tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297175612024-03-07T01:10:03.495-05:00BoSox TavernBelly up to the bar, order your favorite pub grub and adult beverage, and let's talk some sports.Zebsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17684616018807468693noreply@blogger.comBlogger893125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-60615477766925321342017-12-03T19:23:00.000-05:002017-12-03T19:23:14.455-05:002017 College Football Picks Year In ReviewSeason Record: 72-58-7 (52.55%)<br />
<br />
First winning season in 3 years. Of course, this year it was all Top 25 picks instead of random games.<br />
<br />
Next year, I hope that someone wants to pick games with me or we have a group picking games. It is fun and interesting to see how other people see things differently than you.<br />
<br />
As to the pick of Alabama being #4 and off to the playoffs, I think they got it wrong. I would have put Ohio State in (God how I dislike either team). But I don't have a voice in it. I think that the committee gave too much credence to what injuries meant to losing, and prejudices that are assigned to conferences both positive and negative. Also, they don't seem to mind how Alabama manipulates their schedule to basically have two byes before their LSU and Auburn games and how the SEC "second-tier" teams cannot stand up to challenge those programs that are at the top..<br />
<br />
Here is my final Top 10:<br />
<br />
1. Clemson<br />
2. Oklahoma<br />
3. Georgia<br />
4. Ohio State<br />
5. UCF<br />
6. Alabama<br />
7. Wisconsin<br />
8. USC<br />
9. Penn State<br />
10. WashingtonBrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-61755359589492971702017-12-01T19:24:00.000-05:002017-12-03T19:02:43.197-05:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 14 (Championship Week)I went 4-1 in my 5 Big Ten Road picks last week (Ohio State fell short by 1 point, figures). I am assured of a winning record this year. Right now I have Wisconsin as my #1 team in the land and UCF is at #5 and could get into what would be my Top 4 if things fall right. I know my rankings don't mean anything. But let's get the final week of picks done and celebrate victory.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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Big 12 Championship:<br />
<span style="color: red;">1. (11)TCU (+6.5) vs (3)Oklahoma</span><br />
Actual Score: TCU 17, Oklahoma 41<br />
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ACC Championship:<br />
<span style="color: lime;">2. (7)Miami vs (1)Clemson (-7.5)</span><br />
Actual Score: Miami 3, Clemson 38<br />
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SEC Championship:<br />
<span style="color: lime;">3. (2)Auburn vs (6)Georgia (+2.5)</span><br />
Actual Score: Auburn 7, Georgia 28<br />
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Big 10 Championship:<br />
<span style="color: red;">4. (4)Wisconsin (+5.5) vs (8)Ohio State</span><br />
Actual Score: Wisconsin 21, Ohio State 27<br />
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PAC 12 Championship:<br />
5. (10)USC (-3) vs. (12)Stanford<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Actual Score: USC 31, Stanford 28</span><br />
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AAC Championship:<br />
<span style="color: orange;">6. (20)Memphis vs (14)UCF (-7)</span><br />
Actual Score: Memphis 55, UCF 62 (2OT)<br />
<br />
MWC Championship:<br />
<span style="color: red;">7. (25)Fresno State vs. Boise State (-9.5)</span><br />
Fresno State 14, Boise State 17Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-20475961846550401442017-11-24T12:29:00.001-05:002017-11-26T17:06:08.966-05:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 13 (Big 10 Road Favorites Heavy Edition)13 Games above .500 with a couple of weeks left. I am starting to feel good about finishing with a winning record. Cupcake Saturday helped last week.<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">1. (16) Michigan State (-13) at Rutgers</span> - Where this line is, I would take Michigan State all day every day.<br />
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Michigan State 41, Rutgers 20<br />
Actual Score: Michigan State 40, Rutgers 7<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="color: lime;">2. (22) Northwestern (-16.5) at Illinois</span> - The Fighting Illini aren't a good football team. The Wildcats are on a 6 game winning streak.<br />
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Northwestern 45, Illinois 17<br />
Actual Score: Northwestern 42, Illinois 7<br />
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<span style="color: red;">3. (9) Ohio State (-12) at Michigan</span> - The Wolverines offense isn't up to snuff. Ohio State still has a chance to make the playoff.<br />
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Ohio State 38, Michigan 14<br />
Actual Score: Ohio State 31, Michigan 20<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. (5) Wisconsin (-17) at Minnesota</span> - 4 Big Ten picks, 4 Big Ten Road teams. Wisconsin isn't going to look weak when they can smell the playoffs.<br />
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Wisconsin 35, Minnesota 10<br />
Actual Score: Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 0<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5. Texas A&M at (18) LSU (-9.5)</span> - I am impressed with how Ed Orgeron has gotten the Tigers turned around this year. The Aggies are going through turmoil with rumors of Kevin Sumlin being fired win or lose this game.<br />
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Texas A&M 24, LSU 37<br />
Actual Score: Texas A&M 21, LSU 45<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. (10) Penn State (-22) at Maryland</span> - Do you see James Franklin easing off on Maryland looking at his past? I don't either. 5 Big Ten Picks, 5 Big Ten Road Favorites.<br />
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Penn State 48, Maryland 17<br />
Actual Score: Penn State 66, Maryland 3<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (3) Clemson at (24) South Carolina (+13.5)</span> - I am impressed with South Carolina this year. Clemson has ridden on thier reputation a bit this year.<br />
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Clemson 31, South Carolina 27<br />
Actual Score: Clemson 34, South Carolina 10<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. (8) Notre Dame (-2.5) at (21) Stanford</span> - I think that the O Line for Notre Dame will dominate this game and it won't be close.<br />
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Notre Dame 35, Stanford 17<br />
Actual Score: Notre Dame 20, Stanfore 38<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. (13) Washington State at (17) Washington (-10)</span> - I think that Chris Peterson will have the Huskies ready for this game.<br />
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Washington State 24, Washington 37<br />
Actual Score: Washington State 14, Washington 41<br />
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<span style="color: red;">10. (1) Alabama (-4.5) at (6) Auburn</span> - Everybody is on the Auburn bandwagon. Nick Saban will use that as motivation.<br />
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Alabama 27, Auburn 20<br />
Actual Score: Alabama 14, Auburn 26<br />
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Week 13 Record: 6-4<br />
Season Record: 70-55-5<br />
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<br />
My Top 10<br />
<br />
1. Wisconsin<br />
2. Auburn<br />
3. Clemson<br />
4. Oklahoma<br />
5. UCF<br />
6. Georgia<br />
7. Alabama<br />
8. Miami<br />
9. Ohio State<br />
10. TCUBrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-41246271437694956212017-11-18T11:23:00.001-05:002017-11-24T11:57:11.217-05:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 12TCU -6<br />
Wisconsin -7.5<br />
Virginia +18.5<br />
Illinois +41<br />
Navy +17.5<br />
Georgia -21.5<br />
Tennessee+15.5<br />
West Virginia-3<br />
UCF -13.5<br />
Virginia +18.5<br />
<br />
Sorry about the lack of refinement for the picks. I was on the road and about an hour and a half before the games started and didn't anticipate that I would get to my home anytime soon. So let's do the usual format below the page break.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: lime;">1. (12) TCU (-6) at Texas Tech</span> - Texas Tech isn't a good team and I thought that TCU had motivation to get to the Big 12 Championship game.<br />
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Actual Score: TCU 27, Texas Tech 6<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">2. (24) Michigan at (5) Wisconsin (-7.5)</span> - Wisconsin is tougher than the national media is giving them credit for. Jim Harbaugh has had some of his luster wear off this season.<br />
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Actual Score: Michigan 10, Wisconsin 24<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. Virginia (+18.5) at (3) Miami</span> - I just thought that Miami coming off two emotional prime time games wouldn't roll over the Cavs.<br />
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Actual Score: Virginia 28, Miami 44<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. Illinois (+41) at (9) Ohio State</span> - Any team getting 40+ points is going to get my attention, even Illinois.<br />
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Actual Score: Illinois 14, Ohio State 52<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5.Navy (+17.5) at (8) Notre Dame</span> - The combination of Navy's style and Notre Dame coming off a blowout at Miami made me think that it was going to be close.<br />
