Dad on the Rise

Posts Tagged ‘Football’

Last week I predicted the Texans (9.5) to win outright over the Colts.  The final score was Colts 20 Texans 17.  I was half right.

This week’s match-up: St. Louis Rams (13.5) vs. New Orleans Saints

I like the Saints to not only win, but to cover the spread with ease.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints score 100 points.  Seriously though this game has the makings of an old fashioned butt whoopin.  The Saints march into St. Louis with the number 1 rated offense in the league.  We all know they can pass, number 5 this year, as last year Drew Brees had a season that was only matched by the Dan Marino, but the Saints have found a ground game as well.  The rushing attack is number 2 in the NFL with HBs Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell heading the both with just under 500 yards each.  Reggie Bush even has 4 rushing TDs and a 4.0 yards per rush average.  And when you match their potent rushing against the St. Louis 28th ranked rush defense you have the makings of a long day.

The Rams run the ball very well too, with Steven Jackson leading the way with 784 total rushing yards and a 4.8 yard per rush average giving the Rams the 9th best ground attack in the league.  Unfortunately, the Saints boast the 1 ranked rushing defense and when you couple that with the Rams worst passing game in the league, the Rams are in for a long day.

The Rams are playing at home and are being given 13.5 points and you may think that they could at least win with the spread, but I think the Saints will have little problem covering.  The Rams have scored a total of 77 points all year giving the an average of 9.6 points per game.  On the other hand, the Saints have scored 303 points for an average of 37.9 points per game.  Need I say more.

Final Score: Saints 48 Rams 6

I am not sure if this is the proper spelling of the derogatory  term for Italian American, but it isn’t really important.  The Guinea Pick of the Week came about from my Colombian friend at work.  We are in a football Pick’Em Pool at work and each week, in his very thick Colombian accent,  he asks me for my Gimme Pick – a definite “gonna happen” pick in the weekly football match ups. However, with his accent it sounds like he is saying Guinea Pick.  Of course , as everyone will soon find out, I am a sarcastic ass and make a big deal of him calling me a Guinea.  We have worked together for years so I don’t phase him when I threaten to go to HR.

This inspired me to start my newest weekly post, The “Guinea” Pick of the Week.  Every week during football season I will post ( bright and early from now on) my pick of the week.  If this takes off I will expand to other sports after football ends.

Here is how it works, every Sunday morning I will examine a football match-up and give my pick.  This pick is with the spread that gets locked in my football pool on Wednesday.  It is either an upset or a favored team covering an usually big spread.  No easy way out picks but rather a pick that forces me to go out on a limb.

The first match-up I am choosing is Houston @ Indianapolis with Indy giving Houston 9.5 points.  Houston is (5-3) this year and Indy is (7-0).   I am picking Houston to not just cover the spread, but to win outright.  Houston is a very solid team who is hot right now.  Houston has won 3 in a row highlighted by a win against Cincinnati (5-2) in Cincy.  Indy’s schedule has been pretty week so far winning against only one winning team, the Arizona Cardinals (4-3) who are very inconsistent.   Historically, Houston always plays Indy tough despite not being very talented.  This year Houston, a very popular playoff pick, comes in with a team that is solid at most positions.  They can run and pass on offense with great underrated players like WR Andre Johnson and RB Steve Slaton.  The Houston line protects QB Matt Schaub well allowing him an extra second or two to find his receivers.  Houston defends the pass well, which is Indy’s strength, however, Houston is poor against the run.  This bodes well for the Texans because the Colts are last in the league in rushing.  Indy comes into the game with some key injuries on the defense and special teams highlighted by the losses of K Adam Vinatieri, S Bob Sanders, and CB Marlin Jackson.  Houston comes into the game with many injuries as well, but have had their reserves overachieve and have still maintained a relatively high level of play.

