BottomLine

Sorry if I gave a false impression.  I am not a professional gambler.  I am not a casino gambler.  I have never placed a bet on any sporting event in my life except the outcome of thoroughbred races.  Since I'm retired I go to the track maybe once a year and only use my on line account to bet the Breeders' Cup and the Triple Crown.  Why so little action?  I love chocolate but If you eat chocolate as a meal three times a day for years and years it looses its appeal.  
I use no information that isn't available to anyone with access to the Internet.  I do what I suspect many on here do.  I start with the published point spread and over/under for the game and go from there.  I adjust up and down from there depending on my perceptions of the game.  Admittedly I have a lot of experience in splitting hairs and making choices based upon known and unknown factors.  No big secrets.  I usually go into some detail explaining why I made the selection I made.  Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong but there is no secret.  Nothing is hidden.  I love when other people explain their reasoning too.
There may be no inside information but I can give some tips to anyone that wants to bet real money.
1.  You can never will the outcome of an event.  The fact that you want something to happen or need something to happen does not alter what actually happens in any way.  You need to divorce you personal feelings from the prediction process.  If I think the Hoosiers are going to lose, I pick against them, and then do the fan thing and root for an upset.  PICK WITH YOUR HEAD AND THEN ROOT WITH YOUR HEART.
2.  Accept that sometimes you are right and sometimes you are wrong.  Win or lose, always go back after the event and analyze what went right and what went wrong.  LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.  Sometimes you are right but still lose.  Sometimes the ball will just takes a funny bounce.
3.  Never bet on anything that you don't understand.  After spending years as a basketball coach, I watch games like a coach.  THERE ARE NO SUBSTITUTES FOR EXPERIENCE.  Still on any give day the little old lady from Peoria, who only bets on gray horses and jockeys with pink silks. might sweep the card.  It happens.
Loved the story about the girl and the bike.  I'm finish up with a true story of my own.
This take place back in the 1980s or1990s.  It is a Teachers' Institute Day.  You know, one of those days when the kids stay home from school and get in trouble and the teachers become the students.  I'm in a large group of social studies and language arts teachers and we are listening to a "reading expert" that is teaching us how to teach our students to be better readers by using anticipation.
The exercise consists of a series of picture boards that show a story.  As the expert unveils each board. we are suppose to guess what is on the next story board.  I'm half paying attention in the back of the room, when suddenly she calls on me instead of one of the suck-ups with their hand in air.  Teachers do things like that in order to remind their students that everyone should be paying attention.
EXPERT - "What do you think is going to happen next?"
ME - I quickly think back to what has gone before, gather what information I can, and respond.  "I think this is going to happen and then such and such is going to happen, and then that causes something else to happen, and so on."  I gave her the story as covered by the next half dozen story boards.
EXPERT - Mouth hanging open looks at me, then back at the stack of story boards, then back at me, then back at the story boards again.  I have just blown up the rest of her whole presentation.   "Sir, have you done this exercise before?"  She obviously isn't happy.
ME - No
EXPERT - "How did you know what was on the other boards?  Did you peak or something.  You got all of them right."
ME - Not happy being called a possible cheat.  "No, I took the information from the cards that you had revealed and imagined what might be next.  Added that information to what I already knew and then projected that onto the next board, and so forth"
EXPERT - Stunned, flustered and obviously not knowing what to do for the next hour.  "I've never had anyone do that before.  Do you know what that is called?"
ME - Thinking she is going to call me a jerk or a**hole.  "No"
EXPERT - "That is called gambler's instinct."
THE WHOLE ROOM FULL OF TEACHERS - Since they know what I did on the side. "Roars of shouting and laughter!"  There were even some on their feet jumping around and giving high fives.  Meanwhile the expert just stared at the class.  She had no idea what was going on.
Did I mention that teachers HATE institute days.  That was the only time I can remember getting out of one early.  In one day I had become a legend and a hero.
True story!

Congratulations to Bottom Line.  
Also, a tip of the ole toupee to Btown Banners and those that manage this site.  It is great to have a well-moderated site to learn and chat about Indiana Hoosiers athletics.
However, Bottom Line is a professional sports handicapper.  That just might be considered by some to be totally unfair. Except for one thing to be discussed later.*
For those of us that cannot ever say that certain other University sports teams just might beat our Hoosiers..there should be a category.  And no, it's not a participation trophy.
Maybe, it just might be a red and white striped box of peppermint candies.  

