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April 8, 2008 - LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Brackets & Baseball Challenge has its champion, and he is a long-distance fan of the Rockford RiverHawks.
Weagles, the entry submitted by Colin Baumgartner of Michigan, won the RiverHawks’ college basketball tournament prediction contest. Kansas beat Memphis, 75-68, in Monday’s national-championship game.
Weagles totaled 141 points to edge Double Dribble (135), Phil’s Winning Bracket (131) – which ironically finished third – and NCAA-Kristi (130). Each of the top four finishers correctly picked Kansas.
For his efforts, Baumgartner won a $50 RiverHawks gift card, valid anywhere inside Road Ranger Stadium. The second- through fifth-place finishers each won $20 gift cards.
“Hopefully, winning the bracket will be the start of good things for the RiverHawks,” the mercurial Baumgartner said. “Rock, chalk, RiverHawks.”
The Weagles entry pulled away from the pack in the Sweet Sixteen, when Baumgartner earned 28 points – best in the competition, by correctly picking seven of the eight winners.
Baumgartner, a veteran fantasy player, is known as “The Phil Jackson of Fantasy Sports”, according to RiverHawks assistant general manager for marketing and promotions Marshall Mackinder, a longtime online opponent. “Weagles” teams can be found everywhere from fantasy baseball to fantasy pro wrestling.
The battle for fifth place led to a controversial finish. Primetime Players and Bracketology Bungle held a pitched battle for first place through the first two rounds. Bracketology Bungle seized the lead in the second round, was one of just four competitors to correctly predict each of the final four teams and led until Monday, when Bungle had predicted Memphis would take the title.
Bracketology Bungle had the fifth-highest point total, but was disqualified when it was discovered that the competitor, Todd Fulk, was not only an employee, but had been with the front office for a decade and is RiverHawks assistant general manager for baseball operations. Employees are not eligible to receive prizes in the competition.
“If I’m going to play, I’m going to try to win,” Fulk said.
Primetime Players, which finished in sixth, was awarded the fifth-place prize.
RiverHawks Baseball Rocks! was randomly picked to receive two free 10-game mini-season passes.
Winners may call the RiverHawks 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays to claim their prizes.
Opening Night is at 7:05 p.m. May 21, when the RiverHawks host River City. The RiverHawks are members of the Frontier League, a 12-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 16th season this summer. Advertising and season-ticket information is available by calling the box office at (815) 885-2255. Most games are broadcast live on WNTA (1330 AM) and the internet. Fans can also visit the RiverHawks online at www.rockfordriverhawks.com.
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