Broadsword calling Danny Boy: Desert Swarm -- Arizona State (+210), Arizona (+155) at home; Hamas Sleepers (-145) at Be'er Sheva | Eastern North Carolina Now

The Cadillac stood by the house
And the Yanks they were within
And the tinker boys they hissed advice
'Hot-wire her with a pin'
So we turned and shook as we had a look
In the room where the dead men lay
So big Jim Dwyer made his last trip
To the land where his father's laid

But fifteen minutes later
We had our first taste of whiskey
There was uncles giving lectures
On ancient Irish history
The men all started telling jokes
And the women they got frisky
At five o'clock in the evening
Every bastard there was piskey

He fought the champ in Pittsburgh
And he slashed him to the ground
He took on Tiny Tartanella
And it only went one round
He never had no time for reds
For drink or dice or whores
And he never threw a fight
Unless the fight was right
So they sent him to the war

Fare thee well, gone away. there's nothing left to say
With a slainte Joe and Erin go my love's in Amerikay
The calling of the rosary, Spanish wine from far away
I'm a free born man of the USA

Fare thee well, gone away, there's nothing left to say
But to say adieu to your eyes as blue as the water in the bay
To Big Jim Dwyer, the gun for hire who was often heard to say
I'm a free born man of the USA - Shane Patrick Lysaght Macgowan


The Tinker, the Tailor and the Soldier work the Belgrade Run, November 1998: Above.     Click image to enlarge.
    Facing near certain defeat in the West, Adolph Hitler rolled the bones one last time in December 1944 with a Winter strike through the Ardennes. A month before he swapped a loaded pair of dice into the game when he summoned Otto Skorzeny and tasked him with the execution of Unternehmen Greif. Forty English-speaking German elements, driving captured American jeeps and wearing GI uniforms, would infiltrate Allied lines in the opening minutes of the surprise attack and raise all kinds of Hell in the rear echelon.

    Now, Hamas as done the same with scores of Quds Force trained fighters successfully infiltrated into and through Israel during the October 7 attack. These highly motivated lock-away operators burrow themselves within the refugee chaos and, using high-end forged papers and identities, enter sleep mode until activated for the next phase of the attack. They are a strategic asset that grows stronger each day.

    In terms of the next phase of the attack, Kurt's strategy was solid but his execution flawed as South Carolina was terrible and Tennessee could not hold an early 13 point lead, as we fall to 6-4 and up 1.6 units in this space. The idea of taking a pair of conference live underdogs is sound, but the strategy needs refinement in terms of selections and weighting.

    We need Farnell to get focused like Craig Woolard belting out Brandy under the big tent and generate a couple live underdogs. With the fate of all mankind hanging in the balance, as World War III cranks the ignition, we wonder where his head is of late.

    **************

    When I was about nine years old, I accompanied my father to the funeral of a friend of his, someone who I didn't even know.

    When we got there, I stayed in a corner waiting for the time to pass.

    Then a man approached me and said, "Enjoy life kid, be happy because time flies. Look at me now, I didn't enjoy it."

    Then he passed his hand over my head and left.

    My father, before leaving, forced me to say goodbye to the dead person.

    When I looked in the coffin, I was horrified to see that the man in the coffin was the same man who had spoken to me.

    I was so traumatized I couldn't sleep properly.

    I had terrible nightmares. I was terrified of being alone.

    I couldn't sleep without a night light for many years.

    I saw many psychologists, endured much turmoil throughout my adolescent years.

    It got better as I aged, but I would still occasionally wake up screaming in fear.

    Years later, I discovered something incredible that changed my life.

    The dead guy had an identical twin...

    **************************

    Not the greatest experience at nine years of age but it will certainly give a youngster insight into the concept that ninety five percent of the dung we worry about doesn't mean a damn thing -- except to those selling the fear. Not buying fear today, this month or this year -- the price is too high.

    The two live underdog strategy is sound and we need two winners. Having sobered up from his three ale hangover, Farnell has finally answered the blower:

    "One of the strongest games we have seen in awhile is Arizona as a home underdog against Oregon State. The early bird price was State minus five but opened four and is now three and the hook -- if we were taking just one game to win Saturday it would be Arizona plus the points."

    "But the value is taking them on the money line as they are coming off a bye week and red shirt frosh QB Fifita is starting to throw darts every week. The defense just keeps getting stronger and this a key game for the Wildcats bowl eligibility status. We lost going against Oregon State a couple weeks ago at Cal but Arizona in a different range now than the Bears."

    "Arizona State was terrible at the beginning and landed us some nice quam by taking a dive against Fresno State earlier in the season. Since then Arizona State's defence has cranked it up bigly. Their special teams remain atrocious but the QB play has strengthened with Trenton Bourguet leveling out and the running game landing consistently average."

    "Washington State saved our weekend card with a last second back door cover against Oregon but the reality is they are shaky now. It is one thing to catch 19 against the Ducks coming off the tough loss to Penix, Jr and Washington, quite another to be favoured on the road in conference play. This move about one team on the upswing and the other beginning to slip, and a fat 2-1 plus payoff for being right."

    Farnell's arguments are strong but the package needs further refinement. The idea of moving each leg of the package at the same volume has merit but is a simplistic approach. If one move is stronger than the other, then it would seem to behoove the wise man to weight the action accordingly.

    In the book/movie "Day of the Jackal", the protagonist Charles Calthrop, Chacal, the Jackal, having learned his mission is blown faces a literal crossroads as he comes to the border. To the South is Switzerland and safety with half the kill fee deposited in a numbered account, to the West is Paris and the target, for the big payoff.


    He hesitates only a second, to down-shift, and then heads for Paris and the fate of Big Jim Dwyer. Our crossroad decision is the choice of damn certain winner Arizona and the points, or the risky move of both Arizona and Arizona State on the money line heavy. With the second option we only need a split to come out ahead and a sweep carries the day. Also knowing that if we get swept, we will be playing defense the rest of the season trying to climb out of the hole.

    No thought required. Down-shifting.

    Our calls here are ARIZONA (+155) for three units and ARIZONA STATE (+210) for two units, needing outright wins to collect on the money line. The defence for this desert brace is stronger than peeps realise; the Wildcats are the real deal here.

ARIZONA    34  •  OREGON STATE    24

ARIZONA STATE    19  •  WASHINGTON STATE    14

    Operation Griffin met with limited success as Skorzeny's forty man commando unit managed to capture, briefly, one Meuse River bridge before retreating. The confusion spread behind the Allied front was much more successful as phone lines, road signs and other communication links were severed. Rumours of an attempt to take out Ike by German saboteurs roared like wildfire as Griffin elements were captured; 18 were summarily executed in the field as spies.

    America's major urban areas teeming with foreign agents now from the undefended Southern border; their Real ID's from North Korea and Iran are better copies than the originals you are required to produce now under threat of illegal detention. And if you think some bow-tie wearin' "guy" from NC as Speaker is part of the road to victory, you got a tough row to hoe, Amigo. Best start learning Mandarin or Farsi in that case, my Man.

    So what are you worried about, free born man of the USA?

    If you're from third floor Becton, not a damn thing.