WOV 2023 NFL Playoff Picks Game

I propose we extend the deadline for making our picks until 5 PM on Monday.

not making contact, so we have to worry if Mission is OK

In the late 1980s, a bar near Wall Street ran a $ 1,000-a-box pool with just four prizes. The day before the game, the bar manager called in to report he'd been in a minor car accident and wouldn't be in that day. He, and the money, was never seen again, although a mysterious postcard from Australia was received that summer.
Many of the participants felt the owners of the bar should make up the money. I don't believe they did.

This has nothing to do with the present situation. I just like the story.

About ten years ago, a bar in Rockaway Beach had its SB pool robbed at gunpoint.
The bar was a known IRA stronghold and the three robbers were dark-skinned individuals. The bar covered the money, and rumors abounded of street justice.

Not sure this was the right time for these stories. The imply something, whether intended or not.

Besides, the winnings are mostly Mission's money, so it's not even worth considering.

Just hoping he's okay at this point.

Quote: Vegasbrent

Not sure this was the right time for these stories. The imply something, whether intended or not.

Besides, the winnings are mostly Mission's money, so it's not even worth considering.

Just hoping he's okay at this point.
link to original post

I don't think anyone is concerned with mission running off with his money. Would June be a better time to talk about super bowl pools?

I'm sorry you missed my point.

My focus will be on Mission, and I've said all I want to say about your stories.

I exchanged some PMs with Mission earlier in the week. He mentioned that he was finally completely recovered from Covid and was feeling good.* That doesn't guarantee that's he's okay now, but it does have significance.

We might want to have a backup plan if his absence continues into Saturday. Given that Ed Collins, Wizard and I are all eliminated, perhaps one of us could post the lines on ATS, O/U, moneyline and a selection of prop bets (a zillion of which have been posted in another thread.) I would nominate EdCollins to do that, because of his role in this contest. None of us know what Mission had intended for Prop bets, and we all hope he shows up and posts them himself - but I propose that we're in "Contingency Planning" mode.

* Technically I'm in violation of a rule by quoting a PM, but I am assuming this is innocuous.

Quote: gordonm888

Given that Ed Collins, Wizard and I are all eliminated, perhaps one of us could post the lines on ATS, O/U, moneyline and a selection of prop bets (a zillion of which have been posted in another thread.)

I can't imagine anyone would have a problem with that.

It is a good contingency plan.

Quote: gordonm888

I exchanged some PMs with Mission earlier in the week. He mentioned that he was finally completely recovered from Covid and was feeling good.* That doesn't guarantee that's he's okay now, but it does have significance.

We might want to have a backup plan if his absence continues into Saturday. Given that Ed Collins, Wizard and I are all eliminated, perhaps one of us could post the lines on ATS, O/U, moneyline and a selection of prop bets (a zillion of which have been posted in another thread.) I would nominate EdCollins to do that, because of his role in this contest. None of us know what Mission had intended for Prop bets, and we all hope he shows up and posts them himself - but I propose that we're in "Contingency Planning" mode.

* Technically I'm in violation of a rule by quoting a PM, but I am assuming this is innocuous.
link to original post

Sounds like a good idea.

I'm sorry about the absence. I've got people (not here) bombarding me with stuff now that I'm back in commission from the covid. 

Greetings!

The Super Bowl Lines are as follows:

Chiefs +1.5 -100
Eagles -1.5 -100

Chiefs @ Eagles OVER 51 -100
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100

Chiefs TO WIN +115
Eagles TO WIN -115

Game Props:
A.) Both Teams to score 25+ Points YES +215
B.) Both Teams to Score 30+ Points YES +500
C.) Overtime YES +1100
D.) EITHER team to score 30+ YES -140
E.) Will there be a Pick Six? YES +600
F.) First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500
G.) Both Teams Score on Their First Drive? YES +300
H.) Safety YES +1000

Player Props:
I.) Jalen Hurts 300+ Passing Yards YES +310
J.) Patrick Mahomes 300+ Passing Yards YES +100
K.) AJ Brown 100+ Receiving Yards YES +230
L.) JuJu Smith-Schuster 75+ Receiving Yards YES +400
M.) Travis Kelce 100+ Receiving Yards YES +145
N.) Jalen Hurts 75+ Rushing Yards YES +340
O.) Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175
P.) Isiah Pacheco 75+ Rushing Yards YES +360

Oh, and the deadline can be up 5:00p.m. EST Sunday.

