NFL Picks Redemption Contest

If you are picking the Thursday night game this week, I'll need your pick by noon tomorrow. Picks for the Sunday game are due by midnight (CDT) Saturday.

Thanks and good luck

Greg Merson Wins WSOP Main Event

Greg Merson has won the 2012 WSOP Main Event after a marathon 12 hour "final," final table.

Merson pushed with king high and was called by runner up Jesse James Sylvia, who held Q-J soooted. Neither hand improved and Mercer walked away eight and a half million dollars richer.

Twenty-four years old and a multi-millionaire. Life is good if you're Greg Merson!

Basketball Picks, Oct 31st

The NBA season tips off tonight and unlike last year, we'll get to watch a full season.

This is the first time I've bet basketball, so proceed with caution if you're following along.

I have decided to change from dollar amount to "units" when describing my betting levels. That's how all the big boys do it, so I guess I'll fall in line with them. I'm certainly a "small potatoes" punter, so my units will be worth $5 each, just as they were this baseball season.

So, without further adieu,  here we go!

2 Units on Houston over Detroit @ +$135

The Rockets open in Detroit tomorrow night, pulling up the curtain on the "Linsanity" era. Newcomers Jeremy Lin and James Harden hope to improve on the Rockets' 34-32 record and make the playoffs after a three year absence. The Pistons feature Greg Monroe and an improved (judging from his preseason) Andre Drummond. Last year Detroit started slowly, opening with a 4-20 record on their way to a 25-41 season. However, they were tougher at home, posting an 18-15 record while Houston was 12-21 on the highway.

Starting Bankroll                300 units
Profit/Loss                             0 units
Current Bankroll                300 units

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks- Season Wrap Up

Sadly, the 2012 MLB season came to an end last night, which means winter is just around the corner. Here in the heart of Texas, we had our first freeze, which is unusual for October. I hope it's not an omen of things to come.

Congratulations to the Giants, who won the title for the second time in three years. Impressive.

I was able to finish strong with my picks and ended up with another winning season. I'm too lazy to look back thru my records, but I think that makes 6 or 7 straight winning years picking baseball games.

 *pats self on back*

Here are the final totals;

Starting Bankroll            $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                       $ 305.25
Current Bankroll            $1,805.25

Here's my all-star team for 2012.

Spring training starts in February. I can't wait!

NFL Picks Redemption Contest- Results and Standings

grrouchie takes the lead!

Below are the results of the second week of the Small Potatoes NFL Picks Redemption Contest. Please let me know if you see any mistakes.

lightning- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
TwoMinuteWarning- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Grange95- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
ohcowboy12go- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
M Prosk- No Pick = 0 pts.
Full House- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Music City Momma- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Coach- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Neophyte- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Waffles- Chicago (W 23-22) = 11 pts.
MOJO- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
grrouchie- New England (W 45-7) = 48 pts.
Vegas Vic- Green Bay (W 24-15) = 19 pts.
Captain Crunch- Chicago (W 23-22) = 11 pts.

Here are the current standings;

grrouchie - 14+48= 62 pts.
MOJO - 40+19= 59
Grange95 - 20+19= 39
Full House - 20+19= 39
Coach - 20+19= 39
Music City Momma - 17+19= 36
Neophyte - 17+19= 36
Vegas Vic - 16+19= 35
lightning - 13+19= 32
TwoMinuteWarning - 13+19= 32
ohcowboy12go - 13+19= 32
Waffles - 15+11= 26
Captain Crunch - 13+11= 24
M Prosk - 17+0= 17

Congratulations to grrouchie for winning this week!

MLB Picks, Oct 28th

Game 4 of the World Series (and possibly the final game of the season) is tonight from the Motor City with the Giants holding a commanding 3-0 lead on the Tigers.

$15 on San Francisco (Cain) over Detroit (Schertzer) @ +$135

Max Schertzer gets the nod for Detroit versus Matt Cain and the Giants. Schertzer has been the best of the two pitchers lately, which is why the Tigers are such a big favorite. But, there have been 23 teams that had a 3-0 lead in the World Series with 20 of them winning game 4 for the sweep. The other three won game 5. San Francisco has outscored their opponents 32-4 in their last 6 games.

