Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Playoff record: 7-5
Total record: 80-65-7
Thanks for playing with me in 2011!
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Robalini's NFL Picks: Super Bowl Edition
Here's my results for week 20
W-L-T record: 1-1
Playoff record: 6-4
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 79-64-7
Well, the conference championships have been played, and now, after a 20-week season, the NFL is leading up to the biggest game of the year: the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
Okay, maybe it's not the biggest game, but this year it may be the best post-season bet. And so, as a bonus for Robalini's NFL picks SB XLVI edition, I will lend you my pick for the game...
Pro Bowl
I have a general feeling about betting on pre-season games: if the players playing don't really give a shit who wins, why should I? And that's a good general rule about the Pro Bowl as well, the one major league sport all-star game that just isn't taken seriously. The NFL, for all its marketing successes, has kryponite when it comes to this one, which in no way can match the MLB summer classic or the NBA all-star game. Even the NHL has a better track record.
Of course, that may be slowly changing, thanks to what is probably the best decision made yet by Roger Goodell during his reign over the NFL. It was a modest proposal: play the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl rather than the week after. There were many people (myself included) who thought it was a bad idea before it was tried two years ago: by playing it before the big game, all Super Bowl participants would be ineligible, and thus the talent level at the game would be diluted, leading to an inferior game. But after the game, when viewer ratings came out and were through the roof, Goodell was immediately vindicated. And in retrospect, the results shouldn't have been a surprise. Of course viewers don't want to watch the Pro Bowl the week after the Super Bowl. After the Super Bowl, any game is decidedly anti-climatic.
And so, the new apparent tradition of having the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl enters its third year. This year, the effect on the game is particularly noticeable. The Patriots have eight selections missing the game due to their participation in the Super Bowl. Eight players are nearly 20 percent of the roster. In contrast, the Giants only have two selections who are ineligible. Even worse is the biggest name from each team out of the game. The AFC loses Tom Brady, far and away the best QB in the AFC this year. The NFC loses Eli Manning, who, while proving all season once and for all what a clutch passer he is, isn't missed that much, especially since his replacement is Cam Newton.
It would be pretty tough in any case for the AFC, as the NFC has been stacked far greater with talent all year. But looking at the list of QBs on each team really says it all. For the NFC: Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees & Cam Newton. For the AFC: Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers & Andy Dalton. In a game notorious for defenses taking the day off, which group on gunslingers would you trust to really light it up? (And while Rodgers and Brees have been off-the-charts nearly the whole year, it may be Newton who comes up as the game's MVP, as his ludicrous athletic skills are just the kind of playing that dominates a game like this.) Considering all this, it's hard to believe the NFC is only favored by four points. I say give the points and bet on them...
NFC (-4) Over AFC
Super Bowl XLVI
Only a fool would bet against Tom Brady in a big game. So says I, who has voted against Brady and the Patriots in both their playoff games. The result haven't been too bad actually: I lost with Tebow and the Broncos, but 13 1/2 points still was a smart bet, and while the Ravens did lose, they lost by less than a touchdown, and thus I won the bet. But even with my .500 record, it still is a really bad idea to bet against him unless you have a good reason.
In this case, there is a great reason (and not just my obvious hatred of that pretty-boy wuss and his fellow New Englanders.) My feeling (and the feeling of many others) is the Giants have Brady's number. Push comes to shove, expect New York to win in the final two minutes on a Eli Manning TD pass. It's a pretty good bet, especially since Vegas is giving a field goal in the point spread.
The only problem with this: while the Giants are getting three points, they're also a -120 bet rather than the normal -110. To the beginner, that means to win $100, you have to bet $120 rather than $110. To put that in pure mathematical turns, that means the Giants would have to be on the winning side of the bet 6 out of 11 times, rather than 11 out of 21. That's 55 percent as compared to 52 percent, and while that difference seems small, it is a major difference, especially over the long haul.
Simply put, a -120 bet for Giants is a bad bet, period. You're risking too much with a bad opportunity for a return, based on the dynamics of the game. It would be far more worthwhile to give the three points, bet on the Pats and get the even return on your bet. On pure points, I'd side with Brady on this one.
But there's another way...
Rather than bet with points, you could use the Money Line, i.e. betting without a spread but by odds. It's not as popular in football games, but it is common enough. In the case of the SB XLVI, the Giants are +120, meaning that for every $100 you bet on New York, you get $120 in return. In pure math, that means the break even point for NY is winning five out of every eleven games, a winning percentage of 45%. I have more confidence the Giants will win this game 45 percent of the time than I do they'll be within a field goal 55 percent of the time. That's a 10-point percentage shift, a pretty large difference...
New York Giants (+120 ML) Over New England Patriots
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 1-1
Playoff record: 6-4
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 79-64-7
Well, the conference championships have been played, and now, after a 20-week season, the NFL is leading up to the biggest game of the year: the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
Okay, maybe it's not the biggest game, but this year it may be the best post-season bet. And so, as a bonus for Robalini's NFL picks SB XLVI edition, I will lend you my pick for the game...
Pro Bowl
I have a general feeling about betting on pre-season games: if the players playing don't really give a shit who wins, why should I? And that's a good general rule about the Pro Bowl as well, the one major league sport all-star game that just isn't taken seriously. The NFL, for all its marketing successes, has kryponite when it comes to this one, which in no way can match the MLB summer classic or the NBA all-star game. Even the NHL has a better track record.
Of course, that may be slowly changing, thanks to what is probably the best decision made yet by Roger Goodell during his reign over the NFL. It was a modest proposal: play the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl rather than the week after. There were many people (myself included) who thought it was a bad idea before it was tried two years ago: by playing it before the big game, all Super Bowl participants would be ineligible, and thus the talent level at the game would be diluted, leading to an inferior game. But after the game, when viewer ratings came out and were through the roof, Goodell was immediately vindicated. And in retrospect, the results shouldn't have been a surprise. Of course viewers don't want to watch the Pro Bowl the week after the Super Bowl. After the Super Bowl, any game is decidedly anti-climatic.
And so, the new apparent tradition of having the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl enters its third year. This year, the effect on the game is particularly noticeable. The Patriots have eight selections missing the game due to their participation in the Super Bowl. Eight players are nearly 20 percent of the roster. In contrast, the Giants only have two selections who are ineligible. Even worse is the biggest name from each team out of the game. The AFC loses Tom Brady, far and away the best QB in the AFC this year. The NFC loses Eli Manning, who, while proving all season once and for all what a clutch passer he is, isn't missed that much, especially since his replacement is Cam Newton.
It would be pretty tough in any case for the AFC, as the NFC has been stacked far greater with talent all year. But looking at the list of QBs on each team really says it all. For the NFC: Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees & Cam Newton. For the AFC: Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers & Andy Dalton. In a game notorious for defenses taking the day off, which group on gunslingers would you trust to really light it up? (And while Rodgers and Brees have been off-the-charts nearly the whole year, it may be Newton who comes up as the game's MVP, as his ludicrous athletic skills are just the kind of playing that dominates a game like this.) Considering all this, it's hard to believe the NFC is only favored by four points. I say give the points and bet on them...
NFC (-4) Over AFC
Super Bowl XLVI
Only a fool would bet against Tom Brady in a big game. So says I, who has voted against Brady and the Patriots in both their playoff games. The result haven't been too bad actually: I lost with Tebow and the Broncos, but 13 1/2 points still was a smart bet, and while the Ravens did lose, they lost by less than a touchdown, and thus I won the bet. But even with my .500 record, it still is a really bad idea to bet against him unless you have a good reason.
In this case, there is a great reason (and not just my obvious hatred of that pretty-boy wuss and his fellow New Englanders.) My feeling (and the feeling of many others) is the Giants have Brady's number. Push comes to shove, expect New York to win in the final two minutes on a Eli Manning TD pass. It's a pretty good bet, especially since Vegas is giving a field goal in the point spread.
The only problem with this: while the Giants are getting three points, they're also a -120 bet rather than the normal -110. To the beginner, that means to win $100, you have to bet $120 rather than $110. To put that in pure mathematical turns, that means the Giants would have to be on the winning side of the bet 6 out of 11 times, rather than 11 out of 21. That's 55 percent as compared to 52 percent, and while that difference seems small, it is a major difference, especially over the long haul.
Simply put, a -120 bet for Giants is a bad bet, period. You're risking too much with a bad opportunity for a return, based on the dynamics of the game. It would be far more worthwhile to give the three points, bet on the Pats and get the even return on your bet. On pure points, I'd side with Brady on this one.
But there's another way...
Rather than bet with points, you could use the Money Line, i.e. betting without a spread but by odds. It's not as popular in football games, but it is common enough. In the case of the SB XLVI, the Giants are +120, meaning that for every $100 you bet on New York, you get $120 in return. In pure math, that means the break even point for NY is winning five out of every eleven games, a winning percentage of 45%. I have more confidence the Giants will win this game 45 percent of the time than I do they'll be within a field goal 55 percent of the time. That's a 10-point percentage shift, a pretty large difference...
New York Giants (+120 ML) Over New England Patriots
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Ravens-Patriots preview
The AFC title is on the line today, and we'll be watching. My buddy Aaro supports the Ravens, but according to her Twitter account, the beautiful Gemma Atkinson supports the Patriots.
