WHO’S NEXT TO STEP IN LINE FOR THE MTV CURSE?

It’s official, what has been deemed the “MTV Curse”
by the celebrity gossip blogs is alive and well. Meet
the Barkers stars Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler are divorcing – right behind the tails of
Nick/Jessica and Carmen/Dave. Celebrity couples are not known for their shelf
life, but once they air their lives on national television the shelf life goes
from short to expired.

Analysts at BetCRIS.com
offered odds earlier today on which celebrity couple will walk the line next
when it comes to signing away their lives on MTV.

WHICH WILL BE THE NEXT CELEBRITY COUPLE TO HAVE A REALITY SHOW ON MTV?

·       
DAVE NAVARRO AND JENNA JAMISON / 8 to 1

·       
BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE
/ 15 to 1

·       
PAM ANDERSON AND KID ROCK / 7.85 to 1

·       
LANCE BASS AND REICHEN
LEHMKUHL / 6 to 1

·       
NICK LACHEY AND
VANESSA MINNILLO / 10 to 1

·       
TOM CRUISE AND KATIE HOLMES / 15 to 1

·       
TORI SPELLING AND DEAN
MCDERMOTT / 8 to 1

·       
JENNIFER ANISTON AND VINCE VAUGHN / 11 to 1

·       
AVRIL LAVIGNE AND DERYCK WHIBLEY / 9 to1

·       
REBECCA ROMIJN AND
JERRY O‘CONNELL / 14 to 1

·       
PARIS HILTON AND STAVROS
NIARCHOS / 12 to1

·       
NONE OF THE ABOVE / 1 to 50

“Why anyone would allow cameras to follow their every footstep is beyond me
– that’s a recipe for disaster,” said
CEO Mickey Richardson. “But in Hollywood
a lasting marriage doesn’t bring publicity or a television show.”

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Low To Medium Pocket Pairs

By Aaron J. Moore
Inspin.com Contributing Writer

Low to medium pocket pairs. They’re a lot like the remnants at the bottom of a Chips Ahoy bag. You like the taste of them, but you would certainly prefer sitting in front of something larger and a little more substantial.

A low to medium pocket pair often elevates a player to top position prior to the flop. Unfortunately, with so many over-cards floating around that tantalizing hand often goes sour. In order to understand the best way to play this hand, make sure you are well versed in the two general techniques employed when someone is holding a low to medium pocket pair.

One option is to limp in and hope for trips to hit. The other is to make a substantial raise and chase away any callers.

Neither of these techniques guarantees success, but your game will improve when you better understand the other factors surrounding your bargain basement pocket pair. So next time you’re in a no-limit game and see something resembling pocket 4s don’t immediately react as though you’ve won the lottery and overplay them (a common mistake for novice players). Instead, inhale gently and take inventory of your chip stack, position, style of game and opponents before deciding how to proceed.

When you sneak into a hand without a raise and then hit a set, your opponents will have a lot of trouble putting you on that hand. Those with top pair and two of a kind will be beating into the trap you surreptitiously set for them. There is a reason pocket pairs are called silent killers.

The odds of hitting 3-of-a kind on the flop with a pocket pair is nearly 11 percent.
Another advantage of sneaking into a flop with this type of hand is you will have a good idea where you stand when all low cards hit the board. Most likely your opponents are playing a single high card. If no high cards are on the board, then you have the ability to make a sizeable raise since most likely you have the best hand. If you find yourself in this position, you must make a big raise to show strength and to stave off those on a draw.

The same holds true if the flop brings a lot of high cards. Someone betting the board with a lot of high cards probably has you beat.

The greatest advantage in coming in quietly with a low to medium pocket pair is how easy it is to walk away when re-raised a sizeable amount. Instead of committing too many chips to a hand that can go south real quick, it’s easy to fold this hand if you don’t make a large initial investment.

I like the idea of “easy in – easy out” with low pocket pairs.

Of course, chip stack is also important in how you play this hand. Usually low to medium pocket pairs generate the most action when it involves those with either the most or fewest chips. If you have a lot of chips you are in a position to gamble more, so these are good cards to use to push around the other less fortunate souls at the table. This hand is great for someone with a lot of chips because he is in a position to make a large bet and take away the pot odds for those on a draw.

