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JAG and I are going to Colorado to watch the red hot Rockies make a push for the wild card, hit the CU-CSU game on Sunday at Folsom Field and then basically drink beer and screw the rest of the time.

So I'll be fairly incommunicado over the weekend. Anyway, the lines have been out since the first week of August, a few of the softer lines have settled in to where the games are fairly unplayable but there is one game that is immensely playable and I will be making a rather large wager on the game.

LSU -17 over Washington. It opened at -15.5 and has crawled its way up to a key number but this game is still huge value. UW was the worst major conference team last season and while new coach Steve Sarkisian has improved their skill positions (with very green freshman), the lack of talent on defense and the o-line is glaring. The line should really be about 24. I like the reports I have heard about Jordan Jefferson so far and the Tigers are so superior size and speed wise to the Huskies in everyway, I cannot fathom how the score isn't 44-17 or something like that. Large play here.

The rest of the card:


UGA +180 on the ML line at OK St. A road dog to win outright on week one??? The SI cover jinx comes into play here. UGA was one of the more disappointing teams last season due to its young lines. Green catches everything. OK St had no defense last season has significant losses from that defense. Everyone will be excited about the new T Boone Pickens Stadium but the luster will wear off as I expect OK St to be this season's Clemson. I am also taking the 6.5 to cover myself.

Wake -2.5 over Baylor. Baylor is getting some serious preseason love. I don't see it. Wake is a well coached team, solid on the lines. This is the kind of game Jim Grobe excels at. Wake wins this one big.

Illinois -6.5 over Mizzou. Mizzou plays no defense, loses its top qb, top te, top rb and top receiver. Zook has been recruiting his ass off since he's been at Ill. This looks like easy cash.

VATech Alabama under 37.5--Very low total but there's a reason. I don't think Va Tech scores a TD in this game. Alabama will play it a little conservatively and put up a 24-6 win.

I wish I could find something playable on Thursday just to get some action but nothing really stands out. NC St-SC line is about right and I got no feel for the Ducks getting 5.5 vs, Boisie.

Hope you two have a great time.

LSU is the only game that I can pull the trigger on for week one. I really want to take VT, but Bama's defense is going to be very good and this one is too unpredictable. In the past, Saban has struggled a little when his teams have not had an experienced qb who can manage the game properly, so they may not score much at all either.

bam bam, wtf? boulder/denver? awful place. cu v csu? snooze fest w/no booze. if the rockies go on a slide this week coors field will feel like a morgue. i cant believe you would schedule a lame trip like this when you could go to pacific classic weekend. are you nuts? if you wanted a little football/baseball drive up to la on saturday. dodger stadium/rose bowl/coliseum. instead you are showing your girl second rate stadiums/teams in a boring town. get with it man, it might not be too late to score a table at the brigentine.

We have been joking about that. San Diego was our first choice. But the Pads aren't playing. We had a few requirements. There had to be baseball. It had to be cool and there could be no threat of a hurricane. We went through six or seven cities before we got to Denver. JAG and I both have friends there. Other than that what can I say? I know how to wow a girl.

I agree LSU is a bargain. I look for repeats of the games vs. Arizona a while back. Lots of points for LSU, not o many for Washington. Have not looked at full card. SC should beat NC State. Oregon/Boise a good one to watch, but bet? No.

knowing the criteria i would say

1)a's v mariners/cal v md. sf somewhat over rated but a great eating town. i walked up a few years ago and sat 3 rows behind 3rd for $25.

2)cards v pirates/mizzou v illinois (ed jones dome). st louis is ok and with the football game in town it should be fun.

3)brewers vs giants/wisconsin v no illinois. i have never been to milwaukee but it sound like a good place to drink beer and screw.

I have been to several games at Oakland. No reason to actually go to SF for an A's game.

I go to St. Louis a few times a year. I have been to Busch Stadium twice. I have also been to the Illinois-Mizzou game. No reason to see that one again.

Milwaukee is an intriguing option. But obviously wasn't at the forefront of our thoughts. I also suspect that if that were our destination you would be busting my chops about taking JAG to Howard Cunningham's hardware store.