Bradley’s year in picks: Good on Tech, bad on the Vols
Not to say I told you so ... (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
It was the best of years, it was the …
OK, that’s a a lie. It wasn’t the best of years, prediction-wise. It was only OK. I’ve had better. I’ve also had worse. (Lots worse, as you know.) And our annual Accountability Scoreboard begins with the obvious high point:
I picked Georgia Tech to go 10-2 and win the ACC title. It went 10-2 and won the ACC title. I was wrong about the the games Tech lost — I had the Jackets succumbing to Florida State and, for reasons I’ll never understand, Vanderbilt — but I was, big-picture-wise, dead on.
Regarding Georgia, I wasn’t dead on. But I was pretty darn close. I had the Bulldogs going 8-4, which many among you insisted was way too low. They went 7-5. Until the season’s 11th game, I had picked every game save one (Tennessee) correctly. Then things went ka-blooey. Georgia lost to Kentucky, which I didn’t think could happen, and then it beat Tech, which I insisted would never happen.
I was half-right about the participants in the SEC title game. (Right on Florida, wrong on LSU.) I was half-right about the participants in the ACC title game. (Right on Tech, wrong on FSU.) I’m half-right about the participants in the BCS title game. (Right on Texas, wrong on Alabama.) I was wrong about Colt McCoy winning the Heisman, more wrong about Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer finishing fifth.
This year I endeavored to pick every SEC game, and I did OK, if I do say so myself. I picked Florida to go 13-0 and win the conference title; it went 12-1 and lost to Alabama. I picked South Carolina to go 7-5; it went 7-5. (I also maintained Steve Spurrier would resign, which hasn’t happened.) I picked Kentucky go 7-5; it went 7-5. I picked Vandy to go 5-7; it went 2-10.
I picked LSU to go 11-1 and win the West; it went 9-3 and finished second. I picked Alabama to go 11-1; it went 12-0 (now 13-0). I picked Ole Miss to go 8-4; it went 8-4. I picked Arkansas to go 8-4; it went 7-5. I picked Auburn to go 6-6; it went 7-5. I picked Mississippi State to go 4-8; it went 5-7.
Where I really messed up (other than Vandy) was on Tennessee: I thought the Vols would stink. They didn’t. I picked them to go 4-8, losing to Georgia and Vanderbilt and Kentucky. They went 7-5 and beat all three. (I was also wrong about Florida scoring 63 points on Tennessee; the correct total was 23. But what’s 40 points among friends?)
I also sought to predict the postseason destination of every SEC bowl-eligible team, and I got exactly one (of nine) correct — Ole Miss to the Cotton. But I did have Virginia Tech opposing an SEC opponent in the Chick-fil-A. Half-credit, right?
Turning to professional doings: The Falcons will not go 10-6 and win the NFC South. Good news: Through 14 games, my preseason breakdown has been right 11 times. (I had them losing to Carolina here and winning there, and it was the other way around. And I had them beating the Saints here.) Bad news: I didn’t see anyone in this division flying past them, which New Orleans rather obviously did.
The Braves did not win the wild card. (Though they had a chance with six games to play, whereupon they neglected to win again.) I had them winning 89 games and finishing second to the Mets. They won 86 and finished third behind Philadelphia and Florida. Brian McCann didn’t win MVP, as I maintained he would. Jeff Francoeur did not hit .285, as projected in this space, nor did Kenshin Kawakami win 12 games.
The Hawks did, however, beat the Heat in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs. I had them prevailing in six games. They needed seven. Details.
I picked three of the correct Final Four — Villanova, North Carolina and UConn — in the annual Fiasco, an achievement for which I’d ordinarily award myself a passing grade. Alas, the one I missed — Louisville — was my national champ. More details.
I’m sure there were one or two predictions I’ve forgotten — write 520 posts in a year and you try keeping track — and if you find one feel free to bring it to my attention. And, as has become Accountability Scoreboard tradition, I leave you with one forecast for the new year. The last time it didn’t pan out: I picked the Falcons over the Giants in the NFC title game. I’m thinking this one just might.
