Wednesday, November 07, 2018

Vindy's Picks Week 11-2018

HOOPS, FORECAST LEGENDS MEET  
 
CHICAGO, Illinois (UPI [...as opposed to RPI])…In an historic get-together this week as the college hoops-season tipped-off, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who buoyed the local Ramblers’ squad to an unlikely Final Four-berth in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, and the Vegas Vindicator, exchanged respect and niceties, mutually-scratching one off each’s other’s bucket-list. The school-chaplain presented the prestigious prognosticator with an autographed basketball. In return, she received a losing betting-slip bearing Vindicator’s John Henry. Unlike Vladimir Putin’s soccer-ball offering to President Trump, the orange-sphere did not require scrutiny for an internal GPS-device.  School cyber-security officials, however, detected such a device implanted in the parlay-ticket, suggesting the infamous-oracle planned to track Sister Jean’s movements. The team-chaplain, known affectionately to students, players and coaches as Sister Mary Free-Throw and Sister Mary Flagrant-Foul, posterized the Sin City Soothsayer in a friendly game of “HORSE” before showing-up and showing-out in the Slam-Dunk contest! 
 
Unable to gain any traction of late, we floundered to our third-straight losing week at 10-11 (85-90-3, .486). With da’ bookie’s hand in his face at the buzzer, Vindy, hopin’ to pull a rabbit outta’ his hat-trick, jacks-up... 
 
THE WEBER KID'S 2018 WEEK 11 FORECAST  
(Boastin’ backdoor-cutters from other mudders!) 
 
THURS. NOV. 8 
 
#22 NC STATE (-17) over Wake Forest: We seriously-considered this one fer “lock of da’ week”. Deacs have lost starting QB Hartman and his 16 scores and nearly 2K-passing yards for the duration. In addition, Wake plays third-game away from Winston-Salem in last four weeks, shows 2-6 ATS tally overall (1-3 skid) and has four defeats by DD on the year. ‘Pack seeks revenge for 2017’s 30-24 loss and Marc Lawrence has home-team in the series covering 10 of 11. Despite 9-3 away-dog-streak for the visitors...NCSU 44 Da’ Forest 17
 
FRI. NOV. 9 
 
#13 SYRACUSE (-21) over Louisville: The New Black 38 Cards 10 
 
#16 Fresno State (-3) over BOISE STATE: Bulldogs 27 Broncos 20 
 
SAT. NOV. 10  
 
#18 Mississippi State @ #1 ALABAMA (“Under 52 ½”): Tide 37 Bulldogs 10 
 
#17 BOSTON COLLEGE (+17 ½) over #2 Clemson: This garnered a look fer “lock”. Everything except Eagles 10-2-1 record against the number in last Baker’s Dozen in ACC-play points toward Clemson. Tigers averaging 9 ppg-against, including 7 vs. NC State, over last four contests, have covered 3 of last 4 roadies and 11 of last 17 facing the Top 25 and have home-date with flaky Blue Devils on-deck. Why is every fiber of our being screamin“BC” (4-0 ATS/4-0 “under”-streak)...Cats 30 Birds 20 
 
Florida State (+18) over #3 NOTRE DAME: Best guess for “wish we had it back”. Unless Tribe pulls off a pair of upsets in last three matches, it will be MIA from the post-season for first time in almost four decades. Irish nearly-wasted a 17-point edge in the final-stanza before hangin’-on to topple Northwestern last week. Leprechauns have won by this many or more four times to-date, but are just 1-3 ATS giving points in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus and have neutral-site gig vs. upstart-Orange looming. ‘Noles on 5-1 “over” run and OC Bell gets the nod to call plays for second-straight week fer State, can’t hurt...Our Lady 37 FSU 23  
 
#4 Michigan (-39) over RUTGERS: Wolverines 51 Scarlet Naughts 6 
 
#5 GEORGIA (-14 ½) over Auburn: ‘Dawgs already have an engraved-invitation to the conference-title game. Tigers came-back late to dispatch A&M, whose predicted-upset was thwarted by a late pick in Aubie’s EZ. Interesting clash of Joja’s #16 rushing-yardage offense (234 ypg and 20 ground-sixes) vs. Auburn’s #34 rushing-yards-D (134 ypg-allowed and mere-five rushing-TDs). Tigers just 2-3-1 against the spread in the SEC arena so-far. UMass awaits Georgia...UGA 30 Tigers 14 
 
Oklahoma State (+17 ½) over #6 OKLAHOMA: Schooners 39 Cowpokes 33  
 
#7 WEST VIRGINIA (-13 ½) over Texas Christian: Second-best guess fer “wish we had it back”. Reasonable line given Mounties crazy, frequent-lead-swapping shootout victory over Texas (scoring the deciding-TD with under half-a-minute to-go). However, Horny Toads, on 0-6 spread-slide, squeaked by error-prone and QB-short K-State 14-13. Froggies are just 4-5 SU after logging DD-win totals in 3 of previous 4 campaigns and have lost by this many three-times this season. ‘Eers have been on the wrong-end 2 of the last 3 in the series. Expect molasses-pace in the first-half by both sidelines, but a second-half ruled by WVU...West-By-Golly 42 Kermit-Nation 16 
 
#24 MICHIGAN STATE (+4) over #8 Ohio State: UPSET PICK OF DA’ WEEK #1...Sparty 24 Buckeyes 22 
 
#9 Louisiana State (-13 ½) over ARKANSAS: Bengals have won and covered the last two years vs. Da’ Bacon off losses to ‘Bama, winning by 28 and 23...LSU 35 Pigs 13 
 
