Subject: NFL Playoff Contest

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:05:14 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Here's the deal: (All selections to be made before the beginning of Week 14 play. That would be the Week 14 Thursday night game.) Predict the eight contestants in the Wild Card Round. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 8) Predict the eight contestants in the Divisional Round. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 8) Predict the four teams in the Divisional Championships. One point for each correct selection. (Max 4) Predict the two teams in the Conference championships. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 2) Predict Super Bowl champion. (1 point) Max for a perfect "Bracket" would be 23 points. Reward for winning, disbelief and general awe from the community of Freecellers.

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:15:26 2017
User: CubicSprock
Message:
what week are they in?

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:20:54 2017
User: CubicSprock
Message:
looked it up...picks due by Thursday Dec. 7

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:24:54 2017
User: CubicSprock
Message:
I think it should be 4 teams in conference championships (not divisional championship) and 2 teams in super bowl (not conference championships)

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:41:49 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Right on, Cubic! Here's the revision: (All selections to be made before the beginning of Week 14 play. That would be the Week 14 Thursday night game.) Predict the eight contestants in the Wild Card Round. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 8) Predict the eight contestants in the Divisional Round. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 8) Predict the four teams in the Conference championships. One point for each correct selection. (Max. 4) Predict the two teams in the Super Bowl One point for each correct selection. (Max 2) Predict Super Bowl champion. (1 point) Max for a perfect "Bracket" would be 23 points. Reward for winning, disbelief and general awe from the community of Freecellers.

Date: Wed Nov 22 22:44:34 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
I made it before the beginning of Week 14, to add uncertainty to the scheme. If folks think we should wait longer to predict, we can think about that.

Date: Wed Nov 29 15:58:54 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
This is Week 13! All picks for the Playoff Contest are due prior to Thursday Night Football kickoff! (Dec. 7) This could be interesting, as compared with March Madness Brackets, wherein everybody starts off on the same plane. The same teams are available to everybody, as "official" brackets are pre-filled by the teams that have already qualified. Not so here. It would be a lot to keep track of, so I may just let each person keep track of their remaining teams and their cumulative Points Total, each week. Dec. 7! Good luck! (Except maybe for Cubic and TNM...)

Date: Mon Dec 4 00:11:20 2017
User: huffy
Message:
Snowy My tips are Wildcard Weekend Tennessee, LA Chargers, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Carolina, New Orleans, LA Rams, Seattle Divisional Weekend Baltimore, New England, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Minnesota, Seattle Divisional Championships Pittsburgh, New England, Philadelphia, Minnesota Super Bowl New England, Minnesota Winner New England That final game last night didn't go the way I had thought it would. The result was it did change a couple of my picks in that it kept Seattle in for an extra week and I did originally have Philadelphia making the Super Bowl but not if they have to win the Divisional Championship away from home. Piece of cake this tipping a month out ;-)

Date: Mon Dec 4 08:33:47 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Excellent! Most of the picks I would have also chosen/will choose. But we do deviate along the way. (Just as Jupiter's moon Europa's inhabitants might be called Europeans, we deviate. Does that make us deviants?) Never mind. Anyhoo, I hope we get at least a half-dozen contestants. Deadline, kickoff this Thursday night.

Date: Tue Dec 5 16:49:12 2017
User: Gremlin
Message:
Wildcard Jacksonville, Oakland, New Orleans, LA Rams, Tennessee, Baltimore, Carolina, Seattle Divisional New England, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Minnesota, New Orleans, LA Rams Championship New England, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans Super Bowl New England, Philadelphia Winner New England

Date: Tue Dec 5 23:40:39 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
On the P&R Board, youngarmy has these teams moving forward. He has matchups too, but that's not necessary. Just the teams moving on. AFC Seeds: 1 - NE, 2 - PIT, 3 - TEN, 4 - LAC, 5 - JAX, 6 - BAL. W/C round: LAC beats JAX, TEN beats BAL Div. round: NE beats LAC, PIT beats TEN. Conf champ - NE beats PIT. NFC Seeds: 1 - PHI, 2 - MIN, 3 - SEA, 4 - NO, 5 - LAR, 6 - CAR. WC round: NO beats LAR, SEA beats CAR. Div. round: PHI beats NO, MIN beats SEA. Conf champ - PHI beats MIN. Super Bowl: NE beats PHI

