The Clutchness of the Gambling Gods III.

I did win $200 earlier this week on a 6-teamer and since then my confidence has been soaring:

176ers(Philadelphia) 1stHalf 41
1Bobcats(Charlotte) 1stHalf 41 11/24/08(19:10 ET)
1Bobcats(Charlotte) +1.5

176ers(Philadelphia) 1stHalf 41
1Bobcats(Charlotte) 1stHalf 41 11/24/08(19:10 ET)
Under 90

1Bucks(Milwaukee) 1stHalf 47
1Magic(Orlando) 1stHalf 58 11/24/08(19:10 ET)
1Magic(Orlando) -5

1Bucks(Milwaukee) 1stHalf 47
1Magic(Orlando) 1stHalf 58 11/24/08(19:10 ET)
Over 97

1Rockets(Houston) 1stHalf 56
1Heat(Miami) 1stHalf 48 11/24/08(19:40 ET)
1Rockets(Houston) -1.5

1Rockets(Houston) 1stHalf 56
1Heat(Miami) 1stHalf 48 11/24/08(19:40 ET)
Over 95

I was never really threatened in this parlay. My risk pick was taking the Bobcats to cover and I was pretty surprised that they did, I'm not gonna lie. But the thing is...they're actually very reliable on covering first half point spreads for some reason.

I cashed that out minus $20 (as any smart man in my position would do). The Gods would get their revenge though in a myriad of ways. Example 1:

Parlay (3 Teams) 11/25/08 00:25 ET
bet 15.00 to win 90.00 Result: Wager Lost
Navy 16
NIllinois 0 11/25/08(19:10 ET)
Over 51

WMichigan 22
BallSt 45 11/25/08(19:10 ET)
BallSt -10.5

WMichigan 22
BallSt 45 11/25/08(19:10 ET)
Over 53

I was under the impression that both defenses were mediocre; which really didn't turn out to be the case at all. A gross miscalculation on my part- since I ravaged the Ball State game pretty easily.

Example 2:

Parlay (5 Teams) 11/26/08 10:31 ET
bet 6.00 to win 143.00 Result: Wager Lost
Cardinals(Arizona) 20
Eagles(Philadelphia) 48 11/27/08(20:20 ET)
Over 47

Seahawks(Seattle) 9
Cowboys(Dallas) 34 11/27/08(16:35 ET)
Seahawks(Seattle) +12.5

Seahawks(Seattle) 9
Cowboys(Dallas) 34 11/27/08(16:35 ET)
Under 46.5

Titans(Tennessee) 47
Lions(Detroit) 10 11/27/08(12:40 ET)
Titans(Tennessee) -11 (-115)

Titans(Tennessee) 47
Lions(Detroit) 10 11/27/08(12:40 ET)
Over 44

There was no doubt about the Tennessee game. The O/U was put at 44 because they'd figure it'd be a 34-7 game or some shit like that but I wasn't fallin for it. I'm just upset that Seattle simply didn't come to play in the first half of the Cowboys game because in the 2nd half they played OK. Julius Jones' fumble in Cowboys' territory on the Seahawks' first possession really was what did me in; because after that the Boys drove down the field, made it 14-0 and was a wrap from there.

Example 3:

Parlay (6 Teams) 11/28/08 14:22 ET
bet 5.00 to win 232.05 Result: Wager Lost
1Duquesne 1stHalf 32
1Duke 1stHalf 52 11/28/08(15:05 ET)
1Duke -11.5

1Duquesne 1stHalf 32
1Duke 1stHalf 52 11/28/08(15:05 ET)
Over 75.5

1Oklahoma 1stHalf 36
1Purdue 1stHalf 40 11/28/08(16:00 ET)
1Purdue -0.5 (-115)

1Oklahoma 1stHalf 36
1Purdue 1stHalf 40 11/28/08(16:00 ET)
Under 65

1UTEP 1stHalf 33
1WakeForest 1stHalf 42 11/28/08(15:55 ET)
1WakeForest -5

1UTEP 1stHalf 33
1WakeForest 1stHalf 42 11/28/08(15:55 ET)
Over 71.5

This one was tough for me to handle. The irony here is that Purdue was behind for a while, but they went ahead...yet in the process both teams began scoring quite a bit. As I placed this bet, the O/U shifted from 64 to 65. I shoulda took that as a hint to take the over but I did not.

Example 4:

Parlay (8 Teams) 11/28/08 17:13 ET
bet 5.00 to win 750.00 Result: Wager Lost
176ers(Philadelphia) 1stHalf 28
1Celtics(Boston) 1stHalf 46 11/28/08(19:40 ET)
Over 94.5

1Bobcats(Charlotte) 1stHalf 53
1Pacers(Indiana) 1stHalf 48 11/28/08(20:10 ET)
Over 95.5

1Bucks(Milwaukee) 1stHalf 49
1Pistons(Detroit) 1stHalf 62 11/28/08(20:10 ET)
1Pistons(Detroit) -5

1Bucks(Milwaukee) 1stHalf 49
1Pistons(Detroit) 1stHalf 62 11/28/08(20:10 ET)
Over 94

1Hawks(Atlanta) 1stHalf 50
1Raptors(Toronto) 1stHalf 46 11/28/08(19:10 ET)
Under 100.5

1Heat(Miami) 1stHalf 57
1Suns(Phoenix) 1stHalf 44 11/28/08(20:15 ET)
Over 99

1TWolves(Minnesota) 1stHalf 44
1Thunder(OklahomaCity) 1stHalf 48 11/28/08(20:10 ET)
Under 95.5

1Warriors(GoldenState) 1stHalf 52
1Cavaliers(Cleveland) 1stHalf 58 11/28/08(19:40 ET)
Over 109

What an erroneous error on my part going for the Sixers-Celtics over. The thing was though, Boston had been slacking on defense recently. But I should have figured that the Sixers suck at scoring. The Gods just to spite me have the Warriors-Cavs game barely go over (win) shit. Everything else was relatively safe.

Total I barely missed out this week: $1,215.05

And so on.

NFL Week 13 Bettors Guide.

Last Week: 12-4 straight up; 11-5 against the spread.

Past 3 weeks: 30-15-1 straight up; 24-19 against the spread.

Lately I haven't been in too much of a mood to explain myself with these picks but I'm gonna try my best anyway.

Thanksgiving:
Tennessee Titans (-11.5) @ Detroit Lions (1230pm): Something has to give. The Titans haven't failed to cover on the road all year. The Lions haven't failed to cover when they're 10+ point underdogs. I woulda had the Lions covering except the Titans went out and got their asses handed to them by my Jets. Chris Johnson and the running game is gonna have a field day; meanwhile the Titans' defense is gonna take out a lot of frustration. Tennessee 34 Detroit 14

Seattle Seahawks (+12.5) @ Dallas Cowboys (415pm): Dallas is 1-2 ATS when favored by 10+ points; while for Seattle they're 1-0 in this situation. Seattle's actually covered the last three times they've been on the road. The main problem with the Seahawks lately is that they cannot execute down the stretch; they've been playing decent football though. Dallas is desperate to keep pace with the Giants in the division and they'll win yes. But fail to cover. Dallas 27 Seattle 17

Arizona Cardinals (+3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (815pm): Arizona has covered in 5 of their last seven games...however they are 0-3 ATS this year vs. the NFC East; while Philadelphia is 3-0 ATS vs. the NFC West. A lot is at stake for both teams, but with the mini-turmoil going down for Philly with their QB situation, I gotta go with the squad that has less distractions going on. A win for Arizona here gives them the NFC West crown. Both teams will score, but it will be hard for Philly to keep up with the Air Cards. Arizona 31 Philadelphia 24

Sunday 1pm Games:
San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills (-6.5): It's hard for me to get really excited about either team to be honest. Buffalo though is 2-0 ATS versus traveling West Coast teams (Seattle, San Diego) and with how the NFC West (minus Arizona) is these days, they tend to slack off after a while. Buffalo 24 San Francisco 17

Miami Dolphins (NL) @ St. Louis Rams: There's probably no line on this game yet because quite frankly; it's becoming too easy to bet against the Rams- who have absolutely nothing left in their tank. Miami 28 St. Louis 10

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Bucs (-3.5): The general rule of thumb is within the NFC South, take the home team to win every time. Tampa Bay 24 New Orleans 20

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers (-3): Green Bay had a perplexing loss to New Orleans on Monday and the most bi-polar team in the NFL has six days to recover from this, facing a Panthers team that has a solid defense, but a truly unremarkable offense. Whoever makes the least mistakes wins. Green Bay 21 Carolina 14

NY Giants (-3.5) @ Washington Redskins: The team on a mission (Giants) takes on a Redskins team that appears to have been figured out. Clinton Portis is gonna get his; but Jason Campbell hasn't really gotten his WRs involved as much as he should. Plus if Jacobs and Plaxico come back, forget about it. It also helps the Giants have won 4 of the last 5 in this series straight up- including 2 straight/ATS at FedEx. NY Giants 24 Washington 13

Baltimore Ravens (-7) @ Cincinnati Bengals: The only question here for me is whether the Ravens' defense will outscore the Bengals. They might. Actually the Bengals' defense has been OK (don't laugh)...it's just that their offense is a complete joke. Baltimore 24 Cincinnati 7

Indianapolis Colts (-5) @ Cleveland Browns: So, Derek Anderson returns as QB for the rest of the season. What does it matter? None. They lost to the Texans for God's sakes. You think Peyton Manning isn't salivating about his prospects to take advantage of this shit secondary? It could be -10 and I'd still take the Colts. Indianapolis 31 Cleveland 17

Sunday 4/815pm Games:
Atlanta Falcons @ San Diego Chargers (-4.5): There comes a time in every team's season where they simply have to take control of their season. Norv Turner has been way too conservative with this team. They're far too talented to be 4-7. I love the Falcons this year but they shouldn't be able to win here. Or can they? I'll probably regret this one. San Diego 28 Atlanta 21

Denver Broncos @ NY Jets (-7.5): I'm gonna finally drink the Kool-Aid here. But that's because Denver's defense is so shitty. If you allow Oakland's offense to rack up 31 points; good luck stopping or even slowing down the AFC's highest scoring offense. Don't get me wrong, the Cutler/Marshall express will get theirs too. But in the end, the Jets win a game they're supposed to...even though they're 0-3 ATS versus the AFC West (inexplicably) this year to this point (they're 7-1 ATS vs. all other divisions). NY Jets 38 Denver 24

Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders (-3): I really am gonna take Oakland to cover here. Why? For one, they completely dominated KC back in week 2 (even though that was eons ago) and KC cannot stop anybody on offense these days. Granted, Oakland doesn't have anywhere close to the firepower of any team in the NFL but fuck it. KC can score themselves, but Oakland's D > KC's D. Yeah I said it, it's gonna be high-scoring lmao. Oakland 27 Kansas City 20

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots (-1): Really this game could go either way. Matt Cassell is gonna have a hella tough assignment facing this ferocious defense of Pittsburgh's...but if he repeats what Tom Brady did last year...yikes. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh SHOULD be able to move the ball on the Pats' mediocre defense. AOL Keyword: should. I won't be surprised if this game becomes a pick'em by game time but here goes nothing- New England 24 Pittsburgh 21

Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings (-3.5): Good luck trying to figure out the NFC North and especially these two teams. The Vikings' formula is gonna be simple- Adrian Peterson all day everyday. I've semi-given up on the Bears and they are who I thought they were: nothing special. Minnesota 23 Chicago 17

Monday Night Football:
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans (-3): Both teams having disappointing seasons, but the Jags in particular are having a nightmarish season. As a matter of fact, the loser of this one finds themselves in last place. The Texans are favored WTF?? But it's their first ever Monday Night home game in franchise history and at least they've been showing a pulse as of late. The Texans actually have the 4th most productive offense in the NFL and unless the SageCopter comes out- the Texans will finally get their first division win of the season. Houston 27 Jacksonville 14

And so on.

