Check out my AFC predictions from last year. I never got around to the NFC, but my AFC ones were right on.

Wow, Cubs. WOW. This was your year. It was basically a free ticket to the World Series. You were lucky when the Mets lost it at the end, and you were put into a match-up against the Dodgers(double take) Dodgers exactly a century after you won last time. ‘04 Red Sox all over again, right? Wrong. Instead, you were swept by a team that hadn’t won a playoff game in 20 years. And this year’s winner of the Johnny (BLEEPIN’) Dent award was a no name First Basemen who was hitting .214. Not exactly the kiss of death you expected, I guess. Here are the two categories where I think the losses came from the most.

1. Confidence

Even after 100 years of Championshiplessness, (yeah, I said it) the All-mighty Chicago Cubs rolled into the post-season a little less humble than they should have been. The Cover of Sports Illustrated made it seem like the post-season was a piece of cake. So when the Dodgers rolled into Wrigley, the Cubs had no fear. They were affected by their OWN REPUTATION. kind of sad for a team that should have gotten back to basics to become the champion of October. They came up to the plate more trying to Impress the Chicago faithful than just win the game. REMEMBER: THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO WIN. So get that done, and then smack the homers and storm home plate. Los Angeles can wait. Just because you’re using Rich Harden doesn’t mean you’re invincible. That’s what they thought about CC, remember?

2. Motivation

Remember the 2007 Super Bowl? The plot line sounds familiar now doesn’t it. The New England Patriots were playing after their record-breaking regular season to try to claim the title of the greatest football team ever. The NY Giants were trying to get a two foot tall trophy and a bunch of rings. Now who was it that won?  When a team is playing with everything at steak there is a lot of pressure on the athletes. Bu if they are playing for practically nothing, and are massive underdogs, they often play with more gusto and don’t get disappointed as easily. Imagine if you are the Giants. If they had just rolled over and died in front of Tom Brady. no one would have noticed, and NY still would have had a great season. But since they did win, it was hailed as one of the greatest Super Bowl victories ever.

Brett, Brett, Brett. Who will you mess with next? After putting the Packer’s organization through months of torture in the offseason, they finally snap. You roll into Green Bay like it’s 1995, and slide onto the roster like nothings happened. It’s all good, right? think again. Let’s break this down into parts.

Part One: The Itch

Once you say you’re retired most people assume you are for good. so when a person flip flops, people ususally aren’t too happy, because they’ve moved on with life and gotten excited about seeing Aaron Rodgers take up that formidable post. So what do you do? pull Rodgers out of the lineup with an offer Green Bay can’t refuse, and force yourself onto the roster. Rodger Goddell had no reason not to re-instate you, so he had no choice, and Green Bay couldn’t turn down a future HOFer. So Brett Favre is a paradox for the Pack: Can’t live with him, can’t live without him.

Part Two: Mr. Rodgers

It’s not quite a lovely day in the neighborhood for Favre’s long-haired backup. A quater back competition would be out of the question, being little more that a David vs. Gliath battle. so basicly Rodgers has to be a backup until Favre says so. Rock and a Hard Place.

Full article and explanations on this tomorrow (or later today) but here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming.

Losers.

• Bulls
• Love
• KU

Winners.

• Celtics
• Heat 
• K- State

Spoots.

Every year in the National Football League, teams get extremely hyped up, and then have a terrible season. Others putter along unnoticed, and then have a breakout year, (like we saw withe the Browns in 2007). I’ll give you a low ranked team who’ll exceedexpectations, and a popular, successful team that will not get it together in 2008 (think Detroit Tigers) for each Division. Let’s start with the AFC, loaded with offensive weaponry (I’ll get to the NFC later).

AFC North

Surprise Winner: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens will put it together after last year’s disappointing season. Joe Flacco and Troy Smith will power the offense while veteran Ray Lewis will anchor the defence. Willis McGahee will have the last great year of his career, and the O-Line will make up for the loss of Pro Bowler Ogden.

Surprise Loser: Cincinnati Bengals

Not that they had a great season last year at 7-9, but this year, they’ll be even worse. they don’t have a consistent running back, and The Chad Johnson Disease will spread quickly around the locker room. Carson Palmer will have a decent performance, but without players around him, and 2/3rds of the defence behind bars, it’ll be 5 wins or less for the Cats.

AFC South

Surprise Winner: Tennessee Titans

Vince Young wants a ring bad. The choice to draft a home run hitter was a good idea, and another 10 win (or more!) season is in their sights.  Chris Johnson will explode in 2008, behind only Adrian Peterson and LT on the leaderboard, and be a Rookie of the Year candidate. Also, The D-Line will be in the Top 3 is sacks.

