It’s a miracle! Mr. Wrong actually got some things right in 2011
Yay, me! (AJC photo by Ben Gray; whiteboard stylings by Ms. Mandi Albright.)
This year ends in a way few years have ended for this famously erring prognosticator. It ends with me getting to say, “Know what? I actually got some stuff right.”
For once, the annual Accountability Scoreboard isn’t a tale of woe. I picked Georgia to go 10-2 and win the SEC East, which it did. I picked Georgia Tech to finish its regular season 8-4, which it did. I picked LSU to win the SEC, which it did, and finish as the BCS titlist, which it well might. I picked Auburn, which won the last BCS title, to lose five games, and sure enough …
I picked the Hawks to beat the Magic in Round 1, which indeed occurred. Heck, I even picked VCU to crash the Final Four. (OK, now I’m embellishing.)
About the only thing I got close to right in 2010 was picking the Falcons to go 12-4 and win the NFC South. (They actually went 13-3.) This time I was right, sort of, in the grand scheme — I picked the 2011 team to grab a wild card — but had it going 12-4, and the best it can do is 10-6. I even managed to whiff on the outcome of the season’s first five games, which was pretty bad even by my tepid standards. So I’m thinking this probably isn’t the moment to note that I’ve also projected this team to win at least one playoff game.
I also tabbed the Braves as a wild-card team. (I know picking the local club as a wild card is kind of a waffle, but seriously … did anyone think the Braves could trump the Phillies over 162 games?) But I also guessed, way back when, that 91 wins would be the ceiling for the 2011 Braves, and lo and behold they got stuck on 89.
That said … did I see the epic collapse coming? Absolutely not. Even with three games to go, I thought the Braves would make the playoffs. Even with three outs to go in Game No. 162, I still thought they’d qualify. Sometimes I’m hard-headed. This was such a time.
I picked the Hawks over the Magic not because I loved the Hawks, but because I thought Orlando was running on fumes. After Kirk Hinrich was hurt in the Round 1 clincher, I suggested the Hawks would do well to take one game from Chicago in Round 2. They actually took the first game, and also the fourth.
I was 0-for-4 in picking the 2011 Final Four, having gone with Ohio State to win it all. (The Buckeyes were upset by Kentucky in the Sweet 16. Shouldn’t I have learned that the Big Ten can’t handle the SEC in postseason? Or is that just in football?) I also had Georgia toppling North Carolina in the Big Dance, which the Bulldogs might well have done — had they managed to beat Washington in their tournament opener. But I overrated UGA all season, even to the point of thinking it might win the SEC East.
I did, however, have Brian Gregory on my original short list of candidates to replace Paul Hewitt at Georgia Tech. Though, in the sake of full disclosure, I must mention that I’d relegated BG to being “a fallback choice” by the time the search commenced. And I believed Tech’s Iman Shumpert had erred by staying in the NBA draft, thinking he might not get picked at all. (He wound going to the Knicks with the 17th pick of Round 1.)
Back to college football: I missed by saying that Nebraska would win the Big Ten, that Florida State would win the ACC, that Stanford would win the Pac-12 and that Andrew Luck would take the Heisman. I was pretty close on Tennessee going 6-6 (it went 5-7) and Florida going 7-5 (it went 6-6). I was right in saying South Carolina would finish 10-2, wrong in saying it would lose the SEC East to Georgia on a tiebreaker. (It lost straight-up.)
I was right in believing LSU would beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, wrong in believing the Tigers would lose to Mississippi State in Starkville, wrong in choosing Oklahoma as LSU’s BCS opponent. I did have Virginia Tech winning the ACC Coastal, but I also had Southern Cal going 7-5, and it went 10-2. (Lane Kiffin, genius boy!)
I was right about three of Tech’s four losses. (I had the Jackets losing at North Carolina State and winning at Virginia.) I was wrong on both of Georgia’s losses. (I had the Bulldogs beating Boise State and South Carolina, but losing to Mississippi State and Florida. Yes, I bought the Dan Mullen hype.) I was way wrong about Georgia State: I had the Panthers going 8-3, as opposed to 3-8.
Yes, I know. That’s a lot of being wrong for what I’m claiming as a pretty good year. But viewed alongside my bleak 2010, I feel entitled to strut a bit. And to offer this one long-range prediction:
In 2012 Georgia will go 11-1 in the regular season and will win the SEC championship.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
208 comments Add your comment
george
December 30th, 2011
1:57 pm
and please explain to me how I am bitter. I am doing nothing but stating FACTS.
