Vindy's Picks Week 8-2008

RECLUSIVE FOREIGN LEADER FINALLY SEEN...AT COLLEGE GAME

MADISON, Wisconsin (BBC)....Well-hidden from public view for the past few months and amidst rumors of poor-health and speculation his rogue nation had acquired Romulan cloaking-device technology, North Korean president Kim Il Jong II was spotted taking in the Badgers-Buckeyes game two Saturdays ago at Camp Randall. After panning the stadium section normally reserved for the suspended University of Wisconsin band and noticing the difference in uniform colors, a quick-thinking network cameraman tipped off the FBI to the location of the communist dictator, who was surrounded by several members of his military forces. In fact, the North Korean test-firing of short-range missiles, originally scheduled for October 7, was moved up at Jong’s request and took place at halftime to fill the void left by the Wisky band’s absence. However, the missiles, launched from midfield, fell way-short of their intended target, Maple Bluff Golf Course on the far side of Lake Mendota, and did minimal damage to a portion of the football venue vacated minutes before by fans heading for the concession stands as the whistle sounded at the intermission! U.S. satellite imagery confirmed the reported presence of the foreign leader, who, until then, had been more secretive than Mata Hari, James Bond and Batman combined!

Back in Sin City, the Weber Kid was agog as final scores started rolling in on the way to Week Seven’s 13-5 (62-54-1, .534) and admits he got a few good bounces as a few of his winning picks squeaked past the line. Still sporting the gold lame thong he borrowed from the Yankees’ Jason Giambi, who wore the silky, tiger-striped under-thing to break batting slumps, Vindicator steps up to the plate carrying a Marla Maples bat and tries to just make contact with...

THE WEBER KID’S 2008 WEEK 8 FORECAST
(The difference is the pickability!)

THURS. OCT. 16
#9 Brigham Young over TCU giving 1: Both clubs sport 4-2 spread records for 2008 and both are respectively 1-2 ATS in their last three games. Mormons are suddenly winning on defense?!! Horny Toads offense went into hibernation last week with 6:52 left in the second quarter. Even on a short week, have to think BYU can cover a number this small, even on the MWC road. Toads are 1-5 SU in last six-pack of Thursday nighters (we feel their pain!)...Cougars 27 Frogs 17

FRI. OCT. 17
#15 BOISE STATE over Hawaii giving 25: ‘Bows have shown some life of late with back-to-back SU/ATS victories, but got 4 turnovers from Weeziana Tech to overcome 127 penalty yards last week. Broncos scored all 24 of their points last week in the second quarter at SoMiss. Boise’s covered both home fave chances this year and are now 19-6 in that role the last four-plus seasons. Only one of the Broncos 2008 opponents (Oregon at Eugene in an SU loss) have scored more than seven points...BSU 45 Rain-woes 10

SAT. OCT. 18
#1 TEXAS over #11 Missouri giving 6 1/2: First meeting since UT pounded Mizzou 51-20 in 2005 at Columbia. We’re not convinced ‘Horns deserved the outright victory over Oklahoma given poor tackling and even poorer officiating, though we do admire the pretty catches made by the Texas receivers. Two words for success against the Steers...”middle-screen”, which the Sooners ran several times for big plays. In a de facto preview of the Big 12 championship game, it’s...Texas 34Tigers 24

Mississippi over #2 ALABAMA taking 13 1/2: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Rebels draw Vindy’s straight doggie choice for “lock’...not solely on the basis of Florida upset, but rather on generally-improved all-around play this year and Tide’s ongoing strategy of field-position-over-offense philosophy. ‘Bama’s off a week of rest, but Ole Miss has lost the last three years to the Crimson Tide by a total of nine points and the Elephants are only 2-2 ATS laying double-digits this year (with two of those games coming at home)...Alabama 21 Rebels 13

#3 PENN STATE over Michigan giving 23 1/2: Lions look like they’ll finally beat Big Blew for the first time in 9 matches. Vin paid the price for his lack of faith in the Alma Mater last week. We won’t do that again here. Anticipating a loss in Michigan, John McCain has removed his ads from the Wolverine State and moved resources to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Maine. Oddly, having already won in Wisconsin and expecting a loss this week, UM is trying to pull out of Saturday’s game and schedule a road match vs. the I-AA Black Bears!... Nifty Lions 37 Michigan 10

#4 OKLAHOMA over #16 Kansas giving 19: For basically three quarters at the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma was clearly the better team, though it did benefit from multiple missed tackles. Okies are still 4-1 against the line this year and covered both home chalk opportunities easily. Jayhawks struggled with the Bison before pulling away in the 4th Quarter and are last week’s safety (in which the CU QB ran backwards about five yards into his own end zone) away from mere 0-1-1 spread record vs. the Big 12 this year...Oklahoma 41 Kansas 19

