Matty O'Shea

BREAKING NEWS: O'Shea A-OK despite another choke job by the Cubbies

Matty O'Shea — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:15:00 GMT

Thanks to everybody who was concerned about my well-being (notably Jeff Bonds and Chuck O'Luck) following another postseason disaster by the Chicago Cubs, who have now lost nine straight playoff games dating back to 2003. I honestly have nothing to say about the recently completed series against the Los Angeles Dodgers except that I am not surprised, and life goes on.

In fact, I did not even see the terrible start of Game 2 because I was watching the Vice-Presidential Debate along with 70 million others and then missed Game 3 altogether because I was attending one of my best friend's weddings here in Las Vegas. Maybe that's not what you guys want to hear, but there are bigger things in life that sometimes take precedent and are more important (shocker, eh?).

Funny thing is that at the wedding reception, a couple of fellow Vegas handicappers were heard screaming from the men's bathroom after Ohio State scored their first touchdown on Saturday night. There was a TV in there, and the yelling was much louder from a distance than the speeches of the best man and maid of honor from 10 feet away.

I also got to catch up with a former oddsmaker from Las Vegas Sports Consultants at the wedding who I had worked with about 10 years ago, which was really cool. This guy is the biggest professional bettor I have ever known and actually left LVSC when Roxy Roxborough told him it would be a conflict of interests if he kept helping them make lines when he would then proceed to move them on his own with his wagers.

Anyway, this guy has also counted cards in the past but told me he has not played blackjack for years because he does so well betting sports. I guess that's understandable considering he had to use disguises at one point just to play here in Vegas and would travel to Reno so he wouldn't be recognized. Unlike Vegas-Runner, you would never guess he makes his living as a pro sports bettor just by talking with him, which is fascinating to me. Maybe I'll write about him and his experiences someday.

The bottom line is that it can be difficult to survive in this field while living in Vegas without balance. He is married with kids now and knows the limits. Luckily, I married a beautiful woman almost a year ago who has shown me everything I would be missing out on in life if all I had was sports. The Cubs losing back in 2003 hurt pretty bad, but this time it does not. Sorry to disappoint some of you guys, but Matty O'Shea is A-OK

NHL regular season starts in Europe this weekend, but who cares?

Matty O'Shea — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:09:00 GMT

Sid the kid is ready for hockey season, but are you?

Sorry hockey fans - including my Canadian friend Sweat Hog - but I just can't get into hockey season right now. There's simply too much going on in the United States, especially after the first great playoff game of the MLB postseason last night in Anaheim. I personally think it's crazy to start the season in Europe this weekend, but I guess that's the best way to draw interest since the NFL regular season is kicking into gear and college football is also starting to get interesting, according to the commish:

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday that the season-opening doubleheaders in the Czech and Swedish capitals Saturday and Sunday "are hopefully ushering an era of a more permanent presence for the league (in Europe)."

How 'bout the fact that Europeans are probably the only ones who might be interested in the NHL starting at this point? I know I personally won't be interested in the hockey season until the Detroit Red Wings visit the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on January 1st, 2009. Maybe that's because it's likely the next chance a Chicago team will have an opportunity to win at Wrigley

College Football Picks: Ohio State, USC seek redemption on Saturday

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:22:00 GMT

Will USC leap back into the top spot this week with a big win?

By SPORTSBETTING.COM

Fate has been cruel to both Ohio State and USC football the past few weeks with the Buckeyes losing to the Trojans in Week 3 and the Trojans losing to the Oregon State Beavers last week.

The first BCS standings of the season are set to be released on October 19 and Ohio State and USC won't be near the top but their season's aren't write-offs as there is still enough time to recover, starting this week against conference opponents.

How much has Ohio State's loss to USC affected them in the polls? The Buckeyes have not lost a game since the 35-3 embarrassment to the Trojans and beat Minnesota 34-21 last week and even though top-ranked teams such as the aforementioned Trojans, the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators all lost, the Buckeyes remained stagnant at 14th on the AP poll and only moved up one spot to 12 in the USA Today rankings.

There isn't much the Buckeyes can do about it though, all they can hope is that they keep winning and more upsets like last week happen with the Top 5 teams.

The Buckeyes play another conference game this week, this time against the Wisconsin Badgers, who were also upset last week by Michigan; Ohio State is listed as a slight 1.5-point favorite (click here for latest college football lines).

While considered one of the Big Ten's finest, Buckeye bettors haven't seen an overwhelming majority of pay days when playing the Badgers as OSU is 4-4 straight up and an ugly 2-6 against the spread since 1996 when playing Wisconsin.

However, Jim Tressel and company thrive in games with a tight line as they are 5-1 SU and ATS, since 1995, when they are favored by 2-points or less and have taken three Overs in a row in the same situation.

Bettors are split on this one, with Ohio State having a slight edge at 54% of the overall volume.

You can excuse USC coach Pete Carroll and his team if they are feeling snarly this week, losing to an unranked team when you are the nation's best team will do that to you and the Oregon Ducks best beware this week; the Trojans have a lot of anger and aggression to let out.

The Trojans are a 16-point home favorite for this week's game.

Bettors are lining up behind USC, as they are receiving 77% of all the volume bet on this game (check out Sportsbook Spy for more betting numbers on all of this weekend's games).

Best of luck on your college football picks

> Get Matty's Saturday NCAA Triple Play at Pregame Pros (8-2 RUN)!

Matty's Musings for 10/2/08: Is 'Bama the Rodney Dangerfield of college football?

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:17:00 GMT

Alabama's Nick Saban wants his fellow coaches to speak to the hand

There's no doubt that coaching plays an enormous role in handicapping, and I'll be the first to admit I was dead wrong on Alabama vs. Georgia last Saturday. But it appears that the Crimson Tide STILL isn't getting respect from oddsmakers and Nick Saban's fellow coaches across the country...

"Saban's Crimson Tide, which pounded previous No. 3 Georgia on Saturday, earned 21 of 65 first-place votes from writers in the Associated Press poll but just two of 61 in the USA oday coaches poll. And the coaches poll is the one that counts for the Bowl Championship Series standings, the first of which will be unveiled Oct. 19."

In addition, Alabama's big 41-30 win at Georgia barely got the Tide past the Bulldogs in the latest LVSC oddsmaker poll. What I find funny about these rankings is that USC barely dropped out of the top spot despite last Thursday's 27-21 loss at Oregon State.

Go figure...

