If you know me, you know this story. In 1996, when both Scott Van Pelt and I were working for The Golf Channel, I made a bet that Tiger Woods would NEVER win on the PGA TOUR. Yes, that Scott Van Pelt. Yes, that Tiger Woods. As I write this Mr Woods has 79 PGA TOUR victories. As of October, 1996 my friend Scott was 100 dollars richer.

With that story in mind I proudly offer up my 2018 sports predictions sure to be wrong…

The New York Yankees Will Win Fewer Games In 2018 Than They Did In 2017

The Yankees were 91-71 last year and just welcomed NL MVP and home run king Giancarlo Stanton to the Bronx Bombers. Most folks expect the Yanks to blast their way to 100+ wins and a World Series title. Not me. Somebody will get hurt. Somebody will be a bust. Some other teams will be better than you think. Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Stanton will strikeout more than 500 times.

Tiger Woods Will Win A PGA TOUR Event AND Finish In The Top 5 In The Masters, The British Open or Both

You don’t think I’m ever going to bet against Tiger again, do you? It, of course, all depends on whether or not he’s healthy and as I write this he sure looks healthy to me. Physically and Mentally. He’ll win somewhere and he’ll contend at Augusta and in the British. In fact he’ll be a factor in one of those two majors for the next 10-15 years.

While They’re Both In Games As Pitchers Madison Bumgarner Will Hit More Home Runs Than Shohei Otani

I get it, Otani is otherworldly, amazing, the greatest thing since sushi but when he’s pitching as well as hitting he won’t hit more home runs than MadBum. Bumgarner has hit 17 home runs in his five-year career. 11 of those have come at AT&T Park (a well-known pitcher’s ball park) and 5 of them (almost a third) were off of Clayton Kershaw (2), Zack Greinke (2) and Jacob DeGrom (1). Three of the game’s best pitchers.

In a 5 year Japanese League career Otani has blasted 48 homers, 32 of those coming in two years (10 in 2014, 22 in 2016). He’s also playing in smaller ball yards against non-major league pitching. He may be the next big thing but he’s not hitting more dingers than Bumgarner when both are toeing the rubber.

Lindsey Vonn Will Not Medal In Pyeongchang

She just won’t.

Neither The Golden State Warriors Nor The Cleveland Cavaliers Will Win The NBA Title

Lord please make this come true. I am admittedly a minimal (at most) NBA fan but as a fan of nearly every sport I can’t think of anything less interesting than the same two teams meeting for a world championship for four years in a row. One of these teams may make it there but even if they do that team won’t win it all. Currently (11:00 AM on Wednesday) the Celtics and the Rockets have a better record than the Cavaliers and only the Celtics have a better mark than Golden State. Houston, San Antonio, Boston and Toronto are good enough to hoist the trophy and I think one of those teams will.

Europe Will Win The Ryder Cup

It’s in France. Everyone on this side of the Atlantic is predicting a U.S. massacre. The Europeans are good at this.

Regardless Of The Latest Rules Of Golf Messaging Both Lexi Thompson And Jon Rahm Will Be Involved In Another Ruling Kerfuffle

Tigers don’t change their stripes.