So for those contestants that suported and predicted a Hoosier win regardless of the metrics and other insider information...enjoy your candy stripes.
* Rules are rules and they are clear.  Sometimes one has to pick against the Hoosiers to win this Prediction League challenge.  But some of us will never, ever grow up to do just that.  
PS  I will bet a beer with some people when discussing Indiana or other team sports.  But I do not bet $.  Not ever. There are bigger issues that we make our choices and have to live with the consequences every day. Those choices are big enough bets for me.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised with a 14 and that I beat Alaska Hoosier and Barrell Rick.  Not to mention Josh..so I won't.  Whew!  I probably will never do better than that.  Until next year when IU wins every. Single. Game.  And that is what I will predict.  And I just might get two scores right out of about 36.
And a huge tip of the ole toupee to the team and coaches.   Indiana basketball is back!
PPS   As an aside...I grew up within walking distance of Ellis Park in Evansville.  It was interesting when reading the racing form how one could see some excellent background on each and every horse and jockey and trainer and owner and the condition of the track, etc.  I can still pick horses but always insist on having the racing form to do it. One would also have to watch the horse and jockey before picking.   My younger sister had a knack.  She 'knew' horses.  She picked 7 of 8 horses on the nose one day.  My father put a $2 bet down on each race pick by her.  Bought her a 10-speed bike with part of the winnings.  I kid you not.

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Congratulations!  It’s nice that someone who hasn’t won before came out on top.  It was also nice to hear a bit about yourself.  Maybe we need to do a who’s who but then again maybe not lol.  I hope to play again next year and do a little better to challenge you.  It was fun.

Well done @BottomLine; well done.

Don’t worry @Joe_hoopsier there’s always next year
:)
Just not for Josh!

Congrats BottomLine and thank you for the reminder to update my signature.

The BottomLine was that BottomLine was able to mind read these erratic Hoosiers this season whom I’d diagnose as having some dissociative personality disorder.

WayneFleek, viewed likely as the eternal pessimist, was a huge believer in these here Hoosiers at multiple different times (after Xavier, after both Purdue games, after UNC, kinda) and a disbeliever some equal or greater amount of time. That lead me to a disappointing #9 finish this season.

Congrats BottomLine you earned this victory!


Sent from my iPad using BtownBanners

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

Imagine beautiful women and handsome men walking a red carpet while flashbulbs pop and adoring fans cheer.
The time has come to accept my victory as the champion of the 2022-23 Indiana Prediction League.  Thank you for all of your applause, from everyone except Josh, who thinks he won.  I certainly enjoyed this year's contest.
I would like to thank Strt8Hoosiers for running the league in the past and LIHoosier for taking over this year when Str8Hoosiers was unable to continue.  You guys are the tops.  Without your thankless efforts the basketball season would not have been the same.
I would like to congratulate Rico and rcs29 for their excellent seasons.  They are tough competitors and worthy adversaries.  I wish them all the luck in the future.  Super job guys!
 This is my third year as a contestant in the Prediction League.  Two years ago I finished 10th.  Last year I was 5th.  Both years I hovered near the top of the standings until I started to throw in contrary selections at the end of the season in an attempt to make up points.  Alas, in both cases the breaks did not go my way.  I'm sure many of you have tried the same strategy this year and in the past.  This year I just played it straight and emerged victorious.
As for me, how did I put together a championship season.  I wasn't easy.  I managed to put together a consistent year.  I selected the winner in 27 of 35 games.  Luckily most of the losers were losers for almost everyone (Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue x2, Iowa, Penn St, and Miami of Florida).  I won only one week and received 48 points for the effort.  I didn't need to use that number.  As for picking the actual scores, I was terrible.  I received a 10 point bonus for only one game.  That is one win for 70 opportunities.  Not much to be proud of there.
Finally, who is BottomLine and what background enabled him to win this year?  Come on.  Don't we all wonder where those handles come from and what do they mean?
I have been an Indiana basketball fan for almost 70 years and have kept score for almost every game I have ever watched.  I'm originally from Seymour and was graduated from IU in 1969.  Which means I'm 75 going on 76.  I retired as a history teacher in 2013, after 43 years in the classroom.  Aren't all basketball coaches either PE teachers, social studies teachers, or Drivers Ed teachers?  It follows that I was a basketball coach for 18 years.
It doesn't end there.  As a second job I worked as a sportswriter for 30 years covering horse racing in the Chicago area.  For 21 of those years I was the handicapper and racing columnist for the Daily Herald, Chicago's largest suburban paper.  In addition to picking horses every day, I had a mythical bankroll in the paper where I bet the horses in public every day.  The name of that column was The Bottom Line.  Get the connection?  I left the Daily Herald in 1999, I've added a link below for anyone who is interested in that story.  In addition to the Daily Herald I have covered racing for Associated Press, The Illinois Racing News, and was a consultant for NBC Sports and several Las Vegas sportsbooks.  After leaving the Daily Herald I turned down offers to work for several on-line racing touts.  Juggling so many employment hats, my record for consecutive days working without a day off was 187.
I seldom engage in chat sites.  After years and years as Bottom Line on the old Indianapolis Star site, Peegs and here, I learned long ago that it is a waste of time trying to change anyone's opinion about anything.
Hope everyone has a great year waiting for next year's Hoosiers.  I'll be back again to defend my title, if the good Lord is willing and the crick don't rise.  Go Hoosiers!
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell/hallet.html

