Thursday, November 11, 2010

The picks, week 11 (and no cheating)

Thursday football. Unless there's a turkey the size of a Kindergartner waiting to be devoured afterward, it just doesn't seem right.

I won't be heading up to the Runway until around 3:30 p.m. (got to get a jump on that Veteran's Day traffic) and since I have nothing else to do this morning, might as well blog like it's 2006.

First off, I was pretty excited to see a Connecticut newspaper finally refer to Rentschler Field as "The Runway" in print. Fine, it was the newspaper I work for (and I didn't write the headline myself. Didn't even suggest it. Honest). But I loved it. "Pitt expects Runway to be roaring". That sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? "The Runway". Makes you think of a loud, exciting, high-energy stadium (even if that's not necessarily true sometimes); a place people want to be. "The Rent" makes me think of a financial obligation...like, how much is this going to cost me? Maybe that's what's keeping people away.

ANYWAY. Big flap over D.J. Hernandez and the case of the lost arm band. Sounds like a Hardy Boys' book. Is it national news? Probably not. But it did spark interesting debate over ethics and what constitutes cheating. I won't bore you any more than you already are by getting into it. Besides, I believe there was an episode of "The Brady Bunch" that covered this lesson in a similar fashion. Let's just leave it at this: you don't take things that don't belong to you. It's as simple as that.

But I will bore you with a story from my youth, a funny tale my old high school buddies talk about from time to time. I was 15 and playing in the town Babe Ruth Baseball League. My team was playing our bitter rival for the championship. It had rained all night and was still drizzling that morning, so there was some question as to whether the game would be postponed. They decided we could play. But it was such a dreary day, coaches had to phone the players individually to let them know the game was on and make sure they were coming.

About 20 minutes before the first pitch, the guys on our team noticed the two worst players on the other team (who happened to be brothers) weren't there. League rules were that everyone had to play at least two innings, and these guys were both athletic disasters. Think Timmy Lupus, the "booger-eating spaz" from The Bad News Bears. Only there were two of them.

Fishy. Very fishy. It didn't take long for a couple of kids in the league not playing that day to wander over to our bench and tell us they heard our opponents had called the brothers and informed them the game was cancelled. Of course, we automatically assumed it was the truth. And we weren't going to let them get away with that. So one of our players sneaked away ever so carefully to a pay phone (remember those?), called the brothers and let them know the game was still on.

As it turned out, the opposing team didn't tell the brothers the game was cancelled. They just never called at all and prayed that the pair wouldn't show. Cheating? Not exactly. Unethical? Most likely. Even our team walked the ethical fence with our sneaky maneuver. And I know the circumstances are a little different from the D.J. case. To be honest, I just felt like writing this story.

By the way, the best part of the tale was the reaction of the opposing team when the brothers came pedalling into the baseball complex on their 10-speed bikes two minutes before the first pitch. After all, the guys on the other team thought they were in the clear and this burden to their squad wouldn't show. One of my very good friends, The Piper, was on the other team. He swears to this day he saw the brothers dramatically appear through a cloud of heavy mist at the park entrance (kind of like how the UConn football team emerges from the smoke at the Runway tunnel before every home game). We definitely heard our friend Rags scream "Nooooooooooooooooo!" And when one of the coaches asked "what's wrong?", he responded in a whiny shrill, "they're heeeeeere!"

Priceless. And yes, we won.

On to the picks.

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA (-6) over Cincinnati

Game 2: Syracuse (-3) over RUTGERS

Game 3: South Carolina (+6.5) over FLORIDA

Game 4: Utah (-6) over NOTRE DAME

Game 5: AUBURN (-8.5) over Georgia

Game 6: OHIO STATE (-18) over Penn State

Game 7: Virginia Tech (-3.5) over NORTH CAROLINA

Game 8: ALABAMA (-13) over Mississippi State

Game 9: NORTHWESTERN (+10) over Iowa

Game 10: Texas Tech (+14.5) over OKLAHOMA

Game 11: Kansas State (+12.5) over MISSOURI

Game 12: Texas A&M (-3) over BAYLOR

Game 13: LOUISVILLE (-3) over South Florida

Game 14: Southern California (+4) over ARIZONA

Game 15: Nevada (-8.5) over FRESNO STATE

Game 16: YALE (-14) over Princeton

Not enough time to get the UConn-Pitt game into the picks. But, with the current line at UConn +5.5, I think I'd take the Huskies.

