Artist Of The Day – The Black Keys

In the past, I’ve done a “Song Of The Day” series, but I’m in a giving mood. In 2010, I did a “Song Of The Day post for “Tighten Up by The Black Keys. I just saw them in concert at the time and they blew my mind. Their latest album, “El Camino,” has been a fixture on my Spotify playlist since it came out in late 2011.

Living the last half-decade in Ohio, I’ve learned to love and support local music. The Black Keys are from Akron, Ohio and the state has embraced them. The citizens of Ohio can look at them and say, “They are one of us.” I hope it leads to more people trying to achieve their dreams.

I’ve got a triple stack of videos for you. All of these videos are off of “El Camino,” an album that every music fan should own. The first video is the official video for “Gold On The Ceiling.’ The video is amazing and captures what it’s like to see the band live and shows a glimpse of them recording the album. Secondly, I have audio of the track “Dead And Gone.” This track is such an emotionally raw track with a drumbeat to match. Lastly, I have the hilarious “Lonely Boy” video. I could watch the dancing guy in the video, all day.

For more videos, go to The Black Keys’ YouTube channel and subscribe.

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

2012 NCAA Tourney: 13 Possible Underdogs

After Kentucky and Syracuse, the rest of Top 25 have been interchangeable. If Notre Dame can win the Big East regular season title, it is a red flag that this tournament will be filled with underdogs. Butler will not be in the tournament this year, but who will be this year’s Butler? I breakdown the possibility of some of the mid-majors & overlooked power conference teams, who have strong RPI Rankings so far this season.

For those who are unaware of what the RPI Rankings measure, it factors in the team’s strength of schedule and how a team does against their schedule. It was created in 1981 and it is used by the NCAA Selection Committee to pick the field of 68.

Temple 24-6 (RPI: 13) – Temple has cracked the Top 25, but they have a chance at possibly knocking off a few higher seeds. Temple have quality wins against Duke & Wichita State on their resumé. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone in the tournament. The back-court trio of Ramone Moore, Khalif Wyatt, & Juan Fernandez will cause havoc against teams that have weak perimeter defense. All three of these guards at at least 6’4, so they will also have the advantage against smaller guards. Temple has some size with Michael Eric, but they lack depth at center and power forward. If they face a team with a lot of size, like North Carolina, they will be exposed.

Witchita State 27-5 (RPI: 14) – They lost early in the Missouri Valley conference tournament, but the AP #16 team should get an at-large bid. Their quality wins are against UNLV and they split the series with Creighton. They played Temple and Alabama close, but couldn’t pull out wins against those teams. Garrett Stutz is the star on this team, the 7-foot center leads the team in points and rebounds. He has decent range for a big man and will pull a team’s defense away from the paint. This will help guards, Joe Ragland & Touré Murry, drive the lane. The Shockers are one of my favorite candidates to be this year’s Butler.

Southern Miss 24-7 (RPI: 15) – The Golden Eagles aren’t known for having an elite basketball program. They ended the season with the second best record in Conference USA. They lack a marquee signature wins, since their best wins came against Memphis, New Mexico State, & South Florida. They had some bad losses at the end of the year with losses coming against UAB, Houston & UTEP. Overall, they had a very tough schedule and played Murray State & Denver (both should get NCAA Tournament bids). Southern Miss lacks size and will need their guards to be hot from behind the arc. If they are cold, they could be done early.

Murray State 30-1 (RPI: 20) – The Murray State Racers have been in the Top 15 for most of the season. Their only loss came against Tennessee State, but bounced back and won their “Bracket Buster” game against St. Mary’s. Murray State also knocked off Memphis, Dayton, & Southern Miss during the season. They have used their talented back-court to win games. Isaiah Canaan has been lights-out from behind the arc, he’s shooting 47.3% and hit over 90 3-pointers this year. Donte Poole is also a threat from the perimeter, so double-teaming isn’t an option. Just like Southern Miss, this team lacks size. They don’t have a guy on the team that has averaged more than 6 rebounds per game and has only one player who is over 6’9 that plays regularly.

