SABR Convention 1/31/26

 Today I went to a SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) convention at Immaculata University in Chester County, Pennsylvania. I had a fun experience that I'd like to share with you all.

We got there a little later than everyone else. The first presentation was about the 1976 MLB All-Star Game held in Philadelphia, and the presenter talked about the All-Stars in that game that played on the Phillies, as well as the game itself. I enjoyed the presentation. After that, they asked some questions about the biggest MLB moments before 1976. Moments included Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, Babe Ruth's called shot, and Hank Aaron's 715th home run, which I correctly guessed! I was very proud of myself, and the people that were there were impressed.

Afterwards, Robby Incmikowski, former sideline reporter for the Minnesota Twins, came to promote his new book, Sacred Grounds. He talked a little about his time as a reporter, meeting celebrities, seeing beautiful ballparks, and the inspiration for the book title. He sold his book at the end of his talk, and I bought a copy.

Finally, the people there put on the trailer/first episode of Richard Allen's new documentary, My Father, Dick Allen. I was surprised it took so long for Dick Allen to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and very sad that he wasn't there to see it. I was also mad that Phillies fans were so terrible to him. I am glad he was able to escape that situation. I feel as though he was one of the best players never to win a World Series. After the episode, Richard Allen, Dick's son, was there and answered questions from the audience. He's a great guy, and I am glad he was able to make this documentary.

That was my experience at SABR. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I am so excited for baseball season to start.

Super Bowl 60 predictions

 Super Bowl 60 is here, and so it's time to predict who will win it. Let's do a breakdown of both teams' seasons, and how they got here, before we get into the game itself.

The Seahawks had a 10-7 record last year, but missed out on the playoffs. They had a busy offseason, spending over $200 million in free agency. They spent $100 million on a new quarterback, Sam Darnold. They traded their original starter, Geno Smith, to the Raiders. They signed wide receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency. They drafted Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori. They hired Clint Kubiak as offensive coordinator. Despite the busy off-season, many analysts (myself included) expected them to have a mediocre season. They defied the odds, going 14-3 and claiming the number 1 seed in the NFC. Darnold had a terrific season, with 4,518 yards and 29 touchdowns. Kenneth Walker had 1,205 yards on the ground, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had almost 2,000 receiving yards. The defense was one of the best in the league, allowing 17 points per game. They throttled the 49ers in the divisional round, 44-6, and then faced the Rams in the NFC Championship. They won in a thriller, 31-27, to advance to their first Super Bowl in 11 years. Can the defense shut down the Patriots? We'll see.

The Patriots were 3-13 entering the last week and had the number 1 pick, but they beat the Bills to cost them Travis Hunter. They fired their head coach, Jerod Mayo, and replaced him with Mike Vrabel, who played for them in the 2000s and won Super Bowls with them. They spent $280 million in free agency on players like Stefon Diggs and Milton Williams. They drafted Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson. However, they were only expected to win 8 games. They blew that out of the water. The Patriots went 14-3, winning the AFC East, and earning the #2 seed. Drake Maye had a tremendous season, with 4,927 yards and 35 touchdowns. The defense was great, allowing 18.8 points per game. In the Wild Card, they beat the Chargers 16-3, absolutely stifling the LA offense. Then they picked off CJ Stroud 4 times in the Divisional, beating the Texans 28-16. Finally, they beat the Denver Broncos in a snowy, ugly, 10-7 game in the AFC Championship to advance to their first Super Bowl in 7 years. The defense honestly carried the team throughout the playoffs. Drake Maye wasn't that good during their run so far. 

Now for my predictions. I think this'll be a solid game. But ultimately I think it'll be 30-24 Seahawks. I just think they're a more complete team than the Patriots are. And I think they have more of an identity. I'm just glad I got the matchup right. I hope it's a good game. Thank you all for spending time with me this season. I really appreciate it.

Mike Tomlin resigns from head coaching job with Steelers

 Mike Tomlin has announced that he is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 years. Tomlin led the Steelers to 13 playoff appearances, 8 AFC North championships, 3 AFC Championship appearances, 2 Super Bowl appearances, and 1 Super Bowl win (Super Bowl 43). Tomlin leaves after his 7th straight loss in the playoffs, tying Marvin Lewis for the most in history. Many Pittsburgh fans wanted him gone for a while, and some are happy that he is. 

I'm not a Steelers fan, but I have seen many Steelers fans, and so many of them were thinking the same thing, which is that he hadn't evolved in years, and that his teams were predictable and boring. So many Steelers teams since 2017-18 had the same look. A terrible offense that was carried by a stellar offense. Now, I'm not implying that Tomlin was a bad coach, not by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just saying that he's very....bland. His best days are behind him and we have seen that over the years. While I do think changes needed to be made, I am sad to see him go. He was fun to watch in his prime. Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, those were guys that were fun to watch in the 2010s. Those were teams that I liked very much.

The Steelers will now look for their 4th coach since 1969. Who will it be? I'm excited to find out.

