Yes, I said it and I'm not backing down from this post at any point during this long, boring, there should be at least 30 games eliminated from the overall schedule, MLB season. The Pirates and Royals will be above .500 for the first time in a decade or so and they will contend for their respective division titles!

Management is finally competent on each team and there starting to get results from their farm systems. There's still much room for talent improvement on each team but '09 will be the year the tide turns and we get a chance to see these once-great baseball towns shine again

I'm sure nobody with any kind of marginal sports knowledge will agree with this post so I took the responsibility and shrewd stupidity to walk the plank and make the prediction. K.C. and Pitt will once again be a MLB factor like they were in the 80's and early 90's. Can I get an Amen? Anyone? Please? OK, I don't need your support I can do this all on my own, see u in early October when the AL and NL Divisional Round Playoffs will open up in Kaufman Stadium & PNC Park respectively

Back on October 17th of 2008, shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated from postseason play, I posted this blog (read below) recommending that all Dodgers fan and Dodger ownership dismiss the idea of bringing Manny Ramirez back to L.A.. I think it's only appropriate that I  re-post the blog since we are on the cusp of a new baseball season and Ramirez has yet to sign with a team and not to mention the Academy Awards (Oscars) will air this coming Sunday.....How I felt then about the Manny situation is how I still feel today, even stronger! 

Manny Ramirez should get an Oscar for Best Lead Actor instead of a Phat new contract from the L.A. Dodgers or any other team in the MLB foolishly thinking of such team economic suicide by signing him, 37 yrs. old by the start of next season, to a 5 year-100 mil. plus deal.

Manny came to Hollywood at the trading deadline this past July and immediately memorized the fans of L.A. by naming himself MANNYWOOD and then going out on the field and playing like a man possesed with an over abundance of passion. He put out a 100% effort on and off the field and extended that energy into the playoffs by putting up astronomical numbers for a Dodger team that was average at best without him. But instead of encouraging my friends, who are fans of the Dodgers, to re-sign Manny I'm instead telling them "Buyer Beware" While most fans and outside observers were busy falling head over heels for Ramirez's well executed feature screenply titled MANNY Being MANNY I was able to read between the lines. And what I saw was a baseball player who has incredible talent (he's arguably one of the top 5 right handed hitters of all time) and is incredibly endearing to all when you initially meet him but when u dissect his personality and motives you uncover a consistent pattern of inconsistency.

Manny was playing 'nice' the last half of this season because he knew his contract was up at the end of the year and he and his 'Bullish' agent Scott Boras wants to break the bank on his very last career contract. The Manny of now is the same Manny that was on display in Boston and in Cleveland years ago. A egotistical, selfish player that plays by his own rules. Ramirez hasn't changed, his lazy instincts are still there, there just in remission right now until he tricks a new team into giving him the contract he wants and once that happens he'll be back to his old-self...playing horrible defensive outfield, running lazingly around the bases, taking himself out of games when he feels like it, ignoring teammates and management and listening to his I-Pod shuffle while playing the outfield Manny can stay in Los Angeles if he likes, thats cool-I heard he's fun to party with, but instead of putting on a Major League Baseball uniform next season he should be auditioning for the sequel to DiCaprio & Crowe's current movie 'BODY OF LIES'

There's no doubt that the greatest franchise in NFL history is the Pittsburgh Steelers, with their record 6th Championship win in Super Bowl 43. But how about this scenario, with a very good young coach in Mike Tomlin and a franchise QB, who'll just be turning 27 in March '09, and has yet to reach his optimum prime, the Steelers could be looking at another 3 rings in their trophy case before Big Ben decides to hang up the Steel helmet for good at the end of his career, which in theory is at least 10 years away. It's pretty scary for others team to contemplate such domination but its very real and could easily come true

The only area of vulnerability for the Steelers heading into next season ('09) is the quality of the Offensive Line, it can and will get better through the Draft and FA this offseason, which means even more time for Ben to throw and of course the running game will get back to the sheer dominance it used to exude the last 30 years before this somewhat average running season Pitt just had n '08

The only thing Steeler Nation has to hope for over the next few season is a relatively injury free situations for their core-franchise players (which can be a crapshoot in the NFL, its a very physical league) and what type of slogan and catch phrases they can create for all the Super Bowl Championships the Steelers will be potentially winning down the road, try these on for size........"5 RINGS plus 2, u know how the Super Bowl Steeler7 do"........."Don't hate on 8 for the Champion Steeler Greats"...... "8 is not enuff, the Champion Steelers look Fine with 9"

Lets not get it twisted Steeler Nation (and yes I used the early '00's slang twisted even though nobody says that word anymore, unless your still trying to be hip like me :-) Pittsburgh needs effective on the field play from Hines Ward if they're going to win the Super Bowl. And when I say effective I mean Psycho Ward has to be playing at a minimum 75% effective rate.  Then and only then can the offense work consistently enough to put up points and beat the Cardinals

3 TD's and at least 2 or 3 field goals should be enough to beat AZ but it all goes back to Mr. Ward (and of course the continued dominance of the Steel Curtain II D), if he can muster up the energy to stay in the game the whole time and not go out for any significant period of time then Big Ben and o.c. Bruce Arians can mix up the play calling and get key down the field production from all the offensive playmakers