Big Week for Bucky

This week is what ESPN or some other place would call "Judgment Week" or "Separation Week" or some such thing for the Wisconsin Badgers. I realize that it is the first week of January, but they have two MONSTER games in the next four days (seriously the Badgers got screwed in scheduling them back to back) that will go a long way in deciding if Bucky is a contender for a surprise Big Ten title or merely a pretty good team that will probably get to the tournament.

Tonight/late afternoon, the #13 Badgers head to East Lansing to take on #43 (but WAY more popular) Michigan St. I'm pretty excited for this as it is always a barn burner, and usually Michigan St. has some gigantic white center that gets into foul trouble early and cries on the bench (see Suton. I think he's gone). Also, I always find a way to dislike Izzo. The biggest problem I'm having is: why FIVE THIRTY??? I mean, c'mon Big Ten Network. How am I supposed to take you seriously when you are tipping games at 5:30? You are basically saying that not only do I not want anyone in the Central Time Zone without a DVR to see it, but that you don't care about the EST zone either. Everyone knows the standard tip time for a game in the Eastern Time Zone is 6:00. Just odd.

Saturday, Bucky hosts #5 and undefeated Purdue. This is a classic game for Bucky to win. Bo Ryan is something like 35-2 at home in games against teams he has no business beating. Talent-wise, Purdue is probably better, but so is just about every other team. This and the Creighton-Wichita St game are great appetizers for the beginning of Wild Card Bukkake (which I will get to later in the week).

Fake Gambling and the "Williams Wall"

Last Week: 13-3!!!!

Overall: 94-94-4 (Don't call it a comeback bitches!)

Oak (+9), Chi (-6.5), Min (NL), Hou (+5.5), Ten (-14), Ind (-13.5), Atl (+3), NYG (-6.5), Den (-9), Mia (+1), NYJ (-4), NE (-4.5), Ari (-14), Pit (-3), Bal (-5), Car (-3)

I don't know if those fat dudes from Minnesota are going to play again or not. Even though they were granted their temporary injunction, it doesn't seem to me that their "The NFL didn't tell us" argument is bullshit. If 50% of the players in the league had this problem, I might buy it, but SIX tested positive, meaning that the Williamses were doing something that isn't particularly common in the first place. Plus, from what I've read, the NLFPA bargained for this testing policy, and the policy is "you are responsible for what you put in your body". I would ALMOST feel bad for them if a) they didn't play for an arch rival and b) they have a gay nickname.

Now, the question is, assuming they don't play, does this give the Packers a better chance in the division? I have been shocked by the number of locals that are convinced that this is the case. My thoughts: I don't think it hurts to have Minnesota playing short handed. But even if Minnesota goes 1-3 (because we all know they won't lose to Detroit even if the Williamses wives start at D-tackle), that means the Packers have to go 3-1 (including a win over Chicago), and hope Chicago goes 2-2. Would it shock me? No. But I think the hardest part of that equation is to have the Packers win all those games. Even though they have a favorable-ish schedule, I don't have particular confidence in them stringing wins together. They've shown me nothing to make me think they have that ability.

In other news, my fucking goddaughter's mother scheduled a birthday party at 2:30 p.m. next Sunday, which is directly in the middle of the Packers-Jags game. I fucking hate inconsiderate people. Its not like you don't live in the area, and aren't aware that the Packer season is in full swing. Christ.

Finally, last college basketball season, I had Time Warner Cable. The advantage was that I had ESPNU, which allowed me to see like 3 Creighton games. But I had no Big10 Network, which forced me to not see like 20 UW games. This year I have Dish, so my situation is opposite....And now fucking UW-Marquette is on ESPNU, and there has been exactly ONE game on Big10. Sucks. My. Balls. It will be me and my clock radio Saturday night I guess.

Jim Jackson = Rae Carruth?

One thing I forgot to mention about last night's Wisconsin Badger-St. Mary's Burn Center Burnies game was a disturbing comment made by analyst Jim Jackson late in the second half. The comment occurred during an exchange between Craig Coushun and Jim regarding who was going to get to go to the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam Tournament between Jim and nameless, random sideline reporter. After a little back and forth, Jim unloaded with this beauty:

"I will hide you in the trunk of my car."

Um. What?

If Dan Shulmann had said this to Doris Burke, he would have been fired. I'm just sayin'.