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TMCNet: The Eagle, Bryan, Texas, Robert Cessna column: Poor Dan has to be Lucky 13 on 13th [The Eagle, Bryan, Texas]

[November 13, 2009]

The Eagle, Bryan, Texas, Robert Cessna column: Poor Dan has to be Lucky 13 on 13th [The Eagle, Bryan, Texas]

(Eagle (Bryan, TX) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Nov. 13--This is a day that worries a lot of people -- Friday the 13th. It's no different on The Eagle's 18-mammal Prognosticator Panel.

The two people most likely to take a fall are Eagle editor Donnis Baggett and home builder Dan Sears.

Donnis has been top dog for much of the season, but his once seemingly insurmountable lead is down to only one over Eagle sports editor Robert Premeaux.

Dan, who has wandered about the rankings from the top row to the bottom, currently finds himself in the precarious position of No. 13. It was interesting that the guy who hand-delivers Dan's picks made sure not to step on a crack as he walked into the building this week. He also was carrying a black cat.

Luckily, I'm 12th -- by design. That number is one of completeness: 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 hours on the clock, 12 apostles, etc.

It sure sounds good, which offsets the fact that there's 11 pickers in front of me and I'm beating only six -- that includes two co-workers who would pick David over Goliath on principle, a car dealer who is the sponsor, the panel's pup, the dog and, of course, Lucky 13, who should have known better than to be 13th on Friday the 13th.

Most folks, though, don't pay much attention to superstitions, myself included.

Saturday before the Texas A&M-Colorado football game, A&M athletics director Bill Byrne came over to exchange pleasantries with the sports writers. Randy Riggs of the Austin American-Statesman pointed out that the last time Byrne did that in Colorado, the Aggies got waxed. Byrne said he wasn't superstitious, that the only way he affects the outcome of contests is when he hires coaches. But Byrne added that if A&M did lose, he'd probably not come by our pods again.

Of course, Colorado scored in the final minutes to win. I'm blaming it on the Austin American-Statesman. Durn liberal media! Maybe Byrne has a favorite picker on the Prog Panel, probably the guy who built his house.

One guy who is not superstitious is Eagle sports writer David Campbell. Mired in last place, he's six picks behind No. 17 Coulter Mariott. The average distance between the other pickers is less than a guess.

That means David is bad.

"Rudder girls basketball coach John Shelton razzed me last week about being behind the dog," David said. "As I told him, 'Buddy has a healthier diet than I do.' I may now be to the point of begging for table scraps from Coulter Mariott." No need for that. Donnis sent some crumbs his way.

"Dave Campbell started a podcast for theeagle.com this week," Donnis said. "He's a lot better at announcing and writing than he is at progging, so his job seems secure. Premeaux, however, is beginning to get on my nerves. What, exactly, does he do for us other than study his picks?" Premeaux, the starting shortstop for The Eagle's co-ed softball team No Comment, had no comment.

Poet man Michael Patranella remains in ninth place, but he's only three picks out of fourth, which is scary. Fourth? In his latest installment of Worst Verses Ever Penned, he's set his sights on The Eagle's duo of publisher Jim Wilson and sports writer Richard Croome along with fellow homebuilders Ronnie White, Michael Schaefer and Randy French: "Wilson and Croome move over make room. There are four prog builders whistling a tune, while the two of you are licking your wounds.

"He's smart and he's pretty and is mostly right. No, it's not me. It's Ronnie White, who posted a week of 12-8 declaring out loud, 'It's never too late!' "He's now in a log jam with Schaefer, French and yours truly. We're loud and we're proud but mostly unruly.

"I may not catch Donnis or Premeaux, you know, but others up there should probably worry, for now is not the time to panic or hurry. I've said all along this is a marathon not a sprint. All the time I've invested is time well spent.

"My message is clear, for I have a dream to climb to the top row, to move just like cream. I'll get there; I will. I'll make the top level. To do it I'm willing to sell my soul to the devil." The devil is buying Patranella? In this economy? Isn't it bad investments like that that put us in the shape we're in? "Patranella has as much a chance this week as a New York liberal at a Tea Party," said Wilson, who also opted to get a rip in on the Cowboy. "I get the feeling Baggett is spending more time on his picks than his column. Quality of both reflects that." Donnis is in the lead, but his archnemesis couldn't miss out on a chance to poke fun this week after the Cowboy managed just a 10-10 record last week.

"It looks like Donnis spent more time writing his column last week than he did on his picks," said KZNE's SportsTalk host Chip Howard. "But how would we know?" Co-workers at Mariott Custom Homes were so proud of Coulter that they called and asked if they could buy an ad to show support. When I told them the price, they asked if I could put into words how much pride they feel.

"You know it is bad when I go 12-8 and everybody at the office acts like I just hit the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the World Series," Coulter said. "Hopefully, we can start setting the bar a little higher around here with a good week of picks." Nothing like being solidly in 17th place to start feeling good, especially on Friday the 13th.

------ To see more of The Eagle or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theeagle.com/.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Eagle, Bryan, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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