NFL picks

1. Tampa Bay -3 at Atlanta

2. Tampa Bay at Atlanta, Under 35.5

3. Arizona +3 at Cincinnati

4. Carolina at Green Bay -9.5

5. St. Louis -3 at San Francisco

6. Cleveland -3 at Baltimore

7. New England -15.5 at Buffalo

8. New England at Buffalo, Over 46.5

9. Washington at Dallas -11

10. Washington at Dallas, Under 47

College picks

1. UNLV at TCU -17.5

2. Mississippi St. at Arkansas -11

3. Ohio State at Michigan +4

4. NC State +6 at Wake Forest

5. Northwestern +13.5 at Illinois

6. LSU at Mississppi +19

7. Idaho at Boise St. -33.5

8. Duke +6 at Notre Dame

9. Missouri at Kansas State +7

10. Oklahoma -8 at Texas Tech

NFL pick

1. Cincinatti at Baltimore Under 44.5

2. Buffalo -3 at Miami

3. Minnesota at Green Bay -6

4. Indianapolis -3.5 at San Diego

5. Indianapolis at San Diego Over 48

6. Cleveland at Pittsburgh Over 47

7. Jacksonville +4 at Tennessee

8. Philadelphia at Washington Under 37.5

9. Dallas at NY Giants Under 49

10. Dallas -1.5 at NY Giants

College picks

I'm about to cover a state championship volleyball match, so there's no time for discussion.

1. Air Force -3 at Notre Dame
2. Boston College at Maryland +6.5
3. UConn at Cincinatti -6.5
4. Florida at South Carolina +6.5
5. Kansas at Oklahoma State +6
6. Kansas State -7.5 at Nebraska
7. Texas A&M at Missouri -19.5
8. Navy -15.5 at North Texas
9. Illinois +15 at Ohio State
10. Texas Tech at Texas -6.5

NFL picks

1. San Francisco +3 at Atlanta

2. Cincinatti at Buffalo +1

3. Seattle at Cleveland -1.5

4. Denver -3 at Detroit

5. Jacksonville at New Orleans -3

6. San Diego -7 at Minnesota

7. Carolina at Tennessee -4

8. Washington -3.5 at NY Jets

9. New England -5.5 at Indianapolis

10. Dallas -3 at Philadelphia

College picks

Busy busy week at work, no explanations considering games start in six minutes...

1. Florida State at Boston College -7

2. Rutgers at UConn -1

3. Troy +15.5 at Georgia

4. Kansas State at Iowa State +15.5

5. LSU -7 at Auburn

6. Middle Tennessee -3.5 at Louisiana-Monroe

7. Missouri -3.5 at Colorado

8. Texas A&M +21.5 at Oklahoma

9. Texas at Oklahoma State +3.5

10. Texas Tech -20.5 at Baylor

NFL pick Wk 4

NO explanations here, I'm in a time crunch to make it over to a buddy's to watch Sunday Ticket on two plasmas with split screen. That's right, four games at once.

1. Detroit at Chicago -5

2. Washington at New England +16.5

3. New Orleans -2 at San Francisco

4. NY Giants -9.5 vs. Miami (At London)

5. Philadelphia at Minnesota, Over 37.5

6. Pittsburgh -3.5 at Cincinatti

7. Houston at San Diego -9

8. Jacksonville at Tampa Bay -3.5

9. Oakland at Tennessee -7

10. Green Bay at Denver -3

College picks Week 4

1. Boise State -3 at Fresno State: I know this isn't the Boise St. of old, but Fresno St. still ain't good.

2. La.-Monroe at Florida Atlantic -6.5: Don't really know anything about these teams, just know that I like this pick.

3. Kansas -2.5 at Texas A&M: I'm about ready to jump on the KU bandwagon. This win in a tough environment would solidify the Jayhawks' street cred, even if it is against a subpar A&M team.

4. Mississippi State at Kentucky -14: Easy, easy money.

5. La. Tech -2.5 at Utah State: See No. 2.

6. Middle Tennessee -12.5 at North Texas: See No. 4.

7. USC at Oregon -3: I'm not real sold on this pick, but I like it enough.

8. Troy -4.5 at Arkansas State: This could be a tough one for Troy, but their QB is good -- real good.

9. North Carolina at Wake Forest -5.5: Yeah.

10. Colorado at Texas Tech -13.5: I hope I don't regret this.

NFL results Wk 3

Here's my third round of NFL picks after a better week last week.

1. Baltimore at Buffalo, Under 34.5: Two god-awful offenses. Pretty simple.

Total score: 31 -- Yay for me, I'm a genius. (1-0)

2. NY Jets at Cincinatti -6.5: The Bengals are a wounded, frustrated team and I think they'll go off this weekend, which could be bad news for my fantasy football matchup considering the guy I'm playing has Carson Palmer and Ocho Cinco.

Cincinatti 38, NY Jets 31 -- This game was looking hairy for a while. Wow, the Bengals are really pretty bad. (2-0)

3. San Francisco +9 at NY Giants: The 49ers are coming off a much-needed bye week. They won't win but I think it'll be close.

NY Giants 33, San Francisco 15 -- Ugh. (2-1)

4. New England at Miami, Over 51.5: It's hard to believe that the Patriots' last regular-season loss came last year to the Dolphins, and not only was it a loss but it was a 21-0 shutout. Boy, how times have changed with New England's unstoppable machine of an offense. I like to attribute the new success to the team's addition of Wes Welker.

Total points: 77 -- Haha, I had this nailed by early third quarter. I'm convinced, Tom Brady is half cyborg/half ninja. I was also right about Welker: 140 yards, 2 TDs. Suck it. (3-1)

5. Kansas City +2.5 at Oakland: Larry Johnson will run wild again, at least my fantasy team hopes so.

Kansas City 12, Oakland 10 -- What a boring game. I'll take the win. I'm kind of rolling right now! (4-1)

6. Chicago +5.5 at Philadelphia: The Eagles are just a very mediocre team right now. The Bears certainly aren't world beaters either, but I think they'll cover here.

