Thoughts on 2022 SPORTS ONLY first

 2022 was an interesting and very successful year for anyone who follows the Rams, Dodgers and Trojans.

The Los Angeles Rams truly gave us a perfect start to the new year by winning the Super Bowl.  Very hard to find anything to complain or bitch about when the team you have followed since 1952 wins the last game of the season.  There was a lot of talk about repeating during the celebration but those of us who pay attention realize that probably was the champagne and beer talking.  

It turns out that talk is indeed cheap.  Very few NFL Super Bowl Champions repeat and sadly the Rams are about to set a negative record for having lost the most games after winning a Super Bowl.   But I keep reminding people that there is only one reigning World Champion until the next Super Bowl.  That one team is the Los Angeles Rams.

And then Baseball season started and the Dodgers were on a mission to take back the Western Division of the National League from the Giants.  Dave Roberts during spring training made a silly comment to Dan Patrick that the "Dodgers would win the World Series"

NOT THAT THEY COULD, BUT THAT THEY WOULD!

Anybody in their right mind who pays attention to sports (especially Baseball) knows there is no such thing as a guarantee and absolutely no predicting.  Goals are set and efforts are made to achieve those goals but saying that you will win the World Series is a mistake that can only come back and bite you in the ass. 

Which it did!

(I'm pretty sure he just got caught up in the Freddie Freeman acquisition and simply lost his mind)

But before the post season started the Los Angeles Dodgers preceded to have their best regular season in franchise history.

Please keep in mind the team was founded in 1883.

111 wins is a really really great number.  Check out triple ones together.  111 should become a symbolic number for the franchise and I expect to see a lot of shirts, hats and hoodies next season with the number 111.   

Because the Dodgers got eliminated early there hasn't been a lot of focus on their regular season success.  That will change once the 2023 season gets under way.  

By the way, spring training starts in about 13 weeks.  And the Dodgers really have their work cut out especially since the Padres just signed Xavier Bogaerts.  That line-up could be the best in baseball.

The Dodger success will depend on their great young players. They have the best minor league system in baseball and 2023 will really let us know how great they are.

Before I move on I want to bring up a few points from the playoffs that nobody seems to be addressing.  Nobody has asked Dave Roberts or Andrew Freidman why Joey Gallo was on the roster and didn't get one at bat.  Nobody has asked why Chris Taylor kept batting against right handed pitchers when he had just come off a neck injury. Nobody has asked why the MAIN cheerleader all season, Hanser Alberto, was removed from the playoff roster.  Nobody has asked why an unproven rookie, Miguel Vargas, was added to the roster and yet didn't play.  Nobody has asked why Dustin May wasn't given one inning, or Graterol. Nobody has asked why Evan Phillips wasn't used in the 7th inning LIKE HE WAS ALL SEASON LONG.  Nobody has asked why a pitcher, Tommy Kahnale, who had only thrown 12 innings ALL SEASON was brought in in the 7th inning.  (He walked the leadoff batter)  Nobody has asked why a journeyman ballplayer, Trace Thompson, started in Center field when everybody knows that Cody Bellinger excels in the playoffs.

SO MANY QUESTIONS AND YET NOT ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS HAS BEEN ASKED BY THE MEDIA SINCE LAST OCTOBER....AND DAVE AND ANDREW HAVE GIVEN MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS SINCE THEN.

And with those comments I close the 2022 Dodger season and look forward to 2023. 

 I predict the Dodgers will not win 111 games.  

And while there is no predicting in Baseball I've decided to go out on a limb.

AND THEN 2022 BROUGHT A NEW ATTITUDE TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA.

UCLA AND USC BOTH CHANGED THEIR PROGRAMS AROUND AND THE TROJANS CAME EXTREMELY CLOSE TO PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.  They also produced the potential Heisman winner (we will know Saturday) and their new coach Lincoln Riley reminded us of Pete Carroll.

After only winning 4 games in 2021 the Trojans currently stand a 11-2 and will play Tulane in the Cotton Bowl on January 2 2023.

So as I wrap up the sports part of my yearly summary I have to say that it was a GREAT year and most likely won't be repeated in 2023.  Rams are out, Dodgers will be challenged by Padres and Caleb Williams might be drafted by the NFL where he probably won't make as much as he did this year playing college football.

BRAND IDENTITY IS THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE IS HERE AND IT'S CALLED

NIL

Name  Image  Likeness

Have a great Holiday and please note I will be wrapping up real life in 2022 before the end of the year.