{"id":3179,"date":"2008-12-31T11:33:00","date_gmt":"2008-12-31T16:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2008\/12\/2008-closes-out-great-for-sports-picks\/"},"modified":"2008-12-31T11:33:00","modified_gmt":"2008-12-31T16:33:00","slug":"2008-closes-out-great-for-sports-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2008\/12\/2008-closes-out-great-for-sports-picks\/","title":{"rendered":"2008 Closes Out Great For Sports Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=Section1>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>There is plenty of action around the sports world leading up to the ball drop on New Year&#8217;s Eve. While 2008 has been a rough year for those dumb enough to gamble on Wall Street stocks, it&#8217;s been one of the greatest years in recorded history for the smartest investors, professional gamblers. One of the 10 strongest investment cards of the year closes out 2008 and here are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/index.php?Page=Articles&amp;ArticleID=4235\">all the sports picks needed by bettors<\/a>. <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Here&#8217;s a look at the full calendar in your Daily Sports Roundup.<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><strong><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The Gridiron Spotlight<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The first bowl game on Wednesday gets underway at 12:00pm ET, with Houston (7-5 straight-up, 4-7 against-the-spread) taking on Air Force (8-4 SU, 7-4 ATS) in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. The oddsmakers have <\/span><\/font><st1:City><st1:place>Houston<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> pegged as a 3.5-point <span class=SpellE>fave<\/span> in this game, while the posted total has been steady at 64 points.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Next up is the Sun Bowl at <\/span><\/font><st1:time Hour=\"14\" Minute=\"0\">2:00pm ET<\/st1:time>, with <st1:City><st1:place>Pittsburgh<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS) taking on <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Oregon<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) in <st1:City><st1:place>El Paso<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Oregon<\/st1:PlaceName>  <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> is listed as a 2.5-point favorite at Sun Bowl Stadium, while the total for the contest is at 51.5 points.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><st1:place><st1:PlaceName><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span   style='font-size:12.0pt'>Boston<\/span><\/font><\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>College<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> (9-4 SU, 7-5 ATS) and Vanderbilt (6-6 SU, 7-5 ATS) will then take the field at <st1:time Hour=\"15\" Minute=\"30\">3:30pm ET<\/st1:time> in the Music City Bowl in <st1:City><st1:place>Nashville<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>. The Eagles might not have the crowd on their side in this one, but the oddsmakers still have them listed as 3.5-point favorites in the game. The total is pegged at just 40.5 points.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>At <\/span><\/font><st1:time Hour=\"17\" Minute=\"30\">5:30pm ET<\/st1:time> we&#8217;ll then get <st1:State><st1:place>Kansas<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> (7-5 SU, 6-5 ATS) and <st1:State><st1:place>Minnesota<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> (7-5 SU, 7-4 ATS) in the Insight Bowl at <st1:City><st1:place>Tempe<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>&#8216;s Sun Devil Stadium. This game features the biggest spread on the day, as the oddsmakers have <st1:State><st1:place>Kansas<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> sitting as an 8.5-point favorite against the Golden Gophers. The total for the game is 58.5 points.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Finally, it&#8217;ll be LSU (7-5 SU, 2-9 ATS) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3 SU, 8-2 ATS) in the Chick-<span class=SpellE>fil<\/span>-A Bowl at <\/span><\/font><st1:time Hour=\"19\" Minute=\"30\">7:30pm  ET<\/st1:time> at the Georgia Dome. The ranked Yellow Jackets are 4-point favorites in this contest, while the oddsmakers have the total at 52.5.<br \/> &nbsp;<br \/> <strong><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font face=\"Times New Roman\">Other Notable Events<\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The Orlando Magic will try to end 2008 on a winning note when they play on the road against the Chicago Bulls in matinee action on Wednesday afternoon (with <span class=SpellE>tipoff<\/span> at <\/span><\/font><st1:time Hour=\"14\" Minute=\"0\">2:00pm  ET<\/st1:time>). The Magic were knocked off 88-82 on the road by the Pistons on Monday evening despite Dwight Howard&#8217;s 18 points and 18 rebounds.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>There are five other NBA games on the schedule for Wednesday, including a <\/span><\/font><st1:time Hour=\"15\" Minute=\"0\">3:00pm ET<\/st1:time> contest between the Nets and Pistons in <st1:City><st1:place>Detroit<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>. As well, it&#8217;s <st1:City><st1:place>Milwaukee<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> at <st1:City><st1:place>Houston<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>, <st1:City><st1:place>Denver<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> at <st1:City><st1:place>Toronto<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>, and <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Golden<\/st1:PlaceName>  <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> at <st1:City><st1:place>Oklahoma   City<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>, while the Sixers and the Clippers will finish the night with a game in <st1:City><st1:place>Los Angeles<\/st1:place><\/st1:City>.