Thursday’s 6-pack:
Top 6 teams in the college baseball top 25:
1- Wake Forest
2- LSU
3- Arkansas
4- Oregon State
5- Cal State-Fullerton
6- TCU
Quote of the Day
“A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.”
Chuck Noll
Thursday’s quiz
Who was the third President of the United States?
Wednesday’s quiz
When the United States won the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Olympics, they beat Finland 4-2 in the gold medal game. (they beat Russia in the semi-finals).
Tuesday’s quiz
Scott Skiles holds the NBA record for most assists in a game, with 30.
****************************************
— Pet Peeve Department:
a) “He’s a winner” You hear this on TV and it makes my blood boil, because for every winner, there is a loser, and no way in hell is anyone automatically “a loser”
b) College basketball analysts tend to call games in the same leagues, and they become shills for that league.
The Big X analysts: “Teams in the Big X play harder than any league in the country”
The SEC analysts: “The SEC is deeper than it has ever been; best league in the country”
Not good. Just announce the game; stop being a shill.
— You can make this wager at Circa in Las Vegas:
UConn or Purdue to win the college hoop national title: +260
Any other team in the country to win the college hoop national title: -320
— Baseball futures bets for this season:
Ronald Acuna stolen bases: over/under 56.5
Oakland A’s wins: over/under 56.5
Hopefully for my sake, Acuna won’t get more steals than the A’s get wins, or it’ll be another long summer for me (A’s fan since 1965). Oakland has improved its starting pitching, they figure to be a little better, but they were 50-112 last year. No bueno.
— MLB Network re-played a show about Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley the other day; I was reminded that he threw a no-hitter for the Cleveland Indians in 1977, his third year in the major leagues. I listened to that game on the radio, with the great Joe Tait on the mike.
In that game……..from 1977
Eckersley allowed only one baserunner (he walked Tony Solaita)
Rick Manning was the Indians’ CF: he is still an analyst on Guardians games.
Duane Kuiper was the Indians’ 2B: he is still a play-by-play guy on Giants games.
Jerry Remy was the Angels’ 2B that day; he wound up in the same TV booth with Eckersley, doing Red Sox games for years.
Ray Fosse was the Indians’ catcher that day; he worked A’s games on TV for 30 years.
Bobby Bonds played for the Angels that day; Barry Bonds’ dad, and a hell of a ballplayer.
Stressful no-hitter; Cleveland scored a run in the first inning, the only run of the game. Time of the game: 2:02.
— Over the last 2.5 years, NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder is 126-85-7 (.597) against the spread.
— New Jersey Giants went 6-11 this past season, despite a +12 turnover ratio; they’re only NFL team in the last 20 years to have a +12 or better turnover ratio, and finish with a loosing record.
— For some reason this weekend, ESPN showed a buzzer beater in a D-3 game between Cortland-Plattsburgh, two schools in New York State where it gets very cold at this time of year. When I was in college, spent a few nights in those two gyms; we never got on ESPN.
— Baseball Stuff:
Salt Lake City, Nashville are frontrunners for baseball’s next round of expansion, which should happen in the next few years.
1B Eric Hosmer retired Tuesday; he played 13 years in the big leagues, hit 198 home runs with an OPS of .762. He won three Gold Gloves, was an All-Star in 2016.
SS Amed Rosario gets a one-year, $1.5M deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
P Hyun Jin-Ryu went home to Korea to finish up his baseball career; he pitched in the big leagues for 10 years, went 78-48, 3.27 in 185 career MLB starts.
— Movie of the Day: Last Vegas (2013)- Four senior citizens who’ve been best friends since childhood head to Las Vegas, for the bachelor party of the one friend (Michael Douglas) who has never been married. He is marrying someone who is half his age, which complicates things.
Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen; obviously an epic cast of characters.
— Washington State is in the college basketball top 25 for the first time since 2008; Coogs have won seven in a row, 10 of last 11 games- they have the #2 eFG% defense in the country.
Top 6 teams in the college baseball top 25:
1- Wake Forest
2- LSU
3- Arkansas
4- Oregon State
5- Cal State-Fullerton
6- TCU
Quote of the Day
“A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.”
Chuck Noll
Thursday’s quiz
Who was the third President of the United States?
Wednesday’s quiz
When the United States won the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Olympics, they beat Finland 4-2 in the gold medal game. (they beat Russia in the semi-finals).
Tuesday’s quiz
Scott Skiles holds the NBA record for most assists in a game, with 30.
****************************************
Thursday’s Den: Doing some thinking out loud…….
— Today is/was my dad’s birthday, and also my Aunt Josephine’s. Two of the nicest people I’ve ever met, I was lucky to know them. Hopefully they’re up in heaven having a good laugh today.— Pet Peeve Department:
a) “He’s a winner” You hear this on TV and it makes my blood boil, because for every winner, there is a loser, and no way in hell is anyone automatically “a loser”
b) College basketball analysts tend to call games in the same leagues, and they become shills for that league.
The Big X analysts: “Teams in the Big X play harder than any league in the country”
The SEC analysts: “The SEC is deeper than it has ever been; best league in the country”
Not good. Just announce the game; stop being a shill.
— You can make this wager at Circa in Las Vegas:
UConn or Purdue to win the college hoop national title: +260
Any other team in the country to win the college hoop national title: -320
— Baseball futures bets for this season:
Ronald Acuna stolen bases: over/under 56.5
Oakland A’s wins: over/under 56.5
Hopefully for my sake, Acuna won’t get more steals than the A’s get wins, or it’ll be another long summer for me (A’s fan since 1965). Oakland has improved its starting pitching, they figure to be a little better, but they were 50-112 last year. No bueno.
— MLB Network re-played a show about Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley the other day; I was reminded that he threw a no-hitter for the Cleveland Indians in 1977, his third year in the major leagues. I listened to that game on the radio, with the great Joe Tait on the mike.
In that game……..from 1977
Eckersley allowed only one baserunner (he walked Tony Solaita)
Rick Manning was the Indians’ CF: he is still an analyst on Guardians games.
