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wildcat76
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Registered: Dec 2005
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Rick Steiner

Inside the squared circle, there isn’t too much that Rick Steiner hasn’t accomplished. A multiple-time Tag Team Champion in both WWE and WCW, the former grappler known as “The Dog-Faced Gremlin” is now focusing his efforts on a new endeavor outside of the ring: improving the schools in Cherokee County, Ga.

Education has long played an important role in Steiner’s life. He and his younger brother Scott were stars on their high school wrestling team, eventually heading to the University of Michigan, where they starred on the Wolverine squad. Rick placed second at the 1983 Big Ten Championships, and holds two of the fastest pinfalls in Michigan history at 14 and 15 seconds. Although he was an amateur standout, Rick had never thought about pursuing professional wrestling as a career.

“I never really watched it that much,” he told WWEClassics.com. “I knew a little bit about it because of Dick The Bruiser, but I never really had an interest.”

That all changed at a coaches’ conference hosted by legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler. Steiner, who was substitute teaching and coaching wrestling after earning his degree in education at Ann Arbor, had a chance meeting with a WWE Hall of Famer that changed everything

“One thing led to another and I was introduced to George ‘The Animal’ Steele,” Steiner explained. “He said if I was interested, he could set me up with Verne Gagne’s school in Minnesota.”

Steiner took a few weeks to think about it, eventually deciding that he wanted to give pro wrestling a shot. He sent a resume up to Gagne, who recommended he come up to Minnesota, where his AWA promotion was based, for training. After learning the ropes from famed trainers Eddie Sharkey and Brad Rheingans, “The Dog-Faced Gremlin” traveled through the territories to hone his craft. He made a stop in Montreal before heading down to Louisiana and Bill Watts’ Mid-South Wrestling. At first, the transition from the mat to the ring was tough for the collegiate great.

“You had to learn the psychology,” Steiner explained, “which was a hard thing for me to grasp at first. I wanted to go out there and wrestle everybody like an amateur and beat ’em. But that’s not the name of the game.”

As he learned from veterans, Steiner picked up the little things that made professional wrestling different from the amateur game. That helped him in spades in 1987, when Jim Crockett Promotions bought Watts’ territory, bringing Steiner and a few others into the fold of their promotion based out of the Carolinas.

Old Post 07-05-13 05:01 PM
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wildcat76
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Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan and WWE were synonymous for a more than a decade. In 1984, the muscular marvel catapulted WWE from a territory in the northeastern United States to a global phenomenon. The Hulkster reigned as WWE Champion for most of the ’80s, standing tall next to Mr. T following their victory at the inaugural WrestleMania, bodyslamming Andre the Giant in front of 93,173, hosting “Saturday Night Live,” and gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Yet, as the 1990s began, Hulkamania started to wear thin on the WWE Universe. After a decade’s worth of prayers with a belly full of vitamins, fans began to grow tired of Hogan’s spiel. By summer 1993, The Hulkster had left WWE not with a bang, but with a whimper, after he was crushed by Yokozuna at King of the Ring.


Hulk Hogan would not be seen in a wrestling ring for another year, when he unseated Ric Flair to capture the WCW World Championship. Hogan’s switch to WCW was shocking to wrestling fans worldwide, but the story behind it – one that involves Ted Turner, Walt Disney World and a speedboat with stealth capabilities – is even more interesting.

Nineteen years removed from Hulk Hogan’s arrival in WCW, WWEClassics.com spoke with Ric Flair, “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart, Kevin Sullivan and others to get the inside story on the biggest signing in sports-entertainment history

Old Post 07-05-13 05:02 PM
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WWE is reporting that both Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan have been fined an undisclosed amount of money for using planned chair shots to the head during their street fight on Monday.

To help prevent concussions, WWE has banned chair shots to the head, and both Triple H and The Undertaker have been similarly fined in the past for using the same maneuvers at WrestleMania 27.

Old Post 07-05-13 05:11 PM
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WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn recently chatted with CitizensVoice.com to promote an upcoming live event. Below are some of the highlights:

On Being So Tiny In WWE: "I think at first, when you meet them all and you're getting used to it, it's like, 'Oh my gosh, it's the Great Khali,' and he seems so giant. But now I just pass in the hall, and I'm like, 'Hey, what's up,'" she said. "My hand is like a penny in some of their hands, it's so funny. But I'm just so used to it."

On Working With Ziggler/Langston: "It's so much fun. We all try to think of ways to be funnier or more offensive... We'll have each other's back, and we'll all be there for this live event as well."

On Kaitlyn: "She is terrifying. She is not only, like, gorgeous and everything, but she is jacked and so much stronger than I am, and really beats the crap out of me most of the time. But I still managed to find a way to win.

I think you get invested in it more. We have such a history, and it's just so much fun to see the Barbie-like, curvy blonde girl and the tiny Skipper brunette just kind of go at it, but I'm definitely going to put her in a Black Widow and make her tap out again."

On Becoming WWE Divas Champion: "To actually have completed that 14-year mission is amazing and surreal. I'll kinda leave the title around my apartment, just to remind me of it," she laughed. "Yeah, I put it in the bed with me sometimes."

Old Post 07-05-13 05:19 PM
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The very latest word coming from backstage in WWE is that The Undertaker and Kane vs The Shield is not a definite for SummerSlam. While the match has been discussed, it all depends on whether or not 'Taker is wanting/able to compete.

As we noted before the current "Plan B" in WWE is for Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker to take place at WrestleMania 30 if Rock vs Lesnar doesn't happen.

It's also a possibility that The Rock could be involved in the McMahon family story line, which could continue as far as WrestleMania 30.

In other SummerSlam news, most WWE officials are certain that Daniel Bryan vs John Cena for the WWE Title is a lock for the PPV, and there are said to be quite a few Bryan supporters who are pushing for him to win the title.

Old Post 07-05-13 05:20 PM
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CNOTES
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2013 CFL.ca Game Notes: A look at Week 2


TORONTO -- One week down, 18 to go.

After a high-scoring Week 1 where 277 points – the third highest opening week total in history – were scored, Week 2 gets underway with a Thursday night double header.

The Als and Blue Bombers kick things off with a rematch of last week’s entertaining clash, one that saw Montreal escape Winnipeg with a narrow 38-33 win.

Later that night, the Argonauts and Lions go head-to-head in a matchup of the last two Grey Cup winners in Vancouver.

On Friday night, two bitter rivals renew hostilities at Mosaic Stadium, with the Riders hosting the Calgary Stampeders.

Closing out Week 2 will be the Tiger-Cats and Eskimos, who meet at Hamilton’s temporary new home Alumni Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Equipped with the most up-to-date storylines, roster moves, stats, milestones and trends, enjoy this week’s CFL.ca Game Notes.

By the Numbers:

Scoring surplus: There were 277 points scored in the first four games for an average of 69.3 per game. That made it the THIRD HIGHEST scoring opening week in CFL history. Only 1992 (74.3) and 1990 (70.0) were higher.

Holding onto the ball: The biggest change over the last two seasons has been a 19 per cent drop in the number of turnovers per game. In 2012, there were just 4.1 giveaways per game – an all-time low for any season in CFL history. This trend continued as only 15 turnovers were committed in the first four games.

