"A season that started out with such great promise, now stands at the precipice of failure in only the fourth game of the year. Will the Broncos stand tall or fall off the cliff?"

It's that magical time of the year, South Standers.  That can only mean that it is time, once again, for John Reidy's Holiday Gift Guide for Denver Sports fans, published over at the A/V Club Denver / Boulder. 

Follow the link to find that perfect item for the fan who has everything except a Rockies duvet cover (whatever that is)

Jock Itch, by John Reidy.  Click HERE

There are only four weeks left in the NFL regular season.  Yes, South Standers, it’s 75% over.  Thankfully, Reidy and Colin’s NFL pickoff VS the spread will continue all the way through the Superbowl.  You can continue to monitor their progress as the fellows attempt to claim the 2012 title.

Colin must make up a three-game deficit.  He has fallen to Reidy in each of the past two weeks.  With the sun setting on the 2011 season he cannot afford to fall further behind.  Week 14 provides a great opportunity for Colin to right the ship.

Here’s how the fellows see it going down.

Resident Sports Columnist, John Reidy contributes to the A/V Club Denver/Boulder with his weekly piece titled "Jock Itch".  

It's Bears week, so the current edition confronts Denver's strained relationship with quarterback, Jay Cutler.   Here are some select quotations:

"Denver fans are now boning up on their potty talk to welcome another prodigal son back to the Mile High City"

"It’s too bad, because as the Tebow train keeps rolling, Cutler will be on the sidelines watching it pass him by."

"I think the time has come to forgive Jay Cutler. That’s right—in the spirit of the holiday season, let’s let bygones be bygones and give Jay Cutler a pass"

Forgive Jay Cutler?  What is Reidy thinking?  Read his entire column RIGHT HERE.  Be sure and leave lots of nasty comments so that his editors know folks are clicking over. 

Entering week 13, Reidy held a narrow 2-game lead over Colin in the South Stands annual NFL Pickoff vs. the Spread. After week 13, his lead is 3 games. Reidy went an impressive 10-6 against the spread while Colin went 9-7. Both fellahs are now over .500 for the year, but Colin has some work to do if he doesn't wish to suffer the shame and embarrassment of losing to Reidy, despite his superior NFL knowledge. Fortunately for Colin, a three-game deficit can be recovered from in just one week.

December has arrived and that means the competition is heating up in the National Football League.  Playoff hopefuls look to pull away from the pack – much like Reidy looks to pull away from Colin in the South Stands’ annual NFL Pickoff vs. the Spread.  It’s been a tight race all season long, with numerous lead changes along the way, the most recent being in week 12 when Reidy opened up a two game lead thanks to some deft selections.  He leads the race 85-81-5 to 83-83-5. 

Can Reidy pull ahead, leaving Colin in his rear-view mirror?  Time will tell, you guys.  Here are their selections for week 13.

It was a nutty week in the NFL - but aren't they all?  Coming into week 12, Reidy and Colin were knotted up at 76-74-5 in their annual NFL pickoff VS the spread.  Reidy went 9-7.  Colin went 7-9.  That means that Reidy takes the lead, 85-81-5 to 83-83-5. 

Things are heating up, you guys.  The bye weeks are behind us and we've only got 5 regular season games left.  The fellahs will keep this contest rolling through the Superbowl, though. 

Reidy and Colin have been picking each and every NFL game VS the spread all season now, battling the odds in all-out race for football supremacy.   As the regular season reaches it’s autumn, the fellows find themselves deadlocked.  With each passing week the pressure builds.  Who can establish dominance?  Who can pull ahead?  Who will be VICTORIOUS!?
Here’s how the fellows see it going down week 12.

Whoa!  Reidy and Colin are tied in their NFL pickoff VS the spread.  This is a big week, you guys.  It all starts on Thanksgiving with a remarkable set of Holiday games certain to allow fans to completely ignore their families.  Here’s how the gents see the Turkey day games going down.

Eleven weeks into the NFL season Colin and Reidy are once again tied in their annual NFL pickoff VS the spread.  Colin entered the week up by two picks but Reidy gained ground.  He went 8-4-2 on the week to Colin's 6-6-2.  The fellahs share a record of 76-74-5 on the season. 

What this exercise demonstrates is that it's really hard to make a living betting the NFL.  Even sports experts like the fellahs find themselves jammed up more often than not.