Wednesday, October 26, 2011

NFL picks: Week eight: ''I DO respect you, bro''


Got to thinking last night, after watching the 'Bro down' episode of South Park last night (a solid entry, definitely best of the new series, a firm 7/10 on first viewing) - respect, does picking a winner in the NFL narrow down to, respect? Does a team respect another team too much? Does such and such a defence completely disrespect such and such an offence? Does a certain QB respect a specific WR? Respect. How big an element is it?

Let's find out.



Previous weeks
Running total - 56-46

Week one - 11-4
Week two - 12-4
Week three - 6-10
Week four - 10-6
Week five - 7-6
Week six - 4-9
Week seven 6-7

Essential NFL pick links


Week 8 game by game (Click on matchup for ESPN preview of game)
Indianapolis Colts (0-7) at Tennessee Titans (3-3) -9.5
The game: Tough losses for both these guys last week, their opponents paid little or no respect to both of them, as they were both tossed around like rag dolls. Tennessee have far and away the greater upside, however, and will be looking back at the Houston game as an unusual anomaly after disrespecting the Colts all day long.
The score: Indianapolis 13 Tennessee 24
The Pick: Tennessee -9.5



New Orleans Saints (5-2) at St. Louis Rams (0-6) +10.5
The game: The Saints are being somewhat disrespected by this relatively low line.
The score: New Orleans 34 St Louis 17
The Pick: New Orleans -10.5



Miami Dolphins (0-6) at New York Giants (4-2) -9.5
The game: The Fish are going to feel pretty disrespected after the Giants are finished with them. Miami is on a complete hiding to nothing here, the Giants are well rested, and feast on bad teams. Miami, all disrespect intended, is a bad, bad football team. Did anyone else catch Reggie Bush's bleating Twitter messages yesterday? They sounded like the last communiqués off of the Titanic.
The score: Miami 9 New York G 28
The Pick: New York G -9.5



Minnesota Vikings (1-6) at Carolina Panthers (2-5) -3.5
The game: You definitely have to respect Cam Newton. we can't be so sure about Christian Ponder as yet. He may prove respect worthy, however, we have to wait and see.
The score: Minnesota 17 Carolina 27
The Pick: Carolina -3.5

Arizona Cardinals (1-5) at Baltimore Ravens (4-2) -12.5
The game: Kind of hard to respect the Ravens offence. Good lord, did you catch that putrid offering Monday night? They looked like a bunch of strangers meeting for the first time. Arizona are not due any great respect themselves however this line is way, way too long. Disrespectfully so.
The score: Arizona 20 Baltimore 23
The Pick: Arizona +12.5



Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) at Houston Texans (4-3) -9.5
The game: There is something a little crazy about the lines this week. Call me disrespectful, but it seems to me the Vegas wise guys have been knocking back a few too many bongs the last few days. How on earth is this a single digit line? Compared to Baltimore, the Texans are the 2007 Patriots in terms of offence. Now that's respect.
The score: Jacksonville 13 Houston 34
The Pick: Houston -9.5



Washington Redskins (3-3) at Buffalo Bills (4-2) -5.5
The game: Believe it or not there are certain NFL writers who are actually talking about Little Timmy Hightower and the impact he will have on this game. Last I checked, Hightower is on IR and out for the season. Perhaps afore mentioned scribe is no longer worthy of our respect. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Freddie Jackson, however, certainly are.
The score: Washington 24 Buffalo 37
The Pick: Buffalo -5.5



Detroit Lions (5-2) at Denver Broncos (2-4) +3.5
The game: Let's see Little Timmy Tebow lead his team past a decent squad this week. Detroit's front four is licking its lips waiting for this matchup. They didn't show Mat Ryan respect, why should they show Tebow any?
The score: Detroit 34 Denver 20
The Pick: Detroit -3.5



Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-4) +2.5
The game: Andy Dalton demands our respect. Seattle do not.
The score: Cincinnati 24 Seattle 16
The Pick: Cincinnati -2.5

Cleveland Browns (3-3) at San Francisco 49ers (5-1) -9.5
The game: Hey slow down there a second now, whilst the 49ers no doubt deserve our respect, what makes them almost double figure winners over a feisty Browns squad? San Francisco have been winning close games ugly. They aren't built to blow teams out.
The score: Cleveland 20 San Francisco 24
The Pick: Cleveland +9.5

New England Patriots (5-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) +2.5
The game: Same thing every season, the Steelers players disrespect the Patriots in the media the week before a game, and then the Patriots disrespect the Steelers on the field.
The score: New England 30 Pittsburgh 20
The Pick: New England -2.5



Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) -3.5
The game: Wait a second, they are giving Dallas points here? Everyone can see the Eagles record, right? Everyone knows the wins come first and losses second, right? Dallas +3.5?! Disrespectful!
The score: Dallas 35 Philadelphia 30
The Pick: Dallas +3.5

San Diego Chargers (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) +3.5
The game: Kansas are absolutely demanding our respect with a pretty stunning turn-around from 0-3 to 3-3. These +3.5 points you speak of are a tasty teaser. If in doubt, always take the home dog, right? Right?
The score: San Diego 24 Kansas 27
The Pick: Kansas +3.5



Previous weeks
Running total - 56-46
Week one - 11-4
Week two - 12-4
Week three - 6-10
Week four - 10-6
Week five - 7-6
Week six - 4-9
Week seven 6-7


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Monday, October 24, 2011

Beer me: MLB announce they are going to look into Red Sox club-house drinking


Well thank God for that. MLB has finally announced an official investigation into the dramatic revelations that certain Boston Red Sox players were drinking actual alcohol in the clubhouse during the 2011 season. Thank goodness, we can all sleep just that tiny bit better at night. Put down the hot-line to the president, call off the dogs, MLB has this all under control.

Joe Torre, beefy, dreamy head of the little known, semi secret MLB office of International Intrigue, Espionage and Dramatic Story-Lines had this to say on the subject;

“It’s something we’re concerned about, just to make sure that we get all the facts and that’s my area, I know I have plans just to talk to some people.’’


So Joe Torre’s ‘area’ is to get all the facts on grown men drinking alcoholic beverages in a closed clubhouse in the late innings of games they aren’t playing in? One can only hope that Torre is amply supplied with assistants, business jets, iPads, Blackberries and other gadgets, as he fights the good fight, keeping us safe from drinking adults. We can only assume it is a tough task, you can picture Torre sitting in his war-room/bat-cave, hunkered down over multiple screens reviewing thousands upon thousands of hours of footage of Red Sox games, trying to catch a glimpse of a Red Sox pitcher, sitting on the bench with their hood up vagrant style, sipping from a bottle of Peach Schnapps wrapped in a paper bag.



Imagine the moment of pure professional joy, nay, release, as Torre finds that one glimpse, that one frame where Beckett or whoever gets caught sitting there in the dugout, huddled behind the hulking frame of John lackey, drinking from a bottle of whatever alcohol took his fancy that day. Torre would no doubt reach for the red phone to his left, a hot-line, if you will, and while never taking his eyes from the dramatic evidence on screen, whisper Batman like into the phone, ‘We’ve got them!’ or some other glib, momentary, asinine George Bush like catch phrase.

Torre goes on to enlighten us that;
“If we do happen to bar alcohol from the clubhouses, you have to understand the intent of this thing and what it looks like,’’


Naturally Torre is spot on. We all have to understand this thing, this, phenomenon. The fat guy in the sleeveless Metallica t-shirt sitting at a Marlins game, drunk off his head on fifteen cups of Coors Lite really, really cares, from a special place deep down inside his heart, whether Clay Bucholz or Jon Lester had a quiet beer in the Red Sox clubhouse way back whenever.



The overlord man at the helm that Torre reports into, Bud Selig, is also following this as close as white on rice.

“You never like to hear that. I’m very image-conscious about the sport and that’s a great, proud franchise. I’m sorry for those stories because they’re not helpful. But I also have great confidence that the Red Sox will get this cleaned up quickly.’’


No word so from Das Fuhrer as to whether the other eleven teams that allow alcohol in the clubhouse will be cleaning up their act too. Perhaps that will come in a future communiqué

The Boston Globe ran a fancy little picture a few weeks ago of the clubs that allow drinking in the clubhouse and those that, you know, don't. Let's re-post it as an aid to Bud Selig in his crusade to eliminate alcohol from ballparks, well, not from ballparks, but from non paying customers in ballparks.

Everyone else can continue to get sloshed to their hearts content







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Friday, October 21, 2011

NFL picks: Week Seven: quick picks


Don't be confused by the shorter than usual individual game paragraphs. Plenty of thought went into each, it is just that a lot of time was consumed throwing pens, remote controls and other devices at the television during the Rugby World Cup final. A bigger fix there has never been. The South African referee completely ignored a plethora of Kiwi infringements, allowing them to high-tackle, run offside and come over the top of the maul with complete impunity. France were denied a clear penalty in front of the posts with just a handful of minutes left. Shocking stuff, the referee should have his bank account checked for the next few weeks. Anyway, that's where we are at. Angry. Angry on a Sunday morning.