Thanksgiving.

Being at my internship on a Wednesday where the office is gonna close at some point between Noon and 1pm- I'm tryin pretty hard to focus. Oh wait, I don't really have shit to do/they want me to do so I'm like fuck it. I'm on Facebook n I'm readin all these ppl's statuses talkin about Thanksgiving this Thnaksgiving that. So I decided to think of the things that I look most forward to doing on that day:

1) Sleeping in. I normally have to get up around 7-710 in the mornin 3x/week. Ever since the Crapple store got rid of me it's just those three days really but still I find it annoying as fuck to go somewhere where I'm not gettin paid.

2) Football. Granted the Titans-Lions game and the Seahawks-Cowboys games are projected bloodbaths but hey- sometimes those are the most entertaining games because they're like accidents; you want to see just how bad it is. We like to witness other people's misery, etc. But fuck it, I'll be watchin because I'm not gonna subject myself to a Twilight Zone marathon or some shit.

3) Gettin bent. I haven't really been drinkin that much recently but for the holiday- hittin up my aunt's house and sippin on some cognac is necessary right about now. Get to the house round 430, find a glass, pour some Henny and watch the Seahawks-Cowboys shit as people file in and the food gets ready.

4) The food. But honestly my fatass doesn't care much for it. Turkey is dry so I ain't really a fan, the ham is OK, etc. I normally take a little bit of everything and of course some Apple Pie...but I ain't gonna be the one that gets severe 'itis after eatin my food. I still have an exercise/diet to uphold and I ain't gonna let this ruin me.

Yeh after you eat the food, Thanksgiving is over. Then you got Negro Friday, I mean, Black Friday. I feel sorry for you suckas who gotta work that day; I did last year from 445am-2pm NEVER AGAIN.

Lemme see what I have to be thankful for right now:
1) My improved gambling skills
2) My workout regemein
3) This internship
4) Adidas work
5) Bein black
6) Havin an iPod to drown out mothafuckas
7) Facebook
8) Breathin
9) Mike Tyson quotes
10) Youtube

That's pretty much it. I ain't the type of nigga to go on a long-winded schpel to make hearts flutter tellin you that God, my fam and my friends make me who I am because that should be a given. I just do what I do, unfortunately the hand I'm bein dealt with right now is what I gotta fuck wit but I'm sure it's a test of the emergency broadcast system. Only a test.

And so on.

College Football Top 25 Bettors Guide.

Ahh Rivalry week. Usually at this time of year all bets are off; throw away the records all that good shit because far too often when you label a team an underdog, that just adds more fuel to their fire and they wind up pulling off the upset. Hence, you'll usually see these point spreads a bit lower than usual...well in most games. It can be a tough week; but you gotta also be realistic at the same time.

Last Week: 9-5 straight up; 7-6 against the spread (no line in the Citadel-Florida massacre)
Past 3 Weeks: 38-14 straight up; 26-25 against the spread.

Tonight:
Western Michigan @ #15 Ball State (-10.5) (7pm- ESPN2): Ball State is the forgotten mid-major team ranked in the BCS. Even if they win out they won't make it to one of the lucrative bowl games (Utah has that on lock) but they have plenty incentive enough in this one. Western is 9-2, 6-1 in conference themselves and an upset for them here could force a 3-way tie (if Central Michigan beats Eastern Michigan- a loss by Central in that case would send Western to the MAC title game). Ultimately I think BSU's emotions of Senior Night and knowing what's at stake for themselves get them over the hump in a high-scoring one. Ball State 38 Western Michigan 24

Thanksgiving:
Texas A&M (+35) @ #2 Texas (8pm- ESPN): Good God almighty. For a team who has won 2 straight in this series and to be pegged as this much of an underdog has got to be fluxommed. But Texas A&M has been pretty horrible in their Big 12 South games this year (yes including Baylor)- allowing 56, 41, 43 and 66 points in those contests and losing by an average of 26 ppg. Texas is gonna be looking for some sweet revenge and with Heisman Trophy candidate Colt McCoy in the house, there'll be no worries for Longhorn faithful in terms of a victory. But asking to cover 5 TDs is a bit much. Texas 52 Texas A&M 21

Friday:
West Virginia (-3.5) @ #25 Pittsburgh (Noon- ABC): Last year down in Morgantown, Pitt pulled off a 10-6 upset of the then #2 ranked Mountaineers and ended their hopes of going to the National Championship game (even though WVU had already clinched at least a share of the Big East title). This year, the stakes are equal for both teams as they both have faint chances to still win the Big East and an Orange Bowl berth. Nothing strikes me as impressive with either team but WVU is a tad more balanced and gets the close W. West Virginia 21 Pittsburgh 17

Fresno State @ #9 Boise State (-21) (6pm- ESPN2): Surprisingly there's not much at stake here for either team. Both teams are firmly entrenched in bowl berths, and Boise isn't gonna leapfrog Utah for the BCS berth even with a win here. Plus they clinched the WAC last Saturday. Nevertheless, here we are...Boise attempting to defend their blue-turf and win their 49th straight game at home. That hasn't been a problem vs. Fresno State- winning the last 3 home meetings by an average of 29 points. I expect the same here. Boise State 35 Fresno State 13

Saturday:
#22 Georgia Tech @ #11 Georgia (-8) (Noon- CBS): Georgia Tech had a convincing victory over The U last Thursday and is riding a wave of momentum heading into this one. Meanwhile, Georgia has had a week off after two straight close calls on the road with Kentucky and Auburn. Georgia has won 7 consecutive times although there have been some close games recently; with 4 of the past five years being decided by less than 10 points. They suck covering the spread...but I think for once, they will overcome. Georgia 27 Georgia Tech 17

I'm getting lazy so I'm just gonna go express-style from here on in.

Syracuse @ #16 Cincinnati (-22) (Noon): It's fitting that Cinci beats the Orangemen...to punch their ticket to the Orange Bowl. Expect them to show no mercy on Syracuse. They're not Notre Dame ya know? Cincinnati 35 Syracuse 10

Kansas vs. #13 Missouri (-14) (1230pm- FSN): This could be 25 and I'd take Missouri. Face it, Kansas doesn't show up against ranked opponents. Mizzou 49 Kansas 24

Auburn @ #1 Alabama (-14) (330pm- CBS): Bama just knows all they gotta do is keep winning and they're OK. I'm sure they wanna do more than just that however especially on Auburn's hapless offense. Alabama 24 Auburn 7

#4 Florida (-16.5) @ #20 Florida State (330pm- ABC): Most important rule of betting in college football- ALWAYS TAKE FLORIDA TO COVER. Florida 41 Florida State 21

Baylor @ #7 Texas Tech (-20.5) (330pm): Baylor is okay like I've said before...but when they face ranked teams they get smacked around...and you know TT is gonna want to take it out on someone. BAD. Texas Tech 55 Baylor 24

Maryland (+7) @ #21 Boston College (330pm- ABC): These are the games Maryland thrives on. 4-0 as an unranked team facing a ranked team. They'll assist Florida State into getting to the ACC title game because of this. Maryland 21 Boston College 20

#23 Oregon @ #17 Oregon State (-3.5) (7pm- Versus): Oregon State has come full circle this year and that win versus (no pun intended) USC...pays off in what will be a close tight game. Oregon State 28 Oregon 24

#3 Oklahoma (-7) @ #12 Oklahoma State (8pm- ABC): For a team that thrives on napalming opponents in the first half this is ridiculously generous. OK State does play OU tough in Stillwater, but this psychotic offense of OU will "Let'er Rip". Oklahoma 56 Oklahoma State 31

Notre Dame (+30) @ #5 USC (8pm- ESPN): USC sucks versus the spread. Notre Dame should be embarassed after what happened to them versus Syracuse. It won't be pretty but like I said...USC can't cover spreads, and their offense hasn't caught up to their defense just yet. But on Saturday night it will not matter. USC 31 Notre Dame 3

And so on.

NFL Playoff Projections/Power 5/Powerless 5.

For the next few weeks on Mondays I'm going to project the seedings for the AFC and NFC. I'm not gonna predict who wins the matchups or any of that though. Also, my Top 5 teams in the league and Bottom 5 teams in the league.

Playoff Projections:
AFC:

1) Tennessee (13-3): wins over Det, Cle and Hou but losses to Pit and Ind at the end.
2) NY Jets (12-4): wins over Den, Buf, Mia and SF. upset loss to Sea prevents them from clinching homefield.
3) Baltimore (11-5): they have a more favorable sked down the stretch than the Steelers. I'll take my chances facing Cin (W), Was (W), Pit (upset W), Dal (L), Jax (W)
4) San Diego (8-8): losses to Ind, TB but they'll beat Atl, KC, Oak and Den in the last game of the year
5) New England (11-5): wins over Pit, Sea, Oak, Buf. loss to Ari
6) Pittsburgh (10-6): wins over Ten and Cle but losses to NE, Dal and Bal

NFC

1) NY Giants (13-3): wins over Was, Phi, Car. losses to Dal and Min (last game- resting starters)
2) Arizona (11-5): wins over StL, Sea, NE, Min. upset loss to Phi
3) Tampa Bay (11-5): wins over NO, SD, Oak. losses to Atl and Car
4) Green Bay (10-6): they can feasibly go through this gauntlet undefeated but I see it as this- wins over NO, Car, Hou, Chi, Det. upset loss at Jax
5) Dallas (11-5): late season push has them winning over Sea, NYG, Pit and Bal but losing to Phi last game of the season as they rest their starters
6) Carolina (10-6): a late-season collapse occurs but they're barely able to hang on. wins over Den and TB but losses to GB, NYG and NO

My Power 5:

1) New York Giants (10-1): Their defense was severely tested by the air Cardinals down in Phoenix, and they were held to half their rushing average. However, winning without Jacobs AND Plaxico Burress shows just how well-oiled their machine is especially on offense. They're in the zone right now.

2) New York Jets (8-3): Call me biased, but when you win at New England and Tennessee in consecutive weeks, you have made a statement. If it weren't for the Giants, the Jets would be the hottest team in all of football. They'll no longer be flying under the radar and with the media expected to tab them as a force to be reckoned with, they can ill afford to get caught in the hype now. The AFC East (most competitive division in football) isn't even a guarantee at this point.

3) Tennessee Titans (10-1): They got punched in the mouth and were unable to respond to the count. They still feel they're the best team in the AFC and you can argue that they MIGHT be in the wide open AFC. Just not now. Their run game was nullified and the Jets simply killed them with the short, quick passes that ultimately stretched out their defense. The poor Lions are gonna suffer Tennessee's wrath on Thanksgiving and it will not be pretty.

4) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3): Their defense is top-notch and has kept them in every game this season. Come playoff time they are the team I fear the most. Their offense is a step behind however and if the game gets away from being a slugfest, this team could have problems. With that said, their extremely tough sked continues and it's gonna be real interesting to see if and/or when they begin wearing down from all of this.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3): There isn't anything that strikes you with this team. No WOW factor whatsoever. But they have a pugnacious defense, you can't really throw on them and Jeff Garcia is still extremely underrated. They took it to Detroit last week after being generous guests for one quarter. Also, they beat the teams they're supposed to. They have no "bad losses" of note.

My Powerless 5:

1) Detroit Lions (0-11): Tampa Bay already was preparing for Thanksgiving, being good sports in spotting the Lions 17 points. It went downhill from there in a HURRY though.

2) St. Louis Rams (2-9): Did they really beat Washington and Dallas in back-to-back weeks? They made the Bears look like we thought they were...for a week. Then again, they could make the Washington Huskies look like a National Championship contender at this rate.

3) Kansas City Chiefs (1-10): They really made Trent Edwards look like Tim Tebow. Their offense is no longer the problem, but good lord that defense. Oakland might score 35 on them next week. I'm not joking.

4) Cincinnati Bengals (1-9-1): They hung in there versus the Steelers but did you seriously think that 7-0 lead would stand up? They have three players who have caught TDs this year. Pathetic.

5) Seattle Seahawks (2-9): They're just so poor. They have their chances to win games...but somehow find a way to flub up in the waning moments of the game. And that homefield advantage? Where the hell did it go?

My next NFL blurb will be on Wednesday with my predictions and all that good shit.

And so on.

High School Reunion.

On an otherwise unremarkable weekend; I decided for the fuck of it to hit up my high school's 5-year reunion. Mainly I wanted to go for the humor aspect of the situation- I was that dude in HS that knew just about everyone but didn't bother gettin too close to anyone (and I'm still like that to this day). My HS (St. Francis Prep) there's just a unique aspect to it. Our graduating class was 650 and in general it's a huge school...yet you always felt like it was home. It was very cliquish but everyone was in harmony at the same time. The lunch tables were perfect examples of this hah- they were separated based on where you were from (ie- ppl from Whitestone sat on one table, ppl from Howard Beach, Cheerleaders, Football Team, Black ppl, etc.) I couldn't do that after a while though since I was a social butterfly.

Nevertheless, for $40 I figured it'd definetly be worth it to say "Oh shit" about 70 times and say whats good to ppl. When I got there, it's not like many people looked much different, if at all. The only difference really was now everyone was LEGALLY able to drink hah. The girls still looked bangin, even if I still have no chance with them- unless liquor is involved then it increases from 0 to 7%. One thing that surprised me was how there were a lot of friendships that successfully carried over from Prep that have passed the test of time...and that's the weird advantage of being such a big school- the ppl who are regional to you you share that common bond that manages to last.

Thank God there was an open bar because as dope as the first hour being there was...it just became a lot of walking around for me after a certain point. Most of my convos with people generally lasted about 3-5 min and for it being a 5-year and with the shit economy...I'm not gonna lie I found it a bit awkward asking and answering that "so what're you doin now" question ugh. The people who I expected to be there weren't, and vice-versa. The shocker of the year was that I didn't get much of the way of "let's hang out sometime" nor number exchanges. It was a combination of seeing right through it, and general apathy to be honest. I'm terrible at following through with phone calls and shit because I've gotten to the point where especially with chicks, even if I do call...I ain't gonna get an answer so I get apathetic. I did get this one chick's digits...will I call her? Probably not; but if she's on Facebook I'll go that route first hah.

God Bless Facebook.

Oh, afterwards, everybody decided that we would go down the infamous Bell Blvd to this spot called Sullivans to drink more. To my shock, a lot of the Prep Heads actually wound up there and stayed til the wee-hours of the morning. Bell Blvd is not my cup of tea- as I rarely ever hung out there...but it was straight. I would have stayed there longer but I had to go to the city to meet up with some people...which turned out to be a bad idea; backfiring in my face and leaving me more frustrated than I was even before...but I'm not even gonna go there right now.

Do I wish I was back in High School? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I wish I never damaged my shoulder and actually played my senior year in football. I do wish I hadn't gone to an all-boys school prior to Prep- as I felt like I was playing catch-up. I sorta wish I was a "cool transfer" and went to more Sweet 16s (but I never got invited to any really...except one or 2). If Prep was college...it'd be hilarity at its finest. I'm sure I'll come back on November 2013 for the 10-year and I'll see these Prep Heads married with each other and all that good shit. And hopefully, we'll hang out sometime.

And so on.

NFL Week 12 Bettors Guide.

Last week: 9-6-1 straight up; 6-8 against the spread (there was no line on the Bears-Packers game until late).

Past 2 weeks: 18-11-1 straight up; 13-14 against the spread

Tonight:
Cincinnati Bengals (+11.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers- Thus far on Thursday night NFL the road team is 2-0 straight up/ATS. It will be 2-1 straight up after tonight. Cincinnati is injury-ravaged and has had major issues moving the ball...even though they've been playing more inspired football. Meanwhile, the Steelers while still ferocious on defense- they've been having issues on the offensive side of the ball as well. Plus at home this year, the Steelers while 3-2...are a mere 1-4 ATS. This is gonna be one boring as hell game IMO. Pittsburgh 17 Cincinnati 7

Sunday's 1pm Games:
San Francisco 49ers (+10) @ Dallas Cowboys- The Cowboys got a much needed victory off of their bye on the road last week in Washington...meanwhile Mike Singletary's boys have been playing much more inspired the past couple of weeks including last week's 35-16 complete domination of the Lambs, I mean, Rams. Both teams have the capability of scoring, each with 230 points to their credit on the season, and their defenses have been lackluster- 275 allowed by the Niners; 229 by the Cowboys. Expect a high scoring one with the Cowboys winning...but the Niners for the 3rd week in a row coming out to play and covering. Dallas 27 San Francisco 20

Philadelphia Eagles (+1) @ Baltimore Ravens- Both teams here need this one. The Ravens got owned by the World Champs last week...meanwhile the Eagles played to an embarassing tie of the lowly Bengals. Considering how these two play defense (both ranked in the top 10 overall), you can expect a low-scoring affair that'll put these offenses to the test. The Eagles have a bit more explosiveness in their O however and should pull this one out. Philadelphia 20 Baltimore 13

NY Jets (+5) @ Tennessee Titans- The 1pm game of the week. The AFC's highest scoring offense goes up against the NFL's most stingy scoring defense and usually when a matchup like that happens...the defense usually comes out on top. These teams are eerily similar in that both teams have their most success running the ball (and have success stopping it also). In order for my Jets to have a chance against the spread-covering beasts from Nashville (9-0-1 ATS; 10-0 S/U) they're gonna have to continue getting Dustin Keller involved in the passing game...and the secondary is gonna have to come up huge when Kerry Collins does decide to air it out. I really hope I'm not getting ahead of myself here but here goes nothing: NY Jets 20 Tennessee 17

Buffalo Bills (-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs- One team has been completely falling apart (Buffalo); meanwhile another team keeps coming so close (Kansas City). The problem for both teams lately has been stopping the other team when it needs to most and digging themselves into holes they cannot climb out of later. KC is 2-0 ATS versus the AFC East and this is the inverse for Buffalo versus the AFC West. The sense of urgency should be higher for the Bills and THIS TIME...they'll get off the schnide. Buffalo 23 Kansas City 17

I'm not gonna waste much time explaining the rest since I'm in a rush to continue my 10K training so here goes:

Minnesota Vikings (+2.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Jags= done. Vikings will get the job done here. Minnesota 21 Jacksonville 14

New England Patriots (+1) @ Miami Dolphins: The Pats haven't been swept by the Fins since like 1998. Dolphins have struggled versus shitty teams and the Pats though injury-ravaged, are seeking revenge that they'll get. New England 21 Miami 17

Chicago Bears (-7.5) @ St. Louis Rams: No more blind faith in these Lambs anymore from me. They're just playing out the string here, while the Bears are trying to find themselves. Complete domination shall ensue. Chicago 31 St. Louis 13

Houston Texans (+3) @ Cleveland Browns: Both teams are confusing as all hell. As long as the weather is not bad, they'll put up points on each other like a ping-pong. SageCopter however knowing that the Browns are even worse at blowing games than he is, will pull this one off. Houston 28 Cleveland 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7.5) @ Detroit Lions: The Lions really beat the Bucs 23-16 last year. The Lions are nowhere near as good as last year's squad even if the Bucs are remarkably unremarkable at 7-3. The spread is too low for the Lions to cover (they're beasts when it's over 10 tho). Tampa Bay 24 Detroit 6

Sunday 4/815pm games:
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos (-9): Yeah I understand the Raiders-Broncos series has played some close games...and Oakland has an above-average secondary. But if the Broncos score more than 17...I mean really now...Denver 28 Oakland 9

Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks (+3.5): They need to hope Clinton Portis is at full strength because the Seahawks actually showed some feistiness last week...which was a shock. I'm calling the upset here only because: Seattle 20 Washington 17

NY Giants (-3) @ Arizona Cardinals: The 4pm game of the week. Regardless of whether Brandon Jacobs plays or not, the Giants can mash it with the best of them. The Cardinals can pass it with the best of them. The one thing the Cards' don't have? A pass rush, and Warner will not face one as intense as the one he'll face this Sunday. He'll make enough mistakes to lead his team to an L. NY Giants 31 Arizona 20

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (-1): The underrated game of the week. Carolina is on fire...even if their two wins over the Raiders and Lions have been unremarkable. Atlanta fell short last week versus the Broncos and are looking to make sure that was nothing more than a blip on the screen. Delhomme's mediocrity gets the best of Carolina this week. Atlanta 24 Carolina 17

Indianapolis Colts (+2.5) @ San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are the NFL's unluckiest team; meanwhile the Colts are probably the NFL's luckiest. Their 6-4 record could easily be 3-7 but Peyton Manning has nearly singlehandedly won his boys those games. The Chargers are in an identity crisis phase right now and it'll get even worse this week in a Sunday Night Football upset. Indianapolis 23 San Diego 20 in OT.

Monday Night:
Green Bay Packers (+2.5) @ New Orleans Saints: When you have an opportunistic defense like Green Bay's, yes it'll lead to points for the other team if their gambles are off...BUT they are gonna get theirs too. Drew Brees is gonna have to air it out to win this one again...and once again I don't think it'll be enough. Green Bay 34 New Orleans 24

And so on.

College Football Top 25 Bettors Guide.

Last Week: 14-5 straight up; 8-11 against the spread

Overall these past 2 weeks: 29-9 straight up; 19-19 against the spread.

