Category Archives: michigan wolverines

2013 NCAA Football – Week 12 Betting Picks Against Spread

I had my best week of the season. I went 16-4 with my picks against the spread. Stanford, Vanderbilt and Kansas State really came through for me. Those three moneyline plays are my best calls of the year. I am now 98-58-7 on the season.

I like a lot of road underdogs in Week 12 of the 2013 college football season (November 16th to be exact). The home favorites are overvalued this week. You get that at this point in the season. Bettors have a habit of sticking with teams they’ve had success with all year. Vegas knows this, so those teams will have a point spread with little value in their favor.

We pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday, plus a few games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference as always…we also sneak in Wednesday and Thursday night games . Enjoy!

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 11 Betting Picks Against Spread

Thanks to Michigan, Miami and Texas Tech, I had a .500 week. I’m still 82-54-7 on the season, which is much better than many of my sports betting friends.

I like a lot of favorites in Week 11 of the 2013 college football season (November 9th to be exact). I usually find value in underdogs at this point in the season, but the slate of games this weekend doesn’t fair well for those teams.

When making a bet at this point in the season, look to see if any teams played a common opponent. Also, keep an eye on weather reports. The temps are falling across the Midwest, so that could be a factor when a warm-weather team travels.

We pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday, plus a few games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference as always…we also sneak in TWO Thursday night games . Enjoy!

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 10 Betting Picks Against Spread

My streak of winning weeks is still intact…barely.

I went 10-9-1 last week with my picks, bringing my season total to 72-44-7 on the season. It was my worst week so far this season, but still better than many of my sports betting friends.

Week 10 of the 2013 college football season (November 2nd to be exact) has a few rivalry games (Michigan/Michigan State), but college football is still in the lull of finishing conference games. The true rivalry games are still a week or more away.

I want to remind everyone that we’re at a point in the season where favorites often fall or fail to cover the spread. When making a bet, look to see if any teams had a common opponent earlier in the season. Look long and hard at home underdogs and teams trying to lock up bowl eligibility.

We pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday, plus a few games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference as always…we also sneak in a Thursday night game . Enjoy!

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 8 Betting Picks Against Spread

My streak of winners is still intact.

I went 11-7-1 last week with my picks, bringing my season total to 50-28-45 on the season. I didn’t match the previous week’s domination, but 11-7-1 is solid.

Week 8 of the 2013 college football season (October 19th to be exact) has possibly the biggest marquee game all season, Florida State at Clemson.

We’re at a point in the season where favorites often fall or fail to cover the spread. When making a bet, look to see if any teams had a common opponent earlier in the season. That could help you with your decision. Injury reports and weather conditions also grow more and more important deeper in the college football season.

We pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few Thursday night games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference. Enjoy!

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 7 Betting Picks Against Spread

I’m on a hot streak.

I went 12-5 last week with my picks, bringing my season total to 39-21-4 on the season.

Week 7 of the college football season (October 12th to be exact) isn’t filled with as many marquee games as last week, but there are plenty of rivalry games.

We now have a good idea on which teams are good, but trap games and upsets often happen in the middle of the season. Favorites are often overvalued, so be careful with your picks. Vegas knows who the best teams are too, so the value isn’t there anymore.

We answer those questions and pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few Thursday night games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference

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2013 March Madness: #4 Michigan vs #13 South Dakota St.

#4 Michigan (26-7) vs. #13 South Dakota State (25-9) will have two players who will be playing in the NBA next season, Michigan’s Trey Burke and South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters.

Michigan coach Jim Beilein has yet to have the same postseason success as he had while coaching West Virginia. This team is the most talented roster he’s had since he moved his talents to Ann Arbor.

Can the Summit League’s SDSU compete with the big boys?

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket. Continue reading →

‘National Signing Day’ – All-Name Team

‘National Signing Day’ has come and gone. Now that the young men have picked their hat out of a line reminiscent of the shell game on “The Price Is Right”, we have a better idea of which colleges won the recruiting battle. You may not know who these young men are right now, but in a few years, some of these men will be in line to win the Heisman Trophy and/or a National Championship. Until then, we only have the names of these future college football stars to go by.

