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It's time for another week of fun in our pro football charity underdog pool. The favorites pretty much did their thing last weekend, shutting out all but two of our 21 players. Let's see how things go this week:
17 OAKLAND at San Diego
14 CLEVELAND at Chicago
13 SAN FRANCISCO at Indianapolis
10 SEATTLE at Dallas
10 CAROLINA at Arizona
10 ATLANTA at New Orleans
9.5 ST. LOUIS at Detroit
3.5 BUFFALO vs. Houston
3.5 MIAMI at NY Jets
3 DENVER at Baltimore
3 MINNESOTA at Green Bay
3 JACKSONVILLE at Tennessee
1 NY GIANTS at Philadelphia
Don't forget, picks are due by Saturday midnight, and entry fees are due by this Friday, Oct. 30. I am still waiting on Annie, Dan, Mark, and Mojo in that department. Don't get me in a collection mode if you know what's good for you.
The standings so far:
7.5 - Gary, George
0 - Everyone else
And as always, advice and wisdom on this slate of games, from players and nonplayers alike, is greatly appreciated. Which underdog (in caps above) is most likely to win its game outright, without benefit of the point spread?
Comments (17)
Since I can't pick my beloved Ducks (getting three points at home against USC), I'll take Miami to beat the Jets.
Another tough week. I'm looking hard at that Falcons-Saints game right now. Rams-Lions, next. Dolphins-Jets after that, with mild weekend weather in NYC metro. I'd like to take Broncos, but can't see Ravens losing 4th game in a row, and at home yet.
I'll email my pick later this week after consulting the Magic 8 Ball. If I go long, the Rams offer a real shot at redemption this time. I think there will be at least 3 or 4 upsets this week. Miami, Jacksonville, Minnesota and Denver all have good potential.
If I were in the real pool for real money I'd be very tempted by St. Louis. The Lions shouldn't be favored by 9.5 over any Div. I-A college team with a .500 record, much less an NFL team. So St. Louis is quite tempting in the sense of that's a nice point pickup.
Only problem is, St. Louis has to win outright, not just beat the spread. Since Detroit is at home, it's a 12.5 point reversal against the odds. It will indeed be a surprise if St. Louis is 13 points better than they seem so far.
I guess that last comment is wrong -- the home field advantage is already in the 9.5 point spread. Still, is St. Louis 10 points better than they seem?
I'll take Carolina. Playing at AZ is like playing on a neutral site their crowd is so docile. The weapons are there for the Panthers, they just need to remember how to run the ball. They should not be a pass first team.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (17)
Since I can't pick my beloved Ducks (getting three points at home against USC), I'll take Miami to beat the Jets.
Posted by Hank Stern | October 27, 2009 9:03 PM
I think Buffalo is underrated here, so I'll stay with the herd. Buffalo over Houston.
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | October 27, 2009 9:55 PM
Another tough week. I'm looking hard at that Falcons-Saints game right now. Rams-Lions, next. Dolphins-Jets after that, with mild weekend weather in NYC metro. I'd like to take Broncos, but can't see Ravens losing 4th game in a row, and at home yet.
Posted by Mojo | October 27, 2009 10:12 PM
I'll wait until later to make my official pick. In the meantime I can hardly sleep, due to my excitement for the Rams vs Lions game.
Posted by Doug | October 27, 2009 10:25 PM
The Rams may finally do it this week.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 27, 2009 10:27 PM
Jack, how's the real pool going? Who'd you pick last up?
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | October 27, 2009 11:16 PM
I'm still bombing. This week it was Kansas City -- not even close.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 27, 2009 11:36 PM
Buffalo over Houston and Seattle over the Cowboys.
Posted by Dave A. | October 28, 2009 4:55 AM
I'll take Minnesota. It's not going to be fun for the Cheeseheads this Sunday.
Posted by Gary Kelley | October 28, 2009 6:08 AM
I'll email my pick later this week after consulting the Magic 8 Ball. If I go long, the Rams offer a real shot at redemption this time. I think there will be at least 3 or 4 upsets this week. Miami, Jacksonville, Minnesota and Denver all have good potential.
Posted by jmh | October 28, 2009 8:37 AM
St.Louis
Stafford will be rusty and w/o him, well, the Lions are the Lions. St. Louis has their QB back and Jackson is due for a big game.
Beside, you need points in a hurry
Posted by mp97303 | October 28, 2009 10:57 AM
If I were in the real pool for real money I'd be very tempted by St. Louis. The Lions shouldn't be favored by 9.5 over any Div. I-A college team with a .500 record, much less an NFL team. So St. Louis is quite tempting in the sense of that's a nice point pickup.
Only problem is, St. Louis has to win outright, not just beat the spread. Since Detroit is at home, it's a 12.5 point reversal against the odds. It will indeed be a surprise if St. Louis is 13 points better than they seem so far.
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | October 28, 2009 12:29 PM
I guess that last comment is wrong -- the home field advantage is already in the 9.5 point spread. Still, is St. Louis 10 points better than they seem?
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | October 28, 2009 12:32 PM
I am going with Buffalo. I promise I sent you the check. No collection mode necessary.
Posted by annie | October 28, 2009 2:23 PM
Put me down for San Fran, because, well, I cannot think of a because.
Posted by Sidney R. Finkel | October 29, 2009 4:28 PM
I'm sure I'll feel sheepish on Sunday, but I'm rambunctious today...put me down for St. Louis.
Posted by Rick | October 29, 2009 9:43 PM
I'll take Carolina. Playing at AZ is like playing on a neutral site their crowd is so docile. The weapons are there for the Panthers, they just need to remember how to run the ball. They should not be a pass first team.
Posted by Michael Welch | October 30, 2009 11:48 AM