Thursday Service Plays 9/4/08

[the duke]

Comps

Steve Janus

NCAA-F | Sep 04
South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt

South Carolina -10-107

Two teams that got off to their 2008 seasons on the right foot in Week 1 of the College Football season, meet Thursday night in SEC action. The Vanderbilt Commodores host the 24th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC opener for both squads. Both teams routed their opponents last week, but only one will walk away with a conference win and a 2-0 record.

South Carolina was off to a rough start in their opener against NC State as starting QB Tommy Beecher threw four interceptions and looked sluggish on offense. Chris Smelley was able to come in, control the ball and keep it in his team's hands.

It couldn't have gone better for the Gamecock defense last week. They held the NC State defense under 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing on their way to a shutout performance. The defense will be a key component again on Thursday against a more potent Vanderbilt offense.

The Vanderbilt Commodores did most of their damage on the ground in week one, but it didn't come from their running backs, it came from quarterback Chris Nickson, who rushed for 166 yards. Nickson also added 91 yards through the air. Nickson accounted for 3 of the 4 touchdowns Vanderbilt scored against Miami-Ohio, so he is obviously the key to making this offense click.

Defensively Vandy was strong against the run, allowing just 96 yards. They struggled a little against the Miami-Ohio passing attack, but managed to nab three interecpetions on their way to an impressive victory. Defense has not been traditionally strong for the Commodores, but they were impressive in their first appearance of 2008.

There's a lot to consider in this game. Both defenses looked fine in week one, but they will both be facing a more potent offense this time around. That says a lot for the Gamecocks, who are on the road against a team coming off of an impressive win. With that being said, South Carolina is the better team overall. Their offense should hit their stride in their second game and if their defense plays even close to the way it did in their first game, we're looking at a blowout.

Game Prediction: South Carolina 34, Vanderbilt 13


Bob Harvey

MLB | Sep 04
San Diego Padres vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Total 9? under-110

Both teams are coming off being swept. The Mets took the broom to the Brewers, while the Padres failed to win a game during their three-game set against the Dodgers. The common thread in both series was lack of offense. So who gets the advantage between two sliding team?s? In this case, I'll side with Milwaukee. The Brewers played a day-game at Shea Stadium on Wednesday and got back home in plenty of time to rest and prepare for the Padres.

San Diego meanwhile had a night game in Los Angeles followed by the long trip to Wisconsin. The Padres arrived early this morning so they?ve got to be dragging. Both teams have been struggling offensively. The Brew Crew scored a total of nine runs in the New York series while the Padres have scored a total of 12 runs in their last four outings. This will be the fourth meeting of the year between these two teams with the previous three games staying well UNDER the total. Jeff Suppan goes for the Brewers while the Padres will counter with Shawn Estes. I never been a believer in what day of the week you play makes a big difference. However, for what it?s worth, the Padres are 14-3 to the UNDER on Thursday?s. Overall this year San Diego has played to low side 72-62 while the Brewers have posted a record of 59-72. Milwaukee?s totals mark is a bit misleading considering all the high numbers they?ve faced this season.

The bottom line? You?ve got two tired teams that have a history of playing close, low scoring games. Look for that trend to continue tonight.



Washington at NY GIANTS (-4') Sports Gambling Hotline

We have a few reasons why we like the UNDER in the NFL tonight.

Let's start with the fact that both series meetings last year stayed UNDER the posted total. That makes 3 of the last 4, and 6 of the last 9 overall meetings between these division rivals having played LOW.

Then you have the fact that Washington is breaking in a new coach in Jim Zorn who is busy implimenting his new coaches, and sytems, and you kind of get the feeling that starting quarterback Jason Campbell, who is now on his third new offensive coordinator in his first four years in the league, is going to struggle getting his offense into the end zone.

The Giants finished the season last year, by playing UNDER in 6 of their final 9 games, including 3 of their 4 in the postseason.

The Giants do like to pound away with their running game, so expect the clock to keep moving in this game, and for the Redskins and Giants to hold UNDER the posted price this Thursday night.

Play the LOW.

3♦ UNDER



South Carolina (-10) at VANDERBILT Karl Garrett

The G-Man on a 6-3 comp play run the last 9 days, and all set to add to that ledger with a play on the UNDER in Nashville tonight.

Last week, South Carolina led NC State just 3-0 at the half before pulling away from the Wolfpack in a 34-0 win and cover. That game did stay UNDER the posted total, and I see a similar combined total tonight, as both defenses appear to be ahead of the curve at this point in the season.

Vanderbilt just beat Miami-Ohio 34-13 last Thursday night on the road, so you can see the Commodores defense is also up to snuff early on.

Last year, these teams played to a 17-6 final at Columbia, and a similar result this evening would not be a surprise

Going to look for the defenses to pretty much blanket the offenses tonight, and for this Thursday night SEC battle to play UNDER the posted price.

G-Man expecting the LOW to be the way to go!

2♦ UNDER


N.Y. Yankees at TAMPA BAY (-175) Bobby Maxwell

Got rained out in Kansas City on Wednesday so no FREE winner there leaving us at 53-44 with our last 97 comp selections. Tonight we've got a free winner on the Rays to easily handle the Yankees so we're going Runline with this one.

The Yankees have taken the first two games of this series but you can bet the Rays are going to come out fighting for a win in the finale when they send their ace, Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13) to the hill in front of the home fans.

New York still trails the Rays by 10 games in the A.L. East race but you know Tampa doesn't want the veteran Yankees to get any confidence or momentum going with a three-game sweep. That's where Kazmir comes in as he'll deliver for his team tonight.

Tampa is 16-5 in his last 21 starts and 20-8 the last 28 times he's pitched in front of the home fans. And at home, these youngsters are tough to beat, having gone 48-14 in their last 62 in Tampa. The Rays are also on streaks of 23-9 overall, 36-19 against winning teams and 5-2 against A.L. East foes.

Kazmir has a 2.76 ERA in 11 games against the Yankees and this season he's got a 1.64 ERA in two starts against them. Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08) goes for New York and he's been hit hard, giving up 10 runs in his last 9.1 innings. And on the road he is just 2-6 with a 5.53 ERA.

Play the Rays to salvage this last game and Kazmir to pitch a gem leading to an easy Runline winner.

2♦ TAMPA BAY (Runline)

 

[the duke]

Comps

Jimmy The Moose

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds Sep 4 2008 12:30PM
Prediction: over

Gorzelanny has struggled all season long with a 6.61 ERA and his team is 13-5 over in his 18 starts. Fogg for the Reds has not fared better with a 2-7 record and a 7.29 ERA on the season. Pirates a profitable 39-23-4 over mark on the road this season. Look for a high scoring affair tonight. Play the Over.


