Tag Archives: 2006

Week 7 NFL Pick Review – 2006

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IT wasn’t all bad on Sunday. A couple key teams fell late, but all in all, I came into Monday Night Football guaranteed another winning record after a tough one in Week 6. How did everything pan out? Read more of my Week 7 Review…

Carolina (+3.5) at Cincinnati: WINNER! It’s only fair to give a little credit to the Bengals, they pulled out a nice late victory over a very good Panther team. However, I mentioned money in the bank when Carolina is an underdog. They didn’t cover by much, but a win is a win, and I got one here.

Detroit at N.Y. Jets (-3.5): WINNER! This game was closer than expected, but the outcome remained the same. The Lions put up a nice effort, and they’re on the right track, maybe to the playoffs next season? I’m crazy. However, I was right again, as the Jets got their 4th and gave me my 2nd win of the week.

Green Bay (+5) at Miami: WINNER! Like I said earlier in the week, “Don’t be stunned by the 2nd Packer win of the season, and just another loss in a long line of failures out of Miami.” I hope you weren’t stunned as the Packers did away with the Dolphins, and I won again.

Jacksonville (-9.5) at Houston: LOSER! Was Mike Peterson that important to eh success of the Jags? Or did Jacksonville just blow it against Houston? I guess we’ll see soon enough. The bottom line is, if I had to pick one winner this week, I would have taken the Jags over the Texans? And survivor pickers everywhere moaned and groaned over this score, I guarantee it. My first loss was a full blown cold stone stunner.

New England (-5) at Buffalo: WINNER! After a nice start to the season, not record wise but play wise, the Bills are falling down in the dumps. JP Losman looks like poop, and the Buffalo defense can’t manage a stop when it matters. New England’s record grows as they win another against their divisional foes.

Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay: LOSER! Tampa Bay is better than their record insists, and I can’t imagine their young quarterback losing his starting job any time soon. I knew I was in trouble during this game when McNabb threw his second pick of the game. However, I thought the Eagles would still pull one out. A 62 yard field goal downed Philly and Tampa Bay pulled out a big one at home.

Pittsburgh at Atlanta (+2.5): WINNER! How ’bout them Falcons. Mike Vick looked like a great quarterback against a very good Steeler defense. Ben Roethlisberger looked good too, but he got concussed late in the game and didn’t return. Thank goodness I just traded him in my dynasty league. Anyhow, Atlanta used their rushing attack in overtime, marching down the field into field goal range and handing the game to Morten Anderson. Mort did the deed and Atlanta won at home.

San Diego Chargers (-5) at Kansas City Chiefs: LOSER! Phillip Rivers struggled early, putting the Chargers in just a big enough hole to eventually fall in the end. Rivers came back strong, but the normally stout Chargers D couldn’t stop Larry Johnson, and Damon Huard looked good again as Kansas City got right back into the playoff race.

Denver (-4.5) at Cleveland: WINNER! I wasn’t impressed with Jake Plummer, but Tatum Bell has shown me he’s for real. Jay Cutler has to be coming soon to a theatre near you. Even with Jake, the Broncos covered by 5.5, taking down the Browns in Cleveland. The Browns have NO rushing attack. Without one, they’ll continue to struggle.

Arizona (-3) at Oakland: LOSER! Matt Leinart finally looked like a rookie, Edge continued to struggle, and Dennis Green secretly wished he didn’t fire his Offensive Coordinator after last Monday’s game. All in all, Oakland stunned me by getting a win this season. Now Randy and the Raiders can rest, they met their potential with a big win at home.

Minnesota (+7) at Seattle: WINNER! Hasselbeck went down with the game tied, and the Vikings stepped up with the smell of blood in the air. Seattle just doesn’t have IT. Whether they lost it after getting screwed in the Super Bowl, or when Shaun went down, or when Matt got injured, they just don’t have IT. If they can hold on in this tough situation, they might find IT. The Vikings looked good as they gave me my 7th win on the day, assuring me a winning week.

Washington (+10) at Indianapolis: LOSER! I liked my bet early, but the Colts came back late to absolutely dominate the Redskins. Peyton Manning is good, and Mark Brunell just isn’t good enough. That’s my analysis on that one. The Redskins lost again, putting themselves in a nearly impossible position if they still plan on making the playoffs.

N.Y. Giants (+3.5) at Dallas: Tony Romo will help the Cowboys win football games, something Drew Bledsoe can no longer do. However, that will start to show next week. Tonight, the Giants slapped the Boys right in the face. Upsetting the Cowboys in Dallas to give me a giant smile and my 8th win of the week.

Week 8 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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I didn’t get 8 wins in Week 8, in fact I only tallied half that many in my first down week this month. I’ll come back swinging next week, but as far as Saturday was concerned, this is how I got three black-eyes… 4-6-1

Iowa Hawkeyes (+14) @ Michigan Wolverines: Those bloody Wolverines stold this game from me when they scored 10 4th quarter points to push this game. That’s what I get for changing the channel thinking I had this game in the bag.

SC Fighting Gamecocks @ Vanderbilt Commodores (+3.5): Vanderbilt couldn’t even get their feet off the ground before SC was whipping them good. For the first time this year, the Commodores were dominated from start to finish. Luckily I took them. Ugh.

North Carolina State Wolfpack @ Maryland Terrapins (-3): The Terps covered even though they gave up 2 4th quarter touchdowns. What can I say? College football is interesting, and that’s never more true than when Maryland is holding a big 4th quarter lead. Their 4th quarter field goal was just enough to give me the win.

West Virginia Mountaineers (-22) @ Connecticut: WV won by 26 points as they ran all over the UCONN Huskies on Friday Night. It’s always nice to walk into the weekend with a win under your belt.

