CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND RECAP
Two interesting outcomes. One great game and one that shoulda/coulda been so much better. But really… how is there only one NFL game left? Doesn’t it feel like the season JUST started?! Or maybe that’s the Covid talking… but I am sooooooooo glad the league was able to fight through all the issues and I truly don’t know what I would have done during all these strange, nightmarish months without it. Either way, I CANNOT wait until Super Bowl Sunday!!
Normally this second paragraph is about how the Pats have been so amazingly good for my entire adult life, getting to the Championship round eight years straight, and remembering the pre-Kraft days, but clearly this year is different. Now it’s all about Tommy Touchdowns… should be a fun game to watch! I’m sure you’ve all been seeing all the insane stats about TB, but this one I think is most impressive:
Tom Brady has been the starting QB in the Super Bowl 10 times during his 19-seasons as a starter (not counting his rookie year when he didn’t play or the 2008 season when he literally got hurt halfway through the first quarter of the very first game)
And now to our pool… 35 people picked both games correctly, 33 got both wrong, 62 had TB/BUF, 34 had GB/KC, and 36 people couldn’t be bothered making picks — which I kinda get, if you’re already out of it — like me who completely fell apart in the second half of the season. Went from top 15 all the way down to 97th place. I am so disappointed in myself, like most years making picks… but remember when I was in 1st place overall after Week 2?! Yeah, me neither. Ugh
Moving on… 658 points were scored overall, which averages out to 4.01 points per player – right on par with the 4.02 average from the past nine seasons, not even close to the high in 2015, but better than some years.
January 2020 – 3.83 points per player
January 2019 – 4.54
January 2018 – 3.16
January 2017 – 5.00
January 2016 – 2.73
January 2015 – 6.16
January 2014 – 2.45
January 2013 – 4.35
OVERALL STANDINGS
Now this is what I’m talking about! All sorts of possibilities for people to win some serious cash! In total, there are 12 people that can place in the top 5 spots depending on how things fall. But really… we’re talking about 2nd through 5th, as DESPERADO26 already has 1st Place wrapped up. The chart below shows who still has a chance to win a pile of money – just gotta pick the right team and hope whoever is above you picks the opposite! Please note: if your name has a gray background and is crossed out, it means you don’t have enough points left to finish in the top five.
| RANK | KEYS | MEMBER | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | 7 | DESPERADO26 | 166 | 5 |
| 2 | 11 | WIZ 49! | 159 | 4 |
| 3 | 7 | ALLBOUS | 159 | 4 |
| 4 | 11 | THE_BRIGADE | 158 | 4 |
| 5 | 7 | BLUEBYEU | 157 | 5 |
| 6 | 10 | CASEY13 | 156 | 5 |
| 7 | 9 | JALBANI | 154 | 4 |
| 8 | 7 | WEEZENUTZ | 153 | 3 |
| 10 | 11 | KMANCHINI | 152 | 5 |
| 11 | 9 | NO FIREWORKS | 152 | 5 |
| 12 | 8 | SGTRICHIE15 | 152 | 5 |
| 14 | 7 | ACMEPACKINGCOMPANY | 152 | 5 |
PLAYOFF STANDINGS
The Playoff pool also pays the top five spots and talk about endlesssssssss possibilities! And I didn’t even list anyone below 18 points simply because it would take up too much space. For those of you at 18 with a 4 or 5 left, or those of you at 17 and a 5 left, you and most of the people listed on the chart below are simply hoping for the long-shot 5th place tie. But there are plenty of others that can do better. If SHUTCH05 picks the correct team, he automatically wins $1500 for 1st place. If he doesn’t, the door is open for a bunch of people below him to either jump right past him or at least tie.