Duane Kuiper was the Indians’ 2B: he is still a play-by-play guy on Giants games.
Jerry Remy was the Angels’ 2B that day; he wound up in the same TV booth with Eckersley, doing Red Sox games for years.
Ray Fosse was the Indians’ catcher that day; he worked A’s games on TV for 30 years.
Bobby Bonds played for the Angels that day; Barry Bonds’ dad, and a hell of a ballplayer.
Stressful no-hitter; Cleveland scored a run in the first inning, the only run of the game. Time of the game: 2:02.
— Over the last 2.5 years, NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder is 126-85-7 (.597) against the spread.
— New Jersey Giants went 6-11 this past season, despite a +12 turnover ratio; they’re only NFL team in the last 20 years to have a +12 or better turnover ratio, and finish with a loosing record.
— For some reason this weekend, ESPN showed a buzzer beater in a D-3 game between Cortland-Plattsburgh, two schools in New York State where it gets very cold at this time of year. When I was in college, spent a few nights in those two gyms; we never got on ESPN.
— Baseball Stuff:
Salt Lake City, Nashville are frontrunners for baseball’s next round of expansion, which should happen in the next few years.
1B Eric Hosmer retired Tuesday; he played 13 years in the big leagues, hit 198 home runs with an OPS of .762. He won three Gold Gloves, was an All-Star in 2016.
SS Amed Rosario gets a one-year, $1.5M deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
P Hyun Jin-Ryu went home to Korea to finish up his baseball career; he pitched in the big leagues for 10 years, went 78-48, 3.27 in 185 career MLB starts.
— Movie of the Day: Last Vegas (2013)- Four senior citizens who’ve been best friends since childhood head to Las Vegas, for the bachelor party of the one friend (Michael Douglas) who has never been married. He is marrying someone who is half his age, which complicates things.
Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen; obviously an epic cast of characters.
— Washington State is in the college basketball top 25 for the first time since 2008; Coogs have won seven in a row, 10 of last 11 games- they have the #2 eFG% defense in the country.
FLORIDA is 10-0 ATS (10 Units) in road games second half of the season in the current season.
DALLAS are 7-0 ATS (7 Units) in road games after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 54-31 Over (19.9 Units) in non-conference games in the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 66-42 Over (19.8 Units) second half of the season in the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 48-70 ATS (-29 Units) second half of the season in the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 22-10 ATS (8.8 Units) against good passing teams - averaging 5 or more assists per game in the current season.
ST LOUIS are 8-1 ATS (6.9 Units) in home games after allowing 2 goals or more in the third period last game in the current season.
CALGARY is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in home games after a home game where both teams score 3 or more goals in the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 42-20 Over (20 Units) in road games after covering 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread in the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 7-0 Over (7 Units) revenging a home blowout loss vs opponent of 3 goals or more in the current season.
NASHVILLE is 8-0 ATS (8 Units) in road games after playing 2 straight games where 7 or more total goals were scored over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS are 7-0 ATS (7 Units) in road games after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 54-31 Over (19.9 Units) in non-conference games in the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 66-42 Over (19.8 Units) second half of the season in the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 48-70 ATS (-29 Units) second half of the season in the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 22-10 ATS (8.8 Units) against good passing teams - averaging 5 or more assists per game in the current season.
ST LOUIS are 8-1 ATS (6.9 Units) in home games after allowing 2 goals or more in the third period last game in the current season.
CALGARY is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in home games after a home game where both teams score 3 or more goals in the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 42-20 Over (20 Units) in road games after covering 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread in the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 7-0 Over (7 Units) revenging a home blowout loss vs opponent of 3 goals or more in the current season.
NASHVILLE is 8-0 ATS (8 Units) in road games after playing 2 straight games where 7 or more total goals were scored over the last 2 seasons.
NHL
Thursday, February 22
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Trend Report
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Florida @ Carolina
Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina
Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado @ Detroit
Colorado
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit
Detroit is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Detroit is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
NY Rangers @ New Jersey
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Rangers's last 5 games on the road
New Jersey
The total has gone OVER in 18 of New Jersey's last 25 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games at home
Dallas @ Ottawa
Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Dallas is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
Montreal @ Pittsburgh
Montreal
Montreal is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 8 games when playing Montreal
Washington @ Tampa Bay
Washington
Washington is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
Washington is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
NY Islanders @ St. Louis
NY Islanders
NY Islanders is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Islanders's last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Islanders
St. Louis is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games at home
Boston @ Calgary
Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 8 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 8 games when playing at home against Boston
Calgary is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Vancouver @ Seattle
Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Vancouver's last 9 games when playing Seattle
Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games
Toronto @ Vegas
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Vegas
Vegas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Vegas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Nashville @ Los Angeles
Nashville
Nashville is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nashville's last 5 games
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Los Angeles is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
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Thursday, February 22
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Trend Report
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Florida @ Carolina
Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina
Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado @ Detroit
Colorado
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit
Detroit is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Detroit is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
NY Rangers @ New Jersey
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Rangers's last 5 games on the road
New Jersey
The total has gone OVER in 18 of New Jersey's last 25 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games at home
Dallas @ Ottawa
Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Dallas is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
Montreal @ Pittsburgh
Montreal
Montreal is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 8 games when playing Montreal
Washington @ Tampa Bay
Washington
Washington is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
Washington is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games at home
Tampa Bay is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
NY Islanders @ St. Louis
NY Islanders
NY Islanders is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Islanders's last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Islanders
St. Louis is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games at home
Boston @ Calgary
Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 8 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 8 games when playing at home against Boston
Calgary is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Vancouver @ Seattle
Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Vancouver's last 9 games when playing Seattle
Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games
Toronto @ Vegas
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Vegas
Vegas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Vegas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Nashville @ Los Angeles
Nashville
Nashville is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nashville's last 5 games
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Los Angeles is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
| Game | Time(ET) | Pick | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| MON at PIT | 07:00 PM | MON +239 O 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| NYR at NJ | 07:00 PM | NYR -104 O 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| COL at DET | 07:00 PM | DET +120 O 7.0 | +500 +500 |
| DAL at OTT | 07:00 PM | OTT +147 U 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| WAS at TB | 07:00 PM | WAS +161 O 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| FLA at CAR | 07:00 PM | CAR -117 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| NYI at STL | 08:00 PM | STL +111 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| BOS at CAL | 09:00 PM | BOS -116 O 5.5 | +500 +500 |
| VAN at SEA | 10:00 PM | VAN -134 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| TOR at VEG | 10:00 PM | TOR +103 U 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| NAS at LA | 10:30 PM | NAS +136 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
Friday’s 6-pack:
Top six picks in April’s NFL Draft:
1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
2) Washington Commanders
3) New England Patriots
4) Arizona Cardinals
5) Los Angeles Chargers
6) New Jersey Giants
Quote of the Day
“You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.”
