Announcement

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:06 AM

Bettors’ best friend: Saturday’s wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

The Phillies opened as -170 favorites, and even bigger favorites at some betting sites, but the line has dropped to -164.

Weather to watch

Giants at Phillies: A substantial 22 mph wind is expected to blown in from left field to the first base line.

Ohio State at Wisconsin: A 15 mph wind is expected.

Nevada at Hawaii: A 15 mph wind is expected and there is a very slight chance of rain.

Army at Rutgers: There is a 20 percent chance of rain and a 22 mph wind is expected.

North Carolina State at East Carolina: A 13 mph is expected and there is a very slight chance of rain.

Boise State at San Jose State: There is just a 10 percent chance of rain.

Who’s hot

The Phillies are 14-3 in their last 17 home playoff games and 14-3 in Halladay’s last 17 starts.

The Yankees are 4-0 in their last four playoff games and 4-1 in their last five road playoff games.

The Maple Leafs are 4-0 in their last four overall.

The over is 4-0 in the Avalanche’s last four overall and 11-2 in their last 13 road games.

Arkansas is 5-0 ATS in its last five SEC games.

The under is 6-0 in BYU’s last six overall.

The over is 5-0 in Kentucky’s last five overall.

Who’s not

The Giants are 5-14 in their last 19 games in Philadelphia.

The Rangers are 1-6 in their last seven home games against right-handed starters.

The Thrashers are 0-5 in their last five against the Western Conference.

The Devils are 1-6 in their last seven overall.

The Texas Longhorns are 1-7 ATS in their last eight overall.

Wisconsin is 1-5 ATS in its last six overall.

Boston College is 0-5 ATS in its last five ACC games.

Key stat

7.33 – Yards per carry averaged this so far this season by Michigan State’s pair of running backs, Edwin Baker and Le’Veon Bell. Baker has gained 683 yards on 97 carries and Bell has rushed 71 times for 549 yards. Illinois is in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten as a rushing defense, giving up 117.0 yards per contest, but they were recently lit up by Ohio State for 213.

Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked

The Eagles announced on Friday that Michael Vick will not start against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons. Vick will miss his second straight start due to bruised ribs, an injury sustained in the first quarter against Washington two weeks ago. Kevin Kolb, who was under center for Philadelphia’s win over San Francisco last week, will get the nod against Atlanta.

Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones will apparently be a game-time decision for Saturday’s SEC showdown between Alabama and Mississippi. There has been no indication, however, that Jones won’t play. He suffered a broken hand in the first quarter of last week’s loss to South Carolina but stayed in the game. Still, the chances of Jones being 100 percent on Saturday night are slim to none.

Biggest games on the slate

San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies (-164, 6)

Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers (3.5, 49)

Notable quotable

“He’s 6-foot-8’, 7-feet tall. Strong arm. Very accurate. You let him stand back there like he's a Statue of Liberty, it's going to happen. He’s going to make it happen.” – Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes on Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. Arkansas is first in the SEC in passing offense - almost 100 yards ahead of the No. 2 team - while Aurburn is fourth in the conference with 15 sacks.

Tips and notes

- Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray is just two touchdowns shy of the school record (57) set by 1969 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens. Murray has already passed Billy Sims and Adrian Peterson, among many others.

“It's just kind of breathtaking just to be mentioned in the same category as those former players,” Murray said. “I know what they've done here in the past and the tradition that they left here, and it's just unbelievable.”

He already has nine touchdowns this season and is going up against an Iowa State team that is third to last in rushing defense in the Big 12, giving up almost 200 yards per game.

- Injuries are something to keep an eye on in Saturday’s Big Ten collision between Iowa and Michigan. Iowa’s defense could be without linebacker Jeff Tarpinian, who is questionable with a neck injury. Fellow linebacker Troy Johnson, however, appears to be on the mend following a concussion and could be an adequate replacement. Michigan wideout Martavious Odoms sustained a broken foot last weekend and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Safety Michael Williams is expected to miss his second straight game for the Wolverines due to a concussion.

- The Chicago Blackhawks, who won the Stanley Cup last season, made some major moves during the offseason and have not regained the same chemistry this year. Injuries simply haven’t allowed the remaining roster to gel. The latest on the list is Patrick Kane, who is dealing with an illness and might not play in this weekend’s games.