That's all I got, folks. Enjoy the game!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Robalini's Week 20 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 19 W-L-T record: 2-2
Playoff record: 5-3
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 78-63-7
So now it is time for the conference championships, arguably the best day of NFL football every year. (The Super Bowl, after all, is only one game, and historically hasn't lived up to the hype due to notorious blowouts.) When it is all over, I expect that for a season so noted for Playstation-esque passing statistics and scores resembling college basketball games before the shot clock, the final word is ball-control offense, intimidating defense and great coaching is still the best recipe to getting to the big game...
Baltimore Ravens (+7 1/2) Over New England Patriots
Getting 13 1/2 points against the Pats last week was a good bet, but it was still the wrong bet. Psycho Tom (by nickname for Mr. Brady when he is really pissed off and playing with intense anger) was clearly tired of all the talk over Tim Tebow, and the Broncos defense paid the price, giving up six touchdowns to the toughest guy on the planet ever to wear Ugg boots and a Bieber haircut. But the Broncos are not the Ravens. The last time the Ravens played the Pats in the playoffs, they crushed them, and though they lost to them in 2010, it was a very close game when New England was hotter and scarier than they are now. It's foolish to bet against Brady, but I will bet that even if he wins, it'll be by less than a TD...
San Francisco 49ers (-2 1/2) Over New York Giants
I've seen this 49ers teams improve as the season has continued with awe. What's most telling is that with each of their three losses they have learned invaluable lessons that have made them only better. I don't expect them to learns any more lessons from losses this year. The Giants have made an impressive run thanks to great defense and Eli Manning, but you can only win on andrenaline for so long. 2 1/2 points is about right: the 49ers will win at home and by at least a field goal. Look forward to a Super Bowl with two coaches named Harbaugh...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Playoff record: 5-3
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 78-63-7
So now it is time for the conference championships, arguably the best day of NFL football every year. (The Super Bowl, after all, is only one game, and historically hasn't lived up to the hype due to notorious blowouts.) When it is all over, I expect that for a season so noted for Playstation-esque passing statistics and scores resembling college basketball games before the shot clock, the final word is ball-control offense, intimidating defense and great coaching is still the best recipe to getting to the big game...
Baltimore Ravens (+7 1/2) Over New England Patriots
Getting 13 1/2 points against the Pats last week was a good bet, but it was still the wrong bet. Psycho Tom (by nickname for Mr. Brady when he is really pissed off and playing with intense anger) was clearly tired of all the talk over Tim Tebow, and the Broncos defense paid the price, giving up six touchdowns to the toughest guy on the planet ever to wear Ugg boots and a Bieber haircut. But the Broncos are not the Ravens. The last time the Ravens played the Pats in the playoffs, they crushed them, and though they lost to them in 2010, it was a very close game when New England was hotter and scarier than they are now. It's foolish to bet against Brady, but I will bet that even if he wins, it'll be by less than a TD...
San Francisco 49ers (-2 1/2) Over New York Giants
I've seen this 49ers teams improve as the season has continued with awe. What's most telling is that with each of their three losses they have learned invaluable lessons that have made them only better. I don't expect them to learns any more lessons from losses this year. The Giants have made an impressive run thanks to great defense and Eli Manning, but you can only win on andrenaline for so long. 2 1/2 points is about right: the 49ers will win at home and by at least a field goal. Look forward to a Super Bowl with two coaches named Harbaugh...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Robalini's Week 19 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 18
W-L-T record: 3-1
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 76-61-7
So here are my conference semifinal picks:
San Francisco 49ers (+3 1/2) Over New Orleans Saints
I'm a pure 49er fan, so is this a bet based on my heart? Maybe. Still, the Saints are an indoor turf team playing in Candlestick, arguably the most unfriendly football field for a team like NOLA. And while the Saints have a ridiculous offense, if anyone can stop them, it would be the San Francisco defense. The 49ers can win this game, and even if they don't, losing by a field goal or less is a pretty good bet...
Denver Broncos (+13 1/2) Over New England Patriots
I would place myself among the Tim Tebow supporters, and even I have underestimated him. I won't underestimate him again. I still think the Patriots will win this game, but to New England, a win is a win. The victory will be for less than two touchdowns...
Baltimore Ravens (-7 1/2) Over Houston Texans
This is a lot of points, but the Ravens are this good. They are in Super Bowl mode, so they won't slack off like they often have this season. The Texans have had an admirable year, but the season is over...
New York Giants (+7 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
My third dog pick out of four games. The Giants smell like 2007, a team to underestimate at a risk greater than Tim Tebow. The Packers can still win this game, but expect it to be for less than a touchdown...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 3-1
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
Total record: 76-61-7
So here are my conference semifinal picks:
San Francisco 49ers (+3 1/2) Over New Orleans Saints
I'm a pure 49er fan, so is this a bet based on my heart? Maybe. Still, the Saints are an indoor turf team playing in Candlestick, arguably the most unfriendly football field for a team like NOLA. And while the Saints have a ridiculous offense, if anyone can stop them, it would be the San Francisco defense. The 49ers can win this game, and even if they don't, losing by a field goal or less is a pretty good bet...
Denver Broncos (+13 1/2) Over New England Patriots
I would place myself among the Tim Tebow supporters, and even I have underestimated him. I won't underestimate him again. I still think the Patriots will win this game, but to New England, a win is a win. The victory will be for less than two touchdowns...
Baltimore Ravens (-7 1/2) Over Houston Texans
This is a lot of points, but the Ravens are this good. They are in Super Bowl mode, so they won't slack off like they often have this season. The Texans have had an admirable year, but the season is over...
New York Giants (+7 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
My third dog pick out of four games. The Giants smell like 2007, a team to underestimate at a risk greater than Tim Tebow. The Packers can still win this game, but expect it to be for less than a touchdown...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Friday, January 6, 2012
Robalini's Week 18 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 17 W-L-T record: 5-4-2
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
A final regular season winning percentage of 55%. Pretty good...
So here are my Wild Card Playoff round picks:
Houston Texans (-3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are 9-3 against teams not named the Steelers or Ravens, so on that basis they would look to be a good bet. Except look at their resume: there isn't a victory against a single playoff team. And though I've been betting against the Texans, they've done good enough without Matt Schaub (thanks to good play by T.J. Yates, a great rushing attack lead by Arian Foster, and solid defensive play) for me to be confident they can win a playoff game at home...
New Orleans Saints (-10 1/2) Over Detroit Lions
I've been a fan of the Lions all year, and I will say right now (barring the unforseen) they are pick to win the Super Bowl in 2013. But this is 2012, and they just aren't there yet. Especially against a team as explosively hot as the Saints. Yes, the point spread is high, but Drew Brees is even more frightening to face right now than Aaron Rodgers...
New York Giants (-3) Over Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons look actually more solid than they did in 2010 when they were 13-3, and they've proven they are going to be in Super Bowl contention for awhile. But the Giants are hot: Eli Manning is playing better than I've ever seen, their defense is intimidating, and they are playing at home in New York. They probably won't repeat their 2007 Super Bowl success, but they should win this game and be a very serious threat next week against the Packers...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-8) Over Denver Broncos
I've been a Tim Tebow supporter all season, but with a three-game losing streak entering the playoffs (with Tebow playing horribly the last two weeks) it doesn't look good for the Broncos. The Steelers will shut Tebow down, period. The only question is how potent the Steeler offense will be on the road. Ben Roethlisberger has played great this year (only Tom Brady has been a better AFC QB this year) but he's been hurt the last four weeks and it shows. They've scored only 30 points in his last three starts, and two of those games were against the 4-12 Browns. (I almost think they should let the competently efficient backup Charlie Batch start.) Still, I'll stick with Pittsburgh crushing the Broncos on the road with Big Ben taking it up a notch...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Final regular season record: 73-60-7
A final regular season winning percentage of 55%. Pretty good...
So here are my Wild Card Playoff round picks:
Houston Texans (-3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are 9-3 against teams not named the Steelers or Ravens, so on that basis they would look to be a good bet. Except look at their resume: there isn't a victory against a single playoff team. And though I've been betting against the Texans, they've done good enough without Matt Schaub (thanks to good play by T.J. Yates, a great rushing attack lead by Arian Foster, and solid defensive play) for me to be confident they can win a playoff game at home...
New Orleans Saints (-10 1/2) Over Detroit Lions
I've been a fan of the Lions all year, and I will say right now (barring the unforseen) they are pick to win the Super Bowl in 2013. But this is 2012, and they just aren't there yet. Especially against a team as explosively hot as the Saints. Yes, the point spread is high, but Drew Brees is even more frightening to face right now than Aaron Rodgers...
New York Giants (-3) Over Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons look actually more solid than they did in 2010 when they were 13-3, and they've proven they are going to be in Super Bowl contention for awhile. But the Giants are hot: Eli Manning is playing better than I've ever seen, their defense is intimidating, and they are playing at home in New York. They probably won't repeat their 2007 Super Bowl success, but they should win this game and be a very serious threat next week against the Packers...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-8) Over Denver Broncos
I've been a Tim Tebow supporter all season, but with a three-game losing streak entering the playoffs (with Tebow playing horribly the last two weeks) it doesn't look good for the Broncos. The Steelers will shut Tebow down, period. The only question is how potent the Steeler offense will be on the road. Ben Roethlisberger has played great this year (only Tom Brady has been a better AFC QB this year) but he's been hurt the last four weeks and it shows. They've scored only 30 points in his last three starts, and two of those games were against the 4-12 Browns. (I almost think they should let the competently efficient backup Charlie Batch start.) Still, I'll stick with Pittsburgh crushing the Broncos on the road with Big Ben taking it up a notch...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Friday, December 30, 2011
Robalini's Week 17 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 16 W-L-T record: 6-5
Season record: 68-56-5
Philadelphia Eagles (-8 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
The Eagles are one of those teams that comes around every now and then, a really talented team that underperforms, but starts getting it on just a little too late. They don't care about missing the playoffs now, but they do want to take it out on their opponents and prove to the other teams who make it they're lucky they're not there. The Redskins are the perfect team to prove it on...
San Francisco 49ers (-10 1/2) Over St. Louis Rams
The 49ers are trying to secure an opening round bye against a very weak team. They should take care of business...
Detroit Lions (-3 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
The Packers don't have anything to prove at 14-1, while the Lions do...
New York Giants (-3) Over Dallas Cowboys
I've been a supporter of the Cowboys and Tony Romo all season. But he's injured to some degree, and the Cowboys have never lived up to to their potential all season. I don't expect them to change that in their final game, on the road against the resilient Giants...
Tennessee Titans (-3) Over Houston Texans
The Titans have an outside chance at the playoffs with a victory, and the Texans have nothing to play for...
Baltimore Ravens (-2 1/2) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengal have underperformed all year against good teams, and the Ravens have an opening round bye earned with a victory...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) Over Cleveland Browns
Even if Big Ben doesn't play, the Steelers are in more than good hands with backup QB Charlie Batch...
Miami Dolphins (-2) Over New York Jets
I've been pro Jets all year, but like the Cowboys, they've never closed the deal. I don't expect that to change on the road against the Dolphins...
New England Patriots (-11 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
The Patriots have two things to take care of: clinching home field advantage to the Super Bowl with a win, and gaining revenge on the Bills for a loss that still stings. They'll manage to do both...
San Diego Chargers (+3) Over Oakland Raiders
The Chargers are like the Eagles this year, which should lead to the same results of a decisive victory...
Seattle Seahawks (+3) Over Arizona Cardinals
The Seahawks are, to a lesser degree than the Eagles and Chargers, too little too late, but they'll still get the job done against the Cards...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Season record: 68-56-5
Philadelphia Eagles (-8 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
The Eagles are one of those teams that comes around every now and then, a really talented team that underperforms, but starts getting it on just a little too late. They don't care about missing the playoffs now, but they do want to take it out on their opponents and prove to the other teams who make it they're lucky they're not there. The Redskins are the perfect team to prove it on...
San Francisco 49ers (-10 1/2) Over St. Louis Rams
The 49ers are trying to secure an opening round bye against a very weak team. They should take care of business...
Detroit Lions (-3 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
The Packers don't have anything to prove at 14-1, while the Lions do...
New York Giants (-3) Over Dallas Cowboys
I've been a supporter of the Cowboys and Tony Romo all season. But he's injured to some degree, and the Cowboys have never lived up to to their potential all season. I don't expect them to change that in their final game, on the road against the resilient Giants...
Tennessee Titans (-3) Over Houston Texans
The Titans have an outside chance at the playoffs with a victory, and the Texans have nothing to play for...
Baltimore Ravens (-2 1/2) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengal have underperformed all year against good teams, and the Ravens have an opening round bye earned with a victory...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) Over Cleveland Browns
Even if Big Ben doesn't play, the Steelers are in more than good hands with backup QB Charlie Batch...
Miami Dolphins (-2) Over New York Jets
I've been pro Jets all year, but like the Cowboys, they've never closed the deal. I don't expect that to change on the road against the Dolphins...
New England Patriots (-11 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
The Patriots have two things to take care of: clinching home field advantage to the Super Bowl with a win, and gaining revenge on the Bills for a loss that still stings. They'll manage to do both...
San Diego Chargers (+3) Over Oakland Raiders
The Chargers are like the Eagles this year, which should lead to the same results of a decisive victory...
Seattle Seahawks (+3) Over Arizona Cardinals
The Seahawks are, to a lesser degree than the Eagles and Chargers, too little too late, but they'll still get the job done against the Cards...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Robalini's Week 15 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 14 W-L-T record: 5-4
Season record: 58-48-3
Dallas Cowboys (-7) Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Cowboys, even with Tony Romo's great play this year, have failed to live up to their potential to be a great team. That shouldn't matter against the Bucs, who appear pretty hopeless...
New York Giants (-6 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
The Giants at home against the Skins? Fuggedaboudit...
New Orleans Saints (-6 1/2) Over Minnesota Vikings
My love affair with the Saints continues...
Seattle Seahawks (+3 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
Normally warm-weather or indoor teams don't do well at really cold places in late December. But Seattle is well-coached and are fundamentally sound on both offense & defense, while the Bears have scored only 33 points in the 3 games they've had without Jay Cutler. I call this an upset, if it is one...
Buffalo Bills (-2) Over Miami Dolphins
Like I said, warm-weather teams don't do well at really cold places in late December. When you add the Dolphins have an injured QB and just fired their coach, it looks pretty good for the Bills...
Carolina Panthers (+6) Over Houston Texans
The Texans keep defying the odds by winning without star QB Matt Schaub. But I'm going to bet against them again...
Cincinnati Bengals (-7) Over St. Louis Rams
The Bengals have a poor record against teams with a winning record. The Rams aren't a team with a winning record...
Detroit Lions (-1) Over Oakland Raiders
Ndamukong Suh is back, and he's ready to go psycho against the Raiders, leading his talented but undisciplined defense to victory...
Baltimore Ravens (-2 1/2) Over San Diego Chargers
The Ravens look to cement themselves as the best team in the AFC with this win...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Season record: 58-48-3
Dallas Cowboys (-7) Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Cowboys, even with Tony Romo's great play this year, have failed to live up to their potential to be a great team. That shouldn't matter against the Bucs, who appear pretty hopeless...
New York Giants (-6 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
The Giants at home against the Skins? Fuggedaboudit...
New Orleans Saints (-6 1/2) Over Minnesota Vikings
My love affair with the Saints continues...
Seattle Seahawks (+3 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
Normally warm-weather or indoor teams don't do well at really cold places in late December. But Seattle is well-coached and are fundamentally sound on both offense & defense, while the Bears have scored only 33 points in the 3 games they've had without Jay Cutler. I call this an upset, if it is one...
Buffalo Bills (-2) Over Miami Dolphins
Like I said, warm-weather teams don't do well at really cold places in late December. When you add the Dolphins have an injured QB and just fired their coach, it looks pretty good for the Bills...
Carolina Panthers (+6) Over Houston Texans
The Texans keep defying the odds by winning without star QB Matt Schaub. But I'm going to bet against them again...
Cincinnati Bengals (-7) Over St. Louis Rams
The Bengals have a poor record against teams with a winning record. The Rams aren't a team with a winning record...
Detroit Lions (-1) Over Oakland Raiders
Ndamukong Suh is back, and he's ready to go psycho against the Raiders, leading his talented but undisciplined defense to victory...
Baltimore Ravens (-2 1/2) Over San Diego Chargers
The Ravens look to cement themselves as the best team in the AFC with this win...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Robalini's Week 14 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 13
W-L-T record: 5-4
Season record: 53-44-3
Cincinnati Bengals (-3) Over Houston Texans
The Bengals have proven themselves to be a serious team, and the Texans still don't have a real quarterback...
Green Bay Packers (-11) Over Oakland Raiders
I've bet five weeks in a row against the Packers, and have gone 2-3 on those bets. I'm pulling out and calling this a victory. The Packers are the best team in football right now, and Aaron Rodgers is not only the NFL MVP, he is on pace to have the best season of any quarterback in history. I still doubt they can go undefeated, and they may still not win the Super Bowl, but losing won't begin at home against the confused Raiders who aren't used to Green Bay Decembers...
New York Jets (-8 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
The Jets aren't as bad as the haters believe. The Chiefs are as bad...
New Orleans Saints (-4) Over Tennessee Titans
Drew Brees is on a roll...
New England Patriots (-8) Over Washington Redskins
The Pats aren't as hot as they were a few weeks ago, but they're still hot enough to beat the Skins...
San Francisco 49ers (-4) Over Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers aren't scared of the Cards...
Denver Broncos (-3 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
Tebow probably won't need last minute magic to beat a team with no real QB...
San Diego Chargers (-6 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
The Chargers look back on track and the Bills don't...
Seattle Seahawks (-10) Over St. Louis Rams
Ten points are a lot, but not with Seattle at home against the lowly Rams...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 5-4
Season record: 53-44-3
Cincinnati Bengals (-3) Over Houston Texans
The Bengals have proven themselves to be a serious team, and the Texans still don't have a real quarterback...
