The picks panel made national history this week with the addition of 23-month-old picker Ella Myers.

Myers, who is the daughter of former picker Stephanie Myers, is the youngest picker in the history of the National Picks Panel Association.

"We didn't put her on the panel to make history," picks panel administrator John Adams said. "We put her on the panel to win a championship.

"If you think this is a joke or a grandstand play, just watch her pick. The kid's a genius."

Ella is also the first "picker baby" to make the Knoxville panel. She was born to former picker Stephanie Myers in October of the 2003 season when Stephanie was still on the panel. Ella has been on a fast track ever since.

"She's a natural picker," her mother said. "Her first word was 'upset.' "

Ella said her first word when she was 2 weeks old. A week later, she was speaking in complete sentences.

"She started picking games for fun by the end of 2003," her mother said. "But I thought it would be too much pressure if we put her on the panel before she was a teenager. I had second thoughts after talking to picks panel psychiatrist, Dr. Julius Quackenstein."

Quackenstein, who specializes in child psychology, not only told Ella's mother that it was OK for Ella to pick, he said she should pick.

"The child is perfectly normal in every way except her P.I.Q.," Quackenstein said. "She's a genius. She has an uncanny ability to pick football games."

Ella and her parents spent a week at the Picks Panel Youth Camp in August of 2004. After extensive testing, everyone agreed she was ready for the panel.

"Mr. Adams wanted to put her on the panel last year," Stephanie said. "But we finally decided to take a test run. If she did OK, then we would let her go on the panel."

Adams said Ella picked 74.3 percent of the games correctly last year, which would have made her the champion if she had been on the panel.

"Maybe she wouldn't have done as well if she had been on the panel," her mother said. "But missing games didn't seem to bother her. She was the same every week whether she went 14-1 or 9-6.

Dr. Quackenstein said he wouldn't have recommended Ella for the panel if he were concerned about the pressure.

"I've counseled a number of pickers through the years," Quackenstein said. "Trust me, Ella at almost 2 years of age is already more mature than many of them."

Pickers had a mixed reaction to competing against a 2-year-old.

"Age shouldn't be a factor," 92-year-old picker John Adams said in an exclusive interview with picks panel beat reporter John Adams. "Whether you're 92 or 2, what's important is how well you pick."

Veteran picker Dave Hooker had a different view.

"Is this a picks panel or a freak show?" Hooker said. "What's next? A two-headed picker?"

Actually, the panel already has a two-headed picker (see Andy & Allison for details).

Up Next: The picks panel's other mystery picker will be announced next week. If you guess who the new picker is, you qualify for a chance to win two tickets to the SEC championship game in Atlanta.

I'll give you a hint. The new picker is older than Ella.

Email your guess to adamsj@knews.com.

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