Penthouse Picks Jg
6% Alabama –3
5% Florida St –4
4% Byu –6
4% Indiana –13.5
3% Houston –14.5
3% Utep +5.5
At 7:05pm our NL East Game of the Month is on the Washington Nationals. 25 year old righthanded starter Jason Bergmann has been a very nice surprise for the Nationals this season, in what has otherwise been a pretty down year. Of course, nobody was expecting much from the Nationals in 2007, so having a guy like Bergmann come along and be an effective starter down the stretch for them just adds to the excitement this team must feel as it prepares to open a new home ballpark next spring. Bergmann has been a bit of a thorn in the side of the Braves this season, as he has beaten them in three out of four starts including twice when the ageless ace John Smoltz was the opposing pitcher. And the one he lost was against Tim Hudson, and he should have won that one as well. He also has a win against tonight's opponent, Braves' righthander Lance Cormier. Bergmann loves pitching in front of the home crowd where he has a winning record (3-2) and 3.32 ERA and has only given up 30 hits in over 43 innings pitched. Cormier was winless on the season until August 27 when he notched his first victory after five previous attempts, and I look for the Nats to hand him another loss tonight. Take Washington. Good luck, as always, Al McMordie.
ben burns
main event lock........nebraska
situational goy......tulsa
blowout......cal
revenge gow....unlv
regular plays.......utah and syr
Leroy's Money Talks Invitational --
Stephen Nover vs Nick Bogdanovich
Stephen Nover--
Giants+7.5
Central Florida +18
USC -10
Bengals/Browns under 42
Lions -3
Steelers/Browns over 37.5
Dolphins +4 * Best Bet
Nick Bogdanovich--
Tenn Vols +8
Wash. Huskies +3.5
UNLV +17.5
Titans +7
Cardinals +3
Redskins +7
Chargers +4 * Best Bet
Special k 20* Tennessee
northcoast small college/totals 2 stars...
2* navy -7
2* army + 19.5
2* over miss/vand
2* under e mich/n ill
( from the phone )
Ats Lock Club
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4 units on the Chicago Cubs (-110) over the St Louis Cardinals, 1:00 GAME 1
4 units on the NY Yankees (-125) over the Boston Red Sox, 3:55
Truline
GAME OF MONTH OHIO STATE
mark lawrence...perfect system play.....g tech
pointwise....4* purdue kansas 3* kent scal mia-oh tenn miss nmex 2* oh st nd
hitzges......double play....kansas
tipps....big..nd gtech....small....buff cfla
maxwell......big....navy......small....ala smiss
neri....5* lock kansas
expert....big...asu
franklin...2000*..florida.......small.....gtech usc
fab four.....big...gtech
top dawg....big...unlv.....samll.....fresno kent nd
Larry Ness' CFB Superstar Triple Play-It's back! (won 1st of the '07 season last Saturday!)
My Superstar Triple Plays are Indiana at 12:00 ET, Alabama at 6:45 ET and Vanderbilt at 7:00 ET.
Indiana is 2-0 and with Illinois at home next week, has a chance to open 4-0. That's heady stuff for a school that last went to a bowl game in 1993 and last had a winning season in '94. Indiana also gets Minnesota and Ball St at home this year and avoids both Ohio St and Michigan in its Big 10 schedule this year. However, I don't want to get ahead of myself. Indiana has averaged 46.0 PPG, while accumulating 479.0 YPG in its 2-0 start. Quarterback Kellen Lewis has been the main offensive threat for Indiana, as he is not only leading the passing attack, but also has a team-best 118 yards on the ground. To go along with his rushing totals, the QB has thrown for 506 yards and six scores against just two interceptions. The defense has also done a tremendous job in '07. Indiana is allowing just 17.0 PPG, while holding the opposition to just 280.0 YPG. The best aspect of this defense is its ability to shut down the run. After two games, the Hoosiers are surrendering just 38.0 rushing yards per contest. The Hoosiers have also forced eight turnovers thus far and already have 13 sacks on the year. Into Bloomington steps Akron, which was held to three FDs, 69 total yards and was forced to punt a record-setting 14 times by Ohio State last Saturday, losing 20-2! After winning at Western Michigan last Saturday 37-27 (led 34-7 in the 3rd quarter!), the Hoosiers have won 18 straight over MAC teams. Make that 19, with an EASY win (and cover!) here. 15* Indiana.
