Madonna plans to write children's books. No man, this is too easy...

A weird story keeps getting weirder.

Bison Dele, aka Brian Williams, aka the last true center to play for the Pistons, is apparently dead by his brother's hand, and his brother is found along the US/Mexico border in a coma? Strange, bizarre stuff.

RACE OF THE DAY
Great Lakes Downs - September 20th, 2002 - Race 8
Race Type: Allowance
Purse: $12,900
Distance:One Mile
1 To Be Springs (MI)
Octavio Bernal
8/1
2 Clear Focus (MI)
Luis Jeronimo Martinez
5/1
3 American Deputy (MI)
Federico Mata
5/2
4 Barren (IL)
Federico Mata
5/2
5 Our Buck (FL)
Joseph C. Judice
3/1
6 Thats the One (MI)
James Daniel Schwartz
8/1
7 Barry County (MI)
Mary Elizabeth Doser
10/1
8 Final Reel (MI)
Wade P. Rini
7/2

Well, Mata can't ride both horses now, can he? As today's changes aren't yet posted, I'll guess he ends up on American Deputy out of the 3 hole, which is a good pick. I've seen American Deputy run, and she's pretty quick. With a strong early line, Joe Judice's horse Our Buck out of the 5 slot is a good pick as well. Round out the trifecta slot with a slight reach to Mary Doser on Barry County from the 7 spot. For my WPS bet, I'll hedge a bit and go with Luis Martinez on the 2 horse, Clear Focus.

TRIFECTA BOX - 3,5,7 ($6)
WPS - 2 ($6)

ebay Item of the Day
The only bobblehead doll where the head is in correct proportions

I can't get my new "Usual Suspects" DVD to play. My PS2 will, however, play any of the "Girls Gone Wild" DVDs I've appropriated from my little brother. Even though it's barely porn, at least the PS2 is smart enough to show me boobs when I ask. Still would like to see my movie though...

By the way, I lost the Bay Meadows bet badly today when Russell Baze came in fifth. Down $14 on that bet alone, spinning my losings down to $43.20 total. Keep in mind, I haven't actually played real dollars on these, as I wouldn't bet unless I had the actual race programs to view. I'm picking off morning lines. They're all guesses, but I'm sure I'll hit one someday.

F*ck you and get out of my country (check that link out - unreal)

Irresponsible bullshit from a Pakistani paper's opinion column. Yeah, a big US-Israeli conspiracy to indict the Muslim people in the eyes of the world. I'm sure we thought billions in damages and a severed artery in our economy was a small price to pay to be able to point the finger at Pakistanis, Iraqis, Palestinians and others. F*ck this guy. F*ck him right up his stupid ass.

TODAY'S PICK FOR FRIDAY AT GLD
Great Lakes Downs - September 20th, 2002 - Race 4
Race Type: Claiming
Distance:One Mile

1 Sally Seminole (FL)
John C. Pabon, Jr.
10/1
2 Little Miss Fancy (MI)
Luis Jeronimo Martinez
8/1
3 April and Kansas (TX)
Wade P. Rini
15/1
4 Shedina's Jade (MI)
James Daniel Schwartz
3/1
5 Slew the Nurse (FL)
Julie Fritz
10/1
6 She's Sophia (MI)
Robert Cummings
20/1
7 Miss Mae Lynn (MI)
Mary Elizabeth Doser
7/2
8 Reel Pepi (MI)
Octavio Bernal
15/1
9 Purdy Zippy (MI)
Joseph C. Judice
5/1
10 Takethemoneyandrun (LA)
Federico Mata
6/1

I'm going to try something different here. Longshot guesses on this one. WPS on the 5, "Slew the Nurse," simply because if she's got any Seattle Slew in her, she'll be alright. Then trifecta box the 1,2,7. No analysis, just grabbing horses. Let's see what happens...

