Normal and Month-End SFTC picks

I had a great day yesterday, going 6 - 2 with my top picks.  The two I lost, Federer blew two match-points to green the overs, and Oklahoma blew a 22 point lead with just under 8 minutes left in the second half to go on and lose in overtime!!

Tomorrow is finally the last day of February.  I can't wait for March!  The college basketball conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament are all going to be CRAZY!!  Let's go!!  

I am still giving my top picks for tomorrow, but since it is the last day of the month, I will also give my picks for those going for the month wins contest.  

If you're going for the month wins contest, my picks are:

1. Tiger Woods -- 5/10 confidence
2. Sivasspor -- 4/10 confidence
3. 11 points or fewer -- 4/10 confidence
4. North Carolina made 3 pointer -- (tossup, 4/10 confidence)
5. 62 points or fewer -- 6/10 confidence
6. Made Free Throw -- (total tossup, 3/10 confidence)

So my top picks are below.  The * indicates props that are also featured on Streak It Up.

NCAAM:

*1)  North Carolina Tar Heels 

Reasons:  North Carolina is definitely the better team.  The game is at Clemson, but North Carolina has been playing very well lately, and I think they pull out a win here.

Confidence:  60%

*2)  Duke Blue Devils

Reasons:  Virginia is 16 - 1 at home and are riding a 15-game home winning streak.  The line on this game is dead even.  Virginia needs this game more, in order to make the tournament field, and Duke will want to win to keep within reach of Miami for the lead in the ACC and to keep their #1 ranking for the NCAA tournament.  Duke has been playing well lately, but Virginia has also proven that they can win.  I just feel like Duke squeaks out with the win. 

Confidence:  50%

NBA:

*1)  Los Angeles Clippers

Reasons:  Roy Hibbert for the Pacers is out this game, serving his suspension for the fight he was involved in.  Danny Granger is also out for the Pacers.  The Pacers and Clippers have both played very well lately, but, I give the edge here to the Clippers.

Confidence:  60%

Other Sports:

Golf:

*1)  Tiger Woods Lower Back 9 Score 

Reasons:  Tiger's the better golfer for sure.  Although, Webb Simpson should have beaten D. Johnson a couple weeks ago on this same prop, but blew a 3 shot lead and Johnson won with the tie.  Tiger can lose focus and not play well at times, but I think he wins by at least 1 stroke here.

Confidence:  50%

NHL:

1)  New York Islanders

Reasons:  I'm just feeling the Islanders on this one.  The Islanders seem to usually win at home.

Confidence:  40%

Soccer:

*1)  Sivasspor W/D

Reasons:  The odds are slight in Bursaspor's favor to win, but they are definitely not a clear favorite.  In their last 5 head to head matches, Sivasspor won this prop 3 times.  

Confidence:  40%

SFTC picks for 2/27

Apparently the favored road teams in college basketball are cursed lately.  Villanova last night, Memphis tonight.  These upsets are crazy!!  

That's ok!  Here we come March!  

Here are my top picks for Streak for the Cash for Wednesday, Feb. 27.  Those marked with a * also appear on Streak It Up (SIU).

Basketball:

NCAAM:

*1)  Georgetown Hoyas

Reasons:  UConn has definitely had some impressive wins at home this season, but Otto Porter and Georgetown are the cream of the crop in the Big East.  The conference leading Hoyas are favored by 3 in this game.  It should be a great game, but I give the edge to Georgetown.  Not many other basketball games have gone the way they "should" though lately.

Confidence:  60%

*2)  Oklahoma Sooners

Reasons:  Oklahoma is favored by 3, and won the game by 6 last time these teams played.  

Confidence:  50%

NBA:

1)  Warriors 3 pointers made or tie

Reasons:  Led by Stephen Curry, the Warriors can shoot well from downtown.  The Knicks have definitely cooled down since their red-hot start to the season.  This is basically a double-digit margin prop, and I think the Warriors can keep it close.

Confidence:  70%

2)  Sacramento Kings

Reasons:  The Kings took the Heat to 2 OT last night.  They should be able to beat the Magic easily, unless they are too tired from their longer game today.

Confidence:  60%

Other Sports:

Tennis:

1)  Federer to lose 6 games or fewer

Reasons:  If I get burned taking the under with Federer again so be it.  The last time these two met Federer lost exactly 7 matches.  The under is on a roll in these tennis matchups, so maybe the over will finally win one.  

