JT the Brick

It's almost time to bring in the new year, and you know what that means. It's time my 2006 New Year's resolutions:

That New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman eventually has to work with a budget instead of spending money like an out of control divorcee who just got a multi-million dollar settlement and decided to go shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

That Terrell Owners ends up signing a one-year deal for the league minimum with either the Houston Texans or New Orleans Saints.

It would be nice to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. posing more at Victory Lane instead of in front of a director at his next television commercial for Wrangler Jeans.

That Phil Jackson has to sweat during the last week of the NBA regular season, wondering if he is going to clinch the eighth seed to make the playoffs.

That Lance Armstrong comes out of retirement one more time, wins his eighth Tour De France, and laughs in the face of all of the foreign press who think he is illegally doping.

That Barry Bonds actually sits down in front of a credible member of the media, answers tough questions about his relationship with BALCO, and takes a lie detector test, proving once and for all that he never took steroids.

That four teams end up with undefeated records in college football, further undermining the BCS process for selecting a national champion.

2006 Predictions

The year in sports Celizic: Year of mediocrity Highs, lows of 2006 in golf Parsons: Johnson among NASCAR winners Complete coverage of year in review

NCAA Football
USC beats Texas 35-27 in a fast-paced game that will showcase the great quarterback play of both Matt Leinart and Vince Young. The game will be decided in the final five minutes when USC Heisman trophy winner Reggie Bush returns a punt for a touchdown and seals the win for the No. 1 team in the nation. USC becomes the first team to win three straight national championships and officially becomes a dynasty and the greatest college football team of the modern era. Now that Pete Carroll has signed a contract extension at USC, expect the Trojans to finish undefeated heading into next year’s national championship.

Super Bowl XL
Upon returning to coach the Indianapolis Colts after the death of his son, Tony Dungy inspires his team to play at even a higher level than what we watched in 2005 and they go on to beat the Chicago Bears 34-17 in the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning wins the MVP, while wide receiver Marvin Harrison catches two touchdown passes and Edgerrin James runs for over 100 yards and a score.

Slide show The Week in Sports Pictures The nation grieved for those hurt, killed and affected by the Boston Marathon bombings. After one of the suspects was caught on Friday — following a day-long lockdown and manhunt — sports returned to Boston over the weekend. more photos

NASCAR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the Daytona 500, but fades later in the season as Tony Stewart wins his third overall Nextel Cup Title. Stewart and his team at Joe Gibbs Racing continue to be the most consistent race team, but have to come from behind in the final six races of the season to overtake Carl Edwards and Jimmy Johnson.

College basketball
Duke enters the NCAA tournament as the favorite after going 29-1. The Blue Devils enter the Final Four with tremendous momentum, but end up getting beat by Connecticut 76-74 in the national title game. Duke guard J.J. Redick is the MVP of the tournament, but gets outplayed in the final game by Rudy Gay Jr. who scores 31 points as the Huskies cut down the nets in Indianapolis.