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**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 07:21 AM

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- NFL teams train in obscure places: the Clippers are training in Las Vegas. Oy.

-- Texas Longhorns are a 16-point home dog this week, first time in at least 38 years they've been a double digit home underdog.

-- Former Dolphin coach Tony Sparano is interim coach of the Oakland Raiders.

-- Oregon Ducks played four games before classes started in Eugene; how big an advantage was that for the Ducks, if at all?

-- Former pro wrestler/turned actor Dwayne Johnson was once on practice squad of the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL.

-- Braves' hitting coach Greg Walker "resigned", a scapegoat for the front office stupidly signing the Upton brothers to big money contracts.

**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Our bottom 5, top 8 in NFL......

32) Raiders (0-4)-- When you fire your coach (by telephone) four games into the season when you’re starting a rookie QB, you’re the worst team in the league. Good news; they won’t lose this week, its their bye week.

31) Jaguars (0-4)—Saw reason for optimism with rookie QB Bortles in his first start, but the defense needs work; Chargers easily could’ve scored 50 points against them Sunday- they kicked FG on all four red zone drives. .

30) Titans (1-3)—Three lopsided losses since opening win, Locker is hurt already. Look for LSU rookie Mettenberger to emerge as their #1 QB.

29) Jets (1-3)—Vikings are only NFC North team that hasn’t beaten them and that is only because they haven’t played yet. If Geno Smith doesn’t stop turning ball over, he’s going to be playing for a new coach and GM next season.

28) Rams (1-2)—Blew 21-point lead at home to Dallas is Week 3; am encouraged by new QB Austin Davis, but at some point, this group needs to learn how to win.

8) Ravens (3-1)—Pitta’s injury is big blow to offense that likes tight ends to catch the ball. Imagine the media’s outrage if Ray Rice somehow gets reinstated? The Internet might implode.

7) Cowboys (3-1)—Jones Family could be unusual; son Steven might be wiser than his old man, who wanted to draft Johnny Manziel. In most of these rich families that own franchises, the kids turn out to be nitwits. Steven Jones is the Dallas voice of reason and they’ve improved.

6) Eagles (3-1)—Have been behind by 10+ points in all three wins; reason for concern that Foles might not finish season behind shaky OL.

5) Broncos (2-1)—The rich get richer: Peyton Manning goes to Denver, buys a few Papa John’s pizza places, marijuana gets legalized in Colorado, and #18 gets even wealthier. I’d say luck favors the prepared, but then you’d think I was talking about the Colts.

4) Seahawks (2-1)—Dicey Monday nighter in nation’s capitol, against Redskin team that turned ball over six times vs Giants last Thursday. Washington is 6-3 in last nine series games; all three losses came in playoffs.

3) Chargers (3-1)—Will be pass-oriented until they get Mathews healthy. Already on their third center this season.

2) Cardinals (3-0)—7-point underdog in Denver this week, despite their unbeaten record. Bruce Arians almost never got a chance to be an NFL head coach; in his 60’s now, he’s proving to be a very good one.

1) Bengals (3-0)—Will get stern test from New England Sunday night in Foxboro, after Patriots’ debacle in Arrowhead. Not ready to bury Pats yet; Cincy will get their best shot this week.

**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 07:23 AM

MLB
Dunkel

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1

Game 947-948: San Francisco at Pittsburgh (8:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 17.148; Pittsburgh (Volquez) 15.609
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-120); 6
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-120); Under

MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN FRANCISCO (88 - 74) at PITTSBURGH (88 - 74) - 8:05 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 85-90 (-19.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 96-105 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 88-74 (+5.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 51-30 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 21-4 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 51-30 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 65-43 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 81-64 (+15.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 357-363 (+50.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
VOLQUEZ is 48-32 (+20.6 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 88-74 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 43-38 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 18-7 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 88-74 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 58-44 (+9.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 49-38 (+9.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
BUMGARNER is 13-5 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 13-5 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 11-2 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-2 (+2.5 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
BUMGARNER is 1-3 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.24 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 1-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-0. (+4.0 units)

EDINSON VOLQUEZ vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
VOLQUEZ is 2-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 5.72 and a WHIP of 1.588.
His team's record is 3-8 (-5.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.6 units)

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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, October 1

Giants @ Pirates-- NL Wild Card
Bumgarner is 5-1, 2.42 in his last seven starts; he allowed five runs in four IP in his only start vs Pirates this year. He is 3-2, 3.79 in six postseason starts.

Volquez is 2-0, 1.54 in his last six starts; he allowed four iruns in 1.2 IP in his only postseason start, for Reds in '10. He didn't face Pittsburgh this season.

Giants lost five of last six road games, are 4-6 in last ten overall; they won the World Series in 2010 and 2012.

Pirates made playoffs last year for first time in 21 years- they've won 11 of their last 13 home games.

Bumgarner 19-14....10-33 first inning
Volquez 18-13.........8-31 first inning

MLB

Wednesday, October 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:07 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. PITTSBURGH
San Francisco is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing at home against San Francisco

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MLB

Wednesday, October 1

Volquez to face postseason demons

It has been four years since Edinson Volquez made his lone postseason start and it is a day he would like to forget. While pitching for the Cincinnati Reds, Volquez gave up four runs in 1.2 innings and walked away with a 21.60 ERA.

The Dominican rightie has a solid 13-7 record and 3.04 ERA during the regular season.

The Pirates are small +104 home dogs Wednesday.

Bumgarner inconsistent during postseason

There are few pitchers at the age of 25 that has as much postseason experience as Madison Bumgarner. The leftie has already made seven postseason appearances while going 3-2, but proving to be inconsistent.

