First, whereas Mizzou's streak involved all or parts of six seasons, Syracuse's took place during all or parts of 12 season. Apparently, the Tigers produced touchdowns a lot faster than did the Orange.
Second, an issue occasionally raised with regard to streaks is awareness on the part of individual athletes or teams that they have a long string of successful (or unsuccessful) performances going. Presumably, a team that has won 20 straight games, a baseball player who has gotten a hit in 50 consecutive games, or a basketball player who has made 70 straight free throws will know what's going on. Whether such awareness might increase the player or team's concentration, sense of pressure, or other psychological state becomes a key question.
On a streak such as made extra points, I'm not sure if the players involved even know about it. Success rates approach 100%, so the short kick through the uprights may well be taken for granted and not register in the minds of the kicker and others involved in the play (i.e., holder, snapper, linesmen). Also, long streaks of made extra points span multiple seasons, with multiple kickers involved (three for Missouri, seven for Syracuse). Any particular kicker, therefore, may only have contributed, say, 50 successful PATs to the streak, so the larger collective streak of over 250 again may not register with the current kicker. It should be noted, though, that a former Tiger kicker contributed 185 of the made PATs, out of what turned out to be the team's near-record 252.
I'm a little behind the curve on this development, but I wanted to write about it, nevertheless. From September 3-18, Colorado Rockies' shortstop Troy Tulowitzki hit a total of 14 home runs in 15 games. Coinciding with Tulowitzki's barrage, the team won 13 out of 15. With 26 homers on the season thus far, Tulowitzki thus hit more in the 15-game stint than in the enire rest of the season. A trio of sports journalists recently discussed Tulowitzki's offensive outburst and the notion of sports streakiness, in general. In the process, they were kind enough to mention this website. An audio of the segment is available here. As I am wont to do, I made a graphic to illustrate what took place.
With the team winning as well, it looked like shades of 2007 for the Rockies. After Colorado's September 18 win over the L.A. Dodgers (and San Diego's late-August slide; here and here), the Rockies were within 1 game of the first-place Padres (with San Francisco also in the mix; standings tracker). The next day, however, the Rockies blew a 6-1 lead to the Dodgers, losing 7-6 in 11 innings. Colorado has not won since (with Tulowitzki homerless) and has fallen 4.5 games out of the lead, heading into its upcoming game tonight against the now first-place Giants.
With the team winning as well, it looked like shades of 2007 for the Rockies. After Colorado's September 18 win over the L.A. Dodgers (and San Diego's late-August slide; here and here), the Rockies were within 1 game of the first-place Padres (with San Francisco also in the mix; standings tracker). The next day, however, the Rockies blew a 6-1 lead to the Dodgers, losing 7-6 in 11 innings. Colorado has not won since (with Tulowitzki homerless) and has fallen 4.5 games out of the lead, heading into its upcoming game tonight against the now first-place Giants.
Seattle Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki extended his major-league record for most consecutive seasons with at least 200 hits to 10, with a single Thursday afternoon against Toronto. The longest such streak by anyone other than Ichiro is eight straight years, by Wee Willie Keeler from 1894-1901. Pete Rose had 10 season with 200 or more hits, but not in a row, whereas Ty Cobb had nine non-consecutive double-century seasons.As seen in Ichiro's career statistics, he in fact has never recorded any fewer than 206 hits in a season (excluding the present one, which still has roughly two weeks remaining) since coming to the U.S. from Japan for the 2001 season. A few times, he has absolutely blown away the 200-hit mark, his best yearly totals reaching 262 (in 2004), 242 (in 2001), and 238 (in 2007). According to Ichiro's Wikipedia page, in 1994, he "set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits in 130 games, the first player ever to top 200 hits in one year."
2010 NFL Week 2 - Fantasy Football Sit/Start
I'm a man that can admit my faults. I completely whiffed on Arian Foster last week, but he was left on the bench on a lot of fantasy leagues last week. I did make good recommendations to start Matt Forte and to bench Ryan Mathews, Donovan McNabb, and DeSean Jackson. Here are my weekly Sit/Start column for Week 2 of the 2010 NFL Season.I want to explain what I mean by "sit" and "start." Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.
START'EM
Peyton Manning - The New York Giants pass offense is weak, plus he's playing against his brother at night, that's automatic.
Matt Ryan - He's not usually in this category, since he's a better actual player than a fantasy player. He faces Arizona and he will have a big game.
Kyle Orton - He didn't go very early in anyone's draft outside the 303 area code, but he's worth a start this week. Denver is a passing offense and he faces a Seattle defense that was lucky in Week 1.
Jason Campbell - He didn't look great in his opening game, but the Rams will make him look like a Pro Bowler.
