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By Dave Consolazio, January 18, 2008 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

So where will you be watching this weekend’s action?

At home? At a friends? In a bar?

Snacks and drinks aplenty!

Well, I’ll be working. Yes, at Hollywood Park Casino, there are no days off. I worked Christmas Eve. I worked Christmas. I worked New Years Eve. I worked New Years. And now, I’ll be working Championship Sunday.

I won’t, however, be missing the Super Bowl.

I filled out one of those “Time-Off Requests”, you know the ones that you fill out if there is an emergency or something? I told them I needed that day off to throw my Super Bowl party, as it is a tradition I have no intention of ending for them.

If the request is denied, *cough* *cough*, looks like I’m coming down with something.

“If you don’t come in, you are fired”?

Well, of all of my readers, someone has to know someone that can get me a job, right?

THE RECORD

Last Week
With the spread: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
Without the spread: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
OVER/UNDER: 3 – 1 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 1 – 0 (1.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 0 – 0 (N/A)

Season (Final)
With the spread: 124 – 123 – 9 (.502)
Without the spread: 157 – 99 – 0 (.613)
^^Zen Picks^^: 14 – 7 – 2 (.667)
**Outright Upsets**: 20 – 42 – 0 (.323)

Playoffs
With the spread: 5 – 3 – 0 (.625)
Without the spread: 4 – 4 – 0 (.500)
OVER/UNDER: 5 – 3 – 0 (.625)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 1 – 0 (.500)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

#3 San Diego Chargers 13 – 5 (+14.0) @ #1 New England Patriots 17 – 0 (-14.0)
The Patriots haven’t been covering the spread lately, but I still have an awful hard time picking against them here. Despite the Chargers impressive run, they are a very beat up football team that don’t have many key players at 100%. The blistering cold will not suit them well. I just don’t think the Chargers can do any better than the Jags did last week; maybe enough to sneak a cover, but certainly not enough to make it as close of a game as some people want to believe it will be.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: New England
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: New England
OVER/UNDER 47: UNDER

#5 New York Giants 12 – 6 (+7.5) @ #2 Green Bay Packers 14 – 3 (-7.5)
Freezing cold shouldn’t be an issue here, as the Giants are from New York, so they are hardly unaccustomed to cold weather. As for home field advantage for the Packers, this helps the Giants almost equally as they are an outstanding road team that seems to feed off the negative energy they receive; especially on defense. The Packers are the better team, and on a neutural warm weather field I’d likely give up the TD and change; but the Giants have shown me too much lately to assume they are just going to roll over in this game. It should be good, and it should be close.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *New York Giants
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Green Bay Packers
OVER/UNDER 41: UNDER

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By Dave Consolazio, January 11, 2008 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

So as I just get back from drinking away my 22nd birthday with good friends, I now have to actually put into writing my 4 picks this week, and I’ve got to tell you, none of them are easy. Well, maybe one (Indy), but to give this many points in so many games so late in the season seems a little crazy to me.

But alas, I’ve come a little to far to start complaining about spreads now. Lets see if I can keep last week’s success going into this week.

And, lets see if I’m actually sober enough to write coherent sentences.

Hthtjeg. Llikds yhra hdjkkthu…tjAahthhjhjplp.

THE RECORD

Last Week
With the spread: 3 – 1 – 0 (.750)
Without the spread: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
OVER/UNDER: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

Season (Final)
With the spread: 124 – 123 – 9 (.502)
Without the spread: 157 – 99 – 0 (.613)
^^Zen Picks^^: 14 – 7 – 2 (.667)
**Outright Upsets**: 20 – 42 – 0 (.323)

Playoffs
With the spread: 3 – 1 – 0 (.750)
Without the spread: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
OVER/UNDER: 2 – 2 – 0 (.500)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 1 – 0 (.000)

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

SATURDAY

#3 Seattle Seahawks 11 – 6 (+7.5) @ #2 Green Bay Packers 13 – 3 (-7.5)
While I like the Seahawks a lot on both sides of the ball, the sad truth (for Seahawks fans anyway) is that the Packers are just a bit better on both sides. Take into consideration that they also have had a week off and are playing at home, and there is just too much to like about Green Bay here to go the other way.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Green Bay
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Green Bay
OVER/UNDER 43.5: OVER

#5 Jacksonville Jaguars 12 – 5 (+13.5) @ #1 New England Patriots 16 – 0 (-13.5)
Everyone seems to be leaning Jacksonville’s way with the spread, and not unjustly; they are an extremely physical team, they have earned tough wins, and they have a dynamic rushing duo. But as you know, I like to go against the grain. Yes, Jacksonville beat Pittsburgh twice on the road, but Pittsburgh is nowhere close to the talent level the Pats are. Despite the Jags defensive reputation, their secondary is quite ordinary. While the Jags may be the “cool” pick, the Patriots are the right pick.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: ^New England Patriots
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: New England Patriots
OVER/UNDER 50: OVER

SUNDAY

#3 San Diego Chargers 12 – 5 (+9.5) @ #2 Indianapolis Colts 13 – 3 (-9.5)
Easily the pick I like the most this week. On top of the revenge factor for Peyton’s worst game in his professional career, the Colts are just too damn good on defense this year; they will make Phillip Rivers’ life miserable, and Bob Sanders should be able to help limit LT. Add in Antonio Gates’ injury and home field advantage for the Colts, and you have a comfortable victory on your hands.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Indianapolis Colts
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Indianapolis Colts
OVER/UNDER 45.5: UNDER

