The Fumbler: Jeannette putting on a top-rated show
This is the time of year The Fumbler becomes a man for two seasons: football and network television.
An inveterate couch potato, he caps long weekends of his No. 1 sport with his favorite show, "Desperate Prognosticators."
"Desperate" airs at 9 p.m. Sundays, and it couldn't be steamier -- five sweaty, puffy, corn chip-eating guys trying to outscheme each other while predicting outcomes of high school, college and NFL games.
These prognosticators worship Beano -- the analyst and the digestive aid.
They are a contentious lot. The Fumbler likes all of the characters, but his favorite is Greedy Mitt, whose fate at the end of last season was left hanging.
The Fumbler was quite visible last weekend, compiling an unspectacular but solid first-week record of 50-20 (.714 percentage).
Here are his thoughts on this weekend's top matchups:
Jeannette (1-0) at Washington (1-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- Jeannette's season opener against Brownsville was such a blowout (60-0) that Jeannette star quarterback Terrelle Pryor carried the ball only one time and threw just four passes. This game shouldn't be a blowout, but that might be bad news for Washington because that means Terrelle Pryor will get more opportunities to make plays. Winner: Jeannette.
Montour (1-0) at Chartiers Valley (1-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- It has been awhile since Montour has been in a big game. The Spartans had won only six games in the previous four seasons. This is the second consecutive road test for Montour. Winner: Chartiers Valley.
Hempfield (1-0) at Shaler (1-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- The Fumbler believes Shaler is the sleeper team in WPIAL Class AAAA this season. Not good enough to win a WPIAL title, but good enough to make a lot of noise. Winner: Shaler.
Riverside (1-0) at Mars (1-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- A showdown between two top running backs -- Riverside's Jake Wickline and Mars' Billy Bair. This game could go a long way in determining the Class AA Tri-County North title. Winner: Mars.
Shady Side Academy (1-0) at Ford City (1-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- Ford City held Wilmington running back Chris Burns, a Pitt recruit, to 54 yards in the season opener. Defense will be the difference. Winner: Ford City.
And now the rest (home teams in capital letters):
This afternoon
CITY LEAGUE -- Oliver over Allderdice (Cupples Stadium).
Tonight
CITY LEAGUE -- Brashear over Schenley (Cupples Stadium).
WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny Conference) Kittanning over FREEPORT; Northgate over WEST SHAMOKIN; Valley over DEER LAKES. (Century) BRENTWOOD over Carlynton; STEEL VALLEY over South Allegheny; South Park over BURGETTSTOWN. (Interstate) East Allegheny over BROWNSVILLE; McGuffey over SOUTHMORELAND. (Midwestern) Beaver Falls over QUAKER VALLEY; NEW BRIGHTON over Ellwood City; CENTER over Freedom; ALIQUIPPA over Sto-Rox. (Tri-County North) Laurel over CORNELL; Mohawk over UNION; Summit Academy over NESHANNOCK.
NON-CONFERENCE -- Ambridge over UNIONTOWN; BEAVER over Shenango; Belle Vernon over NEW CASTLE; Beth-Center over JEFFERSON-MORGAN; BURRELL over Seton-LaSalle; CALIFORNIA over Leechburg; Canon-McMillan over KISKI AREA; Central Catholic over ERIE CATHEDRAL PREP; Clairton over CARMICHAELS.
Franklin Regional over LAUREL HIGHLANDS; GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC over Reynolds; Hampton over ELIZABETH FORWARD; Highlands over ALBERT GALLATIN; Indiana over DERRY; Knoch over RINGGOLD.
MAPLETOWN over Apollo-Ridge; Moon over KEYSTONE OAKS; MT. LEBANON over Plum; MOUNT PLEASANT over Greensburg Salem; North Allegheny over LATROBE; NORTH CATHOLIC over Wilkinsburg; NORTH HILLS over Connellsville; NORWIN over Butler; PENN HILLS over Bethel Park; Pine-Richland over PETERS TOWNSHIP.
ROCHESTER over Fort Cherry; Seneca Valley over PENN-TRAFFORD; Springdale over AVONWORTH; THOMAS JEFFERSON over West Allegheny; TRINITY over Blackhawk; UPPER ST. CLAIR over Fox Chapel; WEST GREENE over Avella; WOODLAND HILLS over Baldwin.
Tomorrow afternoon
CITY LEAGUE -- Peabody over Langley (Cupples Stadium).
NON-CONFERENCE -- WESTERN BEAVER over Bentworth; SOUTH SIDE BEAVER over Chartiers-Houston; Frazier over GEIBEL; MONESSEN over Riverview; Sharon over WESTINGHOUSE.
Tomorrow night
WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Century) South Fayette over CHARLEROI. (Interstate) YOUGH over Waynesburg.
NON-CONFERENCE -- SERRA over Bishop Canevin.
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