Category Archives: Sports

NFL Early Results…Where To Go Next!

We’re now two weeks into the new NFL season, and to date, there have been far more headlines devoted to the off-field missteps of several star players than the action between the sidelines.  I, for one, am a purist, and while I have my opinions about Mr. Rice and Mr. Peterson, I much prefer to focus on the early season trends and keeping my eyes on the prize (specifically another weekly pick ’em title come season’s end).

To that end, let’s see what’s happened in the first two weeks of the season, shall we.

Now, if you look back to my first post, you will notice the one (almost unfair) piece of advice that I gave.

“Pick lots of underdogs in the first three or four weeks of the season, as they do have a tendency to cover.”

If you look at week two, here were the four largest spreads:

Denver -12.5 vs. Kansas City
Green Bay -9.5 vs. New York Jets
San Francisco – 7.5 vs. Chicago
New Orleans -6.5 vs. Cleveland

I’m guessing that I don’t need to tell you that all four dogs covered the spread and two teams won outright (should have been three).

This trend will continue into weeks 3 and 4, but as the season wears on, big favorites are more and more likely to cover, so take advantage of it while you still can.

Here’s another piece of advice that doesn’t have an expiration date.  One trend that will not fade is home dogs within the division.  They tend to cover all year round.  If you need and example, look no further than the Miami Dolphins.  The Fins were a huge dog at home and beat the Pats in week one, only to lose as a favorite on the road in Buffalo week 2.

As for the action on the field so far, it’s been terrifically enjoyable. Injuries to established stars have provided opportunities for some young players, and they have not disappointed….especially the young receivers (Watkins, Cooks, et al).  My favorite play thus far was the karate kick by Antonio Brown in week one (pictured above).  Not since Necessary Roughness and The Replacements have I seen such a blatant disregard of the rules, or such a violent kick to the neck/chest area.  A close second is the resurgence of yet another Antonio, Antonio “I-ain’t-done-yet” Gates, who had three touchdowns in week two (one of which was utterly spectacular).  It’s great to see a true hall-of-famer still competing at the highest level.

So, make sure you keep to your plan.  Have a strategy and stick with it….you will find yourself near the top come December.

-DB

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F1 Grand Prix of Italy — Results and aftermath

Hamilton regains momentum with determined run to victory at Monza, Rosberg 2nd after error; Massa 3rd, Bottas 4th for Williams to move team ahead of Ferrari

F1Italypodium2014

(Pictures via the excellent GrandPrix24-7.com)

After yet another stroke of misfortune for Mercedes’ driver Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Italian Grand Prix it would have been easy for the Englishman to play it conservative and cede victory to Nico Rosberg, his teammate and archrival for the Drivers’ Championship. But “conservative” has never been in Hamilton’s vocabulary. Facing an electronic problem to start the race at the spectacularly fast Monza circuit that pushed Hamilton from Pole to 4th in the space of an eye blink, the feisty former champion fought his way back to harass Rosberg until it was the German who blinked. Directly after both had stopped for their one and only tire change, Rosberg was still leading the race on lap 29 but locked up his tires for the second time while breaking for the first chicane. Rather than flat-spotting them he again took the slow runoff route and this time Hamilton was close enough to pounce and take command of the race. Hamilton never looked back and still had plenty of rubber and fuel at the end to hold off Rosberg by over 3 seconds. After his unforced error it would now seem to be Rosberg’s turn to have a moment of doubt as to whether he can hold on to his most cherished dream, to be crowned World Champion of F1. One thing is for certain: Hamilton will keep on coming to grab another Championship no matter what fate throws his way. He’s already had a season’s worth of bad luck with 6 rounds left to be run and he is still a mere 22 points behind Rosberg overall lead. The current points leader had better buckle up and toughen up if he wants to be crowned champion because Hamilton looks to have regained the upper hand in the mental war between the two contenders.

Felipe Massa came home a distant 3rd for Williams. The veteran Brazilian, who saw so much success and heartbreak when he was a driver for Ferrari, was warmly cheered by the fans after his strong if unspectacular drive for the last spot on the Podium. His young Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas had good run after a poor start from 3rd on the grid forced him to fight with several drivers, most notably McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen, to regain positions. Bottas was able to fight his way to 4th and in doing so lifted Williams, whose disastrous 2013 campaign seems like nothing but a bad dream now, over Ferrari for 3rd place in the Constructors’ Championship. Not at all coincidentally, it was announced that both drivers will be retained by Williams Martini racing for 2015, completing a very ecstatic weekend at Monza for the team.

