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**Kaptain** · 11-01-2010, 06:47 PM

gl tonight Bum....hate to see we're total opposite on the NFL game.....gl to ya PODNA...

as always, thanks for the write ups you share with us, and your picks

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:00 PM

Lee, Lincecum look to bounce back in Game 5

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SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
at TEXAS RANGERS

World Series Game 5, San Francisco leads series 3-1
Monday, 7:55 p.m. EDT, Line: Texas -170, San Francisco +160 Total: 6

Once again, Texas calls on Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA) to come up big as the Rangers try to rally from a 3-1 deficit and send the series back to San Francisco. Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA) goes for the Giants in a rematch of Game 1’s wild 11-7 San Francisco victory.

Game 1 was certainly a start to forget for Lee, who allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over 4.2 innings. It was only the second time in 2010 that Lee failed to make it out of the fifth inning. With the loss, Lee’s postseason ERA worsened to 2.51. The start was an anomaly on multiple levels as Lee came into the game with a 7-0 lifetime postseason record and was 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his career against San Francisco. Monday will be his first start at home this postseason. Lee went 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA at Rangers Ballpark this year.

The series opener was also the worst start of the playoffs for Lincecum, who gave up four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work. The right-hander is now 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA this postseason. San Francisco has won five on his past six starts and eight of his past 10. Lincecum will make his third road start this postseason on Monday and that may be a good thing for San Francisco as he was better on the road during the regular season, posting a 7-3 record and a 3.17 ERA, as opposed to 9-7 and a 3.69 ERA at AT&T Field.

The FoxSheets like San Francisco to win the World Series tonight:

SAN FRANCISCO is 42-20 (+22.0 Units) against the money line after batting .250 or worse over a 20 game span this season. The average score was SAN FRANCISCO 4.6, OPPONENT 2.8 - (Rating = 3*).

SAN FRANCISCO is 45-20 (+26.3 Units) against the money line with an on base percentage of .310 or worse over their last 20 games this season. The average score was SAN FRANCISCO 4.5, OPPONENT 2.7 - (Rating = 3*).

**jt4545** · 11-01-2010, 07:02 PM

Good lck star

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:02 PM

Bulls try to hand Blazers first loss of season

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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (3-0)

at CHICAGO BULLS (1-1)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Chicago -1.5, Total: 190

Riding a three-game win streak to start the 2010-11 season, Portland heads to Chicago for its third consecutive road game. The Trail Blazers are 18-7 ATS following a road win over the past two seasons and went 47-39-2 (54.7%) overall ATS last year. The center position is a concern for Portland with Greg Oden out indefinitely and Joel Pryzbilla expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks with a knee injury. Fourteen-year veteran Marcus Camby has remained healthy enough to post two double-doubles and average 30.7 minutes in the first three games. With the exception of Camby, Portland’s starters are scoring more than 14 points per game and the team is averaging 101.3 PPG. This is a good start for this season after finishing 21st in the league last year with 97.8 PPG.

Chicago, barely topping 50 percent ATS last year (45-40-2, including playoffs), started the season with first-time head coach Tom Thibodeau. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah put up big numbers in their first two games averaging 33.5 points and 18 rebounds, respectively. The Bulls ranked first in the league in the 2009-10 season for rebounds per game with 44.6. Chicago was looking to remain the top rebounding team with the addition of Carlos Boozer, who ranked fifth in the league last year with 11.2 RPG, but is out with a broken hand. The Bulls held opponents to 98.1 PPG at home in the 2009-10 season and will strive for an even lower average with defensive-minded Thibodeau.

Over the last three seasons, Portland is 3-1 ATS versus Chicago and 7-6 straight up at Chicago since 1996.

These FoxSheets stats favor Portland to cover the spread:

Nate McMillan is 60-35 ATS (58.3%, +21.5 Units) after playing a game as a road favorite in all games he has coached since 1996. The average score was McMillan 97.0, OPPONENT 92.6 - (Rating = 1*).

PORTLAND is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) after playing a game as a road favorite over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PORTLAND 96.4, OPPONENT 88.3 - (Rating = 1*).

**bryce** · 11-01-2010, 07:04 PM

Good luck Stardust!

