Is that Kid a Free Agent?

This is being used as a training tape for the Broncos, Rams, Browns and Lions.

Week 10 Change is Coming

The week saw monumental change come to America. After what seemed like forever, a chance to lead was given to someone who most people never dreamed would have that opportunity.

Brady Quinn was finally named starter of the Cleveland Browns.

And they promptly went out and blew a fourth quarter lead. So maybe not all change is effective. In the spirit of all that is new in America’s political and football landscape, here are some “changes” that should come to the NFL.

Let the video review be done by someone in the booth. Having a ref run off the field, disappear under some hood, and look at the tape to determine a call (all while thousands of fans are screaming and he is freezing his butt off) is just blame dumb. College football has an official in the booth do it. This is the first and only time college football has done anything smarter than the NFL.

Cut out the commercial right after the kickoff after a score. Right now, after a team scores, they cut to commercial. The team kicks off, and then they cut to commercial. Seriously, we need a commercial break after a 5 second play? Even guys with prostrates the size of watermelons can last that long without going.

Remove Tony Kornheiser (other any other non-player) from doing color commentary. The play by play guy gives the call of the action. The color guy is an ex-player or ex-coach who gives first hand insight on what is happening. The off the wall observations should be left to you and the guys you are watching the game with. They end up being funnier that anybody the network could pick, and smarter.

When the temperature gets cold, cheerleaders should be kept in a warm box on the sidelines. Seriously, is anyone looking at the Bills cheerleaders during a December game? If these women went through all that hard work and surgery to get their bodies like that, the least we can do for them is not have them cover it up with a wool coat.

Coaches should have to be in full uniform just like in baseball. This is really just for comic relief because I’d love to see Andy Reid and Romeo Crennel squeeze into pads and a helmet. Actually, they would not look that much different from most D-Lineman.

Commentator should be allowed to talk about the point spread. The NFL has a hissy fit whenever the word “Vegas” is even thought by anyone in the game. But let’s face it, the only reason anyone will watch the Cardinals/49ers on Monday Night is because they are hoping to get even from a terrible Sunday of picks. I just think it should be acknowledged by the guys calling the game. When the 49ers are moving in for a last second TD to cut their deficit to 9 points, they should call it like it was Elway’s “The Drive.”

The NFL is not going to take any of these suggestions seriously. On the other hand, you should take the below picks seriously. Just don’t tell the NFL where you got this information.

My picks for Week 10 are in bold.

Jaguars -7 at Lions
Titans -3 at Bears
Bills at Patriots -3.5
Saints at Falcons -1
Rams +7.5 at Jets
Seahawks +9.5 at Dolphins
Packers +2.5 at Vikings
Panthers -8.5 at Raiders
Chiefs +15 at Chargers
Colts +3 at Steelers
Giants +3 at Eagles
Ravens PK at Texans
49ers at Cardinals -9.5

Last Week 9-5
Season 64-62-4

My Serious Picks
Chiefs +15 over Chargers
Giants +3 over Eagles
Patriots -3.5 over Bills

Last week 3-1
Season 14-19-3

Week 9 - Motivation

During halftime of the Seahawks beating up the 49ers, San Fran coach Mike Singletary dropped his pants to illustrate his contempt toward his team and its performance. He hoped the sight of his bare buttocks would motivate his team to play better. It didn’t work.

But just like 99 cent greeting cards and gas gift cards, it is the thought that counts.

Now Singletary’s motivational attempts might have worked for a college team or high school team or the US Men’s Olympic figure skating team, but in the NFL you need something different.

Here are some other techniques coaches should employ to really get at these highly paid, low performing pros to play better:

Threaten to invite players’ wives to all road games and team events.

Show the team an un-doctored image of Jerry Jones, post facelift.

If the team doesn’t play better, force them to ride to the next away game in John Madden’s bus.

Ban player interviews with Erin Andrews.

Say if they don’t starting tackling people, you are inviting Sarah Palin to speak to the team about foreign policy.

If they don’t start blocking, you will force them to go bowling with Barack Obama.

Warn the players you will release them and get them hired doing analysis on ESPN with Emmitt Smith.

Threaten to trade them to Oakland.

And the most motivating thing you can do…threaten to take away the Madden ’08 from the locker room.

I’ve tried to employ some motivating technique on myself to get me out of my own losing streak. If it doesn’t work, I will have no other option but to drop my pants in the middle of the sports book.

My picks in bold.

Texans at Vikings -5
Jaguars at Bengals +7.5
Bucs at Chiefs +8.5
Ravens +2 at Browns
Jets at Bills -5
Cardinals -3 at Rams
Lions + 12.5 at Bears
Packers at Titans -4.5
Dolphins at Broncos -3.5
Falcons -2.5 at Raiders
Cowboys +8 at Giants
Eagles at Seahawks +6.5
Patriots +6 at Colts
Steelers +2 at Redskins

Last Week 5-7-2
Season 55-57-4

Picks I am really putting my butt on the line for:
Bills -5 over Jets
Steelers +2 over Redskins
Ravens/Browns over 36.5
Dolphins/Broncos under 50

Last week 1-2-1
Season 11-18-3

The Phillies Win!

The Phillies have won game five of the World Series... according to Las Vegas Sports Books.

According to Nevada gaming regulations, a game that goes more than five innings but is stopped, must go back to the score of the last completed inning. So the 2-1 score after five innings counts and the books are paying off those people who bet the Phils.

If Tampa end up winning the game, Rays bettors will have suffered of the classic bad beat stories of all time.

Here's hoping Tampa wins it because there is nothing a gambler loves more than a good bad beat story, even more than winning.