W. Boling
win contest
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Football Contest Director
- Gentle Readers, some of the contest’s unwashed have asked how we have done it — how we have kept our grand prize safe for all these years. Indeed, never has our big sack of money been claimed in the 24 year history of the contest.
Sure, we’ve had quite a few scares. Almost every season, somebody has missed only one. Maybe, maybe, those unfamiliar with our techniques say, one day the Grand Prize will fall.
Not likely. Besides, the Contest Director would cry.
You see, Gentle Readers, the Contest Director’s secret is that he puts most of the NFL slate in every week. The parity among the pro teams is such that you never know, week to week, who will win. Power ranking work in the college games. There will always be some weekly upsets, but Western Carolina is never going to beat Florida State. N.C. State’s win over East Carolina was but a minor upset — home field advantage. Duke will win a few games. Many contest players can correctly guess 75 percent of the college games with accuracy. We sprinkle a few of gimmie games in weekly just to give comfort to the weary. But it’s the NFL games that keep our prize … ours. That’s why we have Christmas bonuses and holiday cheer in December when we cut the profit melon. So don’t mess with our carefully crafted plans.
Now to our winners …
LINDA BROWN, COME ON DOWN! Gentle Linda didn’t answer our Call of Calls to come get her Cap of Caps and expect her Check of Checks in the mail. If she had answered, the Contest Director is sure she would say the prize money would go to the college fund she and hubby Allen have started from all their contest winnings to support their growing brood of grandchildren. She missed six games and used the tie breaker to grab the first place cash.
Second place? WENDY BOLING, COME ON DOWN! This is Wendy’s third season and second time in the money. She’s the assistant band director at Konnoak Moravian Church. She started on the trumpet at age 10. Her husband, Jon, is pastor at Mizpah Moravian, and they have a daughter, Hayley, 13, an eighth grader at Paisley Middle.
Now for our coveted non cash award:
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AWARD: To those missing seven — Larry Stombaugh, Steve Eger, Dan Collins, Nancy Hendrix, Allen Brown, Gray Bovender, Trey Crutchfield and J.R. Frye.
PRODIGY AWARD: To Trey Crutchfield, 10, showing his stuff by claiming A Close But No.
YOUTH AWARD: To Billy O’Hara, 13, and Matthew Beaty, 13, paving the way for a new generation of contest professionals.
BASKETBALL AWARD: To those who missing the most, indicating basketball must be their sport. Johnny Painter, Memaw Painter and Kyle Stillson of Huntersville, all dropping 15. Honorable mention to Kenny Evans, dropping 14.
Now to our Mail Bag:
• This from Mark Brandon, “I want to congratulate Durwood Pack for the new West Forsyth Soccer field named in his honor. I am privy to some inside information and am pleased to announce the West Forsyth Cafeteria will soon be named after Kyle Stillson, Todd Haglan and David Foster. These three guys are legendary for the epic proportions of food they consumed during their tenure at West. All three will receive the prestigious green and pepperoni patched jacket specially tailored for their XXL frames.
• Doug Hill, “Again there are a good dozen games that are toss-ups. The $2500 is safe one more week but the group is gaining on it! Let’s do gang! No bonuses this year at The Courier. Sorry, got a little caught up in the excitement of picking winners. Not! Sure could use a call on Monday.
• Allen Brown, “This perhaps is the hardest contest to date. Gentle Contest Director, your BIG money is safe! You are pretty good at selecting the hard ones, aren’t you? Go Pack. Make those Pirates walk the plank!”
Good luck to all.