Essential NFL pick links

Full list of games with ESPN previews
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Atlanta Falcons (3-3) at Detroit Lions (5-1) -3.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Chicago Bears (3-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) +0.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Seattle Seahawks (2-3) at Cleveland Browns (2-3) -3.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Denver Broncos (1-4) at Miami Dolphins (0-5) -3.5(ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Houston Texans (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-2) -3.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 San Diego Chargers (4-1) at New York Jets (3-3) +1.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 1:00 Washington Redskins (3-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-5) -2.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 4:05 Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at Oakland Raiders (4-2) -3.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 4:05 Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) at Arizona Cardinals (1-4) +3.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 4:15 St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3) -12.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 4:15 Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5) +8.5 (ESPN Preview)
Sun, Oct. 23 8:20 Indianapolis Colts (0-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-2) -13.5 (ESPN Preview)
Mon, Oct. 24 8:30 Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) +7.5(ESPN Preview)


Week Seven in detail
Atlanta Falcons (3-3) at Detroit Lions (5-1) -3.5
Questions finally being asked on the Lions bandwagon bus. Michael Turner might have the answers. Some of them, anyway.
The score: Atlanta 24 Detroit 27
The Pick: Atlanta +3.5

Chicago Bears (3-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) +0.5
London, baby! The change of venue doesn't change the fact the Bears are an all round better team then the Buccaneers.
The score: Chicago 30 Tampa 20
The Pick: Chicago - 0.5



Seattle Seahawks (2-3) at Cleveland Browns (2-3) -3.5
So are the Hawks for real, or what? One road trip too many, for my money.
The score: Seattle 23 Cleveland 30
The Pick: Cleveland -3.5

Denver Broncos (1-4) at Miami Dolphins (0-5) -3.5
For one more week anyway, Tebow is God.
The score: Denver 23 Miami 20
The Pick: Denver +3.5


'Just a man' - geddit?

Houston Texans (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-2) -3.5
Ah! Ah, so! The Texans are going through their late season collapse, early!
The score: Houston 24 Tennessee 33
The Pick: Tennessee -3.5

San Diego Chargers (4-1) at New York Jets (3-3) +1.5
For a team with no Superbowl wins the Jets sure talk a lot about Superbowl rings.
The score: San Diego 27 New York 20
The Pick: San Diego -1.5



Washington Redskins (3-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-5) -2.5
Washington had a good thing going, then they started screwing around, mixing RBs and what not, getting away from their early season success. Washington, if it aint broke...
The score: Washington 23 Carolina 30
The Pick: Carolina -1.5

Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at Oakland Raiders (4-2) -3.5
Do we believe the Kansas mini revival? Eh, no.
The score: Kansas 20 Oakland 38
The Pick: Oakland -3.5



Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) at Arizona Cardinals (1-4) +3.5
The Steelers keep teasing us. Which one will show up this week?
The score: Pittsburgh 34 Arizona 17
The Pick: Pittsburgh -3.5

St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3) -12.5
They. Can't. Make. This. Line. High. Enough.
The score: St Louis 13 Dallas 42
The Pick: Dallas -12.5

Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5) +8.5
Single digits? Really?
The score: Green Bay 35 Minnesota 24
The Pick: Green Bay -8.5



Indianapolis Colts (0-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-2) -13.5
For me the Saints look like they are going to react to the opposition. This will be surprisingly close.
The score: Indianapolis 24 New Orleans 30
The Pick: New Orleans

Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) +7.5
The Jags average 11.5 points a game will not be enough to get the job done.
The score: Baltimore 33 Jacksonville 17
The Pick: Baltimore -7.5



Previous weeks
Week one - 11-4
Week two - 12-4
Week three - 6-10
Week four - 10-6
Week five - 7-6
Week six - 4-9


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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Thoughts on Jon Lester’s recent beergate comments


To those of us who count themselves as fans of not only Jon Lester the pitcher, but also Jon Lester the man, it is no surprise that he is the first Red Sox player to openly comment into the topic of Boston Red Sox players drinking beer and eating take away chicken in the clubhouse during games.

Accountability could very well be Lester’s middle name. It is completely in line with his character and make up as a human being that he is the first player to hold their hands up and say ‘my bad’. Naturally, this isn’t enough for some. There are already plenty of journalists who don’t think Lester’s admission goes far enough towards placating the culprit hungry Red Sox masses in the wake of the lost season that was 2011.

Back to that in a short moment. Within Lester’s comments themselves sits a very interesting point. The Red Sox lefty said;

“It was a ninth-inning rally beer. Was it a bad habit? Yes. I should have been on the bench more than I was. But we just played bad baseball as a team in September. We stunk. To be honest, we were doing the same things all season when we had the best record in baseball.’’




