Over-Managing, Bad Umpiring and Week 7 NFL Picks

The Angels won despite themselves and their over-managing manager, Mike Scioscia. Taking out John Lackey in the 7th was one of the most dreadful moves I have ever seen in ANY baseball game, never mind a playoff game. And, although they wound up winning anyway, largely due to some very questionable Yankee relief pitching, the bitter taste in my mouth for over-managing in general and for Mike Scioscia in particular remained.

The Angels may have taken this series back to New York but they will never win it. They don’t deserve to win it with a manager as stupid as theirs is. The only way they can win it is if Joe Girardi, who has done some serious over-managing of his own in this series, loses it for the Yanks.

I have to admit that, prior to last night, Girardi’s moves have amused rather than upset me. As a serious Mets fan (whatever that is) and avowed Yankee-hater, I’d say, “go ahead, Joe, put in Joba, ha-ha.” But, as I now am actually rooting hard for a Yanks-Phillies World Series, if only to see those pinstriped posers get their heads handed to them, these imprints the managers of both teams are leaving on the games is beginning to get me down. It’s not as if they couldn’t affect the result.

I can see it now in my mind’s eye, the Yankees clinging to a one run lead, Pettitte cruising in the 6th or 7th, when oops, he’s thrown 100 pitches, time to bring in Joba, or let’s bring in Hughes or Aceves or whatever mediocre relief guy comes to his mind, if mind is the best word for it. Next thing you know, it’s not “Yankees win, thuhhhh Yankees WIN.” Instead, it’s “Angels win.” I refer, of course, to John Sterling’s call.

Did Baba Booey really pinch-run for Arod? See….point made. The only thing I can think of is that he didn’t want to see Arod get hurt running the bases. And I don’t think you can manage against the possibility of injury, not in baseball anyway, not unless you think the man doesn’t know how to slide. (A lot of ball players have hurt themselves sliding but I don’t think Arod has been one of them).

So, anyway, it’ll be Pettitte versus Saunders on Saturday, and God forbid, the Angels could very well win that one too. Joe Saunders is a really good pitcher. Then it’ll be Sabathia in a Game 7 and, who knows, if there is a rainout on Saturday, if Game 6 is played on Sunday, then CC will have to go Monday, and not even the big guy can go on just two days rest for the start of the World Series on Wednesday.

Not that I’m worried about the Yankees but I had been keenly anticipating a Lee vs Sabathia opener in the World Series. If they have to start with Burnett, it just won’t be the same.

Okay, enough about baseball, except for the umpiring, that is. I’ll just say this, “If an umpire is caught red-handed both not looking at the play and not asking for help, then that umpire should be removed from the umpiring ranks.” It’s just too arrogant for me. And the umpiring in MLB this entire year has been lousy. It’s almost as if they’re begging for instant replay. (As instant replay adds significantly to the length of games, allowing that much more time for commercial interruptions in highly-rated affairs, this last musing is not entirely out of line).

Okay, on to the Week 7 NFL matchups. Last week, I went 10-4 against the spread, not too shabby, after my first two weeks of going 6-8. (I only started making picks in Week 5). The ridiculous Eagles loss to the usually horrible Raiders ruined my four best bets and, once again, I lost my $10. This isn’t a game for the faint of heart, or um, wallet.

Without further ado (and there has been considerable ado thus far, I know), here’s my prognostications (no, that’s not a nasal condition) for Week 7:


Favorite Underdog Spread 4 Best My Pick Reason

GIANTS Cards 7 * Cards Cards could very well win outright
Jets RAIDERS 6 Raiders Unpredictable things happen on West Coast
SnDiego KC 4 ½ * SnDiego SD coming off tough loss to Broncos
Ind STL 13 Ind Colts are not Jaguars and coming off bye too
CIN Chi 1 ½ * Chi Bengals lost best defensive end
GrnBay CLE 7 GrnBay Home field not so hot for Browns and Mangini
PIT Min 4 PIT Polamalu’s back in time for Favre
NE TB 14 ½ NE London game and who cares?
HOU SanFran 3 SanFran 49ers off bye week and bad loss
CAR Buf 7 * CAR Bills can’t get wagons across Mason-Dixon line
NwOrlns MIA 6 ½ NwOrlns What? I should take Miami?
DAL Atl 4 Atl Boyz just haven’t shown enough
Phi WAS 7 Phi Campbell, Skins just pathetic
SD Den 6 Den Div battle will be much clos er

The G-Men will be lucky to escape with a win after demonstrating how bad their pass defense really is. Yeah, they’ll rush the passer this time (what a concept, too bad Sheridan didn’t think of it sooner). Geez, where’s Steve Spagnuolo ?

The Chargers looked good against a really tough Broncos defense. I can’t imagine how they would lose to the Chiefs, not even in Kansas City, not even with Norv Turner, not even if he never plays LaDainian. Look for Rivers to Gates quite often.

The Bengals looked flat against Houston last week. You’d look flat too if you lost your meanest guy in a fight and that’s what happened to the Bengals early on. The Bears faced Atlanta last week and lost. Cinci should be easy by comparison.

The Bills are a mess and even Delhomme will look better than did Sanchez. Home cookin’ won’t hurt the running game.