September 2, 2013 at 12:30 p.m.
Ten panelists set to compete for River News Pigskin Pick'em title
Winner to receive $500 for charity
Ten panelists set to compete for River News Pigskin Pick'em title
The Northwoods River News Pigskin Pick'em Board debuts Thursday with some changes that promise to make this season better than ever.
The board has grown from eight members to 10 and, for the first time, playoff games will help determine the champion.
As always our panelists have ponied up $50 each in this winner-take-all battle. Whoever picks the most pro football games correctly, between the time the season kicks off Thursday in Denver and when the confetti falls in New York in February, will win $500 to donate to the charity of his or her choosing.
There were four automatic bids for this year's board. Sports editor Jeremy Mayo represents the River News on the board. Defending champion Ed Orlikowski of the Claridge Days Inn returns and Dennis Sievert of Rhinelander earned a place on the board as last year's co-champion in the online game. Also in the mix is the mysterious Shadow who will attempt to steal all the glory.
A mix of pubic officials, media members and business professionals round out this year's board - Lara Reed, Grady Hartman, Joe Dufek, Mike Michalak, Todd McEldowney and Josh Clark.
Jeremy Mayo (Northwoods River News)
Each year, the River News sends its sports editor into battle in hopes of capturing the title. Mayo, who took over in November 2011, helped lead the River News entry to a title that year but slipped to third last year.
"I'm pretty sure (2012 champion) Ed (Orlikowski) cheated down the stretch. That's the only way he could have beat me," Mayo said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "I predict Jeremy Mayo will have a better finish this time around."
Mayo noted it's a week-to-week league, so care has to be taken when picking games regarding which teams are getting hot or cooling off, or which teams have sustained injuries that could derail their hopes.
"You just have got to take it game-by-game, week-by-week," he said.
Mayo will be playing for the Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club, which gives monetary grants to Rhinelander High School, James Williams Middle School and Rhinelander area youth sports programs.
Note: See who Mayo is picking to win the Super Bowl by reading his "Shoutouts & Callouts" column on Page 3B.
Ed Orlikowski (Claridge Days Inn)
As the defending champion, Ed Orlikowski is back to defend his title.
The manager of the Claridge Days Inn in Rhinelander will host the year-end party for the board and hopes, like last year, it will be a party in his honor.
Last year, Orlikowski joked that he was going to make sure his picks were the opposite of 2012 board member Paul Johnson. With Johnson not on the board this year, he may have to implement other clairvoyant strategies.
"I've got a crystal ball in my office that I use to predict the future here at the Claridge, plus I'll use it to pick the winners of the football games," he said at the start of last season. "If that doesn't work, I'm going to give John Madden a call on Mondays and get his picks for the following weekend."
Last year Orlikowski donated his winnings to the Oneida County Humane Society.
Grady Hartman (Oneida Co. Sheriff)
Retired sheriff Jeff Hoffman was the runner-up in the Pigskin Pick'em Board each of the last two seasons. His successor as Oneida County's top cop hopes to finish one spot better this year.
To do that, Grady Hartman said he is going to rely heavily on a officer's intuition.
"I will pick based on my hunches," Hartman said.
While Hartman likes the Packers, he said "the 49ers will be hard to beat this season."
While protecting the honor of the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, Hartman has one board member in particular he wants to beat to even a score from high school.
"I need to beat (Todd) McEldowney," he said. "Back in high school, he used to crush us in basketball on a regular basis. I need a little payback."
Hartman said he would donate the money to the V Foundation for cancer research if he emerges as this year's winner.
"We have had several employees at the Sheriff's Office that have been stricken with this awful disease and we have lost some of them. If I win, it will be nice to donate in their memory," he said.
Lara Reed (Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce)
The lone female representative on this year's board, Lara Reed, hopes to use her journalistic background as a former anchor and reporter at WJFW-TV to her advantage when it comes to picking games.
"I'll just go with the team with the best chance of winning," Reed said.
She plays coy, but Reed can't be taken lightly after showing up all the boys and winning the title in her fantasy football league last year.
She hopes to do the same in this year's Pick'em game.
"As the only female of the group it's always great to have bragging rights over the boys," she said.
Reed, an Indiana native, roots for her home state Indianapolis Colts. "We've got 'Luck' on our side. Who else can say that?" she said referring to quarterback Andrew Luck.
Reed said she is playing for the Rhinelander Railroad Association and their restoration efforts of railroad displays at Pioneer Park.
"The museums at Pioneer Park are a huge draw for both visitors and residents alike and I'd love to be able to help them get a little closer to their fundraising goal to restore that portion of the complex," she said.
Joe Dufek (WJFW Sports)
After his colleague Marisa Silvas finished last in the Pigskin Pick'em Board last year, Joe Dufek, the sports director at WJFW-TV, decided to give it a shot.
Dufek's team is the Packers, but he sees San Francisco winning the big game this year.
As for his strategy on picking games...
