Who will end 2015 as UFC champions?

With all of the big fights on the horizon this year, the championship situations (pending health) could get very interesting. So here are my, probably bold predictions about who ends 2015 holding UFC gold.

HEAVYWEIGHT - Cain Velasquez

This is one of the easier ones to predict. Cain will clash with Fabricio Werdum soon to get rid of that fake, pops up to often, interim belt. Werdum is a solid heavyweight but I don't think he can compete with the champ. Honestly, give Mark Hunt more time to train and I think he takes Werdum in that interim bout. I think the massive weight loss hurt Hunt more than Werdum could have. I only see Cain fighting twice in 2015 and those will be wins over Werdum and one more decisive victory over Junior Dos Santos, which could be JDS' final shot at gold. It also clears the way for new challengers for Velasquez in 2016, which will include Stipe Miocic, Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski and.....see below.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT - Alexander Gustafsson

Four. That is how many times the UFC Light Heavyweight title will be defended in 2015. The first comes tomorrow where I think Daniel Cormier will outclass Jon Jones and take the title from him. After that, Bones will clearly get an immediate rematch and as much as I do not like him, he clearly will deserve one and I think he takes the title back in that rematch, which leaves a clear cut need for a trilogy bout, but not so fast. Gustafsson will take out Anthony Johnson and while Cormier/Jones II pushes him back out of a shot, he will take on and defeat Rashad Evans and Dana White won't be able to ignore the Swede anymore. Gustafsson will get Jones and beat him by decision to take the title. This will send Jones to the heavyweight division for a clash with Cain Velasquez in 2016. Cormier will opt to heal up for the rest of 2015 while Gustafsson beats Ryan Bader for this final defense of the year.

MIDDLEWEIGHT - Anderson Silva

This contradicts my hope for the Silva/Diaz fight this month as I really want Diaz to win and I may even pick him to win before that weekend. But for arguments sake, I really have to go with Silva winning that fight because of his size and experience at 185 pounds. After the win over Diaz, it is silly to make any fight other than Weidman/Silva III after Chris soundly puts away Vitor Belfort. There are plenty of other challengers in the division, but none that stand out. That said, I think Silva KO's Weidman in a rematch, even if it is by fluky strike. Weidman has also been too lucky to avoid the injury bug, so I think after a loss to Silva he will find himself on the shelf for the rest of 2015, having to wait out a title rematch until 2016. Silva will defend the belt one more time to close the year by flattening Jacare Souza. Weidman will be next in line for 2016, followed by Luke Rockhold.

WELTERWEIGHT - Kelvin Gastelum

This was the hardest choice to make in this entire field with a pretty even array of fighters in the division. And so, I am going to go big here. Robbie Lawler will decisively end his feud with Johny Hendricks by knocking him out in the trilogy finale. Shortly after that, the attention of the division will switch to the news that Georges St. Pierre will be making his return to the UFC, but Dana White, still unhappy with GSP, will make him fight someone else first and in turn, Lawler will then successfully defend the title against GSP mate Rory MacDonald. GSP's will want to time his return out right and a warm up fight against Matt Brown won't happen until October, which will keep the longtime division kingpin from a shot at the belt in 2015 even after he defeats Brown. In the meantime, 2015 will see a still unlikely contender feast on Tyron Woodley and Hector Lombard and the year will end is the most unlikely fashion as Kelvin Gastelum will secure an out-of-nowhere rear naked choke that force Robbie Lawler to tap out in the second round and relinquish his title around the holidays.

LIGHTWEIGHT - Anthony Pettis

No lightweight in the world is going to touch Anthony Pettis and I will go even farther and say he will stay healthy in 2015 and go on to defend his title five times to really put him on top of the conversation as the best 155 pounder the UFC has ever seen. I think Rafael Dos Anjos will get the first shot and will get TKO'd in the second round because his defense is just not loose enough to handle the unorthodox striking of Showtime. Next up will be Khabib Nurmagomedov and it will be Showtime's toughest challenge all year. The fight will go five rounds and Showtime will win 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 after Khabib abandons his takedown plans when Pettis throws on a couple of tight, but barely escapable submissions. Defense three will be against the undefeated Myles Jury who will be coming off a win over Benson Henderson. Pettis stops Jury in this one. The fourth defense will be the returning TJ Grant and and the rust will be apparent for Grant. The fifth defense could be a toss up. For ratings sake, I am saying it is a rematch with Donald Cerrone that will end the same as the first one, But my heart wants this fifth defense to be against Michael Johnson, who could shoot up the 155-rankings this year with some big wins. It all sets up 2016's super fight for Pettis against Jose Aldo.