New Fall Season TV Report
Day 2

I like how Fox is jumping ahead of the other networks getting their new season started early. Watched "Bernie Mac" last night, which is an excellent show. Man, his wife is smokin... Anyway, not going to get into a review or anything, but the show was entertaining, and I could watch Bernie Mac sit in his chair and talk to "America" all night long. He's a funny, funny guy. Fox couldn't entice me to stay for "Cedric the Entertainer," which promises to be one of the worst shows on the new fall lineup. Anyway, tried my damndest to get my PS2 to play a DVD last night. Wanted to watch "The Usual Suspects," but that PS2 is giving me problems, and I'm none too happy about it. After half an hour of trying to get it to work, I just gave up and watched "Dragnet" on Comedy Central, which begs the question... How did the actress who plays "The Virgin Connie Swail" end up on Baywatch without being forced to get breast implants? Was there a flatter actress in the history of TV? I mean, at least Nicole Eggert had the sensibility to get hers before getting on Baywatch. It's a question of great befuddlement to me...

Just a reminder...

SIGN MY GUESTMAP ABOVE. I'd really appreciate it.

The Other Day...

I had a message on the machine the other day from someone I don't think I recognized, but was looking for me anyway. Why? It's about time for my 10 year high school reunion. I don't know how I feel about all this. I mean, I really only went to this school for one year, and the list of people I'd care to see, or really spend any time talking to would be:
Pete - who I should call, but haven't talked to since maybe March. He'll be there.
Janna - who I haven't seen since my wedding, and I should at least email. Chances are 80% she'll be there.
Dave - who more than likely won't show up to this.
Paul - who I could call, but I haven't.
Most of my friends weren't in my grade, and not only that, but with the crap I've been going through these last 24 months, I'm not really sure that I want to play the "what have you been up to" game with people who barely knew me then, and don't really know me now.

I'd be interested to run into Mark and Jen, as I know they're married, and I bet Mark knows what happened between me and Jen at this point. I bet he still carries a grudge against Pete and I to some extent. Hey, it was his slutty girlfriend's fault, not mine. There are certain things a 17 year old male does not turn down, and a girl that throws herself at you is one of them.

Maybe I'll go to the next one in five years. I'm not likely to show for this one.

ebay Item of the Day

Why didn't I have toys like this to influence my adult buying habits at an earlier age?

There's two new TV shows on different networks this season that deal with the idea of what might happen if you were given high school to do over, knowing what you know now. In the spirit of those shows, here's my top seven list of the day:

TOP SEVEN THINGS I'D DO DIFFERENTLY IF I COULD GO BACK TO EIGHTH GRADE AND KNOW WHAT I KNOW NOW

1. Not be such a friggin doofus, particularly with the lovely Courtney, who I only suspected wanted to go out with me in the interim time before her "troubled loser" boyfriend returned from Kansas. What I was thinking, I have no idea. I think I was intimidated to go out with a girl that good looking, as if I didn't deserve it.
2. Bulk up slightly and learn how to fight. Learn to not take shit from people.
3. Get glasses earlier, as my "baseball career" was unspectacular at the plate, probably because I couldn't see the ball.
4. Kristen Swenson, tenth grade, see #1 above. I'm such a doofus. Thanks, Utah.
5. Play my trumpet outside the classroom, and learn to play jazz.
6. Turn the bitter, sarcastic attitude into more of an "I don't care" attitude about the little bullshit.
7. Not give a certain person a certain multi-page note detailing all the reasons from one to one million why I thought we should be together, frightening said girl, and leading to our not talking for eight months. Again, thanks Utah. You equipped me so well to deal with women in a mature, sensible fashion.

TOP SEVEN LIST OF THE DAY

Top Seven Movies I'll Never Grow Tired Of
In no particular order
1. "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" - The whole deal about the African swallows and the coconuts kills me
2. "Fletch" - Funny thing too, the books are even better. They've just reissued most of the series. Very worth picking up
3. "This is: Spinal Tap" - "You ask yourself, 'How much more black can this be?' and the answer is, well, none."
4. "Rushmore" - Although the final five minutes of the movie is ruined for me because what used to be the song I tied happy memories to is just too painful to listen to. Bill Murray has never been better in a movie.
5. "The Godfather" - Watching Pacino grow into the Corleone he tried so hard to avoid is one of the most stunning screen performances I've ever seen.
6. "Groundhog Day" - anytime, anywhere, I'm thrilled to see this on TV.
7. "Happy Gilmore" - The Price is WRONG Bob!

RACE SELECTION OF THE DAY
Bay Meadows - September 19th, 2002 - Race 7
Race Type: Starter Allowance
Distance:Six Furlongs

1 Spanish Eyes (FL)
Francisco Duran
7/2
2 Clever Hound (KY)
Caesar V. Bisono
10/1
3 Bet On Brad (FL)
Omar Figueroa
6/1
4 Our Lov Bug (CA)
Jose L. Rivera, Jr.
8/1
5 Cabaret Dancer (KY)
Russell A. Baze
8/5
6 Pedaltothemetal (CA)
Jason P. Lumpkins
5/2

I'm so confident in the abilities of the winningest jockey on the planet, Russell Baze (at least for 2002), that I'm picking his 5 horse both as my WPS selection, as well as in my win slot on the trifecta, enabling me to get a bit creative with the trifecta bet. For the trifecta, I'm going 5, with 3 and 6, with All in the show slot. This is an $8 Trifecta wheel. We'll see how this all works tomorrow.

IF I HAD AN EVIL LAUGH, I'D BE ONE CACKLING MOTHERF*CKER RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Was offered a trade today for my main fantasy football league that was just too damn good to pass up.

I shipped out
WR David Boston (my #2 guy), RB Marcel Shipp, WR MarTay Jenkins
for
RB Ricky Williams, RB Robert Edwards, WR Quincy Morgan

Of course, this is pending league approval, but since the other owner (thanks Steve) felt it was a good trade, it's not a ripoff. It's simply a trade that appears slightly more in my favor now than his.

Heh heh heh heh heh...

On another trade note, I've offered the following to another owner, which I think is a pretty fair deal, all things considered.

I trade:
WR Qadry Ismail and RB Clinton Portis
for
WR Chris Chambers

He has Olandis Gary, and I think we both believe that Portis is a good bet to be getting good carries by midseason at latest. Should this go through, which it probably won't, as Adam wouldn't trade unless it was wildly in his favor, would give me a starting lineup of the following, hopefully pulling me out of the 0-2 funk I've fallen into:

QB - Jay Fiedler
RB - Jerome Bettis / Michael Pittman / Ricky Williams
WR - Terrell Owens / Chris Chambers / Quincy Morgan (or Deion Branch or Steve Smith or Donte Stallworth)
TE - Bubba Franks
K - Phil Dawson
DEF - Green Bay

Pretty solid there, but Adam won't bite. At least I don't think he will...

GW Bush has gone too far. I think the invasion of Iraq is misguided enough. Hearing about this type of crap really pisses me off. Way to go George...

STRANGE EBAY ITEM OF THE DAY

It's not a paperweight, it's a POOPerweight!

Oh, and speaking of TV, which I watch far too much of, "Grounded for Life," one of my favorite shows, premiered last night. They've introduced a plot device this year where Sean quits his union job and buys into a bar. Great. This show is sniffing the Fox Graveyard now. Such a shame too, as Megyn Price as the mom is the hottest mom on TV currently, hands down.

The "yes, I'm a dork," post of the day:

What the hell was Steven thinking? His friends got a boner for Trishelle, he knows this, he talks it up, and less than 48 hours after meeting both of them, Steven turns his back on the guy to hook up with Trishelle. Right in front of him. As a matter of fact, Steven crawled over Frank (guy in question's) lap to make out with this girl. Unbelieveable.

And why f* Trishelle when you've got Hottie McHorny Brynn around?

Friggin' Real World on MTV premiered last night, and I have to admit I'm hooked...

NEW FEATURE TO THE WEBLOG - My guest map. Please sign the guest map above, as it's a pretty nifty new style guest book.

Vegas Baby!

