Saturday, January 31, 2009

Free Super Bowl Pick


We hope you've enjoyed our 2009 Super Bowl 43 Prop Bet Spectacular, as it has been fun for us. All of those prop bets can be found on the upper right hand side of this very page, so check them out if you missed them. 

Now, though, it's time to pick the actual game. So, without further ado, here is our Free Super Bowl Pick. 

Cardinals +7 over the Steelers

Maybe the Cards won't win it, but they'll certainly be in it. The Super Bowl in recent years has become a very hard fought game, and it's now rare to find a complete mismatch, even if it looks like it should be on paper.

Just ask people who thought the Patriots would kill the Giants last year. 

People like us. 

Everybody knows about the Cardinals explosive offense, but we think the defense will make the difference for Arizona. 

Karlos Dansby. Adrian Wilson. Bertrand Berry. This is a very underrated group that has come into its own a bit in the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger, even without the injuries he carries into the game, will have a hard time with this unit. 

We're not ready to pick the Cardinals straight up, but we certainly like taking them with seven points in their favor. 

So, despite our website's color layout suggesting that we might like the Steelers, we think we're playing our Cards right by backing Arizona. 

Friday, January 30, 2009

Jenn Sterger Loves Our Super Bowl Prop Bets

We've been big Jenn Sterger fans ever since we found out she was a fan of ours--one of 282 on the Stock Lemon Facebook page

So when Busted Coverage had some Super Bowl pictures of Jenn, we were obviously very intrigued, to say the least. 

We decided to take a closer look at the pictures, and sure enough, there was Jenn showing her support for our 2009 Super Bowl 43 prop bets in the picture above. 

Lemmy is a lucky man. Or lemon. 

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bets: Steelers Players

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.

Earlier, we gave you three Cardinals players props that we see good value in. Now, as you might have guessed, it's the Steelers turn.

Hines Ward OVER 69 1/2 receiving yards (EVEN)

Talk all you want the injury to Hines Ward, but if he plays (which he will), he'll produce. Taking the under is the trendy play, due to the injury, but if Ward is on the field, he's Ben Roethlisberger's go-to guy.

Hines has eclipsed the 69 1/2 yard mark in four of his last five games, missing the mark only in the Ravens game when he suffered his knee injury and had to leave with just 55 yards. Santonio Holmes might put up some nice numbers, but Ward will rise to the occassion as well. With this prop at even odds, you should do the same.

Nate Washington UNDER 34 1/2 receiving yards (EVEN)

With Hines playing, Nate Washington won't be getting that increase in looks that some might have expected him to get. He hasn't crossed the 34 1/2 yard mark in any of his last three games, posting totals of just 13, 30, and 21.

Like the Ward bet, this prop is for even money. While there is a good chance that both hit, there's a great chance that you'll at least get one, which means you won't lose any juice if you go 1-1. Still, expect to go 2-0 on these two.

Mewelde Moore UNDER 27 1/2 rushing and receiving yards combined (-110)

Mewelde Moore did an admirable job filling in for Willie Parker earlier this season, but it's Willie's show now. Mewelde got just two touches in the AFC Championship, and his role has been largely reduced in the playoffs. His totals of 25 and then 15 yards in the two playoff games for the Steelers show that they are slowly going away from Mewelde "not getting the ball any" Moore.

There's more Super Bowl 43 prop bet coverage to come here at Stock Lemon, so go ahead and bookmark us and get yourself back here before Super Sunday.

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bets: Cardinals Players

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.

We've already looked at random prop bets occuring before and after the game, so let's take a look at some of the more favorable bets during the actual game.

We'll start with the Cardinals player props.

Edgerrin James OVER 49 1/2 rushing yards (+135)

Edge averaged just 39 1/2 yards per game in the regular season, so why take this prop? Since James became the feature back again for the Cardinals in Week 17, he's rushed for 100, 73, 57, and 73 yards on 14, 16, 20, and 16 carries. Clearly, he's getting the carries, and is average over 75 yards per game in the process. He needs just 2/3 of that to win this over.

The last three games have all been playoff games, where the Cardinals are relying on the veteran rather than leaving the running duties to the young Tim Hightower as they did for much of the regular season. At +135, the over makes a lot of sense, even against a tough Steelers defense.

Steve Breaston UNDER 39 1/2 receiving yards (+105)

It's easy to say that because Kurt Warner and the Cards like to air it out and spread it out, Breaston will have a big day. Look it this prop more closely, though, and you'll see real value in the under for Breaston.

The second year wideout had a breakout 1,000 yard season, but he hasn't topped 39 1/2 yards in any of the three playoff games, and has broken the barrier just once in his last five games. His playoff performances, in terms of yards, have gotten progressively worse, going from 39 yards to 28 to 10. He's caught just seven balls for 77 yards in the post-season, averaging under 26 yards per game. Again, that's just 2/3 of what he needs in the Super Bowl.

The Cardinals are going with their more experienced wide receivers down the stretch, so we're glad to take this under at +105.

Who will have more catches: Larry Fitzgerald -1/2 (-140) OVER Anquan Boldin

We think Boldin will have himself a nice game, enough to silence his new critics, anyway. But a nice game won't be quite enough to top Larry Fitzgerald, who might be the best receiver in the league, much less the Super Bowl.

