Avoid those mall, make some money

Today I played too many parlays and it cost me ending in the red today. I was going to settle with Wisconsin -7 for the game, but that wasn't enough for me and the extra action hurt me. Back on track tomorrow with a few key plays.

Event	Type	Odds	Line	Net
Wisconsin vs Hawaii	Spread	-7	-110	1.36 units
Wisconsin vs Hawaii (3qtr)	ML	SU	even	1 unit
Wisconsin vs Hawaii (4qtr)	ML	SU	105	Push
Wisconsin vs Hawaii (2half)	Spread	-.5	-110	0.91 unit
Wisconsin ML, Dallas ML, Sac	Parlay	SU	260	(1 unit)
Penguins ML, Wisconsin ML	Parlay	SU	187	(1 unit)
NJ at Phoenix (1st half)	Spread	-2.5	-110	0.91 unit
Penguins vs Panthers	ML	SU	115	(1.5 units)
Penguins ML, Red Wings ML	Parlay	SU	229	(1 unit)
				(0.32)

Here are the daily figures:
Sides: 5-1 (83.33%) Parlays: 0-3 (-3 units)
ROI%: (3.18) %Growth: (0.51)
Net Profit: (0.32 units)

GAME: Wisconsin at Hawaii
TIME: 09:00 P.M. EST
VENUE: Aloha Stadium

Wisconsin has found the perfect location to end a two-game skid.

The 24th-ranked Badgers travel to the Aloha State to take on Hawaii on Friday in their final regular-season contest under coach Barry Alvarez.

Wisconsin entered November with an 8-1 record but has suffered back-to-back losses to Big Ten Conference rivals Penn State and Iowa.

The Badgers have not played since a 20-10 setback to the Hawkeyes on November 12 in Alvarez's home finale. Brian Calhoun was limited to 18 yards on 15 carries for Wisconsin, which jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead but was blanked thereafter.

Alvarez is retiring after this season but will remain Wisconsin's athletic director. Defensive coordinator Bret Bielema will take over the team next year.

Alvarez has built quite a resume in his 16 seasons at No. 24 Wisconsin (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten), including three conference titles, three Rose Bowl victories and three 10-win seasons.

After stepping down at the end of the season, Alvarez will remain on as the school's athletic director.

The Badgers, though, have struggled of late and are trying to secure a spot in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 2.

"If you win it and you have a nine-win team, that's very attractive," said Alvarez, who has posted a 116-73-4 record at Wisconsin. "I would guess that the Capital One Bowl would expect us to win before they extend us an invitation."

According to Alvarez, Capital One Bowl representatives "have indicated they are very interested" in inviting the Badgers to face a team from the Southeastern Conference, but Ohio State must win an at-large berth to the Bowl Championship Series first. Penn State received the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth.

Running back Brian Calhoun was held without a touchdown against Iowa for the first time this season, but he's still tied for tops in the nation with 22. Calhoun has 1,274 rushing yards and 556 receiving yards, and is only the second player in Big Ten history to top 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.

"They're bigger and more powerful on the offensive line and their running back is scary," Warriors coach June Jones said. "He's the fastest guy on their team, a little like a Barry Sanders kind of runner. ... It's Big Ten and they're a very talented team."

The Badgers' offensive line, which allowed six sacks against Iowa, will get a boost with the expected return of left guard Matt Lawrence.

Hawaii (4-6) had lost consecutive contests before a 50-23 triumph over Utah State here on November 12. Colt Brennan threw for 386 yards and two TDs with an interception for the Rainbow Warriors, who jumped out to a 34-3 halftime lead en route to finishing 4-4 in Western Athletic Conference play.

Brennan's favorite target has been freshman receiver Davone Bess, who recorded his fifth straight 100-yard game against the Aggies with five catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.

"Well, we've played a lot of teams that have thrown it around a lot," Alvarez said.

The Badgers, who lead the all-time series between these teams 3-1, won the last meeting 34-18 in 2000. Wisconsin is 3-0 in non-conference games this season and 15-1 over the last 16.

Hawaii concludes its regular season with a home game against San Diego State on Dec. 3.

Why to watch: Hawaii is traditionally a house of horrors for visiting teams late in the year. They're tired, they're beat up after a long season, and they make the long flight into the perfect 80 degree weather, see the beach and the babes, and football suddenly becomes unimportant. Just ask Northwestern and Michigan State last year and Alabama in 2003 how tough it is to come away from Honolulu with a win. After a lousy performance against Iowa in Barry Alvarez's final home game, and a two-game losing streak, Wisconsin looks to turn the ship around and position itself for the Outback or the Capital One bowl. Hawaii isn't going bowling so a win over Wisconsin would almost the same thing.

Why Wisconsin might win: Normally a team would be unfocused coming into the Hawaii game, but Wisconsin is ticked off after the 20-10 debacle against Iowa and really does want to make sure it doesn't slip down the Big Ten bowl pecking order. Hawaii's 3-4 defense is as soft as a Honolulu breeze against the run, and can get pounded on for big running yards. After the way the team ran the ball against Penn State and Iowa, the last two weeks have been spent focusing on getting the running game back in order. The best way to keep Hawaii's passing game off the field is with long sustained drives. The Badgers should come up with plenty of those. Tonight look for the solid Big team, Wisconsin, to run the ball against the 98th rank Hawaii run defense. They should be able to control the tempo of the game and cover the 7 pt spread. I am expecting a DD win.
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"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these."

Paul Harvey