Last night, Bowling Green came up a tad short in a thriller and we had a "W" slip away. Great game, though. Nebraska came like thunder, administering a beat down of immense proportion to Arizona. We end up with a split for the night.
Tonight's matchups were posted yesterday as we get ready to be absent on New Year's Day, engaged in dream-come-true pursuits in Tampa. Here's the outlook for Friday.
The Outback Bowl
Northwestern +7 vs Auburn O/U 54 1/2
10:00 a.m. New Year's Day
Take the 'Cats, take the over, and take 2 aspirin with a chilled glass of V8 'cause you overdid it last night. Our clan has ventured to Tampa to bear witness as the 'Cats exorcise the demons that have them not winning a bowl game since Give 'Em Hell Harry Truman was the head coach of Team USA.
The Gator Bowl
Florida State vs West Virginia -3 O/U 60 1/2
New Year's Day at NOON
We have a difference of opinion. TwoGun thinks the Seminoles are going to play like crazy to send Bobby Bowden out on a high note. I think that's a Hollywood ending that everybody would like to see. Like Maverick said in Top Gun, you never leave your wingman, so we'll avoid the spread and play O/U. I think this game is going to be an UNDER.
Capital One Bowl
LSU vs Penn State -2 1/2 O/U 43 1/2
New Year's Day at NOON
Bet OVER, and bet Penn State. This is not the old LSU, and Penn State finished their season pretty strong. PSU won't blow 'em away, but a 3 point win gets the job done.
The Rose Bowl
Ohio State +3 1/2 vs Oregon O/U 51
New Year's Day 3:30 p.m.
The Granddaddy of 'em all, and a terrific match up. Both teams arrive with gaudy 10-2 records. The Ducks are enormously entertaining, and The OSU has lost only twice: to USC in week 2 and an inexplicable midseason clinker at Purdue. I think it's OSU in a shootout, so I think it's an OVER play, too.
The Sugar Bowl
Cincinnati vs Florida -11 O/U 57
New Year's Day 6:30 p.m.
Cincinnati's kids have gotten the royal screwjob of the year thanks to the Charlie Lite abdicating the throne in the Queen City to become the new Earl of SoBe, and as if that wasn't enough, having to square off in the fare-thee-well contest for Urban NoSoul Meyer. It's the Gators by 17 in this one.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
New Year's Eve Eve and Eve Games
We got even when UCLA came alive in the second half last night. Then came the Champs. Miami ran back the kickoff and there was cause for concern. The Wisconsin hogs came alive on both sides of the ball, and it was all about the W, sorry for U. This is a victory for the sagacity of the aged, Two Gun vanquishes La Cubanina. Sorry sweetie, it's money over love, as goes the order of life. Now we shall conscript you into the 'Cat camp for the Outback.
Here's a gratuitous photo we took through the car window yesterday in downtown Tampa, featuring a billboard for the home town school.
Lots of games the next two days, and then lots more on Friday. Here's the next two days, short & (I hope) sweet!
BOWLING GREEN v IDAHO +1 1/2 O/U 68
The Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho
WEDNESDAY 3:30 p.m.
Two 7-5 teams. TwoGun always cites the gamblers' mantra: "who have they played and how are they playing?" It's been a month, but BG won their last four, Idaho lost their last three. I say BG. We drove through BG on the way here; maybe it's a signal.
NEBRASKA (9-4) v ARIZONA (8-4) -1 O/U 40
The Holiday Bowl in San Diego
WEDNESDAY 7:00 p.m.
Nebraska won 5 of 6 to finish their season. The lone loss was the controversial 13-12 "put some time back on the clock" game against Texas. Arizona finished well, but I am all about Nebraska in this one.
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AIR FORCE (7-5) v HOUSTON (10-3) -4 1/2 O/U 62 1/2
The Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas
New Year's Eve 11:00 a.m.
Take your pick: Houston or Over. Or make them a New Year's Eve parlay.
NAVY (9-4) v MISSOURI (8-4) -6 1/2 O/U 52 1/2
The Texas +6 1/2 Bowl in Houston, Texas
New Year's Eve 2:30 p.m.
This is an OVER for me.
STANFORD (8-4) v OKLAHOMA (7-5) -10 O/U 56
The Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas
New Year's Eve 1:00 p.m.
I think the play for this game is OVER, too.
IOWA STATE +2 1/2 v MINNESOTA O/U 48
The Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona
New Year's Eve 5:00 p.m.
Can we bet them to both lose? This match up stinks. I think it's Iowa State.
TENNESSEE (7-5) v VIRGINIA TECH (9-3) -4 1/2 O/U 49
Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta
New Year's Eve, 6:30 p.m.
They're in the dome, they're going OVER, and VA Tech will cover.
I'm walking around the Tampa Bay area sporting a purple Northwestern windjacket, the garment a venerable carryover from days gone by. On past trips, nobody noticed. This time, I'm getting nods and "Go 'Cats". It's OUR TIME! The forecast for New Year's Day at Raymond James Stadium is 66 with a 50% chance of rain, by the way.
Here's a gratuitous photo we took through the car window yesterday in downtown Tampa, featuring a billboard for the home town school.
Lots of games the next two days, and then lots more on Friday. Here's the next two days, short & (I hope) sweet!
BOWLING GREEN v IDAHO +1 1/2 O/U 68
The Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho
WEDNESDAY 3:30 p.m.
Two 7-5 teams. TwoGun always cites the gamblers' mantra: "who have they played and how are they playing?" It's been a month, but BG won their last four, Idaho lost their last three. I say BG. We drove through BG on the way here; maybe it's a signal.
NEBRASKA (9-4) v ARIZONA (8-4) -1 O/U 40
The Holiday Bowl in San Diego
WEDNESDAY 7:00 p.m.
Nebraska won 5 of 6 to finish their season. The lone loss was the controversial 13-12 "put some time back on the clock" game against Texas. Arizona finished well, but I am all about Nebraska in this one.
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AIR FORCE (7-5) v HOUSTON (10-3) -4 1/2 O/U 62 1/2
The Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas
New Year's Eve 11:00 a.m.
Take your pick: Houston or Over. Or make them a New Year's Eve parlay.
NAVY (9-4) v MISSOURI (8-4) -6 1/2 O/U 52 1/2
The Texas +6 1/2 Bowl in Houston, Texas
New Year's Eve 2:30 p.m.
This is an OVER for me.
STANFORD (8-4) v OKLAHOMA (7-5) -10 O/U 56
The Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas
New Year's Eve 1:00 p.m.
I think the play for this game is OVER, too.
IOWA STATE +2 1/2 v MINNESOTA O/U 48
The Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona
New Year's Eve 5:00 p.m.
Can we bet them to both lose? This match up stinks. I think it's Iowa State.
TENNESSEE (7-5) v VIRGINIA TECH (9-3) -4 1/2 O/U 49
Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta
New Year's Eve, 6:30 p.m.
They're in the dome, they're going OVER, and VA Tech will cover.
I'm walking around the Tampa Bay area sporting a purple Northwestern windjacket, the garment a venerable carryover from days gone by. On past trips, nobody noticed. This time, I'm getting nods and "Go 'Cats". It's OUR TIME! The forecast for New Year's Day at Raymond James Stadium is 66 with a 50% chance of rain, by the way.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
We Need a Rally and My Connectivity Excuse
OK, we're in the hole here, 5 up and 6 down, so let's get down to business.
UCLA -4 1/2 v TEMPLE +4 1/2
The Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington, DC
TUESDAY 3:30 p.m.
UCLA to cover. This is a numerological conundrum. Temple comes in here at 9-3, while UCLA is only 6-6. Look at who Temple has played, then look at UCLA's opponents. Gotta go PAC 10 here.
WISCONSIN +4 v MIAMI -4 O/U 58
The Champs Sports Bowl in (Tony) Orlando (and Dawn)
TUESDAY 7:00 p.m.
Both teams have 9-3 records.Both won 4 of their final 5. Miami won some games impressively and just survived some others. Wisconsin pounded the opponents they were supposed to (except Indiana) and should be ready to rock. I think Wisconsin can take this one.
I apologize for my erratic posting behavior. This is my problem and my excuse...
UCLA -4 1/2 v TEMPLE +4 1/2
The Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington, DC
TUESDAY 3:30 p.m.
UCLA to cover. This is a numerological conundrum. Temple comes in here at 9-3, while UCLA is only 6-6. Look at who Temple has played, then look at UCLA's opponents. Gotta go PAC 10 here.
WISCONSIN +4 v MIAMI -4 O/U 58
The Champs Sports Bowl in (Tony) Orlando (and Dawn)
TUESDAY 7:00 p.m.
Both teams have 9-3 records.Both won 4 of their final 5. Miami won some games impressively and just survived some others. Wisconsin pounded the opponents they were supposed to (except Indiana) and should be ready to rock. I think Wisconsin can take this one.
I apologize for my erratic posting behavior. This is my problem and my excuse...
Monday, December 28, 2009
Only Independence Today
The Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana
MONDAY 4:00 p.m.
Sorry for the tardy post, internet problems. Long story shorter, we bet A&M and lost. They suck. We suck.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Today: Nashville Cats, Yesterday:bleh...
The Music City Bowl in Nashville
SUNDAY 7:30 p.m.
Nashville is a fun city. We discovered that when we spent a stop over day there a few years back. Here's hoping that Kentucky finds their stay rewarding.
I started an analysis of this game and found myself just proving up the numbers that the oddsmakers had come up with. KY comes in at 7-5, Clemson at 8-5. Clemson brings a little more of a reputation to this game than does Kentucky. I think Kentucky will take home the bragging rights. I'm taking KY and the points. If you're looking for an O/U play, the number is 52 1/2. These two finished their last three games each with a composite 5-1 on the over side.
Yesterday
Marshall & Ohio: 10 points in the second half. Bleh...we said over, they sleep-walked to under.
