The 2010 Accountability Scoreboard: Wrong about everything!
Oh, woeful me. (Photo by Ben Gray; illustration by Mandi Albright)
The annual Accountability Scoreboard reflects, I’m afraid, a bleak House of Bradley. I was wrong about pretty much everything in 2010. Usually I’m only wrong about most things. A partial recap:
• Wrong about Georgia Tech beating Iowa in the Orange Bowl and beating Georgia in basketball. When your year starts with you being wrong about the same school twice on the night of Jan. 5, you should know you’re in for it. Though I was too stupid to know any such thing.
• Wrong about Texas beating Alabama in the BCS title game. Though I might have been right if not for Mack Brown’s SHOVEL PASS.
• Wrong about the Braves finishing third behind Florida and Philadelphia in the National League East.
• Wrong about Duke getting beat by Louisville in Round 2 of the NCAA tournament. Wrong also about three of my Final Four, being right only about West Virginia.
• Wrong about the Hawks beating Orlando in Round 2 of the NBA playoffs. Possibly the worst prediction ever.
• Wrong about the Celtics beating the Lakers in the NBA finals.
• Wrong about LeBron James staying in Cleveland.
• Wrong about the sun rising in the West. (I just made that up. Though it sounds like something I’d have predicted in Twenty Ten.)
• Wrong about those 8 reasons the Braves wouldn’t squander their division lead. I’d recanted my earlier skepticism, which only served to make me wrong about the same team twice. Yikes.
• Wrong about Georgia, which I had going 9-3, and Tech, which I picked to finish 8-4. Wrong about Auburn being overrated. Wrong about Florida winning the BCS title. (Good grief.) Wrong about some guy from Houston winning the Heisman.
• Wrong about Georgia beating Florida. This was also a recant. The lesson herein: Stick with your original gut feeling unless it involves Orlando losing to the Hawks.
• Wrong — by the scant margin of 40 points — about South Carolina beating Auburn in the SEC title game. Also possibly the worst prediction ever. It’s downright revoltin’ when one year brings two such howlers.
OK, now you’re asking: Did you get anything right? A few things, sort of.
• I tabbed South Carolina as the rising team in the SEC East and had the Gamecocks going 9-3, which they did. But I still had them second to Florida. (I have no idea why I was so high on the Gators. Maybe my jean shorts were too tight.)
• I had Tennessee winning its final four games to finish 6-6, which actually happened. But it was only Tennessee, so who cares?
• And I had the Falcons winning the NFC South, which they surely will, but I had them going 12-4 and they’ll do better than that. I also had them playing for the NFC title — against Dallas in Arlington, Texas.
The Falcons might well wind up in Arlington, but it won’t be for the NFC title game. It’ll be for the Super Bowl. But that’s not yet a prediction. Because I don’t want to jinx them just yet, and when you’ve had as lousy a year as I have, you get tired of being wrong. Which means I’m suspending, at least for the remainder of this calendar year, the Accountability Scoreboard tradition of offering a pick for the coming year.
For the record, last year’s look-ahead involved Georgia State’s game at Alabama. I boldly forecast that the Panthers would score — three whole points! They managed seven. Wrong again.
By Mark Bradley
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184 comments Add your comment
Headley Lamar
December 26th, 2010
5:07 pm
Funny how Doug Roberson’s story about the Tech players being suspended had the comments shut down.
If it had been UGA players it would have been a huge deal and Tech fans would have been free to post page after page of criticism
Interesting double standard isnt it ?
Captain Obvious
December 26th, 2010
5:08 pm
Mark Bradley being wrong about things, you don’t say?
Boca Baby
December 26th, 2010
5:19 pm
The fact that you are wrong most of the time allows us to tell you that up front. In a way this is a good thing because it makes you and your blog an enduring feature at ajc.com.
Lemuel in Ludowici
December 26th, 2010
5:23 pm
That bug zapper fellers funny as all get out, aint he?!?! He makes up all that stuff bout them yeller jackets all by hisself!!!! I just a hopin’ we can do better’n 6 and 6 next year so we’ll actully have a REAL reason to jaw jack ‘ginst them tech fellers. By the way, I heard that new bail bond comp’ny outside tha athletical complex is just makin’ money hand over fist!!!! “JunkYard Bonds!!!! We’ll getcha outta the Dawg House in NO TIME!!!!!
Here’s a perdiction for ya Mr Sports Writer Feller!!!! My beloved Bulldawgs, led by that Saintly feller, Mr Mark Ricks is goin to tha NATCHINAL CHAMPEEEEEEEEENSHIP next year!!!!! I figure if I saw that ever year like the rest of my beloved Bulldawg faithful do then I’ll look like a dang GENE-EEEE-USSSSS when it finally happens.
