2015 NFL Season Preview - Top Bets

The nights may be drawing in and the weather may be returning to its natural state - cold and wet - but the NFL is back! Late nights and endless highlights programmes are on the horizon and the fantasy football teams are all set for Week 1.

As the 2015 season prepares to get underway with the Steelers taking on February's Super Bowl champs the Patriots, with Tom Brady back without ever having missed a game under his 'suspension', I take a look at things from a betting point of view. There are some real value bets in the pre-season markets and it's best to take advantage of them now.

Best bet:

Drew Brees - Most Passing Yards (Regular Season) - 17/2 with Paddy Power

This is an absolute steal for the New Orleans Saints veteran. As low as 5/1 with Coral, you can see the immediate value in the price. Brees has had the most passing yards in the league in three of his last four seasons, whilst the blip in 2013 saw him finish 2nd behind an exceptional Peyton Manning - just 300 yards shy. A huge price for a big time player, and the lack of WRs at Orleans don't worry me. Talk of veteran Hakeem Nicks joining the roster will be a bonus and Brees will have enough passing attempts in the Saints offence to make big numbers this year.

Next best:

Demaryius Thomas - Most Receiving Yards (Regular Season) - 10/1 with Ladbrokes

An absolute athlete, Thomas racked up 1,619 yards last season, the 15th best record in a single NFL season and not far behind Antonio Brown of the Steelers. Brown is an obvious threat, as is the likes of Calvin Johnson, but Thomas also made big numbers in 2012 and 2013 and seems to only be improving with age. An EW placing of top three should be enough to cover you if the Broncos wide out can't reach top spot.

Longshot:

Marcus Mariota - Offensive Rookie of the Year - 10/1 with numerous bookies
Tyler Lockett - Offensive Rookie of the Year - 33/1 with several bookies

These two look real talents if the pre-season is a fair indication. Both have attracted attention in the build up to the season and Mariota is expected to lead a much improved Titans team who have struggled in recent years, including a 2-14 record last season. Marietta won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 and is an excellent price to be Rookie of the Year at 10/1.

Meanwhile, Lockett has already made three explosive return plays in his short time with the Seattle Seahawks and could be a huge impact player for the NFC champions. He should get some serious involvement in both special teams and the offense, who have been known to make big time plays since the arrival of Russell Wilson at QB. Expect Lockett to out play his price of 33/1 this season!

In with a chance:

DeMarco Murray - Most Rushing Yards (Regular Season) - 10/1 with Ladbrokes

Like with Brees, Murray is a huge price at 10/1 having smashed defenses across the league in 2014. He notched up 1,845 yards last season, the 17th best season of all-time and the 3rd best from the current crop of players in the NFL (behind Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson). He's since moved from the Cowboys to the Eagles but will still get a large chunk of plays with Sam Bradford getting used to life at the Eagles after his off-season move from the Rams. Eagles have arguably upgraded from LeSean McCoy (even if Shady disagrees) and will be looking to use their biggest weapon as much as possible to aid their play-off hopes.

I wish you all the best with any bets you decide to place and please drop me a message with anything you decide to back (or oppose). Enjoy the season, it should be great.

Racism, Diving and Goals - No, it's not Suarez's autobiography

The 2012/13 season has been littered with yet more off-field controversy hogging the headlines - the latest being referee Mark Clattenburg's expulsion from Premier League officiating whilst the FA look into Chelsea's claim that he racially abused midfielder John Obi Mikel. However, it's not all doom and gloom. Look past the racism scandals and you'll see a Premier League table full of promise. It seems gone are the days of a 'big four' as, whilst United, Chelsea and City still occupy the top three spots, more clubs start to fight their way towards the top spot.

Two teams in particular have really caught the eye this season: Everton and West Brom. The clubs currently sit in 4th and 5th respectively and have made impressive strides toward becoming two teams to beat in the Premier League. Everton are unbeaten in seven games, having only lost to none other than West Brom so far this season, including a 1-0 victory against leaders Man United. Meanwhile, West Brom have been immense at home this season, having won 5 from 6 at The Hawthorns. Although it's early days, it wouldn't surprise me if either of these clubs managed to hold onto a spot in or around the Champions League places, especially with the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham having inconsistent performances.

Like many sports writers, pundits, ex-players and managers, it's hard not to talk about Luis Suarez. He is single-handedly grabbing the headlines, surprisingly for the right reasons, with some brilliant performances of late (as much as Suarez haters, and there's a lot, will disagree). It isn't enough to put Liverpool near the top of the table, though, as they languish in 12th with just two wins all season.

The bottom of the table sees newcomers Southampton struggling, having conceded more goals than any side at this stage of a Premier League season. Whilst the stuttering start of QPR and Reading is not a surprise, the likes of Aston Villa, Sunderland and Stoke hanging on the brink of the relegation spots does comes as an early shock. Lack of goals plagues all three clubs and the likes of Darren Bent, Louis Saha and Peter Crouch will need to start firing in the goals if they are to move up the table.

In the Championship the surprise packages have been Middlesborough and Crystal Palace who are challenging Cardiff for the top spot. Palace haven't lost since their opening three losses in August and with experienced manager Ian Holloway taking over from Dougie Freedman you can expect them to continue in the same vain.

At the other end of the table it is a sorry story for Ipswich Town and Bristol City. Ipswich will hope for a turn of fortunes with former-Wolves manager Mick McCarthy at the helm, whilst Bristol City need to sort out their defensive woes having not kept a clean sheet all season.

In League One it looks like a whole host of teams could fight for the title with Tranmere, Sheffield United, Crawley, Stevenage, Doncaster, Notts County and Swindon all separated by just 6 points.

With Halloween and Bonfire night done with the country official goes into Christmas build-up mode, and so does football. Every club knows that November and December are important months ahead of a busy Christmas period and the transfer window, so expect to see even more stunning goals, more surprises, more twists and turns and more controversy.

Football is still a beautiful game, you just have to scratch beneath the surface to find out.



Suarez continues to make headlines game after game

Football finally follows suit

Technology has been used to enhance the accuracy of decisions in tennis, cricket and rugby and it seems football will finally follow in their footsteps after years of debate. Today will see the International Football Association Board (IFAB) vote on whether to use the technology that should wipe out goal-line mistakes once and for all.

Hawk-Eye, which is already used effectively in cricket and tennis, is one of the systems expected to be approved. It will use cameras to determine the exact location of the ball and relay a signal back to the referee if the ball has crossed the line, taking under a second to do so. The other is GoalRef, a piece of  technology that uses a microchip inside the ball and magnetic waves around the goal in order to pinpoint whether the ball has crossed the line through a change in the magnetic field.

There is no doubt both technologies are needed after several high profile incidents in major tournaments over the past few years and it is obvious football is way behind other sports who have improved the accuracy and fairness of crucial decisions greatly through technological advances. For the world's most popular sport this is unacceptable.

The problem lies with the people who make the decisions, in particular Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, who has only recently changed his stance on goal-line technology. There is no place in sport for dictators - rules and regulations should always be discussed and opinions need to be taken on board, something that has not been allowed to happen under Blatter.

Football will benefit once goal-line technology is put into place, there is no doubt about that. However, the greater benefit will come once the likes of Blatter and Platini step aside to make way for someone with the ambition to ensure world football is of the highest standard.

Let's hope from this season onwards incidents like these will be removed from the game once and for all.

Subcontinent Shocker

England are currently the number one Test playing nation in the world. They went unbeaten during 2011, whitewashing India at home and beating Sri Lanka 1-0 in a three match series. Before that they reclaimed the Ashes in Australia and have arguably looked stronger than any other previous England Test side. However, 2012 has been a different story. Their trip to the United Arab Emirates to face Pakistan has been a shambles, clearly identifying their inability to play on slow, turning pitches. With the series already lost and one match still to play, there is one question that needs to be answered - can a team truly be the best in the world when they can’t win on the subcontinent?

In the last 10 years, England have toured the sub-continent eight times (Including the current Pakistan series), winning just twice, both against Test minnows Bangladesh. The last time England won a Test series against a major subcontinent team was against Sri Lanka in 2001, whilst their last win over India came way back in 1985.

So what is it that makes the subcontinent such a difficult place to play? For starters, the climate difference between the subcontinent and the rest of the world is vast. The humidity levels are high, the heat is sweltering and fitness is tested. Then again, these are athletes we are talking about and all it takes is a few weeks of acclimatisation and training to get up to speed. The phrase ‘under cooked’ should never be used in professional sport, especially in cricket when teams often have a gap of several months ahead of their first tour the year.

Then you have the difference in pitch conditions. In places like England, New Zealand and South Africa the ball swings and seams early and the pitches often hold a green tinge to them, but when you get to the subcontinent is a whole different ball game. You will rarely get movement off the pitch and the ball will wear quickly on the dry, dusty surfaces. This brings spin into play – arguably England’s main weakness.

There is a reason why the top wicket takers in Test cricket are spinners, and it’s unsurprising that 3 of the top 4 spinners on that list have come from the subcontinent. In this current series Saeed Ajmal has bamboozled England’s batsmen making them look like school boy cricketers. It has been a known problem for years, and yet we still continue to be embarrassed by slow bowling. Until this is addressed England will continue to fall flat on their faces, as has been shown in the UAE this winter.

