2010 Sports Predictions

It’s time again for my world famous sports predictions for coming year. Of my 2009 predictions some were on target, and some were close and some, well they just didn’t happen. For 2010 my visions are cloudy, but the Oracle of the Allegheny will be on the mark with these predictions.

England will win the World Cup.

I know England never does well at the World Cup, but this year the draw is set up perfectly for them. They have a fairly easy road to the Final.

Carolina Kostner will win Gold in Figure Skating

She’ll get good karma since she interviewed with us.



Sidney Crosby will be at the center of controversy in Vancouver.

I don’t know what yet, but something is will happen

No Undeafeated Teams from non-BCS Conferences.

2009 was the year of the little guy, next year their will be no surprise runs for the likes of TCU, Boise, etc.

Paula Creamer will win 2010 US Women’s Open at Oakmont

I might even go to see it live.

Tiger Woods will play in 2010

He’ll be back for better or worse.



Victoria Azarenka will become the top tennis star in the world.

Simple as that.

Bob Nutting will Sale the Pirates.

If only one of these predictions comes true, pray that it’s this one.



Lions make the NFL Playoffs

Correct, that’s the Detroit Lions, by the time the calendar flips to 2011, the Lions will have a playoff birth wrapped up.

Happy New Year from RizzoSports.com

Undefeated NFL Team?

Will this be the year we finally see an undefeated NFL team? Right now Indianapolis and New Orleans are both 13-0. The fact that there are two undefeated teams should help each team by spreading out the pressure.

New Orleans only has one tough game until the playoffs and that is next week, at home against Dallas. Indianapolis has to play at Jacksonville this Thursday, which could be tough. Both are dome teams, but that actually might help them, since they would have home field in the playoffs. If they can get through the regular season, they won’t have to worry about bad weather causing problems for them.

We learned with New England a couple of years ago, unless both teams meet in the Super Bowl as undefeateds, nothing is for certain.

Carolina Kostner: Skating for Gold

Carolina Kostner - Olympic Figure Skating Interview

Italy's Carolina Kostner is a favorite in Women's Figure Skating at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. A few minutes on the ice in Vancouver change her life forever. She is gearing up and getting ready to be one of this winter's Olympic Stars. When she spoke with us, Carolina was the top ranked female figure skater in the world.

1. Carolina, first off how did you get involved and when did start figure skating?

I started at age 3 although my parents took me skating before already.

2. Do you feel pressure to medal at the Olympics?

It’s my dream

3. Figure skating brings you to so many places across the world, do you have a favorite?

Home

4. In skating fans always throw flowers on the ice – do you have favorite flower? have anyone ever thrown anything other than flower? and what do you wish people would throw on the ice?

I love flowers. My favorite are gentians. People also throw stuffed animals. I love the ones with hats on!

5. How do you decide what music to pick and what outfit to wear at an event?

I need to love it! That’s all.

6. How many days a week do you train and for how long?

I train every day, differently. 2-5 h a day.

7. I hear you train some in the US? Is this true, and what to you like best about the States?

I train in Los Angeles at the moment. I like it very much. I like the many opportunities you have in such a big city.

8. Do you have a favorite Soccer/Football/Calcio Team?

Juventus, but I am not a big fan of Soccer

9. Outside of skating, is there something you enjoy doing, or do you have any hobbies?

I love to go to the movies and hang out with friends. I love fashion and design. I like to draw and read.

10. Ok, final question – If, hopefully when, you win a gold medal how will you celebrate?

One thing I want is to have my boyfriend with me. The rest doesn’t matter.

Thanks again, Best of Luck in Vancouver!!!
Best regards
Carolina

Follow Up: Ok, so we're disappointed with Carolina's answers or lack there of, but hey she is the top ranked figure skater in the world. Maybe she is a woman of few words. I'm thrilled she spok to us. Carolina is still unknown to most Americans but could emerge as the top female star of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Maybe if she has a good skate in Vancouver, everyone can throw stuffed animals with hats on them, onto the ice. Then she'll owe us. ;) Many of these winter sport athletes only get one chance at fame, it's amazing to watch how they're trying to give her as much exposure as possible leading up to and during the Olympics. However so much will depend on only a couple of minutes when she is on the ice in Vancouver. Hopefully she'll live up to the hype, and I encourage everyone to check her out.

Carolina's Official Website

If you would like to link to this story, please link to the achieved interview on RizzoSports.com

*all images were used permission from the Mancini Group

The Champions League - Teams Ranked | Knock Out Round Set.

