Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Nationals (plus 105 AND under 9) at Houston.

Before I get to the beat I am asking for comments down below. I write this blog every single day and would love to get feedback from you so please leave a comment if you would.

Another day of a lot of choices in the Bad Beat department and I almost did not go with the Nats here because they actually came back themselves in the top of the 9th inning just to get there but in the end the way Washington lost was pretty freakin' bad AND the way it affected the total was fairly wild as well.

Washington rallied with two outs and nobody on in the 9th to take a 4-3 lead after trailing 3-2 which could have been the beat of the day that way.

But then.

Matt Capps came in looking for the save and with two outs and a man on second he needed one more out for the solid 4-3 comeback victory. But then an error by Cristian Guzman prevented the game from ending, tied things up at four and kept the under players from winning. Yuck.

And wouldn't you know it the next batter Carlos Lee went big-fly and the game ended 6-4 Astros.

Talk about a swing of emotions on both the side and the total!



Your winner for Friday is on:

3* Rays (plus 105) at Texas

A bad bad 0-2 Thursday, flat out stunk!



One play today and it's on what is clearly the much better team getting a steal of a price. CJ Wilson has had a successful season thus far but the lefty is still a converted reliever who I just do not put too much faith in.

I'm not saying that Wade Davis is the next CY Young award winner but the young guy has a huge upside and some high quality stuff. To get Davis along with arguably the best team in the game led by superstars like Crawford and Longoria is way too good to pass up.

The Rangers have been very good at Arlington this season and are not a bad club at all. Cruz, Hamilton, Young and Kinsler are all great hitters but Ron Washington's offense still is not what it was a few years ago. I don't know what has happened but collectively the Rangers do not achieve or score the amount of runs that individually it would appear they would.

Tampa has been a great team everywhere this season and I see that success continuing today.

Once again and the bottom line is that we are getting much better team and a steal of a price, period!

Your "Bad Beat" for Saturday is on:

Orioles (under 8 1/2) vs. Cleveland.

A consolation prize to any Royals backers who watched Kansas City blow that 4-1 lead fairly late.

The beat of the day comes from Camden Yards as both Brian Matusz and Mitch Talbot pitched their tails off. This thing was literally 2-0 in the top of the 9th inning with one out and nobody on for the Tribe. Cleveland had done much of nothing all day and now are two outs away from being shutout.

Then the roof caved in on the home O's. The next six batters reached base for the Indians which included a game winning Austin Kearns three run home run. Trevor Crowe went deep later in the inning as well and this thing was all of a sudden 8-2 heading into the bottom of the frame and that's how this game ended, 8-2 and somehow over that total!



Your winner for Sunday is on:

2* Pirates (plus $2) at Chicago.

Another winning day on Saturday as the 2* on the Pirates came through again plus about 210. The 3* on the plus money Twins lost but still a winning day!



I don't like Sunday's slate and therefore am just going to make one play and one play only. I'm heading back to that well with the Pirates as I did in the last two days. The Bucos are not a good team and maybe the worst in the game but these Cubs are an absolute disgrace and continue to prove just that.

Chicago is the more talented team as I have been saying. Lee, Soriano, Ramirez, Fukudome and others individually are scary but collectively this team is an absolute disaster.

Ted Lilly is better than Ross Ohlendorf (both former Yankees btw) but once again it doesn't matter as the Cubbies are just not worthy of laying this price. Chicago is a team in shambles and to be honest with you the Lou Pinella era needs to end soon as it's just not working.

Pittsburgh probably isn't good enough to win one more time like this but I'm playing with house money a bit and getting this much against this Cubs team is just a must play right now, period.

Your "Bad Beat" for Friday is on:

Bruins (minus 125 in game and overall series) vs. Philadelphia.

Many different avenues for Friday's bad beat as there were a lot of them. The Rangers blowing a 9-3 third inning lead certainly would qualify in both the first 5 inning play and the game. The Diamondbacks shriveling up and losing after a 4-0 late lead and a 5-4 extra inning lead would more than be the winner on some days.

But the "Bad Beat" just has to go to those pathetic choking Bruins. Obviously they were up 3-0 in the series just a few days back and blew that getting to this seventh and deciding game. Well in this game Boston went up 3-0 and looked as if they were going to avoid some dubious history of losing four in a row like that. But then the hands went on the throat and in the end just like the series the Flyers erased the 3-0 deficit and won 4-3.