Bumgarner is sporting a solid 3.79 ERA, but that includes a 2.0 inning relief effort in 2010. Three appearances saw Bumgarner give up zero runs, while the other four appearances have seen him abused for 27 hits an 15 runs.

San Fran is currently -113 faves against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday.

Dodgers' Gordon cleared for NLDS opener

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon is a go for Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals after sitting out the final game of the regular season with a hip injury.

Gordon was cleared to play in the series opener in Los Angeles after making it through a workout with the team on Tuesday.

He left Saturday night's game against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning after grounding out to shortstop in his first at-bat. A similar injury forced him to miss a game earlier in the month.

In 148 regular-season games, Gordon batted .289 and had 64 stolen bases, a NL-best 12 triples and 92 runs. He was named to his first NL All-Star team in July.

**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 11:51 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Wednesday, October 1

San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates, 8:05 ET
Bumgarner: 10-1 TSR as a road favorite
Volquez: PITTSBURGH is 33-16 UNDER off a loss to a division rival as a favorite

TSR = Team Start Record

**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 01:40 PM

MLB

Wednesday, October 1

Giants, Bumgarner cashing as road faves

The San Francisco Giants are 7-0 in Madison Bumgarner's last seven starts as a road favorite.

The Giants are currently -109 road faves for the National League Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The Giants have won as road faves at Arizona twice (-178, -137), at the Chicago Cubs (-175), at the New York Mets (-122), at Philadelphia (-140), at Miami (-127) and at Cincinnati (-119).

**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 05:09 PM

NASCAR Driver Capsules, Oct. 1

Capsules for the 12 drivers remaining in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

2 BRAD KESELOWSKI, Ford

Team: Penske Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: Brad Keselowski went from being in sole possession of the top spot in Chase for the Sprint Cup standings and into a 12-way tie for first after the points were reset following this past Sunday's race at Dover. It was at that race that the first four of an eventual 12 drivers were eliminated.

KANSAS RECORD: 9 career starts, 1 win, 2 top-5s, 4 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: First in spring 2011. Finished 17th in this race last season and was 13th in this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: Keselowski hopes to start off the second round of the Chase the same way he did the first round, with a win. He has a good shot at that, given that both Chicagoland (Chase opening site) and Kansas Speedway are both 1.5-miles and almost identical to each other. "I won my first race as the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite car at Kansas back in 2011 and that makes this track kind of special to the team and me. We didn't run as well as we would've liked to in the spring race earlier this year so that gives us added determination to improve our performance this weekend. The team has been working diligently on enhancing our platform for this race, and we should be good this weekend. We are going into Kansas with the confidence of our recent successes and having a win here adds to that as well. It would be great to come out of this one on top."

LOOKING BACK: Keselowski led the third-most laps at Dover (78) but couldn't quite catch race winner Jeff Gordon in the closing laps, settling for a second place finish.

ETC.: Keselowski has completed a near-perfect 99.9 percent (2,407) of the 2,408 total laps contested in 9 career starts at Kansas. His average start there is 15.8 and average finish is 10.6. He has zero DNFs there.

22 JOEY LOGANO, Ford

Team: Penske Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: By virtue of resetting of the Sprint Cup points after this past Sunday's race at Dover, Joey Logano starts Round 2 (Contender Round) in a 12-way tie for first place.

KANSAS RECORD: 10 career starts, 0 win, 2 top-5s, 2 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Fourth in fall 2013 and spring 2014. Finished fourth in this race last year and was also fourth in this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: Like teammate Brad Keselowski, Logano hopes to win a race in the Contender Round of the Chase, just as he did in the opening Challenger Round (at New Hampshire). "We just have to keep doing what we are doing," Logano said. "I'm pretty proud to look at the sheet and know that we are the only team in the entire series that got top fives in the first three races of the Chase, and we had the best average finish. I know Brad and his team had the second-best average finish, so I think that says a lot about Team Penske and how we are doing right now. ... No reason to reinvent the wheel. The things we have been doing all year long have been working, so we just need to keep doing things the same way. We can make a few tweaks here and there, and that's what you need to do to stay competitive. I know we'd really like to go out there and win Kansas or Charlotte so we cannot worry about Talladega and be locked into the next round."

LOOKING BACK: After winning the week before at New Hampshire, Logano had another strong race at Dover, finishing fourth.

ETC.: Logano has completed 93.5 percent (2,501) of the 2,675 laps contested in 10 career starts at Kansas. His average start there is 11.5, but his average finish is a mediocre 21.7. He has one DNF there.

4 KEVIN HARVICK, Chevrolet

Team: Stewart-Haas Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: After two strong finishes at Chicagoland (fifth) and New Hampshire (third), Kevin Harvick struggled somewhat at Dover, ending up 13th, mostly due to a flat tire he had late in the race that prompted him to come into the pits twice for service and also to fix damage caused by the blowout. Still, he managed to rally back to finish with a decent 13th-place showing. Even better, with the points being reset after Dover, he's now part of a 12-way tie for first place heading into Sunday's race at Kansas.

KANSAS RECORD: 17 career starts, 1 wins, 3 top-5s, 8 top-10s, 2 poles. Best career finish: First in fall 2013. Finished a career-best first in this race last year and was runner-up in this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: After winning this race last fall and almost winning again this spring, Harvick is primed for his first win of this year's Chase. Had it not been for the blown tire at Dover, he may have had a chance to win there. But this Sunday's race is arguably his best chance of all to reach victory lane in the playoffs. "We expect to be fast and just have to have some good luck," Harvick said of Kansas. "That is really what it's all about for us. The car will be fast, it's just about getting it all to come together."