“I don't think it's been going the way we want it to go,” center Dave Bolland said of his team’s 1-2-1 start. “But we're learning. We got a lot of new guys on this team. It’s a challenge at times. To be with new guys, you got to bond, you got to blend in and you got to know each other’s differences.”

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:09 AM

MLB - NLCS
Dunkel

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 903-904: San Francisco at Philadelphia (7:55 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Lincecum) 15.523; Philadelphia (Halladay) 16.120
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-170); 6
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-170); Under

MLB - NLCS
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 16

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SAN FRANCISCO (95 - 71) at PHILADELPHIA (100 - 65) - 3:00 PM
TIM LINCECUM (R) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 73-44 (+18.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 23-9 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 64-36 (+17.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 55-32 (+19.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-9 (+26.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 101-64 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-11 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 101-64 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 94-70 (+15.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 71-52 (+14.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 29-21 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 95-72 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 111-75 (+37.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 45-39 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-16 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-3 (+0.9 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

TIM LINCECUM vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
LINCECUM is 2-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.98 and a WHIP of 0.993.
His team's record is 2-5 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-5. (-4.1 units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
HALLADAY is 0-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 7.23 and a WHIP of 1.608.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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MLB - NLCS
Short Sheet

Saturday, 10/16/2010

** NL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 1 - SERIES TIED 0-0
SAN FRANCISCO at PHILADELPHIA, 7:55 PM ET FOX
LINCECUM: SF 45-25 after allowing 2 runs or less
HALLADAY: 4-8 TSR after giving up less than 2 ER last 2 outings

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:12 AM

MLB

Saturday, October 16

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Payoff Pitch: Today's Best Mound Matchup
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Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (+154) vs. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies (-164)

Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA)

Pitching matchups don’t get much better than this. After all, when Tim Lincecum is going into a game as a considerable underdog, you know it’s serious.

Of course, Lincecum’s status as an underdog on Saturday has a lot more to do with the other guy (Roy Halladay) than it does with Lincecum, himself. The 26-year-old was not quite as dominant this season as he was in his previous two Cy Young-winning campaigns, but he still went 16-10 with a 3.43 ERA.

And if Lincecum’s Game 1 performance against Atlanta in the Divisional Series was any indication, it’s only getting better for him in the playoffs. He tossed a complete game two-hitter, allowing no runs and one walk while striking out 14 in San Francisco’s 1-0 victory. The Giants went on to win the series 3-1, thus not needing Lincecum for a Game 5 and allowing him to rest for the opener against Philadelphia.

Speaking of the Phillies, Lincecum was baffling in his lone start against them this season. On April 28 in San Francisco, he pitched 8 1/3 innings and gave up just three hits and two runs while striking out 11 batters. However, Brian Wilson blew the save in the ninth and Philadelphia went on to win 7-6 in 11 innings.

The only real question mark surrounding Lincecum is another blister issue on his throwing hand. However, he told the San Jose Mercury news that it should not be a factor in the wake of extensive treatment. “It's not a big deal, and we're taking care of it,” Lincecum assured.

Roy Halladay (21-10, 2.44 ERA)

If Lincecum was lights-out against the Braves, Halladay was even better in his Game 1 performance against the Reds. In fact, he was unhittable. Literally.

Halladay hurled the second no-hitter in postseason history, the first since Don Larsen’s famous perfect game with the New York Yankees in the 1956 World Series. He walked only one and struck out eight in a 4-0 shutout to set the tone for what proved to be a sweep of Cincinnati.

It had already been an incredible season for Halladay, one that was already highlighted by a perfect game. As a whole, the doctor compiled a 21-10 record with a 2.44 ERA to go along with a ridiculous strikeout-to-walk ratio of 219 to 30.

However, one of his worst starts of the year came in his only outing against the Giants; on April 26 in San Francisco, Halladay took the loss in a 5-1 game after surrendering 10 hits and five runs in seven innings.

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies (-164, 6)

San Francisco has two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum taking the mound for Game 1 of the NLCS against Philadelphia on Saturday, but that’s just about where the good news ends for the Giants.

