Friday, February 11, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: POST-SUPER BOWL
I did not bet the Super Bowl. Had I done so, I would have lost. In fact, I did not place a single wager on professional football this entire season. Had I done so, I would have lost. I am not a good prognosticator. I am not a good gambler. I've never been a good gambler. And that, in a nutshell, is why I hate Vegas.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: SUPER BOWL
SUPER BOWL XLV
Pittsburgh
Green Bay -3
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. One game left for all the marbles. Two storied franchises in the football finale. Two evenly matched teams with great defenses and creative quarterbacks.
If there's one thing I've learned this season, it's that I am clearly not a professional prognosticator (let alone a professional gambler). I will not be making a living setting odds in Vegas, a la Danny Sheridan. But I've watched a ton of football and I've taken a side in each and every game. Today marks the end of the experiment. Without a rooting interest, or even a hunch to go on, I'm leaning on experience. Big Ben and the modern-day Steel Curtain have been to the Big Show before and have rings to prove it. I'll take the points, but I don't think I'll need them. Pitt over the Pack in a close one.
Piker's Pick: Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Green Bay -3
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. One game left for all the marbles. Two storied franchises in the football finale. Two evenly matched teams with great defenses and creative quarterbacks.
If there's one thing I've learned this season, it's that I am clearly not a professional prognosticator (let alone a professional gambler). I will not be making a living setting odds in Vegas, a la Danny Sheridan. But I've watched a ton of football and I've taken a side in each and every game. Today marks the end of the experiment. Without a rooting interest, or even a hunch to go on, I'm leaning on experience. Big Ben and the modern-day Steel Curtain have been to the Big Show before and have rings to prove it. I'll take the points, but I don't think I'll need them. Pitt over the Pack in a close one.
Piker's Pick: Pittsburgh
Saturday, January 15, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
Coming full circle, Piker makes these picks from the Circus Circus in Las Vegas. Ironically, Piker is inherently allergic to Sin City and is plotting to make his escape within the half hour.
Wild Card Weekend was incredible fun in person, but not kind to Piker's Picks, as a 1-3 record illustrates. As much football as Piker has watched and picked this season, he's still essentially clueless about this weekend's matchups.
Green Bay
@Atlanta -1.5
Piker's Pick: Atlanta
Baltimore
@Pittsburgh -3
Piker's Pick: Pittsburgh
NY Jets
@New England -9
Piker's Pick: NY Jets
Seattle
@Chicago -10
Piker's Pick: Seattle
Wild Card Weekend was incredible fun in person, but not kind to Piker's Picks, as a 1-3 record illustrates. As much football as Piker has watched and picked this season, he's still essentially clueless about this weekend's matchups.
Green Bay
@Atlanta -1.5
Piker's Pick: Atlanta
Baltimore
@Pittsburgh -3
Piker's Pick: Pittsburgh
NY Jets
@New England -9
Piker's Pick: NY Jets
Seattle
@Chicago -10
Piker's Pick: Seattle
Saturday, January 08, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: WILD CARD WEEKEND
Piker is on the road. Posting from a La Quinta Inn in Indianapolis, Piker isn't feeling all that confident about today's picks. However, Piker doesn't really care too much about the picks considering he'll be attending the Jets-Colts game live this evening! And... after a race against the clock tonight, he'll be attending the Ravens-Chiefs tomorrow afternoon in KC!
NY Jets
@Indianapolis -3
Piker's Pick: NY Jets
New Orleans -10
@Seattle
Piker's Pick: New Orleans
Green Bay
@Philadelphia -2.5
Piker's Pick: Philadelphia
Baltimore -3
@Kansas City
Piker's Pick: Kansas City
NY Jets
@Indianapolis -3
Piker's Pick: NY Jets
New Orleans -10
@Seattle
Piker's Pick: New Orleans
Green Bay
@Philadelphia -2.5
Piker's Pick: Philadelphia
Baltimore -3
@Kansas City
Piker's Pick: Kansas City
Monday, January 03, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: REGULAR SEASON WRAP-UP
Week 17 Results: 12-4
Season-to-Date: 116-119-5
The NFL baffles Piker. But he's not alone. This is obviously not breaking news, but the lack of consistency in the league coupled with the skill of the oddsmakers makes it incredibly difficult to bet. Not that Piker wagered any money on these games. Really, he didn't. Piker's Picks was and is merely an experiment. Why Piker waited until the last two weeks to figure things out is a mystery that will not soon be solved. After crashing in Week 15 with a 4-12 clip, Piker rallied to close out the season with two straight monster weeks -- 11-5 and 12-4 -- and end up only 3 games under .500. Piker's inability to remove emotion from the equation when picking games in which the Miami Dolphins were involved was most likely the difference between a season in the black and a season in the red. The Aqua and Orange were the model of inconsistency this year, defying logic by posting a 6-2 road record and going 1-7 at home. As a lifelong Dolfan, Piker is depressed on this ultimate day for Monday Morning Quarterbacks. But overall, Piker doesn't feel too bad about the Picks. If Piker had placed the same amount of money on every single game, the losses would have been minimal. But by keeping things strictly at the experimental level and not wagering a dime, Piker got the thrill of having a little bit riding on every game absolutely free of charge. That is what Piker calls winning.
