Just When You Thought It Was Safe!

I'm still around and still watching sports like mad. I will be in withdrawal after this Sunday's final NFL Redzone. Last week's picks were on the .500 mark or abysmal. Hopefully, this week will be better.

College Football - Hmm
I've done poorly in my choices with the bowls, too. Too much rust on teams means that the cohesion enjoyed four weeks ago no longer exists in its former glory. Sigh.  Today's selections? Here we go.

1. Cal vs. Air Force
2. UNC vs. Baylor-first interesting matchup for the day.
3. Nevada vs. Colorado State
4. LSU vs. Texas Tech - second marquee matchup for today.

Lady Grid out.

Are You Kidding Me?

It's rare that I post twice a day, but this day warrants just such a response.

I just watched the end of the wretched edition of Monday Night Football and wanted to throw a flag at the decisions about running plays. I don't comprehend what's going through the coaching staff's minds at times. My hands curled into outstretched claws of disbelief. My voice filled the room with, "Are you kidding me?" I had to get up and walk out as the now 4-7 Baltimore Ravens celebrated their win over the now 2-9 Cleveland Browns. What a night.

In a quick NBA aside, Kobe Bryant was well-spoken given the oath he used as he talked about retiring from playing basketball after being with the same team for 20 years. That's loyalty, folks. Respect to the man for his drive and determination to play. I will make a point to watch the Lakers play just to see him in action on the court "one more time" before he walks away the last time.

Lady Grid out.

Pro Football Recap - November 29, 2015

Here's the skinny on my professional football predictions. Nope, still not headed for Vegas.

1. Philadelphia at Detroit (Thanksgiving Game)
2. Carolina at Dallas  (Thanksgiving Game)
3. Chicago at Green Bay (Thanksgiving Game)
4. Minnesota at Atlanta - Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson made it an exciting game!
5. Buffalo at Kansas City- Time ran out for the Bills who like the Chiefs are now 5-5.
6. St. Louis at Cincinnati- What a blowout!
7. Oakland at Tennessee- That interception with seconds remaining killed Mariota's come-from-behind drive.
8. Tampa Bay at Indianapolis- Despite a heroic effort by Jameis Winston, the "old man" Matt Hasselbeck really played well and led the team to victory.
9. Miami at NY Jets- Chris Ivory!
10. New Orleans at Houston- You know they're happy to have a winning record now.
11. NY Giants at Washington- It was too little too late even with OBJ's second greatest catch (so far)!
12. San Diego at Jacksonville - It was almost the other way with the Jags showing real heart.
13. Arizona at San Francisco- The league needs to look at some of those calls and clarify which down is correct, etc. It was an officiating debacle.
14. Pittsburgh at Seattle- Big Ben had a concussion. These are nothing to play around with.
15. New England at Denver - I hope the Gronk's injury isn't too serious. I may not be a Pats fan, but there's something mischevous about that young man that tells me I'd have to keep an eye on him in the classroom.
16. Baltimore at Cleveland (Monday Night Football Game)

Lady Grid out.

College Recap/Pro Forecast - November 29, 2015

NCAA Football

1. Clemson at South Carolina – Poor Gamecocks (CORRECT!)
2. Virginia Tech at Virginia – Hokies win one more for Coach Beamer and become bowl eligible. (CORRECT!)
3. Ohio State at Michigan- I really would like to see Big Blue take the Buckeyes down. (WRONG - boo)
4. UCLA at USC- Always wanted a bear skin rug. Get me one, Trojans. (CORRECT!)
5. Penn State at Michigan State-Go Sparty! (CORRECT!)
6. BYU at Utah State- Cougars will crush these Aggies. (CORRECT!)
7. Alabama at Auburn-Auburn will be up and raring to go; however, I think the Tide rolls past in the end. I’d love to be wrong about this one, so I rated it as my ten-point game on my last week of College Pick ‘Em. (CORRECT!)
8. Ole Miss at Mississippi State- The cowbells will be deafening tonight if you tune in to watch this game. (WRONG - boo)
9. Florida State at Florida- The Swamp awaits the Seminoles. (WRONG - boo)
10. Texas A&M at LSU – I want my Aggies to win; however, this was alledgedly Coach Miles’ last game, and the Tigers have something to “geaux for.” (CORRECT!)
11. Notre Dame at Stanford – Neither team is a favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but I always want the Fighting Irish to lose. It’s been that way for most of my life. Get over it. (CORRECT!)
12. Oklahoma at Oklahoma State – Bedlam! Let’s go, Pokes! (WRONG - boo)

NFL

1. Philadelphia at Detroit
2. Carolina at Dallas
3. Chicago at Green Bay
4. Minnesota at Atlanta
5. Buffalo at Kansas City
6. St. Louis at Cincinnati
7. Oakland at Tennessee
8. Tampa Bay at Indianapolis
9. Miami at NY Jets
10. New Orleans at Houston
11. NY Giants at Washington
12. San Diego at Jacksonville
13. Arizona at San Francisco
14. Pittsburgh at Seattle
15. New England at Denver
16. Baltimore at Cleveland

Lady Grid out.