FEATHERWEIGHT - Frankie Edgar

Why Frankie? Because Jose Aldo leaves the division after one more fight. It is clear what is next for Aldo: Conor McGregor, who will demolish Denis Siver to get a title shot, but will get caught with something spinning in the fifth round of an absolute war with Aldo. McGregor will break his jaw in the loss and sit out almost all, if not all of 2015 to recover, but don't worry he will have UFC gold eventually. In the mean time, the UFC needs a new featherweight champion after Aldo declare the division cleared out and heads to the lightweight division (though an injury will scrap him from a December meeting with Pettis, hence setting up Cerrone for the title shot). The UFC turns to Frankie Edgar/Chad Mendes to crown a new champ and Edgar comes across the victor on the close scorecards. He'll defend the belt one more time to close out 2015 by TKO'ing Ricardo Lamas and setting up a showdown with the returning McGregor in 2016.

BANTAMWEIGHT - TJ Dillashaw

Get used to the look of a little kid on Christmas. Because that is exactly what TJ looks like as he grins at his UFC title belt. But trust me, he's not nice little innocent kid and Dillashaw is going to get vicious this year. He will start the year by finishing an overzealous Renan Barao in the second or third round, then go on to defeat Raphael Assuncao pretty clearly in their long awaited (to Raphael anyway) rematch. With Dominick Cruz still on the shelf for a while longer, John Dodson will make the jump up to 135 for a rematch of their Ultimate Fighter finals fight, but this time Dillashaw is quicker to the draw and gets the TKO in the fifth round. The win will be a great benchmark for Dillashaw's year as a top tier pound for pound fighter and again set up a battle with Alpha Male hater Cruz for 2016. And about Urijah Faber? The Alpha Male leader will leave the 135 pound division and head back up to featherweight to avoid having to fight Dillashaw.

FLYWEIGHT - Demetrious Johnson
A year of rematches awaits Mighty Mouse, who has already cleared out this division. First up will be John Dodson, who has given Johnson his best fight so far at 125 but this one ends the same: a lot of great moments for Dodson, but not enough as Johnson retains by non-controversial decision. He will follow it up by pushing back Ian McCall and Joseph Benavidez in back to back fights that don't make the challengers look like they have anything at all for the 125 pound kingpin. Those fights will finish out the year for Johnson, who will head back up to 135 sometime in 2016 after clearing out the division for a second time with one or two more early defenses in 2016. So there will eventually be a second ever UFC Flyweight champion, I just don't see it happening this year.

WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT - Ronda Rousey
Because honestly, who is going to beat her? Dana White sees the draw in the Cyborg fight and I think eventually money talks and Rousey, who isn't the crazy hot head that Santos and Ortiz are, will move up and either have a catchweight fight or the UFC will add a Featherweight Women's Title just so Rousey/Cyborg can happen and then there can be a second ever UFC Bantamweight Women's Champ. But like with the men's 125-pound title, 2015 isn't that year. Instead, Rousey will take out Cat Zingano in the second round via armbar after isolating Cat's punching power. Rousey will then TKO Bethe Correia, who really doesn't deserve a title shot to begin with. Even though she will want a break to film a movie, I can see the UFC talking Rousey into one more defense for the year and if that happens, it will be a big money fight with Holly Holm.

WOMEN'S STRAW WEIGHT - Rose Namajunas

This title will see three champions in 2015 as the first champion, Carla Esparza will lose the title in her first ever defense to Jonna Jedrzejczyk, who will then go on to successfully defend against Tecia Torres in a wild affair. Esparza will win the belt back, but turn around to lose it to Namajunas almost exactly one year to the date of their first meeting. I expect Namajunas to tackle Jessica Penne and Tecia Torres on her road to another shot and her confidence and striking game will be at all time high so she can take advantage of her second shot at UFC gold. This is an interesting division and I can see the title bouncing around a lot, ala the Light Heavyweight title before Jon Jones first won it from Shogun Rua.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS FOR 2016:
Cain Velasquez vs. Jon Jones
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Daniel Cormier
Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman IV
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Georges St. Pierre
Anthony Pettis vs. Jose Also
Frankie Edgar vs. Conor McGregor
TJ Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz
Rondo Rousey vs. Cyborg Santos
Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Calderwood

Here is why you can have 2014 back

Last year, I wrote a column about my 12 favorite sports moments in 2013. This year, I just want 2014, as a sports fan, to be over.

Now. And why? Here is why, in no particular order.

