The Testosterone Lounge

[Belegon]

The Bolt's have a good portion of their roster inactive...hard to expect a win with that

regardless, the playoff game is set next week with the morning results...Chargers vs. Jets.

 

[Seattle Zack]

OK, anyone who bets on football should read through this ...

(Goddamn, the 'Bolts went 13-1-2 against the spread this year ... wish I would have gotten in on that bsndwagon.)


the sports guy, Bill Simmons, from espn.com ....


The first version of this column was posted on my old bostonsportsguy.com website (January, 1998), with the second version running right here on ESPN.com (January, 2002). So here's "NFL Playoff Manifesto 3.0," which includes updated names/theories and avoids being as season-specific.


These simple steps can save you from a life of frustration -- and from anyone interested in hobbling. Back in 1991, my buddy Geoff and I created The System, a template of gambling rules that rose from the wreckage of a catastrophic NFL playoffs. At the time, we were worried that somebody would pull a Kathy Bates, break our legs and turn us into James Caan from "Misery." Fortunately, we nailed a few "makeup" bets and escaped relatively unscathed. My mom didn't even suspect anything when I asked her for an extra $500 during the second semester of my junior year because I wanted to "join a gym."

Put it this way: You learn the most about yourself when your back is pressed against the wall -- or in this case, when somebody's holding you upside down by your legs over a seventh-floor hotel balcony. Yes, Geoff and I have been to hell and back in the NFL playoffs. There's no doubt about it. As Boomer Esiason once said, "The best adjective that describes these guys is ... is ... resiliency."

Maybe it took a few years, but we finally worked out the kinks. Things peaked during the 2001 Playoffs, as we went 6-1 during the first three rounds and nailed all three Super Bowl bets: The Ravens straight-up, a parlay (Ravens + the over), and even a random "Who will score the first TD?" bet (on "the field," thanks to Brandon Stokely). Everything went our way. And maybe we aren't savvy veterans along the lines of Robert Horry, Mike Timlin and Herschel Savage, but we're getting there. During the 2004 Playoffs, you may remember me picking the winners of all 11 games, running the slate in Round 1 and finishing 8-3 against the spread. And it's all because of the system.

Without further ado, here are 15 timeless gambling rules for the NFL postseason:

RULES TO LIVE (AND DIE) BY

RULE NO. 1: Never, ever, EVER back a crappy QB on the road
More important than every other rule combined. Crappy QBs become infinitely more crappy in the playoffs -- without exceptions -- because their shakiest qualities become magnified against a quality defense and a rowdy playoff crowd. If you need further evidence, harken back to the archives for every one of Scott Mitchell's playoff performances in the mid-'90s, which will be released next month with deleted scenes and director's commentary from Mitchell, Wayne Fontes and Rusty Hilger.

More recent examples from the past few seasons: Jay Fiedler in Oakland, '99; Jon Kitna against Miami, '99; Shawn King in Philly, '00; Vinny Testaverde in Oakland, '01; Elvis Grbac in Pittsburgh, '02; Tommy Maddox in Tennessee, '03; Jake Plummer in Indy, '04; Quincy Carter in Carolina, '04; Anthony Wright against Tennessee, '04 (special exemption here: Wright was home, but the fact that he's Anthony Wright trumped any possible home-field advantage).

RULE NO. 2: When in doubt, seek out the popular opinion and go the other way
If the general public could pick games, bookies wouldn't be driving Lexuses around town with giant wreaths on them. When Geoff and I were relative neophytes, our first great gambling moment happened during the '90 playoffs, when we went against the grain and grabbed the underdog Redskins in Philly. Everyone loved the Eagles to win the title that season ... and if Randall Cunningham was as good in real life as he was in Tecmo Bowl, it would have happened. Undaunted, we jumped on the 'Skins ... and they cruised to a 20-6 upset. I still remember the score.

Three good tricks for this one: A. Follow the movement on the lines from Monday to the weekend. If anything moves substantially -- by a point or more -- that means the majority of gamblers are backing that team. And you know what that means.

