STEELER WOWS CROWD WITH NUPTIALS REDUX
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (Reuters)....Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, who tied the knot in July, responding to queries from spectators, gave fans attending the final home practice prior to the team’s 2011 season-opener at Baltimore this week, a huge surprise. Huddling up with his wife of less-than-seven weeks, and in a break from the usual marriage-tradition, Big Ben re-enacted a key moment of his summer wedding, tossing the bouquet himself. Observers say Roethlisberger, with the pocket collapsing and the Matron-of-Honor draped all over him, calmly went through his progressions, then settled on a check-down, delivering a nifty touch-pass toward the sideline, which got hauled-in nicely by a bridesmaid, who laid-out to make the catch before she went outta’ bounds. Video-replay confirmed the receiver got both feet down, dragging her nine-inch stiletto heels along the turf to validate the reception!
A nifty 2-0 Thursday night (3-0 if ya count our Bowling Green best bet) got whacked by a poor Saturday night and left our hero on the wrong end of a 7-9 record and needing both of Sunday’s faves to break even on the weekend. The Aggies won big, but the premature, weather-shortened outing in Morgantown kept West Virginia from extending its lead and sent our noxious narrator to Week One’s disappointing 8-10 (.444) finish.
Hoping to exact a little payback on a well-known, climatological female entity, Vindy snatches Thor’s hammer and thrusts the mighty Mjolnir into the air (Correct-a-mundo, Sportsfans! Your fab forecaster has been deemed worthy of wielding the legendary weapon!), forcing the skies inside the sportsbook to darken just before raining down thunder, lightning and….
THE WEBER KID’S 2011 WEEK 2 FORECAST
(You betcher’ Asgard!)
THURS. SEPT. 8
Arizona over #9 OKLAHOMA STATE taking 14: ‘Cats have dropped 8 straight to the spread after posting 35 or more points the previous week (41 vs. NAU), Stanford on-deck and zippo starters coming back from last season’s offensive line, but we just can’t put our hopes on a Heisman-candidate QB and still-weak Cowboys defense that combined to give up 34 points to a weak-sister of the Sun Belt. ‘Zona also has a revenge factor, losing to Okie State by 26 in 2010 Alamo Bowl. Defense continues to be a perennial issue for OKSU. Arizona’s last I-A victory came prior to last Halloween…Oklahoma State 31 Arizona 28
FRI. SEPT. 9
#21 Missouri over ARIZONA STATE taking 7 ½: Presence of a new man under center replacing Blaine Gabbert for the Tigers showed in Missouri’s 17-6 victory over Miami-Ohio. Sun Devils are 9-2-1 ATS in Tempe the past 2 seasons, though just 7-6 SU. Rushing and total yards are up in each of the past two seasons for ASU, but it is now the hunted in this one after losing (but covering) all three games last year vs. ranked opponents…State 24 Mizzou 20
SAT. SEPT. 10
#1 Oklahoma: IDLE (next @ Florida State)
Northwestern State @ #2 LSU: No line.
#23 PENN STATE over #3 Alabama taking 9 ½: The good news? Rob Bolden, who started under center of this one last year as a true frosh, is back to lead the Lions again. The bad news? So is the then-very-young ‘Bama defense he faced at the time. Now-departed Heisman winner Mark Ingram didn’t even play in the 2010 version. Turnovers killed State last year, with interceptions deep in Tide territory in the 1st- and 3rd Quarters, keeping PSU outta’ the end zone for the first time in three seasons. Lions have won 27 of last 32 non-conference games outright, but have covered only one of last seven facing Top 25 opponents. Tide’s last SU loss to a non-SEC squad was 2008 post-season bowl vs. Utah. Tide is just 4-4 ATS vs. ranked foes of late. Only six of ‘Bama’s last 29 saw a final margin in the single digits, though Tide lost 2 outta’ 3 of those SU last season (and failed to covered any of ‘em). ‘Bama 7-1 ATS in last 8 road games. Lions did not yield a sack in last year’s match…’Bama 19 Lions 13
#4 Boise State: IDLE (next @ Toledo 9/16)
Charleston Southern @ #5 FLORIDA STATE: No line.
#6 Stanford over DUKE giving 21: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Blue Devils are one of two FBS teams in this week’s picks which fell outright to a I-AA club to open the year (more on that topic in “hashmarks”). Heisman-probable Andrew Luck and company gave no quarter to San Jose State and we can’t believe the QB won’t pad a few stats vs. Dukies, who were blown out last year only by VirginiaTech and ‘Bama, but all except three opponents scored 27 on the Devils and all of ‘em scored 21 or more. Duke is a half-point from being 1-5 ATS in last six vs. the Top 25 and on 3-14 non-conference death-spiral…Cardinal 49 Duke 14
#7 Texas A&M: IDLE (next vs. Idaho)
Oregon State over #8 WISCONSIN taking 22: Beavers off shocking upset by FCS squad Sacramento State, who came in at #30 in the preseason FCS poll (one notch behind upcoming UNLV opponent, Southern Utah. Be afraid, Rebels fans…be very afraid!) Badgers showed some weaknesses against the run and on kick coverage in the opener. State took a major step backward last year in points-scored (down 8 ppg) while allowing 2 more points-against per match leading to current 1-5 SU/1-4 ATS skid. Still, Beavers are 7-3 against the line facing ranked foes the last two years …Varmints 37 State 19
Fresno State over #10 NEBRASKA taking 28: Big Dread 38 Fresno 17
#11 Virginia Tech over EAST CAROLINA giving 20: Hokies, who quickly erased its nightmarish start from last year by dismantling Appalachian State 66-13, also have some our hard-earned Euros riding on a BCS title bid. Pirates turned it over five times and gave up a huge punt-return for a Gamecocks’ score and still covered. Tech on 14-3 spread run going back to November 2009, but is just 5-14 in last 19 non-ACC bouts…Tech 51 ECU 20
#12 South Carolina over GEORGIA giving 3: All My Chicken 17 Joja’ 10
#13 OREGON over Nevada-Reno giving 27: Mighty Ducks paid the price for being sloppy in the second-half vs. LSU and will welcome their own partisan crowd to spur them on in Eugene against Wolfpack squad, not only playing its first game of the year, but also fielding a whole new backfield. UNR covered its past two vs. ranked opponents, but both were against Boise and saw now-NFLer Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. First of four straight road tilts for Reno, who’s beaten the line just once in last 8 tries getting double-digits outside da’ WAC. Mallards have opened with back-to-back ATS losses just once since 2001 (did so in 2009)…Quack Attack 56 UNR 24
#14 ARKANSAS over New Mexico giving 36 (@Little Rock, AR): Second choice for lock. Hogs coach Bobby Petrino recently took a playful shot at the Big Ten, noting the way to secure a National Title was to draw “one of those slow teams from the north”. We’re not sure if he was alluding to speed or IQ, but we’ll certainly be keepin’ an eye on which of the Big Ten-Point-Two-in-the-Forty or Big Can’t-Count-to-Ten clubs board the team bus and which hop on the team “short bus”! Lobos, in a spread-covering loss to Colorado State, helped us cash a parlay ticket last week and even scored their first touchdown in six season-openers, but they’re toast here. Razorbacks are solid bet at home…. Sooooeeeeey Pigs 48 New Mexico 7
#15 OHIO STATE over Toledo giving 19: Rockets were dismal road dogs until going 3-2 ATS last season. Line’s a bit smaller than we expected, but perhaps that’s a nod to Toledo’s scoring offense, which has been strong in recent years (though mustered nada in 41-2 home loss to Arizona in 2010) and hung 58 on FCS #10 squad New Hampshire last week. People magazine says a newly-seen “T” tat atop Bristol Palin’s right tootsie represents her son, male siblings and daddy…Tripp, Trig, Track and Todd. Horse hockey! Columbus insiders report the skin-art really honors Terrell Pryor and Jim Tressel!...OSU 42 Toledo 20
#16 Mississippi State over AUBURN giving 7: MSU 29 Auburn 17
Florida Atlantic over #17 MICHIGAN STATE taking 32 ½: Spartans 41 FAU 13
#18 FLORIDA over Alabama-Birmingham giving 23: Gators 38 UAB 14 (Vindy can’t bring himself to buck Crocs’ current 13-1 ATS record laying double-digits vs. non-conference teams and the knowledge that this is the first live-action game for the Blazers, but that little voice in our head is screamin’ take da’ Owls and da’ points. Could be our first “wish I had that one back” pick of 2011. Stay tuned.)
Norfolk State @ #19 WEST VIRGINIA: No line.
#20 Baylor: IDLE (next vs. Stephen F. Austin)
Ball State over #22 SOUTH FLORIDA taking 20: USF 23 Miami-O 13
#24 TEXAS over Brigham Young giving 7: Coogs are on borrowed time following late Ole Missed fumble that let BYU off the hook and eke out the win. We thank Texas for coming through (albeit barely) as one of our Week One best bets. Steers finished -12 in turnover ratio last year in a season that saw UT drop more SU games (7) than in the previous three years combined (5). QB Garrett Gilbert, after throwing 17 picks last season and at times, looking more like Gilbert Grape or Gilbert Gottfried directing the ‘Horns offense, was error-less vs. Rice. ‘Horns were 2-7 ATS vs. non- Big 12 squads and 3-8 as chalk in Austin the past two years. We expect them to hold serve here…TX 24 Mormons 14
#25 Texas Christian over AIR FORCE giving 2: We anticipated a slow start from the Frogs offense, but we think the Rebels had a layover in Waco on their way back from Madison and suited-up on defense for TCU. Toads can take heart in knowing USAF won’t put in the air anywhere near the times that Baylor did. In fact, the Pilots threw 9 passes vs. South Dakota, completing 4 of ‘em (6 of ‘em if you include the two that were caught by Coyotes defenders) while rushing 61 times. TCU won by 29 last year, but the past two meetings in Colorado Springs were each decided by a FG. Vin recently switched his home-owners’ insurance to State Farm. They bought him… a Falcon! (He’s a nice kid too. Lotsa’ potential as a fighter pilot!)…TCU 20 USAF 16
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, Roethlisberger and his wife actually busted-out a little trickeration during the original ceremony, with the blushing bride taking the handoff a few steps toward the line-of-marriage before wheeling-around and pitching the flowers back to Big Ben, in a nod to the classic flea-flicker!
First, Green Lantern, now Thor?…Vindicator sure gets around da’ superhero universe, doesn’t he???!!!
It’s a little-known fact Mother Nature was a ticket-writer and sportsbook director long before discovering her weather-control powers and gaining her current notoriety! (Insiders at The Weather Channel say the windy wench had wagers on Marshall and Western Michigan!)
We had a blast watchin’ that lucky sousaphone player dot the “I” in “Script Buick” as part of the Ohio State band’s performance at halftime of the Akron game. We think it’d be worth the penalty flag to taunt Da’ U next week by dotting the “I” in a “Script Shapiro”, don’t you???!!!
Folks besides Cameron Jordan who were apparently drunk-dialed by members of the Cleveland Browns organization in April and wrongly-informed they had been drafted by the club: American Idol alum Jordin Sparks, Cameron Diaz, Michael Jordan, Kirk Cameron, James Cameron and Jordan-Hare Stadium (BTW, the Auburn Tigers’ football venue later told media that it was “thrilled” with the selection by the Browns!).
And just FYI, anagrams of Nick Saban include “I Scan Bank” and “Cabin Snak” (which, depending on the pronunciation, could be “Cabin Snack” or “Cabin Snake”!). The ‘Bama coach is also one vowel away from “Sick Banana”!!!! (Why are you lookin’ at us like that???!!!)
Uh…did we say “we really like the ‘under’” on Week One’s TCU-Baylor game???!!! What we truly meant was “Bet da’ ranch on da’ ‘over’! This baby’s gonna’ close-in on the century mark!”
Eagle-eyed veterans among in the readership will have noticed a slight format change. We had a couple of extra weeks to contemplate spreads for Week One, but here-to-fore, we will continue to provide spread picks and score predictions, but will limit analysis and commentary to ten lined games each week instead of all of them (Yeah, we know there’s 12 this week! Put the damn abacus down!).
Nothing personal against the Maryland state flag, but those unis sported by the Terps on Monday night weren’t just ugly, they were fugly! (Yeah, yeah…we know….’Does Vindy place bets for his mother with that mouth????!!!’). BTW, the pattern and color-scheme leads us to propose a team name change to the…Maryland Harlequins! Frankly, we’d rather just see a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle emblazoned on the helmet.
As we noted above, it appears the Division I-A teams better bring their I-A game to the field when playing FCS teams, especially when the “lower” division folks are ranked. No surprise to see Duke fall to Richmond (#19), but Oregon State’s demise certainly wasn’t expected. Here are the other “Whew! We just dodged a bullet!” matches from Week One (with FCS poll rankings noted in parentheses)…Washington 30 (#1) E. Washington 27, Iowa State 20 (#7) Northern Iowa 19, Kansas State 10 (#33) E. Kentucky 7 and UTEP 31 (#37) Stony Brook 24 (OT)!!!!!
Back in March, London’s giant clock tracking the official countdown to the city’s 2012 Olympic Games stopped briefly. The Brits, however, had used all their time-outs and were hit with a technical foul. But after reviewing video, referees did, in fact, reverse the call and put enough time back on the clock to allow a catch-and-shoot.
Cirque du Soleil acrobat Gabryel Nogueira da Silva threw out the first pitch of a June Padres home game. The aerial contortions involved made MaryLou Retton jealous, and while not getting de Silva an opportunity to regularly toe-the-rubber for the Friars, they did garner the Vegas performer a Rollerball contract worth several million dollars!
Rollerball???!!! Now there’s a sport worthy of Olympics consideration! (Okay, OKAY…picture this…Lingerie Rollerball!!!!! Genius, right???!!!)
Meanwhile, in that other “football”…. Real Madrid signed 7-year-old Argentinian Leonel Angel Coira, who claims Spongebob Squarepants as his idol (Squidward Tentacles and Sandy Cheeks were on-hand to help recruit the youngster). Vegas is setting odds on which will occur first? “Leo” taking a corner…or being sent off by the referee to stand in one!
Black Shirt (awarded weekly to the person[s] whose effort or “effort” benefitted Vindy’s Picks in some way): The coveted ebony tee goes to Badgers kicker Kyle French for missing the point-after on Wisconsin’s second TD, allowing Vindy to open the year with a forecast dubya (BTW, UNLV coaches awarded a game-ball to the left upright that deflected what woulda’ been a third-straight FG miss for the Rebels through the goalposts for Vegas’ first score of the season!)
“Locked in a Box?”: Vin starts out 0-1 as the Okie State Cowpokes offense helped out a weak Lafayette team by throwing a pair of INT-for-TDs.
Shoppe Talk (candidates for stuffing at Ye Olde Taxidermy Shoppe as the result of repeated forecast losses):
The Buckeyes open the Shoppe after pitching the shutout against Akron (we’re shocked!).
Vindy’s Week 2 Best Bets: Last Week: 4-1 (.800) Season: 4-1 (.800)
Rutgers +10 ½ over NORTH CAROLINA, Tulsa -13 ½ over TULANE, Temple -14 ½ over AKRON, Utah +9 ½ over USC
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Vindy's Picks Week 1-2011
SCANDAL LEADS TO SPECIAL ADDENDUM
COLUMBUS, OHIO (MSNBC)....The Ohio State was cleared earlier this summer of charges regarding improper benefits related to vehicles when investigators found only Edsels, Gremlins and Ford Pintos in some players’ parents’ garages. But unconvinced, or at the very minimum…amused…, the folks at Kelly Blue Book, long-revered across the globe as the experts in used car values, printed a supplemental edition to their guide. Calculating the equivalent value of the cash and tattoos OSU players received in exchange for school memorabilia, Kelly’s new publication lists the fair-market worth of automobiles in number of championship rings, game-worn jerseys and autographed footballs. The new book even contains photos of the lovely tattoos available by make and model of the vehicles being traded-in.
After spending the off-season in the lead role of the Green Lantern sequel (that’s right Sportsfans [and fellow comicbook geeks]…the ring chose…the Weber Kid!), your humble host breaks the huddle with his 2011 Preseason Forecasting Strategy Team: former Navy captain Owen Honors, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark musical actor Christopher Tierney, The Cape, Julian Assange, Brandi Favre, Charlie Sheen, the entire cast of Glee (including The Cheerios), Pippa Middleton, former Fiesta Bowl prez John Junker, Rapture prophet Harold Camping, Priceline.Com’s Naomi Price, NY Rep. Anthony Weiner (or at least pictures of him), Rupert Murdoch and the ghost of Paul Revere (all of whom also got invites to the Royal Wedding in April, unlike yer ornery oracle!) and kicks off the current betting campaign with….
THE WEBER KID’S 2011 WEEK 1 FORECAST
(Keeping air traffic controllers awake at night!)
THURS. SEPT. 1
Nevada-Las Vegas over #11 WISCONSIN taking 35 ½: We seriously considered this for “lock” after learning Coach Hauck, in his second year, would not, in fact, start as many as four freshmen on the Rebels O-line. Meanwhile, the Badgers acquired dual-threat QB Russell Wilson from NC State. Wisky hasn’t covered an opening match the past three years and Vegas is 0-fer last 10 as a road dog, but the Badgers are coin-toss worthy vs. non-conference teams of late. UW has played UNLV four times in the past nine seasons and none of the margins-of-victory exceeded 20 points (4-0 SU, but 1-3 or 1-2-1 ATS, depending on whether ya had last year as a loss or a push). None of the “sharps” in Sin City would commit on this one, but we’ll show some intestinal fortitude and have already plunked down some dinero on the hometown hobos...er..um…heroes!…Wisky 42 Rebels 13
#20 Mississippi State over MEMPHIS giving 29 ½: Tigers posted one SU victory last year (yielding 40 points per game mighta’ contributed to that), beating Middle Tennessee as a three-point dog, but could double that total (matching 2009’s pair of straight-up wins) before September is out. Bulldogs weren’t exactly “scoring machines” last season, but did post 47 or more four times, including 49-7 victory over Memphis to start 2010. Auburn’s on-deck for MSU, who’s covered just 2 of last 10 giving more than two touchdowns….MSU 48 Memphis 10
FRI. SEPT. 2
#14 Texas Christian over BAYLOR giving 6: Wow! A whole touchdown???!!! That’s either some serious love for Da’ Bears in the revenge mode or a whole lotta’ dis for a Frogs team that’s been dominant (36-3 SU) the last three years and comes off a perfect season. Granted, Horny Toads return just 8 starters total and break-in a new QB, but Bears are 3-9 as home dogs the last four years and finished 2010 on 1-5 ATS skid, including 24-point bowl loss to Illinois. TCU won by 35 last year, but did fail cover the opener for the first time in 6 tries. We really like “under” the total (55)…Kermits 20 Baylor 9
Youngstown State @ #17 MICHIGAN STATE: No line.
SAT. SEPT. 3
Tulsa over #1 OKLAHOMA taking 24 ½: Sooners took Utah State lightly this time last year and it almost cost ‘em. Tulsa’s new coach was a senior associate head coach for the Hurricane in 2010, so no continuity problems here. Oklahoma has just a single spread win in each of the last two Septembers and sent DeMarco Murray to the NFL. Tulsa’s on 8-1 ATS run and has covered 4 of last 5 vs. ranked opponents…Oklahoma 31 Tulsa 17
#2 ALABAMA over Kent State giving 38 ½: BCS Title co-favorite Tide loses Heisman-winner Mark Ingram, but Trent Richardson is a known quantity and will step right in to keep ‘Bama’s running game in fine shape. Flashes have a new coach and have been a lousy spread team in September. Tide could look ahead to next week’s trek to Happy Valley…’Bama 45 Kent State 0
#3 Oregon vs. #4 Louisiana State (OFF) (@ Arlington, TX): We love this! Title-game caliber match-up right from the git-go. Kudos to the Oregon staff for scheduling its second ranked opponent to open the season in the past three years! Given the strength of the SEC, Bengals could probably weather a close loss better than the Ducks, who may be distracted by the recruiting scandal. State’s offensive line coach, Greg Studrawa, had to hastily take over OC duties recently when Steven Kragthorpe yielded that job due to health reasons. Studrawa helped a resurgent Bowling Green squad win 8 and 9 games, respectively, in Urban Meyer’s final two seasons there in 2001 and 2002. Tigers won 5 of 6 games decided by a touchdown or less last year. Can the young LSU defense keep up with point-a-minute Ducks? Bengals’ only SU non-conference defeat in the last half-dozen years came at the hands of Vindy’s alma mater in the ’09 Capital One Bowl. There won’t be a line on this before we go to print and without knowing who’ll be missing from the gridiron, we’ll happily pass on a prediction and just hope for a close, entertaining game. Fashion-designers across the globe were on stand-by to make knock-offs once the royal wedding dress was revealed by Kate Middleton this past Spring. Great…three more uniform ideas for the Mallards!
#19 Georgia over #5 Boise State taking 3 (@ Atlanta, GA): Broncos have beaten two of their three ranked foes, but are just 1-2 ATS. NCAA violations related to the Boise women’s tennis team and minor ones applicable to its gridiron program sent the AD to the unemployment line. Dawgs are in midst of 0-4 ATS slide and suffered first losing SU season in Mark Richt’s 10 years between the hedges. That might explain the recent Princeton Review survey indicating Joja’ was surpassed by Ohio U. as the #1 party-school in the U.S. But last year’s gala champion would regain its rightful position atop the heap of empty beer cans should the Bulldogs, who’ve covered just 3 of last 13 vs. ranked foes but should enjoy partisan crowd-support, knock off the Tater-Heads….Nineteen Ninety-Nine 20 Boise 19
Louisiana-Monroe over #6 FLORIDA STATE taking 28 ½: Warhawks covered their last two openers (at Texas and neutral-site vs. Arkansas). In his rookie year as head coach, Jimbo Fisher led the ‘Noles to first double-digit win season since 2003. Injuns are without their top rusher this week and get this one followed I-AA Charleston Southern as only warm-ups before hosting Oklahoma. How much will they show?....FSU 27 ULM 6
San Jose State over #7 STANFORD taking 30: Spartans had been just 1-14-1 ATS entering last season, but got more competitive under their new coach, finishing 5-6 against the line (though posting only one SU victory, over I-AA Southern Utah) , including very respectable 13-point defeat in Madison. Cardinal has been very good 13-4 at home. Marc Lawrence’s Playbook.Com notes San Josie has dropped 14 straight road tilts by average of 27.3 ppg. Spartans get 11 starters back on defense. They’ll need ‘em…Trees 41 SJSU 14
#9 OKLAHOMA STATE over Lafayette giving 37: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Cowboys won in Lafayette 54-28 last year. Ragin’ Cajuns 3-5 ATS vs. BCS teams, including outright upset over Kansas State in early 2009, but 0-4 vs. ranked opponents. No reason to believe State, after posting school’s first 11 win season (with 10 covers) won’t romp here…Cowpokes 52 ULL 10
Chattanooga @ #10 NEBRASKA: No line.
#12 South Carolina over EAST CAROLINA giving 20 ½: Reigning SEC East champion Gamehens open in Greenville, North Carolina vs. a squad, that despite only 5 returning starters on offense last year, put up 33 or more in 10 games. Unfortunately, the Buccos also yielded 42 or more in 9 of ‘em! New coach Ruffin McNeill was at the helm when Pirates got blasted in a 31-point bowl loss last season. ECU will be minus a projected starting WR and All-Conference CB Emmanuel Davis. Vegas oughta’ put up a prop bet on whether or not SC starting QB Stephen Garcia gets suspended again (for the third time in 2011) before kickoff. “Over” 62 might be the best choice….KFC 48 ECU 24
Appalachian State @ #13 VIRGINIA TECH: No line.
