Bet the House on the Boldin Props

Short answer, yes - I'm still gambling. Long answer, we don't have enough time or space to dissect what I will be gambling on this weekend for the Super Bowl. Those who know me well enough, will know I'll be walking around with and excel Spreadsheet tracking my wagers come Sunday. Oh, the glory and agony. However, cut me some slack for shit sakes - it's the Super Bowl!

That said, I'm here to dish out the easiest ticket on the board. (Disclaimer: I must pre-apologize to Anquan Boldin, his family and his agent for a jinx I'm 'bout to lay down). Moving on, bet the friggin' one house on Mr. Boldin prop bets. Wait...what, but do you -- YES. Yes, I know who Larry Fitzgerald is and yes, I know Boldin went out like a bitch after his team won the NFC trophy last year (or it at least it seems that long ago).

Hear me out on this one. Um, Boldin was and still is a very capable #1 option at the WR position. His nagging hamstring injury "appears" repeat that, appears to be healed. Yes, Boldin was leading the league in just about every statistical category at the position before he had his face caved in against the Jets.

So, maybe dude pouted a bit, because his buddy Fitty broke the chains of obscurity and has become the sex pot of America's newest sports hero this week. Fitty is christ and Boldin is Judas, that's just the breaks bud, break it up, break it up, break down. And that's exactly what Boldin has done over the course of the past month. He's not been healthy and is burning for his own spotlight. Can you blame the guy? He's been a stud WR for a shitty team and then they finally start winning, he's hurt and everyone thinks he's an asshole.

That my friends smells like a huge "chip on the 'ole shoulder" game from Boldin come this Sunday. Oh yeah, and I think the Steelers and their "dominate" defense, might just might, focus a lot on Fitty. Ya think? This leaves the door open for a big, big day for another Cardinals WR. My best guess says it ain't gonna be Steve Breaston. Rather, it's gonna be Boldin trying to prove all the doubters wrong.

Yup, I'll take the +140 Boldin scores a TD, the over 5 receptions and the over 68 yards receiving. Thank you. Let's face it, the Cardinals are gonna need to air it out to have a shot. My guess is that the Steelers decide Fitty ain't gonna beat them. That's all folks - enjoy the game, but remember my tip when you see Boldin shredding it up for some garbage time production.

Cheers.

Goran Suton is Awkward

Oh, the moves, the spin, the kiss off the glass, the low-post presence, the agility, the balance, the charisma, the heart, the passion, the soul, the soft jumper, the all encompassing dominance that is Goran Sutton. Wait, who? What? Goran "fucking" Suton...bro, Michigan State Spartans. Haven’t seen him? Haven’t heard of him? Well, tune your TV sets and watch him dissect and dismantle all the Big 10.

Think I’m crazy? Don’t think it’s possible? Well, we were able to snag 30 “fictional” seconds with the Bosnian native, as he continues to guide Michigan State to a Big 10 Championship.

Ghosts: Goran, would the game against North Carolina been any different had you played?

Suton: I feel sorry for your mother.

Ghosts: Thanks. So, you would've put the clamps on Tyler Hansbrough?

Suton: He's a bitch, slow white bitch. I’ll eat dead baby.

Ghosts: Damn dude, you’re pissed off aren’t you?

Suton: تهشم كرات

Ghosts: What the? Ease up; please explain what you just said.

Suton: Crush Balls.

Ghosts: Izzo says you’re tough as nails.

Suton: Fucking Warrior.

Ghosts: Well, what happened against Northwestern then? That one Kevin Coble dude looked like Larry "fucking" Bird.

Suton: Wigger.

Ghosts: What? OK, any predictions moving forward for the season?

Suton: Blood.

2008 Sports Word of the Year: the Nominees Please

Following right along on 2007's coattails, the American Dialect again chose it's word of the year from the numerous overused utterances regarding the economic downturn. After choosing "subprime" in 2007, the 2008 word of the year is "bailout." I'm happy to say that in a previous debate with my wife, I called this one above other strong entries like "plumber," "credit crunch," "hope," "change," "maverick," and "pwned." For the record, I still have no idea why youthful hipsters are such fans of "pwned," but I guess at age 31, it's time to stop trying.

Anyway, more to the point, today we wanted to start up our own little contest for the 2008 sports word of the year. At this point, we'll throw a few out of our own, but more importantly, we would like to ask for your nominations. Assuming we actually get some, we'll open it up for voting on Friday of this week (that means get those nominations in by Thursday) and determine the 2008 Sports Word of the Year.

Here's a few of our nominees:

1) Wildcat

2) Gold

3) Penetration

4) Gunslinger

5) Bissinger

6) Character

7) Dagger

8) Safety (as in gun)

9) Bolt

10) Swagger

This Is Incredible

Becoming a Better You

Here's an oldie, but goodie...

The world of professional sports is not everything it seems. One minute it's fast cars and fast women, the next it's paparazzi, illegitimate children, and pesky bloggers. It's not always all it's cracked up to be. Day after day, we hear stories about our favorite athletes falling on hard times, but as usual, we are here to help. We have searched high and low to provide some of today's troubled sports professionals recommendations for self help books that will help them get through their hard times. Hope it helps, guys.

Scott Boras - Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want
Don't fret, Scott. Just because A-Rod left you waiting to pay the tab at Dave & Buster's while he snuck away to make a deal with the Steinbrenners, this book will sharpen those once keen negotiating skills and get you back up to snuff. Just remember, "If this
[points to heart] is empty, this [points to head] doesn't matter."

Ricky Williams - Five Simple Steps to Emotional Healing

1) Take an empty two liter bottle and cut in half
2) Fill the bathtub with water
3) Poke a hole in the cap of the bottle, take the slide from your bong, carefully install it in the cap and pack it with herb
4) Submerge the two liter, light the herb, and slowly lift the bottle up out of the eater (stop before it completely leaves the water though).
5) Remove the cap, place your mouth on the cap, push the bottle in the water, and inhale.

Lloyd Carr - How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Lloyd, this is your key to a relaxing retirement. Buy yourself a nice bass boat, some Miller High Life, and some Bob Marley. You won't even remember the meaning of the word "hot seat."

Marvin Lewis - How to Find the Best Lawyers

Look, some things are certain: KFC gives you gas; Taco Bell gives you diarrhea; and the Cincinnati Bengals will always get arrested. I believe the tally was nine arrests in past two years last I checked. Well, just like a wise man takes Immodium AD before a trip to Taco Bell, it's time to start thinking about preventative maintenance, coach.

Matt Millen - How an Idiot Writes a Self-Help Book

Lose three more games this season and I'll buy you this book. Let's face it, Matt. If the Lions blow a 6-2 start and come up short of even a wildcard bid, you are going to be in the market for a career change.

John Edward Thomas Moynahan - Happy to Be Me (AKid's Book about Self-Esteem)

Don't worry, John. The kids are just picking on you, because nobody likes teams from Boston. By the time you are 5, you will have played both "pacifier" with Suri Cruise and "John's In Charge" with Kalyn Baio.

Mike Williams - Get Out of Your Own Way

You have two choices, Mike. It's either sign on as the door man at the 40-40 Club or stop making sweet love to Little Debbie. This book should help you on that uphill battle to lose the love handles, but in the meantime, you might consider learning how to block, because I see Tight End in your immediate future.

Suzy Kolber - Don't Just Sit There: A True Account of a Frightening Experience and a Self-Help Book for Women

If a drunk Joe Namath professing his desires to you on the air during the Super Bowl doesn't classify as a frightening experience, I don't know what does. Not to mention, she had to work the Monday Night game this week, which ended in a 3-0 human highlight reel. Suzy, reading this might do you some good after all you've been through. I'm not so sure what this book is advocating with that knife though, so you didn't hear it from me..