Green Bay Packers (-11) Over Oakland Raiders
I've bet five weeks in a row against the Packers, and have gone 2-3 on those bets. I'm pulling out and calling this a victory. The Packers are the best team in football right now, and Aaron Rodgers is not only the NFL MVP, he is on pace to have the best season of any quarterback in history. I still doubt they can go undefeated, and they may still not win the Super Bowl, but losing won't begin at home against the confused Raiders who aren't used to Green Bay Decembers...
New York Jets (-8 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
The Jets aren't as bad as the haters believe. The Chiefs are as bad...
New Orleans Saints (-4) Over Tennessee Titans
Drew Brees is on a roll...
New England Patriots (-8) Over Washington Redskins
The Pats aren't as hot as they were a few weeks ago, but they're still hot enough to beat the Skins...
San Francisco 49ers (-4) Over Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers aren't scared of the Cards...
Denver Broncos (-3 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
Tebow probably won't need last minute magic to beat a team with no real QB...
San Diego Chargers (-6 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
The Chargers look back on track and the Bills don't...
Seattle Seahawks (-10) Over St. Louis Rams
Ten points are a lot, but not with Seattle at home against the lowly Rams...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Robalini's Week 13 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 12
W-L-T record: 3-5
Season record: 48-40-3
Philadelphia Eagles (-2 1/2) Over Seattle Seahawks
The Eagles have had a frustrating season, but even with Michael Vick out (Vince Young is no slouch) they should take care of the Seahawks...
Buffalo Bills (-1 1/2) Over Tennessee Titans
The Bills have lost four in a row, but they're still a sound team. Look for them to rebound against the Titans in Buffalo during a cold December game...
Baltimore Ravens (-6 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
The Ravens have underperformed this year against lowly teams like the Browns, but Cleveland is a hated rival they won't have trouble getting jacked up over...
Atlanta Falcons (-2 1/2) Over Houston Texans
Points spreads don't fairly reflect the loss of both Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart at QB for the Texans...
New Orleans Saints (-9) Over Detroit Lions
Ndamukong Suh sure picked a bad time to be suspended, with the Saints offense looking almost as frightening as the Packers...
Denver Broncos (Even) Over Minnesota Vikings
Watching Tim Tebow play football is like watching David Caruso on CSI: Miami. To call what Caruso does on that show bad acting is unfair to the profession of acting, as Caruso in no way behaves like anything resembling a real human being. And yet, he is hypnotic to watch. Likewise, Tebow is horribly inaccurate, to a degree where the haters are almost correct in declaring he has no business being an NFL quarterback. But he doesn't make mistakes (only 1 interception in the seven games he's played at QB) and he's 5-1 as a starter. Make that 6-1...
Dallas Cowboys (-4 1/2) Over Arizona Cardinals
Tony Romo is still not getting the credit he deserves for how he's turned his season around...
New York Giants (+7) Over Green Bay Packers
Does my masochistic hatred of the Packers have any limits? I am 1-4 betting against Green Bay. But the Giants are playing at home and have low expectations. History has shown New York tends to deliver goods in that situation...
San Diego Chargers (-2 1/2) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
Here's what I said in my Week 7 preview on San Diego: "Meanwhile, the Chargers are 4-1, a shockingly good record for a team notorious for starting slow in the Norv Turner era, more impressive because their only loss is against the omnipotent Patriots. And yet, they oddly don't look particularly strong this year, either on the stat sheet or the eyeball test. Go figure." They are 0-6 since my analysis. But I figure that to turn around finally against the Jags. Maybe they aren't as good as 4-1 suggested, but they aren't as bad as 4-7 either...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 3-5
Season record: 48-40-3
Philadelphia Eagles (-2 1/2) Over Seattle Seahawks
The Eagles have had a frustrating season, but even with Michael Vick out (Vince Young is no slouch) they should take care of the Seahawks...
Buffalo Bills (-1 1/2) Over Tennessee Titans
The Bills have lost four in a row, but they're still a sound team. Look for them to rebound against the Titans in Buffalo during a cold December game...
Baltimore Ravens (-6 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
The Ravens have underperformed this year against lowly teams like the Browns, but Cleveland is a hated rival they won't have trouble getting jacked up over...
Atlanta Falcons (-2 1/2) Over Houston Texans
Points spreads don't fairly reflect the loss of both Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart at QB for the Texans...
New Orleans Saints (-9) Over Detroit Lions
Ndamukong Suh sure picked a bad time to be suspended, with the Saints offense looking almost as frightening as the Packers...
Denver Broncos (Even) Over Minnesota Vikings
Watching Tim Tebow play football is like watching David Caruso on CSI: Miami. To call what Caruso does on that show bad acting is unfair to the profession of acting, as Caruso in no way behaves like anything resembling a real human being. And yet, he is hypnotic to watch. Likewise, Tebow is horribly inaccurate, to a degree where the haters are almost correct in declaring he has no business being an NFL quarterback. But he doesn't make mistakes (only 1 interception in the seven games he's played at QB) and he's 5-1 as a starter. Make that 6-1...
Dallas Cowboys (-4 1/2) Over Arizona Cardinals
Tony Romo is still not getting the credit he deserves for how he's turned his season around...
New York Giants (+7) Over Green Bay Packers
Does my masochistic hatred of the Packers have any limits? I am 1-4 betting against Green Bay. But the Giants are playing at home and have low expectations. History has shown New York tends to deliver goods in that situation...
San Diego Chargers (-2 1/2) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
Here's what I said in my Week 7 preview on San Diego: "Meanwhile, the Chargers are 4-1, a shockingly good record for a team notorious for starting slow in the Norv Turner era, more impressive because their only loss is against the omnipotent Patriots. And yet, they oddly don't look particularly strong this year, either on the stat sheet or the eyeball test. Go figure." They are 0-6 since my analysis. But I figure that to turn around finally against the Jags. Maybe they aren't as good as 4-1 suggested, but they aren't as bad as 4-7 either...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Robalini's Week 12 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 11
W-L-T record: 4-5-1
Season record: 45-35-3
Detroit Lions (+6 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
This is the fifth time I'm betting against the Packers. Why do I hate them so much? Actually, I don't. Aaron Rodgers is on pace for the greatest season in NFL history for a quarterback, and the 10-0 Packers are deservedly the favorites to repeat as champs. That said, the point spreads that Vegas is offering against the Packers have been way too high, though they've covered three out of the four times I've bet against them so far. Point spreads or no point spreads, I have trouble picturing Green Bay going undefeated all season (it's only been done by the fabled 1972 Miami Dolphins) and thus they have at least one game that is a bullet with their name on it. A Thanksgiving game on the road against the tenacious Detroit Lions is as good of a bet as any. Even if the Lions lose, I'm willing to bet that it's gonna be a close one...
Dallas Cowboys (-7) Over Miami Dolphins
Go figure: after losing their first seven, Miami has won three in a row. But Dallas is looking even better, with Tony Romo quietly putting together a great season, no matter what the haters say. The Cowboys and Romo like to shine on Turkey Day, which is precisely what they'll do...
Cincinnati Bengals (-7 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
It's time to give the Bengals their due, ironically after losing two in a row. Still, losses against the Steelers and Ravens are nothing to feel shame over, and they should return to winning ways at home against the lowly Browns...
Carolina Panthers (-3 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
Even with a 2-8 record, I'm still high on Cam Newton and the Panthers. Look for them to beat the winless Colts...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) Over Tennessee Titans
The Bucs are another team I'm still big on, though they've lost four in a row. I see them taking care of the Titans even if they're on the road...
New England Patriots (-3 1/2) Over Philadelphia Eagles
Betting with the Pats with a spread greater than two touchdowns was quite a risk last week, but I took it. Why? Because the Pats are starting to look really scary again, something they showed in the second half against the Jets. Look for them to dominate the Eagles...
Denver Broncos (+6 1/2) Over San Diego Chargers
The Broncos are 4-1 since Tim Tebow took over as QB. The Chargers have lost five in a row. So why are the Chargers favored by 6 1/2? Forget the haters, Tim, I'm betting on you on the road in San Diego...
Steelers (-10 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are falling apart, and the Steelers are a team that can take apart a weak team like KC...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 4-5-1
Season record: 45-35-3
Detroit Lions (+6 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
This is the fifth time I'm betting against the Packers. Why do I hate them so much? Actually, I don't. Aaron Rodgers is on pace for the greatest season in NFL history for a quarterback, and the 10-0 Packers are deservedly the favorites to repeat as champs. That said, the point spreads that Vegas is offering against the Packers have been way too high, though they've covered three out of the four times I've bet against them so far. Point spreads or no point spreads, I have trouble picturing Green Bay going undefeated all season (it's only been done by the fabled 1972 Miami Dolphins) and thus they have at least one game that is a bullet with their name on it. A Thanksgiving game on the road against the tenacious Detroit Lions is as good of a bet as any. Even if the Lions lose, I'm willing to bet that it's gonna be a close one...
Dallas Cowboys (-7) Over Miami Dolphins
Go figure: after losing their first seven, Miami has won three in a row. But Dallas is looking even better, with Tony Romo quietly putting together a great season, no matter what the haters say. The Cowboys and Romo like to shine on Turkey Day, which is precisely what they'll do...
