Pats, Giants have bad Super Bowl karma

I’m all for superstition when it comes to sports. Anything you think will help win the game probably can - and will.

And with that comes good karma. I’m not a tree hugger, but I do enjoy the occasional cup of herbal tea and I do believe in keeping a positive energy heading into big events like the Super Bowl.

And neither the Patriots nor the Giants have done that in the hours leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.

It started last night, when the Giants’ website accidentally posted a celebratory page, congratulating themselves on a win over the Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl – 24 hours before the game even started.

Oops!

Then in the early hours of Super Sunday, news spread that New England had cut receiver Tiquan Underwood the night before the Big Game to make room for defensive lineman Alex Silvestro from the practice squad.

Harsh.

You may or may not buy into the case for bad karma, but which team has angered the football gods more with their moves – the Giants' premature celebration or the Pats' cutthroat cut?

New NBA season, new NBA looks

With the NBA getting a makeover during the lockout, players have followed suit.

A couple guys are trying out new looks this preseason – for better or worse – including Dallas Mavericks forward Shawn Marion and New Orleans Hornets newly-acquired center Chris Kaman.

Kaman looks like a ginger lumberjack with his beard-shaved head combo while Marion is rocking the Demolition Man like Rodman in the 90s.

I’ll let you be the judge on which new look is the best...

What if major sports had Survivor Series?

As a kid watching professional wrestling, there were only a handful of PPV events that defined the landscape in the WWF – now WWE.

You had, of course, Wrestlemania, Summer Slam, Royal Rumble, and my favorite, Survivor Series.

While all the other events were loaded with single and tag-team matches (and a 30-man battle royal at the Royal Rumble), Survivor Series was a unique card made up of team matches, pitting the best babyfaces (good guys) versus the best heels (bad guys).

The WWE has kept this format rolling and will uncork another Survivor Series this Sunday. I don’t follow wrestling that closely anymore, and don’t know who half the guys are, but I still enjoy the team vs. team format.

But what if other sports (real sports) started their own Survivor Series showdown, pitting the best good guys against the best bad guys? Here’s how it would shake down for each league:

NFL

Aaron Rodgers, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Peterson, Jason Witten, Jared Allen

VS.

Philip Rivers, DeSean Jackson, Chris Johnson, Vernon Davis, Ndamukong Suh

Team Rivers would take an early lead, knocking out Witten, Allen and Peterson, thanks to some underhanded tactics from Suh. But, Rodgers needs just a single receiver, and he and Fitzgerald clean house, before Rivers grabs a handful of trunks and gets Fitz for the 1-2-3.

That leaves just Rodgers and Rivers, with the Packers QB doing the classic Hogan finger point - “You!” - and beatdown... [More]

Peyton Manning: The Real NFL MVP

Most Valuable Player awards have always been skewed a bit when it comes to the true meaning behind the honor.

A lot of the time, the best player on the best team wins the MVP – not necessarily the player who means the most to their franchise.

In the NFL, Aaron Rodgers looks like the runaway winner for 2011, even though the Green Bay Packers gunslinger may not be the most valuable player to his team when you take a good look at the league.

In fact, the 2011 NFL MVP hasn’t even stepped on the field this season – and probably won’t – for a squad that is 0-7 heading into Week 8 of the schedule.

To see how far the Indianapolis Colts have fallen without quarterback Peyton Manning is astonishing. While, in essence, he only throws the football, Manning’s absence has seemed to impact every aspect of the Colts.

You want to know Manning's impact, just look at this week's spread against Tennessee. Cantor Gaming made the Colts as 3-point favorites back in June when they posted lines on every NFL game of the season. The line has swung 12 points now with the Colts getting 9 points against an average Titans team.

"I am not sure how Peyton Manning doesn't win the MVP this year," Andrew Patterson, an oddsmaker with Las Vegas Sports Consultants, told Covers.com. "It is clear he means more to the Colts than any player on any other team."

The offense, obviously, has taken giant leaps backwards with backup Curtis Painter under center. But the de... [More]

Hey NBA, don't ruin Christmas

When it comes to my favorite flavor of hoops, I’d always choose college over pro. And, with the NBA lockout threatening even more NBA games, it looks like every basketball fan will be down to one choice this winter.

