8-31-06

Stevie Vincent of KnockoutPicks.com has the Preseason Pro Football Over/Under OF THE DECADE Thursday, plus his MAC GAME OF THE MONTH and a 3^rd Level 5 play also goes on pro baseball.

Click here to purchase now for just $25, much less for longer team packages

PRO FOOTBALL

>>>LEVEL 3 PLAY is on CAROLINA over Pittsburgh

Forensic ATS information on this game: Carolina 9-0 off of consecutive spread wins  

Posted by Joe Duffy at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Our time of the year is here. Godspicks.com has our first college football Wise Guy of the year already. We tell you why. In fact, it is an underdog that wins outright so we also have a moneyline release on it. We have three college sides, a moneyline and two NFL sides already up!

Click here now to purchase for $17 the entire day’s card

As it always the case, balls to the wall analysis better than anywhere, but this year more steam, plus moneyline and first half plays at Godspicks.com

Special offer, 5 Day Universal Extended to Six Day through Labor Day weekend: You can now purchase TOTAL ACCESS to the top three sites on the Net as featured at OffshoreInsiders.com the Bet It Trinity Stevie’s Vincent’s Knockout Picks, top sports service plays at Alliance Handicapping, and the world’s greatest sports service God’s Picks for more than 50 percent off the daily price. You get access to all three. Buy here or at any of the Bet It Trinity sites.

THE TAILGATE PARTY GOES HIGH TECH. Late breaking and advanced weather, news and notes, trends, free sports betting picks and more at www.Sportsline360.com You can get all the top service plays ever day at www.offshoreinsiders.com and the top three free sports gambling matchup databases all on one page at www.betonsports360.com, news from around the sports gambling world at www.casinobettingnews.com.

CFB

South Carolina-Mississippi State OVER 40

Say what you want about South Carolina’s head coach Steve Spurrier, but the man knows how to use this strength’s on offense. Mississippi State is much better on the defensive line than USC is on the offensive line. But Spurrier has two weapons.

Blake Mitchell is back at quarterback after passing for 2,370 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. The difference-maker is Sidney Rice, a sophomore wide receiver who had 70 catches for 1,143 yards and 13 scores a year ago.

The Cocks won’t be able to nickel and dime, but they will be able to do a quick strike. We look for big plays each way, be it a pick six or quick six.

MSU though should do well against a young and not overly impressive South Carolina offense. Seven starters are gone and an eighth has been moved to offense.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NFL betting picks and college football betting to beat the online sportsbooks for Thursday, August 31, 2006

Ø      Joe Duffy’s Godspicks.com in the No. 1 all-time sports service and has the first Wise Guy play of the college year among now seven college and NFL. Click here now to purchase for $17 the entire day’s card or you can get more details from Godspicks.com… 

Ø      Another sweep last night from Stevie Vincent! MAC GAME OF THE MONTH and the Pro Football Preseason O/U OF THE DECADE go Thursday from Stevie Vincent of KnockoutPicks.com  Click here to purchase now for just $25, much less for longer team packages or you can get more details from KnockoutPicks.com…    

Ø      Cy McCormick’s AllianceHandicapping.com. has EVERY top service play for tonight’s college and NFL card including Stevie Vincent, Sportsman’s Club and several exclusives. Today’s card can be purchased for $12 now by clicking here or you can get more details from AllianceHandicapping.com….        

You can get advanced notes for this weekend’s football games at www.sportsline360.com, and the top three free sports gambling matchup databases all on one page at www.betonsports360.com, news from around the sports gambling world at www.casinobettingnews.com and the most thoroughly recommended and vetted sportsbooks by clicking here  

Introductory offer, the new five day UNIVERSAL pass is extended to six day for the Labor Day Weekend.  Get the Universal Pass: You can now purchase TOTAL ACCESS to the top three sites on the Net, the Bet It Trinity Stevie’s Vincent’s Knockout Picks, top sports service plays at Alliance Handicapping, and the world’s greatest sports service God’s Picks for more than 50 percent off the daily price.  You get access to all three. Buy here or at any of the Bet It Trinity sites.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Joe Duffy at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NFL Team Preview: Giants

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb Contributing Writer

After finishing 11-5 and winning the NFC East last season, expectations are very high in New York for the Giants. New York addressed its 26th-ranked defense from a year ago by overhauling its secondary in the offseason and adding depth at linebacker. QB Eli Manning has another year under his belt and plenty of weapons on offense. If they can survive the competition from the toughest division in the NFL, the Giants just might fulfill those lofty expectations.

Key Additions: DBs Quentin Harris, Jason Bell, Will Demps, R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison, LBs Brandon Short and LaVar Arrington, QB Rob Johnson, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, WR Sinorice Moss.

Key Subtractions: DTs Kendrick Clancy and Kenderick Allen, DBs Shaun Williams and Will Allen, LB Nick Greisen.

