The Johnny Bacardi Show

Time now for the season finale of JOHNNY B'S FEARLESS NFL PIGSKIN PLAYOFF PROGNOSTICATIONS!

You all remember that two weeks ago I said that the LOSERS of the conference championships would be Pittsburgh and Atlanta, right? Right? Oh, all right. I laid an egg. Screwed the pooch. Missed the boat. Was WRONG. Philly simply never let my Falcons get anything going on offense, and it didn't help that when Atlanta finally DID get down at the end zone late in the first half, and could have closed to within a field goal, they opted to kick the give-up FG instead of trying to punch it in with the league's best running attack. Bojemoi. The whole second half was just an exercise in futility after that three-pointer, which won the battle but lost the war. And I STILL maintain that Chad Lewis's first TD was bogus- it sure looked like he had his LEFT foot on the sideline...but the TV announcers and everyone else were focused on his RIGHT foot, with which he barely grazed the ground- but he was OUT OF BOUNDS. NO CATCH. It's beside the point now, but a score here and a score there affects momentum, which is important. Oh well. Wait till next year! In the other game, let's face it- the Patriots played a perfect game, closed down the Steelers running attack which was crucial for them to control the clock, and made Ben Roethlisberger look like the rookie he is. So I went 0-2 two weeks ago, and ensured that I have a putrid 4-6 losing record in my playoff predictions.

But, there's still one more chance for me to go out on a positive, and that's tomorrow's Super Bowl game. Of course, it's no easier to pick than any of these have been this year. Both teams are exceptional and solid. Philly's defense is quick enough to hold their own against the precise Patriot offense, and Donovan McNabb is crafty and skilled enough to make things happen on offense. Bryant Westbrook, not Terrell Owens, is key if the Eagles are to win the first franchise championship of any kind since the year I was born. I think Owens will contribute, maybe even catch a TD pass- but Westbrook is gonna have to make things happen himself for the Eagles to be victorious. So enough already, Dave, who's gonna WIN?

The New England Patriots.

I've picked against them for the last two months, it seems, and they've punked me every time. I'm tired of being punked. I go with the Pats to win their third.

And it wouldn't surprise me at all if I was wrong again.