This match-up of last year’s combatants for the NCAA championship doesn’t hold nearly the same amount of luster. For starters, pretty much every player that played in that title game is now in the NBA. Also, neither team is even ranked. Florida is the closer of the two teams to being ranked, as they are 9-1, but their loss came somewhat shockingly loss to Florida State. Also, the rest of their schedule has been somewhat as a joke. Ohio State has played a much tougher schedule, but at the time of this writing they are 5-3, and looking like they may struggle just to get back to the NCAA tournament, let alone the championship game.

Florida does seem to have some young talent, namely Freshman Nick Calathes, who leads the team with 15.6 points and 6 rebounds a game. The squad looks decent, but they probably won’t be able to compete with the better teams in the SEC, but I think they could receive an at large birth to the championship tournament, but not much would be expected in the tournament.

Despite the pour start, I think Ohio State could win this game, based on just the fact that they have played, and for the most part hung, with better competition. It also helps that there will be a sense of a revenge factor, as Florida defeated Ohio State last year to claim the national championship. Florida may have the better long term future success, but I believe that the Buckeyes will win by a semi-upset, in what should be a close game.

NCAA Basketball Betting Live Odds NCAA Baskeball Betting

 Email This Post |  Print this post

A Saturday afternoon basketball game will pit the UCLA Bruins against the Michigan Wolverines. Not since the days of the “Fab Five” have the Wolverines enjoyed much success on the basketball court, and their bad luck continues today. As of this writing they are 4-6, but they have played well at home, going 3-0. They will need to hope they can keep up that play at home when they play the Bruins, who have only lost once this year, and started the season as the number one ranked team in the country.

UCLA’s only loss came to Texas, by two points. Much of their success this year can be attributed to freshman Kevin Love. Love, a center, came out of high school as one of the most widely regarded recruits in the nation. So far this year he is off to a blazing start, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game. The entire starting UCLA lineup averages over ten points a game.

Michigan doesn’t have the firepower of UCLA, and that’s why I’m favoring the Bruins by more than a few points. Michigan has a freshman of their own, Manny Harris, that is also averaging 16 points a game, but unlike Love, Harris has no other support. For years Michigan looks like a team that may be good “next year.” This is one of those teams.

NCAA Basketball Live Odds NCAA Basketball Betting

 Email This Post |  Print this post

The Dallas Mavericks are off to a slower then predicted start, after finishing last year with the best record in the NBA. But, they were also ousted in the first round of those NBA playoffs by the Golden State Warriors. I am guessing they’d rather have a worse record in the regular season, but win an NBA title at the end of it. Truth is, last year they got off to a slow start as well. The Mavericks are still good at home, where they are 9-2, so if they can just find a way to turn it around on the road they will appear just fine.

At the time of this writing the Clippers are five games under .500. After spending years as the laughing stock of the NBA they have gotten gradually better the last few years, barely missing the playoffs a few times. They have pretty decent talent, a talent that would probably give them a better record in the east, but in the stacked western conference they are just another team fighting for one of the last playoff spots. At this rate they are competing more for a draft pick then a playoff spot, but they have been competitive in their games. Corey Maggette is finally getting his chance to be the first option in an offense, after years of playing second fiddle. He is averaging over 20 points a game. They also have a fairly decent “do it all” center in Chris Kaman. Kaman, who has drawn comparisons to Caveman, is averaging over 10 rebounds a game. I still predict the Mavericks will take this one in fairly easy fashion.

NBA Betting Live Odds NBA Betting

 Email This Post |  Print this post

The Boston Celtics are the best team in the eastern conference, and could hang with anyone in the western conference. In fact, they are currently the favorites to walk away with the NBA championship at the end of the year. When you have Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen representing your team, it’s no wonder.

The Chicago Bulls on the other hand have started off to a slower then anticipated start. Much of it has been attributed to their 3-8 start on the road. At home the Celtics are undefeated, so it may be no shock to you think I am picking the Celtics to win this match up fairly easily. The Bulls have found some recent success the last few years, but nothing to come close to the excitement Michael Jordan brought the city. They seem to lack a leader, as one of their best players, Ben Gordon, is a former sixth man. Gordon does lead the team with just over 18 points a ball game, but he doesn’t have much to help him out.

Pierce leads the Celtics with 20.5 points a game, but unlike Gordon, he obviously has a slew of talent surrounding him. For that reason, and the reasons previously stated are why I am favoring Garnett, and his 10.7 rebounds a game in this contest.

NBA Betting Live Odds NBA Betting ?

 Email This Post |  Print this post

Last year the Chicago Bears made it to the Super Bowl, leaving fans thinking this is something they could expect year after year. However, they have been on the receiving end of some tough losses, and unable to find a suitable quarterback, leaving them out of the playoff race.

On the other hand the Minnesota Vikings weren’t expected to do much this year. They have a couple of quarterbacks nobody heard of, and they had finished poorly the previous year. However, they are now sitting pretty in the Wildcard playoff spot in the NFC division. A lot of that can be attributed to the surefire rookie of the year, Adrian Peterson. Peterson has ran for exactly 1200 yards, despite having a nagging injury the last few games. He still has found away to average an amazing 6.1 yards per carry, and has found the end zone 10 times. When Peterson went down, Chester Taylor stepped and in filled the role as if they had never missed a beat. Taylor is averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and has scored eight times. Talk about a fearsome one-two combination. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was in and out of the line-up the first few games of the year, but has been its steady quarterback the last four games, winning them all. For the year he has only thrown for six touchdowns to go along with seven interceptions, but as long as he remembers to handoff the ball, they appear they will be just fine.

The Bears, as mentioned, are only playing for pride now. A lot of their problems can possibly be attributed to injuries, but that still doesn’t change they’re odd quarterback situation. Even though Rex Grossman sent his team to the Super Bowl last year, at times during the season he looked completely lost and threw the ball to the other team at a greater rate then his own teammates. But, Grossman is out for the rest of the year due to a shot at his knee in last week’s loss against the Redskins, leaving Brian Griese the starting quarterback. Griese has seen work already this year with Grossman out, compiling ten interceptions to go along with 12 interceptions. To be fair, it’s not all the quarterbacks fault, as the defense has failed to live up to the reputation they have gained the last few years.

With the Minnesota Vikings playing so well, it’s hard to imagine any other outcome then a victory for them. The Bears have a way of staying in the game for about three quarters, but then they falter down the stretch. Against a running team like the Vikings this is a trait you’d rather not your team have. I expect a close game for a half with the Vikings running away with it down the stretch. The duo of the future rookie of the year Peterson and the unheralded Taylor will be just a bit too much.

NFL Betting Live Odds NFL Betting

 Email This Post |  Print this post

If it were up to most of New York, and the fans of the Knicks, they would have a new coach sooner before later. The Knicks are off to another tough start, losing a few games so badly that people have began to wonder if the players have given up on the team. Also, on a sad note. Point guard Stephon Marbury had to go through the awful news of hearing that his dad has passed away last week as Marbury was playing. The Knicks have shown signs of playing better lately, winning two of their last four, as of this writing, but things still seem to point south for them. A bright spot on the team has been the play of youngster Zach Randolp who leads the team in points and rebounds.

The New Jersey Nets have had a bit of an up and down season, sitting at about .500. Because of the emergence of teams like Orlando and Boston in the East, it will be that much harder for the older Nets to compete in the division at a high level. Most of their core players, including Jason Kidd and Vince Carter are in there 30’s. Leading the team in scoring is Richard Jefferson, with 25 a game.

With the unpredicted way the season is going for the Knicks I favor the Nets in this one. While it’s technically a home game for the Knicks, many Nets fans will be there, as they are just right over the state line.

NBA Betting Live Lines NBA Betting

 Email This Post |  Print this post

One of the biggest surprises of the NBA Season has been the Orlando Magic. They currently sit atop the standings, and show no signs of slowing down. They have a player there now that was reminsint of a future hall of famer that started his career in Orlando. The player in the past I’m talking about is Shaq, the player of the present is Dwight Howard. Howard is averaging a remarkable 23 points a game to go along with 15 rebounds and three blocks, as well. Orlando was also the first team to knock off the Boston Celtics this year. I think we may expect to see Orlando and Boston playing to see who will determine the eastern conference team that plays in the NBA Finals.

