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By Dave Consolazio, January 26, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

Well, it is official. After Sunday’s games, I’ve finished up my trip to the Super Bowl on a 4 – 0 run, finally shaking the playoff demons off of my back from last year. Heading into the Super Bowl last year, I was picking 30% winners with the spread, and 40% winners without it. 50% and 90% make me significantly happier.

Hated to see the Saints go, but I saw it coming. And as I hinted towards in last week’s Dime, all the Bears had to do was win last week to win the Super Bowl. How could I be so sure that they’d beat the AFC champ? Simple; I’d be rooting for the AFC Champ. And as you will read below, my support is about as welcome to a player as a picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated holding a black cat in one hand and a copy of Madden 08 with your face on it in the other.

So let’s get the festivities underway!

DON’T BET THE SUPER BOWL ONLINE!

As a followup to last week’s story, I feel it is important to warn you about a rumor going around in the gambling world.

Rumor has it that some sports books that are going under are staying open only for the Super Bowl, which is the most bet on event in the world, so as to make the most money they can before they shut down.

In other words, they are simply taking all the bets they can for the Super Bowl, only to shut down and keep all the money the next day. The likelihood of this will increase if the team with most of the action (it appears most people are betting the Bears +7 early…) wins, as books in financial trouble won’t be able to take the hit, and will instead just shut down or block US gamblers.

As such, with this possibility lurking, I highly recommend against betting the Super Bowl online. Find a friend that likes the other team.

If you’ve already bet the game online, there is no need to panic and get too worried. These rumors may be no more credible than Y2K doomsday theories, and your money may very well be fine.

Still, it seems like a fairly decent possibility, and I feel that it is better to let you all know what I do so that you can be aware, instead of getting blindsighted incase anything happens.

Good luck, and safe gambling.

THE RECORD

Season (Final)
With the spread: 126 – 121 – 9 (.510)
Without the spread: 154 – 102 – 0 (.602)
$$Money Picks$$: 27 – 30 – 1 (.474)
^^Zen Picks^^: 24 – 22 – 2 (.522)
**Outright Upsets**: 36 – 33 – 0 (.522)

Last Week
With the spread: 2 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
Without the spread: 2 – 0 (1.000)
OVER/UNDER: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
$$Money Picks$$: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 0 (N/A)

Playoffs
With the spread: 5 – 5 – 0 (.500)
Without the spread: 9 – 1 (.900)
OVER/UNDER: 5 – 5 – 0 (.500)
$$Money Picks$$: 2 – 1 – 0 (.666)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
**Outright Upsets**: 1 – 0 (1.000)

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Often Foolishness)

#2 New Orleans 14 11 – 6 (+2.5) @ #1 Chicago 39 14 – 3 (-2.5)
Even if I did see it coming, it was still painful to watch New Orleans go down the way they did. Still, they should be able to build off this year’s success and be a contender in the NFC next season.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Chicago
OVER/UNDER 47.5: LOSS UNDER

#4 New England 34 14 – 4 (+3.0) @ #3 Indianapolis 38 14 – 4 (-3.0)
A couple of months ago, a girl I know asked me why people liked football so much, and was especially curious about games that didn’t involve a favorite team. Games like this one, regardless of who you were rooting for, answer that question perfectly. If you missed it, don’t worry; it’ll have its run on ESPN Classic.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN ^$Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Indianapolis
OVER/UNDER 43: WIN OVER

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

#3 Indianapolis 15 – 4 (-7.0) @ #1 Chicago 15 – 3 (+7.0)

THE CONSOLAZIO CURSE

The biggest game of the year; the Super Bowl. Always a huge event, especially for an avid football fan like me. Last season, come this game, I broke down all of the stats and came to the conclusion that the Seahawks were the better team, and had less pressure to win, so they would be victorious. Didn’t exactly work out.

In fact, it never has. The Consolazio Curse has prevented the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Kings from ever winning a championship in my lifetime. But there is more to it than just that.

It has also prevented the team I’ve rooted for in the Super Bowl, every single year, to lose without fail.

Granted, the bulk of the time I was rooting for the underdog. But even still, lets take a look…

SUPER BOWL XXXI: Green Bay VS. New England
- The first Super Bowl I remember. Others before it are just a blur, and I certainly didn’t have any preferences before this one. I was only 11 years old, and the family was in Las Vegas. I wasn’t a big Brett Favre fan, and I liked the idea of pulling for the underdog. So I rooted for New England.
Final Score: Green Bay 35, New England 21.
Likelihood: 90.34% (going by the odds in Vegas, likelihood that my team would lose)

SUPER BOWL XXXII: Green Bay VS. Denver
- As a Raider fan all my life, this one was pretty easy. I despised the Broncos and despised John Elway even more. Green Bay was the heavy favorite, and I remember vividly how much I wanted to see the Broncos fail.
Final Score: Denver 31, Green Bay 24.
Likelihood: 15.36%

SUPER BOWL XXXIII: Atlanta VS. Denver
- Think I stopped hating the Broncos over a one year span? No way. Besides, the Falcons were a fun team to watch that year.
Final Score: Denver 34, Atlanta 19
Likelihood: 74.58%

SUPER BOWL XXXIV: St. Louis VS. Tennessee
- I started disliking the Titans after this year, as my little brother jumped on the bandwagon and I had to go against him on pretty much everything. But in 1999, I still remember thinking that as a football fan in Los Angeles, you were either a RAIDER fan or a RAMS fan. I was a RAIDER fan, I had nothing against the Titans, and I’ll be damned if I was going to root for the Rams.
Final Score: St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
Likelihood: 73.20%

SUPER BOWL XXXV: New York Giants VS. Baltimore
- Baltimore made it to the big game by injuring Rich Gannon in the playoffs, thanks to a big ol’ fat guy by the name of Tony Siragusa. Some people like to root for the team that beat theirs, so they can say “we got beat by the best”. Not me. I hated the damn Ravens, and jumped on board the Kerry Collins bandwagon.
Final Score: Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7
Likelihood: 58.78%

SUPER BOWL XXXVI: St. Louis VS. New England
- The year of the tuck rule, which cheated the Raiders out of a trip to the Super Bowl. I swore my hatred to Tom Brady and the Patriots that very day. I gave up my rule on rooting against the Rams and pulled for them, expecting the heavy favorites to get me some redemption.
Final Score: New England 20, St. Louis 17
Likelihood: 9.66%

SUPER BOWL XXXVII: Tampa Bay VS. Oakland
- The first time I actually had two teams that I liked in the Super Bowl. The problem? The wrong team won.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
Likelihood: 37.78%

SUPER BOWL XXXVIII: Carolina VS. New England
- Two years removed, I’m still sour over the tuck rule, so I root for the underdog Panthers to get me some justice.
Final Score: New England 32, Carolina 29
Likelihood: 73.20%

SUPER BOWL XXXIX: Philadelphia VS. New England
- Starting to get the idea? Coupled with my Patriots hate (which now many others shared, as they were sick of them winning), I actually like the Eagles. It was over before it began.
Final Score: New England 24, Philadelphia 21
Likelihood: 73.20%

SUPER BOWL XXXX: Seattle VS. Pittsburgh
- Have never been a fan of Pittsburgh, and have liked the Seahawks ever since they left the AFC West. I couldn’t possibly lose 10 straight super bowls, could I?
Final Score: Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10
Likelihood: 58.78%

Now remember that these percentages are merely how the spread determined the likely winner would be. They aren’t set in stone or anything. Still, they can be used as a guideline. And by using simple mathmatics with the numbers above, we find that the odds of what has happened to me over the last 10 years – losing all 10 games – is…

0.0512%

Or, even more painful to read…

1954 to 1.

