All picks are in...here's a quick list:
IND-BUF
AW and SS are on INDY...all else on BUF
NO-CAR
All on CAR...everyone thinks NO will tank it
JAC-CLE
JR is only one on CLE...not sure if I've hit a JAC game right all year!
CHI-DET
MH and MC on DET...all else on BEARS
NE-HOU
JR, GR, MH on favored TEXANS...all else on PATS
PIT-MIA
JR is only one on MIA...I still think PIT isn't very good.
NYG-MIN
JG, GR, SS on NYG...all else on Vikes.
SF-STL
GR and MC on STL...all else on 49ers
ATL-TB
JR on a limb again with TB...all else on ATL
PHI-DAL
Split...JR, GR, MC, SS on PHILLY
GB-ARI
JR and MC on PACK...all else on ARI
KC-DEN
MH and SS on DEN...all else taking big points
BAL-OAK
MR, MH, SS on BAL...all else taking points
WAS-SD
MR and MC taking Skins...all else on Super-Chargers
TEN-SEA
MR and MC on SEA...all else on TEN
CIN-NYJ
MR only one on NYJ...let's hope it comes down to this!!
MR is up by 4 on MK, 7 on GR, 9 on JR...with the way the picks shook out there is a chance for all 3 of us to catch Mike if everything goes the right way...should be fun.
Last Post of 2009...Happy New Year!
GO GOPHERS!!! Rah!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Quick Weekend Preview - Bowl Games
I just realized I probably have to do this preview for the entire weekend as well because I'm not going to get a shot to do it after today. So a brief summary...here we go:
NW-AUB(-8)
3 guys on NW...MR, MK, GR
I love AUB, but that's because I don't think NW is any good. AUB looking to start the train for 2010 and an SEC > B10 pick is easy.
FSU-WV (-3.5)
3 guys on FSU...JR, MH, SS
Honestly, really surpirsed more of us didn't go with Bowden in his last game ever. I mean, come on man! The Noles will win, the points are just a bonus.
LSU-PSU (-2.5)
Parody here...only 4 on PSU: MR, AW, GR, SS
Toughest pick of the whole thing for me. I went LSU with my "never pick against an SEC team in a bowl" logic. I'm not that impressed with what PSU has done against good competition, LSU is battled tested.
OHIOST-ORE (-3.5)
SS on OHIOST...everyone else loves OREGON.
Tried to find a reason to pick tOSU...but couldn't. I don't think I can make that mistake again in a bowl game until they prove that they can actually win one on the big stage.
CIN-FLA (-10.5)
3 on CINCY...JR, AW, GR
Not loving this pick, but it's really tough to figure out who is going to show up for either of these teams. Does FLA start thinking about their future and pull an ALA v. UTAH from LY? Does CIN feel excited to prove a point against the likely #2 team in the nation and prove that they can succeed without their coach? I'm betting on it.
JAN 2nd
NILL-USF(-6)
NILL has 3 fans...MR, GR, MH
I think USF rolls here. Bet on the big conference school over a tiny one with a small spread like this.
UCONN-SC (-6)
UCONN has 3...MR, MK, GR
I took SEC over BIGEAST in this one. Bad game, even I might not want to watch this one.
OLE MISS - OKST (3)
OKST has 4 on them...JG, AW, MH, SS
I love SEC teams in matchups like this. OKST is also without their stud OT...probably...which doesn't help with the nice DL that OLE brings to the table.
ARK-ECU (+8)
GR is the only one on Skip Holtz and ECU.
I LOVE ARK in this game. Looking to build into a big-time 2010, SEC vs. small conf team, should be a big mismatch. ECU plays some D...but ARK offense might be the best in the nation right now.
Finally...the "will anyone show up or care" Bowl
MSU-TT (-6.5)
SS is the only one on MSU...which might not be a terrible pick right now.
One team just fired their coach, the other just suspended 15 guys. WTF is going on around here? Impossible to predict the mental states of either of these teams. So flip a coin and take your chances.
That's all for the weekend...there will be 4 games and 16 points left after the weekend, so hopefully we'll have some drama for early next week. Remember, this bowl total will be added to your NFL playoff total to determine the winner, so every point you get is a good thing and will help you out.
NW-AUB(-8)
3 guys on NW...MR, MK, GR
I love AUB, but that's because I don't think NW is any good. AUB looking to start the train for 2010 and an SEC > B10 pick is easy.
FSU-WV (-3.5)
3 guys on FSU...JR, MH, SS
Honestly, really surpirsed more of us didn't go with Bowden in his last game ever. I mean, come on man! The Noles will win, the points are just a bonus.
LSU-PSU (-2.5)
Parody here...only 4 on PSU: MR, AW, GR, SS
Toughest pick of the whole thing for me. I went LSU with my "never pick against an SEC team in a bowl" logic. I'm not that impressed with what PSU has done against good competition, LSU is battled tested.
OHIOST-ORE (-3.5)
SS on OHIOST...everyone else loves OREGON.
Tried to find a reason to pick tOSU...but couldn't. I don't think I can make that mistake again in a bowl game until they prove that they can actually win one on the big stage.
CIN-FLA (-10.5)
3 on CINCY...JR, AW, GR
Not loving this pick, but it's really tough to figure out who is going to show up for either of these teams. Does FLA start thinking about their future and pull an ALA v. UTAH from LY? Does CIN feel excited to prove a point against the likely #2 team in the nation and prove that they can succeed without their coach? I'm betting on it.
JAN 2nd
NILL-USF(-6)
NILL has 3 fans...MR, GR, MH
I think USF rolls here. Bet on the big conference school over a tiny one with a small spread like this.
UCONN-SC (-6)
UCONN has 3...MR, MK, GR
I took SEC over BIGEAST in this one. Bad game, even I might not want to watch this one.
OLE MISS - OKST (3)
OKST has 4 on them...JG, AW, MH, SS
I love SEC teams in matchups like this. OKST is also without their stud OT...probably...which doesn't help with the nice DL that OLE brings to the table.
ARK-ECU (+8)
GR is the only one on Skip Holtz and ECU.
I LOVE ARK in this game. Looking to build into a big-time 2010, SEC vs. small conf team, should be a big mismatch. ECU plays some D...but ARK offense might be the best in the nation right now.
Finally...the "will anyone show up or care" Bowl
MSU-TT (-6.5)
SS is the only one on MSU...which might not be a terrible pick right now.
One team just fired their coach, the other just suspended 15 guys. WTF is going on around here? Impossible to predict the mental states of either of these teams. So flip a coin and take your chances.
That's all for the weekend...there will be 4 games and 16 points left after the weekend, so hopefully we'll have some drama for early next week. Remember, this bowl total will be added to your NFL playoff total to determine the winner, so every point you get is a good thing and will help you out.
NFL Picks needed...Bowl Update & Preview
First - I still need NFL picks from the following people:
ROE, BOMB, HEINERT, CORCORAN - please send these over as soon as you can so we're locked for the final Sunday.
KOBOW won 2 more Bowl games yesterday to increases his lead in the overall standings.
CURRENT STANDINGS
MK-24
JR-14
JG-14
MH-14
MC-14
SS-13
MR-10
AW-10
GR-10
15 points available today with 5 bowl games being played - this is the end of the 3 pointers.
AF-HOU (-4.5)
ARMED FORCES Bowl
The early kickoff game of the day is a rematch from last season. These two met in the regular season last year, the bowl game last year, and the bowl again this season. They split last season with AF winning the bowl game. AF won 3 of their last 4, HOU only lost 2 games all year long. Everyone knows HOU has a ridiculous passing offense...but these types of teams tend to struggle a bit after a lay-off like this. We saw AF first hand, and they are a solid club. They only allowed 15 ppg this season, which is outstanding. The Gophers putting up 20 on them was the 3rd highest pt total they allowed all year. BYU did hang 38 on them to end the season, but I think HOU struggles a bit today, and you know that AF offense will put up numbers on a HOU defense that is barely there.
Who you got? JR, JG, MK, MC, SS all on AF....MR, AW, GR, MH on HOU. Good parity here.
Note: the least popular pick in the pool in each game has won the last 3.
STAN-OK (-10)
SUN Bowl
At first glance, I loved STAN in this game. After looking at some notes and doing a little studying, I reversed field. STAN offense was tremendous this year, 36 ppg and 441 ypg. However, their stud frosh QB Andrew Luck just had pins removed from a repaired arm and is very questionable. Without him they have Gerhart...and that's it. The backup QB is a senior, but not a good one. A one dimensional run offense aginst the OK D, even with all the injuries, doesn't look like a good matchup to me. OK has something to prove and is looking, like NEB, to kick start its way into a much better 2010. The Landry Jones era is officially starting and you know Stoops has got that D ready to show up. I know OK has been horrible in bowl games of late, but I really think the whole world is on STAN here so I'm going against it.
Who you got? JR on OK...everyone else loves STAN...just like I thought.
NAVY-MIZZ (-9)
TEXAS Bowl
The infamous Texas Bowl, worst game of the day. I'm developing a theory on games like this...bet against small conf (or Independent) teams against big-time BCS competition. I think the MIZZOU offense will run wild on these guys today. 30 ppg, won 4 of 5 against bad teams to close the year, and an underrated D, and they played well on the road this season. NAVY, you know what you're going to get. I wish the line was less than a TD, but I think a lot of people gravitate to the service academies in games like this, so I'm betting against that public opinion as well.
Who you got? AW, MH, MC are on the NAVY...All else on MIZZOU.
TEN-VT (-4.5)
CHICK-FIL-A Bowl
This could be a classic. Defense vs. defense...have to love the under on this one. VT appears to be the much better team, but I really think TEN could be building this up to be something crazy good for 2010. Monte Kiffin is a defensive genius, even though you don't really have to be to stop the Hokie offense. They can definitely run it well, but this is a good SEC D...so running the ball usually doesn't really happen. Can TEN move it? Well, they scored over 30 in 4 of their last 5...so that's a good sign. They have lots of RB's and Crompton the QB has improved greatly throughout the season. The deciding factor for me SEC>ACC...when in doubt bet the better conference and better competition.
Who you got? JR, JG, MR, MH on TENNESSEE...MK, AW, GR, MC, SS on VTECH.
And finally..........
CYCLONES vs. GOPHERS (-3)
INSIGHT Bowl
The game we've all been waiting for, right. Well, I know I woke up with a little fire this morning knowing it's the last GameDay we'll get until next Sept. when we travel to MID TEN ST. to open 2010. I think the longer the Gophers don't play, the better I feel about them. After SDSU and IOWA I felt like we were horrible and couldn't be fixed. Amazing what a month does to you...and watching the MSU game on replay about 3 times! Here's the deal, both teams have horrible offenses and pretty okay defenses. The Clones have lost 3 of 4 coming into the bowl game. They beat nobody this year except the +8 turnover game against the Huskers. They like to run it, and throwing it is a little suspect. The Gophs, well...I think we all know their story. The D should play well, we'll see a lot of time for the younger guys with 9 senior starters on D. The offense should hopefully be better than what we've seen pretty much all year. I really think we'll be able to run the ball tonight, and hopefully AWEB will be on target and not terrible. MGRAY is going to see some time at QB and WR tonight, sounds like lots of potential 2010 jobs are being put up for grabs starting tonight. What's going to happen? Well, I expect both offenses to perform better than expected and make this one kind of fun to watch. But I'll make the call that a Gopher defensive play will make the difference late in the game and put them in front for good...GOPHERS 27-24...push!
Who you got? I was very angry when making this pick so JR, MR, GR, SS are on the Clones....all else on the Gophers.
Should be a fun night - enjoy it, the last real game until next September!
Happy New Year - don't forget to send over your final NFL Picks for the regular season. Or MR could just not send picks and go 0-15...that might give us all a chance!
ROE, BOMB, HEINERT, CORCORAN - please send these over as soon as you can so we're locked for the final Sunday.
KOBOW won 2 more Bowl games yesterday to increases his lead in the overall standings.
CURRENT STANDINGS
MK-24
JR-14
JG-14
MH-14
MC-14
SS-13
MR-10
AW-10
GR-10
15 points available today with 5 bowl games being played - this is the end of the 3 pointers.
AF-HOU (-4.5)
ARMED FORCES Bowl
The early kickoff game of the day is a rematch from last season. These two met in the regular season last year, the bowl game last year, and the bowl again this season. They split last season with AF winning the bowl game. AF won 3 of their last 4, HOU only lost 2 games all year long. Everyone knows HOU has a ridiculous passing offense...but these types of teams tend to struggle a bit after a lay-off like this. We saw AF first hand, and they are a solid club. They only allowed 15 ppg this season, which is outstanding. The Gophers putting up 20 on them was the 3rd highest pt total they allowed all year. BYU did hang 38 on them to end the season, but I think HOU struggles a bit today, and you know that AF offense will put up numbers on a HOU defense that is barely there.
Who you got? JR, JG, MK, MC, SS all on AF....MR, AW, GR, MH on HOU. Good parity here.
Note: the least popular pick in the pool in each game has won the last 3.
STAN-OK (-10)
SUN Bowl
At first glance, I loved STAN in this game. After looking at some notes and doing a little studying, I reversed field. STAN offense was tremendous this year, 36 ppg and 441 ypg. However, their stud frosh QB Andrew Luck just had pins removed from a repaired arm and is very questionable. Without him they have Gerhart...and that's it. The backup QB is a senior, but not a good one. A one dimensional run offense aginst the OK D, even with all the injuries, doesn't look like a good matchup to me. OK has something to prove and is looking, like NEB, to kick start its way into a much better 2010. The Landry Jones era is officially starting and you know Stoops has got that D ready to show up. I know OK has been horrible in bowl games of late, but I really think the whole world is on STAN here so I'm going against it.
Who you got? JR on OK...everyone else loves STAN...just like I thought.
NAVY-MIZZ (-9)
TEXAS Bowl
The infamous Texas Bowl, worst game of the day. I'm developing a theory on games like this...bet against small conf (or Independent) teams against big-time BCS competition. I think the MIZZOU offense will run wild on these guys today. 30 ppg, won 4 of 5 against bad teams to close the year, and an underrated D, and they played well on the road this season. NAVY, you know what you're going to get. I wish the line was less than a TD, but I think a lot of people gravitate to the service academies in games like this, so I'm betting against that public opinion as well.
Who you got? AW, MH, MC are on the NAVY...All else on MIZZOU.
TEN-VT (-4.5)
CHICK-FIL-A Bowl
This could be a classic. Defense vs. defense...have to love the under on this one. VT appears to be the much better team, but I really think TEN could be building this up to be something crazy good for 2010. Monte Kiffin is a defensive genius, even though you don't really have to be to stop the Hokie offense. They can definitely run it well, but this is a good SEC D...so running the ball usually doesn't really happen. Can TEN move it? Well, they scored over 30 in 4 of their last 5...so that's a good sign. They have lots of RB's and Crompton the QB has improved greatly throughout the season. The deciding factor for me SEC>ACC...when in doubt bet the better conference and better competition.
Who you got? JR, JG, MR, MH on TENNESSEE...MK, AW, GR, MC, SS on VTECH.
And finally..........
CYCLONES vs. GOPHERS (-3)
INSIGHT Bowl
The game we've all been waiting for, right. Well, I know I woke up with a little fire this morning knowing it's the last GameDay we'll get until next Sept. when we travel to MID TEN ST. to open 2010. I think the longer the Gophers don't play, the better I feel about them. After SDSU and IOWA I felt like we were horrible and couldn't be fixed. Amazing what a month does to you...and watching the MSU game on replay about 3 times! Here's the deal, both teams have horrible offenses and pretty okay defenses. The Clones have lost 3 of 4 coming into the bowl game. They beat nobody this year except the +8 turnover game against the Huskers. They like to run it, and throwing it is a little suspect. The Gophs, well...I think we all know their story. The D should play well, we'll see a lot of time for the younger guys with 9 senior starters on D. The offense should hopefully be better than what we've seen pretty much all year. I really think we'll be able to run the ball tonight, and hopefully AWEB will be on target and not terrible. MGRAY is going to see some time at QB and WR tonight, sounds like lots of potential 2010 jobs are being put up for grabs starting tonight. What's going to happen? Well, I expect both offenses to perform better than expected and make this one kind of fun to watch. But I'll make the call that a Gopher defensive play will make the difference late in the game and put them in front for good...GOPHERS 27-24...push!
Who you got? I was very angry when making this pick so JR, MR, GR, SS are on the Clones....all else on the Gophers.
Should be a fun night - enjoy it, the last real game until next September!
Happy New Year - don't forget to send over your final NFL Picks for the regular season. Or MR could just not send picks and go 0-15...that might give us all a chance!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Leach fired?
It's being reported by ESPN that this is a done deal. Wow.
How does TT fire a guy who single-handedly put your program on the map?
An interesting tidbit from my TT buddy this morning...here it is verbatim:
"James, who’s dad is Craig James. Where did Craig go to school…SMU. Who just won a big bowl game, runs a similar offense as Tech and needs the momentum to build their program, using slightly less than Blue Chip players…that’s right SMU. James is trying to get Tech in trouble so his old man can help sway kids from Tech to June Jones’ run and gun offense.
Completely trashy move. I liked Craig as an announcer, not anymore."
Hadn't thought of that angle, but I guess that is what a lot of the TT fans and insiders are claiming.
How can you fire this guy? They were very hesitant heading into the extension he signed, but I'm guessing they realized they can afford it anymore and he's due an $800K bonus on Jan 1. They were looking for a jest cause to fire him, so this little concussion issue seems to be it. Honestly, when you're concussed aren't you supposed to sit in a dark room in silence? I'm no expert, but I think I remember hearing that during one of the 2200 ESPN special reports on concussions this year.
What do they do now? They are on the hook for a $400K/yr buyout and they need a coach.
Mr. Maturi...if you are considering a change, how fun would it be to bring Mike Leach aboard and really crank up the offense? Could be interesting to see what happens to this guy - he needs a school that is willing to change everything to implement his system so I'm betting someone looking to rebuild or just make a huge splash and excite the fan base. We may fit that criteria. I'd welcome the Pirate fanatic to TCF if he's interested.
How does TT fire a guy who single-handedly put your program on the map?
An interesting tidbit from my TT buddy this morning...here it is verbatim:
"James, who’s dad is Craig James. Where did Craig go to school…SMU. Who just won a big bowl game, runs a similar offense as Tech and needs the momentum to build their program, using slightly less than Blue Chip players…that’s right SMU. James is trying to get Tech in trouble so his old man can help sway kids from Tech to June Jones’ run and gun offense.
Completely trashy move. I liked Craig as an announcer, not anymore."
Hadn't thought of that angle, but I guess that is what a lot of the TT fans and insiders are claiming.
How can you fire this guy? They were very hesitant heading into the extension he signed, but I'm guessing they realized they can afford it anymore and he's due an $800K bonus on Jan 1. They were looking for a jest cause to fire him, so this little concussion issue seems to be it. Honestly, when you're concussed aren't you supposed to sit in a dark room in silence? I'm no expert, but I think I remember hearing that during one of the 2200 ESPN special reports on concussions this year.
What do they do now? They are on the hook for a $400K/yr buyout and they need a coach.
Mr. Maturi...if you are considering a change, how fun would it be to bring Mike Leach aboard and really crank up the offense? Could be interesting to see what happens to this guy - he needs a school that is willing to change everything to implement his system so I'm betting someone looking to rebuild or just make a huge splash and excite the fan base. We may fit that criteria. I'd welcome the Pirate fanatic to TCF if he's interested.
Bowl Update
2 games...2 losses. That was how my night went.
We should have realized it was a terrible pick once we all agreed on MIAMI over WIS...too much homerism in play I guess. I still think with a healthy Cooper and Harris the Canes coulda/shoulda beat them and covered. Buck the Fadgers.
Temple got my hopes up, but then the stud frosh RB gets injured and the offense goes in the tank. I really don't like Rick Neuheisel...he's a d-bag. Hope Carroll beats them 60-0 next season so he can whine some more.
