Miscellaneous Articles

NASCAR Odds: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 6/17/2011

Jeff Gordon got an early Father’s Day present, winning at Pocono last week and now 10 points separate first place from Junior Nation as NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway this Sunday at 1:19 p.m. for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

NASCAR Odds: STP 400 Predictions and Preview
by Christopher G. Shepard - 6/3/2011

This week Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will try not to run out of gas on the final lap of the STP 400 as NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to the heartland and Kansas Speedway this Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 1:15 p.m. (EST). In case you are counting it has been 104 races since Junior won his last race, at Michigan in 2008.

2011 Indy 500 Odds and Betting Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 5/26/2011

Bodog has Dario Franchitti set as the 4/1 favorite to defend his Indy 500 title, but he will have to do so from ninth on the starting grid as the IndyCar Series heads to The Brickyard to celebrate the 100th anniversary of “the Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 29 at 12:15 p.m. EST. Meanwhile, before kicking back for a day of serious racing, be sure to remember our Armed Forces, past and present, and give thanks for the sacrifices they have made to keep this country great.

NASCAR: Coca-Cola 600 Odds and Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 5/26/2011

A speeding ticket for driving in excess of 100 mph in North Carolina this week won’t keep Kyle Busch from trying to improve on last year’s third-place finish when NASCAR travels to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the endurance contest known as the Coca-Cola 600 this Sunday at 6:15 (EST) p.m.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Futures Odds and Predictions
by Darin Zank - 5/24/2011

Coming into this NASCAR Sprint Cup season Carl Edwards had won 18 races in his career, including the last two of last year, but never the season championship. As this season nears the one-third mark No. 99 appears on his way to changing that latter matter. More importantly to our discussion on these pages, though, is that racing bettors find themselves faced with two questions; Can Edwards hang on? And might his chances be worth a wager on a Sprint Cup futures board? Here are some of my predictions for current Sprint Cup futures odds.

NASCAR Picks: FEDEX 400 – Autism Speaks Odds and Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 5/13/2011

Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick’s fight on pit-row last weekend almost ruined Regan Smith’s celebration at Darlington for his first NASCAR win. Almost. This week Smith will try to make it two consecutive races for the Furniture Row Gang as the Sprint Cup Series heads down to the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway on Sunday May 15 at 1:15 p.m. for the FEDEX 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.

NASCAR Betting Picks: Showtime Southern 500 Odds and Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 5/6/2011

Auto racing enthusiasts should keep in mind that last year Denny Hamlin won this race while pole-sitter Jamie McMurray finished second place. However, in 107 races at Darlington the winner has come from the pole only 19 times and only 35 times from the front row. Kyle Busch the youngest driver to win at Darlington, and he is one of only two (Kevin Harvick) drivers who has won more than one race this year.

NFL Draft Grades: First Round
by Robert Ferringo - 4/29/2011

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft is in the books. Since it takes at least three years to properly grade an NFL Draft it is tough (see: impossible) to make snap judgments and accurate NFL draft grades on how teams handled their first round selections. However, since we live in a now-isn’t-fast-enough society and since I’m a Populist (sometimes) I will give the masses what they want.

NFL Draft Prop Odds and Predictions
by Darin Zank - 4/28/2011

As if the NFL draft isn't enough fun, as fans get a look at the future of their teams, several online sportsbooks are offering bettors chances to get down on some sporting interest. Bodog in particular is offering a page full of proposition bets on this year's NFL Draft, which starts with the first round Thursday night (8 p.m. EST, ESPN). Here's a quick look at some of the NFL Draft prop odds on that page, and some betting predictions.

NFL Draft Projections: Best Players By Position
by T.O. Whenham - 4/26/2011

As we draw near the NFL Draft this week, here’s my attempt to select the best player at each position in the draft -- or at least the one that I think has the most potential to shine: Here are my NFL Draft projections for the best players at each position and these are the guys I would draft if I were an NFL executive.