Missouri State @ #15 ARKANSAS: No line.
#16 NOTRE DAME over South Florida giving 10 ½: Leprechauns were frustrating 5-4-3 against the number last year and did not beat the spread in South Bend. In fact, Irish are just 4-12-3 in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus the last four seasons. Reinstatement of WR Floyd following DUI bodes well for coach Brian Kelly, who saw ND win and cover four straight to close out last season, including three upset victories. Irish don’t fare well vs. the Big Least, but Bulls are just 2-5 ATS facing ranked squads the past 2 years….Irish 28 USF 14
Akron over #18 OHIO STATE taking 34 ½: A new coach and a new quarterback could be disruptive early for the Buckeyes. State was on 23-5-2 spread streak over past 30 games, but this is obviously a different team now. Zips put just a lone game in the win-column last year and scored 14 or less in 7 of the 12 but did show improvement under their first-year coach, covering their final three games (1-2 SU, but one defeat was in OT, the other was by only 5). Akron’s covered five of last six getting more than 22 from a non-MAC opponent…. Buick Eyes 31 Akron 3
Miami-Ohio over #21 MISSOURI taking 19: Much to their betting backers’ delight, Tigers open, for the first time in five seasons, somewhere other than on a neutral field (3-7 ATS last 10 there) vs. Illinois. They do, however, take the gridiron without QB Blaine Gabbert, who hopes to help his NFL squad win a few tilts. Redhawks need to shore-up the ground game, which saw an average of less than 100 ypg in each of the last two seasons. Nonetheless, Miami-Ohio recorded 10 straight-up victories in 2010, finishing on 6-0 SU/5-1 ATS streak. Mizzou turned it around defensively last season, knocking 9 ppg off its points-against average…Mizzou 27 Miami-O 13
#22 FLORIDA over Florida Atlantic giving 35: Owls will open with five straight road games this year and Coach Schnellenberger has decided to call it a career after this season. Gators are under new management, but excel ATS facing non-conference foes, while FAU has gone 1-6-1 over last 8 vs. BCS teams. Florida won the last meeting 59-20 in 2007…Gators 49 FAU 10
Utah State over #23 AUBURN taking 21 ½: Grand total of six returning starters means nowhere to go but down for Auburn following a BCS Title run that survived a number of close calls. USU has been money-earning 9-4 vs. non-conference teams the last four seasons despite an offense that took a step backward in 2010 (offensive yardage down and points-scored down about a touchdown per game). Aggies won’t be intimidated here after losing at Oklahoma by just seven last year….Auburn 34 Aggies 20
Minnesota over #25 USC taking 22: No faith in either side here, but it’s another season playin’ for pride for da’ Trojans, who serve out the remainder of their probation and post-season ban. And, given that tiny fact and Reggie Bush’s recent response of “Not ‘no’, but ‘Hell no!’” to requests to fork over his Heisman hardware, we’re thinking folks in that part of L.A. are over-joyed to hear about scandals at Ohio State and Miami to divert some attention away from their program. Troy has been lousy home chalk, covering just 3 of its last 11 tries giving points at the Coliseum. Gophers (4-1 ATS in 2010 facing ranked opponents) are in flux, moving a WR to QB and trying to improve on grand total of nine sacks last season, but we believe in all the good things new coach Jerry Kill did at Northern Illinois … Trojans 28 Minny 11
SUN. SEPT. 4
#8 TEXAS A&M over Southern Methodist giving 16: Aggies garnered some of your all-knowing narrator’s hard-earned rupees on a futures bet to win the BCS championship this season. Ponies have been ugly 3-10 ATS in non-conference away games, but are getting better annually on both sides of the ball under June Jones and have been solid September team, including two covers vs. TCU the last two years. Aggies are 7-3 layin’ points at home the last two years, but most-recent winning spread record for non-conference was 2001….A&M 27 SMU 9
#24 WEST VIRGINIA over Marshall giving 22: Marshall’s only spread win in its first seven games came against the Mounties and Herd has gone 2-1-1 the last four (2-0 the past two) facing West Virginia. WVU held 9 opponents to 17 or less last season but have only 4 defensive starters back. An experienced O-line will have to hold things together early while young Marshall backfield gets its feet wet…’Eers 33 Marshall 7
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, two words the Columbus faithful don’t wanna’ hear…. “Tressel Toyota”!!!
“In brightest day, in blackest night…no point-spread shall escape my sight. Let those who worship bookies’ might…beware my power…VINDY’S PICKS!”
The Rebels will be without hotel accommodations for the stay in Madison, but Governor Scott Wilson will allow the team to sleep on the floor of the Capitol building at no charge!
Talent agent-at-the-center of the Ducks recruiting scandal, Willie Lyles, also reportedly had ties to Cal and…LSU. We think he should be allowed to toss the coin to determine the opening possession in this week’s Ducks-Tigers game!
Vindy’s spies inside Autzen Stadium report seeing a lovely white, lacy number that innovatively replaces the facemask with a veil and is worn only when someone prominent in Eugene gets hitched…called…the “Duckingham Palace”!! (Stuffin’ that 8-ft train, which will provide an advantage to opposing tacklers, back into the pads between plays is gonna’ be a pain-in-the-a$$ though!)
A couple seasons ago, we noted that from 1993-2008, at least two teams unranked in the AP preseason poll finished in the Top 10 of the final AP that year. In 2009, only Cincinnati did so and again, last year, only Stanford did so. We’re not convinced that AP voters got smarter, so…your mission…should ya choose to accept it…is to figure out which pair of squads will surprise in a big way!
Garden State governor Chris Christie got some heat this season for commandeering a state helicopter to his boy’s high school baseball game. There was also some controversy when a ball that hit the chopper, which was hovering over the left field foul line at the time, and caromed into the stands, was ruled a home run!
Vindy tuned-in this summer to catch some Women’s World Cup soccer coverage, but upon not detecting the annoying drone of vuvuzela horns, turned off the tube and immediately sought medical attention, thinking he’d damaged his ear drums!
Shoppe Talk: Will arch-rival Texas Tech 3-18-1 (.142) continue to torment our hero? How ‘bout 2010 Grillmaster Supreme Award winner UNR (2-6) or the Buckeyes of OSU (4-8-1)??!!! Stay tuned! Flyin’ well-under the radar because of limited appearances…Pitt…on 0-9 forecast skid!
Vindy’s Week 1 Best Bets: Last Year: 33-34-1 (.493) Last Week: 0-0 (.000) This Season: 0-0 (.000)
Bowling Green +7 ½ over IDAHO, Ohio -7 over NEW MEXICO STATE, SOUTHERN MISS -13 over Weeziana Tech, NEW MEXICO +6 over Colorado State TEXAS -24 ½ over Rice
Up next….we welcome the Nearly-Furloughed League, other thoughts on Ohio State and…. more offseason silliness!
COLUMBUS, OHIO (MSNBC)....The Ohio State was cleared earlier this summer of charges regarding improper benefits related to vehicles when investigators found only Edsels, Gremlins and Ford Pintos in some players’ parents’ garages. But unconvinced, or at the very minimum…amused…, the folks at Kelly Blue Book, long-revered across the globe as the experts in used car values, printed a supplemental edition to their guide. Calculating the equivalent value of the cash and tattoos OSU players received in exchange for school memorabilia, Kelly’s new publication lists the fair-market worth of automobiles in number of championship rings, game-worn jerseys and autographed footballs. The new book even contains photos of the lovely tattoos available by make and model of the vehicles being traded-in.
After spending the off-season in the lead role of the Green Lantern sequel (that’s right Sportsfans [and fellow comicbook geeks]…the ring chose…the Weber Kid!), your humble host breaks the huddle with his 2011 Preseason Forecasting Strategy Team: former Navy captain Owen Honors, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark musical actor Christopher Tierney, The Cape, Julian Assange, Brandi Favre, Charlie Sheen, the entire cast of Glee (including The Cheerios), Pippa Middleton, former Fiesta Bowl prez John Junker, Rapture prophet Harold Camping, Priceline.Com’s Naomi Price, NY Rep. Anthony Weiner (or at least pictures of him), Rupert Murdoch and the ghost of Paul Revere (all of whom also got invites to the Royal Wedding in April, unlike yer ornery oracle!) and kicks off the current betting campaign with….
THE WEBER KID’S 2011 WEEK 1 FORECAST
(Keeping air traffic controllers awake at night!)
THURS. SEPT. 1
Nevada-Las Vegas over #11 WISCONSIN taking 35 ½: We seriously considered this for “lock” after learning Coach Hauck, in his second year, would not, in fact, start as many as four freshmen on the Rebels O-line. Meanwhile, the Badgers acquired dual-threat QB Russell Wilson from NC State. Wisky hasn’t covered an opening match the past three years and Vegas is 0-fer last 10 as a road dog, but the Badgers are coin-toss worthy vs. non-conference teams of late. UW has played UNLV four times in the past nine seasons and none of the margins-of-victory exceeded 20 points (4-0 SU, but 1-3 or 1-2-1 ATS, depending on whether ya had last year as a loss or a push). None of the “sharps” in Sin City would commit on this one, but we’ll show some intestinal fortitude and have already plunked down some dinero on the hometown hobos...er..um…heroes!…Wisky 42 Rebels 13
#20 Mississippi State over MEMPHIS giving 29 ½: Tigers posted one SU victory last year (yielding 40 points per game mighta’ contributed to that), beating Middle Tennessee as a three-point dog, but could double that total (matching 2009’s pair of straight-up wins) before September is out. Bulldogs weren’t exactly “scoring machines” last season, but did post 47 or more four times, including 49-7 victory over Memphis to start 2010. Auburn’s on-deck for MSU, who’s covered just 2 of last 10 giving more than two touchdowns….MSU 48 Memphis 10
FRI. SEPT. 2
#14 Texas Christian over BAYLOR giving 6: Wow! A whole touchdown???!!! That’s either some serious love for Da’ Bears in the revenge mode or a whole lotta’ dis for a Frogs team that’s been dominant (36-3 SU) the last three years and comes off a perfect season. Granted, Horny Toads return just 8 starters total and break-in a new QB, but Bears are 3-9 as home dogs the last four years and finished 2010 on 1-5 ATS skid, including 24-point bowl loss to Illinois. TCU won by 35 last year, but did fail cover the opener for the first time in 6 tries. We really like “under” the total (55)…Kermits 20 Baylor 9
Youngstown State @ #17 MICHIGAN STATE: No line.
SAT. SEPT. 3
Tulsa over #1 OKLAHOMA taking 24 ½: Sooners took Utah State lightly this time last year and it almost cost ‘em. Tulsa’s new coach was a senior associate head coach for the Hurricane in 2010, so no continuity problems here. Oklahoma has just a single spread win in each of the last two Septembers and sent DeMarco Murray to the NFL. Tulsa’s on 8-1 ATS run and has covered 4 of last 5 vs. ranked opponents…Oklahoma 31 Tulsa 17
#2 ALABAMA over Kent State giving 38 ½: BCS Title co-favorite Tide loses Heisman-winner Mark Ingram, but Trent Richardson is a known quantity and will step right in to keep ‘Bama’s running game in fine shape. Flashes have a new coach and have been a lousy spread team in September. Tide could look ahead to next week’s trek to Happy Valley…’Bama 45 Kent State 0
#3 Oregon vs. #4 Louisiana State (OFF) (@ Arlington, TX): We love this! Title-game caliber match-up right from the git-go. Kudos to the Oregon staff for scheduling its second ranked opponent to open the season in the past three years! Given the strength of the SEC, Bengals could probably weather a close loss better than the Ducks, who may be distracted by the recruiting scandal. State’s offensive line coach, Greg Studrawa, had to hastily take over OC duties recently when Steven Kragthorpe yielded that job due to health reasons. Studrawa helped a resurgent Bowling Green squad win 8 and 9 games, respectively, in Urban Meyer’s final two seasons there in 2001 and 2002. Tigers won 5 of 6 games decided by a touchdown or less last year. Can the young LSU defense keep up with point-a-minute Ducks? Bengals’ only SU non-conference defeat in the last half-dozen years came at the hands of Vindy’s alma mater in the ’09 Capital One Bowl. There won’t be a line on this before we go to print and without knowing who’ll be missing from the gridiron, we’ll happily pass on a prediction and just hope for a close, entertaining game. Fashion-designers across the globe were on stand-by to make knock-offs once the royal wedding dress was revealed by Kate Middleton this past Spring. Great…three more uniform ideas for the Mallards!
#19 Georgia over #5 Boise State taking 3 (@ Atlanta, GA): Broncos have beaten two of their three ranked foes, but are just 1-2 ATS. NCAA violations related to the Boise women’s tennis team and minor ones applicable to its gridiron program sent the AD to the unemployment line. Dawgs are in midst of 0-4 ATS slide and suffered first losing SU season in Mark Richt’s 10 years between the hedges. That might explain the recent Princeton Review survey indicating Joja’ was surpassed by Ohio U. as the #1 party-school in the U.S. But last year’s gala champion would regain its rightful position atop the heap of empty beer cans should the Bulldogs, who’ve covered just 3 of last 13 vs. ranked foes but should enjoy partisan crowd-support, knock off the Tater-Heads….Nineteen Ninety-Nine 20 Boise 19
Louisiana-Monroe over #6 FLORIDA STATE taking 28 ½: Warhawks covered their last two openers (at Texas and neutral-site vs. Arkansas). In his rookie year as head coach, Jimbo Fisher led the ‘Noles to first double-digit win season since 2003. Injuns are without their top rusher this week and get this one followed I-AA Charleston Southern as only warm-ups before hosting Oklahoma. How much will they show?....FSU 27 ULM 6
San Jose State over #7 STANFORD taking 30: Spartans had been just 1-14-1 ATS entering last season, but got more competitive under their new coach, finishing 5-6 against the line (though posting only one SU victory, over I-AA Southern Utah) , including very respectable 13-point defeat in Madison. Cardinal has been very good 13-4 at home. Marc Lawrence’s Playbook.Com notes San Josie has dropped 14 straight road tilts by average of 27.3 ppg. Spartans get 11 starters back on defense. They’ll need ‘em…Trees 41 SJSU 14
#9 OKLAHOMA STATE over Lafayette giving 37: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Cowboys won in Lafayette 54-28 last year. Ragin’ Cajuns 3-5 ATS vs. BCS teams, including outright upset over Kansas State in early 2009, but 0-4 vs. ranked opponents. No reason to believe State, after posting school’s first 11 win season (with 10 covers) won’t romp here…Cowpokes 52 ULL 10
Chattanooga @ #10 NEBRASKA: No line.
#12 South Carolina over EAST CAROLINA giving 20 ½: Reigning SEC East champion Gamehens open in Greenville, North Carolina vs. a squad, that despite only 5 returning starters on offense last year, put up 33 or more in 10 games. Unfortunately, the Buccos also yielded 42 or more in 9 of ‘em! New coach Ruffin McNeill was at the helm when Pirates got blasted in a 31-point bowl loss last season. ECU will be minus a projected starting WR and All-Conference CB Emmanuel Davis. Vegas oughta’ put up a prop bet on whether or not SC starting QB Stephen Garcia gets suspended again (for the third time in 2011) before kickoff. “Over” 62 might be the best choice….KFC 48 ECU 24
Appalachian State @ #13 VIRGINIA TECH: No line.
Missouri State @ #15 ARKANSAS: No line.
#16 NOTRE DAME over South Florida giving 10 ½: Leprechauns were frustrating 5-4-3 against the number last year and did not beat the spread in South Bend. In fact, Irish are just 4-12-3 in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus the last four seasons. Reinstatement of WR Floyd following DUI bodes well for coach Brian Kelly, who saw ND win and cover four straight to close out last season, including three upset victories. Irish don’t fare well vs. the Big Least, but Bulls are just 2-5 ATS facing ranked squads the past 2 years….Irish 28 USF 14
Akron over #18 OHIO STATE taking 34 ½: A new coach and a new quarterback could be disruptive early for the Buckeyes. State was on 23-5-2 spread streak over past 30 games, but this is obviously a different team now. Zips put just a lone game in the win-column last year and scored 14 or less in 7 of the 12 but did show improvement under their first-year coach, covering their final three games (1-2 SU, but one defeat was in OT, the other was by only 5). Akron’s covered five of last six getting more than 22 from a non-MAC opponent…. Buick Eyes 31 Akron 3
Miami-Ohio over #21 MISSOURI taking 19: Much to their betting backers’ delight, Tigers open, for the first time in five seasons, somewhere other than on a neutral field (3-7 ATS last 10 there) vs. Illinois. They do, however, take the gridiron without QB Blaine Gabbert, who hopes to help his NFL squad win a few tilts. Redhawks need to shore-up the ground game, which saw an average of less than 100 ypg in each of the last two seasons. Nonetheless, Miami-Ohio recorded 10 straight-up victories in 2010, finishing on 6-0 SU/5-1 ATS streak. Mizzou turned it around defensively last season, knocking 9 ppg off its points-against average…Mizzou 27 Miami-O 13
#22 FLORIDA over Florida Atlantic giving 35: Owls will open with five straight road games this year and Coach Schnellenberger has decided to call it a career after this season. Gators are under new management, but excel ATS facing non-conference foes, while FAU has gone 1-6-1 over last 8 vs. BCS teams. Florida won the last meeting 59-20 in 2007…Gators 49 FAU 10
Utah State over #23 AUBURN taking 21 ½: Grand total of six returning starters means nowhere to go but down for Auburn following a BCS Title run that survived a number of close calls. USU has been money-earning 9-4 vs. non-conference teams the last four seasons despite an offense that took a step backward in 2010 (offensive yardage down and points-scored down about a touchdown per game). Aggies won’t be intimidated here after losing at Oklahoma by just seven last year….Auburn 34 Aggies 20
Minnesota over #25 USC taking 22: No faith in either side here, but it’s another season playin’ for pride for da’ Trojans, who serve out the remainder of their probation and post-season ban. And, given that tiny fact and Reggie Bush’s recent response of “Not ‘no’, but ‘Hell no!’” to requests to fork over his Heisman hardware, we’re thinking folks in that part of L.A. are over-joyed to hear about scandals at Ohio State and Miami to divert some attention away from their program. Troy has been lousy home chalk, covering just 3 of its last 11 tries giving points at the Coliseum. Gophers (4-1 ATS in 2010 facing ranked opponents) are in flux, moving a WR to QB and trying to improve on grand total of nine sacks last season, but we believe in all the good things new coach Jerry Kill did at Northern Illinois … Trojans 28 Minny 11
SUN. SEPT. 4
#8 TEXAS A&M over Southern Methodist giving 16: Aggies garnered some of your all-knowing narrator’s hard-earned rupees on a futures bet to win the BCS championship this season. Ponies have been ugly 3-10 ATS in non-conference away games, but are getting better annually on both sides of the ball under June Jones and have been solid September team, including two covers vs. TCU the last two years. Aggies are 7-3 layin’ points at home the last two years, but most-recent winning spread record for non-conference was 2001….A&M 27 SMU 9
#24 WEST VIRGINIA over Marshall giving 22: Marshall’s only spread win in its first seven games came against the Mounties and Herd has gone 2-1-1 the last four (2-0 the past two) facing West Virginia. WVU held 9 opponents to 17 or less last season but have only 4 defensive starters back. An experienced O-line will have to hold things together early while young Marshall backfield gets its feet wet…’Eers 33 Marshall 7
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, two words the Columbus faithful don’t wanna’ hear…. “Tressel Toyota”!!!
“In brightest day, in blackest night…no point-spread shall escape my sight. Let those who worship bookies’ might…beware my power…VINDY’S PICKS!”
The Rebels will be without hotel accommodations for the stay in Madison, but Governor Scott Wilson will allow the team to sleep on the floor of the Capitol building at no charge!
Talent agent-at-the-center of the Ducks recruiting scandal, Willie Lyles, also reportedly had ties to Cal and…LSU. We think he should be allowed to toss the coin to determine the opening possession in this week’s Ducks-Tigers game!
Vindy’s spies inside Autzen Stadium report seeing a lovely white, lacy number that innovatively replaces the facemask with a veil and is worn only when someone prominent in Eugene gets hitched…called…the “Duckingham Palace”!! (Stuffin’ that 8-ft train, which will provide an advantage to opposing tacklers, back into the pads between plays is gonna’ be a pain-in-the-a$$ though!)
A couple seasons ago, we noted that from 1993-2008, at least two teams unranked in the AP preseason poll finished in the Top 10 of the final AP that year. In 2009, only Cincinnati did so and again, last year, only Stanford did so. We’re not convinced that AP voters got smarter, so…your mission…should ya choose to accept it…is to figure out which pair of squads will surprise in a big way!
Garden State governor Chris Christie got some heat this season for commandeering a state helicopter to his boy’s high school baseball game. There was also some controversy when a ball that hit the chopper, which was hovering over the left field foul line at the time, and caromed into the stands, was ruled a home run!
Vindy tuned-in this summer to catch some Women’s World Cup soccer coverage, but upon not detecting the annoying drone of vuvuzela horns, turned off the tube and immediately sought medical attention, thinking he’d damaged his ear drums!
Shoppe Talk: Will arch-rival Texas Tech 3-18-1 (.142) continue to torment our hero? How ‘bout 2010 Grillmaster Supreme Award winner UNR (2-6) or the Buckeyes of OSU (4-8-1)??!!! Stay tuned! Flyin’ well-under the radar because of limited appearances…Pitt…on 0-9 forecast skid!
Vindy’s Week 1 Best Bets: Last Year: 33-34-1 (.493) Last Week: 0-0 (.000) This Season: 0-0 (.000)
Bowling Green +7 ½ over IDAHO, Ohio -7 over NEW MEXICO STATE, SOUTHERN MISS -13 over Weeziana Tech, NEW MEXICO +6 over Colorado State TEXAS -24 ½ over Rice
Up next….we welcome the Nearly-Furloughed League, other thoughts on Ohio State and…. more offseason silliness!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Vindy's Picks 2010-11 Bowl Recap
GIANTS GET “BADGERED” DURING DELAY
MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters)....Just when fans thought it couldn’t get any worse for the New York Giants, who were eliminated from the playoffs earlier this month with Green Bay’s 10-3 win over Chicago, WikiLeaks released previously-classified documents claiming the NFL team, stuck an extra day in Wisconsin due to weather cancellations of the charter flight home following the 45-10 loss to the Packers, was beaten by the Badgers in a pre-bowl practice session. Details of the somewhat-impromptu scrimmage, which was closed to the public, were supposed to remain hidden from public knowledge. But school officials suspect a graduate assistant or team manager of providing WikiLeaks with play-by-play information, including a final score favoring the FBS college pigskin squad. With nowhere to go and wanting to give his players a psychological lift after the bad defeat, Tom Coughlin accepted the offer from Badgers coach Bret Bielema, who hoped to allow his squad the chance to face the kind of speed expected to be brought to the Rose Bowl by TCU.
Hand-scribbled lyrics by John Lennon for “A College Game Day in the Life” (You guys know the words. Everybody sing....”he blew his mind out in a parlay card. He hadn’t noticed that the lines had changed...’.), written in three different colors of ink, were acquired for just over one million dollars at a summer Sotheby’s auction. That same prestigious company later garnered a couple of shillings for notes that Vindicator etched in the glass of three different beer bottles in preparation for...
