Sports Betting

Odds to Win 2006 Super Bowl
We're through week 10 in the season and a few things have come to pass one of which is the fact that the Colts are undefeated as of now and may go stay that way through the regular season. The Eagles are all but out with Donavan Mcnabb out and what might be best for the Eagles long term is if he just goes in and has the surgery. Who would of thought the Bears would be leading their Division? Daunte Culpepper is out for the year in Minnesota as well as Ahman Green and Javon Walker in Green Bay.
The 2005-06 NFL season has surely provided some big surprises. Now that we have a better idea of "who's who" in the NFL, now is a good time to consider getting down on teams to win the Superbowl before the odds start shrinking and the value goes away.
Listed below you'll find the current odds for winning the Superbowl as well as the AFC and the NFC.
Odds to win 2006 Super Bowl
Arizona Cardinals 2000/1Atlanta Falcons 14/1Baltimore Ravens 800/1Buffalo Bills 125/1Carolina Panthers 15/2Chicago Bears 22/1Cincinnati Bengals 18/1Cleveland Browns 1000/1Dallas Cowboys 14/1Denver Broncos 10/1Detroit Lions 90/1Green Bay Packers 300/1Houston Texans 4500/1Indianapolis Colts 7/5Jacksonville Jaguars 35/1Kansas City Chiefs 50/1Miami Dolphins 250/1Minnesota Vikings 80/1New England Patriots 14/1New Orleans Saints 2000/1New York Giants 13/1New York Jets 500/1Oakland Raiders 250/1Philadelphia Eagles 35/1Pittsburgh Steelers 7/1San Diego Chargers 12/1San Francisco 49ers 2500/1Seattle Seahawks 8/1St Louis Rams 100/1Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35/1Tennessee Titans 1500/1Washington Redskins 38/1
Odds to win 2006 NFC Championship
Arizona Cardinals 1000/1Atlanta Falcons 5/1Carolina Panthers 14/5Chicago Bears 8/1Dallas Cowboys 5/1Detroit Lions 65/1Green Bay Packers 200/1Minnesota Vikings 40/1New Orleans Saints 1500/1New York Giants 6/1Philadelphia Eagles 20/1San Francisco 49ers 1500/1Seattle Seahawks 3/1St Louis Rams 50/1Tampa Bay Buccaneers 18/1Washington Redskins 15/1
Odds to win 2006 AFC Championship
Baltimore Ravens 500/1Buffalo Bills 70/1Cincinnati Bengals 9/1Cleveland Browns 500/1Denver Broncos 6/1Houston Texans 4000/1Indianapolis Colts 5/9Jacksonville Jaguars 20/1Kansas City Chiefs 30/1Miami Dolphins 200/1New England Patriots 10/1New York Jets 350/1Oakland Raiders 200/1Pittsburgh Steelers 9/2San Diego Chargers 8/1Tennessee Titans 1000/1
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Sports Betting

1 (1) Indianapolis Colts (9-0)
With last week's win over the Houston Texans, the Colts are in great position going into the stretch. They really only need one or two more wins to clinch a playoff spot, and three or four wins should give them home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This week's game against the Bengals will pit them up against another great team, and it'll be interesting to see if they can continue their streak.
2 (2) Seattle Seahawks (7-2)
Oh so close to locking up their division. Is there any player playing better than Shawn Alexander right now? I don't think so. As long as he can keep going, Seattle is going to be difficult - if not impossible - to stop. That's a scary thought for the rest of the NFC heading down the stretch.

3 (3) Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)
Their first test this season against the Steelers and they failed, now they have a second test, only this is the top ranked Indianapolis Colts. The Bengals have to leave it all on the line if they want to even think about catching the Colts (not going to happen), and not only that, but to stay with Pittsburgh in the race for the division. The Bengals have a chance to win against the Colts, but the crowd needs to be LOUD.
4 (6) Carolina Panthers (7-2)
They absolutely obliterated the Jets in the fourth quarter, but that wasn't much of a surprise. This team can win late games, and that's a very valuable quality heading into the stretch. They're like New England in that respect - if you don't put them away, they'll bite you. A huge NFC match up this week against Chicago will give us a very good idea of just how talented this team is.
5 (4) Denver Broncos (7-2)
They didn't drop because of the way they've been playing, but rather Carolina just played too well to be denied. However, this team could make some noise, and will have a chance to regain some ground when they play the Jets this week. They have a valuable lead in the AFC West, and they'll need it as the Chargers are coming on strong. They won't have to worry about the Chiefs - they're done.