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Actual Score: Navy 17, Notre Dame 24<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. Kentucky at (7) Georgia (-21.5)</span> - Embarrassed by Auburn, I thought that Georgia would get a great game out of the whole team.<br />
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Actual Score: Kentucky 13, Georgia 42<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (20) LSU at Tennessee (+15.5)</span> - I thought that the Vols would show some pride when their Head Coach was fired.<br />
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Actual Score: LSU 30, Tennessee 10<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. Texas at West Virginia (-3)</span> - I thought that the Mountaineers were still in the Top 25, my first mistake in picking this game.<br />
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Actual Score: Texas 28, West Virginia 14<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. (15) UCF (-13.5) at Temple</span> - The Owls have fallen since Al Golden left. UCF might be a true Top 10 team this year.<br />
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Actual Score: UCF 45, Temple 19<br />
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<span style="color: red;">10. Not picked.</span> I liked Virginia so much, that I picked them twice.<br />
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A 7-3 week when I didn't overthink anything. 1-1 with the Virginia pick. LOL. We are starting to look like I am going to have a winning record this year.<br />
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Season record. 64-51-5<br />
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My Top 10 did not change from last week.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">1) Alabama</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">2) Miami</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">3) Wisconsin</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">4) Clemson</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">5) Oklahoma</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">6) Auburn</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">7) Georgia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">8) Ohio State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">9) Notre Dame</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">10) UCF </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-16824064317983422442017-11-10T21:16:00.000-05:002017-11-12T00:04:17.822-05:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 11The season record is 50-45-5. Picking these games where two ranked teams are playing each other is tough. I like how the professional gamblers will pick a Western Michigan vs. UTEP game for their leadpipe lock of the week, but you have to pay for anything about games that you care about.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">1. Arkansas at (24) LSU (-17)</span> - This is probably a sucker bet. Arkansas isn't playing up to their potential, but LSU isn't a powerhouse offense either.<br />
<br />
Arkansas 13, LSU 31<br />
Actual Score: Arkansas 10, LSU 33<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: lime;">2. Florida State at (4) Clemson (-16.5)</span> - The Seminoles hit rock bottom two weeks ago when Boston College blew them out. They did rebound last week and beat Syracuse. I don't think they have enough to keep this game close against a Clemson team that is focused.<br />
<br />
Florida State 14, Clemson 42<br />
Actual Score: Florida State 14, Clemson 31<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. Rutgers (+31) at (14) Penn State</span> - The Nittany Lions have to be angry after two straight losses and being eliminated from the CFP. But I believe that Rutgers has improved enough to cover the spread.<br />
<br />
Rutgers 24, Penn State 48<br />
Actual Score: Rutgers 6, Penn State 35<br />
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<span style="color: red;">4. (12) Michigan State (+16) at (13) Ohio State</span> - The battle for the Big Ten East. I am seeing a possible Sparty upset. Can you imagine the calamity in Columbus if Ohio State loses 3 games in a season?<br />
<br />
Michigan State 27, Ohio State 25<br />
Actual Score: Michigan State 3, Ohio State 48<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5. (15) Oklahoma State (-6) at (21) Iowa State</span> - Both teams have ups and downs with covering the spread. But I feel good about Oklahoma State finding their offense last week.<br />
<br />
Oklahoma State 49, Iowa State 41<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 49, Iowa State 42<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. (1) Georgia at (10) Auburn (+2.5)</span> - This game is the toughest for me this week to figure out. Auburn is 1-2 vs ranked teams but 4-0 at home this year. I am still not sold on the Greatness of the Bulldogs.<br />
<br />
Georgia 27, Auburn 26<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (20) Iowa (+12) at (8) Wisconsin</span> - Iowa and Wisconsin keep on winning on the other's field. I believe that Wisconsin breaks that streak, but Iowa comes close to the win.<br />
<br />
Iowa 28, Wisconsin 33<br />
Actual Score: Iowa 14, Wisconsin 38<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. (2) Alabama (-13.5) at (16) Mississippi State</span> - Nick Saban is the best coach in college football. The proof is how dominant the Crimson Tide has been for years.<br />
<br />
Alabama 37, Mississippi State 20<br />
Actual Score: Alabama 31, Mississippi State 24<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. (3) Notre Dame at (7) Miami (+3)</span> - The key to this game is the offensive line of the Fighting Irish vs. the D Line of the Hurricanes. I believe that the D Line will control this game.<br />
<br />
Notre Dame 23, Miami 27<br />
Actual Score: Notre Dame 8, Miami 41<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. (6) TCU at (5) Oklahoma (-6.5)</span> - These two teams are possibly going to meet in the Big 12 Championship Game. I don't like the overall makeup of either team, but let's go with Baker Mayfield and his Heisman Trophy season.<br />
<br />
TCU 27, Oklahoma 45<br />
Actual Score: TCU 20, Oklahoma 38<br />
<br />
Weekly Record: 7-3<br />
Season Record: 57-48-5<br />
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The #1, #3, #6, and #9 ranked teams all lost this week. Here is how I would rank teams for the playoffs at the current time:<br />
<br />
1) Alabama<br />
2) Miami<br />
3) Wisconsin<br />
4) Clemson<br />
5) Oklahoma<br />
6) Auburn<br />
7) Georgia<br />
8) Ohio State<br />
9) Notre Dame<br />
10) UCFBrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-89459139076130624092017-11-03T20:19:00.000-04:002017-11-05T20:09:35.644-05:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 10I am now 5 games above .500 after a 5-4-1 week. The first rankings are out for the playoffs and I can see 4 out of the Top 6 losing before the end of the season, and that doesn't take into account for games where an also ran comes up and takes a bite out of a favorite.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">1. (6) Ohio State at Iowa (+18)</span> - There should be a letdown from the Buckeyes after the comeback vs Penn State last week. The Iowa defense is tough and the Hawkeyes play ranked teams close at home.<br />
<br />
Ohio State 27, Iowa 21<br />
Actual Score: Ohio State 24, Iowa 55<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: orange;">2. (15) Iowa State at West Virginia (-4)</span> - It is rare when a ranked team goes on the road to face a three loss team and is the underdog. It is happening here. Look for the Mountaineers to continue looking good at home.<br />
<br />
Iowa State 24, West Virginia 37<br />
Actual Score: Iowa State 16, West Virginia 20<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">3. South Carolina (+23.5) at (1) Georgia</span> - No upset here, but I believe that the line is too high for the game. Georgia runs the ball effectively and the defense is top notch, but until Georgia proves that it can perform under the pressure of being ranked #1 and run the SEC East, i will not pick them with a line this high.<br />
<br />
South Carolina 16, Georgia 31<br />
Actual Score: South Carolina 10, Georgia 24<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">4. (7) Penn State (-10) at (24) Michigan State</span> - The Nittany Lions should be able to score on Sparty. I can't say that the other way around.<br />
<br />
Penn State 34, Michigan State 13<br />
Actual Score: Penn State 24, Michigan State 27<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;">5. (4) Clemson (-7) at (20) North Carolina State</span> - Clemson won't be able to push the Wolfpack defense around like the Fighting Irish O-Line did, but they are explosive enough to win by double digits.<br />
<br />
Clemson 38, North Carolina State 27<br />
Actual Score: Clemson 38, North Carolina State 31<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">6. (21) Stanford (+1) at (25) Washington State</span> - The Cougars just gave up 55 points. That is typical of a Mike Leach defense. Let's give Stanford their 6th straight win and see if Coach Leach melts down in the post game presser.<br />
<br />
Stanford 35, Washington State 31<br />
Actual Score: Stanford 21, Washington State 24<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">7. (5) Oklahoma at (11) Oklahoma State (-2.5)</span> - Bedlam. You cannot predict what will happen during this game. Let's say that OK State has figured out what was wrong with the offense and win this game.<br />
