Service Plays Friday 5/28/10

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

New Addition to Service Play Forum..Specifically for posting additional topics.

The Rx.com Mod Team has created this Service Play sub-forum in order to supply an area for Rx Service Play Posters to expand upon their posting topics without creating a logjam in the main forum where the three principle threads are maintained..

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I will leave this thread open for a month to take questions and do my best to answer them. I will check in daily but am off on Wednesday and Thursday.

I hope this additional Service Play Forum will satisfy those posters that would like to widen the scope of topics relating to service plays and the industry in general to have their own threads. Mods will be liberal as possible regarding topics but this forum was specifically created to allow you more freedom to express your ideas regarding service plays and related subject matter. No off topic threads will be allowed.

Thank you, wilheim




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[pjoyce5893]

Cleveland Insider (System Plays)

MLB: 12-1
WNBA: 3-0

Plays for Friday 5-28-10

MLB

Wager #1- Baltimore +1.5 (-140) @ Toronto (wager $140 win $100)
Wager #1- Houston +1.5 (-180) @ Cincinnati (wager $180 win $100)

WNBA

Wager #1- New York +9.5 (-170) @ San Antonio (buy 3 points) (wager $170 win $100)

 

[ugk]

NBA NEWS AND NOTES
GAME OF THE DAY: Magic at Celtics
By Lee Kostroski

The skinny

A series that looked like a sweep a few days ago now has the Celtics taking a slim 3-2 lead into a pressure-packed Game 6 in Boston Friday night. Orlando has all the momentum going into Boston and will attempt to take another step toward overcoming an improbable 3-0 series deficit.

Boston has the home-court advantage, winning six of its eight home playoff games in 2010. But now, they may be dealing with various injuries to some key reserves. The road team and underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these two and Orlando is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Boston.

Superman’s support

Dwight Howard has been nothing short of spectacular this series. He’s averaging 20.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 3.4 blocks. Orlando expects a great performance by Howard night in and night out, so it’s going to be up to the supporting cast – specifically the 3-point shooters – to have an impact on winning this game.

Orlando has lived and died by the 3-point shot all season long and that hasn’t stopped in this series. The Magic were just 20 of 70 (28 percent) in the first three games. However, in the last two victories, they are 23-of-53 (43 percent) and they are looking a lot like the Orlando team that swept two straight series’ to get here.

"We're playing more of our game now, getting out in transition and just attacking and staying on the attack and trying to do it for 48 minutes," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson told reporters.

Nelson led the charge with a team-high four threes, but he enjoyed plenty of support. Six Magic players sank shots from 3-point range. A lot of Orlando’s success begins with Jameer Nelson. Nelson averaged just 14.6 ppg in the first three games of this series (all losses) and has averaged 23.5 ppg in the last two games (both Orlando victories).

It should be noted that no NBA team has won a series after losing the first three games. But the Magic believe 100 percent that they are going to win this series.

"We just all believe," Nelson said. "We all believe. We know we can do it, one game at a time."

Losing their edge

In the first three games of this series, the Celtics looked untouchable and destined to make their second finals appearance of the past three seasons.

Now, everything has turned upside down on Boston. Its hockey compatriot, the Bruins, know what it’s like to lose a 3-0 series lead and now the Celtics are coming close to joining them in their misery.

There’s obvious disappointment of dropping two close-out games, but head coach Doc Rivers insists that they aren’t panicking.

“It’s nothing that worries me,’’ Rivers told the media. “I don’t panic at all. This is playoff basketball, this is what it’s all about. It’s about being resilient. Being there for your teammates. This is what we do.’’

Still, the momentum they had built in the first three games of the series, let alone the feeling of dominance they had established after beating the Magic so thoroughly in Game 3, is gone.

To quote an overused cliché: defense wins championships. Boston’s defense, at times, has been impenetrable in the playoffs. And it’s apparent that when the Celtics’ defense plays well, they win.

They’ve allowed 77.0 points per game and haven’t allowed an opponent over 100 points in their 11 postseason wins. But in their five losses, they’ve allowed 107 ppg and four times allowed over 100 points.

Rajon Rondo averaged 18 ppg, 11 apg, and 6.2 rpg in the Celtics’ first two playoff series and garnered national attention for his strong play. But in this series, he’s been rather ineffective. His numbers are way down, averaging 14.4 ppg, 8.4 apg and 3.6 rpg. He’ll have to step up if the C’s are without some of their bigs in Game 6.

From the infirmary

Glen Davis, Marquise Daniels and Rasheed Wallace are all questionable heading into Game 6. Wallace tweaked his back and had to leave the game while Davis and Daniels are both being treated for concussions after scary blows to the head in Game 5. Boston's frontline will be very thin if Davis and Wallace can't go Friday and it could mean a huge game for Dwight Howard inside.

