I've been called many things over 22 years in this business but I've NEVER been called a BCS expert. In all honesty, just who would WANT to be known as one? That being said, we're stuck with the BCS determining college football's national title game matchup and most people are a little nervous these days, as almost EVERYONE is anticipating a Texas/USC or USC/Texas (whichever way you prefer) showdown in this year's Rose Bowl.

The first BCS standings were released on October 17 and there were rumors that while USC would be No. 1, consensus No. 2 in the polls Texas, could find itself behind Va Tech in the standings. Those fears were unfounded, as USC and Texas were a solid one-two in the first BCS standings. I pause here for a moment to remind everyone that since the BCS' inception in 1998, the two teams ranked first and second in the initial standings of the year, have NEVER met in the BCS' season-ending title game!

Moving on, the second BCS standings were released this past Monday. In somewhat of a surprise, USC fell to No. 2 with Texas moving up to the number one spot. The margin of .0007, was the closest-ever between the first two spots in the standings history. USC owns the nation's longest winning streak at 29 games (Texas has the second-best streak at just 14!), has been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll for 26 consecutive polls (an all-time record) and is the two-time defending national champion but now finds itself at No. 2!

For USC fans, it's not as bad as is sounds. USC is comfortably ahead of No. 3 Va Tech and remember, No. 2 is just as good as No. 1 in this 'game', as they both advance to the Rose Bowl. Actually, Texas, which has no more ranked teams on its remaining schedule, is in greater danger of falling out of one the top two spots than USC. The Trojans still have Cal (No. 23 in the BCS), Fresno State (unranked in the BCS but 22nd in the AP and 24 in the coaches' poll) and UCLA (No. 9 in the BCS) on their schedule.

Currently, Va Tech is in the "dreaded" No. 3 spot (see USC in 2003 and Auburn in 2004). However, the Hokies play Boston College (BCS No. 12) Thursday night plus still have Miami-Fl (No. 8 in the BCS) and a likely ACC title-game showdown on tap with Florida State on December 3 (No. 11 in the BCS), to boost their computer rankings. Currently, there are SIX unbeatens remaining in college football and it's possible that the year could end with as many as four.

Either USC or UCLA has to lose when those teams meet on December 3 and assuming Georgia and Alabama were to remain unbeaten through the end of the regular season, the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide would meet in the SEC title game, dropping one or the other from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Speaking of unbeatens, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, UCLA, USC and Va Tech are all 7-0. However, only Texas is a perfect 7-0 ATS. The teams combined ATS mark is 26-16, or 61.9 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, FOUR Division I-A schools enter this weekend's action winless. The list includes Buffalo (0-7), New Mexico State (0-7), Rice (0-6) and Temple (0-8). Of those four, only Rice, at 0-6 ATS, is also winless against the points! The combined ATS mark of the four winless schools is 11-17 or 39.3 percent.

Here's an interesting fact. You have often heard me and others refer to the pointspread as the "great equalizer." Here's why? The six unbeatens naturally have a winning percentage of 1.000 and the four winless teams naturally are at .000. However, you'll notice that when you compare the two groups' SU winning percentage versus their ATS percentages, here's what you get. The unbeatens' ATS percentage is .619, a difference of .381. As for the winless teams. the difference between their SU and ATS winning percentage is .393. Pretty darn close!

Before leaving this discussion of unbeatens and winless teams, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention both Duke and Purdue (although I'm sure those schools would rather I didn't!). While Texas is the nation's ONLY perfect ATS school, Rice is not the nation's only winless ATS school. Joining the Owls are Duke and Purdue. The Blue Devils are 1-7 SU but 0-7 ATS, beating only VMI in a non-lined game. As for the Boilermakers, they are 2-5 SU but 0-7 ATS, as they won but did not cover against Akron and Arizona to open the year, before losing their last five games both SU and ATS!

How are those new head coaches doing?

In one of may many preseason articles, I mentioned that 23 of the nation's 119 Division I-A schools (almost 20 percent!) would open the 2005 season with a different head coach than they had finished with in 2004. Are most of the schools better for the change? I won't waste time listing each school's individual record but alphabetically from BYU to Western Michigan, the 23 schools that changed head coaches for the 2005 year went a collective 114-149 (.433) in 2004 with an ATS record of 117-138-2 (.459). Heading into this weekend's action, those 23 schools are a combined 70-91 SU (.435) and 66-88-1 ATS (.429).

If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? While the overall numbers are pretty similar from last year to this year, here are seven schools that have surely noticed a change, either good or bad.

Skip Holtz has East Carolina at 3-3 SU and 5-1 ATS, after the Pirates went 2-9 SU and 5-6 ATS in 2004 (ECU was a combined 3-20 in '04 and '03). Hal Mumme brought his supposed "Air Raid" offense to Las Cruces but the Aggies of New Mexico State are averaging just 14.3 PPG and are 0-7 SU and 2-5 ATS after going 5-6 (6-5) in 2004. Mike Gundy took over at Oklahoma State and the Cowboys are 3-4 SU (wins have come over I-AA Montana State, Fla Atlantic and Ark St) and 1-5 ATS, following a 7-5 (7-5) 2004.

Greg Robinson got his first head coaching job, after 30 years in the business, at Syracuse this year. However, his mid-season report card is not good, as the Orange are 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS after going 6-6 (8-4) in Paul Pasqualoni's final year (had 11 winning seasons in 14 years at Syracuse!).Utah set the college football world on its ear in 2004, becoming the first non-BCS conference school to get a BCS bowl bid and finished 12-0 (10-2 ATS). However, Urban Meyer left for Florida (where he's a disappointing 5-2 SU and 3-4 ATS) with former DC Kyle Whittingham taking over for the Utes and going just 4-4 and a pathetic 1-7 ATS so far in 2005. Things are looking up in Kalamazoo these days (try writing that with a straight face!), as Bill Cubit in his first year as a Division I-A head coach, has the Broncos 4-3 SU and 2-4 ATS after the school finished 2004 at 1-10 (3-7).

I haven't forgotten about Charlie Weis and Notre Dame, I just left them until last. Weis, with none of his own recruits, took over an offense that had finished 108th in the nation in total offense in 2002, 90th in 2003 and 81st in 2004. After seven games of the 2005 season, Notre Dame is 8th in total offense (492.7 YPG), 12th in scoring (37.9 PPG) and 5-2 SU (6-1 ATS). After going 6-6 SU and ATS in 2004 plus 5-7 SU (4-8) in 2003, Weis has the Irish ranked 9th in the latest AP poll, 10th in the latest coaches' poll and 15th (?) in the latest BCS standings. He's got a QB (Brady Quinn) that's breaking Notre Dame passing records on a weekly basis and would be the Heisman front-runner if not for two guys from USC and a QB from Texas named Young. Most importantly, he's got the Irish in line for a BCS bowl bid, if he can win-out.

It was the best of picks, it was the worst of picks.

Wait, no. It was just the best of picks.

I had Washington State over UCLA getting six points at home last week, and things looked pretty sweet early in the fourth quarter, with the Cougars up 38-21. Then the Bruins went crazy and sent the game to OT. Did I mention I got six points? On my knees begging for a field goal, pleading against a push, the gambling gods rewarded me when the amazing Maurice Drew countered a Washington State field goal with a one-yard TD plunge. UCLA wins, Washington State covers, and I change underpants.

So why am I turning things around and taking UCLA this week?

I mean, hey, didn't Oregon State, UCLA's opponent this week, actually kind of crush Wazzou three weeks ago? If Washington State's good enough to take the Bruins to OT, by the tenets of cyclical logic the Beavers should upset the Bruins outright this Saturday night in L.A., right? Well, wrong. I guess no one really believes that thought pattern. Following that logic, there's probably some Six-Degrees-Of-Kevin-Bacon by which USC should lose to Montclair High School. But my point is: Oregon State is better than Washington State, UCLA struggled against Washington State, so shouldn't Oregon State present an even bigger challenge?

Maybe. The dominant storyline in this game will be the return of QB Matt Moore to the Rose Bowl, where just a couple years ago he was fighting with Bruin QB Drew Olson to be UCLA's quarterback. When Olson won the competition over his then-roommate, Moore transferred to Oregon State, where he's throwing for nearly 300 a game under coach Mike Riley. He'll have plenty of motivation, and plenty of crowd noise, in the 90,000-seat amphitheater.

The thing is: Washington State was just a terrific matchup against UCLA, because of RB Jerome Harrison, whose 260 yards against the Bruins last week put him over 1,000 for the season in only six games. UCLA's run defense is, in a word, pitiful. As in: fourth-worst in the entire NCAA. And this is an undefeated team? Eesh. However, Oregon State makes its living through the air. Yvenson Bernard is a fine little back, but he's neither as fast nor as quick as Harrison. I'm sure he'll have a good game Saturday. I just don't think he's plastering 260 on the Bruins. And the fact is: UCLA's pass defense is actually pretty good, giving up under 190 yards through the air per game. Of course, part of that is teams don't need to throw against a run defense this bad, but again I say, running is not what the Beavers are set up to do.

The other side of the ball is a bigger mismatch. The Bruins like to throw, throw, and throw, mixing it up with third-best-back-in-the-greater-Los-Angeles-area Maurice Drew, who's got 11 TDs already this season. UCLA averages nearly 275 yards per game through the air, and Oregon State is the second worst team in the nation defending the pass, allowing 331 ypg. That's a recipe for disaster against Karl Dorrell's fling-and-wing offense. I'm still not a believer that UCLA is anywhere near national-title-contender status, but this week represents a good matchup for them, and they've got a lot of haters after the lackluster win in Pullman. I'm taking UCLA (-9.5) over Oregon State, and expecting one heck of a high score. But the Bruins will get untracked early, Olson will outdo his former roommate, and Drew will score a few more times. U-C-L-A! Fight! Fight! Fight!

When it's bad, college football can really suck. But when it's good...oh boy.

