Chicago Sports Then and Now

The Zultan finished the regular season with a big performance.

After toying with his loyal followers throughout the entire season, the Sports Then and Now Zultan showed his true power in the final week of the “Top The Zultan” regular season.

Recognizing that Les Miles was due for an implosion, he correctly predicted that Mississippi would upset the LSU Tigers. He also bested most challengers by correctly predicting victory for Purdue, Oregon and BYU when many thought otherwise.

For the first time since the opening week of the contest, not a single contestant could beat the 7-3 mark of the Zultan.

After finishing the regular season with a success rate of 72 percent (80 of 111), the Zultan is enjoying a much deserved rest as he prepares for the challenge of the upcoming Bowl season.

Throughout the season, there were a few souls who did manage to “Top the Zultan” at least once.

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Don’t be sad. It had to happen.

Zultan faces the inevitable end of the season. Soon you will not have the all—seeing one to kick around anymore, to paraphrase the often hilarious Richard Nixon! This is Zultan’s last regular fearless prediction column of 2009. Hibernation mercifully awaits.

Last week the seer went 6 of 10, missing wins by Northwestern at Illinois, Michigan State at Purdue, Ohio State over Iowa (sigh), and Stanford’s annihilation of USC—whoa! Year to date, Zultan clings to 72 percent [73 of 101].

This is your last chance to enter the drawing for a $50 Best Buy Gift card by clicking here to enter your own predictions. If you outguess the mighty Zultan your name will be placed in the draw along with all those who surpassed Zultan on the season. The winner will be announced on November 24 in a special feature on Sports Now and Then.

Zultan may consider forecasting bowl winners if the hue and outcry for his return is great enough. You may let me know in your own inimitable style.

In the meantime…there are upcoming games to predict with much still at stake in the Big 10 and the rest of college football.

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Zultan in complete disguise is hiding out in a convent in the upper Himalayas. The Big 10 reduced the mighty seer’s reputation to rubble. The great one’s efforts to enrich the storied conference’s prestige was diminished and degraded last week as Zultan missed 4 of 6 picks in the Big 10. The disgrace has reduced the great ones caloric intake to 3000 a day…need I say more?

Zultan’s Mom is also in rehab after the Iowa loss. She is expected to pull through if Iowa defeats Ohio State in the Horseshoe. Who are we kidding here? Mom is toast.

Zultan scraped bottom this past week going only 5 for 10 in his assault upon college football oddsmakers. This represents a season low for the sultry seer who falls to 74 per cent on the year picking 67 of 91 through November 7.

As for the rest of the Big 10, the seasoned seer has given up all scientific forms prognostication and is drawing winners names out of a caldron.

The most compelling contest on Saturday in the Big 10 takes place in Columbus Ohio where the Iowa faithful will pray for a Hawkeye miracle. That is what it will take for Iowa to remove the stake through the heart handed them by the traditional media nay-sayers.

So get in line to test the waters this week as the Big 10 plays for post season glory. The challenge is yours – the question remains – do you feel lucky? Because keep in mind that Zultan has gone underground where aberrant forces love to wreak havoc with predictable outcomes…
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Ohio State had a lot to celebrate in their 24-7 win over Penn State.

The Buckeyes upended the Penn State Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium and in the end, left Penn State fans very unhappy.  Most expected the Lions to roar and silence the pesky and persistent noise emanating from the Buckeye camp.  Only Terrelle Pryor seemed to enjoy his homecoming to native Pennsylvania – no one else was happy to welcome him back home as he threw two touchdown passes and ran for another against the home town team.  Ohio State won 24-7 last Saturday.  All they have to do to cement their spot at the top is beat the Hawkeyes at home this weekend – everyone expects the Buckeyes to do that with little difficulty.

#2 Wisconsin (#20) [defeated Indiana 31-28 in Bloomington]
Wisconsin built a hefty lead in the first half, running the ball seemingly at will against the Hoosiers.  Badger John Clay scrambled 134 yards and managed to score a touchdown on the ground. Montee Ball also scored two TDs.  Indiana tightened up their defense and added some scoring but were unable to overtake the Badgers as time ran out. After winning their last two, the Badgers look to be in good shape going into the post season.  Next week they host the free-falling Michigan Wolverines in Madison.
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The Zultan is ready to banish the entire state of Michigan.

Zultan was betrayed by the entire State of Michigan last Saturday. The mighty seer would have been perfect on the day had it not been for this lowly state.  Zultan has requested that Canada annex Michigan as a new province because both Michigan and Michigan State are now banished from Zultan’s kingdom.  Maybe the Wolverine State needs a Big Blues Clue!  Let them flounder in the Northern Regions.

This week, despite the record number of challengers who sensed the mighty one was vulnerable, only two surpassed the peerless Zultan, going 9 of 10.  Zultan, because of Michigan and Michigan State stood at 8 for 10 or 80 percent.  On the season, Zultan simmers at 77 percent picking 62 of 81 through October 31st.

The most inscrutable contest on Saturday in the Big 10 takes place in Beaver Stadium where Ohio State comes calling in a place only the locals think of as “happy.”  Another impossible call presents itself when LSU arrives in Tuscaloosa to play Alabama.  These are just two of the many difficult challenges ahead for the all-seeing seer of seers.

Is this the week when you are finally going to stand up and be counted among Zultan’s peers?  The challenge is yours – the question remains – do you feel lucky?  Because keep in mind that Zultan has more than luck on his side – a warning for the faint at heart…
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Marvin McNutt's 92-yard interception return was just one of several big plays the Hawkeyes made in the fourth quarter to turn their Halloween from trick to treat.

In honor of Halloween, the Iowa Hawkeyes disguised themselves in their Jekyll and Hyde costumes.

They played like the destructive Hyde, too, until the fourth quarter when the rational and sane Dr. Jekyll was able to restore order and reappear as quarterback Ricky Stanzi in his opportunistic stance behind the center reading the defense and completing passes.

Then too, someone cast a spell on the football in the fourth quarter when it managed to bounce Iowa’s way garnering every bit of luck, including the wind at their backs.

For the Iowa faithful, it was an agonizing afternoon of waiting for the good guys to materialize which they finally did in the fourth quarter, scoring 28 points to come from behind once again to secure another victory.

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