However, while I prefer to watch more NCAA action than NBA, I do enjoy just how good the pro game is. Leave a guy open in the corner and it’s a sure-fire 3-pointer. Late to pick up the ball, they’re already in full stride and slicing through the paint.

I’m not missing the NBA yet, mostly because we’ve only lost preseason games so far and the original start to the season isn’t until November 1 (New start is Nov 15). But, talk about canning the season up until and past the Christmas Day games has me a little on edge.

The December 25 matchups are a holiday tradition in my family. As a kid, I can remember opening presents, eating a big breakfast, visiting family and then settling in for hours of classic Xmas Day NBA action.

I can take the loss of the first few weeks, and maybe even up to December. But for all that’s sacred, don’t take my Christmas Day games away!

Without the NBA, I’ll be forced to visit with relatives I haven’t seen in years, drink bad punch, and sit through endless stories about “How when we were kids, we got an orange for Christmas”.

And this year’s Christmas Day games are especially great: Bulls at Lakers, Celtics at Knicks, and Heat at Mavericks. They’ll all keep me parked in my La-Z-Boy from noon until ... [More]

Biggest disappointment: Eagles, Heat, or Phillies?

After falling to 1-4 with a 31-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles are grasping for straws when it comes to a quick fix for their already-broken season.

The Eagles reportedly offered a defensive consultant gig to former Jets and Browns coach Eric Mangini, hoping the defensive mastermind could tinker with their lackluster stop unit. Mangini allegedly turned Philadelphia down.

The Eagles were supposed to be the NFL’s “Dream Team”, after signing a slew of free agents and trading for some big-name talents. But, after just five weeks, it’s safe to say Philly has been a disappointment.

However, as bad as the Eagles have been, they might not even be the biggest disappointment in the City of Brotherly Love.

Baseball’s Phillies were supposed to ride their stellar pitching staff all the way to the World Series this year. But instead, their bats went ice cold versus St. Louis and provided nothing in the way of support for Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and the rest of the gang.

Philadelphia’s loaded rosters, on paper at least, seemed to be in the same vein as the Miami Heat’s moves to ink three of the best players in the NBA two summers ago.

We all know how that came out. LeBron, Wade and Bosh lost to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

So, with the Eagles dogged on the road in Washington this week, the Phillies licking their wounds (and surgically-repaired Achilles) this winter, and the Heat perhaps having to wait until N... [More]

Should Philly have tanked versus Atlanta?

As a Phillies fan, I’ve been waiting all season for October. Ever since Philadelphia added Cliff Lee to its rotation, a postseason appearance was basically a formality for this squad.

But even though the Phillies won 102 games this year, it was game No. 162 that worries me the most. Philadelphia didn’t roll over for NL East rival Atlanta in the final game of the schedule, and eliminated the Braves’ shot at the NL Wildcard with a win in extra innings Wednesday.

That allowed the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that went 6-3 versus the Phillies this season, to waltz into the Wildcard spot and face Philadelphia in the Division Series starting at Citizens Bank Park Saturday.

Oddsmaker and pundits have the Phillies as sizable favorites over the Cardinals. However, St. Louis brings a ton of momentum into October after storming back from a 10.5-game hole in the Wildcard race to win 23 of its final 31 games – including taking three of four in Philly last month against the likes of Halladay, Hamels and Worley.

I think it would have been much safer to tank that final game of the season, and at least give Atlanta a chance to make the Wildcard in a play-in game versus St. Louis. The Phillies could have drawn the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS – a team they went 3-3 against in the regular season but have far less to fear from than the Cardinals’ veteran lineup.

Perhaps Philadelphia’s pride got in the way. Maybe the Phillies relished the opportunity to snu... [More]

Get your NFL Overs while you can

High scores and over bets have been the talk of the town when it comes to NFL betting.

Through the first two weeks of the season, the Over has gone an amazing 23-8 (74 percent).

Many thought the shortened offseason, due to the lockout, would take its toll on conditioning and timing and keep scores low until teams got back into shape. But it appears that the offensive players are less impacted by lack of practice than those on the defensive side of the ball.

A lot of coaches have been quick to pick up on this and have switched their offense into high gear to exploit the rusty defenders. Teams like the Patriots have gone with no-huddle attacks in order to keep defensive players on the field, sucking wind while Tom Brady picks apart the secondary like it’s stuck in cement.

