02/06/2012 -
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Christel Boeljon came from three strokes
back to win the Australian Ladies Masters on Sunday and that helped her jump
16 spots in this week's women's world rankings.
Boeljon, who played in her first Solheim Cup last year, moved to 46th this
week.
There was little movement at the top of the rankings, but that should change
next week as the LPGA opens its season in Australia this weekend.
Yani Tseng, who will defend her title at the Women's Australian Open this
week, remained No. 1 and was again followed by Suzann Pettersen, Na Yeon Choi,
Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Sun Ju Ahn, Jiyai Shin and I.K. Kim.
Brittany Lincicome inched up a spot to ninth, as Stacy Lewis dipped one to
10th. Ai Miyazato held steady at No. 11 and was followed by Amy Yang, Shanshan
Feng, Chie Arimura, Ji-Hee Lee, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Michelle Wie,
Karrie Webb and Catriona Matthew.
<< Rangers give Conor Jackson, Beimel minor league deals
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers have signed left-handed
pitcher Joe Beimel and first baseman/outfielder Conor Jackson to minor league
contracts with invitations to spring training.
Beimel went 1-1 with a 5.33 earned r
<< Super Bowl hangover: Catching you up on college hoops
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Perhaps the AFC needs some new blood.
That was my prevailing thought after last night's highly entertaining Super
Bowl, the New York Giants' second with Eli Manning under center in the last
five seasons. P
<< Pierce, Parker named NBA Players of the Week
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce and San
Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker were named the Eastern and Western Conference
Players of the Week, respectively, for the week ending February 5.
Pierce averag
<< Baylor again a unanimous top choice in women's hoops
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baylor is once again a unanimous choice as the
No. 1 team in the Associated Press women's college basketball poll.
The undefeated Lady Bears received all 40 first-place votes and a total of
1,000 points f
<< Cavs waive Thompson
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers waived guard Mychel
Thompson on Monday.
The rookie played in five games this season and averaged 3.6 points and 1.4
assists in 19 minutes per game.
Lawrie, Stanley soar in world rankings >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Lawrie claimed a four-shot win in
Qatar, while Kyle Stanley erased an eight-shot deficit to come from behind and
win the Phoenix Open on Sunday. With those victories, both players made big
moves i
Missouri State to visit Kansas State, Louisville >>
Springfield, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Missouri State football will open the 2012
season by visiting two FBS opponents and play five home games as part of an
11-game schedule announced Monday.
Seventh-year head coach Terry Allen and the Bears wi
Liverpool, Spurs finish goalless at Anfield >>
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool and Tottenham played to a 0-0
draw at Anfield on Monday, doing little to improve the ambitions of either
side.
The result leaves Tottenham seven points back of leaders Manchester City
Alcohol led to Presbyterian player's death >>
Clinton, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An autopsy has determined the death of a
Presbyterian College football player on Sunday was brought on by alcohol
intoxication.
The Laurens County Coroner's office said Monday that the death of 21-year-old
Kyl
Cubs designate DeWitt for assigmnent >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs designated infielder Blake
DeWitt for assignment on Monday.
The 26-year-old batted .265 with five home runs, 11 doubles and 26 RBI in 121
games during his first full season with the Cubs i
NFL Football Betting Online
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.