1. Boston trades Rajon Rondo to Dallas
Now don't get me entirely wrong, as a Rondo fan, this is the best thing for him. Danny Ainge is clearly delusional in Boston and was never going to rebuild correctly around Rondo like he did Paul Pierce. There isn't another banner going up anytime soon, so if Rondo wants to sniff out another crown, somewhere else is best and LA or Houston wouldn't have been the place. But as a Boston fan, this signals the end of the 2008 team and the end of Boston's hope for a while. With Rondo, Pierce, Garnett (and OK, sure Ray Allen) gone, looks like more obscurity is coming Boston's way.

2. Michael Bisping gets trucked...twice
Again, let us look at the positive: he demolished Cung Le and his face. But in two more big matchups that could have gotten Mike into title contendership, he wilted. Tim Kennedy took him down with ease and Luke Rockhold decided to turn it up and then demolished 'The Count.' It was just sad to watch.

3. Duke loses to Mercer
Enough said. It was bad. Like Jabari Parker freshman year bad.

4. Jabari Parker tears ACL
OK, so I wasn't fond of his play most of the time in a Duke uniform, but he is still a Duke guy. Seeing him lose his rookie season to a debilitating knee injury sucks.

5. Red Sox go from first to worst
I don't even know. Putting in the most effort in the league every OTHER year, that just isn't good enough. It is like Boston rested on their laurels for the season then put in effort in the offseason to get better for 2015. But what about 2014?

Favorite NBA player, favorite NBA team, favorite college/team at all, favorite fighter. It just wasn't a year I liked even a little bit in the sports world.

But like the Red Sox, I'm just going to forget about 2014, it wasn't even worth the trouble.

Under the radar: The 8 best Fort Wayne boys basketball players that aren't being talked about enough

As basketball season is officially kicking off, the hype train is in full steam for a lot of area talents. Caleb Swanigan will have his choice of schools to attend, almost anywhere, while teammate Dana Batt is headed D1, as is Carroll’s Chandler White. Brachen Hazen of Columbia City, Jordan Geist of Homestead, Reggie Tharp of Concordia, and Keonte Jenkins of Horizon Christian are all can’t miss prospects.

And there are many more. But with that many more, there often is a wall. Fort Wayne is deep. There is a top, middle and a bottom. The top gets talked about, a lot. And I am just as guilty as anyone. But that middle group, maybe not the current elite, it is as deep as it has been in Fort Wayne for a long, long time. 8 of those players are my focus today.

The 8 guys that nobody is talking about, but surely should be.

Nick Thomas – South Side

Mostly because South Side has struggled in recent years, there isn’t much talk about Archer players. But there are a lot of really solid performers at South. One of them, probably not discussed because of the shadow of his older brother Nate, is Nick Thomas. Nate was the South Side leader last year, but he has headed off to college to leave younger brother Nick to hold his own. And can he ever. Nick is an unassuming guy, not in size or stature, but in demeanor. But, he can run the court like a wing and battle for position and rebounds with a lot of bigs. You can tell he prides himself on it even. While South has some talent and some young talent at that, Nick is going to be a key factor in any potential success this season.

Avery Fath

Fath is a name you probably don’t know at all actually if you are a casual fan. But if you pay attention to the local scene, you should know it. He’s easily a top 10, if not top five player in the area in the Class of 2016 (only clearly behind Hazen, Tharp, Surface, Kyle Mallers and Dylan Barrow IMO). The kid is the pure definition of composure. At 5’9” he isn’t the most physically imposing, but he reads the floor well and is a great point guard that doesn’t need to be “score first” or “pass first.” If you are open, he will find you. If he is open, he will find the basket. He wants the ball in his hand to make the majority of the decisions and unlike a lot of kids his age, he is capable of doing so on a strong level.

Richard Robertson and Jagger Surface - Northrop

I firmly believe Robertson could have competed full time on varsity a year ago as a freshman. He has razor sharp instincts on the court and has the ability to spread the game out. He and Surface are very different players, built very differently but do a lot of the same things (in their own unique ways). Northrop has a lot of ability all around, but these two are great at getting to the basket. That will help them both: A) create their own shots off the dribble and B) drive and kick the ball back out, possibly to each other because they are both knock down shooters. Surface has all the swag and confidence you need from a great floor general and Robertson has the work ethic to rival most in the SAC.