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
2:08 pm
@george Clemson for the love of the lord Bug U beat them..and george you poor poor bitter man its impossible to state a fact on an event that has not yet taken place…and that is a fact.
george
December 30th, 2011
2:10 pm
You cant be that dumb.what the hell is your point? The only reason yall even got to Atlanta is we beat USC and yall lost to them AT HOME.
jim
December 30th, 2011
2:11 pm
Mark, As a fellow native of Ky.(Bowling Green and proud WKU grad), I say welcome back and enjoy your writing. Keep it up – you might have a future in ths “writin thing”. Happy New Year
george
December 30th, 2011
2:11 pm
and by the way in case you forgot how to read I said ga-clemson would be a toss up.
Halsey
December 30th, 2011
2:22 pm
So you’re predicting Georgia will play for the BCS Title?
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
2:22 pm
@george and perhaps you didn’t understand I said your an idiot to think that..hope that clears that up for you man 45-7 still stings doesn’t it ??
Yunel Asscobar
December 30th, 2011
2:25 pm
Mark – please do all Braves fans a huge favor and predict that Fredi Gonzalez will make it out of Spring Training unscathed, with a full-on vote of confidence from the FO to manage the Braves all year. Know what I’m saying? Maybe that way, we get the changes in leadership that are needed for this team to embrace accountability, improvement, and the progress needed to move beyond mediocrity.
From Braves fans everywhere, Thank You!
george
December 30th, 2011
2:26 pm
an idiot to think the only reason uga got to atlanta is because of losing to Auburn. that is nothing short of a 100 % fact idiot. Doesnt sting at all. We sucked this year and I will be the first to admit it unlike pathetic dawg fans who make excuses after excuses after losses. Ive never heard so many compalints about the refs in a 30 point loss to LSU. Nothing to show since 1980 has to sting so I can understand your anger. If you ever want to know what a national championship and or an undefeated sesaon feels like let me know and I will tell you all about it.
george
December 30th, 2011
2:27 pm
** South carolina losing to auburn
Geaux Tigers
December 30th, 2011
2:27 pm
Mark, two thumbs up for correctly picking LSU to win the SECCG.
Happy New Year to you.
TheAntiMe
December 30th, 2011
2:30 pm
lol – It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
TheAntiMe
December 30th, 2011
2:37 pm
One quick question, Mark. Is it true that in 2012 the annual ajc.com football prognostication contest will be renamed “Sack Bradley”?
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
2:40 pm
@Halsey you talk to anyone predicting UGA plays for the BCS title don’t let them drive.
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
2:47 pm
@george you never heard me making excuses on the LSU loss we got blown out the second half and it was harder to swallow after the way we played the first half. And my point on your idiot for was the Clemson being a toss up ..not you beating SC getting us to the title game..thanks for that by the way.
george
December 30th, 2011
3:01 pm
FACT: if uga were to play clemson in clemson tom the tigers would be favored.
Remarkable
December 30th, 2011
3:07 pm
Mark, You may well be the best writer on the AJC Sports Page. You are certainly the best at responding to those who reply to your blog. If all the others did the same then this would be an even better site than it already is. I love that you put yourself out there with predictions like these. Most wouldn’t. It gives us something to hold you accountable to (LOL). Keep up the good work and keep writing so often. We (The Readers) love it!
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
3:09 pm
@george are you 12 ? You can’t prove that you know I know it the whole world knows it.
heb11:1
December 30th, 2011
3:16 pm
With a few exceptions, human beings are not meant to know the future. Only very special figures, like OT prophets (ie,,Daniel, Isaiah), and the NT apostles Paul and more notably, John (book of Revelation) are blessed with visions of the future. And even these are cryptic messages passed on to us in heavily symbolic images.
george
December 30th, 2011
3:19 pm
am I wrong or right? simple question
Evansdawg
December 30th, 2011
3:21 pm
I like this, Mark. It made me laugh. Well done.
how2fish
December 30th, 2011
3:23 pm
@george no no I’m not playing your game you can’t predict the future and neither can I..the difference is I know it. george have a great New Years !
Todd Grantham
December 30th, 2011
3:33 pm
I’d just as soon choke a UF kicker than wish my momma “Merry Christmas.” I’m a lunatic I tell ya!
GTBob
December 30th, 2011
3:35 pm
UGA at 10-3 might have been the easiest prediction in history. If you play 10 bad teams and 3 good teams you will usually go 10-3.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
3:46 pm
Thanks, Remarkable.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
3:48 pm
And thaks to St. Simons . And to Jim the Hilltopper.
Skeezix
December 30th, 2011
4:29 pm
Overall a pretty good 2011 record Mark. I was wrong on the SEC-I had Ala. winning it. But did pick both LSU and Bama in my top 5 nationally. Univ. of Ga. has such an easy 2012 schedule they ought to win their division; but I think the bulldogs will find a way to flub it. If they don’t flub it, I don’t see them winning the SEC championship.
Any forecast on the hapless Braves yet?
