Big Al McMordie Articles
Article Topics: View All Articles By Big Al McMordie | NFL | College Football | NBA | College Basketball | MLB | WNBA | NHL
Date added: 09.06.09
Big Al McMordie
Early NFL: What To Look For
The best time of the sports year kicks off this week as we begin the NFL season. From preseason play and recent history we can get a good idea about some of the strengths and weaknesses of several teams.If you like to play totals keep in mind that the Minnesota Vikings were 3-1 under the total in preseason. Sure, all the talk has been on Brett Favre ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.16.09
Big Al McMordie
NFL Win Totals
With the NFL season just around the corner, this is good time to look at what might happen this fall on the gridiron. Future numbers are out for each team. A year ago in this column I looked at the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were projected for 9 wins, and wrote: “The Steelers had 10 wins in 2007 with the No. 1 ranked defense. The offense was already ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.11.09
Big Al McMordie
NFL Revenge Games
One of the great things about sports wagering is the growth of creativity over the last decade. Futures wagers, prop bets, halftime wagering have all seen an increase, adding to the challenge and enjoyment of the industry. Other examples are “Games of the Year” and “Revenge Games” which crop up before the college and pro football ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.10.09
Big Al McMordie
Baseball Totals: Parks and Lineup Changes
Offense has been down a bit the last few seasons in major league baseball. There are many theories about this, from teams shoring up the relief staff as many games are decided in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings, to the decrease in steroids. Another factor that's always worth considering is the ballpark. It's no secret that the dimensions of parks play ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 06.03.09
Big Al McMordie
NBA Finals Preview
Cleveland.com said it best: “It's time to put the puppets away. There will be no LeBron James-Kobe Bryant NBA Finals.” It looked like a shoo-in for the top two seeds to meet, setting up a Kobe/LeBron Finals. But once the Eastern Conference Finals began, you could see the Magic were a terrific team that matched up very well with the Cavs. ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 02.23.09
Big Al McMordie
NBA Stretch Run Is Anybody Healthy
News flash: Cavaliers/Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Big 3 back in December were the Lakers out West and the Celtics and Cavs in the East. Two of those three were expected to meet in the NBA Finals. Not much has changed since, with the exception of all the injuries to key players preventing any other team from cracking that elite list.Orlando? Certainly ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 01.26.09
Big Al McMordie
Super Bowl XLIII: An Early Look
The theme of this Super Bowl is already evident: Defense or offense? The Cardinals have the No. 4 offense in the NFL, No. 2 in passing, behind QB Kurt Warner and a talented trio of three-1,000+ yard receivers. The physical Steelers have the No. 1 defense. History says defense wins championships, which is why Pittsburgh is favored. But there's a reason ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 12.10.08
Big Al McMordie
Late Season NFL Adjustments
The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t going to make the playoffs and have had a train wreck season. This wasn’t unexpected. A local writer for the KC Star pointed out, “The Chiefs aren’t built to win football games. They’re built to be $32 million under the salary cap while Arrowhead Stadium undergoes renovation.” ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 10.13.08
Big Al McMordie
Penn State at 11-1 Odds
If you've ever played billiards or chess, you know that the best players don't simply go shot to shot or move to move. Rather, they think two or three moves ahead. A pool player uses the current shot to smartly set up his next shot, and so on. There's a similarity in sports wagering, as well. A successful handicapper should have a good eye for short ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 09.24.08
Big Al McMordie
NFL Notes
Everyone talks about the great parts of football teams. The Broncos' new-look passing attack, QBs Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb, or coaches like Andy Reid, Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin. But sports bettors can also find winning ATS opportunities by going AGAINST certain things. The Arizona Cardinals, for instance, have been a lousy ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.28.08
Big Al McMordie
NCAA FB Surprise ATS Teams
College football season kicks off this weekend. While all the attention is focused on teams like Florida, USC and defending champion LSU, sports bettors are more interested in teams that are going to cover the weekly number. Every year there are teams that rise and fall based on expectations. A year ago in this column I had Georgia as a team to ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.21.08
Big Al McMordie
The Dogs Are Out
It’s not your imagination: The Dogs have been barking loudly this NFL preseason. In Week 1 the dogs were 9-5-2 against the number, which is not unusual with the first look at all the teams. But Week 2 was even more extreme, with the underdogs going 11-4 ATS (with one game lined at PK'em). Two of the biggest surprises were the Raiders and Dolphins ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 08.03.08
Big Al McMordie
Let The Games Begin!
