Quick hits from around the league…
– When she participates, Ciara’s averaging 9.8 correct picks. Erin, our leader, is averaging 9.1.
-Congrats to Marie – no, not for anything to do with picking. Haha, not at all for her picking. No, congrats to Marie for including in her nickname the most obscure athlete reference that this league has ever seen: submarining setup man Darren O’Day.
-Cait, in a desperate attempt to get back in the fold, abandoned common sense and picked against the grain. This resulted in a four.
-For the past few weeks, Joe’s nicknames have been athletes not only that he adores, but also whose jersey numbers correspond with his previous week’s score. With a nine in Week 8, it won’t take a genius to figure out his nickname next time around.
-In just two weeks, Tim has gone from having the outright lead by two points, to four back and in a tie for fourth.
-What does two-straight nines by Dad and two-straight 10s by Mom mean in the grand scheme of things? Mom is now winning the Spousal War.
–Matt has been basing his nicknames off the same Raffi song for most of the year and has really been abusing the slant rhymes lately. Examples include “Seau” with “dayo” and “Favre” with “leotard.”
–Pat has picked the Cowboys every single week. Despite this. And this. And this and this.
McManus Picks 
Thank you. I don’t know what I enjoy the most about this blog. Every reference, every line is spot-on, to the point that I can sing each one perfectly in my head while reading how you wrote it. But what I want to know is, did you have to watch the movie over and over to get these so precise, Pat, or do you have them in YOUR head, too? Either way, it is the best gift a brother could give his 30-year-old sister.
In the interest of birthday self-interest, might I add a few of my own?
Every time I look at you, I don’t understand, WHY you let the THINGS you did get SO out of hand…
Re: Matt and his embarrassing nicknames.
There will be poor always, pathetically struggling…
Re: Ciara. This is a capitalistic picks league. We need bottom-dwellers. Don’t over-encourage her.
…Must you betray me [spoken]…with a keeesss [sung]?
Re: Joe saying Rondo is a Giants fan. Let the marital spats ensue.
[blow out old-fashioned match] Try not to get worried, try not to turn ON-to, problems that up-SET you..
Re: Caitlin. This is a patronizing quote because I’m secretly excited to be beating her so handily in all divisions.
Surely you’re not saying, we have the resources to save the poor from their lot?
Re: Pat’s reassurance of Marie.
Should I bring him down, should I scream and shout, should I speak of love, let my feelings out?
Re: Mom’s probable conflict over beating dad [thus far]. I’m sure she loves him so, but at the same time she wants to win. It’s tough.
Why waste your breath moaning at the crowd? NOTHING! can be done, to stop their shouting!
Re: Tim’s yell. I’m sure it will continue now that he has our attention.
I must be mad, thinking I’ll be remembered, yes, I must be out of my head!
Re: This major shout-out. I’m sure it’s a one-time thing, and next week, when I’m still in the lead, you’ll be reminding everyone once again that really even Ciara could be in the lead so it’s not that special that I am. But I’ll enjoy my moment in the spotlight. I will start out facing one way, manacled and beaten (by my OWN PEOPLE), then slowly rotate 180 degrees with my arms out so that when I face forward I am in a clean white robe with soft shiny hair and a benevolent look on my face, ready to listen as angel Judas and scantily clad other angels beseech me with a rock ‘n’ roll song to find out if I think I am who they say I am. Your words, not mine.