Nemmers Scrum

Happy New Year Footballers,

Well, it’s been an impressive season to say the least.  The fact that 3 people made it the whole season is amazing to me.  Nice work Paul, Stephanie and Mary – you have made the pool proud with your big football brains.

On the flip side, we have to say goodbye to Dianne this week.  After crushing it all season, the tough options left in week 17 forced a shaky pick of the Redskins.  And with that, Dianne saw her second strike.  An impressive showing, for sure.  Sad that she didn’t quite make it to the playoffs.

Many (or at least Stephanie) are already asking – how will this be settled?  Who will be the ultimate champion? So, before John runs out and buys a bunch of trophies, I figure I better put out the plan:

The Overview:
I wanted to come up with some plan that was fair, but also brought an end to the season.  As fun as it’s been – I’m ready to wrap it up – and I am betting the winners all have plans for that big pile of cash.  Because everyone has 1 strike, everyone enters the playoffs even.  In my original plans, I was trying to come up with something that had an advantage for players with no strikes, but still gave everyone a chance (like a bye week).  But, with Paul’s strike, we’ve got a level playing field.  Here’s what we’re gonna do:

Step 1:  Pick All 4 Playoff Games for this weekend.
Paul, Stephanie and Mary will pick all 4 games in this week’s round of the playoffs. Picks due by end of day Friday. If one person does better than the other two, that person will be the winner.  If two people do better than the third person, the third person is eliminated and the other two people go to a tie break.  If all three do the same, all will advance to the tie break.

Step 2:  Tie-break
For each game this weekend, the contenders will have to also select the total points scored.  For each game where a person is closest, they will get a point.  If there is still a tie, we will look at margin of error and the person with the smaller error will get the point.

So, by end of day Friday – please submit:

The winner of each game and the point total.  There should be 4 teams and 4 point totals for a complete submission.

Good Luck!  (Go Steelers!!!!)

Hello Footballers,

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas.  The Dallas Manteeth did there best to eat a lot and unwrap a lot of stuff.  Fletch has now headed to camp in Bogota for the next 2 weeks and Kevin, Vi and I are heading to Columbia, MO here shortly.

What an exciting week – with so many games on Saturday, and everyone running out of “safe” picks, it was sure to be an unusual week.  Sadly, we had to say goodby to Sam, Gerri, Charlie N and Tyler.  What an amazing season, you should all be proud of how far you made it.  Also, Stephanie also took her first strike.

So, we’re down to just 4 players left:  Dianne, Paul, Mary and Stephanie.  It’s a battle of the Hergenrothers vs. the Senns.  Kinda like the 1991 Orange Bowl.

And….just in case you missed it, here’s the story from CBS Chicago about Paul’s work.  Way to go, Paul!

Good luck in Week 17!!!!!

Ho ho ho, Footballers!

Welp, everybody won last week and so we go into week 16 with 8 players.  That’s really quite impressive if you think about it.  Even more impressive that Paul and Stephanie have gone the whole season without a mistake.

This week the Giants/Eagles game is on Thursday and then A TON of games are on Saturday.  And then on Sunday, the Mantooth house will feel a lot like Thanksgiving with both the Steelers and the Cowboys playing on Christmas day.

All that to say – get your picks in before Friday gets away from you, as the weekend is gonna be a busy one.

Good luck to everybody!

Hi Footballers,

You know what happens when the football pool makes it all the way to Christmas season?  I forget to send the picks out before I run to the grocery store.

My apologies.  Here’s week 15.

Only 8 left, but 4 different picks.  We could be in for a shakeup, but we’ve also heard that before.

Good luck to all still in it!

Hello Footballers,

Well, da Bears alllllmost made it interesting, but then the Lions remembered they were supposed to win that game, and with it, everyone remains in the pool.

The good news is, I have come up with an idea for if we have people make it to the playoffs.  I’ll share it when the time comes, if necessary, but I think it is an equitable solution that will take a little skill, and also get where there are more factors than the outcome of just 1 game.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you want to go with the Thursday game….get your Rams/Seahawks pick in before kickoff tonight.  Also keep in mind that now that college is all wrapped up, there are Saturday games too…all the more reason to get your picks in.

