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      Texas loses running back Jonathan Gray for rest of season

      November 12, 2013 /

      I interviewed Jonathan Gray last year as he accepted the award for the Gatorade High School Player of the Year. He was a great kid and based on his high school career Texas fans had every reason to be excited. He exploded this year in his sophomore season with 790 yards and a 4.9 YPC average. His running helped Mack Brown and Texas salvage a season that looked like a potential disaster.

      Unfortunately, Gray suffered a right Achilles injury that will require surgery and he is lost for the season. Texas also lost defensive tackle Chris Whaley for the season as well. Hopefully both players will recover fully for next season.

      College Football

      Horce racing embraces social media

      November 12, 2013 /

      Race tracks have been facing difficult issues for years. In places like Ohio they’ve had to add slot machines to get people to come. At Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, the Preakness Stakes wasn’t enough to keep that track out of trouble. The state had to get involved to save it. Of course horseracing betting is incredibly popular online and in places like Las Vegas. The huge races like the Kentucky Derby get mobbed with visitors of course as these are huge events in popular culture. But getting visitors to the tracks on a consistent basis for the weekly races is critical to the success of the entire industry. But as pointed out recently at Deadspin.com, the demographics are not too friendly to the industry as the fans are mostly older.

      Fortunately we’re seeing modern marketing efforts coming from the industry as many have embraced social media tools like Twitter. The Kentucky Derby account has over 33,000 followers while the Breeder’s Cup has over 27,000 followers. Even the Preakness Stakes has over 7,000 followers, though they could probably be more active on that account. Also, as pointed out by Deadspin, the industry is signing up brand ambassadors who will use events and social media to reach out to younger people in cities like Miami to spark interest. Of course these representatives are often young, beautiful and female, but that has always been a marketing staple. The point is that they can no longer just count on men in their 20s and 30s to just show up at the track on the weekend. There are too many entertainment and sports options, let alone casinos and online gaming options as well. The good thing is that the product is still very entertaining. Horse races are a blast when you spend the day at the track. The key is conveying that message and finding promotions to get young people in the door for the first time so they have fun and then want to come back.

      horse racing, Odds

      Can Brady Hoke bring Michigan back to elite status?

      November 11, 2013 /

      Brady Hoke SSH

      Should Brady Hoke still get a pass as he tries to undo the damage Rich Rodriguez did to the Michigan program? Or should he be help accountable for the mess we’re still seeing in Ann Arbor?

      Michigan fans are losing patience, though Big Ten fans are also getting frustrated. Sure, as an Ohio State fan, it’s always fun to watch the Buckeyes stomp Michigan, and that has become a regular occurrence in the past 15 years. But the strength of the conference is seriously compromised when Michigan consistently plays like Purdue. Beating Michigan becomes an afterthought as opposed to a quality win that impresses around the country.

      Jason Whitlock is a friend of Hoke’s, and he believes that Hoke will ultimately be successful at Michigan, but he has some harsh words for what’s going on now with the programs.

      Brady Hoke, lost in the riches of Michigan, has momentarily lost who he is.

      Hoke walked on at Ball State. No one wanted him. He turned himself into a starting linebacker on the 1978 Ball State team that finished 10-1. He was the captain of the 1980 squad.

      As coach at Ball State, he didn’t have an office. The school barely supported the football program. He took a bunch of kids few programs wanted, won a dozen games, and produced a crop of players that included three NFL offensive linemen, an NFL tight end, an NFL quarterback, and a receiver who would’ve played in the league if not for a neck injury. At San Diego State, he did the exact same thing, and the Aztecs didn’t even have their own stadium.

      Brady Hoke is an underdog. He has an attitude, a chip. He’s self-made. He always has something to prove. It’s one of the reasons he connects with Tom Brady, a kid Hoke recruited to Michigan, a QB who plays with a massive chip in the NFL.

      For three straight years, Hoke has been a recruiting star, landing high-profile recruits from all across the country, swiping talent from Ohio State and other blue-chip programs. Hoke might get the No. 1 class in 2014.

      He’s five-star struck. On the recruiting trail, he has sacrificed character, grit and maturity for ratings stars. His top recruit in 2013, freshman running back Derrick Green, reported to camp 20 pounds overweight. Green is soft. On Saturday, the 245-pounder dove at the ankles of a blitzing linebacker and whiffed. Green barely plays.

      He goes on to rip other Michigan recruits from the Hoke era along with stars on the team like Taylor Lewan who he accuses of “coasting.” I have no idea whether Whitlock is right here. He may be going too easy on his friend and taking out his frustrations on the players. Would Urban Meyer be having these problems?

      Bob Wojnowski is harsher when evaluating Hoke, blaming the problems at Michigan on “poor coaching.”

      Hoke came to town with some bluster and bravado, refusing to call “Ohio State” by its proper name bu instead just saying “Ohio.” Perhaps he should focus more on fundamentals as opposed to making waves at press conferences. In the end, the losses with drown out everything else.

      College Football

      Best Soccer Games & Apps to Play On-the-Go

      November 11, 2013 /

      ID-10081875 soccer
      Free image courtesy of bulldogza/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

      If you are a soccer fan, you are likely already heavily tuned into your favorite team’s games. However, due to time differences, busy schedules, and sometimes a lack of broadcasting, it can be difficult to see every game live and stay on top of the latest scores and news.