In Boldin's two playoff games, he's caught just six balls. Fitzgerald had six receptions in just one game, which happened to be his lowest total in the playoffs, followed by eight and nine catch performances.

Chip on Boldin's shoulder or not, we'll take Fitzgerald's almost 8 playoff catches per game to Boldin's 3, even if Boldin wasn't completely healthy.

Stay tuned this weekend as we take a look at Steelers player props, other in-game team props for both squads, and wrap up our coverage of Super Bowl 43 proposition betting before the Big Game on Sunday.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bet: The Thankfulness

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.



Before we begin, we'd like to thank all of our readers, for coming here to check out some analysis on Super Bowl 43 Proposition Bets.



With that out of the way, let's get to the next post-game prop bet: The Thankfulness.



The exact wording of this particular prop is: Who will the Super Bowl MVP of the Game thank first?



And your choices are:



God... 4/5

Family... 4/1

Teammates... 2/1

Coach... 9/1

Does Not Thank Anyone... 5/1



First off, we think it's a little weird that fans aren't included as an option, and there isn't even the choice of "other." But, with the options that are given, we're praying that we know who will be thanked first--the man upstairs.



Our reason for this is simple. While many players thank God after games, the most likely MVP candidates are always the quarterbacks.



In this case, Cardinals Kurt Warner just happens to be a Jesus freak and always thanks God, or Jesus (which can be used interchangeably for this prop), following games, including in the post-game interview following the NFC Championship victory.







Warner's extreme religious beliefs might have been enough to attract us to God as the winner of this prop bet, but as an added bonus, it appears that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is also giving thanks to the man above, as seen at the AFC Championship post-game festivities.







We think that saying "the Lord is good" counts as giving thanks to God, which means that in both Championship games, the quarterbacks thanked God.



At 4/5 odds, we like our chances.


Hopefully, we'll thank God for giving us this prop bet.



For more NFL odds check out BetFirms.com.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

If Only the Cavs Had a Super Bowl Prop Bet...

The Super Bowl has sort of gotten in the way of our picks lately (not the worse thing in some cases), but it's time for another Free NBA Pick. 

Cavs -14 over the Kings

The Cavs are 20-0 at home this season and are one of the best teams against the spread in the NBA this year. It comes as no suprise, then, that even when our Free NBA Picks were struggling, we are 4-0 when betting on the Cavs. 

In 2009, the Free NBA Picks are 3-1, so hopefully they have returned to form. 

Good luck and enjoy a break from Super Bowl prop bet coverage!

A Super Episode of The Lemmy Channel


As we continue to cover all things Super Bowl prop betting, we realized something. 

We wouldn't be your main squeeze on 2009 Super Bowl 43 Prop Bets if we didn't produce an episode of The Lemmy Channel on the topic. 

And so, you can check out the Super edition of everybody's favorite hit series, The Lemmy Channel, right here, hosted by the equally Super folks over at The Bucky Channel

Monday, January 26, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bet: The Bow Tie

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.

Continuining with our theme of looking at prop bets that have nothing to do with the actual game (don't worry we'll get to the Cardinals and Steelers in-game props later this week), we thought we'd take a look at a prop that seems like pretty easy money to us--if you're willing to lay some chalk.

The prop bet is: What color will Bill Bidwell's bow tie be?

Bill Bidwell, the Arizona Cardinals owner, must be seen on camera wearing a bow tie during the game for the wager to count. Your choices are:

Red -600

Any other color +400

Quite simply, we think books will lure a few idiots who figure that there are a gazillion different colors other than red out there, so any other color at +400 is a bargain. That's just not the case.

In all of Bill Bidwell's public appearances--not just Cardinals games--he's famous for his red bow tie. And, as the picture above makes clear, he wore a red bow tie during the NFC Championship game, so why mess with success?

We're not going to go all in-depth on this one, because we think it's fairly certain that Bidwell will be wearing a red bow tie on Super Sunday. If you're willing to lay -600 on this prop, the chances are that it will be money well spent.

Unless, of course, this prop ends in a tie.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bet: The Gatorade Shower

To see the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) Gatorade Shower Prop Bet in the game between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, click here.

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.

We've talked about the coin toss and the National Anthem, two prop bets that take place before all the action. Now it's time to talk about something that takes place after all, or at least most, of the action--the Gatorade shower!

Bodog has plenty of choices for you in the prop bet: What Color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the Head Coach of the Winning Super Bowl Team?

There's lime green, yellow, orange, red, blue, clear/water, and whatever else they add or delete from this list after reading our analysis.

We might not be able to tell you exactly which color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach, but we can certainly narrow it down.

Go ahead and cross off orange, red, blue, and lime green from that list right away. The only way that any of those colors will make an appearance is if Bodog claims that the yellow Gatorade is really lime green, just to screw with everyone.

That leaves us with yellow (3/1 odds) and clear/water (4/5). Your safe bet here is to go with clear/water, though you'll lose some juice (get it?). If you're feeling a little risky, though, yellow is as safe a risk you can make at 3/1 odds this Super Bowl. Here's why:
In both the NFC and AFC Championship Games, yellow Gatorade was dumped onto the winning coaches.