Last weekend, it was very, very good. I have two TVs in my living room, side-by-side, and in the span of about 15 minutes, Wisconsin won their ridiculous game over Minnesota thanks primarily to a blocked punt, Michigan topped Penn State's gutsy drive with one of their own (aided by two phantom seconds added to the Big House clock) and Matt Leinart somehow got the clock stopped when he fumbled out of bounds (it's not supposed to do that) and made his QB sneak into history, helping Southern Cal overcome a nation's worth of Irish rooters in the best football game I remember seeing this century.

Wow.

Add to that Alabama's clutch drive against Ole Miss leading to a game-winning field goal with no time left, West Virginia's tackling of Louisville QB Brian Brohm just outside the goal line, stopping what would've been a tying two-point conversion in that game's third overtime, and UCLA's outrageous comeback on Washington State, including a third-and-three from the Wazzou nine with precious little time on the clock, whereupon the Bruins scored the tying TD and sent the game into OT. No, my crummy cable company didn't let me see all those games (though I did get the Tide and some of the Mountaineers), but all I can tell you is this: whenever your know-it-all brainiac friend with the pocket protector and mounds of statistics about how big-time intercollegiate athletics are leeches on the forehead of American universities, think back to last Saturday, remember play after play of pulse-pounding excitement that only sports can consistently give, and offer your friend a winsome smile.

He just wouldn't understand.

The White Sox are in their first World Series in 46 years. How does that play in the handicapping world? Are a lot of bettors (including you) on that bandwagon? What were the odds on them winning the AL before the season started? Do you find them to be an appealing team to root for?

Rob Gillespie, BoDog.ws: Not really. I think bettors were shocked to see the Yankees and Red Sox out so fast and were playing wait and see. On the year, the White Sox got no love from bettors. They opened at 35/1 last fall and moved as high as 50/1 in the offseason. Their fast start drew a couple of large bets but bettors never really showed support in any numbers. I don't find the team itself particularly appealing, but its tough not to like Ozzie Guillen and the way he has his team play.

Assuming the Astros win one of the next three NLCS games, who do you like between them and the White Sox in the World Series? Do you expect the world to care, or will this be one of those Series that no one watches?

RG, BoDog.ws: Pujols hits a clutch monster Home Run Monday night, the Colts come back from 17 down early to destroy the hapless looking Rams and all anyone is talking about at the water cooler today is USC/Notre Dame. I think this will be the World Series time forgot if you live outside of Texas or Illinois. I'll take the White Sox starters and rested bullpen and say Chicago in 5. Just guessing here of course!

How about that USC/Notre Dame game? Boy, was that an Instant Classic, or what? How did Vegas do on that one, and what were your impressions of the Trojans. Are they going to win the national championship?

RG, BoDog.ws: Action was so balanced on that one that we got to be true fans for a game, and what a game. I stood in front of my TV and applauded at the end. I wonder how the Houston Texans would fare against either team right now? That was an instant classic for sure. I would worry about a letdown next week if wasn't Washington up next on their sched. USC has not played championship caliber ball in the first half of their last three games and they will give Cal and UCLA shots to beat them if they don't get that sorted out quickly.

In the NFL, is New England in serious, serious trouble, or do you expect them to get healthy and make another run?

RG, BoDog.ws: I put my back out once. The most surprising thing was how much other muscles hurt from having to compensate. I think the same is true of the Pats right now. The more that bench gets stretched, the more guys are going to get banged up. They have the mental make-up to recover quickly but there may not be enough time left in the season to physically recover given how good the AFC looks this year. Bruschi's return is likely to give a small emotional lift, but I don't think he will make enough physical difference to stop the bleeding. The bye week will help as well. Buff/Ind/@Mia the next three games: winning two is a must if they want to get back to the Super Bowl; winning all three would show they are still the team to beat; losing two or more of those and it's time to build for next year.

Sports are a big part of college life. From the drunkards that attend to the students there to show support for their team and school, football can bring out the best or worst in people. For those who love to watch more than just the NFL, here are a few of the top stadiums colleges have to offer.

The top stadium belongs to Texas A&M. Kyle field, is more than just a stadium, it’s an experience. The fans here support their team so much that they stand during the entire game, except when the opposing band plays at halftime. For the lovers out there, fans continuously make out every time the team scores. And last but not least, Kyle field is home of the 12th man. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the game without having to actually endure the bone crushing tackles?

When it comes to home field advantage no stadium can compare to Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium. Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., doesn't blow people away by the brute strength of a massive stadium, but with knowledgeable that can drown out the noise of an aircraft. Every good stadium has at least one end designed for deafening noise levels and the enclosed South End Zone at Lane Stadium fits the bill perfectly. Holding more than 11,000 screaming Virginia Tech fans, the section amplifies noise and renders audibles useless. That's not to mention the isolation factor. With the nearest major airport nearly 45 minutes away, opponents' fans are never out in force at Lane Stadium.

Neyland Stadium home of the Tennessee Vols has a style of its own. For starters there’s the checkerboard end zone. Not many teams have gotten creative enough to think of something like this. Next there the fight song of the Vols. With the crowd constantly chanting it, any new fan will know the words by the end of the game. Some nice attractions of the stadium include the Tennessee River, where fans arrive by boat and tailgate hours before kickoff and hours after the game. On the other side is The Hill, the historic center of UT’s old campus. Rising above it all are the Smoky Mountains, a perfect scenic backdrop for a fall Saturday afternoon. For the fans who love a nice view of things other than the game this is the place for you.

Fourth is Notre Dame Stadium the home of the fighting Irish. At this stadium you’ll find a little bit of heaven. Within waking distance of the field are great structures such as the Golden Dome, the Grotto, the Basilica of Sacred Heart, and Hesburgh library which features ‘Touchdown Jesus’ on its side. Notre Dame Stadium was expanded to accommodate fans who couldn’t get tickets. The school has sold out every game but one since 1964. The only non-sellout over that time was a Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force in 1973 when students weren’t on campus. The fans also show their dedication by holding rousing pep rallies on Friday nights. Isn’t this the type of crowd you’d like to be around while watching an intense game?

And finally Florida Field, home of the Gators comes in fifth. Various renovations over the years have contributed to an 83,000-seat configuration unlike your typical bowl. The first level is underground and both end zones are enclosed. There’s no buffer from the field to the stands which is less than ten feet in some areas, which creates a sense of fans on top of the field and players. The North end zone Touchdown Terrace is deafening for opponents, adding an advantage for the Gators. The players go nuts, but the fans are worse. Between the screaming and the hollering fans can barley hear the person next to them and that’s before kickoff. So if you’re a fan who loves to be nasty and noisy this is the stadium for you.

It’s taken me all week to recover from the beating the Vikings took last Sunday. I’ve also been at a loss for words and that’s saying a lot for me. So what’s wrong with the Vikings? Everything but I narrowed it down to what they might be thinking.

Maybe Vikings players believe that they’re in a touch football league. In touch football you are extremely limited in the physical contact that you can make with an opposing player. That’s how I believe the Mike Tice led Offensive Line is playing. They’re too afraid to make contact with the an opposing player.

I also believe that their defense thinks along the same lines. In the touch football games that I played in, you had to make a two handed touch on the opposing players body. The way the Vikings are playing and tackling, they’re probably not aware that in the NFL you must tackle the opposing player. Mike Tice’s led Minnesota Vikings are pathetic.

ESPN.com thought that the Vikings were a legitimate contender to win the Super Bowl because they got rid of Randy Moss. They thought the Vikings would be more focused on team effort. We named ESPN.com our dummy of the week because of that thinking (you can visit our dummy of the week at www.itstherightway.com/dummy.html). ESPN.com seems to have been all hype and no substance when it came to the Vikings.

We knew the Vikings would be awful this year without Randy Moss. They may be a focused team but they’re a team that plays together terribly. They are collectively pathetic.

There are three positive aspects to the season so far. They are:

1) The Vikings are about to play their best game of the year and have their best chance of coming up with a victory. The reason is that they’re entering their bye week and won’t be facing an NFL team this Sunday. They may have a team scrimmage and some part of their team may win.

2) The Vikings play in the worst division in the NFL. The combined amount of victories for the division is a whopping 3 games. The division's record is 3 wins and 11 losses. We believe if the Vikings can win six to seven games then they can win the division and make the playoffs. That’s a complete joke.

3) The Packers have a worse record then the Vikings. They have the worst record in the division. At 0-4 the Pack look like melted cheese out on the field. This puts a huge smile on Vikings fans faces.

The only thing that I’m certain about this year is that this has been the worst four games that I’ve ever seen. There has been a complete break-down from top to bottom. Something drastic needs to be done and done quickly.

Your passing game starts with the ability of your football wide receivers to get separation from their defenders. It doesn't matter if you have the greatest quarterback in the world if his receivers can't give him a window to throw to.

The first step is to teach your wide receivers how to get off the line. If the defenders are pressing and bumping at the line, the receiver must know how to beat the pressure. Begin by teaching fakes. The most basic is the "head bob". This is where the football wide receiver moves his head to one side while getting his body moving straight or to the other side. A good shoulder fake can spice this move up.

Since defensive backs will eventually pick up on a repeated fake, teach your receivers to mix things up with double-fakes (fake one way, then the other, then move beyond the defensive back).

Football wide receivers must also be taught how to use their hands to gain separation. Teach the "rip" and "swim" techniques. If cutting left, teach them to use the right arm to "rip" up through the cornerback's arms. For the "swim" technique, teach your wide receivers to bring the inside arm up and over the corner's arms to knock the arms downward.

Once off the line, good route running is obviously an important skill to develop. One way to help your football wide receivers get open is to have them run hard to a specific spot, get control (possibly use a fake here) and make the cut. Plant the foot away from the direction of the cut, make the cut and then accelerate into the cut. Teach your players the importance of getting the defensive back moving backwards and then cutting away from them.

Besides the straight line charge, you can also have your football receivers use an S-shape weave to get open. Have them run quickly at the defensive back to get close, then "curve" around him to gain separation.

Against man-to-man coverage, learning the art of good cuts and making those cuts at the right time will be extremely important to the success of your wide receivers. Against zone coverage, it's a bit different. Since the defensive backs are defending an area, the football receivers won't need to use their fakes quite as much since they just need to find the holes in the zone.

