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Stop the Presses
Published: 12/22/2008 5:32 PM
Last Modified: 12/22/2008 5:32 PM

What's the rush?

Why is everybody in such a hurry to register as an idiot?

It is said that we live in a world of instant gratification. But what's gratifying about being so wrong?

The most recent showing of backsides came after the Dallas Cowboys lost to Baltimore. Sure, Jerry Jones is laughable when it comes to football decisions. True, the coach seems about to cry. Yeah, the quarterback is an overrated star-chasing noodle-arm. But after the Baltimore game, Dallas was written off as dead and gone.

Guess what, Dallas is still one of a half a dozen teams that can win the Super Bowl.

Writers and analysts have never seemed so eager to be dumb.

The mindless roam the chat rooms like zombies without faces, full of instant doom: it's over, fire him, bench them, we'll never win again! Then, an hour later: Never mind.

The rush to be absolute is obvious in all sports.

OU basketball player Blake Griffin has already been proclaimed by many as a can't miss NBA star. Well, just keep in mind that the NBA has some guards as big as the OU star. It's not a dunk-a-thon the way it can be in college. To wildly succeed he is going to have to make a whole lot more 20-foot shots than is the case now.

First with the worst, that's where many sports journalists aspire to be, just like the cheerleaders who have already called it OU over Florida easily.








Reader Comments 19 Total

Tom (4 years ago)
First column I can absolutely agree with. Geez...Dallas could be the worst team in the whole play-offs. I would fire every receiver on that lousy Eagle team AND that defender who dropped an easy pick. Lousy, lousy.
wreed (4 years ago)
I bet you will be a cheerleader also when it comes to prediction time.
Tight game until late. OU shakey in early going. Florida will pull out all the stops from the get go.
Ou D will make just enough plays to give folks a chance to say " OU's D is a joke. How did they win that game. Oh yes, they are lucky."
OU 45 Gators 35. Put it on your bulletin board.
I miss the Old Ball Coach.
Eric (4 years ago)
What journalists are you referring too? Everyone and their dog is giving OU a snowball's chance in H*ll of winning that game. If you are having second thoughts on your decision of saying that Florida is the lock of the century then thats ok. You are wrong.

But if you are worried that your self-proclaimed uncanny picking ability is going to all of a sudden make every one take Florida...dont give yourself that much credit. As much as you would like to think that vegas was waiting on your pick i sort of doubt it. Dont go against your own rule here "if everyone is picking a team then they have a GREAT chance of not covering" Everyone likes Florida...shouldnt you take OU? Probably if you had any sense...instead you just want to hate on the local teams.
I used to be a fan but now i think your a joke. And by the way...OU 54 FL 24. MANS GAME!!
Travis (4 years ago)
Yeah, Blake Griffin is no good. It's pretty easy to average 25 and 14 in major college hoops, huh? What a chump. Have you seen the guy play? Double teamed on every play and still putting up sick numbers. Someone needs to hire you as a scout.... or a garbage man. Most Tulsa Worlds hit the curb a few hours earlier on Thursdays.
Eric (4 years ago)
Yeah Blake is horrible....did anyone see the cut under his eye he got during last nights game? Huge gash...bleeding all over the place.
All he did was come back to score 27 and grab 11 boards. Someone needs to get him a heart to go along with all that overrated hype hes been getting!!
Leave it to the picker to trash one of...if not THE best basketball player ever to come out of the state. Oh yeah...did he leave for an NC or a Duke? No..he stayed here. And you find a way to diss on him? Got your head so far up own *** you could chew your food twice. GET A LIFE SUCKA!
Matthew (4 years ago)
The NBA has 6'10" guards?!?! Wow!!!
anm1134 (4 years ago)
Travis & Eric need to learn to read. The Picker never said Griffin was horrible, just that he is going to need some more tools to be a superstar in the NBA. Brush up on your reading comprehension then you can start posting again.
World Picker (4 years ago)
Remember the last can't miss super dunker hero? Oden?

Guy at Portland averaging peanuts, he has no shot.

The Dallas-Eagle game Sunday should be a classic, because if the Cowboys lose, everybody will be fired within the hour.

Remember the genius Cowboy offensive coordinator? The head coach in waiting on a bed of rose petals? Who can't get the ball to one of the best receivers in football? Another example of spontaneous media combustion.

Slow down. Get it right. Or be slightly less incorrect.