LOOKING BACK: For the second straight Chase race, Harvick led the most laps at Dover (223 of the scheduled 400), but a flat tire cost him dearly. To his credit, however, Harvick was able to salvage a 13th-place finish.

ETC.: Harvick has completed 97.5 percent (4,377 laps) of the 4,487 total laps contested in 77 career starts at Kansas. His average start there is 17.5 and his average finish is 11.5. He has one DNF there.

48 JIMMIE JOHNSON, Chevrolet

Team: Hendrick Motorsports

WHERE HE STANDS: Six-time and defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has had a decent - but not typical Chase thus far. He's been relatively consistent, but has yet to win a Chase race, has yet to take the championship lead in the points and really hasn't been, well, the Jimmie Johnson that has dominated six of the last eight seasons. Will he start getting his mojo back now in the second round of the Chase? But being part of a 12-way tie for first place, Kansas could be where Johnson finally begins to make a definitive statement that he's bound and determined to get a seventh championship in 2014.

KANSAS RECORD: 16 career starts, 2 wins, 6 top-5s, 14 top-10s, 3 poles. Best career finish: First in 2008 and fall 2011. Finished sixth in this race last year and was ninth in this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: If Johnson is to win a seventh Sprint Cup championship, which would tie him with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for most championships won by a driver, he's going to have to start kicking things into gear Sunday at Kansas. If he doesn't, he may not be able to mount a big rally in the remaining races to make the final four of the Chase, let alone win the crown. Here's his thoughts on Kansas Speedway: "Kansas can be kind of freaky because there is not much wear on the tire. Strategy is going to be a big part of that. Charlotte can kind of play that same role. I certainly want to be victorious in one of the (next) two so I don't have to worry about Talladega."

LOOKING BACK: Much like he did at New Hampshire, Johnson also did not lead any laps at Dover, but had a strong finish (third) just like he did at Loudon (fifth). If he's not going to win races, at least he can keep himself in the Chase hunt with consistency.

ETC.: Johnson has completed a near-perfect 99.3 percent (4,191) of 4,220 total laps in 16 career starts at Kansas. His average start there is 11.0, with an outstanding average finish of 7.6, one of his best showings on any track on the Sprint Cup circuit. He has one DNF there.

24 JEFF GORDON, Chevrolet

Team: Hendrick Motorsports

WHERE HE STANDS: Jeff Gordon is riding high after his win at Dover this past Sunday. Unfortunately, with the points reset after Dover, every one of the 12 remaining Chase drivers come into Kansas tied for first.

KANSAS RECORD: 17 career starts, 3 wins, 10 top-5s, 12 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: First in 2001, 2002 and spring 2014. Finished third in this race last year and won this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: Gordon comes into Kansas not only riding the momentum of his win at Dover this past Sunday, but also having won at Kansas this spring. What better way for Gordon to start off the second round of the Chase (Contenders Round) than with a second consecutive win? "The rounds will just get tougher and tougher," Gordon said of the Chase. "In this round, I think everyone hopes to get to Talladega without having to worry about posting a good finish since that race is very unpredictable and there's the likelihood of a big wreck that could shake things up. We won at Kansas earlier this year, so we're excited about this weekend. We'd like to get another win to go ahead and clinch a spot in the Eliminator Round. But if we don't, solid finishes this weekend and at Charlotte hopefully put us in a good position before Talladega."

LOOKING BACK: Gordon was at the right place at the right time, taking advantage of Kevin Harvick's tire issue, allowing him to get the lead late in the race and hold on for his fourth win of the season - not to mention clinching his berth in the Chase's second round.

ETC.: Gordon has completed a near-perfect 99.1 percent (4,447) of the 4,487 total laps contested in 17 career starts at Kansas. His average start is 13.7 and his average finish is 10.1. He has two DNFs there.

18 KYLE BUSCH, Toyota

Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: For the first time in his career, Kyle Busch is in the lead for the Chase - well, he's part of a 12-driver tie for first, that is. Still, he comes into Kansas knowing his time is now if he's going to be a serious challenger for the championship. Busch's best career finish in the Chase was fourth (last season). Whether he can mount a serious challenge to finally get that elusive first Cup crown is up to him.

KANSAS RECORD: 14 career starts, 0 win, 0 top-5s, 2 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Seventh in 2006. Finished 34th in this race last year and was 15th in this year's spring race there.

LOOKING AHEAD: For whatever reason, Busch and Kansas Speedway just can't seem to get along. That he's failed to finish no higher than seventh in his career there is surprising, since 1.5-mile tracks are among his favorite. What's worse is that prior to his 15th-place finish there this spring, Busch wrecked out in the previous three races there. Will his luck finally change this Sunday? "There are many places we've been in my career that I've struggled at, but we've gone back to the drawing board and, thanks to Dave (crew chief Dave Rogers) and the guys, we've made huge strides at a number of places," Busch said. "I've been terrible at places like Martinsville, Pocono, Michigan and others, but we've had some solid finishes at those places by trying different things. So we're hoping we can build on what we learned there in the spring and improve our finish and run a smart race and see where it puts us with our M&M's Camry. It's not that you might not like a track or might not like a race, or something like that. It's just a matter of trying to figure it out. Once you kind of get it figured out, or get the right situations kind of lined up, you can have a shot."