That is right, faithful Dime readers. If we could travel to an alternate universe and replay all 10 of these games, 1953 out of 1954 times we should see at least one of the teams I was rooting for win.

But in this universe, I have defied all odds.

So put yourself in my shoes. Do you even bother to analyze this game? Break down the offenses, the defenses, the field conditions, the injuries, the weather?

There is no need for any of that. Peyton Manning is one of my favorite players, and the Colts are one of my favorite non-Raider teams. I dislike the Bears; they are pretty boring to me, and while I respect many of their players, I don’t particularly like any of them. This is a clear cut game for me. I, “VEGAS” DAVE CONSOLAZIO, AM ROOTING FOR THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.

As such, there is absolutely no question as to who the victor will be.

PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Chicago
OVER/UNDER 48.5: OVER

ANALYSIS?

For those of you that feel cheated and actually want some insight on the game, I’ll give you a little. In fact, I just want to use this section to refute a few misconceptions you might be hearing in the media this week.

The Bears have no offense, and have an unbeatable defense.

Don’t know how this is such common knowledge; it is wrong on both parts. The Colts, well known for their offense, scored 26.7 points per game this season, second only to the San Diego Chargers. As for the Bears? They scored the exact same 26.7 points per game this season. Granted, the defense created a lot of turnovers that gave them good field position; but that doesn’t take away from the simple fact that this team averaged very close to 4 TDs worth of scoring a game. Hardly useless on offense, whether you hate on Rex Grossman or not. As for their stingy defense? Well, it has given up 21+ points in 5 of its last 6 games. Again you could blame Grossman for turnovers or something like that, but no matter how you cut it, if the Rams, Buccaneers, Lions, Packers, and Seahawks can put up 3 TDs or more on you, there is no reason to deduce that Peyton and the Colts are doomed. (By the way, the Colts have only given up 21+ in 3 of their last 6).

The Bears are a smashmouth football team VS. a finesse Colts team, and will run the ball right down their throats.

Eh, not exactly. I guess people see the orange “C” and think back to the days of the Bears being a gritty, running team. I’m not saying that they AREN’T smashmouth or tough. I am saying, however, that their rushing game was ranked 15th and was only 2.6 yards higher than the league average. The Chiefs and the Patriots both were tougher rushing teams.

Rex Grossman needs to play a perfect game if the Bears are going to have any chance.

It would certainly help their cause if Rex was flawless. But this team has won 15 of the 18 games they’ve played this year with the 15th ranked passing offense in the league. Yes, thats right, they are 15th in both passing and rushing offense. They’ve won plenty of games behind mediocre performances. The media will make this out to be a battle of the QBs, but there is a lot more to it than that.

Don’t get me wrong, in all three losses, Rex Grossman played his part, throwing for 3 INTs in each loss.

He is 2 – 3 in games with 3+ interceptions though. The Bears beat the Vikings 23 – 13 despite a 6 for 19, 34 yard, 3 INT day from Grossman, and the Cardinals 24 – 23 despite 4 picks.

So needless to say, the more the Bears turn the ball over, the harder it will be for them to win the game. But that isn’t rocket science; that is a Madden-like observation. The point I’m trying to make here is that it won’t necessarily take a 300 yard, 4 TD, 0 INT from Grossman for the Bears to get the win… it hasn’t all season

Peyton still hasn’t ever won the big game.

You weren’t watching last week against the Patriots. That is the only explanation for a comment like this.

If the Colts lose this game, they will lose it because the Bears play a better game than they do. (Or, of course, because of the Consolazio Curse). I’m not saying that if Peyton Manning throws 6 interceptions that you can’t blame him. I am saying, however, that I’ve seen defenses make some great plays on Manning a lot more often than I’ve seen him make terrible decisions. If the Bears win this game, they deserve to be respected as the team that beat the Colts, not the team that was there when the Colts beat themselves.

Last Thoughts

I can’t remember the last time I saw a game where I could vividly see so many final scores in my mind. Usually, I have a pretty good feeling on who is going to win, and what the score will be like (even if I’m wrong 40% of the time). For example, I definitely thought that Ohio State would beat Florida by about 10. But I saw it potentially being close and going either way, an Ohio State blowout, or Florida maybe winning it by 7 or 14 tops. 41 – 14 Florida absolutely blew me away.

No possible outcome for this game will surprise me. This game could easily go 38 – 3 one way or the other. It could go 10 – 7, 21 – 17, 41 – 38. Both of these offenses and defenses are so unpredictable that I would not be surprised by anything. I know, this may seem kind of stupid; of course ANY game can go ANY number of ways, with bounces, momentum, refs, etc. all coming into play. But there is just something about this game that strikes me as very tough to pick.

But pick I must. If I didn’t believe so strongly in the Consolazio Curse, I think the pick to make is definitely the Colts. They knocked off the 2nd best running back in the league in Larry Johnson, the 2nd best team in the league (behind the Chargers) in the Ravens, and the true dynasty of this era in the Patriots to get here. They’ve done all of that on 2 TDs and 6 INTs from Peyton Manning. I feel like their best game of the playoffs has yet to come, and this is it. If I’m right, I don’t think the Bears can stop it.

With the spread? Well, here it gets tricky. After crunching the numbers, factoring everything in, etc, I’ve come up with the following (completely BS) numbers. I believe there is a…

40% Chance the Colts will win by 7 or more
25% Chance the Colts will win by 6 or less
35% Chance the Bears will win

So I think that the most likely scenario is the Colts covering… but if I were betting on the game, I’d have to take the Bears and the 7 points, considering there is (according to my estimations) a 60% chance that they cover.

Well, that’s it for me everyone. Now all that is left to do is eat nachos, drink beer, and enjoy the game.

(Or find a variation on the above that works for you. Nachos and beer should do me just fine.)
————–
Questions? Comments? Love the Dime? Hate it? Should I cut it down to a nickel? SEND ME FEEDBACK!

MY TEAM’S RECORDS
OAKLAND RAIDERS: 2 – 14 – 0
USC TROJANS: 11 – 2 – 0
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 16 – 28 – 6

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By Dave Consolazio, January 20, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

In these playoffs, if you have picked all favorites to this point, you are 4 – 4 with and without the spread. So what it really comes down to, if you are going to be a playoff winner, is getting a few of those upset picks right, while not getting the games where the favorite covers wrong.

If thats what it takes to be a playoff winner, I am without question a playoff loser.