Ken Whisenhunt got his improbable golden shower after the Cardinals clinched their first ever Super Bowl appearance...

As did Mike Tomlin after bringing the Steelers back to The Big Game for the team's second appearance in four years.

Now, despite the fact that yellow was the preferred color in both Championship games, the reason clear/water is the favorite is because of its history in recent Super Bowls.

Let's start with those Steelers back in Super Bowl XL in 2006, when Bill Cowher took a bath in the clear liquid.


In 2007, in a rainy Super Bowl XLI, Colts coach Tony Dungy found himself under a rain cloud shaped like a Gatorade bucket.

Then of course, last year in Super Bowl XLII, Giants coach Tom Coughlin received the perfect reward for his team's upset win.

So, in at least the last three Super Bowls, including one in which the Steelers made it rain on their coach, clear/water was the color beverage doused onto the winning signal caller.

In our view, you have two choices. You can either go with the Championship Game momentum of the yellow Gatorade and hope to triple your cash, or you can stick with the recent Super Bowl trend of clear/water.

Either way, this is a good prop bet for those looking to whet their appetite for wet coaches.

Friday, January 23, 2009

We Have Readers in Antigua

We here at Stock Lemon must apologize, for we may have inadvertently helped the bookies figure out that they were way off on the National Anthem Super Bowl Prop Bet.

Originally, the books had the over/under set at 1 minute 54 seconds. While the odds slowly shifted and eventually forced over bettors to lay some heavy chalk, they could still do so at 1 minute 54 seconds.

Then we posted about Jennifer Hudson's previous performances of the National Anthem, all of which went well over 1 minute 54 seconds, and mere hours later the line on this prop has shot up to 2 minutes 1 second!

Line movement on a National Anthem prop is nothing new. These things happen as books get more action on one side than they get on the other (the over in this case). But seven seconds?

We think we might have accidently done the homework for Bodog, comfortably reading from their headquarters in Antigua.

Hopefully you were able to get on this prop, or can still find it at another book, at 1 minute 54 seconds, in which case the over is still a steal.

If not, it's probably one we would stay away from. Don't worry though, there are plenty of other props to bet on, and some of them even include the Steelers and Cardinals!

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bet: The National Anthem



To see the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) National Anthem Prop Bet, featuring Christina Aguilera in the game between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, click here.


Over the next week and half leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it.



Before the Steelers and Cardinals can execute their keys to the game, America (and several countries outside the United States) will be paying close attention to some keys prior to kickoff--the keys song by Jennifer Hudson during the National Anthem.



The former American Idol contestant, whether she knows it or not, will be responsible for what might be the first of many prop bets for millions around the world.



Bodog currently has the following odds:



Super Bowl XLIII - How long will it take Jennifer Hudson to sing the National Anthem?

Clock starts as soon as Hudson sings first Note and Stops when she sings her last note. Singles Only. Max $50. (This Prop is Closed for Betting)

Over 1 Minute and 54 Seconds -250

Under 1 Minute and 54 Seconds +195




Thanks to modern technology, aka Youtube, we're able to disect this proposition wager and determine the best possible bet. And we've determined that the Over is, even at -250 odds, an absolute steal. The evidence is below.



Let's first take a look at the Anthem that Hudson delivered at the Democratic National Convention on August 28, 2008.











Her first note starts at about :02 into the video and ends at the 2:03 mark. Simple math will tell you that that equates to a 2 minute and 1 second long anthem, seven seconds longer than the prop bet calls for.



What's interesting about this clip is that you'll notice that she could have been done at about the 1:50 mark when she finished the last word of the song, only to repeat it again immediately after, which would put the anthem at just 1 minute and 48 seconds.



Fear not, over bettors, because she would have held out that last note and dragged out the word "brave" if not for her putting her own creative spin on the Anthem. And, yes, we have more evidence to support our claim.



Here's another Anthem which, despite its phone camera quality, is very telling. This one is from Jackie Robinson Day back on April 15, 2007, prior to a Dodgers-Padres game.











This one, high quality as it is, cuts off the first two words of her performance (Oh Say), beginning with the word "can." It's hard to tell exactly when it stops, but we're going to guess its around the 1:58 mark. Remember, the bet ends on the very last note, and even without two words, she's still four seconds longer than the over/under.



Since the Dodger game is obviously a sports venue, we feel pretty confident that we'll get a similar Anthem out of her at the Super Bowl.



Finally, although Hudson, like many others, tends to drag out more notes or add a creative element during live performance--which the Super Bowl will be, of course--we thought we would go ahead and include her studio release of the famliar tune, in case anyone is paranoid that the audience at either previous performance caused her to go longer than she normally would.











The studio version begins at about the :18 mark and finishes at 2:16 for a grand total of 1 minute and 58 seconds. So, let's recap.



