NFL Week 17: ????

Well, here we are at the end of the NFL season. No time right now for a restaurant review or writeups - I will add those later to this post.

Predictions for the games:

Buf 20, NYJ 10
NO 27, Car 13
GB 24, Det 20
KC 23, LAC 20
Min 24, Chi 13
NE 31, Mia 17
TB 30, Atl 27
Bal 16, Pit 13
Dal 31, Was 10
Ten 24, Hou 17
Ind 20, Jax 10
Phi 27, NYG 24
Den 27, Oak 20
LAR 23, Az 20
Sea 24, SF 21

Best bets: 16 of them. Last week: 9-6-1; overall: 108-109-7
ATS: Last week: 7-1-1; overall: 58-67-6
O/U: Last week: 2-5; overall: 50-42

Buf -1.5
NYJ/Buf under 36.5
Det +12.5
LAC +9
Min -1
Chi/Min under 42.5
Atl/TB over 47.5
Bal +2
Pit/Bal under 37
Dal -10.5
Ten -3.5
Ind -4
Ind/Jax under 42.5
Den -3.5
Den/Oak over 41
Sea +3.5

Supercontest picks: Last week: 5-0. Overall: 36-42-2

Buf -1.5
LAC +9
Min -1
Bal +2
Sea +3.5

NFL Week 16: Golden Bison

We're going way back here in the memory bank to an obscure restaurant in Lodi, OH - the Golden Bison restaurant! It's not a franchise, just a single location restaurant that closed 10, 15 years ago at least. I can't find anything on the internet about the restaurant - so we are going from memory!

The Golden Bison was located at the junction of I-71 and I-76 about 30-35 miles south of Cleveland. It was your typical truck stop/diner kind of restaurant - serving comfort food to truckers and travelers. A perfect stop for ….a division 3 golf team that has a low budget!

Our first tournament every year was played at the College of Wooster on their 9 hole course - yes, an 18 hole college tournament held on a 9 hole course. (The first hole was so intimidating for me - as  fader at the time, it was a 320 yard par 4 with a road about 10 yards right of the fairway - and the driving range left. I think I hit 4 balls out of bounds in my career on that hole).

Anyway, we had to get off at the Lodi exit to get to Wooster - and Coach stopped at the Golden Bison for a team breakfast every year. That's when I got introduced to the magic of sausage gravy and biscuits.

I grew up in the north - I still consider northern Maryland the "North", even though we were 10 miles south of the Mason - Dixon line - so I never had the chance to experience the magic of sausage gravy and biscuits. Why not try it when I'm not paying for it?

(Some of you are saying - um, Lodi is not in the south; why would you expect a restaurant 30 miles south of Cleveland to serve good southern food? Listen, it wasn't logical, and as my teammate (and contributor) Steve would say - anything south of the Ohio Turnpike in considered Kentucky and, by definition, the South. So there. )

I was hooked the moment I had the first bite. Where had this food been hidden from me all my life? It's 38 degrees outside in late March, we're going to play golf - and the gravy and biscuits warmed me up and gave me energy throughout the round. It also may have caused a few bathroom runs during rounds, but no matter.

We stopped there every year for our first tournament and I ordered it each time. it didn't bring me luck or anything - but it was a good filler for a cold March golfing day.

The site of the Golden Bison is now a travel stop with a food court; Freddie's soccer team stopped there one summer on a road trip to northern Ohio and I had to bow my head in a moment of silence for the once proud, grand Golden Bison. 

As for Steve? His favorite breakfast food was hash browns - extra crispy hash browns.
And I mean it - like burnt hash browns. The blacker the better.

On to the games:

TB 27, Hou 24
NE 20, Buf 10

SF 20, LAR 17. The Rams defense is playing better, and I think they have the ability to stop Kittle and the Niners - at least contain them a bit.

Atl 31, Jax 20. Only you can guess the motivation of each of these teams. Very surprised Jacksonville found the fortitude to rally last week at Oakland.

Ind 27, Car 13. New QB for Carolina - and I can't see them throwing McCaffrey out there for 30 carries in a meaningless game. They are ready to pack it in.

Mia 30, Cin 20. I don't think the Bengals can take advantage of Miami's weak defense. And why would they want to win?

NYJ 23, Pit 20.  Just a hunch - Pittsburgh always loses one of these road games near the end of the year. They really have no offense.

Ten 24, NO 20.  I've seen this movie before - Brees can sling it indoors, but struggles outside. Tennessee continues to impress me (even though they lost last week).

Was 20, NYG 16. Who cares? Have to go with the team with the better coach - which, shockingly, is Callahan.

Den 27, Det 13. Another team ready to pack it in. 3rd string QB for the Lions, on the road, after a home loss - facing a team that was embarrassed. The Broncos should roll.

Oak 30, LAC 27. I know a lot of the Raiders are sitting, but they can't end their season like they did last week. Should be a shootout.

Phi 28, Dal 27.  I have no idea what Cowboys team will show up. Can they take advantage of the Eagles poor pass D - on the road? No clue.

Sea 30, Arz 20. I think the Cardinals can score enough in garbage time to be close to the back door here.

KC 23, Chi 14. The Chiefs' D is getting better and better - and no one is really noticing. How are the Bears going to score in this game to keep up?

Min 27, GB 20.  Can Cousins do it? Can he win a big game on Monday night? This is a perfect time against an overrated Packers team.

Best bets: 16 of them. Last week: 7-7-1; overall: 99-103-6
ATS: Last week: 3-4-1; overall: 51-66-5
O/U: Last week: 4-3; overall: 46-37

TB +3 (T)
NE -6.5  (not looking good at the moment)
Buf/NE under 37 (ditto)
LAR +6.5
LAR/SF under 44.5
Ten +2.5
NYJ +3
Pit/NYJ over 37
Mia +1
Ind -6.5
Ind/Car under 46.5
Den -7
Dal/Phi over 46
Oak +7.5
Oak/LAC over 45
KC/Chi under 44.5

Supercontest picks: Last week: 2-3; overall: 31-42-2
LAR +6.5
Ind -7
Mia -1
Den -7
Oak +7

NFL Week 15; Bennigan's

Bennigan's! Everyone's favorite Irish pub from the 1980s! The Irish food at my friend's house (Craig)

is so much better - but for a mass-produced, chain Irish pub, Bennigan's wasn't too bad. Like most of these restaurants we talk about, it went bankrupt in the 2000s, but it's trying to make a comeback with a good strategy that might actually work.

Bennigan's was founded in 1976 by Pillsbury - and then went through a various change of corporate ownership over the next 30 years. At its peak, there were over 300 Bennigan's in the US. In 2008, the corporate headquarters decided to pull the plug and go into bankruptcy - closing almost all the stores. Just over 10 remained.

The star of the menu isn't really any irish fare - but the Monte Cristo sandwich. That's French, right? For those that don't know, a Monte Cristo is a ham and turkey sandwich that is then dipped in batter and fried - so the bread is more like a French toast. And it's served with some sort of fruity jam. Of course, we have to put powdered sugar all over it, too - nothing says Ireland than powdered sugar all over your entrée.

The Bennigan's we always went to was the one in Iowa. We lived about 2 miles from the largest mall in Iowa City - and frankly, the largest mall between Des Moines and Moline, a span of about 200 miles. They had a Target in the mall - and next to the Target was a Bennigan's. So - with 2 kids under 3 or 4, you could imagine how many Target runs were made per week.

And - if you already made the trek out during an Iowa winter - by bundling up the kids in their babyseat and getting them to go to the bathroom - might as well stay out and get dinner. So there were many, many outings in 2 years where a Wednesday night in January consisted of:

- leaving the plant in complete darkness at 5 pm; temperature: 2 degrees F
- picking up the kids from day care
- get home, let the dogs out. pack up baby food for a 11 month old Warren - keep the kids bundled up
- get back in the car, head to Target
- get to Bennigan's around 6:30 for dinner
- get home by 7:30, 8 to put the kids to bed

Getting there by 6:30 meant you could catch most of some random Big Ten basketball game that was on TV - Minnesota at Northwestern, let's say.  It was always winter when we went there, it seemed. I don't ever remember going there in shorts.


I have memories of Freddie - who was 3 or 4 at the time - just being a mess at the restaurant. As all toddlers were! Our dinner always consisted of noodles or French fries thrown all around our table on the floor.....we just sheepishly gave our server a look when he came by. and then when Warren started on solid food ----- double the mess....

Oh! Bennigan's was also know for its Death by Chocolate dessert....no, I didn't always order this for myself, but it was split a lot!

The Bennigan's in the Coral Ridge Mall closed in 2014......a Mellow Mushroom is in its place now. Sad.

Bennigan's is trying to make a comeback now by expanding into small towns/small cities. Three Bennigan's were opened this year, in these locations:
- Steubenville, OH ( 30  miles north of Wheeling)
- Mandan, North Dakota (just outside Bismark)
- Monahans, Texas (um....50 miles from Odessa?)

They are trying to dominate small markets instead of moving into suburbia. As the CEO says, "if we go into Manhattan, no one cares. If we go into these markets, it's the biggest event in a decade". You know - he's got a point. I hope it works for their sake! I want another Monte Cristo sandwich!

On to the games:

TB 31, Det 27. Still can't trust Winston to win a game by double digits or so. Detroit has no running game - and Tampa has a great run D - so both teams will pass pass pass.

KC 24, Den 21. OK, I'll jump on the Lock bandwagon. The Chiefs just look a little off the last few weeks, and I think Denver's run game and D will keep it close.

Ten 31, Hou 27. Have to figure out who to root for in order to boost the faint Browns' WC chances. I do believe Tannehill can keep this good run going.

Mia 30, NYG 27. Miami still has no D - so Eli will move the ball. But it's so tempting to take Miami and the points....feel like this is a trap.

GB 20, Chi 13. I rarely think that a second division game will be like the first (remember week 1, 10-3) but I can't see either team breaking 20 here.

Sea 27, Car 13. Yes, the Panthers look like a team that is giving up - and the worst matchup for a team like that is a physical, running team - like the Seahawks. Seattle will run and get out.

NE 24, Cin 13. I am now 0-3 this year betting on the Patriots. I give up.

Phi 23, Was 13. The only semi-good thing about the Eagles is the run D - and that's the only thing the Skins can do. What, Haskins will beat this team? I don't think so.

Oak 30, Jax 20. Last game in Oakland. All sorts of emotions here - with a dejected Jacksonville on the other side. Could be a blowout, but Oakland has no D.

LAC 27, Min 24. Complete look ahead for the Vikes - Green Bay is next week. I expect them to come out flat and not be able to make it all the way back.

SF 26, Atl 17. How can the Niners repeat what they did last week? A letdown has to happen. And the Niners D will limit the Falcons' offense.

Dal 24, LAR 20. Just a hunch. I just can't trust Goff on the road - and I have to in my fantasy semi-final. Ugh.

Pit 20, Buf 16. All the numbers say Buffalo, but this is in Pittsburgh and I've seen too many weird things happen in favor of the toothless inbreeds in Pittsburgh.

NO 27, Ind 17. Again, another semi-letdown game for the Saints after the game of the year last week. The Saints have enough D to stop Brissett.

Best bets: 15 of them. Last week: 8-5-2; overall: 92-96-5
ATS: last week: 2-4-2; overall: 48-62-4
Over/under: last week: 6-1; overall: 44-34

TB/Det over 46
Den +10
Hou/Ten over 51.5
Mia +3
Mia/NYG over 46.5
GB -4
Chi/GB under 40.5
Sea -6
Sea/Car under 49.5
Phi -6
Oak -6.5
LAC +1
LAC/Min over 45.5
Atl/SF under 48.5
Dal +1.5

Supercontest picks: Last week: 1-2-2; overall: 29-39-2

Den +9
GB -4
Sea -6.5
Phi -4.5
LAC +2.5

NFL Week 14: K-mart Cafeteria

The K-Mart cafeteria! C'mon, you can admit it. You ate there once or twice...even though it was

probably gross. What a place in the 70s - where else can you buy tires, a refrigerator, thank you notes and Veal Parmesan all under one roof??

I don't want to make this a K-Mart the store post, but it's hard to describe how prevalent K-Mart's were in the 1970s. They were like Wal Mart and Target - combined. It was the only nationwide store I can think of - maybe besides Ames - that sold the goods they did. So everyone went there - and everyone understood what a "blue light special" was.

So - you spent a few hours at K-Mart - there was no way you were getting in an out of there in 30 minutes - and then you get hungry. Well, why go anywhere else? I can't find any stats on how many K-Marts had cafeterias, but from an informal survey here at home, the Perring Parkway K-Mart had one and the Marysville K-Mart did not. So, 50%?

Actually, as I did more research, many K-Marts had two eating places - a full cafeteria in the back that served hot food, and a delicatessen up front that served lunchmeat and subs in the front. I think I had these subs once or twice - an easy grab and go lunch for the kids for under a dollar! Loaded with bologna and lots of ham.

In reality, we never ate at the cafeteria - no Salisbury steak specials at K-Mart that I miss. However, there were two things they sold that we (Layup and I) got and that I fondly recall:

1. The big bag of popcorn! Ah yes, I vaguely - very vaguely - remember sitting in a cart in the 70s at KMart with my hand halfway down a 2-foot long bag of popcorn. Remember those bags? They were made of flimsy paper and after 10 minutes, the paper was all grease-laden and just a mess to handle, forcing Mom to buy some wet wipes. But the popcorn was great!

2. As we got older - the ICEE! Yes, it seemed K-Mart had the monopoly on Icee's in the 70s and 80s. Could you get them anywhere else? There were only two flavors back then - everyone was aware of this - Cherry and Cola. There was no rainbow or blue raspberry or foo foo crap like that. Pure artificial cherry flavor or the fine, natural taste of Coca-Cola. The Icee was a rare treat for only spcial occasions in our family.

In the 90s, K Mart went into a deal with Little Caesars to sell their pizza in stores; over 400 Little Caesars stations were opened in the early 90s and another 1000 stores had K cafeteria that sold Little Caesars pizza. Well, this was not a good business deal for Little Caesars as K-Marts started to close around the country with the growth of Wal Mart and Target....to where it is now. There are 70 stores still remaining in the US -  I don't think any of them have a K Mart cafeteria in them......

What's more stable? The current state of the K-Mart brand or the state of Freddie Kitchens' job? I'll leave that up to the reader. On to the games:

Atl 23, Car 20. Normally, I would go against the team that fired their head coach during the week - but this departure is odd. Hugs, kisses everywhere between the Panthers and Rivera. I'll stay away.

Bal 24, Buf 23. I continue to believe that the Ravens are vulnerable to a good running team - and the Bills are that, with the added plus of Allen. How many good games can the Ravens play in a row?

GB 24, Was 17. The Packers are not that good defensively - and Washington can dominate them with the run. I don't expect the Pack to lose in Lambeau, but this will be closer than some expect.

Hou 31, Den 20. I like the Denver run game matchup vs. a Houston team reading their press clippings. But the Texans have too much firepower to lose this game.

Min 34, Det 14. A get right game for the Vikings. We have tape on Blough now, and Cousins is desperate for a win - better to get it at home!

NO 26, SF 23. Can't get a read on this game. Good matchup on both sides - I think this is more of a test for the Saints given their recent performance.

NYJ 31, Mia 20. OK, everyone can stop kissing the Dolphins' ass. They still have no defense. 41 given up to the Browns, 33 to the Eagles....that's the issue here.

Ind 24, TB 20. I'm getting off the Winston bandwagon. The Colts did not play bad last week, and their defense is still strong.

Jax 27, LAC 24. Who knows? How many games can the Chargers give away? I think Minshew gives the Jags much more of a chance to win than Foles.

Pit 20, Arz 16. Very impressed with the Steelers defense. Their offense is just Duck heaving the ball downfield...and trying to get a PI. No, I'm still not bitter from last week.

NE 26, KC 17. I know, I have too much belief in Belicheck. They can't lose two in a row to AFC contenders, can they? Don't answer that.

Ten 30, Oak 24. Tannehill can manage a game vs. one of the worst defenses in the NFL; Carr will have to carry the Raiders O because of the Titans run D. I don't believe he can do it.

LAR 23, Sea 21. A lower scoring game for this divisional rematch. Should be another close game, with the Rams run D stopping Carson and Russell's ability to escape the pocket.

Phi 30, NYG 20. Eli's swan song! Who knows if the Eagles will be ready to play for this game. I'll stay away.

Best bets: 15 of them. Last week: 4-8; overall: 84-91-3
ATS; last week: 3-5; overall: 46-58-2
O/U: last week: 1-3; overall: 38-33-1

Buf +6
Was +12
Den/Hou over 42.5
Min -12.5
SF/NO over 44.5
NYJ -5.5
Mia/NYJ over 45.5
Ind +3
Jax +3
Pit/Az under 43.5
NE -3
KC/NE under 47
Ten -3
Ten/Oak over 47.5
Sea/:AR under 47

Supercontest picks: last week: 2-3; overall: 28-37

Was +12.5
Min -13
NYJ -5.5
Ind +3
NE -3

Vegas Diary: November 2019

Before we get to the week 14 NFL picks - which are pretty much worthless this year (or, if you fade me, it's been profitable) - let's go ahead and write the diary from the 3-day Vegas trip this fall! Thanks to Layup for organizing this; we decided to have a football/basketball weekend in Vegas this fall just because....well, because we needed it. What a fun trip - from the meals, gambling, football and of course the various cast of characters that came our way.

On to my diary and my notes:

Friday, November 22
The trip was going to be 7 of the regulars - me, Layup, Wiz, Mike A, Mike D, Don, and Jay! I was looking forward to playing craps with Jay since it's ben a long while and we tend to get a little silly when we gamble together. (Jay was with me at the Pai Gow table when I did a real-life demonstration of what a topless Pai Gow hand is).

The Cincinnati crew got in around 1:30; I took a quick rest and headed down around 3. Wiz came in about 4 - Jay was coming in way later - so the 6 of us filled up a UTH table that afternoon. And soon after, the controversy started.

Layup was playing quarters - on the trips on this hand, too - and got dealt Ace-9. Automatic 4x hand for him. The flop, miraculously, comes A-A-A. Layup flopped quad aces! Everyone got excited and the rest of us played our hand.....

Now, the procedure at the Mirage is to keep the 2 dealer cards in the tray until everyone makes a bet. So the dealer's cards were not on the table yet. The dealer got all excited with Layup's quad aces - took the dealers cards out of the tray and put them in the burn pile. Then he went to my cards ( I was in seat 1) and turned my cards over to see if I won, comparing my cards to ….what?

The dealer has no cards. Uh oh.

The pit boss was called over, and the "misdeal" word was bandied around. Layup started to get agitated, and then infuriated. The dealer could guess where his cards were in the burn pile - but I don't think the pit boss was 100% convinced. The game was stopped as we got the security camera involved, and a separate security guy came down to understand the situation.

Now, there was a lot of confusion. Layup had the best hand possible - but the pit boss probably wasn't going to pay the "play" circle because of the burned cards. Everone who bet trips would win, since there was trips on the flop (Layup would get quads, and someone else had a full house). Then there was a question on the blind bet - what to do with that?

Eventually, the decision was made......
1. All players' trips would be paid
2. All players' ante and play markers were a push.
3. All players' blind bet would be paid as a quad.

Point 3 made no sense whatsoever; I didn't have a quad, but somehow $250 was slid my way and to everyone on the table. Layup lost about $200 possible profit with the ante and play pushes. It was clear the pit boss and the security guy didn't know the inner workings of the game and just tried to make an equitable decision without regard to the game rules. Wiz and I (and others) just had a wry smile on our faces as we got an extra $250 while Layup tried to argue he had the nuts and there was no way his play action would have lost....but to no avail.

The dealer was promptly removed from the table.

After that, we went to dinner at the Italian Costa restaurant - good meal, I think; I'd go back there again. Then there was a craps session - the six of us split up on each side of the table; Mike A was the only one of the six to make a point. There was a woman (?) who sidled up to Layup and started
betting the don't pass; Layup named her Jabba the Hut and she was an instant killer to the mojo of the table. Wiz actually intentionally threw the dice at her - and got Layup blamed for it! That was the highlight of the session - we left, all of us losers.

I played a little baccarat with Layup - nothing special, another loss - and played Pai Gow with

John for a bit and, predictably, got killed. 0-for-4 in gambling sessions on Friday. Jay came in later that night and as soon as he got in, I think I went to bed. I was happy I lasted until about 10:30pm that night!

Wiz, classy as always

After I was in bed, Layup and Wiz went to play UTH - and saw something they never has seen before. The dealer - not a player- getting sick at the table! Apparently, while dealing, the dealer started to wretch a bit - and then 15-30 seconds later, grabbed a tissue and threw up into the tissue while dealing. Gross. Glad I wasn't there for that.

Saturday, November 23

A free, pure gambling day with football and basketball games going off all day! We decided to put two parlays in for the group - one for the morning games and one for the afternoon. I got all the picks in before breakfast and there's the morning ticket on the right. Let's see if we can win one.

Had an uneventful UTH session before breakfast - another losing session - and then the breakfast buffet with everyone. We had a great discussion about the baseball hall of fame ballot this year and some of the crazy names on it - Travis Hafner! Ted Lilly! Placido Polanco! What are these names doing on there?

I went upstairs to take a nap, and just about as I was dozing off, an image appeared in my room - Leland! A complete surprise! Thanks for coming, Leland - I know it was painful for you (physically) to make the trip due to your back....great to see you!

After the nap, it was to the craps table with Jay and others....I've been trying to be more disciplined with my side / center bets.....you all know I love the horn high Ace-deuce, and the all small. Well, I wasn't going to give up on the all small - but I wanted to stop playing the horn high.

Unofficial mascot of Vegas Fall '19

With Jay around, well, that wasn't going to be possible. He was like an enabler and encouraging me to bet the horn high (and the dealers were at it too). We compared it to a smoke break at work - time to leave the office for 10 minutes, Jay, for a horn high? I decided to wean myself off of it - not cold turkey, but SLOW turkey - like those stupid Chantix commercials. So Jay and I started to talk about Chantix for the whole session.

Oh - and he rolled an all small for me (with the 5 being the final number). Thanks!

