2005 East Carolina Pirates Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

East Carolina has gone from being a popular “sleeper” team in sports handicapping, as well as a regular straight up winner and bowl team to a perennial loser that commands little respect by the media or at online sports betting blogs. The Pirates entered the 2004 season coming off back-to-back losing seasons straight up and with a record of 9-19 against the odds dating back to their final four games of 2001. This was clearly a team that was not going to be appearing on the “go with” lists of football picks for any serious sports bettors as 2004 kicked off.

After being posted as a whopping 28.5-point dog at West Virginia by the sports betting odds makers to begin the season, East Carolina was easily handled 23-56, which immediately put them into the sports handicapping category of bankroll busters. With whatever sports betting appeal they may have had completely shattered in but one week of action, the Pirates became somewhat of a sports handicapping bargain, however.

East Carolina covered their next two games, both as home dogs. They lost 17-31 as 15.5-point dogs to Wake Forest and then 19-24 as 11.5-point dogs to Cincinnati. After three games the Pirates were 0-3 straight up, but 2-1 against the odds. Just as East Carolina got a bit of sports handicapping respect back the roof and the market caved in.

As 30-point dogs at Louisville, East Carolina was humiliated and exposed as a fraud in a 7-59 bombardment. Next, as 3.5-point home chalks against Tulane, they were proven to be over-valued with a 27-25 win and well-deserved bad beat for the sports bettors foolish enough to get involved in such an ugly game. Next, as 18.5-point dogs at Southern Miss, East Carolina was humiliated again 10-51 for their third straight annihilation as a large road dog.

With all credibility shot, East Carolina came home to face a resurgent Army team that was gaining sports handicapping, as well as sentimental popularity. Army was installed as 2.5-point road chalks by the sports betting odds makers but lost 28-38. This began a nice streak for East Carolina in which they beat the sports betting line twice in a row and in three of their final five games, but much too little and too late for most sports bettors. East Carolina finished 2-9 straight up and 5-6 against the odds to make for a 14-25 mark in their last 39 against the line.