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WESTERN SPRINGS, Ill. -- Settling in today up north at my parents' house. It has an Urban Dead kind of feel to it, since they won't be here for a few days and I've been holed up and foraging for what I can (You find ramen, sandwiches, Diet Cokes and laundry machine).

I've been slowly moving the chains on Bocat NL tables and watching my NFL bets. Yesterday was a pretty decent day for NCAA, since I picked winners in UVA, Michigan, Florida and Boston College (although I wanted Tech to win). My only loser was Louisville, but I feel like I'd make the same bet vs UK 90 percent of the time.

So far today it's more of a push, with winners in Atlanta (+10-1/2) and the Atl-Jax Under. I lost on New Orleans and Indy, which didn't make the line. It'll be a photo finish for the rest of my picks, as I have MIN (+3), tied at 17 at the end of the 3rd quarter, the under on the Chi-KC game, 30 points total near the end of the third and Denver, up a touchdown over Oak near the end of the third. It'll be a photo finish to see if I walk away with any wins in those three games.

I have pretty good advisers (my boss' boss is a 16 game winner, 16-2) and Mr. Ed who does the SEC Seer was the one who steered me into BC's way -- "Tech hasn't played a team like Boston College yet," he cautioned.

I also tried to look at the value of some of the lines. I thought there would be no way that ATL-JAX would score more than 34 points, especially since ATL's offense has been terrible and JAX only scored 10 points the previous week. I also didn't think that the low scoring team could top a +10-1/2 ATL line.

I hesistated to take GB+1, and really should have, given NYG's injuries. Sure Eli Manning played today, but it doesn't sound like he was 100 percent. At least four underdogs won today (or beat the lines).

I'm thinking of sometime during my free time I'll travel up to Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee to check out the poker room (less than 2 hours' drive). I did plot a more ambitious trip out to Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is the distance from Atl-Tunica, 6 hours+. I don't think I'll be making that outing, although now's the time to do it when the weather is snow-free, unlike in the months ahead.