Cheer On Your Favorite FOFCer

[Dr. Sak]

In The Bleachers (college football blog) is running a pick em contest. A few of the particpants are members of FOFC. Here are the Bios of everyone involved.

The rules for this contest is simple, pick the correct winners to the In The Bleachers games of the week each week. There is no picking against the spread, winners only. This season we are going to spice up this contest. Instead of just the esteemed In The Bleachers experts making the picks and competing against each other, we have recruited several prominent Bloggers, a few Average Joe’s (one is female), and Bruce Feldman from ESPN.com to join in on this contest.

To the victor go the spoils. The prize for winning this contest is your choice of either one of Bruce Feldman’s books (Meat Market or Cane Mutiny). I will buy it and send it directly to you. If Bruce wins, I will buy the first runner up either book, and I will work out something for Bruce to get as the winner. So without any further wait, the biographies of the contestants of In The Bleachers First Annual Operation Pick Em Contest.

The Pro
Bruce Feldman has agreed to join us and is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. He started at ESPN in 1994. He spent much of the last two years in the South working on his book, "Meat Market: A Season Inside College Football's No. 1 Recruiting Machine". His first book, "Cane Mutiny: How the Miami Hurricanes Overturned the Football Establishment" made it to No. 1 among sports titles in the fall of 2004. Bruce also has his own college football blog on ESPN.com’s Insider Page.

In The Bleachers Bloggers
Brian Sakowski is the host of the In The Bleachers Podcast and a writer on the blog. Brian has played football on both the high school and collegiate levels but still does not have the straight ahead speed that Joe Paterno has when he runs down officials. He is also attracted to busty strippers, but normally does not date girls of that particular body type. Brian’s love for Penn State has gotten him in trouble for openly drinking at an Ohio State game and almost got him kicked out of the Orange Bowl for explaining to a Florida State fan that he should not flip off a group full of Nittany Lion fans when he is the sole Seminole fan.

Charlie Swager is a regular on the In The Bleachers Podcast and another writer for the blog. As we all know Charlie is a huge Mountaineers fan, but being displaced in North Carolina, the heart of ACC country does wonders for his criminal record when he burns couches on the front porch after big WVU wins. For fun Charlie likes to watch Grey’s Anatomy with his dog Izzy, only switching over to Thursday night college football on commercials.

The size of Emmitt Smith, but with twice the huggableness, Furman grad Chris Mason began his odd journey to sports bloggerism almost by accident. Knowing very little about playing football, his career consisting of nothing more than street football, he spent his formative ( i.e. college) years discussing football (or at least non-football issues) on the boards of the FOFC. After meeting Brian on the board (and seeing him in airport bathrooms), Chris begged and was granted the honor of occasionally posting his thoughts to the little known (but meekly influential) blog Smart Guys Sports. After doing everything he could to sink the blog (eventually succeeding), Chris followed Brian over to the ITB podcast two seasons ago. While a regular on the podcast, Chris does everything he can to avoid writing words on the Internet. His contributions vary from 1-AA discussion to offhanded remarks about the cup sizes of football players. Chris created a shrine to Chuck Whitehurst, successfully predicted the success of Matt Ryan, belittled the Big East, and became the first member of ITB to be violated by a pet on air. He has been quoted by Kirk Herbstreit, though Kirk will never admit it (though Chris loves the Herpes... I mean Herbies Award).

Other Notable Bloggers
John Radcliff runs the Mountainliar as well as spreads his expertise on the AOL Fanhouse site. John was the winner of last season’s ITB Bowl Bonanza and wants to continue his winning ways to this year’s pick’em game. Word has it he once got so drunk during a West Virginia game that he lit the couch on fire while he was still sitting on it. Good news is he was able to escape it unhurt.

Adam Nettina runs the blog Pitch Right, which is a blog dedicate to Navy Football. He will have a beef with one of the average joe’s because he claims the triple option trumps the run and shoot. This is where rivaries are born, and speaking of rivalries he also claims Army vs Navy is better than Ohio State vs Michigan. I agree with him on that claim.

Mike Rizzo has a blog called Rizzo Sports, and has a weekly television show on Family Life TV. Rizzo has a niche for doing excellent scouting within the ranks of college cheerleaders. On Saturdays you can usually find him hiding under that tent that Charlie Weis calls a sweatshirt, since he still cannot understand that he can get into the game by buying a ticket.

Jim Gindin is no stranger to the world of college football as he has written numerous pro football text sims and one college football text sim over at Solecismic Software. He has recently started his own football blog called Football Frontier. I like Jim even though he is a Wolverine fan and in that state they have a knack for adding a few seconds to the clock when the home team needs it.

