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
Who wrote this? This is back-to-back championship worthy writing here.
It is incredible.
Almost as good as the extra point program Army has.
heyohhhhhh
It’s been a tough year for extra points at all levels of football.
Jack and Caleb’s teams had a decent year.
So I have only one game to pick up on Josh and The Ameteur. Not so much worried about Ellen.
Thank you so much Michael! Since you made your prediction yesterday, I have not won a single game! ?
Should have responded in the locker room talk. Could have turned off the bad mojo.
The Locker Room likes that kind of stuff. Would have helped.
Poor mom getting hazed in the locker room!
At least Army won honest.
I was worried about you on that one.
Is Temple even aware that they’re in a bowl game here?
They are protesting what coach picked for the pregame meal.
Good chance we end the day with a 3 way tie for first place.
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.
The spread going to finally bite Josh. Temple will win by 3.
This is going to be great. Josh been a little boastie with this early lead.
The SABOWL needed a villain to stir up the locker room.
Danny is right. Temple will win by 3.
Anyone watching this game? Temple have it in them?
Don’t worry. They will blow it. There is a conspiracy to keep the Sabowl out of my hands
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.
Or the superior luck of my opponents
Jonathan, there are some very dark things going on around the Sabowl.
Always luck when it’s somebody else, skill when it’s you. Someone needs to coin a word for that for the SABOWL lexicon.
Danny, I agree.
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.
Long, long ways to go. We’re just getting started!
I would like to point out that Danny and I have the longest active winning streak at the moment.
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.
That may not be good for me with your track record.
Sounds good for me!