September 1, 2014 at 11:24 a.m.
New Pigskin Pick'em panel primed for 2014 season
New Pigskin Pick'em panel primed for 2014 season
Fans across the nation are dusting off their jerseys and foam fingers, stocking up on charcoal and putting fresh batteries in their remote controls in anticipation of nearly six months of football.
At the Northwoods River News office, that means one thing - the Pigskin Pick'em Board is back. Ten members were chosen. Most are from the Rhinelander, area but the group also includes last year's online champion who currently makes his home in Montana. They will pick every NFL game, playoffs included, to determine who knows their football the best.
Each panelist donated $50 to the kitty, and each are playing for a charity of their choice. The winner will receive all $500 to donate.
NFL Films once described football weather this way: "The Autumn Wind is a pirate, blustering in from sea, with a rollocking song, he sweeps along, swaggering boisterously."
If that doesn't describe defending champion Todd McEldowney, I don't know what does. He's back again this year as one of four automatic bids and will look to repeat.
The other nine board members are bound and determined to take some of the wind out of McEldwoney's sails though.
Sports Editor Jeremy Mayo will once again enter the fray, waving the River News banner as furiously as he can.
The other two automatic bids belong to last year's online champion Rob Wadd and, of course, the infamous Shadow whose identity will remain a mystery until the bitter end.
The rest of the panel is made up of an intriguing mix of media members and business professionals. Dana DeMet, Ben Meyer, Tarsie Goes, Mike Steffes, Brian Paulson and Brian Young complete the lineup vying for the $500.
Jeremy Mayo (Northwoods River News)
Mayo is admittedly experiencing a bit of a drought. After taking the title in 2011, he's spent the last two years looking up.
This year, he's determined to make his triumphant return to the winner's circle though, even if it means resorting to some rather unorthodox choosing methods like coin flips, dartboards, and even a Ouija board.
He's playing for the Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club. As a former member of the club's board of directors, he knows firsthand the number of programs the club supports and said he thinks the $500 pot would be well spent.
McEldowney is No. 1 on Mayo's list of targets this year. There's no way he wants to see a repeat champion, unless he's the one hoisting the trophy.
He'll also keep an eye on Steffes. Law enforcement representatives have historically done very well on the panel and Mayo thinks Steffes is more than capable of continuing that tradition.
Although he bleeds Green and Gold, Mayo has a different team in mind for his Super Bowl pick this year. Check out his Shoutouts & Callouts column on Page 14 for all of Mayo's predictions.
Todd McEldowney (O'Melia, Schiek & McEldowney, 2013 champion)
After a march to the title in his first year on the panel, McEldowney sees no reason why he can't do it all again.
He's competing for the Hodag Facilities Foundation, and more specifically, the Todd McEldowney Memorial Media Center, a cause close to his heart.
If he wants to become a two-time champion though, he'll need to pick the games correctly, and McEldowney said he's got a pretty sure-fire strategy in his pocket.
"I"m going to try and get Brian Paulson's picks early and take the other team," he said.
As far as competition goes, he sees only one man as a serious threat to his title and that's last year's online winner Rob Wadd.
"My dad and Rob Wadd's dad were sidekicks for years doing the radio broadcasts," he said. "His track record suggests he is the favorite. You've got to want to beat 'The Man.'"
As far as he's concerned the Packers are in a class by themselves this year and he's picking them to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown come February.
Rob Wadd (Reigning online champion)
Wadd stormed through all online competitors all the way from his home in Montana last year. Now, as a full-fledged panel member, he's hoping his online experience translates to continued success.
He'll be playing for the Montana Hope Project, an all-volunteer organization created by Montana State Troopers. The goal of the Hope Project is to help make dreams come true for critically ill children in Montana.
Wadd said it's the kind of "neighbor helping neighbor" attitude that's prevalent throughout Montana, but he may want to check that kind of attitude at the door when it comes to his picks. He said it's an intimidating group on this year's panel, but he's confident he can get the job done.
"Looking at the board, I see a lawyer, a police chief, a television producer and a banker," he said. "The only thing we're missing is an IRS auditor. Talk about a target-rich environment. I guess I'll have to whup 'em all."
Despite living in Montana, Wadd still claims the Packers as his only team. They're his pick to win the big one year, as they've always been, dating back to the days Forrest Gregg was head coach.
As far as picking the games though, Wadd jokingly said he'll rely on a secret weapon that helped carry him to victory last year.
"I don't really pick the games," he said. "The voices in my head pick the games. I just write down what they tell me to write down."
Ben Meyer (WJFW-TV)
Meyer is making his debut on the panel this year and didn't pull any punches when it came to his intentions. He's confident, cocky and chomping at the bit.
"Todd McEldowney might as well toss that law degree out the window, knowing the intricacies of a preliminary hearing or tort law are worthless here. Dana DeMet's picks are sure to be similar to his mountain biking, rocky and filled with obstacles. In most cases, I see Brian Paulson coming up 'short' of his goals. 'Short' is not in Mike Steffes' vocabulary, but the RPD's K9 (officer), Drago, is sure to protect the public from the chief's chance of having any bragging rights," he said. "But most of all, I look forward to crushing Jeremy Mayo like a condiment on a sandwich. I can't wait to hold my football knowledge superiority over his head for every joint broadcast on Sports Radio 96.5 this season."