Maybe its because its such an even playing field, and every pick is a virtual 50/50 chance, and I’m just guessing wrong. I like that theory. Maybe I’ve completely lost my touch, and I suck again, like the old days. Not a fan of that theory. Maybe the teams that “should” be winning aren’t? Perhaps, but isn’t that what the NFL is all about? No best of 5s or 7s here – the team that plays harder and gets the bounces wins, the team that doesn’t goes home.

With 4 superbowl calibur teams left, I’m not expecting a perfect 2 – 0 week here. Hell, I’d be happy with 1 for 2. So, lets get to it; Keep your fingers crossed for me, please?

Indianapolis Colts… Why All the Hate?

Peyton Manning and the Colts lose in the big game yet again. “They had the table set for them”, “They are choke artists”, etc. But more on the game later. I have a question, and its proposed to each and every one of you (those that know what the hell I’m talking about, anyways); What is everyone’s problem with the Colts?

In class on Monday and Tuesday, all I heard was people talking about how thrilled they were that the Colts and the Patriots lost. Patriots I understood just fine; the win the frigging thing every year, I can understand the casual fan looking for a change. But what about the Colts? Why do people love to see them lose? Why do I get ragged on when I wear my Peyton Manning jersey, yet my other 12 non-Raider jerseys go without comment or sometimes compliment? The Raiders… theres another team I can understand people hating. But lets take a look at the Colts.

First of all, they are a high powered offense driven team. Yes, I respect the hell out of a great defense, or smash mouth football. But when it really comes down to it, my favorite super bowls are the ones where the offenses take the spotlight, such as New England/Carolina from a few years back and, more so, the St. Louis/Tennessee super bowl of the 99 season. If a 38 – 35 game can’t get you pumped up, you must not have a pulse. The Colts are a high-octane, shoot out team. Under the assumption that a few more bounces went their way and they shook of their rust a little sooner, its easy to argue that the Colts could (or should) have won that game last weekend, and then carried their momentum into this week and beaten the Broncos. Then, we would have seen an offensive powerhouse of a SB against Carolina or Seattle, who could both shoot out if need be. Instead, with the Broncos or Steelers in there, we’re likely going to see a high percentage of runs and defense. Wouldn’t the Colts, shaken of their rust, been a much more fun team to see in the super bowl?

And lets look at the star personnel, the main reason why MOST teams are disliked.

Peyton Manning, QB – 100% class act, and the best (though certainly not the most clutch) quarterback in football. He’s friendly, marketable, and is a welcome change to the usual attention hogging – negative media professional athlete. A great role model, even.

Edgerrin James, RB – One of the best RBs in the league, and barely recognized for it. Why? Because thats the way he likes it. With his unkept hair and lousy teeth, he is hardly a marketer’s dream; and given the option to fix himself up for commercialism, and make tons more money, he declined. He just wants to play the game of football. With people like Mike Ditka pitching erectile disfunction pills nowadays, isn’t a guy like this a fresh breath of air?

Marvin Harrison, WR – Sure, you could make the arguement that a Steve Smith or Chad Johnson is a better WR, but no one can question Harrison’s production over his career. He is widely known as one of the top 3 in the league, next to Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. TO, the sideshow clown of the season, and Randy Moss, a guy who had to be traded because his whole team hated him in Minnesota. Harrison is just a quiet, productive WR. Again, football is the main focus.

Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokely, WRs – A few more guys that just catch footballs and get the job done year in and year out, without having yacht orgies and drunken barfights.

Dwight Freeny, DT – The Tazmanian Devil. This guy is so exciting to watch; his blinding speed and quick spin moves make him a threat to the QB on every play, and he alone gives you good reason to watch the Colts on defense as well.

Tony Dungy, Head Coach – One of the least controversial guys you are going to see at this position. Respectful and smart, he just wins football games (again, until the playoffs roll around..) and does so without all of the stupidity that you see in so many head coaches in this league.

So, do you hate these guys BECAUSE they arent a bunch of side show clowns? You can’t hate them for winning all the time, because they don’t do it n the playoffs – they are an underdog there. Enlighten me, Colts haters. Or, tell me that I have persuaded you. Either way, I look forward to your responses.

THE RECORD

Season (Final)
With the spread: 138 – 111 – 7 (.554)
Without the spread: 167 – 89 – 0 (.652)
$$Money Picks$$: 33 – 22 – 5 (.600)
^^Zen Picks^^: 27 – 13 – 1 (.675)

Playoffs Last Week

With the spread: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 1 – 3 (.250)
$$Money Picks$$: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

Playoffs

With the spread: 2 – 6 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 3 – 5 (.375)
$$Money Picks$$: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Usually Brilliance?!?)

Saturday

Washington 10 11 – 6 (+9.0) @ Seattle 20 13 – 3 (-9.0)
The only game that went exactly as I planned it to! Thank you so much, Seattle! Even without Alexander, the Seahawks still had enough in this one.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – $Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Seattle

New England 13 11 – 6 (+3.0) @ Denver 27 13 – 3 (-3.0)
“I’m just not going to pick against New England in the playoffs, and if I get three points in the process, so be it. Denver is the “better team”…” – And they played like it, 100%. While I hate them with every cell in my body, I respect them big time for this huge win. They have gone from a stepping stone to the Patriots to a clear cut super bowl favorite in my book.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *$New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – *New England

Sunday

Pittsburgh 18 12 – 5 (+8.5) @ Indianapolis 21 14 – 2 (-8.5)
What an absolutely wild game this was. My brother Brian, 3 days before the game, had this to say. “Dave, your wrong about the Colts. They are going to come out cold, the Steelers are going to take an early 10 or 14 – 0 lead, and it will just be too much for the Colts to overcome on such a stingy defense.” I laughed at my little brother, and called him stupid as I often do. And as I type this, $40 poorer and quite humbled, there is no question who is laughing now. Credit the Steelers for coming in to this game with no fear, and getting the job done. Too bad Manning is taking all the blame for this one; his offense line certainly didn’t do much to help him. Still, he’d have gotten the bulk of the credit had they won, so that is just how it goes.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Indianapolis

Carolina 29 12 – 5 (+3.0) @ Chicago 21 11 – 5 (-3.0)
Not exactly the defensive struggle I was looking for… nor the outcome. There is no question that Carolina is the real deal, especially in the playoffs; they are just not a fun team to play against. Is there any answer for Steve Smith? If there is, the Bears certainly didn’t have it, as he absolutely torched them in this one.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Chicago

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

I’m tossing in over/under this week as well, since there are only two games. Over/Under works like this; whatever the number is (lets say its 40), you have to decide whether or not you feel that there are going to be more than 40 (over) or less than 40 points (under). If 40 points exactly are scored, it is a tie.

