Nfl Football

With both Marty Biron and Antero Nittymaki scheduled to become free agents, the Flyers are left without an NHL caliber goaltender on their roster. Clearly, the Flyers plan to acquire a goalie in some manner this offseason.  This past March the Flyers signed 27 year old Swedish goaltender Johan Backlund. It was only a one year deal, and I don’t believe the Flyers ever considered that he could possibly be their starter next season. At best Backlund could be a relatively cheap backup option. There are quite a few options for the Flyers, however there is no clear cut #1 option. Part 1 of this entry covers the Unrestricted Free Agent Goaltender options.

Continue reading "Goaltender Options for the Flyers - Part 1"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!   

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Conference Championships"

The crystal ball had a dreadful performance this past week, posting a woeful 1-3 record.  This is playoff time, so that is totally unacceptable!  The crystal ball started off 1-0, but then dropped its last three for the weekend!  Anyway, that puts the crystal ball at 3-5 for the post-season, and 36-31-1 overall.  That’s five games over .500 (.537 to be exact).  Hopefully the crystal ball will perform better this coming week, as the pressure mounts in the Championship games!  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Divisional Round Review"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Divisional Round"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won’t be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 01/08/09"

The crystal ball had a mediocre performance this past week, going a mere 2-2.  This is playoff time, so that is unacceptable!  The crystal ball took its lumps on the Colts game, but it’s okay with it since Norv’s our buddy!  Anyway, that puts the crystal ball at 2-2 for the post-season, and 35-28-1 overall.  That’s seven games over .500 (.555 to be exact).  Hopefully the crystal ball will perform better this coming week, as the pressure mounts in post-season play!  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Wildcard Weekend Review"

           Wildcard weekend had an interesting lineup of games this year.  All four road teams (wildcard teams) were favored to win over the home teams (division winners).  That’s unusual, but this year it actually makes a lot of sense.  Many of the wildcard teams had better records than the division winners.  In the end, the underdogs won two of the four games (both 6th seeds defeated the 3rd seeded teams).

Continue reading "Where Are All The Nay Sayers Now?"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Wildcard Weekend"

The crystal ball had a mediocre performance this past week, going a mere 2-2.  We’re not sure what happened, but this is not acceptable.  The crystal ball took its lumps on the Cowboys game, but it may have been predicting with its heart rather than its fortune-telling powers?  Either way, that puts the crystal ball at 33-26-1 for the season.  That’s seven games over .500 (.558 to be exact).  Hopefully the crystal ball will perform better in the playoffs!  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 17 Review"

           This past Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys traveled to Lincoln Financial Field to play the Philadelphia Eagles in what was a win and you’re in the playoffs game.  This game had a lot of build-up prior kick-off.  The Eagles found out, about 15 minutes before the game started, that the stars had aligned for them; the Bears and Buccaneers had both lost.  This game had everything football fans wanted.  It was the ‘Boys against the Birds, with their playoff destinies on the line. 

Continue reading "Underachievers"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two or more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 17"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won’t be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 12/25/08"

The crystal ball had a mediocre performance this past week, going a mere 2-2.  We’re not sure what happened, but we will get to the bottom of this.  The crystal ball took its lumps on the Cowboys game, but it may have been predicting with its heart rather than its fortune-telling powers?  Either way, that puts the crystal ball at 29-22-1 for the season.  That’s seven games over .500 (.563 to be exact).  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 16 Review"

           On Saturday night, the Cowboys had a golden opportunity to close out Texas Stadium in style.  This was the final game to be played at the stadium.  A Cowboys win would have been a fitting end to a stadium that has had many classic games.  A win, and the Cowboys would have been one step further in their quest for a playoff berth, and a Super Bowl run. 

Continue reading "Not Dead Yet"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two or more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 16"

           Last year, the Cowboys sent 13 players to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.  Granted, a few of those players made it by name alone, but for the most part they deserved it.  When you go 13-3, as the Cowboys did last year, you tend to get a lot of coattail votes.  This year the ‘Boys will be sending only 5 players. 

