In nothing short of shocking news, Tom leads the pack after 3 weeks of the playoffs.  Only Dick has a chance to catch him.  So, how does Tom prepare for the final picks of the year?  Go to Maui and bask in the sunshine of course.  While the rest of the Savants toil in wet and cold Dallas, will Tom’s change of latitude come back to haunt him?  Will new rules for picks instituted by a slight quorum of the Savants while someone was in Maui help or hinder the contest?  Dick can possibly finish first or tied for last - which will it be?  Can Rand and Frank make up ground - and possible tie for 2nd place.  Note that if the last place guys move up it is called a tie for second, but if the second place guy moves down it is called a tie for last.  Lots of excitement this weekend - and there are still commercials to watch as well.   Congrats to Tom.

The Guest Picker Playoff Challenge:  After Doug Howe and Marcia Mayes both put up +50 weeks in the Conference Finals, the two other Guest Pickers couldn’t stand up to their hot picks.  Rumor has it that Scott Holtzman actually left one of the Savants his picks that would have been +50 for the weekend - but NOOOOOOO, Scott has to find the satellite internet and change his picks.  At least he missed them all so he doesn’t have to worry about being close - pretty much like Dallas against Minnie.  On the other hand, Greg Hobbs has pretty much owned the regular season and post season against the other GPs.  Unfortunately, he did his own Minnie impersonation - that is Minnie turning over the game against the Saints not the dismantling of the Cows.  Oh well, Scott and Greg, we enjoyed having you. So we’re left with two GP’s who rumor has it have spent the greater part of the last two weeks preparing their picks.  Will we be able to tell?  What will their strategy be in the finals - spread the wealth or go all in on one pick?  The excitement is almost too much to endure - but you have to, as the answers to all these questions lie further down in the post.  What is this week’s tiebreaker?  Peyton Manning passing percentage - to the first decimal point - and note that there was even some pretty big strategy differential here as well. Good luck. Congrats to Marcia.

Playoffs
Dick  +50 -50 = 0
Tom  +90 +20 = +110
Rand  -50 +50 = 0
The Goracle -50 -50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe -50XXX  and Marcia Mayes -50+++  

 This Week’s Picks
Dick: $50 on Indy/New Orleans Over 56.5. Dick stays true to his playoff affair with the over/unders.  Will this be the shootout that everyone is predicting?  Or, will the Colt Defense show they are the unsung heroes of the Super run? XXX This pick was doomed early, and doomed late as well.  Oh well, a tie for thirdsecond. 

 Tom:  $10 on New Orleans Under 25.5.  Picking last, Tom loses his desired pick of Indy -5, so he goes to the 4-corner defense of first place.  This pick is contrary to most of the pickers on this site this week, but watch out for that Indy D. XXX Thanks for Frank for taking Indy off the board - Who Dat picking against the Saints. 
          $10 on Indy Rushing Under 100.5 yards. Tom likes Indy to throw on every down - they’re really good at it - so why run at all? +++ After rushing for 99 easy yards, the Colts call a halt to the running game just in the nick of time.  
          $10 on Jeremy Shockey Under 3 Catches. If you need a rooting interest, who better to root against than Shockey? Push - technically Shockey won since one of his 3 was a TD.  
          $10 on Total Field Goals Over 2.5. Tom likes the defenses to bend - but not break - leading to some FGs. +++ Tom gets the field goal-fest right.     
          $10 on Time of Possession - NO +1:30. Will either one of these teams play ball control - of course not.  So, who will take the least amount of time to score.  Tom likes the Colts for that. +++ Thanks to the 2nd Quarter, this pick cruises in as well.
           
        Rand: $50 on New Orleans +5.  Rand goes with the darling of the ball.  Will the Saints be ready for the big stage?  Does Rand know something by using the first pick in this week’s contest to take the Saints off the board for the rest of us? +++ Rand uses the first pick to his advantage picking the Super Bowl winner. Rand’s big victory nets him a tie for secondthird.    
 
         Frank: $50 on Indy -5.  Frank was downright unhappy that Rand took the Saints off the board.  So, what is his response?  Take the opposite pick.  Now that is what our former president (W) would call strategery. Of course at least one other Savant and one of our GPs really like this pick. XXX is it true Frank officially hates picking against the line after this season?  Of course not. He just hates picking the wrong team each week.
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe  and Marcia Mayes 

Doug:  $50 on Indy -5.  Doug stays with Indy for the third straight week.  And, what has it gotten him so far - well, into the finals.  A lot of strategy went into Doug 50′ing up after Marcia - picking first this week - put the whole 50 on her pick. XXX Let’s see, Frank was at lunch, Frank picked Indy, and Doug still picked Indy.  But it didn’t matter as Marcia struck out as well.  So how’d the completion percentage fare - never mind - 2nd place earned in a fine showing by Doug.  
                     Peyton’s Completion %: 50.1 XXX

       Marcia: $50 on New Orleans/Indy Over 56.5.  Marcia joins Dick on this one - do they know something.  Actually, both of them have seen these 2 offenses, and there is definitely an advantage to that side of the ball in this game.  XXX It could have been a close miss - but it was a miss from early on.  However, Marcia walks away with the crown after being the closest to Peyton’s completion percentage.  Congrats to Marcia.
                    Peyton’s Completion %: 73.1 +++

                 Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Dick maintains his torrid pace, and Tom stays close behind after the first 2 weeks of the playoffs.  Can they keep up the pace?  Rumor has it that Dick has some negative karma hanging over him this week (it was shown to the other Savants when the lunch place he chose didn’t have what he ordered). Can Tom keep the momentum going on a week when the picks seem pretty tough?  And, what about Rand and Frank who each missed a 50 last week.  Rand takes the strategy to go opposite Tom and Dick in hopes of catching up.  Frank places his faith in Brett Favre.  Will he get jilted, or will Brett makes amends for the Packer playoff bust 2 years ago?  Lots to watch this weekend as the season may be down to a 2 person contest unless the leaders fall.  

The Guest Picker Playoff Challenge:  Greg Hobbs handled his opponents last week by having the only positive result.  The other 3 - well, they either tied for second or tied for last depending upon how full or empty your glass is.  OK, OK, OK - so the tiebreaker last week wasn’t so good for breaking ties as all 3 choose the same number of interceptions by Farve and Romo.  It was good for entertainment value. So, we decided that all 3 advance this weekend with a twist.  2 GPs will hit the street this week.  The top 2 will advance to the Super Bowl.  Remember the slate is wiped clean each week - so no carryover results for the GPs. What is this week’s tiebreaker?  Reggie Bush All Purpose Yards (return yardage, rushing, receiving).  Greg noted that Reggie has one good game and he suddenly becomes important enough to be in the tiebreaker.  Well - it worked as evidenced by yardage predications starting with a low of 92 and going all the way up to 187.  Good luck and enjoy the games - we’ll see who our 2 survivors are.

