'Doggy coin awarded

They're playing the Pro Bowl today, the National Football League's all-star game. Wisely, for the first time, they're playing it as flag football, which could be the start of something.

With nothing left after this but the Super Bowl, it's a fine opportunity to wrap up our pro football underdog game for the year, by listing the charities picked by our winners. They are, drumroll please:

First place - VegasBaby5 - $315 - Sandy High School Robotics Program

Second place - Mad Dog - $100 - Shriners Children's Hospital

Third place - Howler - $75 - Clackamas Rotary Foundation

The first two checks have already been mailed, and the third goes out tomorrow. I added a few bucks to each for the time value of the money, which our players posted up way back in August.

The competition was intense, and it made things a lot more interesting through the long gridiron season. Relatively low stakes (less than a buck a week) and a guaranteed happy outcome – there's not much more to ask for. Thanks to everybody who played. Most of the 'dogs lost, but our players were all champs.