Bert Trautmann

Goran Hadzic on release for treatment for terminal brain cancer... http://news.yahoo.com/croatian-serb-rebel-hadzic-belgrade-release-cancer-treatment-092139824.html

Well, you've got Bloomfield/Crowe/Granger/Boggs plus points for Hill which should take you to circa 100. Thomas Jefferson (who is that on here again?) has Bloomfield/Crowe/Granger plus points for Hill and Trewin. So circa 110. DDT has Blazer/Bloomfield/Crowe/Villeneuve Sr plus points for Hill and Trewin. So circa 90. And rounding out the four, Golden Slumbers's certs would take them to circa 80. That's just going off the dead certs. All the teams have folk who may well die but I know sod all about them, the Christy Dignams and Clive Derby-Lewis's of the world. Can't see my team posing a genuine threat for the title unless my unique picks step up to the plate but it doesn't seem likely with Hanh well on the road to recovery and Hadzic probably not 'that' ill. TJS still has his joker to come and we have a lot of picks in common so it's going to take a couple of uniques for me to have a real chance. Although it would be something realistically to get double-figures in hits and triple-figures in score... Still it's nice just to be mentioned in such esteemed dead-pooling company

Well done MIB, fantastic job as always.

I dropped Jacques Villeneuve Sr. because I'm not convinced he'll get an obituary, although I'm pretty sure he's a goner. Same goes for Benton and Givens. Dropped Chrisley and Kara but I think they'll both sneak the obituary in hindsight. Think Stuart Scott will probably go as well but can't find concrete information on the nature of his cancer. Eldar Ryanazov was an option I thought would be unique, but I'm not entirely sure on his illness or his obituary chances so I bottled that one.

Bit gutted to miss out on a couple of uniques with Dr Nakamats and Jock Scot. Golden Slumbers: Lauren Hill (joker) Kate Granger Sam Simon Frank Miller Jimmy Dickens Goran Hadzic Martin Crowe Colin Bloomfield Monty Brinson Bob Benmosche Jock Scot Ion Trewin Clive Derby-Lewis Yoshiro Nakamatsu Gino Odjick Daisy Berkowitz Percy Sledge Sultan Qaboos Thich Nhat Hanh Kim Fowley

An obituary and a Christmas Day bonus. From 35th to 4th. Shocked with that, put in a pretty poor team research-wise this year. Very sad case with Gross though, sort of story which makes me question what the fuck is wrong with me...

Ah well if Steve from Canada draws the line at rugby players then that's that.

Looks like Ritchii Kara is the big miss for me this year, there's always one.... Much more conservative effort from me this year, research levels not what they were: Sam Simon (J) Wilko Johnson Sally Farmiloe Elie Wiesel Kate Granger Katherine Crowe Rubin Carter Valerie Harper Helen Fawkes Sandy Jardine Casey Kasem Scott Putesky Kate Gross Clive James Christy Dignam Reverend Billy Graham Albert Reynolds Robert Schuller Carman Licciardello (Wouldn't be a DDP season without a hit with no obit) Mark Evans

Rev Billy Graham Wilko Johnson Sam Simon Tony Benn Superstar Billy Graham Misao Okawa Jaruzelski George HW Bush Albert Reynolds Randy Travis

Congratulations Spade, huge victory and without a joker to boot. Bit miffed at the lack of an obituary for Chick Willis but that's what I get for taking so many risks, I wouldn't have come top regardless but it would have been nice to be at the top end of the table...

That would put you joint top, should the proper obit surface!* *However, if the situation remains at year-end, OOO wins by virtue of more hits... Can't see any of my other picks going either, would be nice to get the hit and move past the hundred mark though.

Chick Willis has died aged 79. No suitable obituary forthcoming as-of-yet. http://www.vintagevi...-1934-2013.html

The T-Model Ford obituary comes through courtesy of the Guardian, saving me the ignominy of three picks in the land of the lost. It also claims that he's 89, other sources suggest he's in his 90s, what's the protocol on such things?

No link as of yet, but sad to report the death of a Manchester City legend: Bert Trautmann.

Not yet, unless Digital Spy counts. He's done interviews with the Telegraph and the Guardian so I'd be pretty miffed if he doesn't end up with one. If that's the case, with Dennis James and probably Pardee write-offs, it's game over for me.

Brilliant analysis (and not just because I got a mention!) Dennis James is a write-off now, something I'll have to learn from but I think there's still some hope with Pardee. If i am to have any chance of victory though, I agree, Buell will have to pass away and that doesn't look particularly likely, also probably need a unique or two to pop up with the goods.

Dennis James was an absolutely terrible pick, but this one makes up for it to an extent...at least one of my uniques got an obituary....

Almost certainly a 'no' but worth a pop, does this http://journalists.sky.com/article/0do72Up7Wc6pG count as a Dennis James obituary?

Make or break time with Pardee in the land of the lost too...

Bloody hell, got rid of him last minute...

True, it's a very high scoring year...The Living End already has more points than OoO did when he won the DDP

No Not that it was ever in doubt, but how about this? I hope you've kept the place tidy, Octopus. I was beginning to lose hope... Moves me into 9th, I think, but a massive whack off DDT climbing inevitably to the summit.

Had Peter Harvey in my team until the last minute, decided he wouldn't get an obituary (although I was worried about his Guardian links)....let's hope I'm proved right but think I've probably made an error

Finally my team is starting to move, need some of my unique picks to start hitting if I'm really going to climb though...

I've had a shocking start to my campaign, already being left trailing...