READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST!!!!!!!!!

REMEMBER - A MAXIMUM OF 4 LOCKS PER WEEK!

AND A MAXIMUM OF ONE LOCK PER DAY!

LOCK THREAD CONCEPT -

This thread has been created for all of us to share our expertise with everyone else to benefit the group.

THIS IS NOT A PICKING CONTEST!

PLEASE make special note of this!!! If you have an area of expertise - Pac-10, AFC East, Big East, NHL, etc. - please make some LOCK choices from your area of expertise when you have a game you are confident enough in to call it a "LOCK". The difference between a PICK and a LOCK is that a PICK is a game you like, a LOCK is a game that you KNOW. We are here to help each other win. If you are claiming your choice is a LOCK, and you really have NO true knowledge of that game, then you are just cheating us and posting your PICK just for attention and to see your name on the board.

RULES FOR POSTING -

I take it upon myself to donate my time and track everybody's LOCK every day, as long as you agree to do your part by doing a few simple things. I will not track your picks if you do not follow these rules. You are welcome to still post your PICK or card, but unless you do the things below, I won't be putting your LOCK on the spreadsheet.

- Post only 1 LOCK per day.  You may post a MAXIMUM of 4 LOCKS per week.  A week starts on Monday, and ends on Sunday.  Choose NCAA, NBA, NFL, or NHL.  You do not have to stay in one sport.  Spread them around if you like.

- No "buying" points.

- First half lines are OK.  No second half or quarter lines.  We want the LOCKS posted early enough so we can all benefit.  Time constraints make second half lines too tough to track.

- No other "line-manipulations: like teasers, etc.

- No props.

- No moneylines.

- Hockey and soccer plays need to be -129 or better.  No HUGE favorites for LOCKS.  If you have a -200 line or something, take the -1.5 goals if you feel like it is still a LOCK.

- Do not try to cheat on lines. We, as a group, are all over the lines and every time someone gives a stinky spread, it is always called out. If the line is off, the LOCK doesn't go into the spreadsheet.

And, THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE!

You must give an original explanation as to why you KNOW this LOCK will win. And don't just "stat" us to death. Tell us about the game. And if you are going to try and fool us by cutting and pasting from another website, at least figure out how to remove all the HTML and other garbage. People on this thread are all over the internet and will find your plagiarism. I guarantee it. You can use Last 10, ATS, etc., numbers to support your argument, but stats from a gambling website are not an explanation. They are stats that any of us can get anywhere on the internet. Also, how about if you have actually SEEN the team play that you pick. I'd say that if you haven't seen a team play at least a few times, you can't really be an expert on said team.

FOLLOW THESE RULES AND I WILL TRACK EVERY LOCK YOU POST - FREE OF CHARGE!!!!!!

I will try to get CONSENSUS statistics out before the first tips each day around 3:40 PM, PST.  There is no guarantee, however.

Thank you for your understanding and your help in keeping this thread for the benefit of everybody, not just a place for you to blather out random picks and toot your own horn.

Good luck today and let's work together to win some cash!

-USC Holmey

Holmey thanks so much for all of your hard work. Best wishes to you and your family. Regardless of how many bets we lose guys.  Remember it should be for fun and most importantly have fun. Life is short

Thanks Bro

As always...thanks USC for what you do for this thread....and for other's who have been stepping up...

hope we all have a positive day.....

Three MVC Games today...Can't wait to see who are Expert is on for his LOCK !

Maybe one lock an the Keys to the other two !

For tonight I thought pretty long about locking or not and finally decided that I will lock one tonight in European champions league play:

Liverpool vs Inter Mailand -> Inter pk +108

Liverpool in terrible shape for the last few weeks. They just can't get back on track and even lost to Bristol at home at the weekend. They are expecting back their best goalscoring thread Fernando Torres today and also should have back Skrtel back for their defense. Although that will definaely help them, I don't expect Torres to be at 100% after the time he missed and it also doesnt help Liverpool to solve their trouble creating scoring chances: Inter boasts one of Europes top defenses and with these kind of compact defensive minded teams Pool has had all kind of trouble this year. They couldn't figure out Marseille in the early stages of CL play and also had much trouble creating scoring chances vs Bristol, Chelsea and during the other matches the past few weeks.

