coast:
I'm looking into starting back up my web blog. It takes more time then most imagine to do such an endeavor. My roommate from college who was the IT guy behind it all, is currently working over seas, and I have had some tough personal/family issues the past year; as you probably know. I may get it back going come college hoops season in a couple months, we shall see. I really have missed you, and all the followers from my site.
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Fernandez is an amazing talent. Did you see that drive to the hop and THROW DOWN right over Howard? Truly amazing. He was actually one of the backups for Jose calderon, and was one of the players my analysis was not so clear on. I watched a little film on him, and he looked outstanding, but he's only 19, and was playing against pretty weak competition. The play was still very strong however at any numer over 20; as it had a lot of value as I articulated on the rx site in my write up. I ended up 6-0-1 on basketball for the Olympics. On my weighted, " * " basis, it was 14-0-3. Also had some other good scores in volleyball, water polo, and track and field. The badminton play was the only real down spot!
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Over all it was really an outstanding Olympics. China really did a fantastic job hosting it. They actually spend $50 BILLION to make that all happen, and had literally hundreds of thousands of volunteers. Despite all the problems with China, you can see why they have fast become a world super power. To bad we have to wait 4 years for the next Olympics. I'm missing it all ready!

vs the # (number) sorry, can't type while eating, haha.

YES SIR! YES SIR, YES SIR!!!!
GOLD GOLD GOLD BABY FOR TEAM USA!
My boy Kobe WON that game. Everytime it got close he stepped up to make the huge shot!! Where are your hotel worker comments now Kiowa???
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Your still the basketball capping God bro! BRING BACK YOUR BLOG SITE!! AWESOME CALL with Spain at +22. What did you end up in Olympic basketball vs the 3? Something like 7-0-1? I would have never guessed they were that good. I really thought that game would be a laugher. That was a flat out awesome game!!!! That Fernandez kid is going to be a star when he comes to play in the NBA.

Game is just about to tip.
USA should be well on its way to gold.
Line has moved to USA -22 now. I ran my statistical models, and they have USA 18 points better, so there is some value with Spain. Calderon being out throws it all into question. My math models can't really give accurate representations of his back up, as the data is limited. I still grabbed Spain at the +22 (+105), just on what appears to be a line over adjust for Calderon.
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Crack open the pop, fire up the pop corn popper. This should be fun to watch!

I got the sharp line, but I still played it like a freaking moron. One of the essays I wrote on basketball handicapping, I actually did a statistical analysis of key numbers, with a very large sample size, and numerous situational variances figured in. I think some of those essays are still scattered across the RX site. 20 is actually a very key number. 10 is the biggest key number in basketball, followed by 6, then it actually goes to 20. Those are the only three numbers where you should ever consider buying a 1/2 point.
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Like an idiot, I just assumed the game would be an easy cover. If Genobli did not get injured in the FIRST QUARTER, it obviously would have been. It was pretty impressive they hung that tough without their best player.
Ahh well, a stupid push, because I did not buy the half point on a number I know is key. I'll be pissed about that for the next week. Like playing a game of chess for 6 hours and drawing.
On to the next play.
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Spain in the final at +20.5?
Notice they are giving you the hook on the key number this time. I'll have to run some numbers. Game looks like a total no play though.

Team USA wins by 20.
I would have called you kiowa if you would have given me 19.5, haha. Good thing you got in early on Argentina at +20, and pushed. You always manage to get the sharp line.

This is GOLD GOLD GOLD ALL THE WAY FOR TEAM USA!!!

Where else, but Pinnacle!
Got in last night at +20. Line has moved to +19.5 now. My action must have scared them, haha.
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ttp://www.pinnaclesports.com/League/Basketball/Olympic+Men/127/Lines.aspx
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You seriously don't think McCain and all those Republican anti gambling Nazi's actually stopped anyone from playing this stuff, did you?
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You really want the USA at -20? send me a private e-mail. Hit my contact name on here, and I believe you can send me a message.

That Bolt is 6'6". That would be a scary thought having him as a wideout!

+20 on Argentina??? Where do you get these lines? I don't see it listed anywhere. Is this your own line? I'll take the US at -20.

coast:
I just saw Jason Kidd at the womans beach volleyball final. Looks like he and Misty May have something going on. Kobe no doubt has come across a good looking hotel worker by now. Legal age over there is probably 14, so no worries. All this just means you grab the points.... +20 with Argentina tomorrow morning baby!
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Usain Bolt just SMASHED to pieces the 200m field, breaking Micheal Johnson's record. This guy is beyond amazing. Johnson's record was one many thought would be around for 50 years. This feat in my mind is more impressive then Phelps was in swimming. 100m and 200m are two VERY different disciplines. To smash the world record in both, is beyond comprehension. He just toyed with the competition. He is truly in a league of his own.
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I think the NY Jets should shell out a few million, and sign this guy as a wide out.
FAVRE to BOLT = UNSTOPPABLE!!!!

kiowa:
Quit dogging my boy with the endless hoter worker blast! Everyone makes mistakes in life. Your lucky you are not married. I can just picture the wife watching gymnatics, and you coming in the room saying get this crap off. This %#$& is all fixed. Lets watch a good badminton match! LMAO. That would go over real good!

