Week 5 Football picks

It came down to a choice between the Falcons on the road against the Browns or the Bengals at home against the 49ers. Coincidentally, the Bengals lost to the Browns last week. While the Buccaneers are coming off of their bye week, my pick is still going to be the Bengals. There are not a lot of wide point spreads overall this week, but maybe some should be bigger.

Jaguars (-1.5) @ Bills: the Bills are a sorry team and a candidate to go 0-16
Bengals (-6.5) vs. Buccaneers: the T.Ocho show is getting heated up
Falcons (-3.5) @ Browns: hopefully no letdown after the Falcons had to play hard against the 49ers
Rams (+3.5) @ Lions: would go with the Lions if Stafford was playing
Chiefs (+3.5) @ Colts: while I don't think the Chiefs are that good, the Colts aren't either
Redskins (+2.5) vs. Packers: taking the home points against the team with no running game
Panthers (+2.5) vs. Bears: up-and-coming Jimmy Clausen against old backup Todd Collins
Ravens (-7.5) vs. Broncos: the Broncos are going to have more problems this week
Texans (-3.5) vs. Giants: doubting the Giants ability to keep the momentum
Cardinals (+7.5) vs. Saints: almost obvious to take the home points in this matchup
Raiders (+6.5) vs. Chargers: the Raiders could do well enough to keep it close
Titans (+6.5) @ Cowboys: the Cowboys haven't looked like that Super Bowl team yet
Eagles (+3.5) @ 49ers: back to the Kevin Kolb era in Philadelphia
Vikings (+4.5) @ Jets: Favre to Moss is going to be an interesting connection

Week 4 Football picks

In my mind, there are a few equal choices for the survivor pool this week, all equally good and risky. The Texans on the road against the Raiders, the Falcons at home against the winless 49ers, the Jets on the road against the Bills, and the Bengals on the road against the Browns. I try to stay away from road teams and intradivision games, and the supposedly good 49ers are dangerous to pick against when they still have no wins. My pick is actually a team with a worse record in its matchup, the Chargers at home against the Cardinals. However, both teams could have easily had their results in the opposite column last week. Other picks:

49ers (+6.5) @ Falcons: new offensive coordinator for the 49ers
Bills (+5.5) vs. Jets: a surprising fight put up by Bills last week
Browns (+3.5) vs. Bengals: I'll believe in the Bengals the week after they start to impress
Lions (+14.5) @ Packers: the Lions are keeping it close and the Packers are coming off of a short week
Broncos (+6.5) @ Titans: Vince Young should not be given such a wide spread right now
Rams (+.5) vs. Seahawks: the Rams go for a second home win in a row
Panthers (+13.5) @ Saints: Brees, Bush, and Thomas are injured
Ravens (+1.5) @ Steelers: the Steelers can't go 4-0 without Roethlisberger
Colts (-8.5) @ Jaguars: Peyton is having the best statistical start of his career
Texans (-3.5) @ Raiders: the Texans shouldn't be derailed by the loss to the Cowboys
Chargers (+8.5) vs. Cardinals: the Cardinals are close to going down the drain
Redskins (+6.5) @ Eagles: the early triumphant return of Donovan McNabb
Bears (+3.5) @ Giants: the Giants have too many problems right now, but could win a close one
Patriots (-.5) vs. Dolphins: the Wildcat success started against Patriots, but they know it now

Good thing for the Cowboys and Vikings that they picked up their first wins last week because they are on byes and would have had to stew over winless starts during their breaks.

Week 3 Football picks

Another tough week for the survivor pool, worse than week one. The Steelers would be the obvious pick if they were not working with their fourth-string, albeit serviceable, quarterback, Charlie Batch. Otherwise, three divisional games look like the best, with the Vikings facing the Lions, Ravens against Browns, and the ultimate pick, Patriots at home against the Bills. This makes it a pick against the Bills two weeks in row, who are maybe this year's Raiders in that sense.