Wednesday:
#17 Ball State @ Central Michigan (+7) (7pm- ESPN2): This is essentially the MAC West championship game to decide who goes to the MAC Championship game (and most likely win it too because the MAC East is fairly weak- think Big 12 South vs. Big 12 North). Last year, Central dominated BSU 58-38 in Munice- on their way to a 2nd consecutive MAC title. Both teams are coming off of less than convincing road victories. Ball State looked sluggish at Miami (Ohio), while Central nearly blew a 30-6 lead late at Northern Illinois. Central Michigan is the underdog by this much due to their 1-8 all-time record vs. top 25 teams, and this only being their 2nd ever home game against a ranked opponent. However, I have the feeling since Central's been in this situation before, it will trumpet that statistic and they'll pull off the upset. Central Michigan 34 Ball State 28

Thursday:
#23 Miami (FL) (+3.5) @ Georgia Tech (730pm- ESPN): In this wacky wacky ACC, now it's the U who controls their ACC Coastal destiny. A win here puts them in even better shape to get to the ACC title game and possibly a berth in the BCS. Both teams are hella young, however the U appears to be rising; while the Yellow Jackets have come down to earth some. The U is 13-1 all-time on Thursday nights; meanwhile Georgia Tech is 9-4 all-time in this series, including 3 straight victories. For once, the ACC will be normal here and the U will pull off the "upset". Miami (FL) 21 Georgia Tech 17

Saturday:
#2 Texas Tech @ #5 Oklahoma (-7) (8pm- ABC): Both teams were off last week and it sets up this epic showdown, which you can view to an extent as being a NC semifinal game. Texas Tech has proved the doubters wrong all year and finally has a semblance of a defense to go along with their psychotic offense. If there's one team however that can match their offense step-by-step...it's Oklahoma's. The key here is the first quarter. Oklahoma has scored 21+ points in that quarter alone in 6 of their 10 games and another fast start even against a team like Tech could prove demoralizing. OU is 60-2 in the Bob Stoops era at home and Texas Tech has never beat them in Norman. Plus, when was the last time Tech won a key Big 12 road game? It'll be a shootout but I think OU will keep Tech at bay just enough. Oklahoma 56 Texas Tech 45

Citadel @ #4 Florida (NL) (130pm): Just a simple tune-up for Florida on Senior Day before their rivalry game at Florida State next week. Everyone will get a chance to play, yada yada yada. Florida 63 Citadel 7

#14 BYU @ #7 Utah (-6.5) (6pm- The Mountain): The Holy War, and good God it's gonna be a good one. BYU's coming off of an impressive road victory over Air Force; meanwhile Utah simply annihilated San Diego State. A BCS at-large berth is at stake in this one. Four years ago, Utah was in this exact same position (except BYU wasn't as good as they are now) and they thrived. With the homefield advantage, Utah will come out ready to go. Plus, BYU is susceptible to coming out flat on the road (see 28-27 win @ Washington, 32-7 loss to TCU as some examples). Frankly, I don't think BYU is that good, and Utah will repeat 2003-2004. Utah 24 BYU 10

#15 Michigan State (+14.5) @ #8 Penn State (330pm- ABC regional-east coast/ESPN elsewhere): The defacto Big Ten title game (although there's more on the line for Penn State than there is for Michigan State IMO). Penn State has looked flat in their last few games after starting off the season like a house of fire. Meanwhile, Michigan State has been steady, and surprisingly hasn't had their annual 2nd half swoon. It'll be a classic Big Ten battle: a low-scoring affair in which MSU will be content to grind it out, while Penn State will try to kick their Spread HD into gear. I can't envision whoever wins this winning by more than 7, even if MSU hasn't done all too well lately in games like this (see 45-10 smackdown by Ohio State at home for proof). Penn State will know the urgency of the situation...but Michigan State shocks a good portion of the country here and will send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl (and maybe insert themselves into a BCS bowl themselves). Michigan State 24 Penn State 21.

#9 Boise State (-6) @ Nevada (405pm): Another deja vu game here. 2 years ago, it was Boise State with a similar ranking to what they have now heading into Reno and bitchsmackin Nevada on their way to the Fiesta Bowl. It would be a similar situation here except Utah is ahead of BSU in the standings and it's likely that Boise State will be left out of the BCS picture. Nevertheless, Boise would love to wrap up the WAC title yet again and with the way they've been playing...even though Nevada is a very solid team (giving Texas Tech a fight before losing 35-19), good luck keeping it close with Boise- who has yet to win by less than 17 in conference play. Boise State 34 Nevada 17

Michigan (+20.5) @ #10 Ohio State (Noon- ABC): Just two years ago, this was a #1 vs. #2 battle and it was a national headliner- essentially a NC semifinal game and it lived up to the hype. Given the spread, you know times have changed. Michigan is 3-8 good God, while Ohio State, while not in the NC hunt this year as ppl thought they would, nevertheless has quite a bit at stake here (possible Rose Bowl hunt). In this series in the past, the team with the most to play for has been the loser...but I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Ohio State is hitting their stride at the right time and should be in firm control of this one. However- Michigan's defense will keep it a bit closer than ppl think...but their offense is a joke and OSU will have fun teeing off on them. Ohio State 27 Michigan 9

Air Force (+18.5) @ #16 TCU (330pm): I can understand why the spread is this high...TCU dominated Utah, but at the end of the day, two missed short field goals and a game-winning drive in the final minutes cost TCU a possible at-large berth and for two weeks, TCU has been stewing mad over this- ready to take it on a hapless opponent. Thing is though, Air Force is a damn good 8-3 squad who actually beat TCU last year; coming from 14 down to win in OT...a week after TCU had got kicked out the top 25. It's no secret Air Force can't beat ranked opponents for the life of them and they will not on Saturday, not against this ferocious defense. But they'll be able to cover. TCU 20 Air Force 10

Mississippi (+4.5) @ #18 LSU (330pm- CBS): Honestly, I don't know what to make of this game. Ole Miss is arguably the best 6-4 team in the nation, taking out Florida in the Swamp and giving Alabama the scare of their life down in Tuscaloosa before losing 24-20. They looked much better in their 59-0 bloodbath of Louisiana-Monroe than LSU did by making a miraculous comeback from 31-3 to beat Troy 40-31. LSU's defense is nowhere near as good as the champs were last year and Ole Miss is a markedly improved team. Even in the 41-24 victory in Oxford last year, it was closer than the score indicated. And LSU's homefield advantage seems to be irrelevant now. I'm gonna go with the upset here. Mississippi 31 LSU 27

#20 Pittsburgh @ #19 Cincinnati (-5.5) (715pm- ESPN2): Guess which conference is tougher to guess than the ACC? Yes, the Big East. Another defacto title game; particularly if Cinci wins this, the Big East and the Orange Bowl is theirs for the taking (they would own the tiebreakers over Pitt and West Virginia by virtue of beating both teams). Honestly, I don't know how they do it, but their bend-but-don't break style on defense doesn't get them in trouble. Meanwhile, Pitt hasn't won any game convincingly this year with the exception of two weeks ago against Louisville, a 41-7 ambush. Both teams have the toughness, but I think Cincinnati is more equipped and will gain revenge from last year's 24-17 defeat by winning by the exact same score. Cincinnati 24 Pittsburgh 17 (PS- the Steelers will beat the Bengals on Thursday hah- in case you were wondering)

#21 Oregon State @ Arizona (-3) (7pm- FSN or Versus...I'm not sure): Why is Arizona favored? Yes, it's November and the Wildcats are notorious for pulling off upsets of their ranked Pac-10 bretheren (three top-ten teams have gone down in four years). While Oregon State is not a top-10 team, they do by virtue of beating USC lead the Pac-10 and are gunning for an improbable Rose Bowl berth. OSU has a rep of their own however for being great 2nd half finishers. Something will have to give here. I think it'll be Oregon State that gives up their Pac-10 lead and restores order in the USC+9 realms. Arizona 34 Oregon State 28

North Carolina State (+10.5) @ #22 North Carolina (Noon): The wild wild ACC once again in the house. Last week, the favorites in conference games were 2-3 straight up and 1-4 ATS (only Clemson covered when they beat Duke)...with three of those games being decided by 4 or less points. Last year, NC State pulled out a 31-27 win over UNC, and with UNC having issues figuring out which QB they're going to use...a vastly improved (over the course of a couple weeks) NC State should have no issues covering. I don't think they'll win, but expect a close one just like rivalries always do. North Carolina 24 North Carolina State 20

Florida State (+1) @ #25 Maryland (745pm- ESPN): Good God not this again. Maryland is 4-0 as an unranked team beating a ranked team...but each time they've returned to the rankings, they have lost (0-2). Now they have control of the ACC Atlantic after Florida State couldn't solve the Boston College rubix cube last week. Maryland doesn't handle prosperity well. Then again, almost everyone in the ACC doesn't. I'm getting tired anyway. Florida State 20 Maryland 17 in OT fuck this.

And so on.

Get The Fuck Outta Here.

Shut the fuck up.

1) The sad-puffy face trick never works on me. Why bother usin it hah? The only pity I have is watchin ur face look like it droops down and make sure that bottom lip is wiped (not droolin) for Christ sakes.

2) I find it hilarious that ppl don't know what a Hookah is. Go on Wikipedia and read up on it, try some, and you'll thank me later.

3) After the Jets-Pats game on Thursday it was hilarious and fitting that the Pats fans exited the bar like Bill Belichick would after a loss. They do NOT handle losin well whatsoever, I don't blame them though- I'd exit with my head down too and mumble. BTW, if Chad Pennington was QB, we woulda lost that game.

4) Anyone who thinks the Titans are the best team in the NFL is delusional. Do they have the NFL's best defense? Yes. But overall- that's the Giants right now. I'd have my Jets somewhere around #3 and yeh that's a stretch but no one else really sticks out right now. I got it: NYG, TEN, NYJ, CAR, PIT for top 5. I'm still cautiously optimistic about them but it'll be at a fever pitch if we can beat the Titans (last year it was an ugly one with the Titans winning 10-6 but our offense is much better this year).

5) That's it yo, it's official. Montreal February 12th-15th fuck this shit. Yeah, I'm goin on Valentine's Day weekend. To be frank with you I've never really had a good one. Well no, that's a lie- I had an interesting one with my best girl friend at the time in 2005 but I got sick like a dog that day. The one time I had a girlfriend on V-Day? Yeh it was aight but you can tell it was all forced at that point. This will be best of all however; I'm sure- all the single Canadian women should be in the house and if they have jungle fever...it shall be complete domination. I normally don't get amped up for nothin but considerin my luck with chicks outside of NYC is way better...sheeit why not.

6) I ran a shit 5K the other day. 29:56 what the fuck is that? It was the hardest run I've ever had tho to be honest tho, the course was hilly as a motherfucker and I'm not used to runnin up hills, they aint got em out in Rosedale. Plus there were 768 runners dear God- I'm used to maybe 150-200 or so. I finished in 362nd ick. So yeh I finished average.

7) I ain't even realize Thanksgiving is in 10 days holy shit. I'm not sure what I have to be thankful for yet I'll figure that whole shit out eventually. Aside from being alive and having the athletic ability...to jog 4.5 miles 5x/week?

8) I'm convinced the Peter Rosenberg show is the most underrated show on the radio in NYC. If you live there turn it to Hot 97 on Sunday nights between 12am-2am. If you don't know who he is fuckin Google it.

9) Convo dialogue of the weekend (yeh I got owned):
Me- I ain't got cash fuck that.
Mandy 1- I take credit but only American Express
Me- Fuck I don't own an AMEX, and definetly not the Black Card I'm not ballin like that whatsoever.
Mandy 2- Ohhh, you ain't got a black card, who stripped the blackness off of you??
Me- Shit.

10) The Nevadas' no Lauren effect has really taken a toll. Ever since she dipsetted from there way back in July (I think??) Nevadas' definetly hasn't been the same. I don't like the other random dude who does Karaoke on Thursday nights either. Thursday nights have officially lost their luster. Probably because of the fuckin economy.