6 (8) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2)
Well they can win without Roethlisberger - but is that something you want to have to do consistently? Even without him they're still a playoff team, but they're definitely not a Super Bowl team. Baltimore may cause some problems this week, and if they don't have Roethlisberger back next week the Colts are going to give them their third loss of the season.
7 (5) New York Giants (6-3)
What a terrible time to slip up, and against Minnesota of all teams. Eli Manning and the Giants have to be better if they want to be taken seriously, especially with Dallas aiming for the division title. A win this week against the Philadelphia Eagles would be a huge boost to their confidence.
8 (7) San Diego Chargers (5-4)
Heading off the bye-week they've got a date against the Buffalo Bills, who will likely have J.P. Losman start. I doubt Buffalo could win this game with either quarterback, but the Chargers still have to play well. If San Diego can't win, they risk slipping out of the AFC West race.
9 (11) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3)
Watch out for this team. If you want to look ahead to the playoffs, in the AFC the one team you definitely don't want to play is the Jags. They completely annihilated the Ravens last week, and they've flew under the radar most of the way - the perfect combination for an early playoff exit for some unlucky opponent.
10 (10) Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
If this team played a full 60 minutes they'd probably be the best team in the NFC. However, that concept has yet to sink through to them, and until it does, they're going to have a tough time doing anywhere in January. Meanwhile, they're in a fight for their lives with the Giants for the NFC East title.
11 (9) Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
Against Green Bay? Green Bay? The Falcons picked the worst possible time to lose, allowing Tampa Bay to catch them and Carolina to pass them. This week's game against the Bucs is almost a must-win, as the loser will likely be too far back to catch the Panthers for the NFC South, unless Carolina loses of course.
12 (13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)
Chris Simms can win games with his arms - and that's good news, since Carnell 'Cadillac' Williams can't seem to win them with his legs. Opposition could be in trouble if Jon Gruden can get both parts of the offense clicking at once. They'll be in even more trouble if Monte Kiffin can get this defense working again.
13 (12) Chicago Bears (6-3)
The Bears get a chance to prove that they're a legitimate NFC contender this week, not just the benefactors of a terrible division. They should be able to give Carolina some problems, but their offense just isn't good enough - I don't see them keeping up with the Panthers. This team will be great two years down the road if management doesn't screw up, all the pieces are in place. As for now, they're still "also-rans".
14 (23) Buffalo Bills (4-5)
The fact that the Bill jumped 9 spots in one week shows you just how close every team in the middle of the pack is ranked. Nonetheless, it was great to see J. P. Losman throwing touchdown passes, something the Bills will need if they want to stay in the division race and catch New England. San Diego is going to be a tough team to beat though.
15 (14) Washington Redskins (5-4)
Did they get robbed? Maybe. Maybe the ball was over the line, maybe it wasn't. However, you can't blame the loss on that one play. They had four quarters to stop the Bucs, and they couldn't do it. The first three quarters is the reason they lost, not just the fourth. If you have a chance to put the game away - you take advantage. The Redskins didn't, and because of that, they lost.
16 (15) Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)
A rather pathetic performance against the Bills, and they'll need to do better to be taken seriously in the AFC. They should get an easy win this week against the Texans, and if they struggle at all, we'll know they're not for ready to be a contender.
17 (18) New England Patriots (5-4)
The good news is that they lead their division. The bad news is that their defense isn't showing up at all. The good news is their next opponent is New Orleans. As long as Tom Brady is playing, the Patriots will have a chance in every game. However, at some point the defense has got to make a stand.
18 (17) Miami Dolphins (3-6)
They made a game of it against the Patriots, but weren't able to pull it off. They need to win this week against Cleveland, because 9-7 just won't make the playoffs in the AFC. They should be able to pull it off, but at this stage the playoffs are a bit of a stretch for the Dolphins.
19 (19) Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)
Is it T.O., is it the team, is it the coaches, is it injuries - just what is wrong with the Eagles? The once proud franchise has been thrown into disarray, and it may take a while before they sort it out again. Maybe if they started to run the ball.
20 (16) Oakland Raiders (3-6)
They were doing ok for a while there, and then they got smacked back down by the Broncos. Every game now is a must win if they want to maintain their playoff hopes, and looking at the rest of their schedule it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Too bad - this team is better than their record.
21 (21) Detroit Lions (4-5)
Well, at least they can beat someone, even if it is Arizona. It's better than not beating the Cardinals. Will they duplicate the result this week against Dallas? Don't count on it. The Cowboys haven't played a full game all year, and God forbid this is their coming out week.
