Bowl Pool 2023 - 4 games finished

 I’ve gotta admit, these games haven’t been half bad.  The last two games consisted of a game in a torrential downpour and an overtime game.  The downpour game was close throughout and featured no less than 13 fumbles.  It was like some kind of greased pig contest, and who doesn’t enjoy a good greased pig contest – except probably the pig.  Anyway, all highly entertaining.

After 4 games, we are down to 12 people that are 4/4 and no one that is 0/4.  That’s good.  Everyone is on the board.  I’m also happy to see that 2 members of my immediate family are in the Top 10.  My wife, Michelle L. is in both 10^th and 5^th.  My Mom Sally R. is currently in 4^th.  I’m not sure what her logic was for picking games this season was, but it’s pretty impressive so far.  Whatever she is doing didn’t seem to help my Dad, however, who is currently sitting in 69^th place.  That will make for some interesting dinnertime conversation at their house if this continues to hold.

Here are the current points rankings:

1. Mike S.: 99 (0)

2. Steve M. #2: 96 (-15)

3. Josaih T. #1: 84 (0)

4. Sally R.: 83 (-1)

5. Michelle L. #2: 83 (-24)

6. Larry G.: 76 (-13)

7. Hutch H. #1: 74 (-8)

7. Hutch H. #2: 74 (-8)

9. Jay H. #2: 74 (-24)

10. Michelle L. #1: 72 (-15)

11. Sports Illustrated: 70 (0)

12. Josaih T. #2: 70 (-14)

13. Amber the Beast: 69 (-13)

14. Matt N.: 67 (-41)

15. Ally H.: 66 (0)

16. Jon F.: 66 (-21)

17. Scott H. #1: 61 (0)

18. Dylan B.: 60 (-8)

19. Marc R. #1: 59 (0)

20. Daniel E.: 58 (-8)

21. Moochi the Man: 57 (-3)

22. Jason S.: 55 (-28)

23. Matt Mei.: 54 (-15)

24. Becky H.: 53 (-5)

25. Jay H. #1: 52 (-2)

26. Mario M.: 51 (0)

27. Rich F.: 51 (-21)

28. CAAT #1: 50 (-5)

28. CAAT #2: 50 (-5)

28. CAAT #3: 50 (-5)

28. CAAT #4: 50 (-5)

28. CAAT #5: 50 (-5)

33. Brent E. #4: 49 (-48)

34. Jim W.: 47 (-28)

35. Steve Dz.: 47 (-37)

36. Andrew D.: 46 (0)

37. Scott H. #2: 46 (-6)

38. Slave to Trends: 46 (-28)

39. Pete J. #1: 44 (-24)

40. Mike N.: 40 (-1)

41. Klei R.: 40 (-24)

42. Tim N.: 38 (0)

43. Howard S.: 36 (-14)

44. Dennis R.: 35 (0)

45. Kirt R.: 34 (-59)

46. Brett W.: 33 (-8)

47. Jim D.: 33 (-11)

48. Steve M. #1: 31 (-23)

49. Brian K.: 30 (-5)

50. Carrie F.: 30 (-12)

51. Brent E. #1: 26 (-24)

52. Pete J. #2: 24 (-44)

53. Charlotte N.: 22 (-20)

54. Ryan W.: 22 (-59)

55. Max A. #1: 21 (-26)

55. Max A. #2: 21 (-26)

57. Damien R.: 20 (-23)

58. Brent E. #2: 19 (-58)

58. Brent E. #3: 19 (-58)

60. Mike W.: 15 (-4)

61. Jaxon S.: 14 (0)

62. Marc R. #2: 10 (0)

63. Adam E.: 10 (-12)

64. Matt Mal.: 10 (-43)

65. Faye N.: 10 (-53)

66. Paul Kr.: 9 (-1)

67. Eric G.: 7 (-8)

68. Henry A.: 6 (-4)

69. Brad R.: 6 (-18)

70. Dan Du.: 5 (-21)

…and net points:

