We interviewed the best 'cappers and books here on the plate, so it would be remiss not to comment on this Wayne Gretzky. So here goes:
For an older girl, which Janet Jones is hot.
There.
See, we are not interested in bashing the Great yet, because it is a hero of ours. So instead, we will spend energy on mission this week old Gretz over the next two weeks: Olympic ice hockey. While the tournament does not have enough sex appeal to Salt Lake was in 2002, compared with the World Baseball Classic is Heidi Klum fucking. There will be so many stars in so many different teams, it will be hard not to find a great match of the quarterfinals. Let's take a brief tour of our favorite squads:
Canada: Da. The '02 champions have a fourth line that would make the Pittsburgh Penguins mourn. And we know what type Brodeur could amount to something someday.
Sweden: If Peter Forsberg is really out, the Swedes are probably done, but Daniel Alfredsson and Mats Sundin are not bad (with a guy named Nicklas Lidstrom). Forsberg may lay the groundwork for trying to get healthy for the groin medal round.
Czech Republic: If Dominik Hasek is in the head as it did in Nagano, will have an opportunity, and Jaromir Jagr is having an excellent year for the Rangers. This team also won the world championship in '05. Not so much brawn in the baseline for the Czechs as normal, however, so you can forecheck against them.
Slovakia: Oh, the forwards. They scored the goals. Marian Hossa is one of the best kept secrets in the NHL, Pavol Demitra and Svata and Marek are very good too. Their problems are reduced to stop the other team.
Russia: It's hard to know what to expect from a team that had a GM until early last year. Alexander (Mr. Ovechkin for you) is a stallion, and Ilya Kovalchuk and see patrol left is unbelievable. Alex Kovalev, Pavel Datsyuk ... boy, going to fly. Evgeni Nabokov is having a season goal sub-.900 save percentage of sharks.
United States: The big problem here is not that people like Brian Leetch not come, is that guys like Bill Guerin are. As indifferent as Nabokov has been in the network, Rick DiPietro has been worse. Brian Gionta (and its 33 goals) is our favorite player on this team.
Finland: Teemu Selanne has 26 goals and 20 for ducks, Saku Koivu and remains one of the best combinations of grains and skill in the NHL, but who plays network? A guy named Antero Nittymaki.
In the end, as Canada is difficult not to get the gold, but it sure is fun to watch the rest of the world, trying to reduce these prohibitive favorite. Let's take Russia out of the money (because we are frightened by Forsberg groin), and the Czech Republic for the bronze. But in reality, almost everyone that the above list are held. Have fun!
Lasting impressions of Super Bowl XL?
Greg Jorssen, BoDog.com: It was definitely not an exciting game, and some of the calls were brutal and most likely killed the Seahawks. The offensive pass interference call on Jackson was weak, and review Roethlisberger touchdown should have been nullified by the game clearly did not cross the line. Even Hasselbeck penalty for blocking below the waist after the interception had me scratching my head. All told, the Seahawks lost the game due to poor performance in the field. Stevens easily catches dropped throughout the game and punter Tom Rouen Seattle seems to have forgotten corner of the coffin. I think I had six punts in the game, most of which went into the end zone for a touchback. This game was theirs for the taking, and I do not think the Steelers' performance was so big it is. Just look at the numbers Roethlisberger. His passer rating was 135.7 points lower Randle El is! A disappointing 22.6 rating in the most important day of your life! I am not referring to the Rolling Stones. Time to put a fork in them, I think. Aretha, however, brought chills in the back during the anthem, I must admit.
In retrospect, what was the landscape of disability in general and for the big game? The books are good? Was there any particular bet you saw that made a select few punters happy?
GJ, BoDog.com: I think all the books was pretty good, especially because the total fall well outside the scope of claim, and the spread of the cancellation of most of the teasers. The spread made us big fans of Seattle, however, we were big fans of the Steelers on the money line. The ideal result would be a last-second touchdown in Seattle and the two-point conversion, but the end was a good finish to a roller coaster of a season in the NFL. Our bookmanagers in the south did a masterful job of balancing the action of the game, ensuring the day losses would be minimal. Punters bet on the Steelers obviously were happy, therefore the number of bets in the afternoon helped Seattle to balance the action very well.
What happens now that football is over? What books capping and turn your attention?
GJ, BoDog.com: One of the things, and only one thing: March Madness. The last three games of the Tournament of equality of the Super Bowl, in terms of advertising and management, so no rest for the bookmakers at all after the Super Bowl. We do our best to convince football bettors to keep a little in their accounts and throw some money on the college basketball action.