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For the past several months, I ate a bunch of burgers. It's my job, at least in terms of this crazy tournament. At each South Sound burger joint, I tried the most standard cheeseburger, fries, onion rings and shakes (for a while, at least). I also tried specialty burgers, if available, and paid special attention to secret sauces. I took notes on napkins, backs of menus, five note apps (why can't I decide?) and even receipts. This isn't something I recommend you try. My weight and blood pressure increased. Hopefully, you're basing your game decisions on years of burger eating in the South Sound. If you're a newbie, I suggest you pick a game a week. Use the attached Tournament of Burgers bracket to plot your course.

Without further ado, let's take a gander at yesterday's results, then preview today's matches.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Eastside Big Tom vs. Ricky J's Restaurant

There's something green at Olympia burger shack Big Tom - and it's not on the menu, which is bare of all vegetables save the humble potato and a few lonely burger toppings. Instead, it's just about everywhere else. Owner Michael Fritsch has taken the classic drive-in and made it green, with features ranging from solar hot water to food waste recycling to a parking spot where customers can charge their electric cars. Yes, people who drive Priuses really do eat burgers slathered in Goop, the secret special sauce. And apparently a fleet of them voted yesterday as Eastside Big Tom edged out Ricky J's with 62 percent of the votes.

Game 2: Steele Creek American Whiskey Co. vs. Oakhouse Restaurant and Bar

Deep in the northwest corner of the city of Lakewood, between the winding streets named after rocks, underneath hundreds of giant oak trees and along the back edge of the Oakbrook neighborhood sits the Oakhouse Restaurant and Bar. It's not the easiest place to find. Coach John Tartaglia took advantage of Oakhouse's hidden location, pushing his eighth seeded Steel Creek to victory with 61 percent of the votes, behind solid play from his Black and Bleu Burger. Steel Creek faces off with Eastside Big Tom in Second Round action March 28.

Game 3: Bootlegger's Bar & Grill vs. Eagon's Westside Drive-Inn

Bootlegger's opened its first Tournament of Burgers with a romp against Olympia burger shack Eagon's in yesterday's First Round action. Grabbing 63 percent of the votes, the Buckley burger king dominated the griddle for much of the game, only letting up a little when a herd of elk outside distracted the cook.

Game 4: Best Burgers vs. Nisqually Bar & Grill

Best Burgers in Lakewood grabbed Nisqually Bar & Grill by the trucker hat and gave them an ass-whooping, grabbing 80 percent of the votes. Best Burgers moves on to the Second Round, facing Bootlegger's March 28.

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

• Eastside Big Tom
• Steele Creek American Whiskey Co.
• Bootlegger's Bar & Grill
• Best Burgers

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

OK, let's dive into today's First Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m.