WEEK 2 PICKS - AND WE’RE OFF AND RUNNING

Fast out the gate last week we find our Guest Picker tied with our very own defending champion Savant - Dick Cassidy.  Both end the week +50, although Frank scored more style points by correctly picking 3 games correctly.  This week starts the first week of the Guest Picker competition.  The winner of each week’s competition advances to the next week.  Also, Frank off the win gets in Cassidy’s grill by going opposite him on one of his picks.  Tom starts very slowly, but seems to be opening a new bag of tricks this week.  Rand on the other hand goes with the steady course of action.  Rand avoids a pick on the Titans this week, but look for him in the stands - when the camera pans the upper stadium to check the direction that the wind is blowing the flags that ring the stadium.

This week’s new Guest Prognosticator (GP for short) joining Frank Gore is Mark Nordman.  Yes, the Mark Nordman, president of the Tim Tebow man-crush society.  Mark is the GM at Colonial Country Club in beautiful Ft. Myers, Florida.  While he has punted the bumbling Buc’s for Favre’s Vikes this year, he seems most interested in leading the call for Tim Tebow to be recognized as a saint - and not a New Orleans Saint. Good luck to our GP’s, and may the best one win.

Week 2
Dick         +50 - 50 = 0
Tom          -30 -50 = -80 
Rand         -10 +10 = 0
Guest Pickers (combined) +50 + 60 = +110

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas - 3 Do you see a trend here - Cassidy on the Cows.  They move up in class against the NY Football Giants in the opening of the Boss Hog Bowl. xxx is Dick or Jerry more disappointed - but Jessica is happy I bet. 

Tom: $50 on Washington -10.  This pick is reminiscent of an old Cassidy strategy of seeing something in games between 2 dogs.  Of note, it was an unsuccessful strategy.  Tom is still willing to bet the load against the awful Rams. xxx as Cassidy taught us years ago, never bet on pathetic teams even when they play a more pathetic team.  Lesson learned, on to the next strategy.

Rand: $10 on Detroit +10.  Rand shows he understands the old Cassidy strategy and jumps on the dismal Lions. xxx at one point this was a winner, just not at the end of the game.
        $10 on NYG/Dallas over 44 1/2.  Rand expects some offense to open Jerryworld. +++ great pick. 
        $10 on Baltimore +3.  Rand is liking the Titan’s nemesis.  Interesting. +++ Roll Ravens.
        $10 on Miami +3.  Rand shows he believes that Indy is as bad as they played last week against Jack.  xxx the wishbone or wildcat or whatever was impressive, they just can’t run a 2-minute drill
        $10 on NY Jets +3 1/2.  Looks like NE is overrated, and should I mention that the Jets are coached by a former Baltimore Raven coordinator? +++ Rand is on the Rex Ryan Jet Bandwagon.

This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Frank Gore and Mark Nordman

Frank:  $30 on New Orleans - pickem.  Frank sees the McNabb-less Eagles getting all they can handle from the Brees’ Saints. +++ The NO offense reminds Frank of a certain offense from the bay area in the 90’s.
            $10 on San Francisco -1 1/2. Frank is ready to come back home.  Will his 49er’s break his heart, or are they on their way to the West division crown? +++ off to a 2-0 start, are the 49er’s for real?
            $10 on NY Giants +3.  Frank gets in Cassidy’s grill by going up against his beloved Cows - but can the Giants win with all the hoopla of the opening of the stadium? +++ just showing off here picking the right side of Cows game. 

Mark:  $20 on San Diego -3 1/2.  After last week’s performance against the stinking Rahdahs, are the Chargers ready to step up in class? Mark says YES.  xxx right answer: NO. 
            $20 on Arizona - 3 1/2. Mark is not ready to write the Super Bowl Cardinals off just yet - and he is using inside information that the Jags are not really very good. +++ Mark nails the pick - the Jags are officially in the pathetic team group.
            $10 on Chicago +2 1/2.  Apparently Mark is the only person in the country who didn’t watch Jay Cutler play last weekend.  Mark is betting that this is Mr. Inconsistency’s week for redemption and that the Steelers can’t play without Troy P. +++ Steelers do all they can do to hand over the victory to the Bears - and they successfully did it.

