Virtual Grey Cup Challenge, Divisional Finals

CFL Talk
#1

The playoffs nicely are under way, and we're down to the final four: in teams and in VGCC participants.

The top 4 participants qualify for the Divisional Final games. They are:

  1. sambo42
  2. backer@oldclarke
  3. mongo118_1_5
  4. Dust

(As usual, the full standings are posted here.)

Everyone is welcome to make picks for these games, but only these people will have their picks entered.

Make your picks as you normally would.

DEADLINE FOR MAKING/CHANGING PICKS IS MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT!!! Anyone who hasn't made picks by that time will have a 0-0 record for the week.

On Saturday, I will post (in this thread) which people get which teams. Unlike previous seasons, I will only change your picks if two higher-ranked participants pick BOTH the same teams you do. That should increase the likelihood that you'll get the teams you want, so please pick the teams you want, not the ones you think you'll get.

Though you may have your picks reassigned, I will not assign teams to people who did not make picks.

Unlike the regular season, someone who goes 0-2 will be ranked higher than someone who goes 0-0. So MAKE YOUR PICKS.

At the end of the week, you will be ranked according to how many correct picks you made this week. Your ranking going into this week (after the Divisional Semi-Finals) will be used as a tie-breaker.

The top TWO participants qualify for the Virtual Grey Cup Championship.

The complete rules are posted here. (Note that these are last year's rules, but apart from the change in reassigning picks that I mentioned above, all the rest is still the same.)

Here are the games for the Divisional Finals:
Toronto @ Montreal
Saskatchewan @ Calgary

GOOD LUCK!

#2

Here I am, continuing to make picks even though they don't count.

No real surprises with my picks this week:
Montreal over Toronto
Calgary over Saskatchewan

Toronto just squeaked by Hamilton in the Eastern semi-final, and Saskatchewan just squeaked by B.C. in the Western semi-final. Montreal and Calgary were the top two teams all season, they are well-rested, and all the little nicks and bruises have healed. Calvillo and Burris are the top two players in the country. This should set up a very interesting Grey Cup championship!

#3

My pick are:

Saskatchewan
Montreal

A GC rematch

#4

I can't believe I've made it to the Division Finals round. I thought I was eliminated when the Argos pulled off the upset over the Ti-Cats. Since I'm still alive in the game, my picks for the Division Finals are...

Montréal over Toronto
Calgary over Saskatchewan

Should I crap out this week, I want to thank BigDave for another awesome season running the VGCC. Here's keeping my fingers crossed that I make it to the "Virtual Big Game in Edmonton" next week. :smiley:

#5

i was playing under another name... doing so-so.. then for some reason my old log in information didnt work and It wouldnt accept me under a new name.. took me over a month to get back on.. Congrats to all the winners and good luck to you all...

#6

Big Dave:

 I did so well with my selections of Hamilton and the BC Lions in the East and West Semi-Final, that i'm almost afraid to make a selection for the East and West Final.  Oh well, I'll make an attempt anyway, and see how it goes.

  1. Toronto @ Montreal- The Argos barely beat the Tiger Cats this past weekend, and now take on the well-rested Alouettes, who are clearly the best team in the East. The Argos survived on 5 Tiger Cat turnovers, which I don't think anyone feels they will get at Olympic Stadium against Anthony Calvillo. Montreal has a better offense, will score more points and will do it quicker than the Argos, which will earn them a trip to Edmonton for the Grey Cup. I'm taking Montreal by 14 points.

  2. Saskatchewan @ Calgary- The Riders finally righted the ship with a season final win over Edmonton, followed by barely beating the BC Lions in two overtimes in the West Semi-Final. Unless thing improve quickly, they are in for a long day in Calgary. The Stampeders are clearly the best team in the West, have the higher powered offense, and enough defense to limit what the Riders can do. For these reasons, I'm taking Calgary by 9 points, to earn a trip to the Grey Cup.

Let these games begin, I can't wait to see what happens.

#7

Wow, talk about crash and burn, oh well it was fun while it lasted.

Speaking of fun,

My fun picks are

CALGARY
MONTREAL

#8

Barely snuck in to the divisional finals, now I pay the price with the lowest seed. Correct me if I’m wrong BigDave, but the only way I advance is if I go with Toronto since the other 3 have Montreal already.

Toronto @ Montreal
Saskatchewan @ Calgary

#9

Toronto @ Montreal: Should be a close game, but in the end, I don't think the Argos are quite ready to unseat Montreal in the East. Ball security has been an issue for Lemon all season long and I don't see that changing in front of 50,000 screaming Als fans in a playoff game.

Saskatchewan @ Calgary: Home field will likely be less of an advantage because of the travelling Gang Green, but even so, I just don't think the Riders are consistent enough to get 'er done. The Stamps aren't the Lions; if you spot them a double-digit lead at halftime, you are likely going to lose. Calgary also runs the ball way more effectively than BC, which will pose gap-vacancy problems for Etcheverry's stunting defensive fronts.

#10

Joined only a month or so ago, I'll play next year for sure.

I'll take TO cause no person in their right would or has (I think). Lol, did I say TO?
Sasky will win by 14 pts.

Ok ... Riders vs Montreal.

#11

Toronto :oops:
Calgary :rockin:

#12

East/West Final Round;

Toronto at Montreal - MONTREAL
Saskatchewan at Calgary - CALGARY

#13

Don't feel bad, Dust. I think all 4 of us picked Montréal. However, since you and I are in the bottom half, I think our picks will be switched to Toronto, but I'm not sure.

#14

I'll feel bad for you if your pick gets changed to the Argo's, being that your a Cats fan.

#15

Upset Sunday Sask and T.O to win.

#16

well last week I went 0 and 2 and was eliminated but all in all I had a great year . this was the first time I really picked games all year so finishing in the top 8 I thought was pretty good.
In keeping with my streak of last week I will now try to pick the losers every week so
1.Toronto
2.Sask.

#17

Montreal and Calgary for a re-match of the GC 2008 ...

I still don't understand this "pick-switching" business.

Is the "pick-switch" still opt-in for the player, or must one succumb again to the mighty force of Big Dave with no choice in the matter at all even for just changing one of the picks? :lol:

#18

It would sting, I do admit. But if it does end up getting changed, I'll honour whatever diety I'm worshipping this week by sacrificing one of the characters in the book I'm working on for National Novel Writing Month in hopes the Blue Team pulls off an upset. :lol:

#19

Just for fun again.
0-2 last week anyways...

I'll take Calgary and Toronto. I really think Toronto has a very good shot at pulling off the upset.

#20

Okay, I guess with the changes, it's still a little confusing.

The way this was done last year, mongo and Dust would have had their Montreal picks changed to Toronto. This would have given us two people picking each team for each game.

Now, I'm only making changes IF more than half of the participants choose the same team for BOTH games. So if for example sambo had picked Calgary instead of Saskatchewan, mongo's picks would have been changed, since he would have been the third-ranked player picking Montreal AND Calgary.

The advantage to this is it increases the chances of getting the teams you pick. The disadvantage in this case is that since the Eastern Final is a unanimous pick, it will not have any impact on the standings. The outcome of the Western Final will determine which two go on to the Grey Cup.

So, here are the picks for the Divisional Finals. As you can see, there were no changes:

sambo42: MTL, SASK
backer@oldclarke: MTL, CAL
mongo118_1_5: MTL, CAL
Dust: MTL, SASK

Good luck!