Starting Bankroll            $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                        $ 285.00
Current Bankroll             $1,785.00

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Redemption Contest

This week's picks are in and all I can say is, "The Pack is back!"

Rather than list everyone's picks, I'll just tell you that everyone picked Green Bay this week except for Waffles (Chicago), Captain Crunch (Chicago), and ggrouchie (New England). MProsk did not send in his pick.

I'll put the results and current standings later today or in the morning.

Good luck!

Flashing That Double Nickel Smile!

Today I became eligible for my discount at IHOP and a bunch of other restaurants and establishments by turning 55.

The day I was born, Elvis was #1 on the charts with "Jailhouse Rock." Other top 10 hits were "Diana" (Paul Anka), and "That'll Be the Day (Buddy Holly and the Crickets). "Twelve Angry Men" was tops at the theaters.

I still feel good, do some light running, a few push ups everyday, take my meds religiously. I guess I'm a little surprised that 55 got here so quickly.

 Zoom, zoom!

I'm meeting my family this evening at a local restaurant, should be about 7 or 8 of us, then home for cake and presents.

Hopefully, I'll get a shedder so I can properly dispose of my new AARP card.

Those bastards really know how to rub it in :)

College Football Picks, Oct 27th

Three games on the menu today that are worth a gander.

$22 @ 11/10 on Northwestern (-5) over Iowa

The host Wildcats are 3-0-1 as a favorite this season. Iowa is 3-3 versus Division 1 opponents and have scored under 20 points in 3 of their last 5 games.
 

$22 @ 11/10 on Wisconsin (-6) over Michigan State

The Badgers have won three in a row by an average of 22 points and have averaged over 300 YPG in the three games. State has dropped 3 of their last 4. The game is in Madison, where the Badgers have won 10 of 13 as a home favorite.

 
$22 @ 11/10 on Kansas State (-7) over Texas Tech

The Wildcats are 7-0 and have a +13 turnover ratio. The Red Raiders are 6-1, but have faced two tough opponents in a row (West Virgina and TCU). Three in a row could be a little too much to ask.

Starting Bankroll      $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                    $12.00
Current Bankroll       $2,012.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

Pokerpalozza!

We had seven runners sit down to pitch a few cards last night at our Pokerpalozza. Seated from left to right on your radio dial were Ray-Ray, Stamps, Gentleman Jim, J-Dawg, Dealer Larry, Bobby Dee, and yours truly.

J-Dawg had a rough night, which is unusual, as he is one of the better players in our game. Time after time, he would have the winning hand, only to be run down on the river. By the time the carnage was over, he had dropped around $30, which is sizeable in this $20 buy in, dealer's choice game.

It looked like Gentleman Jim was going to take home the High Hand Jackpot when he hit quad nines in a hand of Omaha, but I was able to snatch it away from him when I turned quad jacks in a hand of hold 'em and was able to walk away a winner on the night.

Stamps was on fire, picking up big hands, one after the other, and padded his bankroll to the tune of about $20. Ray-Ray won a little, with Larry and Jim dropping a few dollars, and Bobby losing around $20.

We had the World Series on the tube while we were playing, and I was both surprised and impressed by Bumgarner's performancefor the Giants against the Tigers. As I noted in my MLB Picks post yesterday, he had pretty much been lit up the last few weeks, but stepped up when he had to. Well done.

No poker at Tin Man's tonight, because he and Lil' Annie Okie are out of town, so I guess I'll have to stave off any withdrawal symptons that might occur.

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, Oct 25th

Game 2 of the World Series is tonight in the "city by the bay," as Tony Bennett describes it.

$10 on Detroit (Fister) over San Francisco (Bumgarner) -1 1/2 @ +$140

Doug Fister gets the nod for the Tigers as they try to even the series tonight. Fister is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA in his last 5 starts and sports a 1.35 ERA in his two playoff starts. Southpaw Madison Bumgarner will throw the horsehide for the hometown Giants. In his last 7 starts, Bumgarner is 2-4 with a 7.34 ERA. He has struggled in the spotlight of the playoffs, posting a 0-2 record with a hefty 11.25 ERA. The Tigers have won 15 of their last 20 games, but are only 29-26 versus leftys this season (including playoffs). San Francisco has won 4 straight games.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 295.00
Current Bankroll         $1,795.00

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Redemption Contest

If you are picking the Thursday night game this week, I'll need your pick by noon tomorrow. Picks for the Sunday game are due by midnight (CDT) Saturday.

