Apparently ‘Christmas in June’ didn’t have the same ring.
Bettie Wiedo of Phoenix, aka June, nearly became the Gridiron Guru’s first two-time winner of the year by picking 15 games correctly last week.
Unfortunately for her, so did reddurango (Carolyn Hately).
The Dallas Cowboys just happened to smile a little brighter on reddurango’s 28-21 tiebreaker pick.
That’s not to leave out Ben Ruybal, who cleverly calls himself benruybal, who also picked 15 games correctly.
Most of our other recent champions found themselves in the 10-13 wins range, perfectly acceptable for championship aspirants.
Your venerable Guru kept himself in the pack with 11 correct prognostications.
Johnny Football did me no favors, and neither did Matty Ice.
Maybe I should refrain from placing my trust in quarterbacks with catchy nicknames.
That’s not to say that every recent champion kept their lofty perch.
Gary Hudson (gdhudson53) and Frank Hawkins (hawk99) only picked up eight and six wins, respectively, to land in the losers.
Thursday, Dec. 18
TENNESSEE AT JACKSONVILLE (NFL NETWORK): Awful game to end Thursday night games. Pick: Jaguars, 15-9. Line: Jaguars by 3.
Saturday, Dec. 20
PHILADELPHIA AT WASHINGTON (NFL NETWORK): The Redskins are a mess. Pick: Eagles, 31-21. Line: Eagles by 8½.
SAN DIEGO AT SAN FRANCISCO (KCNC, KREZ): Give me Diego in the battle of the Sans. Pick: Chargers, 21-20. Line: 49ers by 2½.
Sunday, Dec. 21
BALTIMORE AT HOUSTON: Not willing to pick against J.J. Watt. Pick: Texans 17-14. Line: Ravens by 4.
CLEVELAND AT CAROLINA: Sipping on the Johnny Football Kool Aid. Pick: Browns 20-13. Line: Even.
DETROIT AT CHICAGO: Always pick against Jimmy Clausen. Pick: Lions 21-10. Line: Lions by 4½.
GREEN BAY AT TAMPA BAY: Green is the better bay. Pick: Packers, 33-10. Line: Packers by 10½.
KANSAS CITY AT PITTSBURGH: Time for the Chiefs to fall apart. Pick: Steelers, 20-19. Line: Steelers by 3.
MINNESOTA AT MIAMI: Vikings can’t take the heat. Pick: Dolphins, 20-17. Line: Dolphins by 6½.
NEW ENGLAND AT NEW YORK JETS: Few playing better than New England, worse than New York. Pick: Patriots, 30-10. Line: Patriots by 10.
ATLANTA AT NEW ORLEANS: A playoff spot is on the line. Give me Brees. Pick: Saints 28-27. Line: Saints by 6½.
NEW YORK GIANTS AT ST. LOUIS: Coughlin is coaching for his job. Pick: Giants 20-19. Line: Rams by 5.
BUFFALO AT OAKLAND: The Raiders have momentum. Pick: Raiders, 14-13. Line: Bills by 5½.
INDIANAPOLIS AT DALLAS: The Cowboys collapse is coming. Pick: Colts 34-28. Line: Cowboys by 3.
SEATTLE AT ARIZONA (KOBF, KUSA): Wilson over Lindley. Pick: Seahawks 17-6. Line: Seahawks by 7½.
Monday, Dec. 22
DENVER AT CINCINNATI (ESPN): I don’t trust Andy Dalton in primetime anymore. Pick: Broncos, 27-13. Line: Broncos by 3½.
Gridiron Green
Note: The names in bold are previous Gridiron Green winners, with the weeks they won indicated in parentheses.
Overall Week 15
reddurango (15) 141 15
june (14) 158 15
benruybal 141 15
blackrose 146 14
dpollock 148 14
jlane 133 14
Aaron A. (2) 153 14
Josie_L 135 14
trooper 144 14
kslyter 155 14
james 138 13
KittyCent 150 13
pistolpete 151 13
dbroncos 156 13
marmstrong 152 13
ladonna 151 13
sherry 149 13
jorjor 142 13
gjohnson 148 13
edonelan 148 13
klyons 146 13
vince 155 13
chrissim33 144 13
sparky 146 13
delbs 145 13
Boogie man 112 13
jetsfan 137 13
CC23 128 13
cardfan 153 13
Shaqattack 147 13
opie 146 13
fdeano45 152 13
stoneage 149 13
tiffmc 149 13
c130 137 13
tarheel 153 13
eblack 145 13
jakem (6) 147 13
aeverett81 147 13
mwanger 146 13
picklepus 155 13
crowley 139 13
suealsum 154 13
spannistan 154 13
ta26 152 13
Peyday 147 12
JoeSmith 115 12
Skater22 154 12
petershirk 149 12
joosten 144 12
tramirez 143 12
meyers 149 12
jason 149 12
slroberts 152 12
kane 151 12
connief 145 12
albertf 148 12
lbewley 145 12
broncbust 142 12
jwilson 138 12
packerfan 150 12
robrog 148 12
scott27 152 12
rmorris 154 12
shauna (4) 155 12
susanne 146 12
GinaA 138 12
dominique 150 12
twheeler 141 12
MillerTime 151 12
Tanaya 144 12
khinkle 139 12
groberts 154 12
chupacabra 79 12
azfan 155 12
tomd 135 12
hawk99 (13) 142 12
SWITT 153 12
janiceb 136 12
rickb 148 12
grandma1 136 12
marionl 146 12
beaver74 123 12
Antonio 137 12
justjamee 124 12
ryanp 146 12
Gremlins 149 12
oscar 153 12
weese338 136 12
redskin58 144 12
kmvdad0927 145 12
stkitts10 151 12
mbalzen 144 12
ryans 157 12
jennifertr 128 12
Mr. Wales 153 12
crisg 133 12
pckrgrl 153 12
“XXX” 121 12
bree 144 12
vickyt 146 12
alisha 155 12
Cyphers 150 12
fishscale 114 12
forsberg39 152 12
huckster (8) 153 12
harry55 150 12
marioG 155 12
mamat 138 12
56golf 137 12
brandon198 139 12
erin1205 82 12
shed 139 12
Jake doyle 115 12
chanel 144 12
jesvigil 142 12
truchas 154 12
broncos 153 12
mikecortez 152 12
tanner1 151 12
mamajama 151 12
hmorris 143 12
bobster 148 12
johnnygood 123 12
crazylouie 149 12
cajun 153 12
steeler75 (3) 132 12
boatie 136 12
bigdog99 152 12
thomas24 150 12
peggy 154 12
trav 150 12
lamar18 149 12
ollie 145 12
mommamary 134 12
nlopez (12) 137 12
texasdeck 132 12
moni 126 12
oldman 118 12
laurakunia 115 12
stevieb 101 12
ajheirtz 154 12
bjforkner 125 12
blwells 146 12
boydh 152 12
broncfan51 152 12
broncobart 149 12
broncosbm 144 12
brownpow 92 12
carriekate 133 12
cooter89 145 12
dciluffo 154 12
denvoo 130 12
dpgrizzly 143 12
durango57 144 12
EL GECKO 146 12
Maverick 154 12
hmckie 154 12
jcbia 151 12
jimsquires 143 12
joyceella 129 12
lamadden 152 12
lando03 33 12
lordhunter 143 12
lsovocool 144 12
mgrome 151 12
mikerak 115 12
moreh2o 146 12
pewtergirl 151 12
pkabill 147 12
ag120695 152 12
Pat Flores 141 12
quasarwes 154 12
sdebelina1 149 12
skolmn 146 12
superextem 137 12
tspoon32 142 12
SnapFace 154 12
ingelise 101 12
xt1ngu1sh 143 12
youngkathy 152 12
zman033 145 12
ElleBee 139 11
ncblue311 149 11
cindylou 139 11
christinab 133 11
roylb 136 11
kristalp 143 11
deanob 144 11
dave 145 11
master 142 11
Tripp 147 11
tlittle 134 11
dragracer 140 11
jaydoc 126 11
deanna 144 11
amos 142 11
simpson 134 11
rmiller 148 11
jrichardso 147 11
rrichardso 149 11
yomama 142 11
netter 147 11
clarkbar 142 11
Hound 136 11
billy 148 11
swami 145 11
esteban 148 11
Geri 563 140 11
byron 136 11
goober 139 11
sobrino 144 11
paulj 149 11
ramjet (9) 149 11
terry n 151 11
ABC123 143 11
zoeygirl 152 11
tbone 141 11
lisadonela 144 11
mcheather 147 11
Missali23 (7) 147 11
Atbatcat 138 11
baylsc 149 11
broncoh8r 144 11
broncosfvr 132 11
butterguy 139 11
colotex 45 11
crnorton 140 11
eaglesrgr8 132 11
erinjlopez 131 11
jrarch55 138 11
kelleyj4 144 11
notbobo 111 11
odhainey 144 11
quiklikeab 137 11
rams91 150 11
rtm79 139 11
tarzano 104 11
Zabkatista 143 11
cookie45 151 10
glnorton 137 10
elvis65 149 10
wally49 126 10
rbarkley 132 10
skibum 151 10
bemrich 131 10
ZumaB 139 10
w00dy 149 10
aelliott 139 10
jsalchicha 134 10
Evans 124 10
Motob 144 10
debbiez 130 10
hillster 146 10
dizzydean 86 10
lester 143 10
hsteinle 151 10
bigal60 147 10
paddy 139 10
waylon (5) 138 10
john_s 121 10
elwood 96 10
cas19 145 10
DO86 130 10
jadosse 138 10
rionate 142 10
StephieO 137 10
xskunk 134 10
mike 120 9
heatmiser 133 9
katwalk 119 9
redhawks 145 9
tucson 111 9
cbef (10) 148 9
cidx2 141 9
hesperado (1) 150 9
jank 88 9
michmat 121 9
plgone 144 9
rick81326 127 9
threef504 119 9
jsquires 133 8
yogibear 126 8
choker 133 8
bojangles 140 8
taylor 125 8
shupie 134 8
smouret 137 8
gdhudson53 (11) 129 7
wildryty 127 7
atrain 128 6
jolynn 1 1
kwestegard 1 1
Durango Herald