Terrell Crews – North Side

Last year, the squad was deep with seniors and this year, it is the transfers that get the attention at North. But I won’t forget about the younger Crews, who was a key role player in that unbelievable Redskins team a year ago. Let us not forget that the team didn’t dip when he came into the game. He is a hustler, who gets after the ball on defense. How his offense develops, we will see but he can be a finesse defender and one I don’t think will be hurt too bad in the long run by new hand check rules. He may not be North’s best overall player, but he has a lot of talent pumping through his blood.

Richard Bufkin-Scott – Wayne

There aren’t a lot of natural bruiser players left in the area. Chalk that up to what you want. Are kids babied? Is there too much crying? Too much fighting? Richard is just a hard nosed, ‘yes coach,’ go get it done type of a kid. He doesn’t have a ton of flash, but he doesn’t need it. If you don’t know where he is on the court, chances are, he’s probably about to block you out to grab a rebound. He’s tough to defend inside because he doesn’t care if he runs you over. Add in a decent mid-range jumper and he’ll be helpful in Wayne’s rebuild.

Dana Batt – Homestead

Yeah, yeah, I’m cheating a little bit here. But transfers and that potential McDonalds All-American on his team have sent Batt down the focus line a little bit. Too much? Well no, he’s still a 6’8’’ Division 1 prospect, so how much can you ignore him? Batt has developed a lot over the summer and is tough inside, making opponents fight for every last rebound. He’s a rare high school big in that he wants to post up naturally and then work on offensive post moves to get to the basket. He has a nasty post and spin and creates great space for him to do work and he’s a finisher: dunk, lay-up, put back, it doesn’t matter. Considering that a lot of team’s best attempt to slow Homestead is to double Swanigan in the post, Batt could get a lot of great looks this year.

Kyle Hartman – Bishop Dwenger

I am actually surprised how little you hear about this guy as the season begins. In my opinion, he was Dwenger’s best player last year. He’s allusive on the offensive end and can shoot the ball with a touch as good as any player in this area. Dwenger is always going to be a tough match up, always. Hartman will be a killer for them and could ruin a lot of nights for a lot of other guys. He’s a true fundamentalist player. He’s got talent around him. Ryan Christman is always good for some big shots and I will rave about a sophomore who may or may not see varsity action in Campbell Donovan, but Hartman is the glue, the model of consistency for a program that strives for consistency.

Four storylines to watch in Fort Wayne prep hoops

Over six months ago, I wrote about how the future year of prep basketball in Fort Wayne was going to be filled with a lot of intrigue. And while some of the faces and some of the places have changed, that intrigue has not.

Today, The News-Sentinel’s prep preview comes out and I urge you to read it. Not just because I designed it, but because it is chock full of great previews that give you plenty of information on all of the boys and girls teams in the SAC, NHC, ACAC and area.

The annual Fab 5 breaks down a terrific group of players including Caleb Swanigan, Jordan Geist and Karissa McLaughlin of Homestead, Snider’s Devlyn Williams and Deja Wimby, Concordia’s Reggie Tharp and DeJour Young, Carroll’s Chandler White, Leo’s Jenna Beer and Canterbury’s Darby Maggard. The 10 represent a lot of excitement this year and I for one am particularly interested in how dominant an athletic beast like Devlyn Williams will be and how Reggie Tharp incorporates his vastly improved game (it was never bad, but taken to the next level this summer) into the SAC season.

But when you only name 10 players, some get left out, simply because there isn’t room. So here are some more teams (outside of the obvious potential dominance of Homestead boys), storylines and players that I am most intrigued about this coming season:

—    Can anyone stop the Homestead girls either? Yes, Karissa McLaughlin is sensational, as good as any sophomore girl we’ve had in this area in years, perhaps back to Canterbury grad Megan King. But she has a pretty substantial lineup around her, led by senior Josie Fisher, who is absolutely one of the top 10 players in this area. As dominant as the boys team will be, this Spartan girls squad, under Rod Parker’s leadership, may be pretty close to unbeatable.

—    Sean McGee. The North Side senior is the key to the whole thing for a program coming off back to back Summit Athletic Conference titles. The Redskins lost a lot. And I mean, a lot from last year’s 2-loss team. But they also have a lot new. Jajuan Starks (Northrop) and Jaylen Butz (Bishop Luers) as move ins and the return of a tenacious defender in Terrell Crews are all fantastic for a team who could have been stuck in rebuilding mode. But, McGee is a legitimate scorer who could absolutely be the best guard in this area. What he does on the court, and off the court, could hamper the Redskins or make them a threat to challenge Snider and Concordia for a third straight title.