22 (22) St. Louis Rams (4-5)
They're a long way from the Rams of 2001 - heck, they're a long way from the Rams of last year. The Seahawks absolutely destroyed them, but they are the best team in the NFC. Maybe they can be like Detroit and at the very least beat the Cardinals.
23 (20) Tennessee Titans (2-7)
Maybe the best 2-7 team the league has ever seen - take that for what it's worth. The Titans lost a host of close games this year, and this week against the Jaguars may be another one of those. The Jags excel at winning close games - not something you want to know if you're a Titans fan.
24 (27) Green Bay Packers (2-7)
The second best 2-7 team in football. They played inspired against the Falcons, even though they may only be playing for pride. The Packers will have to view this as a rebuilding season, and hope that Favre doesn't retire. He's the only one who's kept this team from going 0-9.
25 (25) Cleveland Browns (3-6)
This team will be good - but it'll take a while. They've got a good coaching staff, and that's the foundation for a solid team. It may be too late for this year, especially if they lose another game. Miami might be the team to knock them out of the playoffs, because whoever loses this game will undoubtedly be done for the year.
26 (28) New Orleans Saints (2-7)
Too many things went wrong this year, and unfortunately they all went wrong at once. There aren't many teams that could overcome this much adversity and still field a winning team. All they need is one more loss to finish off the season, and it'll come this week against the Patriots.
27 (24) Baltimore Ravens (2-7)
You get blown out by Jacksonville, and then you get to play Pittsburgh? Ouch. At least they may be missing Roethlisberger, because if they're not this game could get ugly. Pittsburgh won't take the Ravens so lightly the second time around.
28 (26) New York Jets (2-7)
This team was supposed to be in the playoffs this year, so just what happened? Well, when every quarterback you speak to gets injured, it's somewhat understandable. Do we consider Chad Pennington a bust since he's so injury prone, or is this just an unbelievable streak of bad luck?
29 (29) Arizona Cardinals (2-7)
Most teams would love to play the Lions and the Rams back to back, I mean it doesn't get much easier than that right? I mean at the very least you should get a split, if you're any sort of team at all. Now let's all watch as Arizona loses both of them.
30 (30) Minnesota Vikings (4-5)
The Vikings were so far behind before it's very difficult to move them out of the basement. Not to mention that last week's win was an anomaly, and something like that won't happen again. Fortunately for them they have a chance to climb back to .500 this week against Green Bay.
31 (32) San Francisco 49ers (2-7)
Up next: Seattle Seahawks. The best team in the NFC vs. the worst team in the NFC - can we expect an upset? The odds of the 49ers winning are the same as the odds of Paris Hilton being taken seriously - it's just not going to happen. Strangely enough, they've both had problems with "risky" videos in their recent past.
32 (31) Houston Texans (1-8)
They were nothing but a speed bump for the Colts, and now they'll try to be something more to the Kansas City Chiefs. You know your team is bad when other teams prefer playing you over having a bye-week.
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CFL Betting
CFL Wagering - Count Down To The Grey Cup The battle for the Grey Cup really heats up this weekend as the Western and Eastern Conference finals kick off. The Montreal Alouettes hook up with the all-too-familiar Toronto Argonauts in the East, while the Edmonton Eskimos and B.C. Lions clash in the West. The winners head to Vancouver for the 93rd Grey Cup on November 27, while the losers will be looking to next year. Sunday, November 20Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts, 3:00 EST For the fourth year in a row, the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes will clash in the East final. These two teams are intimately familiar with one another considering their four consecutive playoff matchups and also because they've already met up three times this year during the regular season. The Argos rocked the Als 49-23 as a 6-point road dog in their last meeting on October 22. Montreal was victorious as a 2.5-point road dog prior to that on August 12, while Toronto took their first meeting 36-24 as a 5.5-point road dog back on July 28. If the history from this season means anything the road team should have the advantage, since the road dog came out with the W every time they faced off this season. If that's the case, then the Als would be the team to go with after the Argos opened as a 4-point home favorite. The Argonauts finished the season atop the East at 11-7 to get the bye last week. Toronto has looked impressive on the road to a second straight Grey Cup championship bid. Ageless veteran quarterback Damon Allen, 42, was chosen as the East nominee for the Most Outstanding Player award after passing for 5082 yards with 33 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Allen has been at times brilliant but has also struggled against Montreal this season. In the Argos' last victory over the Als, Allen threw for 414 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. But he only managed one TD on 246 yards passing with one pickoff during Toronto's midseason loss to Montreal. On the other side of the ball, the Argos