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:16 PM

Injury-laden Colts host Texans Monday night

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HOUSTON TEXANS (4-2)
at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-2)

Kickoff: Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT, Line: Indianapolis -5, Total: 51

The Texans travel to Indianapolis in search of their first-ever series sweep of the Colts. Both teams are banged up, but the Colts are in much worse shape with TE Dallas Clark on injured reserve (wrist), WR Austin Collie out (hand) and RB Joseph Addai doubtful (shoulder) for Monday night. A few other key offensive players are hurt as well, including WRs Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon and RB Donald Brown who all have hamstring woes, but will all suit up Monday. The Texans also have some injuries to key players such as WR Andre Johnson (ankle) and TE Owen Daniels (knee), but both are expected to play close to 100 percent Monday night.

This game promises to be a shootout with two of the top four offenses in the league. Entering this week, Indianapolis ranked second to the Chargers with 409 YPG and the Texans placed fourth with 380 YPG. On the defensive side of the ball, Houston places dead last in the league in yardage (411 YPG) while Indy sat 21st with 344 YPG allowed.

Both quarterbacks have a long history of playing each other. Peyton Manning’s numbers against Houston are simply jaw-dropping. In 17 career meetings, Manning has thrown for 4,854 yards (286 YPG), 40 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Texans QB Matt Schaub has not been successful facing the Colts with just five touchdowns and seven interceptions in four career meetings.

The Colts are 15-2 SU in 17 all-time meetings in the series, including a perfect 8-0 home record. But the FoxSheets show two trends leaning towards Houston to at least cover on Monday night.

Play On - Road teams (HOUSTON) - with a horrible scoring defense - allowing 27 or more points/game, after allowing 25 points or more in 2 straight games. (34-9 over the last 5 seasons.) (79.1%, +24.1 units. Rating = 3*).

Play On - Road teams (HOUSTON) - slow starting team - outscored by 5+ PPG in the first half, after scoring 7 points or less in the first half in 2 straight games. (63-25 over the last 10 seasons.) (71.6%, +35.5 units. Rating = 3*).

This FoxSheets trend likes the Over.

HOUSTON is 7-0 OVER (+7.0 Units) after being outrushed by 75 or more yards last game over the last 3 seasons. The average score was HOUSTON 24.6, OPPONENT 33.3 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:21 PM

MNF - Texans at Colts
October 31, 2010

Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers has begun the regular season on fire with a 30-11 start in the NFL, while coming off another 4-1 Sunday! You can purchase his Monday Night winner right here on VegasInsider.com Click to win!

Two AFC South teams coming off the bye meet for the second time this season as the 4-2 Texans head to Lucas Oil Stadium to battle the 4-2 Colts. There is revenge on the mind of Indianapolis after getting literally and figuratively run out of Reliant Stadium in the season opener by Houston, 34-24.

Arian Foster rushed for an NFL season-high 231 yards and three touchdowns to lead a Houston ground game that racked up 257 yards, while leading the Texans to just their second-ever victory over the Colts in 17 tries. The Texans limited the Colts' rushing offense to just 44 yards, but Peyton Manning was his Pro Bowl-self by throwing for 433 yards. To be fair, the Colts were forced to throw the ball after digging themselves a 27-10 hole, including a 73-yard connection from Manning to Austin Collie.

The Texans covered easily as one-point underdogs against the Colts, the only time all season Houston has received points. Gary Kubiak's team is just 2-3 ATS since that Indianapolis win (the overtime victory at Washington can be considered a 'push' if you laid the three points with Houston early in the week). The Texans' offense has been inconsistent, as Houston has scored 30 points or more four times, while putting up 13 points or less in losses to the Giants and Cowboys.

The Colts may be lost in the shuffle in the AFC following the strong starts by the Jets, Steelers, Patriots, and Titans. Despite injuries to Collie, TE Dallas Clark and RB Joseph Addai, Indianapolis has outgained five of its six opponents this season. Manning is the top-rated quarterback in the league (103.4), while the Colts rank third in points per game at 27.2 behind the Patriots and Titans.

Indianapolis has been a great 'over' play on the road, while splitting a pair of home games from the total standpoint. The last time the Colts played at Lucas Oil Stadium, Jim Caldwell's club staved off a feisty Chiefs' squad in a 19-9 victory, covering as 7 ½-point favorites in Week 6. Indianapolis has had its ups and downs running the ball, but picked things up in the 27-24 Sunday night victory at Washington two weeks ago by rushing for 170 yards. However, with Addai listed as doubtful, the former UConn star Donald Brown will likely get the start at running back for the Colts.

