Abby Roux

Abby Picks, Year 4, Week 10

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

When you’re hot, you’re hot.  And, through nine weeks Abby is en fuego.

As November rolls in her record stands at 33 wins and 23 losses, and 51 impressive bones won versus only 32 lost.  And, hopefully, her hunch won you a bunch last week.  It stands tall at 7-1.

Hopefully, she didn’t spend too much time patting (pawing) herself on the back this past week.  In the handicapping business you’re only as good as your next pick.

Week 10 is upon us.  But be wary.  There are plenty of double-digit lines, big road favorites, and trap games.  Abby’s playing it close to the dog vest.  Bet too much this week on a game and you might need some hair of the dog on Sunday.

  1. Army at Air Force -2 1/2 — Abby thanks all for their service, including service dogs.  The game, rightfully so is a tossup.  She’ll take the high elevation home-field advantage along with a stout D.  One bone.
  2. NC State at Florida St +3 and Clemson -4 at Louisville — It’s a parlay reminiscent of the old days of the ACC when there were Tigers and Seminoles and not much else.  Two bones to win six bones.
  3. Houston -13 at South Florida — Like mentioned above, when your hot, you’re hot.  It’s hot temperature-wise in Tampa, but the Cougars are even hotter.   Abby’s been riding the hot hand of Dana Holgerson. Houston covers late.  One bone.
  4. Wake Forest at North Carolina +2 1/2 — It feels like the line is off a good bit here.  Vegas wants you on the WF side.  Abby, as you know, likes to zig when others zag.  One bone.
  5. Liberty at Ole Miss over 67 — A point a minute plus a touchdown is plenty of scoreboard action.  Ole Lane and Hugh are going to pull out all of the stops.  One bone.
  6. Baylor at TCU + 6 1/2 — The steady hand at the wheel is Dave Aranda for Baylor.  The steady hand that was at the TCU wheel for 20 years was Gary Patterson.  Abby hates cats but loves dead cat bounces.  One bone.
  7. Michigan St at Purdue +3 — It feels like the line is a good bit off here, part two.  Purdue took down then #2 Iowa in Iowa after a big win last month.  Now, the Spartans hit the road in a similar situation.  Buyer beware.  One bone.
  8. LSU at Alabama – 28 1/2 —  Two years ago Coach O made much over the win in Tuscaloosa over Alabama.  Maybe too much.  WIll St. Nick have mercy on O’s soul?  He might in the fourth quarter, but by then it’ll be 49-10.  Two bones.

The Air Force v. Army game in Colorado is an early Saturday kickoff.  The over/under is a crazy low 37 1/2.  On a crazy hunch, Abby likes the under.

Ten bones wagered to win sixteen.

Four chalks, four dogs, six home teams, two road warriors, one parlay, one over, one under.

Woof!

 

 

 

Abby Picks, Year 4 Week 9

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Last week Abby was downright crabby.

Coming off of only her second losing week in eight was one thing.  But, labor shortages in her department are another.

This lack of staffing caused a deadline error that accidentally omitted her hunch bet.  She won, but it doesn’t count if it’s not published.

Regardless, she had a week to let the canine teeth shine right through her smile.  For the season the won-loss is 27 up and 21 down.  The bones for are a tasty 42 v 29.  The hunch bet sat in timeout and is 6-1.

To the picks she goes.

  1. Iowa at Wisconsin -3 —  Abby’s been on Whisky (too much isn’t good) for three weeks.  Others gave up the bottle and on Paul Chryst too early.  Time for another Saturday happy hour.   One bone.
  2.  Michigan -4 1/2 at Michigan St.  — Big brother is coming to East Lansing to teach little brother who is the boss of the state. The Spartans are undefeated, but their wins are against teams with names like Rutgers, Little Sisters of the Poor, and Western Kentucky.  This one won’t be too close.  Two bones.
  3.  Miami Fla +10 at Pittsburgh —  The Hurricanes aren’t very good.  Pitt is pretty good but like Sparty, they haven’t played much of a schedule.  Abby likes this one, but doesn’t love it.  One bone.
  4. Florida St at Clemson -9 1/2 –Dabo is due for a good game.   Can his offense outscore anyone by 10?  When the sky looks like it’s falling, Abby smells a zig on a zag.  One bone.
  5. Washington St + 16 at Arizona St.– Are the Sun Devils good enough to be favored by 16 over anyone?  The Cougars aren’t too good, but she sniffs a backdoor cover.  Call it about 38-24.  One bone.
  6. Kentucky at Mississippi St -1 —  This line looks like the wrong team is favored to Abby.  Shouldn’t the Bulldogs be the underdog against a 6-1 opponent with pelts like Florida and LSU on the wall?   Upon further review, it isn’t.  Three bones.  And, P.S.  It’s Halloween, and Mike Leach still hates candy corn.  Enjoy forty-five seconds of YouTube gold.
  7. Penn St at THE -18 1/2 —  Jeez that’s a lot of points given.  Not enough.  THE has to win out convincingly to finish in the final four.   One bone.
  8. SMU at Houston Pick it — Two Cougars in one week?  Yes.  Pick them she will.  Two bones.

