text:
TheSpread is Pleased to Welcome GTBets as Our Newest Sportsbook Sponsor!
Limited Time Offer - Free $20 Bet Just for Signing Up! Don't Miss Out on Free Money, This Offer Will Expire Soon Click Here to Get Your Free $20 Bet
- Index
- » Basketball Discussion
- » NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview: West Region
Steve Merril Sports
Below is a look at all eight games in the first round of the West Regional which will conclude in Phoenix next week. The opening round games below will take place in Anaheim, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Click here to check out all of Steve Merril's articles and plays.
UCLA (1) vs. Mississippi Valley State (16)
Ben Howland has taken the Bruins to back-to-back Final Fours and he'll be looking for the hat trick this year. UCLA has been ultra consistent, especially on the defensive end as they allow just 59 points per game. Keep an eye on the injury status of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute who missed their last game with a sprained left ankle. Mississippi Valley State won the SWAC tournament to earn the automatic bid, but don't expect much from the Delta Devils. They played four lined games this year going 1-3 against the spread including a 71-26 (+ 32) thumping at another Pac-10 team, Washington State.
BYU (8) vs. Texas A&M (9)
BYU plays tenacious defense holding opponents to 38.6 percent from the floor (ninth in the country) and 29.5 percent from 3-point land (fifth in the country). The Cougars played well in out-of-conference games as they beat Louisville, and hung tough against North Carolina (10-point loss) and Michigan St (7-point loss). BYU only hits 65.8 percent of their free throws and that could cost them in a close game. Texas A&M is a mirror image of BYU. The Aggies are great defensively allowing 39.3 percent from the floor (16th in the country), and like BYU, cannot hit free throws (63.7 percent). A&M did get to the Sweet 16 last year, so they have the experience edge in this spot.
Drake (5) vs. Western Kentucky (12)
The Bulldogs were one of the most profitable teams in the country this year going 20-7-1 against the spread. Drake shoots a ton a threes per game (28), but amazingly, their point guard Adam Emmenecker has never attempted one in his four years. Western Kentucky is a well balanced team that can score on offense (76.8 points per game), and plays good defense (65.2 points per game). The Hilltoppers are extremely good in transition as their narrow losses against Tennessee and Gonzaga prove.
UConn (4) vs. San Diego (13)
Head coach Jim Calhoun is no stranger to winning tournament games, and his team has a nice inside-outside combo that could win them a couple of games. 7-foot Hasheem Thabeet (4.4 blocks per game) mans the paint while A.J. Price (5.9 assists per game) runs the point. Be careful with the Huskies though as they were just 2-7 against the spread as a road favorite this season. San Diego upset Gonzaga to win the WCC tournament and steal a bid. The Toreros like to play a slow, half-court game which has resulted in them going 12-4 to the number as an underdog. Their offense isn't all that good, but Brandon Johnson can take over a game.
Baylor (11) vs. Purdue (6)
Baylor was perhaps the last "bubble" team to make the tournament this season, but they are still a tough matchup for many teams because they are a true streak-shooting club. They play at the nation's 23rd rated adjusted pace and they are exciting to watch, with multiple players capable of making three-point shots. They are also very strong from the free throw line, hitting 74 percent as a team.
Purdue is similar to Baylor in that they always have three guards on the court at the same time, and sometimes even four. They also exhibit excellent scoring balance with nine players averaging between four and 13 points per game, and they thrive on their defensive pressure. Head coach Matt Painter did a terrific job with a team that almost every expert predicted for the bottom half of the Big 10 and they really improved as the season progressed. Both teams were strong on the road this season, as Baylor was 10-3 ATS and Purdue was 9-4-1 ATS.
Xavier (3) vs. Georgia (14)
Georgia had to win four games in four days just to make this tournament and they benefited from playing the SEC tourney in their home state. They defend fairly well, but can be had inside. Their shot selection is also very questionable. The biggest question will be how much energy Georgia has left after their emotional SEC tournament run.
Xavier made things look extremely easy all year in an underrated Atlantic 10. This team is one of only 14 in the country to rate in the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency (points per possession). They can beat you both inside and outside and they are capable of playing both fast and slow. Sean Miller is one of the bright young coaches in the game, and he will have his team ready after an early exit in Atlantic 10 tournament.
West Virginia (7) vs. Arizona (10)
Bob Huggins did an excellent job of adapting the returning West Virginia talent to a totally different style this season and the results were excellent as the Mountaineers are one of only 14 teams to rank in the nation's top 30 in offensive and defensive efficiency. This team won last season's NIT and there is some experience from the Sweet 16 team from two seasons ago.
Arizona was hampered by multiple injuries throughout the course of the season, but they are 16-5 SU/12-5-1 ATS when the freshman backcourt of Jerryd Bayless and Nic Wise are both in the lineup. This team has plenty of firepower but defense is often an issue, and they must buckle down to handle the offensive versatility of many of West Virginia's players.
Duke (2) vs. Belmont (15)
Duke is all about defensive tenacity, especially on the perimeter and their offense revolves around the free throw stripe (70 percent on 24 attempts/game) and three-point line (38 percent on 25 attempts/game). They have five players that average double-digits, but it must be noted that they are not playing their best basketball right now, going just 7-4 SU / 3-7-1 ATS down the stretch after starting out 22-1 SU /15-6-1 ATS this season.
Belmont also prefers a perimeter game, but they are smaller and obviously less talented than Duke. The Bruins rely heavily on the three-pointer (36 percent on 29 attempts/game), and they did play a tough non-conference schedule with wins at Cincinnati and at Alabama. They have won 13 straight games and this is their 3rd straight NCAA tourney appearance.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview: South Region
Memphis (1) vs. Texas-Arlington (16)
Everyone seems to be worried about Memphis' inability to make free throws (59 percent for the season), but that's not likely to be a problem against this caliber of opposition. Fourteen of the Tigers' 33 victories this year came by margins of 20 points or more, including their Conference USA Tournament championship victory over Tulsa. Texas-Arlington went 7-9 in the regular season in the Southland Conference before getting hot in the conference tournament. The Mavericks have solid interior size, outrebounding Oklahoma State by 16 in Stillwater in a competitive five-point loss, their only game against a major conference foe all year.
Mississippi State (8) vs. Oregon (9)
Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs made a run to the Final Four last year. Unfortunately for Mississippi State fans, it was the NIT Final Four, not the NCAA variety. The Bulldogs have an excellent first round track record under Stansbury in the Big Dance, surviving and advancing past the first round in five of their last six appearances. Oregon's .500 record in the PAC-10 this year is a clear indication of the strength of that conference, not an indictment of the Ducks as a weak entrant. The key matchup here is Mississippi State's tremendous perimeter defense against Oregon's sharpshooting quartet of Malik Hairston, Maarty Leunen, Tajuan Porter and Bryce Taylor, who combined to average just shy of eight made three pointers per game.
Michigan State (5) vs. Temple (12)
Tom Izzo has a well deserved reputation as an outstanding tournament coach, but his Spartans have suffered from a lack of confidence and execution away from home all season. Michigan State's weakness at closing out foes has been on full display in blown second half leads against Ohio State and Wisconsin within the last week, a team that consistently hasn't been able to get it done away from home during crunch time. Temple has no such confidence issues after reeling off seven straight wins, including three in the Atlantic-10 tournament to earn their bid. Expect the pace here to be at a crawl between a pair of teams that play outstanding transition defense.
Pittsburgh (4) vs. Oral Roberts (13)
Oral Roberts won the regular season Summit Conference title, then backed that up with a championship run in the conference tournament. This will be their third straight trip to the Big Dance, with three senior starters returning from last year's squad that lost to Washington State by 16 in the opening round. The Golden Eagles weren't any more competitive the previous season, losing by the same 16 point margin to Memphis. Can Pitt recapture the same energy and intensity they had this past weekend, when they won four games in four days to cut down the nets as Big East Tournament champions?
Marquette (6) vs. Kentucky (11)
Kentucky didn't beat a single tournament bound opponent on the road this year, losing at Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Indiana. While Billy Gillespie's squad has improved by leaps and bounds from where they were in November, this team suffers from weak guard play, committing nearly 16 turnovers per game. Tom Crean's three guard trio of Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wesley Matthews all have pro potential, and the Golden Eagles should be primed to avenge last year's poorly played first round loss to Michigan State.
Stanford (3) vs. Cornell (14)
With only one player in The Big Red's rotation that stands taller than 6-foot-7, Cornell is going to have a very difficult time matching up with Stanford's Twin Towers, Brook and Robin Lopez. In their only two games against major conference squads this year, Cornell lost by 14 to Duke and by 16 to Syracuse. Trent Johnson's Cardinal have not been good double digit favorites, just 1-7 ATS in their last eight tries laying more than 10 points.
Miami (7) vs. St Mary's (10)
Miami's Jack McClinton is their only legitimate scorer, and he, too, is prone to poor shooting efforts as demonstrated by his 6-of-23 performance in the Hurricanes two Big East tournament games. In fact, McClinton hasn't shot 50 percent in a single road game since January, a big part of the reason why Frank Haith's squad went just 8-9 straight up in their last 17 games. St Mary's beat Oregon and Drake back in November, but they have only one quality win since that time - an overtime victory at home against Gonzaga.