2008 Las Vegas Sports Consultants Top 30

LVSC Rank    Team    Rating    Previous Rank    Notes
1    Oklahoma    112.9    2    Leap past Horned Frogs to the top.
2    Southern Cal    112.2    1    Trojans dug a hole against Beavers.
3    Missouri    109.9    4    Let Big 12 play begin? Huskers up first.
4    Texas             109.0    6    Razor sharp win over Arkansas.
5    Florida    108.9    3    Rebels played with a cause.
6    Penn State    107.9    7    Nittany Lions finally getting deserved respect.
7    Alabama    107.5    17    Saban really has Tide rolling now.
8    Georgia    106.9    5    Bulldogs buried at home.
9    Texas Tech    106.8    9    Red Raiders get a break before Big 12.
10    Ohio State    106.2    8    Buckeyes putting pieces back together.
11    LSU        106.0    10    Tigers getting better with experience.
12    Brigham Young    105.6    11    BCS Buster?Three weeks to battle at TCU.
13    Kansas        104.8    12    Cyclones another pushover.
13    California    104.8    12    Bears ram tough against CSU.
15    South Florida    103.7    17    Title shot not out of the question.
16    Oklahoma State    103.6    19    Talented Cowboys under the radar.
17    Wisconsin    102.6    14    Big 2nd half flop in "Big House".
17    Texas Christian 102.6    15    Had to lose 'Sooner' or later.
19    West Virginia    102.5    22    Finally showed signs of life.
20    Utah        102.4    20    Will Oregon State have anything left?
20    Auburn        102.4    21    Found a way to win over Vols.
22    Clemson    102.0    15    Jekyll and Hyde team.
23    Virginia Tech    101.8    25    Hokies hand Huskers home loss.
24    Arizona    101.0    25    Host Huskies next.
24    Tulsa        101.0    NR    Averaging 55 points per game.
26    Michigan State    100.5    30    Spartans playing well.
26    Cincinnati    100.5    23    A win is a win?slipped past Zips.
28    South Carolina    100.4    28    Shut down weak UAB offense.
29    Boston College    100.1    NR    Schedule only gets tougher
30    Boise State    100.0    NR    Broncos move up sitting at home idle.

The Next 10: Oregon, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Fresno State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Nebraska, Florida State, Arizona State, Houston.

Dropped Out: Tennessee (24), Wake Forest (27), Nebraska (29) and Tennessee (24).

However, some media outlets like ESPN are preparing to give Rodney Dangerfield an Academy Award (click here to find out what I mean). Likewise, the Associated Press has the Tide at #2 behind #1 Oklahoma.

What are your thoughts?

> Get Matty's Thursday Big East Play O' the Day (5-0 RUN) at Pregame Pros!

Matty's 2008 MLB Division Series Betting Notebook: The Best Ever?

Matty O'Shea — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:19:00 GMT

David Price could make things right in Tampa

What makes the 2008 MLB playoffs so special? Could it be the fact that we have arguably the two best Wild Card teams ever in the Milwaukee Brewers and defending World Series champion Red Sox? Could it be that the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs didn't choke away big leads during the regular season and finished as division champions? Could it be that neither New York team is in the postseason yet Joe Torre is leading the Los Angeles Dodgers into the playoffs? How about all of the above!

Following are some interesting tidbits I found when researching and handicapping each series last night...

Brewers-Phillies

Milwaukee's CC Sabathia became the first pitcher since Esteban Loaiza in 2003 to make three straight starts on three days' rest. He will be able to pitch Game 2 on three days' rest, and will be able to start a potential Game 5 on full rest.
Phillies slugger Ryan Howard's September numbers were insane: .342 average, .848 slugging percentage, 10 home runs and 28 RBIs have been matched in baseball history only twice, by Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg in 1940 and Babe Ruth in 1927, the year in which he hit his 60th home run.

Dodgers-Cubs

The NL team with the best record has won the World Series only once in the last 22 years (the 1995 Braves)
Why isn't Big Z starting Game 1? A former teammate of Zambrano was asked recently if Zambrano was up for the pressure of starting a Game 1 of the playoffs. "No,'' the teammate said. "He has a big heart and big stones, but he'll be way too fired up. He can't even calm down for the first game of the season, let alone the first game of the playoffs.'' Maybe he'll be different in Game 3. He's as good a Game 3 pitcher as you'll find." It turns out he will be pitching Game 2.
The Dodgers led the NL in ERA, and posted a 3.15 ERA in September. Game 1 starter Derek Lowe last lost August 26th and in his last 10 starts, he has a 1.23 ERA.

Red Sox-Angels

The Angels have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Red Sox during the regular season, but Boston has still won the last nine playoffs games between the teams.
What's different this time around? The Red Sox are limping into the playoffs and hoping to get 3B Mike Lowell and OF J.D. Drew back for Game 1. In addition, LA's John Lackey was 2-0 with 2.81 ERA and seven hits allowed in 16 innings against the Red Sox while Boston's Josh Beckett went 0-2, allowing 20 hits and 11 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings against the Angels.

White Sox-Rays

Is Tampa Bay's David Price this year's Livan, K-Rod or Jenks? The Rays could definitely benefit from an added bullpen arm like Price, the 2007 draft's #1 overall pick. With Troy Percival possibly out of the ALDS due to back problems, Price could be the key.
This could very well be the last chance for Chicago's Jim Thome and Ken Griffey Jr. to get to the World Series. This is also the first time both Chicago teams have made the playoffs in the same year since 1906, when the White Sox beat the Cubs in six games.

> Get Matty's 2008 MLB Playoff Pass at Pregame Pros!

College Football Picks: 2008 Heisman Top 10 rankings after Week 5

Matty O'Shea — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:17:00 GMT

2008 Heisman Trophy Top 10 Update after Week 5

By Larry Ness
Pregame Pros Handicapper

1) CHASE DANIEL (Missouri) Last Week: 1. I moved Daniel into my No. 1 spot two weeks and he remains at the top again this week, although the Tigers didn't play. Daniel completed 36-of-43 passes for a career-high 439 yards and two TDs (no INTs) on September 20, as Missouri overcame a slow start to beat Buffalo 42-21. He completed a school-record 20 consecutive passes and actually has just 13 incompletions over his last three games. Daniel fell only three completions shy of the NCAA record of 23 in a row shared by Tennessee's Tee Martin (1998) and Cal's Aaron Rodgers (2004) but did break the Big 12 record of 18 straight completions shared by Iowa State's Seneca Wallace (2001) and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (2007). The Tigers turned the ball over three times in Buffalo territory but did win their 10th straight home game (18 of last 19). Daniel led Missouri to 12-2 season in '07, as the Tigers finished No. 4 in the final AP poll (school's highest-ever final ranking). Missouri was ranked No. 6 in the AP's preseason poll (also the highest ranking ever for the school) and the Tigers are currently ranked No. 4 (up from sixth) in the AP poll this week. Daniel became the all-time leading passer in school history (passing Brad Smith) in the team's 69-17 win over Nevada on 9/13 and against Buffalo, his 439-yard game marked his 15th career 300-yard passing game and his fourth of 400-plus yards. Missouri failed to score more than 50 points for the first time this season against Buffalo but is second in the nation in both PPG (53.8) and total offense (595.5 YPG). Daniel and his fellow Tigers travel to Lincoln for their first road game of '08 against the Cornhuskers this Saturday. His season stats are: 101-of 133 (75.9 percent) for 1,412 yards with 12 TDs and one INT / QB rating of 193.4 ranks 4th / 14 carries for 74 yards (5.3 YPC) 0 TDs.

