3G-Sports
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs
Play: Chicago Cubs
A day after ending the Chicago Cubs' long winning streak, the Philadelphia Phillies would like to make sure their sudden bullpen problems are over, too. It seems likely both teams will have to rely on their relievers Sunday when the Cubs try to pull off a series win over the Phillies and finish August without losing back-to-back games. While Chicago (85-51) will start Carlos Zambrano, who is pitching through a 'tired' arm, 45-year-old Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer has not lasted past seven innings in 13 straight starts and is coming off his shortest outing since 2005.That means Philadelphia (74-62) is likely to turn to its bullpen Sunday, and that had been a shaky proposition this week. No relief corps in the NL has a lower ERA (3.22) than the Phillies, but that group was saddled with the loss in three consecutive games heading into Saturday. Philadelphia's bullpen allowed 10 runs and 12 hits - four were homers - in 7 1-3 innings during that skid. Look for the Cubs to get the rubber game of this series. Play on the CHICAGO CUBS
THE POWER INDEX
Kentucky +4 over Louisville*
We really have to wonder if the good times are temporarily over for Louisville. The personnel losses are huge for the Cardinals on both offense and defense. Kentucky must replace a great QB, but the Wildcats look to be the more experienced team in this one. Looking for the outright upset here.
Colorado** -11 over Colorado State
OK, I have to tell you that I am a Buff alum. I also need to mention that Colorado State always gets sky high for this game. Still, I am taking Colorado this time around. The matchups heavily favor the Buffaloes, as CSU is weak on run defense. The Rams also struggle to protect their QB and that guy will be inexperienced and figures to be on the run for most of the game.
Nelly
Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs 'OVER'
Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has not pitched well in August with an ERA of 7.42 and the ‘over’ has cashed in six of his last seven starts. The Chicago offense has bailed out Zambrano in many of those games as he has taken just two losses since the All Star break and Zambrano contributes on offense as well as he is likely the best hitting pitcher in baseball. Zambrano has allowed 13 walks over his last three starts, the same numbers as the amount of strikeouts he has earned in those games.
Jamie Moyer has good overall numbers on the road this season but most venues in the NL are much more pitching friendly than Wrigley Field, especially the venues Moyer frequents in the NL East. The Cubs are one of the top hitting teams in baseball, particularly against left-handed pitching with a .312 team average at home. The Cubs posted four runs in just five innings against Moyer earlier this season and he is unlikely to have success against the Chicago lineup.
The Philadelphia offense has emerged from its slump with 5.2 runs scored per game over the past ten games while the Cubs continue a torrid clip at 6.2 runs per game in that span. Wrigley Field is averaging close to ten runs per game and the Cubs are a dramatic ‘over’ team on the season. Both teams have solid bullpens but neither big name starter has been pitching well in recent games.
Michael Alexander
Colorado vs. Colorado State
Play: Over 56.5
Coach Sonny Lubick's 15-year career ended at Colorado State with a 3-9 record and forced him out. The offense this season return a veteran quarterback and two outstanding running backs. The Rams ranked fourth in the MWC in total offense at 378 yards a game. With a new head coach Steve Fairchild, who was successful as Colorado State's offensive coordinator from 1997-2000 before spending the last eight years in the NFL with Buffalo and St. Louis the offense is poised for improvement. The Rams have eight returning starters on offense, plus quarterback Billy Farris, who gained a fair amount of experience last year.
The Buffaloes finished 6-6 and earned a bid to the Independence Bowl after a horrible 2-10 mark in head coach Hawkins’ first season in 2006. Hawkins has a young team that will need time to come together. On offense Quarterback is one position that will not be a problem for the Buffaloes. Sophomore starter Cody Hawkins, senior Nick Nelson and redshirt freshman Matt Ballenger combined to complete 30 of 45 passes for 383 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the spring game. Hawkins was 15-for-22 and looked sharp and threw 22 touchdowns against 17 interceptions last season. On defense their ends Maurice Lucas and tackle George Hypolite are back and they’ll need to do a great job because the linebacking unit was lost to graduation.
SUPPORTING ANGLES: COLORADO ST is 19-0 OVER (+19.0 Units) when both teams score 28 or more points since 1992. COLORADO is 16-0 OVER (+16.0 Units) in road games when both teams score 28 or more points since 1992.