A passing league: In 2012, teams rushed only 18.9 times per game on average – the second-lowest total in CFL history (1993 was 17.6). The league-wide pass efficiency rating of 93.5 ranked #1 all-time, only the second year ever it has been 90+. The league-wide pass efficiency rating for Week 1 of 2013 was a stunning 98.3.

A Golden Age for FG kickers: Over the last two seasons, CFL field goal kickers have made 81.6 per cent of their attempts. Prior to 2011, the league average since 1954 was just 66 per cent, and as recently as 2005 it was just 71 per cent. In Week 1 kickers pushed that rate even higher to 18-of-21 for an 85.7 per cent mark.

Returners on the rise: In 2012 returners brought back 14 kicks for TDs, up by 6 from 2011. There were NO kickoff return TDs in 2012, marking the first time since 2001 that none occurred. However, there were three kicks returned for TDs in Week 1 including the first kickoff since September 2011, when Hamilton’s Marcus Thigpen brought one back.

Comeback kids: In 72 regular season games in 2012, 36 of the wins were by teams coming from behind. The largest comeback of the year was by Hamilton who trailed Saskatchewan by 19 before bouncing back to win 35-34. A total of 40 of the 72 games were decided in the final 3:00. Two teams came from behind to win during the opening week of 2013.

No sacks zone: There were 120 possessions in Week 1, 13 of which saw a team allow a sack. None of those 13 drives produced a touchdown for the offence. On the other 107 drives there were 25 TDs scored – a big drop off.

BC 1K: This week marks the Lions’ 1,000th regular season game in their 60-year history. They have an active 6-game home win streak heading into their game with defending champion Toronto this week.

Calgary dominance: In Week 1 the Stampeders had the league’s top rusher (Jon Cornish 172 yards), tackler (Jonathan Hefney 10 tackles), special teams tackler (Karl McCartney with 4), QB sacker (Charles Hughes 3). They scored the most points (44), and drew the fewest penalties (3). They stretched their regular season win streak to 5 games.

Offensive excellence: In the CFL the two-and-out is a fact of life in three down football. The CFL averages about 11 of them per game. In Week 1 Toronto and Hamilton combined for only 3, piling up over 930 yards of net offence in the process.

Going Streaking:

Calgary: Have won 5-straight regular season games

Toronto: Have six consecutive wins in all games including the 2012 post-season.

BC: Has a current 6-game home winning streak in regular season.

Saskatchewan: Got back on track last week snapping a 5-game overall losing streak.

Fast starts:

Toronto: Began both the first and second halves last week with back-to-back TD drives.

Saskatchewan: Also began both the first and second halves last week with back-to-back TD drives. They scored 28 of their 32 offensive points on those 4 drives including 233 of their 330 net yards for the game.

Hamilton: Had 3 TDs and a FG in their first 4 possessions, but only scored 3 points on their final 7 drives.

Calgary: Has now outscored BC 40-0 in the first quarter alone in their last two meetings.

Roster Moves:

After missing Week 1, Montreal Alouettes running back Brandon Whitaker is expected to make his first appearance since going down with a torn ACL in Week 12 of last season.

Fullback Patrick Lavoie is also expected to make his 2013 debut. Sitting out for the Als will be returner Tyron Carrier with a shoulder injury.

In Saskatchewan, receiver Geroy Simon will miss his second-straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Argos will have an old face handling their kicking duties, as Noel Prefontaine will take over for the injured Swayze Waters.

Kicker Paul McCallum and linebacker Solomon Elimimian are both expected to be back in the Lions' lineup after missing Week 1 with injuries.

Milestone Watch:

Receiving Leaders Updated: Three of the CFL’s all-time leading receivers are active for 2013 (Geroy Simon #1, Arland Bruce III #12 at 10,809 yards, and Nik Lewis #13 at 10,529 yards). With 29 yards Bruce can pass Tom Scott (10,837) for the #11 spot. Other active players in the Top 50 are: Jamel Richardson at #39 (7,877) and Terrence Edwards (WPG) at #45 with 7,088. Lewis’ consecutive games streak with at least one catch stands at 158 games.

Rushing leaders updated: With most of the league’s all-time rushing leaders now retired, and the transition from early rushing precedence to the “passing game”, little impact will be made this year. The Top 3 active rushers are all quarterbacks: Henry Burris (HAM) at #45 with 4,771 yards, Kerry Joseph #53 (4,470) and Anthony Calvillo #73 (3,662). The leading active rusher among running backs is Jon Cornish (CGY) with 3,499 yards at #81 all-time after leading the CFL with 172 last week. He moved up three places on the all-time list last week from #84.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:35 PM
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Stephen: Silence is golden for Stamps at Mosaic

When the Calgary Stampeders landed in Regina, they discovered another opponent to battle. A glance at the south end of Mosaic Stadium reveals the Roughriders installing Grey Cup seating, some of which will be open for Friday night’s game with the Stampeders. And I’m willing to bet there will not be many Stampeder fans occupying those seats.

“It will be tough playing and with our cadence,” noted quarterback Drew Tate.

“We practiced for it all week, we’re going to try to stay with it and hopefully be consistent. We have to adjust, that’s football.”

The Stampeders practiced with simulated crowd noise at McMahon Stadium this week to prep them for the expected noisy reception. Reception aside, Tate is looking to build on a strong opening week effort against the BC Lions.

“I feel good, I feel very confident about our game plan,”said Tate, fresh from a 19-of-27 effort.

“We’re prepared for a lot of different kind of looks and a lot of different kind of scenarios.”

The Stampeders handled all scenarios well last week in their season opener with the Lions. Offensively, they racked up 44 points while yielding no sacks, committing no penalties and allowing just one turnover.

The Stamps will also be looking to kickoff their annual ‘Calgary Stampede’ road trip on a positive note.

This week, Jonathan Hefney will remain on the roster for the Stampeders after making his Calgary debut with a 10 tackle performance in Week 1.

However, his status was uncertain during the week as strong-side linebacker Keon Raymond tested his wonky ankle. After a couple of workouts, the determination was made to keep Raymond on the sidelines.

“It looked like it was going to happen, “said Coach John Hufnagel.

“But he came in on the morning of the third day of practice and it was sore and we just don’t want to rush it right now. Hef was also practicing the position so he is ready to go and excited to be here to play.”

Friday night’s clash will be the first time these two teams meet since last year’s Western Semi-Final, a game that saw the Stamps steal a victory away from the Riders in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

In the loss, Riders receiver Weston Dressler was almost unstoppable, registering 153 yards on six receptions. The speedy receiver always seems to have big games against the Stamps.

“When you play a team enough times, you’re bound to have a big game every now and then,” smiled Dressler.

“Offensively, we just have to make the most of the opportunities because when you’re playing a good defence, there aren’t a lot of opportunities.”

For the Stampeders to win, and silence, the crowd, they will have to implement the same formula that worked in their opener.

In that game, the Stampeders marched down the field and scored on their opening drive, something that ignited the crowd. On the road, they have to look to achieve the same goal, but use that success to silence the crowd.

Given the extra seating, they’ll need every possible tool at their disposal to quiet the gathering.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:37 PM
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Nye: Can the Riders make the dream come true?

Finally, it’s here!

