Category Archives: Predictions

by dpscansen | January 13, 2011 · 11:48 pm

2010 Predictions Champion–Dan!

In 2010, I posted the good guys’ predictions for the Mariners and MLB season, as well as the Huskies and NCAA football season. And what good are predictions if there is no follow up? So I compiled the results. I have only included the predictions that we got correct, to spare us the humiliation. I also awarded points so as to find a winner. Of course my fellow good guys will argue that my points system strategically favors me. While there may be some truth to this, I think the fact is that I am just the best predictor, plain and simple.

I would like to point out that all 4 of us correctly predicted the AL and NL Cy young award winners, which is quite impressive. In the not so impressive category, we guessed the Mariners would finish with 94, 92, 89, and 88 wins. So we were all about 30 wins off. Also, Joe had Mike Stoops as conference coach of the year, Andrew had Stanford finishing 5-4 in the Pac-10, Matthew had Texas winning the Big-12, and I had Jacorey Harris as a Heisman finalist. You win some, you lose some.

Continue to see the results!
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by dpscansen | September 4, 2010 · 1:38 pm

Good Guys’ 2010-11 NCAA FB Predictions

A layman’s preview of The World Cup

The World Cup

I freely admit I am not an expert at soccer. I don’t play now, didn’t play when I was a kid. I am a basketball, football, baseball guy. That said I have grown to like and appreciate soccer over the past few years, and for as long as I can remember have always enjoyed watching the World Cup. The 1994 WC in the United States had a profound impact on me as a fan: I was hooked.

So with the latest WC tourney just a week away I thought I would put together a preview. I know many readers of this blog know way more than I when it comes to futbol, so please chime in if I am out to lunch on some of my predictions.

One thing to note: There have been some pretty significant injuries lately, namely: Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast, England captain Rio Ferdinand, 2006 Final Man of the Match Andrea Pirlo of Italy and German captain Michael Ballack. These injuries do change the landscape some, especially Drogba. But overall I will try and predict based on the teams as a whole and not just one player being gone. As well, I am only looking at who will come out of the various groups.

GROUP A: Host country South Africa probably isn’t too pleased to be seeded with perennial WC entrants Mexico, France and Uruguay. South Africa will have an entire nation behind them to advance to the knock out stage. The problem is Mexico and France will advance. Even though both sides are weak coming into the Cup, I just don’t see them floundering. 1st: (LES BLEUS) FRANCE 2nd: (EL TRI) MEXICO

GROUP B: To me this group is clear cut. Argentina is a odds on favorite for good reason. Messi and Milito are flat out masterful. Milito’s performance in the Champions League Final was one for the ages. I am simply in love with Argentina. The problem lies with their head coach, the (in)famous Diego Maradona who continues to tinker with his lineup. The Nigeria Super Eagles will challenge for this groups title, but ultimately finish second. South Korea and “The Pirate Ship” Greece just don’t have the talent to hang. 1st: (ALBICELESTE) ARGENTINA 2nd: (SUPER EAGLES) NIGERIA

GROUP C: All eyes will be on this group, and for good reason, anything could happen. USA v England will get all the hype this Saturday, but I like the “other” two sides here, Algeria and Slovenia. Algeria is unpredictable, but talented, and able to score in bunches. Plus they are technically on home soil. Slovenia beat Russia to qualify for the Cup, and have an all world keeper in Samir Zmajceki. Because of these factors, these sides will give England and USA problems. Expect great matches here. Ultimately talent wins out though. 1st: (THE THREE LIONS) ENGLAND 2nd: (THE YANKS) UNITED STATES

GROUP D: A quasi “Group of Death”, this group is packed to the gills with solid sides. Without question, Germany is the favorite here. Even with skipper Michael Ballack on the shelf, the Germans are tremendously talented. Klose and Schweinsteiger are all world. As much as I like The Black Stars of Ghana, I don’t see them coming from this group. “Beli Orlovi” aka Serbia could shock here. I think this group comes down to the Aussies and Serbs, with Australia coming out ahead. 1st: (DIE MANNSCHAFT) GERMANY 2nd: (THE SOCCEROOS) AUSTRALIA

GROUP E: This is probably the clearest group to predict. I think The Dutch are the clear favorites here, I have them in my final. They are creative, tested and united. After them, I love Cameroon. They play with flair and aggression, plus being on home soil will help here. Japan and Denmark are outclassed, will ultimately not advance. This one is a no-brainer. 1st: (ORANJE) NETHERLANDS 2nd: (THE INDOMITABLE LIONS) CAMEROON