And another IU basketball season has come to an end. The only party pooper @Redcamaro picked Miami and won with 104. The '69 crew' @Class of '66 Old Fart and @IU - Kaulie got IU's score right.
Your 2022-23 Prediction Champion is... @BottomLine!!! Your 'prize' is one of two items, depending on how you looked at the season.
Its either TJD dunking on Purdon't.

Or Geronimo staring at who knows what while his guy is having a picnic behind the arc.

Thanks to all who took part this year, even @ALASKA HOOSIER.
  Overall       Game 35   Rank 2022-23 IUBB Points   Rank IU/Miami FL Points 1 BottomLine 3333   1 Redcamaro 104 2 Rico 3290   2 Class of '66 Old Fart 68 3 rcs29 3269   3 IU - Kaulie 68 4 tkbbn 3248   4 BottomLine 58 5 Class of '66 Old Fart 3239   5 Henryville Hoosier 57 6 HoosierHoopster 3225   6 johnsoniu 57 7 LIHoosier 3203   7 Josh 57 8 LamarCheeks 3195   8 thebigweave 57 9 WayneFleekHoosier 3186   9 rcs29 56 10 Napleshoosier 3185   10 HoosierHoopster 55 11 Redcamaro 3183   11 incrediboy 55 12 incrediboy 3147   12 IU Scott 55 13 IU Scott 3136   13 LIHoosier 55 14 Dave from Dayton 3127   14 Napleshoosier 55 15 HoosierCoop 3126   15 WayneFleekHoosier 55 16 Josh 3126   16 IUHoosier5 55 17 Joe_hoopsier 3121   17 choosierred1 54 18 johnsoniu 3118   18 tkbbn 54 19 Naturalhoosier 3115   19 mamasa 53 20 muttcs66 3114   20 cbp4iu 53 21 IU - Kaulie 3086   21 DChoosier 52 22 choosierred1 3075   22 LamarCheeks 52 23 Henryville Hoosier 3074   23 Rico 52 24 DChoosier 3051   24 Naturalhoosier 51 25 RaceToTheTop 3040   25 Dave from Dayton 50 26 coonhounds 3015   26 coonhounds 39 27 thebigweave 2992   27 ALASKA HOOSIER 28 28 Stuhoo 2980   28 Banksyrules -880 29 Demo 2938         30 craigyv88 2850         31 mamasa 2790         32 HoosierHoops1 2684         33 Crazy About IU 2649         34 DWB 2540         35 hper50 2487         36 ALASKA HOOSIER 2271         37 Honkyman 1409         38 Hovadipo 1341         39 BGVille Hoosierfan 1306         40 IUc2016 1305         41 killerbeezer 1246         42 Schreckbagger 1088         43 IUHoosier5 863         44 HoosierTrav 845         45 Old Friend 838         46 Loaded Chicken Sandwich 802         47 HoosierFan1994 794         48 patrickmorriso9 664         49 Tasmanian Devil 649         50 Hoosierfan1901 534         51 TeeterInNJ 529         52 monskisprodigy 483         53 Str8Hoosiers 469         54 realTomCrean 429         55 cbp4iu 350         56 OGIUAndy 297         57 IUsafety 217         58 Hoosier987 174         59 Southside 157         60 AKHoosier 147         61 DoctorP 116         62 Woodson1980 107         63 bmitch 104         64 jepwatso 104         65 hoosierrebel1620 101         66 cthomas 100         67 TTT 96         68 Hoosierfanyuh 93         69 Barrel Rick 76         70 Kentuckysucks 68         71 IUFootballEndlessMisery 51         72 ray 51         73 bigrod 29         74 Uspshoosier -10         75 IUCrazy2 -23         76 Banksyrules -1686          

Many thanks to @LIHoosier for his time and effort in running the contest.  I'm ecstatic with a top 5 finish (gloat, gloat) and seeing Josh somewhere in the bottom 61!!
Congrats to @BottomLine on winning it all.
Until next year.