Texas Longhorns (-6.5) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers: A nice 2nd half for the Cornhuskers took me out of the cover running. However, a big mistake late allowed the Horns to claw back for a game winning field goal. It wasn’t enough for me, the Longhorns win and I lose.

Indiana Hoosiers (+31.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes: Indiana just didn’t have a chance. I thought they’d score a couple times late, and that would have gotten me the W, but OSU was on the ball, hustling until the very last play of the game. Needless to say, I didn’t win this one.

Wisconsin Badgers @ Purdue Boilermakers (+6.5): 24 unanswered points by the Badgers took me down kicking and screaming. I couldn’t believe how easily the Badgers shut down the Boilermakers regularly efficient offense, but that’s exactly what happened. Next week must be the week Wisconsin starts to tumble…

Illinois Fighting Illini (+18) @ Penn State Nittany Lions: PSU ended up taking this game by 14, not enough to cover, and a much bigger final score than it seemed. This game was tight throughout, especially in the 1st half, but Penn’s big second half got them the win.

Miami Hurricanes (-17.5) @ Duke Blue Devils: The Hurricanes were basically covering at the half, up 17-0 on the hapless Blue Devils. In the 3rd quarter the Canes didn’t come out to play, but still had the game covered after only giving up a safety and scoring a field goal. Then their was 4… Quarters that is; In the 4th, Duke rolled out 13 points to cover easily, blowing what I thought was a sure win.

UCLA Bruins (-13.5) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish: UCLA couldn’t pull it out, as the luck of the Irish took them out late in the 4th. You could almost feel it coming. UCLA easily covered though, giving me what I think is my first Notre Dame game win since opening week.

Washington Huskies @ Cal Bears (-22.5): The Bears didn’t look nearly as good as they have all season, while UW looked solid without their fearless leader, Isaiah, at QB. It wasn’t enough to take down the Bears, but UW sent the game into overtime, easily covering and marking my 6th loss of Week 8.

Free NCAA Football Picks Week 8 – 2006

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Welcome for the march for 8 in 8. 8 wins in Week 8! Last week marked the 3rd straight week where I had over twice as many wins as losses. 8-2, 7-3, 7-3… I feel like a champion these days. Thank God for college, because the NFL had me by the bullocks this week. week 8 in college ball will help eliminate a team from Championship contention… which squad will it be? Michigan at home? A scare for the Mountaineers and the Buckeyes? Read on and find out… 11 games for your picking pleasure.

Iowa Hawkeyes (+14) @ Michigan Wolverines: I really think the Hawkeyes will come to play against the Wolverines. I think Iowa is a little overrated, but apparently, the books think they are very overrated. Iowa had a tough one last week, but they’ll come back to pinch the Wolverines. This game will be much closer than expected.

SC Fighting Gamecocks @ Vanderbilt Commodores (+3.5): Why do the Commodores keep getting hated on by everyone? The Commo’s nearly upset Alabama, then were a field goal away from beating Arkansas, lost to MISS by a touchdown, and beat Georgia by 2 on the road. I think they’re worth a bet against Steve Spurrier’s lowly squad of overrated punks. They aren’t punks, but they are getting too much love here. Take the Commo’s to cover.

North Carolina State Wolfpack @ Maryland Terrapins (-3): After an early season tumble, the Wolfpack have played well lately. Wins over Boston College, Florida State, and a close loss to Wake show me they’ve turned over a new leaf since they lost back to back games against Akron and SoMiss. However, Maryland has either won or played close with very good teams. Georgia Tech won by 4 points and West Virginia had to scratch and fight to pull ahead late. The Wolfpack have gathered bettors, but don’t forget about the Terrapins.

West Virginia Mountaineers (-22) @ Connecticut: I really don’t think 22 points will be a problem for Pat White and the gang. Steve Slaton will be pimp slapping kids and taking names when he runs all over the field on Saturday. White will have his legs ready as well. The Mounties learned something last week against Syracuse. If they play poorly, anyone can play with them. If they play up to their talent, they can dominate anyone. Look for them to showcase their skill set on Saturday.

Texas Longhorns (-6.5) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers: I don’t think the Huskers’ have a chance in this one. Texas is too high and recent wins for Nebraska over powerhouses like Kansas, Troy, Iowa State, and Kansas State are a few things that don’t excite me. The Huskers haven’t played against enough talent to get them ready to compete with the Longhorns.

Indiana Hoosiers (+31.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes: The Hoosiers aren’t going to upset college football’s best team, but they will cover. With a few big playmakers roaming their side of the ball, Indiana will put up enough to hold the spread. The Buckeyes don’t care about utter domination on the scoreboard, if they win out, they go to the big show in January, points be damned. I appreciate that as much as the next guy, so I’ll take advantage here.

Wisconsin Badgers @ Purdue Boilermakers (+6.5): The Boilermakers have held pretty solid all week long at just around (+6) for the game against the Badgers. It’s always nice to know Vegas agrees with you. See, even though 80% of the public has their money on the rodents, the line has barely changed a point. Wisconsin always seems to falter right around this time of the season. Vegas is betting on it, so should you.

Illinois Fighting Illini (+18) @ Penn State Nittany Lions: Illinois hasn’t lost a game by more than 17 since Iowa hosted them on September 23rd. Since then, the Illini beat Michigan State, and finished within 3 points against both Indiana and Ohio. Penn State plays tight with folks. It should happen again this week in Pennsylvania.

