Luke Waltons Forehead presented by the Sports Dude.

Here it is folks, the weekly post that you all have been waiting for, the all knowing of the know nothings, the former bartender for both Dmitri Young and Joe Cullen, the Weekend Warrior.

Western Illinois at Wisconsin

Camp Randall is jumping as Wisconsin returns home victorious from Bowling Green for their season opener. After barely winning against the national power house that is Bowling Green, 35-14, in its opener the Badgers are glad that even though Coach Alvarez is no longer on the sidelines his powder puff schedule still remains. It doesn’t get any easier next week as another power house, San Diego State, looms on the schedule. Man, I love ripping Alvarez and he isn’t even the coach anymore.

Wisconsin 31, Western Illinois 13

Syracuse at Iowa

Well, I-AA Montana was not much of a “sweat breaker” last week for Drew Tate and the boys and this game seems to be even less of an opportunity for a challenge. This is not the Syracuse of old which featured Donovan McNabb and the Orangemen face little chance of winning here this weekend. This one is for you Ian, Iowa wins handily.

Iowa 38, Syracuse 10

Eastern Michigan University at Michigan State University

Let the instate rivalries begin! After a so-so effort last week against Idaho John L. tries to fire up his troops by reminding them that if you look at a map of Michigan that Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor are right next to each other hoping they would get fired up as if they were playing the Wolverines. The problem for John L. is not only can most of the Spartans not spell Ypsilanti they have no idea what Michigan even looks like on a map let alone how to read one.

MSU 37, EMU 21

Central Michigan University at The Big House

In honor of the sports dude being in attendance Lloyd Carr makes up for last weeks snoozer by actually allowing a couple of the “top secret” Notre Dame game plays to be used this week by the Wolverines. Something tells me this game will be over by half time which means the sports dude should have plenty of time to get home and laugh at the Spartans from my own couch.

U of M 48, CMU 20

THE TWO REALLY GOOD GAMES OF THE WEEK:

Penn State at Notre Dame

After forgetting that he even has a game on Saturday JoPa barely gets to the field in time for kickoff. Everybody’s golden team with the golden helmets and the golden boy QB with the golden boy coach are in for a rude awakening this week as Penn State rolls into town and knocks Notre Dame off of its own Touchdown Jesus Rocker. That’s right folks the sports dude is picking the upset because something tells me Notre Dame is not ready for this game, plus historically speaking Notre Dame very rarely has two good seasons in a row. Somewhere in Washington Tyrone Willingham is laughing!

Penn State 31, Notre Dame 27

Ohio State University at Texas

Does the sweater vest get his sweet revenge from last years stunning loss at home to Texas? Or do the Longhorns hold serve and defend their home field? Anyone else think that there was a pollster conspiracy last week to move Texas up to #2 so that this was a 1 versus 2 showdown? Yeah, I think so too! Well, unfortunately for the vest his teams’ overrated spot at #1 will be exposed and Texas will take it to the Buckeyes in Texas.

Texas 37, OSU 20

Now, for the moment you all have been waiting for, the one, the only:

“MOM DO I REALLY HAVE TO WATCH THIS GAME” game of the week:

Duke at Wake Forest

Now if this were a basketball game somewhere in the middle of March Madness it might actually be an intriguing match up. Unfortunately for us this is neither a basketball game nor an intriguing match up.

Duke 5, Wake Forest 3

PRO PICK:

Seattle Seahawks at the Detroit Lions

You all saw my season preview and you all know I picked this game as a loss so why should I change now? You guessed right I won’t! Going along with his “Pound the Rock” theme and playing into the Madden Jinx that we all know and love, Coach Marinelli replaces the rock in the locker room with an XBOX that has Shaun Alexander and the Madden game loaded in it. Unfortunately even if there were a jinx, which I do believe in, it is still the Lions and it is still the Seahawks, the jinx for poor Shaun will just have to wait a week or two.

Seattle 38, Detroit 27

That is it folks, have a great weekend drinking and partying and footballing and I will catch you all on Monday – the sports dude.

The sports dude has been called crazy before and I have no issue with that but this has really been a special one for me and that is all the people who think I am crazy for saying what I have been saying about the Lions. Look this post will give a little insight into the deep, dark and twisted method that goes into my think but I really still have a feeling that this team has a chance to win this crappy division that they are in and at least go 9-7. I was going to break down the offense and the defense but I really don’t feel like getting into all of that in depth too much but I will say that the offense is already better with the subtraction of Joey ball game and the addition of Martz and a QB that actually knows how to play football. The defense is better with the subtraction of Dick “Bend ‘Em Like Beckman But Don’t Break” Jauron and the addition of Donnie Henderson who just wants to give them hell. With that I give you my thoughts on the division followed by my breakdown of the schedule and how I came up with the craziness that is 9-7.

