(Jan 2006 - Sep 2006)
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Below is a listing of articles appearing on Doc’s site sorted by date.
NFL Scoring Down, Bookies Adjusting
by Mike Hayes - 09/29/2006
Overs finally fared marginally better than unders in terms of NFL totals last weekend. However, scoring remains down significantly from last season.
Read more about NFL Scoring Down.
Most 3-0 NFL Teams Likely Headed to Postseason
by Mike Hayes - 09/29/2006
Numbers don't lie. This year, the numbers tell us that the playoff fate of many teams is decided by the fourth week of the NFL season.
Read more about 3-0 NFL Teams.
Suicide Pools - Nothing to do With Terrell Owens
by Drew Mangione - 09/28/2006
They're called elimination pools, but I prefer the not-so-politically-correct name: suicide pool. Sure, it looks good on the surface-$5 a slot, winner take all. The aim is simple: pick one straight-up winner each week. You can't use the same team twice. And if your selections get beat, well, you're out a pack of cigarettes.
Read more about Advice for Suicide Pools.
Could These Bears Shuffle Again?
by Vegas Sports Informer - 09/28/2006
As the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle song goes, "We are the Bears Shufflin' Crew Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you. We're so bad we know we're good. Blowin' your mind like we knew we would. You know we're just struttin' for fun Struttin' our stuff for everyone. We're not here to start no trouble. We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle." But the question here is, could these Bears repeat or rewrite the song?
Read more about Bears Shuffle Again?.
Ferringo NFL Report: Browns Go For Ravens' Jugular, Slit Own Wrists
by Robert Ferringo - 09/27/2006
All apologies for my tardiness with the Ferringo Report. It has been a busy week, but not too busy to reflect on another upside-down, inside-out weekend in the National Football League.
Read more about Ferringo NFL Report.
2006 49ers - Better Than Expected
by Trevor Whenham - 09/27/2006
For a few years now, at least since Steve Mariucci left and probably earlier, it has been very easy to handicap the San Francisco 49ers. They have been a bad team for a long time, they have struggled to match up to almost anyone well and they were really easy to fade. They are still a long way from being a contender, but the Niners are a rapidly improving team.
Read more about 2006 49ers.
2006 Chicago Bears - an Offensive Juggernaut?!
by Mike Hayes - 09/22/2006
The Bears are quickly emerging as the team to beat in the NFC and, in fact, a win against the Vikings in Minnesota Sunday would not only make them a favorite to win a conference title but make them one of the shortest prices to win the Super Bowl in February.
Read more about 2006 Chicago Bears.
Following the Sharp Money Can be Profitable
by Mike Hayes - 09/21/2006
Sharp bettors pounded the books this past weekend and those that followed their lead shared the wealth as there was significant line movement in a number of NFL games. In each instance, the house lost.
Read more about Following the Sharp Money.
Which 2-0 NFL Teams Are Contenders, Pretenders?
by Trevor Whenham - 09/20/2006
After two weeks in the NFL season there are 11 teams that still have a perfect record. Some of them are very expected, like Indianapolis, San Diego and Seattle. Some are a little better than many expected, like Baltimore, Chicago and Jacksonville. Some of the perfect teams are just totally unexpected - few saw New Orleans or Minnesota coming, for example.
Read more about 2-0 NFL Teams.
Five Worst Teams in the NFL
by Trevor Whenham - 09/20/2006
The NFL season is two weeks old and we are getting to the point when we can start to draw some meaningful conclusions about some teams. Chicago, for example, is better than many thought because of an unexpectedly good offense to match the expected great defense. Carolina, on the other hand, isn't as good as the experts said they were, at least not without Steve Smith catching balls.
Read more about Five Worst NFL Teams.
What We Have Learned About NFL Totals After Two Weeks
by Mike Hayes - 09/20/2006
When talking about total plays in the NFL, certain teams immediately come to mind as obvious under plays and others as overs, but after two weeks of play this season, some of those preconceived notions could be headed for the scrap heap.
Read more about NFL Totals.
