The Bum's 2017 Canadian Football League Picks/Trends/News thru Grey Cup !!

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, Aug. 12

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-6 SU, 2-4 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -2 ½
Total: 59 ½

Game Overview

The Blue Bombers have been a scoring machine this season with an average of 33.7 PPG, but they have actually given up seven more points than they have posted which equates to a points-allowed average of 34.8. Matt Nichols has led the way with 1,757 yards passing and 11 touchdown throws and Andrew Harris has anchored the running game with 283 yards and four scores on 65 rushing attempts.

Hamilton looked much better in last week’s five-point loss to Edmonton after being on the wrong side of an embarrassing 60-1 loss to Calgary the week before as a 12 ½-point road underdog. The Tiger-Cats have averaged just 19.7 PPG this year while allowing an average of 39 points a game on defense. Zach Collaros has pretty much gone the distance at quarterback this season and he has thrown for 1,425 yards and six scores.

Betting Trends

-- The Tiger-Cats have won eight of the last 11 meetings SU and it has a 6-3 edge ATS in their last nine games against the Blue Bombers. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 10 meetings in Hamilton

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Saturday, August 12

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WINNIPEG (4 - 2) at HAMILTON (0 - 6) - 8/12/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 2-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 2-2 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, August 12

7:30 PM
WINNIPEG vs. HAMILTON
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing Hamilton
Hamilton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
Hamilton is 3-11-1 ATS in its last 15 games

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Winnipeg (4-2) @ Hamilton (0-6)— TiCats have new DC after 33-28 loss in Edmonton LW; they are 0-2 at home, losing 41-26 to BC, 31-28 to Edmonton. Hamilton’s last five games went over total; they’re 1-4-1 vs spread in all games. Teams split last six meetings, with Bombers winning both games LY; they won two of last three visits here- under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Winnipeg won three of last four games; they’re 2-1 at home, with wins by 8-1 points, and 29-10 loss to Calgary. Last four Bomber games went over the total.

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Saturday, August 12

Winnipeg @ Hamilton

Game 375-376
August 12, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
112.902
Hamilton
106.135
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Winnipeg
by 7
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Winnipeg
by 2 1/2
59 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(-2 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's CFL betting preview and odds: Blue Bombers at Tiger-Cats

Winnipeg has scored at least 33 points in each of its last four games and can improve to 4-0 against East Division opponents in 2017 with another victory.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+2.5, 59.5)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to extend their winning streak to three games when they battle the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on the road Saturday. The Blue Bombers have won back-to-back games on the final play as Andrew Harris ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the 41-40 victory against the Montreal Alouettes before Justin Medlock kicked a field goal as time expired to down the Ottawa Redblacks 33-30, and hope to win their third straight meeting with the Tiger-Cats after sweeping the season series in 2016.

Winnipeg has scored at least 33 points in each of its last four games and can improve to 4-0 against East Division opponents in 2017 with another victory. Hamilton is still searching for its first win of the season following a 33-28 setback to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 7. The Tiger-Cats demoted defensive coordinator Jeff Reinebold on Tuesday and replaced him with former linebackers coach Phillip Lolley, who will be tasked with turning around a struggling unit which ranks last in points allowed (39) and net yards allowed (460.8) per game. "Phillip is a great football mind that has been around the game at all levels for a very long time," Hamilton coach Kent Austin told reporters. "He has been an excellent addition to our coaching staff this season and we fully expect him to flourish in his expanded role with our team moving forward."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

LINE HISTORY: The Blue Bombers opened as 2.5-point road favorites and was bet down as low at 1.5 before bouncing back to an even 2. The total opened at 59.5 and has yet to move off the opening number.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS, 5-1 O/U): Medlock was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after he kicked six field goals, including the game-winning 38-yard attempt as time expired, against Ottawa. "Most guys that are at the top of the heap in their craft make it look easy," Winnipeg coach Mike O'Shea said of Medlock. "He works extremely hard to make it look like that." Wide receiver Addison Richards, who was selected 11th overall in the 2015 CFL Draft, announced his retirement after a slew of injuries hampered his ability to stay in the lineup.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (0-6 SU, 1-4-1 ATS, 5-1 O/U): Zach Collaros threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns against Edmonton after being limited to 102 yards the previous week against the Calgary Stampeders. All-star defensive back Emanuel Davis, who hasn't made an appearance this year because of injury, practiced with the team this week and could be in line to make his season debut. Hamilton made a series of roster moves as they signed offensive lineman Tony Washington, defensive end Mike McAdoo and wide receiver Gerell Robinson while releasing quarterback Logan Kilgore and wide receiver Kevin Elliott, who has caught 11 touchdown passes since 2015 with Toronto and Hamilton.

TRENDS:

* Blue Bombers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games.

* Tiger-Cats are 0-6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games.

* Over is 10-1 in Blue Bombers last 11 road games.

* Over is 5-0 in Tiger-Cats last 5 games overall.

* Over is 4-0 in Tiger-Cats last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.

CONSENSUS: The road favorite Blue Bombers are getting 63 percent of the action from Covers users and the Under is picking up 56 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.

EXTRA POINTS:

* Winnipeg has scored more than 40 points in three of its six games in 2017.

* Hamilton has given up an average of 41.3 points over its last three contests.

* Collaros is winless in his last 10 regular-season starts.

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW
STAGE SET FOR BOMBERS, TICATS ON SATURDAY NIGHT

HAMILTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are set to clash with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for a Saturday night showdown at Tim Hortons Field.

The Bombers are going for their third straight victory while the Ticats are still searching for their first win of the season.

