The crystal ball has decided to make another run at predicting the sports year on the local, state and national scene. Its only disclaimer that this is done in good taste and takes less than a half hour to churn out the possible results.

January

Louisville triumphs 85-80 over Kentucky meaning only in one school year has one school won both the football and basketball games in the Battle of the Bluegrass. . .Indianapolis, Baltimore, Atlanta and Philadelphia earn first-round NFL play-off road victories. . . Florida claims the national title over Oklahoma. . . Campbellsville High School names the Eagles’ new head football coach on Jan. 19. . . J.B. Holmes places third at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. . . Indianapolis and the New York Giants triumph in the NFC and AFC championship games. . . Ryder Cup members John “J.B.” Holmes and Kenny Perry are named Kentucky Sportsman of the Year by the Lexington Herald-Leader. . . The Bardstown boys and Green County girls triumph at the Fifth Region All “A” Tournament in Bethlehem. . . The Cincinnati Reds trade Homer Bailey for Jermaine Dye.

February

Indianapolis downs the New  York Giants in the Super Bowl XLIII battle of the Manning brothers. . . Jeff Gordon earns the pole but Jimmie Johnson is first at the Daytona 500. . . The Green County Lady Dragons fall to Lexington Christian in the All “A” Classic championship game with Hazard taking the boys’ crown. . . Marvin Lewis hires a new offensive coordinator.

March

Adair County’s boys’ and Marion County’s girls’ teams repeat again as 20th District basketball champions. . . Campbellsville University’s Lady Tigers win the Mid-South Conference Tournament in Frankfort. . . North Hardin sweeps the Fifth Region boys’ and girls’ basketball titles . . Louisville gets a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament while Kentucky is seeded seventh. U of L goes 2-1 while UK goes 1-1. . . Kentucky state basketball titles go to the Jeffersontown boys and the Iroquois girls. . .The U of L women make it to the Elite Eight. . . North Carolina, Connecticut, Texas and Gonzaga make up the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

April

Three scholarship basketball players transfer from the University of Kentucky and two from the University of Louisville. . . Perry Thomas signs three all-state football players in a stellar football recruiting class at CU. . . North Carolina and Connecticut win NCAA men’s and women’s basketball championships. . . Madisonville’s Jon Hood and Ashley Rainey of Warren East are named Kentucky’s Mr. and Miss Basketball. . . Brian Brohm is traded from the Green Bay Packers on the first day of the NFL draft. . . Oklahoma redshirt sophomore Sam Bradford is taken first by the Detroit Lions. . . Weston Dicken of Taylor County captures the Heartland Athletic Conference boys’ singles’ tennis title.

May

Midshipman wins the Kentucky Derby and edges Vineyard Haven in a photo finish at the Preakness. . . Dave’s Revenge is first and Stardom Bound second at the Kentucky Oaks. . . U of L’s Earl Clark and UK’s Patrick Patterson declare for the NBA Draft. . . Taylor County’s baseball and softball teams claim district titles.

June

The Boston Celtics down the Los Angeles Lakers for another NBA championship. . . Elizabethtown and Central Hardin wear Fifth Region baseball and softball crowns. . .Square Eddie bests Midshipman for first at the Belmont. . . The Kentucky All Stars defeat Indiana twice in the annual basketball series.

July

North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough is the first pick in the NBA Draft. . . Patrick Patterson and Earl Clark go in the NBA Draft’s first round while Terrence Williams is tabbed in the second round. . . Roger Federer re-claims the Wimbledon tennis championship. . . Jeff Gordon wins the all-star race at Charlotte.

August

Taylor County and Campbellsville open their high school football games in victorious fashion. . . Tim Tungate, Jeff Watson and Johnny Wheeler claim victories on successive weekends at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown. . . Thomas R. McMahan is first in the Senior Duffers while George Wise and Ginger Colvin take the top spots in the regular Duffers and Lady Duffers. . . Greg Biffle is first at Bristol.

September

Campbellsville scores on its last possession to edge Taylor County in the Battle of the Birds. . . Perry Thomas’ Campbellsville University Fighting Tigers win back-to-back games. . . Kentucky makes it three straight with a 17-14 football win over Louisville in Commonwealth Stadium.

October

Taylor County’s girls’ soccer team triumphs in the district tournament. . .Taylor County defeats Campbellsville, who upset Marion County, for the 18th District Tournament volleyball crown. . . The Boston Red Sox down the Chicago Cubs four games to two for the World Series championship.

November

Campbellsville and Taylor County make the play-offs with identical 6-4 worksheets . . Campbellsville University goes 6-4 in Perry Thomas’ second season. . . Carl Edwards edges Kurt Busch in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. . . Campbellsville’s Thomas Downs has three Division 1 football offers. . . Jason Keltner earns the Late Model points’ title at Bluegrass Speedway.

December

Kentucky’s Mr. Football title goes to Highland’s Austin Collinsworth. . . Kentucky stops its hoop losing streak to Louisville with a 77-76 win in Rupp . .Kentucky and Louisville are denied bowl appearances as the Cats finish 5-7 and the Cards 3-9. . . Tom Jurich gives Steve Kragthorpe a vote of confidence, but also admits U of L needs to be bowl-eligible for him to get a fifth season in the Derby City.