11 Results for My Third Season of 11 NFL Pick Methods
Published Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:00:00 AM
Our third season of weekly NFL picks is in the books. So for the people every week who passionately despise their pretense, rest easy until September. Here's how this season shook out.
This list was published on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:00:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
Published Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:00:00 AM
Our third season of weekly NFL picks is in the books. So for the people every week who passionately despise their pretense, rest easy until September. Here's how this season shook out.
Accuscore (16-5) - Accuscore's 16-5 record is the best performance of any method across three seasons. With all due respect to Joe Morgan, maybe there's something to this whole "statistics" thing. Accuscore will be back next year, for its fourth season. Even though the method is dry, I did enjoy figuring out how to make a joke out of its weekly missing one percent this season.
- 11 Points Reader Picks (14-7) - I'm glad the reader picks turned out so well. Everyone who wanted in got a chance to pick and, in general, it wasn't too hard tracking people down. Much easier than some of the methods I've used in the past (cough-homeless guy-cough). I'll definitely bring this back in the future.
- Laska, My Parents' Dog (13-8) - Laska got off to a rough start at the beginning of the year. Then I found out my parents weren't telling her the team names, just designating the biscuits as "home" and "away." I told them to stop that and let the psychic dog do her thing. The result? An end-of-the-year tear that brought her up to a tie for third place, and her second straight season in the top three. The moral of the story: Cutting corners never pays. Unless you work at a tile company as a corner cutter. Which my parents do not.
- Higher team salary (13-8) - I kinda liked this method, even though NFL salary ranges aren't wildly different like Major League Baseball's. I doubt this will be back next year. Maybe we'll see what the NFL decides to do about its salaries first. Whoo doggies are the months of ESPN stories about the NFL labor negotiations going to be boring. They'll make the steroids scandal and the Brett Favre annual retirement hoopla look gripping in comparison.
- Turnover margin (12-9) - Turnover margin performed the same as the "fatter offensive line" metric from two years ago, and much better than the "more intelligent quarterback" metric from last year. It won't be back for next season, as I'll search for a new "______ wins games" cliche to employ. Head coaching experience? High draft picks? To be determined.
- ESPN's Sports Guy (11-10) - Last year, the Sports Guy won, much to my disappointment. This year he cracked .500 again, but dropped in the rankings. He won't be back next year; I'm going to search for a new "expert" who will, hopefully, cooperate a little better in my mission to find a blowhard punching bag.
- The opposite of my pick (11-10) - It's the first time I've ever finished above .500 for the season... and, of course, it happened when I went against my instincts. I think I'll stick with the opposite of my pick for next year; I actually prefer it as a way of interjecting myself into this thing. Also, I'm just terrible at predicting games. (Although in the playoffs I seemed to really hit my stride.)
- Tecmo Super Bowl simulation (9-12) - It's a shame Tecmo Super Bowl didn't do so well. It did better last year, when it went 11-10. I'm undecided on whether to bring it back. I like its simulations -- better than Madden's, for sure -- but I think the humor well may be dry. To be determined.
- Randier cheerleaders (9-12) - This one didn't do so well, and turned out a little too subjective. I thought it would be clearer which squad's ladies appeared to be "looser." It was not, and I found myself basically forced into coin flip judgment calls. Also, it turns out there are several teams without cheerleaders (including both of the Super Bowl teams)... and that really dampened the effectiveness of the bit.
- Internet psychic (8-13) - I feel for the psychic. Tough go of it this season. I like bringing a psychic on, but I want to try to find one who will actually pick the games, without me having to disguise the questions. I need to make more psychic friends. I have one thought of where to find them... although I suspect that's not really the purpose of the Psychic Friends Network.
- Madden 11 simulation (6-15) - Madden was the big loser this year, only accurately picking six games -- and producing some of the most boring simulations ever. The Tecmo games are much, much, more more interesting. Madden won't be back next season. EA Sports will NOT be in the game.
This list was published on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:00:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
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It's all written by Sam Greenspan, a Midwest-born, classically-trained journalist who now tries to make a dollar out of 15 cents in Los Angeles. (It's hard to be legit and still pay the rent.)
Read more about 11 Points and Sam here.
For information about reprinting 11 Points content, or for quotes/interviews for your newspaper, magazine, website, TV program, or radio show, contact Sam via e-mail at
