David Mueller hoisted the trophy after winning this year’s Foundation Football competition. Pictured (L-R): Treasurer Michael Wertenberger, (who David now has to pay), David, and Foundation Football Commissioner John Ross. Picture courtesy of Jim Hawkins.

David Mueller was crowned as the champion of this year’s Foundation Football challenge.

Each year, participants pick one college football team and one NFL team and the performances of those chosen teams are given points during the course of the season: five points for each win, and 1/10 of a point for each point the respective football teams score.

At the end of the year, the participant pays the Rotary Foundation in dollars for their total score.

But hey, if you win, you get your name on a trophy.

Before Commissioner John Ross announced who was the winner at our Thurs., Feb. 14 meeting, he paid special recognition to the cellar dwellers: Mark Kimbell and Rick Murphy (both had TN Tech and the Titans), as well as last year’s cellar dweller Bruce Quinn (who had Florida State and the Buccaneers). It should be noted that Kelly Coley is always in this mix, but escaped the bottom three this year.

That out of the way, on to the winner, and it was a squeaker: David Mueller – who had Oklahoma and the Rams (I overheard him say he chose those teams at his son’s advice) – one by .20 points.

David scored 261.30, which just beat out Steve Sudbury and Janet Rambo, who each scored 261.10 (they each chose Alabama and the Patriots).

When David went up to accept the trophy, he pulled out his phone and played the song, “We are the Champions” by Queen. 

Commissioner Ross stated the competition raised $5,543 from all of the participants for the Rotary Foundation.