Quote: Mission146

Oh, and the deadline can be up 5:00p.m. EST Sunday.
link to original post

Welcome back. I hope you are feeling well and are on the road to recovery.

Happy you're on the mend and good to hear from you.

Thanks for posting the lines and props!

Hey Gang,

Just now catching up on the last two pages worth of discussion. I was sent an e-mail earlier this morning, which I just now read, from a member asking if I would mind stepping in and setting the lines and the props, since Mission was MIA. I didn't have a problem in doing so, and so I was going to volunteer my services and to act as the receiver of everyone's e-mail, unless there were any objections.

However, I'm glad to see that Mission is back and the lines and props are posted.

Good luck to everyone. (I'm out of it.)

Ed

Two reminders have been sent. I'd have sent them last night, but I figured everyone competitive would have made their picks already. Sending my Picks now.

Greetings!

The Big Game Picks are as follows:

Mission146:
B.) Both Teams to Score 30+ Points YES +500 $230
C.) Overtime YES +1100 $50

JohnnyQ:
BET $ 250 Eagles -1.5 -100
BET $ 50: Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100
BET $ 250: Eagles TO WIN -115
BET $ 50 F.) First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500
BET $ 50: G.) Both Teams Score on Their First Drive? YES +300

Johnzimbo:
$250 Under 51
$250 Eagles -1.5
$196 AJ Brown over 100 receiving yards

Joeman:
Chiefs TO WIN +115 $100
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 $117
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 $200

BillRyan:
$83 on Overtime---YES

VegasBrent:
$250 Eagles -1.5 -100
$200 Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100
$50 E.) Will there be a Pick Six? YES +600

Mukke:
C.) Overtime YES +1100 $180
E.) Will there be a Pick Six? YES +600 $250

IndyJeffrey:
Chiefs +1.5 -100 $250
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 $150
Overtime YES +1100 $50
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 $92
Patrick Mahomes 300+ Passing Yards YES +100 $75
Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175 $75

unJon:
Eagles -1.5 -100 for $132
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 for $250
Eagles TO WIN -115 for $230
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 for $50

FourFiveFace:
Eagles -1.5 -100 ($250)
Eagles TO WIN -115 ($250)
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 ($150)
Overtime YES +1100 ($50)
Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175 ($100)

Why was the Campbell's Chunky Tomato upset?

Because it lost to the Chicken Noodle in the Conference Championship round and didn't make it to the Souper Bowl.

Chip and a chair! I'm the only one that took both teams 30+.

I did a quick survey and I think Mission won.

Quote: gordonm888

I did a quick survey and I think Mission won.
link to original post

I choked, naturally. Happy if Mission won, though!

Quote: Mission146

Chip and a chair! I'm the only one that took both teams 30+.
link to original post

Excellent hit!

Quote: unJon

Quote: Mission146

Chip and a chair! I'm the only one that took both teams 30+.
link to original post

Excellent hit!
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Always the plan.

(Not really. Thank you! If this is correct; I’m just happy to finally at least show in one of my own contests, much more actually win!)

It looked like both teams had fun, and I was in it until the final 10 seconds, so overall, a good night. We had a few Eagles fans at the party, and it was great to see them bitching about the holding penalty. Two amazing QBs that put on a classic.

Quote: billryan

We had a few Eagles fans at the party, and it was great to see them bitching about the holding penalty.

It looked pretty ticky-tack to me, not enough to warrant the yellow laundry in the closing moments of a close game.

BUT I would not want to be an official in a huge game having to make split second decisions constantly.

Quote: Mission146

Chip and a chair! I'm the only one that took both teams 30+.
link to original post

I had to look that one up, haha:

What is the definition of the term "chip and a chair"?

The term "chip and a chair" means that as long as you have a single chip and a seat at the table in a tournament, you can still come back and are not dead yet.

The term is thought to have originated from the 1982 World Series of Poker main event, which was won by Jack "Treetop" Straus.