ESPN Proclaims Jacksonville, Ferringo Report No Longer Unknowns
by Robert Ferringo - 09/19/2006
The Miami Dolphins proved that they are still a gutless, undisciplined, weak-willed team. They got worked on Sunday - in their own house - by a team that just wanted it more. Every single indicator - historical trends, recent trends, injuries, etc. - pointed towards a huge Miami victory. But as I mentioned, I underestimated the blatant incompetence of Daunte Culpepper and the Miami Dolphins.
Read more about Ferringo NFL Report.
Five NFL Coordinators That Are Making a Difference
by Trevor Whenham - 09/19/2006
Two weeks into the NFL season there are some coaches who are really earning their money and others who should forfeit their paychecks. I'm not talking about the head coaches. They get all of the credit when things go right and most of the blame when everything goes to hell, but it's the coordinators and even position coaches who do the heavy lifting and can really make the difference between success and terrible failure.
Read more about NFL Coordinators.
What Bobby and Whitney Can Teach Us About Football
by Robert Ferringo - 09/18/2006
This past week, people across the country had to deal with one of the most shocking and upsetting social developments we've seen in recent years. No, I'm not referring to anything related to the September 11th memorials. I'm talking about the break-up of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston.
Read more about Week Two in the NFL.
Betting the NFL Moneyline
by Mike Hayes - 09/18/2006
The point spread. It's the bread and butter of sports gambling, the reason football is far-and-away to most popular sport to wager on. But with parity in the NFL on the rise, the money line is becoming an increasingly attractive option for your Sunday selections.
Read more about Betting the NFL Money Line.
Bookies Adjust To Rash of Unders in NFL Week One
by Mike Hayes - 09/15/2006
Thanks in part to three opening-week shutouts, total players with a preference for the under enjoyed a profitable start to the NFL season and week two totals indicate that the books have been quick to react.
Read more about NFL Week 1 Totals.
To Tease or Not to Tease - The NFL 6 Point Teaser
by Harry Brewer - 09/14/2006
Teasers used to be called sucker bets, fools gold and desperation plays. The truth is, they may be all of those if used incorrectly. The experienced gambler however, knows that there is most certainly a time and place for a teaser.
Read more about NFL 6 Point Teasers.
49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan Reads the Ferringo Report!
by Robert Ferringo - 09/13/2006
Nine seconds into their National Football League season, the Cleveland Browns were destined for the Super Bowl.
Read more about The Ferringo NFL Report.
NFL Teams That Start 0-1 Need Not Worry
by Trevor Whenham - 09/13/2006
There's a whole lot of panicking going on in several NFL cities these days. Fans in Dallas, Denver, Carolina, Tampa Bay had to be a little surprised that the sun came up Monday morning. Seattle and New England fans will be concerned that they barely scraped by against questionable teams, but they can rest easier knowing that at least they have a check in the win column.
Read more about NFL Teams Bad Starts.
Week One NFL Injuries and Their Impact
by Trevor Whenham - 09/13/2006
The NFL season is only one week old and already some teams are going to have to rethink things in the short term, or for the rest of the season, because of injuries suffered in the first game. Here's a look at some of the more significant injuries and they impact they could have on their teams and our picks.
Read more about Week One NFL Injuries.
Did I Just See That? Opening Week in the NFL a Wild One
by Trevor Whenham - 09/12/2006
This has been a very odd opening weekend in the NFL, but then again opening weekend is almost always odd. There were some happenings that I took in stride, but other things were so bizarre that I almost got whiplash doing a double take to make sure that I had really seen what I thought I saw. Over the weekend, these were the gems, the times when I asked myself 'Did I just see that?'
Read more about NFL Week One.
2007 NFL Super Bowl Predictions
by Mike Hayes - 09/09/2006
In ousting the heavily favored Colts en-route to their improbable Super Bowl run the Steelers last year proved there is no such thing as a sure thing in the NFL and the race for Super Bowl XLI appears just as wide open this season. Therefore, Doc's decided to make some 2007 NFL Super Bowl predictions to help you make your wagers.
Read more about 2007 NFL Super Bowl Predictions.
