Sports Betting

NHL Hockey Betting
NHL Power Rankings - Week 30Thanks to a bunch of series splits, ordering the teams in the Power Rankings this week was no easy task. So with no club in clear control of their seven-game set, the rankings haven't been shaken up too much in this edition. The Detroit Red Wings remain at No. 1, although their setback against the Oilers on Sunday has them on notice for next week. The New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, and Colorado Avalanche all scored decisive Game 1 victories, and moved up the list, while the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes were lacklustre in their openers and got knocked down a few notches. Things should look much clearer in the Power Rankings when the next list is rolled out. Here is the Week 30 edition of the NHL Power Rankings. 01 - Detroit Red Wings (Last Week 01)They're not panicking in Detroit yet, but an overtime win and a Game 2 loss isn't the start they hoped to get. 02 - Calgary Flames (Last Week 03)Could've moved up to top spot in the rankings this week, but couldn't come back against the Ducks on Sunday. 03 - Ottawa Senators (Last Week 05)Were up 3-2 on the Lightning in the third period Sunday, but couldn't contain Brad Richards and company. 04 - Buffalo Sabres (Last Week 06)Overtime win over the Flyers put them up in the series. Ryan Miller made 30 saves in the Game 1 victory. 05 - New Jersey Devils (Last Week 09)Patrik Elias had two goals and four assists in their win over the Rangers, and Jamie Langenbrunner had four points. 06 - Nashville Predators (Last Week 07)Paul Kariya led them to the win over the Sharks in Game 1, but the Preds' offense was stifled in Game 2. 07 - San Jose Sharks (Last Week 08)Vesa Toskala made 25 saves for the shutout on Sunday afternoon, allowing the Sharks to tie up the series. 08 - Dallas Stars (Last Week 02)Looking to bounce back with a win over the Avalanche on Monday night to avoid going down 0-2 in the series. 09 - Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week 04)Martin Gerber was pretty shaky in their Game 1 loss to the Canadiens, giving up six goals on just 21 shots. 10 - Montreal Canadiens (Last Week 13)Cristobal Huet certainly wasn't affected by the pressure of the playoffs, making 42 saves on Saturday night. 11 - Colorado Avalanche (Last Week 15)Jose Theodore picked up a win in his playoff debut for the Avalanche, but only faced 18 shots from the Stars. 12 - Anaheim Mighty Ducks (Last Week 12)Managed to get four goals past Miikka Kiprusoff on just 20 shots Sunday to get themselves back in the series. 13 - Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week 14)The Lightning would have been toast had they lost Game 2 on Sunday night; instead they made it a new series. 14 - Edmonton Oilers (Last Week 16)Fernando Pisani and Brad Winchester were the unlikely heroes in Game 2, scoring late to give the Oilers the win. 15 - Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week 11)Robert Esche was peppered with 58 shots on Saturday night, getting the second star despite taking the loss. 16 - New York Rangers (Last Week 10)Pounded by the Devils in Game 1, and can't afford to have Jaromir Jagr out of the lineup for an extended time.
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NBA Betting

Basketball Betting
Sunday NBA Hoops ActionThe playoffs are just around the corner as a busy Sunday slate unfolds on nine different fronts around the NBA. Here's a closer look at three of today's matchups. Chicago Bulls (38-41) at Miami Heat (52-27)1 pm ET AmericanAirlines Arena (ABC TV) The Chicago Bulls continue their drive to the playoffs with a critical afternoon matchup against the Heat in Miami. The Bulls are coming off a 103-101 victory over Washington on Friday, a result which gave Chicago sole possession of the eighth and final playoff berth in the East. Ben Gordon played a starring role in the Bulls' third consecutive win by knocking down nine 3-pointers without a miss to match the NBA record set back in 2003 by Latrell Sprewell. Gordon finished with 32 points and teammate Kirk Hinrich added 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds as Chicago won for the ninth time in their past 11 games. The Heat, meanwhile, have locked down the No. 2 playoff seed in the East after blasting Philadelphia 104-85 on Friday. Dwyane Wade racked up 25 points and eight assists while Udonis Haslem chipped in with a career-high 24 points to go with 14 rebounds. While Miami has nothing besides pride at stake on Sunday, Jason Williams and James Posey are both expected to return from injury as the Heat gear up for a potentially lengthy playoff run. Miami has won both previous matchups this season, 85-84 last month and 100-97 back in mid-December. The Bulls covered as the underdog in both previous matchups, which took place in Chicago. Oddsmakers opened the hometown Heat as 4-point favorites this time around, with the total opening at 195.5. Phoenix Suns (52-27) at Los Angeles Lakers (43-37)3:30 pm ET STAPLES Center (ABC TV) A potential first-round Western Conference playoff preview hits the airwaves today as the Phoenix Suns invade Los Angeles to battle the Lakers. The Suns, currently holding the No. 2 seed in the West, are coming off a disappointing 110-102 loss at Golden State on Friday despite receiving the third triple-double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds, 16 assists) from Boris Diaw, and 31 points and 12 boards from Shawn Marion. Injuries are a concern for Phoenix entering today's game as guards Steve Nash (hip) and Raja Bell (quadriceps) are both expected to be game-time decisions. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are starting to show some sizzle as the playoffs beckon, and currently sit as the No. 7 seed in the West. Bryant poured in 50 points on Friday night to smash Elgin Baylor's single-season team scoring record of 2,719 points set in 1962-63, as Los Angeles powered to a 110-99 win over Portland. Lamar Odom also recorded his second straight triple-double, finishing with 16 points as well as a dozen rebounds and assists. The Suns have won all three previous matchups this season, including a 107-96 win last week in Phoenix, a 106-93 decision also in Phoenix in January, and a 122-112 victory in LA back in November. Phoenix covered as the favorite in all three previous games. There was no overnight line posted for this game. New York Knicks (22-57) at Detroit Pistons (63-16)6 pm ET The Palace of Auburn Hills (NBA TV) It's all over but the crying for the cellar-dwelling New York Knicks, and there might be a whole lot of tears shed when the NBA's top-ranked team hits the floor today. Even beleaguered coach Larry Brown is missing in action as a dismal season in the Big Apple comes to a merciful end. Brown was hospitalized in Cleveland on Thursday night after becoming ill with a stomach ailment during a loss to the Cavaliers, and was absent on Friday night as the Knicks were soundly beaten 97-80 by the Milwaukee Bucks. It is unclear at this time if Brown will return to the bench at all this season, but either way the Knicks appear destined to finish dead last in the East while the Pistons have already clinched first overall in the conference. Detroit dropped a 108-103 decision at Toronto on Friday night, leaving the Pistons one victory short of posting the winningest season in franchise history with three games left to play. Head coach Flip Saunders is taking advantage of Detroit's concrete playoff status to get some valuable floor time for the younger Pistons, as all-stars Richard Hamilton (with 16 points) and Chauncey Billups (15 points, 10 assists) led the charge against Toronto despite not playing at all in the fourth quarter. Perhaps the high point of the Knicks' brutal season occurred on March 17 when they shocked Detroit with a hard-fought 105-103 victory at Madison Square Garden as 9.5-point underdogs. The Pistons posted runaway wins 105-79 as 10.5-point favorites on the road in January, and 106-98 as a 12-point home chalk in early December. Detroit opened as 13-point road favorites with a total of 185.5 for today's game.
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Sports Betting