The first week of the CFL season, or any season for that matter, is why fans are fans and why we can’t wait to see the ball sail through the air for the opening kick.

So much has been put into the off-season and training camp to set a team up for the unknown and in Saskatchewan, the unknown also comes with the image everyone in this province has been yearning for since Mark Cohon announced the 2013 Grey Cup was to be played at Mosaic Stadium; Darian Durant and his teammates hoisting the Cup in front of sea of green in their home stadium, the shrine of all things football in Saskatchewan, and a great send off for a stadium that will be replaced in 2017.

But it’s a long way before anybody knows if that dream comes true although it’s a goal the coaches, players, management and fans can’t help but think about.

When Rider Nation goes to bed on Friday night, these are the types of things they will ponder?

Is Darian Durant going to take the next step?

There is no doubt Darian Durant has to be great. Most quarterbacks do for their team to win, especially in the CFL. It’s very rare to find a team win a championship in spite of their quarterback like the Baltimore Ravens did with Trent Dilfer a decade ago.

The Grey Cup Champion quarterbacks have been Ricky Ray, Travis Lulay, Anthony Calvillo, Anthony Calvillo, Henry Burris in the last five years.

Durant is taking the next step as a quarterback by protecting the ball. His touchdown to interception ratio has improved each of the last three years, as has his completion percentage.

Signs the once self described 'gunslinger' is understanding while the mentality has it’s big play upside can turn around and bite your team in the end.

Will the offensive line get it together?

The Riders offensive line wasn’t a big concern coming into the season but a freak incident in practice that broke Patrick Neufeld’s leg all of a sudden has fans worried.

Durant was hit early and often in the pre-season finale against Calgary. Ben Heenan is at a new spot to replace the right tackle but for the other four, they have no excuse. Xavier Fulton, Brendon LaBatte, Dominic Picard and Chris Best are all-star calibre linemen.

How good can this offence be?

With Durant’s 2010 5,500 yard year a not too distant memory, Geroy Simon’s arrival, the emergence of Kory Sheets, the consistency of Weston Dressler, the preseason of Taj Smith and the non-import duo of Getzlaf and Bagg, many are thinking this Rider offence is going to put up some major numbers with many majors.

The top offence in the league last year had nearly 7,000 yards. Can the Riders eclipse that mark? On paper it seems that way.

Is this defensive line going to become the 2nd coming of ‘The Gang’

A text message into ‘The Green Zone’ was curious if this defensive line could become as synonymous with rushing the passer as the one in the ‘89 with Bobby Jurasin, James Curry, Gary Lewis, Chuck Klingbeil and Vince Goldsmith.

John Chick looks like he hasn’t missed a beat since leaving the CFL after his 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Ricky Foley is promising big things after his stats took a big drop in a different role with the Argonauts last season.

Tearrius George’s two sacks in the first pre-season game and his intensity since day one of training camp has many expecting a big year for the defensive tackle.

Oh, and the ‘man that makes it all tick’ as stated by Foley, Keith Shologan will hold down the nose tackle spot to allow the play makers to get after it.

Add to that mix a veteran like Jermaine McElveen and rookie standouts Antonio Coleman and Will Davis, this unit might have to come up with a nick name.

Is the Wolfpack going to have a bite to match their bark?

One of the mandates this offseason was to improve the secondary. Just play Romby Bryant’s touchdown at the end of the West Semi Final in 2012 and you’ll find out why.

Terrell Maze and Tyron Brackenridge have stayed but everyone else is gone and Craig Butler and Macho Harris will be asked to do more.

In comes the loud and proud Dwight Anderson, Weldon Brown and Carlos Thomas.

They’ve dubbed themselves the ‘Wolfpack’ and look to bring a swagger to the defense.

What will happen in the kicking game?

The first time Chris Milo trots on to the field on Saturday to kick a field goal, he’ll either have fans rest easier or increase anxiety.

Milo has been money in practice but his 1 for 3 performance in the pre-season was reason for concern.

Milo should be fine. He can kick in the pros. He did it with amazing efficiency in 2011. While 2012 was a let down, he just needs to find his swing to make sure Corey Chamblin isn’t knocking down Brendan Taman’s door to find a kicker like they did last year with Sandro DeAngelis.

So if Rider Nation doesn’t sleep well on Friday night, the above is why. There are so many expectations and some major questions.

I just hope they realize there are 21 more weeks until they’ll be able to know for sure if the ’Celebration in Rider Nation’ involves their team.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:40 PM
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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

07/04/13 2-_2-_0 50.00% -_100 Detail

Totals 2-_2-_0 50.00% -_100



Friday, July 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Calgary - 9:00 PM ET Calgary +2 500 POD # 1

Saskatchewan - Over 55 500 POD # 2




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:43 PM
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CFL Betting Notes - Week 2

July 1, 2013


The 2013 CFL regular season got underway last week and it was a golden opportunity to go with the ‘chalk’ as all four favorites covered against the spread. Montreal kicked things off last Thursday night with a 38-33 victory over Winnipeg as a 3 ½-point road favorite.

Friday night’s double-header started with Toronto hammering out a 39-34 win over Hamilton as a 3 ½-point favorite at home followed by Calgary’s impressive 44-32 pasting of British Columbia as 3 ½-point home favorite as well. Saskatchewan closed out Week 1’s action with a 39-18 romp over Edmonton as a 2 ½-point road favorite on Saturday.

The following is a brief betting preview for Week 2 of the CFL regular season with the opening pointspread and ‘over/under’ lines provided by 5Dimes.

Thursday, July 4

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Montreal Alouettes
Point-spread: Montreal -7 ½
Total: 53 ½

The Blue Bombers will now go on the road in the back-half of this home-and-home series and have to be kicking themselves for blowing a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s game. Buck Pierce threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns but he was also picked off three times. Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo went 20-for 35 for 264 yards and one touchdown. The Blue Bombers only managed to rush for 38 total yards.

Winnipeg is 14-5-2 ATS in its last 21 games against a team with a winning record but just 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games on the road. The Alouettes are 5-13 ATS in the last 18 East Division games and 8-23 ATS in their last 31 games following a straight-up win. Winnipeg is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings between the two and the total has stayed UNDER in three of the last five games in Montreal.

Toronto Argonauts vs. British Columbia Lions
Point-spread: BC -3 ½
Total: 52

The Argonauts got a big-time performance from Ricky Ray in their season opener with 368 yards passing and four touchdown throws as well as from running back Chad Kackert, who rushed for 112 yards on 10 carries. The Lions uncharacteristically gave up 31 points in the first half against Calgary last week while scoring just six points and they were never able to close that gap.

Toronto is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a SU win and 7-1 ATS in its last eight road games. BC is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a SU loss and 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games at home. The Argonauts are 1-6 SU in their last seven games against the Lions and 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last six games.

Friday, July 5

Calgary Stampeders vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Point-spread: Calgary -1
Total: 54

Calgary has to be happy with how it played last week on both sides of the ball. Drew Tate got the start at quarterback and completed 70.4 percent of his throws for 237 yards and three scores. Meanwhile, the Roughriders opened a 36-1 lead in the third quarter against Edmonton before calling off the dogs.

The Stampeders are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five West Division games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games. The Roughriders are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU win and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games in Week 2. Calgary is 7-1 SU and 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has gone OVER in three of the last four games between the two.

