The following awards were handed out in a ceremony before this broadcast.

2008 Overtime Central NHL Loser Challenge Awards

Best Team Name

The Bourne Loser (2008)
A subtle combination of an old comic strip, an action series and an imdb.com movie listing, this team name is like a decadent desert with many layers I can’t get enough of. I still laugh every time I see it.
I accept this award on behalf of Jim, who was… uhum… unable to be with us tonight.

Best Retro Team Name

Kerri’s Kool Kats
Honourable Mention: Winnipeg Jets

Best Team Name Named After a Dog Breed

TeamHusky

Best Team Name Named After Stuffed Animal Pets

Team Webkinz

Best Team Name Named After a Television Reality Show

The Biggest Loser

Worst “I Think I See a Theme Here” Team Name

LoserJunkie

The Scratch Your Head Team Name Award

Aloha Arlene

The Diamond Dave Award

In honour of Diamond Dave, who finished so far back in a contest one year, we could not find him afterwards.
The Bourne Loser (2008)

Now on to the main part of our program. Please keep your acceptance speeches short.

Most No Valid Team to Pick Days

Tie: Team Dynamite, Kerri’s Kool Kats, The Bourne Loser (2008) and Aloha Arlene (1)

Most Missed Picks (Automatic Picks)

Aloha Arlene (7)
Honourable Mentions: The Biggest Loser (6), Team Dynamite (5)

Biggest Week Award

Team CLM (21 points in Week 9)
Honourable Mention: Aloha Arlene (20 points in Week 7) and Team Dynamite (20 points in Week 9)

Smallest Week Award

Tie: 7 teams had 0 point weeks
Team CLM (Week 1), The Bourne Loser (2008) (Week 3), Loser Junkie (Week 5), Winnipeg Jets (Week 6 and Week 7), TeamHusky (Week 7) and Kerri’s Kool Kats (Week 10)

Shortest “Losing” Streak

The Bourne Loser (2008) (3)

Longest “Losing” Streak

Tie: Team Dynamite and Aloha Arlene (6)
Honourable Mentions: TeamHusky, Kerri’s Kool Kats, The Biggest Loser, Team CLM, Team Dynamite and Aloha Arlene (5)

Fewest “Losing” Streaks Over 3 Games Long

Tie: Loser Junkie and Team Webkinz (1)

Most “Losing” Streaks Over 3 Games Long

Team Dynamite (5)
Honourable Mention: Aloha Arlene (4)

Most Incorrect “Loser” Days (Zero Point Days)

Tie: Team CLM and The Bourne Loser (2008) (17)

Fewest Incorrect “Loser” Days (Zero Point Days)

TeamHusky (11)
Honourable Mention: Team Dynamite (12)

Fewest Correct “Loser” Days

Tie: Team CLM and The Bourne Loser (2008) (13)
Honourable Mention: Team Webkinz (14)

Most Correct “Loser” Days

TeamHusky (19)
Honourable Mention: Team Dynamite (18)

That wraps up another award show. Thanks for coming.

2007 Overtime Central CFL Pool

Most Predictions Accurate Within 2 Points of Both Home and Visiting Team Scores

Davin Bulldogs (3)

Most Perfect Predictions

Tie: Davin Bulldogs and Victorious Secret (1)

Most Fantasy Point Games Over 10

Victorious Secret (7)
Honourable Mention: Davin Buldogs (6)

Most Two Fantasy Point Games

Tie: KimchiPower and Ottawa’09orBust (10)
Honourable Mention: BigMc_is_back (9)

Most One Fantasy Point Games

PowerEdge (14)
Honourable Mention: Davin Bulldogs (13)

Most Zero Fantasy Point Games

Tie: PowerEdge and KimchiPower (3)

Biggest Month Award

Victorious Secret (132 points in October)

Smallest Month Award

KimchiPower (45 points in July)

Biggest Week Award

BigMc_is_back (34 points in Week 5)
Honourable Mention: PoolJunkie (33 points in Week 10)

Smallest Week Award

PowerEdge (1 point in Week 8)
Honourable Mention: KimchiPower (3 points in Week 8)

Biggest Game Award

Davin Bulldogs (16 points)

Most Uses of Default Picks of 21-20 No Overtime Home Team Victory

A sign, but not a certainty, that the deadline was missed and the default picks were used.
PromisedLand (7)
Honourable Mention: Davin Bulldogs (6)

Best Team Name

Victorious Secret

Most Predictions That the ‘Riders Would Lose

Tie: KimchiPower and PowerEdge (6)
Honourable Mention: PoolJunkie (5)

Least Predictions That the ‘Riders Would Lose

Tie: Victorious Secret, BigMc_is_back and Davin Bulldogs (1)

Most Correct Predictions That the ‘Riders Would Lose

Pool Junkie (3)
Honourable Mentions: KimchiPower and Ottawa’09orBust (2)

Most Predictions That the ‘Riders Would Tie

PowerEdge (3)

Most Correct Predictions That the ‘Riders Would Win

Tie: Ottawa’09orBust, BigMc_is_back and Davin Bulldogs (12)
Honourable Mention: Victorious Secret (11)

2007 Overtime Central CFL Hi-Lo Challenge

Most Perfect Prediction Weeks

Tie: Hi’n'Lois and HiLoJunkie (2)

Most 10 or Over Fantasy Point Weeks

HiLoJunkie (10)
Honourable Mentions: Davin Bulldogs and Hi’n'Lois (8)

Most Zero Fantasy Point Weeks

It’s Off to Work We Go (12)
Honourable Mention: PowerEdge (10) [Ed. Note: What a couple!]

Biggest Month Award

Kerri’s Kool Kats (74 points in October)
Honourable Mentions: HiLoJunkie (73 points in October) and Vote Quimby! (72 points in July)

Smallest Month Award

It’s Off to Work We Go (0 points in September)

Biggest Week Award

Tie: Hi’n'Lois and CFL4ever (33 points in Week 14)
Honourable Mentions: HiLounkie (29 points in Week 17), Hi’n'Lois (28 points in Week 17) and Vote Quimby! (27 points in Week 5)

Best Team Name

Tie: Vote Quimby! and Hi’n'Lois (its so punny!)

Best Retro Team Name

Kerri’s Kool Kats

The Scratch Your Head Team Name Award

It’s Off to Work We Go

The Diamond Dave Award

In honour of Diamond Dave, who finished so far back in a contest one year, we could not find him afterwards.
It’s Off to Work We Go

2007 Overtime Central CFL Start ‘em, Sit ‘em Draft

Biggest Month Award

SitemJunkie (3608 points in September)
Honourable Mention: CFL4ever (3604 points in July)

Smallest Month Award

Power Edge finished last each month, the smallest total being 1050 in August. [Ed. Note: Believed that rumour about a booby prize, eh?]

Biggest Week Award

g’s_guesses (1108 points in Week 16)

Best Team Name

Not awarded. They were all pretty bad.

The Diamond Dave Award

In honour of Diamond Dave, who finished so far back in a contest one year, we could not find him afterwards.
PowerEdge (Everyone thanks you for the donation.)

That wraps up another award show. Please keep your acceptance speeches short.

So did you hear the news? Even the CFL wants to bring an NFL franchise to Toronto. That seals it. There is nothing standing in our way now.

Yes, it appears there was some discussion of this internally, initiated by the Argo ownership, but is was real preliminary, thinking-out-loud talk. The fact is anyone with these ambitions are still hampered by the lack of a franchise being available and what the cost will be. The NFL is not expanding to Canada (or anywhere right now for that matter) and no teams have requested to relocate. To acquire a franchise, one has to come up for sale. Then you must navigate the local governments trying to sweeten the pot for local owners, then outbid all bidders wanting to keep the team in place or relocate the franchise.

But it is only a matter of time, right? I mean Ralph Wilson is on his deathbed.

Last time I saw Ralph Wilson, he looked very well. People with billions of dollars tend to get very good health care. Wilson is only 89; I’m sure you have relatives that have lived longer.

OK, but there are other franchises. Won’t one of them be available soon?

What is your definition of soon? Can the NFL let the New Orleans Saints leave town without appearing to be kicking a city when it is down? Maybe in five years. Maybe New Orleans owner Tom Benson will be able to arrange for new stadium funding to make up for the mess after Hurricane Katrina. The Jacksonville Jaguars? There is not enough buzz to believe they are close to being for sale or requesting relocation. The Minnesota Vikings? I think it is more than a long shot that a franchise as storied as the Vikings would relocate or come up for sale to be moved. Remember when the Minnesota Twins were contracted? Now a new ballpark is being built in Minneapolis, partially funded by taxpayers when the billionaire Twins owner is one of the richest owners in baseball.

Well, it will happen eventually. We know Ralph Wilson’s estate will be selling the Buffalo Bills. Then I will be watching the NFL at Rogers Centre.

So in 5 or 10 years the Bills will be auctioned. Let’s say a Toronto group is successful in acquiring the franchise. They will then have to put the NFL on notice of their desire to move the team. That will likely require another year in Buffalo. Perhaps a few more years if they decide to play in the larger stadium rather than lose 20,000 seats by moving to Rogers Centre until a new stadium needs to be built. You do realize a new stadium is required?

Yes, but they have a plan for that. I’m sure it will be awesome. I can’t wait for the Super Bowl to come to TO!

Sure, the plan being to finance the building of a new stadium with seat licenses and naming rights. The stadium will have to be covered, right? Especially if you want Toronto to host the Super Bowl. Even if that isn’t a requirement, Toronto fans won’t sit outside in November let alone December and January so covered is a must. So you are looking at $1 billion if recent stadiums in New York and Dallas are any indication. You better build it right the first time, otherwise you will be asked to pay seat licenses again in 10 years for the next state-of-the-art stadium. So that probably puts the seat licenses out of your price range, even if they only seat license half of the stadium cost and debenture what was left after naming rights. Taking on any debt is not likely since the stadium has no revenue streams except football. There will likely be the odd concert, but those events are a break even prospect to cover operating costs during the off season.

But the Canadian dollar is strong. Now is the time to buy a team and build a stadium when $2 billion = $2 billion.

