Friday, October 03, 2008

2008 NFL Football Week 5 Betting Picks and Tips

The season only gets interesting as we enter the month of October.

The 2008-09 NFL football season resumes this Sunday for Week 5 and after four weeks of football, we found out that the Packers made a huge mistake in giving up on Favre, Al Davis is really not fond of NFL coaches and Terrell Owens is the same Terrell Owens that we knew back in Philly.

And as we enter the fifth week of NFL football, as always, we have some good games for you that may very well earn you a dollar or two that will finally let you take your girl out to McDonalds. Let's start with this game between the Carolina Panthers and the assholes who took out Tom Brady for the rest of the year, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs, thanks to the woeful AFC West, can still end up tied for second best if they win over the Panthers this Sunday. They are 1-3 after four games and if the Chargers, who are currently sitting behind division leaders Denver Broncos, lose for some reason to Miami, they will let the Chiefs catch them behind the Broncos' asses.

Unfortunately, the Carolina Panthers are on the verge of their best five-game start since opening 5-0 en route to their only trip to the Super Bowl in 2003. Yep, these guys have been on fire on the field lately. That's why were picking those guys to win by a touchdown over Kansas City.

Next, a pair of the league's stingiest defenses will clash on Sunday in Baltimore when the Tennessee Titans look to improve upon the fastest start in franchise history against the Baltimore Ravens. Tennessee (4-0) has won a league-high seven straight dating to last season. They are still undefeated after four weeks and they haven't even trailed in the second half to anyone so far. The Ravens on the other hand, already lost to a Steelers team missing some of their key stars last Monday night. And with an undrafted rookie quarterback like Joe Flacco leading Baltimore against Tennessee, I'm not expecting these guys to stop the Titans' road to perfection just yet.

Tennessee Titans by a field goal.

The Chicago Bears will look to build on their latest victory on Sunday when they visit the winless Detroit Lions, who will play their first game in eight years without Matt Millen as the team's president. It has been well documented that the Bears this season could've been easily at 4-0, and against Philly last Sunday night, we saw how good the Bears can really be, getting to McNabb and denying him of any window he needs to get to his receivers. The Lions, on the other hand, have fallen behind 21-0, 21-0 and 21-3 in the first half of their first three games, respectively. This is a team without virtually anything going for them and with the Bears coming to Ford Field, it will only get worse.

Chicago Bears by 3.

Next, we have the Green Bay Packers looking to avoid a third straight loss when they host the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is doubtful for this one and the visiting Falcons are in perfect position to steal a win at Lambeau Field. Fortunately for the Packers, the Falcons are a miserable road team, averaging only 13.5 points on the road last season that landed them fifth worst in the NFL.

Our pick? Green Bay Packers edge out a three-point win over the birds.

A shaky start through the first few weeks of the season has the Indianapolis Colts in an unfamiliar position in the AFC South. At the other end of the field, another disappointing beginning for the Houston Texans has again relegated them to the division's cellar. They face-off this Sunday at Reliant Stadium and while the Colts may be struggling, I don't expect them to lose to the fucking Texans. (C'mon, who ya' kidding?) Peyton Manning is looking to finally turn this season around and having Houston this Sunday gives him the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Indianapolis Colts by two touchdowns.

The San Diego Chargers this Sunday will face-off with a Miami Dolphins team that may have found something within their offense that could surprise people this year, the ''Wildcat'' formation. For all ya'll who have no idea what that is, that's Miami having runningback Ronnie Brown taking direct snaps, throwing the football downfield and allowing him to set franchise records in rushing touchdowns. We all saw that two weeks ago when the Dolphins ended up with a shocking win over the Patriots. Will it work against the Chargers? I don't think so.

The Miami Dolphins may have taken advantage of an inexperienced quarterback like Matt Cassel but with an up and coming star QB like Phillip Rivers coming to town, he'll let Warren Sapp fuck him in the ass first before he lets the Dolphins take advantage of him too like they did Cassel.

San Diego Chargers by a touchdown.

