The calm before or after the storm.

Alright, we are past the important part of NBA free agency (Lebron made this year huge and closely followed), and there are only a few not so important players to settle into new contracts. The World Cup is over, MLB is in the middle of the season, so nothing too exciting is happening yet, and football doesn't start for real for another 2 months or so. Depending on how you look at it, we are either on the precipice of getting some exciting sports event going, or we just passed through the eye of the storm and we are winding down now. As for me, I like to think of it as coming up for air before we are face deep in the greatest annual sports season ever, COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
This could be the year that a mid-major makes it to and possibly wins a national championship (Come on Boise State)! The repeat Heisman Trophy winner is back at it, ready to light up some chumps and knock out some fools. How will USC rebound and begin their post season suspension-plagued season? How will the Big 12 get along after all that turmoil and during their last season as we currently know them? There are a lot of questions to be answered and plenty of time left to ponder upon them even further. It seems that every season there is something worth getting excited about and watching as it progresses. Here are my predictions: Boise State will beat Virginia Tech for the season opener in Maryland, go undefeated, only to be left out of the national championship game. They will play Oregon State in the Rose Bowl (a repeat of a regular-season game at Bronco Stadium, Broncos win both). USC has a decent season and goes 9 and 3, still claiming innocence to the NCAA allegations. The Big 12 does fine, just as expected, and then cries itself to sleep, licking it's wounds after the season, trying to think of ways to rebuild their once proud conference. Ryan Mallet of Arkansas wins the Heisman Trophy as that school has a good season and puts up ridiculous offensive numbers. Alabama will play Ohio State and Alabama will repeat as BCS national champions. Virginia Tech will beat Iowa in the Orange Bowl. LSU will beat Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. Oklahoma will beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl (finally breaking Bob Stoops out of his funk of losing bowl games). From the WAC and other non-AQ schools, Idaho has a 6 and 7 season, and plays some terrible team from the MAC (Toledo, maybe?) in the Humanitarian Bowl (again), Utah beats Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl, BYU beats Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl (their like 6th win in a row in that bowl game), Nevada beats Central Florida in the Hawaii, and the rest of the conference sucks really bad (still). UCLA beats Nebraska in the Poinsettia Bowl. The rest of the bowl games aren't all that interesting, but I will watch them anyway because I am a college football gomer. We will see what happens and how accurate I am. I am as giddy as a school girl!

and the winner is...

Well it has been a while since I posted anything and as you all know, my World Cup dream has not come true. Not the scoring a goal dream (we all have that one, right?), but the Argentina vs. Brazil dream. The Netherlands knocked out the Brazilians and their "beautiful game" and Germany punched and pounded Argentina into submission. As it turns out, you need to play a little defense in the World Cup. Crazy, huh? But I think that we fútbol fans are in for a real treat this Sunday. You sure can't go wrong with Spain vs. Netherlands. Whichever nation wins, it will be their first ever World Cup title. Spain seems to always find a way to win, and the Dutch may just be the team of destiny. I feel that the Spanish are going to take it, but don't quote me on that. I may or may not have struck out when it comes to World Cup predictions. The point is, the game should be a lot of fun and we will find out who gets the Golden Boot (top scorer in the tournament). It will be either David Villa or Wesley Sneijder.
Back in the homeland, LeBron James announces who he will play for next season. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see him, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade playing in Miami together, I am just sick of the media coverage (ESPN...) and them slaughtering the story into a stain on the floor. I couldn't tell you how many montages of James dunking I have seen streaming across my television. It's getting really annoying. LeBron, stop holding the NBA and the media hostage and just make a decision. Don't drag it out, don't make a huger deal out of it than it has to be, and just tell us and go play. Your brand needs you to win, not just talk about wanting to win. Put your money where your mouth is.