Archive for year 2011
Week 10 NFL Picks
At San Diego -7 Oakland
The Chargers have lost three in a row, and when they do win games, they don’t win by a wide margin. In four wins this year, San Diego’s average margin of victory is 6.25. That includes a 10 point win over the lowly Dolphins. This isn’t a team that blows people out. The Raiders and the Chiefs are also 4-4, so this division is up for grabs. Carson Palmer has looked decent for the Raiders, but he’s also thrown six picks in his six quarters as the starting QB in Oakland. McFadden is out for Oakland, Matthews is back for San Diego. The Broncos rushed for almost 300 yards against Oakland on Sunday.
Pick: Chargers -7
Pittsburgh -3 At Cincinnati
Tough loss last week for the Steelers, but the Ravens got it done. They swept the regular season series and pushed the Steelers into third place in the division. The Ravens own the tie-breaker should Baltimore and Pittsburgh finish with the same record, but Baltimore currently shares first place with the Bengals. The Bengals play four division games in a row over the next four weeks, including two games against Pittsburgh. We’re about to find out if Cincy’s feel good story is for real. I think the Bengals are a legit team, but I like the Steelers here. They’re coming off a tough loss and they can’t afford a two-game slide, not in this division. But the Steelers are going to have a hard time running the ball against a Bengals team that’s allowed only 84.5 rushing yards per game. Big Ben will need to connect with his young wideouts often and avoid throwing those game-changing interceptions that he likes to toss from time to time.
Pick: Steelers -3
At Kansas City -3 Denver
After riding high on a four game winning streak, the Chiefs got dismantled by a winless team last week. The Dolphins sacked Cassel five times and didn’t let a single Chief cross the goal line. Denver ran all over Oakland, with Willis McGahee leading the way with 163 yards and two scores. Tebow threw two TDs and added 118 yards on the ground. He actually had a respectable passer rating, too (98.1). As soon as you think the Broncos are out of it, they find a way to win some games. But I think the Dolphins loss is going to wake up KC. They win at home.
Pick: Chiefs -3
Jacksonville -3 At Indianapolis
Someone’s gotta win this unwatchable game. The Jags score a league-worst 12.2 points per game, but MJD loves running against the Colts. He should be in line for a big game against the 31st ranked defense against the run.
Pick: Jags -3
At Dallas -5.5 Buffalo
I like what the Cowboys are doing. The defense palys hard, they’re getting all kinds of production out of dynamic workhorse DeMarco Murray and Tony Romo’s putting together a pretty decent year. Even with Miles Austin out, Romo’s going to turn in another strong effort. The Bills disappeared in the 3rd quarter of last week’s game against the Jets. A home win feels right here.
Pick: Cowboys -5.5
Houston -3 At Tampa Bay
The Texans are putting on a clinic on how to run the rock in this league. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Foster or Tate behind that line, Houston can run the rock on anyone. It’s like this team doesn’t even miss Andre Johnson. With an improved D and unstoppable ground game, the Texans should take out the Bucs in Tampa Bay.
Pick: Texans -3
At Carolina -3 Tennessee
The Titans look terrible lately. When they’re down, they’re really down and even when they’re up, they find a way to blow leads. Chris Johnson showed some spark last week, and he should have an opportunity to put up big numbers against the Panthers, but something tells me it won’t be enough. Carolina only has two wins, but they sure can move the ball. After a hot start, Tennesee’s D looked pretty strong, but as the competition grew stiffer, this defensive unit started moving back toward the middle of the pack. Carolina has more firepower no matter what CJ2K does.
Pick: Panthers -3
At Miami -3.5 Washington
The Fins won a game! Now they get a team that’s averaging less than 13 points over its last six games. Miami’s gotten solid production out of Reggie Bush for two straight weeks. I don’t think Washington’s going to dink and dunk their way to a road win here.
Pick: Dolphins -3.5
At Atlanta PK New Orleans
Drew Brees vs. Atlanta’s secondary? I don’t care where this game is being played, I like that matchup.
