5 OUT OF 10 AGAIN!

THIS WEEK

There are so many Bowl Games to choose from that it almost seems like a college regular season week. And it is the last NFL regular season week. In short, this is my last week with lots of games to choose from. How sad. But there are some great ones so we go out with a bang.. Almost every NFL has some significance and playoff implications so it should be a great week over all.

Bowl Games

1. North Carolina -3 over Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl
Both teams about even but the game is in Charlotte so got to go with the “home team”.

2. Michigan +3.5 over Kansas State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Even though I am a Big 12 kind of guy, I think Michigan has a lot more fire power, so Hail to the Victors.

3. Georgia Tech -3 over Mississippi in the Music City Bowl (actually some kind of Mortgage Company Bowl)
I always take Tech if the teams are close to being even. I don’t think the Rebels have faced a true spread offense like the Engineers run all year.

4. UCLA – 7 over Virginia Tech in the Sun Bowl
The Hookies are a little down this year and the Bruins are better than advertised. Also I don’t think that the boys from LA will be distracted by the bright lights of EL Paso. Just saying..

5. Texas A&M -12 over Duke in the Chick Filet Bowl
The Blue Devils having one of their best years ever, still it’s Duke, OK.

6. South Carolina – 1 over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl
The one Big Ten team I like each year is Wisconsin. But this year, Michigan State out Wisconsined the Badgers. . And while I still like the Badgers running game, they will be running into Mr Clowney and friends.

7. LSU – 7.5 over Iowa in the Outback Bowl
This is my lock of the week. Yes, the Hawkeyes had a nice season but this is LSU we are are talking about. The Bengal Tigers take them out back.

8. UCF +16.5 over Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl
Again, I am a Big 12 kind of guy. But I think the Knights find a way to keep it close and only lose by 14.

NFL

9. Cinncinnati -5 @ home over Baltimore
The Ravens more desperate but the Bengals have something to play for and are the better team. Especially at home where the Red Rifle is deadlier.

10. Indy – 5 @ home over Jacksonville
Ditto. Plus Jacksonville has nothing to play for. Of course that could mean they are loose and win the game but I don’t think so.

11. Miami – 6.5 @ home over the Jets
More DItto Miami desperate and the Jets long past that.

12. Detroit + 2 @ Minnesota
Neither team has anything to play for but the Lions are a little better and embarrassed because of last week.

13. Tennessee -6 @ home over Houston
The Texans are long past being embarrassed. And the old Houston team, the Titans, are better than the new Houston team.

Happy Pigging Out on Football…… one more week before Reality sets in. Tony

12/25/13

5 OUT OF 10 THAT’S CONSIDERED A WIN!

LAST WEEK

I am on pace to break even for the season. In this line of work that is good. Oh yeah, this really isn’t work as no one is paying me.
And now we start with the minor bowls. They no longer have my favorite, the Poulin Weed Eater Bowl. Or rather, it has changed names to the Advocare Bowl. How can I make fun of that? Oh, but we still have the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Thank God for that.
Here we go.

THIS WEEK

EARLY BOWL GAMES (Which no one cares about except Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Bowl.)

1. Washington State – 4.5 over Colorado State in the New Mexico Bowl
Of course, no one from NM plays in this game. They may be desperate for good teams but not that desperate! Leach has turned the Cougars into Texas Tech West which should be good enough to beat the Rams.

2. Southern Cal -5 over Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl
Oddly enough this is the one game you cant bet on in Vegas because it is..in Vegas. But if you could, I would go with the Trojans to win and cover in that they still have more talent overall. Though Dave Carr’s little brother is pretty good for the Bulldogs.

3. Oregon State – 2 over Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl
Another battle between the big boys on the Pac 12 and the little boys of the Mountain West, I got to go with the big conference again. Especially since the Beavers almost beat the Ducks in their last game.

NFL

4. Carolina -3 @ home over New Orleans
Big game! The winner probably gets the division crown. And if it keeps the Saints from having home field advantage in the championship game, then it is huge. Right now it looks like Carolina vs Seattle for all the NFC marbles. Plus NO doesn’t play well with others on the road.

5. Cincinnati -7 @ home over Minnesota
The Bengals are up and down . Last week they were down and lost, and I lost with them. So this week they should be up. Kind of the same thing with the Vikings. And last week they were way up so you know what happens this week.

6. Dallas -2.5 @ Washington
I know, I know. Again how could I pick the Boys to beat anyone anywhere? Especially after last week’s debacle. But I am going to say that the pathetic Cowboys beat the even more pathetic Redskins. Though I do like the Skins back-up QB from Michigan State.

7. Kansas City -6.5 @ home over Indy
Another big game. The Chiefs are now in the hunt for the Western Division title with the Broncos fading a bit. The Colts just trying to improve play off position so may not be as motivated as KC. Both teams pretty good.

8. Cleveland + 2 @ NY Jets
This might be a misprint. The Jets favored over anyone? And the Browns really aren’t a bad team. The Jets really aren’t a good team. Easy call.

9. San Diego – 7.5 @ home over Oakland
You can’t go wrong picking against the Raiders. Got to go with the Super Chargers and Rivers who is on fire. (Not to be confused with Cleveland when their river was on fire.)

10. SF -12 @home over Atlanta
The Falcons have fallen off a cliff. The Niners play by a Cliff. And are really good at home.

Happy Pre-Holiday Vegging, Tony

8 AND 5 I AM THRU WITH MY DIVE

THIS WEEK

COLLEGE GAMES (Sadly None)

NFL

1. Indy -5.5 @ Houston
The Colts looking to rebound, the Texans to just bound. Andrew Luck coming home is a good side bar.

