The origins of the SABOWL date back to a simpler time in our great nation’s history…the winter of 2006-2007. Looking for a little something to make their Saturday afternoons more entertaining, Michael and Christian struck Sabo family gold. The premise of the SABOWL is pretty simple:
Each bowl season we make picks as to who will cover the line for each bowl game…in the end only one person stands atop the mountain of beauty that is the SABOWL. There are only a few rules that go along with entry into the SABOWL: you should conduct yourself in a manner characterized by outstanding sportsmanship, integrity, overall good citizenship, and should you be fortunate enough to claim the SABOWL championship you must display the SABOWL in a prominent space in your living room.
SABOWL I
In 2006, the SABOWL started off with a bang! The League Director dropped comedic gold on participants throughout the season and the SABOWL championship came down to the final game that Ohio State prepared for by studying hours and hours of Detroit Lions game footage for inspiration*…the end result was a Florida victory wisely predicted by Michael Sabo.
(1) Michael 17-15
(2) Josh 15-17
(3) Jonathan 13-19
(4) Christina 11-21
The 2007-2008 bowl season generated so much interest that number of participants in the SABOWL nearly doubled. While it was nice to experience growth, the SABOWL experienced its share of growing pains as April Sabo sucked all of the life out of the SABOWL by putting on a display of dominance the likes of which has never been matched in SABOWL history. Rumors circulated following SABOWL II that the genius of April’s selection process was that she chose whichever team was shortest to type into her almost late entry sheet. Its likely that these rumors were generated by unhappy SABOWL losers as we all know that SABOWL greatness of this magnitude must have had more behind it.
(1) April 21-8
(2) Christina 15-14
(2) Jimmy 15-14
(4) Jonathan 14-15
(4) Michael 14-15
(5) Ellen 12-17
(6) Josh 8-21
Fortunately for the Sabo family and the world at large, the SABOWL bounced back in 2008 for one of the most competitive SABOWL seasons in recent memory! For the second time in three years, the quest for the SABOWL came down to the final game in which it paid off to choose Florida. Jimmy did and the SABOWL maintained its residence for another 12 month stint in homestead of Jimmy & April.
(1) Jimmy 22-12
(2) Christina 21-13
(2) Ellen 21-13
(4) Emily 20-14
(5) Rebecca 19-15
(6) April 17-17
(7) Josh 16-18
(8) Jonathan 14-20
(9) Michael 11-23
The 2009-2010 bowl season brought fears of a budding dynasty as Jimmy and April sought to keep the SABOWL in their possession for an unheard of three consecutive years. After April got off to a blistering start, there was no stopping her as she became the first two-time SABOWL champion in the history of the SABOWL.
(1) April 20-11
(2) Emily 17-14
(3) Ellen 14-17
(3) Michael 14-17
(3) Jimmy 14-17
(3) Rebecca 14-17
(7) Jim 13-18
(7) Jonathan 13-18
(9) Josh 12-19
(10) Christina 11-20
SABOWL V saw the largest group of competitors in SABOWL history up to that point. All SABOWL contestants were eager to pry the SABOWL from Jimmy and April’s hands. Competition was fierce, entering into the home stretch virtually everyone had a chance to win until Michael went on a tear, winning 7 consecutive games and securing his second SABOWL victory. Michael’s win made him the second two-time SABOWL champion in SABOWL history, which when you think about it really isn’t very impressive at all. In the wise words of Ricky Bobby, “if you’re not first, you’re last.” An important development in SABOWL history was the development of www.sabowl.com during SABOWL V.
(1) Michael 21-14
(2) Christina 19-16
(3) Emily 18-17
(3) Jonathan 18-17
(5) Ellen 17-18
(5) Danny/Stephen 17-18
(5) Jimmy 17-18
(5) Josh 17-18
(5) April 17-18
(10) Rebecca 16-19
(11) Jim 14-21
SABOWL VI continued the trend of expansion as a world record 13 competitors entered the quest for the SABOWL. As the competition grew so too did the the ferocious nature of the competition. Comments in the newly coined “Locker Room” on SABOWL.com continued throughout the SABOWL at a healthy rate and intensified as we moved toward the climax. RJ1, also known as Rookie Joe I or simply just as Joe, emerged as a favorite to win the SABOWL in his first ever attempt. However, an incredible second half surge from Danny/Stephen who won 13 of their last 15 games led us to an intense championship game between LSU and Alabama. Joe chose LSU while Danny/Stephen chose Alabama. In the end, Danny/Stephen were not to be denied as they took the SABOWL from Georgia soil for the very first time.
(1) Danny/Stephen 25-10
(2) Joe 24-11
(2) Michael 24-11
(2) Joey 24-11
(5) Jim 20-15
(5) Jonathan 20-15
(7) Christina 18-17
(7) Jimmy 18-17
(7) Josh 18-17
(10) Ellen 17-18
(10) Emily 17-18
(12) April 16-19
(13) Rebecca 14-21
Its been said many times that SABOWL VII saw one of the most impressive winning efforts in SABOWL history! Josh is the one who has said that many times and coincidentally he was the one who took home the SABOWL after six, long, pathetic SABOWL attempts. The SABOWL made its way to the Land of Lincoln after being stolen from its trophy stand at Stephen’s Bar Mitzvah, traveling to GA for temporary storage, and then being delivered to the St. Louis era in a milk crate. Also during SABOWL VII, a Locker Room record was set after a post by Michael drew 135 comments. Caleb the Kid overcame fierce competition to win the SABOWL for Kids.
(1) Josh 22-13
(2) Jim 20-15
(3) Joey 18-17
(4) Jonathan 18-17
(5) Emily 18-17
(6) Danny/Stephen 17-18
(7) Ellen 16-19
(8) April 16-19
(9) Rebecca 16-19
(10) Jimmy 15-20
(11) Michael 14-21
(12) Christina 10-25
(1) Rebecca 22-13
(2) Emily 21-14
(3) Michael 20-15
(4) Joey 19-16
(5) Joe 18-17
(6) Jonathan 17-18
(6) Ellen 17-18
(6) Jimmy 17-18
(6) Jim 17-18
(10) April 16-19
(10) Josh 16-19
(12) Christina 15-20
(12) Danny 15-20
(14) Stephen 14-21
(1) Christina 25-16
(2) Jimmy 23-18
(3) Jim 22-19
(4) Josh 21-20
(4) Michael 21-20
(4) Emily 21-20
(7) Rebecca 20-21
(7) Ellen 20-21
(9) Jonathan 19-22
(9) Stephen 19-22
(11) Joe 18-23
(11) Danny/Julian 18-23
(13) April 17-24
(1) Josh 27-17
(2) Jimmy 26-18
(2) April 26-18
(4) Christina 25-19
(5) Emily 23-21
(5) Michael 23-21
(5) Stephen 23-21
(8) Jonathan 20-24
(8) Rebecca 19-25
(8) Danny/Julian 19-25
(11) Ellen 17-27