Texas (2) vs. Austin Peay (15)
The Governors were the class of the Ohio Valley Conference during the regular season and backed that up with a strong showing to win the OVC tournament last weekend. Incredibly, Austin Peay covered the pointspread only once in their first 16 lined games this year, vastly overvalued by the betting marketplace to start the season. In two games against major conference foes, the Governors lost at Vanderbilt by 14 and at Memphis by 22. Texas is the vastly superior defensive and rebounding team, and point guard DJ Augustine should be able to run circles around his 5-foot-9, 155-pound counterpart, Derek Wright.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview: East Region
North Carolina (1) vs. Play-in winner (16)
We all know the story by now that a No. 16 seed has never beat a top seed in this event. Did you know, however, that No. 1 seeds win an average 3.36 games per event in this tourney since 1985? It's hard to fade the top scoring margin, and best rebounding team in the land, especially with one team (Coppin State) that was 0-4 against fellow tourney teams this season by an average loss of 36.5 pgg, while the other (Mount St. Mary's) was 1-3 against the same. Still, with the Tar Heels just 1-4-1 against the spread (ATS) as a favorite of more than 20 points in the tourney, it's probably best to observe the top seed for a while.
Indiana (8) vs. Arkansas (9)
Past results from this particular conference pairing has been favorable for the Big 10, as they are 11-5 SU and ATS against the SEC in the Big Dance since 1999. Indiana, though, has not adapted under interim coach Dan Dakich, as they are just 3-3 SU and 1-5 ATS since he took over from Kelvin Sampson a month ago. Red-faced Arkansas dropped a tailor-made championship against Georgia, but five returning starters should help them advance out of the first round. And for what it's worth, should the Razorbacks manage to defeat Indiana, No. 9 seeds are a pathetic 3-47 straight-up in Round 2 since 1985 when taking on a higher seeded opponent. Gulp.
Notre Dame (5) vs. George Mason (12)
This is slot of the dreaded No. 12 over the No. 5 seed theory (last year was only the second time since 1988 that a 12 failed to beat a 5). Notre Dame went 24-7 this year, however, the Irish were only 7-7 away from South Bend this season. The Irish were bounced in the first round of this tourney in rather embarrassing fashion by Winthrop last season. They'll need to bring their 'A" game against the Pirates, a Cinderella team in this event two years ago. The Mason Jar is 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in the Big Dance this decade.
Pittsburgh (4) vs. Oral Roberts (13)
The Big East champs look for a breather when they take on the best the Summit League has to offer in this opening round pairing. The return of point guard Levance Fields from the injury list helped propel the Panthers to four wins in four days in the Big East Tourney, the last three as underdogs. The Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts are a defensively staunch club, allowing less than 61 ppg, including 67 or less points in each of the three losses against fellow tournament teams (0-3) this season. Pitt will need to avoid a major letdown as No. 4 seeds are 1-10 ATS off a win in opening round game since 1999.
Oklahoma (6) vs. St. Joseph's (11)
Oklahoma did well to gain a No. 6 seed after finishing up 10-8 SU and 6-12 ATS in conference play this season. The Sooners are just 3-9 ATS in NCAA openers, including 1-6 SU and ATS when facing a .612 or greater opponent. They were also only 5-9 ATS against fellow tournament teams this season. St. Joe's utilized a 3-1 SU and ATS record in the A-10 tourney to gain a big into the Big Dance. Phil Martelli's troops were 9-2 ATS outside the conference this season and are 9-2 SU in NCAA openers. Before flying off with the Hawks, though, you need to know No. 6 seeds are 14-1- SU and 13-1-1 ATS against .636 or less opposition.
Louisville (3) vs. Boise State (14)
Lucky No. 3 seed for the Cardinals as 18 of the last 21 NCAA champs have been No. 1, 2 or 3 seeded teams. Louisville held its own against other tourney teams this season, going 9-5 SU and ATS. You also have to admire Rick Pitino's 32-10 record in this tourney. Behind the nation's seventh best field goal defense, the Cards look to be a live sleeper. Boise State was a won regular and conference tourney titles, making them a consideration play. The Broncos were 14-3 SU and 11-3-1 ATS away from home this season and suffered only three losses by more than 12 points. Interestingly, they are the fourth best shooting team in the land (50.2 percent).
Butler (7) vs. South Alabama (10)
The Bulldogs performed extremely well outside the Horizon Conference this season as their 11-1 SU and 9-2 ATS record attests. They have also rewarded their backers in the first game of this tournament, going 4-10 ATS. The scales mean a lot in this paring as No. 7 seeds are 22-10-1 ATS if they own a win percentage of .680 or greater. However, can't look past the Jaguars 5-0 ATS mark this season against other tournament teams. Unfortunately, they are an NCAA tourney win virgin at 0-2 SU and ATS.
Tennessee (2) vs. American (15)
The Vols lead the pack for a lap after handing Memphis its only defeat of the season a month ago. They are the second best team in this tourney in steals (9.5) and offensive rebounds (14.8) per game. They are also the fourth best tourney team in assists per game (18.1), so they do have credentials. Meanwhile the Patriots are another 'double champion' and enter the tournament with 11 wins in their last 12 games. American allowed less than 66 points per game along the way. Lest we forget, Tennessee was 21-1 SU and 12-4-2 ATS this season in games in which they scored 80-plus points and 8-3 SU and 2-9 ATS in games in which they didn't.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
NCAA Tournament betting preview: Midwest Region
By DAVID CHAN
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Portland State
The Jayhawks left little doubt in the minds of the selection committee, delivering a decisive win over Texas in the Big 12 Championship to earn a No. 1 seed. Bill Self's squad showed no mercy in losing only three games all season. Portland State was the class of the Big Sky Conference but obviously takes a major step up in competition here. The Vikings were winless in two matchups against tournament-bound teams, losing at UCLA and Washington State. They did manage to cover the number in both of those contests.
(2) Georgetown vs. (15) UMBC
Is there a less intimidating name in all of sports than the Maryland Baltimore City Retrievers? They didn't face the toughest of non-conference schedules, but did manage to defeat the likes of La Salle, Richmond, George Washington, and American University. There's a reason why the Hoyas aren't laying 20+ here. Georgetown was upended in the Big East final against Pitt, but should have little trouble advancing to play on Sunday. The Hoyas have been prone to burning bankrolls with a 13-16 ATS mark this season.
(3) Wisconsin vs. (14) Cal-State Fullerton
The Badgers are playing as well defensively as any team in the country right now, and that spells trouble for Cal-State Fullerton on Thursday. Wisconsin suffered only two losses in Big Ten play, both at the hands of Purdue. Cal-State Fullerton compiled a stellar 18-8-1 against the spread (ATS) record en route to a Big West conference championship but their shoddy defensive play will likely be their downfall against the fundamentally sound Badgers. No matter how you look at it, the cards are stacked against the Titans.
(4) Vanderbilt vs. (13) Siena
Vanderbilt earned a four-seed despite an up and down season that saw it run the table at home, but win just four times in 10 tries on the road. Don't count on seeing the same team that shocked everyone early in last year's tournament. You have to think the Commodores have too much offensive firepower (80.6 ppg) for Siena to handle, but don't count the Saints out just yet. They seem to be peaking at the right time, winning each of its last six games to take home the MAAC title.
(5) Clemson vs. (12) Villanova
It's hard to say if Villanova would be here were it not for an opening-round win over Syracuse in the Big East Tournament. The Wildcats resume isn't exactly loaded with marquee victories. When Clemson gets hot, look out. The Tigers possess tremendous scoring balance and proved they could hang with No. 1-ranked North Carolina, pushing them to the limit on three different occasions. The ACC received a ton of respect from the selection committee, and that's a major reason why the Tigers are seeded as high as they are.
(6) USC vs. (11) Kansas State
Expectations are high for USC after it advanced to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago. This should be a good draw for the Trojans, as freshman-laden Kansas State is severely lacking in big game experience. That's not to say the Wildcats aren't dangerous. Their biggest win came against Kansas back in late January. Bettors will likely be squarely behind the favorite in this one, as Kansas State brings a seven-game ATS losing streak to the table.
(7) Gonzaga vs. (10) Davidson
Davidson should be a popular upset pick in the opening round, and for good reason. The Wildcats have yet to lose in 2008, with their last defeat coming against N.C. State back on Dec. 21. They posted a perfect 3-0 ATS record in games against North Carolina, UCLA, and Duke earlier this season. Gonzaga has showed tremendous improvement at the defensive end of the floor but its offense went cold during the WCC Tournament. Unless the Bulldogs can regain their scoring touch, they could be sent packing on Friday.
(8) UNLV vs. (9) Kent State
The Runnin' Rebels may not be quite as well-rounded as they have been in year's past, but that didn't stop them from rolling to a Mountain West Conference title. Defense is one area where they have improved, holding opponents to just a shade over 61 ppg. Wink Adams (15.9 ppg) will be called on to shoulder much of the offensive load. Kent State dabbled in the Top 25 late in the season and have all the tools to make a bit of a run should they survive the first round. The Golden Flashes excelled in a competitive MAC, compiling a steady 17-12 ATS ledger.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
Bracket Analysis
Brian Edwards
The pairings have been announced for the NCAA Tournament, so let's take a look at some initial thoughts pertaining to subs, snubs, seedings, regions, matchups and more.
**Biggest Snubs**
1-Arizona State: Arizona State beat Arizona twice. The Sun Devils destroyed third-seeded Xavier in a blowout. They went 6-7 against teams in the Tournament. Herb Sendek's squad did lose to USC by a 59-55 count in the Pac-10 Tournament, but a questionable call disallowed a tying score by ASU in the last minute that ended up being a four-point swing.
2-Virginia Tech: The committee has always made a point of stressing the importance of how teams finish. In the Hokies' last seven games, they cashed tickets at a 7-0 ATS clip, winning five games outright. I only point out the seven ATS triumphs because that's an obvious indication that Seth Greenberg's squad has been playing its best basketball, exceeding the expectations of oddsmakers in all seven games. The only two games Va. Tech lost during that stretch? The Hokies fell by one in a heartbreaker at Clemson, which just finished second at the ACC Tourney. They also dropped a two-point game to North Carolina when Tyler Hansbrough barely beat the buzzer with a game-winning shot, and the Tar Heels have been named the Tourney's No. 1 overall seed.
**Best First-Round Games**
1-Gonzaga-Davidson: I felt Davidson deserved to play in the 8-9 game, but the Wildcats did get the benefit of playing close to home in Raleigh. In addition, they face an opponent in Gonzaga that has to fly west to east. I made my line for this game Davidson minus 1 ½. Las Vegas Sports Consultants sent the game out as a pick 'em. As of early this morning, most spots had agreed with me and adjusted the number to 1 ½ in favor of Stephen Curry and Co.
2-Arkansas-Indiana: The Hoosiers haven't been the same since this season's Goat of the Year agreed to accept a $750,000 check in exchange for his resignation. They have lost three of six games under Dan Dakich, posting an abysmal 1-5 spread record. I thought Indiana should be a 2 ½-point 'chalk,' but LVSC opened IU at one. Most books have chimed in with the Hoosiers at 1 ½, while The Palms is using two. I felt the total should be 136, but LVSC sent out 140. As for the Hogs, they have the size and athleticism to defend both D.J. White and Eric Gordon. Steven Hill, who has 313 career blocked shots, will have a height advantage against White. John Pelphrey can also throw the big bodies of Darian Townes and Charles Thomas at White. Patrick Beverly doesn't have Gordon's muscle, but he has excellent quickness and length (think a shorter version of Tayshaun Prince), and Sonny Weems can also go against Gordon.
3-USC-Kansas St.: Before the season started, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo were regarded as the best freshmen in America. Beasley is the better player, but Mayo has the better team. My number was USC minus four, but LVSC opened at three and most books chimed in with 2 ½.
4-Mississippi State-Oregon: Like Gonzaga, the Ducks didn't get a favor from the committee by getting sent east to Little Rock. LVSC opened the Bulldogs as 2 ½-point favorites. VegasInsider.com handicapper James Manos, who leads VI in money (+4125), has tabbed the Bulldogs as his sleeper team to make the Final Four. They are led by one of the most underrated players in the field – Jamont Gordon.
5-Clemson-Villanova: Clemson is my sleeper pick to make the Final Four. The Tigers are a dangerous team, but so is Villanova on nights when Scottie Reynolds shoots the lights out.
**Déjà vu**
--Kentucky and Marquette have a history in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, the Golden Eagles have dealt UK two of its most painful defeats over the last two decades. Dwyane Wade's triple-double led Tom Crean's team past top-seeded Kentucky in the Elite Eight round of the 2003 Tournament. Back in the 1994 Tournament, Marquette shocked UK in a second-round matchup in St. Petersburg.
--Unless North Carolina becomes the first top seed to lose a first-round game since the Tournament expanded the field in 1985, then we'll have a rematch of the 1981 national-title game if Indiana can get past Arkansas. The Hoosiers and Tar Heels would meet to decide who goes to the Sweet 16.
--If Vandy and Kansas meet in the Sweet 16, it will be a rematch of a Sweet 16 showdown in the 1988 Tournament at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit. On that night, Danny Manning led the Jayhawks past Will Perdue, Barry Goheen and Co. en route to winning the national championship. Where would Vandy and KU meet this time around? Once again in Motown, but at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**
--If any team had to exert itself the most this past weekend and was deserving of playing on a Friday (or at least Thursday evening), it was Georgia. Nevertheless, the Dawgs have to play the 12:20 game Thursday against Xavier at Verizon Center in Washington D.C.
--Georgia cashed 30/1 tickets for backers that tabbed UGA to win the SEC Tournament. After the Dawgs disposed of Arkansas, Georgia AD confirmed the obvious to the Atlanta Journal Constitution: Dennis Felton will return for a sixth season in Athens.
--Most dangerous double-digit seeds:
4-Kansas St.
--Worst RPI in the field: Mississippi Valley State (243)
--Highest RPI not in the field: Illinois St. (32)
--Don't listen to ESPN's Digger Phelps about Winthrop, which clearly isn't as talented as it was when it sent Notre Dame packing in the first round last year.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
March Madness Regional Preview
Tyler Hansbrough and the North Carolina Tar Heels are the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament this year, and they are also big favorites to capture the East region.
Vegas oddsmakers have pegged North Carolina as the 4/5 favorite to dispatch all the other teams in their quarter of the bracket and reach the Final Four in San Antonio next month. The Tar Heels got past the Clemson Tigers 86-81 on Sunday in the ACC's championship game, with Hansbrough picking up 18 points and 11 rebounds that day.
Tennessee got stuck with the No. 2 seed in the East region, which means they'll have to get past North Carolina to reach the Final Four. The Volunteers have been pegged at 3/1 odds to win the region, which is the same line given to No. 3 Louisville. Fourth-seeded Washington and fifth-seeded Notre Dame are both listed back at 15/1 odds.
No. 7 Butler is at 60/1 odds to win the East, with No. 8 Indiana at 75/1, and No. 6 Oklahoma behind both of those teams at 100/1. No. 11 Saint Joseph's is also listed at 100/1 odds to reach the Final Four, with the other teams in the East at 150/1 or higher.
The Duke Blue Devils were beaten 78-74 by Clemson in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, and they'll enter the Big Dance as the No. 2 seed in the West region. Vegas oddsmakers have pegged Duke at 5/2 odds to advance to the Final Four this year, while top-seeded UCLA is listed at 4/5 odds to punch their ticket to San Antonio.
Xavier is the No. 3 seed in the West, but they're back at 18/1 odds to win that region. That puts them behind No. 4 UConn, who are at 4/1 odds. No. 7 West Virginia is listed at 20/1 odds, with No. 6 Purdue at 35/1, and No. 5 Drake farther back at 60/1. The rest of the region is at 75/1 odds or higher, including No. 8 BYU who are longshots at 150/1.
The Memphis Tigers handily won the Conference USA tournament on Saturday, blasting Tulsa 77-51 in the championship game. That earned Memphis the No. 1 seed in the South region, and they're listed as 6/5 favorites to reach the Final Four. No. 2 Texas, who fell to Kansas in the Big 12 title game, is second on that Vegas chart at 5/2.
Stanford couldn't hold off UCLA in the Pac-10 championship game, but they're still the No. 3 seed in the South with 3/1 odds to win the region. No. 4 Pittsburgh and No. 5 Michigan State are both listed at 12/1 odds, with No. 6 Marquette at 15/1 odds, and No. 7 Miami-Florida farther back at 60/1 odds. The South longshots begin with No. 8 Mississippi State at 100/1, with every other team in the region at 150/1 odds or higher.
Kansas' win in the Big 12 championship contest gave them the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region for this year's tournament. The Jayhawks have been listed by the Vegas oddsmakers as the 10/11 favorites to win that region. No. 2 Georgetown is second on that list at 2/1, with No. 3 Wisconsin at 10/1, and No. 5 Clemson sitting just back at 12/1.
No. 4 Vanderbilt and No. 6 USC are pegged at 18/1 odds to win the Midwest region, with No. 10 Davidson (50/1) and No. 11 Kansas State (60/1) headlining the longshots. Also, No. 7 Gonzaga is getting long 75/1 odds for this year's edition of March Madness.
Overall, UCLA is pegged as the 9/2 Vegas favorite to win the NCAA Tournament, with Kansas and North Carolina both at 5/1, and Memphis at 6/1 odds. From there it's Texas at 10/1, with Tennessee and Georgetown at 12/1, and both Duke and Louisville at 15/1.
[img]http://www.betjamaica.com/images/banner … urney4.gif[/img]
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
Looking for Sleepers
By Judd Hall
I know you've been mulling over your brackets like Russell Crowe cracking codes in "A Beautiful Mind." And while making your picks, you've decided to get a little adventurous and pick a few lower seeds to upset a few big name programs.
Now they all can't be Valparaiso over Ole' Miss or Princeton upending UCLA, but there will be a couple shockers that can make you some nice cash at the sportsbooks and even garner you those all important points in your office pool. You'll also see one or two low seeds that look like easy upset winners, but will lead to nothing but heartbreak.
A popular pick that's getting love from the sports channels and forums alike is No. 10 Davidson (26-6 straight up, 19-11 against the spread) taking down the well known Cinderella, No. 7 Gonzaga (25-7 SU, 17-15 ATS) as a two-point favorite in the Midwest Region, with a total of 140.
The problem with that is if you're really willing to back a team solely on the skill of just one player.
You're familiar with this Wildcats' squad…they're anchored by former NBA sharpshooter Del Curry's son, Stephen. The younger Curry leads his team in scoring, averaging 25.1 points per game. How much does he mean to Davidson? They score around 78.7 PPG as a whole, meaning that the Wildcats' success hinges on his ability to make shots.
Now look at the Bulldogs, who dropped the West Coast Conference title game to San Diego to close out the regular season. The Zags had won eight straight matches until that defeat and we know their reputation in the "Big Dance."
Mark Few's club excels at spreading the wealth amongst his players. Gonzaga has four members averaging double-digits in the points column: Matt Bouldin (12.7), Jeremy Pargo (11.9), Austin Daye (10.6) and Josh Heytvelt (10.2).
It's hard to back a club that lives and dies by the performance of one player. Adding a little more weight behind the Bulldogs is the fact you can make money on them when they're 'dogs. Gonzaga is 6-12 SU when an underdog the last three seasons, but 11-7 ATS in the same spot.
