FORMER REPLACEMENT REF IMPACTS MLB GAME
ST. LOUIS, Missouri (UPI)…The good news? They got it right upon review. The bad news? The delay involved with making the correct call official was intolerable. During the first-inning of the Sept 30th game between the Cardinals and Washington, Nats’ hitter Michael Morse was asked to mime his grand-slam after replay of his deep fly-ball was eventually (and correctly) ruled a dinger with the bases juiced. Players on both sides initially cooperated and at the direction of the ex-NFL-scab-official-turned-umpire, who was ready to declare a Nationals’ walk-off touchdown, donned face-paint, striped shirts and berets, while positioning themselves to re-enact the at-bat. The stadium PA-system operator even added a little sarcastic drama by playin’ the “Six-Million Dollar Man” sound-effects. But upon getting a second-chance, pitcher Kyle Lohse elected instead to pretend-pitch a bean-ball at Morse’s head, causing both benches to empty.
Dogs carried on with their torrid pace, takin’ the pesos in 12 of the 14 matches (12 of 15 if ya had South Carolina at -20 ½ after we published last week’s forecast) and we finally returned to some sense of accuracy with a 9-5 (41-45, .482) outing in Week Five. If Marcel Marceau was alive today, he’d bust out the fake rope-pull, only to end up with a handful of…
THE WEBER KID’S 2012 WEEK 6 FORECAST
(Sporting a pink blog-background all month in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness)
THURS. OCT. 4
#13 Southern Cal (-14) over UTAH: We’re not impressed with either side and this is more of a vote against Utah’s lack of production (win over rival BYU notwithstanding) than for the Trojans. Both teams got a bye last week, but Utah went into the off-week following a 30-point loss at Arizona State (cashing us a ticket! Thank you very much!). USC won but didn’t cover vs. Cal. We’re calling on a trend showing Troy as a very good bet laying double-digits following an idle week, Utes QB Jordan Wynn has called it a career and SoCal won a 9-point decision last year in wake of tougher-than-expected 19-17 victory over Minnesota to open the 2011 campaign (but just as a caveat… underdogs have taken all three Thursday-nighters ATS on the season)…USC 31 Utah 13
SAT. OCT. 6
#1 Alabama: IDLE (next @ Missouri)
#23 Washington (+24) over #2 OREGON: We looked at this for “lock”. Line suggests the bookies are starting to catch up (a little) to Mallards’ defensive issues. Huskies, who lost 34-17 in 2011, aren’t good in revenge-mode, but ‘Dogs did validate last week’s “dangerous” label, upsetting Stanford and are doing it on defense. Drakes haven’t scored less than 42 and RB Kenyon Barner is a monster on the ground for UO, but three of five opponents scored 25 or more…Quack Attack 48 UDUB 27
#3 Florida State (-14) over NC STATE: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. Chief Wahoo and the boys were plus-three turnovers and plus-8 minutes in time-of-possession, yet failed to score in the fourth quarter at South Florida???!!! Anybody else smell fix???!! NC State has no Russell Wilson. No Danny O’Brien (who ain’t workin’ out quite as well at Wisconsin). Wolfpack 0-4 ATS, 3-2 SU…with triumphs over…UConn (by 3), FBS-newbie South ‘Bama and FCS Citadel. History favors NCSU on a couple fronts, but having gotten the hangover from comeback win against Clemson outta’ da’ way, we expect FSU to cover this one easily…Seminoles 45 Wolf Package 17
#10 FLORIDA (+2 ½) over #4 Louisiana State: Have to wonder if Bengals played the defensive scrubs early and often in less-than-stellar win over AA Towson that got ‘em dropped in the rankings, knowing this one and visit by the Poultry were upcoming. Our best guess here is an “under” with neither side yielding many scoring opportunities. Gators, though not pretty, posting 3-0 SU/ATS tally in conference play. Tigers won 41-11 last year. Bengals last trip to the Swamp resulted in 4-point win in 2010…LSU 21 Florida 20
#6 SOUTH CAROLINA (-2 ½) over #5 Georgia: Gamecocks 24 ‘Dawgs 17
