BLOOMINGBURG, NY – Let me start out by saying I frogging love Don Cherry. Always did. Always will. He reminds me of the loveable aging curmudgeon every blue collar family has talking about how great the good ol’ days were. 
Cherry was a tough S.O.B. who continued the Boston Bruins winning ways without two guys named Orr and Esposito. “But how tough was he?” as Gene Rayburn would say. He was so tough, while coaching the moribund Colorado Rockies, he once yanked his own player who ignored a line change so long that Cherry reached over the boards and yanked him off the ice. Live long and proper Don, you are loved by many in the hockey world and beyond with all your charitable endeavors.
Football, yeah. I went 3-0-1 last week with the tie coming on my first ever LOCK OF THE CENTURY. Hey Ben, I’ll pontificate soon on when Vegas knows something you must follow the scent theory that I often use. It’s twisted logic that the likes of Angry Ward know all too well having ridden my coattails on these occasions with great success. This week’s picks are as follows:
FAVORITE In a nutshell I think the Falcons shot their load in last week’s upset win against the Saints in which they lost their starting running back Davontae Freeman. They’ll also be without the tight end surprise of the year Austin Hooper. Matt Ryan is less than 100% healthy but is grinding it out in another lost season in the A-T-L. Throw in the expectation of a 200-yard plus day from scrimmage by Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey and there is the recipe to win this wager by halftime. The Pick? CAROLINA -4 over Atlanta
UNDERDOG There’s always one surprise every week and I had to choose between the Dolphins winning their third straight game today or this selection. The small pointspread doesn’t reflect the shock of it all. Consider the Patriots lost the last time we saw them on National television when the Ravens spanked their asses in front of the bright lights two weeks ago. New England had to lick their wounds into the bye week and will be well rested with more than proper time to prepare for today’s Super Bowl rematch of a few years ago. To recap: an embarrassing loss, rest, and extra time for Belichik to game plan. The Pats can’t lose two in a row, right? Shocker! Yes they can and will. The Pick? PHILADELPHIA +4 over New England
OVER Buffalo is overrated. The oddsmakers know it and so does the rest of the gambling public after last week’s loss in Cleveland where they were underdogs in my LOCK OF THE CENTURY which pushed. The offense is holding them back with little to zero explosiveness with the likes of the aged Frank Gore, John Brown, and Cole Beasley at the skill positions. Pffft! A trip to Miami should restore some faith in the offense but not much more beyond their season average. The Fins however will be the team to watch with Ryan Fitzpatrick exacting some revenge on one of his many former teams. The Pick? Buffalo/MIAMI OVER 40.5
UNDER I have a Jets fan friend on business in D.C. for a four day period. His wife, also a Jets fan, is along for the trip. They found tickets for sixteen bucks apiece. I didn’t know the NFL had a dollar menu. For sh!ts and giggles, imagine what costs more than admission to this game. Humor me in the comments below. It’s costing this couple almost three times more to park their car. Having told them this is three and a half hours of their lives they aren’t getting back The Pick is simple. New York Jets/WASHINGTON UNDER 38.5