With that...the updated standings:
26 points down...74 to go
MK-18
JG-14
MH-14
MC-14
JR-11
MR-10
AW-10
SS-10
GR-7
Still waiting on cash from the following guys: KOBOW, JARED, HEINERT, CORCORAN, ROE
Please send over a $20 check or get me $20 in cash sometime soon before we get too far along and forget about it. Thanks.
Today - 6 more points on the line...
Classic tilt this afternoon to start things:
BGSU vs. IDAHO (pickem)
HUMANITARIAN Bowl
Idaho's first bowl in...forever. That was a good angle with TEMPLE too...right? Bowling Green has been up and down, they throw it all over the place and score a bit (over 30 the last 4 games). Idaho lost 4 of their last 5, hasn't covered since 10/10, and has given up 115 the last 2 games. Of their 7 wins, only 3 have come by more than 1 score. Bottom line...they'll be overmatched playing on emotion so a hot start by BGSU should end this thing.
Who you got? Leader MK is on IDAHO with SS...all else on BGSU!
Tonight's tilt should be a little more entertaining:
NEBRASKA vs. ARIZONA (pick'em)
HOLIDAY Bowl
Nice matchup, as always, in the Holiday Bowl. I think we all know about NEB...all D, no offense. Only allowed 11 ppg this season and lost on a last second FG to TEX, by 1 to VT, routed by TTECH, and had 8! turnovers against the Clones to lose 9-7. The offense is not good, but I have to believe that D will carry them once again tonight. ARI is a little more of an unknown to most of us. Since the clunker they played against IOWA, they changed QB's and have averaged 31 ppg. Lost a close one to ORE, by 8 at CAL, by 3 at WASH, and by 10 to IOWA. This team has arrived after being brutal for such a long time. IOWA is probably the best D they've played, and their success was minimal. I think NEB kick start their way into a big 2010 and gets the running game going for a 20-17 victory.
Who ya got? JR, MK, GR all on HuskerNation...everyone else is anti-Big Red.
Tomorrow we have 5 games on the slate...I'm working the morning, basically just to write the big 5 game preview including the grand-daddy of them all...the Insight Bowl.
We should have realized it was a terrible pick once we all agreed on MIAMI over WIS...too much homerism in play I guess. I still think with a healthy Cooper and Harris the Canes coulda/shoulda beat them and covered. Buck the Fadgers.
Temple got my hopes up, but then the stud frosh RB gets injured and the offense goes in the tank. I really don't like Rick Neuheisel...he's a d-bag. Hope Carroll beats them 60-0 next season so he can whine some more.
With that...the updated standings:
26 points down...74 to go
MK-18
JG-14
MH-14
MC-14
JR-11
MR-10
AW-10
SS-10
GR-7
Still waiting on cash from the following guys: KOBOW, JARED, HEINERT, CORCORAN, ROE
Please send over a $20 check or get me $20 in cash sometime soon before we get too far along and forget about it. Thanks.
Today - 6 more points on the line...
Classic tilt this afternoon to start things:
BGSU vs. IDAHO (pickem)
HUMANITARIAN Bowl
Idaho's first bowl in...forever. That was a good angle with TEMPLE too...right? Bowling Green has been up and down, they throw it all over the place and score a bit (over 30 the last 4 games). Idaho lost 4 of their last 5, hasn't covered since 10/10, and has given up 115 the last 2 games. Of their 7 wins, only 3 have come by more than 1 score. Bottom line...they'll be overmatched playing on emotion so a hot start by BGSU should end this thing.
Who you got? Leader MK is on IDAHO with SS...all else on BGSU!
Tonight's tilt should be a little more entertaining:
NEBRASKA vs. ARIZONA (pick'em)
HOLIDAY Bowl
Nice matchup, as always, in the Holiday Bowl. I think we all know about NEB...all D, no offense. Only allowed 11 ppg this season and lost on a last second FG to TEX, by 1 to VT, routed by TTECH, and had 8! turnovers against the Clones to lose 9-7. The offense is not good, but I have to believe that D will carry them once again tonight. ARI is a little more of an unknown to most of us. Since the clunker they played against IOWA, they changed QB's and have averaged 31 ppg. Lost a close one to ORE, by 8 at CAL, by 3 at WASH, and by 10 to IOWA. This team has arrived after being brutal for such a long time. IOWA is probably the best D they've played, and their success was minimal. I think NEB kick start their way into a big 2010 and gets the running game going for a 20-17 victory.
Who ya got? JR, MK, GR all on HuskerNation...everyone else is anti-Big Red.
Tomorrow we have 5 games on the slate...I'm working the morning, basically just to write the big 5 game preview including the grand-daddy of them all...the Insight Bowl.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Is this Heaven?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/technology/internet/28gamble.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
I think I just might have to try this next year!
I think I just might have to try this next year!
NFL Lines - Final Week Football Challenge
A couple of these are created by your truly...I figured getting lines out there now would be better than waiting for Thursday or so when some of these will probably be posted.
Send me your top 15 of 16
IND
BUF 6
NO
CAR 3
JAC
CLE -3
CHI
DET 3
NE
HOU -8
PITT
MIA 0
NYG
MIN -8.5
SF
STL 7
ATL
TB 0
PHI
DAL -3
GB
ARI -3
KC
DEN -13.5
BAL
OAK 11
WAS
SD -7
TEN
SEA 5
CIN
NYJ -9
Send me your top 15 of 16
IND
BUF 6
NO
CAR 3
JAC
CLE -3
CHI
DET 3
NE
HOU -8
PITT
MIA 0
NYG
MIN -8.5
SF
STL 7
ATL
TB 0
PHI
DAL -3
GB
ARI -3
KC
DEN -13.5
BAL
OAK 11
WAS
SD -7
TEN
SEA 5
CIN
NYJ -9
Why the Purple Suck
Okay. It's a laundry list of things that bug me...so bare with me:
1) Playcalling/Chilly
This is the obvious #1 choice. Chilly comes out with his master game plan that we had been implementing the last 3 years with the like of TJack, Gus, Brad, etc. at QB. I thought this was a thing of the past, but I guess not. Chilly continues to believe that we can run the ball at will and we WILL do it in the 1st half. He needs to realize the OL isn't good and we are not a running team this season. The only chance we have to run is when we open things up and throw all over the place to set up the run. Good coaches realize things like this...Belichick vs. the Purple on MNF a couple years ago comes to mind. I will continue to go with the angle that Chilly is not a good coach and will never take this team anywhere. A team takes on the personality of its coach...and for us this is a scary fact.
2) OL Play
This has been very bad as of late, and really not super duper all year long. Why? McKinnie is overrated, Herrera - despite all the BS PA spews about being such a great run blocker - looks like he's overmatched each week. Loadholt is a rookie, Sullivan is playing for the 1st time, and Hutch is a rock star. I guess we probably shouldn't have expected much more out of this group in 2009, but they seem to have more bad plays than good ones.
3) DL
Don't we have 3 Pro Bowl DL? Do any of them play anymore? Allen does nothing against anyone but the Pack. KWill might be the most overrated player I've seen in quite some time - seriously, does he ever make a play anymore? I know the whole "doubled and tripled on every play" arguement, but it didn't look like it last night. He got owned by a couple of no-namers in the middle of the Bears line. Fat Pat was out, and he's almost 40 years old too...he's close to being done. Sack tracker is a joke. He shows up 2-3 games per year.
4) DBACKS
When did Winfield start to look overmatched and old? He got torched multiple times last night. I heard the arguement this morning that his ankle isn't right yet...well don't play then! If you can cover Aromasadushamnsu then you shouldn't be a starting CB in the NFL right now. Don't tough it out if you're not healthy - let's find a guy that can step up and fill in. Safety play is maybe the worst in the league. I actually saw a TyJohnson pass break-up last night...that's 1 this year, nice job TJ! Madieu gets plowed over by Cutler and hasn't been able to tackle all season - nice investment there. I think we need at least 1 but maybe 2 new starters at S next season.
5) SPT
Nice coverage unit last night. Remember when getting Heath Farwell back was going to bring our coverage units back to being a strong point? He looked good chansing DManning all over the field last night on our 20-30 yard line! We get an XP blocked, ridiculous. That was the game winner. Kluwe mis-hits another one for like 8 yards. Why can't we kick it any deeper than the 20 yard line on kickoffs?
6) AD
I love Adrian, but god damnit he has to stop fumbling! It was a great defensive play, but seriously most fumble in the league the L3Y by far...not acceptable.
So besides that, we're golden. If you can't beat the NYG next week at home then you should pull a ND and politely decline your playoff invitation. As long as Chilly is running this progrum I don't think we can win A PLAYOFF GAME, much less many playoff games and a Super Bowl.
I'm feeling really confident that we'll be playing during wild card weekend, likely DAL at the dome. Lose that one and start the Favre drama again...yippeee!
Sorry to be so negative, but this last month has been just stupid. Is it bad that I'm looking forward to watching the Insight Bowl waaaaayyyyy more than any kind of Viking "playoff" action?
1) Playcalling/Chilly
This is the obvious #1 choice. Chilly comes out with his master game plan that we had been implementing the last 3 years with the like of TJack, Gus, Brad, etc. at QB. I thought this was a thing of the past, but I guess not. Chilly continues to believe that we can run the ball at will and we WILL do it in the 1st half. He needs to realize the OL isn't good and we are not a running team this season. The only chance we have to run is when we open things up and throw all over the place to set up the run. Good coaches realize things like this...Belichick vs. the Purple on MNF a couple years ago comes to mind. I will continue to go with the angle that Chilly is not a good coach and will never take this team anywhere. A team takes on the personality of its coach...and for us this is a scary fact.
2) OL Play
This has been very bad as of late, and really not super duper all year long. Why? McKinnie is overrated, Herrera - despite all the BS PA spews about being such a great run blocker - looks like he's overmatched each week. Loadholt is a rookie, Sullivan is playing for the 1st time, and Hutch is a rock star. I guess we probably shouldn't have expected much more out of this group in 2009, but they seem to have more bad plays than good ones.
3) DL
Don't we have 3 Pro Bowl DL? Do any of them play anymore? Allen does nothing against anyone but the Pack. KWill might be the most overrated player I've seen in quite some time - seriously, does he ever make a play anymore? I know the whole "doubled and tripled on every play" arguement, but it didn't look like it last night. He got owned by a couple of no-namers in the middle of the Bears line. Fat Pat was out, and he's almost 40 years old too...he's close to being done. Sack tracker is a joke. He shows up 2-3 games per year.
4) DBACKS
When did Winfield start to look overmatched and old? He got torched multiple times last night. I heard the arguement this morning that his ankle isn't right yet...well don't play then! If you can cover Aromasadushamnsu then you shouldn't be a starting CB in the NFL right now. Don't tough it out if you're not healthy - let's find a guy that can step up and fill in. Safety play is maybe the worst in the league. I actually saw a TyJohnson pass break-up last night...that's 1 this year, nice job TJ! Madieu gets plowed over by Cutler and hasn't been able to tackle all season - nice investment there. I think we need at least 1 but maybe 2 new starters at S next season.
5) SPT
Nice coverage unit last night. Remember when getting Heath Farwell back was going to bring our coverage units back to being a strong point? He looked good chansing DManning all over the field last night on our 20-30 yard line! We get an XP blocked, ridiculous. That was the game winner. Kluwe mis-hits another one for like 8 yards. Why can't we kick it any deeper than the 20 yard line on kickoffs?
6) AD
I love Adrian, but god damnit he has to stop fumbling! It was a great defensive play, but seriously most fumble in the league the L3Y by far...not acceptable.
So besides that, we're golden. If you can't beat the NYG next week at home then you should pull a ND and politely decline your playoff invitation. As long as Chilly is running this progrum I don't think we can win A PLAYOFF GAME, much less many playoff games and a Super Bowl.
I'm feeling really confident that we'll be playing during wild card weekend, likely DAL at the dome. Lose that one and start the Favre drama again...yippeee!
Sorry to be so negative, but this last month has been just stupid. Is it bad that I'm looking forward to watching the Insight Bowl waaaaayyyyy more than any kind of Viking "playoff" action?
Standings - 1 weeks left...Bowl Updates
1 week to play...here's what it looks like:
MR 138 117 54.1%
MK 134 121 52.5%
GR 131 124 51.4%
JR 129 126 50.6%
MC 127 128 49.8%
MH 126 129 49.4%
AW 123 132 48.2%
JG 123 132 48.2%
MK is definitely within striking distance, GR maybe...JR nope. All else...nope.
Will ROE take the cake for the 3rd straight year? Unreal.
Final Week lines will be posted this afternoon.
BOWL UPDATE
How about those Bulldogs?!? That one went pretty muich exactly like I predicted...write that one down. Here are updated standings:
MK-15
JR-11
JG-11
MH-11
MC-11
MR-7
AW-7
GR-7
SS-7
20 points possible at this point, 80 to go.
2 games today....
UCLA-TEM (+4)
EAGLEBANK Bowl - 3:00ish this afternoon
The wonderful afternoon mid-week bowl games...so fun. Kind fo makes you want to skip out on those last couple hours of work, right? Well, maybe not this one. Although this is a big one for me and GR...we are the only 2 taking the points and the hungry Owls team. All else on UCLA and their country cinger coach...booo. Why Temple? For me it's a matter of motivation - they never play in bowls, UCLA isn't that great, TEM getting points...all good things.
WIS-MIA (-2.5)
CHAMPS SPORTS Bowl - 7:00
9 guys on the U this evening...0 on Becky. I love it. I really think this isn't close. Canes come out and score lots of points because they're excited to be back in the bowl season. WIS still doesn't impress me. They have been steady, but they are playing in a meaningless FLA bowl game for like the 10th year in a row and just can't be excited about it. Plus they are from the B10 which = not a good bowl team. Canes roll tonight!!!
Maybe some commentary later on the beautiful thing I watched last night...we'll see.
MR 138 117 54.1%
MK 134 121 52.5%
GR 131 124 51.4%
JR 129 126 50.6%
MC 127 128 49.8%
MH 126 129 49.4%
AW 123 132 48.2%
JG 123 132 48.2%
MK is definitely within striking distance, GR maybe...JR nope. All else...nope.
Will ROE take the cake for the 3rd straight year? Unreal.
Final Week lines will be posted this afternoon.
BOWL UPDATE
How about those Bulldogs?!? That one went pretty muich exactly like I predicted...write that one down. Here are updated standings:
MK-15
JR-11
JG-11
MH-11
MC-11
MR-7
AW-7
GR-7
SS-7
20 points possible at this point, 80 to go.
2 games today....
UCLA-TEM (+4)
EAGLEBANK Bowl - 3:00ish this afternoon
The wonderful afternoon mid-week bowl games...so fun. Kind fo makes you want to skip out on those last couple hours of work, right? Well, maybe not this one. Although this is a big one for me and GR...we are the only 2 taking the points and the hungry Owls team. All else on UCLA and their country cinger coach...booo. Why Temple? For me it's a matter of motivation - they never play in bowls, UCLA isn't that great, TEM getting points...all good things.
WIS-MIA (-2.5)
CHAMPS SPORTS Bowl - 7:00
9 guys on the U this evening...0 on Becky. I love it. I really think this isn't close. Canes come out and score lots of points because they're excited to be back in the bowl season. WIS still doesn't impress me. They have been steady, but they are playing in a meaningless FLA bowl game for like the 10th year in a row and just can't be excited about it. Plus they are from the B10 which = not a good bowl team. Canes roll tonight!!!
Maybe some commentary later on the beautiful thing I watched last night...we'll see.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Brewster Extension
I'm sure you've all heard about it, but here's what I know/think.
From everything I've heard/read it sounds like an extension purely for recruiting purposes. What does this mean? Well, it's tough to sell a kid when you only have 2 years left on your deal, so extending him for another 2-4 years will allow him to be the coach (in theory) for the entire career of the kids that are committing to him at this point. The great thing about this is that a) obviously it will help recruiting and b) the buy out appears to not be increasing at all and neither does his salary.
I think Brew, Maturi, and everyone realizes that he NEEDS to do something next year. What does this mean? Well, I don't think it will be a Rose Bowl but he needs to beat at least one of these (USC, PSU, IOWA, OHIOST, WIS) (4 of which are at TCF) and improve the club enough to be in the Alamo Bowl or better. Is this completely out of the realm of possibilities...no, but the odds are slim.
So what's going to happen? He gets this "extension", the club goes 6-6 or 5-7 again next season and he's gone. This changes nothing from the previous situation without him getting an extension because the buy out will remain constant (most reports state this to be the case). This will only help prevent defections from the current recruiting class and hopefully entice a few more fellas to come aboard. Best case scenario, Brew goes 8-4 next year and makes a nice bowl and EARNS a real extension...worst case the team stays stagnate and he's gone with hopefully a better recruiting class for 2010 and 2011 than he would have had as a lame duck coach with only 1 year on his deal.
KFAN and everyone will try to spin it as "what the hell are we doing? this guy is horrible?" but that's just because they hate the Gophers and frankly it's an easy punching bag. But if you look at how flimsy this "extension" actually appears to be I think you'll realize it is definitely a great thing for the Gophs and the future.
From everything I've heard/read it sounds like an extension purely for recruiting purposes. What does this mean? Well, it's tough to sell a kid when you only have 2 years left on your deal, so extending him for another 2-4 years will allow him to be the coach (in theory) for the entire career of the kids that are committing to him at this point. The great thing about this is that a) obviously it will help recruiting and b) the buy out appears to not be increasing at all and neither does his salary.
I think Brew, Maturi, and everyone realizes that he NEEDS to do something next year. What does this mean? Well, I don't think it will be a Rose Bowl but he needs to beat at least one of these (USC, PSU, IOWA, OHIOST, WIS) (4 of which are at TCF) and improve the club enough to be in the Alamo Bowl or better. Is this completely out of the realm of possibilities...no, but the odds are slim.
So what's going to happen? He gets this "extension", the club goes 6-6 or 5-7 again next season and he's gone. This changes nothing from the previous situation without him getting an extension because the buy out will remain constant (most reports state this to be the case). This will only help prevent defections from the current recruiting class and hopefully entice a few more fellas to come aboard. Best case scenario, Brew goes 8-4 next year and makes a nice bowl and EARNS a real extension...worst case the team stays stagnate and he's gone with hopefully a better recruiting class for 2010 and 2011 than he would have had as a lame duck coach with only 1 year on his deal.
KFAN and everyone will try to spin it as "what the hell are we doing? this guy is horrible?" but that's just because they hate the Gophers and frankly it's an easy punching bag. But if you look at how flimsy this "extension" actually appears to be I think you'll realize it is definitely a great thing for the Gophs and the future.
Weekend Recap
The regular season of the Football Challenge has come down to 1 week and 1 game...here's how this week has gone:
GR 9-5
MR 8-6
MK 8-6
MH 8-7
JG 7-7
MC 7-8
SS 7-8
JR 5-9
AW 3-11
GR and SS are the only two betting against the Purple tonight. No matter what happens tonight ROE is going to be in the driver's seat. He'll have at least a 4 game lead on the nextr closest (MK), about a 10 game lead on JR and about 7-9 game lead on GR. It's going to take a minor miracle to catch him...we'll see.
BOWL UPDATE
What a difference a weekend makes...3 for 3 on Saturday and I'm back baby!
STANDINGS
MK 12
JR 8
JG 8
MH 8
MC 8
AW 7
GR 7
MR 4
SS 4
This is out of a possible 17 points. MK is a smoking hot 7-3 to start the bowl season, nobody else over .500 at this point. 10 3pt games coming in the next 4 days before the New Year. Here's a look at tonights game:
A&M-GEO (-7)
INDEPENDENCE BOWL
AW and GR took the minority opinion in this one with the Aggies of A&M. I really like GEO. A&M is a very medicocre B12 squad, and GEO is a mediocre SEC squad. I'll take SEC over B12! GEO fired their much maligned DC Willie Martinez at the end of the regualr season, so I think they come out with some life on that side of the ball. They should have no problem scoring on A&M who gave up 33ppg this season. Here are the teams they've held under 30...NM, UAB, ISU, BAY...not exactly offensive juggernauts. I'm putting GEO on at least 35 tonight and believing that the SEC D will slow down the potentially potent A&M offense enough to cover. GEO should be using this as a spring board for next season but A&M has to be excited to be back in the bowl mix as well...who wants to be here angle would probably side with A&M but I really think the GEO team without Martinez is going to be jacked to show what they can do. It will be a nice alternative to watch once the Purple get up 31-3 tonight.
