Shotcallin': Bawlin' Cawlin' NBA Edition

After sitting around and, essentially, doing nothing and waiting for the solution to not having any college football to present itself, we here at Runaround Sue's have given up. It's time to move forward without the possibility of our favorite teams and nemeses lining up each week. To help pass the time, Joe Friday and I will be doing weekly, twice-weekly, perhaps even biweekly Shotcallin' Special NBA Editions, aptly dubbed Bawlin' Cawlin' and currently rearing back to knock your ass over with our weekly, twice-weekly or perhaps even biweekly predictions.

I know. No, seriously, I know. And you're welcome.

A good luck charm...

Week One Picks

SJF: Detroit (+3) over Orlando

OBJ: Atlanta (-5) over Denver

I would just like to state, for the record, that I have never before even looked at basketball lines, and seeing 200+ point spreads is quite disorienting. I kinda feel like I'm trying to do a trick off a diving board while strapped to a wheel chair, but...I guess...Atlanta to cover 5...is a good way...to...start? C'mon Baby Hawks!

Even with Carmelo playing out of his mind, I don't think the Nuggets can prevent the Hawks, if playing at their full capacity, from beating Denver by 5.

As it stands, by the end of the season we will add up our "Cawls," so to speak, with a pot of anywhere between $150-500. This heavily depends on both the expected and unexpected legal fees Sue's will have to endure in the months to come.

Shotcallin' - Championship Week

First, peep OBJ's attempt to re-create the front page of foxnews.com.

Now, I'm scrambling to finish up work so I can make it to a Hawks-Knicks game on time and hurl insults at New Yawkers that look like Turtle from Entourage, wearing jersies of progressively shittier players, as they walk around Philips Arena like it's a damn home game.

Think about it, if anyone has bought a Knicks jersey since the Isiah Thomas era started, it invaribly had the name of an overpriced, underachieving baller on the back. Marbury, Stevie Franchise, Penny Hardaway, JRose, Jefferies, Curry, Crawford....blegh.

Anyways the result of my haste to bolt out the door and move forward with said trash talk is a short Shotcallin' that is all over the place and offers very little in terms of reasoning, so in an effort to make it look more organized and lucid, let's do this in memo mode. Bring on the bulletpoints.

• BREAKING NEWS: If this is true, the best pitcher of my generation has retired. Suck it, Clemens. I'm not even being a homer when I say that, other than maybe Pedro circa 99-03, nobody could replicate the precision of Maddux in the mid-1990's. It was not uncommon to wake up, read the box score, see that he went 7-plus innings, giving up two runs, and think that he had a bit of an offnight. He was that good. Nobody studied hitters' tendencies better, and he rarely made the same mistake on a batter twice. His prime consisted of 20-win seasons, multiple Cy Youngs, Gold Gloves falling out his ass, ERAs in the low 2s and multiple complete game shutouts. His prime did not consist of absurdly random statistical anomalies in his late 30's. That counts for something. I hope Mad Dog is the first guy to ever be named on 100% of HOF ballots. Also Ron Gant is on the ballot this year (no link, just google news 'Ron Gant' - trust me, there's nothing else out there)...so that will be fun.
  

• Anyone comparing Charlie Weis/Tyrone Willingham needs to shut up. Weis was given that crazy extension because Notre Dame feared NFL teams coming after him and felt the need to lock him up after a hot start. Needless to say, there wasn't ever a fear that Tyrone Willingham would jet for any other job. Also, to say Willingham was wrongfully fired is a bit of a stretch...and I am of the belief that any and every coach should be given five years minimum to win...because Ty Willingham is not a good coach. Period.
  

• Go to any SEC blog, read Tony Barnhart, listen to talk radio stations outside the great state of Bammer to catch Sue's opinion on the Tuberville firing. Incredibly stupid and shortsighted. They will not hire a better coach than Tubs, not because they can't money wise, but because THERE ARE NONE AVAILABLE. Though I would absolutley love to see Mike Leach and Bobby Lowder fight to the death. Enjoy your DuBoses, Shulas and Franchiones, Auburn...

• SEC (aka National) Championship: Gun to my head, I'm going with Florida....nobody has slowed their offense all year, and as good as Bama's offense is, I can see them having a bad game. Can't say the same with Tebow and company. That said, unlike some folks, Bama winning this game wouldn't surprise me in the least. If JPW can exploit Florida's weaknesses up front the way he did Georgia's, and Bama's line can dominate Florida's as I expect them to, we could be looking at a high scoring game. Either way, I expect a close game and a combined zero smiles or even smirks from Meyer or Saban until the end of the game. Those two guys will look the entire game like their skulls are made of pure titanium. I know that makes no sense, but jeezus those guys stare at players and refs like a mobster staring down a testifying witness in court or something. Best two coaches in the SEC, bar none.
  

God, that was an awful post.

This Week's Picks:

Alabama (+10) over Florida - $20

Bama/Florida (OVER 54.5) - $15

Virginia Tech (PK) over Boston College - $10

OBJ's Inferior Picks:

Pitt (+2.5) over UCONN - $10

Missouri (+16.5) over Oklahoma - $10


Last Week: 3-3

2008 Inferior Picks: 5-8-1

2008 Overall Record: 53-52-3

2008 Pot: $150

Shotcallin' - Hate Week

My freshman year at UGA coincided with Mark Richt's inaugural season on the Sanford sidelines. So obviously, I have never experienced a Dawgs loss to Georgia Tech. Therefore, they have never really been as high on my hate list as Florida, who I find new find new ways to loathe with every trip to Jacksonville, or Tennessee, LSU, and of course, Auburn.