49ers (-2.5) @ Chiefs: think it is their time to start winning, but surprising to be favored
Browns (+10.5) @ Ravens: even on the road, think this spread is too big for this division
Cowboys (+2.5) @ Texans: they have to get over Wade Phillips's incompetence
Lions (+10.5) @ Vikings: the Lions haven't looked so bad, even with Shaun Hill at QB
Patriots (-13.5) vs. Bills: change at starting quarterback for the Bills and angry Patriots at home
Falcons (+4.5) @ Saints: the Falcons could win this game with the way the Saints have looked, even in the Superdome
Giants (-3.5) vs. Titans: the Giants looked better in losing last week, but both teams have their issues
Steelers (-2.5) @ Buccaneers: running game and defense for the Steelers
Panthers (+3.5) vs. Bengals: picking the home underdog to keep it close
Jaguars (+2.5) vs. Eagles: look for the Jaguars to ruin Michael Vick's start at QB
Redskins (-3.5) @ Rams: finally noticing that the Redskins are decent
Broncos (+6.5) vs. Colts: way too big of a spread not to take the good home team
Raiders (+4.5) @ Cardinals: Campbell is surprisingly out of the starting QB spot already
Seahawks (+5.5) vs. Chargers: the Chargers don't look good enough to get this many points on the road
Dolphins (-1.5) vs. Jets: as good as the Jets looked, Revis is out and they get killed in Miami
Bears (+3.5) @ Packers: hopefully, the Bears won't regress to their preseason and week one form

Week 2 Football picks

Simply look at the biggest point spread for the survivor pick this week: the Packers at home against the Bills. Watch out for some high scoring, even as the packers lost their number one running back.

Falcons (-6.5) vs. Cardinals: round two for Derek Anderson won't go so well
Bengals (+1.5) vs. Ravens: don't underestimate home field advantage in division
Browns (-1.5) vs. Chiefs: the Chiefs were barely good enough to beat Chargers
Bears (+8.5) @ Cowboys: big spread for a week one winner against a loser
Eagles (-3.5) @ Lions: you saw what the Lions didn't do without Stafford
Packers (-13.5) vs. Bills: should be a blowout
Titans (-5.5) vs. Steelers: both teams were impressive last week
Vikings (-5.5) vs. Dolphins: Favre will be back to making great plays this week
Panthers (-2.5) vs. Buccaneers: the Buccaneers only won against a bad team
Broncos (-3.5) vs. Seahawks: the Seahawks surprised many, but I expect Broncos to bounce back
Raiders (-4.5) vs. Rams: is it possible that the Raiders could not be the most incompetent team again?
Jets (+1.5) vs. Patriots: maybe picking too much with my heart, but Jets are tough
Jaguars (+7.5) @ Chargers: seems obvious after last week's Chargers problems
Texans (-2.5) @ Redskins: got burned picking against Redskins at home last week
Giants (+5.5) @ Colts: to large of a spread for two good teams
Saints (-4.5) @ 49ers: should be an easy one for the champions

Week 1 Football picks

I'm a little late with this post, seeing as the football season has already kicked off, but my picks remain. I had a tough time selecting a pick for survivor, as it came down to the Giants, Titans, and Bears. The Giants are opening their new stadium, but played poorly in the last game at Giants Stadium against the same Panthers. The Titans are playing a Raiders team that has come up with many survivor upsets, and the Bears are playing in division against the Lions. Since I read that divisional games do not have any more upsets than normal, I am picking the Bears. Now, on to the point spreads (based on ESPN):