Sunday

Carolina 13 – 5 (+6.0) @ Seattle 14 – 3 (-6.0)
With Steve Smith on the prowl, no team is safe; but all the same, I still think this is the year that the Seahawks will finally make it into the Super Bowl. They’ve had too strong of a season and come too far to choke at home in this one; at least, I hope and think thats the case. And the numbers don’t disagree with me.
OVER/UNDER 44: UNDER, 17 – 10 Seattle
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Seattle

Pittsburgh 13 – 5 (+3.0) @ Denver 14 – 3 (-3.0)
This should be a hell of a game, and this could go either way very easily. I really hate to pick against the Steelers, especially after they burned me so hard last week, but I really think that the Broncos are the team to beat. Plummer has much better movement than Manning, and the Bronco’s O-Line should have a better game than the Colt’s did. So, I’m taking the dangerous pick here and going with the Broncos – though I will be rooting for the Steelers in this one.
OVER/UNDER 41.5: OVER, 28 – 24 Denver
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Denver
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Denver

KINGS HOCKEY

Before I get in to my injury rant, I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Luc Robitaille on tying and passing Marcel Dionne as the Kings highest goal scorer of all time with 551 goals. Just because it was his night, he also added ANOTHER goal to that total, of the empty net variety. His hat trick (3 goals in one game) prompted Brian and I to throw our hats; Brians was a weak toss that went down to the bottom section, while mine was thrown about 100 mph in the wrong direction and pegged the crap out of some innocent cheering bystander a few rows away. All the same, he tossed it below (after regaining his senses), and the family and I got to be there for a great moment in Kings history. Hats off to you Luc (literally), you are now officially our highest goal scorer, and Mr. Kings Hockey himself!

Now on to what I had written BEFORE this joyous event.

Los Angeles Kings
Name Injury Status
Eric Belanger, C Groin IR (12/30)
Valeri Bure, RW Back strain IR (9/29)
Pavol Demitra RW Deep leg bruise IR (1/7)
Ryan Flinn, LW Concussion IR (11/27)
Alexander Frolov, LW Flu DTD (1/17)
Aaron Miller, D Back spasms IR (12/22)
Jeremy Roenick, C Fractured finger IR (12/21)

Dallas Stars
No injuries.

Thats about the best I can sum it up; the foxsports.com injury page. Belanger was supposed to return this week, but reinjured his groin during a morning skate, and his return has been set back for an undetermined amount of time. Demitra’s original diagnosis of a leg bruise is in fact much more serious, and he has no timetable for his return, either. This has been the King’s story for the past few years; strong start, entire team goes down to injury, lousy finish, no playoffs. I don’t think that will be the case this year; fortunately the start was VERY strong, and some of the injured will be returning shortly, playoffs are still a very real part of our potential future. Still, as we keep dropping precious points, its hard not to be saddened by all of the minor league players on our team, and the question that plagues me most; “Why us?”

Love the Dime? Hate it? Please send feedback!
For past issues of the DIME, visit my website: Dave’s Dime
Have a great weekend everyone!

MY TEAMS RECORDS
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 29 – 18 – 3
*USC TROJANS: 12 – 1 – 0*
*OAKLAND RAIDERS: 4 – 12 – 0*

TROJAN OUTSCORING O-METER
Season:
TROJANS 638
OPPONENTS 297

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By Dave Consolazio, January 19, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

And then there were 4 (I didn’t forget the Colts, they just didn’t fit in my title).

Quite an interesting weekend in the NFL. The league’s best two teams in Baltimore and San Diego got knocked off, officially making the Super Bowl worthwhile again. It is no longer an AFC lock, and as we take an in depth look at THE CONSOLAZIO CURSE in the next Dime, a Chicago victory this week virtually guarentees them a Super Bowl win. Confused? More on that next week.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves… there are still a few good games left to be played before we get to the big one.

Plus, I have an important (and long) issue in online gambling to address, so I’ll just get right into it. If you gamble online, you should definitely tough out the length and read it through. Enjoy.

THE DEATH OF ONLINE GAMBLING

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006

The ban on gambling offshores, including the ever-so-popular industries of poker and sports betting, was officially passed into law in November. It was met with critcism and something significantly stronger; indifference.

Poker sites and sportsbooks are owned and operated outside of the USA. Many companies are listed in London and operate their facilities in places like Antigua and Costa Rica. This way, companies felt for the most part that they could ignore the laws in the United States, since they would theoretically be impossible to enforce.

The law’s passing caused some sportsbooks and poker sites to stop accepting customers in the USA, but not many of these places were too reputable; they were generally the types of sites that were not financially stable enough to handle a large legal battle should it ever come to one.

The law against online gambling created a bit of an inconvinience for its participants; depositing money with a credit card, for example, was no longer legal, since credit card companies would no longer pass transactions to gambling sites.

This inconvinience was easily overcome by the immergence of middle men. That is, companies that would accept money from your credit card, and then deposit said money into the gambling website of your choosing – with a few transaction fees along the way, of course.

No “middle man” company was more reputable, efficient, and trustworthy than neteller.com. Virtually all serious gamblers used it; while the transaction fees could be a nuisance, they bought you state of mind and security. Not to mention, some poker and sports sites would offer to pay these transaction fees for you, so you simply couldn’t go wrong using it.

The online gambling industry took a colossal hit this week. Two of NETeller’s former executives were arrested by the FBI on charges of illegal money laundering. They were allegedly “ambushed” by the FBI while in a USA airport between flights, and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail. In response to these arrests, NETeller has officially stopped funding betting accounts.

Probably the second most reputable “middle man” site, ATMOnline.com, followed suit. They officially closed their doors to American consumers Thursday afternoon.

Losing NETeller was actually the second (albeit bigger) big hit the online gambling community took in a week’s time. On January 11th, PINNACLE withdrew from the US market. Pinnacle is the undisputed best when it comes to online gambling; they offer the best lines and are the most trustworthy and influential website on the web. The only reason they gave for this withdrawl was “careful consideration”.

What is the big deal about Pinnacle leaving the US market when there are still literally hundreds of other places to bet? And what makes NETeller so special that another company can’t just fill the void?

Valid questions, and some writers suggest that internet gambling in the USA will survive and do just fine. I am not one of those writers.

Pinnacle leaving the market made me think that a lot of other books would leave it too. Tons of other sites look to Pinnacle for lines and other ideas on how to run a successful sportsbook. They in my opinion undoubtedly started a trend by leaving the US behind that would catch on fairly quickly.

The NETeller situation, however, makes my fear and theory a legitimate reality. First of all, it makes these offshore companies realize that they are not invincible. Secondly, bettors now need to use other methods to get their money from their wallets into their websites. Most middle men websites will learn from NETeller’s mistakes, like ATMOnline did, and also withdraw. So who does that leave? Companies that may be a little more shady and a little less trustworthy that may not be able to handle the huge influx of customers. Or worse yet, scam sites that will take your money and credit card numbers, only to vanish without a trace.

Vanishing without a trace, mind you, is a fear that all online gamblers here in the US should have regarding their favorite poker or sports site. Reputable and top of the line sites like Pinnacle or NETeller will PROBABLY get you your money back. But there are hundreds of middle of the line sites that have, can, and will just completely cut you off, and keep your money while they are at it. And what can you do? You have no legal path of action to retrieve it, as partaking in online gambling was illegal in the first place. Furthermore, some websites may be forced to shut down due to bankruptcy or financial problems revolving around NETeller’s shutting down or their own legal battles. I have seen plenty of gambling webpages be fully functional one day and simply come up a “404 website not found” the next – leaving your money 404 not found, too.