Cincinnati Bengals (-7 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
It's time to give the Bengals their due, ironically after losing two in a row. Still, losses against the Steelers and Ravens are nothing to feel shame over, and they should return to winning ways at home against the lowly Browns...
Carolina Panthers (-3 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
Even with a 2-8 record, I'm still high on Cam Newton and the Panthers. Look for them to beat the winless Colts...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) Over Tennessee Titans
The Bucs are another team I'm still big on, though they've lost four in a row. I see them taking care of the Titans even if they're on the road...
New England Patriots (-3 1/2) Over Philadelphia Eagles
Betting with the Pats with a spread greater than two touchdowns was quite a risk last week, but I took it. Why? Because the Pats are starting to look really scary again, something they showed in the second half against the Jets. Look for them to dominate the Eagles...
Denver Broncos (+6 1/2) Over San Diego Chargers
The Broncos are 4-1 since Tim Tebow took over as QB. The Chargers have lost five in a row. So why are the Chargers favored by 6 1/2? Forget the haters, Tim, I'm betting on you on the road in San Diego...
Steelers (-10 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are falling apart, and the Steelers are a team that can take apart a weak team like KC...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Robalini's Week 11 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 10
W-L-T record: 4-4
Season record: 41-30-2
New York Jets (-5) Over Denver Broncos
After getting blown away by the Patriots, the Jets should underperform against the Broncos, who are 3-1 under Tim Tebow, right? Nope, sorry, the Broncos just aren't that good, as they proved when playing the Lions, a team built very much like the Jets...
Atlanta Falcons (-6 1/2) Over Tennessee Titans
The Falcons have proven they are a tough team this season, despite two losses to the Saints and one to the Packers. They'll take care of the Titans in a home game...
Buffalo Bills (+2) Over Miami Dolphins
Miami has won two in a row and the Bills have lost two in a row, but both streaks should end on Sunday...
Baltimore Ravens (-7) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Ravens seem to really underperform when it's not a big game. But they should be up for the Bengals, who at 6-3 are a serious playoff rival...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+13 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
You would think I've learned not to bet against the Packers, but I haven't. I still buy in to the idea the Bucs are a better team than they're being given credit for...
Dallas Cowboys (-8) Over Washington Redskins
The Cowboys have got it in gear, perhaps too late to make the playoffs. Playoffs or not, Romo and co. will crush the Skins...
San Francisco 49ers (-9 1/2) Over Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers passed an important test by beating the Giants last week. They will continue the momentum with a blowout over the Cards...
Chicago Bears (-4) Over San Diego Chargers
The Bears haven't always looked pretty, but they appear ready to make the playoffs. The Chargers have looked terrible in losing four in a row...
New York Giants (-4) Over Philadelphia Eagles
The Giants, despite their loss to the 49ers, look to be top dog in the NFC East. They should dispatch the disappointing Eagles (with or without Vick) in NY...
New England Patriots (-15) Over Kansas City Chiefs
Whether they won or lost, I'd take the Pats to crush the Chieft in New England on a rebound game after the Jets. And that's before I knew Matt Cassel was out...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 4-4
Season record: 41-30-2
New York Jets (-5) Over Denver Broncos
After getting blown away by the Patriots, the Jets should underperform against the Broncos, who are 3-1 under Tim Tebow, right? Nope, sorry, the Broncos just aren't that good, as they proved when playing the Lions, a team built very much like the Jets...
Atlanta Falcons (-6 1/2) Over Tennessee Titans
The Falcons have proven they are a tough team this season, despite two losses to the Saints and one to the Packers. They'll take care of the Titans in a home game...
Buffalo Bills (+2) Over Miami Dolphins
Miami has won two in a row and the Bills have lost two in a row, but both streaks should end on Sunday...
Baltimore Ravens (-7) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Ravens seem to really underperform when it's not a big game. But they should be up for the Bengals, who at 6-3 are a serious playoff rival...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+13 1/2) Over Green Bay Packers
You would think I've learned not to bet against the Packers, but I haven't. I still buy in to the idea the Bucs are a better team than they're being given credit for...
Dallas Cowboys (-8) Over Washington Redskins
The Cowboys have got it in gear, perhaps too late to make the playoffs. Playoffs or not, Romo and co. will crush the Skins...
San Francisco 49ers (-9 1/2) Over Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers passed an important test by beating the Giants last week. They will continue the momentum with a blowout over the Cards...
Chicago Bears (-4) Over San Diego Chargers
The Bears haven't always looked pretty, but they appear ready to make the playoffs. The Chargers have looked terrible in losing four in a row...
New York Giants (-4) Over Philadelphia Eagles
The Giants, despite their loss to the 49ers, look to be top dog in the NFC East. They should dispatch the disappointing Eagles (with or without Vick) in NY...
New England Patriots (-15) Over Kansas City Chiefs
Whether they won or lost, I'd take the Pats to crush the Chieft in New England on a rebound game after the Jets. And that's before I knew Matt Cassel was out...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Aliens Love NFL Football
From HuffPo:
For many football fans who watched the New Orleans Saints rout the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 23, the most unusual thing about the game was the lopsided final score of 62-7.
But for UFO aficionados and paranormal experts who tuned in, they may have seen something in the sky that was even more out-of-the-ordinary than the tossing of more touchdowns vs. incompletions.
As NBC's cameras returned from a commercial break and focused on the historic, triple-steepled St. Louis Cathedral in the city nicknamed the Big Easy, a couple of lit objects seemed to streak across the darkening sky -- and they've yet to be definitively identified.
Viewed in real-time, it's hard to see much more than something flashing across the screen. But a frame-by-frame scrutiny of the video reveals a rod-shaped object topped with brightly lit dots.
Rod-shaped UFOs? Actually, this isn't the first time such objects have been seen and photographed.
In 1994, independent filmmaker Jose Escamilla was attempting to videotape UFOs near Roswell, N.M. -- yes, that Roswell -- home of the legendary, alleged crash of a UFO in 1947 that has captured the imaginations of millions of people for decades.
"As I reviewed one of the tapes, I noticed something streak past my camera viewfinder and thought at first it was just a bird or insect," Escamilla told The Huffington Post.
"Looking at each frame of the footage again, I knew it was something more unusual. My girlfriend at the time called them 'rods' as they sort of looked like some kind of life form you'd see in a microscope."
Since that time, Escamilla has collected hundreds of taped examples from around the world of these so-called rods, which vary in physical form: Some look like centipedes with appendages and others have no appendages but appear to have lights on top of them.
Skeptics maintain there's nothing extraordinary about all of this -- the objects, they say, are merely insects flying very close to the camera lens.
"I think these are insects that got caught in that interlaced video as they're flying through with a wing beat frequency, and the frames are being captured at a frequency... that causes that look," insisted Marc Dantonio, chief photo and video analyst for the Mutual UFO Network.
Dantonio owns FX Models -- a Connecticut company that creates special effects and models for the government. He's one of many investigators who insist that when an object -- moving very fast, like a flying insect -- gets close enough to a camera lens with a slow enough shutter speed, it produces an effect called motion blur, making the insect's wings appear elongated, or rod-shaped.
"They're fascinating, but they're actually quite down to earth," Dantonio said.
But one little frame of the video may be the one little problem that could rule out the insect theory. Amazingly, the frame reveals the mystery object is moving behind one of the cathedral towers. But how could that be if it was only an insect?
"The object is not going behind the cathedral -- it's actually in front of it," Dantonio said. "But because of the saturated CCD [charge-coupled device used in digital imaging], it looks like it's going behind. And when you see those three dots or lights [on the object], I think they're wing beats."
But when Dantonio took a closer look at the single video frame in question, he began to bend a little.
"Yeah, that sure does look weird. I won't say it's not interesting, but I'll tell you right now: I'm sure that there's a conventional explanation and I believe firmly that this is something very close to the camera."
Robert Sheaffer, one of the world's leading UFO skeptics, agrees.
"Every time something flies in front of a camera now it's gonna be a UFO -- little bugs, some little bird, anything," Sheaffer said.
When the arch doubter first looked at the Big Easy video, he immediately assumed the mystery object was an insect. But when Sheaffer -- who was featured at this past weekend's all-skeptics CSIcon conference in, coincidentally, New Orleans -- looked more closely at the single "smoking gun" video frame from the cathedral, he admitted it has him a little stumped.
"The first time I watched this thing, I didn't even see that [the rod] was there. Now I'm looking at the part where [the video] is slowing down, slow, slow, zoom, zoom...okay, now I agree -- I see that it pauses right behind the left spire, at least it seems to catch it right behind it, and that building is pretty far away. It really looks like it's going behind."
Another thing adds fuel to the rod fire: Many previous images also show these pesky elongated objects moving in the sky behind things like trees, power poles, buildings, etc. Can all of them be simply explained as tricks or optical illusions resulting in slow camera recording speeds?
"It could be explained as an insect, but what I've found on a lot of footage over the years is that these things do go behind structures, such as this cathedral tower," Escamilla said...
UFO At NFL Game: TV Camera Captures Strange Object In Flight During Broadcast
Lee Speigel
lee.speigel@huffingtonpost.com
11/1/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/ufo-nfl-game_n_1033966.html
For many football fans who watched the New Orleans Saints rout the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 23, the most unusual thing about the game was the lopsided final score of 62-7.
