Reid Kerr

I’ve got a confession to make, dear reader. I don’t watch or listen to a lot of sportstalk programming.

Pausing for the obvious jokes about how you can tell because my picks are awful, and … now we’re back.

I have my sources I go to for real analysis and journalism, the things I really want to read about sports. But for the most part, it’s all just sports shouting to me, people making outlandish predictions and then when they’re completely wrong, they never mention it again. We’ll call these theoretical media members “Trip Schmaless,” for purposes of discussion.

But not me. Every year, I don’t mind pointing out when I was wrong, as long as I also get to remind you when I was correct with direct quotes from the last year’s worth of columns.

Starting off, from Sept. 2: “I wouldn’t be surprised if Dallas goes 13-4. That’s a weak division and a schedule full of winnable games for the Cowboys. And let’s be real here, it doesn’t matter … if they don’t make the Super Bowl, Cowboys fans won’t be happy. This is not a fanbase satisfied with ther egular season.”

Verdict: I was close on the record, and absolutely correct about the fanbase.

“(I think) There isn’t a coach fired during the season. It happens almost every year, but I just don’t see it.”

Verdict: I was admittedly shooting in the dark here, but this happened three times this season.

And speaking of, from Nov. 25 …

“Fun fact, counting his NFL team and his soccer team, (Panthers) owner David Tepperhas fired six head coaches since 2019. Frank Reich, I hope you’re renting, and not buying.”

Verdict: Reich got the axe two days later. The only thing I was wrong about was it being a “fun fact” for anyone except North Carolina moving companies.

From Sept. 7: “I have Dallas making the playoffs. The bad news? They’re a wild card team again. The Eagles are just too good and will win the division, although they won’t be the number one seed. That honor goes to San Francisco, as long as they have a Bosa and a quarterback for most of the season.”

Verdict: Sort of right, sort of wrong, and correct that the 49ers would make both of those predictions irrelevant.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever said this in my entire lifetime, but I’m taking the Jacksonville Jaguars to be the number one seed in the AFC.”

Verdict: And I never will say that again.

From Sept. 9: “The Giants seem right on the verge of either making a nice playoff run, or dropping off of the radar completely. It’ll be awesome or unwatchable, the football equivalent of aMarvel movie.”

Verdict: It was that last thing that happened, definitely.

From Sept. 23: “Much like my resume, the Chargers look good on paper, but it just isn’t carrying over into real life.”

Verdict: Sadly, that’s always true for the team, and also my resume. Whenever I get someone trying to add me on my LinkedIn page, I want to ask “Are you sure? I don’t currently own a working set of pants.”

From Sept. 30: “I can’t guarantee that my predictions will be correct, or that my attempts at hilarity will always land, but I can promise you this, dear readers. This column will remain a Taylor-Swift-joke-free space.”

Verdict: Still correct.

From Oct. 7: “It’s still very early, but CJ Stroud definitely looks like a keeper. He’s not only playing well, but he’s saying all the right things for a franchise that’s desperately needed a leader for years.”

Verdict: Nailed it. Undersold it, if anything.

From Oct. 21: “The Giants should trade Saquon Barkley. The Giants aren’t going anywhere this year. Barkley can be a free agent after the season anyway, so you might as well get some kind of asset for a guy you’re probably not going to be able to keep.”

Verdict: I maintain that I could be a reasonably successful, albeit totally unqualified and underdressed general manager in this league.

From Oct. 21: “These are not your father’s Lions. Or your grandfather’s. In fact, unless you are a direct descendant of Bobby Layne, these are not the Detroit Lions anyone in your family has ever seen before.”

Verdict: I was slow to jump on the Lions bandwagon, but I eventually caught on.

From Nov. 4: “Justin Hebert is just Philip Rivers with better hair and fewer kids.”

Verdict: I continue to stand by this one.

From Nov. 18: “Remember when the Bengals were an eternally disappointing team cursed with bad management, and Joe Burrow walked in the door and changed the entire feel of the franchise overnight? That’s happening again right now with CJ Stroud in Houston.”

Verdict: Absolutely correct. And also still correct for the Bengals when Burrow is injured.

“You know how every year in the preseason I remind you that a couple of teams we think are playoff locks are going to stumble and miss it? Ladies and gentlemen, the Buffalo Bills.”

Verdict: Wrong, and pretty happy to be so.

Speaking of predictions, last week, I went 1-1, and also 1-1 against the Vegas spread. In my defense, I lost the game I hoped I would lose, since I picked against the Chiefs. Lesson Learned there. I’m now 7-5, and 6-6 against Vegas in the playoffs. Which means next week’s official Super Bowl predictions are crucial not only to my career, but also to my financial well being.

Reid Kerr doesn’t get Groundhog Day, although he loves the movie. You can always tweet questions, comments, and angry messages to him at @reidaboutit.