Saturday 1/3/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[Scott602]

Spartans NFL "BOMB".

 

[superbeets]

Scottish Championship Sa 3Jan 12:45

Hearts

v

Hibernian

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		21/20	5/2	5/2	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HEARTS	RECENT FORM
HWHLHWHWAWAW​ Most recent​	2 - 1 2 - 0 1 - 0 1 - 2	AWAWALHWAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Hibernian have lost just one of their last 15 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Hearts have dropped just four points from a possible 54 in the Scottish Championship but one of their two draws came against city rivals Hibernian and another stalemate is on the cards at Tynecastle. Hibs have improved greatly since a slow start to the season and will be full of confidence after winning 4-0 at home to Rangers.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Steven McLean STADIUM: Tynecastle

 

[superbeets]

Spanish Primera Liga Sa 3Jan 17:00

Seville

v

Celta Vigo

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		4/6	14/5	9/2	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SEVILLE	RECENT FORM
ALHWHWAWHWHD​ Most recent​	0 - 1 4 - 1 2 - 0 1 - 0	HLALALALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Seville have won nine of their 12 games against teams below them in the table

EXPERT VERDICT: Celta Vigo lost their last five La Liga games before the winter break, failing to score a single goal in that run, and things are unlikely to improve for them at Seville. The hosts have been ruthless against the weaker teams in La Liga this season and should waste little time against their struggling visitors.

RECOMMENDATION: Seville-Seville double result
2

 

[superbeets]

Spanish Primera Liga Sa 3Jan 19:00

Elche

v

Villarreal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		15/4	5/2	4/5	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ELCHE	RECENT FORM
ALADHLALHWHL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0	AWHWAWAWHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Elche have lost five of their last seven home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Bottom club Elche have lost all seven of their games against teams in the top eight and that trend may well continue against Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine were flying before Christmas, winning their last five matches by an aggregate score of 12-1, and they can claim a fifth away victory of the campaign.

RECOMMENDATION: Villarreal
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Grand Salami - January

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI

Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 2 10.5 10 UNDER
1/2 8 43 37 UNDER
1/3 10 - - -
1/4 7 - - -
1/5 1 - - -
1/6 10 - - -
1/7 4 - - -
1/8 10 - - -
1/9 5 - - -
1/10 11 - - -
1/11 3 - - -
1/12 3 - - -
1/13 10 - - -
1/14 4 - - -
1/15 10 - - -
1/16 6 - - -
1/17 12 - - -
1/18 4 - - -
1/19 7 - - -
1/20 8 - - -
1/21 6 - - -
1/22 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/23 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/24 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/25 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/26 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/27 11 - - -
1/28 3 - - -
1/29 11 - - -
1/30 5 - - -
1/31 11 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Penguins add LW Perron in trade
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE


The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired left winger David Perron from the Edmonton Oilers on Friday in exchange for center Rob Klinkhammer and a first-round pick in the 2015 draft.

Perron, 26, has five goals and 19 points in 38 games with the Oilers, one season after he set career highs with 28 goals, 57 points and eight power-play goals.

The Oilers assigned forward Steve Pinizzotto to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League and removed left winger Benoit Pouliot from injured reserve.

Klinkhammer, 28, has four goals and six points in 29 games for the Penguins and Arizona Coyotes, where he began the season. The 6-3, 214-pound center has 20 goals and 39 points in 139 games for the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Coyotes and Penguins.


---The St. Louis Blues activated defenseman Carl Gunnarsson from injured reserve on Friday.

Gunnarsson, 28, has dressed in 20 games for the Blues this season, logging five points (one goal, four assists) and a plus-6 rating. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound defenseman has missed the past 10 games due to an upper-body injury.

The Blues also assigned forward John McCarthy to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League after being called up on Thursday. McCarthy, 28, signed as a free agent on July 8 and has seven points and 11 penalty minutes in 22 games for the Wolves.


---The Minnesota Wild recalled forward Tyler Graovac from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League on Friday.

Graovac, 21, has skated in two games with Minnesota this season, registering four shots and averaging 10:34 in time on ice. He made his NHL debut on Monday at Winnipeg.


---The Arizona Coyotes assigned forward Tyler Gaudet to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League on Friday.

The 21-year-old Gaudet has appeared in two games with the Coyotes this season. He skated in 9:20 in his NHL debut against Philadelphia on Monday. Gaudet has four goals, four assists and four penalty minutes in 29 games with the Pirates.


---The Chicago Blackhawks recalled forward Teuvo Teravainen from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Friday.

The 20-year-old Teravainen has six goals and 17 assists in 33 games this year for Rockford. Selected by the Blackhawks in the first round of the the 2012 draft, he made his NHL debut in March and played in three regular-season games for the Blackhawks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Senators poisonous in Saturday games
Andrew Avery

For whatever reason, the Ottawa Senators do not play their best hockey on saturdays. Heading into their meeting with the Boston Bruins, the Senators are just 1-9 in their last 10 Saturday hockey games.

There is some good fortune for Sens backers, however, as their last victory on a Saturday came versus the Bruins on Dec. 13 of this season. The Sens prevailed 3-2 in a shootout.