Quite possibly the greatest comeback in the history of sports!



Your winners for Saturday are on:

3* Twins (plus 130) at New York.

2* Pirates (plus 220) at Chicago.

Another perfect day on Friday as the 3* Braves came back in fine fashion and the 2* Pirates plus around 185ish won going away in the end. About another 7* of profit for me and hopefully you.



Two more winners for Saturday led by the Twinkies at Yankee Stadium. Arod and the Bombers are great and the best team in the game. Andy Pettitte has had a very successful start to the season and is a tough tough lefty but in the end I do believe that Ron Gardenhire's Twins even up this series.

Mauer and Morneau are phenomenal and the fundamental Twins behind Francisco Liriano are a force right now. The lefty had an amazing future but was derailed by the injuries which looked to be tragic as he possibly was never going to recover and find that unreal form. But all of a sudden this season Liriano appears to be back almost as he was.

The Yankees certainly can win this game and maybe should win this game at home as they are a great great team. But Joe Girardi's squad is a little banged up and does give you a few guys in the order that are far from being studs, the Cervelli's of the world.

Pettitte has struggled at times in the new Yankee Stadium and I expect Liriano to continue to be really good if not great and for the visitors to pull this thing out.



Just like yesterday one has to absolutely back the Pirates today at this ridiculous price.

No the Bucos are not good and may be the worst team in all of baseball but the Cubs are half a disgrace and can never be laying such a price. Ryan Dempster and that sinker can be very good at times but he is not a great overall pitcher and the Cubs are a disappointing mess right now.

Paul Maholm is at least a professional and experienced guy who has been alright in his big league career. There are far worse options to have on the mound. McCutcheon, Jones and Doumit are fine players and just like yesterday have enough to win this game at Wrigley for sure.

Chicago is the more potent and powerful team led by Lee, Ramirez, Soriano and Fukudome but so what? Overall the sum of this Cubbies squad equals crap and crap laying around 250 is just preposterous.

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Nationals (over 10) at Colorado.

This one is great and easy. The rule states that any game which is not completed for whatever reason (with rain being one of them) than the total is no play, as in it doesn't matter at all what the score is to that point. Unfortunately for the over players last night from Coors Field that rule had to be enforced.

Washington's Ryan Zimmerman belted a pair of home runs including a two run jack in the first and this game was over the total by the sixth inning as the Nats led 7-4. For good measure the visitors scored a touchdown and added the extra point in the eighth to take a 14-6 lead.

And then the rain came, the game was pretty much out of reach and the umpires called it deeming the final 14-6 in 8 innings.

The total was a no play for anybody even with 20 runs already plated.

Ouch!



Your winners for Friday are on:

3* Braves (minus 120) vs. Arizona.

2* Pirates (plus 180) at Chicago.

One play on Thursday and it was a huge 5* winner on the Celtics! I have been absolutely great over the past few months and have made you a ton of money if you're listening, all I ask is for you to add a comment below if you can!



Kenshin Kawakami has been a major disappointment and may find himself out of the starting rotation very soon. But the righty still is not dreadfully bad and could find his way here at Turner Field against a flat out bad team in these Diamondbacks.

Bobby Cox' boys have had some issues at times but they just took care of business in Milwaukee and have turned things up a notch. Jason Heyward is looking like a Hall of Famer and Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, Martin Prado and a few others form a very goud team. It appears that the Bravos are playing much better and ready to really go on a run led by that top flight pitching staff.

Arizona has had a ton of issues recently and are a lineup that is lacking a ton. Mark Reynolds has some pop but he also strikes out a ton and all in all the snakes should not win this game even if their starter in Ian Kennedy has improved a great deal and become solid.

This number should be higher and I'm therefore backing the Braves.



Bad teams can't be laying big numbers and that goes for the Cubs here. Obviously the Pirates are fairly terrible and Brian Burress is a lefty that can be terrible but Lou Pinella's team is once again underachieving and just not good. There is talent there with Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Fukudome and Soto but collectively the Cubs are a disaster that is going nowhere.

The Pirates are quite possibly the worst team in all of baseball and are up against a former teammate in Tom Gorzelanny. Sure the lefty should help Chicago win the game but it's not like he's exactly Randy Johnson in his prime. The guy is extremely average and the Cubs are a sub .500 team and not much should change anytime soon.