Toeing the rubber for the other side, of course, is none other than Roy Halladay. After throwing a perfect game during the regular season, the doctor added a playoff no-hitter to his resume by befuddling the Reds in Game 1 of the previous series.

As owners of the best record in the National League, the Phillies also have home-field advantage. They have more home wins this season (54) than any of the four remaining teams, as the Braves (56) were eliminated by San Francisco in the first round.

Furthermore, Philadelphia is a playoff-proven team going up against a San Francisco squad that is in uncharted waters. The Giants have not been to the NLCS since 2002. The Phillies, on the other hand, have appeared in the last two World Series.

“It helps players feel like they don't need to do more than what they can do,” closer Brad Lidge told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “They know they can rely on other players to do their jobs. In the postseason, everyone has had a good measure of success. So we can fall back on that. ‘You get your job done, I'll get my job done.’”

Pick: Phillies

New York Yankees at Texas Rangers

The Phillies and Yankees appear to have a lot in common right now, and not just because they faced each other in last year’s World Series and are favored to do the same in 2010. Like Philadelphia, New York is battle-tested in the playoffs, is dangerous with both its arms and its bats, and is coming off a three-game game sweep—thus free to do what it wants with the pitching rotation.

Manager Joe Girardi has decided to save all-time postseason wins leader Andy Pettitte for Game 3 in the Bronx, opting to go with 24-year-old Phil Hughes for Game 2 on Saturday. The method behind any perceived madness? Pettitte is 2-4 with an 8.22 ERA in his career at Texas, while Hughes is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA lifetime in Arlington.

“He's very laid back,” Pettitte told the New York Post, speaking of Hughes. “He’s very confident in what he can do. As long as he didn’t try to overthrow too much, I felt he was going to have a good start against Minnesota.”

Hughes did just that in Game 3 against the Twins (the first playoff start of his career), pitching seven innings and allowing just four hits and one walk in New York’s 6-1 series-clinching win. For his career in the postseason, Hughes is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings.

Pick: Yankees

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This Day in Baseball
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On October 16 in Baseball History...

1909 - The Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series as rookie Babe Adams registered his third victory by beating the Detroit Tigers, 8-0, in the seventh game of the World Series.

1912 - Fred Snodgrass dropped a fly ball in the 10th inning that helped the Boston Red Sox score two runs and take the World Series from the New York Giants.

1936 - Lou Gehrig, who hit 49 home runs, scored 167 runs, knocked in 152, and batted .354, is voted AL MVP.

1960 - The NL votes to admit Houston and New York to the league, the first structural change since 1900.

1962 - With the tying and winning runs in scoring position, San Francisco's Willie McCovey hit a hard line drive at second baseman Bobby Richardson for the final out and the New York Yankees won Game 7 by a score of 1-0 for their 20th World Series title.

1969 - The New York Mets won their fourth straight game from the Baltimore Orioles with a 5-3 triumph behind Jerry Koosman to take the World Series in five games.

1971 - Brooks Robinson drives in Frank Robinson in the tenth inning of Game Six to give Baltimore a Series-tying 3-2 win.

1973 - The A's win Game Three of the World Series in 11 innings as Bert Campaneris gets the winning RBI in a 3-2 victory over the Mets. In a private clubhouse meeting, Dick Williams tells A's players he will resign after the Series.

1974 - Ken Holtzman, who hadn't batted all season, belts a third-inning home run in Game Four and gets the 5-2 win. Rollie Fingers holds the Dodgers in relief and Oakland takes a 3-1 Series lead.

1975 - Tony Perez broke an 0-for-15 slump with two home runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 5 of the World Series.

1976 - Don Gullett and Pedro Borbon combine on a five-hitter as the Reds win the first game of the World Series over the Yankees 5-1. Three hits by Tony Perez, the first World Series designated hitter, and a Joe Morgan homer supply the offense.

1977 - The Dodgers stay alive with a 10-4 victory in Game Five against the Yankees. Steve Yeager and Reggie Smith homer, and Don Sutton pitches a complete game.

1979 - John Candelaria and Kent Tekulve combine on a 4-0 shutout as the Pirates send the World Series to its seventh game.