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL RECAP
(Currently topping the Billboard charts in the U.K.)
It was a post-season of streaks. After yielding two forecast wins behind BYU and Northern Illinois to open Vindy’s bowl journey, the bookies sent the fab forecaster on a 1-4-1 trek, including the sinking of our “lock of da’ bowls” pick Navy, as a reminder of who really runs this town. The Weber Kid retaliated with a subsequent 6-0run, across all half-dozen games of December 27 thru December 29, that came crashing down, getting stopped colder than the UConn women’s hoops win-streak at Stanford, at the hands of Army as our hero tossed up an airball, going 0-fer-Thursday, December 30(we’re shocked), en route to a 1-9 demise (including the missed extra point and penalty-filled meltdown of Vols’ OT loss to Carolina preceding the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that cost Kansas State its bowl win, which had Vin within half-a-chain-link of hurling a beer bottle through the TV screen and within a full chain-link of swearing off college football altogether) that lasted into the early games of 2011. But Vindy would bust out his Little Orphan Annie secret decoder pin and pirouette away from danger, taking the last four games on New Year’s Day. The rest of the way would be a defensive struggle, with neither side yielding more than two back-to-back victories by the other. The cover by Boston College in the Fight Hunger Bowl assured Weber of nothing worse than a .500 bowl season. Oregon’s push, aided by the reversal of a late Auburn touchdown that led to the eventual winning FG for the Tigers, allowed Vindy to back his way into the winning side of the final bowl ledger for the first time in at least five seasons at 17-16-2 (which shoulda’ been 18-15-2, but one correct pick was errantly disallowed by disgraced World Cup referee Koman Coulibaly)!
Favorites covered 18-20 of the games, depending on whose numbers ya look at. By our count, dogs covered 15, winning 13 outright and the first non-straight-up-winning dog cover didn’t occur until Northwestern lost 45-38 to Texas Tech (GASP!)in the first game of 2011, covering a 9 ½-point line (and adding to Vindy’ ongoing woes vs. the Red Raiders....which now stands at 3-18-1[.142]!).
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
On the heels of LeBron James likening his new NBA team to the Lads from Liverpool, we offer a sampling of tunes from the Heatles Greatest Hits album (yes...we said album!): I Want to Hold Your Headband, Norwegian Hardwood (This Larry Bird Has Flown), Eight Plays A Week, Octopus’s Madison Square Garden, While My Center Gently Weeps, Day Dribbler, Over-the-Back Writer and...Let It Three!
While we’re talkin’ ‘bout dulcet sounds, MGM Resorts International will allow patrons who spend enough money the opportunity to eat dinner while over-looking the Bellagio fountains, which will move in sync to a tune of the patron’s selection. We plan to drop...er...wager...enough dinero to be able to throw-down some grub as the famous spouts dance to Eye of the Tiger, Darth Vader’s theme....or at least Wham’s 1986 version of Last Christmas!
BTW, research by Vindicator’s crack staff has uncovered proof that the guy who calls himself “Mayhem” in all those Allstate commercials went to college (and was the fourth-string quarterback-turned-starter after a pre-game meal of all-ya-can-eat calamari) at...Texas Tech!
While we alluded to Auburn’s potential feigning of injury to slow-down any offensive momentum built by the Ducks, having a special teams player go down on the opening kickoff that saw Oregon get its opening possession at its own 15-yard line mighta’ been just a tad premature!
BTW, did anybody else out there, upon seeing the florescent yellow socks and similarly-colored yellow beanie caps of Oregon players on the sideline, briefly flashback to the minions of “Despicable Me”?????!!!
Brett Favre didn’t cooperate in the investigation and drew himself what amounts to a $50K flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. Seems NFL investigators couldn’t tie the photos to the quarterback. Guess the photos couldn’t have been that long. Part of the problem was “retrieving and reviewing electronic records”. Can’t wait to see what WikiLeaks has on that one!. Brett now joins the esteemed company of folks like Joe Namath and Pat O’Brien (though Favre likely wasn’t tanked when he allegedly sent the sexts in question).
Mr. Favre announced his retirement earlier this month (again!). How ironic would it be to see him return to the sideline again as head coach at...Florida???!!!!
Heavy rains that flooded the field at Qualcomm Stadium forced the Middies and Aztecs to hold Poinsettia Bowl practices indoors in hotel ballrooms. The teams promised to use some of the game’s payout to replace chandeliers that got shattered by practice punts and kickoffs! The deluge also allowed the Popeyes to conduct their pre-game walk-though using remote-control boats!
Speaking of weather-related game difficulties, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Philadelphia Eagles one day after their scheduled Monday-nighter was postponed due to snow at the Linc, but not before hospitable hotel personnel in the City of Brotherly Love attempted to make the Metrodome Marauders feel right at home by firing shotgun blasts into the ceiling panels of their respective hotel rooms!
While there’s some merit to Boise State president’s comment that Ohio State’s schedule as a “murderer’s row” doesn’t quite ring true, let’s face it, the Broncos’ slate is closer to Jaywalker’s Alley or Loiterer’s Cul-De-Sac!
Okay, one more Urban Meyer anagram....”Reuben Army”!
135 first-time Oscar voters submitted ballots this December. Apparently, a like number of rookie officials worked this season’s bowl games!
The Mississippi State Bulldogs accepted the Gator Bowl trophy following their win over the Wolverines but an anonymous player, on behalf of the whole team, said what they really wanted was a few pairs of the gold pants that Ohio State awards its players who beat Michigan!
The Big Tent-Peg Conference went 0-5 SU on New Year’s Day. Nebraska coulda’ sent a message to its soon-to-be-conference with a convincing victory over a down-trodden Washington squad in the Holiday Bowl. Instead, with a 19-7 defeat, the Children of the Corn let it be known they belong somewhere between Penn State and Purdue in the Big Tenuous food chain!
As of January 3rd, Arnold Schwarzenegger was out of a job. Maybe he could fill a coaching vacancy at the University of Pittsburgh or University of Michigan as.... Da’ Coachinator!
The anticipation of rain pushed the NHL Winter Classic from afternoon to an 8:00 PM start on January 1st. No truth to the rumor that league officials considered moving the game to Tuesday the 4th at the Metrodome!
Former radio announcer-turned-vagrant Ted Williams was recently offered a job announcing Cleveland Cavaliers games. He was also given the chance to perform similar duties for the Knicks following an interview consisting of a simple request to utter the word, “Yessssss!”. There’s no truth to the rumor he was almost signed to a contract by the Boston Red Sox in hopes he would hit .406 next season!
BYU hoopster Jackson Emery cooled off a hot run by the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels after losing a contact lens and the ensuing delay during the first half of the Mormons upset earlier this month. We think he has a future as a defensive coordinator at Cal! (And the kicker is that the Cougars’ senior doesn’t even wear contacts. A sideline assistant pulled off the old magician’s slight-of-hand to make it appear he was removing the dislodged lens from the player’s eye. Genius! Gotta’ figure he’ll also garner endorsement offers from ClearVision, EyeMasters and LensCrafters!).
A fairly large portion of the newly-crowned World Junior Hockey Champs were tossed off a Delta Airlines flight this month for being obnoxious. Apparently, some of the Russian players took the phrase “boarding the plane” literally and collectively tried to hip-check the aircraft into the side of the concourse! Others took turns shooting pucks down the aisle into the cockpit, celebrating each “goal”! Order was eventually restored, but not until the team “enforcer” and a flight attendant each got “five for fighting” in airplane lavatories for dropping the gloves. Air marshals waited ‘til the pair fell to the cabin floor before intervening.
There’s a movement underway to make pole-dancing a test event at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games. Since hearing of the proposal, potential judges have been tripping all over themselves for the right to pay the two-drink minimum cover charge just to gain entry to the Olympic venue and place tightly rolled-up score sheets into the competitors’ G-strings! (And does anybody else out there think the Rio Games logo looks like a giant pacifier??!!)
Trust Vindy...he grew up reading comicbooks about a doctor...Dr. Doom, Dr. Strange, Dr. Octopus....
Black Shirt: The post-season version of the ebony undergarment goes to alma mater quarterback Matt McGloin for throwin’ the 80-yard pick-six with about a minute left to give the covering score to the Gators! Honorable mentions to Iowa CB Micah Hyde for his INT for TD that gave the Hawkeyes the SU win over Mizzou and to Air Force safety Jon Davis, who grabbed the game-saving INT around the 2-yard line with 11 seconds left to preserve the win vs. Joja’ Tech
“Locked in a Box?”: Navy was beaten at its own game, being out-rushed by San Diego State and losing by two scores, dropping the season lock record to 7-8 (.467). We don’t wanna’ suggest that the ballroom practices carried over into the game itself, but the Middies did manage to get flagged for “12 men on the dance floor”!
Shoppe Talk: It was a role-reversal of sorts in the post-season as Good-Hands winner South Carolina and Michigan State hung forecast “L”s on our hero (with “Weber-Friendlies” going just 2-2), while Grill-Master Supreme UNR, in conjunction with Arizona, TCU and Wisconsin would put the 2010 Flame-Throwers at 4-2. No surprise, however, that one of the losses came from Ohio State!
Vindy’s Best Bets: Bowls: 5-2 Season: 33-34-1 (.493)
LEFTOVER HASH: (Vindy conducts the annual emptying of the clip by offering stuff that was available but didn’t find its way into the forecast earlier this season)
The New Orleans Saints won the 2010 Super Bowl. Did that make them the Brees Knees of the NFL!
Bret Favre finally reported to camp so late that until he got more practice reps with the first-team wideouts, on 3rd downs during live games, Coach Childress sent out a couple of the high school receivers he threw to all summer!
Passengers stranded at airports from Newark to London to Bangkok, as the result of volcanic ash from Iceland, cruise-ship riders in the midst of a three-day tow to shore aboard a powerless Carnival Splendor and Chilean miners trapped well-below the Earth’s surface for an extended period of time all had one thing in common....they wiled away the hours perusing copies of ...Vindy’s Picks.
In September, Disney launched a website for users to post their own pics, videos and other content about their experiences at the Happiest Place on Earth. Vindy’s Picks is doing likewise for bettors to have somewhere to put memories, torn-up parlay tickets and additional proof of their sportsbook mis-adventures!
Jack Del Rio called a timeout, down by 20, late in an October loss to the Titans, because he was asked to do so by ESPN, which needed a couple of network commercial breaks. In return, the “worldwide leader” will ask referees to grant an extra timeout during the Jags’ first two-minute drill of next season!
The University of Hawaii and the University of Chicago are in the running as locations for Obama’s presidential libraries. We foresee the creation of another bowl that’s only played with the change of administrations every four to eight years!
The Big Tendinitis Conference will present the Stagg-Paterno Trophy to its conference title-game winner. We ain’t eyeballed the hardware, but we’re told it was modeled after a photo of JoePa striking the Heisman pose!
The Russians have a sport called “chess-boxing” in which competitors alternate rounds of pugilism with moves of pieces on a chessboard.... “Yo, Adriannnnnnn... knight to queeeeeenn’s bishop siiiiiixx!”
Louisville hoops coach Rick Pitino, describing a 2003 tryst, said the sex lasted “15 seconds”....or slightly more than it takes the average NFL cornerback to run the forty back-to-back-to-back!
The August ish of ESPN: Da’ Mag reported that visa problems kept the Iroquois nation, which claims to have invented the game of lacrosse, from playing in a U.K,. tourney. Horse hockey! Everybody knows it was Al Gore who invented lacrosse!
RichRod, after his team’s 37-7 defeat by Ohio State said, “What do you want me to do? Holds hands with all the Buckeye fans and sing ‘Kumbaya’?” Following Michigan’s 52-14 bowl loss to Mississippi State and his subsequent dismissal from Big Blew, that wasn’t looking like such a bad idea.
Olympic snowboarder Hannah Teter donated $5 to charities benefitting Haiti for every pair of her underwear line sold. Ummm...are autographed “game-worn” ones still available???!!!
G.I. Jobs magazine designated the alma mater as a military-friendly school for its involvement in distance learning. “See the world, meet interesting people and...teach them to cheer ’WE ARE...PENN STATE!’”
This summer’s Yogi Berra Award goes to UNLV coach Bobby Hauck, who said of LB William Vea...”The more football he learns, the better he’s going to be.” Uhhhh...thanks for the profound insight, Coach!
Though he never made it onto the pitch during live-action, patrolling the sideline for the Ivory Coast World Cup soccer team was the man simply known as...Vindinho!
Much ado was made about an Australian man living inside a giant soccer ball during the World Cup. Please... it’s been done. Back in the early 90's in Arizona....it was called... the “Biosphere”!
How to speak Australian: “Fawwwwcast”...Australian for “Vindy’s Picks!”
A July news article noted the Boy Scouts have held their national jamboree every four years since 1981at Fort AP Hill Army base in Virginia. We’re thinking it was a typo that should’ve read “Fort AP Poll Army base”!!!!
Among the racy text messages from Tiger Woods revealed by Joslyn James on her website was...”I’m gonna’ make you wager with Vindy’s Picks!”
KFC sponsored a contest that offered a $20K college scholarship for the best 140-character-max tweet about why the sender deserved to win it. We tweeted that we were worthy of the free ride on the basis of calling the Poultry’s upset of Florida in the SEC Championship game. The Colonel’s company awarded the prize to somebody else, but did send Vindicator a coupon for a free small side of mashed potatoes at his next visit.
We submitted random lead stories and an actual pick from the 2009 season to the “I Write Like.Com” website. Analysis suggests Vin’s literary skills are similar to those of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and David Foster Wallace! (Ya can’t make stuff up like that, Sportsfans!)
A Michigan church group grabbed some major green after purchasing the winning lottery ticket at a Detroit porn shop. The Weber Kid is already planning his late-August road-trip to da’ Motor City to place a few futures bets at that same adult entertainment establishment on next season’s BCS Championship!
Starting the 2010 season, the final regular-season USA Today coaches poll will be kept confidential. Fortunately, the Weber Kid holds a Top Secret/Need-To-Know clearance. The M-5, KGB, US Secret Service and.....Vindicator, by golly...NEED to know!
On the big screen, Vindicator gets little more than a tepid response to his weekly forecast from a female acquaintance in...”Ten Signs She’s Just Not Into Your Picks”!!! Elsewhere...Will Farrell stars as a figure skater who is known more for his ‘do than his triple-jumps in...”Braids of Glory”!!!
8-year-old Briton Kieron Williamson is pulling in some serious six-pence for his paintings. Kieron said he wants to be a “painter and footballer” when he matures. He’ll look funny taking the pitch with a brush and a pallette, but if he’s as good with a soccer ball as he is with his hands, we’re guessin’ he’ll paint a lovely portrait of the opposing goalie... right before scoring on him.
Jimmy Buffett sponsored the Jamaican dog-sled team for the Iditarod last March. We look forward to his next hit-single...”Cheeseburger in Anchorage”!!!
The Miss America pageant’s TV contract with TLC (The Leering Channel???) expired in March, leaving the extravaganza (currently underway in Sin City again this month) needing a new broadcast home. We’re thinking Versus or Fox Sports West!
The 2010 Miss USA, who hailed from Michigan, stumbled in her dress during that competition. Ironically, the Wolverines would do the same in the Gator Bowl vs. Mississippi State (as we predicted!). The judges panel for the contest included Johnny Weir, Tara Conner, Carmelo Anthony, Paula Deen, Oscar Nunez, Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin, Melania Trump and Glamour magazine executive fashion editor Suze Yalof-Schwartz. Throw in Lindsey Lohan and/or Charlie Sheen and this coulda’ been Vindy’s preseason forecasting strategy team!
And finally....in June, a federal judge was asked to decide whether cheerleading can be counted as a sport by schools looking to meet gender-equity requirements as part of a lawsuit by members of Quinnipiac U. after the school eliminated women’s volleyball in favor of a competitive cheer squad. Our recommendation...train cheerleaders to play volleyball or the players to cheer. Can’t wait to see the squad bust out the megaphones and pyramids in the courtroom! (“Objection!”, “Sustained. The jury will disregard the witnesses’ last cheer.”). A judge later decided it was not, in fact, a sport because it was “underdeveloped”. Ummmm...has Hizzoner taken a peek at the sidelines lately???!! A preponderance of steroids and implants make cheerleading anything but “underdeveloped”!
Until next August, we leave our readers with the traditional Irish blessing...”May the road dog rise up to beat you.” (Something like that!)
Air Forecast One has gone “wheels up”!
MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters)....Just when fans thought it couldn’t get any worse for the New York Giants, who were eliminated from the playoffs earlier this month with Green Bay’s 10-3 win over Chicago, WikiLeaks released previously-classified documents claiming the NFL team, stuck an extra day in Wisconsin due to weather cancellations of the charter flight home following the 45-10 loss to the Packers, was beaten by the Badgers in a pre-bowl practice session. Details of the somewhat-impromptu scrimmage, which was closed to the public, were supposed to remain hidden from public knowledge. But school officials suspect a graduate assistant or team manager of providing WikiLeaks with play-by-play information, including a final score favoring the FBS college pigskin squad. With nowhere to go and wanting to give his players a psychological lift after the bad defeat, Tom Coughlin accepted the offer from Badgers coach Bret Bielema, who hoped to allow his squad the chance to face the kind of speed expected to be brought to the Rose Bowl by TCU.
Hand-scribbled lyrics by John Lennon for “A College Game Day in the Life” (You guys know the words. Everybody sing....”he blew his mind out in a parlay card. He hadn’t noticed that the lines had changed...’.), written in three different colors of ink, were acquired for just over one million dollars at a summer Sotheby’s auction. That same prestigious company later garnered a couple of shillings for notes that Vindicator etched in the glass of three different beer bottles in preparation for...
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL RECAP
(Currently topping the Billboard charts in the U.K.)
It was a post-season of streaks. After yielding two forecast wins behind BYU and Northern Illinois to open Vindy’s bowl journey, the bookies sent the fab forecaster on a 1-4-1 trek, including the sinking of our “lock of da’ bowls” pick Navy, as a reminder of who really runs this town. The Weber Kid retaliated with a subsequent 6-0run, across all half-dozen games of December 27 thru December 29, that came crashing down, getting stopped colder than the UConn women’s hoops win-streak at Stanford, at the hands of Army as our hero tossed up an airball, going 0-fer-Thursday, December 30(we’re shocked), en route to a 1-9 demise (including the missed extra point and penalty-filled meltdown of Vols’ OT loss to Carolina preceding the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that cost Kansas State its bowl win, which had Vin within half-a-chain-link of hurling a beer bottle through the TV screen and within a full chain-link of swearing off college football altogether) that lasted into the early games of 2011. But Vindy would bust out his Little Orphan Annie secret decoder pin and pirouette away from danger, taking the last four games on New Year’s Day. The rest of the way would be a defensive struggle, with neither side yielding more than two back-to-back victories by the other. The cover by Boston College in the Fight Hunger Bowl assured Weber of nothing worse than a .500 bowl season. Oregon’s push, aided by the reversal of a late Auburn touchdown that led to the eventual winning FG for the Tigers, allowed Vindy to back his way into the winning side of the final bowl ledger for the first time in at least five seasons at 17-16-2 (which shoulda’ been 18-15-2, but one correct pick was errantly disallowed by disgraced World Cup referee Koman Coulibaly)!
Favorites covered 18-20 of the games, depending on whose numbers ya look at. By our count, dogs covered 15, winning 13 outright and the first non-straight-up-winning dog cover didn’t occur until Northwestern lost 45-38 to Texas Tech (GASP!)in the first game of 2011, covering a 9 ½-point line (and adding to Vindy’ ongoing woes vs. the Red Raiders....which now stands at 3-18-1[.142]!).
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
On the heels of LeBron James likening his new NBA team to the Lads from Liverpool, we offer a sampling of tunes from the Heatles Greatest Hits album (yes...we said album!): I Want to Hold Your Headband, Norwegian Hardwood (This Larry Bird Has Flown), Eight Plays A Week, Octopus’s Madison Square Garden, While My Center Gently Weeps, Day Dribbler, Over-the-Back Writer and...Let It Three!
While we’re talkin’ ‘bout dulcet sounds, MGM Resorts International will allow patrons who spend enough money the opportunity to eat dinner while over-looking the Bellagio fountains, which will move in sync to a tune of the patron’s selection. We plan to drop...er...wager...enough dinero to be able to throw-down some grub as the famous spouts dance to Eye of the Tiger, Darth Vader’s theme....or at least Wham’s 1986 version of Last Christmas!
BTW, research by Vindicator’s crack staff has uncovered proof that the guy who calls himself “Mayhem” in all those Allstate commercials went to college (and was the fourth-string quarterback-turned-starter after a pre-game meal of all-ya-can-eat calamari) at...Texas Tech!
While we alluded to Auburn’s potential feigning of injury to slow-down any offensive momentum built by the Ducks, having a special teams player go down on the opening kickoff that saw Oregon get its opening possession at its own 15-yard line mighta’ been just a tad premature!
BTW, did anybody else out there, upon seeing the florescent yellow socks and similarly-colored yellow beanie caps of Oregon players on the sideline, briefly flashback to the minions of “Despicable Me”?????!!!
Brett Favre didn’t cooperate in the investigation and drew himself what amounts to a $50K flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. Seems NFL investigators couldn’t tie the photos to the quarterback. Guess the photos couldn’t have been that long. Part of the problem was “retrieving and reviewing electronic records”. Can’t wait to see what WikiLeaks has on that one!. Brett now joins the esteemed company of folks like Joe Namath and Pat O’Brien (though Favre likely wasn’t tanked when he allegedly sent the sexts in question).
Mr. Favre announced his retirement earlier this month (again!). How ironic would it be to see him return to the sideline again as head coach at...Florida???!!!!
Heavy rains that flooded the field at Qualcomm Stadium forced the Middies and Aztecs to hold Poinsettia Bowl practices indoors in hotel ballrooms. The teams promised to use some of the game’s payout to replace chandeliers that got shattered by practice punts and kickoffs! The deluge also allowed the Popeyes to conduct their pre-game walk-though using remote-control boats!
Speaking of weather-related game difficulties, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Philadelphia Eagles one day after their scheduled Monday-nighter was postponed due to snow at the Linc, but not before hospitable hotel personnel in the City of Brotherly Love attempted to make the Metrodome Marauders feel right at home by firing shotgun blasts into the ceiling panels of their respective hotel rooms!
While there’s some merit to Boise State president’s comment that Ohio State’s schedule as a “murderer’s row” doesn’t quite ring true, let’s face it, the Broncos’ slate is closer to Jaywalker’s Alley or Loiterer’s Cul-De-Sac!
Okay, one more Urban Meyer anagram....”Reuben Army”!
135 first-time Oscar voters submitted ballots this December. Apparently, a like number of rookie officials worked this season’s bowl games!
The Mississippi State Bulldogs accepted the Gator Bowl trophy following their win over the Wolverines but an anonymous player, on behalf of the whole team, said what they really wanted was a few pairs of the gold pants that Ohio State awards its players who beat Michigan!
The Big Tent-Peg Conference went 0-5 SU on New Year’s Day. Nebraska coulda’ sent a message to its soon-to-be-conference with a convincing victory over a down-trodden Washington squad in the Holiday Bowl. Instead, with a 19-7 defeat, the Children of the Corn let it be known they belong somewhere between Penn State and Purdue in the Big Tenuous food chain!
