Predictions include Tiger, Gators and the Yankees

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Visit Scott Michaux's section for previous columns.

It won't get any better than this. 2004 was one of those remarkable sports seasons that will rate among the wildest ever.

Curses reversed. Dynasties (and Janet Jackson) exposed. Regional underdogs nipping at the heels of giants. Scandals and lockouts and records and classics that will be talked about for a lifetime.

In a way, I saw some of it coming. At least the weird stuff.

If you're scoring at home, my 2004 forecast figures balance at a level 12-12 with a potential tiebreaker - Louisiana State football coach Nick Saban leaving for the NFL - still pending, but leaning toward the Dolphins.

However, it's not so much the quantity but the quality of the picks that stand out.

Among the highlights: Phil Mickelson winning the Masters Tournament, the Red Sox winning the World Series, the Atlanta Falcons winning the NFC South, Georgia beating Florida and Steve Spurrier replacing Lou Holtz at South Carolina.

There is always a yang to every yin. The lowlights - expecting Southern Cal and Louisiana State to both lose their BCS bowl games, naming Dennis Green to replace Dan Reeves as Falcons coach, calling for a Georgia-Louisiana State title rematch in the Southeastern Conference and thinking the Braves would win a playoff series as a wild card instead of losing again as division champs - proved less than insightful.

But the magnitude of the good calls so outweighed the bad, 2004 will probably never be duplicated. That, however, won't stop me from trying. With the fearlessness of a man betting with house money, 2005 will give us ...

 •  Tiger Woods wins the Masters, U.S. Open at Pinehurst, British Open at St. Andrews and PGA at Baltusrol, regaining his world No. 1 status while becoming the first $12 million winner in a single season. I've stuck with this Grand Slam pick since 2001, and his form seems to be shaping up just in time.

 •  Southern Cal beats Oklahoma and will be undisputed champs everywhere but Utah, because Auburn will lose to Virginia Tech.

 •  Georgia celebrates another 10-win season after beating Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl next weekend. Enjoy it, because Bulldogs nation will be rocked with an 0-2 start, 7-4 finish and Peach Bowl appearance next fall.

 •  Georgia Tech will go 6-5 yet again, with interim head coach Jon Tenuta leading it to another overwhelming victory in Boise, Idaho, or some other far-flung, meaningless bowl out West.

 •  Clemson will be Georgia's opponent in the Peach, coming off its own 7-4 mark sullied by a season-ending loss at South Carolina.

 •  As for the Gamecocks, Spurrier will need one less year to do what Holtz did - lead South Carolina to an 8-3 record and back to the Outback Bowl. The fate of the SEC East will come down to their home date with Spurrier's old Florida Gators, who will beat the Gamecocks for the right to play LSU in the SEC title game and then go on to win the national title.

 •  The first Atlantic Coast Conference football championship game will feature Florida State and Virginia.

 •  In a desperate attempt to salvage the BCS system, the computers and polls will be scrapped in favor of a selection committee, and an extra post-bowl bowl will be added to determine the national champion. Florida beats Louisville in the quasi-playoff that won't subdue the criticism.

 •  For the first time in history, four teams from the same conference will fill the Final Four: Wake Forest, North Carolina, Duke and N.C. State. The Demon Deacons will win it.

 •  The Patriots beat the Packers in the Super Bowl.

 •  Shaquille O'Neal and the Heat overcome Tim Duncan and the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

 •  Gary Bettman will answer the doorbell only to find the Stanley Cup on his stoop, its bowl filled with some blazing odorous substance in a paper bag.

 •  The Braves win the NL East for the 14th consecutive time before losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. The Cards subsequently lose to MVP Carlos Beltran and the Yankees.

 •  The Falcons will post a losing season - which might still be enough to reach the NFC playoffs.

 •  Lance Armstrong will not win the Tour de France.

 •  Charles Howell will win twice on the PGA Tour and finish in the top five of two majors, including the Masters.

 •  The United States team gets pummeled on its home turf by the World team in the Presidents Cup. Ditto for the U.S. Solheim Cuppers.

We'll all be just a little bit disappointed that 2005 couldn't possibly live up to its predecessor.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Sunday, December 26, 2004 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle