We poached this beauty from EDSBS, who presumably, poached it from LSU Freek (yes, we intuited that from the top-right corner of the image).
Here in not-so-sunny-but-hotter-than-hell Gainesville, where the nearest beach of repute is 90 minutes away, we learned this week that Aly-Bammy is not the only SEC institution that intends to spend thousands of dollars to shamelessly aggrandize its gridiron heroes. Here’s what the local rag had to say:
The bronze statues of Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow are to be placed on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The full board votes this afternoon on the project. The statues cost $550,000, which is being funded by private donations. Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said the statues will likely be installed after Jan. 1, allowing the former players being honored to be there for an unveiling of the statues.
For the SNL crew, the moral of the story is that there are some rich bastards out there who love them some Florida and Alabama football. Since we here at SNL are not among the hordes of loaded alums, the more important lessen to be distilled from this is that going to law school at UF is no harbinger of future riches. In fact, it will almost surely leave you under a heap of student loans with only marginal employment options. Start encouraging the MBA route mom and dad.
Irrespective, it is comforting to know that Alabama and Florida continue to whip’em out and see who’s is biggest even though we remain months away from a football game.
The embedded video is the only solace we can find in this week’s card, which is dreadful by any objective measure, at least from a purely aesthetic point of view. Sure, there are a few jewels for those who, like SNL, are investment minded. But all in all, most are free to make it a “Blockbuster Night.” Not casting stones, but a heartfelt thanks to the SEC for trotting out another round of exhibition games, that goes for you too beloved Gators.
Another round of applause for the Michigan and OSU programs for making this rivalry the Big 10 equivalent of UT v. Vandy, a more or less regional rivalry of no interest to anyone outside of Michigan and Ohio. Seems like only yesterday that the nation was hand-wringing in anticipation of this game, with E-SPIN prodding us along with a 48 hour “Countdown” clock. Ahh….to be young again.
Well, flock, we can all sit here and lament this lost weekend of football or we can seek to replenish our depleted emotional reserves in the manner that all Americans aspire to: Helping others? Fighting on? Leading by example? Don’t make me laugh. By gambling on football on using the winnings to purchase ridiculous brand name crap we don’t need. Let’s go…
Texas A & M (-6) v. Baylor: This is the official “My other car is…” game. The implication, naturally, is that those who place one of these bumper stickers on their cars don’t have an “other car,” and if they do, it’s a piece of crap. Here, Baylor is the other car. So, let’s complete the puzzle for the hard-of-thinking… Baylor’s other car is a myth or a piece of crap. Aggies and the 12th man roll.
Vandy at UT (-17): Another rivalry that isn’t. This game is, however, a testament to SNL’s depravity, which is boundless. Seriously, SNL hates Layla Kiffin’s Husband and his putrid program, but love UT against the spread. The lesson? Glad you asked: Money trumps hatred. UT wins big and all the convenience stores in Knoxville close the minute the game is over.
LSU at Ole Miss (o42): Ole Miss remains enigmatic and, like a heavily marketed Nick Cage flick, always seems to disappoint. Still, McCluster is on a tear and LSU’s wideouts should have some success against the Rebs (assuming Jefferson plays). And, the number seems relatively low. In other words, there’s alot of ways to get to 42 points, especially with Dex on the field.
Final thoughts…a moment of silence for the PAC 1+9, which is dead from a national perspective. Doubters of the veracity of this statement are encouraged to check tomorrow’s ratings for the ‘Zona v. Oregon matchup, will whill be lower than the Fox rerun of Cops. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, USC’s national cache’ was the only thing that kept the PAC-10 in the national consciousness.
As for the Boise, TCU, Cincinatti debacle…does anyone really care? TCU certainly passes the eyeball test and could probably play with any on the top-3, but Cinci and Boise seem woefully inept on the defensive side of the ball and to make matter worse for the smurf-turf bunch, the schedule is laughable, not matter how big the MOV. Naturally, Boise will play some BCS school that is under-motivated and disinterested, and might even win. Following which the Boise allegiant will trumpet their program as the equal of any while the more rational towns folk scoff.
