Pick Six - Let's get this thing started
SANDPOINT — There’s a reason football is far and away the No. 1 spectator sport in America. After all, who doesn’t love football in the fall? If you don’t, turn the page and get on about finishing the paper. If you do, welcome to the new Pick Six contest in the Bee sports.
Each week a panel of five regulars, plus one surprise guest picker, will predict six games — two high school, two college and two pros. To make things tougher, the pro and college games will be picked against the point spread, so Seattle, 15 point favorites over the Bears this weekend, is not such an easy pick.
The Bee will keep a running total of the panel’s pick, and the winner at the end of the season, per Bee publisher Jim McKiernan’s suggestion, will win $500 worth of free advertising for the local charity of their choice.
So without further ado, let’s meet the regular panel.
• Dave DeMers, Sandpoint Middle School athletic director and one of the better prep athletes to ever come out of the state of Idaho. DeMers was a three-sport standout at SHS, landing a scholarship to play quarterback at Boise State before a knee injury cut his career short and relegated him to a throwing career on the Broncos track team. He coached the SHS track team for nearly three decades before stepping down last year. Suffice it to say, he’s a Boise State football fan.
• Satini Puailoa, Sandpoint High School P.E. teacher and head football coach, who guided the Bulldogs to their only state title in 1997 and is currently trying to add another banner. He was a standout prep athlete at San Marcos High School, where he was inducted to the Hall of Fame, and where he coached MMA legend Chuck “The Iceman” Lidell as head coach before moving to Sandpoint. He’s forgotten more football than a lot of us will ever know, and has a passion for the sport known to few.
• Kris Knowles is the athletic director at Sandpoint High School. He played basketball in the early 90s at Coeur d’Alene for Don Haynes, the father of former Sandpoint coach Tyler Haynes. His senior year under coach Jim Winger, Knowles poured in 32 points against Caldwell in a state play-in game in Grangeville. He oached varsity boys basketball coach for two years at Lake City, was an assistant coach under Van Troxel in football, and also spent two seasons as an assistant men’s basketball coach at North Idaho College.
• Marc Young grew up in Sandpoint and played soccer for Ed Bock, and was also part of the return of Bulldog baseball in 1990 after the sport had died out, playing third base and outfield. He works at Sandcreek Medical, and still plays soccer on the local Grey Monarchs club team. He’s a huge soccer and football fan, and loves the Chicago Bears. It was Young’s idea to start the Pick Six contest.
• Eric Plummer is the sports editor of the Daily Bee. He played football and basketball at Capital High School in Boise, and represented the University of Montana for three years at the Collegiate National handball tournament. He was a football official in Coeur d’Alene for four years, then coached JV football at Coeur d’Alene High School for four years, and now covers the games for the Bee.
• Guest picker: Jay VanDenBerg, owner of the Dairy Depot in Sandpoint. VanDenBerg is a member of the SHS Hall of Fame, and is currently the president of Bulldog Bench. He still holds the SHS record for completion percentage while a quarterback at Sandpoint, and the long range shooter with NBA three-range once drained eight three-pointers — in one half, at that — against Lewiston.
Here are the six games, see picks below:
Sandpoint at East Valley.
Coeur d’Alene at No. 2 Highland.
Georgia Southern (-16) at Idaho.
Boise State (-2.5) at Virginia.
Bears (+16) at Seahawks.
49ers (+6.5) at Cardinals.
KRIS KNOWLES
Sandpoint 35, East Valley 14 — Bulldogs get off to a fast start and roll the Knights with improved offense and stingy defense.
Highland 28, Coeur d’ Alene 24.
BSU 38, UVA 31.
Georgia Southern 31, Idaho 24.
Seatte 42 Chicago 17
Cardinals 32, Niners 28.
DAVE DEMERS
Sandpoint 32, East Valley 17.
Highland 36, Coeur d’Alene 14.
BSU 35, Virginia 28 — BSU is going to get the young offense rolling on their way to another great season.
Seahawks 38, Bears 17.
Cardinals 28, 49ers 21.
MARC YOUNG
Sandpoint 34, East Valley 21.
Highland 48, Coeur d’Alene 17.
Georgia Southern 47, Idaho 23.
BSU 17, Virginia 28.
Seahawks 34, Bears 10 — the return of Kam Chancellor rejuvenates Seattle to big win.
49ers 31, Cardinals 17.
SATINI PUAILOA
Sandpoint — I can’t predict this score, it would be bad Ju Ju.
Highland 35, Coeur d’Alene 14 — Tough to play on the road in Holt Arena.
BSU 28, Virginia 24.
Idaho 35, Georgia Southern 7 — It will be tough for those southerners to travel and play in the Dome.
Seahawks 24, Da’Bears 14.
Cardinals 28, 49ers 14.
JAY VANDENBERG
Sandpoint will snap its 3 game losing streak, start running football north and South and dominate East Valley on the road. Highland will win a close one at home vs. Coeur d’Alene, Virginia upset over BSU, Georgia Southern in a blowout, Seahawks pick up first win of the season and happy to have Chancellor back in line up. Cardinals, could be best team in NFC.