Eastern Conference:
Boston (1) over Washington (4) in 7 games
Cleveland (2) over Toronto (3) in 6 games
Western Conference:
Golden State (1) over Utah (5) in 5 games
Houston (3) over San Antonio (2) in 6 games
Notes:
I like Utah- but Golden State is on a mission.
Houston/San Antonio depends on Harden's health. If he's hurting badly, San Antonio can easily take the series.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Saturday, April 15, 2017
NBA First Round Predictions
Eastern Conference:
Boston (1) over Chicago (8) in 6 games
Cleveland (2) over Indianapolis (7) in 5 games
Toronto (3) over Milwaukee (6) in 7 games <-- Best series of the first round
Washington (4) over Atlanta (5) in 5 games
Western Conference:
Golden State (1) over Portland (8) in 5 games
San Antonio (2) over Memphis (7) in 6 games
Houston (3) over OKC (6) in 6 games
Utah (5) over LA Clippers (4) in 5 games
Notes:
Utah-Clippers is the only upset I have. And my gut tells me that this game doesn't go 6 games, in either direction. The Clippers are such a Jekyll & Hyde team that they either win the series by game 5 or lose the series by game 5
If Milwaukee was playing Washington or Boston, I'd pick the upset. By Toronto doesn't beat itself. Toronto survives- barely.
Boston (1) over Chicago (8) in 6 games
Cleveland (2) over Indianapolis (7) in 5 games
Toronto (3) over Milwaukee (6) in 7 games <-- Best series of the first round
Washington (4) over Atlanta (5) in 5 games
Western Conference:
Golden State (1) over Portland (8) in 5 games
San Antonio (2) over Memphis (7) in 6 games
Houston (3) over OKC (6) in 6 games
Utah (5) over LA Clippers (4) in 5 games
Notes:
Utah-Clippers is the only upset I have. And my gut tells me that this game doesn't go 6 games, in either direction. The Clippers are such a Jekyll & Hyde team that they either win the series by game 5 or lose the series by game 5
If Milwaukee was playing Washington or Boston, I'd pick the upset. By Toronto doesn't beat itself. Toronto survives- barely.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
NFL 2017 Draft Thoughts
NFL Draft hopes as a Cleveland Browns fan:
You can’t say we were shocked. We knew the Browns were going to be bad.
They were 3-13 the year before. And then lost four of their top free agents hours after free agency began- including 2 parts of their offensive line (the best part of the football team). We all knew RGIII was a gamble. And they traded down in the draft, passing up good players (not only Carson Wentz, but Joey Bosa, Jack Conklin, Ezekiel Elliott…) And while none of their rookies were busts… none of them overachieved, either.
So… yeah. 1-15 wasn’t
that shocking.
But hey- it’s 2017.
The Browns not only have the #1 draft pick, they have the #12 draft pick
from Philadelphia. And 2 second round
picks. And this is supposed to be a deep
draft.
People keep focusing on the QB- but the Browns need help
EVERYWHERE.
Adding a curveball is that Mitchell Trubisky is not only the
top QB in the draft… and from Northeast Ohio… but his father is a co-worker. So regardless of where he goes in the draft,
I’m rooting for him to succeed.
So here’s how I see things playing out:
There is a kind and benevolent deity and he wants me to be happy: Browns grab
Myles Garrett #1. No QBs go from
2-11… then someone (the Jets?) overpay Cleveland for the #12 pick. The Jets trade this year’s 2nd
round pick, next year’s #1, and next year’s #2.
Browns continue the process, drafting defense for the next five picks,
see how Cody Kessler plays this year- if he thrives, great. If not, look for one of the QBs in 2018.
What I am hoping will happen: Browns grab Garrett #1. No QBs go from 2-9. Buffalo grabs Watson at #10, and Arizona
trades up to #11 to grab Trubisky. This
causes Jamal Adams to drop for the Browns to grab at #12. Browns continue going heavy defense with 4 of
their next 5 picks on the defensive side
What I expect to happen: Browns grab Garrett #1. No QBs go from 2-11. Browns grab Trubisky at #12, then keep
drafting defense.