To me, as a Georgia fan, hating Tech is like hating South Carolina, or your infinitely less cool, uglier, dumber little brother. It kind of reminds me of when the Red Sox of the early 2000s would always get into these fueds and brawls with the Devil Rays (when they really sucked). Is it really necessary to get that worked up over something when, as Tupac said "(expleive) ain't even on my level"? I'm siding with Pac on this one, and gonna say no.

Now...all that being said...talk to ANY older Georgia fans about Tech, and you can feel the venom seeping through their pores like the smell of alcohol at a 9am pickup basketball game. These guys HATE Tech, or as my stepdad (1968 UGA grad) will only refer to them, the Jerkets. They don't get nearly as excited with a Tech win as they would a great SEC victory, but the one team they do NOT want to lose to is Georgia Tech. It's just a pride thing. Sure, we can trade barbs with other SEC fans interchangeably each year based on who's over/underachieving and over a few seasons, it evens out. We recognize this. Let's just say Tech fans/students aren't like typical obnoxious SEC fans, but rather, annoying, sarcastic, little pimply-faced nutjobs. The less they talk, the better.

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As for this year's contest, Tech arrives in Athens with their highest hopes of leaving victorious in eight seasons. Sure, when they came to town in 2006, Stafford was a freshman and the Dawgs had lost to Vandy and Kentucky earlier in the year; but, even the blindest Tech homer had to see the inevitable Reggie Ball implosion coming. This year though, Tech supporters are back to a level of euphoria/delusion unseen since the O'Leary/Fridge/Hamilton/Godsey years.

This probably has as much to do with the fact that Chan Gailey's program had the identity of Publix-brand vanilla ice cream (and not that 'Premium' shit, either- just plain vanilla with no toppings). Now, as the only BCS school running the triple option, Paul Johnson has given Tech backers the sense that there is a plan in place, and as he has everywhere else he has coached, he will be successful in implementing that plan. (And dude won't smile while doing it...Johnson makes Bobby Petrino look like Richard Simmons)

As much praise has been heaped upon Johnson for winning his first year here without "his players", let's not forget that Chan Gailey was a very good recruiter for Tech and the cupboard was far from bare upon Johnson's arrival. With all the "PALL JOHNSUN IZ THEE SHIT!!!11" talk, Tech arrives in Athens at 8-3. The last three seasons, they have been 7-3, 9-2 and 7-4 heading into the UGA game. This is still arguably the most talented Georgia team of that time, even if they couldn't live up to everyone's enormous expectations (Sue's included). So, pardon me if I just don't see much of a different outcome. Yes, Georgia struggles defending the option. They also have had two weeks to prepare for this contest, and Richt's record following a bye week is an impressive 11-2. Unlike in years past, where some pre-work for a possible SEC Title game would have taken some priority (%@&@*@%@%!*@), these last two weeks have been all about Tech. Either way, I look forward to watching Tech's defense attempt to slow down a rested UGA offense that in what will/could be the last game for Stafford, Moreno and MoMass.

(Quick thought...with a loss to UGA and either in the ACC "Championship" or a bowl game, Tech will end the year with five losses. The ghost of Chan Gailey lives on...)

Vegas has the Dawgs as 8 point favorites after opening at 11. I'm staying away from this game, but I'll go on record with my prediction so Jesse has some ammo if needed: A high scoring affair and the most entertaining Hate game since that 2002 contest (my, was that a glorious day). Tech keeps it close for the first few quaters, but UGA pulls away at the end, successfully stuffing (say that three times...ok I just did, wasn't very hard, never mind) the option as Tech is unable to exploit the UGA secondary with their equally weak passing attack. I'm thinking UGA 37, Tech 28.

The picks:

Mississippi State (+18.5) over Ole Miss - $10 - great potential for a Croomin'.

LSU (-6) over Arkansas - $15 - I look forward to the tradition of SEC National Title winner devolving into a four loss team the following season, but as long as we're pumping out the titles, I suppose one can't bitch too much.

Mizzou (-15) over Kansas - $10 - KU looking like a one year wonder. And their coach still looking like Rick Majerus' black sheep cousin.

Tennessee (-4) over Kentucky - $15 - Send Fulmer out on a high note, hopefully forgetting that "beating Kentucky at home" now qualifies as "a high note" for this program.

Oregon (+3) over Oregon State - $15
Oregon (ML) over Oregon State - $10
Yeah, Oregon State in the Rose Bowl definitely one of those "believe it when I see it" things.

Also, I think in following in the proud tradition of his former boss, Clemson will beat South Carolina and Dabo Sweeney will retain his title of head coach for at least another season. That said, no fucking way am I ever betting on Clemson.

Last Week: 2-5

2008 Inferior Picks: 5-8-1

2008 Overall Record: 50-49-3

2008 Pot: $140

Shotcallin' - Week 13

Bronze 'im.

Real life makes for a light week of posting on the ole blog, but I just wanted to make a point that could be completely a) irrelevant and b) idiotic in about 5 hours.

Michael Crabtree is the best player in the nation and should win the Heisman trophy.

I don't know why the Heisman has generally become an award for "the best QB/RB on a national title contender." It should always go to the best player in the nation, period. This isn't an MVP award, with a subjective "most valuable" qualifier. I thought it was insane when Jason White won the 2004 award over Larry Fitzgerald. Really? There were people out there that thought Jason White was the best player in the nation that season? He wasn't even the best player on his damn team that year (Peterson). Meanwhile, Fitzgerald dominated damn near every game that year for an otherwise mediocre Pittsburgh team.

I see alot of similarities between Fitzgerald that year and Crabtree this year. I wouldn't have too much of a problem with Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford or Tim Tebow winning the award. They're all great players. But Crabtree is a gamechanging threat that has transformed Texas Tech over the years from a team that relied on a gimmick offense to win games into a national title contender. As for Graham Harrell, well lets just say that Kliff Kingsbury, BJ Symons, Sonny Cumbie and Cody Hodges all put up record setting numbers running Mike Leach's offense. By comparison, could you see any Texas Tech receiver, past or current, making that final play of their game against Texas? Hell, do you see any other player in college football that could make that type of play? I'd say no, and that, combined with just about everything else he has done the last two seasons has me convinced Crabtree is the nation's best player and should be going home with the hardware on December 13th.