Player to Watch: As Manning enters his third season -- second as a full-time starter -- he should continue to improve and make better decisions. But the key player for the young QB and the Giants will again be RB Tiki Barber. The All-Pro is coming off his best NFL season, rushing for 1,860 yards and 9 TDs and another 540 yards and 2 TDs receiving. Barber should have another huge year and knows that his window to reach his ultimate goal is closing quickly. "There is probably more sense of urgency for me now, as I approach the season, because I know there isn't a lot of time left for me to be ultimately successful, and win a Super Bowl," said Barber, who, despite getting better with age, has withstood 10 seasons of pounding. "It's not a big window, ever, for a player or a team in this league. For me, I'd say two years, and that's probably it. I'll be 33 then and … well, you know."

Outlook: The Giants improved their biggest weakness by adding Madison, McQuarters and Demps to the secondary. Kiwanuka has looked like a young Michael Strahan in the preseason, and Arrington will only help a solid linebacking corps. If the defense improves to at least middle of the pack, the offense should again be one of the better ones in the NFL, making the Giants a team to reckon with. Manning will need to take a little bit of the load off of Barber by stretching the field. The team is hoping Moss will fit that bill as TE Jeremy Shockey and WRs Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer move the chains. The Giants could be a very dangerous team and will have a say in the NFC playoff picture.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark Your Calendars

By Jim Johnson
WagerWeb Contributing Writer

After weeks of talking, toe is finally ready to meet leather and kickoff the 2006 college football season next week. The next 14 Saturdays will be overflowing with exciting football to watch. To help your planning and theodds of you winning negotiations with your significant other for TV time, here are the games you don’t want to miss. I’m restricting my list to the games actually played on Saturdays. There are a lot of quality games during the week this season, but since few of them overlap they don’t take much effort to sort out and prioritize.

Sept. 2: Notre Dame at Georgia Tech is the big game of the weekend. It will be a good test for Heisman favorite Brady Quinn on the road against Tech’s tough defense. A game that might tell us more about what is to come, however, is Cal at Tennessee. If the Golden Bears go in to Knoxville and pound the Vols, it will legitimize Cal as a contender for the Pac-10 and quickly turn up the heat on Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer. Keep an eye on Northern Illinois at Ohio State as a trap game for the Buckeyes.

Sept. 9: The rematch between Ohio State and Texas, this year in Austin, should be every bit as important and exciting as last year’s clash in Columbus. The winner comes out of this game with legitimate national championship hopes. Georgia’s hopes of winning the SEC East could suffer a blow if its young team can’t escape South Carolina with a win. If the Gamecocks can pull the upset, they would have a leg up on winning the division themselves. LSU needs to be wary of visiting Arizona. A victory in Baton Rouge would be a coming-out party for Coach Mike Stoops’ Wildcats.

Sept. 16: There won’t be many windows of time loaded with better football than 3:30-7:00 ET on this Saturday. Michigan travels to Notre Dame, LSU visits Auburn, and Miami heads to Louisville, and all games are scheduled to kickoff at the same time. The LSU-Auburn game will be critical toward determining the SEC West and possibly a national championship spot. Miami-Louisville provides a great matchup between the Hurricanes’ suffocating defense and the Cardinals’ unstoppable offense. Michigan-Notre Dame is always great to watch, especially when both teams are strong like they are this year. If you’ve got anything left after those games, check out the Clemson-Florida State battle. The Bowden Bowl could have the ACC Atlantic Division title riding on it.

Sept. 23: Penn State at Ohio State is the best of a relatively weak group of games this week. Arizona State at California is likely an elimination game to determine the primary challenger to Southern Cal in the Pac-10. Notre Dame at Michigan State could be a shootout with two outstanding quarterbacks leading prolific offenses against mediocre, at best, defenses.

Sept. 30: Another light week with only one marquee matchup, Ohio State visiting its toughest challenger in the Big Ten, Iowa. Among the other games, these conference matchups look like the most attractive ones: Oregon at Arizona State, Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, and Alabama at Florida. All of these schools will likely be heading to bowls, and these games will help determine which ones.

Oct. 7: The annual Texas-Oklahoma throwdown highlights this week. LSU at Florida should also be a critical game Oklahoma will be gunning for revenge after Texas laid a whipping on the Sooners last year and will need to win that game to reach a BCS bowl. LSU and Florida will also be jockeying for position in their divisions and the BCS standings. Nebraska’s visit to Iowa State could decide the Big 12 North division --someone has to win it.

Oct. 14: Florida-Auburn and Michigan-Penn State will vie for the best game of this Saturday. The Gators and Tigers both start the season in the Top 10, and the winner of this game is likely to stay there. Penn State will be looking to avenge its only loss last season to the Wolverines, and both teams will be looking to stay within striking distance of a Rose Bowl bid.

Oct. 21: There’s no single can’t-miss game this week, but there are several good ones. Texas could have some trouble at Nebraska, Boston College’s visit to Florida State could be a determining factor in the ACC Atlantic Division winner, Iowa’s trip to Michigan could have a lot to say about the Big Ten race, and Fresno State’s game at LSU will be one of the last opportunities this season for a non-BCS school to claim a major BCS scalp.