What I am worried will happen: Browns grab Garrett #1. Suddenly panicking over losing their QB, they
trade up to #5, offering their #12 and #33 to grab Trubisky at #5 before the
Jets
The Darkest Timeline:
Browns grab anyone not named ‘Myles Garrett’ at #1
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Wrestlemania 33 Predictions
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match (Kickoff Match)
Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries
What Should Happen: This might be the match of
the night. Neville is awesome, and Aries can still rise to the
occasion. I’d actually like Neville to retain until they build up a new
challenger.
What Will Happen: Aries finally dethrones
Neville to win the title.
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Two minutes
into the match, Brau Strowman obliterates both men and wants to start the
battle royal now.
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match (Kickoff Match)
Champion Alexa Bliss to defend against all female SmackDown
LIVE Superstars who are available to compete
What Should Happen: Alexa retains; on Smackdown
on Tuesday, announces she’s defeated all of her competition… and out comes
Asuka to take the belt from her.
What Will Happen: Natalya wins the title to
start a feud with Becky Lynch
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Carmella wins
the belt because the writers love her and Ellsworth.
The Fourth Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
(Kickoff Match)
Featuring Big Show, Sami Zayn, Braun Strowman, Apollo Crews,
Mojo Rawley and more Superstars
What Should Happen: Zayn is a giant killer,
eliminating both Big Show and Strowman.
What Will Happen: Strowman wins as his
anointment as the next big man continues
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: The Ascension
win and immediately begin feuding over which one is really the winner.
Raw Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (c) vs. Enzo Amore &
Big Cass vs. Cesaro & Sheamus
What Should Happen: Gallows and Anderson
retain; Cesaro and Sheamus split up the next night and both announce they are
going after the US Title
What Will Happen: Amore and Big Cass win the
belts.
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: The crowd turns
on Amore and Big Cass to the point that they turn heel by the end of next week
Intercontinental Championship Match
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Baron Corbin
What Should Happen: Corbin wins, and Ambrose
starts a slow turn into a psychotic heel
What Will Happen: Corbin wins the title
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Corbin wins the title
when Dolph Ziggler costs Ambrose the title. I like both Ziggler and
Ambrose, but that feud feels stale for both men
United States Championship Match
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Kevin Owens
What Should Happen: Match of the night, with
both men giving dissertations on how to cheat. Owens wins, and the crowd
chants “Thank you Chris” as he heads off on tour with Fozzy.
What Will Happen: Owens wins using every heel
trick in the book
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Samoa Joe helps
Owens beat Jericho in a forgettable match
Raw Women’s Championship Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match
Bayley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax
What Should Happen: Nia Jax wins and forces the
other three to work together to overcome her.
What Will Happen: Flair wins the title when
Sasha Banks turns heel
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Flair wins the
title, and the program continues as it has for months.
Power Couples Collide
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
What Should Happen: A glorious brawl that
spends most of the match outside the ring. Cena and Bella win, but Miz and
Maryse look fantastic. Cena proposes afterwards
What Will Happen: A good match. Same
booking
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Miz and Maryse
look like total chumps in losing.
SmackDown LIVE Commissioner vs. The Phenomenal One
Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles
What Should Happen: Shane McMahon is attacked
before the match, and Daniel Bryan announces a replacement- the returning Finn
Balor.
What Will Happen: AJ Styles has had great
matches all year. He has another one, carrying Shane to a very good match,
before winning cleanly
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Shane wins
because… well, because
Non-Sanctioned Match
Seth Rollins vs. Triple H
What Should Happen: Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens
come out with Triple H- and Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose come out to support
their Shield brother to brawl/chase out Joe and Owens. Triple H uses
every dirty trick in the book- but Rollins emerges victorious. On the
next RAW, a furious Stephanie McMahon engineers a major trade (Rollins, Cesaro,
Zayn, and New Day for AJ Styles and the loser of Wyatt/Orton) just to get
Rollins out of her league.