NFL Draft Predictions: Players That Can Contribute Immediately
by T.O. Whenham - 4/26/2011

Different teams have different priorities in the NFL Draft. Some teams are desperate for a player that can make them better right away, while others have the luxury of picking the most talented player even if it will require time and patience before the investment pays off. For the teams that are looking for an immediate impact, here my NFL Draft predictions for the five likely first round picks that are most immediately ready to contribute as soon as the season starts (whenever that is):

NFL Draft Predictions: SEC First-Round Picks Props
by Alan Matthews - 4/25/2011

Is there really any doubt that the Southeastern Conference is the premiere conference in college football? It’s certainly not an argument when you look at the overall quality of teams. After all, an SEC team has won the past five National Championships, and Alabama and LSU will both be among the favorites this coming season.

NFL Draft Projections: Players That Are Dropping
by T.O. Whenham - 4/25/2011

One of the more intriguing aspects of the NFL Draft in my eyes is the players who go into freefall between the end of the season and draft day. They were good enough over their three or four years on the field to be considered as an elite draft pick, yet once they are done playing they manage to fall badly in the eyes of scouts and the media.

NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers First Pick Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 4/25/2011

The Carolina Panthers are in the position this year that few teams likely truly want to be in. Having the top pick in the NFL Draft means that you are a bad team with a lot of needs, and you are going to have to make a very high- profile, incredibly expensive pick that is far from certain to pay off. The Panthers especially need to succeed this year because they aren’t the most popular team in the league and could use something to prove to their fans that they still care and are still competent. Here’s a look at the options the team has indicated they are considering and the issues and opportunities each presents along with my first pick predictions for the NFL Draft:

2011 NFL Draft Predictions: the Quarterbacks
by Alan Matthews - 4/22/2011

Water is wet. The sky is blue. And quarterbacks are the story of every NFL Draft. Yes, there is nothing different about the 2011 NFL Draft, which begins next Thursday with a prime-time first round. As usual, the quarterbacks are the story of the first round. True, left tackles and cornerbacks have become elite positions in the NFL, but you simply can’t win without a good quarterback in this pass-heavy era of pro football.

2011 NFL Draft Prospects: Top 40 Players in Draft
by Aaron Smith - 4/22/2011

The NFL Draft is fast approaching. No one knows whether the teams will actually be on the field in September, but there is still a lot of excitement surrounding the draft. This particular draft strikes me as heavy on defensive talent. Unfortunately for a lot of teams, there isn’t much depth at the quarterback position. Let’s take a look at my top 40 NFL Draft prospects for 2011.

NFL Draft Projections: Late-Round Steals
by T.O. Whenham - 4/22/2011

I am a diehard Michigan fan, so I obviously have a soft spot for Tom Brady and the mythology of what he turned into after being a sixth-round pick. You can call this article ‘The Search for the Next Brady,’ because here are my NFL Draft projections for nine guys who are likely to go in the last three rounds of this year’s drafts who have a chance to perform at well above the level of their pick:

2011 NFL Draft Prospects: Small School Players
by Aaron Smith - 4/19/2011

Over the course of the past few years, more team executives have come to realize how important it is to look for hidden talents in the small school ranks. Each year there are several small school players who make a large impact in the NFL. These are the types of players that you heard nothing about during their college careers, but you are bound to hear from some of them once they get into the NFL. It will always be the top few draft picks that receive the majority of the attention, but those who follow the NFL Draft closely know that the middle and late rounds are extremely important. This list of 10 small college NFL Draft prospects should help introduce you to some players that are likely to be major contributors in the next few years.

NFL Draft Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 4/14/2011

The NFL Draft is not quite here yet, but thanks to the labor mess everything else about the NFL is depressing so the draft is the only thing worth thinking about. Here are eight NFL Draft predictions that I feel pretty good about heading into the 2011 NFL Draft on April 28 in New York:

NFL Draft Predictions: Second- and Third-Round Steals
by T.O. Whenham - 4/13/2011

We spend a lot of time -- both here and everywhere else -- looking at the players that are likely to go in the first round of the NFL Draft. That’s where all the hype is. If you watch a lot of football, though, then you know that the second and third rounds of the draft are almost as good at producing viable NFL talent as the first round is. Here are my NFL Draft predictions for eight guys likely to go in the second and third rounds who have the potential to make a big splash: