Friday Taunt - Divisional Round

Upsets upsets are no fair, upsets upsets everywhere.

Well, that went south in a hurry. We entered the playoffs with thirteen souls and an undefeated team, each participant brimming with picks and options to spare, and now ... there is little that is brimming. By virtue of Cowboys and Chiefs losses, as well as the fact that many participants declined to save the Patriots for Superbowl use, some participants have actually run out of picks.

Ten remain, ten brave souls who have spent months agonizing over minute football details, and here we are with only a pair of weekends remaining. It will get to the Superbowl ... Ber & Her remains undefeated. But beyond that truth, I have none. It is looking more and more likely that we will enjoy a split pot scenario, but not necessarily --- there are still paths through the maze and an outright win is still possible.

Onward to the finish, onward to glory. Let the football gods decide.

That is all.

The Root of the Taunt of the End of the Regular Season

Ladies and gentlemen, the cream has risen.

We bid adieu to the Swami himself, as well as more than a score of others since the last post; the Chargers struck once more, and brought along the Titans, Bucs, Redskins, and Rams to decimate the remaining field.

Week Sixteen was not sweet at all, a true Reaper's Delight; only six were unscathed. Week Seventeen three more bit the dust, Swami Pool veterans all, scalped and left for dead by those vicious politically incorrect Native Americans. Ze German shed a few tears on your behalf, I am sure.

End of Regular Season Statistics
202 participants
1 undefeated
12 with one loss
189 deceased

You will notice that only one participant remains undefeated ... well, actually technically two: Ber and Her, take a bow. This pleasant pairing of Westmac of old owns the top spot and is the only team to walk through the regular season unblemished. This has happened a handful of times before ... and usually in this case the reality show producer in me rears his beautiful and slightly ugly head.

Therefore, Ber and Her, I will offer to purchase one life from you for $400. That's right, if you take a loss right now and enter the playoffs with an even playing field, you will pocket $400 of pool winnings. You have until close of business on Friday to decide. Check back here to see if they took the deal. Is a bird in the hand really worth it? Ber and Her will answer that age-old question by Friday.

You will also note in viewing the spreadsheet that only three participants remain who still have the Swami Hex upon them; all others have fallen. I would be very concerned at this point if I was Mr. Mister, The Missing Link, and Back Nine Ben. The Hex is still upon you and only rolling with the Dolphins this weekend will remove the curse.

Playoff Rules Reminder: You may pick any team you either (1) did not use during the regular season or (2) picked between weeks one and nine. You may not use a team twice in the playoffs. Please remember that the pairings may shuffle in round two of playoffs depending on who wins (the NFL reseeds).

The cream has risen. The noose tightens further. Ber and Her is on the clock.

That is all.

The Root of the Conference Championship Playoff Round

Surely the good lord would not interrupt the greatest season in the history of the Spawn's life? So sayeth she, and so sayeth the good Rev, as our fearless foursome marches forward into battle for the 20th time this season.

For those keeping track at home, the surviving group is collectively 76-4 in picking winners this 2014-15 NFL season. Those be some mighty fancy numbers, and that's why they survive, and you are sitting home on the couch watching.

The Spawn is unfazed by her ill fortune last week. She merrily rolls forwards with the weight of the world on her shoulders: Patriots, Colts, Packers, Seahawks. Who to choose, who to choose.

In classic Spawn style ... the Patriots. Onward.

That is all.

Wednesday Taunt - Divisional Playoffs Round

We are down to our final fantastic four.

By virtue of the egg-laying in Denver, we bid adieu to Monkey, Hitman, and J-Ro, as well as to the unscathedness of the Spawn. We have four left, all with one loss, as we move forward to the Conference Championship Round of the NFL playoffs. Only two more games remain in the 2015 season.

Four left: Shiner, Pillow, Junior, and the Spawn.

Only time will tell which of the four will claim the solo mantle, or if we push forward into another year with a shared championship. Flame on, folks, it's clobberin' time.

That is all.

The Unholy Playoff Devastation

The devastation wrought by the Saints is nearly complete; eight of the nine remaining participants were riding the holiest franchise, the defending champs, the righteous ones, as the team itself rode into Seattle on a wave of public approval, expecting to dominate the lowly 7-9 division-winning Seahawks.

Together, they all rode right into their 2010 graves.

Only three remain, the two undefeated Lew teams and Back Nine Ben, who now has a significant amount of the good green heaped on the Ravens tomorrow, who were his pick. If they fail, we go into sudden death between the youngest and eldest of Clan Lew.

The end is near.

That is all.