Here is a list of some of the best names of the incoming 2013 college football class…and a few players who already have famous names. Here’s a hint, one of their fathers had an exciting Sunday. Continue reading →

2012 Big Ten Preview: Michigan Wolverines

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is back to breakdown the upcoming season for the Michigan Wolverines. Denard Robinson started the season off with fireworks (again), but can he last entire season?

The swagger and optimism is back in Ann Arbor. Brady Hoke’s arrival last year paired with an 11 win season and a BCS bowl bid have made for exciting times for Michigan football. This team will be one of the more exciting to watch in the 2012 season, not only because their talent and style of play, but because their schedule boasts some of the biggest games of the season. Opening the year in Dallas against Alabama will be a huge game not only for Michigan but the Big Ten conference as a whole. Can the boys from the Midwest hang with one of the juggernauts from the SEC on a national stage? We won’t have to wait long to find out. In addition, Michigan has to play on the road at Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State. Though this Michigan team has top 10 talent, their schedule is one of the toughest in the nation.

Offense (A)

Anyone who has turned on a TV to watch college football in the last two years knows who Denard Robinson is. The explosive, sometimes chaotic, Michigan quarterback is one of the most dangerous players in all of college football. Though his numbers went down slightly from 2010, (2173 passing yards, 1176 rushing) this was due to offensive coordinator Al Borge’s scheme to try and keep his quarterback healthy and share the rushing duties. Fitzgerald Toussaint won the role midseason as number one running back and finished the year with 1,041 yards, including over 100 yards rushing in his last three games. This offseason he was suspended for off field issues and it remains to be seen if he will miss any games in 2012. Vincent Smith and Thomas Rawls are very capable backups if Toussaint is out. Taylor Lewan (6’8″ 308 lbs) will lead the offensive line and is a preseason All American at left tackle. Look for him to be a day one draft pick come next spring.

Defense (B+)

Michigan’s vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball was a huge reason for their success in 2011. Going from one of the worst defenses in the nation to a top team in many defensive categories was truly remarkable and coordinator Greg Mattison deserves most the credit. Michigan was 4th in red zone defense, 6th in scoring defense, and 17th in yards allowed. Though Michigan loses some key players up front in Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan’s defense as a whole stays intact. The secondary returns all of its key players as well as a linebacker core that has become very solid. Senior Jordan Kovacs at safety and Kenny Demens at linebacker have consistently led the team in tackles and have a wealth of experience. Look for sophomore corner Blake Countess to have a break out year and become a shutdown corner in the likes of Leon Hall and Marlin Jackson.

Special Teams (B)

Michigan goes into 2012 for the first time in a long time with a solid kicker on their roster in Brendan Gibbons. He was 13-17 on the season including three big kicks in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. As long as he keeps thinking about brunette girls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkPiOJdYSkM), Michigan should keep getting production out of their special teams.

Coaching (A)

You really have to hand it to Brady Hoke and the Michigan coaching staff. First year under Hoke the team wins 11 games and a BCS bowl. First year under Mattison and the defense ranks as one of the top in the nation after being a joke for years under Rich Rodriguez. The offense under Al Borges numbers wise took some steps back with the transition to more of a pro-style offense, but look for Denard and company to put up more points in their second year in this scheme.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 10-2 (1st in Legends)

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

College Football: What A Weird Day!

I can barely begin to point out all the surprises that happened this week in college football. You had big upsets, teams looking like crap, crappy players looking amazing, and the Big Ten not looking so hot (well, that isn’t much of a surprise). Here are the weirdest things that happened today in college football.

– Tate Forcier looked like Fran Tarkenton against Notre Dame. He was passing with precision and even made a guy lose his joke when he faked him out on a touchdown run on 4th and 3. Is Michigan for real or was this just bad clock management by Notre Dame?

– The University of Houston made Oklahoma State look like Big 12 title pretenders. The Cowboys started the game out in a hole and even Dez Bryant’s return touchdown couldn’t save this team from imploding. This was Houston’s biggest win in a long time.

– Northwestern was supposed to be good, but barely sweaking by Eastern Michigan? That isn’t going to cut it, they aren’t even the good directional Michigan school. They are going to lose a few before the Big Ten season begins, but as bad as some of the Big Ten teams have looked, they could fair well during conference play.

– Speaking of bad Big Ten teams, Michigan State let Central Michigan win this game. Dan Lefevour will be playing in the NFL, but the rest of the Chippewas aren’t up to his level. The Spartans shouldn’t forget this game or they will be doomed to repeat it.

