Tuesday Taunt XVI

143 participants
2 undefeated
9 with one loss
22 week 16 losers

Absolute bedlam.

Absolute, historic, glorious bedlam. I've seen chaos, I've seen carnage, but nothing compares to the destruction of this Week Sixteen. 79% of participants met their reaper, seventeen for the second and final time. You can cheat death once in our Suicide Pool, but the second time brings the swipe of the scythe.

To help put things in an unusual perspective, the losers selected the Eagles, Cowboys, Dolphins, Jaguars, Chargers, and Texans, while the winners chose the Chiefs, Bucs, and Rams. Repeat: the Chiefs, Bucs, and Rams. Let that little factoid stew for a while.

And so we enter the last week of the regular season with a pair of undefeateds, guaranteeing we will reach the playoffs for the third straight season. Eleven participants in total remain, the cream of the crop. Fewer than I expected, but still too many for my taste.

Mister Reaper, a little off the top in Week Seventeen, if you please.

That is all.

The Root of the Week XVI

It's a rare thing when I am afforded the opportunity to come on the blog, and in the process of posting my weekly Root, come to realize that a great many participants have already been ousted.

Thank you, Jay Feely.

I do find it a little sorrowful that such carnage comes on such a glorious day, and a very Merry Christmas to all of you; I hope your day, for those who perished, was not too tarnished. By the by, the level of Cowboys-wrought death is six, with two previously undefeateds -- including Ze German, and you may find irony therein to last several lifetimes.

For those who roll into Sunday with teams still to go, it seems the Eagles have picked up a number of rooters this week, which is strange given their expected eventual playoff success. Then we have a collection of Rams, Jags, Chiefs, and Chargers, plus one man alone on my beloveds this week (and an undefeated, no less). By the by, part two, at this point so late in the season, just to keep things wholly above board, it is worth noting that my wife is still in the pool (by the grace of some higher power) under the heading of The Factor, and her pick this week is the Texans on the road, to win. Good luck to her.

It seems we are carving the fat from our proverbial turkey in Week Sixteen. Will you be next?

That is all.

Merry Christmas To ALL

Except the six other undefeateds.....I hope you lose.

XOXO,

Ze German

Tuesday Taunt XV

143 participants
7 undefeated
21 with one loss
115 dead

'Tis the season for merry-making and joy, for good cheers and chuckles and roasting chesnuts, and while I have never actually met anyone who has eaten a roasted chestnut, it still sounds good even without Bing singing it.

And so on this most festive of weeks and coming weekends, I will refrain from my usual taunting, partly also due to the lack of losses last week, which was mildly disappointing. My hope for Week 15 is too much eggnog and celebration will yield forgotten picks, however unlikely. A man can dream, after all.

I will leave you with this last little tidbit, which is five quotes from a few of my favorite holiday films. Can you figure them out?

"Santa Claus does exist, and he exists in the form of Kris Kringle."

"We're kicking off our fun old fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols."

"This is Sussudio, a great, great song. A personal favorite."

"I've always had a thing for Santa Claus, in case you didn't notice. It's like a a deep-seeded childhood thing."

"Now I have a machine gun. Ho Ho Ho."

That is all.

The Root of the Week XV

In thinking of cliches to use for the Root in this, our Fifteenth Week, several came to mind: time to separate the men from the boys, really coming down to the wire, and this could be as interesting as two blind men having a conversation in sign language were the three that came most readily to mind.

The first two are rather boring, however, and the last was extremely difficult to find a suitable photo for, so I am going a different way. Allow me to lay it out on the table, people.

We find five horses in the race this week -- never knew a poker player yet didn't want to bet the pony -- and three are teams that have caused significant carnage over the past four years or so. We actually have people taking the Cowboys and Chargers in the same week, and expecting them to win, not to mention a gaggle on the Raiders. Bold, says I, very bold, much like gut-shot drawing the river with sure-fire trips in the other hand. Not so bold is staking your claim to my beloveds, who see heavy action for the third straight week, nor the dirty birds, who are working to wrap up NFC home field advantage. These are the surer bets, although the latter might be regretted come January.

Whip out that poker face, my friends; it's time to ante up.

That is all.

BUY MY UNDEFEATED SPOT!!

Ok, here's the deal...I watch a lot of college football. Now, I get to watch a lot of Pro Football thanks to this Pool. I have other pursuits that are begging of my Sunday time so again I will offer for sale my undefeated record through week 14 of the season. You will be in rare company - only 8 others remain unbeaten so a share of the top three $$ is likely. I will also offer my pick suggestion services each week if desired.

