Okay, stop the presses, hold the phone, etc. etc. It’s time to discuss the one NFL betting line that means the very most in this coming Week 4 of matchups: the Packers vs Vikings odds, of course. And, of course, this man:

I love a good revenge tale as much as the next girl. We’re a vindictive gender, as I’m sure most of you men out there are aware of. (Kill Bill is indeed one of my favorite movies.) And as much as I’m not that fond of one Mr. Favre - he’s overrated, in my opinion - he’s actually been chugging along better than expected for the boys in purple. True, I think Minny’s REAL star is this guy right here:

..but Peterson can’t carry the team by himself, especially against Green Bay in next week’s Monday Night Football betting match. True, Peterson looked a bit shaky against San Fran the other week, but even an off-day for him is a good day for most NFLers. As far as defense goes, both teams are deadlocked in terms of strength and skill, so I’d be looking at the offense to be the difference-maker here. The Packers are still uneven in this fourth week of play, whereas the Vikings are scarily solid.

Take the Vikings in this contest, and take the over while you’re at it.

You know how much I love hockey. You know how much I adore the NHL. All of this does not need to be stated more than once. I spent a pretty large amount of time last season writing about NHL odds, and since we’ve just finished the 2009-10 preseason, I’m more stoked than ever for the actual season to kick off on Thursday. Bring it on, hockey goons!

Alright, so here’s who I like to dominate the league - and who I’ll be doing some online sports betting on, once the lines come around - judging by their preseason performances:

Toronto Maple Leafs. Look, I don’t care. I don’t care about the negative naysayers, the jaded critics and the disbelievers. This is their year. I’m not so crazy to think they’ll be your best Stanley Cup pick, but with Burkie leading the charge and the blueline flattening anyone in their way (can’t wait to see them taking on Boston!), they’ll definitely make it to the playoffs this year. If they keep newbie Victor Stalberg as a regular on the team, watch for him to light up the scoreboard. I like that kid.

Boston Bruins. Speaking of Boston, the Bruins are one of my top two picks to make it to the final show. They got so achingly close last year, but now I’m betting they took the time in the offseason to fix the little mistakes that held them back. Chara is awesome, Tim Thomas is a force in net and I have a soft spot for Lucic. Keep an eye on these guys — especially Marc Savard, who’ll have another banner year even without Phil Kessel.

Vancouver Canucks. Yes, another Canadian team, and the only other one I favor to make a mark in hockey betting. (Sit down, Habs.) They’ve been looking stronger than ever in their preseason matchups, coasting high on the skills of Roberto Luongo (who looks like he’s thankfully shaken off any self-esteem issues after last year’s implosion) and the uber-skilled Sedin twins. Alex Burrows will be a consistent scoring machine, and if Sami Salo can stay healthy this time around, he’ll make a mark. Again, like Toronto, they’ll make a good playoff run but I don’t think it’s their time for the Cup just yet. But watch for the fireworks.

Chicago Blackhawks. They’re young, they’re fast, they’re feisty, and they’re ready to take back their 20 cents change. Jonathan Toews, Patricks Kane & Sharp, and impressive new acquisition Marian Hossa will definitely blow the roof off. They’ll miss Martin Havlat, though I think Dustin Byfuglien will step up in his place. I’m sort of iffy on their goal - Cristobal Huet has never really proven himself to be a steady #1 netminder, under pressure especially - and this could be the Hawks’ only weakness — that is, if they let their opponents get close to the net. Which is a serious “if”.

Other teams on my radar: Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils.

Teams so far off the radar they might as well be in Timbuktu: New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche.

NFL Week 3 odds are comin’ atcha fast these days, as we approach the end of September. Really? Already? Pretty soon we’ll be back to seeing NFL players tackling each other as snow comes down. Anyway, there’s some good matchups as per usual, so here’s my two picks for next week:

Colts vs Cardinals odds, for one. I mean, really - Peyton Manning vs Kurt Warner? Uh, yes please. Quarterback battles are always entertaining. These two teams are going to run each other into the ground, by the looks of it, and it’ll be one of the more hardcore football games on this Sunday. Watch for a high-scoring and very tight race, but I like the Cardinals a little better on the road here. They just have more depth, whereas the Colts are relying a bit too much on Manning. That’ll come back to bite them.

And you know, Monday Night Football betting looks like a good choice this week, too. It’s the Panthers going up against the Cowboys, and I gotta say, it’s been interesting to try and figure out what direction the Cowboys are going to go this year. Even with their new bazillion-dollar stadium and the love of many patriotic Americans, Dallas just…never really lives up to expectations. This year doesn’t look to be any different. Sure, they’re not gonna lose at home for a third week in a row, but the Panthers will be hungry and desperate to not start off their season with a bunch of losses. Carolina will put up a fight, for sure, but Dallas will own this one. At least, for the sake of my online sports betting account, I hope.