VegasInsider.com expert handicapper Jason Johnson feels that Davidson is a strong play though. "You have to take a good hard look at Davidson when you're looking for a sleeper. Here is a team that gave UCLA, North Carolina, and Duke a hard time."
Johnson continues, "Curry is everything as advertised and his numbers prove it. If he can handle the pressure (and that's a big "if") Davidson could make some noise."
Meanwhile, VegasInsider.com expert handicapper Marc Lawrence believes "that if the Wildcats can make it past the Zags, they've got a real shot at making the Sweet 16 since they returned five starters from last season."
A quality sleeper pick in the first round of the tourney that the you can get a solid look at right now is No. 11 Baylor (21-10 SU, 13-10 ATS) as a 2 ½-point underdog against No. 6 Purdue (24-8 SU, 17-11-1 ATS).
The betting public is hitting the Boilermakers pretty heavy right now. Sportsbook.com currently shows 83 percent of the cash going towards Purdue at the time of publishing. My question to the public is…well…why?
I mean, the Big Ten Conference isn't exactly known as a bastion of high scoring. The Boilers are putting up 68.7 PPG this season, while giving up 61.2 PPG. Meanwhile, they're playing a Baylor squad that loves to play a "run-and-gun" offense to the tune of 81.4 PPG. Of course, the
Bears play defense like their opponents have been dipped in Ebola, giving up around 74.4 PPG this year.
This game will definitely hinge on how well both sides fare at the charity stripe because the Bears and Purdue really love to hear the refs blow their whistles. The Boilermakers average around 20 personal fouls per game, while Baylor gets caught for 21 infractions a tilt.
Should the free throw line truly become a factor, which gives the edge to Baylor as its shooting 74.2 percent from the stripe. The Boilers are making 70.6 percent of their free throw shots this season.
Need one more thing to make you believe in the Bears?
Baylor is 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS in its two contests with Purdue back in 2004, with the 'over' cashing tickets on both occasions. The odds are good the Bears will hit the hat trick on the spread once more.
There is one more team from the West Coast Conference that you may not be thinking too much about since its playing in Little Rock, Arkansas is No. 10 St. Mary's (25-6 SU, 15-12-1 ATS) going up against No. 7 Miami (22-10 SU, 15-7 ATS) as a slight one-point 'dog. Especially, as the game will be a 9:30 am Pacific start for the Gaels.
You may be thinking that's crazy talk considering the Hurricanes played in such an august conference like the ACC. However, it was a down year for the conference in general. Meanwhile, the WCC is sending three teams into the field of 65. St. Mary's leads the 'Canes in several of the major statistical categories head-to-head like scoring offense (76.0-74.Cool, scoring defense (63.2-67.Cool and personal fouls per game (17.3-18.7).
Recent history also goes against Miami in this spot. The Hurricanes are 4-10 SU and ATS when the line is no larger than 1 ½-points for or against them in the last two seasons.
Lawrence also gives you some food for thought while fading Miami. "Teams that met with poor results the previous season (12 or fewer wins) are 6-27 SU and 12-21 ATS in Game 1 of an NCAA tournament when facing an opponent with a better record since 1994." The 'Canes went 12-20 SU for the 2006-2007 season.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
T.O.'s Most Overrated Tournament Teams
by T.O. Whenham
Get March Madness Betting Odds, Winning March Madness Picks and Printable March Madness Brackets all at Doc's Sports Service. Also check out our March Madness 2008 home page.
When I am not writing for this Doc's Sports I spend all of my time reading the other stuff on this site. What else would I do? Robert weighed in with his most overrated teams in the tournament the other day. I agreed with some of his list but not others, so I thought that I would weigh in with a list of my own. Mostly, I just like being nasty to the teams that I hate. Here, then, are the five teams that are getting way too much credit in my eyes
5. Connecticut - It's an oversimplification, but the reason I don't like this team is that they couldn't beat Providence. The Friars just aren't very good. They can't play anything resembling defense, and their offense is underwhelming. Providence shouldn't be beating any legitimate teams, yet they somehow managed to beat Connecticut. Twice. I can accept that a team can get caught off guard and lose to a lesser team. I just don't get a good feeling when the better team can't adjust and win the second time. The other problem I have is with Hasheem Thabeet. The guy is huge, and when he's good he is really good, but he's wildly inconsistent. He didn't show up particularly well in the team's conference tournament loss, and I don't trust to him to come through in the NCAA Tournament. We'll hear a lot about how great he is, but I'm not convinced yet. If he's off then the team could struggle.
4. Texas - I admit that I am a big Memphis guy, and I am sick to death of hearing about how Texas is virtually a lock to beat the Tigers. Texas is a nice team, and D.J. Augustin is very good, but it's not like he is the next Steve Nash. Not yet, anyway. It's not that Texas can't play well when it matters - they beat UCLA and Tennessee on the road. Those wins were a while ago, though. More recently, this is the team that lost to Michigan State and Wisconsin back-to-back, lost two conference games to non-tournament teams, and didn't put up much of a fight against Kansas with the Big 12 title on the line. Could Texas beat Memphis? Absolutely. I just think that it's still worth playing the game before we crown Texas kings.
3. Tennessee - I agree completely with Robert on this one. They don't play defense as well as they should, and they could certainly shoot free throws better. I am also not convinced that they can go all the way without a better inside presence. I really don't like how they responded to beating Memphis, or how they have played since, and I don't like how their entire strategy when they get in trouble seems to be to wait for Chris Lofton to save them. That has worked well so far, but it is a dangerous thing to keep relying on that to happen. Bruce Pearl is a very likable guy and a heck of a coach, but his presence and his orange jacket aren't reason enough to buy into the argument that Tennessee was cheated by their seeding.
2. Vanderbilt - I guess I can't argue too much about the Commodores being a No. 4 seed, but I don't think for a second that they are a good No. 4, or that they are going to meet or exceed expectations. Shan Foster is a great scorer, but the Commodores won't be playing in their home gym, and that's a real problem. They are a very good home team, but they are significantly worse away from home. They were just 2-6 away from home in conference play. Home-biased teams don't generally do well in the tournament, and I expect almost nothing from the Commodores this year.
1. Duke - Duke would be on the top of this list pretty much every year, but they really deserve it this year. There are three No. 2 seeds on this list, but Duke is the worst of the three by far. Just look at the record - they lost four of their last nine games, and they covered three times in their last 11. Worse yet, their two recent losses to Clemson and North Carolina showed that Duke may be a good team, but they just aren't good enough. The problem with this team is that they can't change it up. If their four-guard shooting frenzy is working then they are dangerous, but if a team is able to challenge them they can't adjust and try something different because they don't have anything different to try. Teams in this tournament are good enough to figure that out.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
Toughest Tournament Draws
by T.O. Whenham
Get March Madness Betting Odds, Winning March Madness Picks and Printable March Madness Brackets all at Doc's Sports Service. Also check out our March Madness 2008 home page.
All tournament draws are not created equal. Some teams have a line up of relatively easy teams to face, while others have to go from one hard team to the other. Here, in my view, are the five teams with the hardest road to travel. To keep it meaningful, I will only look at teams in the top eight seeds and only at teams that can be viewed as legitimate contenders.
5. Vanderbilt - The Commodores are a team that has been at their best at home, so playing in a neutral site will challenge them. To make matters worse, they will be facing a tough run of teams in those neutral sites. They start off with a No. 13 seed, Siena, which isn't particularly consistent, but which does have a convincing win over Stanford on their record. After that they will either face a Clemson team that has been very dangerous all year and which comes in off a win over Duke and an impressive effort against North Carolina, or a Villanova team that is ridiculously young but talented and oozing potential. A win there and they run right into the Big 12 champions from Kansas. Vanderbilt lost their last game against Arkansas, so they need to step up to make it through this daunting string of opponents.
4. Gonzaga - Gonzaga's participation in the tournament is basically assumed given what they have accomplished under Mark Few, but they have struggled to go as deep as they should. As a No. 7 seed in a very tough spot they could again get bounced earlier than their fans would like. They start out by facing Davidson, the team with the longest winning streak in the country. They were undefeated in conference play, and Stephen Curry is one of the most impressive players in this entire tournament. If they win that they run right into a Georgetown team that had a bad loss against Pitt in the conference tournament, but is still as dangerous as any No. 2 seed after surviving the tough Big East. If the Bulldogs survived that it wouldn't get any easier, with either USC, Kansas State or Wisconsin next up.
3. Michigan State - The Spartans have not been as strong as they could be this year, and they have been frustratingly inconsistent. Inconsistency will kill them in this bracket. They start with Temple, a team fresh off a tournament win in the tough A-10. Their biggest win was over Xavier, but they were tested and seasoned by losing to a number of top teams like Duke, Villanova and Tennessee. The Spartans would next face Big East champs Pitt. The Panthers have struggled at times, but they are finally healthy after a ridiculous run of injuries this year, and they are a popular pick to do some damage. If that's not enough to kill the Spartans, then they have likely games against Memphis and Texas to look forward to. If Michigan State were to make the Final Four it would be an epic accomplishment.
2. Connecticut - The Huskies have a bit of a fragile feel about them these days. They are talented, but they don't seem to have a killer attitude. They will need to find one fast. They start with a game against San Diego, the team that stole a tournament spot by winning the WCC Tournament with wins over St. Mary's and Gonzaga on consecutive days. The Toreros didn't start the season well, but they have found their stride in the new year. Next up would likely be Drake, the current mid-major darling of fans everywhere. The Bulldogs were truly dominant in their conference tournament, and they have nothing to lose. A win there and the Huskies would run right into UCLA, a very popular choice to win it all.
