Another week, another 101X listener goes down.  Went 3-2 on a tough handful of games to keep my hot streak going.  Feel free to join in the fun every Friday morning on 101.5 FM with DJs Jason and Deb.

With that said... here are this week's pigskin pearls:

UT Basketball over Stetson:  Jason was in a giving mood, so he threw in a freebie this week.  Rick Barnes' Longhorns will smoke the Hatters (Yes, they're called the Stetson Hatters.  I guess Stetson "Cologne" was taken ).

Colts over Texans:  As long as Sage Rosenfels is throwing to the wrong team, it's hard to ride the H-Town Express.

Cowboys over Redskins:  Dallas gets Romo back while Washington puts Portis on the pine.  As Silver and Blue fans know, it's hard to make things work without your key puzzle piece.

Baylor over Texas A&M:  Did I just type that?  Bottom line: these are two programs going in different directions.

Texas over Kansas 34-24:  It will take more than a cold, windy day to ice these two offenses.  'Horns win a tough road game to keep their BCS Title Game hopes alive.

Agree?  Disagree? Feel free to chime in.

I'm officially on a roll.  Another 4-1 week in my 101X football picks keeps 100 free hot wings off a listener's table.  Be sure to catch my prognostications/sports chat Friday mornings on 101.5 FM with DJs Jason and Deb. 

With that said, here are my picks for this week:

Texans over Ravens:  Houston plays well at home... and the Ravens' physical D is a bit banged up.

Giants over Eagles:  Philly's actually favored at home... but NYG is arguably the NFL's most complete team.

Alabama over LSU:  I'm setting the over/under at 17.5 for how many times Nick Saban gets pelted with concession stand food.  Happy "Homecoming"!

Oklahoma St. over Tech:  This isn't sour grapes from last week.  I simply think the Cowboys are the better team... and that Tech may be emotionally spent after the program's biggest victory.

Texas over Baylor 38-17:  Oddsmakers are picking a bigger blowout, but the 'Horns are too banged up and too worn down to hang 50 on an improved BU bunch.

Agree? Disagree?  Feel free to share. 

101X DJs Jason and Deb can breathe easy... I'm officially on a roll and depriving morning 101X listeners of free hot wings.  Went 4-1 again last week and almost nailed the tiebreaker... can you say momentum?

With that blather aside,.. here are this week's picks (a day early, no less):

Giants over the Cowboys:  In a few weeks, when all the "real" Cowboys heal up, this will be a great game.  Unfortunately, Dallas' JV is no match for the defending champs.

Vikings over the Texans:  After three straight winning weeks, it's time to jump off the Texans' bandwagon.  Vikings will win a surprisingly high-scoring affair.

Florida over Georgia:  Coin flip special... always hard to predict what will happen between the hedges.

Texas A&M over Colorado:  Aggies are showing more life than the battered Buffs as of late.

Texas over Tx Tech 45-35:  Simple analysis: both offenses can put up points,.. but I don't think Tech's D is in UT's class.  Colt McCoy will walk away from his West Texas reunion undefeated and with Heisman still in hand.

Disagree?  Make your case right here.... or chime in Friday mornings on 101X!

After another win, I'm starting to pick up a little momentum with my 101X de la Pick'ems.  I went 4-1 last wek to deprive a listener of 100 free hotwings (not a very nice thing to do in this economy - I'll be sleeping with one eye open).

This week's picks:

Cowboys over the Buccaneers:  Brad Johnson will shake off the rust, and the rest of the 'Boys will wake up and realize they can't sleepwalk to a 13-3 season.

Texans over the Bengals:  In an unprecedented move, I'm picking the Texans for a third straight week. 

Kansas over Texas Tech:  The Red Raiders are a bit overrated... and Kansas is saltier than most people think. 

Penn State over Ohio State:  Joe Pa's Nittany Lions make their case for a national title game spot.

Texas over Oklahoma State 31-24:  'Horns are a two TD favorite, but I see this one playing out a little closer.  The Cowboys' 5th-ranked rushing attack will test the 'Horns... and keep Colt and company off the field.  Mack Brown's biggest concern is his team's inconsistent kicking game... which happens to be one of OSU's strengths.

If you think you can outpick me, feel free to blog here... or tune into 101X every Friday morning for a chance at 100 free hotwings.

Despite my traitorous Sooners pick on the TX-OU game, I still went 4-1 and denied a not-so-lucky 101X listener 100 hotwings.  (Picking the Cowboys to lose and the Texans to win keyed my big comeback).

