NBA Dunks New Ball

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Even David Stern can commit a turnover.

Stern displayed a rare ability for a league commissioner to reverse course at the risk of ego gratification by scrapping the unpopular microfiber composite ball for the standard leather one.

When they ring in the new year, they will bring back the old ball.

Despite a slight increase in scoring and decrease in turnovers with the new ball, the reaction of the players to it had been overwhelmingly negative. Stars such as Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James criticized the preseason switch, adding that the players should have been consulted first.

Stern admitted as much after the players union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the league on Dec. 1. He also heard players and coaches complain that the new ball cut their hands.

The team likely most affected by the change will be Boston. The Celtics are the only NBA team scheduled to play on both Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

“One day we’re going to play with one ball, and the next day we’re going to play with another one,” said Coach Doc Rivers. “It’s just like the park. That’s what it’s going to feel like. Whoever brings the ball on Jan. 1, that’s the one we’re going to play with.”

Speaking of the Celtics, they are playing some strange basketball these days, but they’re not complaining. They fell behind by more than 20 points against New Jersey on Saturday before rallying to victory.

And Monday night, they nearly blew a 30-point lead early in the third quarter. The Knicks closed to within three points with 1:28 remaining before the Celtics closed out the 97-90 victory.

PAUL STANDS TALL: There’s been no sign of a sophomore slump for New Orleans/Oklahoma City point guard Chris Paul.

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year performed brilliantly in nearly single-handedly defeating the Cavaliers on Monday night in Oklahoma City. He outplayed James in a surprising 95-89 victory despite the absence of teammates Peja Stojakovic, David West and Bobby Jackson due to injury. Paul finished with 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting, 11 assists and five rebounds. James was held to a season-low 15 points.

Paul, who broke down the Cleveland defense consistently on penetration, is averaging a team-high 18.8 points a game. He is fourth in the NBA at 9.0 assists and third with 2.1 steals per game.

DRIBBLES: Two torrid teams meet Tuesday night when the Los Angeles Lakers play at Houston. According to WagerWeb.com, the Lakers are 2.5-point underdogs. They will play eight of their next 10 games on the road after opening the season with 15 of 20 at home. … The Pacers suspended guard Stephen Jackson for Tuesday night’s game in Chicago due to a heated exchange with Coach Rick Carlisle just before halftime during Saturday’s blowout loss in Cleveland. Key starters Al Harrington and Jermaine O’Neal were also sidelined with injuries Monday. It all added up to a 106-91 loss to the host Bulls. … Philadelphia 76ers team president Billy King said he won’t comment on trade talks for Allen Iverson until they are completed. Iverson is still with the team in name only. His locker has been cleared out. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost their eighth consecutive game Monday night, 81-79, to Portland. Andre Igoudala (27 points) was the lone Philadelphia starter who scored in double figures.

Super Blackjack Tips

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Blackjack — for many it’s not just a game, it’s a way of life. Blackjack was the casino game that really got the information products’ ball rolling. It started many years ago, and no other game has spawned so many books, videos, classes and seminars.

I don’t know anyone who has been in a casino at least a few times who hasn’t played a hand or more of Blackjack. With that in mind, let’s talk Blackjack tips. Here are seven super Blackjack tips to absorb.

Blackjack Tip One: Sit at Third Base

If you are playing in the real world, make it a point to sit at third base, which is the seat immediately to the right of the dealer.

Blackjack Tip Two: Counting Cards Online

If you are playing online, don’t worry about counting cards. The computer uses a fresh deck for each hand. Therefore, counting doesn’t help you. Many people don’t realize this, so I thought it was wise to point it out.

Blackjack Tip Three: Single or Double Deck Only

Make it a point to never play Blackjack dealt from a shoe. Single deck games in the real world are the best. Double deck is second, and everything else is trash. If you are playing online, check to see how many decks are used. Most good online casinos will offer single deck.

Blackjack Tip Four: Bet Size

Before you sit down to play, figure out what your typical betting unit will be. If you aren’t sure, try dividing your bankroll by 20. For instance, if you are willing to lose $100 maximum, bet $5 units or less.

