Just wanted to take a minute to announce my association with NFL Bloggers (www.nfl-bloggers.com), a portal of other NFL-related blogs. To those readers who are new to the site, welcome aboard. Here’s a little background for you (if you’ve been with me for a while, feel free to skip ahead).
The genesis of the site goes back almost six years, when I happened upon a column called “Pete’s Picks” in USA Today. A guy named Pete O’Brien picked every NFL game that weekend, straight up and against the spread, and I was astonished at how bad some of his picks were. I couldn’t believe this guy was pulling a paycheck to print them. I tracked my picks versus his for the remainder of the season, and blew him out of the water. Starting with the 2001-02 season, I documented my picks and communicated them via e-mail to a few of my friends. When the scope of the project expanded, I opted for a more public forum, hence the creation of Ant’s “Expert” NFL Page in June 2005. The title pays veiled homage to the “Experts” on sites like ESPN and CNN-SI whose record at picking games is no better than mine. If they are “Experts,” why shouldn’t I be?
There are a few caveats that you should keep in mind:
1. The picks are for entertainment purposes only. If you use my opinions as a basis for your gambling, that’s your business.
2. I am not NFL-sanctioned, therefore I am under no obligation to be objective. I am merely a football fan with opinions.
3. When making my picks, I adhere to a couple of strict rules:
a) I will ALWAYS pick the Philadelphia Eagles, regardless of opponent, venue, or point spread. It’s my right as a fan to do so.
b) Conversely, I will NEVER pick the Dallas Cowboys, regardless of opponent, venue, or point spread. In a perfect world, the Cowboys would be 0-16 every year for the rest of their miserable existence.
c) I don’t use gimmicks, like the “Upset of the Week.” I don’t want to call an upset because I’m required to. If I think one team will beat another, I’ll let you know. And you won’t find a “Lock of the Week” on this site. I think all of my picks are locks. Otherwise, I wouldn’t pick them.
Anyway, the picks are the meat and potatoes of the site, but occasionally there will be a topic that warrants some commentary, so I may share a random thought here or there. For example…
I got the Christmas present I really wanted at around 8:00 Monday night, as the Eagles were finishing up their dominance of the Cowboys in Dallas. The Eagles completed the season sweep and vaulted into first place in the NFC East and can clinch the division with a win over Atlanta on Sunday. The Cowboys, meanwhile, started sniping at each other even before there were zeroes on the clock. I watched the first half with a couple of cousins-in-law by marriage who are Cowboys fans (both from New Jersey, so figure that one out) and the second at home with my family. The only way it would have been better is if TOFU didn’t score Dallas’ touchdown.
Speaking of, not only was TOFU’s celebration cheesy (he extended both arms straight out like a “T,” then arched them over his head in the shape of an “O”), it wasn’t even original! Remember Oronde Gadsden, former wide receiver for the Dolphins circa 1996? Every time he caught a pass, he made the “O,” then a “G.” Yet one more reason why TOFU sucks.
I was going to have some picks for today, but I need to review the playoff implications for this weekend’s games and get back to you. Admittedly, Sunday could be entirely academic in the NFC if the Giants decide to show up in Washington on Saturday night.
.JPG)