Quote Originally Posted by brackson13:
well, it's finally come to an end. i was on the wrong side this evening. couldn't really cheer for GS in the overtime; i was on the wrong side and didn't deserve to win it. it wouldn't have been just if i'd pulled it out. the whole reason i picked golden state was because i thought they had fresher legs than chicago and would pull away in the last 12-16 minutes of the game, and that didn't happen. chicago was down in the fourth, and they had enough left in the tank to come back, force OT and eventually win it. hats off to them for the HUGE road win against golden state.
i guess i will try to address the other main topics on the thread while people still care about what i have to say. as for hedging, i think i've addressed that as thoroughly as possible. i would feel awful right now if i just made money by being on the wrong side of that game when all the people tailing me lost money. misery loves company, and at least i have provided company to those who tailed me.
as for all those who would like to come out and say 'i told you so,' i've been betting on sports as a primary or secondary means of income since i was 14 years old, and i've never seen a game that had 100% consensus. every game, there will be someone telling you that you've made the wrong pick. sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong. i've told people almost every day, "hey. you may be right today, i may have made a sh!tty pick." today was the day; all the people on the other side were right.
i don't regret not waiting to pick another game. i've said over and over that i wouldn't pick a game unless i was comfortable with it, and i was comfortable with this game. for those of you who thought i should have waited until the super bowl, i've had as many of you argue on behalf of the 'absolute lock patriots win' as the 'absolute lock seahawks win.' i still don't have any major opinion in either direction on the super bowl, and i am glad my $100k decision didn't come down to the circus act that was once a great football game.
that being said, i don't have a single regret throughout this whole process. when the calendar rolled over to 2015, i didn't think anything was going to come of my participation in this contest. instead, i've got a new sense of self-confidence. this is something i've done as a passion, as a hobby for almost half my life. this contest has given me a sense of validation in my abilities that i never thought possible. i never dreamed that people would be reading my thoughts on a game and caring about them. i never dreamed i would be front-page news on covers.com, the best sports research site that i've come across in my 12 years of doing this. i never dreamed i'd be able to go on the all-stars page and see my name at the top as having the longest winning streak of all-time in the streak survivor contest. and above all, i never dreamed i would have such overwhelming support from the covers community, something i've never seen before. typically, people are rude, obnoxious a-holes when they're behind their computer screens. but you have all been so kind and embracing throughout the latter part of my streak, it's unbelievable. i can't begin to explain how appreciative i am for the way you've treated me.
given the odds of picking this many games in a row, i will assume that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. i would like to thank all of you, but also several others. i want to thank covers for putting on a free contest with this format, and allowing me to have the experience i've had over the last few weeks. i'd like to thank all my friends who have supported me throughout the streak as well, and more than anything, i'd like to thank my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, coaches and my big brother. without all of you surrounding me and providing me with positive examples of the proper way to conduct yourself and treat other people, i think i would have been just another cocky a-hole on this website, and i would not have received the support i have from the rest of the covers community.
most of all i'd like to thank my beautiful wife. she has hated this habit for as long as we've known each other. nonetheless, she could tell how much this meant to me, and she has been supportive and passionate throughout the entire thing. she has been my biggest supporter, and she continues to be the biggest reason why tonight's outcome doesn't bother me. i still have her to plan my life around, so getting an unexpected $25k instead of an unexpected $100k just really isn't a huge deal. i have someone beside me that loves me despite my flaws, and that's something that just doesn't come around that often.
congrats to tuppy, who still has the greatest streak of all-time, because he's the only one who came through in the clutch with $100k on the line. and best of luck to everyone behind me. may you make it at least as far as i have and have this incredible experience as well. have a wonderful evening everyone.