North Carolina & Pitt: By the time the wager went in, our 3 point give to NC had shrunk to 2 1/2. It was enough, a 1/2 point winner.
USC & BC:Boston College played valiantly and deserved a better result (and so did we). BC's 25 year old freshman quarterback almost singlehandedly threw it away.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Just 364 Shopping Days 'Till Christmas
At 1:30 in the afternoon on Christmas Eve we bought out our original wager for the Thursday night Hawaii Bowl and went the opposite way, and it was the very best decision we could have made! SMU, getting 12 1/2, led 31-0 at the half. The final was SMU 45, Nevada 10. Big winner!
Dragnet post for today's games -- just the facts.
OHIO v MARSHALL O/U 49 1/2
Little Caesar's Bowl at Ford Field
In the Foreclosure Capital of America
SATURDAY @ NOON
This is a lame matchup. Marshall is only 6-6, and Ohio at 9-4 doesn't excite. Let's take the over, on the premise that the two teams are going to score a lot in order to entertain themselves.
NORTH CAROLINA +3 v PITTSBURGH
Meineke Bowl in Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
SATURDAY 3:30 p.m.
On paper, these two teams appear very evenly matched. This is a de facto home game for NC, so I'm thinking the almost home game and the 3 points are going to be enough to get the job done.
BOSTON COLLEGE +8 1/2 v USC
Emerald Bowl in San Francisco
at AT&T Park, Where the Giants play
SATURDAY 7:00 p.m
This is an unusual matchup, in that USC is normally playing a more substantial game and opponent at this time of year. USC is rather screwed up this year, with eligibility issues bubbling up over the last few weeks. I think USC is going to win but not cover. BC has been rather enigmatic this season, making this a difficult read. BC and the points.
Dragnet post for today's games -- just the facts.
OHIO v MARSHALL O/U 49 1/2
Little Caesar's Bowl at Ford Field
In the Foreclosure Capital of America
SATURDAY @ NOON
This is a lame matchup. Marshall is only 6-6, and Ohio at 9-4 doesn't excite. Let's take the over, on the premise that the two teams are going to score a lot in order to entertain themselves.
NORTH CAROLINA +3 v PITTSBURGH
Meineke Bowl in Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
SATURDAY 3:30 p.m.
On paper, these two teams appear very evenly matched. This is a de facto home game for NC, so I'm thinking the almost home game and the 3 points are going to be enough to get the job done.
BOSTON COLLEGE +8 1/2 v USC
Emerald Bowl in San Francisco
at AT&T Park, Where the Giants play
SATURDAY 7:00 p.m
This is an unusual matchup, in that USC is normally playing a more substantial game and opponent at this time of year. USC is rather screwed up this year, with eligibility issues bubbling up over the last few weeks. I think USC is going to win but not cover. BC has been rather enigmatic this season, making this a difficult read. BC and the points.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Lulu, Patty, Maxine & Lavergne
Yea, baby, final last night was Utah 37, Cal 27, and that spells money!
One game tonight, from bee-yoo-tee-ful Hawaii. Here's the music to get you in the mood...it's not a Christmas song. Just play it. It's fun. It's Jan & Dean.
Southern Methodist +12 1/2 v Nevada
The Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu Lulu
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
I don't recall seeing an O/U of 72 1/2 before. Neither of these teams has seen one that high this season either, though Nevada and Idaho combined for 115 points in their matchup in October. SMU's coach is June Jones, who came to Dallas a couple years ago from Hawaii, where he was very successful. He's moved SMU upmarket quickly. The line has been volatile on this game, indicating a lot of conflicting thoughts. My wishy-washy conclusion is that the line is right: this game can go either way.
BETTORS' ALERT!!! I'VE ONLY DONE THIS ONCE BEFORE: WE'RE BUYING OUT NOW AND FLIPPING THE PLAY!
I can't get any good vibes on this game, so I'm pulling back and making my bet on June Jones. These two teams have every distraction out there in Hawaii, and there's no huge accolade heading for the winner. So who has more motivation? June Jones, taking the program he's been hired to resurrect, back to his old stomping grounds. We've paid the vig and switched this play to SMU +12 1/2 --- PFOS (posted 1:47 pm)
My daughter, home for Christmas, insisted that Honolulu Lulu was not sufficient for the day and should be augmented. Here's Amy's choice.
One game tonight, from bee-yoo-tee-ful Hawaii. Here's the music to get you in the mood...it's not a Christmas song. Just play it. It's fun. It's Jan & Dean.
Southern Methodist +12 1/2 v Nevada
The Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu Lulu
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
I don't recall seeing an O/U of 72 1/2 before. Neither of these teams has seen one that high this season either, though Nevada and Idaho combined for 115 points in their matchup in October. SMU's coach is June Jones, who came to Dallas a couple years ago from Hawaii, where he was very successful. He's moved SMU upmarket quickly. The line has been volatile on this game, indicating a lot of conflicting thoughts. My wishy-washy conclusion is that the line is right: this game can go either way.
BETTORS' ALERT!!! I'VE ONLY DONE THIS ONCE BEFORE: WE'RE BUYING OUT NOW AND FLIPPING THE PLAY!
I can't get any good vibes on this game, so I'm pulling back and making my bet on June Jones. These two teams have every distraction out there in Hawaii, and there's no huge accolade heading for the winner. So who has more motivation? June Jones, taking the program he's been hired to resurrect, back to his old stomping grounds. We've paid the vig and switched this play to SMU +12 1/2 --- PFOS (posted 1:47 pm)
My daughter, home for Christmas, insisted that Honolulu Lulu was not sufficient for the day and should be augmented. Here's Amy's choice.
Bing and the Andrews Sisters:
Patty, Lavergne and Maxine.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Cousin Eddie and Two Utes
About last night...sorry, I didn't expect Oregon State to completely suck. You know it's not your night when the star running back (one of the Rodgers boys) has his first career fumble... and it's returned for a TD... and the punter kicks one straight up... and another straight sideways, right into the seventh row of seats. Final was 44-20, so they failed to cover by just 46 1/2. OSU also scored a meaningless late TD to blow the under, just to further ingratiate themselves to the wagering masses. Let's just move on.
One of the funniest Christmas movie scenes ever.
Utah Utes +3 1/2 vs California Golden Bears
The Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Both teams are two games under .500 ATS. Utah has been tough all year long. Everybody's been hearts and flowers on Cal after a strong start (they were ranked #6 at one point this season), but I think it's the Utes tonight. It's not their fault that they have what may be the dullest and most unimaginative team name in college sports. Take the points and watch Joe Pesci talk about the Utes.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
One Game Tonight, #4 of 34
On a personal note:
Bien gracias a la Cubanina para los papas.
One game tonight, so if you still need to finish the last minute Christmas shopping, wait until tomorrow (the liquor store is open every night) and set aside some time for this game (you can always stop at the gas station, too, and give the gift of lottery tickets).
For now, here's a little Christmas cheer video.
#16 BYU vs #14 Oregon State -2 1/2
The Las Vegas Bowl Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
Now, another Christmas ditty, a lesson to be discrete with your Christmas spirit(s).
Bien gracias a la Cubanina para los papas.
One game tonight, so if you still need to finish the last minute Christmas shopping, wait until tomorrow (the liquor store is open every night) and set aside some time for this game (you can always stop at the gas station, too, and give the gift of lottery tickets).
For now, here's a little Christmas cheer video.
#16 BYU vs #14 Oregon State -2 1/2
The Las Vegas Bowl Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
This is a pretty flashy match up. BYU, 10-2, is appearing in this game for the 5th consecutive year. Oregon State, the PAC 10 runner up, is 8-4. There is a veritable plethora of stats on this game that can be used to back an argument either way. For the bet, it comes down to history, and I'm picking the Beavers. BYU has the more impressive record straight up, but they are 5-7 ATS, while the Beavers are 8-4 ATS. In addition, Oregon State has faced a bit stiffer competition throughout the year, including their final game of the season, a 37-33 loss to conference champ Oregon. The O/U on this game is 59. I think it's an UNDER play, OSU 34, BYU 20, if you're thinking parlay.
It's going to get really busy, game wise, over the next week. The challenge: finding enough time to watch all the games you want to watch while remaining employed and actually socially engaged with other real, non-video-imaged humans.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Cowboys / Jersey Boys / Dasher Runs Wild
The first three bowls are in the books and we did OK. Before we review them, I would like to share an obscure musical Christmas treasure.
Wyoming v. Fresno State OVER 54 1/2 WINNER
FINAL
With around 8 minutes to play they had rung up 53 points and any score would make us a winner. Then the Wyoming MLB executed a beautiful strip of the ball from the Fresno State tailback around the 20 yard line and turned the game around. With their deliberate offense, Wyoming started plodding downfield, even converting a fake punt to keep their drive alive. The Cowboys kicked a field goal with :25 to go to 56 total points, allowing us to open with a winner. The game went to OT, where the Fresno State coach choked, sending the troops crashing the goal line unsuccessfully 4 consecutive times from less than a yard away. Wyoming seized the moment,the victory and the unusual trophy pictured here.Central Florida +2 ½ v. Rutgers LOSE
FINAL Rutgers 45, CFU 24Forget Saturday Knight Fever, this game was all Jersey Boys! Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, ran over, around and through Central Florida. We thought the wrong team was the favorite...HAH! The Scarlet Knights put up 28 in the first half, then opened the second half with a 62 yard pass play to set up another TD and open up a 35-17 lead. The rest was a sleep walk, most prominently featuring the CFU QB running for his life and Rutgers running back an onside kick for a TD.
Middle Tennessee v. Southern Mississippi Over 58 WIN
FINAL Middle Tennessee 42, Southern Mississippi 32
SoMiss led this game 14-0 before Mid TN got untracked behind reindeer-named QB Dwight Dasher. The junior QB sprained his ankle -twice- and came back all taped up (and then taped up more) and ran past everybody for 4 TD's, 201 yards rushing and 161 yards passing. The tab ran past 58 with about three and a half minutes left on the clock, assuring us of a winning opening weekend.
