Friday, October 14, 2011

This time it's for real

“Put that in your tail pipe blog and smoke it! Seahawks!”

Yep, this was the text that I got last Sunday following the Seahawks win against the Giants from my buddy, Seth, a lifelong Seahawks fan.  Last week, I wrote how the Giants were going to cover handsomely over those Seahawks.  I, along with many people who are in suicide pools, didn’t think the Seahawks would cover let alone beat them straight up.  Congrats on the win, Seth!  Yours truly is eating a generous portion of humble pie.

Seth’s text got me thinking this week.  Is there anything more exciting in sports than the last hour of the early games? Whether you’re at a sports bar with a mouthful of buffalo wings or at home with a breakfast burrito and mimosa in hand, the last hour is alwaus riveting entertainment.  Emotions can go from euphoria over a game-winning TD to frustration over a last-second FG- sometimes all in a matter of seconds.

This week besides giving you the 4 picks, I’m going to do one better.  I’m going to put my money where my mouth is, thanks to Seth.  With the picks that I give you, I will place a 4-team $10 parlay.  Coming off a 4-2 week, I feel momentum is coming on my side now.  Let’s ride that wave, baby!

Last week: 4-2
Overall: 10-8

CAROLINA at ATLANTA (-4): The King of the Back-Door Covers, Cam Newton, almost pulled-off an upset win against the Saints last Sunday.  I was hoping the Panthers would win because they’re an exciting bunch.  They never seem to be out of a game and you never what might happen with Cam under center.  The Falcons are in a tail-spin right now.  Prior to last week’s  loss against the Packers, Matt Ryan had only lost 2 games at home.  The Falcons didn’t score in the second half and subsequently lost the game.  Julio Jones will be out for the game which means that the Carolina D can focus more of their pass defense attention to Roddy White. In the preseason, everyone was in love with Atlanta as a Super Bowl contender but I didn’t buy it. I don’t see that “it’ factor.  I’m going out on a limb and predicting Carolina wins the game and I’ll take those 4 points.  TSS PICKS: CAROLINA

SAN FRANCISCO at DETROIT (-4.5): My ugly ducklings, the Lions, covered last week over the Bears.  Was anyone yelling at the TV screen during the last play of that game?  The Lions won by 9 but had the Bears scored a TD, the Lions would not have covered.  I don’t expect the Lions to put up huge scoring numbers because the Niner D is a much-improved squad.  They have definitely earned my respect as a top 10 Defense.  I’m not quite sold on Alex Smith, given his history, but I am believer in Jim Harbaugh.  The plays that were going against the Niners last year are now going for them this year. He brings in a tough blue collar mentality and a structured discipline.  Expect this game to be close and pray that our boy, Gus Johnson, calls this game.  Can you imagine a Gus calling a Calvin Johnson TD catch? I can and I hope it happens.  TSS PICKS: DETROIT  

DALLAS vs. NEW ENGLAND (-7): Do you remember last year’s Patriots/Browns game? I do.  I was on an impromptu Vegas trip when I decided to lay a 3-team parlay with one of the games being the Patriots/Browns.  The Browns were getting 5 points so I thought there was no way that The Man (Brady) couldn’t cover those points. Maybe it was a combination of Old-Fashions, Gin & Tonics, Johnnie Walker Black Label and beer over a 12-hour plus “excursion” to The Palms, The Paris, and Planet Hollywood mixed with a Sonic grilled cheese and cheesy tots at 4:30am, but I had made up my mind that I was taking the Patriots.  What happened?  The Browns pounded the Patriots to the ground and I was one and done in my 3 team parlay.  Do you know who the D-Coordinator was for the Browns?  It was Rob Ryan, current D-Coordinator for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys have had 2 weeks to pick up the pieces from their last heart-breaking defeat.  Logic says to go with Dallas but have you notice that Bellichik and Brady always seem to correct their mistakes?  I think they’ve corrected the mistakes from Ryan’s schemes from a year ago to beat the Cowboys.  My cousin, Alex, loves the game while my buddy, Ef, will be torn.  Does he want Brady, his fantasy football QB, to light up his beloved Cowboys? I’m learning from my mistake from a year ago and cautiously taking the Cowboys. TSS PICKS: DALLAS

 MINNESOTA at CHICAGO (-3): Much respect Jay Cutler for being a professional.  I don’t know how he does it week after week after week getting pounded to the ground.  If I was in Cutler’s shoes, I would blame the O-line and the receivers every time the Bears lost. It would go something like this:

Reporter: Jay, why did you throw the ball into double-coverage?
Cutler: I didn’t have time to throw the ball to the open receiver because these so-called offensive linemen can’t fuckin’ block. If I throw it to an open receiver, the idiot drops the ball too.  I can’t win with these bums.  Everybody blames me because I’m the QB but shit, man, try playing with these guys. The only football player I trust on offense is Forte.  He and I can’t do it alone.

Adrian Peterson will lead Minnesota into Soldier Field for TSS’ Upset Pick of the Week.  TSS PICKS: MINNESOTA

In closing, many of you heard that the NBA canceled the first 2 weeks of their season. I’m a huge basketball fan but I don’t care if the NBA doesn’t come back this year.  In this economy, I have no sympathy for these over-paid players who still seem to be living paycheck to paycheck.  Their lockout has forced many behind-the-scenes people to make ends meet which is unfortuntate.  The NBA quality as a whole has been less than stellar the last five years partly due to players jumping college or attending college for less than four years.  The NFL gets it. It mandates that a player enter the NFL only after being in college for 3 years.  The quality in the NFL has always been top-notch.  NBA, do everyone a favor and just stay away everyone.

Stepping down form my soapbox…

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