Do what you will, but if you are a gambler, remember that gambling is supposed to be fun. Gambling your money on whether or not the site you are a member of is going to last and be good about payouts for the coming months or years isn’t exactly the same type of fun that a poker tournament or a couple of bucks on the Super Bowl is. Win, and… nothing happens. Lose, and you could very well lose hard-earned money on a bet that you never even made.

I’m neither a gambling nor an economics expert, but I still want to offer my advice; get your money out of online gambling as quickly as you can. The NETeller situation will not be an isolated event – on the contrary, it is the beginning of the end of online gambling here in the USA. I don’t think it will ever die completely; but expect the business to get a lot shadier, payouts to become a lot more difficult, and sites that you know and love to fall.

And for those of you that have thought about getting into online gambling? Don’t. The market will be filled with all sorts of great bonuses to try and lure the unsuspecting public in over the next few months. Don’t be fooled.

I’m not advocating finding a local bookie, but I will point out that human beings are a lot less likely to completely disintigrate into the depths of cyberspace.

THE RECORD

Season (Final)
With the spread: 126 – 121 – 9 (.510)
Without the spread: 154 – 102 – 0 (.602)
$$Money Picks$$: 27 – 30 – 1 (.474)
^^Zen Picks^^: 24 – 22 – 2 (.522)
**Outright Upsets**: 36 – 33 – 0 (.522)

Last Week
With the spread: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
Without the spread: 3 – 1 (.750)
OVER/UNDER: 3 – 1 – 0 (.750)
$$Money Picks$$: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
**Outright Upsets**: 1 – 0 (1.000)

Playoffs
With the spread: 3 – 5 – 0 (.375)
Without the spread: 7 – 1 (.875)
OVER/UNDER: 4 – 4 – 0 (.500)
$$Money Picks$$: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 1 – 0 (1.000)

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Often Foolishness)

#3 Indianapolis 15 13 – 4 (+4.0) @ #2 Baltimore 6 13 – 3 (-4.0)
Baltimore loses, huh? One of those examples where I’m glad to be wrong.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS $Baltimore
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS Baltimore
OVER/UNDER 42: WIN UNDER

#3 Philadelphia 24 11 – 6 (+5.5) @ #2 New Orleans 27 10 – 6 (-5.5)
And I had Philly + the points typed out until seconds before I sent the Dime out. Tragedy.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS New Orleans
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN New Orleans
OVER/UNDER 49: WIN OVER

#4 Seattle 24 10 – 7 (+9.0) @ #1 Chicago 27 13 – 3 (-9.0)
Seattle probably should have won, but ask San Diego about “probablys”
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN *Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Chicago
OVER/UNDER 37: WIN $OVER

#4 New England 24 13 – 4 (+4.5) @ #1 San Diego 21 14 – 2 (-4.5)
Those damn Patriots always just find a way, don’t they?
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN *New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN *New England
OVER/UNDER 46: LOSS OVER

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

#2 New Orleans 11 – 6 (+2.5) @ #1 Chicago 14 – 3 (-2.5)
Well, all week I’ve been talking about how it should definitely be a Saints Colts Super Bowl this year. The Saints should have no trouble at all scoring on the Bears’ defense that has been mediocre at best lately. But then I get to thinking about a few things. First of all, the Colts and Saints both can’t go to the Super Bowl… I like them both. Someone I dislike simply has to go! And I’m quite sure of the Colts game. So, then, how do the Bears beat the Saints? Comes down to one simple thing; home field advantage. The Bears aren’t necessarily a very experienced team, but the Saints are about as young and inexperienced as you can get. Bears fans are very, very passionate and will make the Saints quite uncomfortable. That, of course, and the blistering cold; 31 degrees outside with a 40% chance of snow. There are just too many intangibles here, and the Saints just seem to be too easy of a pick, that the Bears are going to surprise even me and pull this one off.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Chicago
OVER/UNDER 47.5: UNDER

#4 New England 14 – 4 (+3.0) @ #3 Indianapolis 14 – 4 (-3.0)
And so we meet again. New England VS. Indianapolis, Patriots VS. Colts, Brady VS. Manning. Call it what you will, but this is a legitimate playoff rivalry, and it is always fun to watch. That is, of course, if you are a Patriots fan. I don’t need to pull out the stats on how this playoff series has gone for Peyton Manning; it is on the front page of every sports section and website out there. And you know what? Enough, in my opinion, is enough. The Colts and their fans have suffered through this loss one too many times. The game is actually IN Indy for the first time, where the Colts are undefeated this season. Demons need to be exorcised. Pigs need to fly. Hell needs to freeze. It is finally time, in my humble opinion; and Peyton can only pray to God that I’m right.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: ^$Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Indianapolis
OVER/UNDER 43: OVER

————–
Questions? Comments? Love the Dime? Hate it? Should I cut it down to a nickel? SEND ME FEEDBACK!

MY TEAM’S RECORDS
OAKLAND RAIDERS: 2 – 14 – 0
USC TROJANS: 11 – 2 – 0
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 16 – 26 – 6

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By Dave Consolazio, January 13, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

Well, last week didn’t exactly go according to plan, as I got 2 of my picks wrong straight up, and 3 wrong with the spread. Then again, thats the beauty of pro football, isn’t it? All year I do well, then the first week comes along and shuts me down. Well, no more – I’m confident this week.

…Sort of.

I can’t remember the last time the playoffs featured four such fantastic matchups in a single week. Every game, while not necessarily evenly matched, is capible of being entertaining, exciting, and wild. I am looking very forward not only to picking these games, but watching them all as well.

So lets get to it.

USC TROJANS

Say goodbye to one of the best backfields in USC history. As expected, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart left for the draft; but Lendale White was a toss-up. The decision was made final on my birthday, however (quite a gift), and Lendale White is entering the draft.

“I didn’t feel like my heart was with USC no more. My heart was with the team and those guys and I loved being there,” White said, “But I feel like it was time for me to move on and experience something better.”.

Well, theres no question that new experiences do lie ahead; as for better, only time will tell. I’d say 34 straight wins and two national championships was a pretty damn good run, and will be tough to beat in the NFL. But, I certainly wish all 3 of them the best, and hope they all get super bowl rings in the future. And while they may not be wearing Trojan jerseys on Saturdays “no more”, they will always be a part of our football team’s history and prestige.

THE RECORD

Season (Final)
With the spread: 138 – 111 – 7 (.554)
Without the spread: 167 – 89 – 0 (.652)
$$Money Picks$$: 33 – 22 – 5 (.600)
^^Zen Picks^^: 27 – 13 – 1 (.675)

Playoffs Last Week

With the spread: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 2 – 2 (.500)
$$Money Picks$$: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

Playoffs

With the spread: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 2 – 2 (.500)
$$Money Picks$$: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Usually Brilliance?!?)