Blackjack Tip Five: Don’t Always Double Down

Yes, I know what lots of Blackjack drones say about doubling down — always do it, they say. However, if you become a Blackjack pro, you’ll understand that there are times when doubling down isn’t in your favor. For instance, if the dealer has a 10 or face card up, think twice.

Blackjack Tip Six: Split 8s

If the dealer has a 7 or less showing, split your 8s. The general idea is that you’ll have a decent shot at pulling 18 or better on one hand and pushing — by winning one hand and losing the other. The alternative is to keep your 16, which is a lousy hand. Now, if the dealer has a 6 showing, you might want to stand pat.

Blackjack Tip Seven: Don’t Split 10s or Faces

This is a tip for the new players. No matter how tempting it might be, don’t split 10s or faces. Why would you? Your hand is 20, which is one point under the best possible total. Yes, I’ve seen this done plenty of times by new and greedy players. It usually results in disaster.

There you have it. Seven super Blackjack tips to put in your back pocket. Take a moment and scan through them again. These seven tips are something that every winning Blackjack player must know — and does.

Bengals Hit Their Stride

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

They started in September with plans on defending their AFC North Division title, gaining home-field advantage and making it to the Super Bowl.

They now sit in December as the wild-card leaders, and they probably won’t get much better than that.

But that’s just fine by the Cincinnati Bengals (8-5). Especially considering that just four short weeks ago, they were one game below the .500 mark.

“If we want to be the team that we believe we are,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said, “we’ve got to go play and win football games.”

They’ve done a good job of that, obviously, on the four-game winning streak they’re riding. The Bengals have defeated the Saints, Browns, Ravens and Raiders in that span and scored 27 or more points in three of those.

But if you listen to this bunch, you get the idea that they’re just warming up. Forget the three-game losing streak that bridged October and November. Forget the fact that they’re still two games behind Baltimore (10-3) in the North.

As far as they’re concerned, everything’s just fine, thank you.

“Hopefully,” quarterback Carson Palmer said, “we’re playing our best football these next three weeks.”

That won’t be easy, no matter how lethal the offense has been of late. The Bengals travel to Indianapolis (10-3) on Monday to face the suddenly desperate Colts. Cincinnati is +3 on WagerWeb.com.

Then, the Bengals close with the Broncos (7-6) and Steelers (6-7).

“I know I’m a little ahead of myself, but once we get past Indy,” wide receiver Chad Johnson said, “I think we’re kind of home free.”

Of course, Johnson probably had the same feeling when the Bengals opened 3-0, only to lose five of their next six.

But, either way, it’s abundantly clear that in today’s NFL, all you need to do is make the postseason. After that, anything is truly possible. The Super Bowl champion Steelers, after all, were a wild-card team out of this same division last year.

So stay tuned.

JETS JUMPED: The Jets (7-6) spent a good part of last week pronouncing themselves as legitimate contenders in the AFC wild-card race, only to be humbled by Buffalo, 31-13, at home on Sunday.

All is not lost in New York, though. The schedule — as it has been most of the season for first-year Coach Eric Mangini — is favorable down the stretch. The Jets face Minnesota (6-7), Miami (6-7) and Oakland (2-11) to close it out.

So, despite the fact that they’ll need to win out and get some help along the way, the attitude remains positive on Long Island.

“You’re always fighting human nature,” Mangini said at the team’s headquarters in Hempstead, N.Y. “You come off a big win, you fight the human nature of, ‘Everything’s OK, things are good.’ If you come off a big loss, you fight the human nature of, ‘The sky is falling, things are so bad.’ It’s never the case in either of those scenarios.”

He makes a good point, especially considering how much this club has achieved opposed by what it was supposed to achieve.

But the moral-victory stuff needs to wait until the offseason. Whether or not they belong there or were expected to be there, the Jets are still alive and need to be focused solely on that fact.

“We’re,” safety Kerry Rhodes said, “going to keep playing.”

The Jets are 3-point underdogs for their Sunday date at Minnesota on WagerWeb.com.