Tomorrow we'll work on BYU vs Oregon State. They play Tuesday night and it looks like a great match up.
Friday, December 18, 2009
3 Bowls With Unimaginative Names EDITED :)
Before the games, some conversation...football fore(star)play, as it were.
Michigan State has kicked off Bowl Season by kicking off ten of its players due to their inability to behave like civilized human beings, behaving more like gang bangers than “student/athletes”. Big stage, Big life, Big 10...Big dummies.
Cincinatti sets sail for its bowl game against Urban and Tim attempting to complete an undefeated season without its regular season leader, who dumped his kids like a bad habit when the Domers beckoned. The school with the self-proclaimed highest of standards was perfectly content to kick the kids from Cincinatti right in the sweet spot by insisting that the USB counldn't possibly wait a couple weeks, and USB's new leader and molder of young men (gag!) couldn't get out of the Queen City fast enough as he self righteously turned his back on the kids from whom he had demanded so much. Working title for this show --Brian Kelly: just another reason to hate Notre Dame.
Septuagenarian (or is he an octogenarian?)Bobby Bowden has been informed that his Florida State team’s bowl appearance will be the climax of his career. Better late than never.
There's a lot more news to discuss, but let's move on for now. Before making our selections for the three opening games (the names of the games appear to have been the creative genius of of a group of bored accountants), here's an archival tribute to the departed "student/athletes" of the Michigan State football program.
Wyoming v. Fresno State OVER 54 1/2
The New Mexico Bowl
Saturday 3:30 p.m.
If their regular season is the template for this game, the Wyoming Cowboys will put up between zero and thirty points. Their offense has been somewhat schizophrenic, as evidenced by the numbers. Their defense can be stubborn, but has frequently revealed its shortcomings and given up a bushel of points. The Fresno State Bulldogs, 12 point favorites, hung a season high 53 points on Illinois in their final game of the season in Champaign on the 5th of December. They’ve scored more than 30 points in ten of their twelve games. I had a twinge that the two teams might decide to dig in and go toe-to-toe in a defensive tussle ‘cause it‘s going to be a bit chilly (sunny and 46) in Albuquerque. Then I thought, and this is a quote directly and succinctly from my brain, “Nahhhh”. BTW, the city of Albuquerque was founded in 1746 and named in honor of the Spanish town of the almost identical name that everyone in Spain also had trouble remembering how to spell.
Central Florida +2 ½ v. Rutgers
The St. Petersburg Bowl
Saturday 7:00 p.m.
You heard it here first: this is Saturday Knight Fever. I crack me up sometimes...CFU’s Golden Knights against Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights. CFU’s coach is George O'Leary, who formerly coached Notre Dame (an ever expanding club membership, ex-Domer coaches) for about 20 minutes (‘till they actually fact checked his resume). Two Gun said the wrong team is the favorite, and I agree with him. CFU’s defense will give Rutgers a rough ride in St. Petersburg, another bowl host city that was given its name in deference to a city that had the name first, that of course being the one in Russia, which does not currently host a bowl game, but there's always room for one more if the price is right and some TV network will lug a couple cameras over there to show the game. Since the Russian St. Petersburg was Leningrad until 1991 (and Leningrad was previously Petrograd,but only for ten years, until Petro apparently lost the naming rights in 1924 in one of those kooky Russi p.man "misunderstandings"), the Florida St. Petersburg gets top billing and the right to host a handful of pasty-faced tourists from New Jersey.
Middle Tennessee v. Southern Mississippi Over 58
The New Orleans Bowl
7:30 p.m. Sunday
First things first: this is the 3rd consecutive bowl host city of the opening weekend that got its name from a European city of a like name, in this instance, Orleans, France. That is, for me, the most compelling fact about this game. The game itself is a bit of a quandry. We are supposed to stick to what we know, and I know very little about these two, and I confess that I have virtually no interest in learning about them, as I am not an inveterate investor in the exploits of either institution. I have discerned that both teams like to score and both teams appear to treat the practice of defense as just something to do while the offense rests up on the sideline and gives each other pats on the ass and various hand signs and yells "yeah, baby, that's what I'm talkin' about" and "my house" and gives the We're Number One finger to the TV cameras and says "Hi Mom" to the camera, even though there is clearly no microphone and we can't hear what they're saying but it probably makes their Moms happy so we endure it. Anyhoo, as a result of the paucity of knowledge, I have chosen to go with "they like to score" and take Over 58. If you have a better idea, please share, as I am spiritually unable to invest any more time in this game. It's an NFL Sunday, so I don't think anyone but us is going to pay attention to this game...and we aintagonna be all that interested, other than the final total.
I have some really cool news to share...EDIT COMPLETElater.
Michigan State has kicked off Bowl Season by kicking off ten of its players due to their inability to behave like civilized human beings, behaving more like gang bangers than “student/athletes”. Big stage, Big life, Big 10...Big dummies.
Cincinatti sets sail for its bowl game against Urban and Tim attempting to complete an undefeated season without its regular season leader, who dumped his kids like a bad habit when the Domers beckoned. The school with the self-proclaimed highest of standards was perfectly content to kick the kids from Cincinatti right in the sweet spot by insisting that the USB counldn't possibly wait a couple weeks, and USB's new leader and molder of young men (gag!) couldn't get out of the Queen City fast enough as he self righteously turned his back on the kids from whom he had demanded so much. Working title for this show --Brian Kelly: just another reason to hate Notre Dame.
Septuagenarian (or is he an octogenarian?)Bobby Bowden has been informed that his Florida State team’s bowl appearance will be the climax of his career. Better late than never.
There's a lot more news to discuss, but let's move on for now. Before making our selections for the three opening games (the names of the games appear to have been the creative genius of of a group of bored accountants), here's an archival tribute to the departed "student/athletes" of the Michigan State football program.
Wyoming v. Fresno State OVER 54 1/2
The New Mexico Bowl
Saturday 3:30 p.m.
If their regular season is the template for this game, the Wyoming Cowboys will put up between zero and thirty points. Their offense has been somewhat schizophrenic, as evidenced by the numbers. Their defense can be stubborn, but has frequently revealed its shortcomings and given up a bushel of points. The Fresno State Bulldogs, 12 point favorites, hung a season high 53 points on Illinois in their final game of the season in Champaign on the 5th of December. They’ve scored more than 30 points in ten of their twelve games. I had a twinge that the two teams might decide to dig in and go toe-to-toe in a defensive tussle ‘cause it‘s going to be a bit chilly (sunny and 46) in Albuquerque. Then I thought, and this is a quote directly and succinctly from my brain, “Nahhhh”. BTW, the city of Albuquerque was founded in 1746 and named in honor of the Spanish town of the almost identical name that everyone in Spain also had trouble remembering how to spell.
Central Florida +2 ½ v. Rutgers
The St. Petersburg Bowl
Saturday 7:00 p.m.
You heard it here first: this is Saturday Knight Fever. I crack me up sometimes...CFU’s Golden Knights against Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights. CFU’s coach is George O'Leary, who formerly coached Notre Dame (an ever expanding club membership, ex-Domer coaches) for about 20 minutes (‘till they actually fact checked his resume). Two Gun said the wrong team is the favorite, and I agree with him. CFU’s defense will give Rutgers a rough ride in St. Petersburg, another bowl host city that was given its name in deference to a city that had the name first, that of course being the one in Russia, which does not currently host a bowl game, but there's always room for one more if the price is right and some TV network will lug a couple cameras over there to show the game. Since the Russian St. Petersburg was Leningrad until 1991 (and Leningrad was previously Petrograd,but only for ten years, until Petro apparently lost the naming rights in 1924 in one of those kooky Russi p.man "misunderstandings"), the Florida St. Petersburg gets top billing and the right to host a handful of pasty-faced tourists from New Jersey.
Middle Tennessee v. Southern Mississippi Over 58
The New Orleans Bowl
7:30 p.m. Sunday
First things first: this is the 3rd consecutive bowl host city of the opening weekend that got its name from a European city of a like name, in this instance, Orleans, France. That is, for me, the most compelling fact about this game. The game itself is a bit of a quandry. We are supposed to stick to what we know, and I know very little about these two, and I confess that I have virtually no interest in learning about them, as I am not an inveterate investor in the exploits of either institution. I have discerned that both teams like to score and both teams appear to treat the practice of defense as just something to do while the offense rests up on the sideline and gives each other pats on the ass and various hand signs and yells "yeah, baby, that's what I'm talkin' about" and "my house" and gives the We're Number One finger to the TV cameras and says "Hi Mom" to the camera, even though there is clearly no microphone and we can't hear what they're saying but it probably makes their Moms happy so we endure it. Anyhoo, as a result of the paucity of knowledge, I have chosen to go with "they like to score" and take Over 58. If you have a better idea, please share, as I am spiritually unable to invest any more time in this game. It's an NFL Sunday, so I don't think anyone but us is going to pay attention to this game...and we aintagonna be all that interested, other than the final total.
I have some really cool news to share...EDIT COMPLETElater.
Monday, December 14, 2009
One Shot, One Kill
One game Saturday, that being the annual Army/Navy contest up in Philadelphia. It's an inspiring spectacle, the plebes and the middies packing the stands, the colors, the sounds, the pageantry...but not so much the football itself. Navy has had an excellent season, notching some big wins and most notoriously taking Ohio State down to the wire early in the year. Army hasn't had such an inspiring season. Saturday's game was a snooze, and I credit that to an uninspired coaching effort, particularly from Army.
Every team, at every level, has a defined talent level. If your team is lacking in some attributes, you must compensate in others. Navy has done a good job of matching talent and approach to the game. Army has not. As a result, every game seeems like an uphill climb for them.
Bowls start Saturday. I will share a quote from the noted thinker Kent Dorfmann ("Flounder" in Animal House) who said "Oh boy is this gonna be great".
