2010 Bowl Pick'em Challenge - Official Open Post (Post-New Year's Games)

LEAGUE NOTES:
1/1/11 1:43 PM update: This post is a continuation of the pre-Xmas Bowl Games and the pre-New Year's Games posts. Check those two out to follow how this thing has been playing out.
1/9/11 1:35 PM update: per DW's request, I've added all remaining winning scenarios at the bottom of this post.


To each his own, but my advice for the 2011...
You got to keep your hood pass in tact, y'all
Cause you never know when you'll need to go back.
-Damon Riddick

The bowl card is a beast... click the picture and see if that does anything for you.

Click to enlarge. Last updated 1/11/11 8:45 AM

NEW YEAR'S NOON-ISH GAMES

> Bowl Games 23-26 of 35

TicketCity Bowl - Dallas, TX - Cotton Bowl

January 1, 2011 11:00 AM

Northwestern 38, Texas Tech 45

Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL - Raymond James Stadium

January 1, 2011 12:00 PM

Florida 37, Penn State 24

Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL - Florida Citrus Bowl

January 1, 2011 12:00 PM

#15 Alabama 49, #7 Michigan State 7

Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL - EverBank Field

January 1, 2011 12:30 PM

#21 Mississippi State, Michigan

What I learned after these games... Xmas decorations are way way easier to take down than they are to put up... the SEC is way way better than the Big Ten... Texas Tech can't help being Texas Tech-y, no matter what... Big Ten teams have given up 45, 52, 49 and 37 in four bowl games today, Four L's. JoePa is not, I repeat NOT retiring.

What I drank during these games... First beer of the new year... Independence Brewing Stash IPA. Yeah, I took a picture. Here's to more success for my brewery in 2011.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... New leader. Ferments-A-Lot (GN) with 291. Hey, that's me! Bevo XIV (DW) is back in charge of the statistical I-win-if-I-get-all-the-rest-of-my-picks-right lead.

> Bowl Games 27 of 35
Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA - Rose Bowl
January 1, 2011 4:00 PM
#5 Wisconsin 19, #3 TCU 21

What I learned after this game... The little guy pulls one off every once and a while. In fact, this little guy may have been able to pull off a few in a playoff scenario. Too bad we don't have one of those.

What I drank during this game... Water. Sorry.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Cacti3 (DC) regains the lead and has 301 points overall. WhooDat4Life (Lo) is once again your statistical leader.

> Bowl Games 28 of 35
Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ - University of Phoenix Stadium
January 1, 2011 7:30 PM
#25 UConn 20, #9 Oklahoma 48

What I learned after this game... To tell you the truth, I didn't really watch this game. Meaningless bowl games. Every game matters... except the last one.

What I drank during this game... It was hard keeping any open containers of liquids in the house. You know, with OU sucking and all.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Once again back is the incredible.er-uh. GN has the lead with 337. Lo is in the statistical driver's seat for the 2nd straight game.

> Bowl Games 29 of 35
Discover Orange Bowl - Miami, FL - Sun Life Stadium
January 3, 2011 7:30 PM
#5 Stanford 40, #12 Virginia Tech 12

What I learned after this game... Frank Beamer is less "big game" than Bob Stoops.

What I drank during this game... I went with a trio of holiday beers. Saint Arnold Christmas Ale, Anchor Our Special Ale, and Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. All 2010 vintages.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... What the Deutsch? Novacain (CCa) bet big on Stanford and has taken the lead. Lo still has the statistical lead.

> Bowl Games 30 of 35
Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, LA - Superdome
January 4, 2011 7:00 PM
#6 Ohio State, #8 Arkansas

What I learned after this game... I can't think of many more miserable games to have to "root" for someone than the Buckeyes and the Razorbacks. I picked tOSU, but it really had nothing to do with my hatred for arky. I recently hung out with 5-time Jim Rome Smackoff winner and current 1560 AM The Game radio host -- don't ask why... maybe it is because he respects my sports opinions... ok, probably not. But anyway. -- We talked, ate,  and drank all night (on his dime!) and the night was ended after my insistence that -- Alright. I won a bet. That's why he had to hang with me. -- So anyway, he totally lost interest in me. -- It was an Aggie bet I won. Haha! It turns out, I write pretty fantastic Aggie haiku. -- And anyway, he ended our encounter after I insisted that if Texas' rivalry with OU didn't exist (for whatever reason), then Arkansas would be our biggest rival... not Texas A&M. Sure, this isn't technically something that *I* learned after this game, but it's something that *you* learned. Don't agree? I can talk. All. Night. Long.