1982 - Four Cardinals pitchers are helpless to stop the Brewers from rallying for a 7-5 win to even the World Series after four games.

1983 - Eddie Murray hit two homers and Scott McGregor pitched a five-hitter to give Baltimore a 5-0 victory, its fourth straight over the Philadelphia Phillies to give the Orioles the World Series in five games.

1985 - The Kansas City Royals won the American League pennant with a 6-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7, capping a comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

1985 - Jack Clark's three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and the National League pennant.

1988 - Orel Hershiser gives up three hits and has three hits himself to beat Oakland, 6-0. The Dodgers have a shocking 2-0 World Series lead over the favored A's.

1990 - Eric Davis becomes the 22nd player to homer in his first World Series at-bat. The Reds go on to rout the A's, 7-0, ending Oakland's 10-game post-season winning streak.

1991 - The Braves win the third 1-0 game of the NLCS to force a seventh game in Pittsburgh. Greg Olson doubles home the only run of the game in the ninth inning.

1993 - The Blue Jays put the game away with a three-run rally in the seventh inning at the SkyDome in Game One of the World Series. Reliever Al Leiter gets the 8-5 victory against the Phillies.

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:14 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 16

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OTTAWA (1-2-0-1, 3 pts.) at MONTREAL (1-1-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 7-5 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 7-5-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.0 Units)

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BOSTON (1-1-0-0, 2 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (1-2-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 5-3 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 5-3-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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COLORADO (2-1-0-0, 4 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (1-1-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 2-0 (+2.5 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 2-0-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (1-3-0-0, 2 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (2-1-0-1, 5 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 13-6 (+5.5 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 13-6-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.2 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (3-0-0-0, 6 pts.) at FLORIDA (1-2-0-0, 2 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 66-143 ATS (+260.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 213-303 ATS (-103.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 94-151 ATS (-62.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 111-127 ATS (+254.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
FLORIDA is 93-135 ATS (+263.9 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 6-6 (+0.8 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 6-6-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.6 Units)

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WASHINGTON (3-1-0-0, 6 pts.) at NASHVILLE (3-0-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 100-142 ATS (-56.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
NASHVILLE is 51-39 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 18-12 ATS (+2.7 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 12-7 ATS (+21.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-0-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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COLUMBUS (0-1-0-1, 1 pts.) at MINNESOTA (1-1-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 17-48 ATS (+90.7 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-3-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

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ST LOUIS (2-1-0-0, 4 pts.) at DALLAS (3-0-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 10-2 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 32-31 ATS (+75.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 4-15 ATS (-15.8 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 62-57 ATS (-53.6 Units) in home games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 6-2 (+4.0 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 6-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.2 Units)

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BUFFALO (1-2-0-1, 3 pts.) at CHICAGO (1-2-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 8:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 2-1 (+0.8 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 2-1-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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DETROIT (2-1-0-1, 5 pts.) at PHOENIX (1-1-0-0, 2 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 54-37 ATS (+5.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 12-3 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 14-5 ATS (+19.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 28-22 ATS (+53.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 9-6-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.4 Units)

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EDMONTON (2-1-0-0, 4 pts.) at CALGARY (1-2-0-0, 2 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 180-149 ATS (+24.5 Units) after a division game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 9-4 (+4.0 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 9-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)

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ATLANTA (1-2-0-0, 2 pts.) at SAN JOSE (2-0-0-0, 4 pts.) - 10/16/2010, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 60-55 ATS (-58.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 2-0-0 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:16 AM

CFL
Dunkel

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 283-284: Edmonton at BC (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 108.479; BC 118.823
Dunkel Line: BC by 10 1/2; 57
Vegas Line: BC by 4 1/2; 52
Dunkel Pick: BC (-4 1/2); Over

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17

Game 285-286: Winnipeg at Montreal (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 109.596; Montreal 119.957
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 10 1/2; 54
Vegas Line: Montreal by 12 1/2; 57 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+12 1/2); Under

Game 287-288: Calgary at Saskatchewan (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 110.311; Saskatchewan 116.238
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 6; 61
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 1 1/2; 58
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-1 1/2); Over

CFL
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 16

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EDMONTON (4 - 10) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 9) - 10/16/2010, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 26-45 ATS (-23.5 Units) in home games versus division opponents since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-4 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 5-4 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, October 17

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WINNIPEG (4 - 10) at MONTREAL (10 - 4) - 10/17/2010, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) versus division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in October games since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 83-59 ATS (+18.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.

