In 2008, prior to TheSportsVerdicts inception, I accurately called Big Brown's historic defeat in the Belmont and Curlin's dramatic defeat in the Breeder's Cup. In both cases, making huge scores off small bets.
Dennis of Cork in the Belmont and Raven's Pass along with HenrytheNavigator in the Breeder's Cup my past successes, so here goes for the 135th Derby.
Boxing off Pioneerof the Nile with 2 horses from the UAE, Desert Party and Regal Ransom.
Pioneerof the Nile has been dominate over the past several months and the stable mates from the UAE are my darkhorses. Can't bet favorites and expect to make any money.
Need two of the three to hit the ticket to be a winner.
Also wheeled Desert Party and Regal Ransom with the field in the exacta.
Can I go 3 for 3?
the 'Run for the Roses' goes off Saturday around 6 eastern.
Fight On,
Nate
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The SEC still continues to not dominate college football, or the NFL for that matter
Another NFL draft in the books and here are the cold, hard facts... pop open a Coors Light for reading if you'd like...
Draft picks by conference
ACC 33
Big Ten 28
Big East 27
Big 12 28
Pac 10 32
SEC 37
However, this isn't exactly fair, to make this comparison 'apples to apples' we need to adjust for number of teams in each conference.
players drafted per team in conference
ACC 2.75
Big Ten 2.55
Big East 3.38
Big 12 2.33
Pac 10 3.20
SEC 3.08
so once again, just like the essentially .500 record they posted in non-conference games vs other BCS schools in 2008, the SEC finishes, 3rd, in the middle of the pack, when it comes to players drafted by the NFL.
With the CBS-ESPN financial incentive bias in removed from the equation, the SEC isn't any better, or any worse than any of the other conferences, alas, they are basically the same.
Here comes the shameless USC plug...
for all of the grief my Trojans got for losing to Oregon State...
How many players did the Beavers have drafted this year?
How about 7.
How many teams had more than 7?
One. USC, who had 11
Florida State (1), Miami FL (1), Tennessee (1) [3 of the Gators 'great wins'] and, oh yes, Florida (3) themselves- COMBINED had fewer players drafted (6) than Oregon State ALONE (7).
2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits.... ok ok, that's enough.
whatever Gator fans, enjoy that CBS television contract.
Fight On,
Nate
Draft picks by conference
ACC 33
Big Ten 28
Big East 27
Big 12 28
Pac 10 32
SEC 37
However, this isn't exactly fair, to make this comparison 'apples to apples' we need to adjust for number of teams in each conference.
players drafted per team in conference
ACC 2.75
Big Ten 2.55
Big East 3.38
Big 12 2.33
Pac 10 3.20
SEC 3.08
so once again, just like the essentially .500 record they posted in non-conference games vs other BCS schools in 2008, the SEC finishes, 3rd, in the middle of the pack, when it comes to players drafted by the NFL.
With the CBS-ESPN financial incentive bias in removed from the equation, the SEC isn't any better, or any worse than any of the other conferences, alas, they are basically the same.
Here comes the shameless USC plug...
for all of the grief my Trojans got for losing to Oregon State...
How many players did the Beavers have drafted this year?
How about 7.
How many teams had more than 7?
One. USC, who had 11
Florida State (1), Miami FL (1), Tennessee (1) [3 of the Gators 'great wins'] and, oh yes, Florida (3) themselves- COMBINED had fewer players drafted (6) than Oregon State ALONE (7).
2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits.... ok ok, that's enough.
whatever Gator fans, enjoy that CBS television contract.
Fight On,
Nate
a few thoughts...
TSV has a few thoughts about several sporting happenings over the last few days, here goes..
funny to me how Mel Kiper Jr gives the Dolphins a C- draft grade. First, if Kiper is that good, why hasn't a NFL team out-bid ESPN for his services? Certainly many NFL teams can out pay ESPN, especially given all that is on the line on draft day, Super Bowls are won on draft day. Second, who has a better record, Kiper or Bill Parcells? Third, the Dolphins, by all accounts needed to improve at CB and WR, and those are the 2 spots they directly addressed.
