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A Guide to College Baseball Bats
In the mid 1850s, when baseball was in its infancy, players made their own bats. They experimented with flat bats, round bats, and heavy bats. They ultimately discovered that the barrel shaped bat was the most effective. Today, college baseball bats...
A Look at Baseball Batting Gloves
The first baseball gloves to hit the field were created sometime in the late 1800s. These gloves were simplistic compared to today's models. Early gloves were usually made of thin pieces of leather and were precursors to the advanced baseball gloves...
I Look Like A Real Player in an Authentic Ice Hockey Jersey
Many wants to play there, but very few make it all the way to professional hockey. Instead they become fans and they are having almost as much fun as the players out on the ice. And how can you better show your appreciation of this game than by...
Pro Football's NFL - The Largest American Pro Football League Has Significant Rivalries
The National Football League or the NFL is the biggest professional football league in the United States. The NFL has thirty-two teams that are based in a variety of cities across the country. Originally known as the American Professional Football...
Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Baseball
Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Baseball 1 The Ultimate Challenge Hitting a round ball with a round bat. The feeling I would get when I hit the ball. Just think of a baby that is crying for food. When that baby gets her bottle the first thing you hear...
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Bears the Bell of the Bowl
Las Vegas bookmakers say Indianapolis and New England remain the
teams to beat in Super Bowl XL, but bettors love Lovie and his
marauding Chicago Bears.
"We have a good price on the Bears (6 1/2 to 1 to win the NFC)
and we're getting a lot of action on them," said Stewart Kramer,
a supervisor at the Stardust Race and Sports Book. "A lot."
"Chicago teams traditionally draw well in the futures and the
Bears are no exception," said Palms Race and Sports Director
Richie Baccellieri. "Right now we have more futures tickets on
them than anyone but New England, the defending champs."
The Bears, who are in their third season under Coach Lovie
Smith, have a bye this weekend, along with Seattle, Indianapolis
and Denver.
The Palms currently lists Chicago at 3/1 to win the NFC and 9/1
to cop the Super Bowl, which will be played at Detroit's Ford
Field on Feb. 6.
The Bears are 4/1 to capture the NFC and 10/1 to take the Super
Bowl at Wynn Las Vegas, according to John Avello, one of Sports
Director Vinny Margulies' top aides.
"The NFC is wide open," Avello said. "It's anybody's (title) to
win or lose. We're seeing a lot of Bears money, even at a low
price.
"Chicago's had a great season."
Baccellieri points out he normally dislikes siding with
favorites, but it's hard to go against Seattle to win the NFC.
"They have the home-field advantage and I think those folks up
in Seattle will be ready," he said.
"The other teams are kind of marginal, but the Bears are the
best of the rest."
Baccellieri and Avello believe
Indy is still the top team in pro
football, despite their two late-season losses.
"You can throw out those late (Colts') losses," Baccellieri
said. "When the chips are down, Indy will be there. They have
the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and the Super
Bowl is being played in a dome."
The Palms has Indy at minus $1.25 (4/5) to nab the NFL's
mid-winter extravaganza.
Avello, a dean of Sin City bookmakers who was at Bally's/Paris
for years until moving to Wynn last summer, pretty much echoed
Baccellieri's sentiments.
"They have to play two games at home to get there, then the
Super Bowl's in a dome," Avello said.
"My only questions are if they'll be hurt by the time off and
how they'll be affected by the (Coach Tony) Dungy thing (his
son's pre-Christmas suicide).
"They're the best team."
Kramer says the Pats are Super Bowl champs until someone
dethrones them.
"They've been there before and they're playing well at the right
time," he declared.
Most books reported minimal line moves on this weekend's wild
card games, but the Stardust's Kramer noted a major one.
"We've had one big switch," he said.
"We opened the Bengals at minus 2 1/2 and we're now at Steelers
minus 3. We've had a lot of action on that game.
"Otherwise, it's been mostly two-way."
About the author:
Lynda Collins is a documented member of the Professional
Handicappers League. Read all of her articles at www.procappers
.com/Lynda_Collins.htm
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