Discussion: Fantasy Sprint Finals

For those of us who could not find any last-minute cheap flights to the Sprint Finals and for all the attackpoint enthusiasts in general, I would like to organize a Fantasy Sprint Finals game, with prizes available if enough interest is shown. So, if people are interested, post replies here, and maybe we'll get something going.
A possible format could be:
Each player fills out a whole bracket, NCAA-style, selecting who moves on to round 2 and then the final 4 from each group in Men's and Women's A heats.
You get a point for each person correctly predicted to the second round, 2 points for each person correctly predicted to the finals, 4 points for each person correctly picked to finish in the top 2, 8 points for each winner, for a maximum of 56 points. (16 first round points + 16 second round points + 8 runner-up points + 16 winner points). The tie-breaker could be picking the winner of Men's B heat, then Men's C heat.
Any interest? Enter your teams!

Nice idea, Boris. I definately gnashed my teeth about going (even though I'm not even in the top 500), but the President of these United States told me not to use gas if I don't have to.

Anyway, your format kills anybody whose overall pick goes out early. I'd suggest the more traditional NCAA-bracket formula of 1 point for first round, 2 points for second, 3 for third, etc. Still rewards getting the top runners right, but keeps more folks in the game.

Now the big question: who's going to relay the live updates to AP so we can keep score at home?

Well, that's the Commissioner's job, isn't it?
I am happy to change the rules if people think Eric's suggestion is better, as long as we have a set final version by, let's say, tomorrow night, so there is some time for team picking.
By the way, the heats, again are here:
Men and
Women.

Seems like it's time for another Assistant Commissioner to be appointed. Kenny? You've got experience with live posting from CSU sprints....

This would be tremendous and another opportunity for CSU/Attackpoint to shine...

if I can get a viable Verizon signal at the finish, I can post updates to attackpoint... But I'm also racing so there would be some delay incurred... 2nd Mens heat certainly won't be live and if the reclusive Nottingham Attack Badgers get me - then all bets are off...

But I can pre-format some stuff ahead of time in PocketWord so that as each round is completed I can fill in the finish order, cut/paste to A! and post it as soon as the order is verified.

Unless someone comes up with a better option..

Carrier pigeon

Ok, people, email me teams. I have 2 entries so far.

yeah, I think we can probably throw something together to facilitate near-live posting. if not, then clint's suggestion would work.

Things might have changed for the better at Pawtuckaway in the last few years, but at least in 2001 when we held the Boulder Dash there, cell signal strength in the parking lot / pavilion area was pretty weak. I remember standing on top of the Bundschuh's camper holding my phone up in the air and watching it alternate between 1 and no bars.

I think there's a better signal out by the entrance to the park.

I got fine signal strength (Verizon) at the park entrance today. Don't know about further in, as I left my phone in the car. And I remember that Boulder Dash -- I was a pre-runner and had brought my phone in case I needed to call in reports of any missing controls. My phone rang twice when I was near the end: it was Jim calling to say "Where the hell are you, slowpoke?".

To which you responded, "I'm running my 128th penalty loop!"

earlier this summer I tested my phone in a few places while running through the north block of forest, and had full or nearly full gsm signal (cingular) each time. I didn't try it in the start/finish area though, since I didn't go there.

We are up to 6 entries from 4 different countries. Anyone else want to jump in?

What's the entry deadline?

Let's say Thursday, 6pm Eastern Time (or 12am Friday where I am). After that i will post entries here unless someone objects.

Fantasy Sprint... and I thought this was gonna be really fun... You guys really are nerds!

How's this for nerdy. Super ASCII Brackets!!!

