The Guest Picker Update:  Doug Howe showed Scott Holtzman he understands the game - you don’t need to be good, just better than or in this case equal to your opponent.  So, who’d have guessed that Doug’s and Scott’s tie at -10 would have tied for the 2nd best result of the weekend. We welcome them back to break the tie this weekend.  What can they do to top their tie from last week - well, Scott bought lunch, so you’d think the Savants might have a slight rooting interest there - except for the shocking development we witnessed in Doug’s picks.  Wow, you’d think he knows better than going with the same picks as 3 Savants who have managed to put up a mere -330 total for the year.  How does Scott top that?  Well, his waiter at Fridays was at his best picking all the games.  Unfortunately for Scott, Tom got the list first and disclosed it to the whole table.  Will that throw Scott off his game?  Will Doug soon regret going with the Savants?  What were the waiter’s picks (see below). Let the games begin. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Move Back to Critical Condition.  Only Frank Gore managed to go positive last week among the Savants.  Frank is +100 over the last two weeks earning back his nickname:  The Goracle is Back. With confidence that we haven’t seen from Frank since September, The Goracle has his sights on taking first place from Rand this week.  Will Rand be up to the challenge?  Tom joined Dick in the death spiral down.  It has been 7 weeks since Dick won, so how does he break the dry ice cold streak?  Back home with his Cows.  Will they break his heart again? Will Tom confirm that he remains a week behind on his decisions to jump on a bandwagon?  Prediction:  a very positive week from the Savants.

Season through Week 16
Dick  -150 +50 = -100
Tom   -130 - 50 = -180
Rand    -10 -10 = -20
The Goracle -50 -50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe -10 versus Scott Holtzman -30  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas -7. With no relief in sight for a winning pick, Dick comes home with the Cows just in time for the holidays.  Please, please, please - don’t let those Cows break his heart one more time.  +++ The Pathetic Redskins allow the Cows to snooze through this win.  Cassidy’s cold streak is officially over.

 Tom:  $50 on New York Football Giants -7.  If it worked for The Goracle, it should work for Tom.  No picking against the football gods this week - just a pick on a team that needs to win to keep its playoff hopes alive.   XXX The Giants Stink, The Giants Stink, The Giants Stink - maybe a bit of an overreaction - not when the favored team loses by 32 at home.
           
        Rand: $10 on Miami -3.  Rand goes with those stout Fins.  Will Believing in Big Bill pay dividends? XXX Miami goes down in an important one.
          $10 on Minnesota -7. Rand’s trust in Brett was slapped down last week.  But, no worries here as Rand is back with Brett.  XXX yikes, losing to the Bears on national TV.
          $10 on Pittsburgh -2.5. Rand’s Titans hope for a playoff spot looks to be slipping away - so why not take the Steelers against the nemisis Ravens? +++ The Steelers hang on, barely.
          $10 on New England -8. Rand is going with the other Big Bill here - of course it is the hated Big Bill Belichick.  The Pats seem stabilized. +++ Rand continues to make a living going against Jax.
          $10 on Indy Colts -5.5. Rand knows that history is too tempting for Peyton and Co.  On to 16 and 0. XXX Jim Caldwell takes this one down for Rand.
                   
         Frank: $50 on Philadelphia -7.  Frank jumps back from one NFC East team to his tried and true Eagles this week.  Expect this to be an automatic win as The Goracle is Back. XXX Back, but apparently not all the way back. 
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe and Scott Holtzman

Doug:  $20 on Dallas -7.  Doug joins Dick on this one.  Why?  Simple:  did you see the Redskins play last week.  They are already done for the season. +++ Doug is right on with the hometown Cows.
          $20 on Philly -7. Doug joins The Goracle for this one.  Frank is feeling good with this vote of confidence. XXX a close one, but Denver doesn’t let Philly score the easy TD at the end to try for overtime. 
           $10 on New York -7. Doug joins Tom on this one.  Go Giants.  XXX Never go with Tom’s pick.