The bottom line is I don't care how bad we are as they are a bad team that can find a way to wet the bed against anybody and that includes the Bucos.

Your "Bad Beat" for Monday is on:

Canucks (plus 1 1/2 goals minus $2) at Chicago.

Vancouver won game one of this series with ease 5-1 and things looked great early on in game two as the Canucks built the 2-0 lead right away in the first period.

Chicago did pull a goal back mid-way into that opening period and this game remained 2-1 into the third. Then 6:49 into the period Patrick Sharp scored a shorthanded goal to tie things up. Anybody who backed the visitors plus that extra goal still was looking great.

The Hawks would grab their first lead with a minute and a half remaining and things became a little dicier. Then wouldn't you know it Patrick Kane scored into the empty net in the final minute and this thing became an absolute nightmare of those 'Nucks 1 1/2 backers!?!?!



Your winners for Tuesday are on:

3* Astros (minus 135) vs. Diamondbacks.

2* Phillies (plus 115) vs. St. Louis.

A small losing 1-1 Monday as the 3* Spurs fell on their face but the 2* A's plus 120 on the diamond came through.



I'm laying some cash here and can't say that I believe Roy Oswalt is the great stud hurler he used to be a few seasons ago but at home against Ian Kennedy makes me feel this price is less than it should be.

The Astros are not a good team and have been struggling. They didn't get their first victory until a few weeks in and haven't won in almost a week after getting swept in Atlanta and just losing the first game of this series. But Oswalt against Kennedy is lopsided and to be honest the 'Stros may be the better lineup even if they don't show it.

Arizona has potential with Reynolds and a few others but they are still not a better than average hitting club and I'll take my chances here at home with Berkman, Lee, Pence and Bourn among others.

I don't love laying numbers but in this spot that is what I am going to do as the Astros are due for a victory and behind their ace should get it.



Adam Wainwright is a superstar hurler and the Cardinals may be the best team in the National League but Cole Hamels isn't exactly chopped liver and Howard, Utley, Werth and the Phils at home plus money is just too good to pass up.

Sure Tony LaRussa's squad could win today, as they did yesterday, but to be able to get the team that won the World Series two seasons' ago and went there once again last season plus money at home with Hamels is enough for me.

Your "Bad Beat" for Saturday is on:

Celtics (plus 7 1/2) in Cleveland.

This was dreadful with a capital D!

Boston played great in the first half behind Rajon Rondo's clinic and led by 11 at the half. Doc' boys looked focus and ready to steal game one of the series. You knew that Cleveland would make a run and thanks to LeBron and his eventual 35 points they did. The Cavs roared back and led by a point after three thanks to a 36 point third quarter.

But to ask the C's to fully implode and not cover this thing was still asking a lot.

Fast forward to late in the fourth. It was a one point game with 3:30 to go and then a three point game with under a minute to play. Move ahead now to the the waning seconds. Cleveland was up five and King James nailed a three with 26 ticks left on the clock.

Michael Finley then missed a three and this game landed on 8.

OUCH!



Your winners for Sunday are on:

2* Bucks (plus 9) at Atlanta.

2* Braves (minus 1 1/2 runs plus 120) vs. Houston.

*

An extremely rare and poor 0-2 Saturday...It happens, not a lot but every now and then.



I can't say that I have complete faith in this Bucks team who just crapped in their pants at home in that game six but they have won three games in this series, including one at Philips, and if I can get 9 or so points today I'm fine with it.

Atlanta should win this game as Joe Johnson and the boys are great at home and should be too good today but the Bucks do have some game with Jennings and Salmons and will have confidence as they did just win that game five in Hotlanta.

The Hawks will advance in the end but I do believe this game finishes in single digits.



The Braves horrific 9 game losing streak is now a thing of the past after the last two asskickings they just gave the Astros and even though Derek Lowe has been inconsistent at best I will back him here at Turner Field.

Bud Norris has had issues to say the least of late and Bobby Cox' squad is still a team that is primed and ready to win a lot of games. Jason Heyward is rapidly becoming a superstar and guys like McCann, Chipper and McClouth are going to hit a lot better than they did the first month.

The Astros are mediocre at best. They are a better team than they showed in the first week plus of the season when it took them about eight games to finally win a game but they are still not very good. Berkman, Lee and Pence can be good, I am not saying they can't, but collectively they are not very good and the Braves are primed and ready for this sweep and in easy fashion.