Playoffs
Dick  +100 -50  = +50
Tom  +80 +10 = +90
Rand  -80 +30 = -50
The Goracle -100 +50 = -50

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Greg Hobbs, Doug Howe, Scott Holtzman, and Marcia Mayes  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Indy/New York Jets Under 39. Dick’s love for the over/unders reaches new heights with his 3rd straight total points pick.  Unfortunately, he doesn haven’t the Cow defense to rely upon this weekend.  In case you missed it - the Cows did exit the playoffs last weekend, but Coach Puffalumps remains to push the Cows to just short of the prize again next year.  XXX This one was way over after the Jets found a way to participate in the scoring. Cassidy’s perfect post-season ends. 

 Tom:  $30 on Indy -7.5.  Tom stays with Indy who did him right last weekend.  They should win, but will they cover?  Let’s hope that Sanchez needs to throw. +++ Peyton comes through again this week.
          $10 on New Orleans -3.5. Tom decides to go opposite Frank - why?  Frank is ice cold, so why not? XXX Uh Oh, does this mean Frank is back?    
          $10 on New Orleans/Minnie Under 53. This was the last remaining pick open under our picking rules - so Tom put $10 on it for good measure.  Without the Cardinal defense in the building, there is a slim chance this will stay under. XXX It was under through the end of the 3rd quarter.  
           
        Rand: $30 on Indy/NY Jets Over 39.  Rand goes opposite Dick on this one.  Will he make a big leap up the standings?  We’ll see. +++ Rand scores big with this one.   
          $10 on New York Jets +7.5. Rand goes with the Jets to go opposite Tom on this pick.  Note:  you may start noticing a trend of following the great Greg Hobbs’ picks.  Did he know them in advance?  Yes. XXX The Jets run was good - but Indy was too much.    
          $10 on New Orleans/Minnie Over 53. Even though he denies the coincidence of matching The Hobbery’s picks, Rand closes out his picks with this matching one as well.  Can he close the gap wtih Dick and Tom with all these opposite picks?  +++ Rand is back in the game with a good weekend. 
 
                   
         Frank: $50 on Minnesota +3.5.  Frank’s cold streak extended for another week.  Can Brett get him back on the right side with this one?  Going against the possible team of destiny - be careful.  +++ Frank’s bold move on Brett and Co. pays off.
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Greg Hobbs +10, Doug Howe +50, Marcia Mayes +50, and Scott Holtzman -50

Greg:  $10 on NYJ/Indy Over 39.  Greg goes against Dick with this one.  Is Cassidy worried?  Based upon Greg’s results, he should be. +++ Another excellent pick by the Hobbery.   
          $20 on New Orleans/Minnie Over 53. Greg likes the offenses in this one.  A good pick if both teams show up.  +++ Easy win with both offenses controlling the game. 
          $20 on New York Jets +7.5. Greg believes in Buddy’s son - and maybe the whole Jet story line.  XXX A little too much faith in Buddy’s son.
           Reggie Bush A/P Yards: 149

Doug:  $30 on Indy -7.5.  Doug stays with Indy again this week.  Can Tom and Doug be right on a same pick 3 straight weeks?   +++ Doug knows to stay on the right side of a Peyton Manning pick. 
          $20 on Minnesota +3.5. Doug likes Brett and Co. this weekend.  The Viking defense was really good last weekend - will they be this weekend?  And, did he really mean to make the same pick as Frank and go against Tom? +++ Doug tops off a perfect week with this pick.  Believe in Brett - at least to cover.
           Reggie Bush A/P Yards: 92

       Marcia: $40 on New Orleans/Minnie Over 53.  Marcia almost goes 50 on this pick.  What about these teams’ D? +++ Marcia knows offense, and it pays off.
          $10 on Indy -7.5. Marcia goes with Peyton and Co. against the upstart Jets.  This should be a good pick for GP separation. +++ Marcia’s hedge pick comes through as well - picking with Peyton helped.  
                    Reggie Bush A/P Yards: 187

       Scott: $20 on NY Jets +7.5.  Scott stays with his Jets after they reward him last week against the Chargers. XXX Scott had left an earlier message to pick Indy - the last second change dooms his picking season.
          $20 on New Orleans -3.5. Scott goes opposite Doug on this one.  Scott is buying into the Saints’ destiny. XXX another last second change sinks Scott again.  
          $10 on Minnie/NO Under 53. Scott goes opposite Greg on this one.  There should be some good separation this week.   XXX If you’re going to go out - go out in style.
          Reggie Bush A/P Yards: 126         

          Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Tom and Dick blast out of the gate at +50.  Rand and Frank, well, not so much as blast as a trip.  Will the change in pick order help or hurt.  Last week Frank took the consensus good pick - Packers +1 - and it earned him last place and the first pick this week.  Will Frank protect the Savants from another obvious pick gone bad this week?  Who will get the Super Bowl bound Cowboys this weekend?  Will Cassidy break the most emails sent within a 24-hour period this week?  Of course, it is his own record that he’ll be trying to break.  Can Rand regain some momentum, or is he still off his game after losing a big lead in the regular season?  Stay tuned. 

The Guest Picker Playoff Challenge:  What an opening weekend.  Greg and Doug were fast out of the gate - Marcia and Scott not so much - but in the one important stat, they were faster than Don who had both his picks miss the mark last week.  As the competition is down to just 4, will the strategy change?  Can Doug stay on the end of year roll he has been on - this will be his 5th straight week to make picks.  Will Scott’s haste to go on vacation be his undoing?  Can Greg avoid an early exit this week to keep the top seed in the running?  What does Marcia have in store to separate herself from the pack this weekend?  This week’s tiebreaker:  the combined total interceptions for Brett Farve and Tony Romo.  Good luck.

Playoffs
Dick  +50 +50 = +100
Tom  +50 +30 = +80
Rand  -30 -50 = -80
The Goracle -50 -50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Greg Hobbs +10, Doug Howe -10, Scott Holtzman -10, and Marcia Mayes -10  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas/Minnie Under 45.5. Dick has fallen in love with the over/unders.  He still on for 50, but what has happened to him in the playoffs?  He claims it is because he can’t get his Cows for 50.  Maybe. Note that is he on his own with this week’s pick (not following one of Greg’s picks) +++ Apparently Dick knows when the Cow offense decides to stay home. 

 Tom:  $20 on Indy -6.5.  Tom thinks Peyton and his receivers will be a better matchup against the suddenly defensive Ravens. +++ Pretty easy pick here.
          $10 on SD/Jets Under 42. Tom enters the over/under world hoping that the Jets try to take the air out of the ball. +++ I suppose it is time to acknowledge that the Jet defense is for real.   
          $10 on Arizona +7. Tom figures he might as well join the Kurt Warner bandwagon. XXX Maybe you should pick against Kurt Warner in the playoffs.
          $10 on Indy/Balt Under 44. Tom covers the under just in case that Raven defense is for real. +++ Another easy under game.  
           
