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Pick with the Dick
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Mike Spencer
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October, 05 2007
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Gamblers are like defensive backs. They need that swagger and a short memory to risk making a play.
Especially after last week where everything I touched turned wretched. I was not alone. So Mr. Smart Guy or Smart Gal, did you have Colorado over Oklahoma or Auburn over Florida? Didn’t think so. |
PiMike starts his day of losing picks last weekend at the Oregon v. Cal game, in front of the ESPN Game Day bus.
Gamblers are like defensive backs. They need that swagger and a short memory to risk making a play.
Especially after last week where everything I touched turned wretched. I was not alone. So Mr. Smart Guy or Smart Gal, did you have Colorado over Oklahoma or Auburn over Florida? Didn’t think so.
I had a blast last weekend in Eugene watching Cal beat Oregon in front of a record crowd of more than 59,000 at Autzen Stadium. Though I had picked Oregon and an over, I spotted a Cal-positive omen walking into the stadium along the blissful banks of the Willamette River.
A boozy Duck fan harassed a Jesus freak for putting a Cal football sign up with his Oregon signs and Lord lit. Talk about bad Karma.
A gambler never says die. It was 10-7 after a slow first half. It was so quiet I could hear my socks droop. I had the over, at 73. I kept doing the math to myself, “Let’s see, 74 minus 17 means I need 57 total points scored to win my bet, or about eight touchdowns with a two-point conversion.” It looked bleak.
But then it turned into the DeSean Jackson-Nate Longshore show. The Ducks were driving to tie the score at 31 when they fumbled into the end zone for the touchback. I still clung to the fantasy that the game could go into overtime at 62 total, add a couple touchdowns and I would have my over bet.
Another highlight was hanging at the Hilton bar post game and chatting with the woman whose son is the Duck mascot, who had just returned from probation for fisticuffs with the Washington State cougar mascot.
Old Business and Lessons Learned:
The old private dick has slipped to 8-9-1 against the number on the young season. The big mistake I made last week was overestimating revenge as a motive and not looking at the matchups from the perspective of confidence and competence. I thought Duck qb Dennis Dixon would atone for this three picks last year at Cal.
Instead, with the game on the line, Dixon started tossing ducks instead of leading the Ducks. Same with West Virginia and South Florida, who had beaten West Virginia last year in Morgantown. The Bulls were supposed to roll over at home to West Virginia. But it was the Bulls who throttled what was previously a high-octane offense.
I heard a stat that 75-percent of the teams that win, cover. So, just go with the better club and pray!
This week’s pick six:
Cincinnati -4 at Rutgers: The Bearcats ended Rutgers’ Cindarella story last year and can do it again. The Bearcats have a turnover margin of plus 14, tops in the country. The Bearcats are one of two teams out of 119 D. 1 squads to have covered all their games this year; South Florida is the other ATM for gamblers.
Illinois -2.5 hosting Wisconsin. The Badgers are winning but have had to rally past suspect programs like UNLV. Illinois is coming around.
Wake Forest -7.5 at Duke. This is still a Duke team that went 0-11 last year and is 1-4 this season. Wake is well-coached and will always have more talent than the Dukies. The battle of Tobacco Road goes to the Demon Deacons.
Auburn -7.5 hosting Vanderbilt: The Tigers are just a better team, fresh off a great win over Florida. Vanderbilt is the Duke of the Southeast Conference.
Georgia -1 at Tennessee: The Vols don’t play defense and home field advantage won’t mean much. Georgia’s running game should keep Tennessee QB Erik Ainge on the sidelines more than he would prefer.
South Florida -16.5 at Florida Atlantic: Why? Because South Florida is the best team in the sunny state for shady people. Transitive property time. If the Bulls can whip West Virginia by 20 or so I think they can handle Flo-At. |
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RECOMMEND
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OAKLAND
SPORTS
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Sports
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