It was December of 2009.
My best friend Matt and I were in the middle of one our usual battles of racquetball.
Racquetball is a fun game and great form of exercise. Matt and I also used it to talk about whatever was going on in life while running all around the court.
As it was December my iPhone was full of Christmas music. Matt and I had a rule that no Christmas music was allowed before Thanksgiving. Once Black Friday hit you could hear those sleigh bells jingling and ring-ting tingling all around.
I’d recently discovered a new Christmas song that was on permanent repeat. It was actually sung by the cast of Glee (which at the time was a really popular show) and I couldn’t get enough of it. As Matt was my best friend I felt obligated to share the song with him so he could experience the same level of Christmas joy.
“Dude… (whack!) you have to check out this new Christmas song. It’s from Glee and I can’t get it out of my head.” -RJ
“Oh yea? What’s it (shoes squeaking) called?” -Matt
“I don’t exactly know. It goes something like – is it my serve or yours? – anyway it goes, ‘Last Christmas… I gave you my heart. But the very next day you gave it away.’ But it’s really poppy. I’ve listened to it something like 200 times!” – RJ
“RJ, that song is by Wham!.” – Matt
I don’t like to be wrong. I never have. Who does?
Those who know me best would acknowledge that, sometimes, I have a tendency to get argumentative and debate things. I didn’t know for sure where this song had come from, but I wasn’t going to be proven wrong without a fight.
“No way! Glee wrote it!” I did a pretty good job of sounding like this was true even though I actually had no idea.
“Wham! wrote it in the 80s! Have you seriously never heard that song before?” Matt had me cornered.
“I don’t believe you.” I said. Every good captain goes down with his ship.
Matt paused the game (I believe I was winning so at least I had that going for me) to go get his phone. As he started googling I knew I was beat. I just had to wait it out and be proven wrong.
Matt showed me this video on his phone. I was wrong. At least I won the racquetball game, right?
While I maintain that the Glee version of Wham!‘s “Last Christmas” is better and a fantastic holiday tune, Wham! was the original artist. I was wrong and I can admit that.
These are Bold Predictions – they’re supposed to be unlikely.
The theme around Inside The Star this week has been that anything can happen. My Plan IV revolves entirely around that mantra.
Tomorrow the Dallas Cowboys will play the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football. Anything can happen, and that includes these Bold Predictions.
If I’m wrong about these, like I was about the origin of “Last Christmas”, I’ll gladly admit it. If you’ve read my Bold Predictions before then you know that I’m not one to punt, and today is no exception. Right, wrong, or whatever… we’re getting bold.
This year has not saved us from tears as far as the Dallas Cowboys are concerned, but tomorrow is going to be something special. Let’s go.
Dan Bailey Will Convert Five Total Field Goals/Extra Points
I started off with this one because Matt actually looks like Dan Bailey! If you see him in public don’t let him fool you.
In eight career games Dan Bailey has never missed a field goal or extra point against the Washington Redskins. Check it out:
| Extra Points | Field Goals | Field Goal Yardage | Points | |
| 2011 (Home) | 0 | 6 | 204 | 18 |
| 2011 (Away) | 3 | 2 | 76 | 9 |
| 2012 (Home) | 2 | 3 | 114 | 11 |
| 2012 (Away) | 1 | 1 | 48 | 4 |
| 2013 (Home) | 4 | 1 | 30 | 7 |
| 2013 (Away) | 3 | 1 | 25 | 6 |
| 2014 (Home) | 2 | 1 | 21 | 5 |
| 2014 (Away) | 5 | 3 | 91 | 14 |
| Total | 20 | 18 | 609 | 74 |
Dan the Man averages 2.5 extra points and 2.25 field goals against the Redskins. He averages 3 extra points and 1.75 field goals when those games are played in Washington. Both of those marks combine for just under five total kicks when he plays this team.
Dan better warm up that golden foot of his because it’s going to be used to put points on the board for the Dallas Cowboys at least five times on Monday Night.
There Will Be At Least 10 Jon/Jay Gruden References
The mothership of ESPN isn’t exactly known for its ability to be creative. They take successful records and play them over and over again.
“Hey Jon! You know the Washington coach pretty well, don’t ya?” I can hear Mike Tirico now.
It’s no secret that Jon Gruden and Jay Gruden are brothers. The Monday Night Football broadcast thinks that it is though, and they’re going to remind you all throughout the night.
This’ll probably happen more than 10 times, but that’s as high as I’m willing to count. If your name is Gruden then this is the game for you!
Dez Bryant Will Catch 3 Touchdowns
We really haven’t seen Dez Bryant be Dez Bryant this season. The lone moment where he looked like the superstar we all know and love was when he jumped out of the stadium to haul in a touchdown a few weeks ago against the Eagles.
The last complete game that we saw #88 put together was arguably the last time that the Cowboys visited the Redskins.
Dez’s last trip to Washington resulted in 4 catches for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. It was a great day and considering that Dez is feeling the best he has in a long time… I say we’re in store for a similar performance.
Matt Cassel knows that when he’s in trouble the best option is always Dez Bryant. That’s how the play against Philly happened – Matt closed his eyes and tossed it up to Dez. He’s going to do it a lot in Washington.
Robert Turbin Will Have Over 75 Total Yards
The last time that the Dallas Cowboys looked like a competent football team was down in Miami two weeks ago. Sure Tony Romo was quarterbacking the team, but a big reason why was a new running back named Robert Turbin.
Fun fact time… did you know that Turbin was in on all of the scoring drives for the Cowboys against the Dolphins? Now you do!
Turbin Time fits well in our offense and the team had to have realized that over the long break since the Carolina game.
I do think that Darren McFadden will get his own yardage, but between the run game and utilization in the passing game… Turbin Time is going over 75 total yards.
The Dallas Cowboys Will Win The Game
This isn’t that fancy of a bold prediction because we’re done with being fancy and we need to focus on what’s most important in our season.
WIN. THE. GAME.
The Dallas Cowboys have been under a lot of scrutiny this season. Everyone in that locker room has had to hear how they are a joke without Tony Romo at quarterback, and you know what? That’s been true up until now.
This team had a high level of fight to them last year that is still there. Sometimes it takes the highest level of adversity to bring it out of people… we are at that point.
Remember that this team hasn’t played a game since Thanksgiving. They’ve had a week and a half of rest and preparation. That’s a long time to sit on the devastation that we all felt. They’re about to go off.
Expect this team to unleash on Monday Night Football. They know what’s at stake and how fortunate they are to still have a shot at this whole thing. Now it’s time to go to work.
~ Follow RJ Ochoa on Fancred ~
What are your BOLD Predictions for Monday Night Football? Comment below, Email me your thoughts at Roel.Ochoa.Jr@Gmail.com, or Tweet to me @rjochoa!