You are right about that 76 basketball game. My old man still goes on and on about that any time Olympic basketball comes up.

You can all pretend there is no anti west bias, or that I'm a conspiracy nut, but anytime you have that much at stake, and it's determined by judges, corruption comes into play BIG TIME. Look back to salt Lake City and Jamie Sale and David Pelletier in pairs figure skating. This is just one example of the judges being bought off. One that was actually found out about. Imagine how many are not. Wasn't it the last summer Olympics when WI's very own Paul Hamm won gold, and the cry baby who lost to him whined about it, and took the whole thing to some international body. Where it was then debated for weeks, and they ended up replacing his silver with a gold? So even if you loose, you can just protest it to one of these anti-American international bodies, and you can make claim to your your gold medal.

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I just u-tubed that vault performance; as I did not see it. Now I admit I don't know much about gymnastics, but you can't seriously tell me that when some falls nearly flat on their face on the landing, that wins the bronze over a girl who had a near flawless vault? Just face it, if it's close and the US is involved, they are going to get screwed. This goes all the way back to before I was born in 1976 when our basketball team lost gold to the Soviets. The official gave them 3 attempts to inbound the ball, full court, with 1 second left, and they make a lay-up to win after the 3rd try when the clock never started. The US has still not accepted the silver medal to this day on that screw job.
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Also notice how conveniently the IOC eliminated baseball and softball after these games. Yeah, that had nothing to do with the America's. Our woman simply embarrass any team the world throws out there. Has anyone seen this years team? This is a true dream team; as has been the case with EVERY Olympic team the US has put together. Finch and Osterman on the mound as your 1-2 punch. They have something like 3 no hitters all ready, and have out scored everyone by a 52-1 margin so far! No more softball though. Can't have the Americans make the world look silly, so it's no longer a sport....please

coast:
I was just waiting for you to chime in about my blown badminton play. I'll get right on that US basketball play at like -20,000 now. Just keep Kobe away from those hotel workers, and they should be ok!
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"flash"/corvette or whatever Ron, does live out in Vegas now. He comes back here during the summer because he claims that he doesn't like the summer heat out there. Kind of odd that we both just appeared after not being there in a very long time. No talk arose about an antelope stride vs a dear stride or whatever he kept spewing back then. Thank the incompetent track management for not allowing to let that match race take place. That goof really wanted to put up $5k for jet man to take on Mohican.
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Your little bro runs track and talks smack? wow, I wonder where he learned that from!

kiowa:
Looks like your badminton boy went down pretty hard, LMAO! You better get down on Kobe, and company to bring back the gold!

There goes kiowa with another mafia conspiracy theory again!
Corvette Ron was actually back in Kenosha? I thought he was now "flash" Ron living out in Vegas. You see him on Poker stars, late at night every now and then. Do I even want to know how much this "friendly" bet between you guys was for? Wish I knew that was going down, I would have paid to have seen you guys going at it again. That was like free comedy! Any discussions on Antelopes vs a dear, or w/e that goof was comparing when he wanted to match race your dog with that jet man, or w/e the name of it was?

That Bolt guy really is a freak. I was laughing when Costas and some of the peeps on NBC were saying it was disrespectful, and unsportsman like to talk trash like he did in that race. Have these guys ever evn followed track? My younger brother was a star sprinter in HS, and you would not believe the amount of smack these guys throw back and forth. One of his big rivals actually text messaged him at 3AM the day before a big meet, and told him he better be getting his rest, because he's going to need it! My bro responded by sending him roses right in the middle of one of his classes the next day, saying something like, here's some consolation for when you loose today!

This sort of stuff is the norm for any level of sprinting.

I agree. I'm especially amazed with the balance beam. Are you kidding me? It would take me ten minutes just to get on that thing. Everytime one of our gymnasts was performing on it I held my breath. I could barely watch.

It does seem like the U.S. got some bad breaks in the gymnastics judging, but I'm trying not to believe it's because the judges are anti-West. I think it's because the judges still don't understand the new scoring system.

As for how we can like gymnastics, I ask, how can you not like gymnastics? I'm amazed every time I see what those people can do with their bodies. It's the closest thing to flying I've ever seen. At its best, the routines are beautiful and breathtaking. I'm just sad there won't be more gymnastics this week.

I've been watching the olympics pretty regularly this year. I did notice (mainly because the commentators pointed it out), that there were a few scores that were deemed "pretty low". Again, I don't know anything about gymnastics, and even less about scoring and what goes into the process.
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That being written, I can say that I'd call the olympics almost anything but "anti-west". While there may have been discrepincies with the judging both past and present, that is bound to happen. Judges are human, and unfortunately some humans are corrupt. The vast majority of scoring has not been controversial. I think it's important to point out how amazing the level of sportsmanship from all countries has been. I'm especially impressed with the Chinese. Their fans are incredible, and I think they've been very hospitable hosts.

