The summer is a time for relaxation, but there's one day that every high schooler fears the day that final report card arrives in the mail. While I'm no longer in high school, I did make some predictions for the summer back in May, and for me, today is judgment day. Here's how I did.
"The Los Angeles Kings will win the Stanley Cup ... beating the New Jersey Devils, 4-2."
I guess you can say I channeled my inner Barry Melrose on this one. Grade: A
"After a yearlong recess from the NFL ... Randy Moss will be a Pro-Bowler for the San Francisco 49ers."
Straight cash, homie! In Moss' return to the gridiron, he helped the 49ers defeat the Packers at Lambeau Field with four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was actually the result of a busted coverage, and Moss is not yet back to an every-down role. Therefore I think I was a little overzealous with my Pro Bowl prediction. Grade: C- (in progress)
"Nick Schwieger '12 will make the St. Louis Rams' roster ... realizing his dream."
Unfortunately, the Rams cut Schwieger a couple of weeks before the regular season started. That said, Schwieger suited up and received snaps in two preseason games in the NFL. Not many people are able to say the same. Congrats to Nick on an amazing ride. Grade: F
"LeBron James will win his first ring ... after the Miami Heat take care of the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals."
Yeah, it wasn't against the Spurs, but let's give credit where credit is due. James had an amazing summer: regular season MVP, finals MVP, gold medalist and, sweetest of all, a championship ring. Oh, and he's officially no longer the most hated player in the NBA. That honor goes to Dwight Howard. Grade: B+
"Tiger Woods will not win a major tournament this summer ... continuing his epic drought."
Forget this summer ... will he ever win another major? As T-Swift says, "Like ... ever." Grade: A
"I will not watch HBO's Hard Knocks' ... if the Jacksonville Jaguars are the featured team."
I wish I didn't watch "Hard Knocks" this summer. I should have treated the Miami Dolphins announcement with the same regard, but I was intrigued by the prospects of a quarterback battle and some antics from Chad Johnson. But when he got cut, the only thing to really look forward to was Lauren Tannehill. Grade: D
"The United States will earn the most gold medals this summer at the 2012 Olympics in London ... and Anthony Davis will make the basketball roster."
USA! USA! USA! And what an incredible Olympics it was. From the culmination of Michael Phelps' illustrious career to the success of newcomers like Gabby Douglas and Missy Franklin, the United States topped China in golds, 46 to 38. And Davis made the cut, too. Grade: A
"The Orioles will predictably fall out of contention in the American League East ... but the Red Sox will keep struggling under the direction of Bobby Valentine."
Did Mark Reynolds get a hold of my article? I highly doubt it, but someone must have lit a fire under this guy. Nine home runs in his last 11 games have kept the Orioles in the race with the almighty New York Yankees with October quickly on the horizon. And as far as the Bobby Valentine and the Sox are concerned, let's just say I told you so. Grade: C-
"I cannot wait for "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) ... no doubt in my mind that it will rewrite the box office record book."
In the wake of the shootings on opening night in Aurora, Colo., The Dark Knight Rises' debuted with the third-highest U.S. opening of all time, grossing $160.9 million in the first weekend. The movie was incredible, but the bigger picture will always be what happened in Colorado on that opening night. Grade: Rest in peace
"The summer blockbuster that I'm most intrigued by is The Bourne Legacy' (2012) ... Will Matt Damon's absence plague the series? I'm hoping Jeremy Renner can fill some pretty big shoes."
The underdeveloped plot and characters were the problem, not Jeremy Renner. I'm a big "Bourne" fan, so this was a big letdown for me and in no way a "legacy." Grade: D-
Overall Grade: B-
With your help, hopefully I can do better next time. I hope you guys come back to get stranded on the Island every Tuesday. Welcome to 12F, everyone.
