Disclaimer: It’s only one game into the new Basketball season.

Fact: Portland Trailblazers beat up on Philadelphia.

Conclusion: Maybe I was a bit hasty in my assessment of the Blazers (not of Paul Allen).

Last night, I attended the opening night of this 2011-2012 NBA Basketball season for the Portland Trailblazers at the Rose Garden.

Believe me: the final score is NOT indicative of how lopsided the game was. The TBs  fell behind in the first quarter (2 – 0) but gained the lead and never looked back. They out performed the Sixers in every aspect of the game.

Now what makes this important to me? Well, I had written them off (as my previous posts indicated) as forever-inept… AND having lost their star players: Brandon Roy, Greg Oden (again), and LaMarcus Aldridge (albeit temporarily) – I felt (knew) that front office decisions in the last minutes since the lockout and before the opening game once again meant doom for the team.

I haven’t seen any good decisions there in years (ever?)…

But, I have a friend (Jeff) who’s a BIG TB fan… and yesterday he told me that this is the BEST team that’s ever worn the TB colors! Huge! I know!… so, I decided to attend the opening night game to see for myself (thanks for the Cap and for the Chalupa).

My good friend Matt from Las Vegas is here visiting, he’s always up for a challenge, (He’s NEVER seen the TBs win in person – now THAT’S a challenge) so off we went…

I was surprised. Jeff might have been right! Again, it’s way too early to be singing their praises, but what I saw from the last minute additions to the team is impressive!

UPDATE:

Tonight, the Sacramento Kings came into the Rose Garden and were slaughtered as if lambs amongst lions. I’m impressed again.. and especially with the star of this game (and IMO last night’s game too): Gerald Wallace!

Not there’s a real ironic twist: A man with the initials “GW” that I can like!

DOJ says Full Tilt was a global Ponzi scheme
20 September 2011

By Dan Igo

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday that Full Tilt Poker operated as a “global Ponzi scheme” and that its primary owners, including poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, defrauded the site’s players out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The DOJ filed a motion to amend an earlier civil complaint against Full Tilt Poker to include “additional allegations, claims, and defendants concerning a fraudulent scheme by Full Tilt Poker and its Board of Directors concerning the misuse of players’ funds,” according to a memorandum sent out by Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney from the Southern District of New York.

“Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,” Bharara said in a statement. “Full Tilt insiders lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited.”

Lederer, Ferguson, former CEO Ray Bitar and Rafael “Rafe” Furst, all owners of Full Tilt Poker, are accused of distributing approximately $443 million to themselves and other owners of the company. The amended complaint alleges that Full Tilt mixed player funds with operating funds, despite public claims to the contrary by the site.

The DOJ said that by the end of March, Full Tilt Poker owed approximately $390 million to players worldwide, including $150 million to American players, but had less than $60 million in its bank accounts.

“Full Tilt Poker allowed players to gamble with — and lose to other players — this phantom money that Full Tilt Poker never actually collected or possessed,” the DOJ said in a memo.

Lederer, Ferguson and Furst were not included in the original April 15 indictment against the founders of Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and Absolute Poker. Those three sites were accused of bank fraud, money laundering, illegal gambling offenses and violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. All three stopped taking American players shortly after the indictment.

Repaying players has been a totally different matter. PokerStars has paid more than $120 million to American players, and has had no significant delays in paying its international customer base. Full Tilt and Absolute Poker, meanwhile, still owe their players millions of dollars..

The amended complaint claims that Lederer personally received $42 million in company funds, while Ferguson was allocated over $85 million in distributions, but only received about $25 million of this sum.

An unnamed Full Tilt Poker pro received at least $40 million in distributions, while also receiving millions of dollars characterized as loans by Full Tilt. Over $4 million of these loans have not been repaid.

The amendment also states that up until April 2011, Full Tilt Poker continued making payments of up to $10 million per month to its owners, despite the company’s liquidity issues.

Full Tilt Poker’s website stated as of yesterday that players’ funds were “safe and secure.”