Had some lunch at the stall - $20 for 3 sliders - and then went to UTH. Got dealt K-10 of hearts; the flop contained the Q-J of hearts. Cmon! Two chances for my first royal!

It didn't come on the river; I didn't match the board. To add insult to injury, the dealer turned over the Ace of hearts to beat me. Argh.

Sat morning parlay. Thanks Layup!

While all this was going on, we started keeping track of the parlay. 7 plays in the parlay - and winners were coming in.  We were about 4-5 winners in when Layup's team - Liberty football - went down. Two more games later, the parlay card went 6-1 and that means a free dinner on Layup! Second time that had happened on the trip (I was the first to pay out a dinner for the group back in 2014 or so). I don't think Layup took this very well...….


Before dinner that night, another session at craps with the large group; Don rolled an all small for me (that was #3 on the trip). I was playing next to Leland and a couple of times, I got distracted and forgot to put odds down on my pass line bet. Leland reminded me each time to get my odds down. I got a little pissed the second time and yelled at him to stop reminding me! I got it!

You know what comes next -- about 10 minutes later, I forget my odds again, and Leland says nothing. The point hits - and I am flabbergasted! Where are my winnings on my odds? Leland just looks at me and smiles....you told me not to remind you, he says...…. and he was right. Me and my big mouth.

Before our free dinner, had a winning baccarat session where we were trying to get the banker run to "wrap" around - get 6 in a row so the table showing the banker wins makes a 90 degree turn and wraps around - so Layup and I were yelling at the cards to "wrap it up".  It didn't work, however.

Dinner was good - I didn't each much, sharing a steak with Don and not even finishing the half steak; the creamed spinach and the caramel ice cream at the end did not sit well with me and had to run to the restroom at the end.....

What a ladies' man!

One last craps session with the group after dinner; I was joined by some lovely ladies on my side of the table; however, they didn't bring us luck and the day ended with a losing craps session. All in all, a great day of gambling, but it was missing the cast of characters that truly makes a day memorable.….

Sunday, November 24

NFL Sunday! I want to thank Layup for reserving 2 couches for the eight of us in the sportsbook. What a fantastic setup. Seats to watch the 10 games going on at once with unlimited drinks (and great service) - and a CPK waiter coming over to serve food. Just great service and a great setup. Thanks!

Got a UTH session in before breakfast - a losing one - and made it downstairs to the book around 10:05 - just after kickoff of the 10 games. The Browns beat Miami handily - so I was able to cheer loudly for the win; I was able to hand out $10 winning tickets to the group on the Browns; first time I was able to do that! I had the Redskins over the Lions in the Supercontest - and there were 4-5 Dallas fans in front of us rooting for the Lions and Jeff Driskell. They were frequently chanting Driskell's name when the Lions did something right; I would sing Hail to the Redskins when Driskell made a mistake. The Redskins did end up winning, shutting up the Cowboys fans.

Hours in the book on Sunday

Again, I can't express how much fun that was - 4-5 hours there in the book with food and unlimited liquor. We inhaled pizza and lettuce wraps - well, I ate all the lettuce wraps; no one else wanted them for some reason. At about 2:30 - halftime of the afternoon games - it was time to get up and gamble again.

First was a UTH session with Layup and Wiz - and with Dan, one of our favorite pit bosses. The memorable hand at the table was when I got dealt 4-4 and I went in 4x; the board ended up being quad 2s, completely canceling out my pair of 4s. Only Layup was playing the trips.

Wiz was in seat 5 and a lady came over to sit in seat 6 - the end - and she immediately started to generate conversation with Wiz. She was a regular, and actually critiqued our play at some critical times (like me not playing the trips on the hand above). Dan whispered to Layup and I at the other end of the table: "She's crazy. Do not engage". It made for a horrible session for Wiz and some good laughter for Layup and I.

What was next? OK, I was ready for some salon blackjack action. Wiz, Layup and I found a table and they forced me to cut the first shoe. It was an OK shoe, I was up a bit but Layup and Wiz got hurt. For the second shoe, no one wanted to cut so I cut again.

Thinks were going ok until about the middle of the shoe-  and then I got hot. A real nice run. Getting 5's on 16; winning double downs and getting a lot of 19s and 20s. I think my streak hit 9 or 10 hands in a row. Layup and Wiz were aware of what was going on - and to their credit, said nothing as their cards were miserable. At the end of the shoe, I got berated for a bad cut while I just sat there smiling. We got into a small debate about how much you should press when on a winning streak like that - I'm not one to keep doubling bets after every win, but just implement a gradual increase in the stake....

I called it quits after that run and went to baccarat, where I played by myself (well, Mike A was there watching) and made some bad jokes about the "player" side being the cops breaking up the banker party. We never got on a banker run - the cops were always there.

Dinner that night was at the sushi restaurant with a great conversation about autonomous driving and if/when/how it will be accepted widespread in the US. With Layup's experience with accident rates and insurance, and my experience in dealing with coding contractors that can't code out of paper bag, it was a fun discussion. Of course, I was right..... :)

After dinner, a lot of us went to the UTH table where there was one other person playing - a drunk Mexican-American that was yelling at the dealers. The pit boss was constantly watching the table telling him to use 1 hand when handling the cards, don't throw the cards at the dealer when folding, etc. He was yelling "PAY ME" when he won and dropped F-bombs all over the place when he lost. He had a pocket full of $100 chips, so he wasn't going anywhere soon. It was fun to watch and play with him - for about 30 minutes - and then it became old. I'm shocked the pit boss didn't ban him from the table.....

During this fiasco, the dealer made a mistake on the hand and paid us when she shouldn't have. I think only Layup and I were playing at the time. 10 minutes later, the pit boss came over to us and alerted us of the mistake, and we would have to hand in money - I thought the amount was way too much. I had her check the tape again; at that point, Layup disappeared from the scene...… the issue was resolved when the pit boss came back, confirmed the amounts and then asked if we were staying at the Mirage. I said "yes", and the pit boss decided to forgive the error.

That was a good enough sign as any to leave the UTH table. Over to craps we all went! I think all of us were there at the table to start. The table wasn't going too well but it was getting more and more crowded. A very young looking guy - who looked 18, wearing an Edmonton Oilers jacket - got between Mike A and Wiz on their side of the table and put money down. About at the same time, an old man appeared on my side and asked "Is this a $15 table" ? I curtly responded "why don't you check the sign out" and promptly ignored him.....

The dice flew around the table - Wiz had one of his patented 8, 7 rolls - and the dice came to the Edmonton boy. The old man on my side in the hook near the dealer leans over - his head was literally over my chips - and yells "cmon Nathan, show em how its done"! He explained that he was the shooter's grandfather, taking him to Vegas for the Edmonton-Vegas hockey and, more importantly, showing him the craps tables. This was his first time in Vegas - and second time rolling - Nathan had a 20 minute roll earlier in the day.

Nathan - the 21 year old roller (he turned 21 in August) - was something else. Not a smile on his face. All business. He took the dice, did a fake throwing motion 4 times (yes, each time was a 4-fake, not 3, not 5...) and rolled. Firm, confident rolls. 9 seemed to be his favorite number; whenever he rolled 9 as a point, another 9 came within the next 2 or 3 rolls.

Nathan rolled for a good twenty minutes, rolling all sorts of points, numbers and hardways. The point was 4 one time - and Jay said "if he rolls a hard 4 here, I'm jumping on Layup's back and he's carrying me around." Soon after, he rolls.....one die was  2 and the other die was spinning...….Jay didn't even wait for the die to stabilize; it was going to come up "2" as well and he immediately jumped on Layup's back.