<br />
Oklahoma 31, Oklahoma State 35<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma 62, Oklahoma State 52<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">8. (19) LSU (-21) at (2) Alabama</span> - This game will be a Crimson Tide victory. However, the Tigers have athletes that should matchup against Alabama and keep it closer than the line.<br />
<br />
LSU 21, Alabama 35<br />
Actual Score: LSU 10, Alabama 24<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">9. (13) Virginia Tech (-2.5) at (10) Miami</span> - Personally, I would like to see Miami win, but they have struggled against inferior teams. Look for the Hokies to roll until the ACC Title game.<br />
<br />
Virginia Tech 35, Miami 17<br />
Actual Score: Virginia Tech 10, Miami 28<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">10. (22) Arizona at (17) USC (-7.5)</span> - The way that the Wildcats win this game is ball control. They are averaging over 330 yards per game. I don't think that they can do that against the Trojan defense.<br />
<br />
Arizona 19, USC 31<br />
Actual Score: Arizona 35, USC 49<br />
<br />
Week Record: 4-4-2<br />
Season Record: 50-45-5<br />
<br />
How can you give up 52 points and be considered a playoff contender, Oklahoma? And 55 points by Iowa? What is this the 80's?Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-65233849194116907252017-10-27T23:34:00.002-04:002017-10-29T01:09:30.404-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 9Still 4 over .500. If you feel that I am wrong or just spewing nonsense, all comments are welcome.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">1. (5) Wisconsin at Illinois (+27)</span> - The Badgers will win this game. But on the road, it won't be a 4 touchdown win. Even though the opponent is Illinois.<br />
<br />
Wisconsin 34, Illinois 20<br />
Actual Score: Wisconsin 24, Illinois 10<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: lime;">2. (8) Miami at North Carolina (+20.5)</span> - The Hurricanes are a better team, but they haven't been playing up to their potential. The Tar Heels keep is semi close.<br />
<br />
Miami 28, North Carolina 14<br />
Actual Score: Miami 24, North Carolina 19<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">3. (11) Oklahoma State at (22) West Virginia (+7)</span> - I am picking the upset here. The Mountaineers are a good team and I don't think that the Cowboys will find their explosive offense this week.<br />
<br />
Oklahoma State 24, West Virginia 28<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 50, West Virginia 39<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">4. (2) Penn State (+6) at (6) Ohio State</span> - This is the Game of the Year for the Big 10. Revenge for last year for both teams, Ohio State for losing, Penn State for the Buckeyes being picked for the playoffs. I expect a very close game.<br />
<br />
Penn State 20, Ohio State 23<br />
Actual Score: Penn State 38, Ohio State 39<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">5. (4) TCU (-6.5) at (25) Iowa State</span> - The Horned Frogs are in the driver's seat for the Big 12 title. Now they have to overcome what usually happens to those teams in the driver's seat: choking.<br />
<br />
TCU 38, Iowa State 24<br />
Actual Score: TCU 7, Iowa State 14<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">6. (14) North Carolina State at (9) Notre Dame (-7)</span> - I dislike the Golden Domers very much, but they are a good team. They should roll here.<br />
<br />
North Carolina State 20, Notre Dame 37<br />
Actual Score: North Carolina State 14, Notre Dame 35<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">7. Houston at (17) South Florida (-11)</span> - Look for a Bull Rush in this game. (Pun is funny!) The Bulls are averaging over 300 yards per game,.<br />
<br />
Houston 21, South Florida 41<br />
Actual Score: Houston 28, South Florida 24<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">8. Texas Tech (+20) at (10) Oklahoma</span> - The Red Raiders can score. They really don't play defense. I believe that the Sooners are overrated though.<br />
<br />
Texas Tech 31, Oklahoma 38<br />
Actual Score: Texas Tech 27, Oklahoma 49<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;">9. Georgia Tech (+14) at (7) Clemson</span> - The Tigers will be focused for this game, but the Yellow Jackets offense will keep it close.<br />
<br />
Georgia Tech 27, Clemson 35<br />
Actual Score: Georgia Tech 10, Clemson 24<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">10. Duke at (13) Virginia Tech (-16)</span> - The Hokies defense are allowing the fewest points in the ACC. Their offense is averaging over 30 points per game. Duke won't change those two facts.<br />
<br />
Duke 13, Virginia Tech 45<br />
Actual Score: Duke 3, Virginia Tech 24<br />
<br />
A 5-4-1 week. Thank goodness that I didn't go with Michigan State or Arizona State. Miami is winning, but look at their opponents, and Urban Meyer still can conjure his magic.<br />
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Season Record: 46-41-3Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-21182694484858887962017-10-21T23:56:00.000-04:002017-10-22T11:04:20.929-04:00Winning The American League Is Not Enough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry Zeb. I had to put this on the blog. All of the fans of the non-legendary teams should be rooting for the Astros.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-5952349963495828362017-10-20T23:09:00.002-04:002017-10-22T11:10:57.059-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 8Went 5-5 last week. Still 4 games above .500. The Arkansas/Alabama game is why I don't bet real money on this. Lost by 1/2 a point. Lost Michigan/Indiana by 1 point.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">1. (10) Oklahoma State (-7) at Texas</span> - The Longhorns look better than they did at the start of the season, but the letdown from losing to Oklahoma will be seen this week.<br />
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Oklahoma State 38, Texas 24<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 13, Texas 10 (OT)<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: lime;">2. Tennessee at (1) Alabama (-34.5)</span> - I am scared about the spread, but I believe that Butch Jones is a dead coach walking and his players know it.<br />
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Tennessee 17, Alabama 56<br />
Actual Score: Tennessee 7, Alabama 45<br />
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<span style="color: red;">3. Syracuse at (8) Miami (-17)</span> - Syracuse is flying high after the Clemson win. The Hurricanes will put an end to the flying.<br />
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Syracuse 17, Miami 37<br />
Actual Score: Syracuse 19, Miami 27<br />
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<span style="color: red;">4. (20) UCF at Navy (+7.5)</span> - Yes, UCF can score and have looked real good. Navy is always an underrated opponent. Look for the Middies to keep it real close.<br />
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UCF 38, Navy 34<br />
Actual Score: UCF 31, Navy 21<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5. (9) Oklahoma at Kansas State (+13.5)</span> - Oklahoma has historically had trouble at Kansas State. I don't think that will change this year.<br />
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Oklahoma 28, Kansas State 20<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma 42, Kansas State 35<br />
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<span style="color: red;">6. (19) Michigan (+9.5) at (2) Penn State</span> - I expect this to come down to the last minute. I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan pull it out.<br />
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Michigan 17, Penn State 20<br />
Actual Score: Michigan 13, Penn State 42<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">7. (11) USC at (13) Notre Dame (-3.5)</span> - I am not impressed with Sam Darnold. The Trojans are overrated in my mind. I think that the Golden Domers can win and keep their national title hopes alive.<br />
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USC 24, Notre Dame 33<br />
Actual Score: USC 14, Notre Dame 49<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">8. (24) LSU (-7) at Ole Miss</span> - The Troy loss could have been the best thing for LSU. The Rebels are going back to their familiar pattern of being also rans.<br />
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LSU 28, Mississippi 16<br />
Actual Score: LSU 40, Mississippi 24<br />
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<span style="color: red;">9. (23) West Virginia (-9) at Baylor</span> - The Bears are now paying the price for Art Briles renegade program. I hope that the Mountaineers roll up the score on Sexual Assault U.<br />
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West Virginia 38, Baylor 13<br />
Actual Score: West Virginia 38, Baylor 36<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. North Carolina at (14) Virginia Tech (-20)</span> - The Hokies should be able to roll to an easy victory at home against a Tar Heels team that gives up lots of points.<br />
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North Carolina 21, Virginia Tech 48<br />
Actual Score: North Carolina 7, Virginia Tech 59<br />
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Season Record: 41-37-2<br />