—    Let me talk about Horizon Christian. In today’s News-Sentinel, yours truly has a feature story on a kid named Keonte Jenkins. What I learned talking to Keonte and his coach is that he is a remarkable kid. You can check out the N-S for more on that. What I can tell you here is that I am absolutely intrigued to see this squad play this season. They aren’t IHSAA sanctioned, they aren’t going head to head with the best of the best all of the time, but games locally against Wayne, Bishop Luers and Canterbury are going to be something interesting to watch. Jenkins is a primetime, get to the basket scorer. And now, Marco Lee, who played sparingly at North Side last year, is alongside him and showing what he can. Lee is a score first point guard who is quick and scored 23 in his Horizon debut over the weekend. Yes, he sat the bench more often than not as a junior, but he wasn’t on the bench for just anyone, it was for one of the best teams in the entire state in any class of the IHSAA. A Lee/Jenkins combo helps make the Jaguars some threat to knock off a pair of SAC schools this year.

—    What makes South Side’s girls team so good? When you look at the city schools, there is quite the disparity between the top (South Side) and the bottom (North Side). And it isn’t just this year, it is every year. North Side has swapped in and out coaches over the last ten years and never been able to crawl up the order, even with some talented players. But South Side, a pretty identical school in theory, is always at the top, even with coaching swaps. The answer: Goodwell. Basketball isn’t in the Goodwell’s blood; their blood literally is bad up of liquefied basketballs. South’s head coach Juanita and her husband David (an assistant at South and leader for Always 100) are two of the more intense, knowledgeable and hard working coaches in this area on any level. There is a lot of talent at South, don’t get me wrong, but any school would be lucky to have this pair.

Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure

Always looking for more I guess.

A couple of days ago when I posted my last blog, my best friend Danny Cruff commented on Facebook that he couldn’t wait to read the blog when the Kansas City Royals win the World Series.

And then game one happened and I cringed. I cringed for many reasons, but among them was the thought that there may not be a Royals blog anytime in the near future. And then game two happened and everything was even again. But this morning I thought about it and realized that it didn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, if the Kansas City Royals win the World Series — at least, not where writing a blog comes in.

Because a blog about the 2014 Kansas City Royals is not rooted in wins, or even losses for that matter.

See my friend Danny is a rare breed. Danny is a Kansas City Royals fan.

No, not some pop up out of the woodwork Royals fan; there are enough of those lately. Fair weather and all, you know.

No, not some guy just cheering for the Royals to win because his team is out or didn’t even make the playoffs. That is my role by the way.

Danny is a life-long, as I live and breath, hardcore, until death do us part Kansas City Royals fan. He about has more different Royals hats than I have fingers and toes. He doesn’t just worship the church of George Brett; he actually remembers that Johnny Damon was once a Royal. If you play a video game against him, he is the Royals. Both of his kids played t-ball on teams named the Royals. Really, with all due respect, who bleeds Kansas City Royals? Danny Cruff does.

See we all have our days or months or years with our favorite sports teams. But we are all also spoiled. I hated when my Boston Red Sox failed to make the postseason this year, but they were also just champions a year ago. I became a Red Sox fan in 2001 after visiting the city in high school. And while 2001 was in the midst of that great curse, I sure didn’t have to wait long for them to break it during my fandom. Also, in a not-so shocking turn of events (if you ever read this blog), I am a die-hard Duke Blue Devils fan. Being a Duke fan bring an inherent sadness even if we aren’t losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to a school you have never heard of before. The point is, at Duke, letdown is not winning the whole damn thing. In 22 years as a Duke fan, we have won 3 titles, a fourth was won just the year before that. I hate when Duke loses, but I am a fan through thick and thin. But again let’s face the facts: we are all spoiled. Duke’s “thin” is a lot of teams’ “success.” That isn’t bragging, it is just highlighting what makes this World Series, this Royals team so great to me.

Yes, they are awesome to watch. Their bullpen is strong, they are crushing the ball and their outfielders have made some insane highlight reel catches.

But this Royals team is great to me, cheer worthy to be because Danny Cruff is a fan. A real fan.

I can stand up and say “yes, I would support my team no matter what,” and I truly believe that. I am sure many of you believe that too, but would you?

Who, as die-hard sports fans, can say that you would watch your team fail…and sometimes fail badly for 29 straight years? So you are a Chicago Cubs fan and you can claim not winning a World Series in nearly a century? Well at least you’ve been to the playoffs in that time. I couldn’t even fathom a world where Duke would miss the NCAA Tournament, where the Red Sox would be held out of the playoffs for 29 years.

That is Danny Cruff’s life. Or it was.

This World Series may or may not end with a Royals title. Sometimes, that glass slipper just doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot.