11) Did I really see regular gas goin for $1.96 out in Jerz when I got out the Holland Tunnel Saturday mornin? Good grief. I had a half-tank left but I put $20 and was able to fill the rest of my tank with $2.33 worth of Premeium gas. By me, it's still $2.70 or so to do that shit.

12) Yeh I finally decided to get rid of the full-grown beard I was growin. Not many ppl seen that shit because I was hidin in the shadows. With the Swag Market at 0; there was nothin to lose. It went up 8 points this past weekend to finish at 8. Its high this year was 94 back on August 1st, 2008.

13) Can someone explain to me why the fuck you have lines outside of a fuckin bar/lounge to get in for free?

14) Why the fuck would I pay to go into a mediocre wanna-be "club" for $10 and go into a "room" for $40? Am I gonna get laid or at least have a 30% chance? If the answer is no then fuck that.

15) I never understood what's wrong with "baggy attire"? Let people dress how they wanna dress, you gotta problem? Turn off your station. Well, I understand you wanna give out a "vibe" of classiness but puttin a nigga in a collared shirt and khakis still doesn't make him any less "dangerous" than a nigga in a Dennis Rodman jersey, baggy jeans and matchin Nikes. Oh wait, I do have a Dennis Rodman jersey. God bless that man.

Fuck it.

And so on.

The Clutchness of the Gambling Gods II.

Every week, I try a 12-team progressive parlay of college football games. They only allow you to take point spreads- you can't bet on a team to win straight up or take a over/under total. The payout is a bit smaller if you hit it (900-1 as opposed to 1800-1) but they do reward you if you lose up to 3 games. If you lose 1, then it's a 80-1 payout; 2 losses= 10-1 payout; 3 losses= 3-1 payout.

This past week I did the following:

Progressive Parlay (12 Teams) 11/12/08 23:01 ET
bet 6.00 to win 5,400.00 Result: Loss

BuffaloU 43
Akron 40
BuffaloU +3.5

Wyoming 14
UNLV 22
UNLV -7

Indiana 7
PennSt 38
Indiana +36

OhioSt 30
Illinois 20
OhioSt -9.5

MinnesotaU 32
Wisconsin 35
MinnesotaU +14

NorthCarolina 15
Maryland 17
Maryland +3

Missouri 52
IowaSt 20
IowaSt +27.5

Connecticut 39
Syracuse 16
Connecticut -10

MississippiSt 7
Alabama 32
MississippiSt +21.5

Troy 31
LSU 40
Troy +18.5

Tulsa 30
HoustonU 70
Tulsa -4.5

OklahomaSt 30
Colorado 17
OklahomaSt -17

This is a classic example as to why the more games you select; even though the payouts significantly increase, the more volatile your situation becomes. You do get aided at times by the Gods, but they'll come right back with something to truly piss you off.

1) In the Buffalo-Akron game; Akron scored with 23 seconds left in the game to tie it...and once a game goes into overtime, there's no guessing what could happen. Buffalo would win straight up in the 4th OT after Akron fumbled on their first possession of that period.

2) In the Wyoming-UNLV game; UNLV had to score 13 points in the 4th quarter to barely cover. Had they just won by 7, in a progressive parlay it counts as a loss.

3) In the Indiana-Penn State game; it did help that the weather was shitty and Penn State fumbled at the Indiana 1 on one of their possessions where it appeared for sure they were gonna score. It was 10-7 PSU at halftime and they did explode in the 2nd half but fortunately for me I had enough cushion there.

4) In the Ohio State-Illinois game; I was fortunate that even though Illinois was movin the ball on OSU, they would self-destruct. OSU's blocked punt for a saftey turned out to be tremendous as well, and thankfully Illinois didn't try going for 2 when they scored a garbage TD in the last minute of the game.

5) In the Minnesota-Wisconsin game; it was the first real game of the day that I didn't really have to worry. Minnesota went up 21-7 but then self-destructed. There was some worry when Wisconsin was up 35-24 late in the game, but when Minnesota scored and made their 2 point conversion; all was well again.

6) In the North Carolina-Maryland game; even though that was one boring as hell game, the line was hella low so any big play that happened could have been a make-or-break play. The fact there was almost no scoring for the longest time I wasn't too concerned but of course when UNC was driving late, I was hopin to God they wouldn't score a TD, a FG would have been fine bc UNC would have won by 1; and I had 3 points to work with. Maryland recorded the late INT to preserve the win.

So now I'm 6-0 and on my way to history but now the tables are about to turn...

7) In the Missouri-Iowa State game; Mizzou was in control the entire game and as they should have been. Iowa State kept it close in the covering category...but ultimately I was fucked by three things. a) Iowa State couldn't stop Mizzou's offense for the life of them. b) Mizzou had an interception return for a TD which made it 21-0 early. c) Iowa State down 45-20 and still covering, was inside the Mizzou 5 but once again another interception put a stop to that. Mizzou's psychotic offense would drive down the field to score, and Iowa State had another possession but not enough time to drive down and score.

8) In the Connecticut-Syracuse game; there was concern...for a half. Then it was UConn=complete domination since Syracuse has no offense.

Now we're 7-1...at least 2 more victories and bam. Not so fast though.

9) In the Mississippi State-Alabama game; Alabama blocked a punt for a safety and then took a 5-0 lead...but Miss State did score to take a 7-5 lead. Alabama would take a 12-7 lead into halftime and I was doing OK. In the beginning stages of the 3rd quarter however, Miss State had to punt...and it was returned for a touchdown. Even though that only made it 19-7 at that point, I just felt that the air had been sucked out of Miss State and it would be domination for Alabama from that point onward. Miss State did barely miss out on covering but good God their offense sucks.

10) In the Troy-LSU game; I was stunned when Troy just jumped on LSU like that, taking a 24-3 lead into halftime and 31-3 through most of the 3rd quarter. Finally LSU rose to life but by then having essentially a 46 point cushion to work with, I was good.

So we're 8-2. It's time for the show....

11) In the Tulsa-Houston game; my God did I get ambushed. You'd figure it'd be Houston that would have the difficulty keeping up with the Tulsa Show...but Tulsa kept fuckin up, while Houston was nearly flawless in their execution...no comment.

8-3 now. And now for the nail in the coffin...

12) In the Oklahoma State-Colorado game; of course OK State would win. But when you are forced to settle for three FGs of 25 yards or less, and you allow Colorado to convert a 4th and 10 on your 29 (a TD pass to cut a 20-3 deficit to 20-10); you do shake your head and think about what might have been. A 13 point win should have easily have been at least a 24 point win.

So there you have it. I beared witness there's only one Gambling God.

And so on.

This Prop 8 Shit.

I was gonna mention it earlier on but fuck it I had forgotten. Anyway, while the election aka Barack Obama=complete domination was goin down, in Cali they were votin on whether to overturn the Gay Marriage law (aka Prop 8) and with 52% or some shit like that...they did indeed do it.

I couldn't help but notice ppl's Facebook statuses bitchin about this. Me personally, it's a gray area for me and this is my time to break down why even if I don't really agree with gay ppl gettin married, I don't really care.

Why I think it's fucked up:
1) It's Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve or Eve and Julie.
2) It just doesn't look right.

Why I don't necessarily think it's a big deal:
1) People hardly follow the Bible word for word anyway and less ppl believe in God these days.
2) If you love someone like that and could see yourself with them for the rest of ur life then fuck it.

Me personally, if I was in Cali and had a gun to my head to vote on Prop 8...yeah I would've voted yes to it. I don't have a problem with homosexual people living together, bonin each other, celebrating life with each other all that good shit. At the end of the day, ehhhh, I don't know about them being in harmony in that aspect, particularly getting nuptials. At the same time though, it doesn't directly affect me and it shouldn't be my choice to affect other people's lives and lifestyles. Ultimately, I would have remained neutral to the whole thing if that gun wasn't pointed to my head hah.

BUT: I am 100% against them having children. Imagine being the adopted child and growing up having two fathers or two mothers. I'm a firm believer that you need to have a father figure in your life to keep you steady, tough and level-headed, while the mother is the nurturer, care-taker and the one who you draw your strength from. You can't have that balance if you have it skewed one way or another.

And so on.

NFL Week 11 Bettors Guide.

Last Week: 7-6 against the spread (there was no line on the Indy-Pitt game til late); 9-5 straight up.

Tonight:
New York Jets (+3.5) @ New England Patriots- I'm gonna stop doubtin my squad. Anytime you can win 47-3 in the NFL, I don't care who the opponent is that is complete domination at its finest. This rivalry has been fairly one-sided lately with the Patriots winning five of the last six games straight up. However, the Jets are 2-1 ATS in the Razor, including a straight-up victory here in 2006. These games here have been real close and I expect the same here. If Favre plays mistake-free football again and the secondary can contain Wes Welker (he's more viable at this point than Randy Moss); the Jets will leave here with a victory. Jets 21 Patriots 17

1pm Games:
Chicago Bears (NL) @ Green Bay Packers- How could I forget that these two are playing hah. Anyhow, there's no line as of yet due to the uncertain status of Kyle Orton. I do expect however the Bears to continue their mastery of the Packers this year in Green Bay regardless of QB. They've won four consecutive times up in Lambeau and 6 of 8 overall. The Bears realize the urgency of the situation and in order to stay ahead in the muddled NFC North, their defense has to step it up and I believe they will against a now-pedestrian Packers' offense. Chicago 20 Green Bay 13

Denver Broncos @ Atlanta Falcons (-6.5)- I am sold on this Falcons' squad. They can bring the heat on the defensive side of the ball and are gaining confidence with every down on offense. Matt Ryan is the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year and some people may argue that he should get some MVP consideration. Mike Smith has done a simply tremendous job with this team, whom I'm sure are winning back their fans REAL QUICK. They're gonna have a field day with Denver's shit defense and Cutler is gonna have to do the same thing Drew Brees did last week. The Cutler-Marshall express are gonna get theirs but if the Falcons force turnovers...game over. Falcons 34 Broncos 24

Oakland Raiders (+10.5) @ Miami Dolphins- The oddsmakers IMO are giving Miami a little too much credit. Granted, it's another west coast team traveling to the East for a matchup...but Oakland last time they did this almost pulled off a shocker in Buffalo before falling short 24-23. Since then however, Oakland has had ZERO offense. Miami will have no problem dealing with that dreadful unit...but Oakland's defense (namely secondary) will keep them in this game and help them cover. Oakland last time they came to Miami actually came away with a W, they will come out with a L this time. But they'll finally score a TD. Dolphins 17 Raiders 7

Baltimore Ravens (+6.5) @ New York Giants- I'm surprised for a game featuring two of the top 6 teams in football right now (I'd rank them NYG, TEN, BAL, PIT, CAR, ATL) that the Ravens are this lightly regarded. The huge matchup here is the Ravens' O-Line vs. the Giants' ferocious D-Line. If Joe Flacco can stay upright they'll have a chance to win this game. The Giants on offense will punish you with Brandon Jacobs and then come slashin at you with Derrick Ward (a poor man's Brian Westbrook). It'll be a higher scoring game than people think. The defending champs win. Baltimore covers. Giants 24 Ravens 20

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts (-8.5)- The Texans play the Colts tough...at Reliant Stadium. On the road, they typically get manhandled and this Sunday will be no exception. If Joe Flacco and the Ravens can put up a 41 spot on this defense, I'm sure Peyton Manning could do that in his sleep. Houston will score some points (you figure you can when you have Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson as your weapons) but Indy is gonna have a field day. Colts 38 Texans 17

