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There's a reason why I almost never make predictions about sporting events. Because I know that at some point in time, someone is going to pull out a post where I predicted the Washington Generals to hammer the Harlem Globetrotters, and I'll get killed for it. However, making bold predictions is what we pay sportswriters for, right? I mean real sportswriters, by the way, not me. They've forgotten more about sports than we'll ever know, since they're so close to athletes, know them personally, watch every game, etc. So if anyone should be good at making predictions, it's them. Or not.
Yes, thanks to Real Clear Sports, there's a Top 10 list of the worst predictions by sports columnists in 2008. And some are truly magnificent. Let's take a look at some of the best ones.
10. Tony Romo's broken pinkie is great! - Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News:
“Repeat after me, Tony Romo's broken right pinkie doesn't signal the end of the Dallas Cowboys' season. Actually, it's just what this team needs ...
Now, you're going to get a focused team because it has no other choice. Life as the Cowboys know it doesn't have to be over just because Romo is out. Trust in 40-year-old Brad Johnson, the man known around Valley Ranch as Bull."
They became focused all right, focused on sucking.7. Kobe Bryant won't win the MVP, ever - Scoop Jackson, ESPN:
"Kobe Bryant will not win the MVP this year... Truth is Kobe Bryant will never win the MVP of the league... [N]othing is going to make this season any different."
Kobe, of course, won easily. Although, I'm not sure it's fair to mock Scoop, seeing as he's not really an expert at anything other than being a total idiot.
4. Picking Matt Ryan "Highly Debatable" - Terence Moore, Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"...[I]f you go by logic when it comes to trying to change the momentum of a reeling franchise, the Falcons just blew it, especially with the extraordinary Glenn Dorsey sitting there on the draft board as the defensive tackle that they really need....they could have selected Dorsey at No. 3 and taken a chance later in the draft on John David Booty, Chad Henne or Andre’ Woodson becoming their Tom Brady. After all, those quarterbacks aren’t that much more of an NFL gamble than the one they got."
Wow. This one would be #1 in my book, personally. Moore not only whiffed incredibly on Ryan, who has led the Falcons to the playoffs, but he thought Atlanta should have drafted one of the biggest busts of the 2008 NFL Draft. I award Moore my gold medal for worst prediction of 2008.But there's one more I should throw in as well.
3. Rays Won't Make The Playoffs – Mike Vaccaro, New York Post:
"It would be a hell of a story, the Rays finishing ahead of the Red Sox, ahead of the Yankees. A hell of a baseball story. A hell of a Cinderella story. Too bad it isn't going to happen ... It's just not logical to assume they can keep it up for eight more weeks while fighting off these two teams. It's not practical ... They are a good story. Easy to root for. And...just a week or two away from seeing a couple of blurs zip by them in the passing lane."
Want to know what's even funnier than this? Vaccaro also wrote about how the Mets wouldn't collapse again in 2008. Brilliant work, Mike.
Anyway, take a look at the rest of the list here, it's well worth your time. And just so you all know, yes, I did indeed screw up a prediction this year. Although, I think about 99% of the US joined in with me on that one, so I don't feel that bad. I still did get reamed for it though.
Moral of the story folks: Never predict ANYTHING.
10 Erroneous Columns of 2008 [Real Clear Sports]
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