B. Watch "Inside the NFL," check out the gambling section in Friday's New York Post, then watch the pregame shows. If everyone seems to be siding with one team, something's probably up. Remember last year's Other Way Game, when Indy destroyed Denver in Round 1? Everyone and their brother loved the Broncos that week.

C. Pick the worst gambler you know, find out who he's taking and go the other way. Never fails.

RULE NO. 3: Before you select a team, make sure Marty Schottenheimer, Mike Tice, Mike Martz, Mike Sherman or Jim Mora isn't coaching them
The 1.0 and 2.0 versions of this column only featured Mora and Schottenheimer, so we needed to include all three Mikes for the 3.0 version. I know, I know ... Marty and the Chargers have major sleeper potential this month. Just remember, they're being coached by the guy who was involved in more excruciating playoff losses than anyone else in the past 25 years.

(Along those same lines ...)

The guy with the headset is more important than you think.
RULE NO. 4: When in doubt, check out the coaching matchups
An easy rule of thumb: Before you make a selection, imagine you're watching the game and seeing one of those split-screen thingies with both coaches pacing the sidelines. Could you handle knowing that you backed the coach who looks like the overmatched doofus? For instance, six years ago, I took Miami over Buffalo simply because I didn't want to see a spilt-screen shot and know that I gambled on the doofus (Wade Phillips) over the guy who looked like a real coach (Jimmy Johnson). Sounds stupid? It worked. Buffalo doubled Miami's yardage and dominated the time of possession ... yet they still blew the game with four turnovers. Go figure.

Here's a great current example: Let's say the Rams are playing the Eagles this month. You're about to talk yourself into the St. Louis money line as an upset pick. And then you imagine the split-screen ...

There's Andy Reid on the left side, looking calm and confident, totally in charge...

And there's Mike Martz on the right side, looking like a father holding a crying baby on a cross-country flight ...

(Still like that Rams pick?)

RULE NO. 5: Don't bet heavily against Brett Favre under any circumstances
Here's what I wrote in 1997: "Brett Favre is pure evil. Never, ever, ever load up against the Packers because of him. Just stay away. He's the one player who can single-handedly turn the tables on any team, much like Barry Sanders, John Elway and Dan Marino in their primes. As Scatman Crothers said to Danny Torrance in "The Shining," "You stay away from Room 237 (and Brett Favre)! You hear me? Stay away!"

Does that still stand in 2004? Of course not. He's at a different point of his career; if anything, he can single-handedly kill his team like no other quality QB in the league. But he's still Brett Favre. Always be careful with him. The sad thing is that there isn't another QB in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE worthy of that "Don't bet heavily against him" spot, unless you think Michael Vick has it in him. Remember, it's reserved for quarterbacks who can single-handedly win a game by themselves, regardless of the talent disparity between the two teams.

RULE NO. 6: Ignore final records and concentrate on how the team finished the last five or six games of the season
This isn't the NBA, where contenders can coast for a few months and "turn it on" for the playoffs. In the NFL playoffs, you're always better off gravitating towards hot teams and away from hot-and-cold teams (like the 2003 Rams or Broncos), or teams that peaked too early in the season (like the 2003 Chiefs). You can't "turn it on" in the NFL. Doesn't happen. So when you see that the 2004 Vikings have won three of their last 10 games ... well ...

RULE NO. 7: When in doubt, research special teams and turnovers
Sounds dumb? The Patriots won the 2002 AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh thanks to touchdowns from a punt return and a blocked field goal, as well as Kordell Stewart giving them two huge picks down the stretch. Those things weren't accidents. The Pats had been making plays on special teams all season; Kordell had been killing the Steelers in big games for years. The funny thing is that Steelers fans still complain about this game, like the Pats were somehow fortunate to win. Are you kidding me? That game was a microcosm of everything that was right and wrong with those two teams.

So here's what you do: Check out those two stats (special teams and turnovers) and remember that Pats-Steelers game, or even the Panthers-Rams game last January. In the playoffs, Little Things always end up becoming Big Things.

RULE NO. 8: Beware of the Road Favorite
If you're wagering on a Road Favorite in the playoffs, you better have a good reason ... and I mean, a really good reason, like "The Packers are heading into Atlanta for Round 2, Vick just came down with the ebola virus, and that Schaub guy is getting the start."