Confidence:  40%

NHL:

*1)  Anaheim Ducks

Reasons:  The Ducks are at home and obviously have the better record and are the better team.  I just hope they don't get a beatdown like they did against the Kings a couple days ago.

Confidence:  40%

Soccer:

*1)  Bayern Munich Win

Reasons:  The odds favor Bayern Munich, they are at home, and they are just crushing the competition this year.  Dortmund has proven they can play with Bayern, so the draw is definitely possible, but I just feel that Bayern is too powerful at home. 

Confidence: 50% 

*2)  Chelsea Wins by 2+

Reasons:  It has been a couple years since these teams have faced each other, but 4 of their last 5 meetings Chelsea has won by 2+.  My big concern is that Chelsea has looked flat lately and they are on the road in this match.  Definitely don't pick with a high streak.

Confidence:  30%

Apologies for Yesterday, Picks for 2/26

Well darn it, a few of my picks didn't go as planned yesterday.  I'm sorry about that.  Realistically though, the picks I lost could have easily gone my way.  Sometimes we just lose some.  It happens to everybody.  I hope you still come back and visit my site and aren't thrown off by a bad day.  I've just started this top picks thing recently but will get better at it over time.  So please come back, refer your friends, and hopefully we can all help each other become masters of this game!

For you newcomers (and others who may not understand how I've set up this blog), the links at the top of the page are links to my pages for other fantasy games besides Streak for the Cash.  I will soon rearrange those so that only 1 row of links appears, creating a cleaner and more user-friendly look and feel.  I also plan on creating an "About this site" page, where I will explain how everything works and is set up.  That way I won't have to re-explain things in every post.

Do you like me doing 1 or 2 Top Picks for each sport, or would you prefer to have analysis of every prop?  Please comment on this post and let me know!

On a high note, Gareth Bale for Tottenham Hotspurs is on fire right now!  He saved us spurs pickers in the 90' minute again.  Remember a few days ago when he scored in the 90+ minute to green the Spurs pickers?!?!?

Image Source:  http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/4MBCMV.IS2Z7wbBte4PnMQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zNzI7cT04NTt3PTUxMg--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-02-25T220447Z_704295804_LR2E92P1PBO43_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND.JPG

Here are my top picks for Streak for the Cash for Tuesday, Feb. 26.  Those marked with a * also appear on Streak It Up (SIU).

Basketball:

NCAAM:

1)  Wake Forrest 3 Pointers Made or Tie

Reasons:  Wake Forrest is coming off a huge upset win over then #2 Miami.  Last time they played Florida St. (on Feb. 9) they won 71 - 46.  The line for this game is Florida St. -6.  The teams are very similar in average points scored per game and average points allowed per game, and Wake is pretty good from 3 point range.  Florida St. may win the game, but I like Wake Forrest to keep it close and wouldn't be surprised if they win.  My only concern is that for this game Wake is on the road.

Confidence:  60%

2)  Memphis Tigers

Reasons:  Memphis is looking to extend their winning streak to 19 consecutive games, which would be the current Div. 1 record.  They are 7 - 0 on the road this season, and are favored by 5 in this game.  I just hope they don't have a let-down like Villanova had last night, and since this game is on SFTC, that might just happen.

Confidence:  50%

NBA:

1)  New Orleans Hornets over Brooklyn Nets

Reasons:  I give the edge here to the Hornets because they are at home, and the Nets have been anything but consistent this season.  Anthony Davis should be good to go for the Hornets, and Joe Johnson may be out for the Nets.  The line is dead even though, so I wouldn't pick this with a high streak.

Confidence:  50%

2)  Phoenix Suns over Minnesota Timberwolves

Reasons:  Neither of these teams have been doing well lately, but I give the slight edge to Phoenix because they are at home, Kevin Love is still out for the Timberwolves, and they are favored by 1.5.  I wouldn't pick this with a high streak though.

Confidence:  40%

Other Sports:

Tennis:

1)  Djokovic to lose 6 games or more

Reasons:  I got burned on what seemed a sure tennis pick yesterday with the 16 games or fewer.  Again a high percentage is on the under, but the odds actually favor over 17.5 games played, which means this pick is favored.  Also, in a number of matches that these two have played, Djokovic has lost 6 or more games.  I wouldn't put a high streak on this though.

