Picks: Week of 8/30-9/2

Week 1 College Football

Boise State +7 (at Michigan State): 2.8 units to win 2.5 units (W+2.5 units)
Ohio +6 (at Penn State): 2.8 units to win 2.5 units (W+2.5 units)
So. Miss +17.5 (at Nebraska): 2.8 units to win 2.5 units (L -2.8 units)
Teaser: Vandy +16 / Washington State +22 / Navy +26: 3.0 units to win 2.5 units (L -3 units)
Teaser: Navy +24.5 / Illinois PK / Alabama -4: 3.0 units to win 2.5 units (L -3 units)

College Football Futures

West Virginia to win Big 12: 2.5 units to win 12.5 units
West Virginia to win BCS: 2.5 units to win 87.5 units
Arkansas to win BCS: 2.5 units to win 43.8 units

US Open

David Ferrer to win US Open: 2.5 units to win 87.5 units



Season Record

CFB: 0-0 (+0 units)
NFL: 0-0 (+0 units)
EPL: 1-1 (+0 units)
Other: 0-0 (+0 units)
Pending: NA

I Hate The Mets

Stream of consciousness vitriol about to spew… I’m sick of even thinking about the Mets to proofread it so I hope at least some of it makes sense.

I hate the Mets so much I actually found myself agreeing with Mike Francessa this week, and that hasn’t happened since World War II.

The start to their season was too good to be true. The problem is they sucked me in. Again. I believed. Shame on me.

Then June 2nd, the day after the Johan-no-no, rolled around, and it’s been a nightmare ever since. They were a game out of the playoffs at that point but are 30-46 in the 76 games thereafter and now find themselves 18 games out of first.

There’s no reason to beat around the bush. The product the Mets have put on the field for the last three months has flat out sucked. I would rather be waterboarded than have to sit through another Josh Thole or Jason Bay at bat.  

A bunch of idiots run this asylum. I gave Sandy Alderson the benefit of the doubt but my goodwill towards him has evaporated as well. The Reyes thing started it and it just continues. It’s infuriating that he has done nothing to make any future Mets teams better. 

Put every single player on this roster on waivers and let teams make claims. Someone will definitely claim Scott Hairston (one team already has. Scott Hairston is not putting a single person in the seats of Citi Field. Never in my life have I heard someone say, I need to get to Flushing so I can watch Scott Hairston play baseball.  He can be a useful piece as a right handed bat off the bench for a competing team.  Take a C+ prospect back for him, and save the cash.  Then repeat this process for every player not named David Wright, RA Dickey, Ike Davis or Ruben Tejada. Every single other player on this pathetic roster can be yours for the low price of some sunflower seeds and a fungo.

The Mets are not going to compete this year.  I understand this. Every other Mets fan out there understands this yet there’s a 95% chance Scott Hairston will end the year on the roster.

As a Mets fan, I want them to lose every game for the rest of the season so maybe they can grab a top 5 pick in next year’s draft…which would give me some faint hope again. Hope that they will undoubtedly crush later in my life, but hope nonetheless.

And that brings me to the draft…

Only three teams failed to sign their first and second round picks. Of course the Mets were one of them. Let’s take a guy in round 2 that we have no thought of signing. Great idea.

RHP Teddy Stankiewicz was the 75th overall selection in the 2012 Rule 4 Draft. He was rumored to be looking for slot money. Just pay me what the commissioner suggests, and I will sign with your team and add an interesting arm to your organization.

Nah, we changed our mind on you. We are no longer interested in a 6’4” hurler with a ridiculous slide piece who touches the mid-90’s with his fastball. We are good. We’re pretty happy with Dillon Gee for the next 10 years.

Would you trade Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno for a second round pick? If you are a normal, logical human being, of course you would. If you work for the Mets organization, of course you would not.

Why do I ask? Well, if the Mets allow Hairston and Cedeno to be claimed by other teams and replace them with two minor leaguers for the rest of the season, they would save ~$675k or the exact same amount of money it would have cost to sign Stanky – he must go by this nickname, it’s baseball law.

I don’t even want to get started on the jackwagons that are the Wilpons. Just sell the team already.  You will make a billion dollars off the deal.  Look at what the Dodgers just sold for. Put us out of our misery. We are begging you.

God, I hate this team. And yet next year I’ll believe all over again.

Separated at Birth?

Lakers' fourth option Pau Gasol and this irate ostrich

(h/t Swagstein for the tip)

Water Polo Update: Croatia Advances to the Finals

As expected. Later Montenegro.

Adriatic Domination: Water Polo

This is certainly my first ever water polo post.

Check out the Final Four teams in the Olympic men's water polo competition:

Croatia (home to the greatest athletes in the world), Italy, Serbia, and Montenegro.

What do they all have in common? They hug the Adriatic Sea, the most beautiful body of water in the world. Not a coincidence.

For those unfamiliar with this part of the world.

On Friday, Croatia squares off against Montenegro while Italy battles Serbia. I'm not planning on sleeping until then.

NFL Preview

I think there is value in running through my NFL projections as early as possible to so I can book some win totals before injuries strike. I will only bet the unders at this point in time because injuries would just lower the totals and work against me, and trades are such a rarity in the NFL.

Here are my projected win totals as we approach tonight's first preseason game.

AFC

New England 12
NYJ 10
Miami 9
Buffalo 8

Cleveland 9
Cincinnati 8
Baltimore 7 (UNDER 9.5)
Pittsburgh 7 (UNDER 9.5)

Tennessee 10
Houston 9 (UNDER 10.5)
Indianapolis 4
Jacksonville 3 (UNDER 5.5)

San Diego 9
Kansas City 9
Oakland 7
Denver 5 (UNDER 8.5)


NFC

Philadelphia 11
Dallas 10
New York 9
Washington 7

Detroit 11
Green Bay 10 (UNDER 11.5)
Chicago 9
Minnesota 4 (UNDER 6.5)

Carolina 9
Atlanta 9
New Orleans 7
Tampa Bay 6

San Francisco 10
Seattle 7
Arizona 6
St. Louis 5


Best Bets: Broncos and Steelers (a tie would be a DREAM scenario when these two play Opening Week)

How is Speedwalking an Olympic Sport?

Just look at this guy, and tell me should be an Olympian.