One often over-looked area where you can give your players an advantage is in your scouting of the opposition. Don't underestimate the importance of exploiting how your players match up to the other guys. Figure out how you can game-plan how to get your best or fastest receiver matched up against the opposition's weakest or slowest defensive back.

Teach your football wide receivers the correct fundamentals for getting open, game-plan your match ups effectively, then sit back and feel the satisfaction of watching a beautifully executed big play win the game for your players.

When fall comes and football is in full force women around the country begin to use the phrase football widow. I can attest to a few Saturdays and Sundays where the TV in our home is going all day and my husband is glued to his favorite chair.

After our first football season together where his team was 15-1, I decided to start hosting football parties. This way I can see my friends while he can watch the game.

Here are some simple steps to making Saturday and Sunday as fun for the rest of the family as it is for the men.

Pull the dinning room and kitchen table to the living room. This way you can set up a buffet that is in the room where the TV is. By doing this you are not creating competition between the kitchen or dinning room and the living room.

Then dig out the silver. I have found that this is a great venue to satisfy my desire to use my grandmothers silver while living a beer and chip life style. Use the punch bowl filled with ice to chill soda and beer. Use the serving trays for homemade hoagies and pesto pizza squares. Then serve dessert on silver plates using the silverware for this one course.

Prepare early. Have all the food cooked and served before the games begin. This way you can sit back and socialize while your guests are watching the game.

Serve all the food in a buffet style. Place plates and cups along side bottle openers and napkins. This allows guests can serve themselves.

Keep a recycle bin and garbage bin close at hand so that your guests can find them without having to venture too far from the game.

Then sit back and relax. When you join in the fun by planning a party your family and friends will no longer use the dreaded phrase football widow.

It's starting to get a bit chillier outside and the sun is setting earlier. This can only mean one thing. Football season is upon us again. As the New England Patriots embark on an historic attempt to win three consecutive Super Bowls, every other team in the league is gunning to take them down. The Philadelphia Eagles are hungry to the championship having been to four consecutive NFC championship games. And the AFC is stacked with several teams who would love to dethrone the Patriots including the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders with new addition Randy Moss. And in the world of college football it's up to everyone to see if they can upset vaunted USC from their throne and prevent another team from winning three straight titles.

Let's face it. You love football. But sometimes sports talk radio gets a little tiresome. So if you're looking to learn a little more about the game you love why not check out some football audio books and podcasts? It's a great way to gain a great understanding of the history and intricacies of the game.

Why not start your football audio odyssey with "Namath" a biography of Joe Namath, one of the sports' most colorful characters. Follow "Broadway Joe" his childhood, collegiate career and the Super Bowl III victory where Namath infamously guaranteed victory. Namath was a trend-setter both on and off the football field and his story is truly an amazing one.

Another interesting looking title is "The Junction Boys". This is the story of Paul "Bear" Bryant's 1-9 Texas A & M team of 1994. If this title sounds familiar it's likely because this book provided the inspiration for an ESPN movie bearing the same name.

Interested in learning more about some of the game's most vaunted coaches? Try taking this trifecta of audiobooks on for size. "When Pride Still Mattered" is the story of Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers. "Bootlegger's Boy" by Bud Shrake is the story of Barry Switzer, the outspoken former coach of the Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys. "Paterno By the Book" wanders from football but is insightful nonetheless as would be expected from one of college football's winningest coaches.

Round out your football knowledge by learning more about fantasy football from a trio of new podcasts. Regardless of whether you're a hardcore fantasy football with a half-dozen teams or simply a newbie who belongs to the local office league, you'll be able to gain the edge on your competitors by listening to The Fantasy Football Guys Podcast, The Football Fantasyland Podcast and THE Fantasy Football Podcast.

The best part of all of these football titles is that they can be listened to on your way to work or while you're on the treadmill burning off all those calories you ate last Sunday when you were watching…football. Happy listening!

Do you have your own flower garden and would like to make some use of it? Are you fond of crafts and do it your self decorative projects? Would you like to make some homemade floral arrangements to further accent your home or to give away as gifts? If this sounds like you, then please read on for some tips on making beautiful floral arrangements.

To start your floral arrangements, you will first need something to put your flowers in. Get a vase or some other container that is decorative and also holds water. Before you start your floral arrangements, you may want to consider further decorating the vase or container by spraying it with gold or bronze spray paint. Let it dry for 24 hours and then spray on a coat of clear enamel spray. This will give your arrangement a more decorative feel.

Next, you need a base for your floral arrangements. The base is used for the flowers to have something to anchor to. You can use a ball of willow branches, grapevine, or floral foam that you can buy at a local craft store. The floral foam is called Oasis. If you use Oasis, be sure to soak it in water and poke holes in it with a pen before you put flowers it so that it doesn't break the stems.

When cutting flowers for floral arrangements, try to do so early in the day or morning. This is because the stems have more water in them at this point of the day and the flowers are not drooping. Be sure to only use cold water in the flower arrangement because warm water tends to make the flowers open up too soon and not last as long.

If you want your flowers to last longer, you can places apple and lemon wedges in the water at the bottom of the floral arrangements. The apples have nutrients that will help feed the flowers, while the lemons prevent premature rotting and browning. It also adds a more decorative touch to your flower arrangements.

When designing your flower arrangements, try to pick colors that go with the environment the arrangement will be placed in. First use taller flowers to create the vertical part of the arrangement. Then use full blooming flowers with bright and bold colors for the center and sides of the floral arrangements. Then fill in the small gaps with tiny flowers.

Those were some great tips on making beautiful floral arrangements. If you use all of these tips in conjunction with each other, you are sure to have a long lasting floral arrangement. With a little practice, you can be well on your way to having beautiful floral arrangements that rival those found in floral shops!

The football equivalent of the Oscars swept into London on Tuesday as the first ever FIFpro awards were announced in front of renowned stars from the worlds of sport, music, screen and even our very own Marc Duffy (but the legality of how the ticket was gain is still under suspicion!)

Over 38,000 players from 40 countries representing FIFpro were involved in voting, with 55 players short listed in the end. After a night of great entertainment, including awards for Ronaldinho (world player of year), Wayne Rooney (young player of the year) and Cristiano Ronaldo (young player of the year as voted by fans) the World XI was announced as:

GK: NELSON DIDA (Brazil/AC Milan

DF: CAFU (Brazil/AC Milan

DF: ALESSANDRO NESTA (Italy/AC Milan

DF: JOHN TERRY (England/Chelsea)

DF: PAOLO MALDINI (Italy/AC Milan

MF: RONALDINHO (Brazil/Barcelona

MF: FRANK LAMPARD (England/Chelsea)

MF: CLAUDE MAKELELE (France/Chelsea)

MF: ZINEDINE ZIDANE (France/Chelsea

FC: SAMUEL ETO’O (Cameroon/Barcelona)

FC: ANDREI SHEVCHENKO (Ukraine/AC Milan

But really do we care about the ‘official’ team? A team that has that has 5 players over 30, with a combined age of 168? A team with a certain Zinedine Zidane, who in truth, had an ordinary season for Real Madrid? Of course we don’t because there’s only one ‘official’ team that matters and that’s the Bootroom XI, voted by you, the SI public. So without further ado in association with Sports Interactive The Bootroom proudly presents YOUR World XI.

Note: The players in each position have been listed in ascending order i.e. Terry was the most voted for defender

GK- PETR CECH (Czech Republic/Chelsea): The best goalie in the Premiership, if not the world. In his first season in England not only did he pick up his first championship medal, Cech also set a run of 1024 minutes without conceding a goal, a new English top flight record. Fewest goals conceded and most clean sheets last season not only won him the Barclays Golden Gloves for '04/'05 but also the number one shirt in you World XI.

DF- JOHN TERRY (England/Chelsea): José Mourinho has dubbed him 'the best centre-back in the world' and who could argue? After lifting both the League Cup and Premiership title, world class display at the back saw Terry also Voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. England’s defeat to Northern Ireland just proved how much the England defense missed Terry’s leadership and organization, adding more claim that he is the best centre-back in the world.

DF- CARLES PUYOL SAFORCADA (Spain/Barcelona): On the 2nd October 1999 Puyol made his first team debut, and ever since then has made the right side of defense his own. A player that always gives his all, this season has seen Puyol linked to a move to the Premiership with both Manchester United and Arsenal the leading candidates. Only 27, Puyol is entering his prime which could see him, one day lead both club and country.

DF- ALESSANDRO NESTA (Italy/AC Milan): One of the five players that appears in both the FIFpro and The Bootroom World XI. Capped over 60 times for his country Nesta is a typical Italian defender, hard to get pass and comfortable on the ball. In his first season with AC Milan he won the Coppa Italia, Champions League and European Super Cup and was very unlucky to collect a runners up medal in the defeat to Liverpool

DF- GABRIEL HEINZE (Argentina/Manchester United): A £6.9 million signing from PSG, Heinze won over both fans and pundits with his tough tackling and 100% commitment to the task. Picking up the Fans player of the year for United a nasty injury against Villarreal, sees the left-back out for the rest of the season, a massive blow for Alex Ferguson’s team.

MF- RONALDINHO (Brazil/Barcelona): The third player to be voted in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. What can you say about Ronaldo de Assis Moreira that hasn’t been said? A 27 million Euro signing from PSG, the little Brazilian has tricked his way through the best defenses in La Liga and on the International stage. Ronaldinho can sit his FIFpro world player of the year award next to his FIFA world player of the year award and his La Liga Championship medal, both won last year.

MF- STEVEN GERRARD (England/Liverpool): Gerrard help lift Liverpool’s fifth European Cup with an inspirational performance in Istanbul last season and that’s why he’s been picked in your World XI. With nearly 300 games under his belt for Liverpool Gerrard has lifted the League cup (twice), FA Cup and UEFA Cup in his seven years in the first team. A driving force for Liverpool, when Gerrard is on top of his game he is quite unstoppable.

MF- FRANK LAMPARD (England/Chelsea): The fourth player that appears in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. Winning Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association, Barclay’s player of the year and Player of the Year by fans on the PFA website just shows what kind of season Frank Lampard Jnr had. A £11 million signing from West Ham, a lot of fans and pundits were bemused as why Chelsea were fork out so much for an over-weight and over-rated player. But four years on Lampard has become an established part of the team scoring important goals from midfield.