The DOJ is seeking $40 million from Bitar, $41.8 million from Lederer, $25 million from Ferguson and $11.7 million from Furst.

(Reprinted from Casino City Times)

The great equalizer visits New York’s Belmont Stakes! [gplus count="true" size="Medium" ]

All this week, I felt pretty confident that AK would take this race. It definitely was his to lose! The race between between AK and Shackleford proved to be the ONLY thing to consider.

After all, S loves the front end, but can’t hold on… AK loves to come from behind to take the win… especially since the Belmont is the longest race of the Triple Crown at a mile and a half!!

How could a come-from-behind horse with the stamina of AK NOT win???

Answer: When the great equalizer comes to the track!

The Weather!

It’s a mess there as I write this. Not only is it a sealed muddy track, but it’s compacted! I’ve watched the early races there today, and it’s obvious to me that front runners rule the day!

So, with that said…

Here are my picks for today’s Belmont Stakes IN A VERY LOOSE ORDER:

1 – Brilliant Speed – Pedigree, Stamina, BS has it! Was forced wide in KD – expect much better here.

2 – Animal Kingdom – just too good to ignore – but can’t catch the winner in this slop!

3 – Master of Hounds – why did the 5th pl KD finisher ship home to Ireland and then ship back here for this????

4 – Prime Cut – The early challenger to Shackleford without a doubt, and may the leader at the first turn.

5 – Shackleford – I’d like him more if he had a better Post Position, because he’ll be pushed at the start.

6 – Nehro – If you’re playing the exotics (and you should in a 3Crown race), this bridesmaid must be included.

7 – Santiva – Has early speed, so cannot be ruled out if speed counts as much as I think it will today.

So,

I’ll play AK to PLACE behind my other first 4 picks and ahead of them as well for the trifecta and superfectas. Then AK to SHOW behind them. Throw in a mix of all the picks above and you’re looking at some expensive tickets. So, throw darts, flip coins, meditate and play the odds OR do some serious handicapping, and you’ll get paid with those above…

Good Luck!

Oops! I did it again! (apologies to Britney)

The Preakness Stakes is over. My picks:

1) Animal Kingdom

2) Mucho Macho Man

3) Dialed In

4) Shackleford

Hmmmmm. Not so good – huh?

Shackleford and his rider teamed up for a brilliant race. He went to the front as expected. He put up an incredible first quarter time (very smart) then – slowed down for the next two calls (and that was the Brilliant part) to make it a more comfortable pace – and of course, held on for the win. I must admit that I didn’t like his chances, and then when I saw how he was acting up during the post parade I was convinced that I was right in writing him off.

My  pick to win: Animal Kingdom broke out of the gate poorly, and was farther back than he was in the Kentucky Derby and that coupled with a tough final turn and a wall of horses throwing dirt in his face, came up just short of overtaking Shackleford for the win. If it had been a sixteenth longer (or more like the Belmont Stakes coming up in 3 weeks) he would have won easily. Watch him do it at Belmont.

My pick for second place was Mucho Macho Man and admittedly that was a bet from my heart and not my head. He did well to finish 6th.

My pick for third was Dialed In, and he finished a respectful 4th. He’s always a bridesmaid, never a bride!

… now, on to the Belmont Stakes… Maybe I can do better there. And as of right now, IF he runs, my pick will be once again: Animal Kingdom.

Stay tuned…

My Squidoo lenses were “locked” today. That means taken down, unpublished, hidden away, destroyed, obliterated, bombed, and killed. Know why? Because they were about the Horse races; Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and one about Las Vegas (and how to save money on your next visit).

Those lenses were labeled by the Squidoo Brainiacs as Gambling.

These were simple lenses of information – that’s all – information. But the Squidoo Fools called the lenses: “Gambling”

Gambling!

How often must I say this? How often must I cry in the dark? What does it take to get through to some people? What must my message be to convince the powers-at-be that:

EVERYTHING WE DO IS A GAMBLE. You’ve seen my writings in the past about Stocks, and Bonds, and Insurance, and what we buy at the Grocery store, and which Mate we choose…. on and on and on and on and on and…

Until ALL lenses are removed (show me one that isn’t about Gambling) then the removal of mine is highly, HIGHLY discriminatory!!!! Perhaps, even illegal.

