Sycophant of the Month: March 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in March: 171 (+25 from February)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 16 (+11 from February.)

Sycophancy index: 9.4% (+6.0% from February)

The output of the ITAR-DAN agency overall was up 117% in March vs. February, with half of the 25 additional press releases for the month attributable to the budget, and much of the rest by the fact that March is 10% longer than February anyway.

The usual (since 2005) battering of Williams-Government budgetosity also generated a massive spike in the weekly sycophancy index during the last full week of the month. It was off significantly from the sycophancy indices topping out at 30% or more in each of the previous three budget years, but, at over 20%, was still higher than the 19.3% score in Budget Week 2005, and was only the fourth time that the weekly score has topped 20% at all.

March came in like a lamb, with no scoring until the aching heads dragged themselves into work the day after St. Paddy’s, when Joan Burke put one in the net. John Hickey answered her five days later.

The real action was in Budget Period, with 12 doses of WilliamsGovernmenty awesomeness. Leading off? Danny Williams-Government himself. He was followed by the stimulating Shawn Skinner, then not one, not two, not three, but FOUR by Ross Wiseman, an uninterrupted Super-Hat-Trick. It’s been more than a year since the last such feat, accomplished then by Dianne Whalen.

This just in: further to the Special Sycophancy Statement issued by the labradore Sycophancy Observatory earlier this month, we can now report that every single one of the Budget Brown-nose Bonanza contained Our Dear Stock Phrase “Williams Government” in the first paragraph, and nearly half of them dropped the phrase two or more times over the course of the release.

What’s more, fully half of them led with the immortal words, “The Williams Government…”, just in case any differently-optimistic, insufficiently strong, and inadequately Premier-positive journalists missed the really subtle point.

Curiously, the releases which led with “The Williams Government…” alternated almost perfectly with those that led with three other words. “The Williams Government…”, “The Williams Government…” not. Funny that.

Rounding out Budget Barrage 2009 were Joan Burke’s second of the month, Charlene Johnson, Jerome Kennedy, Danny Williams-Government (again), Shawn Skinner with his second, and Tom Marshall.

In the closing moments of the game, Patty Pottle put one in, making good her omission during Budget Budget Budget 2009, and Trevor Taylor closed out the month. Between the two late-game goals, and the budget blastitude, March certainly went out like a lion.

So, with four goals carved in his press-release stick, a quarter of the monthly haul, your Sycophant of the Month, too tired from his stellar performance to show up at the same functions as reporters, is the Minister of Something, Mr. Ross Wiseman.

Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: July 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in July: 161 (-62 from June).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 18 (+8 from June).

Sycophancy index: 11.2% (+6.7% from June).

The numerator goes up, the denominator goes down, and so for the fourth time in eight months, the monthly sycophancy index nudges north of 10%. Happy times!

Danny Williams-Government Himself kicked things off on the very first business day of the month, when he, not his long-suffering Minister of Fisheries, whoever that is, got to bask in the reflected glory of fisheries scienticians.

Before the day was out, the entire Tom Committee of Cabinet had joined DW-G on the big board. Jerome Kennedy knocked in his first of the month on the fifth, followed the next day by Clyde Jackman – that’s the guy’s name – who was finally allowed issue a press release, a weird, weird, press release, under his own portfolio. (Given the number of times it name-drops you-know-who, that may have been just a formality.)

Felix Collins added another name to the scoreboard later that day, complete with potentially unfortunate visual. Terry French and Jackman each tipped one in the next day, Jackmans’s making him the first to break from the pack of singletons.

The next day Susan Sullivan, with another triple-dollop of WilliamsGovernment, announced that DWG “invests” in youth, perhaps in the same way some people “invest” in derivatives or Beanie Babies, while SuperJerome, tying Jackman for the lead, made sure the day after that didn’t go WilliamsGovernment-free.

It was a breathtaking start, with at least one does of WilliamsGovernmenty goodness for every working day of the month to date. The whirlwind of Williamsosity could not go unrecognized, as this corner obligingly did on the eighth, and the anti-Newfoundland Premier-Negative Quebec Daily Newspaper on the twelfth.




















It is, of course, entirely coincidental that the match promptly went into a lull that was not broken until the 16th, when Tom H., on behalf of something called “Newfoundland Labrador Housing”, put one between the posts.