MF- KAKA (Brazil/Ac Milan): The 23 year old really shined this season with a brilliant first half performance against Liverpool in the Champion’s League Final. Signing from São Paulo FC in 2003, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite scored 10 goals in 30 appearances winning the Italian Serie A Championship and the European Super Cup in his first season. Kaka’s best position is just behind the striker where his killer passing and arriving late in the box has quickly become his trademark.

FC- ADRIANO (Brazil/Inter Milan): A must signing for all players of Football Manager, Adriano Leite Ribeiro showed what a class striker he is with an impressive 15 goals in 16 appearances last season. A powerful and very skillful striker who seems to have been around for ages, Adriano is still only 23 and has an incredible future in front of him

FC- ANDREI SHEVCHENKO: (Ukraine/AC Milan): The last player to be picked in both the FIFpro and Bootroom World XI. Signing for $26 million from Dynamo Kyiv, Shevchenko will go down as one of the best strikers to grace Serie A. In December 2004, Shevchenko was named European Footballer of the Year after scoring the winning penalty against Juventus in the Champions League final in 2003. Shevchenko can score goals with both feet, is graced with great close control and pace that often leaves defenders for dead.

Every year in the National Football League there are rookies that come out and make an impact on the league. Some of these rookies are one year wonders, while others turn out to be some of the brightest stars in the league.

So which rookies have the brightest future in the National Football League?

The list below states the top 5 rookies in the National Football League who have the best chance to help their teams for years to come.

5. Braylon Edwards – WR - Cleveland Browns

Braylon Edwards has shown in his short stint in the NFL that he has big play ability. Through 2 games, Edwards is averaging 24.6 Yards per catch, and already has an 80 yard TD catch on his belt. Edwards has the size, at 6-3, and the speed, 4.45 in the 40 yard dash, to be an excellent receiver in the NFL. To be really noticed though, he may need to get out of Cleveland. Edwards is not going to make it big time with Trent Dilfer throwing him the ball.

4. Mark Clayton – WR - Baltimore Ravens

Mark Clayton has performed well enough through only 2 weeks, that he has been named as a starting wideout for week 3. Clayton has made 7 catches as a backup through 2 weeks, and has shown the type of ability that made him the 22nd pick in the draft. He is very dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, and has shown that he is an outstanding all-around receiver (excellent blocker as well). The same goes for Clayton as it went for Edwards though, he needs to get in a high-scoring offense for him to make it big time.

3. Derrick Johnson – LB – Kansas City Chiefs

Derrick Johnson has been flat-out outstanding to start out his NFL career. He currently leads the team in tackles with 17 (15 of them solo), and has helped Kansas City reform the look of their defense. He has already forced one fumble, and if continues this level of play, he could be a large reason that the Chiefs go far in the playoffs this year. Johnson is a speed linebacker, and is excellent in pass coverage. Expect Johnson to get some nods as rookie of the year if he is able to continue his tremendous play.

2. Kyle Orton – QB – Chicago Bears

Kyle Orton started off the preseason as the Chicago Bears 3rd string quarterback, behind incumbents, Rex Grossman and Chad Hutchinson. Not only is Kyle Orton now the starting quarterback, but has shown enough promise for people to start questioning whether he will ever relinquish the job to Rex Grossman. Orton has come out with poise and precision, and has helped the Bears develop into a force in the Central division. Orton looks the real deal, and despite his slow feet, has shown that he has the arm strength and accuracy to be an excellent NFL quarterback.

1. Carnell Williams – RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Through 2 games Carnell Williams has rushed for 276 yards, a 5.4 average, and 2 TDS. The offense that John Gruden runs is perfect for Williams, and should help him show off his outstanding abilities. He has an explosive 1st step, and has shown that he can run through the tackles, and has the speed to get to the outside. As long as Gruden is running things in Tampa Bay, Carnell should be an extremely productive running back. Expect Carnell to be an excellent running back in the National Football League for many years to come.

Notre Dame and Navy will dominate the Independents again this year. With Temple changing alliance and no longer in the Big East will spark more interest in Independents. Army coming over from Conference USA will not affect the perspective of the independents unless they have some surprises

2005 Predicted Order of Finish

1. NOTRE DAME
With a returning very experience offensive unit and a new coach from the NFL, the loyal fans are expecting the Irish to be in contention for the national title. Starters returning are quarterback Brady Quinn, running back Darius Walker, tight end Anthony Fasano, and wide receiver Rhema McKnight. All five offensive linemen return as well. On the special teams there is kicker/punter D.J. Fitzpatrick. The defensive front seven will need some replacements, but linebacker Brandon Hoyte will return. Hoyte finished second in tackles on the team and should exceed his 2004 performance.

2. NAVY
Senior Lamar Owens will run the team from the quarterback position. The running game will depend upon Trey Hines. The defense is solid with linebacker David Mahoney and defensive end Jeremy Chase leading the charge. The secondary has strength in cornerback Jeremy McGown and safety DuJuan Price.

3. TEMPLE
Senior quarterback Mike McGann returns and has John Gross to anchor the offensive line. He will also have running backs Tim Brown and Umar Ferguson to push the ball. One weak spot will be in the wide receiver position with no returning starters. Last years defense (ranked 107th) must improve. The Owls have senior defense end Mike Mendenhall returning from making All-Big East last season.

4. ARMY
With one returning starter on the offensive line, Carlton Jones will have a tough time repeating his 2004 performance (1,269 yards). Sophomore wide receiver Jermy Trimble is another excellent performer (17.5 yards per catch) that may have trouble repeating his prior season’s performance. The only returning starter for the defense is free safety Dhyan Tarver. It could be a long season for Army.

They say the ball is round and that anything can happen in football. Such is the unpredictability of football that it adds an element of surprise to this game. It is akin to David vs Goliath. Idealists and romanticists will always root for the underdog. That is the reason why Rocky films are so popular. Here we are dealing with reality and not fiction. It is in this arena where the underdog can flourish and triumph. Think about it. We have so many improbable cases of the impossible becoming possible. Way back in 1992, Denmark did not even qualify for the European championship. They got in only after Yugoslavia was disqualified due to political instability. Denmark knew of their entry only 10 days before the Championship began. Denmark quickly recalled their team of players from their holidays. Denmark struggled in the early games in the group stages losing to Swede and drawing 0-0 with England before getting their act together and beating France 2-1 in the last group match.

The Danes then beat hot favourites Dutch team in the semis by penalties after the deadlock at 2-2 could not be settled. The Danes astounded the football world again by beating the hapless Germans 2-0 in the finals. What an incredible feat!

The extraordinary tale of the underdog would continue with the emergence of Greece in the 2004 European Championship. Greece had a fairy tale start by beating host Portugal 2-1. Greece would then hold another hot favourite Spain to a 1-1 draw. Unexpectedly, they suddenly lost to the Russians 2-1 in the final group game. In the end, much fancied Spain got kicked out in the group stages. Greece and Portugal went on to the next round. Greece would meet France in the quarter finals and make France their next victim. Greece shut up shop after seizing their chance to score. In the semi finals, Greece met Czech Republic. Czech republic had boosted their credentials by beating both Holland and Germany in the group stages and winning a convincing 3-0 victory over the Danes in their quarters. Here, Greece again turn the tables by beating Czech Republic in extra time 1-0. Greece would then continue to defy the odds in the finals against host Portugal. Despite huge crowd support and their home grown stars, Portugal lost to Greece 1-0. Obviously, the host hadn't learnt their lesson. Also, Greece was buoyed by the fact they had beaten the host earlier in the group stages.

The most dramatic tale of underdog in football must be the way Liverpool captured their fifth European crown this year. They were in transition as a new manager came on board and their star player Michael Owen departed for Real Madrid. Liverpool also had to coped with injuries throughout most of their season. Liverpool barely scrapped through the group stages by the skin of the teeth. They had to beat Olympiakos by 2 goals to qualify for the next round. Things got off to a bad start with Olympiakos drawing first blood. Through sheer guts and determination Liverpool scored 3 goals through the efforts of Pongolle, Mellor and Gerrard and forced their way into the next round.

In the round of 16, Liverpool was paired with Bayer Levekusen, conquerors of Real Madrid and Roma in the group stages. Liverpool slaughtered Leverkusen with an aggregate score of 6-2 despite pundits writing them off. Liverpool then met another formidable foe in Juventus who had earlier overcome Real Madrid in the round of 16. Liverpool surprised Juventus with an early attack and won 2-1 in the first leg. In the return leg, Juventus and liverpool would play to a goalless draw thus securing liverpool's entry into the semis.

Top Play: NC State -10 over UNC

I really have to question the mindset of the Tar Heels coming into this one 0-2 and sputtering on offense. Their QB Baker took a major pounding against Wisconsin last weekend and will continue to do so unless UNC finds some sort of running game.

This Wolfpack team is so much more athletic than UNC and faster than what they've seen so far in the losses to Wiscy and G Tech. No excuse for NC State not getting the job done against V Tech, as they held Vick in check and outgained them at almost a 2 to 1 clip.

These rivalry games are usually close, but the Wolfpack are looking to avenge a contreversial loss to the Heels last year, are in front of the home crowd, and are facing an opponent that is really struggling to move the football.

NC State QB Davis looks more comfortable leading the offense this year and it could be a long day for the UNC D if their offense keeps putting their backs against the wall.

Wolfback rolls in this one!!!

NC State -10

Regular play: Michigan -2 1/2 over Wisconsin

Had Wiscy last weekend against UNC, and wasn't real enthused by what I saw outside of the running game. Looks like the gameplan for the Badgers is back to the old ways, run the ball don't take any chances in the passing game. I think Stocco could be a decent passer, but it's obvious the coaching staff has little faith in him.

On D, they over powered a weak team, but still gave up some passing plays. I'll credit UNC's ineptness as much as Wiscy's stop unit for the lack of points put up by the Heels.

Henne will put up some big numbers in this game. Michigan WR's Avant and Breaston have a huge advantage against these corners, and Henne will test them all day. Also, don't think the Badgers will be able to push around the Wolverines O-Line like they did UNC. If Michigan can run the ball well, it'll open up everything.