Auburn squares off at home vs Ole Miss.  The over/ under is 66 1/2.  It seems low considering the scoring prowess of Ole Miss and as well as their leaky defense.  Somehow it stays under on a hunch.

Five favorites, two dogs, one pick it, and no candy corn.

Woof!

 

 

 

 

Abby Picks, Year 4 Week 8

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Skunked!  Well not totally, but Abby’s picks stunk at a minimum last week.

The only thing you can do when a dog gets skunked is to wash her down with some tomato juice and hope that it doesn’t happen again.

Luckily she has a lot of padding on her paws to cushion the 2-6 performance last week.  Overall she’s 24-18 in the won/loss column, 37-26 in bones, and the hunch bet won to bring that year long to a solid 6-1.

Moving along.

  1. Memphis -2 at UCF — In a Friday night coin flip game take the better team on the road and hope they can win at the very end of what will be a back and forth game.  One bone.
  2. Texas St at Georgia St -10 1/2 and Colorado at California – 8 — Two lines caught Abby’s eyes this week that looked like weird outliers v the teams’ performance to date.  Georgia St and California have no business being big favorites in these games.  So, Abby says take them in a parlay.  One bone to win three bones.
  3.  Oregon +1 at UCLA — Abby’s going with the better team on the road again in another coin flip game.  Cristobal is an under-the-radar, underrated coach.  One bone.
  4. Mississippi St at Vanderbilt +21 —  Vandy is not good and that’s being polite.  If Miss St loses this game Mike Leach will be called not good and that’s being polite.  He won’t, but the Bulldogs won’t cover either.  One bone.
  5. LSU ML at Ole Miss —  Who knows if LSU will play for themselves or come out dead flat with the Coach O news this week?  Abby doesn’t love LSU to win but loves the value in the bet.  One bone to win three bones.
  6. USC at Notre Dame -6 1/2 — For the third time the bet is the better team but this time ND is the home team.  Expect it close for three quarters then the Irish pour it on.  One bone.

Six bones to win ten, four chalks, three dogs, and one big can of tomato juice.

Woof!

 

Abby Picks, Year 4, Week 7

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Back in the late 70s, Reggie Jackson earned the moniker Mr. October for his assassin-like clutch playoff hitting.  A few(very few)Vegas watchers are beginning to wonder if Abby is on her way in the 20s to earning the nickname Ms. October for her assassin-like assault on the NCAA betting lines.

Another strong week brings the season she’s stacking up to 22 wins against 15 losses while winning 35 tasty bones and losing 18.  Her hunch bet lost last week, so that tally stands at 5-1.

Stay humble, we constantly remind her, as the Vegas Penthouse and the Vegas Outhouse accommodations are just one week’s reservations apart.

  1. Clemson -13 at Syracuse —  Abby’s been off of a down Clemson year.  But she thinks these Tigers get a dead cat bounce up north.  One bone.
  2.  Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech +5 1/2 —  This looks like a very live home dog.  The ML is tempting for a straight-up win as well, but give her the points.  One bone.
  3. Michigan St at Indiana +4 1/2 —  The Spartans have been playing winning football all year.  Indiana is a bit of a disappointment vs expectations.  Saturday the script flips.  One bone.
  4. Army at Wisconsin -14 — Abby barked for Army three weeks in a row.  She’s fading them now.  Whisky did her right a week ago, and she’s back for another round.  Two bones.
  5. Arizona St pick at Utah — What goes up and down more than a yoyo?  A Sun Devil.  Abby likes the Utes at home.  One bone.
  6. Oklahoma St at Texas -4 — The loser of last week’s epic Red River Showdown throws down.  Abby likes this one so much it scares her a bit.  Three bones.
  7. TCU at Oklahoma -13 1/2 — The winner of last week’s epic Red River Showdown might be in for a letdown.  A back door (or doggy door) cover is possible.  Nonetheless, Okie can score points in bunches.  One bone.

