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