Thanks and good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 24th

The first game of the World Series is tonight in Shakytown, as the Detroit Tigers take on the San Francisco Giants.

$15 on San Francisco (Zito) over Detroit (Verlander) @ +$155

Do I really think the Giants can beat Tigers starter Justin Verlander? Probably not, but at +$155 I'll give it a shot. Lefty Barry Zito gets the nod for the Giants and brings a 6-0 record with a 2.20 ERA in his last 7 starts to the dance. San Francisco is 13-0 in Zito's last 13 starts. Verlander has been even better than Zito, posting a 7-0 record with a stellar 0.86 ERA in his last 7 starts. He is 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA in his three playoff starts. Wow! Tigers are 15-4 in their last 19 games and 7-2 in the playoffs, but are only 26-25 versus southpaws in the regular season.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 271.75
Current Bankroll         $1,771.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Redemption Contest Results and Standings

MOJO- You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him."

Below are the results of the first week of the Small Potatoes NFL Picks Redemption Contest.

It's still not too late to sign up if you want to play (leave a comment). It's free and you could win a tee shirt or sweat shirt with your favorite NFL team's logo.

lightning- New England (W 29-26) = 13 pts.
TwoMinuteWarning- New England (W 29-26) = 13 pts.
Grange95- Green Bay (W 30-20) = 20 pts.
ohcowboy12go- New England (W 29-26) = 13 pts.
M Prosk- Minnesota (W 21-14) = 17 pts.
Full House- Green Bay (W30-20) = 20 pts.
Music City Momma- Minnesota (W 21-14) = 17 pts.
Coach- Green Bay (W 30-20) = 20 pts.
Neophyte- Pittsburgh (W 24-17) = 17 pts.
Waffles- Dallas (W 19-14) = 15 pts.
MOJO- Houston (W 43-13) = 40 pts.
ggrouchie- Indianapolis (W 17-13) = 14 pts.
Vegas Vic- Chicago (W 13-7) = 16 pts.
Captain Crunch- New England (W 29-26) = 13 pts.

Here are the current standings;

MOJO - 40 pts.
Grange95 - 20
Full House - 20
Coach - 20
M Prosk - 17
Music City Momma - 17
Neophyte - 17
Vegas Vic - 16
Waffles - 15
ggrouchie - 14
lightning - 13
TwoMinuteWarning - 13
ohcowboy12go - 13
Captain Crunch - 13

Congratulations to Memphis MOJO for winning this week!

Please let me know if you see any errors.

MLB Picks, Oct 22nd

Game 7 of the NLCS is tonight in San Francisco. The winner goes to the World Series and will meet the Detroit Tigers.

$10 on St. Louis (Lohse) over San Francisco (Cain) @ +$130

Good news for my friend MOJO. 

Kyle Lohse gets the nod for the Redbirds, bringing a 3-0 record and a 1.96 ERA in his three playoff starts to the dance. The G-Men counter with Matt Cain, who is 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA in his last 4 trips to the bump and is 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA against the Cards this season. This is a game 7, so don't look for the managers to have much patience with their starting pitchers.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 281.75
Current Bankroll         $1,781.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 21st

Game 6 of the NLCS is on tap tonight in Shakytown.

$10 on San Francisco (Vogelsong) over St. Louis (Carpenter) -1 1/2 @ +$180

Chris Carpenter is exactly who the Cardinals want taking the ball for them in the post season... last year. In his last outing this year, he gave up 5 runs in 4 innings in a loss to the Giants earlier in the series. Ryan Vogelsong gets the nod for San Francisco, who is facing an elimination game for the fifth time in this year's playoffs. Vogelsong is 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his last 5 trips to the bump and has surrendered only 1 run in 14 innings against the Redbirds this season.

