tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50942320457569148132024-03-26T13:30:53.103-04:00We Make It RainHoppshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13008275863256766187noreply@blogger.comBlogger762125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-2572501235221121072024-03-26T13:30:00.001-04:002024-03-26T13:30:14.383-04:002024 NCAA Tournament Standings - Round 2/Day 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDfFpaRJ9e4tnLZSZ0vJ4h33bYtNTQjzMqNBsvQ3pwvDwOF2Bo9GpkvkOUWrOulkAQcongOSA3uVoh4Rvvc7OOfMDkQQVFCVyVCehLVywuBY4-092Va4tE7NhTNdDrH33Y6j4H_RRUejUQiTSr8fMzaqwVh_WRJmIY47_EcBXauEBAClYJ8BnZgoZRhlF/s474/NCAA2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDfFpaRJ9e4tnLZSZ0vJ4h33bYtNTQjzMqNBsvQ3pwvDwOF2Bo9GpkvkOUWrOulkAQcongOSA3uVoh4Rvvc7OOfMDkQQVFCVyVCehLVywuBY4-092Va4tE7NhTNdDrH33Y6j4H_RRUejUQiTSr8fMzaqwVh_WRJmIY47_EcBXauEBAClYJ8BnZgoZRhlF/s320/NCAA2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The below standings include the final two teams selected by each entrant in Champion/Runner-up format. If capitalized and bold, the team is still alive in the tournament.</p><div><b><u>Pool Standings aftner Round 2</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>1. Blake Jackson - 80 <b>DUKE/ARIZONA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>2. Allison Parker - 78 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/DUKE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>3. Braedon Helland - 76 Auburn/<b>CREIGHTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>4. Bill Ganoe 1 - 75 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/HOUSTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Marcus Jackson - 74 Kansas/<b>Alabama</b></div><div><br /></div><div>6. Brian McMahon - 73 <b>CONNECTICUT</b>/Kentucky</div><div> Jody Cox - 73 <b>MARQUETTE/ARIZONA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>8. George Fox 2 - 71 <b>CONNECTICUT/DUKE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>9. Bill Ganoe 1 - 70 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Ty Hedgpeth - 70 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Measha Williams 3 - 70 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Josh Zdrowak - 70 <b>ARIZONA/</b>Kentucky</div><div><br /></div><div>13. Miles Jackson - 69 Kentucky/<b>CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Jeff Plamondon - 69 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>15. Kevin Dick - 68 Kentucky/<b>NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>16. Max Marion 3 - 67 <b>PURDUE/</b>Baylor</div><div> Rich Samuels 4 - 67 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div><br /></div><div>18. Daniel Barsky 1 - 66 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Kyle Henderson 1 - 66 <b>CREIGHTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Quinn Jackson - 66 <b>IOWA STATE/GONZAGA</b></div><div> Jacey Reynolds 2 - 66 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Chris Simmons - 66 <b>TENNESEE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Justin Yang - 66 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/PURDUE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>24. Paul Cummings 2 - 65 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Amanda Staudt - 65 <b>ARIZONA/PURDUE</b></div><div> Katie Zdrowak - 65 <b>ARIZONA/PURDUE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>27. Carolyn Fowler - 64 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Mark Holbert - 64 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/</b>Kentucky</div><div> Shane Jernigan 2 - 64 Auburn/<b>PURDUE</b></div><div> William Pujals - 64 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Rich Samuels 5 - 64 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>32. Bill Ganoe 2 - 63 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Pepe Sosa - 63 <b>ARIZONA/</b>Kentucky</div><div> Cassi Spruill - 63 <b>HOUSTON/ILLINOIS</b></div><div> George Walks 3 - 63 <b>PURDUE/</b>Baylor</div><div> Bubba Zdrowak - 63 <b>DUKE/ARIZONA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>37. Joel Chernoff - 62 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Paul Cummings 3 - 62 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Javier Rodriguez - 62 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Rich Samuels 2 - 62 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Measha Williams 1 - 62 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Measha Williams 2 - 62 <b>HOUSTON</b>/Auburn</div><div><br /></div><div>43. Scott Bieterman 2 - 61 Kentucky/Auburn</div><div> James Coleman - 61 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Paul Cummings 1 - 61 <b>PURDUE/IOWA STATE</b></div><div> Alvaro Gonzalez - 61 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Sean McInerney 2 - 61 <b>CONNECTICUT/CREIGHTON</b></div><div> Kingfish Parham - 61 Auburn/Oregon</div><div> Dave Piasecki - 61 Florida/Auburn</div><div> Marcus Spruill - 61 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/PURDUE</b></div><div> Cheryl Spuhler - 61 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Day Yi - 61 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Keith Zdrowak - 61 <b>PURDUE</b>/Baylor</div><div><br /></div><div>54. Matt Hopps - 60 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Skip LaForte - 60 Michigan State/<b>HOUSTON</b> </div><div> Max Marion 1 - 60 Kentucky/<b>CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Si Nichols - 60 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Rich Samuels 3 - 60 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>59. Silas Nichols - 59 <b>CONNECTICUT</b>/Kentucky</div><div> Lee Pagan - 59 <b>ARIZONA/PURDUE</b></div><div> Ashley Poer - 59 <b>IOWA STATE/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Jeremy Spuhler - 59 <b>CONNECTICUT/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Keith Wynne - 59 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Amy Zdrowak - 59 <b>PURDUE/</b>Baylor</div><div><br /></div><div>65. Justine Frank - 58 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Tyler Giamberini - 58 <b>ARIZONA</b>/Kansas</div><div> George Walks 4 - 58 <b>PURDUE/NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>68. John Hedgpeth - 57 <b>DUKE/NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div> Brigadier General Kareem Montague - 57 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div> Matt Okell - 57 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Ryan Rodriguez - 57 <b>DUKE/</b>Auburn</div><div><br /></div><div>72. Scott Bieterman 1 - 56 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Jacey Fowler 1 - 56 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/PURDUE</b></div><div> Max Macon 2 - 56 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Sasha Moon - 56 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Rich Samuels 1 - 56 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b> </div><div> Brittany Sosa - 56 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Biscuit Zdrowak - 56 Kentucky/<b>IOWA STATE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>79. Kyle Henderson 2 - 55 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Max Marion 2 - 55 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Jane Reynolds - 55 <b>ALABAMA/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> George Walks 1 - 55 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/</b>Kentucky</div><div><br /></div><div>83. Melissa Gaynor - 54 <b>ILLINOIS/</b>South Carolina</div><div> Dan Laishley - 54 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Lily Spuhler - 54 Kansas/<b>NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div> George Walks 2 - 54 Baylor/<b>GONZAGA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>87. Dawn Lamb - 53 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Derrick Lowe - 53 Kentucky/<b>NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div> Max Macon 3 - 53 Florida/<b>NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div> Chris O'Neil - 53 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Jessica Samuels - 53 Florida Atlantic/<b>HOUSTON</b></div><div> Jamie Toole - 53 <b>HOUSTON/ARIZONA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>93. James Garvin - 52 <b>PURDUE/IOWA STATE</b></div><div> Karen Katz - 52 <b>PURDUE</b>/Auburn</div><div> Caroline Spuhler - 52 <b>IOWA STATE/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Logan Spuhler - 52 <b>ARIZONA/DUKE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>97. George Fox 1 - 51 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Adam Jorgensen 1 - 51 <b>CONNECTICUT/CREIGHTON</b></div><div> Adam Jorgensen 2 - 51 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Nick Kuehl - 51 Auburn/<b>MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Max Macon 1 - 51 <b>CONNECTICUT/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Max Marion 4 - 51 <b>HOUSTON/IOWA STATE</b></div><div> Kisha Marzouca 1 - 51 <b>ARIZONA/DUKE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>104. Michael McNally - 50 <b>GONZAGA/</b>Baylor</div><div> Jonathan Wasserman - 50 Kentucky/<b>ILLINOIS</b></div><div> Mike Wolff 1 - 50 <b>DUKE/NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>107. Jenna Finkelstein - 49 Florida<b>/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Max Macon 4 - 49 <b>HOUSTON/NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div> A.J. Ripin - 49 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/HOUSTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>110. Clair Bullock - 48 <b>NORTH CAROLINA STATE/</b>Auburn</div><div> Barbie Curlett 2 - 48 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Natalie Moon - 48 <b>CONNECTICUT/PURDUE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>113. Daniel Barsky 2 - 46 <b>PURDUE/</b>Baylor</div><div> Barbie Curlett 1 - 46 <b>HOUSTON/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 46 <b>TENNESSEE/ARIZONA</b></div><div> Shane Jernigan 1 - 46 <b>CONNECTICUT/MARQUETTE</b></div><div> Katie Kollmeyer - 46 <b>ARIZONA/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Chris Pettit - 46 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Coco Wynne - 46 <b>CREIGHTON/ILLINOIS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>120. Arlene Amo Hopps - 44 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/DUKE</b></div><div> Savannah Grace Presely - 44 Florida Atlantic/<b>MARQUTTE</b></div><div><br /></div><div>122. Brent Bellinger - 43 <b>ILLINOIS/PURDUE</b></div><div> Guy Hughes - 43 <b>HOUSTON/IOWA STATE</b></div><div> Noel Martinez 1 - 43 <b>PURDUE/CONNECTICUT</b> </div><div> Anne-Marie O'Neil - 43 <b>PURDUE/ARIZONA</b></div><div> Barkley Sosa - 43 <b>CONNECTICUT/GONZAGA</b></div><div> Mike Wolff 2 - 43 <b>NORTH CAROLINA</b>/Florida</div><div><br /></div><div>128. Colleen Giamberini - 42 <b>CONNECTICUT/NORTH CAROLINA STATE</b></div><div> Dave Marzouca 2 - 42 <b>ARIZONA/DUKE</b></div><div> Sean McInerney 1 - 42 <b>MARQUETTE/NORTH CAROLINA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>131. Noel Martinez 2 - 41 Auburn<b>/TENNESSEE</b></div><div> Hannah Sosa - 41 Florida/<b>ARIZONA</b></div><div><br /></div><div>133. Stephanie Henderson - 40 <b>MARQUETTE/CONNECTICUT</b></div><div> Kisha Marzouca 2 - 40 <b>ARIZONA/HOUSTON</b></div><div> Jason Spuhler - 40 <b>CONNECTICUT/HOUSTON</b></div><div><br /></div><div>136. Dave Marzouca 1 - 35 Wisconsin/<b>CONNECTICUT</b></div><div><br /></div><div>137. Alyssa Hopps - 31 <b>NORTH CAROLINA/</b>Kentucky</div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-79614762485842459202024-03-25T15:32:00.000-04:002024-03-25T15:32:37.289-04:002024 NCAA Tournament Pool Results Round 2/Day 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfM3EBDspVU9b3tScOlbDsd_jUfQx8UZXmVsbM3BBt-FROWa3Jx4dY1ZKN6dg76CfW-TzyoaqzJ6J4UjTmykknBiOVvEv35oo4l5xPJqSrdtPHubRuqmSc21N6zjLOONAgFgQOcwXF6T9wEftJuwHyR-PVRvTYfJY5SBlrf6z5GfpY86ESglyCXPzV-i5/s474/NCAA2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfM3EBDspVU9b3tScOlbDsd_jUfQx8UZXmVsbM3BBt-FROWa3Jx4dY1ZKN6dg76CfW-TzyoaqzJ6J4UjTmykknBiOVvEv35oo4l5xPJqSrdtPHubRuqmSc21N6zjLOONAgFgQOcwXF6T9wEftJuwHyR-PVRvTYfJY5SBlrf6z5GfpY86ESglyCXPzV-i5/s320/NCAA2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>The first weekend is concluded and we are down to the Sweet Sixteen. Which means only one thing - those of you that haven't paid yet have until Thursday to do so! By my calculations I am only missing payment for 14 brackets. There may be less since with brackets flying at me along with checks, Zelle, Venmo and CashApp, I could have missed your payment. So, if/when I reach out to you later this week and you have already paid, just let me know by which method and I can look it up. Thanks.</p><p>Why do I start with payment? Because by and large the games have been boring - and that goes the same for yesterday with only a couple of exceptions. The day started off promising with a very close and exciting game between 10-seed Colorado and 2-seed Marquette, with both teams playing incredibly good basketball. In the end KJ Simpson - fresh off the game-winner against Florida - and his 20 points did not get enough help from Eddie "Big Boi" Lampkin and his 13 points. This was largely due to the fact that Marquette's Tyler Kolek showed that he could at least read a basketball court with a 21 point - 11 assist game. One key moment in this game occurred when David Joplin, a descendant of Scott Joplin [Ed. Note - <i style="font-weight: bold;">NOT a descendant</i>]; Okay, a relative of Janis Joplin [Ed. Note - <i style="font-weight: bold;">NOT a relative</i>]; Ok, well he hit two free throws with 7 seconds left to make this a two-possession game.</p><p>Then we went into the doldrums a bit, with Purdue shellacking Utah State by 39 - the largest spread in the history of the second round of the NCAA tournament - and then Duke putting a 38-point hurt on James Madison. Clemson handled Baylor 72-64 in a game that didn't seem that close. Grand Canyon at least played some exciting ball against Alabama before falling 72-61. Seriously, if you get a chance to watch that game, both teams played the entire last 8 minutes as if it was a tie game in the last 30 seconds. Then defending champion Connecticut coasted to victory over Northwestern 75-58. This was followed up by San Diego State absolutely destroying Yale so bad that New Haven, Connecticut finally felt sorry for the Elis. Speaking of Elis, just thought I should mention that they have a pep song, "Bingo Eli Yale" written by Cole Porter that is so stupid, the only explanation is that it was a prank played by Porter on the entire university before he left to enroll at Harvard. Interestingly, Porter's roommate at Harvard was future Secretary of State Dean Acheson, which may only actually be interesting to me, but I digress. Anyway, if you don't yet know how stupid "Bingo Eli Yale" is, you can judge for yourself <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W74zCjVd9EQ">HERE.</a> See, I told you.</p><p>A couple of points from these games ... Utah State was led by Mountain West Conference player of the year Great Osobor, who finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds in the blowout at the hands of the Boilermakers. No word yet if he has petitioned Cache County courts for a name change to Mediocre Osobor yet.</p><p>Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, Houston apparently defeated Texas A&M 100-95 - in what has to be described as the game of the tournament. As a starting point, Houston - the number 1 seed - held a double-digit lead with just over 90 seconds remaining. Texas A&M the scored on its last six possessions, including a top-of-the-key three pointer by Andersson Garcia (yes his name is spelled "ss"), who let's just say is not a three-point specialist. (He's no <i>Steve Sanders</i>.) Then, in overtime, 4 of Houston's 5 starters had fouled out - including their All-American Leader Jamal Shead. It got to the point for the Cougars that walk-on Ryan Elvin was brought into the game to make key free throws. A WALK-ON!!! IN AN IMPORTANT TIME IN AN NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME!!! He made them, and Houston survived 100-95. Seriously, go watch the last two-mintes of regulation and overtime. Ridiculous.</p><p>What all of this means is that even with all the favorites winning for the most part we still lost a potential champion. Our remaining champions are: <b>ALABAMA, </b>Auburn<b>, ARIZONA, </b>Baylor, <b>CONNECTICUT, CREIGHTON, DUKE, </b>Florida, Florida Atlantic,<b> GONZAGA, HOUSTON, ILLINOIS, IOWA STATE,</b> Kansas,<b> </b>Kentucky, <b>MARQUETTE, </b>Michigan State,<b> NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA STATE, PURDUE </b>and <b>TENNESSEE.</b></p><div>So, the Houston-Texas A&M game going into overtime reminded me of a very seminal NCAA Tournament game that also went into overtime. Back in 1961 the tournament still played a third-place game between the Final Four losers. In this instance it was between St. Joeseph and Utah. St. Joe's lost to Ohio State 95-69 and Utah lost to Cincinnati 82-67 to set up a highly anticipated final in which Cincinnati defeated Ohio State 70-65. Jerry Lucas of Ohio State was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four despite coming up short in the final, and some guy named Bobby Knight hit a layup for Ohio State to sent THAT game into overtime, but ultimately the Bearcats were the champions. But, this history lesson is not about the champions, it is about the third-place game.</div><div><br /></div><div>St. Joe's was coached by the legendary Jack Ramsay, and hed a heckuva squad led by, among others Jim Lynam, Jack Egan, Frank Majewski, and Vincent Kempton, with another legendary basketball figure - Paul Westhead - coming off the bench. Utah led the game late in regulation behind 34 points and 14 rebounds from Billy McGill. But Jack Egan for St. Joe's scored 42 himself, and McGill fouled out in the second overtime. The game was an absolute classic, with St. Joe's defeating Utah 127-120 - IN QUADRUPLE OVERTIME!!! McGill was the number 1 overall draft pick in 1962, and is largely remembered for inventing the hook shot. Some of the St. Joe's players were not as successful.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two days later, Egan, Majewski and Kempton were implicated in a gambling scandal that rocked the NCAA, having taken money to shave points in three of St. Joe's games that year. That scandal was orchestrated by a cohort of Vincent "the Chin" Gigante. The story is that the players, at least Majewski, knew the scandal was going to break even as they played in the third-place game. Egan, Majewski, and Kempton, never played basketball again.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can read more about this game/situation in this article from 2016 in <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/wnm58m/a-forgotten-classic-and-the-complicated-legacy-of-the-1961-st-joes-hawks">VICE.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Back to this weekend's games ... with a relative bore of a second round, there is not too much fun on social media, other than people just complaining about refereeing in their teams' losses. So I give you a highlight from yesterday which I feel will surely be included in <i>One Shining Moment,</i> <a href="https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/39804030">Jamal Shead's Putback Dunk.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Not only did we have some great highlights, some phenomenal stats came out of yesterday's action.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Stats of the Day</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>9. Penn State wrestling won its third consecutive NCAA title.</div><div><br /></div><div>8. Virginia women's swimming won its fourth consecutive NCAA title.</div><div><br /></div><div>7. Alabama and Grand Canyon combined for 17 blocks in their game; Alabama with 9 and Grand Canyon with 8.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Jared McCain of Duke scored 22 in the first half; including 6 three-pointers.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Marquette is now 15-0 when leading by double digits at halftime.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Houston had 5 players with two or more fouls at halftime.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Stanford's Kiki Iriafen scored 41 with 16 rebounds as Stanford's women defeated Iowa State, led by Emily Ryan's 36. Interestingly, neither of these players are the teams primary stars/scorers.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Marquette's Tyler Kolek had 10 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds - the first player to have back-to-back 10-5-10 games in the NCAA tournament since Jason Kidd of California in 1993.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Gonzaga is in its 9th straight Sweet Sixteen. To put that into perspective, in the past five years, Virginia, Kansas and Baylor have all won 1 title, and failed to make it out of the opening weekend the other 4 times.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Players of the Day</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>10. Chase Hunter, Clemson - 20 points, 6 assists</div><div>9. Rayj Dennis, Baylor - 27 points, 6 rebounds</div><div>8. Tyler Kolek, Marquette - 21 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists</div><div>7. Mark Sears, Alabama - 26 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists</div><div>6. Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M - 27 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists</div><div>5. Jaedon Lee and Jamal Shead, Houston - 26 points, 9 rebounds and 21 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists</div><div>4. Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon - 29 points, 8 rebounds</div><div>3. Emmanuel Sharp, Houston - 30 points</div><div>2. Jared McCain, Duke - 30 points, 5 rebounds</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Zach Edey, Purdue - 33 points, 14 rebounds</div><div><br /></div><div>So, back to the pool itself. With a whole lot of chalk yesterday, excepting Clemson's win as a 6-seed over 3-seed Baylor, it was pretty dificult to discern an interesting "Pick of the Day" without giving the award to dozens of entries. But, a magic combination came through, as a ton of our entries had Auburn in the Sweet Sixteen. This fact allows me to award the "Pick of the Day" to the 4 people that correctly had both San Diego State AND Clemson in the Sweet 16. Congratulations to <b>Allison Parker of Washington, DC, Mark Holbert of Jupiter, Florida, Caroline Spuhler of Acworth, Georgia, </b>and <b>Barbie Curlett 1 of Jacksonville, Florida</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for the Leaderboard, at some point this week before Thursday's games begin, I will update the standings so that you can see who has selected what champion and runner-up, that way you know where you stand vis-a-vis other entries that have your same champion. As always, remember to double-check your brackets and let me know if you think I made an error. Otherwise, the standings are below, and we have a new leader ...</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Pool Standings after Round 2</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>1. Blake Jackson - 80</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Allison Parker - 78</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Braedon Helland - 76</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Bill Ganoe 1 - 75</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Marcus Jackson - 74</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Brian McMahon - 73</div><div> Jody Cox - 73</div><div><br /></div><div>8. George Fox 2 - 71</div><div><br /></div><div>9. Bill Ganoe 1 - 70</div><div> Ty Hedgpeth - 70</div><div> Measha Williams 3 - 70</div><div> Josh Zdrowak - 70</div><div><br /></div><div>13. Miles Jackson - 69</div><div> Jeff Plamondon - 69</div><div><br /></div><div>15. Kevin Dick - 68</div><div><br /></div><div>16. Max Marion 3 - 67</div><div> Rich Samuels 4 - 67</div><div><br /></div><div>18. Daniel Barsky 1 - 66</div><div> Kyle Henderson 1 - 66</div><div> Quinn Jackson - 66</div><div> Jacey Reynolds 2 - 66</div><div> Chris Simmons - 66</div><div> Justin Yang - 66</div><div><br /></div><div>24. Paul Cummings 2 - 65</div><div> Amanda Staudt - 65</div><div> Katie Zdrowak - 65</div><div><br /></div><div>27. Carolyn Fowler - 64</div><div> Mark Holbert - 64</div><div> Shane Jernigan 2 - 64</div><div> William Pujals - 64</div><div> Rich Samuels 5 - 64</div><div><br /></div><div>32. Bill Ganoe 2 - 63</div><div> Pepe Sosa - 63</div><div> Cassi Spruill - 63</div><div> George Walks 3 - 63</div><div> Bubba Zdrowak - 63</div><div><br /></div><div>37. Joel Chernoff - 62</div><div> Paul Cummings 3 - 62</div><div> Javier Rodriguez - 62</div><div> Rich Samuels 2 - 62</div><div> Measha Williams 1 - 62</div><div> Measha Williams 2 - 62</div><div><br /></div><div>43. Scott Bieterman 2 - 61</div><div> James Coleman - 61</div><div> Paul Cummings 1 - 61</div><div> Alvaro Gonzalez - 61</div><div> Sean McInerney 2 - 61</div><div> Kingfish Parham - 61</div><div> Dave Piasecki - 61</div><div> Marcus Spruill - 61</div><div> Cheryl Spuhler - 61</div><div> Day Yi - 61</div><div> Keith Zdrowak - 61</div><div><br /></div><div>54. Matt Hopps - 60</div><div> Skip LaForte - 60</div><div> Max Marion 1 - 60</div><div> Si Nichols - 60</div><div> Rich Samuels 3 - 60</div><div><br /></div><div>59. Silas Nichols - 59</div><div> Lee Pagan - 59</div><div> Ashley Poer - 59</div><div> Jeremy Spuhler - 59</div><div> Keith Wynne - 59</div><div> Amy Zdrowak - 59</div><div><br /></div><div>65. Justine Frank - 58</div><div> Tyler Giamberini - 58</div><div> George Walks 4 - 58</div><div><br /></div><div>68. John Hedgpeth - 57</div><div> Brigadier General Kareem Montague - 57</div><div> Matt Okell - 57</div><div> Ryan Rodriguez - 57</div><div><br /></div><div>72. Scott Bieterman 1 - 56</div><div> Jacey Fowler 1 - 56</div><div> Max Macon 2 - 56</div><div> Sasha Moon - 56</div><div> Rich Samuels 1 - 56</div><div> Brittany Sosa - 56</div><div> Biscuit Zdrowak - 56</div><div><br /></div><div>79. Kyle Henderson 2 - 55</div><div> Max Marion 2 - 55</div><div> Jane Reynolds - 55</div><div> George Walks 1 - 55</div><div><br /></div><div>83. Melissa Gaynor - 54</div><div> Dan Laishley - 54</div><div> Lily Spuhler - 54</div><div> George Walks 2 - 54</div><div><br /></div><div>87. Dawn Lamb - 53</div><div> Derrick Lowe - 53</div><div> Max Macon 3 - 53</div><div> Chris O'Neil - 53</div><div> Jessica Samuels - 53</div><div> Jamie Toole - 53</div><div><br /></div><div>93. James Garvin - 52</div><div> Karen Katz - 52</div><div> Caroline Spuhler - 52</div><div> Logan Spuhler - 52</div><div><br /></div><div>97. George Fox 1 - 51</div><div> Adam Jorgensen 1 - 51</div><div> Adam Jorgensen 2 - 51</div><div> Nick Kuehl - 51</div><div> Max Macon 1 - 51</div><div> Max Marion 4 - 51</div><div> Kisha Marzouca 1 - 51</div><div><br /></div><div>104. Michael McNally - 50</div><div> Jonathan Wasserman - 50</div><div> Mike Wolff 1 - 50</div><div><br /></div><div>107. Jenna Finkelstein - 49</div><div> Max Macon 4 - 49</div><div> A.J. Ripin - 49</div><div><br /></div><div>110. Clair Bullock - 48</div><div> Barbie Curlett 2 - 48</div><div> Natalie Moon - 48</div><div><br /></div><div>113. Daniel Barsky 2 - 46</div><div> Barbie Curlett 1 - 46</div><div> Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 46</div><div> Shane Jernigan 1 - 46</div><div> Katie Kollmeyer - 46</div><div> Chris Pettit - 46</div><div> Coco Wynne - 46</div><div><br /></div><div>120. Arlene Amo Hopps - 44</div><div> Savannah Grace Presely - 44</div><div><br /></div><div>122. Brent Bellinger - 43</div><div> Guy Hughes - 43</div><div> Noel Martinez 1 - 43</div><div> Anne-Marie O'Neil - 43</div><div> Barkley Sosa - 43</div><div> Mike Wolff 2 - 43</div><div><br /></div><div>128. Colleen Giamberini - 42</div><div> Dave Marzouca 2 - 42</div><div> Sean McInerney 1 - 42</div><div><br /></div><div>131. Noel Martinez 2 - 41</div><div> Hannah Sosa - 41</div><div><br /></div><div>133. Stephanie Henderson - 40</div><div> Kisha Marzouca 2 - 40</div><div> Jason Spuhler - 40</div><div><br /></div><div>136. Dave Marzouca 1 - 35</div><div><br /></div><div>137. Alyssa Hopps - 31</div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-81484554754676656532024-03-25T08:48:00.000-04:002024-03-25T08:48:09.118-04:00It Tastes Like Chalk: The NCAA Block Squares Pool<p>Two 5’s, one 6, and one 11. That is what prevents the Sweet
16 from being all chalk. This committee appears to have gotten this tournament seeding correct and I am quite pleased that the best teams in this tournament are
being represented. I am also pleased that the non-chalk representatives are
teams that we are long familiar with:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5-seed
San Diego St was in the final game last year and is clearly showing itself to potentially be a power</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5-seed
Gonzaga has been a recent mainstay in the tournament out of the West Coast
Conference</span><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6-seed
Clemson and 11-seed NC State are power conference teams making a strong run
from the clearly underrated ACC</span></li></ul><div><p class="MsoNormal">So, what do we think now? Well, the 1-seeds are mauling
people. This is what we expect from them.