2) SAM BRADFORD (Oklahoma) Last Week: 2. The Sooners are the nation's new No. 1 team with USC (1), Georgia (3) and Florida (4) all losing this past weekend, while Oklahoma beat TCU, 35-10. Oklahoma is back at No. 1 for the first time since it lost to Kansas State in the 2003 Big 12 championship game and claims the AP's top spot for a record 96th time. Sophomore QB Sam Bradford is the main reason for that, as he's opened the '08 season in the same manner as he played last year. As a red-shirt freshman in '07, Bradford threw for 3,121 yards (69.5 percent) with 36 TDs and eight INTs. His 36 TD passes were a new NCAA freshman single-season record and his QB rating of 176.52 led the nation. Oklahoma's defense was the star in its season-opening 57-2 win over Chattanooga, limiting them to just 36 yards of total offense (20 passing, 16 rushing). However, Bradford was hardly silent, completing 17-of-22 for 183 yards with two TDs and no INTs. The sophomore has "turned up the heat" in Oklahoma's last three games. He completed 29-of-38 passes for 395 yards in a 52-26 win over Cincinnati on September 6, throwing five TDs (tied a single-game career high) plus his first two INTs of the year (only the second multiple-interception game of his career). Bradford was just as good in Oklahoma's September 13th visit to Washington. The Sooners beat the Huskies 55-14, handing Washington its largest margin of defeat at home since 1929. It marked Bob Stoops' 100th career win in 123 games. The only active coach to reach the milestone more quickly was Penn State's Joe Paterno. However, this is about Bradford, who completed 18-of-21 passes for 304 yards while matching his career high with five TDs (zero INTs). He also ran for a sixth score. Oklahoma put its 20-game home winning streak on the line this past Saturday against No. 24 TCU. The Horned Frogs were the last team to beat the Sooners in Norman, winning 17-10 in 2005's season opener. Bradford threw for a career-best 411 yards, including three long TDs to WR Manuel Johnson (76, 55 and 63 yards). The final one came in the late third quarter, giving OU a 35-3 lead and the Sooners held on for the 35-10 win. It was Oklahoma's 21st consecutive home win (13-6-1 ATS), the longest active streak in the nation. Oklahoma has now won 41 of its last 42 in Norman, moving to 57-2 at home under Bob Stoops. Bradford completed 19-of-34 passes with four TDs and no INTs against TCU. His 411-yard effort was the fifth 300-yard game of his career. The Sooners visit Waco this Saturday to take on Baylor. Oklahoma is 17-0 all-time vs Baylor, including 9-0 under Stoops while outscoring the Bears by an average of 42-12. Bradford's season stats are: 83-of-115 (72.2 percent) for 1,293 yards with 16 TDs and two INTs / QB rating of 209.1 ranks him 3rd).

3) JAVON RINGER (Michigan State) Last Week: 8. There was a major shake-up in the polls after the weekend's results and I've had some big moves in my Heisman rankings as well. I jumped Ringer from No. 8 last week to the No. 3 spot this week. The Spartans opened the '08 season with a 38-31 loss at Cal, as Ringer was pretty much held in check (had 81 yards on 27 carries), although he did score two TDs. However, no one has slowed him down since, although Michigan State has not exactly faced any powerhouses. MSU has beaten Eastern Michigan (42-10), Florida Atlantic (17-0) and Notre Dame (23-7) in consecutive home games plus then won 42-29 at Indiana this past Saturday, as Ringer rushed for 198 yards and scored one TD. The strangest and most important play of the game came late in the third quarter when Indiana connected on a 97-yard TD pass that appeared to give Indiana the lead. Instead, an OL was called for holding in the end zone, giving Michigan State a safety and a 36-29 lead. Indiana never recovered from the nine-point swing. Ringer had rushed for 200 yards in two straight games (282 vs FAU and 201 vs ND) but just missed that 'magic' number against the Hoosiers, despite 44 carries. Ringer was a 'workhorse' for the Spartans down the stretch, who were protecting a fourth-quarter lead. He had carried the ball 143 times in MSU's first four games, making him the busiest running back through four games since Iowa State's Troy Davis had six more carries in 1996 (according to STATS). His 198-yard effort marked his 16th career 100-yard game (three have been of more than 200 yards) and Ringer is now No.2 in the nation in rushing with an average of 179.4 per game and No. 1 in all-purpose yards (he's got 57 receiving yards plus 224 yards on KO returns) with 235.6 per game. His 12 rushing TDs leads the nation, giving him an average of 14.4 PPG through five games, making him the nation's leading scorer as well. MSU's Homecoming game is up this coming Saturday with Iowa. The home team has won the last eight games in this series. Ringer's season stats are: 187 carries for 897 yards (4.8 YPC) 12 TDs / six catches 57 yards (9.5 YPC) / 224 KOR yards.

4) COLT MCCOY (Texas) Last Week: 9. I moved Colt McCoy of Texas into the No. 9 spot last week and have him at No. 4 this week, in a another major move. The SEC had six schools in the AP's top-25 last week, including No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Florida and No. 5 LSU. However, it's the Big 12 getting most of the 'ink' at the top of this week's AP top-25. Oklahoma is the No. 1 team, Missouri is ranked fourth, Texas is No. 5 and Texas Tech comes in at No. 7. That's four top-seven schools plus I have five Big 12 players (four QBs) in the top-six of my Heisman top-10. McCoy took over for Vince Young in '06 as a red-shirt freshman and led Texas to a 10-3 season, throwing for 2,570 yards (68.2 percent completions) with 29 TDs (then a freshman record, broken last year by Bradford) and just seven INTs.The Longhorns went 10-3 again last year but McCoy's numbers 'fell off.' He did throw for more yards (3,303) but his completion percentage dipped slightly (65.1), while his TDs (22) went down and his INTs went way up (18). Texas is off to a 4-0 start in 2008, after beating Arkansas 52-10 this past Saturday. In the 77th meeting between these two old Southwest Conference rivals, the Longhorns' 42-point win was the most lopsided Texas victory over Arkansas since 1916. The Longhorns seem to like that score, as all three of their home wins this year have been by identical 52-10 scores (also against FAU and Rice). Texas won 42-13 at UTEP in its lone road game this season. McCoy was just terrific against the Razorbacks. He scored five TDs (three passing and two rushing) giving him 75 career total touchdowns, good for third in school history, one behind Ricky Williams. His four TD passes the week before against Rice gave him 62 in his career, which moved him past Major Applewhite (60) as the school's all-time leader. He's now thrown 65 career TDs. He completed 17-of-19 passes for 185 yards (no INTs) and for the third time in four games, led the team in rushing with 84 yards (nine carries) against Arkansas. His 278 yards rushing through four games, leads the team. Texas is now 27-3 in its last 30 August/September games and will open October play with a visit to Colorado this coming Saturday. His season stats are: 80-of-100 (80.0 percent) for 1,018 yards with 14 TDs and one INT / 34 carries for 278 yards (8.2 YPC) and four TDs.