The undefeated New York Giants will look to remain perfect Sunday when they host a Seattle Seahawks team expecting Deion Branch and Bobby Engram to make their season debuts. New York is one of three undefeated teams remaining. However, the Giants, who also had their bye last week, won't have their top offensive threat in this contest, with Plaxico Burress set to serve a one-game suspension. Fortunately for them, both Branch and Engram will have to shake off rust first and I'm not expecting these two to have that huge of an impact for Seattle when they take on the defending Super Bowl champs.

New York Giants by a touchdown.

Another huge game in the very competitive NFC East is set this Sunday as the 3-1 Washington Redskins visit the 2-2 Philadelphia Eagles. Since dropping their first game of the season to the defending champions from New York, the Redskins have won three straight games, including that huge win over the Cowboys in Irving, Texas. And while the Redskins already scored a win over the high-scoring Cowboys, the Eagles haven't yet, losing to that Dallas team three weeks ago at Texas Stadium. And as if that wasn't enough, losing to the Bears last week didn't help Philly one bit in the power rankings.

This could be one of the games to watch this week. Our pick? Washington Redskins by three.

The Denver Broncos will hope to find some answers defensively as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday in a match-up of teams trying to maintain their spots on top of their respective divisions. Denver gave up 28.0 points and 421.7 yards per game in its first three contests, but averaged 38.0 points and 432.0 yards to go undefeated in that stretch. Although they had a hiccup last week, losing to Kansas City big 33-19, the Broncos still are one of the remaining good teams you can catch in the AFC.

Pick the Denver Broncos to get back to the win column with a win over Tampa Bay. After all, Denver is 8-1 every time they play the Bucs. Broncos by three.

The Buffalo Bills will once again try to extend their incredible undefeated streak as much as they can when they take on the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday. The Bills beat the Rams 31-14 last Sunday, improving to a perfect 4-0 record thanks to the breakout season quarterback Trent Edwards has been having. The Cardinals on the other hand, ended up limping back home after an East coast trip that cost them two straight games to drop them to 2-2.

I guess you can say that while the Buffalo Bills still have their Cinderella season running, reality has already set in for Arizona. Bills by a field goal.

We have a high-scoring contest this week as the Dallas Cowboys will try to bounce back from last week's loss Sunday when they host the still winless Cincinnati Bengals, who'll probably play without Carson Palmer again. Dallas looked like one of the favorites to come out of the NFC through their first three games. The Cowboys were averaging 32.0 points and 440.0 yards per game and their defense was coming off a stellar performance in a 27-16 win at Green Bay back in Week 3.

However, Dallas was not as sharp last Sunday, suffering a 26-24 loss to Washington in Texas. The offense gained a season-low 344 yards, while the defense yielded a season-high 381, resulting to Terrell Owens complaining again like the guy we loved to hate back when he was in Philly.

Fortunately for the Dallas Cowboys, the woeful 0-4 Bengals are coming to town and this is probably the perfect opportunity for T.O. and Tony Romo to vent all their frustrations on a Bengals defense that allows basically anything to score on them as if they were Paris Hilton's ass.

Dallas Cowboys by two touchdowns.

Looking to bounce back from a humbling defeat before their bye week, the New England Patriots will look to get back to the win column when they visit the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. It's time to return to the ground game for the Patriots and with the 49ers, who have one of the worst run defenses in the league after four weeks, standing in front of them, I see no reason for Bill Belichick not to use his tailbacks on this one. Besides, they can't afford to have Matt Cassel screwing things up for them again right?

New England Patriots by seven.

Sunday Night Football, just like last week, will have another good ol' fashioned face-off between offense and defense. This time, the tough ground game of the Jacksonville Jaguars will test just how good the Steel Curtain of the Pittsburgh Steelers really is and with all these stars missing for the Steelers, I have a feeling Jacksonville will be on their way to win their third straight game of the season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers already lost two runningbacks, premiere back Willie Parker and Parker's backup, rookie runningback Rashard Mendenhall. Add that to the guys they already lost on the other end of the ball and you have a team trying to salvage the season with third stringers and signed free agents.