At the time of writing, the Bruins are -180 home favorites while the Sens are +162.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Preview: 76ers (4-26) at Clippers (22-11)

Date: January 03, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers have had consecutive days off for the first time in nearly a month, which has allowed for what feels like an unusual amount of practice.

That could be bad news on Saturday night for the visiting Philadelphia 76ers, who have had reality settle in at the tail end of a seven-game road trip.

The Clippers (22-11) are playing their fourth game on a nine-game homestand after going 10-1 at Staples Center in December. It was part of a busy month that saw them play at least every other day after having Dec. 4-5 off.

They started 2015 with consecutive days off after Wednesday's 99-78 win over New York, but J.J. Redick might have preferred to keep on playing. The shooting guard scored 20 points against the Knicks and is averaging 19.0 while shooting 51.1 percent - 50.0 from 3-point range - in his last seven games.

"When he gets it going like that, it's tough for other teams to stop," Blake Griffin said.

Los Angeles limited the Knicks to 38.1 percent, but Griffin said the team would focus on fine-tuning things on the defensive end with two days leading into the matchup with Philadelphia.

"Transition defense, defending the 3, defending the second and third effort, pick-and-roll, stuff like that," Griffin told the team's official website.

Any such struggles might not have been as evident against New York, but the Clippers have split their last 12 games while allowing opponents to shoot 47.3 percent - up from 44.8 percent over a 16-5 start. From 3, opponents are at 38.1 percent on the recent stretch after making 33.3 percent during those first 21 games.

Coach Doc Rivers said the limited practice time over the past month has produced deficiencies on both ends of the court.

"I think we've slipped in a lot of areas of execution," Rivers said. "So the word would be execution, and you could go defense and offense."

Specifics might not matter much against Philadelphia. The Clippers have won the last five meetings, and the last two played at Staples Center have come by an average of 37.0 points as they've limited the 76ers to 75.0 points per game on 31.3 percent shooting.

Griffin scored 26 points in each meeting last season while shooting 71.4 percent. DeAndre Jordan averaged 20.5 rebounds.

Philadelphia (4-27) won its first two games on its current trip but has lost four since by an average of 23.5 points, dropping the league's worst team to 1-14 against the Western Conference.

Friday's 112-96 loss in Phoenix wasn't quite to that level with Luc Mbah a Moute back at center after missing two games with a strained left calf and Michael Carter-Williams breaking from a shooting slump to some extent.

The second-year point guard was 8 of 20 for 17 points after scoring 12 points on 3-of-27 shooting over his previous two games. Tony Wroten scored a game-high 28 points off the bench and is averaging 20.0 over his last four games.

Any individual success has been fruitless as turnovers and 3-point shooting remain massive concerns. Philadelphia is shooting 25.0 percent from long range on the road trip. For the season, the 76ers are at a league-worst 29.5 percent, yet they continue to fire them up at the fourth-highest rate in the East (23.9 per game).

Additionally, they've turned the ball over at least 16 times in 14 straight games with their season average of 19.1 easily the highest in the league.

"I got it going offensively, but none of that matters when you don't get a win," Wroten told the team's official website. "We were playing so well, and we'd turn the ball over and hurt ourselves, things that we can't have in order to win."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities
By BEN BURNS

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Letdown spot

The Washington Wizards put their strong start to the season to the test with a Western Conference road trip this week. The Wizards opened with a huge win in Houston Monday, but followed that with a letdown in Dallas the next night. Washington was rolled 114-87 by the Mavericks, shooting a dismal 4 for 12 from 3-point range and turning the ball over 23 times.

The Wiz find themselves in a similar situation in the New Year, visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night before making the overnight trek to San Antonio to play the world champion Spurs Saturday. Washington has a tough time keeping its offensive pace when it hits the highway, averaging 96.8 points per road game – compared to 102.6 points at home.

Lookahead spot

The UCLA Bruins are happy to see 2014 come to a close, finishing the year with a disappointing three-game losing skid against stiff competition. The Bruins were dealt defeats against Gonzaga, Kentucky and Alabama – failing to cover the spread in each of those outings. UCLA has another high-profile opponent ahead on the schedule, with a road trip to No. 12 Utah this Sunday.

But before the Bruins try to establish their place in the Pac-12 versus the Utes, they have a conference opener in Colorado Friday night. The Buffaloes have been a solid play at home – 4-2-1 ATS as hosts – and catch a road weary UCLA program playing the third of four straight games away from Pauley Pavilion. Colorado can catch the Bruins looking past them and ahead to a ranked rival later that weekend.

Schedule spot

The St. Louis Blue are longing for the friendly confines of the Scottrade Center after their recent road woes. The Blues are currently on a four-game road swing that spans the New Year, opening with a 3-2 loss in Nashville Tuesday. It was St. Louis’ fourth straight defeat away from home and this road trip could add to that slide.