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><strong><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The Rest of the Schedule<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The NHL offers up seven games on Wednesday, including a Panthers\/Islanders matchup on <\/span><\/font><st1:place>Long  Island<\/st1:place> at <st1:time Hour=\"14\" Minute=\"0\">2:00pm ET<\/st1:time>. Rounding out the day&#8217;s slate: Atlanta at Carolina, Colorado at Phoenix, New Jersey at Dallas, Columbus at Anaheim, Edmonton at Calgary, and San Jose at Minnesota; the Sharks kept on winning on Monday, beating the Stars by a score of 3-1 thanks to two third-period tallies. <o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Finally, No. 1 North Carolina will try to boost their perfect record to 13-0 by beating <\/span><\/font><st1:State><st1:place>Nevada<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> in college hoops action on Wednesday night. Other ranked teams in action Wednesday include No. 3 Pittsburgh vs. <st1:place>Rutgers<\/st1:place>, No. 5 Duke vs. Loyola MD, No. 7 Notre Dame vs. DePaul, No. 10 Michigan State vs. No. 21 Minnesota, No. 16 Gonzaga vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Utah<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, No. 18 Louisville vs. UNLV, No. 22 Xavier vs. Robert Morris, No. 23 Michigan vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Wisconsin<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, and No. 24 Ohio State vs. <st1:State><st1:place>Iowa<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>.<o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><strong><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>A Peek at the Future<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/strong><o:p><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>New Year&#8217;s Day features five more bowl games, including <\/span><\/font><st1:place>Southern  Cal<\/st1:place> (-9) vs. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Penn<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>State<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> in the Rose Bowl. As well, it&#8217;ll be Cincinnati (-2.5) vs. Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, Iowa (-4) vs. South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, Clemson (-2.5) vs. Nebraska in the Gator Bowl, and Georgia (-7.5) vs. Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl . . . the NBA doesn&#8217;t have any games on the schedule for Thursday; the league will return to action on a busy Friday night with 15 games.<\/p>\n<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Sports Headlines<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Following an emotional ceremony for Todd <span class=SpellE>Doxey<\/span>, <\/span><\/font><st1:State><st1:place>Oregon<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> took care of business and made GodsTips 80 percent this year with bowl Wise Guy plays. Wise Guy plays from Joe Duffy&#8217;s GodsTips are widely accepted by high rollers, bookmakers, linesmakers, and fellow handicappers as the biggest play in the handicapping abyss. This is just fact\u2026.Published reports out of New York say that Bill Cowher turned down the Jets head coaching job because he has no interest in coaching washed up Brett Favre\u2026Charles Barkley has been arrested on DUI suspicion. Surely by the Times Square ball drop, Barkley will blame his arrest in racism\u2026Mike Shanahan was fired as coach of the Denver Broncos\u2026Free taxi rides and First Night notwithstanding, the sports betting card for New Year&#8217;s Eve is the way the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/index.php?Page=Articles&amp;ArticleID=4235\">wisest will celebrate<\/a> as basketball holiday tournaments are overshadowed by the bowls but not by bettors who want to beat the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.linetrackers.com\/\">sportsbooks<\/a>&#8230;Aston Villa won 1-0 at Hull despite the antics of John <span class=SpellE>Carew<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Politics<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n<p><font size=3 face=\"Times New Roman\"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In <font color=black><span style='color:black'><a href=\"http:\/\/www.betus.com\/ats\/10499\/sportsbook\/entertainment-betting-odds.aspx\"><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>entertainment and political betting odds<\/span><\/font><\/a><\/span><\/font> Al Franken leads Norm Coleman by 48 votes in the never ending Minnesota Senate Race\u2026.Democratic Governor Rod <span class=SpellE>Blagovich<\/span> has appointed Roland Burris to the US Senate to fill the seat vacated by President Barack Obama\u2026Reports say virginity pledges ineffective. Oscar Dooley is a virgin by choice, just not his choice. <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"blogger-post-footer\"><a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.offshoreinsiders.com\/\"><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>OffshoreInsiders.com<\/b><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is plenty of action around the sports world leading up to the ball drop on New Year&#8217;s Eve. While 2008 has been a rough year for those dumb enough to gamble on Wall Street stocks, it&#8217;s been one of the greatest years in recorded history for the smartest investors, professional gamblers. One of the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/2008\/12\/2008-closes-out-great-for-sports-picks\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">2008 Closes Out Great For Sports Picks<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeduffy.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}