LOOKING BACK: Busch is living up to his prediction of consistency over wins, finishing seventh at Chicagoland, eighth at New Hampshire and 10th this past Sunday at Dover. But a win in the second round would be a huge confidence boost and show Busch potentially is a legitimate championship contender.

ETC.: Busch has completed a mediocre 86.5 percent (3,188) of the 3,686 total laps contested in 14 career starts at Kansas. His average start there is 17.0 and his average finish is a mediocre 22.7. He has four DNFs there.

88 DALE EARNHARDT, JR., Chevrolet

Team: Hendrick Motorsports

WHERE HE STANDS: 7th, tied for first as points are reset for the contender round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

KANSAS RECORD: Will be seeking his third straight top-eight finish and fourth in the last five races. Overall has eight top-10 finishes in 16 starts including one second-place finish.

LOOKING AHEAD: Earnhardt said, "We have had fast cars all season but it hasn't been good the last couple of weeks. We are bringing the chassis that won both Poconos over the summer. So I'm looking forward to getting on track in Kansas and seeing what kind of speed we have."

LOOKING BACK: It was not the day that Earnhardt expected as he struggled all afternoon en route to a 17th-place finish. "We didn't run good obviously," said Earnhardt. "We struggled with our car all day long. We were real loose on entry (into the corner) and real tight in the center. The balance was bad at the start of the run and at the end of the run. So we never had a moment during the race where our car was very good and competitive. We just missed the setup pretty bad. I drove hard. The team worked hard. Seventeenth was as good as we could run."

ETC.: Earnhardt knows the team has to run a lot better than it did in the first three races of the Chase if it wants to continue to advance. In the first three races, he finished 11th, ninth and 17th. "We know that's not good enough to win a championship," said Earnhardt. "But we get to move forward and start from scratch. Trust me, we're going to work and try to find everything we can to get better."

20 MATT KENSETH, Toyota

Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: 8th, tied for first as points are reset for the contender round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

KANSAS RECORD: Two wins and seven top-10 finishes in the last eight races.

LOOKING AHEAD: Kenseth said, "I enjoy racing at Kansas, and was lucky enough to get a few wins there since the track was repaved. We earned a top-10 finish in the spring race, but I'm hopeful that we can do even better this weekend since we've had a lot more of the season to adapt to all the changes in the rules package than we did back in May."

LOOKING BACK: Kenseth finished fifth at Dover for his second straight top-five finish at the one-mile track and third consecutive top-seven finish. "There were times when the car was better than where we finished and other times it was worse," said Kenseth. "We were pretty competitive in the middle of the race and then just got too free one run and too tight one run. I couldn't do very good on restarts, and that really hurt us bad. I'd lose so many spots over the restart and just too hard to get them back, But overall, we were pretty good."

ETC.: Kenseth is a "big fan" of the decision NASCAR announced recently to eliminate testing in 2015. "I especially like the no Daytona testing stuff - we really don't learn anything there (in January). The way I look at it is that it's kind of same for everybody depending on what happens with the Goodyear tests, but from the rumors I hear of how we're going to do that and provide a car from every organization, I think that makes it fair for every organization whether you have one team or four."

31 RYAN NEWMAN, Chevrolet

Team: Richard Childress Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: 9th, tied for first as the points are reset for the contender round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

KANSAS RECORD: One win and four top-10 finishes including three top-two finishes in 17 starts. Finished 11th in the May race.

LOOKING AHEAD: Newman believes "Kansas and Charlotte are going to be so important for us to do well in this segment because Talladega is going to be such a crap shoot. It sure would be nice to win Kansas or Charlotte take Talladega totally out of the mix. (A win advances the driver to the next round automatically.) The track (at Kansas) is super smooth and super fast. It takes a lot of power. You spend so much time wide open and it will take a well-balanced car (to run well at Kansas)."

LOOKING BACK: Newman was all smiles after finishing eighth at Dover. "We weren't where we needed to be all the way through happy hour," said Newman. "The guys did a great job with the Quicken Loans Chevrolet to make it more driveable. I cannot say enough about the team effort to get this car to the point that we could contend for a transfer spot and finish top-10. Just fought hard all day. Just a good run for our Chevy. We didn't win the race, not the end result we want, but we won a small battle today and we get a chance to keep fighting this war."

ETC.: Newman has high hopes for the rest of the Chase. "I really like our positioning now," said Newman. "We are on an absolutely even playing field. There are no wins, no bonus points, nothing right now. We have a better shot (to win the championship) now than we ever did."

99 CARL EDWARDS, Ford

Team: Roush Fenway Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: 10th, tied for first as points are reset for the contender round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.

KANSAS RECORD: Will be seeking his third consecutive top-six finish. Overall has 10 top-10 finishes including five top-five's in 14 starts including one second-place finish.

LOOKING AHEAD: Edwards feels his team is making real progress in its bid to "have more speed. We keep making small gains, and getting the opportunity to be in the same position as the guys in front of us is a huge opportunity for us. We've got to capitalize on it and go run well at Kansas and Charlotte. We know we can win Talladega, so I look forward to that race. That's the first time I've ever looked forward to Talladega in the Chase, but I'm looking forward to it."

LOOKING BACK: Edwards finished 11th at Dover. "It was just a solid day," said Edwards. "The car was actually pretty decent and everybody did a really good job. The pit crew did great and Jimmy (Fennig, crew chief) did a great job with the car and that's what we needed. We had a top-10 car and finished 11th, but I think if I would have done a little better job on the restarts we would be been better."

