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Barlow’s Baggage

By Tim Sullivan

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Contributing Writer

They both grew up in the football-frenzied town of Pittsburgh. They both decided to stay home, and attend the University of Pittsburgh. They both orchestrated tremendous college careers which, in turn, led to
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NFL careers. And now, thanks to a trade last week, they’re both on the Jets.

But make no mistake. That’s where the similarities end between Curtis Martin and Kevan Barlow.

Either way, Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum and Coach Eric Mangini threw caution to the wind by agreeing to ship a fourth-round pick to San Francisco for the combustible Barlow, who will attempt to take the place of Martin, a likely Hall of Famer whose career is in jeopardy with a right knee injury.

But Martin — a five-time Pro Bowler who has 10 1,000-yard seasons — is so much more than statistics to the Jets. He is a team leader, a fan favorite, a media darling, and maybe more important than anything, he’s not a troublemaker.

Barlow is.

“I’m a great guy,” Barlow promised the New York media this week. “A character guy.”

And then, of course, he went out and bashed 49ers coach Mike Nolan, comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

Now — as is the routine in the NFL when players cross the line with quotes — an apology soon followed.

“If I could take it back, I would,” he said. “I’m a passionate player, I’m an emotional guy when it comes to on the field and off the field. Sometimes it gets the best of us. I put it behind me, and I’m glad to be a Jet.”

Eventually, his teammates may be glad, as well. Especially if Barlow breaks out early for the rebuilding Jets, who have a hill to climb in order to surpass their WagerWeb.com season total of six wins.

In the interim, though, Tannenbaum and Mangini saw just a glimpse of Barlow’s baggage. And there’s a lot of it.

Where to begin. Well, there’s the seemingly never-ending feud with his former blocking back, Fred Beasley. Then, there were the disagreements with his first coach, Steve Mariucci, and then his second coach, Dennis Erickson.

Through it all, the Jets (+$1000 to win the AFC East; +$4500 to win the AFC; and +$9000 to win the Super Bowl on WagerWeb.com) are saying the right things about this former third rounder who has just one 1,000-yard season in his five NFL years. Of course, with Martin, 33, on the Physically Unable to Perform List, they didn’t have much of a choice but to acquire Barlow, 27.

“With everybody we bring in, we do a lot of research on background,” Mangini said. “We talk to other people that worked with them, whether they be coaches, players, front office. When we brought Bryan Cox here, there was a lot of talk about the problems he had had. I can tell you he was one of best guys I ever worked with.”

Who knows, with a young, hungry offensive line in front of him, perhaps Barlow can put up Martinesque numbers for the Jets, who have a last-place schedule in front of them.

Then again, he could lose his job to relative unknowns Derrick Blaylock, Cedric Houston or Leon Washington.

“I bleed green and white now,” Barlow said. “And I’m happy I’m here.”

Nolan is too.

ROD LIKES MIKE: Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan, of course, will have the final say when it comes to determining his No. 1 running back. Shanahan, after all, has given that label to Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson and Reuben Droughns in the past, so he has a tad of experience in that area.

But just in case he needs a little guidance, he can turn to veteran wide receiver Rod Smith. The three-time Pro Bowler has a soft spot in his heart for Mike Bell, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Arizona.

“I’m partial to the undrafted guys,” said Smith, an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Southern in 1995. “But he’s running hard. And with the offensive line we have here, he’s capable of having success.”

Shanahan agrees. After all, he has temporarily placed Bell at the top of the depth chart in front of veterans Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne.

“He plays pretty consistently,” Shanahan said.

THE HEFTY LEFTY: You can excuse Jared Lorenzen if he’s sick of being viewed as a circus act. Sure, when you’re a bruising 6-foot-4, 285-pound, left-handed quarterback, it kind of comes with the territory.

But when you’re trying to make an NFL roster, enough is enough.

“I’m used to it,” said the former Kentucky Wildcat who is trying to become the Giants’ No. 2 QB behind Eli Manning. “But I just want to be able to do whatever I’ve got to do to be known as just the quarterback, instead of the big quarterback.”