If the Texans find a way to eventually make the playoffs for the first time ever, they can point to a 35-31 comeback home victory over the Chiefs prior to the bye week. Matt Schaub hit Andre Johnson with the game-winning touchdown to erase a 14-point second half-deficit which snapped a two-game skid at Reliant Stadium. In Kubiak's tenure, the Texans are 2-7 ATS as a road underdog off a home victory.

Houston has never won at Indianapolis, dropping all eight meetings in franchise history. The Texans have covered each of the last two seasons at Lucas Oil despite losing the games straight-up, including a 20-17 setback last November as 7 ½-point underdogs. The 'over' has been the play in this series the last five-plus seasons, hitting in 10 of the 11 meetings. However, only two of those games had a total listed at 50 or higher.

The Colts are listed as a 5 ½-point favorites at most spots after opening up at 4 ½ last Sunday night. The total is set at 51, the first time this season each team is playing with a total at 50 or higher. The game will kick off at 8:30 PM EST and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood:

-- The Bills came up short once again in overtime on the road, this time falling at Kansas City, 13-10. Buffalo managed another cover as touchdown underdogs, but the Bills' inability to close out a game has landed them at 0-7. I will give Ryan Fitzpatrick credit for getting the game to overtime with a late touchdown pass in regulation to Steve Johnson to assure a cover.

-- The Jets' offense dried up in a 9-0 home loss to the Packers, as Green Bay easily cashed as six-point road underdogs. Mark Sanchez threw for 256 yards, but two costly interceptions helped give the Packers their fourth win of the season, which will loom large in the competitive NFC North.

-- How 'bout them Cowboys? Dallas falls to a dreadful 1-6 after getting punched in the mouth again at home, this time by Jacksonville. The Jags had struggled each of the last two weeks, but a huge game from David Garrard helped lift Jacksonville to its third victory this season as an underdog. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are now 0-5 SU/ATS when laying points in 2010, as it's smart to stay away from this team for awhile unless they get nice value as a 'dog.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:29 PM

Preview: Giants (92-70) at Rangers (90-72)
Game: 5
Venue: Arlington, Texas
Date: November 01, 2010 7:57 PM EDT

Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants ended Cliff Lee's amazing run of postseason dominance in Game 1 of the World Series. If Lincecum beats Lee again, the franchise will earn its first championship in 56 years.

Lincecum will try to help bring the first World Series title back to the Bay Area for the Giants on Monday night in Game 5 against Lee and the Texas Rangers.

These aces met in Game 1 at AT&T Park on Wednesday, and Lee entered the contest 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight career postseason starts. The Rangers ace allowed seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in an 11-7 loss after yielding 12 runs over his previous 64 1-3 postseason innings.

"This time, I get a chance to redeem myself against the team that actually put it to me pretty good last time," Lee said. "I'm looking forward to it. I've been working hard and ready for - it's basically the last start of the season for me - and I want to do everything I can to help this team win the World Series."

Lincecum wasn't at his best, but was good enough to earn the victory. He gave up four runs over 5 2-3 innings, improving to 3-1 with a 2.83 ERA in four postseason starts.

The two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner expects to be better in his second chance against Texas.

"I think just the experience of being there is the big help," Lincecum said. "You know, just going through the lineup again knowing that you're pitching in another World Series game, just eases the tension there. But yeah, like I said, just try to approach it, just try to keep my nerves together and keep poised."

Lincecum will have a tough time duplicating the effort of teammate Madison Bumgarner in Sunday's 4-0 victory. Bumgarner dominated for eight innings, yielding three hits and striking out six as he and Buster Posey became the first rookie battery to start in the World Series since Spec Shea and Yogi Berra for the Yankees in 1947.

The Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, four years after their last title in New York. They lost their three previous World Series appearances in the Bay Area, getting within six outs of the title eight years ago against the Anaheim Angels.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy made the right choice at designated hitter Sunday as Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer to open the scoring in the third inning. Posey added his first homer of the postseason in the eighth.

"We've got a big challenge tomorrow with Cliff Lee,' Huff said. "We got him last game, but you know he's going to come out and really want to get us."

The Giants took advantage of numerous mistakes by Lee in the opener. Freddy Sanchez doubled all three times in Game 1 against the left-hander, who acknowledged he was far too hittable.

"I was throwing balls over the middle of the plate, and they did a really good job swinging the bat and working the count and getting themselves in good positions to hit," Lee said. "Yeah, that's what happens, especially at this level."