As of January 3rd, Arnold Schwarzenegger was out of a job. Maybe he could fill a coaching vacancy at the University of Pittsburgh or University of Michigan as.... Da’ Coachinator!
The anticipation of rain pushed the NHL Winter Classic from afternoon to an 8:00 PM start on January 1st. No truth to the rumor that league officials considered moving the game to Tuesday the 4th at the Metrodome!
Former radio announcer-turned-vagrant Ted Williams was recently offered a job announcing Cleveland Cavaliers games. He was also given the chance to perform similar duties for the Knicks following an interview consisting of a simple request to utter the word, “Yessssss!”. There’s no truth to the rumor he was almost signed to a contract by the Boston Red Sox in hopes he would hit .406 next season!
BYU hoopster Jackson Emery cooled off a hot run by the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels after losing a contact lens and the ensuing delay during the first half of the Mormons upset earlier this month. We think he has a future as a defensive coordinator at Cal! (And the kicker is that the Cougars’ senior doesn’t even wear contacts. A sideline assistant pulled off the old magician’s slight-of-hand to make it appear he was removing the dislodged lens from the player’s eye. Genius! Gotta’ figure he’ll also garner endorsement offers from ClearVision, EyeMasters and LensCrafters!).
A fairly large portion of the newly-crowned World Junior Hockey Champs were tossed off a Delta Airlines flight this month for being obnoxious. Apparently, some of the Russian players took the phrase “boarding the plane” literally and collectively tried to hip-check the aircraft into the side of the concourse! Others took turns shooting pucks down the aisle into the cockpit, celebrating each “goal”! Order was eventually restored, but not until the team “enforcer” and a flight attendant each got “five for fighting” in airplane lavatories for dropping the gloves. Air marshals waited ‘til the pair fell to the cabin floor before intervening.
There’s a movement underway to make pole-dancing a test event at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games. Since hearing of the proposal, potential judges have been tripping all over themselves for the right to pay the two-drink minimum cover charge just to gain entry to the Olympic venue and place tightly rolled-up score sheets into the competitors’ G-strings! (And does anybody else out there think the Rio Games logo looks like a giant pacifier??!!)
Trust Vindy...he grew up reading comicbooks about a doctor...Dr. Doom, Dr. Strange, Dr. Octopus....
Black Shirt: The post-season version of the ebony undergarment goes to alma mater quarterback Matt McGloin for throwin’ the 80-yard pick-six with about a minute left to give the covering score to the Gators! Honorable mentions to Iowa CB Micah Hyde for his INT for TD that gave the Hawkeyes the SU win over Mizzou and to Air Force safety Jon Davis, who grabbed the game-saving INT around the 2-yard line with 11 seconds left to preserve the win vs. Joja’ Tech
“Locked in a Box?”: Navy was beaten at its own game, being out-rushed by San Diego State and losing by two scores, dropping the season lock record to 7-8 (.467). We don’t wanna’ suggest that the ballroom practices carried over into the game itself, but the Middies did manage to get flagged for “12 men on the dance floor”!
Shoppe Talk: It was a role-reversal of sorts in the post-season as Good-Hands winner South Carolina and Michigan State hung forecast “L”s on our hero (with “Weber-Friendlies” going just 2-2), while Grill-Master Supreme UNR, in conjunction with Arizona, TCU and Wisconsin would put the 2010 Flame-Throwers at 4-2. No surprise, however, that one of the losses came from Ohio State!
Vindy’s Best Bets: Bowls: 5-2 Season: 33-34-1 (.493)
LEFTOVER HASH: (Vindy conducts the annual emptying of the clip by offering stuff that was available but didn’t find its way into the forecast earlier this season)
The New Orleans Saints won the 2010 Super Bowl. Did that make them the Brees Knees of the NFL!
Bret Favre finally reported to camp so late that until he got more practice reps with the first-team wideouts, on 3rd downs during live games, Coach Childress sent out a couple of the high school receivers he threw to all summer!
Passengers stranded at airports from Newark to London to Bangkok, as the result of volcanic ash from Iceland, cruise-ship riders in the midst of a three-day tow to shore aboard a powerless Carnival Splendor and Chilean miners trapped well-below the Earth’s surface for an extended period of time all had one thing in common....they wiled away the hours perusing copies of ...Vindy’s Picks.
In September, Disney launched a website for users to post their own pics, videos and other content about their experiences at the Happiest Place on Earth. Vindy’s Picks is doing likewise for bettors to have somewhere to put memories, torn-up parlay tickets and additional proof of their sportsbook mis-adventures!
Jack Del Rio called a timeout, down by 20, late in an October loss to the Titans, because he was asked to do so by ESPN, which needed a couple of network commercial breaks. In return, the “worldwide leader” will ask referees to grant an extra timeout during the Jags’ first two-minute drill of next season!
The University of Hawaii and the University of Chicago are in the running as locations for Obama’s presidential libraries. We foresee the creation of another bowl that’s only played with the change of administrations every four to eight years!
The Big Tendinitis Conference will present the Stagg-Paterno Trophy to its conference title-game winner. We ain’t eyeballed the hardware, but we’re told it was modeled after a photo of JoePa striking the Heisman pose!
The Russians have a sport called “chess-boxing” in which competitors alternate rounds of pugilism with moves of pieces on a chessboard.... “Yo, Adriannnnnnn... knight to queeeeeenn’s bishop siiiiiixx!”
Louisville hoops coach Rick Pitino, describing a 2003 tryst, said the sex lasted “15 seconds”....or slightly more than it takes the average NFL cornerback to run the forty back-to-back-to-back!
The August ish of ESPN: Da’ Mag reported that visa problems kept the Iroquois nation, which claims to have invented the game of lacrosse, from playing in a U.K,. tourney. Horse hockey! Everybody knows it was Al Gore who invented lacrosse!
RichRod, after his team’s 37-7 defeat by Ohio State said, “What do you want me to do? Holds hands with all the Buckeye fans and sing ‘Kumbaya’?” Following Michigan’s 52-14 bowl loss to Mississippi State and his subsequent dismissal from Big Blew, that wasn’t looking like such a bad idea.
Olympic snowboarder Hannah Teter donated $5 to charities benefitting Haiti for every pair of her underwear line sold. Ummm...are autographed “game-worn” ones still available???!!!
G.I. Jobs magazine designated the alma mater as a military-friendly school for its involvement in distance learning. “See the world, meet interesting people and...teach them to cheer ’WE ARE...PENN STATE!’”
This summer’s Yogi Berra Award goes to UNLV coach Bobby Hauck, who said of LB William Vea...”The more football he learns, the better he’s going to be.” Uhhhh...thanks for the profound insight, Coach!
Though he never made it onto the pitch during live-action, patrolling the sideline for the Ivory Coast World Cup soccer team was the man simply known as...Vindinho!
Much ado was made about an Australian man living inside a giant soccer ball during the World Cup. Please... it’s been done. Back in the early 90's in Arizona....it was called... the “Biosphere”!
How to speak Australian: “Fawwwwcast”...Australian for “Vindy’s Picks!”
A July news article noted the Boy Scouts have held their national jamboree every four years since 1981at Fort AP Hill Army base in Virginia. We’re thinking it was a typo that should’ve read “Fort AP Poll Army base”!!!!
Among the racy text messages from Tiger Woods revealed by Joslyn James on her website was...”I’m gonna’ make you wager with Vindy’s Picks!”
KFC sponsored a contest that offered a $20K college scholarship for the best 140-character-max tweet about why the sender deserved to win it. We tweeted that we were worthy of the free ride on the basis of calling the Poultry’s upset of Florida in the SEC Championship game. The Colonel’s company awarded the prize to somebody else, but did send Vindicator a coupon for a free small side of mashed potatoes at his next visit.
We submitted random lead stories and an actual pick from the 2009 season to the “I Write Like.Com” website. Analysis suggests Vin’s literary skills are similar to those of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and David Foster Wallace! (Ya can’t make stuff up like that, Sportsfans!)
A Michigan church group grabbed some major green after purchasing the winning lottery ticket at a Detroit porn shop. The Weber Kid is already planning his late-August road-trip to da’ Motor City to place a few futures bets at that same adult entertainment establishment on next season’s BCS Championship!
Starting the 2010 season, the final regular-season USA Today coaches poll will be kept confidential. Fortunately, the Weber Kid holds a Top Secret/Need-To-Know clearance. The M-5, KGB, US Secret Service and.....Vindicator, by golly...NEED to know!
On the big screen, Vindicator gets little more than a tepid response to his weekly forecast from a female acquaintance in...”Ten Signs She’s Just Not Into Your Picks”!!! Elsewhere...Will Farrell stars as a figure skater who is known more for his ‘do than his triple-jumps in...”Braids of Glory”!!!
8-year-old Briton Kieron Williamson is pulling in some serious six-pence for his paintings. Kieron said he wants to be a “painter and footballer” when he matures. He’ll look funny taking the pitch with a brush and a pallette, but if he’s as good with a soccer ball as he is with his hands, we’re guessin’ he’ll paint a lovely portrait of the opposing goalie... right before scoring on him.
Jimmy Buffett sponsored the Jamaican dog-sled team for the Iditarod last March. We look forward to his next hit-single...”Cheeseburger in Anchorage”!!!
The Miss America pageant’s TV contract with TLC (The Leering Channel???) expired in March, leaving the extravaganza (currently underway in Sin City again this month) needing a new broadcast home. We’re thinking Versus or Fox Sports West!
The 2010 Miss USA, who hailed from Michigan, stumbled in her dress during that competition. Ironically, the Wolverines would do the same in the Gator Bowl vs. Mississippi State (as we predicted!). The judges panel for the contest included Johnny Weir, Tara Conner, Carmelo Anthony, Paula Deen, Oscar Nunez, Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin, Melania Trump and Glamour magazine executive fashion editor Suze Yalof-Schwartz. Throw in Lindsey Lohan and/or Charlie Sheen and this coulda’ been Vindy’s preseason forecasting strategy team!
And finally....in June, a federal judge was asked to decide whether cheerleading can be counted as a sport by schools looking to meet gender-equity requirements as part of a lawsuit by members of Quinnipiac U. after the school eliminated women’s volleyball in favor of a competitive cheer squad. Our recommendation...train cheerleaders to play volleyball or the players to cheer. Can’t wait to see the squad bust out the megaphones and pyramids in the courtroom! (“Objection!”, “Sustained. The jury will disregard the witnesses’ last cheer.”). A judge later decided it was not, in fact, a sport because it was “underdeveloped”. Ummmm...has Hizzoner taken a peek at the sidelines lately???!! A preponderance of steroids and implants make cheerleading anything but “underdeveloped”!
Until next August, we leave our readers with the traditional Irish blessing...”May the road dog rise up to beat you.” (Something like that!)
Air Forecast One has gone “wheels up”!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Vindy's 2010-11 Bowl Predictions: Part II
A woman in New York was recently profiled as knowing no fear because of a brain disorder. No fear???!!! Ha! Wait’ll she gets a load of....
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL PREDICTIONS: PART II(As filmed in the format of “The Blair Witch Project”! AP rankings; lines of December 26, over/under totals in parentheses)
DEC. 31
MEINEKE CAR CARE (@ Charlotte, NC):
Clemson over South Florida giving 5 ½ (40 ½): Bulls went 4-7 against the line and struggled mightily on offense vs. I-A squads (averaging just over 20 ppg [down 3.5 ppg from 2009] and settling for teens or single-digits five times). They did edge Miami and Louisville on the road, but also barely beat Rutgers by 1. Have to consider the offensive production a disappointment, given 9 returning starters on that side of the ball, including entire O-line. Sixth consecutive bowl for USF (3-1 SU/ATS in last four) and Coach Skip Holtz took ECU to four bowls (losing 3, covering 2). Tigers lost in OT at finalist Auburn and wilted to lose 5 games by 26 total points. Both clubs are stout defensively...only the Gamecocks posted more than 16 in Clemson’s final seven tilts, only three South Florida foes tallied more than 21. CU had a number of close losses to better teams than those faced by the Bulls...Tigers 20 USF 12
BRUT SUN (@ El Paso, TX):
Notre Dame over Miami taking 3 (47): Brian Kelly has the Irish making progress...seven outright wins and three losses by 4 or less this season. Unfortunately, however, a pair of those defeats came at South Bend. Irish did cover 3of 4 getting points, winning two and losing the other in extra frames. ‘Canes spent much of the year in the Top 25, but lost 3 of last 5 to fall out of the rankings, were just 4-7 ATS overall (6th straight losing spread season) and have dropped bowls in each of the last four seasons (three as chalk). A clemency board in Tallahassee recently, at the behest of Florida governor Charlie Crist [no relation to the ND quarterback [who, BTW, won’t play in this one]) gave Jim Morrison a posthumous pardon for dropping trou and exposing his...uh...Doors...to the crowd at a Miami concert over 30 years ago. Vindy may have to wait for 31 years for the Guv to give post-demise forgiveness for picking... Notre Dame 23 Pelicans 16
AUTOZONE LIBERTY(@ Memphis, TN):
Georgia over Central Florida giving 6 ½ (55 ½): Joja’, with three early conference losses before September ended and an early October loss at unheralded Colorado, fell quickly off the radar, but took 5 of final 7 to get here. ‘Dawgs did however give up at least 31 in four of last five. Georgia can boast four straight bowl victories and covers and did fare much better with the return of Ahman Green. Knights posted 10-3 straight-up record with losses by 7 to NC State, 4 at K-State and 10 to Southern Miss. UCF allowed 33 points a game over three-game stretch in November. First choice is the “over”. A former UCF alum held her Playboy photo shoot in the Golden Knights locker room. The Central Florida quarterback initially lined up in the shotgun, but thought better of it and decided to take a few snaps from under centerfold!...UGA 41 Central Florida 31
CHICK-FIL-A (@ Atlanta, GA):
#19 South Carolina over #23 Florida State giving 3 (54 ½): Poultry looked poised to have a special year and made the SEC conference title game, but lost three of five to ranked opponents, so they’re not quite over the hump (we note, however, that a pair of those defeats came vs. title finalist Auburn). Gamehens attending 5th bowl in 6 years (1-3 SU/ATS). Injuns ran off three straight wins to close out the regular season, but still ended up an 11-point victim of Virginia Tech in ACC title match en route to current 2-5 ATS skid. ‘Noles won nine games this season and lost a pair to BC and NC State by total of 6 points. FSU has covered six consecutive post-season appearances, taking 4 outright, and was the dog in four of ‘em...Fightin’ Fowl 31 FSU 24
JAN. 1
TICKETCITY (@ Dallas, TX):
Texas Tech (GASP!) over Northwestern giving 9 ½ (60 ½): Tech, now under Tommy Tuberville...who was let go by Auburn, continues good pace vs. non-conference teams (3-1 SU/2-1 ATS this year), though it has beaten the spread just once in past five bowls (3-2 SU). Raiders have won the money in two outta’ tries laying at least 9 ½ in 2010. Northwestern has dropped two straight bowls, both in overtime. ‘Cats grabbed 7 victories this year, including shocker over Iowa, but promising season withered upon loss of QB Dan Persa to injury and NW was dismal 2-8-1 ATS overall. Does it really matter which side we take here???!!! Queue up Elvis...”You look like an angellllllllll .....walk like an angelllllllllll.....block like an angelllllllllll....but Vin got wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise....you’re Red Raiders in disguiiiise!”...Tech 30 NW 19
CAPITAL ONE (@ Orlando, FL):
#7 Michigan State over #15 Alabama taking 10 (52 ½): Spartans have lost three straight bowls, covering just one, but this year’s squad lost only a single game (by 31 at Iowa). Tide’s strength has been its defense. Only 4 opponents hit the board for more than 13 points. Sparty scored less than 28 just twice this season. ‘Bama’s offense, rushing and passing, finished in the top five of the SEC. As noted in Part One of our bowl selections, teams laying 10 or more cover less than 50% and lose better than a third of those tilts outright. Hawaii’s already fallen. Will Tide have forgotten about letting Auburn off a major hook in the finale?...”Roll Tide” 27 MSU 24
OUTBACK (@ Tampa, FL):
Florida over Penn State giving 7 ½ (48): The change at quarterback for the alma mater came way too late and Lions never came through in any of the big games on the schedule. Gators had an off-year as well (just 8th in scoring in the SEC, 10th in offensive yardage and 2nd most penalized in the conference), but defeated five bowlers anyway. State’s been a strong play in last five bowls, winning 4 outright and are getting points for 4th time in past five. Crocs also have won and covered 4 of their last five bowls, but covered just 1 of 3 non-conference games this season after enjoying 20-4 ATS run the previous six seasons. BTW, anagrams of Urban Meyer include “Yer a Number”, “Meaner Ruby”, “Rub Me Yearn” and our personal fave... “A Merry Bun E”. No wonder he’s retiring!...Florida 27 PSU 17
KONICA MINOLTA GATOR (@ Jacksonville, FL):
#21 Mississippi State over Michigan giving 5 (60): Bulldogs recorded 8 wins and had 2 close home defeats to Auburn and Arkansas (in double OT). Four of their wins came by 8 or less. Wolverines opened 3-0 SU/ATS then finished on the wrong side of the spread eight straight times, including 0-4 SU/ATS skid vs. ranked teams, losing by an average of 19 points per game in those. RichRod is getting Big Blew to the bowls for first time since 2007, but a defeat may signal his departure. UM has gone just 10-24 ATS under Rodriguez and the scoring defense ranks 101st nationally (33.8 ppg), second-worst among bowlers behind just East Carolina ...Mississippi State 41 Michigan 27
ROSE Presented by CITI (@ Pasadena, CA):
#4 Wisconsin over #3 Texas Christian taking 3 (58 ½): Finally....another chance to see how a BCS-buster really stacks up against one of the best teams in the country. The key match-up will be in the trenches with Wisky’s big, physical offensive line against Toads’ defense. Badgers only defeat was by 10 at Michigan State and Cheeseheads are currently on 6-0 spread run. BCS would love a romp by Wisconsin and the Badgers obviously aren’t shy about running up the score. UW has split its last 8 bowls straight up, covering five. Froggies beat Oregon State by 9 on a neutral field and ripped Baylor 45-10 at home to account for their only previous games this year vs. teams from Big Six conferences. Toads ran for 39 touchdowns. Badgers allowed just seven scores on the ground. TCU’s perfect season comes to an end....Wisconsin 20 TCU 17
TOSTITOS FIESTA (@ Glensdale, AZ):
#9 Oklahoma over #25 Connecticut giving 17 (55): Huskies are here as Big Least champs but did not face an opponent ranked in the Top 25 at the time...perhaps an indictment of the type of season that their conference had in 2010. By contrast, Sooners knocked off four of the five ranked teams they played. Still, Oklahoma won its three previous neutral site games this season by 2,8 and 3 respectively and have been poor in the post-season, losing five of last seven bowls and 0-4 ATS the past four years. UConn is decent defensively, averaging 19.8 points-against per game while letting 3 teams post more than 27, and did finish second in the conference in scoring offense (26.9 ppg). Sooners QB Landry Jones is the second-leading passer in the country (329.9 yards per game, 35-11 passing touchdown-to-INT ratio) and has been sacked just 11 times. Dogs could be out-manned...OK 38 Huskies 17
JAN. 3
FED-EX ORANGE (@ Miami, FL):
#12 Virginia Tech over #5 Stanford taking 3 (57 ½): Trees were a good road squad, winning 5 of 6 away from Palo Alto, covering 4. The lone loss?...at Oregon...by three touchdowns. Cardinal can play D as well, pitching 3 shutouts, two in the last five games vs. conference opponents. With Jim Harbaugh at the helm, Stanford continues to improve the win-loss record. Cards won 9 of 11 by double-digits (by 2 at USC, by at Arizona State). Just the second bowl since 2002 for Stanford. Tech beat three of four ranked opponents by at least 11 points and lost opener to Boise State on neutral ground by just 3. Hokies get points in a bowl for just the third time in eleven appearances. Frank Beamer’s coached in 17 post-season tilts, winning 8. Harbaugh’s been to one....and lost it. Stanford’s strength is passing. VT has allowed 15 aerial scores while picking off 22 throws. Neither team permits much scoring (17.8 by Stanford, 19.1 by Tech). Beamer needs to say just 2 little words to his team pre-game...”James Madison”...VT 24 Trees 20
JAN. 4
ALLSTATE SUGAR (@ N’awlins, Weeziana):
#8 Arkansas over #6 Ohio State taking 3 ½ (58): OSU hasn’t beaten an SEC team in nine tries. Buckeyes did go 9-2-1 against the line but just 1-2-1 in only four games outside Da’ Shoe. Buckeyes #4 pass defense will have to corral Arkansas’ #4 passing offense. Hogs will have to play more disciplined than they did in drawing 97 penalty flags. Pigs were also money-makers for bettors, going 9-2 ATS and suffered just two defeats all year...by 4 to ‘Bama and by 22 at Auburn. QB Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas from Michigan. Wonder if that’ll just stoke the fire even more...OSU 33 Arkansas 30
JAN. 6
GODADDY.COM (@ Mobile, AL):
Miami-Ohio over Middle Tennessee State giving 1 (48 ½): MTSU was yet-another team to win three straight at the end to reach the post-season. Blue Raiders somehow managed to beat co-Stun Belt champion Florida International during that stretch. Middle Tennessee won by 10 over Southern Miss in a 2009 bowl, but that squad had ten wins. Miami-Ohio didn’t know it at the time, but mere 22-point loss in opener would portend the rest of Florida’s season. Redhawks went 8-5 ATS and toppled Northern Illinois as 17-point dogs. Nice turnaround for Miami-O following 1-11 year in 2009. MTSU gave up 51 points to Arkansas State. Miami did likewise...at Mizzou. The MAC team improved its points-scored this year by 4 ½ per game, while lowering points-against by 11 and have good depth on the roster. BTW, there’s no bowl swag,, but players from each team do get to take a turn with Danica Patrick...uh ... left turn...in a race car! (Oh, the hell with it...who are we kiddin’???!! Schwing!!!!!)...Miami-Ohio 27 MTSU 17
JAN. 7
AT&T COTTON (@ Dallas, TX):
#11 Louisiana State over #18 Texas A&M giving 1 (49): Bengals have won 4 of 6 games vs. ranked opponents (facing 4 of them away from Baton Rouge), but 28.9 ppg scoring average is deceptive given offensive yardage that came in 92nd in the country, so it’s been the defense that’s kept State competitive. A&M has flourished since switching to Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. Aggies bowl history recently has been horrible, producing no wins or covers in last four post-seasons. TAMU scored 25 passing touchdowns with just 12 interceptions, but gave up 35 sacks. Only 11 teams let their quarterback get dirty more times than that. Despite stout defenses on both sides, 5 of LSU’s games exceeded this total, while 7of A&M’s games did so. Tough call and frankly, we’d like to pass altogether, but with a gun to our head, we think the Tigers find a way to pull it out and we tilt a tad to the “over” ... LSU 27 TAMU 24
JAN. 8
BBVA COMPASS (@Birmingham, AL)
Kentucky over Pittsburgh taking 3 (52): We can’t think of a single reason to watch this one. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has been canned and Kentucky’s first-string quarterback has been suspended. Like Penn State, the Panthers did not find a way to win the important games, as evidenced by OT loss at Utah to start the year. Kentucky staggered late, taking just 2 of last 5 (1-3 ATS and a win over I-AA Charleston Southern) and struggling badly in SEC play (upset of South Carolina notwithstanding). Wildcats have won 3 of last 4 bowls (2-2 ATS). KY went just 6-6 straight-up in Joker Phillips first season. Back-to-back 7-6 SU seasons got former Kentucky coach Rich Brooks kicked to the curb. As an olive branch for recent events, North Korea has offered to send 300 “carefully selected ‘fans’” to cheer politely at this game...Kentucky 16 Pitt 13
JAN. 9
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER (@ San Francisco, CA):
Boston College over #13 Nevada taking 8 (55): No swag for participants in this one either, just pictures and profiles of impoverished kids in third-world countries! If ya had told Reno coach Chris Ault that his Wolfpack would lose just one game, not to Boise State, and end up in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, would he have believed you???!!! How badly do ya think UNR would like to have the Hawaii game back right about now???!!! The signature win that ruined Boise’s BCS berth was, of course, lucky....but credit UNR for staying close enough to be in a position to win it in OT. Nevada hasn’t been a good play in the post-season, losing 4of 5. It did win all of its games, other than Fresno and Boise, by at least two touchdowns. Golden Beagles were virtually non-existent the first half of the year, but came on strong to win four of last five (and beat the line in 5 of final 7), allowing a total only 59 total points. BC has split bowls SU the past 4 years and was favored in 3 of ‘em (covering none). It’ll be up to Eagles scoring defense (19th nationally at 19 ½ ppg) to rein in potent Reno offense (42.6 ppg and 535 yards per game). An upset by BC wouldn’t shock us, but we’ll make the conservative pick...’Pack 33 BC 27
JAN. 10
CITI NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Glendale, AZ):
#2 Oregon over #1 Auburn taking 3 (74 ½): Admittedly, the choice is prejudiced just a little by Vindy’s preseason futures bet on the Mallards (18-1), but the selection is not without merit. Tigers did have some near-misses (OT vs. Clemson, at Mississippi State, at Kentucky and the miracle at Tuscaloosa). Ducks, beak and shoulders above the rest of the PAC-10 at 49.3 ppg, will be the most prolific offense that Auburn has met and was challenged just once (by Cal and its General Hospital act). War Eagle covered three of four road opportunities. Mallards covered 3 of 6, winning all of ‘em by at least 11 points. Neither side will likely run well against the opposing D. Drakes have taken 8 of last 9 vs. Top 25. Ducks allow 18.9 ppg, Tigers slightly more at 24.5 ppg. Alabama’s Mark Ingram broke the Heisman curse last year after four straight post-season games were lost by the award-winner’s team (Texas QB Colt McCoy was lost early to injury though). Vindy’s spies say Auburn plans to use a pair of defensive tackles named Pierce and Honeycutt to slow any rhythm gained by Oregon (and if we were Gene Chizik, we’d send the team captains out for the coin-toss dressed in scrubs and lab coats!)...Mighty Ducks 34 Auburn 30
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSExperiencing paranoia following the recent FBI raid, your felonious forecaster was arrested after a toy store rampage spent gouging out the eyes of Barbie dolls...until learning the camera of the Barbie Video Girl was hidden inside the necklace! (Vin, did however, originally consider just drawing little smiley faces on the pupils with an ultra fine-tip Sharpie, but has simply watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds!)