Sunday, July 7

Edmonton Eskimos vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Point-spread: Hamilton -7
Total: 55 ½

The Eskimos will try and pick up the pieces from last week’s ugly opening day performance in front of the hometown crowd. Quarterbacks Mike Reilly and Jonathan Crompton combined to go just 23-of-46 and were intercepted three times. Tiger-Cats’ quarterback Henry Burris passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns in a losing efforts against Toronto.

Edmonton is 2-5 ATS in its last seven Week 2 games and 1-4 ATS in its last five road games. Hamilton is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a SU loss and a perfect 7-0 ATS in its last seven games in July. The Eskimos have failed to cover in 12 of their last 17 games against Hamilton and they are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games against the Tiger-Cats. The total has gone OVER in five of the last seven meetings.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:45 PM
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CFL
Dunkel

Calgary at Saskatchewan
The Roughriders look to build on their 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 games in Week 2 of the season. Saskatchewan is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Roughriders favored by 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-1). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, JULY 5

Game 425-426: Calgary at Saskatchewan (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 116.023; Saskatchewan 119.660
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 3 1/2; 50
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 1; 54
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-1); Under


SUNDAY, JULY 7

Game 427-428: Edmonton at Hamilton (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 112.462; Hamilton 111.921
Dunkel Line: Edmonton by 1; 60
Vegas Line: Hamilton by 7; 55
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+7); Over




CFL
Long Sheet

Week 2

Friday, July 5

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CALGARY (1 - 0) at SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 0) - 7/5/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 45-25 ATS (+17.5 Units) in July games since 1996.
CALGARY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 5-3 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-1 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, July 7

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDMONTON (0 - 1) at HAMILTON (0 - 1) - 7/7/2013, 5:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 3-1 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 3-1 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 2

Calgary (1-0) @ Saskatchewan (1-0)—Stampeders (-3.5) beat BC Lions 44-32 at home last week, winning opener for home fans dealing with horrible flood in their town; Calgary ran ball for 200 yards, outgained Lions by 82 yards- they won three of four vs Riders LY, splitting pair here- they scored 30+ points in all three wins, lost 17-10 in one of two visits to Regina. Saskatchewan’s win in Edmonton last week snapped 5-game losing skid from LY; Riders lost last two games on Taylor Field, are 3-4 overall in last seven at home- they were outgained by 64 yards in Edmonton last week, but were +4 in turnovers. Last eight Calgary games, five of last six Roughrider games went over the total.

Edmonton (0-1) @ Hamilton (0-1)—Home side won five of last six Eskimo-TiCat games, with Edmonton losing 51-8 (+3) here LY, then winning 35-20 (-2.5) at home three weeks later. Last five series games were all decided by 15+ points. TiCats gave up 489 yards in 39-34 (+3.5) loss in SkyDome last week, allowing 10.8 yards per pass attempt- they’ve lost five of last six games overall, but have won three of last four at home. Eskimos were down 22-1 at halftime of 39-18 home loss to Riders last week, turning ball over four times (-4), allowing Saskatchewan 144 rushing yards. Over is 7-0-1 in last eight Edmonton games, 8-3 in last eleven Hamilton tilts.




CFL

Week 2

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Trend Report
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Friday, July 5

9:00 PM
CALGARY vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games


Sunday, July 7

5:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. HAMILTON
Edmonton is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Hamilton's last 7 games when playing Edmonton
Hamilton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games


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CFL

Week 2

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Stamps at Roughriders: What bettors need to know
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Calgary Stampeders at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-2, 54)

The Calgary Stampeders emerged from Week 1 as the top-ranked team in the CFL following a dominant showing at home against the BC Lions. The Stampeders (1-0) will try to defend their ranking when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) on Friday. Saskatchewan, which is ranked fourth, is also off to a strong start after controlling its game against the Edmonton Eskimos from the opening kickoff despite missing new addition Geroy Simon on offense.

Calgary defeated the Roughriders 36-30 in the West Semi-Finals last year en route to an appearance in the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto. Saskatchewan will host this year’s Grey Cup, adding extra weight to its home opener. The Roughriders kept the Eskimos out of their end zone through three quarters last week, a defensive showing they would be happy to duplicate against the high-octane Stampeders offense.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (1-0): Defensive lineman Charleston Hughes and running back Jon Cornish both received player of the week honors after their strong showing in Week 1. Hughes, who was named defensive player of the week, led Calgary with three sacks. Cornish, who was named the top Canadian player, ran for a league-best 172 yards and two touchdowns. Cornish, who also caught one pass for 20 yards, pledged to donate $10 to Calgary flood relief for every yard he earned in the game, totaling $1,920 that he rounded to an even two thousand dollars after the game.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (1-0): Running back Kory Sheets paced Saskatchewan’s offense in Week 1, carrying the ball 17 times for 131 yards and one touchdown. Sheets’ effective running opened up the field for slotback Chris Getzlaf, who caught three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. Getzlaf only had two touchdowns last season. Getzlaf’s resurgence and the impending return of Simon from injury crowds a backfield that already includes 2012 CFL All-Star slotback Weston Dressler. Rookie defensive lineman Levi Steinhauer, who is from nearby Moose Jaw, Sask., forced two fumbles in his CFL debut.

TRENDS:

* Stampeders are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings in Saskatchewan.
* Over is 10-1 in Stampeders’ last 11 games overall dating back to last season.
* Roughriders are 6-1 ATS in their last seven Week 2 games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Calgary defeated Saskatchewan in three of four meetings last year - including the West Semi-Final. Cornish was held to just 67 rushing yards in the Roughriders' only victory.

2. Stampeders QB Drew Tate showed no ill effects of last year’s injury-riddled campaign last week, throwing for 237 yards and three touchdowns.

3. Saskatchewan released WR Greg Carr on Tuesday after he caught one pass for five yards in the season opener.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-05-13 06:47 PM
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2013 Outlook - Big Ten

July 4, 2013


Skinny: Ohio State went unbeaten in Urban Meyer’s first season as head coach, but the Buckeyes were unable to go bowling or play in the Big Ten Championship due to the NCAA violations committed on Jim Tressel’s watch.

With nine starters returning on offense and four on defense, the Buckeyes are the clear-cut favorites in the Big Ten. In fact, they have the second-shortest odds to win the BCS Championship at 5Dimes (+800).

5Dimes has Ohio State as the -110 ‘chalk’ to win the Big Ten Championship Game. Meyer’s team has a season win total of 11.5 ‘under’ (-195, +155 for ‘over’ wagers).

Ohio State averaged 37.2 points per game last year and has all of its skill players back, including junior quarterback Braxton Miller. The Big Ten Player of the Year in 2012 rushed for 1,524 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore. Also, Miller threw for 2,039 yards with a 15/6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

The defense returns only four starters, but they are the top four tacklers from last season’s squad. Junior linebacker Ryan Shazier, junior CB Bradley Roby and senior safety Christian Bryant are All-American candidates.

Remember, the Bucks won six one-possession games in 2012, including a pair of overtime victories. If they find themselves playing from behind this season, will Miller and the passing game be able to produce?

