Subject: NFL pick'em contest at FC

Date: Mon Nov 26 21:29:28 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Very interesting conversation. Of course, I am staying out if the discussion. Whatever folks agree upon is fine with me. Remember, I assumed I would get -2 for the two failed-to-picks

Date: Mon Nov 26 21:32:47 2018
User: poptart
Message:
Huffy went on further from that though. Snowy isn't going to "lose" the two other games, they are neutral. Losing would be a -1 for the week (assuming tonight is a W). He's still only 2 down, but has more options next week. My "pick from a hat" is not as harsh as removing easiest picks. If you are arguing that taking a neutral stance is enough of a penalty, I'm surprised with the removing easiest picks. There's also the fact that most games are Sunday's at 1:00 Eastern - not getting picks in by then, well.... Can't expect to be competitive w/o picks. I guess we are supposed to just say "a'right mate... It's a bye week for ya." Too many options going forward, with no more byes... There's that too. [btw, this is getting to be less than enjoyable.... Options are tossed out, and are countered, more input, and no real consensus. This is why I prefer a pick'em site - you just sign up for the rules and and be done with it.]

Date: Mon Nov 26 22:45:12 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Yes, as to huffy's second point - but really thinking more deeply about setting a precedent - Snowy will lose two points to the rest of us this week, but only by the (accidental) fact that all the rest of us didn't lose a game. If this had been one of those weekends where there were a lot of upsets, he could have actually *won* the week, if given a pass. So I think for the sake of being consistent, that's too big of a chance to take going forward. It could easily happen that for whatever reason one or more of us miss a week of picks, and to be given 'partial credit' for not submitting picks seems like too much of a break. It's not that losing two points isn't sufficient, as maybe it is this time; it's more than it's only luck (or the 'skill' of the rest of us - lol) that it turned out that way. So, I guess I have to come down on the side of he gets -1 for each no-pick. Not at all to be punitive, but only to not set a precedent of leniency such that it could cause a problem later on. But I'm still completely fine with whatever you decide. Denny's large cash prize shouldn't dictate the rules here. And this IS for fun, so don't let this little squirrely thing take the joy out of it. VERY thankful for your efforts! (And if you want to expand to 4 games, that's cool, too!)

Date: Tue Nov 27 11:36:18 2018
User: huffy
Message:
poptart's Suggestion: No negative points, put the 6 games into a hat and draw 2 that will be removed from Snowy's options next week. Great idea. 4 picks - I am fine with that too.

Date: Tue Nov 27 21:29:14 2018
User: poptart
Message:
I picked two of this past week's match-ups by random draw and removed those four games from play for the next two weeks. The ones picked are marked with a preceding x in the table below.

This week, and each week through the regular season - 4 picks each week. I hope we have enough to choose from in a week from now!

Post-season, the points/game will increase.

TN	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 11	BAL	CIN	1
		LAC	DEN	-1
		PIT	JAX	1	1	16
	wk 12	NO	ATL	1
		NE	NYJ	1
		HOU	TEN	1	3	19
	Options
		LAR	DET
		ARI	GB
		BUF	MIA
		CHI	NYG
		CAR	TB
		KC	OAK
		SF	SEA
		WAS	PHI
HUFFY	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 11	PIT	JAX	1
		ATL	DAL	-1
		HOU	WAS	1	1	16
	wk 12	CHI	DET	1
		PHI	NYG	1
		IND	MIA	1	3	19
	Options
		DEN	CIN
		ARI	GB
		CAR	TB
		KC	OAK
		NYJ	TEN
		MIN	NE
		SF	SEA
SNOW	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 11	PIT	JAX	1
		NO	PHI	1
		LAC	DEN	-1	1	14
	wk 12	HOU	TEN	1
		xCHI	xDET	0
		xWAS	xDAL	0	1	15
	Options
		BAL	ATL
		ARI	GB
		BUF	MIA
		CAR	TB
		KC	OAK
		MIN	NE
		SF	SEA
POP	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 11	PIT	JAX	1
		NO	PHI	1
		LAC	DEN	-1	1	14
	wk 12	DAL	WAS	1
		IND	MIA	1
		HOU	TEN	1	3	17
	Options
		BAL	ATL
		LAR	DET
		ARI	GB
		CHI	NYG
		CAR	TB
		KC	OAK
		MIN	NE
		SF	SEA

I'm tired, and under the weather again. No sick days all year until the flu from visiting my mom, and now a cold (I think from the buffet dinner on thanksgiving). I'll do my best.