Date: Wed Dec 6 11:18:18 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
I'm thinking, Ravens, Titans, Jags, Chargers (and) Panthers, Seahawks, Rams, Saints Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Jags (and) Eagles, Vikes, Saints, Seahawks Steelers, Pats (and) Eagles, Saints Steelers (and) Eagles Steelers (Same as everybody else, we have until kickoff of Thursday night matchup to finalize our picks)

Date: Thu Dec 7 10:37:02 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Ok, for clarification (since I really don't have time to do this....), for this first round, we simply ignore teams we think will have byes, right? For example, if someone (and I'm not naming names) were to think the Steel City boys will win their division and get a first-round bye, we do NOT pick them, correct? BUT, if they still win their division but do not get a bye, then omitting them from the initial (wildcard) round is a "loss", right? We are supposed to pick the actual teams who will be playing that first round, regardless of how they got there. And so conversely.....if we think a team will get into the playoffs, and they do, but somehow get a bye when we didn't think they would, that's also a 'loss' (because we have omitted them from the 'wildcard' round)? I think I've got that, hopefully.

Date: Thu Dec 7 10:42:31 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Further........(and pardon my ignorance of the details).........this is "week 14", even tho most (all?) teams have only played 12 games due to "bye weeks"? Do bye weeks end for all teams by this point in the season?

Date: Thu Dec 7 12:05:41 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
It's part of the challenge, getting it right. You choose who you think will be wildcard teams (two will be division winners.) If one slides up to #1 or 2, while you didn't get it right in the Wild Card round, they will still be a correct guess in the next round. You will still have had a wrong guess in Wild Card round. As for Round 14, I just went with the NFL'S ROUND 14. I guess more issues will surface after the first round, but I think it will come down to total successful picks in every round/all rounds. That's where the "Uncertainty" I was aiming for will show itself.

Date: Thu Dec 7 13:53:01 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
OK, FWIW........... Round 1: Browns -->Ravens, Chargers, Oilers -->TN, Jax, Seattle, Rams, Atlanta, N.O. Round 2: Browns -->Ravens, N.E., Jax, Steel City, Seattle, Vikes, N.O, Eagles Round 3: N.E., Steel City, Vikes, N.O. Round 4: N.E., Vikes Super Bowl champs: Vikes This despite that fact that no team ever hosting the Super Bowl has ever won it - and that very few teams hosting it have even made the playoffs (something like 6 or 7?? - I think). Also despite knowing that the cheating Pats are more likely to win it; I just can't pick them.

Date: Thu Dec 7 14:40:47 2017
User: joeygray
Message:
No team has ever played in the Super Bowl in their home park. I think the LA Rams played in one in the Rose Bowl stadium which is pretty close but not their home park.

Date: Thu Dec 7 18:09:03 2017
User: CubicSprock
Message:
1. ravens. tenn. jax. la chargers. falcons. sants. seahaws. rams 2. ptt. ne. chargers. ravens. eagles. mnn. rams. falcons 3. ptt. ne. eagles. rams 4. ne. eagles 5. eagles

Date: Sat Dec 9 00:23:59 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Looks like we got six contestants. I thought more folks would be willing to risk $1000.

Date: Tue Dec 12 08:50:30 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Well, the uncertainty I planned into a prior-to-Week 14 pick is at work. For example, I had the Eagle making it to the Super Bowl. Unlikely to happen. Possibly one win for them, and a bunch of lost points for me. I see others are also affected by the same or different scenarios. TNM, for example, ditched the Eagles after Round 2. But picking the browns for two rounds just might work against him. (But frankly, I have been scratching my head over his choices, including the wrong number of teams in a couple rounds.) A couple others also were heavily invested in the (Carson Wentz) Eagles. However, the Eagles are, otherwise, a strong team, and could make some QB adjustments that might get them a round or two past the wild card slot it appears they may be destined to fill. Big Game Sunday afternoon. Anything can happen. Still the likely #'s 1 on 2 in the Division, but home field is another matter.

