Friday Trends and Indexes 8/7 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

[pm530]

WNBA
Dunkel Index


Detroit at Washington
The Mystics look to take advantage of a Detroit team that is just 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games against division opponents. Washington is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7

Game 651-652: Detroit at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 106.828; Washington 114.761
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 8; 156
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4; 154
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4); Over

Game 653-654: Connecticut at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 113.524; Minnesota 111.144
Dunkel Line & Total: Connecticut by 2 1/2; 152
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 155 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+2); Under

Game 655-656: New York at Sacramento
Dunkel Ratings: New York 105.926; Sacramento 113.072
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 7; 149 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Sacramento by 3; 148
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (-3); Over

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WNBA
Long Sheet

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Friday, August 7
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DETROIT (7 - 10) at WASHINGTON (10 - 9) - 8/7/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
WASHINGTON is 170-216 ATS (-67.6 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 25-49 ATS (-28.9 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in home games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 7-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CONNECTICUT (10 - 9) at MINNESOTA (10 - 10) - 8/7/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 75-49 ATS (+21.1 Units) in road games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 3-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (6 - 13) at SACRAMENTO (5 - 16) - 8/7/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 136-90 ATS (+37.0 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 46-28 ATS (+15.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.
NEW YORK is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 4-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 4-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, August 7

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bet
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Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx (-1.5, 155)

Remember in June when Minnesota looked like a title contender? Well, July didn't go as the Lynx planned.

The Lynx have lost three straight and seven of their past 10 games to fall back to .500 and in the middle of a tight playoff race in the Western Conference. The team also has lost five of its past six home games, with its lone win a two-point, overtime victory against Washington.

"We just have to find ourselves again," Minnesota coach Jennifer Gillom told the Associated Press. "They want to win."

But wanting won’t be enough against the Sun. Connecticut improved its record to 10-9 last week by pasting Detroit, 83-65. The Sun also are a respectable, 4-5 straight up on the road, and 5-3 against the spread.

Connecticut isn’t perfect, but will do enough to leave the Lynx with another loss.

Pick: Sun


Detroit Shock at Washington Mystics (-4.5, 154)

On Friday night, Detroit will try to do something it has accomplished only one other time this season: win consecutive games.

The defending champions have been ravaged by injuries and are still struggling to find chemistry. Their biggest problem is a mediocre defense, which is allowing an average of 78 points per game. The team also is looking for Cheryl Ford (8.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) to keep improving. She has been slow to regain her elite form following offseason knee surgery.

Meantime, the Mystics already posted a 75-69 win over the Shock in Michigan earlier this year and have won three of five overall. But Ford didn’t place in the team’s earlier meeting. Look for her presence to make the difference this time.

Pick: Shock

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[pm530]

Len’s Top Five


Friday, August 7

Len's Top 5

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 7, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

The Yankees beat the Red Sox for the first time in 9 tries this season 13-6. They lead Boston by 3 1/2 games.

David Ortiz will face the media tomorrow about his positive steroid test. Perhaps he's one of the few who tested positive because of a supplement.

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Top 5. (See below)

2. One Down Three to Go

OK, it wasn't exactly a pins and needles rivalry game. Muhammad Ali got cheered, David Ortiz got booed, and catcher Jorge Posada painted a #15 on his mask in tribute to the late Thurman Munson, and then proceeded to bat like Munson. 3 hits including a 3-run homer. But here's the bigger headline. You have to wonder if Boston pitcher John Smoltz is done. He continues to pitch like a shell of his former self. The Red Sox will not make it to October if they continue to trot Smoltz out to the mound every 5th day.

3. Taking the Plunge

Calling all brides. They're having a bridal festival at Fenway Park Sunday. While the Red Sox are in New York, future brides can check out Fenway Park as a wedding catering hall. When I was a sportscaster in Boston we wanted to stage a wedding in the bleachers between games of a doubleheader. It was a "Sports Fantasy" request from a viewer. We would have the couple "walking down the aisle" of the bleachers while fans threw peanuts. We ultimately didn't do it. We feared their wedding might get rained out.

4. Friday Mailbag

A.T. writes about visiting Thurman Munson's grave site in Canton Ohio. "The red marble stone has Thurman in a Yankee uniform carved into it, his number 15 is carved on the back. Small hedges form a batters box. A bank of flowers is 60' 6" away. By far the most moving grave site I have ever been to."

S.B. is not a fan of the answers given by Mets G.M. Omar Minaya. "If you check Omar Minaya's lineage carefully, I'm sure you'll find that he's related to Joe Biden and Prof. Irwin Corey. The tougher the question, the longer and more tortured the answer. By comparison, Yogi Berra is William F. Buckley.
Editor's Note: I believe it was Buckley who said said: "It ain't over until it's consummated, actualized, and otherwise effectuated."

As for the "Genius of the Week" who assaulted his Monopoly playing partner because she wouldn't sell him Boardwalk and Park Place, N.M. writes: "I would hate to play 'Clue' with him. Mr. Green in the conservatory with a gun...."
Editor's Note: I wish I thought of that.

And regarding the anniversary of Lizzie Borden hacking up her parents with an axe, B.B. writes: "Isn't her batting average better then several of the Mets (or is that too much of a hatchet job)?"
Editor's Note: My readers are pretty sharp.

5. Happy Anniversary

One year ago today I sent out the first Top 5 to 22 friends and their acquaintances. I raised the possibility of the Yankees missing the playoffs and Brett Favre becoming a Jet. What a seer! In the ensuing 12 months the subscriber list has grown to the thousands, has been written up in various newspapers, and now appears daily in the Huffington Post. My sincere thanks to Alex Rodriguez, Plaxico Burress, Stephon Marbury and the dysfunctional Knicks, steroids, cheaters and the Romanian tennis player who underwent breast reduction surgery to improve her game. I couldn't have done it without you!

Happy Birthday: The perfect game by the imperfect man, former Yankee pitcher Don Larsen. 80.
Bonus Birthday: Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron. 34.

Today in Sports: The Boston Red Sox fine Ted Williams $5-thousand for spitting at fans. 1956.
Bonus Event: The incredibly intelligent and entertaining Top 5 makes its internet debut. 2008.

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