Announcement

**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:12 AM

Six-pack for Monday

Monday six-pack

-- ESPN picked a busy day to fire baseball analyst Steve Phillips.

-- Cleveland Indians hired Manny Acta as their new manager.

-- Mack McGwire will be the Cardinals' hitting coach next season.

-- There are already cracks in the concrete ramps at the money pit that is the $1.5B ballpark in the Bronx. My tax dollars at work. Great.

-- Oklahoma QB Bradford will have shoulder surgery and then enter the NFL Draft. Interesting to see how much the injury will cost him.

-- Boise State, Cincinnati both managed to drop three spots in BCS standings, despite impressive wins this weekend. Go figure.

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Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday.......

13) Colts' coach Jim Caldwell is 7-0 as an NFL head coach because Tony Dungy gifted him with the job; Caldwell once went 26-62 in eight years as the coach at Wake Forest, losing games 54-0/72-13 to Florida State, 50-0 to North Carolina, 52-0 to Maryland, 42-0 to Air Force, 55-7 to Clemson. In other words, Caldwell knows what its like to get his butt kicked week in and week out. Apparently now he's forgotten.

12) Caldwell is the bully on the block now because he gets to be the guy who coaches Peyton Manning-- pretty good gig for a guy who has his coaching resume. With 4:00 left, Caldwell's Colts went for it when they had 4th-and-1 and an unshakable 28-6 over the sadsack Rams, the kind of losing team Wake Forest had when Caldwell coached there.

11) Did Caldwell remember his past and show mercy on a hapless foe in a game where running up the score couldn't possibly help the Colts? No, he let his star QB throw a bomb, and when interference was called, he let Manning throw again, so he could get his third TD pass of the day.

10) If Manning gets hurt on one of those stat-padding plays, the season is over and Caldwell is a moron. So even though I'm bitching about it as a Ram fan, its the Indianapolis fans who should have the real issue with it. But unless Manning gets hurt, no one will say a word.......

9) I'd like to thank Mike Martz for releasing Kurt Warner and keeping Marc Bulger when he coached the Rams. Warner is headed to Canton if he ever retires (he's in first place again, with Cardinals 3-0 on the road), while Bulger's Rams have now lost 17 games in a row. Thanks, coach.

But I'm not bitter or anything........

8) Sunday saw six games decided by 28+ points, the most in any week since December of 1970. Lot of bad football played this week.

7) Jets are first team since the OJ Simpson-Bills in 1975 to run ball for 300+ yards in consecutive weeks. At least they won this game.

6) 49ers trailed 21-0 at halftime in Houston, switched QBs, and damn near upset the Texans, losing 24-21. Alex Smith should be the starter in San Francisco next week-- he played very well Sunday.

5) Carolina outgained Buffalo 228-39 in first half Sunday yet trailed 7-2, as the Bill Cowher watch picks up steam in the Carolinas. Bills won the game fairly easily 20-9, outplaying Panthers in the second half.

4) No explanation for Bears trailing 31-3 at the half in Cincinnati, but it is beginning to look like the Cutler trade may not turn out too well for Chicago. Bengals averaged 9.7 yards per pass attempt Sunday. Denver, the team that traded Cutler is a shocking 6-0 and also has draft picks to use that they got from the Bears.

3) Miles Austin is better than Terrell Owens. Go figure.

2) Teams that scored defensive/special teams TDs (except Viking game, where both teams scored) are 5-0 so far this week.

1) New Orleans, right now, is clearly the best team in the NFL, coming back from 24-3 deficit to win 46-34 in Miami, scoring twice on defense as Saints overcame four turnovers in South Florida. They're very good.

From: Armadillo
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**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:13 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Monday, October 26

Bingo!

The line of the Philadelphia Eagles-Washington Redskins game opened at +5 but has climbed to +9 following Washington's questionable reorganization of its offensive hierarchy. Here's how questionable it is: The Redskins took the playcalling duties away from Coach Jim Zorn and gave them to consultant Sherm Lewis, who was calling bingo numbers as a retiree in Michigan earlier this month. The total is 37.

Road worriers

There are six winless road teams in the NHL, including the defending Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings. But none have been as bad as the Minnesota Wild, who are 0-7 on the road. The Wild have been outscored 25-12 on the road and have scored more than two goals in just one road match this season. Minnesota is 29th in road scoring (1.71 goals per game) and 23rd in road power-play conversions (5-of-30, 16.7 percent). The Wild are +177 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.