      As a gift to all soccer games enthusiasts, we are writing up 10 popular and useful soccer applications. This way, you can now enjoy your games on the go, play for fun, and keep up with stats. Whether you have an iPhone, Android, Samsung, or iPad, you should be able to get these apps and games on your mobile device easily. Take a look at our top 10 list and never miss another goal!

      1. Sky Sports Live Football Score Center: This application sets Jeff Stelling and his gang right on your pocket, with the by-the minute action from each of the games on Serie A, Premier League, and the Evo-Stick League.

      2. Sun+Goals –free (Needs Subscription): This ESPN application proved to become popular this last season. The speedy access is often achievable on clips of goals at exactly no cost. A subscription of this app is needed with its interesting and fascinating content idea with Alan Shearer and Stan Collymore in Spain.

      3. FourFourTwo Stats Zone: This mainly offers the entire analysis of the Premier League games, from the possession of work rates and passes maps to even the basic shot of the players. It has a pool of meaningful information that further adds fantastic insights on soccer teams, pub trivia and sports betting.

      4. Football Manager Handheld 2013: This portable port and personal computer game has accumulated thousands to millions of hours from the youth. It retains the many compulsive enjoyment to users plus the smooth learning curve and breadth of teams.

      5. New Star Soccer: This is the excellent footy stimulator that enables you to command the career of a player who has to fight the clashing interests of playing the modernized game of sponsor commitments, high-maintenance girlfriends and gambling.

      6. Sky Go (requires a Sky subscription): This is the essential application for any iPhone user or Sky Sports subscriber on iOS that lets you subscribe the game live. The urge of tweeting the # winning is even possible.

      7. Score! Classic Goals (for free): The previous tournaments are spotted, from Dennis Bergkamp’s successful volley to Michael Owen’s mazy goal. Also, this has its better rating system and requires unlocking the next set.

      8. TeamStream (for free): This information and news service from the United States sporting giant, called “The Bleacher Report”, enables you select the most-liked teams. Then, tweeting or scraping stories are possible over the internet.

      9. BBC Sport (for free): This is an official sports application that places all of the recent soccer news. The captivating soap opera is greatly followed with the live commentaries from the renowned journalists of BBC. Once you feel like you’ve covered all the news, latest rumors, and most recent stats, you may want to move over to the mobile games at NordicBet and have your hand at some fun betting.

      10. MatchPint (for free): This application enables you to find the games on television and tells you which of the pubs are shown. This has its multitude of users and a simple interface that serves as an excellent-scorer in your eyes.

      Are you using any of these apps or games now? Which are you favorite and why?

      Soccer

      College Football Week 11, NFL Week 10 Free Picks

      November 9, 2013 /

      LSU vs. Alabama, 8:00PM ET
      This shouldn’t be the typical LSU-Alabama defensive slugfest for four quarters. The Tigers have had communication issues in their defensive backfield all season, which has led to some big plays for the opposition, and their pass rush has been inconsistent as well. On the other side, the Tide’s secondary is thin and the defense as a whole hasn’t looked as dominant as it has in recent years. But perhaps the biggest difference in this year’s matchup compared to recent meetings is that LSU finally has a quarterback capable of making plays down the field. Zach Mettenberger has given the Tigers a true vertical passing game and with that, scoring shouldn’t be an issue in this one.
      FREE PICK: OVER 54.5

      Houston vs. Central Florida, 7:00PM ET
      Despite being 7-0 and 4-0 in conference play, Houston has received no love from oddsmakers. That’s been great for bettors, however, as the Cougars have covered the number in all but one game this season (last week versus South Florida when they won but failed to cover as a 19-point favorite). Houston is 5-0 against the spread in its last five road games and 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a bye week. The Cougars are also 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall, 6-2 ATS in their last eight games in November and 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win. Take the points.
      FREE PICK: HOUSTON +12.5

      Cowboys vs. Saints, 8:30PM ET
      When teams are able to generate pressure from the interior of their defensive line and push the pocket into Drew Brees’ face, he struggles. That’s what happened last week when the Jets shocked the Saints in East Rutherford. That said, the Cowboys don’t employ Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson or Quinton Coples on their defensive line, so Brees and the Saints should have a bounce back game on Sunday night. New Orleans is 20-6 against the spread in its last 26 home games, 5-2 ATS in its last seven games versus NFC opponents and 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games in Week 10. The Saints are simply a different team at home and should win this one by a touchdown-plus.
      FREE PICK: SAINTS -7

      Raiders vs. Giants, 1:00PM ET
      Let’s see, neither of these teams can run the ball with much success and both defenses have been downright brutal this season – smells like an over to me. The Raiders allowed Nick Foles to throw for seven touchdown passes last week and while Eli Manning is in the midst of another down season, he should pick apart Oakland’s ragtag secondary. The over is 4-1 in the Giants’ last five home games and 5-2 in the Raiders’ last seven games in November. This one should sail over.
      FREE PICK: OVER 44

      College Football, NFL

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