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

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CALGARY (10 - 4) at SASKATCHEWAN (9 - 5) - 10/17/2010, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 146-110 ATS (+25.0 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 146-110 ATS (+25.0 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 48-28 ATS (+17.2 Units) when playing on a Sunday since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 133-99 ATS (+24.1 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-3 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 6-3 straight up against CALGARY 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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CFL
Write-Up

Week 16 CFL games
Edmonton (4-10) @ British Columbia (5-9)-- Teams split pair of earlier games in Edmonton; Lions (+4) won season opener 25-10, then lost four weeks later 28-25 (+1.5). BC ran ball for 359 yards in those games; they are just 2-5 at home. 1-4 vs spread when favored. Five of last seven BC games went over the total; three of last four Eskimo games stayed under. Edmonton covered only one of its last six road games.

Winnipeg (4-10) @ Montreal (10-4)-- Alouettes beat Winnipeg twice in earlier games, 38-17 here (-11) in Week 8, 44-40 in Manitoba in Week 13 (-4.5), a game they trailed 26-17 at half. Bombers covered five of last six games; their last three road games were all decided by four points or less. Winnipeg is 2-4 as road dog, Montreal is 4-3 as home favorite. Under is 5-2 in last seven Bomber games, 0-3 in Montreal's last three games.

Calgary (10-4) @ Saskatchewan (9-5)-- Home team won both previous games; Stampeders (-1.5) won 40-20 in Week 4, handing Riders first loss of season, then lost 43-37 in OT (+3) in Week 12 at Regina. After a 9-1 start, Calgary lost three of last four games, giving up 89 points in losing last two road games. Roughriders won three of last four games; eight of their last stayed under. Seven of last eight Calgary games went over. Winner here is in first place in West.

CFL

Week 16

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Trend Report
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Saturday, October 16

10:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Edmonton is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing British Columbia
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing British Columbia
British Columbia is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games at home
British Columbia is 6-11-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Edmonton

Sunday, October 17

1:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. MONTREAL
Winnipeg is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games

4:00 PM
CALGARY vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Calgary's last 9 games
Calgary is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games on the road
Saskatchewan is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 12:19 AM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:08 AM

MLB - ALCS
Dunkel

NY Yankees at Texas
The Yankees look to follow up last night's win and take advantage of a Texas team that is 1-10 in Colby Lewis' last 11 starts following a team loss in their previous game. New York is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Yankees favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 905-906: NY Yankees at Texas (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 16.898; Texas (Lewis) 16.081
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 8
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-125); Under

MLB - ALCS
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 16

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NY YANKEES (99 - 67) at TEXAS (93 - 75) - 4:05 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. COLBY LEWIS (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 5-4 (+1.5 Units) against TEXAS this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.7 Units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. TEXAS since 1997
HUGHES is 2-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.488.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

COLBY LEWIS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
LEWIS is 0-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 6.89 and a WHIP of 1.851.
His team's record is 1-2 (+0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:14 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Columbus at Minnesota
The Blue Jackets look to bounce back from a 5-2 loss to Chicago and build on their 7-0 record in their last 7 games after allowing 5 or more goals in the previous game. Columbus is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Jackets favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+140). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 51-52: Ottawa at Montreal (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.832; Montreal 10.398
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-110); Over

Game 53-54: Boston at New Jersey (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 10.790; New Jersey 11.658
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 55-56: Colorado at NY Islanders (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.746; NY Islanders 11.062
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 57-58: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia (6:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.325; Philadelphia 12.070
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-145); Over

Game 59-60: Tampa Bay at Florida (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 12.189; Florida 10.643
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-110); Under

Game 61-62: Washington at Nashville (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.496; Nashville 11.513
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-135); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-135); Over

Game 63-64: Columbus at Minnesota (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 11.094; Minnesota 10.797
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+140); Over

