TABLOID HELPED BRING DOWN BIN LADEN
LONDON (BBC)…While the Navy SEALS received most of the acclaim for the demise of Osama Bin Laden, global intelligence sources actually credit phone-hacking by members of the now-defunct British publication News of Da’ World. The information garnered by the 168-year-old publication and namesake of a well-known Queen album of the same title included communications related to the terrorist’s sports-betting and allowed special ops units in the region to infiltrate one of its members, posing as a runner, and keep tabs on Bin Laden’s whereabouts long enough to successfully pull off the raid that killed him. Further translation of his diary pages revealed not only his declarations of Jihad on March Madness and the BCS, but also entries noting failed covers in early May by some NBA and NHL teams, as well as his plan to deliver his “next parlay card to that infidel bookie via a courier wearing a vest full of explosives!”
Somehow, amidst the canine chaos that saw the ‘dogs take 11 of 18 games last week (including six outright dog victories) following four weeks of chalk advantage, our futile forecaster finally finishes a week on the plus-side, at 10-8 (39-50-1, .438), riding a late-Saturday surge by the favorites.
We’re chasin’ stewardesses with a beverage cart on Pan Am this Saturday, while slingin’ soft drinks and copies of
THE WEBER KID’S 2011 WEEK 6 FORECAST
(Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness all month with pink text!)
THURS. OCT. 6
#9 OREGON over California giving 24: Ducks 51 Cal 20
FRI. OCT. 7
FRESNO STATE over #5 Boise State taking 20 ½: BSU 34 FSU 20
SAT. OCT. 8
#17 Florida over #1 LSU taking 13 ½: As we feared, Gators’ running game was sufficiently-stuffed by ‘Bama. They won’t move on the ground well here either. Tigers just 2-3 SU and 1-3-1 ATS in recent Florida series, but have already beaten (and covered against) three Top 25 teams. Bengals still dismal conference home-faves, but are playing with a lot of confidence knowing the D will bail them outta’ any given mistakes. Florida QB Brantley is out…Bengals 24 Gators 14
Vanderbilt over #2 ALABAMA taking 29: ‘Bama 34 Vandy 7
#11 Texas over #3 Oklahoma taking 10: ‘Horns have won four of the previous six Red River Rivalry games, going 4-1-1 ATS. One of the two losses came in the 2010 version, 28-20. UT looks like a team on a mission following last season’s disaster, but Sooners hold the edge in experience and opposition-faced this year. Freshman David Ash would start his first game vs. Oklahoma if he gets the nod. Sooners obviously didn’t buy into that “conference sandwich” theory we were postulatin’ and hung 62 on the Cardinals of Ball State as one of the few faves that cleaned some clock in Week Five…Sooners 24 Longhorns 19
#4 Wisconsin: IDLE (next vs. Indiana)
Kansas over #6 OKLAHOMA STATE taking 32: OKSU 41 Kansas 16
Colorado over #7 STANFORD taking 29 ½: Cardinal 39 Bison 17
#8 CLEMSON over Boston College giving 21: Boston College is 0-4 ATS and 1-4 outright with only victory coming vs. I-AA Massachusetts. Eagles came into 2011 scoring an average of 16.3 points per game and , omitting the 45 they hung on the Minutemen, have averaged just 14.5 ppg. BC has gone “under” the total four times in as many tries. We wondered if Clemson would take a breather here after knocking off three straight ranked foes, but BC won 16-10 last season and its Homecoming… Tigers 31 BC 0
#15 Auburn over #10 ARKANSAS taking 10: Coach Chizik has done a nice job with very few returning starters, getting wins over two then-ranked clubs and suffering a lone defeat to now-Top Ten Clemson. War Eagle did take advantage of South Carolina offense-in-shambles and combined with the Poultry for eight turnovers. Auburn’s now covered the spread in 7 of last 8 games vs. ranked opponents, but best shot here is to pound the ball. Rush D continues to plague the Pigs, who gave up 381 yards on the ground to A&M. Tigers come in at 34th nationally in rushing offense. What’s in the tank for the Bacon after big rally to win last week…Hogs 27 Auburn 20
#12 Michigan @ NORTHWESTERN: OFF
Maryland over #13 GEORGIA TECH taking 14: While we’re disappointed in the Bees’ top-ranked ground offense allowing a 33-yard fumble return for NC State’s covering (or pushing) score with 20 seconds (20-freakin-seconds!) left, we still cashed our ticket, getting the Jackets early at 9 ½. Might be a good “over” play here with Tech going “over” in all four games and letting each opponent score at least 21. First meeting of these two since 2007’s win by Maryland 28-26 victory. Box Turtles tough to figure to-date…beating Miami, losing close game to West Virginia, then getting bounced 38-7 by Temple?!! Wasps are just 4-6-1 last 11 as favorites in Atlanta… Hive 34 Terps 24
