’s grandfather bet on him playing for Whales someday

This is a wild story: Wilson’s grandfather threw down £50 when Harry was around three years old that he’d play for Whales. He had 2,500-to-1 odds and was paid out in 2013 when Wilson played.

3. Leicester City were the ultimate underdogs

Unbelievably, Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016, and a fan bet $28 on 5,000-to-1 odds, although he cashed out at $41,000 so he didn’t have to stress out over winning or not.

4. The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers

And the Cavs odds to come back in the 2016 NBA Finals from that deficit were +1100.

5. The Patriots came back from 28-3 in Super Bowl LI

When the Pats were down 28-9, you could have gotten them at 16-to-1 in live odds.

6. The Eagles were longshots to win Super Bowl LII

They were 50-to-1 before the season.

7. Howard completes a stunning upset over UNLV

And it would have paid out $60,000 to a $100 bet in 2017.

8. UMBC made history beating No. 1 seeded Virginia in the 2018 NCAA tournament

And some people actually bet on it!!

9. Joe Burrow was a 2019 Heisman Trophy underdog

Some bettors had him at 200-to-1!

10. Lamar Jackson was a sleeper pick for 2019 NFL MVP

He was 100-to-1 in June!

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Decade in sports: The magic of the USWNT

SportsPulse: When it comes to declaring the team of the decade, USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour says the United States women’s national soccer team has as good a case as any.

SportsPulse: When it comes to declaring the team of the decade, USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour says the United States women’s national soccer team has as good a case as any.

Notre Dame Football: Ranking Potential Bowl Game Opponents

Finally the biggest draw in the Big XII comes up on our breakdown.  Is Texas back?

In one of the worst kept secrets in college football at this point, we sit and wait to act surprised when on Sunday we will all officially find out that No. 15 Notre Dame will be headed to play a Big XII opponent in the 2019 Camping World Bowl.

That means a trip to Orlando but who the Irish play in the game is still very much up in the air for multiple different reasons.

For one – Oklahoma and Baylor both right now sit at six and seven in the College Football Playoff rankings respectively, with both still being very much alive for a potential New Year’s Six Bowl game berth if they are to fall in Saturday’s conference championship.

That’s important because it would change the Alamo automatically getting whoever loses and instead, give the bowl the chance to pick which of the 5-4 Big XII teams it would like, as Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Texas all finished in a tie for third place after all going 5-4 in conference play.

It got me wondering though – who should Notre Dame fans be rooting for to play?

I get that some Irish fans will have a family or friend that is connected to one of the schools that will make that their obvious choice, but for everyone who doesn’t, what are you rooting for to happen?

A quick look at the potential match-ups, one at a time.

Kansas State

Notre Dame Basketball: Chris Doherty Leaves Team

Doherty was hardly a key contributor as he’s played just 15 minutes this season. 

As the 6-1 Notre Dame basketball team continues to prepare for No. 3 Maryland in Wednesday night’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge match-up they got news that they’ll be playing short-handed as forward Chris Doherty has left the team.

Doherty was hardly a key contributor as he’s played just 15 minutes this season.  He finishes his Notre Dame career with 15 points and 14 rebounds while appearing in 17 games over the last two seasons.

Mike Brey and the 6-1 Fighting Irish return to action Wednesday night as they take on No. 3 Maryland in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Game Ball Awards for Notre Dame’s Win over Stanford

I still think the Irish win Saturday had Isaiah Foskey not blocked the punt late in the first half because Notre Dame was simply too dominant afterwards to think it was only that play.

A look at the final score and you might not think Saturday’s 45-24 Notre Dame win over Stanford and think they dominated for the entire afternoon.

Although domination eventually came on, for 27 minutes or so in the first half things were anything but for the Fighting Irish.

So who gets the reward of the game balls in today’s win that wraps up a 10-2 regular season?

Let’s check it out:

Offense:

I could go a couple different ways here with Chase Claypool scoring twice and providing the go-ahead touchdown or Tony Jones scoring and putting up 90 total yards but to me it was Ian Book that offensively was the biggest star.

Four touchdowns and no interceptions, his ground game wasn’t as strong today but it was just as lethal when it absolutely needed to be, his fourth down run for 26 yards to the Stanford three while still only leading 21-17 was a huge play by the quarterback who Brian Kelly had big-time praise for after the game (more on that, later).

Ian Book: 17/30, 255 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 29 rush yards

Defense and Special Teams…

Michael Chiesa previews Rafael dos Anjos fight, happy with welterweight move

Michael Chiesa previews Rafael dos Anjos fight, happy with welterweight move.

Michael Chiesa previews Rafael dos Anjos fight, happy with welterweight move.

Famous wives of professional athletes

Sometimes stars from one industry (sports) align with stars from another (entertainment) resulting in holy matrimony. It happens a lot.

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander

Famous wives of pro athletes

Sometimes the stars from one industry (sports) align with stars from another (entertainment) resulting in a marriage or relationship between athletes and celebrities, and there are plenty of examples. Such as Kate Upton, an actress and cover model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and Major League Baseball pitcher Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros.

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

No. 16 Notre Dame A Massive Favorite Over Stanford

Stanford will be done for the year following Saturday, failing to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2008 which was Jim Harbaugh’s second year with the Cardinal.

Two teams headed in opposite directions will meet late Saturday afternoon in California as 4-7 Stanford plays host to No. 16 Notre Dame.

A win would give Notre Dame their third straight 10-win season, something they haven’t accomplished three seasons in a row since between 1991 and 1993.

Stanford will be done for the year following Saturday, failing to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2008 which was Jim Harbaugh’s second year with the Cardinal.

Notre Dame has not won at Stanford since 2007 while Brian Kelly is 0-5 all-time in Palo Alto, California.  Despite that Notre Dame is a huge favorite against the struggling Cardinal on Saturday, currently sitting as a 16.5 point road-favorite.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 11/18 at 2:09 p.m. ET.

Notre Dame marched to victory over Stanford last year 38-17 but has not won comfortably at Stanford since 2003 when a 57-7 win led by Tyrone Willingham finished Notre Dame’s 5-7 campaign.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

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