Starting Bankroll        $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 263.75
Current Bankroll         $1,763.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Redemption Contest

Here are the picks for the first week of the Small Potatoes NFL Picks Redemption Contest.

lightning- New England
TwoMinuteWarning- New England
Grange95- Green Bay
ohcowboy12go- New England
M Prosk- Minnesota
Full House- Green Bay
Music City Momma- Minnesota
Coach- Green Bay
Neophyte- Pittsburgh
Waffles- Dallas
MOJO- Houston
ggrouchie- Indianapolis
Vegas Vic- Chicago
Captain Crunch- New England

Remember, this is not a "survivor" contest and does not end until the Super Bowl is over.

You get 10 points for each winner you pick, plus one point for every point your pick wins by.

You get 0 points if your pick loses, plus one point is deducted for every point your pick loses by.

The player with the most points at the end of the season wins a tee shirt or sweat shirt with your favorite NFL team's logo.

For complete rules click here.

Good luck!

NFL Picks- Redemption Contest (Last Day to Enter)

Tonight at midnight (CDT) is the deadline to enter the Small Potatoes NFL Picks Redemption Contest. Click here for contest rules. There is no entry charge and you could win a cool tee shirt or sweat shirt with your favorite team's logo.

Wow!

Thus far, here are the entrants;

lightning36
TwoMinuteWarning
Grange95
ohcowboy12go
M.Prosk
Full House
Music City Momma
Coach
Neophyte
Waffles
MOJO
ggrouchie
Vegas Vic

The only picks I have received are from lightning, Grange, ohcowboy12go, M.Prosk, Waffles, and MOJO. If your name is not on the list, I need your pick by midnight tonight or you will receive a big fat zero for the week, and who wants that?

You can leave your pick in the "comments" or e-mail it to me at nfl.picks@ymail.com.

Sign up today and win a free NFL shirt!

College Football Picks, Oct 20th

Three games on today's schedule that are worth a peek.

$44 @ 11/10 on Vanderbilt (-7) over Auburn
$33 @ 11/10 on Oregon State (-10 1/2) over Utah
$22 @ 11/10 on Oklahoma (-35) over Kansas

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                       $ 6.00
Current Bankroll         $2,006.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 19th

Only one game on the MLB schedule today. The Giants and Cardinals meet for game 5 of the NLCS, with St. Louis holding a 3-1 edge.

$10 on San Francisco (Zito) over St. Louis (Lynn) +$150

Lefty Barry Zito gets the nod for the G-Men tonight in St. Louis. Zito is 5-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last 6 starts. The Giants are 12-0 in his last 12 starts. The Redbirds counter with Lance Lynn, who gave up 4 runs in 3+ innings in his last start, which was against the Giants. Lynn has surrendered 8 runs in 9+ innings against San Francisco this season.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 248.75
Current Bankroll            $1,748.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks- Redemption Contest (Bumped)

So far, here's who is signed up; ohcowboy12go, M. Prosk, Full House, Music City Momma, Coach, Neophyte, KenP, Waffles, MOJO, ggrouchie, and Vegas Vic. If you're not on here . . . WHY NOT? Are ya skerrt? 

Saturday is the deadline to sign on the dotted line.

Since I've determined that none of you are very good at picking the winners (even straight up) of NFL games, I'm going to try this again. This time however, it's not going to be a "survivor" contest, mainly because I would like to see it last more than six weeks :)

Once again, the winner will receive either a tee shirt or sweatshirt with the logo of your favorite NFL team emblazoned on it. Cool!

If you participated in the first NFL Picks Contest I had this year (and your name isn't Vegas Vic), I hope you'll sign up for this contest and try to redeem your name. Right now, you're an embarrassment to both your family and the blogging community, so here's your chance!

Here are the rules;

1) You get to pick the winner of one NFL game each week.

2) If your pick wins, you receive 10 points.

3) You will receive additional points based on margin of victory. One point for each point your team wins by. For example, if you pick the Steelers to win this week and they are victors by a score of 29-17, you would receive 22 points for the week, 10 for the win and 12 for the margin of victory (29 minus 17 = 12).

