Odds & Sods: 2008 Global Predictions & Wishes

This is a little bit of a different version of Odds & Sods. I'll go where only the brave have gone before and that is to make some predictions on what I think will happen around the world and what I wish would happen in 2008. I'll close out with some things I'm looking forward to and one thing I am not!

NEWS
Prediction: Iraq will be relatively stable, and I emphasize relatively. However, Afghanistan will deteriorate, especially along the border with Pakistan. We never finished the job there, and this year al-Qaeda along with the Taliban will try to capitalize. They would love to have an impact in either direction on the 2008 election.

Wish: That America and her allies will reach some kind of consensus as to how long we are going to stay in Afghanistan and Iraq, what our commitment is, and what our goals are. Then, stick with that plan.

Prediction: The world will continue to ignore the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Wish: That the politicians and t.v. pundits would take the time to explain what is going on there and why China is looking the other way.

POLITICS
Prediction: Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Bloomberg will be the choices for the United States Presidency. It will mark the all-time pettiest, snippiest, dirtiest, and most divisive presidential election in this country's history.

Wish: If the above does happen, I'd hope Bloomberg brings some sense of order to the pubescent behavior.

SPORTS
Prediction: The Green Bay Packers will lose to the New England Patriots, 20-19, in the Super Bowl. Brett Favre will announce his retirement after the game, causing John Madden to break down into a blubbering mess.

Prediction: Isiah Thomas will not be fired at any point in 2008.

Prediction: Joe Girardi will win the manager of the year award.

Wish: That all of the major sports leagues will get together and implement a zero-tolerance policy in regards to HGH and any and all performance enhancing substances.

Wish: That Herb Williams be named Knicks' Head Coach and Patrick Ewing the assistant.

Wish: One more Cup for Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan. Two class acts.

THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
--Hopefully, playing more golf this year.
--Going somewhere on vacation, it's been too long. I've got to get a break from this place!
--The Presidential Election. If a certain two jabronis get the nomination I could see things getting really dirty, but it's still exciting no matter what!
--The Dark Knight. Sequel to Batman Begins hits theaters in July.
-- Finishing Atlas Shrugged. Really good book, but 1,100 pages is too much for me!
--Anne Rice's new book Christ The Lord: The Road To Cana due out in the spring.
--Reading Bret Hart's autobiography: Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling. The book debuts in the United States at the end of January, but has already received rave reviews in Canada. Here's an excerpt:

For as long as I can remember, my world was filled with liars and bullshitters, losers and pretenders, but I also saw the good side of pro wrestling. To me there is something bordering on beautiful about a brotherhood of big tough men who pretended to hurt one another for a living instead of actually doing it. Any idiot can hurt someone.

Classic!

SOMETHING I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO
The final game in Yankee Stadium. Progress is what it is and I'm sure the new ballpark will be great, but tearing down Yankee Stadium is like tugging on Superman's cape...you don't do it!

My Wish For You..

No Matter What...

Please...

Stay Onsides...

and

Be Lucky!