Sports Betting

NFL Betting

NFL Football Handicapping
NFL Offseason Report - AFC North
Baltimore Ravens The Ravens were expected to contend for a playoff spot but offensive woes led to a 2-7 start before they rallied to win 4 of their last 7 games to finish 6-10. The offense, despite several offseason upgrades, was sabotaged by poor QB play from Kyle Boller and Anthony Wright. They ranked 24th overall and didn't score 20 points until their 11th game. They had one 20+ point game in their first 13 outings and that just won't get it done in the NFL. Despite injuries to MLB Ray Lewis and SS Ed Reed, the defense acquitted itself well, ranking 5th overall. OLB Adalius Thomas led the defense and LB Bart Scott, Lewis' replacement, also played well. Boller had 2 strong games at the end of the season but faltered badly in the season finale at Cleveland. The O-Line was a sore spot all season as even All-World LT Jonathan Ogden didn't play up to his usual standards. The team used ancient CBs Deion Sanders and Dale Carter in their nickel and dime packages but expect both to be gone this year. Despite the substandard QB play, TE Todd Heap led the offense with 75 catches for 855 yards and 7 scores. FA WR Derrick Mason caught 86 passes (3rd in AFC) but only scored 3 times. Unlike recent drafts, the Ravens got little contribution from their '05 class as only WR Mark Clayton (44 catches) contributed. Despite ample cap room, Baltimore has been quiet in the early stages of free agency. They have sustained some losses, as RB Chester Taylor (MIN), P Dave Zastudil (CLE), FS Will Demps (NYG), TE Darnell Dinkins (CLE) and DT Ma'ake Kemoeatu (CAR) signed elsewhere. They have only added CB Corey Ivy (STL) and special teamer DE-LB Gary Stills (KC) up to this point. The Ravens generally will have a big signing or two but have yet to pull the trigger this year. Expect them to look for a veteran QB and some established players for their lines and at FS. The Ravens still have a lot of their own FAs to make decisions on. Some of the top players who remain unsigned are Scott, OLB Tommy Polley, DE Anthony Weaver, Wright and S Chad Williams. If Weaver leaves, DE becomes a priority. Baltimore owns the 13th pick and could go any number of ways. None of the top 3 QBs figure to be there but they could go for a top RB, despite resigning Jamal Lewis. He struggled last season and spent 4 months in jail in the offseason. An O-lineman that can start now would be of use but none figure to warrant a pick at that spot. The Ravens may be better suited to trade down and try to gain extra mid-round picks to shore up their lines. A FS who could start now would be welcome. Ivy could be the new nickel back but a young corner with solid cover skills could also be targeted. BALT added RB Mike Anderson (DEN) - The addition of Anderson gives the Ravens two big, bruising backs but look for them to acquire a smaller scatback- type of runner as a change of pace. Anderson and Lewis will probably split carries in the early part of the season. BALT lost DE Anthony Weaver - This loss is offset by the signing of DE Trevor Pryce (DEN). Pryce, if healthy, is a better pass rusher than Weaver and should make more big plays. Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals came into 2005 after back-to-back 8-8 seasons in the first two years of the Marvin Lewis era. The coach preached patience and it paid off in spades as Cincinnati raced out to a 4-0 record en route to an 11-3 start and the clinching of the AFC North title, their first in 17 years. However, they dropped their last 2 regular-season games as the suspect run defense sprung leaks and the secondary started to give up big plays. In their playoff game, QB Carson Palmer, coming off a near-MVP season (32 TD passes, 67.8 completion pct. and 101.1 QB rating) suffered a severe knee injury after completing his first pass and may not be ready for the start of the season. They bowed out to Pittsburgh as QB Jon Kitna couldn't sustain drives. The defense also bears blame for failure to get critical stops. Despite the disappointing conclusion, it was still a banner year for this young team. The offense ranked 6th overall and 4th in scoring. The O-line, led by bookend tackles Levi Jones and Willie Anderson, ranked 2nd in sack pct. allowed. WR Chad Johnson talked a good game and backed it up, leading the AFC in catches (97) and yards (1,432). He also caught 9 TD passes. The defense, despite an NFL-high 31 picks, ranked 28th overall and 30th in 3rd-down defense. Rookie MLB Odell Thurman was a year-long starter and quickly became the leader on defense. Fellow rookie David Pollack took a while to get going but also became a contributor. The D-line and secondary were weak links, as a season-ending injury to FS Madieu Williams really hurt the secondary. Despite being near the top in available cap space, the Bengals haven't spent much. Bringing in former Super Bowl MVP S Dexter Jackson (TB) should help the secondary. WR-KR Antonio Chatman (GB) should help the return game. Those are the only two additions the club has made. Gone are TE Matt Schobel (PHI), Kitna (DET) and DE Duane Clemons. The club still has 7-8 of their own FAs but none figure to be a priority, especially with the solid drafts executed in the past five seasons. The team would love to sign a veteran run-stuffing DT and a productive TE. CB is also an area they would like to upgrade. The Bengals enter the draft with the 24th pick, their lowest pick in years. DT remains the primary need but the team may address that with a veteran. Jackson and Williams are both FS-types but the team will probably play both of them, so don't expect a high pick on a SS thumper. This is a good draft for TEs, so expect a 2nd or 3rd-round pick to be spent there. A pass-rushing DE who can hold up at the point of attack would also be welcome. The O-line played great last season but C Rich Braham is 35 and his successor could be tabbed here. More corners would also help and the club may spend a first day pick on one. Until the Bengals loosen the purse strings in FA, it's hard to say where they will go in the early rounds of the draft. CIN lost WR Kevin Walter (HOU) Cleveland Browns The Browns entered 2005 knowing there would be growing pains after the disastrous Butch Davis regime. The new team of GM Phil Savage and HC Romeo Crennel knew there would be lumps but also expected to see progress. They were right on both accounts. Cleveland won 6 games and the defense did better than expected after Crennel installed the 3-4. They had a stretch in midseason where they allowed 19 points or less in 7 of 8 games. This was done without a lot of talent in the front seven. They ranked 30th in run defense and just couldn't get stops when they needed them. The secondary played better than expected. QB Trent Dilfer was serviceable as a caretaker but rookie QB Charlie Frye figures to lead the team this season. The trade that brought RB Reuben Droughns to Cleveland paid handsomely as he became the first Cleveland RB to top 1,000 yards (1,232) SINCE 1985. TE Kellen Winslow was lost for the season after some ill-advised hijinks on a motorcycle. He has played 1 complete game in 2 years. If he doesn't stay healthy he'll have to return to being Vin Diesel's stand-in. Rookie WR Braylon Edwards was lost for the year just when he started to make an impact. Overall, considering the talent available, installing a new defensive system, as well as integrating several new starters, this wasn't a bad season in Cleveland and the future finally looks bright. As expected, the Browns have been major players in FA so far. With up to a reported $30 million in cap space, Savage has had money at his disposal to bring in the players he and Crennel want. Gone are DT Amon Gordon (DEN), TE Aaron Shea (SD), DE-LB Kenard Lang (DEN), LB Ben Taylor (GB), LT L.J. Shelton (MIA), WR Antonio Bryant (SF), G Mike Pucillo (WAS), DT Jason Fisk and CB Michael Lehan. S Chris Crocker was traded to Atlanta for a draft pick. AS expected, the front seven was bolstered by two of Crennel's former players: OLB Willie McGinest (NE) and NT Ted Washington (OAK). These two should really help acclimate the young players to the system as well as contribute some on the field but both are aging. TE Darnell Dinkins (BAL) replaces Shea. G Bob Hallen (SD) and LT Kevin Shaffer (ATL) figure to battle for starting spots. P Dave Zastudil (BAL) will be a big upgrade and his signing hurts a division rival. WR Joe Jurevicius (SEA) adds a veteran presence to a young receiving corps and should still be productive. The jewel so far has been the signing of Pro Bowl C LeCharles Bentley. This means incumbent Jeff Faine will either be cut or moved to guard. The O-line has really been upgraded, freeing up the team to spend draft picks in other critical areas. Despite the many additions in free agency, Cleveland still has some big needs. They need a few more LBs, both on the inside and the outside. They should be able to grab a good one with the 12th pick if they want. NT and DE are also spots that need bodies sooner rather than later. They could also use another safety and corner. Overall, the team looks a lot better now than when the season ended. Expect the front seven to get the most attention on draft day. The offense may get a body or two but this draft will be about defense. Pittsburgh Steelers After going 15-1 in 2004 before crapping out at home (Again!) in the AFC title game, Pittsburgh entered 2005 with something to prove. After stumbling to a 7-5 record and little hope of winning the division, something clicked and the team turned it on. They won their last 4 games by 12 points or more. In the playoffs they won at Cincinnati, setting up a rematch with the Colts (who had trounced them 26-7 on Monday night in Week 12). The Steelers were all over them and despite a big fumble by RB Jerome Bettis, they prevailed 21-18. The game at Denver wasn't close for the AFC title. This put the Steelers in the Super Bowl for the 6th time and with some terrible officiating (worst in Super Bowl history by most accounts) they prevailed 21-10 over Seattle. There were many heroes for the team but QB Ben Roethlisberger gets a lot of credit for his cool demeanor, ability to play through pain and strong leadership skills. RB Willie Parker was a revelation, leading the team with 1,202 yards on the ground. Bettis was effective in his swan song and the defense ranked 4th overall and No.3 vs. the run. OLB Clark Haggans was effective as a new starter and SS Troy Polamalu emerged as a difference-maker. Pittsburgh is never busy shoppers in free agency and this year appears to be no different. They have had more losses than gains and will try to shore up the losses in the draft. Gone are WR Antwaan Randle El, DE Kimo von Oelhoffen (NYJ), FS Chris Hope (TEN), S Mike Logan, S Russell Stuvaints, QB Tommy Maddox and CB Willie Williams. DE Rodney Bailey (SEA) was signed to battle Brett Keisel to replace von Oelhoffen, while S Ryan Clark figures to be a backup safety at best. Receiver took a hit with the loss of Randle El but there aren't many top FA wideouts available. Pittsburgh just doesn't throw money at other team's free agents very often and look for them to be bargain shoppers after June 1. WR has emerged as one of the team's top needs after the loss of Randle El. With the 32nd pick the team could find a wideout but this isn't a deep draft for receivers. RB is also a need as Bettis has retired, Parker has started only one season and RB Duce Staley can't stay healthy. Expect the Steelers to draft a big RB in the early to mid rounds. A FS is also needed as a potential starter isn't on the roster. Some LB depth would be nice and the Steelers are famous for finding great LB value later in the draft. Pittsburgh has remained competitive despite losing FAs every year because they draft so well. Only one of their picks in the last 4 years is out of the NFL.
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Sports Betting

MLB Baseball Betting
Sharp handicappers have Tribe, Brewers, Rockies rolling
Finally, the gates are open and they're off and running. Major League Baseball opened its regular season last week, and baseball handicappers across the land began engaging in the art of picking hardball games against the dime-line. The Cleveland Indians were expected to be good this season, and perhaps challenge for a wild-card spot in the American League. Not many gave them much of a chance, however, to unseat the defending AL Central and World Series champion White Sox. But the Tribe, after losing its season opener, won six games in a row, including four straight at home, to grab first place in the Central. Travis Hafner leads this bunch offensively, slugging five home runs already. Cleveland as a team is hitting .324, and averaging six runs per game. And opponents are hitting just .208 vs. Indians pitching. The over is 4-3 so far in Cleveland games. Not all the news concerning the Indians is great. The bullpen owns an ERA of 4.56, and a 15/17 bases on balls-to-strikeout ratio. And Cleveland placed starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia on the disabled list with an abdominal injury. He's eligible to come off the list next Tuesday. Next up for the Tribe, beginning Friday, is a 10-game road trip with stops in Detroit, Baltimore and Kansas City. Baseball buffs and dime-line handicappers know that the Milwaukee Brewers have a nice collection of young talent, both at the plate and on the mound. Last year, the Brewers had their first non-losing season since Robin Yount roamed the outfield. This season, a run at the National League wild card isn't out of the question. Those hopes got off to a nice start when Milwaukee won its first five games of the season last week. The Brewers are only averaging 3.9 runs per game, but Milwaukee pitching has held opponents to a .211 batting average and a .296 OBP. Closer Derrick Turnbow is perfect, with four saves in four chances, although he's made a couple of them a little more exciting than Brewer backers would hope. Milwaukee is expecting rookie Prince Fielder to anchor the infield and the heart of the lineup. And although he's off to a cold start (.269, one HR, nine Ks), Fielder is just too good a hitter to remain stymied. The Brewer defense has played a key part in the early success by turning 12 double plays already. The combination of good pitching and defense resulted in five of Milwaukee's first seven games staying under the posted totals. Also, the Brewers may get starting pitcher Ben Sheets back in the rotation as early as this weekend. Sheets, hobbled by a back injury in spring training, threw a solid rehab stint at AAA Nashville Tuesday, allowing three hits and no runs while striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Up next for the Brewers, beginning Friday, are three games in New York vs. the Mets, and three games at division-rival Houston. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the early season has been the Colorado Rockies, who lead the NL West. Colorado lost two of three to Arizona to begin the season, then won five in a row, including four straight on the road. The Rockies are hitting .303 as a team and averaging 6.9 runs per game. They've also hit 11 homers already, although their 25/66 bases on balls-strikeout ratio isn't the greatest. The over went 3-3 in Colorado's first six games. The first three games of the season in Denver were decided by scores of 3-2, 4-2, and 12-5. The Rockies begin a nine-game homestand Friday, beginning with three games vs. Philadelphia, followed by three games each with divisional foes San Diego and San Francisco.
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Sports Betting