SuperJerome consolidated his lead on the 20th, with some happy health-care related news for St. Anthony. Heck, he may have even started returning the Northern Pen’s calls in his exuberant state. French, Jackman, Hedderson, and SuperJerome again turned the third week of the month into another in-your-face every-day barrage of WilliamsGovernmentium.

The final week of the month started off quiet, but Jerome on the 28th, and Felix Collins on the 29th saw to it that Our Dear Ego got stroked to a happy month-ending.

Final tally: Sullivan, Tom M., and DWG Himself, one each; French and Collins, two; Tom H. and Jackman, three, and Kennedy, five. Snatching the title back from Hedderson, and owning or co-owning the podium for the third time in five months, your July sycophant of the month is Jerome! Kennedy! Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: June 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in June: 174 (-6 from May)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 14 (no change from May)

Sycophancy index: 8.0% (+0.2 % from May)

June looked a lot like a re-match of May, and not just in terms of the final score.

It got off to a great start, with defending champ Trevor Taylor first out of the gate. Darin King and Susan Sullivan answered him later the same day, but before the day was even half over, Trevor, assisted by John Hickey, responded with another.

It would be a week before he'd take a slight lead, ending a seven-day drought on the 8th, assisted, for the second time, by Hickey. And no, this wasn't a case of re-announcing the same money over and over again, because that would be, that's just misleading. Tom Hedderson got on the board on the 11th, but Trevor, again with the help of Hickey and also Jerome Kennedy, answered that one nicely. Yet again, this was just letting The People know after; wouldn't want to mislead The People or anything.

But Tom Hedderson is made of stronger stuff than he's often given credit for. He was celebrating on the 16th, and willing on the 17th; his third for the month, putting him back in the game just one back of Trevor.

Doc King added to his single on the 18th, and Patty Pottle went on the big board on the 19th, making it an exciting four consecutive days. But some of the oxygen may have been sucked out of the room, as there was again a week-long gap in the scoring. Trevor roared back ito the game to end the lull on the 26th, followed in short order by Shawn Skinner with his first of the month, which was entirely substantial and not at all puffery. Upstart Hedderson ended the month on a high note, and like Skinner was full of substance; pages and pages of substance.

Hedderson came within one point of tying Trevor Taylor, but when the buzzer came down on the scoring, at a quarter to five (please do not shoot anyone), it was all academic: your June Sycophant of the Month, now a three-peater, is Trevor Taylor. Congratulations Trevor, and to all on an exciting month!

Sycophant of the Month: October 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in October: 196 (-24 from September).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 9 (no change from September).

Sycophancy index: 4.6% (+0.5% from September).


The index rose in October due to weakness in the denominator, not any strength in the numerator: the number of WilliamsGovernmenty releases was unchanged at nine.

September champ Jerome Kennedy was taking no chances in defending his title, opening the month’s scoring on the first day. After such a promising start, though, it was a full week before he answered himself to make it two.

Ross Wiseman, Kathy Dunderdale and Tom Hedderson each got on the board within three days of each other mid-month. It looked for a moment as if Kennedy might have a fight on his hands, but none of the others could quite build up a head of steam.

The cludgy rhythm of the game was further disrupted on the 22nd with an unorthodox play by Sullivan and King. Their strangely out-of-place name-dropping didn’t involve the Magic Phrase. The replay went upstairs, but unfortunately for both of them, the goal was disallowed.

Kennedy went on and tipped in two more on the 25th and 27th. Marshall was late to the game on the 28th, but it was all over then but the counting. Which was good, since Kennedy knocked in another on the final Williams Government business day of the month.

At Kennedy five, everyone else one, and the Mercy Rule on the edge of invocation, your Sycophant of the Month, for the fourth month running and the fifth of the past six, is Jerome Kennedy!

Sycophant of the Month: March 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in March: 189 (+67 from February).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government" (or "Williams Administration"): 28 (+17 from February).

Sycophancy index: 14.8% (+5.8% from February).


From a Williams-Government perspective, March came in like a lamb, but went out like a lion. In the entire first week, only Jerome! Kennedy and Tom Hedderson got anywhere near the goal.

Things picked up a little in the second week, with Hedderson scoring twice for the lead, Kennedy keeping things interesting with one, and Denine, Skinner, and Sullivan each placing singles.

The third week, with the Great One back from spring training in Florida, was heated between our front-runners. Hedderson landed his fourth, but Jerome! got as aggressive with him as he did with those free-loading doctors, tying things up before Hedderson came back with another to reclaim the lead and close the week.