Oct. 28: Georgia’s trip to the Swamp to play the Gators could decide the champion of the SEC East and carry major BCS implications. Miami heads to Georgia Tech trying to avenge the physical beating the Yellow Jackets administered to the ‘Canes last year. This will be Tech’s chance to be a major player in the ACC Coastal Division.

Nov. 4: Virginia Tech at Miami is this weekend’s most important game, with the winner likely claiming the ACC’s Coastal Division. Tennessee will look to improve its bowl standing by knocking off visiting LSU.

Nov. 11: Georgia at Auburn appears to be the only game this Saturday that could impact the BCS. Both teams could be trying to wrap up their divisions and set up a rematch in the SEC Championship Game in three weeks. South Carolina at Florida could be interesting if the Gamecocks are still in contention. Texas Tech’s trip to Oklahoma will also impact the bowl positioning for both teams.

Nov. 18: Many of the traditional rivalry games take place this weekend, but the biggest matchup is California at USC with the Pac-10 championship on the line. Michigan-Ohio State could decide the Big Ten title as it has countless times before.

Nov. 25: One of the must-see games of the year is on this day: Notre Dame at USC. If you watched last year’s game for the ages between these schools, one that actually exceeded the hype, then the only thing you need to know is what time it kicks off. Of the rivalry games this weekend, Florida-Florida State is the best of the bunch.

Dec. 2: This is conference championship weekend. Along with the ACC (my pick: Clemson vs. Miami), Big 12 (Nebraska vs. Texas) and SEC (Auburn vs. Georgia) will be the game that oozes more tradition than any other in college football: Army vs. Navy. The records of those two teams never matter, this game is worth watching.

In addition to these games, there will be ones bubble up during the year that become more important than anyone anticipated. It all adds up to another exciting year of college football, one with a plethora of important games since there is no clear cut front-runner for the national championship.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Casinos As Debt Collectors

By I. Nelson Rose
WagerWeb Contributing Writer

A large casino may be stuck with more than $10 million every year in bum checks and bounced markers.

How to collect?

Debt collectors often make their money by, well, collecting debts. They are not paid by the hour, but depend for their livelihood upon their ability to extract money from reluctant customers. In the past, this sometimes led to problems. Debt collection is consistently one of the top consumer complaints.

In 1977, the United States Congress found "There is abundant evidence of the use of abusive, deceptive and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors." It reacted by passing the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

The Act spells out what outside debt collectors can and cannot do. Some are obvious, such as not threatening violence. Others are more complicated and technical, such as normally not making phone calls after 9 p.m. or before 8 a.m. and not revealing that the call is for collection of a debt if someone other than the debtor or his/her family answers the phone. A debt collector who makes a mistake is violating federal law.

Does this Act apply to casinos? How about their lawyers?

The question is of more than academic interest. The stakes are high.

First, of course, there is the money. Legal gaming operations directly lend billions of dollars each year to their patrons, and have to chase down hundreds of millions of dollars that are not paid back in time.

The National Gambling Impact Study Commission, created by Congress, asked me to do a study in 1998 on credit and the casino industry. I found that the 12 casinos in Atlantic City that year issued approximately $2.13 billion in counter-checks, markers, to their patrons. This means that, in just this one city, players borrow more than $2 billion each year from casinos.

This does not include personal checks written directly to the casinos or to others, or, most importantly, patrons' use of credit cards, ATMs or other forms of credit used to get cash to gamble.

Most patrons were able to pay off most of their loans by the end of their trips, and the markers were canceled as paid in full. Players redeemed more than $1.58 billion in markers prior to deposit.

For some, however, luck was not as kind. So $543,174,000 in markers remained unpaid after the players had left the casinos.

Most of this money was recovered through the normal procedure of depositing the markers for collection through the banking system: The casinos collected $424,400,000 from the players' banks in this way.

This means that $118,774,000 bounced. Having to chase down more than $100 million in bad debts every year turns casinos and their lawyers into major collection agencies.

Successful collection agencies, I might add. Casinos eventually collected more than $91 million of these bum markers. So, of $2 billion lent by Atlantic City casinos, only 1.3% was not repaid. Still, that means $28 million had to be written off.

Obviously some of these bum markers are from people who cannot pay. But some of this money is owed by people who, for one reason or another, simply refuse.

Casinos sometimes have to sue their (former) best patrons. Or they sell the debt to an outside collection agency, which then files a lawsuit. But gambling debts are not always collectable in a court of law. What's a debt collector to do?

Today's state licensed casinos do not break kneecaps. In fact, in states like Nevada there are detailed regulations covering how gaming debts may be collected.

But if the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act applies, casinos are opening themselves to civil damages and fines if they don't strictly comply with federal technical requirements as well.