For those barely clinging to life, especially in a tournament, having a low pocket pair makes an all-in a solid play. Going all-in gives you a chance of taking the blinds and letting the others know you are dangerous enough that they should think twice about picking on you. If someone calls, you’re probably going to race with them, and if you are without a lot of chips this is one of your best-case scenarios.

A double-edged sword also exists when you go into overdrive while playing the pocket pairs. If you make a large pre-flop raise, you run the risk of unnecessarily becoming pot-committed and overplaying what is probably a mediocre hand. If your hand is lower than 7s, then your chances are worse than a coin flip because the possibility arises that someone with just a little better pair than yours is going heads up against you. If that is the case, then you are really dominated.

On the other hand, if you fail to bet you leave the door wide open for someone to call with nothing and hit something on the flop that beats up.

These risks underlie why position is so important when playing low to medium pocket pairs.

An early position is often the best time to limp in with a low pair. By doing so, you can see how the others behind you react. If someone makes a large raise after you call the large blind that commonly signifies a medium pocket pair or a couple of high cards. If you have the money to gamble, you can call a large raise within reason or comfortably throw them in the muck without remorse if you feel like you are dominated. You will have these options as a result of not overplaying your hand too early.

Another reason position should dictate how you play a low to medium pair is you will be provided with the chance to size up the playing style of those behind you. If you have a calling station or a real loose player behind you, think twice about making a sizeable raise and just limp into the flop. If Mr. Call has something in the ballpark of K-9 unsuited, he will probably see your large bet and hope for some luck. If paint hits on the flop, tread lightly because he probably has a better hand. Large bets don’t necessarily shake off weak players who often just call. Inexperienced players tend to not know when they are beat, so a large bet in front of them is not as much a scare tactic as it is for other players.

If you are in a late position and there aren’t that many players involved with the pot, this is an opportune time to make a large raise. Raising with a low to medium pair is also advised when you know there are timid and tight players behind you. If you sense weakness, then view your pair of 5s as a pair of Aces. Play them confidently and continually raise to put pressure on tight players. Even if a tight player has a better pocket pair, he will very likely think the situation is reversed in your favor. By maintaining a steady betting pace, you can prevent a tight player from seeing the river and you ultimately know he will only call with the nuts.

Whatever decision you make with your low to medium pocket pair, make sure not to lead off with just a small raise. This does little to improve your chances of winning. Be committed and think either stealth or strength with the low to medium pocket pair.

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NFL Team Preview: Texans

By Mike Brody
Inspin.com Contributing Writer

The Houston Texans are entering their fifth season in the NFL and are still searching for respectability. The Texans regressed badly last season, finishing 2-14 after showing promise in 2004 (7-9). The terrible season did allow Houston to get the No. 1 pick in the draft, but it looks like the Texans didn’t get that right, either.

Houston bypassed the consensus best player available, RB Reggie Bush, and opted for DE Mario Williams. While Williams should be a good player, Bush may be the game-breaker that the Texans’ offense is missing. Now, word out of Houston is that incumbent RB Domanick Davis’ knee injury could be worse than previously thought. There are signs and symptoms pointing to degenerative arthritic (bone on bone) changes in the knee. This is the same condition that ended Terrell Davis’ career. It would be a devastating blow to Houston’s offense if Davis can’t return and would raise even more criticism over the decision to pass on Bush.

Key Additions: WRs Eric Moulds and Kevin Walter, FB Jameel Cook, DEs Anthony Weaver, N.D. Kalu and Mario Williams (rookie), TE Jeb Putzier, LBs Sam Cowart, DeMeco Ryans (rookie) and Zeke Moreno, C Mike Flanagan, RB Antowain Smith, OTs Eric Winston (rookie) and Charles Spencer.

Key Subtractions: WRs Jabar Gaffney and Corey Bradford, DBs Jason Bell and Marcus Coleman, G Milford Brown, DE Gary Walker, QB Tony Banks.