What Will Happen: An excellent
brawl. Triple H has learned when to give the face the moment to overcome
the heel, and Rollins finally gets his revenge here with a clean win.
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Samoa Joe costs
Rollins the match, and Triple H finally starts showing his age.
WWE Championship Match
Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Randy Orton
What Should Happen: Wyatt goes full Max Cady
here. Harper returns- and Sister Abagail (Crazy Mary Dobson) makes her
debut as well. Wyatt wins a wild, wild match- if any match is allowed to
get blood, this one should be it
What Will Happen: Orton wins, turning heel in
the process
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Orton wins and
the announcers try to get him over as a face
The Phenom vs. The Big Dog
The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns
What Should Happen: Reigns turns heel and wins,
telling both the fans and the McMahons to go to hell and making Undertaker go
out on a stretcher
What Will Happen: Reigns wins, there’s a
handshake of respect. The next night, Undertaker announces he’s retiring
on RAW
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Undertaker
wins, then takes the microphone and tells Reigns he’s the toughest man he ever
faced in the ring.
Universal Championship Match
Goldberg (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
What Should Happen: Someone- Reigns, Owens,
whoever- comes in and lays both Goldberg and Lesnar out, saying how sick they
are of part timers taking their spots.
What Will Happen: Lesnar wins, Goldberg goes
back into semi-retirement, Lesnar and Reign stand face to face as the show
fades out
What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Match is less
than three minutes
Other notes:
·
The New Day’s turn as host will involve a lot of
jokes and ice cream giveaways- and right at intermission, they get interrupted
by Christian, who is ticked off the New Day is being talked about as the
greatest tag team of all time. He points out that he and Edge were a
great tag team, and the only reason they didn’t hold the record is because they
had competition equal to them… out come the Hardys to leave the New Day
lying in the ring.
·
The big stories from RAW the next night are the
major trade between RAW and Smackdown and the Undertaker’s retirement.
Asuka’s debut is held off for Smackdown
Baseball 2017 predictions
American League
EAST W L
Toronto Blue Jays 92 70
Boston Red Sox 90 72
Baltimore Orioles 88 74
New York Yankees 81 81
Tampa Bay Rays 77 85
CENTRAL W L
Cleveland Indians 96 66
Kansas City Royals 85 77
Chicago White Sox 80 82
Detroit Tigers 77 85
Minnesota Twins 62 100
WEST W L
Houston Astros 93 69
Seattle Mariners 92 70
Texas Rangers 88 74
Oakland Athletics 81 81
Los Angeles Angels 63 99
National League
EAST W L
Washington Nationals 93 69
New York Mets 85 77
Miami Marlins 80 82
Philadelphia Phillies 70 92
Atlanta Braves 70 92
CENTRAL W L
Chicago Cubs 96 66
St. Louis Cardinals 85 77
Pittsburgh Pirates 79 83
Milwaukee Brewers 75 87
Cincinnati Reds 66 96
WEST W L
San Francisco Giants 92 70
Los Angeles Dodgers 89 73
Colorado Rockies 80 82
Arizona Diamondbacks 74 88
San Diego Padres 74 88
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Closing out 2016
2016- it's a cliche that people have been saying how awful 2016 was. A lot of famous people died, and the election was both draining and caused a lot of friction between people. In five years, I have no idea if people will blow off 2016 as "just one of those things" or it really was a portent for a worse future.
On a personal level- we lost our cat Smokey to cancer. She will always be missed. We have two new kittens- Dashiell and Mystery- joining Pippen in our household.
Meanwhile, Katie and I both started working as Detectives for the Dinner Detective show in Cleveland. It's a fantastic show with great people that I'm thrilled to be a part of.