DNC August 28, 2008: 2 minute 1 second; 7 seconds longer than over/under

Dodgers April 15, 2007: 1 minute 58 seconds (w/o two words); 4+ seconds longer than o/u

Recorded version: 1 minute 58 seconds; 4 seconds longer than o/u


Needless to say, we're pretty confident that when Hudson ends with "And the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave," she'll be well over the 1 minute and 54 second mark.


Be brave and feel free to make that bet.



Get all of the latest NFL odds by visiting BetFirms.com.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bet: The Coin Toss



To see our coin toss prop bet analysis for the 2011 Super Bowl XLIV (45) between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, click here.


Over the next week and half leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. We'll start the same way the Cardinals and Steelers will start--with a coin toss.


The coin toss is always a popular prop bet because, well, we're not so sure why. It's just a guy flipping a quarter into the air. Nevertheless, it's one of the most wagered Super Bowl prop bet despite the fact that the wager is decided before kickoff.


For casual fans or those just watching the game for the Super Bowl commercials, it's nice to bet on the coin toss since it requires no knowledge whatsoever of the actual game being played and is completely random.


Or is it?


Yes, of course it is. But here are some fun facts to help you through betting on the coin flip:

  • To prove how random a coin toss really is, you only need one stat: 21. In the 42 previous Super Bowls, the coin has landed 21 times on heads and 21 times on tails. Throw out any notion that one side of the coin might weigh more or that coin flips aren't completely random or that tails never fails. Coin tosses are absolutely a 50-50 chance, or in this case, a 21-21 chance.


  • The team to win the coin toss has a losing record in the Super Bowl of 20-22, but the "winners" have had even less success recently. In the last 12 tosses, the winner of the toss was the loser of the game in nine of those contests. The Giants won the toss and the game last year, breaking a four game losing streak for teams that won the toss.


  • The NFC has won the last 11 tossess and is 28-14 all-time in calling the correct side of the coin.


  • The team to win the toss has always chosen to receive, and if for some reason your sportsbook offers a prop related to this, it seems like a good bet that the team to win the coss will continue this trend. As a few commenters have pointed out, we completely overlooked the new rule which allows teams to defer on the opening toss, so it will be interesting to see if the Super Bowl gets its first defer call in history.


So, the bottom line is, when betting on Super Bowl props, the coin flip is always a toss-up.


Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis of some fun and some crazy Super Bowl 43 prop bets.



Beat the NFL odds on this year's Super Bowl when you sign up for football picks at BetFirms.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Free NBA Picks Off to a Good Start in 2009

Last season, our Free NBA Picks were 40-20 (67%), as we make sure to brag about every so often.

To start this season, well, let's just say they weren't hitting 67%.

After our early struggles, we decided to take a break in order to increase the sample size from which we pool our statistical data. And, by golly, it might have worked.

The Celtics covered the -8 spread with a 104-87 win over the Suns, improving our Free NBA Picks to 3-1 on the calendar year.

Keep checking back for more of our Free NBA Picks, which we can now boast about being 75% this year, leaving out the part about only playing four games thus far.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Special MLK Edition of The Lemmy Channel

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., who once said, "I have a dream, that the Lemmy Channel will air a special Monday edition in honor of me," we have done just that.

This week, Lemmy is airing a day early at The Bucky Channel, in order to give some advice on tonight's game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers.

As always, you'll have to go over to The Bucky Channel to see what advice Lemmy has for the folks up in Wisconsin. Or, over in Wisconsin.

Over and out.

Celtics Are the Free NBA Pick Tonight

We have on Free NBA Pick today, and if you haven't guessed who it is based on the title of this post, then we don't know what to tell you.

Celtics -8 over Suns

Our Free NBA Picks are looking to regain the promise they showed last year, when they went 40-20 (67%). In 2009, the picks are 2-1 (67%!).

Good luck!

Early Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bets

If you're looking for some early Super Bowl XLIII (that's 43) prop bets, you've come to the right place.

We're making Stock Lemon your home for Super Bowl proposition betting in 2009 and thought we should go ahead and post some standard prop bets that will be offered for the matcup between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers. (Of course, as we grow closer and closer to kickoff each day, we'll have some of the wackier bets listed as well.)

Here's a general list of what to expect:

First, there are your regular lines. The Steelers are opening at around -6 1/2 or -7 favorites over the Cardinals, but those lines will be different on a quarter-by-quarter basis and updated as the game goes on. The Over/Under is set at around 47. Here are some others you can expect:

  • Game line
  • Moneyline
  • First half line
  • First quarter line
  • Second quarter line
  • Third quarter line
  • Fourth quarter line (not including over time)
  • Over/Under

Then you get a little more specific:

  • Total points scored by the home team (Cardinals)
  • Total points scored by the visiting team (Steelers)
  • First team to score
  • Last team to score
  • Will the last team to score win the game?
  • Will there be a score in the last two minutes of the first half?
  • Will either team score three unanswered times?
  • Will there be a score in the first six and a half minutes of the game?
  • Which team will have the longest touchdown?
  • Will there be a successful two-point conversion?
  • Will there be a safety?
  • Which half will have the highest point score?
  • Which quarter will have the highest point score?
  • Will the home team ever have the lead?
  • Which team will commit the first turnover?
  • Which team will use the coaches' challenge first?
  • Which team will be the first to call a timeout?
  • Will there be overtime?
  • Which team will get the first penalty?