Miami Hurricanes (-17.5) @ Duke Blue Devils: This is the best thing that could happen for the Hurricanes in this game. The last thing they need to do is start focusing on how pathetic the Blue Devil football program is. With all the “Down with the U” talk going round and round, the Canes should easily be able to lose focus. This is the only team in college football where losing focus actually helps you dominate them. Duke is 6 games away from reverse perfection. Everyone whose anyone is rooting for them! To do the deed and finish a perfect Ofer….

UCLA Bruins (+13.5) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish: I know what I said about never picking Irish games again, but did you honestly think I would follow through with that? Especially with a prime opportunity like this to bring them down? UCLA is better than they’re getting credit for right now, be careful with your loyalties… In gambling, loyalties are poison.

Washington Huskies @ Cal Bears (-22.5): Without their star offensive player, the Huskies will shed on Saturday. The Bears have really impressed me over the last few weeks, and I imagine this contest won’t be any different. I feel sad for the Huskies loss, they were having a nice season, but honestly, you have to take advantage of situations like this.

Week 6 NFL Pick Review – 2006

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Perfection in imperfection. Damn huge ass spreads got me again. Hopefully I learned a few lessons this week. Immediately after my best week of the season, I step out on a couple limbs and crack, snap, capow, I fall tumbling to near death on a pile of rubble. Luckily, a couple wins bailed me out, but the fall, I mean the week, was one of many bumps and bruises. I’ll be walking funny for a week. This is how the destruction went down… 4-9… Ugh…

Buffalo (-1) at Detroit: Loss. I still can’t believe the Lions beat the Bills. The Packers, sure, but the Bills. Buffalo has really tumbled from earlier in the season when their football play was sharp. From one week to the next, they are just too random. 1 game – 1 loss… Never a good way to start.

Carolina (+3) at Baltimore: Winner. As I predicted, the underdog Panthers won again. If they could be underdogs in every game, they’d be undefeated. Since that’s impossible, they lose too many easy games, and rarely cover for me. But, ah, not this week, the week I needed them to come through the most. This week they were my Championship Squad!

Cincinnati (-5) at Tampa Bay: Loss. I really thought I had this one in the bank, but then again, I’m sure that’s exactly what the Bengals thought too. It’s nice to see the Bucs get a W, but they should thank Cinci. While they dominated most of the game, the Bungles didn’t take advantage of their dominance, while they allowed a late score to Michael Clayton, and just like that, they lost their 2nd straight after beginning the season with 3 wins.

Houston (+14) at Dallas: Loss. I should have been one of the 75% of the people who had the Cowboys in this one. TO had a day in the end zone, and the rest of the Boys looked good against their interstate rival. On the contrary, I looked bad here.

N.Y. Giants (+3) at Atlanta: Winner. I said the Giants were the better team here, and they didn’t let me down. Mike Vick got in the sack, err sacked, 7 times on Sunday. Eli had 2 touchdowns. But like I said, Tiki would be the one to carry the Giants. His 220+ total yards ran the Giants right passed the Falcons.

Philadelphia (-3) at New Orleans: Loss. The Eagles, right now, are making me sick. They’re so much better than they played on Sunday. Defensively, it was a struggle all day for the Eagles. Drew Brees is looking like the best offseason pick up this year, as the Saints did it all to get their 5th win in 6 tries.

Seattle (-3) at St. Louis: Loss. Oh Seattle. Up 6 with just about 2 minutes to go, I was already celebrating. Then Maurice Morris thundered me hard, fumbling the ball, and giving the Rams another chance. They took it. A juggling, bumbling, one handed snag for a long touchdown by Torry Holt broke me down. But the Hawks wouldn’t be had. A quick drive set up a 54 yard game winner by Josh Brown. He hit it. The Hawks won, and me, well, I lost by a point.

Tennessee at Washington (-10): Loss. I’ll take this one. The Titans gave it to the Redskins good. Trying to prove that their losing fight against the Colts was no fluke, Vince Young walked his Titans into the Nation’s capital and downed the heavily favored Redskins. Honestly, I loved every second of this one. Travis Henry blew up. I’ve been saying for years, this kid is a 1,500 yard back. We’ll see if they continue to deal him the rock.

Kansas City (+7.5) at Pittsburgh: Loss. Ben looked good, and the Chiefs, well, they helped Ben look good. I lost this one big. What the hell was I thinking? I guess I thought the Steelers were losing it quick, and the Cheifs had played solid defense of late. Haha. Tricked me good didn’t they. Hopefully you didn’t lose as much money as I did on this game.

Miami at N.Y. Jets (-1.5): Winner. It took a while, but I had a feeling it would be the Jets that pulled me out of the gutter. Well, it wasn’t as much the Jets as it was the Dolphins, but you get the picture. NY won the game, thought it got close late, and I got another much needed victory.

San Diego (-10) at San Francisco: Winner. My 4th win couldn’t have come at a better time. I take that back, it could have come in the morning. But I needed this one. After Rivers, LT, and the rest of the Chargers dismantled the Niners, I had 2 more games to get me to 6 wins – only a game down on the week.

Oakland at Denver (-15): Loss. God al mighty I hated watching this game. I could see that halfway through the 3rd quarter, Mike Shanahan saw an opportunity to log away an easy win while giving me a painful 8th loss on the day. He followed through, and I hated the Broncos even more than I hated them to start the last day of the week. The much needed win here never came, only my 8th loss on the day.

Chicago (-10) at Arizona: Ugh… This is the worst of both worlds. The Bears win, and I have to sit through another week of 2006 and 1985 Chicago Bear comparisons, and I lose my bet by a healthy 9 point margin. Did I mention I was 4-9 this week? Puke. I guarantee a winning week in the form of comeback champions next week.

Week 7 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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For the 2nd week in a row, I busted out 7 wins in 10 attempts. That means I’m 22-8 in the last 3 weeks of college football. Yes. Championship type stuff. I started hot early, had a couple tough ones, and finished with a bang. Check it out and love the outcome as I put up 7 W’s in Week 7.

