Tag Archives: LSU

College, Football, Picks

Pick It Standings 2011 Week 09: Waking Up From The Candy Coma

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Yesterday was rough for me.  I didn’t expect to go into work to load up on candy, but I’ll be damned if the nice people I work with had loads of candy for me to nom on.  I skipped lunch entirely all because of it.  Some solid food found its way in my belly later on in the night, but it was no use.  The sugar shock went to major crash and I’m just waking up from the coma.  What better time than now to go over the Pick It and Stick It Standings?  There’s nothing sweet in there that I know of.

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Crib Sheet: Realignment Is Spooky

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Sometimes having this tasty looking Crib Sheet in the middle of the week can be a curse.  Sometimes it can be blessing.  It’s a little bit of both right now.  So last Friday Missouri pretty much said that they were leaving the Big 12 (again) and snuck out the back door to wash their cold feet.  This week it appears that West Virginia is leaving the Big East for the Big 12, with some contingencies attached.  I think when this is all over, everyone will have a ‘win-win’ situation, except for Kansas City.  The soul is slowly being sucked away from that town, and this kind of conference nonsense stretches that hole out for a faster escape.  I guess that’s part of why I left.  Hey, it’s all about ups and downs, blessings and cursing.  Here’s this week’s pre-Halloween creepy Crib Sheet:

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College, Football, Picks

PIck It Standings Week 08: Shake Rattle N Roll

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Yes, we have not one, but two big upsets to deal with this week in Pick It and Stick It Standings.  Unfortunately, there’s not real upsets with the picks, but with Oklahoma and Wisconsin losing there is a major reorganization in the BCS Standings.  Things are starting to unravel quickly in the tightly wound Big 12 race now that Oklahoma lost.  Unfortunately for me, that means that ESPN College GameDay won’t be in Manhattan when the Sooners take on the undefeated Kansas State Wildcats.  That’s fine because I think they play better when they are under the radar.  Much like me and my status for Pick It and Stick It.  Let’s check out the standings.

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Barspotting, College, Football

Lavaca Street Bar Was A Skee Ball

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It’s been awhile since I had to get up for the early college football game.  Last Saturday was the reprise and I’m thankful that the Lavaca Street Bar had a bloody mary bar to kick things off.  There was alot of talk about Midwestern sensibilities in the last week and I was surprised at how the Lavaca catered to that.  Speaking of the Midwest, it was Sunflower Showdown weekend and I had a front row seat, without actually being there.  Did Lavaca Street Bar handle spectating well, or did I leave sucking on some cheese curds?  Let’s find out.

Walking in, you wouldn’t suspect that Lavaca Street Bar was a big sports bar.  It’s another in a long line of sports bar that look tiny up front but huge in the back.  All around the bar, televisions lined the place.  In the back room there is a huge projector screen television as well.  The Direct TV made sure I was able to watch my team up on there.  The wireless internet is free but they had some kind of weird sign up page that made things hard to login.

The best part of Lavaca Street Bar has to be the games.  They have all the games that you need.  They have Big Buck Safari, Golden Tee, a hard punch game, Pop-A-Shot, Skee Ball, and what I think could be a pool table.  I see cue sticks but no table and I think it’s because of the bloody mary bar.  At any rate, back to the Skee Ball.  It’s a rare sight to see Skee Ball in any bar, let alone a sports bar.  If you want to set yourself from the back, get a game like that in your bar.

The service was rather sparse.  There was essentially two bartenders for the whole joint.  The female one was rather cute and the guy, well, was a guy.  We had to get up from the back a couple of times to order food and drinks.  They did come out here and there though.  The guy was nice enough to setup the whole back room for my games so I can’t dog them too much.  He also turned the light on for me when I was getting my bloody mary because the place is real dark.  Like go to sleep dark.

Now on to the beer pairing.  Lavaca touted some Midwestern specials like cheese curds and brats.  Guess what I got.  The cheese curds were good but not northern Iowa good.  I think the ones I make are better.  I chose to have Wastach Brewery’s Pumpkin Seasonal Ale with the bratwurst.  I wanted to do an Oktoberfest type ale but that was the closest thing they had on tap.  I’m so glad I chose it.  It has to be the best tasting pumpkin beer I’ve ever had.  The brat itself was tasty but everything around it was average.  The mustard, bun, sauerkraut, and even the basket was very low rent.  But hey, that’s part of the appeal.