Colorado State 20-10 (RPI: 21) – The Mountain West conference has been a very talented mid-major conference this season. The Rams will need to beat San Diego State tonight to cement a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Their signature wins come inside their own conference, against San Diego State, UNLV, & New Mexico, those wins coming at home. Wes Elkmeier & Dorian Green are the best scoring options for the Rams. Pierce Horning is a good rebounder and is a good defender. A lot of things would have to line up perfectly, but the Mountain West could secure four bids this year.

San Diego State 25-6 (RPI: 27) – The regular season winner of the Mountain West conference, they played a very difficult early season schedule. They faced Baylor, Arizona, Creighton, & California…and came out of that gauntlet with wins at Arizona & against California. All of their losses have came against teams that should make the NCAA Tournament, except a close loss against Air Force. This team isn’t as talented as last year’s team, but they have an impressive resumé. They take a lot of 3-point shots, but if they are on, they could slay a few giants. Jamaal Franklin & Chas Tapley are both legit back-court scoring threats. Don’t sleep on the Aztecs this year, they could sneak out a few wins in the NCAA Tournament.

Saint Louis 24-6 (RPI: 30) – Rick Majerus has done it again. He has rejuvenated another program and has the Billikens playing at an elite level. I honestly haven’t even thought about their basketball program since Larry Hughes was lighting up the nets. They had an advantageous early season schedule with Washington, Boston College, Villanova, & Oklahoma on their schedule. Unfortunately, only Washington had a good year and it was down years for the other programs. They lack big marquee wins, but they did the best with the schedule that they were given. They can match-up with some different teams. They can score in the low-post and are a threat to hit from the perimeter with Kwamain Mitchell & Code Ellis.

Iowa State 22-10 (RPI: 33) – I love what Fred Hoiberg has done for his alma mater. He brought in Royce White, a troubled transfer and has turned into an elite low-post player. He has been the difference in a lot of their wins and he’s so good that he can match-up against any elite big man. The Big 12 is one of the best basketball conferences this year and the Cyclones get lost in the mix. They have played elite-level competition and have beaten Baylor, Kansas, & swept Kansas State. All of their late-season losses came against teams in the Top 10. They should get a seed in the middle of the pack, but I look for them to win a few games.

Harvard 26-4 (RPI: 36) – Can an Ivy League team advance passed the first-round? It has been over a half-century since they have made the Tournament. They have some inside-outside talent on this team with Kyle Casey & Keith Wright, but they might need more. They will be getting a high seed, probably a 14 or 15, so they will be playing against elite teams. It would take a nearly-perfect game for them to advance, but any team in this tournament can have an off-game. If you fill out your bracket and pick Harvard advancing in the round of 32, it would be a very courageous pick.

Long Beach State 23-8 (RPI: 38) – The Big West Conference isn’t even considered a “mid-major”, but they played like a powerhouse this season. They played Pitt, Louisville, Kansas, North Carolina, Xavier, Kansas State, & Creighton this season, they played all of them close and even registered wins against Xavier & Pitt. They wanted to prove their worth to the committee, since all of those games were on the road. They are deep team with some size, but usually only go with a seven or eight-man rotation. Watch out for Casper Ware, he takes a lot of 3-point shots (7.4 per game) and if he catches fire, they could knock off any team.

Iona 25-7 (RPI: 40) – The Gaels have the top talent in the Metro Atlantic, but lost to Fairfield in the conference tournament. Mike Glover, Lamont Jones, Scott Machado, & Sean Armond are high-percentage shooters, with Glover being the stand-out in the group. Their possible at-large bid could be hurt by the lack of quality wins. Their record against teams with an RPI in the Top 50 was 1-1. Only playing two teams with a high RPI isn’t impressing the committee. If they make it in, watch out for Glover to impress a lot of people.

Nevada 26-5 (RPI: 48) – The Western Athletic Conference regular season champions need to win their conference tournament to assure their bid. They are in the same situation as Iona, they lack marquee wins and lost to all three teams that they played in the RPI Top 50. They have a balance offensive attack with Deonte Burton, Malik Story, Olek Czyz, & Dario Hunt all averaging over 10 points per game. Story is their lone perimeter scoring threat, since the Wolf Pack do most of their scoring in the paint. They get a lot of second-chance points with Hunt averaging nearly four offensive rebounds per game. If they make the tournament, they’ll give their first-round opponent a struggle.

