Cindy Lundy, the mother of picker Christian Lundy, blasted picks panel administrator John Adams in a post on pickschatter.com, a popular chat room for those who subscribe to pickspanelxtra.com (available now at the special holiday rate of $885 a month).

"There's no accountability on the panel," Cindy said. "My son has told me that a number of pickers are late with their picks, but they're never punished. He also said that when pickers forget to send in picks, picks panel administrator John Adams picks the games for them.

"No wonder most of the pickers have done so poorly and the panel didn't even make the National Picks Panel Association's top 40 this year. I can remember when pickers were suspended or kicked off the panel altogether for just leaving out one game. Not one picker has been dismissed this year.

"I'm really concerned about my son being exposed to such a lack of discipline. If things don't change, Christian won't be on the panel next year."

Picks panel administrator John Adams had little to say about the criticism.

"This isn't Little League baseball," he said. "I don't answer to the mothers of pickers."

Big Changes: Picks panel administrator John Adams said he already has recruited five new pickers for next year. That means five of this year's pickers will have to go.

Rather than dismiss the five pickers with the worst records for the season, Adams said he would boot the five bottom-row pickers who score the fewest points the last week of the regular season.

"That will show how the pickers respond to pressure," he said. "It also will increase interest among picks panel fans."

Psychiatrist Honored: Picks panel psychiatrist Dr. Julius Quackenstein has been honored by the "New England Journal of Medicine." The renowned medical publication praised Quackenstein for his recent study, which proved how sleep habits can affect one's intellect.

"Early to rise leads to the brain's demise," wrote Quackenstein in his study. "People who consistently wake up before 6 a.m. tend to be dim bulbs."

The subjects for Dr. Quackenstein's study included pickers Andy & Allison, Dave Hooker and Jeff Jacoby. The morning disk jockeys regularly wake up before 6 a.m.

Dr. Quackenstein said it's no coincident that all of the early morning chatterboxes are bottom-row pickers.

"Those early morning wake-ups have a cumulative effect on the brain," Dr. Quackenstein said. "These people might have started out as reasonably intelligent. But over a period of time, their intellect declines significantly."

Former picker Phil Williams, a former morning deejay, also was included in Quackenstein's study.

"Phil has an afternoon show now," Quackenstein said. "But that doesn't mean he will suddenly become bright.

"Sure, it helps that he doesn't have to wake up so early anymore, but you can't reverse the process. The extensive brain damage that's so apparent with him was done over a period of years."

Pick-Me-Uppers: Pickers will be distributing free Thanksgiving turkeys throughout the city this week. The Picks Panel's caroling schedule for next month: downtown Knoxville, Dec. 10; Fountain City, Dec. 11; Powell, Dec. 12; Halls, Dec. 13; West Knoxville, Dec. 14; Farragut, Dec. 15. Picker Mike Strange's best-selling book, "Strange Picks," has been republished with an extra chapter and will be available in all Knoxville area bookstores this weekend. First-year picker Isabelle Youmans will sign autographs and pose with your pet and Santa Paws at area pet stores the next three weekends. Check with your favorite pet store for details. Former Dunce Diva Tina Wesson will be giving away autographed dunce caps at the main entrance to West Town Mall on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. until noon.

Records Of Alternates: Kathy Best 117-61 (137 points), Zack Theekat 112-66 (127 points), John Pennington 110-68 (124 points), Chuck Williams 99-79 (120 points), Tim Harmon 105-68 (113 points), B.J. Wright 107-71 (110 points), Brandy Fore 107-71 (107 points).

Sports editor John Adams may_be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.