        Rand: $50 on Dallas +3.  Rand gets the guaranteed win this week with the Super Bowl bound Cowboys.  They can’t be beat by Brett and Co., can they? XXX Rand snatches defeat by taking another of the consensus good picks of the weekend.  
                   
         Frank: $50 on San Diego -7.  Frank takes another well-liked pick in this one.  Not quite as good as last week’s, but will Frank’s backing sink the Norvells this week? XXX The rumor is true - Frank has been contacted by officials from each of the remaining teams begging him not to pick them this week.
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Greg Hobbs, Doug Howe, Marcia Mayes, and Scott Holtzman

Greg:  $30 on NYJ/San Diego Under 42.  Greg likes low scoring games this weekend.  Will the Jet defense keep up their stellar play, or have they achieved all goals and headed for their off-season rest? +++ Easy win on the under with the Jets’ D  
          $20 on New Orleans/Arizona Under 57. Greg thinks Vegas is licking their chops for an easy win on the under.  Or, will one team be able to hit this crazy number themselves? XXX Although they quit scoring early in this one, almost hitting the number at half time doomed this pick. 
           Farve/Romo INTs: 1

Doug:  $30 on Dallas +3.  Doug stays a true believer staying with the Cows for the second straight week. XXX Doug should have listened to Frank - you can’t trust the Cows.   
          $20 on Indy -6.5. Doug makes this pick even after hearing Tom pick the Colts.  Will last week’s joint success carry over for another week?  +++ Doug should keep picking with Tom - it is working.
           Favre/Romo INTs: 2

       Marcia: $30 on San Diego -7.  Marcia doesn’t back down from this pick even after hearing Frank load up on it.  A home team against a ‘just happy to still be in it’ eastern time zone team playing a really good team - it should be an easy win.  XXX Even after hearing Frank take this pick, Marcia goes down in flames with him.
          $20 on Arizona/NO Over 57. Marcia goes opposite Greg on this one.  Interesting. +++ This one made it over even though the teams mailed in the 2nd half. 
                    Favre/Romo INTs: 2

       Scott: $20 on Jets +7.  Scott likes the AFC dogs this week.  Can the Jets keep up with the Chargers?  +++ Scott knows his Jets.
          $20 on Baltimore +6.5. Scott goes opposite Doug on this one.  But, are the dogs out of class this weekend?  XXX The Ravens were not quite ready for another road game.
          $10 on Arizona/NO Under 57. Scott and Greg share the view that this won’t be a shootout like last week’s Cardinals’ game.  We’ll see. XXX Oops, not an under with that Cardinal defense involved.  
          Favre/Romo INTs: 2         

          Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Talk about a group of guys who need to wipe the slate clean - yes, the one and only Savants head into the Playoffs with the tally reset to zero.  We’ve been doing this for years to make the playoffs just as exciting as the regular season.  It is wide open, and anyone can win.  Will we have some positive scores for the playoffs - GUARANTEED. Put that in 3-inch headlines.  And, how do I know this?  Not based on our current track record, but instead on our years of good playoff picks.  And, The Goracle unveiled Savant Shirts for us to wear during the Playoffs - I think our mamas used to say looking good is the first step to picking good.  There is a chance that the photo may make its way around - that is unless we broke the camera.  As there are fewer games to chose from in the postseason - expect to see lots of strategy in who picks first, and how much to weight the picks.  Of course startegy in picking correctly should probably be the focus. We also unveil a new playoff for the GP’s this weekend.  It looks like some fun as our top regular season pickers are back.

The Guest Picker Playoff Challenge:  We enjoyed having the GP Competition this year, so we put Rand to work devising just the right tournament for our best regular season GPs.  The top regular season GPs are as follows (note 1 point for a win and .5 point for a tie):  Greg Hobbs - 3; Doug Howe - 2.5; Don Sweeting - 2.5; Scott Holtzman - 1.5; and Marcia Mayes - 1.5.  Yes, all you had to do was win 1-week and tie the next to make it into this illustrious group.  So, how does the tournament work?  Well, each week the GP with the lowest total that week is eliminated from the group.  The remaining GPs advance to the next round - with a clean slate.  As you can see below, each GP took the strategy to just beat one competitor as they all have at least 2 picks.  What about ties?  Each round will have a tie-breaker that will send someone packing.  This week it is the number of Tom Brady passing yards.  Good luck, and let the games begin.

Playoffs
Dick  +50 
Tom  +50  
Rand  -30
The Goracle -50

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Greg Hobbs, Doug Howe, Don Sweeting, Scott Holtzman, and Marcia Mayes  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Green Bay/Arizona Over 47.5. Dick’s fine regular season has him picking after Frank and Tom to start the Playoffs.  With both Dallas and Green Bay off the board, Cassidy turns to an over/under. Did the fact that the leading regular season GP has that game factor into the pick - we’ll never know. +++ Dick wants extra credit for the 96 total. 

 Tom:  $50 on Dallas -4.  Tom is bullish on the Cowboys.  Will they show they can’t be trusted yet again, or is this the new look team that pounded Philly last week and is out to pound them again this week? +++ Tom’s jump on the Super Bowl bound Cowboys pays off.
           
        Rand: $20 on Dallas/Philly Under 45.  The “for-real” Dallas Defense can get Rand started off on the right foot.  Of course, the homerun hitting Eagles could show up this week and make it a bit more tense.  XXX Garbage time TD by Philly sinks this under.
          $10 on Cincy/Jets Under 34. Word is out that they’ve agreed to play an extra 15 minutes of football - and the Under still won’t be in danger. XXX Even with Cincy leaving points on the field, this one goes over.  
          $10 on New York Jets +2.5. Rand knows Cincy stinks.  This pick looks good as long as Sanchez isn’t needed to pass. +++ Hail to the Jets - at least for another week.
          $10 on New England -3.5. Two flawed teams square off in this one.  I suppose it makes sense to take the one that is 11-0 in home playoff games with Tom Brady starting. XXX Which QB looked like they weren’t ready for the playoffs? Tom Brady.
                   
