managers - they have to find the spirit within the group and use decisions and goals that go against you to make you stronger.

Suffice it to say that, short of some freakish occurrence, the Chicago Cubs will go into any playoff series this fall as the favorite. This position is well deserved, of course. After all, this is the team that won 103 games during the regular season -- and the Pythagorean expectation actually had them winning more (107 games).The Cubs 23 percent probability of winning it all -- according to the ZiPS projection system -- is a significant margin over the second-best team (Red Sox at 16 percent). But as the glass-half-empty people will remind you, 23 percent chance of success means a 77 percent chance of failure. And a five-game series is the most dangerous type of series for the Cubs.Series odds Brian Goodwin Jersey . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Kole Calhoun Angels Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/fred-lynn-angels-jersey/ . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cam Bedrosian Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Cody Allen Angels Jersey . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period.Sky Sports Ian Holloway predicts the outcomes of the big games in the Football League, including Cardiff v Brighton, Brentford v Derby and Preston v Sheffield Wednesday. Cardiff v Brighton - Sky Sports 1, Saturday 12.30pm Im there for this one and I think it will be a draw because these are two good squads going quite well.Cardiff are there or thereabouts, still with a chance of getting in the top six, but they have to start winning more games after drawing with MK Dons and Charlton. Brighton will be in the top six at the end of the season and wont blow up. In Chris Hughton they have a manager who has won the division before so they have the experience. The teams with the advantage are the ones who have done it before.OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 9/2)Fulham v Charlton, Saturday 3pmFulham looked like world beaters against QPR then lost 3-0 to Blackburn in midweek. I cant get my head round that, the talent they have and how well they played on Saturday, then two days later they get absolutely whooped.Its got to be the players, they played so well at the weekend but they have to get some consistency. They cant string performances together. Its really weird and they need to have a good look themselves and say, We should be better than this with the talent we have. Fulham were beaten 3-0 by Blackburn on Tuesday evening Maybe they need a good start to a game and if they get that they keep their confidence, if they lose it then the game goes. But with the likes of Jamie OHara and Scott Parker you would think the group could be more consistent. They are good going forward, very exciting, but maybe they leave themselves a bit open. Its a puzzle for me.What on earth is happening with Charlton as well? They are still in the relegation zone and they need to start winning. They will be better under Jose Riga but the unrest with the crowd wanting the owner out is not good. I cant even give them a goal this weekend!OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)Huddersfield v Wolves - Saturday, 3pmHuddersfield got a fantastic result last week against Nottingham Forest, stopping their unbeaten run with a 2-0 win away from home.Wolves are struggling a bit and need a win. I feel for Kenny Jackett because he needed the owner to stick around and stay motivated, but now they need a new buyer as quick as they can if Kenny is going to have a chance to take that massive club higher up the table.Its a tough game to call and they might cancel each other out and it will be be a war of attrition.OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 5/1)MK Dons v Bristol City - Saturday, 3pmI wouldnt mind going to this one, it could be a belter. Bristol got a fantastic result last weekend against Ipswich and then MK Dons won at Derby - thats the joy of the Championship.But sometimes you get a good result away and then you get home and disappoint your fans because they become a bit more expectant. MK Dons won at Derby last time out This is a vital game for both sides and I dont think a point is great for either of them. You want to keep cracking on; they could really make a move up the table if they win. I am sure the teams below will want a draw but Im going for an away win.The good news for MK Dons is that if my prediction is as badly wrong as last weekend they will probably win!OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (Sky Bet odds 17/2)Preston v Sheffield Wednesday - Saturday, 3pmPreston are having a fantastic season with 42 points and Sheffield Wednesday have been one of the surprises of the season - I cant separate them.I know Blackpool fans wont like it but I quite like Preston, particularly with Simon Grayson in charge and my old mate Steve Thompson as assistant. Ian Holloway is a big fan of Prestons Paul Gallagher I have always liked Paul Gallagher, I tried to sign him three times but never got him. I have always admired his play, he can cut in from wide, get a goal, he gets a run