Michigan on D will stack the line and force Stocco to make plays. I like Alverez, but he is so stubborn. If Michigan jumps on Wiscy early, he will still run the ball. By doing this, he could put Stocco in a bad position later on in the game when they have to throw.

Not a huge Lloyd Carr fan like most, but he will whip this D into shape, and I saw marked improvement in the ND game. They have had trouble with athletic QB's who can run or pass, the type Stocco is not.

Always tough to go to Wiscy and win, but this edition of the Badgers are simply not as strong as those of seasons past.

Regular play: Michigan -2 1/2

Small play: Penn State/Northwestern OVER 50 1/2

I started off looking at this one favoring NW getting 7 1/2 at home, and that still looks decent. Just don't trust the Wildcats defense to make stops, and add the fact that unlike past years, Penn State has some guys with big play ability on offense.

Now, the last 2 yrs, these teams played a couple low scoring games, but I see a reversal in this trend on Saturday. Lot of talk about how great the Nittany Lions D is, but this is their first test and I believe this spread offense of NW will give them fits. Even though they didn't score a whole lot vs. PSU in the last 2 meetings, they did rack up some yardage (AVG. 425 in those 2 games).

Also, NW can't seem to stop anyone, and you should see PSU break some big runs, and QB Robinson should have a nice day through the air. I haven't been a huge Paterno fan and not a fan of their offensive playcalling, but NW's opponents realize you must put points on the board, because they can score as quick as they give them up. NW reminds me of some of the MAC teams like BG, Mia Oh, N Ill, ect...that's their style of play.

In my last article I talked about how football and sports bars are a great way to meet quality guys. Before you hit the bar, it helps to know a little about the game, how it starts, and what they are trying to achieve. The offense is where you can watch for the strategic plays and learn lessons in planning that apply as easily to your career as they do on the football field.

Starting the Game

Before each game, the captains from each team and the referee meet at the center of the field for the coin toss.

• The winner of the coin toss has the option of starting the game by kicking the ball to the other team or receiving the kickoff from the other team.

• The game begins when one of the teams kicks off to the other.

• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far forward toward the kicking team as possible.

• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), runs out of bounds, or makes it all the way to the kicking team's end zone (touchdown).

• The spot where the kick returner was tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is a term for the place the ball is spotted before a play is run.

• Once this starting point is established, the offensive squad of the receiving team will come in and try to move the ball toward the opposition's end zone.

Offense

The offense is the team that has possession of the ball and is trying to score by moving the football down the field towards the end zone. There are two ways to move the football: running or passing. The offensive team has four attempts, or chances, to move the ball ten yards. These attempts are called downs. Once the ball has moved ten yards or more from the starting point of play, the team gets four new downs to try to move the ball another ten yards. If the ball doesn’t move ten yards forward in four downs, the other team gets possession of the ball (the offense also has the option of kicking – punting – the ball to the other team on the fourth down).

There are two ways to score points while on the offensive side of the ball. One is to kick the ball through the goal posts at the back of the other team’s end zone, which is called a field goal, and the other is to run or throw the ball into the end zone, which is called a touchdown. A field goal is worth three points and a touchdown is worth 6 points. Immediately following a touchdown, the team gets to attempt a kick for an extra point. This is similar to a very short field goal. Following the kick, the possession of the ball moves to the other team.

The offensive team has several players in different key positions:

Quarterback

The quarterback is the team leader who really gets the offense moving. He is the only player that touches the ball on every offensive play, regardless of running or passing strategy. He throws the ball for a pass or hands it off for a running play. Sometimes the quarterback will even run with the ball himself. Quarterbacks don’t have to be large, but most have magnetic personalities and display clear leadership qualities.

Wide Receiver

This position is mostly used to catch passes from the quarterback. They don’t need to be big, but they definitely need to be fast. Jerry Rice is probably one of the most famous wide receivers in football and he could certainly teach the energizer bunny a thing or two about staying power.

Running Back

It’s a dangerous job, but someone’s gotta do it! Running backs take the hand off from the quarterback and run as far as they can before getting tackled by the thugs on the other team’s defense. Their goal is to gain yardage and they take a beating doing it.

Full Back

These guys are crucial to a good running game. They can run like a running back, or block for the running back, giving him a chance to get further down the field. Just like the running back, these guys take a pounding.

Tight End

To clear up a common female misperception, this position has nothing to do with the fit of the uniform. Tight ends are multitalented players who block, catch passes and provide protection for the quarterback.

Offensive Line

There are usually five players on the offensive line. The typical offensive line has a center in the middle who hands the ball through his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play. There are two guards, one on each side of the center, and two tackles who play on the outer edges of the offensive line and are usually the biggest players. The offensive line’s mission is to block for the running back on a running play or protect the quarterback from the defense on a passing play. These are the big guys on the offensive team who usually weigh in at around 300 pounds.

In the final article I will cover defense and overtime, and you’ll be ready to talk some serious football. And, don’t forget to read the sports pages!

A handicapper is only as good as their last pick and a gambler is only as good as the last game they bet. Both ‘cappers and gamblers share in the immutable fact that a play is only as good as the number you get. Successful handicappers and bettors bet good numbers and avoid bad ones.

Last Saturday North Texas was installed as a 5-point underdog on the road at MTSU. However, those +5 points were bet down to four so if you missed the five points you were not getting the best number you could (unless you bought the point) get on the game therefore grabbing four points (and considering other key factors in our analysis) was in our estimation a bad number.

Likewise, for the EMU-ULL tilt, the game opened up –5 for the Eagles and steamed to –7. Again we grabbed the seven points since laying the number looked like a possible win or a push. In fact it turned out it was another bad number got covered. These are the exceptions that prove the rule. Last week we went against two teams with bad numbers that both originated at 5 and then went in opposite directions. We thought the line had moved in our direction but it did not and leaves us an unpalatable 0-2 hole after one week playing in the NCAA.

While we lost on both plays last weekend (in no small part to a tremendous amount of turnovers by both teams) we stand by our handicapping and believe that both those games were victimized by the ‘intangibles’ that every handicapper and bettor knows can happen. As an old bookie once told me, “Chris, you always talk about your losses first. You don’t learn anything from a win.”

Then thank god we’re learning something cause I’d hate a 0-2 record to go to waste.

Last Week Value Bets Recrap (0-2)
An E-mailer asked me last week where the value is in betting on two losing picks? My response was that they were winning picks that happened to lose. Inherent in recrapping a losing week is the fact that no matter how it is done, the loser (me) often sounds whinny and pathetic. However, nothing burns our collective handicapping ass than losing games against the spread that we should not have lost. Without making any excuses let’s go beyond the scoreboard and find out how we lost and why.

Looking at our first game, we correctly identified the weaknesses in North Texas and their red-shirt freshman QB Daniel Meager as well as the inexperience on the DL. Indeed, Meager was, eh-hem, meager as he ended the game 10-15 for 122 yards. MTSU held Mean Green to only 274 yards on total offense, of which a small majority, 152 yards were on the ground. Not exactly the dominating run game we have grown accustomed to from North Texas. On the flip side, the Blue Raiders came out and dominated on offense from a yardage perspective as they got 383 yards in total offense and a TD. We mentioned that the unseasoned DL would have difficulty stopping the Blue Raiders-which they did. However, the differences in this game were five critical turnovers by the Blue Raiders of which three were interceptions. As if turnovers weren’t bad enough, Maurice Holman intercepted a pass at the North Texas 1 yard line and returned it 99 yards for a TD! The bad luck continued as game breaking WR Chris Henry (60 catches last year) broke his leg in the fourth quarter. North Texas ultimately won the contest 14-7 (after being shut-out in the first half). The final score could have easily been 14-7 in favor of the Blue Raiders and an easy cover-but that is what happens when you bet on college football. Simply stated, if you backed North Texas last week you were lucky to win your wager. Period.

In our second play of the weekend we advised a play on the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette grabbing seven points on the road at Eastern Michigan Eagles. While the Eagles had an easy win on paper, the fact they held the Cajuns to only 10 points was the first time the Eagles had held an opponent to 10 points since 1998! Looking at the Cajuns we figured the game as a high scoring affair with little or no defense. Again the Cajuns killed us on turnovers. ULL recorded 410 yards of total offense (182 rushing, 228 passing), but lost four fumbles! If you managed to tune in the game you saw the Cajuns only scored two times out of four trips inside the twenty. Regarding the Eagles we anticipated the stellar play of senior QB Matt Bohnart was impressive with two passing and two rushing TDs. In the win, Bohnart’s stats were 26-of-36 passing for 263 yards. Bohnart also rushed for 85 yards. Costly turnovers and the inability to score once inside the red zone as well as EMU defense playing better than they have in seven years all accounted for our second loss last weekend.

As we continue this season we are reminded that gambling is a marathon and not a sprint. This week we’ve rooted out two more fugly games for our weekend’s college sports investment.

Baylor Bears (-5.5) at ARMY (o/u 54)
Baylor opened at four points and was bet up to 5.5 quicker than you can say Oscar Robinson. The total has dropped from 55 to 54. Bettors looking for value on the money line can get +180 backing the Black Knights while you’ll be laying a bit more than 2/1 backing the Bears.

How much should you read into Baylor’s road win at SMU since last week SMU defeated TCU? Probably not too much as TCU’s loss was no doubt caused in part by a Sooner hangover. But still, with a win at West Point, the Bears could go 3-0 for the first time since 1996. Army-Baylor is hardly a college football tradition for most of the country, but the two times in their history that these teams played one another (as if that has any damn bearing on the game played on Saturday) Baylor has won both contests. In fact the last time these two teams met at West Point in 1979 the Bears won 55-0.

Army moved to the Independents over the winter, which provided the Black Knights an immediate benefit of playing a lighter schedule than they have had in years past. This is HC Bobby Ross' second year at Army and the Black Knights have seasoned QB Zac Dahman and Carlton Jones running the ball effectively. While the Black Knights only won two games last year the move to the Independents could actually mean that Army doubles last year's win total, but they’ll have to play better (and tackle better) than they did at BC. Until that happens Army might have a hard time winning any games this year.