The Celtics lucked out when the NBA rescinded their technical foul call on starting center Kendrick Perkins. He was ejected in Game 5 after receiving a second technical foul of the game. But more importantly it was his seventh of the postseason – a mandatory suspension unless it is overturned. Perkins will play in Game 6 Friday night.

Trends

Orlando is 19-6-1 ATS in its last 26 games following a SU victory and 7-1 ATS in its last eight road games.

Boston is 5-2 ATS in its last seven playoff games as a favorite and 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a SU loss.

 

[ugk]

PICK 'N' ROLL

Friday's Best NBA Bet

Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (-3, 189)

The Celtics are on the verge of doing what their fellow Bostonians did on the ice – lose a seven-game playoff series after jumping out to a 3-0 lead.
History bodes well for the Green; however, as no basketball team has ever recovered to win a postseason set down three games to none.

"We know what we haven't done, and what we need to do," Doc Rivers said Thursday. "I think we'll be ready to do it tomorrow night."

Boston injuries are undoubtedly affecting the line in this game. The Celtics were 7-point favorites in the Game 4 elimination contest but now are given a 3-point spread in the same situation?

Glen Davis blacked out on the court after catching an elbow to the head and Rasheed Wallace’s back was so tender Thursday he couldn’t sit down to watch film. Reserve guard Marquis Daniels also sustained a concussion during the game.

The first two, more important, players are listed as gametime decisions Friday. But you have to expect both to be on the floor. This isn’t football where I player must sit out with concussion symptoms. Heck, Steve Nash can’t see out of one eye and has broken nose and still suits up for practice the next day.

Kendrick Perkins (ejection) and Big Baby only playing 36 minutes in Game 5 allowed Dwight Howard to dominate the paint. Superman scored 21 points while posting five blocks and 10 rebounds in the victory.

Those bodies that the Celts missed dearly Wednesday, as well as Wallace, will be out to Hack-A-Howard on Friday. Howard is only shooting 51 percent from the charity stripe in this series and that will prove to be the difference as Boston solidifies a spot in the NBA Finals.

Pick: Boston Celtics

 

[ugk]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Friday’s Streaking And Slumping Starting Pitchers
By Covers Staff

STREAKING

Shaun Marcum (4-1, 2.82), Toronto Blue Jays

Who needs Roy Halladay when you have Shaun Marcum?

The converted reliever who missed all of 2009 is a big reason the Jays are five games over .500 this year.

“His record really doesn’t show the way he’s pitched,” Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. “He’s pitched outstanding. We just haven’t been able to give him any runs a lot of the time.”

Toronto lost three one-run ballgames that were quality starts for Marcum and the righty has only surrendered more than three runs once all season.
Marcum has won three straight decisions, and four of five, and the Jays have won the last five games he’s started.

Randy Wells (3-2, 3.99), Chicago Cubs

All Randy Wells needed to recover from a mediocre start to the season was a jog around the park with veteran pitcher Ted Lilly.

"We just went for a little run and talked it over and talked about ways to get past it and have a short memory and work hard and get ready for the next start," Wells said of the jog after giving up five earned runs in 2.0 innings May 6.

Since that little pep talk, Wells has posted a 2.74 ERA with the Cubbies going 2-1 in those games – contests against ball-smashing clubs like the Marlins, Rangers and Rockies. The right-hander went at least 8.0 innings in two of those starts and struck out a total of 17 hitters.

Wells will oppose Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter Friday and Chicago is listed as a +115 home dog.

DEBUTING

Sam LeCure (N/A), Cincinnati Reds

As hot as the Reds pitching has been, the team could probably trot out the batting practice hurler and he would shut down the opposition.

Cincy is hoping that’s the case with Triple-A callup Sam LeCure Friday.
The right-hander will take Homer Bailey’s spot in the Reds rotation after Bailey was placed on the 15-day DL with an inflamed shoulder.

LeCure was 5-2 with a 2.55 ERA at Louisville this season. He started nine games for the Cincinnati affiliate and pitched one shutout.

RETURNING

Carlos Monasterios (1-0, 1.90), Los Angeles Dodgers

If you see the name C MONASTER on the betting board Friday don’t be alarmed…the Dodgers aren’t pulling Nessie out of Loch Ness for a spot start.

Instead, Joe Torre has asked middle reliever Carlos Monasterios to make his second start of the season. The righty made his starter debut back on May 1 and gave up one run in four innings of work against Pittsburgh.