Drexel 27-6 (RPI:65) – They lost to VCU in the Colonel Athletic Conference Tournament, in what was a very entertaining game to watch. Drexel was the regular season champions and have some decent wins against VCU, Cleveland State, & George Mason. The Colonel got a few bids last year and Drexel is definitely on the bubble, but I think that they sneak in this year. They have a talented back-court with Frantz Massenat & Damion Lee and have Samme Givens giving the Dragons low-post defense. If they sneak in, they’ll probably be a #12 seed, which are always dangerous in the NCAA Tournament.

I think these are some of the possible underdogs in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. You can refer to this article when filling out your bracket. I hope I have better informed the public about some of the teams that have flown under-the-radar this season.

I’m hoping to see a lot of this during the NCAA Tournament, it would make me very happy. The guys at the end of the bench need some camera time!

White Boy’s 2012 NCAA Tournament Coverage
2012 NCAA Tournament: West Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: South Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: East Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: Midwest Region Picks

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

It’s Been Awhile – Part 5

Hey guys, have you noticed that I’ve started writing again? I started this blog 4 years ago this month and I have taken five extended breaks from writing. Every time I take a hiatus, I feel the need to tell people why I decided to take a break. Here it goes…

I’ve always been “too honest” on this site and I can tell you guys that my passion for writing…it faded. I had a day job, a girlfriend, a busy social life, yet I kept writing here and for a few other sites. Over the last year and a half, I’ve had a few losses in my life and it increased my “fuck it” impulse. It’s not that I didn’t want to write, I couldn’t. The picture above is a photo of me that a friend shot in Vegas. It exemplifies how I felt about writing. I would sit at my laptop and my mind would be blank.

It’s not like I completely quit writing, I tried. I have been working on a short story for a few years now. I would have days where I would write, but they were few and far between. I’ve had a few freelance gigs and helped start a local nightlife site, but I didn’t get any joy from it. I know that this needed to change and I tried everything to try to re-boot my system, I even became a vegetarian for two months. I didn’t want my passion to die, so I kept trying new things and it slowly came back.

I can say that, as of today, my passion bucket is once again full. My mind is full of ideas and I’m ready to start making the magic happen again. I have agreed to write for a few other sites, as well as rejuvenating my own. I started this blog because of the NCAA Tournament and the phenomenon that happens every year. One unathletic whiteboy becomes the nation’s underdog…America’s White Boy. I started it with the idea of being the underdog. This site went from an idea to getting over 50k uniques a month. I hope to start that process again today.

Now that I’ve said all of that, this is the portion of this post where I list all of the things that I’ve learned since I’ve been gone.

– I’ve realized that the Cubs will never win the World Series

– Soccer moms listen to Bon Iver while they do “hot yoga”

– I’ve spent a lot of time drinking craft beer…a lot of time.

– I really love “Jungleland” by Bruce Springsteen, here’s a live version from 1975.

– My attempt at being a hardcore soccer fan, it never really happened. I don’t wake up early enough on the weekends.

– I finally watched “The Silence Of The Lambs”, so I now get a lot of old jokes & parodies of Buffalo Bill.

– I hate accounting. I really hate accounting.

– I’ve watched a lot of TV. I really like “Community”, “Parks & Recreation”, “Always Sunny In Philadelphia”, “New Girl”, & “The Big Bang Theory”

– You should “Like” me on Facebook.

– I hope to join together with some friends and start a podcast soon.

– Ryan Braun probably got away with taking steroids.

– 2011 was a pretty shitty year.

– I watch a lot of Josh Krajcik videos on YouTube.

– Grantland.com should be so much better than it is. I love long-form sports journalism & Chuck Klosterman. The site shouldn’t be named after Grantland Rice, it should be named after Will Leitch.

– I’m still addicted to Twitter @ Sweetbob.

