The brutal end to the Run of the Black-Eyed Analysts saw all Analysts fail to earn a *base* Trifecta, not one Analyst earn a Correct Home Team Pick, AND not one Analyst with the foresight to Pick Three of four Player Hater opportunities: Jaguars, Broncos,Chargers, or Steelers!
The Crown Race ended in a five-way tie at 24 Trifecta Points for Jimmy V, Little Tuna, Roxy Trot, KateTDid, and Mo Money. And the Winner is: Mo Money! She had the strongest tiebreaker recorded headed into the final Leg and no Analyst improved position. She excels on tiebreakers over the four other Analysts for her first Win! Of the remaining four Analysts at 24 Trifecta Points, KateTDid made a last ditch effort to Win but came up just short. She loses to the three remaining Analysts on tiebreakers: Little Tuna (first), Roxy Trot (first) and Jimmy V (second). As a result KateTDid finishes in fifth place.
The three remaining Analysts at 24 Trifecta Points had a photo-finish: Jimmy V bests Little Tuna on second tiebreaker (Correct Home Team Picks); Little Tuna bests Roxy Trot on first tiebreaker (head-to-head Home Team games); and, Roxy Trot bests Jimmy V on third tiebreaker (forced turnovers per game)! As no clear winner emerges on closer analysis of the photo-finish, all three Analysts share Place (and second place Purse!).
In another tie among four Analysts at 21 Trifecta Points, Wise Orangutan, Craft Brew, B-Reezy, and Sponge Mom combat for sixth place! Sponge Mom takes sixth place with 4 Correct Home Team Picks, Wise O. seventh (2 Correct Home Team Picks), Craft Brew eighth (1 Correct Home Team Pick), and B-Reezy ninth place (0 Correct Home Team Picks).
Four more Analysts finish in a tie at 18 Trifecta Points! BigTuna takes tenth place, Woody takes eleventh place, The Strategist takes twelfth place, and Atwork finishes in thirteenth place on tiebreakers. Bookie‘s Wild Ride of five straight Pick Threes for Player Hater teams ditches her in last place with 12 Trifecta Points.
Trifecta Points
Player Haters Preakness VIII | Standings | Final Results
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 5 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Standings after Leg 4 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Headed into the final Leg (5), we have a four way tie at 24 points as well as six more Analysts with 18 to 21 points. That means we have far too many possible outcomes to consider in a comprehensive scenario.
Assuming that at least one leading Analyst reaches 27 to 30 points (+1 *lame* or *base* Trifecta), what follows are brief statements on the relative strength of Tiebreakers for each Analyst vis-a-vis the current leader (Mo Money). See the Tiebreakers grid at the bottom of the post to verify Analyst strength of Tiebreakers.
Scenarios
Mo Money (1st place; 24 points): She leads with 3 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.0 forced turnovers per game. She also has first Tiebreaker over Atwork* and B-Reezy. Her Buccaneers are on a bye in Leg 5, however, so she cannot improve her advantage. If she reaches 30 Trifecta points, she will remain at 3 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.0 forced turnovers per game — which we treat as the bar for others to Win on Tiebreakers.
Roxy Trot (2nd Place; 24 points): She controls second place with 2 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.3 forced turnovers per game. She also has first Tiebreaker over KateTDid, but loses to Little Tuna in a two-way tie on first Tiebreaker. Her Bills play this week so she can reach 3 Correct Home Team Picks to tie Mo Money. She also will need 2 forced turnovers to Win, or 1 forced turnover to Tie Mo Money for first place.
Jimmy V (3rd Place; 24 points): He holds third place with 2 Correct Home Team Picks and 1.3 forced turnovers per game. He also has a first Tiebreaker over Woody, but loses to Big Tuna on first Tiebreaker. His Cardinals play this week so he can reach 3 Correct Home Team Picks, but he will need 5 forced turnovers in order to reach Mo Money’s 2.0 per game, and possibly more turnovers to reach Roxy Trot’s or Little Tuna’s forced turnovers per game.
Little Tuna (4th Place; 24 points): She holds fourth place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.3 forced turnovers per game. She also has first Tiebreaker over Roxy Trot and KateTDid. Her Titans play this week so she can reach 2 Correct Home Team Picks. She will lose in a tie with Mo Money (second Tiebreaker), win in a tie with Roxy Trot (first tiebreaker) and likely win in a tie with Jimmy V unless he Correctly Picks his Cardinals to Win this week. And, see Sponge Mom below.
Craft Brew (5th Place; 21 points): He is in sole possession of fifth place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.3 forced turnovers per game. He reaches 27 with a *base* Trifecta without Player Hater Picks (+6), or 33 points with 2 Player Haters Picks (+12). In a tie at 27 points, he will lose to Mo Money (3 Correct Home Team Picks). He also is at a disadvantage to Roxy Trot and Jimmy V (2 Correct Home Team Picks before Leg 5) and to Little Tuna on forced turnovers per game (2.3 before Leg 5). Correct Picks and forced turnovers in Leg 5 will determine his outcome in a tie.