Look for the good Lowe and his sinker to show up and for the Bravos to win going away!

Your "Bad Beat" for Saturday is on:

Predators (plus 210) at Chicago.

Before I get to the blog I encourage anybody reading this to leave a comment below. I would love to get some feedback and am much appreciative of any.

Finally a day with a bunch of Bad Beats. The last few days have been very bland but Saturday marked a day of bad losses.

A big-time consolation prize to the Mariners who led by two runs before giving up a pair of home runs in the 9th inning including a two out two run walkoff jack by Alex Rios.

The worst beat of the day though comes from the ice as the heavily favored Blackhawks were losing 4-3 with a little over a minute to go at home against Nashville. Chicago's Marian Hossa then took a boarding penalty with 1:03 remaining in the third period and pretty much all hope of a late goal was snuffed out.

Or was it?

Patrick Kane scored a shorthanded goal with 14 seconds left in regulation and then Hossa atoned for the earlier penalty with the overtime winner.

14 freakin seconds away and down a man!?!?



Your winners for Sunday are on:

6* Jazz (minus 2) vs. Denver.

2* Pirates (plus 160) at Houston.

One play on Saturday a big 5* on Oklahoma City as I remain as hot as hot could ever be!.



I absolutely love the Jazz at home today. For some odd reason the linemaker just does not understand that Utah is the much better team in this series and at home will win this game by a bunch.

Deron Williams is one of the greatest players on the planet and Carlos Boozer is phenomenal as well. Utah rarely loses at home and in this big game spot I see no reason why they will do anything but win yet again in Salt Lake.

The Nuggets are a talented squad led by Billups and Anthony but these guys are still without their coach in George Karl and have looked extremely mediocre at best of late. There is just something missing right now with the Nuggets as they are not firing away on all cylinders and are not playing with confidence or passion.

The Jazz should be laying about half a dozen, if not more, setting up a total steal today on the home boys from mormon country.



Houston has been a ton better of late after the horrific first week plus to the season but the Astros are still not a team that can be laying a hefty number like this.

First of all Brett Myers cannot be trusted anymore. The former Phillies righty has looked alright at times this season but he is not the same guy when an ace a few seasons back in Philadelphia and is laying way too much.

Charlie Morton is sketchy as well but I have watched this kid ever since his days with the Braves and has some quality stuff. Morton is quite possibly the superior of these two hurlers and even if the Pirates are not a very good ballclub can definitely win this game.

I like McCutcheon, Jones, Doumit and Milledge. No they don't form a good team but they are at least a scrappy and capable team that can win this game.

Berkman, Lee, Pence and the Astros are mediocre at the very best. Mediocre may be better than us but at this price against a somewhat regressing Myers is a total no-brainer.

Your "Bad Beat" for Friday is on:

Indians (plus 145, first 5 innings) at Detroit.

A big-time consolation prize here to anybody who had the Milwaukee Brewers and watched future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman allow a two out, two run home run in the 9th inning by little known and little used Nick Stavinoha, wow!

And now to the "Bad Beat" of the day. In case you didn't know one can bet a team in the first five innings of the game and that is just that, nothing complicated at all. Whoever is winning after five is the winner, period.

Cleveland was up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth. David Huff was cruising, Travis Hafner went deep and things were going according to plan for this fairly sizable underdog.

But then...

The Tigers scored a run to get within 2-1 and had the bases loaded with one down. Johnny Damon though lined out making two outs. The next batter was Maglio Ordonez and he then grounded a 2-0 pitch to third which should have ended the inning preserving the 2-1 Tribe lead and winning the first five play but Jhonny Peralta threw the ball away allowing all three base runners to score and Detroit, just like that, had the 4-2 lead and first five win.



Your winner for Saturday is on:

3* Phillies (minus 140) at Houston.

A 1-1 Friday as the 2* Giants came back semi miraculously to win but the 3* on the Knicks fell short.



I really do not like this Saturday slate and certainly do not love the ancient one, Jamie Moyer, but the Phillies are so much betetr than the Astros that I can't help but take my chances on Howard, Utley, Rollins, Werth, Victornio, Polanco and the high flying Phils.

This Houston franchise is just in such disarray right now. The days of the Killer B's are a thing of the past and without Lance Berkman these guys are just lost. The Astros offense is non-existent right now even with quality players like Lee and Pence and a few others.