Sure. When bringing the NFL to Toronto was first raised 30 years ago the dollar was above par and now it is again. But the 30 years in between it wasn’t. So any franchise better be prepared to go through years of a 60 cent Canadian dollar, and perhaps not even par by the time they get a team. Then 4-5 years to get a stadium constructed and with the way construction costs overruns go, the final stadium price could run $1.5 billion or more. No one knows. It could be enough for everyone to forget Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

I’m sure that there can be some help from the three levels of government if money is needed to complete it.

I would not count on that. I would expect seat licenses to increase as the Mayor, Premier and Prime Minister have all nixed the idea of public money helping private billionaires and their sport teams. No government will stop private citizens from pursuing these opportunities, but no public money will go to help them. That will not change with any changes in government either.

Why are you so against this idea? We have MLB and the NBA and you were not opposed to that. Toronto is an international city and we deserve to have an NFL team.

The difference is there were no professional baseball and basketball leagues operating in Canada that the entry of MLB and the NBA in Canada affected. I believe that making a hostile franchise move of an NFL team into Canada may not be successful in the long term. The NFL has a strong record of supporting and not competing with the CFL, so it may not like coming to Canada under someone else’s terms. There is no guarantee American owners will grant a Canadian franchise the same share of television money or other revenue sharing if they are seen as rogue owners who are hurting the leagues revenue generation ability. If a Toronto franchise is financially crippled this way, the owners may end up having enough during a period of a low dollar and depressed economy and move or sell the team. If by this time the unique and culturally significant CFL was irrecoverably affected, this move by private citizens would have irreparably harmed Canada. I am not really against it as being a realist about the constant hype built on speculation, perhaps years before any of this comes to fruition.

You are making a lot of assumptions and conjecture about what might happen.

So are you. Your assumptions are just that Toronto bidders will be the only bidders, the NFL will be happy with the purchase, someone will pay for it, it will happen quickly and you will be celebrating a Super Bowl win by the Toronto Atoms on home field in the next decade.

The Toronto Atoms? No way. I think we should name them the Toronto Bills, or maybe the Ontario Bills… or the Canada Bills!

Great. You do realize what the Bills record in Super Bowls is?

#6 – Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen

Though only indirectly about sports, Glory Days covers the reminiscing many a person has done as they grow older and they realize their best days are behind them, whether in life or in the batter’s box.

#5 – Cheap Seats by Alabama

Baseball gets more than its fair share of songs, possibly because America’s pastime lends itself to story songs. Cheap Seats is an ode to minor-league ball, outfield bleacher seats and ballpark concessions. Celebrating the fan experience, this one knocks it out of the park.

#4 – Big League by Tom Cochrane

A tragedy set to music, Big League is set apart as a serious song that rocks. The story of a talented player who is cut down in a car accident before his chance to play professionally strikes a tone with all Canadians and many Americans who identify the song with football.

#3 – Centerfield by John Fogerty

A song about riding the pine and itching to get on the field is familiar to many who have played any ball in there life. Just try not to sing along:

Oh, put me in, coach - I'm ready to play today
Put me in, coach - I'm ready to play today
Look at me, I can be
Centerfield.

#2 – Talkin’ Baseball by Terry Cashman

The baseball anthem that has filled many a rainout broadcast is a short history lesson on baseball. With multiple versions now recorded for various teams, you can learn a lot by listening to them all. Talkin’ Baseball was even adapted as Talkin’ Softball for the end credits of The Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat”.

Well Mr. Burns had done it,
The power plant had won it,
With Roger Clemens clucking all the while,
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness made us smile,
While Wade Boggs lay unconscious on the barroom tile...

We're talkin' softball...
From Maine to San Diego.
Talkin' softball...
Mattingly and Canseco.
Ken Griffey's grotesquely swollen jaw.
Steve Sax and his run-in with the law.
We're talkin' Homer... Ozzie and the Straw.
(repeat)

#1 – Fifty Mission Cap by The Tragically Hip

This song is really not about sports at all, but about a hockey card. Using the card, The Hip masterfully tell the story of Bill Barilko, who scored the overtime winning goal in Game 5 of the 1951 Stanley Cup Final to clinch the trophy for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Barilko disappeared later that year in a plane crash. The Leafs next won the Stanley Cup in 1962, the year Barilko’s remains were finally discovered in June. The song weaves the story so much better and has built Barilko’s legend in another generation’s eyes.

Bill Barilko disappeared that summer,
he was on a fishing trip.
The last goal he ever scored
won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another until 1962,
the year he was discovered.
I stole this from a hockey card,
I keep tucked up under
my fifty mission cap, I worked it in
to look like that

There you have it. I would be hard pressed to come up with many more sports related songs to expand this list, but there must be more. I purposely restricted this list to sports related songs, eliminating team fight songs, Stompin’ Tom songs, and anthems that are associated with sports like the ever present Queen hits Another One Bites the Dust and We Are the Champions or Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ which was used in the 2005 Chicago White Sox run to the World Series Championship. What are your rankings and what songs have I missed that deserve to be in the top six?

The following awards were handed out in a ceremony before this broadcast.

Most Predictions Accurate Within 2 Points of Both Home and Visiting Team Scores

Tie: BestGuess and pigskin_chucker (5)

Most Perfect Predictions

Tie: Davin Bull Dogs and pigskin_chucker (1)

Most Fantasy Point Games Over 10

Davin Bull Dogs (4)
Honourable Mention: BestGuess (3)

Most One Fantasy Point Games

FaragellisAverageJoes (15)
Honourable Mention: bigmc returns (14)

Most Two Fantasy Point Games

Green GG Machine (20)

Biggest Month Award

BestGuess (96 points in October)
Honourable Mentions: pigskin_chucker and WASC (94 points in September)

Smallest Month Award

Green GG Machine (33 points in June)

Biggest Week Award

BestGuess (36 points in Week 18)

Smallest Week Award

Green GG Machine (5 points in Week 2)

Biggest Game Award

pigskin_chucker (16 points)

Most Picks of 21-20 for Home Team

A sign, but not a certainty, that the deadline was missed and the default picks were used.
Davin Bull Dogs (11)
Honourable Mentions: WASC (8) and BestGuess (7)

Position All Default Scores Would Have Finished In

Tied for 3rd Place with 359 Points.
Finished first in June and first or tied for first in a number of weeks.

Best Team Name

FaragellisAverageJoes

Best Team Name Taken Off a CFL Fanboy’s Tattoo

CFL4ever

Best Team Name Based on a Former CFL Coach

FaragellisAverageJoes

Best Team Name to Pay Homage to the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Green GG Machine

Best Use of a Dog Breed in a Team Name

Davin Bull Dogs

Most Predictions That ‘Riders Would Lose

FaragellisAverageJoes (11)
Honourable Mention: Green GG Machine (9)

Least Predictions That ‘Riders Would Lose

bigmc (0)

Most Correct Predictions That ‘Riders Would Lose

FaragellisAverageJoes (6)

What is Old, Green, Smells Like Dirty Socks and Lives in the Basement? Award

Green GG Machine, who moved into the basement the second week and never left. Anyone know of a good pest exterminator?

The Diamond Dave Award

In honour of Diamond Dave, who finished so far back in a contest one year, we could not find him afterwards.
Green GG Machine

Have your award ideas? Leave your comment here with your fan choice award nominations.

With the induction of Henry ‘Gizmo’ Williams into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, I was reminded of my own short brush with greatness. The greatness I speak of, of course, is the legendary Giz himself. Here is my account.

It all happened in Regina, downtown outside the Cornwall Center in fact. You see, it was summertime and I was working as a security guard on a mission to take down the shoplifters ruining an otherwise fine city. It was an exciting time… Billy Ray Cyrus was hot and mullets were at their peak. Like Gizmo in many ways, I was winding and weaving my way through university at the time and because of my lack of an affluent background along with my parent’s desire for me to ‘build some character’, I was forced to work through the vacation months. Fate must have had a bigger plan for me that fine sunny day as I normally worked at the Hamilton Center, but on this particular afternoon kismet decided that I be called in to replace someone.

I was only about 19 years old… still pretty green, I know. As I was pacing in front of the mall doors in my fifteen dollar penny loafers and tacky security garb, a middle aged man approached me. He was big, burly, and balding with glasses and a beard and was wearing some sort of drab uniform. “Hey kid,” he announced, “can you do me a favor?” “Uh, sure Mister. Whad’ya need?” I humbly replied. He asked me if I knew who Gizmo Williams was. I told him that I did, and with that he went on to explain that he himself was the bus driver (or shuttle driver) for the Edmonton Eskimos. I was impressed with his position and embarrassingly blacked-out for a moment daydreaming of what his exciting occupation must be like. “Kid! Hey kid! Are you paying attention? I’m in a doggone hurry!” I quickly snapped back to reality and did my best to focus on my present circumstances. He explained that he was waiting for some football players, but on short notice had to go back to the hotel immediately. Despite making a promise to meet at 3 pm, he unfortunately could no longer wait for the group which included Gizmo. Up to this point I could understand his conundrum, but what role was I to play in this real life drama? Why did Lady Luck bring me to this particular place at this specific time only to cross paths with this certain stranger? Could I really be of any help to this obviously high ranking professional? I began to doubt myself and regret my earlier response. And really, why was it important that I be familiar with Gizmo Williams?

After a pause that seemed to go on for eons, the driver went on to break his news to me. He told me that I was to pass on some bad news to Mr. Williams. I was asked to inform him that he and his teammates were to find their own way back to the hotel. I wasn’t to offer them an alternative method, I wasn’t to aid in any way, I was just to boldly tell the CFL‘s most electrifying player that he was out of luck. That was my sole purpose on this afternoon, my entire reason for being. I tried to argue at how preposterous his favor really was, or at the very least think of an excuse to get myself out of this new responsibility, but it was too late. The driver had already nodded thanks, before quickly jumping onto his bus, closing the door and leaving my life forever.

As the iron lung pulled away my stomach shifted. I was nervous… real nervous. I mean, this was a lot to handle. I wondered to myself, what was it about my look that made this man entrust me with this duty? Was it the power resonating from the silver badge on my black as night blazer? Or was it just my honest non-threatening features that made him choose me that day?

