Steven Derby has been playing the “I Beat Burt” Contest for at least two decades.
Every week he stops by the newspaper office and drops off his entry blank. And every time he hasn’t won.
Until this week.
Derby, 74, a North Andover native who resides in senior housing in Andover, said he’s always been a football fan, but doesn’t follow it closely.
“I watch the Patriots every week and usually pick them,” he said. “But they [played on Thursday] and weren’t on the entry blank. I just go through the games quickly, make a few picks and guesses.”
Derby admits it hasn’t been a great year, 2023. His wife passed away in February and his grandson died from brain cancer at age 17 in August.
“This was my first year without my wife and some close family,” he said. “It gets lonely sometimes. Sunday was my birthday. And Monday was my anniversary. So this is a pretty tough stretch for me.”
Derby who worked many years for the Town of North Andover, said the “I Beat Burt” contest is one of the fun things he tries to do.
“I’ve never won, so this is great for me,” he said.
Week 14 was a tough week for me, getting only five of 14 games correct, easily the worst week of the 2023 season.
The Buffalo Bills point total (20) was the first tiebreaker (Pats played on Thursday night) and they scored 20 points.
Every winner predicted 20 points exactly. Each week a maximum of 10 T-shirts are awarded. There is a clause that if someone picks more winners and gets the first tiebreaker exactly, they win.
Local Week 14 winners
Joanne Joyce of Topsfield
Gizza Pearson of Beverly
Lynda Mahoney of Gloucester