Date: Wed Nov 28 08:20:44 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Get' em in early... Green Bat over Arizona KC over Oakland New England over Minnesota (Either way, I "win") Seattle over SF

Date: Thu Nov 29 11:49:34 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Cheeseheads fondues the Cardinals Chiefs scalp the Raiders Seahawks out-peck/pick the 49ers LAR batter the Lions So...…….how has the math worked out that we've all got such a plethora of picks this week? Seems kinda bizarre to me. Is this the first recorded example of one football team fonduing another?

Date: Thu Nov 29 12:30:10 2018
User: poptart
Message:
TN: no more byes. added 2 games/week going forward.

Date: Thu Nov 29 12:55:53 2018
User: huffy
Message:
SEA over SF GB over ARIZ KC over OAK DEN over CIN

Date: Fri Nov 30 14:39:05 2018
User: poptart
Message:
LAR lover DET GB over ARI CHI over NYG KC over OAK so, we all picked GB over ARI and KC over OAK. also: next week, you all have only 4 options, whereas I have 6. I don't know how that happened. I know I said we would do 4/week going forward, but you'd be picking every option. if you want to revert back to 3, I'm fine with that. consensus between the three of you wins.

Date: Fri Nov 30 20:16:37 2018
User: huffy
Message:
my vote - revert to 3 please

Date: Sun Dec 2 21:16:47 2018
User: poptart
Message:

TN	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 12	NO	ATL	1
		NE	NYJ	1
		HOU	TEN	1	3	19
	wk 13	LAR	DET	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	21
	Options
		CAR	CLE
		NYG	WAS
		CIN	LAC
		PHI	DAL
HUFFY	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 12	CHI	DET	1
		PHI	NYG	1
		IND	MIA	1	3	19
	wk 13	DEN	CIN	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	21
	Options
		JAX	TEN
		NYJ	BUF
		CAR	CLE
		NO	TB
SNOW	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 12	HOU	TEN	1
		xCHI	xDET	0
		xWAS	xDAL	0	1	15
	wk 13	GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		NE	MIN	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	17
	Options
		NYJ	BUF
		CAR	CLE
		NO	TB
		CIN	LAC
POP	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 12	DAL	WAS	1
		IND	MIA	1
		HOU	TEN	1	3	17
	wk 13	LAR	DET	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		CHI	NYG	-1
		KC	OAK	1	0	17
	Options
		NYJ	BUF
		CAR	CLE
		NO	TB
		CIN	LAC
		DEN	SF
		MIN	SEA

snowy caught up to me. Not my best week.

I'm leaving for vacation in a couple days. I'll try to keep up.

only one vote so far about going back to 3 games, or sticking with 4.

Date: Sun Dec 2 23:16:57 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
I guess I'm ambivalent about switching back to 3 picks/week. Part of my theory of not allowing to 'ride' teams was to make contestants look ahead and plan available match-ups in future weeks. I've done that exactly 0 times, however. I'm once again perfectly fine with whatever Commish decides. I guess if she requires a vote, I'll say revert back. One accidental(?) effect of keeping it 4 would be to put the pressure on us two leaders to perform with no margin for error.

Date: Mon Dec 3 13:12:29 2018
User: poptart
Message:
TN, it seemed like you were advocating for keeping it at 4, but then said if a vote, you'd say revert back.

Date: Mon Dec 3 13:28:56 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
No, wasn't really "advocating" - just pointing out that keeping it at 4 could allow you and Snowguy to make up ground. Or...…..it could work out the opposite of that, too. I guess I worry that if there are no teams to spare for 3 of us this week, how hard would it be to arrive at a scenario in which there weren't 4 games to pick from? (Probably pretty unlikely, actually, but we don't know that.) If we keep it at 4, then I recommend making a provision for that - which I alluded to in an earlier post. So......to summarize, I vote go back to 3, but truly I'm happy with your commissionatorial (yes, I just made that up) wisdom.

Date: Tue Dec 4 08:25:08 2018
User: huffy
Message:
TEN over JAX BUF over NYJ NO over TB If I need to tip in the other game CLE over CAR Have a good vacation

Date: Tue Dec 4 23:41:34 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Wow! LImited to only four this week. I will show three picks and a reserve pick if we are required to pick BUF over NYJ NO over TB LAC over DEN (the picks above had CIN as the opponent) My fourth pick would be: CLE over CAR (By the way I think I am toast this year and pop isn't ;looking all that vital either)

Date: Wed Dec 5 22:36:16 2018
User: poptart
Message:
the decision is in: reverting back to 3 games, at least for this week. snowy, we go into double points post-season.