The Bobcats are above .500, but have been slowly showing signs of improving. They have a very exciting, underrated player named Gerald Wallace who leads the team with 18.4 points a game. Wallace is known for his ability to dunk powerfully, but as of late he is starting to shoot better as well. Former UConn stand out Emeka Okafor is also averaging a double-double. The team has some upside, but probably not enough to hang with a young, fast, powerful team like the Magic. While I think the Bobcats will be able to hang in the game a little big, being they have a decent big man too, I think ultimately at the end the Magic will take it by 10-15 points.

NBA Betting Live Lines NBA Betting Info

 Email This Post |  Print this post

When the schedule was first announced shortly after last year’s season, I’m sure this Monday Night game looked like a great one on paper. You had the New Orleans Saints, who came within a play or two from playing in the Super Bowl and you had the Atlanta Falcons who had one of the most dominate players in the NFL at quarterback for them. My, how things change. The Saints are still in the running for an NFC wildcard birth despite sitting at two games under .500. At certain times during the year it looked like the high powered offense we saw last year was beginning to show up, only to have a dismal performance just a week or two later. The Atlanta Falcons of course started the season with the bad news that Michael Vick won’t be playing for them this year, and may have a hard time ever getting reinstated back into the NFL. He is currently serving time in prison for his role in a dog fighting ring. On the field his former teammates have been struggling to win, but have shown a few bright spots this year, despite the 3-9 record.

One of those bright spots has been third year wide receiver Roddy White. White is averaging nearly 15 yards per his 62 receptions this season. He has found the end zone fight times, but has also had a bit of a problem securing the ball, losing four fumbles. One of the major problems for the team, and has called friction among some players, is who is doing the quarterbacking. Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich have both seen some action this year, with Harrington getting most of the looks. Yet some people think the team would do better with Leftwich at the helm. Harrington has thrown for seven touchdowns and eight interceptions for a rating of just 77.2. Not exactly the production you need to win in the NFL.

One team that seems to have all the production ability, but can’t get the ball rolling, is the Saints. They have former NFL MVP Drew Brees at quarterback, a great talent at running back named Reggie Bush, and a few wide receivers that are beginning to make names for themselves. But, Brees has had more bad games then good this year. He’s passed for a respectable 20 touchdowns, but has also seen his interception rate rise dramatically. He’s up to 15 already on the year. They have also waited for Bush to turn into the runner they thought he would be, but he continues to be more of a catcher than a runner, averaging only 3.7 yards per carry.

The Saints have been up and down all season, and they have lost to some teams about the same caliber as the Falcons. But, the pressure is on now with the wildcard still being wide open, and I believe the Saints will find a way to win this one fairly comfortably, partly because the Falcons season is officially over for all intents and purposes. I predict 38-17 Saints.

NFL Betting Live Odds NF Betting Info

 Email This Post |  Print this post

In the first round of the NBA playoffs last year the Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks in one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. The Warriors (7-7) have hoped to capitalize on that success, but to this point in the season they are trying now just to stay above .500. As of this writing they have won four in a row and five of six as Baron Davis has started playing like an all-star. His 24 points a game. 8.6 assists, 2 steals makes him the team leader in every category.

The Lakers go as Kobe goes. As predicted, Bryant is leading the team in scoring. While Golden State would like to do better then their eighth seeding last year, the Lakers would be more than happy just to get into the dance. The Lakers have just extended the contract of legendary coach Phil Jackson for two years, so they still think Jackson is the one to lead them out of mediocrity. With a supporting cast that fails to live up to expectations though, this seems like it could be a bigger challenge then even the great Jackson can handle.

The Warriors are on a roll, and I don’t expect it to end here. They are playing some of the hottest basketball in the league, and I expect them to be more than a few games above .500 in the next 15 to 20 ball games. I don’t think they will need the final week of the season to make the playoffs this year.