“He definitely has good stuff, and he’s just starting to learn the slider,” said catcher Russell Martin. “And if he can use that with his curveball and mix in his changeup, there’s no doubt he can start.”

Monasterios has been an excellent option out of the bullpen this season for Los Angeles. He’s gone at least 2.0 innings in seven-of-11 relief appearances and has only surrendered five runs in 19.2 innings of work.

Don’t expect Monasterios to get deep into the game Friday as he will likely be on a tight pitch count.

 

[ugk]

HOT LINES

Friday's Best MLB Bets

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies (-150, 9.5)

The wild NL West remains wide open, and that’s a good thing for the surging Rockies.

Colorado is riding a five-game winning streak and is 10-5 in its last 15 games. The Rocks are rolling, only three games behind the San Diego Padres and feel confident about going on a mile-high run.

"We're definitely playing better," said Troy Tulowitzki, who's homered four-of-five and is on an 11-game hitting streak. "We're playing defense, pitching a little better and getting some timely hitting, mixed in with some power."

All of those offensive components have equated to Colorado scoring 15 runs in its last two outings and blasting 11 homers over the last four.
Starting pitcher Jeff Francis will look to continue his great start to a rebound season Friday. Francis has yielded only one run in 13.1 innings on the mound in 2010 and is 5-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 14 starts against the Dodgers.

Pick: Colorado Rockies


Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels (+100, 8)

Many pundits predicted these two teams would be the frontrunners in the AL West, not the cellar-dwellers.

But much like the NL West, a lengthy run from either squad could propel them to the top of the division.

Seattle has struggled mightily to plate runs this season, ranking last in the AL in that category, but the Mariners have scored five runs in each of their last two games. Each of those victories over the Tigers came after eighth-inning rallies.

"We really needed a defibrillator to come in here and give us a shock because we didn't have a heartbeat for quite some time," said Mike Sweeney, who is hitting .441 with 13 RBIs over the last 10 games. "We lost some tough games that zapped some out of us but the last couple of games have been huge for us."

The M’s will look to earn their third consecutive win while facing L.A.’s Scott Kazmir.

Kazmir was finally decent in his last outing (7.0 IP, 3 ER), but that came during interleague play and he faced one less hitter each time through the order while playing in St. Louis.

This will likely be a close, low-scoring affair but look for Seattle to extend its winning streak. Plus, this number is great value for a team with Cliff Lee on the mound.

Pick: Seattle Mariners

 

[ugk]

WNBA NEWS AND NOTES
A New WNBA Season Embarks
By Statfox Staff

The WNBA season begins with a little change as Sacramento closes its doors and Detroit is moved to Tulsa and the Western Conference. This is the league’s 14th season with the Phoenix Mercury the defending champions. Teams like Minnesota and Chicago are on the rise, while strongholds like Connecticut and San Antonio look to return to former elite status. Sports bettors that put in the time have profited handsomely by following the WNBA regularly. Here are the season previews of this year’s squads

Connecticut Sun 2010 Preview
Naturally, Mike Thibault is optimistic – not only is it wired into the DNA of coaches and players to think happy thoughts at the start of any season, but it’s also his job. After all, if the coach doesn’t believe in his team, neither will anyone else (including the players).

But that said, it’s hard to see this team as being one of Thibault’s better ones, despite his positive spin in the WNBA teleconference Friday. To begin with, the Sun will start without three key players who are still in Europe, and could find themselves stumbling out of the gate. And since games in May count as much as games in August, a strong finish in the competitive East may not be able to make up for a slow start.

More important, though, is that the Sun just don’t appear to be that good. Thibault was forced to send Lindsay Whalen to Minnesota, and in return got second-year point guard Renee Montgomery, whose primary virtue is a nice three-point percentage. Unfortunately, that virtue is more sought after among shooting guards, but even shooting guards are expected to have better than a 1.1 A/TO. Montgomery, in fact, had only six more assists than turnovers in 764 minutes, which is not what anyone wants from a point guard, especially at the WNBA level.

Kara Lawson is also a better shooter than a passer, but she did have by far her best A/TO season in 2009. Lawson, though, is a battered 29, as she has to play all-out every night to overcome a relative lack of athleticism. She missed seven games in Sacramento last year, and her practice time was severely limited – but if she’s healthy expect her to do more ballhandling than Montgomery.

Still, that’s two small guards on the perimeter, neither known for defense, and with another shoot-first wing, Anete Jekabsone-Zogota, penciled in the starting lineup, Connecticut is going to need a strong interior defense to make the Playoffs. That should start with 6-4 Sandrine Gruda, who like Jekabsone-Zogota is not yet in America – but she needs to stay out of foul trouble, rebound more consistently and make her free throws (55.8 percent).