Chip and a Chair - Term in PokerStraus was thought to be eliminated from the main event after losing a sizable pot, only to discover that he still had a single $500 chip hidden under a napkin (that's how the story goes, anyways). Straus didn't declare himself all-in, so he was allowed to continue playing with his single $500 chip.

Straus ended up going on a run, and eventually went on to win the main event, despite the fact that he was certain that he had been eliminated.

"As long as I have a chip and a chair, I'm still alive in this event."

Jack's epic comeback in the 1982 World Series of Poker main event is proof positive that you should never give up in a tournament, even if you are down to hardly any chips. You just never know what could happen. Straus ended up winning $520,000 in the 1982 World Series of Poker main event, which translates into about $1.17 million in 2010 dollars.

Quote: Mission146

Greetings!

The Big Game Picks are as follows:

IndyJeffrey:
Chiefs +1.5 -100 $250
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 $150
Overtime YES +1100 $50
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 $92
Patrick Mahomes 300+ Passing Yards YES +100 $75
Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175 $75

What a disaster. Oh well. There is always Big Game 58

How many people wound with zero, including those of us who were busted after the championship games? Where is Ed Collins when we need him?

I left a few dollars in the bank, on the long chance everyone else busted out. I had my bet on overtime so I was a bad snap away from being a contender.
Thanks to Mission for organizing this, and to Ed Collins for making the hard part easy.

Quote: gordonm888

How many people wound with zero, including those of us who were busted after the championship games? Where is Ed Collins when we need him?

I figure I'd let Mission (or someone else) grade the results this time. (I was out of it and had thus no more interest in the contest.)

Quote: EdCollins

Quote: gordonm888

How many people wound with zero, including those of us who were busted after the championship games? Where is Ed Collins when we need him?

I figure I'd let Mission (or someone else) grade the results this time. (I was out of it and had thus no more interest in the contest.)
link to original post

Always remember the harder you work, the less work for the rest of us.

Quote: EdCollins

Quote: gordonm888

How many people wound with zero, including those of us who were busted after the championship games? Where is Ed Collins when we need him?

I figure I'd let Mission (or someone else) grade the results this time. (I was out of it and had thus no more interest in the contest.)
link to original post

The salt is real. JK

Thank you very much for your Picks grading program for the regular game and also for grading the first three rounds of this game. I don't think this should be too hard to do manually, so I am going to get on it right now.

Greetings!

Assuming I didn't screw up, the final results are as follows:

(I want to see if I can hear from EdCollins as he might have information that would help me with UnJon's prize.)

Mission146:

Starting Bankroll: $280

B.) Both Teams to Score 30+ Points YES +500 $230----CORRECT +$1,150
C.) Overtime YES +1100 $50----INCORRECT -$50

Net Change: + $1,100

Mission146 Ending Bankroll: $1,380

VegasBrent

Starting Bankroll: $819

$250 Eagles -1.5 -100----INCORRECT -$250
$200 Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100----INCORRECT -$200
$50 E.) Will there be a Pick Six? YES +600---INCORRECT -$50

Net Change: -$500

VegasBrent Ending Bankroll: $319

FourFiveFace

Starting Bankroll $800

Eagles -1.5 -100 ($250)----INCORRECT -$250
Eagles TO WIN -115 ($250)----INCORRECT -$250
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 ($150)----INCORRECT -$150
Overtime YES +1100 ($50)----INCORRECT -$50
Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175 ($100)----INCORRECT -$100

Net Change: -$800

FourFiveFace Ending Bankroll: $0

JohnZimbo

Starting Bankroll: $696

$250 Under 51----INCORRECT -$250
$250 Eagles -1.5----INCORRECT -$250
$196 AJ Brown over 100 receiving yards---INCORRECT -$196

Net Change: -$696

JohnZimbo Ending Bankroll: $0

IndyJeffrey

Starting Bankroll: $692

Chiefs +1.5 -100 $250---CORRECT +$250
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 $150---INCORRECT -$150
Overtime YES +1100 $50----INCORRECT -$50
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 $92----INCORRECT -$92
Patrick Mahomes 300+ Passing Yards YES +100 $75----INCORRECT -$75
Miles Saunders 75+ Rushing Yards YES +175 $75----INCORRECT -$75

