Friday Taunt II

Very little action in Week Two, thanks in large part to a pair of West Coast teams: the Raiders and Seahawks accounted for 79% of participant selections ... to great and glorious success. The remaining 21% took their chances on other squads, mostly victoriously.

Week Two Stats

159 participants

118 undefeated

40 with one loss

1 deceased

Sadly, the Back Nine was not kind to Ben's Bengals, Ice went the Rams, Dem Cowboys did not help D-White, Sleepytime the 26th was rendered comatose by the Tiger Stripes, the Giants were not so Rajdandy, and Lushing must have been inebriated to pick against the Beloveds and on the Chargers prior to Week Six, breaking the two most inviolate rules in the process.

Only one participant has fallen ... and we congratulate D-White 03 on claiming the Mr. Irrelevant prize for 2017. The Reaper welcomes you into black-cloaked arms.

That is all.

The Root of the Week II

In by-gone times, it was virtually unheard of for a participant of the Swami Pool to even consider the course of action that so many participants have chosen this week, Week the Second. Silver and Black? 'Twas not a team to be picked, 'twas instead a comely pair of comic book anti-heroines.

*Yes, these are actual comic characters and, yes, they are slated for their own movie as a spin-off of the Spider-Man cinematic universe. But I digress.

The smart money is coming in fast and furious on the Raidahs, pick after pick in email after email ... Raiders, Raiders, Raiders. There are two teams currently that break up the litany: Seahawks and Ravens also get a little bit of play. But the Raiders take the cake by wide margin.

The Raiders are good, yes, but this is more a statement methinks on the ineptitude of the J-E-T-S than any particular (circle of) excellence on the part of Carr's Company, but still.

Still.

The Reaper sharpens his scythe this week hoping for one, just one of the chosen three to fall ... he will be pleased if the silver and black or the Gang Green or the Edgar Allen Poe's drop-kick a few participants into the double loss, therefore granting just a little carnage this fine weekend in September.

In other news, the Swami will also go with the group in this Week the Second. He will be parking his faith in none other than the beautiful and semi-unimportant.

That is all, faithful subjects. Bid you adieu, until the morn.

That is all.

Swami

The Root of the Week XIII

For those who've survived long enough to see this point of the season in past years, which we lovingly call Marino Week in the Suicide Pool, you will know how ridiculous the pool becomes in the waning weeks of the regular season.

For those who are new, good luck to you. This is where the hair-pulling gets really intense.

Case in point: the first eight emails I received with picks had eight different teams selected. Bills, Jets, Chargers, Panthers, Broncos, Cowboys, 49ers, Packers, Lions, Patriots, Ravens. The Spawn? Slot them on the Raiders.

Light has struck, and the masses have scattered for cover. And so the only thing there is really for you to do, mister or missus surviving participant, is to hope and pray to whatever or whomever you pray to that the team you have selected survives. It's the only way to fly in Marino Week.

As I said, good luck to you.

That is all.

The Root of the Week VII

I considered referencing the USC win over the golden dome in this post, to revel in the sweet smell of victory and the absurdity that was the 9 point dog-status of the Men of Troy, but since there are not really any Notre Dame fans in the pool -- or perhaps any left in general, outside the media -- I decided to refrain. Therefore, I shall not mention USC's two touchdown win.

What I will talk about, however, is Week Seven of the NFL season, which sees the vast majority of participants on either the Saints or the Cowboys, and sometimes both. A handful of other choices represent a tiny fraction (Packers, Ravens, Steelers, etc), but if you're rooting, I'd root for the one you did not choose.

As for myself, in the spirit of all things Troy, I shall root for the first time for a team who I've long not thought of with any form of affection, despite a period of time spent in my backyard. However, a few recent changes in management and a significant change under center, and suddenly the squad becomes a whole lot more palatable.

Therefore, on the bandwagon of the Silver and Black I go.

That is all.