He’s on his way. Lorenzen, who threw for 10,354 yards and 78 touchdowns in college, has played in all three preseason games, and on Friday, against the Jets, he replaced Manning.

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NFL Team Preview: Chargers

By Mike Brody

WagerWeb

Contributing Writer

The San Diego Chargers had the most talent of any non-playoff team last season. Their frustrating season was marked by inconsistency. A demoralizing loss to Miami at home in Week 14 and back-to-back losses to division rivals Kansas City and Denver sealed San Diego’s fate a year ago. Now, the Chargers look to rebound with a new quarterback at the helm and a suspect defense.

The biggest decision San Diego made this offseason was to let Pro Bowl QB Drew Brees go to New Orleans as a free agent. That leaves third-year pro Philip Rivers in charge of the offense. Rivers has thrown a total of 30 NF> passes in two seasons, completing 17 of them. Despite his lack of experience, Rivers has been groomed for this job, and he and his teammates are confident the potent San Diego offense won’t miss a beat with the former North Carolina State star directing it.

“He’s been throwing strikes all camp,” RB LaDainian Tomlinson said. “Not only has he been throwing hard, but he’s been accurate and making perfect reads. He feels defenses very well.” WR Keenan McCardell has also noticed Rivers’ passing prowess. “He’s very accurate. He shocked me with how accurate he is.”

Key Additions: DB Marlon McCree, TE Aaron Shea, CB Antonio Cromartie (rookie), OT Marcus McNeill (rookie), QB Charlie Whitehurst.

Key Subtractions: LBs Donnie Edwards and Ben Leber, QB Brees, WR Reche Caldwell, TE Justin Peelle, C Bob Hallen.

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Sportsbook Odds>: The Chargers have a much easier schedule than last season. As long as Rivers keeps performing well, San Diego will be in the playoff hunt and has a good shot of winning the AFC West.

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has San Diego as $+250 to win the AFC West, +$1000 to win the AFC championship and XXX to win Super Bowl XLI.

Player to Watch: Rivers has plenty of weapons around him to be a successful NFL quarterback. Tomlinson is arguably the best running back in the league. Antonio Gates is the unquestioned best tight end in the league. McCardell is a great possession receiver, and Eric Parker, Vincent Jackson and Kassim Osgood will round out a decent receiving corps. If the Chargers’ solid offensive line can give Rivers some time and LT continues to tear it up on the ground, San Diego will be better than last season.

Outlook: Rivers should be able to get off to a good start and gain more confidence as San Diego opens the season against two of the worst defenses in the league, Oakland and Tennessee. The Chargers’ offense won’t be the problem, however. Their defense, which ranked 30th against the pass last season, hasn’t improved much. If Cromartie can shake off the injury-prone tag he acquired in college, and Quentin Jammer continues to improve, San Diego should be able to outscore most of its opponents and get back to the playoffs.

Horses to Watch

Compiled by handicapper racing writer Greg Melikov, who won six races, finished second five times and ran third once since Aug. 4.

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ARLINGTON PARK
Golden Glen: Raced four wide 3 ½ lengths behind in fifth after a half-mile, rallied in stretch to make up more than 2 ½ lengths and lost by a neck at a mile on Aug. 18; ran final quarter in 24 3/5.
Polly the Dolly: Exchanged bumps at break, dropped back to last, trailed by more than eight lengths after a half-mile, rallied in stretch from fifth to make up more than four lengths and lost by a length at 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 13.
Whitetail Dove: Raced third early, dropped back to fourth 1 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, checked repeatedly in traffic before angling out for drive and gained second by 1 ¼ lengths at seven furlongs on Aug. 4.
Nan Ann Rocks: Raced seven lengths behind in seventh after a half-mile, angled out for drive, rallied from fourth to make up more than 4 ¼ lengths in stretch and lost by a head at 1 1/8 miles on July 27.
Dollar for Dollar: Raced 5 ½ lengths behind in sixth after a half-mile, rallied to make up more than two lengths in stretch and lost by a neck at 1 1/8 miles on July 23. (Raced fourth more than 2 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, rallied late in stretch to make up more than 2 ½ lengths and lost by a half-length at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 11.)
Renee’s Regent: Raced fourth more than 2 ½ lengths behind after three-eighths of a mile, rallied to second in stretch, bothered by pacesetter and finished third beaten by two necks, but was advanced to second via disqualification at five furlongs on a yielding turf course July 14. (Raced two lengths behind in third after three-eighths of a mile, rallied along the rail to second in stretch and took command by a neck in the final strides at five furlongs on a soft turf course Aug. 4.)
Killing M Softly: Raced seventh more than 4 ½ lengths after a half-mile, angled out for drive, rallied from sixth to second making up more than two lengths and lost by a neck at 1 1/8 miles on a good turf course July 5. (Raced along inside more than 4 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, rallied up rail in stretch to second and won by a nose at about a mile on the turf Aug. 9; returned $29.20 on the front end and $7 for place.)