The Beginning of the End

Why the strange title? The regular season of NCAA football ends today for the schools who didn't play on Thursday and Friday. More mania about who should be number one ensues. There will still be some collegiate football played next week with conference championships and the Army-Navy game on December 12.

1. Clemson at South Carolina – Poor Gamecocks
2. Virginia Tech at Virginia – Hokies win one more for Coach Beamer and become bowl eligible.
3. Ohio State at Michigan- I really would like to see Big Blue take the Buckeyes down.
4. UCLA at USC- Always wanted a bear skin rug. Get me one, Trojans.
5. Penn State at Michigan State-Go Sparty!
6. BYU at Utah State- Cougars will crush these Aggies.
7. Alabama at Auburn-Auburn will be up and raring to go; however, I think the Tide rolls past in the end. I’d love to be wrong about this one, so I rated it as my ten-point game on my last week of College Pick ‘Em.
8. Ole Miss at Mississippi State- The cowbells will be deafening tonight if you tune in to watch this game.
9. Florida State at Florida- The Swamp awaits the Seminoles.
10. Texas A&M at LSU – I want my Aggies to win; however, this is Coach Miles’ last game, and the Tigers have something to “geaux for.”
11. Notre Dame at Stanford – Neither team is a favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but I always want the Fighting Irish to lose. It’s been that way for most of my life. Get over it.
12. Oklahoma at Oklahoma State – Bedlam! Let’s go, Pokes!

Lady Grid out.

Good Gracious Sakes!

I think I managed to pick only six out of twelve games correctly yesterday. What a disastrous outing! It's better than last week. Want to see how bad it was? Take a gander. of what I put together for Pigskin Pick 'Em's week eleven.

1. Thursday Night Football—Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons
3. Denver Broncos vs. Chicago Bears
4. Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins
5. Oakland Raiders vs. Detroit Lions
6. St. Louis Rams vs. Baltimore Ravens
7. New York Jets vs. Houston Texans
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
9. Washington Redskins vs. Carolina Panthers
10. Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Diego Chargers
11. Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
12. San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
13. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Arizona Cardinals
14. Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots - Monday Night Football prediction

I don't think Colin Kaepernick will be a 49er much longer once the season ends. Mr. Jones, you need to snap this young man up and groom him under Tony Romo's tutelage.

Peyton, please heal as completely as possible during this bout of injury. I want you to be healthy even if you don't win another Super Bowl.

The lone NCAA Football observation—Coach Urban Meyer handled the comments of his star player with grace and aplomb. It's probably better that the young man Ezekiel Elliott deserves after his well-publicized criticism of the boss. I wish him well.

Well, just one more. LSU head honchos would be madmen to fire Les Miles. He knows how to win games, but sometimes his players meet their match on the football field. This does happen, you realize. Sigh.

Just a thought: can anyone beat the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry? Not any time soon.

Lady Grid out.

What Can I Say?

And then there were two. We now have one AFC and one NFC team who are undefeated. Just two left. Who will fall next? I am disheartened that the Bengals played beneath their abilities, but I know J.J. Watt is happy about the win.

Thursday's game will feature Tennessee at Jacksonville. I just don't have any more words about this NFL season. I'll pick the Jaguars to win this game after their victory on Sunday. It's time for a new cat in town.

Lady Grid out.

Quite a Weekend!

How shall I say this? It's been a weekend of upsets for my picks. The pros really ate my lunch this week. I'm glad I'm not on Draft Kings or any other such ilk.

1. All three grade levels of my Middle School Matchup for baseball are now out. Boo!
2. My Plano East Panthers went to the playoffs but lost.
3. Mama's Lincoln Tigers didn't make the playoffs.
4. Daddy's Manual Arts Toilers were eliminated from the playoffs.
5. Hubby's Memorial High Mustangs are moving on and will face Harlingen on Friday evening. Go Mustangs! This is one positive note.
6. My Texas A&M Aggies won their game against Western Carolina but will face Vandy then LSU. Yowzah.
7. I never thought the Detroit Lions would win again at Lambeau Field. They did after 24 years of waiting, wanting, and wishing.
8. I picked the Cowboys to beat the Buccaneers. They lost because Dez Bryant "lost focus." Grrr!
9. "Smiley" Jay Cutler and the Bears beat the favored St. Louis Rams. Sigh.
10. Miami edged Philadelphia after Sam Bradford was injured (again) in the game. That guy catches absolutely no breaks.
11. The Ravens were supposed to beat the Vikings. My boy Teddy Bridgewater had other plans.
12. The Washington Redskins blew the New Orleans Saints out of the water with a 47-14 whooping.
13. Would I ever think to see the General benched? ARGH! Peyton Manning was benched in that wretched game against the Kansas City Chiefs. I think Coach Kubiak's system is all wrong for Peyton. 
14. New England was leading New York early in the fourth quarter. Will Belichick beat Coughlin in their chess match?
15. The Arizona and Seatlle game will be a scream because you won't be able to hear over all of that racket in their stadium. Yergh. I think the Seahawks will win, but I want the Cardinals to prevail.
16. I am picking the Cincinnati Bengals to also be 9-0 after their game against  the Houston Texans. You just never know.