I'll send out the final list of NFL regular season games tomorrow.
GR 9-5
MR 8-6
MK 8-6
MH 8-7
JG 7-7
MC 7-8
SS 7-8
JR 5-9
AW 3-11
GR and SS are the only two betting against the Purple tonight. No matter what happens tonight ROE is going to be in the driver's seat. He'll have at least a 4 game lead on the nextr closest (MK), about a 10 game lead on JR and about 7-9 game lead on GR. It's going to take a minor miracle to catch him...we'll see.
BOWL UPDATE
What a difference a weekend makes...3 for 3 on Saturday and I'm back baby!
STANDINGS
MK 12
JR 8
JG 8
MH 8
MC 8
AW 7
GR 7
MR 4
SS 4
This is out of a possible 17 points. MK is a smoking hot 7-3 to start the bowl season, nobody else over .500 at this point. 10 3pt games coming in the next 4 days before the New Year. Here's a look at tonights game:
A&M-GEO (-7)
INDEPENDENCE BOWL
AW and GR took the minority opinion in this one with the Aggies of A&M. I really like GEO. A&M is a very medicocre B12 squad, and GEO is a mediocre SEC squad. I'll take SEC over B12! GEO fired their much maligned DC Willie Martinez at the end of the regualr season, so I think they come out with some life on that side of the ball. They should have no problem scoring on A&M who gave up 33ppg this season. Here are the teams they've held under 30...NM, UAB, ISU, BAY...not exactly offensive juggernauts. I'm putting GEO on at least 35 tonight and believing that the SEC D will slow down the potentially potent A&M offense enough to cover. GEO should be using this as a spring board for next season but A&M has to be excited to be back in the bowl mix as well...who wants to be here angle would probably side with A&M but I really think the GEO team without Martinez is going to be jacked to show what they can do. It will be a nice alternative to watch once the Purple get up 31-3 tonight.
I'll send out the final list of NFL regular season games tomorrow.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Bowl Update and NFL Pick Summary
JG and MR are the only 2 who capitalized on the SMU beat down of a ridiculously uninspired and short-handed NEV team last night. Updated standings:
MK-6
AW-5
JG-4
MR-4
MH-4
MC-4
GR-3
JR-2
SS-0
9 pts down...91 to go.
NFL Picks
SD-TEN
The x-mas matchup could be the best game of the week. JR and JG are the only ones on the TITANS tonight. If I had to go with a confidence rating on my 15 picks for this week...this would be in the top 5. I really love TEN tonight. 2 teams both coming off closer wins than expected, and TEN is at home. SD has peaked and is due for a close L. TITANS and pts = $$$
BUF-ATL
ATL coming off a big win at NYJ, BUF is not good...but decent enough to hang on in this one. I like BILLS. JG and MC are with me...all else on Falcons.
KC-CIN
Good split here. 14.5 is a lot of points for a team that hasn't exactly been an offensive juggernaut. Add to it the fact that the weather will be less than stellar and 14.5 looks insurmountable. CHEFS are the smart $ play...usually the smart $ play is the one most of us don't pick. I guess that's why we're amateurs.
OAK-CLE
Yuck. 2 brutal teams that have both lost their surprisingly effective QB's lately. We're split on it, rightfully so. I went CLE at home just because OAK is likely to play JaMarcus on the road the week after he actually did something good so the chance of a letdown from him is about 110%.
SEA-GB
SEA might be the most disappointing team in the league this year. There was hope when Holmgren spoke about coming back...but he went to CLE and hope is lost once again. GB is a nice team, bad loss last week but should be very tough at home in this one against a SEA team that has pretty much quit. I am in the minority once again with GR and MH and the PACK.
HOU-MIA
JR, MK, AW, SS all on the Dolphins. One ofg the best plays of the week in my opinion. HOU isn't a strong team. MIA has been extremely tough all year long. I really like a mentally tough team at home against a Texan club that is as flakey as they come.
CAR-NYG
CAR is the minoity pick in this one. MR, MH, MC all on the Panthers after last week's Purple beatdown. That is one of the main reasons I am against them this week. Off of that big win, they will be ready to lay an egg. NYG is in playoff push mode and DOMINATED last week at WAS. NYG will crush!
JAC-NE
NE has JG, MR, and SS on their side. All else are with JAC. I just cant' trust NE to get up to play anyone until the playoffs start. They are on cruise control and JAC is looking to still get a spot and maybe found some new confidence after last Thursdays game. I like the JAGS.
TB-NO
The best vs. the worst. 15.5 doesn't seem like enough to me. JG and MC are the only 2 on the Bucs for this one. I think NO relaxes after getting the 16-0 monkey off their back and they HOUSE TB...42-7.
BAL-PIT
Another good one for the week. Despite what happened last week, I still think PIT isn't good at all. BAL has been much more consistent and they actuallty have a D that is ready for some DEC football in the snow. MK is the only Tomlin believer.
STL-ARI
15.5 is a lot for a scary ARI team. But they got the majority vote this week. JG, AW, MC are on STL and a couple avoided this one. For me, ARI should be ready to smack someone at home after the brutal performance in DET last week and STL is just plain awful. Not a lot of faith in this one, but I have ARI.
DET-SF
SF giving 12 to anyone is a scary thought. When ok teams start giving double digits it's not a good thing. Lions are the pick. JG, MK, SS are the only Singletary backers this week.
DEN-PHI
Could be a good game. I'm surprised it's at 9 for a line. PHI has been playing well, but the DEN D should be able play a bit and keep it within a TD. PHI is riding way too much confidence right now and they are due for a scare. MK and AW are the only Andy Reid lovers this week.
NYJ-IND
This is my non-pick for the week. I hate picking games where one teams has absolutely nothing at stake...like INDY. MK, GR, MC on the JETS, all else on INDY. Who know about this one. Gun to the head I go JETS.
DAL-WAS
JR and MC are the only ones still buying the Skins after the brutal MNF performance. All else are on DAL. I still don't think DAL is worth a crap, and coming off the huge NO win they are due for a letdown while WAS is due to play much better. Skins cover and win outright.
MIN-CHI
Vikes are due to show up against a HORRIBLE Bears team. It's on the raod in the cold at night, but I really think the Purple put the schism behind them and roll the Bears. GR and SS are the only Ditka fans this week...we'll see.
There you go. 16 games for your Holiday enjoyment and lots of Bowl action as well.
Happy Holidays.
MK-6
AW-5
JG-4
MR-4
MH-4
MC-4
GR-3
JR-2
SS-0
9 pts down...91 to go.
NFL Picks
SD-TEN
The x-mas matchup could be the best game of the week. JR and JG are the only ones on the TITANS tonight. If I had to go with a confidence rating on my 15 picks for this week...this would be in the top 5. I really love TEN tonight. 2 teams both coming off closer wins than expected, and TEN is at home. SD has peaked and is due for a close L. TITANS and pts = $$$
BUF-ATL
ATL coming off a big win at NYJ, BUF is not good...but decent enough to hang on in this one. I like BILLS. JG and MC are with me...all else on Falcons.
KC-CIN
Good split here. 14.5 is a lot of points for a team that hasn't exactly been an offensive juggernaut. Add to it the fact that the weather will be less than stellar and 14.5 looks insurmountable. CHEFS are the smart $ play...usually the smart $ play is the one most of us don't pick. I guess that's why we're amateurs.
OAK-CLE
Yuck. 2 brutal teams that have both lost their surprisingly effective QB's lately. We're split on it, rightfully so. I went CLE at home just because OAK is likely to play JaMarcus on the road the week after he actually did something good so the chance of a letdown from him is about 110%.
SEA-GB
SEA might be the most disappointing team in the league this year. There was hope when Holmgren spoke about coming back...but he went to CLE and hope is lost once again. GB is a nice team, bad loss last week but should be very tough at home in this one against a SEA team that has pretty much quit. I am in the minority once again with GR and MH and the PACK.
HOU-MIA
JR, MK, AW, SS all on the Dolphins. One ofg the best plays of the week in my opinion. HOU isn't a strong team. MIA has been extremely tough all year long. I really like a mentally tough team at home against a Texan club that is as flakey as they come.
CAR-NYG
CAR is the minoity pick in this one. MR, MH, MC all on the Panthers after last week's Purple beatdown. That is one of the main reasons I am against them this week. Off of that big win, they will be ready to lay an egg. NYG is in playoff push mode and DOMINATED last week at WAS. NYG will crush!
JAC-NE
NE has JG, MR, and SS on their side. All else are with JAC. I just cant' trust NE to get up to play anyone until the playoffs start. They are on cruise control and JAC is looking to still get a spot and maybe found some new confidence after last Thursdays game. I like the JAGS.
TB-NO
The best vs. the worst. 15.5 doesn't seem like enough to me. JG and MC are the only 2 on the Bucs for this one. I think NO relaxes after getting the 16-0 monkey off their back and they HOUSE TB...42-7.
BAL-PIT
Another good one for the week. Despite what happened last week, I still think PIT isn't good at all. BAL has been much more consistent and they actuallty have a D that is ready for some DEC football in the snow. MK is the only Tomlin believer.
STL-ARI
15.5 is a lot for a scary ARI team. But they got the majority vote this week. JG, AW, MC are on STL and a couple avoided this one. For me, ARI should be ready to smack someone at home after the brutal performance in DET last week and STL is just plain awful. Not a lot of faith in this one, but I have ARI.
DET-SF
SF giving 12 to anyone is a scary thought. When ok teams start giving double digits it's not a good thing. Lions are the pick. JG, MK, SS are the only Singletary backers this week.
DEN-PHI
Could be a good game. I'm surprised it's at 9 for a line. PHI has been playing well, but the DEN D should be able play a bit and keep it within a TD. PHI is riding way too much confidence right now and they are due for a scare. MK and AW are the only Andy Reid lovers this week.
NYJ-IND
This is my non-pick for the week. I hate picking games where one teams has absolutely nothing at stake...like INDY. MK, GR, MC on the JETS, all else on INDY. Who know about this one. Gun to the head I go JETS.
DAL-WAS
JR and MC are the only ones still buying the Skins after the brutal MNF performance. All else are on DAL. I still don't think DAL is worth a crap, and coming off the huge NO win they are due for a letdown while WAS is due to play much better. Skins cover and win outright.
MIN-CHI
Vikes are due to show up against a HORRIBLE Bears team. It's on the raod in the cold at night, but I really think the Purple put the schism behind them and roll the Bears. GR and SS are the only Ditka fans this week...we'll see.
There you go. 16 games for your Holiday enjoyment and lots of Bowl action as well.
Happy Holidays.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Bowl Update...Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!
Wow, didn't think I'd see the day...I actually was on the right side last night!! My pesky little UTAH club scared me early at 14-0, but came through in the end to put me on the board.
STANDINGS through 7 possible points - 93 to go
MK - 6
AW - 5
MH - 4
MC - 4
GR - 3
JR - 2
JG - 2
MR - 2
SS - 0
Unfortunately, we're not all in the W column yet...Mr. Schuft, your day will come. Consider this 0-5 start your initiation into the Football Challenge...it can't get any worse than that, right.
I have almost all of the NFL picks collected...waiting on ROE. Here's the options, Mike - a) send them over soon so I can get out a recap or b) don't send and let Ellie make the picks for you...your call.
The classic SMU-NEV matchup tonight in Honolulu...should be fun.
Here's what's on tap after that:
SATURDAY - 3 games
OHIO-MARSHALL (Pizza Bowl)
Marshall is the unpopular one here - JR, JG, MH are on them...all else on OHIO. No logic to this pick, watched OHIO look bad in the MAC title game and thought Marshall getting points sounded good.
NC-PITT (Car Care Bowl)
In NC, the Car Care Bowl is always a decent game. Pretty even split on this one:
JR, MK, GR, MC all on NC...JG, MR, AW, MH, SS on PITT. My thoughts here...NC is basically playing a home game, which should factor in their favor. PITT has to still be disappointed and smarting for the bad CINCY loss, so I think they come out flat. NC plays great D, but struggles mightily on offense...let's hope that changes a bit this Saturday. NC is getting a FG, so when in doubt take the points and the "home" team.
BC-USC (Emerald Bowl)
In SF, this should be a heavy USC crowd...if they care enough to watch their club in a non-BCS bowl for the first time in forever. I am on the minority here...of course I went with the Trojans...against my better judgement. 9 points is kind of a lot for a likely unmotivated squad against a kinda sorta dangerous BC team. Motivation for them...well, nobody really thought they'd be a bowl team this season and having a chance to prove their worth against a club like USC has to get you excited. Basically, I'm giving my USC pick about a 5% chance of success on Saturday. MK and SS are with me...all else on the BC.
SUNDAY
UK-CLEM (Music City Bowl)
One of Mase's favorites...features what appears to be a mismatch this season. CLEM has been very good all season, but layed an egg against SEC rival South Carolina and then lost to GT to close the season. UK has been surprisingly nice all season. A couple of nice wins highlighted their 7-5 campaign. Who do we have? Well, I went with UK...why, because I have a really hard time picking against the SEC, especially when CLEM is invovled. MR is the only one with me. All else are on CLEM at -7...just feels like one of those that will be a lot closer than it should. This is the final 2-pointer for this point (a couple more come in JAN).
Good Luck! Happy Holidays! Try to not avoid the family too much tonight and pull yourself away from the classic NEVADA-SMU contest.
STANDINGS through 7 possible points - 93 to go
MK - 6
AW - 5
MH - 4
MC - 4
GR - 3
JR - 2
JG - 2
MR - 2
SS - 0
Unfortunately, we're not all in the W column yet...Mr. Schuft, your day will come. Consider this 0-5 start your initiation into the Football Challenge...it can't get any worse than that, right.
I have almost all of the NFL picks collected...waiting on ROE. Here's the options, Mike - a) send them over soon so I can get out a recap or b) don't send and let Ellie make the picks for you...your call.
The classic SMU-NEV matchup tonight in Honolulu...should be fun.
Here's what's on tap after that:
SATURDAY - 3 games
OHIO-MARSHALL (Pizza Bowl)
Marshall is the unpopular one here - JR, JG, MH are on them...all else on OHIO. No logic to this pick, watched OHIO look bad in the MAC title game and thought Marshall getting points sounded good.
NC-PITT (Car Care Bowl)
In NC, the Car Care Bowl is always a decent game. Pretty even split on this one:
JR, MK, GR, MC all on NC...JG, MR, AW, MH, SS on PITT. My thoughts here...NC is basically playing a home game, which should factor in their favor. PITT has to still be disappointed and smarting for the bad CINCY loss, so I think they come out flat. NC plays great D, but struggles mightily on offense...let's hope that changes a bit this Saturday. NC is getting a FG, so when in doubt take the points and the "home" team.
BC-USC (Emerald Bowl)
In SF, this should be a heavy USC crowd...if they care enough to watch their club in a non-BCS bowl for the first time in forever. I am on the minority here...of course I went with the Trojans...against my better judgement. 9 points is kind of a lot for a likely unmotivated squad against a kinda sorta dangerous BC team. Motivation for them...well, nobody really thought they'd be a bowl team this season and having a chance to prove their worth against a club like USC has to get you excited. Basically, I'm giving my USC pick about a 5% chance of success on Saturday. MK and SS are with me...all else on the BC.
SUNDAY
UK-CLEM (Music City Bowl)
One of Mase's favorites...features what appears to be a mismatch this season. CLEM has been very good all season, but layed an egg against SEC rival South Carolina and then lost to GT to close the season. UK has been surprisingly nice all season. A couple of nice wins highlighted their 7-5 campaign. Who do we have? Well, I went with UK...why, because I have a really hard time picking against the SEC, especially when CLEM is invovled. MR is the only one with me. All else are on CLEM at -7...just feels like one of those that will be a lot closer than it should. This is the final 2-pointer for this point (a couple more come in JAN).
Good Luck! Happy Holidays! Try to not avoid the family too much tonight and pull yourself away from the classic NEVADA-SMU contest.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Bowl Update
0-4, the streak continues for your truly. 0-34 would be quite a feat...I'm starting to believe it's very possible.
OUT OF 5 POSSIBLE POINTS - 95 to go
MK-4
MC-4
AW-3
JG-2
MH-2
GR-1
JR-0
MR-0
SS-0
A little time left, but I'm starting to get frustrated. If you want to win $$$ bet heavily against my picks from here on out.
TONIGHT
UTAH - CAL (Poinsettia Bowl)
JG, MC, SS - all on CAL...rest on UTAH
So the majority is favoring UTAH tonight, and I am very much on board. CAL just hasn't impressed me at all over the balance of the season after their trip to TCF. Everyone thought this was the year for them to end USC's reign, but they ended up with a very disappointing season and their Heisman candidate got hurt and is still hurt and won't play tonight. UTAH had a quiet 9-3 season losing all of their big games this season. It's a typical UTAH team that is fundamentally sound and does a little of everything. I really like these kinds of teams in bowl games, especially when they have a shot to knock off another BCS team. Smart $ has to be on UTAH tonight...but I'm 0-4, so maybe betting CAL for the max amount is the smart play.
X-MAS EVE
SMU-NEV (HAWAII Bowl)
JG, MR - on SMU...rest on NEV
I was a NEV guy all year and I had them marked on most every bowl sheet I filled out. But when thinking a little deeper about this game, I'm loving the SMU angle. No, I won't be changing any picks...that's illegal...but I'm confident that this will be my 5th or 6th loss of the bowl season. Think of it this way, NEV scores a billion points and runs like crazy...SMU has a horrible run D and will get torched. On the other hand, SMU runs the June Jones Timmy Chang type HAW offense that throws, throws, throws, then throws again. They can put up points as well, and NEV has one of the worst pass D's in the nation. There's a reason the o/u is at 72! June Jones' return to HAW for this bowl game is another angle...does he try to put on a big show and say FU...or does he get distracted and his team gets run. NEV is marked on my sheet so I think SMU is the best bet getting 14 pts.
Weekend preview coming tomorrow when/if I'm on-line for "work".
NFL PICKS
I'm still waiting on picks from Heinert, ROE, and KOBOW...the 2 leaders are thinking way too hard this week about their NFL picks trying to set them self up for a little payday. I'll interpret the delay as a good thing for the rest of us...overthinking = bad results. Please send them over when you get a chance and we'll be set for Week 17 of the Football Challenge.
Happy Holidays - enjoy the snow!
OUT OF 5 POSSIBLE POINTS - 95 to go
MK-4
MC-4
AW-3
JG-2
MH-2
GR-1
JR-0
MR-0
SS-0
A little time left, but I'm starting to get frustrated. If you want to win $$$ bet heavily against my picks from here on out.
TONIGHT
UTAH - CAL (Poinsettia Bowl)
JG, MC, SS - all on CAL...rest on UTAH
So the majority is favoring UTAH tonight, and I am very much on board. CAL just hasn't impressed me at all over the balance of the season after their trip to TCF. Everyone thought this was the year for them to end USC's reign, but they ended up with a very disappointing season and their Heisman candidate got hurt and is still hurt and won't play tonight. UTAH had a quiet 9-3 season losing all of their big games this season. It's a typical UTAH team that is fundamentally sound and does a little of everything. I really like these kinds of teams in bowl games, especially when they have a shot to knock off another BCS team. Smart $ has to be on UTAH tonight...but I'm 0-4, so maybe betting CAL for the max amount is the smart play.
X-MAS EVE
SMU-NEV (HAWAII Bowl)
JG, MR - on SMU...rest on NEV
I was a NEV guy all year and I had them marked on most every bowl sheet I filled out. But when thinking a little deeper about this game, I'm loving the SMU angle. No, I won't be changing any picks...that's illegal...but I'm confident that this will be my 5th or 6th loss of the bowl season. Think of it this way, NEV scores a billion points and runs like crazy...SMU has a horrible run D and will get torched. On the other hand, SMU runs the June Jones Timmy Chang type HAW offense that throws, throws, throws, then throws again. They can put up points as well, and NEV has one of the worst pass D's in the nation. There's a reason the o/u is at 72! June Jones' return to HAW for this bowl game is another angle...does he try to put on a big show and say FU...or does he get distracted and his team gets run. NEV is marked on my sheet so I think SMU is the best bet getting 14 pts.
