Quarters anyone
Long before the Ricky Bobby mantra - "If you ain't first, you're last" - became the new-age mission statement of NASCAR folks everywhere, we believed in the glory days.
The days before every driver was 5-foot-4 and had two first names, when drivers got into racing because the family business was bootleggin' rather than bump-drafting and when the simple belief was, "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't trying."
(Tangent, No. 1: Sorry, Steve and you other drive-fast-turn-left fans, that's about all the NASCAR I have for you, because simply put I have watched the exact same amount of NASCAR and Boston Opera performances. I have heard from folks who still follow it that the racing is as good as ever and the crowds are starting to rebound - TV numbers are still dreadful - but there is little connection for me in terms of fandom and fanfare. Plus, and this is the dangerous thing for every sports league, conference and team, once you lose someone, the time, money and energy they spent on your product will quickly be filled by something else, and getting back on that lost person's calendar becomes 10 times harder than the free-wheeling days of our 20s when we became NASCAR fans and went to three-plus races a year. If that way-too-long sentence makes any sense, I'm not sure, but there you go. That's this season NASCAR's review.)
Anywell, as for the "If you ain't cheatin' then you ain't trying," today's chapter in that infamous battle-cry lands on Major League Baseball.
Yes, baseball in general has a lifetime connection with cheats, be them famous wife-cheaters, sign-stealers, bat-corkers or PED-users.
(Tangent, No 2: Why PEDs that were taken reportedly by as many as 70-plus percent of the league in their 1990s, early 2000s heyday became three scarlet letters and the others are viewed as a badge of courage for being crafty is anyone's guess. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have resumes to be on anyone's all-time team, and they are pariahs because they "cheated" by doing something that a) was not against the rules at the time and b) a majority of the league was doing as well. Gaylord Perry used an illegal spitball to get into the Hall of Fame, and his cheating made him more popular than your grandpa.)
Anywell, again, the PED roller-coaster has taken us from Bonds doing Ruthian things to Brady Anderson hitting 50 homers to Clemens throwing 100 at age 42. It also allowed for high-end PED boutiques to redraft and recraft the next performance booster. Ask A-Rod's cousin or Tom Brady's doctor or Peyton Manning's overseas contacts.
(Tangent, No. 3: The basis of baseball is enhanced by PEDs and strength for sure. More power, better response and bounce-back time, you name it. But no matter how hard you throw it or far you hit it, PEDs can't help with putting the barrel on the ball or painting the edge with a 3-2 cutter. So, again, why does baseball get its batbag in a bunch about PEDs and the NFL couldn't care less? Brady has a personal doctor who is not a doctor who is not allowed around, you know, actual team physicians. The dudes who get suspended for PEDs in the NFL are put in timeout for four games and then go on about their BID-ness. Percentage of players in the Hall who used PEDs? No one knows because no one really cares.)
So from the international PED boutiques around the world, now MLB has to worry about gas-station restrooms. That's right, forget what's legal in Morocco, now the Mapco urinal and the $1 sexual enhancers in the potty are a very real concern for players and the league.
Here's an excellent story from ESPN baseball ace Jeff Passan with more.
Wow. (And yes, this brings a whole new definition to a big-league hitter needing an edge to get good wood on it.)
(View other columns by Jay Gresson)
Fab 4 picks
Well, we're back, with a precursor to our picks and our picking preferences.
First, a side story, as many folks were quick to point out on the Twitter, my start with our initial high school football lines was less than accurate. We set Whitwell at minus-9.5 after last year's success and East Ridge won outright 38-8. (That said, 38-8s happen, especially when an 'underdog' gets two pick-6s and two 90-yard touchdown plays.)
Where does this leave us on our picks? Great question.
Here's the answer: But, not unlike the early guess on lines on prep football, the line-setters for college football - and the NFL too - are setting numbers that seem puzzling and even scary or unusual a lot of times because of past performance and name recognition.
Use that to your advantage and trust whatever indicators or avenues you think are the most important.
