"Noc-A-Homa-Win-A-Lotta - what the heck is that," you say.

Poor uninitiated Talking Chopians.

Chief Noc-A-Homa was the non-politically correct Indian (or Native American, if I must) mascot of the Atlanta Braves from the 1950's to the mid-1980's, and Princess Win-A-Lotta was his equally non-politically correct "young woman companion" for several years. Together they resided in a tipi on top of the outfield bleachers at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Put their names together and it's a nickname I came up with for the pick-em game we play here during the season which gets everyone involved while having a grande olde time.

It's fun, it's free and everyone's invited! Here's how it works.

For each game of the season we will have an open thread, and while you can post your thoughts and frustrations about the team in each day's open thread, now you can also post your predictions about the game. Then after the game, I will give out points to those who made the best predictions - keeping a tally of points as the season goes on and crowning a glorious winner at the end! And new this year, there will be weekly totals kept and weekly prizes given while supplies last -- see below. The weekly totals will be kept starting Monday and concluding on Sunday, and they will start over with each new week.

For each game you should make three predictions:

1. Attendance. This is straightforward enough. One point awarded per night for the person who guesses the closest; three points if you guess it exactly right.
2. 
   
3. Pick to Click. Basically, that's the player who you think will have the best game that day. And since this is a Braves site, we'll only be giving points for Atlanta players. Points will be awarded for a maximum of three players per night, and if one player has a ridiculously good game then he would be awarded all three points. No points are awarded in blowout losses, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
4. 
   
5. Above and Beyond Picks. This is where it gets really fun! Everyone gets to make one more pick where they can predict something else that will happen during the game. Do you feel in your gut that Francoeur will hit another grand slam - and it will be in the fourth inning? Make that pick. If it happens - you look like a genius and get a point - maybe three as that would be a really good pick. The more detailed and imaginative you get, the more points you get, but also the less likely it is to happen. Have fun with it, but not too much fun...

Remember, this is for anyone and everyone, so don't be shy about playing, and feel free to be bold with your predictions. If you are a lurker who hasn't signed up for the site yet, then now's the time to get in on the action! Just remember to get your picks in before the game starts.

Did I mention we will have FABULOUS PRIZES for the winner??!?!?
Did I mention we will have FABULOUS WEEKLY prizes??!?!?

This year I was lucky enough to have received a multitude of merchandise from promoters for me to give away on the site. While supplies last the winner of NAHWAL each week (Monday through Sunday) will get their choice of one of the following:

1. The game MLB 08: The Show for Play Station 3
2. 
   
3. The book 101 Reasons to Love the Braves
4. 
   
5. The book Baseball 365 Days
6. 
   
7. A can of Steven Segal's Lightning Bolt
8. 
   
9. The Talking Chop t-shirt *It's Still 755

Over the next several weeks I'll be presenting reviews of these books and the video game (and perhaps the lingering effect of a Steven Segal energy drink). I'm excited to be able to give these prizes away, and I hope this will only add to the excitement that is Braves baseball.

Ties for weekly prizes will be decided based on the person who is the closest to the attendance figure for Sunday's game.

One more additional reason to be excited for the new season is that Talking Chop will be getting a facelift just in time for regulation play. This Saturday morning the site will be moved over to the new SBN design. For those of you who visit other SBN blogs, you will have noticed that many of them have already been upgraded. If you'd like to take a look at the new design, check out Minor League Ball or some of the other baseball blogs in the SportsBlogs Nation link bar on the right.

There might be some getting used to the new format, but we will have a good explainer of how it works and people available to answer your questions. So check in Saturday and follow the steps to claim your old account, then come back Sunday afternoon and get your picks in for NAHWAL.