Skeezix
December 30th, 2011
4:30 pm
And no one saw the Bravos epic collapse coming. I am still trying to overcome the shock.
DawginTX
December 30th, 2011
4:34 pm
Mark, you also had the two best pieces on the BCS–the first one about the system rendering the SEC championship moot and the second one in which you referred to Herbstreit’s comments on Ok State not passing the eyeball test, despite him not being able to watch their destruction of OU.
BiggdawgK
December 30th, 2011
4:36 pm
Hmmmm. I’m calling shenanigans. I don’t remember reading any of those predictions and I don’t even think thats MB in that pic. It’s all some kind of photoshop trickery.
BiggdawgK
December 30th, 2011
4:37 pm
MB why are you filtering my posts?
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
Thanks. DawginTX. It’s scary how much you folks remember.
Saban
December 30th, 2011
4:40 pm
I win the SEC champinship in 2012. Dawgs will be left in the dust by South Carolina, maybe win 6 games and loses to Tech by 20.
DawginTX
December 30th, 2011
4:40 pm
BTW, I’m glad that GTBob agrees that GT is a bad team. But Tech did get beaten by 2 bad teams in Miami and UVA, so his take it being “usual” to beat all the bad teams on the schedule doesn’t always hold.
DawginTX
December 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
Mark, somebody needs to point out how much power ESPN’s talking heads have in picking who plays for the naitonal title, even though their opinions are not always based on considering all the evidence. As you pointed out, opinion matters more in college football than any other sport. ESPN needs to take some responsibility.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
4:52 pm
Skeezix,I’m waiting to see about Tommy Hanson before I pick the Braves anywhere.
brick
December 30th, 2011
4:54 pm
George, are you retarded? UGA beat Auburn by almost 50 and pulled the Dawgs off midway the 3rd quarter, AU wouldn’t go 10-2 with Ga. Southern’s schedule. LSU and Bama are both a load, so yeah, no arguement with them, but AU please don’t act stupid/
Al Smith
December 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
Mark, do we have color for the three-star?
Jorge O'leary
December 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
Georgia at 11-1? Richt’s teams are finesse teams, and typically get 2 to 3 losses a year. If they make it to the SEC Championship they will lose again. Florida will beat them next year as well. Boise State pushed them around for God’s sake!!
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
5:02 pm
We do, Al.
Inside AJC humor here, folks.
KJ
December 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
george confirmed furious.
DawginTX
December 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
Jorge: “Richt’s teams…typically get to 2 or 3 losses a year.” On average, I’ll take it, as will just about any other team in the country. And the key word in your statement is “typically.” The 2012 Georgia team should be better than “typical,” and they have a favorable schedule. Hence, the prediction of only 1 loss. And to your point about Boise State, they are damn good, and I don’t see anyone as physical as they were on our regular season schedule next year. Also, Georgia greatly improved along both lines of scrimmage throughout the year.
Stinger2
December 30th, 2011
5:23 pm
Uzzi and Sims questionable. Could be 4 starters out.
Utah 27 GT 14.Eight bowl losses in a row.
ugakev
December 30th, 2011
5:39 pm
Come on now let’s actually speak some truth to distorted facts. Georgia had a very young and talented team this year. We had true freshmen making plays for us for God’s sakes. Georgia was not going to blow too many teams out with a team so young. Georgia had no running backs and had a chance to grab LSU by their throats and didn’t because they are still young and mad mistakes. Some of you brag about Georgias 30pt loss to LSU but for those that really watched the game they know what the deal was. If Georgia had any healthy running backs that game it would of been completely diff game. That defense shut that team down to ZERO first downs in the first half but wore down in the second half because of our lack of a running game and mentally its frustrating to play so dominate and have unfornate things go wrong. I guarantee you that these dawgs will bite alot harder next season. Those freshmen will be men next year and our running game will be reborn with all this great depth coming in with Marshall and gurney and hopefully davis.
ugakev
December 30th, 2011
5:41 pm
excuse any grammatical errors. typing on a phone
ugakev
December 30th, 2011
5:42 pm
gurley*
Beast from the East Eaten by Dawg
December 30th, 2011
5:55 pm
Mark,
Mind giving us your opinion on this? I think UT is dead wrong in this instance. Your thoughts?
http://dooley.blogs.gatorsports.com/11112/the-hypocrisy-continues/
Ted M
December 30th, 2011
6:02 pm
Wow Mark – you are very engaging after a vacation…must of been a good one.
This isn’t a prediction just a worrisome possibility.
The Braves might only get 35 home runs from their starting outfield.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2011
6:22 pm
It’s the new iPad, Ted M.
1eyedJack
December 30th, 2011
6:27 pm
Well Mark, it seems you’re only half as bad as everybody says.