<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=500 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Yesterday</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">3</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">0</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">-6.00 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Last 30 Days</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">27</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">33</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">1</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">+0.60 Units</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=left width="50%">Season To Date (Since October 2008)</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">70</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">89</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="10%">1</TD><TD class=rs_value vAlign=top align=right width="20%">-0.96 Units</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games include OT unless stated otherwise
Detroit -½ +1.10 over COLORADO (REG)
Not customary for me to lay road pucks but there are so many things to like about this one. To start, the Red Wings played yesterday while the Av’s did not and I much prefer to play on active teams yesterday vs inactive. We saw a lot of flat teams yesterday coming off the two-day Christmas break (Philly, Pittsburgh despite the win, Buffalo, both Los Angeles and Phoenix and Vancouver and Edmonton both looked gassed in the first period) and a three-day break is even worse. Also, the Av’s went into Detroit two weeks ago and upset the Red Wings, 3-2. The Av’s returned from a a four-game trip on Dec 23 and beat the Coyotes, 5-4 and then came the break. Now they’ll play the Wings minus its top scorer in Paul Stastny. The Av’s were hard-pressed to score before Stastny got injured and one must question who is going to compensate his production. The Red Wings hate to lose and they especially hated losing to this big rival at the Joe not too long ago. They’ll be very ready here while the Avalanche will likely be extremely flat. Play: Detroit -½ +1.10 (Risking 2 units).
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New Jersey +1.34 over NY RANGERS (REG)
I’m going with that same premise as the one above in that the Devils played yesterday while the Rangers did not. Incidentally, the Devils lost 1-0 to the Pens but that is one of the more misleading results this year. New Jersey was all over Pittsburgh from start to finish and once again the Pens looked absolutely brutal. Anyway, these Devils are just so tough to beat while the Rangers stock is dropping with each passing game. They blew a 4-0 lead to the depleted Caps before the break and that’s just one game in a slew of others that the Rangers just didn’t look so good. The take-back here is ludicrous, as this one should be about a pick-em and thus, I’m on it. Play: New Jersey +1.34 (Risking 2 units).
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Los Angeles +1.44 over PHOENIX
The Kings and Coyotes played each other last night in L.A and the Coyotes won 2-1. In fact, when these two get together it’s always a toss-up and thus, taking back a nice price on the Kings just makes sense. The Coyotes also return home from a three game trip to Edmonton, Colorado and last night’s win in L.A. The Kings are a lot better then they’re getting credit for and absolutely deserve a look here. Play: Los Angeles +1.44 (Risking 2 units).
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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson +1.05 over Wanderlei Silva
U.F.C. Sat. night PPV
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This looks like a very strong play. Prior to his last, a 36-second knockout over Keith Jardine, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, looked like a ‘shot’ fighter. He had lost 3 straight and looked ‘over-the-hill’. Although I wouldn’t dare say that to his face, I was one of them who believed it and I still do. Jackson is now facing him in the third installment of their ‘trilogy’, which is rather odd considering that Silva has already beaten him in the first two encounters, by knockout yet! Wouldn’t you think when you see something such as this that Silva would be an overwhelming favorite coming into this or at least a solid favorite? Well, it’s certainly strange that this is basically a ‘pick-em’ fight. What ever happened to the whole, ‘he’s got his number’ and ‘who’s your daddy’ thing? <o></o>
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One must take a much closer look at this match up. The two losses that Jackson suffered were back in 2003 and 2004. He was a completely different fighter back then and not even close to the Quinton Jackson of today. He didn’t even train or work out like a professional athlete and it’s amazing that he went as far as he did with that approach. He has now relocated to England, has a new diet, takes supplements, is with a new head trainer and is working with a nutritionist. Interestingly, it’s the same man who works with world champion boxer Ricky “Hitman” Hatton, who just annihilated Paulie Malignaggi and is set to face the “Pacman” (stay tuned for that write-up in a few months)!<o></o>
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Jackson lost a somewhat controversial decision in his last to Griffin and with it the title. However, he doesn’t believe that he lost and is coming into this light heavyweight match in tip-top shape and 100% confidence. Silva has a record of 32-8 with one no contest. He will now be facing a much different Jackson under U.F.C. rules, not in a PRIDE ring, as that organization is now extinct. This is another thing that should favor Jackson. There is no way that Jackson is intimidated and/or ‘psyched out’ by Silva. He is a bit of a ‘crazy’ man and I don’t see or sense any fear whatsoever in him. At this stage of their careers, he looks to be the much stronger and fresher fighter. It’s funny that just one fight ago, everybody was talking about Silva retiring after losing 3 straight; well, Jackson has now won 6 out of his last 7 and I am expecting him to make it 7 out of 8 when this one is in the books. This fight reminds me of an N.F.L. line being influenced by a team’s last game; without taking a much closer and deeper analysis. I am calling Silva a ‘sucker bet’ in this one and I cannot see him making it out of the first round. Jackson gets some revenge by crunching and crushing “The Axe Murderer” and gets us to the cashier in less than 5 minutes. Play: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson +1.05 (Risking 2 units). <o></o>
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
All games include OT unless stated otherwise
Detroit -½ +1.10 over COLORADO (REG)
Not customary for me to lay road pucks but there are so many things to like about this one. To start, the Red Wings played yesterday while the Av’s did not and I much prefer to play on active teams yesterday vs inactive. We saw a lot of flat teams yesterday coming off the two-day Christmas break (Philly, Pittsburgh despite the win, Buffalo, both Los Angeles and Phoenix and Vancouver and Edmonton both looked gassed in the first period) and a three-day break is even worse. Also, the Av’s went into Detroit two weeks ago and upset the Red Wings, 3-2. The Av’s returned from a a four-game trip on Dec 23 and beat the Coyotes, 5-4 and then came the break. Now they’ll play the Wings minus its top scorer in Paul Stastny. The Av’s were hard-pressed to score before Stastny got injured and one must question who is going to compensate his production. The Red Wings hate to lose and they especially hated losing to this big rival at the Joe not too long ago. They’ll be very ready here while the Avalanche will likely be extremely flat. Play: Detroit -½ +1.10 (Risking 2 units).
