Friday, October 19, 2007
OH, CAL. OH, CAL. OH NO!!!!!!
It's been a while since the Cal Bears lost that ridiculous game to Oregon State. I've barely been able to talk about it since. I'll sum up my feelings henceforth (is that a word?):
It would have been much easier to take the loss if, when trailing 31-21, they just couldn't convert that long fourth-down play and if OSU had just run out the clock. Or if they couldn't get into field goal range on the very last drive. It would have been disappointing, sure, but it would have been much easier to take.
Much easier to take than having your back-up freshman quarterback stupidly try to run with the ball with no timeouts left and just under 15 seconds remaining and a number one ranking on the line, get tackled nowhere near the end zone, and watch helplessly as the field goal unit has virtually no chance to get onto the field to try for the tie. And to have several dozen screaming Beaver fans engulf your sorrow with cheers and clapping and whatnot.
They got into field-goal range, man. They had a chance. They teased me. It was the ultimate tease. It wasn't just lack of execution on that last play, it was just a stupid decision by one player that cost us the game and the #1 ranking, and, as it will eventually turn out, any chance at the BCS Championship Game. No way in hell an unheralded West Coast team like the Bears will get into that one, even if the computer is the one who decides the matchup. Even a computer is going to have East Coast bias in a case like this.
We had it, man. At least a tie. We were back in the game.
Crap!
Here are my NFL picks for the weekend:
SUNDAY MORNING:
It would have been much easier to take the loss if, when trailing 31-21, they just couldn't convert that long fourth-down play and if OSU had just run out the clock. Or if they couldn't get into field goal range on the very last drive. It would have been disappointing, sure, but it would have been much easier to take.
Much easier to take than having your back-up freshman quarterback stupidly try to run with the ball with no timeouts left and just under 15 seconds remaining and a number one ranking on the line, get tackled nowhere near the end zone, and watch helplessly as the field goal unit has virtually no chance to get onto the field to try for the tie. And to have several dozen screaming Beaver fans engulf your sorrow with cheers and clapping and whatnot.
They got into field-goal range, man. They had a chance. They teased me. It was the ultimate tease. It wasn't just lack of execution on that last play, it was just a stupid decision by one player that cost us the game and the #1 ranking, and, as it will eventually turn out, any chance at the BCS Championship Game. No way in hell an unheralded West Coast team like the Bears will get into that one, even if the computer is the one who decides the matchup. Even a computer is going to have East Coast bias in a case like this.
We had it, man. At least a tie. We were back in the game.
Crap!
Here are my NFL picks for the weekend:
SUNDAY MORNING:
WASHINGTON (-8.5) vs. Arizona. Rattay can't get it done, can he?SUNDAY AFTERNOON:
Atlanta (+8) at NEW ORLEANS. You just can't have N.O. favored by that much.
BUFFALO (+3) vs. Baltimore. Ravens have played a weak schedule so far.
MIAMI (+17) vs. NEW ENGLAND. I'm this close to saying Miami will win. But I won't.
N.Y. GIANTS (-9) vs. San Francisco. ***SURE LOCK FIRE*** It's the 49ers.
Tampa Bay (+2.5) at DETROIT. Should be a very close game.
CINCINNATI (-6) vs. N.Y. Jets. Especially if Pennington plays. He's on my fantasy team (for now).
HOUSTON (pick) vs. Tennessee. Titans' QB situation not favorable at the moment.
KANSAS CITY (+3) at OAKLAND.The Chiefs are tougher than you think.SUNDAY NIGHT:
Minnesota (+10) at DALLAS. I don't think I could trust Big D with this spread.
PHILADELPHIA (-6) vs. Chicago. ***SURE LOCK FIRE*** The Bears just are not good.
SEATTLE (-8.5) vs. St. Louis. Can't take the Rams until they show me something.
Pittsburgh (-4) at DENVER. The Steelers can be good.MONDAY NIGHT:
JACKSONVILLE (+3.5) vs. Indianapolis. ***SURE LOCK FIRE*** Good-bye 16-0, Colts!Last Week: 8-6 (0-3 on Sure Lock Fires, if you can believe it. I sure can.)
