Predictions: Falcons over No. 666, Tech wins, Pigs faceplant
Welcome back for another week of almost-flawless investment advice. We’re off to a decent start here: 17-5 overall, 14-8 against the spread and 12-0 in the games I was really serious about. The “Sack Schultz 2012″ contest is not playing out as well. I went 8-7 last week, which puts me in 319th place, or right on track to win the trip to … Kabul.
If things don’t improve, I may have to reassess my marketing leverage and join the ACC (at least in softball and lacrosse).
And speaking of numbers:
OMG -- the Denver school people are right!
The Falcons face Beelzebub this week. No, not Bobby Petrino — Peyton Manning. Yes, Manning is pure evil. Or at least his jersey number is. The Greeley-Evans (Colo.) school district has barred kids from wearing Manning jerseys because he’s No. 18, and there’s concern that he has ties to the “18th Street” gang, or maybe because 666 (The Number of the Beast!) adds up to 18, or maybe because every single member of the Greeley-Evans School District is a complete boob.
One elementary school sent home an 8-year-old in a Manning jersey. But hey, he brought red jello for lunch, and … well do I even need to say it?
The school district has banned (I’m not making this up) 18, 13, 14 (all with supposed “gang” links), as well as 81, 31 and 41 (uh, the dreaded, “Transposed Gang”?), as well as an assortment of square roots, fractions and pi (which I believe is Latin for: “Luca Brazi sleeps with the fishes”). Thank you, educators.
Now, learn something: There’s panic in Falconland. Brent Grimes is injured. Manning is coming to town. He’s bringing the entire underworld with him! Oh wait, Mike Shanahan is in Washington now. Never mind. But I don’t see the Broncos stopping the Falcons’ offense, and the second-half defense in Kansas City was impressive.
It will be close. But evil shall fall. Falcons win and cover 3.
Total Frat Moves
If this guy's smart, he'll stay out of Johnson's way.
Virginia at Georgia Tech: Paul Johnson responded to the news of Notre Dame becoming a sorta ACC member as you would expect. He punched a leprechaun. All obnoxious little punks may be at risk if Johnson drops to 0-2 in the ACC for the first time. Also Al Groh. But no worries. Jackets cover 10½.
FAU at Georgia: Big week for Georgia. They get back two suspended players but still have to wait for two others, Bacarri Rambo and Alec Ogletree, who totally accidentally, mistakenly, keep eating the same pot brownies, thinking they were straight from Kroger. (Honest.) Half the team could be in leg chains this week, and it wouldn’t matter. Dogs win but take FAU and 43.
Georgia has had a problems with “Certain Substances”
Alabama at Pig Remnants: After losing to Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas coach John L. Smith needed a rallying cry. He settled on: “We’re still undefeated in the league.” Now there’s a statement with a limited shelf life. The laughter continues: Tide covers 20.
Florida at Tennessee: Vols quarterback Tyler Bray got a tattoo of his name across his back — and the letters in stars. OK. So now we know he can’t audible. Take Florida and 3 and the Gators in a straight upset.
These shirts are selling well in Louisiana. In Arkansas, not so much. (Via ULM.edu/shock)
La.-Monroe at Auburn: The NCAA continues to hover over Auburn. Now it’s about a recruit (Jovon Robinson) having his high school transcript altered, which led to him being declared academically ineligible. I’m not declaring guilt or innocence here. But given the amount of time NCAA investigators spend in Auburn, wouldn’t buying a condo save on hotel costs? Tigers win, but take ULM and 16½.
Wake Forest at FSU: Wake has won four of the past six meetings, including last season as a 10-point underdog. I hate research: Clouds the judgment. Seminoles cover 28.
USC at Stanford: Lane Kiffin banned a reporter from practice and “suspended” his credential for a home game for reporting (accurately) that a Trojans kicker underwent knee surgery. Kiffin doesn’t want any medical news to get out. Like that metal plate in his head, for example. (Postscript: The school reversed the decision and told Kiffin no cartoons for a week.) Trojans win, but give me Stanford and 8.
Maybe Lane just got the wrong brain
Between Bounties
Saints at Panthers: The Saints’ defense allowed 40 points in their season opener to the Redskins. The good news is they don’t have to convince anybody that the bounty program is over. Feeling an upset: Take the 2½, but Carolina wins straight up.
Ravens at Eagles: Michael Vick threw four interceptions in Game 1. Somewhere in Philadelphia, there are a roomful of lawyers looking for an escape route in his $100 million contract. Take the 2½ and Baltimore in a mild upset.
Bucs at N.Y. Giants: The defending Super Bowl champions lost their season opener. Tom Coughlin firing rumors start in 3…2…1… Giants cover 7½.
Lions at 49ers: Jim Harbaugh promises if the 49ers win he won’t give Jim Schwartz another semi-assault handshake like he did last season. Maybe a pile-driver this time. San Francisco covers 6½.
•
Bottom Dollars
“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” – W.C. Fields.
Last week: 7-4 straight up, 7-4 against the line.
Season to date: 17-5 straight up, 14-8 against the line.
“Sack Schultz” update: Nicholas Norys (Dacula) and Petr Kasparek (Harrison, Ark.) were the weekly winners, each going 13-2. Punks. Contest is still open for a chance to win game tickets and a trip to Hawaii. Go to AJC.com/go/sackschultz2012.
Lilly’s Pick of the Week: The mutt is 1-1. This week’s race for the biscuit was between the Falcons and Broncos. I put up pictures of Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning. She didn’t hesitate: Manning and Broncos win.
For what it's worth: This was the fastest decision Lilly has ever made.
By Jeff Schultz
•
– Previous episodes of Weekend Predictions: Click here
– To win $1 million, click here (again … again …)
Recent past episodes (no charge):
– Loss of Brent Grimes doesn’t have to derail Falcons’ season
– Video blog: On Brent Grimes, Falcons’ offense and some early picks
– Falcons finally show an offense worthy of their talent
– Short takes: 3 thoughts on Falcons’ win over Chiefs
– Short takes: 3 thoughts on Georgia’s win over Missouri
– Georgia starts slow, then writes the winning script
– Georgia needs to avoid playing catch-up in SEC again
– Weekend Predictions: Dogs, Falcons win and a ‘Sack’ video update
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
267 comments Add your comment
slimG
September 14th, 2012
1:38 pm
Jackets by 10.5………are you kidding? Vegas has you guys number. This is gonna be funny. The Cavs always play the builders tough. Give me the points and a nonstop flight to the strip to collect. Real line here is how many bonehead decisions Johnson makes this week. Over under set at three.
Ken
September 14th, 2012
1:46 pm
If President Obuma had run in 2008 promising to cut family incomes, shove more people into poverty, create greater inequality and make people more dependent on the federal government — and that black Americans would fare worse than everyone else — would he have won that election?
Well, the latest Census Bureau report shows that these are precisely the results Obuma has delivered since taking office.
According to that report, median annual household income dropped by more than $2,000 in real terms since 2009, a 4.1% decline. Blacks fared even worse, watching their incomes fall 5.7% between 2009 and 2011.
And despite more than three full years of economic recovery, nearly 2.7 million more people are languishing in poverty than in 2009. The current 15% poverty rate is well above where it stood in obuma’s first year in office — 14.3%.
Here, too, blacks have fared worse, with the black poverty rate now at 27.6%, up from 25.8% in 2009. And while the number of whites in poverty dropped slightly in 2011, it continued to climb among blacks, the census data show.
Despite Obuma’s repeated promises to grow the economy from the “bottom up,” his policies have managed to widen the gap between rich and poor.
In 2011, the so-called Gini Index of Income Inequality climbed 1.6%, marking “the first time the Gini index has shown an annual increase since 1993.”