Net Change: -$192

IndyJeffrey Ending Bankroll: $500

Unjon

Starting Bankroll: $662

Eagles -1.5 -100 for $132----INCORRECT -$132
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 for $250----INCORRECT -$250
Eagles TO WIN -115 for $230----INCORRECT -$230
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 for $50----INCORRECT -$50

Net Change: -$662

Unjon Ending Bankroll: $0

JohnnyQ

Starting Bankroll: $652

BET $ 250 Eagles -1.5 -100----INCORRECT -$250
BET $ 50: Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100----INCORRECT -$50
BET $ 250: Eagles TO WIN -115----INCORRECT -$250
BET $ 50 F.) First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500----INCORRECT -$50
BET $ 50: G.) Both Teams Score on Their First Drive? YES +300----CORRECT +$150

Net Change: -$450

JohnnyQ Ending Bankroll: $202

Mukke

Starting Bankroll: $430

C.) Overtime YES +1100 $180----INCORRECT -$180
E.) Will there be a Pick Six? YES +600 $250----INCORRECT -$250

Net Change : -$430

Mukke Ending Bankroll: $0

BillRyan

Starting Bankroll: $89

$83 on Overtime---YES----INCORRECT -$83

Net Change: -$83

BillRyan Ending Bankroll: $6

Joeman

Starting Bankroll: $417

Chiefs TO WIN +115 $100----CORRECT +$115
Chiefs @ Eagles UNDER 51 -100 $117----INCORRECT -$117
First Drive Field Goal Made YES +500 $200----INCORRECT -$200

Net Change: -$202

Joeman Ending Bankroll: $215

FINAL STANDINGS

1.) Mission146: $1,380
2.) IndyJeffrey: $500
3.) VegasBrent: $319
4.) Joeman: $215
5.) JohnnyQ: $202
6.) BillRyan: $6
7-18.) Eleven players with $0.


Thank you to everyone for playing in this game!

I have decided that this should not be the format for future Playoff games because, as much as I enjoyed the format, the way I managed to win in this event should really not happen. Either that, or I will keep the format (but restrict betting amounts a little more) and just not put out any non-spread, non-total, non-"To Win", lines that are greater than +300.

Granted, it was the intention that winning the way I did would be possible in future events (and this one) to keep people in it, but I really didn't expect something like this to happen in the first year of this format. It also helped that almost everyone had the Eagles and the Under when making those kind of bets, especially the Under, because if Under, then the bet I made, by definition, could not win.

If anyone wants me to prove the timestamps to show I didn't see anything before making my selections, I would totally understand.

I would like to thank UnJon for his kind $25 donation to this contest (winner TBD at the bottom), Gordonm888 for kicking in $100 of his winnings and JohnZimbo for his $50 donation, which contributed to the first place prize.

PRIZES

The original prize structure was as follows:

1st Place: $200
2nd Place: $100
3rd Place: $50

Greatest Total Amount Bet (UnJon Prize)---$25

However, I am choosing to decline the total of $100 that got added to the First Place Prize as a result of these donations. $50 of those donations ($25 for each spot) had already gone to second and third anyway. Had there not been any donations, the prize structure would have been: First Place-$100, Second Place-$75, Third Place-$25.

With that, the $100 that I am declining shall be evenly divided between Second Place and Third Place, thereby making the payouts:

1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $150
3rd Place: $100

Greatest Total Amount Bet (UnJon Prize)---$25

Thus, there is $100 I will not have to pay for winning.

IndyJeffrey will receive $150 for coming in second place.

VegasBrent will receive $100 for coming in third place.

UNJON $25 GREATEST TOTAL IN BETS PRIZE

I am actually going to ask EDCOLLINS, if there is a quick way to do it, could you please tell me how much each player bet, in total, for the first three rounds of this contest combined? After that, it will be trivial for me to determine who bet the most as the majority of players will not have been mathematically capable of even doing so by the Super Bowl round.

CORRECTION:

I had disqualified Joeman for illegal betting because I graded everything based on the table prior to the table being updated for an error. I had thought Joeman was making those bets as a joke when I saw what I thought was him being $400 short of covering his bets.