Date: Tue Dec 12 11:09:59 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Hmmm.......I see that apparently my 'tribute' to teams past got lost in translation. My "Browns -->Ravens" was (I thought) obviously an homage to the *old* Browns, who moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens, and likewise my "Oilers -->TN" was an homage to the old Houston Oilers, who moved to Memphis for a year or two and then Nashville, to become the Titans. Taking that into effect, I see (what I think) are the correct number of picks for each round. (And just in case "Steel City" is confusing.......that refers to your fine city, not Birmingham, AL - which doth not possess an NFL team. I suspect, however, that you got that part of my mirthfulness.)

Date: Tue Dec 12 13:58:43 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Mirthfulness, indeed. It all comes into perspective now. By the way, the Steelers/Ravens rivalry goes way back to the Mistake-By-The-Lake Browns. It was a fierce rivalry, and the team having moved to Baltimore just kept the rivalry alive, in a new city. It didn't help that the expansion team Browns, even though they retained the "colors" and team history, just could not become relevant. The Bengals moved forward, but again they didn't have the decades-long history of the original Browns and Steelers. And they seem to be trying to replicate the Ravens/Steelers. Again, you ditched the Eagles early-on, which could bode quite well for your picks.

Date: Tue Dec 12 14:53:33 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Of course I know all that Steelers/Browns history, and yes, it's always been a good one. And although I'm technically a (semi-)fan of the Browns, it's only by association with Cleveland, one of the 2 major-league baseball towns that uses Native-American nicknames. It certainly doesn't help, however, that they're now owned by the brother of our current governor. And said owner is likely guilty of a price-fixing (more complicated than that) scheme involving the giant chain of truck stops he owns - but it looks likely he'll beat the rap. Way too early to see how my picks will perform, but I just thought I'd give the edge to Drew Brees - not to mention I have a soft spot for the city of N.O. Also, it'd be great if Minnesota (and Buffalo, too! - although not this year) could finally win one of these things after 4 failed attempts each. Bengals have rarely been able to get out of their own way, especially since the Boomer days. And that's not all that bad. For although Cincinnati is quite likely the best thing about Ohio (mild snarkiness intended), that's not saying much, especially since that's been the home of the Big Red Machine, Marge Schott, etc. While Cleveland has done a lot to change their "mistake by the lake" rep, I think Steel City has come farther - having had a big head start. But you all have done well there. But still........come on.........you all have won enough Super Bowls for at least 2-3 more decades, don't you think?

Date: Tue Dec 12 18:04:06 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
Nope. New England changed all that. ;)

Date: Tue Dec 12 21:37:17 2017
User: TNmountainman
Message:
There have been 51 Super Bowls (retroactively counting the first 2(?) before they were called that). Pittsburgh has won 6, which is 11.8% of them. Since there are now 32 NFL teams, each of those teams 'should' have won about 1.6 each (51÷32), or 3.1% of them. Of course that ignores expansion, which means both: a) many of those 51 seasons there weren't 32 teams, and b) the expansion teams have been, as expected, weaker for several years after formation. So each established team 'should' have won probably somewhere between 2 and 2.5 Super Bowls. So Pittsburgh has won somewhere between 2.5 to 3x as many as would be 'fair'. Feel guilty now? I know. I know....... Just sayin'.

Date: Wed Dec 13 00:33:20 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
When pop tells us she's feeling guilty about the Pats winning a dozen or so since 2000, then I will say I feel guilty too.

Date: Mon Dec 18 09:11:15 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
As expected, some of our picks have been shaken up, and others fortified. And two more weeks to go! (Bummer, last night, though.)