(Hey, that reminds me ...)RULE NO. 9: Check out the backup QBs ...
And ask yourself one question: Are Vinny Testaverde, Tommy Maddox, Quincy Carter, Anthony Wright, Scott Mitchell, Cade McNown, Bubby Brister, Danny Kanell, Gus Frerotte, Mark Rypien, Spergeon Wynn, Stoney Case, the Huard brothers, the Detmer brothers, the McCown brothers, the Sklar Brothers, Dr. Jonathan Quinn, or anyone named "Billy Joe" involved in a "One hard hit to the starting QB, and they're quickly warming up on the sidelines" capacity?

(Note: This is like checking the safety on a gun.)

RULE NO. 10: Only pick an underdog or a road team if you're convinced they have a chance to win the game outright
This used to be the paragraph where I rattled off cool gambling stats for the first three rounds, trying to demonstrate how gamblers should gravitate towards home teams except for one underdog pick every round (two if you were really feeling it). Unfortunately, that logic was blown out of the water by Round 2 of the 2004 Playoffs, when all four road teams inexplicably covered. So much for stats. In the age of parity, you can't play the percentages like that anymore. But here are two rules of thumb to remember:

A. At least one underdog covers every round. Always. This will never change.

B. If you're picking a road team to cover the spread, you better think they can win outright. For instance, here's what I wrote before talking myself into the Panthers over the Rams last January: "Don't get suckered into the Panthers on Saturday because you 'think they can keep it close.' You better believe they can knock Bulger around, move the ball with Stephen Davis, get some circus catches from Muhammad and Smith and come out of St. Louis with the Dubya. Or else take the Rams and lay the seven."

RULE NO. 11: Beware of the easy two-team teaser on the same day
I created this rule during the 2003 playoffs, after everyone and their brother teased the Jets (home against the Colts) and Packers (home against the Falcons) on the Saturday of Round 1. Well, the Gambling Gods didn't appreciate that ... so Michael Vick ended up having the game of his life in Lambeau. The same situation arose in Round 2 of the 2004 playoffs -- with the Pats (home against the Titans) and the Rams (home against the Panthers) -- and this time, I was ready:

"This Rams-Pats tease is those 'Britney Spears X-Rated Video: Click here!' e-mails. In other words, any time something looks too easy, it usually is. Something weird is gonna happen. And it won't be with the Pats."

What happened? The Rams lost to the Panthers. And a new gambling rule was born.

RULE NO. 12: Never bet heavily against a playoff team that has a coach and an owner whose last names both end in a vowel
A friend of a friend named Oaksie created this one three years ago, after San Fran pulled off two bizarre covers against Green Bay and Atlanta in the first two rounds (two games that smelled worse than Vlade Divac). Doesn't apply this season.

RULE NO. 13: Never bet too much money on your own team
Especially in the playoffs. If they lose, it's doubly excruciating and the collective devastation almost feels like a quadruple loss. Remember, gambling is supposed to be fun, despite how it turns out for every TV character.

Even if it's easy money, the Gambling Gods never forgive a bet against your own team.
(And I shouldn't need to remind you that you should never, ever, EVER wager against your own team. But I will, just for safety.)

RULE NO. 14: Don't try to be a hero, just try to win money
A new addition to the list. When the playoffs roll around, some gamblers have a tendency to get cute and go against the grain -- like with Jake and the Broncos this week -- so they talk themselves into stats like "Did you know the Broncos had the best time of possession mark of any team this season?" and "They could have been 14-2 with a couple of breaks," and suddenly you're going against Manning and the Colts at home like an idiot because you want to be a hero.

Here's a good rule of thumb: Take a deep breath and ask yourself one question: "If my life depended on this pick, would I still be making this bet?"

RULE NO. 15: Before you make your decisions, take one last look at the quarterbacks again
(Note: I update this ending with every version of the column. In version 1.0, we used Jon Kitna and the Seahawks. In version 2.0, we used Elvis Grbac and the Ravens. This year? Jake the Snake.)

