Fourth and Dumb

Another week, another pick ‘em from your favorite band of intellectual miscreants.

Evan Nagler joins us as our guest this week. Evan is a Gainesville, FL native and former Brandeis student currently employed by the Census to make sure that the numerically insignificant Cham population in his hometown of Knoxville is not allowed to swing their votes in favor of Lyndon LaRouche in upcoming elections. Deeply knowledgeable about Jewish custom and lore, he uses such tactics as the Kabbalah to accurately pick winners each week. His system combines the number of ex-lovers Madonna has had and the exact current hair length of Britney Spears, along with a few other factors which he would prefer not to share.

It only took me 5 weeks to win a week this season. Truthfully, I’m a little too lazy to look back and see how long it took me last year, so we’ll just call this a “good thing” ™ and move along. There’s a Thursday game actually worth picking tonight, and we’ve got the inside scoop on who’s going to win. Assuming, of course, you understand that by “inside scoop” we really mean “stuff we’ve either painstakingly researched or just made up in order to make the deadline.”

Who’s that? Hans Blix? Why no, it’s week number 6!

Read on for commentary and analysis. Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Week 6’ »

So, it’s late, and I have to be up in about 5 hours, so here’s the long and short of it.

Chris kicked ass again, the rest of us are beginning to fall behind.

The pressure to atone for last week’s guest picks falls on the shoulders of Mike Dame. Mike, once upon a time, was Chris’ freshman roommate in college (and somehow lived to tell the tale). A former AP poll and Heisman voter, Mike is also a former employee of Virginia Tech. His most memorable moment as a sportswriter, in his own words:

When Norm Sloan pointed at me in a press conference in October 1989 after I reported in The Independent Florida Alligator that his firing was imminent. “It’s like throwing chum in the water, and you frenzy like a bunch of sharks!” Sloan famously said of the media. “I’m not going anywhere!” Two days later, UF announced Sloan’s “resignation.” (God rest his soul, because I loved Norm Sloan.)

And with that, we move on to Week 5.

Read on for commentary and analysis. Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Week 5’ »

After three weeks, the entirety of our pickers are within one game of each other. I don’t think I’ve seen this much parity since the 2008 ACC. Is that a good thing?

Last week’s guest picker, Craig Barker, took a couple gambles and kept the guest spot at a perfect .500 record.

This week’s guest is James Quintong. James is an editor and occasional writer for ESPN.com’s fantasy section and also was on the original staff at CNNSI.com (now SI.com). He was a longtime member of TRASH before moving to other side of the buzzer, and is currently part of the reigning TRASHionals champions. In short, he’s everything that the good chunks of the blogosphere and quizbowl world apparently dislike. Oh yeah, he helped form Northwestern’s quizbowl team back in the mid-’90s, right around the time the Wildcats went to the Rose Bowl, and also graduated the same year as current head coach Pat Fitzgerald (but isn’t sure if that makes feel old or young).

Want to join us as a guest? Leave a comment with an email address, and we’ll get in touch.

On to week 4!

Read on for commentary and analysis. Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Week 4’ »

Congrats to DanGr, who managed to become the first FnD writer to have a winning record for the week. It only took two weeks, folks!

Also – a quick plug here for the Fourth and Dumb College Pick ‘Em Challenge on ESPN.com. Some of you have joined but neglected to submit picks for a week for two. (I’m looking at YOU, Dan Greenstein.)

This week’s guest picker is Craig Barker. Craig is a member of the University of Michigan quiz bowl team in the previous century, longtime member of the Mike Keenan Employment Agency trash team, and a man currently enjoying his quiz bowl retirement. A Michigan football fan for so long he can still vividly remember listening to Mike Gilette’s field goal to beat Iowa in 1985, he has resigned himself to the fact that he will never be the most famous member of his collegiate graduating class. (Curse you Tom Brady, you handsome devil.) When not posting not-quite-as-witty-as-he-thinks rejoinders on various points on the Internet, he can be found blogging about Michigan athletics (including the Marching Band) at The Hoover Street Rag.

Based on our records after two weeks, I’m not sure we can do much worse. Here’s to hoping the season improves. Moving on!