should be relatively worry-free after a strong season that saw their defense lead the league by allowing only 358 points to be scored against them. The Alouettes finished the regular season just behind the Argos, with a 10-8 record. Montreal got into the East Final once again by easily dispensing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders 30-14 last weekend. Montreal was able to put points on the board in every quarter in the win as quarterback Anthony Calvillo dominated the Roughriders' defense, completing 22-of-31 passes for 314 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Montreal defense also came to play, as they intercepted Saskatchewan quarterback Marcus Crandell four times in the win. Edmonton Eskimos at B.C. Lions, 6:00 ESTThe Edmonton Eskimos and B.C. Lions could both be facing a quarterback controversy when they clash in the West Final on Sunday. Edmonton coach Danny Maciocia announced Wednesday that Ricky Ray will get the start ahead of last week's savior Jason Maas, while Wally Buono has already stirred the pot in B.C. by naming Dave Dickenson the starter over Casey Printers. These two teams met up three times during the regular season, with the Eskimos owning the last two meeting after falling to the Lions earlier in August. Edmonton won 22-19 as a slim 1.5-point home favorite on October 22, and rolled to a 37-20 victory at home as a 2-point dog back on September 24. The Lions defeated the Eskimos 25-19 as a 3-point home favorite back in August, while they were in the midst of their 11-game winning streak. If the home team continues to rule when these teams meet up, then the Lions should be happy that the game will be played at BC Place. The oddsmakers agree that the Lions have the advantage after setting them as a 3.5-point favorite. The Lions have had what could be considered a very up-and-down season. After starting out 11-0 and hearing whispers about a perfect season, the Lions imploded to finish 12-6 and barely held on to first place in the West. The Lions didn't make things any easier on themselves by ending the season with a pair of losses. B.C. had a bye last week and needed to use the time wisely to work the kinks out of their game if they hope to get past a re-energized Eskimos squad. If the Lions hope to win they'll have to do it with quarterback Dave Dickenson guiding the offence. The CFL veteran saw limited action in the Lions' last game completing 4-of-5 passes for 61 yards in his first game action since sustaining a concussion back on October 1. Dickenson was one of the most prolific passers in the CFL this season before the injury, and is one of the best in the league when he's on his game. Luckily for Buono, if Dickenson is a little rusty he can turn to last year's Most Outstanding Player, Casey Printers, in relief.
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Sports Betting

Week 11 NFL Picks

Needless to say my predicting that the Denver Broncos will triumph over the hapless New York Jets is not going to go down in the annals of football handicapping as one of the greatest prognostications in the last decade.
No I think most of America will be on the Broncos this weekend even if they are laying a hefty 13-14 points to Herm Edwards’s troops. On the flip side the only reason for backing the Jets would be that Denver is coming off an emotional division road game against the hated Raiders and will be looking ahead to a Thanksgiving Day tilt with Dallas.

My reasons for writing off the Jets are not like the majority of handicappers who will point to their woeful quarterback problems, but rather the crippled offensive line. The Jets had arguably the best center in the business in Kevin Mawae but he went down with a torn triceps muscle and he was their undisputable leader. In their loss at Carolina this past weekend, the news went from bad to worse as another all pro lineman Jason Fabini went down with a torn pectoral muscle.
Two of their other linemen Pete Kendall and Brandon Moore are hobbled and they have other ailments at running back and wide receiver. I would look for the Broncos to sizzle in the first half and then call off the dogs and rest up for their Thanksgiving Day feast in Texas.
Another team who is going to go in the tank in the second half of the season is the Patriots. New England may have all kinds of injuries in the defensive backfield, but they have been able to outscore teams with their passing attack. This is all going to come to a sudden halt in the next few weeks however! Injuries on the offensive line are beginning to happen at a rapid pace and the latest one this past Sunday is a critical one.
The injury to Koppen is a major blow for the offensive line, which has been missing starting left tackle Matt Light since a September 25 win at Pittsburgh due to a broken leg. Koppen broke his left arm late in the third quarter of last Sunday's 23-16 win at Miami. He had started the last 46 games, including playoffs, the longest streak on the team other than quarterback Tom Brady (79).
The Patriots signed Gene Mruczkowski, who can play guard or center, to replace Koppen on the roster. Russ Hochstein, the top backup guard, will slide over to center. This is Mruczkowski's third tour of duty with the Patriots. He spent the 2003 season rehabbing a knee injury with the team, then played in 13 games last season as a reserve. Mruczkowski was released in training camp, re-signed after Light was injured and released again on October 8.