And, with the exception of Kentucky and Auburn (the SEC has been BAD
this year), all of the top seeds have played very well. Have there been some
close games? Some overtime games? Sure, but that is to be expected in an NCAA
tournament. Hell, the Houston-Texas A&M game was only close because four
Houston starters fouled out and the other one finished the game with four
fouls! So that we are clear, that just doesn’t happen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anyway, here is a tweet from The Bear at Fox
Sports regarding how vanilla this tournament has been up to now.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFBA2-f8gzhN6iHKrGFIh8wMgCLbqrFR7fYrzmzMtFWso4IV-8TOXgAqcTYVfyCtK139JKknLIKArtxsArM3ncPaqycIJ5lzJ_ISHnS1KTZQgKXHnHkjb_XaU8kROh-S2dkRJ-1GafW5qVFdB7zIQvwbNIR5aaqeqYD1yd3qYunKt6lvYPIMCekyxFIA/s1284/IMG_1792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1284" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFBA2-f8gzhN6iHKrGFIh8wMgCLbqrFR7fYrzmzMtFWso4IV-8TOXgAqcTYVfyCtK139JKknLIKArtxsArM3ncPaqycIJ5lzJ_ISHnS1KTZQgKXHnHkjb_XaU8kROh-S2dkRJ-1GafW5qVFdB7zIQvwbNIR5aaqeqYD1yd3qYunKt6lvYPIMCekyxFIA/s320/IMG_1792.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">The point is that teams that are supposed to be winning are.
And if you gamble, you probably did pretty well this weekend. Overall, this will make for a really good and competitive Final Four that I am
looking forward to attending this year. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One more thing. The ACC and Big East continue to demonstrate
that they are elite in this tournament. The ACC is 8-0 in the Round of 64 and
32 which is tied for the best record in those two rounds with the 2003 Big East
(that trash heap we call Virginia lost in the play-in round). As a reminder, that
2003 tournament finished with America’s University as the National Champion! Also,
the Big East is 6-0 in this tournament and the West Coast Conference is 4-0. Those
three conferences have 9 of the remaining 16 teams!<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, the Block Squares Pool saw Erik Rosales pick
up a couple of wins as we close out the 2<sup>nd</sup> Round. The winners are
shown below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBLzAn24oRMCXZQapPDv4hL88eTbF4oxyDE-J_6iVB7vadVX_LU5oYOPx96q-jbO_OHhTST7r1nNJEyw-uxNYrcwg3_EiRXlVDBlBQ3FdTCpQlVlj0qq3nT-1qZEkv15RoqnD_4ftMRYTtWBW68xhN4CORY8tFd9WIXztuKP7Z57qmdup1rXNdvJquGQ/s2116/Round%202%20Day%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="2116" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBLzAn24oRMCXZQapPDv4hL88eTbF4oxyDE-J_6iVB7vadVX_LU5oYOPx96q-jbO_OHhTST7r1nNJEyw-uxNYrcwg3_EiRXlVDBlBQ3FdTCpQlVlj0qq3nT-1qZEkv15RoqnD_4ftMRYTtWBW68xhN4CORY8tFd9WIXztuKP7Z57qmdup1rXNdvJquGQ/w400-h184/Round%202%20Day%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><p class="MsoNormal">Starting on Thursday, the dollar values will increase to
$100 per game. Good luck everyone.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">--Your Commissioner </p></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Sinickalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13816911930192304590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-9962817466871709262024-03-24T11:15:00.000-04:002024-03-24T11:15:21.761-04:00Women's Hoops Enters the Big Time? The NCAA Block Squares Pool<p>Let me quickly get a couple of things off my chest. </p><p>As you have noticed, there is a second NCAA tournament pool blogging in this space. Yes, your tournament host shares this blog with another person who calls himself a tournament host also. He is much wordier than me and he likes to take my content and throw it into his blog posts without credit. Hey Pepster, I see you. You had better start acknowledging me by name. </p><p>More importantly, your tournament host is in the win column! That is correct, in the 100th game played since I started running this pool, I am in the winners bracket. Adding to this celebration, I also won game number 102. Suck it people! I am getting ready to go on a run so hide your money and your feelings.</p><p>Regarding the NCAA tournament games, nothing really earth shattering happened yesterday. The Big East and ACC continue to churn out wins, and NC State as the only double digit seed to advance is recalling memories of 1983. None of that really held my attention yesterday, but this person did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpjhqeA7-TkncdazpZLT_G9TN-bryva6pH-TFekDdeoTazBEdgzG-y5MOEeOkcbAcFQne7nZoZS2-vHWqHd6FH_bRz29HgSiyuqWobnu1c0sI6yXk6_Oqzxp5LhxEdrpZ2PuY0eSSko1BhX_aPmePJ0WKNurskAcdsAqrP28UQqbPB5VTmkgodtYlySs/s1496/IMG_1791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="998" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpjhqeA7-TkncdazpZLT_G9TN-bryva6pH-TFekDdeoTazBEdgzG-y5MOEeOkcbAcFQne7nZoZS2-vHWqHd6FH_bRz29HgSiyuqWobnu1c0sI6yXk6_Oqzxp5LhxEdrpZ2PuY0eSSko1BhX_aPmePJ0WKNurskAcdsAqrP28UQqbPB5VTmkgodtYlySs/s320/IMG_1791.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kim Mulkey's tirade yesterday over an unpublished Washington Post article was the best thing I saw in a long time. The only thing that could have made that spectacle better was if she were wearing this outfit while reading that statement. I am intrigued by this whole situation. It is not a secret that Mulkey was not liked by a fair number of her players, and the rumors of her treatment of some of her players have been out there for a while. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With that, I really hope she does try to sue the Washington Post. I need this ridiculous fight in my life right now and I am really interested to see if we have entered the space where scandal is not only routine in the women's game, but will start to upend its celebrities. It's kind of how you know your sport has arrived.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Regarding the pool, the results from yesterday are below. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCa62xAMrXVybrW2Zc46NNSPXp_J1qxpGFGByXBqHAQc_VVpEmTgCkkfyyv9Oa5sgVpS7-dU_J9lfw-UHNDWM8_mKX8P_oDjJVLn38gvMbw90gCB6s-RCqYMjjbW2wJC1jDSTBmduc19A-iLPF777VWp7aegMUJKYh8Z_sma2PD459wfjOKSNwNNCviM/s2116/Round%202%20Day%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="2116" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCa62xAMrXVybrW2Zc46NNSPXp_J1qxpGFGByXBqHAQc_VVpEmTgCkkfyyv9Oa5sgVpS7-dU_J9lfw-UHNDWM8_mKX8P_oDjJVLn38gvMbw90gCB6s-RCqYMjjbW2wJC1jDSTBmduc19A-iLPF777VWp7aegMUJKYh8Z_sma2PD459wfjOKSNwNNCviM/w400-h184/Round%202%20Day%201.png" width="400" /></a></div>Good luck today.<div><br /></div><div>--Your Commissioner</div>Sinickalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13816911930192304590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-62733700551220226902024-03-24T10:42:00.005-04:002024-03-24T19:40:50.254-04:002024 NCAA Tournament Pool Results Round 2/Day 1<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdskkYubPNcguWONz59SocaVgs_wqhU2C2Wr7VvfpIaC6_njbayg9mf6Ici8HiGQ2wKhU8zIRNkfvDIaGPgoC5CQN8beVNWF0JID6ATfH6rZaRNLyx5UJWRlp_9XMBR4_eAmv0BV-qrZOo6gCfPCZdIE5qSAdM8CuVhTHsb-8RuSsVbqMGBNdAu0o9gM2V/s474/NCAA2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdskkYubPNcguWONz59SocaVgs_wqhU2C2Wr7VvfpIaC6_njbayg9mf6Ici8HiGQ2wKhU8zIRNkfvDIaGPgoC5CQN8beVNWF0JID6ATfH6rZaRNLyx5UJWRlp_9XMBR4_eAmv0BV-qrZOo6gCfPCZdIE5qSAdM8CuVhTHsb-8RuSsVbqMGBNdAu0o9gM2V/s320/NCAA2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If you are looking for upsets, yesterday was not your day to watch basketball, as seven of the games resulted in the better seed winning. The only exception to that 5-seed Gonzage defeating 4-seed Kansas, and even then Gonzaga was a betting 4 1/2 point favorite - if anybody is into that sort of thing. What that game did do is elimate one of our potential champions for the third day in a row, as did North Carolina's methodical dismantling of Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans.<p></p><p>Our remaining champions are: <b>ALABAMA, </b>Auburn<b>, ARIZONA, BAYLOR, CONNECTICUT, CREIGHTON, DUKE, </b>Florida, Florida Atlantic,<b> GONZAGA, HOUSTON, ILLINOIS, IOWA STATE,</b> Kansas,<b> </b>Kentucky, <b>MARQUETTE, </b>Michigan State,<b> NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA STATE, PURDUE </b>and <b>TENNESSEE.</b></p><p>In the first game of the day, the Dayton Flyers put up a bit of a fight against the Arizona Wildcats, but in then end Arizona's depth was too much and they won 78-68. In the next game Gonzaga's offense was surgical in its precision 89-68 defeat of the Kansas Jayhawks which, admittedly, was missing its leading scorer Kevin McCullar, Jr. After this, North Carolina crushed Michigan State 85-69 and Iowa State outlasted Washington State 67-56.</p><p>Then, the fun began! 11-seed North Carolina State beat Cinderella-darlings Oakland 79-73, a game in which Oakland's Trey Townsend was easily the best player on the Court playing all 45 minutes. Close game, overtime, threes falling all over the place ... if you thought this was going to be the best game of the day, you might have been right as this game was followed by an ugly Tennessee 62-58 victory over Texas and Illinois absolutely shellacking Duquesne 89-63, which wasn't even that close.</p><p>And then, the magic happened. Creighton, coming off a season in which they missed the Final Four by one shot, played host to 11 seed Oregon, who had to rip through a run in the Pac-12 tournament to even qualify for this tournament,in PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. This game had runs, masterful - even dominating - individual performances, great unselfish team play, and it was close. So, overtime wasn't enough. How about DOUBLE OVERTIME!!! And, since the North Carolina State - Oakland game was in the same arena, lots of free basketball for the fans. This was the first time the same arena hosted multiple overtime games during the tournament on a single day since 1997! Oregon's stars N'Faly Dante (28 points/20 rebounds) Jermaine Cousinard (32 points/8 rebounds) carried the Ducks all game - scoring every single point for the team in the second half, and all but 2 in the overtime periods. But it was too much as Cousinard was visibly spent in the second overtime. I would have felt sorry for him if it wasn't for the fact the Creighton's Ryan Kalkenbrenner, Baylor Sheierman, and Trey Alexander all played all 50 minutes themselves!!! In the end, Creighton prevailed - and Your Tournament Host was extremely tired!</p><p>This means no bonus points for our pool. It also makes for a very boring "Pick of the Day" award. Gonzaga wasn't really an underdog despite being the lower seed - besides most of the pool had them. That would leave NC State as an 11-seed making the Sweet Sixteen as a potential pick of the day, except that was chosen by 13 people, most of which are not even alumni (looking at you<b> Cas</b><b>si Spruill of Fairfax, Virginia, </b>who apparently took along herr friend<b> Clair Bullock from Columbus, Ohio </b>into Wolfpackdom).</p><p>So, where does that leave us? Well, <b>Quinn Jackson of Reston, Virginia </b>was the sole entry to select Oakland into the Sweet Sixteen. That was a bold pick that was only eliminated due to an overtime loss. But, it was still a loss. Since no single pick stands out, our award for "Pick(s) of the Day" is going to go to .... <b>George Fox 2 of West Palm Beach, Florida</b>, who went an amazing 8-0 yesterday. That's right, a perfect day by The Fantastic Mr. Fox helps him move up the leaderboard.</p><p>Given the lack of upsets and the fact only a couple of games were close, the round was pretty ho-hum. But some of the stats coming out of the games were absolutely amazing.</p><p><b><u>Stats of the Day</u></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">11. Washington State was 20-2 in games in which they held teams under 70 points. Except, they held Iowa State to 67 and lost. Make that 20-3.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10. With NC State's victory over Oakland, the 11 seed is now 7-0 All-time over the 14th seed in the second round of the NCAA tournament.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9. N'Faly Dante and Jermaine Cousinard of Oregon scored every single point for the team in the second half, and all but 2 in the overtime periods.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Gonzaga scored an amazingly efficient 1.39 points per possession in defeating Kansas.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Dyaisha Fair of Syracuse scored 32 points in her first round tournament win in the women's tournament, the high scorer in a day in which a record 13 players scored over 25 points.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Ryan Kalkenbrenner, Baylor Scheierman, Tre Alexander of Creighton played 50 minutes, N'Faly Dante of Oregon played 48, Jadrian Tracey or Oregon played 46, and Trey Townsend of Oakland played 45. All putting in WORK!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Tennessee forced Texas into 17 turnovers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. On the other end of the spectrum, Iowa State committed only 1 turnover between the 4:30 left mark in the first half and 5:45 left in the game.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. With his 12 assists, Ryan Nembhard sets the single-season assist record for Gonzaga, surpassing Josh Perkins. If you set a season record, you will probably be mentioned here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Same with career record. Ryan Kalkenbrenner set the Creighton career block shots record previously held by Benoit Benjamin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1a. Oregon did not shoot its first free throw until there was 26.4 seconds left in regulation. And only then because Creighton was intentionally fouling.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Creighton has not had a player foul out in 53 straight games!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hmmmmm, Benoit Benjamin ... Creighton. Let's flash back to him. Benoit Benjamin played at Creighton from 1982-1985, and, despite never making an All-American team while in college ended up being selected 3rd overall in the 1985 draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, ahead of people like Chris Mullin, Charles Oakley, Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, A.C. Green, Terry Porter, Arvydis Sabonis, Uwe Blab and Manute Bol. (Just had to add Blab because it is fun to say). He managed to play 15 seasons in the NBA for 9 different teams, never making much impact except being 7-feet tall. Well, that's not a good history lesson.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, hmmm, where to go next. Well, the record Kalkenbrenner broke was for blocks. The blocks leader for a single NCAA Tournament history is ... Jeff Withey from Kansas in 2012 with 31? Yeah, that's not interesting either. Especially since Anthony Davis is tied for second with 29, also from 2012, and Kentucky beat Kansas in the finals. What could be interesting is that Joakim Noah is also tied for second with 29 in 2006, the year that the UCLA Bruins cheerleaders were mocking him for being ugly - something they took from me - but I have already told that story in previous blogs. (Ask me if you don't know or don't remember).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wait, here is something. In 1992, a behemoth of a man-child set the single-game blocked shot record for the NCAA Tournament by swatting 11 shots against BYU. That man, Shaquille O'Neal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the first round in Boise, Idaho, LSU, the seven seed, played BYU in the first round, with the Tigers beating the Cougars 94-83, behind soon-to-be number 1 draft pick Shaquille O'Neal's triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds and the aforementioned 11 blocks. Maurice Williamson, the only other Tiger in double figures scoring, paced the team with 30. This set up a second round matchup against number 2 Indiana. The Hoosiers defeated LSU despite Shaq's 36 point, 12 rebound, 5 blocks performance. Indiana was able to win behind its own 30-point effort from Calbert Cheaney - holder of one of the best baseline jumpers I ever saw - supplemented by Alan Henderson's 19.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Indiana would go on to defeat the 3rd seeded FSU Seminoles in the Sweet Sixteen 85-74, with Calbert Cheaney scoring 17, and unheralded Eric Anderson leading the way with 24 off-the-bench. This might have been FSU's best ever non-Covid year basketball team, with Sam Cassell, Bob Sura, Douglas Edwards, and Rodney Dobard four of the starters and Heisman-trophy winning quarterback Charlie Ward playing significant minutes off-the-bench. Coach Pat Kennedy always said that if Sura could see the rim from the parking lot he would put it up. Indiana then advanced to the Elite Eight, where they boat-raced the 1-seed, Pac-10 champion UCLA 106-79, behind Cheaney's 23 and 22 from wunderkind Damon Bailey. That UCLA featured Tyus Edney, Tracy Murray, <i>American Pie </i>singer Don McLean [Ed. note - not the <i>American Pie </i>singer], and a young Ed O'Bannon, who the tournament - and later the NCAA - would hear a lot from in later years.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Indiana would give a huge fight to Duke, losing 81-78. Indiana succombed to Duke and Bobby Hurley's 26 points and only 8 from Christian Laettner - first game post-Kentucky shot [Ed. Note - I STILL HATE CHRISTIAN LAETTNER]. Speaking of 30s for 30, Duke went on to defeat Michigan 71-51, but nobody cares about those winners. The staring lineup of the runners-up - Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Chris Webber, and Juwan Howard - might go on to become famous for something or other. Hint: It's <i>The Fab Five</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Those guys were some players ... and speaking of players ...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Players of the Day</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Caleb Love, Arizona - 19 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Jaylen Wells, Washington Stae - 20 points</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Jack Gohlke, Oakland - 22 points, 8 rebounds (6 three-pointers)</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Steven Ashworth, Creighton - 21 points (10 in overtime!!!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. RJ Davis, North Carolina - 20 points</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. DJ Burns, North Carolina State - 24 points, 11 rebounds at 6'9", 275 pounds</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Terrence Shannon, Illinois - 30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Jermaine Cousinard, Oregon - 32 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Trey Townsend, Oakland - 30 points, 13 rebounds</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. N'Faly Dante, Oregon - 28 points, 20 rebounds</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Note, the top 3 players all played on losing teams!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Because the games were primarily uneventful, interesting social media was quiet except for all of the Fire Calipari stuff. So ... let's say goodbye to Jack Gohlke.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Social Media/Quotes of the Day</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Goodbye Jack Gohlke - may you forever be remembered in hell for beating Kentucky, and by everyone else for a heckuva a tournament run.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDo0UdkGjs-GdiqYR0MrMX99OT8SGOVSSHGYgHUeQdR2xia1JJEvj9AYydOVkwvTLzm_sxHFmZLfr7Me4Y8ToEajfO5ncdOPqsqyGLvBmWLMZ40Bu6Axc993OGdbEDqPd7OHu47ioOs6vIo_Z57JsQVeWsWlV90omqWqtNXDCTp8SZXn1g-lf-PI8u2hp/s1350/GohlkeDoorDash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDo0UdkGjs-GdiqYR0MrMX99OT8SGOVSSHGYgHUeQdR2xia1JJEvj9AYydOVkwvTLzm_sxHFmZLfr7Me4Y8ToEajfO5ncdOPqsqyGLvBmWLMZ40Bu6Axc993OGdbEDqPd7OHu47ioOs6vIo_Z57JsQVeWsWlV90omqWqtNXDCTp8SZXn1g-lf-PI8u2hp/s320/GohlkeDoorDash.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ok, so let's get to the standings. Double-check your scores and contact me if you have any questions or if you think I missed something. I will be happy to double check.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Standings after Round 2/Day 1</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Braeden Helland - 66</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Blake Jackson - 66</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Brian McMahon - 65</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Marcus Jackson - 64</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Allison Parker - 64</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Jody Cox - 63</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe - 63</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Josh Zdrowak - 62</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Measha Williams 3 - 58</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Jeff Plamondon - 57</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 4 - 57</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Amanda Staudt - 57</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13. Daniel Barsky 1 - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kevin Dick - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 1 - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ty Hedgpeth - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Simmons - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">18. Scott Bieterman 2 - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Paul Cummings 2 - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Fox 2 - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Miles Jackson - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 3 - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Day Yi - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bubba Zdrowak - 55</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">25. Mark Holbert - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Quinn Jackson - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan 2 - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"> William Pujals - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Justin Yung - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">30. James Coleman - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 2 - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kingfish Parham - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Pepe Sosa - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cassi Spruill - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Zdrowak - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">36. Joel Chernoff - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Carolyn Fowler - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey Reynolds 2 - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kyle Henderson 1 - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Skip LaForte - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 5 - 52</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">42. Alvaro Gonzalez - 51</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Piasecki - 51</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ashley Poer - 51</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cheryl Spuhler - 51</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jeremy Spuhler - 51</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">47. Paul Cummings 3 - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Matt Hopps - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Javier Rodriguez - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 2 - 50 </div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 4 - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 1 - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 2 - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">54. Paul Cummings 1 - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Silas Nichols - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Marcus Spruill - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 3 - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Wynne - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Amy Zdrowak - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Zdrowak - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">61. Justine Frank - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 1 - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Si Nichols - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 3 - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">65. John Hedgpeth - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 3 - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 2 - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Matt Okell - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lee Pagan - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ryan Rodriguez - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">71. Scott Bieterman 1 - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey Fowler (1) - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dan Laishley - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 2 - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sasha Moon - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brittany Sosa - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lily Spuhler - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Biscuit Zdrowak - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">79. Brigadier General Kareem Montague - 45</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">80. Melissa Gaynor - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Tyler Giamberini - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 1 - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Logan Spuhler - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 2 - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">85. Kyle Henderson 2 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Nick Kuehl - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 2 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 4 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris O'Neil - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jessica Samuels - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 1 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">92. Clair Bullock - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> James Garvin - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan 1 - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Karen Katz - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Michael McNally - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">97. Jenna Finkelstein - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Adam Jorgensen 1 - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Adam Jorgensen 2 - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dawn Lamb - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Derrick Lowe - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 1 - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 1 - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jane Reynolds - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> A.J. Ripin - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jamie Toole - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">107. Katie Kollmeyer - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cheryl Spuhler - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jonathan Wasserman - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 1 - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">111. George Fox 1 - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 4 - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">113. Barbie Curlett 2 - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Pettit - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Savannah Grace Pressly - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">116. Guy Hughes - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 2 - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">118. Daniel Barsky 2 - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Colleen Giamberini - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Coco Wynne - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">121. Anne-Marie O'Neil - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Barkley Sosa - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">123. Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Marzouca 2 - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Natalie Moon - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">126. Brent Bellinger - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Noel Martinez 1 - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Hannah Sosa - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">129. Barbie Curlett 1 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Arlene Amo Hopps - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 2 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 1 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">133. Noel Martinez 2 - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Marzouca 1 - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">135. Stephanie Henderson - 30</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jason Spuhler - 30</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">137. Alyssa Hopps - 25</div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-46176986523571639322024-03-23T17:09:00.002-04:002024-03-23T19:09:41.098-04:002024 NCAA Tournament Pool Results Round 1/Day 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0nVB6N7jrdZ2tQVrQN4_BieEdaph1CJxvI70NnZ0Xogv2P8pclVhtBGYfWTif2NfWLKKOJ9hD9irUjcSlM4j4Dub5n1Apfc6oUOegNx_7omGrBnpX7CnXrgXfqG2dQNYrSUTW8_ZKhzS-LHcFyCIjcEVn9B5tzyZmSGW09RS9rVVUgqxbxHXuezWiKIQ/s474/NCAA2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0nVB6N7jrdZ2tQVrQN4_BieEdaph1CJxvI70NnZ0Xogv2P8pclVhtBGYfWTif2NfWLKKOJ9hD9irUjcSlM4j4Dub5n1Apfc6oUOegNx_7omGrBnpX7CnXrgXfqG2dQNYrSUTW8_ZKhzS-LHcFyCIjcEVn9B5tzyZmSGW09RS9rVVUgqxbxHXuezWiKIQ/s320/NCAA2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Welcome back all. We have concluded the first round with some more surprises, but before we get to the tournament update, I have an update to the pool We now have 137 entries. "So Pepster, how did we increase in entries after the tournament has started" some you might ask. Well, it is because I received the bracket from <b>Karen Katz of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</b> in the mail, postmarked March 19. She is now included in the standings.</p><p>Day 2 gave us some incredibly exciting games, the kind we missed on Thursday. It all started in the 8/9 game pitting last year's darling Florida Atlantic against Northwestern and we got some free basketball. Although Northwestern curb-stomped FAU in overtime, the game was back-and-forth most of the day.</p><p>Northwestern was not the only smart boys advancing to the second round as Yale outlasted SEC champion Aurburn 78-76, as Auburn Tre Donaldson missed 2 free throws with six seconds remaining that would have tied the game despite John Poulakidas of Yale pulling his best Jack Grohlke.</p><p>Another incredibly close - and exciting - game was Colorado over Florida 102-100 with Florida's Walker Clayton, Jr. making a three-pointing to tie the game at 100 with 9 seconds left followed by KJ Simpson rushing dow to hit the eventual game-winner with 3 seconds remaining. A last-ditch heave by Clayton, who had 33 points in this game - came dangerously close as it hit the backboard.</p><p>All three of these games have one thing in common, they knocked out a champion in our pool. Multiple people selected Florida Atlantic, Auburn and Florida. Our remaining champions are: <b>ALABAMA, </b>Auburn<b>, ARIZONA, BAYLOR, CONNECTICUT, CREIGHTON, DUKE, </b>Florida, Florida Atlantic,<b> GONZAGA, HOUSTON, ILLINOIS, IOWA STATE, KANSAS, </b>Kentucky, <b>MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA STATE, PURDUE </b>and <b>TENNESSEE.</b></p><p>Other close games include last year's finalist San Diego State defeating UAB 68-65, and Grand Canyon defeating Saint Mary's 75-66. Grand Canyon joins Yale as being upsets worth bonus points in our pool, as was James Madison with its 11-point victory over 5 seed Wisconsin. People in our pool had everyone of the upsets, and each of these upsets was guaranteed by multiple people, meaning lots of movement in the standings. Another game of note is that 6th-seeded Clemson handily beat New Mexico 77-56 to be the only 6 seed to advance to the second round, as the 3 other 11 seeds all won on Thursday.</p><p>As I mentioned, multiple people selected each of yesterday's three bonuses, and several even selected each as a guarantee. But, since way more people selected James Madison and Grand Canyon that Yale, those that selected Yale get special mention. Those include <b>George Walks 1 of West Palm Beach, Florida, Jeff Plamondon if Lincoln, Rhode Island, Barkley Sosa of Riviera Beach, Florida Coco Wynne of Delray Beach, Florida and Rich Samuels 1 of Palm Beach Gardens, FL</b>. They receive special mention, but the "Picks of the Day" Award goes to <b>Cassi Spruill of Fairfax, Virginia, Day Yi of Forest Hills, New York, and Max Marion 4 of West Palm Beach, Florida</b>. Congratulations and now - You are all dead to me. On a side note, I asked<b> </b>Barkley Sosa how on earth she can live under my roof and select Yale - FOR ANYTHING - and she responded, "I pick all the dog and wolf mascots that I can." I went back and reviewed her bracket, and although accurate - still not an excuse.</p><p>In fact, entrant <b>Kisha Marzouca of Boynton Beach, Florida, </b>a college classmate of mine, texted me to say "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IVY LEAGUE BASKETBALL?!?! yasssss this is the only time a Harvard person will be happy for Yale" She is a much better person than I.</p><p>Day 1 Kentucky loses; Day 2 Yale wins. This tournament got me feeling like a Mint Condition song, which coincidentally was on the radio when I did a breakfast run this morning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW9Qyyo8-7DhgxLqARKRpcDNboOeAubTZeuQO8oG9a9BcVhJgTC2OcJjk8SS6gtX_EaAWc3JROoelbhSFSEz4yvwxzXRJv5UwmxR29ECrpSrgROLnhFePkwnfeoeWxlMp6LibNYWaS0Lp2U58Hvl8Z4m4a6GXqmN9Xp1jQCFib0tsH7dJFZ53vgyUDKQ7/s4000/MintCondition.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW9Qyyo8-7DhgxLqARKRpcDNboOeAubTZeuQO8oG9a9BcVhJgTC2OcJjk8SS6gtX_EaAWc3JROoelbhSFSEz4yvwxzXRJv5UwmxR29ECrpSrgROLnhFePkwnfeoeWxlMp6LibNYWaS0Lp2U58Hvl8Z4m4a6GXqmN9Xp1jQCFib0tsH7dJFZ53vgyUDKQ7/s320/MintCondition.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>And yes, I was at a red light when I took that picture.</p><p>And, since I am obviously in a cheerful mood, I will give an "Anti-Pick of the Day" award. In the running was <b>Colleen Giamberini of Boynton Beach, Florida</b> and <b>Alyssa Hopps</b> <b>of Quincy, Massachusetts </b>who both slected Grambling over Purdue, but, that pick took guts. Going out on a limb should be rewarded, not ridiculed, especially since we all know Purdue can lose a first round game as a 1-seed; they did it last year. So, instead, the "Anti-Pick of the Day" award goes to <b>Joshua Zdrowak of Tallahassee, Florida by way of Orlando, Florida </b>who picked Auburn. Why was this such a bad pick? It is because he picked Auburn to win the Florida Atlantic-Northwestern game! Congratulations Joshua!</p><p><b><u>Social Media Posts/Random Quotes of the Day</u></b></p><p>5. Facebook post from a college classmate ... "It's weird to root for Yale for any reason. I have a reflexive distaste for Yale -- until March Madness starts up. And then Ivy League prode takes over. It feels very unnatural but, to paraphrase Whitman, 'Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contrdaict myself (I am large. I contain multitudes...)" - Much bigger person than me.</p><p>4. Auburn basketball alumnus Charles Barkley, "We're not gonna lose to the smart kids, I'll tell you that!"</p><p>3. When a play from Auburn-Yale game comes on the television and a zoom-in on a Yale player, <b>Hannah Sosa of Riviera Beach, Florida </b>commented, "He looks like he goes to Yale." That's my girl.</p><p>And, since I am still not over the Kentucky loss</p><p>2. From Twitter sent to me by <b>Kevin Dick of Alexandria, Virginia</b>, calling John Calipari the "Italian Doc Rivers."</p><p>1. This was posted in the other pool run by this blog, but it needs mentioning here ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gR4TVylHPRSDtJsMuUDwtDRxj1IYkHwSPRY8UQryU8D14T2amfTBtx_kvaAyMaUlvYp9lz52JQ-7tDi_7bAAPOeCEH_tXCHa8JX63f2abWE-5WmycvRQ7e5G2zZDbAOQHzgxrhjapoZXYYijlQDkwKWG_C9_mStPl4YWOyvQyJCxX2HuHILT3DHi123i/s2283/KentuckyTweet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gR4TVylHPRSDtJsMuUDwtDRxj1IYkHwSPRY8UQryU8D14T2amfTBtx_kvaAyMaUlvYp9lz52JQ-7tDi_7bAAPOeCEH_tXCHa8JX63f2abWE-5WmycvRQ7e5G2zZDbAOQHzgxrhjapoZXYYijlQDkwKWG_C9_mStPl4YWOyvQyJCxX2HuHILT3DHi123i/s320/KentuckyTweet.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p>Yeah, this tournament is killing me.</p><p><b><u>Stats of the Day</u></b></p><p>6. Tre Donaldson from Auburn was shooting 82.9% from the free throw line when he stepped up and missed two free throws with 6 seconds left in game and Auburn down 2 to Yale.</p><p>5. Zach Edey of Purdue pulled down 21 rebounds.</p><p>4. Ryan Langborg from Northwestern scored 12 points - IN OVERTIME - as Northwestern downed Florida Atlantic.</p><p>3. Iowa State Freshman Audi Cooks scored 40 points as Iowa State came back from a 20-point deficit to defeat Maryland in the women's tournament.</p><p>2. Colorado had 14 assists in its first 14 made field goals in the first half against Florida. (Finsihed the half 14 assists/17 made field goals).</p><p>1. Northwestern scored 19 total points in overtime over Florida Atlantic. That is the same exact number of points as they scored the ENTIRE FIRST HALF!</p><p> <b><u>Players of the Day</u></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">Honorable Mention - Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn -Ejecting for hitting a Yale player.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Eddie Lampkin, Colorado - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State - 32 points, 8 rebounds</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Johni Broome, Auburn - 24 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Will Clayton, Jr., Florida - 33 points on 10/17 shooting and 7/7 free throw line</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Kam Jones, Marquette - 28 points</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Ryan Langborg, Northwestern - 27 points - 12 in overtime</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. John Poulakides, Yale - 28 points on 10/15 shooting; 6/9 from three point range</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Mark Sears, Alabama - 30 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Zach Edey, Purdue - 30 points, 21 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, looking at this list gives me the thought for the NCAA Tournament history lesson. I watched a lot of the Florida-Colorado game, and Colorado's Eddie Lampkin is a force. He is listed at 6'11 and 265 pounds, but I would bet his a good 25 pounds heavier than that, but not really fat. He is super-light on his feet, and possesses a devasting bump-and-spin move which is virtually unguardable. He reminds me a bit of former Boston College standout Danya Abrams, who albeit a bit shorter than Lampkin, was every bit as stocky and light on his feet. He played at Boston College from 1993 - 1997, and during the 1993-1994 year Boston College had some very unique and interesting sports successes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It all started on November 20, 1993, when the number 1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team traveled to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts to play the 17th-ranked BC Eagles. Boston College built a 38-17 lead into the fourth quarter with only 11 minutes left in the game. Notre Dame came roaring back to take the lead 39-38. Eagles quarterback Glenn Foley led the team on a last-minute drive that almost never happened as one of his passes bounced right off the hands of Notre Dame linebacker Pete Bercich. Two completions to tight end Pete Mitchell and one to Ivan Boyd set up a 41-yard field goal which David Gordon converted as time expired to knock off the top ranked Irish.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Later that winter, the Boston College Eagles defeated the then number 1 ranked Boston University Terriers in hockey, setting up this story ...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Boston College entered the tournament as the 9-seed, and opened in the first round against 8th-seeded Washington State in Landover, Maryland. Washington State was paced by Isaac Fontaine's 17 points as the Cougars narrowly lost to the Eagles 67. Boston College had a monster game from Bill Curley with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while getting 17 points and 7 assists from point guard Howard Eisley. Freshman Danya Abrams contributed 7 points and 9 rebounds in 37 minutes played for a team that was not very deep. This victory advanced Boston College into the second round - where number 1 seed North Carolina awaited.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This Tar Heel team was loaded, and after playing a 71-51 warm-up game against Liberty in the first round, North Carolina's stars looked like they were just going to waltz into the Final Four. Future NBAers all over the roster, UNC started Derrick Phelps at the point, Donald Williams and Brian Reese on the wings, Rasheed Wallace at the four and Eric Montross in the middle. Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff McInnis came off the bench, as did sharpshooter Dante Calabria - who I have played against in league ball - to make the Heels way more talented and deeper than the Eagles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, I probably wouldn't be including this game in this post if the normal happened, and the Eagles shocked the basketball-watching world, winning 75-72. North Carolina was paced by Eric Montross scoring 16 points, and Jerry Stackhouse contributing 15 off the bench. Rasheed Wallace and Jeff McInnis also finished with double digit points. Boston College, however, rode its starters as they scored all 75 of the teams points - led by Gerrod Abram's 21. Bill Curley had 18 with Howard Eisley and Malcolm Huckaby adding 11 each. The reason for the post - Danya Abrams scored 14 and had a team-high 10 rebounds - all while guarding Rasheed Wallace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From there Boston College advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in Miami, Florida, where they defeated the 5th-seeded Indiana Hoosiers 77-68. Abrams only scored 6 points in this game, but Eisley scored 18, Huckaby and Abram 15, and Curley 11 to defeat the Alan Henderson led Hoosiers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Advancing to the Elite 8, the Eagles lack of depth and the SEC Champion Florida Gators ended BC's hope of a Final Four 74-66. Abrams contributed 14 points and a team-high 9 rebounds to go along with Bill Curley's 20 and Howard Eisley's 19, but it wasn't enough. For Florida, Craig Brown had 21 and Andrew DeClerq had 16 to pace the Gators. For basketball fans, though, the highlight was watching Danya Abrams go head-to-head with Gator behemoth Dametri Hill, both of similar size and stature. More wrestling than basketball, these two giants definitely pushed each other throughout the entire game.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Florida went on to lose to Duke in the Final Four, which in turn lost to Arkansas in the championship game 76-72. That Arkansas team was one of the most exciting teams I have watched, Scotty Thurman, Corliss Williamson, Corey Beck and Dwight Stewart, but that is a story for another day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Abrams was named first team All-Big East his next three seasons, and went on to play professionally for 11 years in various leagues around the world, and is currently in Massachussetts coaching.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, back to the interesting year for Boston College, they defeated teh number 1 team in football, hockey, and basketball in the same season.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, enough history... on to the Standings... Please double-check your results as I do make mistakes. I am happy to go back and review if you think I missed something.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Standings After Round 1/Day 2</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Braeden Helland - 56</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Blake Jackson - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Marcus Jackson - 54</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Brian McMahon - 53</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Allison Parker - 50</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Jody Cox - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 3 - 49</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Measha Williams 3 - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Joshua Zdrowak - 48</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Miles Jackson - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 4 - 47</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12. Daniel Barsky 1 - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Quinn Jackson - 46</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">14. Jeff Plamondon - 45</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">15. Bill Ganoe 1 - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ty Hedgpeth - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan 2 - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Simmons - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">19. Scott Bieterman 2 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Amanda Staudt - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 3 - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bubba Zdrowak - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Katie Zdrowak - 43</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">24. Joel Chernoff - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kevin Dick - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Skip LaForte - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> William Pujals - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Justin Yung - 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">29. James Coleman - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Paul Cummings 2 - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kingfish Parham - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Piasecki - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ashley Poer - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Pepe Sosa - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cassi Spruill - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jeremy Spuhler - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Day Yi - 41</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">39. Paul Cummings 3 - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kyle Henderson 1 - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mark Holbert - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 5 - 40</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">43. George Fox 2 - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Silas Nichols - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cheryl Spuhler - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Wynne - 39</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">47. Carolyn Fowler - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Justine Frank - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Matt Hopps - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Michael McNally - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Si Nichols - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey Reynolds (2) - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Javier Rodriguez - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 2 - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lily Spuhler - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 4 - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 1 - 38</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">58. Paul Cummings 1 - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Alvaro Gonzalez - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 3 - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Marcus Spruill - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 3 - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Amy Zdrowak - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Zdrowak - 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">65. Melissa Gaynor - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dan Laishley - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 1 - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sasha Moon - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 3 - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brittany Sosa - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Logan Spuhler - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 2 - 36</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">74. Matt Okell - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lee Pagan - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 1 - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">77. Karen Katz - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 2 - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">79. John Hedgpeth - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 4 - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 2 - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ryan Rodriguez - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jessica Samuels - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">84. Scott Bieterman 1 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Clair Bullock - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey Fowler 1 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> James Garvin - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Tyler Giamberini - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 1 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cheryl Spuhler - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 2 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jonathan Wasserman - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Biscuit Zdrowak - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">94. Jenna Finkelstein - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kyle Henderson 2 - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Nick Kuehl - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dawn Lamb - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Derrick Lowe - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brigadier General Kareem Montague - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris O'Neil - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jane Reynolds - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> A.J. Ripin - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jamie Toole - 31</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">104. Colleen Giamberini - 30</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">105. Adam Jorgensen 1 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Adam Jorgensen 2 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 1 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 4 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 2 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 1 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Barkley Sosa - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 2 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">113. Katie Kollmeyer - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Pettit - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Savannah Grace Pressly - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 1 - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">117. George Fox 1 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Coco Wynne - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">119. Guy Hughes - 25</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Hannah Sosa - 25</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">121. Daniel Barsky - 24</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Barbie Curlett 2 - 24</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 2 - 24</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">124. Anne-Marie O'Neil - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">125. Barbie Curlett 1 - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Arlene Amo Hopps - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Marzouca 2 - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Natalie Moon - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jason Spuhler - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">130. Brent Bellinger - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Noel Martinez 1 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Marzouca 1 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">133. Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 1 - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">135. Alyssa Hopps - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Noel Martinez 2 - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">137. Stephanie Henderson - 18</div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-11272292603386896842024-03-23T12:03:00.004-04:002024-03-23T12:03:54.243-04:00The SEC is the New Big Ten: The NCAA Block Squares Pool<p>I should start by giving thanks. I had to fly back to Washington DC from Phoenix AZ yesterday and I was able to watch most of the early window on live television on the airplane. Thank you Delta. </p><p>Round 1 is now complete and I think the biggest takeaway has to be the bizarro world we are in that has the Big Ten performing well and the SEC being the dog of the power conferences. The SEC went 3-5 over the last two days and all five losses were loud! </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Kentucky being handled by Oakland<br /></li><li>Auburn losing to an Ivy League school </li><li>South Carolina getting blown out by Oregon</li><li>Florida giving up 102 points to Colorado</li><li>Mississippi State getting blown out by a Big Ten team in the first game</li></ul><div>And all of this just a couple of days after the SEC Commissioner petitioned to remove bids for automatic qualifiers from smaller leagues to make more bids available for the "more competitive basketball leagues." </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and Kentucky fans don't seem to be taking this loss well as evidenced by this Twitter post:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS8YuanXRr1goko648vpf2Mp3zS1CIJrP6ToXQV03ZCirdVpC4aEDhOP4pl21u9H6VEf52lk2Q8H641wNxJKPO2xXbH9gpw0fV4aWVqhibhpKgxZa9zEoJMqqme6903Al4KZ-Z2P_y7EsBRGnQA35Mk50Y4nKqrQI2jlAsE6aUd4YvojrMfyDL8_F7Fg/s2283/IMG_1787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="1284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS8YuanXRr1goko648vpf2Mp3zS1CIJrP6ToXQV03ZCirdVpC4aEDhOP4pl21u9H6VEf52lk2Q8H641wNxJKPO2xXbH9gpw0fV4aWVqhibhpKgxZa9zEoJMqqme6903Al4KZ-Z2P_y7EsBRGnQA35Mk50Y4nKqrQI2jlAsE6aUd4YvojrMfyDL8_F7Fg/w225-h400/IMG_1787.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On the other end of the spectrum, the Pac 12 minus 10 is currently 5-0, and the Big East is 3-0. </div><div><br /></div><div>As for the block squares, the $25 games are now complete and once again we have a few multiple winners in the pool. Leading the charge is Reggie Holt who already has 3 wins. As for you tournament host, we have now had 95 games played since I started this last year. I haven't even seen a game close enough to my numbers to root for an outcome. I am going to quit gambling shortly. You will all miss me when I am gone. </div><div><br /></div><div>Results for Day 2 are below:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6ho1ogh9u89uVVaykPxiKt0IMVsMNN53KIc3xXhibUsh6OHKIMQrhU4tksFrQBr2aC_35uddPOTZRVUHGTMLyKVNff1TzhovHC5kCp7aXlQbxoDyvfWC1LSGmsVvj4PxP-WegKcFzdECz9vtaRVDASF_qYRl5_E9Hmf4Dxtcdc_q2fzvNOkag6iJMow/s2120/Round%201%20Day%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="2120" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6ho1ogh9u89uVVaykPxiKt0IMVsMNN53KIc3xXhibUsh6OHKIMQrhU4tksFrQBr2aC_35uddPOTZRVUHGTMLyKVNff1TzhovHC5kCp7aXlQbxoDyvfWC1LSGmsVvj4PxP-WegKcFzdECz9vtaRVDASF_qYRl5_E9Hmf4Dxtcdc_q2fzvNOkag6iJMow/s320/Round%201%20Day%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Starting today, squares are worth $50 apiece. Good luck everyone! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">--Your Commissioner</div></div><br /><br /></div><p></p>Sinickalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13816911930192304590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-24582723947363924142024-03-22T15:19:00.000-04:002024-03-22T15:19:34.816-04:002024 NCAA Tournament Pool Results: Round 1/Day 1<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PHBEuhyz8eG5rQLpgGHL9sv6GPbAdgMN2U79F6ZNSZsBDif_I-fHrLMik2XJHvW0hKHELnzJKbEmFtpFNz8Du9c4mr7GlD20_F1_vTjkuK5srMUyPR9ke-2isn4oqL7xDjLmgwcV6KWl-GqvxrSvma3rC4VGZ9ogJl_Ugtb9C0fqb_dvDW9Le3DCMYi5/s474/NCAA2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PHBEuhyz8eG5rQLpgGHL9sv6GPbAdgMN2U79F6ZNSZsBDif_I-fHrLMik2XJHvW0hKHELnzJKbEmFtpFNz8Du9c4mr7GlD20_F1_vTjkuK5srMUyPR9ke-2isn4oqL7xDjLmgwcV6KWl-GqvxrSvma3rC4VGZ9ogJl_Ugtb9C0fqb_dvDW9Le3DCMYi5/s320/NCAA2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Hello all, and welcome to the very first update to the 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Pool. For those of you that have noticed some posts from a different form of monetary entertainment system regarding this year's NCAA Tournament. That is a different game from the standard bracket pool being hosted by another of WeMakeItRain's contributors. You should pretty easily note the differences between the two once you click on a post, but the tournament pool will have a title similar to the one on this post, depicting the round and the day to which it applies.</p><p>Now that we have cleared that up ... Thank you all for joining the pool We have 136 entrants and it does take some time to go through that many brackets each day, at least through the first weekend, so please give me some leeway in getting the posts up the following day. They will always be as soon as I am able to post.</p><p>With regard to the 136 entries, I would like to make special mention to some. <b>Chris Pettit of</b> <b>Tallahassee, Florida </b>and <b>Olympia, Washington </b>is a newcomer to the pool, and boy was he excited. He was the first person to send me his entry - on SUNDAY NIGHT!!! He must have really been excited as he sent in a bracket without a name, e-mail address, city, or guaranteed bonus. Chris is an intelligent guy, so I assume it was because of his excitement, and not because he is illiterate like Tyler Kolek of Marquette (please look up if you don't know - this is a diss at Kolek, not Chris.)</p><p>Another early entrant was <b>Allison Parker of Washington, D.C., </b>who very artfully placed a heart next to Duke, meaning she might not be invited back next year - not with that attitude! Especially since she is a Cougar - from Washington State - get your minds out of the gutter.</p><p>The opposite of early entrants would be those who send in their entrants at the last minute. That includes <b>Carolyn Fowler </b>of <b>Greenacres, Florida </b>who, although she had her brackets completed timely, was waiting for the remainder of her household to finish theirs. <b>Jane Reynolds of Greenacres, Florida</b>, a former professional golf rules official, was one of those taking her time curating her bracket. Carolyn shared this picture with me, and gave me permission to post it here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ijD6-nA79AeKoEDMhbi1KPUbJewxgjNYAvRQZrMBOWcGfmXbIrGKoP-jtpV9yfnT6xbHbOTLQUv6ZWkKxQRb9WKv8a3wwCN2-INhAW6ofs5WOjno6q6ocWDrgOJ-oZ90cc6vXGnbPWmdoCs3f_h04gJzL1wYhUVsjlTWXWGye_hMG4YG8vafyLkMcRT9/s1136/JaneR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ijD6-nA79AeKoEDMhbi1KPUbJewxgjNYAvRQZrMBOWcGfmXbIrGKoP-jtpV9yfnT6xbHbOTLQUv6ZWkKxQRb9WKv8a3wwCN2-INhAW6ofs5WOjno6q6ocWDrgOJ-oZ90cc6vXGnbPWmdoCs3f_h04gJzL1wYhUVsjlTWXWGye_hMG4YG8vafyLkMcRT9/s320/JaneR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p>We have had a couple of changes with some entrants in our pool that note some mention. Longtime participate <b>Colonel Kareem Montague of Fort Carson, Colorado</b> is no longer a member of our illustrious pool - but that is because he has been replaced by <b>Brigadier General Kareem Montague of Fort Carson, Colorado</b>. Congratulations Kareem. Another longtime particpant, <b>Ty Leatherman of Wilmington, North Carolina </b>did not submit an entry, but <b>Ty Hedgpeth of Wilmington, North Carolina </b>did - and she brought along a fellow that shares the last name Hedgpeth! Congratulations you two!</p><p>And, once you start reviewing the standings, you will see a <b>Max Macon</b> <b>of Jupiter, Florida </b>and a <b>Max Marion of West Palm Beach, Florida</b>, each with 4 entries. I will try my absolute best to make sure I keep the appropriate person labeled to the appropriate bracket.</p><p>For the pool, we have 21 different champions selected by various entrants, all except for Michigan State selected by multiple entries. So if you see an unusual championt, know that more than 1 person thinks that team is going to win the championship. Also, as is always the case, we already lost a champion yesterday; see if you can guess which team that is! (More on that later).</p><p>I will continually list all predicted champions, with those remaining in all capital letters and bolded. Our champions are: <b>ALABAMA, AUBURN, ARIZONA, BAYLOR, CONNECTICUT, CREIGHTON, DUKE, FLORIDA, FLORIDA ATLANTIC, GONZAGA, HOUSTON, ILLINOIS, IOWA STATE, KANSAS, </b>Kentucky, <b>MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA STATE, PURDUE, </b>and <b>TENNESSEE.</b></p><p>Yes, you guessed it. We lost Kentucky. I am still not well. I contemplated scrapping the whole tournament and returning everyone's money. But, I will push through. (That reminds me - if you have not paid your entry fee, please do that before the Sweet Sixteen starts - but hopefully earlier.) (And, more on Kentucky later.)</p><p>The first game to tip-off was an 8/9 matchup of Missippi State v. Michigan Statea, and four brackets succumbed to simply selecting MSU. Well, 3 did, one went so far as selecting MISU. Still didn't work. So <b>Jenna Finkelstein of St. Petersburg, Florida</b>, <b>Ty Hedgpeth of Wilmington, North Carilona, Max Marion of West Palm Beach, Florida </b>and <b>Silas Nichols of Washington, DC</b> do not receive the point they may, or may not have earned. In that game Michigan State pulled a Tom Izzo and won a game in the tournament many thought they couldn't/wouldn't.</p><p>All in all we had 4 upsets that qualified for bonus points - Oakland defeated Kentucky (more on that later); 11 seed Duquense defeated BYU; 11 seed Oregon defeated South Carolina, and 11 seed North Carolina State defeated Texas Tech. I would be very leery of 11 seed New Mexico today if I was Clemson.</p><p>Most of the games were pretty boring or just rather blaise, so not much to recap. The few that were exciting included Duquesne getting by BYU 71-67; Dayton defeating Nevada 63-60 after trailing 56-39 with under 8 minutes left in the game; Washington State over Drake [Ed. Note - man am I glad HE lost] 66-61; Oakland besting Kentucky 80-76 (again, more on that later), and Kansas squeaking past Samford 93-89, when this late block was called a foul:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlJVW83EM0XbFJnLjCL5r_90EwcVhqYWweGwK77q-5tNMWLxAmeJuMjrm-yrwzDxuRgnd6x4yPOOnBuJi0sQkngegGe-_zTz8DYnmJicENb5Gnb3krRhLgY1I4I8YH5TpiWno6izyOvO4jWvjYyl5KKN-OwQ3KnPixrM_HSLwfE7D6cBEprwS07Ypm-AD/s534/SamfordBlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="534" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlJVW83EM0XbFJnLjCL5r_90EwcVhqYWweGwK77q-5tNMWLxAmeJuMjrm-yrwzDxuRgnd6x4yPOOnBuJi0sQkngegGe-_zTz8DYnmJicENb5Gnb3krRhLgY1I4I8YH5TpiWno6izyOvO4jWvjYyl5KKN-OwQ3KnPixrM_HSLwfE7D6cBEprwS07Ypm-AD/s320/SamfordBlock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Seriously, that was called a foul!!!</p><p>Now, onto the Kentucky loss. All you need to know about this game is that 6th-year/24 year old guard Jack Gohlke scored 32 points on 10-20 shooting from three-point range. He also shot 10-20 for the entire game. You read that right - HE TOOK ZERO TWO-POINT SHOTS. My dude was on-fire, hitting 7, YES 7, three-pointers in the first half. <b>Hannah Sosa of Riviera Beach, Florida </b>a/k/a Racecar was calling him "Steve Sanders" as it looked like he was a 33 year old playing a college basketball player in a tv show. Apparently she wasn't the only one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsl5vEOtFSFVX9Az6Y_GGVeYxYukO9tVk9PdmzYmYo96WVa2ud5O73dBnDMzAHu5IFSru-1OBcJf1cE5OKx2zOU1EVx_p56uhCXG-GEEI1HIHtQPl-69uhAQNXitUU-oA0rRWd1gC8a4TLi4dJOrf57UTS2BpNtFGloRublGyvrjKXcHMOjuUmlX3a6q8/s2340/GohlkeBing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsl5vEOtFSFVX9Az6Y_GGVeYxYukO9tVk9PdmzYmYo96WVa2ud5O73dBnDMzAHu5IFSru-1OBcJf1cE5OKx2zOU1EVx_p56uhCXG-GEEI1HIHtQPl-69uhAQNXitUU-oA0rRWd1gC8a4TLi4dJOrf57UTS2BpNtFGloRublGyvrjKXcHMOjuUmlX3a6q8/s320/GohlkeBing.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><p>Congratulations Jack Gohlke, you are now an NCAA tournament immortal, right up there with Bryce Drew and Ali Faroukmanesh. Gohlke's ten threes have to be some kind of record, right? Hmmmm, that reminds me ....</p><p>So, it seems obvious to just explore the top three-pointing shooting performances in tournament history, but I already wrote about Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer's 11 made threes from the 1990 tournament back in 2019. You can read that <a href="https://wemakeitrain.blogspot.com/2019/03/2019-ncaa-tournament-pool-results-round.html">HERE.</a> I wrote about that because during that tournament Purdue's Carsen Edwards had games where he made 10, and 9 three pointers. Also hitting 10 in a tournament game was Memphis' Robert Sallie in 2009 and UNLV's Freddie Banks in 1987. None of those seemed like interesting stories to me - except for Edwards' run, but that was so recent that a good number of us probably remember that. But then I remember the 1996 NCAA Championship game (sorry <b>Silas</b>.)</p><p>Kentucky (34-2) played Syracuse (29-9) on April Fool's Day in East Rutherford, New Jersey. That Kentucky team was loaded, led by Tony Delk and Antoine Walker, with Anthony Epps, Derek Anderson, and Walter McCarty also starting. The Wildcats had depth also, bringing Mark Pope, Ron Mercer, Jeff Sheppard - future 1998 Tournament Most Outstanding Player and father of current Wildcat player Reed Sheppard - and Allen Edwards. Syracuse had tour-de-force John Wallace, possibly the biggest one player carries a team to the finals since Kansas' Danny Manning in 1998. Wallace did not disappoint, going for 29 points and 10 rebounds. Kentucky, however, proved too much with Ron Mercer scoring 20 off-the-bench to compliment Tony Delk's 24 as the Wildcats won the title 76-67.</p><p>But it wasn't just Delk's 24 points that were the story of the game - it was how he scored them. He was 7-12 from three point range, hitting six in the first half, just one shy of Gohlke's total last night against Kentucky. Delk's performance may have caused this statement made at the game by Libby Pataki, the wife of New York Governor George Pataki, as Syracuse took the Court after halftime - a statement overheard by <b>Silas Nichols of Washington, DC </b>as he was at the game - "That's OK, you can stay in the zone Coach [Boeheim] - there is no way he hits more than 5 this half!" Well, I guess she was right.</p><p>Delk was drafted 16th overall in the 1996 draft by the Charlotte Hornets, bouncing around a number of NBA teams for 10 seasons, and playing two overseas. In 2001, while playing for the Phoenix Suns, Tony Delk scored 53 points on 20-27 shooting, the only time he scored over 30. I believe it is the only instance of a player scoring 50 points in the NBA having never scored more than 30 in any other game - but honestly I do not feel like looking that up as I am concentrating on the college game today.</p><p>And yes, I wrote this history for two reasons: (1) because I might not get to post anything good about my Wildcats for who knows how many years; and (2) to get the Libby Pataki quote into this blog.</p><p>I just hope Gohlke has a heckuva second-round game so I can tell the story of Ali Faroukmanesh's tournament run.</p><p>Given Gohlke's performance, he is definitely one of the Players of the Day. But, he didn't have the best performance. The Players of the Day are:</p><p><b><u>Players of the Day</u></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">10. Issac Jones, Washington State - 20 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Combination of Riley Minix and Jordan Lathon, Moorehead State - 27 and 23 in a loss</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Kylan Boswell, Arizona - 20 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Armando Bacot, North Carolina - 20 points, 15 rebounds (RJ Davis also had 22)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Antonio Reeves, Kentucky - 27 points on 11/18 shooting; 5/9 from three-point range</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Hunter Dickinson, Kansas - 19 points and 20 rebounds</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Caleb Love, North Carolina - 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Terrence Shannon, Illinois - 26 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Jack Gohlke, Oakland - 32 points - 10/20 from three</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Jermaine Cousinard, Oregon - 40 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal - 14/22 from the field; 5/9 from three; 7/7 from the free throw line</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And Cousinard did all this playing against the school from which he transferred!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Statistics of the Day</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Two of these should come as no surprise, as they have already appeared in this post...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Duquesne won their first tournament game since 1969.</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Gohlke's 32 points on 10-20 shooting from three-point range.</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Dayton trailed Nevada 56-39 with under 8 minutes left to play and won 63-60. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Enrique Freeman for Akron scored 21 points and had 14 rebounds, This was his 31st double-double this season, tying the NCAA record held by North Carolina's Armando Bacot and Navy's David Robinson. Too bad for Freeman that his Zips lost to Creighton 77-60, so he will not have a chance at sole possession of the record.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Social Media Posts of the Day</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. From Twitter (I will not call it "X") - by one of our entrants at 12:40 p.m. E.D.T. yesterday (before the conclusion of a single game in the tournament): "My bracket is already busted. Just getting out ahead of this."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. From before Kentucky's debacle last night ... (thanks Reed).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeL8YqrBea4AnUpsqabsLZbdzJ_DNAymUBKgdDlpYJb1zAqBXulWpe6UjAb56VoyChGNl5JMPcg8Zkdj81-jrnm3JiL8JvR5ECLoRGMmPLshwt2ffgGlcFalLm46teLmDF3FWRJHfkYXDsITquoDVraxwpLRWEGnuy1ZpHyKC3mOjmNUBeqYiWkhpYg9V/s320/Reed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeL8YqrBea4AnUpsqabsLZbdzJ_DNAymUBKgdDlpYJb1zAqBXulWpe6UjAb56VoyChGNl5JMPcg8Zkdj81-jrnm3JiL8JvR5ECLoRGMmPLshwt2ffgGlcFalLm46teLmDF3FWRJHfkYXDsITquoDVraxwpLRWEGnuy1ZpHyKC3mOjmNUBeqYiWkhpYg9V/s1600/Reed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Once again, the internet is undefeated.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5Z2oRQ_UzFrGJ6v5hnPwrtW5uxercFCduDaPgIr7JNw3HZQtWWSbu0lGF-d754Iqxo8rb1vFz3ovaQRZ5Qy8NirflFSblsWWrV-nFeUFumZbTOjoxwydZm2lPu__PUSFehj364dQvRymKx1xhNuSiWFKfRvpWAxnUvH_MuNrR2cqWkzzAect2kU3o2jh/s2340/GohlkeWhites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5Z2oRQ_UzFrGJ6v5hnPwrtW5uxercFCduDaPgIr7JNw3HZQtWWSbu0lGF-d754Iqxo8rb1vFz3ovaQRZ5Qy8NirflFSblsWWrV-nFeUFumZbTOjoxwydZm2lPu__PUSFehj364dQvRymKx1xhNuSiWFKfRvpWAxnUvH_MuNrR2cqWkzzAect2kU3o2jh/s320/GohlkeWhites.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. From Tik-Tokker turned NFL Consultant Annie Agar after Duquesne defeated BYU: "BYU usually doesn't score, but that is on Friday and Saturday nights!"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, back to the pool, since that is what we are all here for. As mentioned earlier, we had 4 games with upsets that qualified for bonus points. We had nobody select all 4. We did have 13 entries that selected 3 of the 4, but only 5 of those included their gurantee. Those people with 3 of the 4 upsets including their guarantee are <b>Jeremy Spuhler of St. Petersburg, Florida, Amanda Staudt of Reston, Virginia, Measha Williams 3 of Houston Texas, Justin Yung of Chapel Hill, North Carolina</b> and <b>Joshua Zdrowak of Tallahassee, Florida by way of Orlando, Florida. </b>But, these are not the Picks of the Day. We only had two people that selected Oakland over Kentucky. For that, our "Picks of the Day" Award goes to <b>Quinn Jackson of Reston, Virginia, </b>and <b>Kisha Marzouca 1 of Boynton Beach, Florida.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A special note to <b>Braeden Helland of Riviera Beach, Florida</b> who correctly picked 15 of the 16 games, missing only Kentucky. And, he still has his guarantee game to play tomorrow.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, for the standings. Although I try my best to be as accurate as possible, please keep in mind that I score these by hand, and my eyes may get a little dreary from time-to-time from looking at all of the brackets. So, I may make a mistake here or there. Just sent me an e-mail or a text and I will re-check the score. But, keep in mind that if I re-check your bracket and I find any mistakes, in either direction I will make the correction. With that being said, on to the standings (ties are listed alphabetically) 1....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Pool Standings after Round 1/Day 1</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Amanda Staudt - 34</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Jeremy Spuhler - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Justin Yung - 33</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Measha WIlliams 3 - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Josh Zdrowak - 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Braeden Helland - 30</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Scott Bieterman 2 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Paul Cummings 3 - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mark Holbert - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Simmons - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Marcus Spruill - 29</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12. Jody Cox - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Melissa Gaynor - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Alvaro Gonzalez - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Matt Hopps - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Marcus Jackson - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dan Laishley - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brian McMahon - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kingfish Parham - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Allison Parker - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Javier Rodriguez - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 3 - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 1 - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Katie Zdrowak - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">25. Daniel Barsky 1 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey 2 (Reynolds) 2 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 3 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Blake Jackson - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 1 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 3 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Piasecki 1 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 4 - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">33. Paul Cummings 2 - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 2 - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Miles Jackson - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lee Pagan - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ashley Poer - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 4 - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Measha Williams 2 - 26</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">40. Tyler Giamberini - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Skip LaForte - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Silas Nichols - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 2 - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bubba Zdrowak - 23</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">45. Clair Bullock - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Joel Chernoff - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jacey 1 (Fowler) - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Bill Ganoe 1 - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> James Garvin - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ty Hedgpeth - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 1 - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Si Nichols - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> A.J. Ripin - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Ryan Rodriguez - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Caroline Spuhler - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cheryl Spuhler - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> George Walks 1 - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jonathan Wasserman - 22</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">59. James Coleman - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kevin Dick - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jenna Finkelstein - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kyle Henderson 2 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Adam