“Always Protect Your Unit”
For those not in the know, Chris Thomas was a beloved sportscaster here in the Tampa Bay area both on the local NBC TV affiliate WFLA and more importantly on the local AM sports talk radio station 620 WDAE. His late morning show had a devoted audience of listeners who were infatuated with his humor and personality on the air. Featuring a soundboard cast of characters including crickets, and a Budweiser pushing ferret named Cleavis, Chris became an important part of many listeners lives as they made him part of their daily rituals. Sadly he passed away due to complications from cancer in 2004, but one feature of his show lives on here at the TBFL – The Chris Thomas 5 Star Pick 3 Handicapping Contest.
The contest began on Chris’s show as a regular Friday feature during football season. Listeners were encouraged to pick 3 games against-the-spread using the odds as listed in the Tampa Tribune sports section. Chris would provide commentary on the picks that usually insinuated the person was an idiot for selecting those teams, but was encouraged to take them to their local STIB (Short Term Investment Broker). Chris would track callers through the season and award them with either an extravagant vacation getaway to some tropical island with the Bucs cheerleader of their choice, or nothing, but definitely one of the two.
We have run the contest on our own now in memoriam using the current odds as posted at the major sports books using the tote board at VegasInsider.com:
Each of the 17 weeks in the NFL season our cast of degenerate heroes picks three games against the spread or totals and we track their progress as if they had bet $100 per game. That means each player is automatically in the hole $5100 + the 10% vig and will have to show some good picks to stay in the black all year. For the first time ever we will be documenting our picks publicly here so feel free to use this information as you see fit. Last year was a first as all four players managed to post records over 60% for the season and theoretically profited $3,160 in total.
Follow along and challenge yourself while honoring the tradition started by Chris. And as he would end every show….
God Bless America