ETC.: As Edwards winds down his career with Roush Fenway Racing, he points out "there are a bunch of things that are important to me right now. I want to do very well for Jack (Roush) and finish strong. This is Jimmy Fennig's last year on the box, but honestly, more important than that to me is I understand how fleeting and how rare these opportunities are to win championships. They come once a year if you're lucky, so I just want to make the most of it."

11 DENNY HAMLIN, Toyota

Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

WHERE HE STANDS: 11th, tied for first as points are reset for the contender round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

KANSAS RECORD: One win and three top-five finishes in 12 starts.

LOOKING AHEAD: Hamlin is very optimistic about the rest of the season. "The tracks just keep getting better for us as this Chase goes on," said Hamlin. "We're sitting in good shape. We're as level as anyone right now. This is going to be a great comeback story if we can keep it going. This (advancing to the contender round) is like a new life."

LOOKING BACK: Hamlin began the day six points outside the top 12 in his bid to advance to the second round of the Chase. But he quickly moved into contention for a spot in the top 12 as he ran in the top seven for the first half of the race. Things got a little nerve-wracking in the final 100 laps as he dropped out of the top 10. But Hamlin ended the day four points to the good as he finished 12th. "Luckily we had good track position from qualifying (third) and just kind of kept it all day," said Hamlin. "We just started fading there at the end. A little bit on the defensive on my part, but still we lost the handle (on the car). Just happy this all resets and all (of us) start from scratch again."

ETC.: Hamlin said when it comes to the next three races he is "just going to race each one individually, week-to-week. For me, it's all about just getting our best finish each and every week. I mean that's all you can do in this deal. You just need to make sure you don't have any bad days. That's the biggest thing."

5 KASEY KAHNE, Chevrolet

Team: Hendrick Motorsports

WHERE HE STANDS: 12th, tied for first as points are reset for the contender round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

KANSAS RECORD: Finished third in the May race for his fifth top-eight finish in the last six races including two runner-up finishes.

LOOKING AHEAD: Crew chief Kenny Francis feels "like we've actually been running a lot better lately. Our stuff is really coming around. We've hit some stuff that we think is really helping us. We feel like that's going to transfer into Kansas - and we finished third at Kansas earlier in the year. Charlotte, we usually run pretty good. We feel like we're on the right track with our cars and our setups. Hopefully, it's all coming together; it seems like it's all coming together."

LOOKING BACK: For the first 159 laps, Kahne looked to be in great shape in his bid to advance to the second round of the Chase for the Championship. But on lap 160, he was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop for a loose wheel as he dropped to 26th, two laps down. Kahne was forced to play catch-up for the rest of the race since he was now off sequence from the rest of the field. At one time he fell four laps down. But Kahne got lucky with a timely caution flag on lap 261 as he was able to pull within one lap of the leaders. Kahne made up six spots in the final 100 laps to finish 20th and edge A J Allmendinger for the final transfer spot by only two points. "The team prepared a great car so I was fortunate to have that and drive our way back to barely advance," said Kahne. "I had to push hard. We had to fight hard. It got pretty interesting, but I'm glad we made it."

ETC.: Kahne knows the team cannot expect to advance to the third round if they make the kind of mistake that they had on pit road at Dover. "We've struggled all season with that (miscues on pit road)," said Kahne. "But they (the pit crew) work hard and I know they'll keep working hard. I just told them if you guys want to go further, it's time to step up. It's time to put our best stuff out there. I know they want to. Hopefully we can keep moving on."

**Udog** · 10-01-2014, 05:42 PM

Playoff contenders talk next Chase round

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Now that the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup field has been whittled from 16 to 12 drivers in the new championship format, those contenders are looking ahead to the three-race round that will kick off with Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola and Greg Biffle were cut from Chase contention after the AAA Dover 400 last Sunday, while the 12 advancing drivers had their points adjusted for the next round. The points adjustment is a reset button, of sorts, with 12 drivers beginning the second round on even ground, each with 3,000 points.

The second round contains, perhaps, the biggest unknown of the Chase in Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The contender round includes Sunday's race at Kansas City, Kan., the only night race in the Chase the following weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Oct. 19 race at Talladega.

Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano and four-time champion Jeff Gordon advanced to the second round the guaranteed way by winning races, while the other nine skirted ahead on points. As the field is pared down more and more with each round, winning races becomes more and more important.

In the second round, four more drivers will be cut after Talladega, with eight advancing to the three-race eliminator round.

With Talladega in the contender round, winning becomes goal No. 1 the next two weeks at Kansas and Charlotte, as drivers aim to guarantee their advancement to round three before heading into the unknown atmosphere at Talladega.

"It's not a lot of fun," Keselowski said of the Talladega unknowns. "Not a lot of fun for any of us. But it's part of it, and you have to work through it. It's part of the adversity of what it's going to take to win this thing and why it will mean so much to that person who does."

According to Chaser and 2012 Sprint Cup champion Keselowski, Kansas is also a wild card.

"Well, I think you look at this round, the contender round with Kansas, and you've got Talladega at the end. Charlotte probably not so much, but two of the three races are as much of a wild card as you can get in NASCAR racing these days," Keselowski said. "I think when we get all said and done, and it comes to Homestead and the championship's crown, whoever wins it will have earned it."

--Jimmie Johnson, the reigning Sprint Cup champion, is going for a historic seventh Sprint Cup to tie him with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most championship titles. But under the new format, the chances of a seventh title are farther away than the old format that placed more emphasis on points.

"In some ways it (a seventh Cup) kind of feels like it's farther away with this format, because you have a good sense of where you are in the points with the old format, and you know your deficit and know the advantage, whatever the situation may be," Johnson said. "Now you have to worry about advancing three times before you even have a chance at the trophy."