Jay Rood, sportsbook manager for the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, believes Week 3 might be the last time bettors can really ride this total trend. He expects defenses to round into game shape at some point during this Sunday’s action.

“There’s been a lot of rust falling off those guys,” Rood says about NFL defenses. “The smart coaches, like Belichick, noticed this. But I think you’ll see less and less no-huddle in the next two or three weeks.”

Rood also blames the rash of injuries plaguing the NFL through the first two weeks on the lockout-shortened offseason. Plenty of marquee talents, on both sides of the ball, have suffered season-ending injuries.

“That’s what ... [More]

Snowball in the forecast for Dallas?

For the all guff Plaxico Burress get for shooting himself in the leg, the Dallas Cowboys should get twice the trouble after once again shooting themselves in the foot.

Dallas handed its fans, me included, another horrific and painful loss in Week 1. By now, you already know the gory details, but just to review: Goal-line fumble, blocked punt, interception, botched snap, stupid Romo smile = blown 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Even a cover as 3.5-point underdogs couldn't get the taste out of my mouth.

Tony Romo took the blame for the 27-24 loss, and so he should. Despite a terrific stat line (342 yards and two touchdowns against the top pass defense in the NFL), Romo’s goal-line fumble snowballed into the mess mentioned above.



While the loss was a tough pill to swallow, like sucking back a pine cone dipped in hot sauce and rolled in fiberglass, I can’t help but be optimistic about the Cowboys’ efforts.

They managed to push around one of the league’s best stop units and, until the secondary started dropping like flies, did a great job on defense. Dez Bryant looked like a killer (before he got tired) and Miles Austin threw Antonio Cromartie around like a rag doll all night. And the pass rush was able to get to Sanchez, most notably DeMarcus Ware, which is key if the secondary continues to suck.

Dallas finds itself in a similar spot to last year’s Week 2 matchup. It’s coming off a crushing opening-game blunder and takes on a respe... [More]

Best Week 1 uniforms: Maryland or Oregon?

All the buzz in the college football world Tuesday morning wasn’t the Maryland Terrapins’ win over the scandal-plagued Miami Hurricanes Monday night, but the uniforms they did it in.

The Terps rocked home uniforms incorporating the Maryland state flag, splitting red and yellow on the helmet, shoulder pads and gloves. The uniforms, provided by Under Armor, whose founder Kevin Plank is an alumnus of the university, have received mixed reviews from football fans and fashionistas alike.

Another uniform under scrutiny in Week 1 were the black and neon green outfits worn by the Oregon Ducks in their loss to LSU Saturday night. Oregon gets numerous uni sets from Nike founder Phil Knight, an alumnus of that school’s track program. The Ducks' getup bordered on safety vest/electric Tron suits, and those radioactive gloves sure didn't help when it came to holding on to the football.

So in the spirit of those “Who wore it better?” debates in the rag mags, which college program rocked the best Week 1 uniforms – Maryland, Oregon or someone else?

China brawl blessing in disguise for Hoyas

Georgetown head coach John Thompson III wanted his program to experience another country and culture while testing their might against some professional talent when he took his Hoyas for a preseason tour of China.

“It’s going to be a huge, huge cultural change for us, but I think as a team we’re all looking forward to seeing something new,” guard Jason Clark told the Washington Post before the team left for the 10-day trip. “Everybody wants to go to China because it’s something different. The basketball is going to be fun too, getting to play against different people. Here you play against Americans most of the time. Now you get to go over and see how other people play.”

Coach Thompson and Georgetown got a lot more than they bargained for. By now, most sports fans have heard about the violent brawl that erupted when the Hoyas faced pro team, the Bayi Rockets, in Beijing Thursday. Check out the video below to get an idea of all the chaos, haymakers, and chair throwing that went down:


It appears as if the Hoyas and Rockets have smoothed over their animosity, with Bayi players meeting Georgetown at the airport and exchanging souvenirs before the Hoyas left for Shanghai. And don’t expect another brawl when these teams play again Sunday  - although we'll all be keeping an eye on it.

While this incident is a black eye for what was supposed to be a goodwill trip to promote “sports diplomacy” between the United States and China, it’s the ultimate ... [More]

Football-starved public loves NFL preseason, just not betting on it

Football fans, who normally push the NFL preseason away like a clingy leper, are welcoming the warmup games with open arms after the lockout threatened the entire 2011 season this summer.

