"What's that? Ah--Playoffs? Don't talk about--playoffs?! You kidding me?! Playoffs?! I just hope we can win a game! Another game!"--Jim Mora, when asked about the chances of his 4-6 Colts making the playoffs
It all came down to the Packers versus Vikings game. If the Vikings won, Joel would be crowned King of the Pool. If the Packers won, Jarrett M. would be the champion.
With 2:54 remaining, the Packers scored a touchdown to tie game, and a mighty roar was heard from Fredericton, NB. In East Aurora, NY, Joel jumped to his feet in celebration as Adrian Peterson rushed for a 26-yard gain with only 24 seconds left on the clock, setting up a game-winning field goal.
The field goal was good! All hail King Joel!
After years of seeing his brother and even his father hoisting the Pool Championship Trophy, this victory tastes awfully sweet for Joel. And this championship now makes him a solid candidate for the Football Pool Hall of Fame.
How is Jarrett M. taking the heartbreaking loss? Here's what he had to say during his post-week 17 press conference: "JOEL IS WHO I THOUGHT HE WAS! NOW IF YOU WANT TO CROWN HIM, THEN CROWN HIM! BUT HE IS WHO I THOUGHT HE WAS!!! AND I LET HIM OFF THE HOOK!!!"
Week 17 is upon us. Soon eyeballs across North America will be glued to their TV screens looking to see who will be crowned the 2012 Football Pool Champion. Five participants still remain in contention: Jarrett M., Jeremy, Joel, Patrick, and Jonathan.
Jarrett M. sits in first and controls his own fate, but he might need to win week 17 in order to win the championship. (Jonathan already heard some gloating from Jarrett M. Bulletin board material?)
Joel is the closest he's been to the championship in a few years. He's thankful his idea of ending the pool after week 16 didn't gain steam.
Jeremy has catapulted into third place with his clutch picks of Baltimore and Seattle and is hoping to add another Norman Wiens Memorial Trophy to his already-full trophy case.
Patrick will be watching three games at once in his rec room. Shouts of "Get down!" and "This is my house!" will no doubt be heard from Portland Estates.
Jonathan has slipped a bit the past couple of weeks, but he's looking to connect on a Hail Mary.
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. We'll see how it all turns out in only a few hours.
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmastime? No, silly. It's the final two weeks of the Football Pool!
Jarrett M. is still in the lead, but he's now less than one point (0.96) ahead of Joel. And Jonathan, Patrick and Jeremy aren't too far behind. Who will make the big move in week 16?
Week 15 notes and ramblings: (1) Everybody probably laughed at Jeremy's pick of the Cardinals...until they won. However, that loner pick was cancelled out by his unsuccessful loner pick of the Ravens. (2) Jarrett M. did everyone a big favor by picking the Jets. It's McElroy time! (3) Your 2013 starting QB for the Jacksonville Jaguars: Tim Tebow! (4) Who's your MVP? Adrian Peterson? Peyton Manning? Tom Brady? (5) I'm never going to figure out the Giants. Maybe they aren't who I thought they were. I wouldn't be disappointed to see them slip out of the playoffs. (6) Same goes for the Steelers. Wouldn't it be nice to see the Bengals win that division? (7) Joel is now leading in bonus points, but he's tied for second (with Jonathan) in wins. Joel also still leads in points for. (8) If the 49ers had not won on Sunday night, Patrick may have raised the white flag in his backyard.
So far:
1. Jarrett M. (145-78 + 12.83 bonus) - 157.83 points (no change)
2. Joel (143-80 + 13.87 bonus) - 156.87 points (no change)
3. Jonathan (143-80 + 10.53 bonus) - 153.53 points (no change)
4. Patrick (140-83 + 12.08 bonus) - 152.08 points (no change)
5. Jeremy (141-82 + 9.95 bonus) - 150.95 points (no change)
6. Roger (137-86 + 8.08 bonus) - 145.08 points (no change)
Back in week 12 I said, "Don't forget about Joel." Whether or not you disgregarded Joel's chances at the championship, he doesn't really care. He now sits in second place, only 3.46 points behind Jarrett M.
