Welcome to Fantasy Guru 37's Blog. I will try to post a few times per week discussing sports and their fantasy implications. I will focus primarily on the NHL, NFL, and NCAAF, however I touch upon PGA Tour golf, the NBA, and NCAAB. Your comments are always appreciated. Feel free to email me at fantasyguru37@gmail.com with any questions or feedback you may have.

April 26, 2010

Image of the Week

news.yahoo.com

This week's image depicts former University of Florida Gator Tim Tebow being introduced to Denver Broncos fans. Tebow, selected in the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft, has been under the microscope of talent evaluators for the last few months. Many question his throwing motion, but none question his work ethic and leadership abilities. Denver's head coach Josh McDaniels, former QB coach of New England (the man responsible for Matt Cassel and Tom Brady), saw enough promise in Tebow to make him the Bronco's first round pick.

After a marvelous career at Florida (one of the guru's favorite articles), Tebow entered the draft and has spent the last few months as one of the most scrutinized people in the world. The public has not been turned off by the obsession. In fact, Tebow's jersey has already sold more than any other draftee in NFL history. This comes as no surprise to those who know that over 1,500 people paid $160 for an autograph at his March 6th charity signing. Whether or not Tebow succeeds in the NFL (The guru thinks he will be a bona fide starter in 2012.), he will drastically stimulate the Denver economy.

April 22, 2010

NFL Mock Draft 2010 Round 1 Part II

After doing more analysis, the guru is back to finish off his mock draft. Enjoy the rest of the first round as you prepare for Thursday night.

17. SF - Earl Thomas S Texas
The guru is going out on a limb with this selection. He predicted San Francisco will take CB Joe Haden at #13, so this is the second defensive back the 49ers will pick in the first round. Some experts believe that Thomas is a better player than Tennessee safety Eric Berry. Guard Mike Iupati makes sens here too.

18. PIT - Mike Iupati G Idaho
After parting with WR Santonio Holmes because of his off-field issues, there is talk the Steelers will deal QB Ben Roethlisberger for the same reason. Most signs point to the contrary, but in that event, the Steelers may consider grabbing a quarterback or receiver with this pick. Are they the team that trades up and grabs Clausen? Or do they take a chance on Colt McCoy. Neither, they will grab the rugged interior lineman that will bring them back to their roots. Upgrading the line will help 2008 first-rounder Rashard Mendenhall shine. A cornerback wouldn't be out of the question either.

19. ATL - Jason Pierre-Paul DE South Florida
The Falcons will be the team that takes a chance on this supremely athletic prospect. There is a high chance Pierre-Paul will bust because of his inexperience, but Atlanta is willing to take that chance. The USF prospect will greatly upgrade the pass rush.

20. HOU - Kyle Wilson CB Boise State
Finally, the men of the blue turf are getting some respect. Once again, some scouts are saying that Wilson is actually the top-rated player at his position. He has a great combination of speed and physicality that will help him become a great player. After the loss of Dunta Robinson, the Texans' secondary needs a solid player like Wilson.

21. CIN - Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State
It is no secret that the Bengals are willing to gamble on players with character concerns. Bryant is on the edge of that category, which will likely cause him to fall. With all the talent Bryant has, this may be a steal. Coming into a receiver corps with Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant, the prospect out of Oklahoma State will be placed in a good situation to learn the pro game.

22. NE - Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma
Here's a little-known fact that should not be a secret. The Patriots have nobody worthy of starting at tight end. The top two on last year's depth chart, including Benjamin Watson, have been lost in free agency. With Wes Welker likely to miss the beginning of the season, Tom Brady needs more targets. Gresham will help take the pressure off of Randy Moss.

23. GB - Charles Brown OT Southern California
As you may have heard, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers took a beating last year. The Green Bay offensive line let up a league worst 51 sacks in 2009. In order to keep their dynamic offense humming, they need to protect the quarterback. Rodger Saffold of Indiana might be the pick instead, or Green Bay might look at the secondary.

24. PHI - Taylor Mays S Southern California
Another player with tremendous measurables, Mays concerns scouts with his football sense. Some are critical of his tackling ability as well, but he gets the call in an attempt to fill the void left by Brian Dawkins' departure.