The NHL schedule makers send the Blues westward with matchups in Anaheim and San Jose on back-to-back nights – Friday and Saturday – before wrapping up against Arizona Tuesday. St. Louis, which is in the middle of a goaltending controversy with No. 1 Brian Elliot back from injury, allows 3.5 goals per road game this season – a goal higher than when at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

UFC 182 Preview

Event: UFC 182
Date: Sat. January, 3, 2015
TV/Time: (FS1/PPV, 10:00 p.m. ET)
Venue: MGM Grand Arena
City: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Light Heavyweight Championship - Jon Jones (20-1) vs. Daniel Cormier (15-0)

Line: Jones -170, Cormier +140

The light heavyweight belt will be on the line Saturday night as Jon Jones takes on Daniel Cormier in the main event at UFC 182 in Las Vegas.

Every so often in the UFC, there is a fight that gets taken to the next level because of trash talk away from the mat, and this is one of those fights. During a press conference promoting UFC 182, these two came to blows during the photo opportunities. Jones is still one of the most dominating fighters in the UFC history, but he has been tested in the past two fights like he has never been tested before. Against Alexander Gustafsson and Glover Teixeira, Jones was not able to unleash the devastating knockout he usually does, but he showed that he can win a fight in many different ways.

One thing for sure, is that his opponent Saturday, Daniel Cormier, will be ready to go. The 35-year-old from California is undefeated in his fighting career, and he is coming off an impressive submission victory against Dan Henderson. Cormier has made it his mission to take the belt away from Jones ever since moving down a weight class, and on Saturday, he gets his chance.

"Bones" Jones has 20 wins in his career, with eight of them coming by knockout. He also has six wins by both submission and decision. His biggest advantage in the octagon is always his reach, and that will be the key in this fight. He stands five inches taller than Cormier, and he will have to use that length against a wrestler with the skill of Cormier.

At 27 years old, Jones is just now entering the prime of his career, which is a scary thought for the rest of the class. Besides the length, the tale of the tape is very close between these two in landing significant strikes (4.37 for Jones and 4.17 for Cormier) and grappling (2.37 takedowns for Jones and 2.17 for Cormier). For Jones to be victorious, he just has to stick to his normal fighting routine, and be ready to go from the beginning.

"DC" Cormier has 15 wins in his career, with eight wins by knockouts. He also has five wins by decision and two by submission. He was a former All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State, and if he is able to take this fight to the ground, he will be in great shape to get the victory. Jones does an outstanding job of defending against the takedown (96% takedown defense), and that is because his opponents can’t get the proper grip on him.

Cormier will be as good of a wrestler that Jones has ever faced, meaning Jones is going to have to protect against the takedown. Cormier can’t let his emotions allow him to not fight smart. If he is able to get Jones to the championship rounds, he will be in great shape to get the win.

Lightweight Bout - Donald Cerrone (25-6) vs. Myles Jury (15-0)

Line: Cerrone -180, Jury +147

Donald Cerrone and Myles Jury square off on Saturday in a UFC 182 lightweight fight that could have title implications in the future.

Very few fighters are working in as many matches yearly as Donald Cerrone, who is one of the best conditioned athletes in the sport. He enters this fight on a five-match winning streak, with all five of those fights happening since November 16, 2013. In his last fight against Eddie Alvarez on Sept. 27, he was able to get the unanimous decision victory. He is extremely quick, and he has the ability to win a match in many different ways.

Much like the headline fight (Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier), this matchup is also personal, as Cerrone made some comments about Jury not being a true undefeated. Jury has taken care of business in every fight that he has been put in, but this will definitely be the toughest opponent he has ever fought. In his last fight against Takanori Gomi on Sept. 20, he showed huge knockout power by winning the fight in only 1:32. These two are both looking to get another signature victory, which should set up for a matchup even more explosive than Jones and Cormier.

"Cowboy" Cerrone has 25 wins in his career, with the majority of them coming by way of submission (15). He also has six wins by decision and four by knockout. This is a fight where both competitors have different strengths, and for Cerrone, his will be in his striking acumen. He averages 3.96 significant strikes per minute, compared to 2.67 for Jury.

Not only does he land more punches, he also is much more accurate when throwing those strikes at 47 percent, compared to 37 percent for Jury. Since Cerrone has really focused back on his career, he has been on a different level than he has ever been. For Jury, this is an opportunity to move up the lightweight rankings in a big way.

"Fury" Jury has 15 wins in his career, with eight wins by knockout. He also has four wins by submission, and three by decision. The 26-year-old from Michigan has shown early in his career that he has a chance to be a star in the sport, but he has to control the tempo of this fight. While Cerrone has the advantage standing up, Jury is very good on the mat. He has a takedown average of 3.18, compared to 1.43 for Cerrone.

He is also very efficient at getting his opponent to the ground (67%), while Cerrone is susceptible to the takedown. This matchup is going to come down to which fighter is able to control the tempo. If Cerrone gets off to a fast start, he could make it very difficult for Jury to get the win.