Jorgensen 1 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Adam Jorgensen 2 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Marion 2 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 2 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jeff Plamondon - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 3 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Pepe Sosa - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Cassi Spruill - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 1 - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Day Yi - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Amy Zdrowak - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Biscuit Zdrowak - 21</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Zdrowak</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">76. Quinn Jackson - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Katie Kollmeyer - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Derrick Lowe - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jane Reynolds - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 5 - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Logan Spuhler - 20</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">82. John Hedgpeth - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 2 - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kyle Henderson 1 - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Scott Bieterman 1 - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Paul Cummings 1 - 19</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">87. Carolyn Fowler - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Justine Frank - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;"> William Pujals - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mike Wolff 2 - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">91. George Fox 2 - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan 2 - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dawn Lamb - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 3 - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Kisha Marzouca 2 - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Michael McNally - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sasha Moon - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Hannah Sosa - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Lily Spuhler - 16</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">100. George Fox 1 - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Colleen Giamberini - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Guy Hughes - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Nick Kuehl - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 1 - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris O'Neil - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Savannah Grace Pressly - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">107. Daniel Barsky 2 - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Shane Jernigan 1 - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Max Macon 4 - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Matt Okell - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Barkley Sosa - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jason Spuhler - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Keith Wynne - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">114. Dave Marzouca 1 - 13</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jessica Samuels - 13</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">116. Barbie Curlett 1 - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Barbie Curlett 2 - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Arlene Amo Hopps - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Alyssa Hopps - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Dave Marzouca 2 - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Natalie Moon - 12</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">122. Brent Bellinger - 11</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Noel Martinez 1 - 11</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Sean McInerney 1 - 11</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Coco Wynne - 11</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">126. Stephanie Henderson - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Noel Martinez 2 - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Anne-Marie O'Neil - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 10 - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Rich Samuels 2 - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brittany Sosa - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Jamie Toole - 10</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">133. Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 9</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Brigadier General Kareem Montague - 9</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chris Pettit - 9</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">136. Max Marion - 8</div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-45322417741813016202024-03-22T08:58:00.001-04:002024-03-22T08:58:42.196-04:00My Emotional Intelligence: The NCAA Block Squares Pool<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">I am writing this from a classroom in downtown Phoenix AZ where I am a team coach for an internal leadership development academy in my agency. This is important to this post because the
topics today are empathy and managing stress. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you want to know what my takeaways are so far? </p><p class="MsoNormal">First, I
have no empathy for fans of Virginia. Be better you sorry pieces of crap! Last
year in this space, I wrote a post titled “<a href="I am writing this from a classroom in the Maricopa Association of Governors offices in downtown Phoenix where I am a team coach in an internal leadership development academy. This is important because the topics today are empathy and managing stress. Do you want to know what my takeaways are so far? First, I have no empathy for fans of Virginia. Be better you sorry pieces of crap! Last year in this space, I wrote a post titled “Virginia is a Dumpster Fire” where I commented that the fact that Virginia sandwiched a National Championship run in 2019 between two first round exits should be the subject of 30 for 30. That team truly is hot garbage and I can’t be empathetic. My second takeaway is that gambling sucks. Or maybe it is that I suck at gambling and this is stressing me out! There have been a number of exercises in this class to help me manage stress and these don’t work at all. I need to just put my fist through a wall. With that, the first day of games is complete and we have our first 16 winners in the block pool. On to Day 2!" target="_blank">Virginia is a Dumpster Fire</a>” where I
commented that the fact that Virginia sandwiched a National Championship run in
2019 between two first round exits should be the subject of 30 for 30. This year, they didn't even wait until the first round to give a performance worthy of 1960's NIT play. That
team truly is hot garbage and I can’t be empathetic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My second takeaway is
that gambling sucks. Or maybe it is that I suck at gambling and this is
stressing me out! There have been a number of exercises in this class to help
me manage stress and these don’t work at all. I need to just put my fist
through a wall. Thanks Kentucky.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With that, the first day of games is complete and we have
our first 16 winners in the block pool. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhonnN2MSYJ0Jp8-AdcFc7QSUvII5JuGJ5rGS_G1llBqn7As1QxbJjsZhZ4RdFMQkWCgbZhrQ3w1PoaYFeJWyF3w3dasWZKfMc0WwkgHoFOzAC2WPGHNuNKL0a_LozWgiiMw4Qq3IdvhpuXdesul-MLYju9t2pteWkhI_QNGkhD4SpLV3GzWiKwxKkSqVE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="962" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhonnN2MSYJ0Jp8-AdcFc7QSUvII5JuGJ5rGS_G1llBqn7As1QxbJjsZhZ4RdFMQkWCgbZhrQ3w1PoaYFeJWyF3w3dasWZKfMc0WwkgHoFOzAC2WPGHNuNKL0a_LozWgiiMw4Qq3IdvhpuXdesul-MLYju9t2pteWkhI_QNGkhD4SpLV3GzWiKwxKkSqVE=w320-h267" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">On to Day 2!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Your Commissioner. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Sinickalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13816911930192304590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-59322337972896023202024-03-20T22:44:00.001-04:002024-03-20T22:44:20.915-04:00NCAA Tournament Pool - Sosa Family Brackets<p>For fairness purposes, I always post my household family's brackets, so nobody can accuse me of doctoring up our picks or of cheating. Although having never really won in a long time should be enough evidence of that, enough of you are trash talkers that I am going to avoid any potential problems. There might be a few more "Sosa" entries by noon tomorrow, but those are family members that I really, really want to beat, and they don't live in my house, so no need to embarass them publicly by including their brackets. Here we go!</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRyPdkez_byU_LbOpm51NdhYWhhyphenhyphennCNL9bNM3p_73qhJswlt4wZFS9_wWmskTnNTGQH0Dt-NR2jaPOt5rDZSucGF4Rc_9E3MpIjXqoGJk7nS8sCES9Kn8jhdKqcRXYMq871RjVWZRPKdanQvcRdHLEOPRRnTUM7xg606rtFoKw4NIP_ki6dofVK7eP6y8/s3300/BarkleySosaBracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRyPdkez_byU_LbOpm51NdhYWhhyphenhyphennCNL9bNM3p_73qhJswlt4wZFS9_wWmskTnNTGQH0Dt-NR2jaPOt5rDZSucGF4Rc_9E3MpIjXqoGJk7nS8sCES9Kn8jhdKqcRXYMq871RjVWZRPKdanQvcRdHLEOPRRnTUM7xg606rtFoKw4NIP_ki6dofVK7eP6y8/s320/BarkleySosaBracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jv2jXJkX_2dZ5rZaGuBgsJxb9RGuxRai_6k0-qks2GPwo3QDTEtssAHu_YLg9AOTFKqxCTV5nM1vByVE8CaxWKt0aZVxXMdwVVOrSx41PXhg2A2ndX2ixoisdjCwPkDUWGJ69czj0S3n6chUBhziEybSms-yTTeL_fYOvCpE15phWIWhrt0ymDHidGkz/s3300/HannahSosaBracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jv2jXJkX_2dZ5rZaGuBgsJxb9RGuxRai_6k0-qks2GPwo3QDTEtssAHu_YLg9AOTFKqxCTV5nM1vByVE8CaxWKt0aZVxXMdwVVOrSx41PXhg2A2ndX2ixoisdjCwPkDUWGJ69czj0S3n6chUBhziEybSms-yTTeL_fYOvCpE15phWIWhrt0ymDHidGkz/s320/HannahSosaBracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4zMhLB5L07Dtjq2lv1hUi74h6WTWiR1Gk6B0u3Uo1NHNGj46el7lcJPuCHACKJw3ShdvpWZeZqDKQZMz8Tce7rD1aP-Nri93xTzF7hgnwmfcxIQLqT-uLVZvciY36jXEcLOc1Xt7t0FEnIj8LZNlZ4ACcXywjOYQjZBEr717LXopsg3oKQHtSSHLSWE5/s3300/PepeSosaBracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4zMhLB5L07Dtjq2lv1hUi74h6WTWiR1Gk6B0u3Uo1NHNGj46el7lcJPuCHACKJw3ShdvpWZeZqDKQZMz8Tce7rD1aP-Nri93xTzF7hgnwmfcxIQLqT-uLVZvciY36jXEcLOc1Xt7t0FEnIj8LZNlZ4ACcXywjOYQjZBEr717LXopsg3oKQHtSSHLSWE5/s320/PepeSosaBracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-85441272555783597562024-03-17T10:55:00.005-04:002024-03-17T10:55:53.108-04:0063 Shining Moments! Welcome to the 2024 Block Square Pool<p>Happy Selection Sunday everyone and welcome to the 2024 NCAA
Tournament Block Squares Pool! This game is played for entertainment purposes only. For the next three weeks, this space will be
used to communicate administration. The brackets will be unveiled later today
and I am sure that we are all excited for another wild tournament. All of the
blocks for the pool are filled, and the numbers have been drawn. The official pool
has been distributed to everyone and is posted below.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglwtOaHOf0Iw-XhUTXP90HsEeWfuJ8tnOGtdnqKzX6xLi42rDr_vBvgtqccTTdHVtO9bf7ufyRJXPmB6ZFm32XhDGP29xAfDr8xIi8y8WHNERGCSIAOiGw-C2InuFKMuVx4DpZ6FEf6MXtF0qDC68JssGcNqw54guoRTsWOLsrzZsMKds0B6aI-is6Rms" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="2271" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglwtOaHOf0Iw-XhUTXP90HsEeWfuJ8tnOGtdnqKzX6xLi42rDr_vBvgtqccTTdHVtO9bf7ufyRJXPmB6ZFm32XhDGP29xAfDr8xIi8y8WHNERGCSIAOiGw-C2InuFKMuVx4DpZ6FEf6MXtF0qDC68JssGcNqw54guoRTsWOLsrzZsMKds0B6aI-is6Rms=w360-h258" width="360" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
rules for this game are as follows: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Each
entry will keep its numbers for the entirety of the tournament. We will not
re-draw numbers.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A
winning block is one that has a two number combination that matches the last
digits of the final score for each team in the game. As an example, if the Home
team wins a game 78-63, then the box corresponding to Home 8; Away 3 is the
winner. This applies to the final score, not the score at the end of regulation.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For
game tracking, “Home” is defined as the team with the lower number seed and
“Away” as the team with the higher number seed. As an example, if a 4-seed is
playing a 13-seed then the 4-seed is the Home team and the 13-seed is the Away
team.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
we get later in the tournament, there is the possibility of teams with the same
tournament seed playing each other. In these circumstances, the higher ranked
team as established at the start of the tournament will be designated the Home
team. We will be using the overall seeding as published at CBS sports once
the bracket has been unveiled.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
will post an updated “leaderboard” shortly after each day of play that links to
the official game scores and lists winners in this pool.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All
winnings will be paid out at the end of the tournament.</span></li></ol><div></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The pool will pay out winners for all 63 games of the main
tournament played starting with the first game on Thursday, March 21<sup>st</sup>
and finishing in Glendale AZ with the Championship Game. The Play-In games are
not part of this tournament pool. The payouts per round will be:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1<sup>st</sup> Round
Games - 25 each</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2<sup>nd</sup> Round
Games - 50 each</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sweet
16 Games - 100 each</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Elite
8 Games - 200 each</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Final
4 Games - 400 each</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Aptos",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Championship
Game - 1000</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Good luck everyone! I am looking forward to an exciting
tournament.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Your commissioner</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sinickal<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Sinickalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13816911930192304590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-53556467115130395042024-02-19T18:36:00.002-05:002024-02-19T18:36:33.636-05:00Football Season Betting Totals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqng1vpIA1vXWc3SrNgpuiXKvBMOPdLoBgSiTVkLi8OCCS0QwLLxXIND9z57vVo8xLd3quS8XcUgGjwDvbLcNc7bqkXVi10nx1yE_-eVQ6AIr8s508r_izzQWkwBw9mVVZ-L2LM6IUUw0u4ss2y6PVd35C3WRtzkliJ9StG7IeSIqvQc1e-T3ZCpBFDQq/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqng1vpIA1vXWc3SrNgpuiXKvBMOPdLoBgSiTVkLi8OCCS0QwLLxXIND9z57vVo8xLd3quS8XcUgGjwDvbLcNc7bqkXVi10nx1yE_-eVQ6AIr8s508r_izzQWkwBw9mVVZ-L2LM6IUUw0u4ss2y6PVd35C3WRtzkliJ9StG7IeSIqvQc1e-T3ZCpBFDQq/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p>So, we have completed the NFL season, and what a great season it was. Even the Super Bowl, in which I did horrible for most of the bets, the prop bets saved me!!! So, here are the totals for the Super Bowl, the Playoffs, and overall for the season.</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 9-6</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 1-1</div><div>Playoffs' Record: 25-14</div><div>Playoffs' Big Bet: 4-2</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 169-128-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 11-13<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $200.50</div><div>Playoffs' Winnings (Losses): $1,355.50</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,450.50<br /></div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-23442454954009325422024-02-11T12:57:00.001-05:002024-02-11T12:57:19.206-05:00Picks of the Week - SUPER BOWL LVIII<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcgVk8-Srq3cFLL3ZtaXsKn6hSAkXulB32y1FEeODCZzqn7ERWs3HP0JSALRE6fOunzbTFxh1db7-uQczHALm_0KYIQjA6FxiY4onZSex21zpjVWSKiZdmzfvAtjVXnhvv9ZxMHZHhRaa3_Wq2U-OKic1tWbIFyeWQMiQ8PXAwKck4wt53ORLa-AwbBYO/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcgVk8-Srq3cFLL3ZtaXsKn6hSAkXulB32y1FEeODCZzqn7ERWs3HP0JSALRE6fOunzbTFxh1db7-uQczHALm_0KYIQjA6FxiY4onZSex21zpjVWSKiZdmzfvAtjVXnhvv9ZxMHZHhRaa3_Wq2U-OKic1tWbIFyeWQMiQ8PXAwKck4wt53ORLa-AwbBYO/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />It has been an excrutiating two weeks, listening to incels complain about Taylor Swift, listening to asinine interviewers in Vegas, and watching crazy video clips of things like Tua jumping on stage and playing guitar with Darius Rucker during <i>Wagon Wheel</i>! <a href="https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2024/02/10/dolphins-tua-tagovailoa-darrus-rucker-wagon-wheel/">Seriously!!!</a> All I want is to get to what will likely be the most watched Super Bowl ever - and of course make some money. Now, the two-week layoff was in no way too long for me to ruminate on the fact that I had a losing Championship Sunday, but today is another day - complete with prop bets!!!<div><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -1 1/2 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>Yes, I know all about Patrick Mahomes 10-1-1 record against the spread in the playoffs, and how four years ago he turned a 10 point deficit into an 11 point victory against San Francisco for his first Super Bowl win by scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, but this San Francisco defense is older and better, and Kansas City's offense is not as smooth as they have been in the past. The most encouraging point for Kansas City - besides knowing how to win and having Patrick Mahomes - Kadarius Toney will not be playing!!!! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -120 over Kansas City Chiefs (Bet $120 to win $100)</b></div><div>This is simple math; if I think that San Francisco will win as a favorite, and when the money line is this close (Kansas City's best bet is +110), then I have to take San Francisco with the money line. If this doesn't work out - then I have to hope the prop bets come in!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs v. San Francisco 49ers OVER 47 1/2</b></div><div>The one thing we know about these teams is that they can score against anybody. San Francisco was third in the NFL this year, and despite being 15th, Kansas City is, well, Kansas City. Yes both of their defenses are stingy (SF 3rd in points allowed; KC 2nd), but do you honestly believe that 1 touchdown a quarter for each team isn't possible, especially when neither the players nor the coaches will be especially nervous? Plus, it is way more interesting in betting the over than the under.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now on to the prop bets!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Reba McIntyre National Anthem OVER 89.5 seconds (+102 - Bet $100 to win $102)</b></div><div>So, I almost always take the under under for the anthem, but the last two years three years that number has been at 2:00 or over. For Reba, the number is under 1 1/2 minutes - which I have to take.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers OVER 6 1/2 players to catch a pass (Even Money)</b></div><div>So San Francisco likes to spread the ball around. It feels like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Kyle Jusczcyzk will all catch a pass, so this relies upon Elijah Mitchell - or somebody else - to catch one also.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Elijah Mitchell OVER 1 1/2 Rushing Attempts (+110 - Bet $100 to Win $110)</b></div><div>Speaking of Elijah Mitchell, he has a chance to make bettors some real money here. Now of course the offense will be focused on Christian McCaffrey, but he is going to have some breaks - and Mitchell is more than solid. Plus, he had 4 carries against Detroit.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dre Greenlaw UNDER 8 1/2 tackles (-135 - Bet $135 to win $100)</b></div><div>Greenlaw only hit over 8 tackeles in 5 games this year, but Kansas City will likely pass more than the teams San Francisco played this year. So this seems like a good bet to me, especially with Fred Warner playing next to him.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>George Karlaftis OVER .25 sacks (+110 - Bet $100 to win $110)</b></div><div>His motor never stops, and this prop bet gives us the opportunity to win with only 1/2 a sack. Plus, Purdy seems more likely to be sacked than Mahomes (although Purdy is way more mobile than for which he is given credit.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Longest Successful Field Goal - OVER 46 1/2 yards (+102 - Bet $100 to win $102)</b></div><div>Teams do not score a lot of points without hitting some lengthy field goals. Harrison Butker would be my best bet to do this, but I wouldn't put it past either team. With great defenses playing, you have to score points whenever you have the opportunity.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nick Bosa OVER 1 1/2 solo tackles (-160 - Bet $160 to win $100)</b></div><div>Another player whose motor never stops, and he is 50% more motivated than George Karlaftis is. (IYKYK).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nick Bosa Over .25 sacks (-115 - Bet $115 to win $100)</b></div><div>Nick Bosa will get a sack.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Nick Bosa OVER .75 sacks (Even Money)</b></div><div>Nick Bosa will get a sack. This concludes the Nick Bosa Section of our betting).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Patrick Mahomes -16 1/2 yards v. Brock Purdy</b></div><div>Purdy relies more on the running game than Mahomes will, I think, so I expect Mahomes will throw for a significant amount more yards than Purdy does.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers v. Kansas City Chiefs OVER 44 1/2 Pass completions</b></div><div>I expect both players to throw a lot, and be very accurate.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Deebo Samuel + 3 1/2 yards on his first carry</b></div><div>The Forty-Niners like to utilize Deebo in the rush game, and I think his first carry will net at least 4 yards.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Harvard alumnus wins the Super Bowl OVER 1/2</b></div><div>Not a real prop bet, but just a way for me to mention that each team has a Harvard alumnus on their squad - Truman Jones on Kansas City and Kyle Juszczyk on San Francisco.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -1 1/2 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>Yes, I know all about Patrick Mahomes 10-1-1 record against the spread in the playoffs, and how four years ago he turned a 10 point deficit into an 11 point victory against San Francisco for his first Super Bowl win by scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, but this San Francisco defense is older and better, and Kansas City's offense is not as smooth as they have been in the past. The most encouraging point for Kansas City - besides knowing how to win and having Patrick Mahomes - Kadarius Toney will not be playing!!!! </div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Honestly, other than Mahomes, San Francisco has the majority of the true offensive weapons in today's game: McCaffrey, Samuel, Aiyuk, and Kittle, versus Kelce, with Pacheco and Rice getting there. I'll take the weapons.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div><b>Elijah Mitchell OVER 1 1/2 Rushing Attempts (+110 - Bet $100 to Win $110)</b></div><div>Speaking of Elijah Mitchell, he has a chance to make bettors some real money here. Now of course the offense will be focused on Christian McCaffrey, but he is going to have some breaks - and Mitchell is more than solid. Plus, he had 4 carries against Detroit.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>I see Mitchell getting 4 to 5 carries this game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 1-3</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div>Playoffs' Record: 16-8</div><div>Playoffs' Big Bet: 3-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 160-122-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 10-12<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($395)</div><div>Playoffs' Winnings (Losses): $1,155</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,250</div></div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-23700845677014618302024-01-28T11:57:00.004-05:002024-01-28T11:57:59.012-05:00Picks of the Weeks - Conference Championship Weekend!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpwYUDzn43FgepMUhdRYfzUg4ZBmjgwCBv3nPo6BaEDfdawst9VUyAcD6DnoogvikFV5DtbGQCbQvgitWUee4Encxe93zFJHYMbkID1IDKdrnml0Ckl-hDi_TNqv-7O_O2ZImTj0tpEfLuhg_wCf6rFNKp7gvyN1WOz1Y2UNmMOJHyglrPSFCsutWn-BF/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpwYUDzn43FgepMUhdRYfzUg4ZBmjgwCBv3nPo6BaEDfdawst9VUyAcD6DnoogvikFV5DtbGQCbQvgitWUee4Encxe93zFJHYMbkID1IDKdrnml0Ckl-hDi_TNqv-7O_O2ZImTj0tpEfLuhg_wCf6rFNKp7gvyN1WOz1Y2UNmMOJHyglrPSFCsutWn-BF/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p>The fantastic Wildcard Wekeend continued with a 6-2 week in the Divisional Round, including winning both big bets!!! Cannot do much better than that! An amazing playoff run that I hoop continues through Conference Championship Weekend. Either way, this looks like it will be some great football watching today. Who to bet on? Let's see!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs + 4 1/2 at Baltimore Ravens</b></div><div>There is a legitimate chance that the Chiefs could win this game outright, so might as well take the points, right? That, and Patrick Mahomes is 9-1-1 against the spread in his playoffs career. I still expect the Ravens to win the game though, based on the fact that Buffalo easily sliced through the Chiefs defense, exposing what was the thrid best defense in the NFL - and Baltimore is a much better offense than Kansas City.