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Sportsbook Odds: The over/under for Houston wins at WagerWeb.com is six. That might be a little optimistic for this young team. At -$155, the under is probably the safest bet on the Texans. Houston has almost no chance of winning its division or even making the playoffs.
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has Houston at +$1800 to win the AFC South, +$6000 to win the AFC championship and +$12500 to win Super Bowl XLI.

Player to Watch: QB David Carr is still the key to a potentially explosive offense. He has been sacked more than any quarterback in the league in three of the past four seasons. Carr could be in for a breakout season if the line can protect him as the Texans added some weapons through free agency to help the fifth-year starter. Veteran WR Moulds should open up the field for No. 1 receiver Andre Johnson, who caught 79 passes for 1,142 in 2004. Putzier is a pass-catching tight end, and Walter will be a solid third receiver. Walter thinks he’ll have more opportunities than he did in Cincinnati. “They might double ‘Dre, they might double Eric,” Walter said, “and that’s going to leave me one-on-one with somebody. Whoever is going to be covering me, they’re going to have their work cut out for them that day.”

Outlook: The Texans added more than just players this offseason as they fired Coach Dom Capers and replaced him with Gary Kubiak, the highly sought-after former offense coordinator of the Denver Broncos. Kubiak will bring the Broncos’ offensive schemes with him to Houston, which will upgrade the offense. If Mario Williams really is as good as Houston thinks he is, he could anchor an improving defense and make the team competitive. The Texans won’t be as much of a pushover as they were last season, but don’t look for a miracle turnaround just yet.

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AFC East Odds

By Dan The Man Leach
Inspin.com Contributing Writer

New England Patriots $-210/10
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odds to win division/regular-season wins): The Pats look to get back to where they are used to being: playing in the Super Bowl And whenever you have Tom Brady under center and Bill Belichick on the sideline, your chances are better than most. The skills of RB Corey Dillon will be key, and injuries that plagued the team last year will need to be avoided, but the Pats once again have the makings of a championship contender.
DTM PREDICTED WINS: 11

Miami Dolphins +$185/9 wins: Year 2 of the Nick Saban era gets off to a good start in Miami, as during the offseason the Fins addressed their QB problem by bringing in former All-Pro Daunte Culpepper and former Lions starter Joey Harrington to back him up. The defense will still be pretty good, but this team will go as far as its new QB can take it, at least for this season. RB Ronnie Brown is definitely the future of this team, and he will look to expand on his great rookie season of a year ago.
DTM PREDICTED WINS: 9

Buffalo Bills +$1100/6.5 wins: The Bills bring back 80-year-old Marv Levy to be GM and are hoping for the kind of success they had under Levy in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The Bills have been a shade of their former glory days selves recently. QB has been a problem for Buffalo, and this year the Bills have to decide between veteran Kelly Holcomb and unproven J.P Losman. The offense likely will struggle to score points consistently.
DTM PREDICTED WINS: 7

New York Jets +$1000/6 wins: QB Chad Pennington comes back after shoulder surgery and is one of the biggest question marks in Jets history as many feel he is either going to be the key to their success or the reason they fail. RB Curtis Martin may not play this season. The defense should be quicker and more aggressive under new head coach and Bill Belichick clone Eric Mangini.
DTM PREDICTED WINS: 7

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Online Poker Tips

By Aaron J. Moore
Inspin.com Contributing Writer

The key to being a good
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online poker player is …

Hold on, please, while I am writing this article, I am also playing in a $50 sit and go.
OK, the tightwad to my left has called my $400 pre-flop raise. He must have something like King-Jack suited.

Like I was just writing, the key to being a good online poker player is…
Can you believe this guy? He leads out with an $800 raise on a rainbow K-7-10 flop. I have an up and down straight draw and he puts most of his chips in from the start.
Right, right, sorry about that. Being a good online poker player means …

I guess I have to fold.

For many online players, this scenario presents itself far too often. It’s the curse of the online player, being deeply involved in a big game but at the same time multitasking. The game takes a backseat to checking email, checking fantasy baseball statsand checking out what exotic Russian women often do on the Internet.