Nov. 20, 2010; Tuscaloosa, Ala.: The Georgia State Panthers cap their inaugural football season by shocking the world. They score against Alabama! Three whole points!
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369 comments Add your comment
GWB
December 26th, 2009
2:26 pm
Bowls Wins Losses Ties Win %
SEC 348 190 149 9 .559
Pac-10 193 103 88 2 .539
Big Ten 209 97 111 1 .467
ACC 166 81 83 2 .494
Big 8 127 63 63 1 .500
Southwest 151 63 80 8 .444
Big 12 92 45 47 0 .489
Big East 76 42 34 0 .553
WAC 101 42 58 1 .421
You stand corrected GT4ever…as usual.
BitDawgBarking
December 26th, 2009
2:28 pm
Appears the ACC isn’t even at .500 in all bowls GT4ever. You mites sure throw out a lot of revisionist history in these blogs.
BitDawgBarking
December 26th, 2009
2:30 pm
Bring on some more of your “asinine comments” GT4ever. LMAO!
willie martinez
December 26th, 2009
2:32 pm
Mark, the blog’s getting worse and worse. people on holiday with nothing to do have found it.
Robert
December 26th, 2009
2:34 pm
GT4ever, the ACC even sucks hind tit to the Big East in bowl winning %.
Bowl Records
December 26th, 2009
2:36 pm
Georgia 25-16-3 = 56.8% winning percentage
Georgia Tech 22-15 = 59.5% winning percentage
WonderDawg
December 26th, 2009
2:36 pm
willie, you talking about people with nothing to do???
Bowl Record II
December 26th, 2009
2:43 pm
Georgia = percentage of bowl games lost – 39.02%
Ga Tech= percentage of bowl games lost – 40.54%
Bowl Records
December 26th, 2009
2:48 pm
Georgia = percentage of bowl games tied – 6.8% (a tie is like kissing your sister)
Ga Tech= percentage of bowl games tied – 0.0%
savannahdawg
December 26th, 2009
2:51 pm
Kudos to the Vols for exceeding expectations. Give the devil his due. But, remember Big Guy you can’t spell slUT without a UT…the NCAA will be the ultimate winner.
willie martinez
December 26th, 2009
2:52 pm
thats right wonder. at least i have an excuse for time on my hands. best, willie
D(r)ooley
December 26th, 2009
2:55 pm
Florida is your daddy Dawgs.
Willie
December 26th, 2009
2:58 pm
Hope you get that job with UF, you will enjoy working for a winner instead of 7-5 unranked losers. I know you took the blame for this season even though your D was constantly on the field due to lack of O and turnovers.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
2:59 pm
Don’t lose this Orange Bowl nats.
BoBo
December 26th, 2009
3:00 pm
Sorry willie
Bowl Record II
December 26th, 2009
3:16 pm
Um, Coach Martinez took the blame because he mostly deserved it. 70th in scoring D. 89th in pass D. The secondary he coached ranked 100th in interceptions. All of that while making $330,000 per year. He probably got that much in severance pay, also. Yeah, I hope he gets that job with UF also. Let him go work some of that magic for their D!!!