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5-5 again this week. Oklahoma State with 51 rushing attempts?! Something is wrong with that.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-78889043325569685862017-10-15T12:30:00.003-04:002017-10-15T12:31:55.593-04:00As Seen On TV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know if any of you watched last night's Boise State - San Diego State game on CBS Sports Network, but I saw this Aztec Shops commercial for the first time. This 30-second promo is an excellent way to illustrate what has happened to San Diego since the Chargers left for Los Angeles.<br />
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Why do I bring this up? It's worth noting that even though the Aztecs played their worst game of the season last night, the attendance for the game was 49,053. Or as I cracked on Twitter last night, two StubHubs.The best part? Unlike Chargers home games in the soccer stadium up the road, most of the fans in attendance for the Aztecs game at SDCCU Stadium were wearing red for the home team.<br />
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I hope this game is a wake up call for the City Council. We don't need the NFL here in San Diego. We're just fine being a college football city. Renovate SDCCU Stadium for our team, or build a smaller one and kiss the NFL and their greed goodbye.Robzillahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12216487550272584271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-28869168826081131702017-10-14T10:45:00.000-04:002017-10-15T10:34:18.699-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 7Coming off a 4-6 record last week, we have a week where there is no ranked teams facing each other. Where are the upsets coming from? I have three.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">1. (6) TCU at Kansas State (+6.5)</span> - The Horned Frogs can take control of the Big 12 if they can get past the Wildcats. I don't expect them to.<br />
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TCU 31, Kansas State 34<br />
Actual Score: TCU 26, Kansas State 6<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: red;">2. (17) Michigan (-8) at Indiana</span> - After thinking that the Hoosiers offense would light up the Big 10, it has disappointed. Michigan should be able to win this pulling away<br />
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Michigan 27, Indiana 14<br />
Actual Score: Michigan 27, Indiana 20 (OT)<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. (24) Texas Tech at West Virginia (-3.5)</span> - West Virginia has the horses to score and they do play defense. Texas Tech does not play defense.<br />
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Texas Tech 34, West Virginia 41<br />
Actual Score: Texas Tech 35, West Virginia 46<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. (10) Auburn at LSU (+7)</span> - LSU lost to Troy the last time they played at home. I believe that they see this as a redemption game.<br />
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Auburn 17, LSU 20<br />
Actual Score: Auburn 23, LSU 27<br />
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<span style="color: red;">5. (12) Oklahoma (-9) vs Texas</span> - Last week, the Sooners proved that losing a game that they were favored to win wasn't a Bob Stoops problem, it's a Sooners problem. After those games though, the Sooners rebound greatly.<br />
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Oklahoma 42, Texas 27<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma 29, Texas 24<br />
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<span style="color: red;">6. Arkansas (+31.5) at (1) Alabama</span> - I think that you are seeing the last season of Bret Bielyma at Arkansas. The noncompetitive nature of this game isn't going to help.<br />
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Arkansas 14, Alabama 41<br />
Actual Score: Arkansas 9, Alabama 41<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">7. Utah (+13) at (13) USC</span> - This is for control of the Pac-12 South. I see a close game with the Trojans barely pulling out the game. Sam Darnold isn't causing people to be blown away by his play.<br />
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Utah 27, USC 28<br />
Actual Score: Utah 27, USC 28<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">8. (21) Michigan State at Minnesota (+4)</span> - The third upset I think will happen. The Spartans had a big emotional win last week. This week, look for the Golden Gophers to play the spoiler.<br />
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Michigan State 20, Minnesota 24<br />
Actual Score: Michigan State 30, Minnesota 27<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. Boise State (+6) at (19) San Diego State</span> - This should be a very good game. I think that everybody underestimates the Broncos after their improbable loss to Washington State. Look for this to be a nailbiter.<br />
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Boise State 27, San Diego State 31<br />
Actual Score: Boise State 31, San Diego State 14<br />
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<span style="color: red;">10. Oregon (+10.5) at (23) Stanford</span> - Oregon can score, but they don't have the fortitude to pull out a game vs the Cardinal.<br />
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Oregon 31, Stanford 40<br />
Actual Score: Oregon 7, Stanford 49<br />
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A 5-5 week. Lost the Arkansas-Alabama game by a point, same with Michigan-Indiana.<br />
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Season Record 36-32-2Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-52764862326030581762017-10-13T10:46:00.000-04:002017-10-13T10:46:01.518-04:00Will the Red Sox adapt or be content<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We all watched as the Boston Red Sox fell to the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series 3-1. And as an Astros fan, it would be fun putting over the Astros as this team that will be on top for the next 5 years. Just look at the roster. Two position players are over the age of 30. That is it. Our pitching is starting to show up in the minors so there are some prospects that will start showing up in the rotation in the next couple of years. We look like we could be a power for the foreseeable future.<br />
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But that isn't what I am going to do. Instead this post will look at the Red Sox. I am impressed with the outfield, not so much with the infield. I am interested in how the Front Office comes up with solutions to the problems with the lineup and pitching staff. Also, what are they looking for in terms of Manager.<br />
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The outfield should be around for a while. Jackie Bradley Jr. in Center Field is good. He needs to figure out how to bring the batting average up a bit. And while I understand that he isn't the prototypical CF, some more stolen bases would be nice. Mookie Betts seems to have taken a step back in 2017, but at age 25, that is to be expected the first time that you are talked to be a great player. Andrew Benintendi looks like he could also be a stud. A great first year for the kid, he might be the future CF and shift Bradley to left. However you put these three in the outfield, you have a foundation that you can rely on as the infield gets it makeover.<br />
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The infield will go through some personnel changes. I don't believe that Eduardo Nunez is an answer for third base. Rafael Devers is a prospect, but I think he needs a couple more years of seasoning to be a piece to help push towards a pennant. At shortstop, Xander Bogaerts is an upper echelon player. The defense is good, but the offensive production has gone down two straight years. He will still put up good numbers but not be the breakout star that he was projected to be a couple of years ago.<br />
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On the right side of the infield, Dustin Pedroia is starting to show his age. He is a great player that has the playing style of take no prisoners at all times. The body wears out quicker doing that and I believe that is what is starting to show. He might have one more great year in him, but I think that the decline will start to show fairly quickly. Maybe you put Brock Holt here instead of the DH or as the fourth outfielder. At 1B, Moreland and Ramierez are OK for now, but there needs to be a guy that can hit for power and have a decent average. 25 HR, 70 RBI, and a .250 average isn't what is needed.<br />
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At catcher, Christian Vazquez is growing. The offensive stats are increasing, he is a good defensive catcher and seems like the calling of the game is improving as well. And at age 27, he has time to grow into that veteran catcher who can call the game to give his team the best chance to win.<br />
