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