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2012 is now just another year lost in the sands of time. As each day goes by, weeks come and go, holidays are enjoyed and forgotten, months are lost, as each day adds up to 365. This year was a strange one for Texas sports as we have seen young teams rise and older dynasties start to whither. Some of the great players of our generation have retired or have moved to different towns to be loved in order to let the young ones get their chance. A new generation is staring to get their chance to influence not only the games we love, but society as a whole. As our generation keeps embracing technology more and more, the good ole days before the internet will be forgotten. This is the trend that will keep going on into the unknown future until the next human shaping invention is created. Look for this trend to continue as the children of the 1990s start to enter the workplace and start to have an influence in society.
Anyways, lately I have been reading my tarot cards, analyzing palms, checking the horoscopes, reading Nostradamus and have spent hours gazing into the dark depths of the crystal ball. This time and effort has brought me some insight on the future of Texas professional sports in 2013.
1. The Rangers will play in the Wild Card play in game again
This game is something no baseball fan wants their team to be put in even though it makes for great television. After playing 162 games it will come down to game 163 for the Texas Rangers again. The Angels will win the AL West by winning the most 9-7 games in the history of baseball. As a result, Texas will be forced to play in the play in game. This time it won't be against the O's, but against the Rays in a match up that throws Yu Darvish into the pit to to duel David Price.
2. Spurs will lose to the Clippers in the Western Conference Semis
As of today we are currently 40% through the NBA season and the standings look like this.
1. Oklahoma City 24-7
2. San Antonio 26-8
3. L.A Clippers 25-8
4. Memphis 20-9
5. Golden State 22-10
These five teams are then followed by a rag tag bunch that are only separated by two games between the sixth seed and not making the playoffs. All five of the teams in that group are more athletic and tougher in the post (except for Golden State) than the Spurs are. These are the types of teams that have bounced them before the finals the past two years. The Clippers are the perfect combination of these two and the Spurs are 0-2 against them this year. Chris Paul is playing at an MVP level and Tony Parker can not stay in front of him on defense. Their bench is the only one in the league that is close to San Antonio's. I believe the Thunder will win the #1 seed and the first front four teams stay the same. This will give us an exciting Clippers SA match up in the semis that the Clippers will win in 6.
3. Texas will win the AFC South in 2013
The Titans will still be a dirty diaper. Jake Locker should be a better quarterback next year, but the team has too many holes to fix in one year. Next year will be the pivotal year in Locker's maturation and if he does not produce look for the Titans to cut ties. The Jaguars will still be shower scum. Gabbert or Henne will be the quarterback this year (barring a Tebow occurence), unless they draft one in an extremely weak class. Like the Titans there is a multitude of problems that will take more than one year to fix. The Colts will have to play a tougher schedule in 2013 because they finished 2nd in the AFC South and will have to play all the second place AFC teams and a much tougher NFC West. This easy schedule will wreck their season and their is no way they will have the one win record that they managed to pull off this year. That leaves Houston to hoist the AFC South crown on top of its head in December for the third straight year and become an AFC South dynasty just like the Colts of Christmas' past.
4. Jurickson Profar will win AL Rookie of the year
The ZiPS projections at fan graphs for the Texas Rangers have been released last week and they are a must for any baseball fan.
For Profar they have him projected at a .263 average, an OBP of .331, 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, 65 runs and 17 steals. I think is defense will be incredible as well which will boost his voting numbers. I also believe Profar will have a better year than this by having a higher average, steals and runs. There should not be another season for a rookie like what Mike Trout did this past season and usually rookie of the year numbers are something more in line of Profar's projections. Profar will exceed expectations for a 20 year old rookie and the Rangers will have the best infield in baseball in 2013.
