So who is No.1?
The top 10 teams in men’s NCAA college hoops are saying right now, “please don’t make us one, especially if we have a big road game coming up.”
Just ask Ohio State, Texas and Kansas, and this past week we get to add Duke to that elite group that took it on the chin after being rated first only to lose a tough conference game on the road.
It could happen to Kansas again Saturday facing Missouri in Columbia. It will be a real barn burner but if the Jayhawks get out of Columbia with their scalps they just may go all the way.
I do believe right now they are the best college hoops team out there, but we will wait and see. As for this past week, I took it on the chin with Purdue, which seems to be firing on all cylinders and may be a good futures play to win their bracket.
I will be making a small play this week on the Boilermakers to win the whole enchilada. I will also be making a play on BYU to win the entire big show when the brackets come, and also bet them if they don’t draw the same bracket as Purdue.
I will be making a solid bet on Kansas as well to win it all. Why all the bets? If you have any cash sitting around in the bank getting zero interest, why keep it there when you can get a good price on a future bet, 6-1 and higher?
I really don’t know how good BYU is, but they sure impress me and are the kind of team that will not give in. The Cougars believe they can beat anyone in the country and just may. This year’s NCAA tournament looks wide open and we may find some great plays once they draw the brackets.
I went out this past week and took some money out of the bank that wasn’t collecting squat and made some baseball future bets.
First, I bet the Red Sox to win the AL and the World Series, and I also bet the Phillies to win the NL and the World Series as these two teams are loaded and may hook up in this year’s World Series.
The worst teams will be the KC Royals and, once again, the sorry Pittsburgh Pirates whose upstairs management reminds me of the owners of the Indians in the movie Major League when “Wild Thing” was pitching but the owner wanted to lose so they could move to a warmer climate. That’s sad for what once was a great franchise.
Both the Tribe and the Buccos could lose 100 games or more. KC lost 95 games with ace and previous Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and he is now a Brewer. The Pirates lost 105 last year and made no significant gains to their roster in the off season.
The addition they did make was bringing in Clint Hurdle as their new manager. But no manager can work miracles unless he has an angel in the outfield. They lack talent. Other than Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates have few Major League caliber players in prime time.
Both rosters are filled with prospects, lower tier major leaguers and players let go by other teams. It will be a long season for both clubs and a longer one for the managers, maybe.
Team on the rise
ORIOLES: A must follow – BS, which in this case means Buck Showalter. After he took over in mid-season last year the O’s were a different team. Add to the roster this year Vlad Guerrero, Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds to complement Nick Markakis, Luke Scott, Matt Wieters and Brian Roberts, and the Orioles are now a competitive team in the toughest division in baseball.
Of course, pitching is the key. If they get some good pitching, especially in the early going, to get confidence, Buck will make sure they play baseball the right way. Combine the losses of personnel in the Tampa Bay organization, look for the Birds to battle for second behind the powerful Red Sox, and I do believe they have a shot to pass the Yanks.
Last year I gave you the Reds as an improved team. This year it is the O’s as they look for a Wild Card. The total is 76½ and the bet is over the total as they will be a better than 500 team. So get some money out of that interestless account and bet it!