a123Jennifer

Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuck, over 500 goals, one of only 45 players to ever do that, dead at age 57. Cancer.

RIP

I'd recommend relying on Lippsman and Weeble, but then, maybe that's just me.

Well, fingers crossed.

Marlins MLB just had an outbreak of covid-19 on the first weekend of the abbreviated MLB season.

Cancels Marlins home opener, cancels Phillies-Yankees game. 

Might mean that the Marlins end up having to use "replacement squad" players. I guess that's better than having to cancel the MLB season just days after it started. This is going to get VERY messy I think.

But, at least the NHL is in a bubble, unlike MLB.

And it's ALL in Canada, which has being doing a MUCH better job at combatting covid-19 than the USA.

Out of NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL, I'd say that the NHL might just have the best shot at pulling this off without disasters.

Well, we won't know if "injured players" will be out due to covid-19, rest day, or "normal" (non-covid) injury.

Making bets on this might REALLY be a gamble, lol.

QUOTE

Kaplan: Unfortunately, yes. This is the new normal for the NHL this summer. It's going to be weird as heck when we get to the playoffs and half of a team's starting lineup is absent for a game, and we'll have no explanation for why.

The non-disclosure policy was implemented by the NHL, on heavy suggestion from the NHLPA, to protect players' medical privacy. This was something for which the union fought really hard. NHLPA executive director Don Fehr explained his stance to us last week: "Essentially in this country, what we believe in is that certain medical things are private unless somebody chooses to make them public. That's difficult to maintain in an industry like ours, but you do the best you can across the board. Somebody saying they have the right to know ... legally, they probably don't."

QUOTE

Rogers Place in Edmonton -- one of the two arenas the NHL is using as a hub to restart its season this summer -- suffered water damage Thursday night as a significant storm came through the city.

In a statement, Oilers Entertainment Group said it was assessing the damage and "at this time are confident that it will not hamper our planning and preparation and we will be ready to host the return of NHL hockey as hub city."

Western Conference teams are scheduled to travel to Edmonton on July 26, with exhibition games beginning July 28 and meaningful games beginning Aug. 1. Edmonton also will host the conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals, absorbing the remaining Eastern Conference teams, which are beginning the restart in Toronto.

UNQUOTE

The hotels are within walking distance. so, I dunno, maybe they can actually pull this off...

And it's all in Canada, which is handling the pandemic so much better than the USA.

So.....well.......we'll see !

Yeah unfortunately it's looking tougher now. Many players are testing positive in the various major sports during practice sessions.

I'd say that if any of the major sports get games started up, expect major disruptions without notice.

Makes it tough to possibly bet.

Maybe more emphasis towards dogs than usual ? Or go against teams that are overly dependent on one or two key players ? Bet against teams without a lot of depth -- on the grounds that any infections and sitting out would hurt the performance of thin-depth teams more ? Assuming that the game weren't cancelled entirely...

In the NHL, one example might be to bet against the Oilers, who are heavily dependent on 2 star players, mcdavid and draisaitl, and lack depth. After factoring in that the games will be in Edmonton which gives home-ice advantage, figure that one might therefore get a "road"-type price for the Oilers' opponent, and then figure that if mcdavid or draisaitl tests positive after you play your bet, you will have an advantage compared to any other player in that game testing positive because missing mcdavid or draisaitl causes a much heavier impact because they are so great on a team that is overwise lacking some depth. Just some thoughts....

Actually, its 200,000 confirmed cases in Florida as of today, not 100,000.

My take is this :

1) The NHL has selected Edmonton and Toronto as locations during covid-19, with Stanley Cup finals likely in Edmonton.

2) Canada has done a light-years better job of managing covid-19 deaths and infections than the USA.

3) NBA for Orlando -- well, Florida now has 100,000 covid-19 victims and growing exponentially. That's dicey. Who knows if they can do it or not all the way through ?

4) Likewise for MLB, which opted out of Florida so far, but again it's in the USA (except Toronto) and USA is now in exponential explosion of covid-19 in over half of the USA.

5) Likewise for NFL. All in USA.

I'd rate the NHL as the most likely to be able to pull this off, because it's gonna be done in Canada not the USA. I could be incorrect, only time will tell. But looking at this here on July 6, 2020, I feel a substantial risk of delay or season cancellation even after any season starts during 2020 for all of these major sports, but much less so for the NHL, because it's being held in Canada, which doesn't have exponential growth, and has actually handled covid-19 mostly competently as might be possible, unlike the USA.