Marc Lawrence

Game: Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves Sep 4 2008 7:05PM
Prediction: Washington Nationals
Play On: Washington w/Bergmann vs Reyes

The Nationals open a 4-games series with the Braves in Atlanta Thursday evening when they send Jason Bergmann to the hill against Jo Jo Reyes. Bergmann's 3.99 ERA on the road is nearly a run and a half better than his 5.41 home ERA. ON the flip side, Reyes' 7.14 ERA at home is almost three and a half runs worse than his 3.74 ERA on the road this year. With Bergmann 5-1 in his last six starts in this series, look for Reyes to dip to 0-3 in his career team starts against the Nats tonight.



James Patrick Sports

Washington vs. Atlanta 7:10 p.m. est.
Our complimentary selection in National League Baseball action is #903 the Nationals ?Braves OVER the TOTAL .

 

[the duke]

Comps


John Fisher

South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt (NCAAF) - Sep 4, 2008 8:30 PM EDT
Play: Point Spread: 10/-102 Vanderbilt

South Carolina vs. Vandy Both teams come off impressive victories last Thursday. South Carolina defense looked stout and Vandys offense looked sharp. South Carolina is favored by DD on road for a reason. They have tremendous speed and depth. This will certainly be needed as the the QB from Vandy almost compiled over 300 yds of total offense. Most of the yards via the ground. I actually watched both games last week. Vandy looked dangerous because they have a couple of playmakers that can beat you. DJ Moore as a receiver and return man looks like a Deon Saunders. South Carolina has to make a decision on who there QB will be after starting QB Beecher looked like a 'beached' whale throwing 4 INTS. Chris Smelley actually better driving the Gamecocks to 3 TD drives. Conclusion: Look for the Gamecocks to prevail but it will be closer that one thinks. USC might be looking ahead to Georgia, practiced with two QB's this week, and will playing first game away from home against some play makers that will be hard to practice for this early. Take the points and VANDY USC 23 Vandy 17


Carlo Campanella

Game: South Carolina at Vanderbilt Sep 4 2008 8:30PM

Prediction: South Carolina

Reason: Both of these SEC squads opened their seasons with a victory- South Carolina defeated NC State, 34-0, while Vanderbilt won at Miami-OH, 34-13. South Carolinas performance was even more impressive then the score indicates, as they turned the ball over on 4 drives and still won in a shut-out! South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier is one of the best offensive minds in College Football and expect him to make the necessary adjustments so his offense doesnt continue to give the ball away. With a game under their belts, South Carolina plays error free football and routes an over-matched Vandy squad that returns just 9 starters from last year's team. Lay the lumber with this road Favorite, knowing that Spurrier is 9-2 ATS as road Favorite against fellow SEC opponents as SC's Head Coach.

7* Play On South Carolina

 

[the duke]

Comps

Jeff Benton

We will turn to American League action and look for the Blue Jays to complete a three-game sweep of the Twins.

Minnesota has picked a horrible time to go into one of its worst slumps of the season. With the A.L. Central title there for the taking, the Twins have dropped eight of their last 11 games, including the first two of this series north of the border. Last night?s 5-4, 11-inning setback was especially crushing, as Minnesota closer Joe Nathan blew a ninth-inning lead.

Meanwhile, as the Twins have floundered, the Blue Jays have caught fire. They?ve won four straight games overall (scoring 25 runs in the process), and they?re 13-7 in their last 20. What?s more, the Blue Jays have flat owned Minnesota, winning eight straight meetings since last summer, including all five battles this year.

As for this matchup of starting pitchers, it?s a virtual wash with Toronto?s Jesse Litsch opposing the Twins? Kevin Slowey ? both are pitching very well. However, it?s hard to ignore what Litsch has done in three starts since being recalled from the minors: three earned runs allowed in 19 2/3 innings (1.37 ERA), and that was against three solid offensive clubs (Detroit, Tampa Bay and Boston). Also, Litsch?s ERA at home (3.18) is almost a full run less than Slowey?s ERA on the road (4.13).

Finally, Litsch is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against Minnesota, while Slowey is 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two starts against Toronto. In fact, these two pitchers squared off on May 13 in Minnesota, and the Jays prevailed 5-3. Same thing happens again tonight!

(Based on a 1♦ to 10♦ rating system)

4♦ TORONTO BLUE JAYS



Matt Rivers

Thursday take the underdog Yankees.

Scott Kazmir is a stud and certainly much better than Darrell Rasner but to get Arod and the fellas plus this price anytime is too good to pass up. I am the first to admit that Joe Girardi's team is garbage and will not make the playoffs but that statement still needs the qualifer of "relatively speaking" as New York is still an ultra dangerous team and one that will make Kazmir work hard in building up his pitch count.

The Tampa Bay southpaw is awesome but he has struggled over the past few months with his innings as he has thrown too many pitches limiting him to five or six frames. Today the lefty is up against a very patient team that will not be overly anxious. Arod, Jeter, Abreu, Matsui, Damon and the rest of the Yankees can beat any team at anytime. Therefore when getting a handsome price like this it is an absolute no-brainer.

The Rays have been insane at the Trop this season and will be in the playoffs unless they have a monumental collapse but they are still a semi banged up club without Longoria and Crawford and to get the Yanks plus this money is the only side today!


Tony Weston

OK, the slide continues as the White Sox couldn?t come through for us last night. Damn them and damn the baseball gods. Well, tonight is the night. We?re turning around our fortunes and getting back to winning.

We?re starting the winning tonight as we?re going with the Oakland Athletics over the Kansas City Royals.

The Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals have played each other seven times this season with the K.C. holding a slight 4-3 advantage due to last night?s win.

Even though the Royals got over last night consider that they are still only 3-8 their last 11 games, including a 2-5 mark their last seven. Kansas City is also only 2-5 its last seven games in front of the home fans.

Also consider tonight?s pitching matchups. The A?s Dana Eveland has been pretty decent his last few outings. He?s only 1-1 his last four starts, but the A?s are 3-1 in that stretch. And over his last two starts he?s given up only three earned runs in 14 innings of work.

On the other side, the Royals? Brian Bannister has been horrid. He?s lost five straight starts coming into tonight and is 0-7 his last 10 starts.

Bannister will lose his sixth straight game and the Athletics will break this losing funk of ours.