#14 NEBRASKA over Ohio State giving 11: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Several months ago, this looked like a very troublesome game for the Pop Corn, who was seriously-embarrassed in their inaugural Big Tentacle Conference appearance by Wisconsin (though eliminating three INTs that became Badgers scores, the defeat looks much more palatable). Huskers did find some early success against Wisky back seven. Buckeyes were expected to have the full complement of players available for this one, but three players, including RB Boom Herron, have been scratched again for yet-another scandal (being over-paid or paid for work not done…[sound familiar, Oklahoma fans???!!]). Despite reasonable defensive performances, the damage has been done for State, suffering two losses and scoring 7 or less in two of last three overall. Big Dread hasn’t been impressive, just 1-3 ATS, with its only cover at Wyoming …Huskers 31 OSU 12
Connecticut over #16 WEST VIRGINIA taking 19 ½: Huskies are floundering under first-year guidance of Paul Pasqualoni, who led the Orange to uninspiring records of 4-8, 6-6 and 6-6 in his final three seasons in Syracuse. UConn’s two SU victories came vs. I-AA Fordham and Buffalo. The three losses, however (Vandy, Western Michigan and Iowa State) are by a total of 14 points. Big Least opener for the Huskies, who return most of the kids that backed their way into last season’s Fiesta Bowl beatdown by Oklahoma. Bowling Green got the brunt of Mounties’ frustration following bad loss to LSU…’Eers 27 UConn 13
#18 SOUTH CAROLINA over Kentucky giving 21: Carolina’s offense continues to be in major disarray and the Tenders need a confidence-booster. We think the visiting Mildcats, who managed the backdoor cover at LSU last week, are the ones that can provide it to ‘em. Scary layin’ the lumber with the Phightin’ Pheasants, especially since they’re just 2 of 11 giving points when lookin’ for payback. KY beat the Poultry 31-28 last season, but has yielded 107 total points over its past three tilts to-date, while points-scored has dwindled weekly from 27 down to 7. The experience on the Kentucky offensive line ain’t workin’ out…Cornish Hens 34 KY 9
INDIANA over #19 Illinois taking 14 ½: This got “lock” consideration. Illini may be the most-overrated 5-0 team in the country, showing three recent victories by a total of nine points and rallying to take all three…at home! Hosers are under new management and come off 16-10 loss to Penn State. Indy’s four defeats were by total of 19 points, but the losses were to Ball State, Virginia and (GASP!) North Texas! Just can’t lay this many on the road with UI squad walkin’ the tight-rope week-in and week-out…Illini 20 Indy 13
Missouri over #20 KANSAS STATE giving 3: This one also got a long look for “lock”. Wildcats mustered surprising wins over short-handed Miami and Baylor (on the strength of late Bears interception), but apparently the linesmaker ain’t havin’ any of the smoke and mirrors, installing K-State as a home dog this week. Tigers have owned this series, winning by double-digits in each of the past 5 seasons. ‘Cats’ other pair of wins were against Eastern Kentucky (by 3) and Kent State (37-0). Mizzou is already 2-0 ATS on the road this year and excels ATS when winning outright away from home…Mizzou 34 KSU 21
#21 VIRGINIA TECH over Miami giving 7 ½: VT 20 ‘Canes 10
UTAH over #22 Arizona State taking 3: Utes 17 Sun Devils 16
WAKE FOREST over #23 Florida State taking 13: ‘Noles 27 Deacons 19
TEXAS TECH (GASP!) over #24 Texas A&M taking 8 1/2: Vindy on current 3-18-1 (.142) forecast skid picking games involving the Red Raiders…and Tech is sniffin’ around the bottom of the rankings, searching for a way in. Also, while they won’t go against the official Tech tally, we were on the wrong side of “Guns Up” as best bets in back-to-back weeks already this year! (Tech installed the “pistol” offense this season and that shoulda’ been our first clue to not pick ‘em against Reno!). Reeling Aggies have suffered consecutive second-half meltdowns that squandered halftime leads of 17- and 18-points, respectively, in defeats to Oklahoma State and Arkansas. Looks like another track-meet, as Tech allowed 34 each to UNR and Kansas…Aggies 42 Tech 38
#25 BAYLOR over Iowa State giving 16: Baylor 44 ISU 20
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
We here at Vindy’s Picks just want to doff our helmets to maybe the best 1-3 team in the nation…Utah State for nearly beating Auburn, Colorado State and BYU!
