COPS SEEK MYSTERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHER FOLLOWING WEEKEND INCIDENTS
ANN ARBOR, Michigan (TMZ)…Law enforcement officials from Columbus, Ohio and Las Vegas, Nevada are imploring local counterparts to help bring an unidentified "camera-man" to justice after alleged back-to-back occurrences that saw the shutterbug-in-question graze Buckeyes' QB JT Barrett on the sideline of Saturday's Wolverines-Ohio State match-up, "inadvertently"-aggravating an ongoing knee-injury that put the star-QB on the bench in the 3rd Quarter for the rest of the way, allowing Michigan to cover +12 in 11-point loss! The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (as seen on Criminal-Mimes) was called-upon out of' Quantico, Virginia. The profile revealed the "Unsub" also accidentally-delivered a knee to Vindy's head early in the Week 13 Forecast as he stooped to retrieve a fallen parlay card that hit the sportsbook-floor, giving the bookies a spread-win against a plus-3 ½ forecast line. With time running-out on the weekend and Vin down two wins, our humble host tried to spike his picks, but the clock kept ticking!
Your prestigious prognosticator stormed into Saturday' contests, going 4-1 over Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but the tank-treads fell off early, producing an ultimate 9-11 outing (123-98-3, .557), our first sub-.500 result since Week Two! Sending-in Jeff Gillooly to do what he does best, we propose...
THE WEBER KID'S CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK FORECAST
(With Neil Simon's Kodachrome and J. Geils Band Freeze-Frame alternatin'-playin'-sets in the background!)
FRI. DEC. 1
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Santa Clara, CA)
#14 Stanford (+3 ½) over #11 Southern Cal: MINOR UPSET PICK OF DA' WEEK. Trojans, who took last week to watch film, beat the Cardinal 42-24 in September. Trees have taken each of past three years by 10 or more.
Seven of Stanford's last 10 matches have gone "under". Stayin' with initial gut-reaction...Redbirds 23 Sudden Cal 19
SAT. DEC. 2
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Charlotte, NC)
#1 Clemson (-9) over #7 Miami: Tigers just need to hold-serve here to lock-in #1 spot in CFP, have spread-dubyas in 6 of 7 on neutral-fields and covered vs. Top 25-opponents three times in four opportunities of 2017 (missing by a half-point at NC State). Our crystal ball woulda' never seen DD-loss by Miami at Pitt. 'Canes won and covered both 'dog-roles (by much smaller lines, in fact) and Marc Lawrence notes Da' U has cashed 13 of 14 when getting fewer than 15 following a DD-SU loss. Nonetheless, our opinion....Hurri-Cons might merely be another 2017 Notre Dame …Clemson 30 Pelicans 17
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Arlington, TX)
#2 Oklahoma vs. #10 Texas Christian ("under 63"): Toads' only chance to win here is to contain Baker Mayfield and keep the scoring down. Last three seasons, prior to 2017's 38-20 victory by the Sooners, showed margins of victory by 4, 1 and 6. Can't rely on TCU's ATS win-ATS-loss-ATS-win-ATS–loss pattern. Frog-Legs on current 7-1 "under" run...Sooners 27 Ribbits 20
BIG 10 CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Indianapolis, IN)
#3 Wisconsin (+6) over #8 Ohio State: Akin to Week 13's write-up on semi-longshot title-winner Auburn, we bought Da' Cheese-Heads at 28-1 to do likewise. Finally-gettin' some Muskrat Love from the committee, Wisky holds the 4-hole of the CFP Rankings. Cupcake-schedule or not, Badgers can prove themselves worthy by toppling Ohio State. Question is...which Buckeyes team takes the field?...The one that lost by 15 to now CFP-#3 Oklahoma at the 'Shoe, shoulda' lost to our Alma Mater, again, at 'Da 'Shoe and fell badly at Iowa or the club that hung 45-point decision on questionable-Spartans in East Lansing?...Varmints have beaten the line in five of last six games and, according to Vindy's spies, are secretly-recruiting the same videographer noted-above to "take some impromptu pics" of State's QB-RB tandem right before da' coin-toss. Badgers are keen on atoning fer yielding two-TD halftime- edge in defeat by Penn State here in 2016....Madison 29 Columbus 28
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Atlanta, GA)
#4 Auburn (-2 ½) over #6 Georgia: LOCK OF DA' WEEK. Sooooo...revenge-factor for 40-17 beat-down a few weeks ago, upset hang-over, RB Kerryon Johnson's status as possibly less-than-perfect-health, Dawgs' virtually-assured spot in the CFP with a win and change-of-venue warrant a line this small? Nope...Tigers 24 Joja' 16
AAC CHAMPIONSHIP (@ TBD)
#12 Central Florida vs. #16 Memphis ("under 83"): A scoreboard-victory nets the Knights the highly-coveted New Year's Half-Dozen bowl-berth, but we're gonna' put our hopes in UCF-defense that limited Tigers to 13 points in September to keep this final below the total. Tigers saw four contests exceed this number, but three were at home. Just second ranked-foe fer Memphis. Paladins went "over" this number only twice facing I-A squads. Hopin' last week's 49-42 track-meet vs. South Florida was an anomaly and creates a little fatigue at the begnining...Percivals 34 Tigres 27
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Boise, ID)