The knock out stage of the Champions' League is set. The round of 16 will get underway in February. Below are the group winners which we've ranked in order. All group winners play a #2 seed (group runner-up) in the second round. The group winners will host the second game. Barcelona just like at the start of the competition is our favored team. However there are probably a dozen teams capable of reaching the semifinals.

Group Winners

Barcelona - The defending champs, I think only want to avoid Milan.
Chelsea - Built to win this thing this year.
Real Madrid - When healthy they should have be attack.
Manchester United - Always favorite, extra tough at home.
Bordeaux - Flying under the radar, for now.
Arsenal - Easy initial group, now we'll see what they really have.
Fiorentina - Played great in the group phase, however inexpericence could show now.
Sevilla - They'll have a fight to advance.

#2 Seeds

Inter Milan - They should fear nobody, especially since they can't be drawn against Barc.
AC Milan - How will Beckham help them when he arrives.
Bayern München - If healthy they'll be a force
Olympique Lyonnais - Could this be their break through year or is time running out.
CSKA Moscow - Will be a tough out.
FC Porto - Unproven
VfB Stuttgart - Could be tough especially at home.
Olympiacos - On paper they have the least talent.

Of course the winter transfer period could change these rankings a lot. Right now this is how we feel they should be ranked. Remember UFEA doesn't rank the groups, and teams can not play another team from their country or original group.

The BCS Proves Nothing Again!!!

The BCS hasn’t worked again. As we have seen since the establishment of the BCS, rarely do you have only two clear best teams by the end of the regular season. I would either have a playoff, or drop this fake champion BCS system altogether. The BCS should have initially been a plus one game in most seasons. Looking back at the history of the BCS, this would have proven the best team in college football. For example the year we had USC and Texas unbeaten, just put them in the BCS title game. Last year it would have worked better as a plus one game, Utah vs. Florida.

Anyway the real reason I’m writing is to showcase some of the flaws this year. However as most you know, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this year nothing will be proven. A lot of people are missing the main points of the argument, which are as follows.

1. The preseason rankings which we have argued about before created a preconceived notion that Texas is somehow better than TCU or Cincinnati. If Cincinnati or TCU was ranked #2 to start the season, I see nothing that Texas did to clear justify them jumping to #2 in all the polls.

2. The Computers favor Cincinnati, 4 of the 6 BCS computer rankings favor Cincinnati. Computer rankings are a less biased then sports writers, trust me. Brian Cook at TSN gets this point too. If all of the voters clearly see Texas as the second best team, would an advance computer formula easily be able to prove the same?

Another related side story is Brian Kelly and the Big East are bird brains. For this reason I don’t want Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, as he has proven he doesn’t know how to handle PR. Brain Kelly should have been on an all out attack, saying his team is favored by the computers and had a tougher schedule in the final weeks of the season. Case in point if Brian Kelly knew what he was doing after the Pitt game instead of saying - Go Cornhuskers. He should have said. –

What a game we just beat one of the toughest teams in the country on their home field to go undefeated and win the Big East Title. There is non question that after today’s performance Mardy Gillard should win the Heisman. What a clutch performance. It would be a sin against the city of Cinncinnati and college football, not to allow this team to compete for a National Title.

But he didn’t, and Big East apparently can’t even get their own coaches to vote Cincinnati ahead of Texas. The real loser is the Big East as they look like whimps, because the coaches and sports writers voted TCU a team from non Big East conference ahead of their undefeated champions. Go back to PR school Big East!

For that matter TCU should have ran their mouths about Texas being so lucky not to be facing them. Anything to make people think you deserve to be there. TCU you did an equally horrible job making a case for yourself.

I do credit Texas, because they certainly made people feel they deserved to be there. There massive fan base also doesn’t hurt.

So thank you again BCS for proving….hmmm NOTHING! Texas, Cinncy, and TCU all should be competing for a national title. Cincinnati and TCU have ESPN, Brent Musburger and their inexperienced coaches and PR staffs to thank for their lack of second place votes.

At least the BCS system does give us a final match-up between the two most politically advantageous and popular schools, along with something for us to complain about. It just rarely proves anything.

College Football Picks - Week 14

Well WVU knocked off the Panthers, I knew that was going to happen but for some reason still picked Pitt. This week the Panthers have a chance to redeem themselves and earn a BCS birth at the expense of Cincinnati. The rest of the Conference Championship games include the game of the decade, Alabama vs. Florida.

Oregon St. @ Oregon
Cincinnati @ Pitt
Flordia vs. Alabama
Texas. vs. Nebraska
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson


Mike - (2-3)(37-23) - Oregon, Pitt, Florida. Texas, Georgia Tech
Brian - (3-2)(31-19) -
Sean - (2-3)(39-21)