Boothbay Register Staff Pro Football Challenge: Week 5
The first-ever online Boothbay Register/Wiscasset Newspaper Staff Pro Football Challenge continues. Each week, staff members Ben “The Incredible Bulk” Bulkeley, Kevin “The Hammer” Burnham, Nicole “The Lion” Lyons, Katrina “The Ninja” Clark, Mike “Big Scar” Scarborough, Mike “The Iron Horse” Marr and Gary “Mad Stork” Dow “try” to pick the winners of each NFL game by Wednesday evening (each week there is a Thursday game). The winner (best winning percentage) at the end of the regular season will be treated to a prize (we haven’t come up with one yet). We will post each players record from the following week.
Week 4 standings: Kevin 10-5, Mike S. 10-5, Katrina 10-5, Ben 10-5, Mike M. 8-7, Nicole 8-7, Gary 7-8
Overall: Mike M. 39-24; Kevin 39-24; Ben 38-25; Nicole 36-27; Mike S. 36-27; Katrina 32-31; Gary 31-32
Week 4 Comments: Cleveland … two straight wins, baby. Pick of the Week was by Ben, choosing the Bills' upset of the Ravens. Katrina jumped over Gary in the overall standings; thank you 0-4 Giants for losing again! Kevin caught Mike M. in the standings, with Ben just a pick behind!
Week 5 Prognosis: Only 14 games this week with four teams having a bye week. Will Gary pick the New York teams to win this week? He picked one! Gary is still trying to catch up, going it alone with the Titans and Texans. Is Detroit for real? Mike S. thinks so! Not cold enough in Chicago yet so look for the Saints to keep rolling, says Kevin. The Challenge ladies (Nicole and Katrina) differ on seven picks … hmm? Is Nicole pulling a reverse on the rest of us, going it alone with the Bills, Raiders and Jets, to gain an advantage? And Ben is a traitor … or is he thinking our Patriots will run out of gas along I-71 near the Ohio River?
Week 5 picks
Buffalo at Cleveland: Buffalo: Nicole; Cleveland: Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S., Ben
Baltimore at Miami: Baltimore: Nicole, Gary; Miami: Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Mike S., Ben
Detroit at Green Bay: Detroit: Mike S.; Green Bay: Nicole, Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Ben
Jacksonville at St. Louis: Jacksonville:; St. Louis: Nicole, Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S., Ben
Kansas City at Tennessee: Kansas City: Nicole, Kevin, Mike M., Katrina, Mike S., Ben; Tennessee: Gary
New England at Cincinnati: New England: Nicole, Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S.; Cincinnati: Ben
New Orleans at Chicago: New Orleans: Nicole, Kevin, Mike S., Ben; Chicago: Katrina, Mike M., Gary
Philadelphia at NY Giants: Philadelphia: Nicole, Mike S.; NY Giants: Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Ben
Seattle at Indianapolis: Seattle: Katrina, Mike M., Mike S., Ben; Indianapolis: Nicole, Kevin, Gary
Carolina at Arizona: Carolina: Nicole, Katrina, Gary, Mike S., Ben; Arizona: Kevin, Mike M.
Denver at Dallas: Denver: Nicole, Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S., Ben; Dallas:
San Diego at Oakland: San Diego: Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S., Ben; Oakland: Nicole
Houston at San Francisco: Houston: Gary; San Francisco: Nicole, Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Mike S., Ben
NY Jets at Atlanta: NY Jets: Nicole; Atlanta: Katrina, Kevin, Mike M., Gary, Mike S., Ben
The players
Ben “The Incredible Bulk” Bulkeley used to play football. He used to weigh over 200 pounds, but he wanted to play wide receiver, so he slimmed down drinking Slim Fast and cutting down on his Devil Dog consumption.
Kevin “The Hammer” Burnham played football locally and was on the 1973 Class D championship team, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season. He played linebacker and running back and suffered a few concussions during his playing days ... which may explain a lot.
Nicole “The Lion” Lyons watches football ... sometimes.
Katrina “The Ninja” Clark likes to make her picks by blindfolding herself and throwing darts at the chart in her backyard. Once in a while she even hits it. More often she hits the squirrels.
Mike "Big Scar" Scarborough last played organized football in junior high. He played both ways as a lineman, offensive and defensive tackle. Big Scar was a "speed lineman," who loved nothing better than running down a QB in the backfield.
Gary "Mad Stork" Dow played defensive end for the 1972 Class A state runner-up Edward Little "Red Eddies" of Auburn. He alleges he was selected "All-State" but since this was before the creation of the Internet, there is no way to confirm it. He went to play for the University of Maine from 1973-1976 as a defensive end and outside linebacker. He states he won Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association (ECAC) Player of the Week honors against Bucknell University in the fall of 1975, but again, there is no way to confirm this claim either.
Mike “The Iron Horse” Marr made a name for himself in junior high and intramural sports with his aggressive and undisciplined playing technique, often going for the biggest guy on the field and stiff arming. When in a clutch position on the field, he drew attention by using modern dance techniques, something nobody wanted to see. To this day, he still can't watch “Flashdance” without tapping his feet.
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