A tough, tough back stretch in the Marathon of the Ass. For the second time in four weeks, only two Analysts notch the Trifecta and overall only two Analysts added two Trifectas during the month (Big Tuna and Woody).
Jimmy V now finds himself in a tie with Big Tuna at 5 Trifectas each. On Correct Picks, Jimmy V (20) leads by only one head over his nearest challenger, Big Tuna (19)!
Still within striking distance of the lead, B-Reezy, The Strategist and Wise Orangutan are in a dead heat for third place with 4 Trifectas and 19 Correct Picks each.
In the middle of the field with 3 Trifectas, Atwork (19 Correct Picks) holds sixth place by a half length over Craft Brew and Woody (17 Correct Picks each) in a tie for seventh place. Little Tuna (16 Correct Picks) climbs out of the fish bowl to join the middle of the field in ninth place.
At the back with 2 Trifectas, Sponge Mom (17 Correct Picks) drops one place to tenth place, KateTDid (16 Correct Picks) slips into in eleventh place, and The Bookie (14 Correct Picks) hangs in twelfth position. Roxy Trot (1 Trifecta and 14 Correct Picks) in thirteenth place has been decidedly injury-struck by fool’s gold.
Trifectas
Standings after Week 8 of Analyst of the Year VII
Correct Picks
Tiebreakers after Week 8 of Analyst of the Year VII
An astonishing, rock’em sock’em home stretch for the Run for the Black-Eyed Analysts! With limited options for Player Haters in Leg 4, Woody‘s lead seemed insurmountable. And, then, out of nowhere…
Little Tuna rocked the standings with a Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (18 points). The first two-time winner, she takes the Crown with 24 points total after four legs.
Woody, Big Tuna (on a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta), and Wise Orangutan finish at 18 points in a photo finish for Place. Wise O. ends in fourth place due to 0 Correct Home Team Picks against 1 Correct Home Team Pick for Woody and Big Tuna. On third tiebreaker, Woody Places with 2.0 forced turnovers per game, putting Big Tuna in the Winner’s Circle (Show) with 1.7 turnovers per game.
In a tie at 15 points, B-Reezy noses out Atwork for fifth place on third tiebreaker (1.3 vs. 0.3 turnovers per game). Tied at 12 points each, The Strategist beats out Jimmy V for seventh place on 3 Correct Home Team Picks. At 9 points each, Sponge Mom holds the edge on Roxy Trot for ninth place based on 1 Correct Home Team Pick.
In a three way tie for eleventh place at 6 points, Craft Brew, The Bookie, and KateTDid finish at the line in a dead heat. Craft Brew leads over KateTDid on first tiebreaker, The Bookie leads Craft Brew on second tiebreaker, and KateTDid leads The Bookie on second tiebreaker. As there is no money on the line, no coin flip will be held to determine the outcome!
Trifecta Points
Final Results for Standings of Player Haters Preakness VII
Tiebreakers
Final Results for Tiebreakers of Player Haters Preakness VII
Standings after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Woody leads by One Correct Home Team Pick over Wise O., while both lead by only 3 points over the next closest competitors. See the complete summary of standings here.
The Slate of Games in Leg 4 presents two problems. First, there are only 5 games featuring un-Claimed teams so a Player Haters Trifecta for 12- or 18- points will be less likely. But also, with four head-to-head games and nine games total, a *lame* Trifecta for 3 points may be more difficult for the leaders.
Scenarios
Eighteen points is the maximum possible in a Leg of the Player Haters Preakness, and that is only possible with 3 Player Hater Picks.
For the Win or Place: No Analyst is eliminated.
Woody largely controls her own destiny. If she earns a 6 point Trifecta (any 3 Correct Picks) she reaches 21 points. Only Wise O. could tie her with a regular Trifecta, but he would need a Browns Correct Pick and for Woody to have no Correct Pick for the Seahawks to force a tiebreaker on turnovers per game. If Woody or Wise O. reaches 21 points total, Atwork, B-Reezy, and The Strategist would need a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta to overtake her. Jimmy V would need a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta and a Correct Home Team Pick to Tie her. Craft Brew, Roxy Trot, Sponge Mom, Big Tuna, Little Tuna, and KateTDid would need a 18-point Player Hater Trifecta to overtake her. The Bookie will be eliminated if any Analyst reaches 19 points or more.
If Woody gets a *lame* 3-point Trifecta, then the home stretch opens up. Wise O. can Win with a 6-point Trifecta. If Wise O. also gets a 3-point Trifecta (for 18 total by both), then Atwork, B-Reezy, and The Strategist would need only a 6-point Trifecta to force a tiebreaker (The Strategist has an edge in this case with 2 Correct Home Team Picks currently). Jimmy V would need a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta to overtake the lead. Craft Brew, Roxy Trot, Sponge Mom, Big Tuna, and Little Tuna would need only a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta for 18 total points and force a photo finish on tiebreakers. KateTDid and The Bookie would need a 18-point Player Hater Trifecta to force a decision on Tiebreakers.
