~sigh~ Deja vu, again.
The order was slightly different, but the tease was the same. There were elements of brilliance, stupidity, futility, hope, and disappointment. For the third time, and the first time this year, I have another 9-for-10, spoiled only by another Cowboys' loss.
There are four new members of the 10-for-10 Hall of Fame. They got their other nine picks right, and picked the Falcons to beat the Cowboys. Twenty-five more of us got our other nine right but picked the Cowboys. ~sigh~
Contest creator and owner KD Drummond was that close to an unprecedented 30-for-30 trifecta (three perfect 10-for-10s in a row). He was perfect in week #7 (included a Cowboys win) but 9-for-10 the past two weeks (Cowboys losses). He now shares the record for best three-week run at 28-for-30 with jstaubach (back in 2010).
I have another hectic day today, part of which is preparation for an out-of state trip tomorrow. I will be out of pocket and mostly offline from Thursday morning through Monday night. So, I will need help from KD, Bishop West, Travlr, mdlusk, and all the others who have served as volunteer "10-for-10 police".
I will not be there to notify people when KD's new contest page is up, and to migrate their picks to his page. If people make Thursday night picks after kickoff, I will not be there to call them on it. I will be able to record and tabulate picks. I just won't be monitoring the page and making timely responses to comments, questions, or pick issues.
I made a lot of comments already on KD's most recent contest page, so I will have little more to add today. Let this week's report begin.
After leveling off last week, our season-long trend is continuing of fewer participants each week. We had 130 play a full 10-for-10 slate of games, and one who posted late and only played the final five late/night games. We also continued our season-long trend of adding at least one new player each week. Who will join us this week for the first time?
Participation | |||
Week | Played This Week | Missed This Week | Total |
1 | 222 | 0 | 222 |
2 | 199 | 44 | 243 |
3 | 177 | 69 | 246 |
4 | 168 | 83 | 251 |
5 | 149 | 104 | 253 |
6 | 147 | 108 | 255 |
7 | 137 | 119 | 256 |
8 | 137 | 120 | 257 |
9 | 131 | 127 | 258 |
I stayed away from this week's Thursday night game after getting burned last week. Those who were more brave got off to a good 10-for-10 start. This was another one of "those weeks" with most of the games having a clear favorite. We jumped on them, and by-and-large were able to avoid "trap games"
Other than the Cowboys game, our biggest stumbling block for the second week in a row, most everyone else lost by picking our division rivals who were playing at home. I began this FanPost reporting that twenty-five of us scored 9-for-10, missing only the Cowboys. There were actually thirty-five 9-for-10s this week. The other ten all picked Atlanta. Their only misses were Washington (picked by seven) and New York Giants (picked by the other three).
We had two unanimous picks this week, as everyone who played Buffalo-Houston chose Houston and everyone who played Arizona-Green Bay chose Green Bay. The Houston pick was also unanimous in that all 130 who played 10-for-10 included this game. Not a single one of us passed on this game. Yes, 131 made picks on the Cowboys game, but that extra pick came from someone who didn't get in in time to make early game picks. Only two avoided the Packers.
Here's how we did as a consensus picking each game:
Week #9 Results (Home in CAPS) | |||
Win | Winners (we're great) | Lose | |
130 | HOUSTON | Buffalo | 0 |
128 | GREEN BAY | Arizona | 0 |
113 | Denver | CINCINNATI | 3 |
112 | Chicago | TENNESSEE | 3 |
103 | Baltimore | CLEVELAND | 6 |
96 | SEATTLE | Minnesota | 3 |
86 | Detroit | JACKSONVILLE | 1 |
70 | NEW ORLEANS | Philadelphia | 7 |
56 | SAN DIEGO | Kansas City | 2 |
47 | Tampa Bay | OAKLAND | 15 |
Win | Losers (we're bleep) | Lose | |
29 | ATLANTA | Dallas | 102 |
13 | Carolina | WASHINGTON | 67 |
26 | Pittsburgh | NEW YORK GIANTS | 35 |
Win | Pretty Even (we're indifferent) | Lose | |
26 | INDIANAPOLIS | Miami | 25 |
We gained a game on the Front Page Writers by the slimmest of margins. Our majorities won eleven games and only lost three (Cowboys, Redskins, and Giants). The Front Page Writers consensus also missed Miami-Indianapolis, picking the Dolphins. By one pick (26-25), we favored the Colts. So, we gained a game on them for the first time since week #3, and cut our deficit to only two games.