Looking through the thread, I saw that this disqualification was in error and have made the correction.

I also updated the final standings to reflect this correction, though it did not change anything when it comes to prizes.

A bad snap on the last field goal, and I'd have taken it. Only in America.

Too bad someone didn't take our collective wisdom and bet the opposite.

Quote: Mission146

...I am actually going to ask EDCOLLINS, if there is a quick way to do it, could you please tell me how much each player bet, in total, for the first three rounds of this contest combined? After that, it will be trivial for me to determine who bet the most as the majority of players will not have been mathematically capable of even doing so by the Super Bowl round.

Yes, this only took me a few minutes.

The following is a breakdown of what each player bet (risked) for each of the first three weekends of this playoff contest:

Quote: billryan

A bad snap on the last field goal, and I'd have taken it. Only in America.

Too bad someone didn't take our collective wisdom and bet the opposite.
link to original post

I believe you would have ended up still out of the cash. The win on that bet would give you the $89 you already had plus (83 * 11 = 913) for a total of $1,002.

A.) It would not change that both teams scored more than 30 points. (Which caused me to win)

B.) I had $50 on Overtime---YES myself. (Which means I improve my bankroll, even though yours wouldn't have beaten me anyway). This would be a swing of $600 causing me to finish with a total of $1,980.

C.) IndyJeffrey finished with $500 and also had Overtime---YES for $50, so that win would reflect a $600 swing for him and give him a final total of $1,100.

D.) Mukke had $180 on Overtime Yes, so that's a swing of $2,160 had it come in.

With that, the Top Three Standings, had there been overtime, would have been:

Mukke: $2,180
Mission146: $1,980
InduJeffrey: $1,100

Quote: EdCollins

Quote: Mission146

...I am actually going to ask EDCOLLINS, if there is a quick way to do it, could you please tell me how much each player bet, in total, for the first three rounds of this contest combined? After that, it will be trivial for me to determine who bet the most as the majority of players will not have been mathematically capable of even doing so by the Super Bowl round.

Yes, this only took me a few minutes.

The following is a breakdown of what each player bet (risked) for each of the first three weekends of this playoff contest:


link to original post

Thank you very much, EdCollins!

Excellent, my next post will determine the winner of UnJon's prize!

EdCollins,

Thank you again!

A.) JohnZimbo had made the greatest total amount in bets, at $1,689, going into the Super Bowl.

B.) JohnZimbo bet everything he had (total) for the Super Bowl.

C.) Because B, no player listed below JohnZimbo (Third Place going into the Super Bowl) could have possibly bet more than he did.

D.) FourFiveFace was above JohnZimbo and had $800 going into the Super Bowl, but had only made $1,300 in total bets prior. Therefore, FourFiveFace could not have made a greater total in bets than JohnZimbo.

E.) VegasBrent went into the Super Bowl with a bankroll of $819 and had bet $1,123 leading up to that point. The eyeball test easily determines that he could not have made more in total bets than JohnZimbo.

JohnZimbo wins the $25 UnJon prize for making the most in total bets, with $2,385 in total bets made, winning that by a mile.

Congratualtions, JohnZimbo!!!

Quote: Mission146

Quote: billryan

A bad snap on the last field goal, and I'd have taken it. Only in America.

Too bad someone didn't take our collective wisdom and bet the opposite.
link to original post

I believe you would have ended up still out of the cash. The win on that bet would give you the $89 you already had plus (83 * 11 = 913) for a total of $1,002.

A.) It would not change that both teams scored more than 30 points. (Which caused me to win)

B.) I had $50 on Overtime---YES myself. (Which means I improve my bankroll, even though yours wouldn't have beaten me anyway). This would be a swing of $600 causing me to finish with a total of $1,980.

C.) IndyJeffrey finished with $500 and also had Overtime---YES for $50, so that win would reflect a $600 swing for him and give him a final total of $1,100.

D.) Mukke had $180 on Overtime Yes, so that's a swing of $2,160 had it come in.

With that, the Top Three Standings, had there been overtime, would have been:

Mukke: $2,180
Mission146: $1,980
InduJeffrey: $1,100
link to original post

Dreamcrusher.