         Frank: $50 on Green Bay +1.  Frank takes the consensus great pick - should he be worried about that consensus.  And, what about the rule:  never, ever, pick against Kurt Warner in the playoffs. XXX Frank was winning at the end of regulations - just not at the end of OT.
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Greg Hobbs +50, Doug Howe +30, Don Sweeting -50, Marcia Mayes -10, and Scott Holtzman -10

Greg:  $20 on New York Jets +2.5.  Greg agrees that Cincy is bad and done.  Besides, we all want another week of Rex Ryan newsconferences. +++ A surprisingly good game - Rex Ryan and the Jets continue on another week. 
          $30 on Green Bay/Arizona Over 47.5. This looks like an easy one - unless of course that Packer defense really is as good as it is starting to look.  XXX Always helps when both teams almost make it over the number.
           Brady Yards: 199

                               Doug:  $30 on Dallas -4.  Another hometown drinker of the silver and blue Koolaid.  Being on the same pick as Tom has to be worrisome. +++ Doug believes what he sees.  
                          $10 on Green Bay +1. Doug goes with Frank on this one.  Doesn’t he know not to go the same as the Savants - oh right, they’re better in the Playoffs. XXX Oh so close.  
                    $10 on New York Jets +2.5. Doug is with Rand and Greg on this one.  I’m for taking a nap with during this one. +++ a good win for the Jets. 
          Brady Yards: 272

Don:  $30 on Cincy -2.5.  Don steps out where no one has gone before - showing those Bengals some love.  This will sets up some big separation in the GP competition. XXX But for the kicker Shane Graham, they should have had a chance. 
          $20 on New England -3.5. Don also buys into the fact that NE doesn’t lose at home in the playoffs - and that Baltimore is not the Baltmore we remember. XXX Both division champs crash ends Don’s season as well.
           Brady Yards: 180

       Marcia: $20 on Green Bay +1.  A popular pick this week.  Should we go ahead and mark it down as correct- nah. XXX Another one goes down with the Pack. 
          $20 on Baltimore +3.5. Marcia likes the good running team in the cold weather.  Maybe, but that is Tom Brady over on the other side. +++ Too much too fast for the underwhelming Pats.
          $10 on Cincy -2.5. Marcia joins Don on this one.  Can the Bengals really pull out of their tailspin? XXX Nope, not this year. 
           Brady Yards: 257

       Scott: $20 on Green Bay +1.  A stonecold lock on this board.  Scott stays in step with the competition. XXX And yet another pick fails with the Pack. 
          $20 on Baltimore +3.5. Scott and Marcia go 2 for 2 with their first two picks - what will separate them? +++ The Ravens look to cause problems next week as well. 
          $10 on Dallas/Philly Under 45. Scott and Rand share the low scoring view for tonight’s game at the Jerryworld. XXX Another victim of garbage time. 
          Brady Yards: 264         

          Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

The Guest Picker Update:  Doug Howe showed consistency by using his second -10 in a row to catapult him on to another week with his win over Scott Holtzman.  To keep this competition fair, we’ve added two competitors for him this week.  Jim McTeigue of Triumph Golf and Andrea Huguely of American Airlines.  Jim goes way back with the Savants and with Doug as a left coast guy.  His understanding of those west coast teams should have taken any advantage that Doug had away.  But, alas it didn’t.  Andrea, the best of the picking Huguelys, was brought on to show off her skills on a worldwide basis.  OK, so this probably doesn’t even qualify as local, but it is public.  After all their picks, Doug prevailed with a win.  What is in store for the GP competition for the playoffs?  A new and improved competition sure to keep us all at the edges of our seats.   

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Regular Season Picks Officially Pronounced Dead.  What a season! None of the Savants finished above zero.  Dick lost every pick for 7 straight weeks, and he ends up tied for first.  Rand has a 100 point lead with two weeks left and managed to limp to a tie.  Tom turns a -30 with 4 weeks left in the season into a -230.  And the newest Savant, Frank Gore (fka The Goracle) fit right in with a tidy -150 for the year.  The good news - they can’t get any worse (oh, we can only hope).  Congratulations to Rand and Dick for their first place tie.  A trophy presentation will be announced shortly.  What will we see in the playoffs?  Can Dick stay hot by picking the Cows?  Will Rand abandon the 4 corners defense?  Will Tom ever get another pick right?  Will Frank regain his nickname in time for the offseason? On to the playoffs.

Final Regular Season Standings
Dick  -100 +50 = -50
Tom   -180 - 50 = -230
Rand    -20 -30 = -50
The Goracle -100 -50 = -150

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe +30 versus Jim McTeigue -30 versus Andrea Huguely +10  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas -3. Dick rides to the top of the pick list by coming home to roost with his Cows.  Will the confidence carryover into the playoffs?  +++

 Tom:  $50 on Dallas/Philly Over 48.  Tom choosing the whatever vacation pick works the same as his other picks.  XXX.
           
        Rand: $10 on San Diego -4.  The Chargers show that even a non-caring team can beat the Redskins - but they can’t cover.  XXX.
          $10 on Tennesee -4.5. Rand’s Titans win, but not enough for his pick to cover. XXX 
          $10 on Philly/Dallas Under 48. Rand is right on top of the Cows dominant defense as the total was never in doubt. +++.
          $10 on Denver -13. Let’s see, suspend your only playmaker before a must win game to get into the playoffs.  Youth - you gotta love it. XXX.
          $10 on Jacksonville +1.5. Rand who successfully picked against the pathetic Jaguars for the last few weeks suddenly decides to tie his lot with them this week.  XXX.
                   
         Frank: $50 on Philadelphia +3.  Frank can’t ride the Eagles to victory over Dick’s Cows. XXX. 
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe, Jim McTeigue and Andrea Huguely

Doug:  $30 on Chicago -3.  Doug seems to have taken this pick from the Cassidy school of I see dead people.  +++.
          $10 on Atlanta -2.5. Atlanta cares enough to play the last week of the season. +++. 
           $10 on Tennessee -4.5. Doug joins Rand in going down with this pick.  XXX.

           Jim:  $30 on San Diego -4.  The Curse of the Redskins sends Jim home.  XXX. 
          $10 on San Francisco -7. Jim does use some local knowledge on this easy pick. +++. 
           $10 on Philly +3. Don’t ever pick against Cassidy’s Cows and expect to win. XXX.
           
        Andrea: $20 on Dallas -3.  That is the best way to get on Cassidy’s best side.  +++.
          $10 on Denver -13. If only the line would have been +21 instead. XXX 
          $10 on St.Louis/SF Under 40. Andrea takes a page out of Rand’s playbook with an O/U win. +++.
          $10 on Jax/Cle Under 38.5. Mangini’s Brownies close the season with 4 straight wins - and a little offense to sink this pick.  XXX.