EXTRA POINTS: Former 49ers and Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson moved one step closer to a return to the NFL, when he left Idaho for Arizona State yesterday. Hey, if he can get a Pac-10 job after leading the Vandals to a 4-8 record, anything can happen right? … Seattle wide receiver Darrell Jackson (turf toe) is unlikely to play Thursday night in the NFL Network game against the 49ers (5-8). The Seahawks (8-5) are -9.5 on WagerWeb.com … The news is worse for Lions running back Kevin Jones, who has a foot fracture that will require surgery and at least six months of recovery time.

Jags Pound The Rock

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

You can doubt their quarterback. You can doubt their head coach and his sideline attire. You can doubt the efficiency of their defense.

But you can’t doubt 375 rushing yards in an NFL game.

“It’s hard for words to describe it. I felt like we had some things that we’d be good at, and we executed well.”

Those understated words are of one Jack Del Rio, who coaches one of the more puzzling teams you’ll find the in the NFL. Enter the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that whacked Indianapolis, 44-17, and handled Dallas, 24-17. Yet it’s the same club that lost to Buffalo and, oh yeah, Houston– twice.

Either way, at 8-5, the Jaguars are alive and well in the AFC postseason race. And by virtue of that rushing fiesta against the Colts at Alltel Stadium on Sunday, they are just two games behind Indianapolis for first place in the AFC South.

“We’re not even concerned about the playoffs right now,” running back Maurice Jones-Drew said. “The only thing we’re concerned with is beating the Titans.”

Who is their next opponent, Sunday in Nashville (monitor the line all week on WagerWeb.com). And chances are, with the way Coach Jeff Fisher has his Titans (6-7) playing, they’ll be ready for these rival, runnin’ Jags.

But will it matter?

“We are heating up right now,” running back Fred Taylor said. “The formula for success late in the season is to be able to run the ball and stop the run, and we are doing that pretty well right now.”

And, as a result, they are able to mask some off those bad losses. Because, when it comes down to it, opponents and critics can talk all they want about the mediocrity of backup quarterback David Garrard. Or the fact that the Jaguars defense seems to take a game off here and there. Or that Del Rio, who has donned a Reebok dress suit twice this season, is a little unorthodox.

The reality of the situation is that Taylor and Jones-Drew form one of the most lethal 1-2 backfield punches in the league. And if you can’t stop the run at this point of the season, you’re not beating the Jaguars.

“We wanted to get to 400 (yards),” Drew said.

Don’t worry Maurice. There’s still three games left.

FEELIN’ IT IN PHILLY: Jeff Garcia has now won back-to-back starts and has kept the Eagles in a three-way tie with the Giants and Falcons for the No. 1 NFC wild-card spot. Left for dead in the NFC East, Philadelphia (7-6) is also now tied with the Giants (7-6) for second place.

And as fate would have it, the Eagles play those Giants at the Meadowlands on Sunday. Monitor the line all week on WagerWeb.com.

“We have to keep working,” Coach Andy Reid said. “That’s the reality of it.”

The other reality is that Garcia, booed at Lincoln Financial Field a week ago, still has something left in the tank. The Eagles’ 21-19 win over Washington was Garcia’s third consecutive victory over the Redskins, in various uniforms, of course.

And, don’t forget, Garcia’s biggest moment in the NFL – San Francisco’s miraculous 39-38 comeback win in the NFC wild-card round in 2003 – came against this week’s opponent.

“We can win in any situation,” Eagles safety and unofficial spokesman Brian Dawkins said. “(But) we definitely need to get better at keeping our foot on people’s throats when we get them down.”

EXTRA POINTS: Bills RB Willis McGahee left Buffalo’s 31-13 win over the Jets on Sunday in the first half with an upset stomach, but in the end, it was the Jets who were sick. McGahee returned and finished with 125 yards and a touchdown. … Bengals QB Carson Palmer now has 12 touchdown passes in his last five games. Four of them, by the way, were wins. …. Comfortably at 10-3, keep an eye out for a Ravens letdown at some point in the final three games. Baltimore closes with three teams not headed for the playoffs: Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.