Any debt collector subject to the Act may be liable for actual damages suffered by a person as a result of the "abusive" collection practices. It is obviously hard to put a dollar figure on being awakened at, say, 3 a.m. So Congress added an additional fine of up to $1,000 per violation, plus having to pay court costs and the debtor's attorneys fees.

It might be worth paying $1,000 to collect a single debt of $300,000. But violators are also exposing themselves up to class actions. Lawyers have an incentive to sue, because the debt collector can be made to pay up to $500,000 or 1% of its net worth, whichever is less, to the class plaintiffs, as well as attorney fees and costs.

So, are casinos subject to this federal law?

The answer is probably not. The federal law is limited to companies whose primary business is debt collection. The business that is owed the money is usually not subject to the debt, unless it does something stupid, like using a phony name.

In 2000, federal District Court Judge Philip M. Pro ruled that Caesars Palace could not be sued for alleged violations of the Act, because Caesars Palace was trying to collect debts owed to it by a patron. It was not acting as a debt collector for some other company.

The one potential problem was that, legally, "Caesars Palace" does not exist. The actual company name is Desert Palace, which is doing business as ("dba") "Caesars Palace."

The judge said this was O.K., because its in-house debt collectors and outside lawyers always used the name "Caesars." The patron could not claim that it was "using a name other than its own."

So, at least in Nevada, when casinos using their own name go after deadbeat patrons, they cannot be sued under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bad News Rays

By Tom Brew
WagerWeb Contributing Writer

Tampa Bay’s only reliable starting pitcher, 22-year-old All-Star Scott Kazmir, might be done for the season. The Devil Rays placed him on the disabled list after Friday's game for what they said were precautionary reasons and don't know when he will next pitch.

Kazmir, their prized 22-year-old left-hander, was on the DL from July 24 through Aug. 11 due to shoulder inflammation. He has made three starts since and, while getting decent results (0-1, 2.25 ERA, 24 strikeouts in 16 innings), has not looked as smooth mechanically as the Rays would like. They are concerned about an adjustment in his delivery to protect the shoulder and they don’t want to risk further damage.

"The last couple outings, we're concerned that he's starting to change his arm stroke a little bit because of the tightness in his shoulder on occasion," Manager Joe Maddon said. "So we don't want to risk him doing anything improper by throwing in a different manner."

Kazmir said it seems to be an issue when he is warming up, a process that has been taking longer than usual. But he said he actually has been feeling better and is not concerned about potential further injury.

"It's a good idea to take some time to let this run its course and get rid of it completely," he said. "I'm fine with it."

What the Rays don't know is whether Kazmir's season is over or if he will return as he hopes for the final three weeks.

"It's possible (his season is over), but if he feels really good, I'd like him to (pitch)," Maddon said.

Kazmir, 10-8 with a 3.24 ERA, has thrown 144 2/3 innings this season. Meantime, continue to WagerWeb bet against the Devil Rays on the road. They’ve been respectable at home this year, but they are horrific away from Florida. They just got swept in Baltimore, and I don’t see this trend changing.

Since the All-Star break they are 1-18 on the road, and it doesn’t get any easier when they leave Baltimore. After that, they make their only trip to Chicago to face the White Sox, so keep going in that direction. It’s easy money.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WagerWeb

Barlow's Baggage

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb Contributing Writer

They both grew up in the football-frenzied town of Pittsburgh. They both decided to stay home, and attend the University of Pittsburgh. They both orchestrated tremendous college careers which, in turn, led to WagerWeb NFL careers. And now, thanks to a trade last week, they're both on the Jets.

But make no mistake. That's where the similarities end between Curtis Martin and Kevan Barlow.

Either way, Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum and Coach Eric Mangini threw caution to the wind by agreeing to ship a fourth-round pick to San Francisco for the combustible Barlow, who will attempt to take the place of Martin, a likely Hall of Famer whose career is in jeopardy with a right knee injury.

But Martin -- a five-time Pro Bowler who has 10 1,000-yard seasons -- is so much more than statistics to the Jets. He is a team leader, a fan favorite, a media darling, and maybe more important than anything, he's not a troublemaker.

Barlow is.

"I'm a great guy," Barlow promised the New York media this week. "A character guy."

And then, of course, he went out and bashed 49ers coach Mike Nolan, comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

Now -- as is the routine in the NFL when players cross the line with quotes -- an apology soon followed.

"If I could take it back, I would," he said. "I'm a passionate player, I'm an emotional guy when it comes to on the field and off the field. Sometimes it gets the best of us. I put it behind me, and I'm glad to be a Jet."

Eventually, his teammates may be glad, as well. Especially if Barlow breaks out early for the rebuilding Jets, who have a hill to climb in order to surpass their WagerWeb.com season total of six wins.

In the interim, though, Tannenbaum and Mangini saw just a glimpse of Barlow's baggage. And there's a lot of it.

Where to begin. Well, there's the seemingly never-ending feud with his former blocking back, Fred Beasley. Then, there were the disagreements with his first coach, Steve Mariucci, and then his second coach, Dennis Erickson.

