End of Season Message!
We made it through another season and have yet another new Football Wizard to crown...
Well he's been close several times, grabbing the 2nd place spot in 2009, 2010, and 2013. I guess I knew it was just a matter of time until he put it all together and claimed the top spot and title of "Football Wizard". Yet again for the 2014 season we have a first time winner of the league, congratulations Uggs on a job well done!!! Uggs started out in the top spot in week 1 and never let go. That is an impressive accomplishment that has only been done a handful of times throughout the history of the league!
Last years champ Tony solidified another strong finish coming in 2nd place by pulling out a few key wins in week 17. Tony your starting to become a thorn in my side... just kidding, good job! Dan had one of his most solid performances this year with a respectable 4th place finish to show for it in the end, nice job! My nephews, Jacob (First year player!) and Matthew were also solid all year. Jacob tied for 4th place with Dan, way to go, and his brother Matthew finished right behind him in 6th! The 7th, 8th, and 9th positions were rounded out by Don, Mary Ann, and Ray. It's nice to see Ray work his way back and claim the 9th spot, congratulations! Finally, good job to my daughters Julia & Rachel (also first year players!) who managed to finish in the 12th and 13th positions. Not too shabby for their first year following football!
Overall, its been another interesting season, and I hope everyone had fun. Good luck if your fortunate enough to have your team playing in the post season! The end of year stats have been posted. I will be sending out winnings via PayPal by the 4th.
A few parting thoughts...
Although I always enjoy participating and watching many of the battles unfold throughout the season, this past season of the Footballwizards has been a particularly difficult one for me to get through. As most of you know, my dad unexpectedly passed away on September 14, 2014, just 1 week before his 82nd birthday. Even though our weekly face offs in the Footballwizards were just a tiny fraction of the many fond memories I have of dad, it was something we both looked forward to each fall.
Frank had been a part of what we know as the Footballwizards from the very beginning (my college years). He participated and watched it evolve through the many forms it has taken over the years. He always looked forward to the beginning of football season, cheering for his beloved Chicago Bears, no matter how mad they made him, and challenging us to see who could do the best at picking the games. It was something he enjoyed doing and he said it made watching other games more interesting, since he now had a vested interest based on the picks he made in those games. It would be a tremendous understatement to say he will be missed, but if I know my dad he will be up in heaven continuing to make his picks week in and week out, and looking for his Bears to beat my Vikings so he can collect on the ongoing bet we had...
Finally, I just want to say that I am blessed to have the support of so many good friends and family as I deal with the loss of my father. I especially want to thank my wife, Mary Ann, who has played such a big part in helping us move forward through these difficult times. And lastly, I want to send a special thank you to everyone who have offered their support and prayers along the way. They are greatly appreciated.
I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable off season.
Larry