Carpenter Crunch Time Week 10: Get Up? I would rather stay in bed

BUCKHANNON – My question this week is, does anyone actually watch Get Up on ESPN, hosted by Mike Greenberg?

I used to really enjoy Mike and Mike, where he paired up with Mike Golic, but I turned off the ESPN talking heads years ago. But with football season here, I thought I would give the show a chance. So, I record it and watch it in the afternoon. Those who know me know I don’t get up at 8 a.m.

It’s a two-hour show, and I don’t know why. During football season, they ask if the Cowboys are a playoff team (yes if they won on Sunday and no if they lost on Sunday), what’s wrong with the Eagles despite them still winning, and then they go to kissing the backside of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

There are usually 12-13 games played on Sundays in the NFL but yet they all but ignore the rest of the league, and generally every other sports league that is playing. World Series anyone? Then, at the top of the hour, they simply go back to those three teams and rehash the same thing they already stated.

They do have a few personalities I like. I think former quarterback Dan Orlovsky has some good takes, and former coach Rex Ryan plays the curmudgeon old uncle that you love to listen to. Outside of that, most takes are just complete overreactions to what happened on Sunday.

The show is still far and away better than First Take. Stephen A. Smith is one of the reasons I turned off ESPN back in the day. Has anyone ever figured out why he is always screaming at me through the TV? Still, you have to give Smith credit… he turned that yelling into multiple million-dollar contracts. He knows how to play the game.

I’ve been told Fox Sports has the better morning talk shows; I may have to check them out.

Now onto the important stuff, the My Buckhannon staff contest. The standings look like this.

STANDINGS (WEEK 9)

Name     Week      Overall

Duane     7-0           50-13

Brian       6-1            45-18

Monica   6-1           40-23

Katie       3-4           39-24

I had a perfect week at 7-0 while Brian and Monica went 6-1 and Katie had a rough week at 3-4. Monica made the leap over Katie sliding into third place while I widened my lead over Brian to five games.

When it comes to our readers, we had four post perfect 7-0 marks (Sandra Kimble, Willie Parker, Kevin Patterson and Corrie Plaugher), but it was KEVIN PATTERSON that won the tiebreaker with the TCU-WVU game (40 total points) as Kevin picked 43 points. He will be receiving a $20 gift certificate from My Buckhannon. Thank you for your support, and keep those submissions coming in.

You still have time to get your picks in for this week, as we accept them until Friday at 6:59 p.m. prior to the high school kickoffs. (One submission only.) Please click here to make your picks this week.

Now onto our games:

Preston (1-7) at Buckhannon-Upshur (1-7)

If Buckhannon-Upshur makes one play in each of their last two games, they are 3-5 and probably be ranked 13^th this week. Learning to win is a real thing. Progress is being made by the Bucs this year, but they now have to learn how to take that next step and put teams away when they have the opportunity.

Duane: Preston; Brian: Buckhannon-Upshur; Monica: Preston; Katie: Preston

Fairmont Senior (7-1) at Bridgeport (9-0)

A heavyweight fight in Class AAA this week. Bridgeport is ranked second, while Fairmont Senior is third. The winner will likely host all their playoff games until they get to Charleston for the title game. I have a feeling we will see this game again in the post season.

Duane: Bridgeport; Brian: Bridgeport; Monica: Bridgeport; Katie: Bridgeport

West Virginia (2-5) at Houston (7-1)

I guess WVU showed some fight last week but this whole program is a complete mess from top to bottom. Houston will run WVU right off the field on Saturday. It will be nothing but more excuses from Rich Rodriguez after the game.

Duane: Houston; Brian: Houston; Monica: Houston; Katie: Houston

The Final Four:

East Fairmont (3-5) at Philip Barbour (6-2)

Duane: Philip Barbour; Brian: Philip Barbour; Monica: East Fairmont; Katie: East Fairmont

Morgantown (7-1) at University (7-2)

Duane: Morgantown; Brian: Morgantown; Monica: Morgantown; Katie: Morgantown

West Virginia Wesleyan (0-9) at Charleston (5-3)

Duane: Charleston; Brian: Charleston; Monica: Charleston; Katie: Charleston

Oklahoma (6-2) at Tennessee (6-2)

Duane: Tennessee; Brian: Tennessee; Monica: Tennessee; Katie: Oklahoma