Holy Wagers - Week 3 (September 29th Weekend)

So far this season, the Pope's record stands as follows:

Wins 7
Losses 3
Push 2
Win 60%

Net Betting Units for Year +5

In College, my record is 5-1. In Pro, the record is 2-2-2.

Remember, my regular standard Holy Wagers I recommend 1 betting unit. The "Most Blessed Wager" is 2 units, and there could be a super star wager of 3 units a few times per year. Remember, this is for non-gambling purposes only (uhehmm, wink wink). Now on to the picks for this week:

COLLEGE

Michigan - 17 @ Northwestern [Most Blessed Pick of the Week] - The Wolverines are not an awful football team, like their first game made you believe. They also have covered 8 out of their last 9 Big Ten road games, which aint bad. Northwestern has given up 50+ to Ohio St, 31 to Nevada, and 20 to Duke. Michigan gets 35 to 45 points and Northwestern won't get to 21.

Georgia - 15 vs. Ole Miss - I wanted to make this a blessed pick, but the Rebels can sneak up on you and play SEC teams close. Georgia is improving and will look to run the ball all over the Rebels. I dont see the Rebel QB pulling out some long passes like he did last week against Florida, being a night game on the road. I say Georgia gets 28 to 35, while Ole Miss might get to 14. Its a good play because Georgia will be ready with how close a scare Ole Miss gave Florida last week.

Arkansas -36 vs. North Texas - North Texas is giving up 6 YPC this season . . . sounds pretty good for Mcfadden and Jones. NT gave up 79 to Oklahoma, so you have to think that Arkansas can get to 50. North Texas might get 14 points, but I doubt they will get much more. Mcfadden needs Heisman stats and the Razorbacks need a whipping boy after starting 1-2.

Thursday night special - Boise St -10.5 vs. Southern Miss - This is a rare Thursday night play but it will count as a Holy Wager. Boise is a long long ways away for the Eagles, and that Blue turf doesnt bode well for visitors typically. Boise St isnt what they were last year, but this team is stopping the run well, to a 2.7 YPC average for the season, including 2.2 YPC at home. I look for some Southern MissCues to turn this one in favor of Boise St, 28-10.

PRO

Ravens -4.5 @ Browns - Derek Anderson hasnt seen a defense like this, which I think is the best defense in the NFL period. I expect a INT pick 6 in this game, as well as 21 points from the Ravens offense. Ravens 28 Browns 17

Seahawks -2 @ 49ers - I expect this one to be close and relatively low scoring, but the Seahawks have a comparable defense and a much better offense to boot. Seahawks 24 49ers 21

Texans -2.5 @ Falcons - The Falcons cannot run the ball very well right now, and Harrington is a time bomb waiting to throw an INT. The Texans have played good defense in every game, and will run the ball right at the Falcons in a boring game. Texans 27 Falcons 17

Good luck, hopefully the picks will continue to fall the Pope's way.

Saint & Heretic of the Week - September 22nd Weekend

This week, we had a few good candidates for Saint & Heretic of the

week. Here are the proclaimations of a Pope:

Heretic of the Week - Donovan McNabb

A few points for Donovan to consider:

1. The QB position is scrutinized more than any other.

2. Big cities have tougher fans, especially in the northeast.

3. Philly has a history of playing African American QBs (Cunningham, Rodney Peete, etc.)

4. Donovan McNabb is a super star with high expectations

5. McNabb has been injured and has not performed well in over a year, for the most part

There is a lot of pressure on McNabb, being a star player in a big town with a team that has gotten far but not all the way. Fans are frustrated and they want Donovan and the team to take the next step. Yet, instead of digesting why he is criticized or ignoring it altogether, McNabb then explains that its his color that has a role in how the fans react to his play:

"There's not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra," McNabb tells HBO. "Because the percentage of us playing this position, which people didn't want us to play ... is low, so we do a little extra."

"I pass for 300 yards, our team wins by seven, [mimicking] 'Ah, he could've made this throw, they would have scored if he did this. We get criticized differently. That's all I've said."