5) GRAHAM HARRELL (Texas Tech) Last Week: 6. Texas Tech moved to 4-0 and a No. 10 ranking in the AP poll with a 56-14 win over U Mass on 9/20. Tech was idle this past weekend but with all the upsets, moved up to No. 7 in the most recent AP rankings. Tech dominated the Minutemen from the outset two weeks ago, scoring on six of seven possessions in the first half and led 42-7 at the intermission. Harrell completed passes to 10 different receivers, going 27-of-34 with four TDs and no interceptions, not playing at all in the game's second half. Despite only playing the first half, he had 324 passing yards, the 25th 300-yard game of his career (16 of those have been over 400 yards). Harrell began the '06 season (his sophomore year) at Texas Tech as the school's starting QB. It marked the first time since 2001 that the Red Raiders did not open the year with a senior at that position. All Harrell did in '06 was complete 412-of-617 passes (66.8 percent) for 4,555 yards with 38 TDs and 11 INTs. All he did last year as a junior, was to improve on those numbers! Harrell completed 512-of-713 passes in '07 (71.8 percent) for 5,705 yards with 48 TDs and 14 INTs. His 646 yards passing at Oklahoma State was the fourth-highest single-game mark in NCAA history and by year's end he had become just the fifth QB in NCAA history with two 4,000-yard seasons on his resume. He now owns 101 career TD passes, expanding the all-time list of players who have thrown at least 100 career TDs to seven. Colt Brennan tops the list with 131 and since the Red Raiders have a minimum of nine games remaining on their 2008 schedule (including a bowl game), getting 30 more TD passes is surely within his reach. Texas Tech won its 11th straight non-conference game with the win over U Mass, improving to 20-1 at home vs non-conference teams under coach Mike Leach. The Red Raiders have scored at least 30 points in 20 of their last 22 games, including eight in a row, which leads the nation. Texas Tech opens its Big 12 season at Kansas State this Saturday. Harrell's season stats are: 120-of-186 (64.5 percent) for 1,573 yards with 12 TDs and three INTs / QB rating of 153.6 ranks 20th / one rush TD.

6) JEREMY MACLIN (Missouri) Last Week: 7. Maclin was listed in the No. 9 spot in my preseason Heisman top-10, along with fellow WRs Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) and Percy Harvin (Florida). The trio were listed together as a tribute to the only three WRs to have ever won the Heisman. That group included Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) in '72, Tim Brown (Notre Dame) in '87 and Desmond Howard (Michigan) in '91. The one thing all of these three winners had in common was their ability to return kicks. After the season's first week, I left Maclin alone at No. 9 on the basis of his spectacular effort in Missouri's 52-42 win over Illinois on August 30. With Missouri down 13-10 in the second quarter (after a Daniel INT was returned for a TD), Maclin returned the ensuing KO for a 99-yard TD, sparking the Tigers to a 21-0 run, which gave them a 31-13 halftime lead. Before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle, Jeremy Maclin had 206 all-purpose yards, including a 45-yd punt return and that 99-yd kickoff return for a TD. He only had four catches for 31 yards plus three runs for just two yards but those kick returns are the ones that make the "highlight reels." Missouri played its home opener on September 6 against Southeast Missouri but hardly needed much from Maclin. He played sparingly, catching two passes for 20 yards (one TD) and rushing once for 11 yards. He's returned to "full-speed" in Missouri's last two games and is beginning to make a real case for being among the Heisman favorites! He had a terrific game in Missouri's 69-17 rout of Nevada on September 13, catching six passes for 172 yards with three TDs (covering 80, 14 and 49 yards). He only ran for five yards (two attempts) but added 39 yards on two KO returns and another 23 yards on four punt returns. Maclin was even better on September 20, as Missouri beat Buffalo, 42-21. He entered that game with 12 catches on the year but made 14 grabs (a single-game career-high) for 168 yards (his fifth career 100-yard game). Although he didn't catch a TD pass, he did rush for one (16 yards), gaining 25 yards rushing on just two attempts. He added 33 yards on two KO returns and 10 yards on a single punt return, giving him 236 all-purpose yards for the game. The Tigers were off last week but travel to Lincoln for their first road game of '08 against the Cornhuskers this Saturday. His season stats are: 26 catches for 391 yards (15.0 YPC) four TDs / eight carries for 43 yards (5.4 YPC) one TD / 123 punt return yards and 217 KO return yards with one TD / all-purpose 193.5 YPG ranks him 5th in the nation.

7) TIM TEBOW (Florida) Last Week: 4. Tebow helped the Gators win the national title in his freshman year (2006), offering a "change of pace" to Florida's starting QB that year, Chris Leak. He attempted just 33 passes in '06, throwing five TDs with only one INT. However, in a sign of things to come, ran 89 times for 469 yards (5.3 YPC) while scoring eight TDs. He led a young Florida team a 9-4 mark in 2007, becoming the first player in NCAA history to pass (32) and run (23) for 20 TDs or more in the same season. He completed 66.9 percent of his 350 attempts, while throwing just six INTs (finished second in passing efficiency with a QB rating of 172.47). His 210 rushing attempts were more than double the number of any other player on the team, as he ran for 895 yards (4.3 YPC). He set an NCAA record for rushing TDs by a QB (23), an SEC record for TDs accounted for (55) and a school-record for total offense (4,181 yards). The Gators finished third in the nation in both scoring (42.5 PPG) and total offense (457.2 YPG) in '07. However, after opening with a 56-point effort vs Hawaii, the Gators totaled just 56 points in their next two games vs Miami-Fla and Tennessee. They entered this past Saturday's game with Ole Miss averaging only 331.3 YPG (86th in the nation), while Tebow was without a TD run in Florida's first three contests (remember, he had 23 last year). Tebow was not expected to run the ball as much this year but his "fall-off" has been quite significant. Tebow had 261 passing yards (two TDs) and 166 rushing yards (two more TDs) in Oxford last year against Ole Miss,when the Gators beat the Rebels, 30-24. So what happened against the Rebels in '08 at "The Swamp?" Tebow was 24-of-38, passing for a season-high 319 yards. He did score his first two rushing TDs of '08 but gained just seven rushing yards on 15 carries. Tebow was sacked three times, all the result of him holding the ball too long in the pocket. He also overthrew four receivers deep, including two on consecutive plays on Florida's final drive. His final run, sealed the Gators' fate. Trailing 31-30 with about 40 seconds to play and facing fourth down and about two feet at the Ole Miss 32, the Gators called on Tebow to pick up the first down. However, he got hit in the backfield and never even got back to the line of scrimmage. The Rebels had lost 14 straight SEC road games entering Saturday as well as nine straight SEC games overall but they beat the Gators 31-30. Based exclusively on his numbers this year (shown below), ranking Tebow in the top-10 at all, could be seen as a stretch. I'll place him at No. 7 this week but I read this on espn.com after the game with Ole Miss. It sure gave me pause, as it should all Heisman voters this year. The Gators are now 0-5 when trailing at any point in the second half with Tim Tebow as the quarterback. That sound like a Heisman-winner to you? Florida (now ranked 12th) and Tebow will try and regroup next week with a game at Arkansas. Tebow's season stats are: 62-of-102 (60.8 percent) for 808 yards with six TDs and 0 INTs / QB rating of 146.7 ranks 30th / 49 carries for 125 yards (2.6 YPC) 2 TDs.