You can talk all you want about the importance of a great quarterback to a team, but the offense begins with the snap of the ball and unless the QB can remain consistently in a vertical position, a team will have trouble scoring.
Look for Tom Brady to struggle in the second half of the season and let’s hope for his sake, that he does not get beaten up!
Take the Broncos and the Saints this week to cover!
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The Blue Devils were a runaway choice for No. 1, the sixth time they have started the season atop the rankings. Bolstered by the return of All-America guard J.J. Redick and all-conference center Shelden Williams from a team that went 27-6 and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament, Duke received 61 first-place ballots and 1,785 points from the 72-member national media. They had a seven-year run of at least one week at No. 1 snapped last season, reaching as high as second.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes a quintet of acclaimed freshmen to go along with his returning stars. Greg Paulus was considered the nation's best point guard prospect among last year's recruiting class. He's expected to step in and fill that role for Duke, enabling senior Sean Dockery to focus on being a defensive stopper. Forward Josh McRoberts, considered the top player in Duke's signing class is expected to make Duke fans forget about underperforming Shavlik Randolph, who never lived up to hype.
The second ranked Texas Longhorns, which has four double-figure scorers back from a 20-11 that was beaten by Nevada in the NCAA's opening round, was second with six first-place votes and 1,652 points. It matches the highest ranking in school history. The return of F P.J. Tucker and C LaMarcus Aldridge is encouraging, especially since both were lost around midseason last year and the Longhorns still reached the NCAA Tournament. Among those who logged a full season, PG Daniel Gibson is the top returnee after taking over as the lead scorer following the loss to Tucker and Aldridge. Gibson also ran the show, a load that never unnerved the freshman. G A.J. Abrams could be key if he proves he can handle some obligations at point guard and relieve pressure on talented returnee Daniel Gibson. Abrams could also give Texas a solid outside threat. Another potential bomber is G J.D. Lewis, who transferred after playing one season at Midland (Texas) Junior College. Duke and Texas meet Dec. 10, in East Rutherford, N.J.
In at third is UConn. Not very many teams enter the season with as much talent as the Huskies. But there are some significant questions that need to be answered. The Huskies are very strong in the frontcourt. Josh Boone likely would have been a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, and Rudy Gay had a shot at being the No. 1 pick overall. Both elected to return to Storrs, giving Jim Calhoun two rocks to lean on and easing the pain of Charlie Villanueva's early departure to the NBA. Big man Hilton Armstrong also serves as an anchor in the middle. A freshman will likely get the reins of this Final Four contender when the games start counting in November. Craig Austrie and Rob Garrison will each get a chance to win the vacated starting slot at the point. Marcus Johnson will be a major contributor as well, if he can continue to impress the coaches in practice. Jeff Adrien is arguably the most physical of the newcomers.
Michigan State starts the season ranked fourth. Tom Izzo's team returns four of five starters and is probably the best team in the nation this side of Duke when it comes to the fundamentals of the game. The Spartans are the favorites to win the Big Ten this year and many observers think they have a good chance of getting to the Final Four once again and perhaps win the national championship. Starting guards Maurice Ager and Drew Neitzel are strong fundamental players who bring an edge and passion to their game. Ager is simply a great athlete who is difficult to guard. He is a fine shooter who averaged 14.1 ppg and can also take care of business inside. Center Paul Davis has NBA-type skills, but he hasn't shown it to this point. He is a fine passer and shooter who averaged 12.3 ppg and shot 54.1 percent last season. The Spartans don't have a lot of veteran depth in the backcourt, so they will look to freshmen Travis Walton and Maurice Joseph to fill in. Walton is tough, smart and ready to sacrifice his body, but shooting could be an issue. Joseph has a solid all-around game and should be able to hit from the outside.
It's been a long offseason for fifth ranked Villanova, who came closer than anyone expected to a berth in the Final Four. If the officials had called a foul instead of a travel on Allen Ray's last shot, the Wildcats would have taken heavily-favored North Carolina into overtime. Jay Wright's crew returns almost everybody from a team that shined on both ends of the court last season. Mike Nardi, Allen Ray and Randy Foye all return to the backcourt, as does key reserve Kyle Lowry. The frontcourt relies on the recovering Jason Fraser and Curtis Sumpter, with Will Sheridan also returning. Fraser and Sumpter both spent the offseason rehabbing injuries, and their health will be critical to the team's hopes for a national championship. While Sheridan and Chris Charles contribute off the bench, neither have the type of impact of the seniors. Villanova may have the best backcourt in the country in terms of both talent and depth. The Wildcats are intense for 40 minutes a night, and attack on the defensive end like few other teams can do. Amazingly enough for a program with little immediate playing time to offer, the Wildcats brought in four freshmen this offseason. Forwards Frank Tchuisi and Dante Cunningham, and swingmen Dwayne Anderson and Bilal Benn will compete for playing time.
