Octopus of Odstock

Bad luck DDT - I must admit he was an excellent pick, although I am very sad he has gone - a true "blood & guts" footballer. I'm just switching to the DDP computer in a minute, so if you haven't done so already DDT, just let me know a new sub - your current sub is in the team.

Bless you Windsor, you've made my day! That and Cowboy Ronnie's comment as well... I can confirm I am NOT & have never been the Emperor of Japan. I only wish I were. Not least as I would enter myself on the DDP.

Oh, I disagree. So far, it's the team to beat, although one newcomer has put in a VERY strong team.

Apologies for the late delay of this year's competition but the 2009 competition is doing my nut in. Nevertheless, I still hope, big deaths in the next 8 days notwithstanding, to get the new DDP up in some reasonable timescale & this year's competition all done & dusted asap. Right, I think I'll now grab 4 hours max of kip before I go to work tomorrow.

Ah, yes. Having seen the pick in Anubis' entered team, I can concur that thus far said male is uniquely chosen and secondly, understand Anubis' rationale for picking said pick. Sorry, MPFC, I'm not telling either, but I think it's an excellent pick if said chap goes ahead with the trip.

Thanks for this, CP. None of the above were chosen by me for my already entered DDP team, (albeit deLuise I mused about), but it's good to know that some are recovered - both from a humanity point of view & updating. I've missed these updates - what with DDT's cancer "DOOM" postings, it's ncie to have the other side too.

Oh it would, but Norman Wisdom would be worse....

Give me a break Harry, he only died yesterday. I would've done it Thursday but there was still no Baugh UK obit (there is now though). I'll update it Monday when I actually have 10 minutes spare to update it.... I've only got the small matter of 100 teams to process over the weekend too. So just be patient please, eh?

Who's Eric Eykes?? Either way, it will be Wisdom or Pincher, but I don't see any more DL hits in 2008.

One chap who won't even make Christmas 2008 is Sam Tingle. The former Grand Prix driver died this morning, at the age of 87. Sad news.

Norman Wisdom, but I back the call to add Socks to the 2009 DL, as I sadly think Socks will soon be

Nah, I'm on top of it. I've already e-mailed those who picked Baugh in 2009, prepped 2008 up just in case he does get an obit & prepared Douglas (who wasn't picked in 2009). Also, I've sorted out all 2009 entries beginning with A, B & E... although there is still a lot to do. Update to be done sometime Monday for Douglas, Baugh & anyone else who carks it inbetween. Also added The Earl of Weymss & March to the "Missed List". A DDP organiser's work is never done....

Sonny (Charles) Ates - former Indy 500 driver is in failing health, and probably facing his last Christmas. As is Lloyd Ruby, a former Indy 500 star & F1 entrant. As is another Indy 500 starter Danny Kladis. However I doubt either will get UK obits that qualify for DP's here, but they might be worth a stab in the US based pools. No links - you have to trust me on the above.

Just worth mentioning as this thread is back that only one person who completely falls under the "famous for being ill" category has been chosen out of over 100 teams so far for 2009 DDP, and that one person has been chosen twice. So, thankfully, people are generally picking "celebrities" and I hope it stays that way. However, the more "professional" teams are largely still to come.

Were they unofficially dead, then? And who made them official?

HA Don't misunderestimate the Casuals!

No, it's a pigging disaster. But I've got no chance to do ANYTHING until Sunday - new 2009 entries, replacing Page, Papadopolous & Johnson, 2008 updates anything. Ah well, looks like I'll just have to cram it into one big DDP-fest & get no sleep. If Patrick Swayze dies before the 31st December, I really will have a breakdown....

90 odd. Which is just about above average for this time. A few front-runners have entered already, but most will enter with a week or less to go. I would normally have updated for von Bulow last Sunday, but I was in Finland last weekend & in London this weekend, and it has thrown things like DDP right out of the window in terms of doing stuff. Then this, and flipping Papadopolous, so.. if I am lucky - and very lucky - I will do it Sunday, but I have a feeling it will be Monday by the time I can sort it out. Besides, there's a little concern from me about the setup for 2009 (the 1st year I'm doing it from scratch) so I'm trying to focus on that right now. But it WILL get done, I can assure you.

Oh bollocks. This is the cue for a nervous breakdown by me. I'd just about kept the 2009 DDP entries on track & had only a small delay for 2008. Now I've got bucketloads of teams to change for 2009, and plenty to update for 2008. Bollocky bollocks. It was all going so well, as well. I'll have to update the DDP 2008 on Monday now, sorry for the delay. My only saving grace is that she died on the 11th, and not the 31st.

Exactly, hence I referred to him as a Grand Prix driver, not a F1 driver. He appeared in a World Championship Grand Prix, but in the F2 class. It's much too long a story to explain here, although MPFC has tried, but Perrot didn't appear in a World Championship F1 car, but he is a Grand Prix driver. Confusing, I know... There's plenty of others, mainly Germans, who fall in the same category & engine builder Brian Hart.

Former Grand Prix driver Xavier Perrot has died, after many years of ill health - Link (In German)

Veteran actor Robert Prosky is dead, aged 77. He appeared in bucketloads of TV shows & films, including Far & Away, Cheers etc etc Don't recognise the name? Try the face -

Former cosmonaut in the 1970's, Yuri Glazkov has died. Obit - here.

Does he have anything to do with Star Wars? If so, I think I know who you might mean. I didn't pick him for my 2009 DDP team, so you're safe as far as I'm concerned

All I can say to this is.. Wow! He deserves a hell of a lot of credit for what he's done: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7763665.stm