The Derby Pool 3 Odds Have Been ReleasedBrother Derek emerged as the favorite for horse players when the betting closed on Sunday in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2006 Kentucky Derby Future Wager. With the 132nd running of the Derby set to go off May 6, the California-bred son of Benchmark closed as the 5-1 favorite among the 23 wagering interests in Pool 3. Owned by Cecil Peacock, trained by Dan Hendricks and ridden by Alex Solis, Brother Derek is coming off his fourth straight stakes victory in the form of a dominant romp in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1). Notably, Brother Derek also emerged as the 10-1 favorite at the close of Pool 2. There are several other horses hot on the heels of the favorite though, if you're looking to place a bet with the possibility of a higher payoff. Lawyer Ron followed at 8-1 odds, plummeting from 17-1 at the close of Pool 2, and is the likely favorite in the upcoming 70th running of the Arkansas Derby. Lawyer Ron has won five straight races. Unbeaten Florida Derby winner Barbaro follows at 9-1, down significantly from his 15-1 odds at the close of Pool 2. The talented 3-year-old is enjoying a five-week break prior to the Run for the Roses. A bit of a wild card and yet solidly rated at 9-1 odds in Pool 3, Discreet Cat will be shipped over from Dubai prior to Derby Day. Discreet Cat is also unbeaten and will arrive as the easy winner of the UAE Derby as a new wagering interest in Pool 3. Sweetnorthernsaint rounds out the top betting options at 10-1 odds out of Pool 3. Coming out of Pool 2 rated at a distant 30-1 for the Derby, Sweetnorthernsaint saw his odds plummet following his romp in the Illinois Derby (GII) on Saturday. Other betting interests with solid support in Pool 3 include Point Determined at 13-1 (29-1 in Pool 2), First Samurai also at 13-1 (16-1 in Pool 2), as well as Bob and John, a third entry rated at 13-1 (19-1 in Pool 2). Bluegrass Cat is at 15-1 after closing out Pool 2 at 11-1. The mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-olds other than the individual horses listed in each pool, had closed as the 3-1 favorite in both the opening pool in late January and Pool 2, which was conducted in early March. In Pool 3, the "all others" wager closed at odds of 15-1.
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Sports Betting