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2</b></div><div>I expect this to be a 50+ point game, despite the fact that these two teams are first (Baltimore) and second (Kansas City) in the NFL in points allowed.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -7 1/2 v. Detroit Lions</b></div><div>A lot of focus will be on the fact that both teams are tough against the run - with Detroit finishing second in the NFL and San Francisco finishing third, but the Lions are much worse against the pass (27th in the NFL) and Deebo Samuel is playing this week to give San Francisco that extra weapon for Detroit to try to stop. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers UNDER 52 1/2</b></div><div>Honestly, I do not feel strongly either way on this. Some sustained drives might limit possessions, keeping the score low - but just a guess.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2</b></div><div>I expect this to be a 50+ point game, despite the fact that these two teams are first (Baltimore) and second (Kansas City) in the NFL in points allowed.</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div>Both offenses should be in full effect in this game. I honestly expected the O/U to be around 47 to 48, so I will take the OVER.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 6-2</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 1-0</div><div>Playoffs' Record: 15-5</div><div>Playoffs' Big Bet: 3-0</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 159-119-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 10-11<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $680</div><div>Playoffs' Winnings (Losses): $1,550</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,645</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-33783205404690602022024-01-19T10:53:00.003-05:002024-01-19T10:53:51.366-05:00Picks of the Week - Divisional Playoffs!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwDHq4wBfEC-jUsUQ-E1EwlFbarQlztQ_qQUy60v4QWoRlOkOF8Mag7v5gJ3MT2nZ2TK3zeq2_AJlLM2Ua1dg6Xi937IrjnDvDx_sflLfnpuVAUBUjOsQKBOXQLYWQzR7V-0OOoX2gneazFNloNTqN4CHK06vbj1aNgHBcfIBNO7i5y48_TvJ_Kp_5MAJ/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwDHq4wBfEC-jUsUQ-E1EwlFbarQlztQ_qQUy60v4QWoRlOkOF8Mag7v5gJ3MT2nZ2TK3zeq2_AJlLM2Ua1dg6Xi937IrjnDvDx_sflLfnpuVAUBUjOsQKBOXQLYWQzR7V-0OOoX2gneazFNloNTqN4CHK06vbj1aNgHBcfIBNO7i5y48_TvJ_Kp_5MAJ/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p>A fantastic start to the playoffs, going 9-3 and winning both big bets!!! My only losses? Detroit and Rams failed to cover, Detroit didn't cover the 3, and Cleveland lost as a favorite. I will take that percentage from here on out!!! Divisional round time!!!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -9 v. Houston Texans</b></div><div>This Texans story is great for the league, and C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell (once he returns) are going to be a burden for the AFC for the forseeable future. Can you imagine if they got a stud running back? But, Baltimore is here now, with the number 1 scoring defense only allowing 16.5 points per game, and the 6th best pass defense to counteract C.J. Stroud's passing attack. A week off and rested, and Lamar Jackson is going to go crazy.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2</b></div><div>Just check out what this Ravens team has done playing other potential Super Bowl contenders this year! Domination after domination. They could score 30+ by themselves, and Houston's offense will push this OVER the top.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers +9 1/2 at San Francisco 49ers</b></div><div>Don't get me wrong, San Francisco wins this game, but this Packers team is much, much different with Aaron Jones at running back. I said that last week when I picked Green Bay +7, and I will do it again with them getting 9 1/2 points. Their 28th ranked rushing defense is going to have really play the game of their lives with Christian McCaffrey, et. al. running the ball.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers OVER 50 1/2</b></div><div>Lots of points here to be scored between the rejuvenated Packers offense averaging 22.5 per game - including games in which Aaron Jones was absent - and a 49ers offense averaging 28.9.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -6 1/2 v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers</b></div><div>This game is likely going to come down to whether or not Tampa Bay's defense can stop the aerial attack of Detroit. Detroit has the wnd-best passing game in the NFL and Tampa's pass defense is 29th. An interesting stat, though, is that Tampa's last-rated rush offense averages only 88.8 yards per game, whereas Detroit's 2nd ranked rush defense gives up only 88.8 yards per game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions UNDER 49 1/2</b></div><div>As you will see, I will be picking the over in the next game, and I cannot select all Overs. This game seems like it is the most likely to end 24-17.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs +3 at Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>If Kadarious Toney doesn't play, this game could be a route by the Chiefs. No, in all seriousness, Rashee Rice has emerged as the go-to receiver in Kansas City not named Travis Kelce, and even though Buffalo's offense is more balanced (8th in passing and 7th in rushing) thanks to Josh Allen's legs and the emergence of James Cook, the aforementioned Allen is likely to make one or two bad turnovers on which the experienced Chiefs will capitalize. And, with all three linebackers for Buffalo hobbling, at best, Pacheco could ultimately overpower the Bills middling rush defense. And I am getting points!!!</div><div> </div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills OVER 45 1/2</b></div><div>I smell shootout!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet I:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs +3 at Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>If Kadarious Toney doesn't play, this game could be a route by the Chiefs. No, in all seriousness, Rashee Rice has emerged as the go-to receiver in Kansas City not named Travis Kelce, and even though Buffalo's offense is more balanced (8th in passing and 7th in rushing) thanks to Josh Allen's legs and the emergence of James Cook, the aforementioned Allen is likely to make one or two bad turnovers on which the experienced Chiefs will capitalize. And, with all three linebackers for Buffalo hobbling, at best, Pacheco could ultimately overpower the Bills middling rush defense. And I am getting points!!!</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, this is Patrick Mahomes' first road playoff game. DID YOU HEAR THAT? HIS FIRST HOME PLAYOFF GAME!!!! But, the experience of the team will take over and the Chiefs win.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet II:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2</b></div><div>Just check out what this Ravens team has done playing other potential Super Bowl contenders this year! Domination after domination. They could score 30+ by themselves, and Houston's offense will push this OVER the top.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The lowest Over/Under of the weekend, and I am pumping the over on this HARD! Lots of points in this game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 9-3</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 2-0</div><div>Playoffs' Record: 9-3</div><div>Playoffs' Big Bet: 2-0</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 153-117-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 9-11<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $870</div><div>Playoffs' Winnings (Losses): $870</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,965</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-40875448502557874842024-01-13T11:58:00.001-05:002024-01-13T11:58:17.682-05:00Picks of the Week - Wilcard Weekend!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExrOOrefVgy7kCfvY7Z16QECMvZRPFg4Z0gvgPTbaj8s6LfV9GkDgqWf9ahleYywO2If0Pqf27jWc8etG5rGVcVR-u8mzr4cJ5RwpfuSf_mObxsFGganvK_tA6oqZggB4scXamSFvFcMaI7AaIh5RtAGigX8KzEgblVWf6bBIxGoNyoKPzl2HkDYQbShK/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExrOOrefVgy7kCfvY7Z16QECMvZRPFg4Z0gvgPTbaj8s6LfV9GkDgqWf9ahleYywO2If0Pqf27jWc8etG5rGVcVR-u8mzr4cJ5RwpfuSf_mObxsFGganvK_tA6oqZggB4scXamSFvFcMaI7AaIh5RtAGigX8KzEgblVWf6bBIxGoNyoKPzl2HkDYQbShK/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Ended the season with a great 10-6 record, meaning my overall record for the regualar season is GREAT at 30 games over .500! I am ridiculously satisfied with this season to date. My only hope is to keep rolling through the playoffs! Let's see how that goes!! And, just as a reminder, the Chicago Bears have the #1 overall pick!!! Open for business!!!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Cleveland Browns -2 at Houston Texans</b></div><div>This Browns defense finished the season 1st overall, 1st in 3rd down percentage, and 1st against the pass - which is Houston's offensive strength. And, with the resurgence of Joe Flacco, especially to Amari Cooper, I am not sure the 23rd ranked pass defense can stop Cleveland. Plus, the Browns just annihilated the Texans 36-22 in Houston on week 16 (and I say annihilate because that game was not even that close. And sure, Davis Mills and Case Keenum quarterbacked Houston instead of C.J. Stroud, but that defense will be the same.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans OVER 44 1/2</b></div><div>Flacco will lead Cleveland to score over 30 just on their own. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs -4 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins</b></div><div>The winner of this game is simply ... the WEATHER. It will be sub-zero cold, literally. Probably not good enough weather to re-energize either of these stagnant offenses, but Miami just has too many injuries, especially along its O-line (Conner Williams) and D-Line (Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips), and other players playing - but hobbled.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs UNDER 43 1/2</b></div><div>Likely lots of running which eats up the clock, especially on long scoring drives. I expect Isaiah Pacheco to have a monster game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buffalo Bills -9 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers</b></div><div>This might be Mike Tomlin's best coaching job to guide this team into the playoffs. Buffalo is on a roll haveing won 5 in a row, and Pittsburgh's defense, which was 22nd overall, 19th against the rush, and 17th against the pass - with T.J. Watt - is not going to stop Buffalo without him. Another game where the weather will be a challenge, but I expect Buffalo to win handily.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills OVER 33 1/2</b></div><div>Yes, you read that correctly, 33 1/2. That is a super-low over/under because of the weather, but I submit, bad weather helps scoring sometimes, with a fumble here, a slipping defender there. Gotta take the over on this one.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers +7 at Dallaw Cowboys</b></div><div>This Dallas team has been up-and-down and face a surprising Green Bay Packers team that is much, much better with Aaron Jones in the lineup. I expect the Cowboys to advance, but it should be a tight one.</div><div> </div><div><b>Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys OVER 50 1/2</b></div><div>This game could be a shootout - and that is what I am betting.'</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -3 v. Los Angeles Rams</b></div><div>Would you want to disappoint Dan Campbell with a first-round playoff loss? Yeah, me either.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions OVER 51 1/2</b></div><div>This is the 5th-highest scoring offense (Detroit) versus the 8th-highest scoring offense (Los Angeles), with both teams in the bottom third in scoring defense. This means ... POINTS!!!</div><div> </div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 v. Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>Tampa Bay getting points at home to a struggling Eagles team that lost 5 of its last 6, and its lone win a one-possession victory over the Giants. Add to that fact that A.J. Brown is out, and Devonta Smith is hobbled, and all of a sudden it is harder to score on Tampa's 29th-ranked passing defense. Should Philly rely on the run, Tampa is stout there - 5th in the NFL.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers UNDER 43 1/2</b></div><div>Tampa is not going to give up a lot of points to Philadelphia (maybe 10 or 14), and likely won't score enough to push this to the over.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet I:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 v. Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>Tampa Bay getting points at home to a struggling Eagles team that lost 5 of its last 6, and its lone win a one-possession victory over the Giants. Add to that fact that A.J. Brown is out, and Devonta Smith is hobbled, and all of a sudden it is harder to score on Tampa's 29th-ranked passing defense. Should Philly rely on the run, Tampa is stout there - 5th in the NFL.</div></div></div><div>Baker Mayfield has played big in the playoffs before, and I feel that he will come through again!</div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><div><b>Big Bet II:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans OVER 44 1/2</b></div><div>Flacco will lead Cleveland to score over 30 just on their own. </div><div>I shied away from picking Cleveland as my big bet since they are on the road and giving up points, as opposed to Tampa at home getting points, but I can double that up here by relying on 3 Tds between Njoku and Cooper, plus more from Cleveland.</div></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 10-6</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 144-114-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-11<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $175</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,095</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-17638285642686514782024-01-07T11:58:00.004-05:002024-01-07T11:58:28.909-05:00Picks of the Week<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7jtdDS4vihx7htIwHnpO5KzSzFgJipZ4WXg48g4c1WRWXuQ8044VCin-nztOOElmx9-u9lcdcf5S-h3lLPqA0EJKRYHgSYA2RYfFaNWCT4GcJN5e-Akr5FRYtKhwUxwYZTafveoRQ559UxFg7ls0s-s2NiZXSWaO7riBQ0ZnR5hHFqwDl6mdNt_LBy62/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7jtdDS4vihx7htIwHnpO5KzSzFgJipZ4WXg48g4c1WRWXuQ8044VCin-nztOOElmx9-u9lcdcf5S-h3lLPqA0EJKRYHgSYA2RYfFaNWCT4GcJN5e-Akr5FRYtKhwUxwYZTafveoRQ559UxFg7ls0s-s2NiZXSWaO7riBQ0ZnR5hHFqwDl6mdNt_LBy62/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>UGLY, UGLY, UGLY!!! That is the only way to explain last week's results. And this week is likely to be even worse with so many starters not even playing, some teams with incentives, and a lot with not. Who even knows. Prayers and luck this week, for sure.</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -3 at Baltimore Ravens</b></div><div>Yes, I know I should always pick the home team on a short week, but Pittsburgh needs a win to qualify for the playoffs - with some help - and Baltimore is sitting Lamar Jackson and other starters, and even playing Laquon Treadwell.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts +1 /2 v. Houston Texans</b></div><div>Both teams have something to play for, as the winner is in the playoffs, whereas the loser is not. Can't take the visiting team on a short week in both games, and this game should be incredibly close. Now if only Tyler Goodson holds onto the damn ball!!! (Yes I know, it was thrown a bit behind him too.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New Orleans Saints -3 v. Atlanta Falcons</b></div><div>The winner of this game wins the NFC South at 8-8 IF Carolina manages to upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so this game is important. Sains have won 3 of their last 4, including defeating Tampa Bay last week; whereas the Falcons have lost 3 of their last 4, including being destroyed by the Bears last week and a 9-7 loss to the hapless Panthers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jacksonville Jaguars -3 1/2 at Tennessee Titans</b></div><div>Simply put, there is just too much at stake for Jacksonville, as a win gives them the AFC South title, whereas a loss puts them out of the playoffs entirely. Jacksonville defense has been horrid this year (22nd overall and 27th against the pass), but Tennessee's offense has been equally putrid (27th overall and 28th passing). With Trevor Lawrence and Will Levis both hobbling, could it come down to C.J. Beatherd v. Ryan Tannehill? I think Calvin Ridley finally shows up, and the Jaguars win, even as favorites on the road.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -4 v. Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>Does Dan Campbell strike you as someone that lets his foot off the gas? Yeah, me neither.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New England -2 1/2 v. New York Jets</b></div><div>Despite their 4-12 record, New England has been playing tough, close games. And, given that this might be Bill Belichick last game, I expect the Patriots to win this game fairly convincingly.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -4 at Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>This game is way too eeerily similar to the Jaguars situation. Buccaneers win and their are the NFC South champions; lose and they go home. Also playing the basement-dweller in their division. I imagine that one of these two games is an upset, although I cannot pick either of them to happen. Baker Mayfield rolls.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cincinnati Bengals -7 1/2 v. Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>Jeff Driskel starting fot the Browns as Cleveland is stiting a number of its star players. Jake Browning might be playing for a potential starting job on another team for next year, or at least a prime backup role on a squad with an oft-injured QB.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers -3 v. Chicago Bears</b></div><div>The Bears are playing better than anybody, having won 5 of 7, and in those two losses had double-digit leads into the 4th quarter. But, the Packers have the chance to make the playoffs. And no matter how much ever Bears player and fan hates the Packers and would love to knock them out of the playoffs, Green Bay has much more incentive in this game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Philadelphia Eagles -5 at New York Giants</b></div><div>God do I hate betting this many road intra-divisional favorites, but the Eagles NEED this. Not so much for the playoffs or the divisional title (although a win with help could give them the latter), but they just need to play a good ball game.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Arizona Cardinals + 3 v. Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>Seattle has just been playing too many close games. Arizona has the 6th best rushing team in the NFL and Seattle is 30th against the rush. James Conner and Michael Carter for the cover.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -4 v. Los Angeles Rams</b></div><div>Nobody is playing, so who cares. I gotta hope the 49ers depth is better than the Rams depth.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders -3 v. Denver Broncos</b></div><div>This Raiders team has been playing inspired football under Antonio Pierce. If they just had a talented quarterback. I wonder if they would trade this year's, 2025's and 2026's firsts, this year's second, and next year's third for the number one overall pick? Or, instead of 2026's first, throw in a player?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Chargers -3 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>We will have a Blaine Gabbert sighting!!! Although to be honest, Kansas City hasn't been amazing even with Patrick Mahomes. I'll take Easton Stick sounds like I am in a craft drink lounge.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -13 at Washington Commanders</b></div><div>Too many points, on the road, in an intradivsional game - except, the Cowboys need this to win the division, and the Commanders aren't playing for anything, except for a trade with the Bears if they like Caleb Williams.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buffalo Bills -3 at Miami Dolphins</b></div><div>I might as well keep the road favorites train rolling. The Bills are the third-betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, and if they lose this game they miss the playoffs. The Dolphins are without Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Waddle, not to mention their rush edges Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>New England Patriots -2 1/2 v. New York Jets</b></div><div>Despite their 4-12 record, New England has been playing tough, close games. And, given that this might be Bill Belichick last game, I expect the Patriots to win this game fairly convincingly.</div><div>Had to select a home team, and at least this will give me a reason to watch this game.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 6-10</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 134-108-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-10<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($665)</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $920</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-86312243444162178632023-12-30T15:11:00.008-05:002023-12-31T11:14:52.636-05:00Picks of the Week<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zFqOvHvnfIA0VXW6LxgkNl_3hgH0VHZ9ua9jCIhGeHBnYYx7G_NzPeoYBtHYXP-RRlJ4Vh0gNsxzcyKjyZ4ZoimcoD1fk_bmQ-j3bbRfeuMfaDn5_7b2zrhlfrXdWVyHaxtmjJ693oAg9z_ksV03n4V1V4Ey9hu9XENTHi88UoQe831ZDbl4cSfXRkmw/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zFqOvHvnfIA0VXW6LxgkNl_3hgH0VHZ9ua9jCIhGeHBnYYx7G_NzPeoYBtHYXP-RRlJ4Vh0gNsxzcyKjyZ4ZoimcoD1fk_bmQ-j3bbRfeuMfaDn5_7b2zrhlfrXdWVyHaxtmjJ693oAg9z_ksV03n4V1V4Ey9hu9XENTHi88UoQe831ZDbl4cSfXRkmw/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p>Last week's results were almost the exact opposite as the previous week. Two weeks ago with 5 to 10 munutes left in the 1:00 games I was basically 9-1, and with a lot of scores changing the outcome in the early games, I lost money. This week at the 1:00 juncture with a quarter left, I was 1-2, and losing 5 of 6 games. Thank god for the turnaround as a few games switched, and a strong finish in the p.m. games and on Monday led to a winning record. Can you say STREAK?!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Cleveland Browns -7 v. New York Jets</b></div><div>Home team on a short week, especially when the home team has been playing well! Long live Joe Flacco! I bet the Jets wish they had a veteran like him!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -5 1/2 v. Detroit Lions</b></div><div>I initially picked Detroit, and I really, really want to take Detroit here - especially at this number - but this game is also a short week game, so I changed my mind. Both of these teams are solid to great on both sides of the ball. The slightest kink in each's armor: Detroit is 23rd in passing defense going against Dallas' 6th ranked pass offense; Dallas in 19th in rushing defense going against Detroit's 3rd ranked run game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicago Bears -3 v. Atlanta Falcons</b></div><div>This Chicago Bears team is a couple of mismanaged end-of-game coaching from having won 7-in-a row. I am not saying the deserved to win all of those games, nor would they have if not for poor coaching, but just saying this team is way closer than people think. If they manage Carolina's first overall pick well, i.e. trading back even 5 to 9 spots for an appropriate package (or even better, trading to 2 or 3, then trading back again!), and they select well in this year's draft (plus extra firsts in 2025 and 2026), they could be set for awhile!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Miami Dolphins +3 at Baltimore Ravens</b></div><div>Both teams played great against good opponents last week, Miami beating Dallas and Baltimore dismantling San Francisco. I feel that if one of the teams is going to suffer a letdown this week it might be the Ravens, but only because they are playing on a short week, whereas the Dolphins have their regular 7-days between games. So, this paragraph is what I wrote on Saturday, when I first published this week's picks. But, my actual pick, when thinking about this and deciding Miami just might be too banged up to deal with Baltimore, my official pick is ...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -3 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins</b></div><div>So, I lost an extra half-point by changing my mind, but so be it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans -4 v. Tennessee Titans</b></div><div>Houston, fighting for a playoff spot - and evening a divisional championship - have C.J. Stroud back!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New England +14 at Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>Buffalo wins this game, but most of their games have been close. New England's last few games have been (L7, L10, W3, L6, L3, L4, L4, L3) in the last eight weeks. This game should be easily within 2 touchdowns.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>New York Giants +6 v. Los Angeles Rams</b></div><div>I am torn between two betting rules here: The Rams are a west coast team traveling east and playing in the 1:00 time slot (disadvantge) versus the Giants who are playing on a short week (disadvantage). I will take the Giants because they are getting points, and because Tyrod Taylor is the professional quarterback that can at least keep them settled.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Washington Commanders +13 1/2 v. San Francisco 49ers</b></div><div>Is it bad that I want to select Washington here? San Francisco is a west coast team traveling east playing in the 1:00 time slot AND they are playing on a short week. I suppose I can just hope Washington can keep it close AND they have been playing much better when Jacoby Brissett has been behind center, which he will do from the start Sunday.