Interesting that none of the shock-jocks who are desperately trying to paint this story in as negative a light as possible have noted Lester’s point. Nobody said a thing about this ‘behavior’ in mid-season, when Boston were literally tearing the American League apart. When you think about it, a couple of bloop hits here and there, two to three one run losses transformed into one run wins, and most Red Sox fans would have never known that Boston players were drinking beer in the clubhouse during games.

Instead this ridiculous inquest. Instead the angry Knights Of the Keyboard (As Ted Williams used to call Boston writers) will have their head on a platter no matter what. Even if it means ignoring contexts and truths. For example, one of those Calvinistic, angst ridden scribes immediately latches on to comments Lester made in the same interview about Francona, basically calling him out for callous commentary against a man who has treated him like a son. The only problem with that is, if you read the full transcript of the interview with Lester, as the writer no doubt did, the lefty makes a point of saying;

“On a personal level I was more than grateful for what he did for me and my family.''


Incredible to see a veteran journalist cherry pick quotes to suit his own needs. Incredible, and sad too. We put these baseball players on a pedestal, we worship them, and plug them into categories that they don’t necessarily generically fit into, and we speak in terms of legend when the system works and someone sips whiskey before a big game the Sox win (ala ‘The Idiots’ in ’04). However, once they don’t fit into those categories we want them to slot into, once they don’t win, we turn on them like deranged dogs, biting at their hands, barking at them angrily.

Doesn’t really even matter what they say. We’re going to twist it whatever way we want and use it against them.



This inquest is less valuable than a bucket of chicken. It is a complete waste of time, it is being presented erroneously and out of context, and is not only an insult to players, who don’t have to report to the media or us fans, last I checked, but also an insult to all fair minded and logical fans themselves.

Can’t we move on and start discussing things that actually matter?



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Monday, October 17, 2011

Taking back the night: Dolphins @ Jets thoughts.


So, we're assuming there's something in the meaning of the universe and all that in this whole cyclical thing that goes on in all our lives. I mean, you wake up one day, find a 50 Euro note on the way out the door, and the next week you get an extra big electricity bill for, naturally, in and around 50 Euros. Kind of the same way NFL result picking goes. You go 12-4 one week, and the next, 4-12.

It all comes around in the end, doesn't it? We are probably on the cusp of finding a shred of the morsels that make up the meaning of life with this, but, there are bills to be paid, so let's have a look at some of the tasty little prices available in tonight's Dolphins at Jets showdown.

The Jets -7 carries some appeal, however, these three little suggestions should provide a tasty.

Total first half home team points - over 12.5
This appeals on a few levels. The Jets need a good showing in front of their angst ridden fans. They should come out firing, a couple of touchdowns or a touchdown and two field goals are both not out of the realm of sensible thinking, right? The Jets should manage over 12.5 points in the first half.

The Jets ST/D to score a TD any time
Can't believe this is 7/2. The bookies know that Matt Moore is playing for the Fish, right? The Jets D will never have a better chance to take a pick-six all the way to the house. Juicy odds, and remember, that's 'any time', so doesn't matter if they score first or last or whatever. Can't you see Matt Moore throwing at least one pick six? I know I can.

Dustin Keller first TD
Very tasty at 10/1. Keller is one of Sanchez's favourite targets, and the shaky QB needs to rely on his safety blanket tonight as he looks for a solid start. There's a very good chance he will look to Keller in the end zone, and 10/1 is very appealing.

Bear in mind, this guy is a New England boy, so, if I am talking up the Jets, you know it's good!
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Friday, October 14, 2011

NFL picks: Week Six: highs and lows


Week five was all about highs and lows. We bravely went with the Lions and that opening -5.5 spread (reduced to -4 on gameday). But for a late Buffalo field goal, we would have got the score exactly correct in the Bills v Eagles game (predicted 27-24, actual, 30-24). Great picks. Then the not so great. The Falcons? Gosh, wish we could have that one back. The Giants? Boy oh boy. You know what they say though, you take the good with the bad, learn about it, and move onwards and upwards.

Like, for example, week six. Let's go.