8) KNOWSHON MORENO (Georgia) Last Week: 3. The Bulldogs opened the season No. 1 in the AP preseason poll for the first time in school history. Georgia had designs on winning the school's second national title (1980) and Moreno was hopeful of capturing the school's third Heisman (Sinkwich won in '42 and Herschel in '82). However, the Bulldogs' season-opening 45-21 win over Georgia Southern was not good enough for them to hold on to the top spot, dropping to No. 2 (behind USC) after the season's first regular season weekend. The Bulldogs handily dispatched Central Michigan on September 6, 56-17, holding on to the No. 2 spot behind idle USC. Sophomore RB Knowshon Moreno carried just eight times (59 yards) in the opener but did score three rushing TDs. He was much better in the win over CMU, rushing for 168 yards on 18 carries, as he tied his career high with three TDs for the second straight week (it was his 7th career 100-yard game). However, the Bulldogs struggled on 9/13 in Columbia against the Gamecocks and the team's 14-7 win resulted in the Bulldogs falling to No. 3 in the following AP poll. Moreno finished with just 79 yards on 20 carries against South Carolina. Georgia made its first regular-season trip to the West Coast since 1960 on September 20, playing ASU in Tempe. Moreno rushed for 149 yards and two TDs on 23 carries, marking his eighth career 100-yard game and giving him nine TDs on the season. Georgia head coach Mark Richt improved to 33-2 vs non-conference opponents, with both losses coming in bowl games. The 27-10 win was Georgia's 11th straight win (its longest streak since 1982) and left them behind only BYU (Cougars have won 14 straight) for the most consecutive wins among Division I-A schools entering this past weekend. The Bulldogs' win over ASU was a dominating one but I mentioned last week that it shouldn't go unmentioned that ASU is now just 3-26 against top-25 opponents since 2000. Moreno turned into a star in the first five games of Georgia's season-ending seven-game winning run at the end of '07. He gained 766 yards or 153.2 YPG during that five-game stretch and finished his freshman season with 1,334 yards rushing (5.4 YPC) and 14 TDs. Georgia hosted Alabama this past Saturday night and found itself down 31-0 at the half, as the Tide scored on their first five possessions. Alabama won 'only' 41-30 (ending Georgia's 11-game winning streak), as the Bulldogs managed a couple of cosmetic TDs in the game's final minutes. Moreno was a total non-factor, gaining 34 yards on nine carries (one TD) and catching three passes for 14 yards. Georgia has now lost five of its last six home games against top-10 opponents, which is not characteristic of a championship team. Georgia's BCS title hopes have taken a huge hit (fell to No. 11 in the latest AP poll), as have Moreno's Heisman chances. Like Tebow, I'm questioning whether he deserves a top-10 ranking. Georgia gets the week off to "lick its wounds," playing next on October 11 at home, vs Tennessee. Moreno's season stats are: 78 carries for 489 yards (6.3 YPC) with 10 TDs / 10 catches for 110 yards (11.0 YPC) with 0 TDs.

9) MAX HALL (BYU) Last Week: 10. Max Hall red-shirted his freshman year ('04) at Arizona State and then transferred to BYU but left for a mission before joining the football team. When he took over as BYU's starting QB at the beginning of '07, he hadn't played a competitive game in four years. All he did last year was lead BYU to an 11-2 season, ending the season on a 10-game winning streak after its 17-16 Las Vegas Bowl win over UCLA. Hall passed for 3,848 yards in '07, throwing 26 TDs and just 12 INTs (completed 60.1 percent). So what's he been up to in '08? He's helped the Cougars extend the nation's longest active winning streak to 14 straight wins, including that highly controversial 28-27 win at Washington on September 6 (can you say "excessive celebration?"). However, since that game, Hall has led BYU to consecutive shutout wins, beating UCLA 59-0 in Provo on September 13 (UCLA's worst loss since 1929) and Wyoming 44-0 on September 20 (again in Provo). It marked the school's first consecutive shutouts since 1985 and incredibly, BYU won those two games by the exact same scores, 59-0 over Wyoming and then 44-0 over Utah State. You can't make this stuff up! Hall completed 27-of-35 passes for 271 yards and tied a school record with seven TD passes (one INT) against UCLA and against Wyoming, Hall completed 16-of-27 passes for 189 yards (three TDs and no INTs). It marked just the second time in 17 career starts that Hall's been held under 200 yards passing in a game (he has seven career 300-yard games). BYU has now won 15 straight home games, outscoring opponents 144-16 in three home games this year, while extending their Mountain West-record conference win streak to 17 games. The Cougars, now ranked No. 8 in the latest AP poll (up from 10th), play this Friday night at Utah State. The Aggies have lost eight straight to BYU, last winning in 1993 by the score of 58-56!. The Aggies ended an eight-game home losing streak with a 42-17 win over Idaho in their last game (9/27). Hall's season stats are: 107-of-144 (74.3 percent) for 1,284 yards with 15 TDs and two INTs / QB rating of 180.8 ranks 6th.