Joe E. Lewis
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; what famous actor played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life?
Thursday’s quiz
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.
Wednesday’s quiz
When the United States won the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Olympics, they beat Finland 4-2 in the gold medal game. (they beat Russia in the semi-finals).
*******************************************************
50 years ago, the NBA did this for a couple years; they showed clips of the games at halftime of regular season games on Sunday afternoons. Bob Lanier won in 1972, Geoff Petrie won the next year. It died out when some agents discouraged their clients from playing. Too bad.
— When the Dodgers-Padres start baseball’s regular season in Korea next month, the games will start at 5:30am here in the East. March 21 is going to be a busy day; the second of the two games in Korea at 5:30am, then the NCAA Tournament starts at noon.
Imagine working in a sportsbook in Las Vegas? Baseball games start at 2:30am in Las Vegas; pity the people who have to take the bets before those games, then the NCAA’s start at 9am local time in the desert.
— Three years ago, Georgetown won four games in the Big East tournament, after a 9-12 regular season. In three years since then, the Hoyas are 3-51 in conference games, 21-68 in all games. Ed Cooley will eventually get Georgetown back on track. But they’ve got a big hill to climb.
— In the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs have gone 200 games in a row without being shut out, only the 11th team to do that, the first team since the 1989 Rangers.
— Michigan Wolverines will have 18 players at the NFL Combine next week, five more than any other school; Washington is next, with 13 players.
— Kansas City Chiefs signed punter Matt Araiza to a contract, after Araiza’s legal issues in San Diego were dismissed. He was accused of a crime, then counter-sued the person for defamation, but now the slate has been wiped clean,
Araiza was a great punter/kicker for San Diego State, so much so that Buffalo drafted him in the 6th round of the 2022 draft. He hasn’t played in the NFL yet.
— Baseball Stuff:
Pirates re-signed P Mitch Keller for five years, $77M.
SS Tim Anderson signs with the Marlins for one year, $5M.
3B Gio Urshela signed with the Tigers for one year, $1.5M.
Mets P Kodai Senga (shoulder) will start the season on the IL.
— Word of the Day: Mentor- an experienced and trusted adviser.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 23:
Fred Biletnikoff, 80- great WR for the Raiders.
Ed (Too Tall) Jones, 72- defensive lineman for the Cowboys
actress Emily Blunt, 41
singer Howard Jones, 69
Jamal Murray, 26- star for the Denver Nuggets
Andrew Wiggins, 28- Golden State Warriors
Tom Osborne, 86- longtime football coach at Nebraska
Top six picks in April’s NFL Draft:
1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
2) Washington Commanders
3) New England Patriots
4) Arizona Cardinals
5) Los Angeles Chargers
6) New Jersey Giants
Quote of the Day
“You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.”
Joe E. Lewis
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; what famous actor played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life?
Thursday’s quiz
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.
Wednesday’s quiz
When the United States won the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Olympics, they beat Finland 4-2 in the gold medal game. (they beat Russia in the semi-finals).
*******************************************************
Friday’s Den: Random stuff with the weekend here…….
— Idea of the Day– NBA should run a 1-on-1 tournament in the summer, with players playing for the charity of their choice. 64 players, voted on by fans. It would be very popular, and it would make a boatload of $$$ for deserving charities.50 years ago, the NBA did this for a couple years; they showed clips of the games at halftime of regular season games on Sunday afternoons. Bob Lanier won in 1972, Geoff Petrie won the next year. It died out when some agents discouraged their clients from playing. Too bad.
— When the Dodgers-Padres start baseball’s regular season in Korea next month, the games will start at 5:30am here in the East. March 21 is going to be a busy day; the second of the two games in Korea at 5:30am, then the NCAA Tournament starts at noon.
Imagine working in a sportsbook in Las Vegas? Baseball games start at 2:30am in Las Vegas; pity the people who have to take the bets before those games, then the NCAA’s start at 9am local time in the desert.
— Three years ago, Georgetown won four games in the Big East tournament, after a 9-12 regular season. In three years since then, the Hoyas are 3-51 in conference games, 21-68 in all games. Ed Cooley will eventually get Georgetown back on track. But they’ve got a big hill to climb.
— In the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs have gone 200 games in a row without being shut out, only the 11th team to do that, the first team since the 1989 Rangers.
— Michigan Wolverines will have 18 players at the NFL Combine next week, five more than any other school; Washington is next, with 13 players.
— Kansas City Chiefs signed punter Matt Araiza to a contract, after Araiza’s legal issues in San Diego were dismissed. He was accused of a crime, then counter-sued the person for defamation, but now the slate has been wiped clean,
Araiza was a great punter/kicker for San Diego State, so much so that Buffalo drafted him in the 6th round of the 2022 draft. He hasn’t played in the NFL yet.
— Baseball Stuff:
Pirates re-signed P Mitch Keller for five years, $77M.
SS Tim Anderson signs with the Marlins for one year, $5M.
3B Gio Urshela signed with the Tigers for one year, $1.5M.
Mets P Kodai Senga (shoulder) will start the season on the IL.
— Word of the Day: Mentor- an experienced and trusted adviser.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 23:
Fred Biletnikoff, 80- great WR for the Raiders.