Meyer is playing for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, which serves war veterans in the Northwoods.
Although Meyer is another huge Green Bay fan, he said he thinks the Lombardi Trophy is staying in the NFC West this year, but migrating south to San Francisco.
Dana DeMet (Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce Executive Director)
This is DeMet's first year on the panel after replacing former chamber executive director Lara Reed. He considers himself a serious football fan and is also picking the Packers to reclaim the title.
He's already worked out a specific and tested system for picking this year's games and he's confident he's on to something big.
"I will watch hours upon hours of Skip Bayless's analysis on ESPN," he said. "I will take careful notes of every one of his thoughts, inklings, predictions, and under-the-table tips. I will set a special alert on my phone so that I know every time Skip tweets and I will then write it in my diary so that I will never forget it. And then, when it comes time for me to make my picks, I will choose the exact opposite of Skip's predictions, because we all know Skip Bayless is just the worst person ever."
DeMet is an avid mountain biker, so he's playing for the Rhinelander Area Silent Trails Association (RASTA).
As far as his top targets, DeMet said he relishes the opportunity to knock off somewhat of a childhood hero.
"So when I was a kid, the first phone number I memorized, besides my own, was the Time & Temperature number for Rhinelander because I called it every single morning. I remember it was always sponsored by O'Melia, Schiek, & McEldowney in those days. In my still-developing, 5-year-old brain, I thought O'Melia, Schiek, & McEldowney were these all-knowing savants who simply existed to give the people of Rhinelander the day's date, time, and weather. They were legends in my mind. So I think it would be pretty cool to finish in front of Todd McEldowney, who was unknowingly a legend in some confused 5-year-old kid's head."
Brian Paulson (RHS Activities Director)
Paulson's been the butt of a few jokes already on the panel, but he insists his picks this year won't be anything to laugh at.
He says his favorite team is whatever squad Brett Favre is suiting up for these days. Since that's unlikely to happen, perhaps he'll be less inclined to turn in homer picks over the course of the season.
Paulson is certain though that a key to this year's inevitable success will be staying far away from any advice Mayo has to offer.
He'll be playing for Toys for Tots this year, working to supply families with holiday gifts, who may not otherwise be able to afford them.
He's a strong believer in San Francisco's chances to raise a brand new banner at year's end as 2015 champions.
Mike Steffes (Chief of Police)
Steffes said he believes he has a significant edge in his first year on the panel. There are a lot of serious football fans at the station and he's planning on utilizing their extensive knowledge to the fullest.
He's also got another ace up his sleeve though.
"I also plan on reviewing picks with my wife," he said. "She watches more sports than I do."
While he wants to win, Steffes took the high road, even while most of his colleagues of the board did not. He said his goal is to simply remain competitive with the rest of the panelists.
He's competing for the Rhinelander Police Department K9 Unit.
"The canine program is funded by donations from the community, so I thought that would be a great pick," he said.
Steffes is a Green Bay fan and, like many of his fellow panelists, he sees them finishing the season on top of the NFL heap as Super Bowl champions.
Brian Young (Park City Credit Union)
In Young's first year on the panel, he's taking a much more calculated approach. He's decided to keep his picking strategy close to his chest, so as to not give away any secrets.
When asked which board member he wants to beat, his response was cold-blooded.
"All of them," he said. "It is the only way to win."
Young is playing for the Northwoods Babe Ruth League and said he's happy to help support an organization that has brought youth baseball to the Northwoods for almost 60 years.
Only time will tell if Young's focused, confidential approach equals a Pigskin Pick'em championship.
Tarsie Goes (Rhinelander GM & Toyota)
Goes is excited to be a part of this year's Pigskin Pick'em board as the lone female representative.
She's more than confident she can hang with the guys though and said she has an insider source that will ensure she's at least competitive, if not head and shoulders above the competition.
"Well after my daily phone chat with Randall Cobb, I will probably go with my gut decisions," she said. "However, it definitely helps to work at Rhinelander GM and Toyota, flooding with football-enthusiastic men."
The only thing she's more confident in than her picking abilities are the Green Bay Packers. She's practically guaranteeing a championship this year.
"Considering the Green Bay Packers have won more championships than any other team in National Football League history, I have to go with my Green and Gold," she said. "Plus, with the return of a healthy Clay Matthews, Casey Hayward and now Julius Peppers, we will have a stronger team than ever. Oh, and did I mention Cobb?"
Goes said her inevitable win will benefit the Hodag Gridiron Club in hopes of fostering the next great Green Bay Packer right here in Rhinelander.
The Shadow (???)
The River News office received a letter in an unmarked envelope last week, presumably from the Shadow.
It had significant burn marks around the edges and the handwriting looked frantic and was difficult to read. He indicated he had adopted some rather unusual training habits but wouldn't say more.
His tone was ominous, but pointed. For seven months, his focus has been on Pigskin Pick'em. It's consumed him.
He boasted a new algorithm of his own design, based on factors like the feebleness of C.J. Spiller's ankle and the increasing likelihood Jay Cutler throws an interception as the fourth quarter nears.
He's confident, but manic. He's poised, but delirious, and more than a little frightening.
And that's your 2014 Pigskin Pick'em Board!
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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