Date: Sun Dec 31 21:20:41 2017
User: Snowguy
Message:
WILD CARD ROUND Titans, Chiefs, Bills, Jags Falcons, Rams, Panthers, Saints DIVISIONAL ROUND Winners of above, plus Byes: Pats, Steelers, Eagles, Vikings

Date: Mon Jan 1 11:46:26 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
I didn't check everybody's guesses,, but I see army and I both have 5 of a possible 8. Darn Ravens! All they had to do was win. The two they needed to lose if they were to also lose, both won. That's three chances to advance, but only one was in their control. I haven't noticed any love for the Bills on this board...

Date: Mon Jan 1 22:12:51 2018
User: CubicSprock
Message:
everyone had ravens in and 5/6 had them going to round 2...so on the bright side that helped everyone. with how things worked out I already know my score for the 2nd round as well. 5/8 for round 1. 5/8 for round 2.

Date: Tue Jan 2 03:09:10 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Snowguy: "I haven't noticed any love for the Bills on this board..." TN: Somewhere (in one of these threads, I think) I posted something along the lines of wouldn't it be great for the Bills to end up playing the Vikings in the Super Bowl, so at least one of them could 'get over the hump' of their respective 0-4 records in said game. That said..........I think I also got only 5 correct teams in the first round. I *did* have a suspicion there would be at least one team that would sneak in at the end, and I went with the Chargers instead of the Bills. I mean, really, the Bills were a REAL longshot. And who would have guessed *3* teams from the NFC South would make it in? I thought surely (one of) the Falcons/Panthers games would be a death match.

Date: Tue Jan 2 10:54:13 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
It's nice the Bills ownership are sending Chicken wings to the Bengals. I recall one of the 1970's Steelers teams sending briefcases to the Houston Oilers players, or something like that. But how about the Bills fans? They are flooding Andy Dalton's favorite charity with donations, at the rate, mostly of $17 per. (17 years without a playoff appearance.) Dalton had tossed a pass to Tyler Boyd that became a 49-yard game-winning TD, on 4th and 12, no less. Bills players and fans had just about run out of hope. Last I saw, the total was $37K and climbing. Great story.

Date: Tue Jan 2 11:09:21 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
As of last night according to Dalton over 2500 donors with $57000 total, as of then. He said donations were flooding in at 10 a minute!

Link: Very nice outcome

Date: Wed Jan 3 12:46:36 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Unless I missed something, the first-round score seems to be: 5 points: huffy, Snowguy, Cubic, youngarmy, TNM, Gremlin Everybody had the nos. 1 and 2 seeds, so the second shake-out will take place, depending on whom we all had advancing/being knocked from the Wild Card Round. not even looking there yet. Identical guesses in the AFC of (only) the Jags and Titans. Identical love shown in the NFC for Falcons Rams and Saints

Date: Sun Jan 7 19:17:51 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
I reported above that we all loved the Falcons,, Rams and Saints in the NFC. Wrong. Five of us loved the Panthers, and Two the Falcons. I have to recalculate after the Saints/Panthers game. It became a bit confusing with the the city/team name/etc. picks.

Date: Sun Jan 7 19:32:27 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
In the waning minutes of the Saints/Panthers game, it will make a huge difference to our standings. Six of us had picked the Saints (ahead 31-19.) We have no other NFC successes. Cubic has nobody left in the AFC from the WC Round, but he has the Falcons tucked away safely. Of course,, we already have a quite a disparity of Conference Championship picks. That will be where the rubber meets the road.. Right now, all contestants are in the 8-9 points range after this week,, depending of course on hos this game turns out. Four minutes to go, and the Panthers just scored. 31-26.

Date: Sun Jan 7 20:05:00 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Strong defense by Saints on the last drive. Huffy, Gremlin, army, Snowguy. TNM all have 9 points going into the (Round Three) Divisional Games; Cubic has 8. Things should break open next week, as we head into the Conference Championships.

