I expected the grin-off to be close. In one corner, there was Harbaugh at the spring game, soaking in the emotions from his return home and smiling at the prospect of a bright future. In the other corner, there was Harbaugh after the bowl victory, unable to contain his joy after his team fulfilled the potential he saw in the spring.
I did not anticipate it would be this close.
I refreshed the poll more times than I care to admit over the last few days; I don't believe either GIF had more than a 20-vote lead at any point. A mini-surge in the final minutes before this afternoon's cutoff produced a winner. The full Elite Eight results:
THE GOOD TIMES
#1 Harbaugh As Grinch: 2,096 (50%)
#2 Spring Game Grin: 2, 110 (50%)
THE BAD TIMES
#1 Rage Stripping: 1,696 (47%)
#3 WELL OKAY: 1,892 (53%)
HARBAUGH IN ACTION
#1 Dr. Harbaugh: 1,055 (30%)
#2 Punt Demo: 2,434 (70%)
MISCELLANEOUS HARBAUGH
#1 Good Shit, Jedd: 1,113 (33%)
#3 Pffffffhahahaha: 2,245 (67%)
Just like that, not a single one-seed remains.
THE FINAL FOUR
(2) Spring Game Grin vs. (3) Pffffffhahahaha
This has to be the odds-on favorite after emerging victorious from the grin-off.
Then again, this is the first time the Spring Game Grin has come up against a GIF of Harbaugh sideline antics.
(3) WELL OKAY vs. (2) Punt Demo
If there's going to be a Cinderella run of sorts, it's going to come from this GIF, which knocked off Bad Times region favorites Rage Stripping and Slow-Motion Meltdown to earn its spot here. WELL OKAY has had, without a doubt, the toughest path to the Final Four.
That path isn't exactly getting any easier. Punt Demo demolished Dr. Harbaugh by a margin that caught me completely off guard. Either GIF in this matchup would be a worthy champion.