25. BAL - Jared Odrick DT Penn State

26. ARI - Brandon Graham DE/OLB Michigan

27. DAL - Bruce Campbell OT Maryland

28. SD - Terrence Cody DT Alabama

29. NYJ - Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech

30. MIN - Kareem Jackson CB Alabama

31. IND - Rodger Saffold OT Indiana

32. NO - Jerry Hughes LB Texas Christian

April 20, 2010

NFL Mock Draft 2010 Round 1 Part I

The NFL Draft, one of the guru's favorite events. After months of analyzing both college and pro football, he has come up with his predictions for Thursday's action. Here is the top half of Thursday's opening round.

1. STL - Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma
This pick has been decided for nearly a month. Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, has drawn comparisons to Troy Aikman. If the Rams want to compete any time in the next three years, they better grab their franchise quarterback now.

2. DET - Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska
One of just four defensive tackles to be a Heisman Finalist since 1990, Suh is considered by many to be the top prospect in this draft. A dominant interior lineman with tremendous strength, Suh will complement the recent additions to Detroit's front seven, giving head coach Jim Schwartz a linchpin in the middle of his defense.

3. TB - Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma
Many people around the league say that McCoy would be the top prospect in any other draft in the last five years. In fact, he received the highest grade from NFL.com out of any prospect in this draft. McCoy will help shore up a Tampa Bay defense that conceded a league worst 158.2 yards per game in 2009. The Buccaneers could surprise and grab Tennessee safety Eric Berry; Coach Raheem Morris was schooled by Berry's coach Monte Kiffin.

4. WAS - Russell Okung OT Oklahoma State
After the retirement of left tackle Chris Samuels, the already depleted line got even worse. The acquisition of Donovan McNabb will be washed out if they are unable to protect him. There has been talk of Oklahoma OT Trent Williams sneaking into this spot.

5. KC - Brian Bulaga OT Iowa
At this point, Tennessee safety Eric Berry is the best player available. But Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli has shown in the past that he is more concerned about filling areas of need than grabbing the biggest talent. (Remember Tyson Jack at #3 last year?) Pioli has been quoted as saying he doesn't believe safeties are worthy of a top five pick.

6. SEA - Eric Berry S Tennessee
For the second year in a row, the Seahawks have a top-rated player fall into their laps. Berry has been an absolute nightmare to SEC offensive coordinators over the last few years. Seattle can wait until their second pick (#14 from Denver) to grab an OT, assuming they don't trade back.

7. CLE - Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame
To be completely honest, the guru doesn't see Cleveland making this pick. Expect them to trade back like they did last year and accumulate more picks. If the Browns are forced to stay here and make the pick, they may take Clausen or the electric CJ Spiller. Keep in mind, they have spent the offseason moving quarterbacks around.

8. OAK - Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
Everyone and their brother enjoys making fun of Raiders owner Al Davis for his drafting technique. I think this is the year that head coach Tom Cable, an offensive line man by trade, talks some sense into Davis. The Raiders will pass on Maryland OT combine freak Bruce Campbell and select Williams, considered by many the top tackle in this class. Another guy to watch out for is USF's Jason Pierre-Paul, who possesses ridiculous athleticism at defensive end.

9. BUF - Anthony Davis OT Rutgers
The Bills surrendered 46 sacks in 2009, tying them with Washington for fourth worst in the league. To fix the issue, they grab the fourth offensive tackle. This may be the team that trades up to get Clausen. Keep an eye out for Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant. Buffalo showed their willingness to bring in high-profile receivers after last year's Terrell Owens experiment. However, it may be telling that Owens is not back in a Bills uniform. Spiller might pop up here as well.

10. JAX - Rolando McClain LB Alabama
Odds are, the Jaguars will not make this selection. They have plenty of holes to fill, and without a second round selection they will have trouble doing so. Look for them to trade back and accumulate more picks. Teams will be looking to move up and grab Spiller if he is still available. Jacksonville may be the landing spot of hometown hero Tim Tebow. If the Jags stay put, McClain gives them a talented, exceptionally smart body to plug into their front seven. Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan may draw some attention from Jacksonville.