Clippers curse continues?

Top overall pick Blake Griffin and point guard Baron Davis did not practice Sunday for the Los Angeles Clippers. While the injury-prone Davis (foot) is expected to play in Tuesday's opener, Griffin has swelling in the same left knee he hurt prior to training camp and is questionable for his NBA debut vs. the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Clippers are getting 9.5 points in a road game on their home floor.

For starters, try killing a penalty

At 0-7-1, the Toronto Maple Leafs are off to the worst start in franchise history, and a big reason is their inability to kill penalties. Toronto has allowed a league-high 13 goals in 35 shorthanded situations, a rate of 37.1 percent. The Leafs are +152 with a total of 6.0 at Anaheim, which is 15th in power-play percentage.

Knockout punches

Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson wears number 11, but it might as well be a bull's-eye. Robinson will be the next quarterback to face the defense of Texas, which has knocked out quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Cody Hawkins and Blaine Gabbert in its last three games. Unbeaten Texas is giving 8.5 points to host Oklahoma State.

What's your point?

There is no line posted on Wednesday's Detroit-Memphis game, the season opener for both teams. That may be because the Grizzlies are unsettled in their backcourt. Offseason acquisition Allen Iverson said he feels well enough to play after missing the entire preseason with a partially torn hamstring but will listen to what the trainers advise. Mike Conley is expected to play although he did not practice Saturday due to an ankle injury. The Grizzlies have not won at home vs. the Pistons since 2004.

Notable quotable

"I don’t even know why we have replay right now in the Southeastern Conference if they’re not going to utilize it. That’s twice now that they’ve blown calls on the replay with our games, resulting in big plays, and I think that’s inexcusable for that official. I hope he’s severely punished if he ever works another SEC game again, because I think it’s completely unacceptable."

-- Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, complaining about a questionable ruling by replay official Dan Dembinski in Saturday's 29-19 loss to Florida. Mullen felt Florida's Dustin Doe was stripped of the ball before crossing the end zone on a fourth-quarter interception, which was ruled a TD.

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**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:14 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Minnesota at Chicago
The Wild look to build on their 6-1 record in their last 7 visits to Chicago. Minnesota is the pick (+175) according to Dunkel, which has the Wild favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+175). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

Game 51-52: Phoenix at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 11.773; NY Rangers 11.915
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-160); Over

Game 53-54: NY Islanders at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 9.927; Montreal 11.411
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-185); Under

Game 55-56: Minnesota at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 11.999; Chicago 11.439
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+175); Under

Game 57-58: Toronto at Anaheim
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 9.988; Anaheim 10.857
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-165); 6
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (-165); Over

**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:15 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Monday, October 26

Hot Teams
-- Coyotes won four of their last five games.
-- Montreal won its last three games, allowing six goals.
-- Blackhawks won five of their last seven games.

Cold Teams
-- Rangers lost last three games, allowing 16 goals.
-- Islanders lost eight of their first nine games.
-- Minnesota is 0-7 on the road, outscored 26-12.
-- Maple Leafs are 0-8, scoring eight goals in last six games. Anaheim lost its last three games, outscored 15-6.

Series Records
-- Rangers won last two games against Phoenix, 7-3/4-1.
-- Canadiens won eight of last ten games against the Islanders.
-- Minnesota is 12-3 in last fifteen games against the Blackhawks.
-- Ducks won last two games vs Toronto, 5-0/3-2OT.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Ranger games went over the total.
-- Last three Islander road games went over the total.
-- Last four Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Toronto games stayed under the total.

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**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:16 AM

NHL

Monday, October 26

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. NY RANGERS
Phoenix is 2-8 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
Phoenix is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Rangers
NY Rangers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the NY Rangers last 6 games

7:30 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. MONTREAL
NY Islanders are 4-12 SU in their last 16 games when playing on the road against Montreal
NY Islanders are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games

8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Chicago is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Chicago is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games at home

10:00 PM
TORONTO vs. ANAHEIM
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games
Anaheim is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Anaheim is 7-14-4 SU in its last 25 games when playing Toronto

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**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:17 AM

NHL

Monday, October 26

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Phoenix Coyotes at New York Rangers (-170, 5.5)

The buzz in the Big Apple about the new and improved Rangers has been silenced over the last week. The Blue Shirts have dropped three straight after winning seven of their first eight games to start the season.

