Benster and D Pick Your Games-------Big Ten Madness Edition

The Packers may be injured a ton, but got it done in the desert. Boy, I'd hate to be a Cardinals fan right now.

Like this guy on the right?

Not a surrender cobra, at least

Yes, just like that. Now, we move on to the rest of the weekend, where the Big Ten could have some clarity in both the East and the West sides of the conference.

Or some Claritin?

Do you have some secret endorsement deal, old dude? Because I always figured you were getting a few pennies from Geritol! 

I don't typically discuss my holdings in a public forum.

I suppose someone is reading the blog, since I'm here. And, by the way, I am feeling the HYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! and it is time to watch me work. 

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-7.5) vs. Northwestern Wildcats So last week's prediction for the Gophers aged quite poorly, and I deserve to get called out for that. The Gophers are still very much a player for the division as they still have to play against Iowa and Wisconsin. The Purple Nerds are due for their usual upset, but they typically save that for the Badgers. The Gophers should be able to win with the bully ball style of offense they have been going with lately. The Gophers should win comfortably, even though Ryan Field can trip up good teams. Row Row Your Boat Elitely 41, Purple Nerds 0.

I hate Ryan Field, but I don't think this Northwestern team has a lot of talent. That will likely change next season, but for this matchup. . . Gophers 27, Northwestern 20.

Iowa Hawkeyes (+3.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers may have had a bad start to the year, but they are in a familiar spot, competing in the West after some early losses. Iowa looked bad against Purdue two weeks ago, and now have to face a rival to stay in the race. The Badgers looked better against Purdue last week, and that was encouraging. I have a lot of respect for Iowa as a program, but I think that if the Badgers can keep doing what we did last week, then we could win. Badgers 21, Hawkeyes 10.

What's the "we" stuff? Are you playing for the Badgers? They could probably use you. In any event, it's a typical low-scoring affair against the Hawkeyes. Badgers are in Camp Randall, and that will make the difference. Badgers 17, Hawkeyes 13.

Michigan Hail to the Victors (-4) vs. Michigan State Sparty the Spartans Is Michigan back? Well, they could be. This is probably the best team that Harbaugh has had in a few years, but the problem is that Michigan has struggled to beat the Spartans, in addition to their issues against A School In Columbus. Sparty might be the most surprising team in the Big Ten, as nobody saw Mel Tucker assembling a team that could compete out of the wreckage that was the late Mark Dantonio era. I like Michigan because they need this, but we will learn more about them in The Game. Michigan 31, Michigan State 17.

The Michigan fans are starting to come out of the woodwork, in their typically insufferable way. Sparty may be "little brother," but they've had the better of the series in the last decade, as the young fella rightly points out. It will be close. Wolverines 31, Spartans 29.

Dallas How Bout Them Cowboys (+3) vs. Minnesota Vikings Brace yourselves, the Cowboys media hype train led by Skip Brainless are already telling you about how this is their year. Sadly, they have been right, so far at least. Despite Mike McCarthy continuing his tradition of being carried by elite talent, they have been winning. But Dak Prescott is questionable and might not even play. As for the Vikings they need this one to stay within touching distance of the Packers as they begin a brutal part of their schedule. It may be Kirktober, but Kirk is going to have to play well. A word of advice, please throw to Justin Jefferson. I could use the points in fantasy. I think the Vikings can pull it off. If they do, I will watch Skip's show for the meltdown. But if they don't, please pray for Ron Johnson and Corey Cove as they man the KFAN phone lines. Vikings 28, Cowboys 13.

Without Prescott, the Cowboys are frauds. With him, they might still be frauds. Vikings win. Vikings 28, Cowboys 19.

Enjoy your football this week. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games----Big Ten Did Something Right Edition

 Old dude, the Big Ten actually did the right thing and actually improved something this year. The Axe game is back as the last game of the year, as it should be. Both Badgers and Gophers fans would agree that it is the correct decision.

Let me Axe you a question

Given the alternatives, yes. Certainly more compelling than a visit from Rutgers.

Plus, the Packers hold all the cards in the NFC. Life is good. The Pack is back, and I can feel the HYYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! Watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+13.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers I think it's fair to say that this year has hit both schools hard. The Badgers have struggled to find their footing because of all the delays, and the Gophers have a younger team. Yes, the Badgers need to strongly consider playing Jack Coan this time around, but you can say that the Gophers have struggled all year. The Badgers can easily lose this game, but they will be up for this game. Look for the offense to improve, and for a senior class to be sent off the right way, hopefully. Badgers 24, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 10.

Hopefully? Hedging your bets, good sir? The Gophers are a very poor defensive team, but the Badgers have been 1977-level bad the last three weeks. It's a matter of pride at this point and I hope the Badgers have enough pride to get this done. The point spread is absurd, by the way. Badgers 17, Gophers 13.

Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck (+3) vs. Minnesota Vikings Both of these teams have had their moments, but quite frankly are flawed. I think Da Bearz were broken by the double doink, despite their offense doing very little that day. Funny, I don't hear Bears fans mentioning that. Hopefully they keep Matt Nagy and the front office around. As a Packers fan, they have done a great job, and have Bears football trending in the right direction for the future. The Vikings played decently well against the Bucs, but Dan Bailey had a terrible day. The Vikings had a golden chance in 2017, but the Minneapolis Miracle was the worst thing to happen to Mike Zimmer. There, I said it. That play covered up the fact that the Mike Zimmer's defense almost cost them the game, and he would have been lucky to not be fired had Diggs not bailed the Vikings out. Many Vikings fans conveniently choose to ignore that the Vikings blew a 17 point lead. The Vikings then foolishly disrespected the Eagles, and assumed that they had a god given right to play in a Super Bowl at their home stadium. The Vikings got blown out in a game that was never close, and the fanbase ignored the warning signs. Because the front office believed that the Vikings were closer than they were, they signed Kirk Cousins. History repeated itself last year. As much as Kirk Cousins gets the credit for the playoff game in the Superdome, the Vikings defense let the Saints get it to overtime. Oh, and Kyle Rudolph pushed off. The Vikings then got destroyed against the Niners, and it's been downhill ever since. The Vikings can win this game, and it's better for the Packers to do so. Both the Vikings and Da Bearz committed the greatest sin in pro football. They ignored the warning signs that they had flawed teams, and both are paying the price.  Vikings 23, Da Bearz Still Suck 10.

Shorter version: they both need better management. I think Zimmer does a good job with what he has on hand, which isn't much because Cousins has all the money. As for da Bearz, the Khalil Mack trade is not looking so good now; he seems to be a declining player and he's owed a lot of money. I think the Vikings are marginally better, but that's all. Vikings 20, Bears 17.

Carolina Panthers (+8) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers The Packers had everything go right last week. They clinched the NFC North, finished a game off and banked that experience, and took control of the top seed in the NFC thanks to the Eagles beating the Saints. They have two home games left, and the Saints have a couple of tough games on their schedule remaining. The Panthers are going to be easier to beat without Christian McCaffery, but they are a team that plays hard and they have a competent coaching staff. Also, it's important to remember that the Packers literally won by inches last November on the goal line. I think that the Packers can win this game, but they can't sleepwalk into a trap game. Packers 35, Panthers 21.

Packers seem to be hitting their stride now. Panthers are better than their record indicates, but they aren't going to win at Lambeau this year. Packers 33, Panthers 24.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3) vs. New Orleans Saints This game is going to be a lot of fun. I'm picking this game because the Saints are tied with us in terms of record, but the Packers hold the tiebreaker. The Chiefs need a win to stay ahead of the Steelers in the AFC side. Kansas City is probably the best team in the league, and I appreciate Patrick Mahomes for his contributions in fantasy football, even though I didn't make the playoffs. I expect points, and obviously Drew Brees being back with the Saints will help out. The Saints don't have the best secondary, and will lose in a track meet. Chiefs 70, Saints 51.

Bet the over? I think you underrate the Saints defense, which is actually pretty good. I think it's a closer game than you do. Chiefs 28, Saints 27.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out. 

Benster And D Pick Your Games----B1G Rule Change Edition

Hi everyone. That title is intentional, and refers to a certain decision by the Big Ten to change the 6 game requirement for the title game. That noise you hear in the background is a sharpening of an axe, because I have some thoughts.

No -- you have thoughts? There's a headscratcher.

Yep, gotta keep some people honest.

And you use an axe to do that?

When necessary, yes.

Hmm.

Read on, old dude. In other news, the Badgers will actually be playing for consecutive weeks. And the Packers can clinch the North this week. I'm feeling the HYYYYYYPPPEEE! and it is time to watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+10.5) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers The Gophers have returned to play, and they will be going to the team who likes to take credit for this season to be happening. PJ Fleck can keep coming up with his usual sayings, but his team has struggled all year. To be fair to him, not knowing if you are going to be playing is hard, and he has a young team. However, every team in the conference has had to deal with that. Nebraska ain't much better, and they really have been at war with Kevin Warren more than focusing on the games at hand. Scott Frost will get the time because he is the Nebraska version of Bart Starr. What I mean by that is that Frost is a link to the glory days and has the trust of the Husker faithful as he knows what it takes. Even if Frost fails as head coach, his legacy is secure. As for the game, I have to favor the desperate team at home. Stuck In the 1990's 31, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 10.

