for week 5 click here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=97353
Hey football fans. I'm Rob Banks and you're not. With five weeks down and twenty to go, it's time for the quarter pole report.
Sask lost another game and another quarterback long term. Ah, they might as well. So the talk is about Brett Smith getting the next this week at Commonwealth and whether or not he can cut the mustard. If he fails perhaps Taman can sign Justin Trudeau, citing that he's just not ready either.
Here are some stats after five weeks. The team that the VGCC world is most successful when picking to win is the Calgary Stampeders. They have been the favorite all five times that they have played therefore the World is 3-2 with them. Hamilton is next at 2-1 when picked to win followed by 'no respect' Toronto who have delivered on the only time that they have been chosen, a perfect 1-0. The only other club to have come through for the World is Edmonton at 1-1. There has been one push (this week's Bombers/Esks clash), meaning that Winnipeg was oh-so-close to not being the only team left that has not been the World's official favorite at least once this year. On the losing side, the Lions and RedBlacks are both 0-1 when favored, while Montreal is 0-2. Considering that the Als are 2-2 in the standings it means that the VGCC World has been wrong on all four of their games so far, football fans. Even Saskatchewan has helped out the World on one occasion as their 0-4 record indicates that one of their losses (the most recent to Hamilton) did in fact help out the majority.
Want some good advice? Pick Trahna more, Saskabush less and whatever you think the Angry Birds will do, go with the opposite.
The Banks Statement's favorite team to pick has been Edmonton. They have been chosen all four times that they have played (and a fifth to come, read below) and are obviously 3-1. Calgary at 3-2 and BC at 2-2 have also been picked to win every time, while Ottawa and Toronto are yet to grace the ticket this year (pick Trahna more!).
Collectively, the World was 117-147 in Week 5 for a grand cumulative record of 585-771. That averages out to .431%,football fans. Opinions were split exactly down the middle on the Winnipeg/Edmonton matchup, meaning that the World only went 2-1 for the four games this week. Calgary over Ottawa was 82% wrong extra time or not, but Toronto over BC was 52% right and Hamilton over Sask was 58% correct.
A hearty pat on the back each for solarwinds, who went 4-0 to take over the top of the board, and gaslight, who also drew up a perfect slate to sneak in to fourteenth on the table just one slot ahead of the Banks Statement at 10-10 but with a shade of aggregate as tiebreaker advantage.
As for the Statement itself, it trod water at 2-2, dropping the first two games but picking up the last two to save face. Ottawa's overtime heroics blew up the Mismatch prediction big time once again. Special thanks to BC are in order for blowing a 21-0 lead and ruining the ticket. Take away one converted Argo touchdown and the 27-23 BC score prediction would have been bang on. Even though the CloseCall of the Week wasn't close on the scoreboard, the slate did get it and the BIG TILT correct when James Franklin came of the bench to whoop Winnipeg's very whoopable defense. The Statement is now above .500 in both categories for the first time at 3-2.
Willy or won't he? Will Drew start at QB for the Bombers on Thursday night? That is the questionable. Doesn't matter. The Lions have a better defense and as long as they protect the ball they shall be victorious. For scoring purposes it shall be assumed that Willy will play keeping it close, 26-21 BC.
Commonwealth is usually a graveyard for Saskatchewan even with a backup quarterback. Throwing their backup backup Brett Smith to Chris Jones' wolves could make this a fate even worse than death. Mind you, Saskabush has a strong running game and every snap that Matt Nicholls takes for the Empire gives the Riders a chance to hang with them. If James Franklin doesn't start this one, he should get in at some point, then the offense will function. The kid's still a kid, but he's got game. Don't expect a massive massive blowout, but the Esks should control this one pretty much start to finish, and with the other three games on the slate being tougher choices, Edmonton should win the defacto Mismatch of the Week 28-12.
Calgary gets another crack at the Larks and this time at home where they are 3-0 so far this year, football fans. They're also coming off of a stinging overtime loss. Confidence is thin with this pick. Montreal seems to match up well as their defense more than any other gives Calgary fits. Call it a case of when in doubt, take the favorite at home, 29-21 Stamps. At least if you get it wrong, so will everyone else.
On to the BIG TILT of the Week, Toronto at Hamilton for the home opener at Timmy's pitch. This also doubles as the CloseCall of the Week. Toronto has the edge on offense, Hamilton on defense. The Cats also have Banks. The Boatmen are better coached. Hammer hasn't lost at home since the days of McMaster and Guelph. A turnover or two likely decides it. Pick Trahna more, but not this week. 25-24 Kittehs.
Nothing witty here this week, which is witty in itself, which makes me a liar. Bank on it!