Quote: Mission146

FINAL STANDINGS

1.) Mission146: $1,380
2.) IndyJeffrey: $500
3.) VegasBrent: $319
4.) Joeman: $215
5.) JohnnyQ: $202
6.) BillRyan: $6
7-18.) Eleven players with $0.

Congrats to Mission, IndyJeffery (a most impressive feat, simultaneously bagging 2nd place and hitting "Mr. Average" right on the nose!), and VegasBrent!

Many thanks to Mission for putting this on, EdCollins for his scoring, and those who donated to the prize pool.

Quote:

I am choosing to decline the total of $100 that got added to the First Place Prize as a result of these donations.

Very noble of you!

Quote:

With that, the $100 that I am declining shall be evenly divided between Second Place and Third Place

I think it would have been even nobler to include Fourth Place as well! ;)

Quote: Joeman

Congrats to Mission, IndyJeffery (a most impressive feat, simultaneously bagging 2nd place and hitting "Mr. Average" right on the nose!), and VegasBrent!

Many thanks to Mission for putting this on, EdCollins for his scoring, and those who donated to the prize pool.

You're very welcome!

I think that I am going to keep this format, but next Playoff Picks game, there will be $100 bet caps on all Game Prop and Player Prop type bets. Someone who wants to take a huge shot at something would need multiple of these types of bets to come in.

I will also probably restrict the Game Prop and Player Prop lines to +300, or shorter.

Quote:

Very noble of you!

Not at all, but thank you for saying so! Even when I participate in the WoV Picks Game, I do so with the verbiage that I am, "Defending." Other participants' money is not mine to defend, so by taking first place, I successfully defended what that prize would have been had there been no donations.

I don't plan on participating in the WoV Picks Games (Regular Season) anymore***, so what I can say now is that I would not have taken the Entry Fees from anyone even if I had won; I would simply just not pay whatever would have otherwise went to First Place. I would ask for Second Place to accept the Entry Fee contributions, and if Second Place declined, then I would simply have messaged anyone (who owed Entry Fee to the winner) that I was flatly refusing their Entry Fee.

Quote:

I think it would have been even nobler to include Fourth Place as well! ;)
link to original post

Well played! LOL

***I'm still running the contest! I mean as a player.

Fun contest. Thanks for running it, Mission. And thanks for scoring most of it Ed.

Quote: Mission146

With that, the Top Three Standings, had there been overtime, would have been:

Mukke: $2,180
Mission146: $1,980
InduJeffrey: $1,100
link to original post

Thanks for rubbing it in :)

Quote: unJon

Fun contest. Thanks for running it, Mission. And thanks for scoring most of it Ed.
link to original post

Yep, HUGE SHOUT-OUT to M146 and EdC.

Any word about the Women's Bracket contest Mission mentioned?

Quote: Vegasbrent

Any word about the Women's Bracket contest Mission mentioned?
link to original post

That started already, or the tournament proper is starting Friday? I'll get a thread up on it tomorrow and PM everyone accordingly.

Going to have to get on this tonight, so everybody be ready. Problem is we don't even know who is in the tournament yet. I'd call the 16's a wash, but the 11's could be relevant.

Quote: Mission146

Going to have to get on this tonight, so everybody be ready. Problem is we don't even know who is in the tournament yet. I'd call the 16's a wash, but the 11's could be relevant.
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I think this idea simply isn't going to work because of the stupid way this is scheduled. We now know the other teams who are in the actual tournament (as of last night), but then the first game of the real tournament tips off less than two hours from now.

Fear not; there will be a replacement game. I'm going to do an NHL Playoff game instead. In general terms, the rules will be picking the teams who advance in each round, but you will also have to pick how many games that team advances in for maximum points. In general, players will start with four base points for a team successfully advancing (the amount of base points will increase as we enter into later rounds) but will lose one of those points (if they get the right team to advance) for each game they are off in terms of how many games needed to be played.

The rules will be structured to try to keep people in it as long as possible. I'll either make the semi-finals and finals worth a large amount of points for getting the right teams, or alternatively, we will add puck lines to be picked against for each individual game for those rounds.

This should enable players to gain an advantage for picking the right teams until then, but unless someone absolutely dominates, everyone should still be in contention at least for the first few games of the semi-finals.