Democrats have long complained — falsely — that GOP policies made the rich richer and poor poorer. But under Obuma, it’s actually happening.
Last year, families in the bottom 20% saw their average income drop almost 1%; incomes for those in the middle 20% fell 1.7%. But those in the top 20% saw their average income climb nearly 2%.
This isn’t some sort of indictment of “trickle down” economics. It just shows that government spending can’t generate prosperity for the middle class.
And it shows that when your policies choke off what should have been a solid economic recovery, the only ones who benefit are those already at the top.
Then there’s the increase in government dependency under Obuma.
According to the census report, there’s been a strong shift under Obuma away from employer-provided insurance and toward government insurance.
Between 2009 and 2011, the number of people who get insurance coverage through work dropped by more than 600,000, driving the share of people covered at work down to 55%.
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
1:48 pm
Jeff: I am the one Clusters refers to as a stalker. However, I only respond to his continious negative and demeaning posts because they are the same old garbage about how bad Fredi, Chipper, Uggla, etc. are. I realize he has a right to say what he wants to (within AJC guidelines). Therefore, contrary to his statement that I try to tell him what to or what not to say, I don`t do that. What I do is ask him why he makes such statements as the Braves are bad like he did yesterday on this blog. I answered that the Braves have the 5th best record in MLB and are 18 games above .500. That is good and its not right to our team to say its bad. One last thought, I do not wear Braves pajamas as he said.
JSS
September 14th, 2012
2:06 pm
^^^^^^^
Stalker
True Falcon Fan
September 14th, 2012
2:06 pm
So do you stalk JSS too? Hey ZERO there ya go, here’s another that has a place in his heart for you!
True Falcon Fan
September 14th, 2012
2:09 pm
My 2:06 post was really quicker than yours
JSS
September 14th, 2012
2:14 pm
Ha ha, dude “Mr. Perry” is the man who brought the slow-cooking over coals (in Black communities because it cheap fuel) and flavor adding hardwoods style from Shelby County TN to Kansas City in the early 1900s. His restaurant later became Arthur Bryant’s when the brothers who once work for him took over…
HUH?????
September 14th, 2012
2:15 pm
“So do you stalk JSS too?”
Yes she does.
HUH?????
September 14th, 2012
2:16 pm
“from Shelby County TN to Kansas City”
Which is why I stated before that MEMPHIS has the best BBQ in the country. They practically invented it along with rock n roll.
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
2:17 pm
JSS: I don`t have an issue with you so I won`t respond to you calling me a stalker.
True Falcon Fan: I have never responded to a JSS post until now.
True Falcon Fan
September 14th, 2012
2:23 pm
My clairvoyant side of me tells me you are extremely full of yourself along with brown eyed BS… You like to play little games of someone you are NOT! As I’ve always stated to from the beginning you need to get off you’re a$$ and go find a J.O.B — hey DUUUDE – your buddy Obuma is on his way OUT, then you are out of dough.
Go Falcons!
Joey
September 14th, 2012
2:23 pm
Stinger2, just scroll past Clusters’ posts if you feel “they are the same old garbage…” Why would you bother “rereading?”
While lots of readers (including me), think he’s hilarious, you come across somehow offended and smarmy, as if he is criticizing YOU, not the pro athletes who, by the way, couldn’t care less about you or me.
When a couple of players making about $80,000 / game can’t field their position, or can’t get wood on a pitch when it matters, they’re gonna get made fun of.
If that makes you misty up, get a tissue . . .
True Falcon Fan
September 14th, 2012
2:24 pm
2:17 no punn intended — i’ve got issue with the ZERO and his BOTOX 14 D mouth
True Falcon Fan
September 14th, 2012
2:28 pm
HUH????? and would that be “Red, White & Blue” by the way?
