Posted on: Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Verizon employee was dialed in

Advertiser Staff

Fittingly, as a Verizon phone company employee, Norman Hood of Honolulu finally got the call he was waiting for.

Hood's dreams were answered Monday morning when he received a phone call from the Michael Perry and Larry Price radio show informing him of his Pigskin Picks victory.

"It was such a thrill when I got the phone call," said Hood, who realized Sunday he had correctly picked 15 out of 15 college and NFL games last week. "I couldn't sleep (on Sunday night). I didn't know if anyone else got a perfect score."

Hood's ballot was randomly selected from a few perfect ballots. It was his first Pigskin Picks title. He had played the contest since its inception.

"I've been playing every week," Hood said. "Just like everybody else, I've come close, but I never got over the hump."

Hood, 51, said the University of Hawai'i football team's 59-40 victory over Alabama at Birmingham in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Eve started his streak of good fortune.

"When they beat UAB, that's when it started rolling," Hood said. "This is a good Christmas present."

As the Pigskin Picks winner, Hood wins a trip for two to Las Vegas from Worry-Free Vacations, Non-Stop Travel and the Golden Nugget Hotel, and $500 from The Advertiser.

He also is entered to win a year-end prize of a free use of a Hyundai Tucson for a year, courtesy of Tony Hyundai.

Hood said he filled out an average of 13 ballots per week, and his friend, Erline Chung, would drop them off at the Advertiser building.

"She did all the work," said Hood, who plans to take Erline on the Vegas trip.

As an avid football fan, Hood said he pores over statistics before making selections. Hood's studying apparently paid off this week.

"I probably study too much," Hood said. "I've enjoyed football since I was a kid."

Hood's victory came in the nick of time. The Pigskin Picks contest ends this weekend, following 18 weeks of football.

"This is the 17th week," Hood said of his victory. "It was down to crunch time."