Ahmad Bradshaw - Did you see the holes the Texans opened up against the Colts last week? Arian Foster could have been a truck and still went untouched.
Ray Rice - He didn't have a great Week 1, but the Jets are a hard team to run against.
Arian Foster - I was made into a believer last week, he's a better back than I gave him credit for.
Jamaal Charles - I was worried about Thomas Jones taking away carries, but I'm not worried about that anymore, he's the #1 guy in Kansas City.
Santana Moss - Here's a name that is very unfamiliar with being listed in the start'em list. The Texans secondary is bad and McNabb should be able to hit Moss often.
Hakeem Nicks - Nicks emerged as the #1 option for Eli Manning in Week 1. He will follow up his three touchdown game with another solid game.
Wes Welker - He may have not accumulated a big yardage total, but Brady is looking for him in the red zone.
Mark Clayton - Sam Bradford targeted him more than any other team targeted any other receiver last week. He's just a good fantasy player on a bad team.
Visante Shiancoe - The Vikings wide receiver corps is weak and Brett Favre is finding his tight end more in the offense.
Mercedes Lewis - You probably didn't plan on owning him, let alone start him on your team. David Garrard's receiving options are limited and he is looking for Lewis in the red zone.
Green Bay Packers Defense - They play the Buffalo Bills, enough said.
Philadelphia Eagles Defense - Matthew Stafford is out for a few weeks, so the Lions will start Shaun Hill at quarterback. The Eagles defense is explosive and will blitz Hill all day.
Javon Ringer - DEEP LEAGUE START - He stole a touchdown from CJ2K last week and it won't be his last vulcher, he's worth a start in deep leagues.
SIT'EM
Eli Manning - The Giants are going to run all over the Colts and they will limit the passing attack in favor of handing the ball off.
Joe Flacco - The Bengals are weak against the run and the Ravens will focus on giving it to Ray Rice.
Matt Cassel- Cleveland's secondary is better than advertised, he will have a hard time finding open targets.
Any Buffalo Bills player - I think this will be a weekly tradition, their offense is terrible.
Derek Anderson - I was hoping Anderson would be a sleeper this year, but after Week 1, he looks like he could barely make a UFL roster.
Ryan Mathews - He didn't get many touches against the Chiefs last week, but he looked like a rookie. I would wait until he shows you something before starting him again.
Jerome Harrison - The carries were split between him and Peyton Hillis. You probably picked him in the first 5 or 6 rounds, but he can't be started right now.
Justin Forsett - Leon Washington is going to factor in Seattle's offense, so starting Forsett could be like rolling the dice.
Nate Washington - He scored on a long pass on a busted play, don't expect that every week.
Steve Breaston - There are better options on the waiver wire, try picking up one of the Mike Williams players on Seattle or Tampa Bay.
Mike Wallace - I have him on a few teams this year, but you can't trust Dennis Dixon. He will be a better fantasy player once Big Ben comes back.
DeSean Jackson - Jackson is in the same boat as Wallace, both of their quarterbacks are "run first" and not many balls will end up in the air.
Dustin Keller - Mark Sanchez doesn't seem to be looking for Keller in the offense, so he's not worth starting.
San Francisco 49ers Defense - They had trouble with Seattle in Week 1 and New Orleans come into town this week.
Chicago Bears - The Bears are a good defense, but the Cowboys will be hungry and can't go 0-2.
Zambrano To Retire In 2012? C'mon!
Carlos Zambrano, the token hot-head on the Chicago Cubs, came out yesterday and said that he will retire after the 2012 season. He is signed up until then and says that he has missed out on a lot being a Major League baseball player. Really? I'm pretty sure that the $91 million dollar extension can buy back some of that time. Is Zambrano bluffing or is he for real?Zambrano was expected to anchor the Cubs rotation this season, but somehow ended up falling out of favor with management. He spent a portion of the season coming out of the bullpen, which lead to an "indefinite leave" from the team around the All-Star break after an altercation with Derrek Lee in the dugout. He went through counseling and since returning to the starting rotation, he has registered an ERA below 2.00 and a 6-0 record. He still has a fired up demeanor, but has been able to keep it in check and has been a better teammate.
Is this a pitcher who has came to terms with his problem or a player that is pitching with no pressure? He admitted to a reporter that he no longer wants to play and that's the reasoning behind his retirement after his contract ends. He has a career record of 114-74 in nine years for the Chicago Cubs. His career started out very rocky by going 5-10 in his first two seasons, but hasn't had a season that he hasn't had more wins than losses since. Zambrano's major fault is that he walks too many batters and his WHIP is always in between 1.30 and 1.50, which is well below average for an MLB pitcher. Statistically, he has had a comparable season in 2010, since his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2:1, which is his average. He has just been very inconsistent and his numbers would be very bad if not for his recent resurgence.