If Woody and Wise O. bust Trifectas (0 points), then the Preakness can be won with 15 points on tiebreakers. Woody current has 1 Correct Home Team Pick and Wise O. has none. If an Analysts has less than 9 points after Leg 3, a 12-point Player Hater Trifecta is needed to Win. The Bookie (currently 0 points) still needs a 18-point Player Hater Trifecta to become competitive.
Several Analysts find their stride in Week 7 and get back on track to take Analyst of the Year accolades!
Once again, Jimmy V (5 Trifectas, 18 Correct Picks) clings onto his lead over a handful of Analysts — including three former Analysts of the Year — who trail only one length behind!
Standing out, The Strategist (4 Trifectas, 18 Correct Picks) is in sole possession of second place. B-Reezy and Wise Orangutan are in a dead heat for third place with 4 Trifectas and 17 Correct Picks. Big Tuna (4 Trifectas, 16 Correct Picks) stays within striking distance of the Winner’s Circle in fifth place.
In the middle of the field with 3 Trifectas each, Atwork (17 Correct Picks) holds sixth place by a head over Craft Brew (16 Correct Picks) in seventh place, and two heads in front of Woody (15 Correct Picks), who has quickly separated from the back of the field to take eighth position.
At the rear with 2 Trifectas, Sponge Mom (15 Correct Picks) soaks up ninth place, KateTDid (14 Correct Picks) flutters in tenth place, Little Tuna (13 Correct Picks) flops in eleventh place, and The Bookie (12 Correct Picks) puts her thumb on the wrong side of the scale in twelfth position.
Roxy Trot (1 Trifecta and 12 Correct Picks) paces in thirteenth place, still uncertain of whether her Home Team is a Thoroughbred or a Standardbred!
Trifectas
Standings after Week 7 of Analyst of the Year VII
Correct Picks
Tiebreakers after Week 7 of Analyst of the Year VII
The Analysts get back on track in the third Leg of The Run of the Black-Eyed Analysts, and two Analysts earn the Player Hater x2 bonus!
Among a handful of Analysts who notched a Trifecta in Leg 3, Woody (15 points) heads into the home stretch in first place. She leads by a head (1 Correct Home Team Pick) over Wise O. (also 15 points) who climbs up the field with a Player Hater Trifecta.
B-Reezy (12 points) and The Strategist (12 points) score the *base* Trifecta to move into a tie with Atwork (12 points). By virtue of 2 Correct Home Team Picks [CHTP], The Strategist is alone in third place, followed by B-Reezy in fourth place (1 CHTP and 1.7 turnovers per game [tpg]) and Atwork in fifth place (1 CHTP and 0.5 tpg). Jimmy V moves into sixth place alone at 9 points following his first Trifecta of the Preakness.
In a crowded midfield for seventh place at 6 points each, Craft Brew, Roxy Trot, Sponge Mom,Big Tuna, and Little Tuna (on a 6-point Player Hater Trifecta) remain within striking distance of the Win if bold enough to go for the Player Hater Trifecta in Leg 4.
KateTDid almost rallied for a Correct Home Team Pick, but Gus-tkowsky-the-Mule shanked his game-tying field goal. She falls into twelfth place at 3 points, comfortably ahead of The Bookie, who has not yet left the starting gate (0 points)!
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Atwork: Packers*/Bills/Seahawks Jimmy V: Bills/Saints/Chiefs Craft Brew: Bills/Seahawks/Chiefs B-Reezy: Packers/Chiefs/Browns Roxy Trot: Bills/Seahawks/Chiefs Sponge Mom: Saints*/Seahawks/Buccaneers The Bookie: Bills*/Bengals/Panthers Big Tuna: Bills/Buccaneers/Chiefs Woody: Bills/Buccaneers/Chiefs The Strategist: Chiefs*/Saints/Packers Wise Orangutan: Chiefs/Cardinals/Rams KateTDid: Titans*/Buccaneers/Bears Little Tuna: Rams/Cardinals/Texans * Denotes home team
Spit Box:
1.  Think I jinxed the Packers last week. Now the Bears are leading the division!  Muahahaha. 2. Packers and Bears on the road two weeks in a row…one will lose! 3. Hopefully the Packers don’t blow it again this week. 4. How about a trifecta, football gods?
The back stretch of the Marathon of the Ass is proving to be a heavy track. Only three Trifectas in two weeks from our field of thirteen Analysts. After 6 weeks, the Trifecta rate (Total Trifectas divided by Possible Trifectas) has fallen to 42% — the WFTL average over the first six seasons! The more things change…
As the only Analyst with a Trifecta rate above 50%, Jimmy V leads by a length with 4 Trifectas and 15 Correct Picks. A streaker by disposition (he earned 7 of his 10 Trifectas in Season VI during an eight week stretch!), he may be in another slump…Fortunately for him, none of the competition seems to be getting close enough to see Jimmy V go streaking again!
Within striking distance of the lead with 3 Trifectas and (also) 15 Correct Picks, Atwork and The Strategist give no ground to the front runner, sharing second place.
At 3 Trifectas and 14 Correct Picks, Craft Brew moves up into a tie for fourth place with B-Reezy and Wise Orangutan.Big Tuna slips into seventh place at 3 Trifectas and 13 Correct Picks..