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Philadelphia Eagles -12 v. Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>So Philadelphia is playing on a short week, but sometimes a short-week team covers. This week it will be Philadelphia, as Arizona is hoping for Carolina's third loss to aid them in their quest for the first overall pick, and the subsequent trade haul it could garner from team's that need a QB. <i>See</i> <i>Bears, Chicago.</i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2 1/2 v. New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>Does anybody really want to play the Buccaneers right now? Or, in the playoffs? Tampa Bay is on a 4-game winning streak with Baker Mayfield just playing lights-out!</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Carolina Panthers +4 at Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>Trevor Lawrence is missing his first NFL game due to an injury, and although C.J. Beatherd is a legitimate NFL backup and won't panic in the pocket, the Panthers have been playing well, losing by 3 to the Packers last week, defeating the Falcons the week prior, and losing to the Buccaneers by 3 two weeks before that. Closer than it should be, and Carolina at least covers, if not wins outright.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts -4 v. Las Vegas Raiders</b></div><div>Antonio Pearce has the Raiders playing inspired football lately, but they suffer from the double-whammy of traveling to the Eastern time zone to play in the 1:00 time slot AND they are on a short week. That might just be too much to overcome. Gardner Minshew is also hunting for the AFC South title. Sorry, I just made every Jaguar fan cringe!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Seattle Seahawks -4 v. Pittsburgh Steelers</b></div><div>Too bad for Rudolp (Mason) that Christmas is over. We can all go back to mocking him and not letting him play reindeer games. (Or at least I hope!)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Angeles Chargers +3 1/2 at Denver Broncos</b></div><div>Dysfunction, dysfunction, dysfunction - and this has nothing to do with Jarret Stidham. Even if some of the roster are anti-Russell Wilson, they are not anti-administration screwing with players and the players' money. I am not talking about benching him for 2 games to protect an off-season trade from injury; I am talking about the revelation that the Broncos came to Wilson after the Broncos defeated the Chiefs and told him to renegotiate his contract downward or he would be benched BACK THEN!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cincinnati Bengals +6 1/2 at Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>Yes, I know that Joe Burrow and most likely J'Marr Chase are not playing. But, Jake Browning has been playing well (a 98.5 rating compared to Patrick Mahomes' 91.7), and the Chiefs have not been playing that well. Plus, they are on a short week. I'll take almost a touchdown.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Minnesota Vikings -1 v. Green Bay Packers</b></div><div>A one-point spread in what is basically a playoff elimination game for the loser of this divisional rivalry. Lots to digest in this game, as Jaren Hall will be making the start over Nick Mullens, who moved the ball well, but just turned it over too much. Hall was 8/10 for 101 yards in his first game this year, so there is potentail, especially given his talented skill position players, including Justin Jefferson and Ty Chandler. Chandler could feast against the NFL's 30th ranked run defense. And speaking of the Packers' defense, star cornerback Jaire Alexander is suspended and will not dress for talking the field as a captain last week when he was not a captain, and then electing to defend instead of defer when Green Bay won the toss. He was lucky that the coaching staff had previously expressed to the officials they would defer if they won the toss, so the officials bailed out Alexander, otherwise we could have seen a game where Carolina received the ball with the opening kickoff IN BOTH HALVES!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2 1/2 v. New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>Does anybody really want to play the Buccaneers right now? Or, in the playoffs? Tampa Bay is on a 4-game winning streak with Baker Mayfield just playing lights-out!</div><div>I am riding with team Baker on this one. I do like Houston, New England, and Chicago here, but I am taking Tampa Bay.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 9-5-2</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 128-98-14</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-9<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $185</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,585</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-17466632165422346042023-12-23T17:21:00.004-05:002023-12-23T17:21:35.992-05:00Picks of the Week<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAsc-E4OrJUGOsahaI6XfFv8aH9_7hZnrkcBlSZUAKPklKsoLSj5VozpgPil2uer6jn2TkJLqADKJXm7TTSA6Nl0z3QAk5faKjz32nWQiXiM9W-yn07V7I_XoXDEsFEoOpXFUC5D7B6j6fZiXzfkq16ewi47MTCdOXKb_iDDaCCkm-QKcp7CUK3jLrfSk/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAsc-E4OrJUGOsahaI6XfFv8aH9_7hZnrkcBlSZUAKPklKsoLSj5VozpgPil2uer6jn2TkJLqADKJXm7TTSA6Nl0z3QAk5faKjz32nWQiXiM9W-yn07V7I_XoXDEsFEoOpXFUC5D7B6j6fZiXzfkq16ewi47MTCdOXKb_iDDaCCkm-QKcp7CUK3jLrfSk/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p>Pathetically average week, but losing the Big Bet hurts a lot! Try to turn this around this week, with a good start on Thursday! Merry Christmas everyone, and good luck betting!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Los Angeles Rams -4 v. New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>Home team on a short week, especially when the home team has been playing well!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cincinnati Bengals -3 at Pittsburgh Steelers</b></div><div>I know that I am going against the above adage - home team on a short week, but the Bengals have been cruising under Jake Browning. But, could it be stupid to bet against Rudolph (Mason) on Christmas weekend?!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buffalo Bills -12 at Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>This is absolutely ridiculous! I mean, I get why it is this high - what is an Easton Stick anyway? - but why am I picking it? Gut feeling, and the Chargers have among the worst defenses in the NFL (30th overall, 28th scoring, 30th passing yards) Calling Stefon Diggs!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicago Bears -4 v. Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>Chicago took the league's best defense down to the wire, and if not for a dropped TD on the final Hail Mary, would have beat them. Arizona's is nowehere near the level of the Browns (26th overall, 31st rushing, 31st scoring), but Chicago's defense may be close to that level now.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tennessee Titans +3 v. Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>Seattle coming off an emotional upset win on Monday night, are ripe for an upset, especially since they are playing on a short week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts +2 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons</b></div><div>Atlanta's defense is playing very well this year (9th in total defense), and they were starting to use Bijan Robinson a bit, and then last week's loss to the horrendous Panthers happened. And, Gardner Minshew is ripe to take this team to the playoffs, especially with Jonathan Taylor back.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Cleveland Browns -3 at Houston Texans</b></div><div>Case Keenum is a legitimate NFL quarterback, and is not going to be scared by being on the field. The problem for him is that Cleveland's defense just runs through everyone. And, Joe Flacco is still a legit NFL quarterback as well. He might get sacked a few more times than normal, but he will fling it around the field.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers -4 at Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>Even in a win, the Panthers managed to look awful. See last week's 9-7 win over Atlanta.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Washington Commanders +3 at New York Jets </b></div><div>I don't like this line one bit. I actually wrote it selecting Washington, and picking New York. Either way, I don't like it. But, I really don't Trevor Siemian.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -3 at Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>This Lions offense is really potent (3rd overall, 4th passing, 2nd rushing, 5th scoring), and although Nick Mullens can play, Detroit is within range of home-field advantage.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1 1/2 v. Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>Jacksonville is in the midst of a three-game slump, and even with Trevor Lawrence being out of concussion protocol, their 25th ranked defense (overall/29th passing and 21st scoring) may have its collective hands full with a team that has won 3 games in a row scoring 34, 29, and 21 in those wins.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Miami Dolphins -2 v. Dallas Cowboys</b></div><div>I honestly think that the Cowboys are going to win this game. But ... I cannot pick 3 visiting teams on short weeks, and I already picked Cincinnati and Buffalo.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New England Patriots +7 at Denver Broncos</b></div><div>New England has played teams tough, losing by 10 last week to Kansas City. Denver is not Kansas City. I don't think Denver can score enough points to cover this spread against the Patriots defense (8th total, 2nd in rushing defense).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders +10 1/2 at Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>There is no way Las Vegas is as good as their 63-point outburst last week, but they just may be good enough to cover a double digit spread against a team that has been struggling a bit in the past month or so.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Philadelphia Eagles - 13 1/2 v. New York Giants</b></div><div>A double-digit spread against an intra-divisional rival is almost always an automatic no-no (see Raiders above). But, this is where the Tommy DeVito experience comes crashing to the ground like a feast of sleeping with 7 fishes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens +6 at San Francisco 49ers</b></div><div>I just think that this game is going to be incredibly close. Because of that, I'll take the points. But, Nick Bosa might have the best game of any edge rusher ever. I am assuming that he is going to be extra motivated (IYKYK) against the one team in the NFL with an all-black quarterback room (3 QBs, OC, QB coach). Baltimore still keeps it close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Green Bay Packers -4 at Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>Even in a win, the Panthers managed to look awful. See last week's 9-7 win over Atlanta.</div></div></div><div>I hate picking visiting teams giving points as my big bet, but there are not a lot of other choices out there. I thought about the Browns, but they are in the same situation as the Packers being on the road giving up points. The Colts and Raiders were also on my radar. I am just hoping that Aaron Jones comes back from injury and has a terrific game (as I need him for fantasy too!)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 7-7-2</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 119-93-12</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-8<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($235)</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,400</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-3162176807585872012023-12-16T12:03:00.005-05:002023-12-16T12:07:55.672-05:00Picks of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-J9h9DxTie4ePBiyz3JAULF_u5ZeQN695NidiCJVkYzX-0ydxZOJbj-gIRMEWNPQ7dtYbcy2qqdLTrxlGScAwa0gahbkNGkfCkYV2NvzScofeagqOwdlZK0-ZKzh_u2XgklN6h0zTOlmHwTKLZsMpSRdn91TCr-1UfwdGUCz6pIy5d6Rv_-g6w50Gn6H/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-J9h9DxTie4ePBiyz3JAULF_u5ZeQN695NidiCJVkYzX-0ydxZOJbj-gIRMEWNPQ7dtYbcy2qqdLTrxlGScAwa0gahbkNGkfCkYV2NvzScofeagqOwdlZK0-ZKzh_u2XgklN6h0zTOlmHwTKLZsMpSRdn91TCr-1UfwdGUCz6pIy5d6Rv_-g6w50Gn6H/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p>Got absolutely hammered last week, and not only that - lost the big bet too!!! Definite correction from this year, but hopefull prepping for the Saturday games gives me time to process the Sunday/Monday games, and really hit a bounce-back week. It started well Thursday night.</p><p>It is Week 15, so good luck to everyone in your Fantasy Football playoffs!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders -3 v. Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>I still hate this pick, even after the Raiders 63-21 victory, but glad I made it!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cincinnati Bengals -3 v. Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>This is a tough game to pick, because most of the yearly stats are irrelevant due to Jake Browning and Nick Mullens being the starters. This is more worrisome for Minnesota, as they had the 8th best passing offense in the NFL. The return of Justin Jefferson absolutely helps Nick Mullens, but Jake Browning seemed pretty settled in last week. Plus - home team/short week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts -1 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers</b></div><div>How can two teams have the exact same, above-.500 record, and yet be so diametrically opposed? Pittsburgh going downhill, fast. And on a short week - I'll take the home team (I know, shocking, right?!)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -5 v. Denver Broncos</b></div><div>I talked to some of the world's leading minds - including several actuaries - and nobody can explain this year's Denver Broncos. Apparently they have the best defense in the NFL since their annihilation at the hands of the Dolphins (70-20 for those that forgot), but that still only gives them the 22nd best scoring defense, 24th best passing defense, and 32nd ranked rushing and total defense. Crazily enough, they do have the 2nd best 3rd down percentage defense. The Lions offense is just the opposite (3rd in total offense; 5th in rushing; 7th in passing and scoring). Plus, they are at home, and just look ... better. Disregard the Bears loss because they Bears just play them tough in general. Sometimes it IS about matchups.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Chicago Bears +3 at Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>The Bears have played tough in November and December, and look to keep that up against a Joe Flacco-led offense whose primary dimension - running the ball - plays into the Bears 2nd-ranked rushing defense.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New England Patriots +8 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>The struggling Chiefs head to New England to play a team that hasn't lost by more than this spread line since week 8. It is supposed to be rainy and windy in Foxboro.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>New York Jets +8 v. Miami Dolphins</b></div><div>Won't the real Zach Wilson please stand up, please stand up. Honestly, this pick is less about Wilson, and more about the fact that a LOT of key Dolphins could miss this game, including several lineman and Tyreek Hill. Plus, the Dolphins played Monday night.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tennessee Titans -3 v. Houston Texans</b></div><div>This is a really difficult pick because Tennessee played Monday night, but as of now we are not sure whether C.J. Stroud can play for Houston. Given that he is still listed as "doubtful," I will have to take the medical staff's word for it and pick Tennessee. This doubly hurts since Stroud is my fantasy QB (well 1 of 2 starters) and the pickings are slim in a 2 QB leauge. Guess I am not a Tommy DeVito fan!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>New York Giants +5 1/2 at New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>And, speaking of ... If any team can prepare for Tommy DeVito at QB, it is the New Orleans Saints, who basically have their own DeVito in Taysom Hill. But, New Orleans' defense is 26th against the rush, so we should see a healthy dose of Saquan Barkley, or, at least enough to keep this close. I hate this pick because the Giants also played Monday night. Ugh!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Atlanta Falcons -3 at Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>The Chicago Bears' dream of back-to-back overall number 1 picks is still alive-and-kicking thanks to the dreadul Panthers offense (30th in scoring; 30th in total offense; 31st in passing offense). The Panthers D is great against the pass (3rd), but part of that is teams are easily head and run the ball almost exclusively late (22nd rush defense). Since Atlanta has found Bijan Robinson, I look for a healthy dose of running the ball.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 1/2 at Green Bay Packers</b></div><div>As of now, it looks like Aaron Jones will return for the Packers, and even with Jones I expect this to be a close game. If he cannot return, or if he is limited by his injury, and with Christian Watson out - Tampa should cover on the road. Plus Green Bay played Monday night, and I already picked 2 teams from Monday Night even though it is a short week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -12 at Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>So, picking San Francisco as an intradivisional double-digit favorite last week hurt me, but even then they actually beat Seattle by 12, and Seattle is a much better tean than Arizona, which is 27th in scoring and 24th in total defense.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Rams -6 at Washington Commanders</b></div><div>At least the Rams get the 4:00 time slot coming from the west coast. Anybody wonder if the Commanders defense is missing Montez Sweat and Chase Young yet?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys +2 1/2 at Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>Even though Buffalo beat the Chiefs last week, they are still 2-3 in their last 5 games. On paper this is a close game with Dallas and Buffalo 1st and 5th in scoring; and 4th and 6th, respectively, in scoring defense. In close games I take the points. Also, this game is not going to be as close as on paper.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -3 1/2 at Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>Jacksonville is a solid playoff team, but, they just look like they are missing a little something when watching them play (like a Trevor Lawrence connection with Calvin Ridley). Hopefully they get that back before the playoffs to make the AFC a bit more exciting. But for now, they host the Ravens who have won 3 in a row and 7 of their last 8.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Philadelphia Eagles -3 at Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>Seattle is led by Drew Lock, who will not be enough to overcome the damage Philadelphia's offense is going to do to the 26th ranked scoring defense in the NFL (and 28th in total defense).</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>Tennessee Titans -3 v. Houston Texans</b></div><div>This is a really difficult pick because Tennessee played Monday night, but as of now we are not sure whether C.J. Stroud can play for Houston. Given that he is still listed as "doubtful," I will have to take the medical staff's word for it and pick Tennessee. This doubly hurts since Stroud is my fantasy QB (well 1 of 2 starters) and the pickings are slim in a 2 QB leauge. Guess I am not a Tommy DeVito fan!</div></div><div>Tennessee gets the Big Bet because they are home - and most of my other favorite picks are on the road. Plus, just last week they beat the vaunted Dolphins offense by holding Miami to only 27.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 4-10-1</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 112-86-10</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-7<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($865)</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,635</div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-50017265009336445812023-12-10T11:53:00.003-05:002023-12-10T11:53:44.233-05:00Picks of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-J9h9DxTie4ePBiyz3JAULF_u5ZeQN695NidiCJVkYzX-0ydxZOJbj-gIRMEWNPQ7dtYbcy2qqdLTrxlGScAwa0gahbkNGkfCkYV2NvzScofeagqOwdlZK0-ZKzh_u2XgklN6h0zTOlmHwTKLZsMpSRdn91TCr-1UfwdGUCz6pIy5d6Rv_-g6w50Gn6H/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-J9h9DxTie4ePBiyz3JAULF_u5ZeQN695NidiCJVkYzX-0ydxZOJbj-gIRMEWNPQ7dtYbcy2qqdLTrxlGScAwa0gahbkNGkfCkYV2NvzScofeagqOwdlZK0-ZKzh_u2XgklN6h0zTOlmHwTKLZsMpSRdn91TCr-1UfwdGUCz6pIy5d6Rv_-g6w50Gn6H/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p>Last week was the third week this year with only 3 losses or less! Too bad one of my losses was the Big Bet. If I keep this up, I could make this a profession! (Hint - it won't keep up; don't worry). But, a helluva year it has been. Let's hope it continues.</p><p>It is Week 14, so for those of you fantasy players fighting for a playoff spot - good luck!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -5 1/2 v. New England Patriots</b></div><div>When two horrible teams play, I ordinarily just take the points. The problem here was Pittsburgh was the home team on a short week. I should have known better due to my first sentence - after all home teams on short weeks only cover a bit more than 2/3 of the time. I should have known this was a 1/3.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicago Bears +3 1/2 v. Detroit Lions</b></div><div>The Lions won 31-26 at home versus the Bears in Week 11, right about the time the Bears defense starting to really dominate. This game is at home, and the Bears #1 ranked rush defense may be able to keep the score close. Plus, I love a home team getting points.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Carolina Panthers +5 1/2 at New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>This is just a gut pick because New Orleans has been playing poorly - losing their last 3 games and their last win coming in Week 9 against the Bears, who were worse than they are now.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -7 1/2 v. Los Angeles Rams</b></div><div>The Rams are in the playoff hunt after winning their last 3 games, but they are a west coast team traveling east and playing in the 1:00 time slot. The Ravens defense makes sure that this game isn't particularly close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts +2 1/2 at Cincinnati Bengals</b></div><div>Very impressive performance by Cincinnati's offense - and especially Jake Browning - on Monday night against the Jaguars. But it was a Monday night, making this a short week, so I will take the points and the perpetually underrated Gardner Minshew.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Jacksonville Jaguars + 1 1/2 at Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>So, even after picking AGAINST Cincinnati because they played Monday night, I am picking FOR Jacksonville who played in the same game. That is because this Browns team with Joe Flacco is not the same. Yes, he gives some stability, but the explosiveness isn't there and despite Jerome Ford's great season, this offense really misses Nick Chubb.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2 at Atlanta Falcons</b></div><div>Does anybody really believe that this game has serious playoff implications?! Well, it does. Give me the points in an awful game. Bonus bet, Richaad White outgains Bijon Robinson in yards from scrimmage.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans -3 at New York Jets</b></div><div>This Jets defense is legit, and has been playing awesome the last few weeks, even in losses. but, this is a tremendous passing offense and even without Tank Dell, Houston will move the ball. The wildcard? Do we get a refreshed Zach Wilson out to prove he belongs in the NFL, or do we get a depressed, anxious Zach Wilson that tries to force things? I think the latter, and Houston's defense comes up with a big turnover or two.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -14 v. Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>San Francisco has been throttling teams, winning their last four games by over a 23 point average, including a 31-13 vicotry over this same Seattle team in Week 12. And this game is in San Francisco!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders +3 v. Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>Las Vegas has been playing teams tough, even though they have lost their last 4 games. Minnesota has a turnover maching at quarterback. Strip sack by Maxx Cosby anyone?</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs -1 v. Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>Two teams underperforming, but I will take Kansas City because of: (1) Josh Allen's turnovers; and (2) The fact that Kansas City's defenses is just a littttttle bit better (3 v. 5 scoring; 14th v. 17th 3rd down percentage; 19 v. 20 rushing; 6th v. 8th passing; and 4th v. 13th overall).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Denver Broncos -3 at Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>The smoke-and-mirrors that was 5 consecutive wins for the Broncos may have ended with their 22-17 loss to Houston last week; except now they play the worst defense in the NFL.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -3 1/2 v. Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>The Cowboys offense is humming, having scored no less than 33 points in their 4 wins since losing 28-23 to the Eagles in Philadelphia in Week 9. And, this game is at home.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers -6 1/2 at New York Giants</b></div><div>Not sure what has gotten into Jordan Love, but he has been playing great in the Packers' three-game winning streak, and now they get to play the worst offense and the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Miami Dolphins -13 1/2 v. Tennessee Titans</b></div><div>This is a huge point spread, but this late in the season most of the betting services have a pretty good idea of what is going on in the league. Plus, the Dolphins have scored 34 and 45 in their last two weeks after a close win versus the Raiders in Week 11. Tennessee is 22nd in passing defense and has to contend with the #1 ranked passing offense and the receiving yards leader in Tyreek Hill.