Nick Saban is back where he belongs, on a college campus. He's a great recruiter and is certainly not starting from scratch at Alabama. The Tide has opened 2-0 behind an excellent defense that's allowed 8.0 PPG and 239.5 YPG, including 66.5 on the ground (2.1 YPC). RB Terry Grant has 307 yards in the two wins, averaging 7.3 YPC and already has five TDs! Arkansas has only played once so far, allowing 376 totals yards (162 rushing and 5.2 per) and 26 points to Troy of the SBC (won 46-26)! Let's remember Arkansas lost its last three games LY (albeit vs LSU, Florida and Wisconsin) but I don't trust QB Dick (49.2% LY), even a little bit. Especially with WR Marcus Monk (19.2 YPC / 11 TDs in '06) out indefinitely with a knee injury. Sure McFadden (1,647 YR / 5.8 YPC) and Jones (1,168 YR / 7.6 YPC) are a lethal RB duo but let's remember, a 6-7 Alabama team (with a lousy coach in Mike Shula) lost at Arkansas LY, just 24-23. The Tide missed three FGs in that game and then missed the extra-point in OT, costing them a chance to keep playing! LY's Alabama team almost won in Fayetteville (the Tide easily could have or maybe even should have won?). Now the Tide have a "big-time" coach and a new attitude. Winning here in Tuscaloosa against a team with just one game under its belt and one with a shaky QB (whose best receiver is out), is NOT too much to ask! 15* Alabama.
Vandy lost to Alabama for the 20th straight time last week (34th of 35!) but gets a very winnable game here vs Ole Miss. The 'Dores have next week off and only Eastern Michigan up after the bye week, so the team will be very focused for this game. QB Chris Nickson (who injured his hamstring in the Alabama loss) took the majority of the first-team snaps during Thursday's practice and the junior is likely to start for Vandy. He had a solid season LY and was also the team's leading rusher (694 YR / 4.8 YPC / 9 TDs). LY Vandy had a 400-179 yardage advantage at Ole Miss (23-7 edge in FDs) but lost 17-10. Ole Miss racked up 534 total yards in LW's 38-25 loss to Missouri (in Oxford), as the defense allowed four passing touchdowns in the second quarter alone. All four of those touchdown drives by Missouri covered more than 50 yards and two of the scores came on 40-yard passes. Ole Miss surrendered 548 total yards and failed to register a single takeaway. The Rebels' pass D has now allowed 336.0 YPG through the air in two games, while allowing 69% completions and six TDs. The Nickson-to-Bennett (82 catches LY) combo should have a big day for Vandy and let's note that the home team has won three straight and five of the last six in this series. Ole Miss's 23-21 win at Memphis on September 1 (survived a late two-point try!) was only the Rebels' THIRD road win since 2004 (3-13 SU). Vandy doesn't have much of a number to cover and I expect a two-TD win. 15* Vanderbilt.
Good Luck...Larry
Larry Ness' 15* TV Game of the Week-MLB (31-11 since Aug 7 / 114-41 since Opening Day!)
My 15* play is on the LA Angels at 7:05 ET. The Angels lost at Chicago last night 5-3, in Bartolo Colon's return. Sidelined about seven weeks with an irritated right elbow, Colon was shaky and had little help from his teammates. He lasted 4.2 innings in his first start since July 23, allowing five runs (three earned) and eight hits while striking out four and walking two. The Angels (86-61) have lost four of their last six games but still own a comfortable eight-game lead atop the AL West. Jered Waver (11-7, 4.00 ERA) has not been the dominate pitcher he was last year as a rookie but he was in a nice groove prior to his start last Sunday vs Cleveland. Weaver was on a 3-0 run with a 1.35 ERA but allowed nine hits and six ERs in just five innings in losing to the Indians, 6-2. Chicago's win last night was its second straight but prior to that, the White Sox had lost 23 of their last 30! Jon Garland, an 18-game winner in both '05 and '06, enters this game 9-11 with a 4.59 ERA in 29 starts. After going 43-23 in his starts the last two seasons, the White Sox are just 11-18 (minus-$572) in his starts in '07! The Angels have been great vs right-handed pitching all season, going 70-43 (plus-$1,480), so I'll back Weaver and the LA here against the sad White Sox and the ineffective Garland. TV Game of the Week 15* LA Angels.
Good Luck...Larry
big money....big...alabama...
tru line......gom lock.....ohio state
ppp(gavazzi)...5*...mich st..3*...ore va tech
tom stryker.....big...va tech
ferringo..4*..tenne ala smiss..3* nmex bc...2* ucla emich..1* duke
THE GOLD SHEET Late Telephone Selections:
#166 ALABAMA = SUPER POWER 7 (which I think means it's a 2 unit play)
#175 TEXAS-EL PASO = Top Play (which translates to 1 1/2 units)
#122 MIAMI (Ohio) = Regular Play (1 unit)
#124 VIRGINIA TECH = Regular Play (1 unit)
#133 TENNESSEE = Regular Play (1 unit)
#173 & #174 (Southern Cal vs. Nebraska) UNDER = Regular Play (1 unit)
nc 5* fla. atlantic +7
BIG AL'S FULL SERVICE CLIENTS
5* kentucky
3* ga tech - washington
OPINIONS - kansas - notre dame - tulsa
Saturday:
Our college football selections include Kentucky, Notre Dame, Washington, Tulsa, Kansas, and Georgia Tech.