           Scott:  $20 on Indy -5.5.  Scott shows no sign of concern about the Colts resting this week.  Looks like a good pick. XXX Another Jim Caldwell casualty. 
          $20 on Baltimore +2.5. Scott goes opposite Rand with this one.  After last week’s show against da Bears, they should be ready to match points with the Steelers. XXX A tough half point loss sinks Scott’s weekend. 
           $10 on KC/Cincy Under 40.5. Scott thinks the Cincy defense will wake up and prove they are a playoff team.  Will that same Chief offense from last week wreck this one? +++ These teams show that they are not any good.  
          

Note 1: The Waiter with the inside knowledge picked all the games except Monday night.  Here are the winners:  Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Packers, Dolphins, Giants, Patriots, Saints, Eagles, Steelers, Cardinals, Niners, Colts, and get this one:  The Redskins!

Note 2: 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.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Scott Holtzman -10 versus Doug Howe -10

The Guest Picker Update:  Scott Holtzman burst onto the scene with an impressive +30 to +10 win over Marcia Mayes.  Scott rode to victory with a tip from our waiter at last week’s pick’s lunch.  And that tip was:  SF over AZ on Monday night for the win.  Well, Scott better be ready for this week as we are adding a little class to the competition.  Doug Howe joins us from his day job as a Partner at Century Golf Partners.  They run the Arnold Palmer Golf Management brand, so you may have heard of one of those names at some point.  Doug pretty much worked every job that existed during his years at ClubCorp as well as working with all the Savants and his GP competitor.  We’ll see that experience has readied him for his debut on the Savant’s webpage.  So, what is in store for us this week?  Will Doug show his true calling is picking NFL games?  Will Scott be able to maintain his momentum without help from the waiter at Friday’s?  Or, did Scott actually stop in at Friday’s and get a tip for this week as well?  Let’s see if we can have two straight weeks of positive results.  Good Luck. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Show Life - Moved from Critical to Stable Condition. The Savants combined for a plus 40 week.  While not earthshattering, these guys are just one week removed from a minus 200 week.  Led by Frank’s and Rand’s +50 week, things are starting to look up.  Tom blames his minus 10 on bad luck - not bad picks.  And, Dick … well, let’s see where to start.  He claims that he has changed his pick holder and only good things are to come.  Off 7 straight minus 50 weeks, the tide has to turn, right?  Perhaps Dick will follow his Cows for another losing December.  For another week none of the Savants go with the Cassidy Hammer pick.  Why not?  There is a rumor that another Savant actually wanted the same pick - and there was general approval of this week’s pick.  Should we award him the win today?  Oh, let’s let’em play.

Season through Week 14+
Dick  -100 -50 = -150
Tom    -80 -50 = -130
Rand        0 -10 = -10
Frank Gore      -100 +50 = -50

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe -10 versus Scott Holtzman -10 

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Arizona -12. After going 0 fer 2 on New Orleans the last couple of weeks, he abandons the Saints just as the Cows arrive.  Does he have inside information that the Cows want to win this one?  More likely, Detroit is awful, so take the sure thing in whoever their opponent is.  So, Cassidy jumps on the the inconsistent Cardinals expecting them to open up a can on the hapless Lions this week?  XXX Only one thing can wake up the hapless Lions - knowing Cassidy picked against them.  The Cardinals escape with the lives in a shocker. 

 Tom:  $50 on San Diego -6.5.  Tom risks the Chargers on a letdown week playing a team trying to win one for their dead teammate.  Why challenge the football gods this way?  Read his lips:  Cincy is overrated. XXX Never bet against a team with a cause.  The Bengals tried to win one for their lost friends, didn’t, but kept the Chargers from the covere.  
           
        Rand: $10 on Green Bay +2.  Rand stays on the hot Pack, especially against the ice cold, divided lockerroom, possibly packing it in Steelers. +++ Pittsburgh suddenly decides to show up this week - who’d figure that - but only by 1 point.
          $10 on Minnesota -9. Rand trusts in Brett.  And why not, have you seen who the Panther QB is? XXX Losing to the Panthers either shows Brett has a December swoon of his own, or old guys don’t like cold weather.
          $10 on Baltimore -11. Rand takes another easy pick here.  The league is starting to notice a trend - the Bears are bad on offense with their “great” QB, and their defense is worse. +++ The pick of the week as the Bears played up to their pedigree.
          $10 on Washington +3. Rand gets in the grill of Frank this week by taking the Redskins.  It seems like smoke and mirrors, but the Skins have been playing well as of late. XXX A stinker of a pick - perhaps +33 was the correct line.
          $10 on Seattle -6.5. Rand takes the lesser of two weaklings as he looks for the Seahawks to show they don’t belong in the downtrodden class that the TBucs occupy. XXX Another head scratcher - the TBucs winning a game.
                   
