Friday, November 16, 2007

Bryant and BlogDog

My colleague, Milo Bryant, is too much of a gentleman to gloat and say ‘I told you so.’

But I’m not. So I’ll do it for him.

He told you so. While most magazines, radio and TV shows and newspapers were predicting a difficult re-building year for Air Force – most I read and heard called for the Falcons to win about four games – Milo said the Falcons would go 8-4, and he put it in print. Check it out – it’s right here.

Nobody thought they’d win that many (and when I say “nobody,” I don’t include the members of the team or the team’s fans – they’re supposed to think their team will win that many). Some of his fellow journalists thought he was nuts, but he stuck to his guns.

His first inclination was to say 9-3, but he eventually backed off of that – and I take some of the responsibility for that because I told him emphatically I thought a nine-win season was just about impossible.

Then again, I don’t make predictions in print. I leave it to my dog, Norm.

In his first year as a certified football prognosticator, the BlogDog has been nothing short of brilliant. Not even Milo could have foreseen the success that he’s had. Heading into the final week of the regular season, the BlogDog is 8-3 and has posted five consecutive correct predictions.

What I like best about the BlogDog’s work this season is that, like Milo, he hasn’t been afraid to go out on a limb. He took the Falcons when they were eight-point underdogs at Utah, and he thought they would blow out CSU in Fort Collins when they were three-point underdogs. He was right both times.

He’s taking a chance and thinking outside the box again this week. Air Force has won five of its past six games and is an 11-point favorite at home Saturday against San Diego State. But BlogDog likes the Aztecs.

(Norm chooses between mini helmets of each team. If he picks the same helmet three times in a row, he’s thinking blowout. If he chooses one three times and the other once, he’s thinking the game will be decided by about seven to 10 points. If he chooses one three times and the other one twice, he’s predicting a close game.)

This week, Norm went to the San Diego State helmet first, then the Air Force helmet, then the San Diego State helmet two more times.

Norm’s Pick: San Diego State 31, Air Force 23
Norm’s Record: 9-3
Who does Milo like in this game?

3 comments:

Mackenzie Block said...

Jake,

Okay, I agree, Milo predicted it, but he is still an annoying writer.

I fear blogdog may have lost his magic touch...like sampson, blogdog's powers most likely resulted from his shaggy doo...I notice in his San Diego picture he has been sheared (well, groomed). Might this effect his prognostication powers? [as a loyal AF fan, I say yes]

Thanks again for your outstanding coverage of AF sports...any truth to the rumor you are being lured away to a bigger market? Two outstanding seasons covering AF, your phone must be ringing...

Happy Turkey Day.

Mackenzie Block said...

p.s.

Thanks for clearing up Milo's comment about the 50 point win over Western State...

jake.schaller said...

Stats,

Thanks for the comments and kind words.

You might be right - Norm's powers could be tied to his hair. He was way off on this one. Like the Falcons, however, he'll have one more chance for glory.