“Can you please provide a rewritten version of this sentence?”
Did you catch a whiff of the irresistible scent of cornbread floating around the internet last week? Well, it was actually the local media swooning over their top choices for the Detroit Lions.
… With a mere three-point cushion.
Traveling along the road.
However, it’s not fair to solely place the blame on them. The Lions were widely expected to cover the Week 4 spread against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but unfortunately, they lost the game 24-14. This situation, often ridiculed as “cornbread” optimism on Detroit sports radio, is reminiscent of Charlie Brown constantly being deceived by Lucy.
During the inaugural year of legalized Michigan online sports betting, we have been closely monitoring the predictions made by Detroit media members for this NFL season. Unfortunately, only one of them correctly anticipated the outcome for the Leos this week, while the remaining eight suffered another loss.
Detroit Free Press takes losses across the board with Lions picks
Once again, the Detroit Free Press pundits have fallen short in their predictions as another disappointing week unfolds. Carlos Monarrez, Jeff Seidel, and Shawn Windsor, who have been consistently backing the Lions, have now suffered their third defeat in just four weeks of exclusively picking Lions games.
Dave Birkett, the main beat writer for the Lions at the Freep, has now accumulated a record of 0-4 this season.
Birkett, a highly connected local media member to the Lions, has unfortunately been unsuccessful in his predictions. Despite covering two games and losing against the spread in two others, he has been wrong on all four occasions.
Niyo, Wojo of Detroit News still the class of the market
Justin Rogers, the News beat writer for the Lions, faced another non-contest situation when he chose the host Bears in the staff picks. However, he predicted the Lions to cover the score, displaying some acknowledgment for their performance. It should be noted that Rogers actually selected the Bears to win in his legitimate picks and has decided to support all home teams in this year’s staff picks.
Throughout the entire season, columnists John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski have consistently stood out from the rest. This week, Wojo’s impressive 9-7 performance allowed him to close the gap and now trails his counterpart by just one game.
Mike Valenti making his move as season goes on
Taking a quick glimpse behind the scenes reveals that these media personnel often have close encounters with the teams they regularly report on.
Mike Valenti, the renowned sports radio personality in the area, is famously not often seen in the facilities and arenas fulfilling his role as a media member for 97.1 The Ticket.
That arrangement is not inherently problematic. In fact, his independence enables him to express his opinions freely without facing consequences, which is something fans have desired.
This is merely an observation about a specific game, but it is intriguing that the individual who placed the bet and will not encounter Lions staff in Allen Park is the same person who predicted the outcome.
Valenti’s efforts were rewarded as he surpassed his radio partner Rico Beard this week in the standings, edging closer to achieving a .500 record for the season.
Valenti and Beard emerged victorious when betting on the Chargers with a -3 spread during Monday night’s game. However, they faced defeat when wagering on Tampa Bay with a +7.5 spread during Sunday night’s match, as well as on Carolina with a +4.5 spread earlier on Sunday.
Valenti had a 4-3 record for the week, securing victories with the Seahawks +3 and Giants +7. On the other hand, Beard, who had a disappointing 2-5 record, bet on the Cardinals +4 against Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
Picker
Wins
Losses
Ties
Win percentage
Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News
71
62
3
.533
John Niyo, Detroit News
69
64
3
.518
Mike Valenti, 971 The Ticket
21
21
1
.500
James Hawkins, Detroit News
63
70
3
.474
Justin Rogers, Detroit News
54
74
3
.424
Rico Beard, 971 The Ticket
18
29
1
.385
Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press
3
5
0
.375
Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press
2
6
0
.250
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
2
6
0
.250
Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press
1
7
0
.125
This sentence is already clear and concise. It does not need to be rewritten.