On a personal level- we lost our cat Smokey to cancer. She will always be missed. We have two new kittens- Dashiell and Mystery- joining Pippen in our household.
 |
| Dashiell (left) and Mystery |
 |
| Pippen |
And Sports-wise... Cleveland won their first title since 1964. The Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908. I wasn't sure I'd ever see either in my lifetime.
Here's hoping everyone has a safe New Year's Eve and a wonderful 2017.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Conversations with Lucifer
When most people think of the devil, they picture a large
red-skinned fanged demon with a pitchfork.
The balding, chunky middle-aged man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and
smelling like stale coffee didn’t match the image. And yet…
“Why are we having this conversation?” I asked.
“I’m not selling you my soul.” I
don’t remember how we met, or how we ended up at the beverage station of some
local Barnes and Noble bookstore in Ohio- just that it was May of 2015.
“Your soul?” Lucifer
chuckled. “Nah, nah. You’re a middle-aged white male American
engineer. In terms of souls, you’re
pretty much a blue light special at K-Mart.
Not worth the effort.”
“Umm.. thanks?” I
said. OK, not the most brilliant of
responses- but what the hel… heck SHOULD I have said.
“Besides, I’m swamped.
Got plans for David Bowie, Muhammed Ali, Prince, Alice Rickman, Florence
Henderson… no time to go trolling, I’m afraid.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Wait
a second… all of those people are still alive.
You mean next year…”
He interrupted and waved his hand in front of my face. “Ah-ah.
No telling. In fact, after this
conversation you’re going to forget everything about this. It won’t last forever- maybe a year and a
half.”
I didn’t feel any different.
Maybe he was lying. Of course, all
this just came back to me now, so… “OK-
if you’re not trolling for souls, why are we talking?”
He grinned. “Cause I
feel like BRAGGING, son. 2016 is
definitely MY YEAR!” He punctuated the
last two words by pointing at himself. “I
mean, not only do a get a plethora of riches in terms of souls in 2016. But then the election… ah, the election…”
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, yeah- Clinton and Bush.
Sequels are all the rage.”
His grin was ear to ear, his eyes sparkled, and he drummed
his fingers on the table. I was reminded
of playing dungeons and dragons and looking at the GM right as we walked into a
trap. “Should I be congratulating you?” I asked.
“Probably. And I’m
feeling magnanimous. Haven’t had a year
so good planned in a long time, and I like to give back. Getting greedy leads to a backlash, you know.” He pointed a finger at me, “So I thought I’d
throw a bone. Pick out something to go
right.”
Pause.
“A cure for cancer.”
OK- maybe not the best answer.
But I was put on the spot, and it seemed like a safe answer that wouldn’t
have any backlash- don’t these type of deals ALWAYS have a backlash?
But he shook his head.
“No, no. Nothing real
important. Nothing that has any serious
impact on the world today. Something light,
fluffy… something that you can look back on 2016 on and smile about.” This time, the grin was more malicious. “Trust me- you’ll need it.”
Thinking over it so more.
“OK, fine. Cubs win the World
Series.”
He grimaced. “That is
one of my favorite curses. But I suppose
108 years is long enough. Done.”
“… and Cleveland wins a sports title.”
“Going for a two-fer, kid?”
He thought about it. “What the
hell. I’m in a glorious mood. Hell, I’ll even make it an epic win over a
dream team- get the people in California more reason to hate 2016.”
“… and the Browns…”
“Uh-uh.” He shook his
head and wagged his finger. “What did I
say about being greedy. In fact… that
one will cost you.”
He stretched and stood up.
I turned to pay for the hot tea. “All
right- time for me to get back to work.
Get out of here, kid. Forget this
happened. I’ll see you again in 2063.”
“Wait, what?” I
turned around- and his chair was empty, leaving behind a faint smell of strong coffee and brimstone.
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