Week 13 NFL Picks Against a 6-Year-Old

Happy Thanksgiving!  In the spirit of the season, here are some things I'm thankful for in the sports world.  If you disagree with me, then you're wrong.

1. The Designated Hitter
I'm not sure why there is still such a controversy over the DH in 2013.   I don't understand why people would rather watch someone who has no interest in hitting over a, you know, professional hitter.  Why?  So that a manager can show that he knows how to execute a double switch?  There's also the idea of forcing a manager to choose between keeping a pitcher in the game or taking him out for a pinch hitter in a clutch situation.  Why is that a good thing?  Not only are you as a fan forced to watch a sub-.150 hitter hit 3 times a game instead of, you know, a professional hitter, you're also forced to watch a pitcher on a roll get taken out of a game so that a 4th outfielder can weakly ground out to second base.  I just don't get it.  Any rule that encourages pitching around a skinny, no-tool, 8-hole hitter needs to be amended.

2. NHL Shootouts
Like the DH, many old school fans of the sport aren't fans of the shootout at the end of overtime.  Well I'm not an old school fan.  I'm barely a fan.  And when I see a game go into overtime, I hope neither team scores.  Shootouts are fun.

3. Dirk Nowitzki 
I don't think I need to explain this one.

4. Dallas Sports Talk Radio
I'm a P1 of Sports Radio 1310 AM and 96.7 FM The Ticket, but with some recent changes, all 3 DFW sports talk stations are very good.  Makes me sad that people in other cities have to put up with bad sports talk.

5. The Pace of a Baseball Game
Some people are bored with baseball, and I can understand that.  It's slow. Not a lot of action.  But it's part of the charm (as long as a DH is there to provide some excitement).  Watching a baseball game allows conversation.  A few years ago I was at a game with a friend, and we started a conversation that continues to this day about if any Rangers players smoked.  We decided that between batting practice and first pitch Ian Kinsler, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Chris Davis snuck out the back door to smoke a quick cigarette.  Simpler times back then.  Now none of these guys play for the Rangers.  Alas.  But if it were a basketball game, this conversation never would have gotten off the ground.  And after reading this paragraph again, maybe that's a good thing.

6 (tie). Jay Cutler, Sam Fuld, Brandon Morrow, Mark Lowe
What do these guys all have in common?  They're all Type 1 Diabetics that play professional sports.  Living with a 6-year-old diabetic that loves sports, they're great role models even if Mark Lowe gave up the homer in Game 6 to David effin Freese (I'll get over it some day).

Speaking of the kid, he didn't win the week last week, but he did expand his lead.  It's up to 8 games with 5 weeks left.  Not saying it's impossible, but with the picking non-prowess of the rest of us, he can probably coast the rest of the way.

Week 12
CDog: 11-3
Uncle J: 8-6
6-Year-Old: 7-7
JDaddy: 6-8

Overall
6-Year-Old: 93-77-6
JDaddy: 85-85-6
Uncle J: 83-87-6
CDog: 77-93-6

Week 12 NFL Picks Against a 6-Year-Old

It's getting ridiculous.  Obviously, the grownups around here are showing that we don't know too much, but does the kid really have to keep rubbing it in week after week?  It was hard to get much movement in the standings due to the fact that there were 3 games that pushed, but the kid still managed to increase his lead by 3 games. 

Week 11
6-Year-Old: 7-5-3
CDog: 6-6-3
Uncle J: 5-7-3
JDaddy: 4-8-3

Overall
6-Year-Old: 86-70-6
JDaddy: 79-77-6
Uncle J: 75-81-6
CDog: 66-90-6

Week 11 NFL Picks Against a 6-Year-Old

Another week, another win for the kid.  He didn't even have to be exceptional in Week 10.  He just had to get more right than wrong, which he did. 

It will be interesting to see if the 6-year-old will continue his hot streak or go through some losing seasons.  He likes football, but he doesn't know much about how good each of the teams are.  So his picks are still random.  Theoretically he should end up around .500 for the season, which is where he's ended up the first 2 years we've done this.

But in the meantime, we'll just watch him beat up the experts.

Week 10
6-Year-Old: 7-6-1
JDaddy: 6-7-1
CDog: 6-7-1
Uncle J: 4-9-1

Overall
6-Year-Old: 79-65-3
JDaddy: 75-69-3
Uncle J: 70-74-3
CDog: 60-84-3

Week 10 Picks Against a 6-Year-Old

After lurking for the entire season, the 6-year-old is now firmly in the lead after JDaddy suffers a bad week.  The key to the kid's success?  Wednesday I asked him who he thought would win the Washington-Minnesota game.  His response?

"The Vikings, because they punch people out!!!!"

There you have it folks.  Doesn't take much to win this little league of ours.

Week 9
6-Year-Old: 7-6
Uncle J: 7-6
CDog: 5-8
JDaddy: 4-9

Overall
6-Year-Old: 72-59-2
JDaddy: 69-62-2
Uncle J: 66-65-2
CDog: 54-77-2

Week 9 NFL Picks Against a 6-Year-Old

We're back baby!  All four of us picked more winners than losers last week.  Not only that, but the kid is now tied for the lead.  He won this thing the first year we did it, but that was mostly due to poor competition.  This year, he's actually putting together a solid season of picks.  Meanwhile, being the Cowboys homer he is, Uncle J is doing his best impression of the team by going .500 at the halfway point of the season.  Hey, maybe that can get him an audition to play Safety.

Week 7
6-Year-Old: 9-4
JDaddy: 7-6
Uncle J: 7-6
CDog: 7-6

Overall
JDaddy: 65-53-2
6-Year-Old: 65-53-2
Uncle J: 59-59-2
CDog: 49-69-2