Standings, 1/1

Happy New Year's to everyone.

Yesterday was an absolute bloodbath, with only one contestant, Andy Watson, picking 3 of 4 games correctly. On the flip side, a whole bunch of people went 0 for 4. There wasn't a ton of movement in the standings, but Kyle Seymour did manage to sneak into first place with well-timed Notre Dame-21 and Florida State-32 picks.

Briefly, because I'm tired, the Magnificent Currys are leading Family Time, the Eric(k)s are just slightly ahead of the females, Spike is leading Tom Cowell by 2 points (they're in 42nd and 43rd, respectively), the New School has a commanding lead over the Old School, Kyle Seymour, Shane Ryan, Sean Marshall, Richard Sarver, and Andy Watson have the best records at 13-9, while Dan Mooney is alone on the Schneid at 6-16.

The Health Report, based on points and PPR, and then I'm off to bed.

1. Kyle Seymour. Health: 8.0. CURRENT FAVORITE.
2. Mike Curry. Health: 4.5. Projected: 14th
3. Patricia Curry. Health: 4.0. Projected: 16th
4. Phil Kairalla. Health 7.5. Projected: 2nd
5. Greg Blanco. Health: 7.0. Projected: 4th
6. Alan Shaw. Health: 7.0. Projected: 5th
7. Erik Grell. Health: 5.0. Projected: 13th
8. Shane Ryan. Health: 7.0. Projected: 3rd
9. Dan Ryan. Health: 6.5. Projected: 8th.
10. Sean Marshall. Health: 6.5. Projected: 7th.
11. Richard Sarver. Health: 6.0. Projected: 9th.
12. Brendan Mooney. Health: 7.0. Projected: 6th.
13. Dylan Hulser. Health: 5.5. Projected: 10th.
14. Dave Bragg. Health: 5.5. Projected: 11th.
15. Will Byrum. Health: 4.0. Projected: 17th.

Sleepers: Erik Kallevig, Fred Cacchione, Eric Thomason.

Standings, 12/31

Standings, Features 12/30

Oh, the horror! I've fallen from 1st to 12th place, and my long-overdue correction came with a disastrous 0-3 Wednesday. Greg Blanco is now our leader with 196 points and a 10-4 record. How quickly things change in this volatile Bowl Season Pool. How quickly hearts are broken.

Feature time.

Assessing the top 15

This is where I use my limited knowledge of statistics and probability to assign a "health rating" to the top 15 players in an attempt to assess their chances of winning the ultimate prize. The main thought behind this is that potential points are good, while actual points are better.

1. Greg Blanco - High points, average PPR (369). Health rating: 7/10
2. Mike Curry - High points, poor PPR (339). Health rating: 4/10
3. Phil Kairalla - High points, poor PPR (354). Health rating: 5/10
4. Alan Shaw - High points, high PPR (394). Health rating: 8/10 CURRENT FAVORITE!
5. Dan Ryan - High points, high PPR (392). Health rating: 8/10
6. Dave Bragg - High points, average PPR (373). Health rating: 6.5/10
7. Richard Sarver - High points, above average PPR (380). Health rating: 7/10.
8. Erik Grell - Above average points, poor PPR (333). Health rating: 3/10
9. Dylan Hulser - Above average points, above average PPR. Health rating: 5.5/10
10. Brendan Mooney - Above average points, high PPR (397). Health rating: 7/10.
11. Kyle Seymour - Above average points, above average PPR (388). Health rating: 6.5/10
12. Shane Ryan - Above average points, extremely high PPR (441). Health rating: 7/10.
13. Patricia Curry - Above average points, awful PPR (313). Health rating: 3/10.
14. Andy Watson - Good points, very high PPR (425). Health rating: 6.5/10.
15. Will Byrum - Good points, above average PPR (386). Health rating: 5/10.

Sleepers: Sean Marshall (23rd), Eric Thomason (29th), Erik Kallevig (34th), Tom Cowell (37th).


