The clock's struck 10 and the bell has rung, so flood down the back steps onto the playground for another edition of Eds Challenge with your playful hosts, the Tufts Daily sports section. Obey the code or get struck down by the wrath of schoolyard authority, but feel free to scamper about and engage in all sorts of kooky antics, because at this hour, we break free from the restrictive bonds of adult society and make our own great escape into blacktop heaven.
Leading the charge, high above his throne on the jungle gym, is Daniel "King Bob" Rathman. A long lineage of great football prognosticators has existed within the realms of the Daily sports department, and Rathman is the latest coronation of the NFL almighty, sitting in first at 91-39 overall. With his cape, crown, scepter and unibrow, Rathman was once the Daily's "Prankster Prince" but has since shed his childish ways and moved up into picking royalty.
At the base of the jungle gym, clamoring up to get a shot at Rathman, is Kate "The Ashleys"Klots, whose 88-42 record this season and 10-4 record in Week Nine clearly derive from the fact that there's four of them. Also, they probably had daddy buy all those wins, just so they have something to talk about in their totally stupid clubhouse which I totally don't want to get invited into because it's stupid and silly and stupid.Tied with Klots at 88-42 on the season is David "Gretchen Grundler" McIntyre, the brains and height of the organization, who must now battle with Klots for second place behind Rathman.
The dynamic duo tied for second is a safe distance away from fourth-place picker Aaron "Gus Griswald"Leibowitz, a nomad of sorts who's bounced from paper to paper before finally settling on a home. Don't be fooled by his shy looks, however. Former schoolmates have been known to call Leibowitz "El Diablo" for his devilish skills in the picking game, and his military roots have him gunning for first.
Clearly the best athlete of the group, Lauren "Vince LaSalle" Flament has made the most of her physical capabilities, and sits alone in fifth after a 7-7 week. But Flament can rest easy, as the three-way tie of mediocre pickers is hardly challenging her title as the playground's most sporty. Ethan "MikeyBlumberg" Sturm might make beautiful music in the bathroom (no, seriously, he's a good singer in there), but his 7-7 Week Nine has him at 82-48 overall, three games behind Flament. Likewise, Alex "Guru Kid" Prewitt might want to make his messages clearer, because the cryptic advice he's given himself has only created a mess worse than the one in theKindergartners' playground. Tied with Prewitt and Sturm is Ben "The Pale Kids" Kochman, who it wouldn't kill to get out of the house and stop playing Dungeons and Dragons once in a while. Seriously, get a life, nerd.
The hard-nosed and feisty Annie "Ashley Spinelli" Sloan is at 81-49 after an 8-6 week, but don't ever refer to her by her first name, because she'll likely beat you up for it. Although it probably wouldn't kill her to be associated with Klots, given that she's in third-to-last place.
In next-to-last, a surprising rank given his "cool kid" status, is Matt "T.J. Detweiler" Berger, who ensures that days in the sports department are never boring. He's the bravest and coolest kid in school, but his picking skills leave something to be desired at 80-50 overall.
Lastly, soaring high into the sky only to be pulled back down by the proverbial wires of her picking deficiencies, is Claire "Swinger Girl" Kemp, who's totally named that because all she does is play on the swing set with her trademark pilot's outfit and constant goal to swing so high that she loops the bar.
Guest-picking this week is the playground's ultimate producer, Jason "The Diggers" Huang.