But for UFO aficionados and paranormal experts who tuned in, they may have seen something in the sky that was even more out-of-the-ordinary than the tossing of more touchdowns vs. incompletions.
As NBC's cameras returned from a commercial break and focused on the historic, triple-steepled St. Louis Cathedral in the city nicknamed the Big Easy, a couple of lit objects seemed to streak across the darkening sky -- and they've yet to be definitively identified.
Viewed in real-time, it's hard to see much more than something flashing across the screen. But a frame-by-frame scrutiny of the video reveals a rod-shaped object topped with brightly lit dots.
Rod-shaped UFOs? Actually, this isn't the first time such objects have been seen and photographed.
In 1994, independent filmmaker Jose Escamilla was attempting to videotape UFOs near Roswell, N.M. -- yes, that Roswell -- home of the legendary, alleged crash of a UFO in 1947 that has captured the imaginations of millions of people for decades.
"As I reviewed one of the tapes, I noticed something streak past my camera viewfinder and thought at first it was just a bird or insect," Escamilla told The Huffington Post.
"Looking at each frame of the footage again, I knew it was something more unusual. My girlfriend at the time called them 'rods' as they sort of looked like some kind of life form you'd see in a microscope."
Since that time, Escamilla has collected hundreds of taped examples from around the world of these so-called rods, which vary in physical form: Some look like centipedes with appendages and others have no appendages but appear to have lights on top of them.
Skeptics maintain there's nothing extraordinary about all of this -- the objects, they say, are merely insects flying very close to the camera lens.
"I think these are insects that got caught in that interlaced video as they're flying through with a wing beat frequency, and the frames are being captured at a frequency... that causes that look," insisted Marc Dantonio, chief photo and video analyst for the Mutual UFO Network.
Dantonio owns FX Models -- a Connecticut company that creates special effects and models for the government. He's one of many investigators who insist that when an object -- moving very fast, like a flying insect -- gets close enough to a camera lens with a slow enough shutter speed, it produces an effect called motion blur, making the insect's wings appear elongated, or rod-shaped.
"They're fascinating, but they're actually quite down to earth," Dantonio said.
But one little frame of the video may be the one little problem that could rule out the insect theory. Amazingly, the frame reveals the mystery object is moving behind one of the cathedral towers. But how could that be if it was only an insect?
"The object is not going behind the cathedral -- it's actually in front of it," Dantonio said. "But because of the saturated CCD [charge-coupled device used in digital imaging], it looks like it's going behind. And when you see those three dots or lights [on the object], I think they're wing beats."
But when Dantonio took a closer look at the single video frame in question, he began to bend a little.
"Yeah, that sure does look weird. I won't say it's not interesting, but I'll tell you right now: I'm sure that there's a conventional explanation and I believe firmly that this is something very close to the camera."
Robert Sheaffer, one of the world's leading UFO skeptics, agrees.
"Every time something flies in front of a camera now it's gonna be a UFO -- little bugs, some little bird, anything," Sheaffer said.
When the arch doubter first looked at the Big Easy video, he immediately assumed the mystery object was an insect. But when Sheaffer -- who was featured at this past weekend's all-skeptics CSIcon conference in, coincidentally, New Orleans -- looked more closely at the single "smoking gun" video frame from the cathedral, he admitted it has him a little stumped.
"The first time I watched this thing, I didn't even see that [the rod] was there. Now I'm looking at the part where [the video] is slowing down, slow, slow, zoom, zoom...okay, now I agree -- I see that it pauses right behind the left spire, at least it seems to catch it right behind it, and that building is pretty far away. It really looks like it's going behind."
Another thing adds fuel to the rod fire: Many previous images also show these pesky elongated objects moving in the sky behind things like trees, power poles, buildings, etc. Can all of them be simply explained as tricks or optical illusions resulting in slow camera recording speeds?
"It could be explained as an insect, but what I've found on a lot of footage over the years is that these things do go behind structures, such as this cathedral tower," Escamilla said...
UFO At NFL Game: TV Camera Captures Strange Object In Flight During Broadcast
Lee Speigel
lee.speigel@huffingtonpost.com
11/1/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/ufo-nfl-game_n_1033966.html
Robalini's Week 10 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 9
W-L-T record: 6-3
Season record: 37-26-2
Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have an amazing record this year with rookie Andy Dalton at QB. Of course, they have yet to face a team like the Steelers...
Dallas Cowboys (-5 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
Despite all the haters, Tony Romo is quietly getting into gear after a slow start. He should do well at home against the Bills...
New Orleans Saints (-1) Over Atlanta Falcons
I learned my lesson on betting against the Saints last week. I'll take them against the Falcons, even if they're on the road...
Detroit Lions (+2 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
The Lions got their mojo back in their crushing victory over the Broncos two weeks ago. The Bears are a quality team, but I'll still take Detroit on the road...
Baltimore Ravens (-6 1/2) Over Seattle Seahawks
The Ravens do underperform in low caliber games, but 6 1/2 against the lowly Seahawks doesn't give Baltimore enough credit...
San Francisco 49ers (-3 1/2) Over New York Giants
The 49ers will prove they are a team to be taken seriously after they beat the Giants in a home game...
New York Jets (-1 1/2) Over New England Patriots
The Jets are built to exploit the weaknesses in the Patriots, weaknesses that will become all too apparent when New England loses three in a row...
Minnesota Vikings (-14) Over Green Bay Packers
The Packers are amazing, but at least until they lose, every opponent will give them their A-game. The Vikings A-game is within 14 points, even if Green Bay is at home...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com
W-L-T record: 6-3
Season record: 37-26-2
Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have an amazing record this year with rookie Andy Dalton at QB. Of course, they have yet to face a team like the Steelers...
Dallas Cowboys (-5 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
Despite all the haters, Tony Romo is quietly getting into gear after a slow start. He should do well at home against the Bills...
New Orleans Saints (-1) Over Atlanta Falcons
I learned my lesson on betting against the Saints last week. I'll take them against the Falcons, even if they're on the road...
Detroit Lions (+2 1/2) Over Chicago Bears
The Lions got their mojo back in their crushing victory over the Broncos two weeks ago. The Bears are a quality team, but I'll still take Detroit on the road...
Baltimore Ravens (-6 1/2) Over Seattle Seahawks
The Ravens do underperform in low caliber games, but 6 1/2 against the lowly Seahawks doesn't give Baltimore enough credit...
San Francisco 49ers (-3 1/2) Over New York Giants
The 49ers will prove they are a team to be taken seriously after they beat the Giants in a home game...
New York Jets (-1 1/2) Over New England Patriots
The Jets are built to exploit the weaknesses in the Patriots, weaknesses that will become all too apparent when New England loses three in a row...
Minnesota Vikings (-14) Over Green Bay Packers
The Packers are amazing, but at least until they lose, every opponent will give them their A-game. The Vikings A-game is within 14 points, even if Green Bay is at home...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Robalini's Week 9 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 8
W-L-T record: 4-4
Season record: 31-23-2
This week is contrarian week:
Atlanta Falcons (-6 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
I think the Falcons are a highly undervalued team. I also think the Colts suck...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+8) Over New Orleans Saints
Part one of contrarian week. It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Saints, but giving the Bucs eight points is way too much...
New York Jets (+2 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
Part two, though 2 1/2 points isn't a big spread. But I'm picking the Jets, because they need the win more, so they're gonna get it...
Kansas City Chiefs (-4) Over Miami Dolphins
The Chiefs have sold me they're back, at least to some degree. The Chiefs want to win at home, while Miami wants Andrew Luck...
San Francisco 49ers (-4) Over Washington Redskins
I don't think the Niners are as good as their record suggests. But they are better than the Redskins...
Arizona Cardinals (-3) Over St. Louis Rams
The Rams finally won last week and the Cards have lost six in a row, but I'll still take Arizona at home...
New York Giants (+8 1/2) Over New England Patriots
Part three of contrarian week. Bettors still don't believe how bad the Pats defense is...
San Diego Chargers (+6) Over Green Bay Packers
Part four. The Chargers can win, and even if they lose, I expect a close loss...
Chicago Bears (+7 1/2) Over Philadelphia Eagles
Part five. The Eagles have recovered from a 1-4 start, but 7 1/2 points against the underrated Bears is just too much...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 4-4
Season record: 31-23-2
This week is contrarian week:
Atlanta Falcons (-6 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
I think the Falcons are a highly undervalued team. I also think the Colts suck...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+8) Over New Orleans Saints
Part one of contrarian week. It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Saints, but giving the Bucs eight points is way too much...
New York Jets (+2 1/2) Over Buffalo Bills
Part two, though 2 1/2 points isn't a big spread. But I'm picking the Jets, because they need the win more, so they're gonna get it...
Kansas City Chiefs (-4) Over Miami Dolphins
The Chiefs have sold me they're back, at least to some degree. The Chiefs want to win at home, while Miami wants Andrew Luck...
San Francisco 49ers (-4) Over Washington Redskins
I don't think the Niners are as good as their record suggests. But they are better than the Redskins...
Arizona Cardinals (-3) Over St. Louis Rams
The Rams finally won last week and the Cards have lost six in a row, but I'll still take Arizona at home...