The Cream of the Crop

Richard Sarver went 1-2 yesterday, but it was enough to earn him the top spot in the record category. He's now alone at 11-3, a true guru of college football. But 7 others are breathing down his neck at 10-4...


The Schneid Watch

It's thinned out a bit today. 5-9 is the low mark, and it's shared by Emily Radford and Brian Leitten. Well done!


The Day's Biggest Winner

This has to be Andy Watson, who went 3-0 and gained 55 points. With 425 PPR still in the bag, he vaulted up to 14th place.


The Day's Biggest Loser

I didn't actually lose very many points since my priority numbers were all low, but I didn't see anyone else go 0-3 or drop 12 places, so I'll take this one for myself.


Old School v. New School

The New School keeps rolling in 2010. But we'll see who's laughing come January.

Old School Average: 138.4
New School Average: 150.9


Helter Skelter vs. Dirty Vegas vs. Shouting Siblings

This is the one where we use three contestants to determine whether it's better to make your picks using a coin and a hat, picking by the spread, or relying on random outbursts from teenagers.

In terms of lost points, Helter Skelter probably fared the worst yesterday, dropping a combined 63 on Baylor and Arizona. The random picks giveth, and they taketh away. She's at 7-7, a true coin flipper, while Dave Ryder is at the same mark but with less points. Shouting siblings, meanwhile, continue to tank.

Helter Skelter: 166
Dirty Vegas: 151
Shouting Siblings: 104


Young vs. Old

This is Spike Friedman vs. Tom Cowell, who represent youth and age in the Bowl Pool.

Cowell is one the rise, living the high life in 37th place with 120 points and a lot of PPR, while Spike is in dead last without much hope of making any noise. Age before beauty indeed.


Eric(k)s vs. Toms vs. Females

Eric(k)s: 423
Toms: 392
Females: 344

The Eric(k)s just keep on rolling, and at least two of them are rolling in PPR. The Toms still have a fighting shot at this one, but the females are in rough shape.


Family Time

Mike Curry's big day keeps them at the top, though the Kairallas are on the prowl and the crazy Ryans have jumped all the way up to third.

Curry (Mike & Patricia, husband/wife): 357
Kairalla (John & Phil, father/son): 340
Ryan (Dan & Steve, brothers): 319
Shane Ryan/Ryder (uncle/nephew): 318
Zehringer/Sarver (father/son-in-law): 312
Mooney (Brendan & Dan, brothers): 294
McLaughlin/Moore (cousins): 279
Cowell/Fisch (father/son-in-law): 272
Cacchione (Fred & Tom, father/son): 226

After today we'll be over halfway through the games. Update later tonight or tomorrow!

Standings, Features 12/29

The standings are up after the Iowa and N.C. State upset victories. As predicted, Helter Skelter has fallen back to third, and Shane Ryan has re-taken his rightful place atop the leaderboard.


On to the features.

The Cream of the Crop

Shane Ryan and Richard Sarver have the best records at 10-1. Their picks have been identical to date, with both missing the Hawaii-Tulsa game, and both nailing yesterday's upsets. Their first difference of opinion comes this afternoon, with Ryan taking ECU and Sarver opting for the Maryland T(w)erps.


The Schneid Watch

The Schneid is a busy bus today, with 11 occupants at 4-7: Jim "Benny" Bennett, Tom Cacchione, Jeremy Forsythe, Robin Cohen, Dan Mooney, Brian Smith, Brian Leitten, Steve Ryan, Emily Radford, Jordan Glickson, and John Kairalla.

Together, they could form a really bad football team.


The Day's Biggest Winner

Erik Grell knocked it out of the park yesterday with N.C. State-32 and Iowa-24. We ruled him out after he lost his 34 and 35 picks, but all the sudden that crazy SOB is in 11th place, just 20 points out of the money. He's still suffering in the PPR department, but people are starting to believe. Could 2011 be the year of miracles?


The Day's Biggest Loser

Kyle Seymour lost 31 on West Virginia, while Will Byrum took a 34-point hit on Missouri. Is it possible his UNC background led him to make an anti-State pick in anger?


