I’ve gotten a lot of predictions wrong these last couple of weeks.

I was wrong about the NBA Finals being must-see TV.

I was wrong picking the winners in Western B, C, and D baseball.

I was wrong about J.D. Drew in the leadoff spot.

I was wrong that every Bengal that was going to get arrested already has been.

I was wrong that the Yankees would cool off.

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I was wrong that the winner of the US Open wouldn’t be a chain smoker.

I was wrong to think Fenway fans would come up with something more original for Barry Bonds than giant syringes and asterisks.

I was wrong about “Knocked Up” and “Shrek 3” being can’t miss, hilarious movies.

I was wrong that A-Rod would leave baseball to become a male escort who randomly yells at people on the street.

I was wrong for saying Dustin Pedroia would be teaming with Sky Lo Lo for a handicap match against Gorilla Monsoon before he made a difference with the Red Sox.

I was wrong for doing that stuff, as Jason Giambi would say.

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But hey, I’m just sticking my neck out here. I don’t see any of you making predictions in ink, for thousands of eyes to witness and remember. I don’t recall any of you sending me an e-mail saying “Angel Cabrera smokes like a chimney, so he’s my guy.”

I don’t mind making predictions and being wrong a lot. I’m no different than the talking heads on ESPN or some Web site or the nightly programs on cable news. If any of us kept getting stuff right, we’d be in Vegas. We definitely wouldn’t be in the media. Where does it pay to always get stuff right in the media? The press? Tchyeah.

Believe it or not, predictions give us media folk credibility, especially if we’re wrong. That sounds the opposite of how it should be, but that’s how it is.

It’s weird. Take for example those high school football winners we predict each fall. If I pick Team A to win and Team A wins, nobody says anything to me about it. If I pick Team A to lose and Team A wins, people can’t stop reminding me about it.

Now remember, folks, I’m in the media. This isn’t where it pays to predict. This is where it pays to be recognized.

If I stop predicting things, it could be hazardous to my health.

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Pete Axthelm and Jimmy the Greek, two iconic prognosticators of my youth, stopped making predictions, then died. That pretty much told me all I needed to know.

So I’m going to keep on making predictions:

I’m going to take my family to the drive-in in a couple of weeks and it’s going to rain.

That’s all I’m going to do for now. I’ve got a lot of these things left to write and not much going on this summer.


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