Confidence:  50%

NHL:

1)  Dallas Stars

Reasons:  The Dallas Stars are definitely a better scoring team than the Blue Jackets.  The Blue Jackets average a league-worst 2.05 goals per game at home.  Dallas' defense and goal-tending is a concern though, and has cost them games recently.  And remember how the Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings to end a W23 streak?  I definitely wouldn't put a high streak on this game.

Confidence:  40%

Soccer:

1)  Any other result

Reasons:  The odds favor any other result in this match.  These two teams played to a 2 - 2 draw earlier this month.  This game is at Everton, but Everton hasn't been dominating teams lately.  I think Everton wins, but winning by 3+ is asking a lot.  

Confidence: 60% 

2)  Barcelona Win

Reasons:  I give the slight edge to Barca in this game.  These two teams are always at the top of their league, and watching them go head-to-head is almost always exciting.  I just think Messi and his teammates get the win at home.

Confidence:  50%

SFTC picks for Monday, Feb. 25

Well I was feeling pretty good about the Illinois WSDL pick today.  Illinois has been up and down this season though.  They seem to win games they shouldn't and lose games they should win.  I also didn't see that blowout by the Red Wings coming.  And the Bulls decided to not show up.  That's the nature of sports though, and what makes it so fun and so frustrating at the same time!

There are not a lot of easy greens tomorrow, but here are my top picks for tomorrow, and be sure and check out my other pages and give feedback.  I'd like to know if my picks and how I'm running the blog are helping you be successful!

Those picks marked with a * also appear on Streak It Up.

NCAAM:
1)  Villanova over Seton Hall
Reasons:  Villanova has had some great wins this season, their most recent coming against Marquette.  Seton Hall is definitely at the bottom of the Big East standings, having only won 2 games in conference play.  Villanova is favored by 5, but they should win by more than that.
Confidence: 80%

*2)  Syracuse over Marquette
Reasons:  Syracuse is clearly the better team, but they have proven that they are beatable and vulnerable, especially on the road.  I just don't think Marquette has enough fire power on offense to beat them, and I don't think they are quite good enough defensively to shut down Syracuse.  Especially if Syracuse gets out to an early lead, it will be hard for Marquette to come back, since they are terrible from downtown.  All this being said, Syracuse is only a 1 point favorite, so it may be worth staying away.
Confidence:  50%

NCAAW:
1)  Oklahoma 2nd half points or Tie 
Reasons:  Oklahoma averages 73 points per game, or about 36 per half.  Will Baylor beat them by more than that?  It's extremely unlikely.  Oklahoma also has a respectable 19 - 8 record, so they can't be that bad.
Confidence:  70%

NBA:
*1)  Atlanta over Detroit
Reasons:  Atlanta played well in their last win, and they have proven that they can beat Detroit.  Also good news for the Hawks is that Will Bynum is out for the Pistons, serving a 1 game suspension.  I like Atlanta's chances here, even though they are on the road.
Confidence:  50%

NHL: 
*1)  Anaheim Ducks
Reasons:  Besides the Chicago Blackhawks, no other team is having a better season than the Ducks.  They currently sit at 13-2-1, whereas the Kings are at 8-6-2.  The Kings will be at home, but it is a virtual home game for both teams.
Confidence:  60%

2)  Montreal Canadiens
Reasons:  The Canadiens seem to be money on SFTC.  They are a great defensive team, and Ottawa will most likely be without their starting goalie due to injury.  I don't know a ton about these teams, but I just know the Canadiens win more than the Senators when they are featured on SFTC.
Confidence:  40%

Soccer:
1)  Tottenham Hotspur Win
Reasons:  Remember when Bale for Tottenham scored in the 93rd minute to put Tottenham up by two and win that prop a couple weeks ago?  Bale is on fire right now, and Tottenham has done surprisingly well this season.  West Brom has shown that they can compete, but their recent form is not that good.
Confidence:  60%

2)  Udinese Win/Draw
Reasons:  Udinese has only lost 1 home game this year, at the hands of Juventus who leads the league table.  Napoli is second in the table currently and beat Udinese 2 - 1 at home earlier this year.  The draw option is slightly favored in this match as well, and it's hard to ignore Udinese's home record.  They have also recently beaten some the top teams in the league team at home.
Confidence:  40%

Tennis:
1)  17 games or fewer total games played
Reasons:  This tournament is not a major, so the match is the best of 3 sets, not the typical best of 5 sets.  In order for 18 games or more to win the prop, Federer would need to lose 6 games.  I just don't see that happening.  Federer is clearly in the top 3 in the world, and his opponent is something like 130th.  I think Federer loses at most 4 games, giving the under the easy win.
Confidence:  80%


I hope my picks help you in your quest of building the best streak of your life!  Please visit my other pages and refer your friends to my site.  I need your help to spread the word!  Thanks and good luck!

Picks and Analysis for Feb. 24

I haven't made picks for a couple of days because I was focusing on getting the site organized and set up.  So now I'm back to making picks for Streak for the Cash (SFTC) and Streak It Up (SIU).

For those of you who are viewing my blog for the first time, I am new to this, but I hope I can help you become the best Fantasy games player you can be.  I feature my picks for SFTC and SIU here on my main home page and the other games I analyze are featured on other pages.  The links to all of the games I work on are featured at the top of the page under the blog title and description.

What I do for SFTC and SIU is I give my top 2 picks for each sport.  If there is anything else you would like to see, please leave suggestions in the comment field below.  The main picks are for SFTC, and those marked with a * are also featured on SIU.

NCAAM:
1)  Illinois Win or Single Digit Loss
Reasons:  Illinois is arguably the hottest team in the Big10 right now, and Michigan has been out of sorts lately.  Michigan is desperate to get a win and get back on track, but Illinois will not want to give up any ground.  The line is currently at Michigan -10, but I like Illinois to keep it close.
Confidence:  70%

*2)  Notre Dame 
Reasons:  Notre Dame has been very inconsistent this season, but seems to be surging at the right time.  Cincinnati seems headed in the opposite direction.  Notre Dame has definitely been better at home than on the road.  I like Jack Cooley and the Irish get the win here.
Confidence: 60%

*3)  Michigan State
Reasons:  Ohio State has been in a slump lately, especially at home.  The Spartans are headed in the right direction.  These are both good defensive teams, so expect a low-scoring, hard fought game.  I think the Spartans are a tougher team than the Buckeyes though and should pull out a win.
Confidence:  50%

NCAAW:
1)  Duke
Reasons:  Duke only has 1 loss on the season.  They are currently ranked 5th.  Will the Duke women get upset in Maryland like the men's team did?  I don't think so.
Confidence:  70%

2)  Purdue Winning Margin or Tie (Prop was changed -- was Minnesota WSDL/Purdue DD before)
Reasons:  Last time these teams played at Purdue, Purdue won by 8.  This game is at Minnesota, and the outcomes of most of the other Big 10 games Purdue has played have been within single digits.  Purdue has even lost a number of games on the road.  However, Minnesota doesn't averages about 5 3s a game, and Purdue should win by at least that much.
Confidence:  70%

NBA:
*1)  L.A. Lakers
Reasons:  Kobe and the Lakers are on a roll, and are determined to make it to the playoffs.  Such a feat will be in a word impressive, but they have had great success over the Mavericks recently.
Confidence:  70%

*2)  Bulls Win or Single Digit Loss
Reasons:  The Bulls are a tough team, and the Thunder have had some head-scratching losses this season.  I think the Thunder win, but not by double digits.
Confidence:  60%

NHL:
*1)  Vancouver Canucks
Reasons:  Vancouver has been on a roll as of late.  Detroit has a lot of injuries, and recently lost to the  league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets, ending the leader's streak at 23.  These teams have not played yet this season, but most signs point to Vancouver, and that's what I'm feeling.
Confidence: 70%

*2)  Carolina Hurricanes
Reasons:  The Hurricanes beat the Islanders in New York a couple weeks ago, and the Islanders oddly have been better on the road than at home.
Confidence:  50%

Soccer:
*1)  Chelsea Win or Draw against Manchester City
Reasons:  Despite being in position 2 in the Premier League table, Manchester City has been very up and down this year.  I just don't trust them.  Chelsea hasn't been a whole lot better, so I think the draw is pretty safe and the most likely.  The last head-to-head in-league match between these two resulted in a 0 - 0 draw.
Confidence:  60%

Golf:
1)  Jason Day/Matt Kuchar Winner
Reasons: I think Day and Kuchar have had a better tournament and have been doing well at match play.
Confidence:  60%

Site ready to rock 'n roll

All right, I have been working on this for hours and have finally gotten it pretty much completed.  I have added a lot since I first started this blog.  I'm trying to appeal to a large audience by covering a variety of sports and fantasy games.  Even if fantasy sports is not your thing, you can still learn a lot about sports and why so many people love their fantasy games.

So now that I have the blog ready to rock 'n roll, I will be mostly posting my picks for Streak for the Cash and Streak It Up on this main page and do my write-ups for all other games on their specific pages (see links  below the blog title).  I will also be sharing general information on this home page as well.  So just come to this home page for general information and SFTC/SIU picks, and then click on the other pages for other specific games.

It has been so much fun creating this site!  I love sports and fantasy games (if you couldn't tell)  and this site is a really fun and positive outlet for me.  So kick back, enjoy, refer your friends, and check back often for all of the latest fantasy sports news!

SFTC and SIU picks for Feb. 20

Well darn it, my picks haven't gone quite as planned.  That's what happens when you make or suggest more picks though: your winning percentage goes down just by nature of you picking more.  I've thought about just posting my top 2 picks of the day, but I wanted to give at least one or two from each sport in order to help a  larger number of people, especially people who may not be interested in the same sports as I am.

The key to winning Streak for the Cash is to be patient.  The temptation is so strong to pick multiple times a day, trying to build and increase your streak as fast as possible.  Remember, slow and steady wins the race!  If you're careful and patient about your picks, your chances of building a long streak increase dramatically.  I have definitely not mastered this principle yet, but creating this blog and really analyzing my top picks is really helping.  Here I come in March!

What I think I'll do from now on is just give my top pick from each sport.  That way you will have a larger variety than just my top two overall picks, and I won't have to spend so much time analyzing multiple picks and have the chance of bringing down my win percentage.

So for tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 21, the following are my top picks.  Those marked with a * (or a very similar prop) are also featured on Streak It Up.

NCAAM:  
*My Top Pick:  California 3 pointers made over Oregon's winning margin or tie
Reasons:  California is on fire lately!  They have beaten Arizona, UCLA, and even beat Oregon once already on Feb. 2.  Their 3pt % is not great, but they should make at least 5, and I expect this to be a close game.  I would not be surprised at all if Cal wins.
Confidence:  70%

NBA:
*My Top Pick:  Miami Heat over the Chicago Bulls
Reasons:  Miami is clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference, and still being without D Rose, the Bulls will have a hard time winning this game or evening making it far come playoffs.  I think the game will be close, but Lebron is just tearing it up right now and I like the Heat to win here.
Confidence:  70%

NHL:
My Top Pick:  Philadelphia Flyers over the Florida Panthers
Reasons:  The Flyers seem to have gotten back on track after a dismal start to the season.  They have recently beaten the Islanders and the Penguins.  They should continue their streak in this game, especially being at home.  The Panthers have been inconsistent at best, more so on the road than at home.
Confidence:  70%

Soccer:
*My Top Pick:  Metalist Kharkiv to advance over Newcastle United
Reasons:  The aggregate is tied at 0 - 0, but Metalist is at home, and the odds clearly favor them.  Nearly 90% of picks are on Newcastle though, which is very confusing.  There aren't many good soccer picks for today, so this is the one I feel the best about.
Confidence:  50%

Golf:
My Top Pick:  Tiger Woods to win the match during holes 10 - 16 against Charles Howell III
Reasons:  Tiger is simply the better golfer.  6 holes is not a lot to win a match by, but I would expect Tiger to be up by at least 1 stroke, and that's all it takes.
Confidence:  60%

Good luck with your picks everyone and please subscribe to this blog, join my groups on SFTC and SIU, and most importantly, spread the word to your friends!

SIU and SFTC Picks for Wed. Feb. 20

My picks did pretty well today.  Unfortunately, I missed all of my NCAAM picks.  In all three games that I picked on, the team I chose failed to play well down the stretch.  It really annoys me when teams do that!  Oh well.  I hope I do better on my picks for tomorrow, for everyone's sake.

The following are my picks for tomorrow on SFTC.  The * indicates that the same (or very similar) prop is also featured on Streak It Up.  

NCAAM:

1)  Gonzaga wins by 15+ over Santa Clara 

        Reasons:  Gonzaga is clearly the best in their conference.  They are just demolishing teams.  BYU beat Santa Clara by nearly 20 and Gonzaga beat BYU by almost 20, so I expect Gonzaga to easily cover the 15+.  The Bulldogs are simply on a different level than the Broncos.

          Confidence:  90%

*2)  Washington Free Throws Made over Arizona Winning Margin

        Reasons:  Washington will probably make about 15 free thows.  I just don't see Arizona winning by that much.  They have lost the last two at home, lost to Colorado on the road, and barely escaped at Utah.  They will look to rebound and get back to winning ways, but the Huskies are not pushovers.  They have lost 7 of their last nine, but all losses were by single digits.

          Confidence:  80%

NBA:

1)  Detroit Pistons over the Charlotte Bobcats

          Reasons:  The Bobcats are the worst team in the league.  They have been accumulating some wins as of late, but the Pistons are clearly the better team.

          Confidence:  80%

2)  Cleveland Cavaliers over the New Orleans Hornets

          Reasons:  Kyrie Irving and the Cavs are on a roll.  I look for them to make a push down the stretch toward playoffs.

          Confidence:  70%

NHL:

*1)  Los Angeles Kings over the Calgary Flames

          Reasons:  The defending champs will just be too much for the Flames, as they have won 3 straight and get a 4th here.

          Confidence:  70%

2)  St. Louis Blues over the Colorado Avalanche

          Reasons:  The Blues are playing very well lately.  They have actually been better on the road than at home.  Colorado has won 6 straight at home, but I think the Blues end their streak tomorrow.

          Confidence:  50%

Soccer:

1)  Any Other Player (who will score first in the first half of Barcelona vs AC Milan)

          Reasons:  Both teams have a number of great scorers.  From my observations, it seems like Messi scores the majority of his goals in the 2nd halves of games.  I also think there will be at least one goal scored in the first half, so the no goalscorer option should not come into play.

          Confidence:  70%

*2)  Schalke 04 W/D 

           Reasons:  Schalke plays in the German Bundesliga with the likes of the almighty Bayern Munich and others.  It is a great league and Schalke are around the middle of the table in that league.  

          Confidence:  50%

Golf: 

1)  Tiger wins the match during holes 10 - 16 against Charles Howell III

          Reasons:  Tiger is obviously the better golfer.  The question is if he will win over the 6 holes.  I think so.

          Confidence:  70%

*2)  Zach Johnson all square or winning after holes 1 - 7 against Jason Day

          Reasons:  I just think Zach Johnson is playing better golf than Jason Day right now.  My only concern is that the percentage is just over 90% for Johnson though, so will the 90% curse come into play?

          Confidence:  50%

SIU info and SFTC Picks for 2/19

Well I had a great day today, going 4 - 0 on my picks!  I hope to keep this up so that you can create as long of a streak as possible.  I also want to invite you to share my blog with everyone you know.  My goal is to help as many as I can.

I have been posting solely on ESPN"S Streak for the Cash game so far, because that is really the only game currently running.  There is a game called Streak It Up, which is similar to SFTC, but with much lower prize money.  The game does have a lot of interesting streak-building options though that SFTC does not offer.   Anyway, check it out, and comment on this post to let me know what you think.  I will try to start posting my picks for that game soon as well, although a lot of them will be the same, since the games have quite a few of the same props.

So here are my top picks for SFTC for tomorrow:

NCAAM:
1)  Miami DD Win over Virginia

• Reasons:  Miami is great at home.  They are at the top of the ACC this year and are demolishing teams at home.  They beat Duke by 28, North Carolina by near 20.  They definitely play better at home than on the road.  I think they win big here again.
• Confidence: 90%

2)  Florida State WSDL against NC State

• Reasons:  NC State started out the year really hot, but have been on a nose dive for the last month or more.  I like Florida State to keep it within single digits, if not win.  Of slight concern is that the game is at NC State and Florida St does do better at home, but I'm not too worried about it.
• Confidence:  70%

3)  Florida Winning Margin over Missouri 3PM or Tie

• Reasons:  Florida is tearing it up through the SEC, and Missouri isn't exactly the cream of the crop.    The game is at Missouri, but Florida has been good on the road.  Missouri will probably make 6 -8 3s but I like Florida to win by at least double digits.
• Confidence:  70%

SOCCER:

1)  Bayern Munich Win over Arsenal

• Reasons:  Let's face it: Bayern Munich is absolutely tearing it up this year.  Their goal differential is just incredible.  Also, Arsenal is not as good as they were last year.  The fact that they drew with Queens Park Rangers should tell you a lot.  
• Confidence: 80%

NHL:

1)  Chicago Blackhawks over the Vancouver Canucks

• Reasons:  The Blackhawks are just having an incredible season.  They are still undefeated in regular time, their only losses coming in shootouts, albeit one of those came at the hands of the Canucks.  They may be due for a loss, but I don't think it comes from the Canucks.  The Blackhawks are at home and they are tough to beat at home.  Plus, I think they will match the record for # of games to start a season without a regular time loss.
• Confidence: 80%

2)  Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers

• Reasons:  I just think the Kings, last year's Stanley Cup winners, are better than the Oilers and should get the win.
• Confidence: 60%

TENNIS:

1)  Caroline Wozniaki wins 2 - 0 

• Reasons:  I don't know her opponent, but I know Wozniaki is pretty good.  She had a respectable  tournament at the Australian Open, and has been consistently in the the top 10 or so in the world.
• Confidence: 50%

SFTC top picks for Monday, Feb. 18

Well who would have thought that Miami and Clemson would combine for 34 points in the first half?!?!   Sometimes the picks you think are pretty safe have an outcome totally opposite of what you expect.  Those who play Streak for the Cash certainly know this.  Some refer to this phenomenon as the SFTC curse.  I've been playing this game for nearly two years, and I've realized that when making picks, there are certain guidelines to follow:

• If the pick is "hot" and the percentages are more than 95% for a certain team or outcome, that is usually the wrong pick.
• Full-game props are often safer than first and second-half props
• Having patience always pays off, but it is so hard to do!  
• Going with my "gut" is usually the right thing to do.
• If you have an uneasy feeling about a prop, either change it or pick something else.

Anyway, this game is so much fun, but winning requires patience and some good luck!!  

Here are my top picks for today:

NCAAM:

1)  Notre Dame WSDL against Pittsburgh

           Reasons:  Notre Dame has some head-scratching losses this season, but they are playing well of late and Pittsburgh is in a bit of a slump.  Pitt just lost to Marquette by 10 on Saturday.  Plus I think Notre Dame matches up well against Pitt.

          Confidence:  8/10

2)  Kansas State DD Win over West Virginia

          Reasons:  Kansas State is terrific at home.  Their win by 20 over Baylor on Saturday is a prime example.  West Virginia is in a slump as of late, so I like the Wildcats to win by at least 10.

          Confidence:  7/10

NCAAW:

1)  Baylor over UConn

          Reasons:  Baylor and UConn are both great teams.  They both only have 1 loss this season.  It really could go either way, but I think Baylor will squeak out with a win.

          Confidence:  5/10

2)  Kentucky over TexasA&M

          Reasons:  This is another toss up, but Kentucky averages more PPG, has a slightly better record, and beat A&M earlier this season.

          Confidence:  4/10

For Streak for the Cash: 
My blog posts pick history:

• NCAAM: 1 - 3
• NCAAW: 1 - 1
• NBA: 0 - 0
• NCAAF: 0 - 0
• NFL: 0 - 0
• NHL : 3 - 1
• Soccer: 1 - 0
• Golf: 0 - 0

My blog's YTD record:  6 - 5.

Top Picks for Feb. 17

Here are my top picks for tomorrow on SFTC:

NCAAM:
1)  Miami(Fl) to score 34+ points in the first half
          Reasons:  Miami is doing great this year.  They have plenty of great shooters and are really playing well as a team.  Clemson is not that good defensively and while I don't think they'll score a lot more than 34 in the first half, they should at lest reach that mark.
          Confidence:  7/10

2)  Louisville by 15+ over South Florida
          Reasons:  South Florida is just not playing well and they don't have a lot of options.  Last time they    played South Florida won by almost 30.  The only concern I see is that Louisville is on the road, but they have a pretty good road record.
          Confidence:  6/10

NCAAW:
1)  Maryland by 15+ over Virginia
          Reasons:  Maryland and Duke are clearly the two best teams in the ACC.  Maryland beat Virgina by 24 last time they played.  They should cover the 15 here.
          Confidence:  7/10

2)  Stanford by 15+ over UCLA
          Reasons:  Stanford beat UCLA by 26 last time they played about a month ago.  Stanford is cruising through the PAC12 and should cover the spread here.
          Confidence:  5/10

NHL:
1)  Pittsburgh Penguins
          Reasons:  The Penguins are playing very good hockey right now.  They have one of the best defenses in the league, have a 7 - 2 road record, and their goalie has won 6 of his last 7 starts with a 2.15 GAA.
          Confidence:  7/10

There are only 2 other NHL props on the board tomorrow, and I'm not real confident in either one.  I would most likely pick the Red Wings and the Canucks.


For Streak for the Cash: 
My blog posts pick history:

• NCAAM: 0 - 2
• NCAAW: 0 - 0
• NBA: 0 - 0
• NCAAF: 0 - 0
• NFL: 0 - 0
• NHL : 2 - 1
• Soccer: 1 - 0
• Golf: 0 - 0

My blog's YTD record:  3 - 3.

My picks for Saturday, Feb. 16

All right!  A perfect 2 - 0 on my top picks yesterday!  Instead of giving just 2 picks a day, I will try and give my top 2 for each sport.  My goal is not to analyze every pick of the day, but to post what I believe are the best (most sure to win).

So for Saturday, my top picks are:

NCAAM
1)  Duke Winning Margin over Alex Len FGM.
           Reasons:  Alex Len averages just under 5 FGM per game.  Duke should easily cover that.  I
                              know Maryland is something like 14 - 2 at home, but Duke is finding their rythum, and I
                              think they have too much fire-power on offense. They have struggled on the road though.
          Confidence: 7/10

2)  Creighton DD Win
          Reasons:  Creighton beat Evansville by 17 at home earlier this season.  Creighton has lost some
                              games recently that they should not have lost, but I think Doug McDermott will have a
                              great game and get them back on track.
          Confidence:  5/10


NHL
1)  New Jersey Devils
          Reasons:  The Devils seem to be on a tear lately.  They have beaten the Islanders twice in NY and
                               lost to them once in OT at home.
          Confidence:  7/10
2)  Toronto Maple Leafs
          Reasons:  There are only 3 NHL props up tomorrow, so this is the one I feel best about.  Every
                               time I pick the Senators they seem to lose.
          Confidence:  4/10

There is only 1 soccer pick tomorrow.  If I had to pick, I'd probably pick Arsenal by 2+.  There is also only 1 golf prop.  I seem to get burned every time I pick golf.  Take this morning for example.  Webb Simpson had beaten Dustin Johnson by 5 strokes on holes 10 - 18 yesterday, and was even up by 3 strokes after the first hole today.  But somehow Johnson managed to birdie a few and Simpson bogeyed the last hole and Johnson won with the tie.  It seems to be a pattern on SFTC:  Never trust previous days' golf rounds.  Guys seem to do great one day and then have a terrible day the next day.

For Streak for the Cash: 
My blog posts pick history:

• NCAAM: 0 - 0
• NCAAW: 0 - 0
• NBA: 0 - 0
• NCAAF: 0 - 0
• NFL: 0 - 0
• NHL : 1 - 0
• Soccer: 1 - 0
• Golf: 0 - 0

My blog's YTD record:  2 - 0.

SFTC Picks for Feb. 15

So here are my picks for Friday, February 15.

Top Pick:  Chicago Blackhawks

• Reason:  The Blackhawks are having an incredible season!  Their only losses have come in shootouts, they are at home, and the Sharks have been playing very poorly as of late, losing at least their last 3.
• Confidence:  9/10

Second Pick:  Bayern Munich by 2+

• Reason:  Bayern Munich has been crushing the competition, they are at the top of their league with an incredible goal differential and are clearly the favorite.
• Confidence:  8/10

It is also my plan to post my overall record in the picks that I post on here so that you can see the winning percentage of my suggested picks.  Good luck!  By the way, I plan to have many more stats, etc in the future.

Blog Intro and Purpose

Well, here's my first post.  I am new to this whole blogging thing, meaning I've never created a blog before.  It is my dream to work for ESPN as a fantasy game programmer.  By brother-in-law introduced me to Streak for the Cash (SFTC), but I've played Tournament Challenge for years, as well as College Football Pick'em, College Football Challenge, and many others.  Basically I've played and continue to play most of the games that ESPN offers.  What can I say? I LOVE IT!!

My purpose in creating this blog is two-fold:  1) so that I can have something to show ESPN when I interview, and  2) so that I can help anyone and everyone who will visit this page.  My plan is to post probably my 2 - 3 top picks of each for SFTC and then give insights into other fantasy games.  I hope you find my posts useful!  Any comments and feedback will be greatly appreciated.