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Show Sports predicting puts you on spot By JACK IIIIX When a writer commits predictions predic-tions to paper, those predictions will always be checked with the actual outcome and if the writer was wrong, he usually hears about it. Seldom do "prophets" get honor when their predictions are correct. Back in August, 1986, Nolan Parry, a PGHS graduate, published Parry's Power Guide, a forecast of how the 1986 Utah High School football season would go. Let's see how Parry's predictions came out. In the 4-A forecast, Parry didn't do too well. He picked Olympus, Weber, Davis, Mountain View and Alta as the top five. Although those five teams had good years, Highland beat Bonneville for the 4-A crown. However, Parry really was tough in his 3-A predictions when he picked Bear River, Springville, Timpview, Jordan and Judge Memorial as the top five. Timpview eventually edged Bear River in overtime to claim the 3-A title. Parry picked PG to finish sixth in Region 8 and the Vikes tied for first place. As a former student manager for PG, Parry should have had more faith in the Vikes than his pick demonstrated. The system devised by Parry seems to be more accurate than any this writer has seen to date. On the college scene, well-known broadcaster, Keith Jackson, of ABC network fame, put his picks on paper on August 22 and he gets a "B plus" for his prognostications. Jackson put Michigan as number one, followed by Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas A&M, UCLA, Penn State and Nebraska. Jackson said that anyone of these seven could win the national championship. Penn State came out on top in the voting, winning over Jackson's 14th pick, Miami. None of Jackson's top seven had a bad year and all were in post-season bowl games. Joe Paterno is a class coach and I was elated that his program at Penn State was named tops and awarded the mythical national crown. They, like BYU a few years ago, deserved it. Having read all of Oklahoma's baloney when BYU was voted number one and listened to all the BS (Bosworth and Switzer) again this year, I have to admit that the best team I saw play in the postseason post-season bowl games was Oklahoma. Bosworth's replacement, a player named Jones, was terrific. The Sooners didn't miss the outspoken, ineligible Bosworth one bit. In fact, they were probably a better "team" without all the talk. Coach Switzer, you are not one of my favorite coaches, but for what it is worth, in my poll, you had the best college team in America at the end of the season. By the way, let's hope the local talk of BYU getting into the PAC 10 has been put to rest. Playing a UCLA-type team every week is probably not the thing the Cougars want to do. Ask Jason Buck, the "best defensive lineman in America." I think he would agree. Buck did play against UCLA didn't he? Or was that another player wearing his number as Gaston Green streaked by for 266 yards on the ground. |