Colorado's offense has the potential to get to this total themselves because Colorado State's defense is not very good. I'm taking the over in this one.
Mr A
Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels
Texas Rangers have lost nine of their last 13 road games and the last 4 meetings against LA Angeles, four of the last five at Angel Stadium.
Texas' Kevin Millwood (8-7, 4.95) is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in his last three starts The right-hander is 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA in nine career starts against the Angels
Los Angeles' John Lackey (11-2, 2.95 ERA) is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts. The right-hander is 9-8 with a 5.39 ERA in 24 starts versus the Rangers.
Take the Los Angeles Angels at home with their ace on the mound to take a four-game sweep of the Texas Rangers. The Angels are 6-2 in Lackey's last 8 home starts versus the Rangers, while Texas has lost five of Kevin Millwood last six versus the Angels.
Los Angeles Angels -200
NCAAF
Louisville Cardinals -3
Colorado Buffaloes -11
EZWINNERS
3 STAR: (915) PHILADELPHIA (+$171) over Chicago
(Listing Moyer only)
(Risking $300 to win $513)
3 STAR: (913) LA DODGERS (+$157) over Arizona
(Listing Lowe only)
(Risking $300 to win $471)
1 STAR: (904) FLORIDA (+$104) over NY Mets
(Listing Olson only)
(Risking $100 to win $104)
1 STAR: (908) PITTSBURGH (+$230) over Milwaukee
(Listing Karstens only)
(Risking $100 to win $230)
1 STAR: (910) HOUSTON (+$108) over St. Louis
(Listing Rodriguez only)
(Risking $100 to win $108)
1 STAR: (923) CHICAGO (+$136) over Boston
(Listing Floyd only)
(Risking $100 to win $136)
Charlies Sports
Colorado -11 (500*)
Louisville -3 (30*)
Reds -130 (20*)
Florida +115 (20*)
San Diego -150 (10*)
Toronto +125 (10*) free play
MARC LAWRENCE
5* BEST BET
LOUISVILLE over Kentucky by 17
When does a 6-6 season feel worse than kissing your sister? When you had a date with a Super Model and end up having to take sis to a Hannah Montana concert, that’s when! For a team that has National Title aspirations, last year’s 6-6 effort was bittersweet for coach Steve Kragthorpe and the Cardinals. The biggest problem was a defense that nose-dived nearly 100 YPG. To help shore up the black hole, they promptly hired well-respected Ron English as the new DC and Secondary Coach. One of the culprits that kept UL home for the holidays last season was Kentucky when the Wildcats banished the Cardinals in Lexington (as 5.5 point dogs). Beset with QB problems (Curtis Pulley tossed off the squad for disciplinary reasons) and heavy graduation losses, the Wildcats are the Kentucky Fried answer to this week’s BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW article on page 2. Look for the host in this series to improve to 5-0 ATS when Coach K opts to step on the pedal early and often in this statement-making game today.
Colorado over Colorado St by 17
Normally in rivalry games our fi rst inclination is to make a case for the avenging dog. However, word out of Fort Collins is the Rams will be a dog without much fi ght this campaign. First year boss Steve Fairchild replaces icon Sonny Lubick – minus the services of QB Caleb Hanie (graduated) who led the MWC in passing effi ciency last season.Aside from the SMART BOX angle at work our database reminds us that bowlers who fi nished the season with a losing record (6-7) due to a bowl loss are sharp plays in season-opening games. With Buffs’ head coach Dan Hawkins 43-16 ATS in straight-up wins, including 13-0 his last 13, we’ll roam with the Buffalo in Denver.
Cajun-Sports
Sunday CFB Executive Club Report
We were 4-2 on our Saturday CFB Report winning our two 5*s by 25 and 20 points respectively.
4 STAR SELECTION
LOUISVILLE -3 over Kentucky
It’s the “Blue Grass” rivalry on Sunday when the Cardinals host the Wildcats as both teams open their respective seasons. The Kentucky Governor's Cup and state bragging rights will be at stake in this heated non-conference clash. These teams met in Week 3 last year, with Kentucky notching a 40-34 win thanks to a 57-yard pass in the final seconds.
Kentucky returned to the Music Bowl last season and again capped their season with a victory. Now, they have an uphill battle to repeat last season's success, considering the departures of several key veteran leaders.
