Tony Calzone's Picks of the Week

Every pizza parlor has a "connected" bookie so the employees can make a little money on the side. The Pizza Parlor is no different. Meet Tony Calzone. Each week he will pick 10 football games (this week they are all college games) against the spread. Some he will explain his rationale, some games, well he could tell you, but then he'd have to kill you. So for the first week of the College Football season, Tony likes:

Bowling Green (+2) over Wisconsin- Tony likes Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon as a coaching candidate in the Big 10 next year. Possibly Wisconsin. If this is his audition, the job could be his.

Georgia(-7) over Boise State- Tony's never been to Georgia or Boise, but he sees the Broncos competing for three quarters, with Georgia sneaking a cover late in the 4th. He's rooting for Boise State though, as is everybody with a soul.

Wyoming(+23)over Florida- Urban Meyer's debut at the Swamp should be exciting, but Tony can't lay off 23 points for a former Mountain West foe in the TPPPPS25.

Pittsburgh(-3)over Notre Dame- Tyler Palko will be cursing as if he was a member of the Calzone family after Pittsburgh ruins Charlie Weis' debut by blowing out the Irish.

West Virginia(+1 ½ )over Syracuse- Tony is mildly excited about the Greg Robinson era but knows that winning is an attitude, the Mountaineers have speed, and Syracuse is still Syracuse.

Miami(-3)over Florida State- Tony's inside guy in Vegas thought this line was funny, get it, wide right or wide left being the difference. Chances are the Miami Cornerbacks will be thanking God for their victory as this shouldn't be that close.

Tony also is picking:

Virginia Tech (-4)over N.C. State
Texas A&M(-1) over Clemson
Memphis(-2 ½ ) over Mississippi
Hawaii (+34 ½) over USC

Boise State vs. Georgia, Saturday 5:30 on ESPN

This Saturday's premiere college football matchup is a contest the likes of which fans have been waiting for for years. WAC Champion Boise State travels between the hedges to take on SEC powerhouse Georgia in a classic David vs. Goliath contest.

Nobody knows Mid-Major college football coaches like my friend and New York Times college football beat writer Pete Thamel. For a profile on Boise State Head Coach Dan Hawkins click the link below.
Article from NY Times

Large Meatball: Derek's Workout Plan Phase 1

While I question, whether or not anyone that's seen me would make it their life's work to look like me, I think I am on one of the best workouts ever constructed. Men's Health magazine came up with it a couple years ago. It is meant to increase strength and tone muscle. Do light weights and run a half hour everyday or an hour on your off lifting days if you care about the numbers on your scale. Otherwise Phase 1 is a basic strength building workout which lasts 8 weeks. Click below and see results.

Phase 1: Iron Manual

Daily Slice: Where's the Cheap Gas?

If you're like me and have to drive to work. Gas prices have you about as despondent as Vincent Chase after being dumped by Mandy Moore. As a service to my readers, use this site to find the cheapest gas in your town.

Gas Price Watch

Daily Slice: Bellhorn a Yankee

"They Choke Well, They Fight Well, players want to be paid double just to play there! Last time I checked, they have Alan Embree and Mark Bellhorn. Quite Frankly, that's all you need"
-WEEI 'Whiner Line' Caller August 30, 2005

I must say though I am disappointed in the Yankeefication of Bellhorn. It's become fun to see former 'Dirt Dogs' become clean cut under George Steinbrenner's (and Willie Randolph's) edict. Apparently Bellhorn's pretty locks have been spared in the short term.

Daily Slice: SU Unveils New Logo

After hours of focus group feedback, pages of poll research, and the auditioning of the works of some of the finest graphic designers from around the world. Syracuse University unveiled a new athletic logo....


Wow.

The Annotated Pizza Parlor: College Football Edition

It's time to break down Derek's College Football Preview, and a tie up a couple loose ends.

The set-up: Boston College has no obvious rivals in its new conference, the ACC.
The quip: I can't promise a "Clemson Sucks, Whitehurst Swallows" t-shirt.
The read: Clemson is led by quarterback Charlie Whitehurst. Derek, a Red Sox fan, owns a T-shirt that says "Yankees Suck, Jeter Swallows." He owns that t-shirt, he did not "borrow" it from me.

The set-up: Florida State had a rough off-season.
The quip: Then the starting quarterback jumped on a hood of a car calling himself "God."
The read: FSU QB Wyatt Sexton was found lying in the street. He then told police has was either God, or the son of God. Now he has Lyme Disease. The last time Lyme Disease was used as an excuse for erratic behavior it led to Irene leaving the house and Stephen smacking her in the face on "Real World: Seattle."

The set-up: Virginia Tech's season relies on its young quarterback Marcus Vick, brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Mike Vick.
The quip: Marcus Mexico.
The read: Mike Vick made headlines when an ex-girlfriend sued him, alleging he gave her herpes. She also claimed that Vick used the alias Ron Mexico on his herpes tests.

The set-up: Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer
The quip: Frank "Lollipop, lollipop, OH OH OH LOLLIPOP!"
The read: In 2001, Beamer accused the Syracuse holder of using a lollipop stick on the field to give the kicker an unfair advantage.

The set-up: Derek picks Michigan to finish #2 in the country and win the Big Ten.
The quip: Sorry, Daren.
The read: Derek's brother, Daren, graduated from the Ohio State University. He hates Michigan. He loves gymnastics, the Civil War and red hair.

The set-up: Louisville-West Virginia is Derek's game of the week for October 15.
The quip: No Francisco Garcia, no Kevin Pittsnogle.
The read: Louisville and West Virginia played a great game in the NCAA basketball tournament. Garcia and Pittsnogle led their teams. Pittsnogle is a great player who has made an amazing transformation. As a freshman, Pittsnogle was a skinny 6-10 center who was too timid and would only play from the outside. He looked about 10 years old, and wore a t-shirt under his jersey. Sometime over those two years he hit puberty. He grew a goatee, ditched the t-shirt and exposed his guns and his huge tattoo. Now he bangs inside, drains threes and pounds his chest.

The set-up: Manny Ramirez asks to be traded from the Red Sox.
The quip: The entire fantasy trade deadline column.
The read: It would take forever to go over every reference in this column. Suffice it to say, cooking wins championships.