Then, as we inch closer to the game, we'll have plenty of player props:

  • Who will have more yards between a Cardinals RB/WR like Edgerrin James and Steelers RB/WR like Willie Parker?
  • Who will have more tackles between a Cardinals defender like Adrian Wilson or Steelers defender like Troy Polamalu?
  • How many yards will a team's star player like Larry Fitzerald have? (Answers will be in increments: between 1-60, between 60-90, etc.)

Then, of course, there will be the wacky and fun Super Bowl prop bets as well:

  • How long will the National Anthem last? (This will be an over/under, usually somewhere between 1:30-2:00. Like last year, it will be sung by another former American Idol, Jennifer Hudson.)
  • How many times the announcers will say ____? (Could be the name of a player not involved in the game, for example.)
  • How many times will cameras show ____? (Could again be a famous person or player not involved in the game but in attendance.)
  • Will this be the highest rated Super Bowl ever? (Game will air on NBC.)
  • What color will the liquid poured on the winning coach be? (Multiple Choice.)
  • Who will the game MVP thank first?
  • What songs will the halftime entertainer sing? (Bruce Springsteen is the halftime performer this year.)
  • Will the coin toss be heads or tails?

That's it for now. Hopefully this generic list will suffice. Don't worry, though, plenty more prop bets will be coming, so stay tuned and make sure to check back to Stock Lemon for more updates on your Super Bowl 43 proposition bets for 2009.

At Least It's Not Lead

We apologize for the consecutive Joe Flacco posts, but after searching for more instances of the Unifrown, we found a picture of a Joe Flacco action figure, which pays very close attention to detail.

Unless we're just imagining things, it looks like the toy manufacturer made sure to include a thick and bushy unibrow on the Flacco figurine, ala a certain Sesame Street character whose action figure bears a striking resemblance to the Ravens quarterback.

We know Flacco has sort of embraced the unibrow look, if only for lack of a better idea, but when it starts showing up on your action figure and, as Kissing Suzy Kolber finds, other places, it might be time for a pluck.

We hate to kick a guy when he's down, mere hours after Flacco and the Ravens took a third beating from the Steelers this season, but since he won't be relevant for a few months, we figured we'd better get it out there.

Unifrown

Joe Flacco has gotten plenty of attention for the unibrow he so proudly displays under his Ravens helmet, but we came across a picture of him after the AFC Championship loss to the Steelers wearing something else on his face: a frown. A great, big, unifrown.
We wonder if he was posing for a picture that otherwise appears candid or if he was simply moving his mouth in a strange manner at the time or what. There's no way his frown is really that big, is there? We admit we're making a big deal out of something very arbitrary, but come one, that's a huge freaking frown. He's all out pouting there.

Joe Flacco. Frowning his way out of the playoffs.

Steelers Cover... and Advance to Super Bowl

We did it!

With help from the Steelers, we have achieved what every blog strives for--mediocrity!

With the Steelers 23-14 win over the Ravens, Pittsburgh covered the -6 spread and advanced to the Super Bowl, where they'll face those pesky Arizona Cardinals.

More importantly, the Steelers helped even our playoff record to 5-5 (or 4-4 if you don't count "the lost post"), giving our Free NFL Picks a 2-0 Championship Sunday.

A Troy Polamalu pick six secured the cover, and we love the photo posted above of him running into the end zone while three big Ravens lug behind out of focus. Fitting that there are three of them, since this is the third time this season that the Steelers have proven better than the Ravens.

Stay tuned throughout the next two weeks, as we cover the Super Bowl like never before. We invite you to make Stock Lemon your home for Super Bowl prop bets.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Cardinals Cover... and Advance to Super Bowl

Big news out of Arizona today, as the Arizona Cardinals have done the unthinkable--covered as a Free NFL Pick this week.

The Cardinals beat the Eagles 32-25, covering the +4 1/2 spread. Oh, and advancing to the Super Bowl.

Although we mentioned the return of Anquan Boldin as being a key to the game, obviuosly the play of Larry Fitzgerald is the main reason we'll be hearing about Kurt Warner's career as a grocery store bagger for the next two weeks.

We still need the Steelers to cover the -6 spread over the Ravens in oder to salvage a .500 playoff record, but we'll enjoy this one for now.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Another Free NCAA Basketball Pick

We'll try to get these out sooner, but get on this Free NCAA Basketball Pick if you still have time.

Pittsburgh +2 over Louisville

Our picks are just 2-1, as we've only made (let's see... 2 + 1) three bets thus far.

Good luck!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Cavaliers Cover... Again

We might as well scrap our Free NBA Picks system and just tail the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Our Free NBA Picks are 2-1 since our re-release, and despite our early struggles, they are 4-0 when we bet on the Cavs.

It's no coincidence, of course. The Cavs, who beat the Hornets 92-78 tonight to cover a -3 spread, are 27-11 against the spread this year including 16-4 ATS at home. It helps that they are 31-7 on the season and 20-0 at home straight up.

Either way, we might foolishly start to force a few plays when they have any value at all, rather than stick to our thus far disappointing system.

