Sports Illustrated laugh

I admit it. I've been a long time subscriber to Sports Illustrated. Still am, and take them up on their "super-duper" bonus offer of a free windbreaker with the NFL team logo of my choice every year when it comes time to renew. Think I've got about half of them now. Don't know why, exactly. Then again, I never figured out why I kept buying Harley Davidson knives until I got the full set. But they look good in the case on the wall -- I guess. Never mind I'll never use any of them, because by trusty little Stanley pocket knife has been with me forever. Handy little sucker at times for a variety of things.

At any rate, it's probably a fair statement to say SI has some really good writers. Also some that aren't so good. Also some are just hacks. But throw in the pix and a few other features and it's a pretty decent throne read every week.

Yet of late they've made me chuckle.

Now that the Houston Astros finally won the World Series -- and congrats to them on a job well done and being worthy champions -- SI is crowing about how they predicted this four --  count em -- FOUR years ago.

Indeed.

They ignore the fact that they've gotten most every other prediction from their so-called "experts" dead wrong in between.

Let's also not forget their legendary "cover jinx". When they put a jock on the cover and trumpet he/she to the heavens -- chances are that very same athlete is going to crash and burn.

For example, they could never seem to get enough of one Eldrick Tont Woods, sometimes known as Tiger. They featured him a whopping 24 times on the cover. How has that worked out? Dude wound up having multiple back surgeries, upon learning of his serial infidelity his ex was apparently trying to take a divot out of his head, kids are now living in Sweden, was busted for driving under the influence, and he hasn't done squat on the PGA tour for several years. Dear Eldrick isn't even ranked in the top 700 in the world anymore. Who knew rankings went that far down? There's probably a couple people at your local public golf course that could roast him in a game of skins. As Dubya might have once said -- "Heckuva job, SI".

And now they're repeatedly thumping their chests about how they got one right four years ago.

Well, I guess it's something, but excuse me if I find it comical.

I'd say it ranks right up there with Making America Great Again, another hoot, but that would be straying from the world of sports, which my boss -- sometimes known as an editor -- might frown on.

And far be it from this humble sports journalist -- OK blogger -- to risk his wrath if he happens to read this post. Like the almighty, ya never know when he's checking you out.

No thanks. Been there, done that, and had enough butt chewings for one lifetime of this, thank you very much.

At least I like to think I've learned something along the way.

As for SI, they probably never will. Full speed ahead with their fearless predictions.

Pity they so seldom get one right.