After opening 0-2, the Frightenin’ Irish have posted straight three wins. Insiders say Notre Dame has thrown in the towel on Catholicism, instead adopting the pantheon of ancient Greece and is planning to replace the Touchdown Jesus with something a bit more intimidating, like…Touchdown Zeus or Touchdown Poseidon. Coaches have also scrapped the “Hail Mary” in favor of the “Hail Aphrodite”!
Notable trends to-date for unranked teams: Arkansas State 4-0 “under”, Iowa 4-0“over”, Marshall 4-1 ATS, MTSU 4-0 “over”, New Mexico 4-1 “over”, Ohio State 4-1“under”, Penn State 4-0 “under”, TCU 4-0 “over”, Temple 4-0 “under”, UCLA 1-4 ATS, UTEP 4-0 ATS, Virginia 0-4 ATS, Washington 4-0 ATS.
With the UNLV-UNR match this weekend, we mention the May approval by the Nevada Assembly of SB 441, allowing DMV to set up kiosks and terminals in private businesses for drivers to conduct DMV transactions online, with service fees going to the hosting businesses. Nice. Go to the sportsbook and get your license and registration renewed for a mere 10% vigorish! (Sorry…no parlays on those two items!).
Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has been noted as a possibility at a couple schools including New Mexico. The “Leftovers” column in the LVRJ suggests Leach, a pirate lore aficionado, would show up on the sidelines with an eye-patch and a parrot. Given Lobos recent win-loss history, we think Leach might simply teach alumni to say “Arrrrrrggghhh!” Maybe he could recruit Captain Jack Sparrow at quarterback.
Back in March, Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant got the boot from a Dallas mall after failing to comply with repeated requests to pull up his drooping pants. No truth to the rumor that the security guards-in-question threatened the precocious pass-catcher with an atomic wedgie!
Ex-Olympic Softballer Jennie Finch and hubby Casey Daigle (himself a former hurler in the Bigs), this year, welcomed second-son, Diesel Dean Daigle, into the world. Much ado was made about da’ pressure on first-born male son, Ace Shane Diesel, to be a pitcher but frankly, he coulda’ easily been tagged as an assassin, pet detective or…professional poker player!
Andy Rooney recently stepped away from his spot on “60 Minutes”. Vindy’s spies in State College, PA say the loveable 92-year-old curmudgeon has been named as head coach-in-waiting to replace Joe Paterno!
With hockey season starting Thursday, several local casinos have installed a trapezoid behind the sportsbook counter, so the ticket-writers can’t play a wager from either end of the counter without incurring a penalty!
Black Shirt: The obsidian tee goes to Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez for three interceptions that Wisky turned into touchdowns for one of our few correct chalk selections!
“Locked in a Box?”: The Bees fell a lone point short of covering at NC State and drop the lock record to 3-2 (.600).
Shoppe Talk: Hokies managed all of a single FG in outright loss to Clemson to go 0-4 (.000).
Vindy’s Week 6 Best Bets: Last Week: 2-4 Season: 14-11 (.560)
RUTGERS +6 ½ over Pitt, Temple -9 ½ over BALL STATE, Air Force +16 over NOTRE DAME, Syracuse -10 over TULANE, Weeziana Tech -3 ½ over IDAHO
BTW, Vindicator slid head-first into the sportsbook, leaving his wallet on the ground, apparently giving himself up…but the bookie, playing to the whistle, scooped up the wallet and continued to put Vin’s money toward more wagers!
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