The fabulous fall season has yet to arrive (September 20) and the initial College Football Playoff poll is still more than six weeks away (October 30) yet the sport's elite programs have already declared their championship intentions.
Alabama, Clemson and Georgia held Mississippi, Georgia Southern and Middle Tennessee to a measly seven points apiece while Ohio State and Oklahoma traveled to Arlington and Ames to post victories by double-digit margins over upstarts TCU and Iowa State.
Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, the top five teams in the most recent Associated Press poll, all improved to 3-0 last Saturday and avoided damaging losses like the ones incurred by #6 Wisconsin and #7 Auburn.
"It's five teams battling for four spots," said Robert Beghtel, better known as "Bobby the Owl," a college football devotee.
"This season is looking a lot like last season."
I visited Bobby yesterday in the coffee shop at Longhorn Hotel and Casino where "The Owl" displayed his old-school Las Vegas ways by tipping the hostess who seated us.
Bobby transplanted from northeast Indiana (Angola) to Las Vegas in the fall of 1960 after proudly serving in the Navy from 1954-57.
He fell in love with college football during his high school days in South Bend, Indiana where Notre Dame football dominated the headlines.
At age 83, Beghtel's frame of reference is impressive.
He's an old-time sports observer who appreciates today's sporting action as much, if not more, than the so-called glory days of the past.
Bobby's ability to stay current with the trends of today's game is a rare quality for someone who was born in the midst of The Great Depression.
"I've followed Notre Dame football for the past 70 years but it didn't stop me from taking Vanderbilt plus two touchdowns last Saturday," Bobby cracked.
"I only bet with my head, not my heart."
He continued, "I'm always amazed at people who attempt to downgrade the Southeastern Conference. Why? They feature the best players, the best coaches and the best facilities. They also draw the biggest crowds and huge television audiences which translate into the biggest athletic budgets."
Bobby was preaching to the choir as I too love SEC football.
One look at NFL Draft selections over the past decade and there's no doubt the SEC produces the most NFL-ready players.
To further bolster the point about football factories in the southeast region of the country, Bobby claimed Clemson is "an SEC team masquerading in the Atlantic Coast Conference."
"Clemson's defense is championship-material and you have to credit head coach Dabo Swinney, a former Alabama player, for emerging as a rival to Nick Saban and Alabama."
Bobby then showed off his ability to be fair and balanced when he declared Saban as the greatest college football coach of all-time.
"I never saw Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, he was before my time, but I watched closely the careers of Paul "Bear" Bryant, Woody Hayes, Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. No one is better than Saban. He's all-business and he's built a culture of execution there in Tuscaloosa that makes his team a national title contender every single season."
It then dawned on me.
Bobby likes Saban for his no-nonsense approach because that's how Bobby attacks the challenge of beating the house edge.
"The Owl" is a tireless worker who spends Saturdays watching the games and Sundays combing the box scores.
He doesn't waste a single minute searching for edges in the NFL.
I was impressed with Bobby's mental sharpness when recapping the action from the previous day.
He can talk in detail about teams from the Top 25 to the smaller schools of the FCS and every comment is gambling-related with a focus on current form and injury information.
As for Bobby's physical health, he complained about a few aches and pains but he looked a lot better and sounded a lot sharper than most men his age.
I suggested to Bobby that he set a goal to reach the age of 100.
In typical oddsmaker fashion, Bobby looked at me and said, "I'm a huge underdog to get to 100. A HUGE underdog."
He then said, "One year at a time, my boy, one year at a time."
DAILY COUNTDOWN...In keeping with the lead of today's blog entry, the opening of the NHL season is 16 days away, the NBA season is 29 days away and the 2018-19 college hoop season is 53 days away.
I owe this information to a William Hill clerk (Laurie) at Skyline Hotel and Casino who posts a calendar of opening days on the white boards behind the betting counter.
It's refreshing when a sports book employee in Las Vegas goes above and beyond the call of duty.
MONDAY'S BEST BET...Play 959-960 Chicago Cubs-Arizona Diamondbacks UNDER 4 runs in the game's first five innings.
I've been supporting Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks in one way or the other (think side and total) since the summer day in 2014 when he broke into the big leagues.
The 28-year-old Dartmouth product doesn't receive the publicity or market respect of bigger-name pitchers on the Cub staff (Lester and Hamels) but he's superb at keeping hitters off-balance and inducing weak contact.
Arizona starter Patrick Corbin is 5-1 lifetime against the Cubs with an ERA of 3.68.