* Army v. Navy, Under 41 1/2 WINNER
FINAL: 20 POINTS (Navy 17, Army 3)
We played the only big stage game of the weekend and it paid off, hence 'one shot, one kill'. The Service Academies performed as expected, and we go to a final of +22 for the season. Not a particularly entertaining game, and even announcers Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, the best duo currently working on TV, ran out of stuff to say.
Friday, we'll work the weekend bowl matchups.
Oh, yeah...Brian Kelly got officially named at USB. What an absolute dick...Kelly and USB, they deserve each other, and the kids at Cincinatti deserved better.
Every team, at every level, has a defined talent level. If your team is lacking in some attributes, you must compensate in others. Navy has done a good job of matching talent and approach to the game. Army has not. As a result, every game seeems like an uphill climb for them.
Bowls start Saturday. I will share a quote from the noted thinker Kent Dorfmann ("Flounder" in Animal House) who said "Oh boy is this gonna be great".
* Army v. Navy, Under 41 1/2 WINNER
FINAL: 20 POINTS (Navy 17, Army 3)
We played the only big stage game of the weekend and it paid off, hence 'one shot, one kill'. The Service Academies performed as expected, and we go to a final of +22 for the season. Not a particularly entertaining game, and even announcers Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, the best duo currently working on TV, ran out of stuff to say.
Friday, we'll work the weekend bowl matchups.
Oh, yeah...Brian Kelly got officially named at USB. What an absolute dick...Kelly and USB, they deserve each other, and the kids at Cincinatti deserved better.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Week 15
This is the end and this is the beginning.
Week 15 is the end of the regular season. There are just two games scheduled for Saturday, one we can handicap and one we'll take a s.w.a.g. at.
This is the beginning of Bowl Season, and we'll attempt to analyze each contest and make an intelligent investment. We live for these three weeks. The posting schedule of Monday and Friday will be revised to the day before and the day after. We have historically done pretty well at this time of year, and this year we need it, having ended the last three weeks with negatives.
This year debuted the Four Star system. Two Gun Pete came up with the idea for the Four Star system, and it has worked. Last year we picked 98 games and finished 48-48-2, about as profitable as a monkey flinging crap at random targets. With the star system, we're +21 going into this weekend. If you were playing them all along with us, you made money, and that's the purpose: fun and money.
At the outset I said we'd stick to what we know, and for the most part we did that. What we've done correctly is easy to identify. What we did wrong is partly the risk of the play and partly some bad decisions/habits. Lessons learned:
Brian Kelly : just another reason to hate Notre Dame.
We havetwo bets one bet to make.
*Army @ Navy UNDER 41 1/2
Army's not too strong, and Navy played its best game a few months back against Ohio State. Let's take our own advice and play O/U. The weekend weather isn't likely to be too nice, either, suggesting tough playing conditions that can keep the scoring down.
The other game is Montana and Applachian State. There's was no line, i.e. another lesson. Stick with what you know, and nobody knows what's going to happen when these two lightly followed teams with their gaudy records square off. Save your money for next week and enjoy Army/Navy.
Week 15 is the end of the regular season. There are just two games scheduled for Saturday, one we can handicap and one we'll take a s.w.a.g. at.
This is the beginning of Bowl Season, and we'll attempt to analyze each contest and make an intelligent investment. We live for these three weeks. The posting schedule of Monday and Friday will be revised to the day before and the day after. We have historically done pretty well at this time of year, and this year we need it, having ended the last three weeks with negatives.
This year debuted the Four Star system. Two Gun Pete came up with the idea for the Four Star system, and it has worked. Last year we picked 98 games and finished 48-48-2, about as profitable as a monkey flinging crap at random targets. With the star system, we're +21 going into this weekend. If you were playing them all along with us, you made money, and that's the purpose: fun and money.
At the outset I said we'd stick to what we know, and for the most part we did that. What we've done correctly is easy to identify. What we did wrong is partly the risk of the play and partly some bad decisions/habits. Lessons learned:
1. Don't fall in love with any team.
We played some teams too much on reputation and not on current performance, kind of like the disclaimer that comes after the investment ads - past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Early LSU is an example.
2. Be critical of the oddsmakers' choices; their job is to create action.
Early season Texas and Penn State are examples of what I'm talking about. They couldn't cover anything, so adjust.
3. Critique your own trends.
Big Mike pointed out that we were almost always betting favorites, true dat. It cost us some money, all the way to the end (Texas v. Nebraska, case in point).
4. Realize what you do well and do it.
We do well with over/under plays,and we didn't play them frequently enough. No excuse, just screwed up.
5. Don't bet parlays based on initials, states, haircuts or mascots.
We didn't publish any of them, but we played 'em, and they all lost.
6. Don't bet it 'cause you want to make it happen
e.g.: Indiana sucked, and we couldn't make them not suck, despite betting on them and feeling bad for Bill Lynch.
7. Never
8. Never
9. EVER
10. ...bet on Notre Dame.
Never.
Brian Kelly is going to abandon his 12-0, once in a lifetime Cincinatti Bearcats to go get his ass kicked in South Bend. He and USB deserve each other.
Brian Kelly : just another reason to hate Notre Dame.
We have
*Army @ Navy UNDER 41 1/2
Army's not too strong, and Navy played its best game a few months back against Ohio State. Let's take our own advice and play O/U. The weekend weather isn't likely to be too nice, either, suggesting tough playing conditions that can keep the scoring down.
The other game is Montana and Applachian State. There's was no line, i.e. another lesson. Stick with what you know, and nobody knows what's going to happen when these two lightly followed teams with their gaudy records square off. Save your money for next week and enjoy Army/Navy.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Proverbs and Point Spreads
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
There was no point spread to deal with when that proverb was penned.
Our investments weren't all that closely decided, but it was a Saturday thrillfest that featured the thinnest margins of victory and defeat. One point differences made Texas and Cincinatti winners and the Illini a loser this day. We at Four Star Football were down for a staggering third consecutive week.
'Bama beat up the Gators on Saturday afternoon, how 'bout that? Florida looked overmatched, as the red shirts just kept coming all day long. It was a great defensive performance by the Tide, and Florida appeared bewildered. I admired the job that Alabama did, even as it cost me my Four Star Preseason wager, said wager being another SEC championship for Florida. Simply a great job by the new #1!
**** TEXAS -14 @ NEBRASKA LOSE
FINAL : TEXAS 13, NEBRASKA 12
***CINCINNATTI -1 @ PITTSBURGH PUSH
FINAL : CINCINNATTI 38, PITTSBURGH 37
This was like the football version of a heavyweight championship fight, last man standing. These two teams pounded each other mercilessly in chilly Pittsburgh as the snow fell throughout. It looked like Pitt had put Cinci away in the first half when lame blocking effort by the Bearcats on a punt set up an short Pitt TD. On the ensuing kickoff , a return for a TD by Mardy Gilyard reinvigorated the Bearcats. Gilyard had 230 yards of kick returns by the early part of Q4, plus a long TD catch. It came down to a missed extra point by Pitt and a thrilling comeback--the kind of comeback by which champions are measured-to give Cincinnatti the win and a perfect 12-0 for the year. Two Gun is in the habit of reminding me that the LVSC has some of the best minds in the world, and they showed it again, perfectly handicapping this one.
**FRESNO STATE @ ILLINOIS OVER 59 1/2 WINNER
FINAL 105 POINTS
They put up 49 points by halftime! Fresno State has traveled over 23,000 miles this year to play games in 5 of the 6 U.S. time zones. That has nothing to do with the outcome, but I found it interesting when they flashed it on the screen. This one paid off in the third quarter and kept on running, eventually breaking 100. Very entertaining, as long as you're not a big fan of defense, and for this wager we surely were not.
*FRESNO STATE +3 @ ILLINOIS WINNER
I expected the Illini to play well enough to lose, and they did. The final play hung the "L": a 2 point conversion by Fresno State that was batted back into the enormous paws of a behemoth offensive lineman who toppled across the goal line like a felled giant oak for the winning margin with :02 on the clock. Alternate, optional analogy to the giant oak: "dropped like the Desperate Housewives extortionist who was hit by the airplane on Wisteria Lane". For the record, Juice's final desperation pass was intercepted, a poingnant punctuation mark to a sad season for Illinois.
PS: While this space is dedicated to the successful pursuit of the art and science of wagering on college football, it is no secret that when it's time to cheer, we are a Purple House. It is great news for 'Cat Nation (yes, there is one, and it is growing, and you are all invited to jump on the bandwagon, good seats still available) that Northwestern has accepted an invitation to play on New Year's Day in Tampa in the Outback Bowl. Go 'Cats!
PPS: Listening to Lou Holtz (who was on the selection show on ESPN Sunday night) gets harder the more you listen. Last night's lishpfesht featured this gem, offered in re the Georgia Tech option offense facing the excellent Iowa defense : "they never see the option in the Big Ten...Iowa is going to be amazed when they see it".
What a dope.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?
The handicappers are so good to start with, and they have become so much better now than they were at the start of the season, that finding the mismatches and opportunities is an extraordinary challenge. If you have watched our last two weeks' performances, it was no cakewalk to start.
The accoumpanying video offers a lyrical correlation. It has no compelling imagery, so don't watch, just listen.
You watched anyway, didn't you?
**** TEXAS -14 @ NEBRASKA7:00 pm Saturday, ABC
The Longhorns are my preseason selection to unseat Florida as National Champions. The early part of their season was challenging, as they covered nothing. That got me to worrying. Watching their performances of the last few weeks have gone a long way to make me feel like Texas can pull it off. Next step is Nebraska.***CINCINNATTI -1 @ PITTSBURGH
11:00 am Saturday, ABC
Back and forth, back and forth I went. Cinci can't go 12-0, can they, with all the distractions of their coach snuggling up with USB? Pitt, very, very good, but doesn't win the big ones. Cinci hasn't played all that strong of a schedule. Pitt is beat up from last week's game against WVa. My choice came down to the leadership and confidence of the QB tandem from Cincinatti, Tony Pike and Zach Collaros, a senior and a freshman. Pike broke his arm, had it screwed together and has come back and played exceptionally well. While he was gone, Collaros put up nice, big numbers. Verdict: Cincinnatti goes 12-0.