Ed (Too Tall) Jones, 72- defensive lineman for the Cowboys
actress Emily Blunt, 41
singer Howard Jones, 69
Jamal Murray, 26- star for the Denver Nuggets
Andrew Wiggins, 28- Golden State Warriors
Tom Osborne, 86- longtime football coach at Nebraska
COLUMBUS are 30-25 ATS (2.5 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more in the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 14-55 ATS (-46.5 Units) vs. division opponents in the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 14-2 Over (11.8 Units) off a close home loss by 1 goal over the last 2 seasons.
NHL
Friday, February 23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffalo @ Columbus
Buffalo
Buffalo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Buffalo's last 7 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Columbus's last 7 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Columbus's last 9 games when playing Buffalo
Winnipeg @ Chicago
Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing Chicago
Winnipeg is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Chicago
Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Chicago's last 21 games
Minnesota @ Edmonton
Minnesota
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games
Edmonton is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO is 14-55 ATS (-46.5 Units) vs. division opponents in the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 14-2 Over (11.8 Units) off a close home loss by 1 goal over the last 2 seasons.
NHL
Friday, February 23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffalo @ Columbus
Buffalo
Buffalo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Buffalo's last 7 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Columbus's last 7 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Columbus's last 9 games when playing Buffalo
Winnipeg @ Chicago
Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing Chicago
Winnipeg is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Chicago
Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Chicago's last 21 games
Minnesota @ Edmonton
Minnesota
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games
Edmonton is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday’s 6-pack:
— Raptors 123, Hawks 121- Toronto was +13 in 17:00 Agbaji played.
— 76ers 104, Cavaliers 97- Maxey had 24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.
— Rockets 114, Suns 110- Houston is 20-9 at home, 5-22 on road.
— Clippers 101, Grizzlies 95- Mann scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds.
— Heat 106, Pelicans 95- Miami was minus-8 in 21:00 Jimmy Butler sat out.
— Thunder 147, Wizards 106- Wizards are 9-47; they trailed 80-57 at the half.
Quote of the Day
“It is a very bad thing to become accustomed to good luck.”
Pubilius Syrus
Saturday’s quiz
Where did Steve Kerr play his college basketball?
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; Robin Williams played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life.
Thursday’s quiz
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.
***************************************************
— NFL’s salary cap is going up 13.6% next season, up to $255.4M/team.
— New Orleans Saints are restructuring QB Derek Carr’s contract, giving them $23M or so in salary cap relief for 2024, but Carr’s 2025 salary cap hit is up to $50.13M, including a $10M bonus that guarantees in three weeks.
In other words, the Saints kicked their cap woes down the road a year.
Right now, Saints are still $40,071,454 over the 2024 salary cap; Buffalo Bills are $41,742,609 over the cap, so those teams still have some work to do, cap-wise.
— Rams signed WR Demarcus Robinson for one year, $5M; Robinson caught 26 passes for 371 yards this season, with four TD’s, all of which came from Week 13 on.
— Golden State Warriors signed coach Steve Kerr for two years, $35M, which coincides with what’s left on Steph Curry’s contract. Kerr has won four NBA titles coaching the Warriors.
— Minnesota Golden Gophers are 17-9, 9-7 in conference this year, but they’re an impressive 23-3 against the spread this season. This is Minnesota’s first winning season since Richard Pitino led the Gophers to a 22-14 record five years ago.
— Was surprised to read that Thursday night’s Law and Order was the last episode for the great actor Sam Waterston, whose character Jack McCoy was on the show for 405 episodes. Thanks for all your work, sir. You’ll be missed.
The three TV shows I watch the most: CSI, Law and Order, Magnum PI, So many famous actors have been on Law and Order before they hit it rich. Great show.
— Baseball Stuff: Colorado Rockies have 33 pitchers in their major league camp this spring.
— Word of the Day: Mensch- a person of integrity and honor.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 24:
Hall of Fame 1B Eddie Murray, 68
actor Edward James Olmos, 77
actor Billy Zane, 58
singer George Thorogood, 73
former NC State/NBA center Tom Burleson, 72
— Spring training baseball started Thursday; great to watch baseball on TV again, its like welcoming old friends back into your house, after a 4-5 month lull.
Now the games themselves don’t mean so much; it isn’t about winning, it is just the players getting back in shape, preparing for the regular season, but it is still fun to watch.
— Fairfield 85, Quinnipiac 81
Fairfield is 17-10, after starting the season 1-6.
Stags made 13-26 on the arc in this game.
Quinnipiac has lost three in a row, after a 10-0 run.
— Cornell 65, Yale 62
Cornell outscored Yale 13-4 over the final 3:23.
Yale was only 11-26 on the foul line.
Big Red now leads the Ivy League by a game over Yale/Princeton.
— Bowling Green 76, Toledo 68
Toledo’s loss puts Akron atop the MAC standings.
Marcus Hill scored 31 points for Bowling Green, which starts four seniors.
— Fort Wayne 85, Green Bay 59
Mastodons led 47-23 at halftime.
Fort Wayne shot 60.5% inside arc, had only 4 turnovers.
Green Bay’s loss puts Oakland atop the Horizon standings.
— Teams shooting the best %age on 3’s this season:
40.6%- Purdue (24-3)
40.5%- Kentucky (18-8)
40.4%- Baylor (19-7)
Teams shooting the worst %age on 3’s this season:
25.2%- IUPUI (6-22)
26%- Buffalo (4-22)
26.4%- Coppin State (2-21)
— Raptors 123, Hawks 121- Toronto was +13 in 17:00 Agbaji played.
— 76ers 104, Cavaliers 97- Maxey had 24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.
— Rockets 114, Suns 110- Houston is 20-9 at home, 5-22 on road.
— Clippers 101, Grizzlies 95- Mann scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds.
— Heat 106, Pelicans 95- Miami was minus-8 in 21:00 Jimmy Butler sat out.
— Thunder 147, Wizards 106- Wizards are 9-47; they trailed 80-57 at the half.
Quote of the Day
“It is a very bad thing to become accustomed to good luck.”
Pubilius Syrus
Saturday’s quiz
Where did Steve Kerr play his college basketball?
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; Robin Williams played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life.
Thursday’s quiz
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.
***************************************************
Saturday’s Den: Random stuff on a winter night…….
— Idea of the Day– ESPN or NFL Network needs to bring Jon Gruden back to TV, so he can do those interviews he used to do with college QB’s before the NFL Draft. Learned a lot watching those, and this year especially is a very interesting year for QB’s in the draft.— NFL’s salary cap is going up 13.6% next season, up to $255.4M/team.
— New Orleans Saints are restructuring QB Derek Carr’s contract, giving them $23M or so in salary cap relief for 2024, but Carr’s 2025 salary cap hit is up to $50.13M, including a $10M bonus that guarantees in three weeks.
In other words, the Saints kicked their cap woes down the road a year.
Right now, Saints are still $40,071,454 over the 2024 salary cap; Buffalo Bills are $41,742,609 over the cap, so those teams still have some work to do, cap-wise.
— Rams signed WR Demarcus Robinson for one year, $5M; Robinson caught 26 passes for 371 yards this season, with four TD’s, all of which came from Week 13 on.
— Golden State Warriors signed coach Steve Kerr for two years, $35M, which coincides with what’s left on Steph Curry’s contract. Kerr has won four NBA titles coaching the Warriors.
— Minnesota Golden Gophers are 17-9, 9-7 in conference this year, but they’re an impressive 23-3 against the spread this season. This is Minnesota’s first winning season since Richard Pitino led the Gophers to a 22-14 record five years ago.
— Was surprised to read that Thursday night’s Law and Order was the last episode for the great actor Sam Waterston, whose character Jack McCoy was on the show for 405 episodes. Thanks for all your work, sir. You’ll be missed.
The three TV shows I watch the most: CSI, Law and Order, Magnum PI, So many famous actors have been on Law and Order before they hit it rich. Great show.
— Baseball Stuff: Colorado Rockies have 33 pitchers in their major league camp this spring.
— Word of the Day: Mensch- a person of integrity and honor.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 24:
Hall of Fame 1B Eddie Murray, 68
actor Edward James Olmos, 77
actor Billy Zane, 58
singer George Thorogood, 73
former NC State/NBA center Tom Burleson, 72
— Spring training baseball started Thursday; great to watch baseball on TV again, its like welcoming old friends back into your house, after a 4-5 month lull.
Now the games themselves don’t mean so much; it isn’t about winning, it is just the players getting back in shape, preparing for the regular season, but it is still fun to watch.
— Fairfield 85, Quinnipiac 81
Fairfield is 17-10, after starting the season 1-6.
Stags made 13-26 on the arc in this game.
Quinnipiac has lost three in a row, after a 10-0 run.
— Cornell 65, Yale 62
Cornell outscored Yale 13-4 over the final 3:23.
Yale was only 11-26 on the foul line.
Big Red now leads the Ivy League by a game over Yale/Princeton.
— Bowling Green 76, Toledo 68
Toledo’s loss puts Akron atop the MAC standings.
Marcus Hill scored 31 points for Bowling Green, which starts four seniors.
— Fort Wayne 85, Green Bay 59
Mastodons led 47-23 at halftime.
Fort Wayne shot 60.5% inside arc, had only 4 turnovers.
Green Bay’s loss puts Oakland atop the Horizon standings.
— Teams shooting the best %age on 3’s this season:
40.6%- Purdue (24-3)
40.5%- Kentucky (18-8)
40.4%- Baylor (19-7)
Teams shooting the worst %age on 3’s this season:
25.2%- IUPUI (6-22)
26%- Buffalo (4-22)
26.4%- Coppin State (2-21)
ST LOUIS are 6-2 ATS (3.8 Units) in road games second half of the season in the current season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-36 ATS (-21.6 Units) in road games after playing a game where 7 or more total goals were scored in the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 11-2 Over (8.8 Units) in home games after playing a home game in the current season.
PHILADELPHIA is 6-1 ATS (4.9 Units) when playing 5 or less games in 14 days in the current season.
WASHINGTON is 6-2 ATS (3.8 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent of 2 goals or more in the current season.
BOSTON is 10-1 ATS (8.9 Units) in road games after 1 or more consecutive unders in the current season.
VEGAS are 11-4 Under (6.6 Units) after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread in the current season.
COLORADO is 9-2 Over (6.8 Units) in home games after a game where they failed to cover the spread in the current season.
CAROLINA is 7-0 Under (7 Units) in home games after shutting out their opponent in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in home games after a blowout win by 3 goals or more in the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) revenging 2 straight losses vs opponent by 2 goals or more in the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 11-37 ATS (-29.7 Units) on Saturday games in the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 22-68 ATS (-52.8 Units) when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days in the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 18-36 ATS (-21.6 Units) in road games after playing a game where 7 or more total goals were scored in the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 11-2 Over (8.8 Units) in home games after playing a home game in the current season.
PHILADELPHIA is 6-1 ATS (4.9 Units) when playing 5 or less games in 14 days in the current season.
WASHINGTON is 6-2 ATS (3.8 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent of 2 goals or more in the current season.
BOSTON is 10-1 ATS (8.9 Units) in road games after 1 or more consecutive unders in the current season.
VEGAS are 11-4 Under (6.6 Units) after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread in the current season.
COLORADO is 9-2 Over (6.8 Units) in home games after a game where they failed to cover the spread in the current season.
CAROLINA is 7-0 Under (7 Units) in home games after shutting out their opponent in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in home games after a blowout win by 3 goals or more in the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) revenging 2 straight losses vs opponent by 2 goals or more in the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 11-37 ATS (-29.7 Units) on Saturday games in the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 22-68 ATS (-52.8 Units) when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days in the last 3 seasons.