Football is king and August kicks off the 2008 football season. Yes, exhibition football is largely meaningless for the players and coaches, with starters sitting more than playing. Yet, there are plenty of wagering angles and insights available to help identify soft betting numbers.Teams have made offseason changes, bringing in new personnel on the ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 07.10.08
Big Al McMordie
NFL Season Wins Forecast
With the NFL season just around the corner, this is a good time to look at what might happen this fall on the gridiron. Future numbers are out for each team. A year ago in this column I looked at the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were projected at 8 ½ wins: “Jacksonville might have been the best 8-8 football team in NFL history in 2006. Their ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 07.01.08
Big Al McMordie
2008 MLB Season, A Mid-Year Review
It’s almost as if last year’s bizarre football season has carried over into baseball. 2007 was an incredible season of shockers in football. Every week, it seemed, the No. 1 team in the nation got beat. We saw USC lose at home as a 41-point favorite over Stanford, the biggest upset ever based on wagering lines. No team had ever been a ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 06.19.08
Big Al McMordie
Handicapping Baseball Defense
It's important for a team to have strong defense at key positions such as outfield, shortstop and catcher. Defense at centerfield, shortstop and catcher are where the term "Strong up the middle comes from." Good teams use defense to assist their pitching, turn double plays and help keep team ERAs down. From a betting standpoint, defense ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 06.12.08
Big Al McMordie
Rise and Fall of AL Totals
Successful handicappers need to keep track daily of changes in baseball of things that may influence the side and total of a game. The Red Sox, for instance, went three straight games under the total when slugger David Ortiz went on the shelf with a wrist injury. When they got shut out by the Mariners as a -150 home favorite, they were without Ortiz, ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 06.02.08
Big Al McMordie
Back to the Future
There's no doubt what the theme of the 2008 NBA Finals is: Back to the Future! Celtics/Lakers is going to have producers combing through archival NBA playoff footage from the 60s and 80s, with Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain crashing the boards, and Larry Bird and Magic Johnson running the break in their short shorts. It was always billed as a ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 05.25.08
Big Al McMordie
NBA Playoff Notes: Defense and Adjustments
For the record, 75% of NBA teams in a 1-1 series that win Game 3 go on to win that series. That will give a little comfort to the Celtics after their surprisingly easy win in Game 3. It is already shaping up as an odd series. After home teams dominated the last round, the Celtics and Pistons then saw the road team win two of the first three games. ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 05.18.08
Big Al McMordie
Baseball's Post-Steroid Era
It’s not your imagination: Nobody is scoring runs! Home runs are down 20% from two years ago. It’s tough to clarify exactly why this is the case, but one answer might be cool weather. Historically home run hitters start slow as April and May have cooler weather, which helps pitchers. Sluggers don’t normally get cooking until the hot ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 05.12.08
Big Al McMordie
What's Wrong With....
Each baseball season expectations are strong for most teams, at least as far as improvement. Then the season starts. Suddenly, things don't go quite according to plan. Some teams play better than expected, others stumble through hitting slumps or injuries. Fortunately, it's only May, so there is plenty of time to get things straightened out. Here's ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 05.04.08
Big Al McMordie
NBA Playoffs Strategic Adjustments
It's the time of the season where NBA coaches REALLY earn their money. The NBA Playoffs is largely about three key points: Talent, defense, and adjustments. Naturally, you can't win without talent on the court. Defense is another key, as well as strategic adjustments by the coaching staff. If you don't think coaching strategy is that important, think ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 04.06.08
Big Al McMordie
NBA Stretch Run Notes
In the East, the Celtics and Pistons have wrapped up the No. 1 and 2 seeds. In the West, it’s a different story, with the Hornets, Spurs and Lakers all with a shot at No. 1. The amazing Hornets are certainly playing like a hungry team that wants that No. 1 slot, on a 9-1 SU, 8-2 ATS run. It will be their first postseason since 2004. The Hornets ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 04.01.08
Big Al McMordie
Streaking-Slumping Toward the Finish Line
As we come down the home stretch of the NBA season, it’s a great time to utilize a different handicapping angle. Namely, are teams motivated to finish strong? Or have they given up? Teams fighting for playoff berths are the most obvious at being extra-motivated. But other times, even teams with losing records can be motivated to finish the ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 03.23.08
Big Al McMordie
Down the Stretch
There are a couple of key points to keep in mind from a handicapping perspective as the NBA season begins to wind down. One is that this is the end of a long season. That means teams have had to endure a lot of road trips, airline flights, and all the difficulties that hinder a professional team away from home. Keep in mind that road trips can be very ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 03.10.08
Big Al McMordie
More Tourney Tips
If you didn't get enough madness this weekend, or were out of town, don't sweat it. You get to go mad all over again! This is a unique week as teams play for conference titles with trips to the postseason play at stake. One of the great parts of March tournament play is the amount of sidebars that can pop up with respect to handicapping. That is, tournament ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 03.10.08
Big Al McMordie
NCAA Tourney Tips
Many times during the season, and even in some conference tournament games, you can find teams that are less likely interested in wanting to play hard. That is, they know they’re going to get hammered, or they’ve slumped so badly down the stretch that they realize they have no shot at going anywhere in tourney play. In short, they’ve ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 02.11.08
Big Al McMordie
Inside the Numbers
As we pass the mid-point of the NBA season, let's take a look at some overall season stats. What correlates more with success, a good offense or good defense? Well, let's take a look at the highest scoring teams in the NBA: They are, in order, the Suns, Warriors, Lakers, Nuggets, Jazz and Magic. What stands out is that these are good teams in the ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 02.03.08
Big Al McMordie
Big Al's News and Notes February 08
The Cavaliers ended up with a 14-point rout of the Clippers, 98-84. On the surface it appeared to be a one-sided game. However, a closer look reveals a different story. The victory was tougher than it should have been. LeBron James returned after sitting out last week's loss against the Seattle SuperSonics due to a sore right ankle. He wasn't 100 ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
Date added: 12.02.07
Big Al McMordie
The Wacky College Football Season
Is there any doubt that whoever is #1 heading into the BCS title game will win? That’s because of the #2 curse in this crazy 2007 college football season. If the #2 team can’t even beat Stanford or Pitt, what chance does it have against #1? West Virginia’s shocking loss at home to Pitt only muddies the crazy national title picture. ... read more
Big Al McMordie Bio and Picks