Chicago 19, Philadelphia 16 -- As my friend Keith so eloquently said on the phone, "I think I'm going to jump off a bridge." Spoken like a true Eagles fan! Fly Iggles, Fly! (5-1)

7. Pittsburgh -3.5 at Denver: The Steelers will control the ball and the clock and probably win by 10-14 points.

Denver 31, Pittsburgh 28 -- Oh well, you can't win them all, right? (5-2)
8. Tennessee -1.5 at Houston: I think VY will play, but even if he doesn't, the Titans will still run the ball all over the Texans' defense. Tennessee knows how to win ugly games, and that's what this will be.

Tennessee 38, Houston 36 -- Talk about making me sweat til I bleed, the Titans blew a big lead but still held on for me. (6-2)

9. Indianapolis at Jacksonville +3: I picked the Jags straight up in our pick 'em at work, but for this purpose I'll take the points. Go MJ-D, Go!

Indianapolis 29, Jacksonville 7 -- This shocked me. (6-3)

10. Minnesota at Dallas -9.5: Yeah, I know, Adrian Peterson is great and rushed for 230-something yards last week against Chicago. Well, that's dandy and all, but the Vikings have one of the league's worst pass defenses and Dallas still has a pretty formidable offense. I think this week is when it gets back on track. Cowboys by 17.

Dallas 24, Minnesota 14 -- Look who just went 7-3. Fabulous.

My season record now after three weeks is 16-12-2. Vegas better be ready because I'ma comin'.

NFL picks Week 3

Here's my third round of NFL picks after a better week last week.

1. Baltimore at Buffalo, Under 34.5: Two god-awful offenses. Pretty simple.

2. NY Jets at Cincinatti -6.5: The Bengals are a wounded, frustrated team and I think they'll go off this weekend, which could be bad news for my fantasy football matchup considering the guy I'm playing has Carson Palmer and Ocho Cinco.

3. San Francisco +9 at NY Giants: The 49ers are coming off a much-needed bye week. They won't win but I think it'll be close.

4. New England at Miami, Over 51.5: It's hard to believe that the Patriots' last regular-season loss came last year to the Dolphins, and not only was it a loss but it was a 21-0 shutout. Boy, how times have changed with New England's unstoppable machine of an offense. I like to attribute the new success to the team's addition of Wes Welker.

5. Kansas City +2.5 at Oakland: Larry Johnson will run wild again, at least my fantasy team hopes so.

6. Chicago +5.5 at Philadelphia: The Eagles are just a very mediocre team right now. The Bears certainly aren't world beaters either, but I think they'll cover here.

7. Pittsburgh -3.5 at Denver: The Steelers will control the ball and the clock and probably win by 10-14 points.

8. Tennessee -1.5 at Houston: I think VY will play, but even if he doesn't, the Titans will still run the ball all over the Texans' defense. Tennessee knows how to win ugly games, and that's what this will be.

9. Indianapolis at Jacksonville +3: I picked the Jags straight up in our pick 'em at work, but for this purpose I'll take the points. Go MJ-D, Go!

10. Minnesota at Dallas -9.5: Yeah, I know, Adrian Peterson is great and rushed for 230-something yards last week against Chicago. Well, that's dandy and all, but the Vikings have one of the league's worst pass defenses and Dallas still has a pretty formidable offense. I think this week is when it gets back on track. Cowboys by 17.

College results, Week 3

1. Wyoming at Air Force -2.5: I like both of these teams, but with the Air Force at home I'll give them a field goal win at least.

Air Force 20, Wyoming 12 -- Well, I'm on the board right off the bat. I'm feeling a good week. (1-0)

2. Kansas -4 at Colorado: OK, I'm finally starting to buy into Mark Mangino's Jayhawks. You can't deny the prowess of their defense. Their numbers are sick on that side of the ball. Colorado's always tough at home, but they're mistake prone and I think Kansas will force plenty.

Kansas 19, Colorado 14 -- Well, I barely eeked this one out. CU put up a better fight than I expected, but then again, Boulder is a tough place to play. I can finally say Kansas is for real. (2-0)

3. Texas A&M at Nebraska -2: Wow, this game is tough to pick. In what's being called the "Buyout Bowl" both of these teams are reeling right now with losing skids and controversies. I think the 'Huskers rebound at home, but this is really a tossup.

Texas A&M 36, Nebraska 14 -- Like I said...I should've never picked this game. There was no telling which of these struggling teams would decide to play this week. I wouldn't be surprised if Tom Osbourne was looking for Bill Callahan's replacement at halftime. (2-1)

4. Oklahoma -30 at Iowa St.: I know, 30 points is a lot, but the Cyclones are pathetic and OU is getting on one of those OU rolls.

Oklahoma 17, Iowa St. 7 -- I actually watched this game and the Cyclones could've easily won by two touchdowns. I wish they would have. (2-2)

5. Miami +5.5 at Florida St.: The Seminoles can't move the ball, and Miami's defense is still fairly solid. I'd pick Miami outright if this were at Miami, but I definitely like the Canes with the points.

Miami 37, Florida St. 29 -- Should've gone with my gut and picked the Canes outright. Oh well, a win's a win, I guess. (3-2)

6. Stanford at Arizona -10.5: Stanford's two-week run of good play will end in Tuscon.

Stanford 21, Arizona 20 -- Damn. Color me impressed. (3-3)

7. Texas -24.5 at Baylor: See Oklahoma.

Texas 31, Baylor 10 -- Crap. (3-4)

8. Auburn +10.5 at LSU: LSU will win, yes, but Auburn is a damn tough team that doesn't let teams beat it by more than a touchdown very often.