**FRESNO STATE @ ILLINOIS OVER 59 1/2
11:30 Saturday, BTN
*FRESNO STATE +3 @ ILLINOIS
We'll take the points and assume that Illinois plays well enough to lose again. This invites a nice little parlay wager to make it interesting.
A slide show of college football coaches who got big $$$$ to go away, click here.
The Bowl Selection show is on ESPN at 7:00 Sunday night.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Nothing Like a Supportive Partner
No, I'm not referring to Two Gun Pete. I'm referring to my wife, who, as I lamented another subpar performance this weekend, offered up "It's OK, the season's almost over". It's a good thing I was not reflecting on the meaning of my life. Next time I'm laconic and lamenting, I'm calling Two Gun.
The video clip below features a campaign rally for the Penguin, who was running for mayor of Gotham city. The band pretending to be the band is 60's rock act Paul Revere and the Raiders, dressed in full colorful Raider regalia. It is painful to watch and senseless, but very colorful, and in a macabre way, entertaining, if "too horrifying to look away" can be used interchangeably with "entertaining". I have provided it here to recreate the sense of what it was like watching Memphis v. Tulsa.
It was a big upset weekend, with a lot of ranked teams getting knocked off and a few others needing heroics to win (and failing to cover, as good as a loss in our world).
The Look Who's Talking links on the right side of the page have been modified to point you to the impending conference championship games, the BCS site and the Champs and Outback bowl sites. There's also a link to Northwestern's 2009 regular season highlight video, newly minted by NUBears, the master of purple video.
**** Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan -13 WINNER
FINAL: CMU 45, NIU 31
Dan LeFevour passed for 257 yards and 3 TD's, but it was not-so-famous Frank Zombo, a defensive end, who sealed the deal for us when he intercepted a pass and ran it 27 yards for the TD that put Central up 45-24. NIU declined to go quietly, driving fast for a touchdown to bring it back to a 14 point difference, and made me very nervous when their onside kick rattled around on the ground before CMU dropped on and ran out the last two minutes of the game to secure the cover. CMU meets Ohio in the MAC championship game at Ford Field in Foreclosure City next week.
*** Navy -9 @ Hawaii LOSE
FINAL: RAINBOWS 24, MIDDIES 17
I stayed awake until halftime, at which point Hawaii had just rammed a fast downfield drive to tie the game at the half, and the announcer was saying that the Rainbows were a lot better than they had frequently shown this season. It would have been helpful to know that a few days earlier. Woke up Sunday and went right to the score to find that he was right, we were wrong, and we lost another one.
** BC -6 1/2 @ Maryland LOSE
FINAL: BC 19, MD 17
No cover. Didn't see it, went to Four Winds, did better than BC. Might have to stop betting on any Catholic schools.
* Memphis @ Tulsa -16 LOSER
FINAL: Put a Fork in Me I'm TULSA 33, We Don't Really Play Football at MEMPHIS 30
Jeez, what a weird game. Tulsa, attired in brilliant yellow/gold uniforms capped with royal blue helmets, and Memphis in their visiting whites with their own royal blue headgear, cavorting on an emerald green turf...it was a colorful display of really lousy football in front of a 2/3 empty stadium. Tulsa dropped more passes than I could count. With six minutes left and the game tied at 23--and the prospect of a cover blown 100% to hell, I watched successive displays of the Tulsa's ineptitude. One, dropped pass, two, catch pass and circle backwards to shake one tackler and run instead into the five who were headed that way, three, throw interception. The Golden Crapicanes defense rose to the occasion, allowing a 50 yard pass play on the ensuing Memphis snap. Two plays later, Memphis runner Curtis Steele danced past the two Tulsa guys who weren't headed in the wrong direction and banged in his fourth TD du jour. I was hoping that Tulsa would invoke the rarely used 18 point touchdown play, but it was not to be. They drove downfield, moving ahead almost in spite of themselves, and sputtered into the end zone to tie the game with :30 on the clock, assuring overtime suckiness. Memphis then showed its mettle on the first play of OT when the receiver tipped an easily catchable bubble pass into the hands of a Tulsa defender. Tulsa pissed away three downs and kicked a field goal to bring the sucktivities to an eagerly awaited conclusion. Craptacular.
It's championship weekend for the conferences, and time for us to get this effort headed back in the right direction. No depression this weekend, we just got beat. Penguin didn't get elected, either.
The video clip below features a campaign rally for the Penguin, who was running for mayor of Gotham city. The band pretending to be the band is 60's rock act Paul Revere and the Raiders, dressed in full colorful Raider regalia. It is painful to watch and senseless, but very colorful, and in a macabre way, entertaining, if "too horrifying to look away" can be used interchangeably with "entertaining". I have provided it here to recreate the sense of what it was like watching Memphis v. Tulsa.
It was a big upset weekend, with a lot of ranked teams getting knocked off and a few others needing heroics to win (and failing to cover, as good as a loss in our world).
The Look Who's Talking links on the right side of the page have been modified to point you to the impending conference championship games, the BCS site and the Champs and Outback bowl sites. There's also a link to Northwestern's 2009 regular season highlight video, newly minted by NUBears, the master of purple video.
**** Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan -13 WINNER
FINAL: CMU 45, NIU 31
Dan LeFevour passed for 257 yards and 3 TD's, but it was not-so-famous Frank Zombo, a defensive end, who sealed the deal for us when he intercepted a pass and ran it 27 yards for the TD that put Central up 45-24. NIU declined to go quietly, driving fast for a touchdown to bring it back to a 14 point difference, and made me very nervous when their onside kick rattled around on the ground before CMU dropped on and ran out the last two minutes of the game to secure the cover. CMU meets Ohio in the MAC championship game at Ford Field in Foreclosure City next week.
*** Navy -9 @ Hawaii LOSE
FINAL: RAINBOWS 24, MIDDIES 17
I stayed awake until halftime, at which point Hawaii had just rammed a fast downfield drive to tie the game at the half, and the announcer was saying that the Rainbows were a lot better than they had frequently shown this season. It would have been helpful to know that a few days earlier. Woke up Sunday and went right to the score to find that he was right, we were wrong, and we lost another one.
** BC -6 1/2 @ Maryland LOSE
FINAL: BC 19, MD 17
No cover. Didn't see it, went to Four Winds, did better than BC. Might have to stop betting on any Catholic schools.
* Memphis @ Tulsa -16 LOSER
FINAL: Put a Fork in Me I'm TULSA 33, We Don't Really Play Football at MEMPHIS 30
Jeez, what a weird game. Tulsa, attired in brilliant yellow/gold uniforms capped with royal blue helmets, and Memphis in their visiting whites with their own royal blue headgear, cavorting on an emerald green turf...it was a colorful display of really lousy football in front of a 2/3 empty stadium. Tulsa dropped more passes than I could count. With six minutes left and the game tied at 23--and the prospect of a cover blown 100% to hell, I watched successive displays of the Tulsa's ineptitude. One, dropped pass, two, catch pass and circle backwards to shake one tackler and run instead into the five who were headed that way, three, throw interception. The Golden Crapicanes defense rose to the occasion, allowing a 50 yard pass play on the ensuing Memphis snap. Two plays later, Memphis runner Curtis Steele danced past the two Tulsa guys who weren't headed in the wrong direction and banged in his fourth TD du jour. I was hoping that Tulsa would invoke the rarely used 18 point touchdown play, but it was not to be. They drove downfield, moving ahead almost in spite of themselves, and sputtered into the end zone to tie the game with :30 on the clock, assuring overtime suckiness. Memphis then showed its mettle on the first play of OT when the receiver tipped an easily catchable bubble pass into the hands of a Tulsa defender. Tulsa pissed away three downs and kicked a field goal to bring the sucktivities to an eagerly awaited conclusion. Craptacular.
It's championship weekend for the conferences, and time for us to get this effort headed back in the right direction. No depression this weekend, we just got beat. Penguin didn't get elected, either.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanks
You're probably reading this after Thanksgiving, so please indulge me and rewind to Thursday. This year, like last year, we are the guests of friends for dinner. My wife decided to have our family dinner on Wednesday evening, and it worked out great. At the Thanksgiving table each year, I ask each person at the table to share something for which he or she is thankful. My daughter's boyfriend (he and she are both ND alums) got a big laugh when he stated that he was thankful that the Charlie era is almost over. A photo of his downfall is at the right.
My wife. She promised me never a dull moment, and it has been so.
My family. They are always a source of amazement to me.
My friends. Good friends make life rich.
My career. I could never have scripted it.
I started writing this with a plan to be clever and amuse. Instead, reality came out.
Kind of like life.
On to the wagers. I would be thankful for a mittful of cash, too.
**** Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan -13
Noon Friday
Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour's last home game is the bet here. NIU has made us some money when we've called their number this year, but Dan LeFevour has demonstrated an ability to perform at a high level when he's on a big stage, and he has one here in his final home game.
*** Navy -9 @ Hawaii
9:30 p.m. Saturday
The Middies have put together a pretty nice season, sporting an 8-3 record. The Rainbows are 5-6, and they're riding a 3 game win streak. The late season trip to the Islands is often poison for visitors, but that's not likely to be the case with the disciplined Navy squad. They should dismantle the Rainbows quite effectively, though you're going to have to stay up really late to watch this one.
** BC -6 1/2 @ Maryland
2:30 p.m. Saturday
BC is 7-4 coming in, Maryland is 2-9. The Eagles are 1-3 on the road, but Maryland is only a 2-4 home team, so the location doesn't appear to be a big factor. I'm counting on "the other Catholics" to pull us through, and with better bowl position on the line, they should easily handle the Terrapins.