Housekeeping…before we get to the picks, let’s clear the air on a few things that have upset members of the Flock. Enough about Spikes! It was a chippy game, he’s a good guy, and really, the only reason to be upset is because Pope Urban caved to pressure from national toolbags like Lupica, and Mike Golic and suspended him.
Golic, bye the bye, has confessed that in the days of yore’ he tried to choke a man in the pile a la John Wesley Harden of “Time Life Book Fame” (that’s right, the look and feel of hand-tooled leather!). If that’s not enough, Golic is corpulent and decidedly unfunny, and as clever as it may have been at the time for E-SPIN to pair the hefty, quasi-burly Golic with his effeminate, eunuch of a counterpart, the cache has long since passed and these two should fade quietly into the night only to be seen on reality TV.
Steve Czaban has also been openly critical Meyer, but he’s so damn funny, we here at SNL have turned the other cheek. Seriously folks, make the switch from “Tubby Mike and Skinny Mike,” and hit up the Czabe, it’s like going from box wine to Dom.
Finally…..remember and weep ye’ of the soft-heart…
Moving on….
Vanderbilt (+35) at Florida:Pops won’t like this pick, so it calls for an explanation. Some years ago, when Spurrier’s Gators were kicking the bejeezus out of everyone, Florida opened with a directional school and the spread was Florida -56!!! At the time, SNL had a policy of not picking for or against the Gators, even against the spread.
The following Tuesday, SNL presented at the rear of Sal’s “Fine Italian Eatery” to fork over some hard earned dough to Vinnie “Hands” Moresci, who sat smugly at his table as he always did (and does)-as he should because he’s always flanked by at least two Italians who are north of 250 lbs. and look they would poke your eyes out with an icepick if Vincenzo gave them the nod.
I counted out my losses (SNL wasn’t as sharp back then) and Vincenzo said, “Why’nt take Northern Illinois (or whoerver it was) kid?”
“I don’t bet against Florida,” I mumbled in reply.
“Let me ask you somethin’ kid,” Vinnie said in a way that let me know he wasn’t really “asking” me anything, ““When’s the last time the Florida Gators bought you a steak dinner?”
The Florida Gators still haven’t spung for the steak, and the lesson has stuck with me. And that, Flock, is what we call “the moral of the story.”
Today, I get my steak, Vandy covers, 42-13.
Oklahoma (-5) at Nebraska: SNL had an epiphany of sorts last week while watching Nebraska squeak past Baylor: Nebraska’s offense sucks. An equal but opposite (at least for today) truth occurred some weeks ago when watching Oklahoma: Oklahoma’s defense is gooood. That Flock, is what we call “science.” and SNL is in love with this pick. Lay the 5 with confidence and while you’re watching your investment mature, think about how horrible that Big 12 Championship Game is going to be.
Northwestern (+15.5) at Iowa: Ahhhh, the chic conundrum that is Iowa. What do we do with them? Where do they rank? How good are they? These enigmatic Hawkeyes have vexed the hard-of-thinking national heads, like Mandel, and Feinbaum, but not us. Quick digression, SNL once met a whole busload of Iowa sorority girls at St. Augustine beach, and nary a one was hot. Saddest day of my then eighteen year existence.
Here’s your answer Flock. Iowa is ok, but SNL believes we should ride the doggies until Iowa gets some hot chicks or shows some signs of consistent quarterback play, we’ll keep taking the points.
Houston (-1) at Tulsa: Like Terrelle Owens and Lindsey Lohan, Tulsa is living on reputation of years past. Houston, conversely, hasn’t been seen much since Phi Slamma Jamma and cell phones the size of shoe boxes were sweeping the nation. Keenum for Heisman!! Kidding aside, this is another pick we feel pretty strongly about.
As always, these picks are for entertainment purposes only and comments are welcome. We’ll check back later to see how the Flock is making out.
We’ll get to Forida-UGA, but mindful of the need to get our investments called in to the local vig before noon EST, we’re all business this a.m.