Date: Thu Dec 6 08:45:15 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
TN and huffy will also be receiving double points. I be toast. And pop be hangin' by a thread, too.

Date: Thu Dec 6 12:02:10 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Well, it looks likely that there will finally be some separation between huffy and myself. He's got two fairly solid picks, and I really only have one. Besides that, being tired of pulling against teams I like, I'm gonna go out on a very shaky limb with this first pick: Brownies to escape the Panthers' claws Lightning Bolts to shock those other cats, the Bengals Cowboys to snare the Eagles Hate picking the Cowboys, but no fan of the Eagles, either.

Date: Sat Dec 8 10:52:11 2018
User: poptart
Message:
SNOWY, LAC is playing CIN DEN is playing SF please re-check your picks and LMK what your choice is. if I don't hear back, I will go with your CAR/CLE pick.

Date: Sat Dec 8 11:25:57 2018
User: poptart
Message:
CLE over CAR NO over TB LAC over CIN

Date: Sun Dec 9 00:01:02 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
SF over Den Chargers over Bengals Saints over TB Bucs (Sorry, I really have a lot on my plate right now. You wouldn't believe!

Date: Sun Dec 9 21:23:59 2018
User: BuzzClik
Message:
Unusually quiet on this thread. Are we having a moment of silence for the Pats and Steelers? The Pat’s defeat was on a jaw-dropping, totally improbable play by Miami. The Steelers lost to the hated Raiders when the Pittsburgh kicker was unable plant his foot properly on a short field goal. In a game marred by horrid refereeing (bad calls going both ways), Cowboys beat the Eagles on a deflected pass in OT.

Date: Mon Dec 10 03:20:42 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
As 'bad' as the Pats lost, the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong that poptart went for the Florida brie this time instead of the Vermont Cabot. Or maybe she lost count of her head taps. (If anyone doesn’t get that, I refer you to the "I suspected we caused our sports teams to lose" thread.) As to Snowguy.........maybe his (Terrible) towel was in the laundry? Yet the Steelers, somehow, for the moment, are still leading that division. Relatedly, among the more remarkable 'stats' of the current state of the NFL.........the Cleveland Browns are technically still in contention for a playoff berth. No, they won't make it (we don't think), but just that that's possible is astonishing. And yes, I realize this post should perhaps preferably be in the other, non-competitional NFL thread - but I was dovetailing onto Buzz's comments.

Date: Mon Dec 10 19:31:01 2018
User: poptart
Message:
Snowy, you swapped out the NYJ/BUF game out for SF/DEN, which is not an option for you. sorry, but you get stuck with the -1 for the wrong pick of NYJ/BUF from your original picks.

Date: Mon Dec 10 20:43:57 2018
User: poptart
Message:
I'm still trying to pull my jaw off the floor. I had gone to a bar/restaurant called Foxobo's in Naples (FL). I had what they called "New England clam chowder", which was NOT New England clam chowder. (when the heck is HAM in New England clam chowder????) THAT is how it was my fault the team lost. I tried to eat all NE foods, but was TRICKED!

Date: Mon Dec 10 21:56:56 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Wow, what a story! One could argue that you just *being* in Miami's state was enough to tempt fate just a little too far. But that's too extreme - especially with you trying to counteract that with the chowda. I *almost* feel sorry for you! (Well......actually I do feel sorry for you (a little) - just not your team.) Putting HAM in *your* (supposed) NE clam chowda is certainly a despicable (yet clever) hack/bug/infiltration. And who know where those clams came from? (Not likely from anywhere near Gloucester!) Perhaps the close-but-not-close-enough "Foxobo's" should have also made you wary. Truly a tragic tale!

Date: Wed Dec 12 12:23:40 2018
User: poptart
Message:
As always, please check for accuracy.