But even fore that happens, we need to build us a stachoo of Mr Mark Rick, just like we did for that legend Mr Vance Dooly. He didn’t win the SEC as much as that cursed Bear Bryant did but he got one of are boosters to buy Herbert Walker a Trans Am & carried us to the Natchinal Champeenship in his BACK SEAT!!!!!
Like Rick Flair always says, “WOOOOO-BABY!!!!!!!” GO DAWGS
Herschel Talker
December 26th, 2010
5:37 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
Fire Mark's Rectum
December 26th, 2010
5:40 pm
Why does the ajc even pay you, you are wrong so often?
Kay
December 26th, 2010
5:48 pm
Mark, it seems like the only news we get about GT is “bad news.”
I’m ready for some “good news!”
BRUCE BROWN
December 26th, 2010
5:48 pm
Maybe you should be fired, I don’t know anyone as wrong as often as you are.
BRUCE BROWN
December 26th, 2010
5:49 pm
and still keep their job, lmao.
Billyboy
December 26th, 2010
5:50 pm
Mark, Nice try on hiding the real problem. Your articles have nothing of interest nor are they more than average. Look at the bright side. You are perfect for the AJC.
Lemuel in Ludowici
December 26th, 2010
5:50 pm
Now, c’mon, Mr Talker, that aint very nice. Are coach Mr Mark Rick brought us some dang big time highlights this year!!!!
I mean look here, he got are boys to beat the pure out stew outta Lusiana Lafferette by about a million points and then he turned right around and only got beat by them stinkin Gamecocks of that devil Steve Spurrer by 17-6!!! And they had a good team!!! And if you look at the skedule we didn’t get blowed out by ANYBODY!!!! I mean, look at that Auburn game. They only hung 49 on are Granthem led defense!!!! Look at what them Tigers hung up on South Carlina!!! And to top it all off WE BEET THEM YELLA Jakets!!!!! Yep, we let ‘em run about 500 somethin’ yards on us but we’s just makin’ em waste time!!! Hahahahaha! We only gave up 460 somethin’ yards to Auburn!! so that was better!!!
So, look Mr Talker, we had some GOOD losses. Aint that what all them dang Jackets say? So, see? THEY AINT GOT NOTHIN ON US NO MORE CAUSE WE LOSE BETTER’N THEY DO!!!!
AltamahaDawg
December 26th, 2010
5:57 pm
When it comes to jean shorts..there is no need to question if they are/where too tight….it’s always implied.
interesting
December 26th, 2010
5:59 pm
Wrong about everything– that is the job I want– Wrong about everything– and I get to keep working. that is better than a govt job. Wrong about everything, a perfect example of another UGA fan/grad
Tech Graduate
December 26th, 2010
6:10 pm
We as trade school graduates are never wrong about anything….just ask us to tell you how smart we are.
Jim Pierce
December 26th, 2010
6:12 pm
And wrong about Cam Newton.
Dawg Whisperer
December 26th, 2010
6:28 pm
Mark, you have a right to be wrong and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Keep up the good work!
Frig Frigglestein
December 26th, 2010
6:38 pm
Why was so much sports writing devolved into predictions anyway? Wouldn’t it be more mature to simply analyze the games/teams from some other angle? I guess it wins hits for the site because predictions are controversial. If that’s the only reason you go out on such limbs, is this what you envisioned when you became a writer? Making impossible, not to mention unnecessary, predictions for which you are not qualified rather than bending your creative energies toward real commentary?
Or can you just not resist the temptation to claim some kind of Nostradamus status in case you find the proverbial blind squirrel’s nut?
This end of the year admit-a-thon is cute in concept, but it would be better stop doing it – though you certainly are not alone in the business. It’s such a silly trend in sports writing.
Frig Frigglestein
December 26th, 2010
6:39 pm
*why was = why has.
Mike
December 26th, 2010
6:51 pm
I know the feeling Mark.
I was right about:
Florida struggling
Bama not repeating
Ga Tech struggling
Ealey having a breakout season
Durham having a big year
Grantham (I thought Georgia would improve turnover’s, pass defense, total defense, and scoring–missed on run defense)
Wrong about:
Murray (Thought he’d be better against teams with a winning record–instead of losing each game, but, Murray was better than I thought in td to int ratio)
Richt (In 2002 & 2007 bounced back after poor seasons)
Bobo (I thought he’d run the ball a lot with an inexperienced QB & experienced 0-Line, also thought he’d average 40 pts a game with the weak schedule)
S. Carolina (didn’t think Spurrier could outfox Richt)
Florida (didn’t think Georgia would lose to Florida this year-down year for Florida)
D-Line (I didn’t realize how bad losing 3 DL to the NFL would hurt Georgia in the run game)
AJ (biggest dissapointment was him only playing in 7 3/4 games)
Craig
December 26th, 2010
7:02 pm
I’m sure this year will be much better! I’m sure you’ll pick the dogs to go 10-2 and win the sec east never mind they r losing 75% of their passing offense a top defensive player and a couple of other players. An 0-2 start is a given with the switch from louisville to boise
Ealey had a breakout season???
