The Reason
On acceptance and deeper meaning
I have a confession, Newsletter readers.
I had a bad take.
***PRETENDS TO BE SHOCKED GASP***
I know, I know. Let’s watch some film.
A few items that The Defense would like to bring to the court:
At the time of this tweet, Europe was up 10-3 in the Ryder Cup
Despite the United States rattling off one of the greatest single-day comebacks in American Sports history, Team Europe still won and this was sort of right
Even if this wasn’t right, the sentiment was that their 6th guy is VIKTOR HOVLAND and ours is RUSSELL HENLEY. Their 7th guy is JON RAHM and ours is BEN GRIFFIN. Like come on.
At the time of this tweet, the Author of this newsletter was four beers deep before the Zach Bryan concert.
I rest my case.
You know what happened next - every single Team USA golfer went on to play flawlessly on Sunday and prove me wrong. Methodically, undeniably stellar. It was a marvelous watch. As impressive as it was shocking. They certainly looked like the better golfers.
And yet - it wasn’t enough. Enough to make my dumb tweet look stupid, but not enough to hoist the cup. Maybe that’s just sports. Maybe there’s a lesson here. Maybe there’s a reason.
Over the next 24 hours, I consumed the Ryder Cup coverage to its fullest. It was like coffee in the morning - I couldn’t stop.
And I observed something that’s stuck with me days later. Something about the talking heads - or maybe the golf fans - or maybe Americans - or maybe human beings as a whole.
We need a reason.
We CRAVE a reason. We can’t just watch something happen - it has to happen….for a reason.
It couldn’t just be that Team USA lost by a point to Team Europe. No way.
It was the course setup. The weather. The crowd. The coach. The envelope. It was putting!
And it was all so compelling….even here right now, I believe it!
But as I watched more and more of the reactions, I realized they’re just doing what I did in the moment - they’re looking for a reason to explain something that might just…..not have one. It can’t be a loss unless it’s someone’s fault.
Now I’m noticing this very phenomenon in other aspects of sports (and life).
A few examples:
The 1st Place Detroit Tigers blow a 15-game lead in the final three weeks of the season (Proposed Reasons: Hitting, Bad Deadline, They Were Never That Good Anyway)
Matt Painter misses on two recruits in one day after recruiting so well that he had the #1 ranked recruiting class in the country as little as 10 days ago (Proposed Reasons: Recruits are Selfish, Engineering Programs, Kevin Durant)
Our friend TJ decided he is “cursed for seven days” because he’s on an 0-23 betting streak and everything he touches turns to shit (Proposed Reasons: Karma, Pettiness, Luck)
These are all harmless in nature (you gotta believe, Teej). But at the risk of getting existential, the same concept applies to more important things too. It’s basically the entire concept of religion - what is The Reason for all of this?? We all want to feel like there’s a bigger meaning to the most important parts of our lives. And right now for me, that’s happening with the family.
My six-month old son Banks is a terrifying specimen. I say that lovingly. Kid’s a monster. Family members have described his demeanor as “ferile”. That’s usually accurate. I prefer “The Draymond Green of Babies”. A month ago, Mal and I attempted to take our first Date Night out to dinner 30 minutes away - he screamed bloody murder the entire time we were gone and we had to come back an hour into it.
He’s a ladies man, in the sense that 99% of his smiles through six months have gone directly to his Mom or his Grandma. Can’t say I blame him.
But can I have a moment of vulnerability here? That’s been hard for me. Because in my head - I want to compare my experience to Banks to my experience with Murphy. By six months, I swear I had that girl in the palm of my hands. I had seven different ways to make her laugh by then and she would smile herself to sleep in my arms.
Because my experience with Banks has been so different - I do what we all do. I spend all my time looking for The Reason.
I must be doing something wrong. He must not love me yet. He must not recognize me. There’s something I’m missing. I need to be a better Dad.
It’s gotten better as time has gone on. Just like all things do as the sample size grows.
Team USA won 11 points on Sunday. The Tigers won Game 1 against the team that couldn’t lose for a month. Matt Painter got another Purdue commit this week. TJ…well actually I’m not sure if TJ has won another bet yet, but he will. Banks now smiles at me all the time.
This Newsletter has already gone through this too. I was up 20 Units through three weeks (with an undefeated week!) and down 12 units the last two weeks since (all in one losing week).
Is there a reason? Maybe. Or maybe that’s just life - and it’s our job to not overreact.
Yesterday we took Banks to his six-month checkup. 99th percent for height - a Floor Spacer with Size is well on his way.
The doctor told us he needed three shots - but not to overreact when he screams because all kids scream bloody murder when they get pricked at this age. It would be over in 30 seconds.
I mentally prepared myself for my ferile son to do his worst. Even Murphy, as sweet as she was, was sobbing uncontrollably at her first shots.
Prick #1 …. a yell
Prick #2 …. yelling starting to subside … and some eye contact
Prick #3 …. silence, followed by a subtle smile, followed by a “Wow, I’ve never seen a baby so calm at the end of this, it’s like he liked it!” from the doc.
He may just be a sicko….or he may be well on his way to being the toughest kid I know.
Or maybe…just maybe…there doesn’t need to be a reason.
