It's all about the numbers, right? Well for those of you who were a bit curious how many one footed Polish curling champs picked Larry King to croak.....you're outta luck. However those of you who are interested in something a little easier to figure out should read on.

A total of 155 Death Watchers are playing this year (down a little from last year, but we expected that consideing the rule changes). Death Watchers from 31 states in the U.S. are playing as are Death Watchers from 3 countires outside the U.S. We also have one player from Washington D.C. (not quite a state). The states represented and the number of Death Watchers from each are: AL(1), AZ(2), CA(17), CO(4), FL(7), ID(1), IL(8), IN(5), LA(3), MA(6), MD(4), ME(2), MI(3), MN(4), MO(5), MS(1), NC(1), NH(1), NJ(18), NY(8), OH(5), OR(3), PA(4), TN(2), TX(7), VA(6), WI(7), WA(1) and WV(2). The countries reprensented and the number of Death Watchers from each are: Australia(4), Canada(4), and United Kingdon(3). Then of course we've got the one (1) from Washington D.C. "Wait Guys!" you say, "That only adds up to 150 Death Watchers." Right you are! We've got four (4) knuckle heads who didn't gave us sufficient info on their entries and we've got one (1) Death Watcher playing from a U.S. military vessel. We'd tell you where the vessel is located but then we'd have to kill you. Ah, maybe we'll tell ya anyway....later.

Since 155 lists were entered into the 2008 Old Blue Eyes Memorial Celebrity Death Watch, we should have a total of 2015 total names entered. However, we implemented new rules this year. These rules caused 22 people picked, to be inelegible as Celebrities. Those 22 people occupied a total of 38 pick spaces across 27 lists. This reduced the total number of picks to 1977 and will undoubtedly piss off either the complete set or some subset of those 27 Death Watchers. C'est la Mort.

Then, of course, we had a player who entered a list that was short one pick reducing the pick count to 1976. In addition, one poor slob listed Billy Graham twice (as if once wasn't enough) reducing the pick count to 1975. As always, we also had some Death Wathcers who picked the alrady bleedin' demised. A whopping three (3) entries had a total of four (4) picks that were already dead. Two picks were WAY dead (John Wayne Gacy and Richard Speck). These two were actually on the same list too! This further reduced the total picks to 1971.

As an aside, two (2) players had alternates exercised. One player entered way back on Novembner 23, 2007 and had Evel Kneivel on the list. Evel jumped into the Hereafter in December and the alternate got exercised. The other player entered two days prior to Benazir Bhutto making and untimely exit. The alternate was played in this case also.

"So Guys, what the Sam Hill does all this crap really mean?" Great question little camper! It means this....

There are a total of 155 lists with a total of 1971 total valid picks entered. 520 different celebrities that The Guys felt met this year's definiton of Celebrity make up the 1971 picks. Of the 520 celebrities picked to buy the farm, 283 (54.4) were on only one list (the Tad Szulcs), 85 (16.3%) were on only two lists (the double whammies), 56 (10.8%) were on three or four lists (the mortage a trois) and the remaining 96 (18.5%) were on five or more lists. Now look, plenty of the Tad Szulcs, many of the Double Whammies, and some of the Mortage A Trois simply ain't gonna cut muster next year. That, of course, is a tale for another beer, uh, time.

The number one pick this year was Fidel Castro. The old Commie appears on 82 (52.9%) lists. Number two in the gotta eat it department is Billy Graham. The last cursader is on 55 (35.6%) lists. And coming in at number three is our old pal Ariel Sharon. Boy he's been quiet lately. The mermaid (oops, wrong Ariel) was on 53 (34.2%) lists.

As for the rest of the potential coffin stuffing... Well, the complete breakdown of celebrities, who the hell some of these no-names (who will definitely not make the cut next year did we mention?) are, and how many players picked 'em is presented below for your viewing pleasure and intellectual (heh) edification.