Bleacher Report - Articles by Walker Daniels

Are The Texans The New Bengals?

Walker Daniels — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:53:10 -0400

Underachievement. Embarrassing, gut-wrenching defeats. A disgruntled NFL betting fan base.

We're talking about Bengals, right? Actually, no, we're not. The NFL is a topsy-turvy world, but for many years we could count on death, taxes, and the Bungles. Not in 2009, so it would seem.

Cincinnati's crown certainly didn't appear to be in danger after a crushing Week One loss to Denver, when the Broncos pulled off a miracle Hail Mary to win the game. Since then, Cincy has ripped off four straight wins and moved into first-place of the AFC North.

Of course, there's still plenty of time for the Bengals to revert back to form—and nobody would be the least bit surprised—but is it time to anoint a new franchise as the NFL's biggest bumbler?

Tampa Bay and Kansas City are bad. We shake our heads at Cleveland and pity what's happening in Oakland. But what franchise is truly a joke, truly a tease, truly the class-clown friend that everyone laughs at behind his back?

I nominate the Houston Texans.

If the Texans ever consider changing their name, they should go with the Houston Underachievement. Since joining the NFL in 2002 the franchise is 42-75. The "glory years" were a two-year stretch from 2007-2008, when they went 16-16. They've never won more than eight games in a season.

David Carr was supposed to be the face of the franchise. But the quarterback was sacked so mercilessly, he ultimately become a failure. Now, when Carr walks down the street, he shuffles his feet, ducks his head, and blindly throws his wallet away every time something comes into his peripheral vision.

This season was supposed to be different. A chic playoff pick by many football prognosticators, Houston has burned sportsbook bettors with a lackluster 2-3 start. Blessed with a gifted collection of offensive playmakers—Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and Owen Daniels make fantasy football players salivate—the Texans have sputtered.

When the offense is there, the defense gets shredded. When the "D" steps up, the playmakers disappear.

Like the Bengals of old, Houston is specializing in horrific defeats this season. The Week One loss to New York was downright embarrassing. The Texans have never entered a season with so much enthusiasm, optimism and support from its fan base. But a 183-yard, scoreless effort by the offense had fans booing by the second half.

Remember, this was the FIRST game! The fans were expecting playoffs! And Houston's effort was so bad it barely took 30 minutes for those fans to give up and turn on them!

The laugh-track doesn't end there. As a four-point home favorite against the Jaguars, Houston laid an egg and was punished with 184 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. To make matters worse, Houston lost by a touchdown—which could have been made up had Chris Brown not fumbled on the goal line late in the game.

The biggest dagger came last week. Arizona stormed to a 21-0 lead, but the Texans didn't give up. They scored three unanswered touchdowns to tie the game...but they found a way to lose in true Bengals fashion.

Schaub threw an interception for a touchdown with just two minutes left, giving Arizona the lead. Schaub almost redeemed himself, quickly driving Houston to the one-yard-line, only to have Brown stopped twice on the goal line with 40 seconds left. Game over.

The Texans certainly appear on the path to becoming the new Bengals. Can anything stop them? Yes—perhaps this week's game. Houston travels to Cincinnati in Week Six, and I can't think of anything more Bungle-like than Cincy losing at home to an inferior team and blowing a four-game winning streak. We'll find out Sunday.

Why Laurence Maroney Is a Fantasy Sleeper

Walker Daniels — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:13:12 -0400

Fantasy drafts are in full swing and future NFL betting is also a go as everyone is in the midst of handicapping the NFL season.

Betting aside for now, it's surprising to me that Laurence Maroney isn't getting much fantasy love these days.

Granted, Maroney was a huge disappointment last year, one has to figure that a Top 10 fantasy pick from a year ago is worth a flier this time around.

A lot has changed in the last year, which is why Maroney is slipping through drafts.

First of all, he missed most of the season with a shoulder injury and now heads into the 2009 season as a question mark. Secondly, guys like Sammy Morris and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who are both still around, emerged as capable runners while Maroney was out. Third of all, the team signed Fred Taylor.

But even so, it's hard to argue that Maroney isn't the guy with the most upside here. Morris and Green-Ellis are pluggers. Maybe they'll steal goal line carries, but if everyone in this backfield plays to their peak, Maroney is the guy.

There are some other factors here that benefit Maroney, such as the fact that everyone doubts him. He's looked very hungry in practice and Bill Belichick has complemented him on his route-running and receiving skills, two aspects he struggled at previously.

At this point, Maroney might be considered nothing more than a backup but when you consider all of the backups that are being drafted (Felix Jones, Willis McGahee, Ricky Williams, Jerome Harrison, Leon Washington, Jerious Norwood), you would have to think that Maroney can find himself a home. He potentially has more upside than any of those backs given the offense he plays in.

Take a flier on Maroney, you won't regret it. He's only 24 and he's really hungry.

Can Rugby Go Mainstream Courtesy Of Olympics?

Walker Daniels — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:31:15 -0400

Stop the NFL betting for a second and let's examine the other game that looks like it's played with a football. No, not the CFL. I'm talking about the other professional game played with a ball that looks like a football.

Rugby, along with Golf, looks like it might be joining the Summer Olympics at some point in the near future. My guess is virtually 1 in 5 North Americans know what Rugby is and 1 in 30 could pick it out of a lineup of sports.

And 1 in 10000 know that EA Sports has a rugby video game.

But in all seriousness, Rugby has some potential in the Olympics but does it have any potential in the United States?

While the US Team will probably have their souls handed to them by teams from, say, New Zealand—and that's if the US even qualified, the exposure of the sport might be the kick start that it needs in the US.

Or not.

Rugby isn't a new sport, it has been around for a long time and people in the US care about it as much as they care for Chris Katan's career.

There is betting on Rugby, just like there is in all the popular major sports here and there is blood, guts, courage and excitement.

Rugby is more physical than any of the four major sports in North America but it appears to be too disorganized for fans on this side of the lake to like.

But, people used to say the same thing about mixed martial arts.

MMA was too bloody, too unruly, too hardcore, but now it's the next big thing.

Rugby won't ever rival the four major sports in North America and it's hard to envision Kansas City or Baltimore getting their own Rugby franchises in a North American Rugby league, but maybe adding Rugby to the Olympics gives it the exposure to plant this seed in North America.

Diamonds In the Rough: Who Are the Surprise NFL Stars of 2009?

Walker Daniels — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:24:26 -0400

Whether you're betting online, playing fantasy football or just watching for love of the game, it's always fun to discover the NFL's hidden gems every year. Naturally, the culture of "surprise stars" is offense-centric, simply because it's much easier to quantify the success via numbers. Needless to say, my list of surprise players for 2009 fits that bill.

By the way, hyped rookies don't count as diamonds in the rough. Steve Slaton's big 2009 wasn't exactly a "surprise" and LeSean McCoy isn't under the radar this season. We're talking about the Lance Moores, Pierre Thomases, and Greg Camarillos of the world.

Here's the 2009 list, in random order:

Earl Bennett, wide receiver, Chicago Bears

The 2008 third-rounder caught zero passes in his rookie season but that could change with Jay Cutler in town. Why? Bennett was Cutler's receiver at Vanderbilt. You have to think Lovie Smith will give the two a chance to rekindle their past rapport.

Ray Rice, running back, Baltimore Ravens

I'm almost breaking my own rule since Rice has a solid pedigree as a second-round pick from 2008, but I'm including him on this list considering he was third on the Ravens depth chart last season.

Even though the Willis McGahee/Le'Ron McClain tandem put the Ravens' running game near the top of the NFL last season, Rice is running with the first-team offense in training camp. He's a versatile back, capable of catching passes, and you have to wonder if he could have a Priest Holmes-like breakout.

Tyler Thigpen, quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs

Make no mistake; he's a backup to "savior" Matt Cassel. However, as Tom Brady showed us last season, a season can change in the blink of an eye.

A Cassel injury would thrust Thigpen back into a starting role. No one seemed to notice, but he was quietly capable behind center for the Chiefs last season, tossing 18 touchdown passes versus 12 interceptions. He could be effective in an improving offense.

Tashard Choice, running back, Dallas Cowboys

Unlike Ray Rice, Choice is buried on the Cowboys' depth chart behind two firmly entrenched and talented backs in Marion Barber and Felix Jones. However, that was the case last year too, and the door still opened for Choice to start down the stretch.

He responded with three 80+ yard rushing efforts, 17 receptions and two touchdowns in his last four games. Given that Barber's violent style will always get him hurt and Jones' toe injury has a chance to recur, Choice may get significant work again this season.