LAST WEEK RECORDS:
GREG RECORD: 5-5 (-0.6 Units)
CART RECORD: 2-1-1 (+0.69 Units)
SEASON RECORDS:
GREG RECORD: 34-23 (+7.74 Units)
CART RECORD: 12-10-1 (+0.85 Units)
GREG’S PICKS:
Every solo bet I am betting this week (with write ups):
Editor’s note: - Carter and I will be together on Saturday with four television screens’ worth of college football on from Noon to Midnight ET. Do with that what you will - I see this going one of two ways - we win EVERYTHING or we lose EVERYTHING. Responsibly, of course.
Purdue +10 vs. Illinois (-112)
Buying it up to a full 10…I love Illinois (Thank You, Albie), but I love the spot for Purdue more. Illinois comes off the emotional season-saving win over USC and now has to deal with a fiesty Purdue team off a BYE. This is a rivalry game, I guess. Weird shit happens in those - as evidenced by Ryan Walters taking Bret Bielema and 15 of these Illinois starters to Overtime last season. Barry Odom and this group are way better. Add to it that Illinois hosts Ohio State next week….an all-time bad sandwich spot for them. Purdue to keep it close it is.
Michigan-Wisconsin UNDER 42.5 (-110)
Speculation running wild that Wisconsin’s QB1 is out and that their QB3 may take the job from their QB2. Let me translate that for you: “We scored 10 points against Maryland last week and won’t score against a rested Michigan team in the Big House”. Meanwhile for the Wolverine offense, Sherrone Moore is back, which means the ULTRA CONSERVATIVE brand of smashmouth football returns too. Yuck. Michigan may win 31-0, but I like the Under big here.
Baylor -6.5 vs. Kansas State (-112)
Kansas State finally did something good and now they’re overpriced and we can fade them again, yay!!!! They beat UCF by 14 last week. I am unimpressed. Baylor’s offense has been prolific this year, they had a great ranked win over SMU and competed with Auburn. They should be able to score enough for Avery Johnson to stop keeping up.
Vanderbilt +10.5 at Alabama (-112)
Vanderbilt ML (+330)
I worry that this is gonna be the Public Play of the Week but I really don’t care. Diego Pavia is the biggest, best, bright lights Badass in all of college football. He beat Alabama last year with a much worse Vanderbilt team. He THRIVES in these moments, as evidenced by their 5-0 start and a 31-7 win over a good South Carolina team. Spot-wise, Alabama coming down from the awesome Georgia win seems inevitable. I still don’t trust DeBoer in these types of games. Vandy to cover and Vandy to win are both on my card.
Boise State-Notre Dame OVER 62.5 (-115).
Boise scores 40+ every game, Notre Dame scores 40+ every game. Both teams philosophically play like they want to out-score you. I’m not sure either team cares about stops. Big number, still betting it.
Florida +7 vs. Texas (-115)
Simple thought here: I have seen Arch on the road before and I want to bet against Road Arch again. Full touchdown, yes please. At some point Florida has to live up to the preseason offensive hype.
Michigan State +12.5 at Nebraska (-115)
Most confusing line of the week for me, truly. I was impressed with the Spartans’ 2nd Half in Los Angeles. Both teams come off a BYE. Mobile QBs have killed Nebraska this year (Cincy’s Brennan Sorsby and Michigan’s Bryce Underwood combined for 150 yards and 3 TDs in their two games, both covers against Nebraska). Chiles will extend plays and keep the Spartans in this.
Florida State +4.5 vs. Miami
Florida state ML (+164)
BOUNCE. BACK. SPOT. for the Seminoles. Sign me up. They were the victim of one of the weirdest spots of the season last week - losing an OT game at Virginia on a Friday night. Weird, inapplicable result. Castellanos shines in games like this and historically Carson Beck flops. I’m taking both the spread and the ML. Go Noles.
Over to Ferndale Robbie Avila.
CARTER ELLIOTT:
Olivia Dean Radio on Apple Music inspired this write up. All glory and or hate on these picks can be routed to her/and or her team.
BYU -18.5 vs West Virginia (-118)
West Virginia is on a short week and has to travel to Provo losing their first two big 12 games by a combined score of 89-24. Their starting running back is banged up with a hip injury and their starting QB just entered the portal earlier this week. This team is a dumpster fire on a short week and against a defense like BYU in Provo, I don’t see how they score. I think BYU wins this game by 20+.
Maryland +6.5 vs Washington (-114)
Maryland is undefeated this season and has been a fun team to follow thus far behind their talented freshman QB Malik Washington. Washington has a talented QB in their own right but I think Maryland’s defense at home will be up to the task as Washington has to travel out to the east coast for this game. I think this has the makings of a close game that Maryland could very well win. I will take 6.5 points.
TRANSPARENCY MOMENT
I typically read through the slate and do my research and pick accordingly but I have yet to initiate a #vibes pick yet on the newsletter for the last two but it is time to give it a go. Vanderbilt +10.5 (-105) vs Alabama and Florida State +4.5 (-114) vs Miami are being played. Diego Pavia has shit to him for Vanderbilt and if they can take care of the rock I like them to at least stay in the game. I like Florida State at home in a bounce back spot against a Miami team that is feeling themselves and also are on twitter sending shots at Florida State after their loss to Virginia.