But there is meaning in this run that they have made. There is meaning in the fact that true, completely loyal fandom is fleeting. I have never seen someone as loyal to their team as Danny is to Kansas City. Fandom is easy amongst success. It is also easy amongst mediocrity. Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure.

If you see me on game day during any of these playoffs, really almost any day that I have a hat on my head, you will notice it is royal blue with a KC emblazoned on the front of it. That isn’t because I am a Royals fan. That isn’t because I am a fair weather fan. I wear that hat proudly because I am a Danny Cruff fan; a fan of everything he represents.

Success is fleeting. Pride and optimism in its truest form is rare.

These Kansas City Royals, because of their on field play, have been an absolute blast to watch. But what has been better is watching the joy of my friend. He, above anyone else, deserves this.

The friendly confines of the best rivalry

It all comes around.

Ask Laettner, or Mashburn. Ask Pitino or Krzyzewski.

I became a Duke basketball fan in 1992. And all that mattered in 1992 in basketball was Duke versus Kentucky. Anyone who knows anything at least knows of the tale of their 1992 Elite Eight battle. The game itself is arguably one of the best ever to be played on any basketball court. The shot that ended the overtime affair — you know…THE SHOT — well its merits as the best aren’t debatable. Not with me anyway.

That was — swallow — 22 and a half years ago. But what any true Duke fan, or any true Kentucky fan can tell you is that no moment is more defining of their program.

For Duke, how do you ever live up to the merits of that game? Of that shot? They went on to win another national title that year, have won two more since that (2001, 2010) and were the national runner up on two other occasions. But when you are a Duke fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

For Kentucky, how do you ever get past that moment, perhaps the most soul-crushing moment in the history of sports? Yes, they to have won three national titles since (1996, 1998 and 2012). They too have been the national runner-up on two occasions since. But when you are a Kentucky fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

In Durham, the name Christian Laettner is laid among the Gods. In Lexington, the name Christian Laettner is laid among loogies and mass vulgarity.

One thing I have learned as a Duke fan is that Kentucky people will never side with me. Why would they? It is after all, sour grapes. They lost, we won. But I also know how quickly that could be different. Hindsight, being 20/20, points out that one change in coaching technique could have sent that Wildcat squad to the Final Four. And then, in Duke circles, the name Jamal Mashburn would be whispered in hushed tones. And then we’d have all of the sour grapes. Tides and fortunes turn. The three national titles and a pair of 2^nd place finishes aren’t all we have in common. After all, our first round NCAA Tournament losses to Lehigh and Mercer are their first round NIT loss to Robert Morris. For their celebrations of Anthony Davis and Julius Randle, we’ve had the heroics of Shane Battier and Kyle Singler. For their massive downtrodden times of Nerlens Noel, we’ve had injury-killing anti-success of Kyrie Irving.

Ever since that shot, the existences of the Duke and Kentucky basketball programs have had intriguing shades of parallel.

The last year in my house has added a new element to my viewpoint. Both of my stepsons are bred from Kentucky lore. One was born in Kentucky, their father and his family are all Kentucky through and through. To them, U and K have been the only initials that matter when it comes to college basketball.

And then, there I was as a Duke fan. And by hook or crook, intrigue or irony, they (especially the youngest of the two), added some level of Duke fandom to their minds. It is never anything that I asked of them, but I am sure something engrained quickly into their subconscious because of how big of a Duke fan that I am, just as being UK fans was engrained for all of the other years of Wildcat basketball they saw or heard about.

Kids are fickle when they cheer for sports teams. For all the home team cheering there is, there are always just as many kids who pick up teams not so near. In my youth, other than becoming a Duke fan, I cheered from my Indiana home for the Atlanta Braves, another team not within 10 hours from where I lived. My youngest, Ayden — as another example — has an insane array of favorites that span from California (San Francisco 49ers) to Canada (Toronto Raptors).

But is there anything more fickle than being a fan of both Kentucky and Duke?

Bobby Hurley’s face would probably contort grossly at the question. Richie Farmer might puke.

My stepsons, again especially the youngest, have added a new space in my mind. A space where this makes sense, a space where I can actually be ok with it. In 1992, a battle like the two programs put forth brought with it a certain amount of despise and hatred. That is what 1992 was about, that was old school. But in 2014, in a world where UFC fighters bash each others heads in for 15 minutes and then hug and smile, why can’t Duke and Kentucky co-exist? Why can’t we just say good job and be happy with the magic we made together?