Oh yeah, I like Oklahoma in a close game tonight.

This week's picks. Yes, yes, it is 4:29 on Saturday afternoon. However, due to a timely project at work given to me on Friday afternoon that is due Monday at noon, I have been stuck in my office all day and have not watched a second of college football. Make of that what you will, you three loyal readers.

Michigan (+21) over Ohio State

Michigan State (+15.5) over Penn State

Boise State (-6.5) over Nevada

Oregon State (+3) over Arizona

LSU (-7) over Ole Miss

Inferior Picks:

Maryland (+1) over Florida State

Texas Tech (+7) over Oklahoma

Last Week: 4-1

2008 Inferior Picks: 5-6-1

2008 Overall Record: 48-44-3

2008 Pot: $170

Shotcallin' - Week 12

Admit it, you were expecting the "Uga bites Robert Baker pic"

While most Georgia fans save their foremost disdain for Florida, Tennessee or Georgia Tech, very few seem to loathe Auburn in a similar fashion. This may have as much to do with what era you became a Georgia fan (seriously, that makes for a week's worth of bathroom reading...worth every word too), but I can't help but think that the proximity between the two schools also plays a major role. Everyone knows folks from their high school that went to Auburn (the ones that didn't get into Georgia....zing!); so in college, the Auburn game was usually an opportunity to visit with old friends and enjoy some good football. By comparison, how many people from your high school went to Florida or Tennessee? Or how many went to Tech that you still wanted to hang out with?

As for me, I enjoyed watching the Auburn games with old friends and my fraternity's chapter over there...but still...I fucking hate Auburn. More than Florida. More than Tennessee. I hated Tuberville jumping from Ole Miss to Auburn...hey Tommy...instead of jumping ship on a potentially good SEC program to a divisional rival, why don't you fucking build up said program to contender status? I get annoyed that their university is essentially Atlanta Western University, hate their colors (no shit), hate that they have a couple too many nicknames and the pointless "WAR EAGLE" chat, and I really can't stand the town of Auburn. Take away the University and you're looking at Zebulon, Georgia...or pretty much any rural city in Alabama.

Anyways, it feels good to get that off my chest. Sure, many of those reasons are irrational or just plain ignorant, but I don't care. I hate Auburn, and wish more Georgia fans did too.

That being said, this rivalry has produced some of the more memorable games of the Richt era, and no matter the records, no matter the injuries, you can always expect the unexpected. Take a trip back down memory lane and try to revisit your experiences during this bevy of remarkable outcomes:

2001: I remember standing on the lower level bridge by the west endzone, waiting for Richt to call a timeout that inexplicably never came as Jasper Sanks got stuffed on the goal line at the end of a frustrating 24-17 loss. I then remember shouting out a multitude of curse words as me and my pledge brothers hauled ass to O-House in order to get through the doors before the dining hall closed. As broke freshmen, every penny earned from our crappy telemarketing jobs went to pay our pledge dues, so taking full advantage of the meal plan was a must. Belated apologies to the O-House workers that night. I'm sure we were a fun crowd to deal with.

2002: Probably the defining game of the Richt era, as it clinched the SEC East for the Dawgs and featured the memorable Greene-to-Michael Johnson pass in the corner of the endzone on 4th and long with just over a minute to play. I was at Auburn for this game, and just remember nearly getting my ass kicked on Magnolia Avenue multiple times over the course of a couple hours and my friend pissing himself at a band party later in the evening. Good times.

2003: At this point in my succession of crappy college jobs, I was working as a burrito roller at the brand spanking new Moe's Southwest Grill in Athens. For some reason, the owner decided it would be an excellent idea to hold the grand opening of a new burrito place with $4 beer bottles on a gameday. Needless to say, the entire staff sat around a 24-inch TD watching Georgia throttle Auburn 31-0 and drinking pre-frozen margaritas that were so weak they could have doubled as Slush Puppies.

2004: Ugh. My senior year started with such high expectations for the Dawgs (sound familiar?), only to have them come coming back to reality following a big win. Beat LSU 41-14? Lose at home to Tennesse and a freshman QB. Finally beat Florida for only the second time in 15 years? Get your ass absolutely handed to you on the Plains. The 24-6 score does not do this game an ounce of justice. It was an absolute asskicking from the coinflip, best personified by Junior Rosegreen's viscious hit on Reggie Brown that made me seriously think Reggie's career was over. I hated this game so much, I remember thinking "I wanna get the hell out of Athens" ...and then woke up 10 hours later in a seedy motel off the I-85 access road in Doraville with no cell phone, an empty bottle of Southern Comfort and a hotel phone that had been ripped out of the wall. Bad times.

2005: Auburn beats Georgia in a back-and-forth game with a late TD in a game many of my friends like to say "was a great game!" I disagree. Any game Georgia loses is not a great game. Between that close loss, the stinker that was the JoeT Florida game and the WTF West Virginia Sugar Bowl, that Dawgs team was just a few plays away from an undefeated season. Of course, they would have been destroyed by either USC or Texas that year, so basically the last sentence I just wrote was worthless. Apologies to all three of you reading this.

2006: Now THIS was a great game. After losing to Vandy and UK in the same year, many Dawg fans had given up hope heading to Auburn to face a Top 10 team. Three Tra Battle picks later, and Georgia was back on track for a strong end of the season finish. This game also kickstarted Georgia's love affair with the Brandon Cox era at Auburn.

2007: The Blackout. Enough said.