Old School v. New School

The old school took a big hit with yesterday's upsets, while Grell led the new schoolers back to a 10-point margin.

Old School Average: 99.8
New School Average: 109.1

We're just waiting for the New Year, new schoolers. Get ready to feel the cruel whiplash of experience...it stings.


Helter Skelter vs. Dirty Vegas vs. Shouting Siblings

This is the one where we use three contestants to determine whether it's better to make your picks using a coin and a hat, picking by the spread, or relying on random outbursts from teenagers.

Helter Skelter came back down to Earth yesterday, and is now 6-5 with her coin flips. West Virginia, her alma mater, is the one school she didn't pick from a hat. It was a sentimental choice, and it cost her. She's still scored big on her 6 wins, though, and retains the lead. Dave Ryder continues to prove that picking the favorites based on the spread is not an effective strategy, as he finds himself smack dab in the middle of the pack. Favorites were only 16-17 straight up last year, and they're 5-6 thus far in 2010-11. The shouting siblings strategy, meanwhile, is starting to pay off for Emily Radford, who is only 4-7 but has moved from last to 27th.

Helter Skelter: 155
Dirty Vegas: 98
Shouting Siblings: 93


Young vs. Old

This is Spike Friedman vs. Tom Cowell, who represent youth and age in the Bowl Pool. Spike's apathetic approach has landed him in dead last at 59 points, while Tom Cowell's slow meanderings have relegated him to 70 points and 41st place. Which incompetent gambler will blink first? Or, more appropriately, which one will stop blinking over and over?


Eric(k)s vs. Toms vs. Females

Eric(k)s: 283
Females: 279
Toms: 250

Oh my! The Eric(k)s have taken the lead! I haven't seen anything like this since Samanthas vs. Theodores vs. Ernestines in 1894!


Family Time

The Currys are UNSHAKEABLE!

Curry (Mike & Patricia, husband/wife): 277
Shane Ryan/Ryder (uncle/nephew): 265
Zehringer/Sarver (father/son-in-law): 255
Kairalla (John & Phil, father/son): 245
Ryan (Dan & Steve, brothers): 229
McLaughlin/Moore (cousins): 211
Mooney (Brendan & Dan, brothers): 194
Cowell/Fisch (father/son-in-law): 177
Cacchione (Fred & Tom, father/son): 165

More updates later...

Standings, Features, 12/27

The worst has happened. The person who flipped a coin to make all her picks is leading the pool.


With an Air Force-21 pick, Patricia Curry pulled ahead of perennial fan favorite Shane Ryan, who was more conservative with Air Force-5. Dan Ryan crept ever closer with Air Force-16, while Dave Bragg kept pace in 4th with the same pick. Richard Sarver and Phil Kairalla are tied for 5th to round out the money watch. Kairalla's Air Force-22 pick rocketed him up the leaderboard, while Sarver hung on with Air Force-1 (Obama was not on board).

The good news for fans of non-random picking: Patricia Curry is 6-3 on the year. If we trust in the averages, she should end up near .500, which means she has nowhere to go but down. And even if we allow for flukey happenings, her PPR is the lowest in the field at 406. We might be seeing Helter Skelter at her absolute peak, and it's a long climb down. But then again, they don't call her Helter Skelter because she's predictable.

Let's get to the features.

The Cream of the Crop

This is the feature formerly known as the "Undefeated Club" where we honor the players with the best record. Today's CotC is only two-deep: Shane Ryan and Richard Sarver, who are alone at 8-1. We are currently drinking expensive champagne in our clubhouse and discussing which traits are most annoying in a butler.


The Schneid Watch

At 3-6, we honor the following Schneiders: Slim Jim Bennett, Robin Cohen, Emily Radford, and Jordan Glickson. They are currently sipping purified gasoline in their trailer home and discussing which traits are most annoying in a probation officer.


The Day's Biggest Winner

Dan Mooney is the big winner today. He took Air Force-29 and laughed all the way to the bank...in a fighter plane.