The Chicago Cubs are looking to rebuild this team with a new manager in 2010. GM Jim Hendry is on the hot seat and will be looking to make moves in the off-season. Zambrano will be his #1 priority to move and his stock is on the rise with his recent play. The Cubs will have to take a discount in their return for the former All-Star, since he is owed $36 million over the final two years of his contract. The most the Cubs could get for him, at this point, would be mid-level prospects. A lot of teams will be scared off of him, since his past anger and hostility could come back. It will be interesting to see what the Cubs can get back in return and how much of his remaining salary they will have to eat.
Do I think Zambrano will retire after the 2012 season at the age of 33? I think he is currently having a hard time professionally and personally and his judgment is a bit skewed. He has never been a free agent and who knows how well he will pitch over the next two seasons. A lot factors in his decision and this isn't the first time he has mentioned a possible early retirement. If he starts loving the game again, I can see Zambrano signing another contract, but I don't see him being a Jamie Moyer pitcher and staying in the game near or over the age of 40.
2010 NCAA Football - Week 3 Betting Picks
I went 9-3 last week against the spread and I'm feeling pretty good about Week 3. There are a lot of dud games out there, but there are some with good value that you should look at. It's looking like a week where a lot of favorites may not cover. Which teams did I pick? Check out this my NCAA football picks against the spread for Week 3 of the 2010 season.Northern Illinois (+8) at Illinois (-8) - My pick is Illinois
Neither of these teams look very good so far this year, but I will take a tested Illini team over Northern Illinois. Illinois did get beat in their first game against Missouri, but came back with a strong effort against Southern Illinois. Northern Illinois lost for a weak Iowa State team in Week 1 and came back to win a close game against North Dakota, a team they should have smoked.
Iowa State (+4) at Kansas State (-4) - My pick is Kansas State
The game is listed as a "neutral site," but it is being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, it's basically a home game for Kansas State. KSU already has a home win over UCLA, though a bit ugly, they still pulled it out. Iowa State's victory came against Northern Illinois and followed that by getting smoked by Iowa. Bill Snyder is back going KSU, the team will improve as the season goes on.
Arkansas (+2.5) at Georgia (-2.5) - My pick is Arkansas
Arkansas has yet to be tested this year...and they will get their test on Saturday at Georgia. Ryan Mallett will need a big game to keep his stock high, I believe he does that over the Bulldogs.
Hawaii (+11) at Colorado (-11) - My pick is Hawaii
Hawaii is coming off a weak win over Army and Colorado limps into this contest by losing to Cal 52-7. Hawaii held their own against USC for most of the game and proved that they can compete on the mainland. The Rainbow Warriors are 2-0 against the spread so far this season and will win against it again this week.
Nebraska (-3.5) at Washington (+3.5) - My pick is Nebraska
This will be a very far away game for Nebraska to play, but I'm sure Cornhusker fans will still make it there. Sportsbook.com has Nebraska projected 10 point favorites, so this line seems quite low, so expect this to get higher as the week progresses. Nebraska looked good against small programs so far this year and Washington comes in 1-1 with a win against Syracuse and a loss at BYU. Nebraska will cover, but if line gets close to 6, stay away, it will still be a contest.
Toledo (+4.5) at Western Michigan (-4.5) - My pick is Western Michigan
Western Michgan beat Toledo last season 58-26 with a balanced offensive attack. Both teams come into this contest with 1-1 records, both losing to a major program. Toledo's offense hasn't looked good this season and their defense is even worse. Western Michigan has used their passing attack this season and is only averaging 100 yards on the ground. WMU will win this game and cover easily.
Notre Dame (13.5) at Michigan State (-3.5) - My pick is Notre Dame
Notre Dame was an injury to Dayne Crist away from beating Michigan last week. If Crist didn't miss a substantial portion of that game, the Irish could be sitting at 2-0. Michigan State hasn't played any elite talent yet and Notre Dame has already played two other Big Ten teams this season. The Spartans are weak against the pass and that is what Notre Dame has excelled at this season. The Irish will win against the spread AND win the game in East Lansing.
Boise State (-24) at Wyoming (+24) - My pick is Wyoming
Let me start by saying that Wyoming has very little hope in winning this game. Boise State will come into this game with something to prove, but Wyoming's defense is stout and will cause them problems. I rode Wyoming all season last year and they did very well against the spread, you can get good value with them. BSU will win, but not by 24 points.