         Frank: $50 on New York Football Giants -3.  Frank jumps from one NFC East team to the another this week.  After only giving up 45 to the Eagles, Frank thinks that the Giant defense is ready.  Well, maybe not ready, but the better team with a chance for the playoffs has to win, right?  +++ Frank’s rise from the ashes continues as his NFC East knowledge proves correct again.  Will he get his nickname back?  Stay tuned for next week?
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe and Scott Holtzman

Doug:  $10 on San Diego -6.5.  Doug also likes the Chargers in this one, and shrugs off the potential negative vibe of Tom picking them as well. XXX a quick lesson for Doug - don’t pick anything that Tom or Dick like.
          $10 on New Orleans -7.5. What is this? Another GP not afraid to go opposite Cassidy’s Cows.  Perhaps the highly effective offense versus the not so effective offense may have something to do with this. XXX Doug learns that the Cows aren’t to be trusted - good or bad - as they somehow handle the 13-0, now 13-1, Saints. 
           $10 on Seattle -6.5. Doug agrees that the TBucs stink - so he goes with the slightly less stinky Seahawks. XXX Seattle decides to stink it up more than the TBucs.  
          $10 on Baltimore -11. Doug joins Rand on this one.  They should almost get credit for this one in advance - that’s how easy this game looks. +++ Doug takes the easy game of the week - why didn’t we all see this was the easy game of the week?
          $10 on Philly -8.5. Well, if you’re going to diss one Savant by picking against his team, you might as well go against a second by picking the Eagles laying a big number against Frank’s 49ers.  Will they have any offense left after last week? +++ The Eagles show up and the 49ers can’t repeat last week’s heroics against the Cardinals.

           Scott:  $20 on New England -7.  Scott likes Brady and Company so show rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated.  We’ll see. Push - This one lands on the Pats winning by 7 - no harm, no foul.
          $20 on Minnesots -9. Scott shows no sign of concern that a Farve swoon is about to take place.  He’s probably right about that.  XXX Minnesota doesn’t play well in the cold - Bud Grant just rolled over in his grave.  
           $10 on Baltimore/Chicago Under 40.5. Scott shows he can get back on the horse that threw him.  After missing the under by a mere 38.5 points last week, Scott crawls under this one.  Will Chicago participate?  If so, watch out. +++ As expected, Chicago doesn’t participate and the Ravens stay under - barely.  
          

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.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Scott Holtzman +30 versus Marcia Mayes +10

The Guest Picker Update:  Marcia Mayes ended Don Sweeting’s run as champ by doing just enough to get by.  Marcia picked had the only correct pick from the Savants and the Guest Pickers, so she advances -10 over -50 for the weekend.  So, how do we change the tide of negative picks?  We’ve brought in a true picking savant - well, at least a true fantasy golf picking savant - how do I know?  He had YE Yang in the PGA pool - you gotta be kidding.  So, we welcome Scott Holtzman, another financial consultant extraordinaire for golf properties that goes back a few years with both the Savants and his GP competitor, Marcia.  Will Scott’s arrival bring some much needed skill to the table?  Or, will the Savant crappy-pick vortex swallow him up with the rest of us?  Good luck, and let’s see some positive scores for the week. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Are Rumored to be losing their nickname. First, Frank Gore was stripped of his Goracle nickname.  Are the Savants next?  Editor’s Note:  probably not as long as one of the Savants continues to write this post. Last week was nothing short of a bloodbath.  Minus 200 combined by the Savants. Not a single positive pick in the group.  So, should we go the hammer pick?  2nd Editor’s Note:  the hammer pick is going opposite of a Savants’ pick on the belief that they are more likely to be wrong than right.  Well, at least no hammer picks this week as the Savants have vowed to turn this thing back to positive territory.  So which Savant will break out of the cold - or will we see a Plus 200 week?