Imagine taking the Broncos on Sunday afternoon:

They're down by seven points, there's 11 minutes left in the game, the Broncos are at their own 12-yard-line, the Colts fans are going crazy ... and Jake Plummer is bending over center. He's nine-for-26 on the day, for 121 yards and three INTs, including one that Mike Doss brought back for a TD. You're PRAYING for Jake to hand off every down. And yet he's dropping back to pass again, and he's looking for Rod Smith over the middle, but he has to rush the throw ...

Does that sound like a nightmare or what?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Thanks, Zack.

As a writer, I can see why he keeps revamping and reusing that column. It's a great read whether you're a bettor or not.

The only game this weekend I can't figure is St. Louis at Seattle. The Hawks are four point home favorites despite losing twice this year to the Rams who now have Bulger back.

Martz is one of those head coaches you hope to see on the other side of the field prior to kickoff. As for the Hawks, nothing personal, but I don't like this year's team or the horse they rode into town on.

If I had to bet, I suppose I'd stick with the home favorite and count on Martz and the Rams defense screwing up. But this seems like a good one to skip. Any thoughts?

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Seattle Zack]

Well, I lost this weekend. Took St. Louis and the 4 for $400, but also took the Bolts, giving 6 1/2 for $400. Tried a two game parlay on em both for another $100.

Poor Belegon. What a tough way to lose a game. Damn kickers. (That kick made little difference to me, they still wouldn't have covered, but still. I was really hoping the Chargers would do it.)

That's why they play the games, I guess. Us Raider fans still remember the "tuck rule" ... and the "Holy Roller," for that matter.

That Jets-Chargers match was one for the ages. Great game.

--Z

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I feeling a certain amount of pain for both you. I might feel more if either team I follow (Saints-Cowboys) made the playoffs. Hard to believe both home favorites lost. Now, except for Denver, the west is gone from the playoffs.

I'm not surprised at the Rams' winning. That game always seemed like a toss-up. But the Jets, a touchdown road dog with Pennington at QB, whipping the Bolts? That's still hard to comprehend.

Despite the home teams going 0-2, I'd stick with the Packers, even though they got blown-out last year at home by Atlanta, and the Colts, although 10 points is tempting.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Seattle Zack]

QQ

So, here I am, I won the first football game easily but the Packers are sucking big time. My own stupid fault for taking the home team and the points.

I went out gambling, is what I did.

Playing in a $20 tourney, NL Texas Hold Em with QQ on the third hand of the game.

So fucknut raises me all in. Sure, I call. Take that, motherfucker. Your AJ off suit ain't worth shit.

Four hands later, I see it again. QQ. Spike-haired little bitch boy raises me all in. Ooh, fuck you too. I call. He had AJ dia, hit the Ace on the river.

Goddamnit. Now I'm down to 250 chips, almost nothing. I fold and fold and fold until it hits again. QQ.

I raise all in. Four callers, I hit it. Back over one thousand now.

It goes on and on. I stay out of trouble, stealing my blinds now and then. Get to the final table with about 900 chips.

Short stack, gotta go now. QQ again, and I'm all in. Two callers. One gimp has a K, gets a piece of the side pot, but I have a good two grand now.

Four or five later, here it is again. QQ. It's a sign, I have to play it. I go all in, get a caller, and take him out. Ended up winning the tourney, back from 250 chips, got $852 on a $20 buy-in.

Fuck football, let's play poker.

 

[Belegon]

Well, I lost this weekend. Took St. Louis and the 4 for $400, but also took the Bolts, giving 6 1/2 for $400. Tried a two game parlay on em both for another $100.

Poor Belegon. What a tough way to lose a game. Damn kickers. (That kick made little difference to me, they still wouldn't have covered, but still. I was really hoping the Chargers would do it.)

That's why they play the games, I guess. Us Raider fans still remember the "tuck rule" ... and the "Holy Roller," for that matter.

That Jets-Chargers match was one for the ages. Great game.

--Z

my best friend described last night as an awesome rollercoaster ride that ended with a knife to the heart...I agree. right now it hurts. later I'll be glad I was at the game, right now it is just pain.

 

[Vincent E]

The Conference Championship games are set. New England travels to Pittsburgh while Atlanta goes to Philadelphia.