Michigan has the second-shortest odds to win the league at +500 (risk $100 to win $500). The Wolverines have a season win total of 9.5 (-165 for the ‘under,’ +125 for ‘over’ plays).

Brady Hoke’s squad returns 12 starters (6 offense & 6 defense) from last season’s team that finished 8-5 after dropping a 33-28 heartbreaker to South Carolina at the Outback Bowl.

With Denard Robinson out of the picture, the offense now belongs to junior QB Devin Gardner. He got plenty of action last year and was taking most of the snaps in the last few games of the season. Gardner completed 59.5% of his 126 throws for 1,219 yards with an 11/5 TD-INT ratio.

Gardner also rushed for seven TDs. His favorite target will be senior WR Jeremy Gallon, who had 49 receptions for 829 yards and four TDs in 2012.

Michigan’s defense allowed only 19.8 PPG last season. Hoke’s hope is that this unit will once again be led by linebacker Jake Ryan, who had a team-high 88 tackles last season. Ryan, who also had 11.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, tore his ACL in the first padded practice in the spring. His recovery has reportedly been going remarkably well and the Wolverines hope to have him ready by October.

Northwestern nearly went undefeated in 2012. The Wildcats finished 10-3, capping the campaign by blasting Mississippi State, 34-20 at the Gator Bowl. They allowed fourth-quarter leads to get away in all three losses – 39-28 at PSU, 29-28 vs. Nebraska and 38-31 at Michigan in overtime.

Pat Fitzgerald’s team returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense. Northwestern has the third-shortest odds to win the Big Ten at 5Dimes (+600). The Wildcats have a season win total of 8.5 (-140 for ‘under’ bets, +100 for the ‘over’).

Like South Carolina with Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson, Northwestern has two QBs it can win with. Senior Kain Colter is the starter but he can also play at RB and WR when Trevor Siemian takes snaps under center.

Colter rushed for 894 yards and 12 TDs last season, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He completed 101-of-149 passes (67.8%) for 872 yards with an 8/4 TD-INT ratio. Colter also had 16 receptions for 169 yards. Siemian connected on 128-of-218 throws for 1,312 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio.

Senior Venric Mark might be the Big Ten’s best RB and is one of the nation’s elite special-teams players. Mark rushed for 1,366 yards and 12 TDs while rushing for 6.0 YPC. He averaged 18.7 yards per punt return with a pair of TDs.

Northwestern’s defense gave up 22.5 PPG in 2012. The Wildcats return senior LB Damien Proby, who had a team-high 112 tackles last season. Also, senior DE Tyler Scott is back after recording nine sacks last year.

Nebraska has +700 odds (risk $100 to win $700) to win the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers have a season win total of 9.5 (-130 to the ‘over,’ -110 for ‘over’ bets) at 5Dimes.

Bo Pelini’s squad went 10-4 in his fifth season, but the year ended on a sour note. First, Nebraska got embarrassed in a 70-31 loss to Wisconsin at the Big Ten Championship Game. Next, the Cornhuskers dropped a 45-31 decision versus Georgia at the Capital One Bowl.

The boys in Lincoln returns eight starters on offense and four on defense. Senior QB Taylor Martinez is already the school’s all-time leading passer with 6,591 passing yards. The four-year starter will try to build on those numbers in 2013.

Martinez threw for 2,871 yards as a junior with a 23/12 TD-INT ratio. He also rushed for 1,019 yards and 10 TDs. Junior RB Ameer Abdullah rushed for a team-high 1,137 yards last year to garner second-team All Big Ten honors. Abdullah rushed for eight TDs while averaging 5.9 YPC.

Martinez will have the benefit of all three starting WRs returning, including his favorite target. Kenny Bell was that guy last season when he hauled in a team-high 50 receptions for 863 yards and eight TDs.

The concerns for Nebraska are not on the offensive side of the ball. Pelini has to get the defense straight after three consecutive declining years since giving up only 10.4 PPG in 2009. The ‘Huskers allowed 27.6 PPG last season and the five top tacklers from this unit are gone.

Unless Nebraska is a home ‘dog vs. UCLA in Week 3 (unlikely since the ‘Huskers are currently 6.5-point ‘chalk’ at 5Dimes), it will be favored in its first eight games. The year will be decided by a four-week stretch from Nov. 2 through Nov. 23 when they host Northwestern, face Michigan at The Big House, face Michigan State at home and then travel to Happy Valley to challenge Penn State.

Speaking of the Nittany Lions, they remain ineligible for the Big Ten title and the bowl season. Nevertheless, the school has to feel better about its future after watching Bill O’Brien field a feisty 8-4 squad that could’ve easily gone 10-2 in his first year.

PSU lost 17-16 at Virginia because its place kicker Sam Ficken had a day from hell in Charlottesville. To his credit, though, he put that nightmare behind him and made every field goal of consequence inside of 40 yards over the next 10 games.

Penn State got robbed of a crucial fourth-quarter TD and its backers suffered a horrendous beat in a 32-23 loss at Nebraska as an 8.5-point underdog. But the Lions managed to compile a 9-3 spread record nonetheless, including a 5-1 ATS mark in six spots as home favorites.

PSU brings back eight starters on offense and six on defense. Despite the massive NCAA penalties, O’Brien brought in a solid recruiting class, including a pair of five-star players in QB Christian Hackenberg and TE Adam Breneman.

Hackenberg could be the starter from Day 1. On that note, the PSU faithful will be happy to see he won’t have a true road game until October. The Lions play Syracuse in their opener at Giants Stadium before three straight home games.

Penn State returns its top seven pass catchers from last season, including first-team All Big Ten performer Allen Robinson. The junior WR had 77 catches for 1,013 yards and 11 TDs. Also, junior RB Zach Swinak is back after rushing for 1,000 yards and six TDs as a sophomore.

Penn State has a season win total of 8.5 (-195 for the ‘under,’ +155 for ‘over’ backers) at 5Dimes. We should mention that the Nittany Lions have just four true road assignments.

We have already covered three of the four legitimate contenders to win the Leaders Division. The fourth is Michigan State, which has +750 odds to win the league.

I’ve always said that teams like the 2012 Spartans, who got mediocre QB play all year, can steadily improve if mediocre QB play can be turned into quality production from the signal caller.

Senior QB Andrew Maxwell struggled mightily in his first season as a starter. He completed just 52.5 percent of his throws and had three interceptions returned for TDs. The result was an offense that averaged just a meager 20.0 PPG.

An improved offense will mostly be determined by Maxwell, but the Spartans are also in dire need of finding a replacement at running back. Le’Veon Bell rushed for 1,793 yards and 12 TDs in his final campaign with the Spartans. Junior Nick Hill and true freshman Gerald Holmes are the leading candidates to replace Bell.

Mark Dantonio’s squad returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense. The ‘D’ will be led by first-team All Big Ten LB Max Bullough. The senior Butkus Award candidate had a team-high 111 stops last season to go with 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Michigan State has a season win total of 8.5 (-130 to the ‘over,’ -110 for the ‘under’). The Spartans open with three straight home games before venturing into South Bend to face Notre Dame.

The biggest obstacle for Ohio State in the Leaders Division is Wisconsin, which has won three consecutive Big Ten titles. The Badgers only went 8-6 last year but they lost three games in overtime and each defeat came by seven points or less.