Season through Week 13
Dick               -50 -50 = -100
Tom                -70 -10 = -80
Rand               -50 +50 = 0
Frank Gore     -150 +50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Marcia Mayes +10 versus Scott Holtzman +30

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on New Orleans -10.5. Dick was so pleased with his 50 on NO last week that he stays on the pick this week.  It looks like a better pick this week as Atlanta has its own health care crisis. XXX Cassidy stays in the ice box.  Even the Saints can’t carry him to victory.

 Tom:  $10 on Arizona -3.  Tom’s fantasy football team needs Kurt Warner to come up big this weekend - so that is reason enough for this pick.  And, the Cardinals are looking like they might make some noise in the playoffs again this year. XXX Arizona fumbles away Monday night - and Tom’s fantasy football team will watch the rest of the playoffs from the sidelines.
          $10 on New England -13.5. Has Belichick gone mad?  Sending home players for being late on a snow day?  Fortunately, Carolina may decide to go home early on Sunday allowing the Pats to break the losing streak in a big way. XXX A plodding day for Brady and Co.  A win, but no cover. 
           $10 on KC/Buffalo Under 37. Both teams are not good, but not awful either.  So, who in their right mind would go with an Under pick with T.O. involved? Tom. +++ These teams show they are bad, and get no where near the number.
          $10 on Minnesota/Cincy Under 43. Tom is not a believer in Cincy overall - but he thinks that the Bengal Defense is for real.  Is Brett in a December swoon like last year? +++ Tom was right about the Viking D, and that was good enough to slide by.  
           $10 on Seattle/Houston Over 44.5. Tom with his third over/under pick trys to figure out if he can be any better with this new strategy.  Don’t count on it.  XXX 31 at half, 41 after the 3rd, and no more points.  Ugh.
 
        Rand: $30 on Green Bay -3.  Rand leaves the comfort of his Titans for the road team Packers against the Bears.  As long as the Bears’ defense continues to stink it up, and Jeff George aka Jay Cutler is their QB, this pick looks solid. +++ Da Bears don’t disappoint and play as expected, and Rand picks up the easy win.
          $20 on Miami +2.5. Rand either likes the Dolphins or refuses to believe that Jacksonville may take the Titans’ rightful place in the playoffs.  Stick with the later explanation. +++ It wasn’t pretty, but Rand’s pick confirms Jack isn’t that good. 
                   
         Frank: $50 on Philadelphia +1.  Frank runs back to the safety of the NFC East after confirming that the division is not the problem with his picks.  Is this a signal that he’ll be flying high with the Eagles all the way to the playoffs? +++ Frank is back on top with the Eagles.  Now, will he stay on their bandwagon? 
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Marcia Mayes and Scott Holtzman

Marcia:  $20 on New York Jets -3.  Marcia is unfazed by the Jets starting their backup QB.  Are the TBuc’s really that bad?  +++ Marcia on the right side of the Jets wipe out of the TBucs.
          $20 on New Orleans -10.5. Marcia sticks with this pick even after hearing Cassidy take it.  Do they know something, or should Marcia have gone with the hammer pick? XXX Note to Marcia:  don’t pick the same as Dick.
           $10 on Green Bay -3. Marcia joins Rand with this pick.  Doesn’t she follow the results from the Savants’ picks?  This pick looks like a winner, so Scott will need to bring his “A” game. +++Marcia finishes the week in positive numbers with this solid pick.

           Scott:  $20 on Miami +2.5.  Scott also like Big Bill’s Fins against the overrated Jax Jags.  Which inconsistent team will show up on Sunday? +++Scott on the right side of the battle of Florida (TBucs don’t count).
          $20 on San Francisco +3. What is going on here? Is Scott going opposite Tom with a Hammer Pick?  Is Scott trying to get on Frank’s good side by picking the 49ers?  No.  The waiter suggested the pick, and that was good enough for Scott. +++ Scott (and the waiter) nail the Monday night pick as Scott takes the GP crown on an exciting Monday night.  
           $10 on Philly/NY Giants Under 44.5. Scott thinks these two teams will knock each other around - and not score in the process.  Makes sense, except have you seen the Giant defense backs cover fast receivers - not pretty.  XXX Never a good thing when one of the team passes the number, and the other one almost does.
          

