Best bets
Last week: 2-0-1
Year-to-date: 6-4-1
If you’re counting (and I know you are), that’s 5-0-1 in two weeks. That’s pretty good. Almost good enough to pack it all in, load up the RV and head out to Vegas. There I can stagger around from sports book to sports book, looking for the friendliest odds and least watered-down drinks as I try to stake my claim.
Until I get my feet under me, I’ll have to subsist on the complimentary drinks and 99-cent shrimp cocktail. I guess that means I’ll have to stop being a vegetarian, too.
Who says the high life doesn’t have its drawbacks?
Anyway, let’s go:
Eagles minus 5 over Tampa Bay
How can go against a home ‘dog? Easy. The Bucs stink. It doesn’t matter that the Eagles are 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 games against a team with a losing record.
Temple plus 34 over Northern Illinois
Yes, we know that this about the worst Temple football season ever… which is really saying something. But if they can’t stay within 34 points of Northern Illinois, maybe it’s time to stop playing football up there on North Broad. Give the football program’s money to the track and cross-country teams. How cool would it be if they built some trails that connect to the loops in Fairmount Park and Kelly Drive?
I say very.
Colts minus 9 over Redskins
And it’s all over in Washington right about… now.
For the degenerate types who like the action, bet on Brian Sell running a sub-2:10 in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon. Sell won’t win, of course, but American Abdi Abdirahman should contend if his 61:07 in the Philly Half is any indication of his fitness.
However, there are four sub-2:07 runners in the field, not including defending Boston champion Robert Cheruiyot (he set the course record in April) is in the race along with 2005 Chicago and 2006 Boston runner-up Benjamin Maiyo. Maiyo likes to front run, but the pace at Chicago will be blistering since the course is pancake flat. In fact, at Chicago a curb on the sidewalk is viewed as a hill.
In this race, Daniel Njenga, 30, is the most intriguing. Unlike most Kenyan runners, he trains in Japan instead of the United States and hasn’t burdened himself with too much racing. Actually, Njenga typically runs just one marathon a year – though he ran two in 2004 – and has alternated between second and third places at Chicago going back to 2002.
With a 2:06:16 PR (2002 Chicago) in tow, look for the mysterious Njenga to finally break through.
New York is quickly approaching, too. Talk about a deep field...
Year-to-date: 6-4-1
If you’re counting (and I know you are), that’s 5-0-1 in two weeks. That’s pretty good. Almost good enough to pack it all in, load up the RV and head out to Vegas. There I can stagger around from sports book to sports book, looking for the friendliest odds and least watered-down drinks as I try to stake my claim.
Until I get my feet under me, I’ll have to subsist on the complimentary drinks and 99-cent shrimp cocktail. I guess that means I’ll have to stop being a vegetarian, too.
Who says the high life doesn’t have its drawbacks?
Anyway, let’s go:
Eagles minus 5 over Tampa Bay
How can go against a home ‘dog? Easy. The Bucs stink. It doesn’t matter that the Eagles are 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 games against a team with a losing record.
Temple plus 34 over Northern Illinois
Yes, we know that this about the worst Temple football season ever… which is really saying something. But if they can’t stay within 34 points of Northern Illinois, maybe it’s time to stop playing football up there on North Broad. Give the football program’s money to the track and cross-country teams. How cool would it be if they built some trails that connect to the loops in Fairmount Park and Kelly Drive?
I say very.
Colts minus 9 over Redskins
And it’s all over in Washington right about… now.
For the degenerate types who like the action, bet on Brian Sell running a sub-2:10 in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon. Sell won’t win, of course, but American Abdi Abdirahman should contend if his 61:07 in the Philly Half is any indication of his fitness.
However, there are four sub-2:07 runners in the field, not including defending Boston champion Robert Cheruiyot (he set the course record in April) is in the race along with 2005 Chicago and 2006 Boston runner-up Benjamin Maiyo. Maiyo likes to front run, but the pace at Chicago will be blistering since the course is pancake flat. In fact, at Chicago a curb on the sidewalk is viewed as a hill.
In this race, Daniel Njenga, 30, is the most intriguing. Unlike most Kenyan runners, he trains in Japan instead of the United States and hasn’t burdened himself with too much racing. Actually, Njenga typically runs just one marathon a year – though he ran two in 2004 – and has alternated between second and third places at Chicago going back to 2002.
With a 2:06:16 PR (2002 Chicago) in tow, look for the mysterious Njenga to finally break through.
New York is quickly approaching, too. Talk about a deep field...
Labels: best bets, Chicago Marathon
posted by Motorboat Jones at 7:25 PM
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