Iowa (-2) at Arizona (+2) - My pick is Iowa
This line has a possibility of moving towards Arizona, since the game is at home and Iowa has trouble on the road at times. Both teams have played very well this season, but Iowa has played better competition. The Big Ten is stronger than the Pac-10 this season and I'll go with Iowa to cover and win outright.
Utah (-23.5) at New Mexico (+23.5) - My pick is Utah
New Mexico has been outscore 124-17 in their first two games. Utah has a win against, then top-25 ranked Pitt. Utah will win this game...BIG.
Texas (-3) at Texas Tech (+3) - My pick is Texas
The Longhorns and Red Raiders are more equal this year than ever. Texas lost a lot of talent in the draft and the Red Raiders are playing more balanced football, since Mike Leach is no longer there. Tech hasn't played much talent this season and UT has played an improved Rice & Wyoming teams. Even though the game is in Lubbock, the Longhorns will come out winners and cover the spread. (Michael Crabtree isn't walking through that door)
Middle Tennessee State (-6) at Memphis (+6) - My pick is MTSU
MTSU went 10-3 last season and even beat Souther Miss in a bowl game. Memphis has been a weak football school and only won two games last year. MTSU has looked strong early this season with a close loss against Minnesota and a routing of Austin Peay. Memphis has been routed by Mississippi State and East Carolina so far and should get routed again, this time by MTSU of the Sun Belt Conference.
These picks are for entertainment purposes.
It's Time To Cut Ties With Bob Sanders
Bob Sanders made his first start since rupturing his left biceps tendon last season. He hasn't played much for Indianapolis the last two seasons due to injury. He suffered another injury yesterday, this time it's his elbow. The Colts have drafted well at defensive back the last few years and it could be time to cut their losses and trade or cut their defensive superstar.I have been a broken record over the last 12 months and my stance has not changed. Sanders has only eight regular season starts over the last two season. Since he signed his 5-year/ $37.5 million deal with $20 million guaranteed in 2007, he has missed 27 of a possible 36 games, including playoffs. It would be an unpopular decision with other Colts fans if they did decide on letting Sanders go at some point. He was the main reason they won the Super Bowl a few seasons ago. The Colts have been pretty loyal to their stars over the years. They even gave former star, Edgerrin James, a Super Bowl ring, even though he left for Arizona the previous off-season.
The extent of Sanders' injury is unknown, but both sides are being quiet about it, which is a red flag. The injury did not occur to the same left arm that kept him out last season. The play that Sanders suffered the injury wasn't gruesome. You wouldn't have even guessed that his elbow was what ended up being injured. Indianapolis should be able to fill the position. The Colts doesn't have that much depth at safety with Melvin Bullitt filling in for Sanders over the last few seasons. Antoine Bethea is starting on the other side, but they also have young corners Jacob Lacey, Deshea Townsend, and Justin Tryon able to fill in, if needed.
The Colts run defense suffered with Sanders going out in the 1st quarter. Arian Foster went off for over 200 yards with a couple scores in victory. Indianapolis will have to focus on that and use their pass rush less. Mathis and Freeney go upfield too much and must stay back and play the run.
I hope Sanders can come back soon and play at a high level, but if he can't stay on the field, the Colts will have to do something. I will keep my ears pressed against the wall and hopes I hear good news concerning his injury.
An Attempt To Embrace My New Hometown
I moved to Columbus, Ohio from Fort Wayne, Indiana nearly four years, so I guess this isn't a "new" place for me anymore. I'm considering changes to the site, small ones actually, you may not even notice. I just wanted to explain why this change may happen and what you may see on the site in the near future. For my friends back in Indiana, don't worry, I still love Larry Bird and can't watch the end of "Hoosiers" or "Rudy" without crying.I started this site over 2 1/2 years ago as a platform to keep my writing skills fresh and dive into a new genre. I have always been a huge sports fan and combine that with my snarky and cynical attitude, I guess starting a sports blog was right up my alley. My past writing experience was just in college in Journalism and English classes and I spent nearly seven years as a music journalist. "America's White Boy" didn't turn into a site that focused strictly on sports content, I add a lot of music posts on here. I know both worlds of sports and music, so why not give them both to my readers. 2 1/2 years ago, I didn't know where I would be from year to year, I was still trying to settle down in a city where I felt comfortable. I believe that I have found that place here in Columbus...at least for the foreseeable future.
The change to the site will be that I am going to be adding much more local Ohio content and national music acts to the site. The change won't be extreme and it isn't a transition that will eventually make this into a site like Waiting For Next Year or Cleveland Frowns. I am a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets and I follow Ohio State sports, so expect a lot of that to be added. Don't worry about me, I still love the Chicago Cubs, Indiana Pacers, and Indianapolis Colts, you can't take those loves away from me. Since I know a lot about the teams I am a fan of, and clearly have passionate things to say about them, that content will still be here.