11. DEN - Maurkice Pouncey C Florida
This pick may confuse some followers, but look closer. Denver lost two centers during the offseason, leaving them with a gaping hole in the middle of their offensive line. Pouncey has scouts raving, and with the exception of Idaho G Mike Iupati, the Florida product is the only interior lineman worthy of going in the first two rounds. Coach Josh McDaniels is unconventional, to say the least. Analysts are saying Dez Bryant may go here, but Denver just shipped out one receiver (Brandon Marshall) with a questionable character. Keep in mind this defense has a lot of holes, even with the signing of nose tackle Jamal Williams. Sergio Kindle, maybe?

12. MIA - Sergio Kindle LB Texas
Some personnel experts say they liked Kindle even more than his former teammate Brian Orakpo, who shined as a rookie in 2009. Joey Porter and Jason Taylor have both moved on. Miami needs to upgrade its pass rush to help last year's first round choice, CB Vontae Davis. Bill Parcells has hit some home runs drafting outside linebackers in the past.

13. SF - Joe Haden CB Florida
With two first round picks, the 49ers are capable of moving up if they want to take a shot at Clausen or one of the top tackles. If they decide to stay put, Haden will help out a secondary that was abused in 2009. Although he ran slow at the Combine, the speed issue was attributed to minor back issues. Despite his physicality, there has been talk that Boise State CB Kyle Wilson may be the best cover man in this draft.

14. SEA - CJ Spiller RB Clemson
It's very likely that Spiller will be long gone by this point in time. It's also not a stretch to say that Seattle may not be picking at this spot. If Spiller falls and the Seahawks stay put, the dynamic playmaker could add a spark to the drab Seattle offense. After the retirement of Patrick Kerney, the defensive line could use an upgrade. Defensive ends Morgan and Pierre-Pal may draw some interest, as well as interior guys like Dan Williams of Tennessee or Jason Odrick of Penn State.

15. NYG - Dan Williams DT Tennessee
The Giants have seen their defense deteriorate very quickly. Holes exist all over the once dominant front seven. A big body like Williams can help plug gaps and revitalize the tenacious Giants defense. They are disappointed to see Spiller go ahead of them and may take a long look at Iupati or Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon.

16. TEN - Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech
After losing DT Albert Haynesworth, the Titans defense went downhill. This unit took another hit with the loss of Kyle Vanden Bosch. Morgan will help the pass rush in addition to being a responsible run stopper.

There you have it. Be sure to check back for the rest of the first round and possibly the second round.

April 19, 2010

NFL Mock Draft Challenge 2010

While the NHL playoffs may be bring the most exciting hockey of the year, the guru looks forward to April for another reason: the NFL Draft. From a managerial standpoint, there is no comparison. There are so many players to fill so many positions on so many teams that anyone with a knowledge of college and pro football can relate to. It's just a great time.

As before, the guru is looking for qualified competitors for his fantasy football expert league. Anyone who can handle the intricacies of the NFL is fully capable of competing in the guru's league. Now is your chance to prove yourself worthy.

Any individual with an email address is eligible to compete. To enter, simply send an email to FANTASYguru37@gmail.com with the following information: an alias/pen name (optional), your picks, and the tiebreaker (more on that later). List the picks in ascending order.

Only the first round will be scored. You will receive 10 points for correctly identifying which player will be taken in every draft slot. (Note that if teams trade picks, the player you choose for that pick will be the one that counts. For example, if you predicted that Mark Sanchez would go to Cleveland last year at #5, you would still get 10 points even though the Jets got him at #5.) You will receive 3 points for correctly identifying which position will be drafted. (For example, if you thought that Detroit would draft Sanchez at #1, you would get 3 points even though they picked Matthew Stafford.) Players will be classified as quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, and kickers (that crazy Al Davis). Tiebreaking procedures are as follows:

1. The pick that Tim Tebow will be taken at. This can be in any round.

2. The length of time the first round will take to complete. (Example: 8 hours, 43 minutes)

3. The color tie Roger Goodell is wearing.

There is no charge to enter the contest. Sending money will not increase your chances of winning. Only one entry per email address. In the case of multiple entries, only the first entry will be scored. All entries are due by 6:00 PM (1800 hours) on the evening of April 22, 2010.

The winner will receive a special invitation to compete against the guru himself in a highly competitive fantasy football league. Good luck to all challengers. Remember, only the best and brightest gain access to the FG37FFEC.

