The talk in late September was that the BlogDog was washed up.
After finishing 2007 on an 0-2 skid, he opened 2008 a mediocre 2-2.
But as the great ones always seem to do, Norm raised his game when things looked bleak.
First, he picked an underdog Navy team to beat Air Force at Falcon Stadium by nine. Navy won by six.
Then he took Air Force to beat San Diego State. Norm’s score: 31-17. Actual score: 35-10.
He followed those up by picking Air Force to beat UNLV and New Mexico in close ones. Check and check.
Talk about going from the dog house (no offense, buddy) to the penthouse. Norm is rolling, having hit four picks in a row, and his spirits are high. As those who followed the blog last season know, The BlogDog digs rap music. And when I walked into the living room tonight I found him nodding along to Kanye West’s “The Good Life.” (Lyrics adjusted for Norm)
It’s the good life, better than the life I live,
When I thought that I was gonna go cra-zay.
And now the BlogWife ain’t the only girl callin’ me bay-bay.
And if you feelin’ me now, then put your paws up to the sky. …
Nothing wrong with cranking some rap to get fired up. But did the BlogDog get too fired up? Listen closely in the video below and you can hear some growling before his final pick. And, I’ve got to admit, Norm was very noncommittal.
Now, typically, Norm makes his pick by choosing between a mini-replica Air Force helmet and the mini-replica helmet of the opponent the Falcons are facing that week (best of five). But because I only have helmets of Mountain West Conference teams, I had to come up with something different.
For the Navy game I had Norm pick between a plane and a boat (and that worked). So today I went shopping in search of a toy tank (attention accountants – is that a write-off?). Anyway, Norm went to the plane first, then the tank, then the tank and then the plane. His fifth and deciding pick (which you can watch in the video below) was hard to decipher as Norm pulled a move that can be described as akin to a political flip-flop (though this, more accurately, was a flip-flop-flip). He went to the tank but didn’t quite commit, then went to the plane. I thought he was going to grab the plane but then he went back to the tank and settled on it.
So here’s how I think Norm sees this game playing out: It’s back and forth and Air Force scores late in regulation to tie it at 17. Both teams kick field goals in the first overtime session. Army stops Air Force in the second session and then scores to win it, 26-20.
Norm’s Pick: Army 26, Air Force 20 (2OT)
Norm’s 2008 Season Record: 6-2
Norm’s Overall Record: 14-7
(Note: If the video doesn’t load the first time you click on it, click on it again and it should come up in a new window).
Jake,
Could Blog Dog have been confused by the airplane and tank and thought he was supposed to pick the winner of a battle rather than a football game? He might have been expecting helmets, which could explain his bizarre pick of Army for this football game.
I think the tank is definitely a write-off, but you shouldn’t expect it to make a major impact on your tax return! Nice lyrics for the Good Life, which Blog Dog obviously has!
Have Norm switch to Sinatra. It’s more contemplative, and conducive to clear thinking.
oh norm…oh norm…oh say it aint so….bummer…
Jake – I watched the video and there is a simple explanation … It’s Halloween, and the blogdog most have suspected that the helmets he usually picks from were in “costumes” as tanks and planes … Not knowing which helmet lay under each “costum” he did not want to commit to either. It all adds up – the growl before the pick was obviously his way of telling you he was confused and asking you to end what he interpreted as a charade. I don’t see how under the circumstances this can be considered a valid pick.
I think you should rub a little bacon grease on the airplane and have blogdog do it again!!!!!
Jake,
I’m curious as to Blogdog’s stats using helmets only vs. using other shapes. I would think that the helmet selection would be more scientific and controlled (especially since, by definition, the Blogdog is color blind). I think he may be thrown off by certain shapes being more appealing to his mouth. He might figure a tank or boat is easier to pick up than that weird shape with wingie-things on it.
Forger
Forger -
I’ve got to look this up. I believe that he’s 1-1 this year using the tank/plane/boat (for the Army and Navy games). And he’s 2-0 using sheets of paper (for Houston and Southern Utah).
But you’re right, we need to invest in more helmets. The helmets certainly are his wheelhouse.