TN	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 13	LAR	DET	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	21
	wk 14	CLE	CAR	1
		LAC	CIN	1
		DAL	PHI	1	3	24
	Options
		HOU	NYJ
		TB	BAL
		WAS	JAX
		MIA	MIN
		TEN	NYG
		NE	PIT
HUFFY	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 13	DEN	CIN	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	21
	wk 14	TEN	JAX	1
		BUF	NYJ	-1
		NO	TB	1	1	22
	Options
		DAL	IND
		MIA	MIN
		NE	PIT
		PHI	LAR
SNOW	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 13	GB	ARI	-1
		KC	OAK	1
		NE	MIN	1
		SEA	SF	1	2	17
	wk 14	BUF	NYJ	-1
		NO	TB	1
		LAC	CIN	1	1	18
	Options
		CLE	DEN
		DAL	IND
		WAS	JAX
		TEN	NYG
		PHI	LAR
POP	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 13	LAR	DET	1
		GB	ARI	-1
		CHI	NYG	-1
		KC	OAK	1	0	17
	wk 14	CLE	CAR	1
		NO	TB	1
		LAC	CIN	1	3	20
	Options
		HOU	NYJ
		DAL	IND
		WAS	JAX
		MIA	MIN
		SEA	SF
		NE	PIT

last full day of vaca, tomorrow a travel day, and then back to the real world.

Date: Thu Dec 13 21:36:59 2018
User: huffy
Message:
LAR over PHI MIN over MIA DAL over IND

Date: Sat Dec 15 12:15:39 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Yikes - I see the Saturday games start today. I'll bend the rules like some have already done and pick: Texans to rope in the speedy Jets ……….and figure out the others later. Sorry; just way busy....

Date: Sat Dec 15 19:55:58 2018
User: poptart
Message:
Crap. Didn't even realize there are games today. I volunteered at my son's workplace for 3 events today. I expected a break in between but the break was clean up. On my feet 9am tol 7 pm. 2 teas with Santa for the kids an "jane Austen tea" for adults. My back is toast. Crack for two Santa teas tomorrow. Ugggh, I need to go back to my desk job! This is for the birds!

Date: Sun Dec 16 10:09:01 2018
User: poptart
Message:
My picks: IND over DAL (I see Huffy picked DAL over IND!) SEA over SF NE over PIT I'm not very confident this week. I'm off to volunteer at a "tea with santa" event at my son's work place. I did two kid events and one adult event yesterday - back to back, on my feet all day. today is just two kid events.

Date: Sun Dec 16 10:48:16 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Finally getting mine in, too. My picks look pretty rocky this week, especially since I missed the Browns last night. IND over DAL JAX over WAS LAR over PHI

Date: Sun Dec 16 11:51:55 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
With exceedingly low confidence........ Ravens pick apart the raiding Buccaneers Norsemen hold their fort against the Fins

Date: Mon Dec 17 07:53:42 2018
User: poptart
Message:
not a good week for me!

TN	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 14	CLE	CAR	1
		LAC	CIN	1
		DAL	PHI	1	3	24
	wk 15	HOU	NYJ	1
		BAL	TB	1
		MIN	MIA	1	3	27
	Options
		WAS	TEN
		NYG	IND
		BUF	NE
		LAR	ARI
		CIN	SF
		PIT	NO
		KC	SEA
		DEN	OAK
HUFFY	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 14	TEN	JAX	1
		BUF	NYJ	-1
		NO	TB	1	1	22
	wk 15	DAL	IND	-1
		MIN	MIA	1
		LAR	PHI	-1	-1	21
	Options
		BAL	LAC
		ATL	CAR
		CIN	CLE
		CIN	SF
		KC	SEA
		DEN	OAK
SNOW	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 14	BUF	NYJ	-1
		NO	TB	1
		LAC	CIN	1	1	18
	wk 15	IND	DAL	1
		JAX	WAS	-1
		LAR	PHI	-1	-1	17
	Options
		ATL	CAR
		CIN	CLE
		MIN	DET
		KC	SEA
		DEN	OAK
POP	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 14	CLE	CAR	1
		NO	TB	1
		LAC	CIN	1	3	20
	wk 15	IND	DAL	1
		SEA	SF	-1
		NE	PIT	-1	-1	19
	Options
		WAS	TEN
		JAX	MIA
		MIN	DET
		GB	NYJ
		HOU	PHI
		LAR	ARI
		DEN	OAK

Date: Mon Dec 17 15:53:05 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
I am what we in the trade call... cannon fodder.