There's the list, folks. Don't necessarily run to your sports book and bet on these guys to win the MVP, but remember their names.

Why Gina Carano Will "Upset" Cyborg Santos at Strikeforce

Walker Daniels — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:48:50 -0400

I'm betting you haven't heard of Gina Carano, the mixed martial artist.

That doesn't mean you don't recognize the woman pictured above but, chances are, you know her as "Crush" from the American Gladiators reboot or "That sexy girl who posted in Maxim a few months back."

First and foremost, however, Carano is a fighter. Not just any fighter though. She is arguably the best female mixed martial artist on the planet. She's 7-0 and has demolished everyone in her path to date.

This Saturday, she'll have a chance to show an unprecedented audience her talent. Her title fight against Christiane "Cyborg" Santos at Strikeforce is the first women's bout to headline a major MMA promotion.

Amazingly, however, she's not the favorite to win. Strikeforce odds currently list her as a +150 underdog against Cyborg Santos.

It's understandable that odds makers hold Cyborg (7-1) in high esteem. She's a killer, likened to a female Mike Tyson. Five of her seven wins have come via knockout; she's a scrapper who can take a punch and dish out devastating blows better than anyone.

If she catches Carano flush, it could be lights out for the first time in the American's career.

Call me crazy but, as scary as Cyborg is, I don't think people are giving Carano enough credit. In this power-versus-technique bout, Carano is the technician. She's a versatile fighter who can drop opponents with her fists but also beat them on the ground, as she showed when she submitted Tonya Evinger via rear naked choke in a 2007 EliteXC bout.

Carano is a superior fundamental striker to Cyborg, meaning that Cyborg has to hope she can connect with her haymakers. Otherwise, Carano can pick her apart and pepper her with shots, as Cyborg's brawling style causes her to eat too many punches.

Cyborg's ground game hasn't been tested often thanks to her knockout power, but when it has, she hasn't inspired confidence. Her only loss occurred via leg lock in her MMA debut.

Whatever happens on Saturday, Carano and Cyborg should both emerge figurative winners, as women's MMA gets some long-deserved exposure.

If you're the type to bet on a true victor, though, I'd go with the true mixed martial artist. Carano is a more complete fighter and will teach the intimidating Cyborg Santos a lesson.

The Five Biggest Fish in the MLB Trade Waters

Walker Daniels — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:59:38 -0400

It seems Major League Baseball—namely, the St. Louis Cardinals and Oakland Athletics —got the jump on me before I could finish this article. Here I was, ranking Matt Holliday second in my top five trade targets and...

BAM!

Billy Beane ships him to St. Louis for a nice prospect package including blue chipper Brett Wallace. Nice deal for both teams, but what about us? We're forced to dig more and get that fifth name for our list.

This list isn't ranked in order of likelihood at your offshore sportsbook to be traded—George Sherrill and Chad Qualls would top that snoozer of a list. It ain't ranked in order of pure talent either; sorry, but Pujols and Morneau aren't on the block.

What I've concocted here is a hybrid; a list of the best players among the group of names who are at least rumored to be on the block. Here goes nothing.

1. Roy Halladay

Surprise, surprise. I'd argue that no current baseball player, let alone pitcher, would command as big of a return as Halladay, including El Hombre. Why?

a) There's a premium on good starting pitching in this era

b) There's a premium on good starting pitching with the ability to go deep in games

c) His peers—teammates, opposing hitters, managers and GMs—all say he's the best in the game

I'm betting the Jays have had some great offers but keep driving the price up. Why not?

2. Victor Martinez

I heard a rumor that the Red Sox turned down V-Mart for Clay Buchholz, which surprises me. I guess I'm not as big a believer in Buchholz as most. There's no getting around the fact that Martinez could really bolster a contender's lineup.

3. Cliff Lee

From underrated to overrated to underrated to overrated...and back to underrated again! Thanks to pitching wins being professional sports' most overvalued statistic, Cliff Lee is having an "off" year at 6-9 despite his 3.17 ERA and back-to-back complete-game victories. He's the consensus Doc Halladay Sweepstakes consolation prize.

4. Adrian Gonzalez

His name hasn't floated around the rumor mill too much, but it should. It's hard to find throwback players today like A-Gonz, who combines superb defense with fantastic power. Don't you think the Braves and Giants could really use this guy?

5. Adam Dunn

Wait, the Nats "aren't trading Adam Dunn." Yeah, and the "recession is over" too. He's hardly a complete player but there's no denying his power and patience.

There you have it—my fave trade targets. What do you think, folks? Will these guys get traded? Where do you want to see them go?

Why Roger Federer Will Win 2009 US Open

Walker Daniels — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:49:18 -0400

While most people are focused on Tour de France Stage 18, or the Erin Andrews peephole tape, or the cool new Vibram Fivefingers shoes, or NFL betting, or Nadia Marcinkova...Needless to say, the final men's tennis Grand Slam of the year isn't creating a buzz near the water cooler.

Nonetheless, we aren't too far away from it and even though it's early, it's hard to envision anyone except for Roger Federer winning the U.S. Open.

Sure, Andy Roddick gave him a Rafael Nadal-like run for his money at the Wimbledon finals. While some will expect Roddick to perform even better on his own turf, in front of his own fans, when have we ever known Roddick to be consistent? For all we know, that was just one good stretch of tennis.

A lot of people will be curious to see what type of shape Nadal is in when he returns next month in Montreal. He's been out for a while and obviously wants to get back in the swing of things, but let's face it, he has to be at the top of his game to be Federer.

At this point, we can't bank on that, especially on the hard court surface, which may hurt his knee even more.

So that leaves the likes of Andy Murray or maybe even Novak Djokovic, but nobody takes either of these guys seriously. Mopy Murray failed to get to the Wimbledon Final when he caught a huge break with Nadal pulling out of his side of the draw and many people might say that he's entering Djokovic territory.

He might turn out to be one of the most talented players on the Tour that may never win unless Federer is out of the way.

The sportsbook odds makers have Federer as a huge favored (+160) with Mopy Murray second (+300) and Nadal third (+500). The fact that Roddick is 13-to-1—along with Novak Djokovic—shows how much faith Vegas has in them.

As long as Federer is on top of his game, and quite clearly, right now he is, there is no reason to expect him to lose at Flushing Meadows. That should set up a fairly interesting Australian Open next year.

Favre vs. Vick: Who's the Better Starter in 2009?

Walker Daniels — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:53:30 -0400

Whoa, daddy. That's an extreme closeup. It's Michael Vick, by the way. I figure it's an appropriate photo because it represents how under the microscope this guy has been for the last few years.

As of yesterday, he's a free man. We know what it means to offshore sportsbook players. They'll start wondering where he plays, if anywhere, in 2009. I couldn't help but wonder about his potential impact compared to what Brett Favre may or may not do in Minnesota. Who would have the better season?

For analytical purposes, let's say Matthew Stafford is too raw to start in Detroit and the Lions make a desperation play for Vick. Who would make a bigger splash—old Favre on a good Minnesota team or well-rested Vick throwing to Megatron in Detroit?

BRETT FAVRE (Age 39)

Supposedly, we'll know by Friday whether or not he plays. Even though he's tarnished the crap out of his legacy, he should still be an upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson. He can throw the deep ball and we know Bernard Berrian can catch it. That big-play potential would make teams think twice about throwing eight-man fronts at Adrian Peterson.

It's also quite possible that 2009 Favre would be more like 2007 Favre than the 2008 one. He's reportedly training hard this offseason—you know, buying into that whole "exercise" craze again. He did that prior to his magical 2007, but sat on his behind before 2008. What a difference we saw!

Obviously, given Favre's age, his skill could drop off the face of the earth at any moment. He also may not gel too well with his teammates after his offseason prima donna act.

MICHAEL VICK (Age 29)

The dog slayer had football betting experts, er, salivating over his talent for the first few years of his career. Blessed with a cannon arm and unprecedented speed and elusiveness at the quarterback position, he's a human highlight reel. Any accuracy issues in Detroit would likely be remedied by Calvin Johnson, since, you know, he could catch a hot stick of butter with two fingers and three defenders draped on his back.

However, I think Favre has the edge. Vick is 10 years younger than Favre but may actually be rustier. Though Jets fans would disagree, Favre played NFL football last season. Vick spent the last two seasons in the slammer. Don't you think it will take time for him to adjust to getting hit, reading defenses and so on?

Also, remember that Brett Favre is perhaps the most durable quarterback in NFL history, whereas Vick was always an injury waiting to happen.