#5 Florida: IDLE (next vs. Kentucky)

WASHINGTON STATE over #6 Southern Cal taking 42 1/2: Long year in Pullman and that’s before we mention the 170 penalty yards Wazzou absorbed in 66-13 loss to the Beavers. Nonetheless, Trojans committed five turnovers, but finished the ASU game just plus-one in that category and were lucky to cover, raising the PAC-10 spread record to 9-12 last two-plus seasons. Coogs have yielded more than 60 three times already, but Troy has hit the fifties just once. State’s 0-6 ATS, but we see this as replay of last week’s Idaho at Fresno tilt. Trip to Arizona up next for Troy... USC 48 Washington State 12

TEXAS A&M over #7 Texas Tech taking 21: Having covered both away games this season, Raiders are still just 7-12 the last 19 giving points on the road. Huskers nearly pulled the major upset by playing ball control and keeping possession nearly 21 more minutes than Tech last week. Aggies have scored less than 21 only once so far, but are yielding an average of 40 ppg over the past four. TTU has beaten the line 12 of last 14 vs. A&M, but while blasting the Aggies in Lubbock, games in College Station have been much, much closer...Red Raiders 35 A&M 24

#8 OKLAHOMA STATE over Baylor giving 16 1/2: Bears are improving, but still on 5-13 spread run vs. the rest of the conference, including just two of nine vs. the Cowboys. State managed the upset of Mizzou on defense, odd for a team more known for its prolific (and balanced) offense. Pokes have road game at Austin next, but we think they won’t let down and will go to 6-0 ATS here...OKSU 44 Baylor 20

#22 Vanderbilt over #10 GEORGIA taking 14 1/2: Joja’ also took advantage of a ball-control offense to keep the pigskin 25 more minutes than Tennessee, who, down big at the start of the second half, abandoned the run while netting 1 yard on 15 carries. Admirals are changing QBs to bolster a passing offense near the bottom of the national charts. Should be enough to rebound from first spread loss (and first SU defeat) last week...Dawgs 19 Vandy 14

#20 MICHIGAN STATE over #12 Ohio State taking 3 1/2: MSU’s Javon Ringer is 1st nationally in total rushing yardage and second in yards per game (at nearly 160 per match). Buckeyes have covered four of last five vs. the Spartans, but the conference spread record continues to fall annually and OSU’s only touchdown last week came on a blocked punt. They’ll need more than three-pointers to win here...Spartans 24 OSU 17

SOUTH CAROLINA over #13 Louisiana State taking 3 1/2: Gotta’ figure 30-point shellacking in the Swamp last week was a confidence-buster for Bengals freshman QB Lee, who tossed two for touchdowns (three if ya count the pick that went for a Gator six!). Gamehens are on a four-game SU win-streak and if Vindy was Steve Spurrier’s DC, he’d bring the house on the first five or six plays of Lee’s first offensive series, regardless of the yardage gained, just to send a message. Even after losing in Florida, Mitt Romney vowed to stay in the race earlier this year...kinda’ like LSU!...Pugilistic Poultry 24 Tigers 20

Colorado State over #14 UTAH taking 22: Utes no sure thing this year ATS and took advantage of five Wyoming turnovers (two for cores) and a blocked punt to cement Vindy’s correct spread selection. Rams have just a tie and four ATS losses vs. Utah, but have covered three outta’ four lined tilts in 2008 and hung tough to lose by just six to TCU despite three turnovers of their own. Utes haven’t covered either chance as home faves and just one of the three vs. the Mountain West this season...Utah 31 CSU 17

#17 Virginia Tech over BOSTON COLLEGE taking 2 1/2: Best guess for “wish I had it back” pick, but a previously-dormant Hokies team showed some moxie rallying to beat Nebraska then dropping North Carolina on the road.. Tech has not fared well against the line in games vs. the Eagles, going just 2-6 in last 8, but with letdown game vs. Western Kentucky outta’ the way, we’ll give VT a shot vs. BC team that’s posted two shutouts already (but Eagles gave up 31 to NC State)...Tech 17 BC 16

#18 North Carolina over VIRGINIA giving 5 1/2: Line looks reasonable given two consecutive outright victories by the Cavs. Where the hell was this Virginia team earlier this season??!!! Who’s the real team in this match-up this week?...Tarheels, who’ve increased average point scoring by 11 and reduced points-against by 4 from last season or Virginny squad that’s scored 31and 35, respectively, the past two weeks after averaging 10 ppg through the first four games?...La Brea 32 Cavaliers 20