2012 10-for-10 Consensus vs. Front Page Writers | ||||
Week | 10-for-10 Wins | 10-for-10 Losses | Front Page Wins | Front Page Losses |
1 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
2 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 6 |
3 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 11 |
4 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 |
5 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 4 |
6 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
7 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
9 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
Total | 82 | 50 | 84 | 48 |
I have had positive feedback on this new table, so I am continuing to update and include it each week. For those who haven't seen it before, the first letter signifies how we picked each team each week. The second letter signifies the actual result. WW is good for us, as we picked a team to win and it won. LL is also good for us as we picked a team to lose and it lost. The other two hurt our scores, as the majority of us pick a team to win (and it loses) or to lose (and it wins). Since each game has a winner and a loser, these W-L numbers at the end will add up to double our score in the above table.
Some at the top of the chart are there because we pick them the same way each week (we pick Houston to win each week; they have won all but one; we pick Jacksonville and Kansas City to lose each week; they have each lost all but one). Others take more skill - all but once, we have picked Chicago, Denver, and San Diego right, both to win and lose.
Picks/Results for Each Team/Each Week | |||||||||||||||||||
Team | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | Wk 17 | W | L |
Chicago | WW | LL | WW | LW | WW | Bye | WW | WW | WW | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
Denver | WW | WL | LL | WW | LL | WW | Bye | WW | WW | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
Houston | WW | WW | WW | WW | WW | WL | WW | Bye | WW | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
Jacksonville | LL | LL | LW | LL | LL | Bye | LL | LL | LL | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
Kansas City | LL | LL | LW | LL | LL | LL | Bye | LL | LL | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
San Diego | WW | WW | LL | WW | LL | LL | Bye | WL | WW | 7 | 1 | ||||||||
Cleveland | LL | LL | LL | LL | LL | LW | LL | LW | LL | 7 | 2 | ||||||||
Atlanta | WW | LW | WW | WW | WW | WW | Bye | WW | LW | 6 | 2 | ||||||||
Baltimore | WW | WL | WW | WW | WW | LW | LL | Bye | WW | 6 | 2 | ||||||||
New England | WW | WL | LL | WW | WW | WL | WW | WW | Bye | 6 | 2 | ||||||||
Oakland | LL | WL | LW | LL | Bye | LL | WW | WW | LL | 6 | 2 | ||||||||
Buffalo | WL | WW | WW | LL | LL | LW | WL | Bye | LL | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Cincinnati | LL | WW | LW | WW | WL | WL | LL | Bye | LL | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Miami | LL | LW | LL | LL | LW | WW | Bye | LW | LL | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
New Orleans | WL | WL | WL | LL | WW | Bye | WW | LL | WW | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
New York Jets | LW | LL | WW | LL | LL | LW | LL | WL | Bye | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Philadelphia | WW | LW | LL | LW | LL | WL | Bye | LL | LL | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Pittsburgh | LL | WW | WL | Bye | WW | WL | WW | WW | LW | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
San Francisco | LW | WW | WL | WW | WW | WL | WW | WW | Bye | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
St Louis | LL | LW | LL | LW | LW | LL | LL | LL | Bye | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Tampa Bay | LW | LL | LL | WL | Bye | WW | LL | LW | WW | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
Arizona | LW | LW | WW | WW | WL | WL | LL | LL | LL | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
Green Bay | WL | WW | WL | WW | WL | LW | WW | WW | WW | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
Tennessee | LL | LL | LW | LL | LL | LW | LW | WL | LL | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
Detroit | WW | LL | WL | WL | Bye | LW | LL | LW | WW | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
Minnesota | WW | WL | LW | LW | WW | WL | WW | WL | LL | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
New York Giants | LL | WW | LW | WL | WW | LW | WW | LW | WL | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
Carolina | WL | LW | WL | LL | WL | Bye | LL | LL | LW | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
Dallas | WW | WL | WW | WL | Bye | WL | WW | WL | WL | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
Indianapolis | LL | LW | WL | Bye | LW | WL | WW | LW | WW | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
Washington | LW | WL | WL | LW | LL | LW | LL | LL | WL | 3 | 6 | ||||||||
Seattle | WL | LW | LW | WL | LW | LW | LL | WL | WW | 2 | 7 |
As mentioned above, we had four perfect 10-for-10s this week. I normally like to mute my congratulations and add an asterisk when there is a perfect 10-for-10 on a week that the Cowboys lose, but this week really has one.
