Nemmers Scrum

Hello Footballers,

Well, this week almost everyone got it right.  Sadly, I didn’t have much fun watching football on Sunday because our beloved Steelers were a bit too unpredictable. The start – a disaster, the 2nd quarter – amazing, the second half: well the slow slide into a loss was just too much to watch.  Beyond my own sadness, it also meant a strike for Tyler and Sydney.  For Sydney, this was the end – strike 2. A bummer to see you go, Sydney.

And, with that we are down to 17 players, 8 of which have one strike.

The Thursday night game for week 5 is Vikings vs. Green Bay.  If you are picking one of these teams, I need your pick by kickoff, otherwise – end of day Friday.

On a side note, this Saturday is the big 5K at the school, so if picks don’t come out on Friday night, it might be late Saturday or even Sunday before you see them.  (If you feel like donating to our cause:  https://www.crowdrise.com/wildcatprowl and Vi is on the Third Grade Team)  Either way, wish us fast feet and nice weather.

Happy Football, everyone!

Well hello Footballers!

+++ Corrections +++  Gerri and Joel Pick INDY – (Cincy was last week, I just looked at the wrong email!).  Please note the corrected form below!

Except for the homer calls of the Leftons (That’d be Gerri and Joel) in Cincinnati, the AWESOME Steeler’s pick by Tyler and Sydney, and the bold choice of the Lions by Stephanie, the rest of us were lemmings in the sea of 13.5 point spreads.  Seemed like a logical guess for so many of us to play safe and go with the Chargers this week.

Also, there’s a programming note on strikes.  The official’s review of last week’s picks revealed that despite Dana’s winning pick of the Eagles in week 3, she had already used that team, so she was given a strike.  The new list reflects that change.

I hope everyone is having a good fall.  The Manteeth are kicking it into overdrive for the next 6 or 7 days, so be patient if things are a little bumpy.  Someone in this house is turning the big 4-0, and then the kids have a giant fund raiser 5K race at the elementary school which has pretty much consumed every ounce of free time.  If you were in town, I would force all of you to run in it!

Anyway, have a great week, and I’ll post results on Tuesday.

Hello Footballers,

With only one person taking a strike this week (Sorry, Stephanie), I think we are all finally getting in to the swing of this season.  Although, I’m sure there was some nail biting going on at some point for everyone except Joel and Atlanta’s Thursday night blowout over Tampa Bay.  And, no eliminations – so yay!

So this Thursday night is New York Football Giants vs. The-team-that-must-not-be-named from D.C.  If you’re gonna go with this game, please have your pick in before kickoff.  Otherwise, I need ’em by the end of the day Friday.

Good Afternoon Footballers!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  We are in school activity super-drive now:  soccer, end of swim season pool clean up, final push for the Elementary School 5k and fundraiser, play dates with kids spread across the metroplex, and a little bit of work thrown in to keep in interesting.  Needless to say, it took a little while this morning to get the pick sheet put together.

But, here it is.  Joel shows his big brain by picking early and correctly with Atlanta on Thursday.  For almost everyone else it comes down to the Patriots and the Colts.  Just seems to me like a team with an emblem of a horseshoe and a QB named Luck should be able to pull off a win.

This is your last reminder to pay up.  After this week, I’m gonna start sending out my local goons to knife your tires or toilet paper your lawn or something.  Just get the $$ to Texas, people.

Have a great week.

Hello Footballers,

Well, week 2 is in the books and we already have some red marks on the pick sheet.  With the surprising losses of New Orleans and San Francisco, lots of people took hits. And, Tennessee losing didn’t help anybody either.

So, we’re saying goodbye to Barry, Charlie N., Jim, Sam and Whoosie.  And, 3 new players have a strike: Bailey, Sydney and Kevin. I’m not sure how the rest of you feel, but it is weird to have Dad (Charlie N) eliminated so early.  How are we gonna play “Get Dad” if he isn’t even in the running? Dark times, man, dark times. If you’ve been eliminated and want to be removed from the emails, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll leave you in.

Speaking of sloppy, Roger Godell isn’t the only commissioner that has messed up in recent weeks.  I had two BIG, BIG clerical errors this past week that need remedy:  First off, my Aunt Gerri is GeRRi, with 2 r’s.  I had it wrong EVERYWHERE.  And, while it is wrong and I am sorry and will get it right moving forward, the rest of you are on notice for not nicely pointing this out to me before I completely blew it. Sorry, Gerri.

Error two was that when I put in Stephanie and Sam’s picks for week two, I put the wrong pick in for Sam. The sheet said AZ, but really he picked SF, which eliminated him from the pool.  And, like a stand up dude he is; he pointed it out to me anyway.  So again, sorry, Sam. I’ve invited Sam to continue playing for fun if he wants to. The first year playing sometimes can be a little tough, and that’s before the person entering the picks into the system screws it up.

Ok. Week 3 is coming at us. The Thursday night game is Tampa Bay at Atlanta, so if you want one of those teams, make your pick before kick off Thursday.  Otherwise, picks are due by end of day Friday.

Hello Footballers, Here are the picks for this week.  Green Bay and New Orleans seem to be popular picks, which is weird, as they both lost in week 1.  Good luck to everyone.

Because the pool has widened a bit over the years, I thought it might be helpful if I explained who everyone is.  That way, when we say “Ok, everyone cheer against Bill N.”  – you’d know who that is if you don’t already. (But, if you don’t, it’s still ok to cheer against Uncle Bill…)

Originally, the only rule for playing in the pool was that you had to be related to me in some shape or form.  A couple of exceptions have been made over the years, but I am also related to a lot of people, so sometimes it can be a bit confusing.

Kevin and I are the starting point for this picture.  Kevin’s dad is Jim M. (Arlington, TX.  Cowboys Fan).   Kevin’s uncle and aunt (on his mom Suzanne’s side) are John and Margie Sherburne (San Antonio, TX, and since the Spurs don’t play football, they just go with the big spreads).

My siblings that are playing the pool are Adam and Dianne.  Adam (Springfield, MO) is parent to 2 other pool players, Tyler and Bailey, and new addition to the Scrum, Sydney, is Tyler’s girlfriend.  She’s like an extra kid in that family, and that’s close enough for my rules.  Glad she’s on board.

Dianne is married to Paul (Champaign, IL), and their two kids, Charlie H. and Dana play too.  Paul keeps me on my toes because he usually has his pick in by noon on Tuesday.

My dad is Charlie N.  (Columbia, MO).  He likes to send his picks in code, so I am lucky that so far I haven’t screwed one up.

Bill P. (Columbia, MO) is my grandpa.  Don’t let the fact that he’s older than Johnny Unitas fool you – he’s got game.  And, really, this whole pool is so that I have an excuse to call him on Fridays all fall.  Barry O. is grandpa’s friend.  That’s the only other rule now about being in the pool…If Grandpa Bill says you’re in:  you’re in!

Grandpa Bill’s daughter Geri is married to Joel.  They are my aunt and uncle and live in Cincy.  They are the sleepers of this pool.  Before you know it, Joel may have run away with all the winnings.

On the Nemmers side are my dad’s siblings, my aunts and uncles:

Bill N. (Minneapolis, MN).   I don’t like Bill right now because he is going to Portugal and didn’t invite me.  But, maybe he will redeem himself by sending a postcard.

Whoosie (DesMoines, IA).  While her actual name is Virginia, she’s Whoosie to me.  She’s just “retired”, so I am envisioning her pouring over tables and charts of NFL stats each week to make her pick – or just going with the jersey and fan base she likes best.

Mary and Howie Senn (Ft. Collins, CO).  These are the people that introduced me to Kevin.  If you talk to them for long they will try and convince you to move to CO.   Their daughter is Stephanie C. (Florence, CO).  Stephanie was my compadre at the kid’s table for most big family meals of my childhood.  And, she has the best hair of anyone in the pool.  Her son Sam has taken a break from raising prize winning livestock to join in with us too.

I think that’s everyone.  Now, when Barry goes all the way to the end by picking the Browns, you won’t be all like, “Who is that Barry guy again?”

Ok, have a happy Sunday of football watching.

Well,

Week 1 is in the books and we had a few good teams go down, and the Bears lost too.  And, really those of us pulling for Pittsburg and the Eagles were sweating it out too.  Really, Philly: zero points at halftime?  Really Steelers, who were those guys on the field in the second half?

Anyway, Barry O., Grandpa Bill, Charlie H, Charlie N. Jim, Mary, Sam and Whoosie all got a strike.  Better luck next week.

As I am taking until Wednesday, the picks for this week are already starting to come in – thanks.  Steelers are Ravens are Thursday night, otherwise, you can make a pick by Friday, end of day.