THE BODOGS ARE BARKIN: Week #9

Hinkle had a giant week, everyone else took a nose dive. That pretty much sums everything up. Let’s get right into the picks.

Week 8 Results

1. Hinkle: +$159…Giant rebound by Hinkle.

2. Chuck: -$28.18…Screwed by the late Sparty cover.

3. Mattare: -$71…First big loss of the year comes at a bad time.

4. Mikey: -$94…Another crushing blow to Miguel.

Week 8 Standings

1. Hinkle: $558.50…There’s now a canyon between 1st and 2nd.

2. Mattare: $218.60…Needs to make a big play sooner than later.

3. Chuck: $142.11…Ditto.

4. Mikey: -$36… The mountain is becoming too tall to climb.

Week 9 Pick Summary

Hinkle: ND > Tulsa, SMU > Tulane, Colo-Okla (Over), OSU > Cal

Mattare: ND > Tulsa, Clem > BC, FL > Geo, WF (ML) > Mary

Chuck: Clem > BC, Iowa > MSU, Tulsa > ND, Tenn > SC

Mikey: Cin > Syr, ND > Tulsa, Miss > Aub, USC > Ore

-----HINKLE-----

Since this is a ND blog, out of respect for the student who passed away I will keep this short and not be my normal self on this forum.

Game #1: Notre Dame (-9) over Tulsa…$77 to win $70

Game #2: SMU (-7.5) over Tulane…$11 to win $10

Game #3: Colorado-Oklahoma (Over 54.5)…$11 to win $10

Game #4: Oregon State (-3) over Cal…$11 to win $10

-----MATTARE-----

Along the same lines as Hinkle I'm not really feeling a big intro. I am feeling winners though.

Game #1: Notre Dame (-8.5) over Tulsa…$66 to win $60

Notre Dame is either going to be broken by the events of the past week or ride a wave of emotion to a huge victory. I’m betting heavily on the latter. I think it’s a unified stadium willing this team to a huge win on an emotionally charged day.

Game #2: Clemson (-7) over Boston College…$33 to win $30

Boston College stinks. Da’Quan Bowers is going to absolutely destroy the Rettig-Shinskie-Mascawhatever BC Quarterback Pu-Pu Platter.

Game #3: Florida (+2) over Georgia…$33 to win $30

Urban’s coming off a bye and will have the Gators on a mission.

Game #4: Wake Forest (+200) over Maryland…$20 to win $40

Maryland is going to lay a giant egg in a game no one expects them to. My guess is it’s this week at home against the Deacs.

-----CHUCK-----

I have 50 hours of work under my belt, John Wall and the Wizards look terrible, and am already 6 stouts deep without eating dinner. Lets get to the picks....Chuck Sips on Haterade and Goes Crazy Edition!!!!!!!!

Game #1: Clemson (-7) over BC…$170 to win $154.55

Commandment #1 in sports betting: Thou shalt not bet thy alma mater. Well Moses of Gambling, the beers I drank just kicked the crap out of you and hooked up with your girlfriend. I am going with Clemson, and I am going hard. Andre Ellington is too much of a playmaker and Kyle Parker is gaining confidence in his young but talented receivers. The Tiger D has more than enough ammunition to shoot down the BC running attack led by the ACC's top rusher in Montel Harris. If Notre Dame can shut down BC, then the Eagles may score negative points against the freaks that Clemson has on defense. Da'Quan Bowers is a legitimate werewolf, and might as well line up 1-on11 against BC's offense. If that happened I'd still take Clemson.

Game #2: Iowa (-6.5) over Michigan State…$10 to win $9.09

To tell you the truth, I absolutely hate this spread. Kirk Ferentz is one of the more overrated coaches in America and Ricky Stanzi is just as overrated. Need proof? See the ignorance that ensued when they got into Wisconsin territory last week with under a minute remaining. Don't spike the ball!?!?! Throw the ball to the middle of the field with seconds remaining?!?!

You might be thinking at this point, how the hell can Chuck be taking Iowa? 1) They back-doored the hell out of me last week when I had the right side the whole game with Northwestern. 2) Michigan State is a huge fraud. They are a slow, overrated, lumbering version of a Bernie Madoff-type Ponzi schemer. Unlike John Elway, I will not be fulled by this deceptive BS. I just wish I could see either of these teams play Clemson.

Game #3: Tulsa (+9) over Notre Dame…$10 to win $9.09

This bet has as much to do with my roommate C-Loss' dismissal of Tulsa as a pushover as it does with anything else. Tulsa is a very underrated team with a high-powered offense, and I have probably seen their games (and the UFL's) more than any other human on earth. The Irish are coming off a major letdown against Navy, and the tragic events of this week will have them coming out flat. Give me Damaris Johnson and GJ Kinne to the bank!!!

Game #4: Tennessee (+18) over The Fake USC…$10 to win $9.09

No need to describe how this continues the Haterade theme of my picks. There is no telling how healthy Marcus Lattimore will be this week for the Shamecocks. Derek Dooley will have his German troops ready to go, and they will prevail as they did in the Franco-Prussian War. Ain't no telephone bills and ain't no Gamecock wins...Good Ol' Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee!!!

-----MIKEY-----

Another negtive showing last week and I'm firmly in last place now. Still getting the wrong amounts with the wrong games and it's dug me a nice hole. It's now time for the act of a desperate man, go big or go home (all lines from covers.com):

Game #1: Cincinnati (-10.5) over Syracuse..$11 to win $10

The Cuse are playing pretty well right now and have started the season 5-2 for the first time since Donovan Mcnabb was leading them. They only need a win or two more to become bowl eligible but this week looks like a letdown coming off a big road win at West Virginia. UC is a good football team that plays well at home (nearly beating Oklahoma) and their starting QB is back this week to provide them with more reliable play from behind center. The Bearcats should catch a tired Syracuse squad this weekend and run them out of the building as they look to improve their bowl standing too.

Game #2: Notre Dame (-8.5) over Tulsa…$11 to win $10

Is it time to fade Notre Dame after that embarrassing blowout loss to Navy last Saturday? I say no and am right back on the Irish's side because, if they're nothing else after that loss, they should be pissed. Brian Kelly's going to need to impress some people for the rest of the season and it starts with Tulsa this weekend. Run it up ND.

Game #3: Ole Miss (+7) over Auburn…$11 to win $10

This one came down to mascots for me. Ole Miss' mascot revival with the Black Bear will overpower Auburn's Tiger which has to be tired from running through the rough SEC jungle. (Cheesy line of the year alert)

Game #4: USC (+6.5) over Oregon…$165 to win $150

Just like this game is USC's season, I'm putting my gambling season on the line too. The Trojans can't go to a bowl game (pity) so there's no doubt they'll be revved up to try and take down No. 1 Oregon as it sets up perfectly for them playing great football right now and catching the Ducks at home. Oregon has shown tons of firepower on the offensive side of the ball and I don't think that will stop in LA, but it also won't be as easy as it looks when they're in Eugene. This should be a shootout with both O's rolling right now and I think Matt Barkley and the Trojans outscore Oregon by a few proving again that life is no good at No. 1.