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Scott Holtzman -30 versus Doug Howe -10

The Guest Picker Update:  Doug Howe showed Scott Holtzman he understands the game - you don’t need to be good, just better than or in this case equal to your opponent.  So, who’d have guessed that Doug’s and Scott’s tie at -10 would have tied for the 2nd best result of the weekend. We welcome them back to break the tie this weekend.  What can they do to top their tie from last week - well, Scott bought lunch, so you’d think the Savants might have a slight rooting interest there - except for the shocking development we witnessed in Doug’s picks.  Wow, you’d think he knows better than going with the same picks as 3 Savants who have managed to put up a mere -330 total for the year.  How does Scott top that?  Well, his waiter at Fridays was at his best picking all the games.  Unfortunately for Scott, Tom got the list first and disclosed it to the whole table.  Will that throw Scott off his game?  Will Doug soon regret going with the Savants?  What were the waiter’s picks (see below). Let the games begin. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Move Back to Critical Condition.  Only Frank Gore managed to go positive last week among the Savants.  Frank is +100 over the last two weeks earning back his nickname:  The Goracle is Back. With confidence that we haven’t seen from Frank since September, The Goracle has his sights on taking first place from Rand this week.  Will Rand be up to the challenge?  Tom joined Dick in the death spiral down.  It has been 7 weeks since Dick won, so how does he break the dry ice cold streak?  Back home with his Cows.  Will they break his heart again? Will Tom confirm that he remains a week behind on his decisions to jump on a bandwagon?  Prediction:  a very positive week from the Savants.

Season through Week 16
Dick  -150 +50 = -100
Tom   -130 - 50 = -180
Rand    -10 -10 = -20
The Goracle -50 -50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe -10 versus Scott Holtzman -30  

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Dallas -7. With no relief in sight for a winning pick, Dick comes home with the Cows just in time for the holidays.  Please, please, please - don’t let those Cows break his heart one more time.  +++ The Pathetic Redskins allow the Cows to snooze through this win.  Cassidy’s cold streak is officially over.

 Tom:  $50 on New York Football Giants -7.  If it worked for The Goracle, it should work for Tom.  No picking against the football gods this week - just a pick on a team that needs to win to keep its playoff hopes alive.   XXX The Giants Stink, The Giants Stink, The Giants Stink - maybe a bit of an overreaction - not when the favored team loses by 32 at home.
           
        Rand: $10 on Miami -3.  Rand goes with those stout Fins.  Will Believing in Big Bill pay dividends? XXX Miami goes down in an important one.
          $10 on Minnesota -7. Rand’s trust in Brett was slapped down last week.  But, no worries here as Rand is back with Brett.  XXX yikes, losing to the Bears on national TV.
          $10 on Pittsburgh -2.5. Rand’s Titans hope for a playoff spot looks to be slipping away - so why not take the Steelers against the nemisis Ravens? +++ The Steelers hang on, barely.
          $10 on New England -8. Rand is going with the other Big Bill here - of course it is the hated Big Bill Belichick.  The Pats seem stabilized. +++ Rand continues to make a living going against Jax.
          $10 on Indy Colts -5.5. Rand knows that history is too tempting for Peyton and Co.  On to 16 and 0. XXX Jim Caldwell takes this one down for Rand.
                   
         Frank: $50 on Philadelphia -7.  Frank jumps back from one NFC East team to his tried and true Eagles this week.  Expect this to be an automatic win as The Goracle is Back. XXX Back, but apparently not all the way back. 
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe and Scott Holtzman

Doug:  $20 on Dallas -7.  Doug joins Dick on this one.  Why?  Simple:  did you see the Redskins play last week.  They are already done for the season. +++ Doug is right on with the hometown Cows.
          $20 on Philly -7. Doug joins The Goracle for this one.  Frank is feeling good with this vote of confidence. XXX a close one, but Denver doesn’t let Philly score the easy TD at the end to try for overtime. 
           $10 on New York -7. Doug joins Tom on this one.  Go Giants.  XXX Never go with Tom’s pick.

           Scott:  $20 on Indy -5.5.  Scott shows no sign of concern about the Colts resting this week.  Looks like a good pick. XXX Another Jim Caldwell casualty. 
          $20 on Baltimore +2.5. Scott goes opposite Rand with this one.  After last week’s show against da Bears, they should be ready to match points with the Steelers. XXX A tough half point loss sinks Scott’s weekend. 
           $10 on KC/Cincy Under 40.5. Scott thinks the Cincy defense will wake up and prove they are a playoff team.  Will that same Chief offense from last week wreck this one? +++ These teams show that they are not any good.  
          

Note 1: The Waiter with the inside knowledge picked all the games except Monday night.  Here are the winners:  Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Packers, Dolphins, Giants, Patriots, Saints, Eagles, Steelers, Cardinals, Niners, Colts, and get this one:  The Redskins!

Note 2: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Scott Holtzman -10 versus Doug Howe -10

The Guest Picker Update:  Scott Holtzman burst onto the scene with an impressive +30 to +10 win over Marcia Mayes.  Scott rode to victory with a tip from our waiter at last week’s pick’s lunch.  And that tip was:  SF over AZ on Monday night for the win.  Well, Scott better be ready for this week as we are adding a little class to the competition.  Doug Howe joins us from his day job as a Partner at Century Golf Partners.  They run the Arnold Palmer Golf Management brand, so you may have heard of one of those names at some point.  Doug pretty much worked every job that existed during his years at ClubCorp as well as working with all the Savants and his GP competitor.  We’ll see that experience has readied him for his debut on the Savant’s webpage.  So, what is in store for us this week?  Will Doug show his true calling is picking NFL games?  Will Scott be able to maintain his momentum without help from the waiter at Friday’s?  Or, did Scott actually stop in at Friday’s and get a tip for this week as well?  Let’s see if we can have two straight weeks of positive results.  Good Luck. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Show Life - Moved from Critical to Stable Condition. The Savants combined for a plus 40 week.  While not earthshattering, these guys are just one week removed from a minus 200 week.  Led by Frank’s and Rand’s +50 week, things are starting to look up.  Tom blames his minus 10 on bad luck - not bad picks.  And, Dick … well, let’s see where to start.  He claims that he has changed his pick holder and only good things are to come.  Off 7 straight minus 50 weeks, the tide has to turn, right?  Perhaps Dick will follow his Cows for another losing December.  For another week none of the Savants go with the Cassidy Hammer pick.  Why not?  There is a rumor that another Savant actually wanted the same pick - and there was general approval of this week’s pick.  Should we award him the win today?  Oh, let’s let’em play.

Season through Week 14+
Dick  -100 -50 = -150
Tom    -80 -50 = -130
Rand        0 -10 = -10
Frank Gore      -100 +50 = -50

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Doug Howe -10 versus Scott Holtzman -10 

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Arizona -12. After going 0 fer 2 on New Orleans the last couple of weeks, he abandons the Saints just as the Cows arrive.  Does he have inside information that the Cows want to win this one?  More likely, Detroit is awful, so take the sure thing in whoever their opponent is.  So, Cassidy jumps on the the inconsistent Cardinals expecting them to open up a can on the hapless Lions this week?  XXX Only one thing can wake up the hapless Lions - knowing Cassidy picked against them.  The Cardinals escape with the lives in a shocker. 