Eli Manning - Awaken the Giant Within

It's about time to stick it to all the naysayers and show everyone that you can lead this team. If Tony Robbins can turn Lothar of the Hillpeople in Gwenyth Paltrow, surely he can make you a better passer... Or if nothing else, at least tell Tiki Barber to quit yapping.

Lawrence Phillips - Anger Management for Dummies

How about that blast from the past? Lawrence Phillips is one of the greatest collegiate running backs of the generation. Remember Nebraska? Well, if they would have only got a hold of this book, everything would have been different. Phillips would be a star, players would still go to Nebraska, the trophy room would be full of national championships, and they might even have a coach. Always known for his anger issues, Phillips tried to run over three teenagers in his car over a pickup football game, has been charged with child abuse, and recently stood trial for 7 counts of assault with a deadly weapon. So it goes.

Best Supporting Actors

Sorry the Ghosts site sucks so bad these days, but we do have a couple cool things going on elsewhere. First off, Hidden Track is nominated for Best Music Blog in the Weblog Awards and we're wrecking shit in first place over some big guns like Stereogum and Idolator. If you feel so compelled, we'd love a vote...

Vote for Hidden Track

Also, our AOL Fantasy Fanhouse Blog is also nominated for three awards by some sort of fantasy football award giving authoritarian. We're a finalist for three FTSA (fantasy sports trade association) Awards --- best new fantasy site, best fantasy blog, and best fantasy live event or contest (Tailgate). We're definitely gonna win that live event one. Our leader, Tom Herrera is headed to Vegas to collect our bounty and rub it in the faces of ESPN, Rotowire, and CBS Sports.

The Hurley Highlight Reel

It's almost time folks. The countdown is to Lost is back on!

Any good Lost fan has their clear alliances to certain characters. The ladies like Sawyer, the gays like Jack, and well, nobody likes Claire. Over the course of the last 3 seasons, my alliances have shifted quite drastically. At first, I was pretty down with Charlie, but he metamorphed into a raging vagina and he simply couldn’t die soon enough. Sayid has remained solid through and through, but his inconsistent airtime makes him a little hard to follow, but the one who never lets me down is Hurley. The man has done nothing but kick ass since day one against all odds. None of the cool people on the island want to give him any credit and a crunch time go-to-guy, but he always comes up big. Well today, Hurley gets his dues. We’re throwing together a haphazard tribute to the great moments of Hugo “Hurley” Reyes.

Hurley jumpstarts the VW

When everyone else was too scared; when nobody thought it could be done; when nobody believed it would start; when arms are sore - Hurley stepped up and did the unthinkable. He mustered up the courage to make his own luck. There is no curse… Fade up the gay Three Dog Night tune, because this baby runs!

The only thing that pisses me off about this scene is they should have had some Comfortably Numb or a '77 Eyes of the World playing in that heady ride.



Hurley Wrecks Shit in the VW

You thought the original VW scene was a strong feel good Hurley moment? Ha. This is maybe the most inspirational, goosebump inducing moment in Lost history. Just when it looks like the big rendevouz with the others has gone terribly awry, Hurley runs them down in his Vdub like he’s Jerome Bettis.



The Inspirational Cannonball

The weirdness award goes to… Hurley. I don’t even know what the hell this is about, but it’s damn funny. Hurley gets all emotional as it appears they are soon to be rescued and realizes that he hasn’t done a single cannonball the whole time they have been on the island. Unfortunately, it seems that all of the good real clips that illustrate the true oddity of this scene have been taken down, but here’s a nice mash up of it. I couldn’t some it up better than the title of one of the Spanish versions of this scene on youtube titled, “Hurley provoca un tsunami.”



Dip That Shit in Ranch, Son

Last but not least, another proud moment in Hurley’s island adventures occurred when the writers had to write in a plot line about Hurley sneaking food and dipping everything in ranch dressing, because he clearly gained about 40 pounds in the first month on the island. Again, the folks at ABC have stolen all the clips from youtube, so the best we could come up with is this strong tribute.