Through it all, the Jets (+$1000 to win the AFC East; +$4500 to win the AFC; and +$9000 to win the Super Bowl on WagerWeb.com) are saying the right things about this former third rounder who has just one 1,000-yard season in his five NFL years. Of course, with Martin, 33, on the Physically Unable to Perform List, they didn't have much of a choice but to acquire Barlow, 27.

"With everybody we bring in, we do a lot of research on background," Mangini said. "We talk to other people that worked with them, whether they be coaches, players, front office. When we brought Bryan Cox here, there was a lot of talk about the problems he had had. I can tell you he was one of best guys I ever worked with."

Who knows, with a young, hungry offensive line in front of him, perhaps Barlow can put up Martinesque numbers for the Jets, who have a last-place schedule in front of them.

Then again, he could lose his job to relative unknowns Derrick Blaylock, Cedric Houston or Leon Washington.

"I bleed green and white now," Barlow said. "And I'm happy I'm here."

Nolan is too.

ROD LIKES MIKE: Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan, of course, will have the final say when it comes to determining his No. 1 running back. Shanahan, after all, has given that label to Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson and Reuben Droughns in the past, so he has a tad of experience in that area.

But just in case he needs a little guidance, he can turn to veteran wide receiver Rod Smith. The three-time Pro Bowler has a soft spot in his heart for Mike Bell, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Arizona.

"I'm partial to the undrafted guys," said Smith, an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Southern in 1995. "But he's running hard. And with the offensive line we have here, he's capable of having success."

Shanahan agrees. After all, he has temporarily placed Bell at the top of the depth chart in front of veterans Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne.

"He plays pretty consistently," Shanahan said.

THE HEFTY LEFTY: You can excuse Jared Lorenzen if he's sick of being viewed as a circus act. Sure, when you're a bruising 6-foot-4, 285-pound, left-handed quarterback, it kind of comes with the territory.

But when you're trying to make an NFL roster, enough is enough.

"I'm used to it," said the former Kentucky Wildcat who is trying to become the Giants' No. 2 QB behind Eli Manning. "But I just want to be able to do whatever I've got to do to be known as just the quarterback, instead of the big quarterback."

He's on his way. Lorenzen, who threw for 10,354 yards and 78 touchdowns in college, has played in all three preseason games, and on Friday, against the Jets, he replaced Manning.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Online sports betting rundown for Wednesday, August 30, 2006.

Ø      Godspicks.com has ended their first slump since early June.  History says there will be another brief slump in about 10 weeks.  2-1 with Wise Guy and Dandy Dogs in. 2-0 night card Wednesday. Click here now to purchase for $17 the entire day’s card or you can get more details from Godspicks.com… 

Ø      Stevie Vincent of KnockoutPicks.com  thanks to the many who have jumped on his limited time offer, the rest of 2006 for $999. Two monster Offshore Steamers go Wendesday. Click here to purchase now for just $25, much less for longer team packages or you can get more details from KnockoutPicks.com… 

Ø      Well know Cable TV handicapper with his Pay After You Win Game of the Year on Cy McCormick’s AllianceHandicapping.com plus a huge consensus. Today’s card can be purchased for $12 now by clicking here or you can get More details from AllianceHandicapping.com….  

You can get advanced notes for this weekend’s football games at www.sportsline360.com, and the top three free sports gambling matchup databases all on one page at www.betonsports360.com, news from around the sports gambling world at www.casinobettingnews.com and the most thoroughly recommended and vetted sportsbooks by clicking here  

Introductory offer, the new five day UNIVERSAL pass is extended to six day for the Labor Day Weekend.  Get the Universal Pass: You can now purchase TOTAL ACCESS to the top three sites on the Net, the Bet It Trinity Stevie’s Vincent’s Knockout Picks, top sports service plays at Alliance Handicapping, and the world’s greatest sports service God’s Picks for more than 50 percent off the daily price.  You get access to all three. Buy here or at any of the Bet It Trinity sites.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, August 30, 2006 

Our first slump since early June is gone! The long term winning continued last night with a 2-1 performance, led by dog Oakland and Dandy Dog Seattle. We don’t need to “build your bankroll” for football, because we build bankrolls 12 months a year. 

We go 2-0 Wednesday, both night games.  Sign up for any of our long-term packages now. Click here now to purchase for $17 the entire day’s card , part of the OffshoreInsiders.com network.

MLB

OAKLAND (ZITO -135) Boston (Schilling)

Going with favorites with a batting average of .265 or worse on the year after allowing four runs or less in three straight games 312-154 +91.2. Oakland is 8-2 their last 10.

Oakland is on a on a 23-6 run. Boston is 3-13 off a loss. Oakland has won nine straight against teams that scored two runs or less in their previous game. Boston has lost four straight with Schilling -7.3 units.