And….NO MORE REMINDERS….get your pick in on your own.  If you don’t get it in by the time I do the pool, it’s curtains for you.

Good luck everyone!

Hello Footballers,

What does Sam Carter know that the rest of the players don’t?  This week we have 7 picks for Detroit and Sam’s pick of Washington.  Clearly, we have shakeup potential. Whatever the outcome, the Lions sure have a lot of y’all pulling for them today.

If there are still 8 people standing at the end of this week, I promise to have something in place for how to actually break the tie. Charlie N had ideas based on strength of pick – some type of margin of victory compilation over the season. Bill was in on the marshmallows. There were some other good ideas too, but I can’t remember them right now, as I have just finished my run and have breakfast tacos on the brain.

My goal is to make it something that is not based on how you preformed to this point. Seems like making a rule to judge past actions doesn’t seem fair – as having known the rule, pickers may have chosen differently. So, probably something requiring picking points on playoff games, or along those lines.

Have fun watching today!

Hello Footballers,

Well, much to Bill’s dismay, his pal Drew was no more help than his buddy Coach Carrol the week before.  With New Orleans’ loss, the pool says goodbye to Howie, Dana and Bill.  We are sad to see them go, but a special shout out to Howie – who went 10 weeks longer than he did in 2015.  Gold star for most improved!

Also, I will miss getting weekly texts from Dana and Howie – y’all will still have to send me a note from time to time to let me know what you are up to.

Special shout to Bill too – his loss frees him up to promote his new book:  Mothers Hurling Bricks (available here on Amazon).

But, that brings us to week 14 – with 8 players still in the race.  That’s a lot with only 3 weeks to go.  Kevin and I are trying to think up a scenario which is fair if everyone goes to the end.  I want to see who can put the most marshmallows in their mouth at once.  That seems like a good leveler  – and would have great photographic evidence.  Let me know if you have any ideas.

The Thursday night game this week is Chiefs and Raiders.  Get your picks in before kickoff if you dare to go with that one.  Otherwise, by end of day Friday.

Hello Footballers,

I hope you are having a good start to the holiday season.  We managed to get our tree put up and the inside of the house decorated, but it is cold and rainy, so the trees out front will have to wait.  The neighbors have upped their game, so we’ve either got to up our game, or take down all their blow up stuff in the night.

Lots of people betting on “New” teams this week.  4 For New England and 3 for New Orleans.  Should be interesting.

Before I go, I’d like to share with you Bill’s intel from his disastrous (and strike-earning) pick from last week.  This is the message he sent:

“I talked to Pete Carrol after their shameful showing and he told me he was sorry he lost my lock for a pick in my pool. Said it was his fault. He told me I made a good pick, they shoulda won, and that the pool referee ( whoever she is) should give me the win. I realize this is not a persuasive argument, but it’s the only one I got. I’ll try NO over Detroit. I’ve talked to my buddy Drew and he guarantees . . .  .  ”

I’m curious if anyone knows Pete Carrol so that we can verify this?  In the meantime, the count stands.

Good luck to all.

Hello Footballers,

I hope you are all having a good week.  I think I must have been in a Turkey Coma, as I didn’t really realize that it was Thursday already.

All those good games last weekend, and only one strike to come out of all of it.  Bill now joins the ranks or 1-strikers.  Mad props to Stephanie and Paul for being the last two undefeated standing.

Tonight is Cowboys/Vikings, so if you are going to pick this one – I need your pick before kickoff.  Otherwise, by end of day tomorrow.

Sorry for the late posting, I really did lose track of time.  Have a fantastic week!

Hello Footballers,

I sure hope that everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving.  Somehow between the turkey, pie and all the other stuff, the Texas branch of this pool never really sorted out what happens if no one is eliminated before the playoffs – so would some of you go on and lose already?

This week, our fearless pickers have eschewed flyover country and stuck with states that border the the country:  Bills, Giants, Dolphins, Saints, Raiders and Seahawks.  And, Paul squeaked in his Dallas pick – and was happy for a Daksgiving on Thursday with the Cowboys impressive win over the Redskins.

Anyway, enjoy the games.  I hope you all are still full and happy from Thursday!