Date: Sun Jan 7 21:28:31 2018
User: huffy
Message:
Snowy - I think everyone (including yourself) is 2 wins higher than your score indicates.

Date: Sun Jan 7 22:04:35 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
By my count, I have 11 points. 5 from round one, and now 6 of the 8 who've advanced. But please check my math/counting.

Date: Sun Jan 7 22:25:30 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
If you both mean the Byes, I didn't count them until they came into play. (Divisional Round.) For example, I had TNM as: Wild Card Round: Jags, Titans, Rams, Saints and Falcons Going into Second Round: Steelers, Pats, Jags; Vikes, Eagles, Saints Ouch. That's 11. I think Huffy is correct. Everybody will have two more points. I see where I went wrong. I did +2 for the Byes, which should have been +4 (I also overlooked the Bonus 5 points allowed for the contest's originator, but I guess that's too late now...)

Date: Mon Jan 15 20:41:40 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
BY my cipherin', it looks like these folks picked up 2 points: Cubic, TNM, Snowy, Gremlin And these here hunters done bagged 3: Huffy, army Since Cubic only had 10, that now be 12 fer our boy Since Snowy, TNM and Gremlin had 11, now they done got 13 But army and Huffy also had 11, so with the 3 they fetched, now they be leadin' the pack, with 14 "And there was granny, swingin' on the outhouse door without her nighty, swingin' on the outhouse door Oh yeah, swingin' on..." (The tune should be evident)

Date: Tue Jan 16 18:50:32 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
(I had been recalling some old summer camp songs, silly little ditties. ) That was one. Just inserted it on a whim.

Date: Tue Jan 16 20:58:09 2018
User: huffy
Message:
All right I am in the running for clairvoyant title.

Date: Thu Jan 18 11:26:23 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Three more points are available, but not to most of us. Huffy is the only player with three teams remaining. And he is also a current-standings leader (with youngarmy) with both 13 points so far.

Date: Thu Jan 18 11:54:56 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Up above, you state: "Since Snowy, TNM and Gremlin had 11, now they done got 13." I'm not taking the time to check it either way at the moment. Just sayin'.

Date: Thu Jan 18 15:09:43 2018
User: TitanicTony
Message:
Mon Jan 15 20:41:40 2018: But army and Huffy also had 11, so with the 3 they fetched, now they be leadin' the pack, with 14

Date: Thu Jan 18 17:25:50 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Happy to have anybody check my work.

Date: Sun Jan 21 18:18:31 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Our AFC side nearly got wiped out. By the way, youngarmy pointed out a miscalculation on my part: "Actually, I do have 3 teams remaining, as well as having 14 points (vice 13). Wild card round - 5; Div. round - 6; Conf. round - 3. Total 14, and my 3 still in contention are NE, PHI, and MIN. Are we on the same sheet of muzak?" He is correct about the Wild Card Round. Jags, Titans, Saints, Rams, Panthers (5) and 6 in the Divisional Round, plus 3 in the Conference Championships. That's 14 so far. My bad! (Not counting Pats already in the Super Bowl.) As an aside, if we ever do something like this again, I may have to demand uniformity. Team cities or names, either one. (Jacksonville or Jaguars,,etc.) But not the pastiche above. It makes it hard for me to keep track in my spare time, such as it is.

Date: Sun Jan 21 23:13:16 2018
User: armyboy
Message:
Getting on down to it.......Pats came through late for the win, despite a helluvan effort by the Jags. Bortles surprised me. I figured the Vikes/Eagles would be close one, and really, tho I picked the Eagles, that was before Wentz was down.....really thought the Vikes would win today.....good thing I ain't a bettin' man.......anyhoo, luck gives me two points today, so I'm at 16, and I picked the Pats in the SB. I guess Huffy and I tie??

Date: Sun Jan 21 23:18:16 2018
User: armyboy
Message:
Wow - just checked back in history and found that Huffy had the Vikes going to the SB to play the Pats. I might be the lone leader. I'm going to go play the lottery now to celebrate.