Therein lies a major problem for the horde of people playing poker online. A population that includes professional players, would-be professionals and a lot of thrill-seekers. It doesn’t take an expert commentator such as Norman Chad to look out at that playing field and forecast the winners are most likely those who devote most of their time and mental energy toward the games they are playing and not on ancillary activities.

The key to being a good online player is to be focused.

Playing online has its risks compared to live games. You can not get a true read on your opponents’ habits; you can’t form a model in your mind on how he/she plays because you can not see them and the way they conduct themselves; and you have no idea if he/she is just some loose player who likes throwing chips away.

So taking into account these risks, if your attention easily sways away from the game, then trapdoors in front of you grow wider.

Here are some ways to improve your online play.

• Don’t allow Web surfing to distract your game. It’s always tempting to waste time between hands browsing the Web, but that won’t help you win. Pay attention to betting patterns of the players at the table. Look to see who folds easily or who keeps over-betting the pot. This information is extremely valuable but can only be obtained when watching the game, not another Web site.

There are plenty of weak players online, so pay attention and identify them early in the game. For those who spend a lot of time playing online, the games can be tedious. Instead of constantly checking your email, attempt another diversion like getting out of the chair and walking around. This will keep you fresh but also keep your mind on the game.

• Be awake. For avid poker players, online games are like an oasis in the desert. Players can satisfy their thirst by finding an online game no matter the time of day. However, that 7-11 mentality of never being closed can also be dangerous. When you crave a game, make sure you are alert. That goes for both morning and night. Don’t wake up and immediately get started with a game.

Take a shower and tend to your daily business. This will greatly improve your attention span so you can sit down at the computer and be free of a lingering notion that your daily tasks are still ahead of you. A good rule to give yourself is not to play until you have been wide awake for more than two hours. After you are awake and have tended to necessary business, an online game can be your only concern.

The same logic holds true for the nighttime. Don’t fall into the bad habit of saying to yourself , “One quick game and then I will go to sleep.” If you are thinking that, then you are probably already tired and not at full capacity to play.

Why put yourself in a position to be someone else’s ATM machine just because you want to play? A good poker player should want to play good poker, not just play poker.

If you know a night’s sleep is only a few ticks away, you are more likely to make a bad decision and easily expose yourself to defeat. Instead of playing that last late night game, convince yourself you will be a better player tomorrow following a good sleep than your current state of drowsiness.

• Play cash games rather than a tournament if time is an issue. Hopefully, you have set time aside during the day when you will play online poker free of other stimuli and annoyances (in other words, a time when your wife is not wandering around the house asking you if you would like to go to the flower festival with her). If you are unsure of how long you will be able to play distraction free, then make the wise decision and play a cash game rather than a tournament. Cash games are better for those players with time restraints. Easy-in, easy-out is the case for cash games, but not so for tournaments. In a tournament, you can never be sure how long it will last. If you have somewhere to go but you are in a tournament, the chances are extremely high you will just throw your chips away to expedite the game. If you were in the same position but in a cash game, you could play one last hand and be free of other financial obligations on the table.

There is a reason why college students and professional players do so well online. It stems from their free time and their perspective of the game being the most important aspect of their life at that moment. While online, don’t make the mistake of doing a handful of other tasks while playing. You are likely going to lose to someone with a much different approach.

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QB Controversy In Windy City? Falta URL

By Tim Sullivan
Inspin.com Contributing Writer

If it’s late August, if NFL

Quarterback controversy.

This year is no different, as several teams are weighing the pros and cons of veterans vs. youngsters; highly paid vs. underpaid; and experience vs. potential.

Usually, these summertime signal-caller standoffs are reserved for the bottom-feeders. Again, this year appears no different as the Jets — with Chad Pennington and Patrick Ramsey — and the Bills — with J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb — have taken center stage.

But another team may creep into the equation before too long. And it might surprise you.

“Brian is doing a great job. He’s very smart, has got a great work ethic and is very quick with the ball. I’m also very impressed with his accuracy.”