The winner of the week was actually Bob by virtue of his Eagles loner pick. Both he and Roger have been closing the gap the last couple of weeks.
Week 14 notes: (1) Joel still leads the pool in points for but is third in wins (behind Jarrett M. and Jonathan). (2) The Seahawks forced 8 turnovers on Sunday. The Colts have forced 8 turnovers for the entire year. (3) Monday's game was Tom Brady's 14th career game with 4+ touchdowns and 0 interceptions, the most such games in NFL history.
So far:
1. Jarrett M. (135-72 + 12.83 bonus) - 147.83 points (no change)
2. Joel (132-75 + 12.37 bonus) - 144.37 points (+2)
3. Jonathan (133-74 + 10.53 bonus) - 143.53 points (-1)
4. Patrick (129-78 +10.58 bonus) - 139.58 points (-1)
5. Jeremy (130-77 + 8.45 bonus) - 138.45 points (no change)
6. Roger (127-80 + 8.08 bonus) - 135.08 points (no change)
7. Bob (121-86 + 11.03 bonus) - 132.03 points (no change)
8. Jarrett R. (120-87 + 10.58 bonus) - 130.58 points (no change)
1. Bob (11-5 + 2.5 bonus) - 13.5 points 1. Roger (11-5 + 2.5 bonus) - 13.5 points 3. Jarrett R. (10-6 + 1 bonus) - 11 points 4. Jonathan (10-6 + 0.5 bonus) - 10.5 points 5. Joel (9-7 + 0.5 bonus) - 9.5 points 6. Patrick (9-7) - 9 points 6. Jarrett M. (9-7) - 9 points 8. Jeremy (8-8) - 8 points 9. Nathan (7-9) - 7 points
C-3PO: Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid is approximately 3,720 to 1.
Han Salo: Never tell me the odds.
--Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The good news: Bob and Roger were week 13's winners, going 11-5. The bad news: they still both sit near the bottom of the pool standings, and it will be nearly impossible for either of them to win the championship. But don't tell them the odds.
For the fourth straight week, Jarrett M. sits atop the total standings. But as Darth Vader might say, "The momentum is with you, young McLeod, but you are not a champion yet." In week 13, Jarrett M. saw his lead reduced by 1.5 points by his older brother Jonathan, setting the stage for an epic duel in week 14.
Week 13 notes: (1) Joel's successful loner pick of the Redskins allowed him to jump ahead of his younger brother Jeremy. Joel and Jeremy were the only two who changed positions in the total standings this week. Correction: Roger also moved up one spot into a tie for sixth. (2) Jarrett. R. recovered nicely after forgetting to submit his picks in week 12. He had 3 loner picks, 2 of which were successful (Colts and Seahawks). Should we expect more risky picks from Jarrett R. in the weeks to come? (3) Patrick, Joel, and Jeremy are all tied with 121 wins. (4) Tom Brady became the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win 10 division titles, surpassing Joe Montana's 9.
So far:
1. Jarrett M. (125-66 + 12.33 bonus) - 137.33 points (no change) 2. Jonathan (124-67 + 10.53 bonus) - 134.53 points (no change) 3. Patrick (121-70 + 10.58 bonus) - 131.58 points (no change) 4. Joel (121-70 + 9.87 bonus) - 130.87 points (+1) 5. Jeremy (121-70 + 8.45 bonus) - 129.45 (-1) 6. Jarrett R. (114-77 + 10.58 bonus) - 124.58 points (no change) 6. Roger (117-74 + 7.58 bonus) - 124.58 points (+1) 8. Bob (110-81 + 8.03 bonus) - 118.03 points (no change) 9. Nathan (100-91 + 5.53 bonus) - 105.53 points (no change)
"Joel ... is so money, he should be printed on money."--Joel McHale
For most of this season, Joel has been stuck in the middle of the Football Pool standings--behind the leaders and ahead of the guys who forget to make their picks. But with a first place finish in week 12, "The Prophet" has positioned himself for a run at the championship.