10) MARK SANCHEZ (USC) Last Week: 5. I didn't list USC's Mark Sanchez among my preseason top-10 choices but moved him into my No. 8 spot after he threw three TD passes in his first game as the Trojans' true No. 1 QB on August 30, as USC won 52-7 at Virginia. He was just a little more than three weeks removed from a dislocated kneecap that kept him out of practice until the season opener, but he completed 26-of-35 for 338 yards with those three TDs and one INT. The win vaulted USC to No. 1 in the first regular season AP poll (up from its No. 3 preseason ranking). The Trojans were idle the following week but on 9/13 faced then-No. 5 Ohio State in one of the '08 season's most highly anticipated games. It was "no contest," as the Trojans routed the Buckeyes, 35-3. Ohio State, a decisive loser in the last two BCS title games, had the ball for more than 20 minutes in the first half and gained 177 yards to USC's 172, but left the field trailing 21-3. Sanchez threw two TD passes to Damian Williams in the third quarter to put Ohio State away. Sanchez completed 17-of-28 passes for 172 yards with four TDs and one INT. USC's dominating win, solidified the team's No. 1 ranking and made the Trojans the clear favorite to be one of the two teams in this year's BCS title game. However, USC's chances for a BCS title-game appearance took a major blow this past Thursday (fell to No. 9 in the most recent AP poll), as the Trojans were beaten in Corvallis by unranked Oregon State, 27-21. Oregon State totally dominated the Trojans in the first half (led 21-0) and USC's second-half comeback fell short. Sanchez threw TD passes of 26 and 29 yards in the third quarter but was intercepted on the 30-yard line with less than three minutes to play. It was returned 28 yards to set up Oregon State on the USC two-yard line, as OSU took a 27-14 lead. Sanchez added a third TD pass with 1:19 left but time ran out on the Trojans. Sanchez finished 18-of-29 for 227 yards with three TDs and one INT. It was hardly his fault that the Trojans lost (offensive and defensive lines were dominated!) but the defeat dealt his long-shot Heisman hopes a severe blow. USC looks to bounce back this coming Saturday when it hosts Oregon. Sanchez started last year's game in Eugene (Booty was hurt) and threw two key fourth-quarter interceptions in the 24-17 loss. His season stats are: 61-of-92 (66.3 percent) for 737 yards with 10 TDs and three INTs / QB rating of 162.9 ranks 14th.

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Matty's 2008 ALDS & NLDS Series Price Predictions

Matty O'Shea — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:23:00 GMT

Will the youth of the Tampa Bay Rays catch up to them in the 2008 MLB playoffs?

The baseball playoffs are nearly here (pending another rain delay which will help determine the AL Central champ). Ryan Braun's BOOM changed my initial 2008 MLB playoff projections from a week ago, as the Brew Crew snuck in the back door as the NL Wild Card while the New York Mets choked away a playoff berth for the second straight year.

Numerous questions are now waiting to be answered. Will the defending champions thrive in an underdog role? Will a 100-year curse finally end? Can traded stars lead their new teams into the World Series? Do you have the guts to bet on youth over experience?

Here's my look at each opening-round series...

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: Can the Brewers just forget the past month leading up to the final week of the regular season? Sometimes, everything can change when a team gets new life, and I think that could very well be the case with Milwaukee. Much like the Cubs, the Phillies have a tendency to choke when it matters most, and they are depending on a pair of southpaws in youngster Cole Hamels and veteran Jamie Moyer. I expect the Brew Crew to beat one of those guys, which would put them in excellent position to close out Philly back at home. The big question is, how many games can CC Sabathia pitch for Milwaukee? The Brewers would love to get a couple starts out of him here but may not need it. They are better off getting him some rest for the NLCS.

Play Milwaukee Brewers +155 at BetUS

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs: No series has more riding on the first game than this one. LA's Derek Lowe has been almost unhittable down the stretch, going 4-0 with a 0.50 ERA in his last six starts. Ironically, Chicago will hand the ball to Ryan Dempster, who predicted a World Series title during Spring Training. Critics have waited for Dempster to fade all season, and now he has the opportunity to back up his talk and continue his strong pitching as the team's most consistent starter. The Cubs will need to pitch around Manny Ramirez in this series or he will make them pay. And if they lose the first game, bet the adjusted series price on the Dodgers (currently +175 at BetUS).

No play for me

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels: Despite losing eight of nine meetings with the Angels this season, the Red Sox still have won nine straight against them in the postseason. Boston's pitching rotation also sets up perfectly against LA, with Jon Lester getting the call in Game 1 followed by Dice-K and then Josh Beckett will have the home crowd on his side in Game 3. John Lackey has always struggled against the Red Sox (3-6 with a 5.54 ERA) and was anything but solid in his last four starts. Lackey was bombed for 10 runs and 12 hits in just 2.2 innings last time out at home against the Rangers on Friday, and he will need to have a short memory or else the Angels will be in trouble right away.

Play Red Sox +120 at BetUS

Minnesota Twins/Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays: I honestly believe the Rays will win the World Series this year, and neither of their potential opponents from the AL Central can stop them from at least advancing to the ALCS. As I have said before, Tampa Bay reminds me a ton of those 1997 and 2003 Florida Marlins teams that went on to win the World Series. Being young and inexperienced will be offset by a very strong home-field advantage and an incredible ability to bounce back from series-opening losses. I will give Minnesota a slightly better chance of winning one game.

Play Rays to sweep in 3 games (when available)

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College Football Picks: Top 10 Tailgating Vehicles

Matty O'Shea — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:51:00 GMT

I have some friends who are gearing up for the big Nevada-UNLV game tonight, which got me thinking about tailgating. Then I came across this article that ranked the 10 best tailgating vehicles for football games.

Here's a breakdown of #10 through #5:

10. Honda Ridgeline

"Ideal for your casual tailgater, the 2009 Honda Ridgeline almost perfectly fits the bill. The spacious interior comfortably fits five normal-sized passengers and the bed is just large enough to hold a few seats with the tailgate fully extended. Though the Ridgeline isn't massively powerful, it has a massive storage area below the truck's bed, which is big enough to hold a cooler, beverages, ice and whatever else you need for a good day of tailgating with 80Honda and three of your friends."

9. Barby Ute

"One of the few purpose-built tailgating vehicles in existence, Ford of Australia took one of their liquid gas-powered Falcon Utes and added a giant cylinder on the back that looks like an LPG tank to create the Barby Ute. The doors of that cylinder open up to reveal a fully-functioning, gas-powered BBQ pit. Though they may grill shrimp and watch Australian rules football, we tip our hat first to the Aussies for creating such an ideal tailgating vehicle and second to LTDScott for finding it."

8. 18-Wheels Of Meat Justice

"You'd have to have a serious stake in steak to build a gigantic grille onto the bed of an 18-wheeler, so it is no surprise that the crew behind the "Big Taste Grill" is employed by Johnsonville Brats. The self-proclaimed World's Largest Grill, the BTG's grill lid alone weighs 6,000 pounds and requires hydraulics to open it. Capable of producing 440,000 BTUs of power, this meat machine is capable of cooking 2,500 brats an hour. If you have the means, and own a meat company, Bpapa9013 highly recommends it. [Photo: Flickr]"

7. 2009 Dodge Ram 1500

"Having been part of the first ever tailgate in the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, we can say for sure that this truck is built for tailgating. The new Ram features the "Ram Box" storage system in each sidewall, which has enough space to hold more than three dozen 12-oz beverages. It's so large that the editor of PickupTrucks.com nearly fits inside of it. Does that mean it holds seven passengers? [Photo: AutoBlog]"

6. Recreational Vehicle

"This is sort of a no-brainer when it comes to camping outside of the stadium. The recreational vehicle, like UDMAN's ride pictured here, has a number of distinct advantages. The RV typically comes complete with a small kitchen, space is almost unparalleled, it is much easier to setup a television inside and it has a water closet for when you realize you need somewhere to put what's left of all that Coors Light you drank. It also ensures you have a comfortable place to sleep if you want to show up a few days early to get the best grilling location."