At the other end of the spectrum, the great Scuderia Ferrari had an awful day at their home Grand Prix, which is just a pleasant ride on the autostrade from home base in Maranello. Continue reading →

How To Win Your NFL Pick ‘Em Pool in 2014

NFL Football is BACK with the defending Champion Seahawks and storied franchise Green Bay kicking things off for real in less than a week. I know that I’ll be joining multiple football pools of various types (NFL Fantasy, NFL Survivor, 40-Plus, etc.), but I’m most excited about my first love, the good old weekly pick em vs. the spread pool. I’ve been doing them and running them for over 25 years, and I’ve finished in the Top 3 in no fewer than ten of those years. If you think that’s lucky, I’m here to tell you….luck has little to do with it.

In fairness, I wrote a computer program back in 1992 to help me do my picks, and yes….if I were more of a gambler, I would likely be a rich man by now, but I’ve NEVER finished below 52% for a season, and that’s better than most handicappers. How do I do it? I have a system, and while I can’t share my program with the world, I’m perfectly willing to share with you the logic behind it.

So, without further ado, here are 5 tips that will help you win your NFL Weekly Pick ‘Em Pool in 2014.

Have a System

Now not everyone is as geeky as I am, so I’m not expecting you to write a computer program, but if you want to have success, you need to have a system. Some people take all dogs, some flip a coin (don’t laugh…you’re all but guaranteed at least close to 50%, and statistically most players end up below that line). I based my system on trending based on match ups (within the division, in conference, out of conference, etc.) and programmed my system to weight the teams accordingly.

Be Consistent

Winning a week or even two in a season is great, and depending on how much your buy in is, that could pay for your entries for a couple of years.  That said, winning the whole enchilada is where the big bucks come in, and a regular season championship could finance your pool habit for the rest of your life. Once you have a system, STICK WITH IT…don’t let one sub-par week throw you. The second you start going based on hunches or inconsistent systems, you’re dead!

Talk Smack

Normally, I’m not a big proponent of trash talking. I never do it on the court or the softball diamond, but in the world of your pool…it can be essential. Continue reading →

A big MFL welcome to our new contributor Dick Bonneville

We’re very happy to announce that a new man has joined our little enterprise here. He goes by the handle Dick Bonneville and with admittedly perfect timing for the fast approaching NFL season, he’ll be covering the Pro Football beat with a special emphasis on weekly matchup spreads, as well as whatever else tickles his fancy. As one of the resident experts over at TheOfficePool.com, he’s a good man to listen to when it comes to your Sunday lineups or pick ’ems. So a warm welcome to the MFL team, Mr. Bonneville, and a toast to your pigskin prognostications. We certainly feel like dancing in the end zone at having another well-rounded chap to help carry the rock.

F1 Grand Prix of Belgium — Results & aftermath

Apologies but due to logistical difficulties I was not able to file my report on the Belgian Grand Prix until now. But here’s what went down on Sunday in the Ardennes at Spa-Francorchamps…

Surging Ricciardo takes 2nd straight win for Red Bull, Rosberg relegated to 2nd after early race incident with Mercedes teammate Hamilton; Bottas grabs another strong 3rd for Williams

F1 Grand Prix of Belgium

The echoes of Senna-Prost grew a little bit stronger Sunday at Spa as Mercedes teammates and Championship contenders Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton clashed early on lap 2, damaging Rosberg’s front wing but catastrophically puncturing Hamilton’s right rear far from the pits. The Englishman, who had been ahead as Rosberg tried an inside move when tire and wing came together, then had to limp home as his tire delaminated and began buggy whipping his bodywork for nearly 4 miles. While his Silver Arrow was able to continue it put him so far back in the pack that eventually the team retired the car in order to save the engine for future use, earning Hamilton zero Drivers’ points after starting from 2nd on the grid. Rosberg, who had won the Pole in wet conditions on Saturday, was able to soldier on despite an off sequence pit stop for a front wing change, showing great pace as the race wound down and coming home in second place and with a tidy 18 Championship points. Afterwards, the acrimony between the teammates was palpable with claims by Hamilton that Rosberg had stuck his nose in deliberately to “prove a point” and Rosberg putting it all down to a racing incident but certainly not apologizing. Mercedes team management was less than thrilled with the loss of Constructors’ points from the clash and vowed to give both drivers a stern talking to. But then again, it’s racing not a Sunday drive in the forest so these things happen between intense competitors and any ill will generated by them only serves to spice up the Championship going forward, especially with Mercedes running away with it. I say keep it up, lads!