Things only got worse. I couldn’t keep the sweat from dripping off my brow. Everything was spinning. The sun’s rays seemed to be piercing the back of my neck. I felt like the goalie that couldn’t get pulled despite allowing 12 soft goals. Was I going to vomit? Here in front of the Cornwall Center? Is this how it all ends? After some time, I managed to pull myself together. It wasn’t easy. ‘No big deal,’ I assured myself, ‘I’m sure he must be a good guy’. I thought ‘he’s gotta be understanding, kind and sympathetic. He’s a professional athlete. After all it’s hardly my fault.’

It was only 15 minutes, but it could easily have been 15 hours. As I glanced over my right shoulder I saw the mall doors burst open and in the shadows I could see some imposing figures making their exit. My throat was dry and my knees began to quiver. Four or five large men of African descent came my way and other than their size, what caught my eye was their enormous amount of ‘bling-bling’. This was of course before anyone knew what ‘bling’ was.

Then it happened. I recognized one of them. It was Gizmo, the CFL five time all-star was near the front of the pack. He was smallish, yet quite stocky. His hair was shaved to the scalp on the sides and back and his tight curls were cut short on top. ‘Obviously, well groomed’ I thought. I had completed half of what I was asked to do. With the identification process finished, I decided to make my move.

“Ex…krrrbbbt grrrttt!” I was forced to clear my throat. “Excuse me… Gizmo Williams?” I politely asked. ‘Yeah,’ he answered. “Ummm, your bus driver was kinda here, and… he kinda had to go for some reason…. soooooooo… he asked me to tell you… ummm…” The moment of truth was here. “He… he just… he said you’d have to find your own way back to the hotel.” I blurted it out. There it was finished. The damage was done. I closed my eyes in fear and held my breath.

“Oh” he said. “Awight”.

I opened one eye to check if the coast was clear. Okay then. No problem. He turned to go his way, and I went mine. Done.

“Hey!” I cringed as I heard a familiar squawky voice behind me. I reluctantly turned around to see Gizmo staring at me like he only would at the opposing coverage team. My stress factor shot through the roof. ‘Here it comes’ I thought. Thank goodness I was wearing speedstick. “Where can I get a daily?” the Giz demanded.

Now you got to understand, I was nervous. I mean it was just me and the Gizmo, face to face. The outside world didn’t exist to us at that one moment. A million things ran through my head. The main thought I had was ‘What does he mean by daily? Daily??? Let’s see, he wants to get back to his hotel… and he needs a daily. Is a daily a big city word for taxi or something? What’s this dude talking about? Maybe he’s using some form of African dialect that he presumes I’m aware of.’ Looking back on it, I guess you could say I was having a Jessica Simpson moment. Obviously, after the fact I realized that Gizmo was wanting a newspaper. Probably just curious about what the locals were writing about him. But still, at the time I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what he was asking me. We were from two different planets.

In the end, I did what any self-respecting Vision Securities and Investigation’s employee would have done in a similar situation. I lied to save my behind. Yes, I pretended like I knew what he was talking about. I even went so far as to give him some fake directions. “That way. Yep, just keep walking that way. I’m pretty sure. Maybe two blocks. Turn right.” I stammered unconvincingly. He gave me a look of confusion and for a moment I thought he was on to me. He didn’t say anything though, and after waiting for a moment he just turned away with that puzzled look on his face and led his troop of Eskimos in the direction I had pointed them in. With that, he too exited my life forever.

As I watched them walk away, I couldn’t help but smile. I had accomplished what I once feared. I began to think that maybe it was my life’s purpose to help those in need. Yes, for these reasons I smiled. I also smiled because unbeknownst to Henry and his pals, he wasn’t going to find no newspaper in that direction.

I had done it. I had fooled the un-foolable. I had deceived the master of deception himself. Me, a lowly minimum wager had stared into the face of death, and come out as the winner. As I thought about it more, I realized what I had really done. With the Eskimos doing battle with the hometown Riders the following day, I had just helped the Roughies cause. I had made Mr. Gizmo Williams, two-time Grey Cup Champion, waste his time and walk at least a few blocks more than he otherwise would have. Surely, his frustration and fatigue would get the better of him the next day.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember if the Riders won on that Sunday. But I do remember feeling on that day that I had really accomplished something. I proceeded to sit down on a bench near the fountain for a few hours until my shift was finally over, trying to take it all in. I had done my part. I wanted to hang onto the moment. I knew that the next day I would be back at the Hamilton Center, and this would all be a distant memory.

Many years have passed since Gizmo’s and my fortunes collided. It took me many years to mature and realize that screwing Gizmo around maybe wasn’t what the Divine Will would have had me do. Perhaps I should have just explained my ignorance to him, I don’t know. You could say that with Gizmo’s career being recognized this weekend by the CFL, I’m feeling a bit of guilt over how I possibly impeded his career from being all that it could be.

Anyways, this is the end of the story. Yes it’s unbelievable, but it’s all true. In closing there is but one thing for me to say. Nothing can turn my wrong into a right, but at this time it’s necessary for me to ease my troubled conscience.

Gizmo, I’m really sorry.

Jim Fedyk

[Ed. - If this occurred in 1992 as suggested, then this likely occurred in late May or early June when Williams was in Regina with other CFL players for an all-star junket or players' association meeting or something. The exact event escapes our memories. The 'Riders did not play Edmonton at home until September that year, well after Jim had returned to classes.]

