Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 04:11 PM
1. Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan is a sexy choice for a number of teams
right now, because his track record is one of a very successful coach - and
there are plenty of teams with worse coaches right now. How good would Shanahan
look in Buffalo? Consider some of the previous coaches: Gregg Williams, Wade
Phillips, Mike Mularkey and Dick Jauron. Sports betting fans would again start backing the
Bills.
2. Jon Gruden
This is probably an outside candidate, especially since
he just signed an extension with ESPN to stay on the Monday Night Football
crew, but he did immediately say that he will coach again in the future. Would
he coach in Buffalo? Probably not. He seems to like the warm weather programs
and the Bills don’t have a quarterback to mentor.
3. Mike Martz
Now this is a move that would actually make sense, to
some extent. While the Bills don’t have an offensive line, they do have plenty
of weapons such as Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, Fred Jackson and
Marshawn Lynch. Yet one thing the Bills have failed to do in recent years is be
entertaining; Martz could do exactly that. You know that it’d take him about
two weeks to find a quarterback, and if they got a line that would protect, the
Bills could be a high-scoring outfit in no time. If you bet sports, don’t bet on
it happening but this is one move that would make sense.
4. Some Guy You Don’t
Know/Expect
It seems like the Buffalo Bills do this more than any
other team. Not many NFL picks saw Mike Mularkey coming or even Dick Jauron,
so they will probably do the same. With Ralph Wilson keeping his hand in the
cookie jar, he’s likely to find someone that we wouldn’t expect. Tom Walsh,
anybody? What about Sherman Lewis? Maybe it’s time they give good ‘ol Bobby
April a shot.
5. Terrell Owens
Why not? NFL
betting fans know that there’s no other real reason why the Bills signed
him. Owner Ralph Wilson even said that he made the move to make headlines, so
why not make some more by putting Owens as the coach? Yes, it would be a train
wreck, but how would you describe the Dick Jauron era?
Posted Friday, November 13, 2009 10:03 AM
1st
Overall – Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The sportsbook favorite at this point would be Ndamukong Suh,
who is the best defensive tackle in the nation, but as we all know, a
quarterback has more value than a tackle. Jimmy Clausen has arguably been the
best quarterback in the nation this year, even if the Fighting Irish have been
struggling. He’s smart, he’s efficient, he comes from a pro style offense and
he’s worked with a coach who was an excellent offensive coordinator in the NFL.
That will appeal to many teams.
2nd
Overall – Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Cornhuskers
This might be high for Suh, who is an excellent defensive
tackle. The NFL has turned into a passing league, and NFL
betting fans have to agree that a great defensive end is more valuable than
a great defensive tackle nowadays.
3rd
Overall – Russell Okung, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Going with the previous point, a potential bookend left
tackle will provide plenty of value to NFL teams. When you look at who may be
drafting near the top of the board – teams like the Detroit Lions and Kansas
City Chiefs – you quickly see that they would snatch up a star like Okung.
Although Oklahoma State has been a huge disappointment this year, their stud
left tackle has been as advertised.
4th
Overall – Eric Berry, Tennessee Volunteers
Internet betting cappers are well aware of Eric
Berry, who is one of the best defensive backs in the nation. On top of that, he
spent his last season at Tennessee under the tutelage of a great defensive
coordinator Monte Kiffin, which is only going to help his value out even more. There
isn’t much that Berry doesn’t do on the football field: he’s a ball hawk, he’s
a sure tackler and he’s got blazing speed. He is the type of player that will
be a Rookie of the Year candidate early on.
5th
Overall – Jake Locker, Washington Huskies
We all know the value of quarterbacks, so online betting
cappers shouldn’t be too surprised to see Locker in the top five. Teams like
St. Louis, Cleveland, Washington and maybe even Oakland will be looking for a
new starter and Locker will provide a good option. Even the Buffalo Bills might
be in the mix. If Sam Bradford were to leave college early and if his healthy
concerns checked out, he could be in line for this slot instead of Locker.