Bad news for Pittsburgh, good news for Jacksonville. The Jaguars have this irritating ''possession football'' going for them where they try to hold on to the football for as long as they can, not letting the opposing team have a chance of scoring with it and with Pittsburgh already losing some of their key stars, Jacksonville should have a field day on the ground.

Jacksonville Jaguars by seven.

Next, we have Monday Night Football as two struggling teams will look to finally get their season back on the right track when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Superdome looking to be more destructive as a hurricane when they play the New Orleans Saints.

The Minnesota Vikings have yet to show us the defense that landed them the No.1 ranked defense in the league last season. The New Orleans Saints, on the other hand, have surrendered 1,488 yards, the fifth-highest total in the league, through their first four contests, and while that defense has been better against the run, limiting opponents to 122.8 per game, it's still one of the worst in the league today.

Without any defense whatsoever coming from both squads, I guess you can say that this game will be won on the offensive side of the ball and when it comes down to that, the Saints should be in a better position to win it with Saints quarterback Drew Brees having a field day against what was once the best defense in football.

Drew Brees completed 23 of 35 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers last week, connecting twice with Lance Moore and once with rookie Robert Meachem, who had two receptions for a season-best 99 yards. The Saints were successful despite playing without injured receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey and with the Vikings D yet to rediscover the defense that made it the best last year, the Saints should have no problem wining this game this Monday night.

New Orleans Saints by three.

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NFL Season NFL Week 5

New York Giants suspend wideout Plaxico Burress

seth-edward-oneal.jpgAfter three games, the Giants are probably tired of winning, that's probably why they took their premiere receiver out for two weeks.

Yes, the defending Super Bowl champions, New York Giants, are a perfect 3-0 this 2008-09 NFL football season. Eli Manning has finally matured at the quarterback position and the team looks like they're ready for another run at the Super Bowl.

And while Giants fans are pumped up about their team's early success, the franchise they're rooting for seems to have grown tired of winning quickly. That's the only explanation I can come up with after news broke out that the Giants suspended their premiere wide receiver Plaxico Burress for two weeks.

You read it, the New York Giants suspended the guy who caught that winning touchdown back in Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots. He was also the guy who they awarded with a whopping $35 million contract and finding out that this team suspended Burress for two weeks after winning all three of their contests at this point of the season is just puzzling, to say the least.

Apparently, the New York Giants are suspending Plaxico Burress for missing practice and not calling to explain his absence. The Giants are trying to push a ''team first'' concept and Burress going AWOL contradicts just that.

''We have had success here because of the team concept,'' New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said in discussing the suspension, which was handed down during a bye week for the 3-0 Giants.

''And the team concept means basically that everyone is accountable and responsible and that we don't let the other guys down. And that is what we are trying to do.''

Whew! For a moment there, I really thought they are going to start trying to lose some games on purpose. STILL, this entire thing will just kill the momentum the Giants generated this season.

Hmm... I wonder if they'll do the same thing to Eli Manning if the young QB missed practice to be with older brother Peyton in Indy?

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Plaxico Burress New York Giants

The 2008 NASCAR Season Invades the Talladega Superspeedway this Sunday for the AMP Energy 500

Time to rev up the engines people. (In case you're not a fan of NASCAR like most of us...)

For the rest of you who are fans of oval tracks and the exhilarating art of turning left, the 2008 NASCAR season resumes at the Talladega Superspeedway for the AMP Energy 500 this Sunday.

The top three finishers in Kansas were Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. Johnson still leads the pack with 5575 points, closely followed by Edwards with 5565. Biffle is right behind at third trailing by 30 points. Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick rounds up the top five of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Expect all five to come out strong, each looking to take the advantage as the season's Sprint Cup race heats up. Things to know heading to race number 30? Ten of the top 13 finishers were Chasers, the exceptions being David Ragan, 8th, AJ Allmendinger, 9th, and Elliott Sadler, 10th.

Jimmie Johnson, the race winner, did have the dominant car, starting on the pole and leading the most laps, 124 of 267. Kyle Busch finished 28th with mechanical problems, and Tony Stewart, who started 41st, finished 40th after his splitter was damaged during a trip through the infield grass.