Football fever is spreading across North America ever since the players and owners kissed and made up. It seems everyone is thinking about the NFL, be it casual fans, fantasy heads, or the sports betting community, which breathed a huge sigh of relief when the lockout ended last month.

“Human mentality is that once you realize you could lose something, you appreciate it more and you notice it more,” says Tony Williams, sportsbook manager for 5Dimes.com. “The same can be said for relationships and football.

“A lot of guys have a better relationship with the NFL than they do with any girlfriend. The NFL has always been there. For most guys, women come and go throughout their life. But the NFL has always been there.”

Williams admits he’s feeling giddy about the new NFL schedule, but that frenzied interest hasn’t translated into a bigger handle for sportsbooks over the first two days of preseason action.

Some blame the lack of television coverage for the tuneup games while others, like MGM Mirage sportsbook manager Jeff Stoneback, believe the short offseason and abbreviated training camps are keeping bettors from wagering on the unknown.

Stoneback says the ignited interest in the NFL is bringing in record crowds to watch the preseason tilts, but few of ... [More]

Time to break up with baseball betting

Ah, summer love.

And I’m not talking about that shit John Travolta was singing about in Grease.

I’m talking about that relationship we’ve all had at one point in our lives over the summer months, that wasn’t so much about “love” but about having someone to go to late in the game – like a solid closer in baseball – if you know what I’m sayin’?

For the most part, summer relationships are there to kill time and fill the space between the end of the school year and the start of it. For a young man, the fall, especially in your university run, is like the NFL Draft for potential girlfriends. There's talent at every corner and every class.

The summer months, while they’re carefree and lack the daily grind of school, are more like the CFL Draft – you really need to put in some serious scouting if you want to find a gem.

And chances are, at one point, you’ve dropped your summer gal just in time for the school season, and its buffet-style dating options. It’s a cruel reality in the relationship game, one that is mirrored in the world of sports betting each and every fall.

Baseball has been sports bettors’ summer fling since the NBA Finals wrapped in June. She’s been there every day to get you through this slow period in action, but you were never really in love with her and most days, didn’t even feel like having her around.

Sure, you had some good times. Like that five-game parlay you nailed in July or jumping on the Pirates before t... [More]

Philly franchises are ninjas when it comes to big-name free agents

Remember that time you were going to get an awesome deal on that autographed Wayne Gretzky jersey on eBay, and someone swooped in with a last-second bid and stole your prized item?

Chances are that person was from Philadelphia.

And that sweet parking spot you noticed right next to the gate of you local arena, and just as you were pulling in, some jackass swerved in and took it?

More than likely, that car had Pennsylvania plates and 76ers sticker in the back window.

Philadelphia may be known as the City of Brotherly Love, but in the world of big-name free agent shopping, Philly is getting a reputation as a stealth-bombing, wildcard city that creeps in through the window in the middle of the night and carries free agents off to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex – home to the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and Sixers.

The Philadelphia Eagles made waves Friday, scooping shutdown corner Nnamdi Asomugha from right under the New York Jets’ nose. Reports around the NFL were that Asomugha was destined to go to either the Jets or Dallas Cowboys. But instead, the Eagles landed the most sought after free agent on the market, and shocked the league and its fans.

But this isn’t the first time a Philadelphia franchise has pulled off a surprise move. Earlier this month, the Flyers acquired returning NHL veteran Jaromir Jagr, who appeared to be headed back to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he won two Stanley Cups. But instead of a happy reunion, Jagr j... [More]

Yao Ming's legacy is Hall of Fame worthy

Yao Ming was one of the best things to ever happen to the NBA.

But, with the international sensation suddenly retiring Friday, his legacy will be more about being an ambassador for the sport of basketball than his work on the court.

After being drafted No. 1 overall in 2002, and bringing in a massive audience to the NBA from his home country China, the 7-foot-6 monster took the sports world by storm. Unlike many 7-footers, who served more as gimmick projects than real prospects, Yao proved he belonged in the Association.


He went head-to-head with the finest big men in the Western Conference every night, holding his own against the likes of first-ballot HoF’ers Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan. For his career, Yao averaged 19 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks, with his best season coming in 2006-07 when he scored 25 points and pulled down 9.4 boards a night, but only played 48 games due to injuries.

