As we near the end of 2021, it’s time for SU’s fearless predictions for the college football playoffs.

It’s hard not to pick Alabama over Cincinnati. SU does note that they lost one of their best wide receivers in the Georgia game, and they really should have lost the game in Auburn. However, it’s all about peaking at the right time, and SU will go with the experts. My prediction is: Alabama over Cincinnati 38 – 21. I can see this game close into the 3rd quarter.

In the night cap, everyone is talking about a low scoring, defensive battle. Georgia’s defense is pretty amazing although they were exposed against Alabama. Other than their tight end, I don’t see the play makers on offense. Michigan has had a feel good season and the offensive play calling has improved throughout the season. They show more confidence now in allowing McNamara to pass the ball down the field which will be a requirement if they can’t run effectively. SU sees Michigan coming out on top 24 – 14 with them scoring on defense.

SU has also started modeling out the NFL playoffs as we near the end of the extended regular season. Green Bay will once again be in great position to have home field throughout the NFC playoffs but that does not always work out for them. I actually see the Rams getting hot with Stafford and finding their way to the Super Bowl. Dallas will certainly have something to say about that but I see the Rams making it to the big game for a “home” Super Bowl appearance in LA. In the AFC, watch out for Indianapolis. Their defense generates a lot of turnovers and while you can’t trust Carson Wentz, they seem to play (and win) a lot of close games and have been winning consistently down the stretch. New England is fading and while the Chiefs are hot, SU has a funny feeling about the Colts this year.

Feeling a lot of playoff upsets in the NFL come January. Feel free to make your predictions known here in the Comments section.

SU has been a long-time Novak Djokovic fan going back to 2010. But I am majorly disappointed in him now with his anti-vax status and now likely skipping the Australian Open because they are only allowing vaccinated players for the tournament. He has been coy – doesn’t believe people have a right to know his vax status – and it’s a terrible look. As a top player, you are constantly around many people who make the tournament a success. Is it so much to ask that you get vaccinated? Is it too much to make a sacrifice for others? I get Kyrie Irving – selfish player his whole career. But Djokovic has a great Foundation and is chasing history with grand slams. Maybe he will surprise me and show up in a few weeks and be vaccinated. If not, it’s a huge miss and will taint his legacy. SU is always able to separate the athlete on the field/court from his life off it but this is just bad.

I know the NBA is doing whatever it can to not cancel games and teams are having teams sign G-League players to 10-day contracts. That is all well and good but for the fan paying a lot of money to see games in person, this is not ideal. It may be better to shut it down for a week.

Other than that, wishing the SU intergalactic subscriber base a safe and happy new year, and better times in 2022!

OK, sports fans, your time has come. Given the Omicron variant and all of the NBA and NHL games being canceled due to positive tests, I am sure that there is a need for your services. Get out on the driveway and brush up on your 3-point shot and spin move to the basket. Fine-tune those defensive moves that you use in pick-up games to slide under the shooter and cause him to miss and wonder why (OK, this only applies to the over-60 crowd here).

SU likes the Buck Showalter signing by the Mets. They tried the up and comer approach last year with Luis Rojas and well, not so great in terms of results. The Yankees have picked him up to coach 3rd base so good for him. Buck may not fit the Aaron Boone profile of the “great communicator”, but he is not afraid to get in someone’s face to let them know what he expects. As he worked for the YES Network the last couple of seasons, perhaps Boone can borrow him to light a fire under Gary Sanchez in 2022 as we all know Sanchez will be jogging to 1st base for the next 8 years. The Mets have stolen the off-season in New York: new GM; new manager; quality free agent signings. The Yankees? Not so much.

By the way, MLB has really hurt itself with the lockout as baseball is just not even in the news anymore. And if this lasts well into February, it’s a lost Hot Stove season and all the buzz that goes with that. Bad job – by both sides on this one.

Ever since SU announced its support for YOUR NEW YORK KNICKS, well, they have been a pretty pedestrian team searching for its identity. Randall has regressed in 2021 and the team just struggles for long stretches every game. SU believes the talent is there but Thibodeau needs to find the right line-ups. That is his job – no excuses.

The NFL is limping to the conclusion of the season with games being moved and players either testing positive or getting hurt. It does feel like this season has seen an especially large number of injuries. Players being carted off the field are no longer the exception. Tampa Bay lost 2 top receivers and their starting running back in one game. On the other hand, so many teams are still in the playoff hunt which is great. SU says the playoffs are wide open this year – there just is not that one dominant team. Of course, even in a season like this one, neither the Jets or Giants are relevant. Time to fly the plane with the banner over MetLife stadium.

No doubt the NCAA is hoping that the Bowl Championship Series semi-final games get played on schedule (as does SU).

You have to appreciate the irony of the Nets finally making the decision to let Kyrie Irving play in road games (not in NY and Toronto) and then he immediately tests positive for COVID.

The College Football finalists will be announced later today but for once, there is no drama this year. The seedings will likely be: Alabama; Michigan; Georgia; and Cincinnati. All are deserving of course and a notch above Notre Dame. SU says the decision-makers will not want a Georgia-Alabama rematch in the semi-finals, and therefore the safe play is to put Alabama at #1 based on their thrashing of Georgia yesterday.

The reality is that in college football, a season can change on just one play for most winning programs. Consider just last week that Alabama really should have lost to Auburn if their running back had stayed in-bounds with 2 minutes left in the game. There would not have been enough time to drive down the field to tie the game in the last seconds forcing overtime. Alabama’s quarterback was not effective for most of the game against Auburn but was dominant against the crazy good Georgia defense yesterday. Go figure.

Michigan was going to lose late to Penn State a few weeks ago but a long pass play to tight end Eric All changed all of that and they have been on a roll ever since. Jim Harbaugh went from again not beating a ranked team in the regular season to a coaching genius with this year’s team. SU says he was smart to bring in a team of young assistant coaches and created a culture that his players totally bought into with senior leadership. He also unshackled the offensive coordinator to open up the playbook. They are still a run-first team but for once, they have some playmakers and he is letting them make plays. For SU, the season is a success and they are now playing with house money. Anything from here on out is gravy.

Michigan has not always done well with the 3 weeks off before the bowl game and no doubt, Harbaugh will be focused on that as well. If they play Georgia, that will be an interesting match-up of an SEC powerhouse with many 5-star recruits vs. a hot team. But Georgia was the “hot” team going into the game yesterday and Alabama took care of business. Alabama has to be the favorite to win it all but SU does note that they don’t seem to have the dominant running back that they usually have. It’s why they play the games.

MLB has entered hibernation until likely mid-February according to most experts. Good move by MLB and the Players’ Union. Good move to have their fans pay no attention to baseball for several months and then develop a distaste for both sides going into next season. Brian Cashman is taking what might be a very effective strategy. Rather than over-pay now for free agents and the $300 million contracts that never pan out or end well, he will have money to spend in the few weeks before the start of the season in 2022 to snatch up free agents at bargain prices. Time will tell but hard to argue with that.

Teams are not allowed to have any contact with their players. How many pitchers will come in with arm issues not having done the off season work? Something to watch for.

And maybe the Mets will have a manager by April.