April 13, 2010

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2010


The time has finally come. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. The next two months will showcase the best form of hockey there is. The NHL's elite teams will be playing every night for two solid months, producing exciting, action-packed, highlight-reel plays for us to enjoy. Welcome to spring, my favorite time of the year.

Bringing you his predictions is none other than the guru himself, who is generously displaying his picks for you to see. After studying the NHL landscape for months on his way to capturing yet another fantasy hockey title, the guru is turning his observations into prophecy.

Let's start in the East, where the winners of the President Trophy are set to take on the NHL's proudest franchise, the Montreal Canadiens. Washington, by far the league's most offensively talented team, appear to have an easy matchup against the Montreal, one of just two playoff teams to post a negative goal differential. As all fans know, Carey Price has struggled in the playoffs before. Montreal fans have not been shy in voicing their displeasure with their goaltender before, prompting coach Jacques Martin to start Jaroslav Halak. While Halak has performed admirably down the stretch (9-2-1 record with two shutouts from March 6th to April 3rd), he has appeared in just 45 games this season, and for good reason. He is not a goalie to pin your hopes on in the playoffs, especially against a team like Washington. The Capitals have too much firepower for a goaltender of Halak's ability to stifle for a seven game series. Washington wins in five because of sheer offensive power.

Next up is a matchup between Atlantic Division rivals New Jersey and Philadelphia. A lot of people had high expectations for the Flyers after the acquisition of Chris Pronger, but their injury issues in goal have negated the effects of the bolstered defense. Philadelphia has the skaters to make a long playoff run, but their goaltending is far too suspect. While Sebastien Caron may be a great guy (After being identified by a coach while staying at a hotel in the offseason, Caron graciously played knee hockey with me and the rest of my squirt team, creating great memories for all involved. He is a class act. Why is he playing for the Flyers?) and Brian Boucher may be the owner of an unbelievable record, neither are capable of winning a playoff series. New Jersey wins in six because of someone named Martin Brodeur.

Another inter-divisional rivalry gets renewed in the playoffs as the Northeast's Buffalo Sabres battle the Boston Bruins. This series is headlined by Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller, who was honored as the starter of the Fantasy Guru 37 Eastern Conference All Star Team. (I will finish those rosters soon. I promise.) The Sabres should be concerned with the health of Tim Connolly, who led the squad with 48 assists in the regular season. Should he be unable to play in this series, the Bruins will possess a major advantage. Goals will be of great value in this matchup, both teams are amongst the league leaders in the goals against category. Look for the play of rookie and Calder Trophy contender Tyler Myers to put the Sabres over the top. Buffalo wins in six because of Miller's dominance.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to face the Ottawa Senators in the opening round once again, marking the third time in four years these teams have clashed in the quarterfinals. No team besides these two has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals since 2006, but don't count on it again. This time around, the Penguins have more questions surrounding their team (Can Marc-Andre Fleury fix his sloppy play? Do they have the depth on defense?) and Senators are without Alex Kovalev, a key contributor to their success this season. The Penguins have appeared rough as of late, which may be attributed to the absence of Evgeni Malkin. Regardless, expect them to get by the Senators, who have questions in respect to their offensive depth. Pittsburgh wins in six because of their playoff experience and superstar players.

thestar.com

Looking west, top-seeded San Jose has the misfortune of drawing a dangerous Colorado team. The Sharks are known for their disappointing past playoff performances, a tendency that is prompting many analysts to predict the upset. While the Avs have played well since the Trade Deadline, the guru doesn't see them getting past San Jose. The Sharks have too much depth offensively paired with a fantastic defensive corps for the Avalanche to overcome. San Jose holds off the upset in six because of their myriad of skilled skaters.

Chicago's late-season "collapse" gives them the opportunity to play Nashville, the Western Conference's worst playoff team. Chicago's skill runs deep throughout their team. They boast one of the youngest, most talented teams in the league. While they do have questions in goal, the Blackhawks are much too skilled for their division rivals to overcome. Pekka Rinne gives Nashville fans hope between the pipes. He will need to be unreal for the Predators to advance. Chicago wins in four because of their overpowering talent.

