Gene Harrell
win contest
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| West Titan Austyn French slides into a Hopewell Titan to prevent a double play. |
Football Contest Director
Gentle Readers, there are times — not often — when the contest Director is shaken to the core. Such was last year when Dave O’Hara missed only one game and nearly deprived the entire Courier staff of its Christmas bonus, nearly took toys from the Contest Director’s children’s stockings and nearly set the bankers in motion to call in the loans.
Nearly. It was the ultimate Close But No Cigar. There have been a few other times over the course of this illustrious contest’s 23 years that we almost lost our grand prize.
That’s why the Contest Director carefully and personally picks the games from week to week. Sure, he includes some gimmies, but there are always the hidden, lurking nobody-knows type games that trip up the unwashed and foil the professionals.
DAVE O’HARA, COME ON DOWN!
Not for the big bucks, but for our weekly cash prize that keeps the contest participants panting for more. Plus, the Cap of Caps.
“I feel very surprised. I guess the college games were tough this week, but I’m happy.,” O’Hara said when we reached him at Parrish Tire Co., which must rank high on the Best Places to Work list because nearly all the staff plays the contest.
What will he do with the money?
“I’m going to spend it, what else. I’m going to put it back in the economy,” he said,
Spoken like a Rockefeller. He missed six games and needed the tie-breaker to thwart a bid by ...
GENE HARRELL, COME ON DOWN!
Harrell, comfortable at the top of our echelon from week to week, gets second place.
Now for our coveted non cash awards:
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AWARD: To others missing six, Rick Reid, Clark Golden, Luke Hubbard, Megan Painter, Thomas Reebel, and Andy Carowan.
BASKETBALL AWARD: To those missing the most, Donna Carter, dropping 17.
Now to our Mail Bag:
• This from Kevin McIntosh, “Duke wins a game and they become the tie breaker. I guess after Western Carolina wins this week they will get to be the tie breaker. Go Cats.”
• Doug Hill: “Ho-hum. The upset week came early this season. Ouch. Hoping to have better luck this week. Congrats to Duke fans. I even picked them to win again, and to the Reagan faithful. The winner this week will miss 3-4 so the $ remains safe for the Christmas bonuses. I’m waiting for the grandkids so they can get into all this fun and give me another chance to win the Cap of Caps and some cash.”
• Brad Bovender, “Great job last week Dylan. I guess it IS better to be lucky than good.”
• Ali Madigan of UNC, “Some Madigans must not be participating because our showing in the Basketball Award area is unusually low.’
• Lovely Leslie Madigan of Charlottesville, Va., “Last week was tough up here with UVA beating Carolina. Let’s hope this week is better.”
• David Elder, “Nice putting a Thursday night game on here.”
Oops. That was a Contest Director gimme. As guru Kevin Wendelboe pointed out, “Guaranteed at least one right.”
• Finally, Martin Brooks of Charlotte, pleading “Call me” with news of victory.
But Gentle Martin, you’re long distance. You will have to settle for the Email of Emails when you win.
So there we have it: Contest cash larded about. The presentation of a Cap of Caps. And all the news, weather and sports for another week.
Go in peace.
Good luck to all.