1. USC - O.J. Mayo and the Trojans are hot and flashy, and they are getting lots of love from the experts, but the selection committee did them no favors. They start out with easily the best game of the first round - an epic showdown with superfrosh Michael Beasley and K-State. If they come out ahead in that very tough game then they have to find a way to beat Wisconsin, the mind-numbingly methodical Big Ten regular season and tournament champs. The Trojans will have to avoid letting the Badgers slow the game down and control the pace. Next up is Georgetown, Gonzaga or Davidson. Whichever team emerges from that group of three will be well tested and in form.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
Easiest Tournament Draws
by T.O. Whenham
Get March Madness Betting Odds, Winning March Madness Picks and Printable March Madness Brackets all at Doc's Sports Service. Also check out our March Madness 2008 home page.
There's no such thing as an easy draw in the NCAA Tournament. Even the worst team in the tournament is better than average, and the demands and scrutiny of the format make it an incredibly challenging thing to win. That being said, some teams definitely have an easier road ahead of them than others. Here are the five contenders with the easiest road to the Elite Eight:
5. Stanford - The Cardinal are headed for a very tough showdown with Texas in the Sweet 16. That's the bad news. The good news is that they have two fairly easy games to play before they have to grapple with the Longhorns. They start with a game against Cornell, the Ivy League champs who are just happy to be there after having been locked out of tournament participation by Penn and Princeton for so long. Win that and Stanford next faces either Marquette, the Big East contenders who lost three of their last six and weren't quite among the best of their conference, or Kentucky, a team that has made an inspiring late run to salvage their season, but one which just doesn't have the firepower to compete at the top level without Patrick Patterson.
4. North Carolina - It's not surprising that three of the five teams on this list are No. 1 seeds. Those teams get rewarded for their strong season by being given the easiest possible road to the Elite Eight. North Carolina gets to start out with a game that shouldn't be much tougher than an intra-squad game when they face the winner of the play-in game. That will warm them up to either play Indiana, a talented team that hasn't reacted well lately to their coaching mess, or Arkansas, a talented but inconsistent team that beat Tennessee one day and lost to Georgia the next. Next up would likely be either Washington State or Notre Dame. Both of those teams are quite good, but not up to the level of the Tar Heels.
3. Kansas - A lot of people don't think that Kansas deserved to be a No. 1 seed. Those people really won't be happy that they got a pretty smooth ride. Portland State won the Big Sky, but it's a big step from there to the Big 12. The Vikings played some decent teams in UCLA, Washington and Washington State, but they weren't particularly competitive against any of them. Next up is either UNLV or Kent State. I like both of those teams quite a bit, but not nearly enough to think that they stand a legitimate chance against the Jayhawks. Their third game will be against the winner of the weakest 4/5/12/13 pod in the tournament. Clemson is solid, but weren't quite good enough against UNC. They would be the toughest of the four teams, but still very beatable for Kansas. Vanderbilt is a very weak four seed, Villanova, a team without a senior, is too young to do any damage this year, and Siena is solid but not a giant killer.
2. Xavier - If you read much of what I write then you probably know that I am a big Xavier fan. I don't love the way that they have been playing down the stretch, but I really like the draw they were given. Georgia's run through the SEC Tournament was a great story, but it seems unlikely that they can recapture whatever got them that win and pull off another miracle. They would next play either a Purdue team that has lost two of their last three and which is probably too young to go far, or a Baylor team that will be riding the excitement of being the last team in and is bouncing back from a truly terrible story, but a team that isn't as talented as Xavier. No. 3s often end up playing a No. 2, and Xavier drew the easiest two on the board this year in Duke. The Blue Devils have lost two of their last three and looked flat doing it. Xavier matches the Duke playing style very well and will stand a good chance of the mild upset.
1. UCLA - Most of the reason the Bruins are the favorite in the eyes of many experts and bettors is because of their depth, talent, experience and coaching, but another part of the reason this team is so loved is because of their draw. The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State better enjoy their tournament experience while it lasts, because it won't last long. Like most No. 8 versus No. 9 games, the two potential opponents of the Bruins in the second round are solid but flawed. BYU makes the tournament often, but they don't have the best record. Texas A&M struggled against the best teams they played and likely aren't good enough to test UCLA. Their Sweet 16 opponent will likely be either Drake or Connecticut. Drake is a great story and a legitimate team, but they would have to step their game up significantly to get past UCLA. UConn is a nice team, too, but they aren't consistent or deep enough to run with the Bruins.
Re: NCAA Tournament betting preview
Seven Overrated Teams Headed Into the Tourney
by Robert Ferringo
Get March Madness Betting Odds, Winning March Madness Picks and Printable March Madness Brackets all at Doc's Sports Service. Also check out our March Madness 2008 home page.
So I'm watching countless hours of "Bracketology" - or, as it should more aptly be referred to: Babblology - on ESPN the night that the seeds for the NCAA Tournament were announced. Now, these guys are paid as experts. This is their chosen profession and the issue that they spend supposedly countless hours watching and analyzing. Yet, when it came time for each of the analysts: Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis and Dick Vitale to fill out their "virtual brackets" the four of them, collectively, threw up the most chalk, safe, garbage Final Four picks that you could imagine. I believe that two of them - including one of the few analysts I respect, Jay Bilas - actually had all four No. 1 seeds advancing to San Antonio for the Final Four.
All of this begs the question: have they every SEEN the NCAA Tournament? Buzzer beaters, bracket busters, impossible shots, improbable runs, redemption for underachievers, heartbreak for the overconfident, and millions of dollars won and loss on the bounce of a small, leather, air-filled orb; that is the NCAA Tournament. What should happen very rarely ever does, and the true "expert" is the one that can sift through the clutter and noise and expect the impossible.
With that in mind, I compiled a list of seven teams that I know a majority of office workers will be penciling in as the national champions. Now, I came up with this list BEFORE the seedings were announced on Sunday and did so independent of the individual matchups. However, it's always good to go with your first instinct, a rule that I have too often ignored this season. Sometimes the details don't matter. The big picture is that I think these are seven very popular, very chalk teams that have an incredibly minute chance of winning the NCAA Tournament:
1. Duke - The Blue Devils are THE public team in college basketball, so it's almost never a great value play to wager on them. This year's version of the Dukies is like some kind of twisted experiment, with four guards spreading the floor, bombing away from three-point land, and driving to the hole. Somewhere, Cherokee Parks is weeping. But that's why Duke won't win the 2008 National Championship. They are a one-trick pony and they have such a glaring weakness in the middle that a team like Stanford, Louisville, or someone with serious size should be able to manhandle them. One-dimensional teams very, very rarely cut down the nets.
2. North Carolina - I know. You're stunned. I got it. But I'm not into the Tar Heels. Are they better than they were last year, when they didn't even make the Final Four? I say no. Are they better than the 2006 team that won the title - but barely did so with a questionable win over Villanova in the early rounds? Not even close. I don't like UNC because I don't think they shoot the ball well enough from deep. I know they are 68th in the nation, but those are just numbers. Other than Wayne Ellington they don't have anyone that I trust to get hot from the outside and carry them through a five- or eight-minute stretch. Ty Lawson is one of the most overrated players in the country, the ACC officials baby the Heels (and tourney officials won't), and they aren't smart enough to go to Hansbrough in the clutch.
3. Kansas - Down by three. Twenty-six seconds on the clock. No timeouts. Who is Kansas going to? Brandon Rush? Please. I know I don't trust him. You also have to consider the fact that Bill Self is a notorious choke artist and that KU has a nasty history of underachieving at The Dance. The Jayhawks are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games outside of Phog Allen and they have no marquee road wins in the nonconference (USC wasn't nearly as good on Dec. 2 as they are now). Mix in a Red Flag Loss (at Oklahoma State) and I just don't think this team has the makeup of a champion. However, of all of the teams on this list this is the one I could be wrong about.
4. Georgetown - Again, this team is not better than the one that lost in the Final Four last year. They're going to be a tough out, but the Hoyas' dirty little secret is that they didn't beat anyone this year. Well, let me rephrase: they didn't beat anyone on the road this year. All of their marquee wins were in conference games, at home, against teams they should have beaten. Yes, they won at Morgantown. But they didn't really win that game. I'm just saying, this team might have peaked in NYC. I don't expect them to hit 50 percent from 3-point land in too many regionals. And if someone can smother Jonathan Wallace I don't see anyone else on this team stepping up.
5. Tennessee - First, the Vols, like Kansas, may be Final Four-good. But you can't win a championship if you don't play any defense. Tennessee lets way, way too many opponents shoot over 50 percent from the field. They also don't make free throws, hitting just 65.6 percent, which is good for 281st in the land. If you don't play defense and if you don't make free throws you don't win championships. I also think the Vols may have peaked too soon. They are 2-4 ATS since beating Memphis and having a cup of coffee as the No. 1 team in the land.
6. Stanford - They are the anti-Duke. The NCAA Tournament is about guard play and I just don't trust the Cardinal's. None of their guards shoot over 38 percent from long range, and in a one-and-done situation one off shooting night can crush this team. Believe me, the Lopez Bros. will be a tough out. But for all the sound and fury this team has still lost three of its last five games, has two Red Flag Losses against small, quick teams (Oregon and Siena) and they got beat by 1,000 in the first round of last year's tourney. You can't wager the mortgage on a team with no significant experience to draw on.
7. Louisville - The Cardinals are in a similar situation to The Cardinal. Both teams dominate the interior but teams are at the whim of their outside shooting. I'm not saying that Louisville can't make a run. But what I am saying is that when you are 207th in the country in 3-point shooting and 286th in free throw shooting the odds of an off night and a short stay at the Dance are pretty high.