I look forward to the day when this “Gambling phobia” is challenged in court and made illegal!!!!

I read last week that one elementary school has decided that their student can’t have Easter Eggs… they must only have: “Spring Spheres”. oh brother!

So, if that kind of nonsense gets it’s day in court, then mine must too!

I maintain that one can’t decide on any thing over any other thing without that act being a “gamble”.

What say you?…

Oh, and one more thing: Squidoo? Grow up!

Yes, Surprise was the word of the day yesterday as the Titanic of horse racing, the 1-9 favorite Uncle Mo lost to two (not just one, but two – Toby’s Corner and Arthur’s Tale)  rivals in the Wood Memorial.

BTW: As you know, I had picked Uncle Mo to win that race (as did everyone else it seems – after all, he went off at 1-9) so that was a loss. What I didn’t have time to tell most of you was this. When Uncle Mo showed those odds (1-9) I jumped off him! At those odds, no horse is bettable because you risk your money for a very small return… it’s just not smart! So, the play in this case was to bet EVERY OTHER HORSE to win… and hope for an upset. Because, the closest odds to the favorite was an amazing 17-1 (late betting pushed him down to 8-1 – may have been his connections who always bet at the very last moment)… the other horses were well into the high 20′s, the 30′s, and beyond. So, place one unit on each of the other horses to win, and 2 units on the favorite-of-the-rest (8-1).

Playing $10 units, your bet would have been $90, and your return was nearly $200.

At the start of that race, Uncle Mo was also the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Less than two minutes later… dog meat! Well, that’s a little harsh, he’s still a good horse in a so-so crop of 3 year olds. That’s horse racing! As we know, anything can and does happen. Unless it’s discovered that Uncle Mo was injured (and Bob Baffert said he tore a quarter at the gate) Uncle Mo had no excuses as the times were very, very slow.

Here, see for yourself:

So, where does that leave us in the hunt for a winner on May 7th at Churchill Downs? It doesn’t appear at this moment that we’re going to have a Triple Crown Winner… again! (1978 was the last)

Ok, Uncle Mo’s an also ran, Dialed In barely beat a 68-1 long shot, Premier Pegasus is out with an injury, Jaycito too… Where’s Beetlebomb when you need him?

All of this makes next week’s race at my favorite race track in all of North America very much in the spotlight.

If The Factor wins the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn next week, he will undoubtedly be the favorite in the Kentucky Derby as well.

The race to enter The Kentucky Derby tightens up considerably today through two very important prep races; the Santa Anita Derby, and the Wood Memorial.

Here’s how I see them:

Santa Anita Derby – Today’s SADerby is going to be hottly contested based upon of all things: the horses! Duh! You say… but consider the facts that great careful breeding, high prices, famous connections, perfect training and deep pocket owners can all do their parts and still not make the grade… in this case: The Grade I, Million Dollar SAD!

Today, in the last chance for Left-Coast horses to qualify for the Kentucky Derby (and subsequently the Triple Crown) we’ll see only nine horses enter the starting gate.

On Thursday, the runaway favorite to win (8-5) Premier Pegasus was scratched due to a hairline fractured cannon bone. The horse will have to wait this out to heal.

Then, yesterday, Bob Baffert announced that his top contender Jaycito would also sit this one out due to a bruised foot… also not career ending, but he’ll need to rest it awhile. He might enter the Grade III, Lexington Stakes to get into the qualifying money for the Kentucky Derby.

So, that leaves nine: nine horses that would have finished up the track are now battling for the win. Current favorite: Silver Medallion (a triple crown name – right?) will have some trouble with two other stake’s winners in Anthony’s Cross and front-running Comma To The Top. Bob Baffert is hopeful that his long-shot; Midnight Interlude (another sexy name) will give him the win he needs for a trip to Kentucky.

With all these hiccups, who can handicap this one?