NFL Football Handicapping
NFL Offseason Report - AFC South
Houston Texans The Texans thought they were ready to make a big leap in 2005 after winning 5, 6 and 7 games in their first 3 seasons. They made a lot of personnel changes on defense and altered the offensive game plan. The results proved disastrous as the team limped home with a 2-14 record. They lost 8 games by 10+ points but were relatively competitive in the final 6 weeks. Houston couldn't do anything right on offense, ranking 30th overall, 30th in passing, 26th in scoring, 32nd in sack pct. allowed and 31st in yards-per-play. QB David Carr was again running for his life and wasn't very effective when he did have time. RB Davis ran for 976 yards but WR Andre Johnson was slowed by injury and the lack of a credible threat on the other side. The defense was even worse, ranking 31st overall, 32nd vs. the run, 32st in yards-per-play allowed, 31st in interception pct., 32nd in points allowed and 32nd in opponents first downs. HC Dom Capers was fired at season's end and offensive guru Gary Kubiak was brought in to right a badly listing ship. He does have some players to work with. Rookie KR Jerome Mathis made the Pro Bowl and should help Houston in the field position battle. OLB Shantee Orr stepped in and led the team with 7 sacks. Houston will shift to a 4-3 and that means several personnel moves are in the offing. The Texans have some money to spend in FA but have gone the conservative route. They dumped a lot of players to give themselves more economic flexibility. Gone are QB Tony Banks, CB Jason Bell (NYG), WR Corey Bradford (DET), G Milford Brown (ARI), S Marcus Coleman, WR Jabar Gaffney (PHI), RB Tony Hollings and DE Gary Walker. So far they have added FB Jameel Cook (TB), MLB Sam Cowart (MIN), C Mike Flanagan (GB), TE Jeb Putzier (DEN), QB Sage Rosenfels (MIA), WR Kevin Walter (CIN) and DE Anthony Weaver (BAL). These moves look to even themselves out as they didn't lose a star player or sign one. They still have about 6-7 FAs of their own they may resign but don't look for them to bring many of those players back. With the shift to the 4-3, more DL and LBs are needed. Expect the team to bring in a few more veterans for the front seven. The O-line, a work-in-progress since the franchise was born, could also use veteran help. With the first overall selection in the draft the Texans could go any number of ways. The fact they seem to be committed to Carr means that Matt Leinart and Vince Young probably won't be the pick. LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson makes a lot of sense and he'd give the O-line it has lacked since the team's inception. They likely will select RB Reggie Bush and hope his big-play ability rejuvenates the offense. Despite the addition of Weaver, DE remains a big need. The Texans never generated pressure on opposing QBs out of their 3-4 and will need rush ends to get to the QB. The signing of Putzier alleviates some of the woes at TE. Former 2nd rounder Bennie Joppru has missed 3 seasons due to injury. Guard also remains a trouble spot as does LT. WR is a pressing need and could be addressed as early as the 2nd round. Johnson needs a partner to take the pressure off on the other side. The Texans would probably be best-served to trade down but they will probably stay put and select Bush. HOU added WR Kevin Walter (CIN) and DE Anthony Weaver - Weaver gives the Texans a solid end who can play in the 4-3 or 3-4. Look for him to start at LE. Indianapolis Colts Indy entered 2005 on a mission to get home field advantage and finally reach the Super Bowl. They reached half of their goals. They sped out to a 13-0 mark before finishing 14-2 and looked to be a good bet to reach the Bowl. They even blasted the Patriots, their nemesis, 40-21 on a Monday night in Foxboro. A 21-18 loss to the Steelers in the divisional round meant another early exit from the playoffs and more soul searching for this underachieving group. The offense was led by RB Edgerrin James, as he finished 2nd in the AFC with 1,506 yards. He also scored 13 TDs and contributed 44 catches. QB Peyton Manning was excellent again, leading the NFL in QB rating. The defense was vastly improved, finishing 11th overall and 2nd in sack pct. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis combined for 22 ½ sacks and terrorized QBs all season. WLB Cato June emerged as a force and made the Pro Bowl. The defense softened down the stretch and couldn't get the big stops toward the end of the year. While it was another great regular season in Indy, another playoff loss really hurt the players and front office types. Don't expect wholesale changes but look for some added tweaking. The Colts have a lot of free agents but limited cap space. James left early for the riches in Arizona and his 2 backups remain unsigned. Starting SLB David Thornton left for Tennessee, the 3rd starting OLB to leave in 3 years. DTs Larry Triplett (BUF) and Josh Williams are also gone. PK Mike Vanderjagt left for Dallas but was replaced by Adam Vinatieri (NE). That signing really helps the Colts and hurts the Patriots. As of this writing, the Colts had at least 10 solid contributors from last year unsigned. They re-upped WR Reggie Wayne but still have players like June, Mathis and MLB Gary Brackett to sign. The Colts won't sign many players from other teams this offseason and will focus almost entirely on their own players. The draft will be used to address needs that the team can't fix with free agents. A starting RB must be found and GM Bill Polian would like one who is stronger in the red zone. Look for Indy to address this need with one of their first two picks. OLB has depth on the team but no obvious candidate to replace Thornton. This is a deep draft for OLBs, so the Colts may wait a round or two to address it. Guard was a spot that was exposed later in the year, especially in pass blocking. A player capable of starting now would help. FS Mike Doss is more of a SS and a free safety with better range would be welcome. A large run-stuffing DT is always welcome and is a position the team has yet to fill despite repeated attempts. Jacksonville Jaguars There are two different ways to look at the Jaguars season. First, they won 12 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 1999 and that shows they are making good progress. Second, they had a very soft schedule and were blasted by a much-better team (Patriots) in the playoffs. They probably fall somewhere in the middle. The schedule was soft but they did beat Cincinnati, Seattle and Pittsburgh. They also lost to Indy by 7 and 8 points. Despite injuries in the backfield (QB Byron Leftwich, RBs Fred Taylor and Greg Jones), the offense ranked 15th overall and 10th in rushing.QB David Garrard proved a capable fill-in for Leftwich. The defense ranked 6th overall, including 1st in sack pct. FA DE Reggie Hayward led the way with 8 ½ sacks and DE Paul Spicer had 7 ½. Jacksonville HC Jack Del Rio wants the offense to be a power-running team but injuries and some bad fits have prevented that. The team used another 1st-round pick on a wideout, converted QB Matt Jones, with mixed results. 2004 1st-rounder Reggie Williams continued to struggle and 2004 4th-rounder Ernest Wilford outperformed both of them. Jacksonville is in good shape with the salary cap but have a lot of free agents. OLB Akin Ayodele had a poor season and was allowed to sign with Dallas. Backup LB Tracy White signed with GB. The Jags signed CB Brian Williams (MIN) and expect him to start at corner. OTs Stockar McDougle (MIA) and Mike Williams (BUF) are backup types who could compete at guard. Look for the Jaguars to try and sign at least 1 veteran OLB before the draft. Jacksonville picks 28th and have many needs to address. As mentioned above, OLB remains a key spot. This is a deep draft for OLBs, so expect the Jags to grab 1 or 2 players. Guard is another spot that could use an upgrade. The team has Kyle Brady at TE but he is just a glorified OT. They could use a receiving threat to open up the middle and give Leftwich a big target down the seam. The signing of Williams helps but the team could use a speedy young corner still. RB is a spot that doesn't appear weak but don't be surprised if the team drafts a bruising back in the later rounds. Tennessee Titans The Titans had to contend with huge player defections for the 3rd-straight season and fell to 4-12. All 4 wins were against weaker teams and they were crushed in their 4 games vs. the Colts and Jaguars. QB Steve McNair seems far removed from his 2003 co-MVP performance. He was relatively healthy but has aged quickly. The team struggled all season on offense, especially 3rd downs (26th in conversions). The running game wasn't a factor and WR Drew Bennett missed a lot of time due to injury. The TEs (Erron Kinney, Ben Troupe and rookie Bo Scaife) were very productive but a lot of that had to do with the receivers inability to get open and breakdowns in pass protection. The defense was gouged a lot but did pressure the QB well (FA DE Kyle Vanden Bosch contributed 12 ½ sacks and 4 forced fumbles). OLB Keith Bulluck had another big year but the young secondary gave up too many big plays. The Titans were one of the youngest teams in NFL history last season and figure to get better. This year won't see the mass defections of '03, '04 and '05 but some players have moved on. SS Tank Williams (MIN), LB Rocky Boiman (DAL), C Justin Hartwig (CAR) and LT Brad Hopkins all left. Tennessee finally has some cash to spend and have made some noise early in free agency. WR David Givens (NE) was brought in to be a No.1 receiver but that could be a stretch. OLB David Thornton (IND) will start and give the Titans a good set of outside 'backers. FS Chris Hope will help solidify the secondary and C Kevin Mawae, though aging, should help the O-line. With such a young team, expect the Titans to sign more veterans in the coming weeks. The Titans are in a very enviable position in the draft. They draft 3rd and have a keen interest in 4 players. RB Reggie Bush would give them an explosive presence in the backfield but he'll likely be gone. QBs Matt Leinart and Vince Young could learn behind McNair for a year or two and then start. Or LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson could come in and anchor the line for the next 10 years. All 4 players would help the Titans. Young already has a relationship with McNair and would seem like a good fit. MLB is a pressing need and will be addressed on Day 1 if a quality veteran isn't signed. WR is another area that might get a boost but the team drafted 3 players last season. Safety depth and perhaps a RB could be added in the later rounds. More players for the O-line will also get some attention in this draft.
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NFL Offseason Report - AFC West
Denver Broncos The Broncos had finished 2nd in the AFC West for 3-straight seasons before last year. They ended that string with a 13-3 record and the No.2 seed in the AFC. QB Jake Plummer had his best season and made big play after big play, helping to lead the offense to a 5th overall ranking. RBs Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell sparked the running game to a No.2 ranking. The defense ranked 15th overall but 2nd vs. the run. They allowed a lot of passing yards but some of that was because they were playing with big leads. They took care of the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs but were manhandled at home by the Steelers, 34-17. HC Mike Shanahan won his first playoff game without QB John Elway and now will be without his Off. Co., and right hand man Gary Kubiak, who left at season's end to coach the Texans. He also took heat for acquiring the entire Browns starting D-Line, a group which was bad in '04 but rebounded in Denver. The Broncos have been quiet in free agency up to now but have absorbed some losses. DE Trevor Pryce and RB Mike Anderson both signed with Baltimore and TE Jeb Putzier signed with Houston. So far the Broncos have added two more Cleveland DEs, Amon Gordon and Kenard Lang. OL Kyle Kosier (DET) was added to give depth at many positions. Denver doesn't have any major FAs left to sign from their own team but made noise about acquiring WR Terrell Owens and RB Ricky Williams. Owens signed with Dallas and Williams could be sidelined if rumors about a failed drug test are true. The Broncos have already been busy on the trade front, sending their 1st, 3rd and 4th round picks to Atlanta for their 1st rounder. They now own the 15th and 22nd picks in the first round. WR remains a need as Ashley Lelie hasn't developed into a reliable target. Safety is another spot that could be addressed. SS John Lynch is aging and a safety with range would be welcome. The O-line could use some depth as well. With two high picks and a relatively strong roster, Denver could go with the best available but if WR Santonio Holmes is available at 15, the Broncos will be hard pressed to pass him up. DEN lost RB Mike Anderson (BAL) - The loss of Anderson means RB becomes a priority in the draft. Shanahan doesn't want Bell to get 20+ carries a game and RB Ron Dayne hasn't proven reliable as a big carry back in the NFL. DEN lost DE Trevor Pryce - The loss of Pryce hurts the Broncos but they love to stockpile D-Linemen anyway. Look for them to try and grab a DE on the first day of the draft. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs opened up the checkbook in 2005 to bring in defensive help. It didn't work as the defense finished 25th overall and 30th vs. the pass. The offense ranked 1st overall even after RB Priest Holmes was lost for the year. The reason for the lack of dropoff: RB Larry Johnson. He ran for 1,750 yards and 20 TDs despite starting only 9! games. The Chiefs missed the playoffs despite a 10-6 record. They can point to a loss at Buffalo in midseason and two late losses at the Cowboys and Giants as the reason they missed the playoffs. This is an aging team and they need to win now. HC Dick Vermeil couldn't wait and retired at the end of the season. NY Jet HC Herm Edwards got himself out of New York and was hired to replace his mentor. He has told Johnson that the starting job is his and if Holmes returns, it will be as a backup. With a few more defensive additions, this team could be in the mix again next year. The Chiefs were quite a bit over the cap at season's end but restructured some contracts to get under. AS of this writing, they had yet to sign a free agent. They have endured some losses, however. OLB Shawn Barber (PHI), QB Todd Collins (WAS), FB Tony Richardson (MIN), DE-OLB Gary Stills and CBs Dexter McCleon and Eric Warfield. These are some key veterans that the team lost and they need some of their younger players to step up. Kansas City has the 20th pick and has two big needs: WR and CB. If they find value at this spot with one of these positions, they will certainly nab him. OT and the DL are two other positions that will be addressed in the top part of the draft. A FB, a safety and possibly a developmental QB could also be on the radar. This team has a lot of older players and needs to win now, so don't expect a lot of rookies to start this season but KC must prepare for when these players (especially on the O-line) retire. Oakland Raiders The Raiders made a couple of big moves last offseason to boost the offense (RB Lamont Jordan, WR Randy Moss) but the results weren't there. Oakland finished 21st in offense and 29th in rushing. Moss was slowed by injury but still topped 1,000 yards. Jordan ran for 1,025 yards but was forgotten in many games. The O-line badly underperformed and QB Kerry Collins regressed after a quick start. The defense ranked 27th and was really hurt by an inability to force TOs (32nd in interception pct.). This all led to a 4-12 record. FA DE Derrick Burgess came in and led the NFL with 16 sacks, while rookie LB Kirk Morrison stepped in and led the team in tackles. Other than those two, very few defenders made an impact. CB Charles Woodson was franchised at $10 million and didn't earn a 10th of that. HC Norv Turner was axed at the end of the season and Oakland wited longer than any other team to name a replacement. That led to speculation that Pittsburgh Off. Co. Ken Whisenhunt was their guy but Al Davis reached back into the vault of Raider lore and hired…Art Shell! It was a shock hire and very few people believe Shell is the man to turn this team around. The Raiders don't have the cap room to be big players in free agency but they'll still make some moves. They had to jettison bloated contracts to get under the cap and released QB Kerry Collins, DT Ted Washington (CLE), CB Denard Walker, G Ron Stone and CB Renaldo Hill (MIA). They signed the enigmatic QB Aaron Brooks (NO) to replace Collins but the only consistent thing about Brooks is his inconsistency. They also signed two CBs from NE, Duane Starks and Tyrone Poole. They may sign more players after June 1, but don't expect any high-profile signings until after the draft. The team has a slew of free agents but other than DT Ed Jasper, none stand out. The Raiders lost a coin flip with the 49ers and will pick 7th in the draft. OLB is the biggest need for this team as they haven't had an impact OLB since Rod Martin. Ohio State LB A. J. Hawk may be available and he would be perfect for this team. Guard is also a need area but that won't be addressed this high. SS and DT are also big need areas. A QB that could start in a few years is also needed but the Raiders haven't drafted and developed a competent QB since Ken Stabler (we won't count Marc Wilson). Oakland rarely follows a blueprint in their drafts and they could select anybody with their pick. If Vince Young slips, he could be their man. San Diego Chargers The Chargers entered 2005 coming off their best season in years, going 12-4 and winning the AFC West. A heartbreaking playoff loss to the Jets was hard to take, but they looked at 2005 as a continuation of their great play from the year before. An inability to close teams out (5 losses by 4 points or less) coupled with a brutal schedule (Broncos and Chiefs twice plus the Cowboys, Giants, Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Redskins and Dolphins) meant a 9-7 record and no playoffs. QB Drew Brees had another solid season (24-15 TD/INT ratio) but wasn't impressed with the Chargers offer and left for New Orleans at season's end. RB LaDainian Tomlinson still put up numbers but was a marked man and found the going tough. He was a beaten up player at season's end. The defense was bolstered by the additions of rookies OLB Shawne Merriman (NFL Def. Rookie of the Year) and DE Luis Castillo. The secondary continued to have trouble in coverage despite the bolstered pass rush. The Chargers entered free agency with a ton of cap money but haven't spent it yet. They have signed TE Aaron Shea (CLE) to replace Justin Peelle (MIA) and S Marlon McCree to add depth. They have lost Brees, as well as OLB Ben Leber (MIN), WRT Reche Caldwell (NE), G Bob Hallen (CLE) and DE DeQuincy Scott (MIN). The rest of their free agents are reserves and special teamers. They could use veteran help at corner and wideout but there are few receivers available. They also need a starting safety and OL depth. The Chargers have the 19th pick and WR Santonio Holmes would be a good fit. One problem: the Cowboys pick 18th and also have Holmes on their radar. A safety would be OK if the value was there. The O-line underperformed last year after a good 2004. They also lost the services of O-line coach Hudson Houck and his absence could have affected the unit. The team also could use a backup QB as Philip Rivers becomes the new starter. While he is expected to match his draft class rivals (Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger), he is not a sure thing. The Chargers have drafted well in the GM A.J. Smith era and look for them to make solid picks rather than reach for need.
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The three major preps for the Kentucky Derby this Saturday are all carded at 9 furlongs and we are starting to separate the men from the boys. Chicago hopefuls will be vying in the Illinois Derby, Big Apple contenders will tune up in the Wood Memorial, and the Tinseltown tigers will slug it out in the Santa Anita Derby. Before we get into each race and identify the main players, bettors have to understand that one race does not make a career. And these races before the Derby are steppingstones that are designed to have runners ready to peak in front on the world on the first Saturday in May at Churchill. No matter how impressive a win in these preps appear, Derby Day will be an entirely new animal. There will be the hype, there will be the throng of over 100,000 yelling and screaming, and there will be the competition. As Giacomo proved last year when he paid $102.60 after running 4th in the Santa Anita Derby, nothing is etched in stone about Kentucky Derby success but he was not the only runner to lose his final Derby prep and pay dividends. When analyzing the prep races it is very important to look to the future and seek value. Consider other monster prices just in the last 10 years or so. Funny Cide paid $73.60, Thunder Gulch paid $51 even, and others in history that shocked the monkey at prices between 8 and 17-1 include Monarchos, Real Quiet, Sea Hero. Lil E. Tee, Unbridled and Alysheba. Starting with the Windy City, the Illinois Derby has pulled horses from around the country and there are a few among the 10 starters that just don't belong. Malameeze, from the rail, has only won one race, and Creative Force in the next post appears far overmatched. Itsallboutthechase is also in tough. He was beaten a nose in first start of the year to a runner that has been crushed 3 times since. The California invaders that have a shot are Mister Triester, who was crushed by Brother Derek but is bred to go on. Racketeer will be winging and you can never discount his trainer Bobby Frankel, but Fast Bobby does not rush his stock and he is already on record as saying this runner is over hyped. Cause to Believe is a nice horse and is the legit chalk. He is 6 for 9 career, but has yet to break the triple digit Beyer barrier. My Golden Song starts from post 9 of 10, has the experience at this distance, has connections that think he will love the long local stretch and you can never dismiss a Todd Pletcher student. The runner that may get the right trip is Sweetnorthernsaint even from outside slot. His only bad race came on the wrong surface, his trainer is 31% for the year, and he was getting to the winner of the Gotham despite going wide. That Gotham winner Like Now came out with a temperature and did not enter the Wood nor did Showing Up, who bruised a foot. Gotham second Keyed Entry lost a heart breaker and he still has some upside to him. He is the controlling speed of the race, has a right to get the trip with the Cryptoclearance blood on the bottom side and Edgar Prado got a chance to figure him out in his last. Pletcher in the Big A notes: "It looks like he came out of the Gotham good…he accomplished everything we hoped for except winning." Tom Albertrani will saddle Tampa Bay Derby hero Deputy Glitters and he has had 5 previous Kentucky Derby starters. His runner shocked the highly regarded Bluegrass Cat in his last win and Albertrani had some interesting things on his mind on the official Kentucky Derby site: "I think Keyed Entry is the one we have to beat..I think we'll be probably be stalking the pace, probably in a similar fashion to the Tampa Bay Derby and I think that's the way the race will unfold." As any good handicapper will tell you, players have to project and visualize the pace to be successful and this is the way the Wood may unfold. As the race plays out, expect Jazil from the rail to be overmatched every step since he has zero speed and was crushed in his last effort. Platinum Couple could not break the 80 Beyer barrier in a 2nd recently in allowance company vs. state breds and he is basically shooting for the moon. Keyed Entry brings :44 and small change speed to the party and will be on the muscle from the sound of the bell. Glitters has escalating Beyers, should be pressing maybe 2 or so lengths off the pace and primed to pounce while Niagara Causeway has at least proven he can carry his speed but he was crushed in only real stern test. Greeley's Legacy can kick and will try to mow them all down with his potent late punch. Bob and John, in from California, showed a bit of a new dimension last time but will have to bring his A game to justify his 2-1 morning line status. He doesn't have the speed to contend early and would look for his rider Garrett Gomez to take a hold, try to get the guy to relax, and make the one big run. The two outside runners, Marco's Tale, an improving reformed claimer, and Scanlon's Song, just a maiden winner, may be hoping against hope. At the finish Deputy Glitters looks Keyed Entry in the eye with a furlong to go but blinks while Bob and John and Greeley's Legacy start to make their moves. Entry finds another gear and draws away, while Legacy out games the Baffert for the place. The Santa Anita Derby starts and ends with Dan Hendricks's student Brother Derek. The pace of the race favors him in that there is little other speed to soften him up and he has been working absolutely a hole in the wind. He posted a 1:11 best of the morning drill the end of March and his work Sunday was one of the best seen at Anita in decades. Of the 5 rivals, Wildfang does not belong in the same zip code as Derek and Indy Wildcat just broke his maiden all out at Sunland Park. A. P. Warrior and Point Determined are the biggest threats to pull off the upset and have a feeling Sacred Light will be day late and a dollar short. When the smoke clears, the story will be about Big Brother heading to Kentucky as the Derby chalk.
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NFL Offseason Report - AFC East
Buffalo Bills Coming off a 9-7 campaign in 2004, the Bills had high hopes for the 2005 season. They had finished strong after a terrible start in '04 and a loss to the Steelers' 'B' team on the final day had kept them out of the playoffs. That loss convinced the team that QB Drew Bledsoe wasn't the man to lead the team forward and they dumped him in favor of QB J.P. Losman. The defense (top 5 in '04) returned intact (minus DT Pat Williams) and things looked good for the coming season. It never worked out that way, as Losman struggled early, leading the team to a 1-3 mark before he was replaced by QB Kelly Holcomb. Holcomb led them to 2 quick wins but Buffalo then proceeded to lose 7 of 8 en route to a 5-11 season. The defense finished 29th overall and 31st vs. the run as Buffalo missed Williams a lot more than they thought they would. The passing game ranked 29th as Holcomb and Losman failed to take advantage of fleet WR Lee Evans' speed. The O-line had a very bad year, with injuries, age and just poor blocking dooming the offense. The poor season cost President/GM Tom Donahoe his job and Head Coach Mike Mularkey gracefully stepped aside, paving the way for the return of Marv Levy to oversee the football operations and Dick Jauron (former Bear and Lion HC) to run the team on the field. The team had many needs entering free agency but has gone the route of the discount shopper so far. They dumped SS Lawyer Milloy (ATL), DT Sam Adams, OL Mike Williams (JAX), TE Mark Campbell and DT Justin Bannan (BAL) to get under the cap and have taken it slow in free agency. They have added S Matt Bowen (WAS), WR Andre' Davis (NE), C Melvin Fowler (MIN), QB Craig Nall (GB) and TE Robert Royal (WAS) but all of these players figure to be backups. Fowler and Royal will contend for starting jobs but at the very least, at depth at places they were needed. DT Larry Triplett (IND) was also signed but he never lived up to his 2nd-round status with the Colts. DT is the team's biggest need but I don't think the Triplett signing alleviates that need completely. He will join the rotation but a big run-stuffing tackle is needed to keep interior linemen away from smallish MLB London Fletcher. The team could target DT in the 1st round of the draft (8th pick). A LT is also a huge need. Jonas Jennings left before last season to sign a rich deal with the 49ers and the team plugged in Mike Gandy with disastrous results. Look for the team to take an OT on the first day of the draft if they don't sign a veteran in free agency. With the departure of Milloy, a strong safety is also needed. FS Troy Vincent will be 35 next season and has lost some steps. Both positions need upgrades and the team will hope to draft at least one starter. The Bills probably won't make a big splash in the remaining days of FA but they have given WR Eric Moulds permission to seek a trade. His departure would create the need for another starting receiver but the FA pool is shallow and the draft isn't stocked with wideouts either. This will be a situation worth watching. Miami Dolphins Miami entered the 2005 season on the heels of a disastrous 2004 campaign where they went 4-12. RB Ricky Williams killed the team when he bolted just prior to training camp to seek his spiritual identity and some good pot. New HC Nick Saban injected badly-needed life into south Florida and the team responded with a 9-7 record, including a 6-game win streak to close the season. Rookie RB Ronnie Brown was brought along slowly but finished with 907 yards and a 4.4 yards-per-carry average. Saban welcomed Williams back and he was the good soldier, splitting carries and keeping his nose clean. QB was largely unsettled and prevented the team from progressing further. New O-line coach Hudson Houck solidified his status as a miracle worker by transforming a poor unit that surrendered 52 sacks in '04 to a much stronger group that allowed only 26 this season and paved the way for the ground game to excel. On the down side, the team committed a franchise-high 132 penalties, which led to many failures on 3rd down, both offensively and defensively. ILB Zach Thomas excelled in the new 3-4 scheme and rookie ILB Channing Crowder proved to be a capable running mate. Rookie CB Travis Daniels (a Saban player from LSU) also became a starter and played well. The Dolphins began free agency by dumping several older, expensive players to free up money to bring in more difference-makers. CBs Sam Madison (NYG) and Reggie Howard, QBs Sage Rosenfels (HOU) and Gus Frerotte (STL), OTs Stockar McDougle (JAX) and Damion McIntosh, OLB Junior Seau, S Tebucky Jones and WR Bryan Gilmore (SF) were all shown the door. The team made an aggressive move in trading a 2nd-round pick in this year's draft for Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper. They hope he'll give them the QB play the franchise has lacked since Dan Marino hung 'em up. However, Culpepper is coming off a severe knee injury and was largely ineffective (6-12 TD/INT ratio) when he did play last year. CBs Will Allen (NYG), Andre Goodman (DET) and Renaldo Hill (OAK) will battle Will Poole for the starting spot opposite Daniels. OLB Sedrick Hodge (NO) joins a unit desperate for playmakers, while O.J. Shelton (CLE) should win the job at left tackle. TE Justin Peelle (SD) provides good depth behind Randy McMichael. The Dolphins have appeared to address their 3 biggest needs with Culpepper, Shelton and the trio of corners. WR, DT and OLB are also areas they would like to improve and the O-line could still use a few more bodies. Miami still has a 1st-rounder (16th) and may trade down to get extra picks. With no glaring needs, they could go the best-available-athlete route or draft an OLB who can start immediately. They also could trade RB Williams for a pick or two but rumors about another failed drug test could end those talks (DEN) immediately. New England Patriots The Patriots entered the 2005 season fresh off back-to-back Super Bowl wins and were looking to become the first team to pull the trifecta. They won the East for the 3rd-straight season but injuries sabotaged the team and they bowed out in Denver in the second round of the playoffs. The secondary was the hardest area hit and the replacements couldn't get the job done. New England ranked 31st in pass defense and 29th in 3rd-down defense, two areas the offense (7th overall, 2nd in passing) couldn't overcome. Despite a non-existent ground game, QB Tom Brady threw for over 4,000 yards (a career first) and solidified his status as a great leader. RB Corey Dillon was injured most of the season and the O-line lost two starters to injury and relied on rookies LG Logan Mankins and LT Nick Kaczur to man the left side. ILB Tedy Bruschi made an inspired return after suffering a stroke in February. His return sparked the Patriots and gave the whole team the boost they needed after some very poor play earlier in the year (41-17 loss to SD and 40-21 loss to IND, both at home). The team also missed on virtually all of their free agent signings (OLB Chad Brown, ILB Monte Beisel, CB Duane Starks and WR David Terrell) but did get some good play from WR-KR Tim Dwight. New England started free agency parting ways with some key veterans from their Super Bowl years, players they will miss. Gone are PK Adam Vinatieri (IND), WR David Givens (TEN), TE Christian Fauria (WAS), RT Tom Ashworth (SEA) and OLB Willie McGinest (CLE). WR Andre' Davis (BUF) was a little-used backup. These players represent a good part of the team's core and won't be easily replaced. Generally the Patriots restock through the draft and in the latter stages of free agency. That strategy failed last season and they usually don't lose the type of players they lost this offseason. The only player they have added is WR Reche Caldwell (SD), a player who didn't live up to his 2nd-round (2002) draft status. At the least, he may replace Davis or Dwight but not Givens. Going into the draft, New England has some serious needs to address. CB is at the top of the list. The Pats need a shutdown corner with size, something they lack now. They also have depth issues and will probably draft at least 2 CBs. PK is also a need but look for them to go the veteran route there. No matter who they sign, he won't be a Vinatieri, one of the best clutch kickers of all time. LB and WR are also near the top of the list. McGinest, while aging, knew the system inside and out and was still productive. His replacement probably isn't on the roster right now. WR also sticks out as a need. Deion Branch is one starter and Troy Brown was resigned. Bethel Johnson hasn't developed like the team had hoped and there is an opening for a big, tough receiver. A SS to groom behind aging Rodney Harrison and a young RB will also be targets for the club. The Pats love to wheel and deal and accumulate picks but usually add picks for the following year. Look for them to add more picks for this draft and try to restock a cupboard that is stating to look a little bare. New York Jets New York had a very successful 2004 season, winning a playoff game at San Diego before PK Doug Brien cost them a game at Pittsburgh and a shot at the AFC title game. 2005 was supposed to be a year they took a step up but they took 10 steps back. Within 7 plays in a Week 3 loss at Jacksonville, the team lost QBs Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler for the season. That ended their playoff hopes and they had to unretire Vinny Testaverde to get through the year. Injuries took their toll on the backfield and O-line, forcing a game defense to spend too much time on the field. The offense ranked 31st, including 31st in rushing, one year after RB Curtis Martin led the NFL in rushing. They also ranked 29th in scoring and 30th in sack pct. allowed. In short, the offense stunk. In their first 12 games, they topped 20 points once, finishing with a 4-12 record. The defense missed NT Jason Ferguson (DAL) and ranked 29th versus the run but the pass defense held up remarkably well, ranking 2nd overall and was led by CB Ty Law's 10 interceptions. DE John Abraham stayed healthy all season and led the team with 10 ½ sacks. Despite trailing in most of their games, the Jets played hard, a tribute to Head Coach Herman Edwards. After the season, however, Edwards forced his way out of town, taking the job in Kansas City formerly held by his mentor, Dick Vermeil. Eric Mangini, a Bill Belichick disciple from New England was hired and immediately forced the resignation of GM Terry Bradway. To say it is unsettled in New York is a definite understatement. The Jets used free agency to finally address the Abraham situation. Tired of franchising him and not willing to give him a long-term deal, New York sent him to Atlanta in a 3-way deal with Denver. They got the 29th pick in the draft for him, more than fair compensation for a player with his inconsistency. Faced with a burgeoning salary cap, they dumped FB Jerald Sowell, LT Jason Fabini, C Kevin Mawae, DT Lance Legree, QB Fiedler and CB Law. They added DE Kimo von Oelhoffen (PIT) ostensibly to replace Abraham, but he's an aging 3-4 DE and probably not the best fit here. Because QB Pennington has had 2 shoulder operations in the last 9 months, they traded for Washington QB Patrick Ramsey. That was a good move and with Brooks Bollinger (56.4 pass completion; 7-6 TD/INT ratio) he gives the Jets insurance if Pennington, who never had good arm strength to begin with, can't make a full recovery. The team is still close to the cap and isn't expected to make any splashy moves in FA until after June 1. Entering the draft, the Jets have a plethora of needs, especially on offense. They own the No.4 pick overall and could really use LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson of Virginia. Ferguson would have been the 3rd-overall pick by Cleveland last season if he would have come out as a junior and he remains an elite prospect. RB has quickly become a need area, as Martin started to show his age last season and rookie Cedric Houston is a power runner that lacks breakaway speed. A big run-stuffing DT is also a need as the team was lost without J. Ferguson last year. The release of Mawae, a multi-time Pro Bowler, has made center a huge need and guards are also needed. Pete Kendall will start somewhere in the interior but he is coming off a poor season. The loss of Law means CB is another spot that needs an upgrade or at least depth. A TE that can block AND catch would also be nice but that might not be addressed until later in the draft. Ramsey is still relatively young so drafting a QB, if he's available, doesn't figure to be in the Jets' plans. There is no RB that warrants being picked at 4 (except USC's Reggie Bush) but he's expected to be off the board then. A trade down would seem to be a likely scenario if D. Ferguson is gone.
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Sports Betting