  • Last weeks totals against the spread - 7-6
  • Running total against the spread - 46-30
See foot of posting for week by week links to previous weeks

Carolina Panthers (1-4) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3) -4.5
Oh Carolina! Have you noticed they are covering the spread every week? Impressive covers, back-door covers, all sorts of covers. But, always covering. What that means in real terms is, they are generally keeping the score close. The Falcons are a tough cookie at home, and that big loss to Green Bay shouldn’t be over-stated, the Packers are a reasonably decent footballing team. All things considered, Falcons should have just enough to eek out a much needed, late, close win, but Carolina should keep it close.
The score: Carolina 20 Atlanta 23
The Pick: Carolina +4.5

Buffalo Bills (4-1) at New York Giants (3-2) -3.5
Has everyone recovered from the shock of the Giants losing to Seattle last week, in New York? I saw on one site 99% of people picked the Giants to win straight up, 85% picked them against the 10 point spread. The Giants were big, big, bracket busters last week. The Bills, meanwhile, are still being underestimated. You know how you have to wait until the Giants start showing their true colours before you pick against them? Well, you can safely assume that time is now.
The score: Buffalo 28 NY Giants 24
The Pick: Buffalo +3.5



Indianapolis Colts (0-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) -6.5
It’s a trap! In classic Admiral Akbar style, this line looks like a trap. The Colts are losing however they are losing close games, and certainly not embarrassing themselves. Curtis Painter is doing much more than was expected of him, and the Colts are never throwing the proverbial towel in. Perhaps it is a little soon to anoint Andy Dalton the next Dan Marino. Too. Many. Points.
The score: Indianapolis 23 Cincinnati 26
The Pick: Indianapolis +6.5



San Francisco 49ers (4-1) at Detroit Lions (5-0) -4.5
When you get on a bandwagon, you stay on that bandwagon until you fall off. Detroit proved last week they can cover spreads like this against the Bears. They are starting to look like a runaway train. This might be their biggest test as yet, but, once again, if you are on the bandwagon, you stay on it.
The score: San Francisco 20 Detroit 28
The Pick: Detroit -4.5

St. Louis Rams (0-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-0) -14.5
At first glance 14.5 points looks like an awful large chunk of points. However, considering all the elements it looks about right. What you are left with is the question, will Green Bay squeak by the Rams or will they hammer them? The Rams main asset right now? Steven Jackson. Jackson’s usage once the Rams fall into catch-up mode? Minimal. You have to think the Packers will have their way with the winless Rams.
The score: St Louis 20 Green Bay 38
The Pick: Green Bay -14.5




Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) at Washington Redskins (3-1) -0.5
The Dream Team, eh? How’s that working out for you, Philly? Boston area fans like myself are probably in no position to sling mud, however, the Philadelphia sporting fan has to be absolutely dying a thousand deaths right now. The Eagles were a popular pick for the Superbowl and everyone basically assumed the Phillies would take The World Series. And now what? Philadelphia is left with the wreckage of two seasons. The Eagles looked like a team with too many issues to overcome last week. The Bills handled them relatively easily. There is no reason to think the misery stops here. The ‘Skins will run the ball mercilessly at the Eagles absolutely brutal run defence, and control the game and temp that way. It is kind of funny you have to admit that the Eagles spent so much money on defensive backs, and basically forgot about the line. Goodness gracious they are surely paying for it.
The score: Philadelphia 23 Washington 27
The Pick: Washington -0.5

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) -12.5
This one could get ugly in a hurry. The Jags are struggling mightily, whilst the Steelers are very impressive at home. When the Jags fall behind here, their single greatest asset, Maurice Jones Drew, becomes a complete non factor. If this were a boxing match, it would get stopped in the second round.
The score: Jacksonville 13 Pittsburgh 41
The Pick: Pittsburgh -12.5

Cleveland Browns (2-2) at Oakland Raiders (3-2) -5.5
What in the name of Thor is this all about? Did Oakland morph into the second coming of the ’85 Bears over night? This line is ridiculous, the Raiders defense is ranked near the bottom in most NFL defensive categories, and the Browns have had an extra week off (bye week) to prepare for this. Oakland are bound to have a bit of an emotional deflation after last weekend also. Take the points and run.
The score: Cleveland 35 Oakland 33
The Pick: Cleveland +5.5



Houston Texans (3-2) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1) -7.5
Whilst it’s certainly not a good thing that Andrew Johnson is out with an injury, the Texans still have enough firepower to hang within a touchdown with the Ravens. In fact, they could almost cause an upset. Almost.
The score: Houston 27 Baltimore 30
The Pick: Houston +7.5

