Got your ear plugs ready? Here. We. Go.
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These were the predictions I threw out there prior to the 2009-2010 football season. I called them
Winkler's "Meaty" Pigskin Picks. And if you were lucky enough to gobble them up, you probably haven't felt so full and satisfied since that last trip to
Fogo de Chao.
I'll be the first to admit that my picks weren't exactly perfect. But haven't we grown a little
tired of perfection? Join me as I look back at some of my predictions, starting with a few I should have
deleted in November put a little more thought into.
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PREDICTION: Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, & Tim Tebow will be joined at the Heisman Trophy ceremony by another quarterback. That 4th QB will finish 4th in the voting.
Oops. Who knew that Bradford's AC joint would make a tin foil look durable or that they would give the Heisman to a guy that rushed for less than 100 yards against daunting defenses like Florida International, North Texas, & Arkansas?
PREDICTION: This will be Dan Hawkins' final season at Colorado.
Sorry. Who knew that back-to-back 2-and-6 conference seasons is enough to keep your job?
PREDICTION: Notre Dame will play in a BCS game.
Wow. I have nothing to say here. I'm embarrassed for myself, my family, and my two dogs. Hey, Notre Dame's new coach's old team played in a BCS game. Does that count? Yah, I didn't think so.
PREDICTION: The Big 12 will send more teams to bowl games than any other conference, but those teams will combine to have a losing record in Bowl Games.
Not TOO far off. Only the SEC (10) sent more teams to bowls than the Big 12 (8). But the Big 12 was 4-and-4 in its bowl games, and my Southwestern University education taught me that 4-and-4 ain't no losing record.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M will finish last in the Big 12 South division but will go 6-and-6 overall and play in a bowl game.
Half right. The Aggies DID go 6-and-6, AND play in a bowl game. But thanks to 4-and-8 Baylor, Texas A&M did NOT finish last in the Big 12 South.
PREDICTION: Central Texas will have a UIL state football champion for the first time in the 37 months I've been here. But that team will NOT be undefeated. The week-to-week competition in this area is too good.
Almost. And in case you forgot, close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, slow dancing, & pre-season internet football prognostications. As I predicted, Goldthwaite rolled to the Class 1A state championship. However, the Eagles did it with a perfect 15-and-0 record - something I said would NOT happen.
PREDICTION: The Texas vs OU game on October 17th will go into overtime for just the 2nd time ever in 104 meetings. Don't forget, in 1996, Texas LOST the game and went on to win the Big 12 title.
I was in the neighborhood, I just didn't have my GPS with me. The Horns beat OU 16-13 in the closest Red River Rivalry game since 1995.
PREDICTION: UMHB will lose an ASC game for the first time since 2005. At HSU on Oct 3rd but exact revenge on the Cowboys in the playoffs, eliminate HSU, and make it to the D-III national title game.
We're getting a little warmer, now. As my crystal ball told me, the Cru DID lose their first ASC game since 2005. Unfortunately, it was NOT at the hands of Hardin-Simmons and UMHB did NOT reach the Division III national title game.
PREDICTION: The only NFL game played in Jerry's new stadium in the year 2010 (until next season starts) will be on Sunday January 3rd, as the Cowboys will make the postseason, but won't host a playoff game.
It's time to take that Snuggie off, these picks are really starting to heat up. Like I said, the Cowboys DID make the playoffs. However, as NFC East champions - the 'Boys hosted a playoff game at Cowboys Stadium, allowing Jerry to sell his $9.00 beers one more time.
PREDICTION: If Texans head coach Gary Kubiak does not finish with a record above .500 (for the fourth straight season), he will not be given the chance to make it five in a row in Houston next season.
Ding ding ding. The Houston Texans finished with a winning record (9-and-7) for the first time in franchise history. And Gary Kubiak WILL be back next season, to help guide the Texans on their ascent to the top of the NFL.
PREDICTION: This year's BCS buster will be a team we haven't seen in a BCS game before. So basically not Boise St, Utah, or Hawaii.
Hoo wah. Those Fightin' Frogs from TCU made me look good, by going 12-and-0 and reaching a BCS game for the first time. That whole looking good thing was apparently only good for 2009, because by the time the Horned Frogs actually played in the Fiesta Bowl, Boise State was far more "appealing".
PREDICTION: Tony Romo will start all 16 regular season games.
Yes. Not only did Tough Tony start all 16 games of the regular season, he even won a playoff game. And according to internet reports (which we know are ALWAYS confirmed), Romo might soon have another reason to celebrate.
PREDICTION: Lache Seastrunk will NOT play his college football at a school with a campus located on (or within 2 miles of) Interstate-35.
PREDICTION: At the end of the season, Baylor will have the same number of wins as Missouri has losses.
M-I-Z. I-AM-GOOD. Baylor's 2009 regular season record? 4-and-8. Missouri's 2009 regular season record? 8-and-4. Sic 'Em.
PREDICTION: Baylor, a program that has stayed relatively injury free after Sean Bell's knee problems, will lose a key player to injury for at least one game this season.
Who knew it was possible to feel really GOOD about a correct pick, yet really BAD at the same time? The Bears not only lost Robert Griffin III to a torn ACL in the third game of the season, but Baylor's Mikail Baker also tore his ACL (and meniscus, too) against Northwestern State. Sick 'Em.
PREDICTION: For the first time since Bobby Petrino left Louisville for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, a high-profile college coach will jump to the NFL.
Hot damn! Who saw THAT one coming? (Besides me, of course). When Pete Carroll decided to take his coaching career up the West coast and join the Seattle Seahawks, my picks were hotter than a stolen tamale. And then...things got REALLY spicy.
Drum roll, please...
PREDICTION: In a game seen right here on Channel 10, the New Orleans Saints beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in an all Black & Gold Super Bowl on Sunday February 7th. The Crescent City then proceeds to party in celebration for the six days. Then, Big Easy officials decide to replace the traditional Krewe of Endymion parade on Saturday February 13th with a Super Bowl victory parade through the streets of New Orleans. Laissez les bon ton roulet.
Who Dat say they can make better pigskin picks than me?!? Yes, THAT just happened. Way back on September 1st, I predicted that a franchise with ONE playoff victory all-time and ZERO Super Bowl appearances would go on to become World Champions. (So what if I picked them to beat the Steelers? Let's focus on the big stuff here, folks.)
Not even the wildest weekend on Bourbon Street will ever make me forget that I predicted that the "Who Dat Nation" to take over the football world. So while Drew Brees is going to Disney World, I'm opting for Disney LAND. That's MUCH closer to Las Vegas, and at this rate - I like my odds.
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