CALDER
Lilredwagon: Raced sixth early, steadied on first turn to avoid running up on third-place finisher, advanced to third four lengths behind after a half-mile, dropped back to fourth after six furlongs, angled outside leaders on far turn, made up 1 ¾ lengths in stretch and lost by three-quarters of a length at a mile and 70 yards on Aug. 20.
Ashlee the Great: Stumbled at start, raced fifth more than two lengths behind after a half-mile, angled outside leaders, losing ground entering stretch, made up more than three lengths and lost by a head at 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 12.
Kipper’s Song: Broke next to last, advanced from 11th to sixth early, steadied in traffic down backstretch, inched up to fifth more 4 ½ lengths behind after three-eighths of a mile and rallied from fourth in stretch to gain second by two lengths at 5 ½ furlongs on July 23. (Raced more than six lengths behind in eighth after a half-mile, closed well on outside to make up five lengths and lost by a half-length at 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 18.)
Causeway to Heaven: Raced ninth more than 4 ½ lengths after a half-mile, steadied in heavy traffic on far turn, angled out for drive, rallied from fifth to make up more than two lengths in stretch and lost by a half-length at 1 1/16 miles on a good turf course July 16.
G City Gal: Tracked pace in third early, advanced to second, challenged for lead after a half-mile, impeded at eighth and sixteenth poles by second-place finisher, ran third, but was advanced to second upon disqualification at six furlongs on July 15.

DELAWARE PARK
Rutland: Raced six lengths behind in seventh after a half-mile, advanced to third entering stretch, rider lost whip at sixteenth pole and finished a head back at six furlongs on Aug. 14.
Durajazz: Raced 6 ½ lengths behind in fifth after a half-mile, rallied in stretch from fourth to make up 3 ½ lengths and lost by a length at six furlongs on a sealed good track July 15.

DEL MAR
Run to the Border: Raced sixth more than 7 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, went three wide on far turn, surged between rivals late in stretch, made up four lengths and lost by two heads at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Aug. 6.
Midnight Lute: Bobbled at break, dropped back to ninth off rail early, inched up to eighth more than 4 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, moved up outside on turn six wide for drive, closed willingly in stretch to make up more than two lengths and lost by a half-length at six furlongs on July 28. (Pressed pace in third through turn, took lead by a half-length in stretch and drew off by 3 ½ lengths under some urging at seven furlongs on Aug. 20.)
Record: Steadied at start, trailed early, inched up to eighth more than 7 ½ lengths after a half-mile, moved up on turn, came out for drive, steadied off heels of rival in upper stretch, rallied between foes from fifth to make up 4 ¼ lengths and lost by a neck and 1 ¼ lengths at 6 ½ furlongs on July 27.
Fanatical: Bumped at start, steadied, raced eighth more than nine lengths behind after a half-mile, steadied off heels of rival, swung out four wide for drive, rallied from fifth to make up 2 ¾ lengths in stretch and finished a game second beaten 2 ¼ lengths at six furlongs July 23.

LAUREL
Ode d’Punch: Chased pace early in eighth, shuffled back between rivals on first turn to ninth, raced more than 10 lengths behind after a half-mile, angled out six wide for drive, closed fast from fourth in stretch, made up nearly 3 ½ lengths in stretch and lost by a head at a mile on July 23 at Delaware Park. (Raced seventh more than 5 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, swung very wide in upper stretch, gained lead by a head in mid-stretch and drew off by 3 ¾ lengths at seven furlongs on Aug. 17.)