New York Giants (+8 1/2) Over New England Patriots
Part three of contrarian week. Bettors still don't believe how bad the Pats defense is...
San Diego Chargers (+6) Over Green Bay Packers
Part four. The Chargers can win, and even if they lose, I expect a close loss...
Chicago Bears (+7 1/2) Over Philadelphia Eagles
Part five. The Eagles have recovered from a 1-4 start, but 7 1/2 points against the underrated Bears is just too much...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Robalini's Week 8 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 7
W-L-T record: 5-3
Season record: 27-19-2
Robalini's Commentary: Last week I said I had a 14-8 three week run: in fact, it was 13-7. Now I have an 18-10 four-week run, which feels pretty good. Little bummed I started 4-0 last week but went 1-3 in the later games. But a winning record is a winning record...
Lets hear it for Tony LaRussa & the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the World Series over GW Bush's Texas Rangers!!!
Anyway, here's my picks for Week 8:
Tennessee Titans (-8 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
The Titans have played surprisingly well this season, and should take the hapless Colts rather easily at home...
Houston Texans (-9 1/2) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
My love affair with the Texans continues with Houston dumping on the Jags at home...
Carolina Panthers (-3) Over Minnesota Vikings
I'll repeat: I'm sold on Cam Newton...
New York Giants (-9 1/2) Over Miami Dolphins
The Fins are confused, while the Giants look ready to get their act together at home...
Buffalo Bills (-6) Over Washington Redskins
With an excited Toronto crowd behind the Bills, they should knock out the Skins pretty easily...
Detroit Lions (-3) Over Denver Broncos
Last week I praised Tim Tebow, but he can only do so much. The Lions are looking for revenge after losing two in a row: they've found the perfect opponent in the Broncos...
Seattle Seahawks (+3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Seahawks have underplayed this year while the Bengals have overplayed. This should be corrected this week, especially with Seattle's incredible home field advantage...
San Diego Chargers (-3 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
I said that San Diego has underplayed this season last week despite their record, but even a second-rate Charger team can beat the Chiefs...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 5-3
Season record: 27-19-2
Robalini's Commentary: Last week I said I had a 14-8 three week run: in fact, it was 13-7. Now I have an 18-10 four-week run, which feels pretty good. Little bummed I started 4-0 last week but went 1-3 in the later games. But a winning record is a winning record...
Lets hear it for Tony LaRussa & the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the World Series over GW Bush's Texas Rangers!!!
Anyway, here's my picks for Week 8:
Tennessee Titans (-8 1/2) Over Indianappolis Colts
The Titans have played surprisingly well this season, and should take the hapless Colts rather easily at home...
Houston Texans (-9 1/2) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
My love affair with the Texans continues with Houston dumping on the Jags at home...
Carolina Panthers (-3) Over Minnesota Vikings
I'll repeat: I'm sold on Cam Newton...
New York Giants (-9 1/2) Over Miami Dolphins
The Fins are confused, while the Giants look ready to get their act together at home...
Buffalo Bills (-6) Over Washington Redskins
With an excited Toronto crowd behind the Bills, they should knock out the Skins pretty easily...
Detroit Lions (-3) Over Denver Broncos
Last week I praised Tim Tebow, but he can only do so much. The Lions are looking for revenge after losing two in a row: they've found the perfect opponent in the Broncos...
Seattle Seahawks (+3) Over Cincinnati Bengals
The Seahawks have underplayed this year while the Bengals have overplayed. This should be corrected this week, especially with Seattle's incredible home field advantage...
San Diego Chargers (-3 1/2) Over Kansas City Chiefs
I said that San Diego has underplayed this season last week despite their record, but even a second-rate Charger team can beat the Chiefs...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist
recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Robalini's Week 7 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 6 W-L-T record: 6-2
Season record: 22-16-2
Robalini's Commentary: WINNING! 6-2 week and a 14-8 three-week run. Incidentally, am I the only one who, while seeing the scuffle between Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz after the 49ers-Lions game, thought of a pitch for the next buddy comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly?
Anyway, here's my picks for Week 7:
Carolina Panthers (-2 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
I am sold on Cam Newton. Yes, the Panthers are 1-5, but they've had a real tough schedule, and Newton has lost with poise. At home against the Skins (way worse than their 3-2 record suggests, and putting in at starting QB a dude who didn't play a NFL game in four years until last week) Cam and co. should do well...
New York Jets (+2) Over San Diego Chargers
As much as I love Rex Ryan, after six weeks, I have to conclude they're probably not quite ready to be Super Bowl champs yet like I predicted in pre-season. (And sorry, but Mark Sanchez is glaringly the weak link here.) Still, they are better than their record of 3-3 suggests, and they can still kick the ass of any other team in the NFL on any given Sunday, either on home or on the road. Meanwhile, the Chargers are 4-1, a shockingly good record for a team notorious for starting slow in the Norv Turner era, more impressive because their only loss is against the omnipotent Patriots. And yet, they oddly don't look particularly strong this year, either on the stat sheet or the eyeball test. Go figure. So screw it, I'm going with my eyeballs over team records. I'd take the Jets at home against the Chargers even if you weren't giving me two points...
Houston Texans (+3) Over Tennessee Titans
They've hit a tough patch, but I still am sold on the Texans. They should dispatch the Titans easily...
Denver Broncos (+2 1/2) Over Miami Dolphins
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who think Tim Tebow has the intangibles to be a potentially great winning NFL QB, and those who think he just can't translate his college successes to the pros. Count me in the former category. Tebow proved yet again that he is a winner at heart in his off-the-bench near comeback against the Chargers two weeks ago, and now, well-rested after a week off, the Broncos have a virtual home game in Florida Tebow-land against a demoralized Miami team that seems more interested in winning the Andrew Luck sweepstakes than any game they play. And you're giving me 2 1/2 points on top of that? Dude, I'm there!!!
Oakland Raiders (-4) Over Kansas City Chiefs
Let me be bold here: Oakland will win the AFC West this season. I knew they had talent in a weak division, but I just didn't think they were ready for prime time. They are, unlike KC, who was my preseason pick. And this was my opinion even before I heard they had obtained Carson Palmer at QB. Palmer may be rusty, but he'll still play well enough, and at home against the hapless Chiefs with the ghost of Al Davis screaming "Just Win, Baby" they will do just that...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-4) Over Arizona Cardinals
The Steelers are banged up, but they love to feast on weak teams. The Cardinals fit the bill...
Green Bay Packers (-8 1/2) Over Minnesota Vikings
Hard to believe, but this is the first time all season I'm picking the Super Bowl champ Packers to win. (In fact, two weeks ago, I picked the Falcons to win with points against Green Bay, a pick that was wrong.) Why no Packer love? Am I that much of a Favre fanboy? No, I always thought the Packers were good (though didn't expect Aaron Rodgers to have an MVP-level start and the team to go undefeated) but due to the heavy pro-Packer betting, they just didn't seem like a wise bet with the inflated point spreads. But a Fellini-esque 8 1/2 points against a 1-5 Vikings team starting a highly suspect rookie QB for the first time? That sounds like a good deal to me...
Baltimore Ravens (-8) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
This is the fourth time this season I'm picking the Ravens to win and the fifth time I'm picking against the Jaguars. Baltimore is 4-1, and Jacksonville is 1-5. I think I'm onto something here...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Season record: 22-16-2
Robalini's Commentary: WINNING! 6-2 week and a 14-8 three-week run. Incidentally, am I the only one who, while seeing the scuffle between Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz after the 49ers-Lions game, thought of a pitch for the next buddy comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly?
Anyway, here's my picks for Week 7:
Carolina Panthers (-2 1/2) Over Washington Redskins
I am sold on Cam Newton. Yes, the Panthers are 1-5, but they've had a real tough schedule, and Newton has lost with poise. At home against the Skins (way worse than their 3-2 record suggests, and putting in at starting QB a dude who didn't play a NFL game in four years until last week) Cam and co. should do well...
New York Jets (+2) Over San Diego Chargers
As much as I love Rex Ryan, after six weeks, I have to conclude they're probably not quite ready to be Super Bowl champs yet like I predicted in pre-season. (And sorry, but Mark Sanchez is glaringly the weak link here.) Still, they are better than their record of 3-3 suggests, and they can still kick the ass of any other team in the NFL on any given Sunday, either on home or on the road. Meanwhile, the Chargers are 4-1, a shockingly good record for a team notorious for starting slow in the Norv Turner era, more impressive because their only loss is against the omnipotent Patriots. And yet, they oddly don't look particularly strong this year, either on the stat sheet or the eyeball test. Go figure. So screw it, I'm going with my eyeballs over team records. I'd take the Jets at home against the Chargers even if you weren't giving me two points...
Houston Texans (+3) Over Tennessee Titans
They've hit a tough patch, but I still am sold on the Texans. They should dispatch the Titans easily...
Denver Broncos (+2 1/2) Over Miami Dolphins
There are two kinds of people in the world: people who think Tim Tebow has the intangibles to be a potentially great winning NFL QB, and those who think he just can't translate his college successes to the pros. Count me in the former category. Tebow proved yet again that he is a winner at heart in his off-the-bench near comeback against the Chargers two weeks ago, and now, well-rested after a week off, the Broncos have a virtual home game in Florida Tebow-land against a demoralized Miami team that seems more interested in winning the Andrew Luck sweepstakes than any game they play. And you're giving me 2 1/2 points on top of that? Dude, I'm there!!!