Weekend preview coming tomorrow when/if I'm on-line for "work".
NFL PICKS
I'm still waiting on picks from Heinert, ROE, and KOBOW...the 2 leaders are thinking way too hard this week about their NFL picks trying to set them self up for a little payday. I'll interpret the delay as a good thing for the rest of us...overthinking = bad results. Please send them over when you get a chance and we'll be set for Week 17 of the Football Challenge.
Happy Holidays - enjoy the snow!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Week 17 Games
Pick 15 of the 16 games
SD
TEN -2.5 FRI (XMAS Night)
BUF
ATL -9.5
KC
CIN -14.5
OAK
CLE -2.5
SEA
GB -15
HOU
MIA -3
CAR
NYG -6.5
JAC
NE -7.5
TB
NO -15.5
BAL
PIT -1
STL
ARI -15.5
DET
SF -12
DEN
PHI -9
NYJ
IND -8
DAL
WAS 6.5
MIN
CHI 7.5
Need these as soon as you can get them. I will be on-line on X-mas eve from 1-4pm, so please get them to me by Noon on Thursday...but the earlier the better.
SD
TEN -2.5 FRI (XMAS Night)
BUF
ATL -9.5
KC
CIN -14.5
OAK
CLE -2.5
SEA
GB -15
HOU
MIA -3
CAR
NYG -6.5
JAC
NE -7.5
TB
NO -15.5
BAL
PIT -1
STL
ARI -15.5
DET
SF -12
DEN
PHI -9
NYJ
IND -8
DAL
WAS 6.5
MIN
CHI 7.5
Need these as soon as you can get them. I will be on-line on X-mas eve from 1-4pm, so please get them to me by Noon on Thursday...but the earlier the better.
Standings - 2 weeks to go
16 down, 2 to go...
TOTAL
MR 130 110 54.2%
MK 126 114 52.5%
JR 124 116 51.7%
GR 121 119 50.4%
MC 120 120 50.0%
AW 120 120 50.0%
MH 118 122 49.2%
JG 116 124 48.3%
MR with a 4 game lead on MK, 6 on JR, 9 on GR. If you're more than 10 out...I think it's time to look forward to Bowl Season.
NFL
JR 53 42 55.8%
AW 51 44 53.7%
MK 48 47 50.5%
MH 47 48 49.5%
MR 46 49 48.4%
GR 44 51 46.3%
JG 44 51 46.3%
MC 40 55 42.1%
I'm still at nearly 56% for NFL picks this year. Bomb and MK both join me in the lonely +.500 group for NFL picks.
MR won 6 last week, tieing his lowest output of the season. However, JR and MK both only won 6 and GR only won 4...so the chance was there to make up ground but nobody did. Can we hope for ROE to pull out one or two more 6 wins weeks? Maybe a 3-12 clunker? Or maybe one of the contenders goes out and rips off a 12-3 to take control.
Anything can happen - games for the week are in...I'll send them out now.
TOTAL
MR 130 110 54.2%
MK 126 114 52.5%
JR 124 116 51.7%
GR 121 119 50.4%
MC 120 120 50.0%
AW 120 120 50.0%
MH 118 122 49.2%
JG 116 124 48.3%
MR with a 4 game lead on MK, 6 on JR, 9 on GR. If you're more than 10 out...I think it's time to look forward to Bowl Season.
NFL
JR 53 42 55.8%
AW 51 44 53.7%
MK 48 47 50.5%
MH 47 48 49.5%
MR 46 49 48.4%
GR 44 51 46.3%
JG 44 51 46.3%
MC 40 55 42.1%
I'm still at nearly 56% for NFL picks this year. Bomb and MK both join me in the lonely +.500 group for NFL picks.
MR won 6 last week, tieing his lowest output of the season. However, JR and MK both only won 6 and GR only won 4...so the chance was there to make up ground but nobody did. Can we hope for ROE to pull out one or two more 6 wins weeks? Maybe a 3-12 clunker? Or maybe one of the contenders goes out and rips off a 12-3 to take control.
Anything can happen - games for the week are in...I'll send them out now.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bowl Challenge - 3 down 31 to go
Off to a flying start in the Bowl. This truly is the most unpredictable time of the year. In retrospect, I picked FRESNO over WY simply becuase the talent level appeared to be so different...bad reasoning. Talent has no bearing on the outcome of bowl games. Who is excited to be there and who isn't...that's the bottom line. Especially when getting 10+ points!
Standings so far:
MK - 2
MH - 2
MC - 2
AW - 1
GR - 1
JR - 0
JG - 0
MR - 0
SS - 0
Still 97 of the 100 points left, but for some reason it feels REALLY shitty to start 0-3, even when these games have virtually no impact on the winner.
What's on tap next?
Our first big 2-point game, the Las Vegas Bowl on TUESDAY night
BYU-OREST
BYU is playing in this game for the 5th year in a row, OREST doesn't lose bowl games...ever. I can see the letdown angle for the Beavers after missing out on the Rose Bowl, but I think their great bowl history makes up for that. BYU was hoping for really big things this year, lost all of their big conference games, and has to settle for year 5 in a row of the Mormons in Vegas...kind of funny if you think about it.
Here's our pick breakdown:
BYU: JG, MK, AW, MC
OREST: JR, MR, GR, MH, SS
Good times.
Standings so far:
MK - 2
MH - 2
MC - 2
AW - 1
GR - 1
JR - 0
JG - 0
MR - 0
SS - 0
Still 97 of the 100 points left, but for some reason it feels REALLY shitty to start 0-3, even when these games have virtually no impact on the winner.
What's on tap next?
Our first big 2-point game, the Las Vegas Bowl on TUESDAY night
BYU-OREST
BYU is playing in this game for the 5th year in a row, OREST doesn't lose bowl games...ever. I can see the letdown angle for the Beavers after missing out on the Rose Bowl, but I think their great bowl history makes up for that. BYU was hoping for really big things this year, lost all of their big conference games, and has to settle for year 5 in a row of the Mormons in Vegas...kind of funny if you think about it.
Here's our pick breakdown:
BYU: JG, MK, AW, MC
OREST: JR, MR, GR, MH, SS
Good times.
Football Challenge Week 16 Recap
That's the NFL we know and love. Here's the ugliness that was Week 16 of the Football Challenge:
AW: 9-5
MH: 8-6
JG: 7-7
JR: 6-8
MR: 5-9
MK: 5-9
GR: 3-11
MC: 3-11
SS: 5-10
2 guys over .500 - yuck.
51-76 (40%) - let's stick with our day jobs!
Well, at least the Purple showed up and played well to take advantage of the NO loss. WTF was that? Let's not play any more Sunday night games, or maybe let's just not play any more road games. CHI is about as big of a train wreck team as you can find at this point, so if we don't go in there next Monday and win by 3 TD's we have a problem. It's looking like maybe a 3 guy race for the 2 final weeks at this point since GR and MC both dropped 3-11 bombs so far. MR, MK, JR seem to be the final 3 barring anything drastic happening in the next 2 weeks.
Full standings update and game list coming tomorrow. It's a short week, so try to turn them around and back to me ASAP so we can know what we're watching this weekend.
AW: 9-5
MH: 8-6
JG: 7-7
JR: 6-8
MR: 5-9
MK: 5-9
GR: 3-11
MC: 3-11
SS: 5-10
2 guys over .500 - yuck.
51-76 (40%) - let's stick with our day jobs!
Well, at least the Purple showed up and played well to take advantage of the NO loss. WTF was that? Let's not play any more Sunday night games, or maybe let's just not play any more road games. CHI is about as big of a train wreck team as you can find at this point, so if we don't go in there next Monday and win by 3 TD's we have a problem. It's looking like maybe a 3 guy race for the 2 final weeks at this point since GR and MC both dropped 3-11 bombs so far. MR, MK, JR seem to be the final 3 barring anything drastic happening in the next 2 weeks.
Full standings update and game list coming tomorrow. It's a short week, so try to turn them around and back to me ASAP so we can know what we're watching this weekend.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Weekend Bowl Games
All bowl picks are in...and we're 2 hours from kicking off the post-season.
3 games this weekend...here's the preview:
WY-FRES (-10.5)
The infamous "New Mexico" Bowl is always a classic. Any bowl that is just simply named after a state really must be something. WY might be the worst bowl team in recent memory. They were outscored by 10 ppg this year, and frankly shouldn't be a bowl team. FRES is much better, hence the 10.5 line. They went 8-4, have the nation's leading rusher, and played at WIS and at CIN to one score losses. This is a solid team, but are they happy to be in the New Mexico bowl? Probably not. WY has to be totally stoked to be there, since bowling was likely their #1 goal this season. It's a lot fo points...but 7 of us went with FRESNO to cover the 10.5. GR and MC held out and took points and the fighting Cowboys of WYOMING.
UCF-RUT (-1.5)
More disparity on this one. 4 guys on the favored Scarlet Knights of RUTGERS and 5 on the dog UCF club of George O'Leary. Another great bowl game, the "St. Petersburg" bowl, is basically a home game for UCF. They have not been that impressive this season, but did finish at 8-4 with their 4 losses all coming to Bowl teams. They are at home and have to be fairly excited to play. RUTGERS really shouldn't be. They came in to the season a favorite in the Big East because of how their schedule lined up for them...well, that didn't go so well. At 8-4, including a loss to the mighty Orange, this has been a shakey unpredictable club most of the year. I think they will come out flat and UCF might capitalize on the chance to beat a BCS club. MK, AW, MH, MC are on RUTGERS.
MDTN-SOMISS (-3)
Another classic, the "New Orleans" Bowl will be on Sunday. Only 2 guys taking the dog in this one...MK and MH. I've been a SOMISS fan all year. At 7-5, I would say they were quite disappointing this season, but it's mainly been due to a ridiculous amount of injuries to their stars. They won this Bowl game last year, and that's kind of when I fell in love with this team. MDTN actually played quite well all season while only losing 3 games to CLEM, TROY, MISS ST. The problem, the best win they had all year was ocver MARYLAND 32-31...not real impressive. When matched up with an opponent of this quality (SOMISS is 6 pts better than MARY) they have not performed well. I have to believe this continues on Sunday.
There we go...you're all ready for the 1st bowl weekend of the post season.
Some other highlights for the upcoming games:
- SMU only drew interest from 2 of us at +14...might be a big game there, tons of Offense on both sides so 14 could be high
- UK also only got 2 people on their side...I love them at +7
- I'm also on the lonely side in the BC-USC game...guess whic way I went? Trojans. MK and SS agree with me.
- AW and GR are the only guys on A&M...might be sneaky, but I really hate bets against the SEC this time of year.
- It's tough to figure out who we cheer for...WIS-MIA = 0-9 in favor of MIA...GT-IOWA = 1-8 in favor of GT. Either the B10 sucks, or we hate Becky and Iowa...maybe both?
- MK and SS are the only two on IDAHO in a pick'em game...kind fo surprise considering the Vandals are going to be stoked to be playing a bowl game for the first time in forever
- JR and GR will be the only 2 TEMPLE fans this year...you can't tell me UCLA is coming to play after only getting in because ARMY lost to NAVY, motivation = 0.
- 8 on STAN, 1 on OK. It's me. I've been on OK all year to turn things around. Why do I think it happens in the bowl game? This is a theory I'll talk about much more as the bowl season rolls on, but I love teams who are looking to be big-time next season and use this as their starting point. OK is a prime example...new QB is now good to go, Defense has lost a billion people, but their replacements are now up to speed and ready for '10...STAN's stud starting QB is not going to play after surgery, which means it's going to run a lot and I think OK might figure that out. 10 is maybe a little high, but I LOVE OKLAHOMA!!
- 4:5 split on the Clones-Gophers. More on that one as we get closer.
- Steve apparently believes this is the B10's year to turn around their horrible bowl past of recent years...he is the only on on the Buckeyes and Iowa.
- JR, AW, GR all taking points for the coachless team against the fading Gators. Remember ALA last year...yep, that's what I'm banking on.
- GR has always been a big Holtz fan, so he's the only one taking Skip and ECU over ARK. ARK falls into that "ready to start a big 2010 run" category for me. Love them next season and this bowl season.
- Steve's B10 love shows up again as he's the only one taking them against TT. I think Sparty ended up suspending 12-15 guys for this game, so I don't think they have a chance.
- 2 guys on TROY on 1/6/10...JG and GR. Not a bad pick, this is a toss up.
- I thought I'd see more, but we only got 2 guys to jump on TEXAS in the title game. AW and MH...good luck.
I'll preview games in bunches as we go along over the next few weeks and keep everyone up to date on the standings and how each game could change things.
Happy Bowling!
3 games this weekend...here's the preview:
WY-FRES (-10.5)
The infamous "New Mexico" Bowl is always a classic. Any bowl that is just simply named after a state really must be something. WY might be the worst bowl team in recent memory. They were outscored by 10 ppg this year, and frankly shouldn't be a bowl team. FRES is much better, hence the 10.5 line. They went 8-4, have the nation's leading rusher, and played at WIS and at CIN to one score losses. This is a solid team, but are they happy to be in the New Mexico bowl? Probably not. WY has to be totally stoked to be there, since bowling was likely their #1 goal this season. It's a lot fo points...but 7 of us went with FRESNO to cover the 10.5. GR and MC held out and took points and the fighting Cowboys of WYOMING.
UCF-RUT (-1.5)
More disparity on this one. 4 guys on the favored Scarlet Knights of RUTGERS and 5 on the dog UCF club of George O'Leary. Another great bowl game, the "St. Petersburg" bowl, is basically a home game for UCF. They have not been that impressive this season, but did finish at 8-4 with their 4 losses all coming to Bowl teams. They are at home and have to be fairly excited to play. RUTGERS really shouldn't be. They came in to the season a favorite in the Big East because of how their schedule lined up for them...well, that didn't go so well. At 8-4, including a loss to the mighty Orange, this has been a shakey unpredictable club most of the year. I think they will come out flat and UCF might capitalize on the chance to beat a BCS club. MK, AW, MH, MC are on RUTGERS.
MDTN-SOMISS (-3)
Another classic, the "New Orleans" Bowl will be on Sunday. Only 2 guys taking the dog in this one...MK and MH. I've been a SOMISS fan all year. At 7-5, I would say they were quite disappointing this season, but it's mainly been due to a ridiculous amount of injuries to their stars. They won this Bowl game last year, and that's kind of when I fell in love with this team. MDTN actually played quite well all season while only losing 3 games to CLEM, TROY, MISS ST. The problem, the best win they had all year was ocver MARYLAND 32-31...not real impressive. When matched up with an opponent of this quality (SOMISS is 6 pts better than MARY) they have not performed well. I have to believe this continues on Sunday.
There we go...you're all ready for the 1st bowl weekend of the post season.
Some other highlights for the upcoming games:
- SMU only drew interest from 2 of us at +14...might be a big game there, tons of Offense on both sides so 14 could be high
- UK also only got 2 people on their side...I love them at +7
- I'm also on the lonely side in the BC-USC game...guess whic way I went? Trojans. MK and SS agree with me.
- AW and GR are the only guys on A&M...might be sneaky, but I really hate bets against the SEC this time of year.
- It's tough to figure out who we cheer for...WIS-MIA = 0-9 in favor of MIA...GT-IOWA = 1-8 in favor of GT. Either the B10 sucks, or we hate Becky and Iowa...maybe both?
- MK and SS are the only two on IDAHO in a pick'em game...kind fo surprise considering the Vandals are going to be stoked to be playing a bowl game for the first time in forever
- JR and GR will be the only 2 TEMPLE fans this year...you can't tell me UCLA is coming to play after only getting in because ARMY lost to NAVY, motivation = 0.
- 8 on STAN, 1 on OK. It's me. I've been on OK all year to turn things around. Why do I think it happens in the bowl game? This is a theory I'll talk about much more as the bowl season rolls on, but I love teams who are looking to be big-time next season and use this as their starting point. OK is a prime example...new QB is now good to go, Defense has lost a billion people, but their replacements are now up to speed and ready for '10...STAN's stud starting QB is not going to play after surgery, which means it's going to run a lot and I think OK might figure that out. 10 is maybe a little high, but I LOVE OKLAHOMA!!
- 4:5 split on the Clones-Gophers. More on that one as we get closer.
- Steve apparently believes this is the B10's year to turn around their horrible bowl past of recent years...he is the only on on the Buckeyes and Iowa.
- JR, AW, GR all taking points for the coachless team against the fading Gators. Remember ALA last year...yep, that's what I'm banking on.
- GR has always been a big Holtz fan, so he's the only one taking Skip and ECU over ARK. ARK falls into that "ready to start a big 2010 run" category for me. Love them next season and this bowl season.
- Steve's B10 love shows up again as he's the only one taking them against TT. I think Sparty ended up suspending 12-15 guys for this game, so I don't think they have a chance.
- 2 guys on TROY on 1/6/10...JG and GR. Not a bad pick, this is a toss up.
- I thought I'd see more, but we only got 2 guys to jump on TEXAS in the title game. AW and MH...good luck.
I'll preview games in bunches as we go along over the next few weeks and keep everyone up to date on the standings and how each game could change things.
Happy Bowling!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
NFL Picks Week 16 Football Challenge
All in...here is the summary.
IND-JAC
Roe is also on JAGS (down 17-21 right now).
DAL-NO (Saturday)
Even split on this one. I am on DAL...not sure why. I guess I felt like 8 was too high and that this NO club has been dangerously close to some bad teams lately and it's almost do or die time for the Cowboys.
CHI-BAL
Even split on this one as well. I went with CHI because 11 is too much for a game with 2 grinder mediocre teams. Bears are horrible but can stay within 10.
NE-BUF
JR and MH are the only ones on BUF this week. Why? Well, NE seems to always struggle with the Bills and they seem to be just struggling with everyone as of late! BUF is playing some decent ball, especially at home. I just don't trust the Pats right now...so I'm sure they'll prove me wrong and win 38-3.
*JAGS INT!! Woo-hoo! I thought Manning was going to lead the Colts to a score every time they touched it in this game!!
ARI-DET
The jekyl-hyde Cards are back in action after the predictable meltdown in SF. AW is the only believer in the honolulu blue, and a couple of folks didn't pick it at all. My thought was that this is a giant mismatch, Cards are looking to rebound after the turnover fest on MNF. DET is just bad.
CLE-KC
This week's toilet bowl. But for some reason we all are on KC this week. What? The CLE win over PIT wasn't enough to get anyone on their side? CLE is a HORRIBLE road team, not that KC is anything special, but in what is basically a pick'em, I think the Chefs are the pick.
ATL-NYJ
Should be a good game, but all except MC took the points and the Falcons. Ryan may be back, so will Sanchez. I just think ATL is a better team and you're getting 6 points? That does not make sense.
SF-PHI
7 of 9 on the 49ers. MC and SS are liking everyone's favorite PHILLY team. Seriously, why does everyone have the opinion all of a sudden that this is the team nobody wants to see in the playoffs? They score a bunch and give up a bunch, but I don't think I'm really scared of them in the playoffs. Why 9ers here, I think you always take a good defensive team that runs the ball well if you're getting double digits in points.
HOU-STL
12.5 seems maybe a little high, but then consider the Rams situation. They have a QB nobody has ever heard of or will ever hear of again after this year. They canceled practice today because of the flu runnning through the team. All of a sudden I might be willing to give about 15-17 with the Texans. As a group we are split on this one.
MIA-TEN
This should be one of the best games of the week. We are split on this one as well. I like MIA just because I feel like the TEN run is kind of over. And if TEN wins, it's not by more than a FG.
OAK-DEN
MR and AW took OAK. I sat this one out, all else on DEN giving 13 pts. If I had to pick it, I think I take OAK. DEN just doesn't seem to be a team that will blow anyone out, and OAK being a division game makes it a little dicey. How bad is JaMarcus? Well, Charlie Frye is starting this week over him...and I like this team?