Kansas (+24) over #7 KANSAS STATE: Jayhawks in inaugural campaign under Charlie Weis, who made the Irish more lichen-like than fightin’ in his last three seasons at Notre Dame, but did wake up the echoes in his first two years in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus. Following 20-6 loss to conference-newcomer TCU, Birds are now 6-9 getting points away and dismal 2-24 outright in Big 12 play. Purple Persians have won and covered last three years in this series, hangin’ 59 on their rivals in each of the past two. Still, ‘Cats made our upset pick over Oklahoma a reality and little voice in Vindy’s head is persistent in advice to take da’ points with away games at Iowa State and West Virginia closin’ quickly…KSU 31 Jayhawks 13
#11 TEXAS (-7) over #8 West Virginia: No faith in this choice. Both teams survived crazy shootouts last week. Geno Smith hasn’t thrown a pick to-date. Steers would fare well to change that! We don’t think Cattle could swap sixes with the ‘Eers, so we’re bankin’ on a Texas defense to make a few plays and Longhorns’ ground game, averaging 228 ypg, to grind one out. ‘Horns faced a similar prolific offense at Oklahoma State and emerged okay. Maybe the Austin Angus can borrow some defensive starters from their brethren in Lubbock (see Oklahoma-Texas Tech below)!...’Horns 34 ‘Eers 24
#9 NOTRE DAME (-13) over Miami: Irish 27 Miami 12
#12 OHIO STATE (-3) over #21 Nebraska: Buckeyes overcame a minus-three turnover margin and eventually dispatched Sparty with sure-tackling, characteristic of the State defense we’ve anticipated all season. We had a small money-line wager on Wisky over Big Dread and Badgers fell just shy of fruition. FYI, the whole “eye-gouging” incident between Michigan State guard Jack Allen and OSU DT Jonathan Hankins’ was a misunderstanding. Allen was simply demonstrating the mutual- appreciation for the Three Stooges (or was re-creatin’ the famous Robert DeNiro “I’m…watchin’… you!” segment from Meet the Parents!)…Buckeyes 24 Huskers 20
Washington State (+15) over #14 OREGON STATE: Much like K-State, we’re hesitant to lay double-digits with the Beavers, despite multiple upset victories in dog role…OSU 34 Wazzou 23
Georgia Tech (+10) over #15 tie CLEMSON: Bees gave the Stun Belt yet-another victory this season vs. the BCS conference, losing 49-28 to Middle Tennessee State. Tigers covering the spreads, but makin’ it interesting doing so…Clemson 31 Joja’ Tech 24
Iowa State (+11) over #15 tie TCU: Best guess for “wish I had it back”, but…Toads 20 Dust Devils 12
#17 Oklahoma (-5) over TEXAS TECH: Red Raiders lead the nation in total defense and holds the five-spot in scoring D???!!! WTH???!!!...OK 27 Texas Tech 17
Arizona (+10) over #18 STANFORD: Stanford 19 AZ 16
#19 Louisville: IDLE (next @ Pitt)
#20 Mississippi State (-9 ½) over KENTUCKY: MSU 34 Mildcats 17
#22 RUTGERS (-9 ½) over Connecticut: Scarlet Kaaaaaaahhhhnigggetts 4-0 SU/2-1 ATS including a pair of road-dog upsets far away from the Jersey Turnpike. Marc Lawrence’s Playbook.Com has the chalk in this series losing ATS the past four meetings. Huskies, currently under the guidance of former Syracuse head man Paul Pasqualoni, are 3-2 SU/2-1 against the line. The rush defense made progress for Pasqualoni in 2011. Knights run and stop the run well. Success up-top might well be the difference here or RB Jamison (123 rush ypg) might tilt the field in favor of the…Piscataway Paladins 23 UConn 10
PENN STATE (-3) over #24 Northwestern: Since a pair of defeats that could have just as easily gone into the win-column, the alma mater has weathered the scandal and the defections to reel-off three consecutive SU victories and four straight wins vs. the number. Wildcats haven’t been tested since opening 42-41 victory over Syracuse and are 10-3 in last 13 as road dogs, but we’ll take Lions’ overall level of opposition over N-Dub’s wins against Vandy, BC, South Dakota and Indiana. BTW, the replacement NFL referees were acquired from the same temp agency that pimped-out kicker Sam Ficken to the Nittany Lions! Homecoming in Happy Valley...PSU 21 NW 13
#25 Ucla (-2 ½) over CAL: UCLA 29 Bears 22
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, upon even further review…Cardinals manager, Mike Matheny, noted the pretend-pine tar was too high up on the imaginary bat-handle and claimed Morse shoulda’ been called out and four runs taken off the scoreboard!