Pick: Saints
At Chicago -2.5 Detroit
Man the Bears looked good against the Eagles. Forte did his thing, but Cutler’s looking sharp as well. He’s got Earl Bennett in the mix and he’s getting the protection he needs to scan the field and get the ball out.
Pick: Bears -2.5
At Cleveland -2.5 St. Louis
It’s amazing that the Browns have three wins. They’re rank near the bottom of the league in rushing yards and passing yards per game. Their pass defense is the lone bright spot, but teams have averaged 144 yards per game on the ground against Cleveland. I like S-Jax to play big and give the Rams a much needed W.
Pick: Rams +2.5
At Philadelphia -14 Arizona
So much for Kolb’s return to Philly game; he’s out and Skelton’s in. Skelton actually played not too shabby while filling in for the injured starter, but Kolb’s season, like Arizona’s season, has been a big disappointment. The Eagles need to basically win out to be part of the playoff picture. The Cards got the W last week on a punt return TD in overtime. The Eagles season has been a big letdown, but for one week, they can look like the dominant team they were supposed to be.
Pick: Eagles -14
Baltimore -6.5 At Seattle
The Ravens aren’t all that on the road, but last week’s win in Pittsburgh should give Baltimore the momentum they need to cover against a two-win team playing at home.
Pick: Ravens -6.5
At San Francisco -3.5 NY Giants
The Giants are really good, but I love the Niners this year, especially at home. They can stop the run, prevent points and keep games close. The Giants have played sharp, but they’re traveling across the country to play a team that always keeps it close.
Pick: Niners -3.5
At NY Jets -1.5 New England
The Jets picked apart the Bills last week and the Pats have looked extra vulnerable of late. If you factor in the Revis on Welker effect, the Pats might have a difficult time winning on the road.
Pick: Jets -1.5
At Green Bay -13.5 Minnesota
Green Bay scores a league-best 34.4 points per game. The Vikings rank 25th in the league in points allowed (24.9). Sorry Ponder, the Packers are going to cover easily.
Pick: Packers -13.5
Week 9: 8-6
Season: 75-50-9 ATS
Nov 10th
Immortals Giveaway
Immortals, a 3D action adventure epic that takes place in ancient Greece, opens this Friday. Henry Cavill, the guy from The Tutors and the new Superman, plays Theseus, a mortal villager chosen by Zeus to lead the charge against King Hyperion, a ruthless king played by Mickey Rourke who’s ravaging Greece in search for a super weapon that will destroy all of humanity. Hyperion’s aim is to wipe out all the mortals and take down the Gods of Olympus so he can rule the world. With the help of Phaedra, a sexy Oracle played by Frieda Pinto, Theseus assembles a small crew to take on Hyperion and save the world from total annihilation. Check out the trailer:
To celebrate the film’s release, we’re giving away an Immortals prize pack that includes a $100 Best Buy Gift Card, an Immortals Graphic Novel and an Immortals Men’s Tank Top. To enter the giveaway, follow us on Facebook and drop us an email below telling us why you want to see the movie. We’ll pick a winner at random next Thursday.
To learn more about Immortals, visit the film’s Facebook page or check out Twitter for all the latest of on the release.
Nov 10th
Call of Duty MW3 Midnight Warfare Events Tonight at GameStop Stores Everywhere
To celebrate the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, more than 4,400 GameStop stores will be hosting Midnight Warfare events. The party starts 8pm, when COD fans will have the chance to play the new game and participate in various Call of Duty-themed challenges. If you live in New York or LA, you should check out the massive Midnight Warfare events in West Hollywood and Union Square. You can meet some of the game’s developers and pick up your copy of the MW3 at midnight.
For more info on the Midnight Warfare events tonight, visit GameStop.com/CallofDuty.
Nov 7th
Week 9 NFL Picks
Atlanta -7 At Indianapolis
The Colts rank 31st in the league against the run, and the Falcons have been dialing up heavy doses of Michael Turner in recent weeks. Add in a healthy Julio Jones, and the Falcons should be able to handle a winless team that hasn’t been in a close game in weeks.