Housekeeping…like so many tattooed girls we’ve met in pool halls over the years, WVU excited us under cover of darkness only to disappoint when the lights came on. In a related story, we’ve noted that this year more than last, even the most marginally compelling of matchups has seemed to find its way to primetime television this year, which makes for a horrible noon slate for watching and more importantly, gambling. This is no doubt due in part to E-SPIN’s unholy matrimony with the SEC, and in part because the Big 11 is horrible TV rife with slow players, corpulent chicks, and teams exchanging buckets of spit and the like after every game. So….only 2 nooners today…
Ole Miss (-5) v. Auburn: The frosty-tipped heads at E-SPIN , when not busy sexing starry-eyed interns in Bristol to “learn” the ropes, have been lamenting the demise of Ole Miss since the Rebels went down to (that’s “to” not “on” degenerates) the OBC early this year. Since then, Saban’s rowdy horde has plundered The Grove, which has further eroded any widespread support for Nutt and his cronies.
Erstwhile, on the plains, Auburn’s gimmicky offense has fallen so far its advertising on Craig’s List for world series tix. Today, Auburn can try to get their life back against the best defense in the SEC outside of Birmingham and Gainesville. We smell R-E-L-A-P-S-E. Ole Miss wins easy, Ole Miss -5.
Wisconsin (-7) v. Purdue: Only 7? Oh yeah, Purdue got lucky and beat OSU last week. Won’t happen again. Wizzy in a laugher. Wisconsin -7.
GTU (-11.5) at Vandy: Vandy, laughing stock of the SEC football fan and pride of the league’s scholastic sorts, did there best to ruin our ‘Tussin theory last week, when they covered against the OBC’s poor performing ‘Cocks. While erratic performance is common in South Carolina, it isn’t in the ATL where GT’s flex-bone damn near always finds the right spot. The ‘Tussin theory will be back after the Jackets hammer the ‘Dores tonight. Back the truck up on this one.
We’ve got two more we’re eyeballing, but these should keep you busy while we talk to our sources on the ground.
Sorry for posting late, alzheimer’s walk (we miss you Dr. Robinson) and a trip to the “Super” Wal-Mart, which would be more “Super” if it weren’t frequented by (apparently) all of Gainesville’s indigent, smoking, tatt’d trailer park denizens, and their equal-but opposite in every way-counterparts (figure it out flock)-speaking of which, “Affliction Guy” is beginning to rival “Lift Kit” Guy for the biggest a**hole title. Nothing says badass like an Affliction Hoodie and a menthol.
Moving on…12-4 ATS in last 16, and 24-14 (we think) YTD…we’re hot at SNL and we know it…
Utah St. (-1) v. La. Lafayetted: Why? This game isn’t on TV (at least not that we know of), and both teams more or less suck. All the better my pretties, Utah St. can pass, and has covered for SNL twice already against good teams. Ergo, we expect the…hell….not even sure what the mascot is…an injun’ of some sort? In any event, its time for the Utah St. “whatchamafaces” to win one. Utah St. -1.
Oklahoma (-7) at Kansas: Big Game Bob and his beleaguered Sooners go to Kansas to play Todd “Reesing Peanut Butter Cup” and the rest of the Jayhawks, assuming of course that the Kansas Hoops team hasn’t kicked the crap out of the whole lot of ‘em. SNL has watched Kansas several times this year and can’t get over how many white dudes are on this team. SNL still isn’t convinced that the Jayhawks recruited most of their players at the Republican Convention. Oklahoma is sooooooo pissed, and loaded with legitimate, D-1 talent…the Sooners may actually kill (yes, kill, as in dead) Reesing today. Oklahoma -7.
Idaho (+16) at Nevada: Another lo-fi affair between two teams taht nobody cares about. So sue me already! You can follow it on the Sportline ticker. Idaho can score and for those feeble-minded sorts who employ transitive logic to make their picks: Idaho beat Colorado St. by 2, and Nevada lost to Colorado St. by 15. Idaho+16.
Iowa (+1.5) at Sparty: Wrong team favored. This one’s easy.
South Caroloina (-13) v. Vandy: We explained last week how Vandy was the miracle tonic for what ails (fill in your team) at this time. “Put some Vandy on that there wound boy! It’ll get better real quick!” This week, Spurrier’s Cocks will heal their sores with the miracle that is Vandy football. The good news for Vandy is that most alumni and students are so cerebral that they don’t recognize anything (football included) that doesn’t involve Equine, Bordeaux, or Cigars as a viable pastime. Sucks for them. Cocks -13.