Last week's results (tough week. only one over .500)

1. Caleb Mandrake 8-3

2. Chip 5-6

GovPhalen 5-6

Gabe 5-6

Gary 5-6

6. Pete 4-7

Walt 4-7

Vinny 4-7

9. Ian 3-8

Sammy 3-8

11. B-Stew 2-9


Standings

1. Pete 63-55-4

2. Caleb Mandrake 62-56-4

3. Ian 60-58-4

Gabe 60-58-4

Gary 60-58-4

6. B-Stew 58-60-4

Chip 58-60-4

8. Vinny from East Haven 56-62-4

governorphalen 52-66-4

10. sammy 48-70-4

11. opposite guy 16-7-1

12. Walt 15-19-1

13. Uconnbob 12-9-1

14. SeanO 8-15-1

15. The Cat 6-5

16. harper 6-6

17. Weird Sal 6-6

18. Rollo V. 5-6-1

19. Huskyraymond 5-8

20. BostonDan 3-7-1

14 Comments:

Blogger Chip Malafronte said...

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA (-6) over Cincinnati
Game 2: Syracuse (-3) over RUTGERS
Game 3: South Carolina (+6.5) over FLORIDA
Game 4: Utah (-6) over NOTRE DAME
Game 5: AUBURN (-8.5) over Georgia
Game 6: OHIO STATE (-18) over Penn State
Game 7: Virginia Tech (-3.5) over NORTH CAROLINA
Game 8: ALABAMA (-13) over Mississippi State
Game 9: NORTHWESTERN (+10) over Iowa
Game 10: Texas Tech (+14.5) over OKLAHOMA
Game 11: Kansas State (+12.5) over MISSOURI
Game 12: Texas A&M (-3) over BAYLOR
Game 13: LOUISVILLE (-3) over South Florida
Game 14: Southern California (+4) over ARIZONA
Game 15: Nevada (-8.5) over FRESNO STATE
Game 16: YALE (-14) over Princeton

November 11, 2010 12:34 PM 
Blogger Unknown said...

WVU
RU
Florida
Utah
Auburn
Penn State
NC
Alabama
Iowa
OK
Mizzou
Baylor
USF
Arizona
Nevada
Yale

November 11, 2010 1:27 PM 
Anonymous Pete said...

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA
Game 2: Syracuse (
Game 3: FLORIDA
Game 4: Utah
Game 5: AUBURN
Game 6: Penn State
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: ALABAMA
Game 9: Iowa
Game 10: Texas Tech
Game 11: MISSOURI
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: LOUISVILLE
Game 14: Southern California
Game 15: Nevada
Game 16: Princeton

November 11, 2010 2:20 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Game 1: Cincinnati
Game 2: Syracuse
Game 3: South Carolina
Game 4: Utah
Game 5: AUBURN
Game 6: OHIO STATE
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: Mississippi State
Game 9: Iowa
Game 10: OKLAHOMA
Game 11: Kansas State
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: LOUISVILLE
Game 14: ARIZONA
Game 15: Nevada
Game 16: YALE

Caleb Mandrake

November 11, 2010 3:01 PM 
Anonymous Ian said...

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA
Game 2: RUTGERS
Game 3: South Carolina
Game 4: Utah
Game 5: AUBURN
Game 6: enn State
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: ALABAMA
Game 9: Iowa
Game 10: OKLAHOMA
Game 11: Kansas State
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: LOUISVILLE
Game 14: ARIZONA
Game 15: Nevada
Game 16: Princeton

November 11, 2010 3:44 PM 
Anonymous Gabe said...

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA
Game 2: RUTGERS
Game 3: FLORIDA
Game 4: Utah
Game 5: AUBURN
Game 6: OHIO STATE
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: ALABAMA
Game 9: Iowa
Game 10: OKLAHOMA
Game 11: MISSOURI
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: LOUISVILLE
Game 14: Southern California
Game 15: FRESNO STATE
Game 16: YALE

November 12, 2010 1:30 AM 
Blogger Gary said...

