The Examiner?s newest reporter is about 24 inches tall and weighs 8 pounds. She turns 36 next week, and spends all of her time watching television and hanging out in the living room with her friends Oogie, Zoey and Cocoa. She eats biscuits soaked in cranberry juice, papayas, apples, grapes and she loves grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries ? all of which she has delivered to her cage.
Meet Bimbo, a capuchin monkey who will be providing The Examiner with her exclusive picks for each National Football League game this season. For years, you?ve been bombarded by humans telling you who will win each game. But how hard is it? Really? Can a monkey do it? Let?s find out.
Bimbo is ready, said Colleen Layton-Robbins, a state and federally licensed master wildlife rehabilitator whose Woostock home doubles as Frisky?s Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary, a complex that holds more 100 animals, including 24 monkeys, as well as exotic birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits and goats.
“She?s is a very smart and very mature ? she?s the like the mom for all of the monkeys here and she likes to look at herself in the mirror and eat,” Layton-Robbins said. “But I don?t know if she knows football. She doesn?t watch football on television. We have the TV on Animal Planet.”
Each week, Bimbo will select a winner in every game, beginning with tonight?s game between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. Bimbo will be shown a six-inch pennant of each team, and she?ll grab the one of the team she thinks will win. Bimbo likes the Colts tonight, but let?s just say Ravens? fans will not agree with who she likes to win on Monday.
Bimbo will compete against the picks made by well-known Marylanders. First up: Former Governor Bob Ehrlich, a well-known republican, and Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch, a democrat who represents Anne Arundel County.
Bimbo?called “Bimbee” by Layton-Robbins and her staff of volunteers who work in the blue ranch house that sits on about four acres and is at the end of a long driveway lined by tall trees. Bimbo arrived at Frisky?s on Apr. 1, 2000, shortly after her owner, who lived in Pennsylvania, died. However, since Bimbo was domesticated, she could not be placed in a zoo, and if Frisky?s did not take custody she would have been euthanized, Layton-Robbins said.
“We weren?t going to let anything bad happen to her,” Layton-Robbins said. “I think Bimbee is going to do a great job picking. She really seems to be starting to like it.”
The Picks
House Speaker Michael Busch, a democrat, and Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, a republican, sparred for four years over whether slot machines belonged in Maryland. But neither of the highly competitive politicians budged on the issue, as Busch was against slots and Ehrlich, a proponent. Today, Ehrlich is working in the private sector after losing his bid for re-election against Martin O?Malley in November. However, these two former college football players ? Busch at Temple and Ehrlich at Princeton ? are competing against each other once again. But this time it?s for bragging rights, as Ehrlich and Busch go head-to-head to see who is the better football prognosticator ? and if they can pick more winners than The Examiner?s in-house football handicapper, Bimbo. Let the game begin…
WEEK 1 » BUSCH
Colts
Eagles
Vikings
Texans
Bills
Steelers
Rams
Patriots
Redskins
Titans
Chargers
Seahawks
Raiders
Cowboys
49ers
Ravens
Week 1 » Bimbo
Colts
Packers
Falcons
Chiefs
Broncos
Browns
Panthers
Patriots
Redskins
Titans
Bears
Buccaneers
Lions
Cowboys
Cardinals
Bengals
WEEK 1 » EHRLICH
Saints
Eagles
Vikings
Texans
Broncos
Steelers
Rams
Patriots
Redskins
Titans
Chargers
Seahawks
Raiders
Cowboys
49ers
Ravens