Posted Thursday, November 12, 2009 03:57 PM
Sportsbook players know that the NCAA basketball betting
season is pretty slow until the conference portion of the schedule begins, but
there are usually a handful of games involving the nation’s best. Here’s the
cream of the crop to fill up your December with.
Michigan State at
North Carolina (December 1st)
In a rematch of last year’s national-championship game, the
Spartans will be out to exact some revenge on the Tar Heels, who no longer have
Ty Lawson running the show. Instead, it’ll be Larry Drew III who has the task
of chasing Lucas around, but the Tar Heels will have the advantage in the post.
Carolina has won six of eight against the Spartans, including the last four,
which is good sportsbook knowledge to have.
North Carolina at
Kentucky (December 5th)
Sportsbook betting players will get their first big-game
look at Kentucky coach John Calipari and point guard John Wall, who some say
will be the top pick in the NBA draft if he decides to leave school. Most will
be watching to see how the Wildcats
adapt to Calipari’s dribble-drive offense that was so effective at Memphis, and
they get to test it against another top-10 team in the Tar Heels, who have won
their last five against Kentucky.
North Carolina at
Texas (December 19th)
The defending national champions will head to Dallas to play
the Longhorns in the new Cowboys Stadium, and the last time they played basketball
in a football stadium, it was during March Madness last year. These two have
met only twice, and Texas has won both, although the highest margin of victory
was three points. It’ll be interesting to see how Texas’ Damion James fares in
the post against UNC’s Ed Davis. Unlike this Saturday’s Pacquiao vs Cotto odds, there won’t be a
heavy favorite in this slugfest.
Michigan State at
Texas (December 22nd)
It doesn’t get easy for the Longhorns, as they host the
Spartans three days later. This will be the first major test for Texas’
heralded freshman guard Avery Bradley, who will be going up against Michigan
State’s Kalin Lucas, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and the main
reason for the Spartans’ Final Four run last year. As two of the top three
teams in the preseason rankings, sportsbook players will want to pay close
attention to this game. These two have played five times since 1999, with
Michigan State taking the last three, including a pair at Texas. Only one of
those games have been decided by 10 points or more, so watch the posted total
in your online betting
book.
Louisville at
Kentucky (January 2nd)
Purdue-West Virginia on New Year’s Day is a great matchup of
college basketball betting sleepers,
but it has to take a backseat to one of the best rivalries in college
basketball that got better the second Calipari signed on to coach Kentucky.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino won a national title at Kentucky in 1996 and lost
in the ’97 title game, but his legacy has definitely been tarnished with
Wildcat fans after signing with their state rivals. Calipari and Pitino are
probably the highest-profile coaches in the nation, and oh yeah, there’ll be a
ton of talent on the floor as both are ranked in the preseason top 20 and have
solid internet
betting odds for the national title.
Posted Thursday, November 12, 2009 03:56 PM
Pacquiao Cotto betting. Couture vs Vera.
What a weekend for fight fans.
Dang it! Turns out the boxing world and UFC still
can’t get along. They’re counter programming against each other this Saturday,
forcing us to choose which event to watch. All we can do is break down the two
events based on various fun factors and try to make a decision. Let’s see if we
can come to a verdict by answer the following questions:
Which event
is more significant for its sport?
The Pacquiao fight, without a doubt. Not only are
Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto both putting titles on the line, many fight
fans also feel this bout is the final bridge to the fight of the decade. If
Manny Pacquiao wins, he’ll almost certainly draw undefeated Floyd Mayweather
Jr. next.
UFC 105 features no title fights. The headliners,
Randy Couture and Brandon Vera, are top-five guys in the light heavyweight
division at best, though you never know if Dana White will just hand Couture
another title shot. The bigger UFC fight is the Mike Swick/Dan Hardy bout,
which will determine the No. 1 welterweight contender.
Edge: Pacquiao
fight
Which event
is easier on the wallet?
UFC 105 – because it’s free. It’s no coincidence
that Dana White scheduled a cable TV event on Spike featuring Randy Couture on
the same night as the Pacquiao fight. Sportsbook
bettors should expect him to do that many more times.