December 26th, 2010
7:05 pm
Seriously??? 751 yards on 141 yards = a breakout season???
Macon
December 26th, 2010
7:07 pm
Mike
You’re the typical kool aid drinking delusional dog who thinks uga is some top notch program with top notch coaches and will play in national titles. 30 years and your fan base is still a bunch of tard heads. Maybe you’ll get lucky like Allbarn and find a cammie newton
Mike
December 26th, 2010
7:09 pm
Unfortunately, I don’t think 2011 will be a good year for Georgia. I think Bobo is incapable of putting together a sound running attack, which is what’s required to win the SEC. I am now convinced Bobo simply is in over his head. He had a great O-Line, Ealey/King, double coverage on AJ for 8 games, and still couldn’t get the running game going. Bama, Florida, Auburn, all run the ball to win games. Bobo just isn’t skilled enough to be a winning OC in the SEC. He will be fired soon, possibly mid-season, certainly by the end of 2011. But it will be another 8 wins or less season because of the same old issue: lack of a running game.
Richt is 40-2 when he gets a 100 yard rusher. Bobo can’t figure out a way to get a 100 yard rusher.
Greg
December 26th, 2010
7:10 pm
Mark
This year will you do an over under on Uga football player arrests?
Greg
December 26th, 2010
7:11 pm
Next year you can also do one on how many tech players get suspended before the bowl game.
Mike
December 26th, 2010
7:12 pm
Ealey averaged a td every 12 touches, and had a better ypc thasn Lattimore, and had 11 td’s, on very few carries.
Pat
December 26th, 2010
7:13 pm
so you now say bozo is incapable of putting together a sound running attack but in your post prior, you said ealey, a rb, had a breakout year running the ball? huh?
Eric
December 26th, 2010
7:15 pm
Watch all the aholes on tv talk so highly of gb and arron rogers never mind the fact the giants mailed it in after that devastating loss last week. this was a no brainer pick and i took gb.
Eric
December 26th, 2010
7:16 pm
Oh yeah and they will talk how great gb is and to watch out for them in the playoffs!! Never mind the falcons beat them a few weeks ago.
Mike
December 26th, 2010
7:18 pm
Ealey should have gotten 35 carries a game like Lattimore, particularly since Ealey averages BOTH more ypc AND more td’s per carry THAN Lattimore. But Bobo the Bozo, only gives Ealey 13 touches a game.
Ealey had a breakout season in terms of td’s (11).
Bobo’s rushing yards per game finished 70th in the NCAA, 10th in the SEC.
Bobo also didn’t get a 100 yard rusher in many games.
MR
December 26th, 2010
7:20 pm
Hey Bradley;
Seems you are quick to jump on Tech academic problems before a bowl….nothing about the dumb dawgs. You are such an idiot.
Mike
December 26th, 2010
7:33 pm
Georgia had a 100 yard rusher in 4 games:
Colorado–King got the 100, but King fumbled at the end of the game or Georgia would have kicked the field goal and won by a point.
Vandy- Ealey got over 100 yards and Georgia won going away
Kentucky-Ealey got over 100 and had 5 td’s
Ga Tech- Ealey got over 100
Georgia has never lost a game where Ealey rushed for 100 yards.
Georgia is 40-3 when Richt gets a 100 yard rusher.
still@the bar
December 26th, 2010
7:53 pm
How is KING doing? Boy he missed some meetings of his HOUSING degree? What I guess he figured he didn’t need to see the Ghetto and Section 8 housing. He argued that he visited his family shouldn’t that count?
1 Auburn
2 Arkansas
3 LSU
4 USC
5 Bama
6 Miss St
7 Florida
8 UGA
9 UT
10 Kentucky
11 Ole Miss
12 Vandy
Man the SEC looks different this year. The SEC least sure is weak and UGA still couldn’t win it.
TJ
December 26th, 2010
8:05 pm
Tebow had a good game. Threw for 308 yards. Same as schaub. Had a passing td and rushing td. Funny I thought he couldn’t throw!! So stupid the idiots who bashed him. Every sport has players who look a little different in how they play it. Look at Fyruk in golf. Several baseball players over the years have had weird looking swings. Some basketball players have weird looking shots. Adrian Dantley is one. Even Birds was a different. What matters is your decision making. Makes little difference how you throw it. I am glad to see him prove them wrong and win.
