Last week: 7-5
Overall: 26-12 (68.4 percent)
There is truth to the belief that celebrity deaths come in threes.
Johnny Cash and John Ritter shuffled off Friday. Later that night, H.S. Picks Jr. met a similar fate.
The late, great king of the gridiron went a morbid 7-5 last week, his second consecutive week worthy of a brief and lonely funeral. Picks Jr. had an exciting life. But nothing like the country music legend or the comic actor. He never won a Grammy or kissed Suzanne Somers.
Rather, the highlight of H.S. Pick's life was seeing the best team in Western Pennsylvania history (North Hills, 1987) and witnessing one of the most exciting prep football games ever played, North Allegheny's 42-38 classic at then-undefeated Shaler in 1994.
Don't mourn Picks Jr. Through the miracle of medicine, he'll be back next week, looking a bit like Dolly the cloned sheep.
Here are his selections for the upcoming weekend:
Friday
Perry vs. Peabody at Cupples Stadium: The Commodores' shutout streak comes to an end at 14 City League games in a row. But the win streak lives on. Perry, 28-6.
Baldwin at Penn Hills: As much as Neil Gordon loves to run the ball, he's going to have to turn Anthony Morelli loose against a suspect Baldwin secondary. Penn Hills, 28-18.
Mt. Lebanon at North Allegheny: Who keeps giving North Allegheny (1-2) votes in the Trib Top 10 Coaches Poll? Maybe they know something we don't. Make this the upset pick of the week. North Allegheny, 21-20.
Plum at Gateway: Gateway doesn't like the looks of Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and Plum sitting in a three-way tie for first place. The Gators begin their six-week trampling of the Quad South. Gateway, 28-11.
Shaler at Bethel Park: Who would have predicted four weeks ago these two teams would be tied for first place? This is the most anticipated game at Bethel Park Stadium since the Riverhounds played the Virginia Beach Mariners. Bethel Park, 24-21.
Chartiers Valley at Peters Township: Whenever these two schools have an important game in September, the players usually are wearing shorts and shin pads. Peters Township, 20-19.
Hopewell at West Allegheny: Which is more embarrassing, losing to Greensburg Salem, 24-0, or beating Kittanning, 14-6? Hopewell, 7-6.
Burrell at Ford City: Picks Jr. doesn't like Fords. An entire city of them is too much to take. Dodge City sounds a lot better. Ford City, 25-13.
Seton-La Salle at Northgate: Word is that coach Rich Hurley was spotted dancing through downtown Bellevue wearing an Indian headdress, trying to summon Hurricane Isabel for Friday night. Seton-La Salle, 23-22.
Aliquippa at Freedom: Freedom running back Kurt Brenner is being recruited by Nebraska, Michigan and Oklahoma -- for wrestling. Unless Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanic has problems defending an ankle pick, the top-ranked Quips will pin the Bulldogs. Aliquippa, 25-20.
Beaver at Center: If you think Center is going to win this game, you thought Shane Mosley beat Oscar De La Hoya. Beaver, 21-14
Leechburg at Springdale: Global warming. Rising gas prices. Tropical storms and tornados. Leechburg and Springdale tied atop the Eastern Conference. Something is wrong. Springdale, 20-16.
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