Chicago

Sorry, but history shows that the Bears of modern times very rarely have good back to back seasons. Remember the last time they won the division when Jauron was their coach? Yep, they were not very good the next few seasons, Jauron ended up getting fired and they totally redid their roster. The point is with Chicago is that history is not on their side and their offense is actually worse than the Lions. Their defense should keep them in games more often than not but if you score 14-17 points against this team you have an excellent shot of winning. The key to me is to see how long it takes for Lovie Smith to realize the Rex Grossman came from a Florida college, which means he sucks, and that Brian Griese should be their starting QB.

Green Bay

I don’t feel like looking at the roster to check ages but at least when you see them on TV it appears the head coach is younger than the starting QB. That can not be a good thing can it? I don’t want to hear any “swan song” crap for Favre, I really don’t, the talent is not there and it is clear the Packers are well into their rebuilding mode even though Favre may not realize it yet. I think, Favre or no Favre, these guys are the bottom feeders in this division and will be looking up at seasons end. The key to me is Favre and how long it takes him to scratch his head, wonder why he ever said this was the most talented team he has been around in awhile and why the hell he came back in the first place.

Minnesota

They have a new head coach, which seems to be the common theme in this division this year, and we all know this new head coach brings in one of our old best friends here in Detroit – the West Coast Offense. They are relying on a QB who should be in the Social Security Office with Favre but I think this is the team that will be at the top of the division with the Lions at seasons end. Make no mistake about it, I think 9-7 or 10-6 will win this division at best, but I don’t see the Packers or the Bears as having winning records this year. Key to watch is Brad Johnson and how much longer he can hold up before the arthritis kicks in over a full season.

The schedule and my predictions for wins/losses

HOME – Seattle – Loss
@ Chicago – Win/Loss
HOME Green Bay – Win
@ St. Louis – Loss
@ Minnesota – Loss
HOME – Buffalo – Win
@ NY Jets – Loss
Bye Week
HOME – Atlanta – Win/Loss
HOME – 49ers – Win
@ Arizona – Win
HOME – Miami – Win/Loss
@ Patriots – Loss
HOME – Minnesota – Win
@ Green Bay – Win/Loss
HOME – Chicago – Win
@ Dallas – Loss

So there you have it, the sports dude mathematical craziness and breakdown of the schedule. That above breakdown has six games I mark as wins (Green Bay, Buffalo, 49ers, @ Arizona, Minnesota, Chicago) and six games I mark as losses (Seattle, @ St. Louis, @ Minnesota, @ NY Jets, @ Patriots, @ Dallas) and 4 games I consider 50-50 at best (@ Chicago, Atlanta, Miami on Thanksgiving, @ Green Bay). That puts them, in my mad little mind, at a 6-6 mark with four games that could go either way and I can honestly look at those 50-50 games and see them winning two if not three with no problem. At Chicago but you all know my opinions on that team, home against Atlanta whom they play well, the Thanksgiving game against Miami and they used to play well on the holiday and with Green Bay being horrible this year maybe the Lambeau Curse will end. Call me crazy if you must but when I look at it I think there is a real honest chance for a 9-7 season folks and that is my story and I am sticking to it. Later – the clinically insane sports dude.

Sorry for the delay but after the long holiday weekend my desk was full of actual work to do yesterday. Yes, I too think that is rude, what do these people think I am, their employee or something? Anyway, on with the talk.

As far as I am concerned, even though it was only Vanderbilt, I was quite pleased with what I saw out of the defense for the Wolverines on Saturday. They seemed quicker and they seemed to hit harder plus they actually looked like they knew what they were doing. Again I say it was only Vanderbilt but it appears that they are moving in the right direction.

The offense, on the other hand, was a little disappointing to me. No I was not expecting a blow out, that is very rare for the Wolverines and even more rare in an opener, but I think the receivers and tight ends need to remember it is okay to catch the ball when it hits your hands. Who do they think they are, the Detroit Lions or something? All kidding aside the running game looked really niceand even Henne appeared to be a little more mobile than I remember.

Well, that is it, not too much to say really as I try to clear off my desk and prepare to give my Lions preview tomorrow. Look for that and we will talk again later - the sports dude.