NHL
Saturday, February 24
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Trend Report
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St. Louis @ Detroit
St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Detroit
Detroit is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Montreal @ New Jersey
Montreal
Montreal is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Montreal is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing Montreal
New Jersey is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Montreal
Tampa Bay @ NY Islanders
Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing NY Islanders
Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Islanders's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
NY Islanders is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
NY Rangers @ Philadelphia
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 11 games when playing NY Rangers
Washington @ Florida
Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Washington's last 19 games when playing Florida
Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Florida is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Boston @ Vancouver
Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Vancouver
Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games when playing Boston
Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Toronto @ Colorado
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Vegas @ Ottawa
Vegas
Vegas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Ottawa
Vegas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games
Ottawa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Dallas @ Carolina
Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Dallas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina
Carolina is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Carolina is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Nashville @ San Jose
Nashville
Nashville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Jose
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose
San Jose is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
San Jose is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Minnesota @ Seattle
Minnesota
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Seattle
Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games
Calgary @ Edmonton
Calgary
Calgary is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton
Edmonton is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Anaheim @ Los Angeles
Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Anaheim's last 8 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Anaheim is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
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Saturday, February 24
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Trend Report
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St. Louis @ Detroit
St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Detroit
Detroit is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Montreal @ New Jersey
Montreal
Montreal is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Montreal is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing Montreal
New Jersey is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Montreal
Tampa Bay @ NY Islanders
Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing NY Islanders
Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Islanders's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
NY Islanders is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
NY Rangers @ Philadelphia
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 11 games when playing NY Rangers
Washington @ Florida
Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Washington's last 19 games when playing Florida
Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Florida is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Boston @ Vancouver
Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Vancouver
Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games when playing Boston
Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Toronto @ Colorado
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Vegas @ Ottawa
Vegas
Vegas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Ottawa
Vegas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games
Ottawa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Dallas @ Carolina
Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Dallas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina
Carolina is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Carolina is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Nashville @ San Jose
Nashville
Nashville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Jose
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose
San Jose is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
San Jose is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Minnesota @ Seattle
Minnesota
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Seattle
Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games
Calgary @ Edmonton
Calgary
Calgary is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton
Edmonton is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Anaheim @ Los Angeles
Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Anaheim's last 8 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Anaheim is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
| Game | Time(ET) | Pick | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| STL at DET | 12:00 PM | DET -138 O 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| MON at NJ | 02:00 PM | NJ -230 U 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| TB at NYI | 02:00 PM | TB -103 U 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| NYR at PHI | 03:00 PM | PHI +121 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| WAS at FLA | 06:00 PM | FLA -226 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| BOS at VAN | 07:00 PM | VAN -108 U 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| TOR at COL | 07:00 PM | COL -117 U 7.0 | +500 +500 |
| VEG at OTT | 07:00 PM | OTT -112 O 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| DAL at CAR | 08:00 PM | CAR -126 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| NAS at SJ | 10:00 PM | SJ +198 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| MIN at SEA | 10:00 PM | SEA -141 O 6.0 | +500 +500 |
| CAL at EDM | 10:00 PM | EDM -166 U 6.5 | +500 +500 |
| ANA at LA | 10:30 PM | LA -273 U 6.0 | +500 +500 |
Sunday’s 6-pack:
Six of the best prospects for the Washington Nationals:
1) Dylan Crews, OF
2) James Wood, OF
3) Brady House, 3B
4) Cade Cavalli, P
5) Yohandy Morales, 3B
6) Jackson Rutledge, P
Quote of the Day
“Success in life comes not from holding a good hand, but in playing a poor hand well.”
Denis Waitley
Sunday’s quiz
Marcus Camby led UMass to the Final Four in 1996; who was their coach back then?
Saturday’s quiz
Steve Kerr played his college basketball at Arizona.
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; Robin Williams played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life.
*****************************************
— Big 12
Houston 82, Baylor 76, OT
Cougars led 29-12 early on.
Four Baylor subs played, but totaled only 21:00.
Houston was +11 in turnovers (19-8).
Oklahoma 84, Oklahoma State 82 OT
Cowboys led by 11 late in first half.
Both teams shot 62%+ inside the arc.
Both teams had a sub score 20 points.
Houston leads Iowa State by a game, Kansas by two games.
— ACC
Wake Forest 83, Duke 79
Neither team led by more than six points.
Both teams shot 62%+ inside the arc.
Duke scored 1.30 points/possession but lost; a red flag.
North Carolina 54, Virginia 44
Tar Heels had lost eight in a row in Charlottesville.
UNC won despite star G Davis going 1-14 from the floor.
UNC G Ryan made 6-11 shots on the arc.
North Carolina leads Duke by a game, Virginia/Wake Forest by 3 games.
— SEC
Kentucky 117, Alabama 95
Wildcats scored a ridiculous 1.46 points/possession.
Kentucky led by 37 with 8:37 left in game.
Alabama allowed 85+ points in all eight of their losses.
Auburn 97, Georgia 76
Auburn was 14-26 on arc, Georgia 3-14.
Tigers scored 1.43 points/possession.
Auburn is 21-6, 0-4 in games decided by less than 10 points.
Alabama/Tennessee lead the SEC at 11-3; Auburn/South Carolina are 10-4.
— Pac-12
Arizona State 73, Washington State 61
Coogs beat Arizona, then lose to the Sun Devils. Oy.
Loss ends Wazzu’s 8-game winning streak.
USC 62, UCLA 56
This game was 34-34 at halftime, after USC led 33-19 early on.
Trojans snap a 7-game road losing streak.
Bruins are 14-13, 9-7 in the Pac-12; they’ll need a great Pac-12 tournament to get into the NCAA’s for the fourth year in a row.
Arizona leads Washington State by a half-game, Oregon by 2 games.
ESPN’s Bracketology has only two Pac-12 teams getting in the NCAA’s.
— Big West
Cal-San Diego 92, Cal-Irvine 88 OT
Both teams had double-digit leads in this game.
Tritons have won four in row, 13 of last 16 games.
These teams are tied for first in Big West, but Cal-San Diego isn’t eligible for the Big West tournament; this is only their 4th season as a D-I team.