Joel started the week impressively with a perfect Thanksgiving and then got some help from Ray Rice on Sunday. Still, Bob could have been the week's winner if the Eagles had defeated the Panthers. But, of course, that didn't happen.
Joel now sits only 0.08 points behind his little brother. But he's not content to settle for Kuehner bragging rights. He's aiming for the rare commissioner-championship bi-fecta.
Week 12 notes: (1) Joel now leads the pool in points for. (2) Was Ray Rice's 4th and 29 catch and run a case of Rice being awesome or the Chargers being incompetent? (3) The Patriots scored 3 touchdowns in only 52 seconds against the Jets. (See one of the touchdowns in the video below.) (4) The Steelers were the first team with 8 turnovers since the 2001 Rams. (5) Jamaal Charles asked for Peyton Manning's autograph after the Chiefs' loss. (6) What is the Football Pool commissioner going to do to solve the pick-forgetting epidemic? (7) Q-U-I-T. Quit! Quit! Quit! Fireman Ed has hung up his helmet.
So far:
1. Jarrett M. (116-59 + 12.33 bonus) - 128.33 points (no change)
2. Jonathan (114-61 + 10.03 bonus) - 124.03 points (no change)
3. Patrick (112-63 + 10.58 bonus) - 122.58 points (+1)
4. Jeremy (113-62 + 8.45 bonus) - 121.45 points (-1)
5. Joel (112-63 + 9.37 bonus) - 121.37 points (+1)
"We are Jonathan and Jarrett McLeod of the clan McLeod. We were born in the city of Fredericton on the shores of the St. John River. And we are leading the Football Pool."--Jonathan and Jarrett McLeod
The Football Pool world witnessed a battle for the ages in week 11 as the sons of Leod (Jonathan and Jarrett M.) battled the sons of Bert (Joel and Jeremy). Victory was decided on the field of Bank of America Stadium as the Buccaneers vanquished the Panthers in dramatic OT fashion. The McLeod brothers' 13-1 record allowed Jarrett M. to increase his first place lead and vaulted Jonathan from fifth to second.
Week 11 notes: (1) There was only one successful loner pick in week 11: Jarrett R.'s pick of the Jets. (2) The Eagles have lost six straight games, their longest losing streak under Andy Reid. (3) Matt Ryan threw a career-high five interceptions in the Falcons' win. His 31-4 career home record is the best home winning percentage for any quarterback who began his career in the Super Bowl record (minimum 25 starts). (4) Chad Henne threw a career-high four touchdowns in the Jaguars' loss. He was the first quarterback to come off the bench and throw four touchdowns without an interception since Steve Young in 1987. (5) Rob Gronkowski now has 36 career touchdown receptions. Only Randy Moss (43) and Jerry Rice (40) had more in their first three NFL seasons. (6) Robert Griffin III's 93.3% completion rate in the Redskin's victory over the Eagles is the best by a rookie in the Super Bowl era (minimum 15 attempts). The previous best: Charlie Batch with 84%. (7) Matt Schaub had 527 passing yards in the Texans' win over the Jaguars--the second-most passing yards in a game in NFL history. Norm Van Brocklin passed for 554 yards in 1951. (8) The Patriots have a pair of games with 50+ points this season. The last team with a pair of 50+-point games in a season was the 2007 Patriots.
So far:
1. Jarrett M. (106-54 + 12.08 bonus) - 117.06 points (no change)
2. Jonathan (104-56 + 9.78 bonus) - 112.78 points (+3)
3. Jeremy (104-56 + 8.45 bonus) - 111.45 points (no change)
4. Patrick (102-57 + 10.33 bonus) - 111.33 points (-2)
"Did you roger that?"--some guy on a walkie-talkie
Roger is jolly after finishing first in week 10. His 10-3 record allowed him to leapfrog Nathan in the overall standings, and now his sites are set on Joel.
