The GO Zone: January 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

Conference Championship Observations

1. Ed picked the Ravens. He picked the Tebows. He picked the Dolphins. He picked the Bills. He picked the Chargers. He picked the Eagles. He picked the Chiefs. He picked the Jets. What does Ed not know that the rest of us do know? Everything!

2. Except for Ed, the real battle this weekend was on the second game. 7 members picked the Giants, and 4 picked the 49ers. Because the Giants were the underdog, that winning pick was a plus 5.

3. Watching the game with JoJo was a treat. No play was too insignificant for loud whoops of joy or mortification, no strategy too obscure for her to miss noticing it. Kevin, on the other hand, seemed reduced to one emotion: “Keep them out of the end zone.” Of course, by the end of it all, he was correct. Sterling Moore, he of great play in the last four games, broke up a pass in the end zone and a first down pass that resulted in the botched field goal. JoJo, Kevin and I sat silently as the ball hooked to the left, then jumped and screamed in unison. We danced around for a while, then my son Marc called to celebrate. After that my son Luke, visiting his girlfriend at URI called and we celebrated again. It was so exciting because it was so unexpected. It was a routine, short field goal. It hardly had the distance to curl before getting to the goal posts. I thought it was good anyway until I looked down at the ref’s and saw them waving it away. When Brady leads a charge down the field at the end of a game and gets a touchdown, it is exciting and all, but you kind of expect it to happen. This one was so unexpected. The stunned look on Terrell Suggs face tells it all. By the way, where was he during the game. I didn’t hear his name called at all.

4. On more week. Next week’s game is worth 7 points. Some members have petitioned for added points for various stats from the game, but the the SAC hasn’t met yet to decide on that.

5. The Pats can settle all scores. The Patriots owe the Jets, the Ravens and the Giants some revenge for past upsets, and this year they have the chance to settle them all. They beat the Jets badly twice, this keeping them out of the playoffs and setting off a stink bomb in their clubhouse, they beat the Ravens in a horrible, spirit-crushing way, and now they can get revenge on the Giants for beating them in the Superbowl in 2007.

Conference Championship Results

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Ed Picked the Ravens...So Sad

Kate:
NE
SF

Scott:
NE
SF

Conf. Picks

Pat:

Patriots
G-Men

Ed:

Ravens
G-Men

Picks 1/22

Jo

NE
NYGiants

Kev

NE
NYGiants

Conf champ pix

BranRy:

Pats

Giants

Sean:

Pats

Giants

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Never gets old...

Ah...recapping that week just never gets old.

Kevin's Disastrous Week

Many members have asked for the league to analyze Kevin’s disastrous 6-10 week. While such analysis is completed each week for each member, it is seldom shared with the league. However, the overwhelming numbers of members who have made the request has prompted the SAC to authorize the release of the analysis.

First of all, that week’s games combined for a perfect storm for losing picks. The other members scores that week were: 8-7, 8-8, 9-7, 12-4, 7-9, 9-7, 10-6, and 7-9. Secondly, most of Kevin’s losing picks were heavy favorites in those games. That being said, here are his picks:

1. Giants over Redskins. This was a unanimous pick for the entire league.

2. Green Bay over the Chiefs. Again, a unanimous member pick.

3. Bears over the Seahawks. This game was played in Chicago, and the Seahawks are a notoriously poor road team. However, the Bears had lost their quarterback. The league favored the Seahawks 6-5.

4. Bills over the Dolphins. Only two members, JoJo and Kate, picked the Dolphins here, so Kevin was in the majority on losing that pick.

5. Texans over the Panthers. Only three members picked the winning Panthers, Luke, Sean and B-Ry. It was a home game for Houston, but they too were weak at quarterback.

6. Raiders over the Lions. Although this game was at Oakland, the Lions were favored and they were the overwhelming pick of the league. Only Kate and Scott joined Kevin in picking the Raiders.

7. Jets over the Eagles, at Philly. Unbeknownce to all, the Jets were starting to wobble and the Eagles were stabilizing. Of course, that became more clear in the weeks that followed.

8. Ravens over the Chargers, at San Diego. This may be a blueprint for Sunday’s game as the Charger’s high-octane offense scored on the Ravens’ defense, which seemed slow. Those cross country flights to play on Sunday seem to take something out of some teams.

9. Steelers over 49ers, at San Fran. Another cross country road trip for an aging team. Same results as the Ravens-Chargers.

10. Titans over the Colts, at Indy. The Titans were heavily favored, and reasonably so. This was seen as Indy’s last chance to win a game and avoid the dreaded O-16. Only one member, the commish, picked the Colts.

So, as is evident, Kevin got caught in a week were favorites were upset often, strong teams had to travel cross country to play good teams and some teams played with uncommon desperation.

My picks for this weekends conference finals:

Pats over whoever...

49ers and Giants. Wow, this one is a toughie. I want the 49ers to win as I'm a big Jim Harbaugh fan. He did a remarkable job at Stanford, and I would love to have seen him be Nebraska's head coach. The Giants, who started out lousy, have been the hot team of late, and if Eli is "on" they will most definitely pose a problem for the 9ers.

My head says the Giants will win, but my heart says the 49ers.

Since I'm a hopeless romantic, I will go with my heart and pick the 9ers.

49ers over the Midgets...

Don't mis-record my pick here, your honorable Commish, I'm picking the 49ers.

cuz

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Wait a Minute...

Out of the Mouths of Babies...

Ah...isn't photoshop a wonderful tool?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

SAC Defense of Commissioner

Recently, some members have questioned the integrity and even the education of the commissioner. The Senior Advisory Committee therefore releases the following newspaper image to prove the later. The former needs no response.

The SAC hopes that this puts to rest, once and for all, the disingenuous and craven attacks upon the Commissioner, who has served the league with distinction and assiduous regard for its growth and health.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Saturday I got the opportunity to join my Uncle Bob, my cousin Zach, and my Uncle Bill to see the Pats game. Literally froze my ass off but was totally worth it.

Senior Advisory Committee Makeup

The Senior Advisory Committee is by invitation only. Committee members are paid from the dues of league participants. It meets when the need arises.

Who is this mysterious "senior advisory committee?"

Neither cousin Ed nor I, the two most senior members of this group, are on this invisible committee.

Who chairs it, when does it meet and why does it always seem to praise our "beloved commish?"

i ...er, and what is the salary of this committee?

Apology

The Senior Advisory Committee voted 3-2 to apologize for anything anybody might have interpreted as "snarky." However, the committee is concerned with the many unfounded and unproven attacks on the integrity of the Commissioner in the performance of his duties. Attacks on Kevin, however, continue to be acceptable and encouraged.

On a lighter note, here is a picture of the commissioner in his twenties, a period of time of which he readily admits he remembers little.

Enough of the snark...

The secret to my success in picking ALL of the games was phoning my picks in and keeping a recording of them, as opposed to emailing them for our suspicious commish to edit.

I would like to congratulate the commish for his unexpected success this season, but his increasingly snarky comments demonstrates an arrogance I haven't seen since...well, since last year with cousin Kev's miraculous win.

cuz

Division Weekend Observations

1. The Commish Bounces Back. The beloved commissioner has regained the lead, no matter how tenuously. His 3-1 record, and especially his pick of the Giants, closed the deal.

2. Kate on the Ascendancy. Kate has strung together good playoff picks to get her into striking distance. Her 13 points ties her with JoJo for winners of the week.

3. Underdog Picks Making a Difference. The Underdog Picks have combined to crowd the race throughout the league. The point standings are now 201, 200, 199, 197, 196, 193, 192, 187, 184, 183, and 180.

4. Ed Picked the Broncos. I have determined that Ed would now be in the lead if he had consistently picked the Patriots throughout the season. It is a huge sacrifice for him to abandon his chances of league success to indulge in his hatred of the Patriots.

5. Cousin Wayne Successful. The Senior Advisory Committee is happy to see that Cousin Wayne was able to make a pick on all four games this past weekend. The committee voted 3-2 to wish him continued success in that endeavor.

Conference Games

NFL Conference Championship Playoffs

Date & Time	Favorite	Spread	Underdog
1/22 3:00 ET	At New England	-7.5	Baltimore
1/22 6:30 ET	At San Francisco	-2.5	NY Giants

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Division Weekend Stats

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Ed Picked the Broncos!

Ed, whose been like a brother to me at times, picked the Broncos. I mean, he picked the Broncos.

Ed picked the Broncos.

I feel ill.

The Picks Are In!

