Step Into the Pain

It’s a new day, almost a new year and it feels like the SABOWL is on its way to being great again…especially as long as I stay in the lead. We’ve got a great slate of games ahead of us today and truly a lot of competitors still in the mix to take SABOWL XI home!

Some of you are feeling a little dejected, you’re hovering around .500 and doubting your chances. I get it. You’re staring at the screen looking like this guy.

I had an original thought today based on a movie I saw 10 years ago and not related to a google search I did four months ago for inspirational quotes while writing a SABOWL X champion acceptance speech.  In Million Dollar Baby, Eddie Dupris says that “boxing is an unnatural act. Instead of running from the pain like a sane person would do…you step into it.” SABOWL after SABOWL the majority of us do just that, we step into the pain. Every SABOWL, almost all of us hit the point of no return and then deal with the fallout of our hopes and dreams crashing down. And yet, every next SABOWL we throw our picks back in the ring to try again. Why would we step back into the pain? Because its worth it. Plain and simple the joy that flows from the SABOWL is worth whatever pain we experience from its illusiveness.

Today, almost all of you are still in it. Step into the pain, step into the locker room and let’s continue making the SABOWL great. When you got a SABOWL, you got a responsibility, when the SABOWL is struggling you don’t cry about your picks and give up. You get your self in there and you make that  SABOWL great again.

Games and picks below if you’d like to keep track of how far you falling behind the reigning champion (who is performing incredibly well up to this point in the SABOWL). There is a 90% chance the below picks are accurate so use the SABOWL spreadsheet as your authoritative source.

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
North Texas favored over Army by 9.5
Army – Josh, Jimmy, April, Christina, Emily, Michael, Stephen, Izabella, The Amateur
North Texas – Jonathan, Danny/Julian, Rebecca, Ellen, Jim

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman
Temple favored over Wake Forest by 13.5
Temple – Josh, Christina, Stephen, Jonathan, Danny/Julian, Rebecca, Izabella,
Wake Forest – Jimmy, April, Emily, Michael, Ellen,

National Funding Holiday Bowl
Washington State favored over Minnesota by 6.5
Washington State – everybody but Jonathan, Danny/Julian
Minnessota – Jonathan, Danny/Julian

Motel 6 Cactus Bowl
Boise State favored over Baylor by 8.5
Boise State – Josh, Michael, Danny/Julian, Rebecca, Ellen, The Amateur
Baylor – Jimmy, April, Christina, Emily, Stephen, Jonathan, Izabella, Jim

33 thoughts on “Step Into the Pain

    1. Michael

      I just went into to the Sabowls resting chamber. (While it is not mine to display, we prepared a cozy room for it.)

      It was smiling.

      Reply
      1. Michael

        Welcome Jonathan. When you say conspiracy, are you referring to the superior selecting skills of your opponents? That is really what is keeping you from winning.

        Reply
          1. josh

            Always luck when it’s somebody else, skill when it’s you. Someone needs to coin a word for that for the SABOWL lexicon.

  1. Jonathan

    I was just starting to fall victim to Sabowl Syndrome when I realized there are 24 games left. Still a lot of Sabowl left to go.

    Reply
  2. Jonathan

    After a spreadsheet Analysis, Michael and I only have 4 unique picks and I am currently 3 games behind him. That makes all 4 of those a must win for me.

    Reply

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