Other UFC 182 Bouts

Middleweight Bout:
Brad Tavares +100
Nate Marquardt -130

Flyweight Bout:
Kyoji Horiguchi -650
Louis Gaudinot +425

Welterweight Bout:
Hector Lombard -650
Josh Burkman +450

Lightweight Bout:
Danny Castillo -245
Paul Felder +197

Bantamweight Bout:
Cody Garbrandt +147
Marcus Brimage -180

Heavyweight Bout:
Jared Cannonier +195
Shawn Jordan -240

Lightweight Bout:
Evan Dunham -450
Rodrigo Damm +325

Welterweight Bout:
Mats Nilsson +140
Omari Akhmedov -170

Women's Bantamweight Bout:
Alexis Dufresne -195
Marion Reneau +160

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

UFC 182 Fight Preview: Jones must keep distance
By MMAODDSBREAKER

The main event of UFC 182 is a five-round title fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Jones is an exceptionally gifted mixed martial artist and much of his success has to do with his long limbs. He has an 84.5-inch reach, the longest in UFC history, and he uses that reach to his advantage in all of his fights, keeping back at distance and kickboxing away with his long legs until he wants to close the distance, and then using those long limbs to lock in highlight-reel submissions.

He is an incredibly dangerous finisher and has overall won nine fights by knockout and six by submission. Although he is not the greatest knockout threat on the feet, his ground and pound is extremely vicious and he’s finished numerous opponents on the mat with his punches and elbows. And with a very solid wrestling base, he’s able to dictate whether he wants to keep his fights standing or his opponents to the ground. He is also very unorthodox in his attacks and throws crazy spinning back elbows and all sorts of different kicks. He is also an exceptional fighter in the clinch.

In short, he is one of the best fighters in the world, and will go down as one of the greatest of all time when it’s all said and done. He is fighting arguably the toughest opponent of his career to date in Cormier this weekend, and it’s an interesting matchup because Jones did show a slight flaw in his takedown defence against Gustafsson, and if Cormier can exploit that, we could have a new champion. Still, it’s hard to bet against Jones, and as the defending champion he rightfully enters this bout as the betting favorite.

Cormier (15-0) is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and is well deserving of his No. 1 contender status at light heavyweight. The 35-year-old American is an Olympic-caliber wrestler and unlike many wrestlers who make the transition to MMA, Cormier has excelled at using his wrestling in mixed martial arts, routinely using his strength and technique to over power bigger and heavier opponents. Cormier won the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix with wins over Josh Barnett, Bigfoot Silva, and Jeff Monson, and then he defeated Roy Nelson and Frank Mir in his first two UFC fights.

However, since he trains with UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, Cormier decided that if he wanted to win a UFC title he had to drop to light heavyweight and since moving down to 205lbs he has been sensational, defeating Patrick Cummins by knockout in 79 seconds and then putting an epic beatdown on Dan Henderson that culminated in a third-round rear-naked choke submission. Cormier has been winning his fights mostly with his dominant wrestling base, but he showed in the Bigfoot and Cummins fights that he has knockout power too. For a big guy, Cormier is very fast and he moves well on his feet, and he has fasts hands that allow him to hit his opponents without them hitting him back.

In short, he is an elite fighter, and likely the second-best guy in the division besides Jones. He will have a 12-inch reach disadvantage in this fight and that’s going to be the biggest issue for him in this matchup, as he’ll need to close the distance to land takedowns. That won’t be easy to do, but if anyone can do it, it’s Cormier. He is rightfully the underdog in this fight, but with his wrestling base and considering Jones was taken down by Gustafsson, there is absolutely the chance Cormier can win the wrestling battle in this fight and in my opinion, he is a live dog to win the title and become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

This is going to be an exceptional matchup, and when it’s over it might be one of the best mixed martial arts fights we’ve ever seen. Both men are at the top of their game right now which should lead to a beautiful fight between these two elite mixed martial artists. I’ve been going back and forth on this one, and it’s not an easy fight to call, but ultimately I have to go with Jones. His 12-inch reach advantage and the fact he knows how to use it is really hard to ignore, as is the fact he has proven cardio for a full 25 minutes at 205lbs. I think he should be able to keep the distance in this one and accumulate strikes en route to a decision win, although a late submission or TKO isn’t out of the question.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CBK roundup: Cronin not returning to Cincinnati bench
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Cincinnati's Mick Cronin will not coach his team for the rest of the season for health reasons but will oversee the program in an advisory role.

Athletic director Mike Bohn made the announcement Friday while Cronin, 43, continues to deal with a non-life threatening vascular condition known as arterial dissection. Bohn said, because of precautionary reasons, Cronin will not coach the Bearcats during practices or games this season but will run the program and direct the coaching staff, game planning and recruiting.

Cronin, who has led Cincinnati to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, has been advised to rest and avoid stress. TheBearcats are 9-3 this season and face SMU on Saturday.


---Chris Holtmann was named Butler's permanent coach on Friday, replacing Brandon Miller.

Holtmann was serving as interim coach after Miller took a medical leave of absence before the start of this season, which would have been his second as head coach. The school announced that Miller will not be back with the program.

Since Holttmann took over, the Bulldogs are 10-4 this season going into Saturday's game against No. 15 St. John's.


---Texas point guard Isaiah Taylor will return to the court on Saturday for a Big 12 game against Texas Tech after sitting out the past 10 games with a broken left wrist.