The Baylor Bears have had a hard time as a member of the Big 12. They were out gained by 232 ypg in Big 12 play in 2003 and managed to cut that number to 142.1 ypg in 2004. Credit goes to HC Guy Morriss who brings a talented team who have only gotten better over recent years. That might not be a huge compliment considering that in conference play the Bears are 6-66 SU since joining the Big 12. However, this is a favorable out of conference match for the Bears and they should easily cover the number this week.

Gamblers betting on this game should note that the Bears are 8-2 ATS before a bye week while the Black Knights are 6-12-1 against the spread in their last 20 games at home. Finally, double check the weather charts on Saturday before you bet this game.

PICK: Baylor –5.5 for $330

Wyoming (+3) at AIR FORCE (54.5 o/u)
Game 163/164 on your card had the Air Force Academy as 2-point home favorites with the total set at 52.5. Air Force has since risen to a 3-point ‘chalk’ with the total soaring to 54.5 as gamblers anticipate a high scoring affair. Those looking for value added to the line can back the Cowboys at +125 or lay –145 to back the Falcons in Fort Collins.

Falcon's QB Shaun Carney has Air Force fans believing they can win the Mountain West this year. But they'll need their other players to step up to the challenge if they hope to make that a reality. Coming off their first losing season in years, the one positive for the Falcons is that last year's squad scored at least 20+ points in all but one game (California) and protecting Carney this year is Air Force's best OL in recent memory.

The Falcons HC Fisher DeBerry has had only two losing seasons in 21 years! Following the losing year his teams have gone on to win eight games. Of last year's squad that went 5-6 SU (3-4 MWC) and 5-5 ATS, DeBerry lost only 17 lettermen, which is most likely one reason why the Falcons have overcome double-digit deficits in both of their wins this season. But how long can you spot a team 10+ points and keep winning?

Saturday’s game should be an excellent Mountain West match-up between two teams with a legitimate shot of winning the MWC title. Air Force is undefeated this year-but barely. They beat the Washington Huskies 20-17 in Seattle and won at home last weekend against the Aztecs of San Diego State 41-29. The Falcons rode their running backs most of the day, running the ball a total of 67 times for 272 yards! Kendrick finished the game with 128 yards on 26 attempts and four TDs earning him Offensive Player of the Week in the Mountain West.

The Cowboys quietly had a great year last year notching a money earning 8-3 record ATS and a 7-5 SU record and a Bowl Bid. This year Wyoming returns 17 starters – the most in the Mountain West. QB Bramlet is on pace to score a few TDs per game through the air and build on last year's offense that averaged 26.5 points per game. This year the Cowboys hope to rely more upon play-action. Last week Seldon rushed for 121 yards against UL-Monroe so you can take that in the spirit as it was given. The shut-out gives Wyoming a skewed points against defensive ranking, however, the Cowboys held Urban Meyer’s Gators powerful attack to only 32 points at the Swamp. The Cowboys currently have the top rushing defense in the Mountain West, allowing only 92.5 ypg on the ground, and with the pass defense permitting 223 ypg, the unit as a whole ranks third in the league in total defense, giving up 315.5 ypg.

If you are laying your hard-earned cash on this play you should know that in this series the home team is only 2-5 against the spread in the last seven games. Air Force sports an 8-5 SU record over the last 13 games against Wyoming; however, the Falcons are only 6-7 against the spread versus Wyoming. Last year, Wyoming was the home favorite and easily covered the two-point spread winning 43-26.

Top Play: Tenn/Flroida UNDER 49

OK, looks like the number has crested at 49, and is beginning to drop, I'm jumping on the under 49 as my Top Play

In my opinion, this number is simply too high with 2 very good defenses, along with Tennessee's QB issues, and the fact that I believe life could be hard for Florida QB Leak with an unproven O-Line in front of him.

Gameplans

Tennessee's gameplan is the key to this total, a steady diet of RB Riggs on offense. I expect Fulmer to pound it, pound it, pound it with Riggs and pass when need be, or at opprotune times.

Defensively, I expect the Vols D-line is be able to put pressure on Leak without having to send the house, similar to what they were able to do two years ago. Florida coach Meyer understands that his Gators must be able to establish some sort of running game, to open it up for Leak. And I'm not convinced they can run it with any sort of effectiveness against this stout Vols front seven.

The word on Florida's D

On defense, Florida's guys have been impressive, albeit against inferior offenses. Luckily for their unproven secondary, Tennessee's QB situation is a little bit of a question mark. As I stated earlier, they can expect to see a whole lot of Gerald Riggs in this big rivalry game.

Top Play: UF/UT UNDER 49

Regular Play: Wisconsin -3 over UNC This game would be a bigger play if this were at Wisconsin, but I will tread a little lighter with the Badgers hitting the road for the first time this season.

Looks like the linesmakers are giving the Tar Heels credit for almost upsetting G Tech on the road last week, but I won't The Jackets beat Auburn in a huge win on the road a week before, and I really question their motivation for this one, even though it was their conference opener. Chan Gailey's play calling in the fourth quarter also left a lot to be desired. I have no explanation as to why he didn't keep feeding the ball to P.J. Daniels.

Well, Barry Alvarez WILL feed the ball to his top runners, Calhoun and Booker, and do it often. Stocco looks like he's improved tremendously, even though the opposing secondaries he's faced thus far have left a lot to be desired.

NC has been outgained tremendously in thier first two games, but I will give coach Bunting credit for playing a tough Boston College team to open up.

Key matchup: Wiscy D-Line vs. UNC O-line

This is where the game could be decided, as UNC is still shuffling to get the right combonation along the offensive line, which means they'll struggle to run the ball, and will have to take advantage of the Badgers secondary.

Wisconsin's secondary has been a point of criticism, but they loked much better in the 2nd half of the Bowling Green game, and UNC QB Baker is hardly in the league of Omar Jacobs. When G Tech got down to business on D vs. UNC, they intercepted Baker 3 times in the 4th quarter.

He can't win this game with his arm. I believe the Badgers D will force Baker to make some bad decisions on Saturday.

Offensively, with Stocoo improving thanks to the blocking of the offensive line and the strong running game, Wiscy should once again put up some big numbers vs. this below average Tar Heels defense. The longer the game goes, the more they will wear them out.

Regular play: Wisconsin -3

Small play: Notre Dame -6 1/2 over Mich State

I know many are wary of a big let down after the road victiories, especially the upset win over Michigan at Ann Arbor, but I feel they'll be energized to be coming back to South Bend for the home opener. Paticularly, since the foe they are facing, Michigan State, are playing thier first road game after two easy home tuneups.

This will be the Spartans first real test, and it's not a good spot, in my opinion. This is a HUGE step up in competition on both sides of the ball, and they could get shellshocked early, as ND has opened up strong in both of their first two games.

Spartans QB Stanton looks improved, and is a great athlete, but if his team is playing from behind all day, he could become the inconsistent guy we saw in 2004.

Notre Dame is tons more physical than anything Michigan State has seen thus far, and if they get smacked in the mouth a couple times, they may not recover. ND goes to 3-0 after this one.

I guess Bill Belichick will be just fine without Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel? It was "business as usual" for the Patriots on Thursday night, as New England opened the 2005 season with a 30-20 win over the Raiders.

Oakland took the opening kickoff and drove for a TD, marking the first time New England had allowed an opening-drive TD to an opponent, in 37 games! However, the defense settled down after that, allowing just a 73-yard TD 'bomb' to Randy Moss in the second quarter and a concession TD (leading 30-14) with about three minutes remaining in the game. As for the offense, Brady passed for 306 yards with two TDs (no INTs) and Dillon ran for two scores, despite rushing for just 63 yards.

New England has now won 35 of its last 39 games (counting the postseason), including 21 straight at home! No team in the Super Bowl era has ever won three straight championships and in NFL history, only Lombardi's Green Bay Packers have won three consecutive titles. Green Bay won the NFL title in 1965 and then won the first two Super Bowls, following NFL title-game wins in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. Can the Pats make it three straight Super Bowls and four in five seasons this year?

I guess so but it's not easy these days to even make the playoffs year in and year out. New England has won three Super Bowls in four years but in 2002, the Pats failed to even reach the postseason. Only three franchises have made it to the postseason in each of the last three years. Philadelphia tops the list with five straight playoff appearances, followed by Green Bay (four straight) and Indianapolis (three straight).

The Eagles finally broke their NFC title-game hex last year, beating the Falcons 27-10 in the NFC Championship Game, where they had lost the three previous years. The Eagles are easily the NFC's best team again this year but are facing the fact that four straight and five of the last six Super Bowl losers have failed to post winning records the following year!

The Bengals own the longest playoff drought, having last been to the postseason in 1990. They'll enter the 2005 season with a stretch of 14 consecutive playoff-less years. Behind Cincinnati is Arizona with six straight non-playoff seasons. Buffalo, Detroit, Jacksonville and Washington have each missed the postseason the last five years.

The San Diego Chargers ended an eight-year playoff drought last season, by improving from 4-12 in 2003 to 12-4 in 2004. A turnaround like the Chargers experienced last year has not exactly become the norm but it's not a rarity, either.

Over a five-year period (2000-04), 25 of the 60 playoff participants (41.7 percent) have been teams that were .500 or worse the year before. Along with San Diego last year, Atlanta (from 5-11 to 11-5), the New York Jets (6-10 to 10-6) and Pittsburgh (6-10 to 15-1!) all made the playoffs coming off a non-winning season. Who will be this year's surprise team?

Week 1 continues on Sunday with the marquee game featuring the Colts 'visiting' Baltimore to play the Ravens. For those of us who grew up with Johnny U, the Colts are NOT supposed to be the visiting team in a game played in Baltimore. Week 1 concludes with an NFC Championship Game rematch between the Eagles and Falcons. However, this time the game is in Atlanta, not Philadelphia.

College Football

Three games top college football's second Saturday. No.2 Texas will visit Columbus, Ohio to meet No. 4 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan hosts No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 5 LSU, displaced by Hurricane Katrina, will play at Tempe against No. 15 Arizona State (instead of hosting the Sun Devils in Baton Rogue).