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

WEEK 1 PICKS - ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

Tonight’s Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee matchup starts the season not just for the NFL, but also for the Sports Savants.  Two of the Savants have opposite picks in tonight’s game - the betting line should be that only one of them will be right.  Like always, we have guest prognosticators each week.  Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.  What?  You didn’t know there is a regular pick’em lunch.  There most certainly is, and week 2’s pick’em lunch will be located at Dream Cafe at Beltline and the Tollway at 11:30 am, September 18th.  Also, lunch is not a requirement as many of our GP’s reside out of town.  Of course, if an out-of-town GP comes in for lunch, we’d probably buy them lunch.

This week’s Guest Prognosticator (GP for short) is none other that Frank Gore.  Yes, the Frank Gore.  OK, not the Frank Gore who’ll be playing for the 49er’s this weekend, but you know, the Frank Gore who had the name first.  If membership is your game, Frank is the name to know.  We’re betting Frank wins this week’s GP challenge.  Of course it helps that there is only 1 GP for Week 1.  Frank will be defending his title in Week 2 against a new GP.  Who is interested in wrestling the GP reins away from Frank?  Who can be at Dream Cafe next Friday?  Let us know if you are interested, perhaps a resume of your sports accomplishments (e.g. coached the girls intramural flag football team at your college) could be included.

We’re looking forward to a great season, and here are the picks that you’ve all been waiting to see.

Week 1
Dick         0 = 0 +50 = +50
Tom          0 = 0 -30 = -30
Rand         0 = 0 -10 = -10
Guest Pickers (combined) 0 = 0 +50 = +50

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas - 6 In a surprising move, Cassidy shows his loyalty and bets on the Cows.  This one’s a gimme - the T’Bucs, are you kidding. +++ The Buc’s show some offense, but the Cows confirm this is their year.

Tom: $20 on Pittsburgh -6.  Still remembering last year’s mantra:  Believe in Big Ben. XXX apparently you should believe in big ben, just not by 6.
        $20 on San Diego -9 1/2. Let’s see JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders — if this goes well, and it should, I can see a season-long betting opportunity here - go against the Raiders. xxx the rahdahs had a chance to beat them, wow.
        $10 on Baltimore -13.  Similar bet to Rand’s - as KC will have trouble getting to 3 points, can the Ravens put up 16?  +++ a whole lot of luck with 2 raven td’s in the last 2 minutes.

Rand: $10 on Tennessee +6.  Rand shows his loyalty to the Titans, or at least $10 worth of loyalty. +++ rewarded with the spread bet.
        $10 on KC/Baltimore under 36.  With the over/under on KC at 2.5 points, will Baltimore score less than 31? xxx Balt beat the total, so KC’s 24 was just piling on.
        $10 on NY Football Giants -6 1/2.  Against the Deadskins at home for the opener - seems like a lock. xxx death by garbage time is what this one is called - a meaningless late TD by the deadskins covers. 
        $10 on San Francisco +6 1/2.  Rand steps out and takes our GP’s team on the road against last year’s NFC Super Bowl representative.  OK, not so shocking to bet against Arizona, just shocking that the Cards went to the Super Bowl last year. +++ nails this one - who is the favorite in the west now? 
        $10 on Carolina +1.  Clearly showing that he’s not on the Eagle Bandwagon with Frank. xxx Jake and the panthers can’t really be that bad, or the eagles that good, can they?

This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Frank Gore

Frank:  $30 on Dallas -6.  Has Frank joined forces with Dick with an undying love for the Cows?  No way, this is just a gimme. +++ Frank is rewarded for jumping on the Cows’ bandwagon.
            $10 on Minnie -4. Apparently Frank doesn’t see the greatness of Brady Quinn and the Browns. +++ Is Minnie that good, or more likely, the Brownies that bad.
            $10 on Philly -1.  Frank joins the rest of the country on the Eagle Bandwagon. +++ Frank is on the right side of this whopping as well.

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.