Jerome! roared back to tie it at the start of week four, then Clyde Jackman knocked in his career first; a proud achievement that was, sadly for him, just a punctuation mark in the back-and-forth, as Hedderson finished another low-scoring week by re-taking the lead.

Then – Budgetosity 2010.

The Eponymous One Himself tipped in his first since November to kick things off. Hedderson then cemented a lead, followed by Dr. Darin King, and Skinner! with his second. But Jerome! still had fight in him.

Joan Burke’s name went up on the big board, her first in over a year, followed by another from King, and then Dunderdale’s only one of the month; remarkable also for being the first scored under the “Williams Administration” rule since December 2008.

Marshall, surprisingly, also only got one for the month, but what a one: dropping Our Dear Name not once, not twice, not thrice, not fourice, but fivice times, a new record.

He was followed by a tired but feisty Kennedy, leaving everything he had out there, to tie it back up with Hedderson.

Sullivan showed the stuff she is made of by landing two more, and along with John Hickey closed out Budgetosity 2010, and the month: with a total score of 28, the WilliamsGovernmentiest month ever!

Budgetosity Week 2010 was the third-WilliamsGovernmentiest month on record, and as noted, Marshall scored the WilliamsGovernmentiest point in human history.

Finally, as a side note for real stats junkies, Tom Hedderson scored the highest flunky:minister ratio on record, wherein it took seven such flunkies – worth their weight in gold, naturally – to draft “quotes” and field questions on behalf of just one Minister.

And if all that isn’t exciting enough: it’s a tie! Jerome! and Hedderson have seven each, January champ Sullivan three, King and Skinner two, and Jackman, Himself, Denine, Burke, Hickey, Dunderale and Marshall singles.

So it’s on to the tie-breaker, which doesn’t actually break the tie: both Jerome! and Hedderson assisted Hickey on his only point of the month, but that was their only assists of the month.

(And it gets better still! The last time we had a monthly tie, in January 2009, guess who was atop the podium then?)

What a game! What a month!

Your March Sycophants of the Month: Jerome! Kennedy and Tom Hedderson! Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: April 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in April: 163 (-26 from March).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government" (or "Williams Administration"): 11 (-17 from March).

Sycophancy index: 6.7% (-8.1% from March).

After last month’s sycoPheast comes a sycoPhamine. Sure, the month got off to a quick start, with Jerome! landing one on April Fool’s Day. But it was the 12th before anyone, in the person of Minister of Athleticism Terry French, answered him.

Jerome! took a lead the next day, with one promoting greater health through greater parking, but Tom Hedderson landed two on the 16th, to tie things up in dramatic fashion.

The same day, Dianne Whalen made her emotional return, with her first since last August. Regional co-operation is a key initiative of the Williams Government. Who knew?

Hedderson pulled into the lead on the 22nd, but then the pace of play slowed down dramatically. It was another week before Jerome! tied things back up, followed, on the very last day of the month, by singles from Sullivan and Dr. Darin King (that’s Dr. Darin King to you.)

But there was one last bit of drama left in the month as Hedderson knocked one more in on the last Friday afternoon of April, to take the month, and to take sole or shared monthly title for fourth time in five months, and the third month in a row. And with Pavement Season only barely begun, he’s a strong prospect, barring a cabinet shuffle, for the rest of the year on a go-forward basis.

Your April Sycophant of the Month: Tom Hedderson. Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: June 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in June: 223 (+21 from May).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 10 (-18 from May).

Sycophancy index: 4.5% (-9.4% from May).


It would have been hard to top last month's epic blowout... so they didn't even try. Despite the total number of ITAR-DAN releases climbing to a staggering 223 — certainly the highest on record since January 2005; possibly the highest monthly total ever — the WilliamsGovernmenty ones dropped back to below April levels, resulting in the largest month-over-month drop in the sycophancy index, ever.

Oh? CRA was in the field in May? Really. Wow. Did not know that.

Anyway... reliable Tom Marshall kicked things off for the month on June 2nd, reminding everyone of the Williamsy Awesomeness of Budgetosity 2010, answered almost immediately by his talented colleague Ms. Johnson.

Then, nine days of nothing, not unlike an international soccer game. (Incidentally, anyone know why so many of those soccer guys are named Fifa? Some of them should start going by Fifalito, Fifino, Fiforetto; anything to tell them apart.)