Sponge Mom (6th Place, 18 points): She holds sixth place with 4 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.3 forced turnovers per game. She also has first Tiebreaker over Bookie and faces Little Tuna in Leg 5. No Analyst can equal her current Correct Home Team Picks, so she holds the tiebreakers over all Analysts except Little Tuna (pending outcome of Titans-Rams game). In order to reach 30 points, however, she needs two Correct Player Hater Picks for 12 points. She could aim for 24 points (1 or 0 Player Hater Picks) and hope that no other Analyst scores more than 24 points.
KateTDid (7th Place; 18 points): She is in seventh place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.0 forced turnovers per game. She has first Tiebreaker over The Strategist, but loses on first Tiebreaker to Roxy Trot and Little Tuna. Her Chiefs play this week, so she can reach 2 Correct Home Team Picks. In order to reach 30 points, she needs two Correct Player Hater Picks for 12 points, however, she is currently disadvantaged on Tiebreakers to most Analysts ahead of her (note: she can Place if only two Analysts reach 30 points). A Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18 points) is a clearer, if riskier, path to Victory. Also, see Big Tuna below.
Woody (8th Place; 18 points): She is in eighth place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick and 0.5 forced turnovers per game. She loses on first Tiebreaker to Jimmy V. Her Browns play this week, so she can reach 2 Correct Home Team Picks. In order to reach 30 points, she needs two Correct Player Hater Picks for 12 points, however, she also is currently disadvantaged on Tiebreakers to most Analysts ahead of her (note: she can Place if only two Analysts reach 30 points). A Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18 points) is a clearer, if riskier, path to Victory.
The Strategist (9th Place; 18 points): She is in ninth place with 0 Correct Home Team Picks and 1.8 forced turnovers per game. She loses on first Tiebreaker to KateTDid and Big Tuna. Her Football Team is on a bye, so her Tiebreakers are locked in. She needs two Correct Player Hater Picks for 12 points to reach 30 total, but she is currently disadvantaged on Tiebreakers to all Analysts ahead of her (note: she can Place if only two Analysts reach 30 points). A Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18 points) is a clearer, if riskier, path to Victory.
B-Reezy (10th Place; 18 points): He is in tenth place with 0 Correct Home Team Picks and 0.5 forced turnovers per game. He loses on first Tiebreaker to Mo Money and Big Tuna. His Bears play this week, but he is not able to improve his Tiebreakers well enough to challenge the current leaders. He needs two Correct Player Hater Picks for 12 points to reach 30 total, and the rest of the field to fail to reach 30 points. A Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18 points) is a clearer, if riskier, path to Victory.
Big Tuna and all Other Analysts (less than 18 points): Each needs a Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18 points) to have a chance at the Win. Wise O. and Atwork can reach 33 points for the Win, while Big Tuna can reach 30 points and exercise his first Tiebreakers over B-Reezy, The Strategist, Jimmy V, and KateTDid (TBD, Leg 5 game) in the event of a tie at 30 points. Bookie can reach 24 points at most and cannot Win on Tiebreakers (Seahawks on a bye week).
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 4 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
* Mo Money’s first Tiebreaker (head-to-head) in Leg 2 / Week 2 is over Atwork, not The Strategist.
Despite four possible opportunities, for the second Leg in a row, no Analyst hits the Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (18 points). A steady race by a handful of Analysts has produced a four tie at the top of the leaderboard! Second (Correct Home Team Picks) and Third (Forced Turnovers per Game) Tiebreakers separate the leaders!
At the head of the field with 24 points each, Mo Money (3 Correct Home Team Picks) leads, followed by Roxy Trot (2 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.3 forced turnovers per game) in second place and Jimmy V (2 Correct Home Team Picks and 1.3 forced turnovers per game) in third place. Little Tuna (1 Correct Home Team Pick) drops to fourth place after adding a *lame* Trifecta.
Craft Brew (21 Trifecta points) is alone in fifth position. He is followed by a group of five Analysts at 18 points; Sponge Mom (4 Correct Home Team Picks) in sixth; KateTDid (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.0 forced turnovers per game) in seventh; Woody (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 0.5 forced turnovers per game) in eighth; The Strategist (0 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.8 forced turnovers per game) in ninth; and B-Reezy (0 Correct Home Team Pick and 0.5 forced turnovers per game) in tenth place.
At the back of the field, Wise Orangutan (15 Trifecta Points and 2 Correct Home Team Picks) has an edge for eleventh position over Atwork (0 Correct Home Team Picks) in twelfth. Big Tuna (12 Trifecta points) is in twelfth place and Bookie (6 Trifecta Points) gets off the schneid with a *lame* Player Haters Trifecta!
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 4 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 4 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
1. I’m predicting the Lions first and only win will be this weekend! 2. I am tired of looking at Jimmy V’s streakin’ ass from behind, so I am shooting the moon for a Player Haters victory!