– I think I personally know at least 100 “social media experts”, yet many lack any real-life social skills.

– I’m signed up for Google+, but I rarely use it. The only people who add me are from Sri Lanka or a country in the Orient.

– This past football season, I got over 100,000 uniques from Google from people searching for the terms “Tim Tebow Virgin” & “Tim Tebow Naked/Nude”. I used to just get a lot of hits from the term “shirtless” followed by popular baseball players’ names.

– I hate that a lot of sites are starting to use the “Bleacher Report” model of using “Top 10” lists or using slideshows to increase traffic.

– I’m no longer jaded by the music industry. I’ve realized that “the machine” is dying and independent artists are gaining more control of their lives.

– I really want to watch Wrestlemania this year.

– If you love drinking beer, you should be on Untappd.

– I think A&W Root Beer is the best root beer. I will fight anyone to the death if they tell me otherwise.

– I have been writing jokes for a stand-up routine. I have a lot of material…I just need to try it out on people.

– Twitter has ruined my grammar. I kind of have a hardcore “passive voice” problem. (English nerds will get that joke)

– Christina Aguilera is slowly turning into Snooki.

– I read something by Mark Twain, every day.

– If you play Christmas songs on a jukebox in February, everyone at that bar will hate you.

– I’m a huge fan of mash-ups, but I have a hatred for dub-step.

– My next phone will be an iPhone, I’ve grown tired of my Android…also, I would like to have Instagram.

– I like The Format more than the band, Fun.

– I’ve watched 95% of the Indiana Pacers games this year, watch out for them in the playoffs.

– Anthony Davis’s unibrow will get drafted #2, after Anthony Davis himself.

– Last week, I successfully groomed Nugget, my shih tzu.

– I have the best friends that a guy could have. I haven’t been around them that much in the last year, but I hope that will change soon. I think about you guys everyday.

Finally, I’ve always ended these posts with a picture of a hot girl. I did it just to make my girlfriend mad, since I’m single, I don’t feel the need to do it. Instead, here are some photos that crack me up and/or I want to put on the back of my business card.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

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

Farewell, Peyton Manning : A Fan’s Goodbye

After 8 months of “will they or won’t they”, the Colts and Peyton Manning finally parted ways. I’m here to try to give a logical outlook from a fan’s perspective, since I’ve heard “talking heads” speak about how Colts fans are mad…this couldn’t be more false. I hope I can shine a new perspective on the dilemma the Colts are facing and why most Colts fans wish the best for Peyton Manning.

First, let me make it clear that ever since it was clear that the Indianapolis Colts were going to get the #1 pick in the NFL Draft, I knew that Manning would be gone. If anyone paid attention to Manning’s contract extension talks that happened last summer, you knew that owner, Jim Irsay, wanted to make him happy. Irsay wanted to make Manning the highest paid quarterback in the NFL and was offering him more money than Manning even thought was necessary. He took less than what Irsay was offering him, because he wanted money left to get other players and maybe this was a hint that he knew that his neck wasn’t healthy enough to play. This situation could have been much worse, especially if Manning agreed to the amount of money that Irsay was first offering him. I wanted to make that clear before I start to explain what the average Colts fan is thinking about this whole ordeal.

Since the end of the regular season, the Colts organization has made it clear that they are going into full-blown rebuilding mode. They fired the President, GM, Coach, and a lot of the other team personnel. The team offered a long-term deal to wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who turned down the deal. Garcon is an average 3rd receiver on a .500 team, so this was a big red flag. The Colts also re-signed defensive end, Robert Mathis, to a long-term deal. This was the final nail in the coffin in the Peyton Manning saga. They wouldn’t have had the money to keep Manning after re-signing Mathis. A knowledgeable Colts fan already knew the answer before the owner announced that they would release Manning.