Jim’s note: Upon coming to terms with what seems to be my obviously defective memory I must say, Gizmo, I’m not the least bit sorry after all. Screw you! ! ! And Ed… Screw you! ! ! And Gord……. SCREWWWWW YOUUUU! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (permission for this bit was granted by Worldwide Pants).

1. For all the readers out there, will you reveal your identity? I am the playmaker, the gamebreaker, the greatest of all time. That should make it obvious to all. [Ed. - So you are Terrell Owens or Ricky Henderson? I'm pretty sure you are Jon Fedyk, Overtime Central commissioner and site owner, who hardly qualifies as great.]
2. You have some of the lamest team names in history. I mean, really, pigskin_chucker? Please. Third and Goal!? Get some better football cliches. And Fade to Black and 50 Percent have nothing to do with football. Is there a question there? [Ed. - Yeah. You stink.]
3. Which CFL team is your favourite? I like them all except Edmonton and Winnipeg, but I definitely cheer for the ‘Riders. [Ed. - Yeah we don't like those other teams either, and throw Calgary and B.C. into that mix.]
4. You are supposed to be such a football expert, yet you have never won any football contest at Overtime Central. Are you overrated? Who said I was a football expert? I’ve never been good at any fantasy sports, despite my efforts. [Ed. - You admit to making an effort? It looks otherwise.]
5. As a contestant and administrator you have had ample opportunity to cheat and push yourself up some positions. Yet based on the final standings this does not seem likely. Are you that bad that your cheating can only push yourself to the bottom to middle of the pack? Whoa, whoa whoa! Let’s back off the cheating accusations. I have email record of all my picks. Anyway, I really am that bad. [Ed. - I can attest to that.]
6. What is your biggest downfall as a fantasy sports coach/GM? I cannot separate fact from fiction when it comes to predicting results for teams or players I have affection for.
7. You are accused of including many inside jokes in your coach interviews. How do you defend yourself? Let me start by saying Clarency’s house is both foul territory and out-of-bounds. If you stop rocking the chair I will hit you with this broom. And I am not selling tickets for Leboldus Notes. [Ed. - Huh? We think he's having a breakdown.]
8. Your athletic skill and good looks should have taken you far in life, yet you wallow in obscurity. What was your first bad break? Probably my face when I got between a sibbling rivalry and got pancaked on the football field. Look away, I’m… I’m hideous. [Ed. - Thankfully this was a telephone interview.]
9. Your late season runs are stuff of legends at the Overtime Central Home Office. Is your plan to pour it on during the stretch run? By the end of the season I’ve got the winners and losers figured out. So, yes, we do have a stronger second half usually. Staying within striking distance is the hard part. [Ed. - So you start the cheating in the second half?]
10. You are four points behind second place (prior to the start of Week 16). Will you be able to eke out 5 points over second place in the last five weeks to increase your winnings? We are shooting for first place. [Ed. - Make up 35 points? Don't Stop Believing]

1. For all the readers out there, will you reveal your identity? My identity, eh? Sure – I’m the guy who posts comments (sometimes misleading and sometimes not) to hopefully throw off the opposition. My secret is out! :) [Ed. - Bill is the second most frequent commenter on the site. He doesn't win at everything.]
2. You have had a multitude of team names through the years (Riders 4 Ever, Roughriders, Regina Roughies, CFL4Ever). Which of these things is not like the other? They do tend to have a rider theme don’t they? If I could remember one year to the next, I’d keep the same name. The pressure gets to me trying to remember and I just pick something that pops into my head that sounds footbally and fanatical at the same time :)
3. I am confused. Which CFL team is your favourite? Now that the Memphis Mad Dogs are out of the picture, I had to pick somebody! I was patiently waiting for a deep-pocketed saviour to swoop down and resurrect those plucky Mad Dogs but no luck yet. I gave up and went with the riders – if Ottawa brings back the “other” name I’ll be set! [Ed. - Blasphemy! Avert your eyes, he may take on other forms!]
4. You are in first place but with a 36.8% pick percentage. How does it feel to be leading the class in failing? 36.8%? Woo! It feels good man! Real good! I’m the king loser or something, right? In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And as long as I keep my eye-patch away from my prognosticator’s eye, I hope to be ok :) [Ed. - Someone get a stick and poke out that good eye.]
5. You missed last year. What happened, did you get called up to the pros? “I wouldn’t exactly say I’m missing it, Bob” haha! You know that “Two for the Money” movie with Matthew McConaughey and Al Pacino about sports gambling? Well guess who it was based on! I missed last year because I had to go and help out with the details and specifics in an advisory role – I wanted it to be as truthful as possible. However, instead of the CFL, those bastards changed it against my wishes and ended up making it about the NFL and US college ball. NFL? whoop-DEE-doo. I was very upset about that so I refused to allow my name to be associated with the movie. They took umbrage at that as only Hollywood can and blacklisted me. Now you can’t find any mention of me having anything to do with that movie. Check IMDB and the movie credits – you won’t find me! Take that as a warning to all who try to get involved with Hollywood. So I did have to take a bit of a leave of absence but I’m back now! [Ed. - The celebrities you will meet at Overtime Central. Bonus points for the Office Space reference.]
6. You had great success in the first two Overtime Central CFL Draft contests (1st – 2000 and 2002) and we have not had a CFL draft since. Do you not hate it when the other kids take the football and go home? Not upset at all! Everyone just gave up as I see it! I’ve been reigning champion for like 4 years now. I’ll be champ until another is crowned! And I’m actually a little grateful! That was a little stressful. And having to come back and do a three-peat would be a lot to handle. Who do you think keeps asking the CFL to keep the stats the way they are and not provide more info in a quick manner? [Ed. - Sorry for the bad news, but the stats are fixed now. Expect a CFL draft in 2007.]
7. You have already shared score picking tips in some post comments. Considering your commanding lead, would you care to provide some more? Some more golden nuggets, eh? The other teams are still a little too close for comfort. But I’ll provide a few juicy tidbits from my crystal ball anyways to keep all my fans happy. Hamilton will win at least 2 more games (and here’s hoping they beat up on Edmonton on the 22nd). Dickenson will continue to get beat up and tank big time in the playoffs. Winnipeg better get it together soon – and I think they will. Pride should help them step up with the Grey Cup in their town! Ricky Williams may get over 20 yards rushing this next game! Yes! You heard it here first! 20 yards! Wow! [Ed. - This interview occurred before Hamilton defeated Edmonton on the 22nd. All hail King Bill!]
8. How would you describe your picking style – conservative, aggressive, over-easy, medium-rare or well-done? I gotta admit I like well-done but to be honest it’s a little of each every time. It’s from the gut so whatever magical source gives me the scores that week, I have to obey it. Maybe it depends on what I eat? Could just be gas or something :) And I’ve learned over previous years to not just pick the team who I want to win. Who I want to win and who will win aren’t always the same.. The Hamilton’s, Calgary’s, Edmonton’s, and other teams of the world don’t always seem to want to do us any favours. :) [Ed. - Bill's being modest. He's a ringer when it comes to picking the CFL.]
9. Which competitor is most likely to give you a run for your money (last year’s winner WASC, consistent contender Davin Bull Dogs, perennial favourites pigskin_chucker and bigmc returns or laggards BestGuess, FaragellisAverageJoes and Green GG Machine)? Unlike the others, I fear everyone! Whoever’s ahead of me in the weekly/monthly rankings each week is the latest one to fear. I’m not likely to get overconfident anytime soon! If someone picks one good week of upsets and it’s a whole new game. Here’s hoping all my competitors forget to send in their scores for the next couple weeks! [Ed. - The guys on top always want the breaks. They can't see how lucky they are.]
10. The whole world wants to know. Will you be able to stave off injuries and hang on to first place? And if so, will you go to Disneyland afterwards? First place at the end would be sweet but I’m not counting on anything. Whoever does win will have fought a good, tight battle. I was happy with the August prize – and I’m sure that June prize is on its way any day now :) As for Disneyland, any winnings I get will be placed as a down-payment on the flight to Disneyland. I haven’t booked the camera crews yet though to film the TV advertisement :)

1. For all the readers out there, will you reveal your identity? Let me check my stash of stolen identities and let you know which one I’m using this week. No, seriously, I’ve got nothing to hide, go ahead and tell everyone. [Ed. - Previous stolen identities used by Cindy include Cowtownies, Downtown Cowtown, No Names, Cowgirls, and finally BestGuess.]
2. Is your team name BestGuess supposed to be ironic or visionary? Umm, ironic, no, visionary…..what do those words mean? [Ed. - So ironic then?]
3. Which CFL team is your favourite? I’m still a Saskatchewan fan, no matter how hard others try to convert me. [Ed. - Just give us the names of these people and they will be taken care of.]
4. You are the only female coach this year (unless you count Gord). In fact you have been the only female entry since your dominance in the 2000 NHL Playoff Draft scared off all the other female competitors. Now where were we? Oh yeah. Have you every been in a cat fight? I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me. And yeah, where did all the girls go?
5. What process do you use to conjure the weekly scores from the nether sphere? I guess I have a pattern (see below) that I didn’t even realize, I thought I was just putting down the first numbers that came into my head. [Ed. - How not to pick - 45, 193, 4, 127, 2, 289, ...]
6. If you could do the laundry of three other pool entry coaches, living or dead, whose laundry would you do? I don’t even do laundry for my own family, that is not necessarily a girl’s job you know. How come the guys get to pick who they want to go to dinner with, but I get stuck with doing laundry? [Ed. - Anyone would be honoured to wash the jock straps of our yearly top three. We also disagree with the assertion that laundry is women's work.]
7. Your pick pattern shows your picks do not stray from the 20-29 point range with an average difference of 3 points while the CFL margin of victory is over 14 points. Do you actually watch any CFL games? I didn’t realize I was so predictable. I have every game blasting on the TV, how much I actually get to watch is questionable. I guess I just keep hoping the games will be close. [Ed. - Hope against hope Cindy, this is the CFL.]
8. After a 3rd place finish in the 2004 CFL Pool, you finished second last in 2005 and this year are near the basement again. Did you fall for the rumours of a $100 least-improved award? I didn’t like the stress of being at the top.
9. Rumour has it that your split-personality allows you to pick the scores for two teams, and usually one does well and one doesn’t. Which is the better picker, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? I guess I need to enter two teams every year in order to have a respectable showing. Maybe that will be my strategy for next year and those will be my team names. (By the way I am only picking scores for one team this year, that other guy is on his own).
10. Can we expect you to make a run at a money position from sixth place or will you be foiled again? I only expect to fall further down the ranks. [Ed. - It is a short fall and Gord may cushion the blow.]

