Poker's Poker friend's fan blogs

I'm not sure if the New York Knicks have all the pieces in place right now, but by adding Carmelo Anthony they are certainly one big step closer to being a NBA championship contender. Although considering the mismanagement over the last 10 years it's heard to believe they won't mess this up too.

Watch for the Knicks to make some strong stragetic moves during this off season to sure things up and make them a true Eastern conference powerhouse.

New York NY Direct TV can bring you all the Knicks action you want.

Continue reading "Are the New York Knicks real contenders with Carmelo Anthony on board?"

Two cities that produce NBA Eastern Conference contenders also have the two teams that are favored to win the Super Bowl as the NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend.

NBA spread betting experts might recognize that Atlanta and Boston produce two East contenders and with the Falcons and Patriots, both cities have the Super Bowl XLV juggernauts as well.

Just as in the NBA’s East, Atlanta’s team is viewed with an eye of pessimism. The Falcons had a great regular season but don’t have a ton of playoff experience. They’re a young squad that is gaining it on the fly.

Meanwhile, Boston’s team - just like in the NBA – is experienced, savvy and has done it before. The Patriots are the odds-on favorites to do it all and considering they’ve won it three times this decade, why bet against them?

Continue reading "Patriots, Falcons Super Bowl Favorites"

Basketball betting is not quite as common as betting on some other sports, but if you do your research, take your time and keep accurate records, there’s no reason you can’t be as successful at betting on basketball as betting on anything else. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Top Basketball Betting Tip: NCAA vs. NBA

Of course you are welcome to bet both college and pro basketball (including the WNBA), like placing your bets in online video poker games, you need to be aware that each type of basketball may have very different factors in play. In college basketball, every game counts, whereas pro teams can afford to drop a few games here and there and still have a great shot at the championship. There may be a much larger disparity between two competing college teams. Know the league you’re betting.

Continue reading "Top Basketball Betting Tips"

I really like the direction this team is going but I'm not so sure they can really be a contender in the East this year.  The East has gotten a lot stronger over the last few years and while I think they can make the playoffs I don't really see any chance that they can really beat The Magic, the Heat, the Celtics, of the Bulls.  And I'm skeptical they can even beat teams like the 76ers or the Hawks.

What do you think? 

Continue reading "Can the Charlotte Bobcats be a contender in the East?"

For football fans another very exciting time is coming up soon.  The NFL Draft is mere weeks away and for many this begins another exciting NFL season.  This is when teams address needs that were evident last season or try to fill holes left by a retirement, trade, or losing a player to free agency.  This is when hope springs eternal and every team is destined for Super Bowl glory.  This is also the time of year when fans get to first guess (before their teams drafts) and then second guess (after their teams has drafted) the players that are available this year. 

This year like every other year there are many players with whom it seems there is no doubt about their abilities and whether a team should draft them.  People are not trying to decide if Bradford should go in the first round, but where.  The same could be said of Suh, Gerald McCoy, and Eric Berry.  These are not players that are being discussed because their abilities are questionable, but because they can't be questioned.  These are players that if your team had a pick and they were available you would be on your knees begging and pleading for your team to pick them.  Rams fans may be doing that right now.  Please, pick Sam Bradford, please! Tampa Bay fans are hoping that Suh or McCoy are available, but will be happy with Berry.  Then you have the curious case of Tim Tebow.

Continue reading "Should the Patrots Draft Tim Tebow?"

I have folded up the Tom Brady jersey and put it away.  I have set aside the Kevin Garnett jersey until i take it out for the Celtics playoff push.  It is time now to don the jersey of your favorite Red Sox players and get ready for another exciting Major League Baseball season.  Spring is finally here.  I have to hand it to Major League Baseball.  I think that this year they got it right.  They didn't ship the World Series winners overseas to play in Japan or China or somewhere and they didn't open the season with Royals vs Tigers or some other match-up without much appeal.  This year the season began on Easter Sunday with a match-up between the defending World Series champion New York Yankees and their arch rival the Boston Red Sox.  This is, hands down, the best rivalry in sports.  The series didn't go the way I wanted it to, but we did get our first win against the Yankees under our belt and the games were well played for the most part.  Hey, when you think about it last year the Sox won the first 8 games against the Yankees only to lose 9 out of the next 10 so maybe losing 2 out of the first 3 ain't bad.

Continue reading "Sox Begin 2010"

Here we are at the second week of the NFL playoffs again, which brings up the same question every year.  Is it better for teams that have clinched first-round byes and playoff seeds to rest their players at the end of the regular season, or play them to keep on a roll going into the playoffs?  Lets look at both sides of the issue.

The reason why most NFL teams decide to rest their players is simple; players cannot get hurt when they are on the sidelines.  They worry that their "star" players might get twisted knees, turf toes, concussions, or any of the myriad of unfortunately common NFL injuries.  Its the same reason most teams do not play those same players during most of the pre-season.  Seems like a simple enough approach, but lost in that explanation is the other primary benefit of resting your starters.  Their backups get real-time game experience.  Any player has the same chance of getting hurt during the playoffs as he does during any other game of the season.  If your top quarterback goes down early in game one of the playoffs, the more reps his backup has not just in practice but against live opponents the better off your team will be.  The only time to give those second-string quarterbacks, third-string running backs, fifth receivers, etc that experience without jeopardizing your playoff position is to play them while resting your starters at the end of the regular season.  Your team will be better prepared if the unthinkable happens during the most crucial game of the year.

Continue reading "Rest vs Rust in the NFL"

Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart will leave Stanford for the prospects of the upcoming NFL Draft.  He had one year of remaining eligibility due to an injury-shortened 2007.  Many Stanford fans had hoped he might return to play one last year with outstanding freshman quarterback Andrew Luck, possibly building on the success the team had this past season.  Although his decision might not be the most popular, it was the right one for him to make for several reasons.

Gerhart will have his degree in management science and engineering prior to the next college season.  Although some students will stay on campus and enroll in a graduate program to complete their athletic eligibility, very few of them have NFL potential.  Unless he plans to complete a master's program he would essentially be taking garbage classes and wasting his time just to fulfill the NCAA 'Amateur' status.  The college atmosphere might be fun and games, but he would still have to go to class and make some effort or risk NCAA sanctions.  If he truly did want to pursue higher education, there will be plenty of time for that after his body is no longer in peak condition.

Continue reading "Gerhart Decision for the NFL the Right One"

“I think it is workable as well as a potential source of new income,” said fellow State Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter). “How you structure it is the key.”

California — the cash-strapped state that has shown willingness historically to be a trendsetter when it comes to legislative action — is ready to hold a hearing on the merits of regulating online poker. Michigan State Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) told the LA Times this week that the state legislature is planning on holding a hearing on the issue in February.

“About two million Californians are playing poker offshore right now,” said Patrick Dorinson, a spokesperson for Morongo, referencing the popularity of current online poker sites that serve American players.

Continue reading "February Hearing Scheduled for Intrastate Online Poker in California"

Most Cowboy fans have probably heard that Greg Ellis will either be traded or released before the upcoming season.  It what has been a turbulent past decade for the cowboys, Ellis provided solid performance at the DE and more recently at LB when the Boys shifted to the 3-4.  He was never a perenial All-Pro and maybe not worth a 1st Round pick, but he was a good solid player and a starter on most teams.  Minus his troubles converting to the 3-4 and contracts that go with it, it will feel strange not to see him in a Cowboys uniform.

 As for the upcoming season, will Victor Butler fill his void?  Ellis was good enough that offenses couldnt solely concentrate on DeMarcus Ware.  Will Jerry Jones try to get a free agent?  The cowboys defense will probably be alot younger this upcoming season.  How will this new Cowboy's team fare up this season?  I think the departure of Ellis makes this even more of a question 

Continue reading "Goodbye Greg Ellis"