How can anyone even watch gymnastics? The poll the Gazette had a few weeks ago had gymnastics as the top sport people were looking forward to watching. The TV ratings also show this to be true.
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I mean this stuff is so biased against the west, and US. I did not see it, but I heard that China actually beat one of our girls for bronze despite almost falling flat on her face on her vault routine? I guess Karoli was just up in arms in the studio show with Bob Costas afterward, but what would you expect? This has been the case for years in any judged sport. Half this stuff is fixed by the judges. You think I am exaggerating, remember back in 2002 when the two Canadian pair figure skaters got shafted for gold, and it came out later that the Russians (who won gold) paid off the French judge.
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Yeah, I'm sure nothing like that is taking place here, because the Communists have always been SO trustworthy (rolling my eyes).

fshultz:
Usain Bolt setting the record was amazing yet totally foreseeable! I called a new world record right after I saw his 1st qualifier, as you see in my post below on here from last week. I have never seen a talent like that in my entire life, and I have seen thousands of races. One has to wonder just how big he SMASHED that record if he does not literally turn around and start talking smack to his competitors 20m BEFORE the wire?!!
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This guy is simply a FREAK OF NATURE. Thats what I always call runners (whether it be human, horse, or dogs) that are just in a caliber of their own. Notice the stride on Usain. It's just pure poetry in motion!
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On a side note (coast2coast will get a kick from this one). I was at the race track Saturday, and before that 100m final was set to run, I flashed a roll of Ben Franklin's and asked if anyone wanted some action? I get Bolt they can have the field. I also guaranteed it would be a new world record. Well, no wanted wanted my action, but good old Corvette Ron was there and wanted to bet that it would not be a world record. So we made a bet, and when he pulled that those shenanigans before the wire, I was going nuts, thinking I had lost the bet for sure because of that. When the time comes up at 9.69 (and a new WR), everyone was in utter shock. This guy simply defies physics! I can't wait to see the 200m! He is actually BETTER in the 200!!!

And the fastest of the three was only 21, and such a sweetheart in her post-race interview. ... Must be tough for someone like Michael Phelps to come up with things to say to satisfy interviewers and not step into any verbal landmines. Um, he swam faster than anyone else, he worked very hard to become that good, and yes, he's quite happy about the whole deal. What else do you say? No wonder he kept saying he was at a loss for words. Lesson seems to be to keep smiling and say nothing of any consequence. That seems to work. I wonder if he was coached by the PR folks for all those products he's going to be endorsing. ... And all those cameras poking in their faces -- no wonder Michael P. always has his iPod buds stuck in his ears.

fschultz: I read today that Jamaica is home to the THREE fastest women in the world...
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I am still amazed by Michael Phelps. I could not imagine the emotions his mother felt watching him race. Did anyone catch the interview Chris Collinsworth did with her? Funny stuff. I get teary-eyed just watching my son go back to school at the end of each summer. I'd be a wreck.

How funny was it when the bowling alley burst out cheering Saturday night?

I also enjoyed watching the crowd at Main Street on Thursday night cheering for (our new best friends) Nastia and Shawn.

Lots of guys with pierced faces clapping for two little athletes.

Hilarious.

Ann Marie Ames

Would you name your kid Nastia?

Best moment was a world record in men's 100 meter dash with the winner COASTING and celebrating victory even before he crossed the line. UN FREAKIN believable. I'm glad the REAL Olympics has started -- the track & field events. Cool that Jamaica had world's fastest man AND woman in one Olympics.

watching Michale Phelps mom is the best thing ever..... especially when he won the second to last race within one hundred of a second. the look on her face was priceless, absolutely priceless......
Watching the olympics is watching real heart....

We older folks are there with you - but thinking about being Michael Phelps mom!

Can't wait till Sunday to see the mens badminton final. Much similar to how mens tennis has been with Roger Federer and Rafeal Nadal being far above everyone else in the world, the same is true in badminton with China's Dan Linn, and Malaysia's Chong Wei Lee. The two meet in the final on Sunday. Should be quite an atmosphere, and Linn will have a big home crowd advantage, but I really love Lee's chances here. All the pressure is on Linn to perform in front of all the Chinese fans, and he is the #1 seed, which just adds more pressure. Lee has a much better finesse game that should equalize the sheer power game that Linn excels at.
Lee is going off as a +161 dog (Linn a-171 favorite), and the betting volume has been through the roof over in Asia.
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Is there also any doubt after tonight that Usain Bolt of Jamaica is going to demolish Tyson Gay of the US? NBC has talked this up like Gay is the guy to beat.....please..Bolt is the biggest freak of a sprinter I have ever seen in my life. He literally pulled up the final 10m and STILL ran below 10 seconds. The stride on this guy is just a thing of beauty. Very likely that he'll set a new world record in the final. And what a perfect last name to have for a sprinter!