The Sunflower Showdown was the main event for the weekend for me.  For some reason I was real scared about Kansas.  Boy was I ever wrong.  Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb has the 2nd highest passer rating in the Big 12.  He did a good job, but the rest of the team was terrible.  Meanwhile, on the other side, Kansas State’s Collin Klein put up all star numbers.  He ran for 4 touchdowns and actually threw the ball pretty well.  It helps when you are playing one of the worst defenses in FBS.  Methinks Turner Gill’s job is in serious trouble right now.

The other games were a little more competitive.  I got to watch was Missouri and Oklahoma State duke it out in Columbia.  Seeing as Missouri no longer thinks they are Midwest material, it was nice that the Cowboys beat them down.  Well, it wasn’t a beat down so to say, the Tigers kept it nice and close.  I missed out on LSU vs Auburn because I was busy Halloween shopping.  I also missed out on most of the action in the evening because I went and watched White Denim at Stubb’s.  So the first big Hail Mary of the year that put Michigan State over Wisconsin was not to be had for me.  Thanks to a lightning delay, however I watched the end of Texas Tech upsetting Oklahoma.

It has begun.  The undefeated teams are starting to drop like flies.  I still don’t know what to think about the weekend.  I certainly didn’t expect Oklahoma being the team with losses going into this weekend’s game against Kansas State. Lavaca Street Bar had a super sweet setup, even though it was too dark and you had to try real hard to get service.  The food is almost food truck level, which can be real tasty but lacking on the presentation side.  I’d recommend this place to just about anyone if they want to duck in and see some great football.  They have reserved areas for alumni groups like LSU and Wisconsin so be careful when you go.

College, Football, Picks

Pick It and Stick It 2011 Week 08: Ready, Flick, Fight!

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It’s high time to duke it out on the field for dominance on the college football landscape.  The unbeatens will dwindle down here real soon, if not this weekend, and it’s everyone team for themselves.  Please remember, however, by fighting I mean actually playing tough football.  I do not mean actually fighting the opposing players.  It seems in the last couple of weeks some players have been confused and took to fisticuffs.  Heck 41 players are suspended because of a big brawl that happened last weekend.  Please, when you go out there fight well in terms of football, not Mortal Kombat.  Now, it’s time to go over the Pick It and Stick It and look for some fatalities.  Finish Him!

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Pick It Standings 2011 Week 07: BCS Countdown is a Go

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Finally, the week has come.  That week I’m talking about is the BCS Standings Week 1.  We’ve been hemming and hawing about who’s best and who’s overrated.  Now we the dip stick to check the levels of college football awesomeness. There are some surprises and not so surprises in the fresh standings.  But we’ll get to that later.  We also have a new week of Pick It and Stick It Standings to go over.  Will Keltron3000 hold the top spot or will some young up and comer take over and turn the league upside down.  It’s too close to call so let’s check it out right now.

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Pick It and Stick It 2011 Week 07: Dripping Down the Middle

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It’s the middle of the season and we are looking completely different from where we thought we were at.  That’s okay.  That’s how college football works.  The way things changed week to week is what makes it the best sport in my mind and hopefully yours.  So will the rest of the season prove even more unpredictable?  We’ve yet to see any real upsets yet and we’re knee-deep into conference play.  So chances are the 13 or so undefeated teams will start to dwindle down.  I know this will happen because sports writers are talking about the possibility of 4 undefeated teams at the end of the season.  Here’s this week’s pick set:

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Barspotting, College, Football

Cuatros Makes It Count

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It has been a long time since I’ve seen some rain.  I would’ve never thought that it would take this long living down here in Texas to see a downpour.  What’s even more incredible is that this here downpour came in the middle of a barspot that featured an outside patio for most of the bar!  That’s right, Cuatros was the place to be last Saturday and I had the opportunity to watch some football both inside and outside.  So, yes, I got a little wet but it was totally worth it for the great time that I had there.

