Our Pick'em League Keeps on Living

A few years ago we started picking the winner of each football game on this very site Game Of Inches. We started doing this before there were other websites that allowed us to do more of an automated system than manually tracking each game by hand like we did on the blog. So we moved to do this format and with that, stopped posting updates on the blog. So we will be posting an update mid season (now) and then at the end of the season so you can see how the three of us did in Adam Kaplan, TBO, and myself (Cubsfan4evr).

This year we added a new wrinkle compared to how we have played for the last several seasons. Were playing against the spread for the first time. This was Adam's idea and TBO has embraced it. To put it simply, I am still adjusting and like the old style. I like picking games straight up and none of this fancy stuff.

With Ten weeks in the books this is how the standing look:

TBO and myself are tied for first with Adam slightly behind us.  Superdup is also known as TBO.

I should point out in that in week six I had a really bad week and couldn't seem to pick a game correct against the spread.

Also, TBO forgot to fill out most of his picks last week for week Ten. He only filled out two picks (Thursday night and Sunday) and got both correct.

Here is how we did with the number of selections we got correct broken down by week:

Even with Cubsfan4evr bad week in week six and TBO bad week in week 10 because he forgot to fill out most of his picks were hanging in there. We will have a final update after the season with how we did.

Help A Football Player In Need

Hat tip to Cubsfan4ever for directing this open letter to my attention:

My friends,

Since September 11, 2001, Americans have come together as never before in
our generation. We have banded together to overcome adversity. We have
weathered direct attacks on our own soil, wars overseas,
corporate/government scandal, layoffs, unemployment, stock price plunges,
droughts, fires, mad cow, SARS, high gasoline prices, and a myriad of
economic and physical disasters both great and small. But now, we must come
together once again to overcome one of our greatest challenges yet.

Hundreds of Professional Football players in our very own nation are going
to be locked out, living at well below their seven-figure salary level. And
as if that weren't bad enough they could be deprived of their life
sustaining pay for several months, possibly longer, as a result of the
upcoming lockout situation. But you can help!

For only $27,080 a month, about $902.75 a day (that's less than the cost of
a large screen projection TV), you can help an NFL player remain economically
viable during his time of need. This contribution by no means solves the
problem as it barely covers the annual minimum salary, but it's a start, and
every little bit will help!

Although $900 may not seem like a lot of money to you, to a football player
it could mean the difference between spending the lockout golfing in Florida
or on a Mediterranean cruise. For you, nine hundred dollars is nothing more
than a month's rent, a mortgage payment, or a month of medical insurance,
but to a football player, $900 will partially replace his daily salary.

Your commitment of less than $900 a day will enable a player to buy that
home entertainment center, trade in the year-old Lexus for a new Ferrari, or
enjoy a weekend in Rio.

HOW WILL I KNOW I'M HELPING?

Each month, you will receive a complete financial report on the player you
sponsor. Detailed information about his stocks, bonds, 401(k), real estate,
and other investment holdings will be mailed to your home. Plus, upon
signing up for this program, you will receive an unsigned photo of the
player lounging during the lockout on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean
(for a signed photo, please include an additional $150). Put the photo on
your refrigerator to remind you of other peoples' suffering.

HOW WILL HE KNOW I'M HELPING?

Your NFL player will be told that he has a SPECIAL FRIEND who just wants to
help in a time of need. Although the player won't know your name, he will be
able to make collect calls to your home via a special operator in case
additional funds are needed for unforeseen expenses.

Remember, a lifestyle is a horrible thing to waste...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YES, I WANT TO HELP!

I would like to sponsor a locked out NFL player. My preference is (check
below):

[ ] Offense [ ] Defense [ ] Special Teams [ ] Entire team

Please charge the account listed below $902.75 per day for the duration of
the lockout. Please send me a picture of the player and my very own Roger
Goodell (NFL Commissioner) pin to wear proudly on my hat (include $80 for
hat).

Your Name: ____________________Telephone Number: ___________________
Account Number: __________________ Exp.Date:_______

[ ] Master Card [ ] Visa [ ] American Express [ ] Other

Signature: _______________________

Alternate card (when the primary card exceeds its credit limit):
Account Number: _______________________ Exp.Date:_______
[ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa [ ] American Express [ ] Other

Signature: ______________________

Sports Science: What Hurts More Football Or Rugby (Withot Pads)?

