Updated Money Making

I added some more plays to this week, but they are just 2 totals. Here is the official card for the week, with 1 win already on UNLV.

Tennessee (+5.5) @ California

San Jose State @ Arizona State (-14.5)

Central Florida @ NC State (-7.5)

UNLV (-6.5) @ Utah State

Ole Miss @ Memphis (+3)

San Jose State @ Arizona State O49

Georgia Tech @ Notre Dame U46

Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Week 1

After a week off, I'm sho ready for thish football sheashon to shtart! There are shome real good gamesh thish firsht week, sho I'll give you my predictshions for theshe gamesh.

-Oklahoma Shtate travelsh to Athensh to take on the Bulldogsh of the Univershity of Georgia. With the lossh of Paul Oliver, the Bulldogsh only have three playersh on that defenshe with shtarting experiencshe. The Cowboysh have a dynamic offenshe with Bobby Reid, Dontrell Shavage, and Adariushshsh Bowman. Thish game shshould be a high shcoring affair becaushe neither team hash a proven defenshe. I give the edge to the Univershity of Georgia, becaushe of home field advantagshe.

-On Monday, we get the treat to shee the Bowden Bowl again, which ish like the Hatfieldsh and McCoysh but drunk on moonshshine. Florida Shtate Univershity had a rough sheashon lasht year but look like a perfect rebound team thish sheashon. The Clemshon Tigersh ended the sheashon on a downward shpiral. But when you return playersh like CJ Shpiller and Jamesh Davish, you can trot your horshe with any shtable you want. Playing in Death Valley ish a tough tashk, but at Shouth Carolina, we did it every year. I think the Sheminoles pull out the victory on the road in a hoshtile environment.

-In Shouth Bend, the great Fighting Irishsh hosht the Georgia Tech Univershity Yellow Jacketsh. Lasht sheashon, the Irishsh eshcaped with a W on the road in Atlanta. Shome people think the Irishsh will rebuild thish sheashon, but they'll win at leasht 10 gamesh, maybe all of them. The Yellow Jacketsh have to replachse a great shtarter in Reggie Ball, who wash unfairly criticized down there. He wash a good quarterback, but his backup, now shtarter Taylor Bennett is the shecond besht quarterback in the country behind Evan Shsharpley. The Irishshshsh shshould control this game throughout.

-Tennesshee goesh crossh country to try to upshet the Univershity of California Golden Bearsh. Lasht sheashon the Volsh laid the wood to the Bearsh like a shouthern mule laysh the wood to the shide of the barn. But the Volsh rushshed for only 104 yardsh last season. 104 yardsh! Cal ish out for revengshe and will get in Berkeley, posshibly by a lot.

Immersion Effect: September 1st Edition

This is something I've been waiting weeks for. The weekly staple of this blog that I think people will really enjoy. I know that every Saturday, especially when my alma mater is playing a scrub, I like to get immersed into the game of the week. I like to eat what people at the game would eat, drink what they'd drink, etc etc etc ad nauseum. So, I'm bringing that to you every week with at least 1 recipe and 1 cocktail recipe (unless the home city of the GOTW has a beer or wine specific to it). Anyway, so, this week, we're dedicating the Immersion Effect to the only game that truly lives up this weekend.




We all know what happened last season. Tennessee was coming off a 5-6, non-bowl, 365 day meltdown season. California was also coming off a disappointing, albeit, winning season. However, Cal had a Heisman candidate at running back, along with 999 yard rusher Justin Forsett, three good wideouts, and finally a defense to go along with the offense. Cal was ranked #9 in the AP poll, with Tennessee at #23.

Then Cal crapped their pants in Neyland Stadium. After Cal forgot how to pass protect, tackle, and focus, Tennessee was up 35-0 midway through the 3rd quarter. Now Cal wants redemption, in their home stadium/domicile. Cal and Tennessee are both ranked in the teens, and the winner of this contest will have momentum and the biggest win of the season to hang their helmets on.

Now that I've built up the game horribly, here is what you should be eating and drinking this weekend, and by weekend, I mean starting Friday at 5pm through Sunday 2am.

Drink of the Week
Bear Juice
You'll need:
Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey
Peach Shnapps
Cranberry juice

Get your shaker, load it up with ice, and add 1 oz. of the Whiskey, 1 oz. of the Shnapps, and 1 oz. of the cranberry juice. Put the cap and shake that sum'bitch until your hand cannot be felt anymore. Strain the Bear Juice into an old fashioned glass, or what I would do, is strain it into a lowball glass. Drink drink drink many of these. But drink responsibly.