This will be the lone start of the postseason at home for Lee, who went 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA in seven starts in Arlington with Texas after being acquired from Seattle. The Rangers are confident that Lee will bounce back and help keep the season alive.

"I certainly hope he'll do better tomorrow," manager Ron Washington said. "We feel pretty good about him being out there tomorrow. Once again, we've got to put some runs on the board."

Bochy said that slumping Pat Burrell will return to the lineup after sitting out Game 4. Burrell is 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts in the World Series, and has 19 strikeouts in 38 postseason at_bats.

The left fielder was left out Sunday partly because the Rangers started right-hander Tommy Hunter. Burrell drew a key walk off Lee in a six-run fifth inning in Game 1.

"I'm just not feeling comfortable at the plate,' Burrell said. "When you're not feeling comfortable, it's hard to get hits."

While Bochy was constantly being asked about Burrell before, it's Washington now who is fielding questions about his struggling lineup. The Rangers, who lost 9-0 in Game 2 at San Francisco, are the first team to be shut out twice in a World Series since the 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers failed to score in the last three games while being swept by Baltimore.

"They've done a great job," Washington said. "We've got to figure out some ways to put some runs on the board against them."

Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero combined for seven hitless at_bats Sunday. Hamilton is 2 for 16 in the World Series while Guerrero is 1 for 10.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-01-2010, 07:31 PM

Monday Night Football Odds: Texans at Colts
By: Stephen Nover | Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Houston-Indianapolis matchup isn’t your typical Monday Night Football game.

Both teams are 4-2, but a home loss for the Colts could spell the end of their dominance of the AFC South. That’s because Indianapolis has lost its first two division games falling to the Texans opening week and to Jacksonville.

The Colts are 5 ½-point favorites on the NFL betting board with the total at 49 ½. Kickoff is 5:35 p.m. with ESPN televising. This is the smallest margin Indianapolis has ever been favored when hosting the Texans, who entered the league in 2002.

There’s good reason for this. Peyton Manning is missing a number of key weapons.

Star tight end Dallas Clark is gone for the season and wide receiver Austin Collie is out several weeks with a thumb injury. Collie has a team-high six touchdown receptions. First-string running back Joseph Addai probably is going to miss the game, too, due to a shoulder injury.

This would leave Mike Hart and Donald Brown as the main running backs. Brown has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, but is expected to play.

No other quarterback is as good as Manning, though, in getting the best out of what he has, which still includes elite wideout Reggie Wayne. Manning is having another MVP-type season leading the NFL in passer rating at 103.4 He entered Week 8 second in touchdown passes with 13 and fourth in passing yards with 1,916. Manning has only been picked off twice.

The Texans knocked Manning down 10 times in Week 1, sacking him twice. The Colts’ starting offense line, which hadn’t played a snap together during preseason due to injuries, has allowed only four sacks since then.

Houston defeated the Colts, 34-24, as one-point home ‘dogs with the combined 58 points going ‘over’ the 47 ½-point total. It was just the second time in 17 lifetime meetings the Texans have beaten Indianapolis. They have never won in eight games at Indianapolis.

The Texans, though, have covered nine of the 17 meetings. The ‘over’ has cashed in 10 of the last 11 games between the two teams.

Arian Foster ran for a franchise-record 231 yards in the Texans’ win against the Colts. Indy's defense is hoping to neutralize Foster, who has been held to 96 yards rushing in his last two games, while Manning lights up a Houston defense that ranks last in total yards giving up 410.5 yards per game and is 31st in passing yards.

Both teams were idle last week. The Colts are expected to get back injured linebacker Gary Brackett.

Houston’s offense gets a boost with the return of left tackle Duane Brown from a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on banned substances. Brown neutralized pass-rushing terror Dwight Freeney in the first meeting.

Matt Schaub led the league in passing last season, but has been sacked 16 times and entered the week ranked 13th in passing yards. Brown should shore up the Texans’ pass protection. Star wideout Andre Johnson is close to 100 percent after missing one game with an ankle injury.

The Texans are without middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, lost for the year with an Achilles tendon injury. Reigning Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing will switch to middle linebacker to replace Ryans.

Jacoby Jones gives the Texans a dangerous return man. Indianapolis will be without suspended punter and kickoff specialist Pat McAfee.

Houston has covered seven of the last eight times as a road underdog. The Texans have won and covered in their two road contests this season beating Oakland, 31-24, as 3 ½-point favorites and defeating Washington, 30-27, as 2 ½-point favorites rallying from 17 points down.

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