As the only Canadian team to make the playoffs in the West, the Vancouver Canucks have the pride of all Canadians west of Ontario resting on their shoulders. In the past, goaltender Roberto Luongo has failed miserably with just the weight of a single city. (With the Canucks a near lock to make the playoffs, that commercial was filmed and aired. To the producer's disgrace, Luongo tanked in the final five games and Vancouver failed to qualify for the postseason.) Since then, with the weight of an entire country upon him, Luongo successfully brought home Olympic Gold, in, of all places, Vancouver. Fortunately for him, the Canucks have enough scoring ability upfront (the Sedin twins) to washout his potentially shaky play. Vancouver wins in five because of their great offense, and maybe because of Luongo's brilliance.

If only fate could have brought us a Phoenix-Colorado matchup. The two teams that made late-season swaps with each other have exploded since the Trade Deadline. As noted by the guru, both Phoenix and Detroit saved their seasons with glorious Trade Deadline deals. The guru expects this series to be the most exciting of all the opening round matchups. The Coyotes and Red Wings will square off in what will be a very evenly-matched series. Detroit brings to the table playoff experience. This marks the first season the Red Wings have not had home-ice advantage in the opening round since 1990-91. In contrast, the Coyotes are making their first postseason appearance since 2002. Both teams are happy to be where they are. ("Relieved" may best describe the Red Wings.) Both teams have strong, young goaltenders and talented forwards. Here is the key stat: Detroit finished the season 17-3-2. They are riding the confidence that comes with finally having a healthy roster.

April 12, 2010

Image of the Week

OttawaCitizen.com

This week, the guru brings you something special. Almost entirely unrelated from sports, this may be the most unique photo to earn the title Image of the Week. The picture depicts a boy from the country of Lebanon wearing the jersey of Montreal Canadiens star Guy Lafleur. Admittedly, the guru is not completely aware of life in Africa, but from what he can assume, this week's image is far from ordinary.

Who knew Willie Oree's Hockey Is For Everyone campaign was this successful?

This story was discovered by the guru on Puck Daddy, Yahoo's hockey blog. Click that link for the full scoop.

In summary, Africans covet hockey jerseys for their durable material. The high-quality fabric stands up well to the rugged life they live. The jerseys reach Africa mainly by way of donations.

Some of the jerseys would be considered valuable in North America. I know I wouldn't pass up on a Guy Lafleur jersey. It would go well with the personalized autograph I have from him, courtesy of a friend's dad who met Lafleur while playing in the NHL, not bragging or anything. Do you have a treasured collectible sports item? Feel free to let the guru know. Send him an email at FANTASYguru37@gmail.com. With your permission, he may write a post about your prized possession.

April 10, 2010

NHL Playoffs Bracket Pool 2010

The NHL regular season is winding down, meaning the playoffs are near. Because such high level hockey deserves great attention, the guru is organizing a NHL Playoffs Bracket Pool. As with the March Madness Bracket Pool, the winner will receive an invitation to compete in the 2010 Fantasy Guru 37 Fantasy Football Expert Challenge.

Any individual with an email address is eligible to compete. To enter, simply send an email to FANTASYguru37@gmail.com with the following information: an alias/pen name (optional), your picks, and the tiebreaker (more on that later). I would appreciate it if you formatted your picks in the following way to make scoring easier. List every team you predict to advance from the first round in one paragraph. Do the same for each subsequent round until only one team is remaining. Indicate that this is the team you predict to be the Stanley Cup Champions. Be sure to include the tiebreaker.

You will receive 1 point for each correct team in the quarterfinals, 2 for the semifinals, 4 for the Conference Finals, and 8 for correctly predicting the Stanley Cup Champions. Tiebreaking procedures are as follows:

1. Correctly identifying the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the MVP of the playoffs.

2. Closest to the number of games the Stanley Cup Champions will play in the entire playoffs. (This includes all four series. Must be between 16 and 28.)

3. Closest to the number of games played in the Stanley Cup Finals. (This only includes the final round. Must be between 4 and 7.)

*The formula for determining the closest to the number of games is as follows:

X=/(actual number of games) - (predicted number of games)/

There is no charge to enter the pool. Sending money will not increase your chances of winning. Only one entry per email address. In the case of multiple entries, only the first entry will be scored. All entries are due by 6:00 PM (1800 hours) on the evening of Wednesday, April 14, 2010.