Picks

Scott:
NO
NE
Baltimore
GB

Kate:
SF
NE
Houston
Giants

Division Championship Picks

Pat:

Saints
Patriots
Ravens
Packers

Ed:

Saints
Broncos
Texans
G-Men

Friday, January 13, 2012

divisional champ pix

SeanO:
Saints
Pats
Texans
Giants

Bran&Ryan:
Niners
Pats
Ravens
Packers

Thursday, January 12, 2012

My picks for this weekend's playoffs:

Saints over Frisco
Pats over Denver
Baltimore over Houston
The Pack over the Giants

cuz Wayne

Monday, January 9, 2012

Wildcard Observations

1. New Leader of the Pack. Patrick vaulted into the lead with his 3-1, 11 point weekend. Luke and Ed were perfect for the week, going 4-0 and getting 14 points. Luke got out of the cellar. The new lineup is Patrick 191, Mike 190, Kevin and Ed 188, JoJo 187, Wayne 186, Kate 183, Luke 177, Sean and Bran and Ryan 176 and Scott with 174.

2. Underdog Picks. JoJo and Sean employed an all0underdog strategy, picking all four underdogs to win. They were both 1-3 and got 5 points.

3. Bengals Big Losers. League members chose the Bengals 9-2, with only Ed and Luke taking the favored Texans.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Division Championship Weekend

NFL Divisional Playoff Games

Date & Time	Favorite	Spread	Underdog
1/14 4:30 ET	New Orleans	-3.5	At San Francisco
1/14 8:00 ET	At New England	-13.5	Denver
1/15 1:00 ET	At Baltimore	-8	Houston
1/15 4:30 ET	At Green Bay	-8.5	NY Giants

Wild Card Stats

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Wild Card Picks

JoJo seems to have a strategy. Picking all underdogs might give her an edge. If someone picking all favorites wins 3 of 4, he gets 9 points. JoJo needs only two wins to get 10 points!!

We'll see how it all pans out.

Broncos and Bengals are getting a lot of love! If either wins, the Pats avoid the Steelers next week.

Scott:
Cincy
NO
Atlanta
Pitts

Kate:
Cincy
NO
Atlanta
Denver

1/7 and 1/8 picks again

Jo

Cincy
Detroit
Atlanta
Denver

Kev

Cincy
NO
NYGiants
Pittsburgh

1/7 and 1/8 Picks

Wild Card Picks

Pat:

Bengals
Saints
G-Men
Broncos

Ed:

Texans
Saints
G-Men
Broncos

Friday, January 6, 2012

Wild card pix

Bran&Ryan:

Bungles

Saints

Falcons

Steelers

Seano:

Bungles

Lions

Falcons

Broncos

Playoff pix

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Wild Card Games and Rules

Here is the Wildcat Weekend games schedule:

NFL Odds Wild Card Playoff Games - NFL Football Odds
Wild Card Weekend Playoffs
NFL Game Odds 1/7 - 1/8, 2012

Date & Time	Favorite	Spread	Underdog	Total
1/7 4:30 ET	At Houston	-3	Cincinnati	38
1/7 8:00 ET	At New Orleans	-10.5	Detroit	59
1/8 1:00 ET	At NY Giants	-3	Atlanta	47
1/8 4:30 ET	Pittsburgh	-8.5	At Denver	34.5

Playoff Games Rules Review:

1. Members will begin the playoffs with their total points from the season.

2. Each playoff pick win will add 3 points to their scores.

3. If the member's pick is the underdog in the game, 2 points will be added as well.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Week 17 Observations

1. The Commish Wins Regular Season. The Commissioner wants to thank all the members for their congratulatory cards, flowers., e-mails, letters and phone calls. He is incredibly impressed with the good will shown to him and will continue to work hard to see that the league is successful. 184, a new league record, took first place. Kevin and JoJo were tied for second with 182, Newcomer Patrick and Cousin Wayne tied for third with 180, Kate came in fourth with 175, Ed fifth with 174, B-Ry sixth with 173, Sean seventh with 171, and Luke eighth with 163. Discounting Luke who missed a week, only 13 points separated the members, in 17 weeks. That is less than a point a week! Of course when a member has a historically bad week, like Kevin did, that can really affect the numbers.

2. Bran and Ryan and Cousin Wayne get Picks of the Week. B and R singularly chose the Titans to beat the Texans and get the POW. Cousin Wayne was the only member to pick the Chiefs.

3. Lucas Wins the Week. Luke had two winning aspects to the week. His 13-3 was week’s best (and that includes a Redskins over Eagles pick!) and his overall picks won him the seedings competition. Based on members’ picks for the week, Luke’s picks were the only ones to result in the correct AFC seedings.

4. Unanimous Picks Prevail. Members were 5-0 in their unanimous picks. The Falcons, 49ers, Saints, Steelers and Patriots all won. If Luke hadn’t picked the Redskins and B-Ry the Cowboys, members would have been 7-0 in unanimous picks.

5. Favorites Rule. Teams favored to win were 11-5 this week.

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