It was certainly a wild regular season! Going out on a limb proved to be quite beneficial, provided you picked the right limb. Thanks to everybody who participated and helped make the first season of Outsports Pick 'Em an unqualified success! For the season, we were a combined 4583 out of 7382 for a .621 percentage. Now on to the final standings (in reverse order for dramatic effect):

PLAYED 6 WEEKS

EdChow13 57-33 .633 Ed comes to us all the way from Amsterdam. Damn fine picking, especially considering he's not here in the States!

PLAYED 8 WEEKS

Amazin12 75-45 .625
Sportinlife 78-42 .650


PLAYED 9 WEEKS

MSUBobcat 81-54 .600 'Bobcat was a big time risk taker, often being one of only 1-4 guys to pick a certain team each week.

PLAYED 10 WEEKS

triguy262 108-43 .715 Best winning percentage of all players. Our winner should be thankful he didn't play the entire season!

PLAYED 11 WEEKS

Ted 81-78 .509 Ted is a very nice guy!

PLAYED 14 WEEKS

Brett4Fan 131-74 .639
tzeile29 131-74 .639 These two were prettty much dead even all season long.

GoMonica 133-72 .649

PLAYED 15 WEEKS

SpartyOn 123-96 .562 Stuck with the Lions longer than anybody else would have or would have had a better mark!

Meric 128-91 .584 Always appreciate being addressed as MR. VIKING in his emails!

Pat125 139-80 .635 The Jets made the playoffs in spite of (or because) he picked the Raiders.

UWFan 140-79 .639

DCBucky 141-78 .644 Gave me more grief about my Vikes than anybody else (well he is a Packer fan!)

PLAYED 16 WEEKS

Seph 144-89 .618
Leoman 144-89 .618 Of all the guys who missed only one week, you guys were the best!

PLAYED THE FULL SEASON

gp43 139-109 .560 Here's to the Walrus playing Dilfer next season!

CowboysHskrFan 142-106 .573 Changing his name next season to BearsCanesFan

Cyd@Outsports 143-105 .579 Little known fact: Cyd let blind chimps make his picks the second half of the season!

Gamecock 150-98 .605 Or are you GAMECOCKS?

IUFan 153-95 .617 Don't know him, but he must be popular. Everytime I sent out emails, his came back because his mail box was full!

Jim@Outsports 154-94 .621 Giving Jim bragging rights in the "Best Outsports Evil Overlord" category.

Trevor 153-95 .617 Started out in last place after Week 1. Its the Anti-Cyd Syndrome!

GoldenStateDude 155-93 .625 Saved his best for last, tying for the Week 17 crown.

PCC 155-93 .625 Devotion to his Redskins eventually paid off after 5 grueling weeks.

Seanboy 155-93 .625 In Week 6 when only one guy finished over .500, it was Seanboy who was at the bottom of the pile (2-11). Sorry Seanboy!

Jqueer 155-93 .625 One of only two guys to win two different weeks. The name of the other guy escapes me at the moment.

Bill_sf 156-92 .629 Probably the most solid second half performer. Cyd will be calling you soon!

AND NOW THE TOP 5!

5. BigBucBoy 158-90 .637 The most dedicated Pick 'Em player. He had a friend actually send his picks in for him when he couldn't get to his email! That's dedication! Also had the best single week's record at 14-1 in Week 15.


4. Theo 159-89 .641 Tied with BBBoy with a 14-1 record in Week 9. Obviuosly, Week 9 was a VERY easy week! And still only won the week based on the tiebreak!

3. George_vikingfan 163-85 .657 I actually won, I just didn't want the game to appear fixed! Will take over the duties of the champion is he is unable to fulfill his duties and obligations!


AND NOW OUR WINNERS

We have a tie! And since I didn't make any provisions for a season ending tiebreak, each of you get to have the hat for six months each!

JoeinPhilly 165-83 .665

AND

Zeno 165-83 .665

Way to go guys! We'll be gunning for you next year!

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

I am proud of my lions picks -- hell someone has to have faith in them -- or maybe i was just really drunk all season -- either way watch out NFL the lions are coming for you all next year.

In my case I've noticed a pattern here. I do better when I pick with my head than when I pick with my libido. The first is more accurate but the second feels better. Darn tough choice.

Congratulations to JoeinPhilly, co-winner and to triguy262 for getting the best winning percentage of all the players. Special thanks to George for managing the game.