Looking at Week One NFL Games
by Robert Ferringo - 09/08/2006
(Note: this is normally included in my Power Rankings. But it's opening week and I'm a little excited. Well, I haven't slept in four days and am riding a killer buzz of meth, coke, heroin, Pez, pixie sticks, Wheat Thins, Dr. Pepper and the NFL Network. OK, so that's not true at all. But I am excited, and this was too long for one story so I split it up. See, I couldn't even say that without being wordy.)
Read more about Week One NFL Games.
NFC East - the Toughest Division in Football
by Trevor Whenham - 09/07/2006
Most of the divisions in the NFL this year seem fairly straight forward, at least at the top. There's little doubt, for example, that Seattle will win the NFC West, Indy will top the AFC South, or Denver and San Diego will scrap for the AFC West crown. It gets much more complicated, however, when you look at the NFC East.
Read more about NFC East Odds.
NFL Underdogs To Watch in Week One
by Trevor Whenham - 09/07/2006
We hear it every year when the NFL season starts - the first week of the NFL is all about the underdogs. There are so many changes during the offseason that it is hard to accurately determine which team should actually be the favorite.
Read more about NFL Underdogs.
Steelers/Dolphins Line Move - What Does This Mean for Bettors?
by Trevor Whenham - 09/06/2006
Tomorrow night was supposed to be so straight forward - the Super Bowl champions are playing their first game of the season against the most hyped new-ish coach in the NFL, there will be a concert for us to watch, maybe some fireworks and then the season is officially underway.
Read more about Steelers/Dolphins Line Move.
Week One NFL Trends
by Mike Hayes - 09/06/2006
The NFL season is upon us and if week one point spreads are any indication, it could be a wild ride with few teams capable of total domination and more than a few capable of emerging as the surprise team of the league.
Read more about NFL Trends.
What To Watch For: NFL Week 1
by Robert Ferringo - 09/05/2006
I can't think of anything more representative of our unquenchable passion for hedonistic excess and ruthless brutality than our new National Pastime. It's in our blood. It's part of The American Dream, like apple pie and atom bombs. Football is like Darwin's wet dream and each weekend you, me and 50 million of our closest friends have a front-row seat for the mayhem.
Read more about NFL Opening Weekend.
Why NFL Tight Ends Get All The Hype
by Trevor Whenham - 09/01/2006
Ever since Jeremy Shockey was drafted and Antonio Gates came from nowhere and started doing his Superman impressions, few positions on the football field have been more (over) hyped and heralded than the tight end.
Read more about NFL Tight Ends.
Riding a Surprise NFL Teams Can Be Profitable
by Mike Hayes - 08/31/2006
History tells us that by the end of the NFL season, about a third of the league's 32 teams will show a profit against the point spread with one emerging with a success rate of 70 percent or better.
Read more about Surprise NFL Teams.
Less Heralded Players Have Shined in Preseason
by Trevor Whenham - 08/31/2006
The preseason is, mercifully, almost over. There have been players that have had exceptional starts. We have heard all about them. I'm not going to write yet another article talking about how Carson Palmer tore up the field in his first game back from injury, how T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been catching everything anywhere near him, that Tom Brady showed Washington why he is Tom Brady and how Drew Bledsoe has been impressive in holding off a potential challenge from Tony Romo.
Read more about NFL Preseason Stars.
Pinnacle Offers Fantasy Football Match-ups
by Trevor Whenham - 08/31/2006
Fantasy football is very popular these days, and it can be fun. Sitting in a room with your buddies on draft day deciding which quarterback is going to have a better season, or which running back will gain more yards and score more touchdowns can be a challenging and exciting process. Chicago or Carolina on defense? Rackers or Janikowski?
Read more about Fantasy Football Match-ups.
NFL Preseason Needs To Be Shortened
by Mike Hayes - 08/30/2006
For the sports bettor, the start of the NFL season is the equivalent of Christmas Eve to a kid - complete with visions of office pools, fantasy leagues, Monday Night Football and a Sunday full of parlays and teasers dancing in his head.
Read more about NFL Preseason.