Lady Grid out.

Solid Gridiron

Friday Night Lights Recap - November 6, 2015

1. The Frisco Centennial Titans lost to The Colony 24-14.
2. Plano East Panthers lost to the Allen Eagles.
3. The undefeated McAllen Memorial Mustangs traveled to play the Mission Eagles and beat them soundly, 67-14. 
4. We waited until Saturday afternoon for the Lincoln High Tigers to fight a gridiron battle against the Madison Trojans. We should have waited longer. Lincoln lost 31-12. Sigh.
5. The Manual Arts Toilers (California) made it to .500 with a 65-0 blowout of Locke.

College Gridiron Predictions - November 7, 2015

I've written my choices in bold writing. As you can see, I did a better job at picking the earlier games than the later games yesterday. Sheesh!

1. Duke at UNC
2. Kentucky at Georgia
3. Vanderbilt at Florida
4. Stanford at Colorado
5. Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
6. Arizona State at Washington State
7. Florida State at Clemson
8. Iowa at Indiana
9. Marshall at Middle Tennessee
10. New Mexico State at Texas State
11. Navy at Memphis
12. Utah at Washington
13. Auburn at Texas A&M
14. TCU at Oklahoma State
15. LSU at Alabama

My "Bold" NFL Predictions - November 8, 2015

1. Cleveland at Cincinnati
2. Green Bay at Carolina - Don't tell my son I picked against his team this week.
3. Washington at New England
4. Tennessee at New Orleans - I want the Saints to win for the Eliminator Challenge on ESPN.
5. Miami at Buffalo
6. St. Louis at Minnesota
7. Jacksonville at NY Jets
8. Oakland at Pittsburgh
9. NY Giants at Tampa Bay
10. Atlanta at San Francisco
11. Denver at Indianapolis
12. Philadelphia at Dallas
13. Chicago at San Diego - Monday Night Football

Lady Grid out.

Mavs Winless at Home Again

The Mavericks lost tonight's game to the Charlotte Hornets in Dallas. They're now 0-2 at home. Maybe the AAC isn't the best place for them? Just kidding.

The Bengals beat up on the Browns with a score of 31-10. They're the first team to reach 8-0 for this season. How long does it last? We'll see, won't we?

Friday Night Lights:

1. The Frisco Centennial Titans play a district game against The Colony Cougars on Friday night. Go, Titans!
2. My Plano East Panthers go up Highway 5 to play the Allen Eagles tomorrow night. Beat 'em, Panthers! East! East! East!
3. The undefeated McAllen Memorial Mustangs travel to play the Mission Eagles. 
4. We wait until Saturday afternoon for the Lincoln High Tigers to fight a gridiron battle against the Madison Trojans.
5. The Manual Arts Toilers (California) hope to make it to .500 after their game against the Locke Saints tomorrow. Go, Tommy Toiler!

Nothing helps the writing process like a trip down musical memory lane with Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence," Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now," The Smiths' "How Soon is Now?" playing as I pen these thoughts. Don't judge.

Lady Grid out.

Panthers Still Perfect

After allowing the Colts to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, it didn't look good for Carolina to continue their streak of wins, but Graham Gano saved their bacon with his OT field goal.  I'm glad that Keyshawn, Cris, and the rest of the MNF crew were correct about picking Carolina.

The team who plays Andrew Luck next had better watch out. They're coming back. Oops, it's the Broncos at the Lucas Oil Stadium. Maybe the game after the Broncos when they visit Atlanta. The jury is still out deliberating this one.

Colin Kaepernick will be benched the next time the San Francisco 49ers take the field to play

NBA
The Spurs beat the Knicks; Tim Duncan earned his 954th win with the Spurs. This is the record for most wins with one team. Wow.

LeBron James hit the 25,000 point mark in their win over the 76ers; this show resilience.

James Harden beat his old team to earn the Rockets' first win of the young season.

Golden State walloped poor Memphis 119-69. Time for some first aid, Grizzlies. That one'll leave a mark.

NHL
The Dallas Stars were outscored 4-1 in their game up north against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lady Grid out.

Mostly in the Green (Correct Picks, not Money)

NFL Wrap-Up - November 1, 2015
Most teams have reached the halfway mark of their seasons. Most of my predictions were spot-on, but I won't be heading to Las Vegas or joining Fan Duel and any other sites of their ilk.

1. Miami at New England – Thursday Night Football
2. Detroit at Kansas City
3. Tampa Bay at Atlanta
4. Arizona at Cleveland
5. San Francisco at St. Louis
6. New York Giants at New Orleans
7. Minnesota at Chicago
8. San Diego at Baltimore
9. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
10. Tennessee at Houston
11. New York Jets at Oakland
12. Seattle at Dallas
13. Green Bay at Denver - I normally don't pick against my General, but I wasn't sure. I am sorry I didn't change my prediction.
14. Indianapolis at Carolina – Monday Night Football

Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals who won the World Series last night. Next year, Mets. Next year.

Lady Grid out.

Happy November!