Sorry, Michael, but old man Favre has you beat.

Chris Bosh's Top Five Possible Trade Destinations

Walker Daniels — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:24:38 -0400

Basketball clearly isn't in the forefront right now as most people are busy with the British Open leaderboard, Tour de France Stage 13, Gina Salamino, and Heather Zeo.

Regardless, it has been a very hectic offseason, but it's not done yet. Raptors forward Chris Bosh has just one year left on his contract, and, while he hopes to stay in Toronto, we all know that there is a good chance he'll move.

The sportsbook odds makers have set it at even right now in regards to whether he stays or goes, but if he goes, here are five possible destinations (not accounting for salary matching):

1. To Phoenix Suns with a first-round pick for Amar'e Stoudemire and Steve Nash

On paper, this seems like a very one-sided trade talent-wise, but then again, so are basically all trades in the NBA (see: Pau Gasol to Lakers, or Shaquille O'Neal to Cavaliers).

Since the new owners have taken over in Phoenix, they have dismantled a championship-caliber team to spare parts and are clearly rebuilding. If they are rebuilding, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire no longer fit in.

Amar'e for Bosh is a better deal for Phoenix, but by throwing in Nash—an expiring contract whom they won't re-sign, they can get the better player.

Stoudemire is damaged goods after knee and eye surgeries over the past couple of seasons while Bosh is a player they can start piecing their puzzle with.

Raptors get a point guard who can help them compete in the East and a solid power forward who can score inside while the Suns get more than just cap space with a borderline All-Star.

2. To Sacramento Kings for Jason Thompson, Tyreke Evans, and a first-round pick

Not many teams need a four in the NBA, so Bosh isn't exactly filling a position of need for many teams. At the same time, not many of the teams who need a four have young prospects to send the other way. The Raptors don't just want cap space.

Jason Thompson is a good young power forward while Tyreke Evans would be the marquee piece of the deal. The Kings would also throw in a first-round pick—maybe two—to sweeten the deal for Toronto.

The Raptors get a good package back for Bosh while the Kings get a marquee player to sell to the fans. With Kevin Martin and Bosh, there is the makings of something nice.

3. To Chicago Bulls for Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and a first-round pick

The Chicago Bulls are always in the market for a power forward, even though they draft them like they are going out of style, and Bosh would be a good fit.

The Bulls already proved they can compete without Luol Deng, who was injured down the stretch of last season, and a lot of the things he does are duplicated by the addition of John Salmons.

The Raptors get a player who can start at center, which means Andrea Bargnani can move to his natural position at power forward, and they add quality depth with Luol Deng.

4. To Golden State Warriors for Stephen Jackson, Brandan Wright, and a first-round pick

The Warriors are always in the market for a power forward and they have about 40 players who do the exact same thing in the back court to trade.

Stephen Jackson is a tough, heart and soul-type player, which is what the Raptors need, and along with him, the Raptors get a quality prospect in Wright. While Don Nelson hasn't given him a chance, the Raptors could bring him a long slowly and develop into a Bosh-like player.

5. To Memphis Grizzlies for O.J. Mayo and two first-round picks

The Raptors would probably want more than that for Bosh but Memphis is a team that has young players to give up. Whether it's Mayo, Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick or Mike Conley Jr.

Zach Randolph will be in the way for about a year or so, but a starting lineup of Bosh, Marc Gasol, Gay/Mayo, and Conley Jr. has potential.

Meanwhile, the Raptors get draft picks a quality player back for Bosh. Mayo would fill a hole at shooting guard.

Bosh has a player option for 2010-11 for about $17 million and at this point, he might just keep it and not opt out. He won't get that kind of money elsewhere. At the same time, the Raptors have figured out that he's just below the franchise-player caliber and playing him in the front court with Andrea Bargnani does not create the matchup problems they originally believed it would, and it also gives them the worst defensive front court in the NBA.

The Raptors need to move Bargnani to the power forward position and see what they've got. With Bosh, they already know what they have and that a low seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first-round exit.

Choosing a Travel Destination For Doc Halladay

Walker Daniels — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:37:23 -0400

Have you MLB betting fans gotten sick of Roy Halladay trade talk yet?

Well, you best get used to it, as the rumors will keep swirling until Doc moves. Remember that Sean Connery movie Medicine Man? Me neither, but I do know it was about some sort of travelling doctor. We can think of Doc Halladay the same way, as many contending teams have boo-boos that desperately need fixing and are doing everything in their power to fly him to their fly-infested villages.

It's time to assess Halladay's potential suitors from a different perspective. Pundits everywhere are talking about which city gives the Blue Jays the best return for him, and while that's a good topic to discuss and bet on at your offshore sportsbook, you can read that anywhere. Let's assess Halladay's travel destinations from a Halladay fan's perspective.

Where's the "coolest" place for Halladay to land? For example, we know the Boston and New York would not be cool. Large market is good, tainting your image with rich evil empire is bad. Let's try these other destinations on for size:

St. Louis

Big enough market and he would join Albert Pujols to form the best hitter/pitcher tandem on the planet. Imagine those two playing in the same game, with Chris Carpenter due to pitch the next day? You could hike the price per head in St. Louis.

Los Angeles (Dodgers)

The market's huge and the Dodgers have patiently awaited their turn for a championship. Seeing Halladay mow down the Phillies and, hopefully, Yankees and Red Sox in a classic Dodgers uni would be sweet.

Milwaukee

The Brewers aren't buying, unless you ask Ryan Braun, but Milwaukee would be a cool home for Halladay because of his blue collar mentality. Don't you think those sausage-swallowing, beer guzzling fans would be all over Roy? He'd be a god.

Chicago (Cubs)

See a trend forming here? Basically, Doc needs to go to the NL Central, full of storied teams, good fans and some weak lineups to mow through. If any pitcher wouldn't be scared of the Cubs' curse, it's Doc.

There you have it; these aren't my official MLB picks for where he will go, but just where I think he should go for the sake of baseball itself. Come on, NL Central!

Denver Broncos Should Put F-Bomb On Yearbook Cover (Humor)

Walker Daniels — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:26:46 -0400

By now, you've probably all heard about the school that put the f-bomb on the yearbook cover. While the Shaker Heights Raider Nation yearbook cover is a sneaky move, the Denver Broncos might be ready to follow suit very shortly. And the NFL season hasn't even started yet.

The Broncos yearbook already includes some of the most disastrous moves. The NFL odds for the Broncos to win Super Bowl XLIV are dropping by the second.

First, they fired head coach Mike Shanahan at the end of last season and replaced him with 32-year-old Josh McDaniels. Shanahan had led the Broncos to two Super Bowls and had never won less than six games in a season, but surely McDaniels will break that streak in his first year.

McDaniels first order of business was to acquire his pretty-boy project Matt Cassel, which failed. But in doing so, he pissed off current Pro Bowl quarterback and now former face of the franchise, Jay Cutler. So they traded him away.

Now, another Pro Bowler, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, wants out as well. And the team has granted his trade wish.

So what has the Broncos offseason come to so far? They have made their peace to a potential Hall of Fame coach and two players who have the potential to make several Pro Bowls.

Well, at least they got Brian Dawkins to improve their 30th-ranked scoring defense.

When it's all said and done, sportsbook odd makers may rate this as the worst offseason in NFL history. Yes, to some that might come as crazy as Shaq MMA rumors. But the truth is, it has in fact been that bad.

Angels Pitcher Nick Adenhart Killed in Car Crash

Walker Daniels — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:49:35 -0400

In a story with a tragic ending, Anaheim Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a tragic car crash on Tuesday night.

Adenhart, who pitched six shutout innings for the Angels earlier in the night and completed one his best starts as a Pro, was a passenger in a car that was part of a three-car collision, according to the Orange County Weekly.

A lot of MLB betting handicappers and even fantasy players were examining the merits of Adenhart's latest start and considering investing in him.

Obviously the 22-year-old Adenhart, who was one of the Angels' brightest young prospects, has now been taken from us far too soon.

It brings back eerie memories of Josh Hancock and even Darryl Kile further back.

Unfortunately, this type of thing happens far too regularly, and it's no better or worse that Adenhart is a guy we recognize opposed to anonymous face who is only known by his loved ones.

More details will come as the news of this tragic story develops.

Masters Odds: Tiger Woods the Favorite

Walker Daniels — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:50:37 -0400

While his Tiger's niece, Cheyenne Woods, has received a lot of early week press, it's he who will receive plenty of attention as the sports world shifts it's focus to the Masters Golf Tournament this weekend.