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Now let's get to the achilles heel of the Red Sox, the pitching staff. Chris Sale and David Price are making lots of money. They need to be those workhorses that win 20 games and are the steady influences in the playoffs. For Price, that means you have to be a starter, not a reliever. For a guy who excelled in Tampa, it is like he is a different pitcher now who doesn't know exactly what he needs to do. For Sale, it is figuring out that the postseason is totally different than the regular season. With the White Sox, Sale did not pitch in the postseason. He will make the adjustments. Craig Kimbrel is a great save guy. But after that the pitching staff is in need of a shakeup. The starting staff has an ERA about 4.50. That isn't going to help the Sox in the postseason. You need two dominant starters. Sale is one of those, but you need to find a number 2. Price if he can come back to prior form should be that number 2. And you need a third guy who is dependable. I don't see that in the current pitching staff. The bullpen is dependable enough to get to Kimbrel.<br />
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Overall, the Red Sox have enough currently to do what they did this past year. Win the AL East and make the playoffs. That should not be acceptable for what the Red Sox are paying for their players. The team needs to get back to the Epstein theory of building a team instead of acting like the Yankees little brother. Until that happens, be happy with winning AL East pennants.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-44348463868149027762017-10-07T01:17:00.001-04:002017-10-08T12:47:03.392-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 6Still 6 games above .500 after treading water the past 2 weeks. Need to get more of a cushion before the big boys play each other later this season.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">1. Wake Forest at (2) Clemson (-21.5)</span> - The Demon Deacons might be able to cover if this were basketball. Not on the football field.<br />
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Wake Forest 13, Clemson 48<br />
Actual Score: Wake Forest 14, Clemson 28<br />
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<span style="color: red;">2. Iowa State at (3) Oklahoma (-30)</span> - Not sure about giving all of those points, but the Sooners are rolling at the current time.<br />
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Iowa State 20, Oklahoma 56<br />
Actual Score: Iowa State 38, Oklahoma 31<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. (13) Miami (-3) at Florida State</span> - The Seminoles have had the Hurricanes number the past 8 years. The streak should end.<br />
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Miami 34, Florida State 27<br />
Actual Score: Miami 24, Florida State 20<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. LSU (+2.5) at (21) Florida</span> - The Tigers were embarrassed last week. Let's predict a bounce back against a Gators team that slides by the competition.<br />
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LSU 20, Florida 17<br />
Actual Score: LSU 17, Florida 16<br />
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5. (16) Virginia Tech (-16.5) at Boston College - The Golden Eagles have fallen hard since their heyday in the 80's. They aren't revisiting those glory days this weekend.<br />
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Virginia Tech 38, Boston College 13<br />
Actual Score: Virginia Tech 24, Boston College 10<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. (1) Alabama at Texas A&M (+25.5)</span> - Let's say that the Crimson Tide won't look across the field and feel like they need to crush their opponent.<br />
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Alabama 38, Texas A&M 17<br />
Actual Score: Alabama 27, Texas A&M 19<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (9) Wisconsin at Nebraska (+10.5)</span> - Wisconsin can score, but I'm not sold on the team yet.<br />
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Wisconsin 31, Nebraska 21<br />
Actual Score: Wisconsin 38, Nebraska 17<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">8. (11) Washington State (-3) at Oregon</span> - The Cougars upset USC last week, now they avoid the upset on the road.<br />
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Washington State 28, Oregon 24<br />
Actual Score: Washington State 33, Oregon 10<br />
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<span style="color: red;">9.</span> <span style="color: red;">(19) San Diego State at UNLV (+9.5)</span> - SDSU is undefeated, but they let their opponents get close at the end.<br />
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San Diego State 31, UNLV 24<br />
Actual Score: San Diego State 41, UNLV 10<br />
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<span style="color: red;">10. (23) West Virginia at (8) TCU (-13)</span> - Gary Patterson might have a Horned Frogs team that cn get to the playoffs.<br />
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West Virginia 20, TCU 42<br />
Actual Score: West Virginia 24, TCU 31<br />
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Season Record 31-27-2<br />
<br />Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-71768432443882489972017-09-30T10:32:00.000-04:002017-10-07T00:53:08.934-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 5Still 6 games above .500. The picks rallied late last week after staring 0-4.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">1. Vanderbilt (+9) at (21) Florida</span> - Not sold on the Gators after escaping Kentucky and the Commodores are better than what they showed against Alabama last week.<br />
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Vanderbilt 24, Florida 27<br />
Actual Score: Vanderbilt 24, Florida 38<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">2. (7) Georgia (-9.5) at Tennessee</span> - Georgia is starting to look like the team that has been expected the past 5 years. Tennessee isn't all that.<br />
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Georgia 34, Tennessee 17<br />
Actual Score: Georgia 41, Tennessee 0<br />
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<span style="color: red;">3. Northern Illinois at (19) San Diego Aztecs (-9.5)</span> - San Diego State is the better team and Northern Illinois is travelling half way across the country.<br />
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Northern Illinois 17, San Diego State 38<br />
Actual Score: Northern Illinois 28, San Diego State 34<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. Mississippi at (1) Alabama (-28)</span> - The Crimson Tide have been playing hard when they want to. They will want to this week.<br />
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Mississippi 10, Alabama 42<br />
Actual Score: Mississippi 3, Alabama 66<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5. (2) Clemson (-7) at Virginia Tech</span> - A possible trouble spot for the Tigers, but they have looked real good so far against possible upset opponents.<br />
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Clemson 27, Virginia Tech 17<br />
Actual Score: Clemson 31, Virginia Tech 17<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. Troy (+20.5) at (25) LSU</span> - Let's take the underdog to cover against a underperforming Tigers team.<br />
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Troy 24, LSU 41<br />
Actual Score: Troy 24, LSU 21<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (24) Mississippi State (+8) at (13) Auburn</span> - The Bulldogs melted down last week against Georgia. I believe that they will bounce back.<br />
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Mississippi State 27, Auburn 24<br />
Actual Score: Mississippi State 10, Auburn 49<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. Indiana (+18) at (4) Penn State</span> - The Hoosiers can score points. They won't win, but they should keep it within two scores.<br />
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Indiana 27, Penn State 38<br />
Actual Score: Indiana 14, Penn State 45<br />
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<span style="color: red;">9. (15) Oklahoma State (-10) at Texas Tech</span> - Look for the Cowboys to bounce back from the home loss to TCU.<br />
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Oklahoma State 48, Texas Tech 31<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 41, Texas Tech 34<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. (11) Ohio State (-28.5) at Rutgers</span> - Ohio State is not the juggernaaut that everybody thought at the beginning of the season. But Rutgers isn't any good at all.<br />
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Ohio State 45, Rutgers 14<br />
Actual Score: Ohio State 56, Rutgers 0<br />
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Another 5-5 week. Still 6 games above .500 for the season.<br />
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Record: 27-21-2Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-62166425509939105562017-09-22T23:08:00.002-04:002017-09-23T23:50:38.549-04:002017 College Football Picks vs The Spread - Week 46 Games above .500 for the first 3 weeks is making me feel good.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">1. (1) Alabama vs Vanderbilt (+18)</span> - There isn't an upset here. But I believe that the Vandy defense can keep it closer than many people think.<br />
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Alabama 27, Vanderbilt 16<br />
Actual Score: Alabama 59, Vanderbilt 0<br />
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<span style="color: red;">2. Boston College vs (2) Clemson (-34)</span> - I swore off huge favorites last week, but I think that Clemson doesn't have a drop off from last week's destruction of Louisville.<br />
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Boston College 7, Clemson 51<br />