Oakland has won 5-of-6 with Zito.  His ERA is 1.65 in his last two games.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Joe Duffy at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, September 1, 2006

You can get all the top service plays ever day at www.offshoreinsiders.com and the top three free sports gambling matchup databases all on one page at www.betonsports360.com, news from around the sports gambling world at www.casinobettingnews.com and the most thoroughly recommended and vetted sportsbooks by clicking here  

CFB

Nevada-Fresno

Fresno Bee

Tom Brandstater will be the starting quarterback for Fresno State’s season opener Friday. Backup Shaun A backup to four-year starter Paul Pinegar last season, Brandstater played in eight games, all during the end of blowout victories. He completed 6 of 13 passes for 48yards, one touchdown and one interception. Norton, last year’s fourth-string and scout-team quarterback, has yet to suit up for a game in his two years. Despite a change in offensive coordinators this offseason, Fresno State’s playbook has remained the same under new assistant Steve Hagen. In Brandstater, Fresno State enters the Nevada game with a strong-armed quarterback who can attack downfield and take advantage of one-on-one matchups.

Receivers have raved about Brandstater’s deep-ball accuracy since last season. But it’ll be his pre-snap ability to line the Bulldogs in the correct formation and set up the running game that likely will keep him on the field. With running back Dwayne Wright appearing to be healthy after a knee injury suffered two years ago, Fresno State is expected to rely heavily on the run. The Bulldogs also might throw more screen passes to take advantage of their experience and agility on the offensive line, where four of five starters return from last year. Such plays could make it easier on Brandstater to distribute the ball to playmakers Wright and receiver Paul Williams. Bet now through the Greek, home of the 21 percent sign up bonus  

Scripps Howard

Tom Brandstater, the guy who is supposedly the leading candidate for that job, completed 13 of his 34 passes in the past two scrimmages.

NFL

Eagles-Jets

Philadelphia Daily News

Also participating in parts of practice yesterday were defensive end Jerome McDougle and defensive tackle Darwin Walker, who have been sidelined the past few weeks with rib injuries. Andy Reid said McDougle and Walker might play Friday against the Jets; that might be especially useful for McDougle, who was trying to carve out a niche for himself after missing last season to complications from a gunshot wound. Reid said that wide receiver Todd Pinkston felt good in the wake of his first preseason action on Friday, that he reported no swelling in his bothersome Achilles’ tendons. He said there is a chance Pinkston will get some work in this Friday’s preseason finale at the Jets, a game starters usually sit out. Bet the NFL now at -107 juice! Check out the latest odds at CanBet. 

Stevie Vincent of OffshoreInsiders.com

Curtis Martin will not play and will begin the year on PUP list.

Sun-Sentinel

Jets QB Chad Pennington will not play in Friday’s preseason game against the Eagles. Patrick Ramsey, Brooks Bollinger and Kellen Clemens will split time in that game and continue to compete not only for depth chart placement but a spot on the roster.  Bet the NFL now at -107 juice! Check out the latest odds at CanBet. 

Colts-Bengals

Tribune Star

The Colts don’t have much time to prepare for the game but that doesn’t appear to be a major concern. According to Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, few of the team’s offensive or defensive starters will see much, if any, meaningful playing time. Despite another sluggish performance by the Colts’ running game in Saturday’s win over New Orleans, Dungy remains confident in the abilities of the team’s running backs. Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai combined for 34 yards in 16 carries against the Saints. Bet this game now through BetUs. Check out the lines now

Indy Star

If this preseason’s trend holds true, Manning and the first team will play one series. The Colts have scored touchdowns on opening drives in each of the three games. While the Colts snapped an eight-game preseason losing streak with a 27-14 victory over New Orleans on Saturday, one area of concern is kickoff coverage. The Saints averaged 32.2 yards on six returns.

Chargers-49ers

Scout.com

The San Francisco defense has been overmatched in its past two exhibition games when up against the first teams of the Raiders and Cowboys.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top sports betting online odds beating information around for Tuesday, August 29, 2006.

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Posted by Joe Duffy at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

As excited as we are about college football, we have a Tuesday trifecta in store including a Wise Guy and two Dandy Dog Major plays. Dandy dogs are dogs of 140 or more in MLB. It’s time to ramp up for football and purchase at least, I mean at least the weekly package. Click here now to purchase for $17 the entire day’s card.  We are part of the OffshoreInsiders.com network of sports pointspread experts.

MLB

San Diego-Arizona UNDER 9

This is a perfect pitcher’s splits contest. While Chris Young has a middling 4.85 home ERA, he’s now pitching on the road, where his ERA is a stunning 2.63 with a 1.11 WHIP in 11 starts. Meanwhile, Enrique Gonzalez has a road ERA of 7.65, but alas he is pitching at home where his splits are infinitely superior.  His home numbers are a 3.15 ERA and a sparkling 1.05 WHIP.

