UGA, Tech and the Falcons as division champs? I called it
In 2012, there was much cause for football celebration in these environs. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
For a while there, I had to ask myself, “Old son, did you really change your first name to ‘Homer’?” Because that’s what I was getting called by many of y’all. Prompting this charge was my stated belief that Georgia, Georgia Tech and the Falcons would all win divisions. But with 2013 near at hand, this Homer must confess that he considers his prognosticating work of 2012 a triumphant odyssey.
Because Georgia won its division. And so did Georgia Tech. And so did the Falcons. And who called it way back when?
The jinx of all jinxing. The archduke of addled thinking. Dumb ol’ MB.
Usually the annual Accountability Scoreboard serves a three-course dinner of Crow Soup, Crow Mignon and Humble Pie. Not this time. And yes, I’m as surprised as you are.
I predicted every Georgia regular-season game correctly. I did miss on the bigger part of my UGA prediction: The Bulldogs will not play USC for BCS title. (For the life of me, I can’t imagine what led me to pick a Lane Kiffin thing to win anything. I can, however, state with great certainty that it will never happen again.) The Bulldogs did not face LSU in the SEC championship game. Nor did they beat Alabama in the SEC championship game.
But Georgia did beat Florida, a pick I made in May and re-affirmed in October at a time when almost nobody was giving the Bulldogs a chance in Jacksonville. I’m kind of proud of that one, if I do say so myself.
Admittedly, I needed a heap of help to look good on my Coastal Division pick. I was wrong that Georgia Tech’s path to the top would be paved by a Labor Day upset of Virginia Tech. But even if Miami’s self-removal from the ACC title game affixed an asterisk to Tech’s season, the fact remains: The Jackets tied for first place and were the only eligible team left standing.
As for the Falcons: I’m willing to concede I may have underclubbed. I picked them to go 12-4. They could go 14-2. Back in February, I came pretty close to guessing what the Falcons would (and wouldn’t) do over the offseason, and in August I opined that Matt Ryan would have a huge season, which he indeed has. As we got into the season, though, I didn’t think the Falcons’ first loss would come in New Orleans. Tampa Bay was my incorrect choice.
I thought the Braves were a wild-card team, and they proved me right. (There was a time when I even suggested they might sneak up and win the East, but the mood soon passed.) Right after they traded for Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson, I suggested the Braves could play deep into October, but I never actually picked them to beat the Cardinals in the wild-card playoff/in. I’m kind of proud of that, too, because that’s one of the few times I’ve resisted making some sort of call. But if I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned that choosing a winner in any single baseball game is a fool’s errand.
Speaking of fools: I did pick the Falcons over the Giants in that wild-card round, and I did pick Georgia over Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. What can I say? My 2012 started badly. But it got better as it went.
I picked only one of the correct Final Four, and I didn’t pick that one — Kentucky, which happens to be my alma mater — to win it all. I went with North Carolina instead. Why did I not pick UK? Oh, I don’t know. Probably because I didn’t want to look like, ahem, a homer. Figured I’d save that part for later in the calendar year.
And I am on record — both written and video’d — as picking the Falcons to go to the Super Bowl (in the video) and win the darn thing (in print just this week). Go ahead and scoff. Homer Bradley will just point to the latest Accountability Scoreboard and smile.
Further reading: The 2011 Accountability Scoreboard (not a bad year).
Grim tidings: The 2010 Accountability Scoreboard (not a good year).
Ancient history: The 2009 Accountability Scoreboard (good on Tech, if nothing else).
By Mark Bradley
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186 comments Add your comment
oldfart
December 20th, 2012
11:15 pm
Tech should be ticketed for backing into it without a warning beeper. Other than that I will give you due credit Mr. Bradley.
Buzz2011
December 20th, 2012
11:44 pm
Hey Bradley, who won the SEC championship game this year
between the Dogs and Alabama?
Falcon Jim
December 21st, 2012
12:46 am
Years ago my late Father was the President of the Atlanta Optimist Club……………..but was the biggest PESSIMIST about Atlanta sports teams. Times go on, but nothing changes.
Falcon Jim
December 21st, 2012
12:48 am
I am not moderate. I am a conservative traditional American
Never First, Just the Best!
December 21st, 2012
1:07 am
Got any numbers for mega-millions?….lol
NFC South Champs
December 21st, 2012
1:22 am
Those defending Super Bowl Champs got their Gmens kicked 34-0.
