2019 NBA Playoff Predictions

Eastern Conference:
Milwaukee Bucks (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (8)- Milwaukee, 4 games to 1
Boston Celtics (4) vs. Indiana Pacers (5)- Indiana, 4 games to 3
Philadelphia 76ers (3) vs. Brooklyn Nets (6), Philadelphia, 4 games to 2
Toronto Raptors (2) vs. Orlando Magic (7)- Toronto, 4 games to 0


Milwaukee Bucks (1) vs Indiana Pacers (5)- Milwaukee, 4 games to 1
Toronto Raptors (2) vs Philadelphia 76ers (3)- Toronto, 4 games to 2

Milwaukee Bucks (1) vs Toronto Raptors (2)- Toronto, 4 games to 3


Western Conference:
Golden State Warriors (1) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (8) - Golden State 4 games to 1
Houston Rockets (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5)- Houston, 4 games to 2
Portland Trail Blazers (3) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6)- Portland, 4 games to 1
Denver Nuggets (2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (7)- Denver, 4 games to 3


Golden State Warriors (1) vs Houston Rockets (4)- Houston, 4 games to 2
Denver Nuggets (2) vs Portland Trail Blazers (3)- Portland, 4 games to 3

Houston Rockets (4) vs Portland Trail Blazers (3)- Houston, 4 games to 2

2018-2019 NBA Finals:
Toronto Raptors vs Houston Rockets- Toronto Raptors, 4 games to 3

2019 MLB Predictions

American League:

East:

1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees (Wild Card)
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

Central:

1. Cleveland Indians
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals

West:

1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Angels (Wild Card)
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners
5. Texas Rangers

Playoffs:

• Los Angeles Angels over New York Yankees (Wild Card Game)
• Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Angels
• Houston Astros over Cleveland Indians
• Houston Astros over Boston Red Sox

Rookie of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

Cy Young:  Mike Clevinger, Indians

MVP:  Mike Trout, Angels

National League:

East:

1. Atlanta Braves
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Washington Nationals
4. New York Mets
5. Florida Marlins

Central:

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Milwaukee Brewers (Wild Card)
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Cincinnati Reds

West:

1. Colorado Rockies
2. San Diego Padres (Wild Card)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
5. San Francisco Giants

Playoffs:

• Milwaukee Brewers over San Diego Padres
• St. Louis Cardinals over Colorado Rockies
• Milwaukee Brewers over Atlanta Braves
• Milwaukee Brewers over St. Louis Cardinals

Rookie of the Year: Luis Urías, Padres

Cy Young:  Aaron Nola, Phillies

MVP:  Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals

World Series:  Houston Astros over Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2

Baseball: Needing a storyline.

I used to be a baseball fan, before any other sport. And I still like following it. But right now, it doesn't hold the interest of sports fans the way basketball and football do.

There's a part of me that thinks baseball needs a villain- and that Bryce Harper might be the best person to fit that role.

Harper is a free agent- and people thought he'd be the first $300 million dollar player. But as of today, no one has signed him. And the fact that no one is upset that he hasn't been signed is part of the problem.

Imagine if he signed a one year deal with the Yankees for a bargain basement price and point blank said, "If the owners aren't going to pay me what I'm worth, I'm going to get a title- something Washington couldn't do- and keep doing so until the fans and owners smarten up about by worth."

He won't- for some very good reasons- but that would make Harper THE story for baseball for 2019. Because right now, baseball needs something to attract the attention of the public.

NBA: Porzingis trade thoughts

The Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks along with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee, the team announced Thursday.

New York will receive second-year point guard Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews in the deal, as well as two future first-round draft picks. Jordan and Matthews are expiring contracts.

This is a big trade.  Porzingis is called a 'Unicorn', because he's 7'3" and can shoot from three point range.  He's an incredible player- but he's also been injured.

People are raking the Knicks over the coals for this deal- but I actually think they did well here.  They have enough salary to sign two max free agents this summer- and the summer of 2019 is LOADED.

I'm sure their dream is to sign Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.  But let's say they can't get either one.  Still on the table are:

• Kawhi Leonard
• Klay Thompson
• Jimmy Butler
• Kemba Walker
• DeMarcus Cousins

The point is, they will sign two excellent players.  In addition, they have one of the three worst records in the NBA- which means that right now, they have as good of a chance as anyone to get Zion Williamson.