I was listening to Colin Cowherd’s radio show this morning and his idea of what the average Colts fan is thinking was infinitely wrong. I shouldn’t have expected that he would be a good judge, since I disagree with most of his views, in which most are said to be the antagonist. He said, “Colts fans shouldn’t be mad, they are the luckiest franchise in the league. You didn’t earn the #1 pick when they drafted Peyton Manning and they didn’t earn the #1 pick this year.” First off, how does one “earn” the #1 pick in the NFL Draft? The #1 pick goes to the team who ends with the worst record in the league. Does a team have to intentionally throw games to “earn” the #1 pick? After saying that, Cowherd rattled off Manning’s career accomplishments, which were mostly incorrect. Cowherd was only correct about the fact that the Colts have been the luckiest team in the NFL, because as fans, we had the chance to root for a great quarterback and a stand-up guy for over a decade.

Growing up in Northern Indiana in the late 80’s & early 90’s, I didn’t know many other Colts fans. One of the earliest seasons that I remember, the starting quarterbacks were Jack Trudeau & Gary Hogeboom. The team went 3-13 and it didn’t get any better after that. They acquired Eric Dickerson and had a few 8-8 & 9-7 teams, but the carousel of starting quarterbacks still occurred. As fans, we had to endure Chris Chandler, Jeff George, Paul Justin, Craig Erickson, Don Majkowski, and finally, “Captain Comeback”, Jim Harbaugh. The Colts were up & down through these years, but never had a franchise quarterback. They had some talented guys at other skill positions, but they couldn’t get over the hump. They would get high draft picks year after year, but with picks like Steve Emtman & Trev Alberts being busts, they couldn’t catch a break. When the Colts went 3-13 in 1997 and received the 1998 #1 overall pick, I’d say that they “earned” Peyton Manning.

Colts fans have endured bad seasons and teams that overachieved with lackluster talent. We aren’t the New York Yankees, Detroit Red Wings, or Dallas Cowboys, if they don’t make the playoffs, their fans turn into an angry mob. We have won the most games over the last decade and we are blessed fans. We will have a few down years, but it will make the next winning season that much better. We are a group of optimist fans and will continue to support the team.

We wish Peyton Manning and thank him for all that he has done for the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. If it wasn’t for him, Lucas Oil Stadium would have just been an unused blueprint and Indianapolis would have never hosted a Super Bowl. Saying all of that, we just hope that he doesn’t go to a team that will destroy us in the near future. If he comes into Lucas Oil Stadium on the visiting team, he will be cheered. After he retires, he jersey will be retired and will most likely get a statue in front of the stadium. Until then, we wish you the best, Mr. Manning.

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

Which NCAA Bubble Team Will Dance?

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is a self-proclaimed “bracketologist”…a major that I wish was an option during my days at Ball State & IPFW. I’m not going to call it Bracketology, because it’s ridiculous. Say all of that, his to-the-minute, NCAA tournament guessimations are up. Here are the teams that he lists as being the “Last Four In”.

Northwestern: I really don’t see them getting in without a winning conference record. The Big Ten is considered the best conference in the country, but a few upsets in major tournaments could easily knock them out. They need at least two wins in the Big Ten tournament to assure their spot. A side note, I’m full aware of the amount of white boys that fill their bench, I would be excited if they made it, since they’ve never made the tournament.

Seton Hall: Many of the same reasons that I don’t like Northwestern’s chances, Seton Hall has them all. Their conference record was 8-10, added with a few bad losses earlier in the year. The Big East can start devouring each other in their long conference tournament. A few mid-majors deserve to be in the mix, they’ve had their shot.

Drexel: This team didn’t lose a game from January 2nd, until they lost a close game against VCU. I think they deserve a shot at the NCAA Tournament more than Northwestern & Seton Hall. You can easily make an argument that they don’t deserve to be in, because they played one of the easiest schedules of all of the bubble teams. I think the tournament committee has proven that they like to give mid-major teams a chance to shine.

Xavier: They definitely have the best player out of this group, Tu Holloway. He didn’t have as strong of a season this year, but he’ll end up in the NBA. They are a little disappointing, since they were favored to win Atlantic 10 this year. They need to at least make their conference final to have a shot.

Some of the other teams that are on the bubble are Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, Miami (FL), Arizona, and Iona (who has a great shot at sneaking in). Most of the bubble teams come from power conferences. I’ve seen a lot of games this year and Tennessee has the best shot of leapfrogging all of these teams. The Vols played up to their opponents abilities and even sweeped Florida this season. If they can win a few games in their conference tournament, they will be dancing. Iona has the second best shot, because they are a talented team who had a bad game in their conference championship game.

…but I’m not a “bracketologist”.

Want to see the action in person? AT&T is hosting a sweepstakes right now to go to the Final Four AND the Championship game! That’s right, you get to go to both. To enter go to http://bit.ly/ATTSweeps for details. What are you waiting for? Get in the game!

I’m sharing the Sweepstakes on behalf of AT&T but all thought and opinions are mine.

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

Can Kentucky Win 2012 NCAA Tournament?

Since George Mason’s Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament, it has been a crap shoot. A lot of upsets and senior-laden mid-majors making long runs. A lot of this can be blamed on the NBA’s age requirement for the draft. Can Kentucky win with a team with a group of freshmen leading the way?

Anthony Davis, and his unibrow, is a monster in the paint. He is leading all of college basketball in blocks and is already setting career records at Kentucky. They are the most complete team that Kentucky has had since Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Walter McCarty, & Tony Delk were college students. Their only loss came against Indiana and with a buzzer-beater.

Syracuse has a shot at holding their own against Kentucky. I’ve watched many of their games, but both teams could definitely have one bad game…and that is all you need to have to get booted from the tournament.

The Wildcats are the teams with a bull’s eye on their backs. It will take a nearly perfect tournament for them to win, since most of their rotation will have careers in the NBA.

I’m sharing the Sweepstakes on behalf of AT&T but all thought and opinions are mine.

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

New Site: Drink Up Columbus

I wanted to let my readers know about a new site that my friends and I launched this week. Drink Up Columbus is a new site that deals with bars, beers, and the social scene in Columbus, Ohio. We have a lot of talented writers and people who really love this city. Find out more about the new site and links to some of the stories so far, after the jump.

A few friends of mine, James Marks and Cheryl Harrison, wanted to start a site about local craft beer, liquor, and bars in Columbus, Ohio. We recruited a group of great local writers that will help set the scene of the city we love. Other topics that we are going cover are: homebrewing, food pairing, college bar scene, and a lot of other things going on in the Columbus area.

Here are a few links to articles that we have already posted on the site.

Campus Craft Beer Crawl: Mad Mex

Hal & Al’s – Oasis In The South Side Desert

New Beer’s Eve: The End Of Prohibition

The Usual Suspects, Part 1

Untappd: Foursquare With A Buzz

I hope that you check out the site and let me know what you think and follow ‘Drink Up Columbus’ on Twitter @DrinkUpCbus.

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

2011 MLB Betting Predictions – April 9th

I usually wait for the first week of the MLB season to play out before I start my MLB betting line posts. I did rather well over the last few years when I have done these and I hope I can help lead some people in the right direction. My picks are against the spread and I also do over/under lines. Will the Red Sox make it two in-a-row against the Yankees? Can the Indians keep up their offense? Here are the MLB betting lines & predictions for April 9th, 2011.

Philadelphia Phillies +1 1/2 (Roy Oswalt) vs. Atlanta Braves -1 1/2 (Brandon Beachy) – Over/Under 7 1/2
Phillies – Over

After the way that the Braves rocked Cliff Lee yesterday, the Braves will be bet heavy today. The Phillies are a veteran team and will have revenge on their mind.
You have to have a short memory in the MLB and they will get to Beachy early in this contest. The O/U is set at 7 1/2 and if this game goes the way I think, it will go over. The smart bet would be a parlay on the Phillies moneyline & the over.

New York Yankees +1 1/2 (Ivan Nova) vs. Boston Red Sox -1 1/2 (Clay Buchholz) – O/U 10
Red Sox – Under

The Red Sox started off bad this year, but they came out yesterday and took care of Phil Hughes early. Ivan Nova has better stuff than Hughes has right now, but you don’t want the Red Sox to gain any confidence. Buchholz should handle the Yankees hitters and stretch the winning steak to two.