Oakland Raiders (-4) Over Kansas City Chiefs
Let me be bold here: Oakland will win the AFC West this season. I knew they had talent in a weak division, but I just didn't think they were ready for prime time. They are, unlike KC, who was my preseason pick. And this was my opinion even before I heard they had obtained Carson Palmer at QB. Palmer may be rusty, but he'll still play well enough, and at home against the hapless Chiefs with the ghost of Al Davis screaming "Just Win, Baby" they will do just that...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-4) Over Arizona Cardinals
The Steelers are banged up, but they love to feast on weak teams. The Cardinals fit the bill...
Green Bay Packers (-8 1/2) Over Minnesota Vikings
Hard to believe, but this is the first time all season I'm picking the Super Bowl champ Packers to win. (In fact, two weeks ago, I picked the Falcons to win with points against Green Bay, a pick that was wrong.) Why no Packer love? Am I that much of a Favre fanboy? No, I always thought the Packers were good (though didn't expect Aaron Rodgers to have an MVP-level start and the team to go undefeated) but due to the heavy pro-Packer betting, they just didn't seem like a wise bet with the inflated point spreads. But a Fellini-esque 8 1/2 points against a 1-5 Vikings team starting a highly suspect rookie QB for the first time? That sounds like a good deal to me...
Baltimore Ravens (-8) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
This is the fourth time this season I'm picking the Ravens to win and the fifth time I'm picking against the Jaguars. Baltimore is 4-1, and Jacksonville is 1-5. I think I'm onto something here...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Konformist Book Club: Sweetness
The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton
Jeff Pearlman
List Price: $30.00
Price: $17.85 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
You Save: $12.15 (41%)
Kindle Edition $14.99
Robalini's Review: Sensationalized excerpts of this book were released by Sports Illustrated, which is a shame, for they don't give this book it's due. This is no tabloid tale, but rather a complex, nuanced biography about a football legend who died a heroic but shattered man. In a way, this book isn't just about Payton, nor is it about football. It is a microview of America, for better and worse: how a black man in a crudely segregated area became a unifying star thanks to his athletic prowess, then became a rich man and national icon due to his talents, only to become crippled in pain by the game he gave so much to and leading to an early, painful death. Payton was not perfect, but you will come away empathizing with him and wondering if all his rewards were worth the sacrifices.
From Amazon.com:
The first definitive biography of Chicago Bears superstar Walter Payton.
At five feet ten inches tall, running back Walter Peyton was not the largest player in the NFL, but he developed a larger-than-life reputation for his strength, speed, and grit. Nicknamed Sweetness" during his college football days, he became the NFL's all-time leader in rushing and all-purpose yards, capturing the hearts of fans in his adopted Chicago.
Crafted from interviews with more than 700 sources, acclaimed sportswriter Jeff Pearlman has produced the first definitive biography of Payton. Sweetness at last brings fans a detailed, scrupulously researched, all-encompassing account of the legend's rise to greatness. From Payton's childhood in segregated Mississippi, where he ended a racial war by becoming the star of his integrated high school's football team, to his college years and his twelve-year NFL career, Sweetness brims with stories of all-American heroism, and covers Payton's life off the field as well. Set against the backdrop of the tragic illness that cut his life short at just forty- six years of age, this is a stirring tribute to a singular icon and the lasting legacy he made.
Jeff Pearlman is the author of four previous books, including two New York Times bestsellers-The Bad Guys Won! and Boys Will Be Boys. He is a columnist for SI.com, as well as a contributor to the Wall Street Journal. He blogs regularly at jeffpearlman.com. Pearlman and his family live in New York.
Publisher: Gotham Books (October 4, 2011)
Sold by: Penguin Publishing
Language: English
ASIN: B0052RDJ40
Amazon URLs
Kindle Edition:
http://www.amazon.com/Sweetness-Enigmatic-Walter-Payton-ebook/dp/B0052RDJ40/thekonformist
Hardcover Edition:
http://www.amazon.com/Sweetness-Enigmatic-Life-Walter-Payton/dp/159240653X/thekonformist
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Robalini's Week 6 NFL Picks
Here's my results for week 5
W-L-T record: 3-3
Season record: 16-14-2
Robalini's Commentary: 3-3 means losing money, but considering I took chances (going with underdogs against the Patriots and Packers) and was 1/2 a point against the Pats and a point with the Chargers of going 1-5, I'll consider it a winning week on balance...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-12) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
Twelve points is a lot, but Pittsburgh is looking good and playing a weak team on their home turf...
Philadelphia Eagles (-1) Over Washington Redskins
A lot of people are jumping off the Eagles bandwagon. Balderdash! Certainly the Eagles aren't the "Dream Team" they were hyped to be before the season started, but they're still way better than their 1-4 suggests. Look for them to go on the road against Washington and expose the Redskins for the fraud they are...
Baltimore Ravens (-7 1/2) Over Houston Texans
I'll take the Ravens at home to soundly beat the Texans after resting a weeking and trouncing the Steelers two weeks ago...
Oakland Raiders (-6 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
The Raiders are inspired after the passing of the great Al Davis. Playing at home against a weak Browns team should keep the mo going...
Dallas Cowboys (+7) Over New England Patriots
It's always a little risky betting against Tom Brady, but it's less when you factor in point spreads. The Cowboys, whatever their flaws, are good enough to beat any team in the NFL, including the Patriots, and their two losses were still closely fought. The Pats weak passing defense (expect Tony Romo to have a great game) only helps the case. The Pats can still win, but expect it to be a close one either way. I'm taking a touchdown and Dallas!!!
New Orleans Saints (-5) Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As good as the Saints are, I wouldn't take them -5 over a quality Bucs team on the road normally. But considering the ass-kicking the 49ers gave Tampa Bay last week (which even I didn't expect, even though I picked SF to win) there should be a major hangover effect...
Chicago Bears (-3) Over Minnesota Vikings
The Bears really have had a tough time so far this season, but considering they're playing at home against the Vikings, they should win by more than a field goal...
New York Jets (-7) Over Miami Dolphins
The Jets have lossed three weeks in a row. The streak should end decisively at home against the Dolphins...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
W-L-T record: 3-3
Season record: 16-14-2
Robalini's Commentary: 3-3 means losing money, but considering I took chances (going with underdogs against the Patriots and Packers) and was 1/2 a point against the Pats and a point with the Chargers of going 1-5, I'll consider it a winning week on balance...
Pittsburgh Steelers (-12) Over Jacksonville Jaguars
Twelve points is a lot, but Pittsburgh is looking good and playing a weak team on their home turf...
Philadelphia Eagles (-1) Over Washington Redskins
A lot of people are jumping off the Eagles bandwagon. Balderdash! Certainly the Eagles aren't the "Dream Team" they were hyped to be before the season started, but they're still way better than their 1-4 suggests. Look for them to go on the road against Washington and expose the Redskins for the fraud they are...
Baltimore Ravens (-7 1/2) Over Houston Texans
I'll take the Ravens at home to soundly beat the Texans after resting a weeking and trouncing the Steelers two weeks ago...
Oakland Raiders (-6 1/2) Over Cleveland Browns
The Raiders are inspired after the passing of the great Al Davis. Playing at home against a weak Browns team should keep the mo going...
Dallas Cowboys (+7) Over New England Patriots
It's always a little risky betting against Tom Brady, but it's less when you factor in point spreads. The Cowboys, whatever their flaws, are good enough to beat any team in the NFL, including the Patriots, and their two losses were still closely fought. The Pats weak passing defense (expect Tony Romo to have a great game) only helps the case. The Pats can still win, but expect it to be a close one either way. I'm taking a touchdown and Dallas!!!
New Orleans Saints (-5) Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As good as the Saints are, I wouldn't take them -5 over a quality Bucs team on the road normally. But considering the ass-kicking the 49ers gave Tampa Bay last week (which even I didn't expect, even though I picked SF to win) there should be a major hangover effect...
Chicago Bears (-3) Over Minnesota Vikings
The Bears really have had a tough time so far this season, but considering they're playing at home against the Vikings, they should win by more than a field goal...
New York Jets (-7) Over Miami Dolphins
The Jets have lossed three weeks in a row. The streak should end decisively at home against the Dolphins...
All bets are placed at Station Casinos:
http://www.stationcasinos.com/
To check Las Vegas odds, The Konformist recommends VegasInsider.com:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Super Bowl preview
I haven't really bothered to watch the NFL since Super Bowl XL, but it turns out I'll be watching this year. So I thought I'd do a little preview.
Super Bowl XLV is going to feature the Green Bay Packers going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are quarterback Brett Favre's old team. Remember, he's the guy who sent pictures of his junk to a chick. Namely, Jenn Sterger, who's pretty hot.
Super Bowl XLV is going to feature the Green Bay Packers going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are quarterback Brett Favre's old team. Remember, he's the guy who sent pictures of his junk to a chick. Namely, Jenn Sterger, who's pretty hot.
That's all I got. Have a good weekend, everybody!
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