I have researched my traffic numbers and my site does have better numbers in the Midwest and East Coast than any other part of the country. I should take this time and say something mean about the West Coast, like the Lakers are soft or that USC cheats, but I'll let your imagination do that.
Well, today is the start of the NFL season, so expect a possible Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals post at some point today. If I post anything positive about Jake Delhomme, please call my mother, because there is no way I would ever do that unless these Ohio savages kidnap and torture me.
I heart my new hometown.
Did Heisman Trust Leak The Bush Story?
This is purely speculative, but could the Heisman Trust be the party that leaked the story about Reggie Bush getting stripped of his Heisman trophy? Could they have leaked the story to see what the public's reaction to the news be? It makes sense, right? I explain why this would have been a smart move and breakdown the whole Reggie Bush situation.Yahoo! Sports ran a story yesterday that former USC tailback, Reggie Bush, would be getting his Heisman trophy stripped from him. He won the trophy as the best college football player in 2005. He took gifts and cash from agents and boosters while he was a college player, which retroactively made him ineligible to play during the 2005 college football season. USC was hit with sanctions and was forced to forfeit the games in which Bush played that season and was hit with the loss of scholarships and a two-year postseason ban.
The Heisman trust came out after this story went public and said that the trust hasn't even taken a vote on the subject and are still deciding what to do about the whole Reggie Bush situation. I doubt that an established site like Yahoo! would have ran this story without multiple sources confirming that he was indeed getting the trophy stripped. The trust have never been put in a situation where they would have to strip a player of their award. The public could have reacted negatively to the story and could have swayed the votes of the trust. Since the reaction seems to be somewhat positive of the news, I'm sure the trust will act in stripping Bush of the award.
I want to stress once again that this is purely speculative, but it makes sense. The trust wants to make sure that the award keeps its prestige and isn't tarnished in any way. If Bush is stripped of the award, it is rumored that the trust would just say that the award was vacant that year and wouldn't award it to the person that came in as runner-up, Texas quarterback Vince Young. Young mother even came out today and said that Young told her that he wouldn't accept the award if they decided to give it to him.
This whole situation is muddy and it would be best to keep the award vacant, it isn't Miss America. In doing this, the trust would set a precedent that this would be the way to handle situations like this, if they were to happen again. Let's hope that this will be the last one like this, since it has taken the NCAA five years to react to a situation that came out many years ago.
2010 NFL Week 1 - Fantasy Football Sit/Start
I'm back with this season's weekly post when I announce who will be fantasy football studs and duds. I made it to the championship game in every fantasy football league I was in last season. I helped a lot of people last season and I got a lot of great feedback from readers. Here are my players to sit and start for Week 1.I want to explain what I mean by "sit" and "start." Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.
START'EM
Adrian Peterson - Favre isn't 100%, Peterson should see a lot of work against the Saints.
Drew Brees - Vikings run defense is solid, but secondary can be throw on, if he's given time.
Both Steve Smiths - They face each other this week and they are both solid starts. I think Matt Moore is an upgrade over Jake Delhomme.
Chad Henne - If Brandon Marshall can make Kyle Orton look good, imagine how good he will make Henne look this season.
Michael Turner - The Steelers defense will focus on stopping him and making Matt Ryan throw to beat them, but Turner is difficult to contain.
Rashard Mendenhall - Dixon is the QB and he will need a rushing attack and an option to dump the ball off, Mendenhall will have a nice game.
Calvin Johnson - When healthy, Johnson is a freak...he's healthy and the Bears secondary is bad.
Matt Forte - I could be in the minority in thinking that Forte will have a nice season. He has nice hands and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Cutler will have to checkdown a lot to keep from throwing picks.
Cedric Benson - The Patriots front four is getting old and Benson should get the ball a lot.
Pierre Garcon - The Texans secondary is weak, all the Colts wide receiving corps should do well. Garcon has the hands and speed to do damage.
Chris Johnson - You used the #1 pick in the draft, you have to start him no matter the situation.
Jason Campbell - Redskins had him in handcuffs and the Raiders will let him use his cannon, even if his wideout options are weak.
Vernon Davis - He has turned to be Alex Smith's #1 target and Seattle gave up a ton of TDs to tight ends last year.
Arizona Cardinals Defense - You have to start any defense that face the St. Louis Rams this season.
Tony Romo - He's on the road in a big game, he has to be hyped for a game like this. He has many options to throw to and defenses will have to plan to stop Jones and Barber.
LaDanian Tomlinson - I know, I know...a bit risky. Shonn Greene is the #1 back, but I think LT gets in the end zone.