Fans are reacting at inconsistent and poor QB play on the same scale as if McNabb were purple, yellow, white, whatever. Its comments like these that set our country back because of their polarizing nature. Blacks come to the defense of Donovan because he is a great guy, whether they believe him or not, and whites feel insulted that race was brought up. Its a lose lose situation for everyone.

Despite his great game this past Sunday, I think his time is up in Philly. He is a great player and role model but his comments were childish, thoughtless, and ignorant. Seriously, does Peyton Manning (pre-Super Bowl victory) or Rex Grossman get it easy because they are white?? Please.

Now on for the Saint of the Week:

Saint of the Week - Tennessee Titans Defensive Line

Wow. These guys are good. They single handedly pressured Drew Brees and caused most of his 4 INTs and 1 fumble. Consistent pressure to the QB, causing turnovers, as well as completely shutting down New Orleans' rushing attack, as awesome to watch on Monday Night Football last night.

Kyle Vandenbosch (pictured), Albert Haynesworth, Randy Starks, Travis Laboy, Antwon Odom, and Tony Brown - This Bud's for you.

Holy Wagers Results - Week 2

Another solid week for the Holy Wagers. I was very close to having a great week, pushing one pro game and losing one by 1 point. The push was the Colts, as I used -6 while some lines had -5.5, which would have covered. The Raiders didnt cover by a point also, oh well. Ole Miss showed up and shocked a lot of people by making a game of it against Florida.

My record for week 2 was 3-2-1, pulling my full season record to 7-3-2, which is a 60% winning rate. Not bad.

Next week, Im feeling good about the picks. Also remember that the Most Blessed pick of each week is 2 units of betting, while the other Holy Wagers are 1 unit. I am 1-0-1 in my Most Blessed Picks, giving us a +5 units for the year through the two weeks of my blog.

"All Aboard the 3:10 to 0-8 . . . "

Three things were readily apparent after the Notre Dame game on Saturday:

1. The team improved and might have had its best performance all around.

2. We were still decidedly beaten by Michigan St.

3. We are on the "3:10 to 0-8" train.

It was nice to see us run the ball with some authority at times. We were falling forward and had a few big runs by freshman and sophomore backs. A few decent passes also by Clausen. Still overall subpar pass protection, although improved.

The biggest factor right now, is that we are giving the opposing offense a short field. Fumbles, bad punts, and poor coverage on kickoff returns gave Michigan St a short field and resulted in scores. The Irish have not given up an 80 yard drive all year (when the opposing team starts at the 20 yard line).

One bright spot is that our defense is playing very well against the pass, holding QBs to right at 50% passing, and very few deep pass plays. The problem is that teams are running the ball more on us, so those passing stats are a little skewed of course. Its nice to think that if we can get a lead and force the other team to pass, I think our pass defense is better than in the past.

We play this weekend at 11am Central time, which Notre Dame rarely does. We typically play in primetime slots on ESPN, ABC, or NBC, at 3pm or 7pm. Purdue is going to score near 40pts, and I think its going to be a very very difficult game to win. More difficult to win than Michigan St, most certainly. I hate to say it, but the Irish are heading for 0-8 without a pretty unlikely upset.

Holy Wagers - September 22nd Weekend

Last week, I had a solid week with my Holy Wagers, going 4-1-1. I plan on continuing to pick 5 0r 6 games per week, college or pro, and see how it goes. Here are my picks for this week, bet at your own risk!

College Games (Saturday)

Central Florida -7 vs. Memphis [Most Blessed Pick of the Week] - Memphis is awful against the run, and the George O'Leary coached Knights have the top rusher in the nation. Central Florida lost to Texas by 3 last week, and I just think in their new stadium in Orlando, this is an especially bad matchup.

Michigan +3 vs. Penn St. - Michigan has been awful all year. I think two things: first, Penn St is a bit overrated. Their QB is a walking possible disaster, and they dont have a stud running game to hang their hat on. Secondly, Michigan, I believe, came out of a funk and got some confidence last week in their thumping of the Irish. I will take the 3 points in the Big House, in a game that would put Michigan back towards the top of the conference, this being their first conference game.

Florida -23.5 @ Ole Miss - Ole Miss has done well against Florida, winning the past two contests ('02 & '03). However, the combination of an explosive Gator offense against a very subpar Ole Miss defense is not enticing. I would imagine Ole Miss will try to run the ball and play keepaway with the clock, but something tells me that either Ole Miss QB will make a mistake when given the chance. Florida will be scoring 35 points at a minimum, and I think Ole Miss cannot score more than 20. All that said, Im willing to take the chance that Florida will get in the 40s and cover this bet.

Pro Games

Colts -6 @ Texans - The Texans are playing well and playing at home. However, they've never done well against the Colts, unlike the Titans. Typically teams have to have lots of positive experience playing against the Colts before they can play with them, and I just dont see it. Houston is much improved, but with Andre Johnson out, and the line having moved 1.5 pts in the Colts favor already, I dont see this one being within 10pts.

Raiders -3 vs. Browns - Looks crazy dont it? Raiders favored!? Well, they have actually looked pretty solid on offense and defense this year, much improved over last year. They should have beaten the Broncos in Denver last week, and are ready to win at home with a rejuvenated crowd. I say lightening doesnt strike twice and the Browns offense gets stuff, Raiders winning by two TDs.

Panthers -4 @ Falcons - The Falcons played a close game last week, but against a heavily struggling offense in the Jaguars. I dont think they will be able to move the ball for more than a couple of TDs, and I think Carolina really really needs to win this game to hang around the NFC South. The Falcons season is already over, and Leftwich looms over Harrington's shoulders. Panthers in a close one by a TD.

I also like the Titans on Monday night getting 4.5 at New Orleans, but thats a bit too biased to make for a Holy Wager. I really like our defense though, and think that our offense is sneaky the way we control the ground game.

Saint & Heretic of the Week

Heretic of the Week - OJ Simpson

Why? >> Wow, what more can be said. I mean, maybe he was setup like this guy says OJ was. I doubt it. When you are charged with 7 felonies, likely you did something wrong. At the absolute minimum, this guy is a complete idiot and certainly a bad person. The most pessimistic view (and a more common one), is that this guy is a murderer, liar, and now robber.

Remember OJ, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Saint of the Week - Jeff Fisher

Why? >> He is the most tenured coach in the NFL, in his 13th season with the same team. His teams play hard, and typically play defense well. Lucky for Titans fans, the franchise resigned Coach Fisher to a 4 year deal on Monday. He is certainly the coach that is most capable of keeping his team afloat no matter what the circumstances.

Early leaders for next week's awards >> Not sure about the Saint of the week, but this guy is certainly the leader in the clubhouse for Heretic of the week.

Holy Wagers - Week 1 (Sept 15th)

Not a bad week for the Vatican. In college games, I finished 3-0, with Purdue, Boston College, and Ohio St all covering. Boston College and Ohio St. looked especially good in covering.

In pro games, I went 1-1-1, with the Lions pushing in my most blessed pick of the week. I missed big when I thought the Browns would score 10 points or less. They scored 51! Wow. Titans covered and had a great chance to win the game.

That brings my season record through my first week of picking (6 games) to 4-1-1. Not bad.

Divine Diatribes (Irish & Titans)

Well, at least the Titans played hard and had a chance to win the game in the end against a great opponent. Being an Irish fan right now is not just painful, but excruciating. Its difficult to focus at work honestly.

Here is a comparison of the two games, Notre Dame @ Michigan and Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts:

• The Titans played hard every snap of the game, making some key plays to keep the game winnable. The Irish made many key plays, but for the other team.
  
• The Titans are coached by stud, Jeff Fisher, who typically always has his team ready to play. The Irish looked like they were coached by Ty Willingham for the first time in Charlie Weis's tenure.
  
• The Titans converted on third downs, and stopped a few third downs on defense. The Irish barely made it to third down, on offense or defense, as our offense would fumble and our defense went ahead and gave Michigan first downs on second down.


• The Titans made me proud to be a Titans fan, although disappointed by the outcome of the game. The Irish made me embarrassed to be an ND fan, dreading work Monday morning or any public interaction with people.