Matt Kenseth led 49 laps and finished 5th, while Edwards led 31 and Casey Mears, 29. Martin Truex Jr., who looked strong in the early going and led 27 laps, finished in last place with a broken transmission.

Although there was not a huge shakeup in the points, a few important things did occur like Jeff Gordon moving up two spots to 6th. His 4th-place finish was his best thus far in the Chase and Gordon impressed fans with his determination to fight through illness all weekend.

Gordon is the last of the Chase drivers still within a one-race point's deficit behind 1st. The six are Johnson, Edwards, Biffle, Burton, Harvick and Gordon.

All the drivers from 7th through 12th are now more than one race out of 1st in terms of points. They are Clint Bowyer, 7th, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 8th, Matt Kenseth, 9th, Denny Hamlin, 10th, Tony Stewart, 11th, and Kyle Busch, 12th. Stewart took the biggest hit in the points, falling four spots to 11th. The three Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Hamlin, Stewart and Busch, now occupy the bottom three spots in the Chase standings.

The most exciting moment of the Kansas race was Carl Edwards' wild attempts to pass Jimmie Johnson on the last lap, employing a technique he said had worked well for him in video games.

Video games? Heh heh... Don't expect video games to save Edwards this Sunday.

Who will win the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Kyle Busch 2.00

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6.50

Jimmie Johnson 7.00

Jeff Gordon 11.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more NASCAR betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NASCAR Season Sprint Cup

Ken Shamrock to fight Kimbo Slice this Saturday

Wait... Shamrock? He's still fighting?

Apparently he is, and this Saturday we'll see him go toe-to-toe against Kimbo Slice in an EliteXC extravaganza. No, we have no idea what EliteXC is either other than the fact that its one of those media giants trying to cash in on the UFC's success. As far as Shamrock is concerned, BOY, I hope this guy is insured.

After becoming one of the best fighters in the UFC, Ken Shamrock has been reduced to a shell of his former self. He has this pathetic five-fight losing streak since making his debut in the EliteXC and signing himself up for a fight against a guy like Kimbo Slice is just dumbfounding.

For what it's worth, Shamrock is confident as always. And despite losing five straight fights in a cage, he believes he will be the first one to beat Kimbo this Saturday night.

''I'm gonna be too fast for him,'' Ken Shamrock said. ''He's gonna eat my punches and kicks.''

Quite confident huh? And for some reason, he's not worried about the fact that during this five-fight losing skid he's been having, he failed to survive past the very first round in each of them.

WOW.

''The only time he knocks anyone out is when they get tired,'' Ken Shamrock said. ''I don't respect his power or grappling ability. I'm gonna go in there and whip [him].''

It is no surprise that Shamrock is once again confident that his mastery of submission fighting will give him the improbable win over Kimbo. Of course, we all know better than to put our money on this old fart come fight night. Kimbo's response on Shamrock's comments was simple.

''Break my leg, will he?''

Can Kimbo Slice beat Ken Shamrock this Saturday night? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Kimbo Slice 1.31

Ken Shamrock 3.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more sports betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Ken Shamrock Kimbo Slice

Early Favorites to win the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic

seth-edward-oneal.jpgIf you're fond of horseshit splattered all over your face, feel free to read this.

The 2008 Breeders' Cup world championships are coming and it will feature top class thoroughbred racing that will decide the year-end championship honors slated on October 24 and 25 at the Santa Anita Park.

The main event, if you will, is of course, the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic where the very best thoroughbreds will compete with some of the favorites to win it this year. Who are the favorites? Thoroughbreds like Big Brown, Colonel John, Pyro, Well Armed and Curlin should be some of 'em and here's why.

Big Brown has a record of 7-6-0-0 and is arguably the top contender to win the 2008 Breeders' Cup. Trained by Richard E. Dutrow, last year's Kentucky Derby champion was the second winner in history to break from post position 20. This colt is also the first horse since 1915 to win the Derby after only three lifetime starts.

Next we have Colonel John, the winner of the $1 million Travers Stakes Grade 1 by a nose at Saratoga last August 23. The contender worked four furlongs last September 14 on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface in 48 4/5 for trainer Eoin Harty. The colt is listed in the top three favorites headed for the $5 million 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic at the Oak Tree in the Santa Anita meet.