Actual Score: Boston College 7, Clemson 34<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. UNLV (+40) vs (10) Ohio State</span> - The Buckeyes offense hasn't clicked except for the second half vs. Indiana. The point spread is too large to ignore.<br />
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UNLV 10, Ohio State 38<br />
Actual Score: UNLV 21, Ohio State 54<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. Nevada vs (18) Washington State (-28.5)</span> - I could see a 50 point victory here for the Cougars.<br />
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Nevada 14, Washington State 60<br />
Actual Score: Nevada 7, Washington State 45<br />
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<span style="color: red;">5. (22) San Diego State vs Air Force (+3)</span> - Let's take the Falcons in an upset of the Aztecs.<br />
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San Diego State 27, Air Force 28<br />
Actual Score: San Diego State 28, Air Force 24<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. (4) Penn State vs Iowa (+12.5)</span> - The Hawkeyes ball control offense will keep it close. But don't expect the upset.<br />
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Penn State 27, Iowa 17<br />
Actual Score: Penn State 21, Iowa 19<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">7. (17) Mississippi State vs (11) Georgia (-4)</span> - Take the Bulldogs at home and the expectations that the team had before the season vs the upstarts.<br />
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Mississippi State 24, Georgia 31<br />
Actual Score: Mississippi State 3, Georgia 31<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. (16) TCU vs (6) Oklahoma State (-13)</span> - I love how the Cowboys offense is going along. I don't think that TCU can keep up.<br />
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TCU 28, Oklahoma State 45<br />
Actual Score: TCU 44, Oklahoma State 31<br />
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<span style="color: red;">9. (8) Michigan vs Purdue (+10)</span> - Purdue is the team in the Big 10 that puts up points. But they give up lots of points as well.<br />
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Michigan 37, Purdue 31<br />
Actual Score: Michigan 28, Purdue 10<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. (20) Florida vs Kentucky (+1.5)</span> - Florida has the better team. They are favored, but for some reason I believe that Kentucky breaks the 30 game losing streak to the Gators.<br />
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Florida 24, Kentucky 27<br />
Actual Score: Florida 28, Kentucky 27<br />
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5-5 for the week. The wins vs. the spread on the Kentucky and Iowa games helped offset the disappointment of the actual final scores. That and Alabama decided to show up this week.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-9686898784143957492017-09-17T23:54:00.000-04:002017-09-17T23:54:13.056-04:00The Weasel has Gone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bobby "The Brain" Heenan passed away today at age 73 from cancer. Most people consider him the best manager of all time for professional wrestling. He fought the disease for a long while. I got to shake the man's hand back in 80's after attending a wrestling show. Thank You for all the enjoyment you brought to me watching pro wrestling and the humor you brought with it. You will be missed, weasel.<br />
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Here are just a couple of The Brain's quotes from the past.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Last time I saw Tugboat... Typhoon... Buffoon, whatever he is, run that fast is when they opened up a lunch line at the free buffet</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">He hit him so hard he knocked three zits off his cheek!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"A friend in need is a pest."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"You know they say money can't buy happiness. Give me 50 bucks and watch me smile"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"Its the women in Cleveland, they all look like the Undertaker"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-47366770056545762602017-09-17T15:13:00.000-04:002017-09-17T15:13:32.881-04:00The Fight For LA(st)<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/agspanos">@agspanos</a> ... look up 😂😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/aWF0bQFg1t">pic.twitter.com/aWF0bQFg1t</a></div>
— SD Sign Guy (@jmt619) <a href="https://twitter.com/jmt619/status/909478192007614464">September 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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I'm currently camping out on Twitter to see how bad the attendance is for today's Dolphins - Chargers game at StubHub Center. During the preseason, a stadium that holds roughly 27,000 for soccer was literally half full at best. I heard that a lot of tickets were on sale on the secondary market as of yesterday, so there's a chance this could be a very embarrassing day for the NFL when it's time for kickoff. The Fight For LA is literally a fight for who gives a damn... even the Rams aren't packing them in at the ol' Mausoleum near the USC campus.<br />
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It doesn't matter if the Chargers manage to get more than 15,000 warm bodies sitting in the stands today. This flyover before the game will probably get more press locally later tonight.<br />
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Robzillahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12216487550272584271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-39122796475587156562017-09-15T23:30:00.001-04:002017-09-17T23:25:09.813-04:002017 College Football Picks vs. The Spread - Week 3A 3-7 week showed me that I just can't go with the big spreads for the favorites.<br />
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Week 3 Games:<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">1. (19) Stanford at San Diego State (+8.5)</span> - The Aztecs have looked good so far. Stepping up in weight class, I think that they will keep it close.<br />
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Stanford 28, San Diego State 24<br />
Actual Score: Stanford 17, San Diego State 20<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: lime;">2. (18) Kansas State at Vanderbilt (+3.5)</span> - The upset special for this week. I expect Vandy to go 3-0 on the back of their defense.<br />
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Kansas State 17, Vanderbilt 20<br />
Final Score: Kansas State 7, Vanderbilt 14<br />
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<span style="color: red;">3. Texas at (4) USC (-15.5)</span> - Tom Hermann was expected to turn the Longhorns around immediately. He hasn't done that and the Trojans will show why.<br />
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Texas 20, USC 45<br />
Actual Score: Texas 24, USC 27 (OT)<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">4. (3) Clemson (-3) at (14) Louisville</span> - Lamar Jackson is going nuts this year. He is why Louisville is ranked. I just don't think he has enough help to win this game.<br />
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Clemson 38, Louisville 33<br />
Actual Score: Clemson 47, Louisville 21<br />
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<span style="color: red;">5. Colorado State at (1) Alabama (-28)</span> - Nick Saban is the guy that decides by how many points the Crimson Tide win by. I expect that he will want to cover this spread.<br />
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Colorado State 13, Alabama 45<br />
Actual Score: Colorado State 23, Alabama 41<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">6. SMU at (20) TCU (-20)</span> - SMU needs to improve their reputation in games against ranked teams. This is another chance for them, but I don't see them being close.<br />
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SMU 17, TCU 44<br />
Actual Score: SMU 36, TCU 56<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">7. (9) Oklahoma State (-11.5) at Pittsburgh</span> - The Panthers were beat down by Penn State last week. The Cowboys will do the same.<br />
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Oklahoma State 42, Pittsburgh 16<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 59, Pittsburgh 21<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">8. (23) Tennessee at (24) Florida (-4)</span> - The Gators have better talent, coaching, and are at home. That means that the Gators shouldn't blow this game.<br />
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Tennessee 24, Florida 31<br />
Actual Score: Tennessee 20, Florida 26<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. (12) LSU at Mississippi State (+7.5)</span> - LSU is the 3rd best team in the SEC. They will win this, but the Bulldogs will make them earn it.<br />
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LSU 28, Mississippi State 24<br />
Actual Score: LSU 7, Mississippi State 37<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. Air Force (+23) at (7) Michigan</span> - The Air Force will keep this game semi close. The Jim Harbaugh rumors to Indianapolis might have an adverse eccect on the Wolverines.<br />
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Air Force 17, Michigan 35<br />
Actual Score: Air Force 13, Michigan 29<br />
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Another 7-2-1 week. That gets me up to 17-11-2 vs. the point spread.<br />