I talked to the grandfather a bit - telling him it was great to teach his grandson craps - and I asked about his father. Does his father gamble? Does hi father teach him any casino games?

"His father is a piece of shit" was the answer. OK then!

I hope everyone made money at the table with that roll; we all left shortly after that. Layup and I went to play baccarat. It was going fine until 2 Mexicans (who spoke Spanish at the table) sat next to me and joined us. Usually, this is bad news, but the main player was friendly and played along with us as we "alternated" drivers (instead of the driver being the one who bet the most money).

My baccarat mentor and coach

The highlight of the session was the tie bet. This guy would occasionally bet on the tie and banker/player pairs - and hit sometimes. We were in the middle of the shoe and - I think he placed a tie bet. I went ahead on a lark and joined him - a green chip on the tie. It hit! Nice $200 payout on the $25 bet.

So I press it up another green. I can't remember what the numbers were, but it ended up another tie! $400 payout. So - here we go - press it up again to $75.

I think the player had 7 - so he stood - and banker had 2. Another card was given - to my neighbor - and he folds the cards in quarters.....gives me a smile....slowly raises the quarter card and shows a "5". Another tie! $600 hit! That was exciting.

Layup and I picked up - and decided we weren't done gambling yet. It was getting late - maybe 10, 11 pm? - and went over to craps. Now, one of the goals I had on this trip was to play higher limit craps - just for once in my life. I was surprised to see there weren't any $50 tables (or up) on Friday night - there was just one $25 table and the rest $10, 15. I was prepared - with my bankroll, strategies and discipline (and taking my Chantix) to play higher limit craps.

We went to the same table where Nathan had his roll- there was just one person there rolling. We joined the other side of the table. And then.. something strange was going on and it took Layup and I about 2 minutes to realize what was happening. This roller was betting against himself! He had $25 on the don't pass, and then bet $25 on the don't come on each roll - so in the "lay" area, there were all kinds of chips of his betting against numbers.

This poor guy kept rolling numbers, however. He hit a point - a loser for him - and Layup and I joined in. The guy kept rolling and hit at least 2, 3 more points (with numbers) - making Layup and I some nice profits - but he kept losing money. He left the table shortly afterward.

So it was just Layup and I at the table and we weren't rolling all that well. I finally decided this is it and upped my bets to the higher stakes. First roll was a bit nerve wracking - I may have made a single point before sevening out; Layup didn't do any better.

The dice came back to me and I tried again. I think "5" came up a lot as a point number - and I made it. I started rolling plenty of "8"s. I was getting hot. Numbers galore. I think I rolled an all small for myself. (But not the all tall for Layup - missed it by an 11). I hit like 5, 6 points in a row; Layup's bankroll came back from the dead and I was filling up my rack full of chips. And it was just the two of us there..………...what fun...….

…..until........

the point was 10, and I was rolling 6's and 8's left and right when 3 people came to the other side of the table. They threw down $5000 in cash and asked for a $20K marker. (they were there for a few minutes before throwing the cash own, so they knew I was in the middle of a roll).

Well, of course, the game comes to a schreeching halt. They counted the money and gave them the chips; one lady did the betting and starting betting chips all over the place. 6, then 8, then buy the 4, then a hard 10, oh give me a 5, wait.....do I have a hard 8? There seemed to be no structure to their betting; they were just throwing chips all over the place...…… as I stood there, waiting for the dice to be passed back to me to continue the roll...

It was a good 5 minute delay. Layup and I gave them death stares; the one dealer leans over and tells us "they are one of our best customers here at the Mirage". OK, I understand that, but there are certain customs that MUST be adhered to.

Do I need to tell you what happened next? The dice finally get sent to me, I roll ----- 6-1, 7 out. Holy shit. Layup was apopletic; I even made some out loud snarky comments. They responded back; layup said some more things and then they picked up and moved to another table. The pit boss told us to calm down. I understand that, but still.....What a miserable downer to a great roll. They were completely in the wrong there - you just don't DO that.

What else could Layup and I do after that but to pick up? Layup explained the situation to the pit boss and he was not having any of it. So, about 1:30, it was off to bed.....

And, at the other craps table, our drunk Mexican-American was there, yelling at the dealers and players at the table for their rolls and payouts.....

Monday, November 25

With that baccarat and craps run still in my head, I got up early and got a session of UTH in - which was horrid. Should not have pressed my luck there. Said goodbye to everyone before and after that session and the Cincinnati crew headed to the airport at 7 am...…...

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful trip - especially to Layup for doing most of the logistics, rooms, and organizing. We will see everyone in March!

NFL Week 13: Bonanza

Bonanza! Now we are getting classy and reminiscing about steakhouses! Everyone remembers

Bonanza restaurants - the theme was based on the old Western TV show from the 1960s. The actor who played Hoss Cartwright in "Bonanza" actually founded the restaurant.

The ordering process was different than a normal restaurant - you order the entrée and the potato at the counter - then go sit down, usually with your numbered plastic marker - and then go enjoy the buffet! The buffet was mostly a salad bar, but some locations also had a hot buffet - mac and chees, soups, and desserts like mystery chocolate fluff. Mmmmmm - I remember that fluff!

The steaks were nothing special - how could it be when it was ordered, cooked, and served within 15 minutes - but it feeds the masses. You could get steak - T-bone, sirloin, chopped steak (of course my favorite), and then there were chicken and fired seafood selections. All for one low price - usually like $7.99 or something!

After opening in 1969, Bonanza grew to over 600 restaurants in 1989. Six hundred! That's incredible. I don't remember any of them being close to us in Maryland - or in Cleveland. The number started to dwindle in the 90s, and then Bonanza merged with Ponderosa in the mid 90s. That didn't work, and the parent company had to declare bankruptcy in 2008.

There are a few Bonanza's left in the US - about 10 - located in far away places like Presque Isle, ME and St. Cloud, MN. There are 7 located in Puerto Rico as well! The Bonanza in Presque Isle was voted the #1 steak house in the town on Trip Advisor. So that's something!

So if there were no Bonanza's around my hometown, why am I writing about it? Well, it was a yearly tradition to go the Bonanza in Rehoboth Beach, DE when we had our annual beach vacation to the Delaware shore. (We never went to Ocean City, MD - too busy! We kept to the quiet, northern Delaware beaches.)

We stayed at the Econo Lodge on Coastal Highway ( US 9, Delaware Rte 1) about a mile from the beach. The Bonanza, I believe, was across the street and it was an easy way to feed Layup and I (both teenagers) for a dinner before a stroll on the Rehoboth boardwalk. Layup and I were filled with chopped steak and texas toast as we played Tapper (the arcade game) and mini golf until sunset.

Looking at the maps, the Econo Lodge is still there - but the Bonanza is not - I think it turned into an Applebee's.

Some commercials to remind you of the food and atmosphere:

1. A recent Bonanza commercial for the restaurant in Sanford, ME. Look at the glaze on that chicken! Ummmmm….no.....

2. $2.79 for a 1/2 pound T-bone! Does that look like a half pound to you?

3. Gillian and Barney Fife!

Now, to the games. Included are my bad predictions for the Thursday Thanksgiving games as well....

Chi 20, Det 17
Dal 28, Buf 13
NO 34, Atl 20

Car 20, Was 10.  Look for a run fest. I can't imagine Carolina will air it out too much with Allen's recent struggles. And we have seen the Redskins are incompentent on offense.