Gen Neyland
December 26th, 2009
3:18 pm
From an outsiders point of view : Yeah, UGA beat GT. Again, congrats and a great win for the SEC over the ACC Champs. BUT, it goes down as a battle taken, not a war won. GT gets a BCS berth and the Dawgs get Shreveport. Honestly, UGA has instate bragging rights until ye meet again but the big picture goes to Tech…I hate it for my Dawg brothers but it’s the facts…I’m curious. Will Tebow/Meyer be able to get the Gators pumped up for the Bearcats..? I don’t see Cincinnati playing flat. Darkhorse of the SEC East 2010 will be Kentucky. Go Vols
Greg
December 26th, 2009
3:26 pm
You rednecks have reading comprehension problems. He said bowl records DURING the CURRENT BCS ERA. Idiots. Look that up retard rednecks.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
3:39 pm
You nats have anointed Paul Johnson as the second coming yet his record against SEC teams not named MSU or Vandy is 1-2. He is 0-1 in bowl games, and got humiliated in that one…possibly 0-2 or at best 1-1 after this Orange Bowl. He won the ACC beating a Clemson team that had lost 4 games in a horribly down year for the ACC. Got drilled by Miami. Has done what he’s done with Chan Gailey’s top 10 recruiting class. What happens to fat Paul when Gailey’s players bail, he has to play a resurgent Miami and VT every year in his division. Paul hit the wall against UGA this year and at the end didn’t have a clue how to deal with it. Let’s see how good he is without Chan’s players. How often he wins even his division with his less than stellar recruiting classes. Let’s see if he can beat UGA more than once a decade. And until he actually does that you nats are really just mouthing off with nothing to back it up. You nats are doing what you are world class at. Setting yourselves up for failure and being the most angry, bitter, fans in all of college football. Chances are very good that PJ or no PJ, GT will slip back behind Miami and VT, and fighting hard to keep UNC from overtaking you in your division with Chan’s boys gone. In the end you “fans” will turn on PJ like a pack of rapid dogs due to your overinflated estimate of his ability to take second rate recruits and produce the results you expect. I bet at the end of next season that http://www.firepauljohnson.com will be up and buzzing.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
3:41 pm
Greg
December 26th, 2009
3:26 pm
You rednecks have reading comprehension problems. He said bowl records DURING the CURRENT BCS ERA. Idiots. Look that up retard rednecks.
Does GT really want to talk about BCS era bowl games Greg. LMAO!
MitchC
December 26th, 2009
3:49 pm
It will be interesting to see if your prediction of 54 wins for the Hawks comes true, Mark. Right now, the Hawks would have to go 34-20 to equal that prediction. At their current pace, the Hawks are going to win anywhere from 57 to 59 games, although they might well tail off, so maybe they will end up with the 54 you predicted.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
3:52 pm
A Decade of the BCS: College Football’s Winners and Losers of the BCS Era
Winners:
The SEC
This latest decade has been a breakout period for probably the most deep conference in college football.
The SEC holds the previous three national championships and has the highest winning percentage of any major conference in BCS games.
Alabama is the only SEC team that has played in a BCS game yet to win one, including a stunning loss to Utah in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.
With two of the big bowl games in SEC territory (the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl), the southern teams enjoy a more convenient travel and a better homefield advantage. Still, no one can argue how talented these teams have been.
Their dominance is very likely to continue on into this BCS season.
Losers:
The ACC
In all the years of the BCS, the ACC has been unable to send two squads and has only two wins to show for it, the most recent in the 2009 Orange Bowl by Virginia Tech.
Florida State’s championship in 2000 would be one of only two times an ACC squad played for the championship (not including Miami who played in the Big East at the time).
Despite absorbing Miami and Virginia Tech, the ACC never quite became the superconference many expected it would be.
It may still be one day, but for now, the ACC has struggled to win big games.
Greg
December 26th, 2009
3:53 pm
The subject was acc SINCE the inception of the bcs. Go back and get your ged.
PN
December 26th, 2009
3:54 pm
So headed into the year 2010, it is safe to conclude that:
1) Georgia Tech is relevant to UGA’s football team (as evidenced by Richt posting posters of 45-42, rugs with BEAT TECH, and a GT game countdown clock in the locker room)
2) Georgia Tech is relevant to UGA’s fan base (as evidenced by the last year, and especially by the last 4 weeks).
3) UGA’s fans enjoy pointing out that GT fans are horrible and don’t travel with their team, but their own more conveniently scheduled bowl game couldn’t even sell half of its allotment. And those tickets probably are not $125/ticket. After all, a true fan travels with the team regardless of the name of the bowl, right?
4) And most obvious of all, UGA has provided the nation with the blueprint that no other school could come up with in 13 years to stop Paul Johnson’s option.
Happy New Year. To Hell with Georgia. Go Jackets.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
3:56 pm
Losers:
The ACC
In all the years of the BCS, the ACC has been unable to send two squads and has only two wins to show for it, the most recent in the 2009 Orange Bowl by Virginia Tech.
Florida State’s championship in 2000 would be one of only two times an ACC squad played for the championship (not including Miami who played in the Big East at the time).