Asjha Jones will score, but she turns 30 in August and missed 11 games last year with injuries. She’s also not much of a rebounder for a power forward, but when healthy, she does pretty much everything else but shoot threes. Also in the post mix is the underrated DeMya Walker, who can defend and score inside – but she’s 33 and her medical charts take up an entire file cabinet. In her ten years, she’s played all 34 games just three times, and she totaled 12 in 2007 and 2008.

Of course, there’s rookie Tina Charles, the number one overall pick in the draft, but it’s asking a lot to expect her to step right in and contribute while waiting for Jones and Gruda. Another rookie who will get her chance early will be Allison Hightower, who could turn out to be one of the steals of the draft. The 5-10 guard can actually be expected to make a bigger contribution than No. 3 pick Kelsey Griffin, who doesn’t really have a position – she was a four in college, but is expected to transition to the three despite having no outside shot. But, like the other rookies, she’ll get her opportunities early and maybe prove she did deserve to be picked third.

Of course it’s possible that Connecticut will put the pieces together: Montgomery will emerge as an elite point guard; Tan White and Hightower will rise to the occasion; and Griffin will, along with Charles, Gruda, Walker and Jones, give the Sun an imposing front line. But there are too many questions in Uncasville this year, and the contracted WNBA is too tough, so the Sun look like lottery fodder – which means that Thibault most likely gave up his chance at Maya Moore by trading his 2011 first-round pick in the off-season. Now it’s up to the Connecticut players to justify the coach enthusiasm and be a factor in the East.

Washington Mystics 2010 Preview

It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly.” — Isaac Asimov

After the 2009 season concluded, Alana Beard was on a mission.
I remember talking to her just a few months ago in January and was taken aback by the sheer amount of dedication she had to improving her game. She was in the gym in the (very) early hours of the morning and wouldn’t leave until after lunch. Beard had specific areas of her game she knew she needed to work on, and with her unrivaled work ethic, you just knew that her perceived “weaknesses” were soon to be added to her never-ending list of strengths.

That all changed in mid-April when the Mystics announced Beard would miss the entire 2010 season with an ankle injury.

I’d be remiss if I neglected to mention that when I heard the news, I groaned and shook my head in disbelief. You hate to hear of any type of injury to any player, but this one really was both devastating and unfortunate.

I picked the Mystics to be a legitimate contender along with the Indiana Fever for the Eastern Conference Championship. I believe they had that good of a team and made all the necessary additions to fortify both their backcourt and frontcourt.

With Beard out, the question now becomes, will the adversity be enough to motivate the Mystics into a Playoff spot? Sometimes, all it takes for a team to rise above the doubters and naysayers is a profound belief in the collective unit. Make no mistake about it; losing Beard is the equivalent of the Lakers losing Kobe Bryant, the Cavaliers losing LeBron, or the Phoenix Mercury losing Taurasi — she’s irreplaceable. What you can do, however, is use the untimely news as a rallying point for the entire team.

The addition of Katie Smith in the off-season immediately became that much more invaluable upon learning the news of Beard’s injury. As mentioned above, Beard cannot be replaced but having a proven veteran in Katie Smith certainly can’t hurt. Smith was originally brought in to be Beard’s counterpart and to boost the team’s overall savvy and depth. Now, she’ll be relied upon heavily on both ends of the floor.

The good news is that Smith appears to be fully healthy for the first time in a long while. She said several times during her official Mystics press conference that she feels no pain in her back; something that has been a major hindrance to her production in years past. Smith had almost a full year of recovery to strengthen her core and improve her mobility and came into training camp in her best shape in years.

Still, let’s not forget the Mystics are an incredibly talented team along with Beard and Smith. GM Angela Taylor and coach Julie Plank have put together a solid mix of veterans and youth that, if they play to their potential, could propel them into what many are saying is an unlikely Playoff berth.

That means Marissa Coleman, Matee Ajavon, Lindsey Harding, and Crystal Langhorne will need to increase their productivity from years past. Langhorne, the 2009 Most Improved Player, has upped her averages nearly every year in the league and she’ll undoubtedly have an opportunity to improve both her scoring and rebounding output in 2010. Marissa Coleman, who trained religiously with Beard in the off-season, has received rave reviews in training camp thus far and is poised for a breakout year. The Mystics also have high hopes in rookie Jacinta Monroe to help Langhorne in the post. Monroe is versatile enough to stay mobile in the paint both offensively and defensively, but her role will most likely be solidifying the Mystics interior defense.