Pick: Falcons -7
At New Orleans -8 Tampa Bay
The NFC South features three teams that could make some noise in the playoffs. The “youngry” Bucs are streaky as hell, and the Saints have lost two straight. Blount is back for Tampa Bay, but I think the edge has to go to the home team here. Remember, the Bucs beat the Saints by three points earlier this year, but the Saints tend to crush people in the dome.
Pick: Saints -8
At Houston -10.5 Cleveland
The Texans have only lost once at home this season. The Browns offense is anemic at best, and it sounds like Hillis reinjured his hammy in practice this week. While Cleveland is pretty solid in defending the pass, the Browns are so-so at best against the run. Arian Foster has averaged 161.8 yards from scrimmage the past five games. Expect heavy doses of Foster as Houston wins easy.
Pick: Texans -10.5
At Buffalo -1.5 NY Jets
The Jets haven’t won a game on the road this season, and the Bills are just a hard team to root against. They’ve lost two games this season by a combined total of six points. The Jets have lost on the road to Oakland, Baltimore and New England, and those games weren’t really close. Sanchez should have a decent game, but I love Buffalo here. It’s a big opportunity for the 5-2 Bills to show that they’re first place status in the AFC East is legit.
Pick: Bills -1.5
At Kansas City -4 Miami
The Chiefs have won four straight after starting the season 0-3. The Dolphins are still searching for their first win of the year. As hard as Miami is playing, you just get the feeling that the Chiefs are working with some extra good vibe ju-ju right now. Fear the Haley beard and go with the home team that has all the momentum.
Pick: Chiefs -4
San Francisco -3.5 At Washington
All the 49ers do is win games and cover spreads. The John Beck era in D.C. has looked terrible. With a conservative approach on offense and a nasty streak on D, the Niners just need to play their game and watch the Skins implode on their own.
Pick: Niners -3.5
At Dallas -11.5 Seattle
This Cowboys team is frustrating as hell. One week their going toe-to-toe with New England and the next week they’re getting blown out by the Eagles. Romo needs to get on the same page with his receivers. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin were both held without a catch in the first half last week. Seattle surrenders 237.1 yards per game through the air, but Eli Manning and Big Ben tore up this defense. If Romo can sync up with his receivers this week, he could be in line for a big game. The spread is huge, but so is the urgency for the Cowboys to bounce back.
Pick: Cowboys -11.5
At Oakland -7.5 Denver
Carson Palmer says he’s got the offense down. We’ll see about that. Guy looked rusty as hell in his first game back. Darren McFadden is likely out, but Michael Bush is no slouch. He’s no DMC, but he can carry the load. Denver sucks. Tebow can’t get it done and everyone knows this.
Pick: Raiders -7.5
At Tennessee -3 Cincinnati
The Bengals make big plays on D and they play well on the road. Their only road loss was to the Orton-led Broncos in Week 2, who barely hung on to win by two points. The Titans have had an up and down season, and their running game has left much to be desired. The Bengals have held opponents to 85.4 yards per game on the ground, second best in the league. As long Dalton has a relatively mistake-free game, the Bengals should be able to win this one.
Pick: Bengals +3
At Arizona -3.5 St. Louis
Kevin Kolb was supposed to be the answer in Arizona, but it just hasn’t worked out that way. Now he’s hurt and there’s a good chance that John Skelton will get the nod. Starting four games last season, Skelton completed only 47.6 percent of his passes. His QB rating was 62.3. The Rams are coming off a huge upset win against the Saints. Steven Jackson rushed for 159 yards and two scores and AJ Feeley managed the game. With Bradford likely to sit again, expect S-Jax to carry the load for St. Louis. The QB that makes the least mistakes wins. I say it’s the Rams.
Pick: Rams +3.5
At New England -9 NY Giants
New England doesn’t lose at home, but the Pats will face all kinds of pressure upfront from New York’s dominant pass rush. The Giants sure can pass the ball, too. While Nicks and Bradshaw will probably miss the game, the Giants still have plenty of weapons. The Pats love bouncing back after tough losses, but I think this spread’s just a tad too high. The Pats win, but the G-Men keep it close.