Despite absorbing Miami and Virginia Tech, the ACC never quite became the superconference many expected it would be.
It may still be one day, but for now, the ACC has struggled to win big games.
Greg you’re pretty dumb.
Greg
December 26th, 2009
3:56 pm
Conferences winning goes in cycles too moron. The next decade will be very different. FSU and MIAMI were dominant from 91-2003. Maybe this next decade ugag can play in a game that actually means something. Sure is nice to play weak big 10 teams and hawaii. Real tough. And I wouldn’t talk about the big east. Your team and coach was 0-2 against them this decade.
Steve
December 26th, 2009
3:58 pm
The only reason ga beat tech was they played inspired and motivated football for the first time this year as they knew it would be coach willie’s last game. And they still nearly lost. LOL
Mark
December 26th, 2009
3:59 pm
Wow Monday game in Shreveport for ga. And at 5 pm. Ha. What a bowl you guys got!!
Btw, A&M enrollment 48k. Sure hope they can sell out a 50k seat stadium.
TampaGator
December 26th, 2009
3:59 pm
Bowl Record II….Martinez will not have to work any “magic” at Florida as a DB or LB coach. It is called having lots of very talented players to coach. Coach Heater, who will likely be promoted to the DC postion, will probably remain as the DBs coach. Martinez will probably end up coaching the LBs at Florida, replacing Strong in that area. I think Martinez has had good success coaching LBs at Georgia.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
4:03 pm
It does Greg? Pray tell when that cycle ever favored the ACC. Gives us some numbers Greg. Come with some facts. Can you do that wittle Greggy poo? Or are you just orally flatulating here today?
GTBandwagonmaster
December 26th, 2009
4:05 pm
Dumbazz Gregg! Let me give you a clue low IQ. Miami was in the Big East the last time they were dominant. VT too. You’re dumber than a box of hammers Greggy poo.
DCR
December 26th, 2009
4:06 pm
That moron Greg sure has his little old gold panties in a wad.
GT MAN
December 26th, 2009
4:06 pm
Please dont jinx GT next year, please pick uga to beat them and be National Champs.
TampaGator
December 26th, 2009
4:07 pm
Sandmand1…Strong also coached the LBs at Florida. I know DCs also coach other positions. It was more of a comment about Richt’s lack of ability to place coaches in the right positions (or hire the right ones for that matter). Martinez should have been coaching the LBs, not the DBs. From what I have read, he is a hell of a good LBs coach…and probably the postion he will coach if he is hired by Florida. But I think Florida is also (and probably mostly) interested in his ability to recruit South Florida. That need someone good to recruit down there ever since Doc Holiday left for the Assistant HC position at WV and now the HC postion at Marshall. While I am on the subject, all this idiots on here saying Meyer is “losing” all his assistant…or they are jumping ship. What idiots…most schools are after Meyer’s assistants…becaue he hires the best and makes them great coaches. Strong even became a better coach under Meyer. When was the last time a Georgia coach left for a better position…or a head coaching postion for that matter. I can count 4 former Meyer coaches that are head coaches right now. Same thing with Saban. Great coaches make coaches better coaches. Meyer and Saban do that. Richt does not. Who would you rather work for if you were an assistant coach with goals to become a head coach? Meyer? Saban? Or Richt?
Tech Man
December 26th, 2009
4:16 pm
The only team that GT lost to by the better team that day of play,was Miami.Ga had to hurt our QB and play there best game of there sorry season and Tech played bad.The funny part about that game, is that we still almost beat the pups after all that!!! GO TEXAS A & M
willie martinez
December 26th, 2009
4:18 pm
bobo, no problem man. (i hear you’re next). willie
GWB
December 26th, 2009
4:19 pm
ESPN.com
Archive
Considering the ACC’s 1-9 record in BCS bowl games over the past decade — the worst record of the six BCS conferences — expansion didn’t exactly turn the league into the superpower many expected. Instead, the nine other teams have sandwiched their new members into a 12-layer Dagwood of mediocrity.
