| The U.S. men's hockey team was a disaster waiting | | | | the bigger rinks in international play. As for the |
| to happen.Most of them got stuck in a blizzard | | | | Canadians, I am still scratching my head with them. |
| before the Games started. Several of them were | | | | The young players did not seem to have the passion |
| over age 60. And they had the combined mental | | | | and drive that we are used to and it clearly showed |
| toughness and discipline of former FEMA Director | | | | in their losses to the Swiss and to the Fins.Did the |
| Michael "Brownie" Brown. That they went 1-4-1 in | | | | Daytona 500 do any serious action? Was Jimmie |
| Turin is no surprise. Keith Tkachuk embarrassed | | | | Johnson's win a (relatively) big victory for the |
| himself throughout the tournament with worse hands | | | | books?GJ, BoDog.com: NASCAR does not generate |
| than Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot, and Mike | | | | the handle I would like to see due mostly to the |
| Modano humiliated himself complaining about his hotel | | | | unpredictability of the sport. In football, if a receiver |
| arrangements afterward. They were supposed to | | | | blows out his hamstring, the game goes on and the |
| suck, and they did.But what the heck happened to | | | | team still has a legitimate shot at winning. In |
| Canada? I called a repeat Canadian gold in this very | | | | NASCAR, if Tony Stewart blows a tire, chances are |
| space a couple weeks ago, and, um, well, not so | | | | it is over for him. The Daytona 500 had a lot of |
| much. (You may remember, however, I said that | | | | wacky things happen that leads me to believe that |
| Russia and Finland were dramatically underrated.) | | | | NASCAR will just never be predictable enough in a |
| Typical of Team Maple Leaf's frustrating tourney: the | | | | single race to attract massive handle. As for Jimmie |
| lone shot I saw of Wayne Gretzky during Canada's | | | | Johnson's tainted win (come on now, his car was |
| quarterfinal loss to Russia last Wednesday included | | | | illegally modified), it was a favorable outcome for the |
| Wayne standing in a suit coat and tie, spitting on the | | | | books. I'm curious, though, what impact this |
| rink floor. I suppose that's better than a shot of him | | | | controversy will have on the action from here on in |
| calling his bookie.Speaking of old: in retrospect, | | | | on Johnson in future races.I guess we got our |
| including Joe Sakic (36), Rob Blake (34) and Adam | | | | answer by the Villanova hoops team; they |
| Foote (34) turned out to be a huge mistake. In such | | | | leapfrogged UConn, and sit #2 behind Duke in this |
| a compressed tourney, the fresh legs of, say, | | | | week's poll. How do you see the Villanova at UConn |
| Sydney Crosby and/or Jason Spezza sure would've | | | | game this weekend? What do the books hope |
| looked nice wearing red. Joe Thornton was an | | | | happens?GJ, BoDog.com: UConn will definitely be |
| unmitigated disaster, Vincent Lecavalier got hurt, Rick | | | | favored due to the home-court advantage, and |
| Nash barely ever got a stick on the puck and on the | | | | because of the handle we usually receive on the |
| flight back home from Italy Chris Pronger just took | | | | home favorites, I suspect we will be once again big |
| another penalty. And the Gretzky Gambling Debacle | | | | Villanova fans this weekend. As I stated before, |
| certainly took a toll.Sure, the U.S. was awful. But | | | | UConn is the better team and will be leapfrogging |
| frankly they were awful on paper, and their best | | | | back ahead of 'Nova come Monday morning.Last |
| player literally was 44 years old. Canada, meanwhile, | | | | week I asked what college hoops team could come |
| was obviously the best team in this tournament, no | | | | out of nowhere and stun folks while getting to the |
| question about it, and they got shut out three times. | | | | Sweet 16. This week, I'm setting my sights a little |
| Just amazing.There were indications (in this very | | | | higher. If I had to pick one team that's currently |
| space) that the Winter Olympics would pretty much | | | | outside the AP Top 16 who could stun folks and get |
| be a non-factor for sports betting. Has that been the | | | | to the Final Four, I'd say LSU. How about you?GJ, |
| case? Have people at least been able to get up for | | | | BoDog.com: LSU is once again a solid pick; however, |
| the ice hockey? What do you think of North | | | | year after year I always tend to go back to Michigan |
| America's struggles in this tournament?Greg Jorssen, | | | | State. Izzo has this uncanny ability to get his team |
| BoDog.com: The Olympics have been a non-factor, | | | | focused at the right time and this year is fielding a |
| with the exception of the hockey. We've realized | | | | team that is as talented as any team in the past. |
| decent handle on the games, particularly the | | | | Maurice Ager leads the team currently in scoring and |
| quarterfinal games. The games that have received | | | | his hot hand (when it is on) can easily lead the |
| the most handle of course involve the Americans. | | | | Spartans to the Final Four. With Shannon Brown |
| Unfortunately, most bettors believed that the Fins | | | | playing as well as he is right now and Paul Davis being |
| would win their quarterfinal game against the U.S. The | | | | consistently a force night in and night out, they are |
| poor play of the Americans in the round robins | | | | my team right now and one I will ride in my bracket |
| swayed bettors against them. Americans put | | | | pool this year!!!!!Christopher Harris is a featured writer |
| together a very old team, which is not conducive to | | | | for the Professional Handicappers League. |