I will try:

Anthony’s Cross and Silver Medallion have both been absent since Feb 12th… question? SM has never run on the dirt… question?

Midnight Interlude is a big, unproven horse that may not be able to handle the distance nor his own weight… question?

Comma To The Top finished fourth in the San Felipe after a front end dual that sank his rivals to dead last in the race. Despite that, or because of it, I’m picking Comma To The Top to upset in the Santa Anita Derby. He’ll still go to the front, but may be handled a bit to conserve his energy. That’s the promise his trainer Peter Miller delivered Thursday.

===================

Wood Memorial – This one is not so contentious. The clear and overwhelming favorite (1-5); Uncle Mo (also the current favorite to win the Kentucky Derby) will break out of the starting gate against nine opponents in the premier race at New York’s Aqueduct Race Track.

The 2010 Champion 2 Year Old Colt is a galloping sensation. His stride beats anything we’ve seen this year and perhaps preceding years going back to the late 70′s. He’s 4 for 4 and looks to stretch out his perfect record today.

The second choice Toby’s Corner will get blinkers for the first time. The other “contenders” are admittedly trying to get into the exacta and/or the trifecta bowing to the superior horse.

Secretly, the trainers all say; IF… if the horse (Uncle Mo) stumbles or has a bad day…

So, barring that, my pick for the Wood: Uncle Mo… Duh!

Allow me to rant! I want to join those who are disappointed at the least, and furious at most that Pia Toscano was eliminated from American Idol last night.

For me, the show is dead. I won’t be watching it anymore. I will find out who won of course in a few more weeks, but I won’t be watching it anymore.

It’s very important to note that one can Google “Pia” and she’s first and foremost out of millions of pages. The US has fallen in love! Not only is she the most beautiful girl on the show (sorry Lauren and what’s her name [Hailey]), but IMO the most talented too!

It’s apparent to me that American Idol is for little girls (and me). Look at the top eight… six guys and two girls. Are you kidding me? Would a balanced vote give us those 8? I think not! I think that only little girls watch the show… and I KNOW only little girls Vote! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have a 3 to 1 ratio, and we wouldn’t have several of those guys if the real vote were for talent! I propose that from now on, American Idol give heavier weight to a guy’s vote…. at least two to one! That’ll teach those little girls!

If that doesn’t happen, we may never see another girl American Idol! so sad….

Pia got over 30,000 twitter followers today after her elimination. That’s more than last year’s winner (again – what’s his name???) has after a year of fame or obscurity. Good for you Pia!

I predict we’ve seen the last girl American Idol. By the way – I think the Idols who have gone on to acquire the greatest careers are girls. Carrie Underwood is by far the most famous, Kelly Clarkson is not far behind. Quick, name two famous Male Idols… ummmm, ummmmm, ummmmmmmmm. Nope, can’t do it! See, I can be just as sexist as those little girls… it’s just that they outnumber me!

I really have no right to complain about Pia getting the boot… after all, I didn’t vote. I’m not a little girl! (My sincerest apology to Pia!)

See a pattern here?

Anyway, I’m sure Pia has a great future, and a great career ahead of her… do you think any of those guys do???? not hardly!

If you Google “vegas line on american idol” what do you get? check it out… the number six page is:
American Idol Top 11 Power Rankings – Is Pia Toscano The One To Beat?

My taste stands! If Vegas picked her, and I picked her… I feel vindicated in this rant!

She will succeed – and I can’t wait!

Here are the current Odds (and note the favorites are all guys!  Vegas is no dummy!)

* Currently listed as the favorite

Stay Tuned (to me, NOT to American Idol)

Sure, Dialed In, the 5-2 second favorite in the eight horse field ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by Nick Zito, won the Florida Derby. But I have to ask “So What”? It was his trademarked long-strided stretch run that got him the win… but…

… and that’s a HUGE “but” – over who?

Soldat? the 3-2 favorite… where was he? completely out of the money… that’s where!

Stay Thirsty? missing in action as were all the others including Flashpoint the much heralded speedster who gave up his run for the Swale to enter here… oops!