Mississippi can score points in bunches, too.  But the over/under at Rocky Top is 83 1/2.  On a strong hunch, Abby likes the under.  She also likes the Tennessee blue tick hound.

Four chalks, one pick, and two dogs.  It’s a bit against the norm.

Woof.

 

Abby Bets, Year 4, Week 6

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Rare is the Saturday that you take Vegas’ lunch money, but last weekend Abby did just that.

Rare was the steak that she bought and devoured enjoying her doggone good picking prowess.  That pushed her performance season to date to 18 wins and 11 losses, 28 bones won versus only 15 lost, and a still perfect 5-0 hunch bet result.

Even rarer would be doing it two weeks in a row.  Safety first is her motto this week as she doesn’t like chasing parked cars.

  1.  Arizona St -13 v Stanford and Washington St +3 1/2 v Oregon St. — Our west coast parlay pairs an odd couple.  Do the Sun Devils deserve to be favored by double digits over a team that beat Oregon last week? No.  Oregon St is playing solid football and has won four in a row.  Washington St?  Not so much. The west coast has a lot of odd couples.   One bone to win three bones.
  2.  Georgia at Auburn over 47 —  Georgia has not allowed a point in two straight weeks and only 23 in five games!  Auburn’s D bends but does not break.   Therefore, forty-seven seems high.  Both are due for a defensive letdown.  One bone.
  3.  LSU +3 1/2 at Kentucky — Fire Ed Orgeron!  The offensive line is offensive!  The playcalling stinks!  Kentucky is undefeated.  They are at home.  They just whooped Florida.  This is their year.  You get the one-sided picture.  Abby loves a good zig when others zag as you may have heard before.  Two bones.
  4.  Wisconsin -11 at Illinois —  In most games, Wisconsin doesn’t even score 11 points.  But, Abby thinks the Badgers are angry and we know the Fighting Illini have little fight.  Two bones.
  5.  Oklahoma -3 1/2 v Texas — Two future SEC teams renew their annual Dallas dogfight.   The Longhorns have been playing better of late, while the Sooners have been stumbling around.  That trend reverses itself Saturday.  One bone.
  6.  Michigan at Nebraska +3 1/2 — These two fan bases have a love-hate relationship with their head coaches.  Harbaugh is going to hate it, and Frost is going to love it when Nebraska kicks a last-second field goal to win this one straight up. One bone.

Alabama takes their talents to College Station tomorrow to face a reeling Aggie group.  Abby sees a close Bama cover but likes the under 51 1/2 on a hunch.

Woof!!

 

 

 

 

Abby Picks, Year 4, Week 4

Posted on by thependulumswings staff
  1. Faithful reader number one, after reviewing Abby’s picks last Saturday night, suggested that Abby take a bow.  Bow? Wow!  Faithful reader number two suggested that a steak was in order over the normal chow.  Wow.

As Judge Smails famously told his grandson, Spaulding in Caddyshack, “you’ll get nothing and like it.” Three weeks does not make a season.  But it is a good start.  With ten wins and six losses, sixteen bones won v six lost, and the hunch bet advancing to 3-0, it’s time for week four.

  1.  Wisconsin -6 v Notre Dame —  Soldier Field is the awesome setting for this early fall midwest scrum.  Abby is so mystified by this line that she’s going 100% against her thought.  That thought is that the wrong team is favored.  One bone.
  2.  Miami OH at Army -7 —  Can the Army make it four in a row versus the spread?  They’ll give it a go.  One bone.
  3.  Florida International at Central Michigan -11 — Cent Mich ran into an angry LSU team last week.  Two weeks ago they nearly beat Missouri.  Abby expects a rebound. Two bones.
  4.  Texas Tech at Texas -8 — The much-maligned Longhorns begin what might be their final stroll through the BIG 12.  They might start slow, but talent will take over in the second half.  Two bones.
  5.  Nebraska at Michigan St. -5 — Michigan St. might well be the best team in Michigan.  Is this the year they bust through and be the best team in the BIG 10 East?  Doubtful, but if they want to they need to take care of an average foe in the Cornhuskers first.  One bone.

Five home chalks get picked by a dog that likes underdogs!

Texas A&M might have their hands full in Arlington this weekend v a surging Arkansas program.  This is strength v strength.  The Ark O line v the A&M D line.  Abby, on a hunch, likes under 47.

Woof!

Abby Picks, Year 4, Week 3

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Sometimes the tail wags the dog.  Not this dog.  Abby Roux is riding the wave.  Four total points stood between her and a perfect week two.  So it goes.  She’ll gladly take it.