TEXAS at OHIO STATE

Texas scheduled this game years ago and right now may be asking themselves, "Why this year?" After Oklahoma's pathetic season-opening performance versus TCU, 2005 could be the year the Longhorns FINALLY beat the Sooners. A win over Oklahoma on October 8 would make Texas one of the prohibitive favorites for a place in this year's Rose Bowl but NOT if the Longhorns lose in Columbus. Ohio State is 6-1 SU under Tressel versus top-10 teams and this will be the school's seventh-ever night game in Ohio Stadium. In six previous games "under the lights", OSU is 6-0 SU and ATS! As for Texas, the Longhorns have not lost a 'true' road game since a 42-38 loss in Lubbock versus Texas Tech in 2002 (eight straight wins).

NOTRE DAME at MICHIGAN

Talk about an underdog series? The 'dog' is an amazing 14-2-1 ATS when Notre Dame and Michigan hook up. Notre Dame opened with a 42-21 win at Pitt, as the Irish topped 500 yards of offense with 33 FDs in Charlie Weis' debut. Michigan's defense hasn't played well since the team's eighth game of last year. Since then, Michigan has allowed exactly 37 points to Michigan State, Ohio State and Texas, while allowing two other teams, Northwestern and Northern Illinois (last week), more than 400 yards. In Michigan's favor is a great offense of its own and a 14-0 SU record in "the Big House" since installing its new artificial surface.

LSU at ARIZONA STATE

Hurricane Katrina forced a venue change for this game, as LSU was scheduled to host the Sun Devils in Baton Rogue. Could the Pac-10 finally be playing 'lucky' when it comes to a weather related game-change! In 1998, a hurricane postponed UCLA's game with Miami from early September to early December, when Miami was a much more polished team. UCLA's loss in December that year, cost the undefeated Bruins a chance to play in the first-ever BCS title game. Again last year, a hurricane pushed Cal's game at Southern Miss to the end of the season and a closer than expected margin of victory in that game, may have cost the Bears a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Is this the year it works out in the Pac-10's favor? LSU is loaded and would have been a solid favorite at home but playing in Tempe, the game is a toss-up. ASU, now gets its two biggest challenges of the year at home, Saturday night versus LSU and an October 1 date with USC.

CLOSING NOTE

Akron was the lone MAC team to not play last weekend and Purdue was the only Big-10 team not in action. Akron holds the distinction of being the only bowl-eligible team in 2004 (not on suspension) to NOT get a bowl bid. Purdue, was just 7-5 in 2005 but the team's five losses came by a total of just 14 points! After opening the 2005 season 5-0, the Boilermakers lost consecutive games to Wisconsin (by three points), Michigan (by two), Northwestern (by two) and Iowa (by two). Purdue won its final two regular season games but then lost to Arizona State in the Sun Bowl, 27-23.

If last week's results are any indication, Purdue shouldn't be too worried about having a close game on Saturday. MAC teams went 1-10 (3-6-1 ATS) last weekend, the only win coming by Toledo over I-AA Western Illinois (62-14). The 10 losers allowed an average of 38.3 PPG! As for Big-10 last week, the conference was a perfect 10-0 SU and 7-2-1 ATS.

Can I tell you how tired I am of single women complaining about how hard it is to meet a decent man? The problem is not a dearth of quality men. In fact, I know quite a few single gems. The problem exists where the ladies are looking. You aren’t going to find the right man in a sleazy bar or pick-up joint. If you want a man who values integrity, honor, and good sportsmanship, then you have go where the real men are. In the fall, that means your local sports bar.

Football is the all-American game. If you can’t get into the game, you are shunning some of the best guys in town. Here you will find men that truly believe in honor, both on and off the field. Football players aren’t stereotypical big dumb jocks. They have had to work incredibly hard to get where they are, and there are no NFL players who haven’t made a true commitment to the game. The fans are equally committed to the game and their teams. So much for the common complaint that “it’s impossible to find a man who can make a commitment”!

Personally, I’m hooked on the game itself. I love the strategy, the element of surprise, and the emotion (and I’m not terribly opposed to cute butts in tight football pants, either). You may or may not develop your own passion for the game, but you need to garner a basic understanding of how it works if you don’t want to come off like a fool. Guys can spot a fraud miles away, so it’s better to admit your ignorance and ask questions, rather than try to pretend you know the game. Of course, this only works for so long and you need to bone-up on football if you want to hang with the boys. Start with the basics – you need to know what teams are playing, and it really helps to have a favorite. I’m a tried-and-true Raiders fan myself, but they aren’t for the weak-hearted, being the only team in the NFL that has to play against both the opposing team and the selectively-blind referees (personal quibbles aside, of course).

If you don’t have a favorite team in mind, you could simply go with your hometown team. Be it the town you live in now, or the one from which you came. If that doesn’t work for you, then you probably come from Cincinnati or Cleveland, and should pick a random team. I know women who made their selection based on which jersey color looked best on them, which logo they liked best, or which team their despised ex-boyfriend hated the most. However, you make your selection, choose your team, and stay with them through the good times and the bad.

Start reading the sports page. You need to understand what is going on in the football world. At first, very little might make sense, but keep reading and you’ll be surprised at how much you can actually learn. For a high level overview, listen to the sports segment on your local network news. ESPN has a great web site where you can always find the latest stats on all the teams. At the very least, try to know the latest disputed calls, injuries and controversies.

Get a good pal to tutor you in the basics of the game. I recommend choosing a male friend, not boyfriend, who is a patient soul. Also, you are best learning from a taped game, so that he already knows the outcome and won’t mind stopping the tape to explain what just happened. I was totally anti-football until a good friend sat me down with a taped game and a few brews. Thanks to his patience and understanding of the game I’m now a regular Sunday inhabitant of the sports bar. Don’t forget to check among your gal pals; you may have a hidden football fan in your midst. The bonus is not just a great lesson, but also a buddy to join you in your foray into NFL Sundays at the sports bar and football fandom!

Impressive

LSU: First off, as I stated in another thread, big emotional win for LSU. Was supposed to be a home game for the Tigers, but they had to travel to Tempe, a very tough place to win. They didn't quit when a lot of team would've, and got the victory.

Notre Dame: Charlie Weis has had the best two weeks of any new coach in college football, and it's not far fetched to believe they have a legit shot at beating USC in a couple weeks. They should be able to put up some points in that one at home, it's just a question of if the D can force some turnovers and if the offense helps keep Leinart, Bush and Co. off the field

Texas: Gotta hand it to much-maligned Mac Brown and his troops. They go into a very hostile environment and get a come from behind victory. Vince Young is for real, for those who don't already know. They have solidified themselves as top challenger to USC.

Clemson: Whitehurst and Merriweather lead them to a win over Maryland, in what was a classic let down/sandwich game after the big win over Texas A & M, and with Miami coming up next week.

Disappointments

btw, I'm gonna give Michigan a pass, as they got beat by a team that I see as being "at their level". Not a huge upset, in my opinion.

Oklahoma: They pulled away from a mediocore Tulsa team in the 4th quarter, but Stoops realizes this QB situation is troublesome. So bad infact, that they didn't throw the ball at all in the second half. It may not be a bad time to bring the Barry Switzer option back to Norman.

Pittsburgh: Wannstedt and Cavanaugh have officially wrecked that program and Tyler Palko in the process. No matter how badly they were spanked by Notre Dame the previous week, no excuse for losing this one versus an inferior opponent. Happy to see Frank Solich get a big victory for the Ohio U program, though.

TCU: This is a young team off a HUGE upset, so I can't be too upset with them. But, definately a disappointment losing to SMU. Maybe TCU really isn't very good, judging by OU's woes. Patterson is an excellent coach, and they'll rebound.

For those of us who enjoy a good football game and know something about the players, the term fantasy football is intriguing. But what is it? How do you play? And, where do you go to sign up?

A search on fantasy football brings back thousands of sites such as, http://footballpdq.com/, most of which are offering to allow you to become a commissioner or sign up to create a team, all at low cost or no cost. Intrigued? Here’s the lowdown.

First, there’s a fantasy football commissioner, who’s in charge of the league, much the same as in real-life. The commissioner puts in the most amount of money to be the biggest cheese. This person is the final arbiter of disputes, makes decisions and, in general, gets to have the most leeway - and the most headaches - in the league.

Then there are the team owners. These individuals pay a lesser fee than the fantasy football commissioner, and manage their own teams. The owners choose who will be on the teams, what players will start, and so on.

So, the owners need teams. The next step is to pool all the real-world pro football players, rank them and then have a draft. Each team owner takes turns picking players for his or her team - hence the name fantasy football. Depending on how the draft goes, your team could be a true fantasy. Of course, some leagues have salary caps just as in real life, which prohibits one team from having all the best players. Trades are usually allowed, though depending on the league, they may be limited.

So once the fantasy football commissioner has a full roster of teams and the teams have a full roster of players... what happens? This is where things get interesting.

Team owner Alpha has players X, Y and Z on the team. In real life, player X is on one team, player Y on another and player Z on yet another. Before the game, Alpha has to decide who is starting, who isn’t, and what’s going on. Alpha then gives this information (by whatever means the fantasy football league has) to the commissioner. This information must be set in stone prior to the actual Sunday and Monday football games that NFL teams such as the Patriots and the Raiders play.

The real AFC & NFC teams play. Let’s say player X is on the Eagles in real life and is a quarterback. This Sunday, he throws three touchdown passes and the Eagles win. Fantasy football team owner Alpha has X on the team and, very smartly, started X for the football fantasy league games.

How this translates in fantasy football depends on the league.

The usual standard is that for every possible situation, a team can earn points. For example, the real life touchdowns of player X may earn fantasy football owner Alpha four hundred points each. Alpha may come out of the weekend as the biggest point earner, thanks to player X, which then sets Alpha up for contention as the fantasy football league winner.

Of course, this assumes that player X wasn’t benched at the last minute, depriving Alpha of earning any points and ending last in the fantasy football league.

The ultimate prize at the season’s end may be a statue or possibly money, depending on which fantasy football league you join. Or it may just be the prestige of knowing that you outwitted all the other team owners and came out as top dog.