For the Titans, we need to keep getting better and focus on running the ball, which will keep us in every game. For the Irish, I am utterly clueless as to what we should do. Coach Weis has them back in training camp mode, so hopefully they will respond to getting beat down in practice by the coach. That better work, or we will be heading for 0-12.

Holy Wagers - September 15th Weekend

This is the first installment of the Pope's "Holy Wagers". These are my favorite plays of the week in the sports betting world.

College Games

• Purdue -21 vs Central Michigan [Pope's take: Typical Purdue team - beat up on the little guys with huge offense, throwing all 4 quarters. Purdue has looked very good so far on offense, with everyone back from a bowl team last year. QB Painter is good.]
• Ohio St. -4 @ Washingon [Pope's take: Washington is coached by Ty Willingham. Seriously though, Washington just wont be ready for a more physical defense. I look for OSO to get some big turnovers and just enough offense to cover]
• Boston College +6.5 @ Georgia Tech [Pope's Take: BC is a solid team with one of the best QBs in the country. Georgia Tech's defense is awesome. However, Im not sold on Tech's offense though, and think that this will be a close enough game for BC to cover]

Pro Games

• Bengals -7 @ Browns [Pope's Take: The Browns are awful, and will be especially awful until they start Brady Quinn, which doesnt appear to be in the cards for this weekend. The Bengals have too many offensive weapons, while the Browns have too few, for this to be a close game.]
• Lions-3 vs Vikings [Pope's Take: The Vikings have a very young QB who I am just not sold on. The Lions have some serious WRs and scored well last week against a top defense in the league in Oakland. In Detroit, Martz's guys on offense will be all over the field and I think this is the "Most Blessed Holy Wager" of the week. And yes, the Vikings beat them twice last year, but Im a believer in that offense and not in Tavaris Jackson.
• Titans +7.5 vs Colts [Pope's Take: Yes, the Titans are my team, and its hard to be unbiased. However, the Titans ran the ball incredibly last weekend against a very tough Jaguars squad. Also, last season, the Colts beat the Titans 14-13 in Indy, and the Titans beat the Colts in Nashville. Jeff Fisher is very familiar with the Colts, and usually gets the Titans ready to play against these guys. Straight up, the Titans are 9-3 in their last 12 games, including an ultra impressive 9-3 against the spread in that same span. One more fact - the Titans have covered 6 of their last 7 AFC South games.

We'll see how I do the first week. A good prognosticator will go over 60% correct for a season, which will probably be pretty difficult for me. But nonetheless, you have my best.

FYI - I use a website called Scores & Odds, to obtain my line information. It gives up to the minute lines, as well as a history of how the lines may have changed since they opened for each game. A useful tool.

Initial Smoke

Fall is here!

The Fall is arguably the greatest season for American sports. College & Pro Football are fresh, basketball nears, and baseball is coming down to the wire. For the Pope, this means that ND Football is in full swing (well, kinda), the Cardinals are pushing for the MLB Playoffs, the Titans just got started with a big win, and the Grizzlies start training camp in a few weeks. My goal is to post my thoughts and picks, but to keep things funny and in perspective. Please email me and post comments with your thoughts.

As reported at JCSPN.com, Notre Dame football is off to a helluva start. There is so much to say that I'm just going to wait for Sunday and my post game comments after the Michigan game. We are 0-2 and heading to Ann Arbor to face another 0-2 team - my only prediction is that one team will be 1-2 and the other will be 0-3 by Saturday evening. The Irish get 7.5pts on the line, but I'm not about to proclaim that game a "Holy Wager" (Check back Thursday afternoons for each week's "Holy Wagers", my betting picks of the week from college and pros).

Kudos to whoever created JCSPN.com - thats hilarious. At least that ND Hater website is entertaining. Remember to check back for the Pope's regular slate of weekly blog entries:

• Divine Diatribes (Post-game thoughts, on Sundays/Mondays)
  
• Heretic & Saint of the Week (Best & Worst Sports Figures of the week, on Tuesdays)
  
• Holy Wagers of the Week (Best Sports Betting Picks of College & Pro, on Thursdays)

And (hopefully) plenty of posts in between. Thanks for stopping by!