--Although the slate has been wiped clean to start the second round, Gordon, who won the most recent race at Dover, feels his Dover win was important heading into the contender round.

"I got asked after the Dover win in the media center about, does this win really mean much. To me, what means so much about it is carrying momentum into that next round, carrying momentum into Kansas, a great track for us historically, as well as this season."

--Logano is also pointing to his momentum as a benefit, heading into the second round. He won the week before Gordon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon and had an average finish of third through the first three races of the Chase.

"Momentum is confidence," Logano said. "We have confidence in not just myself but the road crew, the pit crew -- everyone is feeling good about what we've done. Even the weekends, last week we didn't have the strongest car, but we'll execute and get a nice top solid five out of it. That's what we have to do the next round."

--Carl Edwards doesn't believe coming as close as possible to winning a Sprint Cup without actually winning one -- when he finished out 2011 in a tie with champion Tony Stewart -- doesn't give him any experience to fall back on in the new system.

"I don't know if anything prior to this year helps you in this new format," Edwards said. "It's so different and so unique. I think we're all trying to figure out how to gain a system a little bit."

--Kevin Harvick is competing in the Chase with key members from teammate and car owner Tony Stewart's pit crew. While Harvick hasn't won since, he thinks the new crew members have been a help.

"It's been really good," Harvick said. "Everybody is doing a great job. We just need a little good luck to go along with everything that's going on. The first week, obviously, those guys took them a little bit to get into rhythm and had a good second half of the race. Had a good solid three weeks, had a great week at Dover last week. So they've done a great job."

Harvick dominated at Dover before falling victim to a valve-stem issue late in the race. He wound up finishing 13th.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2015, 10:19 AM

I have a question to the viewers here....i've broken down those trends today in ATS,Moneyline, and First half wagers....does this format work better or should i just leave it all bunched up together...I felt it was so much easier to read.....yes keep it like it is today or no bunch them up it doesn't matter.....

Thank You for Feed back......

**StarDust Bum** · 09-16-2015, 01:48 AM

NCAAF

Tuesday, September 15

Oregon QB Adams suffers broken finger

Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. has a broken right index finger but plans to continue to play, according to a CSN Northwest report Tuesday.

School officials have not confirmed the injury, which Adams suffered in the Ducks' season-opening win over Eastern Washington and then played through pain last Saturday night in a 31-28 loss at Michigan State.

Adams, a senior transfer from Eastern Washington, completed 22 of 39 passes for 309 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against the Spartans, but the injured finger clearly caused grip and accuracy problems as the game progressed.

In a postgame news conference, Adams was wearing a splint on the finger.

"We don't talk about injuries around here, but he wasn't at his best in that game," Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost said Monday.

If Adams is limited or sidelined for Saturday's game against Georgia State, the Ducks would turn to backup Jeff Lockie.

South Carolina QB Mitch remains hospitalized

South Carolina quarterback Connor Mitch is still in the hospital fighting an an internal infection but could be released soon.

A hip bruise suffered in a Sept. 3 win over North Carolina led to internal bleeding and the infection. Coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday that Mitch could be hospitalized for another day to receive treatment until he is released.

Mitch also separated his right shoulder in a loss to Kentucky last Saturday and is expected to be out four to six weeks.

Perry Orth, a former walk-on, is expected to start at quarterback in Mitch's place for the Gamecocks (1-1, 0-1) on Saturday night against seventh-ranked Georgia (2-0, 1-0) in a Southeastern Conference game.

Notre Dame TE Smythe out for season

Another season-ending injury hit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who ruled tight end Durham Smythe out for the 2015 season with a torn medial collateral knee ligament.

Smythe was inexperienced entering the season with just one career catch and had two receptions in the first two games of the season before he was hurt at Virginia.

None of the four tight ends remaining on the Irish roster have caught a pass in their college career.

Notre Dame also lost quarterback Malik Zaire (fractured ankle) in Saturday's victory at Virginia.

Running back Tarean Folston (knee) is out for the season. He was injured in the Sept. 5 win in South Bend over Texas.

Auburn stands behind QB Johnson

Auburn is standing behind struggling quarterback Jeremy Johnson, but his performance at LSU this week looms as a potential crossroads moment for the 2015 Tigers.

Johnson, viewed as a preseason Heisman Trophy quarterback, has five interceptions in 53 pass attempts and his performance last week left the Tigers ripe for the Jacksonville State upset bid.

"It's football," said Johnson. "Interceptions are going to happen. All the greats throw interceptions. I feel really good about where this team is, and where I'm at. I have a lot of confidence in myself, so does my team."

Head coach Gus Malzahn agreed with Johnson's sentiment that some of his mistakes were a byproduct of calling plays that didn't hit weak spots of the defense.

"I need to help Jeremy, too," Malzahn said.

Jones remains No. 1 QB for Buckeyes ... for now

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nothing has changed at quarterback for top-ranked Ohio State after last Saturday's 38-0 win over Hawaii.

Cardale Jones remains the starter over J.T. Barrett, coach Urban Meyer announced Monday. Neither played particularly well in the shutout win that saw the defense upstage the offense in the Buckeyes' 15th consecutive victory.

"Both of them will continue to get reps," Meyer said. "The approach I've taken is Cardale started, he's the starting quarterback.

"I met with him yesterday. J.T. has not beat him out yet. He's going to continue to have opportunities to do that because J.T. is a very good player and Cardale's got to perform."