Green Bay Packers defense - Kevin Kolb looked good filling in for McNabb last season, but the Packers are going throw the kitchen sink at him.
Phillip Rivers - The Chiefs will be energized with a home Monday Night Football game, but their secondary is weak.
Both Mike Williams - DEEP LEAGUE START - You should start these in a standard league, but both Mike Williams (Tampa Bay and Seattle) are the only solid options on their teams at wideout.
SIT'EM
Brett Favre - He has to prove to me that his ankle is well enough to do anything of importance before I can start him in a standard league.
Pierre Thomas - He will lose some carries to Reggie Bush and the Vikings run defense is top notch.
Brandon Jacobs - He seems to have a scaled back role in 2010 and Ahmad Bradshaw is set to take over #1 duties.
Any Buffalo Bills player - I know C.J. Spiller is a sexy pick this year, but they need so much help on offense, they can't just rely on him.
Dennis Dixon - The Steelers would rather have Byron Leftwich at QB...that should tell you something.
Jay Cutler - The Bears O-line is bad, if the Lions can get pressure on Cutler, he's going to throw picks.
Any NE Patriots RB - The backfield for the Patriots is so congested, it's a crapshoot in trying to choose who to play.
Arian Foster - Steve Slaton and Derrick Ward are both on the roster. Slaton has had good games against the Colts, but Foster is a different type of back, a back that the Colts can stop.
Sam Bradford - He's a rookie and has zero options at wide receiver. It will be a long season for the young quarterback.
Donovan McNabb - He's a question mark to even play, so he's too risky to take a chance.
Derrick Mason - Not sure why so many people are on his bandwagon this season. He's up their in age and Boldin should get the most targets.
DeSean Jackson - The Packers secondary is good and will play against the big play. Jackson only seemed to score last season on big plays, he's not a red zone target.
Ryan Matthews - I don't trust a rookie running back in his first game, plus it's on the road.
2010 NFL Football - Week 1 Betting Picks
The 2010 season starts on Thursday with a great game. It's a rematch of the NFC Championship game when Brett Favre and the Vikings was one or two plays away from going to the Super Bowl. The Saints ended up winning the game and went on to win their first Super Bowl. The rest of the schedule is pretty loaded and should be an interesting week. Here are my betting picks against the spread for Week 1 of the 2010 NFL season.Minnesota Vikings (+5) at New Orleans Saints (-5) - My pick is New Orleans
Brett Favre hasn't had much practice and he's still having ankle issues. The Vikings will miss Chester Taylor's pass catching ability out of the backfield and Sidney Rice as a deep threat. The Saints appear to be the same team on paper this season and I see them covering this game, because the Super Bowl champ always wins and covers the next season's opener.
Carolina Panthers (+7) at New York Giants (-7) - My pick is Carolina
This line seems kind of off. I know that Carolina wasn't great last season and they lost Julius Peppers, but Matt Moore showed promise and they still return DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Giants had defensive issues last year and I'm not sold on either Ahmad Bradshaw or Brandon Jacobs to help make the Giants offensive attack balanced. I see the Panthers ruining the Giants home opener and not only win against the spread, but win outright.
Miami Dolphins (-3) at Buffalo Bills (+3) - My pick is Miami
The Dolphins is a darkhorse to win the AFC East this season, if they can take care of their own business. They need to win their divisional games and the rest should play itself out. The Bills lack blue chip players are nearly every position and will have trouble winning games this season, Miami should thank the scheduling Gods for not having this game in December. The Dolphins win and cover this game.
Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (+2.5) - My pick is Atlanta
This line should be higher in Atlanta's favor, but the Steelers are a "public team," so homers for the team bet blindly on their team. The Steelers are without Big Ben and trot Dennis Dixon out there to start. Dixon looked "good" in garbage time last season, but Atlanta is a good football team. The Steelers defense will have to play out of their minds to keep this one close. I am picking the Falcons to cover this game big.
Detroit Lions (+6.5) at Chicago Bears (-6.5) - My pick is Detroit
I really don't feel great that I am picking the Lions. It's not that I don't feel comfortable in doing so, but the franchise has been synonymous with losing for the last decade. The Lions have had a couple decent drafts in a row and some of their younger players are starting to turn the corner. The Bears add Mike Martz in as Offensive Coordinator, but that will a disaster if they can't get better at protecting Jay Cutler. Martz's plays take longer to develop and Cutler will end up on his back more times than any other time in his career. I see the Lions keeping this game close and winning against the spread.
Cincinnati Bengals (+4.5) at New England Patriots (-4.5) - My pick is new England
I know the Bengals made the playoffs last season and I should like them more, but the AFC Central teams didn't show up to play them last season. They swept their division and backed into the playoffs. New England does well when they have plenty of time to study their opponent. Since this game was announced months ago, I see the Patriots taking care of business at home and covering the spread.