Virginia Tech Hokies @ Boston College Eagles (+3): WINNER! “The Eagles, with a big win over Clemson, a 4-1 record, and coming off a bye week will surprise a lot of people when they dismantle the Hokies.” (me) What can I say? Some times it’s best to just quote myself. The Eagles soared to an “upset” victory over the Hokies on Thursday Night. 1 game 1 win.

Temple Owls @ Clemson Tigers (-44): WINNER! Those wonderful little Tigers followed through, and I took this game easily. Considering Clemson only scored in the first 3 quarters, the cover was even more impressive. It was nice to have two wins before the weekend arrived.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+4) @ North Carolina State Wolfpack: WINNER! There was no letting down on either side. This was one hell of a football game. The Deacons had points to burn, but they came with it, and busted out of NC State with a victory and a 6-1 record.

Syracuse Orange (+25.5) @ West Virginia Mountaineers: WINNER! Syracuse finally lost a game by more than 10. However, they didn’t lose a game by more than 24, and on Saturday, that’s what mattered most to Ol’ Lucky. This game was close early, and even in the middle, but down the stretch, the West Virginia rushing attack, both Slaton and Pat White, was too much for the Orange. But I win anyway! Moowah ha ha ha!

South Florida Bulls (-2) @ North Carolina Tarheels: WINNER! This game was easy to call. The Tarheels got stomped on as the Bulls gave NC the horns early and often. I’m looking forward to the basketball season, as are Heel fans everywhere.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (+8.5) @ Wisconsin Badgers: LOSER! I was the tool for taking the Gophers like a fool. Wisconsin had this game wrapped up from the moment they walked onto the field. I don’t know what Minnesota was doing on Saturday, because it definitely wasn’t playing football. My firs loss was a slap in the face.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+2.5) @ Navy Midshipmen: WINNER! Rutgers rode out of their game with Navy, easily holding on to their undefeated record. How does 32-0 sound in a game they weren’t expected to win? Rutgers was the better team in this one. I like the Knights, but the true tests will come against Louisville and West Virginia. Two tough games.

Marshall Thundering Herd (+4) @ Southern Methodist Mustangs: LOSER! Marshall just couldn’t get it down the stretch. After the first half, the Thundering Herd was up 4, and looked like they were ready to pull the upset. But as is often the case, the Mustangs won the second half and the game. Two 4th quarter touchdowns doomed me in, as SMU pulled ahead by 10.

Iowa State Cyclones(+19.5) @ Oklahoma Sooners: LOSER! Iowa State just couldn’t get it done on the Sooners side of the field. As 20 point underdogs, I was sure this game would be close, and I’d get the win. But Oklahoma wasn’t having any of that. ISU could only manage a safety in the 2nd half as they were ousted by 25 points on the road. My 3rd and last loss on Saturday was a tough one.

California Golden Bears (-8) @ Washington State Cougars: WINNER! Cal was just too good early, and that was plenty to put down the Cougs. WSU had their chances, but couldn’t put anything on the board after their 2nd quarter field goal. Cal’s 21 first half points were all they needed for the win and my 7th victory of Week 7. 7 in 7… I hope that trend continues in week 8 if you get my drift.

Free NCAA Football Picks Week 7 – 2006

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I didn’t get to 8 wins this week, but 7 isn’t half bad. 15-5 the last two weeks has me galloping up to the big-boy playground with arms raised in all my glory. To keep my roll on, I’ve picked 10 glorious games that are set to make mo money, mo money, mo money! The plan has been flawless of late, so check out the recipe for Week 7.

Virginia Tech Hokies @ Boston College Eagles (+3): Boston College really hasn’t impressed all season. But that’s not how they do their business. The Eagles win football games. Only once this season has that not been the case. The Hokies are always overrated, and this is no different. The Eagles, with a big win over Clemson, a 4-1 record, and coming off a bye week will surprise a lot of people when they dismantle the Hokies.

Temple Owls @ Clemson Tigers (-44): I think Clemson is one of the few teams I’d take over the Owls with 44 points to poach. Coach Bowden and his offensive game plan has never been one to let up on his opponent, and after injuries and a couple tough games slowed down his offensive production for much of last weeks game, his Tigers pounced back with 24 points in the 4th quarter alone. Expect a lot of that against Temple, a team that prides themselves on giving up 3 or more touchdowns in multiple quarters of a football game.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+4) @ North Carolina State Wolfpack: Sure, the Deacons collapsed last week against Clemson, but I don’t think that will end their season. Wake’s coach doesn’t strike me as a front runner, and attitude reflects leadership, so they’ll be ready for a big rebound game against the Wolfpack. NC State has stepped up their game the last couple weeks, with big wins against Boston College and Florida State, but they’ve had a lot of help along the way. After that huge comeback win over FSU, I’m expecting a bit of a let down at home here. Wake is too good for anyone to come in expecting an easy win.

Syracuse Orange (+25.5) @ West Virginia Mountaineers: It doesn’t always work like this, and Syracuse hasn’t played a team as good as WV, but they haven’t lost a game by more than 10 points all season. They aren’t as bad as many think, that’s for sure. Iowa only beat them by 7, a good Wake Forest team only won by 10, and Pittsburgh snuck out with a 10-point win as well. West Virginia will stay undefeated, but the Orange will come to play ball.