Free NFL Championship Game Picks

Our Free NFL Picks have been unimpressive in the playoffs after an average year, but here are some picks for you to follow blindly anyway.

Cardinals + 4 1/2 over the Eagles

The return of Anquan Boldin should bolster a passing attack that didn't really need any bolstering. We like the road dog in this spot, especially with everybody already pinning the Eagles as this year's Giants.

Steelers -6 over the Ravens

We keep betting against the Ravens and keep paying for it, but while it is hard for a team to beat another team three times in one season, a healthy Willie Parker will make the difference for Pittsburgh. Expect a typical close game early between these two, but in the end, the Steelers should pull away convincingly.

So yes, despite all the success of the road teams in this playoffs, both home teams are Free NFL Picks this week.

Good luck.

Free NBA Picks Turn to the Cavs Again

We're a little late with this one, but get on it if you still can.

Cavaliers -3 over Hornets

Our Free NBA Picks are 3-0 when betting the Cavs, and hopefully we can add to that tonight.

Good luck!

Huskies Give More Credibility To Our 67% Picks

When you've only had two picks in a certain sport all year and your record is 1-1, chances are that whatever you say will be of little to no interest to most people who are betting that sport.

The only way to gain credibility is, quite simply, to win.

With Washington taking care of Oregon 84-67 to cover a -5 spread, they took care of business for us and inch our Free NCAA Basketball Picks one step closer to becoming a credible source.

At 2-1, we can now boast about our college hoops picks as hitting 67% on the year, even if we've only played three games to date.

Like we said, we're expecting these picks to really get going pretty soon, with at least one play a day as we move closer to the the NCAA Tournament, so stay tuned.

Until then, tell all your friends about the amazing 67% picks over at Stock Lemon.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

A Free NCAA Basketball Pick?

Our Free NCAA Basketball Picks are never all that active early in the season, as our 1-1 record this year might indicate. Yet, they tend to pick up a little bit in February and beyond. Maybe they've started a little early this year, because we have our third pick tonight.

Washington -5 over Oregon

Good luck and enjoy the rare college play!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Lemmy Channel Is Back For Season Two!

It's official: The Lemmy Channel has been renewed for another season after copying The Office by airing just a few episodes in its first run.

If you're unfamiliar with The Lemmy Channel, it's a weekly posting by Lemmy and the rest of us at Stock Lemon invading The Bucky Channel's turf.

Since we focus on sports wagering and The Bucky Channel focuses on Wisconsin sports, The Lemmy Channel is about The World of Sports Wagering from Wisconsin's perspective.

As we did back in April with the Milwaukee Brewers, we'll take a look at some of the betting trends surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks.

Tune in to the rest of the Season Two Premiere right here on The Bucky Channel.

A Few New Friends For Lemmy

While Lemmy might have lost some of his friends after some technical difficulties this weekend, he's gained a few during this trying time.

Fresh off of Vegas Watch's fade list, Garsha's Picks has found a place on the blogroll, as has another newer picks site, Daily Duckets.

Be sure to check out the newcomers, and again, if your site was deleted from the blogroll or you would like to be added, simply add a comment here along with your e-mail, or shoot us an email at stocklemonblog@gmail.com and we'll get back to you.

Thanks!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Jazz Trying to Save Free NBA Picks

Our Free NBA Picks, as we might have mentioned, started the year off horribly except for when we backed the Cavaliers, who went 3-0 when our system called upon them.

After a short hiatus, our Free NBA Picks returned with a cover by the Utah Jazz. Now, we're trying to make the Jazz our new Cavs. You guessed it, the Jazz are a pick again tonight.

Jazz -10 over the Pacers

Our system happens to see a lot of value in Utah again, so we'll see what happens. For now, keep playing this picks with caution. As we've said before, they really hit their stride in about late January when the sample size of the statistical data we use is sufficient enough to produce some wins. Hopefully, we're approaching that point.

Good luck!

Technical Difficulties at Stock Lemon

Well, evidently our Free NFL Picks for Sunday did not get posted. It isn't a huge deal, since the picks went 1-1 (we stuck with the favorites again and had the Steelers over the Chargers and Giants over the Eagles).

Unfortunately for us, this didn't happen a day sooner, when our picks made us worthy of a Vegas Watch fade.

Also, we've noticed our blogroll was a little depleted. We have added a couple of new sites, but please check to make sure your site is still in the Lemmy's Friends section on the right-hand side of the page.

Of course, if your site isn't and you would like it to be, e-mail us at stocklemonblog@gmail.com and we'll arrange a link exchange.

Hopefully we can sort out our issues here in the coming days, but bear with us if updates are sporadic for the time being.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

NFL Divisional Round Playoff Picks

Our Free NFL Picks went 0-2 last Saturday, then bounced back with a 2-0 Sunday. Hopefully, this Saturday will be more like last Sunday. And then Sunday will be like last Sunday.

There's only one way to find out.

Titans -3 over the Ravens

Baltimore is a popular upset pick, but this week we're against the rookie quarterback on the road. Joe Flacco will try to become the first rook to win two playoff games, but we think he'll fall short of that goal. Both teams boast great defenses, but the ageless wonder Kerry Collins and the Titans offense has the edge in a matchup of very similar squads.