#25 Fresno State (+8 ½) over BOISE STATE: In a role-reversal from last weekend, it's Fresno sportin' da' hashtag and the Broncos are unranked, but get the homefield-ad, where they've won 22 of last 25. Though, we thank the Bulldoggies for makin'-good on our upset-prediction in Week 13 and while FSU West lost by 10 here in 2014, posting overall 6-8 outright record that was the start of a major program-slide. Don't have the sand ("Gangs of New York"-aficionados know that reference) to call Fresno in back-to-back outright 'dog-wins, but gotta' take the points. Boise's 3-3 ATS home-chalk role this year and 2-10 the previous two seasons do not inspire confidence...Al Cowlings' SUVs 24 Canines 21
CUSA CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Boca Raton, FL)
North Texas @ FLORIDA ATLANTIC ("over 74 ½"): Hats-off to drama-magnet Lane Kiffin, who inherited a loaded-team that posted a hat-trick of 3-9 campaigns ahead of his arrival, and despite ugly non-conference record, ran the CUSA-table (8-0 SU, taking 7 by double-digits). Across the field, Mean Green's lone-defeat was...uggghhh... 69-31 here in late October. Owls will feature big run-game. NT throws forever. Atlantic finished 8th in conference in pass-D. Both sides dent the scoreboard often...FAU 44 UNT 37
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP (@ Detroit, MI)
Toledo (-21) over Akron: Both teams are relative-strangers to da' MAC Championship game, with Zips last making it this far in 2005 and Rockets on the outside-lookin'-in since 2004! The Motherships have won ATS in 6 of 8 conference tilts, winning four of 'em by this-many or more, including 48-21 over Akron on 10/21. Both sides flaunt lotsa' Seniors and Phil Steele tagged the Zips as his #14 Most-Improved club in the preseason, but nothing about Akron's performance away from InfoCision Stadium gives us reason to not lay the lumber...Major Tom 44 Kangaroos 20
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS
BTW, immediately-following the aforementioned knee-strike to da' head, Vindicator was whisked-away into the medical-tent to undergo concussion-protocol, but was later released back into da casino!
Snapchat?...Do we really need a social-media app to discuss the center-quarterback exchange???!!!
Piggy-backin' on our Week 13 Mickey-Dee's commentary, we offer... PickDonald’s…serving all-day forecast! Last Spring, the Internet despised said-employees' new uniforms (grey & black), to which we ask..."Wouldja' like to 'subdue-size' that?" Not sayin' we necessarily wanna' mimic Starbucks unicorn-frappachino! Da' classic value-meal's now available with an adult-drink, two "sides" and a "total"!
Back in August, Godfahda' to Rebels' RB Rashad Walker, Flava' Flav took-in UNLV's initial summer practice and forecasted a bowl-berth this season. The Public Enemy-front-man, who's older than yer humble narrator, offered to keep time on his customary clock-necklace after the normal play-clocks briefly lost power!
With Da' Grey Cup just completed, we had a bizarre random thought...if the CFL met a Marvel Comics legend, would we have the...Calgary StanLeeders?!
In light of a 1-3 SU skid by his team last January, Coach K banned his players from occupying the Duke locker-room and from sportin’ Blue Devils apparel anywhere on campus. Likewise, given the 5-14 results of Week One, Vindicator had prohibited members of his forecasting strategy team from being in Vin’s man-cave and, imposing a "brand-ban", from wearing any “Picks” clothing in the local Vegas sportsbooks until further notice.
SEASON RECAP
BEST WEEKLY EFFORT: Week Six's 15-5
WORST WEAKLY "F"-fort: We hobbled out of da' gate with Week One's 5-14
WEBER-FRIENDLIES (Best percentage on the predicted side of the spread; minimum 7 at-bats in the forecast): The 2017 Allstate "Yer in Good Hands" award goes happily the Trees of Stanford (8-1. 889). Second-Place to the Badgers of Wisconsin (9-2, .818). Honorable Mention to Michigan (7-2, .778).
Not enough appearances, but thanks for playing: Utah & San Diego State (both 4-0, 1.000) and Kansas State 4-1 (.800).
FLAME-THROWERS (Worst percentage on the predicted side of the spread; again, minimum 7 at-bats in the forecast): This season's Grill-Master Supreme (you can still see the sear-marks on Vindy's wallet!) goes to defending-champion Clemson (2-6-2, .250, now 5-16-2 [.238] in last 23 opportunities), Suckin' Place to West Virginia (2-6, .250, grabbing this spot last year with identical 2-6, now 4-12 [.250]. Dishonorable Mention to Alabama (4-6, .400).
Didn't make da' cut, but we'll be watchin': Ole Mist and Wake Forest (all 0-3, .000); Baylor (1-3, .250)
and Texas (2-4, .333).
"Locked in a Box": Da' Bulls of South Florida took Central Florida to the wire, elevating the "lock" record to 9-2-1 (.818)!
Black Shirt: This week, we honor the unidentified camera-man in our "lead story" and TCU QB Kenny Hill makes our Christmas-card list for fumble less than a minute-in vs. Baylor that led to Bears' safety and subsequent-cover of plus 25 ½!
Vindy's Championship Week Best Bets: Last Week: 3-1 Season: 24-25-1 (.490)
Southern Cal-Stanford "under 58", South Alabama +9 ½ over NEW MEXICO STATE (Sorry, limited-options this week!)
Next up...our annual thoughts on Army-Navy!