Kentucky -- At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Kentucky Wildcats plus the points over Louisville. Steve Kragthorpe's Cardinals struggled last Thursday against Middle Tennessee State. The Cards won, but surrendered 42 points in the process. That does not bode well for Saturday night's game against rival Kentucky, whose offense is clicking on all cylinders. The Wildcats own blowout wins over Kent State (56-20) and Eastern Kentucky (50-10) and fall into a super system that is a perfect 15-0 ATS since 1981. What we want to do is play on any home dog getting 2+ points that scored 43+ points in its previous 2 games, provided it did not give up 35 or more points in its previous game. Take Kentucky plus the points.
Notre Dame -- At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish over Michigan. Of course the storyline of this game will be the fall from grace of College Football's two most storied programs. Notre Dame has been embarassed by both Georgia Tech and Penn State, and has rushed for negative yardage on the season (67 rushes for -8 yards). And offensive guru Charlie Weis' men have yet to score an offensive touchdown. But Michigan's performance has been even worse (if that's possible). The Wolves lost 34-32 to Appalachian State, and then were destroyed 39-7 by Oregon, as the Ducks rushed for 331 yards on 51 carries. Clearly, Ron English's defense resembles swiss cheese more than the impenetrable unit that took the field for much of last season. But regardless of the storylines, one thing has remained constant in this rivalry over the last 27 years: the underdog covers! And if the underdog is NOT going into revenge, it's a perfect 14-0 ATS since 1980. Last year, Michigan blasted Notre Dame 47-21. Look for the Irish to avenge that defeat on Saturday. Take the points.
Washington -- At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the Washington Huskies plus the points over Ohio State. Last week, we used Washington as a home dog over Boise State, and Tyrone Willingham's men snapped Boise's 15-game win streak. Can Washington win back-to-back big games? My database indicates that the Huskies will do just that. Consider that, since 1980, road teams are a horrific 5-25 ATS in their 3rd game of the season, if they enter off two home wins, and their foe is off back to back SU/ATS wins, provided our road team did not score more than 37 points in its previous game (Ohio State scored just 20). And if our home team is off an upset win, then our 25-5 stat zooms to an almost perfect 11-1 ATS. Take Washington.
Georgia Tech -- At 8 pm, our selection is on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets minus the points over Boston College. Ga Tech has two blowout wins thus far in 2007: 33-3 over Notre Dame, and 69-14 over Samford. Now, Chan Gailey's men fall into a terrific system that's cashed 100% since 1980. What we want to do is play on any unrested, single-digit home favorite that scored 60+ points, if it's matched up against a foe off back to back SU/ATS wins. With Boston College indeed off two SU/ATS wins (over NC State and Wake Forest), we'll fade Jeff Jagodzinski's men and lay the points with Georgia Tech.
Tulsa -- At 9 pm, our selection is on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane plus the points over BYU, as Tulsa falls into a Game 2 System of mine that has cashed 60% since 1980. What we want to do is play on any rested home dog off a win in Game 1. And Tulsa also falls into a 2nd system of mine that is 69-29 ATS which also involves playing on rested teams in Game 2. After leaving his assistant coaching position at Tulsa for the head coach job at Rice, Todd Graham returned this season to take the top job (following Steve Kragthorpe's departure for Louisville). Graham did a super job last year at Rice (the Owls won and covered their final six regular season games), and led that school to its first bowl bid in 45 years. Look for Graham to have a super year at Tulsa. Take the Golden Hurricane plus the points.
Kansas -- At 7 pm, our selection is on Kansas, as the Jayhawks fall into several 'momentum' systems of mine following their 52-7 and 60-0 wins over Central Michigan and SE Louisiana. Now, the Jayhawks will try to avenge their 37-31 loss at Toledo in Week 3 last season. And home favorites priced from -2 to -33 points off a shutout win of 40+ points are a super 79% ATS since 1980 vs. an opponent off a loss. With the Rockets off a 52-31 blowout loss at Central Michigan, we'll fade Toledo and lay the big number with Kansas. Good luck, as always, Al McMordie.
Kruger: 7-2 this year in CFB
UCF +17.5
Tenn +8
Bama UNDER 47.5
Fresno +16.5
The best handicapper in CFB- check it out at The Sports Monitor, Oklahoma