The Bombers narrowly edged the reigning Grey Cup champion Ottawa REDBLACKS in Week 7 with a buzzer beater field goal for a 33-30 win. It was the second straight week that Winnipeg pulled off a last second victory after scoring two touchdowns in the final two minutes against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 6 for a thrilling 40-41 win.

Matt Nichols completed 25-of-38 passes for 319 yards and one touchdown, continuing to surge his way up the CFL’s Quarterback index.

Receiver T.J. Thorpe will get his fourth straight start since coming off the practice roster. The 24-year-old has quickly become one of Nichols’ favourite marks, averaging almost nine targets a game and has caught 20 of 26 passes thrown in his direction.

The West Division is shaking up to be another tight race this year with the Bombers trailing the BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders by just two points. A win this week for Winnipeg would set up a three-way logjam for second place in the West.

The Bombers have had equal success at home and on the road this year. Winnipeg has a 2-1 record this season in opposing stadiums and have won nine of their past twelve games away from Investors Group Field. It’s an impressive feat that Nichols credits his entire team for.

“I think it says a lot about a group of guys that can go and handle the tough elements this league has to offer when you’re on the road and be able to stay focused and get the job done,” Nichols told BlueBombers.com. “I’d say out of those nine wins I don’t remember an easy one and we know we’ve got another challenge ahead of us tomorrow (Saturday).”

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats came close to picking up their first win of the season last week, but ultimately fell to the undefeated Edmonton Eskimos 33-28. The Tabbies almost pulled off an upset by clawing back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter. They managed to cut the Esks’ lead to just one score as quarterback Zach Collaros tossed a last effort pass into the end zone with zeros left on the clock to no avail.

The Hamilton pivot had his best game of the season, throwing for 282 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Receiver Damarr Aultman had a team high 74 yards and a touchdown in his CFL debut.

More changes were in store this week for the Black and Gold as the team released linebacker and defensive back Will Hill. Hill started all five games he dressed for the Ticats and was second on the team in tackles. He made headlines back in Week 3 when he was suspended one game for grabbing an official.

The move follows a series of others that the Ticats have made the past two weeks. It started when Hamilton brought in former NCAA and NFL coach June Jones as assistant head coach to oversee the offence.

The Ticats also decided to part ways with defensive coordinator Jeff Reinebold earlier this week after five years with the organization. Reinebold spent four seasons as the Ticats’ special teams coordinator before being promoted to lead the defence during the off-season

The Ticats rank last in the CFL in points and yards allowed per game. Linebackers coach Phillip Lolley was promoted to the role.

The Ticats’ secondary will be getting some help on defence as Emanuel Davis is slated to return to the lineup on Saturday. The halfback has been on the six-game injured list since the beginning of the season and has yet to make his 2017 debut.

“It’s good to have Chop (Davis) out there for sure. There’s no question,” Head Coach Kent Austin told Ticats.ca. “We’ve clearly missed him in the secondary… those guys really help us. They help us with veteran leadership, understanding of the game, just experience across the board.”


By The Numbers

3 – Fourth quarter comebacks staged by Matt Nichols this season, on top of five last year. In total, Nichols has engineered eight late comebacks in his last 15 starts.

4 – League leading interceptions for Bombers defensive back T.J. Heath.

5 – Quarterback sacks by Jamaal Westerman, tied for fourth in the league.

487 – Average total yards the Ticats defence has given up through six games this, ranking last in the league heading into Week 8.

The Skinny

The Bombers are a team known for putting up lots of points on the scoreboard. Despite their offence ranking second last in yards per game, Winnipeg is second only to the Calgary Stampeders in points per game. The Blue Bombers average close to 34 points per game and have had three games this year in which they’ve posted 40-plus points.

That doesn’t size up well for a Ticats team that is giving up 39 points a game on average. Look for Bombers running back Andrew Harris to get a lot of touches as the Ticats also rank worst in the league in rushing yards given up per game (104.2).

Hamilton will have to play one of its best defensive matches of the year if it wants to beat a strong Bombers offence.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker and seen on TSN and ESPN3.

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WPG at HAM 07:30 PM

WPG -2.5

O 58.5

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP
BOMBERS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT WITH 39-12 VICTORY OVER TICATS

HAMILTON — Justin Medlock’s six field goals powered the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a 39-12 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday night.

Winnipeg pivot Matt Nichols threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns while running back Andrew Harris could not be contained, rushing for 107 yards in the victory.

Late heroics were not needed this game for the Bombers as the Blue and Gold were in control all evening.

Winnipeg got off to a fast start, pacing their way down the field on the first drive of the game. Nichols found an early chemistry with Clarence Denmark, connecting with the slotback on his first three passes of the night. Winnipeg capped off the drive with a 34-yard field goal by Medlock to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Hamilton defence shut the door again just outside of the red zone as the Bombers charged their way down the field but were unable to register a major. Winnipeg settled for another Medlock field goal to take a 6-0 lead.

A Ticats two and out gave the Bombers favourable field positon after Kevin Fogg returned the ensuing punt 38 yards. Winnipeg managed to make their way to the Hamilton 32-yard line, but once again settled for a field goal to go up 9-0 heading into the second quarter.

Hamilton had only one first down in the first 15 minutes compared to Winnipeg’s nine.

The Black and Gold were finally able to find their offensive stride in the second quarter. The Bombers were called for a roughing call when Cory Johnson hit C.J. Gable after the pass, advancing the Ticats 15 yards further downfield. Gable was clearly fuelled by the late hit, picking up 28 yards after his catch to put the Black and Gold in Winnipeg territory. Jeremiah Masoli finished off the drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak to cut the Bombers’ lead to 9-6. Hamilton’s two-point covert attempt was unsuccessful, keeping them within three points of the lead.