Saturday

Washington 17 10 – 6 (+2.0) @ Tampa Bay 10 11 – 5 (-2.0)
Make it 6 straight wins! The Redskins are just finding ways to win football games; despite the worst offensive performance in a winning effort in playoff football history (only 120 total yards!), the Redskins pulled it out with key plays on defense. Next up, Seattle. Credit coach Gruden for the great season he put together with a team that wasn’t supposed to do much.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – Tampa Bay
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Tampa Bay

Jacksonville 3 12 – 4 (+7.0) @ New England 28 10 – 6 (-7.0)
“But numbers mean nothing in the playoffs against New England in New England, where this team just wins football games. Take Jacksonville with the points, but lets not expect any miracles.” – Emphasize the first sentence. The numbers don’t matter… every team in the league should fear these guys, even if they are better on paper. Jacksonville is young and talented; if they can add an every down running back (that isnt always injured), they will find themselves back in this spot next year.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Jacksonville
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – New England

Sunday

Carolina 23 11 – 5 (+3.0) @ N.Y. Giants 0 11 – 5 (-3.0)
“They are in my humble opinion (and the unbiased opinion of the statistics) the better team, and I think they have what it takes to get the win on the road”, or beat the living snot out of them on the road. Either way, its a ticket to Chicago.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – *Carolina
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – *Carolina

Pittsburgh 31 11 – 5 (-2.0) @ Cincinnati 17 11 – 5 (+2.0)
Carson Palmer went down 2 plays into the game, and with him, so did my bets and the Bengal’s playoff dreams. Doctor’s are saying that the injury may be career ending; lets pray that that isn’t the case. As long as it isn’t, Cincinnati will be a force to reckon with in a few more years.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *^Cincinnati
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Cincinnati

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

Saturday

Washington 11 – 6 (+9.0) @ Seattle 13 – 3 (-9.0)
Ok, so Washington has been playing outstanding football, winners of 6 straight, and Seattle didn’t play last week and is liable to get caught of guard, right? Well, while there is some validity to that theory, I’m not quite buying it. Seattle got the bye for a reason, and they are the best team in the NFC and there is a 9 point spread for a reason. Seattle is outstanding, and they are even more outstanding at home. They will win this game… don’t be fooled by the hotness of the Redskins or all those points. Make no mistake, I respect the Redskins and their streak, but I’m just pretty damn sure its coming to an end tomorrow.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: $Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Seattle

New England 11 – 6 (+3.0) @ Denver 13 – 3 (-3.0)
I’m just not going to pick against New England in the playoffs, and if I get three points in the process, so be it. Denver is the “better team”… but New England has been an absolute playoff powerhouse for 3 of the last 4 years, and if anyone is going to stop them, it is going to have to be the Colts or the Seahawks, in my opinion. Should be closer than it was last week, but should be a Patriot victory anyways.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *$New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *New England

Sunday

Pittsburgh 12 – 5 (+8.5) @ Indianapolis 14 – 2 (-8.5)
Read the Seattle Washington game pick, and you’ve pretty much got this one. Yes, Pittsburgh is very hot. Yes, Indi is very rested. And yes, Indi is going to comfortably win in this one. I respect Pittsburgh and know they have the chance to grind this one out; but I don’t think their secondary has what it takes to stack up against the Colts.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Indianapolis

Carolina 12 – 5 (+3.0) @ Chicago 11 – 5 (-3.0)
This is an exciting matchup… if you like defenses. I think Carolina has the better offense, but Chicago has the better defense. And playoff history tells me to go with defense. So thats what I’ll do. Look for a close, tight, low scoring game.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Chicago

KINGS HOCKEY

Right when it looked like the injuries had finally caughten up to us, we go into Boston and beat them 6 – 0. This team’s resiliancy is nothing short of amazing; no matter whos wearing that jersey, the team finds ways to win games. With one of my favorite’s and a pivitol part to our 3rd line’s success, Eric Belanger, on schedule to return next week and Pavol Demitra right around the corner, look for the Kings to bounce back… from the slump they forgot to go in.

Love the Dime? Hate it? Please send feedback!
For past issues of the DIME, visit my website: Dave’s Dime
Have a great weekend everyone!

MY TEAMS RECORDS
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 28 – 16 – 2
*USC TROJANS: 12 – 1 – 0*
*OAKLAND RAIDERS: 4 – 12 – 0*

TROJAN OUTSCORING O-METER
Season:
TROJANS 638
OPPONENTS 297

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By Dave Consolazio, January 12, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

New playoff teams… new playoff games… new playoff atmosphere.

Same terrible picks.

Well, kind of.

Yes, I went an abysmal 1 – 3 with the spread, and yes, I went a dreadful 1 – 3 OVER/UNDER. But, last year I went 4 – 7 w/o the spread all together, and with this 4 – 0 weekend, I’d have to go out of my way to end up worse than last year.

Fortunately for me, the playoffs aren’t a lose-and-your-out. I can lose, lose, and lose some more, and I still get to pick all the way into the Super Bowl.

What are you going to do to stop me? Delete me?

In any case, the 8 divisional winners are all thats left. The creme of the crop. Should make for some good football, and some more tough picks. Just what I need.

THE RECORD

Season (Final)
With the spread: 126 – 121 – 9 (.510)
Without the spread: 154 – 102 – 0 (.602)
$$Money Picks$$: 27 – 30 – 1 (.474)
^^Zen Picks^^: 24 – 22 – 2 (.522)
**Outright Upsets**: 36 – 33 – 0 (.522)

Last Week
With the spread: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 4 – 0 (1.000)
OVER/UNDER: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
$$Money Picks$$: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 0 (N/A)

Playoffs
With the spread: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
Without the spread: 4 – 0 (1.000)
OVER/UNDER: 1 – 3 – 0 (.250)
$$Money Picks$$: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 0 (N/A)

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Often Foolishness)

#6 Kansas City 8 9 – 7 (+7.0) @ #3 Indianapolis 23 12 – 4 (-7.0)
The only game that went right for me. Pretty pathetic showing by the Chiefs.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Indianapolis
OVER/UNDER 51: WIN UNDER

#5 Dallas 20 9 – 7 (+3.0) @ #4 Seattle 21 9 – 7 (-3.0)
Gotta feel for Romo, who will have to win a championship to live down that blunder.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Seattle
OVER/UNDER 46.5: LOSS OVER

#5 New York Jets 16 10 – 6 (+8.5) @ #4 New England 37 12 – 4 (-8.5)
Closer than the final score looked, but Brady’s offense was too much for the Jets when it’s all said and done.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS *^New York Jets
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN New England
OVER/UNDER 37.5: LOSS UNDER

#6 New York Giants 20 8 – 8 (+7.0) @ #3 Philadelphia 23 10 – 6 (-7.0)
This game should have never come down to the last few seconds, but I doubt Philly cares too much.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS Philadelphia
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN Philadelphia
OVER/UNDER 46.5: LOSS OVER

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

SATURDAY

#3 Indianapolis 13 – 4 (+4.0) @ #2 Baltimore 13 – 3 (-4.0)
It is tough for me to pick against the Colts, especially considering a few factors. First of all, they stopped LJ last week; and Jamal Lewis isn’t in the same realm as he is. Secondly, Peyton had a pretty bad game and still won – he should be extremely motivated to right his wrongs this week and come out with a strong game. Baltimore, however, has done more than enough this season to be considered the favorite. They are a very talented team, and they are no longer completely useless on offense. They have lost only one game at home this year – and that was with a sidelined Steve McNair. I personally hope that the Colts can break out of their road playoff funk, but couple the fact that Baltimore is an excellent team with the loud crowd throwing off Peyton’s at-the-line adjustments, and you’ve got yourself a solid pick in Baltimore.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: $Baltimore
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Baltimore
OVER/UNDER 42: UNDER