Recipe of the Week
Sourdough Bread
You'll need:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F), divided
7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal

In a 4-qt. non-metallic bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of flour until smooth. Cover loosely with a clean towel. Let stand in a warm place (80 degrees F-90 degrees F) to ferment for 48 hours; stir several times daily. (The mixture will become bubbly and rise, have a "yeasty" sour aroma and a transparent yellow liquid will form on the top.) Stir in milk powder, butter, sugar, salt, remaining water and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (Do not knead.) Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn onto a floured surface; punch dough down. (Do not knead). Divide in half. Shape each into a round loaf. Heavily grease baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place dough on prepared pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, make three diagonal slashes across tops of loaves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Brush loaves with cold water; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Joe's Special
You'll need:
6 large eggs
Splash or two of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper or more to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 pound lean freshly ground beef, preferably chili grind (a bit coarser than hamburger grind)
3/4 to 1 pound fresh spinach, preferably the crinkly savoy variety, trimmed of stems and chopped, or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add the Tabasco, salt, basil, and pepper. Whisk just enough to combine; you should still see large bubbles. Set aside.

Warm the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and continue cooking until uniformly brown, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cover with the spinach, place a lid over the mixture, and cook for about 3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts. (If using frozen spinach, cook, covered, for 1 minute, just to take off its raw edge.)

Stir the spinach into the meat, cooking briefly to eliminate excess liquid if the mixture seems watery. Pour the egg mixture over all, stirring with a spatula from the bottom until the eggs begin to set. Remove from the heat and stir a few more times, as the eggs cook through from the residual heat. Serve immediately.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were so many possibilities for this week's immersion recipes. If you truly dedicate yourself to immersing yourself into Bay Area foods, you'd want to make a sourdough bread BOWL with clam chowder in it, but I really don't think anybody is going to do that this week.

Joe's Special originated in San Francisco, but you could also make cracked crab, or the Italian dish, cioppino. Hell, you could even make a San Francisco mission style burrito.

I hope that this weekly feature is something college football fans will really get into. Enjoy the immersion, gents.

Money Making Monday

I'm back from the hell that is oral surgery, finally feeling like myself again, just in time for game week! I'll be traveling to Berkeley on Friday morning to see the Vols take on the Bears, so my weekend blogging this week will NOT be indicative of how other gamedays will go. Anyway, I've added some games to this week's card.

HUGE EDITOR'S EDIT: If you read this, do not play the UNLV line because I said so. I found out that UNLV QB Rocky Hinds could be out for the season, and it happened over a week ago. I ALWAYS do my research, except this time.

UNLV (-6') @ Utah State

UNLV was better than their 2-10 record last year, and they return 14 starters, including Rocky Hinds, who was good enough to be recruited and committed to USC. Steele has UNLV as a 14 point favorite, so that's a 7 1/2 point margin. Utah State looks to be one of the worst 10 teams in the nation, and they WERE as bad as their 1-11 record indicates. There is 1 worry here, though, and that's the fact that Utah State beat UNLV in Aggieland in 2005. Are the teams the same? Not even close, but it's something to remember.

Central Florida @ North Carolina State (-7')

I love the movement here. Started around NC State -9', but has moved my way. The Pack will be one of the more improved teams in the ACC, and will fight for bowl eligibility. NC State was on the absolute worst side of variance I've ever seen. -5 CGVR, -11 TO, and were actually ranked 7th in CAPP for me at 100.7. All this means a turnaround for the Wolfpack. Plus, I'm a huge fan of Coach O'Brian. UCF had a good season in 2005, but were awful in 2006. UCF lost by 45 at home to Pittsburgh last year, and I think this NC State team is better than that. Steele has NC State as a 14 point favorite, as well.

San Jose State @ Arizona State (-14')

Another line that moved my way, which can sometimes worry you. You hate to see that, but you love it. This is more of a gut play, as Steele has ASU favored by 17'. Still, I think the Sun Devils have way too many weapons on offense for the Spartans to have a chance. Their defense allowed 4.1 ypc last year, as well as a 61.5% completion percentage. I'm sure Rudy Carpenter+Dennis Erickson are licking their chops at that. Yes, San Jose State have good players at QB and RB, but Arizona State, while lacking in defense, should be able to hold SJSU to 24 or less. ASU, in my mind, is a lock to score 40+ in opening week. ASU is somewhere around 3rd or 4th place in the deep Pac 10. I might add the over to this, too. We'll see.

I'm sure I'll add more as we get closer to Saturday, and I'll keep the post updated, so check back.

An Apology

Sorry to those that have visited the site this week to see no updates. I had oral surgery last Friday, and have not felt well enough to update this blog. I apologize for that. Next week is game week, so on Monday, I'll be back in full force. Thanks for coming back!

Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Exciting Games Edition

We are sho closhe I can tashte it! We are a little over two weeksh away from the besht day in the world. Teamsh will put the talking behind them and lay it all out on the field. Pregame shpeechesh will be pushshed ashide and the playersh will worry about beating the other man hat on hat. I can't wait!