Such are the words of Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner, and they were used to describe one Brian Griese, Chicago’s backup — for now — who signed a five-year, incentive-laden deal March 21. Turner, as well as Coach Lovie Smith, has been impressed with the nine-year veteran’s grasp of the offense and overall pocket composure. Not to mention his three preseason touchdown passes.

But, surely, a healthy Rex Grossman will lead the charge as the mighty Bears (-$300 to win the NFC North, +800 to win the NFC, +1700 to win the Super Bowl on
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look to build on last season’s success, right?

“I know how those things work. To be honest, I’m not even thinking about that,” said Griese, who could earn $20 million over the life of the deal. “I’m thinking about trying to get better as a player, learning this offense, getting used to Turner and the way he calls plays, and really proving myself to the guys on the team.”

He appears well on his way. And with a team that’s built to win this year — the Bears’ season over/under is 9.5 wins on WagerWeb.com — a quarterback change could be in store if Grossman stumbles out of the box.

For now, though, let’s scrap the controversy part, and just call it a quarterback question. Or should we say questions?

After all, let’s face it: The fragile Grossman, in three seasons, has started just eight games and won just four of them. What’s more, the former Florida Gator is 0-1 in the postseason and has yet to establish that required rapport with his receivers.

Now, Griese isn’t an MVP candidate. In fact, in this same space last week, we knocked the former Michigan Wolverine for being a part of an average group of quarterbacks to don Dolphins jerseys in the past five seasons.

But he is 13-10 as a starter since leaving the Broncos in 2002. And, in his final six starts with the Buccaneers, he won five of them.

“Fans are going to scream for Griese, fans are going to scream for Grossman,” Chicago wide receiver Justin Gage said. “But as long as we’ve got two healthy good quarterbacks, then I’m good with that.”

Perhaps, by Week 1, Bears fans will agree with Gage. Remember, we’re talking about a team that will probably only go as far as its dominating defense will allow it, regardless of whom is under center. After all, unheralded rookie Kyle Orton went 10-5 as a starter last season.
So what are bettors to expect this season?

“Rex,” Smith said bluntly, “is our starting quarterback.”

For now.

RICKY AND DeANGELO: Panthers rookie running back DeAngelo Williams may be small — 5-foot-9, 213 pounds — but he has always thought big. Even when he was in high school, as he was grooming himself into a Division I recruit, he idolized former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.

For what Ricky did on the field, of course, not off it.
“I just thought that he had so much leg strength, so much power. He was able to make something out of nothing with his shiftiness, but he could also run you right over,” DeAngelo said of the former Dolphin and Saint. “Those are the same characteristics I wanted to have. I’ve developed that a little, but I still have work to do. I’m getting there.”

The Panthers agree, and they’re willing to wait as he continues his journey. Williams, who topped 1,900 rushing yards in each of his last two seasons at Memphis, won’t be thrown into the fire as DeShaun Foster will carry the load this season.

“I’m a little nervous,” Williams said. “But it’s great playing at this level and talking to DeShaun on the sidelines, asking him if I made the right read and cuts.”

Here’s thinking Foster, who compiled 1,251 total yards and eight touchdowns last season, will be a better influence on DeAngelo than Ricky the rest of the way.

KEEPING UP WITH JONES: Jimmy Smith’s sudden retirement May 11 simply shook the Jaguars and clearly threw a wrench into what was a feel-good period in Jacksonville. Coach Jack Del Rio’s crew was fresh off a 12-4 season and its first playoff appearance since 1999. Not exactly the best time to lose the franchise’s all-time leading receiver.

But the Jaguars have since moved on. And they may have found their next top gun, in the form of 2005 first-round pick Matt Jones. A former quarterback at Arkansas, the rangy 6-6, 229-pound Jones grabbed 36 passes for 432 yards and five touchdowns even though he started just one game as a rookie.

“I want to be a solid, all-around receiver,” Jones said. “If I continue in the weight room and continue doing some of the things I want to do, then I can be. I don’t know that I’m there yet.”

Regardless, Jones is a constant matchup problem, and now that Smith is gone, he’ll be on the field that much more.

“This season,” Del Rio said, “is going to be a special year for him.”

Keep that in mind on fantasy draft day.

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