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College, Football, Picks

Pick It and Stick It 2011 Week 06: Pick the Bigger One

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I have to say I’m a little giddy at the news that TCU will be accepting the offer to join the Big 12.  Yeah, I know that they turned the gravy train around from the Big East but they are a better fit and I’m sure they were a little shakey about that conference after Pitt and Syracuse decided to leave.  Yes, the Big East is in HUGE trouble, and now it’s the Big 12’s turn to take a deep breath and grab a couple of more teams.  In fact, I’d say it’s high time for the Big 12 to Pick It and Stick It!  Speaking of which, we have another exciting weekend of action on the field and on your pick sets.  Let’s go over the list:

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Barspotting, College, Football

Barspotting: Cuatros

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I buzzed by Cuatros last week while I was on the way to the Mellow Mushroom with my favorite lady.  I almost missed it, but the 16 stacked television screens forming a massive screen jumped right out at me.  I wanted to go north of downtown Austin and this place just makes the cut.  It’s Red River Rivalry weekend so we’ll hope to get a spot there when we show up for the Kansas State game.  There’s other games going on, though, so check out the spot and hopefully we’ll check you out there.  Ole!

When: Saturday, October 5, 2011
Time: 2:00 PM
Where: Cuatros, 1004 w. 24th  Austin, TX 78705  (512) 243-6361


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Games:

Notes:  The Red River Rivalry is the biggest thing going on down here in this part of the country.  I’m not so stoked for it.  It’s a good thing that there’s nothing else going on first thing Saturday morning.  It’s also good for me that the newly ranked Kansas State Wildcats follow that little ditty and host Missouri at 2:30.  Florida vs LSU might eat up some television screens but I’m hoping to get the Wildcats on the big daddy.  Later in the evening sees a couple of interesting bouts but I’ll be home by then and will only be able to get Ohio State and Nebraska.  No thank you, I’ll probably be napping by then.

College, Football, News

Crib Sheet: Here We Go Again On Our Own, Maybe

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Once we thought we were safe, but anybody who knew their history and knew about the psyche of Missouri understood it was not over.  And with that, Missouri last night gave chancellor Brady Deaton the power to pursue other conferences.  They could be like Oklahoma and stay or they could be like Texas A&M and go.  Time will tell.  Although, they were first on the block last year so I’m pretty sure they are out the door.  Nevermind the fact that Tier 1 and Tier 2 rights are officially equal in the Big 12, provided everyone commits to the league.  Yup, so expect some announcements early next week about conference affiliation so they don’t bother with the actual games being played on the field.  In the meantime, check out this week’s Crib Sheet:

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Pick It and Stick It 2011 Week 05: Time To Play For Real

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Conference play kind of opened up last weekend for the Big 12, but this weekend we have a couple of head to head match ups.  I don’t know which game will be more exciting, the Texas vs Iowa State or Kansas State vs Baylor.  The obvious is the Kansas State game but if you remember last year, Iowa State went down to Austin and beat the Longhorns.  The local media around here is chirping about how it’s a revenge game but the player interviews talk about how they expect to handle Iowa State easily.  We’ll find that out Saturday as well as just how real Kansas State’s defense really is.  Here’s this week’s Pick It and Stick It: Continue reading Pick It and Stick It 2011 Week 05: Time To Play For Real →

Barspotting, College, Football

It’s a 1st Round Draft Pick

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It’s another week of college football and I’m starting to get comfortable down here.  I had a quick detour to the Pecan Street Festival down on 6th street but after that it was all football nearby at the Draft Pick off Riverside Drive.  The week of football was a welcomed one after all of the drama that was going on for the Big 12.  There were tons of surprises but also tons of blowouts.  Let’s sit right back and take a look.

Walking into the Draft Pick, I kinda felt like I was in an office building and not a sports bar.  The architecture leading into the joint was somewhat modern and unassuming.  The inside look totally made up for the outside look. Granted, there were no patios but the inside was all football watching business.  Flat screens were all over the place, with one ginormous projection screen framing the square blocked bar.  This is a place I can hunker down and watch some games.

Speaking of games, I couldn’t find any.  Usually, a sports bar of ultimate greatness needs to have at least some Golden Tee or something, but the Draft Pick had nothing.  This may be a philosophical decision.  Their website proclaims that this bar was a project for serious football watchers only.  That means there is not time for games.  I can understand that, but please give me something to pass the time either at half or after the game.

