McManus Picks

Picks

Sorry I didn’t get these up before Thursday night’s game.  Just pick the Steelers and everyone will get a bonus point this week.

Also, I think we should officially launch the Nickname Contest this year.  That way we can have new names – selected by you, the fan – that will define us throughout the season, whether we like it or not.  (Suggestion for Ciara: “I ♥ Scheyer/DMB! LOL”)

Week 17 results

For some reason, Tim picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals.  If he hadn’t, we’d still be playing.  He came one questionable pick away from pulling off an improbable comeback.  Alas.

Here are the final standings.  I held on for my third title in five years.  Is it a dynasty?  Yes.

Other, less important news

-Cait had another impressive week and, combined with Mom’s unimpressive week, easily took home the Pink Tiara (a.k.a. the Lady Byng trophy).  Cait ended the season with a streak of six-consecutive double-digit finishes, the longest such streak for anyone all year.  Dad finished third in the Lady Byng division, although that’s a little unfair because his travel schedule was the McManus Picks equivalent of losing Tom Brady.

-Ciara barely got her picks in but managed to finish with a bang.  Her 11 was just her third double-digit performance of the year.  Let’s hope it helped her pride, because she was mathematically guaranteed last place a couple weeks ago.

-Eric Mangini is fat.  Brett Favre’s friends are all jeans models.

…are now available.  Mine are already in, so if you want to make up some ground on me, you’ll get the opportunity to strategize.  This is the last week, meaning a champion will be crowned Sunday night…unless there’s a tie (Matt, I’m looking at you).

Week 16 results

Leaderboard

Picks for the final week will be coming soon.  All the games are on Sunday, so there’s no rush to get them in.  That will give you all plenty of time to think really hard about how you can take me down.  Here are the possibilities…

Ciara (115)

Mathematically eliminated

Erin (139)

Mathematically eliminated

Dad (141)

Mathematically eliminated

Mom (148)

Needs to score at least 12 better than Pat, at least 9 better than Tim, Matt, and Joe, and at least 3 better than Cait.

Cait (151)

Needs to score at least 9 better than Pat, at least 6 better than Tim, Matt, and Joe, and no more than three worse than Mom.

Tim, Matt, and Joe (157)

Needs to score at least 3 better than Pat, at least the same as each other, no more than 6 worse than Cait, and no more than 9 better than Mom.

Pat (160)

Needs to score no more than 3 worse than Tim, Matt, and Joe, no more than 9 worse than Cait, and no more than 12 worse than Mom.

Onomatopoeia aside, this sure was a crazy week.  Check out our Bizzaro World results, with the ladies sweeping the top four spots and the men lallygagging behind.  Now I’ve seen everything!

Even though the most I can do is tie my season-low, Matt, Tim, and Joe failed to capitalize.  My lead will be extended to three going into the final week.  Likewise, Cait will lead Mom by three in the women’s division.

Everyone has the Bears tonight, so this week’s standings won’t change.  Not very climactic.  However, a couple of things remain in the balance.  If the Packers win, no one will have reached double digits.  That would be just the third time that’s happened all year.  Furthermore – if the Packers win – Dad will have set a new low (4) for someone who actually submitted picks.  Let’s all root for the Bears (unless you’re a jerk).

Week 15 Results: Scrooged quotes edition

“Go back to Jersey, ya moron!”

Mom (8)

This one goes to Mom, who posted an embarrassing 8 this week.  Not only is she now three behind Cait for the lead in the women’s division, she’s dangerously close to losing her spousal bragging rights.  Dad’s only two back of our favorite Bruce Springsteen fan.

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“Oh my Gosh.  Does that suck.”

Dad (9), Joe (9)

Dad’s 9 might have been enough to close the gap a little on Mom, but not enough to make us forget that he’s still losing to two girls.  Joe’s 9 has caused him to slip from first to fourth in a matter of two weeks.  However, he’s still just three back with two weeks to go.

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“Was it the homecoming episode of…”

“Yes, it was the homecoming episode of Little House.”

Erin (10), Cait (10)

Our two biggest Little House fans tied this week (Dad: “That’s so cute!”).  Cait’s had an underrated year and is just two weeks away from taking home the women’s division tiara.  If she were an Ingalls, she’d be Laura (intelligent).  If Erin were an Ingalls – based on her performance this year – she’d be Mary (blind).

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“Honey, how many fingers does Mrs. Santa Claus have here?”

“Eleven.”

“Eleven, right.  It’s crap.”

Matt (11), Pat (11)

Eleven was not crap for Matt and me this week, but it did mean we tied again.  I’m starting to think Matt and I are in-cahoots nincompoops.

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“If I were in charge…and I AM.”

Tim (12)

To Tim, who’s been in charge the past two weeks with consecutive 12-point performances.  He seems to be gaining momentum at just the right time.  If he were still in charge of tallying the results, this would be the time when I would start to accuse him of cheating.

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“Niagara Falls, Frankie angel.”

Ciara (0)

Ciara can claim she was “touched by a gift” all she wants.  It’ll be Niagara Falls for her the next time she looks at the leaderboard.

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If you have any nickname ideas, you can send them in here.  There is now a Nickname Contest page to make it easier to find.  We’ve had just one entry so far, so keep them coming.

Again, you don’t have to think of a nickname for everybody at once.  If you have one you’re dying to get off your chest, like Tim “Lost-to-50-year-old-man-in-Turkey-Trot” McManus, you can send that in whenever you want.  You can also send in as many as you want, we’ll just close the entry at some point and put together all the responses.

Just don’t hurt each other’s feelings/pride.  Hahaha, just kidding.

Week 14 results: “Christmas Vacation Quotes” Edition

(good luck finding the link)

“I hope no one I know sees me standing in the yard staring at the house in my pajamas.”

Ciara (9), Erin (9), Joe (9)

“I’m sure he’ll fall, but I don’t think we’re lucky enough to have him break his neck.”

Dad (10)

“Are you serious, Clark?”

Cait (11), Mom (11), Matt (11)

“Ugh.  And why is the carpet all wet, Todd?”

“I don’t know, Margo!”

Tim (12), Pat (12)

Bonus Quote

“The little lights…are not twinkling.”

Jeremiah (0)

Tonight’s game will break a four-way tie in two.   Cait, Tim, Matt, and I all have 11 heading into the Bucs/Panthers game.  Cait and Matt have the Bucs, Tim and I have the Panthers.

Assured of a last-place finish, Joe will be supplanted as quickly as he was planted.  If the Bucs win, Matt’s the new leader.  If the Panthers win, I’m the new leader.  But since Matt and I love to be co-leaders, I’m sure they’ll find a way to tie.

Also, who the buzz is Jeremiah?  I ended up deleting him entirely because I couldn’t figure out what he was doing there.  By process of elimination (and against all my logical thought), I originally assumed it was Matt.  But when Matt entered his picks Sunday afternoon, I went into a small tizzy trying to figure out what was going on.  Any information in regard to Jeremiah and his appearance on our picks sheet would be greatly appreciated.

Good news!  The videos work now.  They still don’t work on YouTube because the NFL and MLB are really annoying about copyright infringement, but I was able to upload them through WordPress.

Check them out and let me know if they work for you.  Now that I know I can post them on this site maybe I’ll make another one soon.  Any requests or suggestions are welcome.  If you have any criticisms you can tell them to the one-legged man so he can bump ’em down the road.  Oops, sorry Dad.