Wisconsin lost its head coach Bret Bielema to the SEC when he bolted for the Arkansas job. However, Barry Alvarez made a solid hire with his selection of Gary Andersen from Utah State as Andersen guided the Aggies to an 11-2 record both SU and ATS last year.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-06-13 03:12 AM
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Wisconsin returns eight starters on offense and six on defense. Unlike last season, the QB situation appears to be settled with sophomore Joel Stave scheduled as the starter. Stave led the offense to an average of 34.2 PPG in his first five starts as a freshman. He completed 58.8 percent of his throws for 1,104 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio.

The school’s second all-time leading rusher Montee Ball is off to the NFL, but Wisconsin looks stacked at the RB position. James White has been the nation’s best back-up RB for several years and is back for his senior campaign. White had 12 rushing TDs and a 6.4 YPC average as a junior.

But White might not even be the starter. Sophomore Melvin Gordon showed flashes of brilliance as a true freshman when he rushed for 621 yards and three TDs. Gordon averaged an amazing 10.0 YPC.

Kirk Ferentz is the Dean of Big Ten head coaches as he enters his 15th season at Iowa, but his days could be numbered if the Hawkeyes don’t improve in 2013. They finished a disappointing 4-8 last season. The ‘Hawks bring back six starters on offense and seven on defense, but they must find a replacement for QB James Vandenberg.

Games to Watch:

1-Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 30) – Will this be the first of two meetings in as many weeks? Possibly. 5Dimes has the Buckeyes as five-point road favorites with an ‘over/under’ total of 50.5. The Buckeyes have won eight of the last nine meetings, but they lost a 40-34 decision in their last trip to Ann Arbor in 2011. Michigan has only been a home ‘dog once under Hoke, beating Notre Dame 35-31 two seasons ago.

2-Wisconsin at Ohio State (Sep. 28) – This game will almost certainly decide the Leaders Division before the calendar hits October. Both schools will be playing for the fifth time in as many weeks. Wisconsin will be looking to avenge a 21-14 home loss to the Buckeyes in overtime last season. The Buckeyes are 10-point home favorites at 5Dimes.

3- Michigan at Northwestern (Nov. 16) – Northwestern has an open date leading into this game, while Michigan will be coming off a 60-minute battle vs. Nebraska. This game will go a long way toward deciding the Legends loop. The Wildcats are currently two-point home ‘chalk.’

4- Nebraska at Penn State (Nov. 23) – PSU can play the spoiler role on Nebraska in this spot. After the controversial loss in Lincoln last season, this would be a sweet victory for the Nittany Lions in the next-to-last game. PSU has three fairly easy games leading into this spot – vs. Illinois, at Minnesota and vs. Purdue. On the flip side, Nebraska will be at the tail end of a four-game gauntlet that includes home games vs. Northwestern and Michigan State sandwiched between a trip to The Big House. 5Dimes has this game as a pick ‘em.

5- Ohio State at Northwestern (Oct. 5) – This might be the second toughest game of the year for Urban Meyer’s team. From a situational standpoint, the advantage goes to Northwestern since it has an opening date the previous week. Furthermore, Ohio St. will fall into a letdown spot after hosting Wisconsin the prior week. In 29 head-to-head meetings, Ohio State has only lost once to the Wildcats (2004). 5Dimes has the Bucks favored by seven (-115).

Fearless Predictions
(Championship Game - Ohio State over Northwestern)


2013 Win-Loss Projections
School Record Win Total (5Dimes) Bowl Projection
Leaders Division
Ohio State 11-2 11 ½ Rose
Wisconsin 10-2 8 ½ Capital One vs. ACC #2
Penn State 9-3 8 ½ -
Indiana 5-7 5 ½ -
Purdue 3-9 5 ½ -
Illinois 3-9 3 ½ -
Legends Division
Northwestern 10-3 8 ½ Outback Bowl vs. SEC #3 or 4
Michigan 9-3 9 ½ Buffalo Wild Wings vs. Big 12 #4
Nebraska 9-3 9 ½ Gator Bowl vs. SEC #6
Michigan State 8-4 8 ½ Texas Bowl vs. Big 12 #5
Iowa 5-7 5 ½ -
Minnesota 4-8 5 ½ -


Best Season Win Total: Northwestern ‘over’ 8.5 at even money.

Best Week 1 Bet: Take Northern Illinois +6 at Iowa.

Players to Watch:

1-Braxton Miller (QB, Ohio St.): According to Sportsbook.ag, the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year has the second-shortest odds to win the Heisman (+500) behind only Johnny Manziel. The Buckeye faithful are hoping Miller can lead the team to a national title.

2-Venric Mark (RB, Northwestern): This Northwestern squad has a chance to be really good but that will only happen if Mark stays healthy and has a monster season.

3-Taylor Martinez (QB, Nebraska): If the defense doesn’t improve, Martinez and the offense are going to be on the hook for scoring a bunch of points against quality foes. He has 25/1 odds to win the Heisman at Sportsbook.ag.

4-Max Bullough: (LB, Michigan St.): The two-time All Big Ten performer will anchor a Spartans defense that didn’t get much help from the other side of the ball in 2012. If the Spartans are going to win the Legends, they will have to slow down high-octane offenses in back-to-back road assignments at Nebraska and at Northwestern in late November.

5-Melvin Gordon & James White (RBs, Wisconsin): This combo will have to replace Montee Ball. White is the steady veteran that has always produced, while Gordon is the speedster who can take it the house on any given touch.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Michigan is only 1-4 against the spread in four road underdog spots during Brady Hoke’s tenure. The Wolverines might be road ‘dogs (or not?) in three games: at Penn St., at Michigan St. and at Northwestern. The Wildcats have an open date before facing Michigan, which will be coming off a 60-minute battle vs. Nebraska.

-- Michigan State went 0-6 ATS as a home favorite last year. The Spartans will be favored in every home game in 2013 with the only possible exception being a Nov. 2 showdown vs. in-state rival Michigan.

-- 5Dimes has the Spartans as 5.5-point underdogs at Notre Dame in Week 3. They are 8-6 ATS as road ‘dogs during Dantonio’s six previous seasons at the helm.

-- Wisconsin has a season win total of 8.5, so I like it ‘over.’ However, I won’t recommend it because of the expensive -210 cost to back the ‘over.’




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-06-13 03:13 AM
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Wide open in the Pac-12 South

July 1, 2013


2013 PAC-12 South - Schedule Outlook

The college football season is less than two months away, the schedule is set and there are some great disparities within each conference that will impact the conference races. The Pac-12 South was a tight race last season as the heavy favorite USC stumbled and it should be an interesting race again this season. Take a look at the schedules ahead in the Pac-12 South in 2013.
Arizona Wildcats

Rich Rodriguez led an upstart season for the Wildcats last season, finishing 8-5 with a bowl win after a tough 4-8 2011 season. The schedule played a huge role in the disparities between those records and this season Arizona again draws a relatively favorable path. Five of nine Pac-12 games will be on the road but missing Stanford on the schedule is certainly a break and several of the biggest games will be at home. Arizona has a very light non-conference schedule that should ensure a strong start and bye weeks before big road games at Washington and at USC could help the cause for a possible upset. Arizona will need to replace some key players on offense but another solid season could be ahead.