Guinea Pick of the Week: Houston to win outright against Indianapolis (-9.5)

This was the best Halloween ever. The Tornado was the perfect age to enjoy this pseudo-holiday. At 3.5 years old she was able to fully immerse herself into the festivities. First of all, she selected her own costume and yes she was a football player. That is the costume she wanted and who am I to argue. Actually, the wife and I do not believe in forcing our child into societal gender roles, though to be honest I doubt I could let my son be a princess. Luckily, I only have the one Tornado to worry about.

Second of all, she was so enthused and was practicing for an entire week on her door spiel. “Trick or Treat,” nice and loud followed by “thank you,” after receiving her bounty, and ending the house with “Happy Halloween.” When it was time to actually perform she was relatively flawless with one exception, before the Happy Halloween she would start to walk away and look at me and say, “Daddy, let’s go to the next house,” with a huge smile, eyes filled with excitement, and her head nodding affirmatively.

Finally, my little Giant was able to walk on her own the entire time, or at least until the very end when we had to walk up hill back to Nanny’s house. She would not even be deterred by the rain, as we had to endure a constant misty drizzle the entire time.

The highlight for me was when we arrived to the house on the block with the outlandishly decorated front yard that leads to the costumed freak giving out candy at his front door.

You know the type? There is one in every neighborhood and again, to be perfectly honest, I actually think it is pretty cool.

When we came to this house The Tornado was scared and did not want any part of this house and who could blame her. To a toddler this house had to be absolutely terrifying, I told her not to worry as they are just decorations and not real, but that was not working. I told her that daddy would protect her and she just looked at me looking ridiculous in my costume and was not reassured. So as we were about to skip the house altogether, she grabbed my hand and stared me in the eye and firmly stated, “daddy, I brave,” and marched up the driveway, through the spooky walkway, and up to the door to claim her prize. I was so proud of my brave little Giant.

The night was far from perfect though, as it seemed that my family of ghouls were surrounded by Halloween grinches. My sister, who has 4 kids with the youngest a 5 year old, was miserable as she hates hiking around the neighborhood on All Hallows Eve. Add the rain and she was just bitching and moping the whole night. Her daughter was feeding of her negative energy and would go it random crying fits and refused to go up to doors for seemingly no reason.

Mom could not accompany us as we prowled around because her asthma was bothering her because of the weather so she had to endure my mother at the house giving out candy to the trick or treaters, but that is a far too long of a story for today’s entry.

Despite the challenges we had a great time. The funniest moment of the night occurred when The Tornado approached one house and stopped abruptly at the bottom of the small flight of stairs leading to the front of a house. I told her to go ahead, but she just waited there until the door opened and released the sound of a barking dog. The poodle poked it’s head out and yelped, but The Tornado heard the growl of a great dane and did a 180 and sprinted across the yard befitting a football player. My sister and I could do nothing but laugh. My niece stayed behind and got candy of her cousin, so it was far from a complete loss.

We already have made plans for next year as we are dressing up as a family in matching costumes, actually we have the next two years of costumes picked. No matter what the three of us are going trick or treating together. This probably mean that we ditch the grinches, but so be it. I hope Halloween was fun for all.

So I am watching my New York Giants completely obliterate the St. Louis Rams last Sunday afternoon and the Tornado decides to watch too. She is great to watch the game with as she really likes sports. I watch baseball games with her sometimes, but football is her absolute favorite. This makes me so proud, especially since I pray to the football gods.

So we are watching and the Tornado starts saying her usual, “BALL! BALL! Daddy look, BALL!” Then she starts yelling, “RUN! RUN! RUN! YEAH!” Tears started to build in my eyes. My little girl is such a great little fan. She’s giving me high fives. When the Giants score yet again, she throws here arms up as I yell touchdown.

Watching football on Sundays is a totally new experience now. I like watching the game with her more than watching the game with friends. It’s funny, she has always liked football. When she was an infant she would sit with watching the game. When she got a little older she would crawl to me and sit on the couch and watch with me for awhile. Now she cheers and gets into it and makes the game a real event.