God this season is rolling by. Already heading into week 8. Not fair, it's just too good. But, we still have some road ahead and some great football. As I do every week I will toss out some random thoughts regarding the SEC, as I do the Big 12. I have no agenda here. I am a Missouri guy and everyone who can read knows I am as hard on Mizzou as anyone. Likely more so. So if I step on any toes it is not intentional.
Might as well get to the meat of the matter. I don't know how many of you read the sensational book Seabiscuit. No, the movie was very good. But the book is off the chart. What am I driving at here? When that magnificent little horse started to win, and win and win they started upping the weights. The racing secretary would assign weights to "even" out the crowd and level the racing field. Well, the odds makers are treating the Alabama Crimson Tide much like the late great Seabiscuit. The million dollar question this weekend is simply this, have they finally weighed them down too much. They are carrying a point spread into this big game that made many bettors eyes bug out. Texas A&M is a good football team. They have a very solid, mobile QB and are well coached. Have the odds makers gone over the line. Is Texas A&M a rare gift from the gambling gods who are most generally mistaken for Ebenezer Scrooge. I cannot wait for this weekend and this is certainly one of those special games. The added freak show element created by this monster number just adds to the allure. Oh, and seriously if you have not read that book I highly suggest it guys. I don't go around endorsing books around here much will will do with this one with zero hesitation. Most of us here are die hard sports fans and understand underdog stories. This one is right down the middle for us.
Arkansas is heading to Auburn and as I type this getting 10.5 points. Man, that seems excessive to me at first glance. Now it is friday and the thing still seems excessive to me as it has crept north. The Hogs are pretty much balanced on offense actually and I think they are geared to give the Tigers some headaches. Maybe it's just me but Sean White still makes me a little nervous. I will tell you guys I lean to the visitors here and can see a game where the outcome is very much in question down to the final moments.
I will go ahead and address the team closest to my heart and get it over with. Missouri returns to Columbia this weekend after two straight road ass kickings. They were not even competitive in Baton Rouge or Gainsville. It was disheartening. The highlights this season have been a close home loss to Georgia, and we have seen that is not the big deal we thought at the time. And a blowout win over Delaware State. A team that honestly looked like a glorified high school team. I expected more of this years team. This is a let down. Barry Odom is a great guy, knowledgeable football man and great DC. But he is already swimming in murky waters here. Losing is one thing, not being competitive is not acceptable. Josh Heupel could not get elected dog catcher around here. The new OC has strange ideas of play calling. The defense has looked like a shell of itself since DeMonite Cross took over as DC. No, these are not isolated opinions of just this guy. This is the basic pulse of the community. I hear it every day. No, expectations were not out of whack. But a team that could go toe to toe competitively was expected. Not what we have seen. We have been beaten by better athletes, beaten by better coaching staffs and maybe Middle Tennessee State this weekend will be a brief relief. The odds makers know this could be a stiff test staking the Tigers to a mere 7 point number. We are at home for homecoming favored by one touchdown over Middle Tennessee State. Man oh man. This is no disrespect for the Blue Raiders, but this is an SEC team at home on homecoming. Not one of the programs more shining moments. It would be nice to see Andrew Lock put up a big performance against someone other than Delaware State.
One game that is getting over shadowed this weekend is the battle between Ole Miss and LSU. Saturday night in Baton Rouge and the Tigers are laying 7 and the dreaded hook over the Rebels. Could the Rebels fall to a losing season record after this game? Yes, likely. Without question the most talented losing football team in america. I expect a tough game for Chad Kelly saturday night.
Dan Mullen will take his Bulldogs to Lexington to go at it with a Kentucky team that seems to be finding itself, somewhat. The bar is not exactly set too high there. Mississippi State should have won the last time out. They dropped an overtime game at BYU where for the most part looked like clearly the better team. Don't get me wrong, I was on BYU and pushed and will take it. But the Bulldogs did indeed to appear to tire towards the end. I saw a lot of players bent over and grabbing knees. Both teams need to win this game. If you enjoy defense this will be a good game to view, if you prefer the more up tempo stuff I suggest you avoid this one like the plague.
Those are the main games this weekend in the land of the giants. Yes, I still hold to the idea the SEC is the best overall league in the land. Just my own opinion. Ole Miss could conclude the weekend with a losing record. Just think about that.
Gotta touch on the business stuff or I will get in trouble, lol. I always try to promote my featured releases as candidly as humanly possible. I never use the L word or that ignorant stuff. I will say this as straight up as it gets. I LOVE both featured releases this weekend. I have hit now on 8 of my last 9 football big plays. I fully expect to have hit on 10 of 11 after this weekend. I have a huge Triple going saturday in college ball. I will also even come out and state this, and this will not do sales much good. It will NOT be a popular pick. My clients know don't give a rip about that sort of crap. But this one will really, really not be a popular pick. But I think it cashes. And in the NFL I have my NFL Rabid Dog Game of the Year loaded. This season I have hit on 7 of 9 NFL Triples. This is my strongest play of the season to date. There are folks who are most into longer term and the NFL Rabid dogs are a crazy 66-32 since the 2011 season.
Okay, back at it. I hope everyone has a great weekend. If you use self discipline and money management I applaud you. Keep up the good job. If you don't. Well, keep reloading those accounts and paying your man promptly. Bookies kids have college tuition too. Take care guys, enjoy your weekend.