Category: Archive

Notre Dame helped me right the ship and recover from a two game skid. My record against the spread is now 5-2, but today we have a stinker of a game to pick.

Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic (6-6, 4-3 S. Belt) vs. Central Michigan (8-4, 6-2 MAC). The Chippewas are favored by 7 and I am really struggling with this one. I think they will win, but giving up 7 is a lot. Their 4 losses were to good teams: at Georgia (#2 at the time), at Purdue, Ball State (#17 at the time), and Eastern Michigan. The Owls dropped 3 of their 6 games in the Sun Belt. Not so good. Holding my nose … Central Michigan is the pick.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas. Santa was pretty good from me, bringing me a smorgasbord of goodies. Everything from some airgun accessories (targets, pellets, and a Straight Shooters Gift Certificate), the Hardball Times 2009 Annual, a Texas Longhorns Sweatshirt, and 2009 Falcons season tickets. Heck, Santa even left a case of Yuengling. Does it get any better?

Merry Christmas!

Not sure if I can say it any better than Linus Van Pelt …

Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.

Linus Van Pelt: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'”

Linus Van Pelt: That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

And there you have it. Merry Christmas!

So TCU took care of business last night against Boise St. 17-16 in the Poinsettia Bowl. I picked the Horned Frogs and they were giving up 3 to the Broncos, so this is my first pick this year where I got the team right, but they did not cover. Picking against the spread sucks.

I am now 4-2 the Bowl season with another crap game to pick tonight. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii (7-6, 5-3 WAC) vs. Notre Dame (6-6, 4-2 home). The Irish are favored by 1.5 … and they really, really need a win to give them a smidgen of dignity. So against better judgment, I am going to pick Notre Dame. Maybe they can win one for Rudolph.

Last week I more or less bragging about the great Southern winter weather. Mid 70’s in December? Are you kidding me? Then the weather quickly turned for the colder; much colder. As in the upper 20’s for the low. Good grief!

This Christmas Eve we are going to be back up to the low 70’s with rain. Crazy talk for sure.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas Eve!

Thanks to Troy, I am 4-1 this Bowl season. Which brings us to tonight’s solid match up (seriously). A little something called the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl features (9) Boise St (12-0, 8-0 WAC) vs. (11) TCU (10-2, 7-1 MWC). Give me some of those Horn Frogs. This will be a high scoring game, and I am probably foolish to not go with the 3 that the Broncos are getting.

First off, I do not actually bet. Still a virgin in this regard. Second, there are so many Bowl games (30+) that it is rather silly. Finally, as much as I love college football, I figured I needed to do something to keep my interest in all the minor crap that goes on three weeks before Oklahoma lays a turd against Florida.

• Thanks to a last minute touchdown, Wake Forest covered against Navy.
• I squeaked by in my bold prediction (sarcasm folks) that Fresno St. would need more than three against Colorado St.
• I was spot on running with the South Florida Bulls and the 12 points they had to lay against Memphis.
• I was also correct with my Arizona pick over BYU. Can you believe that the media went crazy earlier in the season with BYU National Championship talk?

So I am off to a nice 4-0 (against the spread) start to the Bowl season. Happy me!

Is it December 20th already? Must be time for some Bowl games. Not that anyone cares about these first few games, but I figured I would pick against the spread this year. I will also yet again continue my futile attempt to catch some of every game. WTF is wrong with me?

Here goes nothing …

Eaglebank Bowl: Wake Forest (7-5, 4-4 ACC) vs. Navy (8-4). Three questions. What is an Eaglebank? Where did this Bowl come from? Who cares about watching a rematch? Navy took down Wake Forest 24-17 September 27, but those Demon Deacons are now favored by 3. I will take Wake.

New Mexico Bowl: Colorado St (6-6, 4-4 MWC) vs. Fresno St (7-5, 4-4 WAC). I am going to assume that Fresno St. still has not recovered from their November 28 61-10 ass kicking by Boise St. The 3 that the Bulldogs are getting will not be enough.

Magicjack St. Petersburg Bowl: Memphis (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) vs. South Florida (7-5, 2-5 Big East). Good Grief. Magicjack? Whatever. I am taking the Bulls even if they have to lay 12 to the Tigers.

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl: (16) Brigham Young (10-2, 6-2 MWC) vs. Arizona (7-5, 5-4 Pac-10). Arizona is favored by 3, and no wonder when you look at their scheduled you will see their 5 loses were by a combined 20 points. Unlike BYU who laid a couple of eggs in their defeats. Arizona is the pick.

Just because I am on a roll, I am going to pick Sunday’s game as well.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) vs. Troy (8-4, 6-1 S. Belt). How can you not go with Troy and the Sun Belt? I am surprised that Southern Miss is only getting 4 in this one because they are more likely going to take it on the chin by 10.

Thank God that is over. Hopefully some better games are on the way.

The December 8, 2008 Sporting News had a short article on Branden Smith’s campus visit to Alabama. The last sentence of the article jumped right off the page:

“He’s [Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban] the type of guy you could really trust.”

LMAO. Just ask Miami Dolphin fans how much you can really trust Saban. Good stuff!