So to the Knicks, in a perfect world their starting lineup next year would include Durant, Kyrie, and Zion.  But say they don't get any luck- next year's lineup still could include Jimmy Butler, RJ Barrett, and Kemba Walker.  In the East?  That's a contender.  Not to mention the draft picks from Dallas.

As for Dallas?  I love this trade- _IF_ Porzingis stays healthy.  But that's a big question mark- and if he can't stay healthy, this could blow up for them badly.  

I like this trade for both teams- but I think the Knicks have a lower risk here.

NXT Takeover and WWE Royal Rumble Predictions

NXT TAKEOVER

* NXT North American Championship:  Ricochet © vs. Johnny Gargano
My Crazy Dream Booking: The Ciampa-Gargano storyline isn’t finished by a long shot.  And the next step is for the two to terrorize NXT for a few months as the two champions.  Gargano wins, and wins cleanly.  Ciampa watches from the sideline, and applauds his former teammate/hated rival.  Gargano embraces the title, but seems confused by Ciampa’s reaction. 

As for Ricochet, I reward him tomorrow night with a spot in the Rumble.  There’s usually one spot in the Rumble where Kofi Kingston does something that looks physically impossible to stay in the ring.  Tomorrow night?  He does his stunt- then Ricochet tops that.  Leading to a one-shot Wrestlemania match between the two over ‘Who can top the other’

  
What Should Happen: Gargano wins cleanly- their epic storyline works better if both have titles

What Will Happen: Gargano wins with Ciampa’s help
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Gargano loses and Ciampa taunts him, calling him a loser, and cutting short the Gargano heel turn. 
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: This match doesn’t last three minutes.

* NXT Tag Title Championship:  The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) (c) vs. War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe)     
My Crazy Dream Booking: I like the War Raiders, and can see them on the main roster (imagine a feud with them and the Bludgeon Brothers).  But the driving force is the Undisputed Era.  I could easily see bringing all four of the UE up as a stable in a major push.  But I also think they work better as heels- and I don’t see the right combination of faces for them to feud with yet.

So I keep them here and dominant, winning cleanly, and sending the War Raiders up the roster. 

  
What Should Happen: A double-DQ, leading to a wild no-DQ rematch at the next Takeover

What Will Happen: Undisputed Era wins, leading to a storyline of “there’s no challengers left”

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: There’s no real downside here- if the War Raiders win, it might set off a Undisputed Era split storyline, and I think it’s way too soon to start that.
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: This match doesn’t last three minutes.

* NXT Women’s Championship:  Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair          
My Crazy Dream Booking: I still think a Four Horsewomen vs. Four Horsewomen feud can carry the women’s division for over a year- but I also don’t think Shafir and Duke are ready yet for the Main Roster.  Until then, keep Baszler with them.  I do think there are women who are ready to hold the title (Io Shinrai, Kairi Sane)- but Belair isn’t quite ready yet.  I have Belair give Baszler fits but Baszler win in the end.

  
What Should Happen: Baszler retains

What Will Happen: Baszler retains

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Belair wins, Baszler moves up, and there’s no good challengers for the new champion.
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: This match doesn’t last three minutes.

* NXT Championship:  Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black

My Crazy Dream Booking: There’s still more meat on the Ciampa/Gargano story- and I want both men holding titles with Ciampa as Gargano’s devil for a few months.  So Ciampa retains.

Black?  I send him up the roster.  Jeremy had a great idea of him being the Undertaker’s protégé, but I’m not sure Undertaker is still a viable option.  But Bray Wyatt has been out for a while- and I could see him returning with Black and a harder edge.

What Should Happen: The beautiful thing about NXT is that the ‘Crazy Dream Booking’ may actually happen.  Ciampa retains, Black moves up to the main roster.

What Will Happen: Ciampa retains

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Black wins, Ciampa and Gargano start feuding… and Black faces Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream.  And even this isn’t “Terrifying”
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: This match doesn’t last three minutes.

ROYAL RUMBLE

* Fatal four-way match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship:  Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Kalisto vs. Hideo Itami 

My Crazy Dream Booking: I don’t know what the future of 205 is for the WWE.  A placeholder for the cruiserweights until (unless) they move up to the Main Roster?  A separate show for workrate junkies?  Given Mustafa Ali has been placed on Smackdown, I fear this show is an Afterthought to everyone in the WWE.