Pick: Giants +9
Green Bay -5.5 At San Diego
Rivers actually had a pretty good game before he fumbled the win away in KC. He started slow and ended poorly, but the middle was strong. Rivers should be able to find some creases against a Green Bay pass defense that ranks 31st in the league and gives up 288.9 yards passing yards per game. That said, the Packers offense is just too damn good. They seem a little less potent on the road, but it’s hard to bet against this team. Expect a shoot out.
Pick: Packers -5.5
At Pittsburgh -3 Baltimore
Game of the week right here. We got a primetime slugfest between the two biggest rivals in the NFL. The Steelers want vengeance after their Week 1 road thumping in Baltimore. The Ravens offense has looked out of sync the past couple weeks. The Steelers have looked great on both sides of the ball, but the team will be short on linebackers on Sunday. Woodley and Farrior are out and Harrison’s questionable. Big Ben had a nightmare game against the Ravens is Week 1, but he did beat this team in seven consecutive starts before that. Even with the missing pieces on D, the Steelers are going to win the rematch. And after playing each other three times in the last two seasons, you just know these two teams are going to meet again.
Pick: Steelers -3
At Philadelphia -7.5 Chicago
I’m pretty sure I haven’t called a Bears game right all season. When you think they can dominate, they find a way to lose. When you’re think they’re vulnerable, they deliver a victory. This game seems like a tough one to call. The Eagles looked great against Dallas – balanced, efficient and equal parts desperate and devastating. The Bears have won four straight. Coming off the bye, I don’t think the Bears are going to get manhandled like the Cowboys did. The Eagles will probably win this one, but I think the Bears and their underpaid workhorse will keep things close.
Pick: Bears +7.5
Week 8: 9-4
Season: 67-44-9 ATS
Nov 4th
Jessa Hinton Interview
Playboy playmate Jessa Hinton does more in one week than you do in six months. She’s a model and fashion designer who covers boxing, interviews poker stars and trains with MMA fighters. Jessa still finds time to appear on billboards all over Vegas and stay ridiculously good-looking. Miss July has put together a strong Playmate of the Year case. Jessa’s built up a great brand and she’s smart, engaging and if you’re lucky, she’ll teach you a thing or two about gymnastics and bisexual monogamy.
I had a fun chat with Jessa a couple weeks ago. We talked about breaking the ice at nude photo shoots, Hef, MMA vs. boxing, dating a poker star, hassling the Hoff on the set of Baywatch and how awesome it is to hang out with Jessa’s mom.
CS: When you’re in the middle of a photo shoot how do you get comfortable in the nude? Do people around you crack jokes to break the ice? How does that whole atmosphere work?
JH: The first thing that I didn’t realize—I thought it was going to be more sexy, more of strip down type of atmosphere. You’re basically in your lingerie and they’re like “all right, come up, let’s go.” I’m like, “really?” So the first scene is a little nerve wracking because you’re just meeting everyone. But you’re with them for the week and so by the end of the week you kind of look at them like your doctor. They see so many things and they do crack jokes, and but I definitely do as well. So by the end of the first or second day, we already know each other – names, where they grew up. You have a lot of down time so you get to meet everybody and really know them personally.
CS: The doctor comparison is funny. So there’s a little bit of joke cracking, but it’s still all business at the same time?
JH: Yeah exactly. It’s not—nobody hits on you. It’s not a kind of pervy atmosphere. Most of the time, they’re not even looking at your body parts. They’re dealing with lights. They’re looking at the set. They’re looking at something that needs to be two more inches to the right or their checking the color of the sheets. There’s a lot more that goes into it than just the girl and how she’s posed.
CS: And how many people are on a shoot like this?
JH: Probably seven or eight.
CS: Oh wow. That’s a lot of heads.
JH: Yeah.
CS: So what do you love most about Hugh Hefner?
JH: He’s probably the only guy in the past, I don’t know, let’s say 5 years, that has actually pulled out a chair for me.
CS: (Laughs)
JH: When they say “chivalry is dead,” not with this guy. I mean there’s no creepy side. Whenever you see him you just get kind of star struck. I mean he still has it. The man’s still got it. He’s what? 80—84 years old and he’s still going around like he’s, you know, 28. So just the kind of magnetism that he has is unbelievable. And people are like, “oh well did you ever sleep with him?” It’s not even like that. You just kind of respect what he’s done and you just want to be around him. The stories that he can tell you are just unbelievable.