GROUP F: This is an odd group. Defending champs Italy lead, but are aging. Paraguay seems to be in the Cup each time, but have yet to make a splash. Slovakia is a mystery, with some talent, and New Zealand is clearly the worst team in the field (is their rugby team playing???)! I feel like my selections here are somewhat of a cop out. I want to go with an upset, but the group is so weak I just have to take the Italians based solely on reputation. Paraguay make finally make noise in the knock out stage. 1st: (AZZURRI) ITALY 2nd: (LA ALBIRROJA) PARAGUAY

GROUP G: Ok, here is the REAL “Group of Death”. Legit mega sides Brazil and Portugal, along with Ivory Coast make up a murderers row of telent and execution. Poor North Korea doesn’t stand a chance. Some of the worlds biggest stars reside in this group: Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Pato, Diego, Gervinho, Drogba. Amazing talent pool. Clearly the Brazillians are the favorites here, a ridiculous amount of talent, these guys are a pure joy to watch. Between Portugal and Ivory Coast, I like The Elephants here. Even with Drogba injury (he may play with a broken arm), Ivory Coast is much more balanced than Portugal, who essentially are a one man army. I think most will take Portugal here just because of Ronaldo, but futbol is a team sport, Ivory Coast advances (plus, again, the “home soil” element plays in here…). 1st (SELECAO) BRAZIL 2nd: (THE ELEPHANTS) IVORY COAST

GROUP H: Set your DVRs to record EVERY game in this group. I am predicting high scoring, entertaining matches to permeate. Spain is the world’s #1 with Xavi and Villa leading the way. Chile is super aggressive and Honduras loves to run and gun, at the expense of defense. The Swiss made a nice run in 2006 with strong defense. The Swiss could shock here simply because of their defensive mindset. I just don’t think they have the offense to compete. Of course Spain comes out of this group, and I really like Chile to advance and possibley cause major problems in the knock out stage. 1st: (LA FURA ROJA) SPAIN 2nd: (LA ROJA) CHILE

Here is how I see the knock out stage, Round of 16 shaping up. I will predict based on the brackets groupings. Group winners play second-place teams from opposing group.

1A/2B 1C/2D GROUP: I really think England gets a great draw here. Clearly the most talented side in this bracket. Nigeria over France and England over Australia. England over Nigeria to advance to Semi Finals.

1E/2F 1G/2H GROUP: Brazil will come out of this bracket, but a quarterfinals rumble with The Dutch is must see TV. Netherlands over Paraguay and Brazil over Chile. Brazil over Orange to advance to Semi Finals.

1D/2C 1B/2A: I like Argentina to come out of this group over a talented German side. Too much offense in Argentina. Germany over United States and Argentina over Mexico. Argentina over Germany to Advance to Semi Finals.

1F/2E 1H/2G: Here Spain will finally advance and live up to expectations, but not before Ivory Coast and Cameroon press them to the limit. Cameroon over Italy and Spain over Ivory Coast. Spain over Cameroon to advance to Semi Finals.

SEMI FINALS: The amazing pool of talent in the Final Four will be a spectacle. England and Brazil on one side, Argentina and Spain on the other. If you are a sports fan with a pulse, you will watch these matches. As much as I want to see England advance, Brazil is too much. The hype will be amazing, but Brazil will dominate England (who will advance to the Semi’s more on the ease of draw rather than brute strength). Argentina v Spain is a battle-royale. So much talent, passion, I am simply going with my gut here and taking Messi/Milito and the Argentines. Spain is great, and very well could advance to win the whole thing. Again, gut reaction here.

FINAL: BRAZIL V. ARGENTINA: An all South American final will pit the two most talented sides against each other in a spectacle of soccer talent. Somehow I like Argentina here only because I am simply in love with Messi/Milito. The Brazilian talent is unmatched, and they are cool under pressure, but Argentina has the two best players who have a flair for the dramatic, plus Maradona is there to lend a helping hand if necessary (hey oh!). Argentina over Brazil in an epic final.