LOUISIANA DOWNS
J C Engineer: Bothered slightly early, raced 4 ½ lengths behind in sixth after a half-mile, rallied outside to third entering stretch, made up more than 1 ¾ lengths while being carried out late by winner and lost by three-quarters of a length at a mile and 70 yards on Aug. 17.
Vision of Speed: Raced eighth early, dropped back to ninth more than 10 lengths behind after a half-mile, steadied in tight quarters entering far turn, advanced, fanned five wide from eighth to fourth for drive, made up more than 1 ½ lengths in stretch and gained second by 1 ¾ lengths at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Aug. 11.
Gran Punch: Off slow in last, moved up early behind leaders to fourth, raced 3 ½ lengths behind in third after three-eighths of a mile, angled out slightly looking for room in mid-stretch, bumped with third-place finisher, made up 1 ½ lengths and lost by a half-length at 5 ½ furlongs on July 28. (Tracked pace in fourth more than 2 ½ lengths behind after three-eighths of a mile, advanced outside to third in stretch and won by a half-length at 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 13)
Cajun Hot Sauce: Chased pace in third more than 2 ½ lengths back after a half-mile, began advancing on two leaders on turn, steadied, moved out for drive, carried farther out by winner in stretch, resumed rally nearing wire and lost by a neck at seven furlongs on July 16.
Thornhill: Raced more than seven lengths behind in ninth after a half-mile, rallied five wide on far turn, finished full of run to make up more than seven lengths in stretch and gained second at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf July 2. (Raced eighth more than 7 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, angled to far outside for drive, rallied from seventh in stretch to make up three lengths and lost by 1 ½ lengths at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf Aug. 13.)

MONMOUTH
Briefcase Beauty: Raced sixth early, advanced to fourth 4 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, steadied looking for room entering stretch, clipped heels of third-place finisher nearly unseating rider and recovered quickly to gamely take second by three-quarters of a length at six furlongs on July 20. (Trailed early, inched up to sixth 5 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, eased out some in stretch, made up 2 ¾ lengths and lost by 1 ¼ lengths at six furlongs on Aug. 18.)
Extra Bend: Raced 11 lengths behind in fifth after a half-mile, launched drive near quarter pole angling four wide, came inside to avoid winner drifting out in stretch, made up nearly 4 ½ lengths and lost by a neck at a mile on the turf four ticks off track record July 9; zipped final quarter in 23 4/5. (Demolished at break, severely pinched back, spotted field several lengths, trailed by more than seven lengths after a half-mile, waited patiently at top of stretch, closed steadily four wide and lost by two noses at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Aug. 6.)
Pulpit Talk: Raced third early, dropped back to fourth more than a half-length behind after a half-mile, lost ground to fifth angling five wide near the quarter pole, dueled though stretch and lost by a neck at 1 1/16 miles on the turf July 1.

PHILADELPHIA PARK
Parado: Stumbled at start, raced fifth more than 6 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, split rivals in stretch, made up nearly three lengths and was nosed out at 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 13.
Soldier’s Promise: Pressed pace in third about a length behind after a half-mile, steadied repeatedly in traffic through much of far turn, forced to wait for room after failing to slip through inside winner near quarter pole, eased off rail at head of the stretch, came again in deep stretch and lost by a neck at a mile on Aug. 6.
For Fun: Stumbled badly at start, raced fourth more than 1 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, lacked room from midway on turn to mid-stretch, angled inside during brutal trip and gained second by a neck at 6 ½ furlongs on July 30. (Quickly sprinted clear, led by seven lengths after a half-mile, caught in stretch, but held second by five lengths at seven furlongs on Aug. 12.)
Letters: Raced eighth lengths behind in sixth after a half-mile, closed well from fourth into the lane, made up 4 ½ lengths and lost by a half-length at six furlongs on July 27; ran final quarter in 24 2/5. (Trailed early, advanced to sixth more than five lengths behind after a half-mile, circled field on turn and finished strongly to win by a length going away at six furlongs on Aug. 8.)
Red Magic: Chased pace four lengths behind in sixth after a half-mile, blocked repeatedly on far turn, angled wide for drive, finished strongly to make up nearly two lengths in stretch and gained third by a head, beaten only 1 ¾ lengths at a mile and 70 yards on a good turf course July 8.