This week's gems:

Cowboys over the Rams:  No Romo, no Pacman, no problem.  Last week's Debacle in the Desert will motivate the 'Boys more than easy goin' Wade Phillips ever could.

Texans over the Lions:  That's right.  Two in a row for H-Town.  The Lions were already horrible and that was before Roy Williams put the Motor City in his rearview mirror.

Oklahoma over Kansas:  Kansas won't get to Sam Bradford like Texas did.  OU will roll.

Texas Tech over Texas A&M:  I'm not a big believer in Tech... but the Aggies are ridiculously bad this season.

Texas over Missouri 37-30:  Last Saturday's win over OU was impressive, but UT's young secondary will suffer a few more growing pains against the pass-happy Big 12.  Heisman hopeful Chase Daniel will likely put up some gaudy numbers... but I like the 'Horns to win a scorefest.

Happy watching.

My weekly 101X de la Pick’ems challenge is turning into a hot wing giveaway. Went 5-0 last week only to lose the tie-breaker - and the 100 wings - to a very lucky (or very psychic) 101X listener. At this rate, Djs Jason and Deb are going to stop asking for my picks by midseason.

Nevertheless, here are this week’s pigskin predictions:

Texans over Dolphins: Call it the “due” theory. Houston has to win sooner or later,.. and Sage “You spin me right round, baby, right round” Rosenfels won’t be in the game to fumble this one away.

Cardinals over the Cowboys: Upset special of the week… and perhaps the jolt the ‘Boys need to start playing some inspired football. Cards are tough at home and will throw on the depleted Dallas secondary.

Florida over LSU: 2nd best college game of the week. I always like the Gators in the Swamp (unless Jevan Snead and Ole Miss are in town).

Kansas State over A&M: Aggies have to show me they can win before I take them again. Even at home against a mediocre K-State squad.

Oklahoma over Texas 31-20: I think Mack Brown and his staff have done an incredible job with this Longhorn bunch… but the Sooners simply have more ammo in the chamber. If Jamaal Charles and Jermichael Finley had stayed in college and/or Blaine Irby had stayed healthy… I might see this one differently. However, without a pass-catching tight end and an explosive running back, it’s going to be hard to put up more than 20 points against an athletic Sooners D. I also don’t like the match-up of UT’s young DBs against one of the nation’s best QBs protected by one of the nation’s top O-Lines. Hope I’m wrong.

Feel free to agree/disagree… or call into 101X on Friday morn and we’ll go head-to-head.

      It does not surprise me at all that Pacman Jones seems to be up to his old ways.  I didn't think it would be the end of his antics, but I didn't think it would be so soon either.   Jones had the Police called on him after having an incident with his bodygaurd.   No one was arrested, but it is disappointing to know that he has not change and probably never will.  Jones has been arrested 6 times since he has been drafted in 2005.  

     I think he is pathetic and so is his Grandpa Jerry!

At the beginning of the season, I felt certain this would be a near blowout, with OU winning by three, maybe four touchdowns. Seeing how the likes of FAU and Rice moved the ball on the Horns at times only added to that feeling. Fast-forward a month or so, and I'm amazed at how much better the UT defense has gotten. They no longer just bend but don't break, they force the issue, they get sacks, tackles for loss, force turnovers, you name it. In fact, it's on the verge of becoming the nasty defense UT fans have longed for. Will Mushcamp has been as advertised. He's intense, he's smart, he's extremely confident in this unit, and don't forget, he shut down, not slowed down, an OU offense that averaged 43 points per game and was lead by a Heisman Trophy-winning QB in the 2003 BCS Championship game when he was at LSU. Yes, the Horns haven't faced an offense like the one they'll face on Saturday, but I'm curious to see how Sam Bradford reacts when he gets hit in the mouth a couple times, and I'm thinking that will finally happen. My biggest concern is how a young secondary will respond when Bradford does get time to throw to his experienced corp of receivers.

The gripe Texas fans always seem to have in this game is that Greg Davis is too conservative and opts for "east-west" offense over getting vertical and taking chances downfield. In the last three years, that's simply not been true. Remember Colt McCoy to Finley last year and to Cosby, Shipley, and Sweed the year before? Remember VY to Pittman and Thomas the year before that? I'm not saying that Davis is going to go Texas Tech-style on Saturday, but when he has a QB he trusts, he will take chances and get vertical. He's had that in each of the last three years, and it's safe to say he has it again this year. Texas will be able to generate offense with an experienced McCoy playing behind a healthy O-Line against an OU secondary that may be the team's lone weakness.