I'd forgotten about the Gophers. They haven't played in a while. As I recall, they're okay. Snow in Lincoln overnight, so we'll see how that plays. Nebraska 31, Gophers 27.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (-2) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Well, the Badgers looked awful again last week, and yet are somehow favored going into a game at Iowa City. Graham Mertz looked great against Michigan and Illinois, but looked horrible against Northwestern and Indiana. The defense is not the problem, and to be fair the Badgers have not gotten to play in consecutive weeks yet this year. Iowa is going to be your typical Iowa squad that plays good defense and wants to run the ball. The Badgers can win, but this is going to be hard. The offense needs to step up and actually do something. Badgers 21, Iowans 13.

This a tough one. I don't think the Badgers have it this year. Success will return to Madison, but let's write this year off. Iowa 17, Wisconsin 10.

Minnesota Vikings (+6.5) vs. Tampa Bay Bucs The Vikes are back in the playoffs based on a tiebreaker over the Cardinals. Last week, the Vikings were very loose in the turns and almost lost another "easy game". This time, the Vikings are not at home and facing a desperate team in the Bucs. It's clear that Tom Brady has had growing pains learning a new offense, and the Bucs are a team that has had a lot of internal discord supposedly swirling around. Both teams need to win to stay in the playoff hunt, and there will be a lot of Packer fans watching this game with interest. Even though the Bucs are not as good as they were when the Packers went down there, you have to honor the "desperate team at home" theory. If the Vikings lose, pray for Ron Johnson and Corey Cove. Bucs 28, Vikings 17

The Vikings have been scraping by against bad teams lately. The Bucs are a good team. Tampa 31, Minnesota 20.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-9) vs. Detroit LOLions The Packers are in a great position. All of their goals are within reach, and they can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help. In fact, if the Vikings lose and the Packers win, the North can be won on Sunday. The LOLions did beat da Bearz last week, and are better than people think. I know that sounds crazy, but they have been in some close games this year, and did jump out to a lead at Lambeau. Plus, Matthew Stafford has a good track record against the Packers. If you remember, last year the Packers had to fight to get that win at Ford Field to get the playoff bye. Packers 24, LOLions 18

I am a bit nervous about this game. The key is the Lions defense is terrible. Shootout! Packers 38, Lions 28.

And now it's time for a Very Special Comment. This will probably come off to you as yet another Benster ripping of the Buckeyes. I know that is part of who I am, and I admit that I have a hatred of Ohio State football. But please hear me out.

So the Big Ten announced that Ohio State would be allowed to play Northwestern next week for the conference crown. That is despite the fact that the conference decreed that a team needs to play in 6 conference games to qualify. Look, Ohio State is a good team, and I don't blame them for taking the offer. You can make an argument that the 6 game rule was dumb in the first place, and that the conference never should have included it. But it was the rule coming in, and the Big Ten was arrogant enough to believe that it wouldn't be a problem. Well, the league decided that Ohio State should get a pass, because they are undefeated. This is a week before the title game. Everyone knew the rules, and now the conference changed them in the middle of the game. Indiana got screwed. Yes, the Hoosiers had their chance to win in the Horseshoe. But under the rules that every school agreed to, Indiana was the team that qualified. Plus, Northwestern is getting boned. Not only do they have to prepare for a new opponent, but they have to play a rivalry game against Illinois while Ohio State gets a bye week. The Big Ten not only changed the rules for a "brand name" school, but gave said school every possible advantage. If Ohio State loses, then it would be one of the worst losses in the history of Buckeye football. They would have had every possible advantage, and thrown it away. 

Now, of course the Big Ten is not the only league screwing with their title game. The ACC canceled games for Notre Dame and Clemson to give them extra rest. But at least in that case, the Irish and Tigers both come into the game on even footing. The Big Ten can say that this is about being fair and making money, but that is missing the point. Big Ten football has gotten a lot more competitive and richer than the 1970s. Back then, it was the Big 2 of Michigan and Ohio State, and the Little 8 of everyone else. Now, there is more strength in depth in the conference, and they can sell Fox and ESPN on the fact that teams like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota that can be successful. All of those schools have won big bowl games, and have been positive stories in the Big Ten recently outside of Michigan and Ohio State in football. Heck, the basketball product is the most deep and consistent than at any point in league history. It behooves a conference to favor conditions that help everyone, and not just a handful of schools. Want to know why Nebraska left the Big 12? It was in part because the Big 12 favors Texas and gives the Longhorns a huge cut of revenue. Maryland was a founding member of the ACC, and had deep ties with a lot of those schools. Well, the ACC has constantly been accused of favoring basketball and in particular the Tobacco Road schools. Maryland left in part because that favoritism.