NYJ 27, Cin 17. Will he change to Dalton mean anything for the Bengals? I think they were only close last week because of the badness of Rudolph. The Jets run D will stop the Bengals.

Ind 24, Ten 20. I don't know if I can trust the Titans on the road, and Indy is not the same without T Y Hilton. Should be a one possession game.

Bal 27, SF 20. Fascinating game. Are the Niners good enough on D to stop Baltimore? Is the Baltimore defense truly elite to shut down an average offense?

TB 31, Jax 20. Jacksonville looks like a team that has given up. Not sure if Foles has fully integrated into this offense. Will I regret taking Winston - again??

Phi 27, Mia 17. I trust the Eagles D, but the offense? Where are the weapons? This will not be a blowout, but Miami's D is bad enough to let the Eagles off with a 7-10 point win

GB 30, NYG 20. Yes, the Packers will score against this defense - but how many points will the Giants score? The Packers' D has been exposed.

Az 27, LAR 24. The Cardinals are playing hard - and the Rams look lost. The Cardinals have a good rush D - which is the only thing the Rams can do right now.

KC 34, Oak 23. Yes, Oakland has the rushing game to take advantage of KC's weakness - but I can't see the Chiefs losing this, especially after the bye (and Reid's record after a bye)

Den 20, LAC 17. Just a hunch here. Denver off a bye, new QB - and questions on Rivers and his future in LA. Should be a low scoring, defensive struggle - a game where the Chargers always lose.

NE 27, Hou 17. Yes, there may be multiple players out for the Pats - but Belichick can beat pro teams with division 3 players - especially Bill O'Brien.

Sea 28, Min 26. Looking forward to this game. Every time Seattle could be shown as a fraud, they play a home game against an opponent that is weak on the road.

Best bets: 12 of them, including one from Thursday. Last week: 7-8; overall: 80-83-3
ATS: last week: 5-2; overall: 43-53-2
Over/under: last week: 2-6; overall: 37-30-1

Dal -6.5 (L)
Was/Car under 39
NYJ -3
Ind -1
TB -2.5
GB -6.5
GB/NYG over 44.5
Az +3
Oak/KC over 50
Den +3
NE -3
Min/Sea over 50

Supercontest: Last week: 4-1; overall: 26-34

Dal -6.5 (L)
TB -1
GB -6.5
Az +3
NE -3

NFL Week 12: Haussner's

Haussner's! Yes, it's going to be another Baltimore-centric blog post. Haussner's was a Baltimore
landmark restaurant in the 20th century known for its seafood and, more importantly, its art  - especially kitchy art. It was one of those places where you went to once a year for big celebrations - and could get anything you wanted. And I mean it - see below.

Haussner's opened in 1925 and quickly became known for its seafood, especially its crab cakes. For those that don't know, Baltimore is the culinary capital for crab cakes- there are none better in the US. It turned into more of a touristy place starting after World War II - with busloads of people coming in to the east side of Baltimore to enjoy the crab cakes and comfort food. The Washington Post did not comment favorably on the food with "thick gravy"; "order a piece of meat and try to find it with sonar" and the people with "heavy Baltimore accents that can drive any refined person to madness".

Starting in the 30s, the wife of the owner started collecting art - all kinds, some fine, some kitchy. She filled up the whole restaurant with art. At the end, there were 780 pieces in the dining room, which of course was huge. At its peak, 1500 meals were served each day - so that gives you an idea of the size of the place.

And the menu - holy hell! One full page dedicated to seafood, and one page dedicated to other meats. It was like a smorgasbord, but to order. And the sides - how many sides does one restaurant need? At one point they served 37 vegetable dishes. It takes a while to read through everything to see just what the options are.

Why does Haussner's have a special place in my heart? I think it as the first restaurant I went to where I had a real "adult" restaurant experience. We only went there once or twice (maybe just once) in my time in Baltimore. We went there - and it was time to order off the adult menu. I was 12, and felt like Mike Gundy. "I'm a MAN! I'm orde
ring off the adult menu!"

But what to get? I hated seafood at the time - like any middle schooler - so let's look at the meat part of the menu. Veal? no. Liver? Of course not. Fried chicken? Well, maybe....

and then I saw it. Hamburger steak. Of course! It's steak, right? It's refined? Don't adults get this?

So my first real, adult meal was here at Hausser's and the Hamburger steak. It was delicious. Did you expect anything different from me?

The restaurant closed in 1999 - I never tried their crab cakes - and the art was sold at auction for over $10 million. The building remains vacant at this time.

Here's a commercial I found from 1998 - combing the art and showing off their vast menu. Maybe they needed a new creative director for their ads......

This blog post is up early this week since I will be in Vegas starting Friday to watch the games, among other things. I am legitimately scared of losing to Miami - especially with the distractions of the Garrett suspension this week.

On to the games:

Hou 31, Ind 20 (Thu).  The Texans have the formula to beat the Colts - good running game, potent passing offense, good run D and the Colts miss Hilton.

Atl 33, TB 27. I'm done trying to figure out the Falcons. Is this a mirage? Tampa has had 8 overs in a row - so they can score against anyone, including this new Atlanta team.

Buf 20, Den 17. should be a close game - Lindsey will have a good day vs. the poor Buf run D, and Buffalo may need Josh Allen to make plays. Yikes!

Chi 20, NYG 16. Bears O vs Giants D? It's like an 80s Indians intersquad game! I think Daniel Jones will keep this close.

Pit 24, Cin 20.  Mason Rudolph is not good. If Cincinnati just plays basic vanilla D, they can hold the Steelers to 17 points.

NO 27, Car 13.  I think Carolina is starting to fall off the map - Kyle Allen is regressing, and the Saints can't afford another slip up.

Oak 27, NYJ 24.  Just don't see the Jets keeping up with Oakland. Yes, the Jets have a great run D - but Carr should be able to move the ball ok through the air, and I don't think Darnold and the Jets will keep up.

Was 23, Det 16. This is it! Maybe Haskins can rally the team - Sunday's evidence notwithstanding. I can't support Driskell on the road as a favorite.

Sea 31, Phi 27. Just too many questions in the Eagles secondary to trust them. Russell magic will be in full force, especially after a bye.

Ten 23, Jax 16. The Titans are the same type of team the Colts are (without TY Hilton) - run first, pass when necessary - and they were just dominated. I see the same thing here.

NE 27, Dal 26. Elliott should get 30+ carries in this game. There will be points scored -either by Cowboys mistakes or the Pats passing game...expect this to be close.

SF 23, GB 20. Boy, I wanted to take the Packers here, but the lack of a run D by GB and the coaching advantage of Mike Shanahan makes this a pass. Should be a great game.

Bal 24, LAR 20. How can you trust this Rams offense right now? What a mess. Are the receivers back? And how do they stop the Ravens? Lamar will have to pass to win here.

Best bets: 15 of them this week. Last week: 6-7-1; overall: 73-75-3
ATS: last week: 3-5-1; overall: 38-51-2
O/U: last week: 3-2; overall: 35-24-1

Hou -3.5
Hou/Ind over 45.5
TB/Atl over 51.5
Cin +6.5
Cin/Pit over 39
NO -9.5
NO/Car under 47
Oak/NYJ over 46.5
Was +3.5
Sea +1.5
Sea/Phi over 48
Ten -3
Dal +6.5
Dal/NE over 45
GB/SF under 47.5

Supercontest picks: last week: 2-3; overall: 22-33
Hou -4
Was +3.5
Sea +2
Ten -3
Dal +6.5

NFL Week 11: Chi Chi's

Chi Chi's! A celebration of food! Everyone remembers Chi Chi's. It's where your family went to celebrate every mediocre achievement in the family. "Congrats! You made the varsity golf team as a freshman! Let's go to Chi Chi's to celebrate!"