Safe to say neither team has played much in the way of quality opponents until now, but in looking at the last two games for each, I can't imagine OU doing much better than what Texas did at home against Arkansas or at Colorado, and I can't imagine Texas doing much worse than the Sooners did in a home game against TCU or on the road against Baylor. This is a close one, but I'm going with Muschamp and McCoy to rule the day, well, sort of:

Texas 24, Oklahoma 21

Texas-OU like a bowl game in the middle of the season. Special coverage every night including flashbacks with former players. In these tough economic times when people are nervous about their jobs and their life savings, at least Texas-OU will provide a nice diversion for a few hours Saturday.  #1 Oklahoma #5 Texas first time since 2004 they are both undefeated. Maybe I look forward to it so much  because I grew up with the Alabama-Auburn rivalry every year, but that's every day, I even harass our chief editior here at FOX 7 who's a Bama fan.  Auburn isn't getting it done this year but it's been fun following Texas though I still wish Mack Brown would let us watch practice so we could see this coming in August. Mack isn't sporting the "deer in the headlights" look  this week because I think he is confident defensive coordinator Will Muschamp can scheme Oklahoma as he did at LSU keeping the Sooners from winning a national championship. Mack knows this team has chemistry, I thought OU earlier in the week, but now I'll say Texas, it should be a tossup.

Bevo, the 14th in a long line of destinguished University of Texas mascots is really impressive.

Have you ever wondered about the first UT mascot?

It was a pit bulldog named "Pig". 

The two finger "Hook 'em" wasn't used. You raised one leg and hollered "P on U".

This is called the Greenhill Formula.to determine the optimal rifle twist rate twist for a given bullet in any rifle. The formula is T=150(d/r) for velocities from about 1500 to 2800 fps. Substitute 180 for the 150 value for velocities exceeding 2800 fps. "T" is the twist rate. "D" is the bullet diameter. "R" is the bullet length to diameter ratio (length of bullet divided by diameter).

When V=1500fps-2800fps T=150(D/R)
 
When V is greater than 2800fps T=180(D/R)

Example with a known:

V=1500fps-2800fps
L=1.19
D= 0.311
R=L/D=3.83
D/R= 0.081
150(D/R) =12.180
T=12.180

With this calculation one can find a 180 grain .311 diameter bullet that is 1.19 inches long will work optimally in a rifle barrel with a 1 in 12 twist rate when fired at a velocity of between 1500 fps to 2800 fps.

This does not take into account the RPM of any given bullet but does work as a way to calculate the velocity needed on other size bullets that have another optimum twist rate slower or faster than the given twist rate in the rifle used.

Calculation to find Revolutions Per Minute (RPM):
“V” is the velocity in feet per second. “I” is 12 inches the amount the bullet will travel in one second. “T” is the twist rate. “RPM” is revolutions per minute. Notice the velocity is in feet per second "FPS" so  FPS(I/T) is multiplied by 60 to obtain revolutions per minute (RPM).

RPM= V(I/T)60

Example with a known:
V=2,200fps
I/T=1
RPM=2,200fps(I/T)60
RPM=132,000

The bullet is spinning 132,000 revolutions per minute when fired at 2200 foot per second from a barrel with a 1 in 12 twist rate.

What if the value of  T equals a 1 in 15 twist rate?

V=2700fps
L= 0.9
D= 0.311
R= 2.89
D/R=0.1
150(D/R) =15
T=15

The 125 grain .311 bullet that is 0.9 inches long takes a slower twist rate of 1 twist in 15 inches than the longer 180-grain bullet of the same diameter to be optimal for accuracy.

Since the given twist rate of the rifle it is being fired from cannot be changed then to make it an accurate stable bullet the RPMs of the 125 grain bullet need to be slowed down in order for it not to become unstable in flight from to fast of a twist rate.

Normally a lighter bullet will be fired at a much faster velocity as is seen in the reloading manuals and because it is lighter and shorter which allows the case to hold more powder also.

In this case when I find the bullet is not optimal to the twist rate of the particular rifling twist rate it is fired from I can achieve greater accuracy by not loading it to a maximum and loading it to a reduced load as a way to slow down the RPMs there by making a bullet that is optimal for a 1 in 15 twist rate work in a barrel with a 1 in 12 twist rate accurately.