Just my opinion, but I'd say the data and evidence is on my side in my prediction here.

My book has some lines posted for these....Haven't made any bets yet, but thinking of....

Canes -136

Modest favorite, and yes upsets are likely to happen in this play-in round due to uncertainties of such a long layoff, weird environment to play in, and so on...

But Canes with practice facility. And simply better all-around team than Rangers.

Blackhawks +135

This is a nice dog price. Oilers have lack of playoff experience, although yeah this is a bet against Oilers' "Big Two." Blackhawks still have some dudes around from past playoff glory. Weird circumstances, going with playoff experience would seem to make this a decent dog play, plus upsets are more likely than normal due to long layoff.

Predators -143

A bit heavier fav... Preds are clearly better all-around team, some amazing Blue-Liners. Which Rinne shows up for Preds ? Good Rinne or bad Rinne ? I rate Coyotes with better goalkeeping but Preds are stronger offensively and Preds have better Blue Liners overall.

Blue Jackets +140

A nice dog bet... many Leafs fans won't like this choice, but long layoff, anything can happen, and Elvis and the Latvian goaltender connection for Jackets can be shut-down frequently. Leafs have a lot of inconsistency, to put it mildly.

I would tend toward the Canucks as modest favs as well, but I'm not gonna list that one yet.

Don't know if or when I might actually make these as bets, it's still a month and a half away if no further unexpected delays from legal restrictions, shutdowns, disease progression, or other factors, but these are some very early leans in a betting environment with a lot of unknowns.

Any comments ?

There are even in-game totals bets available -- quite a few, LIVE !

My online book currently has a free LIVE video feed of this match from Pakistan !

No announcers in the video stream, but LIVE video.

The stadium is empty.

It looks like they are playing the match in an empty stadium, and not allowing any fans in.

You know, the way they are apparently doing or plan to do in some Japanese baseball I think it is.

I do like the services of my online book. While I have no interest in Pakistan cricket, I'd say wow that's quite a free service that my online book offers.

Right now as we speak in the Pakistan Cricket leagues, the Lahore Qalandars are winning against the Multan Sultans 96-0.

There are games odd LIVE for the match, some money lines and some points lines.

There are even some in-game player props.

If one is an expert in Pakistan Cricket, might be a good opportunity.

Um, not for me. lol

My online book offers a rather wide range of worldwide events that apparently haven't been cancelled. A nice service in any case !

My book even has LIVE odds for a cricket match going on as we speak at this very moment in Pakistan.

LIVE odds !

Do I know anything about Pakistan cricket leagues ?

The answer to that would be...nope !

lol

Haven't bet anything at all in March.

Checking in on my online book right now, I see that there is in progress right now a Woman's Volleyball Game in Russia with LIVE odds.

I'm not expecting to get any fast expertise on Russian Women's Volleyball games anytime soon, lol.

Congrats on finishing the season on a slight plus note after being behind.

"Th-th-th-th-that's all folks !"

...For myself, I would go for KHL over soccer of the remaining few options, but with the right knowledge sure I agree either one are the best choices out of the few sports left available at this time.

In the event I decide to try, getting good goaltender info would likely be important, just as it is for the NHL.

...thanks for the suggestion.....some years ago I looked at this some, but not recently......

I recall that they do have some former NHL players and former NHL coaches, and some teams are actually located outside Russia such as in Latvia, that there are typically certain teams that are usually strong. I recall that there are some possible goaltender tendencies that can be of use.....

I do agree with you that for hockey, that with the NHL gone, the Kontinental League would be the next-best choice.

That's good to hear....this would need some studying up on....hmmm.........

I just checked my online book. Current offerings available to bet include badminton, sumo wrestling, billiards from Gibraltar, a Russian basketball youth tournament, cricket, Russian hockey, Swedish hocky, and table tennis.

Hey, in an hour or two, a table tennis tournament is starting, and my book actually has about 8 valid bettable lines-

lolololol

very sad

There is table tennis tournament starting in about 2 hours, with about 8 matches or so, with valid bettable lines.....

lololololololol

There is a table tennis tournament starting in about 2 hours, with lines for about 8 matches.

lolololol