That sums up the top five teams of the AP poll. The next five are Oklahoma, Louisville, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Arizona. Kansas, the preseason No. 1 last year and another regular in the poll, also was not among those teams ranked Monday. North Carolina becomes the first defending national champion not to be in the preseason poll the next season since Kansas in 1988-89. The Tar Heels lost their top seven scorers from last season, three to graduation and four underclassmen as NBA lottery draft picks. The Big East leads the conferences with five ranked teams: Connecticut, Villanova, Louisville, West Virginia and Syracuse, the first three in the top seven. The ACC and Big Ten each had four teams in the Top 25. The season starts Tuesday night with No. 16 Syracuse playing Bethune-Cookman in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer
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The Blue Devils were a runaway choice for No. 1, the sixth time they have started the season atop the rankings. Bolstered by the return of All-America guard J.J. Redick and all-conference center Shelden Williams from a team that went 27-6 and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament, Duke received 61 first-place ballots and 1,785 points from the 72-member national media. They had a seven-year run of at least one week at No. 1 snapped last season, reaching as high as second.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes a quintet of acclaimed freshmen to go along with his returning stars. Greg Paulus was considered the nation's best point guard prospect among last year's recruiting class. He's expected to step in and fill that role for Duke, enabling senior Sean Dockery to focus on being a defensive stopper. Forward Josh McRoberts, considered the top player in Duke's signing class is expected to make Duke fans forget about underperforming Shavlik Randolph, who never lived up to hype.
The second ranked Texas Longhorns, which has four double-figure scorers back from a 20-11 that was beaten by Nevada in the NCAA's opening round, was second with six first-place votes and 1,652 points. It matches the highest ranking in school history. The return of F P.J. Tucker and C LaMarcus Aldridge is encouraging, especially since both were lost around midseason last year and the Longhorns still reached the NCAA Tournament. Among those who logged a full season, PG Daniel Gibson is the top returnee after taking over as the lead scorer following the loss to Tucker and Aldridge. Gibson also ran the show, a load that never unnerved the freshman. G A.J. Abrams could be key if he proves he can handle some obligations at point guard and relieve pressure on talented returnee Daniel Gibson. Abrams could also give Texas a solid outside threat. Another potential bomber is G J.D. Lewis, who transferred after playing one season at Midland (Texas) Junior College. Duke and Texas meet Dec. 10, in East Rutherford, N.J.
In at third is UConn. Not very many teams enter the season with as much talent as the Huskies. But there are some significant questions that need to be answered. The Huskies are very strong in the frontcourt. Josh Boone likely would have been a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, and Rudy Gay had a shot at being the No. 1 pick overall. Both elected to return to Storrs, giving Jim Calhoun two rocks to lean on and easing the pain of Charlie Villanueva's early departure to the NBA. Big man Hilton Armstrong also serves as an anchor in the middle. A freshman will likely get the reins of this Final Four contender when the games start counting in November. Craig Austrie and Rob Garrison will each get a chance to win the vacated starting slot at the point. Marcus Johnson will be a major contributor as well, if he can continue to impress the coaches in practice. Jeff Adrien is arguably the most physical of the newcomers.
Michigan State starts the season ranked fourth. Tom Izzo's team returns four of five starters and is probably the best team in the nation this side of Duke when it comes to the fundamentals of the game. The Spartans are the favorites to win the Big Ten this year and many observers think they have a good chance of getting to the Final Four once again and perhaps win the national championship. Starting guards Maurice Ager and Drew Neitzel are strong fundamental players who bring an edge and passion to their game. Ager is simply a great athlete who is difficult to guard. He is a fine shooter who averaged 14.1 ppg and can also take care of business inside. Center Paul Davis has NBA-type skills, but he hasn't shown it to this point. He is a fine passer and shooter who averaged 12.3 ppg and shot 54.1 percent last season. The Spartans don't have a lot of veteran depth in the backcourt, so they will look to freshmen Travis Walton and Maurice Joseph to fill in. Walton is tough, smart and ready to sacrifice his body, but shooting could be an issue. Joseph has a solid all-around game and should be able to hit from the outside.