On the other hand Inter excells, if they can concentrate on their defense and try to profit of the speed their offensive players have by running a fast paced transition game. Pool also had their troubles keeping a clean sheet, which is very uncharacteristically for their team.

All after all I expect the game to remain scoreless for a long time and Inter winning a hard fought, close game by scoring a counter-attack goal. But it won't come easy since Pool played better in European competition than in Premier league games this year and it's never easy to win at Anfield road with Pools great fans behind their team.

Other picks I will play:

AS Roma vs Real Madrid -> pk -125

Madrid always had trouble winning road games in European competition, if they didnt play really inferior teams like Anderlecht, Trondheim or teams like that. Roma is a very decent team, especially at home and the worst case scenario I can imagine here is Madrid to hold on to a draw in the end.

Olympiacos vs Chelsea

Not yet decided whether to play Chelsea -0.5 (+105) or the draw (+235). I would lean towards under2.5, but too much juice on that line. Chelsea is the far superior team here, but they won't come out running and gunning since Olympiacos will probably have absolutely no chance of winning in London. So they have to win tonight and should even win by 2 or more goals if they want to advance. So Chelsea will have a defense first approach here and try to run quick counter attacks. Normally all that would add up to Chelsea winning, but this could also easily end 0-0 or 1-1 with chelsea plain and simple banking on their home strength.

Probably no bet for me:

Schalke 04 vs FC Porto

Our only remaining champions league team from Germany playing Porto: Both teams are very defensive minded and I expect this road team to play with a very defensive minded approach, too (only Real probably won't take that approach since their defense isn't as strong as Inter,Chelsea and Porto and this strategy wouldn't fit their strengths). Schalke really struggled when they were forced to make the game and I don't expect them to create any scoring chances in this one. On the other hand Schalke has a pretty good defense too, which should add up to a lowscoring game because Schalke won't open up their defense since they are capable of advancing to the 2nd round, even if they only come up with a scoreless 0-0 in this home game because a scoreless tie would mean that Porto has to win the rematch in Porto and has to make the game in taht one, would play into Schalkes hands. So under2 (+103) is looking pretty ok, but there is a good chance of that o/u to push as well.

[b]LOCK OF THE DAY: Inter pk +108[/b]

Regarding the PURDUE/INDIANA game:

DJ White is playing, and I'm suspecting he is 100% and Sampson hasn't been upfront about it.  I think it is a no play, because PUrdue can win/keep it close but also could easily get blown out of the gym.  Indiana is playing with alot of emotion for alot of reasons, including this being Sampson's last game as HC of IU. 

However, I do really like the UNDER at 132.  This game will be played in the 60's and IMO 132 is way way high for this one. 

Also truthbrother, lower ranked being higher ranked doesn't really apply for the PU/IU game cause Purdue is 14th/15th in the two polls while Indiana is 15th/14th, unless you don't officially recognize the Coaches Poll.

USC

My condolences to you and your family,  my prayers to your grandmother that she grow beautiful wings and a peaceful afterlife.

Black Pearl

Lets see how the 2nd half pays off...

264-150-16...

couple plays i like in NBA tomo

utah -7

utah UNDER 225

sac +5

couple im leaning to

mem/sea under 207

sea -5

houson -1

pistons -7

*Chowda not responsible for stupidity or bankruptcy...

excuse me...

NO SAC +5

im not playin that...

leaning to portland

Lock Record yesterday was 14-16-1

Take away Georgetwon and LaSalle, it was 9-16-1----UGHHHHHH

OK, we've got a new night.  We've had an appearance from our trusted leader.  Let's take it down.  If USC isn't able to, I'll have the consensus updates.

New to the board but have been following for a few days.

First of all I would like to offer my condolences to Holmey and his family.

Secondly would like to thank him for all the work he has done with this board and

last but not least good luck to everyone - let the games begin.