- Index
- » Basketball Discussion
- » NCAA Tournament betting preview
Board Info
- Board Stats:
- Total Topics:
- 47575
- Total Polls:
- 2
- Total Posts:
- 304000
- Average Posts Per Hour:
- 4.3
- User Info:
- Total Users:
- 3991
- Newest User:
- Ryan moore
- Members Online:
- 0
- Guests Online:
- 1938
- Online:
- There are no members online
Forum Legend:
- Topic
- New
- Locked
- Sticky
- Active
- New/Locked
- Sticky/Locked


text:
Red Cross: Not just about bloodletting
It is a universal organization that revels in helping people in need and whose humanitarian mission transcends the figures who run it.
From an organization set up to ease sufferings during wartime, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has evolved into a mini-government, providing full services even in peacetime.
"It's a very straightforward organization. We're not charitable because we don't say, 'Can we ask for money?'" PRC Chair Richard "Dick" Gordon said in an interview with the Inquirer.
"We don't provide doctors but we have doctors during calamities but they are volunteers. We have doctors in the blood bank and we have a lot of nurses," he said.
But Red Cross is not just about bloodletting and providing ambulances, although these are stressed because of its beginnings in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the additional protocols, statutes, and those of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Gordon said.
"Because there are wars, we give blood. So the Red Cross went into that because it alleviates human suffering. During disasters, such as earthquakes, civil wars, tsunamis—the Red Cross is there," said Gordon, a former senator and mayor of Olongapo City.
The PRC has 22 blood centers, which are among the 32 centers in the country that provide safe blood to victims. The PRC has 65 blood collection units, more than the government's blood collection capacity, and they are allowed by the state to test and collect blood for banking.
The Red Cross is an independent, impartial and humanitarian organization whose work is anchored on the principle of unity that is older than the United Nations.
Its symbol, a red cross on a white field, and other similar symbols, such as a red crescent (for Muslims) or red crystal (for Israel), means the bearers cannot be harmed. As such, they are allowed to care for the wounded or visit prisoners and help other victims of armed conflicts.
We have to be ready
The Philippines has to be prepared, as disasters are becoming bigger, Gordon said.
Among the most feared disasters, he said, is a powerful earthquake hitting Metro Manila. The metropolis has a population density of 18,650 people per square kilometer (latest figure available), compared to Central Luzon's 450 people/sq km and Calabarzon's 750 people/sq km.
Gordon cited a Japanese study that projects casualties of at least 1.2 million residents if a big one hits Metro Manila. The study expects up to 1,000 10-to-30-story buildings and up to 200 30-to-60-story buildings to collapse.
"[We] have to be ready for that," Gordon said.
The Red Cross came to the aid of the victims of the 1990 earthquake in Cabanatuan. It also aided survivors of the sinking of the MV Doña Paz, which collided with the MT Vector on Dec. 20, 1987, off Mindoro Island, killing 4,375 passengers—the biggest peacetime maritime disaster in the world. The Red Cross was also there for the survivors of the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars on June 21, 2008. The vessel capsized off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon, at the height of Typhoon "Frank," killing 100 passengers and leaving 500 missing.
Gordon said the Red Cross also provided humanitarian assistance to the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the communist and Muslim insurgency wars and government military operations against terrorist groups.
Like mother
Gordon credits his mother, former Olongapo City Mayor Amelia Gordon, for his 45 years of service in PRC, which is 65 years old. It was she who taught him to have compassion for the poor, he said.
Amelia Gordon served in PRC for 63 years. She adopted more than 50 children, changing the lives of thousands more children by establishing the Boys and Girls Home, which provides shelter and opportunity for orphaned Filipino children of American descent. For her work, she received the Pearl S. Buck International Woman Award, becoming one of only three Filipinos to receive the honor. The other two were the late President Corazon Aquino and Rosalinda Wee.
Gordon said that when he was chosen for the highest Red Cross award, he refused it because his mother was still alive and still chair of PRC. Amelia Gordon died in 2009 at the age of 89.
Sustainable development
Gordon aims to expand PRC's readiness to respond to disasters. PRC now has ambulances in nearly 100 chapters, two amphibian boats (which serve as mother ships for dispatch help during floodings), field hospitals and tents.
Although PRC accepts donations to sustain its operations, it gives contributions to Red Cross organizations of other countries hit by disasters. It gave $25,000 to help victims of Hurricane "Katrina" in the United States in 2005; $85,000 to help Indonesian and $10,000 in aid for Pakistani earthquake victims; $20,000 in assistance for earthquake victims in China; and $15,000 in aid for earthquake victims in Burma. Its biggest contribution was $2.4 million, given to help the victims of last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
PRC's funding comes from donations during disasters, but Gordon tries to raise money for the chapters all year round. When he was still senator, he gave part of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF) allotment to PRC. Today PRC has a budget of $800 million.
Phases of response
PRC's response to disasters, Gordon said, comes in phases: preparedness, rescue, relief, and rehabilitation.
Gordon aims to make every barangay in the country ready for any disaster.
"With 44 volunteers per barangay (one team leader plus 43 members), we will be able to predict, plan, prepare and cope with every situation. Everyone has a role to play," Gordon said.
When disaster strikes, PRC mobilizes disaster equipment—amphibian vehicles, ambulances, rescue trucks, rubber boats, aluminum boats—to take people to safety.
After a disaster, PRC distributes relief—food, blankets and sleeping pads, water and clothing.
Once the disaster has passed, PRC helps rebuild communities through housing, livelihood and other social services.
Housing, livelihood
Since 2005, Gordon said, PRC has built or rehabilitated more than 44,000 homes in about 40 provinces for victims of typhoons, floods, landslides and other disasters. It has spent more than P1.2 billion on these housing projects, Gordon said.
Money for housing projects comes from funds given by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements, other Red Cross societies all over the world, international humanitarian aid agencies, corporate donors and other private donors.
The houses can range in size from 24 sq m to 100 sq m, depending on the size of the property. They may be made of wood or concrete, depending on what material is suitable for the area and on funds.
Gordon said the houses were designed to maintain the dignity and privacy of the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries help build the houses, he said.
For livelihood, PRC helps disaster victims learn and get into soap-making, candle-making, and food preparation.
PRC is well known for its medical assistance program. Only recently, PRC helped a 4-year-old girl in Isabela, Niel Lomboy, get surgery that gave her an anus. With PRC's help, 8-year-old Joshua Asumen of Surigao del Norte has had surgery for the removal of a facial mass at the Philippine General Hospital. He is being prepared for a second surgery.
Great organization
Gordon's four children are also active in the Red Cross and regular blood donors. His youngest grandchild, aged 4, helps in packaging relief for disaster victims.
"This is a great organization," Gordon said. "Every kid should join it. We have Red Cross Youth."
PRC has 2 million volunteers. "We will break the Guinness [World] Record, which at present has 112,000 volunteers for the Sagip Ilog of Gina Lopez," Gordon said. "We will apply for the Guinness," he added.
"Everything we do in the Red Cross is for uplifting human dignity," Gordon said. "In the end, you can see how remarkable their characters change."
Get Inquirer updates while on the go, add us on these apps:
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
To subscribe to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper in the Philippines, call +63 2 896-6000 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.
Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate:
c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City,Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi All,,,
I love this software,,learning more and more every day,,Does anyone know where we can get some free plugins? Im looking for a Dragon plugins…Any help would be greatful..
Moving this to the Commons, as it is a request for, not an offer of a freebie
Chohole's Space NeilV's Freebies and stuff Summer 1 Bryce Rendering Challenge May Freebie Challenge
My DAZ 3D Gallery 11915
Does anyone know where we can get some free plugins? Im looking for a Dragon plugins…
Does anyone know where we can get some free plugins? Im looking for a Dragon plugins…
I suspect you mean free content rather than a plugin - content is new characters, clothes, creatures etc, plugins are additional bits of programme that expand Studio to let it do things it couldn't otherwise do. There are tons of free content, yet I can't think of a single free plugin.
The two major sources for freebie content are the Freepository forum here on DAZ: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/viewforum/41/ and Renderrosity's equivalent: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/index.php?section_id=1
There's also the free content section in the shop, no dragon, but does have the limited versions of the Millennium Dog, Cat, Horse and Big Cat http://www.daz3d.com/shop/free-3d-models-and-content
Thank you for the informaton,,,Im new to the terms and look forward to learning more, Ill check out the site you provided,,Thank you for all your help…. Tom
Had a sudden thought, now that I understand what you are looking for.
You mention Dragons.
THis is a copy of a list that was posted in the old forums, which I was asked to repost over here. If you scroll down, there are a few free models mentioned at the bottom.


text:
I'm a Muskoka and travel-loving International Destination Wedding Photographer based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. You want your wedding day to be the most memorable day of your life, a once in a lifetime moment and that's where my focus lies… your own personal fairytale. Like any storybook romance, your pages turn and your day unfolds uniquely and creatively with the right wedding photographer. From strikingly artful prints and canvases on your wall to impressively elegant wedding albums, your fairytale moments are yours to keep and pass down through generations.
Life's worth remembering. How do you want to remember it?