The latest setback happened Saturday night in Montreal. New York led the Habs 3-1 in the second period but fell 5-4 in overtime.

Rangers head coach John Tortorella made room in his doghouse for Brandon Dubinsky and Christopher Higgins. Both players were benched in the third period after committing costly turnovers.

“The game’s going our way, and it’s a turnover in the neutral zone by Dubie that just can’t happen,” Tortorella told the New York Daily News. “We stressed that especially after the last game. It’s just a huge momentum swing.”

Turnovers and other defensive breakdowns have led to opponents scoring 16 goals against the Rangers during the three-game skid.

Look for a more cautious game plan executed by the Rangers Monday night against the Coyotes.

Pick: Under

Toronto Maple Leafs at Anaheim Ducks (-165, 6)

Eye witnesses say the Toronto Maple Leafs were the better team on the ice Saturday at GM Place against the Canucks. Of course those same eye witnesses’ perspective might have been skewed by the paper bags they were wearing over their heads.

The 3-1 loss to Vancouver means Toronto is still searching for its first win of the season and sits dead last in the league standings at 0-7-1 (also the worst start in franchise history).

“You come into a season with a lot of high hopes and you don’t want to start this way,” Buds forward Matt Stajan told the Globe and Mail. “It’s been tough, but it will make us stronger if we can find a way – sooner or later – to hopefully get a win.”

Don’t bank on that first victory coming Monday in Anaheim. The Ducks aren’t in a position to look past the Leafs after dropping the first three of four games in their six-game home stand.

“As players, we have to take more ownership and more pride,” veteran Teemu Selanne told reporters following the Ducks loss to the Blue Jackets. “Teams come here and win too easily.”

Jonas Hiller will likely get the start in between the pipes for the slumping Ducks. Starting goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere re-aggravated his groin in the loss to Columbus.

Pick: Over

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**Udog** · 10-26-2009, 10:54 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, October 26

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PHOENIX (6-3-0-0, 12 pts.) at NY RANGERS (7-3-0-1, 15 pts.) - 10/26/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 110-107 ATS (+237.3 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 62-62 ATS (+145.5 Units) in road games after a division game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 18-18 ATS (+52.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 103-99 ATS (+220.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 38-60 ATS (-27.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 7-18 ATS (+26.1 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 67-85 ATS (-56.2 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 1-1 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 1-1-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (1-5-0-3, 5 pts.) at MONTREAL (5-5-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/26/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 5-26 ATS (+51.6 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 46-50 ATS (+113.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 25-30 ATS (-14.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 11-21 ATS (-15.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-2 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 7-2-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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MINNESOTA (3-7-0-0, 6 pts.) at CHICAGO (6-3-0-1, 13 pts.) - 10/26/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 0-7 ATS (+9.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
MINNESOTA is 0-7 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games first half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 40-28 ATS (+71.6 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
CHICAGO is 191-234 ATS (+490.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 98-123 ATS (-55.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 (+2.6 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-3-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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TORONTO (0-8-0-0, 0 pts.) at ANAHEIM (3-6-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/26/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 0-8 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games this season.
TORONTO is 0-8 ATS (+9.9 Units) first half of the season this season.
TORONTO is 72-69 ATS (+157.3 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 20-24 ATS (-18.9 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 2-7 ATS (-9.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 2-0-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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**pm530** · 10-26-2009, 11:56 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, October 26

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PHOENIX at NY RANGERS, 7:00 PM ET
PHOENIX: 9-3 SU off home loss by 2+ goals
NY RANGERS: 1-12 SU after allowing 5+ goals

NY ISLANDERS at MONTREAL, 7:30 PM ET
NY ISLANDERS: 5-26 SU Away if total is 5.5
MONTREAL: 7-2 SU vs. Islanders

(TC) MINNESOTA at CHICAGO, 8:05 PM ET VERSUS
MINNESOTA: 0-7 SU as underdog
CHICAGO: 25-12 SU off home win by 2+ goals

TORONTO at ANAHEIM, 10:00 PM ET
TORONTO: 0-8 SU this season
ANAHEIM: 22-11 Under at home after scoring 4+ goals

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

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**pm530** · 10-26-2009, 12:01 PM

Len’s Top Five

Monday, October 26

Len's Top 5

Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 26, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

The Yankees advance to the World Series for the first time since 2003 by beating the Angels 5-2 in game 6. Game 1 of the World Series, Phillies @ Yankees, Wednesday night.