Epphan (4 years ago)
Seriously, who is picking OU? I don't see everyone, but no one I've seen.
Eric (4 years ago)
Espn poll taken during tonights TCU Boise State game....prediction of OU vs UF...who wins....polls said 63% Florida....pretty sure that is a reflection of the nations sports fans...aka those who might also be betting on the games. As an OU fan and someone who knows that we are going to blow them out im loving it....wait for till the last possible second and when the money line jumps to +185 put your life on that money line and watch everything youve ever earned double up right before your eyes.
Matthew (4 years ago)
Picker, comparing BG to Oden is a pretty weak comparison. When did you see Oden handling the ball up the floor and on the perimeter like Griffin does? BG is much quicker and more athletic than Oden is. I'm not saying BG is BETTER than Oden, I'm just saying they are not anywhere close to the same type of player. Oden is a true center, Blake is a true power forward. And Blake has hit some open jumpers this year Picker. His shot only continues to get better and better. Can I absolutely guarantee that Blake will be a star in the NBA? No. Do I think it's wrong to classify him simpler as a "dunker"? Absolutely.
Dash Riprock (4 years ago)
The Cowboys have Witten, Owens, and WR Roy Williams. They have Barber, when healthy, is as good as they've had in a long time in Big D. The offensive line is just so average, it's not funny. Put Romo behind THAT O-line, and of course you're gonna have a scrambling, improvising, mistake-prone QB. A ton of blame has to be directed at Jason Garrett, no doubt about it.

I've noticed several comments by the Sooner players about how they are gonna be all business in Miami. That should be a given. I suppose when you aren't playing for anything but a bowl trophy, after winning the Big XII title, like the past two seasons, you just kind ago through the motions? Speaks volumes, doesn't it?

Most viewer polls have almost 2 of every 3 fans in the Gators favor, like that's anything new. The college football world wants OU to get beat so they can say "I told you Texas should have been there, they'd give the Gators a better game". I've noticed the Florida players have really talked some serious noise, and I believe they will be the most talented team OU has faced since the USC Orange Bowl team. The flip side of that is Florida hasn't faced as talented a team as Oklahoma in a long time. Should be interesting...Big Game Bob is back...Sooners 38 Gators 31.
COMP1234 (4 years ago)
Picker,

Your obsession with the local media is a bit ridiculous. Watch ESPN, read CBS sportsline, or any national media and you will see that OU is picked to lose. Check out the scroll bar on ESPN every night "OU has lost last 4 bowl games"

Before you kiss Pat Jones and Big Al, you might check out Lou Holtz.
ronny yandell (4 years ago)
dear picker,looking at the tulsa world's preseason picks, dated sunday, august 24th,'08, ...it appears that only THE PICKER correctly predicted the match-up in the bcs title game...we can only hope that your vast knowledge and insight is not overlooked by the rest of your fellow tulsa world sport writers. in fact, may we suggest that you make them and the rest of your readers aware of this .keep on pickin'!
Eric (4 years ago)
Ronny Yandell....yeah did you also look at the YTD against the spread...the picker with a solid 45% picking games....that only ranks 9th out of 11 sports writers. Pretty sad when that is the ONLY thing you are supposed to be doing...maybe if he would pull his head out and start taking OU then we would hae saved himself a few games...especially considering he picked against them almost every week and they only had 2 games they didnt cover...ALL YEAR. Sometimes it doesnt pay to hate against the local teams.
Eric (4 years ago)
STOP THE PRESSES....local picker known for his smart A** remarks and knocking of local state teams is batting a whopping .457 this season. What an amazing display of talent!! He has truely shown us what it takes to beat the vegas odds makers. Maybe when "Medium" game Bob beats the dawg out of Florida we will get to hear him say "You all told me so" but who really cares? If he is a man of his word then he is putting everything he has on Florida and wont have a nickel to give his grandma when the clock his 00:00 on Jan 8th.
Eric (4 years ago)
*hits 00:00
Travis (4 years ago)
You're on fire this year "World Picker"! You really know your sports my man. Makes sense your cartoon character has his eyes covered up 'cause you obviously haven't watched a lot of sports in '08.... Keep firing away hot shot. Try to break over that 50% mark! Also, saw you picked OU to score 20 in the NC game?????? Was that a 1st quarter prediction????? 1st half anyway? Crazy how you know so little about sports, but get paid to write about it.... mind blowing!!!!
wreed (4 years ago)
Good morning Mr. Picker. I am still basking in the glory of Cal stealing one from Miami.
I am not sure Longshore could throw peanuts to the fans.
Bye the bye, what Super Bowl do you think the Cowboys will go to?
I understand folks on Star Trek can travel back in time.
Maybe you could just pick a year.
Happy New Year to you and your family!!!!!
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Out Pick The Picker

The Picker began entertaining – and infuriating – sports fans in 1993. Each week during football season, he writes about his picks of college and NFL games in his Thursday Sports column. He's never afraid of sharing his opinions about the game and the personalities who play it. Readers have a chance to go against him each season in the Outpick the Picker contest. He welcomes the competition.

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