Football Picks

College

Army +7.5 vs. Navy (in Philadelphia)

Last Week: 4-3
Overall: 38-37-1

NFL

Indianapolis -3 vs. TENNESSEE

Cleveland +1 vs. BUFFALO

Atlanta -7.5 vs CAROLINA

Green Bay -6.5 vs. DETROIT
Oakland +4.5 vs. JACKSONVILLE

Cincinnati +9.5 vs. PITTSBURGH

WASHINGTON +2 vs. Tampa Bay

NEW ORLEANS -9 vs. St. Louis

Seattle +5 vs. SAN FRANCISCO

New England -3 vs. CHICAGO

NY JETS -5 vs. Miami

Kansas City +9.5 vs. SAN DIEGO (edited the spread on Fri. Was +7.5)

DALLAS +3.5 vs. Philadelphia

Baltimore -2.5 vs. HOUSTON

NY Giants -2 vs. MINNESOTA

Denver -4.5 vs. ARIZONA

Last Week: 14-2

Overall: 87-55-3

In Soviet Russia, Football Kick You

Maybe the US will get another World Cup in 2026, but for now, here are a few random thoughts.

1.  Congratulations to the counties selected to host the World Cup; Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

2.  I'm not sure I wanted the event back in the US anyways.  Soccer will stay solvent in the US and gain popularity during each World Cup, but that's about it.

3.  The world will be a different place 8 and 12 years from now.

4.  Brazil, then Russia, then Qatar - sound like real security nightmares to me.

5.  Summers in Qatar are unbearably hot, aren't they?  Air conditioned open-air stadiums, or not.

6.  F*** FIFA.

7.  FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, needs to go away.

8.  England, many will argue, should be more upset about todays results than the US.  This could mean more disappointment for the US, if England gets awarded the Cup in 2026.

9.  FIFA is corrupt.

10.  Did I mention, F*** FIFA.

Something Old, Something New

The LA Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs last night 90-85, answering the question, what would happen if a bunch of really good college kids played against an NBA team.

Well, actually not answering that question at all.

The Clippers are, in fact, still an NBA team.  What I found most interesting about the Clippers (sans Chris Kamen and with Baron Davis coming off the bench after missing 14 games due to injury) is the age of their starting line-up.

Here they are:

PF Blake Griffin - Rookie, 21
SF Al-Farouq Aminu - Rookie, 20
PG Eric Bledsoe - Rookie, 20
SG Eric Gordon - 3rd year, 21
C DeAndre Jordan - 3rd year, 22

This group of Clippers all played significant minutes and beat the best team in the NBA last night.  The five players above all left college early, are making a lot of money, and making significant contributions to their employer, when they could still be in college or having just finished.

Hopefully these players continue to pursue college degrees.  Education is important for everybody, even talented and rich athletes.  But when it comes to the NBA, it's so much for "stay in school".

Football Picks

College

ARIZONA -5 vs. Arizona State
Oregon -16.5 vs. OREGON STATE
Auburn -5 vs. SOUTH CAROLINA (in Atlanta)
Florida State +4 vs. VIRGINIA TECH (in Charlotte)
OKLAHOMA 6.5 vs. Nebraska (in Arlington, TX)
USC -6.5 at UCLA
SOUTH FLORIDA -1.5 vs. UConn

Last Week: 7-5
Overall: 34-34-1

NFL

PHILADELPHIA -8 vs. Houston
CINCINNATI +7 vs. New Orleans
Chicago -3 vs. DETROIT
GREEN BAY -9.5 vs. San Francisco
Denver +10 vs. KANSAS CITY
Cleveland +4.5 vs. MIAMI
MINNESOTA -5.5 vs. Buffalo
NY GIANTS -7 vs. Washington
Oakland +13.5 vs. SAN DIEGO
Atlanta -2 vs. TAMPA BAY
ARIZONA +3 vs. St. Louis
Dallas +5 vs. INDIANAPOLIS
SEATTLE -6 vs. Carolina
BALTIMORE -2.5 vs. Pittsburgh
NEW ENGLAND -3 vs. NY Jets
Jacksonville +2 vs. TENNESSEE

Last Week: 8-8
Overall: 73-53-3

No Respect

The Boston Globe (and boston.com) really doesn't care who the Celtics are playing.