NBA Betting Live Odds NBA Betting Info

 Email This Post |  Print this post

In ten days, on December 8th, an excellent year of boxing will end with perhaps the biggest event of the year. Many boxing fans have been concerned that MMA was beginning to gain more popularity then boxing, hence boxing will become obsolete. But, after an amazing year where PPV records broke all-time records, boxing fans can breathe early. This fight here should be a hit from Las Vegas, where it is taking place, to all the way across the Atlantic in England, home of Ricky Hatton. This fight features two fighters with a combined record of 81-0 with 55 knockouts. What more can we ask for as boxing fans.

Floyd Mayweather Jr (38-0 24 KO’s) has already had a major fight this year against PPV king Oscar De La Hoya, winning a split decision. While he made more money in that fight then he will versus Ricky Hatton (43-0 31 KO’s) you can make a solid argument that this fight has more significance. While De La Hoya was still considered a top-notch opponent he had lost two out of his last four fights before his decision loss to Mayweather. The Hatton fight will feature two fighters in their absolute prime and will also set the pace for the rest of the welterweight division for years to come. There are many great fights for the winner of this fight. In fact, there are many solid fights for the loser of this match as well, that’s how stacked the division is. If Mayweather wins though, he may not choose to accept anymore fights. He has suffered from hand injuries ever since his amateur days, and recently he has been experience shoulder and elbow pains. These pains can be expected from a person who has been in a ring since barely after he learned to walk.

One of Mayweather’s downfalls, when asking his detractors, is his resume. He does have a few good wins on his resume, but against opponents who were either past their prime, or not yet in it. His closest fights date back to a pair of 2002 fights against Jose Luis Castillo. Both fights were highly competitive, with many feeling Castillo won the first match up. Mayweather has also fought, and beat decidedly former champions and championship challengers DeMarcus Corley, Arturo Gatti, Sharmba Mitchell, and Zab Judah, and Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather’s resume, when looked at a subjective point of view doesn’t look that bad. In fact, it’s the ease of which he has dispatched these opponents that has been the most impressive thing. However, a Ricky Hatton on his resume is more impressive then any of those opponents, including De La Hoya.

While Mayweather is known for keeping in shape 365 days a year, Hatton has become equally as famous for blowing up in weight between fights. When Hatton is back in his native Manchester he likes being one of the “boys.” What that means is he enjoys going to the pubs, drinking multiple pints, and playing darts. He also enjoys his fast food. While that isn’t exactly a recipe for success, it does allow Hatton time to relax between fights, and that’s just fine with his handlers. Unlike Mayweather, Hatton does have a legitimate all time great fighter on his resume. Kosta Tszyu came into the Hatton fight undefeated in his last eight years. Tszyu is considered to be among the top welterweights of all-time, but that didn’t stop Hatton from keeping Tszyu from entering the 12th round of their match-up. However, in Hatton’s only other fight at 147 he struggled to beat the underrated Luis Collazo, being rocked in the final round. While this fight is being held at 147, Mayweather’s natural weight isn’t 147 either, so any apparently size advantage could actually go towards Hatton. Since the Collazo fight, Hatton has fought twice, including a fourth round destruction of the same fighter that gave Mayweather trouble so many years ago, Castillo. To be fair to Mayweather, Castillo was probably more past it when he fought Hatton, but to be able to knock out Castillo the way he did, a shot to the liver, is impressive anyway you slice it. Castillo’s best work came in between the Mayweather and Hatton defeats, so it’s hard to say where his prime even started.

Hatton is about a 2-1 underdog, which is probably just about right. Although the fight is in Las Vegas, it is expected that Hatton will actually have more fans in attendance. Hatton has made jokes concerning Mayweather’s drawing power, but it is true Mayweather has turned many fans against him, making it seem that they go to see him lose as opposed to cheering him on. Mayweather is the best boxer in the world today, a thought shared by many. Hatton isn’t known for his boxing skill, but will come forward the entire fight, and is a relentless body puncher. Fights of this magnitude generally fail to live up to expectations, but this one has all the makings to live up to expectations and more.

Boxing Live Lines 

 Email This Post |  Print this post