Only about half the players in our charity pro football underdog contest have made their selections as of this morning. Don't forget, players! The deadline for all games is 10 a.m. West Coast time tomorrow.
Comments (4)
Mojo's "Best Bets" coming right up, within the hour. (2-0 last week). The "Upset Special" will be a 2-fer this week! (0-1 last week. Darn Bears -- probably upset themselves because of this http://m.yahoo.com/w/news_america/victim-mont-grizzly-attack-shot-friend-232212127.html ). Hard to make an informed pick, by the way, until you find out who practiced, and how well, on Friday.
Washington (+5) @ Dallas -- Cowboys banged up. Romo still spending nights trying to sleep in a recliner with a broken rib and a lung that was puncture by that rib 6 days ago. WR Austin out, others hurt. Washington is performing well all-around, and Mike Shanahan was even spotted smiling again. The Black & White Red Men will be up for this intense divisional rivalry.
Houston (+4) @ New Orleans -- The Texans are ready to show they're the real deal despite playing weakend teams the first two weeks. They have a top-notch QB in with a talented receiving corps, but their game plan this week will be ball control to keep Saints QB Drew Brees on the sidelines as much as possible.
Notable fact: While star RB Arian Foster may still be hampered with an injured hamstring, his backup, Ben Tate, is poised to share a piece of NFL history if he rushes for 100 yards again for the third week in a row to open the season as a rookie RB. On the road, the Texans defense may end up being the difference makers, especially if Houston can cause NO to make more turnovers than Houston.
NY Jets @ Oakland (+3) -- This might be the most exciting game of Week 3, matching up the Raiders hi-octane passing game vs. the Jets "shut-down" defensive backfield. Long shadows of "The Heidi Game."* Oakland Coliseum is sold out. The "Black Hole" will be in a frenzy to see the Jets flame out. NY center Nick Mangold, the veteran anchor and OL assignment-caller, is out. Jets QB Mark Sanchez is one of the most overpaid players in the NFL.
Miami (+2.5) @ Cleveland -- While Miami is still in some sort of disorganization, they're improving. Meanwhile, the Browns are still a bottom feeder that occasionally upsets an overconfident fat cat, largely due to the bruising running of Peyton Hillis or the game-breaking plays of multi-purpose man, Joshua Cribbs.
Hillis reported to the team’s training facility Friday morning and was sent home sick. Hillis was listed as questionable with an illness on the team’s injury report. Then, of course, there's also "The Madden Curse"....
NY Giants (+9) @ Philadelphia -- The Giants will run over the Eagles middle-weak defense and Manning will pick their linebackers apart with short-medium passes. If Vick can't last the whole game, Vince Young is going to be rusty and he's a player that takes lots of gambles. Giants should win time of possession and turnover battles, too.
Gamblers Corner ~
New England @ Buffalo (+9) -- The Bills should cover the spread, but beating the Patriots this week is a pipedream. More likely that the Colts (+10.5) would upset the Steelers, and that's not going to happen either.
Maybe those of you that are salivating over those two prospects should just take the Falcons (+1.5) over the Bucs. All the other favorites might win and you'd be the only one to pick up any points this week.
I already have a buck on the Bills at work (with a big Patsies lover) because I think there is an outside chance that they can git er done in Orchard Park.
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 (4)
Mojo's "Best Bets" coming right up, within the hour. (2-0 last week). The "Upset Special" will be a 2-fer this week! (0-1 last week. Darn Bears -- probably upset themselves because of this http://m.yahoo.com/w/news_america/victim-mont-grizzly-attack-shot-friend-232212127.html ). Hard to make an informed pick, by the way, until you find out who practiced, and how well, on Friday.
Posted by Mojo | September 24, 2011 8:58 AM
Mojo's Best Bets (last week: 2-0) ~
Washington (+5) @ Dallas -- Cowboys banged up. Romo still spending nights trying to sleep in a recliner with a broken rib and a lung that was puncture by that rib 6 days ago. WR Austin out, others hurt. Washington is performing well all-around, and Mike Shanahan was even spotted smiling again. The Black & White Red Men will be up for this intense divisional rivalry.
Houston (+4) @ New Orleans -- The Texans are ready to show they're the real deal despite playing weakend teams the first two weeks. They have a top-notch QB in with a talented receiving corps, but their game plan this week will be ball control to keep Saints QB Drew Brees on the sidelines as much as possible.
Notable fact: While star RB Arian Foster may still be hampered with an injured hamstring, his backup, Ben Tate, is poised to share a piece of NFL history if he rushes for 100 yards again for the third week in a row to open the season as a rookie RB. On the road, the Texans defense may end up being the difference makers, especially if Houston can cause NO to make more turnovers than Houston.
NY Jets @ Oakland (+3) -- This might be the most exciting game of Week 3, matching up the Raiders hi-octane passing game vs. the Jets "shut-down" defensive backfield. Long shadows of "The Heidi Game."* Oakland Coliseum is sold out. The "Black Hole" will be in a frenzy to see the Jets flame out. NY center Nick Mangold, the veteran anchor and OL assignment-caller, is out. Jets QB Mark Sanchez is one of the most overpaid players in the NFL.
* http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2008/11/the-heidi-game.html
Miami (+2.5) @ Cleveland -- While Miami is still in some sort of disorganization, they're improving. Meanwhile, the Browns are still a bottom feeder that occasionally upsets an overconfident fat cat, largely due to the bruising running of Peyton Hillis or the game-breaking plays of multi-purpose man, Joshua Cribbs.
Hillis reported to the team’s training facility Friday morning and was sent home sick. Hillis was listed as questionable with an illness on the team’s injury report. Then, of course, there's also "The Madden Curse"....
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/sports/football/browns/is-the-madden-curse-real-lets-look-at-the-history
Upset Special (last week 0-1) ~
NY Giants (+9) @ Philadelphia -- The Giants will run over the Eagles middle-weak defense and Manning will pick their linebackers apart with short-medium passes. If Vick can't last the whole game, Vince Young is going to be rusty and he's a player that takes lots of gambles. Giants should win time of possession and turnover battles, too.
Gamblers Corner ~
New England @ Buffalo (+9) -- The Bills should cover the spread, but beating the Patriots this week is a pipedream. More likely that the Colts (+10.5) would upset the Steelers, and that's not going to happen either.
Maybe those of you that are salivating over those two prospects should just take the Falcons (+1.5) over the Bucs. All the other favorites might win and you'd be the only one to pick up any points this week.
Good luck, all!
Posted by Mojo | September 24, 2011 12:28 PM
I already have a buck on the Bills at work (with a big Patsies lover) because I think there is an outside chance that they can git er done in Orchard Park.
Posted by LucsAdvo | September 24, 2011 1:52 PM
Hey, no matter what, here's some good news out of Buffalo (by way of Russia) -- pretty cool!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid34757272001?bclid=0&bctid=87804472001
Sorry that on further analysis, I couldn't make the Upset Special a 2-fer.
Posted by Mojo | September 24, 2011 3:05 PM