CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND RECAP
What can I say… Pro football at its finest. Two crazy games. Two crazy outcomes, and a whole bunch of terrible calls by the refs. What a heartbreaker for the Saints fans. When New Orleans went up 6-0 early, my buddy Guilfoy said they’re gonna regret kicking FGs there, and boy was he was correct. Either way, I cannot wait until Super Bowl Sunday!!
Moving on… I know none of the stats I’m about to share are a surprise to anyone, but they’re still AMAZE-BALLZ, and it’s bonkers that I’m forced to update them every gawd damn year!!
During the last 23 seasons (basically my entire adult life) the Pats have only missed the playoffs four times (and that includes 2008, when despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, they did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team playoff in 1990 to not make the playoffs. That was also the year of Matt Cassel). In the 19 times they made the playoffs, they got to the Championship round 14 times (including 8 straight as you read this), winning and advancing to the big game 10 times. Un-fuckin-real. I hope the younger generation appreciates just how lucky they are. I clearly remember all the bad pre-Kraft years, especial the 3-season stretch from 1990 to 1992 when they won 9 games combined and rumors swirled about the team moving to St. Louis. Imagine if that happened and how different all of our lives would be!
And now to our pool… 47 people picked both games correctly, 27 got both wrong and 73 people split. Overall, 667 points were scored, which averages out to 4.54 points per player – well under 2015’s 6.14 for the same weekend, but better than last season, and way better than 2014 and 2016.
January 2018 – 3.16 points per player
January 2017 – 5.00
January 2016 – 2.73
January 2015 – 6.14
January 2014 – 2.45
January 2013 – 4.35
OVERALL STANDINGS
Now this is what I’m talking about! All sorts of possibilities! The top three members got both games right this past weekend and have set themselves up to win some serious cash. If both JSECHER and THEKINGBEEJ get their Super Bowl pick correct, the tiebreaker will go to THEKING based on number of correct “Key Picks”. If they both get it wrong, it opens the door for BRADELL to swoop in and take home first place! In total, there are 11 people that can place in the top 5 spots depending on how things fall. The chart below shows who still has a chance to win a pile of money…
| RANK | KEYS | PLAYER | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | 7 | JSECHER96 | 167 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 | THEKINGBEEJ | 166 | 5 |
| 3 | 10 | BRADELL | 164 | 3 |
| 4 | 13 | WALLLYMAC | 161 | 4 |
| 5 | 10 | X-MEN16 | 161 | 5 |
| 6 | 13 | WIZ49! | 160 | 3 |
| 7 | 11 | JOHN1THE COOK | 158 | 3 |
| 8 | 8 | JALBANI | 158 | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | GRAMPY MAC32 | 157 | 5 |
| 10 | 7 | BRUCE WILLIS | 157 | 5 |
| 11 | 8 | JPASTOR | 156 | 5 |
PLAYOFF STANDINGS
The Playoff pool also pays the top five spots and talk about endless possibilities! Most of the people listed on the chart below are simply hoping for the long-shot 5th place tie. But there are plenty others that can do better. If both JFMC0526 and JSECHER pick the correct team, we’ll have a tie for 1st place. If your name is gray and crossed out, it means you don’t have enough points left to finish in the top five.