Rutgers' top receiver arrested, suspended

Rutgers' star receiver, Leonte Carroo, is the latest Scarlet Knights football player to run afoul of the law. Carroo was charged with assault, and was suspended indefintiely from the team, the school announced Monday.

Carroo was arrested for assault in connection with domestic violence after Rutgers' game on Saturday. Rutgers Police Chief Kenneth Cop said the arrest resulted from an incident that occurred outside the team's training and administrative building.

Carroo's seven catches, 181 receiving yards and three touchdown catches all lead the team through two games this year. Last season he led the team with 55 receptions, 1,086 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches. He was selected to the all-Big Ten first team by the media in 2014, and is a team captain this year as a senior.

Arkansas' top receiver out six weeks

Arkansas wide receiver Keon Hatcher, the Razorbacks' leading receiver, will be sidelined for at least six weeks because of a foot injury suffered in Saturday's home loss to Toledo, coach Bret Bielema said Monday.

Bielema also said Hatcher was scheduled to have surgery on Monday.

This season, Hatcher leads the Razorbacks with 13 catches, 198 receiving yards and two touchdowns in two games. Last year, he led the team with 558 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.

Before the season started the Razorbacks lost last season's leading rusher, Jonathan Williams, for the season.

Arkansas was ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press poll last week, but dropped out of the rankings after losing at home to unranked Toledo.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-16-2015, 01:50 AM

NCAAF Line Watch: Wait for Air Force's spread to climb

Wait and grab Air Force with as many points as you can, especially if the line rises back up to +27 or +28.

Spread to bet now: Alabama -6.5 (vs. Mississippi)

Back and forth money has come in on this game so far with the line fluctuating between -6.5 to -8, and currently sitting on -6.5 in most locations with a few spots still showing -7. More money is likely to come in on Alabama later in the week, so laying less than a touchdown now makes sense.

My power ratings make Alabama a 7-point favorite in this game, so the line was correctly bet into place. However, Alabama is playing with legitimate revenge after losing 23-17 in Mississippi as 4.5-point road favorites last season. The Crimson Tide also have the scheduling edge in this game as they’ve already played Wisconsin while the Rebels played a pair of inferior opponents in UT Martin and Fresno State. Take Alabama now before the line goes up above a full touchdown.

Spread to wait on: Air Force +26.5 (at Michigan State)

Air Force lost starting quarterback Nate Romine for the season to a knee injury in their 37-16 win over San Jose State last week. Romine will be replaced by senior Karson Roberts, but the transition should be smooth and somewhat unnoticeable. The Falcons run the triple-option offense, and passing the football is an afterthought for Air Force. The Spartans opened as a 27.5-point home favorite, and the line quickly came down to -26.5, but it will likely creep up once the QB news becomes more known to the general betting public.

Michigan State is in a terrible situational and scheduling spot for this game. The Spartans come in off their spotlight revenge win over Oregon on Saturday night. Not only that, but Michigan State is going from defending the up-tempo spread offense of Oregon to the triple-option offense of Air Force. That’s a dramatic difference, and the Spartans only have a week to prepare. Wait and grab Air Force with as many points as you can, especially if the line rises back up to +27 or +28.

Total to watch: Texas Tech/Arkansas 67

Texas Tech and Arkansas play completely different styles of football. The Red Raiders play a wide-open offense while throwing the football on just about every play. The Razorbacks have a powerful rushing attack that simply wears defenses down as the game goes on.

The total opened at 64.5, but it was quickly bet up to the current price of 67. The match-up sets up perfectly for a high-scoring game as Arkansas doesn’t see wide-open passing attacks in the SEC while Texas Tech doesn’t face physical running teams in the Big 12. Both offenses should have a lot of success, so a shootout is expected on Saturday.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-16-2015, 01:53 AM

Mid-Major Money: Big profits from NCAAF small conferences

The Bowling Green Falcons are already battle tested just two weeks into the season and their offense has been impressive to start the year.

Team to watch: Bowling Green Falcons

This week: +3 vs. Memphis

The Bowling Green Falcons come into this contest off a big win at Maryland in Week 2. The Falcons looked extremely impressive on the road against a Big Team team and gave the SEC’s Tennessee Volunteers all they could handle in Week 1. This team is already battle tested just two weeks into the season and their offense has been impressive to start the year.

They showed no issue with being on the road and now that they’re heading back home, they should be able to keep their momentum going. There is always a concern of a potential letdown spot after such a big win and while their defense certainly leaves something to be desired, getting points at home with such a dynamic offense is tough to pass up.

Team to beware of: Army Black Knights

This week: +6 vs. Wake Forrest

On paper, this is simply a bad matchup for the Black Knights. Army has been absolutely shredded through the air in their first two contests, surrendering 322 and 270 passing yards to both Fordham and Connecticut, two teams not typically known for their passing attacks.

This week, Army goes up against a Demon Deacon team that has averaged 380 yards through the air in its first two games, with the most recent being a 373-yard performance on the road at Syracuse. Throw in the fact that Wake Forest is 5-2 ATS and 7-0 SU against the Black Knights and this game could get ugly early.

Total team to watch: Eastern Michigan Eagles

This week: 63.5 at home vs Ball State

While Eastern Michigan hasn't lit up the scoreboard against top-notch competition, its re-tooled offense has increased production and they have become very balanced on both sides of the ball. The Eagles should have no issues moving the ball up and down the field on the Cardinals who have been giving up an average of 525 yards per game on defense.

Defense was a big problem for the Eagles last season as they were the worst defensive team in the country. They’ve taken a step up this year, however, they still have a long way to go. The offense will put up points, but the defense will give them all back. In these cases, the best defense is offense. Plenty of points should be scored here.