The race was exciting, there’s no doubt, and the times were hohum pretty good… but this was a Grade I race, and the times should have been spectacular!

Up the backstretch (and everywhere else) Shackleford (who?) was pressed by To Honor and Serve had the solid lead. Third was Flashpoint with Soldat on the inside, and trailing everyone was Dialed In… some 14 lengths back.

Around the final turn Shackleford, ridden by Jesus Castanon, kept a hold on the lead with To Honor and Serve second and Dialed In making his rally from last.

Shackleford still led with a furlong to go as Dialed In began to grind it out and catch the former.

Dialed In caught the leader just yards before the finish and was able to stick his head out as he and Shackleford hit the wire.

To Honor and Serve, the 7-2 third pick, finished third followed by Flashpoint, Soldat, Arch Traveler, Stay Thirsty and Bowman’s Causeway

Notice that no one else but Shackleford, To Honor and Serve, and Flashpoint even got a call until Dialed In joined the mix!

So, the race was all hype and no result!… save one: the amazing presence of Shackleford, the longest shot on the board at 68-1 in the photo at the finish.

Obviously, no one gave this horse (named for Charles Shackleford of NC State fame) a chance to beat the others today. However, his winnings of $212K put him in the top 20 money earners headed for the Kentucky Derby. He’s currently 19th (out of 20) and doubtful to stay in.

Plus, I’m not convinced he deserves to be in the KD. His connections will decide whether to point him there in the next day or two. Time is running out to enter another graded race, and his winnings are probably too low NOT to enter another.

My guess is; he’s a no go!

What about Dialed In? Yeah, he’ll be there, but I can’t be excited about his chances after watching today’s race. Ditto Soldat et all!

The Kentucky Derby race to the post begins today. There’s a big field of horses trying to qualify for the Run for the Roses. It’s a matter of money… that is, the top money earners of this year’s crop of three-year-olds will get into the big race on the first Saturday in May (May 7th).

Update: Results below…

Since 2004, the Kentucky Derby has had 20 horses in the race. If more than 20 (the limit) are entered, the top graded money earners are admitted.  Last year, the bubble horse was “Make Music for Me”, and his earnings were a record high $218,750.

So, it’s no small order to get into the Kentucky Derby any longer, with the current system for qualifying, coupled with the huge crop of horses that appear this time of year as contenders, coupled with the “machines” in place for developing quality horses (that would include breeding practices, trainers and their methods, big money owners, better facilities, improving medical, physical and exercise treatments, racing grounds and surfaces, savvy riders, marketing) there is little likelihood of ever seeing a short field Kentucky Derby again.

Currently, tied for fifth-place in earnings (with “The Factor”) is a much lauded horse “Mucho Macho Man” And he’s running as the favorite in the first Million Dollar race at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans… the Grade II “Louisiana Derby” at a mile and an eighth.

Mucho Macho Man’s connections (majority partner; Dean Reeves) has been pointing MMM toward the KD since late last summer. Trainer; Kathy Ritvo took over the reigns from her trainer husband; Tim Ritvo when he took on the huge responsibility of Racing Vice President of Magna. They too are focused on getting their horse entered in the Kentucky Derby.

UPDATE: Mucho Macho Man finished a strong third in the race and may still be in the running for the Kentucky Derby. But it will be a difficult 6 weeks as the connections try to solve the puzzles: 1) Why didn’t he win. 2) Do we enter him in another race before the Kentucky Derby to assure ample winnings. 3) Do we rest him, and train him into the race – hoping that his current earnings are enough?

Meanwhile, the winner of the Million Dollar “Louisiana Derby” will HAVE to run at Churchill Downs on May 7th due to the enormous purse he won today. “Pants on Fire” was entered by his trainer; Kelly Breen to set the race for PoF’s stable mate; “Nacho Business”, but “Pants on Fire” didn’t know that. He ran a great race on his own under the handling by jockey; Anna Rose “Rosie” Napravnik.

Stay Tuned…