New Year's Prediction for the Boston Sporting Landscape

There are many thoughts that usually flood into my simple, yet complex mind, and they usually come in the form of predictions. However, I would be remiss if I didn't put these down on paper (e-paper?) just so that I can say, "I told you so" when I'm inevitably right. Let's hop to it:

Red Sox

• The Red Sox will make the playoffs and the Yankees will not. Everyone remembers the September version of the Red Sox which had Dustin Pedroia and a collection of Babe Ruth All-Stars (I'm looking at you Jarrod Saltalamacchia) but a healthy lineup without catastrophic injury after catastrophic injury goes a long way. They will make the playoffs but most likely get crushed by Anaheim at some point along the way.
• John Lackey will win at least 15 games. He has not been healthy at all since he came to Boston, but, a year removed from all of his physical, emotional and mental issues I think he comes back with renewed spirit and despite some demonstrative displays on the mound he will have his best season in a Red Sox uniform.
• Jon Lester will be an All-Star. Jon Lester is the linchpin to the upcoming season for the Red Sox. I think it was very telling when David Ortiz says that he is the one person that he expects a big turn around from. That, and I have a friendly wager with a VFC Couch Potato that says he'll be there.
• Will Middlebrooks will have the best offensive season of all Red Sox position players. Had he have been healthy the whole year he would have been second in the ROY running (no one was coming close to that Trout guy) and he will be the most dynamic offensive player in Beantown. I like him for .295 AVG, 26 HR 108 RBI.

Patriots

• The Patriots will re-sign both Wes Welker and Aqib Talib to contract extensions. Wes Welker is too instrumental to the offense and Tom Brady, I mean the Patriots, can not afford to let him go. Belichick has spent too many high draft picks on secondary help that is less than league average and Talib has that play maker mentality. He is a little rough around the edges but he should be signed if he can be fit under the cap after Welker's extension is done.
• Josh McDaniels is the heir apparent to Bill Belichick.  Bill Belichick's contract ends at the end of next year and it spoke volumes that they pulled him from St. Louis just before the Super Bowl last year and now when there are seven job openings including Philadelphia and Chicago (two very reputable, albeit mismanaged franchises) and he has said, "I like where I am". There is no doubt in my mind that McDaniels is the next head coach of the New England Patriots, but the question really is, when?
• The Patriots will win the Super Bowl. This is a team that was within a few minutes and a second horseshoe up Eli Manning's ass away from winning another Bowl last year. And this year they are better. There are only two teams that could possibly beat the Patriots and neither of them are in the AFC, San Francisco and Green Bay, but given the aforementioned Belichick statement above you wonder if this is close to a last hurrah, and I'm not betting against that man's game planning with something to prove one last time, if it is indeed one last time.

Celtics

• Avery Bradley is one of the pieces that the Celtics are missing. His on-ball defense is the best that I have seen since Bruce Bowen and if he can disrupt the passing lanes and add the energy that he gave the Celtics last year he should be good for a few more W's in the left hand column for Boston. That being said, he doesn't put them over the top.
• The Celtics will make an impact trade for a big man. The Celtics need someone that can rebound the ball and make an impact defensively. I don't know who it is, but I know that this man would be the difference in a playoff push for the Green. The Celtics have too much redundancy on their roster with all the two guards and they have an expendable piece in Brandon Bass that is unhappy with his current role (but can't be traded until January 15th or later). Do it Danny, get it done.
• Jared Sullinger needs to play more. I value Doc Rivers' talent evaluation like I value a medium rare steak (I value that with my life, don't go near my red meat) and when he says, "this kid doesn't play like a rookie" it doesn't get much higher praise for a first year player than that and he has a nose for the basketball. Especially now when the Celtics can't seem to get out of their own way some nights, this kid needs more PT.
• There is one more deep playoff run back in this team. This team is capable of beating any team any night but they need a legitimate big body that plays defense and rebounds. A healthy Avery Bradley neutralizes Dwayne Wade and then you have LeBron vs the rest of the Celtics and I'll take my chances.

Bruins

• Jeremy Jacobs needs to leave the Bruins organization. This is not a prediction, just an educated opinion. I'm not the biggest hockey fan but I am big on loyalty to a fan base, especially in Boston and the Boston Bruins owner is the man leading the charge in the continuation of this lockout. He is a hypocrite in the fact that he is an advocate for no deals longer than five years for players yet right before the lockout he OK'd a 6-year deal for Tyler Seguin. And he is still making money because he owns the TD Garden, so he could care less if the Bruins are on the ice or not. He is the main proponent that this lockout is going on and there are a lot of people in this region/country that want hockey back.

There it is, in concrete form for you all to ridicule and or stare at in astonishment, and most likely the latter. But I would like to take the time out to thank all the Couch Potatoes out there because without you I would just be another douche bag with an opinion. Here's to 2013.

Stay Tuned

Norton