There are cshertainly tonsh of gamesh that I'm looking forward to.

-Tennesshee at California ish going to be absholutely intenshe. Lasht sheashon, Tennesshee shshmacked the Bearsh around in Neyland Shtadium. But now, the Bearsh want revensh. Nate Longshshore hash three great wide recsheivers to passh to, but can the offenshive line give him time? Will the crowd noishe in Memorial Shtadium rattle the young Volsh? Can the Volsh get more than 114 yardsh on the ground?

-Virginia Tech at LSHSHSHU shshould be a game for the agesh. Even before the shshootings in Blackshburg, thish game was shircled on my calendar. LSHSHSHU will be great at every poshishion excshept quarterback. But Matt Flynn ish no shtranger to big time gamesh. He helped the Tigersh demolishsh the Miami Hurricanesh after the 2004 sheashon. The Hokiesh have an incredible defencshe and are about eleven deep at defenshive back. I predict thish game to be a low shcoring affair.

-Can Clemshon shtart the sheashon off right? Florida Shtate will travel to Death Valley to shshow off their new offencshe with Jimbo Fishshcer. Can Drew Weatherford or Xshavier Lee handle the presshure in a hoshtile environment? CJ Shpiller and Jamesh Davish are shtuds in the backfield, but the Sheminolesh are alwaysh good on defenshce every year. Plush, I love watching the Bowden Bowl every sheashon.

-Miami traveling to Norman is shomething from the eightiesh and ninetiesh, sho thish is like a blasht from the pasht. Randy Shshannon wantsh to shshow the country that the Canesh are back, but playing the Shoonersh in Oklahoma is a tough proposhishion. Sham Bradford will probably be the quarterback for the Shoonersh, but all he needsh to do ish hand the ball to Allen Patrick or Demarco Murray and the Soonersh shshould be okay. But the Canesh will have another top notch run shtopping defenshce thish year. Could be a game of the year!

Thosesh are the gamesh in the firsht two weeksh that I am really excshited about. Who do you think will win?

Money Making Monday

Alright, last week I gave you 3 bets that I made after the initial lines came out. After more homework since then, I've added one game to the list, and many many more leans.

Mississippi @ Memphis (+3)

I love this game for so many reasons. First, this is close to a rivalry game, and it seems to mean more to Memphis than it does Mississippi. Memphis will probably be the most improved team in CUSA this season, and a lot of their misfortunes in 2006 can be traced to trying new things on defense. The Tigers' rush defense should be solid, and don't expect a walk-on at Ole Miss to light anybody up in his first game. I actually think Memphis will win outright, but I'm not a big fan of money lines.

That's all I've added, but I'll give you some leans that could come to fruition over the next week.

LSU (-17) @ Mississippi State
Army @ Akron (-5')
Central Florida @ NC State (-10)
Purdue @ Toledo (+7)
San Jose State @ Arizona State (-15)

I haven't added those yet, thus, "leans." I'll have write-ups if I do. MAKE MONEY MONEY MAKE MONEY MONEY MONAAAAAY!

Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Freshmen Edition

Welcome back to thish week's edishion of my deep thoughtsh! I had a blasht doing thish bloggy thingy lasht week, sho I couldn't wait to do another thish time. The world wide websh are amazshing. Today I want to talk about true freshshmen who are making noishe around collesh football.

-Eric Berry at Tennesshee is playing more like a shenior than a freshshman. Defenshive backsh coach Larry Shlade shaysh that Eric Berry ish better than anybody he'sh coached ash a freshshman. In Tueshday'sh shcrimmash, Berry picked off a passh and almosht took it back for a touchdown! With Tennesshee's shaky shecondary shituashion, I think Berry will shtart in Berkeley. Talk about a leprechaun with fool'sh gold!

-True freshshman Arrelioush Benn looksh to shtep into the number one recsheiver role at Illinois. Lasht sheashon Illinois'sh leading recsheiver had only 400 yardsh. For Juicesh Williamsh to shine, Benn needsh to live up to hish billing. Benn had a great shpring and all indicatorsh point to a breakout sheashon in Chshshshampaigne.

-Another freshshman who I am intereshting in sheeing thish fall is Clemshon quarterback Willy Korn. He washn't at Clemshon when I wash at Shouth Carolina, or Notre Dame, but he could get shome repsh thish fall. He wash expected to beat out Cullen Harper, but didn't passh him in the shpring. Maybe he can during camp, becaushe Clemshon needsh a passher to help CJ Shpiller and Jamesh Davish.

-Lashtly, Noel Devine at Wesht Virginia should make that team ash good ash a kite in the tropic breezsh. If Shteve Shlaton getsh injured again, they can jusht pushsh Noel Devine into the shtarting lineup and they shtill have a good one two punch with Pat White. The Mountaineersh have done an excshellent job of recruiting running backsh that will outrun their opponentsh on every down.