NFC South Champs
December 21st, 2012
1:27 am
That 49′er defense gave up 34 points,
And Green Bay squeaked by Chicago
And The Falcons took the Giants to the woodshed.
john
December 21st, 2012
1:27 am
GTBob: Do the Tech fans a big favor: STFU.
drbasic1
December 21st, 2012
2:24 am
I WOULD THINK SOME OF YOU MIGHT FIND AN ACADEMIC BLOG
I thought this was a sports blog and SPECIFIC about MB’s predictions.
Everytime some person mentions the power of football between Georgia and Georgia Tech, seems Tech fans only recourse is to bring up academics or much more money a graduate of one school makes over another, you people are pathetic!
Whopper Dawg
December 21st, 2012
2:26 am
You called it, Mark. Congrats!!!!
pal
December 21st, 2012
3:04 am
The sec had 3 teams 0-7 heading into the final week. Only because tenn played kty, did they not have 3 0-8 teams in conf. The conf is very overrated and this will be shown in the bowl games.
drbasic1
December 21st, 2012
4:11 am
don’t think those particular teams are going bowling, goober. As for the others, put a “pay” in front of your name and get with me, i would be more than happy to take any money you can afford to lose.
Cloudodust
December 21st, 2012
6:01 am
I’m guessing you consistently Sacked Schultz. Enjoy that trip to Hawaii. Aloha, MB
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
6:25 am
I pick the dogs to be 2013 National Champions Feb-July.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
6:27 am
I pick that the dogs will continue their losing ways against ranked opponents.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
6:27 am
I pick that their will plenty of pot to smoke in Athens during the off-season and at least 4 dogs will get busted.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
6:28 am
I pick that dogs fans will continue to trash their own campus
Peadawg
December 21st, 2012
7:09 am
Atlanta and UGA WON their divisions.
Tech “won” their division.
Big difference.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
7:30 am
I predict the dogs will be 1-3 on 9/29/13
blackandwhitestripes
December 21st, 2012
7:45 am
ugag never gets the prize with all of their 5 star NFL recruiting. What is the saying, a day late and a game short?
Joey
December 21st, 2012
9:00 am
I predict Free Tatts U will have to give up that ‘02 BCS Title one of these days . . .
http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/maurice_clarett_i_got_paid_more_in_college_than_i_do_now_in_the_ufl/12439528?linksrc=home_x_rg_head_12439528
DawginLex
December 21st, 2012
9:16 am
I predict Ohio State will lose to Georgia in the 2013 BCS title game.
After skating through another weak Big Ten schedule, delusional Buckeyes will once again have their hopes crushed when they face the 2013 SEC Champion Bulldogs.
52-28
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
9:55 am
dogs,
I’m heading to Columbus for Christmas. Who would prefer that I stay there?
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
9:57 am
dog 2013 losses:
Clemson
South Carolina
LSU
Vanderbilt
That does not a BCS title game, nor any BCS game (again) for the dogs.
Hellooooooo Liberty Bowl (again) for the dogs.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
9:58 am
I predict Urban will save his
TIME OUT!
TIME OUT!
TIME OUT!
Ah, the memories.
Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr. (A Great American)
December 21st, 2012
10:32 am
I went back and read Mark’s column.. and unearthed this little nugget:
“I’d be lying if I said I think Georgia Tech will be a great team. I see it going 9-3, which falls under the heading of “pretty good.”
If 9-3 (which they can only dream about now) falls under “pretty good” – what does their actual record fall under?
GTBob
December 21st, 2012
11:10 am
If 9-3 (which they can only dream about now) falls under “pretty good” – what does their actual record fall under?
The truth is that 9-3 is a really good year for GT. 6-6 is an average year. 7-5 or 8-4 is pretty good.
Mike
December 21st, 2012
11:39 am
yeah real tough calls with ugas creampuff schedule and the saints with their issues. like tb or carolina was gonna be in the hunt. So it was a coin flip. Hardly worth tooting your horn over. Next time make predictions like what teams will win each division in football and who will make the wild card and then the champ games and sb. Then you can gloat if you got most right.
Mike
December 21st, 2012
11:41 am
7-5 is pretty good? In the pathetic acc? Wow way to set those expectations high. 7-5 in 4-4 in the acc and 3 ooc wins over creampuffs. of course gt lost to 2 cp this year.
if 4-4 in conf in the acc is good, then the acc should move to div 1aa.
Vampire Bill
December 21st, 2012
12:23 pm
I predict that these AJC blogs in 2013 will be 80% nonsense and jibberish, 15% sports and 5% mediocre humor.