Kansas City Royals +1 1/2 (Bruce Chen) vs. Detroit Tigers -1 1/2 (Phil Coke) – O/U 9 1/2
Tigers – Over

Can you look at these starting pitchers and honestly think that they won’t score a combined 10 runs? I’m scared at what Miguel Cabrera will do to Bruce Chen. The Tigers will win outright, cover, and this game will go over.

Tampa Bay Rays +1 1/2 (Wade Davis) vs. Chicago White Sox -1 1/2 (Philip Humber) – O/U 9
White Sox – Over

Wade Davis was rocky in his first start and the White Sox offense have looked very good. The Rays notched their first win last night, thanks to a Matt Thornton blow-save. The White Sox will bounce back and take care of business.

Chicago Cubs +1 1/2 (Matt Garza) vs. Milwaukee Brewers -1 1/2 (Chris Narveson) – O/U 8 1/2
Cubs – Under

Matt Garza’s Cubs debut had flashes of greatness. He stuck out double-digit Pirates, but still had a few dumb mistakes. Chris Narveson also had a good debut, but the Cubs bats have looked in mid-season form, if only their bullpen was in the same shape.

Washington Nationals +1 1/2 (Tom Gorzelanny) vs. New York Mets -1 1/2 (Chris Capuano) – O/U 8 1/2
Mets – Under

If this game was being played in any other park with these two pitchers, the line would be 10, but Citi Field is huge. Gorzelanny vs. Capuano might get ugly, but as long as they keep the ball down, it’ll go under. I might want to stay away from this bet, these teams are so inconsistent.

Oakland Athletics -1 1/2 (Gio Gonzalez) vs. Minnesota Twins +1 1/2 (Nick Blackburn) – O/U 8
A’s – Under

Gio Gonzalez was the buzzworthy pitcher in fantasy baseball this year and he will have a solid year. The Twins are just trying to get healthy, so Oakland has a slight edge in this game.

Cincinnati Reds -1 1/2 (Bronson Arroyo) vs. Arizona Diamondback +1 1/2 (Daniel Hudson) – O/U 8 1/2
Diamondbacks – Over

I learned a rule in Vegas last year…never bet on Bronson Arroyo! It doesn’t help that he is still dealing with mono, that’s a huge red flag. I really like Daniel Hudson in this contest.

Los Angeles Dodgers -1 1/2 (Hiroki Kuroda) vs. San Diego Padres +1 1/2 (Dustin Moseley) – O/U 7
Dodgers – Under

Kuroda has had solid numbers of the last calendar year, but he doesn’t get much respect. It will help him that the game is at Petco Park, the Padres will have a hard time going yard against him.

Toronto Blue Jays -1 1/2 (Brett Cecil) vs. Los Angeles Angles +1 1/2 (Scott Kazmir) – O/U 9
Blue Jays – Over

Name the last time that Scott Kazmir looked like a pitcher that should be on a contender? I’ll wait…

Cleveland Indians +1 1/2 (Justin Masterson) vs. Seattle Mariners +1 1/2 (Doug Fisher) – O/U 7 1/2
Indians – Over

Masterson looked great his first time out this year and they rocked the Mariners yesterday. Seattle looks bad and Cleveland wants to pound their former skipper (Eric Wedge).

St. Louis Cardinals +1 1/2 (Jaime Garcia) vs. San Francisco Giants -1 1/2 (Matt Cain) – O/U 6 1/2
Cardinals – Under

This game should be very low-scoring, since both Garcia & Cain looked very good in their debuts. The Cardinals will miss Matt Holliday, but the Giants bullpen, mostly Brian Wilson, hasn’t been dominating.

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

2011 Fantasy Baseball: Catchers

The catcher position looks fairly top-heavy this year in fantasy baseball. You have a young group on their way up and a few prominent catchers that look to be transitioning into a designated-hitter role. I ranked the top 20 catchers and added some sleepers and busts to help you in your draft.

My rankings are based on a standard 5×5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me bobbymcrib@gmail.com. Continue reading →

Can Indiana Pacers Make The Playoffs?