Posted by Joe Duffy at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WagerWeb

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Boston College-Central Michigan

Morning Sun

On Monday, CMU head football coach Brian Kelly said Brian Brunner will start Thursday’s contest against Boston College, but he also said Dan LeFevour and Duane Brooks would also both play in the contest. Kelly said there is no set time table on when he will make the switch to LeFevour, but did say there are plays that LeFevour and Brooks run better than Brunner and vice versa. All three quarterbacks are trying to replace record-setting quarterback Kent Smith who is currently on the Oakland Raiders roster after having an outstanding season last year for the Chippewas. Brunner played in three games last season and threw three passes. He did complete all three of those passes for a total of 21 yards. Brooks was the No. 3 quarterback all of last season, as a true freshman. He made all of the road trips with the team but did not see any action.

LeFevour was a true freshman last year and did not see any action as the No. 4 quarterback.  Bet the NFL now at -107 juice! Check out the latest odds at CanBet. 

Boston Herald

Although Kelly/Shorts Stadium’s capacity is only 30,199, it should be rocking for its first nationally televised (ESPN2) night game. It also should be quite a baptism for the five true freshmen that made BC’s two-deep roster.

Northwestern-Miami Oh

Press Notes

Miami University head football coach Shane Montgomery announced today that junior Mike Kokal has been named the RedHawks’ starting quarterback for the upcoming 2006 season. Kokal, Miami’s top back-up over the past two seasons, had been one of three Miami quarterbacks vying for the position since last spring. Since 2001, Miami’s passing offense has ranked fourth nationally in passing yards per game (291.0) behind only Texas Tech, Hawai’i and Arizona State. The RedHawks have ranked among the nation’s Top 30 in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense in each of the past three years.  Joining Kokal on the offensive side of the ball are five returning starters, including all-MAC senior wide receiver Ryne Robinson (Toledo, OH/Central Catholic) and all-MAC junior running back Brandon Murphy.  Bet now through the Greek, home of the 21 percent sign up bonus  

Temple-Buffalo

Press Notes

The contest will mark the first career head coaching contest for both Temple’s Al Golden and Buffalo’s Turner Gill.  The Owls, who return seven starters (five offense, two defense) among 35 letterwinners (17 offense, 17 defense, 1 specialist), will employ a multiple offense and a 3-4 defense. The Bulls, who return 13 starters (eight offense, five defense) among 47 letterwinners (26 offense, 20 defense, one specialist), will utilize a multiple offense and a 4-3 defense.

Minnesota-Kent

Canton Rep

The Flashes could have easily won five games last season. They lost two games by a field goal, one by 4 points and another by a touchdown. After losing so many close games, staying mentally focused will be a big key. “We have to overcome the lack of confidence that we’ve had in the past,” Head Coach Doug Martin said. “We need to take stock in the confidence of how hard we worked off the field — particularly in winter conditioning and spring practice — and let that be the foundation of what we do during the season. We’ve got to the put the 1-10 year behind us.” As with all teams, health is always a factor. Last year’s rash of injuries forced the Flashes to play 14 true freshmen and 26 NCAA Division I rookies.  Bet now through the Greek, home of the 21 percent sign up bonus  

Pioneer Press

Minnesota is minus two 1,000-yard tailbacks and two four-year starters on the offensive line. Mason said last week it will be tailback by committee for Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. kickoff, and coaches have declined to name a front-runner, much less a starter, since fall camp opened on Aug. 5. 

Toledo-Iowa State

KTIV

Iowa State coach Dan McCarney has been in Ames for 12 years. He has never had a defense with less experience than the one set to open the season against Toledo. Graduations, and the unexpected departures of defensive end Jason Berryman and linebacker Matt Robertson, cost the Cyclones ten starters from the unit that played in the 2005 Houston Bowl. Those starters led Iowa State to the third-best scoring defense in the Big 12 a year ago. They have been replaced by newcomers that are either young, inexperienced or a little bit of both. Still, McCarney refuses to lower the expectation level for his defense—or reduce its complexity in order to soften the learning curve. The unit will get its first test Thursday when Iowa State hosts the Rockets at Jack Trice Stadium. It will feature a pair of true freshman starters, Nate Frere and Rashawn Parker, on the defensive line.  Bet the NFL now at -107 juice! Check out the latest odds at CanBet. 

Des Moines Register

Before jumping to conclusions that the Mid-American Conference Rockets are out of their league against a team from the Big 12 Conference - forget it. Toledo beat Penn State in 2000, Minnesota in 2001 and Pittsburgh in 2003. Another indicator that the teams belong on the same field is the Rockets’ 45-13 win over Texas-El Paso in last season’s GMAC Bowl. They have won or shared the West Division title of the MAC seven of the past nine seasons. They have a 55-19 record since 2000 and a winning record each of the past 12 seasons.