RETAMA PARK
Molly’s Gem: Broke last, jostled after start, raced seventh more than three lengths behind after a half-mile, raced three wide on turn losing ground, angled in near furlong marker, finished fast rallying from fourth in stretch to make up 3 ¾ lengths and lost by three-quarters of a length at six furlongs on Aug. 19.
Bullet Crane: Broke next to last from outside post, trailed by more than 6 ½ lengths after a half-mile, lacked room entering stretch, rallied outside to make up more than two lengths and gained second by 1 ½ lengths at 7 ½ on the turf Aug. 18.
Prospector Mattie: Leaned out at start, brushed with rival, raced third early, dropped back to fourth after a half-mile, waited while saving ground on turn, rallied from third near the eighth pole, closed willingly and lost by a neck at 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 17.
Expectant Diva: Trailed by more than 6 ½ lengths after a half-mile, swung out at top of the stretch, rallied from fourth to make up more than 2 ¾ lengths and gained second by a neck at six furlongs on Aug. 12; ran the final quarter in 24 2/5.

SARATOGA
Cat’s a Rockin: Broke from outside post, raced eighth more than 10 lengths behind after a half-mile, launched bid three wide entering stretch, made up more than five lengths and lost by a length at seven furlongs on Aug. 12; ran final three furlongs in 36 4/5.
Imperial Reign: Raced fifth in second tier more than 5 ½ lengths behind after a quarter-mile, boxed in from three-eighths of a mile into stretch, looked for room, split rivals in fourth at three-sixteenths pole and gained second by 1 ¼ lengths at 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 10.
Keen Lassie: Raced sixth more than 6 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, swung out five wide at quarter pole, finished strongly to make up more than 2 ¼ lengths in stretch and lost by two necks at a mile on the turf Aug. 6.
Solewisher: Broke ninth awkwardly from outside post, stalked two leaders three wide in third four lengths behind after a half-mile, dropped back to fourth on turn, launched rally outside in upper stretch, battled heads apart outside winner in deep stretch and lost by a neck at 1 1/16 miles on the turf July 27.
Desire to Excel: Stumbled badly at break, raced sixth early, moved up to third within two lengths of leaders after a half-mile, encountered heavy traffic on turn, swung out four wide for drive, drew even with winner in upper stretch, couldn’t keep up, but prevailed in second by 7 ¼ lengths at six furlongs on July 26.

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A Tale of Two Cities

By Jonathan Wachs

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Contributing Writer

“Realistically, I think it’s a stretch to think that we’re going to be there in ’07. I think probably right now, it’s going to take longer than that.” — Phillies GM Pat Gillick after the Bobby Abreu trade.

“Our goal is to put ourselves in a position to win 95-plus games and make the playoffs every single year. That’s always been our goal for this year and for next year and for the year after that. We still have a chance to do it.” — Red Sox GM Theo Epstein after the Yankees’ five-game sweep of Boston this weekend.

Clearly, one general manager was greatly underrating his team while the other is overrating his.

The Abreu trade has had a major impact on both the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies, as it sent them heading in opposite directions. Abreu is turning out to be the most impactful trade deadline acquisition (although Greg Maddux for the Dodgers is pretty close). What was seemingly an even race between two flawed teams in the AL East is now in danger of turning into a Yankee route.

Abreu drove in the winning run in the fifth game of the Yankees’ sweep of the Red Sox. Abreu finished the series with 10 hits in 20 at-bats. He drew seven walks, scored five runs, knocked in three runs and hit four doubles. In 21 games with the Yankees, Abreu has hit .395. His presence in the New York lineup has made the Yankees almost impossible to pitch to. Their lineup is now filled with players who know how to work the count and make a pitcher work. While it remains to be seen if they have the pitching to compete with some of the other AL playoff teams, it is clear that the Red Sox are now just pretenders.