Formal Letters of Interest Received by CFL

Formal letters of interest that include a business plan, front office structure, philosophical approach to operating a team and a five year budget projection were due to CFL offices today by interested parties. As expected three groups submitted their packages prior to the deadline. The only interesting information from the official CFL press release is the fact the league has no deadline to evaluate and award a franchise, if they choose to do so. From the actual groups comes the info that one group is proposing a start date of 2008, a second 2007, while the third and media front runner will listen to the league’s preference for either a 2007 or 2008 start.

Montreal to Test Palmer

After being placed on Montreal’s practice roster today, Jesse Palmer will try to impress Alouette coaching staff enough to earn a QB roster spot. Getting on the roster this year will allow him to learn the Montreal offence and readjust to the Canadian game so he may challenge for Anthony Calvillo’s backup spot next training camp and become his eventual successor. Despite the poor record of Canadian quarterbacks in the CFL, Palmer has one advantage, and that is he is American college trained. All the previous Canadian QB “failures” were Canadian college QB‘s where they do not get the same reps and coaching as their American counterparts. While some coaching bias is involved, some of it stems from the training discrepancy that exists between American and Canadian recruits.

Contracts and Salary Caps

Ted Hellard may be hoping the CFL SMS is not enforced for 2007, despite his doubts of a reversal, after Calgary signed their kicker to a reported $125,000 contract with $100,000 signing bonus. How do you spend over your average salary ($3.8 million divided by 46 players) on a kicker who does not pull punting duties as well? Nice how the Eskimos are quick to deflect from their situation to single out Saskatchewan as big spenders. I guess they forgot to fess up to their years of over spending and hiding players when they wrote one set of rules for the Eskimos and another for everyone else.

Asper Wants Piece of Blue Bombers

Reports state that David Asper wants to purchase a stake of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football club. No confirmation or discussion of the proposal will occur by the club or city until after the Grey Cup, which is in Winnipeg this year on November 19. The belief that this proposal is related to the Bombers quest for a new stadium is most likely right, but new stadium or not, private ownership, partial or otherwise may not be the best unless the party is willing to underwrite losses during tough years. Otherwise it is just another owner who will walk away when the losses are too great, and who else in Winnipeg will step in? It is very hard to go back to public ownership after a private stake has been taken.

More NFL Franchise for Toronto Nonsense

After last week’s announcement that Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum were courting the NFL for a franchise, most likely to relocate and existing one, a Toronto crack sports reporter investigates that possibility that the beloved Bills may move to Toronto. Despite the conclusion that there is the slimmest of possibilities, the tagline seems to give greater hope to Torontonians (if they even want the Bills).

Let us review the facts. Current Bills’ owner Ralph Wilson has always been against relocation. He has expressed no plan for the franchise after his death. That does not mean he does not have a plan. He has to die or sell the team (very unlikely) before it is available, which could be a long time. The team currently has a lease agreement with Ralph Wilson Stadium until 2013. Any statement that Buffalo including the Toronto metropolitan area, ranks 5th in television markets in the U.S. is pointless. Canadian and American television markets are split and do not aggregate. Besides, would Buffalo fans continue their loyalty to a franchise that was moved, even if it was just across the border? I do not think many Baltimore Colts’ fans became Indianapolis Colts fans after their move. Factor in Rogers and Tanenbaum plus other partners need to raise $900 million to $1 billion or potentially more by the time a team may be available and as I stated before, this is no more than a pipe dream. Time is not something that will help this effort; a team available 10 years from now will only be more expensive and make a small stadium in Toronto less viable for a franchise.

Fox Sports “joke” Costs Network New Truck

A Fox Sports on-air practical joke on a Carolina Panthers fan during a NFL pre-season game has resulted in Carolina fan “Catman” getting a new Ford F-150 truck. The fan was angered (and maybe embarrassed) after expressing excitement and joy after receiving a toy car Porsche he thought was a token of a real vehicle he was to receive. The on-air broadcasters actually said they were giving away a car in an effort to keep fans from tuning out. Near the end of the game, a sideline reporter presented the toy car to “Catman”.

After reporting of the incident caused Fox to be deluged with emails from angry fans they decided to apologize and present the fan with a new truck to make up for the “joke that went terribly, terribly wrong”. Good on them. The CFL experienced criticism last year when their Kick to Win contest for $1 million was awarded and it was revealed that the award was actually a payment of $50,000/year for 20 years not a $1 million lump sum, even though this was well publicized in the contest rules and promotions. This year the contest has changed, perhaps unnecessarily, to award the prize as a $1 million lump sum.

New Steroid Testimony: Who’s Next?

Reading between the lines of the lastest steroid testimony, another of the great sports figures is tarnished in the public’s eyes. If CB is juiced, everyone is juiced.