XFL Week 10: A Look Ahead Against the Spread - Watershed or Waterloo?
By The Masked Prognosticator
 |
|
The
Masked (4-7
ATS XFL Record WHO IS THIS MASKED MAN? Once a worldwide jet setting playboy gambler, the Masked Prognosticator lived the life of fast cars, fast women, and fast money in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Monte Carlo. He was forced into hiding when he broke a connected bookie from New Jersey in 1997. The loss of the Masked Prognosticator's freedom is your gain: now he gives his picks up for FREE. |
(6 April 2001) -- Well, it has come down to this. While the XFL is a hard league to figure out, I have totally run out of excuses. Last year I went 63% ats in the NFL, so I could write off going 5-6 in this league as a streak of bad luck. But frankly 4-7 is a complete disgrace. Even my cat could pick games better than this.
That is why I am not making one selection This week. Nope.
Not one.
BUT FOUR! That's right XFLers . . . WERE GOING FOR BROKE!
New York -2 at BIRMINGHAM
Only in the XFL can you talk about a team with a .333 winning percentage contending for the playoffs- with one game left in the season!
The crew that resembles that remark is the "Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight", the New York-New Jersey Hitmen, lead by their coach, the Crapo di tutti Crapo, Rusty Tillman.
I do have to hand one thing to Rusty. Despite all the Hitmen failures and all of Boss Tillman's misdirected "orders", the Hitmen never have quit this season. Choked? About six times. But quit? Not really.
And we have a feeling they haven't said uncle yet as they march into Birmingham as road favorites for the first time this season.
Road favorites have fallen from 7-1 to 7-5 ats in the XFL. Part of that equation are XFL teams going 0-3 ats vs. division opponents as RFs over the past 2 weeks, going 3-5 ats in that role this season. We have some grave reservations about the 3-6 Hitmen being road favorites against ANYBODY, though they are 3-1 ats on the road.
Last week the Hitmen lost a heart breaker to Chicago in what many have called the most thrilling game of the year. Now, with a loss, they are out of the playoffs. With a win, they go to their dressing rooms and watch as Chicago plays Orlando. If Chicago loses, then point differential will become the tie breaker. Right now the Hitmen lead in that department by 5 points.
This squad knows why they are in Birmingham. To win, and blow out the Bolts by as many points as possible. If the Bolts have any shred of pride left this season, they won't let that happen. But why do we have the feeling the demoralized Bolts just want to go home, $2500 or not? Even if NY doesn't punk Birmingham, with what is at stake, the 2 points is a doable cover.
If it weren't for us being 4-7 ats, we would tell you to stay away from this game. But desperate times call for desperate action:
SELECTION: NEW YORK -2 OVER BIRMINGHAM
Orlando PICK at CHICAGO
Trivia question: which XFL team was posted as a league low 15-1 to win the XFL title before the season started?
All that is forgotten as the Chicago Enforcers have truly become the XFL Cinderella story. And what a way to finish the fairy tale by wrapping up the XFL regular season with a win over the team that was favored as one of the two teams to win it all, the Orlando Rage?
A NY-NJ win would set up an exciting Orlando-Chicago scenario Sunday night. Correct me if my math is off, but even if New York beats the Bolts they will be ahead by 6 bones for the tie breaker, so Chicago must beat Orlando anyway. Orlando is the better team, but let's face it: they can write their ticket. They have the season wrapped up, and my suspicion is many of the Rage players just want to save themselves for a shot at the million dollars.
I can't believe I'm saying this. 4-7 ats records make people do unusual things. Take the team with more reason to win, making our
SELECTION: CHICAGO OVER ORLANDO.
San Francisco -6 at L.A.
Los Angeles has revenge on its mind for a cheesy last minute loss to the Demons in Game 1, but all that is forgotten as there is more at stake: the Western Division title. The winner of this game gets to host Chicago or New York next week in the playoffs; the loser has the unenviable task of traveling to Orlando.
We would like Los Angeles with a shorter line, but because of what is at stake, we have to take the Demons. We are going against the XFL system of 90% plus straight up winners covering, and tell you that we think the Xtreme will win the game. With what is at stake it could be lot closer than by a touchdown though.
SELECTION: SF +6 OVER L.A.
Memphis +4 ½ at LAS VEGAS
We have the million-dollar bowl. Then we have the $2500 Pathetic Loser Bowl (like I can talk). Because that's all that will be at stake in the first ever XFL game with zero playoff implications whatsoever.
I
guess the XFL is clever in guaranteeing two teams from each
division a playoff spot in that it keeps even bad teams in the
hunt until at least Week 9. However it will be a bit unfair
if Chicago and New York both finish 4-6 while one of these teams
won't
make the playoffs even when they finish 5-5.
What does that have to do with the spread? Nothing. This game is worthless. I'd like to be politically correct and do my best Jim Ross impression and say both teams will be playing for pride and the love of the game, but let's be honest with ourselves! With the future of this league in jeopardy, there will be 80 players on that field just looking to not go injured and ruin their chances of a shot at NFL training camp.
SELECTION: LAS VEGAS -4 ½ OVER MEMPHIS