This means I have to use another calculation to find what the RPMs would be normal to the smaller bullet in a barrel with a 1 in 15 twist rate to calculate the velocity it needs to be fired from a barrel with a 1 in 12 twist rate to obtain those same RPMs to make it stable and accurate.

Example with known:

V=2,700fps
I/T=0.8
RPM=2,700fps(I/T)60
RPM=129,600

Imagine that in a 1 in 12 twist rate barrel

V=2,700fps
I/T=1
RPM=2,700fps(I/T)60
RPM=162,000

Let’s slow that bullet RPM down some with a slower velocity in the 1 in 12 twist rate barrel

V=2,160fps
I/T=1
RPM=2,160fps(I/T)60
RPM=129,600

Now we have the same revolutions per minute as in a 1 in 15 twist rate barrel and have a load for the smaller bullet we can calculate to be optimized in a barrel with a 1 in 12 twist rate by using the velocity needed and comparing it to loadings for that particular bullets estimated velocity in reloading manuals.

Kind of seems odd that a 125 grain bullet in that particular caliber would have to be fired at a slower velocity than the heavier bullets to obtain an optimum accuracy for it but believe me when I say it works very well and you will not find a load for that particular caliber in any reloading books published today for the 7.7mm and yet I shot a ½ inch group with it at 100 yards just last week using those calculations.

So you think your ready to go now?

Nope not yet because reloading manuals have calculated loads from different length barrels of which will give faster velocities from longer barrels than from shorter ones because longer barrels will develop more pressure than a shorter barrel.

You now have to know the length of your barrel and calculate some more to find what your actual velocities for any particular loads are when compared to the length of the barrel that was shown to be used for the testing of the loads as put forth in any reloading manual.

Or you could just buy a chronograph and do some testing at the rifle range with the loads until you get the velocity within the range you are looking for either way.

As for myself I have been doing it for 35 years now and have had enough testing of loads at the rifle range to know close enough as to how to get a 125 grain bullet to become accurate from a 1 in 12 twist rate barrel by using the calculations above.

Usually I will load nine rounds for testing with three each of 1/2 grain charge differences and find one of three test loads to give me those 3 shots through one hole groups I am looking for.

As for anyone else I can tell you reloading is a serious science and you will need to study mathematics a lot before you even attempt it.

You will also need many tools available at your disposal as a way to make sure the cases reloaded are to exacting specifications.

The main reason I thought to put together this information was because I am meeting more and more people at the rifle ranges and when they start talking about how they reload they are totally lost when I start talking about the mathematics involved in reloading.

I think they just look into a reloading book and see a bunch of different loads for their particular caliber and then start loading what ever it says in there which is usually the hottest loads as they surmise those are the best ones since they have more power as they would think.

Then they will meet me at the range and see my one hole groups in the target and ask me what kind of rifle I have as their rifle just does not shoot that good with the hand loads they make for it so they want a rifle like mine because they think it must be the rifle that is the problem and not the reloading they do.

It kinds of reminds me of a quote from an old movie where the driver of one racecar tells the other “It’s not the car it’s the driver that wins”.

I tell them, “It’s not the rifle it’s the person that reloads for it and shoots it who wins”.

Besides when I start asking them if they used this or that calculation and start talking about the math behind reloading I get the same answer from them every time.

“You lost me back when you said something about mathematics”.

Once a guy told me he just dips his cases into the powder and fills them up then taps in a new bullet with a plastic mallet????   I kid you not and he was also telling me he was voting for Bill Clinton that year!

So when I say something has gone terribly wrong with this nations government run public educational system it is not something I am just guessing about because I can find the end results at  just about any place I go now days including the rifle ranges.

The key words seem to be “Reading” and “Mathematics” that have evidently become void in the government run public school systems now days.

I could write a nice manual for many different calibers explaining the science behind reloading for those particular rifles but then who would read all of the parts with the mathematics in them and only flip it open to the page showing their caliber to find out what is the maximum amount of powder they could cram into their cases?

I tried to calculate that once and I believe about 25% of the people reading it would read all about the science and mathematics behind their particular caliber before loading for it while a whooping 75% would just flip the book open to their particular caliper and start loading the maximum loads shown with probably about 50% of those saying to themselves, "Hey this here case will hold a lot more of that there powder than this here book shows". Totally ignoring any 80% case fill rule.

Even if I were told a publisher would pay me a million dollars to write a book such as that with those statistics it would not be worth it to me at all.

I do from time to time make friends at the range that reload and are having problems finding that perfect load for their own caliber and in some instances we meet up and I take a look at the reloading set up they have and walk them through a step by step procedure of how to make those reloads work in their particular caliber by teaching them the math and science of reloading as we go.