College Wrap-Up from October 31, 2015

1. Illinois vs. Penn State
2. Ole Miss vs. Auburn
3. Syracuse vs. Florida State
4. South Carolina vs. Texas A&M University
5. Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech
6. University of Southern California vs. California
7. Georgia vs. Florida
8. Maryland vs. Iowa
9. Louisiana Monroe vs. Louisiana Lafayette - Monroe scored all their points in the first half. It wasn't enough.
10. Tulsa vs. SMU - I didn't expect the Mustangs to come up short.
11. San Diego State vs. Colorado State
12. Tennessee vs. Kentucky
13. Texas at Iowa State - This one was a rather unpleasant surprise.
14. Notre Dame vs. Temple
15. Stanford vs. Washington State

NFL, Baby!

1. Miami at New England - Thursday Night Football game
2. Detroit at Kansas City
3. Tampa Bay at Atlanta
4. Arizona at Cleveland
5. San Francisco at St. Louis
6. New York Giants at New Orleans
7. Minnesota at Chicago
8. San Diego at Baltimore
9. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
10. Tennessee at Houston
11. New York Jets at Oakland
12. Seattle at Dallas
13. Green Bay at Denver
14. Indianapolis at Carolina – Monday Night Football

On an MLB note, the Royals seem bent on winning unless the Mets do something in game five tonight at 7:00 P.M. CST. Come on, Metropolitans!

Lady Grid out.

No Scares Today

Thursday Night Lights aka High School Wrap-Up

1. Plano East defeated Hebron 21-14. Woo-hoo, Panthers! Keep on rolling through the playoffs!
2. Frisco Centennial demolished Little Elm, 42-10. Way to go, Titans.
3. McAllen Memorial annihilated La Joya Palmview, 69-21.
4. Manual Arts Toilers were defeated by Los Angeles on Friday evening.
5. The Lincoln High Tigers suffered a loss to Venus on Friday evening.

College Picks – October 31, 2015 - I've bolded my choices to make them easier to identify.

1. Illinois vs. Penn State
2. Ole Miss vs. Auburn
3. Syracuse vs. Florida State
4. South Carolina vs. Texas A&M University
5. Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech
6. University of Southern California vs. California
7. Georgia vs. Florida
8. Maryland vs. Iowa
9. Louisiana Monroe vs. Louisiana Lafayette
10. Tulsa vs. SMU
11. San Diego State vs. Colorado State
12. Tennessee vs. Kentucky
13. Texas at Iowa State
14. Notre Dame vs. Temple
15. Stanford vs. Washington State

Congratulations to the Mets on their win over the Royals last night. That first inning two-run homer by Captain David Wright set the tone for the evening. Let’s get game two under our belts tonight, boys!  Play ball!

I think the Around the Horn win was rigged since Izzy dressed up like Tony Reali on yesterday's broadcast. Just saying. (wink, wink)

Lady Grid out.

Birthday Sunday Recap

I celebrated my birthday on Sunday with the early morning worship service, a steak dinner, and several hours of football on NFL Redzone. It was a perfect day for me. Here are my picks I made on Pigskin Pick 'Em, the ESPN game.

1. Seattle vs. San Francisco - correct
2. Buffalo vs. Jacksonville - WRONG!
3. Atlanta vs. Tennessee - correct
4. Cleveland vs. St. Louis - correct
5. Minnesota vs. Detroit - WRONG!
6. New Orleans vs. Indianapolis - WRONG!
7. Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City - WRONG!
8. Houston vs. Miami - correct
9. New York Jets vs. New England - WRONG!
10. Tampa Bay vs. Washington - correct
11. Oakland vs. San Diego - WRONG!
12. Dallas vs. New York Giants- correct
13. Philadelphia vs. Carolina - correct
14. The Baltimore Ravens visit the desert and the Arizona Cardinals tonight. I'm picking the Arizona Cardinals to win handily against the Ravens who've been shaky at best of late.

Lady Grid out.

Pop Coaches USA, World Series Set, High School and College Gridion

I still need to listen to PTI's podcast from yesterday. I'm sure Tony had no mercy for Mike Wilbon after his beloved Cubs lost the NLCS. Woohoo about Popovich taking over coaching Team USA after Coach K's reign ends with the 2016 Olympics. I love Coach K's style of a being a principled gentleman I admire despite the fact that he coaches the Duke University Blue Devils. Integrity knows no bounds or fan biases. He's a class act!

It will be the Kansas City Royals against the New York Metropolitans for the World Series. Go Mets.

High School Recap

1. Plano East defeated Lewisville, 27-13.
2. On Thursday, Lincoln won over Godly, 38-21.
3. McAllen Memorial took on crosstown rival McAllen High and beat them 55-21.

College Gridiron Time!