Dallas Cowboys (2-2) at New England Patriots (4-1) -7.5
Did you know the Patriots four wins have been by at least 9 points? Let’s face it, they should have put Buffalo away too, some sloppy play led to a surprising loss there. Dallas, meanwhile looked a tier below the Jets a couple of weeks ago. That’s not good (For Dallas) when you consider the Patriots swept aside the over rated Jets quite easily. Dallas has questions on both sides of the ball, and a QB who loves to implode at the most inopportune times. His incredible self-destruction job against Detroit a couple of weeks ago was simply shocking. The Patriots can’t claim to have the same impact defence as the Lions however, they will keep the score stretching away from Dallas to a point where Romo tries to do too much and, once again, implodes.
The score: Dallas 26 New England 38
The Pick: New England -7.5

New Orleans Saints (4-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) +4.5
Very worrying loss for Tampa last week, short week or no short week. They didn’t gain any momentum and lost to a team that is punching way, way over its weight division at the moment. The Saints on the other hand, are cruising, and approaching a very interesting level of play. Sean Payton finally has the player he always dreamt of in Darren Sproles, who is doing everything the Saints asked Reggie Bush to do, but doing it, you know, effectively. Potentially difficult week ahead for Tampa, who may get lost in the mire over the next few weeks with complications arising from their London trip, and some bad losses.
The score: New Orleans 33 Tampa 21
The Pick: New Orleans -4.5

Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at Chicago Bears (2-3) -3.5
Chicago looked a tired, beaten team against the Lions. It is so obvious to all opponents that if you put any pressure at all on that Chicago offensive line, it will crumble. Cutler, like any QB, can’t do his job in the face of serious pressure. The Vikings can cause all sorts of problems in Chicago by pounding the rock with a fresh looking Adrian Peterson and attacking Cutler behind his porous offensive line
The score: Minnesota 27 Chicago 24
The Pick: Minnesota +3.5

Miami Dolphins (0-4) at New York Jets (2-3) -7.5
Matt Moore against the Jets defense? How is this line not double digits?
The score: Miami 13 New York Jets 31
The Pick: New York Jets -7.5

Previous weeks
Week one - 11-4
Week two - 12-4
Week three - 6-10
Week four - 10-6
Week five - 7-6

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Monday, October 10, 2011

The black sporting weekend. Ireland get knocked out of the Rugby World Cup, and fail to impress against Andorra.

And so it came to pass. A weekend infused with such sporting promise from the perspective of Irish eyes, crashes to the ground in ruins like the proverbial house of cards. Irish Sporting fans with a broader range of disciplines in their fandom portfolio were left clutching at straws, celebrating the Patriots beating the Jets as they clung to the wreckage of Saturdays Irish failure in New Zealand.

Leading up to those fateful events on Saturday morning Ireland had not been as energized and hopeful about a tournament since we were on the brink of the Soccer World Cup and Thierry Henry handled away our aspirations there. Perhaps the weight of the desperate hopes of a nation dragged our boys in green down, as a very brave Irish team looked admittedly tired and spent in the second half against Wales.

With the match on so early (6 am Irish time), it was still early morning as Irish rugby fans rubbed their eyes, looked out into the grey, cold, dispassionate morning light and felt that empty longing grow a bit longer. Will Ireland ever proceed to the final of a meaningful World tournament?


Meanwhile, on Friday night, a much more depressing event was taking place.

Wait, back that up a second. A more depressing event than Ireland getting knocked out of the Rugby World Cup, just two games from the finals? Well, did you watch Andorra v Ireland? For those who luckily stayed away, Ireland were playing the joint worst ranked football team in the World on Friday night, as they hope to advance to the 2012 European Championships.

It was a drab, depressing affair that Ireland ‘won’ 2-0, with two first half goals. Ireland chose to field two holding (defending) midfielders, including Glenn Whelan, who believes the best way forward is, well, backwards. Whelan’s first thought when he receives the ball is ‘safety first’ and statistically the over whelming majority of his passes travel either side to side or backwards.

On a night where they played the joint worst team in the World, Ireland employed two holding, defensive midfielders. Exactly what were they defending against? Were they defending the Irish viewing public from the possibility of being entertained?

Watching Ireland under Gio Trapattoni is a depressing, unrewarding and unenlightening affair.

Beware of chastising me to soon for the following statement, a more loyal Irish fan you will never meet. However, if Armenia, a team playing open, attacking football, beat us in Dublin tomorrow and nip us to the post of qualification, so what? Honestly, can you really say you enjoy watching this current incarnation of the Irish soccer team?

I can’t.




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Friday, October 07, 2011

NFL picks: Week five: How about those Lions?!


Holy mackerel what a sporting weekend ahead. Ireland tonight in the European Championship qualifiers, Ireland tomorrow in the Rugby World Cup quarter final, the Dublin City Hurricanes in the final of the Irish Baseball League Saturday afternoon, and then NFL Sunday, and the Patriots against the Jets. Gosh. That's a whole lot of action.