Panthers -10 over the Cardinals

Yes, that says -10. It's a lot to lay but the Panthers are the good and we're still convinced that the Cardinals are that bad. Go wit DeAngelo Williams and the bruising Panthers offense.

So far, all of our playoff picks have been the favorites when the lines opened. It's not something we're proud of, but that's the way things have shaken out thus far.

Either way, good luck as always!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Final Free NCAA Football Record

The NCAA Football season is over, meaning that our Free NCAA Football Picks are done for the year as well. Here are the final tallies from a year filled with mediocrity.

Regular Season: 28-25-1... 53%
Bowl Games: 5-4... 56%
Overall: 33-29-1... 53%

Just like the BCS, our system was a little flawed this year. Although we're disappointed by the meager 53%, we're happy to have at least finished with a winning record this season, especially after the disastrous Week 5.

These picks will be back next season, but we hope you'll stop by sometime before then.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

And Your National Champion is...

Our Free NCAA Football Picks went out with a bang as Florida beat Oklahoma 24-14 to cover the -4 1/2 spread (or -6 if you didn't bet until kickoff) in the BCS Championship Game.

What this means, of course, is that we can finally crown this year's National Champion... the Utah Utes!

At 13-0, Utah is the clear National Champion in the absence of a college football playoff system.

Congratulations to the Gators on their second place finish.

Free NBA Pick Are 100% in 2009!

Our Free NBA Picks are dominating the new year, boasting a 100% record in '09. Take that, Vegas Watch.

Nevermind that we've technically sort of kind of maybe only had one 2009 pick, we're still perfect this year in the NBA. On the season? Not so much.

Still, we'll take whatever moral victories we can get, especially if they coincide with an actual victory.

Our Free NBA Picks started taking off in late January last year, so hopefully the 116-90 win by the Jazz over the Hornets to cover the -4 spread is a sign of things to come.

We'll try to maintain this record for as long as we can, obviously, but don't forget how much these picks struggled in 2008.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Return of Our Free NBA Picks

After a rough start, we pulled the plug on our Free NBA Picks and decided to wait them out until we had a better sample size for our statistical data. Last year, if you recall, we didn't post our Free NBA Picks until late January. By doing so, we had all the information we needed entered into our spreadsheets to ensure the success of the picks.

This year, however, we started posting them right away, eager to repeat the 67% season from last year. Clearly, that was a mistake.

Today, though, we finally have another Free NBA Pick after a long layoff and a mini-overhaul of the system. If you play it, do so with caution, at least for now.

Jazz -4 over the Hornets

If ever there was a time to follow Vegas Watch's advice to fade our plays, this might be it.

BCS Championship Game Pick

It's been a fun year of college football (aside from the continuing lack of a playoffs system), but as they say, all good things must come to and end.

That end for our Free NCAA Football Picks is the BCS Championship Game between Florida and Oklahoma. In what is essentially a home game for Florida, we were faced with a choice.

Do we put our money on the Sooners, who boast the Heisman Trophy winning Sam Bradford? Or, do we bet on the Gators, who boast the Lemmy Award winning Gator Bait message board?

In the end, it was an easy decision.

Florida -4 1/2 over Oklahoma

Since apparently this is a pretty big game, we thought we'd get our pick out a day early, giving you plenty of time to check it out.

Good luck and congratulations on making it through another bowl season without having to take out a second mortgage on your house. Well, at least not because of any bets you made.

Vegas Watch Makes Amends

You might remember back when we were handing out a few Lemmy Awards that one winner in particular was not very fond of us.

As we explained, prior to the awards "ceremony," we had been searching around some of the quality sports betting blogs we were aware of and requesting simple link exchanges with the authors of said blogs.

One of these blogs, Vegas Watch, was not about to lead to the detriment of the internet by posting a link to Stock Lemon on their site.

We had the following heated e-mail exchange with the site, as we posted with the Lemmy Awards:

We later asked him again about including us in his blogroll, to which he
decided:

Quality of the content isn't close to being high enough.

When we told him that other links on his blogroll haven't even been
updated in months, he shot back:

I am glad you're policing my blogroll. Fantastic. I have no further
input.


Well, the blogroll police did a strip search of Vegas Watch and found that, likely after much deliberation, Vegas Watch has indeed included a link to Stock Lemon on their blogroll--with a catch. The Stock Lemon link appears not under the "Daily Reading" or "Resources" or even "Blogroll" sections, but under the title "Fades."

At the end of the day, we probably had that coming. With a horrible start for our Free NBA Picks forcing us to sideline them for now after--and you can check the previous posts on this one--a 67% season last year and our Free NFL Picks and Free NCAA Football Picks hovering around the mid 50% range, our picks haven't been as good as we'd like lately.

Still, we would hardly consider them to be worthy of fading, by any standard. Additionally, there are a few other curious links featured under the "Fades" section. Though, as The Money Line Journal will occassionaly and hilariously point out, the Covers forums feature their fair share of dopes, there are some decent cappers on the boards, as is true with a lot of internet message boards.