Vaughn Barry Photography 35 Kierland Rd, Barrie, Ontario – Canada (705) 627-9376 | Barrie, Muskoka Photographer


text:
World-Class Ass-Kicking
Jackson's gym defends the Duke City's title as a stronghold for tough talent
By Ari LeVaux
Life—be it human, plant or animal—doesn't last long in this scrappy landscape without barbs, armor or a few aces in the hole. Maybe that's why Albuquerque has perhaps the highest density of professional cage-fighters per capita. Officially called Mixed Martial Arts, the sport's biggest stage is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. But its best fighters are not confined to the UFC: Smaller promotions like Strikeforce and Bellator have their share as well. Albuquerque is home to fighters in these and just about every other major promotion in the U.S.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
In other pro sports, contract negotiations largely determine where an athlete lives and works. But fighters go where they like, and many choose to live in Albuquerque because of Jackson's MMA Academy.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Jon "Bones" Jones is one such transplant. A year and a half ago, the UFC light heavyweight contender relocated here from upstate New York with his young family to train full-time at Jackson's.
"Albuquerque's really cool. The people here are cool. It's a fighter town," he says (watch the interview here). "There's no other place I'd rather be. I love the high altitude, the green chile, all that good stuff."
Jones is riding quite a hype-train these days. He's an exciting young star known for creative striking and tenacious takedowns, including an arsenal of trips and throws. And he makes it look easy. At only 23, Jones has years ahead of him, provided he remains injury-free. Like so many others, Jones came to Albuquerque because of Jackson's—and not just for the coaching. The gym has become a crossroads for a who's who of MMA. The gym's reputation brings in a steady stream of world-class training partners.
In the MMA community, Greg Jackson is given near-mythical status as a Yoda-like guru. He's a masterful strategist with a deep understanding of the physical, emotional and spiritual sides of hand-to-hand combat. He focuses on the grappling side of fighting, while the gym's co-founder Mike Winkeljohn, or "Wink," is the team striking guru. Wink's work with Melvin Guillard, who came from New Orleans to train, was evident on Jan. 22 at a UFC event at Fort Hood military base in Texas, when a series of brutal punches and knees made quick work of the higher-ranked and highly favored Evan Dunham. With the knockout, Guillard put the rest of the UFC lightweight division on notice.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
The Home Turf Advantage
While fighters travel to Albuquerque from around the world, a large contingent of Jackson's talent is homegrown.
"I put Albuquerque on the map!" Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez says with his trademark lack of understatement. And he has a defensible point: Sanchez won the middleweight division in the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter," a reality show created by the UFC to draw viewers to the athletic pursuit. It worked, helping establish MMA as one of the most rapidly growing sports in the world. Sanchez rode this wave to become the first bona fide MMA superstar to train at Jackson's.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Another local, Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit, grew up in a political family in Albuquerque—his dad, Brian Condit, was the chief of staff for former Gov. Richardson. Mild-mannered and soft spoken, he only plays the part of "Natural Born Killer" in the cage, where he's known as a calm fighter who can turn your first mistake into your last.
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone has been here long enough to be considered a common-law local, and the former rodeo rider from Colorado is putting down roots in New Mexico. He recently went in on some rural property with fellow Jackson's featherweight star and longtime buddy Leonard Garcia.
"It's crazy," Cerrone says (watch the interview here), "I went from living upstairs [at Jackson's] in that little closet with Leonard Garcia to us owning a ranch out in Edgewood, N.M."
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
In addition to raising cows, goats, chickens, pigs, horses and sheep, he says, they've also bought the house next door. "We own about 40 acres now, we got a 4,000 square-foot gym we're building out there, got a cage, ring, everything. All the lightweight guys come down and train every night. We train here in the morning and there at night. So it works out good, man." he says, "You know, doing what I love and living a life worth living."
Cerrone makes his UFC debut against British striker Paul Kelly at on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, Nev., on the same night Jon "Bones" Jones faces the biggest test of his young career in the Scottsdale-trained Ryan Bader.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
All in the Family
Another fighter getting settled in Burque is Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine, a former UFC title contender who's now trying to fight his way back into the promotion after a losing streak.
The Mean One has opened two gyms—one in Albuquerque and one in Rio Rancho—called the Mean1 MMA & Fitness. Jardine still trains as a fighter at Jackson's, though the two gyms are competitors. There's one line, however, that Jackson's fighters agree not to cross: They won't compete against one another in the cage.
Granted, the teammates are perfectly happy to kick the living snot out of each other behind closed doors in the gym, for free. But honestly evaluating their weaknesses requires mutual trust; and that means knowing they'll never have to be opponents in a real fight. If a fighter thinks he might compete against a training partner some day, he might not say everything he's thinking in order to keep a few tricks up his sleeve.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
This policy presents matchmaking problems in the title picture of nearly every UFC weight class: Sanchez and Condit share the welterweight division with their teammate, the champion Georges St. Pierre; Jon Jones shares the light heavyweight division with teammate Rashad Evans, a champion and title challenger; the lightweight division includes Guillard and Cerrone, as well as their teammates Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida.
Not surprisingly, UFC president Dana White has never been one to hide his distaste with the idea that training partners can't compete against each other. It's a sport, he contends, arguing that in no other sport will certain athletes claim a lifelong ban on competing with other athletes.
But from perspective of Team Jackson, fighting isn't like other sports. It may look like only two people in the cage, but the teams behind them are completely integral to a fighter's success, and the bonds between teammates can be strong.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Fierce Competition
These bonds have yet to be tested with the temptation of a title belt dangling on the line. And in the even more crowded ranks of the lower-level pros and upper-level amateurs, things get a little more tricky, as fighters trying to make it big vie for a limited number of fighting opportunities in which to make an impression.
There's also competition from athletes at other area gyms, as would be expected in a fighter town. In addition to Jackson's and Mean1, several other MMA training grounds make their homes here, including Albuquerque Kickboxing, Fit NHB and Lion Academy of Martial Arts, as well as numerous karate, tae kwon do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other combat arts in a strip mall near you. The demand is so great that even Jackson's offers classes for regular people in search of fitness and self-defense techniques.
While states such as New York are still dragging their feet at sanctioning MMA, several local promotions are putting together a nearly continuous stream of events, with a fight scheduled on almost every weekend somewhere in New Mexico. Fight cards are put together by local promotion companies such as Fresquez Productions, Que Loco Cage Fighting, Evolution Combat Sports Championship, as well as Jackson's own series—the billboards of which have been towering over I-25 and I-40 for about a year.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
The idea behind the Jackson's MMA Series is to provide experience for the team's fighters, explains Ricky Kottenstette, general manager of the gym and of the series. "So we basically put out a challenge to fighters from other camps."
Kottenstette isn't just bringing in opponents that he knows Jackson's fighters can beat—known as "tomato cans" in the business—in order to beef up records. The home fighter has only won one of the last three main events, he points out. "It's easier to take a loss in front of 3,000 people then against 5 million live on television," he says. While losses are hardly fun, they're usually more valuable learning experiences than wins.
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
"It shows that we're putting our fighters to the test."
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com
Saturday, Feb. 5
Jones vs. Bader
Today's Events
Randy Granger at Rio Grande Center for Spiritual Living
Meet the Farmer: Harvesting at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic FarmMore Recommented Events ››
home | feature | news | film | music | art | food | classifieds | personals | staff | lo-fi | search
© 1996-2015 Weekly Alibi email@example.com
View mobile version


text:
MarketAxess (MKTX): Q1 EPS of $0.37 beats by $0.01. Revenue of $50.7M (+16.3% Y/Y) in-line. (PR)
Apr 25 2012, 06:50 ET | About: MarketAxess Holdings, Inc. (MKTX) | By: Gaurav Batavia, SA News Editor
Check out Seeking Alpha's new Earnings Center »
ETF Hub
ETF Screener: Search and filter by asset class, strategy, theme, performance, yield, and much more
ETF Performance: View ETF performance across key asset classes and investing themes
ETF Investing Guide: Learn how to build and manage a well-diversified, low cost ETF portfolio
ETF Selector: An explanation of how to select and use ETFs


text:
Ole Miss has a chance to make a move in the SEC West race this weekend with three games against a struggling opponent, Kentucky. The Rebels hope to continue their recent offensive improvement while plugging some other holes with their defense and pitching. First pitch is tonight at 6:30 at Swayze Field if the rain relents.
- News
- Sports
More In Sports
- Business
- Lifestyle
More In Lifestyle
- Opinion
More In Opinion
- Politics
- Obituaries
- Blogs
- Subscriptions
Begin a Subscription
Manage Your Subscription
- Videos


text:
A Lake City man observed driving erratically on SR 121 in the early morning of March 15 turned out to have a license with five prior suspensions.
Home > The Press (page 581)
Category Archives: The Press
Added charge for violating an order
A Glen St. Mary man arrested on March 8 for molesting a 14-year-old girl who was spending the night with friends at his Mud Lake Rd. address has been charged also with violating a protective order that was sought earlier by his estranged wife.
Caught trying to shoplift
A Glen St. Mary's man was arrested for misdemeanor larceny on the afternoon of March 13 after being caught on camera attempting to steal more than $160 worth of items from Walmart.
Public buildings hit
Vandalism and theft were reported at two county recreation buildings the past week, the first at the Baker County Riding Club concession stand sometime between March 1-15.


text:
Ticketholders received an email delivering the news.
What The Oscar Nominees Really Eat
Ryan Guzman
It's hard not to fantasize about Guzman's sexy teacher character, Jake, in Pretty Little Liars. Before he became an actor, Guzman was a model, which makes total sense.
Photo Credit: Getty
As the seasons of The Vampires Diaries have passed, Trevino (who plays Tyler Lockwood) has just got hotter and hotter.


text:
Frigidaire Gallery 24" Tall-Tub Dishwasher FGHD2455LF
you were searching for is
If you are looking for past specifications or guides, please click HERE to view.
This item
Total price: 0
Specification Sheet
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print pdf files
Save Up To $500
Save up to $500 with mail-in or online rebate on a qualifying Frigidaire kitchen package.