4) If your pick loses, you receive 0 points for picking the winner and points will be deducted based on margin of loss. For example, if you picked the Raiders and they lost by a score of 30-14, you would have 16 points deducted from your point total (30 minus 14 = 16).

5) The person with the most points at the conclusion of the Super Bowl will be declared the winner and will receive a free shirt. If there is a tie, whomever picked the most "winners" on the season will win the tie breaker. If there is still a tie, then all players who are tied for first will receive a shirt.

Sign up today by either commenting below or e-mailing me at nfl.picks@ymail.com. Deadline to sign up is Saturday and your pick will also need to be in by midnight (CDT) Saturday. The Thursday game this week is off the board, so you can only pick from the Sunday games.

Redemption is here for the taking.

MLB Picks, Oct 18th

Both leagues have playoff games today, with the Tigers and Cardinals hosting. One of the games is worth an investment.

$10 on the OVER, San Francisco vs. St. Louis (7 runs @ +$100)

Adam Wainwright and Tim Lincecum face off under the arch, with the Cardinals looking to take control of the NLCS. Wainwright has a 5.68 ERA over his last 7 starts and Lincecum has a 10.80 ERA in his last 2, so there should be a fair amount of scoring in this one. Hopefully, more than 7 runs!

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 238.75
Current Bankroll            $1,738.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 17th

Two playoff games on the docket today, with the Tigers looking to get out the broom and sweep the Yankees.

$15 on St. Louis (Lohse) over San Francisco (Cain) -1 1/2 @ +$175

The NLCS shifts to St. Louis for game three of this best of seven series. Tied at one game apiece, the Giants give the horsehide to Matt Cain, who is 16-5 with a 2.79 ERA this season. He hasn't pitched nearly as well against the Redbirds however, as illustrated by his 6.94 ERA this year. He is also a pedestrian 1-1, with a 4.60 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. St. Louis counters with Kyle Lohse, who is 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA this season and is even tougher at home, going 8-1 with a 2.33 ERA.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 212.50
Current Bankroll            $1,712.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Let's Try This Again! NFL Picks Redemption Contest

Since I've determined that none of you are very good at picking the winners (even straight up) of NFL games, I'm going to try this again. This time however, it's not going to be a "survivor" contest, mainly because I would like to see it last more than six weeks :)

Once again, the winner will receive either a tee shirt or sweatshirt with the logo of your favorite NFL team emblazoned on it. Cool!

If you participated in the first NFL Picks Contest I had this year (and your name isn't Vegas Vic), I hope you'll sign up for this contest and try to redeem your name. Right now, you're an embarrassment to both your family and the blogging community, so here's your chance!

Here are the rules;

1) You get to pick the winner of one NFL game each week.

2) If your pick wins, you receive 10 points.

3) You will receive additional points based on margin of victory. One point for each point your team wins by. For example, if you pick the Steelers to win this week and they are victors by a score of 29-17, you would receive 22 points for the week, 10 for the win and 12 for the margin of victory (29 minus 17 = 12).

4) If your pick loses, you receive 0 points for picking the winner and points will be deducted based on margin of loss. For example, if you picked the Raiders and they lost by a score of 30-14, you would have 16 points deducted from your point total (30 minus 14 = 16).

5) The person with the most points at the conclusion of the Super Bowl will be declared the winner and will receive a free shirt. If there is a tie, whomever picked the most "winners" on the season will win the tie breaker. If there is still a tie, then all players who are tied for first will receive a shirt.

Sign up today by either commenting below or e-mailing me at nfl.picks@ymail.com. Deadline to sign up is Saturday and your pick will also need to be in by midnight (CDT) Saturday. The Thursday game this week is off the board, so you can only pick from the Sunday games.

Redemption is here for the taking.

MLB Picks, Oct 16th

The American League takes center stage today with the Yankees traveling to the Motor City for game 3 against the Tigers.