Almost lost in all that controversy was another outstanding performance by Red Bull junior driver Daniel Ricciardo, who took advantage of the Mercedes infighting to run away to victory. Continue reading →

A little Thursday comedy — Slap Shot (1977)

The Stanley Cup Playoffs may be over (proud of you Rangers, congrats LA) but Slap Shot is forever (clips definitely NSFW).

Sure, 1977 was one of the all-time great years in cinema history with the release of Star Wars, Close Encounters, Saturday Night Fever and Annie Hall, not to mention such crowd pleasers as The Spy Who Loved Me and Smokey and the Bandit. But it also saw the premiere of the best, most profane and funniest hockey film ever.

The late, great Paul Newman, Strother Martin, one of the finest character actors of the 60s & 70s, and director George Roy Hill of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid and The Sting fame team up to create not just an uproarious sports comedy but a great movie with the backdrop of the Recession in the Rust Belt grounding the hijinks in place and time and giving the rollicking plot a desperate, melancholy undertone. And for the hockey-oriented, the film serves as a knowing commentary on the eternal existential dilemma of the sport: goonism vs. skillful clean play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDXBsKnK4G8

Yes, ’77 was a landmark year for Hollywood where popular entertainment also achieved incredible quality and originality. And Slap Shot is a part of that magical run, a little gem among that year’s remarkable cinematic treasure trove.

RIP Sir Jack Brabham, 1926 – 2014

The Australian triple Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jack Brabham has passed away at the age of 88. Among his many accomplishments, Sir Jack was the first and only man to win the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in a car of his own design (1966).

Photo from www.brianwatsonphoto.co.uk

From his son David, a fantastic racer in his own right:

On behalf of the family, Jack’s youngest son David said: “It’s a very sad day for all of us. My father passed away peacefully at home at the age of 88 this morning. He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind.

What more can one say? Sir Jack raced in the greatest era of Formula 1 against the best drivers, won 3 championships, left on his own terms and lived to become a beloved figure in his golden years. He may have departed this world but he goes on now to join his rivals and friends Jimmy Clark, Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt among others in that great paddock in the sky. What a legacy and we should all be as lucky to shuffle off this mortal coil as accomplished and fulfilled as this great man. He truly left nothing undone. Godspeed, Sir Jack.

Documentary view — The Last Gladiators

Since it’s that ultra-exciting time of year known as the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, it seems fitting that we take a look at Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney‘s 2011 documentary, The Last Gladiators. This compelling and viscerally satisfying examination of hockey’s most feared enforcers is also a paradox, serving as both cautionary tale and celebration of professional hockey’s unique culture of acceptable violence and the men who best practice it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y9i9RxX7Qw

With unprecedented access to the toughest men to play the game, Gladiators’ main focus eventually settles on Chris “Knuckles” Nilan, a hard-nosed kid from Boston whose NHL dream came true as a beloved character on the 1986 Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens, the NHL equivalent of the New York Yankees. With relentless bravado and aggression, Nilan stepped into the fray to defend his more skilled teammates from other teams’ taking liberties, the key function of the enforcer, and went toe-to-toe with the toughest guys of his era. Craving validation as more than just a goon, Nilan even scored 21 goals in his best season under legendary coach Jacques Lemaire. But as it does with many athletes, Nilan’s career slowly declined due to injuries and, after a decent stint with the New York Rangers, petered out unhappily with his hometown Boston Bruins, where the the former Canadien was viewed with deep ambivalence.

The fascinatingly complex star of the film’s many present day interviews and great historical clips, the older Nilan comes across as extremely intelligent, self-aware and still quite cocky. Continue reading →