Friday Trends and Indexes 8/14 (MLB, WNBA, CFL, Misc.)

[pm530]

WNBA
Dunkel Index


Chicago at New York
The Sky look to take advantage of a New York team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 home games. Chicago is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

Game 601-602: Connecticut at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 108.157; Washington 114.559
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 6 1/2; 152
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 3 1/2; 155 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-3 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Chicago at New York
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 110.239; New York 109.926
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 141 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 3 1/2; 146
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3 1/2); Under

Game 605-606: Sacramento at Los Angeles
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 109.072; Los Angeles 112.142
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 3; 137
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 6 1/2; 140
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+6 1/2); Under

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WNBA
Long Sheet

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Friday, August 14
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CONNECTICUT (12 - 10) at WASHINGTON (11 - 11) - 8/14/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 75-50 ATS (+20.0 Units) in road games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games on Friday since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 36-17 ATS (+17.3 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 171-218 ATS (-68.8 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 108-140 ATS (-46.0 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 6-4 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-5 straight up against CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (11 - 12) at NEW YORK (8 - 14) - 8/14/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 4-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-3 straight up against CHICAGO 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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SACRAMENTO (6 - 17) at LOS ANGELES (8 - 12) - 8/14/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 30-54 ATS (-29.4 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
SACRAMENTO is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) after a division game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
LOS ANGELES is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
LOS ANGELES is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-3 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, August 14

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bet
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Connecticut Sun at Washington Mystics (-3.5, 155.5)

This game figures to have no shortage of offense.

The Sun have both the league’ fifth-best offense (77 ppg) and defense (73.9 ppg). But lately, the team has embraced scoring the basketball, as four of its past five games have gone over the total, including its past two.

Connecticut also is coming off a home game against Seattle on Thursday night, and figures to be more inclined to try to score, rather than dig in on defense.

Meantime, Washington has had no problem putting up points, as it also averages 77 points per game. The Mystics have seen seven of their past nine games top the number, with none going into overtime.

Pick: Over


Sacramento Monarchs at Los Angeles Sparks (-6, 139)

The Sparks likely won’t be a great team this year. But there is enough time left for them to become a good one, and that is just what they are playing like.

Los Angeles, which was bolstered by the recent return of Lisa Leslie from injury, has won three of its past five games, including a 59-56 win over the Monarchs in Sacramento earlier this month. The Sparks string of good play can be attributed to its improving offense.

The team is averaging a horrendous, 70.3 points per game, but has topped the 75-point mark in two of its past three games. The Monarchs, however, would love to see any kind of improvement. The team yields a staggering 79 points per game and has lost three of its past five.

Pick: Sparks

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[pm530]

CFL
Dunkel Index


Friday’s game updated with write-up

BC at Toronto
The Lions are coming off a 35-20 win over Saskatchewan, but are just 3-13-2 ATS in their last 18 games following a SU win. Toronto is the pick (+3) according to Dunkel, which has BC favored by only 2. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+3).

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

Game 403-404: BC at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: BC 109.082; Toronto 106.942
Dunkel Line: BC by 2; 38
Vegas Line: BC by 3; 46 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+3); Under

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[pm530]

Len’s Top Five


Friday, August 14

Len's Top 5

TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 14, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

Quarterback Michael Vick signs on with the Philadelphia Eagles. It solves one problem for him. If he had signed with someone else Philly fans, known to be tough, might have set the standard for rough treatment when he came to play.

They have higher standards. The NFL has suspended Cleveland wide receiver Dante Stallworth for one full year without pay as a result of his DUI manslaughter. He had spent an entire 24 days in jail.

Tiger Woods (of course) leads the PGA championship by one stroke after the first round.

Michael Phelps can't stay out of the headlines, out of the pool. He's involved in a Baltimore car accident but is unhurt.

2. Page 6

I don't know which A-Rod tabloid item is juicier. That his girlfriend, Kate Hudson, reportedly wants to have a child with him. Or the New York Post item which says A-Rod and Derek Jeter's girlfriends have a rather frosty relationship at the ballpark. You mean Kate Hudson and Minka Kelly are about as friendly to each other as A-Rod and Jeter? I'm devastated.

3. Let the Games Begin

Lets get ready to rumble. Women's boxing will make its debut in the 2012 London Olympics. As for 2016 there is no joy in Mudville. Both baseball and softball have struck out. The IOC has recommended that golf and rugby be added in 2016. It didn't take long for a Top 5 subscriber to get upset. Randy V. writes: "Seriously? Golf in the Olympics? Because that is what has been missing in our lives, one more professional golf tournament with the same players. Could we at least get more into the Olympic spirit, maybe synchronized rhythmic golf? Actually, since golf is the only major sport without a defensive player on the field/court, I've always been a big proponent of "tackle golf." But that's just me.

4. Friday Mailbag

M.T. tweeted me to ask: " So does Rick Pitino's current mess make him eligible to come back to the Knicks?"
Editor's Note: He'd fit right in.

M.M. was interested in buying Islanders tickets. The team told him they're going to begin implementing "Bronze, Silver and Gold" level games. The better the game, the more the ticket. M.M. was temped to ask: "If any of those Silver or Gold games involved the Islanders?"
Editor's Note: My readers are funny.

When a reader wrote of Thurman Munson's ornate grave site in Canton Ohio, J.B. wrote: "In Rosedale Cemetery, Linden, N.J. there is a full size Mercedes Benz, carved out of granite. A man promised his son a Mercedes. But he died before he could give it to him, so he had his headstone made into a full size car."
Editor's note: Touching.

R.B. had this thought: "After A-Rod's walk-off homer he was later seen sailing the Hudson."
Editor's Note: Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to come up with the wiseguy A-Rod lines.

5. Genius of the Week

A 500 pound Houston man got arrested for selling bootleg cd's. He was searched repeatedly as he was transferred from the city to the county jail. But they couldn't find the heat he was packing. The gun was hidden in the flabby folds of his flesh. What an image. What gave him away? He bragged about it to a guard during a shower break. Oy.

Happy Birthday: The great Magic Johnson. 50.
Bonus Birthday: Oscar winning actress Halle Berry. 41.

Today in Sports: Mets trail the Cubs by 9 1/2 games. They storm back to win the division. See, we do say nice things about the Mets. 1969.
Bonus Event: Summer backyard fun! The invention of the wiffle ball. 1953.

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