As Curt Schilling said after the sweep, “What weaknesses weren’t exposed?” The Red Sox have had some bad luck with injuries to Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon and Tim Wakefield coming at the worst time. Some of the key acquisitions the club made in the offseason have yet to play up to expectations, including Josh Beckett and Coco Crisp. Beckett, in particular, has struggled more than anybody would have expected. The bullpen has been a disaster with even Jonathan Papelbon struggling of late. The pen gave up 46 runs in 38 1/3 innings vs. the Yankees this weekend.

The Red Sox’s schedule does not generate optimism. They are just starting a nine-game road trip vs. the AL West, and their road record is 30-32 after dropping Tuesday’s opener in Anaheim. Series vs. the White Sox and Twins still remain as does a visit to the Bronx. Sorry, Theo, it just isn’t your year.

A strange thing is happening in Philadelphia. Even though it appears the Phillies were positively fleeced by the Yankees, they have played their best ball of the season, making Gillick’s concession speech seem woefully premature. In fact, the Phils are 13-7 since the trade and have actually turned into buyers, having obtained veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer last week.

Jon Lieber, whom the Phillies tried to dump at the trade deadline, has posted a 1.76 ERA in his past four starts. Cole Hamels is 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA in August and is looking like the ace many projected him to be. The offense has been producing, and with a September schedule that contains only one team with a winning record, the previously underachieving Phillies may actually steal the wild card despite Aaron Rowand’s injury.

How is it possible that a team that gave up a player capable of having the impact Abreu is having with the Yankees is playing better without him? The Phillies are a team that needed to change the mix. Once they got rid of Abreu, they firmly entered the Ryan Howard/Chase Utley era, which allowed them to turn the page on their past and move forward with a fresh start. This is actually similar to what has happened to the Mets, who were energized this year when they officially converted from the Mike Piazza era to the David Wright/Jose Reyes era.

There is little reason to believe the Red Sox and Phillies won’t continue on the same paths they are on now. Look to bet the Phillies, particularly when Hamels is on the mound, and look for opportunities to bet against the Red Sox when they face good hitting teams on the road and have anyone not named Schilling on the mound.

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Grand Prix to Return to Indy

By Sean Toth

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Contributing Writer

Indianapolis Motor Speedway recently announced that it signed a one-year contract extension with Formula One to again host the U.S. Grand Prix in 2007.

Tony George, IMS CEO, signed the contract with top Grand Prix officials on Aug. 15.

A one-year deal was signed because the sport’s organizational structure, known as the Concorde Agreement, is good only through next year. No definitive date for the 2007 U.S. Grand Prix has been announced, but IMS officials said they are shooting for early-to-mid June. The date will be decided upon when the F1 sanctioning body approves next year’s schedule.

Although the contract was for only one year, George said that he hopes to have a long-term commitment to F1 racing.

This year’s Grand Prix was very controversial when 14 of the 20 drivers pulled their cars off the track before the start because of concerns over Michelin’s tires. Only six cars, all with Bridgestone tires, completed the race. The incident made the relationship between the IMS and USGP uncertain, and that is said to be another factor in the short-term contract. Michelin helped the situation by purchasing 20,000 tickets to fans that renewed their orders. But Michelin will not be participating in next year’s F1 events.

A plan for purchasing tickets will be announced to the public next week.

“It seemed appropriate to see how things shake out and see what the lay of the land is,” George said of F1’s instability. “There are too many unanswered questions to commit any longer than that.”

Of the three major events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (The Indy 500, Grand Prix and the Brickyard 400) the F1 race is thought to be the most financially beneficial for the area because a higher percentage of the race attendees are from out of town, giving more of a demand for businesses such as hotels and restaurants. And the teams and sponsors have larger financial backing than the other two races. This year’s race had an approximate attendance of 100,000 people.

No other details, including how much the Speedway will pay F1, were revealed.

I’ll keep you up to date on any more relevant information concerning this event and situation when it’s released!

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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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