Looking Backward

It's time to go over my predictions for the year. (If any of the other guys made predictions, now would be a good time to look back as well.) I've done okay in the past, but I don't think I saw ahead that clearly this time.

I saw continued progress in Iraq, which I think was correct. I also felt the terrorists there would try their hardest to keep up the violence. Perhaps they did, but it wasn't very effective.

I thought Obama would be believed dead. I think that's wrong.

I said Bush wouldn't make much progress on agreements with North Korea or Israel, though he'd try. I guess that's true.

I predicted the Dems would hold the House and gain in the Senate. Right again, but not particularly brave.

I begged off on who'd be the nominees for the Presidency, though I did predict the Democrat would probably win.

I thought the Congress wouldn't pass much major legislation, and any big stuff Bush would veto. Well, I guess the bailout (which I certainly didn't foresee) proves me wrong.

I said no major tax or immigration legislation. I think I was right, though next year might heat things up a bit.

I predicted Daniel Day-Lewis would win a Best Actor Oscar. Correct. I thought Julie Christie would beat Ellen Page for Best Actress. Well, they both lost to Marion Cotillard. I was right that Javier Bardem would beat Hal Holbrook for Supporting Actor. I thought Amy Ryan would beat Cate Blanchett for Supporting Actress, but they both lost to Tilda Swinton.

I thought the writers' strike would go on far longer than it did.

I predicted American Idol would still be popular, which was obvious. What I didn't say (and should have--I was thinking it) was it had peaked and the ratings wouldn't be as high as the previous year.

I predicted the Patriots would win the Super Bowl. They lost to the Giants in a close game.

I said the Celtics wouldn't be the champs. They beat the Lakers 4-2.

I figured the Tigers wouldn't finish first. They were pathetic and finished fifth.

I bravely predicted the Wolverines would finish over .500. Instead, they had their first season below (well below) .500.

I correctly predicted a recession.

I didn't think there'd be any controversial Supreme Court decisions, not even on gun rights. This is a judgment call, but I think their declaring the Second Amendment confers an individual right was controversial.

I'll try to have my predictions for 2009 up soon.