Speaking of the overall standings, Jarrett M. has taken first place from Patrick. Now can "The Moody One" stay in the lead? Unlike last season (when the now retired John built a huge early lead), no one has been able retain the top spot for more than one or two weeks.
Week 10 notes: (1) Only 4.3 points separate first place from fifth place. (2) There were two successful loner picks in week 10: Jarrett R.'s pick of the Bengals and Jarrett M.'s pick of the Saints. (3) Once again, Eli Manning had a bad game. Is he really an elite NFL quarterpack? Phil Simms doesn't think so. (4) Is it almost Tebow time? Apparently several Jets players hope not. (5) A few guys in this pool like to bash the Patriots. New England's three losses have given them great joy. Belichick and Brady's current team isn't as good as past editions, right? Bill Parcells disagrees.
A collection of QBs from yesteryear all wearing Zubaz. Can you name them all?
Patrick was the star of week 9, going 13-1 and jumping back into first place. The key victory for the "Sales Wizard" was the Steelers' win over the Giants. (Jarrett R. and Nathan also picked the game correctly.)
Now can Patrick stay in first? So far this season, no one has been able to separate himself from the pack. With a good week 10, either Jeremy or Jarrett M. could take the top spot from Patrick. And if Jarrett R., Jonathan, or Joel put together two solid weeks of picks, it's conceivable one of them could end up in first. Nathan could get there with a run of three outstanding weeks. Roger and Bob? Baby steps.
Week 9 notes: (1) Eli Manning needs to make up his mind about whether he's elite or not. On Sunday he threw for only 125 yards (10 for 24 with 1 interception). (2) Peyton Manning has 2,404 passing yards for the 5-3 Broncos. Andrew Luck has 2,404 passing yards for the 5-3 Colts. (3) Luck's 433 passing yards on Sunday were the most ever by a rookie QB. (4) Luck is leading the NFL in average pass distance (10.2 yards). Still ready to crown RG3 the offensive ROY?
So far:
1. Patrick (86-46 + 10.33 bonus) - 96.33 points (+1) 2. Jeremy (85-47 + 8.45 bonus) - 93.45 points (-1) 3. Jarrett M. (84-48 + 8.08 bonus) - 92.08 points (-1) 4. Jarrett R. (81-51 + 7.58 bonus) - 88.58 points (no change) 5. Jonathan (82-50 + 6.28 bonus) - 88.28 points (no change) 6. Joel (81-51 + 5.37 bonus) - 86.37 points (no change) 7. Nathan (79-53 + 5.53 bonus) - 84.53 points (no change) 8. Roger (75-57 + 1.83 bonus) - 76.83 points (+1) 9. Bob (72-60 + 3.53 bonus) - 75.53 points (-1)
"Nathan said to David, 'You are the man!'"--2 Samuel 12:7
If King David were a member of this football pool, he might said to Nathan, "You are the man!" Nathan ("He-Man"/"Don't Call Me Pee Wee") Herrmann certainly was the man in week 8, going 11-3 and closing the gap between himself and the leaders. What makes his first place finish even more impressive is that he forgot to submit a pick for the Thursday night game.
Week 8 notes: (1) after 8 weeks, Patrick and Jarrett M. have the exact same records. (2) Positions 4 through 7 are only separated by 1.3 points. (3) After this post was almost completed, it was noticed that there is an error in week 8's spreadsheet. Everyone should have been credited with one more win. Actually, as Patrick points out in the comments section below, the win total in the spreadsheet is correct. The mistake was that San Diego was erroneously highlighted as a winner.
So far:
1. Jeremy (74-44 + 7.7 bonus) - 81.7 points
2. Patrick (73-45 + 7.33 bonus) - 80.33 points
2. Jarrett M. (73-45 + 7.33 bonus) - 80.33 points
4. Jarrett R. (70-48 + 6.83 bonus) - 76.83 points
5. Jonathan (71-47 + 5.53 bonus) - 76.53 points
6. Joel (71-47 + 5.37 bonus) - 76.37 points
7. Nathan (70-48 = 5.53 bonus) - 75.53 points
8. Bob (66-51 + 3.53 bonus) - 69.53 points
9. Roger (66-51 + 1.83 bonus) - 67.83 points
The Rams and Patriots played each other in London on Sunday. It's a great time to revisit Super Bowl XXXVI. (This is probably John Madden's worse moment as an NFL commentator.)