Syracuse over #19 SOUTH FLORIDA taking 24: How long will the Orange will stick with Coach Robinson, who has led the ‘Cuse to a straight-up tally of 8-33. Syracuse has, however, posted back-to-covers, mainly behind its defense, after an 0-3 spread start (and was down only 1 to the Mounties at halftime last weekend). Bulls are just 1-4 ATS, though have covered last three vs. Syracuse. USF lost at home to Pitt by 6. ‘Cuse lost at home to the Panthers by just 10. Not sure we’ve seen enough to justify a nearly three-touchdown differential. Orange can cover with a FG...South Florida 24 ‘Cuse 3

#21 Wake Forest over MARYLAND giving 1: We considered this game for lock. This line shows a lot of respect for Terps team that lost at Middle Tennessee State and was blanked 31-0 at Virginia, who’s only win until then was a 16-0 home victory over I-AA Richmond. Box Turtles got a full week of rest, while Wake played last Thursday, so they got a couple extra days to prepare. Both sides squeaked by Clemson, though we credit Maryland for doing so on the ACC road. Maryland also beat now-ranked Cal, but we still prefer Deacons’ level of competition overall. Wake is 24-8 SU in last 32 games and winning this year on D....The Forest 13 Maryland 9

NAVY over #23 Pittsburgh taking 3: A Georgian sailor (the Eastern European variety, not the U.S, southern Bulldog variety) has been at sea recently on the USS Mason, undergoing training. In addition to naval issues, the sailor also got some reps with the triple-option offense and is expected to see at least one series in the Middies backfield this weekend vs. the Panthers. The Ensigns finished the 2007 season last in pass efficiency defense, but with wins at Wake Forest and at Air Force, we like...Navy 23 Pitt 19

#24 Ball State: IDLE (next vs. Eastern Michigan)

#25 California over ARIZONA giving 1 ½: ‘Cats lost a field-goal fest last week to Stanford despite a +3 turnover margin. ‘Zona 4-2 ATS, but Cal is 4-1, off a bye and frankly, we put more stock in Bears opening victory over Michigan State than UA’s win at hobbled UCLA...UC-Berkeley 24 Arizona 17

BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, an unidentified concessionaire, hoping to get her 15 minutes of fame, said she had visual proof of Kim Il Jong actually buying a beer, bratwurst and Bucky Badger plush toy, on video, which she hopes to sell to the National Enquirer!

Officiating in the Longhorns-Sooners game was sooooooo bad (all together now...”How bad was it??!!”)...the officiating was so bad...that during a perfectly-executed Oklahoma punt, a fan in the stands wearing a red jersey tripped, hurting himself, and the Longhorns were flagged for running into the kicker!

Opening a couple weeks ago in Vegas at Mandalay Place was Minus 5, the first American ice lounge. The club’s ambient temperature is 23 degrees Fahrenheit and the bar, seats and cocktail-ware are all sculpted from blocks of ice. The Packers are reportedly renting the venue to host a “home game” this week vs. Da’ Colts!

Making its small screen debut this week on TNT...prosecutors and public defenders take turns holding the goalposts up just a few feet higher while their respective opposing clients attempt field goals and extra points to win their court cases on...”Raising the Crossbar”!

Honda is now the “official car” of the National Hockey League. Uh.... because hockey’s so popular in Japan???!! Anybody out there actually lookin’ forward to seeing Ichiro or Yao Ming lace-up the skates and tee one up from the blue line??!!!

Earlier this Spring, Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis pleaded guilty to reckless driving, as opposed to the initial DUI charge, based on a December incident in which he also answered Nature’s call (but avoided a public urination charge). Did he “shake off” his catcher? Was the arresting officer’s call “high” and “outside”?

Black Shirt: Our prestigious Black Shirt goes to the SoCal’s Fili Moala for blockin’ a pair of Sun Devils field goals, either of which woulda’ ruined the Trojans’ cover vs. Arizona State! And also up for “Shirt” consideration was the Ball State defense, which kept Western Kentucky off the scoreboard until under a minute remained in the game to bail out a struggling Cardinals offense!

“Wish I Had That One Back”: Colorado taking 14 over Kansas. Vindy noted he had “no faith” in that pick and revisits his statement from earlier this season, noting he gets burned “every time he hops on the Buffaloes bandwagon”.

“Locked in a Box?”: Purdue didn’t even need to hit the scoreboard to post Vindy’s 6th “lock” win in 7 tries, but put up a FG vs. the Buckeyes anyway!

Shoppe Talk: We officially welcome (read: “stuff”) the Badgers (and their band!) this week at 1-5 and the Red Raiders at 0-4!

Vindy’s Week 8 Best Bets: Last Week: 2-3 Season: 17-12-1 (.586)
Air Force -4 ½ over UNLV, Mississippi State +8 over TENNESSEE, RICE -3 1/2 over Southern Miss, Oregon State -14 over WASHINGTON, San Jose State -2 1/2 over NEW MEXICO STATE, UL-LAFAYETTE -4 over Arkansas State