They are those people I would surmise that help make up some of the 25% that want to learn the math and science behind reloading as a way to achieve success in the shooting sports.

To the other 75% all I can say is you all need to start all over by reading the reloading manual from front to back until you understand all of the mathematics and science involved in reloading and if need be find an expert to help you understand it all until you know it like the back of your hand.

Then you need to obtain all of the proper tools such as calipers, powder scales, resizing dies, case trimmers, head space gauges and many others and know for a fact that you know exactly what you are doing before you even attempt to load one case for your particular caliber.

If not I am sure I will read about you in the Darwin Awards someday soon which will be something of which you will not be able to read anymore yourself after that.

     What is the deal?   I have not seen more helmets come off, than I have seen this season.  I think it is crazy.   Troy Aikman said himself that he never wore a helmet,  that loose to come off. 

    I don't know if the players are wearing loose helmets or if they are not stapping them on properly, but someone is going to end up getting hurt really bad. 

     You would think as rough as Footbal can be, that players would take extra percustions in protecting their heads.

I am referring to the Dallas Cowboys who will not make the NFL playoffs this year.  It pains me to say it, but they will struggle to be .500 this year. 

And as any of you know, I am not a Cowboy Hater.  I am the biggest Cowboy homer you will ever meet.  And even I have to acknowledge that this team is simply not very good this year. 

Let us take a look at the cold hard facts of their problems.  And unlike the uneducated fans out there that like to oversimplify things, neither T.O. nor Tony Romo are the problem.  They are the two best things going for the Cowboys, but some of the only things.

FACT: The Cowboys Cannot Run the Football

Do not be fooled by the mirage that was running over the highly overrated Green Bay Packers.  Other than that, they cannot run the football.  Not against good teams.   If it is third and short, the Cowboys are passing.  Period.  They cannot pick up 2 yards on third and 2. 

Is there a solution?  perhaps benching Marion Barber and subsituting him for somebody that has speed?  maybe.  But doubtful.  Either Jason Garret does not like to call running plays or he does not believe they will be successful.

Bottom line, if you cannot run the ball win you have to, you cannot win in the NFL.

FACT: The NFC East is the Best Division in Football, and ALL the Other Teams Are Better Than the Cowboys

If not for a fluke fumble vs. the Eagles, the Cowboys would have lost that game.  The eagles are the better team.  The Redskins showed they are the better team.  The Giants have shown they should not be forgotten as Super Bowl Champs. 

Face it, there is no way the Cowboys win another game in their division all year.  If they finish last, they cannot make the playoffs.  The two wild cards will go to the second and third place teams, if they make it. 

FACT: The Defense Cannot Stop Teams on Third Down

The Cowboys have shown time and time again that they cannot get teams off the field.  Jason Campbell threw all over the field on third down today against the Cowboys.  Good teams do not do that.

FACT: If the Offense Cannot Bail them Out, the Cowboys D Cannot Survive

They only won against Phily because the Offense overwhelmed the other team.  So if the offense is slowed, then they are toast.

So let's look at the schedule.

They are 3-1 now.  Let's go week by week

Next up is Cincy at home - terrible, the Cowboys probably win.

4-1

at Arizona - good little team with a potent offense, i say this is a loss.

4-2

At St Louis, worst team in NFL, easy win.

5-2

Tampa Bay - good team, probably will beat the Cowboys

5-3

At New York - Clearly a loss

5-4

Bye - tough, but I say Cowboys take BYE

At Washington - Loss

5-5

San Fran comes to town - Probably a win, just for the sake of a win

6-5

Seattle - were a playoff team, struggling this year but still better than the Cowboys

6-6

At Pittsburg - easy one to call, loss

6-7

NY Football Giants - Loss

6-8

Baltimore - loss, that defense shuts down the Cowboys

6-9

Phily - eagles will take their revenge

6-10

That is not the record of a Playoff team.  But that is the record of your 2008 Dallas Cowboys.

this team may be competitive in each game, but not overall. 

6-10

I sure hope I am wrong but I cannot see any reason why I am.  I don't see how anybody else can disagree with me on this.

I thought I had seen everything until today. I was watching a base-uh-ball game 'cause there was nothing else on..

I thought Coco Crisp had the patent on odd names until we come up with Kosuke Fukudome...

I can't make a crack about the name as my name in Japanese means "Esteemed warrior who should rule the world".