A line of Missouri -2 ½ over Iowa (and a total of 47) has been posted on the Insight Bowl (off the board when Vindy published his pre-New Year’s Eve picks). So be it. We’ll stick with the original call and take the Hawkeyes with the points.
Hogs Sports Radio reporter Renee Gork got fired by her employer in August after sporting a Gators hat to a post-game conference and inadvertently annoying Arkansas Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino. Likewise, a Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist received a pink slip for producing a microphone from inside a Phil Steele tote bag during a post-forecast Q&A with the Vindicator. Ironically, the prestigious prognosticator was wearing a pair of boxers autographed by his nationally-known forecasting rival at the time!
Thirty-five (count ‘em...35!!!!) post-season match-ups this season and not one damn Vuvuzela Bowl sponsored by BP! What’s up with ‘dat???!!!
Will the halftime speeches of the Kraft Hunger Bowl include: “Get back out there! If you don’t wanna’ play in this bowl, there are plenty of starving kids in Africa who’d love to be in the post-season!”
“Every idiot with ‘Vindy’s Picks’ on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding.”...Ebenezer Scrooge
Five Ohio State players, including Terrell Pryor, have been busted for getting tattoos at a discount because of the player status. Hmmm...whaddaya’ suppose a heart surrounding the name of your coach (or your agent) goes for these days, anyway???!!
MTSU QB Dwight Dasher was suspended early in the year after charges of duping an elderly man outta’ money the athlete eventually bet in a poker game. We just wanna’ know one thing....did he go “all in”???!!!!
JoePa had laser vision surgery last January and no longer needs his glasses. One pair of his trademark Coke-bottles was auctioned-off for charity. A second pair went to the Smithsonian and a third set will be kept on-hand at Palo Alto in case the Hubble Telescope needs emergency lens-replacement! Who knows...there might be a new star discovered and tagged “Alpha-Paterno!” Meanwhile, Penn State is now hawking photo-shopped pics of Coach sporting Geordi glasses, Cyclops’ shades or John Lennon specs!
TCU is building a new stadium that will be half-to-three-quarters completed when next season starts. The Toads will be able to play in it before completion. At what? Arena League dimensions???!!!
Twenty-six Tennessee football players were allowed into a bar free gratis while others had to pay a cover charge. Here in Sin City, we simply call that Ladies Night!
If the military wanted to keep quiet who among themselves played football, would the policy be called “Don’t Mask, Don’t Tell”???!!!!
Ralph “The Fridge”Friedgen has been given his walking papers, effective the end of the Military Bowl. If he’s replaced by Vern Troyer, will they nickname the new Maryland coach... “The Mini-Bar”???!!!!
NY Jets coach Rex Ryan did not openly pooh-pooh allegations that his missus has appeared in foot-fetish videos. Gives a whole new connotation to film “footage”, don’t it???!! Higher-ups in the Jets organization have pledged their “full-support” to Ryan. Sounds more like the harbinger of an endorsement deal with Dr. Scholl’s or Pay-for-Less shoes! Would a thorough review of Coach’s video library reveal a preponderance of kickers booting field-goals minus their socks and cleats???!!!
Star light, star bright
First spread I see tonite
Wish I may, wish I might
Win this pick I make tonite!
BTW, TBS ran 24 hours of “A Christmas Story” over the weekend. We only caught 23 hours of it and still need to watch the final 60 minutes that we taped to find out how it ends. No spoilers, please! (BTW, there’s no “I” in “team” because Ralphie shot it out with his Red Ryder [which sounds dangerously close to “Red Raider”! GASP!!!!]).
Vindy’s Best Bowl Bets Part II: Georgia-Central Florida “over” 55 ½, Mississippi State -5 over Michigan, Miami-Ohio -1 over Middle Tennessee State, Kentucky-Pittsburgh “under” 52
Vindicator hopes all his faithful readers had a very Mary Carey Christmas! Pass on Earth, Goodwill Toward Linemen. On top of ‘dat, we extend...Crimson Tidings of Southern Comfort and joy! May all the wide-receivers of your choice drop their balls as we ring in the New Year! Be sure to visit us one more time a few days after completion of the BCS Championship game to check Vindy’s bowl recap and publication of his leftover “hash”!
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL PREDICTIONS: PART II(As filmed in the format of “The Blair Witch Project”! AP rankings; lines of December 26, over/under totals in parentheses)
DEC. 31
MEINEKE CAR CARE (@ Charlotte, NC):
Clemson over South Florida giving 5 ½ (40 ½): Bulls went 4-7 against the line and struggled mightily on offense vs. I-A squads (averaging just over 20 ppg [down 3.5 ppg from 2009] and settling for teens or single-digits five times). They did edge Miami and Louisville on the road, but also barely beat Rutgers by 1. Have to consider the offensive production a disappointment, given 9 returning starters on that side of the ball, including entire O-line. Sixth consecutive bowl for USF (3-1 SU/ATS in last four) and Coach Skip Holtz took ECU to four bowls (losing 3, covering 2). Tigers lost in OT at finalist Auburn and wilted to lose 5 games by 26 total points. Both clubs are stout defensively...only the Gamecocks posted more than 16 in Clemson’s final seven tilts, only three South Florida foes tallied more than 21. CU had a number of close losses to better teams than those faced by the Bulls...Tigers 20 USF 12
BRUT SUN (@ El Paso, TX):
Notre Dame over Miami taking 3 (47): Brian Kelly has the Irish making progress...seven outright wins and three losses by 4 or less this season. Unfortunately, however, a pair of those defeats came at South Bend. Irish did cover 3of 4 getting points, winning two and losing the other in extra frames. ‘Canes spent much of the year in the Top 25, but lost 3 of last 5 to fall out of the rankings, were just 4-7 ATS overall (6th straight losing spread season) and have dropped bowls in each of the last four seasons (three as chalk). A clemency board in Tallahassee recently, at the behest of Florida governor Charlie Crist [no relation to the ND quarterback [who, BTW, won’t play in this one]) gave Jim Morrison a posthumous pardon for dropping trou and exposing his...uh...Doors...to the crowd at a Miami concert over 30 years ago. Vindy may have to wait for 31 years for the Guv to give post-demise forgiveness for picking... Notre Dame 23 Pelicans 16
AUTOZONE LIBERTY(@ Memphis, TN):
Georgia over Central Florida giving 6 ½ (55 ½): Joja’, with three early conference losses before September ended and an early October loss at unheralded Colorado, fell quickly off the radar, but took 5 of final 7 to get here. ‘Dawgs did however give up at least 31 in four of last five. Georgia can boast four straight bowl victories and covers and did fare much better with the return of Ahman Green. Knights posted 10-3 straight-up record with losses by 7 to NC State, 4 at K-State and 10 to Southern Miss. UCF allowed 33 points a game over three-game stretch in November. First choice is the “over”. A former UCF alum held her Playboy photo shoot in the Golden Knights locker room. The Central Florida quarterback initially lined up in the shotgun, but thought better of it and decided to take a few snaps from under centerfold!...UGA 41 Central Florida 31
CHICK-FIL-A (@ Atlanta, GA):
#19 South Carolina over #23 Florida State giving 3 (54 ½): Poultry looked poised to have a special year and made the SEC conference title game, but lost three of five to ranked opponents, so they’re not quite over the hump (we note, however, that a pair of those defeats came vs. title finalist Auburn). Gamehens attending 5th bowl in 6 years (1-3 SU/ATS). Injuns ran off three straight wins to close out the regular season, but still ended up an 11-point victim of Virginia Tech in ACC title match en route to current 2-5 ATS skid. ‘Noles won nine games this season and lost a pair to BC and NC State by total of 6 points. FSU has covered six consecutive post-season appearances, taking 4 outright, and was the dog in four of ‘em...Fightin’ Fowl 31 FSU 24
JAN. 1
TICKETCITY (@ Dallas, TX):
Texas Tech (GASP!) over Northwestern giving 9 ½ (60 ½): Tech, now under Tommy Tuberville...who was let go by Auburn, continues good pace vs. non-conference teams (3-1 SU/2-1 ATS this year), though it has beaten the spread just once in past five bowls (3-2 SU). Raiders have won the money in two outta’ tries laying at least 9 ½ in 2010. Northwestern has dropped two straight bowls, both in overtime. ‘Cats grabbed 7 victories this year, including shocker over Iowa, but promising season withered upon loss of QB Dan Persa to injury and NW was dismal 2-8-1 ATS overall. Does it really matter which side we take here???!!! Queue up Elvis...”You look like an angellllllllll .....walk like an angelllllllllll.....block like an angelllllllllll....but Vin got wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise....you’re Red Raiders in disguiiiise!”...Tech 30 NW 19
CAPITAL ONE (@ Orlando, FL):
#7 Michigan State over #15 Alabama taking 10 (52 ½): Spartans have lost three straight bowls, covering just one, but this year’s squad lost only a single game (by 31 at Iowa). Tide’s strength has been its defense. Only 4 opponents hit the board for more than 13 points. Sparty scored less than 28 just twice this season. ‘Bama’s offense, rushing and passing, finished in the top five of the SEC. As noted in Part One of our bowl selections, teams laying 10 or more cover less than 50% and lose better than a third of those tilts outright. Hawaii’s already fallen. Will Tide have forgotten about letting Auburn off a major hook in the finale?...”Roll Tide” 27 MSU 24
OUTBACK (@ Tampa, FL):
Florida over Penn State giving 7 ½ (48): The change at quarterback for the alma mater came way too late and Lions never came through in any of the big games on the schedule. Gators had an off-year as well (just 8th in scoring in the SEC, 10th in offensive yardage and 2nd most penalized in the conference), but defeated five bowlers anyway. State’s been a strong play in last five bowls, winning 4 outright and are getting points for 4th time in past five. Crocs also have won and covered 4 of their last five bowls, but covered just 1 of 3 non-conference games this season after enjoying 20-4 ATS run the previous six seasons. BTW, anagrams of Urban Meyer include “Yer a Number”, “Meaner Ruby”, “Rub Me Yearn” and our personal fave... “A Merry Bun E”. No wonder he’s retiring!...Florida 27 PSU 17
KONICA MINOLTA GATOR (@ Jacksonville, FL):
#21 Mississippi State over Michigan giving 5 (60): Bulldogs recorded 8 wins and had 2 close home defeats to Auburn and Arkansas (in double OT). Four of their wins came by 8 or less. Wolverines opened 3-0 SU/ATS then finished on the wrong side of the spread eight straight times, including 0-4 SU/ATS skid vs. ranked teams, losing by an average of 19 points per game in those. RichRod is getting Big Blew to the bowls for first time since 2007, but a defeat may signal his departure. UM has gone just 10-24 ATS under Rodriguez and the scoring defense ranks 101st nationally (33.8 ppg), second-worst among bowlers behind just East Carolina ...Mississippi State 41 Michigan 27
ROSE Presented by CITI (@ Pasadena, CA):
#4 Wisconsin over #3 Texas Christian taking 3 (58 ½): Finally....another chance to see how a BCS-buster really stacks up against one of the best teams in the country. The key match-up will be in the trenches with Wisky’s big, physical offensive line against Toads’ defense. Badgers only defeat was by 10 at Michigan State and Cheeseheads are currently on 6-0 spread run. BCS would love a romp by Wisconsin and the Badgers obviously aren’t shy about running up the score. UW has split its last 8 bowls straight up, covering five. Froggies beat Oregon State by 9 on a neutral field and ripped Baylor 45-10 at home to account for their only previous games this year vs. teams from Big Six conferences. Toads ran for 39 touchdowns. Badgers allowed just seven scores on the ground. TCU’s perfect season comes to an end....Wisconsin 20 TCU 17
TOSTITOS FIESTA (@ Glensdale, AZ):
#9 Oklahoma over #25 Connecticut giving 17 (55): Huskies are here as Big Least champs but did not face an opponent ranked in the Top 25 at the time...perhaps an indictment of the type of season that their conference had in 2010. By contrast, Sooners knocked off four of the five ranked teams they played. Still, Oklahoma won its three previous neutral site games this season by 2,8 and 3 respectively and have been poor in the post-season, losing five of last seven bowls and 0-4 ATS the past four years. UConn is decent defensively, averaging 19.8 points-against per game while letting 3 teams post more than 27, and did finish second in the conference in scoring offense (26.9 ppg). Sooners QB Landry Jones is the second-leading passer in the country (329.9 yards per game, 35-11 passing touchdown-to-INT ratio) and has been sacked just 11 times. Dogs could be out-manned...OK 38 Huskies 17
JAN. 3
FED-EX ORANGE (@ Miami, FL):
#12 Virginia Tech over #5 Stanford taking 3 (57 ½): Trees were a good road squad, winning 5 of 6 away from Palo Alto, covering 4. The lone loss?...at Oregon...by three touchdowns. Cardinal can play D as well, pitching 3 shutouts, two in the last five games vs. conference opponents. With Jim Harbaugh at the helm, Stanford continues to improve the win-loss record. Cards won 9 of 11 by double-digits (by 2 at USC, by at Arizona State). Just the second bowl since 2002 for Stanford. Tech beat three of four ranked opponents by at least 11 points and lost opener to Boise State on neutral ground by just 3. Hokies get points in a bowl for just the third time in eleven appearances. Frank Beamer’s coached in 17 post-season tilts, winning 8. Harbaugh’s been to one....and lost it. Stanford’s strength is passing. VT has allowed 15 aerial scores while picking off 22 throws. Neither team permits much scoring (17.8 by Stanford, 19.1 by Tech). Beamer needs to say just 2 little words to his team pre-game...”James Madison”...VT 24 Trees 20
JAN. 4
ALLSTATE SUGAR (@ N’awlins, Weeziana):
#8 Arkansas over #6 Ohio State taking 3 ½ (58): OSU hasn’t beaten an SEC team in nine tries. Buckeyes did go 9-2-1 against the line but just 1-2-1 in only four games outside Da’ Shoe. Buckeyes #4 pass defense will have to corral Arkansas’ #4 passing offense. Hogs will have to play more disciplined than they did in drawing 97 penalty flags. Pigs were also money-makers for bettors, going 9-2 ATS and suffered just two defeats all year...by 4 to ‘Bama and by 22 at Auburn. QB Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas from Michigan. Wonder if that’ll just stoke the fire even more...OSU 33 Arkansas 30
JAN. 6
GODADDY.COM (@ Mobile, AL):
Miami-Ohio over Middle Tennessee State giving 1 (48 ½): MTSU was yet-another team to win three straight at the end to reach the post-season. Blue Raiders somehow managed to beat co-Stun Belt champion Florida International during that stretch. Middle Tennessee won by 10 over Southern Miss in a 2009 bowl, but that squad had ten wins. Miami-Ohio didn’t know it at the time, but mere 22-point loss in opener would portend the rest of Florida’s season. Redhawks went 8-5 ATS and toppled Northern Illinois as 17-point dogs. Nice turnaround for Miami-O following 1-11 year in 2009. MTSU gave up 51 points to Arkansas State. Miami did likewise...at Mizzou. The MAC team improved its points-scored this year by 4 ½ per game, while lowering points-against by 11 and have good depth on the roster. BTW, there’s no bowl swag,, but players from each team do get to take a turn with Danica Patrick...uh ... left turn...in a race car! (Oh, the hell with it...who are we kiddin’???!! Schwing!!!!!)...Miami-Ohio 27 MTSU 17
JAN. 7
AT&T COTTON (@ Dallas, TX):
#11 Louisiana State over #18 Texas A&M giving 1 (49): Bengals have won 4 of 6 games vs. ranked opponents (facing 4 of them away from Baton Rouge), but 28.9 ppg scoring average is deceptive given offensive yardage that came in 92nd in the country, so it’s been the defense that’s kept State competitive. A&M has flourished since switching to Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. Aggies bowl history recently has been horrible, producing no wins or covers in last four post-seasons. TAMU scored 25 passing touchdowns with just 12 interceptions, but gave up 35 sacks. Only 11 teams let their quarterback get dirty more times than that. Despite stout defenses on both sides, 5 of LSU’s games exceeded this total, while 7of A&M’s games did so. Tough call and frankly, we’d like to pass altogether, but with a gun to our head, we think the Tigers find a way to pull it out and we tilt a tad to the “over” ... LSU 27 TAMU 24
JAN. 8
BBVA COMPASS (@Birmingham, AL)
Kentucky over Pittsburgh taking 3 (52): We can’t think of a single reason to watch this one. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has been canned and Kentucky’s first-string quarterback has been suspended. Like Penn State, the Panthers did not find a way to win the important games, as evidenced by OT loss at Utah to start the year. Kentucky staggered late, taking just 2 of last 5 (1-3 ATS and a win over I-AA Charleston Southern) and struggling badly in SEC play (upset of South Carolina notwithstanding). Wildcats have won 3 of last 4 bowls (2-2 ATS). KY went just 6-6 straight-up in Joker Phillips first season. Back-to-back 7-6 SU seasons got former Kentucky coach Rich Brooks kicked to the curb. As an olive branch for recent events, North Korea has offered to send 300 “carefully selected ‘fans’” to cheer politely at this game...Kentucky 16 Pitt 13
JAN. 9
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER (@ San Francisco, CA):
Boston College over #13 Nevada taking 8 (55): No swag for participants in this one either, just pictures and profiles of impoverished kids in third-world countries! If ya had told Reno coach Chris Ault that his Wolfpack would lose just one game, not to Boise State, and end up in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, would he have believed you???!!! How badly do ya think UNR would like to have the Hawaii game back right about now???!!! The signature win that ruined Boise’s BCS berth was, of course, lucky....but credit UNR for staying close enough to be in a position to win it in OT. Nevada hasn’t been a good play in the post-season, losing 4of 5. It did win all of its games, other than Fresno and Boise, by at least two touchdowns. Golden Beagles were virtually non-existent the first half of the year, but came on strong to win four of last five (and beat the line in 5 of final 7), allowing a total only 59 total points. BC has split bowls SU the past 4 years and was favored in 3 of ‘em (covering none). It’ll be up to Eagles scoring defense (19th nationally at 19 ½ ppg) to rein in potent Reno offense (42.6 ppg and 535 yards per game). An upset by BC wouldn’t shock us, but we’ll make the conservative pick...’Pack 33 BC 27
JAN. 10
CITI NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Glendale, AZ):
#2 Oregon over #1 Auburn taking 3 (74 ½): Admittedly, the choice is prejudiced just a little by Vindy’s preseason futures bet on the Mallards (18-1), but the selection is not without merit. Tigers did have some near-misses (OT vs. Clemson, at Mississippi State, at Kentucky and the miracle at Tuscaloosa). Ducks, beak and shoulders above the rest of the PAC-10 at 49.3 ppg, will be the most prolific offense that Auburn has met and was challenged just once (by Cal and its General Hospital act). War Eagle covered three of four road opportunities. Mallards covered 3 of 6, winning all of ‘em by at least 11 points. Neither side will likely run well against the opposing D. Drakes have taken 8 of last 9 vs. Top 25. Ducks allow 18.9 ppg, Tigers slightly more at 24.5 ppg. Alabama’s Mark Ingram broke the Heisman curse last year after four straight post-season games were lost by the award-winner’s team (Texas QB Colt McCoy was lost early to injury though). Vindy’s spies say Auburn plans to use a pair of defensive tackles named Pierce and Honeycutt to slow any rhythm gained by Oregon (and if we were Gene Chizik, we’d send the team captains out for the coin-toss dressed in scrubs and lab coats!)...Mighty Ducks 34 Auburn 30
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSExperiencing paranoia following the recent FBI raid, your felonious forecaster was arrested after a toy store rampage spent gouging out the eyes of Barbie dolls...until learning the camera of the Barbie Video Girl was hidden inside the necklace! (Vin, did however, originally consider just drawing little smiley faces on the pupils with an ultra fine-tip Sharpie, but has simply watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds!)
A line of Missouri -2 ½ over Iowa (and a total of 47) has been posted on the Insight Bowl (off the board when Vindy published his pre-New Year’s Eve picks). So be it. We’ll stick with the original call and take the Hawkeyes with the points.
Hogs Sports Radio reporter Renee Gork got fired by her employer in August after sporting a Gators hat to a post-game conference and inadvertently annoying Arkansas Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino. Likewise, a Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist received a pink slip for producing a microphone from inside a Phil Steele tote bag during a post-forecast Q&A with the Vindicator. Ironically, the prestigious prognosticator was wearing a pair of boxers autographed by his nationally-known forecasting rival at the time!
