Phoenix Suns @ Sacramento Kings 02/01/2011

Whilst most of the world will (sadly) be watching either the Rams or Seahawks become Champion of the worst Division in NFL history, those hardy, glass half-full fellows down in Sacramento will be venturing to the ARCO Arena to watch one of the worst teams in the NBA instead, the Kings. They are set to battle Steve Nash’s Phoenix Suns in a divisional match-up that has recently fallen the way of the Suns; they are winners of 6 straight against the Kings.   

Neither team have won much lately though, the Suns having gone 3-7 in their last 10 and the Kings a woeful 1-9, their latest defeat being a thrashing at the hands of the mercurial Denver Nuggets. It really can’t get much worse, so we can safely assume that morale won’t be high within the home team dressing room. Rookie DeMarcus Cousin has been impressive lately, though, and earned his first start since December 21^st against the Nuggets, where he had 16 points and 8 boards. Unfortunately, it would seem that it was only Cousins who was rebounding the ball for the Kings, who were outrebounded by no less than 23. After starting the season relatively well, especially in offensive terms by scoring over 100 in its first 5 games, the Kings have since struggled for baskets – scoring less than triple figures in 19 of its last 25. With ‘star’ names like Jason Thompson, Beno Udrih and the wildly inconsistent Tyreke Evans headlining their squad, this stat is perhaps no surprise.

The mere presence of the Kings in this game would obviously point toward an under, although it’s difficult to pull the trigger on that particular selection when the opposition is the perennially up-tempo, high-scoring Suns. Not only do the Suns love to put points on the board, they tend to allow them as well, having giving up more than 100 in 10 of its last 11 games. Up until Friday that is, when the lowly Detroit Pistons could only muster 75 in a Suns drubbing. Alvin Gentry apparently ran a defensively based practice session before the game; a shock to the Suns player akin only perhaps to aliens pitching up in their backyards. Nevertheless, they took to the task well and, switching to a half-court style, put up a meagre 92 on their way to victory.

What can we expect from the Suns this time then? Will they return to their happy-go-lucky approach, gallivanting up and down the court like kids high on fizzy and ice cream, putting up long-range 3 pointers by the bucketload, whilst proud daddy Steve dishes out 20+ assists and watches on proudly? I think not, especially after such good results last time out. Moreover, they seem to lack their previous offensive firepower without Jason Richardson; Vince Carter is not as spritely and Marcin Gortat is…well, he’s Marcin Gortat, and though the likes of Jared Dudley will continue to be streaky I still feel that the posted total of 206 is a few points too high.

Sports Betting Update: 21/08/2010

Game was postponed last night! So no affect to the record. The CWS and Royals play a double header tonight, and whilst I like the Sox in both (they are my favourite team haha) they won’t be my PODs with Garcia and Pena pitching.

This pick is way too late really as the game starts in just over 10 minutes, but I’ve been packing for my holiday today, so sorry about that…here’s my POD anyway:

Take Toronto Blue Jays (Romero) over the Boston Red Sox at odds of 2.30

Good luck!

Overall MLB Record: 3-1

Sports Betting Update: 20/08/2010

 

So the Cleveland Indians eventually came through for a 7-3 victory, the scoreline looks better than it actually was as it took a late rally from 3-0 down! Talbot pitched decently as I had hoped aswell, but 5 errors is way too many on the Indians’ part. Onto tonight’s POD!

 Take Chicago White Sox (Jackson) over Kansas City Royals (O’Sullivan) at odds of 1.65

 Game time is 01:10 UK time and 20:10 US; the odds are a bit chalky for my liking but I gotta take the Sox and Jackson here against an average pitcher on a Royals side that has given away some of its better talent in recent weeks.

 Good luck!

 Overall MLB Record: 3-1

Sports Betting Update: 19/08/2010

 

Dodgers lose in extra innings! A little unlucky perhaps, Kuroda pitched well as I thought he would, but LA just can’t get those bats going…so here’s tonight’s POD:

 Take Cleveland Indians (Talbot) over Kansas City Royals (Davies) at odds of 2.00

 Game starts at 01:10 UK, and 20:10 in the US – good luck!

 MLB Record: 2-1

18/08/2010 Update – the Late POD

So this afternoon’s picks went 1-1, with the Oakland As picking up a victory and Sampdoria struggling to a 3-1 defeat in Germany. My late MLB pick is as follows:

Take LA Dodgers (Kuroda) over Colorado Rockies (Hammel) at odds of 1.75

Game starts at 03:05am over here in the UK so it’ll go into the early hours of the morning – good luck!

MLB Record: 2-0

All Sports Record: 2-1

Sports Betting Update – 18/08/2010

 

Current 2010 Record – 1-0

Today’s Picks – 18/08/2010

Take Oakland Athletics (Gonzalez) over Toronto Blue Jays (Rzepczynski) at odds of 1.80 – 20:35 UK, 15:35 EST

The As are my early POD…there may be another for the late games.