I don’t care who wins- what I’d like is for a show-stealing match by all four that leaves the fans screaming to see more.

What Should Happen: Murphy retains while the WWE picks someone to elevate as the new face of the 205

What Will Happen: Tozawa wins the title and leads to a Tozawa-Itami match at Wrestlemania

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: This match will be ignored completely, or even left off the card
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Murphy is declared too heavy to be in the Cruiserweight division, and the WWE decides to award the title to Lio Rush (who might be a very good wrestler, but I haven’t seen him wrestle yet)

* WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship:  The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) (c) vs. Shane McMahon and The Miz

My Crazy Dream Booking:  After about ten minutes, Daniel Bryan comes down and stops the match.  He points out how dominant The Bar have been, how intelligent Shane McMahon is- even (grudging) admiration for Miz.  Why fight when they can all dominate the Smackdown Brand?  They would be the ‘UNDISPUTED’ leaders of the WWE.

The leads them to run roughshod over the next month, cheating to beat Styles, having Miz beat Rusev for the US Title, and them acting like the Kingpins…

And then, right before the February PPV, they are crowing- and here come the Undisputed Era.  Cole challenges Bryan at Wrestlemania, Strong is in the six man ladder match to face Miz, and The Bar face O’Rielly and Fish

What Should Happen: The Bar wins, leading to Shane McMahon vs. Miz at Wrestlemania

What Will Happen: The Bar wins, leading to Shane McMahon vs. Miz at Wrestlemania

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Shane and Miz win, leading to them as champions heading into Wrestlemania.
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Shane and Miz win, then ignore the tag titles as Shane challenges AJ Styles at Wrestlemania

* WWE United States Championship: Rusev (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Rusev wins, as his power overcomes Nakamura’s speed.  Nakamura seems down, and announcers speculate on him needing to ‘regain his edge’ as he goes on a losing streak, eventually moving onto RAW, where Finn Balor helps him regain his edge.  Rusev moves onto Miz

What Should Happen: Rusev Day!

What Will Happen: Rusev Day

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Jeff Hardy gets inserted into the match and wins the title
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Both men get beaten down by Brock Lesnar to keep Brock’s heat

* WWE SmackDown Women's Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Becky Lynch

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Because of the two Rumble matches, it is announced at the start of the show that all other matches have a thirty minute time limit.  This one goes to the limit- Lynch is ahead on points but can’t put away Asuka.  Nose-to-nose, handshake of respect, promise of a rematch… and here comes Ronda Rousey.  Rousey points out that Lynch and her still have unfinished business, and hopes that whoever wins the Woman’s Rumble challenge Asuka so they can settle it on the biggest stage of all

What Should Happen: They probably won’t get thirty minutes- maybe a double countout, with the same post-match encounter

What Will Happen: Asuka and Lynch are fighting outside while Rousey is commentating.  Asuka throw Lynch over the announcer’s table- and Lynch and Rousey start fighting, leading to a countout victory for Asuka.

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Asuka wins cleanly as Lynch starts heading down.
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Someone named McMahon gets involved in this match

* WWE Raw Women's Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sasha Banks

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Rousey wins- but Banks looks awesome in the process, with several near two counts, and Rousey has to show a desperation she hasn’t shown before

What Should Happen: Rousey wins and Banks looks good in the process

What Will Happen: Rousey wins cleanly

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Rousey wins when Bayley and Banks get into a fight
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Nia Jax leaves everyone in the ring laying

* WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. AJ Styles

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Five star match with both men pulling out everything in their repertoire.  Just as Styles appears on the verge of the win, the Bar come down and distract the referee- while the Miz clocks Styles to give Bryan the win

What Should Happen: Bryan wins a close match, and Styles wins the Rumble to challenge the RAW champion.  Bryan then faces Samoa Joe

What Will Happen: Bryan wins a close match, and Styles wins the Rumble to challenge Brock Lesnar.  Bryan then faces Samoa Joe

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Bryan wins a match when Shane McMahon interferes to set up Styles/McMahon
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Bryan turns into the Honky Tonk Man

* WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Finn Bálor

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Finn wins, cleanly in twenty minutes.  Lesnar goes on to face Strouman at Wrestlemania.  Balor defends the title against Styles, turning heel in the process.  The Reign of the Demon begins

