Tiger Is Back.

The one thing that Tiger has that only guys like Jordan, Montana and Gretzky and a few others had is the ability to rise to the occassion. So I won't be the least bit shocked if he wins this week. I don't think he will but I wouldn't be shocked. He wouldn't be playing if he couldn't win.

Tomorrow Nights Big Winners Will Be....

I'm a little handicapped this year because I have not seen four of the five movies nominated for Best Picture or a lot of the acting performances that earned nods. But as always you don't have to have seen all the movies to know who is going to win.

So here go the predictions for the major categories:

Best Picture:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Winner - Slumdog Millionaire, No way this doesn't win.

If not - Milk

What Should Have Won - Wall*E, which was easily the best movie I saw this past year. Truly fantastic.

Best Director:

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Winner - Danny Boyle

If not - Gus Van Sant

Best Actress:

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Winner - Anne Hathaway, and it won't be her last

If not - Kate Winslet

Best Actor:

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Winner - Mickey Rourke, not much question about this one

If not - Frank Langella

Best Supporting Actor:

Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Winner - Heath Ledger, this is the single biggest lock in years. And absolutely deserved.

If not - There is "if not" Ledger is winning

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Winner - Penelope Cruz, just a hunch

If not - Marisa Tomei, another hunch

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth & Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt

Winner - Simon Beaufoy

If not - Peter Morgan

Best Original Screenplay:

Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter & Jim Reardon, Wall*E

Winner - Dustin Lance Black

If not - Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter & Jim Reardon

Welcome Back Mats...

...I certainly hope you get the ovation you deserve in your return to the ACC tonight.

Well Hot Damn! The Raps Make A Great Move.

The Jermaine O'Neal experiment, which I was always fully in favor of, is now officially over. Despite the fact I think Shawn Marion is an overrated and selfish player who put up inflated numbers because of Mike D'Antoni's offense (you can also include Steve Nash in that category by the way, which I realize is sacrilege coming from a Canadian), he can still defend better than any forward in the league and may kick start the Raptors into the playoffs this year. They are only five out and the East still stinks.

This means Andrea Bargnani will get the time he needs to play and will come on even stronger. And the best thing for the Raps, in addition to getting rid of the horrid Jamario Moon, is that Marion's contract expires at the end of this year. The Raps were never going to bring in a big name free agent in 2010 so they might as well clear space now and see what happens.

As for the Heat I am curious as to what they are going to do with O'Neal. There is no doubt in my mind that Dwayne Wade is staying in South Beach when he becomes a free agent after next season but I anticipated them letting Marion's contract expire this year then signing Carlos Boozer this summer to join him. Now maybe they figure they can hold on to O'Neal for another year and take a run at Chris Bosh next season. Or they could cut O'Neal after this year still sign Boozer. It will be interesting to see what Pat Riley does here.