See how much fun a trip down memory lane can be? I swear, unlike "where was I during X catastrophic event," there's few things that can bring back a grin or chuckle like attempting to remember every last detail of a certain gameday. Here's to hoping this Saturday's edition offers quite a few full blown har-har-hars. And oh yes, fuck Auburn.

Couldn't resist.

The picks for this weekend's shoddy games:

Purdue (+17.5) over Iowa - $20

Boston College (+6.5) over Florida State - $35

Duke/Clemson (UNDER 44.5) - $15

California (+3) over Oregon St. - $10

Cal/OSU (OVER 50.5) - $15

Georgia (-9) over Auburn - $10

OBJ's Inferior Pick: Texas A&M (ML +260) over Baylor - $10

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Last Week: 2-1-1

2008 Inferior Picks: 5-4-1

2008 Overall Record: 44-41-3

2008 Pot: $115

Shotcallin' - Week 11

When Kansas State hired Ron Prince prior to the 2006 season, I felt it was a dumb hire. Three years as offensive coordinator of a mediocre-at-best Virginia offense did not scream "HO SHIT HIRE THIS GUY!!!!111" to me. Regardless of my feelings then, his firing on Wednesday feels completely unjustified and premature.

First of all, it's Kansas State. Their program patriarch, Bill Snyder, won two-thirds of his games in Manhattan, and no other coach is even close. Except for a few brief years in the late 90's, K-State has never been a national program. In fact, Prince's 16-18 record gives him the second best winning % among K-State coaches.

Even though it was highly unlikely Prince would ever achieve attainable success with the Wildcats, his firing has me steamed because dude was given LESS THAN THREE FULL SEASONS TO RUN THIS PROGRAM. Is college football suddenly like the NHL when it comes to coaching tenures? Was K-State so enamored with Ron Prince during the hiring process that they were expecting 8-10 win seasons out of the gate? This was not a good team during Snyder's last few years on the sidelines. It has been, and will continue to be, a major rebuilding effort. I believe that college coaches should always be allowed to see their first recruiting class graduate. In addition, Prince signed 17 JUCO players this past offseason. Those guys have played 9 games. If the administration is willing to allow he coach to sign 17 JUCO players (a major WTF in the first place), at least have the decency to let the plan run it's course.

And, not wanting to go all Terrance Moore/Scoop Jackson on folks, but this only decreases the number of black D-1A coaches, already a touchy subject in the media and other diversity circles. Thinking back on Tyrone Willingham getting the early axe from Notre Dame and I hope we really aren't seeing a trend here. Even if you make a poor hire (and Willingham/Prince do fit in that category), at least let them ride out the first few bumpy seasons. Espicially at a 2nd tier program like Kansas State.

Then again, this is college football. Tommy Tuberville is apparantly on the hot seat despite being three seasons removed from an undefeated season and having a 34-14 record since that season. Would anyone Auburn could hire be able to achieve that level of success? Not bloody likely...and that is exactly how the Ron Prince's of the world get hired. You want job security? Become an assistant coach under Mark Richt.

Picks:

Kentucky (+10.5) over Georgia - $15

Georgia Tech (+4) over North Carolina - $10

Florida (-23.5) over Vanderbilt - $20

Arkansas (+13) over South Carolina - $10

Yeah, we struglin' this week fellas...

Sobered Up will be up Monday.

Last Week: 2-7

2008 Inferior Picks: 5-4

2008 Overall Record: 42-40-2

2008 Pot: $90

Shot Callin' Week 10 - SPECIAL COCKTAIL PARTY EDITION

These folk know how to have fun. No Bullshit.

Why am I watching Grindhouse featuring an incredible cinematic highlight of a one-legged girl, hot as Rose McGowen may be, in a 7-minute sex scene. Ooh but I forgot! The scene with Quentin Terrintino. This shit rocks. (pause six minutes to watch scene). Anyway. Am I a huge zombie movie fan? Fuck yeah. Would I watch nearly any zombie movie at any given time? Prolly. But the potential last game of the World Series is on. Sure I stood up and tuned in just in time for the National Anthem, but then I immediately turned it and haven't seen it since. All I'm saying is, you've got the NFL canceling its Sunday night game to be gentlemanly, and Baseball's just doing a terrible job marketing itself. K I'll check the score real quick.

Two nothin Phils top o da third.

And Quentin gets the peg leg in the eye. Fuckin awesome.

See what happens when you do a Shot Callin' on a fucking Monday?!

So we're headed to JAX ya'll. Did anyone out there think it wouldn't come down to this for the Bulldogs? Doubtful. There's not much point in trying not to be homerly on the eve of the biggest Saturday for UGA since the last time Florida crushed our Championship hopes. Just calling this the most important game tells me straight up Florida is still in the minds of Georgia fans, but I know for a fact that the Red and Black is painted all over those jolly jortsin' Georgia haters' minds now, too.

It's raining in the World Series. That's pretty cool.

--->Back 24 hours later, and we've got a Game 5 stalled in the middle of the game with the next day canceled. "What an ominous way to end the first part of that blawg yesterday," I absently thought to myself driving to work. This works out well for baseball. Draws a little interest. I'm sure I'll be turning on the game or looking at it at a bar in JAX, it being Friday and all. Assuming the Rays can make it to 7. Good luck!

Did I mention it's Georgia-Florida weekend? What a fudgin joke that Michael Adams restricted anyone from calling it the Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, eh? When he made this referendum and everyone - including and most influentially the media - followed suit, I thought, "hey lol-at-this fucking guy" just 'cause he was an asshole. But now, 5 years later, isn't the yolk really all up on him? I mean, people are nonstop with calling it the LOCP even still. Some of them don't even bother to say "former" before. Mike Adams, you're a prick.