CS: So you’ve been around boxing and MMA. You’ve done work with Top Rank Boxing and you’ve trained with top MMA fighters at Randy Couture’s gym. How do you think the two sports compare? Can boxing still maintain relevance when MMA just keeps growing and growing as a legit sport?
JH: I mean, I definitely think that MMA has more of a trend factor. I think boxing is more respectable for me. And the kind of fans that I interview or that I’m around at a MMA fight or at a boxing fight are like night and day.
CS: Interesting.
JH: It’s not the same kind of crowd. When I’m around Randy or Rich Franklin, it’s very different than when you’re around, say, Sugar Shane Mosley or Manny Pacquiao. It’s just crazy the kind of respect that the guys get as a boxer as opposed to an MMA fighter. So it’ll take a while for MMA to really get to that point. Boxing’s not going anywhere. I grew up with the Mike Tysons and the Muhammad Alis. Those are the people that my dad used to idolize. So to be around those people and interact with them, it’s more of a shell shock for me than being around Randy Coutures or the Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz. It’s very different. And the demographic is, like I said, night and day.
CS: Who do you think is going to win between Pacquiao and Marquez?
JH: (Laughs) Manny’s gonna win. I mean, there’s no question. Warner says it’s going to be a great rematch, but I really think that Manny—I mean what is he, 14-0 right now?
CS: Yeah.
JH: Everybody wants to see Manny and Mayweather. At every single fight that I go to, every single interview that I do, all the fans, that’s what they want to see.
CS: Right.
JH: But Marquez, I mean I just don’t think that he has the speed that Manny does. Manny’s a quick little fucker.
CS: (Laughs)
JH: (Laughs) You know what I mean? I mean you watch that guy and it’s like you wonder what he’s doing during the day when he’s, you know, in Congress in the Philippines and then you’re like, how does he have time to be who he is? It’s crazy.
CS: So what are you going to ask Manny when you interview him?
JH: Well I’m in the talks right now of doing celebrity ring girl for the Pacquiao fight. So not only will I do the press conference and also do co-hosting but maybe – and it’ll add that extra “it” factor if I can do it – I can go up there and take off my hosting coat and strip down to celebrity ring girl, kind of like what Holly did for MMA. But I mean with him it’s just, what is he doing different in this camp? What is he doing that’s going to really make this rematch stand out from the last time?
CS: I read somewhere that you coached competitive gymnastics. What’s that like?
Oct 31st
Week 8 NFL Picks
At Tennessee -8.5 Indianapolis
The Colts aren’t going to win. They’re a bad team. Their defense was allowing more than 27 points per game before the 62-7 shellacking that took place on Sunday night. Curtis Painter isn’t the problem. He had a bad game last week, but he’s actually been pretty serviceable this season. Both teams are coming off embarrassing blowouts, but the Titans are better equipped for a rebound. And they’re playing at home.
Pick: Titans -8.5
At Houston -9.5 Jacksonville
With the AFC Central up for grabs this year, both of these teams have a chance to be dangerous. The Texans snapped a two game losing streak last week when they routed the Titans. The Jags snapped a 5 game losing streak when they upset Baltimore on Monday. I think the Jags have to be fired up and motivated to play, but the Texans present to big of a challenge. The spread may be a bit too high here, but you have to think Houston can handle this team, especially if Andre Johnson is back in the fold this week.
Pick: Texans -9.5
At Carolina -3.5 Minnesota
I like Christian Ponder. I think he brings a much-needed spark. Carolina’s dangerous though. Not on defense, of course, but Cam can move the ball. His favorite weapon, Steve Smith, is averaging a ridiculous 21 yards per reception. Adrian Peterson is going to have a huge game against a run defense that ranks near the bottom of the league. It’s hard to think that Carolina won’t keep it close, but I think Ponder will shine in a game plan that calls for heavy doses of AP.
