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Tracking the Experts

Time to try something new. I’m following through on my self-imposed ban on picking games for at least this week since I’ve stunk up the joint. So, I’m going to start tracking the so-called experts.

You know, those guys that scream at you on TV or the Internet about how they have the “inside” info that you need, then ask you to fork over forty or fifty bucks before you bet? I still want to know if Brandon Lang paid to be on Daily News Live. Did he just outbid Vegas Vic? At least Vic was funny; this guy's ego is insane, and he's no better than Joe Shmoe.

Ever see his daily video? No matter what, he's on a hot streak. He just changes the amount of his "release" — 5 in a row on a 30-dime release...on Thursdays...in college football...when the temperature is above 76 degrees...at halftime.

Of course, they throw freebies out there to entice the masses to pony up for their “expertise.” This week, I’ll track those freebies. Here’s what I’ve found (spreads according to each show, or when not given specifically, the Internet):

Lee Sterling (on WIP’s midday show):
PSU-3.5 over Purdue
USC-12 over Oregon State
Dal+5.5 over Carolina
(WIP’s web cast — or my connection — went out, and I didn’t get the radio on in time for the 4th pick)
Eagles-7.5

Vegas Vic (Daily News)

Saints (-2) over Ravens
Rams (+9) over Chargers
Falcons (+4) over Bengals
Buccaneers (+9) over Giants
Jets (+2) over Browns
Eagles (-7) over Jaguars
Chiefs (-6) over Seahawks

Brandon Lang (Daily News Live)
Purdue +3.5 over PSU
Jax +6 over Eagles (admits he picked game to local audience)
Atlanta+4.5 over Cincinnati
Oakland+9 over Pittsburgh
Baltimore+2.5 over New Orleans (best bet)

Marc Lawrence (on Howard Eskin’s WIP show)
Oklahoma+1.5 over Missouri
Colorado+2 over Kansas
Atlanta+3.5 over Cincinnati
Dallas+5.5 over Carolina
When asked, he took the Eagles-7 over Jacksonville

Sunday update: Hank Goldberg (on ESPN)
Atlanta+5 over Cincinnati
Kansas City-3.5 over Seattle
New Orleans-1.5 over Baltimore
Indianapolis+3 over Denver
Jets+2 over Browns


Remember, I was only a couple games under .500 and was just having fun.

Eagles. It’s time to start ripping, I mean RIPPING, this team. Donovan McNabb was a disgrace last week, then teetered on the edge of blaming L.J. Smith for the idiotic pass he threw at the end of the half. He even suggested he’d throw the pass again, a pass an 8th grader wouldn’t make. The defense is ridiculously undisciplined; and the team has lost three games that can be — though possibly shouldn’t be — directly attributed to penalties that made McNabb’s comments look intelligent.

The Eagles should win this week, and I couldn’t care less. They look like a Buddy Ryan team to me without the fun – gaudy stats, tons of talents, plenty of regular season wins sprinkled with stumbles that drive you nuts, and a playoff swoon.

Week in Review:
· Today’s Inquirer quotes Birds’ Marty Mornhinweg offensive coordinator on the play that was called in Sunday's loss that saw Donovan McNabb throw a short pass to L.J. Smith and allowed time to expire in the first half: “'The play call was a good play call. And that's an excellent play for that situation. It wasn't a good play for Donovan, so we'll do a couple other things.' … Mornhinweg declined to elaborate on why, in hindsight, he didn't think the play call was a good one for his quarterback. 'Every quarterback is different,' Mornhinweg said. 'Every offensive football team is different. We'll do a couple of different things for the specific situation.'" Anyone not think he was questioning McNabb’s decision-making ability?
· The Sixers start next week, and I’ve never seen less interest. I never thought Pat Croce meant half of what he clearly did to this team. I can only hope this team is for sale, which seems clear, and the new owners actually care about winning as much as Croce.
· Do baseball owners not possess calendars? Playing baseball this late is brain-dead stupid. Players are wearing layers of clothing — think that affects their play in the most important games of the year? Worse, I’ve heard more about moving the Series to neutral, warm weather sites then the obvious solution of somehow finding a way to trim the 162-game season. Yes, 156 would just kill profits, eh?

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