I'm not really going to get into the rest of the games, in case you haven't noticed. This is it. This is the game I knew was coming ever since someone said, "Look at this Mathew Stafford guy that just committed," then intensified when someone answered "Moe-ray-know" to my "who the fuck was that?." It was this year. It was this game and it could not have followed any more perfectly in terms of drama. This is, by far, the most anticipated football game of my life.

On a related note, if you find that OBJ hasn't posted in a while, it's quite possible there's a good reason for it. Not sayin, just sayin.

Travel safely Bulldog Nation.

Go Dawgs.

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Joe Friday here with some quick thoughts on this week's game. For better and more coherent analysis, check out Hey Jenny Slater or this Florida fan's surprisingly fair and balanced take on the game. Me, I keep it simple like stupid:

Georgia will win if...

Offense:

• They control time of possession. Usually I find this stat fairly useless, but in this case, I want to see the Dawgs run the ball as much as possible, burn the clock and keep Florida's inexperienced defense on the field for looooong stretches of the game. I think Georgia can win a shootout with the Gators, but I'd rather not go there. Keeping our offense on the field keeps their's off the field. And that's what we call a win-win.
  

Defense:

• Florida's offense is extremely efficient. Tim Tebow has 164 passing attempts to Matt Stafford's 229. The Gators two leading rushers have a combined 79 carries, compared to the Dawgs' 208. Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey are fast as shit and are running around everyone thus far. Add Emmanuel Moody to the mix and the Gators have a bunch of speedy tailbacks (that have never faced a defense like ours). Let them get into the open field and this defense that couldn't bring down Charles Scott last week could be left in the dust more than a couple times. Force UF to run the ball between the tackles and pound the shit out of those guys all game. At this point I trust our front seven to tackle those three more than the secondary. Tebow will get his share of completions, and the receivers, yards after the catch. Hopefully the tackling back there will be up to speed and we can at least contain at least one portion of their offense.
  

• Give 120%. Sorry, didn't seem like a real "Keys to the Game" segment without something like that.

One quick note: My buddy Clos has an excellent idea on what he would like to see Saturday: Mark Richt telling his players to get another celebration penalty after they score their first touchdown. It doesn't even have to the the whole team...just the players on the field could re-enact a minor version of last year's revelry and that would be good enough. Will it happen? No chance in hell. But I still think it'd be pretty cool to see the look on Meyer's face if it did. Not to mention it would basically be a "fuck you" to Florida and probably affect their psyche (I could see a few chop blocks soon after something like that...). It's a good thing Coach Richt and Co. are alot classier and cool-headed than Clos and myself.


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This Week's Picks:

Georgia (+6) over Florida - $10

Auburn (+6) over Ole Miss - $15

Arkansas (+7) over Tulsa - $10

Missouri (-21) over Baylor - $15

Texas (-5.5) over Texas Tech - $10

FSU (+1) over Georgia Tech - $15

OBJ's Inferior Pick:

WVU (-3) over Connecticut - $10

Why does it seem like Miami and Virginia have played each other like 5 times already?

Illinois (-5) over Iowa - $5

Pretty sure I'd pick the over on this too. But it's fucking TUESDAY and the o/u isn't up yet.

Last Week: 4-4

2008 Inferior Picks: 4-3

2008 Overall Record: 40-33-2

2008 Pot: $140

Shotcallin - Week 9

Due to work, real life and an awful 10 minute set by Kilo Ali at the other Runaround Sue's, it's just the picks this week:

Kansas (+2.5) over Texas Tech - $20...just read LD's take on TexTech. Don't get the love.

Wisconsin (-2.5) over Illinois - $10

Ole Miss (-6) over Arkansas - $10...always bet on a team whose coach has recruited, scouted and watched years of footage of the other team's players.

Kentucky (+26.5) over Florida - $15

Tennessee (+6.5) over Alabama - $10

Georgia (+2.5) over LSU - $10

Ohio State (+2.5) over Penn State - $20

Virginia (+14) over Georgia Tech - $15

This might be the best college football day of the year. Happy Couchsurfing.

Last Week: 6-2-1

Inferior Picks: 4-3

2008 Record: 36-29-2

2008 Pot: $140

Shotcallin' - Week 6 or is it 7?

The best image I could find to sum up the impending action on Saturday.

Oh yes. This is why God created college football, for weekends like this. Before I get into the upcoming pornucopia of games starting in 36 hours, allow me to preemptively crown this week's ACC Shiftest, or whatever we call the award on Mondays recognizing the ACC's latest attempt to become the eastern timezone's answer to the Big Sky Conference.

These are your two best teams? (Preseason...current...whatever.)

Quite frankly, I'm just pleased to see there was a touchdown scored in this game. I was afraid the ACC's field goal fetish had once again its ugly head and made way to our TV screens under the guise of Wake, the worst perpetrator of said fetish.

Luckily (or, more appropriately, not) for Clemson fan, this season's 3-3 start signals the beginning of the utterly predictable "turnaround where Tommy Bowden saves his job with the peak being a win against Florida State!" They have ten days to get CJ Spiller healthy for a home date against G-Tech.

Onto real football...this weekend features some excellent viewing choices. However, if you're headed up to Athens or wherever for the game and only have limited time, energy, and coherent focus available to watch a limited amount of football, fear not. We've got the this weekend's map planned out like DaGama so your eyes know exactly which game to dart to once you step into the bar or pass a tailgate with one of those fancy satellite/slingbox hookups that I wouldn't even begin to understand how it works:

Noon: Oklahoma-Texas. Fuck saving the best for last. Did you know Oklahoma has knocked the opposing QB out of the game for at least two series in EVERY game this year? Given Colt McCoy's tendency to run under pressure...I don't see this going well. Regardless, if this one is close, the loser automatically becomes the best one loss team in the nation.

2:30: Vandy-MissState. Keep an eye on this one, if just to see if Vandy falls into the classic "letdown/look-ahead game" trap. A Vandy dubya, coupled with a UGA one makes it more likely next week's game kicks off at 8pm. (Yeah right...you'll see my girlfriend passing up a holiday sale that will overdraft her checking account before you see Michael Adams okaying a nighttime kickoff for a homecoming game.

3:30: Dawgs-Vols. I don't care if they suck. They've beaten us two years in a row in embarrassing fashion. I want that to happen to them. I'll enjoy it like this was 2003 all over again.

Also keep an eye on: USC-Zona State (Will the Devils play the 'jammys closer than they played Georgia?...will that have any effect on the rankings?) and North Carolina-Notre Dame (Look, I'm a proud Catholic, but I have a hard time cheering for a Clausen. Plus I like what Butch Davis is doing in Chapel Hill. Looking forward to seeing him coaching Tennessee next year. Go Heels in this one.)

5:00: Arkansas-Auburn. The most interesting part of the game will be the millionaires standing on the sidelines presiding over flawed teams. If that wasn't enough of a hint...DON'T WATCH THIS GAME.

8:00: LSU-Florida. Sorry. This game has to take precedence over any others. I seriously have no idea what will happen, and nothing that happens in this game will surprise me. Tebow chop blocking an LSU D-Lineman, Jarrett Lee looking like Tony Romo out there (complete with the requisite 1-2 possible game-killers), Mike the Tiger breaking loose and mauling the band at halftime, I'm prepared for anything. Honestly, I'm about a million times more pumped for this game than Oklahoma-Texas, but such is the life of an SEC Snob.

Also keep an eye on: Mizzou-Okie State (I'm thisclose to picking the upset, but I don't think I got the necessary marbles. Mizzou really has looked unstoppable as they thwarted through their schedule against Schools for Children Missing One of their Senses.) Penn State-Wisconsin (Actually, just check the ticker for this game. If you plan on watching it you may as well just take four Nembutals.)

And now, for the picks:

Oklahoma (-6) over Texas - $15

Vanderbilt (PK) over Mississippi State - $15...didn't this line open at 4?! Honestly kind of surprises me to see that even fans aren't buying the Vandy hype. Good to see us wising up as a society.

Oklahoma St. (+9) over Missouri - $10

UNC (-4.5) over Notre Dame - $10

LSU (+6) over Florida - $50

LSU (ML + 200) over Florida - $50

OBJ's Inferior Picks:

Georgia (-13.5) over Tennessee - $10

Virginia/ECU (UNDER 43.5) - $5 - You may be thinking...why the hell would anyone bet the O/U in this game unless they felt a psychlogical inclination to wager on every game and prop on the board? But fear not, our loyal six readers, because OBJ has been meticulously watching each second of every UVA and ECU game all year so that he could accurately predict the O/U on this here week. You're in good hands with Sue.

Last Week: 5-4-1

Inferior Picks: 2-1

2008 Record: 29-21-1

2008 Pot: $220

Shotcallin' - Week 6

With no Georgia game to preview this weekend, and no GAME OF THE YEAR-type contests out there (Gameday is in Vandy for a game against a team about as entertaining to watch as someone else playing Sim City), let's kick off this edition of Shotcallin' with the latest Blogpoll Roundtable, as hosted by The Big Red Network.

Q: Of the four presumed national title contenders to go down this past week--USC, Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin--which team has the best chance to get back in the race by the end of the year?

Well, given the fact that the AP and Coaches poll voters suffered collective amnesia between last Thursday and Saturday, keeping USC at #9 ahead of a Georgia team that just lost to a Top 10 team, I would still have to go with the Trojans at this point. Need another reason? How about this joke of a schedule? Is there even one quality win by any of their remaining opponents? A quick glance tells me hell no. So when USC is beating the Arizonas and Stanfords of the world by 20+ points and you hear the talking heads about how this team is "firing on all cylinders" and "playing as well as anyone in the country right now," you should be about as shocked as I was to hear that Warren Sapp found a way to inject himself into the news once again.

As for the others, Georgia is battling a major injury bug, and their schedule is too difficult compared to USC or Florida to make them a lock in this category. Florida's defense and ground game is still suspect. Wisconsin was never a national title contender.

Q: But what does this mean for Ohio State? Are they back in?

Of course they are! Braves and Birds put it best, but voters have very short memories and the chorus of "but Wells was out and Pryor barely played against USC!" will grow louder and louder as the season rolls on, especially with wins against Wisco, Penn State and a rapidly improving Michigan team. Lesson as always...it's better to lose early than late. As a Georgia fan I will cling to that mantra all year.

Q: Did the week that was open the door for any of the undefeateds out of some of the non-BCS conferences like the Mountain West or the Big East? (Yup, that's a cheap shot. Thanks, Virginia Tech for not allowing me to make it about the ACC.)

Hmm...let's review those unbeatens:

South Florida: Taking Virginia Tech and West Virginia's spot as the annual Big East team that starts strong, vaults into the Top 10, only to lose to an inferior opponent, starting a slide that leads to a Gator Bowl berth at best, Meinike Car Care Bowl at worst. I love those teams.

BYU: Eeegh. Maybe. I guess. That's about as strong an endorsement I can give to these guys until they can provide emphatic wins against TCU and Utah. It goes without saying that they must pound into submission the UNLV, Colorado State, San Diego State, Air Force portion of their schedule. Even still, I don't see how you can take them over a two-loss SEC team. Basically, for BYU to have a clear cut shot at the BCS Championship, every other legitimate contender must have two losses to BYU's zero.

Utah: If an undefeated Utah beats an undefeated BYU in the Mormon Bowl on November 22, I'd say Utah has a more impressive resume than BYU.

Boise State: No, please no. If they go undefeated with their best win coming over what looks to be a fairly mediocre Oregon team, put them in a BCS game. That's fine. I'd rather see them in there than a 4-loss ACC or Big East champion. But unless they win their remaining contests by an average of 50+ points, you will never, ever even begin to convince me that Boise State is one of the two best teams in the country.