Recent high-roller Tom Hedderson got himself on the board, the traditional place of the Minister of Pavement, on the 11th, followed by none other than DWG himself, who, for good measure, WilliamsGovernmented himself three times in one release.

Then, eleven more days of nothing. Not even the buzzing of a vuvuzela.

The socceresque tedium was finally broken with a natural hat-trick by Tom Hedderson, with three consecutive days of Roadwork Rolling into Central Region, Roadwork Heads West, and the concluding episode of the trilogy, Road Improvements Coming to the Burin Peninsula. Jerome Kennedy capped the third week of the month with a single.

Susan Sullivan got on the board on Canada Eve, and unlike last year, was careful to credit this July 1st hike in the minimum wage to You-Know-Who Government. And Tom Marshall made good and sure that anyone earning that higher minimum wage, or any other wage, would know who to thank for the take-home pay, with his second of the month, and the second triple-WilliamsGovernmenting to boot.

But it was academic at this point. With his hat-trick plus one, Tom Hedderson handily defeats the other five scorers to reclaim the monthly title after Jerome Kennedy rudely interrupted his streak in May.

Congratulations, Tom!

Sycophant of the Year, 2009

The sycophancy story of 2009, without a doubt, is the spectacular rise, and equally spectacular fall, of Trevor Taylor.

For the first time in his Danny Williams-Government career, Triv took the monthly award in April, and held it for six consecutive months – a streak that only ended when his political career did. His achievement is second only to Joan Burke’s eight-month run in 2007-08. He even managed to clinch the monthly award for September, despite pulling the plug on himself with a week left to go in a short month.

Otherwise, 2009 was the year of the first-time champeen. Paul Oram’s first, and last, monthly title came in February, albeit on a technicality, and yes, the Labradore statistical department was as surprised as anyone to find that Oram hadn’t ever won before. The following month it was Ross Wiseman’s turn on the podium, another personal first – though he’s still around to try for another run for the brown rose.

Susan Sullivan got her name on the wall of fame in October, only the second Class of ’07 cabinet minister (after Jerome!) to do so. And in December, it was finally Tom Hedderson’s turn in the spotlight.

Not only did Trevor Taylor hold the title for half the year, he blew the competition out of the water in terms of total points. Overall sycophancy was up numerically, with 125 press releases giving praise to the Williams Government, compared to 108 in 2008. Much of that increase is owed to the Transportation and Works comms shop, who delivered 39 points for Triv before his abrupt departure. They also helped shepherd six and four onto the board for the two Toms, Hedderson and Marshall respectively, helping them land third and fourth place in the annual tally.

Action off the playing field made for an interesting year, from a sycophancy perspective, as well. That included Kevin O’Brien’s bizarre dream of a perpetual Weekend at Danny’s; Paul Oram’s slightly cute, and partly sad, but mostly creepy, description of the Dear Leader as his “father figure”; and the utter inutility of the Speaker in the face the over-eagerness, in violation of Parliamentary procedure, on the part of so many backbench (and frontbench) government MHAs, to praise Him by Name.

Still, with over 30% of the annual score standing in his name as lead minister, 2009 clearly belonged to Trevor Taylor. The turmoil in the monthly games since his departure, with three new title-holders in as many months, only confirm his stature on the playing field. Who knows what star will emerge, or re-emerge, as 2010 rolls out on a go-forward basis?

Your 2009 Sycophant of the Year: Trevor Taylor. Congratulations, Triv! And best wishes!

Sycophant of the Year, 2008

The big story in the field of Sycophancy in 2007 was the rise of Joan Burke. From September 2007 to April 2008, inclusive, she took home the Sycophant of the Month prize every month. She was unstoppable.

And then, in 2008, she got stopped. Dianne Whalen knocked her flat in May 2008, but couldn’t keep her title. It slipped to Tom Marshall in June, but again he couldn’t defend it to the tag-team of Whalen and Denine in July. Denine briefly took the sole crown for August, but then, in the comeback story of the year, Burke took back her rightful prize in September, and held it for second month running.

She fell back in November, when Whalen again shared the podium, this time with upstart Jerome Kennedy, the same Kennedy who finished the year alone atop the monthly standings.

There were, in all, 108 Williams Government (or Williams Administration) releases in 2008, a slump of nearly twenty compared to 2007. Surely not a harbinger of things to come.

And, for the second year running, it’s a tie in the playoff round. Diane Whalen owned the podium in May, and shared it twice in the rest of the year. And Joan Burke, between starting the year off strong, and having a fall flourish, also finished high in the standings.