@incrediboy makes an incredible pick just missing perfection by 1 point, getting Kent St's score along with @mamasa. @BottomLine got IU's score right and extends the overall lead to 37 going into the round of 32.
  Overall       Game 34   Rank 2022-23 IUBB Points   Rank IU/Kent St Points 1 BottomLine 3275   1 incrediboy 134 2 Rico 3238   2 mamasa 130 3 rcs29 3213   3 BottomLine 127 4 tkbbn 3194   4 Josh 123 5 Class of '66 Old Fart 3171   5 tkbbn 122 6 HoosierHoopster 3170   6 IU - Kaulie 119 7 LIHoosier 3148   7 LIHoosier 119 8 LamarCheeks 3143   8 Redcamaro 119 9 WayneFleekHoosier 3131   9 Dave from Dayton 117 10 Napleshoosier 3130   10 Naturalhoosier 117 11 HoosierCoop 3126   11 rcs29 116 12 incrediboy 3092   12 johnsoniu 115 13 IU Scott 3081   13 Napleshoosier 115 14 Redcamaro 3079   14 Rico 115 15 Joe_hoopsier 3078   15 WayneFleekHoosier 115 16 Dave from Dayton 3077   16 IUHoosier5 115 17 muttcs66 3071   17 IU Scott 113 18 Josh 3069   18 Class of '66 Old Fart 112 19 Naturalhoosier 3064   19 HoosierCoop 112 20 johnsoniu 3061   20 Joe_hoopsier 112 21 choosierred1 3021   21 LamarCheeks 112 22 IU - Kaulie 3018   22 HoosierHoopster 111 23 Henryville Hoosier 3017   23 DChoosier 110 24 DChoosier 2999   24 Henryville Hoosier 110 25 RaceToTheTop 2997   25 choosierred1 108 26 Stuhoo 2980   26 Crazy About IU 108 27 coonhounds 2976   27 cbp4iu 107 28 Demo 2938   28 thebigweave 106 29 thebigweave 2935   29 coonhounds 104 30 craigyv88 2850   30 ALASKA HOOSIER 81 31 mamasa 2737   31 Banksyrules -806 32 HoosierHoops1 2684         33 Crazy About IU 2649         34 DWB 2540         35 hper50 2487         36 ALASKA HOOSIER 2243         37 Honkyman 1409         38 Hovadipo 1341         39 BGVille Hoosierfan 1306         40 IUc2016 1305         41 killerbeezer 1246         42 Schreckbagger 1088         43 HoosierTrav 845         44 Old Friend 838         45 IUHoosier5 808         46 Loaded Chicken Sandwich 802         47 HoosierFan1994 794         48 patrickmorriso9 664         49 Tasmanian Devil 649         50 Hoosierfan1901 534         51 TeeterInNJ 529         52 monskisprodigy 483         53 Str8Hoosiers 469         54 realTomCrean 429         55 OGIUAndy 297         56 cbp4iu 297         57 IUsafety 217         58 Hoosier987 174         59 Southside 157         60 AKHoosier 147         61 DoctorP 116         62 Woodson1980 107         63 bmitch 104         64 jepwatso 104         65 hoosierrebel1620 101         66 cthomas 100         67 TTT 96         68 Hoosierfanyuh 93         69 Barrel Rick 76         70 Kentuckysucks 68         71 IUFootballEndlessMisery 51         72 ray 51         73 bigrod 29         74 Uspshoosier -10         75 IUCrazy2 -23         76 Banksyrules -806        

Oh, choose me!
Uh...
The Canes recruited Reneau hard and are still mad about him choosing Indiana.  They like to score on transition, shoot free throws and have even scoring around all the starters.  They score a lot.  They play decent defense.  Sometimes they have trouble in the last few minutes of the game. They love to shoot threes...but do not shoot it well.  They do not match up well inside against TJD and our height. Miami is inconsistent...but IU has been there, too.  Depends on...well you know...execution, luck, and the whistles.
If IU does not get whistled for a physical game, Shifino brings it, and our wings hold their own...it is an IU win.
Could go the other way.  But it won't.
Indiana                                                               77
Southeastern FL      (Hairy Cons)                                         68
(Been vacationing and on the beaches of southeast FL for more than a week.  In Key West just now.  Way too many people and cars and congestion.  The beaches have a lot of red seaweed coming in.  And there's a shortage of material in bathing suits.  I love spring and summer and fall in the Midwest.  I would not live down here if you paid me...how much?)
Go IU!  
 

Everyone here seems to want to pick the Hoosiers and obviously, based upon the seeds, we should be favored.  However, this shouldn't be a walk in the park.  We need to show up ready to play.  Kent State was the upset winner of the MAC tournament, upsetting Toledo, which came into the game with a 17 game winning streak.  I think the last time we played these guys it took a last second jumpshot down the baseline by Will Sheehey (sp) to pull out the win.  I'm picking the Hoosiers to move on here.
 
Indiana    71
Kent State    68

Too little and too late sucker.  Maybe you can do better next year.

Too little and too late sucker.  Maybe you can do better next year.

Too little and too late sucker.  Maybe you can do better next year.