Better Late Than Never

That is my message to the NCAA and professional sports leagues today.  Hence why this post is a day late as well.  Even if you haven't done the right thing to this point, don't worry, it's not too late, just do it NOW.   Baseball is my main target today.  Expanding the playoffs is a great idea.  Adding another team will help accommodate for tougher than other divisions.  Now a team cant gripe about their division, cause if you don't have one of the best 4 or 5 records in the league, shut your mouth.  The two wild cards play a best of three, no problem, since neither actually won a division crown, they don't need a long series.  The next round going to best of seven though is the greatest idea.  A wild card team shouldn't have an advantage over a team that proved itself as the best in its' division over the course of the season.  But while you are at it baseball, cut out the days off during the playoffs.  The concept that a team needs five starters for the entire season, but can scrape by on three in the playoffs is ridiculous.  Plus, cutting out days off would require more day games, and nothing is better than day playoff baseball.  Playoffs are an extension of the season, not a miniature season.  Also, since these changes are needed, this would push the season much later into the year...not acceptable.  It is time to cut the regular season back to at maximum 154 games.  This is more than enough to determine playoff teams and would actually make those division games mean even more.  Owners that may complain about lost revenue due to less home games can eat it cause in the long run more money will come in from the extra playoff games and that money gets shared across the league.  It's time to make your sport relevant again baseball, and this would be a great step toward that end.

I am going to miss college football, but at least the last game helped me get over .500 for the new year.  Auburn winning along with the first half staying under brings the years record to 3-2-1.  Let's keep the winning ways going as we take a look at this weekends NFL playoff games.  Pretty simple this weekend, bet on all the favorites.  Trends tell us that underdogs and road teams rule the roost during wildcard weekend, but the next week belongs to favorites.  Two main reasons for this are they usually are the much better teams and they have had that extra week of rest, which coming at the end of a season as opposed to week 6 means much more.  Now, more than likely not every favorite will cover, but why try to pick the one that won't, just play them all and be happy with a 3-1 record.  Not one professional bettor would turn that down.  But, just to be official, here are the picks with current spreads.  We are taking the Steelers -3.5, though I did see some -3's in town, and the Falcons are -1 tonight.  Tomorrow we will lay the 10 points with the Bears and finally tomorrow's late game has the Patriots at -9.5, though I will look for better than that, hoping to get -8.5.  Good luck and remember, never bet what you can't afford to lose.