CIN-SD
The dynamic of this one changed a lot over the last 24 hours. It's going to be a Henry tribute...not sure if that's a good thing for CIN or bad thing. We are split on it, but I like CIN. I think a team that runs and plays D can keep up with the Chargers and this should be a close one...so 7 is too high.
GB-PIT
Probably the game of the week. JR, AW, GR are on the Pack...all else on PIT. That surprised me...PIT has been so terrible as of late, but the public and oddsmakers refuse to believe that they are not that good. I think the Pack end the season of the Steelers this week.
TB-SEA
JG, MH, SS are on the lowly Bucs who turn it over at least 3 times per week. All else are on the lowly Seahawks and giving 8 at home. SEA used to be a very tough place to play, but when your team is not good the home field doesn't seem as effective. I think the Bucs circus of turnovers is what kills them and the Hawks cover a close one.
MIN-CAR
9 for 9 on the Purple. I doubted them last week...not making that mistake again. CAR is not a strong team. They can run it...but probably not against us. So then it's Matt Moore trying to beat the Vikes...nope. Vikes roll and make up for the poor performance last time on NBC.
NYG-WAS
JR and MC are on the Skins...all else on NYG. I have just given up on the Giants...I think Eli is not right and they are not a very strong team. WAS on the other hand has been a covering machine lately and playing much better than earlier this season. I think they win outright and basically end the Giants season on MNF.
There we go - still waiting on 3 sets of Bowl picks...will need those tomorrow if you want in. Hope everyone is watching this THUR night game - it's been great thus far. Bad thing is, I don't think the Colts are looking at taking out their starters like I was hoping...not loving my Jags pick so much anymore!!
IND-JAC
Roe is also on JAGS (down 17-21 right now).
DAL-NO (Saturday)
Even split on this one. I am on DAL...not sure why. I guess I felt like 8 was too high and that this NO club has been dangerously close to some bad teams lately and it's almost do or die time for the Cowboys.
CHI-BAL
Even split on this one as well. I went with CHI because 11 is too much for a game with 2 grinder mediocre teams. Bears are horrible but can stay within 10.
NE-BUF
JR and MH are the only ones on BUF this week. Why? Well, NE seems to always struggle with the Bills and they seem to be just struggling with everyone as of late! BUF is playing some decent ball, especially at home. I just don't trust the Pats right now...so I'm sure they'll prove me wrong and win 38-3.
*JAGS INT!! Woo-hoo! I thought Manning was going to lead the Colts to a score every time they touched it in this game!!
ARI-DET
The jekyl-hyde Cards are back in action after the predictable meltdown in SF. AW is the only believer in the honolulu blue, and a couple of folks didn't pick it at all. My thought was that this is a giant mismatch, Cards are looking to rebound after the turnover fest on MNF. DET is just bad.
CLE-KC
This week's toilet bowl. But for some reason we all are on KC this week. What? The CLE win over PIT wasn't enough to get anyone on their side? CLE is a HORRIBLE road team, not that KC is anything special, but in what is basically a pick'em, I think the Chefs are the pick.
ATL-NYJ
Should be a good game, but all except MC took the points and the Falcons. Ryan may be back, so will Sanchez. I just think ATL is a better team and you're getting 6 points? That does not make sense.
SF-PHI
7 of 9 on the 49ers. MC and SS are liking everyone's favorite PHILLY team. Seriously, why does everyone have the opinion all of a sudden that this is the team nobody wants to see in the playoffs? They score a bunch and give up a bunch, but I don't think I'm really scared of them in the playoffs. Why 9ers here, I think you always take a good defensive team that runs the ball well if you're getting double digits in points.
HOU-STL
12.5 seems maybe a little high, but then consider the Rams situation. They have a QB nobody has ever heard of or will ever hear of again after this year. They canceled practice today because of the flu runnning through the team. All of a sudden I might be willing to give about 15-17 with the Texans. As a group we are split on this one.
MIA-TEN
This should be one of the best games of the week. We are split on this one as well. I like MIA just because I feel like the TEN run is kind of over. And if TEN wins, it's not by more than a FG.
OAK-DEN
MR and AW took OAK. I sat this one out, all else on DEN giving 13 pts. If I had to pick it, I think I take OAK. DEN just doesn't seem to be a team that will blow anyone out, and OAK being a division game makes it a little dicey. How bad is JaMarcus? Well, Charlie Frye is starting this week over him...and I like this team?
CIN-SD
The dynamic of this one changed a lot over the last 24 hours. It's going to be a Henry tribute...not sure if that's a good thing for CIN or bad thing. We are split on it, but I like CIN. I think a team that runs and plays D can keep up with the Chargers and this should be a close one...so 7 is too high.
GB-PIT
Probably the game of the week. JR, AW, GR are on the Pack...all else on PIT. That surprised me...PIT has been so terrible as of late, but the public and oddsmakers refuse to believe that they are not that good. I think the Pack end the season of the Steelers this week.
TB-SEA
JG, MH, SS are on the lowly Bucs who turn it over at least 3 times per week. All else are on the lowly Seahawks and giving 8 at home. SEA used to be a very tough place to play, but when your team is not good the home field doesn't seem as effective. I think the Bucs circus of turnovers is what kills them and the Hawks cover a close one.
MIN-CAR
9 for 9 on the Purple. I doubted them last week...not making that mistake again. CAR is not a strong team. They can run it...but probably not against us. So then it's Matt Moore trying to beat the Vikes...nope. Vikes roll and make up for the poor performance last time on NBC.
NYG-WAS
JR and MC are on the Skins...all else on NYG. I have just given up on the Giants...I think Eli is not right and they are not a very strong team. WAS on the other hand has been a covering machine lately and playing much better than earlier this season. I think they win outright and basically end the Giants season on MNF.
There we go - still waiting on 3 sets of Bowl picks...will need those tomorrow if you want in. Hope everyone is watching this THUR night game - it's been great thus far. Bad thing is, I don't think the Colts are looking at taking out their starters like I was hoping...not loving my Jags pick so much anymore!!
COLTS at JAGS
Don't have ROE's picks yet, but wanted to get the data out there for this one...
JR, MK, SS = JAGS
All else = COLTS
Why Jags? Well, I think the Colts lay off the gas big time in this one, and besides that, the Jags seem to play them close usually anyway (14-12 in week 1). Jags are actually in the playoffs and fighting to stay there at this point, at home on a Thursday night is also a good angle to take. I know the Colts are unreal this year, but seriously, they don't care about this or any other regular season game from now on...why not rest people and let me win a bet!
Once I get the full slate from our Leader I'll get a full recap out. Also, still missing 3 bowl sheets but when they come in we'll preview Bowls and the picks for those Bowls as they come up during the week and big previews on the Thursday before the 2 Holiday weekends.
JR, MK, SS = JAGS
All else = COLTS
Why Jags? Well, I think the Colts lay off the gas big time in this one, and besides that, the Jags seem to play them close usually anyway (14-12 in week 1). Jags are actually in the playoffs and fighting to stay there at this point, at home on a Thursday night is also a good angle to take. I know the Colts are unreal this year, but seriously, they don't care about this or any other regular season game from now on...why not rest people and let me win a bet!
Once I get the full slate from our Leader I'll get a full recap out. Also, still missing 3 bowl sheets but when they come in we'll preview Bowls and the picks for those Bowls as they come up during the week and big previews on the Thursday before the 2 Holiday weekends.
Still waiting...
ROE - need NFL and BOWL
BOMB - need BOWL
CORCORAN - need BOWL
Please send these all over as soon as you can. If I don't get them before Noon tomorrow you will be out for the BOWL picks.
BOMB - need BOWL
CORCORAN - need BOWL
Please send these all over as soon as you can. If I don't get them before Noon tomorrow you will be out for the BOWL picks.
Send in your picks
BOWLS
I need picks from the following: ROE, BOMB, CORCORAN
Also need $20 from everyone but Steve...looks like a 2 man pool right now. Please try and get me the money before New Year's Day.
NFL Picks
I need picks from: ROE, HEINERT
Send 'em all in fellas, no more time for second guessing. I'll send an update when I receive everything.
I need picks from the following: ROE, BOMB, CORCORAN
Also need $20 from everyone but Steve...looks like a 2 man pool right now. Please try and get me the money before New Year's Day.
NFL Picks
I need picks from: ROE, HEINERT
Send 'em all in fellas, no more time for second guessing. I'll send an update when I receive everything.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Gophers Early Signings
It's that magical time of year again...JUCO/early graduate signing day. Some nice ones coming to the Gophs for 2010...actually they'll be here for the end of the 2009 season by taking part in Spring practice. Here's the group:
WR James Green
This guy is the one we should be the most excited about. He had offers as a 4-star WR from FLA, FSU, and TEN last year and committed to TEN before having a test score flagged a la MGray. This guy is a big-time prospect and appears to be a solid possession WR. I believe the hype a lot more on him over some of the David Pittman and Hayo Carpenter hype we've been fed the past couple of years simply because of his offer list as a Freshman. He played nowhere last season, so he'll start in JAN and have 4 years as a Gopher.
CB Tyrone Bouie
This guy is a true freshman, but he graduated HS early so will be here for Spring ball. I really wish we could do this w/more players like the teams do in the South. Looks like a decent CB, and since he'll be here in Spring I'll give him a chance to contribute this season...especially w/us losing our 2 starters after the bowl game.
JC CB Christyn Lewis
3-star DB with some size (6-2, 175). Not a great offer list, but you have to love the size as either a CB or S and as a JC he should get the chance to contirbute immediately with our lack of playmakers all over the defensive backfield.
JC TE Tiree Eure
6-7 242lbs...this guy looks like a Mase TE. Nice offer list including lots of Big East schools (UCONN, LOU, PUR, RUT, SYR, TEM, COL. He's a pass catcher, and will likely come in with the expectations to be #1 on the depth chart with last year's big-time TE recruit Rashede Hageman moving to DE full time.
4 nice ones, hopefully lots more to come for Brew & Crew.
Keep the Bowl picks and NFL picks for this week coming...here's who is left:
BOWLS
MR, MK, AW, MC
NFL
MR, MK, MH
WR James Green
This guy is the one we should be the most excited about. He had offers as a 4-star WR from FLA, FSU, and TEN last year and committed to TEN before having a test score flagged a la MGray. This guy is a big-time prospect and appears to be a solid possession WR. I believe the hype a lot more on him over some of the David Pittman and Hayo Carpenter hype we've been fed the past couple of years simply because of his offer list as a Freshman. He played nowhere last season, so he'll start in JAN and have 4 years as a Gopher.
CB Tyrone Bouie
This guy is a true freshman, but he graduated HS early so will be here for Spring ball. I really wish we could do this w/more players like the teams do in the South. Looks like a decent CB, and since he'll be here in Spring I'll give him a chance to contribute this season...especially w/us losing our 2 starters after the bowl game.
JC CB Christyn Lewis
3-star DB with some size (6-2, 175). Not a great offer list, but you have to love the size as either a CB or S and as a JC he should get the chance to contirbute immediately with our lack of playmakers all over the defensive backfield.
JC TE Tiree Eure
6-7 242lbs...this guy looks like a Mase TE. Nice offer list including lots of Big East schools (UCONN, LOU, PUR, RUT, SYR, TEM, COL. He's a pass catcher, and will likely come in with the expectations to be #1 on the depth chart with last year's big-time TE recruit Rashede Hageman moving to DE full time.
4 nice ones, hopefully lots more to come for Brew & Crew.
Keep the Bowl picks and NFL picks for this week coming...here's who is left:
BOWLS
MR, MK, AW, MC
NFL
MR, MK, MH
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Week 16 Lines - send 15 picks of the 16 games by Noon Thursday
IND
JAC 3.5 - THUR
DAL
NO -8 - SAT
CHI
BAL -11
NE
BUF 8
ARI
DET 11.5
CLE
KC -1
ATL
NYJ -6
SF
PHI -10
HOU
STL 12.5
MIA
TEN -4
OAK
DEN -13
CIN
SD -7
GB
PIT -1
TB
SEA -8
MIN
CAR 8
NYG
WAS 2.5
JAC 3.5 - THUR
DAL
NO -8 - SAT
CHI
BAL -11
NE
BUF 8
ARI
DET 11.5
CLE
KC -1
ATL
NYJ -6
SF
PHI -10
HOU
STL 12.5
MIA
TEN -4
OAK
DEN -13
CIN
SD -7
GB
PIT -1
TB
SEA -8
MIN
CAR 8
NYG
WAS 2.5
Updated Standings through Week 15
3 weeks to go...here's how we stack up.
MR 124 101 55.1%
MK 120 105 53.3%
JR 118 107 52.4%
MC 117 108 52.0%
GR 117 108 52.0%
AW 110 115 48.9%
MH 109 116 48.4%
JG 108 117 48.0%
MK made a huge move up this week by going 13-2!! Crazy. MR needs to make more SEA type picks where everyone else likes the other team for us to catch him. Come on Mike, how about a 3-12 week...do you have it in you?
NFL
JR 47 33 58.8%
MK 42 38 52.5%
AW 41 39 51.3%
GR 40 40 50.0%
MR 40 40 50.0%
MH 38 42 47.5%
MC 37 43 46.3%
JG 36 44 45.0%
10-6 overall on NFL this week for me. 116-92 total for the year (55.8%) I'm trying to make it to 60% for the end of the year...if I do I will be going pro.
NCAA - FINAL
MR 84 62 57.5%
MC 80 66 54.8%
MK 78 68 53.4%
GR 77 69 52.7%
JG 72 74 49.3%
JR 71 75 48.6%
MH 71 75 48.6%
AW 69 77 47.3%
Roe +22...ridiculous.
I'll post this week's NFL games later this afternoon when all games have lines.
MR 124 101 55.1%
MK 120 105 53.3%
JR 118 107 52.4%
MC 117 108 52.0%
GR 117 108 52.0%
AW 110 115 48.9%
MH 109 116 48.4%
JG 108 117 48.0%
MK made a huge move up this week by going 13-2!! Crazy. MR needs to make more SEA type picks where everyone else likes the other team for us to catch him. Come on Mike, how about a 3-12 week...do you have it in you?
NFL
JR 47 33 58.8%
MK 42 38 52.5%
AW 41 39 51.3%
GR 40 40 50.0%
MR 40 40 50.0%
MH 38 42 47.5%
MC 37 43 46.3%
JG 36 44 45.0%
10-6 overall on NFL this week for me. 116-92 total for the year (55.8%) I'm trying to make it to 60% for the end of the year...if I do I will be going pro.
NCAA - FINAL
MR 84 62 57.5%
MC 80 66 54.8%
MK 78 68 53.4%
GR 77 69 52.7%
JG 72 74 49.3%
JR 71 75 48.6%
MH 71 75 48.6%
AW 69 77 47.3%
Roe +22...ridiculous.
I'll post this week's NFL games later this afternoon when all games have lines.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Bowl Challenge - One New Game added!
With the NAVY victory, the UCLA Bruins are now in a bowl game against TEM. This wasn't on the official first list, and has caused me to have a do-over on some of the point configurations to keep it at an even 100 points. So please send me your picks to the new list from below (if you have already sent your picks I just need a pick from this game)
UCLA
TEM 4
Here is the complete list - picks due this Thursday for Bowl Games:
WY 19-Dec 1
FRES -10.5
UCF 19-Dec 1
RUT -1.5
MDTN 20-Dec 1
SOMISS -3
BYU 22-Dec 2
OREST -1.5
UTAH 23-Dec 2
CAL -3
SMU 24-Dec 2
NEV -14
OHIO 26-Dec 2
MARSH 2.5
NC 26-Dec 2
PITT -3
BC 26-Dec 2
USC -9
UK 27-Dec 2
CLEM -7
A&M 28-Dec 3
GEO -7
WIS 29-Dec 3
MIA -2.5
BGU 30-Dec 3
IDAHO 0
UCLA 30-Dec 3
TEM 4
NEB 30-Dec 3
AZ 0
AF 31-Dec 3
HOU -4.5
STAN 31-Dec 3
OK -10
NAVY 31-Dec 3
MIZZ -9
ISU 31-Dec 3
MN -3
TN 31-Dec 3
VT -4.5
NW 1-Jan 4
AUB -8
FSU 1-Jan 4
WV -3.5
LSU 1-Jan 4
PSU -2.5
OHIOST 1-Jan 5
ORE -3.5
CIN 1-Jan 5
FLA -10.5
NILL 2-Jan 1
USF -6
UCONN 2-Jan 2
SC -6
OLE 2-Jan 4
OKST 3
ARK 2-Jan 4
ECU 8
MSU 2-Jan 4
TT -6.5
BOISE 4-Jan 5
TCU -8
IOWA 5-Jan 5
GT -3.5
TROY 6-Jan 1
CMU -4
TEX 7-Jan 5
ALA -3.5
Good Luck!!
UCLA
TEM 4
Here is the complete list - picks due this Thursday for Bowl Games:
WY 19-Dec 1
FRES -10.5
UCF 19-Dec 1
RUT -1.5
MDTN 20-Dec 1
SOMISS -3
BYU 22-Dec 2
OREST -1.5
UTAH 23-Dec 2
CAL -3
SMU 24-Dec 2
NEV -14
OHIO 26-Dec 2
MARSH 2.5
NC 26-Dec 2
PITT -3
BC 26-Dec 2
USC -9
UK 27-Dec 2
CLEM -7
A&M 28-Dec 3
GEO -7
WIS 29-Dec 3
MIA -2.5
BGU 30-Dec 3
IDAHO 0
UCLA 30-Dec 3
TEM 4
NEB 30-Dec 3
AZ 0
AF 31-Dec 3
HOU -4.5
STAN 31-Dec 3
OK -10
NAVY 31-Dec 3
MIZZ -9
ISU 31-Dec 3
MN -3
TN 31-Dec 3
VT -4.5
NW 1-Jan 4
AUB -8
FSU 1-Jan 4
WV -3.5
LSU 1-Jan 4
PSU -2.5
OHIOST 1-Jan 5
ORE -3.5
CIN 1-Jan 5
FLA -10.5
NILL 2-Jan 1
USF -6
UCONN 2-Jan 2
SC -6
OLE 2-Jan 4
OKST 3
ARK 2-Jan 4
ECU 8
MSU 2-Jan 4
TT -6.5
BOISE 4-Jan 5
TCU -8
IOWA 5-Jan 5
GT -3.5
TROY 6-Jan 1
CMU -4
TEX 7-Jan 5
ALA -3.5
Good Luck!!
Week 15 Weekend Results
Wow, I thought we'd struggle a bit during this month of NFL picks...not quite.
MK: 12-2
AW: 10-4
JR: 9-5
JG: 9-5
MR: 9-5
GR: 8-6
MH: 7-7
MC: 7-7
SS: 12-4 - picked all games this week...he's getting warmed up for the post-season, and if this week is any indication...look out.
83-45 (64.8%). So I guess we're all money at NFL picks now!
Split on the ARI-SF game tonight, so I'll send a final tally for the week w/updated standings tomorrow.
Enjoy the success, it likely won't last for the next 3 weeks.
MK: 12-2
AW: 10-4
JR: 9-5
JG: 9-5
MR: 9-5
GR: 8-6
MH: 7-7
MC: 7-7
SS: 12-4 - picked all games this week...he's getting warmed up for the post-season, and if this week is any indication...look out.
83-45 (64.8%). So I guess we're all money at NFL picks now!
Split on the ARI-SF game tonight, so I'll send a final tally for the week w/updated standings tomorrow.
Enjoy the success, it likely won't last for the next 3 weeks.
Friday, December 11, 2009
I am a candidate for the KAN job
So the most recent gossip has Harbaugh being offered $2.75m per year
and possibly accepting. If he turns it down the next name on Kansas'
list isn't Timmy Brew...close though. Word has it that Bielema is #2
on the list and the interest is mutual! Wow, what a shocker that would
be. For me, I don't think Kansas is a better job than Wis, Min, or
Stanford! Apparently they have $$$ to throw around so it should be
settled over the next week or so...and I'm betting it's a big name.
and possibly accepting. If he turns it down the next name on Kansas'
list isn't Timmy Brew...close though. Word has it that Bielema is #2
on the list and the interest is mutual! Wow, what a shocker that would
be. For me, I don't think Kansas is a better job than Wis, Min, or
Stanford! Apparently they have $$$ to throw around so it should be
settled over the next week or so...and I'm betting it's a big name.