Saints (-6.5) vs. Vikings: so much energy in the Superdome
Dolphins (-3.5) @ Bills: playing in Buffalo isn't too tough in the first game
Bears (-6.5) vs. Lions: the Lions are still a league doormat until proven otherwise
Titans (-6.5) vs. Raiders: the end of last season was promising for the Titans
Bengals (+5.5) @ Patriots: a close game with the home team winning outright
Panthers (+7.5) @ Giants: similar teams to last season when the Panthers won
Falcons (-2.5) vs. Steelers: tough to win in Pittsburgh, but Falcons still on the rise
Browns (+2.5) vs. Buccaneers: two equally bad teams
Broncos (+2.5) @ Jaguars: risky pick, but the Broncos should be better
Colts (-3.5) @ Texans: Colts probably start another string of wins
Seahawks (+2.5) vs. 49ers: not sure on this one; home field advantage?
Packers (-1.5) @ Eagles: a trendy Super Bowl pick with a tough road opener
Cardinals (-3.5) @ Rams: as much as the Cardinals have fallen, they are still better than the Rams
Cowboys (-3.5) @ Redskins: probably should take the home points, but going with better team
Jets (-3.5) @ Ravens: will be a close, low-scoring game
Chargers (-5.5) @ Chiefs: this could be dangerous with Chargers' new starting RB and holdouts

The Mets are still contenders?

I guess Jerry Manuel has to say that on the radio today with Mike Francesa, but nobody's buying it, not when you're putting out this lineup against one of the best pitchers in baseball and the team is a game under .500. Granted, the veterans that he is replacing are struggling or injured, but let's take a look, just for fun, since there are five rookies in there tonight.

1. Jose Reyes-SS (891 career games played, 95 games started in 2010, batting .280)
2. Fernando Martinez-RF (28 career GP, 1 GS in 2010, batting .200), replacing Francoeur
3. Angel Pagan-CF (370 career GP, 94 GS in 2010, batting .311)
4. David Wright-3B (963 career GP, 108 GS in 2010, batting .293)
5. Ike Davis-1B (97 career GP, 94 GS in 2010, batting .253), now a regular
6. Chris Carter-LF (27 career GP, 9 GS in 2010, batting .264), essentially replacing Beltran
7. Josh Thole-C (36 career GP, 16 GS in 2010, batting .323), platoon with Blanco as Barajas is on the DL
8. Ruben Tejada-2B (36 career GP, 34 GS in 2010, batting .196), replacing Castillo
9. Mike Pelfrey-P

Good luck tonight against Ubaldo Jimenez of thr 17-2 record, 2.61 ERA. He should easily be in double digits in strikeouts tonight, but, who knows, the Mets beat Adam Wainwright last week when he was the hottest pitcher in baseball.

Philadelphia Force Internship

Around March last year, I started looking for a job for the summer of 2009. After being unsuccessful searching the internet and the postings on Lehigh’s LUCIE system, I went to the spring career fair. Many of the jobs were for majors other than my own, such as sciences and engineering, but I found a few for business majors. I went to talk to a few people at the desks for their jobs and internships, but did not feel too enthusiastic about finding an opportunity, especially because most seemed to be for soon-to-be graduates.

The last company that I visited at the career fair, only because my friend was there as well, was the Philadelphia Force, a professional women’s softball team located one city over in Allentown. I started talking with one employee while my friend was talking to the co-owner. We exchanged contact information and I gave them my résumé, but, for some reason, could not see myself working near Lehigh or for this team.

After a couple of phone conversations with different people, I was offered a broadcast internship. This included trying to sell advertising space for the online broadcasts of the games and operating a small camera during the games. While it was unpaid, I was happy to be able to do something during the summer, since I did not desperately need the money and could take on another job if I had to, based on the short hours of this one.

In the end, I was unsuccessful in finding local business owners who were interested in purchasing advertising space, but I feel like I got valuable experience by walking in cold and trying to make a sale. The in-game experience was fun and taught me more about the behind-the-scenes effort needed to run a team, especially one that struggles to draw in fans and make money. It all started with me being nervous but getting my face in front of prospective employers at a job fair, which is what I have been doing again to try to find a permanent job after graduation. Wish me luck!