Nichols and the Bombers once again had trouble finishing their drive when they got the ball back, turning to Medlock for another field goal attempt. His kick was picked up by the wind and hit the right upright, keeping the score at 9-6.

Medlock would make up for the miss on the Bombers next drive, splitting the uprights from 43 yards out to extend Winnipeg’s lead to 12-6.

A lateral attempt deep in Ticats territory proved costly when Gable bobbled the pass only to be recovered by the Bombers. Winnipeg began their drive at Hamilton’s 36-yard line and did not take long to work their way down the short field. Nichols found Julian Feoli-Gudino alone in the flats, who ran untouched into the end zone to extend the Bombers lead to 19-6 heading into halftime.

Medlock opened the second half with his fifth field goal of the night, booting the ball through the uprights from an impressive 57 yards out.

The Ticats continued to claw back into the game as Collaros connected with Damarr Aultman for the receivers second major in as many games. Aultman powered through Winnipeg’s defenders to pick up 26 yards after the catch and surged across the plane to cut the lead to 22-12. The Ticats had two attempts at a two-point conversion after Winnipeg was called for roughing the passer, but to no avail.

Medlock’s night wasn’t over as he notched his sixth field goal of the game, this time from 34 yards out.

The Bombers weren’t done there.

Taylor Loffler recovered a Hamilton fumble forced by Maurice Leggett, setting the Bombers up in Hamilton territory. On a Bombers first down off of the turnover, Nichols threw a 50-50 ball into the end zone. Darvin Adams won the one-on-one battle, bringing down the catch for a major to put the nail in the coffin for the Bombers to go up 32-12.

A Collaros pass was picked off by Brian Walker with just over four minutes left in the match. The Bombers managed the clock by handing the ball off to Harris numerous times on the drive until they found themselves just outside of the end zone. Timothy Flanders made the short charge across the plane to increase the Bombers lead to 39-12.

Winnipeg has a short turn around this week as they travel back home to take on the Edmonton Eskimos on Thursday. The Ticats will still look for their first win of the season when they face off against the Ottawa REDBLACKS at home on Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, Aug. 13

British Columbia Lions (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -3 ½
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

BC comes into the backend of this Western Division home-and-home series with a 3-1 record on the road this season both SU and ATS. It was able to keep the Roughriders off the scoreboard in last week’s home-and-home opener until the fourth quarter when the game was already out of hand. With the exception of the Lions’ two losses to Edmonton this season, they have outscored their opponents in those five SU wins by a combined 53 points.

Saskatchewan turned to Brandon Bridge for a spark last week at quarterback late in the game and he led the team to two fourth quarter scores, but it is pretty safe to expect Kevin Glenn to remain at the helm as this team’s starter. He did complete 19-of-27 throws for 186 yards in that loss, but he was also picked off twice. On the year, he has thrown for 11 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Betting Trends

-- BC has a 4-1 record SU in its last five road games against Saskatchewan while going a perfect 5-0 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 11 meetings in Saskatchewan.

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Sunday, August 13

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 2) at SASKATCHEWAN (2 - 4) - 8/13/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 129-95 ATS (+24.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 69-46 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 27-9 ATS (+17.1 Units) in road games in August games since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 28-46 ATS (-22.6 Units) in August games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 6-0 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 7-0 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, August 13

8:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of British Columbia's last 12 games when playing Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Saskatchewan is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games

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BC Lions (5-2) @ Saskatchewan (2-4)— Roughriders (+7) lost 30-15 in Vancouver LW, their 7th loss in row vs Lions— BC won its last four visits to Regina, by 13-3-13-18 points. Lions gained 547 yards LW in game that was 22-0 after 3rd quarter. Saskatchewan is 2-1 at home, with only loss in OT to Winnipeg- favorites covered all three of their home tilts, all of which went over the total. Lions are 4-0 vs spread if they allow 26 or less points, 0-3 if they allow 30+; BC is 3-1 on road, with only loss 37-26 in Edmonton. BC is only team in CFL not to have its bye yet.

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Sunday, August 13

BC Lions @ Saskatchewan

Game 377-378
August 13, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
115.199
Saskatchewan
111.706
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 3 1/2
51
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
BC Lions
by 1 1/2
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(-1 1/2); Under

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[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— Blue Jays 7, Pirates 2— West Point graduate Chris Rowley wins his MLB debut.

— Mets traded 2B Neil Walker to the sliding Brewers, who need another bat.

— Boston 10, New York 5— Andrew Benitendi homered twice for the Red Sox.

— Indians 3, Tampa Bay 0— Rays were shut out in five of last eight games.

— On-track handle at Saratoga thoroughbred meet is up 8.6% from this time last year.

— DL happenings:

New York puts P Masahiro Tanaka (shoulder) on DL

Red Sox put 2B Dustin Pedroia (knee) on the DL

Blue Jays put C Russell Martin on the DL

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Sunday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….

13) There is only one cut in the NFL this summer, from 90 to 53 players on Labor Day weekend, which means that 1,184 guys will hit the streets all at once, and lesser teams will scurry around and try to improve their roster by adding guys the better teams release.

12) I’m thinking it hurts HBO’s Hard Knocks some that there is one less cut date; that is the best part of the program, watching coaches tell guys they didn’t make the team. Sad for the player but compelling TV— lot of times those players move on and play for other teams anyway.

11) St Louis Cardinals are first team to score 8+ runs in six straight wins since ’06 Braves.

10) Cardinals-Pirates are playing a game in Williamsport, PA next weekend, five miles from where the Little League World Series takes place.