The ACC hasn’t had a legitimate contender for the national title since 2000, when Florida State lost to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
The question is whether the league can win. And so far, it’s only happened once in BCS history — when Florida State beat Virginia Tech in the 1999 Sugar Bowl. If the ACC is going to be the powerful conference its officials once envisioned, Florida State and Miami have to resurrect their once-proud programs — a task unlikely to happen as early as 2008, in the fifth season post-expansion.
Where’s that imbecile Greg. Where’s your cycle dumbazz?
Ed
December 26th, 2009
4:21 pm
Here is some trivia. Has a football team ever played 3 road games in another city in one season including bowls? VT will this year. Here in Atlanta. I bet that has never happened. Exclusions would be if a team had to play somewhere because of weather. I think that may have happened during hurricane katrina.
GWB
December 26th, 2009
4:23 pm
Tech Man UGA beat you up physically. Nesbit hurt? LMAO! He sure looked full speed when he came bacj and there was nothing to indicate an injury in the ACC title game. Keep making excuses loser. I bet you make excuses in your everyday life too don’t you sissy boy. Take it like a man instead of a crying whining little girl.
Dan
December 26th, 2009
4:31 pm
Let’s see Tech “Man”. UGA gives you 2 short fields with turnovers. You couldn’t score. UGA dropped a TD pass that hit Rentavious Wooten in the hands 10 yards behind your secondary. Joe Cox overthrew an all alone Tavaris King in your end zone. UGA rushed for 339 yards on you. Nesbit and Dwyer had 74 yards between them. At the end of the game the great PJ was so whipped all he could do was heave and hope. This game was nowhere near as close as the score. GT is extremely fortunate not to have lost this game by 3 TDs. Simply put, UGA beat you down.
BravesFan79
December 26th, 2009
4:41 pm
I think GT will at least reach the sweet 16, and that Ga State football crowds will quickly resemble a WNBA game once fans quickly figure out they have better things to do in their spare time than watch a team get blown out by 50 every game.
After all, its not like Atlanta is Alabama… where there’s nothing to do BUT watch football.
Poor little doggies
December 26th, 2009
4:59 pm
nothing left to do except talk about beating what their fans call a 4th rate high school team, because their team is 7-5, unranked and going to the toilet bowl. They talk about the SEC because they can’t talk about their team. While the SEC has won the last 3 NC, none of those teams were named GEORGIA. Oh how the mighty have fallen. It is fun watching Ga fans brag about LSU, FLORIDA, and ALABAMA being the dominate teams in America.
Scott
December 26th, 2009
4:59 pm
I guess when clemson beats kentucky, clemson can say they beat the team that beat ga so they are better.
JB
December 26th, 2009
5:01 pm
GTBandwagonmaster – we can feel your pain in your posts. We appreciate the fact that you are obsessed about GT. It truly makes us smile that we are that important to jealous mutts like yourself; that was certainly not the case in the past. You’re pathetic posts expose your bias and your idiocy – you and your fellow Tech-bashers deserve your trip to Shreveport! LMAO
Dan
December 26th, 2009
5:02 pm
Counting your chickens a little early aren’t you Scott?
Poor little doggies
December 26th, 2009
5:09 pm
Last time they were relevant in the SEC was 2005. Let’s look at that year
lost to Auburn (Real SEC champs)
lost to Florida (Real SEC champs)
lost to West Virginia (Real SEC champs)
finished 9-3
Dan
December 26th, 2009
5:09 pm
Maybe he just enjoys aggravating the sorriest fans in college football.
GT4EVER
December 26th, 2009
5:10 pm
I do indeed stand corrected … my apologies… and thanks ‘GWB’ for the correction. The Big 8 and Big East also have higher overall bowl game winning percentages than the ACC, putting the ACC in 5th place (not 3rd) in this category. I can admit when I’m wrong. Have a nice day everyone.
Poor little doggies
December 26th, 2009
5:11 pm
Other SEC teams probably wish Ga would improve a little to help with their Strength of Schedule ratings
Sorriest fans in footbal!!!!
December 26th, 2009
5:13 pm
Many Ga fans referred to their own team’s QB as Joe Co*ksucker. Now that’s real class