Here are congratulations to those traitors who scored 10-for-10 this week: alfanti, behind.enemylines, ChrisMan, and Rex Pfister. Each has achieved perfection for the first time. Rex really qualifies for an asterisk because he submitted his picks without completely previewing them. As soon as he submitted, he realized that he had accidentally submitted "Dallas at ATLANTA" instead of his intended "Dallas at ATLANTA". He tried to correct his pick, but KD's rule #5 is clear ("...once submitted, there's no going back..."). So, poor Rex was stuck with his error - all the way to the Hall of Fame. Maybe KD will give him an asterisk; I don't have the heart.
D_Carter is still on top, but he has company this week. He scored 8-for-10 this week. We had four 10-for-10s, thirty-five 9-for-10s, and fifty-one 8-for-10s. So, most of us either gained a little or stayed even. However, BishopWest and CowboyBaby caught him and are in a three-way tie at the top.
Look who is right behind him! With 28-for-30 the past three weeks, KD Drummond has vaulted to heights previously unknown to him, and is only one out of the lead. If I do the math, that means he scored 36 in the first six weeks and 28 the past three. That's one serious run. Let's see how that continues this week.
The overall championship is still very much up for grabs. There are forty-four within five of the lead.
Here are the top ninety this week - both for week #9 and overall:
Top Scores This Week | |||||||
Week #9 | Score | Week #9 | Score | Overall | Score | Overall | Score |
alfanti | 10 | BigBad Joe | 8 | BishopWest | 65 | Alpha | 59 |
behind.enemylines | 10 | boys.camncrew | 8 | CowboyBaby | 65 | boys.camncrew | 59 |
ChrisMan | 10 | CapitalT | 8 | D_Carter | 65 | CapitalT | 59 |
Rex Pfister | 10 | cjbrit | 8 | KD Drummond | 64 | cee-los | 59 |
Aggie Man | 9 | CowboysFan1994 | 8 | ziggy 19 | 64 | Howleyesque | 59 |
Allan Uy | 9 | cowdog | 8 | ChrisMan | 63 | k@s! | 59 |
Alpha | 9 | cproctor6 | 8 | Hawkeye101 | 63 | nikeorlipstick | 59 |
beastygaming | 9 | Cuban Cowboy | 8 | j-man | 63 | Pasipple | 59 |
Bertangalo | 9 | cwby4lf | 8 | Tennessee Jed | 63 | Switters023 | 59 |
BishopWest | 9 | D_Carter | 8 | Travlr | 63 | TheDemolitionDan | 59 |
BoydNation | 9 | eastbeast | 8 | Aggie Man | 62 | True Blue-liever | 59 |
boyman | 9 | EchoEcho | 8 | alfanti | 62 | Tunabomber11 | 59 |
cee-los | 9 | Frankster_1 | 8 | Ben24626 | 62 | wittenfan | 59 |
connor.cmr | 9 | FuriousDman | 8 | boyman | 62 | Wittenstar82 | 59 |
Cowboy Joe | 9 | Gabby | 8 | hookerhome | 62 | Antonio S | 58 |
CowboyBaby | 9 | ginge159 | 8 | IRONRAVEN | 62 | HLCJ69 | 58 |
Fergie3108 | 9 | GordBerl | 8 | krikaley | 62 | slowmotion80 | 58 |
Hawkeye101 | 9 | Hookem Up | 8 | mdlusk | 62 | Specific | 58 |
hookerhome | 9 | IRONRAVEN | 8 | milehightexan | 62 | TARHEEL PAUL | 58 |