LSU 30, Auburn 24 -- Haha, told you. This was easily the game of the day and possibly one of the games of the year. Austin Flynn's pass at the end was a thing of beauty. Almost as beautiful as this...(4-4)



9. Arkansas St. at Middle Tennessee -2: This seems like easy money to me.

Middle Tennessee 24, Arkansas St. 7 -- I was right about this one. (5-4)

10. Texas Tech at Missouri -3.5: I'm hedging my bet here. If Mizzou wins by more than a FG, I'm right. If not, I'll likely have a good night (assuming it means a Tech victory). This game will likely be a shootout and might end up being the game of the day in college football. Bottom line is, until Tech can play well at Mizzou and show they can play well after receiving tons of press and cracking the Top 25, which they can never seem to do, I won't be picking Tech in situations like this. Yes, I know that was a run-on sentence, but it's 1:19 A.M. and I'm tired. Deal with it.

Missouri 41, Texas Tech 10 -- My fears about this game we're realized. That's what happens when you throw four interceptions, the first of which was returned for six, and your receivers drop balls AND your coach doesn't realize that sometimes it's wise to put some points on the board, even if it is just three. (6-4)

I'm now 11-18-1. Improvement is a comin'

College picks

1. Wyoming at Air Force -2.5: I like both of these teams, but with the Air Force at home I'll give them a field goal win at least.

2. Kansas -4 at Colorado: OK, I'm finally starting to buy into Mark Mangino's Jayhawks. You can't deny the prowess of their defense. Their numbers are sick on that side of the ball. Colorado's always tough at home, but they're mistake prone and I think Kansas will force plenty.

3. Texas A&M at Nebraska -2: Wow, this game is tough to pick. In what's being called the "Buyout Bowl" both of these teams are reeling right now with losing skids and controversies. I think the 'Huskers rebound at home, but this is really a tossup.

4. Oklahoma -30 at Iowa St.: I know, 30 points is a lot, but the Cyclones are pathetic and OU is getting on one of those OU rolls.

5. Miami +5.5 at Florida St.: The Seminoles can't move the ball, and Miami's defense is still fairly solid. I'd pick Miami outright if this were at Miami, but I definitely like the Canes with the points.

6. Stanford at Arizona -10.5: Stanford's two-week run of good play will end in Tuscon.

7. Texas -24.5 at Baylor: See Oklahoma.

8. Auburn +10.5 at LSU: LSU will win, yes, but Auburn is a damn tough team that doesn't let teams beat it by more than a touchdown very often.

9. Arkansas St. at Middle Tennessee -2: This seems like easy money to me.

10. Texas Tech at Missouri -3.5: I'm hedging my bet here. If Mizzou wins by more than a FG, I'm right. If not, I'll likely have a good night (assuming it means a Tech victory). This game will likely be a shootout and might end up being the game of the day in college football. Bottom line is, until Tech can play well at Mizzou and show they can play well after receiving tons of press and cracking the Top 25, which they can never seem to do, I won't be picking Tech in situations like this. Yes, I know that was a run-on sentence, but it's 1:19 A.M. and I'm tired. Deal with it.

NFL Results -- Second attempt

1. Arizona -4.5 at Carolina: Hmm, Warner's better than Leinart and Vinny is starting for the Panthers. This seems like easy money.

Carolina 25, Arizona 10 -- Warner got hurt on the first series of the game and Vinny apparently can still chuck it going on on 44 years old. Wow. (0-1)

2. Baltimore at St. Louis +9.5: I wouldn't be shocked to see the Rams get their first win here. But I'll definitely give them 9.5 points.

Baltimore 22, St. Louis 3 -- OK, the love affair with Gus Frerotte last officially a week. He threw five picks to the Ravens' defense that had been down all season. Damn. (0-2)

3. Chicago -5 at Minnesota: I think the Bears are starting to turn it around and their defense is getting healthy. The Vikes still have no offense besides AD. Bears win, and it's not really close.

Minnesota 34, Chicago 31 -- OK, so far I've been very wrong about AD. I still think he has some health questions but if the man stays healthy he just might lead the NFL in rushing as a rookie. Amazing. Devin Hester ain't so bad either. (0-3)

4. Cleveland -4.5 at Miami: Yeah, Miami sucks.

Cleveland 41, Miami 31 -- This was closer and higher scoring than I suspected. But I still win. (1-3)

5. Washington at Green Bay -3: I think the Packers will rebound against the Redskins inexperienced QB Jason Campbell, who did look great last week, by the way. If this game was in Washington, I might pick the Skins.

Green Bay 17, Washington 14 -- Push. I hate pushes. (1-3-1)

6. Oakland at San Diego -9.5: I think the Chargers are back and Oakland is starting Daunte Culpepper is and without LaMont Jordan.

San Diego 28, Oakland 14 -- So, you think LT was frustrated? I do. So he took out on the Raiders and scored four times. (2-3-1)

7. Tennessee +3 at Tampa Bay: Tennessee shouldn't have much trouble in this game with its running attack. These are two teams who like to play it safe and run the ball, only problem is hte Bucs are down to Earnest Graham at running back. Yuck.

Tampa Bay 13, Tennessee 10 -- Push. Damn. (2-3-2)

8. Philadelphia -3.5 at NY Jets: I don't think this will be a very close game. Brian Westbrook returns for the Eagles and the Jets are really bad.

Philadelphia 16, NY Jets 9 -- I win. (3-3-2)

9. NY Giants -3.5 at Atlanta: See above.

NY Giants 31, Atlanta 10 -- The Giants just might be the second-best team in the NFC now. They look scary good. (4-3-2)

10. New England -5.5 at Dallas: I hope I'm wrong about this, but I just don't see how Dallas can hang with the Patriots. The Cowboys are still far and away the best team in the NFC but it's too bad there's two or three better teams in the AFC, and the Pats top the list.

New England 48, Dallas 27 -- This game was close until the fourth quarter, but as I suspected Dallas just couldn't hang with the Pats for a full 60 minutes. I still believe Dallas will be in Glendale, Ariz., come February, probably against this same team. (5-3-2)

9-9-2 overall, not too shabby. They always say .500 or better is where you want to be in Vegas. I'll take it.

College results

1. Virginia Tech -14.5 at Duke: Virginia Tech's defense is still one of the best in the land and Duke's still one of the worst programs in the land. This just seems too easy, which means I'll likely be wrong.

