The more columns I read lately from sports reporters and professional sports bloggers, the more I’m noticing a really, really annoying trend: the self-serving ways these guys continuously pat themselves on the back. Now, maybe this has been going on for a long time, but in an era when there is so much competition to be first and to “break news”, this habit of self-congratulation has become soooo tired.

I just finished reading a column about Greg Oden’s injury from one of my favorite national sports bloggers – I’ll leave his name out so as to protect him and his loyal bastion of Boston fans on ESPN.com (oops did I just say too much?) – and he must have reminded us five times about how right he was about Oden vs Durant. Look, I get it, you’re the smartest. You predicted Durant would be a better pick, and you’re right. But here’s the thing: I read all those columns when you wrote them. I don’t need a refresher course.

But, I still love ya, Bill, and because it’s Friday and I’m in a great mood, I thought I would take the high road and talk about all that’s great in the sporting world.

For example, the Yankees play the Red Sox in a three game series this weekend. And let me remind you, five months ago I correctly predicted this series would be big in a column I wrote called “The Yankees-Red Sox September Series Will be Big.” I mean, I hate to brag, but who else could have called that?

There’s other stuff going on too. Like a great weekend of college football. There are some really great games, like USC-Nebraska and Florida-Tennessee. And I’m not sure how many experts have pointed this out, but USC is good. In fact, in a column I wrote last month, I predicted that “USC Could Be Good This Season.” I know it’s early, but I’m looking really smart so far.

And finally, in the NFL, the Browns take on the Bengals. When I wrote in June that the “Browns Won’t Win The Super Bowl This Year” I really went out on a limb. In fact, as far as I know, nobody else took that stand. And, again it’s early, but all my research seems to be paying off.

So there you go: a lot to check out this weekend. And when Sunday rolls around and the Texas Longhorns have beaten the UCF Knights, I promise I won’t remind you that I was the only person to correctly predict that victory … which I was.

So enjoy yourselves and let me be the first to predict this: “Have a great weekend, everybody!”