Doing my best to try to get some friends together to spend a couple of days in Vegas on Super Bowl weekend. Since reading The Sports Guy's column on Vegas and sports books, I now realize I can have more fun there than I thought, seeing as I don't think I can be one of those guys at a blackjack table all day long. Plus, I hear the Super Bowl parties are awfully cool.

Gotta give myself something to look forward to. Vegas Baby!

Deserving of "front page" status on cnn.com: Whatever happened to Burt Ward?

HORSE RACING RESULTS FOR 9/17
Double Barrell placed, netting $2.20 profit on the $6 bet. The Trifecta stunk, as the "Kentucky horse, usually better than Michigan or Florida horses" placed dead last. Grrr...

Running total: Down $29.20

HONORARY TOP SEVEN LIST FOR THE DAY
It's not so much a list, but something I found online. There's a dessert served at the ESPNZone restaraunt that could possibly be the greatest thing mankind has ever put on a plate.

"Desserts are worth saving some room for. Try a Sudden Death Brownie or the Krispy Kreme sundae - two Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts smothered with hot fudge and caramel, served with strawberries and ice cream."

Good god, I'm drooling.

From a Pakastani daily newspaper (one I found linked through Google's "News and Resources" page)

'Bush should not plunge into a self-declared war without carrying the international community with him and better ponder over the ensuing consequences. Samuel Huntington the author of the idea of "Clash of Civilisations" thus wrote in the journal Foreign Affairs in 1999: "While the US regularly denounces various countries as rogue states, in the eyes of many countries it is becoming the rogue superpower, the single greatest external threat to their societies."

This is what John L Esposito a professor of religion at the Georgetown university, said recently, "Short term military response to bring the terrorist to justice must also be accompanied by long-term policy that focuses on the core issues or causes that breed extremism -- from authoritarian and corrupt government to US policies in Palestine-Israel and the broader Muslim world . . . The aftermath of September 11 challenges governments, policymakers, religious leaders, the media and the general public to all play both critical and constructive roles in the war against global terrorism. The process will have to be a joint partnership which emphasises the briefs, values and interests that we share in common that addresses more constructively our differences and grievances and build a future based upon the recognition that all face a common enemy, the threat of global terrorism, which can only be effectively contained and eliminated through a recognition of mutual interest and the use of multilateral alliances, strategies and actions. The US cannot expect to simply set the course that others must follow."

This is good advice. One only wishes Mr Bush can find time to talk to Mr Esposito who too lives in Washington DC.' (end of article)

So I know I'm overweight, but it's not that bad. I've been parked in the 200 neighborhood for probably close to three years at this point. I think I've reached a balance between the crap I eat and the crap I do that leads to a general maintenance of the overall heft. Anyway, aside from the liver problems that I have, which I've known about now for a few years, I think I have one more obesity related problem.

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Plantar fasciitis is a pulling of the tendons on the sole of your foot that is caused by, among other things, being too fat for your arches to support. So, I guess I'm too fat to stand on my own two feet now. I feel like Homer Simpson in the moo moo running the plant from his home computer with the use of a long stick and his pointer bird.

I've gotta lose some weight. I mean, at bare minimum, I haven't been able to drink enough to get drunk for about three to four years now. That's 100% due to the liver problems. Not that getting drunk is a goal, but always having to be the guy who quits drinking at the bar or on new years' is kinda tedious at times. Plus, I just don't look good with this extra weight. It sits in my mid section, and my head and neck. Everything else is still spindly. I look like a third grader's art project made out of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.

As mentioned, I have moved to diet pop. That alone was a big step. Next comes cutting out the things I really like. I don't think I could do that Atkins diet, as I can't live without pasta, rice, and potatoes. But I have to do something about this love of pizza. Well, I'll keep you posted...

This projected war on Iraq bothers me a little bit. I guess I can understand acting like international policeman when they invade Kuwait or something, but I don't see that this time with Iraq. Is Saddam dangerous? Yes. Is he probably trying to gain weapons capabilities beyond that of his neighbors? Probably. But is that really our motivation for going to get him? No, I don't think so.