of form where he sets things up and he has a mean free-kick in his locker. He scored last week and is probably confident.Sheffield Wednesday have some beautiful players - Fernando Forestieri, Ross Wallace, Barry Bannan - and they have all sorts of stuff going on. I think they will keep going and make the play-offs.OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-2 (Sky Bet odds 14/1)Bolton v QPR, Saturday 3pmI feel for Bolton and Neil Lennon.dddddddddddd Hes a born winner and hes had to put up with all this. I think he has handled himself with absolute dignity and they are improving.I dont know what Im going to get with QPR. I was really looking forward to last weekend but their back four capitulated against Fulham and they lost 3-1. I dont know what Im going to get with QPR. I was really looking forward to last weekend but their back four capitulated against Fulham. Ian Holloway I dont see either side keeping a clean sheet. It will be easier for QPR on the road rather than in front of the home crowd - they were very quiet the other day, you could have heard a pin drop. The Fulham supporters were singing, Is it a library?, but theyre not exactly noisy are they? They had to get handed out those clappers to get going, so thats a bit rich coming from them!OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 9/2)Brentford v Derby, Saturday 3pmWhere do you start with Derby? My advice to the chairman is: dont go in the dressing room and have a go at the players. They havent won since that. It was a draw at home to Reading, is that such a bad result?Brentford dont look the same this season. They have lost their midfield security after selling Toumani Diagouraga. This time last year they had Jonathan Douglas and Diagouraga and now they have Josh McEachran from Chelsea and he doesnt provide the same protection. They have started to leak goals, which is not good. Darren Wassall has taken charge at Derby after Paul Clements sacking Surely Derby have to pick up now? Are they going to capitulate? They have to find the spirit. I am sick of players blaming managers - they have to find the spirit within the group and use decisions and goals that go against you to make you stronger. I dont see them doing that, so the jury is out on them.They have to start winning now but its a very tough fixture for them. I just cant see Derby getting anything.OLLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 9/1)Burnley v Rotherham, Saturday 3pmEven with Neil Warnock in charge I cant see Rotherham halting Burnleys charge towards promotion. He will have them well organised but its a tough game.Lloyd Dyer is a fantastic signing for Burnley. He might even guarantee them promotion. He is so enthusiastic, so quick and works so hard. I have always liked him and hes a typical Burnley player who will work his socks off, do what the team needs and never give up. Thats what I like about Burnley, they never give up. Former Leicester winger Lloyd Dyer has joined Burnley If Burnley were a boxer and you hit them youd think youd caught them with your best shot and theyd just shake it off and keep going. They have a tough chin, whereas Derbys chin at the minute looks like it is made out of glass.Neil Warnock will make a difference at Rotherham even though I didnt agree with getting rid of Neil Redfearn - what chance did he have of turning things around in such a short amount of time?Warnock has the experience, is he retired or not though? Hes having more comebacks than Muhammad Ali!OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-0 (Sky Bet odds 5/1)Walsall v Wigan - Saturday, 3pmWalsall third, Wigan fourth, two points behind. It doesnt get much tighter. Everybody is waiting for Burton to blow up but I cant see it and Gillingham keep going as well.Its a big game for Sean ODriscoll and I am not sure they will be separated. Walsall play some lovely stuff and will try to win on their own patch but Im going for a draw with Tom Bradshaw to score the first goal.Hes one of my favourite lower league players, a natural-born goalscorer and I am sure he wont be there for much longer.OLLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 5/1)Southend v Burton - Monday, 7.45pmBurton have an amazing group of players and amazing organisation from the chairman, who keeps getting good managers and now one has come back. All I can do is praise the chairman, he doesnt interfere or go into the dressing room, he must support his manager because they keep having success, so well done to him. They have lost Abdenasser El Khayati but they keep going so well done to the players and Cloughy as well. Burton won at Chesterfield in their last match Phil Brown is going to have a problem here. Southend are having a great season after coming up through the play-offs - that was one of my favourite things, watching him and Gareth Ainsworth stand next to each other for the penalties, that was class from both of them.They are just outside the play-offs in League One but Burton have something special going on. I dont think the bubble will burst.OLLIE PREDICTS: 0-1 (Sky Bet odds 15/2) Also See: Championship: Whos going up? Fixtures Table Live on Sky ' ' '