Burt goes out with whimper

Jan. 12—Darn. I had skirted the issue for the first 17 weeks of the NFL season. Then they had to add that 18th and 17th game.

And it caught up to me: I was a bum.

The flip-a-coin season had the flip-a-coin week with divisional "rivalry" games all over the Saturday and Sunday schedule. There was one problem I didn't properly identify — the amount of teams that literally tried to lose.

Of course, I messed up the Patriots pick again, as did the vast majority of entries.

I had only seven correct picks out of the full slate of 16 games, my first real embarrassing performance.

Sure, I beat or tied about 120 of the 381 entries, but the average entry in Week 18 had just over 9 correct picks. There were 18 entries with 11 correct picks, which was a season low.

There were games like Cleveland-Cincy and Green Bay-Detroit, in which starters were rested, and then there were games like the Pats-Dolphins and Cowboys-Eagles where pride mattered more than any potential changes in seeding.

When I have a tough week, the first tiebreaker is tantamount, as the "regulars" who play this contest know all too well.

Each week a maximum of 10 T-shirts are awarded. But there is one caveat to that rule: If an entry picks more winners than me AND has the first tiebreaker (Patriots point total) spot on, they are guaranteed a T-shirt.

Well, 22 entries not only had more winners than I did, but they also had the Patriots point total of 24.

So if you're wondering why the list of winners appears long, it's because it is long.

Anyway, it was a fun season. The stories from readers and their interest in pro football, their family involvement, etc. is nice to hear.

Enjoy the playoffs.

Week 18 winners

Allison Determan of North Andover

Michael Carter of North Andover

Ellen Parker of Salem, N.H.

Shane Farnsworth of Hampstead, N.H.

Chris Bacho of Salem, N.H.

Gladys Ruediger of Methuen

John Warden of North Andover

Armand Boucher of Methuen

Nancy Mellor of Salem, N.H.

Ray Metthe of Haverhill

Jim Warden of Montpelier, VT

Richard Gardella,Jr. of Kingston, N.H.

Jean Enright of North Andover

Bill Reilly of Methuen

Vance Grazio of Haverhill

Larry Gorham of Methuen

Seth Shippee of Westfield

John Miranowicz of Salem, N.H.