– Ohio State actually gave USC a game tonight. I thought for sure that USC would roll them in Columbus, but it didn’t look like the Trojans’ offense could ever get started. I think they were taking the Buckeyes lightly, but OSU’s defense brought it’s A-game. I still think Ohio State will lose a game or two more this year and USC could be in danger of losing a game to Cal or even Notre Dame in South Bend.

– Oklahoma didn’t lose a stride without Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham. I know that they were playing Idaho State, but this could mean that BYU could actually be for real. The Cougars rolled over Tulane today and should move up even more spots up the rankings.

– North Carolina has to be better than this. Butch Davis is a great recruiter and he has had some great recruiting classes since he’s been the coach at UNC. They will need to develop these guys into winning games by more than a lucky holding call against Connecticut.

– The Georgia vs. South Carolina game was supposed to be a low-scoring game, since both offenses looked bad in their previous games and both defenses are above-average. Well, they ended up scoring a combined 78 points with Georgia barely hanging on for the victory. I don’t think anyone saw this coming.

– Is the MAC good again this year? Bowling Green took Missouir all the way to the wire today and this is coming a week after Mizzou spanked Illinois. Bowling Green wasn’t supposed to be that good this year, but this will get people’s attention.

– Wasn’t this supposed to be the year that Tennessee finally beats UCLA? They have had their number and the Vols lost today against a freshman quarterback. Things won’t get any easier as Tim Tebow and the Gators face them next week. I have a feeling that the Lane Kiffin won’t be happy with the outcome of that game either.

– I know that Kansas State wasn’t going to be great this season. They lost Josh Freeman to the draft, but they are supposed to beat teams like Louisiana-Lafayette. I’m not sure why KSU agreed to play this game on the road, but it bit them in the ass.

– Florida State almost loses to Jacksonville State, really? Ryan Perrilloux came back from suspension and almost leads his team past the Seminoles. How would that rank in the all-time worst loses for Bobby Bowden? I would guess that it would have been top 3, not knowing any other loses that would equal that, but he’s been coaching for longer than even my dad has been alive, so I’m sure there had to be a few bad ones.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

A Michigan Fan’s Journey To The Season Opener

Our resident University of Michigan fan, Joe Pasquali, went to the season opener against Western Michigan last weekend. He starts out pretty timid, but ends like any true Wolverines fan, cocky as hell. Here is his detailed experience from the season opener.

We drove up, parked in the same place off the Michigan Golf Course, fired up the same grill, played the same game of corn hole (or bag toss, whatever you want to call it) and downed the same beers. On the exterior the 2009 Michigan opening game would look like every opening game I have been to over the past years, this being my 8th in a row. But, if I told you it felt like any of the others, I’d be lying.

Nervous
Worried
No Confidence
Quiet

These are things I would never expect to feel at an opening game in The Big House. And frankly, I shouldn’t have to feel. But I did. And I can tell you 100,000 other people were feeling the same way. Sure, we hid it well by going through our normal routine and pretending this year is just like every other, when deep down we knew it wasn’t.

Even before the game started, one point to hammer it home was when a Western Michigan fan started trash talking to me while walking up to the gate. We had struck up polite speculation on the game ahead when all of the sudden he started into it.

“Man, we are going to hang like 40 on you guys, just like App. State, Utah, Oregon, and everybody else that comes into the Quiet House. You got no defense, I mean, who do you got??”
Any other year, ANY OTHER YEAR, I would have just spat back a few curse words and told him to head back to crappy Western and hope he gets to head back East sometime for the Motor City bowl. But not this year.

I actually found myself defending UM to a Broncos fan! I said, “Well, Brandon Graham is good, and Obi Ezeh, OH and Donovan Warren is a great cornerback.” The Western fan laughed, cursed Michigan and yelled a projected Broncos whooping in front of 100 Michigan fans. No one yelled back. Everyone was too nervous to back UM.

I say now, thinking of the pre-game and the Western fan, that a University of Michigan fan should never defend his team to a Western Michigan fan, or really, most fans for that matter. And I never will again. Ok, two bad years, yeah we had that. Lets start counting your teams bad years. Yeah thought so. Below are the teams that I will defend my team to in the future, because I have respect for their programs and their winning traditions.