| RANK | KEYS | PLAYER | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | x | JFMC0526 | 26 | 3 |
| 2 | x | JSECHER85 | 25 | 4 |
| 3 | x | YIGGITY | 25 | 3 |
| 4 | x | BLUEBYEU | 23 | 3 |
| 5 | x | GRAMPY MAC32 | 23 | 5 |
| 6 | x | WEEZENUTZ | 23 | 5 |
| 7 | x | ALEX92277 | 22 | 3 |
| 8 | x | BRADELL | 22 | 3 |
| 9 | x | CRAZYIAM | 22 | 3 |
| 10 | x | KATE MCDONALD | 22 | 5 |
| 11 | x | KEVINWINS | 22 | 3 |
| 12 | x | KYLEPAULL | 22 | 4 |
| 13 | x | NAUSS 27 | 22 | 3 |
| 14 | x | SLEEZYTREES | 22 | 3 |
| 15 | x | THEKINGBEEJ | 22 | 5 |
| 16 | x | CAROL TENGREN | 21 | 3 |
| 17 | x | COPSANDROBBERS | 21 | 4 |
| 18 | x | FRODIDLEY | 21 | 4 |
| 19 | x | OB 103 | 21 | 3 |
| 20 | x | PJHARRISON123 | 21 | 4 |
| 21 | x | SGTRICHIE15 | 21 | 5 |
| 22 | x | SUPER MILO | 21 | 3 |
| 23 | x | WIZ 49! | 21 | 3 |
| 24 | x | CMCDONALD | 20 | 5 |
| 25 | x | DSTREET29 | 20 | 4 |
| 26 | x | EZ-$$$ | 20 | 3 |
| 27 | x | FAGE88 | 20 | 4 |
| 28 | x | HUMAROCK | 20 | 5 |
| 29 | x | JALBANI | 20 | 3 |
| 30 | x | PJCARSON | 20 | 5 |
| 31 | x | SOCCUBARTSR | 20 | 3 |
| 32 | x | TRABS | 20 | 4 |
| 33 | x | BRISTEVE | 19 | 4 |
| 34 | x | BRUCE WILLIS | 19 | 5 |
| 36 | x | DUKE KEOMUKA | 19 | 5 |
| 38 | x | JORDYSNEAKS | 19 | 5 |
| 39 | x | MRTOOMS | 19 | 4 |
| 41 | x | SHEMP | 19 | 5 |
| 43 | x | TYLER.GROSSMAN | 19 | 5 |
| 45 | x | BIGREDMACHINE84 | 18 | 5 |
| 50 | x | SHANECOLEMAN25 | 18 | 5 |
| 51 | x | TDUBS123 | 18 | 5 |
ROOKIE RACE
This race is much simpler to report on, as it’s all over. BRADELL has won the Rookie Race! The person in second place (WIZ49!) doesn’t have enough points left to catch him. So congrats to him, along with his jockey, long time member BLUEBYEU. Both members are now $225 richer!
COMBO RACE
Newly crowned Rookie of the Year BRADELL and jockey BLUEBYEU also have a good shot at winning the Combo Race as well. They currently hold a 5-point lead over second place, and a 9-point lead over third, but with both teams having 10 available points, it’s truly up for grabs. And nice job BRUCE WILLIS for having two separate shots at winning some loot!
| 1 | 19 | BRADELL / BLUEBYEU | 313 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
| 2 | 15 | RYAN_IS_NOT / BRUCE WILLIS | 308 | 5 + 5 = 10 |
| 3 | 19 | TYLER / BRUCE WILLIS | 304 | 5 + 5 = 10 |
VETERANS POOL
This race is all over too. WALLLYMAC has a 6-point lead over DESPERADO26 which means it’s done. Good for you WALLLY! Not only are you the very first winner of this brand-new race, you also won Week 13 and the Bonus “Key Pick” pool, came in 3rd in the Regular Season, and are currently in 4th place overall! Good luck my man!
BEST OF NOTHING and LAST PLACE OVERALL
These are yet to be determined, but they’re both a free entry into next season for two (un)lucky members!
And finally… SQUARES
For all those who did NOT win any cash this year (and those who did for that matter), there is FOUR sets of Super Bowl squares that every member is involved in. Every member gets at least two squares, and each winning square pays $100, and there will be 16 winning squares in all – 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarter, plus the final score on all four sets. A link to the squares can be found on the main page of the website (look above at the menu). In addition, there’s a list with your numbers if you’re not up for searching for your name.
The way we broke up all 400 goes like this:
181 members x2 (362 boxes)
17 weekly winners (17)
1st thru 5th Regular Season, Playoffs, and Overall (15)
All three Elimination pools (3)
Most Overall “Keys” (1)
Most “Keys” in-a-row (1)
and finally…
one box (1) for the Veterans Pool winner (WALLLYMAC) for a total of 400 squares
One last thing to note, when randomizing the squares and numbers, it was done as 400 total boxes spread out over 4 sets, so there’s a chance that two of your squares could appear on one set and not on any others. I’m not quite sure if that’s an advantage or a disadvantage, but that’s how it was done.
Good luck to everyone and I hope all 181 members will join us again next season! We will be doing a new round of the Rookie Race, so start telling your friends and family now about the best pick ‘em pool you’ve ever been involved with!
Look for one last recap sometime shortly after the Super Bowl in early February. All money winners will get paid during that same week.