Taylor fractured the wrist in a win over Iowa in November at Madison Square Garden in New York. At the time, he was averaging 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in three games.

Taylor is considered one of the top point guards in the country. The No. 11 Longhorns (11-2) posted a 8-2 record while he was out.


---LSU added a five-star prospect to his 2015 recruiting class on Friday. Shooting guard Antonio Blakeney committed the Tigers over Kentucky and Missouri, announcing his intentions on ESPNU. He had decommitted from Louisville in September and reopened his recruitment.

The 6-foot-4 Blakeney also considered North Carolina, North Carolina State and Oregon and others had been involved since his decommitment from Louisville in September. Blackney, who is from Florida, joins No. 1 overall prospect Ben Simmons in the LSU class. The two play on the same AAU team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mid-Major Money: Big profits from NCAAB small conferences
By DOC'S SPORTS

Some of the best betting value in college basketball is hiding beyond the power conferences. As the season really starts to heat up, Doc’s Sports takes a look at the little programs that could help you make big cash.

Team to watch: Davidson Wildcats (9-2 SU, 7-1 ATS)

Upcoming: vs. Richmond on Saturday, at VCU on Wednesday

The offense currently on display at Davidson College is undoubtedly making former star and current Western Conference leading all-star vote-getter Stephen Curry proud. Davidson is second in the entire nation at 86.3 points per game. It is also second in the land with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.74 to 1.

A tough test is likely to await Saturday’s opponent, Richmond. The Wildcats are 6-0 (3-0 ATS) at home this season and 12-0 (7-2 ATS) in their last 12 at Belk Arena. This will be their first Atlantic-10 game after making a jump up in stature (albeit still widely considered a mid-major) from the Southern Conference, so the home crowd should be especially raucous.

Davidson is 9-2 overall and 7-1 ATS this season. Richmond is a horrendous 1-9 ATS. Wednesday’s schedule pits the Wildcats against VCU, which is a mediocre 5-7 ATS.

Team to beware: Colorado State Rams (14-0 SU, 3-8-1 ATS)

Upcoming: at New Mexico on Saturday, vs. Wyoming on Wednesday

The football team—despite its recent bowl loss—is not the only club that has been strutting around Colorado State’s campus with a stellar record. On the hardwood, the Rams have begun the 2014-15 campaign 14-0.

But don’t be fooled by the flawless record. CSU is just 3-8-1 ATS, including 0-3 ATS in its last three. Slow starts are a big reason why the Rams are struggling to blow out opponents. They trailed New Mexico State 12-4 last Saturday and never led until the 1:21 mark of the first half before winning 58-57 in overtime. Colorado State faced a five-point halftime deficit against Boise State on Wednesday only to prevail 71-65.

Tiel Daniels, a 6’5’’, 230-pound forward, is questionable for Saturday’s game at New Mexico due to a calf injury. Daniels (5.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) has missed Iona’s last two games. He poured in 20 points in an 85-84 win over Denver on Dec. 19.

Total team: Iona Gaels (8-5 SU, 5-1 O/U)

Upcoming: at Siena on Sunday, vs. Quinnipiac on Tuesday

Head coach Tim Cluess is not clueless when it comes to coaching basketball, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Iona (8-5, 4-7 ATS) is seventh in the nation in scoring at 84.9 points per game, registers at 14th in assists with 17.5 per outing, and its shooting percentage of 48.2 is 31st best.

A big reason for Iona’s scoring binge is A.J. English III. The junior guard is averaging 22.5 points and has contributed double-figures in 12 of 13 contests this season. He has reached or surpassed the 30-point mark three times.

Iona, however, must shore up its defense. The Gaels are giving up 77.7 points per game, meaning they are inferior to 343 other teams. Cluess said his squad’s “mental capacity at time was lacking” when players wrongfully helped off of Massachusetts’ guard Trey Davis during Iona’s 87-82 loss on Tuesday.

The over is 5-1 in games involving Iona this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Woodbine Harness: Saturday 1/3 analysis
By Greg Gangle

DRF HARNESS

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet: MODERN LEGEND (11th)

Spot Play: MACHET ROCKET (12th)


Race 1

(1) REGAL SON was too far back last week to reach the winner circle, but rallied well to finish third for trainer Don Lindsey. (3) NAKED CITY used front-end tactics last week and resulted in a third place effort at 20-1 for trainer Richard Moreau. (5) BUGGER BRUISER has been a consistent threat at this level over the past few months, draws in the middle of the gate and has some upside for the triactor.

Race 2

(2) ADKINS HANOVER was sent off as the favourite last week and the six-year-old had to settle for second, but only defeated by a length and a half. (4) MCCEDES moves out of the condition ranks and into this claiming level for trainer Carmen Auciello. (1) JAC SPADE draws the rail and may be more forwardly-placed in here for trainer Cal Campbell.

Race 3

(2) DONCANGO has won back-to-back dashes at this level for trainer Ben Baillargeon and is certainly on his game right now. (7) SEAWIND PASCALE raced tremendous last week to finish second behind Doncango at 25-1. (3) LATOKA comes from a high percentage trainer in Joe Cirasuola and the gelding has been racing at his best in recent starts with back-to-back scores.