JSS
September 14th, 2012
2:33 pm
Memphis didn’t invent it… They just took away vinegar as a marinade which was the SC, VA, KY and Alabama style… The dry rub became the flavor introducer… Ribs were generally a throw-away (spare ribs)… The style of cooking came from St. Louis, but the difference of smoking was intensified and it was carried up and down the river especially to Memphis… The big difference was that KC reintroduced using vinegar in sauces and basting cooking meats…
JSS
September 14th, 2012
2:37 pm
“go find a J.O.B.”
And you know all of this from blogging? You go Gomer Pyle!
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
2:50 pm
We think we may have touched a nerve. “One last thought, I do not wear Braves pajamas as he said.” – Stalker2
We knew it! Our baby sister had some of those pajamas when she was little. We think this pretty much confirms that our little buddy is a pajama wearing Braves apologist. Now, as for stalking . . . the only thing we know is no matter when or where we post something about the Braves this little wants to be our mama posts something about us pretty soon afterwards. He may take his laptop to bed with him and post in his pajamas.
Falcons always get beat down in prime time
September 14th, 2012
2:52 pm
The Atlanta Falcons are the greatest NFL team inside of 285…
bulldogbubba
September 14th, 2012
2:52 pm
Mr. Stinger2 – Although the wrtings are the same day in and dayout about the Braves they are the truth. The bottom line is even though the numbers look good the way they are fielding and hitting in clutch situations right now they will not make it to the playoffs.Chipper gets an ocassional hit when He plays, Uggla, McCann, so on and so on.The pitching is quickly eroding down to Minor and Medlen for starters. We are ok “if” we get to the 7th,8th,9th innings with the relievers we have.I said all that to say this, the same people are guilty everyday letting the team down and it is getting OLD. Thanks for your time and go enjoy a dilly bar at the DQ.
Peyton Manning
September 14th, 2012
2:54 pm
Who is Brent Grimes?
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
2:59 pm
Clusters: Two points to make. No. 1 is that if you ever say something positive about the Braves, you will hear nothing or something nice from me.
Let me know which you prefer. No. 2 is that you are the only one of many Braves bashers that so easily catch my attention. For example, yesterday on this very same FOOTBALL blog, you started your unnecessary ranting about how bad the home town BASEBALL team is.
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
3:08 pm
bulldogbubba: I understand the points you make and you could be right about the Braves not making the playoffs unless they start getting more hits with RISP and the other starters do not pick it up and help Medlin and Hudson.
However, at this time they have a five game lead over the Cards for the first WC spot. You can look at the WC standings and see the others trailing St. Louis and their positions. Unless the Braves have a really bad string of losses, I believe they will be the top wildcard and host the play in game.
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
3:11 pm
Stalker2, why aren’t you blogging FOOTBALL on here if this is a football blog? We was thinking you are just a Clusters blogger. That, and a sausage eating, pajama wearing, bobblehead collecting, miniature Chipper Jones but without his extensive vocabulary. Now that you’ve given us some instructions and choices on how we can use the blog we are going to ask our real mama if we have to do it. We think you may be obsessing a little bit and it could be a bad time of the month for you since you appear to be grumpy and out of sorts. We’ve seen it time and again and it ain’t pretty.
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
3:13 pm
bulldogbubba: I meant to say Minor but I believe Hudson will also be good in his next starts before the playoffs.
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
3:15 pm
Here’s a tip for those Braves pajamas. They can get scratchy if you don’t wash them in cold water and use fabric softener. Our little sister got a rash wearing those things when she was little. This could be a major reason Stalker2 is so grumpy – wearing scratch Braves pajamas.
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
3:16 pm
Where is everybody? Is it just us and Stalker2? That’s creepy. We are out of here. Bye.
Joey
September 14th, 2012
3:17 pm
Stinger2 = Chipper’s new Hooters GF
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
3:19 pm
Clusters: I have not given you any instructions or told you what to do. I simply stated the truth. You, in fact did come on a football blog and bash the home town baseball team. You can post what you want but if is negative about the Braves, I will respond as I see fit. I will repeat what I said above…If it is ever positive, I will not respond if you prefer it that way..