Yao would continue to slow down after multiple foot and knee ailment, having played in just 160 games between the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons. He came back strong in 2008-09, putting up more than 19 points per game and suiting up for the Rockets 77 times, but again foot injuries would limit him to only five games in the next two seasons and eventually force Yao to retire.

Yao’s accomplishments were impressive for such a short time in the NBA - eight-time All-Star (thanks in part to the large Chinese fan vote), two All-NBA Second Team nods, ... [More]

Biggest waste of money: Jagr or Oden?

Sports teams could have put a man on Mars with all the money thrown away on dead-fish talents and over-the-hill has-beens.

And, with the NHL free agent market open for business Friday and the NBA offseason posing a ton of money questions, two recent contract moves have many people scratching their heads.

In the NHL, the Penguins, Red Wings and Canadiens are waiting on future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr and his expected return to the league.

Jagr, who won numerous scoring titles, league MVPs and two Stanley Cups, has proven there is something left in the tank after his performances on the international level the last few years. Rumor has it, the Penguins tossed their former forward a one-year deal but are waiting on the green light from Jagr and his agent.

Sure, Jagr has been able to pick up his game versus a mishmash of international squads, but can he still cut it in the NHL after playing in the KHL since 2008? He’s one the greatest international player to ever grace the NHL ice but he’s 39 and a well-documented malcontent when things aren’t going well.

Over in the NBA, a looming lockout hasn’t stopped the Trail Blazers from pulling the trigger on the $8.8 million qualifying offer on former first-overall draft choice, Greg Oden.

The highly-touted center was the top pick in the 2007 draft but has only played a total of 82 games since, due to multiple knee surgeries and minor dings. The action allows the Blazers to match any offer t... [More]

LeBron James is tired

It’s been an especially long year for Miami Heat – LeBron James in particular.

Starting with the circus surrounding his signing with the Heat last summer and spanning into Game 5 of the NBA Finals Thursday, James has been going non-stop since he dropped the bomb on the NBA last July.

It seems, looking at his performances versus the Dallas Mavericks, that LeBron may be running out of gas. He’s far less active on the offensive end compared to the previous series and mustered just 11 shots (hitting only three of them) in Game 4’s loss in Dallas Tuesday.

James is 26 for 56 from the floor in the finals, averaging just 14 shots over those four contests. Looking at the previous two series, it seems he’s sucking wind as the finals get into - to take a page from boxing - the championship rounds.

He was 42 for 94 in the five games versus the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals, averaging just under 19 shots a game. And, against the Boston Celtics in the second round, James went 51 for 108 during the five-game series, hoisting an average of 21.6 shots per outing.

Credit must be given to the Mavericks and their defense, which is the main reason they’ve been able to get over the hump in the Western Conference and complete so many miraculous comebacks this postseason. But scorers like LeBron don’t dip this low just because of guys like Shawn Marion and Deshawn Stevenson.

An elite scorer should score as many points from the field as the... [More]

Goodbye big guy: My favorite Shaq moments

I originally posted this blog last year once the Cleveland Cavaliers were bounced from the playoffs, thinking this would be the end for Shaquille O'Neal's amazing and entertaining NBA career. I was wrong.

Shaq went on to play (and I use that lightly) for the Boston Celtics in the 2010-11 season, managing to suit up for only 37 games and score just over nine points a night due to a laundry list of ailments. While many claim the extra few years bouncing around the league tarnished O'Neal's legacy, I believe it was just another example of how much he actually enjoys the game of basketball.

Shaq finished his career averaging 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and about 1 million memorable moments - on and off the court. You can be sure this isn't the last we'll hear from the great Wilt Chamberleezy, who will likely be sitting next to Charles, Kenny, and C-Webb in the near future.

So, in honor of Shaq, here are my favorite moments from his Hall-of-Fame career:

Shaq’s amazing personality was apparent as soon as he was drafted by the Magic. His “Who me?” act was the first of many charming and hilarious moments to come.


Remember when Shaq signed with Reebok coming into the league and those life-size cutouts of the big guy were at your neighborhood sporting goods shop, along with the size 22 original Shaq Attack? If you remember anything from this blog, it’s “Don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk”. Just don’t.


