Published: Friday, November 11, 2011

By MATTHEW OSBORNE
mosborne@trentonian.com

I am taking a week off from making excuses about games that didn’t cover the spread for some reason.

Instead, I want to take this time to remind everyone that the Penn State scandal is not about football.

It’s also not about Joe Paterno and all his wins, and it’s not about whether someone will throw a beer bottle at Mike McQueary’s head if he coaches on the sidelines.

It’s not about whether Crisco, Vagisil or whatever sponsor on whatever bowl game will invite the Nittany Lions to play.

This nightmarish situation is about the children who were irreparably harmed.

Click here for full column.

-- Follow Matthew Osborne on Twitter @trentonianozzy

New York Times is reporting that Penn State is beginning the process of ending Penn State coach Joe Paterno's tenure at the school.

The Times is basing their report on two sources. The removal is on the heels of the Sandusky sex abuse scandal.

Read the NYT column here.

Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011

By MATTHEW OSBORNE
mosborne@trentonian.com

I can’t begin to count the number of times my father and I have watched a game together while doing the math over and over, only to come up with the same answer.

“You know, Pops,” I would say, “The only way you can cover now is if some triple-overtime shenanigans happen.”

Usually, that moment never comes. When it finally did last weekend, Pops was on the other side — allegedly the safe side — with USC getting eight points.

As the Trojans battled Stanford and led most of the game, it looked impossible for USC not to cover, even if Andrew Luck heroically led the Cardinal back.

But he did, and USC didn’t cover.

Some folks like Pops salvaged a push, but others had the Trojans with 7½ and left with a loss snatched from almost certain victory.

Click here for full column.

-- Follow Matthew Osborne on twitter @trentonianozzy

October 28, 2011
(First place votes in parentheses)

1. North Carolina (62) 1620
2. Kentucky 1501
3. Ohio State (1) 1482
4. Connecticut (2) 1433
5. Syracuse 1338
6. Duke 1301
7. Vanderbilt 1120
8. Florida 1086
9. Louisville 1055
10. Pittsburgh 1027
11. Memphis 997
12. Baylor 892
13. Kansas 755
14. Xavier 747
15. Wisconsin 720
16. Arizona 616
17. UCLA 404
18. Michigan 401
19. Alabama 395
20. Texas A&M 357
21. Cincinnati 353
22. Marquette 335
23. Gonzaga 283
24. California 230
25. Missouri 139

Also receiving votes: Florida State 131, Michigan State 128, Temple 69, Washington 44, New Mexico 33, Butler 25, Texas 21, Villanova 14, Creighton 12, Purdue 10, Drexel 8, Belmont 8, UNLY 7, St. Mary's 6, George Mason 5, West Virginia 4, Miami (FL) 3, Long Beach State 3, Harvard 2, Illinois 2, Minnesota 1, Marshall 1, San Diego State 1

Published: Thursday, October 27, 2011

By MATTHEW OSBORNE
mosborne@trentonian.com

It is amazing how a college football day can ebb and flow.

Last week, I felt like I was doing great, but as I watched the games unfold in Hooters of St. Petersburg, Fla., I needed a ridiculous over cover from Florida State and Maryland just to have a winning day.

With two minutes left in the FSU-Maryland game – a blowout, mind you – I needed two more touchdowns. The Seminoles got to a first-and-goal but didn’t even have to score. But they did, and they left 48 seconds on the clock.

Somehow in that time, the Terps ran the kickoff back to near midfield, so I figured I had a small chance. Then they ran the ball on first down, leaving me feeling a little ill.

But oddly, they rushed up the line for another play and threw deep, completing a pass to the 15. They scored on the next play with about five seconds left, giving me an improbable cover, one my father called “a gift from the gods.”

Click here for full column.

-- Follow Matthew Osborne on twitter @trentonianozzy

Published: Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Rider men’s basketball coach Tommy Dempsey likes when his team can play the underdog.

He got his wish once again yesterday when the Broncs were picked to finish fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.

“I like the position we are in,” said Dempsey during the league’s annual Media Day, held this year at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, Mass. “We always seem to be lying in the weeds a little bit and that’s a position we’re comfortable in, and I think we have enough talent to compete at the top of the league.”

Dempsey has to replace four-year starters Justin Robinson and Mike Ringgold and incorporate five freshmen into the mix.

There is also concern over the health of First-Team All-League selection Novar Gadson. The 6-7 lefty underwent microfracture surgery on his knee in the spring and still isn’t 100 percent. Dempsey said Gadson hasn’t done much at practice yet but expects to get him started today.

Click here for full article.

--For coverage of Rider basketball this season follow Kyle Franko on twitter @kj_franko

Published: Thursday, October 20, 2011

Last week, I said I was hoping to break even. Incredibly, I did.

But some people had better weeks than I did, like the guy who hit a 15-team parlay at Delaware Park on a $5 bet to win $100,000. He is the first person to hit the parlay since it was introduced at the casino in 2009. The house is ahead since then, though, as $370,000 had been wagered on the 15-teamers with no return prior to last week.

Some people had worse weeks, meanwhile, like those who bet on South Carolina laying three points. Steve Spurrier — as he is wont to do in such situations — took an intentional safety near the end of the game while leading 14-10. You do the math.

Click here for full column.