* Memphis @ Tulsa -16
2:30 p.m. Friday
This is the marquee match up of a couple of Two Gun Pete's favorite squads. "Breathe for Me Elvis" Memphis, 2-9 overall and 0-5 on the road, against the 4-7 Tulsa Golden Hurricane ( a glittering 1-4 record at home).
Memphis: a five game losing streak.
Tulsa: a six game losing streak.
Sometimes you just gotta go for it.
Monday, November 23, 2009
And Now, Little River Band
If it wasn't for a trip to Harrah's that worked out, this would have been a crushing Saturday. As it was, it was merely debilitating, verging on humiliating. There was a lot of that going on with some of the football teams that we watched and wagered upon, too. From the "cheering, not betting" perspective, a big hoo-rah to Northwestern on the victory over #14 Wisconsin. Another one that I didn't see coming. The only guy who had a worse weekend is the guy who worked up the new ad campaign for Dodge trucks and Jeep (Einstein for Dodge pickups, not showing the vehicle in the Jeep commercial, you've seen them but they suck so much they're like a repressed memory).
On with the 'fess up, while Little River Band serenades.
**** Connecticut @ Notre Dame -5 1/2 LOSER
FINAL: CT 33, University of South Bend 30
TwoGun said never.
My son said never.
Chuck the Truck said never.
My wife said never.
I went ahead and did it. I bet on Notre Dame.
For the last time.
Never again.
No more listening to the bulls&#t about their great recruiting classes, or their enormous talent, or their supposedly Heismann quality quarterback, or their faux fabulous receivers and defenders. Notre Dame stinks.
*** Purdue @ Indiana +3 LOSER
FINAL: Purdue 38, Indiana 21
The only thing I can say about this game is that Charlie Weis has somebody to commiserate with, and it will be an in-state phone call to Bill Lynch. What a horses&%t display of ineptitude. Lynch's squad convinced me they've not been snakebit this season. More turnovers than Pillsbury. They just stink.
** Rutgers -8 @ Syracuse LOSER
FINAL: Syracuse 31, Rutgers 13
Notre Dame sucks. Indiana sucks. Rutgers sucks. I suck.
* Iowa State +15 @ Missouri WINNER
Thanks to La Cubanina, who reached out to reel me in with an intervention before I was swallowed by the abyss that is the UofSB.
BTW, one of the ESPN bowl projections (click) places Northwestern in the Outback Bowl facing Auburn on New Year's Day, the other projection says the Champs Bowl in Orlando against...Los Huracanes de Miami!
R O A D T R I P !
Happy Thanksgiving.
On with the 'fess up, while Little River Band serenades.
**** Connecticut @ Notre Dame -5 1/2 LOSER
FINAL: CT 33, University of South Bend 30
TwoGun said never.
My son said never.
Chuck the Truck said never.
My wife said never.
I went ahead and did it. I bet on Notre Dame.
For the last time.
Never again.
No more listening to the bulls&#t about their great recruiting classes, or their enormous talent, or their supposedly Heismann quality quarterback, or their faux fabulous receivers and defenders. Notre Dame stinks.
*** Purdue @ Indiana +3 LOSER
FINAL: Purdue 38, Indiana 21
The only thing I can say about this game is that Charlie Weis has somebody to commiserate with, and it will be an in-state phone call to Bill Lynch. What a horses&%t display of ineptitude. Lynch's squad convinced me they've not been snakebit this season. More turnovers than Pillsbury. They just stink.
** Rutgers -8 @ Syracuse LOSER
FINAL: Syracuse 31, Rutgers 13
Notre Dame sucks. Indiana sucks. Rutgers sucks. I suck.
* Iowa State +15 @ Missouri WINNERFINAL: Missouri 34, Iowa State 24
Saved from total humiliation by the Cyclones.
BTW, one of the ESPN bowl projections (click) places Northwestern in the Outback Bowl facing Auburn on New Year's Day, the other projection says the Champs Bowl in Orlando against...Los Huracanes de Miami!
R O A D T R I P !
Happy Thanksgiving.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Less Than Johnny Depp but More Than Tennessee Football Players
It is with a measure of melancholy that I begin today's post. I found out yesterday that I have once again been overlooked by the people who select The Sexiest Man in the World. Johnny Depp was given the distinction (for the second time), and I am once again left waiting by the phone.
Balancing the melancholy is the knowledge that I am smarter than the two new former University of Tennessee football players (click to story) who stuck up some guys in a gas station over the weekend, thereby earning themselves a dismissal from the football team and likely an exit from their all expenses paid journey into the world of higher education. There's a hundred grand apiece pissed away in a heartbeat.
*** Purdue @ Indiana +3
Three points is the consensus give for home teams, so the oddsmakers apparently see these two teams as evenly matched. I think this will be an offensive football showcase, to be clear, "lots of scoring" as opposed to "an offending display of ineptitude". Both teams are 4-7 coming in. Purdue is 2-2 ATS on the road, Indiana is 3-1 ATS at home. Each of these teams has experienced myriad horrors this year, e.g. Purdue having ND all but beaten in SoBe before deciding to spend a last minute time-out that gave ND time to get organized and score the game winner, while Indiana earlier this season gained the distinction being the victim of the greatest comeback in Northwestern football history, followed by a second half collapse against Iowa, followed by a 3 point loss to Wisconsin, and culminating in a 31-20 loss to Penn State after leading 10-0. The difference, in my guestimation, is that Indiana has a bit better talent and will be more motivated at home. This is, by the way, The Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game...the bucket, above, looks like some of the crap my wife brought home from the garden center to "beautify" our world, just sayin'. The O/U is 58 1/2, and I think this one will also be an over.
Ah, the Cyclones, the state of Iowa's other college football team. They're good, then they're not. It depends on which week you catch 'em. Missouri, last year's Big 12 darling, this year's underachiever. Not soooo bad, considering they lost a lot to graduation.
Iowa State beat Nebraska 9-7, Nebraska beat Missouri 27-12.
OK State beat 'em both.
They both beat Colorado.
Mizzou beat K-State, Iowa State lost to K-State.
I flip-flopped on this one as the spread grew to 15. Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances.
Some big games this weekend not on our slate:
Balancing the melancholy is the knowledge that I am smarter than the two new former University of Tennessee football players (click to story) who stuck up some guys in a gas station over the weekend, thereby earning themselves a dismissal from the football team and likely an exit from their all expenses paid journey into the world of higher education. There's a hundred grand apiece pissed away in a heartbeat.
Onward to Week 12 and our selections. It is mission critical to avoid a letdown in the aftermath of last week's performance. Remember our mantra: money is good, more money is better.
**** Connecticut @ Notre Dame -5 1/2
All around the FourStarFootball world, there are eyebrow sprains occuring at an epidemic pace right now. The "never bet on Notre Dame" rule is being violated in flagrant foul fashion, as I am convinced that the South Bend lads are going to come out as if their hair is on fire and slay the visitors from the east. CT is coming off three straight losses, including a 47-45 loss to Cincinnatti last week that I believe will have sapped all their resolve, leaving them emotionally drained for this week's contest. This selection is not without risk, as CT is 5-0 ATS on the road, and ND is 2-4 ATS at home. Numerology (click to site) be damned, the University of South Bend will win this game by 18 points. If you go to the numerology site and enter "Charlie Weis", the number comes up 4, as in "Four Stars". That is quasi-scientific assurance. The O/U on this one is 56 1/2, and I think this is an over. Despite ND's impending victory this week, here's one of those ever-so-clever clues (click to story) that Charlie's number is up.*** Purdue @ Indiana +3
Three points is the consensus give for home teams, so the oddsmakers apparently see these two teams as evenly matched. I think this will be an offensive football showcase, to be clear, "lots of scoring" as opposed to "an offending display of ineptitude". Both teams are 4-7 coming in. Purdue is 2-2 ATS on the road, Indiana is 3-1 ATS at home. Each of these teams has experienced myriad horrors this year, e.g. Purdue having ND all but beaten in SoBe before deciding to spend a last minute time-out that gave ND time to get organized and score the game winner, while Indiana earlier this season gained the distinction being the victim of the greatest comeback in Northwestern football history, followed by a second half collapse against Iowa, followed by a 3 point loss to Wisconsin, and culminating in a 31-20 loss to Penn State after leading 10-0. The difference, in my guestimation, is that Indiana has a bit better talent and will be more motivated at home. This is, by the way, The Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game...the bucket, above, looks like some of the crap my wife brought home from the garden center to "beautify" our world, just sayin'. The O/U is 58 1/2, and I think this one will also be an over. ** Rutgers -8 @ Syracuse
Nobody ever shed a tear for dear old Rutgers, so goes the song, so sings the venerable TwoGunPete. Rutgers enters with a 7-2 record, Syracuse comes in 3-7. Equally important is that the state university of New Jersey is 3-0 ATS on the road. Rutgers is coming off a 31-0 thrashing of the South Florida Bulls (didn't see that one coming), while Syracuse was edged 10-9 at the wire by Louisville. I'm saying "conquering heroes" is a better frame of mind at this time than "heartbroken losers". Rutgers enters with: 3 game winning streak. Syracuse enters with: 3 game losing streak. If you go back to the numerology site and enter "Rutgers vs Syracuse", the number comes up "8", witness: 4 + 4, a four game win streak and a four game losing streak. This is almost as reliable as palm readers. Now that I've discovered this tool, we can stop studying and let the numbers do all the work. It will be the Scarlet Knights by 10.
* Iowa State +15 @ MissouriAh, the Cyclones, the state of Iowa's other college football team. They're good, then they're not. It depends on which week you catch 'em. Missouri, last year's Big 12 darling, this year's underachiever. Not soooo bad, considering they lost a lot to graduation.
Iowa State beat Nebraska 9-7, Nebraska beat Missouri 27-12.
OK State beat 'em both.
They both beat Colorado.
Mizzou beat K-State, Iowa State lost to K-State.
