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WYNN CASH: There's a right way to be a 'fan' when prognosticating By WYNN CASH, Standard-Times prognosticator If you're gonna throw the cash out there and try to land yourself big profits, you need to have a plan. It's imperative -- successful prognosticating is not typically something that can be done with regularity by random chance. Despite that story your buddy had about his main squeeze picking winners by uniform color and going 13-1. Next week, blown four-way parlay tanked the relationship. Real shame. In an activity so based on knowledge, it's of the utmost importance to know the 32 commodities on which your fate is based. Not just the numbers, but the tendencies. How they react to an injury. Who their backups are. What they favor. All of it. This is where the story of "fandom" comes in. Matters of the heart can make for dark times at the betting counter, as many a man has been led astray because of the dreaded "gut instinct." Team X is due. Team Y can't possibly play that bad again ... can they? That said, the truly successful bettor is a "fan" of all 32 teams, in the sense that he sucks up all the info he can voraciously. Think about what you know about the Pats, and how valuable it would be if you had that kind of background on everyone. An old war buddy of mine from Passaic, N.J., is a huge Giants fan, down to being the only man in America with a framed photo of Phil McConkey over his fireplace. Calls me up last week to say New York's a lock against the Skins. "Their defense is too suspect! And they haven't faced a real running back yet! Look at the numbers ... the Giants are dogs!" Sure enough, he made his money, just as I made mine upon seeing Buffalo gave up plenty of rushing yards in their blowout against Jacksonville. Considering they had Ricky Williams next on the schedule ... you get my drift. Learn it, read it, pick it. And you just might be a winner in: WEEK FOUR The Vikes, Bucs and those paraplegic Pats gave us three winning weeks out of three, even after I paid for the sucker line on Green Bay and the battle Seattle let themselves get in. I said it wouldn't be close, and the Seahawks won by a singlet. See? I'm not infallible after all. With injuries taking their toll on a lot of team's superstars, and Arizona apparently willing to show moderate effort on occasion, this is an awful week to make wagers. But since my name isn't 'Don't Bet' Cash, we move on to ... CASH'S WYNN-ERS Bills (-3), home, over Eagles, 2 units: I have to figure Travis Henry's questionable status with a chest injury is strongly affecting this line. That or the bookmakers in Vegas got a bad batch of peyote. It is likely that the Eagles will come out hot off their bye, because an 0-3 start in the NFC East is kiss-off territory. But a team without their All-Pro safety and a doubtful starting cornerback? Playing the Buffalo Bills quarterbacked by pass-happy Drew Bledsoe? Maybe it's this one that won't be close. Texans (+3), home, over Jaguars, 2 units: The injection of Byron Leftwich into the Jags offense can only help, as he has the mobility and exuberance we used to love Mark Brunell for. However, he's green, and he's likely to get greener when he sees Fred Taylor is his most viable offensive option. The Jags secondary has looked terrible this year ... look for David Carr and Andre Johnson to have more than one touchdown together when this game is through. Colts (-1½), road, over Saints, 1 unit: This spread is basically a pick 'em, and I think there's something to this Colts team. Their offense may not be what it once was, but neither is the endless supply of upside Aaron Brooks once had. Indy's D gets them, and you, a win Sunday night. and the rest Patriots (+3) over Skins in Virginia: All the injuries will keep this close, but I feel like New England still has enough on the active roster to win. Chiefs (-3) over Ravens in Baltimore: Past laurels aren't enough when you're playing a team as balanced as K.C. Titans (+3) over Steelers in Pittsburgh: The Steelers went a long way in reestablishing their running game last week, but that was against the Bengals. Browns (-4½) over Bengals in Cleveland: As bad as Tim Couch usually looks at home, William Green will breakout against a team yet to allow less than 130 yards rushing. 49ers (even) over Vikings in Minnesota: Daunte Culpepper has a broken back. I'd imagine that's as debilitating as getting kneecapped. Panthers (-6) over Falcons in Carolina: Coming off a bye, Carolina is for real. Atlanta, at least for a few more weeks, is definitely not. Rams (-10½) over Cardinals in St. Louis: Bet on this game? You'd have to be crazy to even watch it. Chargers (+7) over Raiders in Oaktown: This one will just smolder like a bad cigar ... long and unending. The joint suck will keep it close. Cowboys (-3) over Jets in Jersey: Dallas has won more games in the Meadowlands this year than the Jets. Now that's worth a chuckle ... and bucks. Lions (+11½) over Broncos in Denver: They won't win, but Detroit will keep it close against the Portis-less, coming-off-big-Monday-win Broncos. Bears (+4) over Packers in Chicago: Yes Virginia, the Packers can possibly play that bad again. I'm Wynn Cash, so watch out for the rubes and I'll see you next week! This story appeared on Page B3 of The Standard-Times on September 27, 2003.
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