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he quipped. "I'd like to think I can identify the team with the most balance and talent for a particular matchup. When all else fails, a coin flip could work too."
Like everyone else, Dufek is gunning for Orlikowski and his championship belt.
"He's the champ, I always like to defeat the best," he said. "But hopefully I don't finish last."
After all, after Silvas' performance last year, the WJFW newsroom knows how that feels.
Dufek said he would donate the winnings to Ministry St. Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander for stroke research and care. It's a cause that is near to his heart.
"I had a stroke several years ago before I came to the Northwoods," he said. "I'd like to be able to help stroke victims any way I can."
Mike Michalak (WMQA-FM/NorthPro Video)
Mike Michalak has many irons in the fire - video producer, on-air personality, avid fisherman - but he knows his sports well.
Aside from his daily on-air duties for KOOL 95.9 WMQA-FM, Michalak serves as the play-by-play voice for Lakeland Union High School sports. If that doesn't help him with his picks each week, Michalak said he would revert to "investigative journalism."
"Sitting out in front of (the River News) office and telling the other (board members) I'm collecting the (picks) for that week," Michalak said of his strategy.
The Packers are Michalak's team, and he figures it will be a three-team race between the Packers, 49ers and Redskins to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year.
Michalak is playing for Let's Go Fishing, "a tremendous, local opportunity to enjoy our waters for those without the means to do it," he said.
If Michalak doesn't win it all this year, he at least wants to beat Mayo and Dufek, the two other members of the press on the board. "Just because," he said.
Todd McEldowney (O'Melia, Schiek & McEldowney)
The McEldowney name has carried plenty of weight in the Rhinelander community for the better part of six decades. Todd McEldowney is keeping that in mind this year on the board.
McEldowney said he'll be drawing inspiration from his dad, longtime Hodag teacher and radio announcer Todd Sr..
"Divine intervention from a sage sports authority much wiser than I -- dear old Dad," McEldowney said of his strategy for picking games this year.
A Wisconsin homer, McEldowney has the Packers going all the way to Super Bowl XLVIII and winning by two touchdowns. He added he has his sights on taking down The Shadow.
"Who wouldn't want to beat a skulking, stalking, apparition who remains cloaked in anonymity as 'The Shadow?'" he said.
McEldowney is playing for the Hodag Schools Foundation, which has discussed replacing the press box at Mike Webster Stadium and rededicating it the "Todd McEldowney Media Center," in honor of McEldowney Sr.
Josh Clark (Culver's of Rhinelander)
The good news for this year's board is win or lose, the members can still head to Culver's for ice cream after the game.
Clark, the proprietor of the Rhinelander Culver's, and Hartman share a lot of the same philosophies when it comes to Pigskin Pick'em. Both said they will go with gut feelings to make their picks and both like San Francisco as a legitimate title contender.
Of all of the board members, Clark said he wants to defeat Reed to claim some bragging rights over his neighbors at the Rhinelander chamber.
"She is the only person on the board I see on a regular basis that I could remind of my victories on a regular basis," he said.
Clark is playing for the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry.
"We provide custard to the pantry already and it's a good feeling knowing that the food pantry is providing food to the local community in need," he said.
Dennis Sievert (2012 Pigskin Online co-champion)
As the co-champion of last year's online contest, Sievert earned an invitation to participate in this year's Pigskin Pick'em Board.
Sievert is a Bears' fan (there seems to be one on every board), and said he just wants to beat, "anyone so I don't lose."
That's a pretty humble statement, considering his score last year was better than any member of the Pigskin Pick'em board.
Sievert said his secret is zigging when other players like to zag. "One upset a week," he said of his strategy.
Sievert foresees a rematch of Super Bowl XL - Pittsburgh and Seattle - and said he is playing for the Northwoods Alliance for Temporary Housing "to help those in need."
The Shadow
No one has heard much from the Shadow following last year's sixth-place finish.
But rumors have surfaced that he has been seen in the Mojave Desert, training every day at 5 a.m. for this year's contest. Others speculate he fired those in his inner circle immediately after last season and started picking preseason games on the side because he was impatient for the regular season to start.
One thing is for certain, the Shadow will be ready for battle this year.
Play against the panel
Think you have what it takes to go head-to-head with this year's panel? Prove it by playing the online Pigskin Pick'em game, sponsored by Kids Korner Pizza at www.rivernewsonline.com.
The player with the best record at the end of the season will receive a prize package from Kids Korner Pizza and a spot on next year's Pigskin Pick'em Board. You don't have to play all year to win. We will be awarding Kids Korner Pizza gift certificates to the player with the best record each week.
Picks for the weekly game lock at 11:45 a.m. each Sunday. Thursday and Saturday night games count toward the year-end grand prize, but will only be used to break ties in the weekly contest.
Just like the Pigskin Pick'em Board, playoff contests will count toward this year's overall champion.
Visit www.rivernewsonline.com for more information. Registration is free.
Good luck to everyone on the panel and those playing the online game, let the pigskin prognostication begin!
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