Motif

I need consequences. Something has to be on the line. Otherwise, I don’t see the point of doing anything.

Mostly every part of my casual routine is shaped around the idea that there would be an adverse effect on my lifestyle if I stopped. It’s why I wake up in the morning to go to work (when I’d rather stay in bed), why every month I pay my rent, car, insurance, phone, student loans, et. al (when I’d rather be buying up all of Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label collection), and why I’m generally tight-lipped to asshole gamblers at my table (when I’d rather mock and tell them to fuck off).

I do these things because there would be severe financial penalties if I didn’t. The formula isn’t rocket science: I am quite practical at the end of the day. I don’t treat it like the end-all, but money is important. I won’t say I live totally for the almighty dollar, but without it I know I can’t accomplish some of my larger dreams.

Sports are another arena where I need consequence. Again, something needs to be on the line, or my nerves really can’t kick in.

In my life, spanning all of my sports teams — including the Rangers, Duke basketball, Virginia Tech football and the Kansas City Chiefs — I’ve witnessed 3 champions (Duke ’01, Duke ’10, Duke ’15), and 4 championship losers (Duke 1999, VT ’99, TEX ’10, TEX ’11). On the one hand it’s easy for me to pity the times my guys have come close, especially most recently the Rangers in 2010 and ’11, but I also know there are many fans who would love to feel my Sports Pain.

Today the Chiefs are playing one of these games of consequence I speak of. It’s the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs and they are the road favorite (-3.5) to beat the Houston Texans.

Here we go.

Wild Card Round ATS picks:

Chiefs (-3.5) over TEXANS

Actual score: 27-16

Steelers (-3) over BENGALS

Actual score: 23-16

VIKINGS (+4.5) over Seahawks

Actual score: 13-10 (Seattle wins)

Packers (-1) over REDSKINS

Actual score: 31-17