It's been a long offseason for fifth ranked Villanova, who came closer than anyone expected to a berth in the Final Four. If the officials had called a foul instead of a travel on Allen Ray's last shot, the Wildcats would have taken heavily-favored North Carolina into overtime. Jay Wright's crew returns almost everybody from a team that shined on both ends of the court last season. Mike Nardi, Allen Ray and Randy Foye all return to the backcourt, as does key reserve Kyle Lowry. The frontcourt relies on the recovering Jason Fraser and Curtis Sumpter, with Will Sheridan also returning. Fraser and Sumpter both spent the offseason rehabbing injuries, and their health will be critical to the team's hopes for a national championship. While Sheridan and Chris Charles contribute off the bench, neither have the type of impact of the seniors. Villanova may have the best backcourt in the country in terms of both talent and depth. The Wildcats are intense for 40 minutes a night, and attack on the defensive end like few other teams can do. Amazingly enough for a program with little immediate playing time to offer, the Wildcats brought in four freshmen this offseason. Forwards Frank Tchuisi and Dante Cunningham, and swingmen Dwayne Anderson and Bilal Benn will compete for playing time.
That sums up the top five teams of the AP poll. The next five are Oklahoma, Louisville, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Arizona. Kansas, the preseason No. 1 last year and another regular in the poll, also was not among those teams ranked Monday. North Carolina becomes the first defending national champion not to be in the preseason poll the next season since Kansas in 1988-89. The Tar Heels lost their top seven scorers from last season, three to graduation and four underclassmen as NBA lottery draft picks. The Big East leads the conferences with five ranked teams: Connecticut, Villanova, Louisville, West Virginia and Syracuse, the first three in the top seven. The ACC and Big Ten each had four teams in the Top 25. The season starts Tuesday night with No. 16 Syracuse playing Bethune-Cookman in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer
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The Blue Devils were a runaway choice for No. 1, the sixth time they have started the season atop the rankings. Bolstered by the return of All-America guard J.J. Redick and all-conference center Shelden Williams from a team that went 27-6 and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament, Duke received 61 first-place ballots and 1,785 points from the 72-member national media. They had a seven-year run of at least one week at No. 1 snapped last season, reaching as high as second.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes a quintet of acclaimed freshmen to go along with his returning stars. Greg Paulus was considered the nation's best point guard prospect among last year's recruiting class. He's expected to step in and fill that role for Duke, enabling senior Sean Dockery to focus on being a defensive stopper. Forward Josh McRoberts, considered the top player in Duke's signing class is expected to make Duke fans forget about underperforming Shavlik Randolph, who never lived up to hype.
The second ranked Texas Longhorns, which has four double-figure scorers back from a 20-11 that was beaten by Nevada in the NCAA's opening round, was second with six first-place votes and 1,652 points. It matches the highest ranking in school history. The return of F P.J. Tucker and C LaMarcus Aldridge is encouraging, especially since both were lost around midseason last year and the Longhorns still reached the NCAA Tournament. Among those who logged a full season, PG Daniel Gibson is the top returnee after taking over as the lead scorer following the loss to Tucker and Aldridge. Gibson also ran the show, a load that never unnerved the freshman. G A.J. Abrams could be key if he proves he can handle some obligations at point guard and relieve pressure on talented returnee Daniel Gibson. Abrams could also give Texas a solid outside threat. Another potential bomber is G J.D. Lewis, who transferred after playing one season at Midland (Texas) Junior College. Duke and Texas meet Dec. 10, in East Rutherford, N.J.
In at third is UConn. Not very many teams enter the season with as much talent as the Huskies. But there are some significant questions that need to be answered. The Huskies are very strong in the frontcourt. Josh Boone likely would have been a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, and Rudy Gay had a shot at being the No. 1 pick overall. Both elected to return to Storrs, giving Jim Calhoun two rocks to lean on and easing the pain of Charlie Villanueva's early departure to the NBA. Big man Hilton Armstrong also serves as an anchor in the middle. A freshman will likely get the reins of this Final Four contender when the games start counting in November. Craig Austrie and Rob Garrison will each get a chance to win the vacated starting slot at the point. Marcus Johnson will be a major contributor as well, if he can continue to impress the coaches in practice. Jeff Adrien is arguably the most physical of the newcomers.