Jonathan and Jeremy came close to perfection in week 7, both posting a 12-1 record (with identical picks). After their big weeks, Jeremy is back in first, and Jonathan is now within striking distance.
First place for week 7 wasn't determined until after the Bears' victory over the Lions on Monday night. Jonathan and Jeremy won't mention to Joel that this was definitely the most fun game of the week. (Jarrett R. would have finished first with a Detroit win.)
Each week in Joel's weekly recaps, he give us his (sometimes logic-defying) best pick of the week, worst pick of the week, and most critical game of the week. Here's how were doing so far according to Joel. (Joel has not yet sent out his week 7 recap, so this covers only the first 6 weeks.)
Best pick of the week: Patrick (4), Jarrett R. (2), Jarrett M. (2), Jeremy (1), and everyone else has zero. Worst pick of the week: Nathan (4), Jarrett M. (3), Jarrett R. (2), Bob (2), Joel (2), Jeremy (2), Jonathan (1), Patrick (1), and Roger (1). Most critical game of the week: Jarrett R. (5), Patrick (3), Jarrett M. (3), Jeremy (3), Bob (2), Jonathan (2), Roger (2), Joel (1), and Nathan (1).
Week 7 notes: (1) only 0.8 points separate Patrick, Jarrett M., Jarrett R. and Jonathan. (2) I've got nothing else, sorry.
1. Jarrett R. (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points 1. Joel (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points 1. Jarrett M. (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points 4. Bob (6-8) - 6 points 4. Patrick (6-8) - 6 points 4. Jeremy (6-8) - 6 points 4. Roger (6-8) - 6 points 8. Jonathan (5-9) - 5 points 8. Nathan (5-9) - 5 points
"If at the end of the season there is a first place tie between two or more participants, the aforementioned participants shall compete in a head-to-head football trivia contest. The questions of this quiz shall concern the most recent NFL season."--Jonathan McLeod, The (Imaginary) Football Pool Rulebook
After six weeks, there is a tie at the top of the Football Pool. Patrick and Jarrett M. both have the same number of wins and bonus points: 53 and 6.33 respectively. And there is also a three-way tie for total wins: Patrick, Jarrett M., and Jeremy all have 53 wins. (In honor of the tie at the top of the pool, see the video below: "Top 10 NFL Overtime Games.")
Commissioner Joel's goal of having greater parity in the pool appears to be succeeding. Take heart, those of you who are at the lower end of the pool standings. All it takes is one good week to get right back into the thick of things.
Week 6 notes: (1) Four out of five of the consensus picks were wrong (Steelers, Eagles, Patriots, and 49ers). This is one more piece of evidence that this season's games have been very difficult to predict. (2) Jarrett R. is leading in total bonus points (6.2). (3) Jeremy has the most points-for (2326).
"It's Patrick! He took out life insurance! Good for you, son!"--Norwich Union commercial, circa 1990
Congratulations to Patrick on another great weak. His two highlights in week 5 were his picks of the Rams and Dolphins. The Mighty Morand started the season slowly, but now he's in first.
Whenever I hear the name "Patrick," I think of an old Norwich Union life insurance commercial (see video below). Back when I was in high school, this commercial seemed to be shown constantly during broadcasts of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. I was always amazed at how Patrick was able to tell his father in a fraction of a second that he had taken out life insurance.
Just like in life, it never hurts to have insurance in the Football Pool. A few extra wins in week 5 provide insurance for Patrick in case when he has a terrible week later in the season (like Joel's recent 12-loss week).
Gain all the points you can now because you don't know what will happen later on.