I just deleted a long drawn out write up on who will win which games. Shame on me for even writing it. I am a Patriots fan, so I am just going to say [size=three]Go Pats ![/size]

I think Philly phinally wins the conpherence championship of the NphC.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Vincent,

Since you're a Pats fan, I hope you're right. But I've got a hunch the Steelers might break through this year or at least cover. They are a three point dog at home and their defense gave up fewer points than the Pats during the regular season. So far in the playoffs, the team with the fewest reg. season points allowed has usually won. But nine points isn't much of a difference and the Pats are favored.

By my same (il)logic, Philly should take care of the Falcons. Their defense is much better, QB's offset. Even with TO out, the Eagles have moved the ball in the playoffs. I'd give the 4 1/2 points and take the Eagles.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Vincent E]

The thing about the point differential between New England and Pittsburgh is that it is all skewed by the Patriots worst performance of the year. Too many turnovers early in the game and a 21-3 score at the end of the first quarter really fucked up the stats.

Personally I am uncomfortable with New England being the odds makers favorite going in. It is great bulletin board stuff for the Steelers. "Look, we're underdogs in our own house. It's disrespect. That's what it is: disrespect."

One way or the other, the Superbowl champion is coming out of the AFC this year. Frankly I can live with Pittsburgh winning, but as Pats fan my loyalties stay in New England. More over, New England has a perfect record in AFC Championship games, and for silly reasons I want to see that continue. Then again, we never want to see your teams lose.

I think Philly beats Atlanta if only because indoor teams are soft, and Philly will be chilly, and that ain't...oh shit, I'm not going to say it.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Vincent,

You could be right about all of that. But as for indoor teams being soft, remember what Atlanta did to Green Bay last year.

IMHO, one should be very careful about betting on their home team. Even if you're not a fan, there's so much local coverage, it's hard to make a rationale, clear-headed decision.

Good luck.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Belegon]

I say Philly vs. Steel Town. But I think the AFC game is really hard to pick. Atlanta needs to be effective early to have a chance.

 

[Vincent E]

The weather is supposed to be so bad in the Keystone State this weekend that I think both Philly and Hotlanta will have plenty of problems. McNabb is inaccurate enought without snow drifts and wind chills adding to his woes. Vick likes to run around, but there will be no short stops and quick direction changes to help him dodge defensive linemen on a frozen tundra that is Lincoln Financial Field. (That just doesn't have the right ring to it.)

The NFC game could wind up being a three-hour drag.

The AFC game will be a different story. I don't know about you guys, but I am looking forward to some good old-fashioned Smash Mouth Football. In fact, this could be the inaugural game of the SMFL (Smash Mouth Football League.) I'll work the details out later.

The running of Bettis and Staley versus the running of Dillon. I don't think Cowher is goign to platoon both backs. He'll probably just find the one who is running better and use the other for relief. You need to keep one back in the game running often. Dillon on the other hand is the man for New England with Faulk getting occaisional carries. Patrick Pass could also get a coupl of touches, but this is Dillon's job. Running the ball is a push at best.

At quarterback New England has the definite advantage. Rothlisberger (I hope I spelled it right) has been good since the weeks Pittsburgh beat the Pats and the Eagles, but that was the peak of the season for the Steelers. If he has a game anything like the one he had last time against the Jets he will not be able to climb out of the hole. Rothlisberger has to be poerfect, which leads me to think that the Steelers will keep the ball on the ground most of the time. Brady does not have to be perfect, just efficient enough to hit those moderate length passes to his wideouts. In a power game like this, however, the play of Daniel Graham at TE is so important. He will have to block on running plays and catch passes over the middle on passing plays. He is one big sonofabitch to bring down, so the pats need him to catch and carry.

Around Boston many people on sports radio are making asinine predictions of 28-10 or 33-30. Give me a fucking break. This game will most like ly be in the 13-10 or 17-13 range. It is going to be a low scoring game. It will be close until halfway through the thrid quarter; most likely tied at the half. I am going to go with the Patriots only becasue I am the biggest fucking homer inside Route-128, but it will be one of those games that has me pacing around the living room and yelling at the television.

Justa Testoterone Lounge idea: the cheerleaders should be at a warm weather location, such as Honolulu, HI, and have their cheering put in a little pic-in-pic on the TV screen. Those lovely girls from all four teams deserve a little sun and fun. No reason for them to get a chill.

Then again, I will be available for any little NFL fan hottie who needs some warm lovin' after the game. Hey DirtyJJ, what say you, baby?

 

[Guest]

 

[Seattle Zack]

The championship games are the best weekend in football. Generally, they outshine the Super Bowl -- although the last few Super Bowls have been pretty good.

Tough games to handicap. I know Bellicek's Pats have never lost a playoff game (although they should have lost to the Raiders two years ago ... no, really, I'm over it) ... but still, it's tough to turn down a home dog. A 15-1 home dog, no less. A 15-1 home dog that has already beaten the team they're about to play.

That being said, I took the Steelers and 3 points over the Patriots for $250. That rookie QB is really the X factor, though. He could self-destruct and the Pats will be on him like a school of piranhas in a kid's pool.

I took Philly for $250, giving 5 1/2, in a bad weather game you look at the O-line and the running backs (although Vick probably should be considered a running back for this game). They play indoors, and I think 18 degrees in Philly is about as hostile an environment as you can imagine.

Also put $100 on a two game parlay for the unders (37 for NFC, 35 for AFC) although I noticed those lines have been dropping as the severity of the weather became apparent.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Zack,

I can't argue with any of that. I'd bet the same way. HOWEVER, just a reminder that last year it was pretty nippy up in Green Bay when the indoor Atlanta Falcons whipped the Packers.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Seattle Zack]

Or the Bucs, who had "never won a game when the temperature was under 40 degrees," or some such nonsense. Then they beat the Pack at Lambeau, and won the Super Bowl. These stats, I wonder who comes up with them sometimes?

A network math geek probably, continually sorting and re-sorting game results until he comes up with something like "This team is less than 10% on third-down and 8 when they wear their alternate jerseys and the wind is more than 20 mph." Now that I think about it, that actually would be a fun job.......

 

[Vincent E]

I think that the common theme of the Atlanta and Tampa wins over Green Bay speaks more of the demise of the Packers as serious playoff contenders and less about the teams beating them, even though Tampa did win the Superbowl that year.

Atlanta was outdone by two quarterbacks, Donovon McNabb and Michael Vick. McNabb played well enough to win against Atlanta's defense, but if a few of those inaccurate passes had been a little higher Atlanta could have made some game swinging picks. Vick on the other hand needs to settle down and become a quarterback. That sound you heard at the end of the game was Vick shooting his team in the foot.

Someone, perhaps Bill Belichick, needs to sit down with the young Jim Mora and explain that these scambling quarterback schemes never work in the NFL. Never. Not once. Never have, never will. Tell Vick to drop into the pocket, look for a receiver, and run only as a last option. That's what Steve Young did; that's what John Elway did; even Jim Kelly had a few runs; Aikman, Favre (still cannot pronounce that name,) the guy who played for Baltimore, and of course Tom Brady. Drop into the pocket, check your receivers, and run only when necessary. That's the way you quarterback in the NFL. It might be fun watching your QB scramble around, but if Vick wants to prove his chops as the world's greatest athlete he should leave the NFL and become an Olympic decathlete.

I'll say it here and now, Michael Vick is nothing more than the latest incarnation of Kordell "Slash" Stewart.

See Michael.
Michael has the ball.
Throw the ball, Michael.
No, I said throw the ball.
Micheal throw.
I said throw the fucking ball, dumbass. If you want to be a fucking running back switch numbers and line up at halfback.

On another note, I hope all you guys spreading money around the Vegas oddsmakers are working some overtime to fund your gambling habits. I know that you bet against lines that the oddsmakers set, so let me give you some advice (and please do not take this as hubris), the six-pot spread that New England just opened up with after the game is a fucking insult. Keep in mind when placing your hard earned money that the Patriots have taken on the second and third best teams in the AFC and beaten them at their own games. Indy had the fifth highest scoring offense since the merger, and the Colts got a grand total of three points against the Pats. The Steelers had the top defense in the league, and the Pats' offense scored 34 points on them - a season high - in addition to stealing a defensive TD.