Buckeye
December 21st, 2012
12:25 pm
si.com Daily Jolt
Coincidence that the Matthew (I’ve yet to make an honest woman out of @kellybhall) Stafford leads the most “underachieving” team in the NFL?
Think not. dogs don’t fall far from dog trees.
Big Ten Champs Nebraska
December 21st, 2012
2:19 pm
Wow
Ron D
December 21st, 2012
3:50 pm
Great job, Mark! I didn’t believe you on the Tech prediction but it came true.
UGA, Tech and the Falcons as division champs? I called it
December 21st, 2012
4:01 pm
[...] (AJC photo by Add Audio. In 2012, there was much cause for football celebration in … …Source Tags: Champs window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : 275244229221412, status : [...]
GTBob
December 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
7-5 is pretty good? In the pathetic acc? Wow way to set those expectations high.
We have been playing in the ACC for a while and haven’t done much better then that. Why should I expect more now?
Pro Fan
December 21st, 2012
5:12 pm
People call you a homer Bradley,Not because of you picking GT uga and the Falcons to win,but of you picking uga to win all the time and crying for a month when they don’t.GT btw didn’t actually win the Coastal..Miami did…….talking about predictable nonsense from bloggers other than GTBOB,look no further tha dawgfan…same old BS every time you see this guy..Just like BOB going to uga blogs talking nonsense,you can count on dawgfan to do the same on GT blogs..What’s up with that BOYS!!…Ga Tech may not have had a good year this time,but an embarrassment?It’s pretty obvious that you have never played a down in football at any level…andhave NO idea what it takes to play the game at college level..and GT BOB…UGA played the schedule that was made out awhile back…Its not their fault that the teams they played this year didn’t have steller years.UGA played what was put in front of them and won the SEC east…Justlike dawg your another one that’s probably never played a down of football…..I personally like both UGA and GT and would be proud to have either of my sons play football or baseball for either…But I hope that neither of them ever go to college around either one of you nitwits or anyone like you….GOOD LUCK TO UGA and Ga.Tech in your bowls..y
Sven Ottke
December 21st, 2012
5:16 pm
GT: highest avg SAT score for football for incoming
UGa: 80% special admits
Eat that Heel Mutt
A person SMART enough to know.....
December 21st, 2012
7:43 pm
Well the world is still so I guess UGa gets another 32 years to be preseason national champs.
kingdaddy
December 21st, 2012
7:59 pm
Smart
At least we always have Techies to make us feel better about our wretched football team, lol…
A person SMART enough to know.....
December 21st, 2012
8:04 pm
KingDaddy….whatever helps get you through the day. LOL
A person SMART enough to know.....
December 21st, 2012
8:07 pm
KingDaddy I have the FLU and I feel like crap. Laying on the sofa watching one of your Favorite Coaches and Teams play football. Are you watching O’Leary and UCF vs Ball St game? This makes it the 3rd day and still don’t want to do much.
Pitbull
December 21st, 2012
9:17 pm
Looks like Mike’s mom bought him a computer for Christmas and gave it to him early.
Hope he grows up and matures a little.
Pitbull
December 21st, 2012
9:17 pm
Looks like Mike’s mom bought him a computer for Christmas and gave it to him early.
Hope he grows up and matures a little.
Birmingham Jacket
December 21st, 2012
11:41 pm
Why are all you UGA fans so optimistic about 2013?
Youre losing your entire defense– and great D is a common demonitor in Sec championship teams.
And hate to be a discouraging voice of reality… But despite the pep talks you give each other, and fancy wishing… Murray is GONE!
New QB. New defense. Tougher schedule.
I see 8-4 or 9-3 at best. And the vultures will be once again circling the wagon to run Richt out of town.
boykin
December 22nd, 2012
3:02 am
Great article, Mark. I predict GTBOB will come out of his Moms basement and join reality with his Jackets as LOSERS!
Zip 30327 Rich
December 22nd, 2012
6:41 am
We kick Nerd Tech’s arse again highlighted by another couple of body slams again next year. I called it. You read it here first.
Zip 30327 Rich
December 22nd, 2012
6:45 am
I also predict GTBob comes out of the closet.
Buckeye
December 22nd, 2012
6:47 am
Morning dogs,
Leaving for Columbus. Want me to stay there?
The only numbers that matter
December 22nd, 2012
7:50 am
32-28
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 22nd, 2012
8:46 am
so after 15 years the UGA folks pay Garner 300k? Come on Man.