5. Jeep Wagoneer

"Older SUVs represent a great, relatively inexpensive choice for a single-purpose tailgating vehicle. Though an old Land Cruiser or Suburban is an admirable choice, there's something classic about the Jeep Wagoneer. Maybe it's just the wood paneling, but the Wagoneer feels more like a portable living room than a truck. The most important feature is that the Wagoneer, unlike other SUVs, has a dropping tailgate that significantly extends the cabin space within the Jeep for pres and company to setup an inflatable couch and a portable TV."

Click here for the Top 5 and let me know what your favorite tailgating vehicles are

Best of luck on your college football picks today

College Football Picks: Who will take over at #1 after USC's loss?

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:55:00 GMT

Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray seem poised to take over the top spot

The Race For A New #1

By SPORTSBETTING.COM

While USC honks were probably still riding high off of a key victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes two weeks ago - where the Trojans covered as 11-point faves in a 35-3 win - they were most likely sitting stunned after what transpired last night.

If the victory over the Ohio State was proof that this year's Trojans had arrived, last night's 27-21 loss to the Oregon State Beavers - where USC failed to cover as a 25.5-point favorite - was an early exit.

It's still early, but the Trojans' BCS title hopes have been dealt a huge blow and Saturday's games will be even more interesting, if they weren't already.

Let's have a look at a handful of key games from Saturday's NCAA card.

No. 24 Texas Christian Horned Frogs at No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners

Not like Oklahoma needed any extra motivation to win on Saturday, especially considering they are the nation's consensus No. 2, but with the USC Trojans' untimely loss, the Sooners can pole vault into the top spot with a good showing against TCU; The Sooners are listed as 18-point favorites.

Based on the numbers though, Oklahoma would be wise not underestimate TCU the way USC underestimated Oregon State.

Since 1996, the Horned Frogs have gone 2-1 straight up against the Sooners and have been a perfect 3-0 against the spread and at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, TCU has gone 2-0 SU and ATS.

However, the Sooners don't really disappoint when they are favorites of more than 8-points going 19-1 SU and 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games when listed at -8.5 or higher.

SPORTSBETTING.COM players like Oklahoma to win and win big, as 74% of all the action on this tilt is coming in on the Sooners.

No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs

Should the Sooners falter, there could be a clear path to the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls for Georgia, the nation's consensus No. 3.

And if Georgia manages to smack Alabama around, all the better for the Bulldogs; Georgia is listed as a 6.5-point favorite (click here for the latest college football lines).

In recent head to head competition, 'Bama hasn't done well against the 'Dogs going 1-3 SU and ATS, dropping their last three matchups in a row both SU and ATS.

The last three matchups between the two have also gone Over.
When Georgia sees itself favored by 8-points or less, it has gone 7-0 SU in the last seven and 5-1-1 ATS.

Still, only a small 57% majority of the betting public is wagering on the Bulldogs heading into the Saturday matchup.

No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini at No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions

Two teams that aren't challenging for No. 1, at least not yet, are Illinois and the Nittany Lions. They hook up on Saturday at Penn State, with the home side pegged as a 17-point favorite.

Currently tied for first in the Big Ten, Penn State can also add to its lead with its first conference win; Illinois isn't out of the Big Ten title race either, as an upset over JoePa and company puts them at 3-1.

Dating back to 1998 the Illini haven't won a single game at Penn, going 0-4 SU but 2-2 ATS. Illinois has gone 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS against Penn State in the last nine games overall.

The Total for Saturday's game is set at 56 and in the last 20 games, Penn State has gone Under at 14-6 when the Over/Under is set at 40 or higher.

The early volume at SPORTSBETTING.COM has 64% of the wagering volume on Penn State.

The weekend is going to be wild with teams making a case for the nation's No. 1 team.

Enjoy the ride, and best of luck on your college football picks this weekend.

Sign up at SPORTSBETTING.COM and you will receive free withdrawals, paid out within five days.

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Steve Bartman sighting in Arizona: Joke blows up on Diamondbacks

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:06:00 GMT

I wonder if there is a coincidence with the Diamondbacks poking fun at the Cubs yet getting eliminated from postseason contention themselves today with a loss at St. Louis

Hopefully he stays away from Wrigley Field this year and doesn't buy any of these

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NFL Picks: Are the top surprise teams in the NFL still worth betting?

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:14:00 GMT

Trent Edwards and the Bills are the top surprise team in the NFL this season

By SPORTSBETTING.COM

We're about to hit the quarter mark of an NFL season that has produced both the expected - the Dallas Cowboys are amongst the best in the league - and the unexpected, such as the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts both sitting at 1-2 heading into Week 4.

In the unexpected category are three teams who have come out of the gate with perfect 3-0 marks, to the surprise of many.

Let's have a closer look:

Buffalo Bills

Going into the season, the talk in the AFC East was all about the New England Patriots and the arrival of Brett Favre to the Jet organization.

The Pats were the toast of the division; they had Tom Brady and Randy Moss; the rest of the division probably felt like Jan Brady from the Brady Bunch. And when the focus wasn't on Brady and crew, Favre soaked up the rest of the attention.

But with Brady out for the season, things are looking a little different in this division.

Don't look now but the Buffalo Bills have suddenly become the odds-on favorite to take the division, listed at -120 at SPORTSBETTING.COM.

Currently sitting at 3-0, the Bills are finding out what it feels like to be the pretty girl at the dance, something they haven't been for many years. Bettors are falling all over them and the national media remembered there was still a team in upstate New York. Buffalo is 2-1 against the spread, barely winning last week over the Raiders, while failing to cover the number.

They're a big favorite again this weekend facing the lowly Rams. You would think that Buffalo has a good opportunity to go to 4-0 too vs. a St. Louis team that has looked dreadful so far this year, but laying 8-points with the Bills still somehow just doesn't feel right, regardless of the opponent.

These two rarely meet, but dating back to 1989 Buffalo has gone 4-1 SU and ATS with all five matchups going Over.

A 4-0 start - who woulda thunk it.

Tennessee Titans

We don't know what's more impressive, the fact that the Titans are 3-0 or the fact that they've done it mostly without the services of QB Vince Young?

You have to give Kerry Collins his due though; he's started in two out of the Titans' three wins and has done a good job managing the offense.

Tennessee has been a bettor's dream going undefeated (3-0) SU and ATS and goes up against the Minnesota Vikings this week, with the books tagging them as 3-point home faves.

The early betting action has been slanted to the Titans, as they are receiving 67% of the volume.

