2010 Predictions That Really Mean Something

Forget about the predictions that Brad and Jen will hook up again in 2010. Forget the guy who “sees” that Madonna will have a sex-change operation in the coming year. And definitely forget the Russian who says the U.S. will fall apart in late June or early July.

Forget the psychics and seers. Forget the phonies and fantasists.

Well, maybe don’t forget the Russian: Igor Panarin is actually a respected professor in Moscow, a former KGB analyst and he’s been predicting for a decade that the U.S. will collapse morally and economically — probably leading to civil war — in the summer of 2010.

(By the way, he says Russia will get Alaska back — and hopefully Sarah Palin — when the civil war fractures the U.S. into five or six regional pieces.)

I hope he’s wrong, but he knows a lot more about what he’s predicting than the other ying-yangs.

And here are some Super Bowl predictions posted on Friday, Feb. 5, on the betting website, www.thespread.com:

Prop predictions

There are over 300 Super Bowl props at BroburySports.com, and while we can’t mention them all, here’s a few with an educated prediction.

Player to Score 1st TD

Three Colts players, Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne lead this prop at +700 each. That makes sense as the Colts are favored by 4 ½-points and expected to score first. The Saints’ Pierre Thomas (+800) and Marques Colston (+1000) come in next.

Prediction: Addai can score either on the ground or through a short pass near the goal line. He’s the best value with New Orleans’ Jeremy Shockey the best long shot at +2000.

Manning TD passes

Everyone wants a piece of Manning as he goes for his second Super Bowl ring. Manning has already won Super Bowl MVP in the minds of many, and he’s winning the commercial battle as well, out-licking Donald Trump in the Oreo contest.

Two touchdowns is the most popular pick at +225 odds. Three touchdowns are +275 and one is +400. Manning had 33 TD throws during the regular season. He has five so far in the playoffs.

Prediction: Three touchdowns

Marques Colston – Will he score a touchdown?

The answer Yes to this question pays +135 and No -170. Colston had a TD catch against Arizona in the divisional round, However, that was his only one in the last five games. Quarterback Drew Brees has so many options to throw to, including running backs. It’s going to be hard for Colston to get into the endzone on Sunday.

Prediction: No -170

Pete Townshend windmill move

What’s the fun in Super Bowl props if we don’t throw in a novelty one? This prop reads, How Many Times will Pete Townshend do his Legendary Windmill? Over 5.5 times is -200 odds and Under 5.5 pays +160.

This is one of many novelty props at BroburySports. There are also several revolving around Reggie Bush’ celebrity girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

Townshend Prediction: Over 5.5 (-200). ‘The Who’ isn’t even known by most younger football fans. Townshend will have to do his signature move quite often to make the older crowd happy.

And now for some predictions that may affect all our lives more than anything the psychics or odds-makers have to say.

A few weeks ago, some of the top economists in the world gathered in Atlanta, Ga., for the American Economic Association’s annual meeting.

Thanks to the Wall Street Journal, here’s what some of the economic brainiacs had to say about what the world can expect economically in 2010:

Robert Shiller, Yale University:
“Strategic default on mortgages will grow substantially over the next year, among prime borrowers, and become identified as a serious problem. The sense that ‘everyone is doing it’ is already growing, and will continue to grow, to the detriment of mortgage holders. It will grow because of a building backlash against the financial sector, growing populist rhetoric and a declining sense of community with the business world. Some people will take another look at their mortgage contract, and note that nowhere did they swear on the bible that they would repay.”

Edward Glaeser, Harvard University: 
“Construction levels will stay low and my best guess is that housing prices — the 20 city Case-Shiller average — will be within 5% of current level, one side or the other.”

Alan Blinder, Princeton University:
 “U.S. interest rates will go up across the board. Probably more at the long end than the short end.”

Michael Feroli, J.P. Morgan Chase: 
“We’ll have above-trend growth, low inflation, and the fed on hold through 2010″

Don Ratajczak, Morgan Keegan: 
“The odds of a double dip have gone from 1-in-3 to 1-in-5.”

Anil Kashyap, University of Chicago:
“The Democratic Party of Japan will be in a shambles. The economic program in Japan will be a complete mess by December.”

Raghuram Rajan, University of Chicago:
“There’s going to be a lot more noise made about China and its exchange rate. I won’t stick my neck out farther than that.”

Well, maybe that wasn’t so helpful.

Personally I’m going to stick to betting the “over” on Pete Townshend’s halftime windmill count.