Virginia Tech 43, Duke 14 -- Yay! I'm off to a good start, at least. (1-0)

2. Illinois -5 at Iowa: Illinois won me over last week by beating Wisconsin, and beating the Badgers easily. Iowa's down and even though the Hawkeyes are at home, I don't see them beating the Illini.

Iowa 10, Illinois 6 -- Damn. (1-1)

3. Texas at Iowa St. +16.5: OK, this pick might look crazy, but Texas has now lost four straight Big 12 games dating back to last year. Yes, the Cyclones are bad right now under new coach Gene Chizik, who's the former Texas defensive coordinator. I have to think ol' Gene will have a pretty good gameplan set up for Colt & Co., which as of this week is minus Limas Sweed after the receiver was declared out for the season.

Texas 56, Iowa St. 3 -- Wow. Looks like Texas might've been frustrated after dropping four straight Big 12 games. Apparently, Gene Chizik isn't a genius. (1-2)

4. Rice at Houston -22.5: Rice is just, simply put, bad. Houston's always decent by Conference USA standards and shouldn't have any problem in this game.

Houston 56, Rice 48 -- Damn, I guess I didn't put enough thought into that whole backyard rivalry thing. (1-3)

5. Wisconsin +6.5 at Penn St.: Wisconsin fell last week, and might again in this game, but I see it being a field goal game either way.

Penn St. 38, Wisconsin 7 -- OK, I've officially lost all faith in the Badgers. I'll never pick them again. (1-4)

6. Boston College -14 at Notre Dame: Boston College is rolling. Notre Dame is awful. Do you need more explanation?

Boston College 27, Notre Dame 14 -- Are you kidding me? One stinkin' point. Crap. (1-5)

7. LSU at Kentucky Under 54.5: SEC football is always of the smashmouth variety. If this game were at LSU I wouldn't touch it because I think LSU could maybe score 40 points on its own. However, I see this being a close game within 10 points and pretty low scoring.

Kentucky 43, LSU 37 -- Seriously? Who would've thunk that someone could drop 43 points on LSU's vaunted defense. Certainly not me. (1-6)

8. Missouri +12 at Oklahoma: As much as I hate to admit it, this is clearly the game of the week in the Big 12. Chase Daniel could vault himself to the top of the Heisman watch list with a win at Norman. I think 12 points is a ridiculous line in OU's favor. We shall see...

Oklahoma 41, Missouri 31 -- Yay! Another win. Mizzou was actually leading this game going into the fourth quarter. (2-6)

9. Texas A&M at Texas Tech -10: In what is my Big 12 game of the week, I see the Red Raiders winning this game by three touchdowns, somewhere in the 52-31 neighborhood, hence my final pick below...

Texas Tech 35, Texas A&M 7 -- Haha, another year, another win over the Ags. It's really not even exciting anymore. (3-6)

10. Texas A&M at Texas Tech Over 70

Oh well. (3-7)

Overall, I'm now 5-14-1 after two weeks. I've got some improvements to make.

NFL picks

I'm short on time, so my synopses will be brief. I know that breaks your heart:

1. Arizona -4.5 at Carolina: Hmm, Warner's better than Leinart and Vinny is starting for the Panthers. This seems like easy money.

2. Baltimore at St. Louis +9.5: I wouldn't be shocked to see the Rams get their first win here. But I'll definitely give them 9.5 points.

3. Chicago -5 at Minnesota: I think the Bears are starting to turn it around and their defense is getting healthy. The Vikes still have no offense besides AD. Bears win, and it's not really close.

4. Cleveland -4.5 at Miami: Yeah, Miami sucks.

5. Washington at Green Bay -3: I think the Packers will rebound against the Redskins inexperienced QB Jason Campbell, who did look great last week, by the way. If this game was in Washington, I might pick the Skins.

6. Oakland at San Diego -9.5: I think the Chargers are back and Oakland is starting Daunte Culpepper is and without LaMont Jordan.

7. Tennessee +3 at Tampa Bay: Tennessee shouldn't have much trouble in this game with its running attack. These are two teams who like to play it safe and run the ball, only problem is hte Bucs are down to Earnest Graham at running back. Yuck.

8. Philadelphia -3.5 at NY Jets: I don't think this will be a very close game. Brian Westbrook returns for the Eagles and the Jets are really bad.

9. NY Giants -3.5 at Atlanta: See above.

10. New England -5.5 at Dallas: I hope I'm wrong about this, but I just don't see how Dallas can hang with the Patriots. The Cowboys are still far and away the best team in the NFC but it's too bad there's two or three better teams in the AFC, and the Pats top the list.

Let's try this again

1. Virginia Tech -14.5 at Duke: Virginia Tech's defense is still one of the best in the land and Duke's still one of the worst programs in the land. This just seems too easy, which means I'll likely be wrong.

2. Illinois -5 at Iowa: Illinois won me over last week by beating Wisconsin, and beating the Badgers easily. Iowa's down and even though the Hawkeyes are at home, I don't see them beating the Illini.

3. Texas at Iowa St. +16.5: OK, this pick might look crazy, but Texas has now lost four straight Big 12 games dating back to last year. Yes, the Cyclones are bad right now under new coach Gene Chizik, who's the former Texas defensive coordinator. I have to think ol' Gene will have a pretty good gameplan set up for Colt & Co., which as of this week is minus Limas Sweed after the receiver was declared out for the season.

4. Rice at Houston -22.5: Rice is just, simply put, bad. Houston's always decent by Conference USA standards and shouldn't have any problem in this game.

5. Wisconsin +6.5 at Penn St.: Wisconsin fell last week, and might again in this game, but I see it being a field goal game either way.

6. Boston College -14 at Notre Dame: Boston College is rolling. Notre Dame is awful. Do you need more explanation?

7. LSU at Kentucky Under 54.5: SEC football is always of the smashmouth variety. If this game were at LSU I wouldn't touch it because I think LSU could maybe score 40 points on its own. However, I see this being a close game within 10 points and pretty low scoring.