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>Miami Dolphins -13 1/2 v. Tennessee Titans</b></div><div><div>This is a huge point spread, but this late in the season most of the betting services have a pretty good idea of what is going on in the league. Plus, the Dolphins have scored 34 and 45 in their last two weeks after a close win versus the Raiders in Week 11. Tennessee is 22nd in passing defense and has to contend with the #1 ranked passing offense and the receiving yards leader in Tyreek Hill.</div></div></div><div>Yes - this is absolutely idiotic for me to pick this game as my big bet. Way too many points to give up. But, most of the other teams I felt like selecting are on the road (Green Bay, Houston, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville), or Baltimore giving up more than a touchdown at home. So, I might as well go with the hot offense.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Record</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Last Week's Record: 10-3</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 108-76-9</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-6<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $505</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,500 </div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-65414024489283943442023-12-03T09:07:00.004-05:002023-12-03T09:07:57.418-05:00Picks of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45MlDG9KLYJNLSgK8crZpZMwiioHWPJ-Rmu4utPWRV2mc1dvj5e3sO0hfCbl0tbLnCCiR5_91z6bF9yjd3mgSP_N5GIetyU_yHzIiEAaMS3LsXIPfZagJsYjORr1dbkB1c8Z1kFm5cXfCBxW4znsZdBCgJzm4ZCqcOgOXffm4Wz4whxHNowoksWThjn-W/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45MlDG9KLYJNLSgK8crZpZMwiioHWPJ-Rmu4utPWRV2mc1dvj5e3sO0hfCbl0tbLnCCiR5_91z6bF9yjd3mgSP_N5GIetyU_yHzIiEAaMS3LsXIPfZagJsYjORr1dbkB1c8Z1kFm5cXfCBxW4znsZdBCgJzm4ZCqcOgOXffm4Wz4whxHNowoksWThjn-W/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p>Back on the winning track! Let's turn this into a streak. I am in an airport right now leaving in about an hour so no real analysis. Still gotta get the picks in, though!!!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -91/2 v. Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>Weird "short week" Thursday game in which both teams have their standard week from playing last Thanksgiving. I didn't like this pick when it occurred, but I wouldn't have liked it if I picked Seattle either.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans -3 v. Denver Broncos</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Chargers -5 1/2 at New England Patriots</b></div><div>I hate picking a Pacific Time Zone team playing in the 1:00 slot, but the Patriots are awful. I hate this bet.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -4 1/2 at New Orleans Saints</b></div><div>Already two road favorites. This week is not going to be good.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -6 1/2 v. Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>Can Pittsburgh score 6 1/2 points?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Atlanta Falcons -2 at New York Jets</b></div><div>Arthur Smith apparently discovered Bijan Robinson.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts -1 at Tennessee Titans</b></div><div>Colts to the playoffs?</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Miami Dolphins -8 1/2 at Washington Commanders</b></div><div>If I am going to go down the road favorites rabbit hole, let's go down all the way.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 1/2 v. Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>The Bears #1 overall draft pick remains secure for now.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Rams -4 v. Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>We still don't know who will be playing quarterback for Cleveland.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -3 at Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>It has become trendy to pick Philly because how could they be an underdog at home. I am going against the trend.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers +6 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>Kansas City hasn't been playing particularly well; Green Bay has.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Cincinnati Bengals +9 1/2 v. Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>It is Jake Browning, but 9 1/2 is a lot of points.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 1/2 v. Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>The Bears #1 overall draft pick remains secure for now.</div><div>I like taking home teams, so Green Bay was a consideration here, but I don't want big money against Patrick Mahomes.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Last Week's Record: 9-7</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 1-0</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 98-73-9</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 7-5<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $280</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,995 </div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-70416593389822148142023-11-23T11:47:00.001-05:002023-11-23T11:47:11.111-05:00Picks of the Week<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_kQGoah8IERgFj_l-4lqKLmu7dYIm7TJ1c9jkTxRks2VcsDQl3CX73mAF-t_9OQJbtNPElo09vTlOIEiKLatYnO_U9mR1g4KD0pCQ9ZTpSjlbBvXy9HwerXq6hZuipTeMsQET12JZ_xZQCkhsZRl-oq8WBaEi4c2qHYP7p0VyKlnsMNoU50PQCIv_ZW-/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_kQGoah8IERgFj_l-4lqKLmu7dYIm7TJ1c9jkTxRks2VcsDQl3CX73mAF-t_9OQJbtNPElo09vTlOIEiKLatYnO_U9mR1g4KD0pCQ9ZTpSjlbBvXy9HwerXq6hZuipTeMsQET12JZ_xZQCkhsZRl-oq8WBaEi4c2qHYP7p0VyKlnsMNoU50PQCIv_ZW-/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!! And we all know what Thanksgiving means ... NFL Football!!! Time for me to say thank you to all you readers - or both readers - wichever is most accurate! I am happy that from time-to-time you pay attention to my musings. Although I don't expect anybody to necessarily read this, I do appreciate when I find out that you do! Enjoy Thanksgiving and football!!!<p></p><div>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</div><div><br /><div><b>Detroit Lions -8 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers</b></div><div>Listen, after watching the Bears take the Lions down to the wire last weekend, there is no way that I like this pick, but it is a short week, and the Lions are home. Plus, I feel like they think they have something to prove after last week's close call.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -13 1/2 v. Washington Commanders</b></div><div>Two gambling rules facing off against each other: (1) Take the home team on a short week versus (2) Take double digit intradivsional underdog. Not sure exactly what to do here, but Dallas' offense has really been clicking and the Commanders' defense is missing Chase Young and Montez Sweat. I hate giving up double digits, but why not.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -7 at Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>OK, so this isn't the home team, but, home team on short weeks only cover 2/3rds of the time. So, this is my 1/3rd prediction, especially since I don't expect Geno Smith to be back to 100%, and gthey only have the 19th best offense even when he is.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New York Jets +9 1/2 at Miami Dolphins</b></div><div>Another home team/short week as this game is on Friday. I am taking the Jets just because they have the 5th best passing defense and the 9th best total defense. Not sure how many points the Jets will score under Tim Boyle, but I think the defense can keep the score low, so I will take 9 1/2.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans +2 v. Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>The Jaguars seem like the better team, but they have the 29th ranked passing defense going up against Houston's 2nd ranke passing offense. They both give up approximately the same amount of points (20.4 for Jacksonville and 20.8 for Houston), so I will take the points at home.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -2 at Cincinnati Bengals</b></div><div>Unknown qualities here - Jake Browning for Cincinnati and new offensive play caller for Pittsburgh. In that scenario, I'll take TJ Watt.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tennessee Titans -3 1/2 v. Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>The Panthers continue their march to the Chicago Bears #1 overall pick! Honestly, not a lot of thought to this one, taking the home below average team over the visiting awful team.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New Orleans Saints +1 at Atlanta Falcons</b></div><div>Two pretty good defenses, and two very average offenses. One team has Arthur Smith coaching, so I will take a point and take the other team.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2 1/2 at Indianapolis Colts</b></div><div>Two teams that are way better than their record, but way worse statistically than their play. Of note is Tampa's sixth-ranked rush defense going against Indianapolis' 10th ranked rush offense. If I think it is going to be close, I'll take the points.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>New York Giants +3 1/2 v. New England Patriots</b></div><div>If we can get the Giants team that played the Commanders last week, this should be easy; but no guarantee that happens. Either way New England isn't that much better, so I'll take points.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cleveland Browns +1 1/2 at Denver Broncos</b></div><div>Denver is much improved from the beginning of the year, but this Browns defense is no joke. First overall, first in passing yards, first in 3rd down defense, 6th in scoring and 11th in rushing defense. And I get points? I feel like Dorian Thompson-Robinson is athletic enough to make the plays when he needs to do so, and the defense keeps the Broncos from scoring too much.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Los Angeles Rams -1 1/2 at Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>Arizona played well in a loss last week to Houston, and Kyler Murray is back with a game under his belt, but the Rams should get Khyren Williams back with Matthew Stafford. I'll take the Rams.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buffalo Bills +3 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>The Bills are spiraling offensively, and especially turnover-wise, but Philadelphia is coming off a tough Monday night win over the Chiefs, which could affect them this week (plus it's a short week with Thanksgiving in the middle). I'll take the points and the somewhat normal week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders +8 1/2 v. Kansas City Chiefs</b></div><div>The Raiders are playing inspired ball under Antonio Pearce, and although they may not win this game, Kansas City drops enough balls to keep this within a touchdown. The Raiders limited the Dolphins to only 20 points last week, so that could continue, plus the Chiefs are coming off a heartbreaker on Monday night, and the short week - with a Thanksgiving interruption - doesn't bode well for the Chiefst to have to travel to Vegas.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -3 1/2 at Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>The NFL's worst pass defense and total defense hosting Lamar Jackson's 4th highest scoring offense and 6th best total offense. Although the Chargers have offensive talent, the Ravens look to distance themselves a bit from the AFC North, with the injuries to Joe Burrow and DeShaun Watson.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicago Bears +3 at Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>The Bears played Detroit great for 55 minutes last week. If they can do that this week, this game will be close enough for a cover. The Bears are 4th in rushing offense and second in rushing defense. In most years without Matt Eberflus coaching that produces a winning team.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -2 at Cincinnati Bengals</b></div><div>Unknown qualities here - Jake Browning for Cincinnati and new offensive play caller for Pittsburgh. In that scenario, I'll take TJ Watt.</div></div><div>I don't like any of these games for my big bet, as the ones that I feel most sure about have some big spreads. So, I'll just bet against Jake Browning.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Last Week's Record: 6-8</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 89-66-9</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 6-5<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($445)</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,715 </div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-75612223338864762502023-11-19T11:57:00.002-05:002023-11-19T11:57:12.256-05:00Picks of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UOepWqTc7cUHV6K0xclTFLs23JR7HPocNADNjaqjOkhumJuoNh688-YXymT0vOx737a2hGnFmzRWzuoOX1ld2ib7SonCCJent9Wh3bCObsWXeFtcrymIh1cRiytQiTxC-zwl9y1U1AMeyNiM_ceXVIlsuA9WkF7zI7oZ3bZbRoLfm6v3EhM3gPxzX0p/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UOepWqTc7cUHV6K0xclTFLs23JR7HPocNADNjaqjOkhumJuoNh688-YXymT0vOx737a2hGnFmzRWzuoOX1ld2ib7SonCCJent9Wh3bCObsWXeFtcrymIh1cRiytQiTxC-zwl9y1U1AMeyNiM_ceXVIlsuA9WkF7zI7oZ3bZbRoLfm6v3EhM3gPxzX0p/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />Lots and lots of injuries. Burrow - out; Mark Andrews - out; DeShaun Watson - out. And that is just in the NFC North. Last week hurt a lot for a lot of teams, and for your boy, who had an OK week (I lied - a really good week), but not good considering the previous week was 11-3! (Did I mention I went 11-3 two weeks ago?) Anyway, this could be worse - like Florida State losing their quarterback, making it a serious question mark for them to make the playoffs this year, given they have a rivalry game and a conference championship game coming up. But, that is college, and that is in the future. This is for today - and it is the N F L!!!<div><br /></div><div>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</div><div><br /><div><b>Baltimore -4 1/2 v. Cincinnati Bengals</b></div><div>Home team, short week, tie. Ugh!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicago Bears +7 1/2 at Detroit Lions</b></div><div>Detroit wins this game, but it is the first game this season in which the Bears will be starting their entire starting offensive line. That's right - it happened in Week 11. Plus, with their starting running back - Khalil Herbert - and their starting quarterback - Justin Fields - back, this game seems ripe for a backdoor cover because Fields scrambles right for 30 yards on a two-minute drive to lose 31 - 24.</div><div> </div><div><b>Tennessee Titans +6 1/2 at Jacksonville Jaguars</b></div><div>If you watch these teams, you definitely know Jacksonville is better, but, if you look at the statistics, they are remarkably similar. What does that mean to me? Taking almost a touchdown seems to be the play because this game should be close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Green Bay Packers +3 v. Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>If this game was being played in the 4:00 slot, I might bet differently, but, west coast teams traveling east and playing in the 1:00 time slot usually lose. Except, Green Bay is central, so that is minimized. What isn't minimized is the Chargers horrific defense - 32nd overall and 32nd in pass defense. There are only 32 teams in the league. Green Bay may not win, but they should cover.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Washington Commanders -8 1/2 v. New York Giants</b></div><div>This looks like a huge number given that Washington is 4-6. But, the Giants offense is last the NFL is scoring, passing and total offense and the defense is not much better at 20th in scoring, 24th in rushing, 21st in passing, and 27th in total defense. Washingotn's defense is not much better, but their offense is way, way better as Sam Howell has thrown for more yards than any other quarterback in the NFL.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Miami Dolphins -14 v. Las Vegas Raiders</b></div><div>This line is ridiculously hard to predict. First, the Raiders have played spirited ball under Interim Head Coach Antonio Pearce. But, they are a west-coast team travelling east and playing in the 1:00 time slot. So, against my own better judgment, I will lay the 2 touchdowns and hope the track team returns with Achane back.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans -5 1/2 v. Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>Houston's offense, despite not being able to run - AT ALL (25th in the NFL) - remains 5th in the league in total offense behind CJ Stroud's 2nd-ranked passing offense. Arizona's 28th-ranked scoring defense will not be able to slow down Houston's offense - who now smell playoffs, especially with the injuries in the AFC North.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers +2 at Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>In a game that is likely to end 2-0; I will take the points. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys - 10 1/2 at Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>No offense in the NFL is clicking as well as the Cowboys, and to top that off they have the 2nd best total defense, the 2nd best passing defense, and the 4th best scoring defense.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>San Francisco 49ers -13 1/2 v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers</b></div><div>It seems like the bye week did San Francisco well.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Seattle Seahawks +2 at Los Angeles Rams</b></div><div>Both teams are remarkably similar on paper, with the Seahawks a little worse on defense. But, I would take the points in this game no matter which team was reciving them, as it should be close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New York Jets +8 1/2 at Buffalo Bills</b></div><div>The Bills are certainly not clikcing right now, and on top of that, this is a short week for them coming off their defeat Monday night at the hands of the Broncos. I'll take more than a touchdown.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Minnesota Vikings + 2 1/2 at Denver Broncos</b></div><div>In a game that should be close, I will take the points, especially since Denver, like Buffalo above, is coming off a short week. No Justin Jeffereson makes this harder for Minnesota, but the game should still be close.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kansas City Chiefs -2 1/2 v. Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div>Andy Reid is 26-6 coming off a bye week (19-3 in the regular season). And, he gets this game at home. The Eagles are actually playing better this year, but nobody prepares his team better than Reid. He is the Tom Izzo of the NFL.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bye Week: Atlanta Falcons; Indianapolis Colts; New England Patriots; New Orleans Saints</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Houston Texans -5 1/2 v. Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>Houston's offense, despite not being able to run - AT ALL (25th in the NFL) - remains 5th in the league in total offense behind CJ Stroud's 2nd-ranked passing offense. Arizona's 28th-ranked scoring defense will not be able to slow down Houston's offense - who now smell playoffs, especially with the injuries in the AFC North.</div><div>Houston Texans should win this game easily, even with the return of Kyler Murray. The one thing Arizona does moderately well is run the ball (9th in the NFL), and Houston is 8th in rushing defense. Somewhat negating that "strength", Housston should win easily. I wanted to consider Dallas, but tehy are on the road. Same with Seattle. San Francisco just giving up too many points.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Last Week's Record: 8-4-2</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 1-0</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 83-58-9</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 6-4<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $510</div><div>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,160 </div></div></div>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5094232045756914813.post-68200102021345452642023-11-12T09:24:00.000-05:002023-11-12T09:24:00.612-05:00Picks of the Week<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UOepWqTc7cUHV6K0xclTFLs23JR7HPocNADNjaqjOkhumJuoNh688-YXymT0vOx737a2hGnFmzRWzuoOX1ld2ib7SonCCJent9Wh3bCObsWXeFtcrymIh1cRiytQiTxC-zwl9y1U1AMeyNiM_ceXVIlsuA9WkF7zI7oZ3bZbRoLfm6v3EhM3gPxzX0p/s2061/NFLShield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-UOepWqTc7cUHV6K0xclTFLs23JR7HPocNADNjaqjOkhumJuoNh688-YXymT0vOx737a2hGnFmzRWzuoOX1ld2ib7SonCCJent9Wh3bCObsWXeFtcrymIh1cRiytQiTxC-zwl9y1U1AMeyNiM_ceXVIlsuA9WkF7zI7oZ3bZbRoLfm6v3EhM3gPxzX0p/s320/NFLShield.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><p>11-3!!! Against the spread. That is all I am going to say!</p><p>For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread. I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100. Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler. On to the picks.</p><div><b>Chicago Bears -3 v. Carolina Panthers</b></div><div>Home team, short week, tie. Ugh!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Indianapolis Colts -1 1/2 v. New England Patriots (Frankfurt, Germany)</b></div><div>Colts offense too much for the Patriots. Hate that this is the 9:30 game, as I don't want to watch it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -3 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers</b></div><div>The Packers are just not good. Steelers statistics are well below their record, but they just make the plays when then need to do so - especially on defense - and Diontae Johnson could have a field day without Jaire Aleaxander.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>New Orleans Saints -3 at Minnesota Vikings</b></div><div>Since this isn't an intra-divisional game, I don't mind giving up a few points on the road. Josh Dobbs was a great story last week, but now he actually has time to plan, prepare and think about the gameplan - and sometimes that can hurt a team. Honestly this is going to come down to if Minnesota can run or not, and they are 29th in the league, so that answer is no.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Houston Texans +6 at Cincinnati Bengals</b></div><div>This might be the most enjoyable game of the week. Taking the points despite the fact that the Bengals have been playing awesome football lately because J'Marr Chase, if he plays, will be limited by a back injury and Tee Higgins has already been ruled out. Grab Tyler Boyd for your fantasy team!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Baltimore Ravens -6 1/2 v. Cleveland Browns</b></div><div>Yes, it is hard to move the ball, much less score against Cleveland's defense, but, the Ravens give up less points (13.8 to 17.4), and Cleveland is missing its top 3 tackles.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 v. Tennessee Titans</b></div><div>I do not like this line AT ALL. Either way. I guess I'll take the home team.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jacksonville Jaguars +3 v. San Francisco 49ers</b></div><div>Taking the east coast team against the west coast team in the 1:00 slot game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Detroit Lions -3 v. Los Angeles Chargers</b></div><div>A lot of points are going to be scored here, and I will definitely be watching. Chargers defense is 31st in total defense and last in passing defense. Jared Goff goes off.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Atlanta Falcons -2 1/2 at Arizona Cardinals</b></div><div>I don't know what to make of this game because we just don't know how rusty Kyler Murray will be. And, Arthur Smith at some point has to learn he can use Bijan Robinson, right?</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Washington Commanders +6 at Seattle Seahawks</b></div><div>A battle of two teams that are both way better than people expect, and possibly even better than their records. I'll take the points, as I think this should have been about a 2 1/2 or 3 point spread.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dallas Cowboys -17 1/2 v. New York Giants</b></div><div>This is the most ridiculous line I have seen in a long, long time in an NFL game. So, why not? The only think that concerns me is if Tommy DeVito has some mobbed up relatives that are betting a lot on the Giants.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Las Vegas Raiders +1 v. New York Jets</b></div><div>Honestly, who care about this game? Raiders win big. Plus, Jets played Monday night.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buffalo Bills -7 v. Denver Broncos</b></div><div>I don't like this line either. Would be just as angry in picking the Broncos. In this situation, I will take the home team and the team I feel is just more likely to win the game.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bye Week: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Big Bet:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b>Pittsburgh Steelers -3 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers</b></div><div>The Packers are just not good. Steelers statistics are well below their record, but they just make the plays when then need to do so - especially on defense - and Diontae Johnson could have a field day without Jaire Aleaxander.</div><div>Sometimes you do have to take the game that you think is the obvious pick.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Last Week's Record: 11-3</div><div>Last Week's Big Bet: 0-1</div><div><div>Year-to-Date Record: 75-54-7</div><div>Big Bet Year-to-Date: 5-4<br />Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $605</div></div><p>Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $1,650 </p>Pepsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18154486161588970135noreply@blogger.com0