Continue reading "Snubbed"

The crystal ball, once again, had a stellar performance this past week, going undefeated at 4-0.  Truly a tremendous achievement, as many of the games had playoff implications.  That puts the crystal ball at 29-22-1 for the season.  That’s seven games over .500 (.567 to be exact).  Not many prognosticators gave the Cowboys much of a chance against the G-Men, but the crystal ball took a chance on them.  The ‘Boys rewarded the crystal ball, and pulled off the upset.  Let’s review and see what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 15 Review"

           Last night, on NBC’s prime time Sunday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants, 20-8.  The Cowboys desperately needed the win, as they are fighting for their playoff lives.  The Cowboys are now 9-5, but so are the Vikings, the Bucs, and the Falcons.  The Eagles and Bears aren’t that far behind either.  With the Cowboys facing the Ravens and the Eagles in their next two games, the ‘Boys needed a win…desperately. 

Continue reading "Sack-alicious"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two or more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 15"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won’t be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 12/12/08"

The crystal ball was brought back down to Earth this past week by going 2-2.  That puts the crystal ball at 25-22-1 for the season.  That’s three games over .500 (.531 to be exact).  The Cowboys and the Jets let the crystal ball down this past week.  The crystal ball assures me it will rebound this coming weekend.  Let’s review and see what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 14 Review"

           This past Sunday, the Cowboys had a 10-point lead against the Pittsburgh Steelers, late in the 4th quarter.  Then disaster struck, as the Cowboys were not able to finish off the Steelers.  All the Cowboys needed were a couple of first downs and the game would be over.  Nope…didn’t happen!  The Cowboys let the Steelers tie the game with about 2 minutes left in regulation.  Then, Romo gave the entire Steeler Nation an early Christmas present by throwing a pick-6…game over! 

Continue reading "Chokers"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 14"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I wont be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 12/04/08"

           The Cowboys find themselves in the middle of the herd for the play-off race.  They have won three straight games, and four out of their last five.  The ‘Boys stand at 8-4, which is a decent record.  This year, if the season ended today, the Dallas Cowboys would be watching on TV…like you and me.  The Cowboys trail the Giants by three games, with four to play.  The division is out of reach.  The ‘Boys must travel via the wildcard route. 

Continue reading "What They Are"

The crystal ball had a stellar week by going undefeated at 4-0.  That puts the crystal ball at 23-20-1 for the season.  That’s three games over .500 (.534 to be exact).  The crystal ball has a slightly sore back this week.  You know…with all that patting itself on the back stuff!  Let’s review and see what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 13 Review"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I wont be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 12/01/08"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 13"

The crystal ball had a mediocre week, to say the least.  The crystal ball went 2-2 for the week, and is now 19-20-1 for the season.  That’s just slightly under .500 (.488 to be exact).  We need to give it props for predicting the upset of the year (in my opinion).  On the other hand, we must chastise it for the debacle in Denver.  Let’s review what happened.  

Continue reading "Week 12 Review"

           Yesterday, the Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers, at Texas Stadium, by a score of 35-22.  Don’t let the score fool you, the ‘Boys were in cruise control mid-way through the 2nd quarter.  The Cowboys defense started off a little shaky, but they were able to limit the 49ers to field goals.  After the 1st quarter, the boys trailed 6-0, but that’s when it happened…the game changed in an instant! 

Continue reading "Exploding"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 12"

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I wont be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 11/20/08"

           Just this past Sunday (November 16th), something occurred in the NFL during a post-game news conference that has left me dumbfounded.  The Eagles and Bengals played to a 13-13 tie.  Usually that would be news in of itself, since ties are very rare in the NFL.  In fact, the last tie came in 2002.  The last time an Eagles game ended in a tie was, coincidentally, on November 16, 1997 against the Baltimore Ravens.  But what’s got my panties all up in a bunch is what Donovan McNabb had to say after the game.  

Continue reading "No Respect For The Game"

The crystal ball bit off a little more than it could chew this past week.  After all was said and done, the crystal ball was 1-2-1.  That puts me at 17-18-1 for the season, a little under .500 (approx.  .486)…not very good!  I went out on a limb with two major upsets, and I got burned…not to mention the debacle (by Philadelphia) in Cincinnati.  What’s done is done…so let’s move on; but first, let’s see what went wrong.  

Continue reading "Week 11 Review"

           Last night, on Sunday Night Football, the Cowboys and Redskins met in a heated NFC East rivalry.  The ‘Boys came to Washington, sporting a 5-4 record, while the ‘Skins were 6-3.  The Cowboys welcomed back their offensive leader, Tony Romo, as well as Pro-Bowl corner, Terence Newman.  Dallas had already lost to the Redskins earlier this season, and this was a must-win game for the Cowboys. 