1. Mike S.: 99

2. Josaih T. #1: 84

3. Sally R.: 82

4. Steve M. #2: 81

5. Sports Illustrated: 70

6. Hutch H. #1: 66

6. Hutch H. #2: 66

6. Ally H.: 66

9. Larry G.: 63

10. Scott H. #1: 61

11. Michelle L. #2: 59

11. Marc R. #1: 59

13. Michelle L. #1: 57

14. Josaih T. #2: 56

14. Amber the Beast: 56

16. Moochi the Man: 54

17. Dylan B.: 52

18. Mario M.: 51

19. Jay H. #2: 50

19. Daniel E.: 50

19. Jay H. #1: 50

22. Becky H.: 48

23. Andrew D.: 46

24. Jon F.: 45

24. CAAT #1: 45

24. CAAT #2: 45

24. CAAT #3: 45

24. CAAT #4: 45

24. CAAT #5: 45

30. Scott H. #2: 40

31. Matt Mei.: 39

31. Mike N.: 39

33. Tim N.: 38

34. Dennis R.: 35

35. Rich F.: 30

36. Jason S.: 27

37. Matt N.: 26

38. Brett W.: 25

38. Brian K.: 25

40. Howard S.: 22

40. Jim D.: 22

42. Pete J. #1: 20

43. Jim W.: 19

44. Slave to Trends: 18

44. Carrie F.: 18

46. Klei R.: 16

47. Jaxon S.: 14

48. Mike W.: 11

49. Steve Dz.: 10

49. Marc R. #2: 10

51. Steve M. #1: 8

51. Paul Kr.: 8

53. Brent E. #1: 2

53. Charlotte N.: 2

53. Henry A.: 2

56. Brent E. #4: 1

57. Dan Du.: 0

58. Eric G.: -1

59. Adam E.: -2

60. Damien R.: -3

61. Max A. #1: -5

61. Max A. #2: -5

63. Brad R.: -12

64. Pete J. #2: -20

65. Kirt R.: -25

66. Matt Mal.: -33

67. Ryan W.: -37

68. Brent E. #2: -39

68. Brent E. #3: -39

70. Faye N.: -43

But wait, there are still 3 more games to go today (it never ends!!!).

New Mexico Bowl

Vegas Line: New Mexico State -3.5

Median Pick: New Mexico State for 8 points

Average Pick: New Mexico State for 5.7 points

Picks for New Mexico State: 48 (Average pick: 14.94 points)

Picks for Fresno State: 22 (Average pick: 13.55 points)

 

Seems counterintuitive to pick against New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl, but that’s why they play the game, and let’s be honest here – it’s what will drive up attendance at this game.  Probably not a lot of MAC or C-USA teams are going to travel to New Mexico to watch this game.  It probably means something to the locals.  I’m sure I’ll mention this when the time comes, but the Potato Bowl is the worst bowl of them all because Boise is a terrible place to hold a Bowl game.

Anyway, I know nothing about either of these teams.  I totally punted on this game putting 9 points on New Mexico State.  That’s the equivalent of saying I don’t know anything – although 9 points seems like a lot to just toss aside as if it’s nothing.

Los Angeles Bowl

Vegas Line: UCLA -5.5

Median Pick: UCLA for 7 points

Average Pick: UCLA for 5 points

Picks for UCLA: 43 (Average Pick: 17.81 points)

Picks for Boise State: 27 (Average Pick: 15.33 points)

I think the official name for this game is something like the Starco Brands LA Bowl Sponsored by Gronk.  I think this was the game last year that was sponsored by Jimmy Kimmel.  That must be their thing – get some unknown company to sign their name to the bowl game, but then juice it up with some kind of celebrity endorser.  It’s a clever idea.  I like Gronk.  He’sa good pitch man.  I don’t currently use Tide Pods, but I do have USAA insurance, not because of anything Gronk did, but his commercials are usually pretty amiable.

I’ve been watching a lot of these games today and there is definitely a recurring theme and it is this:  Almost every team playing has at least one offensive skill position player playing where it is their first or second game all season because whoever was the starter is now in the portal.  I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but players should be allowed to go into the portal AFTER the season.  It’s bad enough that a lot of the big stars don’t play to prepare for the NFL, but when even more don’t play because they are transferring, it really sucks for fans.  It’s almost like the Bowl game isn’t a reward for a good season, but a preview of what the team could look like next year.  It’s a bad trend and they need to amend it.