$10 on Detroit (Verlander) over NY Yankees (Hughes) -1 1/2 @ +$120

Justin Verlander takes the ball tonight, trying to extend the Tigers lead to 3-0 in the series. Verlander is 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA in his last 6 starts. However, he is only 1-1 with a 5.31 ERA against the Pinstripers in three games this season. The Yanks counter with Phil Hughes who is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in his last three trips to the bump. He is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA versus the Tigers this season. Detroit has won 6 straight at home.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 222.50
Current Bankroll            $1,722.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 15th

Only one game on the playoff schedule today, but I think it's worth a peek.

$10 on San Francisco (Vogelsong) over St. Louis (Carpenter) -1 1/2 @ +$195

Ryan Vogelsong gets the nod for the Giants at home tonight. Vogelsong is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in his last 4 starts. He shutout the Cardinals for 7 innings in an August start. The Redbirds counter with Chris Carpenter who has only 4 starts this season due to injury. Carpenter has a 2.78 ERA and picked up his first win of the season in the NLDS against the Nats by throwing 5+ innings of shutout ball. This could be a one run game with either team winning, but at +$195, I'll take my chances with the home team.

LVH has the best price on this one.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 203.00
Current Bankroll            $1,703.00

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Vegas Vic Wins NFL Picks Contest

Congratulations to Vegas Vic for taking down the Small Potatoes NFL Picks Contest in a record six weeks. Your Broncos shirt will be headed your way this week.

Way to go Double Vee!

MLB Picks, Oct 14th

I like the Cards chances today in the NLCS.

$10 on St. Louis (Lynn) over San Francisco (Baumgarner) @ +$115

Lance Lynn gets his first playoff start tonight in the city by the bay. In his last four starts Lynn is 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA. The Giants counter with lefty Madison Baumgarner, who has posted a 2-5 record with a 7.22 ERA in his last 8 starts. Against the Redbirds he is 0-2 with a 4.23 ERA this season. St. Louis has won 12 of their last 17 games and are 31-17 versus southpaws this year.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 191.50
Current Bankroll            $1,691.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Contest- Week 6

The third week of heads-up play.

Here are the picks for week 6.

ggrouchie- Pittsburgh
Vegas Vic- Atlanta


The Steelers played on Thursday and lost to Jacksonville Tennessee, so if the Falcons win on Sunday, Vegas Vic will win the contest and the shirt. Should Atlanta lose, then both players get a shirt.

Good luck!

College Football Picks, Oct 13th

Three games on today's college football menu that look good.

$33 @ 11/10 on Ohio St. (-17) over Indiana

The Buckeyes roll into Bloomington fresh off a blowout win over Nebraska, bringing their record to a perfect 6-0 on the season. OSU ranks 11th nationally running the ball, averaging 249 YPG. Indiana is 2-3 this season and has dropped 17 straight to the Buckeyes.

$22 @ 11/10 on Mississippi (-4 1/2) over Auburn

The Rebels host a struggling (1-4) Auburn team that is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a dog on the highway. Ole Miss is 7-4 ATS in their last 11 games. The Rebels average 213 rushing YPG. The Tigers' QBs have thrown for only 4 TD this season, but 10 INT.

$22 @ 11/10 on Baylor (-7) over TCU

The Bears and Frogs meet in Waco. Baylor is 2nd in the country in PPG, but are 118th in points against. QB Nick Florence has thrown for 16 TD. TCU is 10th nationally in points against, surrendering only 13 PPG. TCU quarterback Pachall has been suspended.

Starting Bankroll         $2,000.00
Profit/Loss                   $ 41.00
Current Bankroll          $2,041.00

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at you own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 12th

Will it be "the end" for the Cardinals today?

There are two game fives today in both league division series, with the Orioles and Yankees facing off this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, followed by the Cardinals and Nationals tonight in DC.

I like the Nats chances to finish off the defending champions tonight. Gio Gonzalez is 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA in his last 7 starts and is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA against St. Louis this season. Adam Wainwright gets the ball for the Redbirds, and he is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA in his last two starts, both of which have been against Washington. The Nats have won 4 of their last 6 at home and the Cards have won 6 of 8 on the highway.

But, because the price is too high (-$130), and my friend Memphis MOJO has advised me to not bet against the Cardinals in the playoffs, I'm going to sit this one out.

