John Amato of Crooks and Liars and me talking NFL Week 5 and Mariano Rivera, Yankee greats, plus some other things:

Our picks (disagreements in BOLD): STEELERS (-3) over Vikings, RAVENS(-3) over Bills, BENGALS (-4) over Browns (BTD BEST BET 4 units), COLTS (-9) over Jags, TEXANS (+3) (BTD), SEAHAWKS (-3) (Amato), CARDINALS (+3) over Bucs, LIONS (-3) over Bears, GIANTS (+4 1/2) (BTD), CHIEFS (-4 1/2) (Amato), JETS (+3 1/2) (BTD), TITANS (-3 1/2) (Amato), CHARGERS (+2) over Cowboys, RAIDERS (+3 1/2) (Armando), REDSKINS (=3 1/2) (Amato), BRONCOS (-11) over Eagles, FALCONS (+2) over Pats, DOLPHINS (+7) (BTD), SAINTS (-7) (Amato).

Open Thread.

The picks: (All picks 2 units unless otherwise indicated): Washington State +9 Competitor: Stanford Northern Illinois -3 Competitor: Purdue, Western Kentucky +3 Competitor: Navy, Minnesota +2, Competitor: Iowa, South Florida +20, Competitor: Miami (Florida), Oklahoma -3½ (4 units) Competitor: Notre Dame, South Carolina -7, Competitor: Central Florida, USC +4 (3 units), Competitor: Arizona State, Texas A&M -15, Competitor: Arkansas, Alabama -14 (3 units), Competitor: Mississippi, Florida State -23½, Competitor: Boston College, Ohio State -7 (3 units), Competitor: Wisconsin, Florida Atlantic +14, Competitor: Rice, Tennessee -18½, Competitor: South Alabama, Georgia -3, Competitor: LSU, TCU -19, Competitor: SMU.

After a slow start, I've been hot the last 2 weeks, 20-5-2. For the season: 30-24-2 (55.5%), +20 units.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

The Senate passed a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The Senate bill did not strike "Obamacare." It now goes back to the House.

I just got an email from the federal court in Nebraska with their shut-down plan if a funding bill does not pass. You can read it here. I haven't received one yet for Colorado. Here's the memo the federal courts administrative office issued on Sept. 25.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Like Jeralyn, I'm really busy.

More thread.

I'll be busy at work most of this week. I'll put up open threads, and check in a few times a day or night, but I will have little, if any, time for blogging or even reading the news.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The second to last Breaking Bad is tonight. If you are setting your DVR, add 15 minutes, it will run over.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Amato and Armando NFL Show:

Our picks (marked J for John and A for Armando, disagreements in BOLD) - Dallas (-4) over Rams (J, A), Giants (-2) over Carolina (J, A), Vikings (-7) (J), Browns (+7)(A), Detroit over Washington (Pick) (J, A), New England )-7) (J), Tampa Bay (+7) (A), Houston (-3) over Ravens(J, A), Titans (-3) over Chargers (J, A), Saints (-7) over Cardinals (J, A), Packers (-3) (J), Bengals (+3) (A), Dolphins over Falcons (No Line) (J, A), Niners (-10) over Colts, Bills (+3) (J), Jets (-3) (A), Bears(-3) over Steelers (J, A).

I went 10-2-1, plus 17 units yesterday in my college picks. That's 20-5-2 and plus 31 units the last 2 weeks.

Open Thread.

The Picks: Western Michigan +17½ Competitor: Iowa, Missouri -1 (3 units) Competitor: Indiana; Michigan State +4½ Competitor: Notre Dame, Wake Forest -3 Competitor: Army, Auburn +17 1/2 Competitor: LSU, Georgia Tech -7 Competitor: North Carolina, Utah State +7 Competitor: USC, Arizona State +6 1/2 Competitor: Stanford, Texas State +28 Competitor: Texas Tech, Utah +7 Competitor: BYU, Wisconsin -24 Competitor: Purdue, SMU +29 Competitor: Texas A&M, Louisiana Tech +10½ Competitor: Kansas

Season ATS - 20-22-1, +1 unit.

Listen to the Amato and Armando Show on Netroots Radio at Noon EST today.

Go Gators!

I'm off to visit a client in jail in the mountains. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Wall St. Journal has an article today about a recent 5th Circuit opinion reining in multi-district wiretapping. The opinion is here.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Busy jail today for me. The federal immigration detention facility is in the flood impacted part of Aurora. By tomorrow, it should be fine, so that's where I'll be.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

The picks: Vanderbilt +14 Competitor: South Carolina; Alabama -8½ Competitor: Texas A&M (3 units); Oklahoma -24 Competitor: Tulsa; UCLA +3 Competitor: Nebraska; Georgia Tech -9 Competitor: Duke Mississippi State +6 Competitor: Auburn, Army +30 Competitor: Stanford; Utah -3 Competitor: Oregon State; Purdue +19 Competitor: Notre Dame; Kentucky +15 Competitor: Louisville; Oregon -28 Competitor: Tennessee (3 units); Bowling Green +3 Competitor: Indiana; Washington -10 Competitor: Illinois; Mississippi +3 Competitor: Texas.

Open thread.