NFL QB Controversies - Who Will Keep Their Job?
by Trevor Whenham - 08/23/2006
There is nothing more potentially distracting to an NFL team than a quarterback controversy. When a starter has his job threatened by a precocious backup, or loses it altogether, it can divide the team and hurt a whining millionaire's feelings. Ask Trent Green or Rob Johnson if they are sending Christmas cards to Kurt Warner or Doug Flutie.
Read more about NFL QB Controversies.
Judging the NFL Rookies
by Trevor Whenham - 08/15/2006
The teams have played one game, the rookies have seen the field, so now it's time to do what sports fans do best - prematurely judge the players. The first preseason game, in the grand scheme of things, means almost nothing. Still, a player that gives an eye-popping performance in their first taste of top competition has to make their teams feel pretty good.
Read more about 2006 NFL Rookies report.
2006 NFL Futures Odds and Advice
by Jordan Adams - 08/01/2006
August is here with football right around the corner. The 2006 NFL season is less than six weeks away and the hype has already begun. Mini camps have started and the preseason is upon us. This year the contending field has expanded with the increasing depth of the NFC and the consistent dominance of the AFC.
Read more about 2006 NFL Futures Odds.
2006 Rams: Predicting More Unpredictability
by Robert Ferringo - 07/31/2006
Needless to say, the Rams have been one of the most wildly unpredictable teams to wager on under Martz. But the star-crossed franchise finally bid adieu to Mad Mike and is now looking to rebound from its worst season since 1998.
Read more about St. Louis Rams Preview.
Doc's Handicaps the NFL MVP Candidates
by Robert Ferringo - 07/24/2006
Here's one man's Top Ten futures plays for the 2006-2007 NFL MVP Award. The odds reflect those posted at Bodog:
Read more about NFL MVP Odds.
Value and Betting the NFL MVP
by Robert Ferringo - 07/24/2006
A half-point or reduced juice? Strong liquor or heavy narcotics? "Value" is a phrase often tossed about within the Gambling World, but its true definition is as elusive as Dante Hall in the open field. Regardless, Bodog.com has made an attempt to accurately quantify the individual value of players in the National Football League by posting odds on who will be its next MVP.
Read more about NFL MVP Breakdown.
NFL Rookie of the Year Betting
by Robert Ferringo - 07/22/2006
Do you remember your first job out of college? Some people start out as bartenders or waitresses. Others begin their post-college career as million-dollar running backs or wide receivers.
Read more about NFL ROY Trends.
Breaking Down the NFL ROY Candidates
by Robert Ferringo - 07/22/2006
Here is a breakdown of the 16 first-year players with the best (and worst) shot at winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this season. The odds reflect those posted at Sportsbook.com:
Read more about NFL ROY Breakdown.
NFL Opening-Week Lines Released
by Mike Hayes - 06/23/2006
For those of you suffering withdrawal from the aforementioned paradise, the early lines on opening week NFL action have been set and its time to start betting. Of course you'll have to wait a bit to collect, but there's bound to be some value waiting to be had when betting on point spreads three months before the season actually kicks off.
Read more about NFL Opening Lines.
2006 CFL Betting - Ricky Heads North
by Trevor Whenham - 06/01/2006
Now that Ricky Williams is headed to the CFL for the season, you Americans are finally paying a bit of attention to good old Canadian football. It's about time. I'm not saying that the CFL is as good as the NFL, or even in the same conversation. It's not at all. It is, however, a wildly-offensive, pass-happy league that's fun to watch. More importantly, CFL betting can be profitable because the better team usually wins.
Read more about 2006 CFL Betting.
NFL Rookies Get Taste Of Mini-Camps
by Trevor Whenham - 05/19/2006
The NFL season is still a long way off, but mini-camps provide the first look we get at the high-profile rookies that teams picked up in the first round of the draft. The mini-camps are so early in the process of player development that they don't really tell us anything about what the players are going to play like when the season starts. Still, for true football fans, they are a first look, and that's better than nothing.
Read more about NFL Rookies.
Favre's Return Great News For Sharp Bettors
by Robert Ferringo - 4/28/2006
Sharks can smell one drop of blood in one million drops of water. They can also smell blood in the water from a quarter-mile away.