I believe that the Bush administration feels that they need to put a face that people can recognize on our efforts to stamp out terrorism. Obviously, if he's alive (and I doubt he is), Bin Laden is that guy, but it's not as if he keeps his people within the borders of a country and stationed at military bases. This isn't that kind of war. But Hussein is different. We know Americans have been conditioned not to trust him, and we know that if we're spoon fed enough crap about Saddam being a threat to America and the world, then Bush will have his war, and will have it the way he wants it.

Bush wants a war he can fight more tradtionally, and one that he can win. Fighting Al Qaeda in the mountains of Afghanistan proved to be a no-win circumstance, as we know that 90% of Al Qaeda's members are scattered throughout the world laying in wait for instructions to destroy.

I think this Bush war is the result of an administration struggling to find something to satiate itself after a military campaign that yielded few true public results.

RACE OF THE DAY
Great Lakes Downs - September 17th, 2002 - Race 9
Race Type: Claiming
Distance:Six Furlongs

1 Concertize (MI) 112
Timothy V. Jessup
10/1
2 Alaskan Hill (KY) 120
Robert Cummings
7/2
3 Mr. Match (MI) 115
Federico Mata
6/1
4 Killer Move (MI) 115
Wade P. Rini
8/1
5 Pic's Paradise (FL) 117
Ruben Pizarro
8/1
6 Double Barrell (FL) 117
Joseph C. Judice
3/1
7 Slamgo (MI) 112
Roberto A. Perez
10/1
8 Around the Sea (MI) 115
Roberto A. Perez
10/1
9 Son Ofa Factor (MI) 111
Mary Elizabeth Doser
4/1
10 Largo Lad (FL) 117
Mary Elizabeth Doser
4/1

Even though my illusion of the greatness of Joe Judice was flat out shattered last night, he happens to be riding one of my favorite horses at the track today, Double Barrell. I think Double Barrell was one of the first horses I won money on. So I'm pulling for Joe, and tossing this in my trifecta. Again, gotta go with Freddie Mata, who's my WPS pick, and in my trifecta, on the 3 horse Mr. Match. Throw in the only Kentucky horse in the field, which are generally just better horses than Michigan or Florida horses, Alaskan Hill, with Robert Cummings aboard. He's coming out of the 2 hole.

TRIFECTA PICK - 2,3,6 box
WPS bet - 6

RACE RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
For race 9 @ GLD, had picked 4,5 / all but 1 / 4,5 as well as a WPS on the 4. Well, our good friend Mr. Four Horse decided to come in dead friggin last. Way to be Joe Judice. Thankfully, as I'm playing with fake dollars here and not my own money, that leaves me down $25.40 for this column.

Not that anyone cares, but I completely missed doing my top seven list yesterday. So, here's today's TOP SEVEN PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEW SEASON OF THE SOPRANOS

1. Janice and Ralphie start something that ends up with one of the three (these two and Ro Aprile) in the triangle crazy, then dead.
2. The hot FBI agent ends up dead, and Christopher ends up in FBI questioning, but they don't have anything to hold him on. Doubts start to surface.
3. Carmela ends up finding some of the cash Tony's got stashed around the house, and ends up investing it, which leads to the IRS jumping on Tony for not declaring the income. Season five is going to include a long trial for Tony.
4. Bobby, the big fat guy who was Junior's valet for the past season, is the guy who ultimately "takes care" of the FBI witness nurse from the Dr.'s office.
5. Junior dies before the final gavel falls, which would have doomed him to prison.
6. Paulie's bitterness towards Tony ends up in a bad attempt to knock him off, which results in Paulie's death, which brings Johnny Sack into focus as "disapproving" of Soprano family actions.
7. More than any season previously, this whole season can be best summed up with the phrase, "Things Fall Apart."

I hate diet pop. I just do. Unfortunately, as my first small step down the road to losing the 25 pounds I need to drop to not die of abject liver failure in fourteen years, I've been drinking nothing but diet pop (except when out of home or work, which isn't often) for the past three months or so. Tried the Diet Coke thing first. Just not a suitable substitute for my most favorite everyday beverage. Then I moved to Diet Dr. Pepper, which, as the ads say, tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper. I think I'd have to agree with that. It's the only diet pop out there that isn't absolutely horrid as an everyday beverage. But drinking diet pop has done one major thing for me:

IT'S TURNED ME OFF OF DRINKING REGULAR POP OUT OF THE CAN.

I don't know what it is, but I don't like the taste of Coke in the can anymore. 2 Liter, sure. Off fountain, definitely. But I just can't stand it out of the can anymore. Stupid mind-controlling phenylketonurics.

Funny thing, I've probably put on three to five pounds, maybe less, since starting this babystep into the diet world. Oh well, pass me the crazy bread, and let's get on with our day.

I did go yesterday to a Damon's in order to specifically watch Michael Vick versus the vaunted Bears' defense, and see if he is actually for real.

Well, yes Virginia, there is a Michael Vick.

Besides being quite possibly the quickest (if not the fastest) player in the entire league, his decision making yesterday was close to perfect. With that strong left arm combined with his youth, you'd expect more plays where he'd try to force the ball where it didn't belong. I saw very few decisions with the ball you wouldn't call good ones. His legs buy him a lot of time in the pocket, probably more than McNabb or Culpepper. Not only that, but the defenders tend to respect his scrambling ability so much that they'd rather keep him in front of them than continue to pursue him upfield.

He had a play yesterday late in the fourth quarter, that was ultimately overturned as the ball hit the ground barely before being caught. Anyway, late in the game, down one, Vick dropped back, was flushed out, flushed back in, and stepped up in the pocket. Mid-step, he threw deep to the corner, ball gets slightly tipped and Willie Jackson appeared to catch it probably 40 yards point to point downfield. It was an unbelieveable throw.

He's definitely not the best QB in the league. Yet. But if Atlanta can bring in a couple of consistent weapons for him at WR, this could become a dangerous team very, very quickly.

Fantasy Football Thoughts Today:

What's going on with Terrell Owens? That Niners team has about the worst offensive gameplan in the league. With all the talent they have on offense, why can't they find a way to get Owens five to seven more touches than he's seeing? I mean, I have little choice but to stick with him at this point, because I know trading him is just going to spur his production at this point. Also, I've got Jerome Bettis, who I think ended up with 13 carries last night. What happened to ball control in Pittsburgh? I'm awful frustrated with that pickup at this point. He was supposed to be a workhorse. I did end up losing my game yesterday (neither of us with Monday night players), but only by fifteen points. That's simply two more catches for each of my receivers, for an additional 30 yards each.

Hey, at least Jay Fiedler is looking good.

Race Selection of the Day:
Great Lakes Downs - September 16th, 2002 - Race 6
Mackinac H.
Race Type: Stakes
Purse: $45,000
Distance:One And One Sixteenth Miles

1 Goldinrunner (MI)
Wade P. Rini
117
7/2
2 Lite Ruckus (MI)
James Daniel Schwartz
114
10/1
3 Equi Power (MI)
Roberto A. Perez
121
3/1
4 Spring Winds (MI)
Joseph C. Judice
123
5/2
5 Accountable Guy (MI)
Federico Mata
115
5/1
6 Marland (MI)
Luis Jeronimo Martinez
114
8/1
7 Tank's Lil Brother (MI)
Guadalupe Macias
111
8/1

First thing you've got to look at here is that Joe Judice was 3-3 in wins in stakes races over the weekend, making his 4 horse, Spring Winds, my choice for a trifecta slot, as well as my WPS bet. I've seen a lot of these horses run before, and I'm curious as to why Spring Winds is carrying 123 and Freddie Mata's 5, Accountable Guy, is only carrying 115. Either way, throw that one in as well. Lastly, let's try something different with our trifecta strategy here. We'll do a wheel bet with 4,5 / all but the 1 / 4,5. Meaning, 4 and 5 need to come in first and third (either order), and anyone but the 1 can fall in second. I just don't buy Wade Rini as a quality jockey at all.

