All the college football championship games (Clemson? ACC champions? Oh yeah, that Orange Bowl of Clemson vs TCU will be a real winner) remind me of a great weekend we had in Vegas for the end of the college football season – Layup’s bachelor party in 2006.
We didn’t technically go on Championship weekend – we went the week before Thanksgiving, which was then the end of the Big 10 season. There were so many games that Saturday, we camped out in the book for 12 hours placing bet after bet. It was awesome.
Mandalay is now one of my favorite casinos that I rarely go to anymore. The service seemed good, the table limits were high (although, looking back, were they really that high?), and the book seemed to have ample space to set up shop for the day. The games were normal – I don’t recall any carnival games – although I got killed at most of them. The restaurants were good, and (at the time) they had a good show in “Mama Mia”. ABBA music! What’s not to like?
The only problem is that you feel like you are on an island down there at Mandalay – if you want to leave the casino, there’s really nowhere to go within 10 minutes walk. You either take a cab or that stupid train to the Luxor. There’s no escape if you have a bad day.
Not much more to say about Mandalay – I would love to try it out again someday. But I’ll always have fond memories of the 2006 Ohio St- Michigan game, being in that book watching the last #1 vs #2 matchup (before this year).
On to the games.
NE 27, Ind 10. I don’t get the revenge angle here at all. “oooooh, Brady and Belicheck will pile up the score, and show the Colts who is boss!!! They will score 45 here!” Really? They’re going to rub it in to Jim Caldwell, Curtis Painter and crew? What’s the motivation here? They will run up the score – on purpose – against an 0-11 team? That smacks of weakness. This will not be the 45-3 beatdown that the Pats did vs. the Jets a few years back.
Ten 24, Buf 17. The Titans are still in it, and have the motivation.
Chi 19, KC 9. How many points will the Chiefs score on the road?
Atl 17, Hou 10. Again, how many points will the Texans score with their 3rd string quarterback?
Min 17, Den 13. If Tebow can do it AGAIN, this time in a dome….I don’t know. I am kind of a believer, but jeees – just put 8 in the box to stop the run! San Diego just plain quit last week, that’s how the Broncos won that game….
NYJ 20, Was 13. The Jets have to win out (or close to it). They won’t let the 2nd worst team in the NFC beat them.
TB 27, Car 17. Maybe Freeman is injured, maybe not. But I have enough faith in the Bucs defnse – and no faith in the Panthers D.
Mia 23, Oak 16. Oakland coming to the east, playing a 1:00 game vs a team that has 10 days rest.
Pit 24, Cin 20. I just think the Bengals will be in all these games coming down the stretch.
Dal 23, Az 20. A typical nail-biting win for the Cowboys in the desert.
GB 34, NYG 27. Does anybody really believe the Pack will lose a game this regular season?
SF 24, StL 6. Same comment above applies here – how many points do you see the Rams scoring? 6? 9? Maybe 10?
NO 34, Det 20. I think the Lions are in free fall.
SD 20, Jax 17. Maybe, just maybe, the Jags will be freed up and play loose after their coach got fired.
Best bets: 17 of them. Last week: 7-7; overall: 98-80-8.
Ind +20.5 (!!! I can't pass that up)
Ind/NE under 48.5
Ten +2
Chi -7
KC/Chi under 37
Atl -1.5
Atl/Hou under 38
Min +1
Den/Min under 37
NYJ -3
NYJ/Was under 39
TB -2
Mia -3
GB/NYG over 53
SF -14
StL/SF under 38
NO -8.5
For the Supercontest, maybe Tony Dorsett is the lucky charm we need (he looks good in person for being 50 years old!)
Ten +1.5
Atl -3
Mia -3
TB -3.5
SF -13
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