3♦ ATHLETICS (On a 1-5♦ Scale)

 

[the duke]

Power Sweep

2* NYG 27-13

 

[the duke]

POINTWISE

VANDERBILT 20 - South Carolina 19

(8:30 - ESPN) -- Spurrier suddenly has a QB controversy, with Beecher tossing 4 INTs in his debut, but Smelley filled in nicely (5-of-5), & that "D" is solid (10 FDs). But 'Dores also impressive with their throttling of decent Miami-O squad (269-96 RY edge), with Nickson doing it all (166 RYs). Carolina 0-3 ATS away lately, by 1, ?, & 6? pts. It should go to wire.


NEW YORK GIANTS 22 - Washington 20

(7:00 - NBC) -- Defending champs
must go it without brilliance of both Strahan & Umenyiora on that defensive line
which dominated LY's playoffs. Manning obviously improved as the season wore
on, so that is a huge plus, but NY played its best ball on the road in '07, losing to
the 'Skins 22-10, as hosts LY (16? pt ATS loss). As a matter of fact, NY lost its
last 4 HGs SU. Jim Zorn takes over as head man for Washington, with consistency
from QB Campbell his main concern, with a bevy of quality WRs to throw
to. The 'Skins are a solid 13-5 ATS on the division road, so call this under spot.

 

[the duke]

Winning Points

South Carolina over Vanderbilt* by 8

A major revenger here for the Old Ball Coach after being embarrassed 17-6 at
home vs. the Commodores last year, and Spurrier?s defense can do their share
against that young Vandy OL. But laying points with the Gamecock offense on the
road is out of the question at this juncture.

SOUTH CAROLINA 24-16



*New York Giants over Washington by 7

The Giants may be in for a Super Bowl hangover after a banquet-filled offseason
and contract squabbles. But they still should handle Washington at
Giants Stadium, where they have beaten and covered against the Redskins
three of the past four years outscoring them, 85-39. Redskins first-year
coach Jim Zorn, like former Redskins novice coach Steve Spurrier, is going
to find out the hard way that preseason is much different than regular season.
Redskins QB Jason Campbell is learning a new offense.The Giants have
the pass rushers to hinder that development.

NY GIANTS 23-16

 

[the duke]

The Sports Reporter

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
SOUTH CAROLINA over *VANDERBILT by 11

Of South Carolina?s 34 points last week, 21 came in the fourth quarter against a tired defense that realized that the offense was not about to chip in. Spurrier?s offense lacks play-makers, but should find some success between the tackles and via play-action. Vandy?s resurgent QB Nickson can create problems with his legs, but his squad won?t come close to the 5.4 ypc
that they hit against Miami-OH. Both teams put up 34 points in week one, so if Vegas gets lazy, the UNDER could be a solid play.

SOUTH CAROLINA 24-13



*NY GIANTS over WASHINGTON by 6

The Zorn-for-Gibbs move means a more efficient offense for the Redskins, even if they haven?t shown it yet. Nor would anyone be surprised to see Redskins? veteran Todd Collins come off the bench at some point of this game, to give the Washington offense a lift if Jason Campbell still can?t spark a unit filled with decent offensive talent. But that would mean that
Washington is trailing, and attempting a comeback against an opponent that has a well-balanced offense with an ability to control the clock and make coming from behind harder than it normally would be. The Giants? defense got 58 sacks when it had Omenyiora and Strahan at the ends last year. Neither is there now, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuola is liable to blitz from anywhere, the Giants secondary is pretty good in coverage, and
Washington?s best wide receivers won?t be out-jumping anybody. Redskins have a nice defense, too, but Jason Taylor?s absence offsets the Giants? DE woes. The Giants sobered up from a Super Bowl hangover when they watched tape of their mistake-filled, weather-blown Week 15 home loss to Washington last season.

NY GIANTS 27-21

 

[the duke]

Power Plays 4*

4* Giants / Redskins OVER

 

[the duke]

WILD BILL

Vanderbilt +10 (5 units)



ARMVIN SPORTS

9/4/2008 WASHINGTON at
NY GIANTS Over 41

9/4/2008 VANDERBILT 10



PlayByPlayInc

9/4/2008 WASHINGTON at
NY GIANTS Over 41

9/4/2008 SOUTH CAROLINA at
VANDERBILT Over 40.5



Nathan Armstrong

NFL
9/4/2008 WASHINGTON 4

CFB
9/4/2008 VANDERBILT 10



SCOTT FERRALL

LITSCH AND TORONTO -115 over Slowey and Minnesota

Angels -145 at Detroit--Ervin Santana over Kenny Rogers

Milwaukee -220 over San Diego--Suppan ends the Brew Crew skid



MIGHTY QUINN

Mighty hit with the Mets Wednesday. Thursday it's the Redskins.
The surplus is 485 sirignanos.



HONDO

Welcome to Football Hondo '08, where for the price of The Post you also receive - free of charge - your very own personal seat license for five months of riveting, top-notch, savvy and in-depth NFL handicapping. So pull up a chair, HondoNation, and pay close attention as Mr. Aitch offers this week's words of pigskin wisdom:

Giants over Redskins:
The No More Shockey Factor trumps the Super Bowl Winner Letdown Theory. Lay 'em and slay 'em.



Jim Feist

(903) WAS Nationals
(904) ATL Braves
Take "(903) WAS Nationals"
Atlanta is favored here, despite being in a second half slump because of injuries. Chipper Jones twisted his right knee taking groundballs in batting practice Tuesday and had to be scratched from the lineup. Jones has been on the disabled list this year with a hamstring injury and missed time with a sore quadriceps, back spasms. The Braves are 8-21 in games Jones misses. It also doesn't help to go with starter Jo-Jo Reyes, who is 3-10 with a 5.49 ERA. He's winless in his last 3 starts with a 6.32 ERA. Play the Nationals.


Dave Cokin

(901) PIT Pirates
(902) CIN Reds
Take "(901) PIT Pirates"
Get two great plays for the price of one on Thursday.
Tough year for both starters in today's Pirates-Reds hookup, as Gorzelanny and Fogg have each battled injury issues. Both seem to be rounding into better form of late, and I was impressed with Gorzy in his last effort against Milwaukee. He's the better pitcher in this matchup. Plus, the Pirates would love to complete a rare road sweep with one more win against the Reds. I think they've got a good shot to accomplish the feat, and I'll back the Bucs in this one.