Florida minus-7.5 over Miami. Buy the half to avoid a back-door headbanger. Here's what I trust, and it has nothing to do with Florida being a bit overvalued in the AP poll: Florida has 17 of its 22 on its two-deep juniors or seniors; Miami has six true or redshirt freshmen on its O-Line two-deep. Huge edge, Florida. Also, Manny Diaz in his first game as a head coach with a quarterback making his first career start vs. Dan Mullen in year two with a quarterback is another huge edge for Florida. Research alert - don't get spoiled, Spy - did you know that Mullen is 8-2 in season openers as a head coach and he's 8-0 in season openers when he is returning a starting quarterback? So there's that.
(Side note: OK, more times than not, I am the opposite of the "I cheer for the entire SEC" fan. Georgia and Alabama and LSU and Texas A&M are competing for the same recruits as my school. Success for those schools makes it harder for my school. That said, there are a couple of these early season cross-conference games that could be quite meaningful for the computer counters in terms of the playoff. Florida and Miami is one of them. LSU and Texas is another. So is Auburn and Oregon. So there's that.)
Last year (regular season and bowl): 75-50-4 against the spread (60 percent)
All-time (since start of the 2011 season): 479-306-9 against the spread (61.0 percent).
NFL preseason picks
Well, there will be a very thick This and That because I was not expecting two picks sections today, but, as Crash told us, "a player on a streak has to respect the streak."
And this is a streak, gang. We're 10-2 against the number in the preseason. Giddy-up.
Washington minus-2.5 over Atlanta. Yes, the Falcons have lost 11 straight preseason games. That means nothing, unless you are hunting preseason entertainment, then it means a ton of cheddar. (Guy who calls money cheddar, jack wagon or irredeemable jack wagon? Discuss.) Here's a sneaky thing to watch for tonight: Darius Guice, the former LSU stud duck, will make his return to the field after tearing his ACL this time last year.
Baltimore minus-5 over Philadelphia. Yes, Week 3 is normally the dress rehearsal parts of the preseason. But if you are the Eagles, and you have had the quarterback injuries Philly has endured, how much time are you truly giving Carson Wentz? Exactly.
Oakland minus-2.5 over Green Bay. What? The Oakland Crazies from "Hard Knocks" in Canada over the Packers? Yep. Know this: Aaron Rodgers is a game-time decision with a balky back. And if you are questionable in the preseason, shouldn't you be shelved? Call it a hunch. And relying on Jon Gruden enjoying the Ws in the preseason as a respite for the "Hard Knocks" storyline of Antonio Brown's craziness.
Miami minus-3 over Jacksonville. The under 37 is intriguing here if you want a parlay pitch, but the Dolphins having to find out who their QB is can be a boost in Week 3 for a couple of reasons. First, there are two QBs trying to get the starting gig. Also, it means other No. 1s on the offense will get extended time, too, since how can you measure two QBs when one played with the 1s and the other plays with the 2s.
NFL preseason record: 10-2 against the spread (83.3 percent)
Career preseason record: 10-2 against the spread (83.3 percent)
This and that
- Braves played. Braves won. They are now 14-4 against the Marlins. For context that means the Braves are 10 games over against Miami and 14 games over against everyone else. Julio Teheran was excellent, which was a welcome surprise considering his last few starts. Also, the bullpen added two more scoreless innings on to its recent run of standoutishness. That moves the 'pen to 13.1 innings, one run allowed, 11 hits allowed and 15 Ks in this four-game winnings streak.
- How about this crazy tennis match-fixing story in which a player got an eight-year suspension and how it included an umpire and a coach?
- Here's CBSsports.com's early NFL draft big board - we love the draft; you know this - that has a slew of Alabama players all over the top-50. Dear Lord, Saban, the talent river that flows through T-Town is staggering.
- The Points Playoff starts today at East Lake. Without making a swing, Justin Thomas is 10 under and two shots clear of the field. Just sounds ridiculous, right?
Today's question
Feel free to fill up the mailbag. We had to wrap this puppy up rather abruptly, the picks took entirely too long.
That said on this day, Aug. 22, let's review:
Yaz - Carl Yastrzemski - is 80 today. That name is on the Rushmore of sports greats that you have to double-check the spelling of, no?
On this day in 1986, "Stand by Me" is released. Excellent work there, people.
In the return of our Fab 4 picks, which, yes, can be confusing since a lot of weeks we have more than four and this week we have one, let's do a Rushmore of 'Picks' and be creative.