Five observations from my iPad, three selections from my playbook and one fond farewell:
NFL teams getting booed at home this season include winless Indianapolis, hapless St. Louis, hopeless Minnesota and listless Philadelphia. The Eagles unquestionably are the biggest disappointment of the 2011 NFL season. Chants of "Fire Andy Reid" were heard last Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field during New England's 38-20 victory over the so-called Dream Team. Reid's short-handed team (no Vick, no Maclin and no Rodgers-Cromartie) gift-wrapped a 31-14 victory for the Seahawks Thursday night in Seattle when Vince Young threw a career-high four interceptions. Philly is an NFL-worst minus-13 in turnover differential this season.
Expect some wildly inconsistent performances this season from the men's basketball team at St. John's. One of the youngest teams among 345 Division I squads, St. John's is learning on the fly without a pilot as head coach Steve Lavin fights to recover from prostate cancer surgery. The Red Storm are 4-4 on the season (2-2 with Lavin and 2-2 without him) after a 22-point spanking at the hands of top-ranked Kentucky Thursday night at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats warmed up for Saturday's showdown against North Carolina by recording a school-record 18 blocked shots against St. John's. "Big Blue" has defeated all seven opponents this season by 10 or more points and college basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy is projecting an 81-71 win for the home-standing Wildcats over the Tar Heels in this weekend's big game.
Look for the Northwestern Wildcats, boasting an early-season RPI of 12, to gain one of 37 available at-large bids to this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament. It would be the first time in school history the Wildcats would play in the Big Dance. The 7-0 Wildcats feature three of the most skilled offensive players in the Big Ten. John Shurna is a crafty, old-school forward with an awkward shooting release that surprisingly produces sweet results. Shooting guard Drew Crawford, son of longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford, is a fast-improving sophomore who has the size to shoot over smaller defenders and the speed to blast past bigger ones. And Alex Marcotullio not only has one of my favorite names in college basketball but also features one of my favorite games in college hoops. The aggressive left-hander is a poor man's version of international basketball star Manu Ginobili with a similar flair for the dramatic, an unwillingness to back down from any opponent and a herky-jerky pace that deceives and frustrates players who guard him.
Harvard is another team starting the season 7-0 and the Crimson are a virtual cinch to make the NCAA tournament field this season, ending a 65-year NCAA tournament drought that dates to the 1940s. Harvard and head coach Tommy Amaker finished last year with an overall record of 23-7 and a 12-2 conference mark but failed to win the Ivy League title and held the dubious distinction as the team with the best RPI of any that did not make the field of 68. Harvard this season will not be forced to sweat out Selection Sunday as the team figures to clinch the conference title sometime in February to become the first of 68 teams to earn a bid to the NCAA tourney.
Why so many illegal substitution penalties in college football? Total stupidity and incredible incompetence on the part of any team flagged for the silly penalty.
FRIDAY'S BEST BETS.....853 COLUMBIA +9.5 over Loyola-Marymount and 853-854 Columbia-Loyola Marymount "UNDER" 132. Columbia is without its best player, Noruwa Agho, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the season against Furman. Following the injury to its first-team All-Ivy leaguer, Columbia has committed itself to the defensive end of the floor. Columbia head coach Kyle Smith was 15-13 last season with the Lions, his first season as a Division I head coach after spending nearly a decade as an assistant coach at St. Mary's. Smith is familiar with the Loyola program and the top scorer on this year's team, Brian Barbour (14.8 ppg), played at Monte Vista High School in Alamo, California. Late word from a Birdie who whispered in my ear (actually it was a text message from EOG contributor Railbird): Drew Viney is available tonight for LMU after sitting out six games with a foot injury. I'll stick with my pair of separate straight bets on the underdog and under.
SATURDAY'S BEST BET......Play 343 VIRGINIA TECH -7 over Clemson. The Hokies have the opportunity to avenge their only loss of the season, a 23-3 setback to Clemson as a 7-point home favorite in early October. The Tigers are reeling on both sides of the football, committing 11 turnovers over the past three games and missing countless open-field tackles during the team's recent struggles. The Tigers have lost three of four games since starting the season 8-0. I love betting focused favorites and Virginia Tech fits the description perfectly.
A FOND FAREWELL.....A supportive group from the Las Vegas sports betting fraternity attended an informal gathering at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino last Tuesday night to pay their respects to the family of the late Barry Holthaus, a popular sports bettor who spread camaraderie and good cheer throughout the sports book industry after arriving in Las Vegas from his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the summer of 1998. Barry's father and mother (Jim and Marcia), brother (Brian) and sister (Jill) were joined by more than 50 of Barry's friends and acquaintances who shared stories about his outgoing personality and positive influence in the city.
Among those in attendance were Alf Musketa, Eric Strasser, Steve Fezzik, Bill O'Brien, Scott Galvan, Tony Opalinsky, Keith Freeman, Vic and Vern Vivio, David Dineen, Paul Bovi, Bryan Leonard and Doug Kezirian.
I will miss Barry. He and I shared many laughs over many meals. I most appreciated his business sense (Indiana University, '87) and sharp wit. I often consulted Barry on matters pertaining to this website, Eye On Gaming. I remember voicing frustration to Barry about members of our online community who created hate and ill will by spreading lies or false rumors about respected gamblers in the community. I asked Barry how to handle the goofballs and knuckleheads who comprise the lunatic fringe here at EOG. Barry advised me to ignore the nonsense and instead focus on the positive people attracted to our project. Barry then delivered a classic line and one that highlighted his original humor and charming appeal.
Barry said sarcastically, "Whatever happened to the good ol' days when people simply talked behind your back?"
