From the Sidelines

I see by the morning paper that the Indianapolis Colts are 7-1 favorites to win Super Bowl XLV. This two days after those same Colts, predicted by almost everybody to win SB XLIV, lost 31-17 to a New Orleans Saints team that had never been to the big game in 42 years of existence.

Even before the Colts have had time to review the game films, we already know they are even going to make it to the Super Bowl next year? And the Saints are only 9-1 to repeat, behind a San Diego team that didn’t even get there this year?

Well, people who get paid a lot more than I do know these things. I hope they get paid enough that they can afford to lose bets backing up their knowledge.

Personally, I would rather see the games played and find out who wins when the final whistle sounds. That is the way I grew up watching sports.

Even when I used to forecast the season’s results for Pirate teams, I would always include a disclaimer, that the predictions were for fun only and any use of them for other than entertainment was at the user’s risk. Even so, one coach told his players not to talk to me after I predicted that the team would win two games. After the season, I had to apologize for my inaccuracy. The team won only one game.

Maybe I’ll put my money on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLV. I haven’t found an “expert” to back me, but the odds should be long enough that if a miracle should happen I could afford to laugh all the way to the bank.