Sports Betting
Weekend Sports PreviewThe RCA Dome in Indianapolis plays host to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, which highlights a busy weekend in sports that also includes baseball's season opener, full slates of NBA, NHL, and Arena Football League games, and both Nextel Cup Series and Formula 1 events. Better stock up on snacks on Friday morning. First off, George Mason, Florida, LSU, and UCLA play in semi-final NCAA contests in Indianapolis on Saturday, with the winners advancing to Monday night's championship game. No top seeds made it past the Elite Eight in this year's tournament, making the UCLA Bruins (a No. 2 seed) the highest-seeded team remaining at the Big Dance. The Bruins play in the late game Saturday, an 8:47pm ET start against the LSU Tigers. The Tigers, who were a No. 4 seed in their region, are actually sitting as 2.5-point favorites in this game right now, with the contest's total at 121 points. LSU beat Texas in the Elite Eight to advance to this game, while UCLA knocked off top-seeded Memphis. In the other semi-final game it'll be the upstart George Mason Patriots versus the Florida Gators starting at 6:07pm ET. Oddsmakers like the Gators in this game, as they're sitting as 6-point favorites (with a total of 132.5). The Patriots knocked off UConn last game as a No. 11 seed, while the Gators as a No. 3 got past top-seeded Villanova. At the ballpark this weekend, Sunday night's MLB season-opener pits the defending-champion Chicago White Sox against the division-rival Cleveland Indians in the Windy City. Probable pitchers for the game are Mark Buehrle for the White Sox and C.C. Sabathia for the Indians. Baseball starts its schedule in earnest on Monday afternoon. Teams continue to jostle for playoff positioning around the NBA this weekend, with key games on tap all three days. On Friday night, the league's elite will be trying to pad their records against doormat opponents, as Dallas plays in Orlando, New Jersey travels to Atlanta, and Phoenix visits Toronto. Detroit plays host to Milwaukee on Friday night. On Saturday, the game of the day takes place in the afternoon, with the Cleveland Cavaliers hosting the Miami Heat. The Heat have already locked up a playoff spot, while the Cavs are trying to nail down the East's fourth seed. Central rivals Indiana and Milwaukee also play on Saturday, and the Spurs play host to the Wizards as well. Sunday sees three big matchups on the schedule as the Pistons play host to the Suns, the Mavericks get a visit from the Nuggets, and the Heat travel to New Jersey to play Vince Carter and the Nets. Also of note on Sunday are the Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento, Houston at the Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland at Charlotte. It's also crunch time in the NHL this weekend, especially in the Western Conference where precious few points separate teams above and below the postseason cutoff line. On Friday night the Calgary Flames battle the Colorado Avalanche for top spot in the Northwest Division, while the Vancouver Canucks look to take care of the Minnesota Wild. The Dallas Stars play the Mighty Ducks in Anaheim in another Western matchup. On Saturday the Eastern Conference steps into the spotlight, with New Jersey visiting Philadelphia, the Maple Leafs hosting the Sabres, Boston playing in Montreal, Atlanta hosting Carolina, Tampa Bay battling Florida, and Ottawa playing Washington. Key Western games on Saturday include Calgary at Edmonton and Dallas at Los Angeles. A light Sunday in the NHL features only four games: Philadelphia at the New York Islanders, Detroit at Minnesota, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, and Vancouver at Anaheim. Austin and Philadelphia kick off Week 10 of the Arena Football League's schedule on Friday night, with the Soul listed as 6.5-point home favorites. On Saturday it's Grand Rapids at New York (-6), Utah at Tampa Bay (-7.5), Georgia (-9.5) at Kansas City, Columbus at Dallas (-10.5), and Nashville at Colorado (-4). Sunday features Chicago at Orlando (-3), Las Angeles at Las Vegas (-5), and Arizona at San Jose (-6.5). And on the auto racing scene, the Nextel Cup Series is at Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the DIRECTV 500. Matt Kenseth now leads the driver standings, as he sits just ahead of Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson. Overseas, the Formula 1 circuit is at Melbourne's Albert Park for the Australian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso continues to lead the F1 drivers championship, followed by Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher.
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NBA Betting