Read more about Favre's Return.
Quick Hits: The Sports News You Might Have Missed
by Trevor Whenham - 4/24/2006
A roundup of the news that will impact your picks now and into the future.
Read more about Quick Hits.
Which NFL Teams Have Improved Through Free Agency And Their Odds To Win The 2007 Super Bowl
by Trevor Whenham - 03/28/2006
The NFL regular season doesn't kick off for more than five months and every team will look quite different by then since there are still lots of free agents to sign and players to draft. That doesn't have to stop the speculation, however. The first major round of free agency is over.
Read more about Odds To Win The 2007 Super Bowl.
2006 NFL Mock Draft No. 1
by Jordan Adams - 03/24/2006
The following is the first of several 2006 NFL mock drafts from Jordan Adams, who will be handicapping on Doc's Sports site this coming NFL season.
Read more about 2006 NFL Mock Draft.
The Ferringo NFL Report - Super Bowl Blog
by Robert Ferringo - 02/08/2006
For my final Ferringo Report of the 2005-06 season, I've decided to keep a running commentary for Super Bowl XL. Now, I have to warn you that I was pretty much a mess by the end of the game, so not all of my thoughts were completely coherent. But without further ado, here's Doc's Sports first ever Super Bowl blog:
Read more about Super Bowl Blog.
The Ferringo NFL Report -- AFC / NFC Title Games
by Robert Ferringo - 01/23/2006
If you’re a Carolina or Denver fan, Sunday must’ve been somewhere between having your girlfriend throw up on you during sex and driving your car into a herd of cattle trying to cross the street.
Read more about AFC / NFC Title Games.
Doc's Sports 2006 AFC Championship Game Preview
by Mike Hayes - 01/18/2006
Though there is no clear-cut consensus as to who will emerge from Sunday's AFC Championship as the conference rep in Super Bowl XL, one thing is likely - some good old-fashioned smash-mouth football.
Read more about 2006 AFC Championship Game.
Peyton Manning=Terrell Owens?
by Stal Herz - 01/18/2006
We all saw Peyton Manning out there last weekend leading his team back to within a 47 yard field goal of overtime. He did it. He performed the miracle everyone was waiting for. But once the ball was out of his hands, his fantasy collapsed into a horrific reality for the Colts Super Bowl hopes.
Read more about Peyton Manning=Terrell Owens?.
The Ferringo NFL Report - Steve Smith Comes Up Big
by Robert Ferringo - 01/17/2006
What an insane, brutal, jaw-dropping, adrenaline-addled weekend of football. I'm not going to bother with a lead; we're just going to get right into my random ravings about the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs:
Read more about The Ferringo NFL Report.
Doc's Sunday Pittsburgh at Indianapolis Divisional Playoffs Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/13/2006
Speed versus Power. Aerial aplomb versus rugged running. Good, clean and wholesome heroes versus rough-and-tumble bad asses. Super Bowl favorites versus Super Bowl long shots. This is what football is all about.
Read more about Pittsburgh at Indianapolis Divisional Playoffs Preview.
Doc's Saturday New England at Denver Divisional Playoffs Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/13/2006
When Denver quarterback Jake Plummer lines up under center this Saturday, it will be six degrees below freezing and there will be 77,000 drunken beasts screaming his name. He'll be staring down the barrel of a New England defense loaded with intent to do harm, and in the mist of their chilled breath, the ghosts of Playoff Past, Present, and Future will be looming.
Read more about New England at Denver Divisional Playoffs Preview.
Enhanced Betting Takes Sports Wagering To The Next Level
by Stal Herz - 01/13/2006
Just as most entertainment has gone from 'view only' to interactive for the consumer, the business of sports gambling is doing the same. Debuting this year at the Palms casino in Las Vegas will be enhanced betting, allowing gamblers in the casino to bet on the action of the game while it's going on.
Read more about by Stal Herz.
The Ferringo NFL Report - Booze, Betting and Hatchets on Wildcard Weekend
by Robert Ferringo - 01/09/2006
It was somewhere in the middle of that second bottle of rum - maybe around 6:45 a.m. on the dawn of Sunday - that the important questions started to seep to the surface:
Read more about The Ferringo NFL Report.
