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DEL.ICIO.USWeekend picks, minus the transparency
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Before launching into this week’s big meeting between the kind, upstanding, clear-minded, stable and often hygienic people of Alabama (shoot me now) and their plump but worldly counterpart in Knoxville (twice), we here at Weekend Predictions would like to offer a tip of the skullcap to NBA commissioner David Stern.
Yes. It takes a real visionary to embrace the hip-hop culture, milk it for every last dollar, endorsement, synergy, bling and courtside celeb sighting that it’s worth, then drop kick it to Des Moines when your marketing people yell, “No white people! Fire!�
For the past decade, Stern did everything but open press conferences with, “’Sup, y’all? Any questions, ’cuz I gotta go make time with my peeps. Yo, Dre! Is that you back there? Got your back, man! Oh wait, I was Bar Mitzvah’d and went to Columbia. I forgot, where was I?”
There’s nothing wrong with a dress code. I mean, it’s their business. But can we be any more transparent? All of a sudden, it’s an issue to wear a sportscoat? But six months ago it wasn’t an issue? A year ago? Forty raps ago?
Did Stern just all of a sudden wake up and decide, “Hmmm. I really miss tweed. Whatever happened to Kevin McHale?”
I bring this up for two reasons: 1) It’s only October. It’s too early to waste all of my BCS jokes; 2) Phil Fulmer, while weasely, otherwise has little in common with Stern. He’s not a visionary. He actually thought he could give “secret� testimony to the NCAA and a grand jury about Alabama and thought it wouldn’t get out.
This week, Fulmer makes his first trip to Tuscaloosa since the tobacco spit hit the fan. He’ll be the guy surrounded by a SWAT team. But Alabama has other problems. Last week the Tide barely beat Mississippi. The team is losing bodies and didn’t have a lot of depth to begin with. There’s also a concern that Mike Shula is turning back into Mike Shula. Yikes.
The line says Bama by 3 1/2. Psst. I say, take the gift. But Tennessee wins this straight up.
Saturday value menu
(Buy any three games and win a viewing guide to the Astros-White Sox World Series. Chapter 1: Blow up the TV.)
Hogs and Dogs: D.J. Shockley is 6-0 as a starter and leads the SEC in passing efficiency, which basically means that so far the only thing separating him from David Greene … was opportunity. (That should kick up my e-mail.) Shockley won’t catch Greene in career passing yardage. But Arkansas’ secondary makes you wonder. It’s the week before the Florida game, which falls before the Auburn game. Win now, there’s time to complain about the BCS later. Doggies cover 19.
Auburn at LSU: Since losing to Georgia Tech, the Tigers have beaten Mississippi State, Ball State, Western Kentucky, South Carolina and Arkansas. This week’s game with KinderCare fell through. Fortunately, LSU drops balls like pre-schoolers drop blocks. Five turnovers vs. Florida? Missed in my Florida upset pick (though not with the line), but LSU otherwise did little to comfort Les Miles. Take Auburn and 6 1/2. And I like the upset (again).
Vanderbilt at South Carolina: Steve Spurrier says he’s worried about Vanderbilt. I’m going to assume that wasn’t expected on the, “Things Steve will say this season� list in Columbia. Humility, table six? Gamecocks win but take Vandy and 7 1/2.
FSU at Duke: Quoth Duke coach Ted Roof: “Each week it seems like there is a Top 25 team that we are teeing it up against.� Dude, you’re not teeing it up. You’re the ball. The Devils have been outscored in four ACC games 170-24. More importantly, the Blue-White Scrimmage is Saturday at Cameron Indoor. Seminoles cover 30.
Mildcats at Old Missy: Rich Brooks says he is “planning on being here� after the season, which suggests his Kentucky contract calls for a seamless transition from Coach to Cafeteria Fishstick Engineer. Brooks has gone 1-7, 1-7 and 0-2 in the SEC. I know, it’s Kentucky. But show a pulse. Mississippi covers 10 1/2.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Tech / ACC, UGA / SEC
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Tim Madden
October 20, 2005 07:41 PM | Link to this
Jeff: You should be a little more thorough in your analysis of Alabama. Yes, the injury to Prothro was a big blow, but I think you doth protest too much relative to the Ole Miss game. They caught Bama still reveling over the Florida win and during the week off they were looking to Saturday’s game with the Vols. UT is 10-1 against Bama, do you honestly think that Alabama (particularly seniors) will not come out with off the chain intensity again “Fat Phil” and his reeling Vols?
By geechee
October 20, 2005 08:27 PM | Link to this
Sup, my man? Yo, check it out. Everyone needs at least one good laugh everyday and I got mine with “You’re the ball”.
Yo, Tim. Don Shula became Don Shula by understanding that, you can’t have your players reveling over last weeks game when your head needs to be with this week’s game.
By Bama
October 20, 2005 10:25 PM | Link to this
This guy is going to miss 3 of his first four picks he made. Georgia will not beat Arkansas by more than 19 either. Georgia’s defense in minus 3 experienced players against the best rushing defense in th SEC. Vanderbilt had 150 rushing yards against Georgia, what will Arkansas have? I’ll take Bama at home, Bama may have barely beat Ole Miss but I think I remember Georgia barely beat South Carolina at home. I know which team is worse between Ole Miss and South Carolina. Didn’t Georgia go to Tennessee and beat them? So why can’t Bama beat them at home? Roll Tide!