#10 Washington State @ COLORADO (“under 60 ½"): Bison need a SU-dubya to make the post-season, but are on 0-4 SU/1-3 ATS demise and not-trustworthy 1-5 as home-dogs in last six tries. Coogs have four tilts decided by margin-of-six or fewer this year (3 of ‘em were wins in Pullman, the other was three-point defeat at USC). Colorado did not dent the scoreboard in 2017-iteration of the series...Wazzou 31 Buffs 24  
 
Navy (+25 ½) over #11 CENTRAL FLORIDA: Knights 41 Middies 20 
 
#12 Kentucky (-5 ½) over TENNESSEE: LOCK OF DA’WEEK. We look at this one much the way we did at the Syracuse (-5) at WAKE tilt last week...”Oh, pullleeeeeease...Rocky Top mere 14-3 over Charlotte...in Nashville... and couldn’t light a bulb beyond the first-15 minutes?!...Wildcats 27 Vols 13 
 
San Jose State (+31) over #14 UTAH STATE: Aggies 51 San Josie 27 
 
#15 Texas @ TEXAS TECH (“over 63 ½”): Both clubs may stagger on offense early after involvement in back-and-forth, high-scoring affairs in Week 10. Wheels have fallen off da’ Cattle-drive as Texas put three checkmarks in the “L”-column in past four outings (1-4 spread-skid). Steers have suffered defeats in two of last three facing Guns-Up...by 3 in 2015 and by 4 last season, but went above the total in three of last four contests. Tech shows 6-2 “over”-record. Road-team has covered last four, but...Longhorns 41 Red Raiders 37 
 
South Carolina (+7) over #19 FLORIDA: UPSET PICK OF DA’ WEEK #2. With ugly three-score loss to Mizzou, Gators are out of da’ race for conference-crown.  Gamehens, 4-3 outright like Florida, have more to gain in terms of bowl-positioning and bested said-Tigers-squad in early-October. Poultry won last year. No reason to believe there won’t be a similar sequel...KFC 27 Crocs 24
 
#20 Washington: IDLE (next vs. Oregon State) 
 
#21 PENN STATE (-8) over Wisconsin: The Happy Valley faithful grow irritable as the Alma Mater continued to work its way toward a pre-New Year’s Eve berth in the Duluth Trading Naked-Underwear Bowl with no-show in Ann Arbor, where Lions just-avoided posting first scoreboard-goose-egg (with a hundred-ninety-nine on the clock) since 20-zippo defeat to Big Blue in October 2001. If Coach Robinson has any influence at-all...Nitwits 24 Badgers 14 
 
#23 IOWA STATE (-15) over Baylor: Bears off last-second victory vs. Da' Cowpokes. Six-point loss at Texas about a month ago has lost some shine. ‘Clones are on 4-0 SU/ATS run and are one-game behind Big 12 leaders Oklahoma and West Virginia...State 34 Baylor 17 
 
#25 CINCINNATI (-12) over South Florida:  Bulls were exposed by consecutive blow-outs at Houston and vs. Tulane following six-straight triumphs over nobody-special. Bearkats have showdown at Central Florida next, but were manhandled the last three years by USF. Cincy has already equaled outright-win total of last two years combined and should grab a 9th-victory here. UC topped Tulane, who crushed South Florida last week, by 16... Cincinnati 44 Toros 14 
 
BETWEEN THE HASHMARKS 
 
BTW, the spiritual-leader's entry on the home-hardwood is accompanied by David Bowie’s classic-tune...”The Jean Genie”! Additionally, in a nod to Knicks-great Wilt Chamberlain, Sister Jean, despite standing-in at south of five-feet tall, also answers to “Jill the Stilt”! 
 
In a follow-up to our Week 9 lead story about hair, we suspect hirsute-length might become a regularly-measured factor during the NFL Combine! Not that these styles are all-that-popular now, but the pixie-cut, ducktail and bob will likely go the way of the now-extinct Tyrannosaurus Rex!
 
YAC = “Yawns After Combine”?! 
 
As California forges-ahead in efforts to safely-place autonomous vehicles on its roadways, Golden State football teams at the high school-, college- and pro-levels are experimenting with deciding gridiron-contests via life-size versions of the vintage Tudor Electronic Football Game! 
 
Da’ Minnesota Timberwolves, on November 16, will begin sporting purple-highlighted-unis in honor of Prince. Vindy’s spies confirmed rumors that each player on said-team will also don a “raspberry beret” in an additional-tribute to the musical-star!  The team is expected as well to Purple-Rain threes on its forthcoming-opponents!  
 
“Wish We Had It Back”: In our LSU-’Bama analysis, we noted “We might regret not callin’ “under 53 ½”.  Upon further review, why yes...yes, we did! 
 
"Locked in a Box": Cavs lost outright to Pittsburgh, dropping the “lock”-tally to 4-5 (.444). 
 
Black Shirt:  The garment-of-gratitude is shared this week by Irish K Justin Yoon and N-DUB K Charlie Kuhbander for each missing a FG that would’ve pushed the total “over 53 ½” for their contest.  
 
Shoppe Talk: The Terrible-Tusks return at 2-7 (.222). Still here...da’ Alma Mater at 2-5-2 (.285) and Mounted Ears likewise at 2-5 (.285). Bringin-up the rear...Florida at 2-4 (.333). 
 
Vindy's Week 11 Best Bets: Last Week: 1-3   Season: 22-20-1 (.524) 
 
East Carolina @ TULANE “under 55”, California @ USC “under 48 ½”, Southern Methadone –18 ½ over UCONN, UTEP +14 over Middle Tennessee, UAB –11 ½ over Sudden Mist 
   
 

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