Winner Stays On: Making your own luck

Winner Stays On / Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 30 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

"Here at WSO we feel we have more in common with the Bobster. Sick of If Only and his attitude, strut and general contempt for his opponents, we decided to do something about it. After all, if these were characteristics we condoned, we would be fans of Paul Robinson. Which we’re not."

If Only has finally been knocked out and we here at Betfair Towers are taking all the credit for it.

I once had a housemate who was a tad lazy.

He'd walk into the hall where there were two light switches separated by about ten feet. The first was the one for the kitchen, a room in the house that he had no need for (he didn't cook). The second switch was for the lounge where he spent the vast majority of each and every day (he didn't work) watching TV, playing Playstation and occasionally looking at the pictures in the newspaper (he didn't like to read). He could never remember which switch was which so if he turned one on and it was the one for the kitchen, which he didn't want, he'd sit down on the sofa in darkness for the rest of the day.

When this happened I'd occasionally ask him why he didn't walk over to the other light switch, turn it on, and in the process turn off the light in the kitchen.

His response was generally something quite philosophical, along the lines of "it wasn't meant to be", "destiny decided that I should be paired with darkness" or "we can't decide our own fate. That's for someone Else to do". The latter phrase was normally accompanied with a raising of the eyebrows and a rolling of his eyes towards the ceiling.

This attitude is of course is in sharp contrast to Robert the Bruce and his spider mate. Bob felt we made our own destiny and if things went wrong the first time, it was us and not some higher being, who could rectify that.

Here at WSO we feel we have more in common with the Bobster. Sick of If Only and his attitude, strut and general contempt for his opponents, we decided to do something about it. After all, if these were characteristics we condoned, we would be fans of Paul Robinson. Which we're not.

Hence, you'll remember we strategically placed black cats and ladders in his path and warned our readers of the consequences of him carrying on winning WSO every week. He'd become Prime Minister with Paul Robinson as his Deputy, you'll recall.

And it worked. FFormigal responded to our plea and took him out. Not for dinner. Nor did he "take him out" in the Tony Soprano sort of way, you understand. He eliminated him from our family-friendly competition and in the process restored the values that are the cornerstone of this wonderful contest. And for that, we thank him.

This week's matches

Napoli v Lazio
Rennes v Auxerre
Benfica v Porto

Fformigal's selections

Napoli v Lazio - Back Lazio to win at [5.9]
Rennes v Auxerre- Back Rennes to win at [1.77]
Benfica v Porto- Back Benfica to win at [2.4]

Paulscholes18's selections

Napoli v Lazio- Napoli to win 1-0 at [6.4]
Rennes v Auxerre- Back 1-1 draw at [7.8]
Benfica v Porto- Back both teams to score at [1.9]