Tulsa: Is it possible to have a weaker schedule in Division 1? Let's just say to even think about sniffing a BCS bowl , a total disemboweling of Arkansas is in order. And with Gus Malzhan calling the plays in that one, I'm not ruling that out. If only they had Ole Miss on their schedule.

Ball State: Not gonna happen, though I will definitely be on the lookout for the inevitable Jason Whitlock "WE WUZ ROBBED" column.

Anyways, onto the picks:

Penn State/Purdue (OVER 57.5) - $10

Auburn/Vandy (OVER 37) - $10

Vandy (+4.5) over Auburn - $10

Miami (-2.5) over Florida State - $10

Florida (-23) over Arkansas - $20

Kentucky (+16.5) over Alabama - $20

S.Carolina/OleMiss (UNDER 42.5) - $15

Ohio State (-3) over Wisconsin - $15

And now, for a new feature we're tentatively calling Bourn's Inferior Pick o'd Weak...Bourn is trying his hand at this here gamblin' thing for the first time, and he will be picking one extra game per week for, you, our six readers. So what if he swung and missed (ECU -11.5 over Houston) like a relief pitcher pinch-hitting in the 15th inning last week...this is a new day and he's got a doozy for y'all:

South Carolina (+3) over Ole Miss - $5
South Carolina (ML + 110) over Ole Miss - $5

We're just shootin' for .500 at this point, fellas. Enjoy the weekend.

Last Week: 4-4

Inferior Pick: 0-1

2008 Record: 24-17

2008 Pot: $205

Shotcallin' - Week 5 (Sergeant Joe Friday edition)

Just the picks, ma'am. Wegots to get on the road for a Blackout!

Texas (-27.5) over Arkansas - $20

East Carolina (-11.5) over Houston - $10

Auburn (-7) over Tennessee - $10

UAB (+26.5) over South Carolina - $25

SC/UAB (UNDER 48.5) - $50

Troy State (+17.5) over Oklahoma State - $20

Georgia (-6.5) over Alabama - $20

Illinois/Penn St. (OVER 54.5) - $10

Last Week: 6-4

2008 Record: 20-13

2008 Pot: $160

Shotcallin' - Week 4

Quick thoughts on this weekend's games and the picks for Week 4...Enjoy:


Georgia -7 over Arizona State - $20

I wish I was there. The game is reason #1. Reason #2 pictured above. This is reason #3.

(Note: Reasons may not be in any particular order)

I never understood the whole "UGA can't take the HEAT in the desert!!!111" meme. Has anyone who bought into that actually spent time in either the southwest or the deep south? I agree with Westerdawg: Give me 100+ degree days in dry heat over that sweaty-swampass-inducing sticky heat we have down here. Gatorade, water, and those giant mist fans will keep the Dawgs cool in Tempe. It's not like they're from fucking Buffalo or anything.

Aaaah...Mist Fans...is there anything they can't do?

Get all your game previewin' on at Hey Jenny Slater, Dawg Gone Blawg, and Dawg Sports.

LSU -2.5 over Auburn - $15
LSU/Auburn UNDER 37.5 - $15

I am thoroughly intrigued by this game. The offenses should be cringeworthy at best, but the quality, speed and talent on the defensive sides of the ball will be enough to give anyone who enjoys REAL SEC FOOTBALL a boner by halftime.

That being said, I see both defenses spending a disproportionate amount of time on the field, and thus, tiring late in the 3rd or early in the 4th quarter. While LSU's QB play to this point worries me, I have just a bit more faith in their offensive braintrust than Auburn's legendary little league system.

Florida -7.5 over Tennessee - $15

You will see me downing shots of Red Snapper while wearing a pink tutu and singing "Rocky Top" at the top of my lungs before you ever see me bet on Phil Fulmer vs. Urban Meyer.

Missy State +7.5 over Georgia Tech - $15
MSU/GT UNDER 36.5 - $15

Just like Auburn/LSU....only with 75% less talent and even FEWER offensive playmakers (yes, that is somehow possible)!

Troy State + 20.5 over Ohio State - $10

I'm a sucker for the "Troy State to cover a huge line against a BCS opponent" bet. What can I say? Add in the fact that Skullcap Wells is still out and Todd Boeckman SOMEHOW IS STILL GOING TO PLAY (!?!?!?!!?) and I gotta roll with the Condoms on this one.

NC State + 7 over East Carolina - $10

ECU falling back to earth in 5...4...3...2...

Mizzou - 34 over Buffalo - $10

Really, though, the precision and perfection that which Mizzou is able to apply while completely demolishing some of the worst teams in Division 1-A and 1-AA is truly impressive. I mean, they're clearly doing a great job of impressing some of the biggest idiots with a forum to write about college football.

Seriously. Go click that link. That asshat has two Mizzou players in his Top 5 Heisman ballot thus far. He has Tim Tebow, who's had one good game against Hawaii and one medicore one against Miami, at #3. He has Knowshon Moreno, he of 7 touchdowns almost 7 yards per carry...FALLING OFF HIS TOP 10 after single-handedly keeping Georgia in the game against a team better than anyone Mizzou or Florida has played. I hate bitching about media bias against UGA, and I don't think this guy has it out for the Dawgs, but jeezus...I'd feel better if Plaschke had a Heisman vote over that guy.

Texas - 29 over Rice - $10

Leaving Work Right Now > Saying Anything About This Game

Last Week: 3-4

2008 Record: 14-9

2008 Pot: $135

Shotcallin' - Week 3

Pick your poison...