Game 65-66: St. Louis at Dallas (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 12.260; Dallas 13.395
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-120); Under

Game 67-68: Buffalo at Chicago (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 11.708; Chicago 11.574
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 69-70: Detroit at Phoenix (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 10.762; Phoenix 12.123
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-105); Under

Game 71-72: Edmonton at Calgary (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 10.520; Calgary 9.754
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+120); Over

Game 73-74: Atlanta at San Jose (10:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 10.829; San Jose 11.693
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-215); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-215); Under

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:22 AM

MLB

Saturday, October 16

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Trend Report
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4:07 PM
NY YANKEES vs. TEXAS
NY Yankees are 16-7 SU in their last 23 games when playing on the road against Texas
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Texas
Texas is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
Texas is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

7:57 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. PHILADELPHIA
San Francisco is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against San Francisco

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:26 AM

NHL

Saturday, October 16

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. NEW JERSEY
Boston is 5-12-1 SU in its last 18 games ,when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing New Jersey
New Jersey is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
New Jersey is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
COLORADO vs. NY ISLANDERS
Colorado is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games
Colorado is 1-5-1 SU in their last 7 games ,when playing NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of the NY Islanders last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ottawa's last 7 games on the road
Ottawa is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. PHILADELPHIA
Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. FLORIDA
Tampa Bay is 6-15-1 SU in its last 22 games ,when playing on the road against Florida
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Florida's last 11 games when playing Tampa Bay

8:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Columbus is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Columbus

8:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 10 of St. Louis's last 14 games when playing Dallas
St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing St. Louis

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NASHVILLE
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Nashville is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Nashville's last 8 games when playing Washington

8:30 PM
BUFFALO vs. CHICAGO
Buffalo is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing at home against Buffalo
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Buffalo

9:00 PM
DETROIT vs. PHOENIX
Detroit is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Detroit is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 4-16-3 SU in its last 23 games ,when playing at home against Detroit
Phoenix is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games at home

10:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. CALGARY
Edmonton is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Edmonton's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton

10:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. SAN JOSE
Atlanta is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
San Jose is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Jose's last 7 games

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:28 AM

NHL

Saturday, October 16

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Atlanta Thrashers vs. San Jose Sharks (-205, 5.5)

The Atlanta Thrashers were a team in turmoil during the offseason, changing head coaches and key players alike. As if they needed anything else to shake things up at the start of the regular season, goalie Ondrej Pavelec collapsed in the first period of the first game. Pavelec is OK, but Chris Mason has been in goal ever since.

Mason played on Friday night in Anaheim and he is expected to make back-to-back starts when the Thrashers pay a visit to San Jose on Saturday.

"I’ve played a lot of games in a row before," Mason told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We’ve had a ton of back-to-backs. Players do it. There is no reason goalies can do it too."

Mason may need some help, and he is going to need it in the form of Atlanta's power play. The Thrashers are 1-for-14 on their power plays so far this season and new coach Craig Ramsay is not happy about it.

"When you get a puck in the offensive zone and you get outworked on it, that’s not good enough," Ramsay told the AJC after Tuesday's loss to the Kings. "It’s a privilege to play on the power play. We’ve got some pretty good shooters back there but if you are not getting them the puck it doesn’t do you any good."

Pick: Sharks

Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes (101, 5)

The Red Wings had all kinds of injury problems last season, and if the first few games their 2010-11 campaign are any indication, they might be in for more of the same this season.

Detroit was already dealing with injuries to defensemen Brian Rafalski (knee) and Jonathan Ericsson (back), as well as forward Kris Draper (groin). Johan is the latest Red Wing regular to go down. Franzen is out indefinitely after getting hit in the head during a 4-1 loss to Dallas.

Dan Cleary also banged up his knee in the Dallas game but he seems more optimistic about his injury..

"It hurt pretty bad, and I was nervous, worried about it, but it worked out pretty good," he told the Detroit Free Press about his crash into the boards. "It’s a little swollen, but overall I’m not too concerned."

Besides missing players, Detroit backers are concerned about the eight goals in their club has given up in the last two games.

"Turnovers in the neutral zone or at the offensive blue line have hurt us," Nicklas Lidstrom told reporters. "We have to be smart about putting the puck in instead of trying to force a play when it’s not there."