Doc's Sunday Carolina at Chicago Divisional Playoff Preview
by Mike Hayes - 01/09/2006
If you are reading this article, chances are you have at least a passing interest in wagering on the NFL. With that in mind, what do you think the odds would have been after four weeks of regular season action that the only thing standing between the Bears and the NFC title game would be a home date with the Carolina Panthers?
Read more about Carolina at Chicago Divisional Playoff Preview.
Doc's Saturday Washington at Seattle Divisional Playoff Preview
by Mike Hayes - 01/09/2006
The top-seeded Seahawks will host the red-hot Redskins in Divisional playoff action Saturday in a rematch of a week four game won by Washington.
Read more about Washington at Seattle Divisional Playoff Preview.
Who Is Going To Head The Pack in 2006-2007? Bodog Offers Prop Bet for Packers New Head Coach
by Joseph Mattern - 01/06/2006
Check out the NFL Props at Bodog, and you'll see at the top this line: "Who will be the Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers for the first game in 2006-2007 Season?"
Read more about Green Bay Packers New Head Coach.
Where You Going, Coach? NFL Coaching Props Soon To Be Available
by Stal Herz - 01/06/2006
While the coaching carousel continues to spin everywhere except for Kansas City, picking which horse to put your NFL coaching props money on can be dizzying.
Read more about NFL Coaching Props.
Wacky Sports Predictions For 2006 - These COULD Happen
by Robert Ferringo - 01/05/2006
Well, I correctly forecasted that Texas would win the Rose Bowl so I'm off to a good start in 2006. That got me thinking - what other prognostications do I have for the next twelve months? While my powers of premonition are peaked, I've come up with 10 surefire bets for this Year of the Snake:
Read more about 2006 Sports Predictions.
Doc's 2006 NFL Postseason Awards
by Robert Ferringo - 01/04/2006
Well boys and girls, it's once again the time of year for every self-important know-it-all sportswriter and/or TV bobble head to start spewing nonsense about his or her choices for the National Football League's postseason awards. Since I aspire to be a know-it-all and/or bobble head, I guess that means that I have to throw out my inconsequential theories about who should win what. But for being such good sports, you'll be treated to some of my own "special" awards:
Read more about Doc's 2006 NFL Postseason Awards.
Sunday Wildcard Preview - Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
by Mike Hayes - 01/04/2006
The third time will prove to be the charm for either Cincinnati or Pittsburgh as the Bengals and Steelers, who split their regular season games, will meet in first round playoff action Sunday.
Read more about Pittsburgh at Cincinnati Wildcard Preview.
Sunday Wildcard Preview - Carolina at New York Giants
by Mike Hayes - 01/04/2006
When the Giants play host to the Carolina Panthers in the opening round of NFL playoff action Sunday, Tiki Barber and the Giant running game -- one of the best in the NFL -- will face their toughest test of the year against the stingy Panther defense.
Read more about Carolina at New York Giants Wildcard Preview.
Saturday Wildcard Preview - Jacksonville at New England
by Mike Hayes - 01/04/2006
The New England Patriots will begin their quest to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls - and four in five years - when they play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the opening round of playoff action Saturday.
Read more about Washington at Tampa Bay Wildcard Preview.
Saturday Wildcard Preview - Washington at Tampa Bay
by Mike Hayes - 01/03/2006
The surging Redskins and NFC South champion Buccaneers will kickoff Wild Card weekend in the NFL with a 4:30 EST match-up Saturday in Tampa Bay that marks a return by Joe Gibbs to the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Read more about Washington at Tampa Bay Wildcard Preview.
The Ferringo NFL Report - New Year, New Season As Playoffs Begin
by Robert Ferringo - 01/03/2006
We have met 2005 on the field of battle. And we have defeated it. New Year's is my favorite holiday of the year. It's a fresh start. New game. Blank page. Re-rack. It's the alpha and omega, and the tangible feeling of experience and perspective seeping into your soul is warm and illuminating.
Read more about The Ferringo NFL Report.