Spade_Cooley

I could do "the hospice care arrangements of Ray Price" on Mastermind and get 20 in the first round.

This is going to go down to the wire...

http://www.facebook.com/events/512726048835081/?fref=ts See you there guys.

And while a few weeks ago I thought two deaths (any two from Price, Mandela and Kalashnikov) would see me as a winner, the longer it gets on the more muddied things go. Jaruzelski and Billy Graham are both at death's door plus all it takes is a Wayne Osmond or a Jackie Selebi wildcard unique pick to drop and all the plans are thrown in the air.

The latest from Bill Mack is that he is "stable" but "definitely not improving".

Well, I can think of one chap, in his 50s, terminally ill, BBC obit almost guaranteed, chances of seeing 2015 about 0.5%. He'll certainly be on the Drop Forty if he is breathing on the 1st. Wilko J will definitely be a top 20 pick but I don't think he'll have the #1 spot. I think the Drop 40 will be led by either Zsa Zsa or Prince Philip next year.

An "official press conference" to take place later this week.

Brian Lenehan, Steve Jobs... "remission" pancreatic cancer patients would have netted you some big points these past few years if you'd reupped them for the next year. Interesting to see if the big teams for 2014 have Ryan Buell onboard or not.

Jimmy Hill would be a fan favourite pick I think.

Today's update comes from country DJ and "friend of the family" Bill Mack:

Stage IV cancer no excuse for not hitting the weights.

Can we get a final definitive list on what are acceptable "British national news sources" to stop any more "does this count? does this count? does this count?" Pardeeisms?

"Baby" Jake Matlala, the shortest ever world champion in any boxing division (4'10) has died at the age of 51. Creepily enough, he was apparently Nelson Mandela's favourite boxer.

I ain't counting my right-wing second-tier Opry entrants with a family of money-grabbing vultures until they've hatched.

Depending on which part of the internet you're looking at, Ray is either going to be playing a gig in January or he's back in hospital again three days after leaving it for Thanksgiving.

Kalashnikov and Jaruzelski are both still in hospital, so I'm gonna go with Mikhail to save the DL's Christmas.

David Quantick's Showbiz Pals move up into second. The season rests on Ray Price overdoing it onto sherry at the Price family Xmas

A true American patriot, dead at 41.

Also, there's always that desire to go for "interesting" picks, when you know deep down that you're safer with the mother of the shadow minister for agriculture as a pick than "the inventor of the Sodastream" or whatever.

Fnarr fnarr.

"100 Million" is a top song imho.

Some "probably won't obit" picks I've crossed out: Robert Genn - Canadian painter, the missus works in the arts department of a university and she'd never heard of him. Joan Kirmer - Australian politician and not the one that used to be a man, so no chances of obits there John Slim - not the minor royal, the Birmingham theatre critic. Big name in amdram apparently.

Wasn't Collins a bit of a nutjob irl, If I remember rightly? Loved his guns.

Looks like Pat Rice is pretty keen to feature heavily in 2014 DDP line-ups.

Dead.