8. Missouri +12 at Oklahoma: As much as I hate to admit it, this is clearly the game of the week in the Big 12. Chase Daniel could vault himself to the top of the Heisman watch list with a win at Norman. I think 12 points is a ridiculous line in OU's favor. We shall see...

9. Texas A&M at Texas Tech -10: In what is my Big 12 game of the week, I see the Red Raiders winning this game by three touchdowns, somewhere in the 52-31 neighborhood, hence my final pick below...

10. Texas A&M at Texas Tech Over 70

NFL results...

1. Baltimore -3.5 at San Francisco: As battered and beaten and without identity as the Ravens are right now, the 49ers are worse. Trent Dilfer is awful and Frank Gore has yet to get anything going. I know this because it's killing my fantasy team. This will be a downright ugly game, but the Ravens will win by at least a touchdown.

Ravens 9, 49ers 7 -- Man, who would've ever thought CBS would switch from any game to this one. What an ugly, non-fan friendly football game between two battered teams. Well, they did and the next game is the one they switched from. (0-1)

2. San Diego +1 at Denver: The Chargers are either really pissed off right now because they've been terrible or they're ready to mail it in, which I think it's too early for. I say they're pissed and the Broncos are falling apart with a looming Travis Henry suspension and Javon Walker out for Sunday's game with injury. I think LT builds on his breakout game from last week and the Chargers take care of business.

Chargers 41, Broncos 3 -- Haha. I think I won this one. (1-1)

3. Miami at Houston -5: The Texans are actually decent this year. The Dolphins are not decent. The Texans are at home and will win by a good amount.

Texans 22, Dolphins 19 -- Whatever. (1-2)

4. Tampa Bay +9.5 at Indianapolis: Word is Marvin Harrison is out and Joseph Addai is highly questionable. Take into consideration that the Bucs are playing really well this year behind mistake-free QB Jeff Garcia and ancient playmaker Joey Galloway and I like the Bucs' chances to keep this thing close.

Colts 33, Bucaneers 14 -- I gave the Bucs too much credit and didn't give Kenton Keith enough. It's scary when a free agent running back that came from the CFL can come in and go for over 100 yards. This team is good. (1-3)

5. Cleveland at New England -16.5: That line is ridiculous for an NFL game, but the Patriots really are that good. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in football and now he finally has multiple weapons led by Randy Moss and former Texas Tech great Wes Welker. Brady & Co. truly are playing at another level right now that no other team in the league is coming close to touching, including the Colts and Cowboys.

Patriots 34, Browns 17 -- This game wasn't nearly as close as the score shows. Fortunately, it was just short of being a big-time letdown like Saturday's Texas Tech-Iowa State game was for me. Yay! (2-3)

6. Carolina +3 at New Orleans: This sounds abrasive, but Hurricane Katrina was so last year. It's amazing what that tragedy was able to do for a bad football team. The Saints are proving last season's great success was a fluke led by some crazy emotion. The Panthers will be without Louisiana's native son Jake Delhomme but DeShaun Foster has owned the Saints in his career and will continue to do so tomorrow. Give me Carolina straight up.

Panthers 16, Saints 13 -- The Saints are really really bad. So is David Carr. Look for former Cowboys great Matt Moore to be the starter in Carolina by season's end. (3-3)

7. Jets at Giants -3.5: The Giants are playing well and that defense is really starting to jell into one of the best units in the league. Conversely, the Jets have a big bag of nothing on offense and won't be able to do anything against their Meadowlands roommates.

Giants 35, Jets 24 -- Hey, looks like someone's gotten three right in a row. Look out, Vegas! (4-3)

8. Detroit +3.5 at Washington: Could Jon Kitna actually be right? Could the Lions be a good team? They've certainly been playing like one and it's been mostly thanks to Kitna's efficient play, which in the past has been his Achilles' Heel.

Redskins 34, Lions 3 -- Ouch. Looks like Washington might be back to the old Joe Gibbs days, sort of anyway. And turns out Jon Kitna really might not be all that great. What an awful game for the slug-footed one. (4-4)

9. Chicago at Green Bay -3: I'm still not sold on the Pack being a legitimate contender because of their lack of a running game, but the Bears are running the risk of not making the playoffs after representing the NFC in the Super Bowl last year. Brett Favre is still a blast to watch and that Green Bay defense is the real deal -- more real than Chicago's.

Bears 27, Packers 20 -- What happened the Cinderella Story of the young 2007 season? I didn't see this game, but from what it sounds like Brett Favre choked it away and wasn't able to do what his protege was in the next game. Damn you, Brett! (4-5)

10. Dallas -10 at Buffalo: The Cowboys are rolling right now, plain and simple. The Bills showed signs of life last week under rookie first-time starter Trent Edwards and they will keep it respectful but I see the Cowboys winning by two touchdowns.

Cowboys 25, Bills 24 -- No explanation needed here. The Cowboys had no business whatsoever winning this game. None. Yet, Tony Romo found a way with some big-time help from his defense. Now, the only question is this: Does last night's crazy crazy win unite the team for a big run going into next week's clash against New England? Or does it emotionally deflate the team and force it to come out flat and get trounced by the Pats? I think we all know this much, if Romo throws even two picks against the league's best team, the 'Boys will be in trouble. (4-6)

Well, it's clear I did better in the NFL than in college. I was one game off being .500, which bettors say is the goal to shoot for when betting. When you're hitting .500, you're doing well. Can't wait til next week. College picks will be coming soon.

College results...

Let's go back to my picks from today and see how I did.

1. Wisconsin +2 at Illinois: I like how Ron Zook has reinvented his image by turning Illinois into a legitimate program again, but I don't see Wisconsin losing this game. Give me the Badgers straight up.

Illinois 31, Wisconsin 26 -- Well, looks like the Illini will finally crack the Top 25, probably in the mid-teen range. (0-1)

2. Kansas at Kansas St -3.5: K-State looked like USC in last week's win over Texas in Austin. The Wildcats scored three nonoffensive touchdowns, but they won't need that kind of performance to beat the Jayhawks in Manhattan. Plus, Mark Mangino is fat.

Kansas 30, Kansas St. 24 -- OK, I didn't realize Kansas was that good at all. Apparently they have a defense that, coming into the day, was giving up 5.4 points per game. Where did that come from? I chalk this one up to a simple lack of research. (0-2)

3. Georgia Tech at Maryland +3.5: I think the Yellow Jackets win the game, but it'll be close. Give me the Terps with the points.

Maryland 28, Georgia Tech 26 -- Yay, I win one! Not really much else to say here. (1-2)

4. TCU at Wyoming -3: The Horned Frogs will be without headcase defensive end Tommy Blake for the third time this season due to an "undisclosed medical condition." Can anyone say "bi-polar"?? Just a hunch. Anyway, I think the Cowboys wins this by at least 10 points. TCU just hasn't impressed me yet and I see no reason why it will on the road.

Wyoming 24, TCU 21 -- Push. Boo! The Cowboys were dominating the game until getting outscored 15-3 in the fourth quarter. (1-2-1)

5. Oklahoma -12 vs. Texas: The Red River Shootout (yes, I still call it that -- screw political correctness) doesn't carry quite as much weight this year as in years past after both teams suffered shocking defeats last week (OU to Colorado and UT to K-State). Texas has been struggling all season barely beating teams like Central Florida and looked awful in last week's home loss. OU might have lost at Boulder last week on a last-second field goal, but I still believe the Sooners are the best team in the Big 12 South and will roll Texas by at least 20 points.

Oklahoma 28, Texas 21 -- This was the closest this game has been in years and I can't decide if it's good for Texas or bad for OU, meaning I can't decide if OU made Texas look good or vice versa. Regardless, the game makes me believe the Big 12 South is even more wide open than I originally thought. (1-3-1)

6. Arizona St. -9 at Washington St.: The Pac-10 has the most upsets on a regular basis of any major conference, I think. This will not be one of them although the Cougars are good for an upset once a year it seems. The Sun Devils are just too good this year.

Arizona St. 23, Washington St. 20 -- Oops. (1-4-1)

7. Iowa St at Texas Tech -24.5: I've learned to never bet on Texas Tech because a) it just makes me sick and b) you never know what you'll get. However, I simply don't see Iowa State hanging with my Red Raiders in any form or fashion tomorrow. If this game was in Ames, I might think differently but Tech will be still stinging from it's last-minute loss to Oklahoma State two weeks ago, and for some reason I don't think last week's 75-7 whippin' of a I-AA directional school will help relieve that frustration. Look out Cyclones.

Texas Tech 42, Iowa St. 17 -- You've got to be kidding me! Two junk touchdowns in the final minutes against Tech's second teamers and I lose. What a disaster. Oh well, Tech looked awesome and if freshman receiver Michael Crabtree keeps up this torrid pace he's one (six straight multi-TD games, five 3-TD games) he's a bonafide Heisman candidate. (1-5-1)

8. Oklahoma St. +6.5 at Texas A&M: The Aggies are about the same as TCU in my book. They haven't impressed me yet and won't this week. I'm going to just play it safe and go with OSU and the points, but I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Cowboys leave Kyle Field with a win. Head coach Mike Gundy's impassioned "I'm a man, I'm 40!" rant two weeks ago after his team's win over Texas Tech did one of two things -- rally the troops or deflate the team morale. I'm going with the former. On the other hand, A&M's head honcho, Dennis "Can't be trusted" Franchione made headlines this week by selling top-secret info on the program to boosters for big-time bucks leaving some A&M brass to call for his firing, and that's not even taking into account his disappointing stint at A&M thus far through five seasons.

Texas A&M 24, Oklahoma St. 23 -- Boy, Mike Gundy really did it this time. I'll tell you this -- I can't wait to read Jenni Carlson's column in the Daily Oklahoman after this debaucle. What shady playcalling, especially sending the house for a punt block at the end when all you need is to get into field goal range. Oops, roughing the kicker -- game over. What a dip-S. (2-5-1)

9. Ohio State at Purdue +7.5: Can Purdue break through to the upper echelon of the Big 10 this week? Well, the Boilers can with a win. I don't really see a win happening, but they'll make it close. Toot Toot!

Ohio State 23, Purdue 7 -- Ohio State made a statement with this game. The Buckeyes just earned themselves a No. 2 ranking. (2-6-1)

10. Florida at LSU -7: Florida will have redemption on its mind after last week's stunning loss to Auburn at home. Unfortunately for Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, the Gators are going to the bayou this week to face the No. 1 team in the land. Glenn Dorsey & Co. will make life very difficult for Tebow and his jump passes and the Tigers will win by two touchdowns in front of the most raucous home crowd in college football. By raucous, I just mean downright scary.

LSU 28, Florida 24 -- I was way off on my assesment of this game. LSU needed a furious rally while taking some serious gambles to come out with a win in this one. Spectacular. (2-7-1)

OK, so I wasn't too successful at my first go-round doing this. I had some really bad breaks (see TCU and especially Texas Tech). Hopefully, my NFL weekend is more successful. I'm going to bed.

Pick 'em: NFL Edition

Here's my first go-round at the NFL this season. As I type this I'm having a pretty successful week with the college games, so take this advice to heart.

1. Baltimore -3.5 at San Francisco: As battered and beaten and without identity as the Ravens are right now, the 49ers are worse. Trent Dilfer is awful and Frank Gore has yet to get anything going. I know this because it's killing my fantasy team. This will be a downright ugly game, but the Ravens will win by at least a touchdown.

2. San Diego +1 at Denver: The Chargers are either really pissed off right now because they've been terrible or they're ready to mail it in, which I think it's too early for. I say they're pissed and the Broncos are falling apart with a looming Travis Henry suspension and Javon Walker out for Sunday's game with injury. I think LT builds on his breakout game from last week and the Chargers take care of business.

3. Miami at Houston -5: The Texans are actually decent this year. The Dolphins are not decent. The Texans are at home and will win by a good amount.