ibleedcowboyblue | 9 | JDobermans | 8 | Pnut Gallery | 62 | TheBlueBaron | 58 |
jstaubach | 9 | Jebediah Flibberbrush | 8 | revellyre | 62 | Timmy G | 58 |
k@s! | 9 | j-man | 8 | Rohpuri | 62 | TK19 | 58 |
KD Drummond | 9 | Joe21 | 8 | Against the Wall-24 | 61 | beastygaming | 57 |
mdlusk | 9 | Junkyard Dog | 8 | BigBad Joe | 61 | Benthere | 57 |
milehightexan | 9 | kethry1313 | 8 | cowboy1966 | 61 | connor.cmr | 57 |
mushpuppy | 9 | krikaley | 8 | Fergie3108 | 61 | CowboyinExile | 57 |
NorthStar99 | 9 | letsgtld | 8 | Frankster_1 | 61 | EchoEcho | 57 |
oldboysfan | 9 | Max2 | 8 | illcowboy | 61 | jayrosser27 | 57 |
Panzer84 | 9 | meisternance | 8 | Jebediah Flibberbrush | 61 | MSM33 | 57 |
Pasipple | 9 | nikeorlipstick | 8 | jstaubach | 61 | bcg08 | 56 |
Pnut Gallery | 9 | Oh Hai Doggy | 8 | mushpuppy | 61 | HALIFAXPACOWBOY | 56 |
revellyre | 9 | One.Cool.Customer | 8 | oldboysfan | 61 | Hookem Up | 56 |
ryano4184 | 9 | Portland's Cowboy fan | 8 | Panzer84 | 61 | jakezze01 | 56 |
Switters023 | 9 | ROMO4MVP | 8 | ROMO4MVP | 61 | jockmeister | 56 |
Tallgrass Prairie | 9 | Scurrah Jurrah | 8 | shainyc | 61 | skinny post | 56 |
Through Thick And Thin | 9 | shainyc | 8 | Through Thick And Thin | 61 | SoCal Cowboys | 56 |
TK19 | 9 | Static | 8 | WA_Cowboy | 61 | @Tonekupone | 55 |
Travlr | 9 | TARHEEL PAUL | 8 | cowdog | 60 | Aaron Burtram | 55 |
Tuna Helper | 9 | Tennessee Jed | 8 | cproctor6 | 60 | Cowboy Joe | 55 |
Rohpuri | 8 | TheBlueBaron | 8 | JDobermans | 60 | Junkyard Dog | 55 |
@Tonekupone | 8 | TheDemolitionDan | 8 | letsgtld | 60 | lucke | 55 |
1Bullseye | 8 | Wardo83 | 8 | Nord15 | 60 | meisternance | 55 |
Against the Wall-24 | 8 | Wittenstar82 | 8 | Rex Pfister | 60 | One.Cool.Customer | 55 |
Antonio S | 8 | yellowrose | 8 | Wardo83 | 60 | Static | 55 |
Ben24626 | 8 | ziggy 19 | 8 | Allan Uy | 59 | Tuna Helper | 55 |
Again, I am taking a shot by posting picks on here since I won't be around to help police it. But, since I need to make my picks early, I will take yours as well.
Here's the lineup for Week #10 (fourteen games, four teams have byes):
Thursday--------------
Indianapolis at JACKSONVILLE
Sunday/Monday-----
Oakland at BALTIMORE
Denver at CAROLINA
New York Giants at CINCINNATI
Tennessee at MIAMI
Detroit at MINNESOTA
Buffalo at NEW ENGLAND
Atlanta at NEW ORLEANS
San Diego at TAMPA BAY
New York Jets at SEATTLE
Dallas at PHILADELPHIA (mandatory; must include)
St. Louis at SAN FRANCISCO
Houston at CHICAGO
Kansas City at PITTSBURGH
Cowboys are part of a split-national doubleheader on FOX this Sunday. Unless you are in an area that gets the Rams and 49ers, or an area with a local team playing at home (like Seattle, playing at home on CBS), you should get the Cowboys this Sunday. Check this link beginning on Thursday to see if you get the Cowboys this Sunday.