In case you're wondering, Tiger Wood's niece has inherited some of her uncle's golf genes.

As we glance at the Masters odds,Tiger is a big favorite at 2-to-1 with only Phil Mickelson joining him among the golfers with odds of less than 15-to-1. Mickelson is 6-to-1. Below is a look at some picks and predictions for the Masters Golf Tournament this week.

Winner: Tiger Woods - Masters Odds: +200

Surprised, eh? Tiger wins pretty much one out of every three Masters Tournaments he enters (four wins in 12 years) and he is in a bit of a drought right now. Woods hasn't won The Masters since 2005, which by his standards, is an eternity. He should be very hungry to pick up his fifth green jacket.

Close, But No Cigar: Geoff Ogilvy - Masters Odds: +1650

Geoff Ogilvy is a good pick because of how well he's played on the tour this year. To be quite frank, he's hard to argue with. But the one sticking point that I can't get over is his track record at Augusta. He hasn't finished better than 16th and if you graph his production from his first start in 2006, the graph is a declined slope.

A Golfer That Makes You Go Hmmm: Paul Casey - Masters Odds: +2250

Casey won the Shell Houston Open last week and it's pretty rare for a golfer to win the last tournament before The Masters and the Masters Golf Tournament. Even so, Casey is an interesting pick. He's finished in the top-11 three times in his four starts.

A South African Sleeper: Retief Goosen - Masters Odds: +1815

Retief Goosen has been very quiet in the last two years, but he always plays well at Augusta. Goosen has three top-three finishes in the last four years, which gives a pretty good indication that he'll be buzzing near the top of the leader board on Sunday.

Why Does Tiger Woods Get a Free Pass on Steroids?

Walker Daniels — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:14:21 -0400

In a time when almost every athlete is questioned for steroid use, one star has continued to shine bright with any scrutiny: Tiger Woods.

Nowadays, if you're a baseball player, wrestler, or Olympic athlete, you are guilty until proven innocent when it comes to performance enhancing drugs.

PED's like HGH have become so rampant in sports than when an athlete does something out of the ordinary, the first thing that everyone questions is whether the guy is clean or not.

Except for with Tiger Woods.

Woods has quietly been shredding up the record books on the PGA Tour and sportsbook odds can't get any higher for him for each tournament that he enters. He's as dominant as it gets.

So how come he hasn't fallen into the steroid spotlight?

The first tip-off is typically body type, and while many 'roid ragers have grown huge over night, Woods has slowly grown into his body.

You wouldn't compare Woods' body progression with someone like Shawne Merriman or Barry Bonds, but a more apt comparison might be Alex Rodriguez.

Like Woods, Rodriguez was dominant early on in his career and when he was young, he too was quite skinny. Both have progressively developed their frames but at least one of them has admitted to growing the unclean way.

Detractors might say, why does a golfer need to use steroids? There's the obvious reason, which is driving the ball further, but there is also the mechanical element. Why would a baseball pitcher like Roger Clemens need to use steroids? Similar theories could be applied to golfers.

I'm not saying that Woods is a blatant cheater. Quite frankly, I have no evidence whatsoever that he has used performance enhancing drugs. But what I do wonder is why he doesn't face the criticism and the scrutiny that every other athlete of this generation has to deal with.

All sports fans hold Woods in such high regard whether they enjoy golf or not. In many ways, he's the most chaste legend of this era and should sports fans find out that he uses some kind of performance enhancers, it will be like finding out that the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist times 1000.

If a baseball player was setting records at Woods' pace or if an Olympic athlete was dominating the field like Woods is capable of, the first thing we would think about is steroids.

But with Woods, he gets the ultimate free pass.

Toronto Blue Jays Should Trade Roy Halladay For Future Building Blocks

Walker Daniels — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:40:40 -0400

For the first time in about three years, the Toronto Blue Jays didn't make any headlines in the offseason. They made no free agent signings to note, they made no acquisitions worth mentioning, and they made very few positive changes to a team that finished fourth in the American League East.

The sportsbook odds have the Jays projected to win 80.5 games, which seems completely preposterous at this point.

Playing in the toughest division in all of baseball, the Jays will send Jesse Litsch, Scott Richmond, David Purcey, and Brad Mills to the mound on a regular basis behind Roy Halladay.

And that bullpen that allowed the sportsbook to at least put some faith in the Jays has sprung a bit of a leak. B.J. Ryan has lost about six miles per hour of his velocity, which could a pretty big problem for a bullpen that might have to chew up a lot of innings.

In the batting lineup, the Jays are counting on $18 million man Vernon Wells to carry the team, which he's proven to be incapable of. Furthermore, there are pipe dreams that Alex Rios will be a 30 home run man and that Aaron Hill will start playing near All-Star level. There's also the lofty hope that rookie Travis Snider can be an everyday fielder and that Scott Rolen regains some power.

Good luck with that thinking.

The reality is that the Jays are among the worst teams in all of baseball and their strange mix of random parts doesn't really boast too much of a future. Besides Halladay, there probably aren't many players that would command a lot of interest among any of the contending Major League teams, which in short means that the Jays don't really have much of a foundation.

Wells has become an unmovable player given his enormous contract, and while Rios might be a good piece of the puzzle, he's nothing to build around.

And that's exactly the problem. The Jays don't really have anyone to build their team around.

Halladay is the guy, but at this point, the Jays need much more than just him. More importantly, the Jays are not going anywhere with him, which means it is time to trade him and get as many building blocks as possible.

The New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs will all come calling, and if the Jays are out of contention as everyone expects them to be, they should trade Halladay this year and start rebuilding.

If they can get at least one or two marquee prospects and team them with Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan and Alex Rios in a year, then there is at least a future. Otherwise, Halladay will walk at the end of next season and the Jays will be back to being that irrelevant team up north of the border.

Is Kurt Angle The Next Wrestler To Go Crazy?

Walker Daniels — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:23:49 -0400

It hasn't been a good generation for wrestlers. It seems like every time I look up there's another one that's found dead in a Florida hotel room.

By now, wrestling fans know that Test tapped out recently, Lex Luger can barely walk and 'Macho Man' Randy Savage looks to 57-years-old what Greg Oden looks to 21.

Is Kurt Angle in that boat? Those who bet sports wouldn't say that odds heavily favor him being a 'roids user, but maybe he has been pegged wrong. He does appear to have 'roids rage at times and now has revealed a very bizarre side of himself.

He recently appeared on Howard Stern's radio show in a promo interview, but he was fairly creepy on the show.

Angle professed his love for the newly single Robin Quivers, which was slightly odd. But that's not as crazy as what came after, as Angle got on one knee and read the following poem that he had written prior to the show (courtesy 411mania):

"To my love Robin,
I am a bachelor
and true love is hard to find
I maybe a wrestler
but you may love me for my mind
you are living the single life again
and are ready for the next phase
and just like Dr. Roni (Keith note: Robin's diet doctor)
I will make you a new woman in 21 days.
I won a gold metal in the Olympics
they say I never have been beat
I am also a gold medallist in the sack
much better than vegetables and meat (Keith note: Robin has talked about using vegetables before)
TNA pays me millions
to wrestle and cross the line
I will never ever bitch
even about an $800 bottle of wine (Keith note: show joke about Robin spending 800 dollars on a bottle a wine at dinner)
We can go to the theater
we can roll around in the grass
we an get coffee at starbucks
but don't try to squirt it up my ass (Keith note: Robin's is a enema nut)
Robin please give me a chance
for a love like you've never seen
and I'm much more well hung
than that damn Jim Florintine (Keith note: Robin's ex-boyfriend)
I will look past your shortcomings
and unlike Howard I don't snore
I don't even care that you scored a fucking 34 (Keith note: Robin's score on a narcissism test)
any man who disrespects you
I will certainly strangle
so how does this sound my sweetheart
oh Robin Ophelia Angle
I can make love to you all night
and I'll make you squeal
I'll have you screaming
its real, damn real"

Right...that's not weird at all. Is Angle mixing up Robin with Meagan Fox? Because I don't know many guys that dream of Robin. Blogs like Dirty Harry's Backyard or web sites like Askmen don't seem to have her highly ranked.

Robin is a great down to earth woman, but this Angle stuff is very bizarre. Are steroids in play here at all?

March Madness: The Barack Obama Bracket Reviewed

Walker Daniels — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:59:11 -0400

Since the President of the United States of America is going to be scrutinized for his policies on taxes, employment, the economy, his political beliefs, and virtually every other decision he makes, it makes sense to scrutinize his March Madness bracket as well.