How To Save:
• Purchase any 3 qualifying appliances - Get $300 Off
• Purchase any 4 qualifying appliances - Get $400 Off
• Purchase any 5 qualifying appliances - Get $500 Off
Only one model per category qualifies. All products must be on one invoice. Claim must be submitted by June 30, 2015. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to download, complete and mail in the rebate form and all required documentations by the given postmark date.
Save Up To $100
Save up to $100 with mail-in rebate on qualifying Frigidaire Gallery Dishwashers.
How To Save:
• Purchase a qualifying Frigidaire Gallery Dishwasher - Get Up To $100 Off
Rebate is up to $100 of basic professional installation cost and does not apply to self-installation. Applies to labor on basic dishwasher replacement and installation only. This rebate cannot be combined with other Frigidaire promotions unless the offer specifically states that such offer may be combined with this particular rebate. Claim must be postmarked by June 12, 2015. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to download, complete and mail in the rebate form and all required documentations by the given postmark date.
Save Up to $500
Save up to $500 via mail-in rebate on qualifying Frigidaire kitchen appliances.
How To Save:
• Purchase any 3 (Dishwasher, Cooktop, OTR Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Wall Oven) - Get $300
• Purchase any 4 (Dishwasher, Cooktop, OTR Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Wall Oven) - Get $400
• Purchase any 5 (Dishwasher, Cooktop, OTR Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Wall Oven) - Get $500
Terms & Conditions: This rebate offer is limited to one rebate per model per household. Multiple sales to builders, apartments, condominiums, subdivisions, etc., do not qualify. Void where prohibited. By submitting this claim you hereby accept the above stated terms and conditions. If you have NOT taken delivery, please submit your rebate before the cut-off date, and update your serial number online or by calling 855-359-7131. All information must be received by June 30, 2015.
Available Rebates - May be Combined
It is the sole responsibility of the customer to download and mail
in the rebate form by the respective closing date.
AJ Madison cannot be held responsible for non-compliance of the afore-mentioned.
Show All Products
cooking appliances
cooking ranges,
microwave ovens,
wall ovens,
range hoods,
coffee systems,
compact kitchens,
cooking product accessories
wine coolers,
beverage centers,
beer coolers & kegerators,
ice makers,
refrigeration accessories
dishwashers & disposal
built in dishwashers,
portable dishwashers,
dishwasher accessories,
trash compactors,
food disposal accessories
vacuum cleaner accessories
washer dryer combos,
laundry centers,
ironing centers,
laundry accessories
air conditioners & air quality
room air conditioners,
mini split air conditioners,
portable air conditioners,
air quality
outdoor refrigerators & beverage coolers,
outdoor bars,
patio heaters
sinks & faucets
sink & faucet combinations,
vanities & mirrors,
sink & faucet accessories
Please enter a valid email address
Deals & Promotions
Rebate Center
Write a Review
Product Reviews
RSS Feed
You did not enter any text.
© 2015, AJ Madison Inc. or its affiliates


text:
Winter White Vegetable Soup
This side dish soup is loaded with vegetables, making it high in fiber and vitamins.
- Makes:
- 10 servings
- Prep:
- 45 mins
- Roast:
- 1 hr 400°F
- Cook:
- 40 mins to 50 mins
Rate me!
Winter White Vegetable Soup
medium beet, trimmed (about 8 ounces)
medium onion, chopped
tablespoon butter
small head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
medium celeriac, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
large fennel bulb, sliced (discard leafy tops ( (2 cups)
medium parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
cloves garlic, halved
cups water
1 1/2
cups milk
tablespoon snipped fresh chives (optional)
- Wrap beet in foil. Roast in a 400 degrees degree oven about 1 hour or until just tender. Cool. Peel and dice or grate; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook and stir onion in hot butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Add cauliflower, turnips, celeriac, potatoes, fennel, parsnips, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups milk. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer soup mixture in batches to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Return all soup to Dutch oven. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Heat through. Ladle into individual bowls and sprinkle with beets and, if desired, chives. Makes 10 servings.
From the Test Kitchen
Roast, peel, and dice or grate beet as above. Cover and chill beet up to 24 hours. For soup, prepare soup thorough step 2. After cooling slightly, blend or process as in step 3. Do not return to Dutch oven as directed. Transfer mixture to a storage container and refrigerate up to 24 hours. To serve, return mixture to Dutch oven and stir in additional milk to desired consistency. Heat through and serve as above.
Nutrition Facts(Winter White Vegetable Soup)
- Per serving:
- 112 kcal cal.,
- 2 g fat
- (1 g sat. fat,
- 6 mg chol.,
- 189 mg sodium,
- 20 g carb.,
- 5 g fiber,
- 4 g pro.
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet


text:
Note to "Saturday Night Live": The Joe Biden impersonation isn't working because it isn't funny. Last night the opening of "SNL" tried to get their fans hooked on the Biden as gaffer sketch, but it only proved to show how much we're going to miss Sarah Palin and Tina Fey's dead-on impression. The skit only set the tone for what was to follow: easily the worst "SNL" of the year — and maybe the lamest in years.
Last night's show was an homage to everything gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that — but it was overdone and often times uncomfortable. There's a difference between humor that pushes the envelope and comedy intended to make the audience uncomfortable: the latter is being a slave to lazy writing because it's easy to create sketches based on what's trendy. As with most network comedy shows, gay is viewed as fashionable and therefore liberties are taken to exploit it. But enough already: The first half hour of "SNL" was overkill. There was a sketch that went on too long that had men literally sucking face. That was quickly followed by a skit about men (as teenage boys) being scared straight by a convict who had a laundry list of unfunny sodomy jokes. That was soon followed by a sketch where four guys in a car were relating to what the Ricky Nelson's song "Garden Party" meant to them — and each one had something gay-related to say about it — including one punch line from a guy who was "uncomfortable with another man's urine in my mouth" and another guy saying that he couldn't remember where his vibrating cell phone was. Guess where?
Actor Paul Rudd was the host. He seems to be making a career appearing in many of the slew of "butt buddy" comedies that have been, ah, thrust onto the movie-going public. Noticeably absent from the show last night were — women. Which made it easier to continue what has been a trend on TV in the last few years — men sexually harassing each other. "SNL" is much funnier if it has a political agenda to mock. Even on its "Weekend Update" edition last night, one cast member — who was either too convincing because he, uh, pulled it off, or because it wasn't much of a stretch for him — played Snaggle-Puss, a gay cartoon character. And faster than you can say Liza Minnelli, a sketch with Beyonce was also homoerotic. Two male cast members and Justin Timberlake were — get this — gay dancers, complete with high heels, who were supposed to be the singer's back-up dancers in her next video. Beyonce was under-used — kind of like, pardon the expression, the straight man. But she did utter the phrase late in the sketch that pretty much summed up not only the routine she was part of, but the entire show when she said: "Can we stop please."
"SNL" used to be a trailblazer of edgy material. It's now just trendy — and beginning to show that, through shows like last night's, there's no humor in tolerance. "SNL" has joined the cast of must-miss TV that may as well be a live-action version of "Beavis and Butt-head." The show can take some solace in that — it would mean it has box-office appeal.


text:
People PetsSit. Stay. Play!
After Kim Richards's beloved pit bull Kingsley attacked her niece, Alexia Umansky, earlier this month, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has temporarily removed the dog from her home.
This little piggy did what? Fans started squealing after Miley Cyrus shared pictures of her pet pig, Bubba Sue, getting a pedicure on Nov. 5.
Permalink | Filed Under: Stars and Pets, Miley Cyrus
Anywhere between five to seven million pets enter shelters every year.
Permalink | Filed Under: Stars and Pets, Hoda Kotb, Lance Bass
She's not talking about her messy split from ex-boyfriend Matt Prokop, but Sarah Hyland is open to discussing the messy circumstances involving the main man in her life right now: her dog, Barkley Bixby.
Permalink | Filed Under: Stars and Pets, Dogs, Sarah Hyland
Clearly, fashion is a family affair for the Bündchen-Brady clan.
Lua, the pit bull mix of football star Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bündchen, costars with her dapper dad in his new marketing campaign for UGG Australia, and the dog is definitely bringing fashion forward in the cutest way possible.
In the video titled "Down Time," the third in the series, Lua plays fetch with the three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback on a deserted beach. (Brady's parents, Tom and Galynn, starred in the previous installments.)
Permalink | Filed Under: Animals & Pets, Stars and Pets, Dogs, Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady
When you're done aimlessly dissecting Taylor Swift's latest hit for hints about her exes – pro tip: You're better off focusing on the confession she rearranged her furniture for a dance party – redirect your attention to the true loves of her life.
Permalink | Filed Under: Animals & Pets, Cats, Stars and Pets, Taylor Swift
For actress Nikki Reed, it's all about animals – all the time.
Permalink | Filed Under: Animals & Pets, Stars and Pets, Nikki Reed
The ALS Ice Bucket challenge has taken over social media, attracted numerous celebrity participants and, most important, raised millions of dollars in donations towards finding a cure for the progressive neurodegenerative disease. Longtime animal activist and former NBC correspondent Jill Rappaport hopes her challenge, Pies 4 Paws, will do the same things for the 8 million shelter pets looking for a home.
Permalink | Filed Under: Animal Charities, Animals & Pets, Stars and Pets, Good Deeds, Meredith Vieira
Make no bones about it – Carrie Underwood is going to nail this mom thing.
Permalink | Filed Under: Stars and Pets, Cute Pets, Carrie Underwood
Miley Cyrus has added another new member to her furry family: a pet pig!
Permalink | Filed Under: Animals & Pets, Stars and Pets, Pet News, Miley Cyrus