Ohio State
Penn State
Florida
USC
Oklahoma
Texas
Alabama
Nebraska
Tennessee

That’s it. Yeah, I know I left Notre Dame off. Why? Because I will not take trash talk from a Golden Domer, no sir. Sorry, I got my UM hat on for this article and if you are a Notre Dame fan feel free to send me hate mail at Radioguy1486@yahoo.com

Anyways, back to the game.

The environment at Michigan could not have been summed up better than the first two drives for both teams. Western gets the ball first, Michigan forces a punt after a 3 and out. Place goes nuts, the typical DEFENSE chants arise and the student section erupts, all is well and good.

Michigan gets the ball……. the place goes a bit quiet…. AND MICHIGAN GETS A FIRST DOWN. OH HAPPY DAYS. Literally, everyone wearing maize or blue starts cheering like we just won the game. FOR A FIRST DOWN. Oh, but it gets better.

Forcier is leading us on a pretty decent first drive and are already in field goal range and he has thrown some good balls. People in the crowd are murmuring about how well this freshman is playing, but still a bit nervous. Forcier runs a play action and rolls out of the pocket, he is looking downfield, he makes a read and lofts a ball to a breaking Junior Hemingway. In 2008 this ball is intercepted, the drive stopped and Michigan Stadium falls silent. But, THIS YEAR, the ball is just out of reach for the defender and Hemingway catches it falling into the end zone. Michigan Stadium lifts off the face of the earth. 100,000 plus people are yelling, screaming, hugging each other and praising Tate Forcier.

Tate Forcier, the second coming of Christ.
Tate Forcier, Tom Brady, Chad Henne, Brian Griese, all rolled into one.
Tate Forcier, who the f%$k needs Pryor.
Tate Forcier, with him all things are possible.

Not joking, this is how we all felt after that one drive. One drive. The rest of the game Michigan rolled and as the points stacked up us fans felt our confidence returning, slowly but surely.

One of the funniest parts of the game came near the end when my Dad looked to me in the third quarter and asked when I wanted to get out of here. Since we got a two hour plus drive home, in the past openers we usually left late in the game when Michigan was rolling. It had been at least two years since I could leave a UM game early because WE were beating on someone!

I turned to my Dad and said, “Yeah, we got this one. Let’s get out of here.”
Because really, Western Michigan, was there any doubt?

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Big Ten Preview: Michigan Wolverines

Joe Pasquali, our resident Michigan football fanatic, is back for another Big Ten Preview post. He is going to breakdown his favorite team and one thing jumps out and surprises us, he shows no bias in this post. This is a guy who stuck by Ryan Mallett and Lloyd Carr! The Wolverines really have nowhere to go but up, so where does Joe have them finishing this year in the Big Ten? Check it out.

Finishing #8 in the Big Ten
Michigan Wolverines (Predicted finish 6-6)

Summary– Only place to go is up for the Michigan Wolverines. Having their worst season EVER in 2008 has to make the Maize and Blue pessimistic for 2009, but fear not, it will be a better season. Last year was the first year of Rich Rodriguez’s new system, a system players do not learn overnight. Also, having their easiest schedule in ten years can’t do anything but help.

Offense (C+)– Michigan’s offense was dreadful last season, peaking with six lost fumbles at Notre Dame. Steven Threet was the starting QB most of last season but transferred away this past off-season along with RB Sam McGuffie. Freshmen Tate Forcier with share time with a couple other QB’s that will lead an offense that returns nine starters. At the RB and WR positions Michigan may have the most speed and depth in the Big Ten. It will just be a matter of the freshman QB can get the ball to them.

Defense (B+)– Five starters’ return to a defense that really wasn’t as bad as their numbers showed last season. The thing that hurt the Wolverines more than anything was being on the field most the game due to a impotent offense that turned the ball over a lot. Brandon Graham is a freak at DE/OLB and Donovan Warren is one of the better corners in the Big Ten. Look for the group as a whole to be better as long as the offense stays on the field.

Special Teams (A-)– Zoltan Mesko not only has one of the best names in the nation, but one of the best legs as well. The All American returns to boot the ball around the Big House for the Maize and Blue. If UM’s offense starts out slow, he could be one of the most important players on the team.

Coaching (B)– Rich Rodriguez will be judged heavily on what he does this year for UM. A program as big as Michigan should never have a rebuilding season that only produces 3 wins. If Michigan does not get to six wins this year, he will be on the hot seat.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.