Thirty-five (count ‘em...35!!!!) post-season match-ups this season and not one damn Vuvuzela Bowl sponsored by BP! What’s up with ‘dat???!!!
Will the halftime speeches of the Kraft Hunger Bowl include: “Get back out there! If you don’t wanna’ play in this bowl, there are plenty of starving kids in Africa who’d love to be in the post-season!”
“Every idiot with ‘Vindy’s Picks’ on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding.”...Ebenezer Scrooge
Five Ohio State players, including Terrell Pryor, have been busted for getting tattoos at a discount because of the player status. Hmmm...whaddaya’ suppose a heart surrounding the name of your coach (or your agent) goes for these days, anyway???!!
MTSU QB Dwight Dasher was suspended early in the year after charges of duping an elderly man outta’ money the athlete eventually bet in a poker game. We just wanna’ know one thing....did he go “all in”???!!!!
JoePa had laser vision surgery last January and no longer needs his glasses. One pair of his trademark Coke-bottles was auctioned-off for charity. A second pair went to the Smithsonian and a third set will be kept on-hand at Palo Alto in case the Hubble Telescope needs emergency lens-replacement! Who knows...there might be a new star discovered and tagged “Alpha-Paterno!” Meanwhile, Penn State is now hawking photo-shopped pics of Coach sporting Geordi glasses, Cyclops’ shades or John Lennon specs!
TCU is building a new stadium that will be half-to-three-quarters completed when next season starts. The Toads will be able to play in it before completion. At what? Arena League dimensions???!!!
Twenty-six Tennessee football players were allowed into a bar free gratis while others had to pay a cover charge. Here in Sin City, we simply call that Ladies Night!
If the military wanted to keep quiet who among themselves played football, would the policy be called “Don’t Mask, Don’t Tell”???!!!!
Ralph “The Fridge”Friedgen has been given his walking papers, effective the end of the Military Bowl. If he’s replaced by Vern Troyer, will they nickname the new Maryland coach... “The Mini-Bar”???!!!!
NY Jets coach Rex Ryan did not openly pooh-pooh allegations that his missus has appeared in foot-fetish videos. Gives a whole new connotation to film “footage”, don’t it???!! Higher-ups in the Jets organization have pledged their “full-support” to Ryan. Sounds more like the harbinger of an endorsement deal with Dr. Scholl’s or Pay-for-Less shoes! Would a thorough review of Coach’s video library reveal a preponderance of kickers booting field-goals minus their socks and cleats???!!!
Star light, star bright
First spread I see tonite
Wish I may, wish I might
Win this pick I make tonite!
BTW, TBS ran 24 hours of “A Christmas Story” over the weekend. We only caught 23 hours of it and still need to watch the final 60 minutes that we taped to find out how it ends. No spoilers, please! (BTW, there’s no “I” in “team” because Ralphie shot it out with his Red Ryder [which sounds dangerously close to “Red Raider”! GASP!!!!]).
Vindy’s Best Bowl Bets Part II: Georgia-Central Florida “over” 55 ½, Mississippi State -5 over Michigan, Miami-Ohio -1 over Middle Tennessee State, Kentucky-Pittsburgh “under” 52
Vindicator hopes all his faithful readers had a very Mary Carey Christmas! Pass on Earth, Goodwill Toward Linemen. On top of ‘dat, we extend...Crimson Tidings of Southern Comfort and joy! May all the wide-receivers of your choice drop their balls as we ring in the New Year! Be sure to visit us one more time a few days after completion of the BCS Championship game to check Vindy’s bowl recap and publication of his leftover “hash”!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Vindy's 2010-11 Bowl Predictions: Part I
SECRET ANTI-WEBER WEAPON UNVEILED
SAN FRANCISCO, California (MSNBC)...Local FBI Analysis of evidence taken during a recent national sweep related to the early-summer uncovering of the deep-cover mission established by Russian spies coincidentally revealed an undercover plot of another kind. A doll recovered from the home of the Vegas Vindicator was determined to be a limited-series Barbie Video Girl, previously-thought to be available only to law-enforcement agencies. It turns out that the doll was actually being used by Las Vegas sportsbooks to monitor and pre-empt the fab forecaster’s prediction processes and to get insider information before his picks were even published each week. The devious subversion would help explain Vindicator’s wagering struggles this season. The Weber Kid told authorities that while he thought the doll, received as a “comp” from an undisclosed casino, was odd, given that other gamblers often received free meals, hotel room stays and 2-for-1buffets; he was “grateful for having something tangible” to show for his efforts!
Having cleansed our residence of all possible unwanted surveillance instruments named Babushka Barbie, Comrade Ken and Stalingrad Skip, we feel comfortable in releasing....
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL PREDICTIONS
(AP rankings; lines of December 16, over/under totals in parentheses)
DEC.18
NEW MEXICO (@ Albuquerque, N.M.):
Brigham Young over Texas-El Paso giving 11 ½ (50): Mormons finished with five conference wins, which woulda’ been six had Utah not blocked the game-winning FG. Cougars have gone 3-2 SU/ATS in past five bowls, but faced PAC-10 teams in all of those. BYU’s 1-3 ATS non-conference record is reflective of early-season issues that have been corrected and BYU has to be happy playing the post-season somewhere other than Sin City for the first time in 6 years (hmmm...maybe that was the plan all along!). UTEP is in its first bowl since 2005 and did beat C-USA champ SMU in early November, but lost at home to bottom-feeder Tulane and were 1-4 away from home. Miners do have a lot of seniors on offense and despite a rebuilt defense, yielded a reasonable 25.4 points per game ...BYU 31 UTEP 13
UDROVE HUMANITARIAN (@ Boise, ID):
Northern Illinois over Fresno State giving 1 ½ (59): Huskies are off disappointing loss in MAC title game after bull-dozing its way through conference play. Dogs are also under an interim coach after Jerry Kill bolted for Minnesota. NIU defense is solid, allowing only 19 points per game and 3 of 4 opponents who scored at least 26 left the building with victories. Fresno went 8-4 SU this season, but most of their big wins came at home and they lost badly in three of four defeats. FSU will play its 10th post-season tilt in last 11 seasons, have more experience, more depth, a more-experienced coach and lost by just 1at Reno. Marc Lawrence’s Playbook.Com notes the team getting points in Fresno’s last nine post-season matches has won the bowl outright. Fresno just suspended its second-leading tackler. That will benefit NIU’s powerful offense. We’ll buck the trend...NIU35 Fresno 21
R&L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS (@ N’awlins, Weeziana):
Ohio over Troy taking 2 ½ (57): Trojans got a piece of the Fun Belt championship but are definitely not as stout as they had been, going just 4-8 against the line, breaking a four-year string of winning spread records. Troy beat Bowling Green in non-conference play early and did lose by just a FG at Oklahoma State, but were later crushed at South Carolina. Bobblecats won 8 games, went 7-4 ATS and blew a chance to play for the MAC title when they got surprisingly smoked at Kent State. Including loss at Ohio State, OU lost just 2 of 6 games away from Athens. Trojans playing 5th bowl in seven years and lost by 3 last year to Central Michigan with a better squad. ‘Cats should run fairly well vs. Troy, who’s in the bottom-third nationally in run defense. Trojans will air it out..Ohio 31 Troy 24
DEC. 21
BEEF O’ BRADY’S (@ St. Petersburg, FL):
Southern Miss over Louisville taking 3 (57): Cardinals returning to the bowl season for first time since 2006 and went 3-1 ATS this year as chalk. Best victory came at home over Big Least title-holder Connecticut, but Louisville staggered to losses in three of five following that game to close out the regular season. Once a strength for Southern Miss, Golden Eagles scoring D gave up 41 or more to three of last five foes, but scored less than 31 just twice en route to 8-4 SU overall record. USM could actually be 10-2 but lost two of three games decided by a single point. Louisville is good on defense, limiting all but 4 opponents to less than three touchdowns and beat SoMiss 25-23 in 2009. Cards converted just over 39% on third-down, in part due to being the most-penalized team in the conference (94 flags). Eagles drew nearly as many hankies (92), but converted better than half of their third-downs...Eagles 34 Redbirds 27
DEC. 22
MAACO LAS VEGAS (@ Vegas, Baby!):
#20 Utah over #10 Boise State taking 17 (61): The roof of the Metrodome fell in this past weekend. It probably only felt that way for Boise after the loss to Nevada that derailed a major BCS bowl opportunity. Will Broncos try to re-set the tone for a new start or just play out the string here? Boise’s non-conference wins are obviously well-known (by 3 over Virginia Tech on a neutral site and by 13 at home vs. Oregon State). State hit the scoreboard for 50+ five times in 2010, while the Utes floundered down the stretch. Collectively, these clubs beat 7 of 9 nine opponents going to bowls this year. Utah has been money-making 6-1 ATS in past 7 bowls (now playing in 8th straight post-season). Based on spreads at the time Vindy published his last three years of bowl predictions, double-digit chalk has gone just 6-7 ATS and five of those spread-losers also lost outright. Utes would put PAC-10 on notice with an upset or at least a close loss...’Taters 31 Utes 19
DEC. 23
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA (@ San Diego, CA):
Navy over SAN DIEGO STATE taking 3 ½ (60): LOCK OF DA’ BOWLS. “Home” game for the Aztecs, who took five of six in San Diego this season, but with a naval base nearby, the Middies will have plenty of support in the stands. Ensigns continued the blazing ATS pace by the chalk over the past few weeks, despite letting Army hang around almost long enough to get the cover earlier this month. SDSU boasts an 8-win season and lost by only 3 at Mizzou and again at BYU, as well as recording a 5-point loss at Utah. Second-year coach Brady Hoke has SDSU moving in the right direction, reaching their first post-season since 1998, and took Ball State to bowls in two of his final three years there (Cardinals lost both rather badly however). Middies finished the year on 5-2 ATS run, have won 2 of 3 neutral site games to-date (2-1 ATS) and could register back-to-back ten-win seasons with the victory. Aztecs have seen the option...in 2-point loss to Air Force...but Navy QB Ricky Dobbs can throw it with precision as needed...Navy 27 SDSU 23
DEC. 24
SHERATON HAWAII (@ Honolulu, HI):
Tulsa over #24 HAWAII taking 10 ½ (73): Golden Hurricane just missed a C-USA title game berth courtesy of earlier 3-point loss to SMU in Dallas, but get a trip to paradise for their troubles. The “over” looks like the play here, with Tulsa scoring 41 or more six times and Hawaii doing likewise seven times. The defensive edge goes to the Warriors, who held four teams to 10 or less (though we note those four were lower-tier WAC clubs and I-AA Charleston Southern). Tulsa has typical unimpressive C-USA stop-squad. UH beat the spread 10 of 12 tries, missing covers only in losses to Colorado and Boise. Tulsa stumbled early, dropping of three of first six games SU. Two of three came by total of 5 points, but lost at Oklahoma State by 37. ‘Cane returns to the bowls for 5th time in six years (missing last season) and went 3-1 ATS in the previous four. ‘Bows covered all four chances this year laying double-digits and led the country in passing with more than 5000 yards (only team to put up that many)...Hawaii 44 Tulsa 37
DEC. 26
LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA (@ Detroit, MI)
Toledo over Florida International giving 1 ½ (56): Invoking a Little Caesar’s slogan from years ago, we say...”Pick ‘em, pick ‘em!” Mudhens..er...um... Rockets....looked stranded on the moon early with 41-2 loss to Arizona to open the year and a subsequent 5-point home loss to Wyoming, but would win 5 of final 6 (4-2 ATS) to make first post-season appearance in five years. We tip our helmet to ex-Miami assistant Mario Cristobal for getting his Golden Panthers to their first bowl in school history in just his fourth year as head coach. FIU did not take any of its four non-conference matches, but split them ATS. Rematch of 2009's win by Toledo (41-31). We lean a bit toward the “over” given lotsa’ new faces on defense for International...Spaceships 34 Panthers 24
DEC. 27
ADVOCARE V100 INDEPENDENCE (@ Shreveport, LA):
Air Force over Georgia Tech giving 2 ½ (56): Both teams run some version of the option and points could be at a premium. Pilots got derailed when their starting full-back went down, suffering a three-game skid in mid-season, but USAF finished with three convincing victories over Army, New Mexico and UNLV (3-0 ATS). Bees were disappointing this season, posting lowest number of victories since 2004, and squeaked into the bowls at 6-6 with no signature wins. ‘Jackets not strong play in the bowls, going just 1-4 ATS while losing all five outright since 2005 with better clubs. In its defense, Tech did have an ugly road schedule, losing 4 of 6 and were defeated badly by NC State and Miami at home. Bees allowed just one more point per game, but scored a touchdown less per game. First time as bowl chalk this decade for Air Force, who’ve gone just 1-2 ATS in previous three...Flight Platoon 24 Bugs 20
DEC. 28
CHAMPS SPORTS (@ Orlando, FL):
NC State over #22 West Virginia taking 2 ½ (48 ½): Mounties went 7-3-1 against the number en route to toppling half of the six 2010 season bowl contestants they faced (4-2 ATS). Wolfpack went 8-3 ATS and knocked five of nine going to the post-season this year. State scored a minimum of 27 points in all but one game and plays in 4th straight bowl (winning 3 of ‘em outright). ‘Eers have split the two post-season trips under Coach Stewart, dropping both to the line...NC State 28 WVU 24
INSIGHT (@ Tempe, AZ):
#14 Missouri vs. Iowa (OFF): Prior to being taken off the board due the drug-related arrest of Iowa’s top pass-catcher, the total was 47 and we would have first looked to play the “under”, with the Hawkeyes and the Tigers each keeping six of their opponents, respectively, at 13 or less and 8 of Iowa’s games totaling less than this number, while six of Missouri tallied under 47as well. Mizzou ended the year winning three consecutive games. Birds, on the hand, dropped 4 of their last 6 and nearly went 0-fer-November. Tigers got buried by Navy in 2009 bowl. They did belt Texas A&M 30-9 earlier. Could be a nice QB duel of Blaine Gabbert vs. Ricky Stanzi. Will Iowa show up? We think they will....Iowa 23 Mizzou 17
DEC. 29
MILITARY Presented By NORTHROP GRUMMANN (@ Washington, DC):
Maryland over East Carolina giving 7 (68 ½): Terps compiled 8 outright wins, including finale over then-ranked NC State, but have been all over the board offensively...scoring as few as 7 and as many as 62 (twice!). Maryland won 3 of 6 games outside College Park and got points in five of ‘em. We’ll give a nod to the “over” due to ECU’s porous defense (allowing 42 or more nine...count ‘em nine...times!) and potent offense. Pirates playing sixth straight bowl, but are under first year coach (though he was an assistant at East Carolina before this). The Fridge celebrates an excellent rebound from 2009's 2-10 campaign...Box Turtles 45 ECU 31
TEXAS (@ Houston, TX):
Illinois over Baylor taking 1 ½ (62 ½): Robert Griffin put up the 17th highest passing yardage total (with nice 21-8 TD-to-INT ratio) and Bears got bowl-eligible for first time since 1994, then dropped their final three. While scoring at least 30 in all but 3 games (twice in two of the last three), keeping foes outta’ the end zone was the problem (allowed 42 or better in half a dozen). Illini head coach Ron Zook has been to the post-season four times...and hasn’t pocketed any of ‘em. This is just the second winning season for Zook at Champaign and frankly, he may be gone even if he breaks the bowl skid and wins here. Illini went 7-4 ATS and got the offense running in the second half of the year. Defensively, they allowed 20 ppg (67 in crazy loss to the Wolverines notwithstanding). Baylor toppled just one bowler (K-State in forties shoot-out), but went 4-1 laying considerably more points than this. “Over” might be the way to go...Illini 29 Bears 27
VALERO ALAMO (@ San Antonio, TX):
#16 Oklahoma State over Arizona giving 6 (66): Wildcats did well with a minimal number of returnees on defense this year, holding 4 of first 6 opponents to single-digits. ‘Cats also won all three non-conference games, including victory over Iowa, but injury to Nick Foles put a major crimp in their season and Arizona’s last win came before prior to Halloween. Cowboys boast one of the best offenses in the country and AZ was smoked by the better scoring teams on their schedule (losing by 25 to Stanford, 19 to Oregon). State knocked off six bowlers, all except Texas A&M by this many (8-3-1 ATS overall), and dropped a tough one to Oklahoma. Unless Foles comes back strong... OKSU 38 AZ 24
DEC. 30
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES (@ Ft. Worth, TX):
Southern Methodist over Army giving 7 ½ (52): As noted higher, the Black Knights weren’t blown out by Navy only because of the Ensigns miscues. Army passes were thrown outta’ bounds or dropped and the kicking game was deserving of friendly fire. Fourth neutral site tilt on the year for Army (0-3 SU/1-2 ATS). SMU needs to keep the Cadets at or below 18 (West Pointers rung up 20 or more each game, except final two, which totaled 20 point output). Second bowl for the Ponies in three years under June Jones (blasting a pretty good Reno squad 45-10 last season) and SMU could record back-to-back eight-win years with the victory. Mustangs stop the run fairly well at 141 ypg and have seen Navy’s similar offense...SMU 27 Not Quite in Cadence 17
NEW ERA PINSTRIPE (@ NEW YORK, NY)
Kansas State over Syracuse (PK)(47 ½): We like the “under” in this Yankee Stadium skirmish and “Era” could in fact be an acronym for “earned run average”-like points. Syracuse, in the first half of 2010, looked like they might have a special season, winning five of seven to open, including road victories at Akron, South Florida and West Virginia. But two of those wins were over FCS teams and a mid-November win came against ready-to-quit Rutgers. K-State stumbled into the post-season, falling in four of final six. One of the wins came via 49-41 trackmeet at Fun Belt’s North Texas. ‘Cuse ended up 2nd in most defensive categories in the Big Least, but 6th or 7th in nearly all offensive stats. KSU gets the edge in strength-of-schedule and bowl-coaching experience. Orange are young at the skills and Doug Marrone has not led a team in the post-season...Kansas State 27 Orange 13
MUSIC CITY (@ Nashville, TN):
Tennessee over North Carolina taking 2 (50 ½): Vols started by often finishing in the teens on the scoreboard en route to early 1-4-1 spread record, but closed out the schedule with four consecutive victories (3 vs. SEC clubs) and five ATS wins in a row, posting a half-century or more in two of last three. Tarheels were under siege by the NCAA much of the year and were inconsistent. Rocky Top won 3 of 5 away from home (covering 4, either as a DD dog or laying big points), but are in 4th bowl in five seasons under third coach. Which Carolina team shows up? The one that beat Florida State in Tallahassee or the one that edged I-AA William & Mary and Duke by 4 and 5, respectively? We expect the latter...Tennessee 19 UNC 17
BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY (@ San Diego, CA):
#17 Nebraska over Washington giving 13 ½ (53): Rare redux of a regular season melee. No dis to UDUB coach Steve Sarkisian, but Bo Pelini has better talent to put on the field and has done a better job getting something out of them. Huskies do have some momentum, ending the schedule with a hat-trick after a three-game pounding by Arizona, Stanford and the Ducks...to the average tune of 46-10. Big Dread wilted down the stretch, but still fell just three-points short of a BCS berth. Corn Cobs have won the money in three of prior four years (with 3 decided by 5or fewer), including 33-0 whitewash of Arizona in this same venue in 2009. Extra time to heal will be good for Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez. Can’t see Washington closing the gap that quickly from September’s 56-21 loss to NU...Children of the Corn 42 Seattle’s Best 20
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, your violated Vindicator has since circled the wagons and now uses the services of his GI Joe, Cabbage Patch Kid, Buzz Lightyear, Action Jackson (raise yer hand if yer old enuff to remember Action Jackson!) and a sock monkey to form an impenetrable wall around himself and his in-progress picks to obstruct the bookie’s view!
Speaking of walls, Vindy went to the sportsbook-in-question and took a page from possibly-ex-Jets-assisant-coach Sal Alosi, asking several other sports gamblers to stand in a certain spot, forcing a bookie to run around them while Weber stuck out his knee to trip him!!
The Military Bowl this year does not feature any of the usual academies and all three are enjoying post-season outings. But hey...pirates are evil, para-military navy-like groups, right???!!! Close enough.
In June, Nebraska’s top wide-out Niles Paul was charged with possession by a minor and publicly takin’ a leak. The alcohol issue was unknown until a flash of light exposed the bottle in his hand as he urinated on an electric cattle-fence!
Before the ball drops on Times Square, we note that 2010 is the 50th anniversary of The Flintstones. To that end, we simply quip, “Yabba-dabba-Duke!” (BTW, Dino was a Tarheels fan!). Hmmm...Fred & Wilma & Barney & Betty....wasn’t that a movie in the 60's? Oh wait...that was Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice!)
Miley Cyrus was caught hittin’ the bong recently. Apparently, Hannah Montana is not only a pop star...she’s a candidate for the women’s Olympic swim team!
Vindy’s 2010 Bowl Season Best Bets (thru 12/30): Season: 28-32-1 (.467)
HAWAII-Tulsa over 73, Illinois +1 ½ over Baylor, Tennessee-North Carolina under 50 ½
Come on back in about a week as we offer picks on the rest of the bowls, more best bets and better “hash” (we promise!).
SAN FRANCISCO, California (MSNBC)...Local FBI Analysis of evidence taken during a recent national sweep related to the early-summer uncovering of the deep-cover mission established by Russian spies coincidentally revealed an undercover plot of another kind. A doll recovered from the home of the Vegas Vindicator was determined to be a limited-series Barbie Video Girl, previously-thought to be available only to law-enforcement agencies. It turns out that the doll was actually being used by Las Vegas sportsbooks to monitor and pre-empt the fab forecaster’s prediction processes and to get insider information before his picks were even published each week. The devious subversion would help explain Vindicator’s wagering struggles this season. The Weber Kid told authorities that while he thought the doll, received as a “comp” from an undisclosed casino, was odd, given that other gamblers often received free meals, hotel room stays and 2-for-1buffets; he was “grateful for having something tangible” to show for his efforts!
Having cleansed our residence of all possible unwanted surveillance instruments named Babushka Barbie, Comrade Ken and Stalingrad Skip, we feel comfortable in releasing....