Williamsport has a team in the Class A NY-Penn League, so there is a stadium in place there, unlike last year, when Marlins-Braves played a game on a military base in South Carolina, where a stadium was basically built for that game.

9) Tampa Bay Bucs traded up to draft Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo in the 2016 Draft, but he’s been a disappointment and been beaten out by Nick Folk. Aguayo missed an extra point and a 47-year old FG Friday night— he got cut Saturday, which should make for an interesting scene on Hard Knocks Tuesday night.

8) If you’re not contending for a Wild Card spot in the American League, your team stinks, because some of the contending teams aren’t very good.

7) Pat O’Hara is a QB coach for the Houston Texans; he was in the terrific football movie Any Given Sunday, playing Dennis Quaid’s backup QB who also gets hurt, which forces Jamie Foxx’s (#3 QB) character into the game, where he becomes a star.

In real life, O’Hara was mostly a backup QB at USC; he played for seven different Arena League teams and has had a very interesting career. NFL Films should do a feature on him.

6) Total plays run from scrimmage in last February’s Super Bowl: Patriots 93, Falcons 46.

5) Cincinnati Bengal fans should be slow to criticize coach Marvin Lewis, who is 118-110-3 in 14 years as the Bengals’ coach, From 1984-2002, before Lewis took over, Cincy went 116-192 under four different head coaches. Be careful what you ask for……..

4) Denver Broncos have only one road game in the first six weeks this season; they have a bye and four home games, then play on road in Weeks 7-9, with a Week 8 Monday night game, then a Week 9 game in Philly six days later. Unusual schedule; Denver has a new head coach and very little experience at quarterback.

3) Consider the career of former NFL QB Tony Banks:
— From 1996-98, Banks went 14-29 as QB of the Rams. When they cut him loose after 1998, they won the Super Bowl in ’99 behind Kurt Warner, who backed up Banks in ’98.

— In 2000, Banks started the first eight games for the Ravens, going 5-3, but Games 7-8 were 10-3/14-6 losses, so Banks was replaced by Trent Dilfer……and the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

I’ll leave the facts there and let you make your own judgments.

2) Gregg Williams is the new defensive coordinator in Cleveland; he has his son Blake back on the coaching staff this year. Blake Williams was on the Rams’ coaching staff as linebackers’ coach in 2012, the year Gregg Williams was suspended by the NFL because of Bountygate, but apparently the other coaches couldn’t stand young Williams and he was shown the door.

1) If I was an NFL head coach (a frightening thought), my team would go for it on 4th down a lot and go for 2 after every TD in exhibition games. Games don’t matter; it is a good chance to get more plays to evaluate your players. Thats what these exhibition games and mainly for….that and ripping off fans who pay regular season prices to watch games that don’t matter.

[StarDust Bum]

cfl last 9 games:

Date w-l-t % units record

08/12/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/11/2017 1-1-0 0.00% -0.50
08/10/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/05/2017 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
08/04/2017 2-2-0 50.00% -100
08/03/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
07/29/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +950
07/28/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +1000
07/27/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
07/22/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +1000
07/21/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +1000
07/20/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +1000
07/19/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

totals............18 - 10........64.28%.....+ 35.00

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW
RIDERS SEEK REDEMPTION IN SUNDAY REMATCH WITH LIONS

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions cap off Week 8 with the second half of their home-and-home series at new Mosaic Stadium.

The Lions emerged victorious in the first matchup, beating the Riders 30-15 at BC Place. Saskatchewan was never able generate any momentum as the Lions defence kept them off the scoreboard until the end of the fourth quarter. BC led 30-0 before the Riders managed to post two late touchdown drives.

Travis Lulay had a big game for BC, throwing for 338 yards and one touchdown while Bryan Burnham led all receivers with 113 yards and a touchdown on just five catches. Riders pivot Kevin Glenn was unable to find the end zone, throwing for only 186 yards and two interceptions.

Canadian Brandon Bridge came into the game late in the final quarter to replace Glenn, completing all six passing attempts and throwing for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Duron Carter had a team-high 83 yards and a touchdown on five catches. It was Carter’s fourth receiving major of the season, tying him for second in the league.

BC had control over the game up until the final whistle, but the Lions team still feel that there are improvements to be made when they hit the road this week. BC turned to kicker Ty Long on five occasions during the game. The 24-year-old was successful on four of five field goal attempts.

Receiver Nick Moore says that the goal in Regina will be to cap off more drives with seven points instead of three.

“One of the things we did well is we moved the ball right off the bat,” Moore told BCLions.com. “But we want to score touchdowns instead of field goals and that’s one of our focuses this week; when we get down to the red zone, actually taking care of the small details and everything so that we can get more points on the board.”

Jonathon Jennings will be back at the helm of the Lions’ offence for Week 8. The 25-year-old left early in Week 4 after taking a hard hit against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on the teams’ first offensive play of the game. He was sidelined with a shoulder injury but appears to be good to go.

A familiar face will also be in the Lions lineup with the signing of defensive end Ricky Foley earlier this week. Foley was drafted by BC back in 2006 and played his first four seasons with the Lions. The 34-year-old was released by the Argos before the start of the season.

The Lions will have their hands full with a Riders team that has excelled this season in front of their hometown crowd.

While Saskatchewan has yet to pick up a win on the road, they are 2-1 at new Mosaic Stadium this season — although both of those wins have been against East Division opponents. The Riders are 0-3 this season against divisional opponents. Saskatchewan head coach Chris Jones says that his team is trying to find a way to keep pace in the West.

“I don’t know other than the fact that they’re some of the better teams,” Jones told Riderville.ca when asked about his team’s woes in the West. “I think a lot of people have struggled against Calgary. I think a lot of people have struggled against Edmonton, they’re undefeated. A lot of people have struggled against BC.

“We play in the West, we don’t play in the East… and we’re trying to get to that level where we can run the football effectively, protect our quarterback and play better defence.”

The Riders will not only be out for vengeance after last week’s loss but are also trying to break a recent losing streak against the Lions. BC has won its last seven meetings against the Riders. Four of those games have been in Regina.

Kicker Tyler Crapigna is back in the lineup for the Riders after being sidelined by injury. He replaces Quinn Van Gylswyk.

With Dan Clark on the six-game, the Riders have also tweaked their offensive line. Derek Dennis moves over to guard while Bruce Campbell gets the start at left tackle.

By The Numbers

3 – Touchdowns for Duron Carter in the Riders past two games.

4 – Minimum catches that Riders receiver Bakari Grant has made each game. He is only one of three players (Winnipeg’s Darvin Adams and Toronto’s Anthony Coombs) that has four of more catches in every game this season.

10 – Number of rushing touchdowns that Travis Lulay and Jeremiah Johnson have combined for this season. They have five touchdowns apiece.

51 – League leading tackles for Solomon Elimimian heading into Week 8.

The Skinny

Kevin Glenn and the Riders offence will have to find a way to jump out to a quick start against the Lions after being held off the scoreboard until the final four minutes last week. Saskatchewan’s 26 point per game ranks second last in the league.

The Lions, on the other hand, boast one of the most potent offences in the CFL. They did not skip a beat with the absence of their number one pivot Jonathon Jennings and are averaging a league high 433.7 yards per game, a testament to their strong pass and run game.

BC’s already dangerous offence received a boost last week with the return of all-star receiver Chris Williams. The 29-year-old had 75 yards on three catches in his 2017 debut and can be expected to put up even more dangerous numbers as he is eased into the lineup.

Kickoff is slated for 8:00 p.m. ET and can be followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker and seen on TSN.

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Sunday's CFL betting preview and odds: Lions at Roughriders

Bryan Burnham was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after hauling in five passes for 131 yards and a touchdown against Saskatchewan.

BC Lions at Saskatchewan Roughriders (+2, 56)

The BC Lions look to beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the second time in nine days when they travel to Regina in the last game of a home-and-home set Sunday. The Lions jumped out to a big lead and never looked back en route to a 30-15 victory in the first matchup and hope to continue their dominance in the series by downing the Roughriders for the eighth consecutive time.

Quarterback Jonathon Jennings is likely to return to the starting lineup after suffering a shoulder injury on the first play from scrimmage against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 15, bumping Travis Lulay into a backup role despite the veteran going 3-1 in his absence. Saskatchewan is heading in the wrong direction in an ultra-competitive West Division. The Roughriders, who trailed 30-0 before scoring two consolation touchdowns late in the fourth quarter against BC in Week 7, are the only team in the division with a losing record and sit six points behind the Lions as they desperately try to dig themselves out of the cellar by notching their first victory in the series since a 20-16 victory Aug. 24, 2014. "It's good for us to play them (again) because we get a chance to redeem ourselves," Saskatchewan defensive back Jovon Johnson told reporters. "We have to match their effort on the field and be the more physical team."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: The Lions opened up as 3.5-point road chalk and that number has been bet down to 2. The total opened at 54.5 and was driven up as high as 56 before fading to 55.5.

ABOUT THE LIONS (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS, 3-3 O/U): Bryan Burnham was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after hauling in five passes for 131 yards and a touchdown against Saskatchewan while Chris Williams had three receptions for 75 yards in his first game of 2017 after tearing his ACL last season. BC made some significant roster moves during the week bringing back veteran defensive end Ricky Foley, who was drafted by the Lions in 2005, and signing offensive lineman Andrew Jones to provide depth for a unit that is missing Cody Husband and David Foucault because of the concussion protocol. Defensive back Buddy Jackson is in line for another start as Anthony Gaitor continues to recover from an undisclosed injury.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS, 3-3 O/U): Kevin Glenn completed 19-of-27 passes for 186 yards against BC to move past the legendary Ron Lancaster in sixth place on the CFL's all-time passing list. Duron Carter continued his stellar play of late, catching five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown to give him 14 receptions for 214 yards and three scores in his last two games. Saskatchewan moved offensive lineman Dan Clark (elbow) and defensive lineman Zach Minter (calf), who has registered seven tackles and a sack this season, to the six-game injured list with Brendon LaBatte sliding over to centre and Ese Mrabure filling in at defensive tackle.

TRENDS:

* Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in August.

* Roughriders are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in August.

* Over is 6-1 in Lions last 7 games following a straight up win.

* Over is 5-1 in Roughriders last 6 games following a ATS loss.

* Lions are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Saskatchewan.

CONSENSUS: The road favorite Lions are getting 70 percent of the action from Covers users and the Over is picking up 58 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.

EXTRA POINTS:

* BC is averaging 35.5 points over its last four games.

* Saskatchewan has dropped 26 of its last 29 games against West Division rivals.

* Lions LB Solomon Elimimian leads the CFL with 51 tackles.

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 13

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BC at SSK 08:00 PM

BC -3.5

O 56.5

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RECAP
RIDERS HAND LIONS 41-8 DEFEAT AFTER FORCING SEVEN TURNOVERS

REGINA — It was a tale of two games, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders avenged their lopsided Week 7 loss to the BC Lions by handing them a 41-8 defeat at home on Sunday night.

Defence led the way all game long for the Riders, with defensive back Ed Gainey racking up an unbelievable four interceptions and a fumble return, and Saskatchewan’s defensive front registering four sacks on the night.

Riders quarterback Kevin Glenn had a solid performance with 320 yards and three touchdown passes, securing the 97th win of his CFL career. The victory snapped the Lions’ seven game winning streak against the Riders.

The Riders’ second drive of the game started with momentum after a 20-yard punt return from Christion Jones. Saskatchewan then entered Lions territory for the first time when quarterback Kevin Glenn found receiver Bakari Grant for the game’s opening first down.

The drive led to a single point for the Riders after Tyler Crapigna’s missed field goal attempt was fielded in the end zone by BC’s Chris Rainey.

Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings showed some rust in the opening quarter when he was picked off by Saskatchewan’s Ed Gainey on a missed throw downfield. Jennings attempted to find receiver Shaq Johnson on the play.

The Riders’ offence began to move the ball with success after forcing the game’s first turnover, as running back Greg Morris broke free for a 21-yard run to start the drive. Saskatchewan added another first down on the following play when running back Cameron Marshall took a short pass and turned it upfield for 23 yards.

Glenn capped off the drive with a beautifully placed over-the-shoulder pass to Bakari Grant for the 35-yard touchdown, beating Lions defensive back Anthony Thompson to put the Riders up 8-0. Glenn threw for 233 yards in the first half alone.

Things did not get much easier for the Lions after surrendering the score. Gainey made another spectacular play for the Riders’ defence, going up high to grab his second interception of the half before taking it 49 yards for the defensive touchdown.

The play was Gainey’s first interception returned for a touchdown in his career, and it put the Riders up 15-0 near the end of the first quarter.

The Riders kept on rolling after the defensive score. Glenn came out firing on the team’s next offensive series, connecting with receiver Naaman Roosevelt for 39 yards. Glenn found receiver Duron Carter on the next play to move the chains again before the end of the first quarter.

Glenn threw another big strike to Roosevelt as the second quarter kicked off, and the speedy receiver took it 23 yards to the edge of the BC goal line. Cameron Marshall rushed it in for the short 1-yard touchdown run two plays later, putting the Riders up 22-0.

Momentum appeared to swing in BC’s favour after an errant Glenn pass was intercepted by Lions defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy. Jennings then completed his biggest throws of the first half, finding receivers Shaq Johnson and Nick Moore for 21 yards each.

But Jennings and company were stifled again when another throw was picked off by Gainey, who registered his third interception of the half. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay came into the game after the interception, relieving Jennings under centre until halftime.

The Riders continued to move the chains near the end of the first half, with a drive that began with an explosive 39-yard punt return from Christion Jones. Cameron Marshall scored his second touchdown of the game on the next play, this time taking the ball into the end zone with a 29-yard catch out of the backfield to help put his team up 29-0.

Jennings returned as starting quarterback for BC after halftime, and the Lions appeared to be in the midst of a big drive after running back Jeremiah Johnson found daylight on a brilliant 50-yard gallop.

But things took an unfortunate turn when Jennings was picked off for the fourth time in the game, as Riders linebacker Derrick Moncrief reeled in a pass intended for receiver Chris Williams. The interception was the first of Moncrief’s CFL career.

The Riders’ passing game picked up right where they left off in the second half. Glenn led another impressive drive that included a 39-yard pass to fullback Spencer Moore, and a 7-yard scoring strike to Duron Carter near the right side of the end zone. Carter’s grab helped increase the Riders’ lead to 36 points.

The Lions started to get things going on offence in the fourth quarter, as Jennings began to connect with his receivers on big throws. Jennings found receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux twice on the drive, including a 20-yard pass that helped set up BC’s biggest play of the night.

It was then that dynamic receiver Chris Williams did what he does best, scorching the Riders’ secondary for a huge 56-yard touchdown catch that helped narrow the lead at 36-8.

The Riders would later add a safety and a field goal near the end of the fourth quarter, however, putting them up 41-8.

In a fitting end to the game, Ed Gainey made another standout play on defence by notching his fourth interception on the night. Gainey’s four interceptions stand as a new Riders record.

The Lions will look to bounce back in Week 9 when they host the Calgary Stampeders, while the Roughriders will have a week off before heading to Edmonton to take on the Eskimos.

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WEEK 9

Thursday, August 17, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home
8:30 PM Edmonton Eskimos Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Friday, August 18, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home
7:30 PM Ottawa Redblacks Hamilton Tiger Cats
10:30 PM Calgary Stampeders British Columbia Lions

Saturday, August 19, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home
4:00 PM Montreal Alouettes Toronto Argonauts


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WEST DIVISION


RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Edmonton 7 7 0 0 14 204 169 4-0-0 3-0-0 2-0-0

2 Calgary 7 5 1 1 11 254 145 3-0-0 2-1-1 2-0-0

3 Winnipeg 7 5 2 0 10 241 221 2-1-0 3-1-0 1-2-0

4 BC 8 5 3 0 10 228 222 2-1-0 3-2-0 2-3-0

5 Saskatchewan 7 3 4 0 6 197 172 3-1-0 0-3-0 1-3-0


EAST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Montreal 7 3 4 0 6 162 159 3-1-0 0-3-0 1-1-0

2 Toronto 8 3 5 0 6 185 225 2-2-0 1-3-0 3-1-0

3 Ottawa 8 1 6 1 3 214 229 1-3-1 0-3-0 1-2-0

4 Hamilton 7 0 7 0 0 130 273 0-3-0 0-4-0 0-1-0

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Monday’s six-pack

— Bryce Harper has a bad bone bruise but no ligament damage; he is on the DL.

— Padres extended manager Andy Green’s contract thru 2021.

— Nationals 6, Giants 2– Washington salvages a twinbill split with Howie Kendrick hitting a walk-off homer.

— San Diego State’s football team has had an outbreak of chicken pox this week.

— Alex Mack of the Falcons lost 12 pounds during a practice this weekend. Oy.

— DL happenings:

Milwaukee put P Brent Suter (shoulder) on DL

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Monday’s Den: Notes on NFC teams…….

Random notes on NFC teams:

Arizona— Carson Palmer turns 38 on Dec 27; only 27 NFL QB’s have thrown 200+ passes at age 38 or older— 13 of those 17 are or will be in the Hall of Fame. Arizona had the oldest offense in the NFL last year; their time to win a Super Bowl is this year, or else. Over is 13-3 in Arizona road games the last two years; since 2014, under is 14-9-1 in Cardinal home games.

Atlanta— Blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl, fired their DC, lost their OC, have a new stadium this year. Falcons scored 58 TD’s last year, punted 48 times with only 11 turnovers— they were only the third team since 1996 to score a TD on more than 33.3% of their drives. Now what? Underdogs are 13-3 vs spread in Falcon home games, since Quinn has been coach.

Carolina— How is Cam Newton’s shoulder? That is Question #1. Panthers were -2 in turnovers LY (6-10), after being +20/+3/+11 the three years before that (15-1/7-8-1/12-4). Over last four years, Carolina is 4-10-1 vs spread as a road favorite- their front office had in-fighting this winter— the GM got fired— will that affect the players?

Chicago— QB Mike Glennon played QB at NC State after Russell Wilson bolted for Wisconsin; then he went 5-13 over two years as a starter in Tampa Bay before they drafted Jameis Winston. He’s thrown 11 passes the last two years, is now renting the Bears’ #1 job until they decide that #1 pick Mitch Trubisky is ready to be the starter. Awkward situation.

Dallas— Dak Prescott makes $540K this year, $630K next year, which bails Dallas out of a lot of its salary cap quandries. Cowboys ran the ball 59.4% of time on 1st down LY, averaged 5.1 yds/rush on those runs, and averaged 8.9 yds/pass on play action passes. As a result, Cowboys faced 3rd-lowest number of 3rd downs in NFL. Will Prescott fight the sophomore jinx this year?

Detroit— As a Ram fan, I was frustrated by how bad OT Greg Robinson was for the Rams the last few years; now he is a Lion and is the LT, protecting Matthew Stafford’s blind side. Detroit’s backup QB’s are Jake Rudock/Brad Kaaya. Lions have lost nine playoff games in a row- their last playoff win was in 1991. If Detroit makes the playoffs this year, I’ll be very surprised.

Green Bay— Since 1992, Packers have had Favre/Rodgers at QB, two first-ballot Hall of Famers. They won Super Bowl in ’96 and ’10, lost in ’97- should they be winning more than they have? Pack made playoffs last 7 years and 14 of last 20 years, but are just 13-13 in playoff games since Favre won his Super Bowl. Last three years, Green Bay is 14-7-2 vs spread as a home favorite.

LA Rams— 31-year old Sean McVay was hired to develop Jared Goff as a QB, but before that, they have to put together an offensive line that can protect him. 35-year old Andrew Whitwroth was brought in from Cincinnati to play LT and fortify the line. Rams were 4-5 LY, led Miami 10-0 with 5:00 to go in Goff’s debut in Game #10— had they won that game, Jeff Fisher would likely still be the Rams’ coach.

Minnesota— Vikings went 8-8 with a +11 turnover ratio; no bueno; they had 54 third-and-1’s last year, converted 11-15 (73.3%) times when they threw the ball, 25-39 (64.1%) when they ran it. Sam Bradford is 32-45-1 as an NFL starter, 14-15 since leaving the Rams. Minnesota hasn’t won a playoff game since 2009; since ’05, they’re 1-4 in playoff games. Vikings have had eight #1 QB’s over the last 12 years. Bridgewater’s knee injury last summer was incredibly bad luck.

NJ Giants— Giants have had one #1 QB since 2005; Eli Manning has played all 192 games, and that is his greatest strength— he shows up to work every week. Giants won Super Bowl after 2007/2011 seasons, going 4-0 in playoffs both years; other than those two years, since 2001, Big Blue is 0-5 in playoff games. Have been in playoffs twice in last eight years, are 1-5 in Week 1 the last six years- they open vs Dallas this year for 5th time in last six years.

New Orleans— Does signing Adrian Peterson mean Saints will run ball more to protect a poor defense and a 38-year old QB? NO scored 400+ points the last six years, but made playoffs only once in last five years, going 7-9 in other four. Last three years, Saints are 5-13-1 vs spread as a home favorite, 5-0 as home dogs- they’re 3-8 in last 11 tries as a road favorite. Over is 16-8 in Superdome games the last three years; over is 13-11 in NO road games during that time.

Philadelphia— Eagles missed playoffs five of last six years; their last playoff win was in 2008, but they had to be happy with rookie QB Wentz LY. This will be first time since 2012 that Iggles had same #1 QB as year before (Michael Vick). Philly was 4-1 vs spread as a home underdog LY, after being 1-10 in that role from 2007-15. Eagles were favored in only two of their eight home games LY; the last five years, they’re 5-9-1 vs spread in home games vs divisional rivals.

San Francisco— Four head coaches in four years is never good; they’re 7-25 since Jim Harbaugh took his act to Ann Arbor. Over last five years, 49ers have averaged 3.96 starts per draft pick, which is poor, so John Lynch runs franchise now; smart guy, but he’s never done this before. As of June 3, 51 of 90 players on roster were acquired since Lynch took over- they let 27 of 31 free agents walk. Kyle Shanahan is the new coach, after helping Falcons win NFC title last season.

Seattle— Seahawks are 56-23-1 the last five years; they’ve won at least one playoff game in 8 of last 10 seasons, but throwing that INT on goal line at end of Super Bowl will haunt them until they win another Super Bowl. Russell Wilson is 8-4 in playoff games; he was a 3rd-round pick, just like Joe Montana, who was 16-7 in playoff games. Seattle is 6-10 vs spread as a road favorite the last three years; under Carroll, they’re 26-11 vs spread as a home favorite.

Tampa Bay— Bucs haven’t made playoffs since 2007; their last playoff win was the Super Bowl 15 years ago- they were 9-7 LY, their first winning season since ’10. Adding DeSean Jackson will give Jameis Winston another explosive option; listening to the first episode of Hard Knocks, this is a confident team that expects to make the playoffs, but they’ll need to play better at home. Last three years, Tampa Bay is 8-16 vs spread at home, 2-6 in divisional home games.

Washington— Sean McVay is in LA; they fired their DC, so two new coordinators this season for Jay Gruden, who goes back to calling plays. Skins were 17-14-1 the last two years; since 2006, they are 0-3 in playoff games. Last time Washington was a playoff game, Joe Gibbs was coach. Gruden is 4-8 vs spread as a home favorite; last two years, Washington is 9-4 vs spread coming off a loss. Last five years, over is 25-14-1 in Redskin road games.

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Thursday’s six-pack

— Eagles cut RB Ryan Mathews, saving themselves $4M on the salary cap.

— Nick Markakis has 2,009 career hits, but has never made an All-Star Game, the 4th-most hits of anyone on that list.

— Juan Pierre had 2,217 hits but never made an All-Star Game; he is on top of that list.

— Maine graduate transfer Wesley Myers committed to South Carolina. He averaged 16.9 ppg last season. Gamecocks had a player suspended this week, so this helps replace him.

— If a major leaguer changes uniform numbers, he has to buy all the inventory that is in stock with his name and the old number on it.

— Wyoming QB Josh Allen might be the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft; Wyoming and Eastern Michigan were the only schools to offer him a scholarship coming out of junior college.

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Thursday’s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud…..

13) I hope Ryan Fitzpatrick writes a book someday; he went to college at Harvard, which means he didn’t get an athletic scholarship, but he still made the NFL and entering his 13th year as an NFL quarterback. Tampa Bay is his 7th team.

Fitzpatrick played for four teams in four years, but what is weird is that he started 9+ games in all four of those years— there is no way anyone else has ever done this before, not at QB.
2012 Buffalo, 16 starts
2013 Tennessee, 9 starts
2014 Houston, 12 starts
2015 NJ Jets, 16 starts

What a unique career; if he makes the Buccaneers this summer and it looks like he will, it is unlikely he’ll play much, with Jameis Winston entrenched as the Bucs’ starting QB.

12) In 42 games batting in the #4 or #5 slot this year, Giancarlo Stanton hit .262 with 11 HR, 30 RBI, and an OB% of .335.

In 71 games since moving to the #2 slot in the order, Stanton is batting .302, with 33 HR’s, 64 RBI and a .404 on-base %age.

11) They told a funny story on the Padres’ game yesterday; there used to be an umpire named Frank Pulli, who was considered to be one of the better umpires. Pulli was doing an exhibition game behind the plate and after he calls a borderline strike on David Bell, he says to Bell:

“You better swing the bat today; it’s my grandson’s birthday”, inferring he had a party to go to and this was going to be a fast game.

10) Good grief; heard the other night that they change the bases in major league games every three innings, and then sell the bases online. Game used bases!!!! Greed knows no bounds.

9) Interesting comment from an NFL coach/executive, I can’t remember who it was, someone with the Colts or Lions, but they came out and said that NFL teams get more out of joint practices during the week than they do from the exhibition game that is played on the weekend, which is a good piece of knowledge.

8) Houston Astros swing at more first pitches than any team in baseball; they’ve hit 47 homers not eh first pitch of an AB, most in the majors this season.

7) Didi Gregorius batting cleanup, Todd Frazier batting 8th; interesting lineups Joe Girardi puts on the field. Manager of the Year in the AL will be tough to decide, if the Angels make the playoffs. Girardi and Mike Scioscia are both doing really good jobs this season.

6) Mets have saved a total of roughly $9M from their salary dumps this summer (Duda, Walker, Bruce, Reed). Too bad they’re not in a big city with a new, publicly-funded stadium, then they could actually try and w— oh wait, New York City is a big city. The Wilpons are slimy; thank the Lord they don’t own the A’s.

5) Strange ballgame in Oakland Tuesday night; A’s led Kansas City 4-3 after seven innings but their bullpen imploded in the 8th and KC led 8-4- there was no joy at Armadillo World HQ, that is for sure. Then Oakland scored six runs in the bottom of the 8th; Matt Joyce hit a bases loaded double after the Royals walked Rajai Davis intentionally so they could pitch to Joyce with the bases loaded (lefty-lefty BS).

Weird game with a happy ending, unless you had the Royals or the under.

4) Last season was first time since 2003 that both Super Bowl teams missed the playoffs the following season.

3) Since 2005, the defending Super Bowl champ is 4-7 in playoff games the next season, with Seattle in 2014 getting two of the four wins.

2) Last year was first time in eight years that the Super Bowl loser missed the playoffs the following season. Last time the Super Bowl loser made it back to the Super Bowl the next season? The 1993 Bills, losing their 4th consecutive Super Bowl.

1) 1994 Patriots are the last team to repeat as Super Bowl champs.