Lou Diamond

(301) So Carolina
(302) Vanderbilt
Take "Under"

South Carolina Under is 4-0 in Gamecocks last 4 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Under is 4-1 in Gamecocks last 5 games following a S.U. win. Under is 25-9 in Gamecocks last 34 road games. Under is 20-8 in Gamecocks last 28 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Under is 5-2 in Gamecocks last 7 games overall. Vanderbilt Under is 8-1 in Commodores last 9 conference games. Under is 7-1 in Commodores last 8 home games. Under is 6-1 in Commodores last 7 games on turf. Under is 6-1 in Commodores last 7 games in September. Under is 4-1 in Commodores last 5 games following a S.U. win. Under is 4-1 in Commodores last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Under is 4-1 in Commodores last 5 games following a SU win of more than 20 points. Under is 4-1 in Commodores last 5 games following a ATS win. Under is 7-2 in Commodores last 9 vs. a team with a winning record. Under is 10-3 in Commodores last 13 games overall. Under is 5-2 in Commodores last 7 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. Under is 5-2 in Commodores last 7 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

 

[the duke]

DUNKEL

South Carolina at Vanderbilt
The Commodores got strong play from senior QB Chris Nickson (166 yards rushing, 2 TDs) in a 34-13 road win at Miami (OH) and will look to take advantage of a South Carolina team that is 1-5 ATS in its last six games as double digit road favorites. Vanderbilt is the underdog pick (+10) according to Dunkel, which has the Gamecocks favored by just 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (+10).

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Game 301-302: South Carolina at Vanderbilt
Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina 97.756; Vanderbilt 93.109
Dunkel Line: South Carolina by 4 1/2; 46
Vegas Line: South Carolina by 10; 42
Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (+10); Over

 

[the duke]

Comps


John Fina

September 4, 2008

Selection: Oakland/Kansas City Over 9 (-110) [Game #2]

Reason: Put us down on the Oakland Athletics/Kansas City Royals Over 9 [Game #2] for our Free MLB Selection on Thursday. Today we see a high-scoring game as the Oakland Athletics do battle with the Kansas City Royals. One reason why we see a high-scoring game is because both these teams will send to the mound struggling starting pitchers. This says it all... The Oakland Athletics Starting Pitcher (Dan Meyer) has a 6.94 ERA in his last 3 starts, while Kansas City Royals Starting Pitcher (Kyle Davies) has a 5.17 ERA in his last 3 starts. As you can see, both these pitchers have been having huge pitching problems as of late. To say the least, we should see a high-scoring game. Take the Oakland Athletics/Kansas City Royals Over 9 [Game #2]!



Tony Mathews

September 4, 2008

Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds

Selection: Pittsburgh/Cincinnati Over 9.5 (-110)

Explanation: We expect a high-scoring game as the Pittsburgh Pirates face-off against the Cincinnati Reds in Thursday's MLB contest.

The Cincinnati Reds will use starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny. Tom Gorzelanny has been having huge pitching problems this season. In fact, Tom Gorzelanny has a 6.61 ERA on the season. In addition, Tom Gorzelanny has a 8.82 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Tom Gorzelanny pitching another bad game today.

The Cincinnati Reds will use starting pitcher Josh Fogg. Josh Fogg has also been having huge pitching problems this season. In fact, Josh Fogg has a 7.29 ERA on the season. We see Josh Fogg also pitching another bad game today.

The bottom line, we see both teams scoring many runs today!

Take the Pittsburgh Pirates/Cincinnati Reds Over 9.5!



Brian Marshall

September 4, 2008

Game: Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves

Plays On: Washington/Atlanta Over 10 (-110)

Game Analyses: Do you love high-scoring games? If yes, you will love Thursday's MLB game between the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves.

The Washington Nationals will be lead by starting pitcher Jason Bergmann. Jason Bergmann has been struggling as of late. In fact, Jason Bergmann has a 6.88 ERA in his last 3 starts. We see Jason Bergmann giving up many runs once again today.

The Atlanta Braves will be lead by starting pitcher Jo Jo Reyes. Jo Jo Reyes has also been struggling as of late. In fact, Jo Jo Reyes has a 6.32 ERA in his last 3 starts. We also see Jo Jo Reyes giving up many runs today.

The Over is a perfect 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these teams, and we see another high-scoring game today!

Take the Washington Nationals/Atlanta Braves Over 10!

 

[kozski61]

WILD BILL

Vanderbilt +10 (5 units)


PlayByPlayInc. NFL
9/4/2008 WASHINGTON at
NY GIANTS Over 41

PlayByPlayInc. CFB
9/4/2008 SOUTH CAROLINA at
VANDERBILT Over 40.5




Nathan Armstrong NFL
9/4/2008 WASHINGTON 4

Nathan Armstrong CFB
9/4/2008 VANDERBILT 10





SCOTT FERRALL

BEST IN BOLD

LITSCH AND TORONTO -115 over Slowey and Minnesota

Angels -145 at Detroit--Ervin Santana over Kenny Rogers

Milwaukee -220 over San Diego--Suppan ends the Brew Crew skid




MIGHTY QUINN

Mighty hit with the Mets Wednesday. Thursday it's the Redskins.
The surplus is 485 sirignanos.




HONDO

Welcome to Football Hondo '08, where for the price of The Post you also receive - free of charge - your very own personal seat license for five months of riveting, top-notch, savvy and in-depth NFL handicapping. So pull up a chair, HondoNation, and pay close attention as Mr. Aitch offers this week's words of pigskin wisdom:

Giants over Redskins:
The No More Shockey Factor trumps the Super Bowl Winner Letdown Theory. Lay 'em and slay 'em.




Jim Feist

(903) WAS Nationals
(904) ATL Braves
Take "(903) WAS Nationals"
Atlanta is favored here, despite being in a second half slump because of injuries. Chipper Jones twisted his right knee taking groundballs in batting practice Tuesday and had to be scratched from the lineup. Jones has been on the disabled list this year with a hamstring injury and missed time with a sore quadriceps, back spasms. The Braves are 8-21 in games Jones misses. It also doesn't help to go with starter Jo-Jo Reyes, who is 3-10 with a 5.49 ERA. He's winless in his last 3 starts with a 6.32 ERA. Play the Nationals.