A Kentucky homebred son of Tiznow-Sweet Damsel, by Turkoman, Colonel John won both the Sham Stakes Grade III and Santa Anita Derby Grade 1 on Santa Anita's main track earlier this year. However, those races were run on a hybrid synthetic track consisting of both Pro-Ride and Cushion Track materials.

Well Armed could create some noise as well. Owner Bill Casner and trainer Eoin Harty were feeling quite satisfied watching Well Armed earning a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic via a Breeders' Cup Challenge victory in the Goodwood Stakes. The colt has 22 points on the 2008 Breeders' Cup leader board as well as $1,160,000 earnings this year.

Probably the most anticipated showdown in the 2008 Breeders' Cup will be the winner-take-all battle for Horse of the Year between Big Brown and Curlin. Curlin, considered to be one of the most naturally gifted horses in recent years, exploded from a virtual unknown to Preakness winner in mere months by showing speed and tenacity beyond his experience.

It should be one heckuva' race.

Who will win the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic? Bodog sportsbook has the odds

Behindatthebar 41.00

Big Brown 6.00

Casino Drive 15.00

Colonel John 9.00

Commentator 17.00

Curlin 4.00

Divine Park 21.00

Duke Of Marmalade 6.00

Go Between 9.00

Harlem Rocker 26.00

Mambo in Seattle 51.00

Mast Track 51.00

Pyro 21.00

Student Council 26.00

Tiago 26.00

Well Armed 11.00

Zenyatta 15.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more horse race betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Breeders' Cup Classic Curlin

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and fired Raiders coach Lane Kiffin agree, Al Davis is a fucking asshole

He he... Of course, we all knew that already.

You read it, while the Oakland Raiders this 2008-09 NFL football season continue to piss on the once great Silver and Black tradition Jerry Rice and Rich Gannon helped build in Oakland, Raiders owner Al Davis found even more ways for him to be the most hated man in the league these days.

For all ya'll who haven't heard, the Oakland Raiders, after losing two straight games to drop them to 1-3, have finally fired their head coach Lane Kiffin, thanks to Al Davis who blasted on his former employee in a way that would make Donald Trump himself look like a fucking angel.

In a letter addressed to the fired Lane Kiffin, it was clear that Al Davis was claiming Kiffin brought it upon himself to be fired. And although we are not sure how accurate Davis' accusations are, it was written in a way only the Raiders can pull off, pathetic but entertaining.

''I realized when I hired you that you were young and inexperienced and that there would be a learning process for you,'' Al Davis wrote in the letter. ''Your mistakes on player personnel and coaches were overlooked based on our patience with you. But I never dreamt that you would be untruthful in statements to the press as well as on so many other issues. Your actions are those of a coach looking to (sic) makes excuses for not winning, rather than a coach focused on winning.''

Davis also claimed that Kiffin didn't really want to have JaMarcus Russell as the team's quarterback, the guy Davis really really likes for some reason.

Of course, Lane Kiffin denies some of the allegations his former employer threw at him. He even said that he's almost embarrassed for his former employer for making such comments.

Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, on the other hand, feels Kiffin's pain after firing. After all, he was also one of the Raiders head coaches Al Davis fired after only four games into the 1989 season.

Shanahan was fired after only four games into the '89 season. Not only was he fired mind you, he was fired with a pledge from Al Davis that he will not be paid what was left on his contract. Yep, just like what Kiffin is going through these days.

For what it's worth, Shanahan claims Davis at least liked Kiffin more than he did him. How? Read on.

''I was a little disappointed, to be honest with you. When you take a look at it, I was there 582 days. Lane Kiffin was there 616 days. So, what it really means is that Al Davis liked Lane more than he liked me,'' Shanahan joked during his weekly news conference.

''I really don't think it's fair. I won three more games, yet he got 34 more days of work. That just doesn't seem right.''

Who will win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants 17.00

New England Patriots 4.50

Dallas Cowboys 7.00

Indianapolis Colts 8.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more football betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Oakland Raiders Al Davis