1. Poor Syracuse Orange hosts Pittsburgh.
2. Winless UCF readies itself for the Houston Cougars.
3. My beloved USC Trojans, still reeling from this season’s upheavals, expect no mercy from the Utah Utes. Sigh.
4. Despite the rain, Baylor thrashes Iowa State at its homecoming game.
5. Texas Tech travels north to Oklahoma, but they won’t prevail this time.
6. The luckless Kansas Jayhawks must be wondering why a trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma,–the domicile of Pistol Pete and his Oklahoma State faithful–is necessary at this point in the season.
7. Indiana Hoosiers will be 0-4 after their roadtrip to Lansing, Michigan. Sparty’s doing the undefeated dance.
8. Northwestern doesn’t recover from last week’s beatdown in Lincoln, Nebraska. Huskers win.
9. Texas A&M ventures to play Ole Miss. Gig 'em, Aggies!
10. Here’s an opportunity for Miami (OH) to have a win in the MAC conference at Western Michigan.
11. Ohio State plays Rutgers. Um, yeah. Why is this on national television on Saturday night?
12. Tennessee is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The orange faithful will leave dejected. I hope to silence the home crowd with an upset. Wake up!
13. Yawn. SMU is in Tampa to play ball against South Florida. Bulls win.
14. Kentucky will be hearing more cowbells than they ever imagined in Starkville, Mississippi. State wins.
15. Good luck to the Texas State Bobcats in their game against the South Alabama Jaguars.

Lady Grid out.

Keyshawn Steered Me Wrong!

I watched the Monday Night Football broadcast last night and listened to the crew talking about the matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants. Keyshawn Johnson, who was 5-0 for the first five weeks, picked the Giants. I changed my pick at the last minute, and then the Giants lost big time. I still like Keyshawn's sense of humor and understanding of a receiver's mentality when they break things down on the Sunday morning program, but I have to give him a little bit of a hard time today. No hard feelings.

Lady Grid out.

College Recap and Professional Prediction - All Gridiron (Mostly)

College Recap - October 17, 2015 - I have a seventy-five percent success rate for my picks and an overall ninety-seven percent success rate in College Pick 'Em. Woo-hoo!

1. Tulsa is at East Carolina. Go Pirates.
2. Purdue faces Wisconsin. Badgers eat them up.
3. West Virginia shows its face against Baylor. Poor Mountaineers.
4.  Iowa Hawkeyes enter Northwestern territory, but Northwestern prevails.
5.  Louisiana Tech plays Mississippi State.  I hope they got a nice cheque.
6. Virginia Tech traveled to Miami for a beat down. Sebastian’s in a mood.
7. Alabama is in College Station to take on my Aggies. Gig ‘em, Aggies! Whoop!
8. Michigan State Spartans battle against Michigan Wolverines. It’ll be down to the wire, folks.
9. Florida Gators square off against the LSU Tigers. Tigers maul gators tonight.
10. USC is reeling after the loss of a coach. I want them to beat Notre Dame, but I don’t have much hope right now. Sigh.
11. Penn State is offering a prayer for an upset victory over the top-ranked Buckeyes of Ohio State. Get ‘em!
12. Oregon Ducks tackle the Washington Huskies. Ducks quack in victory yelling, “Mush!”

Professional Football - My season percentage is at sixty-seven. I hope to get to a "passing" rate of seventy by the end of the season.

1. Falcons at Saints - who knew about who dat?
2. Redskins at Jets - Jets
3. Cardinals at Steelers - Steelers
4. Chiefs at Vikings - Vikings
5. Bengals at Bills - Bengals
6. Bears at Lions - Lions
7. Broncos at Browns - Broncos
8. Texans at Jaguars - Texans
9. Dolphins at Titans - Titans
10. Panthers at Seahawks - Panthers
11. Chargers at Packers - Packers
12. Ravens at 49ers - Ravens
13. Patriots at Colts - Patriots
14. Giants at Eagles - Eagles (Monday Night Football)

So the Blue Jays are down 2-0 in the series. I'd keep an eye on them. I'm still not happy about Joey's bat flip the other night.

Lady Grid out.

Football, Football, Football!

It's a sad day for the Lady when Plano East, Lincoln, Manual Arts (CA), and Centennial come away with losses on Friday night. Ugh. I hope today is better.

College Pick 'Em

1. Tulsa is at East Carolina. Go Pirates.
2. Purdue faces Wisconsin. Badgers eat them up.
3. West Virginia shows its face against Baylor. Poor Mountaineers.
4. Iowa Hawkeyes enter Northwestern territory, but Northwestern prevails.
5. Louisiana Tech plays Mississippi State.  I hope they got a nice cheque.
6. Virginia Tech traveled to Miami for a beat down. Sebastian’s in a mood.
7. Alabama is in College Station to take on my Aggies. Gig ‘em, Aggies! Whoop!
8. Michigan State Spartans battle against Michigan Wolverines. It’ll be down to the wire, folks.
9. Florida Gators square off against the LSU Tigers. Tigers maul gators tonight.
10. USC is reeling after the loss of a coach. I want them to beat Notre Dame, but I don’t have much hope right now. Sigh.
11. Penn State is offering a prayer for an upset victory over the top-ranked Buckeyes of Ohio State. Get ‘em!
12. Oregon Ducks tackle the Washington Huskies. Ducks quack in victory yelling, “Mush!”

My condolences to the Texas Longhorns who lost their living embodiment of school spirit, Bevo XIV. Here is a picture of Miss Reveille and Bevo. RIP, Bevo.

Lady Grid out.

