Unshaken by a disastrous week, Chuck Cavalaris vowed to win his first picks panel championship.

"I guarantee it," a confident Cavalaris said after a 7-8 week. "I'm not a betting man myself; but if I were, I would bet the house, dog and family on me."

Not everyone was convinced.

"He can't handle the pressure," said Lisette Champion, who won last year's championship, only to have it overturned on an appeal. "Everybody knows that.

"He's OK when he's the underdog, but he doesn't know how to pick when there's something at stake. Look at those ridiculous upset picks: Texas A&M over Texas, South Florida over Memphis, and UAB over Southern Mississippi."

Cavalaris said he wouldn't change his style just because he was in the lead.

"I'm not going to play it safe," Cavalaris said. "I made it to the top by picking upsets. I don't plan to stop now."

Cavalaris now leads second-place Tyler Summitt by only two games. Summitt could have closed the gap to one game if he had been more careful in his typing. He typed "Gourgia" instead of "Georgia."

The penalty against Summitt drew the attention of The Future, a national children's rights organization.

"There's obviously an agenda here," said Kelli Washington, The Future's national director. "This is a blatant case of youth discrimination, and we won't stand for it. We plan to file a lawsuit on behalf of Tyler Summitt unless the decision is reversed."

Picks panel administrator John Adams said he stood by his decision, but that any questions regarding litigation should go through picks panel attorney, rookie picker Doug Anderson.

Anderson scoffed at a possible lawsuit.

"What are they going to do? Take us to kiddy court?" Anderson said. "Bring it on. Threats like that are child's play to me."

Rules Change: Pickers aren't required to pick upsets this week. However, they will get an extra point for every correct upset pick. Also, they will get three extra points for correctly picking a team that is more than a 6 1/2-point underdog.

The race for the coveted Arf Adams Memorial Trophy, given to the picks champion, is down to the last two weeks. The champion will be announced following the bowl picks.

Close Call: First-year picker Sherry Draper almost hit the upset of the year. She was the only picker to pick 23 1/2-point underdog Kentucky to beat Tennessee, which rallied in the last minute for a 37-31 victory.

Readers Write: A picks panel fan wrote to ask: "I think Chucky C. has the best hair on the panel. Why do you have to cover it up with that silly crown?"

Picks Panel Response: If he has another week like last week, you will see his hair on the next picks segment.

Readers Write II: Another picks panel fan wrote to ask: "Whatever happened to former picker Tina Wesson? She was my favorite."

Picks Panel Response: "Who?"

A Time For Giving: Looking for a Christmas gift for that special someone? PickspanelXtra.com is offering a discount subscription rate for the holidays. If you subscribe anytime in the next three weeks, you will receive a discount subscription of only $875 a month.

Just be sure to say, "Santa sent me."

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.