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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Veteran picker O'Brien hits following several close calls


Advertiser Staff

Wahiawä's Anthony O'Brien can have more than a meal now.

O'Brien, 70, won this week's Pigskin Picks contest by correctly picking 13 of 15 winners and then winning the tiebreaker. He wins a trip for two to Las Vegas and $100 worth of pizza from Papa John's.

A player from the game's inception but never a top prize winner, O'Brien said, "I got a consolation one time. I got a meal. Only time I ever won."

But this year, O'Brien was getting increasingly closer to victory.

"You know how long I've been playing?" said O'Brien. "I hit perfect scores three times this year, but lost on a tiebreaker. (I had) one wrong about five times."

He said once he knew he had two losses, he figured he wouldn't win because "someone will be perfect."

But when told of his victory, he said, "Come again? Wow. That really makes my day."

O'Brien submitted more than 10 entries (players online can only submit one) and his tiebreaker was just two yards off the total combined offensive yards by Indianapolis and Jacksonville.

"I looked at both teams and looked at what they average. Then I looked up what they give up and worked out a formula (average)," he said.

O'Brien said picking NFL games is difficult at this time of the year, when teams that have clinched playoff berths might be resting players.

"You don't know what the coaches are thinking," he said. " 'Rest my good guys so they don't get hurt for the playoffs?' It's little tricky this time of year."

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