Nolan Ryan
Dick Vitale
Tim McCarver
John Madden
George Karl
Ara Parseghian
Eric Wedge
Mike Tyson
Jerry Kill
Steve Gleason
Tommy Lasorda
Vin Scully
Muhammad Ali
Alternates:
Dusty Baker
Mike Dikta
Pat Summitt
John Madden is the football announcer, since there is apparently more than one person by that name on peoples’ lists. Nearly all new names this year, so of course my entire 2013 list will probably kick off in 2014. I nearly left Ali off this year, since he’s on swampbear’s list and therefore immortal.
Aretha Franklin
Nancy Reagan
Barbara Bush
Tony Danza
Fred Phelps
Lindsay Lohan
George H. W. Bush
Penny Marshall
James Garner
Michael Douglas
Valerie Harper
Mary Tyler Moore
Loretta Lynn
Alternates
Jimmy Carter
Pete Rose
Marcia Strassman
I have taken Zsa Zsa Gabor off of my list. (She has been a fixture on my lists for several years). She’s toast.
By “this year’s Hugo Chavez,” I meant the celebrity who (a) looked like almost a sure thing to die that year, (b) a whole bunch of Death Pool participants got the memo and had him on their lists, and (c) enough points were involved that you’d hate to have missed the memo.
For instance, Lindsay Lohan totally nails (b) and (c) - she’s on way more lists than anyone else so far, and she’d be good for 72-73 points. But while she could come through, there’s hardly the sense of inevitability about her that there was about Chavez as 2012 ended.
So she isn’t “this year’s Hugo Chavez” in the sense I’m using it. There may not even be a “this year’s Hugo Chavez”; nothing says there has to be one. But if there is one, I want to have him/her on my list.
I think that as a farewell present, the Russians set up Castro like Lenin, but technology has improved since the 1920’s, and there are animatronics involved.
I’ll need to call my accountant in the Caymans to see what the market is right now. What? One does not leave that kind of money just layin’ around for the IRS to get its mitts on now does one?
Valerie Harper
Judy Blume
Frankie Muniz
John McVie
Randy Travis
Stuart Scott
Warren Buffett
Tommy Chong
George H.W. Bush
Pope Emeritus Benedict
Sheldon Adelson
Freddie Starr
Sir Bruce Forsyth
Stuart Scott is the ESPN anchor. Freddie Starr and Brucie Forsyth are the British television “personalities”. I think everyone else is sufficiently famous.
Alternates, just in case:
Dick Van Dyke
Aretha Franklin
George Michael
Harry Belafonte
This year I’ve decided to play a themed list. My theme is called:
The Low-Hanging Fruit (Almost Never Drops Off)
Eli Wallach (12-7-1915) - Very old actor
Beverly Cleary (4-12-1916) - Very old author
Olivia de Haviland (7-1-1916) - Very old actress
Kirk Douglas (12-9-1916) - Very old actor
Zsa Zsa Gabor (2-6-1917) - Very old actress whose had some health troubles over the last few years
Joan Fontaine (10-22-1917) - Very old actress
I.M. Pei (10-26-1917) - Very old architect
Billy Graham (11-7-1918) - Very old evangelist
Helmut Schmidt (12-23-1918) - Very old former West German Chancellor
Joseph Wapner (11-15-1919) - Very old judge
Ariel Sharon (2-26-1928) - Former Israeli PM in a long-term coma. I’ll never give up on you Ariel!
Valerie Harper (8-22-1939) - Actress with terminal brain cancer and this year’s bandwagon pick
Stuart Scott (7-19-1965) - ESPN commentator with recurring cancer and my personal long-shot
ALTERNATES
Hosni Mubarak (5-4-1928) - deposed Egyptian leader whose had some health troubles of late
Tommy Chong (5-24-1938) - using hemp oil to treat prostate cancer. Never a good sign.
Plain List
Eli Wallach
Beverly Cleary
Olivia de Haviland
Kirk Douglas
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Joan Fontaine
I.M. Pei
Billy Graham
Helmut Schmidt
Joseph Wapner
Ariel Sharon
Valerie Harper
Stuart Scott
I tried that and it hasn’t worked for me!!! All my picks this year were at LEAST ninety five years old, and so far only two have have the decency to give me points.
I’d like to suggest that the results be delayed by more than 24 hours as the new year is over a weekend. I’d suggest 48 hours, an extra day.
Also, should there be a special rule about those who have already expressed the intention of using assisted suicide? Sir Terry Pratchett comes to mind.
I’d rather not add too many more rules unless it’s absolutely necessary. Even if a person says they may suicide, we won’t really know all the details or info so I’d treat suicides like a regular death.