Now that doesn’t mean the service was shabby.  In fact, it’s been about the best I’ve ever had.  The first question asked when I walked in was “What game are you watching today?”  I have never heard that anywhere else in my 4 years of KCCGD.  Color me impressed.  Now, the ladies themselves were pretty svelte, even though there were some questionable candidates.  Overall, however, it was pleasing to watch with the games.

I had the fortune of pounding a couple of drinks before the ole barspotting event so my taste buds were fully opened. The Draft Pick’s selection paired their famous All Star pizza with a little local fare from Independence Brewery called Austin Amber Ale.  First off, the pizza tasted almost exactly like the kind I’ve had back in KC from Godfather’s Pizza, except the toppings were way thicker.  That much food tossed down my gullet was massaged by the Amber Ale’s smooth flavor.  If you ever want a great beer with some great pizza, pick an Amber up and wash it all down for some creamy goodness.

Now on to the games. I got to watch just wee little bit of Georgia Tech vs North Carolina and Notre Dame vs Pittsburgh from the gym in the morning.  There’s nothing special going on there.  Notre Dame barely eked by Pittsburgh and the Fighting Irish continue to cough up the ball more than any other team in the FBS division.  Georgia Tech beat North Carolina, but they did not have a record setting performance like they did against Kansas.  I guess it’s not so much a referendum on the Jayhawks.

The bigger games of the day saw LSU heading to West Virginia, Alabama taking on Arkansas, and Clemson battling with Florida State.  I watched the LSU game at home and in between my naps, I realized that LSU may just be the real deal.  It was a close 1st half but they pulled away easily in the 2nd.   Nice night cap there.  Alabama continued to take care of business against Arkansas.  When LSU and Alabama fight, it will have national repercussions.  Finally, Clemson continues to wear the up and comer jacket by knocking off reeling Florida State.  Their head coach’s name is Dabo Sweeny.  That’s a cool name.

Big 12 wise I only really got to watch the exciting Texas A&M vs Oklahoma State game and my Kansas State Wildcats heading to Miami.  Both were on at the same time so I got to watch just a bit of the A&M and Okie State game.  From what I saw, Texas A&M had a major meltdown in the 2nd half and Oklahoma State pulled it out at College Station.  I guess their exit from the Big 12 may be a bumpy one.   Kansas State, on the other hand, surprised everyone including myself by showing up against Miami.  Not only did they show, but beat them!  Collin Klein and company pulled ahead big in the first half and then held off Miami, culminating in a 4 down goal line stand late.  Good job Wildcats!

And good job Draft Pick.  The square box design of the place didn’t leave much to be impressed architecturally, but because they slapped televisions all over, it can be forgiven.  The lack of any kind of games is worrisome but again, they went all out on the watching experience.  The food was tasty and they have a decent knowledge of craft beers.  I had issues logging on wirelessly but service staff gave me all the information I needed.  If you need to hunker down and just watch football, chose the Draft Pick.

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Pick It And Stick It 2011 Week 04: Sticking Together

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Whew!  Another close one for the Big 12.  I swear, the Big 12 is the greatest thing since MTV’s The Real World.  If you want to talk about the best conferences, then the one with the best drama factor definitely is the Big 12.  Yeah, they are staying together but we really don’t know for how long.  So while they hold hands again and tell everybody that things are cool, let’s focus on some actual football.  This week’s Pick It an Stick It kind of reflects the noise off the field.  Like the Big 12, most of the great games are stuck together around 2:30 Saturday.  That’s fine for me and my barspotting trip, but how will it fare for the picks? Continue reading Pick It And Stick It 2011 Week 04: Sticking Together →

Barspotting, College, Football

Barspotting: Draft Pick

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Last week was such a treat, let’s see if we can keep  it going.  It’s funny how the business side happens early in the week and the games get played later in the week.  Now that everything has calmed down over conference realignment, it’s high time I thought about the pros and made a Draft Pick.  They’re all business when it comes to football watching and I’ll be ready to do it.  There’s a good block of games going on at the same time and I fully intend on watching all of them at the same time.  Fortunately, they have a decent draft selection for me to sample from. Continue reading Barspotting: Draft Pick →