PICKS - 4, $2 WPS ($6 bet)
Trifecta Wheel 4,5 / all but 1 / 4,5 ($8 bet)

Things Brought In To A Ghetto Kinko's

Fantasy Football Outlook for La Cosa Nostra

Game this week versus the Fightin' Proletariats. In-Divison game, and it's going to be a tough one. Let's look at the matchups:

QB -
Jay Fiedler @ Indy versus Aaron Brooks v. GB
I really think Miami is going to roll this year, and I think Fiedler is going to end up a top fifteen QB. However, I think the coaches for NO are licking their chops after watching Vick and the Falcons dissect that Packer defense last week. Look for Brooks to hang 275 and two TDs, with one pick. Fiedler? Maybe 250 and 1. EDGE - PROLETARIATS

RB -
Here's where the game will probably be won or lost
Jerome Bettis v. Oakland and Michael Pittman @ Baltimore
- versus -
Shaun Alexander v. Arizona and Jamal Lewis v. Tampa
I really hope Alexander goes through a significant slump this year, starting right about now. Jamal should be pretty well neutralized, as the Ravens will be facing eight and nine man fronts until Redman can prove he's a worthy QB. But Alexander is one of the top backs, until he continues to prove otherwise.
EDGE - PROLETARIATS

WIDE RECEIVER
Terrell Owens v. Denver, David Boston @ Seattle, Qadry Ismail v. Miami
- versus -
Jimmy Smith @ KC, Keyshawn Johnson @ Baltimore, Javon Walker @ NO
This is Terrell Owens "bounceback" week. Add to that the fact that defenses are looking mightly overmatched with trying to cover 240 lb. David Boston, and I've got a nice 1-2 punch. Qadry should see some passes as well, but that Miami secondary is tight. For the Proletariats, I think Jimmy Smith is due a big day, and Keyshawn will get 6-10 catches with no TDs today. Javon Walker is a gamble, but a nicely calculated one. Still, EDGE - LA COSA NOSTRA

TE,K,DEFENSE
My hopes rest on the Packers today. If Franks can find the endzone, and if the defense can hold strong and force turnovers, then I'm a happy guy. With the Proletariats, Seattle is facing an Arizona team that, like the Lions a few years ago, wins some games it shouldn't, and loses a lot of games it should win. This is a projected loss, and maybe a game to watch. I hope. EDGE - FAIRLY EVEN, SLIGHTLY TO PROLETARIARTS.

Overall, I need the stars and moon in alignment to have a chance to win this week. The more things that go right today, the happier I'll inevitably be.

PERSONAL RESULTS FROM MY VISIT TO THE TRACK -

Played it pretty sensibly last night. I was there from 5-9PM, and ended up down $40. However, there were at least two occasions, most notably the last race I was there for, where I talked myself out of making a bet I wanted to make because of another low odds horse on the board. Instead of boxing what I thought were the best three horses, I ended up going another direction. I would have won $100 if I had just done what I intended. What makes that one worse is that after I made that bet, I had $1.40 left in the system. I tried to bet the combo, in that order, for a single trifecta ticket, but minimum bet is $2. If I had just tagged it on with my other bet before printing, I would have been a winner. There was another race where I did that too, and ended up losing a chance at about $50. Had a good time thought, and that's all that counts anyway.

RESULTS ON MY PICKS:

Turfway Park, Race 13, 9/14/02 - Original Selections 1,5 Exacta Box, 5 WPS
The one horse ended up dead last, ruining my $4 bet there. However, the 5 horse did place, which doesn't pay real well, but returned $6.60.

GLD, Race 9, 9/14/02 - Original Selections 1,3,5 box trifecta, WPS 5
The 5 was scratched, so make that 1,3,5 a box exacta. 1,3,1A was your order of finish, and returned $5.60 on a $4 bet.

Was down $13.40, now down $11.60