South Florida Bulls (-2) @ North Carolina Tarheels: I really don’t see enough from Carolina to bet on them winning against any team better than sub-par. The Bulls are 4-2 overall and 3-2 ATS, and look like a decent football team. Neither of Carolina’s quarterbacks has more touchdowns than interceptions. In 4 losses this season, NC has lost 3 times by 20 or more. The Tarheels should be good on the hardwood this season, but the grass will remain a struggle.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (+8.5) @ Wisconsin Badgers: The Badges are solid, but not much better than a good Gophers team. I know, it’s not often that one would call a 2-4 team good, but Minnesota has played tight with every opponent, sans CAL. Even the Michigan game (14 point difference) was closer than the score. With a rushing attack second to none, and Cupito starting to become a force, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Gophers unraveled the Badgers in Wisconsin. The Badgers may be 5-1, but wins over Bowling Green, Willford, SD State, Indiana, and Northwestern do less for me than Minnesota’s 4 losses. Don’t be a tool, take the Gopher’s fool.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+2.5) @ Navy Midshipmen: The Midshipmen are 5-1, their only L coming by one point at the hands of TULSA. However, Rutgers’ improving program is undefeated on the season, a feat I expect to continue past Week 7. I love taking undefeated underdogs. A repeat of last seasons’ 31-21 win by the Knights looks like a safe bet here. The fact that 60% of the public has the Knights makes me think twice, but this time, viva la public, take down the Casino!

Marshall Thundering Herd (+4) @ Southern Methodist Mustangs: I like Marshall in this one. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the trust in the Herd’s football program, or the fact that SMU is bound to lose, because .500 isn’t a record they should have for long. Marshall has been bad, but a nice W will turn their season right back around. Expect that.

Iowa State Cyclones(+19.5) @ Oklahoma Sooners: They Cyclones have lost 1 game by more than two touchdowns. Brett Meyer can toss a football and run well enough to keep the Sooners honest. The Cyclones spread the ball around, so don’t believe for one second that Oklahoma will be able to shut down the Cyclone offense. 3 players have over 320 yards receiving, they’ll get plenty of good looks on Saturday. If the Sooners want to guarantee themselves victory, they’ll give the ball to Adrian Peterson 30+ times. That should slow down the game enough for Iowa State to cover easily.

California Golden Bears (-8) @ Washington State Cougars: On their way to a 4-2 record, the Cougars have only lost one game by a greater margin than 6 points, an opener against Auburn that was much closer than the final score indicated. However, the CAL Bears have really turned up the volume and are ready to take down the Cougars. Everything in CAL is working right now, as they are my favorite to take the Pac 10 title.

Week 5 NFL Pick Review – 2006

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A little pay back in my picks. Championship! Late scores, highlight interceptions, absolute domination, and a couple 12 round bouts all had something to do with my big week in the NFL. How man wins did I get? 7? 8? 9? Read on and remember… Hail to the chief.
Buffalo Bills (+12) @ Chicago Bears: It sure didn’t start well as the little bird on my shoulder was right about this one. The Bears looked damn good in an absolute destruction of the Buffalo Bills. The final score was 41-7, and honestly, it wasn’t that close. So I missed this one.

Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers (-8): It was looking good late, as the Panthers were up 11 into the 4th… But these are the Panthers, and God knows they don’t like me to win. A “prevent” / “spread killer” defense was in effect for the Panthers, as the Browns drove down the field and kicked a field goal with a minute left to push this game right out the window. 0-1-1 wasn’t the start I was looking for.

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (-6.5): The Vikings got the wins rolling for good Ol’ Lucky. Or was it the Lions that did all the work? It wasn’t looking good late, the Vikings we down 17-3 as the 4th quarter got underway, never something you want when your team needs 7 points to get you the win. So basically, Minnesota needed to beat the Lions 21-0 in the 4th quarter alone for me to win. What do you know? A late interception return for a touchdown by EJ Henderson finished off the games’ scoring, and the Vikings beat the Vikings 23-0 in the 4th, covering the spread by 2.5 points. As it turns out this would be the first of many wins.

Miami Dolphins (+10.5) @ New England Patriots: I can’t believe the Dolphins covered in this one. Without Daunte, I thought I was dead in the water, but Joey Harrington wasn’t as bad as I thought, and the Dolphins kept it close enough for me, losing by 10. Finally, I won a close one.

St. Louis Rams (-2) @ Green Bay Packers: I didn’t get the 3 touchdown win I was looking for, but a late turnover late assured me a victory as the Rams kneeled down for the final minute for a 3 point win. Another close victory turned out to be my 3rd win in a row.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7) @ New Orleans Saints: The Bucs nearly pulled this one out as Bruce Gradkowski had better numbers than Matt Leinart and Vince Young combined this week. He had 225 yards and 3 scores, on 21-30 passing. Reggie Bush returned a punt to win the game. His first NFL TD was a big one, as the Saints went to 4-1 with a win over their division rival.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-18): Maybe the Colts aren’t that good? Maybe they just didn’t come to play? I don’t know. I know they won the game by a single freaking point and I lost this one by 2 touchdowns and a field goal. Damn them Colts. I blame them for my 2nd loss of the night.

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants (-4): The Giants finally put a couple good quarters together, came to play defensively, and got to the Redskins early. All these things gave them a much needed win at home. Eli Manning completed better than 68% of his passes, and Tiki ran for 123 yards as the Giants won easily.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3) @ Arizona Cardinals: Like the Lions, the Cardinals had to do a lot late for me to cover. And just like the Lions were bad enough to get heavily out-scored in the 4th, the Cards gave up 13 points in the 4th to lose by 3. Just enough for me to cover. I’ll take it.

New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-7): 41-0… What do you think? Did the Jags cover? Jacksonville is a damn good team. If they don’t lose another game all season long, I won’t be surprised. The Jags really exposed the Jets’ rushing defense, to the tune of 3 1st quarter rushing touchdowns that just put the Jets away very early.

Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers (-3): When the Raiders win their first game of the season… scratch that, IF the Raiders win a game this season I’ll write an entire “Top Shelf” about them. It will be titled, An Ode to the Worst of Winners. Believe it or not, the Raiders went ahead with Randy Moss’ 100th career touchdown catch, but they gave up 27 2nd half points and the Niners won by two touchdowns. The 2nd win for the 49ers was my 7th win of the week.

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles (-1): Donovan McNabb looked good early, and late, and TO didn’t do dick. The Fat 7th Grader playing quarterback for the Cowboys looked athletic rushing for a score, but ate some doughnuts at half time, and then came out and threw a couple more interceptions to assure the loss. Bledsoe has been a Private Pile for the better part of the season. The Eagles banged one out at home for my 8th W.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+3.5) @ San Diego Charges: My 3rd loss of the Week came when the Steelers broke down in the 2nd half, getting shut out by the Chargers 16-0. Big Ben looked better, but his 2 interceptions and 0 TD passes didn’t help his Steelers from falling to 1-3 on the season. And you all thought I was crazy when I said the Steelers would struggle in my Season Preview. It didn’t help me much in this game, but what can I do? 3 losses on Sunday… Not too shabby.

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos (-3.5): Half way through the 4th, those pesky Broncos were only up by a field goal which was turning out to be double bad for me. I’m not a big fan of the Broncs and I was losing my bet. But late in the game, a big interception by Steve McNair set up my favorite Bronco, Rod Smith, for a 4 yard touchdown catch as Denver went up 10. A later interception sealed my 9th win of the week, taking me to 9-3-2 in Week 5. Championship!

Week 6 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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Its not 8, but 7 wins in Week 6 had me breaking out a little dance in celebratory fashion. 15-5 during Week 5 and 6 has me right back on track in the NCAA. How did I get my 7 wins? Read more and find out.

Florida State Seminoles @ North Carolina state Wolfpack (+10.5): And the Wolfpack won this game, putting an end to any predictions that they wouldn’t cover. I like it, I love it, I wanted more of it. Guess what… I got it.

Arkansas Razorbacks (+16) @ Auburn Tigers: Another underdog I picked came out on top as the #2 Auburn Tigers tumbled at home to the Razorbacks. Like I said, Arkansas has been getting better with each passing week, so don’t expect this win to be a fluke. They aren’t championship material just yet, but a BCS game isn’t out of the question.

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Minnesota Golden Gophers (+3): My favorite uniforms in sports (Penn State) pulled out a big win after the Gophers’ kicker missed an extra point in overtime. The one point win made the Gophers a loser, but with 3 points to play with, my 3rd win was graciously accepted.

Clemson Tigers @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+17): It looked as thought the Deacons were going to continue their defensive dominance, even over the high-powered Clemson attack, but, ah yes, but, the Tigers roared back in the 4th scoring 24 unanswered points to hand Wake Forest their first loss of the season. Luckily for me, I had 17 points to ponder, 6 more than I needed for my 4th win of the weekend.

Vanderbilt Commodores (-1.5) @ Mississippi Rebels: Vanderbilt disappointed once again, handing me my first loss in Week 6. What can you do?

Kent State Golden Flashes (-23.5) @ Temple Owls: Temple was actually up after the 1st quarter, something that obviously shocked them into their 5th loss in as many games. Kent State pulled away at the end, but the 23.5 points were way too many for me, as I lost my 2nd straight game.

Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-31): Remember when I said I wouldn’t bet on the Irish games anymore? I think I’m 0-3 in Irish games since then. Damn me all to hell. They will not make the list next week, I guarantee you that. My 3rd loss in a row was my last.

Washington Huskies (+20.5) @ USC: I don’t know what happened in the Husky game toward the end for sure, because I was listening via the radio, but it sounded like a douche-bag Zebra had his head all the way up his own ass, forgot to wind the clock like a real referee, and the Huskies didn’t get a chance for on last play, 15 yards out. The Huskies lost by 6, so I won by 14… I guess I’ll take it.

West Virginia Mountaineers (-23) @ Mississippi State Bulldogs: 42 minus 14…. 28…. Yep, covered by 5… YES! My 6th win of the day came easy as the Mountaineers built a lead early, and then came on even stronger late, with 21 points in the 4th to cover me like a blanket.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Texas Longhorns (-3.5): The Sooners walked into half time with a 3 point lead, then never scored again as Colt McCoy passed for 2 touchdowns and Aaron Ross recovered a fumble for the Longhorns’ final score. 21 unanswered 2nd half points gave Texas their 5th win of the season. Their 5th win meant my 7th, and 15th in the last two weeks. Lets see if I can’t have another big winner in Week 7.

Week 4 NFL Pick Review – 2006

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5-9… Could it have been worse? Check out my Review and let me know what you think….
Following up my first losing week of the year was just about the worst Sunday I could possibly remember. It seemed like everything that could possibly go wrong did. Think Michael Jackson’s face after the sweet sounding little kid singer we all use to know and love hit puberty. Now the dude is as white as Vanilla Ice for God’s sake. That’s my pick set this weekend, Mikey Jackson after doctor visits teamed with Vanilla Ice’s career after Can’t Touch This. Championship! This is how, where, and for most games, why I went down the toilet.

Arizona Cardinals (+8) at Atlanta Falcons: “At first site, I was taking the Falcons all the way in this one, but history tells me I should head another direction. Last season…” Blah, blah, blah… Last season smashed season. At first site is something I need to get back to, because obviously history doesn’t mean jack flippin’ Johnson. Next week, I promise, no more “At first site this, after research that…” Anyway, the moral of this story is, don’t bet on the Cardinals, you’ll lose.