In a tie for eighth place, Sponge Mom and KateTDid gain some separation from the back of the field with 2 Trifectas and 13 Correct Picks (+2) in Week 6. Woody gallops from the back of the field to take tenth place alone with 2 Trifectas and 12 Correct Picks.
The Bookie and Little Tuna struggle to add to their Correct Picks total, falling down the board into a tie for eleventh place 2 Trifectas and 11 Correct Picks. Roxy Trot (1 Trifecta and 10 Correct Picks) closes some of the Correct Pick deficit, but still trails in thirteenth position.
Trifectas
Standings after Week 6 of Analyst of the Year VII
Correct Picks
Tiebreakers after Week 6 of Analyst of the Year VII
The Run of the Black-Eyed Analysts has been marred by an abundance of comity! In Leg 2, no Player Hater bonus was possible, and yet only one Analyst could eke out a Trifecta…Meh!
With the only Trifecta of Leg 2, Woody (9 points) surges into first place. She edges out Atwork (9 points) in second place by a head (1 Correct Home Team Pick).
In third place, B-Reezy (6 points, 1 Correct Home Team Pick) noses out The Strategist (6 points, 1 Correct Home Team Pick) by virtue of da Bears’ 2.0 forced turnovers per game (tpg) vs. the Chiefs’ 1.0 tpg.
In a crowded midfield for fifth place at 3 points each, Jimmy V, Craft Brew, Roxy Trot, Sponge Mom,Wise Orangutan and KateTDid jockey for the open rail. KateTDid has the advantage with 2 Correct Home Team Picks.
Heading into the near turn, a few Analysts can’t seem to gin up the animosity necessary to Win. At 0 points each, The Bookie, Big Tuna and Little Tuna misplace their hate in first two Legs of the Player Haters Preakness.
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 2 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 2 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Atwork: Packers*/Ravens/Chiefs
Jimmy V: Ravens/Packers/Titans
Craft Brew: Chiefs/Ravens/Packers
B-Reezy: Rams/Packers/Titans
Roxy Trot: Ravens/Packers/Chiefs
Sponge Mom: Ravens/Titans/Rams
The Bookie: Rams/Eagles/Texans
Big Tuna: Ravens*/Rams/Texans
Woody: Bears/Buccaneers/Chiefs
The Strategist: Chiefs*/Steelers/Rams
Wise Orangutan: Titans/Panthers/Rams
KateTDid: Titans*/Buccaneers/Rams
Little Tuna: Rams/Panthers/Texans
* Denotes home team
Spit Box:
1. Need those icky Packers to lose so da Bears can be number one in the division!!!
2. I would have taken the Browns if it counted as a Hater!
3. Hope this blind dog stumbles across a bone this week.
4. I'm going to be sweating it out with Craft Brew this week!!!
5. I really want to take my home team but I don't want to jinx them.
6. Hoping to do better this week!
7. My fingers are crossed on all 3 games. Certainly Brady needs to prove he is the better quarterback. Haha
8. I'm going for it all!!!
The Results Are (Coming) In:
Atwork: Packers*/Ravens/Chiefs (3 points)
Jimmy V: Ravens/Packers/Titans (3 points)
Craft Brew: Chiefs/Ravens/Packers(3 points)
B-Reezy: Rams/Packers/Titans(0 points)
Roxy Trot: Ravens/Packers/Chiefs (3 points)
Sponge Mom: Ravens/Titans/Rams(3 points)
The Bookie: Rams/Eagles/Texans(0 points)
Big Tuna: Ravens*/Rams/Texans(0 points)
Woody: Bears/Buccaneers/Chiefs(6 points)
The Strategist: Chiefs*/Steelers/Rams(3 points)
Wise Orangutan: Titans/Panthers/Rams(0 points)
KateTDid: Titans*/Buccaneers/Rams(3 points)
Little Tuna: Rams/Panthers/Texans(0 points)
* Denotes home team
Player Haters Picks:
Broncos only (no possible Player Hater combination in Leg 2).
An amicable (and therefore unpleasant) start to the seventh running of the Black-Eyed Analysts! Only a handful of Analysts went for the sucker punch that separates leaders from also-rans out of the gates–and fewer earned a *base* Trifecta!
B-Reezy (6 points, 1 Correct Home Team Pick) jumps out of the gates for the early lead by a nose over Atwork (6 points, 0 Correct Home Team Picks).
In a contest for third place at 3 points each, Woody by virtue of 1 Correct Home Team Pick edges out Wise Orangutan in fourth (2 forced turnovers) and The Strategist in fifth place (1 forced turnover).
Over half of the field struggles on the heavy track and net 0 Trifecta points around the clubhouse turn. KateTDid has sixth place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick, while Jimmy V, Craft Brew, Roxy Trot, Sponge Mom, The Bookie, Big Tuna and Little Tuna are separated by the hairs of their horses’ nostrils [forced turnovers per game] from seventh to last place (not in the order mentioned above).
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 1 of Player Haters Preakness VII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 1 of Player Haters Preakness VII