The "Final Four" of MLB

Now we know  that the teams who will vie for the 2015 World Series won't come from Texas after the Rangers and Astros losses on Wednesday. Sigh. Good luck, Mets and Cubs in the NLCS that unfolds on Saturday evening. I don't even care who wins the ALCS because I want the National League team to win this year.

High School Friday Night Lights:

1. Plano East Panthers travel to do battle with the Flower Mound Marcus Marauders.
2. Frisco Centennial plays Frisco Wakeland in an "away" game.
3. The Lincoln Tigers visit the Ferris Yellowjackets in an away conference game. Smash 'em, Tigers!
4. Manual Arts (CA) take on the Crenshaw Cougars. Go, Toilers!

Lady Grid out.

No More Cards!

The Cubs eliminated the MLB's team with the best record. I am pleased as punch. Perhaps the Cubs will play well against the winner of the Mets-Dodgers series. I loved the Dodgers as a little girl, yet I like the Mets' tenacity. Now the series is tied at 2-2 for both the Dodgers/Mets and the Rangers/Blue Jays. Oh my gracious! Go, Rangers!

My Plano East Panthers are the city champs after defeating both Plano West and Plano Senior High's teams this year. Woo-hoo! It's been a long time coming.

Some of my former students played football tonight, and it was fun to see my sporty boys tackling, running, passing, and kicking. One team lost, and the other team won. We have enough students to field two teams for each grade level (seventh and eighth) at my middle school. I sat with the parents, and we yelled ourselves silly as we watched the interceptions and touchdowns. Yes, that's a middle school football jersey and helmet I'm wearing in my profile picture. It's the inspiration for the moniker Lady Gridiron.

Lady Grid out.

Still Kicking!

As you know, my day work is in the classroom, and it has been an all-consuming week for this little sports fan. Now, I can relax a bit, sip my coffee, and pen my thoughts. Care to join me? Read on.

Those Texas Rangers sure know how to make my heart race. I cite their extra innings win over Toronto yesterday. Now they're 2-0 in the ALDS. Woo-hoo! In the NLDS, the Cubs try to even the series this afternoon in St. Louis. I hope they win. The Dodgers host the Mets and crave a victory after Jacob deGrom shut down the Dodgers' bats. This one is a push for me since I grew up loving the Dodgers when residing in Los Angeles, but I'm sick of hearing about the Yankees from New York as though they're the only team in residence. Pshaw! I'll be happy with the winner of this pairing, regardless.

My Plano East Panthers defeated the Plano Senior High Wildcats. Yee-haw!!! Now, we have city bragging rights. I'm a happy little girl.

College Gridiron Time!

1. Duke Blue Devils are at the Army Black Knights. Go, Army!
2. Baylor University will thrash the Kansas Jayhawks in a resounding fashion.
3. Oklahoma hopes to continue Texas' woes on the gridiron field of play. Kudos to Coach Strong for maintaining integrity. I sincerely hope that Bevo recovers from his illness. All joshing about burnt orange aside, it's not good for him.
4. Maryland Terps visit Ohio State. I hope for an upset but live in the real world.
5. Indiana Hoosiers lost a close one last week and make the Nittany Lions pay the price.
6. Directional Michigan time: Central and Western meet in Kalamazoo. Central wins?
7. Georgia Tech plans to sting the Clemson Tigers. Tigers crush the Yellow Jackets.
8. LSU is at South Carolina in Louisiana due to recent weather conditions. Tigers geaux crazy and dine on chicken tonight.
9. That Dawg hates Tennessee orange. I think he'll be victorious today. Bulldogs over Vols.
10. Florida Gators like the taste of tiger flesh and go to Mizzou to "show them" a thing or two.
11. East Carolina will make a valiant effort against BYU, but the Pirates may come up short, mateys.
12. I really hope that Arkansas can do something with Alabama, but I am not in la-la land today.
13. The Canes are cross-state to lock horns with the Seminoles. The 'Noles wear ibis feathers in their caps, so to speak. Sorry, Sebastian.
14. Cal Golden Bears hope to avoid a drubbing by the Utes. Not going to happen today. Utes win.
15. Sparty will rout the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. No contest.

Lady Grid out.

Rangers Win! (Yay) Cowboys Lose! (Boo)

MLB - Last Day of the Regular Season
To correctly predict ten out of sixteen games on the last day is not too shabby. Wild card play begins on Tuesday, and it will be fun to watch!

1. Cardinals at Braves   (Game one of doubleheader)
2. Angels at Rangers     They'll figure out their mistakes and clinch the AL West outright.
3. Yankees at Orioles
4. Cardinals at Braves    (Game two of doubleheader)
5. Marlins at Phillies
6. Reds at Pirates
7. Rockies at Giants
8. Tigers at White Sox
9. Red Sox at Indians
10. Cubs at Brewers
11. Royals at Twins
12. Athletics at Mariners
13. Padres at Dodgers
14. Nationals at Mets (I can't believe I got it right on the last game of the season.)
15. Astros at Diamondbacks 
16. Blue Jays at Rays

NFL Wrap-Up

1. Ravens edged the Steelers on Thursday evening in OT.
2. Jets will beat the Dolphins in London.
3. Jaguars and Colts won't have the expected result. Big cats usually win but not this time.
4. Giants will try to knock off the Bills. The Bills will be ready for them.
5. Panthers and Buccaneers square off in an NFC South divisional meeting. Cam and the boys go 4-0.
6. The Eagles and Redskins have matching records as kickoff begins. The Eagles win and reach .500.
7. Raiders won't let the Bears win. Even with Cutler, the Bears will still be winless.
8. The Texans' win last week will help them harass the Falcons. JJ Watt has a banner day. Texans win.
9. The surprisingly 1-2 record Chiefs and Bengals meet up in Cincy. Dalton and the gang make it to 4-0.
10. The Cleveland Browns head west to face a wrathful Chargers team. Bolts beat Browns badly.
11. The Green Bay Packers visit the San Francisco 49ers and add to their woes. 
12. Rams and Cardinals meet in an NFC West matchup. The Cardinals aren't interested in helping the Rams' record. I've got my eye on Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and Patrick Peterson.
13. Vikings and Broncos will be an interesting game as General Peyton continues to maneuver with Kubiak's new plan. Broncos edge the Vikes.
14. Cowboys and Saints should be a win for the 'Boys, but the Saints are playing for pride in New Orleans in front of their fans. Saints prevail.
15. Monday Night Football features Detroit in Seattle with all of that wretched noise as the Seahawks' faithful seek atonement for their team's 1-2 record. I see Megatron having some wonderful receptions, but I don't see the Lions prevailing. I hope I'm wrong.

Lady Grid out.

Wild Finish Time!

MLB
Saturday Results - what a time to post a fifty percent rate. Yergh!

1. Yankees at Orioles     (Doubleheader game one)
2. Angels at Rangers      I was screaming at the telly as the five runs were scored in the ninth inning of the game. I haven't given up, but this is gut-wrenching!
3. Royals at Twins
4. Nationals at Mets        (Doubleheader game one)
5. Rockies at Giants
6. Marlins at Phillies      (Doubleheader game one)
7. Blue Jays at Rays
8. Reds at Pirates
9. Yankees at Orioles     (Doubleheader game two)
10. Tigers at White Sox
11. Red Sox at Indians
12. Cubs at Brewers
13. Cardinals at Braves         Postponed. Doubleheader on Sunday.
14. Nationals at Mets        (Doubleheader game two)
15. Marlins at Phillies       (Doubleheader game two)
16. Astros at D-backs
17. Athletics at Mariners
18. Padres at Dodgers

Sunday, October 4, 2015 – nearly all of the games start around 2:00 CDT

1. Cardinals at Braves   (Game one of doubleheader)
2. Angels at Rangers     They'll figure out their mistakes and clinch the AL West outright.
3. Yankees at Orioles
4. Cardinals at Braves    (Game two of doubleheader)
5. Marlins at Phillies
6. Reds at Pirates
7. Rockies at Giants
8. Tigers at White Sox
9. Red Sox at Indians
10. Cubs at Brewers
11. Royals at Twins
12. Athletics at Mariners
13. Padres at Dodgers
14. Nationals at Mets (I’ll regret this one, of course!)
15. Astros at Diamondbacks (We need the 'Stros to lose if I'm wrong about my Rangers winning!)
16. Blue Jays at Rays

Gridiron Action!

Collegiate Wrap-Up

1.     And the point of the Ohio State-Indiana game is? I don’t expect any upsets. I really wish I was wrong, but I wasn't. Why are the Buckeyes ranked number one? They haven't been decisive enough in wins for this gridiron fan. Even the shut out of the Hawaiian Rainbow Warriors wasn't enough. They have work to do to prove their mettle given some opponents on their schedule. I hope Coach Harbaugh has some good notes on how to finish these guys when they play on November 28.

2.     Pittsburgh Panthers lose to VT Hokies.

3.     West Virginia Mountaineers hope to whip those Sooners. They won’t.

4.     Kansas State and Oklahoma State tangle in Stillwater. Pistol Pete and company won’t mess around. OSU wins.

5.     The Navy Midshipmen will continue their winning ways against the flyboys at the Air Force Academy.

6.     Michigan State Spartans run all over the Purdue Boilermakers.

7.     Minnesota’s Golden Gophers and Northwestern’s Wildcats tangle tomorrow in Big Ten action. I think Michael Wilbon’s alma mater will triumph. Gophers are ski-u-mahed.

8.     Iowa and Wisconsin start off the day’s games, and the Badgers hand the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season.

9.     TCU hosts the Longhorns in an early game, and I just don’t have a good feeling about the outcome for the Longhorn fan faithful. I could be wrong, you know.

10. Texas Tech and Baylor will be high scoring and should hit a total of over 90 points. Bears win in the end.

11. Georgia’s Dawg has a banner day against the Crimson Tide. Woof! Yep, the Dawg was whipped and sent packing. My son says, "Never choose against the Tide, Mama." Harrumph.

12. South Carolina’s woes continue with a loss to the Missouri Tigers.

13. Ole Miss will enjoy some fried Florida Gator for dinner at the barbecue. You ready? That was a THRASHING!

14. Arkansas and Tennessee means redemption for one of the programs who are both winless in conference play. I think the Pigs will rule the day. Sorry, Vols.