Moyer is a crafty lefty who will want to prove himself one more time and show that he deserves to still be in the starting rotation unlike the end of last season. The southpaw may not hit 80 on the gun but he is smart and does know how to pitch which is trouble against a struggling offense that could be kept off balance with that slow and slower junk.

Philadelphia just has too much firepower to not get to Felipe Paulino. The righty does have some stuff but he needs to have Cy Young stuff to be successful here and he just doesn't.

We could score more runs in one inning tonight than they have scored all season long! I'll lay this road chalk and be fine with it.

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Lakers (plus 2) at Denver.

This is more of an off the court bad beat. There was no word at all of Kobe Bryant sitting out for resting reasons. The number started out at about 1 1/2 or 2ish in favor of the Nuggets and went to about 2 1/2ish. Then right before the game word came down that Kobe was going to rest and the number shot to around four.

Wouldn't you know it, the game ends 98-96 Denver. Whoever played the Lakers early on and well before this late development has got to feel pretty skunked!



Your winners for Friday are on:

3* Knicks (plus 11 1/2) at Orlando.

2* Giants (plus 105) vs. Braves.

One play on Thursday and it was a 2* winner on the Tigers!



Orlando has already clinched the two seed in the East and has absolutely nothing to play for. Stan Van Gundy may even rest some of his stars ala the Cavs and Lakers last night. The Knicks aren't good and are looking toward the offseason and the pursuit of King James among others but there is still enough talent on this team to cover this contest against a Magic squad that may not even try all that much.

If you are going to play this game, do it early before the number drops if word comes down that Dwight Howard and a few others may sit.

David Lee is playing great and a few others like T-Mac and Wilson Chandler make these New Yorkers at least a capable enough squad even if the Magic bring their A-Game. The Knicks are a funny team. They can stink against a terrible team and then raise their game up and shock an elite team. That wouldn't surprise me today at all and I'll therefore grab this number.


With Chipper Jones banged up and Brian McCann expected to rest against a solid lefthander in Jonathan Sanchez, I'll take the undefeated Giants at home for sure!

San Francisco just swept Houston on the road and now with their no-hit man from a year ago why not take some money at home? Sanchez certainly is far from being much better than average but he does have an upside and at home the Giants should win this game to be honest.

Tim Hudson did make a successful return last year from the injury and should be alright today but Huddy is still not the same guy from his Oakland days and is very hittable. I expect him to hurl a quality start but I also don't expect much from the Braves depleted bats. Jason Heyward is a future superstar and Nate McClouth and a few others could pick up the slack but it is asking a bit much here without Chipper and McCann.

I expect this number to go against us when people realize that the two Atlanta stars may both miss so, like the Knicks above, get down on this thing early.

Your "Bad Beat" for Saturday is on:

Michigan State (over 28 1/2 first half team points) vs. Butler.

Before I get to the beat let me just say that I appreciate all of you who read this blog and I would love to hear from you so anybody who would like to post a comment, any comment, I wholeheartedly welcome it so please feel free to fire away down below.

As for the beat this is not your usual type of a beat but this was truly as bad as they come.

Some sites had first half team totals up yesterday and the Spartans over/under was 28 1/2. Tom Izzo's team came storming out of the gate nailing two three pointers right off the bat just a minute in. Things stayed hot as Korie Lucious and the fellas scored 18 points eight minutes into the game and had the 21-17 lead with literally 9 1/2 plus minutes to go in the first half. Therefore only a measley 8 points were needed in about a full 10 minutes of basketball, simple right?

I think you know where this is going.

Butler turned up that defensive pressure and went into lock down mode. The Spartans' defense also took things up a notch as the Bulldogs only scored three points in the next six minutes but that really did not matter with this play as Michigan State was brutal in the second half of the first half. But Durrell Summers made a layup with 2:49 to go in the jalf and Sparty grabbed the 28-23 lead. Only one more point was needed.

"Only".

State missed three three's and turned the ball over late and this thing went into the locker room tied at 28!?!?

Yikes!!!!!!



Your winners for Sunday are on:

3* Nets (plus 3 1/2) at Washington.

2* Yankees (even) at Boston.

One Saturday play and it was an easy 4* winner on Duke.