What Should Happen: Finn wins, Lesnar challenges for a rematch at Wrestlemania

What Will Happen: Lesnar wins and move onto facing Rollins.  Balor faces Ambrose for the IC belt

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Lesnar doesn’t sell a move
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Balor never shows up and Strouman replaces him, only to lose inside of five minutes to Lesnar

* 30-woman Royal Rumble match for a women's championship match at WrestleMania 35

My Crazy Dream Booking:  Charlotte establishes a longevity record for the women’s Rumble, entering early.  Several NXT Stars are in the Rumble- including the Horsewomen.  At one point, we get a Horsewomen/Horsewomen brawl.  Baszler lasts until the final four- but this is Charlotte’s showcase.  She wins and announces that as much as she wants Rousey, she’s a Smackdown person- so bring on Asuka. 

What Should Happen: Charlotte wins to face Asuka

What Will Happen: Charlotte wins to face Asuka

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: The Nia Jax/Tamina alliance aliminates half the roster
If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: Any workrate is thrown out in exchange for stupid storylines (Naomi/Mandy Rose?)

* 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 35

My Crazy Dream Booking:  First two in the ring are HHH, and John Cena.  Both last until about halfway- when Roman Reigns re-enters (health permitting). Reigns comes in as the big surprise- eliminating several wrestlers.  Ambrose and Rollins enter soon after, and the three have a huge brawl, often eliminating everyone but themselves.  Samoa Joe enters at 28, and AJ Styles enters at 29.  Ambrose is finally eliminated at the final five.

Final four- Reigns, Rollins, Joe, Styles.  Reigns is on fumes, and avoids several near-eliminations… but finally Joe and Styles team up to remove him, and he leaves to massive cheers and “WELCOME BACK” chants.  Rollins eliminates Joe, and he and Styles clash… and a missed curbstomp leads to Styles winning.

What Should Happen: No Reigns- Ambrose takes his spot in the final four.  Same result

What Will Happen: Rollins wins to face Lesnar

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Brau Strouman enters at 24 and singlehandedly eliminates everyone to earn the title shot

If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: At 28, Styles and Rollins eliminate each other to empty the ring completely.  29 is… Roman Reigns, who eliminates R-Truth at 30 and is gifted a title shot.  This will cause an ugly backlash.

NFL Playoff Predictions

AFC Wild Card Round:
Houston Texans 23, Indianapolis Colts 17
Los Angeles Chargers 31, Baltimore Ravens 10


NFC Wild Card Round:
Chicago Bears 23, Philadelphia Eagles 7
Seattle Seahawks 17, Dallas Cowboys 13


AFC Division Round:
New England Patriots 20, Houston Texans 17
Kansas City Chiefs 38, Los Angeles Chargers 31


NFC Division Round:
Chicago Bears 27, Los Angeles Rams 14
New Orleans Saints 31, Seattle Seahawks 13

AFC Championship:
Kansas City Chiefs 28, New England Patriots 20


NFC Championship:
Chicago Bears 20, New Orleans Saints 17


Super Bowl LIII:
Kansas City Chiefs 41, Chicago Bears 23

Bringing in 2019

(Warning:  Just returned from my brothers and had a couple of bourbons... forgive me if I ramble)

2019... I won't bother with predictions.  They always seem like a crapshoot anyways.  

On a personal level- I want to really focus on my health.  For the first two months, I'm abstaining from alcohol and really focusing on my diet.  I really would like to hit 190 pounds sometime this year.  (My weight this morning:  214.0 pounds)

For the world?  I just want us to be nicer to each other.  So much of what I read is just so angry.  Angry at each other.  Instead of looking for solutions, we're looking to scream at each other.  It's so... tiring.  And feels so useless.  I see the anger and snark and I'm just... tuning it out.  If someone has a point to make it's not reaching me.  

Most of the stuff I write on here nowadays is light fluff- sports predictions, wrestling rants.  Part of that is to entertain.  Part of that is because I don't have solutions to the problems we face.  So if all I can offer is amusement... that's what I'm offering.

I thank you all for reading, whoever is out there.  This is an infinitesimally tiny corner of the internet... but it is mine, and I appreciate everyone who checks it out.

Thank you, and have a great 2019.