15. The Texas A&M Aggies hosts Mississippi State Bulldogs and win in a nailbiter.

Bonus comment: The Notre Dame-Clemson game had me screaming at the telly once again as I saw the Irish nearly come back to tie up the game. The momentum had begun to swing their way. I've not been an Irish fan since I was a little girl, so don't expect me to convert now. I was happy Clemson won today. The Irish have some speedy players to watch as the season progresses.

 NFL Pro Action Predictions

1. Ravens edged the Steelers on Thursday evening in OT.
2. Jets will beat the Dolphins in London.
3. Jaguars and Colts won't have the expected result. Big cats usually win but not this time.
4. Giants will try to knock off the Bills. The Bills will be ready for them.
5. Panthers and Buccaneers square off in an NFC South divisional meeting. Cam and the boys go 4-0.
6. The Eagles and Redskins have matching records as kickoff begins. The Eagles win and reach .500.
7. Raiders won't let the Bears win. Without Cutler, the Bears will still be winless.
8. The Texans' win last week will help them harass the Falcons. JJ Watt has a banner day. Texans win.
9. The surprisingly 1-2 record Chiefs and Bengals meet up in Cincy. Dalton and the gang make it to 4-0.
10. The Cleveland Browns head west to face a wrathful Chargers team. Bolts beat Browns badly.
11. The Green Bay Packers visit the San Francisco 49ers and add to their woes. 
12. Rams and Cardinals meet in an NFC West matchup. The Cardinals aren't interested in helping the Rams' record. I've got my eye on Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and Patrick Peterson.
13. Vikings and Broncos will be an interesting game as General Peyton continues to maneuver with Kubiak's new plan. Broncos edge the Vikes.
14. Cowboys and Saints should be a win for the 'Boys, but the Saints are playing for pride in New Orleans in front of their fans. Saints prevail.

Lady Grid out. 

Ah, October!

MLB

Friday, October 2, 2015

1. Yankees at Orioles     Postponed
2. Marlins at Phillies      Postponed
3. Reds at Pirates           Spot on!
4. Red Sox at Indians     Oops!
5. Nationals at Mets        Postponed
6. Blue Jays at Rays       Spot on!
7. Cardinals at Braves   Wrong and happy about it!
8. Angels at Rangers      Boo!
9. Tigers at White Sox    Spot on!
10. Cubs at Brewers          Spot on!
11. Royals at Twins          Spot on!
12. Astros at D-backs       Astros won.
13. Athletics at Mariners Oops!
14. Padres at Dodgers      Spot on!
15. Rockies at Giants       Oops!

Saturday’s Games - October 3, 2015

1. Yankees at Orioles     (Doubleheader game one)
2. Angels at Rangers
3. Royals at Twins
4. Nationals at Mets        (Doubleheader game one)
5. Rockies at Giants
6. Marlins at Phillies      (Doubleheader game one)
7. Blue Jays at Rays
8. Reds at Pirates
9. Yankees at Orioles     (Doubleheader game two)
10. Tigers at White Sox
11. Red Sox at Indians
12. Cubs at Brewers
13. Cardinals at Braves
14. Nationals at Mets        (Doubleheader game two)
15. Marlins at Phillies       (Doubleheader game two)
16. Astros at D-backs
17. Athletics at Mariners
18. Padres at Dodgers

Football

High School Round Up

1. Plano East lost to McKinney Boyd, 34-23. Next week, Panthers! Beat the Wildcats!
2. McAllen Memorial sounded defeated Rowe 70-21.
3. Manual Arts Toilers blanked Firebaugh 57-0. 

Collegiate Gridiron Action

1. And the point of the Ohio State-Indiana game is? I don’t expect any upsets.
2. Pittsburgh Panthers lose to VT Hokies.
3. West Virginia Mountaineers hope to whip those Sooners. They won’t.
4. Kansas State and Oklahoma State tangle in Stillwater. Pistol Pete and company won’t mess around. OSU wins.
5. The Navy Midshipmen will continue their winning ways against the flyboys at the Air Force Academy.
6. Michigan State Spartans run all over the Purdue Boilermakers.
7. Minnesota’s Golden Gophers and Northwestern’s Wildcats tangle tomorrow in Big Ten action. I think Michael Wilbon’s alma mater will triumph. Gophers are ski-u-mahed.
8. Iowa and Wisconsin start off the day’s games, and the Badgers hand the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season.
9. TCU hosts the Longhorns in an early game, and I just don’t have a good feeling about the outcome for the Longhorn Nation faithful. I could be wrong, you know.
10. Texas Tech and Baylor will be high scoring and should hit a total of over 90 points. Bears win in the end.
11. Georgia’s Dawg has a banner day against the Crimson Tide. Woof!
12. South Carolina’s woes continue with a loss to the Missouri Tigers.
13. Ole Miss will enjoy some fried Florida Gator for dinner at the barbecue. You ready?
14. Arkansas and Tennessee means redemption for one of the programs who are both winless in conference play. I think the Pigs will rule the day. Sorry, Vols.
15. The Texas A&M Aggies hosts Mississippi State Bulldogs and win in a nailbiter.

Lady Grid out.