Let's break with tradition and go straight to the fascinating Monday night game between the Bears the suddenly amazing Lions, then on to the rest.
  • Last weeks totals against the spread - 10-6
  • Running total against the spread - 39-24
See foot of posting for week by week links to previous weeks


Chicago Bears (2-2) at Detroit Lions (4-0) -5.5
OK, imagine at the end of the 2009 NFL season you got hit by like, a bus, or something. You survived but you went into a long coma. The reason you were hit by said bus is you were busy reading the paper (back in 2009 people still read broadsheets). You were reading about the Lions going 0-16. You can probably see where I am going with this now. So, imagine you woke up from your coma today. You started playing with your iPad, iTouch, iPod, HTC, Acer, Sony whatever, and you notice the line for this Bears v Lions show down. You probably go right back into a shock related coma, right? The Lions are purring after last week’s absolutely stunning, magical come back against the Cowgirls. The Bears clung on against the upstart Panthers. This could represent a seminal moment in the Lions 2011 season. And you, the Lions backer, you need to have that ‘all in moment’. Either stand up and push all your chips into the middle of the table, or walk away.
The score: Chicago 23 Detroit 38
The Pick: Detroit -5.5



Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-1) +2.5
The Dream Team, eh? How’s your Autumn going, Philly? With the completely over hyped Eagles struggling mightily and the super star laden Phillies grinding against the workmanlike Cards, what stage of depression will Philadelphia drop into if the Eagles lose in Buffalo and Chris Carpenter (who is pitching out of his skin right now folks) and the Cards knock the Phillies out? One thing is sure, get ready to hear an awful lot of booing. Philadelphia fans are famous for booing, so much so, they actually booed Santa once. Well, they got their ‘Dream Team’ with Vick and the cornerbacks, the problem is someone in the Eagles front office forgot to sign any decent linemen. Teams have noted this and are running through the Eagles like water through a leaky bucket. Buffalo are playing with no fear, scoring points for fun, and beating good teams. They can beat this very suspect team on home turf to go 4-1.
The score: Philadelphia 24 Buffalo 27
The Pick: Buffalo +2.5

Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) -2.5
The Bungles are about as predictable as the lottery. There is almost no way of knowing what kind of a display they are going to put up, week to week. They are a gambling man’s nightmare. They are also flying somewhat under the radar because of their inconsistency. Jacksonville are not an appealing play, even at home. Their passing attack has been almost the worst in the league, if it wasn’t for Maurice Jones Drew they would be completely flat. The Bengals plus the points seems the only play here.
The score: Cincinnati 27 Jacksonville 17
The Pick: Cincinnati +2.5

Tennessee Titans (3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) -7.5
That -7.5 is the ESPN line at time of writing, but you can bet that’s going to change dramatically as we approach game time. The Steelers are struggling with injuries, not to mention form. Meanwhile, Tennessee are one of the surprise packages of the 2011 NFL season thus far. Even Chris Johnson has perked up, he actually ran into a three figure Sunday last weekend, rushing for 101 yards for the first time since 1782 or something like that. Matt Hasselbeck, released from limbo (otherwise known as Seattle) is looking like the veteran, sturdy, game managing QB he is, and the Titans D has been especially stifling. They are catching Pittsburgh at exactly the right time, and should be able to take advantage.
The score: Tennessee 23 Pittsburgh 20
The Pick: Tennessee +7.5

Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) at Indianapolis Colts (0-4) -2.5
Wait a second, there is life in Kansas yet! Funny thing is, there is clearly life in the Colts too. This Column has been saying for weeks that there is too much talent, particularly on the defensive side, for the Colts to keep losing. This week it finally comes to pass, as the Colts, at home, in front of their piped fan noise, take out their frustrations on the Chiefs (who did not turn into the 2007 Patriots after one win).
The score: Kansas 17 Indianapolis 34
The Pick: Indianapolis -2.5



Oakland Raiders (2-2) at Houston Texans (3-1) -6.5
It’s about that time, time to decide if this is the Texans year, where it all comes together. Interesting win last weekend, the kind of game Houston teams of old might have lost. The Raiders had some serious issues and holes exposed last weekend. We are sure Houston were watching, and should take advantage.
The score: Oakland 23 Houston 36
The Pick: Houston -6.5

Arizona Cardinals (1-3) at Minnesota Vikings (0-4) -2.5
With jobs on the line, the Vikings will hand the rock to the incredibly reliable Adrian Peterson and say, run Adrian, run, as they attempt to save their season against the absolutely brutal travelling team that is Arizona. The Cardinals turn to putrid mush on the road, and the Vikings can take advantage of this to get on track. Home field, AP and a strong sense of desperation should be too much for the road-challenged Cardinals.
The score: Arizona 26 Minnesota 30
The Pick: Minnesota -2.5