Philadelphia Eagles (-9) @ Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals are actually 2-0 ATS vs. NFC opponents this year. The Bengals will leave 2-1 ATS vs. NFC opponents this year. Yeah, they had the bye week to prepare but Philly is none too pleased about their loss last week to the G-Men. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not ready for what's gonna happen to him here; he's gonna get blitzed into submission. Eagles 28 Bengals 9

New Orleans Saints @ Kansas City Chiefs (+5.5)- If the NFL awarded moral victories, the Chiefs would be leading the AFC West at this point hah. What a gutsy performance versus the Chargers; unfortunately that botched extra point snap did them in. The Saints can air it out with anyone, the problem is that they have NO running game...and that's one way to get to the Chiefs. But their beleagured run defense only allowed 92 yards rushing last week, including 78 to LaDanian Tomlinson. Tyler Thigpen has been playing out of his mind, and with the Saints having difficulty forcing turnovers...you know what? I'm pickin this upset (I know a lot of ppl are pounding the Saints' line thinking it'll be easy- boy are they in for a shock). Chiefs 31 Saints 24

Detroit Lions @ Carolina Panthers (-14)- I'm not gonna waste much time here. The Lions let me down big-time last week in what was probably their 2nd best chance to avoid going winless. Jake Delhomme had the worst game of his career at Oakland. At least Oakland has a decent secondary. The Lions have nothing. Oh, just run the ball Carolina and you'll be fine. Panthers 31 Lions 7 (garbage TD in the waning moments)

Minnesota Vikings @ Tampa Bay Bucs (-3.5)- Minnesota's defense was great last week. But two non-offensive TDs by Green Bay made the score close. This game is probably gonna be the hardest for me to choose because neither one of these teams are spectacular, but are efficent enough to win games. Tampa Bay has a little bit more to work with however than just the Adrian Petersons. Bucs 20 Vikings 14

4/815pm Games:
Arizona Cardinals (-3) @ Seattle Seahawks- The Cardinals are a perfect 2-0 ATS on the road vs. their NFC West opposition. They would love nothing more than to lay the hammer down on this hapless squad; which although they played hard @ Miami, fell short. Miami does not possess the firepower Arizona does...and this is not 2005. Even their home-field advantage has taken a hit, going 1-3 at home this year. I think this is a steal, even with the Cards having a day less to rest. After this game, the Cards will be 7-3 and up on the division 4 games with 5 to play (since unfortunately the Rams and 49ers play each other). Cardinals 35 Seahawks 13

St. Louis Rams (+6) @ San Francisco 49ers- The Niners almost shocked the world (who woulda thought beating Arizona would constitute that hah) last Monday night but were unable to hold on. Besides, what the fuck was that play call at the end? Meanwhile, the Rams simply got napalmed out of New Jersey and find themselves here. This one is gonna be an ugly one and I feel pity for those that have to partake in watching this. In the past 2 years, both teams have combined to score less than 40 between the two- and this game will be no exception. Niners win and move into second place LOL...Rams cover (don't make me foolish again though). Niners 17 Rams 13

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)- One thing about this rivalry, NEVER be the favorite...you almost always straight-up lose hah. Plus, this is right up Jacksonville's alley...it's a highly regarded opponent that they can actually get up for (they've beaten the Broncos and Colts on the road this year). Tennessee is undefeated and it's a mystery of life...but the Bears took away their most dangerous dimension last week- their running game. Somehow, Kerry Collins beat them with his arm. If this happens 2 weeks in a row, I will shit myself but I won't have to worry. Plus, it'll go down to the final play. Josh Scobee has ice water in his veins, and will kick the Titans from the ranks of the unbeaten. Jaguars 16 Titans 13

San Diego Chargers (+5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers have struggled in important games this year, losing to the Eagles, Giants and Colts (the last two being at home and could be argued that they let those slip away). Ben Roethlisberger is scheduled to play with his bum right shoulder, and Willie Parker may play as well with a shoulder harness...but clearly won't be at 100%. Random fact of the day- This is the 4th of 7 consecutive games the Steelers either play at 4:15 or in primetime. The Chargers are good on offense...but you don't know what to expect from them on defense. They're better than that 4-5 mark and it's time for their second half run. Upset time. Chargers 24 Steelers 17

Dallas Cowboys (-1.5) @ Washington Redskins- The two biggest questions are: 1) How much of an impact can Tony Romo have with his pinkie if he does play on Sunday night? 2) Will Clinton Portis play? The 2nd one is much more important IMO. The Redskins will have a vastly more difficult time beating the Cowboys without their MVP (and my current vote for that award). The Cowboys have struggled ATS versus the Redskins...and this game is ridiculously important for the Cowboys if they want to make their second half push in the division and conference. It'll be a good game both teams will play hard but finally, Dallas wins. Cowboys 24 Redskins 21

Monday Night:
Cleveland Browns (+5) @ Buffalo Bills- The Browns have a worse closer mentality than the New York Mets bullpen. The Bills meanwhile, after starting off the year hot, have suddenly become lethargic particularly on offense. GIVE MARSHAWN LYNCH THE FUCKIN BALL. Cleveland shined in their previous Monday Night Football performance, givin the defending champs arguably the most unexpected beating in the NFL this year (35-14) meanwhile we all remember what happened the last time Buffalo hosted a MNF game dear God. Buffalo finally gets off the schnide (they have to if they wanna remain in that AFC race) but Cleveland gets their cover on. Buffalo 27 Cleveland 23

And so on.

5 Must-Haves for the Hood.

1) Sidekick- You're not a true gangsta unless you have one of these contraptions. I feel like everyone in the hood from the Chicken Noodle Soup era (13-18 year olds) to the lazyasses who just want AIM on their side pocket 24/7 must have this thing.

2) Myspace- It's the new BlackPlanet baby yeahhh! Plus, why pay for Adult FriendFinder or chill on the corner peepin onion booties when you can do it from the comfort of your sidekick or library or home?

3) A pair of epileptic-causin Nike sneakers: Sure, let's all pretend now that we're 80s babies when most of these fucks who are dressin up like this were born in the 90s. Don't be mad that Soul Train was before your time and you have now been further nigga-ized by 106 and Park.

4) Some complicated hand-shake (dap): Since everybody apparently still wants to be a gangbanger even in skinny jeans down to the thigh area and rocker belts...to have your own set, you and your boys need to come with a 7-10 combo handshake which boggles the eyes and would win a national Dap competition one day. Personally I'm surprised BET hasn't forumlated a reality TV show based on this.

5) The Cockfest Bar (no homo): When that itis sets in after a heavy round of blazin, why would you want to head all the way out to the city to strike out, when you can strike out in your own backyard? Many guys think this way, hence leading to a 27 on 2 assault on women who on average would even make DK look like T.I in a side-by-side profile; but due to the dearth of females, it's survival of the....I don't know. It's some darkass spot on the corner or on the middle of the block that only pops off after 3am.

And so on.

College Football Top 25 Bettors Guide.

Sometimes I hate having to do this early in the week...but with #14 Ball State in the house tonight I have no other option. It can be to your advantage however especially if you pick a favorite. This is because sometimes a lot of ppl will put money on a favorite (i.e last week with USC starting out as a 17 point favorite over Cal) and the line will shift (USC by gametime was 22.5 point favorites). Not that it mattered because USC only won 17-3 but had USC won 21-3, I would have hit it (since I got USC at -17) but people who got it later would have failed. Anyways.

Last Week: 15-4 straight up; 11-8 against the spread.

Tonight:
#14 Ball State (-19.5) @ Miami Ohio (7pm- ESPN2): Perfect time for an upset bid right? Not a chance. Miami (OH) actually beat BSU last year 14-13 on the road but this Ball State team is much more explosive than that team last year. Ball State has been held to under 30 only once and in MAC play have scored 35+ in every game except one (31-0 win over Toledo). Miami Ohio has been decimated in their last two games by a combined 91-38 over Buffalo and Kent State, and Ball State is in another league compared to those two. Ball State 45 Miami (Ohio) 17

Friday:
#22 Cincinnati @ Louisville (+3.5) (8pm- ESPN): There is no team which I have less faith in in the nation than Louisville. Yet why the hell am I taking them here again? Last year, they went on the road to then #15 and undefeated Cincinnati and pulled off the 28-24 upset. Cincinnati is nothing special yes, but they get Ws and that's what matters. With Louisville, you never know what to expect. For example, for the 2nd year in a row they lose to Syracuse for God's sake...yet they beat South Florida. Lord knows. Anyways just to continue the trend...Louisville 23 Cincinnati 20

Saturday:
Mississippi State (+20) @ #1 Alabama (745pm- ESPN): I know initially I thought Alabama should have no problem with Mississippi State but a few things jumped out at me which made me cautious. Miss State has won the last two meetings (albeit Alabama was nowhere near the team they are now), and in their 3 games against ranked opponents this year (Auburn, Vanderbilt, LSU), they are 3-0 ATS and have lost by 1, won straight up, and lost by 10. Alabama is motivated enough not to get upset, especially at home...but MSU are gamers, and they will give Alabama everything they can handle, but Alabama's superior talent will overcome at the end. Alabama 23 Mississippi State 10

#3 Texas @ Kansas (+13.5) (1230pm- FSN): They haven't played each other since 2005, when the Vince Young-led Longhorns annihilated Kansas 66-14 in Austin; taking a 52-0 lead into halftime. However, the year before that- Kansas nearly pulled off the upset but Texas came from behind 27-23 in Lawrence. Although they are 0-3 against ranked opponents this year, they are 2-1 ATS in those same games. Also, interestingly enough this is only the second time ALL YEAR Texas plays a game away from their home state (Colorado was their first). Texas is lookin to stay in the NC hunt, while Kansas is trying to salvage their season and have an outside chance of still making it to the Big 12 title game. Their offense can put in work, problem is...their defense can't make stops when needed to (see game @ Nebraska last week). Texas 45 Kansas 35

#25 South Carolina (+21) @ #4 Florida (330pm- CBS): OK, so I lied when I said I'll never bet against Florida again this year. The nation's best overall team right now IMO have been point-spread covering beasts, covering all 8 times they have won this year. However, they're going up against South Carolina, who has given them minor issues lately including 2 years ago in Gainesville, where it took 3 blocked kicks to avert the upset. The Gamecocks are 1-1 ATS this year versus ranked opponents (Georgia and LSU) and have won their last 2 road games overall. In all 3 of their losses, they have lost by 7 points each and unbelievably they haven't allowed more than 24 points all year. Florida will do work and put an end to that; but it'll be a bit tougher than expected. Florida 34 South Carolina 17

#6 USC (-22.5) @ Stanford (7pm- Versus): I'm confused. Yes I understand Stanford is better than that team that upset the Trojans in LA last year as 41 point underdogs (ppl forget they CAME FROM BEHIND in that one). Yes they could feasibly be 7-3 right now, letting 2 games slip away late (UCLA and Oregon). But you can't be serious right now. USC has allowed ONE touchdown in the state of California all year (7 overall- 4 @ Oregon State, 1 @ Virginia, 1 @ Arizona) and if you think they have forgotten about what happened last year, you're on crack. True, their offense needs some improvement but with that defense, God bless and goodnight. USC 31 Stanford 0