Lingerie Football

Thanks to a Comcast Sportsnet special report, I have discovered an amazing new sport that combines sexy women in lingerie with football.



This sport is called lingerie football and it features sexy women in lingerie uniforms playing football (that sounded awfully John Madden-esque). According to the Comcast report, the players in the league strongly feel that the sport is about much more than "half naked women" and that the fans who attend the games really get into the "game" aspect of of half naked women tackling each other. Good for them and for believing in the good, pure-intentioned hearts of men everywhere.



Now I know what you are thinking. "Wow, that is both exploitative and offensive" and I entirely agree with you. It is highly offensive to men, as it sort of ruins football...at least for those who like the game for the game and the stats and live in their mother's basements. For me however, who kind of hates football, it is a reason to watch football. Hell, just check out these player profiles. Now compare them to those of baseball players. Not enough for ya? Well, even Mike Ditka is getting a piece of the Lingerie Football action.



Goodbye Arena Football, hello Lingire Football! It is the true fantasy football league.

The Replacements vs. The Longest Yard

Although I hate Pod Vader, I really somehow enjoy all of the podcasts he produces. One of which is Play Ball with Amanda and Melissa. The main reason I enjoy them is because of the match ups they do. Before the did TV shows and the fans voted for the best TV shows based off of a NCAA bracket format. Well now, they are doing something similar- but with fictional sports teams. One of which is Keanu Reeves team is the Replacements versus the football team in the Longest Yard (you probably know the shittier Adam Sandler version but Burt Reynolds did an equally shitty version back in the day). So what would happen if those teams played each other, who would win? Well here we go...

The first thing to look at is the offensive and the O-line. Surprisingly, the Washington Sentinals (the team in the Replacements) had a pretty good O-line. In the history of fictional football teams, The Replacements ranked first in terms of pass protection, but only 15th in run blocking. The Mean Machine (the team in the Longest Yard) seemed to have the opposite problem. They ranked first in run blocking but only 16h in pass protection. The Mean Machine O-line's was probably the causal factor in the running because the MM's RB, Megget (played by Nelly), only ranked 13th in DYAR and a mere 25th in DVOA. However, it didn't matter how bad the Sentinals rushing line was because they had a fantastic runner, before he got hurt, who ranked 2nd in DYAR and DVOA.

So the advantage seems to go to the Sentinals, but the passing game seems to tell a different story. When you look at Shane Falco (played by Keanu Reeves) versus Paul Crewe (played by Adam Sandler), one can clearly see that Crewe is the better QB (although it doesn't help that Crewe was a major league QB and Falco only played 4 NFL games). Crewe had a better DYAR, YPA, TD/INT, and yards, although Falco does have the better DVOA, completion percentage, and LNG. Falco seems to have the better arm but, probably due to experience, Crewe is better at playing and "managing the game" I give the slight advantage to Crewe here but I give the bigger advantage to him because of weapons. Deacon Moss (played by Michael Irvin) ranked 3rd in DVOA and 4th in DYAR versus Clifford Franklin (played by Orlando Jones) who was merely ranked 25th in DVOA and 30th in DYAR. Franklin had great speed but his poor hands and inability to run routs made him much less valuable than Gene Hackman thought. However, Falco had the best TE (wasn't drafted because he was deaf) who was first in yards and TDs among tight ends and put up similar peripherals to Deacon Moss although was thrown to much less.

So I give the slight advantage to the Sentinals because their O-line helps plays to the teams strengths and weaknesses although the Mean Machine was certainly hold their own. Now let's analyze the defense.

This is where the Mean Machine's weaknesses really show. The Sentinals were fantastic at rushing the passer ranking first in sacks, 2nd in pass protection, and fifth in running. The Sentinals corners aren't that good but they benefit hugely from the front 7 getting to the QB (similar to the New York Giants the past two years). The Mean Machine on the other hand wasn't really THAT good ranking 15th in sacks, 16th in passing, and 30TH in running. They sort of can get to the QB but teams run all over them leaving them very vulnerable. The fact that the Sentinals RB is very very good and will absolutely destroy the Mean Machine's D, will also help out Shane Falco, who really isn't that good.

I think the offenses are very comparable but the defenses are not even close, and in individual games, I'll take the defense, especially one that can get to the QB as well as the Sentinals can, any day over the offense, especially one I don't thin is THAT good.

So that is why I voted for the Washington Sentinals over the Mean Machine. That and the Longest Yard was a shit movie.