Tony Delbusso is from Sportsbone.tv and it was originally created 4 years ago as an outlet for the weekly College and NFL pick predictions against the Vegas spread. Since that time those fortunate enough to take advantage of his knack for picking games reaped the rewards on the gambling scene. In addition to his weekly picks and newsletter, Sportsbone.tv has evolved into full blown project that includes its own College and NFL TV show that features news, injuries and fantasy analysis.

Average Joe’s
Cyril Tircuit was born and raised in New Orleans. Grew up as an LSU fan, but as he got older, he wanted to support a team that he had a personal connection. He started dating a woman who had just graduated from Memphis, and she moved to New Orleans to attend grad school at Tulane. Those became his favorite teams, and he only has a passing interest in LSU now. His favorite offense to watch is the run-and-shoot, but since pretty much nobody does that anymore, he tends to watch football while he’s curled up in the corner and crying his eyes out. You can find him mentioned in the Nielsen TV ratings as "that weird guy crying in the corner and watching Conference USA crap." He firmly believes that the 2009 national champion will come from either Conference USA or the Sun Belt, and he will stand by this opinion until Week 2 of the 2009 season.

Greg Gowins works as a computer technology consultant, based in the Austin, TX area, and has clients worldwide. His love of technology is exceeded only by his love of college football. With the advent of DVRs and multi-tuner satellite dishes, he watches as many games as he can. In addition, he runs a weekly college football Top 25 poll at Front Office Football Central, as well as serves as commissioner of the FOFC-BBCF, an online, virtual simulation of college football, utilizing Bowl Bound College Football from Grey Dog Software. Greg is a Texas Longhorns fan. Hook ‘em Horns!!

Lorena The Dodgerchick is a college football n00b. She has been married for about 8 years and has a couple of kids... one of each. She was pushed... err, introduced to sports in 1994 when her husband made her... err invited her to watch the Chargers. It didn't take long before she started playing FBPro, calling plays and drafting players. She is now playing BBCF and joined a league where she is the coach of the Air Force Falcons. Her team won the conference last year, but is a woeful 0-2 this season and she is starting to think it is her fault.

http://inthebleachers.net/pick-em-co...e-contestants/

[wbatl1]

Just to clarify, I recognize two folks...are there more that are real names for people here at FOFC? and are you brian sakowski?

[Pumpy Tudors]

What kind of fucking moron thinks that the national champion will come from Conference USA or the Sun Belt?

[Dr. Sak]

bsak16 = Brian Sakowski
Swaggs = Charlie Swager
EasyMac = Chris Mason
Cartman = Greg Gowins
Dodgerchick = Lorena
Pumpy Tudors = Cyril Tircuit

And everyone knows Jim Gindin.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by bsak16

And everyone knows Jim Gindin.

Everyone except for terpkristin, apparently.

[wbatl1]

Originally Posted by bsak16

bsak16 = Brian Sakowski
Swaggs = Charlie Swager
EasyMac = Chris Mason
Cartman = Greg Gowins
Dodgerchick = Lorena
Pumpy Tudors = Cyril Tircuit

And everyone knows Jim Gindin.

Thanks. I obviously knew Jim, but only recognized Cartman and Dodgerchick.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Everyone except for terpkristin, apparently.

Oh no you di'int!!

[Antmeister]

This should be fun, especially when I pick against the wife.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

This should be fun, especially when I pick against the wife.

What are you talking about? You're not even on the list.

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by Dodgerchick

What are you talking about? You're not even on the list.

Thanks for blowing my cover. I wanted people to think I was one of the entrants, you arse.

[Pumpy Tudors]

After giving it additional thought, I think I might drop out if jbmagic doesn't sign on to pick games with us.

[Antmeister]

Unfortuanately all the Average Joes are going to suck except Greg. I think Pumpy knows way more about Arena Football and hockey and DC is probably going to flip a coin. Greg is your best bet, but he is going to be ridiculous when picking a game with the Longhorns. However Greg is a college football junkie.

[Antmeister]

But I will give DC moral support because now she is probably going to learn as much as possible about college football and shove it in my face later on.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Wait, you mean we're not picking Arena Football? What the hell? I should've known something was up when they asked me to sign on 5 months before the start of the season.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Thanks for blowing my cover. I wanted people to think I was one of the entrants, you arse.

I can see how some people might confuse someone named Brian with ANTmeister... right.

Originally Posted by Antmeister

But I will give DC moral support because now she is probably going to learn as much as possible about college football and shove it in my face later on.

That's more like it, thanks Buh

[korme]

Originally Posted by bsak16

bsak16 = Brian Sakowski
Swaggs = Charlie Swager
EasyMac = Chris Mason
Cartman = Greg Gowins
Dodgerchick = Lorena
Pumpy Tudors = Cyril Tircuit

And everyone knows Jim Gindin.

Shit I thought I missed some but I recognized everyone's real name, except for cartman but using context clues figured Greg was cartman.

[vtbub]

Hey, where's my prize for beating all of you last year?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by vtbub

Hey, where's my prize for beating all of you last year?

I'll be over in about a week. I'm still waiting for the leather suspenders to arrive from backorder.

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by Dodgerchick

I can see how some people might confuse someone named Brian with ANTmeister... right.

Well you missed this name: Tony Delbusso

Isn't Tony short for Anthony. Awww, you just got moded!

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Well you missed this name: Tony Delbusso

Isn't Tony short for Anthony. Awww, you just got moded!

If you get kicked out of the house, you can crash on my couch tonight

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Dodgerchick

That's more like it, thanks Buh

Am I the only one that caught this? Is this some sort of odd pet name? Should we all start calling Antmeister "Buh"?

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by cartman

If you get kicked out of the house, you can crash on my couch tonight

Thanks sir.

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Am I the only one that caught this? Is this some sort of odd pet name? Should we all start calling Antmeister "Buh"?

It just has to be a typo.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by cartman

If you get kicked out of the house, you can crash on my couch tonight

But, you must be off of the couch by tomorrow evening, when I burn it to celebrate WVU's opening game victory over WMU.

[Dr. Sak]

Week 1 picks are posted on ITB

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

What kind of fucking moron thinks that the national champion will come from Conference USA or the Sun Belt?

Yeah, what a maroon.

[JeeberD]

Cheer on my favorite FOFCer? What are you talking about? I don't see a single mention of Farrah in this thread...

[st.cronin]

This is a strange thread.

[Antmeister]

Okay, Dodgerchick is leading this thing and she head has grown slightly. It's still early, but the fact that she is leading the pack is confusing considering we don't even have cable at this point and we aren't huge college football fans. But all of the sudden, she is researching teams and going by gut feelings. Plus she is beating me in Yahoo Pickem so this may be a long year. I may have no bragging rights this year.


Operation Pick Em - Week 6 Results

by Brian Sakowski @ 12:19 pm. Filed under Pick Em Contest
One of the Average Joe’s and our only female member is now in first.
1. Lorena The Dodgerchick - 31-15 (6-1)
2. Bruce Feldman - 30-16 (4-3)
3t. Jim Gindin - 29-17 (3-4)
3t. Mike Rizzo - 29-17 (5-2)
5t. Adam Nettina - 28-18 (4-3)
5t. Tony Delbusso - 28-18 (5-2)
7t. Greg Gowins - 27-19 (4-3)
7t. Charlie Swager - 27-19 (6-1)
9. John Radcliff - 26-20 (5-2)
10. Jon Johnston - 24-22 (3-4)
11t. Brian Sakowski - 23-23 (4-3)
11t. Chris Mason - 23-23 (5-2)
11t. Cyril Tircuit - 23-23 (0-6)

[Antmeister]

Oh and go Dodgerchick....hooray!

[Lorena]

Yikes! Ant if you cursed me, some shizznit is going down.

[MikeVic]

This Cyril guy ain't doing so hot.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I thought I was supposed to name the loser of each game. I actually got all my picks right!

[cartman]

Maybe I need to start picking the teams based on who has the prettiest uniforms...

[Antmeister]

Okay, you guys gotta do something. As it stands now, Dodgerchick will take sole position of first place. Last week she was tied for first as seen below:

Operation Pick Em - Week 9 Results

by Brian Sakowski @ 6:50 am. Filed under Pick Em Contest
Once again everyone got burned with Connecticut beating South Florida, and only one person got the Georgia-Florida game correct. Here are the standings after Week 9.
1t. Mike Rizzo - 39-23 (4-4)
1t. Lorena The Dodgerchick - 39-23 (5-3)
3t. Adam Nettina - 38-24 (4-4)
3t. Greg Gowins - 38-24 (6-2)
5. Jim Gindin - 37-25 (5-3)
6t. Bruce Feldman - 36-26 (2-6)
6t. Tony Delbusso - 36-26 (3-5)
8. Charlie Swager - 35-27 (3-5)
9. John Radcliff - 33-29 (4-4)
10t. Brian Sakowski - 31-31 (2-6)
10t. Chris Mason - 31-31 (3-5)
11. Cyril Tircuit - 30-32 (3-5)
12. Jon Johnston - 29-33 (2-6)



But right now she is about to be 8-0 for this week if Oklahoma holds that 35-7 lead against Texas A&M:
Lorena The Dodgerchick - Navy, Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio State, LSU, Oregon

I am not going to hear the end of it if she continues to dominate you guys. WTF?! We don't even watch college football unless it is a good bowl game.

[Antmeister]

Dodgerchick....obliterating thte competition one game at a time.