Each of these fine cabinet minister scored 27 in the annual standings – between them they had exactly fifty per cent of the goals scored all year, far outstripping their nearest competitors, Dave Denine and Danny Williams-Government himself.

Tom Marshall, Jerome Kennedy, and Ross (what crisis?) Wiseman were the only others with more than five on the board. (One lonely point went unattributed.)

So with a tie at 27 apiece, that means it’s off to a tie-breaker. And again this year, it comes down to a question of who scored first. And once again, that honour goes to Joan Burke, who landed the first of 2008 on January 8th.

What an exciting year it’s been. Ladies and germs, the defending annual champion, your Sycophant of the Year, Minister Joan Burke!

Sycophant of the month: May 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in May: 202 (+39 from April).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 28 (+17 from April).

Sycophancy index: 13.9% (+7.2% from April).


The output at ITAR-DAN was up significantly in May compared to April, as were both the raw sycophancy count, and the calculated sycophancy rate. In fact, things are pretty much back to where they were in March, a budget month, traditionally the WilliamsGovernmentiest month of the year.

Of course, it would be wrong to suggest that the uptick in sheer output and in cult of personality happening during a CRA polling period is anything other than coincidence. Nothing Could Be Further From The Truth™.

Great Lawyer Felix Collins got things started on the third, in a release which is curiously credited to a department that isn’t Justice.

Clyde Jackman got on the board the next day, followed in short order by Tom Marshall and Susan Sullivan, in a Ministerial-Statement-qua-Press Release.

A week into the month saw incumbent monthly champ Tom Hedderson finally hammer one in, only to be answered promptly by Sullivan for the short-lived lead, who was promptly answered back by Hedderson for the tie.

And then along came Jerome.

Jerome, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome.

Felix Collins knocked in his second on the 13th, followed by yet another from Kennedy, to take a commanding five-point lead over Collins, Hedderson and Sullivan.

Hedderson found his feet again on the 17th, answered by Jerome, answered by Hedderson again.
And then, again, it was all, like, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome, Jerome.

Hedderson put in one more on the 25th, only to be schooled again by Jerome.

Kevin O’Fairity gets his lone mark for the month on the 27th, and Hedderson closes out the game on the 28th, but by now it’s purely academic.

There could have been an epic battle between the titans of totally-not-tied-to-CRA-polling-period district-by-district funding rollouts, Hedderson with the Provincial Roads file he inherited from Stephen Dinn and Jerome with his Voter-Friendly Grants program. But it was not to be.

This month’s sycophant of the month, in a fifteen-six blowout over defeated April champ Hedderson, having been co-winner in March is Jerome Kennedy, who owns sole possession of the podium for the first time December 2008.

Congratulations!




Addendum: Don't tell Liz about the Gloucester Ultimate Mercy Rule.

Sycophant of the Month: April 2008

Well, March might have been exciting, but April — wowsers, even excitinger!

Right out of the gate, it was Dianne Whalen announcing highway happiness for Capital City, answered quickly by Skinnnner!, increasing support benefits, and just days later, supporting motherhood and apple pie. Then, finally, Joan Burke, defending monthly champ, gets on the board. At the end of week one, Skinnnner! held a 2-1-1 lead.

Week two started sleepy, and it was Hump Day before Joan Burke finally put one between the poles to tie it up. Tom Marshall got on the big board soon after by reminding everyone of one of Williams Government's eliminations. Joan Burke scored a wobbly point, unsure of whether it's "Provincial Government" or "Williams Government", to end the week, but heck, a point's a point. At the end of week two, she held a slim lead in a crowded field, 3-2-1-1.

Week three was Whalen's, racking up scores through more highway happiness on the 15th and 18th. And no, that re-hashing of St. John's roads money on the 18th wasn't just misleading, it was Informing the People. In between, Jerome Kennedy, who's a little unclear on the use of apostrophes, knocked one in the net. In a shocker, Burke had one clear shot at the goal and missed. Week three ends with the game tied up again, with Burke and Whalen at 2 apiece, ahead of Skinner's 2.

An abbreviated week four started on Tuesday with Joan Burke reclaiming a clear lead, Trevor Taylor getting in on the action, and Williams Government engaging in a bit of self-fluffing. Burke put in an insurance goal the next day, to end scoring for the week. Then everyone went home early. Burke 5, Whalen 3, Skinner 2, Kennedy, Taylor, Marshall, and Williams Government himself, 1 each.