A minor miracle people didn't die at Talledega on Sunday, if that car had gotten just a little bit more airborne, there could have been massive carnage in the stands. Fix this now NASCAR, or get ready to be bankrupted by the mother of all lawsuits next time when dumb luck isn't on your side.
The Raiders and Al Davis have become almost XFL like, because they clearly are no longer run at an NFL level.
Sorry to my 'SC buddies from Nor Cal, but the Sharks sucked it up bigtime against the Ducks, the offensive juggernaut got shutdown and shipped out in round one. Enjoy that President's Trophy.
The Hornets lay down tonight in game 4 is historic, a 58 point PLAYOFF HOME loss, unreal.
Does anyone really think anything can prevent a Cavs/Lakers NBA Finals? Houston? Orlando? Boston sans Garnett? No Way, can we use the fast forward button on this one?
If you didn't see Alexander Ovechkin's goal in game 5 vs the Rangers, YouTube it. Awesome.
Fight On,
Nate
funny to me how Mel Kiper Jr gives the Dolphins a C- draft grade. First, if Kiper is that good, why hasn't a NFL team out-bid ESPN for his services? Certainly many NFL teams can out pay ESPN, especially given all that is on the line on draft day, Super Bowls are won on draft day. Second, who has a better record, Kiper or Bill Parcells? Third, the Dolphins, by all accounts needed to improve at CB and WR, and those are the 2 spots they directly addressed.
A minor miracle people didn't die at Talledega on Sunday, if that car had gotten just a little bit more airborne, there could have been massive carnage in the stands. Fix this now NASCAR, or get ready to be bankrupted by the mother of all lawsuits next time when dumb luck isn't on your side.
The Raiders and Al Davis have become almost XFL like, because they clearly are no longer run at an NFL level.
Sorry to my 'SC buddies from Nor Cal, but the Sharks sucked it up bigtime against the Ducks, the offensive juggernaut got shutdown and shipped out in round one. Enjoy that President's Trophy.
The Hornets lay down tonight in game 4 is historic, a 58 point PLAYOFF HOME loss, unreal.
Does anyone really think anything can prevent a Cavs/Lakers NBA Finals? Houston? Orlando? Boston sans Garnett? No Way, can we use the fast forward button on this one?
If you didn't see Alexander Ovechkin's goal in game 5 vs the Rangers, YouTube it. Awesome.
Fight On,
Nate
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
After a painful season, finally...
A most disappointing NHL regular season for TheSportsVerdict, hopes were high for my TB Lightning. ESPN Analyst Barry Melrose was brought in by new ownership to be head coach.
Rookie Steven Stamkos was the next Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr (take your pick). High profile free agents jumped on the bandwagon.
That experiment failed miserably and Melrose, along with his mullet, were canned after only 16 games.
The 'Ning were out of playoff contention by New Years.
Regardless, the arrival of the NHL playoffs brings a smile to my face.
No other sport goes from barely watchable to captivating the way the NHL does when the bell rings for the playoffs.
Watched the Blues/Canucks game tonight. 2 teams I hadn't watched play all year, and enjoyed every minute of the contest. Great intensity, physical play and great goaltending on both sides.
Early season baseball cannot compete with the intensity of frozen pond playoffs.
The next 2 months will be great.
Hope you have Versus in HD.
Fight On,
Nate
Rookie Steven Stamkos was the next Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr (take your pick). High profile free agents jumped on the bandwagon.
That experiment failed miserably and Melrose, along with his mullet, were canned after only 16 games.
The 'Ning were out of playoff contention by New Years.
Regardless, the arrival of the NHL playoffs brings a smile to my face.
No other sport goes from barely watchable to captivating the way the NHL does when the bell rings for the playoffs.
Watched the Blues/Canucks game tonight. 2 teams I hadn't watched play all year, and enjoyed every minute of the contest. Great intensity, physical play and great goaltending on both sides.
Early season baseball cannot compete with the intensity of frozen pond playoffs.
The next 2 months will be great.
Hope you have Versus in HD.
Fight On,
Nate
Monday, April 13, 2009
Anyone Home?
okay, so TheSportsVerdict took an extended vacation... well, not really, in fact, exactly the opposite.
since the closing of 'The Clubhouse,' TheSportsVerdict's "Day Job," things have been a little tough in the 'ole neighborhood. Hours much longer, and much less predictable.