Race 4

(4) ALEXAS JACKPOT gets significant class relief in this dash and is due for a big effort. (2) MUSSELSFRMBRUSSELS also drops in class this week and certainly shows the speed for this group. (6) GRIN FOR MONEY has been the victim of outside post positions in each of his last two starts for trainer John Kopas.

Race 5

(4) DOUBLE JOY has been on her game as of late as the pacing miss has hit the board in each of her last five starts and nine of her last 10 starts. (3) A FEARLESS AFFAIR once again receives a favourable draw and she will more than likely be near the front at the opening quarter with her quick gate-speed. (5) PAID IN CASH has been a beaten favourite in each of her last two starts, draws in the middle of the gate and comes from a high percentage trainer in Ted Macdonnell.

Race 6

(8) VELOCITY DRIVEN was easily the best horse in his class last week as he coasted to victory in 1:52 2/5 for trainer Des Tackoor. (2) URBANA BAYAMA raced terrific three starts back in his 2014 season debut before putting in a sub-par effort two back. (3) P L HEAVENLY went gate-to-wire in his latest for trainer Victor Puddy and now moves up in class.

Race 7

(5) REGAL BABE has been a main threat in this level for trainer Don Lindsey in each of his last three starts. (8) SO BAD IM GOOD has been on top of his game as of late for trainer/driver Joe Hudon as the son of Badlands Hanover recently finished second in the Valedictory Final. (3) VIP BAYAMA disappointed last start with a seventh-place finish at a low price.

Race 8

(2) FOOLISH MIND enjoyed an inside trip last week for trainer Sue Gangell and the result was a third-place finish. (1) RUBIS PRESCOTT draws the rail and comes out of the Fillies & Mares Preferred. (8) RADAR CONTACT draws outside this week and her form hasn't been the greatest, but perhaps class relief will be the ingredient to a successful performance.

Race 9

(4) KG DRAGONATOR finished a game fourth last week against some of the finest older pacers on this circuit and now drops down in class for trainer Ted Macdonnell. (5) MONTREAL PHIL was a winner last week in the debut for trainer Richard Moreau. (8) SI SEMALU continues to impress me with his winning performances over the past few weeks.

Race 10

(1) WOODMERE TRULYBLUE was a winner at this level two starts back and was a beaten favourite last week. (5) MAPPOS MOENHAY made a miscue last week behind the gate, but rebounded nicely to finish second. (10) ROYAL MAMA will need to overcome the outside post 10, but has terrific gate-speed when called upon and has been a part of the superfecta in four of her last five starts.

Race 11

(7) MODERN LEGEND was a beaten favourite last week when he resurfaced on this circuit. (5) NICKLE BAG has back-to-back wins to his credit, including last week at this Preferred level. (2) WAZZUP WAZZUP raced terrific last week and will get a new pilot this evening in Randy Waples.

Race 12

(2) MACHET ROCKET will get top billing from me in this wide-open dash. (4) TRAMA UNIT rallied very well off a helmet last week to finish second for trainer Barry Drury. (3) RUB N TUG has all kinds of back class to consider when racing at this lower level as the eight-year-old has earnings over $400K.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Balmoral: Saturday 1/3 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Race 10 - $20,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet: CONTROL TOWER (1st)

Spot Play: HOT ROD RILEY MAE (7th)


Race 1

In a field with few contenders (7) CONTROL TOWER has been ultra impressive in his first three starts and will be much closer turning for home. (6) DIXIE'S BOY might have raced better than the top choice last out almost sweeping the field after an early miscue. (4) JNK POWER PACK four-year-old stallion has some upside and room to improve off a nice debut.

Race 2

(5) BIG BRAD has lacked pop late but would beat these with his best effort. (3) WASHINGTON HANOVER just missed last out to a game opponent that would be a heavy favorite against this bunch. (7) EXTRAVAGANT ART will be firing with a purpose early and can hit the ticket underneath.

Race 3

In a really weak and inconsistent field (9) YES INDEEDEE gets a tough post to overcome but that should help the price. (4) MYKINDAPRINCESS mare made a good brush in the qualifier and looks to have some ability. (2) SIMPLY BURBON filly has had some sneaky late pace in her last few; threat.

Race 4

(6) LD'S DASH was the driver's choice and will offer a big price against a suspect bunch. (5) PIP'S QUATRO raced well last out closing good ground. (3) RACHAELS BLACKJACK gets sent out for capable connections and owns a decent move when timed right.

Race 5

(4) BEST MAN HANOVER made a break last start but was sharp prior. (1a) ARTACHE HANOVER well bred stallion is one part of a hard hitting entry; threat. (6) FORT SILKY popped at a price last out and is versatile.

Race 6

(9) VITAL TERROR will look to make it three straight wins against similar competition. (7) ITS A BIG SECRET has had no racing luck in his last few but could be sitting on an improved effort at a price. (8) BLACKJACK RIVNDEL stepped his game up last out and seems to like the front end; fires early.