Dallas Cowboys (+8.5) at Tennessee Titans: It’s nice to throw in a win here and there… this week it was mostly here, and not so much there. Anyway, on weeks like this, I’ll take my wins where I can get them. Tennessee starting Vince Young almost assured me victory. I think Vince will be nice, but not the first couple seasons, let alone his first game. The Titans better be careful they don’t give any of their other players any good ideas… Albert Haynesworth got a 5 game suspension for stomping on Andre Guorde’s helmetless noggin on Sunday. Don’t be surprised if one of Al’s teammates decides he’d rather sit 5 games than get killed on a weekly basis. Another random act, I don’t know uppercut to the junk maybe, is very possible next week in Indy.

Indianapolis Colts (-9) at N.Y. Jets: I don’t mind that the Colts played like piss against New York and lost me money, but if they’re going to do that, they might as well just flat out lose, instead of pumping out two late touchdown drives to oust me and the Jets. It’s always tough to put money on a team you don’t particularly enjoy, have them win, and still lose your dough. These damn big spreads… I guess I’ll keep betting them until the ship sinks.

Miami Dolphins (-3.5) at Houston Texans: The Dolphins really suck. I can’t tell if they’re going to be this bad all season long, or just until I stop betting on them. Miami looked good late when they opened up their offense. Maybe Nick Saban will think about doing that next week against the Patriots. Or maybe, he’ll check my article this week, see if I picked his team or not, and then give it to me violently by going the opposite direction of my selection. I wouldn’t put it past him, I mean he did just coach his talented Miami team to a loss against the freaking Texans of all teams.

Minnesota Vikings (+1.5) at Buffalo BIlls: This game really surprised me. I didn’t think the Bills could win a game against a team that can stuff the run so well. But despite the Vikings run stuffing ways (Willis needed nearly 30 carries to reach 78 yards) Buffalo prevailed. Buffalo’s defense was amazing on Sunday. Chester Taylor had 10 carries for 23 yards, as the Vikings and their stud offensive line totaled 63 total yards on the ground. The Bills caused 3 turnovers and really surprised me by getting the win. I, of course, lost for the 4th time in 5 chances.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (-7): This one was nice because I had the game absolutely won until Drew Brees threw an 86 yard pass to Marques Colston with 1:15 left in the game to finish me off, giving me my 5th loss. It’s hard work losing so many games, I mean, if I tried to lose 5 of my first 6 I would have been 5-1 at this point. Think about that. Crazy, huh?

San Diego Chargers at Baltimore Ravens (+3): My second win couldn’t have come at a better time. The Ravens… Wait just a second, it could have come with my first game of the day, or maybe 3rd, but my 7th game, that’s a damn terrible time for my 2nd win. But like I said after my first win, after a week like this one, I have to be thankful for any win I can get. The Ravens came back in the last possible minute, scoring 9 points in the 4th quarter on way to an upset over the visiting Chargers. Coaching hurt San Diego, but Baltimore’s defense was up to the task of stopping LT, who averaged just over 3 yards a carry. 2-5…. YEAH!

San Francisco 49ers (+7) at Kansas City Chiefs: The Chieftains rode Larry Johnson, and got some big plays from Daunte Hall to absolutely curb-crush the 49ers. Frank Gore fumbled again, Larry scored, and I took another loss right in the face. 2-6. If you don’t get the curb-crush reference, go rent American History X… You’ll understand soon enough. Betting on the 49ers is always risky, because they can make you look very, very bad.

Detroit Lions at St. Louis Rams (-5): The Lions played much better offensively than I expected. Luckily for me, and the Rams, their defense played like a bunch of 3rd grade soccer players. Imagine, a bunch of grown men running around the field in all directions, no unity whatsoever, allowing St. Louis of all teams, 2 touchdowns in 3 weeks, to put up 41. Once again, I thank the Lions for a victory, my 3rd of the week.

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) at Oakland Raiders: The Raiders were out to get me from the get go, but somehow they managed to lose the game, and the spread, and get me my 4th victory of the season. Thanks Oakland. After rolling out to a 21-3 3rd quarter lead, the Raiders stalled in the second half, gaining just 65 total yards in their final 5 drives, and allowed the Browns right back in the game. Two touchdowns in the 3rd gave the Browns a nice win on the road, in turn bringing me to 4-6. It didn’t get much better for me on Sunday. Yep, it got much worse.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5) at Washington Redskins: Jacksonville got hurt late again, and pulled out of Washington with their 2nd close loss in a row. Reggie Williams was off the charts for Jacksonville, what a catch, you saw it. But Santana Moss was the man of the hour, touching the ball 4 times for 3 touchdowns and 138 yards receiving. What an explosive player. Speaking of explosives, do you think it’d be better to blow-up my broken down Ford Taurus with dynamite and try to collect insurance money? The Redskins and Mr. Moss took me for my 7th loss of the week.

New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5): The Bengals almost played as poorly as the Seahawks. That’s right, you heard me, almost. I’d argue that Seattle played against a better team, so the Bengals might put up a strong argument for the biggest disappointment of Week 4. After leading the game, 6-0 after 1, the Bengals were outscored 38 to 7 in the next 3 quarters, including a 17-0 stint in the 4th. Where did Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Rudi, and the rest of the Bengals go on Saturday Night? Don’t ask Chris Henry and Odell Thurman. Just because they were out celebrating their day off on Sunday, doesn’t mean the rest of the Bungles were at the Bar with them, My 8th loss was painful.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) at Chicago Bears: The Hawks didn’t show up to play. Hasselbeck looked jittery in the pocket, even before the Bears pressured him, and his throws looked to aimed like darts. Whenever QB’s are doing that, you know you’re in trouble. It seemed like the Bears fed off Seattle’s poor play, as they absolutely dominated Seattle in every facet of the game.