Operation Pick Em - Week 10 Results

by Brian Sakowski @ 7:21 am. Filed under Pick Em Contest
This week Lorena picked all 8 games correct and no one finished the week below .500.
1. Lorena The Dodgerchick - 47-23 (8-0)
2t. Mike Rizzo - 45-25 (6-2)
2t. Greg Gowins - 45-25 (7-1)
4. Jim Gindin - 44-26 (7-1)
5. Adam Nettina - 43-27 (5-3)
6t. Bruce Feldman - 42-28 (6-2)
6t. Charlie Swager - 42-28 (7-1)
8. Tony Delbusso - 41-29 (5-3)
9. John Radcliff - 38-32 (5-3)
10. Chris Mason - 36-34 (5-3)
11t. Brian Sakowski - 35-35 (4-4)
11t. Cyril Tircuit - 35-35 (5-3)
11t. Jon Johnston - 35-35 (6-2)

[cartman]

Hey, I was only one game off of perfection. I should have taken the pretty uniforms in Oregon instead of counting on the defense of Arizona State...

[Dr. Sak]

This is the exact reason I don't get into NCAA basketball polls....because I SUCK!

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by cartman

Hey, I was only one game off of perfection. I should have taken the pretty uniforms in Oregon instead of counting on the defense of Arizona State...

Well there aren't that many weeks of football left and if she ends up beating all you guys, she is not going to let me live it down.....ever! And you are going to get all the reverberation that bounces off me. And it will probably the first time I see her do the "Cabbage Patch" and the "Roger Rabbit" at the same time, as she beats me in Yahoo pickem as well.

[Dr. Sak]

Well if you slip me a few bucks i can extend this into the bowl season. I never did say when the Pick Em ended...whether is be regular season or end of the bowl season.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by cartman

Hey, I was only one game off of perfection. I should have taken the pretty uniforms in Oregon instead of counting on the defense of Arizona State...

Yeah, too bad that defense didn't show up on Thursday!

[TazFTW]

Boise State @ Hawaii
-Ian Johnson proposes to Colt Brennan’s girlfriend after the game. Broncos by 14. - Chris, In The Bleachers
-The cinderella season ends for Hawaii this week. Broncos know how to win games like this. -Brian, In The Bleachers
-Boise State — If Hawaii can win this, I think they are deserving of a BCS bid. The Broncos have had an amazing run over the past few seasons–I think they can handle Hawaii’s attack. - Charlie, In The Bleachers
-Boise St. isn’t going to let any mid-major go undefeated on their watch. -Mike Rizzo, Rizzo Sports
-Boise State - Because Hawaii hasn’t proven it can beat anyone. Jim, Football Frontier
- The dream season comes to an end for the Warriors. - Greg, Average Joe

::cough::

Pumpy and Dodgerchick are awesome.

[Dr. Sak]

The final results are posted...

http://inthebleachers.net/pick-em-co...mpion-crowned/

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Unfortuanately all the Average Joes are going to suck except Greg. I think Pumpy knows way more about Arena Football and hockey and DC is probably going to flip a coin. Greg is your best bet, but he is going to be ridiculous when picking a game with the Longhorns. However Greg is a college football junkie.

Ahem.... AHEM.... AHEM... you were saying?! You should have known better than to underestimat your own wife, you know how competitive I am. And just a reminder, I'm whoopin' your ass in Yahoo pickem

[Dr. Sak]

The funny thing about this is that Swaggs and I had to plead with Dodgerchick to join. If I recall correctly she said no at first.

[cartman]

The two weeks before the end of the season doomed me. I finished strong with a perfect week, but that wasn't enough.

Gratz, DC!

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by bsak16

The funny thing about this is that Swaggs and I had to plead with Dodgerchick to join. If I recall correctly she said no at first.

lol!! that's right, I did!

When I got the PM from Swaggs I told Antmeister if I end up doing it, I'll probably flip a coin and lucky for me it worked out in my favor the first week. The rest of the weeks I looked at the rankings and usually went with the higher ranked team. If they were closely ranked, I looked at who they played, how they lost/won against ranked teams and went with the numbers; if they were too close, I went with my gut. I took home field advantage if the numbers were too close.

Another think I noticed was that there was a trend of #2 losing and figured whoever was #2 was cursed and went with it... sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Congratulations, Dodgerchick. I'll be over with your prize in about 3 or 4 business days. I'm just waiting for that crate of Cheez Whiz we talked about to arrive. Once it gets here, I'll pack it up with all the other toys -- er, I mean items -- and the fun can begin.

By the way, I hope you got that 440-volt outlet installed, because I got shit over here that's gonna rust if it doesn't get used soon.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Jeez, I just looked at the standings. I was dead last. I dare you to try this shit with Arena Football come February. I'll kick all y'alls asses.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Jeez, I just looked at the standings. I was dead last. I dare you to try this shit with Arena Football come February. I'll kick all y'alls asses.

Try me, I'll be down for it if you set it up... and I don't know shit about Arena football either.