The results in week two were identical to week one.  That brings the season totals to six wins v four losses, ten delicious bones won v six lost, and the hunch bet is two and oh so fine.

Week three seems tricky.  Picks follow.

  1.  Michigan St +6 1/2 at Miami —  Something about this line troubles Abby greatly.  Is the wrong team favored?  She hopes.  It’s a bit more humid in Coral Gables than in East Lansing this time of the year.  That said, take the Spartans plus six and a half for one bone and straight-up(+190) for one bone wagered to win two.
  2. Mississippi St. at Memphis +3 1/2 —  Is the wrong team favored, part two? This is the beginning of the end for Mike Leach.   The money line isn’t great, so one bone on the plus.
  3. Central Michigan at LSU -19 1/2 —  Hopefully the wrong team isn’t favored here.  LSU has done nothing in two games to inspire any confidence much less be favored by this much over a high school team.  Did we mention that Abby likes to zig when others zag?  Two bones.
  4. Arizona St – 3 1/2 at BYU —  The Sun Devils historically trip over their pitchforks in a spot like this. Herm Edwards is in year four in Tempe.  UCLA in week one, and Oregon in week two got big out of conference wins for the PAC 12.  Ariz St. does as well in week three.  One bone.
  5. Florida St +4 1/2 at Wake Forest — Nobody circles the wagons like the Seminoles, do they?  They’ll need to after a devastating loss last week to Jacksonville St.  Wall Street calls this a dead cat bounce.  Abby hates cats, so she approves of this Wall Street metaphor.  One bone.

Alabama, favored by 14 1/2, travels to Gainsville to beat Florida this Saturday.  The over/under is 60 and 1/2.  Abby thinks Bama’s D will come to play.  On a hunch, she’ll take the under.

Woof!

 

Abby Picks, Year 4, Week 2

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

While Wisconsin, Nebraska, Washington, and LSU disappointed their fan base in week one last week, Abby hit the ground like a bloodhound.  She hunted down three winners v two losers, five tasty bones up v three down, and hit her hunch.

That said you’re only as good as your next week, not your last in the gambling game.  She approaches week two cautioning herself not to overread week one.

Now, to the picks.

  1.  Western Kentucky at Army -6 –That said, Army got it done in week one.  She’s marching with the cadets again.  Either you stop their three-headed run game or you lose.  One bone.
  2. Pittsburgh at Tennessee +3 — The Volunteers and their beautiful bluetick coonhound Smokey stands their home ground.  Abby likes them straight up, but will take the three and run.  Two bones.
  3.  Buffalo at Nebraska -13 —  Scott Frost is coaching for his job.  Expect the Huskers to be hungover from the corn mash they took last week by Bielema and the Fighting Illini, but pull away in the second half.  Two bones.
  4.  Texas at Arkansas +7 — Texas pulled away impressively from U of Louisiana, formerly known as U of Louisiana Lafayette, formerly known as U of Southwestern Louisiana in Sark’s debut.  What’s in a name anyway? It’s all about the chant.
  • Raise your arms above your head during the patented (yes patented)  Hog Call, yell “Wooo” and wiggle your fingers for a few seconds.
  • Next, bring both arms straight down with fists clenched while yelling, “Pig.”
  • Then extend your right arm with the “Sooie.”
  • Repeat these steps two more times and finish by yelling.
  • Win two bones.

5.  Stanford +17 at USC —  If you look back at last week, you’d think Abby has gone doggone mad.  Did she mention that it’s important to not read too much into week one?  She’ll zig here when others zag.  One bone.

Washington travels three time zones to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines for a 7 pm kick.  Under the lights, the over/under is low at 49 points.  Abby thinks lower, and that Washington will give Michigan a battle in a field position/field goal-filled defensive struggle.  She likes under 49 on a hunch.

Woof!

 

 

Abby Takes Down the NFL

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Abby was taking some grief down at the doggie parlor yesterday morning.   Enough already, she barked.  Growing tired of getting hounded about her refusal to allow her expertise in NCAA football to bare its teeth in the NFL, she relented.

So, with her winter coat coiffed just so, here are the picks that you can bank that will make your stimulus check look like the measly dog treat that it is.

LA Rams at Green Bay -6 and 1/2–  The most important benefit to getting the no. one seed in the NFL playoffs is actually two-fold.  One, at the most important time you get a week off to heal your aching bones.  Two, you get to stay home and tackle a team that just laid it all out there the week before and now must travel.  The Rams have the best D in the NFL.  The Packers statistically have the best O.  In these days and times great O beats great D, especially if it’s on the frozen tundra.