#5 New York Giants 11 – 6 (+7.5) @ #3 Dallas Cowboys 13 – 3 (-7.5)
For some reason, I can very vividly seeing the game play out like this; Romo, still thinking about last year and feeling a ton of pressure at home, tries way too hard early and makes mistakes, leading to an early Giants lead. Can they hold on to it when Romo settles down, though? I’m not brave enough to say yes, but I will be taking the touchdown and change with the Giants here, who lose the game late, if at all.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: *New York Giants
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Dallas Cowboys
OVER/UNDER 46.5: UNDER

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Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Ideas?
Love the Dime? Hate it? Should I cut it down to a nickel?
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By Dave Consolazio, January 4, 2008 10:00 am

Dave’s Dime
“Because Two Cents Just Isn’t Enough”

THE INTRO

And so the playoffs begin; and we have to get through this week to get to all of our top questions;

Will the Pats run the table?

Will the Colts repeat?

Will Romo redeem himself from last year?

Will Brett Favre make one last run?

Of course, the teams that win this week are the ones that are going to help answer some of those questions.

So without further ado, I present to you the (potential) winners of the Wild Card week.

THE RECORD

Last Week
With the spread: 10 – 6 – 0 (.686)
Without the spread: 10 – 6 – 0 (.686)
^^Zen Picks^^: 1 – 0 – 0 (1.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 1 – 4 – 0 (.200)

Season (Final)
With the spread: 124 – 123 – 9 (.502)
Without the spread: 157 – 99 – 0 (.613)
^^Zen Picks^^: 14 – 7 – 2 (.667)
**Outright Upsets**: 20 – 42 – 0 (.323)

Playoffs
With the spread: 0 – 0 – 0 (.000)
Without the spread: 0 – 0 – 0 (.000)
OVER/UNDER: 0 – 0 – 0 (.000)
^^Zen Picks^^: 0 – 0 – 0 (.000)
**Outright Upsets**: 0 – 0 – 0 (.000)

THE PICKS

* – Indicates Upset Pick
^ – Indicates Zen Pick

For those of you that don’t know what the OVER/UNDER is, bookmakers decide a number that they think will be close to the two team’s scores added together. If the bookmakers think the game will have a final score of 23 – 20, they will set the OVER/UNDER total at around 43. It is the bettor’s job to predict whether the actual score will be OVER or UNDER the projected total.

SATURDAY

#6 Washington Redskins 9 – 7 (+3.0) @ #3 Seattle Seahawks 10 – 6 (-3.0)
Tough tough call. As much as I am on board with the Redskins’ run, and as many flashes of brilliance as they have shown all season, Seattle is not only a better football team, but they are at home, where they have been unstoppable for years. This place will be rocking a bit too hard, and Washington will get bounced in the 1st round here despite being a popular pick by many to do some damage this postseason.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Seattle
OVER/UNDER 40: OVER

#5 Jacksonville Jaguars 11 – 5 (-3.0) @ #4 Pittsburgh Steelers 10 – 6 (+3.0)
I was looking forward to cruising through the playoffs with Jacksonville, even maybe taking them against the Patriots; but to my dismay, the media has turned them into an absolute lock over the Steelers this week. I agreed, but this media tilt will affect the game. The Steelers are a very proud team, and they play extremely well at home; they are 7 – 1 (their only loss being to these Jaguars). Even without Willie Parker and with what I think is an inferior team, the playoff-tested Pittsburgh Steelers will respond in a big way to everyone circling Jacksonville as the lock of the week, and they will pull off the upset here.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: ^*Pittsburgh Steelers
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Pittsburgh Steelers
OVER/UNDER 40: UNDER

SUNDAY

#5 New York Giants 10 – 6 (+3.0) @ #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 – 7 (-3.0)
While the Giants spent every last bit of their energy trying to beat the Patriots last week, the Buccaneers essentially slept in. They are extremely well rested and are an excellent home team. In totally unflashy fashion, the Buccaneers should trump the Giants this week.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
OVER/UNDER 39.5: UNDER

#6 Tennessee Titans 10 – 6 (+10.0) @ #3 San Diego Chargers 11 – 5 (-10.0)
10 points seems like an awful lot, and I was considering Tennessee with the points here until I took a good look at their 10 wins; @Jax 11 – 5, @NO 7 – 9, Atl 4 – 12, @Hou 8 – 8, Oak 4 – 12, Car 7 – 9, Hou 8- 8, @KC 4 – 12, NYJ 4 – 12, @Ind 13 – 3. 6 of their 10 wins came against under .500 teams, including four 4 – 12 teams. Houston played one game without star WR Andre Johnson and the other without QB Matt Schaub. The win against Jacksonville is impressive but it was first week of the season… and the win against the Colts was simply the Colts resting all of their players. Tennessee is an average team that made the most of their weak schedule; and an average team heading into playoff-hungry San Diego just won’t be enough.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: San Diego
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: San Diego
OVER/UNDER 39: OVER

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Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Ideas?

Love the Dime? Hate it? Should I cut it down to a nickel?
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