While this fantasy may come with a price tag for participation, if you enjoy the game and avidly watch the players anyway, fantasy football can be a harmless way to spend some time.

Betting "marquee" or television games is a popular Saturday recreational activity for squares and wise guys that causes radical fluctuations in the spread and can turn a sure winner into a sure loser. To protect us from denting our bankroll in the first weeks of the season we see the value in wagering on NCAA football games that are under the radar. The more obscure the game the better. What does it matter if you win a nickel on Eastern Michigan or on the University of Michigan? This means you won't see Kirk, Lee and Chris spotlighting these games on Saturday morning.

In this space this college football season you won't see us recommending a lumber-play on USC, Texas or Iowa. In fact, the games we recommend you'll have a hard time finding on television, unless you live within the region. So fire-up the gamecast at your favorite online sports news website and flex your "refresh button" finger since the scoring lag will be great and they won't flash the score in the middle of the Notre Dame-Michigan game. Despite the setback of easily finding an accurate up-to-date score, and if you can bear betting a game you can't watch, we believe that you'll get as much value, if not more, betting schools in smaller conferences than you will in the bigger conferences where square money can and often does kill your bet or parlay.

This week, we have two games that the line has moved in our favor, despite being bet up early. We see that EMU has moved from five points to seven points and North Texas has moved from five points down to four. Now lets take advantage of the steam since we see something that the early money has not.

EMU EAGLES (-7) vs. ULL Ragin' Caguns (56 O/U)

This week we turn our attention to Yipslanti, Michigan. This added game opened with the Eagles as a 5-point "chalk" but was quickly bet up to seven by gamblers looking to get on the offensively minded Eagles before the square money takes over Saturday morning. So far the steam is on the Eagles and that makes me like this play even more. The total has remained locked at 56 points as the odds brokers fully expect this game to be a high scoring affair. We see the number in this game (even at five points) inflated due to several reasons. First and foremost is the 60-3 dismantling of the Ragin' Cajuns by the Texas Longhorns. While Texas dominated every aspect of the lopsided affair, one has to consider that the Ragin' Cajuns were one of the only teams in Louisiana playing last week in the aftermath of Katrina and about 20 players are from the New Orleans area. The Eagles dropped their season opener to Cincinnati 26-28, but led at the half 20-14. However, it was the stellar play of the Eagles QB Matt Bohnet and the woeful display of the Cajuns defense against Texas that is also likely to account for the large number. Against the Bearcats, Bohnet went 22-of-33 for 167 yards and a 27-yard scoring pass to Eric Deslauriers in the first quarter. Bohnet accounted for 65 rushing yards on 10 carries making him the Eagles leading rusher.

Looking at this week's battle between the Sun Belt and Mid-American Conferences, we see a much more favorable situation for the Ragin' Cajuns-despite going on the road for their second straight week. Both teams bring identical 0-1 records and look at this game as a must win. No doubt about it, the Eagles are loaded with offensive weapons, however, their running game is suspect as is the case when your QB is your leading rusher. On defense, the Eagles had a hard time stopping the Bearcats as they allowed 469 yards of total offense of which 293 yards were rushing yards. Good thing for the Eagles they'll face an aerial attack by the Ragin' Cajuns as they get back their star WR Bill Sampy after he served his one-game suspension last week. Last year Sampy led the team with 57 receptions and 6 TDs. You can count on the Cajuns to throw the ball since their starting TB Chester Johnson is nursing an injured shoulder and is questionable for the EMU game. This is the first time that these two teams have met, and we see the teams trading points throughout this game as both team's defenses have proved porous. One statistic that fell by the wayside in the Ragin' Cajuns' loss to Texas was that of the 418 yards allowed, the Cajuns managed to hold Texas' air attack to 173 yards. If the Cajuns can hold Bohnet to pedestrian numbers they'll even have a shot at winning this game.

Pick: ULL Ragin' Cajuns +7

MTSU BLUE RAIDERS (-4) vs. North Texas Mean Green (48 O/U)

Question: How do you not bet North Texas when they're grabbing four points against a team they have never lost against? Mean Green puts its 25 game Sun Belt Conference winning streak on the line as they travel to the MTSU Blue Raiders this weekend. Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Blue Raiders as a 5-point home favorite and set the total at 48 points, the total has not moved while the early action had bettors grabbing the five points for the four-time defending Sun Belt champions. Maybe it is I, but don't you see something funky in that number, something that screams sucker bet? Due to the devastation from Katrina North Texas' opener at LSU was postponed, while the Blue Raiders dropped their first game against the Crimson Tide 26-7. In their loss one thing was abundantly clear to all who watched the game, the Blue Raiders will have to figure out their running game if they hope to win this week against North Texas. Against the Crimson Tide's stingy defense MTSU managed a paltry 34 yards on 25 carries! However, playing against a North Texas team with four new DL starters maybe the balm the Blue Raider running game needs.

We'll see if having played one game versus a team that has not played a game yet will make a difference. Keep in mind that North Texas has lost eight straight season openers. There is also the revenge factor for the Blue Raiders. Recalling last year at Denton, Texas when these two teams went head-to-head, MTSU held a 14-0 lead over Mean Green (who were a 3-point favorite) until the second quarter when the Blue Raiders gave up 24 points and suffered a tough 30-21 road loss. Last year's loss was MTSU's fourth consecutive loss to North Texas. Remember, defensively last year was a down year for Mean Green and certainly this year is still a rebuilding year for the DBs and DLs (four new starters). These are a few of the reasons that the Blue Raiders are the favorite in this game. However, what I believe is the key factor for North Texas in this game is red-shirt freshman Daniel Meager taking over for Scott Hall. True, all Meager has to do is not lose the game by handing the ball off to stud RB Cobbs and Thomas. But this is Meager's first start in the NCAAs and it comes on the road at Floyd Stadium. For the Blue Raiders I see QB Clinton Marks having a better day than against the Crimson Tide (12-of-18 attempts for just 117 yards and a 14-yard TD toss). On defense, Blue Raider linebacker Jonathan Bonner returned from a season ending neck injury in '04 and collected 5 1/2 tackles. Bradley Robinson had significant impact against Alabama with 8 1/2 tackles and one interception.

Answer: You bet against North Texas because they are playing their first game of the season on the road with a red shirt freshman quarterback against a team that has one game under their belt and a super accurate passer and is looking to revenge a loss. Despite the power running game the SBC streak ends at 25 for North Texas.

1) Okay, 59 can still be had at -115 at matchbook, the exchange backed by WSEX.

Went ahead and grabbed it up. Both these defenses looked stronger past the 1st quarter of their repective games last week.

Michigan is a lot more physical than Pittsburgh, and will make plays and not miss the kind of tackles the Panthers did. The Michigan D struggled with mobile QB's like Troy Smith and Vince Young, but this won't be as much a problem with Brady Quinn who is a classic drop back passer.

On the other side, Michigan has some nice weapons with Hart, Avant, and Breaston, but Carr is still a stubborn guy who likes to establish the run. These two offenses are more ball control than meets the eye. I believe the Irish will hit, and hold their own against this offense. Weis has stressed they cut down on the penalties though.

My projected total looks closer to 48, I see some of these drives being stalled and both teams having to settle for field goal attempts a handful of times.

I give Michigan a slight edge here, but can't take the 7 at the Big House. Don't see ND pulling off the SU win.

Regular play: Michigan/Notre Dame UNDER 59

2) Top Play: Iowa -8 1/2 over Iowa State DEFENSE

That's the difference here, namely Iowa's defense. Just don't see this Cyclones club being able to establish much of a run game, and I know their QB Meyer can't pass this team to victory in this spot.

I am usually wary of laying almost double digits on the road, especially in a rivalry game. But, the talent gap has grown between this two teams compared to previous years. Ferentz has turned this program into one of the most talented in the country. Yeah, they get overhyped at times, but that's because they take care of teams in these situations.

Even though Iowa State is a Big 12 North contender, they aren't close to being one of the best teams in that conference. Iowa, on the other hand, is among the elite in likely the toughest conference in the NCAA's.

Drew Tate is the real deal at QB, and he's even more dangerous now that he's got healthy running backs to help shoulder the load. I expect the Iowa O-Line to knock the Iowa St defense off the ball all day long.

Give me the better team on both sides of the ball, the more efficent quarterback, better special teams, and better coach. I see very little that impresses me about Iowa State here, except they do play hard for McCarney.

They'll have to make this an ugly defensive battle to stay close, because they certainly don't have the firepower to move up and down the field against this defense. Doubtful.

Being the Family guy requires a lot of tact and finesse. A lot! This next trick isn't an easy one, but boy if you can pull it off; you get the Family Guy award for sports recruiting. The most important tool to use is your kid's natural instincts to be competitive with each other. Get them to pick the team they like, even if it's just the color of the helmets, and then get them to pick their favorite player. Now we've given them their own team to root for.

Keep plenty of sports caps and jerseys around the house, so when your favorite team is playing, you can all be sporting your teams awesome gear.

In fact, right now my plan is going into action. My daughters are picking out their favorite Miami Hurricane caps, as well as adorning themselves with their favorite U.M shirts. I'm in good shape, and there's only 20 minutes to kickoff. I remind the kids one more time about the importance of this game, and they seem fired up. I'm doing it! My plan is in action.

When your team scores, start high-fiving the kids. Get them screaming right along with you. Explain to them what just happened, using the instant replays as a visualization tool. Make sure they watch the replays a couple of times, so they can grasp the magnitude of what just took place. This is football!

Grant it, they won't sit through the whole game with you, but they'll leave you alone; for fear of you trying to lure them back to the sofa, and then again be forced to participate in your frenzy. Whatever you do, don't let them take off their caps or jerseys during the course of the game. They should understand that they are the teams good luck charms, and we need them to help us to victory. Should for some reason your team lose, they should understand that it was you who didn't have your lucky shirt on, even if your sure that they were the ones responsible for the loss.

So there you have it. A smart family guy knows he must have his children on his side. That's how you build a winning team. Your kids now love football, whether they like it or not. Best of luck this season, The Family Guy.