 Tom:  $50 on San Diego -6.5.  Tom risks the Chargers on a letdown week playing a team trying to win one for their dead teammate.  Why challenge the football gods this way?  Read his lips:  Cincy is overrated. XXX Never bet against a team with a cause.  The Bengals tried to win one for their lost friends, didn’t, but kept the Chargers from the covere.  
           
        Rand: $10 on Green Bay +2.  Rand stays on the hot Pack, especially against the ice cold, divided lockerroom, possibly packing it in Steelers. +++ Pittsburgh suddenly decides to show up this week - who’d figure that - but only by 1 point.
          $10 on Minnesota -9. Rand trusts in Brett.  And why not, have you seen who the Panther QB is? XXX Losing to the Panthers either shows Brett has a December swoon of his own, or old guys don’t like cold weather.
          $10 on Baltimore -11. Rand takes another easy pick here.  The league is starting to notice a trend - the Bears are bad on offense with their “great” QB, and their defense is worse. +++ The pick of the week as the Bears played up to their pedigree.
          $10 on Washington +3. Rand gets in the grill of Frank this week by taking the Redskins.  It seems like smoke and mirrors, but the Skins have been playing well as of late. XXX A stinker of a pick - perhaps +33 was the correct line.
          $10 on Seattle -6.5. Rand takes the lesser of two weaklings as he looks for the Seahawks to show they don’t belong in the downtrodden class that the TBucs occupy. XXX Another head scratcher - the TBucs winning a game.
                   
         Frank: $50 on New York Football Giants -3.  Frank jumps from one NFC East team to the another this week.  After only giving up 45 to the Eagles, Frank thinks that the Giant defense is ready.  Well, maybe not ready, but the better team with a chance for the playoffs has to win, right?  +++ Frank’s rise from the ashes continues as his NFC East knowledge proves correct again.  Will he get his nickname back?  Stay tuned for next week?
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Doug Howe and Scott Holtzman

Doug:  $10 on San Diego -6.5.  Doug also likes the Chargers in this one, and shrugs off the potential negative vibe of Tom picking them as well. XXX a quick lesson for Doug - don’t pick anything that Tom or Dick like.
          $10 on New Orleans -7.5. What is this? Another GP not afraid to go opposite Cassidy’s Cows.  Perhaps the highly effective offense versus the not so effective offense may have something to do with this. XXX Doug learns that the Cows aren’t to be trusted - good or bad - as they somehow handle the 13-0, now 13-1, Saints. 
           $10 on Seattle -6.5. Doug agrees that the TBucs stink - so he goes with the slightly less stinky Seahawks. XXX Seattle decides to stink it up more than the TBucs.  
          $10 on Baltimore -11. Doug joins Rand on this one.  They should almost get credit for this one in advance - that’s how easy this game looks. +++ Doug takes the easy game of the week - why didn’t we all see this was the easy game of the week?
          $10 on Philly -8.5. Well, if you’re going to diss one Savant by picking against his team, you might as well go against a second by picking the Eagles laying a big number against Frank’s 49ers.  Will they have any offense left after last week? +++ The Eagles show up and the 49ers can’t repeat last week’s heroics against the Cardinals.

           Scott:  $20 on New England -7.  Scott likes Brady and Company so show rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated.  We’ll see. Push - This one lands on the Pats winning by 7 - no harm, no foul.
          $20 on Minnesots -9. Scott shows no sign of concern that a Farve swoon is about to take place.  He’s probably right about that.  XXX Minnesota doesn’t play well in the cold - Bud Grant just rolled over in his grave.  
           $10 on Baltimore/Chicago Under 40.5. Scott shows he can get back on the horse that threw him.  After missing the under by a mere 38.5 points last week, Scott crawls under this one.  Will Chicago participate?  If so, watch out. +++ As expected, Chicago doesn’t participate and the Ravens stay under - barely.  
          

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Scott Holtzman +30 versus Marcia Mayes +10

The Guest Picker Update:  Marcia Mayes ended Don Sweeting’s run as champ by doing just enough to get by.  Marcia picked had the only correct pick from the Savants and the Guest Pickers, so she advances -10 over -50 for the weekend.  So, how do we change the tide of negative picks?  We’ve brought in a true picking savant - well, at least a true fantasy golf picking savant - how do I know?  He had YE Yang in the PGA pool - you gotta be kidding.  So, we welcome Scott Holtzman, another financial consultant extraordinaire for golf properties that goes back a few years with both the Savants and his GP competitor, Marcia.  Will Scott’s arrival bring some much needed skill to the table?  Or, will the Savant crappy-pick vortex swallow him up with the rest of us?  Good luck, and let’s see some positive scores for the week. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants Are Rumored to be losing their nickname. First, Frank Gore was stripped of his Goracle nickname.  Are the Savants next?  Editor’s Note:  probably not as long as one of the Savants continues to write this post. Last week was nothing short of a bloodbath.  Minus 200 combined by the Savants. Not a single positive pick in the group.  So, should we go the hammer pick?  2nd Editor’s Note:  the hammer pick is going opposite of a Savants’ pick on the belief that they are more likely to be wrong than right.  Well, at least no hammer picks this week as the Savants have vowed to turn this thing back to positive territory.  So which Savant will break out of the cold - or will we see a Plus 200 week?

Season through Week 13
Dick               -50 -50 = -100
Tom                -70 -10 = -80
Rand               -50 +50 = 0
Frank Gore     -150 +50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Marcia Mayes +10 versus Scott Holtzman +30

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on New Orleans -10.5. Dick was so pleased with his 50 on NO last week that he stays on the pick this week.  It looks like a better pick this week as Atlanta has its own health care crisis. XXX Cassidy stays in the ice box.  Even the Saints can’t carry him to victory.

 Tom:  $10 on Arizona -3.  Tom’s fantasy football team needs Kurt Warner to come up big this weekend - so that is reason enough for this pick.  And, the Cardinals are looking like they might make some noise in the playoffs again this year. XXX Arizona fumbles away Monday night - and Tom’s fantasy football team will watch the rest of the playoffs from the sidelines.
          $10 on New England -13.5. Has Belichick gone mad?  Sending home players for being late on a snow day?  Fortunately, Carolina may decide to go home early on Sunday allowing the Pats to break the losing streak in a big way. XXX A plodding day for Brady and Co.  A win, but no cover. 
           $10 on KC/Buffalo Under 37. Both teams are not good, but not awful either.  So, who in their right mind would go with an Under pick with T.O. involved? Tom. +++ These teams show they are bad, and get no where near the number.
          $10 on Minnesota/Cincy Under 43. Tom is not a believer in Cincy overall - but he thinks that the Bengal Defense is for real.  Is Brett in a December swoon like last year? +++ Tom was right about the Viking D, and that was good enough to slide by.  
           $10 on Seattle/Houston Over 44.5. Tom with his third over/under pick trys to figure out if he can be any better with this new strategy.  Don’t count on it.  XXX 31 at half, 41 after the 3rd, and no more points.  Ugh.
 
