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All articles © Billy Coleman Sports 2007- 2008

>>> Billy Coleman's Top 10 College Football Preview

1. USC - Trojans - They will come into the season with a chip on their shoulder as expectations were much higher last season. I look for a week two victory over Ohio State, and then look for the Trojans to run the table in conference play .

2. West Virginia - I don't expect a coaching change to have much impact on the Mountaineers this season. With Heisman candidate Pat White back, West Virginia will have plenty of firepower, and their most difficult games are at home. Another squad with a chip on their shoulder after getting dumped by Pitt, costing  them a chance to play for the national title.

3. Oklahoma - Stoop's team is loaded once again, and with Bradford and Murray they will have an explosive offense. Sooners have been awesome on defense in the Stoops era, and this year will be no exception.

4. Georgia - This is a little bit of a stretch but the Bulldogs will probably pick up where they left off last year with their pounding of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. What makes the Bulldogs such a dangerous team is their ability to play on the road. Under Mark Richt they are a baffling 25-4 straight up.

5. Ohio State - Look for the Buckeyes to stumble at USC, and that is probably about it. The Big Ten is nothing spectacular this year, so a one-loss season pending bowl results should be in the making.

6. Texas Tech - Stepping out  a bit again, but with Harrell and Crabtree you have probably the most dangerous pitch and catch combination in the country. The whole offensive line returns, and on defense, where they normally struggle, they should be vastly improved with 7 out of 9 top tacklers returning.

7. Florida - Most have the Gators much higher up then myself, but I smell a rat in Gainesville this year and think the Gators will get tripped up twice during the regular season.

8. Missouri - While logistically 3 teams from the Big 12 are not going to happen, but given a break or two, or key injury, I feel any one of the three I have listed will have top 10 potential. I am a big Chase Daniel fan, and the Missou offense should be as exciting as last year.

9. Florida State - While nobody is paying attention to this year's edition of the Seminoles, I am looking for a surprise year out of Bobby Bowden and the gang. A couple of difficult road tests, but I have them as one of my surprise teams of 2008.

10. Notre Dame - From a 3 win season to the Top Ten? The Irish have a very favorable schedule, unlike the monster they had last season. With 18 returners, and with a year of experience under their belt. Look for the Fighting Irish to be knocking on the BCS doorstep.

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>>>  March Madness - A Look at the "Sweet Sixteen"

    The dust has settled after a power-packed first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and now we're down to the "Sweet Sixteen". A quick peek at each region, and a few things we might look for in the upcoming week:

     In the East, North Carolina has put up NBA-type numbers in their first two games in the tournament, and this week will bring an interesting match up against the defensive minded Wash St. Cougars. One of the big keys will be for Wash St. to stay close in the beginning. If Carolina gets out of the chute in a hurry there may be no turning back. In the other match up, Louisville meets Tennessee. Have to be impressed with Louisville in the second half of the season, and in the tourney so far. They can play both fast and slow, therefore creating problems for any opponent. The Vols have not been impressive in the tourney so far, but remember last year when they had runner up Ohio State by 17 in their "Sweet Sixteen" contest. This Tennessee squad brings back just about everybody from that squad.

    In the Midwest, Davidson showed that close early-season losses to N.Carolina and Duke were no fluke. A big 17 point comeback against Georgetown, and now they're thinking the sky is the limit. Bo Ryan, one of the best coaches in the game, will have his Badgers ready for Davidson, as they are coming off two impressive first round victories. Kansas will take on Villanova in the other match up, and will be very surprised if the Cats can hang real close with the Jayhawks. Kansas seems to have worked out any late season kinks they were experiencing.

     The South has Michigan St. and Memphis going head to head, and while many people started writing Tom Izzo and his Spartans off against Pitt, here they sit in another "Sweet Sixteen". It's just a matter of time until the Tigers poor free-throw shooting catches up with them. Can't envision the 4th worst free throw shooting team in Division One making a trip to San Antonio when all is said and done. Texas broke my heart blowing a big lead against Miami but hung on for the win, and now face Stanford who won a tough OT game against Marquette. Tough call between these two.

     In the West, no surprise that UCLA is where they are, but not many people expected Western Kentucky from the Sun Belt. The Hilltoppers are playing very inspired ball, with everything to win and nothing to lose as they are playing with house money at this time. West Virginia and Xavier are an interesting contest. Both will play tough "D", and both have the ability to play the uptempo high scoring game. A classic chess match here, and a solid chance this one goes down to the last minute.

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>>>  What Can I Do to Put Myself in a Postion to be Successful at Gambling?

    Many people ask me, what's the key to being successful when it comes to gambling? Let's face it, Vegas isn't building bigger and better casinos because people are cleaning them out! But then, sports wagering is only about 3 - 5% of their revenue. Slots, table games, etc. is where it's all at. But back to the question at hand: What can help me become successful in the world of wagering? First and foremost, you have to develop a money management plan and stick to it. Whatever you're going to assign per unit/star, it is important to stay consistent in that process. People think when the going is good, you start to increase your wager. I disagree with this philosophy because all good things come to an end. And it will be right when you start to increase your wagers that things will start to go in the tank.

    Patience is one of the most difficult things to have, yet it is probably the most important thing. When the going gets tough, this is an especially important time to have patience. People try to double up or hit it big on one play, and more times then not that backfires. If you don't understand anything else, understand that you must stay consistent and not press, especially during a losing streak.

    While there are many thing I can harp on as far as being successful, I will finish with one last point: If you're going to use a service, do not jump around. It never fails that when you give up one they become hot, and the new service you have joined picks up right where you left off with the other - ice cold. Using a service is not necessarily for everybody, but if you're going to use one, stick it out over a period of 3 months or so. Service hopping will get you in trouble. So the bottom line is this: stay consistent with your wagers, have patience especially when the going gets tough, and don't service hop. If you need to know who is legit and who isn't you can go to thesportsmonitor.com for information. These are the real basics, but yet most people lose sight of this when in the heat of the action!

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>> The Handicapper Insider

    While many think it is all about picking the right side of a game, that's only half the story. Why is it that a handicapper can pick at a rate of 45% winners, and make just as much money (for their service, not the wagerer) as someone picking 57% winners? Simply stated: Marketing, Marketing, Marketing. Granted, they would have had to reach the general public in one form or another. A few of the most effective ways are through an annual magazine preview, weekly newsletter, or the internet. Once a person is introduced to a service by one of the above mentioned, then they have been given access to  free pick phone numbers through that particular publication, and other avenues to purchase what the particular service has to offer as far as monthly/yearly packages. In the last several years, the Internet has been one of the most effective resources of all. Not only do sites give you availability to make purchases of products, but many provide loads of information for your handicapping arsenal. Match up analysis, trends, team statistics, you name it, chances are they'll have it.    

    Beware: While there are some handicappers with good marketing skills, there are also some good "scamdicappers" with good marketing skills. You ask how can I, the wagerer, tell the difference? First of all, any handicapper that comes out with a Game of the Week, Month, or Year every 3-5 days, is not someone after your best interests. That is just a quick scam to grab your money. A Game of the Month (once a month), a Totals Game of the Month, and maybe another big play based on your rating system are acceptable. I often laugh when I see a service have a Game of the Week, Month, and Year all within the first eight days of a month. It is typically just the start of things, as the marketing gimmicks just get more creative as the month goes along. Anybody advertising more than 3 big plays in the same sport, in the same month, buyer BEWARE. These services can be sniffed out like a cheap suit, and keep your distance from them, as they are just looking for the desperate gambler to bite.  If they are proven in their results they should just pride themselves in providing more winners than losers, having less scams, and putting in the harder work.