Underdogs will soon be unleashed

Entries have been rolling in for this year's Charity Underdog Game on this blog, but we could use some more players to get to critical mass!

The game is an entertaining way to keep up on American pro football, but more importantly, an easy way to give 25 bucks to charity while you're at it. We've been playing this game for more than a decade, and thousands of dollars have gone to charity as a result.

Here's how it works: Each week, each player chooses one underdog team to win its game outright. If the player's underdog wins, the player earns the number of points that the underdog was predicted to lose by. At the end of the 21-week season, the players with the most points (the top two or three, depending on the size of the pool) get to say which eligible charities get the money in the pot. The higher in the standings they end up, the more dough the top players get to direct. It's all about bragging rights and feeling good.

The complete official rules are here. All proceeds go to charity, including a little contribution by me (I don't play). 

The lines for the week are posted on this blog early each week, and the standings are also posted after each week's games are over. For example, our last game's final results were posted here.

If you're intrigued, please read the rules, and if you want to play, send me a note right away to that effect at dogpdx26@gmail.com. I'll get right back to you with instructions on where your entry fee should be sent. 

The deadline for paying is Wednesday September 16, but we start playing this coming week, and you can try out the game for free the first week.

Speaking of the first week's games, the season opener this year is on Wednesday night, September 9. That's a week from tonight. It's a Super Bowl rematch in Seattle between the Patriots and the Seahawks. There will also be a Thursday night game on the 10th in Australia, between the San Francisco 49ers and the L.A. Rams. That one will be played Thursday evening our time, Friday morning Down Under. Most of the Big Daddies go at it on Sunday, and there will be a Monday night game on the 14th.

The lines for the first week's games will be posted on this blog on Labor Day night, which is this coming Monday! Hope you'll be playing with us.