Week 10 - Cocktails!!

What could be better than Halloween followed by the 86th Annual World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party? Taking the day off on Friday, that's what. I'll be spending October 31 in the land of the witches, Salem, MA. What's up, witches? After watching the first episode of Season 2 of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, and seeing what a mess Rodney King has become due to alcohol abuse (not to mention the state of Steven Adler - oops, wrong Steven Adler), I've decided to lay off the drinking. For the next few days at least, or until I need advice on a Penn State game - whichever comes first.

On a side note, I refuse to be called out by this guy. That's right, The Mark, the gauntlet has been thrown. I may write this crappy blog, but at least I never slept with Lumbergh.

BONEHEAD OF THE WEEK

I usually don't stray away from football with this pick, but being in the NYC area, I have to point out Isiah Thomas, who was allegedly hospitalized this week after overdosing on prescription Lunesta. Well either Zeke or his 17-year old daughter. As the reports continue to come out, it seems police responded to a 911 call at the Thomas home, and an unidentified man was rushed to the hospital unconscious after taking more than the recommended dosage of sleeping medication. Howeve, Thomas denies it was him, insisting it was his 17-year-old daughter, Lauren, who required treatment.

My favorite quote from this fiasco? Police chief David Hall, who defended his officers saying, "We know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female." With the way that Thomas ran the Knicks last year, its a wonder that he knows the difference himself. Seriously, though. OD'ing on Lunesta isn't funny, and we wish Isiah/his daughter a speedy recovery.

On to the Picks

Western KY -16.5 North Texas

As if the 0-8 start could get any worse for the Mean Green, North Texas announced Tuesday that
15 of their 86 players had failed a drug test earlier this fall. I guess Denton, TX isn't just the Home of Happiness, but also of "street drugs." Street drugs? Who am I, my 8th grade guidance counselor? Regardless, the Hilltoppers are pretty bad in their own right, mustering just over 10 points per game against D-1 teams this year. I'm guessing that Western Kentucky will probably be able to score more than the 20 points they put up last week when they face the 119th ranked defense in the nation. I'm taking WKY and their ridiculous mascot to cover.

Florida -5.5 Georgia

Call it what you will, but there isn't a better game on Florida's schedule this season than the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Last year's game featured a classy celebration by the Bullldogs after a Knowshon Moreno TD. I'm guessing neither team will need any extra motivation, since the winner of this game is likely taking the SEC East title and a shot at one of the major 2009 bowl games. Since I had no older siblings and I didn't go to a school with a football team, by default I followed the school my cousin Erin went to - the Gators during the days of the Ole Ball Coach and Danny Wuerffel, of whom Spurrier once said, "Danny is the best quarterback that has ever played college football." Who cares that Wuerffel didn't quite make it in the NFL? How many people can say they won an NCAA championship and a World League Championship?

I think this game comes down to the Lord. If Wuerffel, the son of a Lutheran chaplain, could lead Florida to two national championship games, just imagine what Tebow, the son of two Christian Missionaries can do! That and the Gator defense is holding opponents to under 12 points per game. But mostly the Lord. I'm taking the Gators to cover.

Virginia -1.5 Miami

Somehow, Virginia is 5-3 this season, yet they are being outscored on average by 4.5 points per game. What does that mean? Not much, besides that fact that I'm a stat head. That, and they really haven't had many close games (outside of their last two games, an OT win vs. NC State, and a 7 point upset of GA Tech). Lately, though, the Cavaliers seem to be making a run at the ACC Coastal title. In fact, senior RB Cedric Peerman has just come into his own, with 6 of his 7 TD's coming in his last four games. Two straight wins against two ranked opponents could set Virginia up for a letdown. However, Miami is one of the younger and more inexperienced ACC teams (two of their top WR's are true freshmen), and try as he might, the specter of last season's 48-0 beating at the hands of Virginia to close the Orange Bowl is hanging over coach Randy Shannon's head. I don't love the fact that Virginia is only favored by 1.5 at home (which likely means that Danny Sheridan knows something that I don't), but in this case I'm trusting my gut and taking the Cavaliers to cover.

USC -43 Washington

Poor Ty Willingham. I'm beginning to wonder if Notre Dame fans would even take him back at this point. A week after losing to the last team that employed him, the University of Washington announced that it was firing Ty Willingham . . . at the end of the season. I'm sure the Huskies are ready to go out and defend the honor of their coach against a USC team that dismantled Washington State by 69 points two weeks ago. Now the Trojans will see if they can do the same at home to arguably the worst BCS conference team in the nation (nothing is more awkward than three white guys flexing). Interesting stat - Washington is 0-29 since 2001 in games where they have scored fewer than 20 points (USC is giving up less than 9 points per game this season). The good news? This game isn't televised nationally. I'm taking USC to cover.

West VA -4.5 UConn

Sorry, I've been sleeping on the Big East all season. I just looked at the standings and realized that South Florida is the only ranked team (#24) and that two of the better teams in the conference (the Huskies and Pitt) have both lost to Rutgers. The only thing more disappointing than the Big Eas(y)t this season, is this Sunday night's match up between the Colts and the Patriots. I don't even think Tom Brady and his gangrenous leg will watch that game (you were prepared for a gross photo, right?). Getting back to the college game, the winner of this game (sadly) is almost guaranteed a BCS Bowl Game bid, which might just be one of the funniest/saddest things I've seen in a while. As for the game, I'll take West Virginia to cover the spread against UConn's Tyler "Don't Call Me the Hefty Lefty, We're Not Related" Lorenzen.

Until next week . . .