Wow, 16 games to pick this week. Perhaps you're trying to claw your way back to the top of the standings Chip...

Game 1 - WVU (-6)
Game 2 - Syracuse (-3)
Game 3 - Florida (-6.5)
Game 4 - Utah (-6)
Game 5 - Georgia (+8.5)
Game 6 - Ohio St. (-18)
Game 7 - VT (-3.5)
Game 8 - Bama (-13)
Game 9 - Iowa (-10)
Game 10 - Oklahoma (-14.5)
Game 11 - Missouri (-12.5)
Game 12 - Baylor (+3)
Game 13 - USF (+3)
Game 14 - Arizona (-4)
Game 15 - Nevada (-8.5)
Game 16 - Yale (-14)

November 12, 2010 8:11 AM 
Blogger Chip Malafronte said...

Extra games only means I'll be dropping farther down the standings!!

November 12, 2010 8:22 AM 
Anonymous sammy said...

Game 1: Cincinnati
Game 2: Syracuse
Game 3: South Carolina
Game 4: Utah
Game 5: Georgia
Game 6: penn State
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: Mississippi State
Game 9: NORTHWESTERN
Game 10: Texas Tech
Game 11: Kansas State
Game 12: Texas A&M
Game 13: LOUISVILLE
Game 14: Southern California
Game 15: Nevada
Game 16: Princeton

November 12, 2010 11:23 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

B-Stew

Game 1: WEST VIRGINIA
Game 2: RUTGERS
Game 3: FLORIDA
Game 4: NOTRE DAME
Game 5: Georgia
Game 6: OHIO STATE
Game 7: Virginia Tech
Game 8: Mississippi State
Game 9: Iowa
Game 10: Texas Tech
Game 11: MISSOURI
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: South Florida
Game 14: Southern California
Game 15: FRESNO STATE
Game 16: YALE

November 12, 2010 4:07 PM 
Anonymous spock jenkins said...

Game 1: Cincinnati
Game 2: RUTGERS
Game 3: FLORIDA
Game 4: NOTRE DAME
Game 5: eorgia
Game 6: Penn State
Game 7: NORTH CAROLINA
Game 8: ALABAMA
Game 9: NORTHWESTERN
Game 10: Texas Tech
Game 11: Kansas State
Game 12: BAYLOR
Game 13: South Florida
Game 14: ARIZONA
Game 15: FRESNO STATE
Game 16: Princeton

November 12, 2010 10:45 PM 
Anonymous Vinny from East Haven said...

Vinny says:
1. West Virginia
2. Rutgers
3. Florida
4. Utah
5. Georgia
6. Penn State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Alabama
9. Northwestern
10. Oklahoma
11. Missouri
12. Texas A&M
13. Louisville
14. Arizona
15. Nevada
16. Princeton

November 13, 2010 11:35 AM 
Blogger Chip Malafronte said...

Results
1. Chip 10-4-2
2. Ian 8-6-2
Gabe 8-6-2
4. Vinny 7-7-2
Sammy 7-7-2
6. Spock Jenkins 6-8-2
BStew 6-8-2
Caleb 6-8-2
Pete 6-8-2
10. Gary 5-9-2
11. Govphalen 4-10-2

November 14, 2010 11:28 AM 
Blogger Chip Malafronte said...

Standings
1. Pete 69-63-6
2. Chip 68-64-6
Caleb Mandrake 68-64-6
Ian 68-64-6
Gabe 68-64-6
6. Gary 65-67-6
7. B-Stew 64-68-6
8. Vinny from East Haven 63-69-6
9. governorphalen 56-76-6
10. sammy 55-77-6
11. opposite guy 16-7-1
12. Walt 15-19-1
13. Uconnbob 12-9-1
14. SeanO 8-15-1
15. The Cat 6-5
16. harper 6-6
17. Weird Sal 6-6
18. Spock Jenkins 6-8-2
19. Rollo V. 5-6-1
20. Huskyraymond 5-8
21. BostonDan 3-7-1

November 14, 2010 11:31 AM 

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