[h=1]CH Ballers remains anonymous[/h] [h=3]The SuperContest leader is an amazing 49-16 ATS through 13 weeks[/h]
Originally Published: November 18, 2014
<cite class="source"> By Dave Tuley | ESPN Insider</cite>
LAS VEGAS -- The identity of CH Ballers is of great interest here at the "Tuesdays With Tuley" headquarters and wherever else followers of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest gather.
For the uninitiated, CH Ballers is on a record pace and has opened up a three-game lead with four weeks to go in the SuperContest, the $1,500-entry NFL handicapping contest that drew a record 1,403 entries this year and has a top prize of $736,575.
SuperContestants make five plays a week against a contest line that is posted (and locked) on Wednesdays and CH Ballers is 49-16 (75.4 percent) ATS through the first 13 weeks and has a chance to break the record of 2011 champion Sans Souci, who went 58-22-5 ATS (72.5 percent). In the SuperContest scoring system, wins are worth one point and pushes are worth half a point (though there hasn't been a push yet this season), so the record for points is 60.5. CH Ballers would have to go just 12-8 over the last four weeks to set a new mark.
[h=4]Insider PickCenter[/h]
Wondering which side to take? Check out PickCenter and do your research before making that critical decision. PickCenter
CH Ballers' past two four-week segments have far exceeded that pace. He moved into first place over previous leader Alcatraz Holdings in Week 9 after wrapping up a four-week run of 17-3 ATS and has slowed down only a little bit, going 15-5 ATS the past four weeks (including 4-1 this past week) to pull away from the other contenders -- Degenchat, Dshot702 and General Tso -- all of whom are hitting at better than 70 percent themselves at 46-19.
As if you couldn't tell, SuperContestants are allowed to use an alias for the standings and the listing of their picks each week. I've covered this contest since moving to Vegas in 1998 and it's usually pretty easy to locate the leader. For one, they often can be heard shouting from the mountaintops that they're leading the SuperContest. Oftentimes, they'll contact me hoping that I'll write about their expertise.
But not CH Ballers, who has kept a low profile.
No one taking claim in the sports books. No posts in online forums. No appearance on Twitter as far as I know. So, I dropped a line to Westgate SuperBook boss Jay Kornegay to try to get an interview with the leader.
Technically, Kornegay isn't obligated to protect anyone anonymity as SuperContest Rule No. 22 reads, "By entering the contest, each individual contestant grants permission to the SuperBook to use his or her name and photograph for publicity purposes." But that's usually only enforced for the champion -- and I agree with that policy.
The reply came back: "He politely declined."
At least we know it's a "he." But no other information was forthcoming.
And I guess I can't blame him. Regular readers of this column will recall that the "Tuley Curse" has doomed the two former leaders, Henry Gondorff (confirmed to be Todd Fuhrman) and then Alcatraz Holdings. Gondorff was off to a great 14-1 start and then went 5-10 to drop out of the top 30, and Alcatraz Holdings, who was rolling along at an incredible 26-4 with a two-game lead after six weeks and then, as stated above, was out of the lead by Week 9 and has gone 16-19 since and is clinging to 15th place.
So, we'll see if CH Ballers can hang on in the coming weeks and if he's interested in being unmasked as we get closer to Week 17.
[h=3]Q&A ...[/h]
Originally Published: November 18, 2014
<cite class="source"> By Dave Tuley | ESPN Insider</cite>
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LAS VEGAS -- The identity of CH Ballers is of great interest here at the "Tuesdays With Tuley" headquarters and wherever else followers of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest gather.
For the uninitiated, CH Ballers is on a record pace and has opened up a three-game lead with four weeks to go in the SuperContest, the $1,500-entry NFL handicapping contest that drew a record 1,403 entries this year and has a top prize of $736,575.
SuperContestants make five plays a week against a contest line that is posted (and locked) on Wednesdays and CH Ballers is 49-16 (75.4 percent) ATS through the first 13 weeks and has a chance to break the record of 2011 champion Sans Souci, who went 58-22-5 ATS (72.5 percent). In the SuperContest scoring system, wins are worth one point and pushes are worth half a point (though there hasn't been a push yet this season), so the record for points is 60.5. CH Ballers would have to go just 12-8 over the last four weeks to set a new mark.
[h=4]Insider PickCenter[/h]
CH Ballers' past two four-week segments have far exceeded that pace. He moved into first place over previous leader Alcatraz Holdings in Week 9 after wrapping up a four-week run of 17-3 ATS and has slowed down only a little bit, going 15-5 ATS the past four weeks (including 4-1 this past week) to pull away from the other contenders -- Degenchat, Dshot702 and General Tso -- all of whom are hitting at better than 70 percent themselves at 46-19.
As if you couldn't tell, SuperContestants are allowed to use an alias for the standings and the listing of their picks each week. I've covered this contest since moving to Vegas in 1998 and it's usually pretty easy to locate the leader. For one, they often can be heard shouting from the mountaintops that they're leading the SuperContest. Oftentimes, they'll contact me hoping that I'll write about their expertise.
But not CH Ballers, who has kept a low profile.
No one taking claim in the sports books. No posts in online forums. No appearance on Twitter as far as I know. So, I dropped a line to Westgate SuperBook boss Jay Kornegay to try to get an interview with the leader.
Technically, Kornegay isn't obligated to protect anyone anonymity as SuperContest Rule No. 22 reads, "By entering the contest, each individual contestant grants permission to the SuperBook to use his or her name and photograph for publicity purposes." But that's usually only enforced for the champion -- and I agree with that policy.
The reply came back: "He politely declined."
At least we know it's a "he." But no other information was forthcoming.
And I guess I can't blame him. Regular readers of this column will recall that the "Tuley Curse" has doomed the two former leaders, Henry Gondorff (confirmed to be Todd Fuhrman) and then Alcatraz Holdings. Gondorff was off to a great 14-1 start and then went 5-10 to drop out of the top 30, and Alcatraz Holdings, who was rolling along at an incredible 26-4 with a two-game lead after six weeks and then, as stated above, was out of the lead by Week 9 and has gone 16-19 since and is clinging to 15th place.
So, we'll see if CH Ballers can hang on in the coming weeks and if he's interested in being unmasked as we get closer to Week 17.