–Joe

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Tagged as Argentina, Brazil, Messi, Milito, soccer, South Africa, World Cup

by dpscansen | April 22, 2010 · 10:28 am

NFL Draft — Seahawks Preview

I’ll admit, I am a sucker for the NFL draft. It’s a top 5 sporting event for me. I know lots of people don’t understand the hype, and so many of these first-rounders turn into busts, but for me, it’s a holiday. A lot of people must agree, because the draft has exploded into must-see TV, which is why it is now a prime time event beginning this Thursday evening. If anyone asks me why I care so much about a bunch of rookies being drafted, getting boat loads of money, and often not living up to the hype, my answer is simple. In 3 days, my favorite NFL team is going to add roughly 10 players, and it is entirely possible that 3 or 4 could be immediate starters. That doesn’t happen in other sports. So, if you are as excited as me, and the Seahawks are your team, perhaps you’re interested in knowing who the future stars of Seattle might be. Let’s take a look at the Hawks draft.

Needs (in order)-

1- Offensive tackle: This is the most obvious, glaring need for Seattle. Walter Jones will likely announce his retirement in the coming weeks, leaving Ray Willis and Sean Locklear as the starting tackles. The Hawks, and especially Tim Ruskell, got burned last year by not addressing the offensive line with the 4th pick. This team is rebuilding and if Hasselbeck is to stay healthy, he needs left tackle protection.
2- Defensive end: Not far behind the need for a left tackle is the need for an impact pass rusher. The Seahawks were horrible at getting to the quarterback last year, tallying just 28 sacks. The Seahawks best ends from last year, Patrick Kerney (retirement) and Darryl Tapp (trade) are gone, leaving a gaping hole at the position. If the season started tomorrow, your starting defensive ends would most likely be Chris Clemons and Lawrence Jackson…ouch.
3- Safety: The Seahawks defense is in better shape than the offense, but safety is definitely a concern. Seattle released Deion Grant recently, leaving Jordan Babineaux and Jamar Adams as the top starting candidates. Seattle hasn’t had a good secondary since 2005, and a big reason could be that they haven’t drafted a safety since Ken Hamlin in 2003, and have instead opted to fill the position through free agency. (i.e. Brian Russell, Deion Grant, Lawyer Milloy)
4- Running Back/Wide Receiver: Anyone who has watched Seattle the last couple years can see this team desperately needs a game breaker, someone who can score on any given down. Burleson was the closest thing to this, but he is in Detroit now. Many thought Seattle would acquire Brandon Marshall to be the playmaker this offense desires, but Miami won his services. Players like Julius Jones, Justin Forsett, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh can all be solid contributors at the skill position, but none provide the true #1 talent that puts fear into opponents. (i.e. Chris Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson)

Notable Picks- and more after the jump! Continue reading →

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Tagged as Anthony Davis, Bryan Bulaga, CJ Spiller, Derrick Morgan, Dez White, Earl Thomas, Eric Berry, Jimmy Clausen, John Schneider, NFL draft, Pete Carroll, Russell Okung, Seahawks, Taylor Mays, Trent Williams

by Joe Loughery | April 16, 2010 · 7:37 pm

NBA Playoffs Preview

Because this blog originates out of the greater Seattle area, I fully expect many of our home town readers to scoff at an NBA preview post in light of the fact our beloved Sonics no longer exist, and many folks have boycotted the NBA or simply don’t care. I understand, far be it from me to tell any Seattle sports fan how to feel about the NBA. If you are sideways about the whole situation, feel free to be mad, I won’t stop you. Myself, on the other hand, still love the NBA and follow it all year. I am a basketball junkie, so I naturally gravitate to the NBA. Even though the entire Sonics situation was a massive fail on all sides (except the fans, please, don’t even begin the blame the fans for them leaving. If you do, you lose all credibility with me…), I still think the NBA game is exciting and worth talking and writing about, hence, an NBA playoff preview!

Kobe and the Lakers will come out of the West.

Western Conference: Overall I like the Lakers to come out of the west. If Andrew Bynum can get healthy and play valuable minutes, it will help Phil Jackson balance minutes between Bynum and Gasol, who is much more effective with Bynum on the floor. There isn’t a 4 in the league that can deal with the match-up problems Gasol presents. Who can contend with LA? To my eyes, only Dallas. I love Dirk Nowitzki. He has had an amazing year, and has the best supporting cast since they lost to Miami in the Finals a few years ago. I really like Denver, Utah and Phoenix if they stand alone, but I don’t like how any of them match up with the Lakers. Dallas has size in the middle to deal with the LA bigs, and no one can guard Dirk, so I give Dallas a punchers chance verses LA, but ultimately the Lakers come out of the West.