#7 Utah (-28.5) @ San Diego State (8pm- The Mountain): San Diego State's hope- they "only" lost 23-7 to Utah in Salt Lake City. The problem? They are by far the worst team in the Mountain West Conference this year. Their 2 games against TCU and BYU, the other class of the MWC? Combined 82-19 losses...though they can be proud that they covered at BYU hah. Oh, and they lost to the 2nd worst team in the conference Wyoming 35-10. Good God. Well, Utah's not really a team that annihilates opponents like that but this is a perfect opportunity for them to tune up for their Holy War vs. BYU next week. The numbers are all there. Expect complete domination. Utah 42 San Diego State 3

Indiana (+34.5) @ #8 Penn State (Noon- Big Ten Network): On Monday I said to myself this should be a bloodbath. It will be, but with a caveat. Although the Hoosiers are 3-7 overall, have lost to Ball State and Central Michigan (albeit the class of the MAC this year) and just got destroyed by a struggling Wisconsin team...they're not THAT bad...wait yes they are but not 35 point underdog bad. Besides, Penn State as of late has been struggling on the offensive side of the ball. That will not be the case this Saturday, as Indiana's defense has allowed 38 touchdowns this year, while PSU has only allowed 14. Yeah, the numbers are there, but do you really think Penn State can cover this many points? I don't think so. They'll fall a little short here. Penn State 38 Indiana 7

#9 Boise State (-34.5) @ Idaho (5pm): Thank God I don't have to be anywhere near a TV for this one. Boise State has had their way with WAC opponents this year. Their smallest margin of victory is 17; haven't allowed more than 16 points in any contest...and the scariest thing about this particular matchup? Last week- BSU won 49-14 over Utah State(covering for me at -31.5; tying the spread otherwise for ppl who got it at -35) while committing 12 penalties and turning the ball over three times. Idaho has played better in recent weeks, covering their last 2 games and even winning one- over New Mexico State. But they lost by 44 last year to Boise and if you think they have a chance in hell, I'd give the Republicans in any presidental race a better chance of winning California. Boise State 55 Idaho 10

#10 Georgia @ Auburn (+8) (1230pm): The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. Georgia has dominated the last two years, winning 37-15 and 45-20 respectively. So why is the spread so low? Georgia struggles to cover...they're 3-6 ATS; 1-5 in the last 6 games overall. Auburn has really struggled this year especially on the offensive side of the ball; contributing to their recent 4-game losing streak in D-1A play (Tennessee-Martin does not count hah). They've been pretty bad ATS as well though with ONE cover the entire year (in the first game of the season vs. Louisiana-Monroe). With that in mind however, Auburn has not played a conference game all year decided by more than 10 points. I think Auburn will get Georgia to play into their ugly style of play...and I'm callin it- I'm gonna go with the upset. Auburn 17Georgia 14

#11 Ohio State (-10) @ Illinois (Noon- ESPN): Yes, I know Illinois has a spread offense and used it to upset the Buckeyes in Columbus last year. But that Illini team was an upstart with a relatively unknown QB at the time in Juice Williams who kept the Buckeyes extremely off-balanced. But this game this year comes at a bad, bad time for the Illini. Ohio State has only allowed 13 TDs all year and yes, they've been able to slow down the spread offenses of Troy and Penn State, holding them to 23 points combined. Their offense is getting back on track and looks much better with Terrelle Pryor. Compound that with the Illini defense playing horribly in their 2 games against ranked opponents (52 to Mizzou, 38 to Penn State) and it could be a long afternoon in Champaign. Not to mention, the Buckeyes still have an outside shot at the Big Ten title. No upsets here. Ohio State 27 Illinois 13

#12 Missouri @ Iowa State (+26.5) (630pm- FSN): On paper this looks bad. Real bad. Mizzou has scored 53 TDs this year, while Iowa State has yielded 45. Iowa State's lost 8 straight games overall, while Mizzou has rebounded in winning their last three games. But there is hope in ATS land. Mizzou is a mere 1-4 ATS in their last five games. The one thing though is that you don't know which Iowa State team is going to show up. They almost pulled off the upset in their first ranked game of the season (Kansas, losing 35-33) but then was Oklahoma State's sacrifical lamb in the second one, losing 59-17. Mizzou's offense is scarier than both of those, IMO...but Iowa State does have a chance to cover. Remember, Mizzou's defense is not all that great and last year in a similar situation (Mizzou ranked 13th and Iowa State 1-7), Mizzou only won 42-28 at home. Missouri 52 Iowa State 28

#13 Oklahoma State (-17.5) @ Colorado (8pm- ABC regional/likely the western 2/3rds of the country): Oklahoma State just got ripped apart by Texas Tech last week and their whole team is smarting over that. They regrouped just fine after losing to Texas by destroying Iowa State 59-17. Meanwhile, Colorado is looking to become bowl-eligible and will be facing their 5th ranked opponent this year. They beat West Virginia in OT, but have gotten destroyed by Texas, Missouri and Kansas by a combined 126-28. Last time these two met, Colorado shut out Oklahoma State 34-0. But that was in 2005. This is NOT 2005. There will be some fury unleashed here and by then ABC will have mercifully have switched the regional coverage for you guys to the Boston College-Florida State game. Oklahoma State 41 Colorado 13

#16 North Carolina @ Maryland (+2.5) (330pm- ABC regional/East Coast): Oh geez, ACC time. Here's some food for thought. Maryland is 3-0 straight up/ATS versus ranked opponents this year. North Carolina meanwhile is 2-1 straight up but 1-2 ATS when ranked. The ACC is too wacky for me to make any other kind of statement however except yes, it'll be another close game and yes, you will see an "upset". Maryland 20 North Carolina 17

#17 BYU (-4) @ Air Force (330pm- The Mountain): This is gonna be a good one. Air Force believe it or not is 8-2 and their two losses this year have been by 7 and 6 points respectively to Utah and Navy- 2 very solid football teams. Their offense poses problems for any team's defense to deal with. BYU handled them fairly easily last year in a 31-6 victory...but BYU has really struggled ATS these days, failing to cover 6 straight times. On the flip side of the coin however, Air Force just can't beat ranked opponents. BYU finally will get a cover, but that's because the spread is finally low enough. BYU 27 Air Force 20

Boston College @ #19 Florida State (-7) (8pm- ABC regional/East Coast): ESPN Gameday will be here. It's another schizo ACC tilt. Except this time I may finally have the answer here. FSU is the more talented team on both sides of the ball...and feasibly could be undefeated were it not for that horror show vs. Wake earlier on and that last second turnover at Georgia Tech. Last year in Chestnut Hill, they beat a very overrated BC team that was ranked #2 simply because everyone else kept losing. This year, they shall win again. Florida State 24 Boston College 13

Troy (+19.5) @ #20 LSU (8pm): This is a makeup game from Hurricane Gustav. LSU had a heartbreaking OT loss to Alabama last week, meanwhile Troy took care of Western Kentucky. These 2 teams met last time 4 years ago (coincidentally LSU were defending champs that year as well) and after being eliminated from the title hunt- LSU struggled to put the Trojans away 24-20. There's nothing striking about either team to be honest, they both suck ATS but I think for LSU this is too high for them. LSU 31 Troy 17

#23 Tulsa (-5) @ Houston (8pm): The Tulsa Show has had a week to think about what might have been, after being upset by Arkansas. With their hopes of crashing the BCS party done, they now can refocus on Conference USA and their last real remaining hurdle to the C-USA title game. Houston's offense is good. Tulsa's offense however is psychotic...and if their defense can get a couple of stops on Houston, though it will not be another 56-7 whitewash as it was last year...there's no chance Houston's covering. Tulsa 56 Houston 28

#24 Wake Forest (-4) @ North Carolina State (330pm): Psst. Guess who leads the ACC Atlantic (for now)? Yes, that's Wake Forest. NC State's in last. What does that mean in the ACC though? Absolutely jackshit, hence the low spread. NC State are beasts against the spread, going 6-2 besides having an overall record of 2-6 in those games. Wake sucks ATS though I forget the exact record. The line suggests Wake is gonna win by a field goal. I think it'll be by 2 FGs hah. Wake Forest 20 North Carolina State 14.

Selfishness.

The word selfish tends to have a negative connotation. Only looking out for yourself at the expense of other people, regardless of how close you are to them. In most instances, yeah it sucks...but in some instances, you MUST be selfish because ultimately you're the one person you should care about the most. Unless you're Mother Teresa or one of A Pimp Named Slickback's finest prostitutes; what good is excessively being selfless when you're not getting any enjoyment out of it or getting anywhere in life?

Now don't get me wrong. I take great joy and pride in helping ppl out. I love dishin out advice, giving people rides to places if they don't have an alternative means of getting somewhere and I do it because it's in my nature. Not because I do it to demand respect or to be reimbursed or anything like that. As long as you can appreciate whatever comes to you, respect it, and not abuse the assistance then I can live with that. I first began questioning this however in high school when I first got my license. I was excited about being one of the few juniors to have a car at the time and yeah I had quite a few acquantainces. But when word came out that I had a car, suddenly they felt the need to "become closer" to me. Suddenly these same people who I wouldn't talk to that frequently would always come to me trying to make friendly convo, wanting to hang out, all this shit. Ultimately, it was just so that at the end of the school day, they could get a ride back home. Once they got their respective licenses, I didn't hear much from them again. Not that it mattered much, because I don't ask for reciprocation...but the one day I didn't have my car and asked for a ride (for the fuck of it)...the one dude said "I have no space in my car sorry." Damn.

Sometimes you get so wrapped up into other people's pleasures that you put added pressure upon yourself and look down upon your achievements. I do this very often; I tend to downgrade my accomplishments as no big deal. I don't know if it's a by-product of being humble or simply not being satisfied enough with myself and where I am right now...but I'm sure it's somewhat discerning when for example you view running 4.5 miles as no big deal (when a month ago I wasn't even joggin). Maybe I need to self-evaluate my self-esteem because it's quite low right now...for what reason I don't really know but I seriously don't feel like I've done much to warrant a good feeling about myself, even if others think otherwise. This self-doubt causes me to become more anxious than I should and create a heightened sense of disappointment (as if I failed) when it wasn't that bad. In other words, if I accomplished something, I'll diminish it but if I fucked up I'll take the full blame and let it affect me for a while.

Although my first instincts are usually very good, I spend a lot of time harping on them and in turn it affects my daily routine/performance. I shouldn't worry about what other people are doing because quite frankly, they're doing them and I'm doing me...and to be honest people always separate themselves from the pack. Sometimes you feel like people are avoiding you, when in reality they're simply very busy...but it does make you question if you're really cool with them as they say you are. Other times, you have to go out your way to avoid people because you're in your own zone and you can't afford for them to be a distraction. But, that's when the overactive mind of mind takes shape. While yes, in a perfect world I would be in constant contact with ppl who gave a shit about me and vice-versa...it cannot be that way. You gotta make progress with yourself first, not focus on extracurricular bullshit, and then let it work out on its own.

For the past couple of months I've deliberately gone relatively incognito because I must find out who I am before I find out about others. This is the first time in a while where I can say that I'm being selfish towards my needs because either I'm gonna flourish or I'm gonna flounder. By being selfless at times, you have more to lose than to gain and that's the sad reality. Don't get me wrong, I still go out and I still talk to those select few. But I'm back in my shell, back where I'm most comfortable, being my own 1-man Army. I'm very happy in myself for no longer drinking nearly as much as I used to. I'm content with where I'm at with my internship and my adidas job. I'm content with the friends I have. I need to start giving a shit more about my family. I'm disappointed in a few people but once again I'm probably over-exaggerating. I simply cannot wait for the lameness of 2008 to be over and for a fresh new start in 2009. Hence, the January trip to wherever and then a few other things I have in store.