<br />Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-67997738791543051722017-09-08T00:19:00.001-04:002017-09-10T11:07:13.208-04:002017 College Football Picks vs. The Spread - Week 2Week 1 was OK. A 7-2-1 week would have made me money. Let's see if I can continue the good picks.<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">1. (11) Oklahoma State (-29) at South Alabama</span> - It is unusual that a program like Oklahoma State would go into South Alabama. I don't expect that the Cowboys will have problems with going on the road here.<br />
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Oklahoma State 62, South Alabama 14<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma State 44, South Alabama 7<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: red;">2. Florida Atlantic at (9) Wisconsin (-32)</span> - I believe in Lane Kiffin. He will get the Owls turned around in time. That time isn't against a scary looking Wisconsin team this season.<br />
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Florida Atlantic 17, Wisconsin 52<br />
Actual Score: Florida Atlantic 14, Wisconsin 31<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">3. (17) Louisville (-10) at North Carolina</span> - The Cardinals offense didn't look all that great vs. Purdue. I believe that the kinks will start to be worked out against the Tar Heels<br />
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Louisville 42, North Carolina 28<br />
Actual Score: Louisville 47, North Carolina 35<br />
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<span style="color: red;">4. (23) TCU at Arkansas (+3)</span> - I don't trust Bret Bielema. The Hogs haven't been good under him. But going against my better judgement, I see the Razorbacks taking down the Horned Frogs.<br />
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TCU 31, Arkansas 34<br />
Actual Score: TCU 28, Arkansas 7<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">5. (13) Auburn at (3) Clemson (-5.5)</span> - I think that Auburn will be the biggest challenge to Alabama this year. However, Clemson isn't Alabama. Take the Tigers in Death Valley and expect a double digit victory.<br />
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Auburn 17, Clemson 31<br />
Actual Score: Auburn 6, Clemson 14<br />
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<span style="color: red;">6. (5) Oklahoma at (2) Ohio State (-7.5)</span> - The Buckeyes came alive in the second half vs. Indiana. I believe they keep rolling against Oklahoma.<br />
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Oklahoma 27, Ohio State 41<br />
Actual Score: Oklahoma 31, Ohio State 16<br />
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<span style="color: red;">7. (15) Georgia at (24) Notre Dame (-4.5)</span> - The Bulldogs have a backup QB starting vs. The Fighting Irish. That should be enough to the Golden Domers to pull out a victory.<br />
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Georgia 17, Notre Dame 24<br />
Actual Score: Georgia 20, Notre Dame 19<br />
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<span style="color: red;">8. (14) Stanford (+5.5) at (6) USC</span> - I will take the Cardinal and their 3 game winning streak against the Trojans. Look for the fourth straight victory for Stanford.<br />
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Stanford 33, USC 30<br />
Actual Score: Stanford 24, USC 42<br />
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<span style="color: red;">9. Boise State at (20) Washington State (-10.5)</span> - Mike Leach wants to have the Cougars mentioned as a national power and to prove that his offensive philosophy can win anywhere. This game could start that journey.<br />
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Boise State 24, Washington State 44<br />
Boise State 44, Washington State 47 (3OT)<br />
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<span style="color: red;">10. Fresno State at (1) Alabama (-44)</span> - Fresno State used to be a power that would play a good game against Alabama. That is in the past.<br />
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Fresno State 10, Alabama 58<br />
Actual Score: Fresno State 10, Alabama 44<br />
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A 3-7 week. Ugh. This is why some people do not bet on football. You don't have control over anything.<br />
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Overall 10-9-1.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-91159752332948689712017-09-02T13:27:00.000-04:002017-09-05T00:25:24.112-04:002017 College Football Picks vs. the Spread - Week 1I didn't do this last year and I rocked the picks. The blog has been a little thin, so I decided to take the initiative and start doing the picks for college football again. So let's see if I can do better than I have before on the blog.<br />
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WEEK 1<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">1. UTEP at (7) Oklahoma (-43)</span> - Bob Stoops is no longer the head coach at Oklahoma. Means that the program has something to prove. Don't see the Miners scoring more than 10 points while the Sooners look like the Sooners of yesteryear.<br />
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UTEP 7, Oklahoma 66<br />
Actual Score: UTEP 7, Oklahoma 56<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">2. (11) Michigan (-3.5) vs. (17) Florida</span> - If Alabama vs. FSU wasn't this weekend, this would be the marquee game. I would have picked Michigan to win even without multiple Gator starters suspended for their roles in the Student store fraud scandal. Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines looking good.<br />
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Michigan 27, Florida 20<br />
Actual Score: Michigan 33, Florida 17<br />
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<span style="color: red;">3. Western Michigan at (4) USC (-27.5)</span> - Another one of the opening game creampuffs that major programs like to schedule. Watch USC score 50 and roll over the Broncos which get a payday.<br />
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Western Michigan 14, USC 55<br />
Actual Score: Western Michigan 31, USC 49<br />
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<span style="color: red;">4. Appalachian State (+14) at (15) Georgia</span> - Classic game where I believe that the Bulldogs are looking at next week's game against Notre Dame and not taking App St. as seriously as they should. Georgia will win, but not by the margin they should.<br />
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App St. 24, Georgia 34<br />
Actual Score: App St. 10, Georgia 31<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: orange;">5. Georgia Southern at (12) Auburn (-34)</span> - Georgia Southern is not going to like this trip to Auburn. I think that the Tigers are the biggest threat to Alabama this season. Auburn shows why in this game.<br />
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Georgia Southern 10, Auburn 52<br />
Actual Score: Georgia Southern 7, Auburn 41<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">6. (16) Louisville at Purdue (+26.5)</span> - There is no upset here, but with the Boilermakers bringing back the Big 10 passing leader from last year in David Blough, I expect the game to be closer than what many think.<br />
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Louisville 45, Purdue 31<br />
Actual Score: Louisville 35, Purdue 28<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">7. (3) Florida State vs. (1) Alabama (-7)</span> - Even though I believe that both of these teams could be good enough to make the playoffs, you don't pick against Nick Saban in the regular season and a big game.<br />
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Florida State 21, Alabama 34<br />
Actual Score: Florida State 7, Alabama 24<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">8. BYU at (13) LSU (-14.5)</span> - LSU is the better team, but BYU already had their first game which helps. Give me the Tigers just squeaking by on the point spread.<br />
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BYU 20, LSU 35<br />
Actual Score: BYU 0, LSU 27<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">9. (22) West Virginia at (21) Virginia Tech (-4)</span> - Both teams have new starting QB's and both believe that they can win their respective leagues. Let's go with the home team and the fact that there is something about Dana Holgorsen that I don't trust in pressure games.<br />
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West Virginia 24, Virginia Tech 31<br />
Actual Score: West Virginia 24, Virginia Tech 31<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">10. (25) Tennessee at Georgia Tech (+3)</span> - I fully expect the Yellow Jackets to beat the Volunteers outright. I think that Butch Jones has the foundation of the Tennessee program build on sand, not concrete.<br />
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Tennessee 21, Georgia Tech 31<br />
Actual Score: Tennessee 42, Georgia Tech 41 2OT<br />
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Week 1 Record: 7-2-1<br />
Overall Record: 7-2-1<br />
<br />Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-91948790440324033332017-05-01T20:50:00.001-04:002017-05-01T21:24:43.977-04:00The Truth and the toothA precursor, test post, for when the Celtics finish off George's Wiz in the second round of this year's NBA playoffs, a series we have a friendly blog challenge regarding. Remember those? So a little practice for my fait accompli brag post.
