October 2007 - Posts
Eighty-two games, so many possessions, so very many possessions.
The hope here is for the Milwaukee Bucks to play the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA Finals. And after that, peace in the entire world.
In 1999, the St. Louis Rams of Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce won their first seven games by an average margin of 22 points.
That was a Halley's Comet, or so I thought. Then New England won its first seven games this season by an average margin of 26 points. And it beat Washington Sunday by 45 points, bumping the average margin to 28 points.
Crazy.
The Rams lost two in a row after those seven wins, then regrouped to finish 13-3 and sweep through the postseason for a Super Bowl title. Warner, who had absurd touchdown and yardage passing stats, was the MVP of the regular-season and Super Bowl. Warner had a whopping 41 TD passes. New England's Tom Brady has 30 with half the season still to play.
Insane.
Once you get past the South Florida fiasco, you'll see the Hlog (with inside help) went 6-1 this week. Brilliance abounded in lifting the season record to 28-20-1.
Tell the neighbors and wake the kids. The mojo is back. Nothing but happy days from now till the end of bowl season.
At 22-19-1, the Hlog needed a hiatus. It's time to veer into November with scientific handicapping, not a wishbone.
With help from someone connected to the inner workings of college football handicapping, the Hlog presents these seven sizzling selections for your barbecued pigskin:
1. SOUTH FLORIDA -4.5 at Connecticut. The Bulls are the belles of the ball.
2. ARIZONA STATE -3 vs. California. Arizona State's real season begins today. Cal's ends.
3. WAKE FOREST -6 vs. North Carolina. Wake up and get on this pick.
4. MICHIGAN -23.5 vs. Minnesota. The Rose Bowl-bound Wolverines over the gagged-and-bound Gophers.
5. UTAH -6 at Colorado State. Because the Hlog says so.
6. HAWAII -30 vs. New Mexico State. Hawaii can name the score, and thus will call it "Brutality."
7. WEST VIRGINIA -6 at Rutgers. That's right, seven favorites in seven selections. They'll be your favorites Saturday night.
Now, how do we do it?
A new color scheme would be good for starters. Consider it done.
Don't much care. It's a tempest in a teapot.
I do know that the very worst, hardest, harshest published comments about Iowa football are made on Internet message boards, not in newspapers. I also know the people making those comments are a tiny percentage of all fans.
Next topic, please.
Because of this week's horrible prognosticating, there shall be no more Pick Sevens until further notice. Hlastradamus is going on an extended holiday to the Isle of Wight, or the Isle of Woe, or the produce aisle at Fareway.
Hlastradamus is concerned about only hearing from you non-prophets on his rare unfortunate weeks. OK, he's gone 3-4 and 3-3-1 in consecutive weeks (the Oklahoma pick of last week wasn't entered in time to count), but is still a wondrous 21-13-1 overall. That's 61.4 percent, which will feed your bulldog and leave enough leftovers for any strays roaming around your estate.
On with this week's gems:
1. Illinois -4 at Iowa: Illinois' going up, Iowa down. Rarely do two teams going in opposite directions stop on a dime at the same time in mid-season.
2. Iowa State +16 vs. Texas: The Longhorns are ordinary. Ordinary teams don't win conference games on the road by 16 points against their former defensive coordinators. Do they?
3. Georgia -7 at Vanderbilt: No explanation is offered here. Hlastradamus is a busy prophet.
4. USC -21 vs. Arizona: USC giving points against anyone seems insane after last week, but this is a number that would have been leaped on like a live grenade anytime in the last few years.
5. Wisconsin +6.5 at Penn State: These are two so-so teams, so we'll take the one getting the points.
6. Notre Dame +14 vs. Boston College: The Irish never beat BC. But the high-flying Eagles are due to lay an egg at some point.
7. Nebraska -3.5 vs. Oklahoma State: Something has to give. Either the Nebraska fans explode, or Okie State Coach Mike Gundy does. Again.
An 11th-hour addition. Take Oklahoma and give the points vs. Texas, toss out Kansas State.
Oklahoma will crush the Longhorns Saturday. Hlastradamus sees it, feels it, tastes it, breathes it.
Last week was an abysmal failure, the Hlog's first. 3-4.
As you all know by now, 3-4 is unacceptable here. The Hlog is all about winning, and our season record is still a glossy 18-10 for 64.3 percent.
Now, this week's slices of heaven:
1. Iowa +9 at Penn State: This is a great matchup for the Hawkeyes. If they don't cover today, this season is totally toxic.
2. Texas Tech -25 vs. Iowa State: That's a lot of points, but the Red Raiders are a merciless crew to those who can't keep up. The Cyclones, playing a second-straight difficult road game, may wear down in the second half.
3. Illinois -2.5 vs. Wisconsin: The Badgers have been living on borrowed time. This is their day of reckoning.
4. Purdue +7 vs. Ohio State: The Boilermakers will throw everything but Joe Tiller's kitchen sink at the Buckeyes.
5. Auburn -7.5 vs. Vanderbilt: After a shaky start, Auburn has self-esteem once again.
6. Kansas State -3 vs. Kansas: Kansas has a nice team. Kansas State's is a little nicer.
7. Florida International +19 vs. Troy: No explanation required or available.