Give “Bad” Brad Hurley all the credit. He has climbed from the Pundit Pit to the top of the mountain and holds first place in our grid picks standings after Week 4.

I get to pound my chest too after my 13-2 record was tied for the best last week. Just three games separate the top six pickers as we polish our crystal balls for what I think will further split the pack.

That’s because Week 5 presents some very competitive match-ups.

399-0

That’s the incredible combined four-game scores of Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe as they march on toward a Week 9 clash of the Titans.

This week, the Olympians should have little problem against Midd-West and could add another no-no to their consecutive shutout streak of five.

The Raiders might have their toughest opponent yet in 3-1 Blue Mountain. The Eagles fly into Tamaqua averaging 35 points a game, so the Raider “D” should be tested. Look for a close game until Sam Bonner’s boys pull away early in the fourth quarter.

Fall ball

The pattern seems to be the same each week. If a picker loses no more than two games, he’ll leap frog over someone else. A three-loss week usually holds ground while four or more defeats and down you fall.

“Handy” Andy Steinmetz fell from first and Chuck “No luck” Hixson still sits in the Pundit Pit, both suffering four-loss weeks.

Yet you have to try and swim against the tide if you want to make a run at the top. I pick Bangor to upset a good Northwestern team. Emmett “Bossman” McCall tries to stop from falling into the Pit with his Liberty choice over Parkland that should be up for grabs right to the final horn. Justin “The voice” Carlucci, Sam “The man” Matta and Pat “the Mat”sinko all tabbed one-win Schuylkill Valley over Minersville. Bob “Photo” Ford, who lurks in the weeds ready to pounce at the leaders, could gain an edge if Pleasant Valley wins its first game of the year against winless Dieruff.

Let the hype begin!

Fans of Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua will be rooting for Mount Carmel to knock off unbeaten North Schuylkill. The Spartans visit the Olympians next week in what will be the first of four straight tough matchups for JT. The same opponents stand in front of Tamaqua before a Week 9 monster mash between the Raiders and the Red Swarm in Jim Thorpe. Too early to get excited? No way. Both teams have lockdown defenses that can also put up points. Just four weeks from now we’ll see a game that could rival last year’s JT-Lehighton classic that drew several thousand Friday night football fans.

Rumors have it

A witness can testify he saw Brad Hurley in the Times News office planting a kiss of death upon Bob Ford’s first- place trophy. Sam Matta, who manages Muhammad Ali’s former training camp attraction in Deer Lake, was reportedly shadow boxing while chanting, “You’re going down, Hixson” in the battle for sole possession of the dreaded Pundit Pit.

Then there’s “Hot Rod” Heckman, who every year quietly waits for the leaders to draw their guns at high noon until no one is left standing so he can pick up the spoils once all the smoke has cleared.

Excuse me now. I have to look for my voodoo doll and try to remember the spell I cast on everyone last week.