By yo mamma
October 20, 2005 11:45 PM | Link to this
By yo mamma
October 20, 2005 11:46 PM | Link to this
By ROLLING TIDE
October 20, 2005 11:52 PM | Link to this
Georgia went into TENN and beat them because they are better than TENN. TENN will beat BAMA because they are simply a much better team. Arkansas will not score as many points, nor will they put up as many yards against Georgia as VANDY did because Vanderbilt is a better team than Arkansas. BAMA will lose to TENN and lose to Auburn as well. BAMA is a flop team and will prove that. Look for the real two best teams in the in the SEC to face each other in the championship. Georgia and AUBURN baby!!!
ROLL OVER TIDE
By SEC... showdown???
October 21, 2005 12:03 AM | Link to this
Arkansas is not the best rushing team in SEC. This team is 2 and 4 but have only played 2 decent teams… USC and Auburn. They’re certainly no match for a team like Georgia. Funny… I seem to remember Vanderbilt beating Arkansas.
By jarred_buck
October 21, 2005 12:11 AM | Link to this
Hey… you guys are forgetting something.. Alabama will lose to LSU too. It think Auburn will win the sec west and will lose to UGA TWICE this year. I guess UGA will be last year’s AUBURN… Stupid BCS…
By dave
October 21, 2005 01:40 AM | Link to this
Jeff I don’t care about your picks you just make me crack up. The image of Daniel Stern opening up a press conference with “sup ya’ll” is still making me laugh.
By TennDawg
October 21, 2005 05:49 AM | Link to this
Jeff - Got to admit, I never make it through “weekend picks” without busting a gut. Stern and his “peeps” will have me laughing through the day. Bama - dude, relax! This team beat this team by this many and this team ran this much against this…ay, ay, ay. Get over your hang-up with Georgia and just focus on your boys big game against the traveling pumpkins. Bama’s offense better put up some points. If they put up 13 this week, they’re going to get “ROLLED”. GO DAWGS!!!
By MURPHY
October 21, 2005 07:02 AM | Link to this
RELAX BAMA FANS!!!
YOU WILL BEAT TENN! BAMA-21 VOLS-7 ROLL TIDE!!!!
AS FAR AS THE GEORGIA GAME,I BELIEVE THE DAWGS WILL WIN,BUT HAVE TO PULL AWAY IN THE 4TH QTR. DAWGS-31 HOGS-21
AS FOR AUBURN VS LSU. BOTH TEAMS ARE NOT AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED!!! TIGERS-28 TIGERS-24 YOU PICK IT!!!!
By cody
October 21, 2005 10:06 AM | Link to this
Ummm… i don’t think bama even has a chance. LOL
By geechee
October 21, 2005 10:09 AM | Link to this
Murph, I totally agree with your Tigers-28 Tigers-24. You’ve done your homework this week.
I think the Dogs may surprise you. I think in the last half of this season there’s a good possibility we could see the most explosive Dog offense in UGA history
By MURPHY
October 21, 2005 10:56 AM | Link to this
HEY geechee,
I KEEP WANTING TO THINK THAT OUR OFFENSE HASNT REALLY PLAYED TO THEIR POTENTIAL.IT SURE WOULD BE NICE TO BEAT ARKANSAS AND GO TO JACKSONVILLE AND TURN IT LOOSE.WOW,HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE TO WRAP UP AN SEC EAST CHAMPIONSHIP AND DESTROY THE GATORS AT THE SAME TIME!!! JUST LEAVE A LITTLE BIT FOR AUBURN AND TECH!!!
By Larry
October 21, 2005 12:40 PM | Link to this
Jeff,
My deepest gratitude for your picking Tennessee straight up. You may be right, but given your picks in the South Carolina and Florida games, I like our chances much better when you go with the other team. If I remember correctly, you said Bama would cover against Ole Miss and we all know what happened there. By the way, I heard one commentator say Bama has not covered the week before the Tennessee game in sixteen years. Anyway, thanks again and keep up the good work.
By wes
October 21, 2005 12:55 PM | Link to this
Alabama 27, Tennesse 23.
By DawgByte
October 21, 2005 01:08 PM | Link to this
Codfish 43 Bacon Bits 28
By cody
October 21, 2005 02:04 PM | Link to this
Alabama 17 Tennesse 27
By geechee
October 21, 2005 02:11 PM | Link to this
I never realized Codfish had that much offense, 43?
By BAMA
October 21, 2005 03:54 PM | Link to this
I guess Bama should just not even show up tomorrow to play. Bama is soo bad they are 6-0. If Georgia can beat Tennessee at Knoxville by 2 touchdowns then Bama can at least beat Tennessee at home. ROLL TIDE!
By MURPHY
October 21, 2005 05:02 PM | Link to this
HEY BAMA,
YOU ARE CORRECT!!!
ROLL TIDE!!! TIDE-21 VOLS-7
GO DAWGS!!! SEE ALL TOU TIDE FANS IN THE DOME.
By wcoastjere
October 21, 2005 05:16 PM | Link to this
phats takes the tide even without his crooked home field officials…too much talent for 3 losses this early..bama looked very vulnerable against a weak ole miss team…i think georgia will win but not cover/they tend to struggle to beat spread in sec games they are big favorites
By t taylor
October 21, 2005 09:44 PM | Link to this
Dawgs win…….the rest of the year …bring on LSU or AUBURN or ALABAMA….Dawgs will beat them all….I just want to see the Dawgs against a quality opponent in a bowl……USC maybe????
Here is my prediction….Georgia over UCLA in the Rose Bowl…….thats right ..you heard it here first……bee-atch!!!!
By t taylor
October 21, 2005 09:45 PM | Link to this
Dawgs win…….the rest of the year …bring on LSU or AUBURN or ALABAMA….Dawgs will beat them all….I just want to see the Dawgs against a quality opponent in a bowl……USC maybe????
Here is my prediction….Georgia over UCLA in the Rose Bowl…….thats right ..you heard it here first…..!