Last season, Ayden and I sat on the couch for many a basketball game, always cheering for the blue and white no matter what word actually appeared on the front of the jersey. He developed a favorite Duke player in Jabari Parker (he’s not happy he has to pick a new favorite already) and I took a liking to the Wildcats’ Willie Cauley-Stein. As he learned all of the names of the players on both teams, I too learned about UK. He became a true Duke fan, wore Duke clothes and cheered them on. I cheered too. No, I haven’t brought myself to slide into a Kentucky Wildcat t-shirt or anything like that, but when Kentucky played, I found myself cheering them on, especially in their close bid to become the National Champions. That alone is something that I never thought I would find myself doing.

It must be how my dad felt. He may have never hated Duke, but when I was a kid he was a Purdue fan. Now, I don’t think my dad would want any college basketball team to win more than he would want Duke too. Kids do that. They open yours eyes up just enough.

It is a rivalry that has lasted 22 years, but Ayden’s love of both teams has transcended that rivalry. Is he the first kid to think to their self “why can’t I just like them both?” Probably not. But it clicks. After all, Duke and Kentucky are forever intertwined. Nothing will ever change that. So why does everyone have to choose?

It is also what will make this upcoming college basketball season so much fun and possibly pretty interesting. The fact is, in my humble and moderately professional opinion, there are no better teams in college basketball this year than Kentucky and Duke. Always intertwined, we find ourselves at the top of the food chain once more.

Kentucky returned the vast majority of their near-championship core. The Harrison twins, Cauley-Stein, all back to team up with the second best recruiting class in the country that includes freshmen Karl Towns, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker and Trey Lyles. Duke has a lot of veteran experience in tow too, even if they did underachieve last year. They also add the number one recruiting class in the country with soon-to-be NBA players Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow.

It will be another layer on one of the best rivalries in sports. There is a very good chance that the paths of the Blue Devils and Wildcats could cross in Indianapolis come April with the best trophy on the line. Sure would make for an interesting evening in my house.

I spent more than 20 years on one side of this rivalry. Duke was always greater than Kentucky. Do I still believe that to be true? Of course I do. Should they meet up in Indianapolis this Spring, or ever before, I will have one of my Duke jerseys on while Ayden sits down the couch with a UK hoodie. His brother and his mom will probably do the same as him. I know this to be true.

But I also know that win or lose; I will be content with being a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports. Content knowing that without Kentucky, there is no Duke and without Duke, there is no Kentucky. Our teams did this together. So whenever they meet again, I will be there.

I will be there, praying for the ghost of the not-dead Christian Laettner and Kentucky fans will be there, spitting and cursing his name.

But now, thanks to that space in my mind where Duke and Kentucky co-existing finally makes sense, I will be smiling the whole time.

Matching up the UFC versus Bellator

Earlier this week, Bleacher Report put out a story of “dream” match ups between Bellator and the UFC. Let me say two things. First of all, it was not a really deep story at all. Two, can you really have a dream match up at all with a company (Bellator) where Joey Beltran is challenging for the company’s Light Heavyweight title and there will soon be a show headlined by a Tito Ortiz/Stephan Bonnar fight?

And the biggest “dream” with Bellator fighters is seeing Eddie Alvarez against UFC lightweights and that is already coming to fruition.

But it did enough to prompt me to think, if I could make any fights with Bellator guys against UFC guys, what would they be? They many not be super fights or dream fights, but fights I would like to see none-the-less. And I will point out, with the exception of one; you will not see UFC champions on this fake card despite almost every Bellator champion being listed. Why? Because Bellator champions can’t hang with UFC Champions. Period.

THE UNDERCARD

Middleweight

Thales Leites versus Kendall Grove

I will admit, this one is a little personal due to my fandom of Kendall Grove and firm belief that he should have another shot in the UFC. Since he left the UFC, he’s been up and down just like he was in the UFC, but has also beaten a few guys currently under UFC contract (i.e. Derek Brunson and Joe Riggs). Leites is a rising fighter again in the UFC and as I see Grove as an 11-15 ranked UFC fighter if he was there (probably never better and never worse), it would be a good match up for them both.

Winner: Kendall Grove by Unanimous Decision

Welterweight

Kelvin Gastelum versus Na Shon Burrell

Burrell is coming off a nasty loss, but this is a match up that would be interesting for him. Gastelum is the Burrell opposite. He is the clean cut, quiet predator and Burrell is the loud, anti-authority type. But they would wage an epic war no matter where the fight took place.