I'm not gonna lie...we really thought Steve Spurrier would have Carolina among the SEC East's beasts by now, competing for trips to Atlanta every December. At the very least, Sue figured that he would supplant Phillip Fulmer in the pecking order of SEC coaches. Obviously, this has not happened and there are several possible reasons why Spurrier's time at SC has played out as it has (lack of recruiting pool talent, a dry and dusty [read: dirty] cupboard left by Holtz, unlucky injuries, increasing quality of the conference etc.).

I also gotta admit...I don't really take much delight in seeing Spurrier's fall from SEC grace. Sure, I know every Georgia fan is supposed to squeal with delight with every SC loss but I just can't do it. If that awful and embarrassing stint with the Redskins humanized the man, the subsequent shunning by his alma mater in favor of Urban Meyer had to make even the most ardent of Spurrier-haters cringe (tho it's worth noting Jeremy Foley and the UF brass made an excellent decision). The question holds...if Spurrier had his QB and WR recruits as he would have at UF had he been hired, would defense even matter or even any of the aforementioned factors? To an extent.

Even Spurrier's jabs at his opponents didn't bother me too much. His cracks on Ray Goff, FSU and Tennessee were pretty good from a comedic standpoint. Mostly because they were true. Sue's favorite is the infamous FSU shank in the dogpile, which back then was calling out the refs hardcore. He backed up his big mouth with on the field results. His comments after beating UGA last year about Georgia not having won an SEC East game in a year angered me...but not at Spurrier, he was just stating a fact (a fact/quote that Georgia is hopefully using as bulletin board material). Compare that to Urban Meyer's pre-emptive whining and thinly-veiled threats about The Celebration last year, and I think it's evident who's the better trash talker.

But now it's pretty clear that the game has passed the OBC by. I have never really seen a 2-QB rotation that works, and when you're dealing with the marginally talented Blake Mitchells and Tommy Beechers of the world...well that is not just going to end well. At Florida, the Gators had enough talent to weather the QB inconsistencies, so his pulling of future NFL quarterbacks Doug Johnson and Rex Grossman didn't end up hurting the team too much (though the same can't be said of their personal development in the NFL).

Blake Mitchell flat out sucked. Tommy Beecher isn't much better. Steven Garcia can't stop getting in trouble for 16 and 17 year old crimes (really? Keying a professor's car? Did said professor sleep with his boyfriend??). It's been 12 years since OBC has won a title and in almost all of those years, he has employed the two-QB system he holds so dearly. Chris Smelley is the 'Cocks best option at QB and for once, as someone who enjoys entertaining football, I'd like to see what a QB can do in Spurrier's offense without looking over his back after every incompletion.

Hopefully, though, the visor won't figure it out until after this week.

Onto the picks...

Kansas (ML +135) over South Florida - $10

Kansas (+3.5) over South Florida - $10

Tulane (+13) over East Carolina - $10

Georgia (-7.5) over South Carolina - $25

UCLA (+7.5) over BYU - $25

Auburn (-10) over Mississippi State - $10

USC (-11.5) over Ohio State - $20

Last Week: 5-4

2008 Record: 11-5

2008 Pot: $165

Shotcallin' - Week 2

Before getting started with this week's picks, I'd like to give a few words of advice to my fellow Dawg fans crying about Georgia's drop from #1 to #2 in both the coaches and AP poll:

Seriously, who gives a shit?

Georgia fans, including myself, have been pointing to our absurdly difficult schedule this entire offseason. By almost any measurable ranking, it is the most difficult schedule in the nation. Barring Arizona State and a handful of SEC teams finishing at or around .500, the Dawgs will finish with the highest ranked schedule in the nation. This, leads to the conclusion, that as long as there is only one team with less losses than Georgia, the Dawgs will get a chance to play for the national championship.

The point is, we have to win to get there. If we pick up wins against the likes of Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc. while USC and Ohio State is plowing through the Stanfords, Washingtons and Purdues of the world, the voters WILL take notice and we WILL be rewarded with an appropriate ranking.

Look, UGA wasn't, by any means, a unanimous or clear #1 to begin with. We were likely to get jumped by the USC/OSU winner in 2 weeks anyways. You think fans of those two teams worry about their rankings on Labor Day? It's all about the final BCS rankings to those fans and it should be to us to. If Georgia keeps winning, we will play for a national title. And thats all that matters.

Act like you've been there before, and act like you'll be there again.

/ Steps off soapbox.

And now, the Week 2 picks:

Ohio (+34) over Ohio State - $10

Central Michigan (+24) over Georgia - $20

*UAB, Marshall, Troy - Georgia hasn't covered against any of them in recent years.

Georgia/CMU OVER 56.5 - $10

Ole Miss (+8) over Wake Forest - $25

Ole Miss (ML +285) over Wake Forest - $10

Oregon State (+15.5) over Penn State - $10

Alabama (-30) over Tulane - $10

Miami (+23.5) over Florida - $10

Texas Tech (-11.o) over Nevada - $10

2008 Record: 6-1

2008 Pot: $160

Shotcallin'

First, read BI's ode to the golden age of MTV. Then, before heading to the pool, or Athens, or Gainesville, or wherever, hit up your favorite guido or gaming website and lay down the following:

UCLA (+7.5) over Tennessee - $10

Florida (-35) over Hawaii - $10

East Carolina (+9.5) over Virginia Tech - $25

East Carolina (+340 ML) over Virginia Tech - $10

Michigan (-3.5) over Utah - $20

Alabama (+4.5) over Clemson - $50

Alabama (+170 ML) over Clemson - $30

Usually, I don't lay too much money down the first two weeks of football…so we'll be giving you plenty more options on how to lose some money in the weeks to come.

2008 Record: 0-0

2008 Pot: $0

Enjoy the last weekend of summer, the first weekend of football and be sure to come back on Tuesday our sobered-up analysis of the weekend that was. Go Dawgs!

THANK GOD COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS HERE!