Coming back to my original question, can England by the No. 1 team in the world without the ability to win on the subcontinent? Statistically, obviously they can if they continue to crush opposition outside of the subcontinent, but in theory I don’t believe so. To truly be the best in the world you have to be able to win everywhere and in ever conditions, and at this current point England cannot. Drawing the two match Test series in Sri Lanka is a must.

Ajmal has instigated Pakistan's destruction of England

'The Greatest' - Muhammad Ali

Today is Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday, and to celebrate it I have pulled together a few photos that I think represent him as a man and as a boxer. In the past few months I have gathered a real interest in Ali's career, as well as boxing in the 60's and 70's. No matter what your opinion of him, you can't deny his ability to entertain, nor can you deny the impact he had on sport in the 20th century.



Ali stands over Sonny Liston after knocking him down in their heavyweight title fight



Ali still continues to joke around even in his later years



Named 'The Louisville Lip', Ali had a big mouth and was not afraid to show it

Ali's rivalry with former friend Joe Frazier is one of the fiercest ever seen in sport

It's Game Time - My Super Bowl Predictions

The NFL regular season over, the play-off schedule has been sorted and it’s time for the business end of the season. Here is my look at who I think are serious contenders to lift the Lombardi Trophy this season.

The Big Guns

Green Bay Packers -

Despite their unexpected loss to the Chiefs in week 15, Rodgers and the Packers are still firm favourites to win the Super Bowl having lost just once all season. Both their offense and defense are lethal and combined make up the best outfit in the NFL. They led the league in total offensive points scored and have a turnover ratio of +24. They will be tough to beat come post-season.

New England Patriots -

Tom Brady is back to his best this season, helped out by a talented receiving unit. That unit includes tight end Rob Gronkowski who broke the record for most touchdowns by a TE in a single season in week 14. Always dangerous in the play-offs, expect Brady to mount a serious charge for the Lombardi Trophy.

New Orleans Saints -

To complete the set we have Drew Brees and his Saints team. Brees led the league in passing yards, passing Dan Marino to record the most passing yards in a single season. They boast a good running game with Sproles, Thomas and Ingram, not to mention a great pass rushing defense. The Saints may well lift their second title in three years come February.

The Underdogs

Detroit Lions -

Matthew Stafford has established himself as one of the best QB’s in the NFL, and has a good receiving core to back him up. Their defense is a worry, having conceded an average of 24.2 points and over 360 yards per game. Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson could be the deciding factor for the Lions.

Houston Texans -

Houston have been without quarterback Matt Schaub for a large part of the season and have struggled in the final weeks of the regular season, losing to Carolina, Indianapolis and Tennessee in the last three weeks. However, they have an excellent running attack and one of the best defences in the NFL. Don’t rule them out causing an upset in the play-offs.

My Prediction

Packers to beat Patriots by 10 points.



Everyone will be fighting for the Lombardi Trophy



Manchester City: Serious title challengers

Ever since Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group they have been expected to win silverware. It cost Mark Hughes his job and has had Roberto Mancini looking over his shoulder during tough patches. However, it seems the big spending could well pay off, with Man City looking as strong as the likes of rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

Success cannot be bought, and that became clear with a couple of trophy-less seasons following the takeover. That isn’t to say it doesn’t help in the long run. Now under a settled manager, the team have started to look less like star individuals and more like a well balanced unit that can challenge for the Premier League title.

This comes in spite of the speculation that Carlos Tevez, arguably City’s best player, would leave the club to return to his home country of Brazil. Sergio Aguero was brought in as cover, adding to an already impressive list of transfers since 2008.

Last season City managed to reach the FA Cup final, defeating Stoke 1-0 in what had been their first major trophy since 1976 when they defeated Newcastle United 2-1 in the League Cup final.

The opening weekend of the new season saw Man United struggle to victory as well as goalless draws for both Arsenal and Chelsea. Playing on Monday night against Swansea seemed to be the perfect fixture to set the tone for the season ahead, and they did just that, grabbing a 4-0 victory in the second half, despite an excellent performance from Swansea keeper Michael Vorm.

Although we are just one game into the new season, it is clear to see that Manchester City’s title challenge is more serious than ever. One thing is for sure, Aguero is a match winner...



Aguero scored twice and had an assist on his Man City debut



The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Sporting comebacks

For many great sportsmen and women the biggest and most crucial point in their career comes when they feel it is time to retire. However, the passion and lust for the sport they have dedicated their life to can often be too much, leading to a comeback. Unfortunately, comebacks can go one of two ways: Either they continue to shine and leave their reputation untarnished, or they’ll crash and burn taking their legacy with them. Here are a few world superstars who made the decision to come out of retirement with different consequences.