The Titans have seen limited action against the Vikings with their last meeting resulting in a 26-16 loss with Tennessee failing to cover as a 7-point favorite.

Despite the turmoil at QB, Tennessee keeps clicking along - but relying on Kerry Collins to lead you all season - not sure how that will work out.

Baltimore Ravens

Currently the top team in the AFC North, Baltimore has a big test coming up on Monday against division rival Pittsburgh with SPORTSBETTING.COM listing the Ravens as 5-point underdogs.

Baltimore has gone 2-0 SU and ATS so far but has not cashed in many paydays in Steel Town.

Ever since relocating from Cleveland, the Ravens have gone 4-9 SU and a marginally more successful 6-7 ATS at Three Rivers/Heinz Field.

Another weekend in September means another weekend of football.

Enjoy the action, and best of luck on your NFL picks this weekend.

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Matty's Musings for 9/24/2008: My former life as a random mascot REVEALED

Matty O'Shea — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:35:00 GMT

I just found a funny blog post on Deadspin talking about a job application for Stomper - the official mascot of the Oakland A's - and thought this might be the perfect time to reveal my former life as a random mascot to everybody here.

First though, here are the requirements for those of you living in the Bay Area who want to take a shot at being the next Stomper:

Due to costume restrictions, candidate must be at least 5 feet 7 inches and no more than 6 feet 2 inches and weighs between 165 lbs and 225 lbs
Punctuality is mandatory and availability to work nights, weekends and holidays
Must have own transportation
Must be highly energetic and fit

Now for the good stuff. Once upon a trip to Las Vegas back on July 4, 2001, me and a couple buddies saw one of the funniest things ever on ESPN during a nationally broadcast Cardinals game. Two guys dressed up as a chicken and gorilla were sitting directly behind home plate doing random things like reading the newspaper, putting their feet up on the rails and engaging in casual conversation with one another.

This was pure comedy and had to be replicated by ourselves somehow. So the three of us rented costumes (a chicken, alligator and white gorilla to be exact) and tried to pull off the same shenanigans at the Coliseum in Oakland a couple months later. We scored tickets in the front row right to the left of the Yankees dugout and got our 10 seconds of fame in a short spot during a local telecast of the game (click for video).

Granted, this will go down as one of the most bizarre moments of my life, and I will never forget it. Kids and adults alike loved us walking throughout the stadium and posed for pictures with us. It was so fun in fact that I wanted to try to replicate the experience on the other side of town at what is now called AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Bad idea. We sat in the front row of the center-field bleachers for a Sunday Night ESPN game against the Braves and were heckled by a couple drunk fans throughout the game. One of them actually tossed a cup of hot chocolate on me, and security tossed him and his buddy out, which was classic. I wish I still had the picture of myself filling out the police report in the chicken costume

Anyway, there you have it. I never got the chance to audition for Otto the Orange while at Syracuse University because I was too busy writing for the school newspaper, so this was the next best thing I guess.

My question to you now is, who is the best mascot in all of sports?

If the 2008 MLB Playoffs started TODAY - what do YOU think will happen?

Matty O'Shea — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:57:00 GMT

The Angels clinched the AL West on September 10th, but how will they fare in the playoffs?

Well, my Cubbies clinched home-field advantage through the National League Championship series on Monday night (if they can get there), creating some interesting possibilities for the remainder of the regular season. Chicago manager Lou Piniella already scratched Rich Harden from his start today against the Mets and instead will start him on Thursday in order to set up his rotation in preparation for the NLDS and either the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets or Philadelphia Phillies.

The only team the Cubs won't play in the NLDS is the Milwaukee Brewers, who trail the Mets by one game in the race for the NL Wild Card. That can't happen because of the rule prohibiting two teams from the same division playing each other that early in the postseason. The Wild-Card team must play the team with the best winning percentage outside its own division, with the other two division winners meeting in the other series.

Here's what the first-round matchups of the 2008 MLB playoffs would look like if they started today (team listed first would have home-field advantage)...

Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets: The Mets need to win the next three games against the Cubs in my opinion to prevent the Brewers from overtaking them for the Wild-Card lead. Milwaukee would likely play the Phillies in the ALDS if they sneak into the playoffs while the Cubs would then meet the Dodgers. I'm thinking the Cubs would rather play the Mets in the NLDS, so I would fade them the next three games, especially considering New York needs to win and Chicago has nothing more to play for.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: This would be a very intriguing series in which the home team has won all eight meetings between them this season. I would give the Phillies a slight edge due to the experience gained from last year, plus the Dodgers have won only one playoff game in 20 years. Both teams seem likely to win their respective divisions right now, though I'm giving the Diamondbacks a slight chance to get in.

Los Angeles Angels vs. Boston Red Sox: The Angels became the first team to clinch their division back on September 10th and also got the Boston monkey off their back by beating the Red Sox in eight of nine meetings this season. They have still lost nine straight playoff games to the BoSox but have a much strong team this time around and will probably end up with the best record in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox: I'm not buying the inexperience factor with the Rays and believe they have a solid shot at making it to the World Series this year. They remind me a lot of the 1997 and 2003 Florida Marlins teams that won the World Series, so don't be surprised if they are playing the Phillies or Cubs this year for championship. I would be shocked if they don't at least advance to the ALCS for a potential matchup with the Red Sox or Angels, as neither the White Sox nor Minnesota Twins will be able to win at Tampa in the postseason. The AL Central Division champion will likely be decided the next three days at the Metrodome, but I don't think either team has a chance in the playoffs.

What do you guys think the matchups will be?

> Don't miss Matty's AL Underdog Play O' the Year at Pregame Pros!

Not even the Mighty Quinn can save this season for the Cleveland Browns

Matty O'Shea — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:45:00 GMT

Everything is setting up nicely for Brady Quinn to be the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns following their bye week, just as I had predicted nearly three weeks ago on the Sports Betting Preview Show. Poor Uncle John should have listened to me and waited to get the Browns at 200/1 to win the Super Bowl, even though Mr. Quinn still won't be able to save this sinking ship.

The big problem is, it doesn't get any easier for the Brownies after their bye following this week's game at Cincinnati (I'm already counting this as a loss unless Romeo Crennel has the balls to start Brady against the Bengals). Cleveland must face the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants after the bye and then visit Washington and Jacksonville before hosting Baltimore and Denver.

Just looking at the remaining schedule, I don't see one easy win the rest of the season. Jamal Lewis is turning out to be the bust everybody thought he would be last year while there also is a waste of talent in the middle of the team's defensive line named Shaun Rogers. Maybe that's why even the Detroit Lions gave up on Rogers (speaking of which, how many of you told me Jon Kitna was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC North?).

Cleveland may in fact be the AFC version of the Lions, and it's definitely time to at least give Quinn a shot. If the Browns start him this week, they may even win a game this season