Who Needs a College Football Playoff...

...when you've got The Second Annual Graziano Brothers College Bowl Game Point Spread Bonanza? (A gloriously complex pool in which contestants pick all 34 college bowl games against the spread and can earn bonus points for practically anything.)

Friday, January 2, 2009

Friday Tripleheader

After 10 in the past two days, today's schedule almost seems light. But come on. It's three bowls, on the day after New Year's. How awesome can you get?

AT&T Cotton Bowl
2 pm, Fox
Texas Tech (-5.5) Mississippi

This is a five-point game and is required for two bonuses:

-The When Bowls Were Bowls Bonus, for which Jim, Jon, Mark, Ed and Steve remain eligible.

-The Tom Landry's Hat Bonus, for which only Ed and Yohan remain eligible. Ed and Yohan have both picked Texas Tech in this game, and this is the LAST of the Landry Bonus games, so if the Red Raiders cover the 5.5, each of them picks up a nine-point bonus.

In addition, Jon and Greg have designated Texas Tech as their SUPER-LOCK, which means that each will earn 10 bonus points if Texas Tech covers.

PICKS

Dan: Texas Tech -5.5
Jim: Texas Tech -5.5
Jon: Texas Tech -5.5 SUPER-LOCK
Mark: Texas Tech -5.5
Ed: Texas Tech -5.5
Greg: Texas Tech -5.5 SUPER-LOCK
Nino: Texas Tech -5.5
Chris: Mississippi +5.5
Yohan: Texas Tech -5.5
Rob: Texas Tech -5.5
Sal: Texas Tech -5.5
Steve: Texas Tech -5.5

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
5 pm, ESPN
East Carolina (-2) Kentucky

Also a five-point game, and required for the Grand Ole Opry Bonus, because it's being played in the state of Tennessee. This is the LAST of the Opry Bonus games, and only Yohan remains eligible for it, because he was the only one who correctly picked against his alma mater in the Music City Bowl. If Kentucky covers, Yohan picks up three bonus points.

In addition, never one to be afraid of overthinking things, Dan has designated East Carolina as his SUPER-LOCK, which means he picks up 10 bonus points if the Pirates cover the two-point spread.

PICKS

Dan: East Carolina -2 SUPER-LOCK
Jim: East Carolina -2
Jon: Kentucky +2
Mark: East Carolina -2
Ed: East Carolina -2
Greg: East Carolina -2
Nino: East Carolina -2
Chris: Kentucky +2
Yohan: Kentucky +2
Rob: Kentucky +2
Sal: East Carolina -2
Steve: East Carolina -2

Allstate Sugar Bowl
8 pm, Fox
Alabama (-10.5) Utah

Utah attempting to become the only undefeated team in Division 1-A this year against a team that was ranked No. 1 all year until its last game. Big spread.

This is a five-point game and is required for two bonuses that are still attainable:

-The Louis Armstrong's Sax Bonus, since it's being played in Louisiana. Jon and Steve are the only ones still eligible for the Armstrong Bonus. This is the LAST of the Armstrong Bonus games, so either Jon or Steve will pick up a five-point bonus depending on which team covers. (Jon has Alabama, Steve has Utah).

-The When Bowls Were Bowls Bonus. Jim, Jon, Mark, Ed and Stave remain eligible for this, but all could be eliminated earlier in the day if Texas Tech fails to cover in the Cotton Bowl. This is the last of the When Bowls Bonus games, so anybody from this group who gets the Cotton and Sugar Bowls correct today will pocket 7 bonus points. (Assuming Texas Tech covers in the Cotton, then either Jon will get the 7 points (he has Alabama) or Jim, Mark, Ed and Steve all will (they have Utah).)

(This game also was required for the Climate Control and Damp Basement Bonuses, but we've all been eliminated from those.)

In addition, Nino has designated Alabama as his SUPER-LOCK, which means he'll get 10 bonus points if the Tide covers the 10.5.

PICKS

Dan: Utah +10.5
Jim: Utah +10.5
Jon: Alabama -10.5
Mark: Utah +10.5
Ed: Utah +10.5
Greg: Alabama -10.5
Nino: Alabama -10.5 SUPER-LOCK
Chris: Utah +10.5
Yohan: Alabama -10.5
Rob: Alabama -10.5
Sal: Utah +10.5
Steve: Utah +10.5

Enjoy. After today, there are only (sniff) four bowl games left...

Posted by Dan at 8:48 AM  

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Scoring Rules

BASIC SCORING RULES

-Games held between Dec. 20 and Dec. 21: 1 point each (5 bowls)

-Games held between Dec. 23 and Dec. 28: 2 points each (7 bowls)

-Games held between Dec. 29 and Dec. 30: 3 points each (5 bowls)

-Games held on Dec. 31: 4 points each (5 bowls)

-Games held between Jan. 1 and Jan. 2: 5 points each (8 bowls)

-Game held on Jan. 3: 2 points (1 bowl)

-Game held on Jan. 5: 5 points (1 bowl)

-Game held on Jan. 6: 2 points (1 bowl)

-Game held on Jan. 8: 7 points (1 bowl)


LOCKS AND SUPER LOCKS

Each player shall designate one of his 34 picks as a “Lock” and another as a “Super Lock.” Should a player correctly pick either or both of those games, against the point spread, he would be awarded bonus points as follows:

-“Lock” game: 5 bonus points

-“Super Lock” game: 10 bonus points

These bonuses pertain no matter how many points you receive for the game under the basic scoring rules. For example, if your “Lock” game is the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, a 1-point game, and you pick it correctly, you will receive 6 points – 1 under the basic scoring rules and an additional 5 because you designated it as your “Lock.” If your “Lock” game is the FedEx Orange Bowl, a 5-point game, and you pick it correctly, you will receive 10 points – 5 under the basic scoring rules and an addition 5 because you designated it as your “Lock.”


ADDITIONAL BONUS POINTS

In addition to the basic scoring rules and the Lock/Super Lock points, a player may earn bonus points for picking many different combinations of games. These combo bonuses, which range from three points to twelve points depending on the number of games included in the combo, are detailed under the BONUSES tab above.

FINAL STANDINGS

Steve Politi 102
Yohan Sengamalay 90
Jon Graziano 81
Ed Price 74
Mark Feinsand 66
Jim Graziano 65
Sal Sabatino 63
Chris Sabatino 63
Greg Lester 60
Nino Canino 57
Dan Graziano 50
Rob Biro 50