Michael Schumacher, seven times Formula One World Champion, decided to come out of retirement to drive for Mercedes in 2010, three seasons after his retirement at the end of 2006. Joining Mercedes under the leadership of his former boss and friend Ross Brawn seemed to be a strong move, and many F1 fans relished the chance to see him race once again. A season and a half later has seen ‘Schumi’ with no podiums, many crashes and a battered reputation, summed up by his near incident with former teammate Rubens Barrichello at Hungary in 2010. Schumacher looks likely to be racing for at least another year next in hope of reproducing the success he once had.

Quite simply the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, cut short his brief stint as an unsuccessful baseball player to return to the Chicago Bull. He inspired his side, who he had spent nine years with, to another NBA championship in 1996 and claimed his fourth Finals MVP crown, beating the previous record of three.

France’s poor showing in the Euro 2004 quarter final against Greece forced Zinedine Zidane into international retirement. The midfielder took two years out before coming back into the side as captain for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He led his side to the final, picking up the Golden Ball for being the best player of the tournament in the process, where he scored a penalty to put France ahead. Everything turned sour in extra time, as Zidane head butted Marco Matterazzi in the chest resulting in a straight red card. France lost the final on penalties, acting as an everlasting blemish on Zidane’s previously sparkling career.

With records to be broken, Brett Favre returned to the NFL, not once but twice, first with the New York Jets, but more successfully with the Minnesota Vikings. His second comeback resulted in the breaking of several records: Most consecutive starts at one position (291), became the first quarterback to defeat every one of the league’s 32 franchises since the NFL expansion in 2002 and broke Dan Marino’s record for the number of four-touchdown games. He made his 500^th touchdown 70,000^th yard in 2010, before retiring at the end of the season.

Muhammad Ali was another ‘all-time great’ to make his way out of retirement for one last go. However, the once imperious boxer nicknamed ‘The Greatest’ was beaten in the 11^th round by heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, his only loss by anything other than a ‘decision’. In his final fight Ali lost once more – a sorry ending to the career of a man named ‘Sportsman of the Century’.

Having retired from tennis in 2007, Kim Clijsters returned to the sport following the birth of her child. Clijsters beat several of the world’s top 20 players in her first two tournaments as a wildcard, but stunned everyone with her unbelievable US Open win, defeating both Serena and Venus Williams along the way.



One of the most iconic sporting pictures of the 21st century

The NFL lockout

Summer usually marks the build up to a new season of the NFL with teams starting training camp and preparing for pre-season. However, following the lockout earlier this year it is looking increasingly likely that the upcoming season will be shortened, or even worse, cancelled.

The subject of the dispute between players and owners is called the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which, in 2008, owners voted to discontinue after the end of the 2010 season. The CBA gave the players 57 percent of the league’s $9 billion revenue whilst the owners took $1 billion for growth and development of the league.

Effectively, the players and owners have reached a stalemate, with the players refusing pay cuts and rejecting proposals by the owners of an extended season and new health and safety proposals.

The last lockout in American sport came in 2004 when a similar situation within the NHL caused the season to be cancelled. The NBA is also in lockout over the exact same issues, marking its fourth lockout since the league began in 1946.

Realistically, I believe we’ll see the whole of the 2011 NFL season wiped out, with neither the players nor the owners wanting to back down and come to an agreement. Unfortunately, professional sport is no longer just entertainment, it is now a business, especially when it comes to American sport.

For all NFL and NBA fans I hope that an agreement can be made, but it is looking less likely as the days go on. I know one thing for sure, my Sunday nights won’t be the same without the drama of the NFL.

The first major NFL crisis since the '82 strikes

A step in the right direction

Alastair Cook’s appointment as England’s One Day International captain raised a few eyebrows this summer with many doubting his credentials as an ODI player. However, with two superb knocks in back-to-back matches against Sri Lanka, Cook has gone someway to proving his critics wrong.

A drastic change in leadership, as has happened within the England cricket team this summer, can go one of two ways. It can spark a team into life with fresh ideas and new found motivation, but it can also backfire. What a change in leadership will do is test the character and nerve of the new man in charge. Cook is still young and has many years ahead of him, giving him plenty of time to cement his place as captain, something every team looks for. Some may argue that an experienced player is more equipped to lead the team, someone like previous captain Paul Collingwood, but short stints of captaincy at the back end of players’ careers will not benefit the team in the long run.

Questions over Cook’s ability to score at a suitable rate in one day cricket have almost immediately been answered with some aggressive innings’ in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. There is no doubting Cook’s current form – the left hander has scored 579 runs in his 5 Test innings in 2011, as well as 267 ODI runs in 4 innings. What will be the important factor will be Cook’s consistency.

Ultimately, I believe that Cook will be judged on his ability to lead the side at the World Cup. England have not made the semi finals since 1992, when they finished runners up to Imran Khan’s Pakistan side. It won’t be easy, but Cook has all the attributes to potentially be England’s first World Cup winning captain.



England's ODI future: Can Cook win the World Cup?