Conference Misses: Oregon State and Stanford

Toughest Back-to-Back: The Wildcats will have a tough finish to the season hosting Oregon in late November and then closing the season at Arizona State. A lot could be on the line for the Wildcats who could have a record that has them in contention in this division, especially if they find a way to win at USC early in the season. Arizona will play back-to-back road games in the middle of the year but this late season set should provide the biggest tests of the year.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: Arizona will play one of the weaker non-conference slates in the conference with home games with Northern Arizona and Texas-San Antonio, leaving a road trip to UNLV as the biggest non-conference test in week 2, even though Arizona should be a solid road favorite in that game.

Arizona State Sun Devils

The Sun Devils started the Pac-12 season 3-0 last year but four consecutive losses dropped them out of the picture. Arizona State has an experienced team back in action and while the overall schedule is tougher this season with two huge non-conference games, the Pac-12 slate lines up nicely featuring the notable omission of Oregon. Arizona State will need to be ready to go early in the year as after an opener against FCS Sacramento State there will be four straight very tough games. It is truly a gauntlet for the Sun Devils playing Wisconsin, Stanford, USC, and Notre Dame in consecutive weeks in late September and early October. It could be smooth sailing after that however and Arizona State will play five of nine Pac-12 games at home.

Conference Misses: California and Oregon

Toughest Back-to-Back: The aforementioned four-game stretch early in the season could be sliced in a number of ways to find the toughest two-game set but the two conference games will be the most critical, playing at Stanford for the first road game of the season and then following that game up with a huge home contest against USC. The Trojans beat Arizona State soundly last season and the Sun Devils have not played Stanford since they nearly upset then #7 Stanford in 2010.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: A big early season game with Wisconsin will be a huge game in Tempe but the chance to play Notre Dame at Cowboys Stadium will certainly be a game the team is looking forward to all season even though it comes at the end of a stretch of very tough games.

Colorado Buffaloes

After a 1-11 season there is nowhere to go but up for Colorado and Mike MacIntyre takes over the program after engineering a successful turnaround at San Jose State. Colorado does miss Stanford on the schedule but they also do not get to play Washington State this year and the Cougars provided Colorado's only win last season. Five of nine games will be on the road for Colorado and the non-conference schedule has two challenging games as well. It is a very tough slate of home games for Colorado featuring Oregon, Arizona, and USC visiting Boulder so the opportunity for a quick turnaround is likely limited.

Conference Misses: Stanford and Washington State

Toughest Back-to-Back: Following up the homecoming game with Arizona, a game that will have a bye week preceding it, Colorado will play back-to-back road games at UCLA and at Washington. While there may be tougher games on the schedule that will be a difficult set of road games with long travel that could take a greater toll late in the season.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: The opener in Denver against Colorado State will be critical. MacIntyre could gain instant credibility if he can win that game and move back to the top of the ladder in the Rocky Mountain State college football landscape. Colorado State won in the rivalry last season and has some promising pieces in place this year but a win would be a great way to provide a spark for the program.

UCLA Bruins

Despite producing mediocre records both years it has been UCLA representing the Pac-12 South in the first two years of the Pac-12 championship game. The Bruins did not win either of those games but they played reasonably well, covering as heavy underdogs in both chances. There is a lot to like about what UCLA is bringing back in Jim Mora's second season in Los Angeles but a very difficult schedule is waiting and will make another championship run a tough task. UCLA plays five road games and two of those games will be against the top two from the North, Stanford and Oregon. The game with USC is also on the road and the non-conference schedule won't offer any easy outs.

Conference Misses: Oregon State and Washington State

Toughest Back-to-Back: It could not get any tougher in this conference as the Bruins have to play Stanford and Oregon in consecutive weeks in October with both of those games coming on the road. UCLA will play all nine Pac-12 games in consecutive weeks without a bye week so the late season games will also be challenging but it is certainly hard to imagine the Bruins sweeping this brutal October set and it will be very hard to avoid a 0-2 hit in the conference race.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: An opener against Nevada will be an important challenge but a week 3 game at Nebraska will be a huge national game and a showcase opportunity for the conference. UCLA won 36-30 at home in a minor upset last season so the challenge could be greater this year in Lincoln but a win would propel the Bruins to forefront of this division.

USC Trojans

Despite being a very popular national title pick USC slogged through an ugly 7-6 campaign last season, going just 5-4 in conference play. Injuries played a role but so far the Lane Kiffin era has offered quite a bit of disappointment. Things could line up nicely for USC this season however as they do not have to play Oregon and they draw Stanford at home. USC gets five of nine conference games at home and the non-conference slate is manageable. Playing at Hawaii to open the season will give USC an extra game this season and there are six road games on the schedule but overall this is favorable slate in this division.

Conference Misses: Oregon and Washington

Toughest Back-to-Back: The toughest set of games may come late in the season with back-to-back road games at Oregon State and then at California. While USC may be favored in both games neither will be an easy draw at that point in the season and a huge home game with Stanford could create a look-ahead situation for the second game in Berkeley. While this schedule lines up well for USC, there are definitely no breaks or weak FCS foes like many of the other prominent national programs will have included in their schedules.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: As usual the biggest game will be with Notre Dame. Last season that match came at the end of the year with the world on the line for the Irish while USC was stumbling through an ugly season and playing without its starting quarterback. It will be a much bigger game for USC this season being played in the middle of the year and on the road.

Utah Utes

Utah has enjoyed one of the best schedules in the Pac-12 in its first two years in the conference but the Utes failed to take advantage, going just 8-5 in 2011 and really struggling last season with an ugly 5-7 finish to snap a long bowl streak. Utah will have a schedule featuring three four-game blocks separated with bye weeks and it will be a challenging slate with difficult road games. Five of nine conference games will be at home but the North draw is tough with Oregon and Stanford both on the map. Non-conference games with Utah State and BYU keeps this schedule relatively tough overall and it may be difficult for the Utes to make a big jump in improvement.

Conference Misses: California and Washington

Toughest Back-to-Back: The toughest month of the season will be in October as the Utes host UCLA and Stanford in back-to-back weeks including a primetime Thursday night game and then the homecoming game. Yes, the homecoming game will be against Stanford, a program that has gone 35-5 the last three years finishing high in the national rankings. Following up that game will be a back-to-back road game set and that will be at Arizona and then at USC, two very tough games in what could be a problematic stretch in the schedule.

Biggest Non-Conference Game: While they are no longer conference rivals, Utah and BYU will face off in Provo in late September. Last season Utah held on for a narrow win, the third in a row in the series but it could be a tougher game this year and it will follow-up the conference opener for the Utes which could be less than ideal.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-06-13 03:15 AM
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WWE agent/producer Gerald Brisco will be scouting talent for Monster Factory at the Paulsboro, New Jersey school on July 20th. The promotion announced that the WWE Hall of Famer will help them do talent evaluations and will also do a two-hour seminar after the tryouts. He'll teach you what WWE looks for in their talents, how to work the "WWE style" and more.

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Wednesday night's "special Money in the Bank" episode of WWE Main Event didn't actually air; the company instead ran a replay of last week's Main Event as a lead-in to this week's show. As we reported earlier in the week, next week is a double-episode set as well so the MITB episode may air then.