And why not? Chi Chi's was on the cutting edge of culinary adventures in the 80s. Who knew what a Chimichanga was? Let's take a full fat burrito - and fry it! That will appeal to the Americans! (And it did!). And I think they were the first restaurant to make fajitas. Did we know what fajitas were before Chi Chi's?

But everyone knows what the signature food item was for Chi Chi's...….one guess.

Fried Ice Cream! As a middle schooler, I was fascinated by this. How did they DO that? How do you fry ice cream without it resulting in a big melted goop? Oh, and it tasted so good. As a result, I think Chi Chi's was always my first choice when being asked where do I want to go out to ea

t for my birthday. Oh! The birthday celebrations! Chi Chi's was one of the first restaurants to bring all the staff out and sing a song for you - I remember being absolutely mortified on my first birthday visit there. I wanted to sink into the booth as 10 people came over and sang Happy Birthday to me - and put the sombrero on my head. I wish I had a picture of that.....

Everyone had a Chi Chi's near them (except my wife, who said "Marysville never had such fancy places like that"). The one nearest to us was the one in Timonium - and there has to be at least 5 readers that went to the same one. Where exactly was it? I remember it backing up to I-83; it was near the fairgrounds/race track, right?

Chi Chi's was founded in 1975 in Minneapolis - and soon spread nationwide to 210 location by the mid 90s. I think we all can remember what happened to cause its ultimate demise - it was in bankruptcy in the early 2000s when there was a Hepatitis outbreak in a Pittsburgh Chi Chi's in 2003; they settled in August 2004 and shut all the doors of all the Chi Chi's in September 2005.

I guess the biggest mystery to me is - why didn't any other food franchise - fast food or "fast casual" as they say now - pick up the fried ice cream idea? I'm sure all of us would line up for our next chance of a fried ice cream sundae - so why hasn't a chain pick this up? Seems like a perfect match for Arby's, or Jack in the Box, or even something like IHOP. A free was to get customers in!

There's no mention that each location had to have a stucco building for the restaurant - but I never saw a non-stucco Chi Chi's. There's a sad website out there devoted to old Chi Chi's buildings.

Here are some commercials to remind you of the great food (and ice cream) from Chi Chi's:

1. The first time I saw a Mexican pizza....

2. " A Celebration of food"! Chajita style? Another made up word....

Chi Chi's still does exist as a restaurant in Europe and the Middle East - but there are zero of them here in North America. Just like the number games Myles Garrett will play in for the rest of the year! What a horrible ending to a great game. Maybe Mason Rudolph - the instigator - wasn't suspended because having him as the QB for the Steelers is punishment enough for Pittsburgh.

On to the games.....

Dal 27, Det 20. On paper, this should be a blowout - but you know Dallas on the road can't be trusted and maybe Driskel can perform at home. He did look good (and scared me) in the second half last week at Chicago.

Car 30, Atl 13. I don't know what that was last week by the Falcons. Carolina has the pass D to stop Ryan (or Schaub) and Atlanta has no run offense to counter Carolina's weakness.

Bal 28, Hou 20. If the Ravens' mind is in the game, they should win this game easily. It's hard to stop them and it's unclear how we beat this team by over two touchdowns.

Ind 20, Jax 17. Too many variables here. Is Brissett 100% ? How will Foles play in his first start back? How many FGs will Vinatieri shank?

Buf 16, Mia 13. Miami's defense is playing much better - I am a little concerned about them when we play them next week - and Buffalo is not an explosive offense. So, should be a close, low scoring game, like most Bills games.

Min 31, Den 10. Brandon Allen, now with tape on him, on the road against one of the best defenses in the NFL? I don't see how the Broncos score here.

NO 34, TB 27. A fun shootout, and no, I'm not falling for Jameis again in this one. This will be a good test on whether the Saints game last week was a fluke, or if there are cracks in the NFC #1 team.

Was 24, NYJ 16. Just a hunch. Can you see the Jets playing 2 good games in a row? Washington is off a bye, and maybe they have plays that Haskins can run effectively.

SF 31, Arz 13. The Cardinals are the #1 pick in the Supercontest this week - and I don't get it. 49ers, off a hard loss, will come out and dominate this team. They remember 2 weeks ago where they let them back in the game - and it won't happen here.

Oak 30, Cin 20. Should be high scoring, solely due to Oakland's improving offense and their porous defense. Let's see if Finley can do something against this bad of a D.

NE 23, Phi 16. I just don't think the Eagles are healthy enough -even after the bye- to beat this defense. The Eagles secondary worries me too.

LAR 27, Chi 13. The Rams' run D will force the Bears to pass to win - and what are the chances of that happening? Like the Denver game, how are the Bears going to score?

LAC 27, KC 26. The Chargers are playing better - especially their D - and they have the run game to gash the Chiefs. Something is off with KC and not sure Mexico City is the place to fix it.

Best bets: 14 of them this week. Last week: 9-3, overall: 67-68-2.
ATS: last week: 4-3; overall: 35-46-1
O/u: last week: 6-0 (!!) ; overall: 32-22-1

Bal -4
Car -4
Car/Atl under 49
Jax/Ind under 43.5
Mia +6.5
Buf/Mia under 40.5
Min -10
NO/TB over 49.5
Was -2
SF -10
NE -4
NE/Phi under 45
LAR -6.5
LAC +4

Supercontest picks: last week: 3-2; overall: 20-30.

Car -5.5
Min -10.5
NE -3.5
LAR -6.5
LAC +3.5

NFL Week 10: Horn and Horn Smorgasbord

Horn and Horn! This will be a Baltimore-centric posting this week, as we focus in on one of the local buffet chains from the area. Horn and Horn Smorgasbord was a staple in the Baltimore area in the 80s - who doesn't love buffets?

Horn and Horn started downtown (according to Michael Olesker) as a cafeteria, but then expanded in the 70s and 80s into the suburbs - Laurel, Essex, and the one Layup and I went to as a family, Bel Air. Going to Bel Air from our house seemed (at the time) like an eternal trip - although it probably was like 15 minutes.

What do I remember about the smorgasbord? First, the Swedish meatballs. I don't know why that sticks in my memory. Meatballs and wide egg noodles - with the gravy all over it - that was my staple at Horn and Horn. The second entrée I remember was the fish - breaded fish, of course. No one in our family ate broiled/grilled fish in the 80s. It was always Van De Camps or Gorton's at home until we went out - and had real fried fish at the smorgasbord!

I'm sure there was a nice dessert bar, too - but I don't recall it at all. I'm sure I grabbed a pound of instant pudding from the bar at one point in time.

Horn and Horn expanded to 6 locations in the Baltimore area during its peak. The 80s truly was the decade of excess with buffets all over the place! In 1998, they were all converted to a chain called Cactus Willie's. I read that they wanted to focus on steak - like being the next Ponderosa or something - and that didn't work out. All of the Cactus Willie's locations are now closed.

You can tell it was a pure local joint by the offers - who wants a free Cal Ripken glass? I don't even know what player is on that glass in the ad......it's certainly not Ripken.

There was a weekend breakfast buffet at Horn and Horn - here is the menu - and there are some good menu items on here!

- Apple Sauce
- Stewed Prunes (for the over 60 and constipated crowd)
- Creamed chipped beef on a biscuit
- Italian sausage with peppers and onions (even I don't eat that for breakfast - unless I am tailgating)
- Fruit Cocktail ( do we get that thick syrup, too?)

