WEEK FIVE PICKS
So it has come to this. From trusty invaluable guide relied upon for his keen insights into the finer points of wagering on the NFL to mere parrot spouting the results of the latest computer run. Ah well.
I am of course referring to the fact that it was "suggested" that perhaps rather than making my own esteemed selections this week, that I instead chug along (get with the program buddy) merrily twidling my thumbs while the O/D Ranks Linemaking article spews forth its venemous data (yeah, there was some research article posted about all this nonsense, Read it here). Indeed.
This brings the subject round to a related matter, namely that chess grand pooh-bah Kasparov is gearing up for another battle with a chess computer, only this time it's not the IBM Deep Blue machine which ultimately broke him down psychologically. For a rehash of that episode check out this article Deep Blue's computer chess victory creates deep puzzles about humanity (not necessarily the best account, but you gotta like the headline if you're a hack columnist like yours truly looking to fill space with ambiguous deep thoughts...). Anyway, Garry is about to venture once again into "defending humanity's dignity" (another blurb from the piece above).
As it turns out there are two genius vs computer contests this fall
Kasparov and Kramnik take on the computers which should be fun to see.
This raises the question squarely on my mind at this moment: can computers be trained/programmed/developed that can out-handicap the best and brightest gambling minds (is that an oxymoron?)
In light of this leading question I feel compelled to defend the human mind against its porous and unworthy computer adversaries (we made them after all, didn't we?) by having my own best bets of the week go head-to-head with this nefarious O/D Ranks Linemaking Monster Machine!
To Battle then!
O/D Ranks Line Week 5
| Away |
Line |
Home |
O/D
Line |
Pick |
Value |
| Arizona |
-3.5 |
Carolina |
-14 |
Carolina |
-10.5 |
| Cincinnati |
-13.5 |
Indianapolis |
-14 |
Indianapolis |
-.5 |
| New England |
-3 |
Miami |
-3 |
|
0 |
| N.Y. Giants |
+0 |
Dallas |
8 |
N.Y. Giants |
8 |
| Oakland |
+3 |
Buffalo |
5 |
Oakland |
2 |
| Pittsburgh |
-2.5 |
New Orleans |
-2 |
Pittsburgh |
.5 |
| Tampa Bay |
+1.5 |
Atlanta |
0 |
Atlanta |
-1.5 |
| Washington |
-5.5 |
Tennessee |
-6 |
Tennessee |
-.5 |
| Kansas City |
+3.5 |
N.Y. Jets |
4 |
Kansas City |
.5 |
| San Diego |
-5.5 |
Denver |
0 |
San Diego |
5.5 |
| Philadelphia |
+3 |
Jacksonville |
5 |
Philadelphia |
2 |
| St. Louis |
-7 |
San Francisco |
-7 |
|
0 |
| Baltimore |
-7 |
Cleveland |
-6 |
Baltimore |
1 |
| Green Bay |
-1.5 |
Chicago |
1 |
Green Bay |
2.5 |
ANALYSIS: Ha! I laugh in your general direction! So the rules for Mr. O/D Ranks Linemaking Computer are that a pick only qualifies if the O/D Line is 7 points away from the vegas spread. Thus my mighty foe wields but two weapons in week five: Carolina and the NY Giants.
Without using a hint of technology to throttle this imposter to my standing as world's most longwinded blowhard ~ er, mojo working professional football bettor mister Tim ~ here then are my selected games du jour (I would go to games du week but my French doesn't extend that far.)
Tim draws two cards...
flips 'em over...
to reveal...
CINCINNATI and BALTIMORE!
That's correct, I'm going with two big underdogs to trump the favored computer picks [current vegas line: Computer -8.5, Tim +8.5]
Last Week: 5-1
that's right to add to the indignity, the request for me to post computer output comes hot on the heels of a super duper Win-O-Rama week
On another note, "guest handicapper" Wunderdog who also shares space on the TMW pages is off to a hot start...see his perhaps more serious analysis at
Wunderdog's column
tim@twominutewarning.com
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