Then the game really began. Week 5. Williams Government! Marshall! "Forgetful" Wiseman! And again! Skinnnner! Williams Government! (with six in on the assists!) And then Burke — oh Burke fumbles! Burke doesn't put it in! No goal! No goal! This could be the turning point, people! Burke fails to make the goal! And it's Taylor! (with five assists!) And Williams Government! And again! (and again with six assists!) And Hickey gets on the board! And closing out the week it's O'Brien! We've never seen a match like this! And Whalen! Again! And another flub by Burke! What a chance, and she misses it again!

And with the final buzzer to close out April, it's Williams Government 5, Joan Burke 5, Dianne Whalen 5 — a three-way tie! Unprecedented! Then Skinner's 3, Wiseman, Marshall, and Taylor 2 each, Kennedy, Hickey and O'Brien bringing up the rear with 1 each.

So it's off to the tie-breaker, which is... the greatest number of budget-release assists. And of our top three tied scorers, it's Joan Burke, having put her name to three other press releases issued under the names and departments of other cabinet ministers, who squeaks out the asterisked victory for April. Some fans won't be happy with that, but rules is rules!

Match summary:

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in April 2008: 184 (+19 from March)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 27 (+11, for the second month in a row)

Sycophancy index: 14.7% (+5.0%)

For the eight month running, and the ninth time in the past ten months, Joan Burke is your Sycophant of the Month, if on a technicality. Congratulations, Joan!

Sycophant of the Month: February 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in February: 146 (+26 from January)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 5 (+2 from January.)

Sycophancy index: 3.4% (+0.9% from January)

February has come and gone, and with it, hopes of any real break in the drought of Danny Williams-Governmentiness that has prevailed since late summer 2008.

It was nearly mind-month before Paul Oram opened up the scoring, with an assist by Trevor Taylor – the first assist by any member of The Team since September 30th. Tom Marshall answered it on the 16th, and the Captain himself put one in two days later; both with assists, from Patty Pottle, Jerome Kennedy, and Trevor again.

Diane Whalen tipped one in the next day, and who else but the once-unstoppable Joan Burke – goodness, is she responsible for this infernal Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn earworm? – rounded out the month with one on the last business day of the year. Both of these were unassisted, showing the guys how you play the game.

So, five single goals, none of which were assisted by any of the goal-scorers.

The judges upstairs, however, are adamant that there will not be a five-way tie this month, so, adopting the Rule of Firsts that governs the annual prize, this month’s award goes to the player who scored first.

That means that by defeating, if only on a technicality, former monthly inductees Tom Marshall, Danny Williams, Dianne Whalen, and the Great One, Joan Burke, you, Paul Oram, are the February Sycophant of the Month. Congratulations, Paul!

Sycophant of the Month: December 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in December: 109 (-100 from November).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 14 (+4 from November).

Sycophancy index: 12.8% (+8.0% from November).

What a month! The numerator spiked, the denominator plummeted, and as a result the sycophancy index soared as Danta Claus came to town.

October monthly winner Susan Sullivan made it clear early in the month that she was looking to reclaim the title she lost to Tom Marshall in November. And Tom Marshall did get on the board in the first week of October to answer her – but not before Tom Hedderson did.

Sullivan took a lead later that same day with her second of the month, followed two days later by John Hickey’s only point in the game. And Hedderson made sure everyone knew he was still in the game on the 10th.

When Sullivan answered him on the 14th, it looked like she might be destined for renewed glory, but with Hedderson now drinking from Transportation and Works’ magic Blue-Ade jug, she wouldn’t know what hit her: Hedderson banged in four in eight days; on the 14th, 16th, 18th, and again on the 21st, as Danta made sure His name was associated with as much highways happiness and public housing as possible.

The other Tom also knocked one in on Sunturn, trying his best to keep the monthly plaque, and tie His name to still more Yuletide happy money, followed the next day by Sullivan again, filling stockings on Danta's behalf. Marshall made it a three-way game with the final one of the monthly matchup on the 23rd.

The final tally was three for Marshall, four for a feisty Sullivan, and six for Tom Hedderson. For the third consecutive month, the monthly title-holder fails to defend his or her crown.

Hedderson, who shared the only monthly three-way tie on record with Jerome Kennedy and Joan Burke back in January of 2009, finally claims his first solo monthly title as sycophant of the month. Congratulations, Tom!