#3 Philadelphia 11 – 6 (+5.5) @ #2 New Orleans 10 – 6 (-5.5)
This should be a great game, and it is almost impossible to predict how it will turn out. Philly has all the momentum in the world, and they have all the makings of the kind of team that does damage in the playoffs – they are playing confident, fearless, and seemingly can do no wrong (besides fail to cover the spread for me). All that said, I don’t think they’ve played a team as good as New Orleans yet during their little hot streak. New Orleans is a great team on both sides of the ball – and with Lito Sheppard out for the Eagles as well, I’m not too sure they can stop the Saints’ offense. Home field advantage should pay huge dividends for the Saints, and I’m projecting them to win this game convincingly. Regardless of the winner, this will be the team I’ll be picking to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. We shall see.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: New Orleans
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: New Orleans
OVER/UNDER 49: OVER

SUNDAY

#4 Seattle 10 – 7 (+9.0) @ #1 Chicago 13 – 3 (-9.0)
Easily the worst game of the week, you get two of the most inconsistant teams left in the playoffs, neither one of them with a very good offense. Despite that, I’ll be taking the over, because both offenses should turn the ball over plenty, and make for very good field position going both ways. As for who will actually win? That depends on who makes more mistakes… but Chicago talentwise has the better defense, and they’ve got home field advantage, too. So, I’ll take the 9 points, but take Chicago to win the game.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Chicago
OVER/UNDER 37: $OVER

#4 New England Patriots 13 – 4 (+4.5) @ #1 San Diego 14 – 2 (-4.5)
In what has all the makings of the game of the week, the best team in the league (San Diego) faces the best playoff team of our time. It is a very slippery slope picking against the Chargers – they really are the best team in the NFL. I was joking with a friend of mine that San Diego should just play Baltimore for the Super Bowl right now, and not waste everyone else’s time. In the playoffs, though, the best teams aren’t always the teams that win. I think this will be one of those scenarios. I’m taking nothing away from San Diego; I merely think that if anyone has a very good shot of beating them, it is the Patriots. They match up well, and the Patriots just don’t lose games in the playoffs very often. This will be a big test for SD, because anything short of a Super Bowl would be a large disappointment.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *New England
OVER/UNDER 46: OVER

————–
Questions? Comments? Love the Dime? Hate it? Should I cut it down to a nickel? SEND ME FEEDBACK!

MY TEAM’S RECORDS
OAKLAND RAIDERS: 2 – 14 – 0
USC TROJANS: 11 – 2 – 0
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 16 – 23 – 6

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By Dave Consolazio, January 6, 2006 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

Well, the big game is over, and the only thing left to do now is to decide what to throw myself off of; a bridge? A cliff? A building? Alas, no suicide will change the result of the game, and besides, I must live on so THE DIME can live on… I know I have about 5 readers out there that just couldn’t bare to go on without it. Well, I have five readers anyways… maybe like one or two of them couldn’t go on without it. Hmmm… Anyhow, with that loss, the Trojans capped off my 0 – 4 betting record with bowl games this year. With 4 pro football games this week, I sure hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Lets hop right into it; the recap of the game, the recap of the final week of the regular season, and my picks for this weekend’s playoff excitement.

USC TROJANS VS. TEXAS LONGHORNS

USC TROJANS 38, TEXAS LONGHORNS 41

“A lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous”

That’s how The Big Lebowski’s The Dude described his case, and thats how you have to describe this game. The 4th down plays. The terrible lateral. The knee-down lateral. The close catch/fumble called incomplete pass.

First and foremost, Texas outplayed us. Are they the better football team? Maybe, but I don’t think so; only a series of 5 or 7 games (which is unrealistic, I know) could fairly answer that question. But on this day, make no mistake about it, Texas was the better team and they played like it. They didn’t give up when they were down, and they took advantage of our mistakes (which were plentiful), something we failed to do with theirs.

For anyone that is going to blame the referees for this loss, please, save your breath. The only two really controversial calls were the one where Vince Young had his knee down on the lateral, and the one where the Texas reciever caught the ball and had it knocked away immediatly afterwards, and having it ruled an incomplete pass. The latter, I felt, was a catch and a fumble. This would have given us the ball with great field possession, and there is no reason to believe we wouldn’t have scored. We then would have been up 19, and that would have been it. But, that wasn’t it, it was called the other way. And it was too close to complain too much… its football, it happens. Go back to the Notre Dame game where we got the favorable spot AND the no call on the Regge Bush push at the end. You win some, you lose some. As for the knee down lateral? Yes, that was a blown call, and completely unfair. But do you really genuinly feel that we were going to keep them out of the endzone anyway? What, in the rest of the game’s play, makes you think that? Fact is, we had no answer for Vince Young, period.

Which leads me to the real reason that we lost this game; ourselves. Reggie Bush’s botched lateral was one of the most foolish plays I have ever seen. More importantly, just our overall lack of any plan whatsoever on defense to stop Vince Young was really disheartning. Don’t get me wrong; Vince Young is an outstanding athlete who deserves all of the credit in the world for an outstanding season and the game of his life. But Pete Carroll had no plan at all to stop Young; the whole first half he passed at will, and the whole second half he ran at will. And we did nothing to stop him… I really expected some sort of a defensive stand. Another interesting stat; Reggie Bush had 13 carries and 6 catches. The best player in college football* (*In my opinion… Vince Young sure made his case known tonight, huh?) only touched the ball 19 times on offense? Rediculous. Then again, our offense really wasn’t the problem; except for a few errors in crucial moments. And thats really what it comes down to; who played better in the key moments of the game. And that was the Texas Longhorns.

I said at the beginning of the season that we would not play a close game this year. I believed that the only way the USC Trojans could lose is by beating themselves. The only way that offense could be stopped is from internal mistakes, not college defenses. In one of the sloppiest games of the year, we still managed 38 points against Texas’s supposedly unbeatable defense.

I, and many Trojans like me, will always remember this as a disappointing game that we beat ourselves in, due to our bad play calling, bad game plan, lack of discipline, and carelessness.

Texas will remember this game as the game that propelled Vince Young into college football immortality with one of the best bowl games an individual has ever had, single handedly ending a dynasty.

And I think both points of view are right.

Its going to be a depressing atmosphere back at SC, but lets not forget how fun and incredible of a run it has been; we got to see one of the greatest teams of all time play for us on Saturdays in our Colisieum, and this loss can’t take that away from us.

Still, it really is a shame. We were one game away from being the greatest college football dynasty in history with three straight national championships. Now, we simply have to settle for “one of”.