For the optimists out there, perhaps what benefits the Mystics most is that the Eastern Conference is as unpredictable as it has ever been. The team with the least amount of question marks is the Indiana Fever and they are missing several starters who are still playing in Turkey. As far as the other teams in the East are concerned, the Liberty will be integrating several new pieces into their squad, the Dream could still be inconsistent, and the Sun has a lot of talent but also a lot of inexperience.

Of the six teams in the Eastern Conference, only four will make the Playoffs. For the Mystics, they could look at the loss of Alana Beard in one of two ways:

1. Give up, and don’t expect much of the season at all.
2. Use the adversity to rally the team into a Playoff berth.

As long as Angela Taylor and Julie Plank are at the helm, something tells me they haven’t even considered the former.

 

[ugk]

LADY LUCK

Friday's Best WNBA Bets

Atlanta Dream at Phoenix Mercury (-6, 185.5)

The Atlanta Dream are off and running in the 2010 WNBA season.

They’ve started the season 4-0, recently defeating the talented New York Liberty, 86-77, last Sunday. Atlanta will see if it is for real when it faces the defending WNBA champs, the Phoenix Mercury, at the US Airways Center Friday night.

"(It's) the best start this team's ever had, but it's still just 4-0," leading-scorer Angel McCoughtry told reporters. "If we get to 10-0, then I'll be like 'OK'. It's too early."

"The more you win, the more you get confidence," she said. "And now our confidence is shooting up right now. We feel like we're unstoppable. That's how you should feel if you're undefeated."

The Dream have been getting the job done with a balanced attack, ranking second in team defense, allowing just under 73 points per game, while scoring 81 points a night – fourth in the league.

That combo has also equaled out to a perfect 4-0 record against the spread. That profitable mark will go up against the Mercury, who haven’t covered at home in two games this season. Expect Atlanta to slide under the oddsmakers’ radar against one of the WNBA’s most popular teams.

Pick: Atlanta Dream


New York Liberty at San Antonio Silver Stars (-6, 157)

The San Antonio Silver Stars went from a mid-tier team in the Western Conference to a WNBA title favorite overnight with the addition of talented forward Chamique Holdsclaw.

Holdsclaw, who was released by the Atlanta Dream last week, joined the Silver Stars Friday and scored 19 points in her debut with the team in an 88-81 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks Saturday.

“Chamique is just a ball player,” San Antonio coach Sandy Brondello told the Express-News. “She lifted our game to another level and took a lot of pressure off the players around her.”

Holdsclaw is a former Rookie of the Year winner and a six-time WNBA All-Star, but also a troubled player who retired briefly two years ago after dealing with family issues. She missed time last season due to a knee injury, but if she is healthy and motivated, Holdsclaw is one of the best players in the league.

Having Holdsclaw takes the scoring load off guard Becky Hammon and forward Sophia Young, who combine for 40 percent of the Silver Stars’ scoring this season. This team will only get better as time goes on.

Pick: San Antonio Silver Stars

 

[ugk]

AFL NEWS AND NOTES
Arena Football On The NFL Network: Tampa Bay at Orlando
By Scott Cooley

Tampa Bay Storm at Orlando Predators (PK), 8 p.m. ET

The most storied rivalry in the Arena Football League continues Friday as the NFL Network Game of the Week. The matchup will mark the 44th meeting between the Tampa Bay Storm (3-3 SU, 1-5 ATS) and Orlando Predators (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS).

The War on I-4 has been a balanced rivalry with the all-time regular season series tied at 18 games apiece and one team never holding more than a two-game lead on the other.

“The home field doesn’t warrant very much in this series,” said Covers Experts’ Ted Sevransky. “The road team has come to play every time.”

The total point differential in the 43 games played (including playoffs) between these squads is just 11 points. The Storm are 8-11 during the regular season at Orlando but swept the season series in 2008 (2-0 ATS).

Common ground

These teams will know each other quite well when they step onto the turf Friday. There are a handful of players that donned the opposition’s uniform in their arena league careers and the two head coaches are all too familiar with one another.

Tampa’s legendary head man, Tim Marcum, mentored Orlando’s Pat O’Hara as a coach and player. O’Hara, who is in his rookie season as a head coach, spent the 2005 and 2007-08 seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Storm.

O’Hara, a former arena quarterback, groomed the Storm’s current signal-caller Brett Dietz during his first two years in the league. Knowing your competition’s tendencies is useful but when both sides have the advantage it sometimes comes out a wash.

“In any coaching matchup in arena football there are a couple of coaches I’m going to trust every time,” Sevransky said. “One is Mike Hohensee (Chicago Rush) and the other is Tim Marcum.”

Killer instinct?

The Predators haven’t just won three consecutive games, they’ve won three straight in head-scratching style.