Sycophant of the Month: September 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in September: 172 (+55 from August).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 7 (+1 from August).

Sycophancy index: 4.1% (-1.0% from August).

The SI in September took a tumble, despite the slight increase in absolute Williamsgovernmentiness, thanks to a massive increase in the number of releases issued. And that increase was largely driven by an increase in the number of media advisories: first, you announce that you are going to announce something.

September scoring was led off by the previous month’s champ, Trevor Taylor, banging in three in a row on the second, fourth, and eighth. Doc King and Susan Sullivan each tipped one in on the 16th. Trevor was back on the board on the 21st, while Danny Williams-Government himself scored to end the action on the 28th.

But the outcome was hardly ever in doubt. Three in a row, and four for the month, with over half the points in his name, Trevor Taylor is your September Sycophant of the Month, taking the title for the sixth consecutive time.

And for the last. Just three days after scoring his final point, Triv hung up his little politician’s uniform for good. Or for now. Who knows?

The six months he was monthly champ make him fourth, behind Joan Burke, Danny Williams-Government, and Tom Marshall, in the all-time number of monthly titles. And his six months were consecutive; only Joan Burke’s eight-month streak in 2007-08 can top that achievement.

In addition, Triv has scored a staggering 49 career points as lead minister in a Williamsgovernmenty press release. He finishes his career second only to Joan Burke — and ahead of DWG himself. And 39 of those 49 points were notched up during this calendar year. Triv has truly gone out at the top of his game.

All of this to say that T.T.’s departure deserves recognition with only the third-ever award of the title of Assentator Emeritus, handed out for special achievement in sycophancy. (Here’s numbers one and two.)

Congratulations, Trevor, and best wishes in all your future endeavours!

Sycophant of the Month: February 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in February: 122 (+20 from January).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 11 (+1 from January).

Sycophancy index: 9.0% (-0.8% from January).


It was another of those months where the raw amount of toadying went up, yet the index, thanks to sheer output on the part of ITAR-DAN, went down.

SuperJerome got the month rolling on the very first day, followed in rapid succession by Tom Marshall and Susan Sullivan, associating His Name with two of Our favourite topics, even as the Holy Heart of Dan was winging its way to a then-undisclosed location.

Sullivan took an early lead on the fifth — Williams Government wants to retain His/Our youth, don't you know? — and opened the gap up even further on the eleventh. Kathy Dunderdale-Government got on the board later that day.

Tom Hedderson, who failed last month to repeat his December win, put on in on the 16th. Then with a rapid pair of his on the 19th — rolling out roadwork, naturally, an announcing something to do with "Newfoundland Labrador Housing", whatever that is — suddenly the month got interesting.

Kathy Dunderdale-Government knocked in another on the 22nd, and was this close to pulling her goalie when Sullivan milked Our Dear Youth Retention Strategy for yet another point. All the goalie-pulling in the world wouldn't and couldn't change the final score: Sullivan four, Hedderson three and an assist, Dunderdale two and an assist, and a bunch of singles.

Your February sycophant of the month, and the first back-to-back champion since the abrupt early retirement of Trevor Taylor, is Susan Sullivan. Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: November 2009

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in November: 209 (+34 from October).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 10 (+1 from October).

Sycophancy index: 4.8% (-0.3% from October).

Susan Sullivan got the game rolling on the second of the month, followed soon after by Danny Williams-Government himself. She didn't let the Big Guy spoil her groove, though, and she responded in kind on the 10th.

Things were looking good for a repeat performance for last month's champ.

Then things happened.

Tom Marshall happened. Not once, but twice on the thirteenth. Again a week later. And the week after that.

Later the same day, Jerome! put himself on the board, followed by a frenetic and blistering effort by Sullivan to get back on top of the game, scoring a rare threefer.

But, alas, threefers in this game score exactly the same as singles and doubles. Tom Hedderson closed out the month, making the final standings Marshall four to Sullivan's three.

Her performance on the 27th makes her the network announcers' unanimous choice as October's First Star, followed by Marshall for his solid showing, and Danny Williams-Government for Williams-Governmenting himself.

Susan Sullivan's monthly streak ends at, erm, one, though like Chrétien in '84, she's second in the month, but first in our hearts. Your November Sycophant of the Month, reclaiming his long-lost title. Congratulations, Tom!

Sycophant of the Month: March 2008

Well, that was one of the most exciting months of the tournament so far!