Week 5 notes: (1) All of this week's loner picks were unsuccessful: Chiefs (Jarrett R.), Redskins (Jarrett R.), Eagles (Bob), Titans (Nathan), and Jets (Jeremy). (2) In the "real" standings, Patrick and Jeremy are in first with 47 wins. Jonathan and Jarrett M. are next with 46 wins. (3) Jonathan has the best points differential so far, but, once again, luck has not been on his side. (4) Last night's Texans vs. Jets game was the 666th Monday Night Football game in NFL history. At the end of the game, Mark Sanchez's 2012 quarterback rating was 66.6. He's also thrown 6 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and his longest completion of the year is 66 yards. By the way, Sanchez wears number 6.
1. Jarrett M. (14-1 + 3 bonus) - 17 points 2. Patrick (12-3 + 2 bonus) - 14 points 3. Bob (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points 3. Jonathan (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points 3. Joel (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points 3. Nathan (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points 3. Jeremy (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points 8. Jarrett R. (10-5) - 10 points 8. Roger (10-5) - 10 points
"Do you believe in miracles? YES!"--Al Michaels
Jarrett M., last season's last place finisher, finished week 4 with an improbable 14-1 record, vaulting him from eighth to third in the pool standings. All that stood between Jarrett M. and a perfect week was a last-second field goal by the Redskins.
The Human 10-Second Delay's near-perfect week overshadowed an outstanding performance by Patrick. Unfortunately, his gutsy foolish pick of Buffalo and his loyal foolish pick of Jacksonville prevented him from tying Jarrett M.
Week 4 notes: (1) If Patrick had not surpassed Joel in the standings, all of the "J" names would have occupied the top five spots. (2) There was only one loner pick in week 4: Jarrett R.'s incorrect pick of the Jets to beat the 49ers. (3) If you ever want rain on a particular fall weekend, ask Joel and Jeremy to plan their Fundy trip that weekend.
1. Bob (8-8 + 3 bonus) - 11 points 2. Jeremy (7-9 + 1.5 bonus) - 8.5 points 2. Roger (7-9 + 1.5 bonus) - 8.5 points 4. Patrick (6-10 + 1 bonus) - 7 points 5. Jarrett R. (6-10) - 6 points 5. Nathan (6-10) - 6 points 7. Jonathan (5-11) - 5 points 7. Jarrett M. (5-11) - 5 points 9. Joel (4-12) - 4 points
"You think he's gone? He's not gone. That's the whole point! He's never gone!"--Dr. Leo Marvin, What About Bob?
After week 1, Bob had a big problem. He forgot to submit his picks for week 1's Sunday games. (Full disclosure: Bob was awarded points for the five unanimous correct picks in week 1. This has been standard practice in the pool when picks have been forgotten.)
But Bob wasn't thinking about the seemingly impossible task of going from last to first. What was he thinking about? Baby steps.
Baby steps? Yes, baby steps. Bob's not thinking about one giant leap. He's thinking about taking one small step at a time until he reaches the top.
The wily veteran was the only pool member not under .500 in week 3. This week Bob took a few steps, passing Nathan, Jarrett M., and Roger. Next week he plans to take one or two more steps. Watch out, Patrick and Joel.
Baby steps.
Week 3 notes: (1) Through the first three weeks, the 2012 season has been, in recent memory, the toughest season for picks. (2) Somehow Patrick had two (TWO!) successful loner picks and still didn't finish in the top three. (3) Jarrett M. sent a text to Jonathan on Saturday evening proclaiming his confidence in a possible 15-0 week. Sadly for him, that confidence was unfounded.
1. Jeremy (11-5 + 3.5 bonus) - 14.5 points 2. Jarrett R. (9-7 + 1.5 bonus) - 10.5 points 2. Joel (9-7 + 1.5 bonus) - 10.5 points 4. Jarrett M. (8-8 + 0.5 bonus) - 8.5 points 5. Bob (8-8) - 8 points 5. Jonathan (8-8) - 8 points 7. Patrick (7-9) - 7 points 7. Nathan (7-9) - 7 points 8. Roger (5-11) - 5 points
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet..." (Matthew 27:9, KJV).