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.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Don Sweeting -50 versus Marcia Mayes -10

The Guest Picker Update:  The first GP tie in history - OK, history is only 12 weeks in this case, but a first is a first.  It was an interesting Monday night with both Marcia Mayes and Don Sweeting on New England.  However, Don had a 20 weight on the game while Marcia had a 10 weight on the game.  Marcia needed her pick to lose, so Don would lose his 20 pick and then end up tied  at -10 for the weekend.  That of course is what happened as the Pats were embarrassed by the Saints.  This week we have the rematch.  Don is pulling out all the stops so he can leave for vacation with a clear conscious.  Marcia trys to show last week’s negative score was a fluke.  Good luck, and let’s see that tie broken this week. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants left to remembering the days when they were good at this pick’em game. How the mighty Savants have fallen.  Cassidy has gone from +250 to 0 in 5 weeks.  Rand becomes tied for the lead at 0, yep, ZERO.  Tom can’t seem to get his head above water.  And, Frank lost his nickname of the Goracle somewhere back in the wreckage of his recent picks.  This is the week where we’ll some changes.  The Savants each have put the load on one team.  Will they go 4 for 4?  Is the practice of private club law and selling memberships getting in the way of their picks?  Our luck is about to change - guaranteed (I hope).

Season through Week 12
Dick              0 -50 = -50
Tom              -20 -50 = -70
Rand              0 -50 = -50
Frank Gore   -100 -50 = -150

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Marcia Mayes -10 versus Don Sweeting -50

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on New Orleans -9.5. Dick was impressed with the offensive machine residing in New Orleans.  He jumps on the bandwagon without hesitation.  But, is he a week too late? XXX Dick goes down again.  In a game only the Redskins could lose - yes, even Detroit would have pulled this one out - the Saints get a lucky win, but don’t cover.

 Tom:  $50 on Dallas -2.  Tom knows the New York Football Giants stink.  So, why not give the 2 points and go with the Cows.  Well, just ask anyone, the Cows can’t be trusted.  Rumor has it that Dick wanted to put the load on his Cows this week, but the pick was taken out from under him. XXX Tom has the lesson every Cow fan knows.  First they trick you into believing maybe, just maybe they are a good team.  Then, they rip your heart out and play like pigs.
 
        Rand: $50 on Tennessee +6.5.  Rand confirms his loyalty to the beloved Titans by putting the load on them against the rival Colts.  Does 11-0 worry him?  Not when he’s getting almost a touchdown from a team that has to come from behind in each of the last 5 games to win. XXX Rand goes down with his Titans.  At least they played a good game that just went the wrong way on a couple of plays.
        
         Frank: $50 on New England -3.  Frank runs away from the NFC East hoping to catch some of the Patriot magic.  This line seems a bit low - does Vegas know something, or did Frank find the gimme. XXX Frank goes down with the no defense Pats.  Vegas thought it knew something about Brady’s finger - as it turns out all they need to know was Belichick’s defense doesn’t exist.
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Marcia Mayes and Don Sweeting

Marcia:  $20 on New Orleans -9.5.  Marcia and Dick on the who dat train.  Will the Redskins overachieve for a 3rd straight week?  Is one of these teams due for a letdown? XXX Not only a letdown game, rumor has it Marcia knew this was a Cassidy pick and went with it anyway. 
          $20 on Denver -4.5. Marcia thinks the Broncos are back after taking down the NY Giants on Thanksgiving. Will KC jump up and bite another playoff hopeful during their Arrowhead visit? +++ Finally a winner.  The Broncos dismantle the Chiefs at Arrowhead - impressive.
           $10 on Atlanta +5.5. Marcia likes the home dog against the inconsistent Eagles.  But, will no Ryan or Turner doom this pick? XXX A bad pick ends up being a bad pick.  Atlanta can’t compete without 5 offensive starters.

           Don:  $50 on Dallas -2.  Don stays on Cassidy’s Cows for the second straight week.  Doesn’t he understand that the Cows will lure you in, then break your heart?  Actually, Don sees this as a win/win pick - if the Cows win his pick is right, if they lose, then all can celebrate the hated Cows going down in the Meadowlands.  Have fun on vacation Don. XXX Don’s hated Cowboys lose, but they also end his reign as GP Champ.  Enjoy the rest of your vacation.
          

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.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Don Sweeting -10 TIED Marcia Mayes -10