Sho thoshe are jusht shome of the freshshmen I can't wait to shee thish Augusht. I'll be back next week with another posht about my thoughtsh in my head. Thanksh!

Money Making Monday: Wednesday Edition

I meant to post this on Monday as the first in a weekly series throughout the season. But I forgot, and I was busy. Anyway, the series will highlight the weekly bets I have made, and possibly some thoughts on some leans I have. I think I will also do a Wednesday update every week, as I add bets as lines move. I think I have to give some sort of disclaimer that this is for entertainment purposes only. If you follow my bets, and I/we lose, don't blame me. It's your "money" (wink wink), so your responsibility.

These 3 weeks leading up to September might be light, but I do have the luxury of telling you about Team Total Win bets I've made. So, for this Money Making Monday, Wednesday Edition, here are the 3 bets I've placed.

Tennessee +5' @ California

I plan on betting every Tennessee game this season, more for fun than money making. This line is excellent, though. You have to expect this to move against Tennessee, too, so get on it while it lasts. If and when this crosses the +4 watermark, I'd lay off it. Not because I think Tennessee will lose, but +4 is a beautiful number in any game. I think Tennessee wins outright, so if you have that same confidence, you could play Tennessee until it became a PK (which won't happen). Tennessee is only worse than Cal on paper at 2 places: WR and special teams. This Tennessee squad has played in the Swamp, Death Valley, and Between the Hedges in the last 2 seasons, so the noise factor will be nil in Berkeley. The cross country travel will have an effect, but the game is 5pm local time, thank goodness.

Arizona State O 7.5 Wins

Their schedule ensures at least 7 wins, not counting the toss-ups with Oregon State, Cal, and UCLA. To be honest, though, the line feels too good, and when lines feel too good, I usually miss. Take it for what it's worth. Arizona State was the 3rd best statistical team in the Pac 10 last year, according to my CAPP calculations. They finished 6th in the Pac 10. Teams that fall into that category usually have a better season the following fall. I'm all over the Devils and ...

Oregon O 7 Wins

... the Ducks. Oregon was the #1 statistical team in the Pac 10 last year. They have a strong secondary, the best 1-2 RB punch in the conference, and the toughest offseason in their history, via Mike Belotti. Dennis Dixon has to do one thing for Oregon to MURDER this total: take care of the football. He doesn't need to be a superstar, he already has those in Jonathan Stewart and Jaison Williams. Don't throw interceptions, be a field general. That's it! Oregon needs to find a fatty for the middle, as well. They almost always do, sans 2006.

So, I'll be sure to update this on Monday, and it could be awkward until the season starts and we get new lines every week. Anyway, play at your own risk.

Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Fall Camp Edition

Hello there collesh football fansh! Doug here at the Collesh Football Autshority hash ashked me to type a weekly collesh football editorial for hish blog. I will ashk the queshtionsh that I am thinking about. I think I will try to do thish every Shurshday, sho check in weekly! Up firsht thish sheashon ish fall campsh around the countshry.

-How in the world will the Florida Gatorsh replashce all thoshe defenshive shtartersh? They losesh 9 guysh back there, which ish like replasching the tail on an ornery donkey. If the Gatorsh can get conshishtent play from a new corner and a new linebacker, they could really play role in the Shoutheashtern Conferencshe. Watchsh out for new shignal caller Cameron Newton, who could do what Tim Tebow did lasht year. He'sh a great talent and needsh to shee the field.

-Will Shouthern Cal shtumble before Deshember? Lasht sheashon with a new quarterback, they fell to Oregon Shtate and UCLA, but with a young team. Thish sheashon they have all of that experiencshe, sho I'd be shurprished to shee them loshe a game. That defenshe will be very good, but maybe not ash good ash Notre Dame'sh or Shouth Carolina'sh.

-Can Rutgersh shtay with the Louisvillesh and Wesht Virginiash of the Big Easht? Mike Teel had a rough sheashon lasht year, but Greg Shchiano told me pershonally that Mike is ready. They have a tougher shchedule than lasht year, but we had tough shchedulesh at Notre Dame, sho the Shcarlet Knightsh should shtill challenge!

-Thish sheashon is an important one for Dennish Franchshione at Texash A&M. He'sh in a high voltash shituashion, where he could end up like a 9 iron in a brothel. I think he needsh to win 9 gamesh to keep hish job after thish sheashon. He hash the quarterback in Shtephen McGee, the backsh, the defencshe, etshetera. The problem ish that he hash Oklahoma and Texash in hish divishion, and they are good football teamsh.

That'sh what I'm thinking thish week. Check in next week for more of my thoughtsh.