Cleveland Browns (+3) at Tampa Buccaneers (-13.5) - My pick is Cleveland
The Browns played themselves out of a top 3 pick last season by winning their last few games of the season. Jake Delhomme steps in at QB and adds a few new weapons on offense and defense. Tampa Bay was another team that scraped the bottom of the league in 2009. Josh Freeman gained a lot of experience last season, but they have a lot of youth on their team as well. The Browns should be able to keep this close and pull out a victory and cover, if Delhomme takes care of the ball.
Denver Broncos (+2.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5) - My pick is Denver
Denver's training camp reads like a MASH unit. Everyone from Elvis Dumervil to Knowshon Moreno have been injured. The Broncos started out red hot last season, but cooled off and didn't even make the playoffs. They added some pieces, but lost Dumervil for the season with injury and traded away Brandon Marshall. The Jaguars had trouble scoring points last season and could be the last year in Jacksonville for head coach Jack Del Rio and for starter David Garrard, if they don't pull out a winning season. I see Denver winning a close game, I would pick them with the money line.
Indianapolis Colts (-2) at Houston Texans (+2) - My pick is Indianapolis
I realize that everyone picks Houston to finally make the playoffs before every season, but having the spread at only 2 points in favor of the Super Bowl runner-ups, is ridiculous. I know that Sage Rosenfels is no longer on the Texans and can't fumble away victories, but the Colts are going to cover this one big.
Oakland Raiders (+6) at Tennessee Titans (-6) - My pick is Tennessee
I realize that one of these years the Raiders will win games like this, but not in 2010. The Titans are still a dangerous team with the speed of Chris Johnson and Vince Young. The safeties have to play in the box to stop the running attack and that could leave Kenny Britt open a few extra times a game. The Titans should win and cover this game at home.
Green Bay Packers (-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (+3) - My pick is Green Bay
The Packers have looked great this preseason and I look for them to keep adding to their resumé this season and cover in Philadelphia. Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings should have big games against the Eagles secondary. Kevin Kolb looked impressive last season for the Eagles, but the Packers defense is very tough and will throw out a ton of different looks to confuse the young QB. The Packers are my pick to win the NFC this year.
San Francisco 49ers (-3) at Seattle Seahawks (+3) - My pick is San Francisco
The 49ers are the favorite to win the weak NFC West this season and Seattle looks to be in full rebuilding mode. The Seahawks don't have many blue-chip players yet and will have issues this year winning games. If Alex Smith can hit his receivers and Frank Gore stays healthy, they should have a big season. The Niners will cover this game on the road.
Arizona Cardinals (-4) at St. Louis Rams (+4) - My pick is Arizona
The Cardinals is another team in transition, but won't get much of a test during Week 1. The Rams haven't done much to improve their team in the off-season and lost their best wide receiver (Donnie Avery) to injury for the season. The Cardinals have Derek Anderson as their starting QB and some key pieces were traded or signed elsewhere in the off-season. Arizona should win this game and cover the spread against an even weaker Rams team.
Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) at Washington Redskins (+3.5) - My pick is Dallas
I struggled with this pick the most out of any of the other games on the schedule this week. The NFC East is a toss-up at this point and it will all come down to which team has a better divisional record. The Cowboys have their eyes set on the Super Bowl and the Redskins are definitely improved, but to what extent is still to be determined. This is a true rivalry game and should be intense, since it's also opening weekend. The Cowboys offense is improved and looks like a team ready to take the next step. Both teams have issues at left-tackle, so both teams should be able to pressure the quarterback. The Cowboys are a stronger team, so I am picking them to win and cover.
Baltimore Ravens (+2.5) at New York Jets (-2.5) - My pick is NY Jets
This should be one of the better games during Week 1, since both teams have been picked by experts to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this season. The Ravens improved their offense by adding receivers to a prolific rushing attack. The Jets improved their team on both sides of the ball, but adding veterans at skilled positions. If Darrelle Revis wasn't playing, I would pick the Ravens to win against the spread, but since he just ended his holdout, I will pick the Jets to cover, it will be that close of a game.
San Diego Chargers (-4.5) at Kansas City Chiefs (+4.5) - My pick is San Diego
It's been a long time since a Monday Night Football game has been played in Kansas City. I can see that energizing the Arrowhead crowd, but that can only do so much for the team. I believe KC is an improved team, but San Diego, even without Vincent Jackson, is a much better team. The Chargers should win this game big and cover this spread at halftime.
These picks are for entertainment purposes.