Continue reading "Back In The Saddle"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 11"

           The Cowboys have a big game coming up this weekend against the Redskins.  But aren’t they all big games?  Yes, but this is a defining game for the 2008 Cowboys.  If the ‘Boys lose…the season is all but over.  If they win…they are back in the hunt for the wild-card race.  The Cowboys were the pre-season favorites to win the Super Bowl…but that’s why they play the games! 

Continue reading "Too Little, Too Late"

The crystal ball was a little off this past week, going 2-2.  That now puts me at 16-16 for the season, right at the .500 mark.  Not exactly great, but we will take it, especially since we didn’t get off to a great start.  We even had to have a changing of the guard a few weeks back, but this crystal ball knows that it could be next if it falters!  Let’s take a look back and see what happened this past weekend.  

Continue reading "Week 10 Review"

           Last night, on Sunday Night Football, the Philadelphia Eagles wasted a golden opportunity.  The Birds lost to the New York Giants 36-31, at home.  Lincoln Financial Field (The Linc) was as loud as ever.  The Philly faithful were out in full force, only to be let down, once again, by the Eagles.  Many fans are fed up and frustrated with the team.  

Continue reading "Same-old, Same-old"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 10"

           The Cowboys have a bye this week and it could not have come at a better time.  The ‘Boys are in a tailspin, as they have plummeted to the bottom of the NFC East, at 5-4.  All hope is not lost though!  Heading into this season they were the “en vogue” pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.  They were the clear-cut favorite to win the whole enchilada!  Now, they must regroup, get healthy, and somehow salvage the season. 

Continue reading "Good Bye...Not Goodbye"

The new crystal ball is on a roll.  Last weeks debut at 3-1, was followed with perfection…4-0 this week!  That brings our prognosticating record to .500 for the season.  We had a slow start to the season, but now we are on a mission.  I am not one to gloat (yes I am!)…so let’s see what happened:  

Continue reading "Week 9 Review"

           Yesterday, the Cowboys got their collective butts kicked at the Meadowlands by the G-Men.  There is plenty of blame to go around for sure.  But, did we not expect this?  Wasn’t it obvious (it was to me… read more here) that the ‘Boys had no shot at winning this game?  Everyone knew it…the coaches…even the players! 

Continue reading "Bottom Of The Barrel"

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Giants the Cowboys find themselves in a must-win game that they have no chance of winning.  The Cowboys are struggling, no doubt because of their many injuries…but that’s too easy of a cop-out.  Let’s take a look at why the ‘Boys are struggling even before the injuries started piling up:  

Continue reading "Why The Cowboys Are Struggling"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 9"

Last night, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 to win the World Series in five games (4-1).  This is the second World Championship for the Phils…they previously won in 1980…28 years ago.  This will be remembered as one of the weirdest finishes in a Series with an unprecedented suspension of a game due to inclement weather.  The game was concluded 48 hours later…in hindsight…it was worth the wait! 

Continue reading "Finally"

The newly acquired crystal ball went 3-1 in its debut week, which leaves me 4 games under .500…we’re getting there!  That’s an impressive start for a young and naïve crystal ball.  It performed well in its new role…many people are relying on it…that’s a lot of pressure!  It clearly has better prognosticating skills than its predecessor.  Maybe the new mahogany base it sits on, gave it a sense of prestige.  Well, for whatever reason…I’ll take it!  Now let’s review what happened this past week:  

Continue reading "Week 8 Review"

           Yesterday, the Cowboys defeated Tampa Bay 13-9.  The Cowboys were under a lot of pressure the past few weeks.  On and off the field issues fueled the fire.  Every news media outlet is looking through a microscope to see if and when the Cowboys will combust!  Sorry…ESPN…not this week!  We all know that you need the ratings and the material.  How else would you fill your pre and post-game shows?  Look elsewhere; there are 31 other teams with storylines. 