The Pick Results Are In:
Player Haters Preakness VIII | Pick Results | Leg 4
Player Haters Bonus Point Combinations:
Perfect Player Haters: Any Three Picks of Steelers, 49ers, Broncos, and Saints (18 points).
Player Haters: Any two of Steelers, 49ers, Broncos, and Saints plus a winning Home Team (12 points).
Standings after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Little Tuna, the Defending Champion, leads headed into Leg 4. So far, among the five Analyst on the the leaderboard, we have two Player Haters who have earned *bonus* points (Little Tuna and Roxy Trot) and three Streakers who have earned only *base* points (Craft Brew, Jimmy V, and Mo Money) in the first three Legs.
The maximum *base* points over five Legs is 30 points. If the streakers close out, the Haters and the rest of the field will need Player Hater *bonus* points to close the distance or to reach 31+ points.
Scenario
The most an Analyst may earn in a single week is 18 points with a Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (3 non-Home Teams Win). To be in contention for the Win in Leg 5, an Analyst must be within 18 points after Leg 4.
Little Tuna is the only Analyst who can eliminate all other Analysts, but if and only if she earns a Perfect Player Haters Trifecta (+18) and the other Analysts earn no points!
The Analysts with 12 or fewer points face elimination if any of the Analysts at 18 points or more reach 30+ points (tiebreakers will likely favor the leaders). In the near turn (Leg 4), however, not even Bookie is eliminated! She can still finish with 36 points if her Perfect Player Hater strategy pays off in the final two Legs!
A high scoring, if overly nonviolent, Run of the Black Eyed Analysts through the back stretch…But, another punch to the glazzies moves last year’s defending champion to the top of the leaderboard!
Little Tuna adds a Player Hater *base* Trifecta (12 points) to move into first place with 21 Trifecta Points. She is trailed by four Analysts at 18 Trifecta Points, separated by tiebreakers. In second place, Mo Money (3 Correct Home Team Picks) moves ahead of Jimmy V (2 Correct Home Team Picks) in third place. Roxy Trot (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.5 forced turnovers per game) holds fourth position by a nose over Craft Brew (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.0 forced turnovers per game) in fifth position.
Sponge Mom slips to sixth place with 15 Trifecta Points. She is followed by a set of contenders tied at 12 Trifecta Points each. At the head of the fray, Big Tuna (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.7 forced turnovers per game) edges out KateTDid (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.0 forced turnovers per game) and Woody (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 0.7 forced turnovers per game) for seventh place. At the back of the fray, The Strategist (0 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.0 forced turnovers per game) beats back Atwork (0 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.7 forced turnovers per game) and B-Reezy (0 Correct Home Team Pick and 0.7 forced turnovers per game) for tenth place.
Wise Orangutan (9 Trifecta Points) falls to the penultimate spot, while Bookie (0 Trifecta Points) ponders whether all this hate is worth the effort!
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 3 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
1. Two benefits of playing games: It will teach you not everything goes as planned. It will boost your vocabulary. WFTL HAS TAUGHT ME MANY NEW WORDS. AS NOTHING GOES AS PLANNED. 2. If you can’t beat ’em, pick their Home Teams!
The Pick Results Are In:
Player Haters Preakness VIII | Pick Results | Leg 3
Player Haters Bonus Point Combinations:
Perfect Player Haters: Bengals, Raiders, Saints (18 points)
Player Haters: Any two of Bengals, Raiders, Saints plus a winning Home Team (12 points)
The the Run of the Black Eyed Analysts is now a bruising title bout that requires 5 Legs. Leg 2 featured more Head-to-Head competitions (5) than Player Hater opportunities. There was no safe lane for the Analysts to Pick Three!
Despite the treacherous track, four Analysts notched a second *base* Trifecta to draw even with Roxy Trot at 12 Trifecta points. Sponge Mom and Mo Money (2 Correct Home Team Picks each) move to the front of the field on second tiebreaker, with Sponge Mom leading by a nose on third tiebreaker (3.0 turnovers per game vs. 1.5 turnovers per game). Roxy Trot falls to third place with 1 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.5 turnovers per game (third tiebreaker), a nose ahead of Craft Brew and Jimmy V (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 2.0 turnovers per game) tied for fourth place.
In the middle of the field at 9 Trifecta points each, The Strategist, Atwork, Big Tuna, and Little Tuna remain in close contention. Big Tuna and Little Tuna share sixth position (1 Correct Home Team Pick and 1.5 turnovers per game each). The Strategist is in eighth position (0 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.5 turnovers per game), a smidgen ahead of Atwork (0 Correct Home Team Picks and 2.0 turnovers per game).
At the back of the field with 6 Trifecta points, we find Wise Orangutan, Woody, B-Reezy, and KateTDid! Wise Orangutan heads that set with 2 Correct Home Team Picks, followed by KateTDid (1 Correct Home Team Pick), and Woody and B-Reezy (0 Correct Home Team Picks). Bookie brings up the rear — regretting her decision to give up the opportunity for Shenanigans!
Trifecta Points
Standings after Leg 2 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers after Leg 2 of Player Haters Preakness VIII
