Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.
All of the air was taken out of the Ohio State Buckeyes sails a year ago. Ohio State went 6-7 and the fan base in Columbus was more upset than they have been in years. In November 2011, when Ohio State hired Urban Meyer, it seemed the program had already taken a major step to getting back on track.
Mike Leach was bound to find another job sooner or later because of his past success, and it turns out the Washington State Cougars were the team to give him a chance. Leach left Texas Tech under tons of controversy, but he definitely took the Red Raiders program to far more success than they had ever seen before.
2011 could be coined the year of mediocrity for the Cal Golden Bears. The team wasn’t all that bad in any one area, but they also didn’t have any great strengths as a team. California finished 7-6 and just 4-5 in the PAC 12 Conference in the 2011 season.
It was the Yankees who ran away with the first game of this series last night. Phil Hughes pitched a solid game, and the Yankees bombed away to a 10-3 win.
Rich Rodriguez is getting another chance to prove he can take a team to the top. After great success at West Virginia, Rodriguez was run out of Michigan after disappointing seasons. Mike Stoops never panned out for the Wildcats. Arizona had an embarrassing 4-8 campaign in 2011.
The high expectations are back at USC. Over the last couple years the program has been in a minor slump after the NCAA punished the program in a big way, but Lane Kiffin’s Trojans are loaded and ready to go in 2012.
The best rivalry in baseball gets another series started Friday evening in New York. Boston is hovering around the .500 mark, while the Yankees have the best record in baseball.
The New York Yankees have put quite a bit of distance on the rest of the field in the AL East, but this series still has a ton of importance.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles MLB Betting Preview
Starting Pitchers: Tampa Bay (Shields) vs. Baltimore (Tillman)
Date/Time: July 27, 12:35 p.m. EST
MLB Gambling Odds from TopBet
Moneyline: Tampa Bay (-105) Baltimore (-105)
Runline: Rays -1.5 (+140) Orioles +1.5 (-160)
Total: 9
Both of these teams are right in the thick of the AL Wild Card, and it is never too early to start looking at the Wild Card once you reach the second half. Tampa Bay has taken the first two games of this series, including a 10-1 beat down of the Orioles last night.
The Rays have endured all kinds of injuries this year, and they have just trying to stay afloat. Evan Longoria has been out for a long time, and Matt Joyce is still dinged up a bit. Luke Scott had given the offense a little extra power, but he is out with an oblique strain. Tampa Bay is 28th in the majors in batting average at just .233, but the Rays have managed to score 4.17 runs per game. Joe Maddon and the Rays have stolen a lot of bases and hit well with runners in scoring position. James Shields has been disappointing this season, and the team needs him to pick it up as the season moves along.
Baltimore won five in a row, but now they have lost three straight games. The Orioles offense relies heavily on the long ball. Baltimore is third in the majors in home runs, but they are dead last in baseball in stolen bases. Adam Jones has cooled off a bit of late, but he still leads the team with a .292 average and 23 homers. Chris Davis is having a comeback season at first base, and Jim Thome gives the team another power hitter. Matt Wieters hasn’t lived up to expectations, and the Orioles need him to become more consistent offensively. Chris Tillman has had two terrific starts and one awful start so far this year. Which Tillman will show up here?
The Orioles have shown a lot of pride this year, and I think they’ll fight hard to salvage one game out of this important series.
Free MLB Pick: Orioles ML
Stanford football fans hoped this day would never come, but this is the year where they must go on without Andrew Luck under center. The prosperity of the last couple seasons wasn’t based on only one player, but losing him will hurt a great deal.
The Cincinnati Bengals surprised a ton of people by getting to the playoffs last season. In fact, almost everyone expected the Bengals to be one of the worst teams in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens had a very successful season last year, but the 2012 NFL playoffs couldn’t have ended in more disappointing fashion. Lee Evans dropped a touchdown pass that would have won the game for the Ravens, and then Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal. The Ravens ended up falling 23-20 to the New England Patriots.
The Cleveland Browns fans are as dedicated of a bunch as you will find. Unfortunately, the Dawg Pound hasn’t had anything to cheer about in quite some time. When Mike Holmgren came over to run the team a couple years ago, the expectations rose for this team.
After getting to the Super Bowl in 2011, the Steelers 2012 playoffs ended with a disappointing first round loss to the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh’s defense wasn’t quite as dominant last season, but injuries were at least partially to blame.
Two of the most dynamic offenses in the game square off when the Boston Red Sox visit the Texas Rangers Tuesday evening. The Texas lineup has actually been in a major slump of late, but most still consider them the best lineup in baseball.
The 2011 Washington Huskies are probably best remembered for losing 67-56 in last year’s Alamo Bowl. Steve Sarkisian is an offensive wizard, but it has become completely clear that this team must find a way to play a little more defense if they are going to contend with the best teams in the PAC 12 on a weekly basis.
The Utah Utes took a major step up in class last year when they joined the PAC 12 Conference. No longer would the team have breathers every other week like they did in the Mountain West. The Utes went 8-5 on the season, and 4-5 in the PAC 12.