Stan
December 26th, 2010
8:07 pm
Mike
All those teams you wrote about are crap teams. Can’t believe you’re writing this. Tony Barnfart could get 100 over Vandy and Kentucky.
adam s
December 26th, 2010
8:11 pm
remember how the talk all summer was how bad tenn would be and how ga was a strong candidate for the sec champion. remember that moron who wrote ga would be the surprise team. i forget his name. lol
well tennessee which plays the same division as ga, finished with the same record and played a much harder schedule. oregon, bama and lsu. i would watch out for them next year and they are my pick to win the sec east. it’s gonna be bad for ga when will muschamp and dooley, two players with ties to ga both beat them.
MitchC
December 26th, 2010
8:53 pm
Mark, thank you! It’s nice to see you hold yourself accountable.
Now, pardon me but.. “Takes a bow”. I was right about the Braves winning the wild card. I told you that they were the best team in the East, and the NL.. who is not named the Phillies, and you felt compelled to insist that the Metsies? The Metsies? Would finish in front of us! For shame, Mr Bradley, for shame!
The only other thing on your list that I mildly care about is the wrong prediction about the Hawks beating Orlando in Round 2 last year. To be honest, it didn’t surprise me. Orlando was one of the best teams in the East… then.. now.. I’m not so sure.
With the Braves getting Dan Uggla, I will be very interested to see where a certain Mr Bradley picks the Braves to finish in 2011. (If you don’t say wild card, I will shout!) Then again, considering how you did in your 2010 predictions, maybe you should say the Braves will be 500 in 2011, and be wrong again, lol.
In all seriousness, we all have off years. I had a terrible year in 2010.. for other reasons. Trust me, there is room for it to get better, for both of us.
Dog kicker
December 26th, 2010
9:20 pm
Mark Bradley you are a IDIOT!!
still@the bar
December 26th, 2010
9:27 pm
adam s
Derek like his dad liked Orange and Blue, but instead of Auburn Derek chose a good school. Virginia.
www
December 26th, 2010
9:55 pm
Mark,
Not a bad year. You can be forgiven any time you predict/hope the area teams do well…but not forgiven if you guess wrong against them.
As for accountability…thanks for being there Dec 26th.
JSS
December 26th, 2010
10:19 pm
@ Mark Bradley…
Did three players really miss curfew in Shreveport? Man, I hate D-1 college football but even I to SMDH at that one!!! Good grief, that is just loony!!!!
Cherokee
December 26th, 2010
10:28 pm
Hey Bradley, you have managed to get both Tech and UGA fans pis@@d off at you at the same time with the same article. I don’t think I have ever seen that happen before from any so called sport writer. You wrote a column about a Tech tradition yesterday of loosing players in a bowl game. No mention of King and the other players suspended in the up coming bowl game with UFC. Come on, man up and admit you are not very bright. My bet is O’leary still has UGA’S number. By the way I saw your current pictures tonight, you have aged a lot this year.
SuperB
December 26th, 2010
10:44 pm
Maybe you are in the WRONG profession?
Patman
December 26th, 2010
10:46 pm
Mighty big of your Mark! I’ll stop calling you “Give up three players for Rex Chapman” (although you never acknowledged the ridiculousness of that) just for that! Now if you’ll only stop dogging black athletes for putting their education above contracts!
Cardinal Sin
December 26th, 2010
10:54 pm
“The 2010 Accountability Scoreboard: Wrong about everything!”
So what else is new.
Trey
December 26th, 2010
10:55 pm
Mark, we are all wrong about almost everything. If this page makes you feel better; feel free to support it!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fan-Page-for-the-Atlanta-Braves/179120478782219
wreckmaniac
December 26th, 2010
11:32 pm
Mark don’t get down. There are bloggers here who actually have convinced themselves that UGA is relevant in football. You’ve never been that far off.
Tech Graduate
December 26th, 2010
11:40 pm
Mark:
Did you predict we would sell out a home game? If yes was that with or without a sales special on falafell’s in the student section?
Lose The Weight - 10 things you shouldn’t do at the gym - Minneapolis Star Tribune « Lose The Weight
December 27th, 2010
2:28 am
[...] The 2010 Accountability Scoreboard: Wrong about everything! – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Wrong about Georgia beating Florida . This was also a recant. The lesson herein: Stick with your original gut feeling unless it involves Orlando losing to the Hawks. • Wrong — by the scant margin of 40 points — about South Carolina beating Auburn in [...]
Ted Striker
December 27th, 2010
5:58 am
Not so hot on the predictions mebbe, but still pretty solid on the ole column writing. All in all, pretty good year when you look at it that way.