Boise State loses; Auburn and Oregon move closer to BCS Championship Game

Boise State gave away a shot at the BCS National Championship, or at least the Rose Bowl, by losing to Nevada, 34-31 in overtime, yesterday.  Auburn and Oregon survived tough opponents in moving one step closer to the BCS National Championship game.

Right now, the sexy national championship game is Auburn and Oregon.  I think Oregon wins that match-up.

I would like to see BCS reform (see: Fixing the BCS).  I like results that make the BCS look bad.  Boise State and TCU winning do just that.  So, moving right along, it is very possible that a one-loss Big 10 team will be left out of the BCS in favor of far inferior conference winners.  The ACC and Big East representatives also make the BCS look bad.  That could make for one craptacular Orange Bowl.  I vote we change that to the Rotten Tomato Bowl.

If you think all this is ugly, just wait and see what happens if South Carolina wins the SEC title over Auburn.  All hell breaks loose - that's what.  Do we get TCU in the championship game?  Or does the BCS pick a single one-loss team from amongst the many to play for the championship?  Who gets left out of the BCS altogether?  A one-loss Auburn? Nope.  The LSU - Arkansas winner?  Yup.

I'm conflicted.  I want to see Arkansas beat LSU and go to the Sugar Bowl.  That would not be possible if South Carolina beats Auburn.  But if LSU beats Arkansas, then all bets are off.  I'll want South Carolina beat Auburn and create BCS chaos.

Meanwhile, Boise State's reward for almost going undefeated could be a trip to, wait for it...Boise.

Additional Football Picks

Tennessee +7 vs. HOUSTON

Miami +3.5 vs. OAKLAND

Football Picks

No use calling this "Weekend Football Picks" anymore, since games begin Wednesday or Thursday.  I don't really research this much.  The picks are basically based upon "institutional knowledge", meaning my best guess.  I try to pick all the top match-ups for college, even though I freely admit that if I were at a sports book, there are a lot of games I would simply stay away from.  The odds are whatever I pull off of FOX Sports.

College

TEXAS +3.5 vs. TEXAS A&M
PITTSBURGH -2 vs. West Virginia
Auburn +4.5 vs. ALABAMA
Arizona +19.5 vs. OREGON
Boise State -14 vs. NEVADA
Michigan +16.5 vs. OHIO STATE
Louisiana State (LSU) +3.5 vs. ARKANSAS (at Little Rock)
FLORIDA STATE - 2 vs. Florida
South Carolina -3 vs. CLEMSON
STANFORD -13.5 vs. Oregon State
Georgia Tech +13.5 vs GEORGIA
Oklahoma +3 vs. OKLAHOMA STATE


Last Week: 4-3-1
Overall: 27-29-1

NFL

New England -7 vs. DETROIT
DALLAS +4 vs. New Orleans
Cincinnati +8.5 vs. NY JETS
Pittsburgh -7 vs. BUFFALO
Minnesota 0 vs. WASHINGTON
ATLANTA 0 vs. Green Bay
CLEVELAND -11 vs. Carolina
NY GIANTS -8 vs. Jacksonville
Kansas City 0 vs. SEATTLE
St. Louis +4 vs. DENVER
Philadelphia -3 vs. CHICAGO
Tampa Bay +9 vs. BALTIMORE
INDIANAPOLIS -2.5 vs. San Diego
ARIZONA 0 vs. San Francisco


Miami vs. OAKLAND and Tennessee vs. HOUSTON - No line, so maybe I'll check back closer to game time.  


Last Week: 9-6-1
Overall: 65-45-3

Happy Thanksgiving

Football picks to follow.

Bill Russell to receive medal of freedom

People sometimes speak of the three people they would like to have dinner with, or play a round of golf with.  I haven't really given it much thought; Bill Russell would probably be one of the three living people I would choose.

I have watched and read a fair amount about him.  I read Second Wind, written by him.  He is more than just a great basketball player.  At this point, he is one of those people who has been the best in his chosen profession, seen the worst of America, made his fair share of mistakes, and become a wise and eloquent voice in society.  It was announced that Russell is being awarded the medal of freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded in the US.  Former President George H.W. Bush is amongst the other recipients.

Iconoclasts did an episode with Russell and Samuel L. Jackson, where Jackson visits Russell's home, and they (you guessed it) play a round of golf together.  That show can be pretty good.

Bill Russell is considered the greatest winner in professional basketball.  This is a different kind of award, also well deserved.