5. The Stars will not play another hockey game until October
I am tired of reading about the lockout nonsense and how each day they maybe closer to getting a deal. Bettman and the NHLPA are worse than the Republicans and the Democrats when it comes to compromising and negotiating. I don't see a deal getting done in time for a 48 game season to occur. The only approach they could take would be some preseason games and a March Madness style tourney for the Stanley Cup (which would be one of the greatest things in the history of the world). If you are waiting for a labor agreement to be reached, and real NHL hockey to be played, while eating your fingernails and wearing your Mike Modano jersey, you are wasting your time. The two sides will not come to an agreement until February or March and by then it will be a lost season.
6. Rockets will lose in the first round and then will sign Al Jefferson or Josh Smith in the off season
So far the Rockets have been an exciting team this season. Harden is worth every draft pick, player and dollar they have given up to sign him. Him, Lin and Parsons have kept Rocket's fans excited to be a six seed for the first time since #1 was putting up 30 a night. Despite how dynamic they have been, they are still a top player away from seriously competing for an NBA title. With Harden playing lead salesman look for Daryl Morey to quench his big man thirst and finally get the post presence he has been searching for all these years.
7. After interviewing top name college coaches, the Cowboys will keep Jason Garret. Jerry Jones will draft a QB in the second round to put the pressure on Romo
Another year another 8-8 season for the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones has quoted that this will be an "uncomfortable" off season for the Dallas Cowboys. Nothing would be more uncomfortable than the scenario above. Garret did just enough to keep his job and Romo had one of his best statistical season's in years. Even though they lost their third week 17 playoff clinching game in five years they still did play well. Jones will interview other coaches and put the knife at Garret's throat to let him know this his is last rodeo if their is no January football in Dallas. Despite Romo's great season he still has yet to win a career defining playoff game. So Jones will draft a project quarterback like Ryan Nassib to groom, mature and learn from Romo (which might not be the best education ever). 2013 will be playoffs or bust and if they do not make it watch the whole thing blow up.
8. Darvish will finish in the top 3 in the AL Cy Young Voting
The projections for Darvish are nasty for his 2013 campaign. This season Darvish will make the jump as one of the top pitchers in baseball and will reward the Rangers for their investment. He finally seems to have gotten over his control issues and has assimilated into the American culture. Yu will have a Cy Young caliber season, but will finish behind Price and Verlander. However, he will join this elite group of pitchers and will lead the league in strikeouts. For the first time in Rangers' history the pitching staff will be better than the lineup.
9. The Texans will sign Dwayne Bowe in the offseason, but not Conner Barwin
Conner Barwin is one of the ten best outside line backer in the league. His numbers may not show it, but he is exceptional in coverage, rushing the passer, and stopping the run. Just like Brisel, Winston and Ryans last year he is expendable with the emergence of Mericlus as a pass rush super star. Barwin will get stacks on stacks of money from someone and Houston probably won't match it.
All year the Texan's pass offense has been narrow sighted. Andre Johnson catches ten more passes a game than every other receiver and ever pass in a 8-15 yard gain. Part of it is due to Dre getting open every play, but the Texans have not had a true number two receiver since Jabar Gaffney in 2002. Kevin Walter is good, but he is more of a slot receiver and has trouble getting open against top corners. Houston needs a consistent down field threat in their passing game. They need something more than a 10% chance of a deep completion to LeStar, Posey or Martin. Dwayne Bowe would provide this immediately. It would open up the field for Daniels, Walter, and Johnson. He would help out the run game as well because of his blocking and how teams would have to respect the pass. If Bowe was a Texan in 2013, Foster would increase his YPC from 4.1 to at least 5. The only thing keeping this from occurring, is if Houston lets their trio of young wide receiver's to make plays and extend the short leash they are on. One thing is for certain, the Houston offense will need a jolt in 2013.
10. The Astros will finish last in the AL
The Astros are a young team that just finished their worst season in frachise history. They have young players that will continue to improve, but unlike all other sports, a baseball team need at least three to five years to make this type of turn around. While their prospects continue to season the Astros will continue to lose in a tough AL West. Astros fans will see another year of depressing baseball.
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