The winner will receive a special invitation to compete against the guru himself in a highly competitive fantasy football league. Good luck to all challengers. Remember, only the best and brightest gain access to the FG37FFEC.

**Note that the NHL reseeds the bracket after each round, meaning that the highest remaining seed will play the lowest remaining seed in their conference every round.

April 6, 2010

March Madness Bracket Pool 2010 Champion

The guru has spent the last 24 hours feverishly scoring brackets in order to crown a champion as soon as possible. This diligence was to expected; the guru does not rest for his followers. Pausing only to watch Tuesday evening hockey games, (Reminder: Another spot in the expert league is up for grabs with a NHL playoffs bracket pool.) I have determined a winner.

Before announcing the victor, I would like to thank all competitors for their participation and encourage them to partake in future challenges. As expected, the guru himself did not perform admirably. Many of you were able to beat him, still quite an accomplishment despite his limited knowledge of basketball. Without further ado, the guru would like to congratulate...

D-Money!!!

My devoted followers (They are great in number.) are undoubtedly feeling a slight sense of familiarity. This is because D-Money has appeared on this blog before. In fact, he is the esteemed bracketologist whose picks the guru asked to display. Before the tournament, I was quick to laud D-Money for his vast knowledge of college basketball. As March progressed and this expert had only correctly predicted one Final Four team, I was the first to voice my disappointment in D-Money's picks. The guru forgot his own advice that thou shall not "underestimate the wisdom of D-Money." He is now eating his words and would like to offer D-Money an apology, and a spot in the 2010 Fantasy Guru 37 Fantasy Football Expert Challenge.

The performance of all contestants was admirable. The guru would like to acknowledge the following participants for their efforts. The chart below displays the challengers alias, round-by-round, and final scores.

1...D-Money..................28...18...12...8...16...32...114
2...Hay May..................20...12...16...8...16...32...104
3...Mac Attack...............23...20...24...16...0...0...83
4...Ronstar....................20...16...12...16...16...0...80
5...RyRy........................21...16...20...8...0...0...65
6...Fantasy Guru 37..........24...16...16...8...0...0...64
7...Gyro.........................20...18...12...8...0...0...58
8...JZ............................23...18...4...0...0...0...45

I would like to extend a final exhibit of gratitude to all competitors. Be sure to come back and test your skills in future challenges. To those of you competing in your fantasy hockey league championship, godspeed.

April 5, 2010

Image of the Week

PGAtour.com

Much chatter has been raised over the past few months about Tiger Woods' personal life. Certain that the nation is tired of hearing rants and rumors about Tiger's "addiction" and whereabouts, the guru will skip the discussion on Woods' morals, almost.

The guru does not condone the actions of Tiger Woods in regards to his sex life.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, we can begin to discuss what you have come here to read. This week's image depicts Woods receiving one of his four green jackets, given annually to the winner of the Masters. One of golf's four major tournaments, the Masters is considered by many the most prestigious golf tournament in the world. To receive a green jacket is the dream possessed by all young, aspiring golfers, similar to the Stanley Cup in hockey or the Super Bowl in football.

Being the world-class golfer that Tiger is, he has had the green jacket bestowed upon him four times, tying him with Arnold Palmer of Latrobe, Pennsylvania for the second most victories. Only Jack Nicklaus has won more, earning his sixth at age 46. Tiger won for the first time in 1997 to become the youngest winner ever at age 21. In that year, he also set records for the lowest score (270, -18) and largest winning margin (a whopping 12 strokes).

It is clear that Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time. (His 14 major victories rank behind only Nicklaus' 18.) Yet, there is speculation that Tiger will not be on top of his game this week. Doubters say that he is out of "tournament shape" and that his off-course actions will be too distracting for him to play well. While this may be true, the guru believes that Tiger would not be playing if he did not believe he could win. During Monday's press conference, his first media session since his widely publicized national apology, Woods was quoted as saying he is "going to go out there and try to win this thing." With his track record at the Masters, he is fully capable of doing so.

Prediction: Tiger shows the world why he is in the discussion as the greatest of all time. He will win the Masters because he owns Augusta National, and that's one thing Elin can't take from him in divorce court.