In the ALDS, I like CC Sabathia and the Yankees to move on to the championship series, but it's certainly not a lock. Sabathia has thrown well lately, going 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last 4 starts, but is 1-2 with a 5.00 against the O's this season in 4 starts. Jason Hammel gets the nod for Baltimore and has no decisions in his last 3 starts, but sports a tidy 2.51 ERA. In 4 starts against the Pinstripers this season, he is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA. At -$200 though, NY is too expensive, so I'm going to pass on this one also.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 191.50
Current Bankroll            $1,691.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

NFL Picks Contest- Week 6

 If you are picking tonight's game, I need your pick by 7pm (CDT).


We're down to heads-up play with only ggrouchie and Vegas Vic left standing.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, Oct 11th

Only one game worth a peek today.

$15 on Detroit (Verlander) over Oakland (Parker) -1 1/2 @ +$120

Tiger's ace Justin Verlander takes the ball in the final game of this ALDS. Verlander is 5-0 with a 1.03 ERA in his last 5 starts, including a 7 inning, 1 run stint against the A's in the first game of the series. Overall he is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA against Oakland this season. The A's counter w Jarrod Parker, who gave up 2 runs in 6+ innings in a loss to the Tigers his last time out. Oakland has won 8 in a row at home and 10 of 11.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 173.50
Current Bankroll            $1,673.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks- Division Series, Oct 10th

Two games on the menu today that look interesting, both in the AL.

$20 on Detroit (Scherzer) over Oakland (Griffen) @ -$110

Max Scherzer gets the nod for the Tigers in Oakland today. Scherzer is 16-7 this season and is 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his last 9 starts. A.J. Griffen toes the rubber for the A's, who will be trying to stave off elimination for the second straight game. Griffen has had a nice season, as indicated by his 7-1 record, but has stumbled lately, posting a 1-1 record with a 7.79 ERA in his last 4 outings. He surrendered 5 runs in 4+ innings against the Tigers in mid September.

$10 on Baltimore (Gonzalez) over NY Yankees (Kuroda) @ +$160

A hot Miguel Gonzalez takes the ball for the Orioles in Yankee Stadium tonight. Gonzalez is 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts and is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA against the Pinstripers this season. Hiroki Kuroda will throw for the Yankees, bringing a 2-1 record with a 4.00 in his last three starts to the party. Baltimore is 6-3 in the Yanks' house this season.

Wynn has the best price on this one.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 203.50
Current Bankroll            $1,703.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks- Division Series, Oct 9th

I don't see any noticeable advantage in either of the Division Series games today, so I'll put my wallet in my pocket and try again tomorrow.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 203.50
Current Bankroll            $1,703.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

BOOM! Goes the Dynamite!

We only had four show up for Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney on Friday so we decided to skip it and just play a cash game.

We usually set the buy in at $2, but agreed to raise it to $5, with $2 re-buys, since we weren't ponying up any moolah for the tournament. With the Rangers completing their epic meltdown on the TV in the background, the poker was pretty relaxed, mainly because we have all played together so much, we know each others game top to bottom and don't have to pay attention too closely.

Two hands do stand out however, and I was involved in both. In the first, I open raised from the button with the powerful 2-4 offsuit and was called by Philly Phanatic. The flop showed three hearts with Philly checking and I bet a little over 1/2 pot and got an unwanted call. The turn produced a fourth heart and I once again bet after Philly checked. This time I got the fold I wanted, with Philly showing second pair. I returned the favor by showing him my bluff.

In a later hand I raised from UTG with 9-7 soooted, only to get an all-in 3 bet from Tin Man. It wasn't a whole lot more to call, and the entertainment value of a possible suck out on Tin Man and watching him blow his stack made it worth the risk. Tin Man tabled pocket kings and the mumbling started when the flop gave me a four flush. He felt a little better when the turn was a blank, but the real pissin' and moanin' started when I hit my inside straight redraw on the river :)

You remember the scene in Christmas Vacation when Clark (Chevy Chase) goes off on his boss when he learns his Christmas bonus is a membership to the "Jelly of the Month" Club?

Fun times!

