Dan Dibella made history with the “I Beat Burt” contest two weeks ago, his 25th year of participation.

Win a T-shirt?

“No, I won a lot, a lot of T-shirts,” said Dibella of Methuen.

Dibella faced the Patriots against the Cowboys on Oct. 17 at Foxborough.

“It was my first pick for the Patriots,” said Methuen High graduate Dibella.

It ended up being a clever “maiden voyage” as Dibella was one more win than me – I had the Patriots! – and was one of six entries to have selected more winners.

Fall Sundays are big business for Dibella, who has three sons, all of whom are huge Patriots fans.

“We all love football and the Patriots,” said Dibella. “It was not easy to face them, but I had to do it. And it was worth it. “

Dibella said he only kept a few of the t-shirts he won over the years, handing them out to family and friends.

“I look forward to fighting you every week,” Dibella said. “That’s what brings me back every week.

While Dibella has faced the Patriots once, it likely won’t happen again soon after their wins over Houston and LA Chargers.

“I love Mac Jones,” Dibella said. “I can see he’s improving every week.”

Burt gets pummeled

I finished week 8 at 7-7 and honestly feel lucky that I picked seven winners.

It happens every year. I get a little cocky and get angry happy. I picked the Bears to beat the 49ers, the winless Lions to beat the Eagles, and the Jaguars to beat the Seahawks … in Seattle.

Choose an upheaval? Fine. Dark. I recommend everyone to pick one upset per week, to keep things interesting.

As it is, I paid for my reluctance as a “I beat Burt” rule – if you pick more winners and get exactly the Patriots’ point total (27), you win a t-shirt, in waiving a maximum of 10 t-shirts.

Well, this week there were 26 entries from the North Boston Newspaper Group that did just that.

Congratulations.

Winners of week 8

Gregory Waldrop of Peabody

Nick Lazarakis of Peabody

Howard Farber of Peabody

John Horne of Marblehead

Steve Carroll of Topsfield

Rowley’s Walter Ruszkowski

Peggy Cook from Beverly

Peter Cook from Beverly

Betty Tremblay from Salem

Gizza Pearson from Beverly

MJ Mazur of Gloucester

Bridgette Faith O’Neill from Beverly

Arthur Ryan of Gloucester

John DeQuardo of Gloucester

Paul Doherty from Lynn

Robert Sarofeen of Gloucester

Thomas Lattof of Gloucester

William Duratti of Beverly

Dave Jean d’Amesbury

Rick Williams of Peabody

Bina Beauregard d’Amesbury

Sol Eskenazi by Peabody

Cindy Brown from Newburyport

Jim Brown Newburyport

Michael Donohue from Georgetown

Richard Sharp of Newbury