-- The upcoming Triple H and Goldberg DVD/Blu-Ray sets have been titled. Triple H's will be named WWE: Triple H - Thy Kingdom Come while Goldberg's is WWE: Goldberg - The Ultimate Collection.

-- Here are the latest WWE and TNA attendance figures:

WWE:

-6/28 in Bismark, North Dakota: 4,000 fans
-6/29 in Fargo, North Dakota: 4,400 fans
-6/29 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: 4,500 fans
-6/30 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 2,700 fans
-6/30 in Rochester, Minnesota: 2,800 fans
-7/2 in Topeka, Kansas (SmackDown/Main Event taping): 3,800 fans

TNA:

-6/27 in Ottumwa, Iowa: 500 fans
-6/28 in St. Joseph, Missouri: 550 fans
-6/29 in Las Vegas, Nevada (iMPACT! Wrestling TV tapings): 3,800 fans

Old Post 07-06-13 03:43 PM
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Layla and Justin Gabriel will be representing WWE at the Comcast Connecticut Women's Expo at the CT Convention Center on September 8th from 11am until 1pm. A ticket is required for admission, autographs and photos.
- Fans can win a meet & greet with a WWE Superstar at the July 11th NXT TV tapings from Full Sail University by dressing up as their favorite NXT or WWE Superstar and tagging it on Instagram with the hashtag #NXTInstaSLAM. You must include the name of the star you are dressed as and your Twitter handle in the photo caption.

- Almost 9,000 fans attended WWE's final show in Tokyo, Japan last night. Japanese star Yoshi Tatsu picked up wins over Wade Barrett this week and celebrated with the Japanese flag after the match.

Another highlight from the show saw former WWE star Funaki work as the special guest referee as Natalya defeated Aksana. In other news from the event, Antonio Cesaro "won the fans over" after a 24 minute match with Sheamus.

Old Post 07-06-13 03:44 PM
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TNA began airing their Hardcore Justice 2 pay-per-view on Friday night. Here is a full recap, thanks to Michael Riba of Gerweck.net:
We see a video hype package for the show tonight, in which every match will be under Hardcore Rules.

We go into the arena where Mike Tenay and Jeremy Borash are on commentary tonight.

Finally, we see a video package highlighting some of TNA's most hardcore moments in company history.

The Lords of the New Church make their way to the ring to kick off the first bout.

The Latin American Xchange (Hernandez and Homicide) vs. The Lords of the New Church (Sin and Slash)
Homicide and Slash start the match. Homicide drops Slash with a atomic drop and an uppercut. Homicide goes for the cover, but Slash kicks out at one. Slash comes back and beats down Homicide in the corner, but Homicide comes back with an elbow shot and a jumping DDT. Homicide goes for the cover, but Slash kicks out at two. Homicide tags in Hernandez, who takes Slash right backs down to the mat. Hernandez goes for the cover, but Slash kicks out at two. Hernandez kicks Slash in the midsection, but Slash gets away and tags in Sin. LAX double-teams Sin and Homicide goes for the cover, but Sin kicks out at two. Sin comes back and slams Homicide down to the mat and then tosses him into the corner. Sin tags in Slash, who beats down Homicide and then takes him down to the mat. On the outside, Hernandez puts on a hard hat and headbutts Sin and Slash's midsections. LAX slam Sin and Slash into each other, but Slash sets Homicide on a steel chair and delivers a dropkick that sends Homicide to the floor. Homicide comes back and delivers a face-buster to Slash on the ramp. LAX begins to double-team Sin. Hernandez throws a piece of road construction at Sin and knocks him down to the floor. Back in the ring, Sin delivers a dropkick to Homicide as Slash slams Hernandez into the barricade on the outside. Homicide comes back and delivers a series of right hands to Sin and then bites him in the corner. LAX double-team Slash and Homicide goes for the cover, but Slash kicks out at two.

Slash comes back and tries a leg drop from the top rope, but Hernandez pulls Homicide out of the way and LAX begins to double-team Slash. Slash slams Homicide down to the mat and goes for the cover, but Homicide kicks out at two. Slash goes to the top again, but Hernandez takes him down with a belly-to-belly suplex. Sin gets into the ring and takes Hernandez down with a clothesline. Homicide takes Sin down and Hernandez splashes Sin from the top and gets the pin fall.
Winners: The Latin American Xchange

Old Post 07-06-13 03:46 PM
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We go backstage and SoCal Val is interviewing ODB. ODB says Jackie Moore is one tough b---h, but she is too. ODB says they both made women and men cry and she will beat Jackie's ass. We get a video hype package for the match.

No Disqualification Match: Jackie Moore vs. ODB
ODB tosses Jackie down to the mat, and Jackie comes right back and tosses ODB down to the mat. On the outside, ODB tosses Jackie to the floor. ODB rolls Jackie back into the ring, but Jackie goes right back out and beats down ODB. Jackie takes ODB down with a clothesline and tosses her back into the ring. Jackie tosses a broom and some hairspray into the ring. Jackie chokes ODB with her boot and then slams her into the turnbuckle. Jackie stomps ODB down in the corner, but ODB fights back and then sprays shaving cream on her. ODB stomps Jackie down in the corner and then tosses all sorts of weapons into the ring. ODB goes to hit Jackie in the head with a boot, but Jackie takes control of the match. Jackie chokes ODB again and then hits her with the boot. Jackie chokes ODB with a wedding veil and then hits her with the broom. Jackie chokes ODB with the broom, but ODB slings her down to the mat. ODB tosses Jackie into the corner and then splashes her. ODB delivers the Bronco Buster and then chokes Jackie with the broom. Jackie throws some powder into ODB's face, and drops her with a sideslam and gets a two count. ODB kicks Jackie in the face and spits the contents of her flask into Jackie's face. ODB picks Jackie up and slams her down and gets the pin fall.
Winner: ODB.

Old Post 07-06-13 03:46 PM
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CNOTES
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NCAAF Games of the Year: Boise State road dogs at BYU

NCAAF Week 9: Boise State Broncos at BYU Cougars (-3)

Past history: Boise State 3-0 SU since 2003. Won 7-6 (-6) last Year.

Early look at Boise State: The Broncos are considered to be non-AQ royalty, but this year they will not be the favorites to win the Mountain West - a first since joining the conference four years ago. That distinction instead belongs to Fresno State, which will host Boise State on Friday, September 20. Last year saw the Broncos lose multiple games for the first time in five seasons. A tough schedule this year should again result in multiple losses, but BSU easily can still find its way to the inaugural MWC Championship Game.

Early look at BYU: The Cougars' first season as a FBS independent resulted in an 8-5 campaign. That independent status automatically ensures another difficult schedule, but with the exception of Notre Dame, this is probably the strongest independent program in the country. With eight starters returning on the offensive side of the ball, there will be a scheme change to a faster tempo with Robert Anae making his return to Provo to take over again as offensive coordinator. On defense, there are only four returning starters but that unit should still be strong.

Where this line will move: This is interesting. Boise State is going to be more off the radar than it has been in previous seasons. There’s a good chance it will come in with at least one loss here, but BYU should have one or two as well. A lot will be contingent on how the Cougars do in their previous three games (at Utah State, Georgia Tech, at Houston).




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 07-07-13 05:32 PM
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