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
3:28 pm
Looks like Somebody reported one of my comments,,, now who would do such a thing LOL..
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
3:30 pm
Joey: If you have never made a mistake in your personal life, then say what you like about Chipper. I will admit I have made some so I cannot fault Chipper for his mistake nor anyone else for that matter.
JSS
September 14th, 2012
3:42 pm
“I cannot fault Chipper for his mistake nor anyone else for that matter.”
His ex-wife’s lawyer would beg to differ…
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
3:44 pm
When we was a very young Clusters our daddy came back from a sales trip (our daddy was international sales director at the time) and brought us back some pajamas that read, “I Love My Daddy” and though we certainly did love our daddy we refused to wear “I Love My Daddy” pajamas with little feet sewed in. We know it hurt our daddy’s feelings but we took those pajamas and hid them so we would never have to wear them. That brings us to the question, what kind of man wears Braves pajamas? A busy-body nosy man? A mind-somebody-else’s-business man? A man who wants to be somebody’s blog mama? We can’t say for sure that Stalker2 is a real true Braves fan but it looks like maybe he is, golly, gee, whoopee. We think maybe he has every right to tell us all how to behave as Braves fans – but only if we are wearing Braves pajamas, too – and this Clusters wouldn’t be caught dead in Braves pajamas.
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
3:51 pm
Boy,, you leave one little R out of a word and people get their panties in a twist,,, can you say panties on here,, thats what some of these people on here wear, panties,, guess i’ll find out soon enough,,,
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
3:55 pm
Clusters: To repeat: I am a strong supporter of the Braves and will respond
to those who I see as going out of their way to keep bashing the team with the same old theme and nothing of substance. I see you as being the No.1 blogger who fits this description. However, I do not wear Braves pajamas.
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
4:11 pm
Stinger doesnt wear braves pajamas,, he wears Braves panties,, kinda like some other folks on here,,,
kingdaddy
September 14th, 2012
4:28 pm
Somebody needs some Midol…
Joey
September 14th, 2012
4:43 pm
Why is it “bashing” when another “strong supporter” points out problems with our Braves?
To repeat: I refer you to my 2:23 post. Unless you are on the Braves squad, or a family member, you are taking (justified) criticism of certain players way too personal.
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
5:12 pm
Joey: Here is an example of the difference in what Clusters ongoing negative (bashing) posts and others who point out issues of substance about the Braves. Refer to bulldogbubba post and my response (his @2:52 and mine at 3:08). I do not recall bulldogbubba every posting those comments before today. Yet Clusters continiously posts his same old rants about individuals (specifically Fredi, Chipper, and Uggla) . To me there is a significant difference which draws my attention to Clusters.
bulldogbubba
September 14th, 2012
5:21 pm
Mr,Stinger2, I do not agree with you about everything but it seems there are others who have decided to jump on you and kick you till it hurts and I don’t like that.To banter back and forth about issues is one thing but to try and demoralize some one is wrong.I think Sonny Clusters is funny and enjoy his silly comments but sometimes it can go to far and then the rats pile on and start feeding off of someone else. Have your fun people but lets keep it clean and if this makes you uncomfortable and you need to pile on me thats cool I am big and tough enough to handle it!!!! GO BRAVES , GO DAWGS, GO FALCONS.
JSS
September 14th, 2012
5:25 pm
BDB has made his point…
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
5:48 pm
bulldogbubba: I appreciate your comments and like you said, they can pile it on me too and it won`t hurt at all.. I respect your views and read your posts with interest.