We had seen guys rip do... [More]

Chicago pulls its Sox up for interleague play

There hasn’t been much to cheer about on the South Side of Chicago this season.

The White Sox have one foot in the basement of the American League Central and have burned loyal backers for almost nine units heading into Wednesday action.

But, grey skies are going to clear up for the ChiSox: Interleague play is on the way!

Chicago has been one of the best bets during the league-crossover contests, posting an 87-57 record versus National League foes since 2003 – a winning percent of over 60 percent.

Last season, the Pale Hose went 15-3 against NL opponents like Florida, the Cubs, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Atlanta. In 2009 and 2008, they put up identical 12-6 records versus the Senior Circuit and, since 2003, have only posted two losing years during Interleague play (4-14 in 2007 and 8-10 in 2004).

Sure, teams change year from year and the White Sox’s success against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who they host this weekend, or the remaining NL teams on their sked isn’t guaranteed. But Chicago seems to be finding its stride after a slow start, winning seven of its past 10 games heading into Wednesday’s tilt with the Texas Rangers.

The ChiSox picked up a lot of momentum and much-need confidence during a recent West Coast road trip. They have been getting solid work from their staff this month (2.94 ERA in May) and have been producing a bit more offense during this streak (4.1 runs last 10 compared to 3.81 for the season), which seems to ma... [More]

What's worse: No poker or no PS3?

It might as well be the dark ages for fans of online gaming.

Major online poker sites are handcuffed by the Feds while online gamers are minus a pastime (purpose in life?) ever since hackers grabbed Sony’s Playstation Network by the short and curlies over a month ago.

The abrupt stop to these two popular hobbies has forced plenty of pale-skin, socially-awkward people to make eye contact with others as they flood into society, searching for entertainment.

Las Vegas has seen a boost in casino poker room traffic since the government clamped down on big sites like Pokerstars, according to Covers.com Sin City insider Case Keefer.

That trend leaves me a bit worried about the numbers of Call of Duty addicts with itchy trigger fingers since the PS Network crashed. Perhaps it wasn’t an elite team of Navy SEALS who took down Osama bin Laden, maybe it was just some action-starved SOCOM heads desperately looking for their poker room.

Either way, plenty of people are pissed about both situations. No poker and no PS3 makes Jack a dull boy, right?

Which online game are you missing the most: Poker or PS3?

Bet on sports and casino games at BetJamaica.com.
... [More]

Stop the excuses! The real reason why L.A. is losing

The Lakers are complacent. Kobe is banged up. Los Angeles is too old. Too many egos. Pau Gasol is soft. Phil Jackson doesn’t care anymore.

These are all good excuses for why the Los Angeles Lakers are down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. But, unfortunately for the purple and gold, those excuses aren't the real reasons why the defending NBA champs have their backs against the wall.

As a Lakers fan, it sometimes stings to give credit where credit is due – especially when the person deserving said credit is destroying your team. Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki is killing Los Angeles through the first two games.


Dirk scored 28 points in Game 1, along with 14 rebounds and three assists. Then, The Diggler went for 24, 7 and 2 in Game 2, helping Dallas bettors cash in as underdogs both times.

The cherry on top of those numbers is the fact that they’re coming against one of the top defenders in the history of the NBA, Ron Artest. And with Ron-Ron’s clothesline on Jose Barea and ejection from Game 2 leading to a possible suspension, Nowitzki could be faced with a lesser defender for Friday’s Game 3 in Dallas.

I still won’t count out my Lakers, as long as we have hope. But, with the way Dirk is playing and the history going against Los Angeles after dropping the first two games, I need to lineup some better excuses.

... [More]

Price is right on the Capitals down 0-3

Money is tight everywhere, especially after the tax man came a callin’ last month.

If you’re like me, you’re pinching the pennies until you get your head above water. That means shortening your grocery list to the items in the discount “crash-n-bash” cart, cutting your cable package down to the stuff you can get free online in the first place, and bargain shopping when it comes to placing your bets.

That’s why I’m eyeballing the Washington Capitals' odds, now that they are down 0-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, heading into tonight’s tilt in Florida.

Right now the Capitals, who opened the playoffs at +600 to win the Stanley Cup (second-biggest favorites), are priced around +3,500 with their backs against the wall.