2025-26 NFL Playoff predictions

 The 2026 NFL playoffs are finally here! Hard to believe it's already come to this point. I will be doing my full predictions on who will reach the Super Bowl. Let's get into it. Before I start, last week I went 9-7, bringing my final prediction record to 171-100-1. I've had a pretty good season, and let's see if I can continue it.

 NFC Wild Card

(5) Rams vs (4) Panthers- Panthers win 23-20

The Rams, coming into this season, had a realistic chance at the Super Bowl after winning the NFC West and a playoff game. They started off the season on fire, and Matthew Stafford was an MVP favorite. Then things went south in the final month. The Rams lost back-to-back games to the Seahawks and Falcons and blew their shot at the division title. They won their last game to clinch the 5 seed, but there are questions entering the playoffs. The Panthers had a 5-12 season last year, but there was reason to have hope. Bryce Young looked better, but could he take the next step? The answer was yes. Young had over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns, both career highs. The Panthers went 8-9, but they won the NFC South and made the playoffs, becoming the 3rd team this decade to make the playoffs with a losing record. So, it may come as a surprise that I'm picking them, but they beat the Rams at home in November, so why can't they do it again?

(6)49ers vs Eagles- Eagles win 34-27

The 49ers had a rough year last year, riddled with injuries and bad play. They reclaimed Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator, and the defense has looked noticeably better under him. Even though the Niners have still been riddled with injuries, they've found a way to win. That's the most important thing. They can hang with anybody, and it doesn't matter who's playing for them. The Eagles are the defending champions, and people expected them to run over the league this year, too. They're a damn good team, but they've got question marks. Especially on offense. The offense usually only plays one half of competent football. I love Jalen Hurts, but there have been times where he hasn't been playing his best football. Kevin Patullo is not a good offensive coordinator. The defense has been great though, stifling offenses all over the league. Vic Fangio's a fantastic defensive coordinator. Although Nick Sirianni has gotten some (undeserving) criticism from Eagles fans, he's never missed the playoffs, and for that he should get some damn respect on his name. I wouldn't be surprised if the Niners won this, but I can't go against my Birds.

(7) Packers vs (2)Bears- Packers win 30-28

The oldest rivalry in football has a new chapter. The Packers traded for Micah Parsons a week before the season began, and he had a fantastic season before tearing his ACL in week 15. The team as a whole has dealt with some injuries, including to Jordan Love. The team has won in spite of it though. Not recently, however, as they're on a 4-game losing streak entering the playoffs. Jordan Love is coming back after suffering a concussion last time these two teams met, and there is some concern there, as he might be rusty. The Bears had low expectations entering this year. Although they hired Ben Johnson, there were still questions surrounding Caleb Williams. They started 0-2, and the questions were everywhere. Are they gonna suck this year? No! The Bears finished 11-6 and won the NFC North for the first time in 7 years. Williams had the most single-season passing yards in Bears history, and Johnson is a candidate for Coach of the Year. Now, you might be wondering, if you're saying these fantastic things about the Bears, why are you picking against them? Well, to be honest, I could see this going either way. But historically, the Packers have owned the Bears. I'm not sure if I see that stopping.

AFC Wild Card

(5) Texans vs (4) Steelers-Texans win 35-28

The Texans entered this season as the back-to-back AFC South champions. They had a regression last year, and there was reason to believe this wouldn't be a great season for them. They had a slow start, and many people had doubts as to whether this would be a good year. They were 3-5 halfway through the year, but won their last 9 games to punch their ticket to the playoffs. CJ Stroud had a hell of a year. Though he missed a few weeks with a concussion, he came back and was solid. The defense was stout and impressive, only allowing 30 points or more once, in the final game of the year. The offense has some questions, but the defense is damn good. As for the Steelers, it was business as usual. They blew the AFC North title to the Ravens, and then promptly got their ass kicked by them in the Wild Card. Then they had a busy offseason, signing Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Darius Slay. They started off well, going 4-1. Then they were 6-6 at the end of November, but finished 4-1 to clinch the AFC North.  They beat their bitter rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, after the Ravens missed a game-winning field goal attempt. Rodgers has looked solid in his potential final season. The defense has looked stout, and although TJ Watt has been injured, he's still making an impact. I am taking the Texans because for some reason, I just don't trust the Steelers. Not sure why.

(6) Bills vs (3) Jaguars- Bills win 30-27

The Bills were expected to romp through the AFC East. They had the reigning MVP, Josh Allen, and one of the best offenses in football. The question was: Could they get past the Chiefs? Turns out they didn't even have to worry about the Chiefs. They started out 4-0, although some of their wins weren't the prettiest. Then they lost the next 2 games. But they then went on a winning streak and now they're 12-5. Allen has had a solid year, and although he's not lighting the league on fire, he's still impressive. He's been playing good football, and that's needed to win football games. The Jaguars hired Liam Coen, who was the Buccaneer's offensive coordinator last year. He took over a team desperate for a good season, and they got one. Trevor Lawrence was a mediocre quarterback, and he needed to take the next step. He did. The former #1 pick had over 4000 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was elite this year and the defense was very good as well, only allowing over 30 points twice. I am going to take the Bills, though, because the Jags haven't faced an offense like this yet.