Gone are TSV's 45 hour work weeks, replaced by 70 hour work weeks. Sadly, less time to scour YouTube for money sports highlights.
While I was out...
UNC rolled through the NCAA basketball tournament to an easy National Championship. By far the least interesting 'Big Dance' of this millennium. Only 2 or 3 moderately close game in the final two weekends, and only one among the final eight teams... snooze button please.
Sunday at the Masters was the most interesting day of golf this millennium, 180 degrees from the hoops tourney... Tiger and Lefty, at least for the first 15 holes, put on a ridiculous display of talent, guts, and clutch play. Just when it looked like Phil was going to make an awesome run, he hit into the drink, and then just when it looked, again, like he was going to make an awesome run, he felded a put from 5 feet... Phil being Phil...
And of course, for my Trojan TSV fans... we now have to consider, and I mean this in total seriousness, that TRUE FRESHMAN Matt Brakley is at least a 50/50 shot to win the STARTING QB job this fall. By all accounts, Mitch Mustain is a distant third behind MB and Aaron Corp.
I could end up looking like a total clown for this comment, but I will go out on the limb now and say, in a few years SC fans will say that a freshman Carson Palmer was a 'Poor Man's' Matt Barkley.
Fight On,
Nate
since the closing of 'The Clubhouse,' TheSportsVerdict's "Day Job," things have been a little tough in the 'ole neighborhood. Hours much longer, and much less predictable.
Gone are TSV's 45 hour work weeks, replaced by 70 hour work weeks. Sadly, less time to scour YouTube for money sports highlights.
While I was out...
UNC rolled through the NCAA basketball tournament to an easy National Championship. By far the least interesting 'Big Dance' of this millennium. Only 2 or 3 moderately close game in the final two weekends, and only one among the final eight teams... snooze button please.
Sunday at the Masters was the most interesting day of golf this millennium, 180 degrees from the hoops tourney... Tiger and Lefty, at least for the first 15 holes, put on a ridiculous display of talent, guts, and clutch play. Just when it looked like Phil was going to make an awesome run, he hit into the drink, and then just when it looked, again, like he was going to make an awesome run, he felded a put from 5 feet... Phil being Phil...
And of course, for my Trojan TSV fans... we now have to consider, and I mean this in total seriousness, that TRUE FRESHMAN Matt Brakley is at least a 50/50 shot to win the STARTING QB job this fall. By all accounts, Mitch Mustain is a distant third behind MB and Aaron Corp.
I could end up looking like a total clown for this comment, but I will go out on the limb now and say, in a few years SC fans will say that a freshman Carson Palmer was a 'Poor Man's' Matt Barkley.
Fight On,
Nate
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Are you smarter than Vince Young?
3 correct answers and you are!
Need to get all 20 right just to tie Ryan Fitzpatrick,
YOU are on the clock, and you have 12 minutes!
don't choke!
http://walterfootball.com/draftwonderlic.php
Need to get all 20 right just to tie Ryan Fitzpatrick,
YOU are on the clock, and you have 12 minutes!
don't choke!
http://walterfootball.com/draftwonderlic.php
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wow!
Since 1961, the Cuban National Baseball team has entered 51 international baseball tournaments (including the 2009 WBC).
42 out of the 51 tournaments have ended with Cuba as champion... of the 9 times Cuba did not win, they finished as runner-up 8 times.
With tonight's 5-0 defeat at the hands of Japan, the 2009 WBC will mark the first time that Cuba did not finish either first or second in an international competition in more than 45 years!!
Dominance of this sort hasn't been sustained for such a long period of time by any nation in any sport.
Despite their loss tonight, the world needs to recognize the dominance of Cuban baseball over the past half century.
Nothing compares.
42 out of the 51 tournaments have ended with Cuba as champion... of the 9 times Cuba did not win, they finished as runner-up 8 times.
With tonight's 5-0 defeat at the hands of Japan, the 2009 WBC will mark the first time that Cuba did not finish either first or second in an international competition in more than 45 years!!
Dominance of this sort hasn't been sustained for such a long period of time by any nation in any sport.
Despite their loss tonight, the world needs to recognize the dominance of Cuban baseball over the past half century.
Nothing compares.
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