        Rand: $30 on Green Bay -3.  Rand leaves the comfort of his Titans for the road team Packers against the Bears.  As long as the Bears’ defense continues to stink it up, and Jeff George aka Jay Cutler is their QB, this pick looks solid. +++ Da Bears don’t disappoint and play as expected, and Rand picks up the easy win.
          $20 on Miami +2.5. Rand either likes the Dolphins or refuses to believe that Jacksonville may take the Titans’ rightful place in the playoffs.  Stick with the later explanation. +++ It wasn’t pretty, but Rand’s pick confirms Jack isn’t that good. 
                   
         Frank: $50 on Philadelphia +1.  Frank runs back to the safety of the NFC East after confirming that the division is not the problem with his picks.  Is this a signal that he’ll be flying high with the Eagles all the way to the playoffs? +++ Frank is back on top with the Eagles.  Now, will he stay on their bandwagon? 
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Marcia Mayes and Scott Holtzman

Marcia:  $20 on New York Jets -3.  Marcia is unfazed by the Jets starting their backup QB.  Are the TBuc’s really that bad?  +++ Marcia on the right side of the Jets wipe out of the TBucs.
          $20 on New Orleans -10.5. Marcia sticks with this pick even after hearing Cassidy take it.  Do they know something, or should Marcia have gone with the hammer pick? XXX Note to Marcia:  don’t pick the same as Dick.
           $10 on Green Bay -3. Marcia joins Rand with this pick.  Doesn’t she follow the results from the Savants’ picks?  This pick looks like a winner, so Scott will need to bring his “A” game. +++Marcia finishes the week in positive numbers with this solid pick.

           Scott:  $20 on Miami +2.5.  Scott also like Big Bill’s Fins against the overrated Jax Jags.  Which inconsistent team will show up on Sunday? +++Scott on the right side of the battle of Florida (TBucs don’t count).
          $20 on San Francisco +3. What is going on here? Is Scott going opposite Tom with a Hammer Pick?  Is Scott trying to get on Frank’s good side by picking the 49ers?  No.  The waiter suggested the pick, and that was good enough for Scott. +++ Scott (and the waiter) nail the Monday night pick as Scott takes the GP crown on an exciting Monday night.  
           $10 on Philly/NY Giants Under 44.5. Scott thinks these two teams will knock each other around - and not score in the process.  Makes sense, except have you seen the Giant defense backs cover fast receivers - not pretty.  XXX Never a good thing when one of the team passes the number, and the other one almost does.
          

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Don Sweeting -50 versus Marcia Mayes -10

The Guest Picker Update:  The first GP tie in history - OK, history is only 12 weeks in this case, but a first is a first.  It was an interesting Monday night with both Marcia Mayes and Don Sweeting on New England.  However, Don had a 20 weight on the game while Marcia had a 10 weight on the game.  Marcia needed her pick to lose, so Don would lose his 20 pick and then end up tied  at -10 for the weekend.  That of course is what happened as the Pats were embarrassed by the Saints.  This week we have the rematch.  Don is pulling out all the stops so he can leave for vacation with a clear conscious.  Marcia trys to show last week’s negative score was a fluke.  Good luck, and let’s see that tie broken this week. 

This Week’s Headlines:  The Savants left to remembering the days when they were good at this pick’em game. How the mighty Savants have fallen.  Cassidy has gone from +250 to 0 in 5 weeks.  Rand becomes tied for the lead at 0, yep, ZERO.  Tom can’t seem to get his head above water.  And, Frank lost his nickname of the Goracle somewhere back in the wreckage of his recent picks.  This is the week where we’ll some changes.  The Savants each have put the load on one team.  Will they go 4 for 4?  Is the practice of private club law and selling memberships getting in the way of their picks?  Our luck is about to change - guaranteed (I hope).

Season through Week 12
Dick              0 -50 = -50
Tom              -20 -50 = -70
Rand              0 -50 = -50
Frank Gore   -100 -50 = -150

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Marcia Mayes -10 versus Don Sweeting -50

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on New Orleans -9.5. Dick was impressed with the offensive machine residing in New Orleans.  He jumps on the bandwagon without hesitation.  But, is he a week too late? XXX Dick goes down again.  In a game only the Redskins could lose - yes, even Detroit would have pulled this one out - the Saints get a lucky win, but don’t cover.

 Tom:  $50 on Dallas -2.  Tom knows the New York Football Giants stink.  So, why not give the 2 points and go with the Cows.  Well, just ask anyone, the Cows can’t be trusted.  Rumor has it that Dick wanted to put the load on his Cows this week, but the pick was taken out from under him. XXX Tom has the lesson every Cow fan knows.  First they trick you into believing maybe, just maybe they are a good team.  Then, they rip your heart out and play like pigs.
 
        Rand: $50 on Tennessee +6.5.  Rand confirms his loyalty to the beloved Titans by putting the load on them against the rival Colts.  Does 11-0 worry him?  Not when he’s getting almost a touchdown from a team that has to come from behind in each of the last 5 games to win. XXX Rand goes down with his Titans.  At least they played a good game that just went the wrong way on a couple of plays.
        
         Frank: $50 on New England -3.  Frank runs away from the NFC East hoping to catch some of the Patriot magic.  This line seems a bit low - does Vegas know something, or did Frank find the gimme. XXX Frank goes down with the no defense Pats.  Vegas thought it knew something about Brady’s finger - as it turns out all they need to know was Belichick’s defense doesn’t exist.
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Marcia Mayes and Don Sweeting

Marcia:  $20 on New Orleans -9.5.  Marcia and Dick on the who dat train.  Will the Redskins overachieve for a 3rd straight week?  Is one of these teams due for a letdown? XXX Not only a letdown game, rumor has it Marcia knew this was a Cassidy pick and went with it anyway. 
          $20 on Denver -4.5. Marcia thinks the Broncos are back after taking down the NY Giants on Thanksgiving. Will KC jump up and bite another playoff hopeful during their Arrowhead visit? +++ Finally a winner.  The Broncos dismantle the Chiefs at Arrowhead - impressive.
           $10 on Atlanta +5.5. Marcia likes the home dog against the inconsistent Eagles.  But, will no Ryan or Turner doom this pick? XXX A bad pick ends up being a bad pick.  Atlanta can’t compete without 5 offensive starters.