In Week 6, Orlando went on the road and won in Dallas as a 14-point underdog. The team earned victories the following two games as 10-point pups, including a home defeat over Milwaukee last week – a team many believe to be the best in the AFL.

Whether or not this winning streak for a squad that started the year 0-3 is an aberration remains to be seen.

“That’s what we hope to find out on Friday night,” stated Sevransky. “You can certainly make the argument that Orlando has been the beneficiary of fortuitous circumstances.”

The Preds’ first two victories of the season came against teams starting second-string quarterbacks. Last week after two consecutive fumbles on kickoff returns, Milwaukee fell behind 17-0 before its offense could even step onto the field.

Key matchups

Former AFL Offensive Player of the Year Bobby Sippio was added to the Predator roster before last week’s game and the wideout made an immediate impact.

The Florida State product out of Kissimmee caught a 40-yard touchdown pass with no time left on the clock to seal a 58-54 victory. Behind a 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, Sippio has been one of the AFL’s most dynamic playmakers for the past five years and will use his size to push around the smaller defensive backs in the league.

Sippio, alongside Derrick Lewis and Antoine “T.T.” Toliver, forge one of the top receiving trios in arena football.

To compound matters for Tampa Bay, the team lost its strongest member of the secondary (Deonte Boldin) last week to injury.

“Orlando has a receiving corps that’s as explosive as any in the league,” Sevransky said. “But their quarterback is the big question mark. He’s suspect, he is the weak link on the offense.”

Unproven rookie Nick Hill will be under center for the Preds Friday. Hill has accounted for the fewest touchdowns (27) of any starting quarterback in the league and has tossed seven interceptions in six games.

Hill has a tendency to rely on his talented receivers too much and will unwisely toss the ball up for grabs when pressured.

The Storm have trotted out the same veteran defensive linemen and Mack linebacker (the one allowed to rush) in every game this season and the unit is beginning to click.

Welcome to “The Jungle”

Orlando’s fans have perennially been labeled as the most unruly and intoxicated supporters in the AFL.

Their home venue, Amway Arena or better known as “The Jungle, creates a home-field advantage that cannot be duplicated in most cities. The Prowlers dance team has already been accused of performing “like strippers” this season and the team once ran a promotion where one lucky fan would watch the game from the stands in a hot tub filled with girls in bikinis.

A former AFL player said that once after a halftime wet t-shirt contest at Orlando, he had trouble coming out focused on the game in the second half.

Another unique edge Orlando has at home is curved endzones. Most arena football endzones are constructed in the standard rectangular fashion but a handful of teams continue to use the hockey-style rounded endzones which creates a more confined space for opposing offenses to work with.

Trends, notes and stats

- Tampa Bay has lost five straight decisions in the seventh game of the season.

- The Storm are 0-3 ATS this season on the road.

- Orlando ranks last in the AFL in opponent points per game (69.2).

- The Predators rank last in the league in opponent first downs per game (19.3) while Tampa is No. 1 in first downs per game (23.7).

- The Storm are the second-most penalized team in the league, surrendering 78.3 yards per game.

- Tampa Bay will make a 90-mile bus trip to Orlando on Friday morning.

- Storm wide receiver Hank Edwards was inactive last game and will be a game-time decision.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SB Prof. v2

St. Louis Cardinals -129

Houston Astros +114

Philadelphia Phillies +117

Pittsburgh Pirates +160

Milwaukee Brewers -110

Baltimore Orioles +160

Texasa Rangers +113

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

papayagang

50* San Diego ML
20* Cincy ML
20* Seattle vs LA Angles under 8

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

The Joker 52-43-2 (1-0)

Back Under 2.5 Goals at 1.9 in First Vienna v Austria Vienna II

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grad betting

Fudbal, Austrija 1. Division,
TSV Hartberg - FC Trenkwalder Admira, Over 3 @1.825-bet365

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

RW Sports

soccer: win/loss: 36.5-32-8.5, net profit: +8.24 units, yield: 10.9%
other sports: win/loss: 3-5, net profit: -2.71 units, yield: -31.8%

soccer bets for friday

friendly
slovakia - cameroon, over 2.25 goals, 1 unit, 1.99 @ pinnacle

tennis bets for friday

french open men
federer - reister, federer -9 games, 1 unit, 1.89 @ pinnacle

french open women
li - schiavone, li, 1 unit, 1.79 @ pinnacle
dementieva - wozniak, dementieva 2-1, 0.25 units, 4.93 @ pinnacle
rezai - petrova, rezai 2-1, 0.25 units, 4.34 @ pinnacle

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

lvsit

Friday May 28, 2010

Allday
MLB
1* LA Dodgers @ Colorado Rockies Under 9.5


Bobby B.
No Plays


Ken Adams
No Plays

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with the Lakers (-7-1/2) Thursday night.

Friday it's the Magic. The deficit is 1070 sirignanos.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hondo

Hondo bagged his second straight winner last night when the A's rallied on his behalf in Baltimore to lower the big red number to 615 keanes.

Today, he'll try a day-night double dip with the Cards and A's -- 10 units on Carpenter to nail down a victory in Wrigley, and, as always, it's don't ask Dontrelle in Detroit for another 10.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports
453 - 329 run 58 %

Bonus Play FRI Seattle -115

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI

Season
Straight Up: 865-374 (.698)
ATS: 663-614 (.519)
ATS Vary Units: 1593-1485 (.518)
Over/Under: 634-651 (.493)
Over/Under Vary Units: 822-852 (.491)

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Finals
Game 6, best-of-7 series
Orlando 95, BOSTON 94

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPORTS ADVISORS

FRIDAY, MAY 28

NBA PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Orlando (10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS) at Boston (11-5 SU and ATS)

The second-seeded Magic, who trailed the best-of-7 Eastern Conference finals 3-0, now have a chance to knot it up when they face the Celtics in Game 6 at TD Garden. Orlando ran away from Boston in Game 5, outscoring the Celts 29-17 in the fourth quarter en route to a 113-92 blowout as a four-point home favorite. Jameer Nelson had 24 points, and Dwight Howard added 21 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks for the Magic. Orlando shot a solid 52.2 percent from the floor (36 of 69), including an eye-catching 52 percent from 3-point range (13 of 25), and Stan Van Gundy’s troops posted a hefty 43-26 edge on the glass. Rasheed Wallace (21 points) was the only player to break 20 points for Boston, which shot 43.1 percent overall (31 of 72) and 43.8 percent from long distance (7 of 16). The Celtics had just four offensive rebounds, while allowing 10 for Orlando, and they got banged up – Glen Davis and Marquis Daniels both suffered concussions, putting their status in question, and Wallace tweaked his back. Orlando is 5-4 SU and Boston 5-4 ATS in the nine meetings this year between these two, with the Magic taking Games 4 and 5 SU and ATS after a 5-1 ATS run (4-2 SU) by Boston. Despite Orlando holding court at home in Game 5, the road team and the visitor are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 clashes in this rivalry, and the Magic are 4-1 ATS on their last five visits to the Garden. The SU winner has cashed in 21 of the last 23 meetings between these teams, including 15 of the last 16 and the last six in a row. Additionally, the SU winner has cashed in each of Boston’s last 26 games overall, including all 16 playoff contests, and the SU winner is 20-1 ATS in the Magic’s last 21 contests. Orlando is 30-17 (27-19-1 ATS) on the highway this season and has won 13 of its last 16 away from home (11-4-1 ATS), including Monday’s 96-92 overtime win as a seven-point pup in Game 4 in Beantown. The Magic are 5-1 SU and ATS in playoff roadies this year. Boston is 30-19 SU this season at the Garden but just 18-30-1 ATS. In the playoffs, the Celtics are 6-2 SU and ATS at home. The Magic are on several positive pointspread sprees, including 22-8-1 overall, 7-1 in roadies, 7-1 after a spread-cover, 21-7-1 after a SU win, 20-7-1 after a day off and 18-7 against Atlantic Division foes.
Despite dropping their last two SU and ATS, the Celtics remain on pointspread upswings of 6-2 overall, 4-1 after either a SU or an ATS loss, 6-2 at home, 6-2 after a day off, 5-2 laying points and 7-3 against the Southeast Division. Orlando sports a bundle of “under” streaks, including 8-4-1 overall (5-2 last seven), 16-5 on Friday, 37-14-1 after a day off, 9-4 as a pup (all on the road) and 42-20 against teams with a winning percentage above .600. Likewise, Boston is on “under” rolls of 10-4 in conference finals contests and 4-1 after a non-cover, but the over is 35-16 in the Celts’ last 51 starts after a SU loss. The last two games of this series cleared the posted price, with Game 5 sailing over the 186½-point total. Still, the total has stayed low in 10 of the last 13 overall between these two teams (6-3 this season) and five of the last six meetings in Boston.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER


NATIONAL LEAGUE

L.A. Dodgers (26-21) at Colorado (25-22)