Sure, it may be a shot in the dark, but Washington has been putting up a good fight in the series. They’ve lost the last two games by one goal, including overtime in Game 2, and dropped the opener 4-2, with the Bolts’ last goal coming on an empty net.

And for those who think it’s throwing money down the toilet: Stranger things have happened. Just ask the Boston Bruins, who blew a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers last year.

I’m not wagering my entire shrinking savings account or my first born on the Caps. But at +3,500, I know a good deal when I see one.

Bet on the NHL at BetJamaica.com.
... [More]

The Curious Case Of Manny Ramirez

Even four years removed from Fenway Park, Manny Ramirez was still making headlines in the middle of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.

News of Ramirez’s sudden retirement broke through the back-and-forth slugfest between the AL East foes like a shattered bat flying into the stands Friday. The NESN broadcast screeched to a halt when the story broke and got even more off track when news that another failed drug test had prompted the then-Tampa Bay Ray to call it quits.

According to reports, Ramirez was informed about his second positive test and, instead of serving another suspension or face disciplinary actions, the 38 year old decided to retire. For Rays fans, this might have come five games too late, after Ramirez was a terrible 1 for 17 with four strikeouts in his short stint with Tampa Bay.

Ramirez had become a shell of his former self in recent years, lacking the scary power that used to rain down on unfortunately-parked cars on Lansdowne Street during his time in Boston.

Ever since testing positive for hCG while with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009, for which he served a 50 game suspension, Ramirez was on a steep downward slide, eventually signing with Tampa Bay as a DH before the start of the 2011 season. The move was a desperate one by a franchise that just watched its top talents leave for big bucks in better baseball markets.

Ramirez was once one of the most-feared sluggers in the bigs, along with being its most colorful character. His... [More]

Congrats Ohio State! The No. 1 team in the nation

Congrats Ohio State – the nation’s No. 1 college basketball program.

At least, that’s how Northern Arizona head coach Mike Adras feels. Adras was the only coach not to vote for Connecticut in the final Top 25 Coaches Poll, despite the Huskies running through the NCAA tournament to win the program’s third national title.

"They asked me to vote for the No. 1 team based on the body of work of the entire season," Adras told ESPN. "I'm not trying to take anything away from Connecticut ... they deserve to be the champions. I just (voted) based on the entire, overall season."

Perhaps Adras is on to something. UConn did finish with a 9-9 conference record in the Big East and caught fire in the postseason, putting together 11 straights wins through the Big East and NCAA tournament.

Ohio State, on the other hand, finished with a 16-2 record in the Big Ten and lost only three games all season – one on which was versus Kentucky in the Elite Eight.

The Buckeyes, who were the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, got the shit end of the stick when it came to regional draws. They were placed in the East regional along with giants like Kentucky, Syracuse and North Carolina.

"I meant no disrespect to anybody," Adras told reporters. "To be honest with you, I thought others would have voted the same way."

Measuring OSU to UConn, based on a season’s worth of data and analysis, and most smart NCAA followers would say the Buckeyes would win a hea... [More]

Four people who have a better bracket than you

It’s been a mad, mad March, leaving plenty of college basketball fans to question why the hell they bother following a season’s worth of NCAA action.

Even the most hardcore hoop heads have watched their brackets burn while Kaylee, the perky intern, leads the office pool because: She has a grandma in Arizona, her boyfriend drives a Ram, her neighbor had “the cutest” bulldog growing up, and she watched the Wizard of Oz (for the 1,000th time) just before Selection Sunday and thought that was the universe’s way of telling her to pick Kansas to win it all.

While she’ll probably spend her winnings, including the $10 bucks you confidently threw into the hat, on a new bag, bus tickets and some drinks for her and her equally-bubbly friends (skanks) at the bar this weekend (and not even watch the games), you can take some consolation that you’re not alone in the wasteland of broken brackets.

There are a lot of us out there that thought we had a good grasp on the madness, only to watch it explode like Chris Brown in a dressing room. All the while, witnessing people, who have never heard of the Morris brothers (no they aren’t a pair of video game plumbers), pull near-perfect brackets out of their ass like they ate Gary Parrish, Jerry Palm and Joe Lunardi the night before.

Here are four people who have a better bracket than you:

Your Mom

If you’re like me, March Madness is a family event. And each year, we all put our best brackets forward with a... [More]