4. Tampa Bay +9.5 at Indianapolis: Word is Marvin Harrison is out and Joseph Addai is highly questionable. Take into consideration that the Bucs are playing really well this year behind mistake-free QB Jeff Garcia and ancient playmaker Joey Galloway and I like the Bucs' chances to keep this thing close.

5. Cleveland at New England -16.5: That line is ridiculous for an NFL game, but the Patriots really are that good. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in football and now he finally has multiple weapons led by Randy Moss and former Texas Tech great Wes Welker. Brady & Co. truly are playing at another level right now that no other team in the league is coming close to touching, including the Colts and Cowboys.

6. Carolina +3 at New Orleans: This sounds abrasive, but Hurricane Katrina was so last year. It's amazing what that tragedy was able to do for a bad football team. The Saints are proving last season's great success was a fluke led by some crazy emotion. The Panthers will be without Louisiana's native son Jake Delhomme but DeShaun Foster has owned the Saints in his career and will continue to do so tomorrow. Give me Carolina straight up.

7. Jets at Giants -3.5: The Giants are playing well and that defense is really starting to jell into one of the best units in the league. Conversely, the Jets have a big bag of nothing on offense and won't be able to do anything against their Meadowlands roommates.

8. Detroit +3.5 at Washington: Could Jon Kitna actually be right? Could the Lions be a good team? They've certainly been playing like one and it's been mostly thanks to Kitna's efficient play, which in the past has been his Achilles' Heel.

9. Chicago at Green Bay -3: I'm still not sold on the Pack being a legitimate contender because of their lack of a running game, but the Bears are running the risk of not making the playoffs after representing the NFC in the Super Bowl last year. Brett Favre is still a blast to watch and that Green Bay defense is the real deal -- more real than Chicago's.

10. Dallas -10 at Buffalo: The Cowboys are rolling right now, plain and simple. The Bills showed signs of life last week under rookie first-time starter Trent Edwards and they will keep it respectful but I see the Cowboys winning by two touchdowns.

A-Damn betting tutorial

I know the season's weeks old, but I'm starting my weekly picks against the spread and will keep tabs of my season record picking 10 games a week. Tomorrow, I will post 10 NFL picks.

1. Wisconsin +2 at Illinois: I like how Ron Zook has reinvented his image by turning Illinois into a legitimate program again, but I don't see Wisconsin losing this game. Give me the Badgers straight up.

2. Kansas at Kansas St -3.5: K-State looked like USC in last week's win over Texas in Austin. The Wildcats scored three nonoffensive touchdowns, but they won't need that kind of performance to beat the Jayhawks in Manhattan. Plus, Mark Mangino is fat.

3. Georgia Tech at Maryland +3.5: I think the Yellow Jackets win the game, but it'll be close. Give me the Terps with the points.

4. TCU at Wyoming -3: The Horned Frogs will be without headcase defensive end Tommy Blake for the third time this season due to an "undisclosed medical condition." Can anyone say "bi-polar"?? Just a hunch. Anyway, I think the Cowboys wins this by at least 10 points. TCU just hasn't impressed me yet and I see no reason why it will on the road.

5. Oklahoma -12 vs. Texas: The Red River Shootout (yes, I still call it that -- screw political correctness) doesn't carry quite as much weight this year as in years past after both teams suffered shocking defeats last week (OU to Colorado and UT to K-State). Texas has been struggling all season barely beating teams like Central Florida and looked awful in last week's home loss. OU might have lost at Boulder last week on a last-second field goal, but I still believe the Sooners are the best team in the Big 12 South and will roll Texas by at least 20 points.

6. Arizona St. -9 at Washington St.: The Pac-10 has the most upsets on a regular basis of any major conference, I think. This will not be one of them although the Cougars are good for an upset once a year it seems. The Sun Devils are just too good this year.

7. Iowa St at Texas Tech -24.5: I've learned to never bet on Texas Tech because a) it just makes me sick and b) you never know what you'll get. However, I simply don't see Iowa State hanging with my Red Raiders in any form or fashion tomorrow. If this game was in Ames, I might think differently but Tech will be still stinging from it's last-minute loss to Oklahoma State two weeks ago, and for some reason I don't think last week's 75-7 whippin' of a I-AA directional school will help relieve that frustration. Look out Cyclones.

8. Oklahoma St. +6.5 at Texas A&M: The Aggies are about the same as TCU in my book. They haven't impressed me yet and won't this week. I'm going to just play it safe and go with OSU and the points, but I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Cowboys leave Kyle Field with a win. Head coach Mike Gundy's impassioned "I'm a man, I'm 40!" rant two weeks ago after his team's win over Texas Tech did one of two things -- rally the troops or deflate the team morale. I'm going with the former. On the other hand, A&M's head honcho, Dennis "Can't be trusted" Franchione made headlines this week by selling top-secret info on the program to boosters for big-time bucks leaving some A&M brass to call for his firing, and that's not even taking into account his disappointing stint at A&M thus far through five seasons.

9. Ohio State at Purdue +7.5: Can Purdue break through to the upper echelon of the Big 10 this week? Well, the Boilers can with a win. I don't really see a win happening, but they'll make it close. Toot Toot!

And finally...

10. Florida at LSU -7: Florida will have redemption on its mind after last week's stunning loss to Auburn at home. Unfortunately for Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, the Gators are going to the bayou this week to face the No. 1 team in the land. Glenn Dorsey & Co. will make life very difficult for Tebow and his jump passes and the Tigers will win by two touchdowns in front of the most raucous home crowd in college football. By raucous, I just mean downright scary.

Sorry for the delay: 5k Edition

So, I should first off apologize to all of my readers (Erin) for my delay in posting an update from my first-ever 5k run that I completed Saturday.

I was awfully nervous starting the night before but it went surprisingly well, I thought. I finished in 34:24.66, and to answer Ryan, No, those aren't my measurements, but is indeed my 5k time, ass.