NBA Handicapping
Bets on Nets Have Been ProfitableMarch is a month of madness in the basketball world. Most of the madness is confined to the NCAA, but it looks like a little Vin-sanity has spilled into the NBA. The New Jersey Nets have been surging this month and a big reason has been the play of star Vince Carter. The Nets have won eight games in a row straight up (SU) and now have a commanding 8.5-game lead atop the Atlantic division standings (as of Monday). Among those wins was a 79-74 victory over the first-place Pistons in Detroit as 7-point dogs on Sunday. The Nets also downed the Mavs 100-89 as 2-point home dogs last Sunday. Jersey is now tied for third overall in the Eastern Conference behind Detroit and Miami and is on the verge of locking up a playoff spot. Bettors placing wagers on the Nets have also been cashing in on the team's success. Through their eight-game win streak, the Nets are 6-1-1 against the spread (ATS). During the stretch, Carter has led the team in scoring six times and has averaged 25 ppg. Overall, Vince is scoring 24 ppg, 12th most in the NBA. Carter's recent surge reflects his growing chemistry with point guard Jason Kidd, who has been getting Vince the ball. Kidd has led the team in assists in all but one game this month and is now averaging 8.5 apg, fifth most in the NBA. Interestingly, during the Nets' winning streak, six of eight games have fallen UNDER the posted total. In other words, during those wins New Jersey concentrated more on defense and limited their opposition in scoring. Conversely, in the eight games prior to the win streak, six games went OVER the total. And during that stretch the Nets were 3-5 SU and 0-7-1 ATS. One of the highlights of the Nets' strong defensive play came late in the game against the Pistons. With 2.1 seconds remaining and the Nets clinging to a 77-74 lead, Carter leapt up to deflect an in-bound pass by Ben Wallace and then stole the ball. The play likely saved the win for Jersey. "Vince must have been a high-jump champion somewhere, because that was an amazing play," Nets coach Lawrence Frank told reporters afterward.
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Sports Betting

Sports Betting
Handicappers May Want To Look At The UnderJust a week or so ago both the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres were looking like strong contenders to win their respective divisions in the Eastern Conference. However, both teams have fallen on hard times recently, with the Rangers losing three straight games and the Sabres having been defeated five times in a row. Those skids have allowed their division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators, to parlay their own strong play into a strengthened position in the standings. The Senators now look like they've wrapped up the Northeast Division title, while the Flyers have come all the way back to sit tied with the Rangers atop the Atlantic Division. So Monday night's game between the Sabres and the Rangers could serve to get one of those two teams back on track, or at the very least put an end to their concerning losing streak. Handicappers will note that Buffalo has had the slight edge in the season series to this point, winning two of the three games, including their only meeting at Madison Square Garden (which is the site of Monday night's contest). Another trend to note is that the Sabres and Rangers have played three low-scoring games against each other this season, and all turned out to be UNDER plays. In October, the Sabres picked up a 3-1 victory, the Rangers won 3-2 in their November meeting, and the Sabres came back with a 2-1 win at the end of January. Those game results mirror the two teams' overall OU records on the season, as Buffalo goes into Monday night's game with a 27-41-2 OU mark, while New York sits at 29-40-2 on the season. However, during their current losing streak the Sabres' defense has been especially porous, as they've let in 21 goals in their past five games. As well, the Rangers have given up 13 goals in their last three games, all of which were losses. The home team has been favored in all three Sabres/Rangers clashes this season, and expect handicappers to make the Rangers the choice on Monday. New York is 25-19 when listed as the fave this year, while Buffalo boasts an 18-13 record as the underdog. Overall, the Rangers are 22-8-6 at home, while the Sabres are 21-11-2 on the road. Both will be hoping to improve on those marks when the final buzzer goes on Monday.
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Sports Betting