I'll make a first-half bet here to avoid the recent problems of both bullpens.
Alabama, Clemson and Georgia held Mississippi, Georgia Southern and Middle Tennessee to a measly seven points apiece while Ohio State and Oklahoma traveled to Arlington and Ames to post victories by double-digit margins over upstarts TCU and Iowa State.
Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, the top five teams in the most recent Associated Press poll, all improved to 3-0 last Saturday and avoided damaging losses like the ones incurred by #6 Wisconsin and #7 Auburn.
"It's five teams battling for four spots," said Robert Beghtel, better known as "Bobby the Owl," a college football devotee.
"This season is looking a lot like last season."
I visited Bobby yesterday in the coffee shop at Longhorn Hotel and Casino where "The Owl" displayed his old-school Las Vegas ways by tipping the hostess who seated us.
Bobby transplanted from northeast Indiana (Angola) to Las Vegas in the fall of 1960 after proudly serving in the Navy from 1954-57.
He fell in love with college football during his high school days in South Bend, Indiana where Notre Dame football dominated the headlines.
At age 83, Beghtel's frame of reference is impressive.
He's an old-time sports observer who appreciates today's sporting action as much, if not more, than the so-called glory days of the past.
Bobby's ability to stay current with the trends of today's game is a rare quality for someone who was born in the midst of The Great Depression.
"I've followed Notre Dame football for the past 70 years but it didn't stop me from taking Vanderbilt plus two touchdowns last Saturday," Bobby cracked.
"I only bet with my head, not my heart."
He continued, "I'm always amazed at people who attempt to downgrade the Southeastern Conference. Why? They feature the best players, the best coaches and the best facilities. They also draw the biggest crowds and huge television audiences which translate into the biggest athletic budgets."
Bobby was preaching to the choir as I too love SEC football.
One look at NFL Draft selections over the past decade and there's no doubt the SEC produces the most NFL-ready players.
To further bolster the point about football factories in the southeast region of the country, Bobby claimed Clemson is "an SEC team masquerading in the Atlantic Coast Conference."
"Clemson's defense is championship-material and you have to credit head coach Dabo Swinney, a former Alabama player, for emerging as a rival to Nick Saban and Alabama."
Bobby then showed off his ability to be fair and balanced when he declared Saban as the greatest college football coach of all-time.
"I never saw Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, he was before my time, but I watched closely the careers of Paul "Bear" Bryant, Woody Hayes, Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. No one is better than Saban. He's all-business and he's built a culture of execution there in Tuscaloosa that makes his team a national title contender every single season."
It then dawned on me.
Bobby likes Saban for his no-nonsense approach because that's how Bobby attacks the challenge of beating the house edge.
"The Owl" is a tireless worker who spends Saturdays watching the games and Sundays combing the box scores.
He doesn't waste a single minute searching for edges in the NFL.
I was impressed with Bobby's mental sharpness when recapping the action from the previous day.
He can talk in detail about teams from the Top 25 to the smaller schools of the FCS and every comment is gambling-related with a focus on current form and injury information.
As for Bobby's physical health, he complained about a few aches and pains but he looked a lot better and sounded a lot sharper than most men his age.
I suggested to Bobby that he set a goal to reach the age of 100.
In typical oddsmaker fashion, Bobby looked at me and said, "I'm a huge underdog to get to 100. A HUGE underdog."
He then said, "One year at a time, my boy, one year at a time."
DAILY COUNTDOWN...In keeping with the lead of today's blog entry, the opening of the NHL season is 16 days away, the NBA season is 29 days away and the 2018-19 college hoop season is 53 days away.
I owe this information to a William Hill clerk (Laurie) at Skyline Hotel and Casino who posts a calendar of opening days on the white boards behind the betting counter.
It's refreshing when a sports book employee in Las Vegas goes above and beyond the call of duty.
MONDAY'S BEST BET...Play 959-960 Chicago Cubs-Arizona Diamondbacks UNDER 4 runs in the game's first five innings.
I've been supporting Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks in one way or the other (think side and total) since the summer day in 2014 when he broke into the big leagues.
The 28-year-old Dartmouth product doesn't receive the publicity or market respect of bigger-name pitchers on the Cub staff (Lester and Hamels) but he's superb at keeping hitters off-balance and inducing weak contact.
Arizona starter Patrick Corbin is 5-1 lifetime against the Cubs with an ERA of 3.68.
I'll make a first-half bet here to avoid the recent problems of both bullpens.