After surveying the 16 games of the NFL's second week, Jeremy declared, "The Panthers shall smite the Saints." No one in the pool agreed, but, of course, Jeremy was right. The prophet announced, "Give me the Colts against the Vikings." Again, he was correct. And then in a mighty voice he shouted, "The Broncos shall fall prey to the Falcons." Right again. The four-time champ is back!
Week 2 notes: (1) For the second straight week, Jarrett M. had a loner pick. This week he correctly picked the Rams to beat the Redskins. (2) There was one unsuccessful loner pick this week: Jarrett R. incorrectly picked the Browns to defeat the Bengals. (3) Jarrett R. forgot to submit a pick for the Thursday night game. Sources indicate that he would have picked the Packers.
So far:
1. Jarrett R. (21-11 + 4.5 bonus) - 25.5 points 2. Jeremy (20-12 + 3.5 bonus) - 23.5 points 3. Jonathan (20-12 + 2.5 bonus) - 22.5 points 4. Joel (19-13 + 1.83 bonus) - 20.83 points 5. Jarrett M. (17-15 + 1 bonus) - 18 points 6. Patrick (17-15 + 0.33 bonus) - 17.33 points 7. Roger (15-17 + 0.33 bonus) - 15.33 points 8. Nathan (15-17) - 15 points 9. Bob (8-24) - 8 points
This week: 1. Jarrett R. (12-4 + 3 bonus) - 15 points 2. Jonathan (12-4 + 2.5 bonus) - 14.5 points 3. Joel (10-6 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points 3. Patrick (10-6 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points 3. Roger (10-6 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points 6. Jarrett M. (9-7 + 0.5 bonus) - 9.5 points 7. Jeremy (9-7) - 9 points 8. Nathan (8-8) - 8 points 9. Bob (0-1) - 0 points
For the second straight year, Jonathan invited a Jarrett to join the Football Pool. Last year's Jarrett finished last. The new Jarrett is off to a quick start, taking top spot in week 1. Is this a case of beginner's luck, or will Jarrett R. be a Football Pool powerhouse? Time will tell.
Week 1 notes: (1) There were two successful loner picks, both by Jarretts: Jarrett R. picked the Cowboys to beat the Giants, and Jarrett M. picked the 49ers to beat the Packers. (2) There were two unsuccessful loner picks: Patrick picked the Chiefs to beat the Falcons, and Jeremy picked the Browns to beat the Eagles. (3) Bob may have forgotten to send in his picks. If so, Joel might give him credit for all the games we were unanimous on, which would give him a 5-9 record.
Today the Football Pool Blog is excited to announce the creation of the Football Pool Hall of Fame.
Former and current members of the pool will be eligible for enshrinement. Candidates will be evaluated based on their success in the pool and their contributions to the pool. Only one person per year will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Who will be the first inductee? The voting begins soon.
Ever since I revealed the creation of the Football Pool Awards, people have been coming up to me on the street asking, "When will the awards be announced?" The time is now. (Full disclosure: Some of the more foolish awards have been eliminated.)
Gold Medal: Given to the person with the most points during the season. Winner: John.
Silver Medal: Given to the person with the second most points during the season. Winner: Patrick.
Bronze Medal: Given to the person with the third most points during the season. Winner: Jonathan.
Win-Loss Record Award: Given to the person who picks the most winners during the season. Winner: John.
Bonus Points Award: Given to the person with the most bonus points during the season. Winner: Patrick.
Point Differential Award: Given to the person with the best points for/against record during the season. Winner: Jonathan.
Comeback Award: Given to the person who improved the most from the previous season. Winner: Patrick. Patrick went from worst in 2010 to second in 2011.
Rookie of the Year: Given to the person with the best performance in his first season. Winner: Jarrett. Should we mention that Jarrett was the only rookie in 2011?
