Predictions are an inexact science at best. There are specialists in the field called Futurists and companies pay them big bucks. Their forecasts of the future may decide a company’s failure or success. They use many tools including paradigms and scenarios.
I don’t have near that sophisticated of an approach and must rely on common sense, a little knowledge and maybe a subconscious insight or two.
My first stab at the unknown is that the Vikings will defeat the Green Bay Packers. I’m writing this on Christmas day and the big game doesn’t occur until Sunday.
Did I mention that forecasts take courage also? I don’t expect the Vikes to go far in playoffs, for that takes a better quarterback than the Vikings have this year. But, this has been a good season and next year should be better.
As I write this, our Minnesota basketball Gophers are ranked 11th in the national poll. Tubby Smith’s team is loaded this year with four year seniors, one fifth-year and one sixth-year senior, Trevor Mbakwe. They will have one of the best front lines in college basketball when Mo Walker joins Mbakwe and Rodney Williams.
My prediction of the "Sweet Sixteen" for the Gophers, is more in keeping with conventional wisdom than the Vikings triumphing over the Packers, but we will see if Tubby can take the team that far. If not, there will be grumbling in Gopher land.
The outlook for the University of Minnesota football team is encouraging. They’ve got a couple of extra weeks of practice this year as they prepare for their bowl game. That should stand them in good stead for next year. The Gophers won’t rise above mediocrity, but should be a solid team.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have put together a fine team and have a good upside with playoff potential. Forward Kevin love is a proven all-star. Ricky Rubio is the catalyst and gives the Wolves a playmaker. Newcomer Andre Kirilenko has been a surprise, providing the team with passing, rebounding and shooting. He also plays tenacious defense.
What more can you ask? He reminds me of long time all-pro John Havlicek.
Nicola Pekovic has shown he can measure up with the best centers in the NBA. If the Timberwolves can find a shooting guard, which may be Brandon Roy, they will be tough down the stretch. They have the bench to do it with J.J. Barea and others helping out. If, and this is a big if, they can escape injuries, they will go deep into the playoffs.
The Minnesota Twins are trying to dig themselves out of the cellar and it appears that they have taken steps to achieve that lengthy process under the direction of Terry Ryan. They desperately needed pitching and have garnered a number of arms. Some for the future and some for now.
There are many question marks for the 2013 pitching. Many of the signed pitchers are recovering from surgery and some weren’t that good when they were healthy.
They did get young power arms, but not for this year. A guy has to wonder that if instead of Ryan spending $5 million here and $5 million there for mediocre pitchers, he had taken all the millions, and spent them on an ace, the Twins wouldn’t be better off. Ryan went for quantity, not quality.
Our Twins should climb one rung in the standings and escape the cellar, but we will have to wait until 2014 to see real improvement. There you have it and no matter what, it looks like a fun year for Minnesota fans.