The Wizards have won one game since February 28th and are as horrific as they come. Flip Saunders' team no longer has any of their big three in Arenas, Jamison and Butler and is the epitome of a shell of itself right now. Andray Blatche is their best player but he and Saunders pretty much hate each other. There really isn't much else there and for this team to be laying anything to anybody is too much to fathom.

New Jersey is much improved and won again last night destroying the Hornets by about 30. Lopez and Harris and Lee and others are starting to look like a team. Yes they have only won 11 games on the campaign which is about 12 less than the Wiz but that does not truly represent these current two teams.

The Nets are on a back-to-back with travel so fatigue could be an issue but it doesn't matter as they are the much better team and it will show in the end.



CC and the Bombers! The Yankees are the champs and I'll take my chances on them here at Fenway Park. Boston will be good this season as usual but I don't think they are Yankee good. In terms of pitching the boys from Beantown may even have the overall edge but the lineup goes to Joe Girardi's boys as Arod and the Bombers are awesome.

Sabathia and Beckett should both be firing away and holding their own but the champs are the champs and to not be laying anything with is fine with me here, even on the road.

When push comes to shove in a game between the Yankees and Red Sox with two stud pitchers on the hill my buck is on the Yanks.

Your "Bad Beat" for Tuesday is on:

Coyotes (over 5 1/2) at Vancouver.

A consolation prize to any Pacific hoops backers as the Tigers were getting 5 1/2 and up by 6 at the break only to get drilled and watch Missouri State cover the game.

But the "Bad Beat" of the day comes on the ice where Phoenix was tangling in Vancouver. The over looked to be the play as this thing was 3-1 Canucks after just one period and 4-1 mid-way through the second. That means half of the game was remaining and just one measley goal needed for the over.

I guess it wasn't that measley.

There were only 16 combined shots in the third period and no more goals as this thing stayed 4-1 and a winner for the under players.



Your winners for Wednesday are on:

3* Nets (plus 7) vs. Phoenix.

2* Lakers (plus 1) at Atlanta.

One Tuesday play and it came through in the end. 4* North Carolina was a pick and needed overtime but did win by one. That was much much needed!



If you have been reading this blog for awhile then you more than likely know my feelings on the Nets. New Jersey may only have 10 victories on the season but they are not that bad. I love Lopez and Harris and feel that Kiki's team has solid enough complimentary players led by Lee and Yi. Finally the Nets' talent has translated into victories as they have now won three of the last four games and three straight at home.

The Nets just upset the Spurs as a similar dog a few nights ago and tonight have another semi daunting task with the very very good Phoenix Suns in town. Nash and Stoudemire are great but the Suns are playing for a second straight night after the victory in the Windy City yesterday. Maybe a little fatigue for the Suns? It's certainly a possibility.

There's no doubt we're backing the inferior team here, no matter my feelings for the Nets and in the end we should lose this game. But a full touchdown at home with the fresher team that is playing its best ball of the season is enough for me.



Mike Woodson's Hawks are very good and at home at times are great. Meanwhile Kobe and the Lakers have been struggling of late but I don't care, if I can get the defending champs plus something then it's a no-brainer.

Andrew Bynum is banged up and Los Angeles is not firing away on all cylinders but Phil Jackson's team is still great and boasts one of the top two players on the planet in Bryant. Look for the superstar of all superstars to take this thing over with some help from Gasol and for the champs to get back in the saddle and take care of business here.

Horford, Smith and Johnson are awesome but these are the Lakers we're talking about.

Your "Bad Beat" for Sunday is on:

Ball State (plus 5 1/2) vs. Ohio.

The Cadinals of Ball State led the entire game and I mean thee entire game, well save 2-1 that is. It was 7-2 right off the bat and then 22-13. Ball State had the 36-33 lead at the half and then liteally never trailed the entire half.

But Armon Bassett's layup with 54 seconds remaining tied the game up at 69 sending this thing into overtime.

I think you know where this is going from here.

It was 79-77 Bobcats with just over half a minute remaining. Then came the fouling game and Ohio nailed all six free throws and Ball State did not score in their final three possessions.

Final score: 85-77 Ohio!



Your winners for Monday are on:

3* William & Mary (plus 8) vs. Old Dominion.

2* Nets (plus 9) at Memphis.

One play on Sunday and it was a clear cut 3* loser on Michigan.