It didn’t start out too promising, though. The unstoppable Joan Burke racked up three quick points in the first week, scoring on March 3rd, 4th, and 6th. The umpires pondered the rule book.

Then, Dianne Whalen started doling out more Highways Happiness, getting on the board on the 7th and 10th, coming within a point of the tie.

But that just made Burke hungrier, and she scored another three in a row on the 12th, 13th, and 19th.

Patty Pottle and Tom Rideout got up on the big board in the third week.

Then Whalen sandwiched Tom Marshall and his sole point with two more of her own, pulling back to within two of Burke.

But Burke was having none of that, scoring two insurance goals to seal the deal. Whalen finished the month on an uptick, but that singleton was merely academic at that point.

Final score: Joan Burke, 8 Williams Governments; Dianne Whalen, 5; Patty Pottle, Tom Marshall, Tom Rideout, 1 apiece.


Match summary:

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in March 2008: 165 (+27 from February)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 16 (+11)

Sycophancy index: 9.7% (+6.1%)

For the seventh month running, and the eighth time in the past ten months, Joan Burke is your Sycophant of the Month. Congratulations, Joan!

Sycophant of the Month: July 2008

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in July: 137 (-18 from June)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 5 (-4 from June.)

Sycophancy index: 3.6% (-2.2% from May, do., do.)

The sycophancy index continues its summer plummetation. From a three-month rolling average of over 12% at the start of May, it’s now dipped below 5% for the first time since March.

Not only did the streak of weeks of Williamsgovernmentiness end at 22 weeks in the start of the month, the third week of the month also saw no “Williams Government” releases issued.

And not only that, only five were issued in July at all. Dave Denine opened the scoring, but not until the month was a third over. He was quickly followed by Trevor Taylor and May’s monthly champion Dianne Whalen. Denine pulled into a lead on the 21st, but without an insurance goal, Whalen was able to tie it up, with an assist from Tom Marshall — the closest that Tom, the June monthly winner, would get to scoring in July at all. And Joan Burke, despite her yeowoman’s service to The Regime this past month, remains scoreless since May.

And so it stands, for the first time, a dead heat. Your July Sycophants of the Month: Dave Denine and Dianne Whalen.

Sycophant of the Month: October 2008

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in October: 174 (-1 from September)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 6 (-2 from September.)

Sycophancy index: 3.4% (-1.2% from September)

It was another fairly quiet month from a sycophancy perspective, with just six points scored all month.

From the start-of-the-month perspective, it was promising, with Tom Marshall putting one in on the first day. But then, from a things-slowing-down perspective, it was over a week before the second goal, courtesy Ross Wiseman. It looked like a things-picking-up perspective when Joan Burke nailed one the following day, but it would then be almost two weeks, from a quiet perspective, before she would get the next one in, her second for the month. From a false-hope perspective, Dianne Whalen knocked in another the next day, but the month ended up on an out-with-a-whimper perspective, as the only other score was Dave Denine’s on October 27th.

It’s a good thing, from a scorekeeping perspective, that Burke got that second, because every point this month was scored unassisted, with nothing to fall back on as a tie-breaker. So, from a back-to-back victory perspective, resuming the dominance she displayed from a September 2007 to April 2008 inclusive perspective, your October sycophant of the month is again Joan Burke. Congratulations!

Sycophant of the Month: August 2010

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in August: 187 (+26 from July).

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 14 (-4 from July).

Sycophancy index: 7.5% (-3.7% from July).



Someone got the memo that August is polling month, and, unsurprisingly, the sheer output of ProvGov press releases jumped in August, driven in part by TCR and Health’s ongoing efforts to cheerfully announce every penny that they ever spend on anything.

Surprisingly, however, it was a quiet month from a WilliamsGovernment perspective.

It was fully nine days into the month before Jerome Kennedy and Diane Whalen got things moving, and another week before Tom Hedderson joined them on the big board.

That week would turn into a flurry with Hedderson, Sullivan, Collins, Jackman, Collins again, and Kennedy crowding the goalposts.

The month that started sleepy ended with a flourish. The final week saw Kennedy knock in two in one day, followed by another Collins, another Hedderson, and another Jackman.

Sullivan and Whalen end up on the board with one apiece, Jackman has two, and Hedderson, tied with Collins at three, falls just short in his effort to reclaim the title he last held in June.

Retaining his crown from July, your sycophant of the month for August, and for the third month of the last four, Jerome Kennedy! Congratulations, Minister!