What I drank during this game... The Bruery 3 French Hens. A Belgian-style dark ale partially blended with an oak aged version. The result is a very Belgian-y beer that isn't overwhelmed with oak flavor. Holy crap. It was good. Wish I had another. Yeah, I took a picture.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Smokey's Bandits (KH) leads a lap in the Bowl Contest. He can stay on top next game by missing the pick. For the 4th straight game, Lo holds the statistical lead.

> Bowl Games 31 of 35
GoDaddy.com Bowl - Mobile, AL - Ladd-Peebles Stadium
January 6, 2011 7:00 PM
Middle Tennessee State 21, Miami (Ohio) 35

What I learned after this game... Nothing. I learned nothing.

What I drank during this game... I had one of my favorite Tuesday wines, Hood & Ladder The Tillerman. I wrote a blog post one time about Tuesday wines.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Bevo XIV (DW) has regained the lead. Sorry Smoke, there really wasn't a scenario where you could win at this point anyway. WhooDat4Life (Lo) hold the statistical lead, although some of you may now notice that there are several possible winners depending on how the last few bowl games play out.

> Bowl Games 32 of 35
Cotton Bowl - Dallas, TX - Cotton Bowl
January 7, 2011 7:00 PM
#11 LSU 41, #18 Texas A&M 24

What I learned after this game... It turns out, the SEC *is* better than the Big XII. But seriously, who would have guessed that at the beginning of the season?

What I drank during this game... Flying Dog Raging Bitch (Denver, CO). It's a Belgian-style IPA, and I don't think I've enjoyed a new beer sold in six packs more than this one in a very long time. Bravo, crazy dudes at Flying Dog with your crazy names and delicious beers.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Bevo XIV (DW) has the lead for the 2nd straight game as we enter the last 3 games of the bowl season. However, my (GN) masterplan is about to be realized. Muhuhahahahaaaa!

> Bowl Games 33 of 35
BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL - Legion Field
January 8, 2011 11:00 AM
Pittsburgh 27, Kentucky 10

What I learned after this game... Kentucky has a football team.

What I drank during this game... Dr. Pepper

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Novacain is now in the lead. His path to victory is to get the next pick (a BC win) and miss the championship pick (an Oregon win). I once again have the highest point potential, so I'm pulling for a Nevada/Auburn combo.

WINNING SCENARIOS (final 2 games):

Nevada, Oregon: 13 National Championships (CG)

Nevada, Auburn: Ferments-A-Lot (GN)

Boston College, Oregon: Novacain (CCa)

Boston College, Auburn: Ferments-A-Lot (GN)

> Bowl Games 34 of 35
Fight Hunger Bowl - San Francisco, CA - AT&T Park
January 9, 2011 8:00 PM
#13 Nevada 20, Boston College 13

What I learned after this game... Football saves lives. No one is hungry anymore.

What I drank during this game... Tonight, I had a Capri Sun. Lemonade flavor. The kids go bananas for these. They'll slurp down several at a time. It turns out - uhhh - these things are not - ummm - very flavorful. Nope, they don't really taste like much, but let's keep this between adults. Okee?

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Bevo XIV gets to lead a lap during a yellow flag. CG and GN duel it out in a green/white/checker. Good luck bro (not really... ok really... but not really).

WINNING SCENARIOS (final game):

Oregon: 13 National Championships (CG)

Auburn: Ferments-A-Lot (GN)

> Bowl Games 35 of 35
BCS National Championship Game - Glendale, AZ - University of Phoenix Stadium
January 10, 2011 7:30 PM
#2 Oregon 19, #1 Auburn 22

What I learned after this game... That cheaters win. I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about Auburn... and the SEC.

What I drank during this game... A lot. Enough to where I didn't update this until the morning after.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Bevo XIV (DW) started with 13 more points, correctly picked 69% to my 60%, but still lost. This is why confidence pools suck (if you are DW) or are totally totally sweet (if you are me). Head nod to 13 National Championships (CG), who would have who if those crazy ducks from the Northwest had won. Head nod to One Man Wolfpack (MF) who picked the 2nd highest % of games correct at 66%.

WINNER:

Auburn & Ferments-A-Lot (GN)