The Other Side of the Table

I've had a thought several times, but for some reason or another I just haven't put it out there yet, but basically it goes like this:

There are a lot of seriously unqualified people out there affecting people's lives.

Exhibit A: I was recently at the University of Illinois doing first-round interviews of students for our recruiting process.

Read into that what you will. The point is, I'm looking across the table at these kids, and I'm thinking, "I'm just a kid. What am I doing?" And I'm betting they're thinking, "Seriously? This guy's just a kid." I don't know. Maybe I don't look like a kid anymore, but although I'm almost out of my upper middle twenties, I don't know that I'll ever see my self as a real adult.

It was weird being on the other side of the table for a change. And you know what was the worst? I was nervous. Not as nervous as when I interviewed for jobs, but I still had a few butterflies in the basket, yet I was supposed to be "in charge." Why was I nervous to grill some kids on why they should come work for us? Who knows...?

Exhibit B: Congress.

Take a little trip through the bios of our Senators and Representatives if you've got time. Most of them have zero experience in the real world outside of politics. Sure they were smart enough to get into a great school, get a law degree or whatever, but why does that coupled with getting elected a few times all of the sudden give you the necessary experience to make decisions that affect the entire country and parts of the world? Seriously, just begin to peruse the bios of the people running this country and think about whether you'd hire these folks to manage a car wash for you, let alone decide how to confiscate and then spend billions upon billions of dollars.

Exhibit C: High School Coaches

I made several decisions and formulated several thoughts and ideas in high school based on information gathered from my high school coaches. Now, I'm not lumping every coach into this category. I know a lot of good ones who may even wind up being great ones. Coaches that I would have no problem teaching my future-as-of-yet-non-existent children things. Take my friend Zach for example. Great guy, I'm sure a great coach and one who really imparts valuable things to kids.

But many of my coaches didn't even want to be coaches. As I look back with "more grown-up" eyes. I can see that their intersection with my life was just a pit stop on the way to figuring out who they were. But there they were, teaching me how to block and tackle and hit like they were experts. There they were, giving advice on life and lessons on how to live as a young man as though they had perfected it. There they were, putting me and many others I'm sure in the wrong position because that was easier than taking the time to figure out where a young kid might be most successful down the road.

All of these examples, me included, are instances where one person or a group of people make important decisions and perform important tasks that affect other people's lives. I just don't believe people take that responsibility seriously enough. And I certainly don't believe that just because a person is in a position of authority that means they are qualified for said position of authority.

Growing up is weird. It changes my perspective. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

The Cardinals, and Other Near Misses

I was so close to picking the Cardinals to go to the Super Bowl this year...I mean, they were pretty much third on my list of four possible teams that could be in the big game. It really came down to me just not being certain if their improved defense would carry them past the NFC Championship Game.

Man, I wish I could have that one back.

Ok, so, if you believe what I just wrote you obviously did not read my annual entry of prognostication on how the NFL season will play out. I can't believe you missed it; it was riveting. Highly entertaining.

However, for what it brought to the table in entertainment value, it may have lacked just as much in accuracy. But unlike other "experts" who throw around opinions and never take responsibility for them, I feel the need to step up, face the music and be held accountable for my awful predictions.

So, I present the Annual Come and Blog It Prognostication on How the NFL Season Will Play Out Music Facing Entry!

Disclaimer 1: this entry contains sports related material. I promise to do my best to make such material entertaining for all, but if "sports really aren't you're thing" you should probably check out an archived post for fun today.

Let's start with my Divisional Predictions:

AFC NORTH

Prediction Actual

1.Pittsburgh 1.Pittsburgh
2. Cleveland 2.Baltimore
3. Cincinnati 3.Cincinnati
4. Baltimore 4.Cleveland

Now, you'll notice here that I was 2 for 4. Not too shabby. I was surprisingly accurate in some of my comments as well. For instance:

"...the Steelers are having some offensive line issues, the Ravens are having major QB issues, the Bengals have defense and offensive sync issues and the Browns have defensive back and 'was last year for real' issues."

Joe Flacco ruined my Ravens comment, but other than that, I'd say the rest of those comments were very accurate this year. The Bengals defense did start to find some identity towards the end of the season.

My best prediction from this division came with these words however:

"...I see the Steelers having the most success because Ben Rothlisberger is a QB that is capable of making the line look good with some mobility and the fact that he is 8'10" and refuses to fall down when someone hits him."

How true was that this season? I must have watched 'Berger take about 90 hits and not go to the ground, and that was just in the playoffs.

Now I have to put this video here to wash the stains of Steeler praise off of my blog:



NFC NORTH

Prediction Actual

1. Green Bay 1.Minnesota
2. Minnesota 2.Chicago
3. Chicago 3.Green Bay
4. Detroit 4.Detroit

Wow, I missed on everything here. Here's my quote of significance from the prediction post:

"...I think the Packers have this thing. They return a pretty solid defense from last year and if Rodgers can just drive the bus through the parking lot that is the NFC North without crashing it into a light pole the Pack should win the division title."

Turns out, Rodgers did a helluva job. But that defense that I deemed "solid" turned out to be the bad drivers on this team.

And I thought the Lions would be bad, but 0-16? That takes skill.

