There was a big pow wow, oops, I hope I don’t offend anyone, at Palace Station this past Sunday.
It all started with my good buddy Jim Long, after blowing his bet on the Raiders and his teaser. He looks at me and says, “How can you bet this NFL?”
Now this is the guy who just singled a 1-5 shot in the players pick five that hadn’t run since last December. He finished third and I’m being asked how can anyone bet the NFL!
I look at him and say you bet horses don’t you? So what’s the difference? He looks at me and in a rush runs up to the counter and bets a parlay on the late NFL games. He just gets to the window on time to put the Saints on his ticket and we all know how that game ended.
The last I saw of Jim Long he took the last drink of his beer and headed out into the sunset lighting up a stogie with a smile on his face. As my brother Tom said when he saw I had bet Washington, “There is nothing good in Washington, including the football team.”
So I decided to put together a group of ordinary people at Palace Station and form an exploratory committee to see what we could name the Washington football team, still wishing Bob Costas would just announce the games. Or, if he wants to be a news reporter, get another job.
My committee was composed of not so ordinary people. Susan, my girlfriend who is anything but ordinary with a parlay and horse bet in every compartment of her purse, “Ping Pong” Dave who is suing the government over his property, Kenny “where’s all the writers” sheets who always has an opinion, Harry please wake up “the Hat” and Big Jim Richie, the silent one who always seems to be cashing a ticket.
Well, we had decided to rename the Redskins the Washington Congressmen. But then Susan says she would be offended; with all the pink they are wearing why not name them the Washington Congresswomen. That was enough. We all settled on the Washington Offenders. So there you go, we settled that issue.
I had a great week with my college picks last week, going 4-0, but could only go 1-1 in the NFL as the Skins were scalped by the Cowboys, 31-16, so no more Redskins.
I have gotten some emails thanking me for slamming the UNLV Rebels a while back as they have won four straight games since my rant. So I will try and continue my job with the Rebs and say this. With six games left, they will not win another one and cannot get those needed two to become bowl eligible.
Darn.
Now let’s get some more winners as there are some games I am chewing at the bit to bet on.
College Football
Saturday
Ball St. -19½ at W. Michigan: You know, every time I lay a big number in college football I get it handed to me, but I just cannot pass on this game. The Broncos from Kalamazoo are really bad, losing all seven of their games with just two covers and being shut out last week by Buffalo, 33-0. BALL ST.
Iowa +17 at Ohio St: One thing the Hawkeyes do is play good defense. This is the first meeting between the two Big Ten Legends since the Buckeyes beat them in Iowa City in 2010, 20-17. The Buckeyes had a week off since their miracle cover over Northwestern. They have Penn State next week. IOWA.
Florida -3 at Missouri: Now how can the low scoring Gators be a favorite in this game playing against the high scoring and undefeated Tigers? This game should be a pick or Mizzu -1. In any case, we will see where the line moves to. Florida got the win last year in Gainesville, 14-7, and they do catch the Tigers off a huge win at Georgia. All of Florida’s games have gone UNDER, and looking at last year’s final score we will play it again. UNDER.
LSU -7½ at Ole Miss: Mississippi is much better than their 3-3 record indicates. They can turn their season around with the upset in this huge game in a second of back-to-back home starts. They almost got the win last week against A&M, losing a tough 41-38 barn burner as a 7-point dog. Look for another very close game in this key SEC battle. OLE MISS.
Akron -7½ at Miami, Ohio: The Zips have played some big games this year and almost got the win at Michigan, losing a very tough game 28-24 as a 37-point dog. They got another big cover last week at Northern Illinois, losing 27-20 when getting +22. The Redhawks from Oxford, Ohio, sunk to a new low last week losing to the winless UMass, 17-10. Miami is averaging just 9 points their last six games. AKRON.
NFL Football
Sunday
Broncos -4½ at Colts: Now this is a game worth betting and watching as Manning makes it back home to his old stomping grounds. Denver was in a no try situation last week as a 27-point favorite. They made the game interesting but will be all out in this late Sunday game. And, my pockets will be all out of cash as I bet what ever is left. BRONCOS.
Have a great week. I hope I helped everyone out with my new name for the Skins. And remember, make a play every day as you just may be walking around lucky and not even know it.
Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Follow Richard on Twitter @SabesBet. Contact Richard at [email protected].
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