| RANK | KEYS | MEMBER | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | x | SHUTCH05 | 26 | 4 |
| 2 | x | J.LIPPOLIS | 25 | 4 |
| 3 | x | WEEZENUTZ | 25 | 3 |
| 4 | x | BLACKWALRUS | 23 | 4 |
| 5 | x | ALLBOUS | 22 | 4 |
| 6 | x | BOBBY CAL | 22 | 5 |
| 7 | x | DIGGIDYDOGG | 22 | 5 |
| 8 | x | ICECREAMAN | 22 | 3 |
| 9 | x | T-BONE | 22 | 5 |
| 10 | x | MarkBucca | 21 | 5 |
| 11 | x | MGOCONNOR | 21 | 3 |
| 12 | x | SGTRICHIE15 | 21 | 5 |
| 13 | x | WIZ 49! | 21 | 4 |
| 14 | x | BACKHAIRBREW | 20 | 5 |
| 15 | x | BOSTONJOHN88 | 20 | 3 |
| 16 | x | EAGLE4BC | 20 | 5 |
| 17 | x | EZ-$$$ | 20 | 3 |
| 18 | x | NAUSS508 | 20 | 4 |
| 19 | x | PJHARRISON123 | 20 | 4 |
| 20 | x | TAILGATER47 | 20 | 3 |
| 21 | x | THE_BRIGADE | 20 | 4 |
| 22 | x | WALLETGUY13 | 20 | 4 |
| 23 | x | YIGGITY | 20 | 4 |
| 24 | x | ARMAINIAC | 19 | 3 |
| 25 | x | CRUSHEDBYHEELS | 19 | 4 |
| 26 | x | CZCZCZ | 19 | 5 |
| 27 | x | GENERAL STOOR | 19 | 3 |
| 28 | x | GUARANTEEDTORUN | 19 | 5 |
| 29 | x | JUNKINS40 | 19 | 4 |
| 30 | x | KITTYSCORAL | 19 | 3 |
| 31 | x | OT617857 | 19 | 3 |
| 32 | x | PEYTONISAMO | 19 | 4 |
| 33 | x | PIASON033 | 19 | 4 |
| 34 | x | SEANB4848 | 19 | 4 |
| 35 | x | THEKINGBEEJ | 19 | 3 |
| 36 | x | USCG | 19 | 5 |
| 37 | x | WILLY33 | 19 | 4 |
| 38 | x | YER MY BOY BLUE! | 19 | 3 |
ROOKIE RACE
This race is much simpler to report on, as there’s only two people with a shot at the title.
If ALLBOUS picks the correct team, he automatically wins. If they both pick the same team, he automatically wins. BUT if they take opposite teams, and CASEY is correct, she’ll regain the lead and take home the title. And worth mentioning, as both members of the winning squad will be rewarded with a free entry into next season, ALLBOUS’ Jockey is none other than our fearless leader MARK T (FTPL MANAGER), while CASEY’S is boyfriend EMAC124. Good luck to all four of ya!
| RANK | KEYS | MEMBER | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | 7 | ALLBOUS | 159 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 | CASEY13 | 156 | 5 |
COMBO RACE
Now this race is interesting! Six squads have a shot, but only one will win…
| RANK | KEYS | HORSE | JOCKEY | POINTS | REMAINING SB PTS |
| 1 | 16 | KENNEYPOWERS | NO FIREWORKS | 298 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
| 2 | 16 | ALLBOUS | MARK T (FTPL MANAGER) | 297 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
| 3 | 16 | CZCZCZ | WONDERLIC IT | 297 | 5 + 5 = 10 |
| 4 | 19 | WALLETGUY13 | TONY M | 290 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
| 5 | 18 | KEVIN BOUDROW | HE MAN WOMAN HATERS | 290 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
| 6 | 15 | SEAMUSPK | NO FIREWORKS | 290 | 4 + 5 = 9 |
VETERANS POOL
Already over… DESPERADO26
BEST OF NOTHING and LAST PLACE OVERALL
These are yet to be determined, but they’re both worth 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 are two sets of Super Bowl squares, and every member has one square total. A very different set-up from past seasons when members got multiple squares on multiple sheets, but now each winning square is worth a free entry into next season (instead of just $100). There will be 8 winning squares in all – 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarter, plus the final score on both sets. A link to the squares can be found above in the horizontal menu. In addition, there’s an alphabetical list by name with your numbers if you’re not up for searching through the boxes. The squares and the numbers were distributed via complete randomness. And I can prove that, cause I personally have a 5-7 square, and that 5 number is hard to come by unless something odd happens (or five touchdowns are scored by one team)…
Good luck to everyone and I hope all 200 members will join us again next season, but I know that won’t be happening. Every year we seem to lose 25-35 people, but that’s good news for anyone that is looking to get someone new into the league. There’s already a waiting list, 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.
Can’t believe pro football is almost gone again… it just got here!
Be well, Dan