Edge: UFC
105
Which
event’s undercard bouts offer more entertainment?
UFC 105’s. Because the event takes place in
England, Dana White has loaded the card with British fighters – pretty much all
of whom are brawlers who like to do nothing but punch. Hardy, Michael Bisping,
Paul Kelly and Paul Taylor should all be fired up in front of some very rowdy
fans. UFC 105 thus probably offers more consistent entertainment over three
hours.
Edge: UFC
105
Which event
is better to watch with a big group of friends?
UFC 105. It seems like very UFC card in England
has fireworks – the type of battles that result in big knockouts and make you
and your buddies yell “OHHH!”
Edge: UFC 105
Which even
is better to watch on your own?
The Pacquiao fight. It’s a pleasure to watch the
best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and you’ll appreciate Pac-Man even
more if you get to watch him uninterrupted and just listen to the commentary.
Edge: Pacquiao
fight
THE VERDICT
If you’re looking for a fun, cheap, wild affair,
you should definitely opt for UFC 105. However, if you’re a die-hard sports fan
or online betting
sharp, Pacquiao vs Cotto is the “can’t-miss” event. It features two world-class
fighters in their prime, each of whom has an exciting, aggressive style. If you
miss UFC 105, no problem – UFC 106 is a week later. You’re better off spending
the extra bucks and ordering the boxing match this time around. Enjoy the
fights and don’t forget the Patriots vs Colts NFL
odds this Sunday night! That could be the best sporting event of all this
weekend.
Pick: Pacquiao
fight
Posted Friday, November 06, 2009 09:58 AM
Everyone in the sportsbook world thinks that they know who the
participants in the BCS Championship Game will be: Texas, and the winner of the
possible Florida-Alabama showdown for the SEC crown. Who else could sneak in
through the back and overcome some major NCAA football odds?
Iowa (+1500)
The No.4 Hawkeyes are one of the biggest surprises of the
year, and they don’t win pretty: seven of their nine wins have been by 11
points or less. This could come back to bite the Hawkeyes, especially as the
Big Ten isn’t known as the power conference it once was (thanks for getting
blown out in two straight BCS title games, Ohio State). The Hawkeyes first have
to get past their visit to Ohio State next weekend, and then if they make it to
the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten champions, they’ll most likely have to blow out
their opponents for their NCAA football odds to be considered.
TCU (+2000)
The No.6 Horned Frogs, out of the Mountain West, should
thank Utah for making a fuss about the smaller conferences being left out of
the BCS title race after last year, and they’re powered by the No.1 defense in
the country. They beat Clemson and Virginia on the road, and they also went to
then-No.16 BYU and spanked the Cougars 38-7. Their last tough game comes next
weekend at home against Utah, and if they get past the Utes, keep an eye on
their NCAA football odds.
Boise State (+2000)
The No.7 Broncos are praying that Oregon keeps winning,
because their season-opening win over the Ducks is their only strong victory.
The Broncos are balanced, coming in 10th in defense in 21st
in offense, but their schedule is weaker than a child with swine flu. Their
conference, the WAC, has just hired a PR firm to help the Broncos’ bid for the
BCS, but will that help Boise State be one of the NCAA
football picks for the big bowls?
Cincinnati (+3000)
The No.5 Bearcats are quietly rolling through the Big East,
even with an injury to quarterback Tony Pike. Their signature wins came on the
road at Oregon State and South Florida, which isn’t all that great. But they
have a great chance to sway from voters when they host West Virginia next
Friday night, as well as their road trip to No.13 Pittsburgh to end the season.
A win over the Panthers would surely boost their online betting odds.
LSU (+5000)
The Tigers have a loss to No.1 Florida, but they can blow
the title race wide open if they were to upset No.3 Alabama on the road this
weekend. Even the loss to Florida was only by 10 points at home, so it’s really
not that bad. The Alabama game is their last chance to show voters what they
have, because the road trip to Ole Miss isn’t as important due to the Rebels,
well, sucking this year. Still, this weekend’s clash with the Crimson Tide
could definitely shake up the internet sports betting lines in the NCAA.