Football Returns
Yes, I am aware that the official NFL season began last week. However, my interest in the season begins in earnest this weekend. Why, do you ask?
Well, it all has to do with a friendly pool at work in which my dogs annoy the hell out of my coworkers. Yes, that is right, my DOGS.
My friends who used to participate in the College Ave group on ESPNs Pig Skin Pick 'Em are aware of some of the crazy lengths to which we went to show the randomness that is the winning/losing pattern for professional football. One year, mdsteele47 coached his cats into picking. The following year, not to be outdone by felines, aslanspawh devised a strategy for Aslan to pick. Aslan has been picking every season since. Emma has occasionally joined him since we've had her, but she's not all that interested.
How, exactly, do dogs make football picks, you ask? Well, we went through our collection of teenie beanie babies (things we had a ton of from aslanspawh's years at McD's) and chose a beanie to represent each team. Aslan (or Emma when she's interested) is presented the two beanies in the match-up and which ever one he selects is his pick for that game. Yes, folks it is that simple. The dog selects a beanie baby; the human marks down the choice.
Last year, I was finally feeling comfortable and cocky enough in my position at work, that I decided to enter the dogs in the work pool. I quickly started annoying people. Many didn't know who they were being beaten by, and didn't really believe that "Pavlov's Dogs" were actually dogs.
Pavlov's Dogs had the highest number of weekly wins for the season. They finished in the top 5 for the season, and probably would have been higher if the second to last week they hadn't bombed. (Lesson learned: mom needs to get her butt out of bed if Aslan is going to take his picks seriously.)
So they've begun this season's competition. Best of luck to the woofs. I stand firm to last year's motto: If the dog's win the pool for the season, the money goes to TJ O'Connor (where we rescued Emma). I think I'll up my conviction and any winnings this year will go to charity.
Picks for September 16 & 17, 2007
San Diego
Green Bay
Buffalo
Tennessee
Carolina
St Louis
Cincinnati
New Orleans
Atlanta
Miami
Minnesota
Seattle
Jets
Chicago
Denver
Philadelphia
Well, it all has to do with a friendly pool at work in which my dogs annoy the hell out of my coworkers. Yes, that is right, my DOGS.
My friends who used to participate in the College Ave group on ESPNs Pig Skin Pick 'Em are aware of some of the crazy lengths to which we went to show the randomness that is the winning/losing pattern for professional football. One year, mdsteele47 coached his cats into picking. The following year, not to be outdone by felines, aslanspawh devised a strategy for Aslan to pick. Aslan has been picking every season since. Emma has occasionally joined him since we've had her, but she's not all that interested.
How, exactly, do dogs make football picks, you ask? Well, we went through our collection of teenie beanie babies (things we had a ton of from aslanspawh's years at McD's) and chose a beanie to represent each team. Aslan (or Emma when she's interested) is presented the two beanies in the match-up and which ever one he selects is his pick for that game. Yes, folks it is that simple. The dog selects a beanie baby; the human marks down the choice.
Last year, I was finally feeling comfortable and cocky enough in my position at work, that I decided to enter the dogs in the work pool. I quickly started annoying people. Many didn't know who they were being beaten by, and didn't really believe that "Pavlov's Dogs" were actually dogs.
Pavlov's Dogs had the highest number of weekly wins for the season. They finished in the top 5 for the season, and probably would have been higher if the second to last week they hadn't bombed. (Lesson learned: mom needs to get her butt out of bed if Aslan is going to take his picks seriously.)
So they've begun this season's competition. Best of luck to the woofs. I stand firm to last year's motto: If the dog's win the pool for the season, the money goes to TJ O'Connor (where we rescued Emma). I think I'll up my conviction and any winnings this year will go to charity.
Picks for September 16 & 17, 2007
San Diego
Green Bay
Buffalo
Tennessee
Carolina
St Louis
Cincinnati
New Orleans
Atlanta
Miami
Minnesota
Seattle
Jets
Chicago
Denver
Philadelphia