Race 7

In a good betting race (1) HOT ROD RILEY MAE never got into the mile last week but should find this spot a bit easier. (3) LOCK AND GO has shown some nice late kick with the right setup. (5) REPEAT YOUR ABC'S was dreadful last start and will probably take heavy tote action dropping in class; use caution.

Race 8

In a very tough race to gauge (4) RUSSELL L is inconsistent from week to week but a good effort puts him in the mix. (3) CAMWISER raced big last out just missing and gets sent out for a hot barn. (5) AWESOME ABE rarely wins and should have had more last out at this level; command a price.

Race 9

(1) OLD MAN RIVER takes a significant drop in class and will likely be handled aggressively. (4) JACKSON BERLOW has been competitive at this level and should offer a fair price. (5) PARK LANE HOTSHOT veteran pacer has beaten better on the year but needs some racing luck.

Race 10

(8) MAJOR MONET just missed last out against the same bunch and will be dangerous with an early lead. (2) LENNOX BLUE CHIP looks to be in line for a similar trip much closer; fires late. (6) DESPERADO ALIBI was very close at this level last out and will offer a big price.

Race 11

(2) BET ON HIM drops in for a tag for a trainer that pops big prices from time to time. (1) MONOPOLY MAN gelding wasn't quite right last out but had been racing gamely prior. (7) ROCKIN GLORY gets sent out for capable connections; threat.

Race 12

(7) FOX VALLEY ANDY has shown a big brush in a weak field. (8) NANCYS SKYSCAPE lacked pop late last out and seems to race better from off the pace. (10) SUNSET DREAMER would have been the horse to beat with a better post; fires early.

Race 13

(2) DP ANGEL mare should find this spot a bit easier and owns good late kick; threat. (7) RYLEIGH'S LILLY mare has been razor sharp but does get sent out for her second start on just a few days rest. (1) FOUR HOUR NAP gets the best post and just won at this level.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Meadowlands: Saturday 1/3 Analysis
By Jay Bergman

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 3 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Race 7 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet: YOU BET YOUR GLASS (13th)

Spot Play: NEW KIND (4th)


Race 1

(5) RELENTLESS G didn't win that often last year but was competitive generally against a better group than this. Veteran finds a good spot in a suspect field. (4) SECRETSOFTHEKNIGHT has been given the requisite starts to tighten up and has yet to show the form of a $400K winner. (7) MEGA LIGHTNING won under similar conditions early last season but didn't have speed inside on that occasion.

Race 2

(8) WILLIAM H BONNIE finished impressively in his lone Meadowlands qualifier. Four-year-old has taken a long time to get here but appears to be of some stock. (10) TECHTOR HANOVER has prepped nicely for his three-year-old debut but figures to be severely undervalued especially with the draw. (7) CALL ME BUDDY may fit this class for a long time.

Race 3

(5) DRAGONS SUCCESSOR showed speed and power in a limited first season at the races. Dragon Again-sired gelding qualified back strongly for his local debut. (10) ART DEGREE has the early speed necessary to get into play from this spot and is dangerous. (3) BRICK BAZOOKA has acclimated nicely since arriving from Chicago. Four-year-old gets his biggest test here.

Race 4

(8) NEW KIND was competitive against solid claimers at Harrah's. Four-year-old was overmatched in his local debut and seems better suited here. (3) MAJOR BOMBAY may still need some time to find himself. Veteran missed plenty of time and doesn't seem to be finishing like he used to. (2) ALEX BULLVILLE is always a figure horse at this level.

Race 5

(4) SKY IS THE LIMIT has been showing positive signs at Yonkers. Five-year-old gets a nice spot and seems versatile enough to handle these with the right trip. (3) THE LUNCH PAIL was used hard last time and paid dearly for the effort. Jeff Smith-trained gelding seems the one to beat. (6) SAMANDAR has the class to be competitive at this level.

Race 6

(1) LINDWOOD PLAYER has maintained his edge over the last month with a series of no-chance miles. Six-year-old is razor sharp and draws into a spot where he should be on or near the top. (9) SHOOTERS DREAM beat a better group than this back in December. He lands outside in the handicap but definitely has the speed to get into the action. (3) OK COMMANDER was game in defeat after taking the worst of a speed duel.

Race 7

(8) WAKE UP PETER has been the most consistent horse since the meet began. Now five-year-old may get a little more pace and reasonable cover in this field. (2) WARRAWEE NEEDY has been able to showcase his speed effectively against lesser foes. Incredibly fast six-year-old must prove it when looked in the eye. (4) DAPPER DUDE has been racing in peak form and remains a factor whether on or off the action.

Race 8

(2) ODDS ON EQUULEUS has had a couple of races to tighten and now gets the drop in class that should help him regain winning form. Classy veteran is Tetrick's choice in here. (1) LONEWOLF CURRIER may be in for a big winter for trainer Kevin McDermott. This speedy five-year-old has a wicked kick. (6) SWEET ROCK was used a few times in last and was still pacing through the wire.

Race 9

(4) MALAK USWAAD N returns to Pierce in the bike and faces a much softer group than he's accustomed to. Import should try to dominate these on the front end. (2) WINDS OF CHANGE failed to keep up with cover in last and now gets the drop in class he may need. (5) OUR DRAGON KING is another classy veteran looking to find himself at the B-2 level.