BTW why did I pick Pitt last night?!? That team is d-o-n-e. Shitty
weather and Clev playing better of late should have made it an easy
pick...bad start to the week.
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Football Challenge - Week 15
Our first week of picking almost exclusively from the NFL...might be ugly.
This is also the 300th post on the blog...sounds like a lot, huh. Bet I can reach 600 by next year at this time - Gophers need to stop making so much news for us to comment on...unless it's winning something.
ARMY-NAVY
This big one starts it off. Only one rule applies in this series over the last few years...always pick NAVY. JG, AW, GR...good luck to you.
PIT-CLE
Tonight's tilt should be brutal. PIT is giving 10 on the road in horrible conditions and they are beat up. But they need a win in the worst way, and while I have no doubt that they will get their W, by 10 might be tough. I'll count on a big 0-6 from CLE, so the questions is can PIT get 17...yes. I like PIT. Even 4:4 split on this one (SS likes PIT too) should be a tough watch.
NO-ATL
ATL is getting the love in this one. 6 on them, 3 on NO. I just can't see ATL keeping up without Matt Ryan against NO. NO has been struggling the last few weeks, but I think going inside will help them and they can roll through ATL.
DET-BAL
No Stafford. BAL desperately in need of a W. Look out. 3 on DET, 3 on BAL, 3 didn't pick it. Scared of the 14 pt spread fellas? Don't be. This is still the Lions playing a playoff contender on the road in DEC.
GB-CHI
Pack is playing well, CHI is playing less than good. MH is the only one with faith in Lovie and the crew. Pack should handle this one, but since it's a rivalry I think it may be very close. But giving only 3 allows us to be very close and still win!
SEA-HOU
This is one that I didn't include. We have 7 on HOU, MR on SEA...yes, the leader of the pack MR. So everyone is pulling for the Texans here. Two teams I don't think much of that are both fading or have faded already. HOU at home gives them an edge, but I think they might be a lame duck and not winning much the rest of the year. SEA could come in and get a sneaky one...never bet a dog unless you think they can win outright...so I'll take SEA.
DEN-IND
I still don't think DEN is very good. I do think INDY is extremely good. 7.5 doesn't scare me, especially at home for this Colts club. I wish they weren't undefeated, but I'll take them anyway. 5 on INDY 4 on DEN...nice split.
MIA-JAC
Blackout game...again. MIA is a nice team and I think JAC is very overrated. I really don't like them at all and think MIA will cruise through this one. Getting 2.5 make this an easy bet for me. JG and AW are only ones on JAC.
BUF-KC
The "who cares" Bowl for week 15 of the football challenge. Is it more of a talent to be able to pick winners in bad games than good games? I could argue it is more difficult most times. MH likes KC...7 of us are on BUF.
CIN-MIN
Scary game for the Purple. I really think they'll win, but this CIN club will fight until the end. I'll take the points and CIN, 5 on Vikes - 4 on CIN.
CAR-NE
My other non-pick for the week. Not sure where either of these teams are at right now...so if I had to pick it I'd take NE because they still have the potential to explode and be a scary playoff team. CAR with or without Del Homme is bad. 4 on NE, 1 on CAR...I guess nobody like this one very much.
NYJ-TB
3 on TB: 5 on NYJ. No Dirty Sanchez, I don't think it's a big deal. TB is not very good unless they are getting about 2 TD's...so 5 doesn't qualify them as a good dog bet for this week.
STL-TEN
TEN might have hit a bit of a wall after their miracle run ended last week. STL has been okay of late, but TEN's lack of production on both sides of the ball at times makes me pick STL. I also think this could be a hangover game for them and the Rams surprise and make it interesting. 3 on STL: 5 on TEN.
WAS-OAK
Another ugly one. Only 3 on WAS and 6 on OAK. Could Gradkowski be a solid QB? He's looked the part recently. WAS is due for major hangover let down after the blown W last week against NO. Have to love OAK here - 2 teams in different places mentally right now.
SD-DAL
5 on SD: 2 on DAL. Kind of surprised on how little faith we have in DAL. Still a nice team with potential...but SD has been rolling!! They let their guard down after a huge lead LW, but I think they come in motivated to DAL and beat the 'Boys. Getting 2.5 is a nice bonus as well.
PHI-NYG
Giants, even with LW win, are not a good club. Eli is hurt and the D is not close to being good. PHI might still have something. It's time for them to go on a run and put heat on the Cowboys. AW and MH are the only 2 on NYG at home in a pick'em.
ARI-SF
This could be a really big one for the pool. We have a 5-4 split favoring ARI on this one. I think ARI is in for a letdown game after the big win with the Purple last week. But to have SF win it HAS to be low scoring. SF and Samurai Mike will have to control the ball and run it a lot to keep Grocery Guy off the field. I like the 49ers as a home dog.
There we go - all 16 NFL games plus ARMY-NAVY...not a huge week of football but the beginning of the NFL stretch run for the Football Challenge. Take a week to breath before going through all of the Bowl Games and finding winners in that mess.
Good Luck!
This is also the 300th post on the blog...sounds like a lot, huh. Bet I can reach 600 by next year at this time - Gophers need to stop making so much news for us to comment on...unless it's winning something.
ARMY-NAVY
This big one starts it off. Only one rule applies in this series over the last few years...always pick NAVY. JG, AW, GR...good luck to you.
PIT-CLE
Tonight's tilt should be brutal. PIT is giving 10 on the road in horrible conditions and they are beat up. But they need a win in the worst way, and while I have no doubt that they will get their W, by 10 might be tough. I'll count on a big 0-6 from CLE, so the questions is can PIT get 17...yes. I like PIT. Even 4:4 split on this one (SS likes PIT too) should be a tough watch.
NO-ATL
ATL is getting the love in this one. 6 on them, 3 on NO. I just can't see ATL keeping up without Matt Ryan against NO. NO has been struggling the last few weeks, but I think going inside will help them and they can roll through ATL.
DET-BAL
No Stafford. BAL desperately in need of a W. Look out. 3 on DET, 3 on BAL, 3 didn't pick it. Scared of the 14 pt spread fellas? Don't be. This is still the Lions playing a playoff contender on the road in DEC.
GB-CHI
Pack is playing well, CHI is playing less than good. MH is the only one with faith in Lovie and the crew. Pack should handle this one, but since it's a rivalry I think it may be very close. But giving only 3 allows us to be very close and still win!
SEA-HOU
This is one that I didn't include. We have 7 on HOU, MR on SEA...yes, the leader of the pack MR. So everyone is pulling for the Texans here. Two teams I don't think much of that are both fading or have faded already. HOU at home gives them an edge, but I think they might be a lame duck and not winning much the rest of the year. SEA could come in and get a sneaky one...never bet a dog unless you think they can win outright...so I'll take SEA.
DEN-IND
I still don't think DEN is very good. I do think INDY is extremely good. 7.5 doesn't scare me, especially at home for this Colts club. I wish they weren't undefeated, but I'll take them anyway. 5 on INDY 4 on DEN...nice split.
MIA-JAC
Blackout game...again. MIA is a nice team and I think JAC is very overrated. I really don't like them at all and think MIA will cruise through this one. Getting 2.5 make this an easy bet for me. JG and AW are only ones on JAC.
BUF-KC
The "who cares" Bowl for week 15 of the football challenge. Is it more of a talent to be able to pick winners in bad games than good games? I could argue it is more difficult most times. MH likes KC...7 of us are on BUF.
CIN-MIN
Scary game for the Purple. I really think they'll win, but this CIN club will fight until the end. I'll take the points and CIN, 5 on Vikes - 4 on CIN.
CAR-NE
My other non-pick for the week. Not sure where either of these teams are at right now...so if I had to pick it I'd take NE because they still have the potential to explode and be a scary playoff team. CAR with or without Del Homme is bad. 4 on NE, 1 on CAR...I guess nobody like this one very much.
NYJ-TB
3 on TB: 5 on NYJ. No Dirty Sanchez, I don't think it's a big deal. TB is not very good unless they are getting about 2 TD's...so 5 doesn't qualify them as a good dog bet for this week.
STL-TEN
TEN might have hit a bit of a wall after their miracle run ended last week. STL has been okay of late, but TEN's lack of production on both sides of the ball at times makes me pick STL. I also think this could be a hangover game for them and the Rams surprise and make it interesting. 3 on STL: 5 on TEN.
WAS-OAK
Another ugly one. Only 3 on WAS and 6 on OAK. Could Gradkowski be a solid QB? He's looked the part recently. WAS is due for major hangover let down after the blown W last week against NO. Have to love OAK here - 2 teams in different places mentally right now.
SD-DAL
5 on SD: 2 on DAL. Kind of surprised on how little faith we have in DAL. Still a nice team with potential...but SD has been rolling!! They let their guard down after a huge lead LW, but I think they come in motivated to DAL and beat the 'Boys. Getting 2.5 is a nice bonus as well.
PHI-NYG
Giants, even with LW win, are not a good club. Eli is hurt and the D is not close to being good. PHI might still have something. It's time for them to go on a run and put heat on the Cowboys. AW and MH are the only 2 on NYG at home in a pick'em.
ARI-SF
This could be a really big one for the pool. We have a 5-4 split favoring ARI on this one. I think ARI is in for a letdown game after the big win with the Purple last week. But to have SF win it HAS to be low scoring. SF and Samurai Mike will have to control the ball and run it a lot to keep Grocery Guy off the field. I like the 49ers as a home dog.
There we go - all 16 NFL games plus ARMY-NAVY...not a huge week of football but the beginning of the NFL stretch run for the Football Challenge. Take a week to breath before going through all of the Bowl Games and finding winners in that mess.
Good Luck!
Waiting on pick from...
HEINERT and ROE...always you two!
Also Bomb sent over 16, so I need him to cancel one.
Once I have everything I'll send out the recap.
Also Bomb sent over 16, so I need him to cancel one.
Once I have everything I'll send out the recap.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Brewster - a Hot Commodity?
How does a guy go from potential hot seat at a lower level B10 school to a possible hire for a low end B12 school for 2x the $$$?
Is this the Twilight Zone? Brew to KAN? Can this possibly be true?
Here's what I've heard/read/believe:
1. Brew wants an extension - he isn't going to get one until he proves something.
2. Brew and Maturi really aren't buds. If you've seen Joel's comments you can figure that out real fast.
3. Brew had Mack Brown call KU and recommend him as a potential coach.
What does this all mean? My guess is that the interest is minimal at best...mainly stemming from the phone call from Mack. Brew would gladly pack up and leave considering he'd get more $, be in a much easier conference (B12 North is winnable every year...B10 is not), and be in his beloved B12 where he could be closer to his idol Mack Brown at TEX.
I'm thinking Brew had Mack make a call to try and stir up a rumor like this to try and make it seem like people like him and want him, which frankly can't be true considering his average at best track record thus far at MN. I don't think he counted on this getting as public as it has and it seems to have pissed off Mr. Boring Joel Maturi. I think this might just push Joel over the edge and force him to end an already strained relationship with his Used Car Salesman of a coach and go on the hunt sooner than expected.
Would it be the right move to fire him? Maybe. Very tough call right now, but his recruiting, which is really the only strong point through 3 years, is starting to fade. He can't sell hope like he could before actual games were played and lost. He can't sell playing time like he once could, and he hasn't won which we all know is the best recruiting tool of them all. If there is any validity to the rumor...awesome. We could solve 2 problems at once. The question of the buy-out wuld be gone and we'd have him out a year early and be that much closer to rebuilding with hopefully a coach that can, well, coach.
The real problem is Maturi. How did you hire this guy in the first place? Joel admittedly had never heard of him and knew nothing about him before the initial interview off the recommendation from the infamous "search firm". All he does well is recruit and sell hope, but after 3 lack-luster years this fan base is done buying. He has no specialty (Offense, Defense, SpT) and doesn't seem to manage a game very well at all. I just don't know how you can go into a search for a guy to lead your team into a new stadium and you don't have a long list of potential candidates that would be heads and tails better than this guy. Lane Kiffin is a jerk, but he can coach and he wanted to be here. I understand the budget issues, but that was Joel's fault too by buying out Mason one year after a big extension. So Joel was forced to take a chance, it doesn't look like it's going to work out, but I really don't think I can trust him to hire our next leader.
Perfect world - Brew goes to KU, Maturi gets canned, new guy hires somebody who can truly lead the Gopher Nation to some place special.
Should be an interesting month - we'll know what the plan is by then...probably sooner.
Is this the Twilight Zone? Brew to KAN? Can this possibly be true?
Here's what I've heard/read/believe:
1. Brew wants an extension - he isn't going to get one until he proves something.
2. Brew and Maturi really aren't buds. If you've seen Joel's comments you can figure that out real fast.
3. Brew had Mack Brown call KU and recommend him as a potential coach.
What does this all mean? My guess is that the interest is minimal at best...mainly stemming from the phone call from Mack. Brew would gladly pack up and leave considering he'd get more $, be in a much easier conference (B12 North is winnable every year...B10 is not), and be in his beloved B12 where he could be closer to his idol Mack Brown at TEX.
I'm thinking Brew had Mack make a call to try and stir up a rumor like this to try and make it seem like people like him and want him, which frankly can't be true considering his average at best track record thus far at MN. I don't think he counted on this getting as public as it has and it seems to have pissed off Mr. Boring Joel Maturi. I think this might just push Joel over the edge and force him to end an already strained relationship with his Used Car Salesman of a coach and go on the hunt sooner than expected.
Would it be the right move to fire him? Maybe. Very tough call right now, but his recruiting, which is really the only strong point through 3 years, is starting to fade. He can't sell hope like he could before actual games were played and lost. He can't sell playing time like he once could, and he hasn't won which we all know is the best recruiting tool of them all. If there is any validity to the rumor...awesome. We could solve 2 problems at once. The question of the buy-out wuld be gone and we'd have him out a year early and be that much closer to rebuilding with hopefully a coach that can, well, coach.
The real problem is Maturi. How did you hire this guy in the first place? Joel admittedly had never heard of him and knew nothing about him before the initial interview off the recommendation from the infamous "search firm". All he does well is recruit and sell hope, but after 3 lack-luster years this fan base is done buying. He has no specialty (Offense, Defense, SpT) and doesn't seem to manage a game very well at all. I just don't know how you can go into a search for a guy to lead your team into a new stadium and you don't have a long list of potential candidates that would be heads and tails better than this guy. Lane Kiffin is a jerk, but he can coach and he wanted to be here. I understand the budget issues, but that was Joel's fault too by buying out Mason one year after a big extension. So Joel was forced to take a chance, it doesn't look like it's going to work out, but I really don't think I can trust him to hire our next leader.
Perfect world - Brew goes to KU, Maturi gets canned, new guy hires somebody who can truly lead the Gopher Nation to some place special.
Should be an interesting month - we'll know what the plan is by then...probably sooner.
Week 15 - NFL + Army/Navy
Here's the list for this week - our first that is almost all NFL.
Please pick a winner in the ARMY-NAVY game and then 14 of the 16 NFL games and send over by THURSDAY at NOON.
ARMY
NAVY -14
PIT
CLE 10
NO
ATL 10.5
DET
BAL no line yet - will post this afternoon
GB
CHI no line yet - will post this afternoon
SEA
HOU -5.5
DEN
IND -7.5
MIA
JAC -2.5
BUF
KC -1
CIN
MIN -7
CAR
NE -13
NYJ
TB 5
STL
TEN -14
WAS
OAK 0
SD
DAL -2.5
PHI
NYG 0
ARI
SF 3
Please pick a winner in the ARMY-NAVY game and then 14 of the 16 NFL games and send over by THURSDAY at NOON.
ARMY
NAVY -14
PIT
CLE 10
NO
ATL 10.5
DET
BAL no line yet - will post this afternoon
GB
CHI no line yet - will post this afternoon
SEA
HOU -5.5
DEN
IND -7.5
MIA
JAC -2.5
BUF
KC -1
CIN
MIN -7
CAR
NE -13
NYJ
TB 5
STL
TEN -14
WAS
OAK 0
SD
DAL -2.5
PHI
NYG 0
ARI
SF 3
BOWL GAMES!
Here we go for the start of part 2 of the challenge...even though part one isn't close to done yet. The rules:
1. Please send me over $20 as soon as you can. I think I will be seeing JG, MR, GR in the coming weeks of x-mas and new year's, but for the rest of you...please put a check in the mail so I have $ in hand to pay the winner as soon as it's over.
2063 Stone Creek Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317
2. All bowl picks will be due before the first game...12/19 - NEXT SATURDAY. Please turn in your picks for ALL BOWL GAMES by the start time of the 1st game.
3. Bowls are weighted (1,2,3,4,5) for the number of points they are worth. Please picks your winners ATS in all games and each correct answer will get you the corresponding point total for that game.
4. This total will be combined with your NFL Playoff total to determine the overall winner to the Post-Season Football Challenge (100 NCAA + 70 NFL points + NFL prop bets totaling around 10 possible extra points to break ties)
5. Payout will be the same as regular season...$180 total cash = $160 to winner and $20 to runner up.
Here we go - teams, spread, date, points
WY
FRES -10.5 . 12/19 . 1
UCF
RUT -1.5 . 12/19 . 1
MDTN
SOMISS -3 . 12/20 . 1
BYU
OREST -1.5 . 12/22 . 2
UTAH
CAL -3 . 12/23 . 2
SMU
NEV -14 . 12/24 . 2
OHIO
MARSH 2.5 . 12/26 . 2
NC
PITT -3 . 12/26 . 3
BC
USC -9 . 12/26 . 3
UK
CLEM -7 . 12/27 . 3
A&M
GEO -7 . 12/28 . 3
WIS
MIA -2.5 . 12/29 . 3
BGU
IDAHO 0 . 12/30 . 3
NEB
AZ 0 . 12/30 . 3
AF
HOU -4.5 . 12/31 . 3
STAN
OK -10 . 12/31 . 3
NAVY
MIZZ -9 . 12/31 . 3
ISU
MN -3 . 12/31 . 3
TN
VT -4.5 . 12/31 . 3
NW
AUB -8 . 1/1 . 4
FSU
WV -3.5 . 1/1 . 4
LSU
PSU -2.5 . 1/1 . 4
OHIOST
ORE -3.5 . 1/1 . 5
CIN
FLA -10.5 . 1/1 . 5
NILL
USF -6 . 1/2 . 1
UCONN
SC -6 . 1/2 . 2
OLE
OKST 3 . 1/2 . 4
ARK
ECU 8 . 1/2 . 4
MSU
TT -6.5 . 1/2 . 4
BOISE
TCU -8 . 1/4 . 5
IOWA
GT -3.5 . 1/5 . 5
TROY
CMU -4 . 1/6 . 1
TEX
ALA -3.5 . 1/7 . 5
Please send over by NEXT SATURDAY DEC 19th, and don't forget to send over a check or get me some cash in one way or another as soon as you can before you spend it all at BBY. Good Luck.
1. Please send me over $20 as soon as you can. I think I will be seeing JG, MR, GR in the coming weeks of x-mas and new year's, but for the rest of you...please put a check in the mail so I have $ in hand to pay the winner as soon as it's over.
2063 Stone Creek Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317
2. All bowl picks will be due before the first game...12/19 - NEXT SATURDAY. Please turn in your picks for ALL BOWL GAMES by the start time of the 1st game.
3. Bowls are weighted (1,2,3,4,5) for the number of points they are worth. Please picks your winners ATS in all games and each correct answer will get you the corresponding point total for that game.