Pick: Coyotes

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**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:36 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: October 16

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Wisconsin meets favored Ohio State on the field, the MLB playoffs continue in Philadelphia and Texas, and NASCAR races at Charlotte.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

New No. 1 Ohio State will get tested right away on Saturday when they play on the road against No. 18 Wisconsin in college football action. The Buckeyes (6-0 SU, 5-1 ATS) rolled past Indiana 38-10 at home last time out, as Terrelle Pryor threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns. The Badgers (5-1 SU, 0-5 ATS) are coming off a 41-23 home win over Minnesota, with James White rushing for 118 yards and two touchdowns and John Clay picking up 111 yards on the ground and three scores. Oddsmakers have Ohio State listed as the 4-point road favorite for Saturday, with the total set at 49 points.

In other games involving Top-25 teams on Saturday it'll be Boston College at No. 16 Florida State (-21.5), Illinois at No. 13 Michigan State (-7), No. 21 Missouri at Texas A&M (-3.5), No. 15 Iowa (-3.5) at Michigan, No. 20 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (-3), Texas at No. 5 Nebraska (-10), BYU at No. 4 TCU (-29.5), No. 11 Utah (-20.5) at Wyoming, No. 10 South Carolina (-5) at Kentucky, Iowa State at No. 6 Oklahoma (-22.5), McNeese State at No. 9 LSU, Mississippi State at No. 22 Florida (-7.5), No. 17 Arizona (-23.5) at Washington State, No. 23 Air Force (-1) at San Diego State, No. 3 Boise State (-41) at San Jose State, Mississippi at No. 8 Alabama (-20.5), No. 24 Oregon State at Washington (-2), No. 19 Nevada (-6.5) at Hawaii, and No. 12 Arkansas at No. 7 Auburn (-3.5) in the only other game Saturday matching up two ranked teams.

As well, there's one CFL game on the schedule for Saturday, with Edmonton at British Columbia. The Lions (5-9 SU, 5-9 ATS) have been pegged by the oddsmakers as 5.5-point home favorites against the Eskimos (4-10 SU, 5-9 ATS), with the total listed at 52.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The NLCS between the Giants and Phillies gets underway in Philadelphia on Saturday night, with Tim Lincecum (1-0, 0.00 ERA) taking on Roy Halladay (1-0, 0.00 ERA). Righthander Lincecum dazzled the Braves in his only NLDS outing, holding them scoreless on two hits over his nine innings of work, while fanning 14 batters. Righthander Halladay, though, was even more dominant in his NLDS outing last round, no-hitting the Reds while fanning eight batters. Halladay lost to the Giants in San Francisco back on April 26 (five runs in seven innings), and Lincecum took a no-decision in that series (two runs in 8 1-3 innings). The Phillies are -168 home favorites.

Meanwhile, the ALCS between the Yankees and Rangers continues in Texas on Saturday afternoon, with Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00 ERA) countering Colby Lewis (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Righthander Hughes picked up a win over the Twins in the ALDS, blanking them on four hits over his seven innings of work. Righthander Lewis had to settle for a no-decision against the Rays in the ALDS despite giving up just two hits (and walking five) over five shutout innings. Hughes pitched a scoreless inning of relief against the Rangers on September 10. Lewis didn't pitch against New York in the regular season.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The NHL offers up a dozen games on Saturday, with Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Tampa Bay at Florida, Ottawa at Montreal, Boston at New Jersey, Colorado at the Islanders, Columbus at Minnesota, St. Louis at Dallas, Buffalo at Chicago, Detroit at Phoenix, Edmonton at Calgary, Atlanta at San Jose, and Washington at Nashville. The 3-1-0 Capitals are coming off a 2-1 home win over the Islanders on Wednesday, with Nicklas Backstrom scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. The 3-0-0 Predators slipped past the Blues 4-3 at home on Thursday night, with Anders Lindback making 32 stops between the pipes. Preds starting goalie Pekka Rinne (lower body) is day-to-day.

Roaring around the track . . .