Piker P.S. -- Piker is taking his act on the road and venturing to the Midwest for Wild Card Weekend. Tickets have been acquired for the Jets-Colts game Saturday night in Indianapolis, and the search has begun for seats at Arrowhead Stadium for the Ravens-Chiefs on Sunday afternoon in KC. Enough of this Sunday Ticket, coach potato crap. Piker can finally say he is ready for some football!
Season-to-Date: 116-119-5
The NFL baffles Piker. But he's not alone. This is obviously not breaking news, but the lack of consistency in the league coupled with the skill of the oddsmakers makes it incredibly difficult to bet. Not that Piker wagered any money on these games. Really, he didn't. Piker's Picks was and is merely an experiment. Why Piker waited until the last two weeks to figure things out is a mystery that will not soon be solved. After crashing in Week 15 with a 4-12 clip, Piker rallied to close out the season with two straight monster weeks -- 11-5 and 12-4 -- and end up only 3 games under .500. Piker's inability to remove emotion from the equation when picking games in which the Miami Dolphins were involved was most likely the difference between a season in the black and a season in the red. The Aqua and Orange were the model of inconsistency this year, defying logic by posting a 6-2 road record and going 1-7 at home. As a lifelong Dolfan, Piker is depressed on this ultimate day for Monday Morning Quarterbacks. But overall, Piker doesn't feel too bad about the Picks. If Piker had placed the same amount of money on every single game, the losses would have been minimal. But by keeping things strictly at the experimental level and not wagering a dime, Piker got the thrill of having a little bit riding on every game absolutely free of charge. That is what Piker calls winning.
Piker P.S. -- Piker is taking his act on the road and venturing to the Midwest for Wild Card Weekend. Tickets have been acquired for the Jets-Colts game Saturday night in Indianapolis, and the search has begun for seats at Arrowhead Stadium for the Ravens-Chiefs on Sunday afternoon in KC. Enough of this Sunday Ticket, coach potato crap. Piker can finally say he is ready for some football!
Saturday, January 01, 2011
PIKER'S PICKS: NFL WEEK 17
Week 16 Results: 11-5
Season-to-Date: 104-115-5
Mirroring the week-in, week-out yo-yo effect of the NFL, Piker's Picks' worst week of the season was followed by its best. After a horrendous 4-12 in Week 15, Piker posted a tremendous 11-5 in Week 16. Maybe it was pure coincidence, but once the Dolphins showed their true colors and the weight of expectations was released, Piker loosened up and found a groove. Not only did the Lions cover against the hapless home-field 'Phins, they actually won the game. For Miami, losses at home to Cleveland, Buffalo, and Detroit resulted in a 1-7 home record for the season. Pathetic numbers for a team with playoff aspirations. A regime change is as imminent as the permanent demotion of Chad Henne to career backup. Philly's no-show at home on Tuesday against Minny was a shocker, as Piker had begun counting his chickens before they hatched and assumed a 12-4 finish. That elusive .500 mark for the season is looking bleak with Piker 11 games under heading into today's action...
Miami
@New England -5.5
Buffalo
@NY Jets -1
Cincinnati
@Baltimore -9.5
Tampa Bay
@New Orleans -7.5
Carolina
@Atlanta -14.5
Minnesota
@Detroit -3
Oakland
@Kansas City -3.5
Pittsburgh -5.5
@Cleveland
Jacksonville
@Houston -3
Arizona
@San Francisco -6
Chicago
@Green Bay -10
Tennessee
@Indianapolis -9.5
San Diego -3.5
@Denver
Dallas
@Philadelphia -3
NY Giants -3.5
@Washington
St. Louis -3
@Seattle
Season-to-Date: 104-115-5
Mirroring the week-in, week-out yo-yo effect of the NFL, Piker's Picks' worst week of the season was followed by its best. After a horrendous 4-12 in Week 15, Piker posted a tremendous 11-5 in Week 16. Maybe it was pure coincidence, but once the Dolphins showed their true colors and the weight of expectations was released, Piker loosened up and found a groove. Not only did the Lions cover against the hapless home-field 'Phins, they actually won the game. For Miami, losses at home to Cleveland, Buffalo, and Detroit resulted in a 1-7 home record for the season. Pathetic numbers for a team with playoff aspirations. A regime change is as imminent as the permanent demotion of Chad Henne to career backup. Philly's no-show at home on Tuesday against Minny was a shocker, as Piker had begun counting his chickens before they hatched and assumed a 12-4 finish. That elusive .500 mark for the season is looking bleak with Piker 11 games under heading into today's action...
Miami
@New England -5.5
Buffalo
@NY Jets -1
Cincinnati
@Baltimore -9.5
Tampa Bay
@New Orleans -7.5
Carolina
@Atlanta -14.5
Minnesota
@Detroit -3
Oakland
@Kansas City -3.5
Pittsburgh -5.5
@Cleveland
Jacksonville
@Houston -3
Arizona
@San Francisco -6
Chicago
@Green Bay -10
Tennessee
@Indianapolis -9.5
San Diego -3.5
@Denver
Dallas
@Philadelphia -3
NY Giants -3.5
@Washington
St. Louis -3
@Seattle