MENS

Group 1:

Jon_(1)_____

Wil_(8)_____    ________

Sergei_(9)__\  

Jonathan_(16)\  ________

	      \	 

Group 4:      / ________\

Mike_(4)____ /  	 \

Eric_(5)____/	________  \   ______	

Mihai_(12)__		   \  

Vadim_(13)__		    \ ______\

	                             \_______

Group 3:		     /        _______

Ken_(3)_____		    / ______ /

Wyatt_(6)___   ________    /        /

Joe_(11)____\ 	          /   ______

Mark_(14)___ \ ________ /

	      \        /

Group 2:      /________

Eddie_(2)___ /

John_(7)____/  ________

Hans_(10)___

Greg_(15)___



WOMENS



Group 1:

Viktoria_(1)

Daria_(8)___   

Kristin_(9)_    _______

Janet_(16)__\  

Mary_(20)___ \  _______

              \        

Group 4:       /_______\

Peggy_(4)___  /  	\

Samantha_(5) /  _______  \   	

Heidi_(12)__/		  \   _______

Pia_(13)____		   \ 

Tori_(17)___		    \ _______\ _______    

                                      \_______

Group 3:		    / _______ /

Katerina_(3)		   /         / 

Angelica_(6)    _______   /   _______

Gail_(11)___\	         /   

Sanna_(14)__ \  _______ /

Lynette (18)  \        /

               \_______

Group 2:      / 

Pavlina_(2)_ /  _______

Suzanne_(7)_/  

Kseniya_(10)

Susan_(15)__

Ekaterina (19)

Score!

The nerdiest thing occurred to me the other night... for a heat of 20, I think a more accurate grouping for a seeding is
1, 8, 9, 14, 20
2, 7, 10, 16, 17
3, 6, 11, 15, 18
4, 5, 12, 13, 19

This is unlike NCAA or tennis, but NCAA teams don't compete in groups of 5 with 2 advancing.

A nerdy thing occurred to me, too, in terms of evaluating performance - because the seedings are obviously spurious.

I would have liked to see weighted percentiles - a single number that included the percentile placing in a given race, weighted by particpants then scaled by the number of races a person has run. An easy measure to caluclate that would indicate a person's bang for the buck better than numbers skewed by mere particpation of lack thereof.

Of course, that's the way I should have picked my brackets. I really did it much more qualitatively - you know, with Attackpoint monikers and how cool their O-suits are.

Well, one of the main purposes of the Sprint Series was to get people to run more sprints, so the standings and seedings were designed to at least partially reward those who ran a lot of sprints. And you still have two hours to chsnge your brackets if you like.

Oh don't worry - that was a suggestion for a Moneyball kind of analysis - for my own benefit, or for those who are so inclined. I think the way the standings were calculated was perfect - seriously.

I don't want any commissioners coming down on me either :)

As for my picks, they came to me in an epiphany. I'd never change them, even if Hammer was still running F35.

what exactly are you saying J-man?

Only that the Commissioner and his assistants are omniscient and beyond reproach.

J-man, did you get the copies of the sprint courses I e-mailed you?

barring connectivity issues, there will be live-ish bracket tracking (places, but not times) from the non-fantasy sprint finals, for all heats. details later.

Today's signal strength report (Verizon Wireless):
At Fundy trailhead, one bar, occasionally two, and I saw three once.
At park entrance: full strength (five).

T-Mobile - five bars in Raymond, zero at Pawtuckaway...
Other useless information from today (an absolutely stunning day in the woods at Pawtuckaway): five frogs, about a gazillion animals that live under rocks (because I wanted to move some rocks), two park rangers, one guy in short green shorts with binoculars, at least twenty spiders of various kinds (none harmful), and (blessing of blessings) no mosquito bites despite walking around the forest for seven hours.

I got lotsa frogs, no sub-rock dwellers, no rangers, one hiker, six mountain bikers, many spiders, and several itchy spots that appear to be the work of skeeters. But I was wearing shorts. Oh, and one Australian economist.

I don't think J-J means that he was wearing me. At least, if he was, I didn't notice.

I wish I'd be around for the live updates, to cheer on my "horses", but we've got a Rogaine (no 24-hour option, though, so my son wants to just do 6) on Saturday.

Anyway, good luck to all particpants in this exciting event.

And I would have really liked to be there in person (especially to do the course on Sunday), but this weekend is the Bills home opener (I've only missed one home Bills game since we got our tickets in 1986). It seems like there are a lot of NFL / O conflicts (perhaps that comment belongs in j-man's thread).