Read on for commentary and analysis. Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Week 3’ »

Last week, as seems to be the norm around FnD HQ, was a strange one. We all think alike at times, which can be great (Oklahoma State) or disastrous (Oklahoma, Florida State), and makes things a bit streaky.

We started off well, but the losses by Oklahoma and FSU automatically put everyone down two games, and the Va Tech, Duke and Rutgers losses were also quite damaging. But now we have week 1 behind us, and a slightly more accurate gauge of who has lived up to the hype, so far. On to week 2!

This week’s guest picker is Ahmad Ragab from the University of South Florida, and is quite bullish on several of this weekend’s favorites. Ahmad is a graduate student at the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!), not-so-doggedly pursuing a Masters Degree in Religious Studies. Raised in Blacksburg, Virginia (Go Hokies!) he hopes to continue his graduate studies in some department to be named later, so that he can continue to live the sweet sexy student life, which has allowed him to enjoy college football at student ticket prices while simultaneously engaging in unapologetic boosterism. Ahmad attributes his unassailable authority as a college football commentator to his experience as a member of the Cornell University Varsity Football team (Go Big Red!) while an undergraduate far above Cayuga’s waters.

Read on for commentary and analysis. Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Week 2’ »

Certainly not the way most of us wanted to start off bowl week – being reminded that it’s easy to underestimate teams we haven’t seen all season. Fred pads his lead a little more, and Chris manages to spend two whole weeks out of the basement.

On to the second portion of our three-week garden party.

Commentary and analysis after the jump.
Continue reading ‘Pick ‘Em – Bowl Week Extravaganza – Part 2’ »

Hey folks, it’s Rivalry Week!

Chris and Fred tied again, and Borglum is now trying to work his way out of the basement.

I dropped the ball a little this week too, but I can assure you that all picks were in prior to the Pitt-WVU kickoff I totally overlooked today.

And now…

COMMEN-TARY *clap clap clapclapclap*

Iron Bowl: Auburn (+14.5) at #1 Alabama, Saturday 3:30pm CBS
Chris: Bama’s front four won’t allow Auburn to run consistently, and we’ve all seen that Kodi Burns can’t win a big game with his arm. Bama snaps its string of Iron Bowl losses, and we all hope that no one gets shot afterward.

Hardee’s Trophy: South Carolina (+1) at Clemson, Saturday 12:00pm ESPN2
Chris: Stephen Garcia will solidify his hold on the QB job for the bowl game, and Jasper Brinkley and SC’s nasty defense will stop the great two-headed running back of Clemson.
DanGr: After the midseason crash that saw Tommy Bowden bite the dust, the Tigers are quietly on a three-game winning streak. This one is for an invitation to a bowl game and to rip the interim tag off of Dabo Swinney’s title. For that, C.J. “100%” Spiller and Clemson will play their best game of the year and sock it to the Cocks.

Bedlam Series: #3 Oklahoma (-7) at #12 Oklahoma State, Saturday 12:00pm ESPN2
DanGo: Oklahoma’s throttling of Texas Tech in Norman was a shock to many who had written off the Sooners. The trip to Stillwater won’t be anything close to hospitable, but the Cowboys have been the odd man out in the game of musical chairs that is the Big 12 South. It will be exciting, but the Sooners will persevere.
DanGr: Oklahoma has had a clunker in the regular season (plus championship game) every year since the championship season. Oklahoma State has been forgotten and wants to make a statement. The Cowboys will pull the upset and send Texas Tech to KC for some barbequed Tiger.

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate: #22 Georgia Tech (+7.5) at #11 Georgia, Saturday 12:00pm CBS
DanGo: After falling far behind the Gators in the SEC East, the Dawgs have silently played their way to a 9-2 record, losing only to the two better teams in the SEC: Florida and Bama. Georgia Tech is going to have to rely on Virginia to hand them their ACC Coastal title, but GT’s losses to VT, UVa and UNC raise some questions about how effective the “vaunted” triple-option really is. The Dawgs pull it out in the 2nd half.
DanGr: This is not the year Uga fans had hoped for, but they at least they can wash down the disappointment with another win over the Yellow Jackets. Not so fast, my friend. Paul Johnson makes another statement with his totally awesome triple option with flexbone filling as his team snaps their seven game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
[This really was DanGr, and not Lee Corso, writing this. - Ed.]

Commonwealth Cup: Virginia (+8) at Virginia Tech, Saturday 12:00pm ESPN
DanGo: This one’s pretty simple. The Hokies need to win to go to Tampa next weekend. The Wahoos need to win to become bowl-eligible, and possibly for Al Groh to keep his job. We’re not sure what color Al Groh’s chair is, but I hear Phil Fulmer is looking for employment… Regardless, The Hokies’ defense will have no trouble with a team that could only put up 3 points against Clemson, and the Hokies can book their tickets to Tampa.

Civil War: #23 Oregon (+3) at #17 Oregon State, Saturday 7:00pm Versus
Chris: ESPN is saying that Jacquizzzzz Rogers won’t play, and his brother isn’t as fast. Ducks will break out some hideous new throbbing, electric-neon-yellow unis and find a way to win.
DanGr: The Beavers feel like a team of destiny, one that is destined to win its local Civil War. They are playing well in all phases of the game. Their defense will be the difference against the Sun Bowl-bound Ducks.

Backyard Brawl: #25 Pittsburgh (+3) at West Virginia, Friday 12:00pm No TV
DanGo: West Virginia can’t really drop two straight to The Mustache, can they?

It was a thing for beauty for all enthusiasts of the totally awesome triple option.  Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson unleashed his playbook and the results were devastating: 472 rushing yards, the most yards rushing given up by Miami since 1944, and the most accumulated by Tech since 1978.  More important, however, was the final score, 41-23, in a game that was not as close as that score indicates: the score was 27-3 midway through the third quarter.  It was complete domination by an old school offense against the vaunted Miami defense.  Just when Miami looked like it was about to get back to being Miami, they lose their heads and get smoked old school.

Do you believe now that the totally awesome triple option works against Les Six?  What is that, still not convinced?  As big as this game was for its conference standing, the next game is for its standing in its state.  Yes, Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is just around the corner.  If Georgia Tech can go into Athens and knock off the Georgia Bulldogs for the first time since 2000, then everyone will believe in what Paul Johnson and his Yellow Jackets are doing for the North Avenue Trade School.

With a record of 5-3, Georgia Tech is now done with ACC regular season play.  With their win, they greatly enhanced their chances of attending the ACC Championship Game and diminished those of Miami.  With one more ACC game in the books, what does the ACC Coastal division race look like now?

- All five teams in contention now have three losses.  To qualify for the tiebreaker process, each team needs to get to 5-3.  From now on, a loss by the four remaining teams at any time this weekend or next weekend eliminates them from the race.

- Georgia Tech needs North Carolina to lose a game and the winner of Virginia-Virginia Tech to lose their previous game.  The Yellow Jackets would lose all tiebreakers that involve one of those teams.

- Miami needs the Virginia-Virginia Tech winner to win its previous game and for North Carolina to lose a game.  Miami cannot win a tiebreaker with only Georgia Tech or any tiebreaker involving North Carolina.

- North Carolina needs the Virginia-Virginia Tech winner to lose its other game.  North Carolina wins all tiebreakers not involving the Virginia teams.

- Virginia and Virginia Tech need Miami to lose a game and/or have North Carolina win both games.  The only way the winner of their matchup wins a tiebreaker involving Miami is if North Carolina is included in that tie.

What’s this? Chris wins the week AGAIN?!?!?!

Also, DanGr finishes one game away from being our first 0-7.

#1 Alabama (-3) at #16 LSU, Saturday 3:30pm CBS
Chris: I hate that it’s true, but I want/need Bama to win as a Gator fan, but outside of the Georgia and Clemson games, they really haven’t been very impressive against average competition. They’re a loss waiting to happen. And LSU has a ton of pride they want to salvage.
DanGr: Georgia crushed LSU. Alabama crushed Georgia. By the law of transitivity: roll tide!

#9 Oklahoma State (+3.5) at #2 Texas Tech, Sat 8pm ABC
Chris: This will be a super game to watch, with tons of passing and points. I pick the Cowboys purely on hunch.
DanGo: The economy may not be strong, but this Red Raider offense is unbelievable. Not many teams can hang with them for 60 minutes, but Oklahoma State will give it their damnedest.

#12 TCU (-2) at #8 Utah, Thursay 8:00pm CBS College Sports
DanGr: If you want an indication of how good this TCU team is, look at its margins of victory, especially compared to those of the same teams against BYU and Utah. They simply manhandled BYU a month ago. The Horned Frogs are not going to kick Utah to the curb so easily, but their defense will lead the way and their offense will make sure this one is over midway through the fourth quarter.

#21 California (+21) at #7 USC, Saturday 8:00pm ABC
Chris: Just like every year

#20 Georgia Tech (+3.5) at #19 North Carolina, Saturday 12:00 Raycom
DanGr: The totally awesome triple option will get the job done for the Ramblin Wreck, while the defense will leave UNC flat on their back.

Clemson (+5.5) at #22 Florida State, Saturday 3:30 ABC/ESPN
Chris: Bobby gets payback on them what done his boy wrong!

Cincinnati (+7) at #25 West Virginia, Saturday 7:00pm ESPNU
It’s a concensus, the Bearcats don’t stand a chance on the road.

Dan Greenstein wins the week, going an impressive 6-1 to clear DanGo by a full game.

#1 Texas (-4.0) at #7 Texas Tech, Saturday 8:00pm ABC
Fred: Madden scoring in this game, folks. I’m looking forward to it, if only so I can have a passing-induced seizure that makes Porygon look kid friendly.
DanGr: This is the biggest test the Longhorns will face in 2008. The game will come down to how well the defenses can stop the offenses. Texas has the better defense, so they will prevail in a shootout that comes down to the last five minutes.

#24 Oregon (+2.5) at California, Saturday 3:30pm ABC
Fred: Did you know that Donald Duck is one of the mascots of the Ducks, and Disney is signed on with this? The More You Know (NBC tone).
DanGr: The Golden Bears will grab momentum and end Oregon’s conference hopes before a sharp impulse next week at USC ends Cal’s conference hopes. It will be close, but Cal will lay better at home than Oregon will play on the road.

#8 Florida (-6.5) at #6 Georgia, Saturday 3:30pm CBS
Chris: The big story here is going to be the Gator pass rush and run defense; the former will keep Stafford off balance, so the question is whether the latter can slow Moreno. I think they can, and I think that Demps and Rainey will break off some long ones in the second half to lead the Gators to a comfortable win. But yeah, like you’d expect me to say anything else.
DanGr: It will be a shootout between the teams that hung half a hundred on LSU. Georgia will come closest to repeating that feat as the Matt Stafford-A.J. Green connection makes the difference.

Miami (FL) (+2.5) at Virginia, Saturday 12:00pm Raycom Sports
DanGo: I don’t know what’s going on in Charlottesville, but somehow these guys have moved themselves to the top of the Gordian Knot that is the ACC Coastal Division. The Wahoos are 4-1 at home this year, and I don’t see any reason for that to change.
Fred: At some point Virginia has to be terrible like they’re supposed to be.
Right? Right?

#16 Florida State (+2) at Georgia Tech, Saturday 3:30 ABC/ESPN
DanGo: Another ranked ACC team is the underdog versus an unranked conference foe. The ‘Noles are probably better than everyone gives them credit for; their defense played well against Virginia Tech last week, especially against the run, and the Yellow Jackets are averaging only about 115 passing yards per game. Look for the Florida sweep this week with a win in Atlanta.

Pittsburgh (+5) at Notre Dame, Saturday 2:30 NBC
Chris: No analysis: I just hate the Domers.
Fred: This is more of a “holy hell Pitt’s a mess” pick than a “yeaaaaaaaaaaah Notre Dame” pick.

Northwestern (+7.5) at Minnesota, Saturday 12:00pm ESPN2
We’re all just taking a blind pick at this one; there’s really not a lot of positive things worth commenting about for either team.