Crowded Underwagon Drives Ellis to FunkyBowl XI

--------------------------------

After a rare, almost bizarre, instance of all four poolsters picking the 

underdog (the Saints) for a Conference Championship game, Bill Ellis was 

guaranteed a spot in FunkyBowl XXI on Sunday.  Ellis was the only one of the 

four leaders who made a move last week (with the Patriots), and that pick 

not only earned him a spot in the Final Four, but somehow gave him 

Championship Sunday completely off.

    On Thursday, "SportsGuy" Bill Simmons wrote about the Saints game 

that 

"I can't remember a bigger bandwagon pick in all the years I've been

writing 

this column. Even if you check any gambling site that gives you the 

percentage of money being wagered on each team, the Saints are getting 68-75 

percent of the action. Everyone has them pencilled in for Miami."  And sure

enough, all four of our poolsters followed suit.  Did Ellis fall for the 

jazz, too, or was he a genius who knew that all three snipers would use that 

game as their "make a move" game and cover them up?  We'll never know.

     What we do know is that there is now only 1 spot for the other 3 

poolsters, and ironically, 4th place Robert Hassanali has the best shot.  

He's the only one to pick the Patriots in the 2nd game, and so if they win, 

he's in.  Eric Emerton's wife and father will have to battle it out in the

Bears/Saints game just for a chance to cheer for the Colts.







Bears/Diane hold off march of the Saints/Robert Emerton

------------------------------

Needing the Bears to win (or lose by 3 or fewer points), Diane survived a 

Saint comeback midway through the game, and then coasted to an easy victory 

over her father-in-law.  Though he's just two points behind Diane with a 

game to go, Mr. Emerton is eliminated from this year's pool.  Diane needs 

the favored Colts to win the second game to go to her second straight 

FunkyBowl.

    Robert Emerton's season ends in the Final Four for the 3rd straight 

season.  Following the likes of Peyton Manning and Karl Malone, Emerton is 

now faced with the possible "Hall of Famer without a Slate" label unless

he 

comes through in the next year or two.





Colts/Diane come back to stun Patriots/Robert Hassanali

--------------------------

Needing an Indianapolis victory, Diane rode her Colts all the way back from 

a 21-3 deficit to earn her second straight trip to the FunkyBowl.

    A certainly devastated Hassanali finally crashed after an epic rush from 

20th place.  Though a almost-sealed Patriot victory would've put Hassanali 

in the FunkyBowl (just 9 points behind Ellis), he ultimately finishes in 4th 

place, his best placing in his four years in the pool.  If he had just 

picked the favorites for 3, he would be in the FunkyBowl, virtually tied 

with Ellis.  Just saying.





Ellis and Diane Return to the FunkyBowl

----------------------------

Slate-holder Bill Ellis and last year's runner-up Diane Emerton will meet 

for the first time in a historic clash between modern-day FMNFLP 

heavyweights.

     After 5 initial seasons of mediocrity, Ellis finished 5th in 2003, won 

the Slate in 2004, and made  a late playoff rush to 3rd place last year.  

Ellis is now looking to achieve legendary status; a win will make him just 

the 4th multi-Slate winner, joining Money Retsek, Chris Sabbe, and Eric 

Emerton (all future Hall of Famers).

    After 3 initial seasons of putridity, Diane finished a respectable 7th 

in 2003, made the Final Four in 2004, and then finished 2nd last season.

    There is a huge difference, however, for Diane this year.  As opposed to 

the 60-point deficit last year (dreaming for a SuperPick), Diane is just 14 

points back this year.  The lead is a comfortable one for Ellis, but by no 

means secure.  Any significant pick for the team that Ellis does not pick 

will give Diane a chance to cheer for a Super Bowl team rather than an exact 

score.  If she picks the same team as Ellis, though, she'll probably have to

hope for the SuperPick.

    Will she just pick the outcome she predicts, or will she try to pick 

opposite of Ellis?  Will Ellis just pick the outcome he predicts, or will he 

try to pick the same team as Diane?  After all, he knows that Diane knows 

that he knows that Diane knows that if he picks the same exact pick that she 

does, he automatically wins the Slate.  Again.



Congratulations to Robert and Robert for an outstanding season, and

a SUPERcongratulations to Diane and Ellis for an impressive return to the 

Big Game.



We'll see y'all in 2 weeks.