Bowl Bonanza!

by Jim Feist As 2010 draws to a close, we find ourselves smack in the middle of the bowls. You shouldn’t be bowled-out, either, as they build to the crescendo that is the LSU/Alabama showdown for the national title. Belk Bowl (Tues., Dec. 27): A pair of teams that started slow and finished strong. Louisville rebounded from a 2-4 start to finish 7-5 under second-year coach Charlie Strong. The Louisville (7-5 SU, 7-3-1 ATS) offense (21.8 ppg) puts up few points, and averages just 206 yards passing... 

The Scoop on Home Courts – Part II

Next time you watch a college of pro basketball game, watch what happens when a player at home makes a great block or dives out of bounds to save a loose ball. The fans will erupt at the player’s effort. This all-out effort on the court can be contagious, and you’ll often see that player run down the court, followed by teammates who will copy his all-out effort at both ends of the floor. The crowd noise will grow even louder, which can result in momentum for the home team. This is why opposing... 

Basketball Handicapping: Home Court Advantage

“We’ll get ‘em on our court.” You’ll hear professional and college athletes say things like this all year, be it in basketball’s post or regular season. College basketball teams often play twice against conference opponents during the regular season, with each team splitting a game between their home court and the opponent’s. Other times, teams can meet on a neutral court during tournament play and sometimes teams meet a third time in February and March during tourney time. What’s... 

2012 Fiesta Bowl Predictions

At First Glance: This Bowl match-up will mark the first ever meeting between Stanford and Oklahoma State. Stanford is 5-7 against teams that are currently aligned in the Big 12 Conference (1-0 Kansas; 1-0 Missouri; 1-4 Oklahoma; 2-2 Texas; 0-1 Texas A&M). The last time Stanford played a Big 12 team was in the 2009 Sun Bowl, where the Cardinal dropped a 31-27 decision to Oklahoma. Stanford: While the Stanford Cardinals are an offensive minded team primarily due to  their quarterback Andrew Luck,... 

Late December: The Best Time for Bowling!

by Jim Feist As 2011 draws to a close, we find ourselves smack in the middle of the bowls. You shouldn’t be bowled-out, either, as the bowls slowly build to the crescendo that is the Alabama/LSU showdown. Poinsettia Bowl (Wed., Dec. 21): A pair of teams with great passing offenses – but only one plays defense. Louisiana Tech (8-4 SU, 7-3 ATS) is on a tear, a 7-game win streak that got them a surprise WAC title. They have a great passing offense for coach Sonny Dykes, averaging 30.6 points... 

NBA 2011-2012 Season Preview

The NBA unveiled its lockout shortened, 66 game regular season schedule. The NBA’s season will open Christmas Day with five marquee matchups highlighted by a NBA Finals rematch between the Miami Heat and the reigning champion Mavericks in Dallas. We start off the day at noon (ET) with Eastern Conference Atlantic Division foes Boston and New York squaring off at Madison Square Garden. The much anticipated finals rematch will follow before the Chicago Bulls and reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose square... 

Gildan New Mexico Bowl: History, Analysis & Free Prediction

Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17th, 2 p.m. EST, ESPN Temple vs. Wyoming Team History In Bowl Match-Ups: Temple’s Record: 1 And 2 December 29, 2009 EagleBank Bowl-UCLA 30, Temple 21 December 15, 1979 Garden State Bowl-Temple 28, California 17 January 1, 1935 Sugar Bowl-Tulane 20, Temple 14 Wyoming’s Record: 6 And 6 December19, 2009 New Mexico Bowl-Wyoming 35, Fresno St. 28, 2OT December 3, 2004 Las Vegas Bowl-Wyoming 24, UCLA 21 December 9, 1993 Copper Bowl-Kansas State 52, Wyoming 17 December... 

NFL Juggernauts and Fading Has Beens

Looking at NFL in 2011, it’s clear that, despite the unbeaten Packers, parity has returned. Look at teams that were recent doormats who are playing well: Lions, Bills, Bengals, Texans, 49ers and Broncos. Even the Panthers and Dolphins have been competitive, with shots at respectable seasons after bad starts. The season is also littered with flops. The Vikings, Chargers, Bucs and Colts were expected to be better and but were out of it at the halfway point of the season. The Rams had high hopes... 

College Basketball Handicapping: Back to Back Road Games

I remember 1984 well growing up in Cleveland. The Browns were struggling, the young Cavaliers were looking for a shining star in the NBA draft, and the Indians were still searching for their first World Series title since 1948. How times have changed! While the year might have been a bit thin on hope for Cleveland’s pro franchises, ’84 was more enriching for me. That’s when I began my sports handicapping career examining basketball sides and totals. I started out strictly as a basketball... 

NFL Totals and Cooler Weather

The weather is getting colder for football teams in the northern parts of the country. That means wind, rain, sleet, snow – and potentially lower scoring games. Lovie Smith, the head coach of the Chicago Bears, is a proponent of conservative play, running the football and playing tough defense. The Bears started last season 8-2 under the total and have gone back to running the football the last month, which has helped key their win streak. The Bears play their home games in cold, windy Chicago... 

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