I ended the evening ahead by $8 as did Lil' Annie Okie. Philly dropped $6 and Tin Man took the worst of it with a $10 loss.

On the drive home I was witness to a car wreck at an intersection. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but I was delayed for about an hour waiting for the police to show so I could give a statement.

No poker next week as both the Tuesday and Friday home games have been cancelled, so it should be a break even week, at least at the table. Hopefully, I'll be able to make a few bucks on the sports betting side.

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks- ALDS, Oct 8th

I like the match up in tonight's late game.

$15 on NY Yankees (Pettitte) over Baltimore (Chen) -1 1/2 @ +$120

In a battle of southpaws at Camden Yards tonight, the Bronx Bombers look to take a death grip on this series. Andy Pettitte gets the nod for the visitors, bringing a 2-1 record with a 1.62 ERA in his last three starts to the party. The Orioles counter with Wei-Yin Chen, who is 0-4 with a 6.06 ERA in his last six trips to the bump. The Yankees have hit Chen hard this year as his 1-2 record and 6.38 ERA indicate. New York is 7-3 at Camden Yards this season.

Caesars/Harrahs and Stations have the best line on this one.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 218.50
Current Bankroll            $1,718.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Lighting Strikes Duck!

Due to a severe lack of judgement, I convinced myself that the Dallas Cowboys offensive line would be good enough to keep the Chicago Bears defense off of Tony Romo long enough for him to be effective, and took lightning36 up on a wager that my Cowboys would send "Da Bears" home bloodied and bruised. Well, the Cowboys O-Line was offensive all right, and because of that I lost the bet and have to eat crow and turn over Small Potatoes to the lightgiver for a post.

I noticed he used a numerous pictures in his post. I guess if I had his writing talent, I would use a lot of pictures too :)

Lucki Duck and I had a bet on last week's Bears-Cowboys Monday Night Football game. The winner would get to make a guest post on the loser's blog. It sounded good to me, the proposer, as I had a pretty good feeling that the Bears would come out on top. They did, of course -- 34-18. So Lucki is really the winner as he gets to have a genuine lightning36 post on his blog -- clearly the gold standard for savvy poker bloggers.

But first -- a little talk about Texans. Living all my life in Illinois, I had not met many people from Texas until I hit the college years. It took me a little time to understand, but I finally realized where most Texans are coming from. I began to understand how Texans see the United States:

Being a Chicago Bears fan all my life, I was never one to root for the Cowboys, of course. I figured that people who lived in the area of the country would probably root for "America's Team." Whenever I saw pictures of Cowboys fans at their home team's game, I was reminded that things are much different in the southwest. For one thing, almost all the guys who went to football games looked and dressed like this:

In all fairness, however, I would not be surprised to find that Lucki expected all Bears fans to look like this:

Of course, most Bears fans DO NOT look like this. Their bellies are usually a tad larger. : o )

But ... I must tell you that Texas sports teams have been extremely important to Chicago fans for the past several years. Aside from the previously mentioned Bears-Cowboys game, Chicago has relied on Texas in several ways. The only Chicago Major League Baseball championship in my lifetime was in 2005, when my White Sox went to the World Series and defeated ... the Houston Astros. Can you say sweep?

And sadly, in one of many, many rebuilding years for the Cubbies, the denizens of The Friendly Confines lost 101 games in 2012. But fear not -- they did not have the worst record in baseball. That "honor" belonged to ...

Surprise -- the Astros again, who lost a tragic 107 games. Houston, we have a problem.

Kidding aside, I do want to say a few words about my friend, Lucki Duck. I actually met him online through Very Josie, as he began to follow her blog and play in her private tournaments. We found out that we were going to be in Las Vegas at the same time in February 2011 and met up.

One of the best times I have ever had in Las Vegas was a lunch I had with Lucki, his lovely wife, and fellow blogger The Neophyte and his wife. The lunch was interesting -- just five; "slowly maturing" adults from different parts of the country talking a little poker, a little family, and a little life.

So ... I am honored to make this guest post on Lucki Duck's blog and proud to call this fine Texas gentleman my friend. Now if only I could get him to see the light and root for the Chicago Bears ...