           Don:  $50 on Dallas -2.  Don stays on Cassidy’s Cows for the second straight week.  Doesn’t he understand that the Cows will lure you in, then break your heart?  Actually, Don sees this as a win/win pick - if the Cows win his pick is right, if they lose, then all can celebrate the hated Cows going down in the Meadowlands.  Have fun on vacation Don. XXX Don’s hated Cowboys lose, but they also end his reign as GP Champ.  Enjoy the rest of your vacation.
          

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Don Sweeting -10 TIED Marcia Mayes -10

WEEK 12

The Guest Picker Update:  Are we starting to see a trend?  Don Sweeting +10 dominated John Beckert -50 last weekend.  Of course the flameout of the Steelers and their defense may be the reason for that.  The Steelers season is pretty simple at this point:  No Palumalu - No Playoffs.   With Don seemingly unbeatable now, the Savants have a secret weapon to test his skills this week.  Marcia Mayes has agreed to grace our site this weekend.  Marcia is a noted golf industry financial person having done a bit of everything over the years.  Of course her being a sports fanatic will probably be more useful this weekend.  Can Don stand the heat, and will he continue his trend of going against Cassidy’s Cows with his Raiders this week?  We’ll see - and good luck. 

This Week’s Headlines:  How the Mighty have Fallen - Part II. The Savants need to change this headline - and fast.  Although Frank woke up last week and is back in the fray, the other Savants are on a fast track to nowhere.  The short weekend should play right into the Savants wheel house and prevent the overthinking that has caused the current swoon.  At least it provides some hope.  Will we have a new leader after this weekend?  Stay tuned.

Week 11 Plus Final Week 12 Results
Dick              +50 -50 = 0
Tom                -30 +10 = -20
Rand               -10 +10 = 0
The Goreacle   -50 -50 = -100

This Week’s Guest Pickers

Marcia Mayes -10 versus Don Sweeting -10

This week’s picks
Dick: $50 on Jacksonville +3. Dick brings in a ringer to help him this week - a lawyer to be nephew Davis.  Will this turn his luck? Or, as rumored to have been heard at the picks lunch from another Savant - that pick is horrible. XXX In hindsight, Dick agrees that this pick was horrible.  The free fall continues unabated.

 Tom:  $20 on Green Bay -10.5.  Tom thinks any team that gives up 37 to Cleveland is going to have problems against a real offense from Green Bay. +++ Tom is off to a hot start - and wishes he had put the load on this pick so he can sleep the rest of the weekend.
        $10 on New England +3.  Tom finally gets his Pats pick back from Rand - will they be as good to him as they have been to Rand? XXX The Patriot defense looks far from Super against the Saints that definitely are looking Super.
        $10 on New England/New Orleans Over 56.  Tom is looking for a Monday night offensive display.  With Belichick’s confidence in his own defense, and no Saints defense, is 56 possible? XXX Let’s see 38 + 17 = 55 - Vegas is good.  34 first half points weren’t enough as the teams stopped scoring in the 2nd half.
          $10 on Cleveland +14. Tom picking Cleveland - what next, Detroit?  No, this is simply a belief that Cincy isn’t 14 points better than anyone. +++ Tom knows his stinking teams - and Cle stunk it up, but they did cover.

Rand: $30 on Minnesota -10.5.  Rand moves from the Kurt Warner bandwagon to the Brett Farve bandwagon.  Minnesota’s defense should make this one an easy win. +++ The Greatness of Farve is confirmed.  Easy pick comes through - for a change.   
        $20 on Atlanta/Tampa Bay Over 46.  Rand has been following that poor Atlanta defense get steadily worse - but will Tampa help this week after electing to not to score much last week? XXX Atlanta’s late TD helped, but not enough.
        
         Frank: $50 on NY Football Giants -6.5.  Frank hot off a win with his Eagles pick stays in division with the Giants this week.  Other than the 14 points in the 4th quarter to Atlanta last week, nothing to worry about on the road in Denver - right? XXX Frank shows that consistency is out the window as he can’t put 2 wins back to back.  So much for worst to first.  And what about those Giants?  Cassidy’s Cows are licking their chops for them next week.
             
             
This Week’s Guest Prognosticators - Marcia Mayes and Don Sweeting

Marcia:  $20 on Minnesota -10.5.  Marcia and Rand are on board with the Vikes this week.  Hard to believe that Jeff George aka Jay Cutler can pull the Bears out of the ditch. +++ Believing in Brett is rewarded.
          $10 on Cincy -14. Marcia takes the best team in the Ohio bowl.  Is she about to learn what Dick and Frank know about picking the Bungals? XXX Marcia learns the don’t pick the Bengals lesson - will they ever learn? 
           $10 on New England +3. Marcia, Don and Tom all like Belichick’s Pats this week.  Monday on ESPN will be watched by at least 3 people. XXX in an odd twist, the Pats laying an egg helps Marcia tie Don this week.
          $10 on Atlanta -12. Marcia shows her confidence in her home state Buc’s by picking Atlanta giving up a mere 12 in this one.  Tampa should cure the Falcons ills of late. +++ Atlanta’s late TD gets them the win - unfortunately only only counted for 7 points, not 16.

           Don:  $20 on Dallas -13.5.  Don goes with Cassidy’s Cows one week after riding his Raiders to victory.  What is up?  Trying to make piece with Cassidy, or the realization that the Raiders stink will show through this week. +++ Don nails this pick going against his own Rahdahs.  This was an easy one - well, if Dallas played with any consistency this was an easy one.
          $10 on Chicago +10.5. Did Don not see Jay Cutler last week?  Does he not know who is the QB of the Vikes?  He’s about to learn - or at least he’s listening to his son this week. XXX Don pays for picking a Jeff George led team.  Oh, Jay Cutler leads the Bears - whatever.
           $20 on New England +3. Don joins Tom on this pick.  We’ll see if New Orleans’ Monday Night Super Bowl is enough to beat the mighty Pats. XXX The Pats take down another believer.  The uniforms are the same, but the defense isn’t.
          

Note: The Sports Savants do not gamble with real money and do not endorse, recommend or promote doing so. The dollar figures above are in “pretend” money, as a way of measuring our success in the game. Not only is gambling illegal in many jurisdictions, it is also pretty dumb. In the end, the house always wins. That’s why the house has gold plated ceilings, dancing girls, magic shows and enormous fountains out front.

*Unlike last year, the guests will compete against each other.  The winner between the guest pickers each week will continue to pick the next week.  If they win that week, they keep going.  There is one asterisk to that sentence - we are attorneys you know - if a guest picker buys lunch for the Savants at the regular pick’em lunch, they will continue to the next week whether they beat the new guest picker or not.

** Perhaps the Savants have been spending a bit too much time concerning themselves with country club law, private clubs and resorts law, membership law, and related hospitality law matters.

Last Week’s Guest Picker’s Results

Don Sweeting +10 over John Beckert -50