The Crimson Seer's Pac-10 Picks: Week 10

DUCKS HOOKED ON phonics? Parking problems in L.A.? Dead end for Arizona coaching search? Answers to these questions—and more!—in this week’s edition of Pac-10 Picks.

UCLA at STANFORD

Bruin linebacker Xavier Burgess arrested Monday on felony charges for verbally threatening a campus parking attendant. Two reasons why this never would’ve happened under Bob Toledo’s watch: Players during his regime rarely visited campus, nor would they ever leave home without a handicap-parking placard hanging on the rearview.

A few days ago we had some plumbing problems that cost a bundle. Today I learned my truck was not long for this world. Still, it could be worse. I could be Buddy Teevens.

Pick: BRUINS

CALIFORNIA at ARIZONA STATE

Despite the combined 8-9 records of these two lower echelonites, this could prove to be the one of the more entertaining offensive showdowns this weekend. Which begs the question, if a tree falls in the forest…

Pick: GOLDEN BEARS

ARIZONA at OREGON STATE

Word out of Tucson is that a search committee has narrowed down their list of head coaching candidates from 100 to 10. An easier task than those numbers would indicate, as most of their candidates have long since been deceased.

Yes, I’ll admit that Beavo boss Mike “Male Pattern” Riley may be justified in some of his complaints regarding Pac-10 officiating, but there was no way OSU receiver James Newson was inbounds on that controversial endzone call at Wazzu last weekend. And I have the doctored photo to prove it.

Pick: BEAVERS

WASHINGTON STATE at SOUTHERN CAL

You won’t find this in the U$C media guide, but Toejam offensive coordinator Obi Norm Chow is actually just a hologram. The real Obi Norm was killed some years back by Darth Vader.

What do I, the Crimson Seer, have in common with Southern Gal receiver Mike Williams? Not much, other than we both like to heckle Ryan Killeen when he misses field goals and extra points.

Pick: COUGARS

OREGON at WASHINGTON

Oregon’s free-speaking safety Keith Lewis guarantees he and his pond pals will be dancing “on their ‘W’” after the Ducks defeat the Dogs. He also reports they’ve all been spending extra time after practices studying the alphabet so as to easily identify “their ‘W’” when the time comes. (Many of the sharper UO players have alertly noted “how weird it is” that the letter is called a “double U” when it really looks like a double V.)

I was very impressed with the statue of Jim “The Wizard” Owens un-hooded, er—unveiled last weekend at Husky Stadium but did note the color of his neck is just a shade or two off. 

Pick: DUCKS

LAST WEEK: 5-0

YEAR-TO-DATE: 42-17