Week 17: Sweep Complete, back to base for the Playoffs

Hey, Welcome to 2010!!!

Hope everyone had a nice holiday. I sure did.

Well, first off, Badgergil has won week 17 in a tiebreaker. Nice job man.

Real tough week. Who's going to play? Who's going to sit?? Who has something to play for??? If a morning game goes a certain way, afternoon team X will have nothing to play for. Hmmm. Sure, let me make my picks.....

Oddly enough, I thought many of the lines were crap. As it turns out, if you took the favorites, you'd have won 14 games straight up. None of us did that. Who could have guessed that Vegas pros might know what they're doing when they set these lines..... Hmmm....

Well, in a truly dasterdly move, HighZ called me last week, and congratulated me on winning the season. Which, upon reflection, was an attempt to put the old hex on me... It didn't work, but it did cause me to change my picks 20 times... I started off with 15 on the Vikings... should have left THAT one alone... Whoops.

Anyone see that Vikings Giants contest??? Wasn't really a contest. I ask in jest, because after the Bears beat the Vikings, my inbox was filled with triumphant comments from Favre Hating Nation.... This morning, the silence was deafening... Tom Coughlin must have had his dosage adjusted, he seemed to maintain composure throughout.

Lotta talk about the Colts, and resting players... And to me, all you need to see is Wes Welker going down, to realize that hey, don't get someone hurt at this juncture. I'm more intrigued, however, by Eli Manning remaining in that game. They were losing bad. No hope. Now, Eli Manning is a Fraud, but he is the guy for the Giants, like him or not. Do you REALLY want him hurt in an utterly meaningless blowout loss??? Really? That game was over at the half. I give Eli's helmet to a trainer, and tell him to throw it on the team bus and lock it in a locker. No way he goes back in.

Anyways, it's been a helluva season. Thanks to everyone for playing. I hope you had as much fun as I did.

You may recall last year's season's champion, perennial power picker SEARS. Sears I trust has enjoyed the title for a year. He had a slightly down year this year. We'd be foolish to think he won't come roaring back next year.

Once again, I have claimed a Season's Champion title. Many of you are amazed by that, but none more so than me. I really never felt I was doing that great. And I took the lead waaaay too early, I assumed someone would pass me by.

2nd thru 5th for the season was real close all year. Badgergil's week 15 win put him in the picture, and he has captured second for the season. Congrats, man.

HighZ was in 4th for the season, and desperately needed a Jets win to capture 3rd place for the season. And he got it!!! For someone who spent weeks in second, week 17 could have been a nightmare. HighZ edged Leo Woods, last year's 3rd place season winner, out of a back-to-back 3rd place finish. Very close. Congrats man. Despite that attempted jinx... No, seriously, congrats.

Most of us still have painful memories of the weekly wins from 2008. To relive the horror, VBS won 4 weeks, Badgergil won 4 weeks, and Kathb4 won 3 weeks. 3 players claimed 11 of the 17 weeks. For the rest of us, that was painful.

This year, no sophmore slump for Erin07. No, he hit his stride and won 3 weeks. Nice job man! Badgergil, VBS, Patrick686, and Ronfic each won 2 weeks.

I always like to compare how we did against so-called "expert" handicappers....

Patrick686 180-76

Accuscore Computer picker 178-78

Badgergil
HighZ 174-82
Michael Silver (Yahoo Sports)

Sears
Chris Mortensen(ESPN) 173-83

Leo Woods
Adam Schefter(ESPN) 169-87

Ronfic
Jumbo Y Genius 168-88
Erin07
Florida Boys

Florida Boys DD 167-89

Smitty201 166-90

Elusive 165-91

Kathb4
Sean Leahy(USA Today) 164-76

VBS
Pete O'Brien(USA Today) 163-93

I would have to say that overall, better than half the players in this pool are as good as people who do this for a living.... Not bad. You should all feel very very good about yourselves...

Now obviously, in this pool, confidence points are the key. And this isn't necessarily a recipe for success in this pool. Sharpcheddar won more money than several people on this list. I'm just saying, for picking straight up winners, we have acquitted ourselves real well.

Well, enjoy the playoffs!!! Checks will go out shortly.

I may continue to offer my thoughts during the playoffs, for "entertainment" purposes only, naturally... heh heh. I find it entertaining to win money offshore, what can I say....

Again, these football seasons fly right by. Thanks to everyone for playing. I hope to see you all next year!!!