2010 NCAA Football - Week 2 Betting Picks
Week 2 of this college football season is looking to be a very entertaining week, especially for the Big Ten. You have three marquee teams facing national powerhouses. Ohio State is at home against University of Miami of Florida, Michigan plays Notre Dame, and Penn State travels to Alabama. Here are my college football picks for week 2 of the 2010 college football season.Auburn (-2.0) at Mississippi State (+2.0) - My pick is Auburn
Auburn should be able to travel to Mississippi State and handle them. This betting line is trending towards Auburn, so this line may get pushed farther in Auburn's favor.
West Virginia (-13.5) at Marshall (+13.5) - My pick is West Virginia
The Thundering Herd didn't have much to cheer about last week when they opened their season in Columbus, Ohio against Ohio State. If it wasn't for scoring on a blocked field goal, they could have ended up not scoring at all in that game. West Virginia is another well-coached team and blanked Coastal Carolina in their opener. I see the Mountaineers running up this score and 13.5 points should be the spread at the half.
Georgia (+3) at South Carolina (-3) - My pick is South Carolina
South Carolina seems to have trouble with Georgia, but this season, the tables have turned. The Gamecocks are the favorites and have a better squad. Steve Spurrier doesn't have to worry facing a more talented team, if South Carolina keeps to their gameplan, they should win and cover.
South Florida (+15.5) at Florida (-15.5) - My pick is Florida
Matt Grothe and George Selvie are no longer on South Florida, so the Gators shouldn't have much trouble covering the 15.5 points. This is a transition year for Florida, but they haven't slipped that much.
Florida State (+8) at Oklahoma (-8) - My pick is Florida State
Bobby Bowden is no longer strolling the sidelines for Florida State and Jimbo Fisher has them looking pretty good. Bob Stoops is trying to replace some key pieces from their team a year ago. I look for Florida State to score early and keep Oklahoma from controlling the game. If this happens, not only could FSU keep the Sooners from covering, but they could squeak out an upset win.
Michigan (+3.5) at Notre Dame (-3.5) - My pick is Michigan
I tried to stay away from Notre Dame last season, but I feel a little better about them after they beat Purdue last week. I'm not saying that I feel better about them as in they are going to win, but I feel like I got an idea of who they are. They have lack an identity the last few seasons. Michigan looked really good against Connecticut last week and I see them going into South Bend and winning this game.
Iowa State (+13.5) at Iowa (-13.5) - My pick is Iowa
This is a big rivalry game for both of these teams. You usually get the underdogs' best effort, but the Hawkeyes should roll all over Iowa State in this game, Iowa is a much better team.
BYU (pick) at Air Force (pick) - My pick is BYU
This game rests on only one thing....can BYU stop Air Force's running attack. I think BYU should be able to do that, since they handled Washington last week and won by a touchdown. This will be Air Force's first test of the year and BYU will win this game.
Wyoming (+29.5) at Texas (-29.5) - My pick is Wyoming
Let me say first, Wyoming will not win this game. I rode them last season and they were great against the spread last season. I think that they will go down to Texas and not let the Longhorns cover this huge spread. Wyoming is sneaky and this line may even get larger since Texas is a "public" team and people will bet on them with this large of a spread.
Penn State (+11.5) at Alabama (+11.5) - My pick is Alabama
Alabama is one hell of a team, but we all know that they have trouble putting points on the board at times. Penn State lost a few weapons last season, but they still have Evan Royster. Paterno seems concerned about his recent weight gain and his stamina, he will have to have a great game if the Nittany Lions wish to keep this one close. I see the Crimson Tide controlling the tempo of this game with their defense and winning this game 24-6.
Texas Tech (-24.5) at New Mexico (+24.5) - My pick is Texas Tech
The Oregon Ducks blanked New Mexico last week with the score of 72-0. The Texas Tech Red Raiders could probably dress an average intramural squad in Lubbock and cover this 24.5 point spread. They win this game and cover big.
Miami (+9.5) at Ohio State (-9.5) - My pick is Ohio State
This is the first time these two teams have met since Ohio State upset the Hurricanes to win the 2002 BCS Championship. The kids playing in this game were in elementary school when that happened, but revenge is on Miami's mind. Ohio State has a talented team and they have the advantage this year with the game being played in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has a reputation for not showing up for big games, well that should change with a big win over a ranked team on National television. The Buckeyes should win this game 34-17.
These picks are for entertainment purposes.
In a 2-0 loss to Notre Dame this afternoon, however, the Fighting Irish scored two quick goals approximately 24 minutes into the game (23:51 and 24:38; stats sheet). Thus, Texas Tech's shut-out streak is now over at 474 consecutive minutes. A game article from Texas Tech's athletic website is available here.
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