          Baltimore + 2 and 1/2 at Buffalo – Buffalo will be a tough home team out.  They’re more talented 1-45 than most people realize.  And, they are having fun and playing loose.  Abby says that Lamar Jackson will make just one more big play than Josh Allen.

          Cleveland +10 at Kansas City – No one believes in the Browns except their fans.   The Chiefs’ last six games have been decided by 6 points or less.  They’ve won all six.  Cleveland is playing much like Buffalo.  They’re having fun.  Ole’ Andy Reid will dial up a special play for Mahomes and the Browns will lose a heartbreaker to add to the lore of being the Browns, but expect a cover.  Double-digit NFL dogs have a way of doing that.

Tampa Bay v New Orleans -3 –  It’s well-known that the Saints view this year as Super Bowl or bust.  They haven’t lived up to their season-long excellence in the last three years in bad playoff losses.  The Bucs are playing better than they have all year and it’s tough to beat a team three times in one year as the Saints will need to do.  It’s also tough to beat Tom Brady.  But, this is Brees’ last year and the Saints D will gift wrap him a win late.

As a public service announcement please know that Abby wore a mask and socially distanced at all times at the parlor.

 

 

Abby Takes Down Vegas, Yr 3, Wk 13

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Like the calendar year of 2020 that began with so much promise, Abby’s picking prowess ran hot for a while.  Unfortunately, three straight weeks of average to below have sunk the season longs to a dog paddle slightly below water level.

For the season the won/loss/tie sits at 30-34-1.  The money bones are up 50-47, though that’s now a bit on the bookies’ side when the juice is factored in.  The hunch bet continues a stock market like turnaround.  Once at 1-4, it’s now at 5-4.  Staff members rejected the suggestion this week to rename it the Tesla/Netflix bet.

It’s conference championship week.   Abby’s going to wait a week to start the NFL picks.

  1.  The Alabama Coronation Ball, aka the SEC Championship, pits Florida with Pitts dressing out this week against the Tide L Wave Goodbye to the Competition.  Alabama will win, it’s only a question of how many.  Abby likes a sneaky under 74 and 1/2.  Two bones.
  2.  UAB v Marshall -5 1/2 – Conference USA, with more stones than the Big 10 and PAC 12 played a near-full slate of games in this year of the COVID-19. Heck, they even started sooner than the SEC.  Marshall led the herd, and the Thundering Herd will cover this evening in Abby’s Friday Night special.  It should be noted that she took Arizona +11 v Arizona St last Friday night in a Sun Devil 70-7 win, but we digress.   One bone.
  3.  USC v Oregon under 65 – Oregon is filling in for Washington in the PAC 12 Championship Game.  Isn’t that fitting?  The league that couldn’t start, then did, can’t finish without a hitch either.  And, give her Oregon(+3) as an outright win would not surprise. Two bone parlay to win six.
  4.  Minnesota at Wisconsin -12 and 1/2 –  This line makes no doggone sense to Abby.  None.  The Badgers have scored a total of 20 points in their last three contests, or roughly Bama’s average on its first three drives weekly.  The winner of the game receives Paul Bunyan’s Axe, a tradition that started in 1948 after the first trophy, the Slab of Bacon, disappeared after the 1943 game when the Badgers were meant to turn it over to the Golden Gophers.  Inexplicably Abby likes Whiskey (so does her grandfather, but we digress again) to cover.  Two bones.
  5. Illinois at Penn St -15 – We repeat.  This line makes no doggone sense to Abby.  Could the Fighting Illini get the old dead cat bounce?  Lovie Smith is loved no more in Champaign.  Abby has a strong dislike for cats dead or alive, but you have to pick one.  Take the Nittany Lions.  Two bones.
  6. Clemson -10 1/2 v Notre Dame – This line screams “take ND.”  In the rematch, much is at stake for the Tigers.   A late cover it is.   One bone.  If you’re looking for value in the game ND on the ML is +300.

Texas A&M has a lot to play for v Tennessee Saturday.  A Clemson loss would put them in the final four.  THE has a lot to play for v Northwestern in the Big 10 Championship.  A win likely will put them in the final four.  On a hunch, bet both Tennessee plus 14 and 1/2 and under 56 and 1/2 in the Northwestern v. THE game.  Abby expects the Aggies to win but not cover.  She also expects THE to work Northwestern, but not over the total.   These are two separate hunch bets.

Woof!