AFC SOUTH

Prediction Actual

1. Indianapolis 1.Tennessee
2. Houston 2.Indianapolis
3. Jacksonville 3.Houston
4. Tennessee 4.Jacksonville

Indianapolis did a good job of letting everybody else get a bit of lead before Peyton did his thing and propelled the Colts to the 2 spot. This Titans team really caught me off guard as you'll notice from this quote:

"...The rest of the team around VY is a bit average."

See, what I meant to say was they should bench VY because he is making this team a bit average. I don't know how that wound up on my screen, but it was obviously not what I intended. I am an expert.

NFC SOUTH

Prediction Actual

1. New Orleans 1.Carolina
2. Tampa Bay 2.Atlanta
3. Atlanta 3.Tampa Bay
4. Carolina 4.New Orleans

What!? Oh I can't believe this happened! This one somehow inverted itself in my prediction post. I am calling blogger and registering a complaint right now. To think they can make me, an expert, look like such a fool and that I'll just sit here and take it! They messed with the wrong expert.

In my defense I did say:

"...But seriously, the division makes me feel like Kramer trying to fill in for Movie Phone.

'Why Don't You Just Tell Me What Order You're Going to Finish In!?'"

So once again:




AFC WEST

Prediction Actual

1. San Diego 1.San Diego
2. Denver 2.Denver
3. Oakland 3.Oakland
4. Kansas City 4.Kansas City

"...This should be a pretty straightforward division as well."

I couldn't have said it better myself. In fact, I did say that. It was so straightforward that the Chargers had to win their last 4 while the Broncos lost their last 3 to win the division.

You don't think Come and Blog It had anything to do with that, do you? You do? Well, of course I did! Here's how it went down. I called up Norv Turner and told him to get his boys in gear or I'd use the power of the blogosphere to make sure that he never worked in the NFL again. Ever. Then I called up Mike Shanahan and told him that I was cashing in the favor he owed me (I let him have the title of Ultimate Leader for his bio a few years back; he'd been begging me to let him use it for years, and finally I relented. But I said, "You owe me man!") So, I had Mike lose the last three games of the year, so that I'd pick one division correctly. I assured him that I would use the power of the blogosphere to make sure he did not get fired. I kinda forgot to do that...I got a little busy with work. And the playoffs were just so dang good...oops. Sorry, Mike. Call me.

NFC WEST

Prediction Actual

1. Seattle 1.Arizona
2. St. Louis 2.San Francisco
3. Arizona 3.Seattle
4. San Francisco 4.St. Louis

I was this close on the Cardinals. I mean it. Check out what I said:

"...The Cardinals and 49ers are not good football teams right now. Maybe they'll prove me wrong soon..."

See that. Maybe they (meaning the Cardinals) will prove me wrong (meaning go to the Super Bowl) soon (meaning this year). Now read it again:

"...The Cardinals and 49ers are not good football teams right now. Maybe the Cardinals will go to the Super Bowl this year..."

That's the kind of expert analysis you can take to the bank. And year in and year out I even do the dirty work for you by putting it in those tiny little analysis rollers for you so the bank doesn't yell at you when you strut in with the good stuff.


AFC EAST

Prediction Actual

1. New England 1.Miami
2. Buffalo 2.New England
3. New York 3.New York
4. Miami 4. Buffalo

I decided after 2006 to never vote against the Patriots as long as Tom Brady was playing for them. I voted for the Patriots this year before I knew Tom Brady would exit the season with an ACL tear. Had I known that, I probably would have picked them third and still would've been wrong.

Buffalo really let me down this year. Much to the chagrin of my friend Meg (a Buffalo native, honorary Texan and die hard Bills fan) I said this about the Bills:

"...They're not exactly at four-time Super Bowl loser potential, but maybe one-time playoff game loser potential."

Granted, this was a bit of a backhanded compliment to the team's rising potential, but given the performance of this team, I now deem the comment justified. In fact, my praise of Lee Evans prior to the season is even that much more embarrassing after what he did to my fantasy football team.

You know what? The Bills are going on notice, Colbert style. Now that makes The Bills and Winter who are on my list. They'd better get cozy because I don't see either one coming off that list any time soon.

NFC EAST

Prediction Actual

1. Dallas 1.New York
2. Philadelphia 2.Philadelphia
3. New York 3.Dallas
4. Washington 4.Washington

The Cowboys blew this one. Granted, Romo getting hurt for 4 games didn't help their cause, but the Cowboys only played up to their potential in 3 or 4 games this year. Maybe their potential is overrated. Then, they get beat 44-6 by the Eagles with the playoffs on the line.

Embarrassing.

Of course, I said this about the Giants:

"...And now that the Giants have lost some of their D-linemen to injury and retirement can they repeat the success of last season?"

I think that was a fair question. And they had a nice season. They just ran into a hot Philly team in the playoffs. But I look for the Giants to perform even better next year now that I saw this bit of journalism:



PLAYOFFS

Not a lot to discuss here folks. I correctly picked only 5 of the 12 playoff teams. Shameful.

And my two Super Bowl contestants didn't even make the playoffs (though at 11-5, it's a bit of a shame, or justice, that the Pats didn't merit an invitation.)

But that's why I, like so many of you, love the NFL. You just never know what might happen. Now I go into sports hibernation until Opening Day, with a brief glimpse at March Madness.

But in the not-so-distant future I will once again put virtual pen to virtual paper and tell you exactly what will happen in the upcoming NFL season. And you can bank on my picks. Because I'm an expert.