4. This total will be combined with your NFL Playoff total to determine the overall winner to the Post-Season Football Challenge (100 NCAA + 70 NFL points + NFL prop bets totaling around 10 possible extra points to break ties)
5. Payout will be the same as regular season...$180 total cash = $160 to winner and $20 to runner up.
Here we go - teams, spread, date, points
WY
FRES -10.5 . 12/19 . 1
UCF
RUT -1.5 . 12/19 . 1
MDTN
SOMISS -3 . 12/20 . 1
BYU
OREST -1.5 . 12/22 . 2
UTAH
CAL -3 . 12/23 . 2
SMU
NEV -14 . 12/24 . 2
OHIO
MARSH 2.5 . 12/26 . 2
NC
PITT -3 . 12/26 . 3
BC
USC -9 . 12/26 . 3
UK
CLEM -7 . 12/27 . 3
A&M
GEO -7 . 12/28 . 3
WIS
MIA -2.5 . 12/29 . 3
BGU
IDAHO 0 . 12/30 . 3
NEB
AZ 0 . 12/30 . 3
AF
HOU -4.5 . 12/31 . 3
STAN
OK -10 . 12/31 . 3
NAVY
MIZZ -9 . 12/31 . 3
ISU
MN -3 . 12/31 . 3
TN
VT -4.5 . 12/31 . 3
NW
AUB -8 . 1/1 . 4
FSU
WV -3.5 . 1/1 . 4
LSU
PSU -2.5 . 1/1 . 4
OHIOST
ORE -3.5 . 1/1 . 5
CIN
FLA -10.5 . 1/1 . 5
NILL
USF -6 . 1/2 . 1
UCONN
SC -6 . 1/2 . 2
OLE
OKST 3 . 1/2 . 4
ARK
ECU 8 . 1/2 . 4
MSU
TT -6.5 . 1/2 . 4
BOISE
TCU -8 . 1/4 . 5
IOWA
GT -3.5 . 1/5 . 5
TROY
CMU -4 . 1/6 . 1
TEX
ALA -3.5 . 1/7 . 5
Please send over by NEXT SATURDAY DEC 19th, and don't forget to send over a check or get me some cash in one way or another as soon as you can before you spend it all at BBY. Good Luck.
End of NCAA games...4 week to go in NFL
Here are the current standings:
TOTAL
MR 115 95 54.8%
MC 110 100 52.4%
GR 109 101 51.9%
JR 108 102 51.4%
MK 107 103 51.0%
MH 101 109 48.1%
AW 100 110 47.6%
JG 98 112 46.7%
MK had a nice week and got himself within striking distance to make it a 5 person race over the last 4 weeks of NFL games.
NFL
JR 38 27 58.5%
GR 33 32 50.8%
AW 32 33 49.2%
MR 32 33 49.2%
MH 31 34 47.7%
MC 31 34 47.7%
MK 30 35 46.2%
JG 27 38 41.5%
I go 1-4 last week but actually gained a game on GR! The 2nd 0'fer week we've seen in the college ranks...congrats!
NCAA - FINAL STANDINGS (-1 more game ARMY-NAVY)
MR 83 62 57.2%
MC 79 66 54.5%
MK 77 68 53.1%
GR 76 69 52.4%
JG 71 74 49.0%
JR 70 75 48.3%
MH 70 75 48.3%
AW 68 77 46.9%
Wow. MR with a +21 for the season...very impressive. MC makes a nice showing in his first year of picking MAC/SBC games as well. 4 guys over .500 for the season in NCAA is pretty good. 594-566 total (51.2%)...our best showing ever as a group for the football challenge.
I wrapped up my pick everything NCAA season at 350-330 (51.5%)...not horrible but a disappointment for what I was expecting. Back to the drawing board for next year.
NFL I am 106-86 w/4 weeks left (55.2%).
SS made picks last week to try and get in the groove a little bit...but he went 5-10. Still working the kinks out before the Bowl season begins I guess.
This week's games and Bowl Games will be sent over soon.
TOTAL
MR 115 95 54.8%
MC 110 100 52.4%
GR 109 101 51.9%
JR 108 102 51.4%
MK 107 103 51.0%
MH 101 109 48.1%
AW 100 110 47.6%
JG 98 112 46.7%
MK had a nice week and got himself within striking distance to make it a 5 person race over the last 4 weeks of NFL games.
NFL
JR 38 27 58.5%
GR 33 32 50.8%
AW 32 33 49.2%
MR 32 33 49.2%
MH 31 34 47.7%
MC 31 34 47.7%
MK 30 35 46.2%
JG 27 38 41.5%
I go 1-4 last week but actually gained a game on GR! The 2nd 0'fer week we've seen in the college ranks...congrats!
NCAA - FINAL STANDINGS (-1 more game ARMY-NAVY)
MR 83 62 57.2%
MC 79 66 54.5%
MK 77 68 53.1%
GR 76 69 52.4%
JG 71 74 49.0%
JR 70 75 48.3%
MH 70 75 48.3%
AW 68 77 46.9%
Wow. MR with a +21 for the season...very impressive. MC makes a nice showing in his first year of picking MAC/SBC games as well. 4 guys over .500 for the season in NCAA is pretty good. 594-566 total (51.2%)...our best showing ever as a group for the football challenge.
I wrapped up my pick everything NCAA season at 350-330 (51.5%)...not horrible but a disappointment for what I was expecting. Back to the drawing board for next year.
NFL I am 106-86 w/4 weeks left (55.2%).
SS made picks last week to try and get in the groove a little bit...but he went 5-10. Still working the kinks out before the Bowl season begins I guess.
This week's games and Bowl Games will be sent over soon.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Weekend Recap
U-G-L-Y. This can be said for a lot for a lot of things this weekend. The Purple, the Gators, my bowl information, and most certainly my picks. Here's how it went this weekend:
MR: 10-5
MK: 10-5
MH: 8-6 +BAL
GR: 7-8
AW: 6-8 +BAL
MC: 6-9
JR: 5-10
SS: 5-10
JG: 4-10 +BAL
Combined record of 61-74 (45%)...not going to get it done.
I went 10-7 overall in NCAA...6-1 in games I didn't include in the pool!!!
NFL, you knew it had to happen, I have been cruising along all year with out a terrible week. 4-11 so far, outstanding! Almost every DOG covers...except for the 3 I include in the pool!! Glad I got it out of my system.
As for the bad bowl info - sorry about that. Everything I was hearing and reading yesterday sounded very optimistic about the Alamo Bowl...don't believe everything that you read, you'll get a parking violation and a maggot on your sleeve.
I am very much not disappointed in the results of the Bowl lineup for the Gophs - playing the Clones on New Year's Eve is an outstanding draw and actually the only potential matchup that we could maybe win. Who would have thought we could have 2 Iowa hate weeks in the same season!! Woo-hoo!
BCS lines have been posted on some sites - not the official site of the Football Challenge (USA TODAY) so I will send those out when I have them. The rest of the games should have lines by end of today or early tomorrow. I will also be sending out NFL lines for this week - we'll be picking 14 NFL games and of course ARMY-NAVY.
Full standings update coming tomorrow.
MR: 10-5
MK: 10-5
MH: 8-6 +BAL
GR: 7-8
AW: 6-8 +BAL
MC: 6-9
JR: 5-10
SS: 5-10
JG: 4-10 +BAL
Combined record of 61-74 (45%)...not going to get it done.
I went 10-7 overall in NCAA...6-1 in games I didn't include in the pool!!!
NFL, you knew it had to happen, I have been cruising along all year with out a terrible week. 4-11 so far, outstanding! Almost every DOG covers...except for the 3 I include in the pool!! Glad I got it out of my system.
As for the bad bowl info - sorry about that. Everything I was hearing and reading yesterday sounded very optimistic about the Alamo Bowl...don't believe everything that you read, you'll get a parking violation and a maggot on your sleeve.
I am very much not disappointed in the results of the Bowl lineup for the Gophs - playing the Clones on New Year's Eve is an outstanding draw and actually the only potential matchup that we could maybe win. Who would have thought we could have 2 Iowa hate weeks in the same season!! Woo-hoo!
BCS lines have been posted on some sites - not the official site of the Football Challenge (USA TODAY) so I will send those out when I have them. The rest of the games should have lines by end of today or early tomorrow. I will also be sending out NFL lines for this week - we'll be picking 14 NFL games and of course ARMY-NAVY.
Full standings update coming tomorrow.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
San Antonio!
Bring on Texas Tech!! Didn't see this one coming at all...we better be
getting at least 14...hopefully more! From all the inside info I can
find this looks to be a done deal. Apparently some Cyclone player
facebooked that 2 Iowa teams will be in Phoenix...which means Hogeyes
are BCS and Clones are at Insight...kind of wish we were playing them
instead.
getting at least 14...hopefully more! From all the inside info I can
find this looks to be a done deal. Apparently some Cyclone player
facebooked that 2 Iowa teams will be in Phoenix...which means Hogeyes
are BCS and Clones are at Insight...kind of wish we were playing them
instead.
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Note to self
Stop betting for good offenses giving a few and start betting on great
defenses getting a few...I suck today!
defenses getting a few...I suck today!
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Week 14 Picks
Championship weekend is here for College Football...can you believe it's over already?!!?! Bowl games will be announced on Sunday and then our 2nd season will officially be starting...but the regular season contest will push on through the NFL regular season.
NCAA
JR: ARKST, OREST, OHIO, PITT, HOU, FLA, FIU, TEX, GT, WIS
JG: ORE, WV, CIN, ILL, USC, FLA, CAL, TEX, GT, HAW
MR: OREST, OHIO, WV, CIN, USC, ALA, WASH, TEX, GT, WIS
MK: ARKST, WV, CIN, HOU, CAL, FAU, USF, NEB, GT, WIS
AW: ARKST, WV, PITT, ECU, ILL, FLA, FAU, TEX, GT, WIS
GR: OREST, WV, CIN, HOU, NMST, FLA, UCONN, NEB, GT, WIS
MH: OREST, CMU, CIN, FRES, AZ, FLA, WASH, TEX, GT, WIS
MC: WKY, CMU, RUT, CIN, HOU, ILL, LT, CAL, FIU, UCONN
SS: ORE, WV, PITT, ILL, USC, ALA, CAL, TEX, GT, WIS
NFL
JR: BUF, PHI, TB, KC, MIN
JG: TB, STL, TEN, DAL, BAL
MR: NYJ, TB, NE, NYG, MIN
MK: NYJ, CAR, PIT, NYG, MIN
AW: HOU, NYG, SF, MIN, BAL
GR: NO, NE, SD, DAL, MIN
MH: NO, NYG, SF, MIN, BAL
MC: PHI, TB, DET, JAC, MIN
SS: DEN, PIT, NO, NE, MIN
Lots of the same teams being picked in NCAA and NFL this week due to the lack of College games.
I'm going make or break tonight with 3 games in action...BILLS, ARKST, BEAVERS...3-0.
NCAA
ARKST-WKY
ARKST is a pretty good 3-8 SBC team, if there is such a thing. WKY is riding an 0-11 run in their first year in D1 and they fired their coach...I guess they were hoping for big things in their first season. 5 of the ARKST losses were by 1 score or less and are only a -1 in Avg Pt Diff...while WKY is a -21 and has only been within 1 score 3 times this year. Seems like a no-brainer right?
OREST-ORE
The Civil War should be amazing tonight. I'm loving the 8pm start time so I can actually have a chance to watch a lot of it...assuming I can get the TV off of a very special Private Practice event that will change everything! This game is always good, and this year it's for a berth in Pasadena. Ducks ruined the Beavers chances at the Rose Bowl last year, so I'm loving the revenge angle and the 9.5 pts I am getting w/the Beavers. Very similar teams, both coming off a bye...it's going to be a classic. I think the Beavers for sure cover if not win outright.
OHIO-CMU
MAC title game on FRI...these games are always tight so I picked OHIO. I don't always have a lot of data to back up these picks, so there you go.
WV-RUT and CIN-PITT
Big East takes over the early time slots on Saturday w/no B10 action. I have a hard time picking RUT after they totally F'd me over in the SYR performance a couple of weeks ago. Did you know RUT is +20 in turnovers this year?!? That's crazy, how can they only be 8-3? Their luck has been changing lately, so I'm hoping it continues. WV was impressive last week - not sure why I thought PITT would take that one, in the Backyard Brawl the DOG is ALWAYS the pick. Love the WV D against RUT, so I'll take them. CIN-PITT is for the Big East title and I really think it's time for Cincy's bubble to pop. Their coach is leaving, they are on the road, they know the NC hopes are gone, they play ZERO D...while PITT is coming off a tough rivalry loss, playing at home, looking for a BCS bid, and has played great D all year in the Big East...love it. Give me PITT in a pick'em.
HOU-ECU
HOU scores 45 per game, ECU scores 27. This game is on a neutral field and HOU is only giving 1? What am I missing? Go HOU!
FRES-ILL
ILL is still terrible. FRES can score and more importantly they can run the ball really well...ILL doesn't stop anyone from running, well almost anyone. LOVE FRESNO getting 1 on the road. Zook and crew have nothing to play for except Juicy Lucy's last game.
NMST-BOISE
46.5...and this line actually went to 48+...wow. 2 angles, first BOISE will be looking to score 100 to try and gain a few extra votes. Angle 2: it's 48 points!! If NMST can muster 1 or 2 TD's they will cover. Have to take points if you're going to pick it. GR is the only one on it...and he took points.
AZ-USC
No idea on this one. I picked AZ just because I think they will have a little more to play for than USC, but I really don't know.
FLA-ALA
LOVE FLA!! This is still the best team in the country without a doubt. ALA has shaky QB play and I will NEVER bet agaionst Tebow in a big game. I'm glad it's under a TD, but I love the Gators!!
CAL-WASH
A 4 win WASH team that was once in the Top 25 (how ridiculous is that!!) is very dangerous at home against CAL. The Bears have had a very disappointing run and I think they come in extremely flat and lose this one outright to the Huskies.
FAU-FIU
ALways bey FIU...
USF-UCONN
Did you know the Jekyl and Hyde UCONN team that is/was a bettor's worst nightmare is actually 9-1 ATS this year?!? Wow. USF was hyped last week as the team to watch with MIA coming in..."USF wants to prove that they've arrived, big game for recruiting against the 'U'"...nice work guys. They got throttled and have dropped 4 of 6. I'll take UCONN in this one, but I'm still scared to bet on them.
TEX-NEB
This is the only game with any chance to F-up the entire BCS...but I really can't see it happening. TEX has a good D, really, regardless of the A&M game, they have a good D. NEB has a good D. The problem is that TEX has a world class offense and NEB has a Junior high offense. To only be at 14 points while playing for a berth in the title game is crazy. I really think TEX comes out and get points on SpT/D and win this one going away. The one scary thing is that this is the B12 title game, and it has screwed up many o' NC game scenarios before...but I don't think it happens.
GT-CLEM
Thought we would be split on this but the numbers came out GT-8 CLEM-0. Shocking. They both played bad last week, but it's just too damn hard to pick CLEM to win anything like an ACC Championship. GT is steady eddie with that running game and they played a thriller earlier this year with GT coming back to win. Johnson is a good coach and he's won big games in the past - I'll take the Jackets.
WIS-HAW
The 2nd to last NCAAF o the season features the Hawaii Homo Rainbows against the fightin' Baaaadgers of Sconnyland. HAW has actually jurned things around lately and won some games, but I have to think that WIS will be too much on the ground for the Rainbows. 11.5 might be a little much on the road in a meaningless game for Sconny, but I have been burned on this last game of the season before by picking HAW...it won't happen again.
And with that, the NCAA season is over. Well, not totally...ARMY-NAVY next week will be one we all have to pick.
NFL
Some quick NFL thoughts on all games:
NYJ-BUF: like how BUF is rolling, I like them tonight. Dirty Sanchez is steee-rugglin' and it should continue this week.
PHI-ATL: No Matt Ryan, Ron Mexico returns to the ATL, this should be ugly...E-A-G-L-E-S
TB-CAR: how is CAR giving more than a TD to anyone right now? No Del Homme will be a plus, but I LOVE TB in this one
STL-CHI: Can't pick STL, CHI can score on bad teams, so I'll take them.
DET-CIN: might be a little high at 14, but Bungals at home should get it done.
TEN-IND: Love TEN in this one. 8 is too much the way both of these teams are playing. TEN can hang, INDY is bound to lose one of these next few...close this week.
HOU-JAC: Bad vs. Worse. I think HOU can still be decent, but they HAVE to show it this week. JAGS playing another home game that looks like a closed pre-season practice session...the pick is HOU.
DEN-KC: UPSET ALERT! KC wins this one. I'm feeling really confident about it.
OAK-PITT: Can't pick OAK after that show against DAL. PITT wins 13-0.
NO-WAS: Tough not to pick Aints giving less than 10 to a poor team. I'll go with the who dats.
NE-MIA: NE is still a good club, MIA wants to try and belong, I'll take NE. I hate betting against Brady and the Sweatshirt.
SD-CLE: Tough road trip, but 2 teams that are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum right here. I'll picks Super Chargers because they score 30 every game and Brady Q can't score.
DAL-NYG: I hate where both of these teams are at right now - but I think NYG rebound momentarily at home and win a pick'em this week.
SF-SEA: Not big on either of these teams either, but SEA's home field is not what it used to be and SF has shown a little promise. 49ers are the pick.
MIN-ARI: Grocery bagger might not play so hot tub guy would step in...yeah. If that happens Vikes win by 21. If Mr. Gozer plays it's only a 7 pt Viking win.
BAL-GB: Tough call for me. GB is playing better at home, but you have to think BAL is going to make a little bit of a charge late in the season. My pick is RAVENS, but it is at a 55% confidence clip.
There you go - enjoy the weekend. GIGANTIC Bowl Preview post coming on Monday assuming all lines are out by then. Call me crazy, but after watching a couple night of Gopher Hoops I'm really ready to watch some more Gopher Football!!
NCAA
JR: ARKST, OREST, OHIO, PITT, HOU, FLA, FIU, TEX, GT, WIS
JG: ORE, WV, CIN, ILL, USC, FLA, CAL, TEX, GT, HAW
MR: OREST, OHIO, WV, CIN, USC, ALA, WASH, TEX, GT, WIS
MK: ARKST, WV, CIN, HOU, CAL, FAU, USF, NEB, GT, WIS
AW: ARKST, WV, PITT, ECU, ILL, FLA, FAU, TEX, GT, WIS
GR: OREST, WV, CIN, HOU, NMST, FLA, UCONN, NEB, GT, WIS
MH: OREST, CMU, CIN, FRES, AZ, FLA, WASH, TEX, GT, WIS
MC: WKY, CMU, RUT, CIN, HOU, ILL, LT, CAL, FIU, UCONN
SS: ORE, WV, PITT, ILL, USC, ALA, CAL, TEX, GT, WIS
NFL
JR: BUF, PHI, TB, KC, MIN
JG: TB, STL, TEN, DAL, BAL
MR: NYJ, TB, NE, NYG, MIN
MK: NYJ, CAR, PIT, NYG, MIN
AW: HOU, NYG, SF, MIN, BAL
GR: NO, NE, SD, DAL, MIN
MH: NO, NYG, SF, MIN, BAL
MC: PHI, TB, DET, JAC, MIN
SS: DEN, PIT, NO, NE, MIN
Lots of the same teams being picked in NCAA and NFL this week due to the lack of College games.
I'm going make or break tonight with 3 games in action...BILLS, ARKST, BEAVERS...3-0.
NCAA
ARKST-WKY
ARKST is a pretty good 3-8 SBC team, if there is such a thing. WKY is riding an 0-11 run in their first year in D1 and they fired their coach...I guess they were hoping for big things in their first season. 5 of the ARKST losses were by 1 score or less and are only a -1 in Avg Pt Diff...while WKY is a -21 and has only been within 1 score 3 times this year. Seems like a no-brainer right?
OREST-ORE
The Civil War should be amazing tonight. I'm loving the 8pm start time so I can actually have a chance to watch a lot of it...assuming I can get the TV off of a very special Private Practice event that will change everything! This game is always good, and this year it's for a berth in Pasadena. Ducks ruined the Beavers chances at the Rose Bowl last year, so I'm loving the revenge angle and the 9.5 pts I am getting w/the Beavers. Very similar teams, both coming off a bye...it's going to be a classic. I think the Beavers for sure cover if not win outright.
OHIO-CMU
MAC title game on FRI...these games are always tight so I picked OHIO. I don't always have a lot of data to back up these picks, so there you go.