Is it just me, or did Week 1 of the NFL season fly by fast? Okay, sure, technically the “week” is limited to mostly one day - Sunday - but it looks like we’re already into NFL Week 2 odds, and there’s a couple in there I’m definitely excited to take a look at. Wanna join me? Here we go:

First up is Cowboys vs Giants odds. I’m hardly a Romo fangirl - if you know me, you know it’s Brady all the way - but it is gonna be neat to see the new gazillion-dollar Cowboys stadium in action. As well as the team itself, that is — the Dallas Cowboys are looking to be most excellent at home, which is bad news for Eli Manning and company. The Giants are lacking so many key pieces right now, it’s hard to give them the betting edge in this contest. Probably the only area where the Giants may pull ahead is on D, but that won’t be enough to stop the Cowboys from putting on a big show in their new home this Sunday.

Secondly: Eagles vs Saints odds. I mentioned before about how much I love the Saints and how good their odds are looking this season; well, look no further than this matchup on Sunday. Either way, it’s going to be some great smash-mouth football — the Eagles are evenly matched with the Saints, and they’ve both got legitimacy to prove in this contest. However, I may be a little biased but I like the look of the Saints a bit better; their offense is rock solid and I’m thinking Philadelphia might be slightly shaken after Donovan McNabb’s injury last week. Bet on the Saints to go under the total here.

Good luck with your NFL picks this week!

With the UFC 103 odds coming up fast - I know, I know, 102 just ended, but it’s Dana White’s world and we’re just living in it, okay? - I’m already starting to get psyched for the title fight. Why? Because it’s Rich Franklin fighting, and I gotta say, I harbor a tiny crush on the guy. I mean, come on — he’s a former math teacher. How cool is that? Bet nobody refused to do their arithmatic homework in HIS class.

Ace’s sportsbook odds to win his bout against Vitor Belfort are looking mighty good, too. Given that his all-time record so far is 25-4, it’s hard not to see that Franklin’s got Belfort’s number here. Although Belfort’s got a pretty solid history - he’s beaten Liddell, Ortiz and Couture - he’s been away from the octagon for four years, so I’m betting he’ll be rusty when he steps back into the arena. On the other hand, Franklin’s toned up and well-conditioned — firing on all cylinders, pretty much. I know I’ve got my wager ready.

Now, if you’re gonna have snacks at your UFC viewing party, I must insist on something that pairs well with the mood and atmosphere: ass-kicking, that is. For your eating enjoyment, here is a salsa recipe I threw together for a BBQ last weekend, which pretty much nobody touched but me because it was so hot and spicy. But that’s the way salsa SHOULD be, my friends — delivering a beatdown to your tastebuds like Franklin will do to Belfort. You heard me.

Anyway, for sure, I co-opted this recipe from the most excellent “(Not Exactly) My Uncle’s Salsa” recipe at Serious Eats - credit where it’s due, etc. - so here’s my version with a few additions/variations:

1 x 28 oz. can organic tomatoes (I like Eden’s whole roma tomatoes)
2 x jalapeño peppers, chopped (seeds, membranes and all!)
1 cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Dash of sugar

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend it all up. Be warned though — this salsa ain’t for sissies. Tossing the jalapeños in without seeding ‘em makes it incredibly intense, much like Rich Franklin staring at you disapprovingly.

If you need a towel girl, Mr. Franklin, please give me a call. I’ll bring salsa.

…Aaaaand here we go with more NFL week 1 odds picks! Are you excited? Are you? I know I am. Not much longer now, my lovelies…in the meantime, we’re going to look at some more matchups and their likely outcomes. And, of course, foxy football dudes.

Bills vs Patriots odds are giving the nod to New England in this contest, and for good reason. If the Pats were that good last season without Tom Brady, how awesome are they gonna be now that he’s back in the lineup? Even if he were to go down with another injury (say it ain’t so!), I’m pretty sure the Patriots could handle it. Really, they’re my betting pick for this season, along with the New Orleans Saints.

But back to the game: I know that T.O. is hot shit in Buffalo - really, what else do they have to be excited about? I was stuck in a bus station in Buffalo once and it was awful - but he’s been a non-factor so far, especially with a broken toe. Who knows if he’ll even play this game — and, moreover, if he’ll have any impact? Granted, I enjoy Bills fans’ enthusiasm and dedicated love for their team, but even they have to realize that up against the Patriots, it’s a David and Goliath story. With odds of -10.5, I’ll definitely be dropping a sportsbook wager on this one.

As promised, Mr. Brady: