The middle tilt today is the most meaningful, as it involves the (9-1) Dallas Cowboys, the team with the NFL’s best record and the (6-3-1) Washington team (normally their team nickname would be cited, but taking a cue from Blue Jays announcer Jerry Howarth, who does not cite the less offensive nickname of the Cleveland baseball team, on this day which evokes the slaughter of those people here first, I will not cite it either), the one with the second best record of the 6 NFL teams, all game and spread, “set up” winners last week, that are playing today.
Back to numbers, as I lived it/ate it/breathed it (all past tense, but falling asleep during a good play last night, I sadly realized I put too much into this and not enough into other “thats” (i.e. good culture, not the lowest common denominator/reality television type that has now SPAWNED a United States president) as the two teams, Dallas and Washington, have won Supes either 10 or 20 years apart, three times.
Dallas has won 5 Supes (’71, ’77. ’92, ’93 and ’95) while “Wash” triumphed in such tilts first 10 years before ’92 in 1982, next their second Supe win was 10 years after Dallas’ second in 1987.
Washington’s third was in 1991, twenty years after Dallas’ first, a glorious win in 1971, ending so much frustration in bids for the title, far more in a compacted 5 season span (1966-1970), than the much ballyhooed Cubs, with their owner’s family/Trump campaign donor(s), suffered in 108 years, before their 2016 W.S. win.
If you are first to write in with the reason Bill Jurges is pictured above, I will not only cite your name but within reason give you a chance not only to air your views, perhaps much different than mine, in “comments” but also in edited form as a post.
I will reveal why tomorrow or the next day and do so in again, seeking perspective.
Three pro pig games, at least one and a half too many, on a truly excessive, (I will stop there) holiday.
In the first, this one “set up” as the battle for first place in the NFC North, as both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions are (6-4), 2 ahead of the disappointing G.B. Packers in that division.
Ah, but the Pack have won 4 Super Bowls, the Vikings are (0-4) in such games, never leading in one, while the Lions are the only one of the NFL teams formed before 1995, never to have made a Super Bowl.
“Minne,” which entered the league in 1961, has never won an “all the way” NFL crown (they won the last NFL title tilt in 1969, but lost the subsequent Supe to the AFL Kansas City Chiefs).
Detroit has won 4 NFL crowns, the last 59 years ago when they scored 59 points, in beating the Cleveland Browns, ending the great Jim Brown’s first season on a sour note.
Only the Sid Luckman led 1940 Chicago Bears in their legendary (73-0) win vs “Wash,” in the 1940 NFL title game, scored more points than the Lions’ 59, some 59 years ago in the 1957 title tilt.
Click below to view Eric Carmen and The Raspberries sing “Go All The Way.”
Raspberries Go All The Way Mike Douglas Show 1974
While I often “rail’ vs football and mean it, the NFL set up and regular season is done correctly and often provides intrigue, as the games remaining dwindle in number.
Thus I will at times, trust me rarely if ever, tune in WFAN, as I did yesterday.
Simply put, “here we go again,” with definitive statements regarding future outcomes, this time by WFAN personalities, Evan Roberts and Joe Boningo.
They declared the Houston Texans will win the AFC South Division. Their assertion was one of certainty.
I know they the Texans are (6-4), the Colts (5-5) and the Titans (5-6). I also know the Colts without Andrew Luck, Turkey Day night, are 9 point home underdogs vs the Steelers.
Additionally, the Texans are one and a half point home underdogs vs the Chargers.
What really tells me how much they have lost perspective, again declaring the favored outcome of a Houston division title a certainty (i.e.-they WILL win their division) is the fact they are only 2 and one quarter to one favorites to win the division. That also is the house line and thus the real probability is at best, two to one.
Put it this way, they are not certain division winners. I do not know Luck’s status for future games but they said it was certain, not even sure Luck would not play Thursday.
It is typical of sports talk radio. I try to have perspective and do, while invariably the talk radio hosts, commentators on games and of course most people, do not.
The two other instances when a team raised its World Series record to (3-8) with a title both manifested after a Dodgers’ win vs the Yankees.
Obviously most times a Dodgers’ win was the exception.
Also how could the Dodgers have raised their World Series record to (3-8) more than once?
In 1963, after the Dodgers swept the Yankees in 4 straight games, (Bill “Moose” Skowron so often a World Series participant and winner with the Yankees, really helped his Dodgers turn the tables), their World Series record was (3-8). They had lost in 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, and 1956, the last 6 of the losses, to the vaunted Yankees.
After losing again to the Yankees in both the 1977 and 1978 World Series, (Reggie Jackson, as he did with Oakland in 1974 playing a big role in beating the dodgers in the World Series), the Dodgers’ record vs the Yankees in World Series play stood at (2-8).
The victories for the Dodgers were the lone Brooklyn title in 1955 and the aforementioned L.A. Dodgers’ 4 game sweep in 1963.
Thus after L.A. won in 6 vs Reggie and the Yankees in the 1981 World Series which followed a strike marred regular season, their record vs the Yankees in World Series play stood and still stands at (3-8).
Another note on the recent World Series.
For the third time, I am pretty certain in three World Series possibilities a (2-8) World Series record rose to (3-8) with the Cubs, first title in 108 years which denied the Indians first in 68.
The Cubs won the World Series with great teams in 1907 and 1908 part of a great run that manifested in 4 N.L. pennants in 5 seasons (1906-1910).
Two of those pennants, if you paid attention and deduce, 1906 and 1910 were followed by World Series losses.
This also was the case following Cubs’ pennants in 1918, 1929, 1932,1935,1938 and 1945.
Thus they took a (2-8) World Series record into the 2016 version.
“Chi” emerged victorious and raised their World Series mark to (3-8).
The two other W.S. examples (again I believe the only other two) in my next post.
There were four other games yesterday in which the teams scheduled to play this Thursday won and covered the spread.
Surprisingly and due to Nantz getting a normally Fox/Buck Seattle/Philly tilt, “The Emperor”Joe Buck and the officially annoying Troy Aikman (the former quarterback went on and on about a penalty on a defensive linemen late in the tilt. I would have said so what down 6, the crowd roaring, 50 seconds left it was not going to matter), were in “Minne” as the now (6-4) Vikings ended a 4 game loss skein, (minus 2 or so) (30-24) vs the (4-5-1) Arizona Cardinals. Minne is at Detroit in the traditional game Thursday. Of course there are now two other “traditional” games in the overexposed NFL.
Detroit also is (6-4) tied with “Minne” for the NFC North lead after covering late vs (2-8) Jacksonville. Was their 43 yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining that cov’d, necessary?
(5-5) Indy will host Pittsburgh, also (5-5) at night. The Colts of Indy won by 7, as 3 point faves vs Tennessee. Meanwhile Pitts won (24-9), as 8 point favorites vs the (0-10) Browns.
I am truly sorry about the predictions post going up late, not for the (1-1) or (2-3) record, though I was sloppy regarding Seattle/Philadelphia, as the latter had won vs Atlanta, the week before.
It is important you know, I noted the NFL wanting the teams to be playing on “Turkey Day,” to win the week before. Essentially I did so, warning “it does not always work out that way.”
No it does not always work out that way, but boy did it ever yesterday, as all six teams to be involved in Turkey day tilts, won and covered the spread.
For the record, Dallas minus 7, went to (9-1) winning by 10 points vs Baltimore, which is now (5-5).
“Wash” is (6-3-1) after ripping disappointing (4-6) Green Bay, (the Pack the only one of the 13 weekend underdogs to be “KO’d” in its “teaser.”).
Wash minus three won (42-24). For that matter only the day’s big upset, Tampa Bay going to (5-5) plus 7, by 2 at now (7-3) K.C. (Chiefs) produced another game in which a “teaser” was KO’d. Also that was one of only two games in which the underdog won outright, the other was the (5-5) Bills, a scant 2 point “dog” winning at (3-6-1) Cincy, whose coach Marvin Lewis, will finally be fired after the season. It is not all his fault, but you can not fire the team as the old saying goes. (Does the saying travel?).
More results and details in a later post.
Last week the predictions were (3-0) but one game Seattle vs New England was not a complete loser/loser/ underdog game, as Seattle had won, but not covered in its previous game, that vs Buffalo.
Three such games this week, but not as predictions.
The loser/loser/underdog vs winner/winner/favorite games are below.
Chicago plus six and a fraction points, vs the Giants.
Jacksonville plus 6 vs Detroit. you know the NFL wants as attractive a Detroit/Minnesota tilt as possible for Thursday. It does not always work that way!
Green Bay which knocked the Redskins from the playoffs last season, is getting 3 points at Washington. Remember it is “Wash” at Dallas on Thursday.
By the way, I know I knock Al Michaels, but please do not let Mike Tirico “broadcast” even one prime time game. Lay off the scotch, Al, stay healthy. Your guy, at least your ideology is back in the White House, so relax.
Why would I care so much about a man who is both a micro and macro disappointment? I can not deal with Tirico, who probably has my political ideology, but should never have ascended to the broadcasting heights, he has achieved.
This one is a prediction. The Eagles plus six and a half points at Seattle. I think they will win outright.
One more pick is the Vikings minus one and a half, vs the Arizona Cardinals.
It can never be solved in 28 minutes as was portrayed in “Leave It To Beaver” pictured above.
Nor can it be solved by hatred, bigotry and exclusion!
P.S. On my honor I thought this was posted before the early games. It is “up” as of 4:39 P.M.
I searched “high and low” for a betting line on yesterday’s Alabama vs Tennessee Chattanooga game, but could not find one.
Of course, there is no way Alabama, which won (31-3) in a tune up for Auburn next week, covered any spread, real or hypothetical, in that mismatch.
Thus I have picked vs Alabama 5 times and lost all 5 times.
The Tide, the only major unbeaten team and defending champion should be and dare I say will be in the 4 team playoff, even if they lose vs Auburn or in the SEC title tilt.
As stated the other day, there are no “locks” especially when touted by WFAN’s Mike Francesa.
Yet, more powerful than Francesa’s arrogance often being wrong, is my liking a game, not “predicting” it and then it wins. On the subway last night, the “phone” showed the Alabama score and the frustration grew.
If you do not bet, DO NOT START!
P.S. I am fine with it, but must note it to stay that way.
You want more proof how pathetic the media, especially the sports media has become.
Last week, Seattle coach Pete Carroll, you remember him from a Super Bowl vs New England, decided to go for a 2 point conversion, with his team ahead by 7 points and 4 minutes and twenty four second left in the game/regulation time.
I will not waste my “figurative breath,” explaining how that decision, is one of a fool.
Yet since “Sea” won the game, there is very little about said decision.
Carroll’s well documented Supe decision in ’15 was bad, this was worse! I truly give up and can not fight it any longer.
Andy B Sports 