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-11): It’s always tough when you go into Monday Night hoping for your 5th win of the week. But I’ll tell you what, it’s a hell of a lot tougher when you’re hoping for win number 5 and you don’t get it. Right on queue, the Eagles came though in fine fashion, dominating the Packers throughout, as Donovan McNabb took the team on his shoulders with Brian Westbrook on the mend, throwing and rushing for 4 total touchdowns and 335 yards. 5-9. Ouch. Week 4 always seems to get me in the gotcha. However, Week 5 always seems to be a nice comeback performance for Ol’ Lucky. Stay tuned for my Week 5 picks!

Free NCAA Football Picks Week 6 – 2006

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After a huge week 5 in the college ranks my swagger seems to be back in action, at least that’s what the wifey tells me. Swagger or not, another 8 win week would suit me just nice. Follow along as I give my NCAA rundown for this weeks best bets.

Florida State Seminoles @ North Carolina State Wolfpack (+10.5): I’ll be stunned if this game isn’t closer than a touchdown. Neither team shows much in the offensive category, and both teams have shown solid defenses. FSU isn’t the Seminole team we used to know, and although NC State started off the season pretty rough, they looked a lot tougher at home against Boston College last week. Staying at home for the second game in a row should help NC State stay on track.

Arkansas Razorbacks (+16) @ Auburn Tigers: Auburn holds a Top 3 ranking in every major poll, but they have struggled lately, two close games in a row, and the Razorbacks are getting better and better every week. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Tigers pulled out another win at home, but the Razorbacks will put up a fight. For a team struggling with scoring, 16 points is just too much. Take them hogs and more than 2 touchdowns.

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Minnesota Golden Gophers (+3): Minnesota is a pretty good football team to be an underdog at home to the Lions. Honestly, I think these two teams are even right down the line, which is why I’ve got to go with the Gophers at home, especially with the points. Now, a field goal is next to nothing, but home field advantage, and a very solid rushing attack, add on two tough losses back to back, and Minnesota has to win this game to keep their bowl hopes alive. Bryan Cupito will give the Rodents just enough arm to take down the Lions.

Clemson Tigers @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+17): Call me crazy, but I think 5-0 means something. I think playing at home helps a great deal, and the fact that Wake won this match-up last season just pushes me right over the edge. Did I say anything about 17 points? That’s a big deal too. Clemson is damn good, but Wake has been winning with defense and big plays. Defense and big plays will keep you in almost any game. Don’t count out Wake just because the big bad Clemson Tigers are coming to town. It’s tough to bet against a team getting 17 points when they haven’t allowed more than 14 all season long.

Vanderbilt Commodores (-1.5) @ Mississippi Rebels: When it comes right down to it, I think the Commodores are the better football team. Mississippi has lost 4 straight after a lucky win against Memphis to start the season. In fact, until they had another lucky week against Georgia last week, they hadn’t been closer than 17 points to Missouri, Kentucky, or Wake Forest. Its always tough to play really well against a good team and lose, which is exactly what happened to Miss last week. That being said, Vanderbilt is on a winning streak, and since the Michigan game, they’ve played very well, Look for the streak, and he good play to continue against the Rebels.

Kent State Golden Flashes (-23.5) @ Temple Owls: Since the opening game of the season, the Owls haven’t finished a game within 4 touchdowns of their opponents. The Golden Flashes aren’t the top shop on the block, but they’ll easily handle the 24 point spread needed to cover in this one. Call it a hunch, but the Owls won’t score more than once. That means field goals, touchdowns, with underclass coeds. Not more than once. And that will be a courtesy job for sure.

Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-31): IF there was ever a day that Brady Quinn would pad his Heisman stats, it’s this week at home against the Cardinal. Stanford is bad. Lets put it this way, Duke and North Carolina would handle Stanford, and Temple would give them a run. Icky football. This spread seems like nothing to me right now, absolutely nothing. I’d take Notre Dame’s red-shirts over Stanford.

Washington Huskies (+20.5) @ USC: Hell, I’ll stick with the Dawgs that have been playing well of late. Now UW is 4-1, and don’t get me wrong, those 4 wins over San Jose State, Fresno State, UCLA and Arizona aren’t the same as a win over USC would be, but at least they’ve been impressive. USC hasn’t really looked good at all. They’re undefeated, and there’s something to be said for that, but I haven’t seen much. Sure, everyone wants to say how they’re just young, but if you watch them, you can’t really see the Trojan trot of old. Washington won’t likely pull a stunner here, but keeping it close is as good as gold.

West Virginia Mountaineers (-23) @ Mississippi State Bulldogs: I think West Virginia is at least as good as LSU and Auburn. Both of which absolutely handled the Bulldogs. In fact, I’m willing to say that WVU will do their best to upstage both Auburn and LSU so they can start to get some credit from the BCS. For a great team with a poor schedule, and they are that, the only thing they can do to make themselves look like National Champs is do better than other great teams against the same competition. A win is not just a win for the Mounts, a huge win counts more for them.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Texas Longhorns (-3.5): Is it just me or does it seem like Texas has fallen off the face of the earth since they lost to Ohio State? They’ve killed each of their lesser opponents since then, but this will be their next real test, in fact, probably the best team they’ll play the rest of the season. I hate to agree with the betting public, because the sports books have to make money right? But I think the Longhorns are too talented for the Sooners. Sure, OK has the stud of the bunch, Adrian Peterson, but overall Texas is far and above the Sooners. Colt McCoy will play better in this one than he did against Ohio State. I promise. Stick with the horns.