William & Mary has had an unbelievable season, for their standards, yet are being talked about by nobody. I am not saying they are as talented or as good as Old Dominion, because they're not, but the Tribe are now 22-9 overall and 12-6 in a decent enough Colonial Conference.

You may say yeah but who the heck has this perennial doormat beaten? How about Maryland, Richmond and Wake Forest! Pretty freakin impressive, huh?

Plus Tony Shaver's team plays solid defense resulting in low scoring games which we saw yesterday in the 47-45 upset of Northeastern. Bill and Mary have now won three in a row play games in the 50's and 60's when not in the 40's and are catching quite a number here.

Blaine Taylor's Monarchs are 25-8 and probably the best in the Colonial with Gerald Lee leading the way but they just played an extra five minutes yesterday in the overtime win over VCU and are going to have some trouble today and possibly some tired legs in this back-to-back tournament type setting plus the overtime.

This thing is going to be ugly but tight and that is the bottom line.



Memphis has not done much of anything over the past month and the Nets have got to win back-to-back games at some point. New Jersey just upset the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and I just cannot see New Jersey going a full season without winning two in a row.

The Nets have two studs in Devin Harris and Brook Lopez and are just not that bad. Throw in a Courtney Lee and a Kris Humphries along with a Jarvis Hayes and I will go to my Grave believing this team is better than 7-55 or whatever.

The Grizzlies are very talented and being at home won't hurt but things have gone south of late as they have lost 7 of their last 19 games after starting the season at 25-19 and looking like a possible playoff team. Zach Randolph has been great and OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay will fill it up but to get almost double digits in this spot with the underrated Nets is fine with me.

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Celtics (over 188) at Los Angeles.

There were no really bad bad beats on Thursday but anybody who played the over between Boston and Los Angeles, even if Kobe Bryant was out of the lineup, has to be left in a little bit of shock.

It was 53-48 C's at the break equaling 101. So only 87 or so points needed in the second half, very very doable. The teams did slow down a bit in the third quarter netting only 44 combined. But the over players were still in fine shape.

Or not.

The offenses went stagnant and in the end the Lakers outscored the Celtics a skimpy 17-11 in the final period as Boston won the game 87-86 and kept this thing head scratchingly well under that total.



Your winners for Friday are on:

4* Yale (plus 12) at Princeton.

2* Nets (plus 2) vs. Toronto.

All great things must come to an end as did this 9-0 run after the 0-2 Thursday. I'm ready to get back at it right now after losing on both Georgetown and Oregon, a couple of home favorites that wet the bed in the end.



I'm all about the Yalies today plus this way too large number. This matchup is certainly not Duke vs. North Carolina in their prime but to be honest with you on a small Friday slate I really like this game.

The Tigers have really stepped things up this season trying to return to their winning ways of Pete Carril and just took Cornell down to the wire in that 48-45 loss. A win in that thing would have almost wrapped up the Ivy League in shocking fashion. But the Big Red won in the end and have the inside track to the title as they should.

It's asking a ton here for the offensively challenged Tigers to bounce back against a decent enough Bulldog team and do so in blowout fashion. Princeton just does not score enough points on a regular basis to cover this game. Plus Yake has won two of their last three on the road and also took a quality Harvard team into overtime in a cover a few weeks ago.

This game should be ugly but that's just fine with me.



I'm going to continue to roll with Kiki Vandeweghe's Nets. New Jersey still does not win many games, as they have only five under their belts, but these guys have become money making machines of late. All New Jersey does is cover every single game. It's something like 11 of 14 right now meaning to me that they are a better team than the linesmaker seems to believe.

As usual the Nets are the inferior team on the court today but if Chris Bosh misses which he may as the All-Star is listed as doubtful than I'm not so sure.

Devin Harris and Brooke Lopez are very very good and Courtney Lee and a few others are alright as well.

I've been saying it for awhile now, with the way the Nets have been competing it's just a matter of time before they really start winning some games.

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Youngstown State (plus 4) at Loyola,Chicago.

A hearty runner up to any Wright State backers as the Raiders were up by 11 with 2 minutes to play and could not cover the 5 1/2 thanks to Valparaiso burying some late three's for the backdoor. Maybe Bryce Drew came back for a day?

Also anybody who had the under on the ice from Minnesota should be a little steaming right about now. The Oilers and Wild were scoreless after one period and tied at only one after two. Then four combined goals in the third put it over the 5 1/2 as the Wild won 4-2. Yikes!