THE WEBER KID’S 2010-11 BOWL PREDICTIONS
(AP rankings; lines of December 16, over/under totals in parentheses)
DEC.18
NEW MEXICO (@ Albuquerque, N.M.):
Brigham Young over Texas-El Paso giving 11 ½ (50): Mormons finished with five conference wins, which woulda’ been six had Utah not blocked the game-winning FG. Cougars have gone 3-2 SU/ATS in past five bowls, but faced PAC-10 teams in all of those. BYU’s 1-3 ATS non-conference record is reflective of early-season issues that have been corrected and BYU has to be happy playing the post-season somewhere other than Sin City for the first time in 6 years (hmmm...maybe that was the plan all along!). UTEP is in its first bowl since 2005 and did beat C-USA champ SMU in early November, but lost at home to bottom-feeder Tulane and were 1-4 away from home. Miners do have a lot of seniors on offense and despite a rebuilt defense, yielded a reasonable 25.4 points per game ...BYU 31 UTEP 13
UDROVE HUMANITARIAN (@ Boise, ID):
Northern Illinois over Fresno State giving 1 ½ (59): Huskies are off disappointing loss in MAC title game after bull-dozing its way through conference play. Dogs are also under an interim coach after Jerry Kill bolted for Minnesota. NIU defense is solid, allowing only 19 points per game and 3 of 4 opponents who scored at least 26 left the building with victories. Fresno went 8-4 SU this season, but most of their big wins came at home and they lost badly in three of four defeats. FSU will play its 10th post-season tilt in last 11 seasons, have more experience, more depth, a more-experienced coach and lost by just 1at Reno. Marc Lawrence’s Playbook.Com notes the team getting points in Fresno’s last nine post-season matches has won the bowl outright. Fresno just suspended its second-leading tackler. That will benefit NIU’s powerful offense. We’ll buck the trend...NIU35 Fresno 21
R&L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS (@ N’awlins, Weeziana):
Ohio over Troy taking 2 ½ (57): Trojans got a piece of the Fun Belt championship but are definitely not as stout as they had been, going just 4-8 against the line, breaking a four-year string of winning spread records. Troy beat Bowling Green in non-conference play early and did lose by just a FG at Oklahoma State, but were later crushed at South Carolina. Bobblecats won 8 games, went 7-4 ATS and blew a chance to play for the MAC title when they got surprisingly smoked at Kent State. Including loss at Ohio State, OU lost just 2 of 6 games away from Athens. Trojans playing 5th bowl in seven years and lost by 3 last year to Central Michigan with a better squad. ‘Cats should run fairly well vs. Troy, who’s in the bottom-third nationally in run defense. Trojans will air it out..Ohio 31 Troy 24
DEC. 21
BEEF O’ BRADY’S (@ St. Petersburg, FL):
Southern Miss over Louisville taking 3 (57): Cardinals returning to the bowl season for first time since 2006 and went 3-1 ATS this year as chalk. Best victory came at home over Big Least title-holder Connecticut, but Louisville staggered to losses in three of five following that game to close out the regular season. Once a strength for Southern Miss, Golden Eagles scoring D gave up 41 or more to three of last five foes, but scored less than 31 just twice en route to 8-4 SU overall record. USM could actually be 10-2 but lost two of three games decided by a single point. Louisville is good on defense, limiting all but 4 opponents to less than three touchdowns and beat SoMiss 25-23 in 2009. Cards converted just over 39% on third-down, in part due to being the most-penalized team in the conference (94 flags). Eagles drew nearly as many hankies (92), but converted better than half of their third-downs...Eagles 34 Redbirds 27
DEC. 22
MAACO LAS VEGAS (@ Vegas, Baby!):
#20 Utah over #10 Boise State taking 17 (61): The roof of the Metrodome fell in this past weekend. It probably only felt that way for Boise after the loss to Nevada that derailed a major BCS bowl opportunity. Will Broncos try to re-set the tone for a new start or just play out the string here? Boise’s non-conference wins are obviously well-known (by 3 over Virginia Tech on a neutral site and by 13 at home vs. Oregon State). State hit the scoreboard for 50+ five times in 2010, while the Utes floundered down the stretch. Collectively, these clubs beat 7 of 9 nine opponents going to bowls this year. Utah has been money-making 6-1 ATS in past 7 bowls (now playing in 8th straight post-season). Based on spreads at the time Vindy published his last three years of bowl predictions, double-digit chalk has gone just 6-7 ATS and five of those spread-losers also lost outright. Utes would put PAC-10 on notice with an upset or at least a close loss...’Taters 31 Utes 19
DEC. 23
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA (@ San Diego, CA):
Navy over SAN DIEGO STATE taking 3 ½ (60): LOCK OF DA’ BOWLS. “Home” game for the Aztecs, who took five of six in San Diego this season, but with a naval base nearby, the Middies will have plenty of support in the stands. Ensigns continued the blazing ATS pace by the chalk over the past few weeks, despite letting Army hang around almost long enough to get the cover earlier this month. SDSU boasts an 8-win season and lost by only 3 at Mizzou and again at BYU, as well as recording a 5-point loss at Utah. Second-year coach Brady Hoke has SDSU moving in the right direction, reaching their first post-season since 1998, and took Ball State to bowls in two of his final three years there (Cardinals lost both rather badly however). Middies finished the year on 5-2 ATS run, have won 2 of 3 neutral site games to-date (2-1 ATS) and could register back-to-back ten-win seasons with the victory. Aztecs have seen the option...in 2-point loss to Air Force...but Navy QB Ricky Dobbs can throw it with precision as needed...Navy 27 SDSU 23
DEC. 24
SHERATON HAWAII (@ Honolulu, HI):
Tulsa over #24 HAWAII taking 10 ½ (73): Golden Hurricane just missed a C-USA title game berth courtesy of earlier 3-point loss to SMU in Dallas, but get a trip to paradise for their troubles. The “over” looks like the play here, with Tulsa scoring 41 or more six times and Hawaii doing likewise seven times. The defensive edge goes to the Warriors, who held four teams to 10 or less (though we note those four were lower-tier WAC clubs and I-AA Charleston Southern). Tulsa has typical unimpressive C-USA stop-squad. UH beat the spread 10 of 12 tries, missing covers only in losses to Colorado and Boise. Tulsa stumbled early, dropping of three of first six games SU. Two of three came by total of 5 points, but lost at Oklahoma State by 37. ‘Cane returns to the bowls for 5th time in six years (missing last season) and went 3-1 ATS in the previous four. ‘Bows covered all four chances this year laying double-digits and led the country in passing with more than 5000 yards (only team to put up that many)...Hawaii 44 Tulsa 37
DEC. 26
LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA (@ Detroit, MI)
Toledo over Florida International giving 1 ½ (56): Invoking a Little Caesar’s slogan from years ago, we say...”Pick ‘em, pick ‘em!” Mudhens..er...um... Rockets....looked stranded on the moon early with 41-2 loss to Arizona to open the year and a subsequent 5-point home loss to Wyoming, but would win 5 of final 6 (4-2 ATS) to make first post-season appearance in five years. We tip our helmet to ex-Miami assistant Mario Cristobal for getting his Golden Panthers to their first bowl in school history in just his fourth year as head coach. FIU did not take any of its four non-conference matches, but split them ATS. Rematch of 2009's win by Toledo (41-31). We lean a bit toward the “over” given lotsa’ new faces on defense for International...Spaceships 34 Panthers 24
DEC. 27
ADVOCARE V100 INDEPENDENCE (@ Shreveport, LA):
Air Force over Georgia Tech giving 2 ½ (56): Both teams run some version of the option and points could be at a premium. Pilots got derailed when their starting full-back went down, suffering a three-game skid in mid-season, but USAF finished with three convincing victories over Army, New Mexico and UNLV (3-0 ATS). Bees were disappointing this season, posting lowest number of victories since 2004, and squeaked into the bowls at 6-6 with no signature wins. ‘Jackets not strong play in the bowls, going just 1-4 ATS while losing all five outright since 2005 with better clubs. In its defense, Tech did have an ugly road schedule, losing 4 of 6 and were defeated badly by NC State and Miami at home. Bees allowed just one more point per game, but scored a touchdown less per game. First time as bowl chalk this decade for Air Force, who’ve gone just 1-2 ATS in previous three...Flight Platoon 24 Bugs 20
DEC. 28
CHAMPS SPORTS (@ Orlando, FL):
NC State over #22 West Virginia taking 2 ½ (48 ½): Mounties went 7-3-1 against the number en route to toppling half of the six 2010 season bowl contestants they faced (4-2 ATS). Wolfpack went 8-3 ATS and knocked five of nine going to the post-season this year. State scored a minimum of 27 points in all but one game and plays in 4th straight bowl (winning 3 of ‘em outright). ‘Eers have split the two post-season trips under Coach Stewart, dropping both to the line...NC State 28 WVU 24
INSIGHT (@ Tempe, AZ):
#14 Missouri vs. Iowa (OFF): Prior to being taken off the board due the drug-related arrest of Iowa’s top pass-catcher, the total was 47 and we would have first looked to play the “under”, with the Hawkeyes and the Tigers each keeping six of their opponents, respectively, at 13 or less and 8 of Iowa’s games totaling less than this number, while six of Missouri tallied under 47as well. Mizzou ended the year winning three consecutive games. Birds, on the hand, dropped 4 of their last 6 and nearly went 0-fer-November. Tigers got buried by Navy in 2009 bowl. They did belt Texas A&M 30-9 earlier. Could be a nice QB duel of Blaine Gabbert vs. Ricky Stanzi. Will Iowa show up? We think they will....Iowa 23 Mizzou 17
DEC. 29
MILITARY Presented By NORTHROP GRUMMANN (@ Washington, DC):
Maryland over East Carolina giving 7 (68 ½): Terps compiled 8 outright wins, including finale over then-ranked NC State, but have been all over the board offensively...scoring as few as 7 and as many as 62 (twice!). Maryland won 3 of 6 games outside College Park and got points in five of ‘em. We’ll give a nod to the “over” due to ECU’s porous defense (allowing 42 or more nine...count ‘em nine...times!) and potent offense. Pirates playing sixth straight bowl, but are under first year coach (though he was an assistant at East Carolina before this). The Fridge celebrates an excellent rebound from 2009's 2-10 campaign...Box Turtles 45 ECU 31
TEXAS (@ Houston, TX):
Illinois over Baylor taking 1 ½ (62 ½): Robert Griffin put up the 17th highest passing yardage total (with nice 21-8 TD-to-INT ratio) and Bears got bowl-eligible for first time since 1994, then dropped their final three. While scoring at least 30 in all but 3 games (twice in two of the last three), keeping foes outta’ the end zone was the problem (allowed 42 or better in half a dozen). Illini head coach Ron Zook has been to the post-season four times...and hasn’t pocketed any of ‘em. This is just the second winning season for Zook at Champaign and frankly, he may be gone even if he breaks the bowl skid and wins here. Illini went 7-4 ATS and got the offense running in the second half of the year. Defensively, they allowed 20 ppg (67 in crazy loss to the Wolverines notwithstanding). Baylor toppled just one bowler (K-State in forties shoot-out), but went 4-1 laying considerably more points than this. “Over” might be the way to go...Illini 29 Bears 27
VALERO ALAMO (@ San Antonio, TX):
#16 Oklahoma State over Arizona giving 6 (66): Wildcats did well with a minimal number of returnees on defense this year, holding 4 of first 6 opponents to single-digits. ‘Cats also won all three non-conference games, including victory over Iowa, but injury to Nick Foles put a major crimp in their season and Arizona’s last win came before prior to Halloween. Cowboys boast one of the best offenses in the country and AZ was smoked by the better scoring teams on their schedule (losing by 25 to Stanford, 19 to Oregon). State knocked off six bowlers, all except Texas A&M by this many (8-3-1 ATS overall), and dropped a tough one to Oklahoma. Unless Foles comes back strong... OKSU 38 AZ 24
DEC. 30
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES (@ Ft. Worth, TX):
Southern Methodist over Army giving 7 ½ (52): As noted higher, the Black Knights weren’t blown out by Navy only because of the Ensigns miscues. Army passes were thrown outta’ bounds or dropped and the kicking game was deserving of friendly fire. Fourth neutral site tilt on the year for Army (0-3 SU/1-2 ATS). SMU needs to keep the Cadets at or below 18 (West Pointers rung up 20 or more each game, except final two, which totaled 20 point output). Second bowl for the Ponies in three years under June Jones (blasting a pretty good Reno squad 45-10 last season) and SMU could record back-to-back eight-win years with the victory. Mustangs stop the run fairly well at 141 ypg and have seen Navy’s similar offense...SMU 27 Not Quite in Cadence 17
NEW ERA PINSTRIPE (@ NEW YORK, NY)
Kansas State over Syracuse (PK)(47 ½): We like the “under” in this Yankee Stadium skirmish and “Era” could in fact be an acronym for “earned run average”-like points. Syracuse, in the first half of 2010, looked like they might have a special season, winning five of seven to open, including road victories at Akron, South Florida and West Virginia. But two of those wins were over FCS teams and a mid-November win came against ready-to-quit Rutgers. K-State stumbled into the post-season, falling in four of final six. One of the wins came via 49-41 trackmeet at Fun Belt’s North Texas. ‘Cuse ended up 2nd in most defensive categories in the Big Least, but 6th or 7th in nearly all offensive stats. KSU gets the edge in strength-of-schedule and bowl-coaching experience. Orange are young at the skills and Doug Marrone has not led a team in the post-season...Kansas State 27 Orange 13
MUSIC CITY (@ Nashville, TN):
Tennessee over North Carolina taking 2 (50 ½): Vols started by often finishing in the teens on the scoreboard en route to early 1-4-1 spread record, but closed out the schedule with four consecutive victories (3 vs. SEC clubs) and five ATS wins in a row, posting a half-century or more in two of last three. Tarheels were under siege by the NCAA much of the year and were inconsistent. Rocky Top won 3 of 5 away from home (covering 4, either as a DD dog or laying big points), but are in 4th bowl in five seasons under third coach. Which Carolina team shows up? The one that beat Florida State in Tallahassee or the one that edged I-AA William & Mary and Duke by 4 and 5, respectively? We expect the latter...Tennessee 19 UNC 17
BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY (@ San Diego, CA):
#17 Nebraska over Washington giving 13 ½ (53): Rare redux of a regular season melee. No dis to UDUB coach Steve Sarkisian, but Bo Pelini has better talent to put on the field and has done a better job getting something out of them. Huskies do have some momentum, ending the schedule with a hat-trick after a three-game pounding by Arizona, Stanford and the Ducks...to the average tune of 46-10. Big Dread wilted down the stretch, but still fell just three-points short of a BCS berth. Corn Cobs have won the money in three of prior four years (with 3 decided by 5or fewer), including 33-0 whitewash of Arizona in this same venue in 2009. Extra time to heal will be good for Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez. Can’t see Washington closing the gap that quickly from September’s 56-21 loss to NU...Children of the Corn 42 Seattle’s Best 20
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, your violated Vindicator has since circled the wagons and now uses the services of his GI Joe, Cabbage Patch Kid, Buzz Lightyear, Action Jackson (raise yer hand if yer old enuff to remember Action Jackson!) and a sock monkey to form an impenetrable wall around himself and his in-progress picks to obstruct the bookie’s view!
Speaking of walls, Vindy went to the sportsbook-in-question and took a page from possibly-ex-Jets-assisant-coach Sal Alosi, asking several other sports gamblers to stand in a certain spot, forcing a bookie to run around them while Weber stuck out his knee to trip him!!
The Military Bowl this year does not feature any of the usual academies and all three are enjoying post-season outings. But hey...pirates are evil, para-military navy-like groups, right???!!! Close enough.
In June, Nebraska’s top wide-out Niles Paul was charged with possession by a minor and publicly takin’ a leak. The alcohol issue was unknown until a flash of light exposed the bottle in his hand as he urinated on an electric cattle-fence!
Before the ball drops on Times Square, we note that 2010 is the 50th anniversary of The Flintstones. To that end, we simply quip, “Yabba-dabba-Duke!” (BTW, Dino was a Tarheels fan!). Hmmm...Fred & Wilma & Barney & Betty....wasn’t that a movie in the 60's? Oh wait...that was Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice!)
Miley Cyrus was caught hittin’ the bong recently. Apparently, Hannah Montana is not only a pop star...she’s a candidate for the women’s Olympic swim team!
Vindy’s 2010 Bowl Season Best Bets (thru 12/30): Season: 28-32-1 (.467)
HAWAII-Tulsa over 73, Illinois +1 ½ over Baylor, Tennessee-North Carolina under 50 ½
Come on back in about a week as we offer picks on the rest of the bowls, more best bets and better “hash” (we promise!).
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Vindy's Picks Army-Navy 2010
Navy over Army giving 7: Nice to know that both the Middies and the Cadets are off to bowls following this one this year. First post-season game for Army since ‘96. Have to figure a plus-11 turnover ratio had something to do with it. Soldiers were plus-five last season and in the red in 2008. West-Pointers have six straight-up victories, including victories over I-AA VMI, as well as against Tulane and Eastern Michigan, both on the road, but the best win perhaps came by two touchdowns at Duke, who beat Navy. Black Knights also lost by three at the base camp to now-ranked Hawaii. Middies have certainly been the money play in this series, covering 10 of the past 13 years, battering the Soldiers in most seasons, but won just 17-3 in 2009 as 16-point chalk. Army’s last outright triumph over the Sailors came in 2001. Army losses in 2010 campaign have been by double-digits, including 20 to Air Force and 24 to Notre Dame squad on a neutral site trying to make a bowl. Navy 1-1 SU/ATS in neutral site tilts on the year, belting the aforementioned Leprechauns 35-17 at the Meadowlands and losing 17-14 to open 2010 after being stopped on 4th-and-goal in a game we saw vs. Maryland with about a minute left to play. Ensigns have 9 SU wins, but are 6 points away from 11. Oddly, the Middies seem a bit off from last year and maybe aren’t quite as good as their record? Rush defense comparison is pretty-much a wash, but Army gets the advantage stopping the pass (allowed 18 passing scores and less than 142 ypg, with 12 INT) over the Midshipmen (18 pass TDs and 228 ypg allowed, with 8 picks) and as one might expect from a pair of highly-disciplined squads, Navy and Army are the second- and third-least penalized teams in the country (39 and 47 [one fewer than the Nitwit Lions]) total flags, respectively [behind Wisconsin’s 35]). Neither club could get past Air Force, with Army losing by 20 at home and Navy losing by 8 in Colorado, but Middies have dropped just one game since that defeat (the aforementioned 3-point loss at Duke). Annapolis, disregarding 76-point Wisconsin-like outing at East Carolina, is averaging just over 25 ppg...down 3 ppg from 2009. Win-loss records of Army’s victims total 20-51. Records for the Middies losing opponents...44-48, including 3 with winning records and three bowlers. We salute the Cadets for their progress, but we don’t think they’ve caught-up quite this much. If Sarah Palin gave a pre-game pep talk to the troops, would it include the phrase, “Drill Sergeant, Baby! Drill Sergeant!”????...Rear Fleet 23 Ground-Pounders 12
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSDisgusted early in the second-half with South Carolina’s poor tackling, especially on 3rd-and-long and with the Poultry’s Stephen Garcia just missing wide-open receivers, we tuned into ABC Family to watch Harry Potter and the Chambermaid of Victoria’s Secrets!
A high school running back was flagged last week for unsportsmanlike conduct when he dropped to one knee and pointed skyward following his touchdown scamper. Funny...the official who tossed that hankie has been mysteriously triggering extra pat-downs by airport security, Wal-Mart loss-prevention personnel and baggers as he comes and goes through local grocery stores scanners! Coincidence? You decide!
Depending on whether ya had certain games as wins or ties for the chalk, a 7-3 finish for the favorites (again, potentially 5-3-2) led to a 5-5 Championship Week for your pooped prognosticator (119-124-3, .489; well off last year’s 140–118-2, .542).
UCF(-9 over SMU) didn’t impress, but did bring home Vindicator’s lock pick in a 17-7victory, evening the record at 7-7 (.500...a notch or two better than 2009's 5-9, 357).
Similarly, UConn (+1 ½) won outright by 3 over USF in Weber’s only “best bet” call of the championship weekend, lifting that tally to 28-32-1 (.467...close to last season’s 27-31, 465).
Vindy will return in a little over a week with the first installment of this season’s bowl predictions, but not before taking a breather to visit his fave holiday toy store...Build-A-Beer! Stay tuned!
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSDisgusted early in the second-half with South Carolina’s poor tackling, especially on 3rd-and-long and with the Poultry’s Stephen Garcia just missing wide-open receivers, we tuned into ABC Family to watch Harry Potter and the Chambermaid of Victoria’s Secrets!
A high school running back was flagged last week for unsportsmanlike conduct when he dropped to one knee and pointed skyward following his touchdown scamper. Funny...the official who tossed that hankie has been mysteriously triggering extra pat-downs by airport security, Wal-Mart loss-prevention personnel and baggers as he comes and goes through local grocery stores scanners! Coincidence? You decide!
Depending on whether ya had certain games as wins or ties for the chalk, a 7-3 finish for the favorites (again, potentially 5-3-2) led to a 5-5 Championship Week for your pooped prognosticator (119-124-3, .489; well off last year’s 140–118-2, .542).
UCF(-9 over SMU) didn’t impress, but did bring home Vindicator’s lock pick in a 17-7victory, evening the record at 7-7 (.500...a notch or two better than 2009's 5-9, 357).
Similarly, UConn (+1 ½) won outright by 3 over USF in Weber’s only “best bet” call of the championship weekend, lifting that tally to 28-32-1 (.467...close to last season’s 27-31, 465).
Vindy will return in a little over a week with the first installment of this season’s bowl predictions, but not before taking a breather to visit his fave holiday toy store...Build-A-Beer! Stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Vindy's Picks Championship Week 2010
PICKS IMPACT RELEASED DOCS
WASHINGTON, District of Columbia (ITAR-Tass)...Long a thorn in the sides of various world agencies, WikiLeaks released sensitive, previously-classified diplomatic cables this week. Those cables were part of a “huge encrypted ‘insurance’ file” on the company’s website following last summer’s demands that thousands of secret documents be returned to the U.S. government. But even as American officials tried to prepare other nations in advance of the release, Vindy’s Picks were about to cast serious shadows on international relations across the globe. The cables show U.S. diplomats lambasting other leaders for wagering with the infamous forecasts and Saudi Arabia encouraging Washington to “cut the head off the snake”...in other words, the Saudis wanted the disbanding of the BCS. Some documents even reveal the use of team names from the picks to indicate success (“Gamehens”) or failure (“Buckeyes” and “Red Raiders”) of military operations! The documents also implicate U.S. diplomats in low-level spying, such as garnering credit card information about other dignitaries or videotaping a 49ers practice session in London.
The favorites continued their torrid ATS charge (now 24-11-1) as Vindy floundered to 9-11 (114-119-3, 489) for the last full week of the regular season.
The South Koreans have blamed North Korea for the sinking of Vindy’s Week 13 picks and have elected to conduct joint-betting exercises with the United States. As a result, China is now jittery over the off-shore presence of...
THE WEBER KID’S 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK FORECAST
(Featuring more high-wire acts than the new Spidey musical!)