John Fisher

South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
Play: Vanderbilt +10

Both teams come off impressive victories last Thursday. South Carolina defense looked stout and Vandys offense looked sharp. South Carolina is favored by DD on road for a reason. They have tremendous speed and depth. This will certainly be needed as the the QB from Vandy almost compiled over 300 yds of total offense. Most of the yards via the ground. I actually watched both games last week. Vandy looked dangerous because they have a couple of playmakers that can beat you. DJ Moore as a receiver and return man looks like a Deon Saunders. South Carolina has to make a decision on who there QB will be after starting QB Beecher looked like a 'beached' whale throwing 4 INTS. Chris Smelley actually better driving the Gamecocks to 3 TD drives. Conclusion: Look for the Gamecocks to prevail but it will be closer that one thinks. USC might be looking ahead to Georgia, practiced with two QB's this week, and will playing first game away from home against some play makers that will be hard to practice for this early. Take the points and VANDY USC 23 Vandy 17




Jimmy The Moose

Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds
Prediction: Over

Gorzelanny has struggled all season long with a 6.61 ERA and his team is 13-5 over in his 18 starts. Fogg for the Reds has not fared better with a 2-7 record and a 7.29 ERA on the season. Pirates a profitable 39-23-4 over mark on the road this season. Look for a high scoring affair tonight. Play the Over.




Karl Garrett

South Carolina at VANDERBILT

Last week, South Carolina led NC State just 3-0 at the half before pulling away from the Wolfpack in a 34-0 win and cover. That game did stay UNDER the posted total, and I see a similar combined total tonight, as both defenses appear to be ahead of the curve at this point in the season.

Vanderbilt just beat Miami-Ohio 34-13 last Thursday night on the road, so you can see the Commodores defense is also up to snuff early on.

Last year, these teams played to a 17-6 final at Columbia, and a similar result this evening would not be a surprise.

Going to look for the defenses to pretty much blanket the offenses tonight, and for this Thursday night SEC battle to play UNDER the posted price.

G-Man expecting the LOW to be the way to go!

2* UNDER




Sports Gambling Hotline

Washington at NY GIANTS

We have a few reasons why we like the UNDER in the NFL tonight.

Let's start with the fact that both series meetings last year stayed UNDER the posted total. That makes 3 of the last 4, and 6 of the last 9 overall meetings between these division rivals having played LOW.

Then you have the fact that Washington is breaking in a new coach in Jim Zorn who is busy implimenting his new coaches, and sytems, and you kind of get the feeling that starting quarterback Jason Campbell, who is now on his third new offensive coordinator in his first four years in the league, is going to struggle getting his offense into the end zone.

The Giants finished the season last year, by playing UNDER in 6 of their final 9 games, including 3 of their 4 in the postseason.

The Giants do like to pound away with their running game, so expect the clock to keep moving in this game, and for the Redskins and Giants to hold UNDER the posted price this Thursday night.

Play the LOW.

3* UNDER




Las Vegas Sports Advisors..
4 plays for Thursday.

Cricket County Championship Div 1
707 Kent -180 25*

Rugby Union
3001 Hawkes Bay 10*
-8? -125


Milwaukee/J. Suppan -1.5 -108 (5*)

NY Giants -3.5 (5*)




ARMVIN SPORTS MLB
9/4/2008 KANSAS CITY ROYALS -109

ARMVIN SPORTS NFL
9/4/2008 WASHINGTON at
NY GIANTS Over 41

ARMVIN SPORTS CFB
9/4/2008 VANDERBILT 10




NFL DUNKEL


Washington at NY Giants
Jim Zorn takes over the helm of a Washington team that upset the Giants on the road (22-10) in Week 14 of last season. The Redskins are the underdog pick (+3 1/2) in the opener according to Dunkel, which has the game even. Dunkel Pick: Washington (+3 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Game 451-452: Washington at NY Giants
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 135.248; NY Giants 135.636
Dunkel Line: Even; 37
Vegas Line: NY Giants by 3 1/2; 40
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+3 1/2); Under




NFL LONG SHEET

Week 1

Thursday, September 4

WASHINGTON (9 - Cool at NY GIANTS (14 - 6) - 9/4/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY GIANTS is 3-1 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
NY GIANTS is 3-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

NFL SHORT SHEET

Week 1
Thursday, September 4th
Washington at NY Giants, 7:00 ET NBC
Washington: 28-11 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points
NY Giants: 4-0 Over at home the total is between 38.5 and 42 points
NFL WRITE-UP
2008 Week 1 NFL analysis
Thursday, September 4
Redskins @ Giants-- Defending champs always open on the first Thursday of season; Giants won first meeting of season with the division rival Redskins in each of last seven years, taking three of last four played here. Totals in last eight series games in Swamp were all 36 or less. Under is 6-1-1 in Skins' last eight openers on road, 6-2 in last eight Giant home openers. Washington is 8-4 as underdog in road opener; Giants are 7-3 as fave in home opener.

Trend Sheet

Thursday, September 4
7:00 PM WASHINGTON vs. NY GIANTS
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
NY Giants are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Giants last 5 games when playing at home against Washington





ARTHUR RALPH

Thurs. Under Redskins/Giants 41 .5




CAPPERS ACCESS

Thur (NFL) Redskins
Thur (CFB) Vanderbilt



Lance's Lock
Overall record: 659-552-23
Current streak: 1 win
Todays play: The Redskins +4'




*** EZWINNERS MLB ***

1 STAR: (908) DETROIT (+$141) over LA Angels
(Listing Rogers only)
(Risking $100 to win $141)
12:05PM Central Time

1 STAR: (901) PITTSBURGH (+$114) over Cincinnati
(Action)
(Risking $100 to win $114)
11:35AM Central Time




Insider Sports Report

Minnesota/Toronto (MLB) UNDER 9




THE SPORTS REPORTER

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

*NY GIANTS over WASHINGTON by 6
NY GIANTS, 27-21.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
SOUTH CAROLINA over *VANDERBILT by 11
SOUTH CAROLINA, 24-13.




