The Basement View

 This week made me double check almost every spread. There are plenty of stinky lines that make no sense to me. This is a week Vegas pays a lot of money back to the public, here are my picks on a free money week! Locks for Week 8:  L.A. Rams (-16.5) in Houston  Tennessee (+2.5) in Indianapolis  Washington (+3.5) in Denver  Dallas (+3) in Minnesota 

  Game One of the World Series was like a grand master chess game. Game One had an old timey feel to it. The Braves stole home field and took a 1-0 series lead; however, they lose Charlie Morton for the rest of the World Series with a broken leg which is big for Houston later in the series. The Braves cool off the hot Houston bats but had to use five pitchers including using A.J. Minter for 2.2 innings and 41 pitches—both season highs for Minter. It was a fantastic way to open the World Series. As good as the game was, this game is on Dusty Baker. Baker left Framber Valdez in for the third inning when Valdez didn’t have his A stuff that we saw in Game Five in Boston. Of the 15 batters Valdez faced 10 of them hit the ball harder than 94 MPH, which is extremely hard contact, he was not fit for the task he was given.  Valdez had no business being in the game in the third inning. I don’t mean to pile on Baker who has been the subject of bullpen mismanagement in the World Series be...

 The mojo is ALL messed up. I don't know what to do. These past two weeks have felt like the Hulk  shaking a snow globe with me in it. Anyway, let's get back on track this week! Locks:  Washington (+7.5) @ Green Bay  Tennessee (+5) at home against Kansas City  Philadelphia (+3) @ Las Vegas  Indianapolis (+4.5) @ San Francisco on Sunday Night Football 

  Exactly three months have passed from the Milwaukee Bucks eliminating the Brooklyn Nets on the Nets home floor in an overtime thriller that saw two of the greatest performances from two of the game’s brightest stars. Three months later, the only things that have changed are the location and the margin of victory. Opening night means nothing in the grand scheme of things, unless you’re raising a banner. An opening night loss doesn’t mean your season is in trouble. What is troubling for the Brooklyn Nets is that the Bucks looked better than them again last night. The same short comings from last season were apparent last night in Milwaukee. The defense is still lacking when the offense needs a stop, turnovers are still ending runs that can be game changing, and the Nets are still searching for a rim protector that can slow down dominate post players while also grabbing rebounds. The Nets shot better from three (53.1% to 37.8%) than Milwaukee, and you’re not going to shoot better t...

  Aaron Boone is back for three more years… For now. With the new CBA looming the actual dollar amount has not been announced, but the man who is currently 9 th in wins in franchise history, the proverbial Yankee punching bag is back! Whether you agree with the decision or not, Boone all things considered is the right man for the job right now. Brian Cashman said if Boone wasn’t the manager in 2022 “we’d want someone like him” and “if he was a free agent he’d be the number one managerial candidate.” Cashman confirmed what I thought and a lot of people around baseball have thought: if not Aaron Boone than who? Cashman’s first words today were about Boone’s ability to connect, communicate, and have an open mind. All things every manager has to have in the game right now. Boone isn’t the first manager or the last to be criticized for his use of analytics. But to truly understand this hire take a look around the rest of baseball. Kevin Cash has been openly questioned in Tampa by the m...

 At 37-29 overall it is time to get the locks in order and get 10 games over even overall.  Here are this weeks picks and the locks are:  1. Washington (+2) against New Orleans  2. Denver (+1) at Pittsburgh  3. New York Giants (+7) at Dallas  4. Tennessee (-4) at Jacksonville Use these picks to win money and make your Sunday that much better. 

  Xander Bogaerts was the grave digger for the Yankees tonight. He got the party started in Fenway with a two-run homer in the first inning and made the biggest play of the game cutting down Aaron Judge on a relay throw to the plate to end the Yankees in the 6 th inning. Bogaerts did not play well down the stretch for the Red Sox, but he showed up when it mattered most. Gerrit Cole for the Bombers did not show up in this game last just three batters into the third inning giving up three runs and leaving with runners on first and second. Phil Nevin's send of Judge his in the 6 th allowing Judge to get gunned at the plate is the worst send of his career and should be questioned if he is the man to have the third base coaching job. The momentum completely shifted into Boston’s favor after that—and the Red Sox coasted. Alex Cora gave the Yankees a gift taking Eovaldi out after a Judge base hit that didn’t leave the infield—Nevin gave it right back. This season has a roller coaster of...

  Watching the Jets yesterday, IT WAS FUN! Zach Wilson was entertaining, and he played well! The defense was flying around and making plays. The Jets won a football game. If yesterday was an indication of what is to come from Robert Saleh, Zach Wilson, and the rest of gang green I cannot wait to turn on the J-E-T-S every given Sunday. Zach Wilson showed the talent that made him the second overall pick and showed how Mike LaFleur can draw up plays to win games. Wilson wasn’t perfect, he even missed easy throws to put the game on ice in the 4 th quarter and overtime. If Wilson hits Corey Davis on a five yard out route with a little more than two minutes on the clock, Tennessee doesn’t touch the ball again, and the game doesn’t go to overtime, he still has a ton of room to grow to become consistent winning quarterback in this league. On the defensive side of the ball, I am floored by the performance through the first month of the season (and today in particular) of Quincy Williams. T...