The Final Score

Before the season, we made our Islanders predictions and all of our regulars chimed in too.

None of us predicted a playoff season.

Anyone want to change? Let's consider this a one-day grace period.

I picked them for 13th. I am not changing.

Anthony predicted Rays in 5. Had the number of games right. Gets nothing.

Jim predicted Phillies in 7. Had the team right, but was off by two in the number of games.

Under our 5-3-1 scoring system, Jim gets one point.

He leads, 39-36.

Neither one of us predicted Game 5 would take three days.

Knicks: 33-49, 11th in Eastern Conference.

NBA Finals: Hornets over Cavs, in 6.

I am now freed from my preseason prediction, which was Dodgers over Red Sox.

Since both of my teams made the LCS, do I get any points in the Baumbach/Rieber predictions contest based on our 5-3-1 scoring system?

Jim? You can decide.

For the World Series, I think the Rays are going to be the hot pick. They are so cuddly. David Price could be the difference. And Brad Lidge is due to blow one.

I agree with the hot pick. I'll say Rays in 5.

Jim?

Here are Anthony's:

Rangers: 5th in conference (don't believe in the 5-0 start, but they will compete for division)

Islanders: 13th in conference (injuries to DiPietro and defensemen, lack of talent, growing pains for rookie players and coach will take heavy toll on this scrappy, hard-working bunch)

Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh over Detroit

Here are Jim's:

Rangers: third

Islanders: 14th, ahead of Toronto

Stanley Cup Finals: Montreal over Detroit

Here are some other predictions from our regulars (sorry, not part of the Baumbach/Rieber contest, but still fun.) Anyone else want to join in?

Brooks Simpson

Rangers: sixth (solid start doesn't last)

Islanders: 12th (watch for the February fade)

Stanley Cup Finals: San Jose over Pittsburgh

Nick

Rangers: 6th (a Lundqvist slump and a lack of offensive options cause the issue)

Islanders: 12th (DP is too good for this team to finish last, but given the strength of the conference this is their ceiling).

Stanley Cup Finals: Detroit over Washington

Islander505

Rangers: 7th

Islanders: 10th

Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh over Minnesota

Rieber Groupie

Rangers: 6th

Islanders: 14th

Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh over Detroit

Rieber leads, 30-29.

Now that the baseball regular season is finally over, here's how we did with our preseason picks. Five points if we nailed it, one if a team we picked to win a division won the wild card instead (or vice-versa), minus one if the team we picked to win a division finished last.

In the AL, Jim gets five points for predicting the Red Sox as the wild card, but loses one for picking the Mariners to win the West. TOTAL: 4
Anthony gets one point for picking the Red Sox win the East, but loses one for picking the Mariners to win the West. TOTAL: 0

In the NL, Jim gets five points for picking the Cubs to win the Central. Total: 5
Anthony gets five points for the same reason and one for picking the Dodgers to win the wild card. TOTAL: 6

Overall Total
Jim: 9
Anthony: 6

So Jim takes the lead!
38-36

But...Anthony is still alive with his postseason predictions, while Jim is not. Jim predicted D-Backs over Yankees in the World Series. Anthony predicted Dodgers over Red Sox.

So this is not over. Nor will it ever be as long as TFS lives.

Just had a lovely dinner with a whole lot of New York NFL writers, including Newsday's own Glauber and Boland. So now I feel empowered to make NFL picks for the Rieber/Baumbach Prediction Contest.

Here's what I'm predicting
Giants' record:11-5
Jets' record: 7-9
Another random team's record: Browns 10-6
AFC champ: Patriots
NFC champ: Saints
Super Bowl champ: Saints

Note to Jim: I picked the random team by going to NFL.com and picking the first team name I saw other than Jets or Giants. Please do the same and pick a random team yourself!

On a far more important matter I: I lead the contest, 30-29.

On a far more important matter II: The Dodgers moved into first place today. My preseason World Series pick was Dodgers over Red Sox. I am more and more confident.

A few days into the Olympics, Jim and Anthony picked out the seven countries that had won two medals and tried to predict which one would end up with the most. The seven were:

Zimbabwe, Austria, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Indonesia, Taiwan

Anthony picked Austria, Jim Taiwan

Here's how it ended up:

Country G S B Total
Cuba 2 11 11 24
Kazahstan 3 1 5 9
Armenia 0 0 6 6
Indonesia 1 1 3 5
Zimbabwe 1 3 0 4
Taiwan 0 0 4 4
Austria 0 1 2 3

So we picked the next-to-last and last countries.

Under our time-tested 5-3-1 scoring system, no points are awarded. Thus, Anthony continues to lead, 30-29, a lead that has been unchanged since May 21.

Jim has Taiwan. Anthony has Austria.

I don't remember how this started. But here's where we stand:

Taiwan:
Bronze - Taekwondo - Men's Under 58kg
Bronze - Taekwondo - Men's Under 68kg
Bronze - Weightlifting - Women's 48kg
Bronze - Weightlifting - Women's 63kg

Austria:
Silver - Judo - Men's -60kg
Bronze - Canoe/Kayak - Slalom - Women's K1 Kayak Single
Bronze - Swimming - Women's 100m Breaststroke

As you may remember, Jim and Anthony have a friendly Rieber/Baumbach standings wager on which country will finish with more medals in the Olympics. Anthony has Austria, Jim Taiwan.

Well, both countries have three medals. But Austria leads in the all-important tie-breaker:

Country G-S-B Total
Austria 0-1-2 3
Taiwan 0-0-3 3

By the way, Anthony is leading the Rieber/Baumbach predictions contest, 30-29.

We haven't picked anything since June.

How about this, Jim? These countries are all tied with two Olympic medals so far.

Country G S B Total
Zimbabwe 0 2 0 2
Austria 0 1 1 2
Cuba 0 1 1 2
Kazakhstan 0 1 1 2
Armenia 0 0 2 2
Indonesia 0 0 2 2
Taiwan 0 0 2 2

Which one will finish with the most medals?

I pick Austria, because I've been there. Golds break any ties. Usual 5-3-1 scoring system.