The Dodgers send right-hander Carlos Monasterios (1-0, 1.90 ERA) to the mound at Coors Field in Denver opposite Rockies’ southpaw Jeff Francis (1-0, 0.68). Los Angeles just dropped two of three in Chicago, getting shut out twice, including Thursday’s 1-0 loss. The Dodgers are still on several positive streaks, including 18-7 overall, 57-27 against N.L. West rivals, 7-2 on the road, 4-0 on Friday and 5-2 in series openers. Colorado made it five straight victories – its longest win streak of the season – with Thursday’s 8-2 victory over the Diamondbacks. The Rockies are on positive runs of 56-25 at home, 37-15 as a home favorite, 39-19 at home against right-handers, 5-1 as a favorite and 46-17 at home against teams with losing road records. The Dodgers took two of three from the Rockies in Los Angeles earlier this month and have won 19 of the last 26 meetings, including five of the last six in Colorado. Monasterios has just one career start, coming back on May 1 at home against the Pirates, when he allowed one run on three hits in four innings of a 5-1 victory. He’s appeared in 12 games this season with his last coming on May 19 at home when he pitched three innings of relief in a 10-5 loss to the Padres, allowing just one hit and no runs. Francis is making just his third start of the season after missing the entire 2009 season. He opened at home by beating the Nationals 2-1, allowing one run on seven hits in seven innings, then followed up with Saturday’s 3-0 victory in Kansas City, blanking the Royals on five hits over 6 1/3 innings. Francis is 5-3 in 14 career starts against the Dodgers with a 2.73 ERA. The Rockies are 21-10 in his last 31 at home against a team with a winning record, but just 1-8 in his last nine series-opening starts. Los Angeles has stayed below the posted total in six of seven on the road, five of six against N.L. West teams, four of five on Friday and five of seven as an underdog. Colorado has topped the total in six of eight series openers, and six of nine when Francis has started a series opener, but it is on “under” surges of 6-0-1 in Francis’ last seven starts overall, 5-1-1 when he pitches at home and 6-1 when he’s a favorite. With Francis on the hill, this series has stayed “under” in six of his last eight starts, nine of the last 12 meetings overall and four of the last five in the Mile High City.

ATS ADVANTAGE: LOS ANGELES and UNDER


AMERICAN LEAGUE

Texas (26-21) at Minnesota (27-20)

The Rangers, losers of three of their last four but still sitting atop the A.L. West standings, send Colby Lewis (4-2, 3.45 ERA) to the mound at Target Field to face Kevin Slowey (5-3, 4.53) and the Twins in the opener of a three-game series. Texas split a two-game set at Kansas City this week, winning 8-7 on Tuesday before dropping a 5-2 contest on Wednesday. The Rangers’ 1-3 slump follows a five-game winning streak. They are just 1-6 in their last seven road games, 0-8 on the road against teams with winning records and 1-4 on the road against right-handers, but they have won 21 of 29 Friday contests and five of six against A.L. Central squads. Minnesota salvaged the final game of a three-game home set against the Yankees on Thursday, winning 8-2. The Twins are on streaks of 25-11 at home, 39-15 on Friday, 4-1 against A.L. West teams and 38-18 as favorites, but they are just 3-6 in their last nine overall and 1-4 in their last vie versus teams. The Twins have taken 10 of the last 14 at home against Texas and won six of nine overall battles last season. The Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak with Lewis on the hill a week ago when he limited the White Sox to one run on five hits over six innings of a 2-1 victory. On the road this season, Lewis is 1-2 with a 3.77 ERA, allowing 13 runs in 31 innings of work. Lewis has just one career start against the Twins, coming back in 2003 when he allowed three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-4 loss. Texas is just 5-11 in Lewis’ last 16 roadies, but 6-2 in his last eight as a ‘dog and 4-0 in his last four Friday starts. Slowey has led the Twins to four wins in his last five outings, including Saturday when he gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Brewers, getting a no-decision in Minnesota’s 8-7 home win. At Target Field, he is 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA, giving up 14 runs in 29 innings. His lone outing against the Rangers came in 2007 when he gave up just one run on four hits in six innings of a 5-4 victory, striking out seven. Minnesota is 19-7 in Slowey’s last 26 home starts, 14-4 in his last 18 when he gets five days off, 9-1 in his last 10 on Friday and 8-2 in his last 10 series openers. Texas is on a plethora of “under” runs, including 4-1 overall, 5-2 as an underdog, 6-1 in Lewis’ last seven as a road ‘dog, 13-3 when he starts on the road, 4-1 in his last five overall and 5-2 when he throws the series opener. Minnesota has topped the total in 37 of 55 Friday games and six of Slowey’s last seven Friday outings, but the team in on “under” stretches of 10-4 as a favorite, 13-7-1 overall and 7-3 at home. In this rivalry, the under is 3-1-1 in the last five clashes and 4-0 in the last four in Minnesota.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER