Documented Sports Handicapping

2008-09 NCAA College Basketball Preview: Top Conferences

November 11th, 2008

College Basketball is finally upon us. With the addition of NCAAB, sports fans are geared for another winter of NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB. Prime season for sportsbooks and gamblers and this college basketball season tips off with a lot of question marks and unknowns. Freshmen will have their coming out party and seniors will bid farewell to a great collegiate sport. Will your team secure a bid this season in March? Which conference is the best in college basketball? The Documented Handicappers have the inside scoop on this NCAA college basketball season.

This year the Big East could possibly send 10 teams into the postseason. Think about that, 10 teams. The 2008-09 Big East Conference could very well go down in history as one of the top conferences in the history of college basketball. The Big East boasts 16 solid basketball teams that could beat any team on any given day. Led by Louisville, UCONN, Notre Dame, Pitt, Marquette, Villanova, Syracuse and not to mention defending regular-season champs Georgetown to name a few. Louisville may be the most talented team of the bunch but UCONN, Pitt and Notre Dame will surely give them a run for their money.
Top 5 Prediction: Louisville, UCONN, Pitt and ND

It would be really hard to argue that any other conference would be second best other than the ACC. With the #1 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels and perennial contender Duke at the top of the conference, the ACC is always a powerful conference. North Carolina is not only the defending regular-season champs and defending ACC Tournament champs but National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough returns for a senior season. The Tar Heels do have the most talented and athletic teams in college basketball and anything less than a National Championship would be a disappointment for Roy Williams Tar Heels. The only thing that could stand in there way are injuries or a bad game in March.
Top 5 Prediction: North Carolina, Duke, Miami, VT, Clemson

The SEC takes the three spot, which is debatable, but with teams like Tennessee, Florida and Kentucky is really worth arguing? Tennessee is thought to be the top team in the SEC East this year as well as the best team in the entire SEC. Bruce Pearl landed some big recruits such as Scotty Hopson, Bobby Maze and Emmanuel Negedu and all three should be able to contribute and help void the losses from players that have moved on. Kentucky and Florida will both compete for second in the SEC East and we feel that Billy Gillispie will have his kids in shape and ready to play hard. Kentucky could surprise some teams this year. The SEC West should be controlled by LSU and Alabama but will not be as competitive as the SEC East.
Top 5 SEC Teams: Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Alabama.

Kansas won’t repeat as National Champions this year but the 2nd pick in the NBA draft has come from the Big 12 the last two years and Blake Griffin of Oklahoma could possibly be drafted in the Top 5 in the next NBA draft. The Big 12 is led by Texas who has their entire team returning minus D.J. Augustin. The Longhorns are clearly the cream of the crop in the Big 12 and Blake Griffin and Oklahoma and even Baylor will compete for the Big 12. Kansas has to be considered a threat simply because they are returning National Champions and they have a pretty good head coach in Bill Self. On the other hand Kansas has zero returning starters and zero returning double-digit scorers. It may be safe to say that Kansas will take a year to prime their youth.
Top 5 Prediction: Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (dark horse)

The Pac 10 might have been the best league last year but teams like UCLA, Stanford and USC seem to be reloading. Kevin Love left UCLA for the NBA along with Russell Westbrook so Bruins lose two key components to last years Final Four. Darren Collison is returning to possibly star in one of the nation’s premier backcourts. UCLA should win the Pac 10 again this year simply because Ben Howland has lost numerous players in recent years to the Draft and still finds ways to compete. Arizona State and Southern Cal will show signs of competitive basketball along with Washington and Arizona. All in all the Pac 10 is pretty much rebuilding but are worthy of mention.
Top 5 Prediction: UCLA, Arizona State, Washington, USC, Arizona.

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Tags: ACC, basketball, Big 12, Big East, College Basketball, NCAA College Basketball, NCAAB, Pac 10, SEC
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World Series Preview: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay

October 20th, 2008

If there is someone out there that predicted the Phillies and the Rays to meet in the 2008 World Series they are either lying or were able to look into a crystal ball. 2008 World Series futures odds opened with Tampa Bay at 150/1 and Philadelphia at 14/1. The Rays would surely pay out big for anyone who laid some coin down on this young bunch of ball players.

Although the Rays look to be the favorite heading into the Fall Classic and hold home field advantage, is this team too young or inexperienced to win it all or are they peaking at the right time? The Rays have become the feel good story this season after suffering through 10 losing seasons and having the worst record in baseball last year. From worst to first they head into the World Series boasting with confidence after surviving an ALCS meltdown, winning Game 7 and dethroning the Boston Red Sox.

The Philadelphia Phillies are also filled with young talent and timely hitting. From Cole Hamels to former MVP’s Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins to lights out closer Brad Lidge. The Phillies surely are the team with the big name players and larger pay roll. The Phillies are 79-0 in games which they led entering the 9th inning. Brad Lidge has not blown a save all season and the bridge to Lidge is as stable as they come with Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin and JC Romero. A deep bullpen seems to be a consistent factor with World Series Champions.

Both the Rays and Phillies have speed but the edge goes to the Rays. The Phillies were 4th this year in stolen bases and the first place team? Yep, the Tampa Bay Rays led by Upton and Carl Crawford. The Rays might have the most solid infield in baseball but the Phillies certainly can hold their own with Gold Glove shortstop Jimmy Rollins. We certainly give the bullpen edge to the Phitin’ Phils with closer Brad Lidge and list of possible set up men. The Rays bullpen is not set in stone but David Price has surely stepped up his game against the Red Sox and could come in handy in late innings pitching against Utley and Howard.

We give a slight advantage to the young Rays starting rotations but with the amount of pressure that comes with World Series play will they hold up to their regular season success? We give the power edge to the Phillies with Rollins, Utley, Howard and Burrell. Shane Victorino picked up some slack this post season due to streaky hitting from Utley and Howard. What will happen if all Phillies hitters are clicking on all cylinders? If this happens there is a pitcher in the league that can shut them down, just ask C.C. Sabathia.

While the Rays have home field advantage, playing in Philadelphia is second to none. The Phillies fans are die hard, passionate fans that are in serious need of a championship. The last World Series win was in 1980 when Steve Carlton was the ace. The young Rays players are in for a rude awakening when they step on the field at Citizens Bank Park for Game 3. We looks at the Rays fans as almost adopted fans that didn’t take notice until the Rays made the playoffs. One more game will be played in Tampa then in Philadelphia but the home field advantage in our minds goes to Philly.

This series should be a classic considering the main stream media and MLB most likely would have liked to see Boston playing LA due to the major markets. However, the Documented Handicappers crew is thrilled to see some new flavor this October.

Prediction: Phillies win in 7.

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