Best Fan Award: Given to the person whose favorite NFL team performed the best this past season. Winners: Jonathan and Jarrett. Once again, the Patriots had an excellent season. If Welker had caught that ball in the 4th quarter, it would have been another Super Bowl victory for New England. (Will anyone be silly enough to not pick the Patriots to win the AFC East this season?)
Best Brother Award: Given to the person with the best record who also has a brother in the pool. Winner: Jonathan.
Comments Award: Given to the person (other than Jonathan) who contributed the most undeleted comments to the Football Pool Blog. Winner: Patrick.
Annual Football Quiz Award: Given to the champion of the Football Quiz. Winner: Jonathan. There were actually two official quizzes this past season. During the Conference Championship weekend, Jonathan defeated Patrick in a quiz created by John, testing Jonathan and Patrick's knowledge of their favorite teams (New England and Jacksonville). And on Super Bowl Sunday, Jonathan defeated John in a quiz created by Patrick. (Pictures of the prizes from both quizzes can be seen below.)
Double Crown Award: Given to the person who wins the pool and whose favorite team wins the Super Bowl in the same season. It was last won by Bert Kuehner in 2010. Winner: No one. We're not even sure if John has a favorite team.
Pre-season football has already begun. Soon the start of the NFL season will be here. One question: Who's in?
Sources have confirmed that John Couch, last year's champion, is leaning toward a one-year hiatus. The reason given was busyness due to university courses and Halifax Mooseheads season tickets. However, one source suggests John is looking for the "Favre treatment."
If John does not join the pool this year, it would be the second straight year that the pool champion did not defend his crown. (Word is that Bert is enjoying his time away from the pool but could possibly be coaxed out of retirement if Joel issued an apology for not officially recognizing his championship title.)
There were rumors that Commissioner Joel, more elusive than Bigfoot, was in Atlantic Canada recently. This writer did not see him and is starting to wonder if he's still alive. Probably, though, we'll finally hear from Joel two minutes before kickoff.
Throughout the ages, men have wrestled with many perplexing questions. For example, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
A new question has entered into the minds of men--especially two men: Bert Kuehner and John Couch.
"If Commissioner Joel doesn't announce the winner of the Football Pool, does anyone actually win?"
For two years in a row, no one has heard from the reclusive Joel after week 17 of the NFL season. What are we to think of this? Is the Commissioner shirking his duties? Is this the real reason for Bert's retirement? Ah, questions, questions, questions.
***UPDATE***
Bert responded via his Facebook page.
"I think you've done a good job bringing much needed attention to a serious defect in the pool's management system. I don't understand why we go through the stress of competing for 17 grueling weeks only to have things end as though they didn't even transpire."
Jarrett - 12-4 (+3)
Bob - 11-5 (+0.6)
Jeremy - 11-5 (+0.6)
Joel - 11-5 (+0.6)
Jonathan - 11-5 (+0.6)
Patrick - 10-5
Roger - 10-5
John - 9-7 (+0.5)
Jarrett won the battle of week 17, but it was John who won the war, taking home his (third?--I still don't have the 2009 results) Pool Championship Trophy. Commander Couch dominated for the first three quarters of the season, building a big enough lead to withstand a strong final push by Patrick. In the end, only 1.83 points separated John and Patrick.
According to our math (which might not be very good), John's loner pick of Kansas City was the key pick of the week--and perhaps the season. Going against Tebow, his favorite athlete, was unchristian gutsy. If Denver had won, Patrick would be the champ instead.
Last season, Jonathan prevented a Kuehner sweep of the medal podium by vaulting into second place in week 17. This year, the Minister of Prognostication held off Bob in week 17, allowing the Forest Hills Boys to take home all of the medals. It has not yet been confirmed whether or not John, Patrick, and Jonathan will be wearing their medals in this Sunday's worship service.
Joel made a nice chart showing the wins of each pool participant compared to John as the season progressed. The chart shows that John was trending down during the final quarter of the year. What would have happened if the season had been 18 games?
But let's not take anything away for John's victory. Congratulations, John!
