Charge!  Farnsworth Leads an Inspired Mob to the Top

Sabbe forgets picks as heirarchy continues to crumble

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

Normally you have your league leaders dominating from above, while the 

huddled masses circle the playoff line like a warm bonfire in the ghetto.  

Not this year.  Led by pool punk Scott Farnsworth, the people continued 

their charge on the elite in Week 14, making for what could be one of the 

most exciting finishes in FunkyHistory.  Papa Emerton retained his spot at 

the top, and his 14-point lead is significant, but 5 other players are 

within 25 points, and over half the pool still has a legit chance at winning 

the Slate.

    Profoundly symbolic of a collapsing establishment, Chris Sabbe missed 

the deadline for the first time in the 12-year history of this pool, and 

fell from 5th to 15th.  Eric Emerton finished the week in double-digits for 

the 8th time in 9 weeks.  Mr. Emerton finished in double-digits for the 5th 

straight week, and five playoff hopefulls gained at least 10 points on him.  

2nd place Diane Emerton followed a 20th place performance last week with a 

19th place this week.

    In the meantime, Bill Ellis has moved from 20th place (Week 8) to 2nd 

place; Hassanali has moved from 22nd place to 4th place in just 4 weeks; 

Mike Godsey has moved from 18th place to 5th; Patrick Godsey moved from 15th 

to 7th in just one week; and Tully Wyatt is on the right side of the playoff 

line after being in 19th place just two weeks ago.

    The amazing overall result is that 14 poolsters are within 50 points of 

the Slate, including two players who aren't even in the playoffs.  The 

playoff line is a remarkably low 41.

    Comparitively, last year, 5th place Diane was 53 points off the pace.  

In 2004, the runner-up was 63 points off the pace in Week 14.  In 2002, 2nd 

place was 23 out, and the playoff line was at 73.  In 2000, the playoff line 

was 81.  In 1999, the runner-up was 39 points off the pace.  In 1998, the 

runner-up was 35 out, and the playoff line was at 98.  In 1997, third place 

was 53 points out.  The only year that really compares to this one is 2003, 

when the playoff line was 50 -- and the actual playoff race was pure 

adulterated jumbled chaotic excitement.

     The top sidestory of the week, of course, was Sabbe's inability to 

submit his picks on time, which is technically an inaccurate story.  The 

real story, according to Sabbe, is that he failed to have his picks 

*received* on time.  He allegedly "texted" his picks to D.Oliver on Thursday

at 4:55, but the airport/airline/airplane wouldn't let the text go through 

for a few hours, after Sabbe landed.  The issue went to The Council, but 

Sabbe's appeal was denied.  The positive side of the story, if there is one,

is that JLee is now the pool's only true ironman.  Only JLee has made picks 

on each and every week since the pool began.

    There is still no word concerning why Sabbe waited until 4:55 to submit 

his picks.  Wego postulated that it was because Hassanali didn't email 

everybody with another Thursday warning, but this has not been confirmed.

    In any case, the pool's mascot for the week is Zack Schwartz, who wavers

between Jet Pride and ducking for safety, who is just 34 points away from a 

Slate in his first year, and yet 9 points away from being left out of the 

playoffs.  Good times are ahead.





Stats!

*****



Last season in Week 14, Money was 37 points off the lead, in 3rd place.

This season, in Week 14, Money is 35 points off the lead, in 9th place.



Last season, in Week 14, "46 points out" got Kurt Schwartz 4th place 

overall.

This season, in Week 14, "46 points out" gets you 14th place -- out of

playoffs.



This was Farnsworth's 4th career weekly win, tying Adam Jennings on the 

all-time list.



The Godsey brothers went the first 8 weeks without winning any money.  They 

have won money in all 6 weeks since then.



When Kathy heckled the Godsey brothers 5 weeks ago, and made "echoing"

sounds to Patrick, she was in 2th place overall, Patrick was in 23rd, and 

Mike was in 13th.



4 weeks ago, "Cowboy" Hassanali was in 22nd place, and Bill Ellis was 

in 

13th place.  They are now in 4th and 2nd place, respectively.



3 weeks ago, Zack, Wego, and Patrick were 20th, 21st, and 22nd overall.  Now 

they are in 7th, 8th, and 10th.



Eric Franzen finished in last place for (we think) the 18th of his career, 

tying Jennings for "first" all-time.  Adam, however, took 11 years to 

accomplish that many losses, while it took Franzen just 6.



Jen Retsek is the only one who hasn't won any money this year.  Last week 

she missed by a tiebreaker.  This week she missed by one point -- 2 points 

out of finishing in 3rd.



Jen is 0-13 with the Jaguars, which is, once again, some kind of new record.



Wego is 23-3 with Bay Area teams, 34-5 with Californian teams.



Adam Jennings (8-5) and Chris Sabbe (7-6) are the only players with a 

winning record on Atlanta.



Of the 571 points wagered on the Lions to win, 37 points have been returned.



JLee is 1-13 with his 3-pick.



Zack Schwartz is 2-11 with the Jag.

Kurt Schwartz is 3-10 with the Falcon.



Diane Emerton is 12-1 with the Steel.



Tully Wyatt is 12-0 with his 14-pick.



Zack Schwartz is the only one undefeated with both his 16- and 15-picks.



Kevin Sabbe, when he picks them, is picking exactly half of his games wrong.



More evidence that last year was "easy" (boring)?  Last year, JLee won

69% 

of his points, and finished in 16th place.  This year Robert Emerton is 

dominating the pool with 67% of his points won.  (Last year, E won the 

regular season with 76% of his points won.)











If Only...



Last week, Tully Wyatt would have won the week if his wife's Broncos had 

won.

This week, Kathy Wyatt would have won the week if her husband's Dolphins had

lost.



Kathy would have also won the week if the Niners had won at home.

Or if the Texans had won, at home.

Or the Lions.  At home.



Zack Schwartz would've won if the Skins had won.  At home.



And finally, if the Cowboys had beaten the Saints, Jen Retsek (!) wins the 

week.  Sorry, still no money.



In fact, according to Jen, she would've finally won money if the Bucs, Jets,

Lions, Patriots, Cowboys, Redskins, or Seahawks had won.





POW!



After 12 years with only 2 POWs, the "new" D.Oliver was just honored with

his third Pick of the Week of the season.  He's having a good time.  Just 

like two weeks ago, it was DO's NO pick that did the job.



Mike Schussel, meanwhile, found it necessary to put large amounts of points 

on the RoadBrowns and nobody really seems to know why.  For this the pool 

gives him a pink, sticker-bordered carnival mirror -- for reflection.





Next Week!



Schuss's Texans at Sully's Pats.

Dolphins at Bills.

Zack's Jets at Kevin's Vikings.

Godsey's Eagles at Mr. Emerton's Giants

Jen's Rams at Raider Nation.



Jenaroo to miss the Jags for the 14th straight time?

Game of the Week, declared by D.Oliver, is Cincy at Indy.  Thursday night.  

Be there.









Remember that picks are due every Thursday from now on.