The Indiana Pacers are currently 22-28 and hold a one game lead for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a good shot landing anywhere from the 6th seed to the 11th seed in the conference. They are on a roll since firing Jim O’Brien and promoting Frank Vogel to head coach. Depending on what other teams do before the trading deadline, can the Pacers finally make the playoffs with Reggie Miller?

Since Frank Vogel took over head coaching duties, the Pacers have only one loss to the Miami Heat. They were leading much of that contest, but lost in the last minutes of the game. Vogel has done away with the “small ball” that O’Brien was trying the last few weeks he was in power and has been starting Tyler Hansbrough &
Josh McRoberts at that position. He also said that he will start playing rookies Paul George & Lance Stephenson more. George has been playing a lot off the bench, but Stephenson has yet to see minutes this year. Indiana has responded and are playing with a fire and passion that was lost under O’Brien.

Larry Bird has been held under fire the last few years. He has been scrutinized about the personnel that he has acquired and seems to have changed his focus this year. He went with the best players available in the draft and didn’t choose the “good character” guy over a risk. Stephenson was a huge risk, but in the 2nd round, not so much. I still think he could be a factor on this team, but he hasn’t been given a shot. He could be useful in the D-League, but the Pacers haven’t been apt to use that option in the past.

The Pacers have a few chips that they could try to move before the trading deadline. Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, and Jeff Foster all have expiring contracts and are very capable players. Dunleavy has been starting, Foster has been coming off the bench, and Ford has been a healthy scratch. All three players can contribute to any team, but doesn’t seem like the Pacers have them in their current or future plans. If they could get a serviceable power forward or defensive help for any of those guys, Bird should jump on it.

It looks like Indiana will be fighting the Knicks, Bobcats, Sixers, Bucks, and Pistons for the last three playoff spots in the East. The Bobcats and Pistons have been rumored to be sellers at the trading deadline, so that could end those teams hopes of making the playoffs. You never know what surprise team will jump up the standings after some trades. Can the Pacers make the playoffs this season? Absolutely, they have as good of a shot as any of the mid-level teams in the East. Will they make it out of the first-round? That is another story…I don’t want to be positive right now.

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

Interview: Ken Dilger

I had a chance to speak with former Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight-end, Ken Dilger. We spoke about NFL Playoffs, what happened to the Colts this season, and who was a better high school quarterback, him or Jay Cutler. It was great to speak with him and he was in Peoria, Illinois doing some great work for a charity. See what he’s up to now and find out how you can contact him.

Me: I want to ask you about the Colts. I I want to asked you about the Colts. It was tough to see them struggle with injuries all season. What could they have done differently against the Jets in the playoffs? Continue reading →

Lebron James Is Gollum

After the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers by 50+, Lebron James decided to turn to his Twitter account to vent his anger. He tweeted that Karma’s a bitch. I know things didn’t end well with James and his old team, but to go the “drunk tweet”-like route, was a bit uncalled for. I am now convinced that Lebron James is turning into Gollum, from “Lord Of The Rings.” King James is even losing his hair…yep, I went there. What else can James do to complete his transoformation?

I guess before I go neck-deep in nerdy “Lord Of The Rings” talk, let me explain Gollum. He’s was a character first introduced in “The Hobbit” as “Smeagol.” He was later referred to as “Gollum,” because of a throat sound he made. He has a split-personality, so when he’s “Smeagol,” he thinks of good things and has good intentions, but when he’s “Gollum,” all he wants is the ring. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

When Lebron James was “Smeagol,” he was fun-loving, pretended to take pictures with his teammates before games, and was loved by all. His greed and lust for a ring has turned him into “Gollum.” He wants nothing to do with his fun-loving past and all he is focused on is his lust for a ring. I am guessing that he hates short guys with big feet, or Stan Van Gundy, who could possibly get in his way of winning a championship.

As you can tell, Gollum is lacking a lot of hair. We know that Lebron James took his talents to South Beach, but he left his hairline in Cleveland. I give it three years and he will look more like the “Lord Of The Rings” character…and he may still not have a ring.

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