Hondo the conqueror
HONDO put the finishing touches Sunday on an historic 18-game comeback that enabled him to cop the coveted Bettor’s Guide regular season crown. As if that weren’t enough reward for his HondoNation followers, he also tied Willis and Serby for most Best Bet victories.
And there’s more. At the risk of tearing a rotator cuff, Mr. Aitch also is delighted to announce that, in addition to finishing a whopping 3,472 hartungs to the good during the baseball season, he also won all of the “points” in The Post’s recently concluded College Bowl Pool.
It has been alleged that “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” but that’s Greek to The Champ, who’s feeling stress-free heading into wildcard weekend.
Raiders-Texans: Here’s a matchup made in QB hell: Brock Lossweiler against Connor Cooked, which amounts to second rate against third string. The Texans’ top-rated defense (in yards allowed, that is) will keep the heat on high against Cook and again shut down Latavius Murray, whom they held to 33 yards when they played in November.
Houston will get enough people in space and have no problem prevailing in a sure-fire field-goal festival. Texans 22-15
Lions-Seahawks: The mediocre-and-getting-worse Lions lug a three-game slide into the postseason and haven’t won a road playoff game since 1957, when Tobin Rote led them to a comeback victory over the 49ers (remember that one, kids?). Don’t count on a similar turn of events from Matt Stafford, who is still hurting. Also working against the Lions is that they are down to thirdstring running back Zach Zenner, and as everyone knows ZZ is not tops in his field.
The Seahawks have shown some slippage this season, but they are on a nine-game playoff roll at Century Link Field. Been there, done that, will do it again. Seahawks 27-17
Dolphins-Steelers: The Fish, returning to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, unfortunately are relying on journeyman Matt Moore to do the improbable: Lead them to a second victory in Pittsburgh in the same season. The Killer B’s — Ben, Bell and Brown — will put the Dolphins in a Heinz Field hole so big they’ll never catch up (fyi: one Heinz Ketchup reference is allowed per season).
Terry Bradshaw, who has accused Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin of being more cheerleader than coach, says Tomlin already has his pregame pep talk worked out: “2-4-6-8, who do we eliminate? Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins! GO STEELERS!” Steelers 31-16
Giants-Packers: Tough game to call — two hot teams squaring off on the Frozen Tundra, one with a great quarterback going up against a great defense, and one with a declining quarterback facing a weak and beat-up defense. Forget making a Lambeau leap to the conclusion Big Blue has an edge because their last two playoff runs have gone through Green Bay. That’s about as relevant as the Packers’ wins over the Giants in the 1961 and ’62 championship games.
What is relevant is the Giants receivers’ ill-advised trip to Miami, about which Odell Beckham Jr. proclaimed: “I’m a grown man. I do what I am supposed to be doing.” Apparently, hanging out on a yacht where Adderall and pot are flowing, is straight out of the Grown Man’s Manual. Regardless of how you look at their hot fun in the winter time, it won’t make it any easier for Beckham & Co. to hang onto a cold football with that Giant bull’s-eye they put on their backs.
Add ’er all up and it looks like a heartbreaker —but a cover — for the Giants! Packers 27-24
Meanwhile, in other areas of some import:
The U.N. has dropped Wonder Woman as an honorary representative because her curvy body and skimpy costume contribute to the objectification of women. Under consideration to replace her: The Portly Pantsuit.
According to some concerned parents, “Hatchimals,” this season’s hot Christmas toy, not only say “f--- me,” but also make love-making sounds. No doubt in precisely that order.
Charlie Manson reportedly has been moved from Corcoran State Prison to a hospital in Bakersfield, Calif. because of a severe stomach problem. It will be too bad if he dies because, reports emailer Donny Mac, Brent Musburger was rooting for him to get a second chance.
Lake Superior State University has come out with its annual banished words list for 2017, and among the entries is “post-truth,” which also was named Oxford Dictionary’s “word of the year” in 2016. Apparently, the university’s faculty is comprised of a few good men who can’t handle the post-truth.
Dan Rather reportedly is teaching an online course called: “Journalism and Finding the Truth in the News.” And if you can’t find it, do what Dan did: make it up.
Steve “Cutty Sark” Sarkisian has taken over Alabama’s play-calling duties from Lane Kiffin for Monday night’s championship game. While Tide coach Nick Saban is confident Sarkisian, who provides good team spirits, has some reliable plays in his arsenal —the hooch and go, and the bootleg, among them — there is concern that under “Cutty Sark,” ’Bama could go from a juggernaut to a chuggernaut.
Emailer William DiMarco writes: Saban is confident Sarkisian will mix things up and take some shots in the Johnny Walker Red Zone.
Megyn Kelly has signed with NBC where she will host a one-hour afternoon show and a Sunday night news magazine. Sources say in one of her first shows, Kelly will attempt to prove her theory that Santa Claus is white. Colleague Brian Williams, who claims he spent a week with the Clauses during a trek to the North Pole, is expected to contribute to the report.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly has 45,000 robots working at 20 of the company’s sites. It’s unclear if those figures include the loyal lefty lapdogs at Bezos’ Washington Post.