Date: Wed Dec 19 22:55:05 2018
User: huffy
Message:
LAC over BAL CLE over CIN DEN over OAK Pop - I think there is a typo in my games (and TN's) we both have a CIN v SF option I think that should be CHI v SF or else my CLE over CIN option is looking somewhat doomed. :-)

Date: Fri Dec 21 20:55:19 2018
User: poptart
Message:
Thx, I'll look at it later and update my file. TEN over WAS MIN over DET LAR over ARI

Date: Sat Dec 22 02:13:19 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Assuming huffy's comment is accurate (and it looks like it is), for the moment: da Bearce maul the Prospectors Rams batter the Cards For the moment, will eschew the near-sure things pop's Pats or hotnurse's Colts as I hate to root for them. Hopefully I'll get a last pick in before too late.

Date: Sat Dec 22 12:08:40 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
ATL over CAR CLE over CIN MIN over DET It;s all a crapshoot for me...

Date: Sun Dec 23 00:02:53 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Well, dang it. Not too long after posting my first two picks above, I decided to make things a bit more interesting, so came back to pick TEN to skin the 'skins - but lo and behold...…….that game was already started. (And TEN nearly lost it. Poor 'skins.) So, in lieu of that: Colts trample the NYG

Date: Mon Dec 24 02:57:52 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
What's up with Mr. Cannon Fodder -- looks like he went 3-0?

Date: Mon Dec 24 21:05:45 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
Even a broken clock gets the time right twice a day... (But it misses out the rest of the time.)

Date: Wed Dec 26 14:41:21 2018
User: poptart
Message:

TN	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 15	HOU	NYJ	1
		BAL	TB	1
		MIN	MIA	1	3	27
	wk 16	IND	NYG	1
		LAR	ARI	1
		CHI	SF	1	3	30
	Options
		DET	GB
		CAR	NO
		OAK	KC
		CIN	PIT
		PHI	WAS
		LAC	DEN
HUFFY	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 15	DAL	IND	-1
		MIN	MIA	1
		LAR	PHI	-1	-1	21
	wk 16	LAC	BAL	-1
		CLE	CIN	1
		DEN	OAK	-1	-1	20
	Options
		DET	GB
		JAX	HOU
		NYJ	NE
		CAR	NO
		ATL	TB
		ARI	SEA
SNOW	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 15	IND	DAL	1
		JAX	WAS	-1
		LAR	PHI	-1	-1	17
	wk 16	ATL	CAR	1
		CLE	CIN	1
		MIN	DET	1	3	20
	Options
		MIA	BUF
		NYJ	NE
		OAK	KC
		LAC	DEN
		ARI	SEA
POP	week #	winner	loser	pts	wk pts	total pts
	wk 15	IND	DAL	1
		SEA	SF	-1
		NE	PIT	-1	-1	19
	wk 16	TEN	WAS	1
		MIN	DET	1
		LAR	ARI	1	3	22
	Options
		MIA	BUF
		JAX	HOU
		CAR	NO
		ATL	TB
		CLE	BAL
		OAK	KC
		LAC	DEN

I was thinking... this is the last week of regular season, and we are picking all games in the post season, with the weights/game being bigger! let's do 4 picks this week. I'd do 5, but that means snowguy doesn't get even one toss-out this week.

Okay with that?? 3 of you vote - 2/3 wins.

Date: Wed Dec 26 15:02:52 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Are we starting a new contest, or continuing the old one? Best as I recall, we're just continuing. Want to open it up for the playoffs to others, if they're interested? You would have to figure out what/how to call it. Or could we have two running simultaneously - the same one, and a new one? I'm fine with picking 4 this week - and that's without even looking to see who's playing.

Date: Wed Dec 26 15:04:02 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Oh, and in the first week of the playoffs, I get a bye, I assume, right, with all my picks considered winners no matter what?

Date: Wed Dec 26 17:30:51 2018
User: huffy
Message:
I'm ok with 4 picks this week. GB over DET (if I only need 3 please wipe this game) HOU over JAX NE over NYJ NO over CAR

Date: Wed Dec 26 17:36:33 2018
User: poptart
Message:
I'll run two concurrent. I'm not going to have much internet access for a bit in January, but I think it's the wknd w/o any games. you are expected to make your picks, even if I don't update scores.

Date: Wed Dec 26 20:14:44 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:
I'm okay with 4 picks. I better check fast and see if I have Thursday Night this week. Nope. I see no TNF this week. Time to start picking my 4 of 5. i hope I don't have a lot of tight games this week. Thanks to huffy for slipping back a tad this time. I was getting lonely at the tail end.