POWER PLAY

4* Giants / Redskins OVER





THE SPORTS ADVISORS


NFL

Washington at N.Y. Giants
The defending Super Bowl champion Giants kick off the NFL?s 2008 season at home against the NFC East rival Redskins, who are looking for a return trip to the playoffs, this time under first-year coach Jim Zorn.
New York (10-6 SU and ATS in 2007) won three of its last five regular-season games to earn a wild-card spot, then left the Big Apple for four straight weeks en route to four straight playoff upsets. The Giants capped their stunning run with a 17-14 Super Bowl victory over previously unbeaten New England as a 12?-point underdog, the franchise?s third Super Bowl title.
Washington (9-7, 7-7-2 ATS in 2007) was a surprise guest at the 2007 playoff party, closing the season with four straight wins to steal a wild-card spot. However, the Redskins? postseason stay didn?t last long, as they went scoreless for three quarters in an opening-round game at Seattle, then gave up three fourth-quarter TDs in a 35-14 loss to the Seahawks as a three-point underdog.
Giants QB Eli Manning, who had a serviceable regular season (3,336 passing yards, 23 TDs, 20 INTs), threw just one INT in the playoffs versus six TD tosses, including the title winner to Plaxico Burress in the final minute of play. Manning and Burress return to an offense that averaged 23.3 points and 331.4 yards per game, both of which ranked in the middle of the NFL?s pack.
Defensively, New York yielded 21.9 points and 305 yards per outing, the latter ranking fifth-best in the league. However, gone are defensive line stalwarts Michael Strahan (retirement) and Osi Umenyiora (season-ending injury), who combined for 22 sacks last year.
After starting QB Jason Campbell (knee) went down late last year, journeyman Todd Collins took over the offense and helped the Redskins to their late-season flourish. Campbell, who will return to his starting role, completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,700 yards in 13 games last year, with a TD-to-INT ratio of 12-11. Washington put up 20.9 points and 333.4 yards per game in 2007, and yielded 19.4 points and 305.2 yards per outing.
Including the playoffs, the Giants were a moneymaking machine away from home last year, going 10-2 ATS in road/neutral site games. In East Rutherford, however, they were 3-5 SU and 4-4 ATS, failing to cash in three of their last four home games. New York was also 6-4 ATS laying points last year and split the cash in its six division games. On the positive end, Tom Coughlin?s club enters 2008 on ATS streaks of 6-0 overall (playoffs included), 16-6 since late 2006, 5-1 in conference play and 9-4-1 inside the NFC East.
The Redskins went 4-4 SU and 4-3-1 ATS on the road last year, though they did cash in back-to-back roadies against the Giants and Vikings in December en route to making the playoffs. Washington is on a 4-1 ATS run overall but is just 9-19-4 ATS in its last 32 September games and 2-6-2 ATS in its past 10 season openers.
These two teams split last year?s season series, with the road team scoring an upset in each contest. The favorite is on a 5-2 ATS run in the last seven clashes.
Defending Super Bowl champs are 6-0-1 ATS the last seven years in these season-opening prime-time affairs.
For Washington, the under has cashed in five straight season openers and is on further runs of 6-1-1 in September and 17-8-3 against the NFC East. Meanwhile, for New York, the under is on streaks of 5-1 in division play and 5-1 inside the conference. Finally, the under has been the play in five straight series meetings at Giants Stadium.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. GIANTS and UNDER



COLLEGE FOOTBALL

(24) South Carolina (1-0 SU and ATS) at Vanderbilt (1-0 SU and ATS)
Two teams coming off impressive blowout wins open the SEC campaign against one another, as Steve Spurrier takes South Carolina to Vanderbilt for a battle with the Commodores in a nationally televised affair.
The Gamecocks looked sluggish in taking just a 3-0 first-half lead last Thursday against N.C. State, but then exploded for 31 points after the break en route to a 34-0 victory as a 14-point home favorite. South Carolina, which snapped a five-game SU and six-game ATS losing skid with the win and cover, was dominant on defense, allowing just 138 total yards (49 passing) while forcing four turnovers.
Vanderbilt went to Miami (Ohio) last Thursday as a 3?-point road underdog and rolled to a 34-13 upset victory, snapping a four-game slide (1-3 ATS) that dated to the end of the 2007 campaign. The Commodores had just a 20-yard edge in total offense (360-340), but they had 269 rushing yards, while the defense picked off three Miami (Ohio) passes.
South Carolina will have revenge in mind tonight after last season?s stunning 17-6 loss to Vandy as a 13-point home favorite ? a defeat that started the Gamecocks? season-ending five-game slide and snapped a seven-game winning streak over the Commodores. The visitor has dominated this rivalry from a pointspread perspective, going 5-0 ATS in the last five clashes, and South Carolina has won five straight at Vandy.
The Gamecocks are on ATS streaks of 9-3 against winning teams, 10-3-1 on the road, 5-1 in September and 4-0 on Thursday nights. However, they failed to cash in their last four SEC games in 2007. Meanwhile, the Commodores are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 in September, but 5-11 ATS in their last 16 at home and 3-6 ATS in the last nine as a home pup
After a shaky outing from starting QB Tommy Beecher last week (12 completions, 4 INTs), Spurrier has turned his offense over to sophomore Chris Smelley, who went 5-for-5 for 92 yards and two TD passes in relief of Beecher versus N.C. State. However, last year at Vandy, Smelley finished 14-for-24 for just 154 yards with no TDs and two INTS.
For Vanderbilt, the under is on runs of 10-3 overall, 7-1 at home, 8-1 in SEC play and 6-1 in September. Meanwhile, the under is 5-2 in South Carolina?s last seven overall and 25-9 in its last 34 on the highway.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA and UNDER




AMERICAN LEAGUE

N.Y. Yankees (75-64) at Tampa Bay (84-53)
The Yankees gun for an important three-game sweep of the first-place Rays, but to do so they?ll need Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08 ERA) to outpitch Tampa ace Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13).
Despite cruising to wins of 7-2 on Tuesday and 8-4 on Wednesday, New York still trails the first-place Rays by 10 games in the A.L. East and wild-card-leading Boston by 6? games. The Yankees have won six straight on the road, scoring 50 runs in the six contests. However, they?re 5-11 in Rasner?s last 16 starts overall and 2-7 in his last nine on the highway.
Tampa Bay has followed up a five-game winning streak with consecutive losses, and its A.L. East lead over Boston is down to three games. The Rays are still on impressive runs of 23-9 overall, 48-14 at home, 55-27 against right-handed starters, 36-19 against winning teams and 5-2 versus A.L. East rivals. Tampa is also 16-5 in Kazmir?s last 21 trips to the mound overall and 20-8 in his last 28 outings at home.
New York has now won nine of the last 12 meetings with the Rays, including the last four in a row.
Rasner has just one quality start in his last 10 outings, and he?s surrendered 10 runs (seven earned) in his last two outings spanning 9 1/3 innings, with the Yankees beating Baltimore 8-7 on the road and losing to Toronto 7-6 at home. The right-hander is just 2-6 with a 5.53 ERA on the road, and tonight marks his first career start against Tampa Bay.
Kazmir is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last three starts, allowing five runs in 17 1/3 innings, with Tampa Bay beating the Rangers (7-4 on the road), White Sox (5-3 on the road) and Orioles (14-3 at home). The Rays are 7-1 in Kazmir?s last eight trips to the hill, with the southpaw yielding two earned runs or fewer in six of those contests.
Kazmir is 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 home starts, and the Rays have won 10 of those outings. Also, even though he?s just 3-4 in 11 career games (10 starts) against the Yankees, he?s got a 2.76 ERA. In two starts versus the Bronx Bombers this season, he?s 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA.
The first two games of this series have flown over the posted total. The over is also 8-2 in New York?s last 10 games overall (5-0 last five), 6-1 in New York?s last seven on the road, 7-2 in Tampa?s last nine overall (5-0 last five, all at home) and 9-3-1 in Rasner?s last 13 trips to the bump.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES and OVER