I flip-flopped on this one as the spread grew to 15. Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances.
- it's Ohio State & Michigan (OSU is -12 and I can't make up my mind),
- TCU has to lay 31 @ Wyoming (O/U is 47 1/2, I'm going over again),
- Cal visits Stanford -7 1/2 (O/U is a whopping 65, too high), and
- Northwestern is a 7 point dog to visiting Wisconsin (I'll be cheering, not investing, sorry, 'CatNation, not this week).
Monday, November 16, 2009
4 for 4 , Extra Credit and Sartorial Splendor
I live for days like this, when I get to put the words in print and read them back: WE WERE PERFECT ON SATURDAY. Not only hit all four, but nailed a bonus parlay as well. Our winners included two of the most nattily attired teams in college athletics, with Oregon dressed like a special ops squadron and TCU putting a unique spin on the color of royalty.
****Arizona State @ Oregon -17 1/2 WINNER
FINAL: Oregon 44, ASU 21
When the feathers settled Saturday night, the Ducks were back on top. By the way, Oregon appears to have more uniform combinations than any other two college teams combined. Saturday, the color was black: shoes, socks, pants, jerseys with wings and helmets, all black. The helmets were a matte finish, too. The Ducks looked like ninja assassins. They were flying high from the opening kick and found themselves building a comfy 31-7 halftime lead. ASU mounted a brief run in Q3, to bring the Ducks back within shouting distance, but it was all Ducks this night, and four stars for us.
***Georgia Tech -10 1/2 @ Duke WINNER
FINAL: GA Tech 49, Duke 10
Georgia Tech trailed 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. HA!
Six touchdowns later, the carnage ended. GA Tech has some of the biggest receivers I have ever seen, and they can run a little after they catch it, too.
Fast facts from ESPN.com:
Final: Clemson 43, NC State 23
*Utah @ TCU -20 WINNER
FINAL: TCU 55, Utah 28
I think this was the most impressive performance of the day Saturday, as TCU dealt a beat down on a Utah team that was ranked #16. TCU has the most impressive uniforms in maybe all the football world, Nike Pro Combat, new for this day (click here for a slide show that shows the gear up close). The Frogs could have won this game clad in sweat pants and swim fins. TCU is big, scary fast, and relentless. In other words, a bettor's dream team, as we layed 20 and the Frogs covered it handily.
For extra credit, if you bet the parlay of TCU -20 with OVER 64, you are sitting on a plump wallet today.
I love when that happens.
There were a few other games of grand note on Saturday.
FINAL: Oregon 44, ASU 21
When the feathers settled Saturday night, the Ducks were back on top. By the way, Oregon appears to have more uniform combinations than any other two college teams combined. Saturday, the color was black: shoes, socks, pants, jerseys with wings and helmets, all black. The helmets were a matte finish, too. The Ducks looked like ninja assassins. They were flying high from the opening kick and found themselves building a comfy 31-7 halftime lead. ASU mounted a brief run in Q3, to bring the Ducks back within shouting distance, but it was all Ducks this night, and four stars for us.
***Georgia Tech -10 1/2 @ Duke WINNER
FINAL: GA Tech 49, Duke 10
Georgia Tech trailed 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. HA!
Six touchdowns later, the carnage ended. GA Tech has some of the biggest receivers I have ever seen, and they can run a little after they catch it, too.
Fast facts from ESPN.com:
- Georgia Tech clinched a berth in the ACC championship game.
- The Yellow Jackets outgained the Blue Devils 519-281 in the win.
- Georgia Tech has won eight straight games.
- Duke has lost 39 consecutive games to nationally ranked opponents.
Final: Clemson 43, NC State 23
"Clemson appears to be much stronger and I'm betting that they'll show it."
They were, They did. Period. Heismann candidate C.J. Spiller ran for a TD and threw for one, too.
FINAL: TCU 55, Utah 28
I think this was the most impressive performance of the day Saturday, as TCU dealt a beat down on a Utah team that was ranked #16. TCU has the most impressive uniforms in maybe all the football world, Nike Pro Combat, new for this day (click here for a slide show that shows the gear up close). The Frogs could have won this game clad in sweat pants and swim fins. TCU is big, scary fast, and relentless. In other words, a bettor's dream team, as we layed 20 and the Frogs covered it handily.
For extra credit, if you bet the parlay of TCU -20 with OVER 64, you are sitting on a plump wallet today.
I love when that happens.
There were a few other games of grand note on Saturday.
- USC crapped on the carpet in their own house this week, taking their worst at-home beating in 43 years at the hands of Stanford, 55-21 the final.
- Over at Wannie's place, Pitt jerked Notre Dame around on Saturday evening, allowing them to come back just close enough to crush the spirits of the ND zealots a second time when they steamrolled the Notre Dame QB to seal the victory. Take a good look at the round man soon, 'cause he ain't gonna be 'round much longer (click for story).
- Ohio State beat a resilient Iowa team with a field goal in OT --after Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz ran out the clock (click for full story) in the final minute of regulation instead of taking a shot at the win. Ferentz chose to go straight to OT, with an inexperienced freshman QB- a kid making his first college start-- in the spotlight dance at the Horseshoe in Columbus. Yes, they would likely have ended up there anyway, but there was time to try. The OSU defense brought the thunder and then their offense plinked a 3 pointer to officially flatline Iowa.
- Finally, Northwestern's Wildcats thumped Illinois 21-16 despite 3 missed FG's, in a game that wasn't close until the end. Third consecutive bowl eligible season for NU and parole from a holiday season trip to Detroit. This also is the first of my preseason future props to be decided. It's NU's 7th win of the season, and I took OVER 6 1/2 for a *** WINNER. BTW, Two Gun: did we place this, I hope?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Nothing to do With Football: Rant & Rave
I have tried to keep the faith that the Obama administration knows what they're doing. The Cash for Clunkers thing missed the mark (if We the People put up big money to save GM, why did the Clunkers program spend 22% of the total on Toyota?). I'm hoping that they get frustrated and quit before they fu&# up health care more than it already is. They haven't done a goddamn thing about the hordes of illegal immigrants or the ongoing squander of lives and wealth in Afghanistan and related toilet countries. Despite all those non-achievements, I have still tried to have faith. I have tried based on the mess that W and friends created before they slithered away, and based on our country needing to succeed with the current group at the helm.
Sadly, the latest brainstorm from DC has overwhelmed my ability to believe. I am referring to the proposal to give every newborn child a $500 savings account. Despite all the bulls#&t propaganda that has accompanied the idea (the money will go to the child's education, to buy a first house, blah-blah-blah mom & apple pie), there are some enormous holes in this boat.
For starters, we don't have the money, $3.25 BILLION per year. We still owe the $3 billion they put into the Clunkers for Toyotas program. Next, what is the stimulus value of handing out cash from the empty government cash drawer? This money is supposed to be tied up for 18 years minimum. The Fed hands out $3 billion a year that gets invested with the financial institutions that we've already paid billions to bail out...uh-huh, sounds like giving the fox a suite in the henhouse. Finally, I have a problem with the notion that this is a modern Robin Hood play, when most of recipients would be the offspring of people who are already costing us a shitload of cash,including all the kids born to the millions of illegal aliens. I'll give my family's newborns $500 apiece, the rest of the country is on their own.
What do you think?
End of rant and on to football.
****Arizona State @ Oregon -17 1/2
I admit that I was shaken by Oregon's performance last week, more specifically by my inability to foresee how they would perform (a 52-41 loss to Stanford). Some behaviors are clearly aberrent, and that's what we had last week. The Ducks are 7-2 and a really good team whose bowl game expectations are in jeopardy. Arizona State is the visitor here, and they extended themselves to the limit last Saturday night at home in a 14-9 loss to USC. I think it's a bounce-back performance for Oregon against a spent SunDevils squad.
***Georgia Tech -10 1/2 @ Duke
The Wreck has shown some big talent this year. Duke, the opponent and home team, is better than they used to be (they were headed for a new major college consecutive loss record a couple autumns ago until Northwestern handed them a victory on a night in Evanston when yours truly sat in the stands in angry witness ) but they still have a ways to go. I'll confess, follow the leader put me over the top: 90% of the bettors were headed this way, and that was enough to bring me in.
**Clemson -8 @ NC State
Clemson comes in 6-3, NC State is 4-5, with all 4 wins at home. Clemson has beaten Miami and FSU in the last three weeks (with a blowout against Coastal Carolina in the middle). NC State beat Maryland last week, but had a string of losses against average opponents prior to that. Clemson appears to be much stronger and I'm betting that they'll show it.
*Utah @ TCU -20
It's a bit risky to lay 20 at this point in the season when pairing up an 8-1 team with a 9-0 team. Here's my reasoning: Utah is 3-6 ATS while TCU is a nifty 7-2 ATS, including their last four in a row, 3 of those by double digits. TCU has the opportunity for a great bowl invitation, and beating the snot out of your late in the season opponents is a great way to put your best foot forward.
I'll offer up the over (47) on this game as my suggestion for a Parley Pete Play, that is TCU-20 linked with over 47. Two Gun has instructed me that this type of wager typically pays as well as the government.
We shall play the role of Toyota.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Some Days Chicken, Some Days Feathers
No chicken for us this past Saturday, just a mouthful of feathers, as we put up a losing weekend. I hate to lose. It just eats away at me, losing, especially when a couple or three games that I passed on turned out to be candy.
The sweet spot for Saturday night came courtesy of PBS, which put up a John Fogerty Live Request show from 8 to 10. While I watched USC put on a great display of "watch how we suck" on ESPN 360 (perhaps the greatest innovation of the 21st century), we all sat around and watched JF belt out song after song that had my 17 year old son wide eyed, repeatedly looking at me and saying "He did THAT one, too?" John Fogerty is 64 years old, he's been recording since he was 14, and his list of hits is pretty astounding. Here's one to soothe the pain that my lousy prognosticating has inflicted.