Please kindly contact the Swami with any offers. If not, then I guess I'll push thorugh and win the pool...

It's a balmy 70 degrees here in The Springs today...and time for a late lunch and Sangria at Tommy Bahamas...cheers

Tuesday Taunt XIV

143 participants

9 undefeated

20 with one loss

114 deceased

In the immortal words of Matt Damon, "How do ya like 'dem apples?"

There is a saying, a very old saying tucked away in the depths of Suicide lore, that warns participants "never to choose against the beloveds, for therein lies your doom." I mention it here, only because the Fish have been responsible for many losses this season, and while I tend to warn people about it, few take such warnings seriously.

In any event, we have whittled the field down to less than 30 participants, only nine of whom are undefeated. It is a small but illustrious group that remains, and much like Ed Harris and Harry Shearer, I keep asking myself, how will it end?

That is all.

The Root of the Week XIV

This is the week it happens, my friends. I can feel it. I can feel it coming like Phil Collins feels the brutal wind, like a yuppie feels an ivory watermark, like a Bruin feels undone.

Division. Rupture. Separation. A parting of the ways. The cream shall rise to the top this week, so sayeth the Swami.

It is coming, it is coming hard and fast, and it coming at the hands of the Falcons, Jets, or Jags, the trio representing the masses this week. Not all will survive, and I shall watch and laugh as my beloveds run rough-shod over the middling middle of the three, fresh off a Monday night beat-down.

My Fish drink your milkshake! They drink it up!

That is all.

Tuesday Taunt XIII

143 participants
13 undefeated
20 with one loss
110 dead

This is the Taunt, after all, so why not lead with the sort of taunting the city of Los Angeles expects in the wake of Rivalry Week. I would be negligent not to, I feel, given that were the situations reversed, I would certainly hear it in the pithy email comments. I shall not hit it too hard, however, more like a 10-year-old at tee-ball practice, though Lord knows I could Pujols it were I so inclined. Perhaps, I'll just let the foregoing stand for itself.

The Chargers strike again in the Suicide Pool, notching another four on their belt of death. Really, shouldn't we just all come together on this and say the Chargers stand apart, never to be selected? Haven't they caused enough carnage? Although, if we did so, it begs an additional question: how would anyone actually lose?

The noose tightens. The pressure mounts. The playoffs near. We roll on.

That is all.

Lights Out!

Most readers of this blog will remember today, Sunday, December 5th, 2010 as the day after USC kicked crap out of UCLA. Again. Others will remember it as the day "the lights went out". After an impressive run, an undefeated run, the Holy Light didn't pay his Edison bill and got shut down in 2 consecutive weeks. Words of encouragement to those still standing, be careful of picking teams that have QBs (above) who rock ladykiller haircuts like Chad Henne. That picture was taken last night. Thank you for crushing my hopes Coach Soprano.

The Root of the Week XIII

Once again, the Suicide Pool masses have moved in a million different directions. This is due to several factors, it seems, based on your pithy email comments, but most notably (1) lack of attractive options amongst likely non-playoff teams; and (2) boldness to separate oneself from the field.

Several participants are breathing easy heading into the weekend, having already secured their place in Week Fourteen with the Eagles on Thursday night, but the rest of the pack must weather the storm with selections like the Giants, Bears, Vikings, Rams, Chiefs, Chargers, and Seahawks, the first and final two of which seem to be the biggies.

Then there are those few who deserve special mention in taking my beloveds, who are sure to pick off Delhomme at least three times en route to a 26-17 win over Cleveland. Bless your little hearts, and good luck to you.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning that in 1793 the French executed their king for a chronic case of indecision. As most of you had a great deal of indecisiveness this week, I shall leave you with hopes that you, too, do not lose your head.

That is all.

Tuesday Taunt XII

========== >  John Kasay.

Not to beat a dead horse, but the man chips in from 42 out and the Suicide world is an entirely different world today.

As I said in the update, it has taken me some days to get over the disappointment of the Browns surviving a game that by all rights they should have lost, and with 32 of 40 on the game, it cuts me to the quick.

I will take some small measure of comfort in knowing you were all freaking out while watching the game; I know this for fact, as I was on the phone with one such Browns-taker during that final minute, and also have spoken to three others whose wives were less than pleased by their screaming during the game, then gallivanting after.

Laces out, Kasay.

That is all.