All was not joyous in the New York area last night. The Arizona Cardinals picked off the Giants 24-17. The Saints stayed undefeated.

The Vikings lost their first game.

ESPN fires Steve Phillips after his affair with a production assistant.

The Cardinals are expected to hire Mark McGwire as hitting coach. McGwire has kept a low profile in recent years as the court of public opinion has "convicted" him of steroid use.

2. The Bronx is Burning

Just like the good old days. The Yankees will host their 40th World Series. The 7th for Derek Jeter and finally the first for Alex Rodriguez. Yankees vs. Phillies has all the makings of a great World Series. But not for everyone. As subscriber Ruth Q. emailed last week,
"This World Series could be a nightmare for us Mets fans – Yankees vs Phillies – who to root for??" Pick your poison Mets fans. For you it's basically a lose/lose proposition.

3. Monday Musings

There are cracks in the concrete walkways at the new Yankee Stadium.
Hey, what do you expect for $1.5 billion?
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Neither Bobby Valentine nor Don Mattingly got the Cleveland managerial job, former Washington manager Manny Acta did. We need Bobby V. back in baseball to stir the pot.
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Remember a few years ago they were calling for Joe Paterno's head at Penn State? After winning at Michigan Saturday 35-10 the Nittany Lions are 7-1 At age 82, JoPa just getting started.
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Enough already with these throwback jerseys. Were those the Jets, New York Titans or San Diego Chargers playing in Oakland? There's a reason why those old jerseys were redesigned. Time to throwback the throwbacks.

4. A Fine Mess

Who got fined more in the NFL, Titans safety Chris Hope for roughing up Tom Brady, or Chad Ochocinco for wearing the wrong color chin strap? (Second violation.)
Time's up. Both were fined $10-thousand. Rough tackles may kill quarterbacks, but fashion faux pas will simply not be tolerated!

5. In Memoriam

When I mentioned Soupy Sales' (big sports fan) passing last Friday, your remembrances of Soupy came pouring in.
From Jim S. "Show me tracks on the ocean floor and I'll show you the prints of whales (Prince of Wales)."
From Ed G. "I'll always remember one of Soupy's jokes about baseball. 'Took my girlfriend to a game. I kissed her on the strikes and she kissed me on the balls.' "
And of course many of you remembered what got Soupy in trouble. From Howard C. "Fans of Soupy Sales are welcome to send in money to cover the cost of the funeral. Please go upstairs and send us all the green pieces of paper in Daddy's wallet."
Remember, Soupy did a "kids show."

Happy Birthday: Angels fan Pat Sajak. How much face time did that guy get sitting behind home plate in Anaheim? 63.
Bonus Birthday: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 62.

Today in Sports: The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, became the first and only NHL player to reach 2000 points. He finished with 2857. 1990.
Bonus Events: Hide your eyes Yankee haters. The Yankees beat the Braves in 6 to win the World Series. 1996. And the Yankees beat the Mets in 5 to win the World Series. 2000. And to think the 2009 World Series has yet to begin.

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**pm530** · 10-26-2009, 12:22 PM

NHL

Sunday, October 25

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Tips and Trends
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Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks [8:35 PM ET]

Wild: The Wild is 0-7 on the road this season. The last team to open with zero points in their first eight games was the Penguins in 1996-97. Minnesota, though, has enjoyed excellent success through the years at the United Center. The Wild have won six of their last seven games in Chicago. They’ve had their most success of any road venue in Chicago going 10-5-1 all-time. Martin Havlat led Chicago in scoring during the regular-season and playoffs last season, but signed with Minnesota. Havlat will be highly motivated to perform well. He’s off to a slow start with the Wild, going pointless in his last five games. Cal Clutterbuck returned from an ankle injury to score in overtime for Minnesota in a 3-2 home win against Carolina Saturday night. Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom is 3-2-0 with a 1.81 goals against average lifetime versus the Blackhawks.

The Wild is 7-21 in their last 28 games following a victory.
The Under is 21-8-6 in the Wild’s last 35 games versus a team with a winning mark.

Key Injuries - Defenseman Kim Johnsson (upper body) is out.
Right wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2

Blackhawks (-$2.00, O/U 5.5): It should be an emotional atmosphere at the United Center as the Blackhawks face their former teammate, Martin Havlat. He was Chicago’s leading scorer in two of the past three seasons and formed a special bond with the ********* fans. He had a career-high 77 points during the Blackhawks’ breakthrough 2008-09 season. The Blackhawks defeated visiting Nashville, 2-0, on Saturday. They achieved the win minus captain Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook. Cristobal Huet recorded the shutout, his 21st career one. Huet is 2-2-1 lifetime against Minnesota with a 2.14 goals-against average. Chicago traditionally struggles versus the Wild. The Blackhawks are 5-17 in their last 22 meetings against Minnesota. They lost three of four games to the Wild last season. The Blackhawks have had trouble stopping Owen Nolan, who has 41 points in 44 games against Chicago. The Blackhawks have won 16 of their last 23 home contests.

The Blackhawks are 7-18-3 in their last 28 Monday games.
The Over has cashed in 8 of Chicago’s past 10 home games.

Key Injuries - Center Jonathan Toews (concussion) is questionable.
Defenseman Brent Seabrook (concussion) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3 (UNDER - Total of the Day)

Note: Today’s “Side of the Day” is in the NFL
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**pm530** · 10-26-2009, 04:23 PM

This Day in Baseball

On October 26 in Baseball History...

1911 - Danny Murphy of Philadelphia had four hits as the Athletics beat the New York Giants 13-2 to win the World Series in six games. The A's put the game out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning.

1931 - Charles Comiskey dies at age 72. The White Sox owner and pioneer player never recovered from the betrayal of the 1919 World Series.

1950 - The Baseball Writers of America select Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto as AL MVP. Rizzuto had 200 hits, 125 runs scored, and a .324 batting average, but drove in just 66 runs.

1971 - Oakland's Vida Blue wins the AL Cy Young Award by a 98-85 margin over Mickey Lolich of the Tigers. Blue was 24-8 for the A's, posting 301 strikeouts, eight shutouts, and a 1.82 ERA. Ferguson Jenkins won the Cy Young Award in the NL.

1977 - Sparky Lyle becomes the first AL reliever to win the Cy Young Award. Lyle leads the league with 72 appearances, posting a 13-5 record with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA.

1979 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn notifies Hall of Famer Willie Mays that if he accepts a position with Bally Manufacturing Corporation, owner of several gambling casinos, he must disassociate himself from major league baseball. Mays, a part-time coach and goodwill ambassador for the Mets, will relinquish his duties upon accepting Bally's job offer.

1982 - Steve Carlton becomes the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. The Phils 37-year-old lefthander, who led the NL in wins (23), innings (295.2), strikeouts (286), and shutouts (six), was a previous winner in 1972, 1977, and 1980.

1985 - Dane Iorg's two-run single and a disputed call by first base umpire Don Denkinger in the ninth inning gave the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and tied the World Series after six games. St. Louis scored its run on a bloop single by Brian Harper in the eighth inning.

1991 - Kirby Puckett prevents two Atlanta runs with a leaping catch in the third inning and then lofts a sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Twins the lead in Game Six. The Braves tie it in the seventh, but Puckett turned out the lights in the 10th with a home run to force a seventh game.

1995 - Orel Hershiser allows just two runs over eight innings and Jose Mesa survives a two-run home run by Ryan Klesko in the ninth inning to give the Indians a 5-4 win in Game Five.

1996 - A three-run third inning is all the Yankees need. Series MVP John Wetteland pitches out of trouble in the ninth as the Yankees win the World Series for the first time since 1978.

1997 - Edgar Renteria ended one of the most thrilling Game 7s ever, singling with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Florida Marlins their first World Series championship with a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians. The 5-year-old Marlins became the youngest expansion team to win a championship.

1998 - The New York Mets announced All-Star catcher Mike Piazza agreed to a seven-year, $91 million contract, the richest deal in baseball history.

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Announcement

Monday Trends and Indexes 10/26 (NHL, Misc.)

Monday Trends and Indexes 10/26 (NHL, Misc.)

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