For those who I've been avoiding, it has nothing to do with you. For those avoiding me, you do what you want. Eventually I have to shit out the bullshitters and then wipe my ass before flushin, wash my hands and continue my journey.

And so on.

The Clutchness of the Gambling Gods.

I've come to terms with respecting them. The more money you put down or the more teams you try to place in a parlay, the more dastardly they become. It never, ever fails. This past weekend I had a successful 4-teamer, but at the same time, a few extremely close calls that were too anguishing. And one bet which truly grinded my gears. Prepare yourselves:

Example 1:
Straight Wager 11/03/08 23:34 ET
bet 130.00 to win 118.18 Result: Wager Lost
ArizonaU 59
WashingtonSt 28 11/08/08(17:00 ET)
ArizonaU -41

One of the safest bets in the nation up until this point was Washington State (arguably the worst team in college football) getting annihilated, to the point where almost anybody could cover against them. They had been outscored in Pac-10 play 350-30 and have one win, against a FCS (D-1AA) team. Their smallest margin of defeat this year is 25. The last 2 games they had lost by a combined 127-0. Not so fast my friend, for one week only, they looked like a football team on offense. Had I only put $30, I guarantee this hits.

Example 2:
Parlay (6 Teams) 11/05/08 21:47 ET
bet 8.27 to win 375.70 Result: Wager Lost
1Clippers(LA) 1stHalf 51
1Lakers(LA) 1stHalf 47
1Lakers(LA) -7.5 (-115)

1Clippers(LA) 1stHalf 51
1Lakers(LA) 1stHalf 47
Over 97

1Grizzlies(Memphis) 1stHalf 41
1Kings(Sacramento) 1stHalf 48
1Kings(Sacramento) -1.5

1Grizzlies(Memphis) 1stHalf 41
1Kings(Sacramento) 1stHalf 48
Under 96.5

1Nuggets(Denver) 1stHalf 59
1Warriors(GoldenState) 1stHalf 58
1Nuggets(Denver) +2 (-115)

1Nuggets(Denver) 1stHalf 59
1Warriors(GoldenState) 1stHalf 58
Over 105.5

Look at the beauty of this. Except that somehow the Clippers, who up to this point had been playing real shitty, actually jumped ahead of the Lakers early in the game. The Lakers made a run but there was no way they were gonna cover. Just to spite me, the Gods have both teams to barely go over with seconds remaining in the half, just so that only one scenario fucked me out of a huge payday. Honestly had I picked the Clippers to cover, the Gods probably would've had the total just go under. Everything else was safe for the most part.

Example 3:
Straight Wager 11/05/08 21:48 ET
bet 50.00 to win 65.00 Result: Wager Lost

Nuggets(Denver) 101
Warriors(GoldenState) 111
Nuggets(Denver) +130

I had won a few games in a row rather easily and rebuilding some confidence. Seeing this matchup, I figured it was gonna be a close game but the Nuggets would win this, even without Chauncey Billups about to join the team. There was a point in the first quarter where I was lookin like a pure genius, as the Nuggets were up 32-15. However, Golden State kept chipping away and eventually pulled away fuck. This was the game Carmelo Anthony wanted to score 44 to honor Barack Obama being the 44th president of the US. He scored 28 so I guess he was honoring Woodrow Wilson.

Example 4:
Parlay (4 Teams) 11/06/08 11:21 ET
bet 8.96 to win 89.60 Result: Wager Lost
Maryland 13
VirginiaTech 23
VirginiaTech -3

Maryland 13
VirginiaTech 23
Under 41.5

TCU 10
Utah 13
TCU -1.5

TCU 10
Utah 13
Under 42.5

I'm still fuming over this right now. There was never a question about the Maryland-VA Tech game overall, and the TCU-Utah game it looked like no one was interested in scoring so my under was safe. TCU was up 10-6 seemingly forever and in firm control of the game. However, the fourth quarter hits, and the Gambling Gods I guess panicked. TCU's kicker clanks not one but TWO field goals off the uprights...including one with 2:30 left in the game which would have put TCU up 7. Then on Utah's final drive, TCU commits a pass interference penalty on 4th down, keeping Utah's drive alive where they eventually score with about 30 seconds left. You got to be kidding me.

But then, out of the blue, the Gods seeing my anguish do me one favor:

Parlay (4 Teams) 11/06/08 23:41 ET
bet 7.00 to win 70.00 (paid 77.0) Result: Wager Won
Grizzlies(Memphis) 109
Warriors(GoldenState) 104
Over 194.5

Mavericks(Dallas) 105
Nuggets(Denver) 108
Over 203

Pistons(Detroit) 96
Nets(NewJersey) 103
Over 190.5

Raptors(Toronto) 92
Hawks(Atlanta) 110
Over 182.5

There were some doubts early on in a couple of those games, but the scoring was in earnest in the 2nd half of just about all of them.

With the Gods now witnessing my excitement of this, they break me down once again with a devastating loss:

Parlay (4 Teams) 11/08/08 03:41 ET
bet 22.00 to win 220.00 Result: Wager Lost
Army 31
Rice 38
Rice -9.5

BowlingGreen 28
Ohio 3
BowlingGreen -3

IowaSt 24
Colorado 28
Over 47.5

Kansas 35
Nebraska 45
Over 61.5

The Bowling Green game was never in doubt, and the two Big 12 games, although they both started off real slow, once again the scoring kicked in earnest in the 2nd halves of both those games. I even got some help in the Iowa State-Colorado game because Colorado scored with about 2 minutes left. With the Gods now noticing Rice was on their way to running away with an easy victory (38-17 heading into the 4th quarter and Rice threatening to score yet again), they get to work:
1) Rice completes a 13 yard pass down to Army's 30 but the WR fumbles and Army gets the ball.
2) Army promptly scores.
3) Rice punts.
4) Army goes on an 89 yard annoying as fuck drive, in which they go 4-4 on 3rd down conversions (literally if they needed 4 yards they'd get 5 or 6) and then break off a 43 yard TD run.
5) Rice gets the ball back but they get stuffed on a 4th and 1 on the Army 31, rather than go for a FG. Their kicker must suck.
6) Rice's defense FINALLY stops Army but it's too late then.

The pain continues even more though:

Parlay (7 Teams) 11/08/08 21:21 ET
bet 5.00 to win 375.00 Result: Wager Lost
Bills(Buffalo) 10
Patriots(NewEngland) 20
Under 41.5

Jaguars(Jacksonville) 38
Lions(Detroit) 14
Under 43.5

Packers(GreenBay) 27
Vikings(Minnesota) 28
Under 44.5

Panthers(Carolina) 17
Raiders(Oakland) 6
Under 37.5

Rams(StLouis) 3
Jets(NewYork) 47
Over 44

Saints(NewOrleans) 20
Falcons(Atlanta) 34
Over 50

Titans(Tennessee) 21
Bears(Chicago) 14
Under 38.5

I hit 5 out of 7. If Detroit wasn't so shitty against the run/not so shitty in the 2nd quarter, I might have had a chance with that under...meanwhile, Minnesota's defense was amazing, yet because the Packers scored 2 non-offensive TDs, that makes the difference in that one. Just to add insult to injury, the Saints-Falcons make me correct with their game on the very last play of the game (Drew Brees TD pass).

And the grand finale:
Parlay (6 Teams) 11/09/08 16:09 ET
bet 5.00 to win 200.00 Result: Wager Lost
1Grizzlies(Memphis) 1stHalf 54
1Nuggets(Denver) 1stHalf 53
Over 97.5

1Hawks(Atlanta) 1stHalf 38
1Thunder(OklahomaCity) 1stHalf 41
1Hawks(Atlanta) -2.5

1Hawks(Atlanta) 1stHalf 38
1Thunder(OklahomaCity) 1stHalf 41
Under 92

1Rockets(Houston) 1stHalf 48
1Lakers(LA) 1stHalf 50
Under 97

1Warriors(GoldenState) 1stHalf 57
1Kings(Sacramento) 1stHalf 63
1Kings(Sacramento) -1.5

1Warriors(GoldenState) 1stHalf 57
1Kings(Sacramento) 1stHalf 63
Over 108

Honestly, this was probably my least devastating loss out of all of these. But two things I want to point out. First, the Hawks were seemingly up the entire first half but the Thunder must have went on a late run, so that was disappointing. I would have been infuriated however had the Hawks covered and I witnessed the Rockets-Lakers barely go over. That's why whoever makes up these spreads and totals are pure fuckin geniuses, because for the longest time it looked like there was no way the Rockets-Lakers were going over for the first half.

Grand total of money I barely missed out of this weekend: $1,433.48

Good Lord.

And so on.

My January Trip.

I figure I need a break from NYC. God bless this place, but every now and then you gotta get away from it all and explore your options elsewhere as a temporary fix. It's almost as if you gotta go get drunk or some shit hah. Though I've changed quite a bit with my life at the moment, I feel like I'm goin through the same monotone bullshit. Thinkin about where to go, I basically had two places in mind and then a few wild cards. In my own version of Indecision '08 here are your candidates:

Montreal (Barack Obama aka the favorite): This may become a no-brainer if I can get a few of my boys to come through. I used to go here as a child because I had family over there and it's hella nice and clean. Now that I'm older obviously, I can take advantage of the drinking and gambling hah. As well as the nightlife. Plus, apparently Canadian girls are the shit...and I don't doubt this because I have experienced this myself. Granted it's gonna be cold as hell but so will my #2 candidate in this. Montreal from what it sounds like is a live place to be, even if half the shit I won't understand because it's French hah. Not to mention, I can drive or take the bus there and it won't be that expensive for a nice getaway.

Chicago (John McCain aka the underdog): If you asked me this question a couple of months ago, there would have been no doubt I'd be going here. Some sense of doubts later and here I stand. While yes, one of my better girl friends lives around this area...I always question my stance with her because now she's in a relationship...and even though we feel like we need to meet and would be perfect for each other, I have my doubts. It's a high-risk, moderate-to-high reward and it may or may not be the perfect time for me to fuck with it in that aspect. On the other hand, I do have another friend that lives out there and I could visit her for that weekend. If Montreal falls apart, then Chicago it will be. It's a tough uphill climb for the Chi right now but it can easily win too.

Long Shots-

Virginia: Haven't really given it much thought, can be a sleeper pick (to go visit a girl friend of mine) but what can I possibly do out there aside from that hah?

Arizona: They got some bangin chicks over there at the universities and I do know somewhat some ppl that live out there...but yes another far-fetched idea.

Toronto: A place I really do want to visit and fuck with...but that's likely not gonna happen until Caribana.

Michigan/Ohio: see Virginia

New Orleans: True, but I've been down there before. Obviously it'd be fun to go down for Mardi Gras but I'd want something new.

Denver: An underrated city, looks dope (or at least the Real World that season made it out to be) but I just don't know.

Texas: Probably the most far-fetched of them all. First, where in Texas (it'd probably be West Texas to visit my homegirl) and secondly, with the viciousness of ppl down there right now post-election, this might be a volatile time to go.

That's all for now. I'm sure I'll make my decision by the end of the month.

And so on.