The Gold Medal Club

#903 Washington @ # 904 Atlanta
Bergman vs Reyes (LP)

PLAY OVER THE TOTAL 9.5

On a very short card tonight we found a play that deserves considering.
We are not exactly dealing with dominant pitchers in tonight's match up.
Bergman who goes for the Nationals is 0-1 in his last 3 starts with an era of 6.89. Jo Jo Reyes has been horrid in his last 3 starts, going 0- in his last 3 starts with an era of 6.32, but even more disturbing is his season long record of 2-7 with an era of 7.74! We take note that 4 of 5 played this season in Atlanta between these




NFL Wiseguys

NY Giants



VEGAS EXPERTS

South Carolina at Vanderbilt
Thursday, September 4th, 8:30 PM ET

When these two SEC rivals met last year, they combined for a scant 23 points and we look for a similar low-scoring battle tonight, noting that the "other USC" has #2 Georgia on deck and won't look to do anything remarkably new on offense here. We also don't forsee another 21-point 4th Quarter explosion from the Gamecocks on the horizon. Spurrier's team is also 8-2 Under in the road favorit role.

Play on: Under





WINNING POINTS

*New York Giants over Washington by 7 (Thursday)
NY GIANTS 23-16.



COLLEGE FOOTBALL

**PREFERRED**

South Carolina over Vanderbilt* by 8 (Thursday)
SOUTH CAROLINA 24-16.





POINTWISE


THURSDAY

NEW YORK GIANTS 22 - Washington 20 - (7:00 - NBC) -- Defending champs must go it without brilliance of both Strahan & Umenyiora on that defensive line which dominated LY's playoffs. Manning obviously improved as the season wore on, so that is a huge plus, but NY played its best ball on the road in '07, losing to the 'Skins 22-10, as hosts LY (16? pt ATS loss). As a matter of fact, NY lost its last 4 HGs SU. Jim Zorn takes over as head man for Washington, with consistency from QB Campbell his main concern, with a bevy of quality WRs to throw to. The 'Skins are a solid 13-5 ATS on the division road, so call this under spot.


COLLEGE

VANDERBILT 20 - South Carolina 19 - (8:30 - ESPN) -- Spurrier suddenly has a QB controversy, with Beecher tossing 4 INTs in his debut, but Smelley filled in nicely (5-of-5), & that "D" is solid (10 FDs). But 'Dores also impressive with their throttling of decent Miami-O squad (269-96 RY edge), with Nickson doing it all (166 RYs). Carolina 0-3 ATS away lately, by 1, ?, & 6? pts. It should go to wire.





WILD BILL

Thursday, Sept 4

Pirates +120 (5 units)
Over 9 1/2 Reds-Pirates (5 units)
Washington +115 (5 units)
Padres +210 (5 units)
Twins +105 (5 units)
Over 8 1/2 Twins-Jays (5 units)
A's +105 game 1 (5 units)
A's game 2 (5 units)

 

[kozski61]

Lang

15 Dime NYG
Free Sou Carolina


JB's Computer Picks

Toronto Blue Jays -115
Washington Nationals +105
Milwaukee Brewers -240

NFL
New York Giants - 4?

 

[sterling]

Would appreciate the newsletters thread if possible.Thanks for all you do.

 

[Pinto]

Burns anyone?

Burns anyone?

Looking for Ben Burns NFL play for tonight. Thanks

 

[snakebill]

ANYONE HAVE ATS LOCK CLUB PICKS THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[the duke]

Youngstown Connection
Guaranteed Selections
Date: Thursday, September 04, 2008
$25.00 Guaranteed:

NFL OPENING WEEK 6 POINT TEASER
NY GIANTS +2 with PITTSBURGH STEELERS PICK

 

[the duke]

The Miller Group

TITLE: 5* CFB ESPN Game of the Month (8-3 TY)
REASON FOR PICK: The Gamecocks have the advantage in virtually every department in this matchup, plus they have revenge on their mind after suffering a 17-6 home loss against the Commodores last year. We backed South Carolina last Thursday and were rewarded with a 34-0 wire-to-wire victory. There's no reason to back off of the Gamecocks this week.

South Carolina is much better equipped to face an offense like Vanderbilt's this season. The Commodores are lead by a very mobile QB in Chris Nickson. He's exactly the type of guy, and this is exactly the type of offense that gave the 'Cocks defense fits a year ago. Not so this season, as South Carolina is now employing a 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Not only that, but they're at full strength. The return of Jasper Brinkley means the world to this defense. Even in last year's meeting, the Gamecocks held their own defensively, allowing only 17 points. Their offense was a no show. That won't happen this time around.

Chris Smelley will get the nod over Tommy Beecher at QB this week. Beecher was knocked out of last week's game, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Spurrier and company. Smelley stepped in and moved the offense up and down the field, with a little help from RB Mike Davis, who ran for over 100 yards in the win. This is a talented group, one that is finally coming into its own under the guidance of Spurrier. Vandy's defense is inexperienced up front, and that should make all the difference for a Gamecocks offensive line that is poised for a breakout season.

Make no mistake, Vandy will get some love from the betting public this week. They dominated Miami-Ohio last Thursday, and the majority of bettors were on the Redhawks in that one. This line may look a little steep at first glance, but upon further review, we feel that South Carolina is the only way to go. Take South Carolina (5*).



Professional Gambler Newsletter

Thursday, September 4, 2008


We have these plays today:
National Football League:
REDSKINS +4.5 -101 at Giants

Major League Baseball:
REDS -119 over Pirates (Fogg-Gorzelanny)
RAYS -171 over Yankees (Kazmir-Rasner)

Comments:

REDSKINS +4.5 -101 at Giants

We're expecting the Redskins to score between 17 and 24 points while the Giants score between 16 and 23 points. We expect one or the other team to win this game by maybe 3 or 4 points, but we don't know which team.....The Redskins' defense may be able to stop the Giants' running attack, but Manning's passing may be able to overcome his team's rushing problems. (Remember, the Giants' DEFENSE won the Super Bowl by holding the Patriots to only 14 points. Offense makes headlines, but defense wins football games.) We're guessing that the Redskins could win tonight, 21-20, but be sure to get a pointspread of at least 4 points. We'd probably pass this play at +3.5. (Too many possible 4-point total scores: 10-6, 13-9, 14-10, 17-13, 20-16, 21-17, 24-20.....Even 27-23 and 28-24.)