Pick: Vikings +3.5
New Orleans -13.5 At St. Louis
Let’s see, we have a team that scored 62 points last week and going up against a winless squad led by journeyman backup AJ Feely. The two touchdown spread almost seems too low.
Pick: Saints -13.5
At Baltimore -13 Arizona
The Ravens looked bizarre last week. Ray Rice couldn’t get going and didn’t do much with the measly eight carries he received. Baltimore’s offensive woes weren’t just limited to last week, though. Joe Flacco has one TD and three INTs in the last three games. Luckily he gets to go up against an Arizona secondary that ranks 28th in the league against the pass. The Cards lost Beanie Wells last week and Kevin Kolb is having a pretty mediocre season. After the ugly loss on Monday, John Harbaugh’s going to have his team ready to rock against an inferior opponent.
Pick: Ravens -13
At NY Giants -10 Miami
Nothing is going to stop the Dolphins downward spiral, especially not a trip to the Meadowlands to face a Giants team that’s leading the way in the NFC East. NFL teams have been sucking it up after bye weeks, but the G-men are getting guys like Justin Tuck and Brandon Jacobs back. Miami loses again.
Pick: Giants -10
At Buffalo (in Toronto) -6 Washington
The Skins lost Tim Hightower for the year and Santa Moss is going to miss extended time. The John Beck era didn’t really start off with a bang either. The Bills have cooled considerably since their hot start, but their ball hawking D, strong run game and steady QB play should earn them a victory.
Pick: Bills -6
Detroit -3 At Denver
Stafford’s banged up and Best is likely to miss the game for Detroit. Tim Tebow looked absolutely horrendous for three and a half quarters last week, then he pulled off a miracle comeback that included defensive blunders, diving catches and a whole lot of luck. No one can question that Tebow has something special about him. He just can’t throw the ball. And that seems like an important skill for an NFL QB. I’ll take a banged up Lions team on the road against an offense with two suspect running backs (Tebow and Knowshon) at the helm. Even if Shaun Hill starts, Detroit’s the better play.
Pick: Lions -3
New England -3 At Pittsburgh
There’s no questioning the fact that Tom Brady owns the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Playoffs, regular season – you name it – Brady just loves spreading the Steelers out and striking at will. But you know what? The Steelers have some good thing going on offense as well. Big Ben’s going to have a big day against New England’s suspect secondary. This high scoring game’s going to come down to one or two red zone stops. Despite Brady’s history against Pittsburgh, I’m taking the Steelers at home.
Pick: Steelers +3
At San Francisco -8.5 Cleveland
Cleveland’s defense isn’t that bad, but their offense is atrocious. The only time this team has topped 17 points this year was in Week 2 when they put up 27 on the winless Colts. I’m pretty much never picking against the 49ers until I see some super compelling reason to not expect this team to crush it.
Pick: Niners -8.5
Cincinnati -3 At Seattle
Sure, Seattle’s a tough place play, but Cincy’s young guns and strong D can handle the Charlie Whitehurst-led Seahawks. Even if T-Jack’s behind center, I like the Bengals on the road.
Pick: Bengals -3
At Philadelphia -3.5 Dallas
The Eagles haven’t lost after a bye week under Andy Reid, but they haven’t spent much time at the bottom of the NFC East either. The Eagles are 2-4 this season, and they’re also 2-4 against the spread. The Dream Team gets too much respect for a squad that has one win in the last five games. Dallas has blown games they should have won and they haven’t lost by more than four points all year. I like the Dallas D to force some mistakes against a team that leads the league in turnovers.
Pick: Cowboys +3.5
San Diego -3.5 At Kansas City
Philip Rivers isn’t having a good year. He says that health isn’t the issue, but something’s going on. He’s forcing the ball (three TDs to five INTs last four games), and the Chiefs held Rivers to zero TDs and forced two picks in Week 3. KC has won three straight and the players seem to be buying into what Todd Haley’s selling. Arrowhead is always a tough place to play. Add in San Diego’s recent mistakes and KC’s momentum, and you have a recipe for a home team victory.
Pick: Chiefs +3.5
Week 7: 8-4-1
Season: 58-40-9 ATS
Oct 27th