THE RECORD

Last Week
With the spread: 7 – 9 – 0 (.438)
Without the spread: 10 – 6 – 0 (.625)
$$Money Picks$$: 2 – 1 – 0 (.666)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)

Season (Final)
With the spread: 138 – 111 – 7 (.554)
Without the spread: 167 – 89 – 0 (.652)
$$Money Picks$$: 33 – 22 – 5 (.600)
^^Zen Picks^^: 27 – 13 – 1 (.675)

Playoffs Last Week

With the spread: N/A
Without the spread: N/A
$$Money Picks$$: N/A
^^Zen Picks^^: N/A

Playoffs

With the spread: N/A
Without the spread: N/A
$$Money Picks$$: N/A
^^Zen Picks^^: N/A

LAST WEEK’S RECAP OF DAVE’S BRILLIANCE AND FOOLISHNESS
(Usually Brilliance?!?)

With so many games consisting of teams that I thought would rest their players playing their starters, and teams that I thought would take the game seriously resting, most of these games were reduced to simply guessing, as is the first week of the season. So I’ll just comment on the game instead of why I won or lost it as I usually do.

Denver 23 13 – 3 (+7.0) @ San Diego 7 9 – 7 (-7.0)
Denver is the quietest 13 – 3 team I have ever seen. San Diego is one of the best 9 – 7 teams I have ever seen.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – San Diego
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – San Diego

N.Y. Giants 30 11 – 5 (-7.5) @ Oakland 21 4 – 12 (+7.5)
This season was just a joke that wasn’t funny.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – $N.Y. Giants
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – N.Y. Giants

Arizona 13 5 – 11 (+7.5) @ Indianapolis 17 14 – 2 (-7.5)
Good win for the Colts, as heading into the playoffs on a 3 game losing streak, even with starters resting, is never fun.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Indianapolis

Baltimore 16 6 – 10 (-1.0) @ Cleveland 20 6 – 10 (+1.0)
My brother Brian put $20 on the Ravens to win the Super Bowl this year. Shoulda tried the lotto, Bri.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – $Baltimore
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Baltimore

Buffalo 26 5 – 11 (+1.5) @ N.Y. Jets 30 4 – 12 (-1.5)
Way to go, Jets – that puts you slightly higher on the draft list.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Buffalo
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Buffalo

Carolina 44 11 – 5 (-4.0) @ Atlanta 11 8 – 8 (+4.0)
Disappointing season for the Falcons, strong one for the Panthers.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – Carolina
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Carolina

Cincinnati 3 11 – 5 (+7.0) @ Kansas City 37 10 – 6 (-7.0)
Not a good loss for Cincinatti, heading into the playoffs on a losing streak.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Cincinnati
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Kansas City

Detroit 21 5 – 11 (+15.0) @ Pittsburgh 35 11 – 5 (-15.0)
Yay, Detroit covered! But all seriousness, Pittsburgh looks good.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – *^Detroit
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Pittsburgh

Miami 28 9 – 7 (+4.5) @ New England 26 10 – 6 (-4.5)
Nick Saban is the coach of the year, no question about it.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – New England

New Orleans 13 3 – 13 (+13.0) @ Tampa Bay 27 11 – 5 (-13.0)
Then again, John Gruden is pretty damn good, too.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *New Orleans
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Tampa Bay

Seattle 17 13 – 3 (-2.0) @ Green Bay 23 4 – 12 (+2.0)
Don’t worry, Seattle wasn’t trying; they are the real deal.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – *Green Bay
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – *Green Bay

Houston 17 2 – 14 (+1.0) @ San Francisco 20 4 – 12 (-1.0)
One of the funniest games of the season, took overtime to decide, but Houston “won” the first pick. Reggie’s got some competition now though…
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – $San Fransisco
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – San Fransisco

Tennessee 13 4 – 12 (+5.0) @ Jacksonville 40 12 – 4 (-5.0)
As quiet a 12 – 4 team that your gonna see. Only team getting love in the AFC is the Colts.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – Jacksonville
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Jacksonville

Chicago 10 11 – 5 (+3.5) @ Minnesota 34 9 – 7 (-3.5)
Not even Minnesota’s late season surge could save Coach Tice’s job.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Chicago
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – *Chicago

Washington 31 10 – 6 (-7.0) @ Philadelphia 20 6 – 10 (+7.0)
With a 5 game winning streak heading into the playoffs, Washington couldn’t be much hotter. For the Eagles, they just have to be glad the season is over.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: WIN – Washington
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: WIN – Washington

St. Louis 20 6 – 10 (+12.5) @ Dallas 10 9 – 7 (-12.5)
Dallas caps off a disappointing season with a disappointing loss.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: LOSS – Dallas
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: LOSS – Dallas

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
$ – Indicates Money Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

Saturday

Washington 10 – 6 (+2.0) @ Tampa Bay 11 – 5 (-2.0)
As hot as Washington is (5 straight wins!) I think that Tampa Bay is the better team. It will be hard to keep Washington’s offense (namely Clinton Portis) in check, but I think Gruden is up to the task, and Tampa Bay will pull it off at home.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Tampa Bay
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Tampa Bay

Jacksonville 12 – 4 (+7.0) @ New England 10 – 6 (-7.0)
All of the numbers point to a Jacksonville victory, and I will be rooting for them like crazy. But numbers mean nothing in the playoffs against New England in New England, where this team just wins football games. Take Jacksonville with the points, but lets not expect any miracles.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *Jacksonville
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: New England

Sunday

Carolina 11 – 5 (+3.0) @ N.Y. Giants 11 – 5 (-3.0)
The game being in New York is really the only reason I can see for picking against the Panthers. They are in my humble opinion (and the unbiased opinion of the statistics) the better team, and I think they have what it takes to get the win on the road
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *Carolina
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Carolina

Pittsburgh 11 – 5 (-2.0) @ Cincinnati 11 – 5 (+2.0)
Okay, the right pick in this game is the Steelers. They are road favorites for a reason; they are super hot, they are experienced, and the Bengals are cold and inexperienced. I look past that, however; as nice as streaks are, I don’t believe they erase the entire season. Pittsburgh’s winning ways have been impressive, but they have come against teams that don’t have anything that even nearly resembles the powerhouse offense that Cincinnati has. With a home crowd going absolutely wild for playoff football, I see the Bengals pulling the “upset” off in this one.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *^Cincinnati
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Cincinnati

KINGS HOCKEY

Petr Kanko. Jeff Giuliano. Matt Ryan. Tom Kostopoulos. Not exactly household names; but with injuries to key players like Jeremy Roenick, Eric Belanger, Aaron Miller, and Dustin Brown (not like these guys are household names to most of you, either, but to hockey fans they are recognizable), its guys like these ones that have had to step it up and make a difference. And, they have; not necessarily always scoring goals, but strong determined play has kept the Kings rolling. Led by the remarkable goaltending of Mathieu Garon (who has won 10 of his last 11 games, and was named defensive player of the month of December by the NHL), the Kings have taken a convincing hold of 1st place, and have made the slump of a month back seem like distant history.

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Have a great weekend everyone!

MY TEAMS RECORDS
LOS ANGELES KINGS: 27 – 14 – 2
*USC TROJANS: 12 – 1 – 0*
*OAKLAND RAIDERS: 4 – 12 – 0*

TROJAN OUTSCORING O-METER
Season:
TROJANS 638
OPPONENTS 297