2011 NFL Draft Preview & Predictions

1-Carolina Panthers (Last year’s record 2-14); Marcell Dareus, Alabama, Defensive End; I don’t think they are ready to give up on Jimmy Clausen yet. 2-Denver Broncos (Last year’s record 4-12); Nick Fairley, Auburn, Defensive Tackle; Extraordinary pass rusher desired. 3-Buffalo Bills (Last year’s record 4-12); Patrick Peterson, LSU, Cornerback; Immediate help at corner, create some desperately needed turnovers. 4-Cincinnati Bengals (Last year’s record 4-12); Blaine Gabbert, Missouri, Quarterback;... 

Defense and Totals in the NBA Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are rolling along, which is a good time to revisit an old sports adage: Defense wins championships. Look at some recent Super Bowl winners. You might not realize this, but Colts QB Peyton Manning didn’t have a stellar postseason five years ago, with 3 TDs and 7 INTs. The real story for the Colts’ run to the title was their improved defense, especially against the run, that allowed 14 ppg to opposing offenses in the postseason. Little brother Eli followed up with another... 

NBA Playoffs: Halftime Wagering

There are several advantages to second half wagering. One is that you get a chance to see the action and can make judgments on what you see in the first half that might affect second half play. Injuries are one example, and that is especially true in this particular NBA playoffs, with nagging injuries to star players like Manu Ginobili, Shaq, Chauncey Billups and Amare Stoudamire. Another is that you can hedge for the second half and perhaps hit a middle, if you have a wager on the side or total... 

NBA Playoffs: The Best of the West

Start your engines! The NBA playoffs are in full swing, time for endless full court action every night as the league crowns another champion. Let’s take a look at the best of the West, the conference that has won eight of the last 11 NBA titles. Lakers: The defending champs began the season raising another banner and looked to be the team to beat again. However, they were not the top team in the in the West and the Lakers limped down the stretch. Boredom? Saving themselves for the real season?... 

NBA Playoffs: The Scoop on Past Results

The NBA playoffs are off and running. There are a lot of ways to analyze who has the edge, from matchups, key statistics (rebounding, turnovers), spread marks and even who’s hot and who’s not. One area that will also come up is how these playoff opponents did when they faced each other during the regular season. I’m not a proponent of putting much stock in regular season meetings. This can get tricky for many reasons, one of which is situations. During the regular season, you find teams facing... 

2011 NBA Playoff Recap: Round 1

The Chicago Bulls came into the series a big favorite. The Bulls closed as 12.5 favorites but had to fight their way out of 12-point deficit in the third quarter in their 104-99 victory over the Pacers. The Bulls offense struggled shooting just 43% from the floor but nailed 26 of 32 free throws. The Pacers were competitive but only attempted 17 free throws. MVP candidate Derrick Rose and his game-high 39 points led the Bulls. The Bulls dominated the glass out rebounding the Pacers 49-34. The... 

2011 NFL Mock Draft

The NFL is a copycat league. If a team has even a modicum of success, however fleeting or trivial, it seems like the rest of the league immediately enters an unsanctioned race to mimic Said Team’s path to success. The Cover-2. The 3-4. The audible attack of Peyton Manning. The blitz-crazed schemes of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or the New York Giants. Zone blocking. Running quarterbacks. All have been cloned and mass-produced throughout the NFL recently, with each taking its turn as the en vogue trademark... 

NBA Handicapping: The Best of the East

It’s been a long haul, this 82-game NBA regular season, but the playoffs are just around the corner. So who wins the NBA title? The most talented team? The luckiest? The favorites? We all know the favorites don’t waltz to the NBA Finals. We just watched tiny Butler, a fifth seed in 2010 and a No. 8 seed this year, advance to the NCAA Championship game twice. Upsets littered the March tourney, as it was the first time since 1979 that a No. 1 or No. 2 seed didn’t make the Final Four.... 

NFL Draft: Offensive Skill Players a Hot Commodity

Anyone who seriously follows professional football understands that championship teams are built around a strong offensive and defensive line. Yet, when it comes to the NFL Draft, much of the focus revolves around the top prospects in the offensive skill positions. This year’s crop includes Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton at quarterback, A.J. Green and Julio Jones at wide receiver, and Mark Ingram at running back. However, let’s take a look back at the past few drafts to see how some high-profile... 

NBA Handicapping: Free Throws

Freebies in basketball are foul shots. Uncontested shots at the line that count toward a team’s score. I bring this up because I recall a sports bettor one time explaining the value of a team being able to make shots at the foul line, which can help against the spread. If you have a favorite that is right at the number in the final minute of a game, naturally you would prefer a strong free throw shooting team percentage-wise who will give you a better shot at covering that number. Conversely,... 

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