Who can resist?

Talking about smorgasbords, the Browns now have even more options for their offense with the addition of Kareem Hunt. But will it actually help? There's only one ball, and Freddie Kitchens is like a 9 year old heading to the smorgasbord. No balance at all - 3/4 of the plate will be one entrée and the kid can't add anything else.

OK, maybe a bad analogy. On to the games:

Chi 20, Det 13.  I think this is a rally around the wagons game for Chicago. At home, a porous Detroit D - the Bears have to make a statement here.

Bal 27, Cin 24. Purely a spot play. The Ravens have to be in letdown mode after their big win; the Bengals are off a bye with a new quarterback. I still don't trust the Ravens D.

NO 31, Atl 14. Seems like a square pick - but how can you trust the Falcons? The Saints' D is starting to be impressive.

NYG 23, NYJ 17. I hate both these teams gambling wise. The Giants have more weapons on offense here to move the ball consistently; the Jets? Not sure.

TB 30, Arz 20.  I have to believe Jameis has a mistake free game in him one of these days. The Tampa rush D is too good and will force Murray to make mistakes on the road.

KC 27, Ten 23. I'd be careful of this game. The key to beat the Chiefs is to hold the ball for long drives - and Tennessee is a run-based team. Could be closer than people think.

Ind 24, Mia 13. Torn here as Miami is playing better, but the Colts have a decent offense - even with Brian Hoyer. The Colts need- and deserve  - a comfortable win.

GB 27, Car 20. Can't see the Pack losing this game after the debacle in LA> However, the Panthers and my fantasy stud McCaffrey will keep it close.

Pit 23, LAR 21. I am starting to realize the Rams just may not be that good. No run game means the D can protect the pass - and Goff is running out of targets. And they are on the road here....

Min 24, Dal 23. Should be a great game. Both teams will emphasize the run - meaning a lot of long drives and equal time of possessions. Will be shocked if this is not a one-score game.

SF 30, Sea 27. I think the Seahawks are hearing the talk about them being frauds. But their defense is truly suspect. The back door will be open here for Russell.

Best bets: 12 of them. Last week: a lot better! 10-4. Overall: 58-65-2
ATS: last week: 7-2; overall: 31-43-1
Over/under: last week: 3-2; overall: 27-22-1

Chi -3
Det/Chi under 41.5
Cin +10.5
Bal/Cin over 44.5
NO/Atl under 51
NYG -3
TB -4.5
Mia/Ind under 44
Pit +4
Min +3
Sea +6.5
Sea/SF over 47

Supercontest picks: hey, a winning week! 3-2. Overall: 17-28

Chi -2.5
Cin +10
TB -4.5
Pit +3.5
Sea +6.5

NFL Week 9: Roaring 20s Pizza

Roaring 20s Pizza! Because I have had the absolute worst week I've ever had on picking games on the blog - 0-12 with the best bets - you, the readers, will have to read through the really inner paths of my mind for a place that none of you have ever visited.

For whatever reason, my childhood memories really start to be vivid around when I was 7-8 years old when we moved to Lansing, MI. I just recall the house, neighborhood, friends, school so much more vividly than anything before that. So we are going to talk about one of the unique pizza places that opened up near our house during that time.

The Roaring 20s was an Italian restaurant that opened up in the mid 70s between campus ( Michigan St) and our house. I think it was about a 5 minute ride from our house to the restaurant - on Meridian Rd, I believe. The main gimmick - which was popular at the time! - was that there was a big Wurlitzer pipe organ on one end of the restaurant.

That's what I recall - not the food, or any kids activities - but the organ. It was dark in there, and the whole wall was covered in pipes. People would play the organ during dinner - yes, it sounded just as you would have guessed. As an 8 year old, it was intimidating, overwhelming and fascinating.

It's incredible to read this - the Pipe Organ Pizzeria fad in the 70s was a real thing. It started in 1958 in California when someone put a pipe organ in their pizzeria after watching a performance. The idea quickly spread - and at its heyday, there were over 100 of these pipe organ pizzerias in the US.

The Roaring 20s Pizza place was a franchise, but only in Michigan - based in Grand Rapids, there were 6 or 7 locations in the state. Each with its own pipe organ. We would go to our location in Okemos -usually on Dad's payday, every other Friday - and have pizza or spaghetti. No recollection of the food - but I'll always have the image of the Wurlitzer in my mind.

All of the restaurants in Michigan have now closed; the flagship in Grand Rapids closed in 1991. Why did the pipe organ pizzeria joints fail? Well, one blogger I read opines that the rise of Chuck E Cheeses - to provide kids real entertainment with video games - drew families away from the pipe organ entertainment. I'm not sure I buy that.

Anyway - don't know if any of the readers remember the pipe organ fad of the 70s - but it's something burned in my memory. What a gimmick that worked. Here's a creepy PM Magazine clip that was shot on location in the Roaring 20s restaurant in Grand Rapids. I could write a whole column on PM Magazine itself - what was that blip in American TV programming?

Let's hope last week's picks were just a blip in the road to profitability.....

Hou 23, Jax 20. I still believe Houston has a bit more talent than Jacksonville, and Watson is just better than Minchew. I know JJ is out, coaching issues for O'Brien.....should be a close game.

Buf 24, Was 13. Maybe I'm giving the Skins and Haskins too much credit to score against the Buffalo defense - could it be single digits again for the Skins?

Car 27, Ten 17. Too many weapons for Carolina. Their defense is starting to come around - and should be able to stop the Titans at home.

KC 28, Min 20. Just a feeling here that the Vikings are due for a letdown. I am surprised at how good the Chiefs offense was with Moore.

NYJ 23, Mia 10. Just looking at the defensive stats, the Jets should be able to stop the Dolphins on most drives. Can Darnold get his head out of his ass?

Phi 23, Chi 13.  A run fest here - should be a low scoring game and the best run game - the Eagles - should prevail.

Pit 20, Ind 17. Not sure if the Colts' passing game can travel without TY Hilton. And the Steelers run D should be able to contain the Colts. The question is - can the Steelers score enough?

Oak 34, Det 24. Detroit's secondary injuries are going to come to roost here with Oakland's passing game. I am impressed with what Gruden and Carr have put together.

Sea 30, TB 20. Tampa - and Winston - on the road with the 12th man? I know Seattle's defense isn't the greatest, but I see another turnover fest by the Bucs.

GB 27, LAC 24. The Packers are due for a letdown, and the Chargers are due for a good game. I think this is not going to be a layup for the Pack that many think.

NE 24, Bal 20. Yes, the Baltimore rushing game is excellent, but Belichick can prepare for it. I just don't think Bal's defense can stop Brady when it counts.

Dal 27, NYG 24. Dallas on the road is vulnerable to give up passing yards - and I think Jones, with Sterling Shepard, can do that. At least the back door will be open here.

Best bets: 14 of them. Last week: a perfect 0-12. Overall: 48-61-2
ATS; last week: 0-6; overall: 24-41-1
O/u: last week : 0-6: overall: 24-20-1

Car -3.5
Car/Ten over 42.5
NYJ -3
NYJ/Mia under 42.5
Pit -1
Phi -4
KC +4
Oak -3
Oak/Det over 51
Sea -5
LAC +3.5
LAC/GB over 48.5
NYG +7
Dal/NYG over 48

Supercontest picks: last week: 0-5; overall: 14-26

Car -3.5
NYJ -3
Pit +1
Oak -2.5
NYG +7