(7) Chargers vs (2) Patriots- Patriots win 28-24

The Chargers made the playoffs last year, but got curb-stomped in Houston in round 1. They had a solid off-season, bolstering their offense and offensive line. Lots of people, myself included, wondered if Justin Herbert could get over the hump. So far, he has been good, but not great. He's got 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Ladd McConkey has been their best receiver, with 789 yards and 6 touchdowns. The defense has been solid as well. Jim Harbaugh's a good coach. They're going to have their hands full against the Patriots. Everyone thought the Patriots were dead. They were 4-13, and choked away the number 1 pick, so many people had low hopes for them. But they were busy in the offseason, bolstering their offense, and making their defense a little better too. They hired Mike Vrabel as head coach and Josh McDaniels to run their offense. All this work led to success. The Pats started 1-2, but won their next 10 games to get to 11-2, and finished the season 14-3. Drake Maye had a phenomenal sophomore season, with 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns. The offense has been on fire, and one of the best in the game. The defense has been mediocre, but with an offense like that, it's hard not to win. If the Chargers get off to a hot start, I see them winning, but if not, I'm going with the Patriots.

NFC Divisional

 Panthers vs Eagles- Eagles win 28-17

If this matchup happens, it'll be a rematch of the 2003 NFC Championship. I don't think this will be much of a contest. Eagles win.

 Packers vs (1) Seahawks- Seahawks win 27-10

The Seahawks were projected to have a mediocre season after signing Sam Darnold. The defense wasn't expected to do much. They proved everyone wrong by going 14-3 and being the #1 seed in the NFC. Darnold had over 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was efficient and a game manager. The team around him was quite good. The defense has been lights out, and I don't think any team in the NFC can stop them. 

AFC Divisional 

Texans vs Patriots- Patriots win 30-23

This would be a 2016 AFC Divisional rematch. The Patriots won that game, and I see them winning this game, because I don't think Drake Maye can be stopped.

Bills vs (1) Broncos- Broncos win 34-27

The Broncos made the playoffs last year as the 7th seed, and got blown out in Buffalo. They helped out their offense in the offseason, by getting Evan Engram, and helped their defense by getting Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga. Things clicked in Bo Nix's second season, as he took a hell of a leap, with 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns. The defense was as scary as ever, and Sean Payton is back and better than ever. This would be a hell of a game. I am going to take the Broncos because it is in Denver. 

NFC Championship

Eagles vs Seahawks- Seahawks win 28-20

Ok, hear me out. I picked the Eagles to lose in the NFC Championship game last year, and they won the Super Bowl. So what if I do it again?

AFC Championship

Patriots vs Broncos- Patriots win 32-28

I just think Drake Maye is too good right now to lose. I've gotta take him.

And here we are. Super Bowl 60. A rematch of Super Bowl 49. Will history repeat itself?

Super Bowl LX

(A2) Patriots vs (N1) Seahawks- Patriots win 31-24

Super Bowl MVP- Drake Maye  

I think so. The Patriots are back. Laugh it up while you can.

Those are my predictions for the playoffs this year. I have enjoyed writing them throughout the year, and I hope you have enjoyed reading them.

Las Vegas Raiders fire Pete Carroll

 The Las Vegas Raiders have announced that they are firing head coach Pete Carroll after only one season. The Raiders had a 3-14 season, and they have the first overall pick in the draft in April. Carroll was head coach of the Seattle Seahawks for 13 years, where he won Super Bowl 48. He took a break from coaching last year, before being hired by the Raiders, and led them to a 3-14 record. The Raiders general manager, John Spytek, will stay in his role. 

This isn't very surprising, but it's always a big deal when a former Super Bowl champion gets fired. Carroll wasn't calling good plays. He trusted Chip Kelly, one of the worst coaches in recent memory, to run the offense. The Raiders on-field product was a disaster, and the fans are unhappy with the results. They deserve better, and Carroll wasn't getting the job done. I understand why they're firing him, but it's big news, because of how legendary he is. 

The Raiders have options as for who to hire. They could promote a coordinator, they could hire someone from outside the organization, they could do a lot of things. We'll see what happens.

Stefon Diggs faces assault and strangulation accusations

 New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs was accused of assault and strangulation on Wednesday. Diggs committed this offense on December 2, but the accuser didn't tell the police until December 16. The accuser claimed that she was working as a private chef when Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and talked to her about money owed to her. He then proceeded to smack her across the face, and choke her with his elbow around her neck. She claimed she hadn't been paid, but Diggs did not believe her. She filed charges against Diggs on December 22. Diggs denied the accusations. The Patriots and NFL are aware of these accusations, and both declined to comment.

This story is fucking insane. Diggs had no reason to do any of this. And honestly, it's a miracle how they didn't cut his ass, and that they support him. I didn't have any reason to dislike him until this moment, but now I do. If this is true, his career will have been destroyed. There's no reason to have someone like this on your team. There really isn't. He's a cancer and a diva. The Texans must be relieved to have him off their team, as he was let go in the offseason. Until further notice, Stefon Diggs has lost all respect from me. We'll see what happens with him, but if this is true, ohhh boy.