— WAC
Abilene Christian 79, Grand Canyon 73
Antelopes lost last two games, after a 24-2 start.
Wildcats were 29-36 on foul line, Grand Canyon was 19-24.
Tarleton State 82, Cal Baptist 65
Tarleton State was +12 in turnovers (17-5)
Texans have won eight games in a row.
Tarleton only played 7 guys; they’re #354 in bench minutes.
Grand Canyon/Tarleton are tied in loss column for the WAC lead; their conference tournament should be very interesting.
— Upsets of the Day:
Air Force (+18.5) 78, New Mexico 77
Tex-San Antonio (+13.5) 64, North Texas 62
Brown (+11.5) 78, Cornell 74
Oregon State (+10.5) 85, Stanford 73
Eastern Michigan (+10.5) 58, Ball State 56
Abilene Christian (+8.5) 79, Grand Canyon 73
Georgia Tech (+8.5) 80, Miami 76
Sacramento State (+7.5) 66, Montana State 63
— Word of the Day: Voracious- someone who has a huge appetite, whether for reading, knowledge or food.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 25
Ric Flair, 75
Carrot Top, 59 (real name Scott Thompson)
Bob Brenly, 70
Cesar Cedeno, 73
Rashida Jones, 48
Jeff Fisher, 66
— Missouri Valley
Northern Iowa 91, Drake 77
This loss probably makes Arch Madness a must-win for Drake.
Both teams shot over 60% inside the arc.
Tytan Anderson had 18 points, 18 rebounds for UNI.
Indiana State 88, Ill-Chicago 73
Sycamores have won 11 of their last 13 games.
Larry Bird’s alma mater has the #1 eFG% in the country.
Indiana State leads Drake by a game.
Bracketology is saying the MVC is a one-bid league.
— Ivy League
Brown 78, Cornell 74
Cornell loses as an 11-point favorite, after beating Yale Friday.
Cornell, Yale, Princeton are tied for first, at 9-2.
Brown/Harvard are tied for 4th in Ivy with three games left; only four teams make it to the Ivy League tournament.
— Southern
Samford 87, East Tennessee State 71
Bulldogs led 53-27 at halftime.
Samford shot 75% (18-24) inside the arc.
Samford leads SoCon by three games, which will only put pressure on them in conference tournament, since the SoCon is a one-bid league.
— Mid-American is the #24 league this season, the lowest it has been ranked in this century; they were #20 two years ago, their next lowest ranking.
— Big Sky
Eastern Washington 85, Northern Colorado 76
Northern Colorado led by 12 midway thru first half.
Cedric Coward scored 30 points, had one assist; his job is to shoot.
Eastern Washington has a 2-game lead in Big Sky, with three games left.
— WCC
Gonzaga 94, Santa Clara 81
Zags have won six in row, 11 of last 12 games.
Despite that, Bracketology has Gonzaga as a bubble team; they play Saint Mary’s Saturday, then probably again in the WCC tournament- they better at least split with the Gaels.
Saint Mary’s 88, San Diego 62
Gaels have won 15 games in a row, after an 8-6 start.
Bracketology has Saint Mary’s as a 6-seed, so they’re pretty much in the NCAA’s.
WCC is the 11th-ranked conference this year, its lowest rank in six years. BYU bolting for the Big X this year hurt the WCC’s rating.
Six of the best prospects for the Washington Nationals:
1) Dylan Crews, OF
2) James Wood, OF
3) Brady House, 3B
4) Cade Cavalli, P
5) Yohandy Morales, 3B
6) Jackson Rutledge, P
Quote of the Day
“Success in life comes not from holding a good hand, but in playing a poor hand well.”
Denis Waitley
Sunday’s quiz
Marcus Camby led UMass to the Final Four in 1996; who was their coach back then?
Saturday’s quiz
Steve Kerr played his college basketball at Arizona.
Friday’s quiz
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon plays a janitor at MIT who has a gift for Math; Robin Williams played the psychologist who helped him find direction in his life.
*****************************************
Sunday’s Den: Wrapping up a sports Saturday……
Seven Top 25 teams lost Saturday……— Big 12
Houston 82, Baylor 76, OT
Cougars led 29-12 early on.
Four Baylor subs played, but totaled only 21:00.
Houston was +11 in turnovers (19-8).
Oklahoma 84, Oklahoma State 82 OT
Cowboys led by 11 late in first half.
Both teams shot 62%+ inside the arc.
Both teams had a sub score 20 points.
Houston leads Iowa State by a game, Kansas by two games.
— ACC
Wake Forest 83, Duke 79
Neither team led by more than six points.
Both teams shot 62%+ inside the arc.
Duke scored 1.30 points/possession but lost; a red flag.
North Carolina 54, Virginia 44
Tar Heels had lost eight in a row in Charlottesville.
UNC won despite star G Davis going 1-14 from the floor.
UNC G Ryan made 6-11 shots on the arc.
North Carolina leads Duke by a game, Virginia/Wake Forest by 3 games.
— SEC
Kentucky 117, Alabama 95
Wildcats scored a ridiculous 1.46 points/possession.
Kentucky led by 37 with 8:37 left in game.
Alabama allowed 85+ points in all eight of their losses.
Auburn 97, Georgia 76
Auburn was 14-26 on arc, Georgia 3-14.
Tigers scored 1.43 points/possession.
Auburn is 21-6, 0-4 in games decided by less than 10 points.
Alabama/Tennessee lead the SEC at 11-3; Auburn/South Carolina are 10-4.
— Pac-12
Arizona State 73, Washington State 61
Coogs beat Arizona, then lose to the Sun Devils. Oy.
Loss ends Wazzu’s 8-game winning streak.
USC 62, UCLA 56
This game was 34-34 at halftime, after USC led 33-19 early on.
Trojans snap a 7-game road losing streak.
Bruins are 14-13, 9-7 in the Pac-12; they’ll need a great Pac-12 tournament to get into the NCAA’s for the fourth year in a row.
