Benevolent Adams gives tardy pickers a break

"Numerous pickers have been late with their picks this season," picks panel administrator John Adams told picks panel beat writer John Adams in an exclusive interview Thursday. "Since they haven't been penalized, they might think they have gotten away with it.

"And maybe they have."

Adams said pickers have the option of reporting their tardiness and being assessed a three-point penalty. Or they can take their chances on the proficiency of the picks panel's time management division.

"Pickers who don't take advantage of the three-point mercy rule could be penalized a point for every hour they have been late with their picks," Adams said. "But maybe our time management division wasn't doing its job and failed to record their late picks. If so, the pickers have beaten the system.

"So every tardy picker has to ask himself, 'Do I feel lucky?'

"Well do ya, punk?"

Under investigation: Picks panel administrator John Adams has confirmed a report by News Sentinel investigative reporter John Adams that the Knoxville picks panel has received a letter of inquiry from the National Picks Panel Administration. The letter from the NPPA means it has begun a formal investigation into alleged violations.

"This is strictly a formality," the picks panel administrator said. "We've already begun an internal investigation of our own and will report any findings to the NPPA."

The story, which can be read in its entirety on pickspanelXtra.com, quoted an anonymous source as saying prospective pickers had received cash payments from local picks panel officials while the potential pickers were being tested at the Potential Pickers Testing Center. Under NPPA rules, it's illegal for picks panel recruits or pickers to receive any extra benefits.

"This isn't Alabama," picks panel administrator John Adams said. "We do things the right way. I think our internal investigation will show there was no wrongdoing on our part."

The Knoxville picks panel has been investigated four times in the last nine years but has never received serious sanctions from the NPPA. In 1998, it suffered a one-picker reduction for a year because of a minor infraction. Picks panel administrator John Adams admitted to buying bus tickets for two potential pickers who couldn't afford a ride home from the Picks Panel Testing Center.

Welcome Back: Former picker Tim Harmon, who made a strong run at the 2003 picks panel championship, has rejoined the panel as a replacement for first-year picker Gena Emory, who resigned from the panel. Harmon, who has been picking all season "off camera," joins the panel with a .602 percentage, but picks panel administrator John Adams expects that to improve right away.

"Harmon is a gamer," Adams said. "He proved that last year."

Billion-Dollar Update: Picker Gloria Ray of the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corp. said she might have underestimated the financial impact of the national picks panel convention, which will be held in Knoxville next month.

"I think it might be closer to $60 billion," said Ray, who earlier had estimated the convention would have a $50 billion impact on the local economy.

Readers Write: One avid picks panel fan said he thought the composite photo of early-morning chatterboxes Phil and Gina was sophomoric and beneath the high standards of the picks panel.

Picks panel response: What composite? That's an actual photo of either Phil or Gina. Which one do you think it is?

Correction: A story by News Sentinel political writer John Adams incorrectly reported that 18 of the 24 pickers favored John Kerry for President. In fact, 18 of the pickers favored Bush.

"You can't tell me that wasn't intentional," picks panel administrator John Adams said. "It was just another flagrant example of the media's liberal bias."

Political writer John Adams laughed off picks panel administrator John Adams' charges and blamed the error on a "computer glitch."

John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.