UPDATE (17:54 UK) – Adding a soccer pick for tonight’s Champions League Qualifiers

Take Sampdoria +1 on the Asian Handicap line over Werder Bremen, at odds of 1.70.

Each of my bets is a simple one unit stake. Good luck!

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17/08/2010 – First Pick!

Take San Diego Padres (Garland) OVER Chicago Cubs (Wells)

Result – WIN

Overall Play of the Day (POD) Record: 1-0

That Movie Moment

Solid Snake nails his own Movie Moment...

It was just another morning at Mayflower High School, when Paul Appleby (remember him? The short, scruffy one everyone tended to ignore, but was so genuinely friendly that you felt kinda bad about it) jogged over and proceeded to boast that he could predict my future by reading my palm. Well, to be more specific, predict how old I would be when I died. If this happened today, I’d like to think that I would have better things to do than take him up on his kind offer, or that my heightened sense of paranoia would pop up again as it often does, and that I would choose to instead be ignorant of my supposed fate.

Back then though I was in Year 7, had a bowl haircut and a Lister tie that hung down at my ankles, so at the time death wasn’t such an unappealing prospect. Well, I exaggerate slightly, but to be honest it was either that or go shout Angus Seear’s name until he turned around, and we could pretend that it wasn’t us and that we were just giggling because Simon Hardie had ‘pitched a tent’ in his trousers. I chose the former. Certainly, it was a morning like no other.

So I held out my hand. Paul stared at it for a few seconds, a look of utmost concentration on his face. So much so in fact, that it was difficult to accept that he, in all probability, wasn’t utilising his interdimensional psychic aura but was instead just picking a number between 1 and 100.

“27!” He exclaimed, grinning.

I was stunned. 27? 27!? I’d always been quite nice to him as well! He could have at least seen me through to 30.

Perhaps I should have questioned him further as to how he had reached such a number, but it was too late as the second bell had already rung and Mr Langdon was in a perennially pissy mood.

Why this moment still lives with me today, I will never know. It’s just one of those odd, unforgettable memories that resides in my brain alongside various others, including the time I farted loudly in Year 4 assembly and Robert Davis got the blame, or when many years ago,whilst enjoying the Christmas home video with the rest of the family, my Gran innocently reflected upon how often my Dad liked to take my Aunt Sarah from behind. At the time I didn’t understand what was so funny. I’m not sure she did either.

Nevertheless, Paul’s rather morbid prediction has stayed with me ever since. Now, at the ripe old age of 22, I’ve been pondering the many things I want to achieve before I reach the dreaded 2-7. OK, it’s not as if I actually believe it’s going to happen (though it may – best to admit that and not tempt fate, eh?), but it is something of a marker.

There’s all the obvious goals. Get married, have kids, travel the world, get on TV, write a book, lose my virginity and so on. However, it’s one of those personal, slightly weird and clearly pointless ambitions that I want to concentrate on right now.

I’m sure, once I’ve explained you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say “that movie moment.” Those extra special few seconds where the heroic protagonist is slowly walking away from a scene, away from friend, enemy or some other secondary character. The latter, usually on their knees, struggling with some form of physical or emotional burden, questions the former’s own state of mind, or wonders aloud about their unending plight. The sort of desperate inquisition the likes of Bruce Willis in Die Hard world or Arnie in Terminator mode might face.

“Bruce, you’ve already managed to survive 19 explosions, 3 bullet wounds and a knife to the heart, whilst all along constantly reminding me to “keep your head down, kid.” How are you alone going to stop nuclear war!?”

And then, Bruce or Arnie or my own personal favourite, Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation, slows his pace before halting altogether. Snake’s geek buddy Otacon has just asked him the most important question of all time, following the dramatic, deeply emotional death of Eastern European boss babe Sniper Wolf.

“Snake! What was she fighting for? What am I fighting for!? What are you fighting for!?”

Snake stares down at the ground for a few precious seconds, the tension unbearable as he battles his inner demons, the surrounding chaos suddenly nonexistent and meaningless. I hold my breath. Finally, Snake turns slowly to face the camera, snow cascading ever downward, the pained, almost supernatural howl of wolves tearing through our very souls. Please Snake, say something. Anything! Why am I fighting, Snake, why am I fighting!?

“If we make it through this alive…I’ll tell you.”

Pure goosebumps. Shivers through my spine. Snake walks away, and I am rendered speechless, desperately wishing that I could only one day be as cool as him.

Somewhat unlikely though. I’d need a gravelly, husky tone as a result of decades of unrepentant cigarette abuse…a killer body, hardened by years of military training and gruelling exercise…and finally, a wicked fly super sick stealth suit.

I’ve only got one of those.