Winner: Kelvin Gastelum by 2^nd Round Submission

Featherweight

Conor McGregor versus Bubba Jenkins

What we have yet to see is how a wrestler could slow down the unorthodox style of McGregor. If anyone could throw a wrench into McGregor’s hype train, it is a talent like Jenkins. This could possibly be the fight of the night if this card was real. Striker versus wrestler, yes. But they can both do each thing well too.

Winner: Conor McGregor by Split Decision

Featherweight

Cub Swanson versus Daniel Strauss

Bleacher Report matched Swanson up with Curran for brawl purposes, but I think that Strauss brought out the best in Curran when it comes to going wild. This is an all out slugfest…while it lasts…which won’t be long.

Winner: Daniel Strauss by 1^st Round TKO

Heavyweight

Alistair Overeem versus Bobby Lashley

Look, I get trying to build Lashley up when it comes to promotional purposes. But really, the guy isn’t that good. Throw him in there with another hulking heavyweight and see where he falls. My guess is, if it is anyone any good on the other side, he falls right in the center of the cage very early. Lashley’s best bet would come against a clearly aging and diminishing Overeem. But still, Alistair has a highly sophisticated skill set compared to the pro wrestler and would finish him brutally, even if Lashley’s wrestling prowess can help him survive the opening frame.

Winner: Alistair Overeem by 2^nd Round KO

Featherweight

Frankie Edgar versus Patricio Pitbull

Bellator’s top division is clearly with the featherweights. Sadly for them I don’t think that their champion is the best in the division. I don’t want power on power here, I want mad scrambles. Edgar and Patricio are both highly skilled at getting out of the way. Edgar is so quick on his feet and light and hard to catch up to. He also has lightning fast take downs, but Patricio is so fast, could Edgar catch him?

Winner: Frankie Edgar by Split Decision (but, we all know his luck with these, don’t we?)

THE MAIN CARD

Featherweight

Chad Mendes versus Pat Curran

Pure wrestler versus striker here. Curran is as dangerous as any featherweight that Bellator has but Mendes has only gotten better with time. This would be an intense scramble of a fight.

Winner: Chad Mendes by Unanimous Decision

Lightweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Michael Chandler

Chandler is one of my favorite Bellator fighters to watch because he fights like he is Tom Hardy’s character from Warrior. He is a beast who I would never want to stand and trade with. Khabib has done so, so well but is still such a wild card on how he will match up with the true elite. Chandler, like Alvarez, would be a top 5 lightweight in the UFC, but wouldn’t be able to beat the top few guys. Question is, is Khabib really as high quality of a guy overall as his current UFC ranking suggests?

Winner: Michael Chandler by 3^rd round TKO

Welterweight

Hector Lombard versus Paul Daley

Daley is another guy who deserves another UFC shot (sorry Dana). Yeah, he made a bad decision, but you brought Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva, etc., etc. Daley would be a heavy hitter throw right into the fire that is the welterweight division. And this showdown would be a slugfest the likes of Daley-Diaz.

Winner: Paul Daley by 2^nd Round TKO

Light Heavyweight

Rashad Evans versus Emanual Newton

This is virtually the same guy fighting himself. A few years back, this is a no-brainer for Evans. He was the better wrestler and the better heavy handed striker, but he has fallen off to the point of almost being Newton’s equal. Then again, Newton may think that wins over King Mo are worth more than they really are and not realize that Evans isn’t just another by the book overhyped Bellator guy.

Winner: Evans by Unanimous Decision

Welterweight

Carlos Condit versus Douglas Lima

The one fight I agree with Bellator on. Lima is a hard nose striker, I would love to see him face Nick or Nate Diaz as well. But with the flux in their weight classes and careers, Condit is the next best thing. The two would wage war and throw enough crazy stuff at each other that it would keep the two of them and all of us guessing along the way. The problem, as Bleacher Report pointed out, is that Lima just isn’t long enough (though I will point out that he has had no problem with long reach from someone like Ben Saunders, which is 6.5 inches longer than Lima).

Winner: Carlos Condit by 2^nd Round KO

THE MAIN EVENT

Bantamweight

TJ Dillashaw versus Joe Warren

That is right, a UFC champion. Why? Because this is the only match up where a Bellator guy has any relevant skill set that could counter the UFC champion in that weight class. Warren is a world class grappler and his wrestling is miles ahead of Dillashaw’s no matter how good Dillashaw’s wrestling is. But what Dillashaw has shown lately, especially against Mike Easton, Renan Barao and Joe Soto, he doesn’t need to lean on his wrestling skills. Warren would take Dillashaw down early and often. But TJ weathers storms and then knocks out the storm maker. It is what he does.

Winner: TJ Dillashaw by 5^th round TKO