Surprise Loser: Indianapolis Colts

“Not the Colts!” you say, but let’s think about it. a poor performance in the playoffs to the Titans, (that playoff loss means a lot now) an aging squad, and not a lot of draft activity. they haven’t made any spectacular draft picks, because they haven’t had a major weak posistion in the last few years. Peyton Manning will still be a Future Hall of Famer, but he’s got his ring, as does most of the team, and they haven’t had to really try since they beat the Bears on that rainy night in Miami.

AFC East

Surprise Winner: Buffalo Bills

The Bills have done virtually nothing since the devastating 4 Super Bowl losses. but this is the year. McKelvin will be second in the NFL in interceptions (behind only Cromartie) and Lynch will be great, another chapter in the history of great Buffalo halfbacks (Thurman Thomas, O. J. Simpson,). Their quarterback, whose name escapes me, will be this years Derek Anderson.

Surprise Loser: New York Jets

I really wanted to type Patriots, but i just can’t see that happening. The Jets made attempts at improving their team during  the off-season but not a lot went down. Vernon Gholston is overrated and only went that high because he played for the contending Ohio State. They have a blurry picture at quarterback. Mangini’s job will be demanded by the obsessive Jets fans, and all hell will break loose in New York. Again.

AFC West

Surprise Winner: Oakland Raiders

As a Chiefs fan, this is a hard paragraph to write. The young coach, the rocket-armed QB, and the record breaking halfback come together for a great year and a Wild Card trip to the playoffs. what was a weak division last year will strenghthen. The Raiders will finish in second place next season just behind the Chargers.

Surprise Loser: San Diego Chargers

This team is LOADED with All-Stars. LT, spectacular D, Cromartie, Sproles.. I could go on and on. BUT. The one thing that SD doesen’t have locked down in consistency, is QB. Dr. Phil Rivers’ performance is just- normal. it would be satisfactory for 29 NFL. But not the Chargers. (or Colts or Patriots, for that matter.) Look out for the ‘Bolts to startmaking some trades with high draft pick teams near the middle of the season.

So that’s my opinion on the AFC. Stay tuned for the NFC!

Spoots

The NBA season is over for the year, but that doesn’t mean basketball fans don’t deserve entertainment! here is an old school Converse Weapon commercial with Magic Johnson, Isaiah King, Kevin McHale, and others.

Spoots

Stay tuned for the Spoots review of the NBA Draft winners and losers, in only a little over a week! In other news: Absolutely nothing! We are entering the slowest zone in sports reporting as the only major pro sport in season is the MLB, and nothing much is happening there. If we can survive until the NFL begins, then, AND ONLY THEN, can we enjoy watching sports.

Spoots

Tiger Woods, the best golfer in the world, did not lose. surgery isn’t a loss, or he wouldn’t get it. He just won the U.S. Open for Pete’s (Note: Who’s Pete? ) Sake! Calm down people. He’ll be back. *Darth Vader Noise*

Spoots

Wow. The Lakers Fakers attempt not enough. the confidence in themselves got the best of them, and Kobe and the Krew overestimated Sasha Vujacic.  Now I know Boston’s play was phenomenal, and the Lakers were the away team, but this was just embarrassing.  Phil Jackson is a great coach, and great coaches should be able to get their players motivated. Last year, a small group of people called the City of Boston, Massachusetts called for Doc Rivers’ Job, and he got the job done. So let’s break down the game starting by what we can see from the  Lakers Box Score:

Starters:

1. Bryant 22
2. Odom 14
3. Gasol 11
4. Fisher 7
5. Radmanovic 6

BENCH 32

Right off the bat what do you notice? KOBE 22. That’s what everybody focuses on. Kobe could have done better, but he’s probably the only person on earth that could have. When you’re up against the Celtics D, in Boston, 40-Point games don’t happen very often. Odom showed up a little, and Gasol had a mediocre night at best. but what sticks out to me is the performance of Derek Fisher. 7 Points?! There’s a reason this guy is a seasoned veteran with a championship ring. The Lakers apparently gave in to the inevitable as the Celtic Steamroller crushed them last night. If The Lakers were The Charlotte Bobcats, or The Orlando Magic, That would be one thing, but just because the Celtics have legacy doesn’t meant The Lakers don’t. keep in mind, The Lakers have won the NBA Championship 14 times.

OK, Now The Celtics.

Starters:

1. Garnett 26
2. Allen 26
3. Rondo 21
4. Pierce 17
5. Perkins 2

BENCH 39

The Big Three performed, as they usually do, and Rajon Rondo exploded for 21 points and 6 steals. a couple of records were broken last night, too. Ray Allen tied the NBA Finals record for 3-Point shots with 7, and The Celtics broke the record for most post season wins. The latter is due to Boston’s 7-7-6 Game trip to The Finals. The Celtics protected their legacy and Good Ol’ Red’s record lasts to haunt Phil Jackson another day. On the flip side, a lot of their best players were veterans, and now that they have their rings, what’s next?

Spoots!

More on the Lakers, tomorrow.

The Spoots