JSS
September 14th, 2012
5:50 pm
As for Stinger2, he made this bed long ago on the Clusters front… The sad thing is that when he did it people tried to warn him, he did not heed the heads up… It is easy to become one of these blogs to slide down the path of people of notorious stalker bloggers like Bugkiller, TFF, or the former Truth Serum… The real long time AJC bloggers remember the Days of the Holy Trinity of Topics when we had The Mora Firing, The Petrino Hiring, and the trial in less than 7 month period… Most of you guys would not have survived the Wild Wild West of commenting that went on then… And that is a serious statement…
There is only four things most rational bloggers want: to be left alone and not stalked, to be able use their own user-names, realize that everybody can has an opinion even your enemies, and when your teams lose and you run-off at the mouth take it because you put it out there… I don’t mean the mean spirited some throw around towards Saints fans or NY, PA, even people in States that are just seemingly convenient targets. There’s no place for that, but it will continue to happen… I mean the silly stuff…
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
6:06 pm
Now lets all join hands and sing Kumbaya LOL
Stinger2
September 14th, 2012
6:17 pm
JSS: To repeat my @2:17 answer to you:
I do not have any issues with you. You can call me whatever you like and
I will not respond except with this statement.
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
6:17 pm
There is only four things most rational bloggers want: to be left alone and not stalked, to be able use their own user-names, realize that everybody can has an opinion even your enemies, and when your teams lose and you run-off at the mouth take it because you put it out there… I don’t mean the mean spirited some throw around towards Saints fans or NY, PA, even people in States that are just seemingly convenient targets. There’s no place for that, but it will continue to happen… I mean the silly
Not be Stalked,, on a blog,, are you serious,, Thats sounds like someone that can dish it out but cant take it…. as long as the Stalker is polite i see nothing wrong with it… and there is nothing wrong with a little good natured ribbing,,, some people cant take that either,,,,
Hillbilly D
September 14th, 2012
6:20 pm
JSS
Since you asked last night…me and cats have had problems for about as long as I can remember. I think I was just born with a dislike for them but when I was about 3-4 years old, things started ratcheting up. We had a neighbor that had about a gazillion of the damn things and they were always messing up my sand pile. One day I caught one in the act and as Gordon Solie would say, pandemonium ensued. The thing scratched me in the melee, which I sort of took offense to. Now granted my diplomatic skills were less than developed at that age but I figured these cats needed to be taught a lesson. They had a habit of sitting perched on the fence posts which divided us from the neighbors and they just happened to all be up there like ducks in a shootin’ gallery at the fair. I went and got my wiffle ball bat and just calmly walked down the fence line, knocking cats off the posts as I went. Of course, the neighbor lady (aka Evil Cat Person) took exception to that, so we wound up having a neighbor war that lasted for several years.
So I reckon the cat lovers can fire away and the rest of y’all can get back to arguing about BBQ, pajamas, and etc. I prefer the old time Georgia thin BBQ sauce, which is hard to find these days but I reckon even bad BBQ is better than none at all.
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
6:24 pm
and clowns like MCR and STB4,, Hiram Saint,, they come on here calling Falcon fans Stupid,, Delusional,, Ignorant,, etc… those are the ones that are going to get it back,, with both barrels… but hey,, its all in good fun right? and oh yeah, LOL at The Aints,,,
Sonny Clusters
September 14th, 2012
6:28 pm
Somebody has got their pajamas in a wad. We was not trying to be mean to Stalker2 because he probably can’t help being like he is. If we ever run into him we’d be glad to buy him something from the Dairy Queen and see if we could loosen him up some. Of course, he could try a laxative, too.
LOL at The Aints
September 14th, 2012
6:32 pm
Stalker2,, now thats funny,,,
JSS
September 14th, 2012
6:33 pm
LOL…
Other peoples mates, partners, mothers, fathers, using user-name hi-jacking and all of that stuff; if you want lay to claim being party to that as (all is fair in blogging farce), be my guest… That has nothing to do with “dishing it out, but not being able to take it” is just a sack of you know what… As much loathe certain bloggers, I’d never cross that line in commenting except for those with a unhealthy appetite for fixating on young girls and other mens wives… You and I know better…