Louisville is coming off an uncharacteristic 6-6 season in which the Cardinals missed out on a bowl game completely for the first time since 1997. Louisville fans are cautiously optimistic for a much better season in the second year under coach Steve Kragthorpe.
The Kentucky offense is attempting to replace FIVE All-SEC talents, including quarterback Andre Woodson. Now, thanks to the dismissal of junior quarterback Curtis Pulley from the team in the offseason, sophomore Mike Hartline, with all 6 of his career college passes, is in line for the gig. Beyond WR Dicky Lyons there isn't much proven talent at the skill positions
The Kentucky defense was gashed for nearly 30 ppg last year and surrendered 190 ypg on the ground. The hope in Lexington is that with eight starters returning, this will be a more seasoned and cohesive unit, but if their impotent offense can not sustain drives, the defense will be on the field far too long and wilt down the stretch.
Louisville senior quarterback Hunter Cantwell has the unenviable task of trying to fill the shoes of departed legend Brian Brohm, but Cantwell is a 5th-year senior, has starting experience, and is being mentored by new offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm, brother of Brian. The Cardinals are thin at WR, but have a lot of talent in the backfield with Bilal Powell and Brock Bolen.
The Cardinals defense was certainly in need of being overhauled in the offseason, and they got it, as the school hired Ron English as the new defensive coordinator. English was an excellent DC at Michigan, and we expect him to have an immediate positive impact on the stop unit here. English and his defense will look to make life miserable for Kentucky’s green, sophomore QB.
It was the tough, late loss to the Wildcats last year that started the downward spiral for Louisville and ruined what was expected to be a very good year. The Cards will be out to settle that score on Sunday, and our number-crunching tells us that should be the case, as we have a strong dichotomy of revenge angles in play here. Kentucky is a poor 0-8 SU (-15.5 ppg) & 0-8 ATS (-11 ppg) as a single-digit underdog/pick ‘em vs. opponents playing with revenge, while Louisville is 5-0 SU & ATS at home playing to avenge a favorite SU loss.
Some may scratch their head and wonder if the wrong team is favored here, as the Wildcats are off a Bowl season, while Louisville stayed home. While it may seem backwards for a team off a Bowl to be an underdog to a team that didn’t go bowling the previous year, the dogs have been destroyed under the conditions in an NCAA Football POWER SYSTEM which states:
In Game 1, play AGAINST an underdog/pick ‘em off a Bowl game last season (not an ATS win of 10+ points) vs. an opponent in its first contest off a regular season game (not a SU loss of 2+ points) last season.
Teams qualifying for these conditions are 0-15 SU & ATS, losing by nearly 24 ppg and failing to cover by a whopping 18 ppg! Kentucky is next in line.
The Cardinals also qualify for one of our NCAA Football POWER SYSTEMS, which advises:
Play ON a home favorite of 3-42½ points before a home game with less than 6 days rest and not off a conference road favorite SU win vs. an opponent not off a lined SU win.
This will be a short week for Louisville, as they return home next Saturday for a game with Tennessee Tech, but they should be completely focused here, as other teams in this spot have gone 18-0-1 ATS, beating the spread by more than 11 ppg on average.
Louisville may have been unable to live up to last year’s high expectations and faltered under the pressure, but now that the lofty pre-season expectations of 2007 have given way to predictions of a second-tier finish in the Big East, the Cardinals should thrive and we look for them bust out of the gates here with a big SU & ATS win over the Wildcats.
PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: LOUISVILLE 34 KENTUCKY 21
J.R. Miller
Professional Gambler Newsletter
NATIONALS +129 over Braves
Brewers at Pirates OVER 7.5 -115
PADRES -150 over Rockies
Mariners at Indians OVER 10.0 +105
REDSOX -144 over Whitesox
Orioles at Rays OVER 9.0 -103
Rangers at Angels OVER 9.0 -105
ATS Lock
3 units Louisville -3
HIGH PROFIT SPORTS
4* Colorado -11
3* Kentucky +3
Northcoast
Marque Colo
Opinion Louis
Winners Inc. Guaranteed Selections
5000* COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOUCHDOWN WINNER
Colorado -11
Seabass
20* Oakland
20* St. Louis
20* Atl/Was Under
20* SF/Cin Under
Steam Play 100* Toronto
50* Louisville/UK Over 55
20* Colorado -11