Doc’s Sports Service has come to be known as a leader in the sports selection industry over the past 42 years by consistently providing our loyal customers with a steady stream of winning picks for all the major sports, especially when it comes to both college football and the NFL. Our unparalleled success would not be possible without a strong commitment to surrounding ourselves with some of the best handicappers in the business. Raphael Esparza, who was formally known as the Vegas Sports Informer, has become one of the ‘best of the best’ during his seven-year association with Doc’s. He began perfecting his handicapping skills during a long and illustrious career working behind the counter of some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas, and at the pinnacle of this impressive run he held the position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. Raphael retired from the sportsbook industry earlier this year, but he still goes to work every day; sourcing inside information from a vast network of contacts in Las Vegas. He then uses his ‘insider’s edge’ to deliver winning selections for an extremely wide array of sports, including some that other handicappers are unwilling to tackle.

Doc’s Sports has been providing our readers direct access to this ‘insider’s edge’ through a series of weekly discussions with Raphael. These interviews have been designed to uncover some valuable insight into the hottest trending topics in the sports gaming industry today. He is living proof that working in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world has played large role in his rise to the top of the ranks in his field. The following is this week’s discussion.

Doc’s Sports: This is the time of the NFL season when we begin to separate the contenders from the pretenders in a very crowded field of teams trying to make it into the playoffs. Can you give us one or two pretenders to go against this week?

RE: Not that I would necessarily go against them in this week’s game, but my two biggest pretenders are San Francisco in the NFC and Cincinnati in the AFC. The 49ers came into the season over-hyped, especially quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Bengals’ quarterback Andy Dalton continues to take a major step backwards; and while this team will probably still win their division, they are a one and done in the playoffs in my book.

Doc’s Sports: No. 4 Baylor has made an unexpected rise into the Top 5 of the BCS rankings with its 9-0 start. Can it take another step forward by possibly jumping No. 3 Ohio State with a victory over No. 10 Oklahoma State this Saturday night?

RE: Baylor is one of those teams that continue to impress me even more every time I watch them play. Last week the Bears found themselves down 14 points in the first quarter against Texas Tech and never skipped a beat. They are solid on both sides of the ball and can play from behind as well as with a lead, which spells nothing but bad news for the Cowboys this Saturday.

Doc’s Sports: The New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets have both stumbled out of the gate of the new NBA season with a combined record of just 6-13. Which of these two Eastern Conference powers is in bigger trouble for the long haul?

RE: Both teams have issues that could plague them all season long, but if I had to choose it would easily be the Knicks. The loss of Tyson Chandler has been huge, and there are no guarantees that the effects from this injury will not linger well into spring.

Doc’s Sports: A trio of mid-majors has cracked college basketball’s Top-15 teams with Wichita State at No. 14, Gonzaga at No. 13 and VCU making it all the way to No. 10 in the early part of the season. Do any of these three teams have what it takes to keep climbing the ranks as the season wears on?

RE: Gonzaga is a solid team, but I really like both Wichita State and VCU’s chance to keep moving up in the rankings. Both have quite a bit of talent back from last year’s team, and they are extremely well-coached. It would not surprise me if one of them cracked the Top 5 at some point this season.

Doc’s Sports: The Colorado Avalanche jumped out to a fast start in the NHL. They still boast the second-best return on the money line, but they also bring a three-game losing streak into Tuesday night’s Central Division showdown against Chicago. Is it time to get off the Avalanche’s bandwagon and start going against this team?

RE: When Colorado lost to Florida at home this past Saturday, I officially added them to my ‘go against’ list. I did not think that the Avalanche’s fast start would last as the better teams in the league had already figured out how to beat them, but now they are losing to bad teams. You have to keep in mind that this is still a very young squad, and oftentimes that lends itself to extended losing streaks.