Felicitations, Zeno and Joe and triguy262- and all the other players who tortured themselves week after week trying to predict the unpredictable.

And big thanks to my favorite PoolMan, Georgev_f. Despite the injury, ready for the play-offs.

[quote]Originally posted by George_vikingfan:
CowboysHskrFan 142-106 .573 Changing his name next season to BearsCanesFan

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LOL!!!!!

I finally caught up at the end! I can think of any number of games that I could've won had the team I picked didn't blow the lead in the closing few minutes...and that two-week period where I was just horrible.

Congrats to Zeno and everyone...as for the playoffs and next season, BRING IT ON!

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

George, it really WAS me who submitted those picks all season....as much as I would like to claim some impersonator did the picking during my bad weeks, I will take the responsibility (maybe Spurrier should learn how to do the same once he joins the NFL coaching ranks and has to endure some .500 seasons ).

In any event, it was fun to partake in this all year long and big thanks for our fearless leader, George, for his yeoman work throughout the season....too bad Dennis Green didn't have you on the Vikes this year -- they could have used you .

Will you be jumping off the Vikings "bandwagon" now (is anyone left on it ) or will you support Mike Tice and company when he apparently is officially named Head Coach in a few days?

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Gosh, George, if I wasn't such a nice guy I'd kick your butt for that!

Seriously, thanks for all your hard work on this. It was a lot of fun. Not for me, necessarily, but thanks anyway.

First of all thanks to Mr. Viking-Fan for running this tournament. J&C, how about a prize for the administrator?? He sure deserves one!

Secondly, congrats to Joe in Philly and Zeno..Don't look now, but I think you were better than anyone ESPN put up. Maybe Bill Polian should contact you two to fill that vacancy....

Third, congrats to triguy--71.5% very impressive!! If they give Spurrier a cabinet-level position you should be vizier!

And thanks to all of you for being a part of this great site!!

Here's a recap of the weekly winners:
* indicates won by tiebreak

Week 1-Cyd@Outsports 13-2* (tied UWFan)

Week 2-George_vikingfan 12-2

Week 3-George_vikingfan 12-2

Week 4-PCC 12-3

Week 5-Seph 11-3

Week 6-SpartyOn 8-5

Week 7-Bridgeportjake 11-3* (tied Zeno & DCBucky)

Week 8-triguy262 12-2

Week 9-Theo 14-1* (tied Zeno)

Week 10-Sportinlife 12-3

Week 11-Jqueer 12-3* (tied tzeile29)

Week 12-Jim@Outsports 13-2

Week 13-Jqueer 13-2

Week 14-DCBucky 12-3* (tied IUFan)

Week 15-BigBucBoy 14-1

Week 16-Meric 10-5

Week 17-JoeinPhilly & GoldenStateDude 12-3* (tied with Sportinlife, amazin12 & PCC)

I want to first say a big THANKS to our leader here George "Viking" Man. Awesome dude.. . . . .a slam dunk your way. Thanks for all the work in the regular season.
Me finishing 5th place overall was pretty cool. . . . I was middle of the pack until about the last 5 weeks or so . . and then like my Bucs, started kickin' in down the stretch. We'll see where we go. . . if Tampa wins in Philly this weekend, watch out!!! If any team can beat St. Louis in their house, its my Bucs (since they already did it this year and came this close to doing it in the NFC Championship 2 yrs ago).

By the way George, thanks for omitting above that I was (I had to be) the tardiest pick'em player . . often getting my picks into you right before kick off. I thought that would be what you remember most about my playing. That's just the way I am sometimes. . . last minute push.

[quote]Originally posted by BigBucBoy:
By the way George, thanks for omitting above that I was (I had to be) the tardiest pick'em player . . often getting my picks into you right before kick off. That's just the way I am sometimes. . . last minute push.

---

But oh so worth the wait, BigBucBoy!

[quote] 3. George_vikingfan 163-85 .657 I actually won, I just didn't want the game to appear fixed! Will take over the duties of the champion is he is unable to fulfill his duties and obligations!

---

I guess I have to wait until 15 people are unable to fulfill theirs!!!

Seriously though, A beautiful job, bud!!! Thanks for keeping us interested in this crazy NFL season...

Hugs,

CowboysHskrFan
(could be worse.. PanthersRutgersFan!)

[ January 10, 2002: Message edited by: CowboysHskrFan ]