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>New Jersey +1.34 over NY RANGERS (REG)
I’m going with that same premise as the one above in that the Devils played yesterday while the Rangers did not. Incidentally, the Devils lost 1-0 to the Pens but that is one of the more misleading results this year. New Jersey was all over Pittsburgh from start to finish and once again the Pens looked absolutely brutal. Anyway, these Devils are just so tough to beat while the Rangers stock is dropping with each passing game. They blew a 4-0 lead to the depleted Caps before the break and that’s just one game in a slew of others that the Rangers just didn’t look so good. The take-back here is ludicrous, as this one should be about a pick-em and thus, I’m on it. Play: New Jersey +1.34 (Risking 2 units).
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></o>Los Angeles +1.44 over PHOENIX
The Kings and Coyotes played each other last night in L.A and the Coyotes won 2-1. In fact, when these two get together it’s always a toss-up and thus, taking back a nice price on the Kings just makes sense. The Coyotes also return home from a three game trip to Edmonton, Colorado and last night’s win in L.A. The Kings are a lot better then they’re getting credit for and absolutely deserve a look here. Play: Los Angeles +1.44 (Risking 2 units).
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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson +1.05 over Wanderlei Silva
U.F.C. Sat. night PPV
<o
></o>This looks like a very strong play. Prior to his last, a 36-second knockout over Keith Jardine, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, looked like a ‘shot’ fighter. He had lost 3 straight and looked ‘over-the-hill’. Although I wouldn’t dare say that to his face, I was one of them who believed it and I still do. Jackson is now facing him in the third installment of their ‘trilogy’, which is rather odd considering that Silva has already beaten him in the first two encounters, by knockout yet! Wouldn’t you think when you see something such as this that Silva would be an overwhelming favorite coming into this or at least a solid favorite? Well, it’s certainly strange that this is basically a ‘pick-em’ fight. What ever happened to the whole, ‘he’s got his number’ and ‘who’s your daddy’ thing? <o
></o><o
></o>One must take a much closer look at this match up. The two losses that Jackson suffered were back in 2003 and 2004. He was a completely different fighter back then and not even close to the Quinton Jackson of today. He didn’t even train or work out like a professional athlete and it’s amazing that he went as far as he did with that approach. He has now relocated to England, has a new diet, takes supplements, is with a new head trainer and is working with a nutritionist. Interestingly, it’s the same man who works with world champion boxer Ricky “Hitman” Hatton, who just annihilated Paulie Malignaggi and is set to face the “Pacman” (stay tuned for that write-up in a few months)!<o
></o><o
></o>Jackson lost a somewhat controversial decision in his last to Griffin and with it the title. However, he doesn’t believe that he lost and is coming into this light heavyweight match in tip-top shape and 100% confidence. Silva has a record of 32-8 with one no contest. He will now be facing a much different Jackson under U.F.C. rules, not in a PRIDE ring, as that organization is now extinct. This is another thing that should favor Jackson. There is no way that Jackson is intimidated and/or ‘psyched out’ by Silva. He is a bit of a ‘crazy’ man and I don’t see or sense any fear whatsoever in him. At this stage of their careers, he looks to be the much stronger and fresher fighter. It’s funny that just one fight ago, everybody was talking about Silva retiring after losing 3 straight; well, Jackson has now won 6 out of his last 7 and I am expecting him to make it 7 out of 8 when this one is in the books. This fight reminds me of an N.F.L. line being influenced by a team’s last game; without taking a much closer and deeper analysis. I am calling Silva a ‘sucker bet’ in this one and I cannot see him making it out of the first round. Jackson gets some revenge by crunching and crushing “The Axe Murderer” and gets us to the cashier in less than 5 minutes. Play: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson +1.05 (Risking 2 units). <o
></o>