****USC -11 @ Arizona State LOSE
Final: USC 14, Arizona State 9
The analogy that I drew in handicapping this game was to liken USC to a junkyard dog with a bad attitude. On Saturday night, the USC offense was more like a toothless lap dog. They took only 3 offensive snaps in the AZ State side of the field all game. Three plays on offense beyond the 50 yard line! AZ State isn't a defensive juggernaut, USC is just a shitty offensive team all of a sudden. USC held a 14-3 lead into the 4th quarter, gave up a TD pass and then blocked the PAT. I'm sitting there thinking that USC scores and we're up by 12, get a nice little cover and take our money, but nooooooo, these guys looked like an old Mack Sennet comedy on offense, including an interception that had 4 or 5 different players put hands (and feet) on the ball before AZ State finally ended up with the ball at the USC 30. So USC wins the game straight up, blows the cover, and we get stiffed on the 4 star bet. Damn! Double damn! AZ State had a shot to win at the end but they couldn't put anything together.
***TCU -24 1/2 @ SanDiego State WINNER
Final: 55-12 for the Mean Looking Guys...and us!
Mean looking amphibian, the Horned Frog, and moving up in the BCS rankings. We got on board at the right time with these guys as they pounded the home team. Thank heaven we got one right.
**Oregon -5 1/2 @ Stanford LOSE
Final: 51-42
"They make their living at Stanford by doing things people don't expect." The Cardinal did this in a most convincing fashion, kickin' Duck-butt at the line of scrimmage. Stanford's O-line just pounded the snot out of Oregon all day long, doing it so well that Stanford's halfback, Toby Gerhart, passed the 200 yard rushing mark just after the start of the 4th quarter. Oregon charged back hard in the 4th quarter, but they'd given up much too great a lead. If I had guaranteed they'd score 93 points in this game, who'd have thought Stanford would put up 51 of 'em? This will cost Oregon in the rankings, and it serves 'em right for costing us money.
*Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech -15 LOSE
Final: GT 30-27 in OT
La Cubanina sent us a caution about this one. Alas, it was too late. We stayed with GT too long, and the oddsmakers reeled us in. 15 was too much. This was another game where I wished that my pick would get beaten straight up when they blew the cover. I am quite vindictive when wagering is concerned.
The football happiness of the day came when my Northwestern Wildcats knocked off Iowa, 17-10, in Iowa City. The win made NU bowl eligible, and knocked Iowa out of the ranks of the unbeaten. Unfortunately, Iowa's QB sustained a severe ankle sprain that's apparently going to sideline him for the last two games of the season. There was another smiler Saturday, as Navy made some really big plays and beat Notre Dame again, probably a KO for the Charlie Weis regime. Anchors aweigh, Week 11 coming up on Thursday and we'll get back on track.
The sweet spot for Saturday night came courtesy of PBS, which put up a John Fogerty Live Request show from 8 to 10. While I watched USC put on a great display of "watch how we suck" on ESPN 360 (perhaps the greatest innovation of the 21st century), we all sat around and watched JF belt out song after song that had my 17 year old son wide eyed, repeatedly looking at me and saying "He did THAT one, too?" John Fogerty is 64 years old, he's been recording since he was 14, and his list of hits is pretty astounding. Here's one to soothe the pain that my lousy prognosticating has inflicted.
****USC -11 @ Arizona State LOSE
Final: USC 14, Arizona State 9
The analogy that I drew in handicapping this game was to liken USC to a junkyard dog with a bad attitude. On Saturday night, the USC offense was more like a toothless lap dog. They took only 3 offensive snaps in the AZ State side of the field all game. Three plays on offense beyond the 50 yard line! AZ State isn't a defensive juggernaut, USC is just a shitty offensive team all of a sudden. USC held a 14-3 lead into the 4th quarter, gave up a TD pass and then blocked the PAT. I'm sitting there thinking that USC scores and we're up by 12, get a nice little cover and take our money, but nooooooo, these guys looked like an old Mack Sennet comedy on offense, including an interception that had 4 or 5 different players put hands (and feet) on the ball before AZ State finally ended up with the ball at the USC 30. So USC wins the game straight up, blows the cover, and we get stiffed on the 4 star bet. Damn! Double damn! AZ State had a shot to win at the end but they couldn't put anything together.
***TCU -24 1/2 @ SanDiego State WINNER
Final: 55-12 for the Mean Looking Guys...and us!
Mean looking amphibian, the Horned Frog, and moving up in the BCS rankings. We got on board at the right time with these guys as they pounded the home team. Thank heaven we got one right.
**Oregon -5 1/2 @ Stanford LOSE
Final: 51-42
"They make their living at Stanford by doing things people don't expect." The Cardinal did this in a most convincing fashion, kickin' Duck-butt at the line of scrimmage. Stanford's O-line just pounded the snot out of Oregon all day long, doing it so well that Stanford's halfback, Toby Gerhart, passed the 200 yard rushing mark just after the start of the 4th quarter. Oregon charged back hard in the 4th quarter, but they'd given up much too great a lead. If I had guaranteed they'd score 93 points in this game, who'd have thought Stanford would put up 51 of 'em? This will cost Oregon in the rankings, and it serves 'em right for costing us money.
*Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech -15 LOSE
Final: GT 30-27 in OT
La Cubanina sent us a caution about this one. Alas, it was too late. We stayed with GT too long, and the oddsmakers reeled us in. 15 was too much. This was another game where I wished that my pick would get beaten straight up when they blew the cover. I am quite vindictive when wagering is concerned.
The football happiness of the day came when my Northwestern Wildcats knocked off Iowa, 17-10, in Iowa City. The win made NU bowl eligible, and knocked Iowa out of the ranks of the unbeaten. Unfortunately, Iowa's QB sustained a severe ankle sprain that's apparently going to sideline him for the last two games of the season. There was another smiler Saturday, as Navy made some really big plays and beat Notre Dame again, probably a KO for the Charlie Weis regime. Anchors aweigh, Week 11 coming up on Thursday and we'll get back on track.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Digressions are Destinations, Too
The games will be played, the wagers won and lost, but it is the digressions, the sidetrips, that make this place enjoyable. Here's a few of the digressions that I encountered on the way to here this week.
****USC -11 @ Arizona State
On a football field, there are few things more dangerous than a really good football team that has very recently been given a thorough beating. Like a junkyard dog that has been mistreated, there's very little upside to being the one that next encounters this creature that is channeling great ability and a rather dour outlook. No upside at all, unless you're channeling a combination of Chuck Norris,Steven Seagal, Charles Bronson and Michael Corleone. Pete Carroll's Trojans suffered not just a loss last week, they were humiliated. Arizona State will pay dearly for that this Saturday. Vendetta.
***TCU -24 1/2 @ SanDiego State
TCU...mean looking guys. Mean looking amphibian, the Horned Frog. Number 6 ranking. 8-0 record. SanDiego State, the Aztecs, is 4-4. They have beaten New Mexico and New Mexico State. Boo Yah. Crush 'em, Frogs.
**Oregon -5 1/2 @ Stanford
The Ducks are flying high this week, having pounded PAC10 glamour boys USC. Nothing says danger like heading down to Palo Alto to tee it up with Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal. They make their living at Stanford by doing things people don't expect. I think this one is going to be close, but Oregon should prevail by a touchdown.
*Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech -15
Never fall in love with a team. The Wreck is being given a pretty high hurdle this week with the 15 point spread, and Wake is no slouch. GT's at home, they're on a roll, and they have greater aspirations in their eyes.Wake just lost to Florida last week, by one point. So why do we think that GT is 15 1/2 better?
Why not?
- Serrano, from the movie Major League, is now the Allstate spokesman. You're in good hands...
- My wagering associate has been making up stories about Tulsa for years. There are no wheat fields there. There are a million people there.
- I don't know anybody who likes Joe Buck or Tom Brenneman.
- Speaking of Tom, are there still Thom McAn stores?
- Friday Night Lights, the TV show, is already on its 3rd episode of the year, but only if you have DirectTV.
- The cell phone commercial where the two pigs are in a restaurant eating ham, that is one creepy commercial.
- There was an announcement this week that there are newly discovered, previously unreleased Frank Sinatra recordings. Does anybody really care?
- The new Buick Lacrosse is a very cool looking car. I was informed of that by a 17 year old. That suggests that there is reason for optimism at Buick, which last produced a cool car in the 80's, and has since been producing cars for people in their 80's.
- I used to enjoy hockey.
- The most interesting man in the world is the hockey of beer commercials.
- I think I'm going to buy a Teeter Hang Ups. Look it up.
****USC -11 @ Arizona State
On a football field, there are few things more dangerous than a really good football team that has very recently been given a thorough beating. Like a junkyard dog that has been mistreated, there's very little upside to being the one that next encounters this creature that is channeling great ability and a rather dour outlook. No upside at all, unless you're channeling a combination of Chuck Norris,Steven Seagal, Charles Bronson and Michael Corleone. Pete Carroll's Trojans suffered not just a loss last week, they were humiliated. Arizona State will pay dearly for that this Saturday. Vendetta.
TCU...mean looking guys. Mean looking amphibian, the Horned Frog. Number 6 ranking. 8-0 record. SanDiego State, the Aztecs, is 4-4. They have beaten New Mexico and New Mexico State. Boo Yah. Crush 'em, Frogs.
**Oregon -5 1/2 @ Stanford
The Ducks are flying high this week, having pounded PAC10 glamour boys USC. Nothing says danger like heading down to Palo Alto to tee it up with Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal. They make their living at Stanford by doing things people don't expect. I think this one is going to be close, but Oregon should prevail by a touchdown.
*Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech -15
Never fall in love with a team. The Wreck is being given a pretty high hurdle this week with the 15 point spread, and Wake is no slouch. GT's at home, they're on a roll, and they have greater aspirations in their eyes.Wake just lost to Florida last week, by one point. So why do we think that GT is 15 1/2 better?
Why not?
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