Sports Betting
Weekend Sports Preview: March 24It seems like just last week there were 64 teams competing in the NCAA Tournament; when the dust settles this weekend, four teams will remain in contention for the national title. College hoops takes the sporting spotlight again over the next few days, with pro basketball, hockey, Arena Football, and NASCAR also thrown into the athletic mix. Friday features the second round of Sweet 16 action at the Big Dance, with two games each in the Washington D.C. and Minneapolis regions. In the nation's capital, No. 11 George Mason (-2) plays No. 7 Wichita State at 7:27pm ET at the Verizon Center, while No. 5 Washington battles No. 1 Connecticut (-6) at 9:57pm ET. Out at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, No. 1 Villanova (-2.5) takes on No. 4 Boston College at 7:10pm ET, while No. 3 Florida (-3) looks to continue with the big tourney wins against No. 7 Georgetown at 9:40pm ET. The winners of Friday's four games advance to their respective Regional Finals on Sunday. Meanwhile, Saturday features Regional Finals games at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, and the Oakland Arena in Oakland. The regional winners then advance to the Final Four, which takes place at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 1. This year's Men's National Championship Game will be played on Monday, April 3 in Indy. Over in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons took care of business versus conference-rival Miami on Wednesday, and they'll be looking for similar results this weekend when they play Indiana on Friday night and New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. The Pistons have clinched the Central Division title, but are still battling for the top record in the league. Their challengers for that mark, the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks, take on lesser-lights over the next couple of days. The Spurs play in Portland against the Trail Blazers on Friday, and then in Seattle against the Sonics on Sunday. The Mavs have only one game on the weekend sched, in Atlanta versus the Hawks on Saturday. Other marquee games around the NBA this weekend include Boston at Cleveland and Milwaukee at the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, Washington at the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver at Phoenix on Saturday, and Philadelphia at Indiana and Cleveland at Houston on Sunday afternoon. In the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators' quest to finish in first place in the Eastern Conference takes them on the road to Buffalo and Philadelphia this weekend. The Sens play the Sabres on Friday night, then battle the Flyers on Saturday night. Buffalo and Philadelphia are also looking to secure high seeds in the postseason. The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are just trying to secure any seed in the postseason; they continue their mini-series on Saturday in Montreal, then go their separate ways for games on Sunday (Toronto at New Jersey, Montreal at Pittsburgh). Their competition for the eighth playoff spot in the East, the Atlanta Thrashers, play on Long Island on Saturday in their only game of the weekend. Over in the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers will continue to jockey for playoff positioning when they meet in Vancouver on Saturday night. The Oilers then travel to Colorado for a game against the Avalanche on Sunday; the Avs have a game with the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. New Los Angeles Kings coach John Torchetti sees his team hosting the Nashville Predators on Saturday; the Kings need Torchetti to turn around their fortunes if they hope to qualify for the playoffs this season. The San Jose Sharks, another team just below the current postseason cutoff line in the West, have games in Minnesota versus the Wild on Saturday and in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Sunday. Three Arena Football League games kick off the Week 9 schedule on Friday night, as Kansas City is in New York (-8), Las Vegas visits Utah (-2), and Los Angeles travels to Arizona (-3.5). On Saturday it's San Jose at Nashville (-4), Orlando at Austin (-4.5), Philadelphia at Dallas (-6.5), and Columbus at Colorado (-11). Sunday features Tampa Bay at Georgia (-6.5) and Grand Rapids at Chicago (-9). And finally, in auto racing, Kasey Kahne will be trying to pick up his second straight Nextel Cup Series win when he takes to the track in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday. Kahne won the delayed Golden Corral 500 in Atlanta on Monday afternoon, while Mark Martin finished in second place and Dale Earnhardt Jr. wound up in third place. Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the driver standings after four races this season, as the Lowe's driver holds a 50-point lead over second-place Kahne.
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NHL Betting

NHL Hockey Handicapping
Sabres Proving To Be A Good BetIf you've wagered on the Buffalo Sabres consistently throughout the 2005/06 season you've probably earned yourself a nice chunk of change. In the last year before the NHL owners staged their lockout, the Sabres had a mediocre 37-34-7-4 record and finished out of the playoffs and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. After losing both Miro Satan and Alexei Zhitnik from that 2003/04 team, the Sabres weren't expected to make a leap this season. That assumption has proven to be wrong, as Buffalo sits at 44-17-5 this season, just back of the Ottawa Senators in the Northeast Division and comfortably in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. So jumping on the Buffalo Sabres bandwagon and staying there since October has been profitable for bettors. The Sabres are 26-10 as the favored team this year, and a healthy 18-12 as the underdog. The UNDER bet has paid off in Buffalo games this year as well, as the defensively-sound Sabres have a 25-39-2 OU record through 66 games That sound defense, however, took a night off on Saturday, as the Sabres allowed goaltender Ryan Miller to get peppered with 48 shots in a 4-2 loss to division-leading Ottawa. Despite ending up on the wrong end of the score, Miller was named the game's first star, and Buffalo did come back from a 3-0 deficit to make the game interesting. The result against Ottawa, though, was an anomaly for Buffalo this month. The Sabres have played 10 games in March, and have picked up wins in eight of them. Their only two losses came against Ottawa on Saturday, and against the Atlanta Thrashers back on March 1. In that eight-game win streak, the Sabres outscored their opponents 41-23, potting an average of five goals per night and boosting their total OVER results. The Sabres play seven more games in the month of March, starting on Monday night against the Thrashers in Atlanta. Center Tim Connolly could return from his knee injury in time for that game, but center Jochen Hecht will be out of the Sabres' lineup for at least another week with his own knee woes. Also on tap around the National Hockey League on Monday night: Boston at the New York Rangers, Montreal at Washington, Tampa Bay at Florida, St. Louis at Nashville, Anaheim at Dallas, and Colorado at Los Angeles.
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NCAA Betting

Sports Handicapping
Handicapping March Madness TournamentOverall NCAA Basketball Tournament Trends (All stats are from 1999 and cover the last seven years) Straight Up winners are 331-99-11 ATS during March Madness with the Favourites going (305-136 SU) 195-99-11 ATS (66.3%). From that set of base results Underdogs that lose Straight Up cover the number just 33.7% of the time. That being the case, if you are going to play an underdog, you might be better served to play them on the money line. Overall, Underdogs are a combinded 231-199-11 ATS (53.7%). The best performing seeds ATS have been the #12 (60.3%), #10 (58.7%) and #8 (57.2%). The worst performances from seeds have come from the #14 seed which has a 11-17-2 ATS (39.3%) mark and the not so lucky #7 seed (41.4%). Favourites priced between -11 and -14 are 18-28-3 ATS (39.1%). Favourites priced between -8 and -10.5 are 24-32-3 ATS (42.8%). So putting those two parameters together and reversing them, you will see that underdogs priced between +8 and +14 are 60-42-6 ATS (58.8%). Favourites at -3.5 or less are 50-71-5 ATS (41.3%). Favourites priced between -4 and -7.5 are 68-65 ATS (44.4%). Favourites of -14.5 or greater are 42-32 ATS (56.7%). ROUND ONEStraight Up winners in first round games are 161-57-6 ATS (73.8%). Underdogs that lose straight up are 57-104-6 ATS (35.4%). Underdogs are 114-104-6 ATS (52.3%). #12 seeds vs. #5 seeds are 17-10-1 ATS (62.9%). Both the #3 and #10 seeds are 59% ATS winning propositions in opening round games. Favourites priced between -11 and -14 are 8-17-2 ATS (32%). Favourites priced between -4 to -7.5 are 21-29 ATS (42%). Favourites of -18.5 points in round one are 25-17 ATS (59.5%). ROUND TWO Straight Up winners in round two games are a blistering 91-18-3 ATS (83.5%). Underdogs that lose straight up in round two games are 18-48-3 ATS (27.3%) including 9-33-2 ATS (21.4%) in round two games since 2001. Overall, Underdogs in round two games are 61-48-3 ATS (55.9%). It should be noted that this angle is inflated somewhat because of the poor performances of favourites in 1999, 2000 and 2004 which went a combinded 11-36-1 ATS. Favourites during a three year span 2001 to 2003 went a combinded 28-18-2 ATS. The best performing seed in round two has been the #10 seed, which is 11-4 ATS (73.3%). Next best is the #8 seed with an 11-5 ATS (68.7%) mark. Underdogs of +3.5 or less are 20-10 ATS (66.7%) in the second round Underdogs priced between +8.5 and +10.5 are 11-4-3 ATS (73.3%) in the round of thirty-two.
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NCAA Betting

The Kansas Jayhawks, winners of 15 of their last 16 games, meet the Bradley Braves in an NCAA first-round bout in Auburn Hills Friday.
Kansas, a #4 seed, beat Texas last Sunday 80-66 in the Big 12 Conference tournament title game. The Jayhawks went 13-3 in the Big 12 this season, tying with the Longhorns for the league's regular-season championship.
Bradley, the 13 seed and an at-large invitee, tied for fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season at 11-7. The Braves had a seven-game winning streak snapped in the MVC tournament title game by Southern Illinois 12 days ago.
Kansas lost in the first round in the NCAA tournament to Bucknell last March. Bradley hasn't played in the NCAA tournament since 1996.
Both teams have been money-makers for bettors this season. Kansas is 18-10 against the spread, 14-8 ats as favorites. Bradley is 17-10 vs. the number, 4-3 ats as underdogs.
The Jayhawks led all of Division 1 by holding opponents to just 37% shooting from the field. Kansas also outrebounds foes by 5.5 per game.
The Braves held opponents to 40% shooting from the floor, and outrebounded foes by 4 per game.
Kansas has done all this with one of the youngest teams in the nation. The Jayhawks starting line-up consists of three freshmen and two sophomores.
In the latest RPI at NCAAsports.com, Kansas is ranked 20th, Bradley 33rd. The Sagarin PREDICTOR ratings rank the Jayhawks #6 at 90.1, the Braves #22 at 85.3.
The Sagarin conference rankings have the Big 12 rated 6th, the MVC 7th.
The over is 16-12 in Bradley games this season, but 10-18 in Kansas games.

Coming into the tournament, Kansas is playing their best ball of the season. We look for a cover with a double digit win!
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NCAA Betting

Basketball Betting
These dogs may be worth a wagerIt's a given that there will be some big upsets in the first round of the NCAA tournament. However, picking which teams will pull off a straight up (SU) is extremely difficult. Picking heavy underdogs to cover, on the other hand, is bound to be more profitable, especially if you look at the trends. In the Atlanta Region, a team bettors will want to take a look at is Iona. The Gaels are 23-7 SU this season and easily won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament last week. Iona has one of the best betting records in Division I having gone 17-9-2 against the spread (ATS). That's a winning percentage of 61 percent. One of the Gaels' biggest ATS wins of the season came against Kentucky in December. They lost 73-67 SU but beat the spread as 9.5-point road dogs. The Gaels are seeded No. 13 and will face No. 4 LSU in the first round of the tournament on Thursday at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville (7:10 p.m. ET). LSU is coming off an 81-65 thrashing to Florida in the SEC tournament as 1-point dogs. The Tigers opened as a 7-point favorite versus Iona. They might have been a bigger favorite if freshman Tyrus Thomas was not been recovering from an injury. Thomas has missed the past four games due to a high ankle sprain. The SEC Freshman of the Year averaged 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and league-leading three blocks per game. Despite the injury, Thomas is expected to play against the Gaels. Over in the Oakland Region, bettors should consider handicapping Kent St. The Golden Flashes are 25-8 SU this season and won the Mid-American Conference tournament last week. Against the number, the Flashes are an amazing 19-9-1 this season. They are seventh overall in the Division I with a winning percentage of 66 percent. The No. 12 Flashes will face No. 5 Pittsburgh on Friday at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (7:10 p.m. ET). The Panthers, who lost to Syracuse in the Big East championship game, opened as a 6-point chalk. In the Minneapolis Region, South Alabama is worth watching. The Jaguars are 24-6 SU and are winners of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. This season the Jags are 17-8 ATS. They are seeded No. 14 and will tip off with No. 3 Florida on Thursday in Jacksonville (2:25 p.m. ET). The SEC champion Gators opened as 9-point favorites. And finally, in the Washington Region, the team that many don't believe should be in the tournament, Air Force, deserves a look. The Falcons were 24-6 SU on the season but lost to Wyoming in the Mountain West Conference tournament last week. Nonetheless, they have been solid pick against the number having gone 13-8-1 ATS. No. 13 Air Force will face No. 4 Illinois on Thursday at Cox Arena in San Diego (7:25 p.m. ET). The Illini opened as 9-point favorites.
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NCAA Betting

It’s that time a year again folks where company head’s dread, as they realize several hours will be lost in productively as their employees are glued to their bracket sheet holding the names of 64 schools.
Tomorrow in Dayton, Ohio Monmouth and Hampton will square off in what is called a Play-in-game to see who gets the right to board a plane to Philadelphia and a date with the Villanova Wildcats on Thursday.

The four top seeds are Duke in Greensboro, North Carolina, Memphis in Dallas, Connecticut in Philadelphia and Villanova in the “City of Brotherly Love� this weekend.
Syracuse did the unthinkable and beat Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown and Pittsburgh in succession in New York at the Big East Championship this past weekend and now heads to the tournament in the role of hunted not hunter. They could run into a buzz saw on Thursday in Jacksonville, Florida when Billy Gillespie and his Aggies of Texas A&M come calling. The Aggies put the clamps on Texas recently and the Longhorns had far better talent then the Orangemen. Incidentally the line has opened at Syracuse –1.5 and they are begging the public to hammer SYRACUSE, but A&M is the play.
My upset special on Friday will be in Dallas where the struggling Wolfpack of North Carolina State get a new lease on life when they face the Golden Bears of California. NC State gave teams fits early in the year with their 4-guard set and awesome three point shooting. They were stone cold down the stretch but a lot of this had to do with their rival ACC teams so familiar with their system. California must travel through time zones to play a game that will tip off in the morning on their clocks. Cal has rugged Leon Powe who is a handful, but NC State can neutralize him with Cedric Simmons. Look for State to send Cal packing!
It will be 40 minutes of hell in Philadelphia on Friday as UAB tackles former tournament giant Kentucky. UAB is a relentless defender and the Wildcats have underachieved this year. If Kentucky can beat the trap they have better talent, but I’m not sure they are in good enough physical shape to handle Mike Anderson’s Blazers. The line sits at Kentucky –2.5 today, but if you are patient the public will drive that line to 3- 3 ½. Take the dog here!
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NBA Betting

NBA Handicapping
NBA bettors cashing in on Kings and PacersRegardless of the sport, it's not very often a player trade benefits both teams. Typically, the player on one side of a trade will benefit their new team, while the player on the other side will have little effect if not hurt their new team. Occasionally, a trade will fail to benefit either team. Every once in awhile, however, a trade will have a positive effect on both teams. Such appears to be the case with the Ron Artest-Peja Stojakovic swap which took place in January. Since acquiring Artest, the Sacramento Kings have gone 11-7 straight up (SU) and are closing in on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Artest's positive impact is also putting smiles on the faces of bettors - those betting on the Kings have gone 12-5-1 against the spread (ATS). That's a winning percentage of 67 percent. Artest has quickly established himself as a valuable component of the Kings' offense averaging 17.1 ppg, second-most on the team. His well-known defensive skills have also been a factor - the 6-foot-7 small forward leads the team in steals with 2.4 per game. The big question mark, however, is whether Artest will be able to keep his head straight and not get into any trouble during the stretch drive of the regular season. The Indiana Pacers, meanwhile, have been enjoying success despite the absence of leading scorer Jermaine O'Neal, who has been out with a groin tear. A big part of that success can be attributed to Stojakovic. The 6-foot-10 small forward is averaging 19.7 ppg, second on the team behind O'Neal (20.9). Since Stojakovic joined the team, the Pacers have gone 9-6 SU and are in the thick of the playoff race. Those placing wagers on Indiana have also been cashing in thanks to the big Yugoslavian. In the 15 games he has played, the Pacers are 11-3-1 ATS. That's a winning percentage of 73 percent. Both the Pacers and the Kings are now among the top ATS teams in the NBA. As of Wednesday, Indiana was 31-23-3 ATS, which is the third-best betting record in the league. The Kings are 31-28-1 ATS, the eighth-best record.
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NCAA Betting

The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, the regular-season champions of the Big Sky Conference, take on the second-place Montana Grizzlies for the conference tournament title Wednesday night, with an automatic bid into the NCAA championship tournament at stake.
Montana has won six of its last seven games. The Grizzlies beat Eastern Washington 73-71 in OT Tuesday night as six-point favorites to advance to this conference tournament title game.
Northern Arizona is 2-2 in its last four games. The Lumberjacks beat Sacramento State Tuesday 98-83 as seven-point favorites to get here.
The teams have split the last six meetings, and two meetings this season, each winning on their home courts. In the first game back in January, Montana led by 13 points at halftime before Northern Arizona came back for an 83-80 win. In the second game 10 days ago, the Grizzlies led by 20 at the half on their way to a 96-83 victory. In those two games, Montana hit 26 out of 50 three-point attempts, and both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field. Also, Montana outrebounded the Lumberjacks by 10 each game.
Montana is 11-12 against the spread this season, 6-6 ats on the road, just 5-9 ats vs. Big Sky opponents but 5-1 ats as an underdog.
Northern Arizona is 13-10 against the spread on the season, 5-4 ats at the Walkup Skydome (the site of tonight's game), a profitable 10-5 ats in Big Sky play and 6-5 ats as a favorite.
In the latest RPI at NCAAsports.com, Montana is #76, Northern Arizona #119. In USA Today's Sagarin PREDICTOR rankings, the Grizzlies are at #103 at 77.6, while the 'Jacks are at #137 at 74.3.
Both teams shoot the ball very well. Montana on the season is hitting 49 percent from the floor, 38 percent from 3-point range and 72 percent from the line. Northern Arizona is shooting 48 percent from the floor, 40 percent from long range and 76 percent from the stripe.
But both teams also allow their opponents to shoot fairly well. Montana opponents shoot 44 percent from the floor, Northern Arizona opponents 47 percent.
The over is a collective 27-20 in Montana and Northern Arizona games this season. The total on this game opened up at 150 1/2, but was quickly bet up two points. The average total points scored in the last six meetings between these two teams is 160.
To bet this game
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NCAA Betting

College Basketball Betting
Kansas padding bankrolls
Back in December, it looked like it was going to be a long season for the Kansas Jayhawks. As it turns out, they were just getting warmed up. Kansas began the season losing four of their first seven games. Among those losses was an embarrassing 61-49 loss to Arizona at the Maui Invitational. The poor start wasn't too surprising for the Jayhawks, who lost four starters from last season. Among them was their leading scorer Wayne Simien, who averaged 17.8 ppg. Regardless, that didn't stop the KU faithful from calling for the head of coach Bill Self, who saw his team humiliated by Bucknell in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament. Kansas had entered last season as a contender to win the national championship but ended up losing six of its last nine games. This season Self was forced to turn to his youngsters, and after the early-season stumble, the kids responded. Following their loss to Saint Joseph's on Dec. 6, the Jayhawks won 19 of their next 22 games. The kids saved their best effort for conference play where they went 13-3 straight up (SU) and captured a share of the Big 12 title with Texas. Their one big blemish was a loss to rival Kansas St. in January, which snapped a 31-game winning streak. Among the kids stepping up this season is 6-foot-6 freshman guard Brandon Rush, who leads the team in scoring with 14.1 ppg and rebounds with 6 rpg. He's followed by 6-foot-2 freshman guard Mario Chalmers, who's averaging 10.9 ppg. Three of the Jayhawks top four scorers are freshman, and the team's top seven scorers are, at most, sophomores. Kansas has also been a slam dunk for bettors. Heading into the Big 12 conference tournament, which starts on Thursday, the Jayhawks are 10-3 against the spread (ATS) in their past 13 games. Overall on the season, the Hawks have one of the best betting records in college hoops at 17-10 ATS. For those who like to wager on the total, KU has been a great UNDER bet. The Jayhawks have seen just 10 of 27 games (37 percent) top the posted total this season. Overall, KU is 22-7 SU on the season and will enter the Big 12 tournament as the No. 2 seed behind the Longhorns, who finished 25-5 SU. Their first game will be on Friday against the winner of the No. 7 Oklahoma State-No. 10 Iowa State game (7 p.m. ET). The Hawks have beaten both teams this season: 64-49 at Oklahoma St. as 3-point favorites, 95-85 at Iowa St. as 1.5-point favorites, and 88-75 versus Iowa St. as a 9.5-point home chalk. The Big 12 tournament will be played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Jayhawks are 8-2 ATS and 4-6 O/U away from home.
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NCAA Betting

Oklahoma (20-6) at Texas (24-5) Sunday, 4 p.m. Eastern, CBS The Red River Rivalry bubbles up again Sunday afternoon when the Oklahoma Sooners travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns in the regular season finale for both teams.
The Sooners have beaten the Longhorns three straight times, including an 82-72 decision in January in Norman as three-point home dogs. In that match-up between two of the top four rebounding teams in Division 1, Oklahoma won the battle on the boards by a 35-30 margin and shot 31 of 57 from the floor against Texas' third-ranked field goal defense.
Oklahoma, unbelievably, has won four games in a row by one point after Monday's 67-66 victory over Oklahoma State. But when you're always favored, winning by one doesn't cover the spread. And the Sooners are 0-5 ats in their last five games.
Just in Big 12 play this season, Oklahoma has won five games by one point. But they've also lost two games by one point and another by two points.
Meanwhile, Texas is outscoring opponents by 17 points per game.
Texas is 2-2 in its last four games, including a 46-43 defeat at Texas A&M Wednesday as a six-point road favorite. After going 27 of 49 from the floor against Kansas' top-ranked field goal defense Saturday, the Longhorns shot just 13 of 38 against the Aggies.
Texas is tied with Kansas for first place in the Big 12 at 12-3. Oklahoma is in third place, one game back. Both teams have clinched first-round byes in the conference tournament, which starts Thursday in Dallas.
The Sooners are a costly 8-13 against the spread this season; 4-6 ats on the road, 7-8 ats in the Big 12 but 3-1 ats as an underdog.
Texas is 12-11 against the spread this season; 6-4 ats at home, 8-7 ats in the conference and 11-10 ats as chalk.
The over is 13-8 in Sooner games this season, but 9-14 in Longhorn games.
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