Continue reading "There Are No Style Points In The NFL"

           The Cowboys are sitting at 4-3, having lost three out of their last four games after a 3-0 start.  This is not how Jerry Jones had envisioned this season unfolding.  The Cowboys had 13 Pro-Bowlers last year.  They had 22 of 24 starters returning (Marion Barber replaced Julius Jones and Zach Thomas replaced Akin Ayodele).  Jerry had good reason for optimism.  The Cowboys had a decent draft by selecting Felix Jones and bolstering their cornerback depth. They also acquired Adam Jones on a draft day trade.  The Cowboys were 13-3 last year; a Super Bowl would surely be in their grasp this year? 

Continue reading "Super Bowl Or Bust"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 8"

           When Bill Parcells resigned as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones did an extensive search to find his replacement.  It was believed, at the time, that Norv Turner was the front-runner.  The new head coach was going to inherit Jason Garrett, as Mr. Jones had already hired Garrett as the OC.  In the end, Jones decided on Wade Phillips.  The reasoning was that the Cowboys defense needed a proven “3-4 guy” to take what Parcells started to the next level.

Continue reading "Mr. Fix-it"

The crystal ball was one up and three down for the week.  That puts me 6 games under .500 for the season…not good…more like awful!  The crystal ball was told it was going to be on a short leash…now it’s getting the hook.  Hey…if head coaches can be fired in mid-season…well…so can the crystal ball!  I will have a new crystal ball for next week…we’ll see if it can do a better job prognosticating than its predecessor?  Let’s take a look back and see what happened this past week:  

Continue reading "Week 7 Review"

           Yesterday the Cowboys went to St. Louis and decided to play their worst game of the year.  What had already been a tumultuous week for the Cowboys only got worse by the humiliation the Rams put on the ‘Boys.  Everyone (okay, maybe not everyone) is calling for Wade Phillips to be fired!  That’s not going to happen…not this week…not next week, not during the bye week!  There is too much at stake to do that! 

Continue reading "Getting The Life Preservers Ready"

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 7"

            A few minutes before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon, Jerry Jones pulled off a blockbuster deal for WR Roy Williams of the Detroit Lions.  Yes, I said “blockbuster”!  Keep in mind that trades are very rare in the NFL…especially at the trade deadline!  The Cowboys gave Detroit a 1st, a 3rd, and a 6th round draft choice.  In return the Cowboys received Roy Williams and Detroit’s 7th rounder.  Did Jerry overpay?  Did Jerry panic?  That would be NO and NO!

Continue reading "The Real Roy Williams"

           Roger Goodell, in a rush to judgment, suspended Adam “Pacman” Jones of the Dallas Cowboys indefinitely yesterday afternoon  (read more here).  Go ahead, say it…I told you so!  Go ahead…laugh…snicker!  Sheriff Goodell will review Adam’s suspension after the Washington game (Week 11).  The Cowboys have a bye Week 10, so it ends up being a 4-game, 5-week suspension to start.  Goodell will then revisit the situation and may or may not let Pacman play again.  Many “experts” believe that Mr. Jones in done…finished…no more football for you, Pacman! 

Continue reading "Holier Than Thou"

     The crystal ball was two up and two down for the 2nd week in a row.  That puts me 4 games under .500 for the season…not good!  The crystal ball will be on a short leash…it better start looking over its shoulder!  Let’s take a look back and see what happened: 

Continue reading "Week 6 Review"

           Yesterday, the Cowboys went to the University of Phoenix Stadium to take on the Cardinals.  The ‘Boys got lassoed by the Cards 30-24 in over-time.  It was a great finish to a rather lackluster game.  Sure Romo had 321 yards passing; Barber had 178 total yards from scrimmage, and even Patrick Crayton got in on the action with a 55-yard TD catch.  Owens had a humble 4 receptions for 36 yards and Witten contributed 4 catches for 55 yards.  But until the last 3 minutes and 17 seconds it was a boring game…but that’s why they play the full 60 minutes! 

Continue reading "Not So Special"

I have never claimed to be an expert when it comes to predicting outcomes of football games, although last year I nearly predicted the exact final score of the Super Bowl while hitting on seven of my nine prop bets. (My prediction was 26-17, the final was 29-17.) For whatever reason I had a very good feel for that game. This year's Super Bowl, however, remains a mystery to me. Part of the reason I am having trouble getting a good feel for this game is that I am a bitter Jets fan and I can't stand either team. I'm finding it difficult to put my personal feelings aside and look at the game objectively. I think right now I am as close to objectivity as I am going to get, and with that being said, here is my official Super Bowl XLII prediction.

Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII Prediction"