FRI. DEC. 3
MAC Championship @ Detroit, MI
#24 Northern Illinois over Miami-Ohio giving 17: Redhawks are here because the Bobblecats of Ohio shockingly lost by 22 to Kent State. After dropping a match to Iowa State to open the year, Huskies lost just one other tilt in a respectable 6-point defeat at Illinois, then manhandled everybody else (except Western Michigan, whom it beat by 6), including Minnesota. Hats off to NIU coach Jerry Kill for leading his squad to 10 wins (which could well be an even dozen by the end of bowl season) after going just 13-13 in his first two years at the helm. We applaud Miami-O as well on its current 8-4 record after putting a lone game in the “W” column in 2009. Birds have gone 5-1 SU/4-2 ATS recently. Dogs have scored an average of 65 points per game over their last three games. Miami lost 27-22 to last season’s 7-6 Northern Illinois team...NIU 44 Miami-Ohio 24
SAT. DEC. 4
OREGON STATE over #1 Oregon taking 16 ½: We hope the Beavers 38-Zippo fall to Stanford had more to do with lousy ball security (5 turnovers) than with concession of the season. State can still bowl with a victory here. OSU has been a Virginia-like enigma....beating Cal and USC, yet losing to UCLA and Wazzou. Beavers have won four of five home games (3-2 ATS), while the Drakes are perfect 5-0 (2-3 ATS) off the Pond. State does own two outright victories as dogs and cashed tickets in 8 of last 11 vs. the Mallards in Corvallis. For the Quack Attack, it’s just win and play for the national crown. Can Beavers guard against Ducks’ usual second-half explosion? If it’s close late, would State cede in order to allow a PAC-10 rival to play for the biggest bucks to draw its conference share of those dollars? Naaaaaahhhhh!...Ducks 33 Beavers 20
SEC Championship @ Atlanta, GA
#18 South Carolina over #2 Auburn taking 4 ½: Rematch of late September game, won 35-27 by the Tigers. Tigers have had some close calls...last week’s all-but-death-knell vs. ‘Bama included! We thank Auburn for that miracle comeback from an early 24-point hole, which kept Vindicator from an O-fer-Friday! With RB Lattimore being neutralized by Clemson, Chargin’ Chickens proved Stephen Garcia can use his arm to make it happen. Garcia’s hurt, but expected to suit-up. Last four conference titles have alternated between East and West, with the fave winning 3, covering two and pushing one of ‘em. The smallest margin in Auburn’s recent five-game ATS win streak has been 7... KFC 27 Auburn 24
Utah State over #9 BOISE STATE taking 39 ½ : Faster than you can say, “wide right” (twice!), BSU went from BCS-buster to lower-tier bowl in its own stadium or nearby. Closest Boise has come to this situation, losing a perfect season and possible title shot, this late in the year was 12-point defeat to close out 2007 regular season. Broncos then lost by 3 in a bowl game to ECU. Aggies return to the forecast for first time since scarin’ da’ bejeezus outta’ the Sooners in Norman in Week One. Broncos have covered this one the past five years, but have won by this many only in 2007's 52-0 romp, taking the other four by about 32 ppg. Senior-laden USU was off last weekend, following 22-point home loss to Idaho that followed wins over NMSU and San Josie after a 14-point loss at Reno...BSU 51 USU 13
Big 12 Championship @ Arlington, TX
#13 Nebraska over #10 Oklahoma taking 3 ½: Huskers mopped up Colorado behind the second-string QB. Despite winning a close one over Oklahoma State, Sooners’ O sputtered three times in the red zone in the 4th Quarter, leading to a trey of chip-shot FGs that allowed State to hang around. Back-to-back appearances in the Big 12 title game now for Big Red, who’s looking for its first title victory in that time (losing 13-12 to Texas in ‘09). Sooners 1-1 on neutral turf this season and lost to Nebraska 10-3 last year in Lincoln. Sooners on 3-0 spread run (2-0 on the road). Children of the Corn and Oklahoma have common losses to Texas A&M, but Nebraska defeated Mizzou and Okie State...the two teams to whom Oklahoma lost...NU 24 Oklahoma 20
ACC Championship @ Charlotte, NC
#12 Virginia Tech over #20 Florida State giving 4: We underestimated the mission Tech was on last week. We won’t do that again. Hokies in midst of 7th straight season of double-digit SU wins. Injuns could notch their first since 2002 with the victory. State holds a 2-1 SU/ATS edge in past three games vs. the Hokies, winning 30-20 in 2008, and are here because NC State collapsed vs. Maryland. Gators ran for almost 5 yards per carry vs. FSU, but still got blasted... VT 29 FSU 21
LOUISIANA TECH over #14 Nevada taking 10: Best guess for “wish I had it back”. Drop in the line toward the Bulldogs speaks to expected letdown for Wolfpack in wake of emotional roller-coaster 4th quarter and OT that unseated Boise. Tech’s four home games have resulted in 3 losses by 14, 1 and 6 around a 13-point win. Bulldogs did score 20 on Boise and has a lot of seniors, who’ve seen LT cover the past three in this series...UNR 34 LT 27
Rutgers over #23 WEST VIRGINIA taking 20: Mounties steam-rolled Pitt to put themselves in position to win the Big Least, but still need a loss by UConn at South Florida (and a win here) to secure it. We cashed a ticket in Week 13 courtesy of the Knights rolling over against Louisville. Rutgers is listless 2-7-1 ATS on the year, but actually beat UConn outright earlier. Knights loss their early games by 3-4 points each, but have lost 3 of past 5 by 20 or more. Nothing but pride on the line for RU, who had won bowls in each of the previous four seasons. We’re hoping to see the first-half Knights, not the ones from recent Saturdays...WVU 17 Rutgers 3
#25 HAWAII over Nevada-Las Vegas giving 34 ½: Oddly, this game could feasibly (though unlikely to) have some impact on Wisconsin’s post-season destination as Badgers hope to hold their current ranking edge over Ohio State and Michigan State. ‘Bows, on the Island, won by 7 over UNR, who at worst coulda’ lost by 3 to then-national title-contending Broncos. Hawaii’s taken its last four victories by average of 35 points and is 9-2 against the line overall. Rubbles, who need something to build on for 2011, have staggered to 0-6 SU/ATS outside Sam Boyd (and 2-12 back to October 2008). UNLV practiced, during summer camp, on same brand of synthetic field turf used by Super Bowl champion New Orleans. Now if they can just hire Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Reggie Bush!...Haka Dance 49 Sin City 10
Conference USA Championship @ Orlando, FL
Central Florida over Southern Methodist giving 9: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. UCF Knights return to the conference title match after a 2-year hiatus and for 3rd time in six seasons. Ponies had to take ECU in OT, combined with a Tulsa loss, to be here. Mustangs did beat Wazzou by two touchdowns, but best win really was 21-18 over Tulsa. SMU finished on a 2-5-1 ATS slide, but was a dog just once in that set and lost by 8 at Texas Tech and 17 to TCU, but by 14 at UTEP and 25 (GASP!) to Houston squad being led by QB well-down the depth chart. Knights are 8-3 ATS overall, though just 1-2 the past three games. UCF lost by 7 to NC State, at KSU by 4 and to Southern Miss by 10. Knights improving steadily in points-allowed the past several years and have held 8 of 12 opponents at or below 17. More experience on both sides of the ball for...Central Florida 34 SMU 17
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSA new study suggests a statistical flaw relied upon by the NCAA means graduation rates for major college football and men’s basketball players lag behind those of other students, not the other way around (not sure exactly what that means, but we’re sure the BCS will find a way to add it to the formula it uses to determine who plays for the National Title!)
Rutgers is selling the naming rights for its football stadium and basketball arena, currently known as Rutgers Stadium and Rutgers Athletic Center, respectively. Maybe a little tie-in to The Sopranos or Bruce Springsteen is in order? Bada Bing Arena? Born to Run (Away) Field, (No) Glory Days Stadium, Jungle Land or Badlands (since The Meadowlands is already there), I Surrender Stadium or maybe....Pink Cadillac Pavilion!
The UNLV Rebels have included Southern Utah and Western Illinois in their 2011 schedule. We heard the Dallas Cowboys have an open-date next season as well! Just a thought!
As we noted in last week’s forecast, TCU coach Gary Patterson said he wouldn’t lay 72on an opponent “at the expense of teaching my young people a life lesson.”. But droppin’ 66 on New Mexico is okay???!!! Yo, Coach! Liar, liar....pants on fire!!!!!!
After his Hogs beat LSU, Coach Bobby Petrino was quoted as saying, “We didn’t come to paint”. We watched that game...and we beg to differ. Given the good starting field position the Bengals got following Arkansas punts and kick-offs, we’re pretty sure we saw the Razorbacks coverage units holding brushes and palettes while peering over easels as the Tigers special teams moved the ball downfield! The only things missin’ were smocks and berets!
2010 celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express (the mail-delivery, not the once-vaunted SMU running game named for it!). It lasted just 19 months, but fans of Vindy’s Picks back then were a lot happier to get them sooner!!
SEASON RECAP:
Best Weekly Effort: No question....Week Twelve’s 12-3-1. Clutch!!!
Worst Weekly “Effort”: Weber’s annual stinker came via Week Two’s 5-13. Uggggggghhh!
WEBER-FRIENDLIES (Best percentage on the predicted side of the spread; minimum 7 at-bats in the forecast): This season’s “You’re in Good Hands Award” goes to...drum roll, please...the Fightin’ Fowl of South Carolina (8-2, .800). Splitting Second Place...Oklahoma State and Michigan State (both at 6-2, .750). Reeling in “Honorable Mention” were the Bengals of LSU (8-3, .727), who only last season were in the Dishonorable Mention category! Our sincere appreciation to Auburn for a 7-4 (.636) effort that landed no hardware, but followed up last season’s 10-1, giving the War Eagle 17 forecast wins in the last 22 appearances!
FLAME-THROWERS (Worst percentage on the predicted side of ‘da spread): This year’s “Grill-Master Supreme Award” winner is Reno (1-6, .143), who snuck up on Vindicator while he was busy not paying attention to “Suckin’ Place” winners Arizona (3-6, .333) and surprise entry Virginia Tech (2-4-1, .333). Garnering attention all season was “Dishonorable Mention” winner Ohio State (4-7-1, .364), who shares the distinction with TCU (4-7, .364) and the large...wooden...Badgers...of Wisconsin (4-7, .364).
Didn’t make the cut, but we’ll be watchin’: The Gilded Gerbils of Minnesota finished 1-4 (.200).
Thanks for playing: The Clemson Tigers provided 4 wins in 4 tries.
“Wish I Had That One Back”: We’d like to revisit our choice of Kansas +24 ½ over Missouri after noting the Jayhawks “had reason to play hard (in previous close losses vs. the Tigers)...and has nowhere to go except home after this.”
“Locked in a Box?”: Oh the shame! But we tip our helmet to the Spartans for edging the alma mater in Beaver Stadium for the first time since the Nixon Administration and lifting the lock record to 6-7 (.461), which is one better than where we were this time last season!
Shoppe Talk: Buckeyes finally show up on the predicted side of the number (4-7-1) but simply reduce their standing for post-season ackkkkkolades! Reno hosed us again with the upset of the Broncos (1-6) and were duly “rewarded” as noted above!
Vindy’s Championship Week Best Bets: Last Week: 3-2 Season: 27-32-1 (.458...BTW, we hear ya can write these off for tax purposes!). Slim pickin’s this week, folks. We’ll call UConn +1 ½ over SOUTH FLORIDA and nothing more.
Vin comes up for air, and heads off to feed and water his collection of NCAA garden gnomes (little !@%#!@!! drank all of Vindicator’s beer the last time they were left unsupervised for too long!). Not to worry....we’ll return circa December 16 with our infamous bowl predictions (and we might even provide some bonus coverage this time next week with our thoughts on the Army-Navy game!)
WASHINGTON, District of Columbia (ITAR-Tass)...Long a thorn in the sides of various world agencies, WikiLeaks released sensitive, previously-classified diplomatic cables this week. Those cables were part of a “huge encrypted ‘insurance’ file” on the company’s website following last summer’s demands that thousands of secret documents be returned to the U.S. government. But even as American officials tried to prepare other nations in advance of the release, Vindy’s Picks were about to cast serious shadows on international relations across the globe. The cables show U.S. diplomats lambasting other leaders for wagering with the infamous forecasts and Saudi Arabia encouraging Washington to “cut the head off the snake”...in other words, the Saudis wanted the disbanding of the BCS. Some documents even reveal the use of team names from the picks to indicate success (“Gamehens”) or failure (“Buckeyes” and “Red Raiders”) of military operations! The documents also implicate U.S. diplomats in low-level spying, such as garnering credit card information about other dignitaries or videotaping a 49ers practice session in London.
The favorites continued their torrid ATS charge (now 24-11-1) as Vindy floundered to 9-11 (114-119-3, 489) for the last full week of the regular season.
The South Koreans have blamed North Korea for the sinking of Vindy’s Week 13 picks and have elected to conduct joint-betting exercises with the United States. As a result, China is now jittery over the off-shore presence of...
THE WEBER KID’S 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK FORECAST
(Featuring more high-wire acts than the new Spidey musical!)
FRI. DEC. 3
MAC Championship @ Detroit, MI
#24 Northern Illinois over Miami-Ohio giving 17: Redhawks are here because the Bobblecats of Ohio shockingly lost by 22 to Kent State. After dropping a match to Iowa State to open the year, Huskies lost just one other tilt in a respectable 6-point defeat at Illinois, then manhandled everybody else (except Western Michigan, whom it beat by 6), including Minnesota. Hats off to NIU coach Jerry Kill for leading his squad to 10 wins (which could well be an even dozen by the end of bowl season) after going just 13-13 in his first two years at the helm. We applaud Miami-O as well on its current 8-4 record after putting a lone game in the “W” column in 2009. Birds have gone 5-1 SU/4-2 ATS recently. Dogs have scored an average of 65 points per game over their last three games. Miami lost 27-22 to last season’s 7-6 Northern Illinois team...NIU 44 Miami-Ohio 24
SAT. DEC. 4
OREGON STATE over #1 Oregon taking 16 ½: We hope the Beavers 38-Zippo fall to Stanford had more to do with lousy ball security (5 turnovers) than with concession of the season. State can still bowl with a victory here. OSU has been a Virginia-like enigma....beating Cal and USC, yet losing to UCLA and Wazzou. Beavers have won four of five home games (3-2 ATS), while the Drakes are perfect 5-0 (2-3 ATS) off the Pond. State does own two outright victories as dogs and cashed tickets in 8 of last 11 vs. the Mallards in Corvallis. For the Quack Attack, it’s just win and play for the national crown. Can Beavers guard against Ducks’ usual second-half explosion? If it’s close late, would State cede in order to allow a PAC-10 rival to play for the biggest bucks to draw its conference share of those dollars? Naaaaaahhhhh!...Ducks 33 Beavers 20
SEC Championship @ Atlanta, GA
#18 South Carolina over #2 Auburn taking 4 ½: Rematch of late September game, won 35-27 by the Tigers. Tigers have had some close calls...last week’s all-but-death-knell vs. ‘Bama included! We thank Auburn for that miracle comeback from an early 24-point hole, which kept Vindicator from an O-fer-Friday! With RB Lattimore being neutralized by Clemson, Chargin’ Chickens proved Stephen Garcia can use his arm to make it happen. Garcia’s hurt, but expected to suit-up. Last four conference titles have alternated between East and West, with the fave winning 3, covering two and pushing one of ‘em. The smallest margin in Auburn’s recent five-game ATS win streak has been 7... KFC 27 Auburn 24
Utah State over #9 BOISE STATE taking 39 ½ : Faster than you can say, “wide right” (twice!), BSU went from BCS-buster to lower-tier bowl in its own stadium or nearby. Closest Boise has come to this situation, losing a perfect season and possible title shot, this late in the year was 12-point defeat to close out 2007 regular season. Broncos then lost by 3 in a bowl game to ECU. Aggies return to the forecast for first time since scarin’ da’ bejeezus outta’ the Sooners in Norman in Week One. Broncos have covered this one the past five years, but have won by this many only in 2007's 52-0 romp, taking the other four by about 32 ppg. Senior-laden USU was off last weekend, following 22-point home loss to Idaho that followed wins over NMSU and San Josie after a 14-point loss at Reno...BSU 51 USU 13
Big 12 Championship @ Arlington, TX
#13 Nebraska over #10 Oklahoma taking 3 ½: Huskers mopped up Colorado behind the second-string QB. Despite winning a close one over Oklahoma State, Sooners’ O sputtered three times in the red zone in the 4th Quarter, leading to a trey of chip-shot FGs that allowed State to hang around. Back-to-back appearances in the Big 12 title game now for Big Red, who’s looking for its first title victory in that time (losing 13-12 to Texas in ‘09). Sooners 1-1 on neutral turf this season and lost to Nebraska 10-3 last year in Lincoln. Sooners on 3-0 spread run (2-0 on the road). Children of the Corn and Oklahoma have common losses to Texas A&M, but Nebraska defeated Mizzou and Okie State...the two teams to whom Oklahoma lost...NU 24 Oklahoma 20
ACC Championship @ Charlotte, NC
#12 Virginia Tech over #20 Florida State giving 4: We underestimated the mission Tech was on last week. We won’t do that again. Hokies in midst of 7th straight season of double-digit SU wins. Injuns could notch their first since 2002 with the victory. State holds a 2-1 SU/ATS edge in past three games vs. the Hokies, winning 30-20 in 2008, and are here because NC State collapsed vs. Maryland. Gators ran for almost 5 yards per carry vs. FSU, but still got blasted... VT 29 FSU 21
LOUISIANA TECH over #14 Nevada taking 10: Best guess for “wish I had it back”. Drop in the line toward the Bulldogs speaks to expected letdown for Wolfpack in wake of emotional roller-coaster 4th quarter and OT that unseated Boise. Tech’s four home games have resulted in 3 losses by 14, 1 and 6 around a 13-point win. Bulldogs did score 20 on Boise and has a lot of seniors, who’ve seen LT cover the past three in this series...UNR 34 LT 27
Rutgers over #23 WEST VIRGINIA taking 20: Mounties steam-rolled Pitt to put themselves in position to win the Big Least, but still need a loss by UConn at South Florida (and a win here) to secure it. We cashed a ticket in Week 13 courtesy of the Knights rolling over against Louisville. Rutgers is listless 2-7-1 ATS on the year, but actually beat UConn outright earlier. Knights loss their early games by 3-4 points each, but have lost 3 of past 5 by 20 or more. Nothing but pride on the line for RU, who had won bowls in each of the previous four seasons. We’re hoping to see the first-half Knights, not the ones from recent Saturdays...WVU 17 Rutgers 3
#25 HAWAII over Nevada-Las Vegas giving 34 ½: Oddly, this game could feasibly (though unlikely to) have some impact on Wisconsin’s post-season destination as Badgers hope to hold their current ranking edge over Ohio State and Michigan State. ‘Bows, on the Island, won by 7 over UNR, who at worst coulda’ lost by 3 to then-national title-contending Broncos. Hawaii’s taken its last four victories by average of 35 points and is 9-2 against the line overall. Rubbles, who need something to build on for 2011, have staggered to 0-6 SU/ATS outside Sam Boyd (and 2-12 back to October 2008). UNLV practiced, during summer camp, on same brand of synthetic field turf used by Super Bowl champion New Orleans. Now if they can just hire Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Reggie Bush!...Haka Dance 49 Sin City 10
Conference USA Championship @ Orlando, FL
Central Florida over Southern Methodist giving 9: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. UCF Knights return to the conference title match after a 2-year hiatus and for 3rd time in six seasons. Ponies had to take ECU in OT, combined with a Tulsa loss, to be here. Mustangs did beat Wazzou by two touchdowns, but best win really was 21-18 over Tulsa. SMU finished on a 2-5-1 ATS slide, but was a dog just once in that set and lost by 8 at Texas Tech and 17 to TCU, but by 14 at UTEP and 25 (GASP!) to Houston squad being led by QB well-down the depth chart. Knights are 8-3 ATS overall, though just 1-2 the past three games. UCF lost by 7 to NC State, at KSU by 4 and to Southern Miss by 10. Knights improving steadily in points-allowed the past several years and have held 8 of 12 opponents at or below 17. More experience on both sides of the ball for...Central Florida 34 SMU 17
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKSA new study suggests a statistical flaw relied upon by the NCAA means graduation rates for major college football and men’s basketball players lag behind those of other students, not the other way around (not sure exactly what that means, but we’re sure the BCS will find a way to add it to the formula it uses to determine who plays for the National Title!)
Rutgers is selling the naming rights for its football stadium and basketball arena, currently known as Rutgers Stadium and Rutgers Athletic Center, respectively. Maybe a little tie-in to The Sopranos or Bruce Springsteen is in order? Bada Bing Arena? Born to Run (Away) Field, (No) Glory Days Stadium, Jungle Land or Badlands (since The Meadowlands is already there), I Surrender Stadium or maybe....Pink Cadillac Pavilion!
The UNLV Rebels have included Southern Utah and Western Illinois in their 2011 schedule. We heard the Dallas Cowboys have an open-date next season as well! Just a thought!
As we noted in last week’s forecast, TCU coach Gary Patterson said he wouldn’t lay 72on an opponent “at the expense of teaching my young people a life lesson.”. But droppin’ 66 on New Mexico is okay???!!! Yo, Coach! Liar, liar....pants on fire!!!!!!
After his Hogs beat LSU, Coach Bobby Petrino was quoted as saying, “We didn’t come to paint”. We watched that game...and we beg to differ. Given the good starting field position the Bengals got following Arkansas punts and kick-offs, we’re pretty sure we saw the Razorbacks coverage units holding brushes and palettes while peering over easels as the Tigers special teams moved the ball downfield! The only things missin’ were smocks and berets!
2010 celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express (the mail-delivery, not the once-vaunted SMU running game named for it!). It lasted just 19 months, but fans of Vindy’s Picks back then were a lot happier to get them sooner!!
SEASON RECAP:
Best Weekly Effort: No question....Week Twelve’s 12-3-1. Clutch!!!
Worst Weekly “Effort”: Weber’s annual stinker came via Week Two’s 5-13. Uggggggghhh!
WEBER-FRIENDLIES (Best percentage on the predicted side of the spread; minimum 7 at-bats in the forecast): This season’s “You’re in Good Hands Award” goes to...drum roll, please...the Fightin’ Fowl of South Carolina (8-2, .800). Splitting Second Place...Oklahoma State and Michigan State (both at 6-2, .750). Reeling in “Honorable Mention” were the Bengals of LSU (8-3, .727), who only last season were in the Dishonorable Mention category! Our sincere appreciation to Auburn for a 7-4 (.636) effort that landed no hardware, but followed up last season’s 10-1, giving the War Eagle 17 forecast wins in the last 22 appearances!
FLAME-THROWERS (Worst percentage on the predicted side of ‘da spread): This year’s “Grill-Master Supreme Award” winner is Reno (1-6, .143), who snuck up on Vindicator while he was busy not paying attention to “Suckin’ Place” winners Arizona (3-6, .333) and surprise entry Virginia Tech (2-4-1, .333). Garnering attention all season was “Dishonorable Mention” winner Ohio State (4-7-1, .364), who shares the distinction with TCU (4-7, .364) and the large...wooden...Badgers...of Wisconsin (4-7, .364).
Didn’t make the cut, but we’ll be watchin’: The Gilded Gerbils of Minnesota finished 1-4 (.200).
Thanks for playing: The Clemson Tigers provided 4 wins in 4 tries.
“Wish I Had That One Back”: We’d like to revisit our choice of Kansas +24 ½ over Missouri after noting the Jayhawks “had reason to play hard (in previous close losses vs. the Tigers)...and has nowhere to go except home after this.”
“Locked in a Box?”: Oh the shame! But we tip our helmet to the Spartans for edging the alma mater in Beaver Stadium for the first time since the Nixon Administration and lifting the lock record to 6-7 (.461), which is one better than where we were this time last season!
Shoppe Talk: Buckeyes finally show up on the predicted side of the number (4-7-1) but simply reduce their standing for post-season ackkkkkolades! Reno hosed us again with the upset of the Broncos (1-6) and were duly “rewarded” as noted above!
Vindy’s Championship Week Best Bets: Last Week: 3-2 Season: 27-32-1 (.458...BTW, we hear ya can write these off for tax purposes!). Slim pickin’s this week, folks. We’ll call UConn +1 ½ over SOUTH FLORIDA and nothing more.
Vin comes up for air, and heads off to feed and water his collection of NCAA garden gnomes (little !@%#!@!! drank all of Vindicator’s beer the last time they were left unsupervised for too long!). Not to worry....we’ll return circa December 16 with our infamous bowl predictions (and we might even provide some bonus coverage this time next week with our thoughts on the Army-Navy game!)
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