Opposing fans are expected to mock Morse for the duration of the Nationals’ season by doing the old “trapped in a batter’s box” thing!
Sing it with Vindy…“Make-up… me out to the ballllllllll game…”
S.F. Niners’ Brandon Jacobs got caught racing among an army of vehicles driving over the century-mark in New Jersey in what a motorist reportedly suggested was “Death Race 2012”. We’re just wondering if said-running back will run over his own coaches and teammates to score additional points toward getting released from his current contract, and be armed with oil slicks on defense and machine-guns on offense if he carries the ball across designated spots on the grid-iron! There’s always a cameo on the Wacky Races cartoon series remake!
Tim Tebow noted his only “vice” is vanilla ice cream. Timmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…live a little. Two words… ”Heavenly Hash”! BTW, the newest flavor from Ben & Jerry’s is…”Timocha Tebow”
Tebow has also reportedly taken up mixed martial training…because… let’s face it….the Jets need a QB with a strong arm-bar and good ground-and-pound game! BTW, defenders get no credit for a sack vs. Tebow unless he taps-out or gets choked out!
Always enjoying the opportunity to jack things up, Vindy was not too happy to realize the Olympic Games preliminaries weren’t actually followed by the mettle rounds!
Mike Tyson brought his solo act to Broadway this summer. Hmmmm….”Iron Mike: Da’ Musical”? How ‘bout “Boxer on da’ Roof”? “Neil Simon’s Round Two”? “Southpaw Pacific”, “The Iron Mikado”? “Oh! Cal-Cut-man!”? “Man of La Muncha”? Do I hear a co-starring role alongside a Yul Brynner-look-a-like in “The Ring & I”???!! “Evander Get Your Gun”????!!!! (‘cause let’s face it…he ain’t gonna’ “hear the Sound of Muuuuuusssiiiiiiic”!)
If yer scorin’ at home, yer aware that October 5th is the 50th anniversary of the introduction of a guy named James Bond…in a 1962 flick called…“Dr. No-Huddle”!!!!
Black Shirt: The coveted undergarment goes to RB Joe Bergeron, who’s TD-run with 29 seconds left gave Texas the win and cover we predicted! Honorable mention to Beavers QB Sean Mannion for a huge passing day and winning touchdown-toss with just over a minute left to give Oregon State the predicted road-upset of Arizona!
“Wish I Had That One Back”: After changing our initial pick, as noted last week, on West Virginia-Baylor, yep…we’d like that one back!
“Locked in a Box?”: Our preferred selections haven’t been able to hit a herd of elephants with a fire-hose, as the Seminoles’ missed cover takes us down to 0-5 (.000)??!!!
Shoppe Talk: The Mounted Ears continue to adorn the Shoppe walls at 0-3 (.000 and 3-11 over the last 14).
Vindy’s Week 6 Best Bets: Last Week: 1-3 Season: 11-12 (.478)
Northern Illinois -2 ½ over BALL STATE, AKRON +4 ½ over Bowling Green, WISCONSIN -14 ½ Illinois, MARSHALL +3 over Tulsa, UL-Monroe -3 over MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
No comments:
Post a Comment