Arizona leads Washington State by a half-game, Oregon by 2 games.
ESPN’s Bracketology has only two Pac-12 teams getting in the NCAA’s.
— Big West
Cal-San Diego 92, Cal-Irvine 88 OT
Both teams had double-digit leads in this game.
Tritons have won four in row, 13 of last 16 games.
These teams are tied for first in Big West, but Cal-San Diego isn’t eligible for the Big West tournament; this is only their 4th season as a D-I team.
— WAC
Abilene Christian 79, Grand Canyon 73
Antelopes lost last two games, after a 24-2 start.
Wildcats were 29-36 on foul line, Grand Canyon was 19-24.
Tarleton State 82, Cal Baptist 65
Tarleton State was +12 in turnovers (17-5)
Texans have won eight games in a row.
Tarleton only played 7 guys; they’re #354 in bench minutes.
Grand Canyon/Tarleton are tied in loss column for the WAC lead; their conference tournament should be very interesting.
— Upsets of the Day:
Air Force (+18.5) 78, New Mexico 77
Tex-San Antonio (+13.5) 64, North Texas 62
Brown (+11.5) 78, Cornell 74
Oregon State (+10.5) 85, Stanford 73
Eastern Michigan (+10.5) 58, Ball State 56
Abilene Christian (+8.5) 79, Grand Canyon 73
Georgia Tech (+8.5) 80, Miami 76
Sacramento State (+7.5) 66, Montana State 63
— Word of the Day: Voracious- someone who has a huge appetite, whether for reading, knowledge or food.
— Famous people with birthdays on February 25
Ric Flair, 75
Carrot Top, 59 (real name Scott Thompson)
Bob Brenly, 70
Cesar Cedeno, 73
Rashida Jones, 48
Jeff Fisher, 66
— Missouri Valley
Northern Iowa 91, Drake 77
This loss probably makes Arch Madness a must-win for Drake.
Both teams shot over 60% inside the arc.
Tytan Anderson had 18 points, 18 rebounds for UNI.
Indiana State 88, Ill-Chicago 73
Sycamores have won 11 of their last 13 games.
Larry Bird’s alma mater has the #1 eFG% in the country.
Indiana State leads Drake by a game.
Bracketology is saying the MVC is a one-bid league.
— Ivy League
Brown 78, Cornell 74
Cornell loses as an 11-point favorite, after beating Yale Friday.
Cornell, Yale, Princeton are tied for first, at 9-2.
Brown/Harvard are tied for 4th in Ivy with three games left; only four teams make it to the Ivy League tournament.
— Southern
Samford 87, East Tennessee State 71
Bulldogs led 53-27 at halftime.
Samford shot 75% (18-24) inside the arc.
Samford leads SoCon by three games, which will only put pressure on them in conference tournament, since the SoCon is a one-bid league.
— Mid-American is the #24 league this season, the lowest it has been ranked in this century; they were #20 two years ago, their next lowest ranking.
— Big Sky
Eastern Washington 85, Northern Colorado 76
Northern Colorado led by 12 midway thru first half.
Cedric Coward scored 30 points, had one assist; his job is to shoot.
Eastern Washington has a 2-game lead in Big Sky, with three games left.
— WCC
Gonzaga 94, Santa Clara 81
Zags have won six in row, 11 of last 12 games.
Despite that, Bracketology has Gonzaga as a bubble team; they play Saint Mary’s Saturday, then probably again in the WCC tournament- they better at least split with the Gaels.
Saint Mary’s 88, San Diego 62
Gaels have won 15 games in a row, after an 8-6 start.
Bracketology has Saint Mary’s as a 6-seed, so they’re pretty much in the NCAA’s.
WCC is the 11th-ranked conference this year, its lowest rank in six years. BYU bolting for the Big X this year hurt the WCC’s rating.
NEW JERSEY is 69-35 Under (30.5 Units) in home games revenging a loss where opponent scored 5 or more goals since 1996.
PITTSBURGH is 33-41 ATS (-12.1 Units) after scoring 3 goals or more in 2 straight games in the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS are 17-10 ATS (6 Units) in home games off a home loss in the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 8-33 ATS (-28.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss where opponent scored 4 or more goals in the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 6-2 ATS (3.8 Units) in road games after having lost 15 or more of their last 20 games in the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 10-2 ATS (7.8 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 22-68 ATS (-52.8 Units) when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days in the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 33-41 ATS (-12.1 Units) after scoring 3 goals or more in 2 straight games in the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS are 17-10 ATS (6 Units) in home games off a home loss in the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 8-33 ATS (-28.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss where opponent scored 4 or more goals in the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 6-2 ATS (3.8 Units) in road games after having lost 15 or more of their last 20 games in the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 10-2 ATS (7.8 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 22-68 ATS (-52.8 Units) when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days in the last 3 seasons.
NHL
Sunday, February 25
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Trend Report
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Tampa Bay @ New Jersey
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing New Jersey
New Jersey
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Jersey's last 9 games at home
Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 20-3 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Detroit @ Chicago
Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
Carolina @ Buffalo
Carolina
Carolina is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games when playing Buffalo
Carolina is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Buffalo
Buffalo is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games
NY Rangers @ Columbus
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Columbus
Columbus is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Columbus is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games
Arizona @ Winnipeg
Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
Winnipeg is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Arizona
Nashville @ Anaheim
Nashville
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Nashville is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Anaheim
Anaheim is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing at home against Nashville
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Sunday, February 25
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Trend Report
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Tampa Bay @ New Jersey
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Tampa Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing New Jersey
New Jersey
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Jersey's last 9 games at home
Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 20-3 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Detroit @ Chicago
Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
Carolina @ Buffalo
Carolina
Carolina is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games when playing Buffalo
Carolina is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Buffalo
Buffalo is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games
NY Rangers @ Columbus
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Columbus
Columbus is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Columbus is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games
Arizona @ Winnipeg
Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
Winnipeg is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Arizona
Nashville @ Anaheim
Nashville
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Nashville is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Anaheim
Anaheim is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing at home against Nashville
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