Series by series picks:

Lakers vs. Zombie Sonics – Lakers in 5. I think the ZS will get maybe one at home in the dustbowl, but other than that the Lakers will win with ease…

Mavericks vs. Spurs – Mavericks in 7. Yeah, this one is going seven. The Spurs could make a run, but I just don’t think they have the depth the Mavs do, and ultimately Dallas with wear down the aging trio of Duncan/Ginobili/Parker.

Suns vs. Blazers – Suns in 5. Look, this is simple: Brandon Roy will not play in this series, the Blazers have no chance. I like the Suns anyway, so this one is easy. Too bad, I think Rip City could have been amazing this season if 4 of their 5 starters didn’t all suffer major injuries this season. Nate McMillian is COY.

Nuggets vs. Jazz – Jazz in 7. The absence of George Karl has been huge for Denver, they have not played well over the past month, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be back soon (maybe round 2). I like Jerry Sloan’s experience here and I really like what Utah brings. Deron Williams is a superstar, Boozer is solid down low, they have a solid roster of role players that get the job done. The Jazz struggle on the road, but if they can steal one in Denver, look for the Jazz to move on.

LeBron and the Cavs? Yeah, they'll be in the Finals

Eastern Conference: As opposed to the West, the East is a little more wide open, even though most experts have Cleveland rolling through the playoffs. Don’t sleep on Orlando or Atlanta. I don’t like Boston out of the east for a myriad of reasons (older roster, lack of cohesion on offense, ‘Sheed slacking off on both ends of the floor, Doc Rivers’ lack of consistency in his rotation, etc…). The problem for Orlando and Atlanta is they will play in the 2nd round, beat the crap out of each other, then get (I think) a rested and refueled Cavs team in the Eastern finals. Bummer. Would have liked to see ATL or ORL draw Cleveland in the 2nd round, then get the other in the conference finals… I like Cleveland strictly for the reason above: They have a much easier draw.

The picks in the East!!

Cavaliers vs. Bulls – Cavs in 4. Yes, a sweep. I think the Cavs come out focused and determined to make this a quick and painless series. Look for Shaq to struggle to start, but LeBron will dominate. I do think Derrick Rose will play above the rim, look for him to have some amazing highlights.

Magic vs. Bobcats – Magic in 6. Whaaaaat? The Bobcats in the playoffs? Yes folks, Larry Brown worked some series magic (no pun intended) in the Queen City this year. Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace have been beasts all year long, carrying a young team. All that said, I don’t think the Cats have an answer for Dwight Howard. Look for Howard to dominate, and Carter to light it up from outside. Plus, I like Orlando’s defense slightly better that Charlotte. I think this will be a great series.

Hawks vs. Bucks – Hawks in 5. This is similar to the Suns/Blazers in the west: If the Bucks had Andrew Bogut healthy, I would be tempted to take the Bucks in a shocker, but without the big Aussie, I don’t think Milwaukee can deal with the Hawks down low. I love the Hawks talent, I think Al Horford could blow up in this series. Too much pressure on a very talented Brandon Jennings to carry the Bucks. As much as I would love to see the amazingly epic “Fear the Deer” slogan ride into the 2nd round, no chance without Bogut.

Celtics vs. Heat – Heat in 7. This is my crazy, one man army pick. My mind says take Boston, they are clearly a better team, more experience, probably better coaching. But my heart is with Flash, Dwayne Wade. This is simple: Dwayne Wade will channel his amazing playoff ride from 2006 and drop roughly 35-40 each night, maybe a 50 pointer in there somewhere, and he’ll carry Miami to the 2nd round. I know it’s nuts, but I just like the juju on this one.

So in the Finals we’ll finally get the Kobe vs. LeBron match up we’ve all wanted. I like the Cavs here. This is the year for LeBron. He has a supporting cast capable of winning, I think they have a great draw in the east, and LA will be bruised and battered heading into the Finals. Look for LeBron to carry Cleveland to victory, along with Jamison and Williams, both of whom are great x-factors. I think Mo Williams has a great playoff run. He was terrible last season in the post season, so he’ll right the ship here.

Here’s to a great playoff season!

–Joe

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Tagged as Cleveland Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Playoffs, Pau Gasol, Seattle SuperSonics