So did you see Isaiah Thomas (Jr) have a tooth knocked out and make like a hockey player and keep playing? That's a brag. Did you see the Celts let the Wiz start out with a 16-0 lead before beating them? Brag again.
And Paul Pierce retired. He played 19 seasons in the NBA. Doesn't that make you feel old? Not a brag. The Truth is not one of the all-time greats but he is a Hall of Famer and one of the great finishers all time. Brag!
I will try to get back in circulation.
It's pretty said when I didn't even blog about a Super Bowl win in the greatest comeback of all time. And I must owe you at least one attending games blog. I can't even follow my own rules. I'll post about seeing the Bruins in Dallas and look to see where else I've been negligent. Zebsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17684616018807468693noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-31778934116136730642017-01-11T23:41:00.003-05:002017-01-11T23:41:53.381-05:00Bye, Felicia!<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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The scene here in San Diego where protestors are taking to the streets because the Chargers are moving to Los Angeles <a href="https://t.co/KC8tw3p0qk">pic.twitter.com/KC8tw3p0qk</a></div>
— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericsports/status/819391894060867592">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The real interesting part? This is true. Even though news broke about two hours ago on ESPN, the Chargers are NOT trending on Twitter here in San Diego.<br />
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I was resigned to the fact they were moving to Los Angeles in 2002. I guess the rest of the city's finally catching up to me.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>R.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15024996579875204440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-22199069109274829572016-10-16T16:27:00.002-04:002016-10-16T16:27:52.562-04:005 Takeaways from Week 6 in the NFLJust a couple of things that hit me this weekend while watching the NFL<br />
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1. Vontaze Burfict is the most hated man in the NFL. He has caused fights with the Browns, Steelers, and Ravens. This weekend, Rob Gronkowski starting going nuts because of Burfict. The man had many opponents angry at him playing at Arizona State. He still has the ability to get under people's skin.<br />
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2. While the Jaguars won at Chicago, does anybody believe that the Jags will go on a tear and win the AFC South? Or is the smart play starting a pool of when Gus Bradley is fired? I go with option 2.<br />
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3. The Philadelphia Eagles have come back down to Earth. After winning their first 3, the offense is starting to sputter. There is lack of protection for Wentz. The defense is stuggling. Now, what does Doug Peterson do to try and keep the Eagles from falling flat on their collective faces?<br />
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4. The Tennessee Titans are showing signs of life. They are 3-3 and 2 of the losses are to Minnesota and Oakland. Mike Mularkey is riding the DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry Express to the top of the division.<br />
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5. The Cleveland Browns are still 0 fer the season. However, I have been impressed with Cody Kessler and the receiving crew that the Browns have. Can you imagine if Josh Gordon was well enough to be out on the field? The receiving corps would be downright scary.<br />
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Bonus: If you are New Orleans Saints fan, aren't you tired of no defense to speak of and people trying to tell you that having Drew Brees is good enough? If it were me, I would be saying that I don't settle for a .500 record and video game thinking for my team. It is time to fire Sean Payton.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-77847784188855450602016-10-10T00:57:00.000-04:002016-10-10T00:57:23.881-04:002016 Houston Astros Season Postmortum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Houston Astros missed the playoffs by 5 games this year. And instead of being upset by that, I am happy. Why? Because the team was a flawed team and is showed during the last 2 weeks. In the final 10 games, the team went 3-7. Against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim they went 2-5. The Angels finished 21 games back of the West winners, Texas Rangers. When you are fighting for a wildcard spot, that cannot happen. The Astros also played the Mariners who were also fighting for a wildcard spot. The Mariners took 2 of 3. It hurt, but this will help the Astros for the future. There are three things that need to improve. 1) Beating the Texas Rangers. 2) Improve the batting average. 3) Improve the starting rotation. I believe that the Astros are figuring that out.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
1) Beating the Texas Rangers. This year, the Astros went 5-14 against the Rangers. If the Astros went 9-10 against them, they are 1 GB in the wildcard and maybe, just maybe the Angels would have faced a different team in those last 10 games. In 2015, they were abysmal against the Rangers as well. If your biggest rival continuously beats you, you need to figure out how to change to beat them. Jeff Luhnow will figure that out. Maybe we can get a couple of veterans to help with that.<br />
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2) Improve the batting average. This needs to happen now! We have the batting champ, Jose Altuve hitting .338. The next highest is Carlos Correa at .274. We only had 5 players achieve 400 AB. That hurts with hitting, but that doesn't explain everything. When a starting outfielder and your catcher are below the Mendoza line, you have problems. Just to show you the problems with the Astros line up, Jose Altuve lead in average, RBI, OPS, hits, steals, doubles and slugging. The 1B and 3B of the future did not live up to the hype when promoted to the big leagues. In fact, AJ Reed went about .160 on the batting average. For a 1B, that still sucks.They both became injured during the year. Being a young team, this is a definate area to work on.<br />
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3) Improve the rotation. The reigning Cy Young award winner went 9-12, battled through injuries throughout the year and finally went down with a shoulder for the rest of the year in August. Lance McCullers started 14 games for this year. That is your #1 and 2 starters. Most teams cannot make it through that. Houston is one of those teams. Collin McHugh, Doug Fister, and Mike Fiers are not beginning of the rotation starters and everybody knows it. They could not pick up the slack and the team paid for it. Everybody besides McCullers who started at least 10 games for the Astros had an ERA over 4. You are not going to make the playoffs like that.<br />
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In 2015, the Astros started fast and faded. In 2016, the team went 5-15 during April. Eliminate that start, you have a team that went 79-63 for the rest of the year. That is a .556 clip. That is good enough for the 1st wildcard in the AL. It shows that the Astros aren't that far off. Let's put it this way, if the Cubs can eliminate the curse of the Billy Goat and all the other curses that go along with being a fan of that team, then the Astros can win their first World Series in the near future and shake the disappointments of playoffs past. All the team needs is some fine tuning.<br />
Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05471510250599641166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29717561.post-36368623956917429142016-09-10T11:27:00.001-04:002016-09-10T16:02:52.158-04:00Now For Something Lighthearted<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RYT0vS4Z2d4" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Have you seen the new "Tecmo Bo" commercial for the 2017 Kia Sorento yet?R.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15024996579875204440noreply@blogger.com1