More surprising, in our minds, is the inclusion of Picks That Cover on the blacklist. While the picks are just under 50% so far, the analysis is certainly there, and we're proud to host Picks That Cover under our Lemmy's Friends section on the right hand side of the page. To us, it seems like Vegas Watch is simlpy anti-anyone who hasn't been around for three years. We can only wonder what simple friendly request Picks That Cover asked of Vegas Watch to get on their bad side.

Nevertheless, rules are rules, and since Vegas Watch went ahead and put a link to Stock Lemon up on their site, we'll do the same for them. Though the relationship might not be the most friendly, you can now find a link to Vegas Watch in the Lemmy's Friends section.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Fiesta!

We have a Free NCAA Football Pick for you in the Fiesta Bowl, and it's our biggest bowl play of the year.

Texas -9 over Ohio State

Bring on another uninspiring Big Ten bowl performance, as Texas proves that they should be one of about six teams who have valid arguments for being national champs.

Good luck!

That's More Like It

If you only check our picks on Saturday, you probably had a bad week.

If you only check our picks on Sunday, you probably had a good week.

If you checked our picks on both Saturday and Sunday, you probably fall somewhere in between.

Lastly, if don't check our picks at all, what are you thinking? And how did you get here?

Our Free NFL Picks went 0-2 on Saturday but rebounded nicely with a 2-0 day on Sunday. The Eagles beat the Vikings, 26-14, while the Ravens took care of the Dolphins, 27-9. Both teams covered -3 spread on the road in the process.

So, all in all, our Wildcard picks ended up at an unimpressive 2-2. Be sure to check back next weekend for more NFL playoff action, and of course, check us out in between weekends as well.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

More NFL Playoff Picks

Well, that didn't go as planned. The games yesterday could have gone either way, and obviously they didn't end up going our way.

The good news is that there are two more Wild Card games to bet on, and although we didn't mean for this to happen, we're once again on the road favorites.

Ravens -3 over the Dolphins

Defenses should tell the story tomorrow. Ray Lewis and the tough Ravens D have shut down Chad Pennington in Miami before, and although the teams were both much different in Week 7, the results should be the same.

Eagles -3 over the Vikings

The same can be said with the red hot Eagles storming into Minnesota. Brian Dawkins and Philly's D have been playing great as of late, and we don't expect that to change in the playoffs.

Good luck!

It's Playoff Time!

Amidst all these meaningless college football games, it's refreshing that we'll finally be able to enjoy a playoff system tomorrow.

The NFL playoffs are underway, and as promised, we've got a couple of Free NFL Picks for you.

Colts -1 over the Chargers

We're riding Peyton Manning the rest of the way, just like the Colts have been doing for the past nine weeks.

Falcons PICK over the Cardinals

It's nice that the Cardinals get to play an extra game this year. Nice for the Falcons and our wallets, that is. The Matt Ryan/Michael Turner combo will just be too much for the Cards to handle.

Good luck and enjoy the wonders of a simple playoff format.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Virginia Tech Covers For 2-0 Bowl Day

After USC beat Penn State 38-24 in the Rose Bowl, Virginia Tech was able to take care of a +2 spread and beat Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl, 20-7.

Although we're still upset that there isn't such a thing as the Lemon Bowl, we'll take a win in whatever other fruit-titled bowl we can find.

VT's win gives our Free NCAA Football Picks a 2-0, getting our bowl picks back on track after a little slip up.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Where's the Lemon Bowl?

There have been countless arguments about whether or not college football should move to a playoff system (yes) rather than the current bowl format (no).

But the biggest outrage, in our view, is that they have an Orange Bowl and not, you guessed it, a Lemon Bowl.

After betting on the Orange Bowl earlier today, we can't believe that our favorite fruit isn't represented. FedEx needs to get on this. Look at how well Lemmy fits in the logo!

Whatever the case, we remind you that we have a pick on Virginia Tech +2 over Cinci in this one, after USC took care of the -10 spread with a 28-24 win over Penn St in the Rose Bowl.

Good luck!

Hey, Look, Another League to Bet On


It's a new year so we thought it'd be a great time to introduce you to a new leauge--the United Football League.

Surely, some of you have already heard of the UFL, and maybe you're already drooling over the chance to bet on a league that doesn't have a history of questionable calls. The league has made it clear that it doesn't want to compete against the NFL and serve more as a minor league instead, but that doesn't mean that they can't compete with the NFL in wager amounts on their sport.

Currently in its infancy with plans to kick off this fall, the UFL is still deciding their final markets and team names, taking suggestions from their fans.

With that, we introduce to you our campaign to name the potential Las Vegas team, since it is obviously the gambling capital of the world.


How about the Las Vegas Lemons, in honor of this here site? Lemmy would make a perfect mascot, and of course, we already have the helmet ready to go. Now go stuff those ballot boxes!

First Free NCAA Football Picks of 2009

The new year is here, as are a new batch of Free NCAA Football Picks for today's bowl action.

Rose Bowl
USC -10 over Penn St.

Orange Bowl
Virginia Tech +2 over Cincinnati

Good luck and welcome to the new year, where ever sports bettor is undefeated thus far.

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