Michigan State starts the season ranked fourth. Tom Izzo's team returns four of five starters and is probably the best team in the nation this side of Duke when it comes to the fundamentals of the game. The Spartans are the favorites to win the Big Ten this year and many observers think they have a good chance of getting to the Final Four once again and perhaps win the national championship. Starting guards Maurice Ager and Drew Neitzel are strong fundamental players who bring an edge and passion to their game. Ager is simply a great athlete who is difficult to guard. He is a fine shooter who averaged 14.1 ppg and can also take care of business inside. Center Paul Davis has NBA-type skills, but he hasn't shown it to this point. He is a fine passer and shooter who averaged 12.3 ppg and shot 54.1 percent last season. The Spartans don't have a lot of veteran depth in the backcourt, so they will look to freshmen Travis Walton and Maurice Joseph to fill in. Walton is tough, smart and ready to sacrifice his body, but shooting could be an issue. Joseph has a solid all-around game and should be able to hit from the outside.
It's been a long offseason for fifth ranked Villanova, who came closer than anyone expected to a berth in the Final Four. If the officials had called a foul instead of a travel on Allen Ray's last shot, the Wildcats would have taken heavily-favored North Carolina into overtime. Jay Wright's crew returns almost everybody from a team that shined on both ends of the court last season. Mike Nardi, Allen Ray and Randy Foye all return to the backcourt, as does key reserve Kyle Lowry. The frontcourt relies on the recovering Jason Fraser and Curtis Sumpter, with Will Sheridan also returning. Fraser and Sumpter both spent the offseason rehabbing injuries, and their health will be critical to the team's hopes for a national championship. While Sheridan and Chris Charles contribute off the bench, neither have the type of impact of the seniors. Villanova may have the best backcourt in the country in terms of both talent and depth. The Wildcats are intense for 40 minutes a night, and attack on the defensive end like few other teams can do. Amazingly enough for a program with little immediate playing time to offer, the Wildcats brought in four freshmen this offseason. Forwards Frank Tchuisi and Dante Cunningham, and swingmen Dwayne Anderson and Bilal Benn will compete for playing time.
That sums up the top five teams of the AP poll. The next five are Oklahoma, Louisville, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Arizona. Kansas, the preseason No. 1 last year and another regular in the poll, also was not among those teams ranked Monday. North Carolina becomes the first defending national champion not to be in the preseason poll the next season since Kansas in 1988-89. The Tar Heels lost their top seven scorers from last season, three to graduation and four underclassmen as NBA lottery draft picks. The Big East leads the conferences with five ranked teams: Connecticut, Villanova, Louisville, West Virginia and Syracuse, the first three in the top seven. The ACC and Big Ten each had four teams in the Top 25. The season starts Tuesday night with No. 16 Syracuse playing Bethune-Cookman in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer
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Don’t look know but the sudden demise of the New England Patriots has opened up things considerably when pertaining to the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference. Thing could get really wacky after the results of Sunday’s games become official as the Patriots travel to South Florida, while the Bills host the Kansas City Chiefs.
New England as predicted by yours truly was exposed this past Monday by a vastly superior Colts team and now must tangle with an east rival in Miami. The Dolphins have been better as expected under disciplinarian Nick Saban and own impressive wins over Denver and Carolina at home and the combined record of teams played is 30-27 so it has been a reasonably tough schedule.
If you’re the type of better who likes to play good game and bad game theory, then New England is the play this week as their 4-4 record, reveals a pattern of win,loss,win,loss,win,loss,win,loss. I am not going to be hooked into that rationale and there’s a good case to be made for betting the Dolphins. The Patriots are beyond the point of bad defensively and while I like the guy, Teddy Bruschi looks like a high school player out there.
Say all you want about Bill Bellichick’s surly personality, but there is no way that he will bench the popular player who has fought back from a stroke and been instrumental in the three Patriot’s championships. Don’t kid yourself in thinking Mr. Bill hasn’t thought about it, but he isn’t going there.
I had a chance to notice Tom Brady’s reaction to adversity on the sidelines during the Colt’s game and it was not pretty. He looked like a spoiled kid who wasn’t getting what he wanted. Face the facts Tom, banged up offensive line, limping running backs and no defense. What do you expect?
As for Kansas City they head east for a visit to windy Buffalo and a date with the Bills, minus Priest Holmes. The valuable running back is gone for the year and this gives the clamoring Larry Johnson his chance at stardom. KC has a huge offensive line that can push the Bills all over the field, but this stadium is a graveyard for quarterbacks visiting for the first time. Kansas City has not visited Buffalo since 1997 and Trent Green is in for a rude awakening.
I have to take the Dolphins at home getting points and the Bills/Chiefs under 42!
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