 

[the duke]

Cajun-Sports
CFB Thursday

September 04, 2008

8:30 PM ET

2 STAR SELECTION

VANDERBILT +10 over South Carolina

Now a Top 25 team, the Gamecocks hit the road to do battle with the Commodores in the SEC opener for both teams on Thursday.

South Carolina was completely dominant in a 34-0 romp over NC State to open the season, and a national television audience likely came away impressed by the effort of Steve Spurrier's squad.

As for Vanderbilt, they opened the new season on the road with a 34-13 surprisingly easy romp over Miami-Ohio.

The Gamecocks first-time starting quarterback Tommy Beecher threw four interceptions against the Wolfpack. Chris Smelley came in after Beecher sustained an injury, was much more effective, and has been named the starter for this clash with Vandy.

It is hard to imagine South Carolina playing any better defensively than it did in the opener, although the shutout was pitched against a North Carolina State team that really struggled on offense a year ago, and doesn?t appear to have improved much.

The Commodores got a tremendous performance from quarterback Chris Nickson in the season-opening victory over Miami-Ohio, as he ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 20 rushing attempts. As a passer, Nickson completed 9-of-16 passes for 91 yards and a score, and was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.

Defensively, Vanderbilt held the RedHawks to 340 total yards. The run defense was superb, holding Miami, Ohio to 96 yards. Equally impressive was the fact that the 'Dores came up with three interceptions and permitted fewer than half of the passes that Miami attempted to be completed.

One of our handicapping strategies is to: Play AGAINST a team off a nationally televised blowout win.

As an old handicapper proverb states, ?a team is never as good or as bad as its last game?. Blowouts do happen, and when they occur on a national stage, they can leave a lasting impression on viewers. The public regards the winning team as invincible and will think they are a ?sure thing? the following week. The oddsmakers know this and adjust the pointspread accordingly, so there is no line value with this team.

Some may point to a revenge angle here, as Vanderbilt knocked off the Gamecocks on the road last year; however, South Carolina is 0-5 ATS as a favorite playing with revenge for a SU loss last season.

We also have a strong NCAA Football POWER SYSTEM demonstrating that non-Saturday teams looking to avenge a home favorite loss in which their offense could not get untracked have had a very hard time exacting their revenge. Specifically, it states:

Play AGAINST a non-Saturday conference team seeking revenge for a home SU loss as a favorite of 3+ points scoring less than 14 points last season.

Since at least 1980, this system is a perfect 10-0 ATS, crushing the spread by more than 16 ppg on average!

We also note that the Gamecocks are an ugly 0-8 ATS (-16.5 ppg) as a road favorite of more than 7 points with less than 13 days rest.

If nothing else, last Thursday night's season-opening 34-13 non-conference victory at Miami shows why Chris Nickson gives Vanderbilt its best chance to win.

The senior quarterback, who wasn't named the Commodores' starter over Mackenzi Adams until 2 days before the game, merely ran for a career-high in yards and two touchdowns while throwing for a third TD.

"Chris Nickson is back, and it is going to give us a lot more confidence going into next week playing South Carolina," senior linebacker Reshard Langford said.

Indeed, after an upset win, teams back in the role of underdog have been quite strong at home in non-Saturday games under the conditions described by this NCAA Football POWER SYSTEM:

In Games 2-11, play ON a non-Saturday home underdog of 23 points or less off an underdog SU win in its last game vs. an opponent not off a conference favorite SU & ATS win.

Since 1997, these teams an amazing 9-0 SU & ATS. That?s right, they have WON every qualifying game outright, beating the spread by more than 16 ppg on average.

While we aren?t calling for an outright Commodores victory, they should certainly be able to keep this within a touchdown for the pointspread cover.

PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: SOUTH CAROLINA 21 VANDERBILT 14

Cajun-Sports NFL Thursday


Time / Date: 7:00 EST / Thursday September 4 (NBC)

Game: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

Line Origin: BetCris @ 3:43 EST September 3

Grade / Prediction: 2* New York Giants -3.5

Analysis:
Washington travels to the Big Apple to face the defending Super Bowl Champions on Thursday night. New York lost to these Skins last season when hosting them in New York in fact they suffered a 16.5 point ATS loss when the Skins won the game 22 to 10.
As with every new season questions abound on both teams as the Giants lost two outstanding defensive players before the season even started. One to retirement and the other to a knee injury during a preseason game. Strahan and Umenyiora will be missed on the defensive front for the G-Men and that is an area without much depth. Those two accounted for 22 of last season?s 53 sacks by Giant defenders. The Giants have lost 5 starters from last season?s defensive unit that ranked eighth in the league. The Skins open this campaign with a new head coach in Jim Zorn. Although the Skins have talent at the wide receiver position there are still consistency questions with their signal caller, QB Jason Campbell.
Campbell is learning his third offensive system in four years and that has shown in his inconsistency. The offensive scheme he is required to play in now, the West Coast offense requires its QB to be extremely accurate and also able to make the necessary changes at the line of scrimmage. These are the things he has struggled with since he took over the starting job in DC.
The Giants are not getting the type of respect from the oddsmaker that a Super Bowl Champion should get especially facing a team with so many questions and a new head coach. Could it be because defending Super Bowl Champs are 0-6 ATS in season openers when facing a division opponent?
We hope not because that the last seven Super Bowl Champs have opened the next campaign by going 7-0 SU and 6-0-1 ATS. We also note that the G-Men have won and covered three of the last four at Giants Stadium versus the Skins and outscored them 85 to 39 in the process.
We also note that the Skins are 5-5 and 2-6-2 ATS in first game of the season and 6-10 ATS on the road the last two seasons. One final note the league is 13-0 ATS in Week One of the NFL season as a division home favorite of 4 or less points if they won at least eight games in the previous season.
The Skins have too many questions and the Giants know they need to get out of the gate with a solid performance in Game One of the season. The latest information we have received out of the Giants camp is they are ready and willing to carry that ?mark? of a champion in the 2008 season.

GRADED PREDICTION: 2* NEW YORK GIANTS -3.5