Race 10

(6) WINDSONG GORGEOUS has been lethal moving from trainer-to-trainer. Veteran returns on a form spree and should get the job done here. (4) STORM THE BEACH looks for his third straight on the big track for trainer Virgil Morgan. (8) EWALD HANOVER makes his debut in claimers and could wake up.

Race 11

(7) ROAR has been quietly rounding into form and seems ready to break out with Zeron at the controls. (1) MAXI BON has always had a high turn of speed but needs his move to be timed perfectly to get home making the rail a difficult starting point. (2) IDEAL RACE has enough back class to wake up under the Burke umbrella.

Race 12

(1) ILIKETHEMTRASHY put in an ultra-game performance going the added distance in last. He draws well upon moving up but should continue to flourish. (5) IM THE REAL MAJOR had no real excuse as the chalk in last and again figures to take tote action. (4) JOKERMAN should be finishing fastest.

Race 13

(7) YOU BET YOUR GLASS obviously loves this track and shouldn't mind the switch to claimers. Now a dozen years old this son of Bettors Delight has the speed and guts. (8) ASTREOS FLASH should also be pointed forward from this spot. (3) BREAKIN THE LAW takes a steep drop following a second lackluster performance in a row and may awaken.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Saturday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Aqueduct (3rd) Night Patrol, 7-2
(5th) The Spotted Wonder, 4-1


Charles Town (4th) Lagi Lagi, 4-1
(9th) Papa Carlos, 7-2


Delta Downs (1st) Shake Ya Rope, 9-2
(5th) Village Jazz, 8-1


Fair Grounds (1st) Any Given Chance, 6-1
(9th) Pummill, 3-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) Cindari, 8-1
(8th) Significat, 6-1


Gulfstream Park (4th) R Sassy Lass, 5-1
(8th) Bluegrass Singer, 8-1


Hawthorne (1st) Gold Legion, 3-1
(6th) Lock N Lola, 6-1


Laurel (4th) Start Swinging, 3-1
(8th) Wealth to Me, 6-1


Parx Racing (1st) Bold Gabby, 5-1
(2nd) Beautiful Joe, 5-1


Penn National (2nd) Hula Party, 4-1
(7th) Lightnin Lizzie, 8-1


Santa Anita (1st) Empire Cat, 4-1
(4th) Mio Me, 7-2


Sunland Park (5th) Mistaputt, 3-1
(8th) Ale's Storm, 10-1


Tampa Bay Downs (3rd) Super Soldier, 5-1
(8th) Momma's Happy, 7-2


Turf Paradise (5th) Red Zeus, 4-1
(7th) My Fine Lady, 5-1


Turfway Park (2nd) Rafeen, 5-1
(9th) Broadway Blues, 5-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

4 need-to-know betting notes for 4 college football bowl teams
By KEVIN CAUSEY

With the holidays heating up, you might not have time to handicap all the college football bowl action you'd like this month. Enjoy!


Birmingham Bowl - Saturday Jan. 3

Florida Gators vs. East Carolina Pirates (+7, 57)

* Since inserting QB Treon Harris into the starting lineup the Gators are 4-1 ATS. The offense averaged 32.6 ppg with Harris under center and 28.6 ppg without him - and that includes a 65-point explosion against EMU in their opener.

* Through their first four games, the Pirates had outscored opponents by an average of 18.5 points per game, but since then the team only has a plus-6.5 scoring margin.

GoDaddy Bowl - Sunday, Jan. 4

Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Toledo Rockets (-3, 67)

* Arkansas State is a tough team to finish off with nine of its last 14 wins coming when tied or trailing in the third quarter.

* Toledo QB Logan Woodside came back from injury for the last two games of the season, including a five-touchdown performance against Eastern Michigan. At one point this season, the Rockets were down to their fourth-string QB.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bowl Breakdown - Part 6
By Mike Rose

Below is a quick look at the six bowl games of the postseason scheduled from Saturday Jan. 3 through Sunday Jan. 4.

Birmingham Bowl - East Carolina vs. Florida
Saturday, Jan. 3, 12:00 p.m. ET
Birmingham Bowl Betting Line: Florida -7

Florida's season was as tumultuous as it gets, and new coach Jim McElwain will be watching intently as his new team gets ready for its bowl game. East Carolina was a Top 25 team this year for several weeks, and there was a point that it legitimately threatened the New Year's Six bowls. Shane Carden could give the Gators troubles. Remember that ECU did beat South Carolina, the same South Carolina team which went to the Swamp and beat Florida in November.

GoDaddy Bowl - Toledo vs. Arkansas State
Sunday, Jan. 4, 9:00 p.m. ET
Birmingham Bowl Betting Line: Toledo -3

Arkansas State has made a living out of coming to the GoDaddy Bowl, and it is back once again this year with a chance to score a season-ending victory. Toledo was overmatched every time it went up against a Power Five team this year, but aside from that, its only loss was a three-point defeat at Northern Illinois in November.