In 2008 ...

I believe in accountability. These were my predictions for 2008 and comments (italicized)in hindsight.

1. In Super Bowl, Brett Favre passes for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but the Packers can't stop Tom Brady and the Pats' passing attack. New England 41 Green Bay 34.

A game too far.

2. Al Qaeda in Iraq, having read history, tries to mount its equivalent of the Tet offensive, by attempting a major terror attack in Baghdad's Green Zone.

They couldn't even manage that.

3. The Marquette Golden Eagles make the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. The Milwaukee Panthers have another sub-.500 year and Rob Jeter is fired as head coach. He is replaced by Bruce Pearl assistant Tony Jones.

Not quite. Actually, not at all.

4. Scott Walker is reelected as County Executive.

Yes!

5. Michael McGee, Jr., is convicted of both state and federal charges and gets a rather lengthy prison sentence, prompting minor demonstrations. Fred Gordon replaces him on the Common Council.

I got the big - and easy - part.

6. The Milwaukee Brewers get off to a poor start and Ned Yost is fired and replaced by Ted Simmons. This time, the team finishes strong, but is once again edged by the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central Division championship but make the playoffs as a wild card. The Cubs, however, win their first series since 1908, clearing the way for another century long hiberbation.

Not bad, although it took a while to get rid of Yost and I had the wrong former Brewer. It would have been cool had the Cubs won.

7. Fidel Castro dies and there is political upheaval in Cuba.

He hangs on. Sort of.

8. The race for Wisconsin Supreme Court is expensive and heated. I won't predict a winner, but the legislature will pass a public financing bill for Supreme Court elections. We won't know this in 2008, but it will accomplish very little.

I should have known that the legislature couldn't act that quickly.

9. The challenge to Wisconsin's marriage amendment will lose in the circut court.

Count it.

10. Brett Favre will not retire.

Count it again.

11. Barak Obama will win the Democratic nomination. His running mate will be Bill Richardson.

I bet he wishes that it had been.

12. The Democrats lose seats (including Steve Kagen's), but hold the House and pick up two Senate seats. The balance of power in the state legislature will remain essentially unchanged.

My bad.

13. John McCain is elected the 44th President of the United States. His running mate is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. (Actually, I think it will be Tim Pawlenty but this seems more intriguing.)

Not bad to get McCain and Palin.

14. The Packers win the NFC North again with a 12-4 mark. The UW football team will be 6-6.

The Packers were no more than 22 plays away from 12-4. As for the Badgers, I guess I overestimated Cal-Poly.

15. Ann Coulter will announce her engagement to Paul Krugman.

Love continues to hope.