Finally, the Sprint Cup Series takes the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night in the Bank of America 500. Favored Jimmie Johnson, who has a 36-point lead on Denny Hamlin atop the Chase for the Cup standings, will be looking to pick up his second straight win at this event; Johnson won the NASCAR Banking 500 on this track last October. Johnson has six career Cup wins at Charlotte, while Kurt Busch won the Coca-Cola 600 on the track back in May. Tony Stewart visited victory lane at Charlotte back in the 2003 season, and he's coming off a win last weekend in the Pepsi Max 400.

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 10:36 AM

Saturday's six-pack

College football trends with Week 6 upon us..........

-- Virginia covered 11 of last 12 games vs North Carolina.

-- Home team is 12-5 vs spread in Ohio-Akron series.

-- Home side covered six of last seven UNLV-Colorado State games.

-- Oregon State won, covered six in a row vs Washington.

-- UTEP is 0-7 vs spread in last seven games as road favorite against C-USA opponents.

-- Northern Illinois covered four of last five MAC home games.

**********************************************

Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff on a rainy night.........

13) Chances are we’re both having a better year than John Elway, who reportedly lost between $3M-$15M investing in one of those goofy Ponzi schemes. At what point does someone like Elway decide he has enough money?

12) 50 years ago this week, the greatest home run in baseball history was hit—Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, giving the Pirates a 10-9 win and the World Championship in old Forbes Field. It is the only home run of its type in baseball history, but because it wasn’t hit by a NY/LA player, we haven’t seen it 4,000 times like Bobby Thomson’s home run, which was dramatic, but didn’t end a World Series.

11) At the risk of being Captain Obvious, my Travel Advice of the Week—Stay the hell away from Mexico.

10) I’m wondering if Carmelo Anthony will finish this NBA season in Denver, or if the Nuggets will be forced to make a bad trade, just to avoid having their best player walk away for nothing. This July, I met Nuggets’ assistant Tim Grgurich at NBA Summer League, and even he acknowledged that Anthony was likely headed out of town after the season. Too bad, Denver seems like it would be a fun place to play.

9) With NBA season starting in 10 days, I’m reminded that the most underrated part of my recent Vegas vacations was the summer league; for $28, you get to watch pro hoops all day long, and since most everyone leaves by the same hallways, you might meet a celebrity or two. Underrated fun.

8) Texas Rangers are having a dream season, but one semi-controversial move the new owner made was dumping TV play-by-play guy Josh Lewin, who while a solid announcer (also does Charger games on radio) was an unabashed homer for the Rangers (in other words, mute button material for me when they’re playing the A’s). Lewin was with the Rangers for nine years.

7) Derrek Lee played most of September with a torn ligament in his thumb.

6) Wayne Gretzky’s son signed up to play first base for Tony Gwynn and the San Diego State Aztecs. Kid looks like he’s a lot taller than his 5-10 dad.

5) Miami Ohio’s football team doesn’t play a Saturday game in November; they play a Wed-Wed-Tues gauntlet, meaning all three games will be on the ESPN family of networks. Miami lost its last two road games 51-13/45-3; not sure there’s going to be a big audience to watch the ol’ Red Hawks play.

4) Brett Favre’s nephew is a freshman QB at Mississippi State. John Stockton's son is a walk-on guard at Gonzaga.

3) Tampa Bay Rays used 131 different lineups in 162 games this year.

2) According to National Football Post, it costs $1,650 to apply to the NFLPA to become a player agent, then another annual fee of either $1,200 (if you have nine or fewer clients) or $1,700 (10+ clients) a year.

1) There are 825 certified agents, 20% of which represent 70% of the players. You also have to take a test to become an agent; last year, 160 of the 255 applicants (62.7%) passed the test. Usually, around 70% pass.

**Udog** · 10-16-2010, 04:26 PM

MLB
Short Sheet

** AL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 2 - YANKEES LEAD 1-0
NY YANKEES at TEXAS, 4:05 PM ET TBS
HUGHES: NYY 175-91 when the total is 8.5 to 10
LEWIS: 2-13 TSR when working on 5 or 6 days rest

Announcement

Saturday's Trends and Indexes 10/16 (MLB, NHL, CFL, Misc.)

Saturday's Trends and Indexes 10/16 (MLB, NHL, CFL, Misc.)

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