New Orleans Saints (3-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-3) +5.5
I want to pick the Panthers. I really want to. I want to write that splashy, attention grabbing headline, Panthers to shock Saints, but, I just can’t do it. However, I will take the points. Did you know Drew Brees is completing 70% of his passes? Amazingly accurate. Clinical. The Saints are also finding interesting ways to use Reggie-Bush-upgrade Darren Sproles. How over rated was Bush? Miami are finding out right now. Cam Newton and the Panthers have that don’t-know-when-they-are-beat look about them, but the Saints should find a way. Just.
The score: New Orleans 34 Carolina 30
The Pick: Carolina +5.5



Seattle Seahawks (1-3) at New York Giants (3-1) -9.5
Seattle on the road? Against a Giants team that is absolutely humming right now? Now this is a game where I would consider one of those stupid -14.5 lines. Less than 10? Where do I sign up? Seattle are about to get run over.
The score: Seattle 17 New York G 38
The Pick: New York G -9.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-1) -1.5
Two teams who appear at first glance to be out-punting their coverage. This could end up a dour affair. San Francisco will have to take care of the rock, it can’t afford any slips on an already relatively anemic offence. Their D and special teams are the elements that keep them in games. Tampa isn’t firing on all cylinders on offence either. Look for a low scoring, hard hitting slug fest, with home field proving crucial in the end.
The score: Tampa 17 San Francisco 20
The Pick: San Francisco -1.5

San Diego Chargers (3-1) at Denver Broncos (1-3) +4.5
Any chance the San Diablo annual slump starts early this season? Every chance! Phillip Rivers has thrown more picks than TDs (Look it up!) and TE Gates isn’t playing. Prior to being mauled last week by the Packers, the Broncos had actually played very tight games. This is going to be the ‘shock’ of the week. Denver at home, against their bitter rival, a little embarrassed after last week’s shellacking.
The score: San Diego 28 Denver 30
The Pick: Denver +4.5

New York Jets (2-2) at New England Patriots (3-1) -9.5
Now this is a test for any relatively logical Patriots fan. 9.5 points leaves no room for error. You either believe the Patriots are going to destroy the Jets, or you don’t. Simple as that. You can go down a couple of lines of thought here, was last week’s embarrassing Jets showing an aberration? Or is their offence really that inept? A key point no one is talking about, it looks like Aaron Hernandez is back, he practiced all week. This means the Patriots suddenly have another huge, physical target downfield. Unless the Jets figure out a way to clone Revis, this could end up being a long game for them.
The score: NYJ 24 New England 34
The Pick: New England -9.5



Green Bay Packers (4-0) at Atlanta Falcons (2-2) +5.5
Steady on now. It’s not often you will see the Falcons at home with a +5.5 spread. Understandably somewhat the bookmakers are running scared from Green Bay. The Packers, unlike Wayne Rooney Snr, don’t give a damn about the spread or the $20 you have on the game. They just want a win. With how poorly the Falcons have started the season, it’s hard not to see them getting it. Just not by more than five points though. A late Aaron Rodgers drive and Mason Crosby kick should do the trick.
The score: Green Bay 33 Atlanta 30
The Pick: Atlanta +5.5



Previous weeks
Week one - 11-4
Week two - 12-4
Week three - 6-10
Week four - 10-6


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Thursday, October 06, 2011

Cork man Darragh O’Neill punts his way onto Colorado University football team


Could it be possibly just 3-4 years before we see a Cork boy punting in the NFL? This may not be as crazy a thought as it seems. Colorado University turned a few heads when they announced their starting punter for the 2011 season would be Darragh O’Neill. Born in Cork, Ireland, he is the son of Colm O’Neill, owner of Boulder’s popular Irish bar-restaurant, Conor O’Neill’s. Darragh moved to the States aged three when his Father moved over for work.

He started kicking just six months before the start of the season. He took the sport up after going to watch a few Colorado games, instantly falling for what he described as ‘the buzz’ coming from the 50,000 plus crowd and the general game day atmosphere. Darragh’s strong leg comes from a background playing soccer, and he is also an accomplished basketball player too, excelling at high school level.




In the below excellent audio interview Darragh describes his path to NCAA Football. His accent is a fantastic mix of Irish American, as he appears to be just about clinging to the last remains of his Cork lilt!



Best of luck on the season to the young man

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