2. New England -1 @ Miami
The Pats have been reduced to a shell of their former selves. And Miami is better than they have been and might be real good next year. But still it’s Tom Brady so got to go with NE.

3. Philly -4.5 @ Minnesota
The Vikings can be tough at home but probably won’t have Adrian Peterson. They are not a bad team, but still it’s Nick Foles. OK that doesn’t sound right, but the rookie QB and the rookie coach are on a roll.

4 Seattle -7 @ NY Giants
The Seahawks aren’t as good on the road, but still it’s the Giants.

5. San Francisco -5 @ Tampa Bay
Tampa is playing much better and at home, but still it’s the 49ers. Maybe the next best team in the league next to Seattle. A downside is that SF doesn’t have much to play for as they probably can’t win the division and are going to be the highest rated wild card team anyway.

6. Kansas City -4.5 @ Oakland
Used to be a blood bath back in the day. Now one of them is way better than the other. Guess which one?

7. Buffalo – 1 @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville playing better, but still, it’s the Jags. Buffalo not too bad.

8. Cowboys -7 @ home over Green Bay
It’s December so why I am picking the Cowboys over any one? Because Rogers isn’t playing. So the ‘Boys can win the only way they know how, by outscoring the other team. They sure ain’t going to stop anyone.

9. New Orleans -6 @ St. Louis
The Saints aren’t nearly as good on the road either. But the Rams are fading without their QB and they play in a Dome. Breas like domes. No breeze in a dome.

10. Cincinnati -2.5 @ Pittsburgh
Bengals playing really well. Steelers.. not so much….but always tough at home. I think they can stay within 2 points of Cincy, but not 2.5.

Happy Vegging, Tony

In memoriam…. Got to mention my dad who passed away this week. Great Guy, Great Friend, Great Football Fan. Actually was kind of watching a game when he passed.

7 & 9 STILL A LITTLE BEHIND (OK I heard that)

LAST WEEK

 

I still have a shot at breaking even. How sad is that? And of course there are now fewer games to choose from each week. 

Was last week the best week of college games ever or what?  It was!  And that was before the Bama game.  Submitted for your approval, these near classic games:  Oregon over Oregon State, LSU over Arkansas, Baylor over TCU, Georgia over Georgia Tech, Penn State over Wisconsin. And I haven’t even mentioned the best OSU- Michigan game ever and Alabama-Auburn, possibly the best game ever, period! 

 

THIS WEEK

 

There is a lot of debate this week about whether or not Ohio State deserves to be in the BSC Title game against FSU.  They don’t.  But it doesn’t matter anyway.  They are going to lose to Michigan State.  The Spartans have the best D in the country and if they can score about 15 to 20 points, they should be able to hold off the Buckeyes.  Which will clear the way for the winner or the SEC championship game to play for it all, which is as it should be. 

 

NCAA

 

1.  Texas + 15 over and @ Baylor   

The Bears have been exposed. The are not a great team.  The Longhorns were exposed long ago, but should be able to stay close even in Waco.  By the way, Austin is only about an hour from Waco in distance but miles away in any other measurements. 

 

2.  Oklahoma State -9.5 @ home over OU 

The Cowboys win the Big 12 going away just as they did 2 years ago, crushing the Sooners in Stillwater.  Proving once and for all that if you have an alum that is rich as T. Boon Pickets here or Phil Knight in Oregon, you still buy a pretty good team. 

 

3.  Missouri + 2 over Auburn in Atlanta

The Tigers’ Magic Carpet Ride comes back to Earth.  But which Tigers?  Not the ones that used to be in the Big 12… and not the ones from the Show Me State. These Missouri Tigers show us all.  

 

4. Michigan State + 5.5 over Ohio State in Indy

Don’t we all think that Alabama is really the best team in the country?  And they are the answer to this question.  Who would you least like to play?   The Spartans might be the one team whose D is a good as ‘Bama’s. 

 

NFL 

 

5. Cincinnati  – 6 @ home over Indy

The Colts seem to be fading, and the Bengals are coming on.

 

6.  Green Bay -7  @ home over Atlanta

I am going to guess that Rogers makes it back and the desperate Pack come back.  The Falcons aren’t quite good enough to be called desperate. 

 

7. Cleveland + 11.5 over and @ New England

The Patriots keep winning….. barely.  I think they barely win again.

 

8.  Oakland +2.5  over and @ the Jets

The Raiders aren’t bad. The Jets aren’t good.  Aren’t bad is better than aren’t good. 

 

9.  Philly -2.5 @ home over Detroit 

Both teams aren’t bad.  But the Lions aren’t bad and aren’t at home either. 

 

10.  Kansas City – 3 over and @ Washington

The Chiefs are coming off 2 straight losses but they were to good teams.  So no worries Mate.. But if they lose to the Redskins, time to start worrying.   

 

11.  Arizona  -6 @ home over St. Louis

Both teams are surprisingly good, especially their Ds.  But the Rams have lost their QB. so I am going with the Arizona Cardinals, who used to be the St. Louis Cardinals over the St. Louis Rams who used to be the LA Rams, even though they played in Anaheim.  Got it?

 

12.  San Diego – 3.5 @ home over NY Giants

The Chargers are mediocre.  The Giants dream about being mediocre. 

 

13.  New Orleans -3. 5 @ home over Carolina

The key phrase here is..@ home.  The Panthers are really good but the Saints play way over their heads at home, especially at night…..when their usually loud and drunk fans are more loud and even more drunk. 

Stay warm and safe, Tony

Tony Stone

12/05/13