South Carolina-Mississippi State

MSNBC

And South Carolina will do it with more unproven players than Spurrier has seen in some time. Center Chris White is the only offensive linemen with more than four career starts. The defense depth chart features six players who never played a down at their position. The most impressive performer, at least statistically, at quarterback this fall hasn’t been returning starter Blake Mitchell, but true freshman Chris Smelley. The Gamecocks proved that a year ago in Spurrier’s debut season. They started 0-3 in the SEC — a first for Spurrier — including losses to Alabama and Auburn by a combined 85-21 score. Then came a five-game conference winning streak that featured victories at Tennessee and against Florida — a double no South Carolina coach had accomplished before.  Bet now through the Greek, home of the 21 percent sign up bonus  

UTEP-San Diego State

El Paso Times

The Aztecs return six starters to the offensive side of the ball, with five of the starters having logged at least 11 career starts. They also return players that accounted for 100 percent of its passing yards and 96.6 percent of its rushing yards. They move behind junior running back Lynell Hamilton who, after being riddled with injuries over his two-year career, appears to be back to his 2003 form when he earned freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News. Hamilton, who missed the entire 2004 season due to injury, was San Diego State’s leading ground gainer last year, with 819 yards on 190 carries (4.3 average), and nine touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 144 yards.

He has rushed for 1,906 yards and has 13 rushing touchdowns over his career. “This is the best summer I’ve ever had,” said the 6-foot, 225-pound Hamilton, a native of Stockton, Calif. “I was able to work out and go ahead and do some running and conditioning. Whereas, before, I was always rehabbing. So that’s really big for me.”

Also returning is junior quarterback Kevin O’Connell, a Carlsbad, Calif., native who has started 17 consecutive games at the position but had to re-earn his starting spot under Long. Defensively, San Diego State returns eight starters with a combined 109 starts. Players who are returning accounted for more than 70 percent of total tackles, 90 percent of forced fumbles and 66 percent of fumble recoveries. The strength, though, might be the secondary, and senior safety Reggie Grigsby, the leading returning tackler from last season.

The UTEP football team’s injury situation is better. But that doesn’t mean that head coach Mike Price isn’t concerned heading into the season opener Thursday at San Diego State. was junior offensive lineman James Riley the starter at right guard who suffered a low-ankle sprain. A host of others sustained nagging hamstring pulls, including tailback Marcus Thomas, safety Joe Fleskoski, defensive end Joe Ward, receiver Chris Marrow, freshman safety Braxton Amy and quarterback/receiver Lorne Sam. Senior quarterback Jordan Palmer was out for a few days nursing a sore elbow. Sunday, redshirt freshman quarterback Brandis Dew sat out with a sore shoulder. Spence and Mauch were suspended this game for breaking team rules. Bet the NFL now at -107 juice! Check out the latest odds at CanBet. 

Posted by Joe Duffy at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Top sports service plays at JoeDuffy.net

MLB

·        Chicago Zambrano 14-5 personal record, Zambrano 7-1 lifetime record to Pittsburgh

·        St. Louis Mulder over 11-5

·        Mets Trachsel 18-7 team mark, over 17-7

·        LAD Hendrickson 8-15 team record, 5-14 Hendrickson

·        Toronto Chacin 8-3 team record

·        Tampa over 14-6 with Fossum

Posted by Joe Duffy at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Posted by Mike Godsey at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday, August 28,
2006

America’s greatest sports service the Dream Team at Godspicks.com nails Houston in our specialty, the NFL. Every sucker and their brother had Denver for some reason. Though the every few months short-term slowdown in baseball made a short-lived visit, our long-term winning, especially since early June is yet again No. 1.

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NFL

Green Bay-Cincinnati UNDER 40.5

Our official outlaw line is 37. The official outlaw line is what the odds would be if there was no consideration given to public perception and balancing the action. It is the more accurate line from the standpoint of the bettor.

Don’t get too excited about Carson Palmer coming back and expect him to throw 20 passes. Basically they want him to take a hit or two and just feel comfortable in game action.

Not only does Green Bay have all 11 defensive starters healthy, we expect them to run the ball. Coach Mike McCarthy should have plenty of choices at running back against the Bengals. Ahman Green will start, McCarthy said Saturday. It will be his first game action since he tore a quadriceps tendon at Minnesota on Oct. 23. Also expected to be available are Najeh Davenport and Arliss Beach, both of whom have been banged up and limited in practice this week.

The Bengals picked off five Packers passes in a regular-season game last season, and in two preseason games this year, they have forced seven turnovers.

Posted by Mike Godsey at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Packers-Bengals

Wisconsin State Journal

Meanwhile, McCarthy reiterated halfback Ahman Green will start, making his preseason debut, while No. 2 halfback Najeh Davenport (hip) should play after practicing for the second consecutive day. Defensive end Kenny Peterson (ankle) is “still in question,” for the game, while guard Mookie Moore is questionable and cornerback Patrick Dendy (ankle) is doubtful. McCarthy said he expects cornerback Mike Hawkins (knee) to play but running back Ben Brown (tailbone) will be a game-time decision. McCarthy said backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers could “potentially” get some time with the No. 1 offense in the third quarter, depending on how productive Brett Favre is during his time. For the Packers defense, Monday nig