I ran really fast the first mile and walked for one minute after the initial mile then realized I was probably going too fast for my own good so slowed up a bit. I walked again for a minute after Mile 2, at which time a slightly pregnant woman pushing a baby in a stroller passed me running much to my chagrin -- so I ramped it up again.

I also stopped twice for water stations to slowly drink water (so I wouldn't vomit) and poured a cup of ice water over my head, which propelled me for the final mile out of shock, I think.

I came around the final turn to see my roommate, James, cheering me on by saying "Don't quit now, Adam," in a sarcastic tone and pumping his fist. It propelled me for the final few steps. Then I was dead and delirious for about an hour and ate an apple and some kind of crappy granola mixture they were giving out.

I was super sore on Sunday and Monday, then ran again for the first time since on Tuesday and I think it was the first time I've ever enjoyed running in my 10 months. It was weird, but awesome.

I want to do another one soon, hopefully before Christmas and try to get around 30 minutes. My roommate won third in our age division with a 28-something. I'm not quite ready for that yet, but I want to get around 30 and think I easily could've without some probably unnecessary walking.

Til next time...

Ima make it my B

So, after months and months of running and slacking for a while, I'm finally living up to my word and running my first 5k Saturday morning at TCU.

I started running back on January 4 just before a string of 23 straight days of sub-freezing temperatures, but I was out there running in it 3-4 times a week. When I first started, I was dying after 90 seconds of running in my "Couch to 5k" training program that started with small intervals of running-walking.

Now, I'm running two miles regularly and 2.5 miles on good days. It pretty much kills me, but I've heard the adrenaline of being in the race will carry me through the final .6 miles of the race. I have no time goal of finishing, obviously, my only goal is to finish with as little walking as possible. I'm sure I'll have to walk some, but that's OK.

I started running back in January for a couple of reasons -- my girlfriend had broken up with me and my dog died. I considered trying to make it big and move to Nashville after writing a country song, but instead thought I'd do good for myself by running along with trying to get in shape and improve my overall health.

Initially, I just did it because Erin (said girlfriend) was pushing me to, and I wanted to impress her and make her proud of me. Soon, I realized I was also doing it for myself because I ended up losing more than 20 pounds in less than three months. It's tapered off pretty much completely, but I haven't gained anything back (except for the occasional wedding weekend), so that's good.

So anyway, I dedicate my run to myself, Erin (who's still a big part of my life and still pushes me to run every day) and my great old dog, Oscar. How's that for a country song? I just need to be drunk now. Just kidding! I have to stay hydrated.

I'll update Sunday or Monday and let everyone know how it went. Everyone wish me luck. Now, I'm off to make some pasta to do my carb loading. :)

OK, I'm sure by now that everyone's seen this video and heard about the controversial column by Jenni Carlson at The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City.

Some people have argued it was unfair for Carlson to write about the topic she did here: http://newsok.com/article/3131543

They've defended quarterback Bobby Reid and Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy by saying she shouldn't have taken such a personal angle on a "kid."

Gundy railed on Carlson, saying she shouldn't have attacked him personally because he's not a professional athlete and he doesn't deserve to see anything bad written about him.

Fact of the matter is, I think it's pretty odd that a 20-something-year-old man is being fed by his mom outside a team bus. The guy's supposed to be the leader of a football team. I've been called a mama's boy on many occasions, but this is ridiculous.

Also, the guy might not be a "pro athlete" but it's not like he's playing football for free. He's getting a free education -- well, he's supposed to be, anyway -- he's a king on campus and he basically has everything handed to him. It's not like he really has that hard of a life.

Gundy can be commended for sticking up for his player, I suppose, but how about congratulating his team on a thrilling victory over Texas Tech in one of the most high-flying, exciting football games in a while. He didn't even mention the game once in his postgame rant.

Basically, Gundy should just grow up and realize that as a Division I athlete in a high-profile program in the Big 12, Reid is going to be criticized. So maybe it was something that wasn't meant for the media's eyes, but it was in the open nonetheless. And it's not as if this was an isolated incident. Reid's had questionable leadership skills throughout his career. When he came to Stillwater, he was touted as the next big thing to lead Oklahoma State to the upper echelon of the conference and he's failed miserably.

The most disgusting thing to me about the whole thing was at the end when the press conference turned into an ovation. Who the hell would clap for that? I only hope it was the homer radio people and maybe a guy from the student newspaper. Otherwise, that looks really bad for sports journalism as a profession.

Ever wonder what the Office crew did over the summer? Me too!

September 27, folks. I just hope they don't out-do themselves with this hour-long business.

Insane Britney fan

Ah, I figured it out. Here's the insane Britney Spears fan. Chill out, man...

Tank Johnson signs with the Cowboys

Well, it appears Jerry Jones has finally decided to put the passing up of Randy Moss in the draft by signing a player with some incredible baggage. Tank Johnson, the Bears' troubled defensive tackle, has reportedly been signed by the Cowboys according to his agent. Johnson is a beast in the middle, no doubt, but he can't play until November because he's serving an 8-game suspension for violating his probation with firearms charges.

With Jason Ferguson out for the year and Jay Ratliff starting at nose tackle now, I suppose Jones will do whatever it takes to solidify his defensive front, and I can't say I really blame him.

The worst that can happen is the guy comes in and causes problems and gets arrested again. Then you just cut him loose. I seriously doubt they're going to be paying Tank too much money.

I like the move for the Cowboys, but Tank can't even go to the Cowboys' facilities until November, so time will tell if this works out.

Hello world

Welcome to my new blog. I'm doing this for fun and to further hone my blogging skills for my real-life job as a sports writer. I really don't have much to say at this point other than that this will be the place to come for hot opinions on all things from movies, to music, to television, to books -- but mainly sports.

My initial post, however, won't have much to do with sports, but instead an awesome video that many of you might've already seen. Even if you have, it doesn't hurt to watch multiple times. So enjoy, and keep coming back for more...

Apparently, I haven't yet learned how to post videos or links for that matter, but just do a youtube search for "Chris Crocker Britney" and you won't be disappointed. Man, he's really taking that god-awful VMA's performance hard. Sorry, dude.