I'm not making any predictions. I am too careful for that. But what will happen ove rht next two weeks is that the Patriots' brain trust is going to disect and analyze every moment of Philly game film and find how and where to beat them. That is what this team does.

I hope that Terrell Ownes is healthy for the game. I hope that Richard Seymour is back in action as well. I want the best athletes on the field for this game. This is the matchup I wanted last year, so I am happy to see it is going to be Phiil and New England.

Go Pats!

 

[NoJo]

I've got a hell of a fucking hard-on this morning... been like it for ages and the fuck hole's out shopping

Why oh why oh why do we have so few posts of this quality these days?

(Enraged of Pinner)

 

[Seattle Zack]

Jesus Christ, Did I ever pick this weekend wrong. I thought that the Steelers had a chance, but they never did. I've already taken the Pats for $500, giving 6, and I wouldn't be surprised if the line moves to 8 or 9 by kickoff.

I should amend my Favre rule: Never bet against Favre or Brady in a big game you need to win.

Is Bellicek a master tactician or what? He hammered Cowher with his gameplan that game. Nine guys in the box, daring Cowher to call a pass play.

I never thought I'd see a football dynasty again, in this age of free agency, certainly not on like the 'Boys in the early 90's or Joe and the Niners in the 80's or the Steelers of the 70's. But the Pats have figured out how to do it.

Damn, what a season. Don't you just love football?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I never thought I'd see a football dynasty again, in this age of free agency, certainly not on like the 'Boys in the early 90's or Joe and the Niners in the 80's or the Steelers of the 70's. But the Pats have figured out how to do it.

Damn, what a season. Don't you just love football?

Yep.

Most of the die-hard non-believers in the Pats have now come around here in Dallas. They do seem to be the first dynasty of the 21st century. The teams they remind me of the most aren't the ones you mentioned, but the "perfect season" Dolphins and the Super Bow Giants. Great defense, power running, and a smart, competent QB who doesn't lose games.

I'd say you did well to bet early and only give up six. I just checked the line on Yahoo sports and its now seven with a 48 point o/u. I've got a hunch you may be right about the line moving as the Pat bandwagon picks up "Big Mo".

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Seattle Zack]

And I just read an article about Bellicek not sleeping the night after he won the AFC championship, worrying about how he'd beat the Eagles two weeks from now.

Got to give the guy some credit, he knows how to discect a team and exploit its weakness. Lord knows, he sure did against the Steelers. Eagles fans, you better hope ol' Andy Reid has a few tricks up his sleeve come Super Bowl Sunday. Not saying he won't, but this will be a good coaching matchup to watch .....

 

[Vincent E]

Bump.

Okay boys, tomorrow is officially Men's Day. Yep, that's right. It is the Superbowl. The thirty-ninth annual day around which the man's callander is based.

Now, rip open a bag of chips, fry up a burger or two, pop them brewskis (while wearing a Bruschi shirt), slap the little woman on the ass, kick up your feet and have a ball.

Any Lit-chicks wanting to come on over and watch the game, just put on the naughty cheerleader outfit (that is a size or two too small), practice your table dancing, and give us a good half-time show. We may not get to see Janet Jackson's tit, but I wouldn't object to seeing a couple of firm boobs from the AH.

It has been too damn long between the conference championships and the Superbowl, but we are a hell of a lot closer now. history teaches us that most times when there is a 2-week break the game is a laugher. However I am going out on a limb.

Patriots 23
Eagles 21

Adan Vinatieri boot syet another last second game winning FG.

 

[Honey123]

OOOh oOOOh...I wanna bet ...I wanna bet.....

What are we betting for????

The yankees in 4? LOL

I will wear my cheerleader's outfit sans the panties, is that okay?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

OOOh oOOOh...I wanna bet ...I wanna bet.....

What are we betting for????

The yankees in 4? LOL

I will wear my cheerleader's outfit sans the panties, is that okay?

Fine by me, child. Did you ever see National Lampoon's high school yearbook parody? First came out in the seventies and has just been re-issued. If you get a chance, check it out, especially the photo of the cheerleader's spinning during a pep rally.

Rumple Foreskin