**StarDust Bum** · 10-03-2015, 03:25 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Colorado - 4:05 PM ET San Francisco -126 500 DOUBLE PLAY
San Francisco - Under 7.5 500

Miami - 4:05 PM ET Philadelphia +111 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Philadelphia - Over 7.5 500

Toronto - 6:10 PM ET Toronto -104 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Tampa Bay - Over 7 500

**StarDust Bum** · 10-03-2015, 03:32 PM

MLB EVENING GAMES:

NY Yankees - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore +102 500 *****
Baltimore - Under 7.5 500

Cincinnati - 7:05 PM ET Pittsburgh -210 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Pittsburgh - Under 7.5 500

Boston - 7:10 PM ET Cleveland -180 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Cleveland - Under 7.5 500

Detroit - 7:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox +114 500
Chi. White Sox - Over 7 500

St. Louis - 7:10 PM ET St. Louis -150 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Atlanta - Under 7 500

Chi. Cubs - 7:10 PM ET Chi. Cubs -159 500 GRAND SLAM
Milwaukee - Over 8 500

Washington - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets -115 500 DOUBLE PLAY
NY Mets - Under 6.5 500

Miami - 7:35 PM ET Miami -130 500
Philadelphia - Over 8 500

Houston - 8:10 PM ET Houston -170 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Arizona - Over 8.5 500

Oakland - 9:10 PM ET Seattle -159 500
Seattle - Under 8 500

San Diego - 9:10 PM ET LA Dodgers -253 500 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM
LA Dodgers - Under 6.5 500

**Udog** · 10-03-2015, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by StarDust Bum View Post

I have a question to the viewers here....i've broken down those trends today in ATS,Moneyline, and First half wagers....does this format work better or should i just leave it all bunched up together...I felt it was so much easier to read.....yes keep it like it is today or no bunch them up it doesn't matter.....

Thank You for Feed back......

yes

**StarDust Bum** · 10-08-2015, 01:00 PM

MLB MONEYLINE

MLB > (909) TEXAS@ (910) TORONTO | 2015-10-09 12:45:00 - 2015-10-09 12:45:00
Play ON TEXAS using money line when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 23 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (+18.77 units)

MLB > (901) TEXAS@ (902) TORONTO | 2015-10-08 16:05:00 - 2015-10-08 16:05:00
Play ON TEXAS using money line when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 23 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (+18.77 units)

MLB > (907) NY METS@ (908) LA DODGERS | 2015-10-09 21:45:00 - 2015-10-09 21:45:00
Play AGAINST LA DODGERS using money line after 3 or more consecutive wins
The record is 20 Wins and 27 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.35 units)

MLB > (911) HOUSTON@ (912) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-09 15:45:00 - 2015-10-09 15:45:00
Play ON KANSAS CITY using money line against right-handed starters
The record is 64 Wins and 40 Losses for the this season (+18.95 units)

MLB > (903) HOUSTON@ (904) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-08 20:05:00 - 2015-10-08 20:05:00
Play ON KANSAS CITY using money line against right-handed starters
The record is 64 Wins and 40 Losses for the this season (+18.95 units)

---------------------------------------------

MLB RUNLINE

MLB > (901) TEXAS@ (902) TORONTO | 2015-10-08 16:05:00 - 2015-10-08 16:05:00
Play ON TORONTO vs. right-handed starters
The record is 37 Wins and 25 Losses for the this season (+16.9 units)

MLB > (909) TEXAS@ (910) TORONTO | 2015-10-09 12:45:00 - 2015-10-09 12:45:00
Play ON TORONTO in home games
The record is 46 Wins and 35 Losses for the this season (+19 units)

--------------------------------------

MLB TOTALS

MLB > (903) HOUSTON@ (904) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-08 20:05:00 - 2015-10-08 20:05:00
Play UNDER KANSAS CITY on the total when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Overs and 38 Unders for the this season (+20.65 units)

MLB > (911) HOUSTON@ (912) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-09 15:45:00 - 2015-10-09 15:45:00
Play UNDER KANSAS CITY on the total when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Overs and 38 Unders for the this season (+20.65 units)

MLB > (907) NY METS@ (908) LA DODGERS | 2015-10-09 21:45:00 - 2015-10-09 21:45:00
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total against right-handed starters
The record is 75 Overs and 44 Unders for the last two seasons (+30.35 units)

--------------------------------

MLB TOP POWERLINES

MLB > (901) TEXAS @ (902) TORONTO | 2015-10-08 16:05:00 - 2015-10-08 16:05:00
Line: TEXAS BTB PowerLine: TEXAS-170
Edge On: TEXAS (40)

MLB > (903) HOUSTON @ (904) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-08 20:05:00 - 2015-10-08 20:05:00
Line: HOUSTON BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON113
Edge On: HOUSTON (37)

MLB > (905) CHICAGO CUBS @ (906) ST LOUIS | 2015-10-09 06:45:00 - 2015-10-09 06:45:00
Line: CHICAGO CUBS BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO CUBS102
Edge On: CHICAGO CUBS (2)

MLB > (907) NY METS @ (908) LA DODGERS | 2015-10-09 21:45:00 - 2015-10-09 21:45:00
Line: NY METS BTB PowerLine: NY METS-122
Edge On: NY METS (48)

Announcement

Wednesday's Trends and Indexes - 10/1 (MLB, CFL, Misc.)

Wednesday's Trends and Indexes - 10/1 (MLB, CFL, Misc.)

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