You can argue it is because of money, and there is a good reason why it behooves the conference to respect what each school brings. The Big Ten Network was founded in order to make it easier to make money and showcase all the teams in the league. The conference is strong because every school contributes on the field in different ways. Indiana and Michigan made the College World Series recently, Minnesota has a great hockey tradition, Iowa brings wrestling, Maryland brings great lacrosse, Wisconsin brings consistently good teams in basketball and football. Nebraska brings great baseball and legions of fan support. I love this conference because every team makes the same amount of money, and the various fanbases respect each other and get each other. Ohio State may contribute a lot in football, but they are one school. It's not the Ohio State Invitational League. It's the Big Ten conference. No school is bigger than the league, and every school brings something to the table. It's a shame that Kevin Warren doesn't understand that. If I were a Buckeye fan, I wouldn't accept this. In fact, read this article from an Ohio State fan about why this is wrong. 

Well, that's done. I hope you enjoy the football this weekend. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games--#FreeMertz Edition

 Old dude, I have an axe to grind about certain things. Just when I was getting ready to see the Badgers follow up the beatdown they had, some people deserve some ridicule. 

Just some?

Oh, I have lots. Stay tuned.

I sense Very Special Comments ahead.

You have no idea.

Oh, I have an idea.

When I find myself agreeing with SEC shills, you know things are messed up. I am feeling the HYYYYYYPPPPEEE, and it is time to watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-19.5) vs. Maryland Terps So it turns out that PJ Fleck has some things to figure out, and those things might not require his brand enhancing. The Gophers looked overmatched against Michigan at home, and are looking to wash that taste out of their mouth. I'll be honest, I didn't watch the Terps game, but getting beat down that badly by the Purple Nerds is hilarious. It is a long journey on a short week, but the Rowers of the Boat should continue to be Elite, and the Gopher fanbase can keep drinking the Kool Aid and keep buying the snake oil. Of course, if they somehow lose, then the honeymoon is over. Terps 24, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 0.

I don't quite follow you, but that's okay. Maryland is awful, so this is get well time for the Flecktones. 

Flecktones?

Nothing quite like a jazz banjo player. Gophers 31, Terrapins 20.

Minnesota Vikings (+6.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers The Vikings have struggled this year, and are dangerously running low on defensive backs. That is going to be a huge problem when they face off against a Packers team that lit up their secondary in Week 1. Look, the Packers looked good against Houston last week. The problem is that the injury report is getting long. The Packers should still win this game, but the Vikings will make things very difficult. Look for the Packers to try and torch the Viking secondary. If the Vikings lose this game, pray for Cory Cove and Ron Johnson. Packers 45, Vikings 10.

The weather should be nicer at Lambeau and the Vikings may need to bring back Wasswa Serwanga or Ed Sharockman. This could be ugly. Packers 43, Vikings 24.

And now, time for a Very Special Comment. Barry Alvarez may be a living legend, but why not try and find a way to play? Nebraska fans are right to be angry at the Badgers and they should be allowed to play a non conference game. It's become obvious that Kevin "Karen" Warren and the Big Ten "leadership" really didn't want to play, and the only reason they are is because they know that nobody else caved. What they should have done was to do what the SEC did. Look, I hate that conference. Those schools cheat, and the constant love affair that ESPN has with that conference makes me shake my head in disgust. But you know what, they actually had a plan. They built in multiple bye weeks to provide a cushion in case of positive tests that they knew would happen. When Florida had their outbreak, Greg Sankey didn't panic and adjusted. When the Marlins and Cardinals had their outbreaks, Rob Manfred adjusted the plan. I'd also like to note that as a baseball fan, Rob Manfred doesn't seemingly even like baseball when compared to Bud Selig. When I am agreeing with Paul Finebaum and Clay Travis on the Big Ten, you know that's how angry I am. 

I've been a Big Ten and Wisconsin fan for 20 years. I've planned years of fall Saturday afternoons and evenings around watching Wisconsin take on all comers from the league. In this blog space, I have defended the Big Ten and fought for fairness against the SEC lovers who don't understand or respect the conference and the glorious shared history that these teams have. Karen Warren's leadership would make any Boy Scout youth leader cringe. A 21 day wait to return to competition after 2 positive tests? It's disrespectful to the players, coaches, and most importantly the fans of the Big Ten to admit that they are only doing this because other conferences refused to quit. Karen Warren needs to resign now. He had plenty of time in the spring to come up with a plan. I get that the college presidents can't worry about football all the time. But they hired Warren to take care of the athletic side of the league. 

What I would have done is simple. I would have started in late September, and built in 3 bye weeks for each team. I would have released a statement saying that positive tests were going to happen, but that the conference is committed to playing and that this plan would have worked. By the way, that took me all of 10 minutes to come up with. Fire Karen Warren and all of the league presidents. Those presidents are screwing over college kids this year. And Free Mertz. Ben out!