WV-RUT and CIN-PITT
Big East takes over the early time slots on Saturday w/no B10 action. I have a hard time picking RUT after they totally F'd me over in the SYR performance a couple of weeks ago. Did you know RUT is +20 in turnovers this year?!? That's crazy, how can they only be 8-3? Their luck has been changing lately, so I'm hoping it continues. WV was impressive last week - not sure why I thought PITT would take that one, in the Backyard Brawl the DOG is ALWAYS the pick. Love the WV D against RUT, so I'll take them. CIN-PITT is for the Big East title and I really think it's time for Cincy's bubble to pop. Their coach is leaving, they are on the road, they know the NC hopes are gone, they play ZERO D...while PITT is coming off a tough rivalry loss, playing at home, looking for a BCS bid, and has played great D all year in the Big East...love it. Give me PITT in a pick'em.
HOU-ECU
HOU scores 45 per game, ECU scores 27. This game is on a neutral field and HOU is only giving 1? What am I missing? Go HOU!
FRES-ILL
ILL is still terrible. FRES can score and more importantly they can run the ball really well...ILL doesn't stop anyone from running, well almost anyone. LOVE FRESNO getting 1 on the road. Zook and crew have nothing to play for except Juicy Lucy's last game.
NMST-BOISE
46.5...and this line actually went to 48+...wow. 2 angles, first BOISE will be looking to score 100 to try and gain a few extra votes. Angle 2: it's 48 points!! If NMST can muster 1 or 2 TD's they will cover. Have to take points if you're going to pick it. GR is the only one on it...and he took points.
AZ-USC
No idea on this one. I picked AZ just because I think they will have a little more to play for than USC, but I really don't know.
FLA-ALA
LOVE FLA!! This is still the best team in the country without a doubt. ALA has shaky QB play and I will NEVER bet agaionst Tebow in a big game. I'm glad it's under a TD, but I love the Gators!!
CAL-WASH
A 4 win WASH team that was once in the Top 25 (how ridiculous is that!!) is very dangerous at home against CAL. The Bears have had a very disappointing run and I think they come in extremely flat and lose this one outright to the Huskies.
FAU-FIU
ALways bey FIU...
USF-UCONN
Did you know the Jekyl and Hyde UCONN team that is/was a bettor's worst nightmare is actually 9-1 ATS this year?!? Wow. USF was hyped last week as the team to watch with MIA coming in..."USF wants to prove that they've arrived, big game for recruiting against the 'U'"...nice work guys. They got throttled and have dropped 4 of 6. I'll take UCONN in this one, but I'm still scared to bet on them.
TEX-NEB
This is the only game with any chance to F-up the entire BCS...but I really can't see it happening. TEX has a good D, really, regardless of the A&M game, they have a good D. NEB has a good D. The problem is that TEX has a world class offense and NEB has a Junior high offense. To only be at 14 points while playing for a berth in the title game is crazy. I really think TEX comes out and get points on SpT/D and win this one going away. The one scary thing is that this is the B12 title game, and it has screwed up many o' NC game scenarios before...but I don't think it happens.
GT-CLEM
Thought we would be split on this but the numbers came out GT-8 CLEM-0. Shocking. They both played bad last week, but it's just too damn hard to pick CLEM to win anything like an ACC Championship. GT is steady eddie with that running game and they played a thriller earlier this year with GT coming back to win. Johnson is a good coach and he's won big games in the past - I'll take the Jackets.
WIS-HAW
The 2nd to last NCAAF o the season features the Hawaii Homo Rainbows against the fightin' Baaaadgers of Sconnyland. HAW has actually jurned things around lately and won some games, but I have to think that WIS will be too much on the ground for the Rainbows. 11.5 might be a little much on the road in a meaningless game for Sconny, but I have been burned on this last game of the season before by picking HAW...it won't happen again.
And with that, the NCAA season is over. Well, not totally...ARMY-NAVY next week will be one we all have to pick.
NFL
Some quick NFL thoughts on all games:
NYJ-BUF: like how BUF is rolling, I like them tonight. Dirty Sanchez is steee-rugglin' and it should continue this week.
PHI-ATL: No Matt Ryan, Ron Mexico returns to the ATL, this should be ugly...E-A-G-L-E-S
TB-CAR: how is CAR giving more than a TD to anyone right now? No Del Homme will be a plus, but I LOVE TB in this one
STL-CHI: Can't pick STL, CHI can score on bad teams, so I'll take them.
DET-CIN: might be a little high at 14, but Bungals at home should get it done.
TEN-IND: Love TEN in this one. 8 is too much the way both of these teams are playing. TEN can hang, INDY is bound to lose one of these next few...close this week.
HOU-JAC: Bad vs. Worse. I think HOU can still be decent, but they HAVE to show it this week. JAGS playing another home game that looks like a closed pre-season practice session...the pick is HOU.
DEN-KC: UPSET ALERT! KC wins this one. I'm feeling really confident about it.
OAK-PITT: Can't pick OAK after that show against DAL. PITT wins 13-0.
NO-WAS: Tough not to pick Aints giving less than 10 to a poor team. I'll go with the who dats.
NE-MIA: NE is still a good club, MIA wants to try and belong, I'll take NE. I hate betting against Brady and the Sweatshirt.
SD-CLE: Tough road trip, but 2 teams that are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum right here. I'll picks Super Chargers because they score 30 every game and Brady Q can't score.
DAL-NYG: I hate where both of these teams are at right now - but I think NYG rebound momentarily at home and win a pick'em this week.
SF-SEA: Not big on either of these teams either, but SEA's home field is not what it used to be and SF has shown a little promise. 49ers are the pick.
MIN-ARI: Grocery bagger might not play so hot tub guy would step in...yeah. If that happens Vikes win by 21. If Mr. Gozer plays it's only a 7 pt Viking win.
BAL-GB: Tough call for me. GB is playing better at home, but you have to think BAL is going to make a little bit of a charge late in the season. My pick is RAVENS, but it is at a 55% confidence clip.
There you go - enjoy the weekend. GIGANTIC Bowl Preview post coming on Monday assuming all lines are out by then. Call me crazy, but after watching a couple night of Gopher Hoops I'm really ready to watch some more Gopher Football!!
Need picks from...
ROE and HEINERT - send them over sometime soon and I'll get a recap out to everyone.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Week 14 Line Update - 2 missing NFL games
Here are the lines for the final 2 games from the NFL this week:
NO
WAS 9.5
NE
MIA 5
Please include these if you would like on your picks for the week, and if you have already made picks let me know if you want to sub either of these games in as a replacement.
The Coaching Carousel is fired up and running already. What will happen?
ND
This was the obvious one - Weis is dundee, and any coach that has had any success the last 2 years is on the list of "potential" candidates...even though most of the top names have already said they are not interested. We'll see, College coaches lie for living so it's really hard to trust them and their words. For ND, I have to believe that as much as they say that they want a defensive mind, Brian Kelly and his spread offense will be the choice. I just can't see Stoops leaving the OK machine or Meyer leaving FLA regardless of what happens the rest of the year. Other names like Fitzgerald don't have a chance.
FSU
The run is finally over for Bowden. He's like 80, so I think it's the right move. Jimbo Fisher has been talked up for years as a great future head coach, so I guess we'll see what he can do next year. Getting athletes is never the problem there, but coaching them up hasn't really happened the last 5 years of Bobby's run.
SYR
They just fired their 1st year OC this week. My question is why? This Marrone fella is coming off very Brewster like with this move. The guy comes in and teaches a new scheme to an offense with 1 playmaker and a QB who is playing football for the first time in 5 years...and he put up more YPG and the same PPG as the Gophers but you fire him? Either this is what should happen to bad offense (Fisch should then be shown the door) or this is an overreaction.
Speaking of Mr. Fisch, how about this one...
A guy named Dandy Don, who appears to be the Sid of the LSU program, is touting Jedd Fisch as the next OC at LSU to revive that offense. This is a guy who's scheme didn't work at all against B10 defenses...I'm not sure if I like his odds in the SEC. I saw this on an LSU message board and the Tiger faithful were going crazy and spewing out all of our anemic offensive numbers from this year. Likely to happen, well, just like everything Sid says, I would say no...but funny that his name is even in these conversations considering the awful start he had to his tenure here at MIN.
I'm not quite ready to pull the plug on our coach, but I may be after the bowl game. In all honesty, this one game shouldn't change anything...but for Mr. Maturi I think it could. He needs to get us "on the right track" as fast as possible, and I'm not sure we are there right now. A likely matchup with MIZZOU in the Insight Bowl could be ugly considering how we looked over the last few games of the season. If it looks like last year's crushing we got from Kansas, I think he may pull the plug. But I'm only in favor if Maturi has a sneaky great hire (i.e. Tubby) in his back pocket that is willing to come on board and has confirmed that before Brew is gone. Hopefully Joel is calling a certain Mr. Tuberville righ now and checking his interest levels...if he is indeed willing to come to MIN, then it's a no brainer and I would fire Brew today. However, if we are unable to find a big-time sure thing upgrade, then let him play out next year and see what happens. I don't want to overreact and fire him on Jan 1st, then go on an extensive search to end up with another 1st timer hoping to make his way work at MIN...we need a proven COACH, not a recruiter.
I have really changed course on this stance since the Brew hiring. It made sense to me at the time that you need a guy to recruit better players and that the playes can win you more games. I think I was wrong on this point. Example 1 is Chuck Weis. He has unreal recruiting classes every year at ND, and they ended up with even worse records than the Gophers over the past few seasons! If you can't coach it doesn't matter who you have. And if you can coach it doesn't matter who you have. Obviously, we have upgraded talent, and that is great - Mason just apparently refused to battle for any recruits and hoped that the unknown guys worked out, which happened sometimes but isn't the right way to build a consistent winner. Just think if we could find a guy that is a great coach and is willing to work at recruiting the best talent! Winning will do enough to get you the players, but getting better players won't necessarily get you wins on its own. Over his 3 seasons, Brew really hasn't shown much in the way of coaching that I can recall. The team looks unprepared, has no identity, commits too many penalties, can't win big games, and is very inconsistent...not things that happen to a team with a good or great coach.
I'm hoping he totally redeems himself and we play great in the bowl game and get something rolling for next season...however, I'm becoming more and more bored with his constant inability to say anything bad about his team or even anything realisitic about his team. It's 3 years in, we're basically right at the same level we were in the average Mason years, so year #4 is make or break time. I personally think he will see next year and he'll fail. I know by next Summer if he's still around I'll get into the kool-aid and find a way to be more positive about it, but at first glance right now I would peg us to go 5-7 or 4-8 next year...yikes. I don't think he'd even be able to see the Iowa game at TCF if this is the case.
Alright, enough rambling...send over you picks by Noon Tomorrow.
NO
WAS 9.5
NE
MIA 5
Please include these if you would like on your picks for the week, and if you have already made picks let me know if you want to sub either of these games in as a replacement.
The Coaching Carousel is fired up and running already. What will happen?
ND
This was the obvious one - Weis is dundee, and any coach that has had any success the last 2 years is on the list of "potential" candidates...even though most of the top names have already said they are not interested. We'll see, College coaches lie for living so it's really hard to trust them and their words. For ND, I have to believe that as much as they say that they want a defensive mind, Brian Kelly and his spread offense will be the choice. I just can't see Stoops leaving the OK machine or Meyer leaving FLA regardless of what happens the rest of the year. Other names like Fitzgerald don't have a chance.
FSU
The run is finally over for Bowden. He's like 80, so I think it's the right move. Jimbo Fisher has been talked up for years as a great future head coach, so I guess we'll see what he can do next year. Getting athletes is never the problem there, but coaching them up hasn't really happened the last 5 years of Bobby's run.
SYR
They just fired their 1st year OC this week. My question is why? This Marrone fella is coming off very Brewster like with this move. The guy comes in and teaches a new scheme to an offense with 1 playmaker and a QB who is playing football for the first time in 5 years...and he put up more YPG and the same PPG as the Gophers but you fire him? Either this is what should happen to bad offense (Fisch should then be shown the door) or this is an overreaction.
Speaking of Mr. Fisch, how about this one...
A guy named Dandy Don, who appears to be the Sid of the LSU program, is touting Jedd Fisch as the next OC at LSU to revive that offense. This is a guy who's scheme didn't work at all against B10 defenses...I'm not sure if I like his odds in the SEC. I saw this on an LSU message board and the Tiger faithful were going crazy and spewing out all of our anemic offensive numbers from this year. Likely to happen, well, just like everything Sid says, I would say no...but funny that his name is even in these conversations considering the awful start he had to his tenure here at MIN.
I'm not quite ready to pull the plug on our coach, but I may be after the bowl game. In all honesty, this one game shouldn't change anything...but for Mr. Maturi I think it could. He needs to get us "on the right track" as fast as possible, and I'm not sure we are there right now. A likely matchup with MIZZOU in the Insight Bowl could be ugly considering how we looked over the last few games of the season. If it looks like last year's crushing we got from Kansas, I think he may pull the plug. But I'm only in favor if Maturi has a sneaky great hire (i.e. Tubby) in his back pocket that is willing to come on board and has confirmed that before Brew is gone. Hopefully Joel is calling a certain Mr. Tuberville righ now and checking his interest levels...if he is indeed willing to come to MIN, then it's a no brainer and I would fire Brew today. However, if we are unable to find a big-time sure thing upgrade, then let him play out next year and see what happens. I don't want to overreact and fire him on Jan 1st, then go on an extensive search to end up with another 1st timer hoping to make his way work at MIN...we need a proven COACH, not a recruiter.
I have really changed course on this stance since the Brew hiring. It made sense to me at the time that you need a guy to recruit better players and that the playes can win you more games. I think I was wrong on this point. Example 1 is Chuck Weis. He has unreal recruiting classes every year at ND, and they ended up with even worse records than the Gophers over the past few seasons! If you can't coach it doesn't matter who you have. And if you can coach it doesn't matter who you have. Obviously, we have upgraded talent, and that is great - Mason just apparently refused to battle for any recruits and hoped that the unknown guys worked out, which happened sometimes but isn't the right way to build a consistent winner. Just think if we could find a guy that is a great coach and is willing to work at recruiting the best talent! Winning will do enough to get you the players, but getting better players won't necessarily get you wins on its own. Over his 3 seasons, Brew really hasn't shown much in the way of coaching that I can recall. The team looks unprepared, has no identity, commits too many penalties, can't win big games, and is very inconsistent...not things that happen to a team with a good or great coach.
I'm hoping he totally redeems himself and we play great in the bowl game and get something rolling for next season...however, I'm becoming more and more bored with his constant inability to say anything bad about his team or even anything realisitic about his team. It's 3 years in, we're basically right at the same level we were in the average Mason years, so year #4 is make or break time. I personally think he will see next year and he'll fail. I know by next Summer if he's still around I'll get into the kool-aid and find a way to be more positive about it, but at first glance right now I would peg us to go 5-7 or 4-8 next year...yikes. I don't think he'd even be able to see the Iowa game at TCF if this is the case.
Alright, enough rambling...send over you picks by Noon Tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Week 14 Games - Final Week for NCAA Picks
With this week's picks I wanted to mention we have another member for the 2009 Postseason Challenge - Steve Schuft, welcome. Our 4th member of the exclusive Hutch Tigers alumni. Steve - this is the typical format for the regular season...I send out all NCAA and NFL lines, you send back 10 NCAA picks and 5 NFL picks each week by Noon on Thursday. You will be entered in the playoffs/bowl challenge which will consist of me sending out all Bowl Games next week and you sending back all of your picks before the 1st bowl game begins - we pick every bowl. For the NFL playoffs, I will send out games weekly and we will pick them all. I'll have a full breakdown of the points system for the Post-season challenge in an upcoming post. With that - here we go with Championship week for NCAA Football.
ARKST
WKY 6.5 - THUR
OREST
ORE -9.5 - THUR
OHIO
CMU -10.5 - FRI *MAC CHAMP*
WV
RUT 2.5
CIN
PITT 0
HOU
ECU 1 - *CUSA CHAMP*
FRES
ILL -1
SJST
LT -17.5
NMST
BOISE -46.5
AZ
USC -7
FLA
ALA 5 - *SEC CHAMP*
CAL
WASH 6.5
FAU
FIU 1.5
USF
UCONN -7
TEX
NEB 14 - *B12 CHAMP*
GT
CLEM 1 - *ACC CHAMP*
WIS
HAW 11.5
NFL-------------------------------------------------------
NYJ
BUF 1 - THUR
PHI
ATL 1.5
TB
CAR -7.5
STL
CHI -9.5
DET
CIN -14
TEN
IND -8
HOU
JAC 0
DEN
KC 4
OAK
PIT -11.5
NO
WAS NOTHING YET - WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER TODAY
NE
MIA NOTHING YET - WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER TODAY
SD
CLE 13.5
DAL
NYG 0
SF
SEA 0
MIN
ARI 0
BAL
GB -3
ARKST
WKY 6.5 - THUR
OREST
ORE -9.5 - THUR
OHIO
CMU -10.5 - FRI *MAC CHAMP*
WV
RUT 2.5
CIN
PITT 0
HOU
ECU 1 - *CUSA CHAMP*
FRES
ILL -1
SJST
LT -17.5
NMST
BOISE -46.5
AZ
USC -7
FLA
ALA 5 - *SEC CHAMP*
CAL
WASH 6.5
FAU
FIU 1.5
USF
UCONN -7
TEX
NEB 14 - *B12 CHAMP*
GT
CLEM 1 - *ACC CHAMP*
WIS
HAW 11.5
NFL-------------------------------------------------------
NYJ
BUF 1 - THUR
PHI
ATL 1.5
TB
CAR -7.5
STL
CHI -9.5
DET
CIN -14
TEN
IND -8
HOU
JAC 0
DEN
KC 4
OAK
PIT -11.5
NO
WAS NOTHING YET - WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER TODAY
NE
MIA NOTHING YET - WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER TODAY
SD
CLE 13.5
DAL
NYG 0
SF
SEA 0
MIN
ARI 0
BAL
GB -3
Standings through 13 weeks
MR 105 90 53.8%
MC 104 91 53.3%
JR 103 92 52.8%
GR 102 93 52.3%
MK 97 98 49.7%
JG 94 101 48.2%
AW 94 101 48.2%
MH 93 102 47.7%
Very tight race at the top. We seem to have split into two groups of 4 right now - we have 1 weeks of NCAA/NFL left, then 4 weeks of NFL only coming after that...75 games to go.
NFL
JR 37 23 61.7%
GR 33 27 55.0%
AW 31 29 51.7%
MR 30 30 50.0%
MH 30 30 50.0%
MC 28 32 46.7%
MK 27 33 45.0%
JG 26 34 43.3%
Completely ridiculous. 11-5 last week, 5-0 for the pool picks...I'm in the zone.
NCAA
W L %
MC 76 59 56.3%
MR 75 60 55.6%
MK 70 65 51.9%
GR 69 66 51.1%
JG 68 67 50.4%
JR 66 69 48.9%
MH 63 72 46.7%
AW 63 72 46.7%
Tight race between MC and MR for the NCAA Championship of the world...it doesn't get you much, but it is worth some nice bragging rights.
I'll be sending out the week's lines right now.
MC 104 91 53.3%
JR 103 92 52.8%
GR 102 93 52.3%
MK 97 98 49.7%
JG 94 101 48.2%
AW 94 101 48.2%
MH 93 102 47.7%
Very tight race at the top. We seem to have split into two groups of 4 right now - we have 1 weeks of NCAA/NFL left, then 4 weeks of NFL only coming after that...75 games to go.
NFL
JR 37 23 61.7%
GR 33 27 55.0%
AW 31 29 51.7%
MR 30 30 50.0%
MH 30 30 50.0%
MC 28 32 46.7%
MK 27 33 45.0%
JG 26 34 43.3%
Completely ridiculous. 11-5 last week, 5-0 for the pool picks...I'm in the zone.
NCAA
W L %
MC 76 59 56.3%
MR 75 60 55.6%
MK 70 65 51.9%
GR 69 66 51.1%
JG 68 67 50.4%
JR 66 69 48.9%
MH 63 72 46.7%
AW 63 72 46.7%
Tight race between MC and MR for the NCAA Championship of the world...it doesn't get you much, but it is worth some nice bragging rights.
I'll be sending out the week's lines right now.
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