I was actually kind of hoping that the Browns would win tonight because I promised that if they did, I would just fill this thread with a long stream of LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLs.

However, that was not to be. It would have made things so easy on me, too. Now I actually have to put a little more effort into mailing this thing in...

Chicago @ 49ers (Dallas @ Green Bay):

1. groug (14)
2. fortyniners (20)
3. PHUT!, illini49er, simiski, snowweasel, ro128487 (22)
4. sundaysfinest, Fooch (26)
5. bayboy, sfgfan, shulkdog, danknerd49, Ten-Man, howtheyscored, leaping_larry, wjackalope, 5-0, Mike Hawk (28)

Baltimore @ Cleveland:

1. shulkdog, shlecko, foosball4949 (16)
2. whobob, hudd07, illini49er, bonbrillio, Drew K, Ninerfromacrossthepond, LASVEGASNINER, jtoj (20)
3. bayboy, simiski, cassusriff, gbears16, SpurredOn, MontanaPass, JoeO (22)
4. danknerd49, groug (24)
5. snowweasel, CB30, jpgarfunkle (26)

New England @ Indianapolis:

1. hudd07 (6)
2. bonbrillio, jpgarfunkle (8)
3. whobob, shulkdog, gbears16, grantmp, jtoj (12)
4. Ninerfromacrossthepond, MontanaPass (14)
5. PHUT!, sundaysfinest, ZeroIndulgence, mpotter14, fortyniners, shlecko, foosball4949, CB30, wjackalope, urnext (20)

Jacksonville @ New York Jets:

1. Dub4lif3 (8)
2. DuikeBuike, nocal81 (10)
3. ZeroIndulgence (12)
4. ro128487 (14)
5. illini49er, jpgarfunkle (18)

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh:

1. shlecko (2)
2. ZeroIndulgence, J2daZ, rlott#42, gbears16 (10)
3. howtheyscored (16)
4. danknerd49, cassusriff (18)
5. 49erLou, snowweasel, JoeO (22)

Philadelphia @ San Diego:

1. bonbrillio, Dubs fan in Boston, Mike Hawk (2)
2. ZeroIndulgence, grantmp (6)
3. illini49er, Ninerfromacrossthepond, DuikeBuike, gbears16, Fooch, foosball4949, etb2 (8)
4. hudd07, JoeO (10)
5. 49erLou, leaping_larry, SpurredOn, beecharmer (14)

And that makes our week 10 leaderboard look like:

I can't decide if I should keep making fun of groug or stop making fun of him. History seems to suggest that I should stop. When I was making fun of wjackalope, he was always in the lead. Then I decided to stop, and now he's fighting for a playoff spot!

After wjackalope, I tuned my sharp wit and biting tongue toward groug. He was the recipient of many LOLs, and even a few lulz. But now look. I mean, what the heck? I'm blessed with this power, but I don't know how to use it for good!

So anyway, I guess I'll stop making fun of groug. But I have to poke fun at somebody. I mean, that's what makes this whole thing worthwhile for me. So, if you want, go ahead and use the comments section to tell me who I should make fun of.

In terms of who did well this week... well, man, groug aside... holy jeez, quite a few people. Ninerfromacrossthepond had one of the most impressive jumps, and is now comfortably nestled in the top 10. I've been warning you about this guy for weeks now, and he's making very, very steady steps toward the top spot.

I'd watch out if I were you, groug. I'd also feel confident in myself, as a handsome and intelligent person who doesn't even look creepy when he's staring at people. I mean, it's kind of endearing, really. I wish I were you sometimes. Not all the time. That would be weird. But sometimes. Like, 3 p.m. or so. My usual staring times.

Ahem.

Props to shlecko, too. A top 12 spot might be a playoff spot! I know I've been saying there are eight playoff spots, but I'm pretty sure I used 12 last season. Just like the NFL. I'll have to check, though.

To illini49er and gbears16: good job! To bonbrillio: major kudos for one seriously awesome week!

I want to mention newcomer simiski: not only a newcomer, but also a very fine week in the standings.

To shulkdog: Keep this up and things could get interesting for you.

ZeroIndulgence, snowweasel30, jpgarfunkle, cassusriff: pat yourselves on the back!

Fooch: I'd arrange a reverse jinx month of making fun of you so you could get back in this, but I know that you're just biding your time and don't really need my help. What's your plan? Week 13 for the strike? Holding off for the week 17, four perfect prediction performance? No... wait, don't tell me! I like the suspense better.

By the way, check your scores, people. I'm not perfect here. I mean, not all of us can be groug.

A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees - willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding: and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.