Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
I apologize in advance folks, this is just one of those weeks where I can’t seem to get any words onto the page.
I’m sitting here on a Wednesday afternoon, perhaps a bit more tired than usual, and my brain is not firing on all cylinders like it usually is. I’m trying to think of a Halloween angle for this week’s introduction, but I can’t seem to think of which way to go. Scariest losses I’ve suffered as a fan? The not-so-creative “athletes as Halloween candies”? Shoot, I thought about just abandoning sports all together and just listing some of my favorite scary movies and Halloween memories. Actually, why don’t I just do one of each?
It feels like a cop out, but as I was always told growing up, “If you don’t have one coherent thought good enough to turn into 800 words, there’s no shame in turning three thoughts into 1000 words.” Words like that shaped me into who I am today. Enough time wasting. Let’s get spooky, starting with the most horrifying thing that’s ever happened to me in my diehard sports fandom:
The day was Sunday, January 6th, 2019. The Chicago Bears were NFC North champions and in the playoffs for the first time in eight years, hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round at Soldier Field. Somehow, my mom had gotten tickets for the three of us to go: myself, my mom and my brother. This was only the second Bears game I had ever been to in my life, and still the last one I have been to. Needless to say, the vibes were high.
I’ll admit I remember less of the first three quarters than I would like to because of how refreshed I was keeping myself, but I’ll be dead in the cold hard ground before I forget how the game ended. After Philly scored late to take a narrow lead, Mitch Trubisky went on what was probably the best drive of his life to get the Bears into field goal range. The only thing separating Chicago from a date with New Orleans in the divisional round was a 43-yard field goal.
The only problem was that Cody Parkey was the one attempting it.
I had had my problems with Parkey all season. Later that night, I scrolled through my old tweets and realized I had been crying to cut him since October. If only someone listened to me. You all know what happened. He went up there and the infamous “Double Doink” was born. It took me a full offseason before I watched that kick. You can ask my brother, he was sitting next to me. Before he went up there, I turned around kneeled down and put my head in my hands. I literally could not watch.
I’ll never forget the sound. The sound of the ball hitting the upright once, it must have looked like it was going to doink in, because my section started to cheer. (To make it so much worse, we were sitting right behind the goal post he was kicking at.) Then, the sound of a faint second doink, a collective groan, and the loudest silence you’ve ever heard.
I crumpled to the ground. That season had been the most exciting Bears season in almost a decade. I wasn’t ready for it to be over. But at that very moment, it was. In the blink of an eye, it was all over. I couldn’t move. I was beyond devastated. We were supposed to go out for dinner to celebrate my brother’s birthday after the game. I did not attend. I walked to the train station in silence, with a tear or two sliding down my cheek, took the train back to the suburbs and watched The Departed in my dad’s basement. The movie was great, but all I could hear was that sound.
Talk about haunting. That took up a lot more words than I was anticipating, which is great, because I really didn’t want to spend 200 words comparing an athlete to a Halloween candy. I may have writer’s block but I’m no hack. I did promise so I will deliver: LeBron James is an Almond Joy because I think he’s the best and most people don’t. That’s all you’re getting out of me. Debate a wall.
So now we will wrap up with a favorite Halloween memory of mine. It isn’t as big of a list to choose from as one may think. Almost unbelievably, I was sick for two Halloween’s in a row when I was a kid, probably the worst day of the year to be stuck inside. For whatever reason, the memory that comes to mind comes much later.
It’s rather unremarkable, but I think about my junior year of college. Halloween itself fell on a Tuesday or Wednesday, so all of the hardcore partying had already been taken care of over the weekend. I was just cooling it at my apartment getting ready to do something I try to do every year: watching the classic horror movie Halloween on Halloween. But then I get a call from my buddy Rod, and he wants to know what I’m up to.
Turns out, he and a couple of other guys are trying to watch the same movie, and somehow, they’d never seen it.
I invited them over immediately, we made some popcorn, had a few refreshments, and watched one of the greatest scary movies of all time. Just four dudes on a couch. As I said, it sounds so unremarkable, but perhaps that’s why I remember it so fondly. It was a simpler time with fewer worries and real camaraderie. It was a time when the spookiest thing in life was watching Michael Meyers turning teenagers into stir fry. It’s a memory I’ll always have connected to that movie.
So there you have it, a spooky edition of Can Connor Cover? As for the titular question, I’d say he certainly can, to the tune of 4-1 last week to push his season record over .500. Let’s see if we can’t keep that rolling.
FAVORITE FAVORITE
New England Patriots (-7) at Miami Dolphins
I think this win would be even more lopsided if the Dolphins were not coming off of their first win of the season, but I think this is a spot for Drake Maye in the Patriots to have a big day. Coming off of a loss on Thursday night, so a chip on the shoulder and a few extra days to prepare, this is screaming New England to me. I just don’t think Miami has the firepower to compete if the Patriots get into a rhythm and start throwing the ball all over the yard.
The Pick: Patriots -7
BIG DAWG GOTTA EAT
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5)
This is a week where I like the favorites in almost every spot, so naturally that means four or five underdogs will win, this game not included. I’m not super in love with this pick, but it is the one that I felt in my gut the most when going through lines. I think Atlanta’s offense is top tier when it is firing, but they are going up against a very good defense in this one. However, outside of last week’s thumping of Carolina, the Bucs have had trouble themselves moving the football with consistency. Give me the Falcons.
The Pick: Falcons +2.5
BEAR DOWN/GAME OF THE WEEK
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks (-3)
The Bears picked up a big win over New England on Thursday night last week, giving them ample time to head to Seattle on Monday night to deal with a Seahawks team that put a thumping on the Chiefs on Sunday night. This is honestly my pick for the game of the week too because of the lackluster slate elsewhere. You’ve got one of the best offenses in the NFL going up against the best defense. If the Chicago defense can get Sam Darnold to turn it over just once, I think that’ll be enough for them to head on the road and get the upset. Because of the double stakes, we have a first in Can Connor Cover history. This pick will be worth double or nothing.
The Pick: Bears +3
THIS IS OUR COLTS
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars (-9.5)
Things have certainly gone south in a hurry for the Colts, who seem to be tearing everything down as they begin another rebuild. Quinton Nelson and DeForest Buckner were traded earlier this week, and that could just be the beginning. They have a tough task heading to Jacksonville this week to face a really good Jags team that is coming off a bye. Last week, I picked Indy because I didn’t think the Vikings had the firepower to cover the lopsided spread. I think the Jaguars do.
The Pick: Jaguars -9.5
For a guy that was really struggling to put pen to paper, I think I ended up doing okay. I hope you enjoyed reading.
Happy Halloween.
Last Week’s Record: 4-1
Season Record: 18-17