But the "Bad Beat" of the day comes from Loyola where the underdog Penguins of Youngstown State built up a 53-45 lead at the half. The visitors had the lead for the bulk of the second half but in unlucky fashion it went to overtime tied at 78.

The Ramblers picked up their play in the extra session doubling up the Pens 14-7 in winning and covering the contest, 92-85.



Your winners for Friday are on:

3* Nets (plus 13) at Boston.

2* Canisius (plus 8) at Niagara.

A small winning 1-1 Thursday as the 3* Hoosiers from Indiana take care of business unlike Georgia Tech who vomited on themselves a few too many times at Cameron.



It's certainly tough to back the 4-44 Nets as they are horrific this season but without Paul Pierce and not exactly playing all that well of late I'll fade the Celtics at this price.

New Jersey may not be winning games but believe it or not they have actually covered four of their last five. Devin Harris is a borderline great point guard and Brook Lopez is no joke in the middle. Throw in a guy in Courtney Lee who was very good in the finals last season for the Magic and I can see the Nets hang here in the end.

Boston is clearly the much better team and I can see Rajon Rondo have another quality game leading the way but Pierce is injured and I just can't imagine the C's being pumped up to play this game after just facing over the past week or so the Lakers, Magic and Hawks.

I can see Doc Rivers' squad go through the motions a bit, get guys some rest and pull out the blah single digit victory.



Niagara is a .500 club that has lost six of their last eight games and just cannot be laying the number that they are. Canisius is probably the inferior team on the court here and are on the road which is never easy but they are without a doubt the right side tonight.

Joe Mihalich' team certainly can score points as they boast four players who score in double figures but the defense has been very sketchy and just last week fell to these same Golden Griffins, 73-70.

The Purple Eagles may get their revenge in terms of the outright but a cover seems very unlikely to me!

Your "Bad Beat" for Monday is on

Bulls (minus 4 1/2) vs. Sacramento.

They were up 67-43 at the half and opened the lead up to 35 points at 79-44 in the third quarter and the Bulls somehow lost the game to the Kings.

Need I say any more!?!?!??!

Maybe fire Vinny Del Negro and cut everybody but Derrick Rose?



Your winners for Tuesday are on:

3* Oregon State (minus 2) vs. BYU.

2* Bulls (plus 6) at New York.

2* Ohio (plus 11) at Pittsburgh.

Just a terrible loser on the Redskins on Monday as I could not have been on any more of a wrong side.



I'm not going to call Bronco Mendenhall's boys from Brigham Young a fraud because they are a good team but the Cougars still should not win this game.

Oregon State is the better everything today from just the better team to the better athletes to playing the better schedule and so on. The one thing that is going against us is the motivation factor as this is not exactly the bowl game that Mike Riley's team hoped to be in just a few short weeks ago as they fell in Eugene against Oregon with a Rose Bowl berth on the line.

But the Beavers quietly had a great season led by the Rodgers brothers in Jacquizz and James and a quarterback in Sean Canfield who improved a tremendous amount this season.

Oregon State is too cheap of a favorite here and without a doubt should win this game!



It was such a horrific loss yesterday for Chicago that they can go one of two ways, completely lose it and fold up shop today or show some heart and rebound a little bit. No matter how inept and pathetic Del Negro's team has been they are still professional athletes who have got to be extremely embarassed about that loss to Sacramento. Therefore I see Chicago being alright tonight and at least covering this number.

Mike D'Antoni's Knicks are playing better basketball of late but let's face it, they're still not good and it's not like they are blowing teams out. David Lee and company are making late free throws and just nipping opponents, ala the Clippers and Hornets at home the last few days.

In the end the Bulls will play spirited enough to at least stay within this number.



The Pitt Panthers are a shell of themselves and can't be laying too much to anybody right now. Jamie Dixon is a high quality coach who at some point will get this program back on track but it's just not there right now. Yes the Panthers are 9-2 but that is very deceiving as they have played their usual garbage early in the season. Without studs like Sam Young and DeJuan Blair the talent level is very low for this program and Ohio is good enough to stay in this game for the duration.

The Bobcats have been surprisingly alright this season and have just beaten a pair of pretty good foes including blowing out Illinois State by a million.

An Ohio outright is not out of the question!