The Day's Biggest Loser

Robin Cohen is the sad recipient of this award, opting for Georgia Tech's one-dimensional offense to the tune of 23 points. She was last seen writing an angry letter to Yellowjacket coach Paul Johnson informing him of the invention of the forward pass.


Old School v. New School

These are the second year players against the newcomers. And let me tell you, it is HEATING UP.

Old School Average: 95.0
New School Average: 97.4

What's that I smell? Is that...is that panic? Are the new-schoolers getting scared? We are sharks, new-schoolers. We've been here before.


Helter Skelter vs. Dirty Vegas vs. Shouting Siblings

This is the one where we use three contestants to determine whether it's better to make your picks using a coin and a hat, picking by the spread, or relying on random outbursts from teenagers. With Helter Skelter in first place, the leader here should come as no surprise. It is good to flip coins.

Helter Skelter: 155
Dirty Vegas: 98
Shouting Siblings: 79


Young vs. Old

Even though we have a younger competitor, feedback from the fans has indicated that the Spike vs. Tom Cowell rematch is what everybody has come to see. Sorry, Jacob. Spike will represent the youth of America, even if you happen to be youthier.

Fittingly, Spike and Tom Cowell are in 42nd and 43rd place out of 43, respectively. But Spike, who spent Christmas opening expensive presents and scowling at his parents because they expected him to be grateful, has 59, while Tom Cowell, who sleeps with a musket under his pillow, has 55. Youth is ascendant.


Eric(k)s vs. Toms vs. Females

Two females are on the Schneid with the worst record possible, but somehow their team is still winning. The once-proud Toms and Eric(k)s are now reduced to shame.

Females: 258
Toms: 220
Eric(k)s: 218


Family Time

The Currys are still out on top. When Mike fell down the leaderboard, Patricia picked up his slack. What a supportive couple! And hey, watch out for the Mooneys...they've left the Cacchiones and Cowell/Fisch in the dust, and now they've got their sights set on McLaughlin/Moore.

Curry (Mike & Patricia, husband/wife): 261
Shane Ryan/Ryder (uncle/nephew): 239
Kairalla (John & Phil, father/son): 230
Ryan (Dan & Steve, brothers): 228
Zehringer/Sarver (father/son-in-law): 219
McLaughlin/Moore (cousins): 202
Mooney (Brendan & Dan, brothers): 194
Cacchione (Fred & Tom, father/son): 157
Cowell/Fisch (father/son-in-law): 147


Fan Favorite

Today's fan favorite is Andy Watson. With a respectable 5-4 record, Andy is nonetheless near the bottom of the leaderboard with only 72 points. However, his PPR is a sky-high 511, meaning there's an awful lot of potential in 36th place. He's kind of like Michael Jordan back when he got cut from his high school team. He may be laid low now, but watch out!

Standings 12/27

Unbelievable game! Toledo scores and goes for a risky two-point conversion to take a 1-point lead over FIU with 1:30 left. On the next drive, FIU faces a 4th and 17 near midfield and converts on a hook-and-ladder play with a controversial spot. They go on to make a field goal as time expired for the win. Incredible.

Shane Ryan maintains his lead, while Helter Skelter, aka Patricia Curry, nails FIU-34 to shoot up to second. The day's biggest loser was Steve Ryan, who had Toledo-27. Erik Grell was the day's other big winner with FIU-33.

The Currys re-took the lead in Family Time, Females now lead Eric(k)s and Toms, Old Men lead Young Men 147-122, and the first-years are beating the second-years with an average of 90-86.

Bowl Season is heating up! More thorough update coming on Tuesday morning.

Standings, 12/25

Quick one today.

-No more undefeateds left. All remaining picked Hawaii.
-Ryan/Ryder still winning Family Time.
-Old school moves to within 3 of the new school, 82-85.
-Biggest loser is Jeremy Forsythe, with 35 on Hawaii.
-Biggest winner is Emily Radford, with 35 on Tulsa.
-Only 7 contestants picked Tulsa.

Merry Christmas!