Hubris (noun): Exaggerated pride or self-confidence

God damn it.

Obviously, I knew deep down that this was how it was going to play out. After a mediocre showing from me – 8-8 – and another killer week from Stella – 11-5 – I have relinquished my lead. The three-game swing has her back on top by a game, with just two weeks remaining. Yes, there is time for me to take it back. Will I?

We all know the answer to that.

It won’t keep me from trying, of course. Once again, we are at odds in seven of the week’s contests. That means plenty of room for me to take the power back, although considering last week’s debacle, it seems … let’s just say unlikely.

Holy s—t, you guys – I might actually have a shot at winning this thing.

Stella and I both had stellar weeks in Week 15, but mine was just a touch better – 11-5 to 10-6 – which means that my lead has doubled to a whopping two games. It’s not a huge margin, but we’ve only got three weeks left. I’m in a better position than I’ve been in in years.

Stella is, of course, utterly unconcerned. She fully anticipates a couple of big weeks in a row (starting with this one) where she leaves me in the dust. She may be right, but for now? I’M WINNING!

We’re at odds on seven of the week’s matchups, so there’s plenty of opportunity for the standings to shift. By how much remains to be seen, but I have no doubt that movement is coming.

So you’re telling me there’s a chance …

After Stella and I put up identical 8-5 records in Week 14, I have maintained my slim one-game lead. And with just a few weeks left, I’m starting to have just the tiniest glimmer of hope that I might come out on top this season.

Foolishness and hubris, of course, but a man can dream, right?

For her part, Stella is unconcerned; traditionally, this is about the point in the season when she gets red-hot, so no lead is really safe, let alone one that is a scant single game.

There’s room to move this week, as we’re at odds in seven of the week’s full slate of 16 contests. In an odd confluence of circumstances, in six of those games, I have taken the visitors, while Stella has contented herself with some home cooking. Just one of those things, I suppose – we’ll see whether I’ve made a (or several) terrible mistake(s).

This one’s looking like it’s going to come down to the wire, isn’t it?

I was pretty pleased with my 10-4-1 record for Week 13, but Stella just had to go and one up me with a phenomenal 11-3-1 showing for the week. That means that we are once again separated by a single game as I cling desperately to what remains of my lead.

If I’m putting up 10-win weeks and losing ground, well … I’m in big trouble.

There’s a lot of action on the table in Week 14, however, thanks to Stella and I being at odds on six games. This despite a heavy bye week that means that there are just 13 contests overall. It’s going to be a tough one, I think. Put it this way – I’m not counting on another week of double-digit wins.

Could it be? Do I actually have a shot at this?

Another strong showing from both of us, but my 11-5 week was one game better than Stella’s 10-6, which helps me to double the size of my lead for the season to a whopping two games. Sure, it doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you’ve spent a decade being dominated, any whiff of hope is welcome.

Of course, it could well be that Stella is simply toying with me before laying down the hammer in the season’s final month and once again wiping the floor with me. We’ll have to wait and see.

There’s a chance for some real movement this week, with the two of us at odds on almost half of the Week 13 slate – seven games out of 15. A big performance by either one of us could potentially lead to the season essentially being sewn up. Will one of us go 7-0 or 6-1 in these games? Probably not, but stranger things have happened.

Well now … that was MUCH better.

Granted, Stella gained another game on me, leaving her just a single game behind for the season, but it’s hard for me to complain about a 10-4 week, even if Stella’s 11-3 did me one better. Regardless, it’s a damn sight better than the abysmal showings we put up in Week 10.

Stella will have her shot at retaking the lead; the full slate of 16 games led us to differ on six. Certainly not the largest number of contests where we’ve been at odds, but far from the fewest. And frankly, she’s got a real shot at surging.

Well … they can’t all be winners.

Week 10 served as a wonderful reminder of why we don’t place actual money on these games. Stella and I both had utterly abysmal showings, with neither of us cracking .500. However, Stella’s performance was slightly less putrid than mine – her 6-8 record for the week was enough to actually gain back a game, as I managed a lowly 5-9.

What that means, however, is that I am still in the lead after 10 weeks of football. Sure, there are seven more to go – plenty of time for me to resume my accustomed place looking up at her – but for now, in this moment, I am winning.

Feels good, man.

As for Week 11, we’re once again looking at a fairly limited oppositional slate, with Stella and I at odds on just five of the week’s contests. Not enough for any drastic moves, but really, all I’m hoping for is to manage better than .500.

I’ll be honest – this is not at all what I expected.

I figured after tying everything up last week, Week 9 would be the beginning of my long slow descent into yet another loss. Instead, I have one of my better weeks, putting up a 10-3 record. In addition, three of those wins came at Stella’s expense. That’s right – I’m back in the lead!

Will it last? Who can say? It might stick around for a bit, though, since Stella and I are at odds on just five of the week’s 13 contests. Doesn’t allow for any crazy big swings, but even so – if Stella’s right on four of those, we’re tied again. A sweep and she retakes the lead. Not crazy likely, but stranger things have happened.

And just like that – it’s all tied up.

Thanks to a solid performance by me and a so-so one from Stella, we enter the midway(ish) point of the season in a dead heat. It’s a brand-new start for both of us as we head toward the season’s back half, where things are only going to get more unpredictable as teams begin to make their respective playoff pushes.

Despite the bye weeks leaving us with just 13 contests this week, Stella and I still managed to find our share of disagreement. Indeed, we’re at odds on nearly half of Week 9’s games – six in all – and we’ve both made some interesting choices to get there.

Well s—t.

Just like that, not only is my slim lead gone, but Stella has leapt out to a two-game advantage of her own. She had a very respectable 9-5 record in this week of weirdness. I, on the other hand, stumbled to 5-9 – my second consecutive sub-.500 record. I suppose the only real surprise here is that it took until roughly midseason for her to retake the top spot. One imagines that it is all downhill from here.

We’ll do a deeper reflection come next week, when we’re actually past the halfway point, but for now, let’s just agree that I remain a prognostication masochist. I am apparently the world’s greatest proponent of canine socialism, as I clearly enjoy being publicly owned by a dog.

Until then, we’ve got Week 8. Stella and I differ on just six of the week’s 15 contests, so barring abject dominance, we won’t see any massive moves one way or the other. Of course, Stella’s not worried about big moves – she’s content to simply beat me in fits and starts, slowly but steadily increasing her lead.