NFL teams getting booed at home this season include winless Indianapolis, hapless St. Louis, hopeless Minnesota and listless Philadelphia. The Eagles unquestionably are the biggest disappointment of the 2011 NFL season. Chants of "Fire Andy Reid" were heard last Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field during New England's 38-20 victory over the so-called Dream Team. Reid's short-handed team (no Vick, no Maclin and no Rodgers-Cromartie) gift-wrapped a 31-14 victory for the Seahawks Thursday night in Seattle when Vince Young threw a career-high four interceptions. Philly is an NFL-worst minus-13 in turnover differential this season.
Expect some wildly inconsistent performances this season from the men's basketball team at St. John's. One of the youngest teams among 345 Division I squads, St. John's is learning on the fly without a pilot as head coach Steve Lavin fights to recover from prostate cancer surgery. The Red Storm are 4-4 on the season (2-2 with Lavin and 2-2 without him) after a 22-point spanking at the hands of top-ranked Kentucky Thursday night at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats warmed up for Saturday's showdown against North Carolina by recording a school-record 18 blocked shots against St. John's. "Big Blue" has defeated all seven opponents this season by 10 or more points and college basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy is projecting an 81-71 win for the home-standing Wildcats over the Tar Heels in this weekend's big game.
Look for the Northwestern Wildcats, boasting an early-season RPI of 12, to gain one of 37 available at-large bids to this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament. It would be the first time in school history the Wildcats would play in the Big Dance. The 7-0 Wildcats feature three of the most skilled offensive players in the Big Ten. John Shurna is a crafty, old-school forward with an awkward shooting release that surprisingly produces sweet results. Shooting guard Drew Crawford, son of longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford, is a fast-improving sophomore who has the size to shoot over smaller defenders and the speed to blast past bigger ones. And Alex Marcotullio not only has one of my favorite names in college basketball but also features one of my favorite games in college hoops. The aggressive left-hander is a poor man's version of international basketball star Manu Ginobili with a similar flair for the dramatic, an unwillingness to back down from any opponent and a herky-jerky pace that deceives and frustrates players who guard him.
Harvard is another team starting the season 7-0 and the Crimson are a virtual cinch to make the NCAA tournament field this season, ending a 65-year NCAA tournament drought that dates to the 1940s. Harvard and head coach Tommy Amaker finished last year with an overall record of 23-7 and a 12-2 conference mark but failed to win the Ivy League title and held the dubious distinction as the team with the best RPI of any that did not make the field of 68. Harvard this season will not be forced to sweat out Selection Sunday as the team figures to clinch the conference title sometime in February to become the first of 68 teams to earn a bid to the NCAA tourney.
Why so many illegal substitution penalties in college football? Total stupidity and incredible incompetence on the part of any team flagged for the silly penalty.
FRIDAY'S BEST BETS.....853 COLUMBIA +9.5 over Loyola-Marymount and 853-854 Columbia-Loyola Marymount "UNDER" 132. Columbia is without its best player, Noruwa Agho, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the season against Furman. Following the injury to its first-team All-Ivy leaguer, Columbia has committed itself to the defensive end of the floor. Columbia head coach Kyle Smith was 15-13 last season with the Lions, his first season as a Division I head coach after spending nearly a decade as an assistant coach at St. Mary's. Smith is familiar with the Loyola program and the top scorer on this year's team, Brian Barbour (14.8 ppg), played at Monte Vista High School in Alamo, California. Late word from a Birdie who whispered in my ear (actually it was a text message from EOG contributor Railbird): Drew Viney is available tonight for LMU after sitting out six games with a foot injury. I'll stick with my pair of separate straight bets on the underdog and under.
SATURDAY'S BEST BET......Play 343 VIRGINIA TECH -7 over Clemson. The Hokies have the opportunity to avenge their only loss of the season, a 23-3 setback to Clemson as a 7-point home favorite in early October. The Tigers are reeling on both sides of the football, committing 11 turnovers over the past three games and missing countless open-field tackles during the team's recent struggles. The Tigers have lost three of four games since starting the season 8-0. I love betting focused favorites and Virginia Tech fits the description perfectly.
A FOND FAREWELL.....A supportive group from the Las Vegas sports betting fraternity attended an informal gathering at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino last Tuesday night to pay their respects to the family of the late Barry Holthaus, a popular sports bettor who spread camaraderie and good cheer throughout the sports book industry after arriving in Las Vegas from his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the summer of 1998. Barry's father and mother (Jim and Marcia), brother (Brian) and sister (Jill) were joined by more than 50 of Barry's friends and acquaintances who shared stories about his outgoing personality and positive influence in the city.
Among those in attendance were Alf Musketa, Eric Strasser, Steve Fezzik, Bill O'Brien, Scott Galvan, Tony Opalinsky, Keith Freeman, Vic and Vern Vivio, David Dineen, Paul Bovi, Bryan Leonard and Doug Kezirian.
I will miss Barry. He and I shared many laughs over many meals. I most appreciated his business sense (Indiana University, '87) and sharp wit. I often consulted Barry on matters pertaining to this website, Eye On Gaming. I remember voicing frustration to Barry about members of our online community who created hate and ill will by spreading lies or false rumors about respected gamblers in the community. I asked Barry how to handle the goofballs and knuckleheads who comprise the lunatic fringe here at EOG. Barry advised me to ignore the nonsense and instead focus on the positive people attracted to our project. Barry then delivered a classic line and one that highlighted his original humor and charming appeal.
Barry said sarcastically, "Whatever happened to the good ol' days when people simply talked behind your back?"