Even as busy as he is nowadays, he still found time to fill out his picks.

Not surprisingly, you'll see a number of teams that are favored in Vegas and in the sportsbook to go all the way to the Final Four among his picks.

For those who don't know, and who haven't watched the fantastic HBO Real Sports interview with Barack Obama, he is a huge basketball fan. More so than just a fan, he's a player, and it's one of his favorite hobbies.

So naturally, just like everyone else in North America who doesn't work for the NCAA, he's filling out a bracket.

Obama doesn't have a ton of upsets in the first round, and he definitely doesn't go the clichéd way of picked the 12-5 upset. He has all four No. 5 seeds—Purdue, Illinois, Florida State, and Utah—advancing.

As a matter of fact, he picked only five seeds that are lower in the ranks (and underdogs according to March Madness odds) to progress through the first round.

Those five teams are No. 10 Maryland, No. 11 Temple, No. 9 Butler, No. 11 VCU, and No. 9 Tennessee.

Maryland is a good underdog pick as California simply relies on outside jumpers. Gary Williams and Co. will cut that off, leaving Cal looking for some options. Temple is an interesting pick, but I disagree there. Arizona State's defense will probably be too much for them. I like Butler over LSU, considering Butler is ahead of LSU in the polls anyways.

As far as VCU over UCLA, I think too many people are buying this Eric Maynor magic. It happened against Duke—it's not happening again. Also, Tennessee stumbles into this Tournament on a sour note. I don't think they are doing anything against the Cowboys, who have won eight of their last 10.

Beyond that, there are not many upsets in the Obama bracket.

In the Midwest region, the Obama bracket has the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 seeds in the Sweet Sixteen. In the East, South, and West, it's the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 seeds.

Overall, Obama's NCAA picks don't include anyone below a No. 3 seed in the Elite Eight, and Memphis is the only non-No. 1 seed in the Final Four.

I know that all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four last year, but that was the first time ever.

The Obama bracket isn't banking on many upsets, but I think that's how a lot of people feel going into the Tournament.

How funny would it be if he actually won a contest, taking home something like a $2 million prize? That would be a nice stimulus package, if you know what I'm saying.

The Obama Bracket is a great idea, and I'm glad that he's part of the Madness. Plus, who am I to criticize the President's picks?

Can the Cleveland Cavaliers Actually Win an NBA Championship?

Walker Daniels — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:45:41 -0400

Everyone's main focus right now is March Madness odds and the college basketball game, but what is going somewhat unnoticed is the growth of the Cleveland Cavaliers and their star who didn't play in college.

With about 16 games to go in the regular season, the Cavaliers sit atop the NBA with a record of 53-13.

While they would lose out on home-court advantage in a tie-breaker situation with the Los Angeles Lakers, who currently have an identical record, the Cavaliers have four more home games remaining over the Lakers.

Two years ago, when the Cavaliers went to the NBA Finals, while it was considered an accomplishment for the franchise, nobody considered them a serious threat to the Championship. The San Antonio Spurs easily handled them in four straight games.

The same can't be said for this year's team, and while sportsbook odds-makers have made the proper adjustments, has the public?

While the obvious thing to do is to give LeBron James credit, the fact of the matter is that this has been a team effort.

For starters, General Manager, Danny Ferry, has done an excellent job of building this team. The Cavs have added Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Mo Williams over the last two seasons, while losing little from their core.

There was a time where it looked like Anderson Varejao might leave and Sasha Pavlovic would look for work elsewhere, but Ferry managed to keep them.

Next has been the growth of Mike Brown as a head coach. When he first took over the job, a lot of fans, pundits and on-line betting handicappers were skeptical of the move.

But the reality is that Brown has instilled a San Antonio Spurs-like defensive mindset. Not only that, but like the Spurs, the Cavaliers put an emphasis on—and do a great job of—closing out quarters and halves.

The general manager and the coach can only put the pieces in place. It's the players that have to learn, grow and execute, which is exactly what the Cavs have done.

Starting with LeBron James. He has improved significantly in the last two seasons. For starters, he's now one of the best on-the-ball defenders.

Offensively, we all know his story, but it's worth noting that he's playing just under three minutes less per game, but is on pace to set a new career-high in field goal percentage and assists per game, while setting a new low for turnovers per game.

But it's not just James who has improved.

Varejao, who seemed to be a Sideshow Bob-like gimmick for the Cavs, who would come off the bench and agitate, flop and play good defense, is now a key member on this squad. He's on pace to set career highs for games started, field-goal percentage, points per game, and blocks per game.

West, who didn't even get an opportunity to play in Seattle, is chipping in 12 points a game while alleviating many of the point guard duties from Williams and James. If you recall, this is a team that used to use Damon Jones at the point guard position, so the addition of West was a real upgrade.

Mo Williams, the main point guard on the team, was supposed to be a greedy ball-handler, who never passed in Milwaukee. Many people thought he'd come over and disrupt the team chemistry.

But Williams has not only been a key member for this squad, but he's become an All-Star secondary weapon that makes it nearly impossible to double-team James. Williams is on pace to average new career highs for points per game and three-pointers per game.

This is an organization that from top to bottom has built a championship-caliber team properly. There is depth, there are role players there is versatility, there is a superstar and there are now plenty of secondary options.

While many people think of the Cavs as just another team that's having a great regular season—à la the New Orleans Hornets last year—those people might be surprised to see the Cavs winning a Championship.

For everyone else who is paying attention, given the way this team is playing, it won't be a shock whatsoever.

Even though the Cavs will likely have home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs at the very least, until they unseat the Boston Celtics, nobody is going to rank them ahead.

But what is important here is that the Cavaliers are genuinely capable of winning a Championship, which is something we couldn't have said two years ago.

Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel: Broncos Should Still Make the Trade

Walker Daniels — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:44:46 -0400

Everyone is focused in on March Madness odds so much right now that they may have neglected one of the biggest storylines of the year in the NFL.

Jay Cutler has demanded a trade from the Denver Broncos.

On one hand, you might look at it from the perspective of, say, an Anquan Boldin/Chad Johnson situation. In reality, Cutler is under contract with the Broncos, and they don't have to appease him in any way. He is obligated to show up and play, or he won't get paid.

But it's pretty clear that Johnson/Boldin don't have the same type of impact on their team. A sour Cutler can uproot the team's success, whereas a malcontent like Johnson is just a distraction.

Should Cutler continue to be miffed, sour, and in general a problem, the Broncos are going to have no choice but to move him. A wide receiver you can push to the side. The trigger man of your offense and the player you are building your entire franchise around—you can't sweep that under the rug.

There are sportsbook odds up already that Cutler will not be playing with the Broncos at the start of the 2009 season.

Odds makers project Detroit and Tampa Bay as the favorites, but the wild rumors and speculation have just begun to fly.

Just today, there was a crazy rumor posted about Cutler and a first-round pick for Tom Brady. Other people have thrown Cutler to the New York Jets as a possibility.

Along those lines, I'm tossing this one into the hat: Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel.

Let's face it, new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels wants Matt Cassel. He even said so in a face-to-face with Cutler over the weekend, which is part of the reason why we've come to this point.

On the flip side, if you are the Kansas City Chiefs, before, Cassel was the best name you could acquire to build your franchise around, but Cutler is significantly better.

Cutler is a proven, Pro Bowl caliber-type quarterback, and he's a far smaller risk than Cassel. He's also cheaper than Cassel, who is set to make $15 million this year (roughly).

For Denver, the only way that they can make amends for this entire mess is if they get Cassel.

They could trade Cutler to the Lions for the first pick overall and draft Matthew Stafford, but the fans will view that as a huge step backwards. They could trade Cutler for defensive pieces, or other draft picks, or more cap space, but all of those moves will be also viewed as downgrades.

The only move that could potentially look as a somewhat lateral move is to acquire the man they sought out to acquire earlier in the offseason: Cassel.

If the Broncos can get Cassel and a pick or two, it's still a tough sell, but it could work. After all, the Broncos were attempting to pull that off anyways.

Outside of that, the Broncos' trading of Cutler looks like the type of move that could send the Broncos into a Detroit Lions-like tailspin.

We've seen this before, like when the Boston Bruins traded Joe Thornton away. Or when the Los Angeles Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal for 30 cents on the dollar. Or when the Toronto Raptors traded away Vince Carter.

The common theme is that none of the teams that have sold off their star have recovered. McDaniels might be the next Jerry Glanville, and he probably won't ever recover if the Broncos trade Cutler. The only way that he can save face now is to get his hands on who he originally set out to get, Matt Cassel, and hope that he pans out.

March Madness: Does Anyone Want to Be a No. 1 Seed?

Walker Daniels — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:05:32 -0400

The real college basketball postseason is about to start, but as we approach the March Madness betting season, a lot of people are wondering if there is a team to trust in the upcoming Tournament.

The Oklahoma Sooners, who have arguably the best potential NBA talent in the college basketball game, were knocked out of the Big 12 Tournament by Oklahoma City.

The Kansas Jayhawks, whom many people were skeptical of all season long anyways, were knocked out of the Big 12 Tournament by the Baylor Bears.

The Pittsburgh Panthers, who have the point guard, the coaching, and the potential NBA talent to make a deep run in the Tournament, lost out to West Virginia in the Big East Tournament.

The Connecticut Huskies, who some March Madness betting fans were already doubting because of the loss of point guard Jerome Dyson to injury, were outlasted in six overtimes by the Syracuse Orange in the Big East Tournament.

The North Carolina Tar Heels, who were supposed to be the one team that everyone could rely on, struggled to beat the lowly Virginia Tech Hokies.

Does anyone have any interest in being the No. 1 seed in the March Madness Tournament?

When you take a look at the Memphis Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks that played in the NCAA Championship Game last year, or even the back-to-back Florida Gators champions before that, they would completely dominate anyone who was in this Tournament. Nobody really measures up.

The door is open for the Louisville Cardinals to jump up and take a top seed, and they are a pretty good team, but it is shocking that three potential No. 1 seeds lost and a fourth just barely escaped defeat.

March Madness betting includes plenty of upsets, but this NCAA Tournament could have even more upsets than usual. The gap between the No. 1 seeds and everyone else is very small, which means there will be more Madness this March than in some of the previous tournaments.

Curb Your Enthusiasm for the World Baseball Classic

Walker Daniels — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:37:42 -0500

The World Baseball Classic might be the only international tournament that includes Major League Baseball players, but it’s generating about as much interest among sports fans as The Rachel Ray Show.

On paper, it is a good idea to get all the nations and races that John Rocker has insulted into one competitive tournament, but so far the execution of this event has been poor.

Before the first pitch had even been tossed this year, Team USA—and many other nations—had a lineup full of All-Stars line up and walk out the door.

Pitchers like CC Sabathia and World Series MVP Cole Hamels declined invitations right away while others players like Grady Sizemore and Joe Nathan pulled themselves from the roster afterwards.

The major issue is a lack of incentives for the players.

They aren’t paid a cent to play and while some athletes want to represent their country, the thought of nationalistic pride just doesn’t have the same zing for the World Baseball Classic as it does for, say, the Olympics.

And in those aforementioned Olympics, athletes compete for a very precious medal. What is the prize for this tournament?

In the NFL, it’s the Super Bowl, in the NHL, players vie to get a drink from the Stanley Cup, and in baseball, it’s a ring.

In the World Baseball Classic, it’s a World Baseball Classic Championship Trophy, which is as anonymous as OHSAA wrestling.

With no money, no tangible prize and minimal pride on the line, the Major League players have little to gain from playing. As a matter of fact, they have a lot more to lose by participating.

The baseball season is a long, protracted one and most players—especially pitchers—only have a certain amount of mileage. For most players, the season won’t start for another month but for the ones participating in the World Baseball Classic, they’ll have one month of tread on their tires.

Wear and tear can lead to injuries, either now or later, or it could just lead to a weaker performance in the regular season.

For players in a contract year or for players who have a legitimate chance to be playing for a World Series in October, the World Baseball Classic is not worth the risk. Throw in the fact that the tournament is played in four different countries at different times, making it difficult to follow, and casual enthusiasts are left with a mess.

There’s no reason for the players to care, so why should the fans?

The Patriots Should Sign Terrell Owens

Walker Daniels — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:39:45 -0500

It's a match made in heaven, like Kevin Nealon and Susan Yeagley. Or this blogger and his sports betting picks.

How good would Terrell Owens look in a New England Patriots' uniform?

First off, let's do what all NFL teams do when they think of Owens—think of all the positives.

Owens on one side, Randy Moss on the other, Wes Welker moving the chains, Tom Brady breaking his own regular season touchdown record, Fred Taylor running free, and Bill Belichick running up the score.

What would sportsbook oddsmakers do at that point? When the Patriots were peaking in their perfect regular season, the NFL betting spread was nearly 30 points in a few contests.

How big would the point spread be if the Patriots were at home to, say, the Detroit Lions?

The Patriots would be unstoppable.

But now, let's glance away from the angel on one shoulder and look at the little devil on the opposite shoulder.

Owens is a team cancer—a malcontent and every team that he touches usually smells like burnt popcorn two years later.

He's immature, he insults his teammates, he is a back-stabber, and unless the team is winning and he is the reason for it, he isn't satisfied.

All of those things are true, but some of them, not all, were characteristics of Moss. In no way am I equating the two players' attitudes. Because on the spectrum of bad attitudes, Owens is a 9.9 while Moss is in the 4-6 range, depending on the situation.

But the point is that Belichick has shown in the past that with guys like Moss, or even clock-killing Corey Dillon, he can strip off some of that bad attitude.

But here is how this deal could work for the Patriots. First of all, if there is any sort of a bidding war for Owens, the Patriots won't touch him.

Several teams will have to pass on Owens and leave him and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, on the scrap heap before the Patriots come calling. Then, the Pats can offer a one-year, incentive-laden contract that has more exits than Gillette Stadium.

Owens is obviously a concern when it comes to disrupting team chemistry. But at the same time, T.O. has shown that he can be a team player, in his first season with the team. With both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, his first season was arguably his most problem-free.

If that's the case and the Patriots have outs in the contract and if Belichick feels he can control him, then they should sign him. As soon as there is any problem whatsoever, he's gone.

In the modern-day NFL, with the salary cap and revenue sharing, teams are not supposed to be able to have Brady, Moss, Owens, and Welker on the same team. But the Patriots are shrewd, which is why they would be capable of it.

They traded for Welker and Moss on the cheap and could get Owens for a fraction of the price tag that San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas paid.

The thought of Owens on the Patriots is downright scary, if they weren't already. Considering the Pats are still looking at adding Jason Taylor, Joey Galloway, and Marvin Harrison, they could be legitimately back to and beyond their 2007 form.

Matt Cassel Is More Overrated Than Melissa from The Bachelor

Walker Daniels — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:03:27 -0500

It seems like just yesterday that Matt Cassel was just as anonymous as that girl Melissa from The Bachelor 13, before she made the reality show.

Now, all of the sudden, both are the best thang smokin'.

Outside of T.J. Housmandzadeh, Cassel doesn't have too much competition right now as far as the most overrated player in the NFL.

In September, the only thing we knew about Cassel was that he hadn't started a football game since high school. Now, when sportsbook odds open up lines for Week One of the NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs will be investing their faith and money in the very same player to lead them on the journey to a Super Bowl.

Six months from his first NFL start, Cassel is making nearly $15 million and the Chiefs are trading away their second round pick for him—isn't that as drastic as marrying a girl you met on a reality TV show?

There's no question that Cassel is a decent player, but Bill Belichick's system has helped a number of players overachieve. Cassel could be the next in that line.

It's hard not to look at Cassel at this point and think Scott Mitchell, or even Matt Schaub on some levels. We simply don't know enough about Cassel to confidently say that he'll be a Pro Bowler, or that he has the skills to take a team to Super Bowl, or that he can be trusted as a franchise quarterback who can carry a team. His resume is too short and his surroundings were too good in New England to jump to that conclusion.

But the Chiefs seem sold. More specifically, their new general manager and former Patriots general manager, Scott Pioli.

Trading with the New England Patriots is always a bad idea. Belichick wouldn't do a homeless person a favor, never mind an NFL team in his own conference.

Move over Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle. It's the Matt Cassel show now in Kansas City.

World Baseball Pass-It: Why I Won't Be Watching the WBC

Walker Daniels — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:54:38 -0500

The World Baseball Classic is trying hard, but like many of the Major League Baseball players who have pulled out of the tournament, I don't care.

The WBC odds show that the American team is the favorite to win it all, which is fairly surprising since they didn't even make the final four in 2006.

Joe Nathan, B.J. Ryan, Brad Hawpe, and Grady Sizemore were the most recent pullouts from the American team, and who can blame them?

Let's be honest: There isn't a ton of nationalistic pride involved with this tournament (at least in North America anywhere). In comparison to Olympic basketball or even Olympic hockey, the amount of nationalism—or even coverage in general—for the World Baseball Classic is minimal.

Major League ballplayers care about this tournament about as much as NFL players care about the Pro Bowl. The goal, for many of the athletes, is simply to avoid injury.

With the tournament installed right before the start of the Major League season, most players don't want to wear themselves out before the dog days of summer.

Most pitchers only have a certain amount of annual mileage they can use anyways, so now they are going to spend some of it in a nothing tournament instead of potentially helping their team win a World Series.

Given the choice, most players would opt for a shot at a World Series ring rather than being the WBC odds on favorite or having a chance to win whatever trophy you get for winning the Baseball Classic.

The prizing sucks, there is minimal nationalism since more people care about the MLB season, and the players aren't paid. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

If you want to watch the American team give a half-hearted effort to win some anonymous trophy, all the power to you. I'll be watching other things when the Baseball Classic comes around.

Report: Redskins To Take $100 Million Gamble on Haynesworth

Walker Daniels — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:25:38 -0500

ProFootballTalk.com, the Houston Chronicle and SI.com have all had blurbs confirming that the Washington Redskins are going to sign Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a contract that will be in the $100 million range, averaging roughly $15 million per year. He's about to be rich like the truck driver in The Chappelle Show skit.

This is great news for Andre Gurode, the linemen whose face Haynesworth used as a doormat in 2006, who will be happy to know that he'll see Haynesworth twice a year now.

This potential signing has the makings of being just another notch in the long line of Washington Redskins disasters in free agency. See: David Patten, Antwan Randle El, Brandon Lloyd, Pete Kendall, Andre Carter, and Jason Taylor.

Those who bet sports don't really care. It doesn't affect anyone's belief in the Redskins long term, really, since no one really had that much faith in them to begin with.

Most sharp football fans know that Haynesworth has mailed it in throughout his career. He was considered "lazy" by his coaches throughout the first five years of his career and after stomping on Gurode's face, and kicking center Justin Hartwig in the chest during training camp, a lot people felt he was a head case. But he Vince Cartered his way through his last two seasons—both contract years—and flashed what he is truly capable of when he feels like it.

The problem is that the Redskins are investing in him at his absolute highest point. He can't play any better than he has over the past two seasons, when he was conveniently working on one-year contracts.

But with this insane contract that will pay him roughly $15 million per year, the Redskins are going to expect him to be in 2007 form every single season for the next six years or so.

Haynesworth is going to be 28 in June, which means he's no longer a young sprite. And almost all 330-pound defensive tackles have motivation issues to begin with, but Haynesworth has a longer track record than most.

Furthermore, Haynesworth hasn't even played in a full 16-game season since his rookie year in 2002.

The only two good years Haynesworth has produced have been the two years where he was expecting to be a free agent. The Redskins might be able to expect a couple of good years from him, but all signs point to this being another huge Redskins gamble.

If you're an NFL betting man, then you know the odds aren't in your favor when you are betting on the Redskins in these situations.

Ricky Davis is More Selfish than Kate Beckinsale

Walker Daniels — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:58:00 -0500

Look at the attached photo: If that's not the face of a selfish woman, than I don't know what is.

Few people have been as selfish as Kate Beckinsale was when she decided not to do whatever Underworld movie they are on now. None of us would kick her out of bed for eating Triscuit crackers, but her selfishness is not going unnoticed.

But even though she remains as the Queen of Selfish for not doing Underworld XLIII, her male equal, Ricky Davis of the Los Angeles Clippers, still runs the house of selfish.

I know, I know, J.R. Smith. I haven't overlooked you and your heavily contested game-tying, catch-and-shoot three-point attempt yesterday with 33 seconds left (even though there was plenty of time to play defense/foul) that myself, George Karl, and Chauncey Billups wanted to strangle you for.

Nope. Ricky Davis is the King of Selfish.

The best part about Ricky Davis is that in his mind, he's never guarded. There is never a time when Ricky Davis won't shoot. And we've all seen him pull the trigger on almost every shot.

The "hand in your face" jumper, the "split the double-team" fadeaway and the "Nate Robinson wouldn't even do this in a dunk competition" drive to the basket. And how could we forget the "shoot it off your own basket to get the rebound to complete a triple-double" shot.

Ricky Davis does it all.

Yesterday was a new chapter in Ricky Davis' Guide to Becoming Selfish for Dummies.

The short-handed Los Angeles Clippers were facing the Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers were actually hanging around by their standards—down by about 25 points in the third quarter when they made a run.

The lead was trimmed to 20 and Pretty Ricky got his hands on the ball with a chance to cut it to 17. Obviously, he jacked it up and clanked. Clippers get the ball rebound, then it's cycled around back to Ricky, and he hoists another jumper. 0-2.

Clippers somehow get a third rebound on the possession and Ricky Davis gets his filthy mitts on it one more time. By this point, it was clear the circle button was broken on his controller and passing was not an option. So he shoots again. Clank.

Honestly, how many players in the NBA have taken three shots on one possession? I'm not talking about the Tim Duncan's or Kevin Garnett's of the world, who takes a shot then try to tip it twice.

I'm talking about a selfish guard like Ricky Davis, who'll shoot, won't fight to get the rebound, but will call to get the balls back in his hands and shoot.

Three shots in one possession. It's simply perfect.

Ricky Davis has never played for a winner because he's a loser. He's not a loser in the sense that he's a dead-beat dad like Rick Ross. He's a loser in the sense that everywhere he plays, his teams lose. He's a selfish loser than drags the rest of his teammates down.

Since the 2000-01 season, Davis has played on a winning team just once. That team topped out at 45 wins. He hasn't played with the best talent but he has been part of the problem.

If he could play one-on-five, he would. Given the opportunity, Davis would participate in the Dunk Competition and Three-Point Shootout. He wouldn't do the point guard competition or play in the celebrity game because he'd have to pass.

So take that Beckinsale. You've met your match, and he plays for the Clippers.

Al Davis: Not Even a Bad Economy Can Stop Him

Walker Daniels — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:48:25 -0500

Even though the economy is terrible and people from all walks of life—wealthy, rich, mediocre, poor—are cutting back on their spending, Oakland Raiders owner and inept General Manager Al Davis just keeps on spending.

The best part is not that he is spending or simply rewarding his good players with favorable contracts. He is going above and beyond the call of duty.

I know NFL betting is not exactly the topic of conversation these days, but how can you neglect the state of the Raiders after their two most recent signings?

First, they sign punter Shane Lechler to a four-year, $12 million contract with nine of it guaranteed. Since when do punters deserve anything guaranteed? Alright, alright—he is the best in the game.

Even so, they gave him that money after defensive tackle Terdell Sands "allegedly" punched him in the face without repercussions.

That is not even the worst signing. There were sportsbook odds on where stellar cornerback Nnamdia Asomugha would land, but he decided to return to Oakland.

He had no choice after receiving "Octa-mom" money.

Asante Samuel signed a six-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason and was paid roughly $20 million in guarantees over six years. Kelvin Hayden, who is a pretty good cornerback, just re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts and received $23 million guaranteed over five years. Hayden's total contract contract is for $43 million over five years.

But Asomugha's deal is even better.

He will receive a whopping $28.5 million guaranteed in his three-year contract, which leads me to believe that Al Davis was wearing two pirate eye-patches while negotiating this deal.

Asomugha is a good player. Heck, he is a top-three cornerback right now if not the premier defensive back in the game. But this contract is ludicrous.

Is Javon Walker still with the Raiders? That would mean the Raiders have the highest-paid wide receiver and punter in the NFL. Tommy Kelly has a top-three contract for defensive tackles. JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden are also highly paid.

Off the top of my head, I would say 30 to 40 percent of the Raiders salary cap is tied up in a punter, an underachieving defensive tackle, a wide receiver who is a detriment to the team, and a great cornerback as well as a mediocre quarterback and running back.

That sounds good. I cannot wait to see what Davis does in an uncapped season.

Steve Kerr: Smarter In NBA 2K9 Than In Real Life

Walker Daniels — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:12:14 -0500

Sometimes I like to unwind with a nightcap of NBA 2K9. Marv Albert and Steve Kerr do the play-by-play commentary and it's a good time.

But when I get back to reality and I check out Kerr's resume as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, I can't help but wonder what happened to the smart guy who makes cheesy analyses in the video game.

If you take a look at some of the most recent sportsbook odds, you wouldn't be surprised to see that Kerr is among the favorites to be fired next among NBA general managers.

Let's face it. There have been some brutal GMs in NBA history; Bill Simmons can attest to that.

But Kerr is quickly joining the all-time ranks.The term quickly being the word of emphasis.

Kerr has run an championship-caliber franchise into the ground so quickly that the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Rockies would be proud.

It feels like it was last week that I was doing some NBA betting on the high-flying Suns, backing them as a dark horse to win the Western Conference.

Now, this team is an unmitigated disaster, and there is no one else to blame besides Kerr.

We can go back to the golden era, less than two years ago, when the Suns were a perennial 50-win team with an MVP point guard, one of the best young power forwards and an exciting team that was fun to watch.The Suns were sexier than Megan Fox in lingerie.

Beating the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks was obviously a hurdle, but at least they were in the position. At least, they were an officiating screw job (Robert Horry) away from potentially winning a championship.

From an NBA betting standpoint, they were a bettor's dream for the over on totals, but I digress.

Kerr took over a team that was a whisker within a championship and dragged them into Houston Rockets territory.

The first move he made was trading for Shaquille O'Neal. We all watched a 36-year-old, out-of-shape Shaq rub his ring finger, indicating that he'd help bring the Suns that elusive championship.

The only problem was that The Diesel, who badly needed an oil change, was inserted into a run-and-gun offense. From an ideological standpoint, the only way you could have made a trade with more conflicting values is if the Suns acquired Shaun Alexander.

In trading for Shaq, the Suns also gave up Shawn Marion, who was one of the team's best perimeter defenders and best wing players. Not to worry, though, Kerr's got you covered. He'll bring in Grant Hill to replace Marion.

Kerr's next move was to push head coach Mike D'Antoni out the door, which immediately shaved five wins off the Suns' projected win total in the sportsbook. After all, we're changing mottos now. We're not going to run anymore. We'll be a half-court team that pounds it into Shaq regularly.

And we'll bring in Terry Porter to do the job.

For Porter, his gig was a no-win situation from the get go. The Suns brass and their fans won't be impressed with anything less than a championship, but the parts are only good enough for a first-round playoff appearance. Good luck, Terry.

The problems compounded when it turned out that Steve Nash is no longer an MVP in this new, slow offense, and Amare Stoudemire doesn't like playing alongside Shaq. On top of that, the team's defense hasn't really improved.

No problem. Kerr's got you covered. We'll pin it on the head coach, fire him, and bring in a coach who'll take us back to our run-and-gun roots.

And that's where the Suns are now. Running-and-gunning without D'Antoni, without Marion, and with an over-the-hill Hill and Shaq.

But as the trade deadline quickly creeps up, whose name do we hear in trade rumors? Shaquille O'Neal.

Well, that makes sense, I suppose. Now that the Suns are back to running, why do they need Shaq and his enormous contract?

So here's what Kerr has done for you, Suns fans:

1. Traded for Shaq, hired Terry Porter, slowed the offense down to a crawl.

2. Fired Porter, hired Alvin Gentry, sped up the offense again, and tried to trade away Shaq at the trade deadline.

All in the span of one year.

Meanwhile, he's taken an awesome team and dragged them completely out of the playoffs.

This is a failure of epic proportions. Worse yet, by firing Porter and trying to trade Shaq, he's admitting his own mistakes just one year into his tenure.

Well, props to you, Kerr, for owning up and admitting that you are a bad general manager, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a bad general manager.

Stick to TNT broadcasts and NBA 2K9, Steve. You've embarrassed yourself and a once-stellar franchise enough.

New NBA Model: Trade Your Assets for Cap Space, Then Waste Cap Space

Walker Daniels — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:43:01 -0500

Quick—tell me what the Memphis Grizzlies ended up with in return for trading Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers? What exactly did the Sacramento Kings receive for Ron Artest? Even further back, what did the Toronto Raptors get back for Vince Carter?

It has become a trend in the NBA to trade quality assets for cap space (aka nothing), and quite frankly, it's starting to disturb me.

It has affected the NBA betting landscape completely since the good teams are taking from the poor without sacrificing any of their corps.

But leaving the NBA betting aspect aside for a second, how can these trades possibly continue?

Marcus Camby, a former Defensive Player of the Year, was dealt for a second round pick. Tyson Chandler, a quality center who averages nearly a double-double nightly and is only 26-years-old, was dealt for the expiring contracts of Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox.

Now as the NBA trade deadline approaches, there are rumors of the Cleveland Cavaliers sending Wally Szczerbiak for Antawn Jamison. Or the Phoenix Suns potentially selling Amar'e Stoudemire for peanuts. Yikes.

What happened to the days where one team trades an All-Star for a young up-and-coming prospect AND cap space? Now cap space is the hot commodity.

How did that cap space work out for the Philadelphia 76ers, when they signed Elton Brand? Or for the Los Angeles Clippers, when they signed Baron Davis? Or for the Golden State Warriors, who signed Corey Maggette?

When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded away Kevin Garnett, at least they got Al Jefferson, cap space and other parts. The Grizzlies, Raptors, and Kings all traded superstar-caliber players and ended up with nothing.

The Grizzlies received Kwame Brown (who is no longer with the team), Javaris Crittenden (who is no longer with the team), and two first-round picks, which will be late first-rounders now that the Lakers are the premier team in the West. Enjoy.

The Nuggets and Hornets received cap space for their centers, but both teams were simply trimming salary, which means they won't be replacing either player with anyone of value.

The Raptors received Eric Williams, Erin Williams, and two first-round picks for Carter, which all amounted to virtually nothing.

The Kings received Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene and a first-round pick for Artest, which for now looks like a bunch of nothing.

If I was an NBA general manager and I was rebuilding, here is what I would do: sign a bunch of losers to expensive, two-year contracts. Just absolute nobodies.

Then in the second year, when their contracts are about to expire, trade them off for assets.

Think about it: you don't even need to start with a superstar, but you'll have a couple of high draft picks so there is a good chance you will anyways.

Spend about $40 signing losers in staggered two-year contracts (so you have players who are signed for $5 million, $7 million, $10 million) so it's easier to get the contracts to match later.

Then in their contracts years, you could give up a second round pick to get Camby, give up trash and a first-round pick for Gasol, and another expiring contracts for Jamison. That's a pretty solid front court, now you just need to find a point guard and a shooting guard, and use the remaining cap space to fill out the bench.

Sounds crazy, but rebuilding this way might work a lot sooner than it does trying to hit the bullseye in the draft to find a LeBron or Wade.

Alright, so I'm being sarcastic, but I'm saddened to say that this could actually work. In the NBA—and in the NHL now—expiring contracts are a valuable commodity but it really drags the sport down when superstars get traded for nothing (aka cap space).

Tyson Chandler Deal Reportedly Completed by Thunder, Bobcats

Walker Daniels — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:36:56 -0500

The New Orleans Hornets won 56 games last year, and with a young roster the general feeling was that another year of experience together would build them into a true Western Conference powerhouse. Even bettors bought the hype, as the sportsbook odds for the Hornets had them among the top three teams to win the Western Conference.

They haven't met those lofty expectations in the 2008-09, as they are on pace to win fewer games and, as a whole, look fairly vulnerable in the West.

What's peculiar about this move is that the Hornets rank dead-last in the NBA in rebounding, yet they traded their center who has averaged nearly 10 per game during his career.

Watching the Hornets play, it is pretty clear that interior defense and rebounding have been their two biggest faults this season. And now they've traded a player who—when healthy—alleviated both concerns.

Chandler, for his career, has averaged 8.2 points per game, 9.0 rebounds per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. But instead of Chandler, the Hornets have now loaded their power forward position with players who won't see the court while David West is healthy.

On the surface, it makes no sense for the Hornets to trade a player who can play alongside West for two players who cannot, while leaving a vacancy at center.

But the reality is that this move has to do with salary cap space. The Hornets no longer feel like paying Chandler the $25 million he's owed in the next two years beyond this season and they can get that money back since the contracts of both Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox will be expiring at season's end.

Also, the Hornets probably figure that they have a former first-round pick in Hilton Armstrong, who can fill in for Chandler, but that's debatable.

Sportsbook odds have been dropping and dropping as the public seems to have less faith in the Hornets for NBA betting. The Hornets are 2-6 both straight up and against the spread in their last eight games.

It's odd to see a team that is trying to win an NBA Championship trade an asset for cap space. The two goals are converging. Are they going for a championship or are they trying to save money by downgrading?

Not that the Hornets were a serious player in the West before, but now for sure they aren't going to be much of a factor in the NBA Championship unless the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs fail in front of them. For those who bet sports, this trade is a red flag to stay away from them.