1. Peyton Manning will win at least one more Super Bowl before he retires.

Joe… 1. Peyton Manning will win at least one more Super Bowl before he retires.

Joe Balestrino: Fiction. I’m going to go against popular sentiment and say that this was Peyton’s last Super Bowl victory. The Colts will certainly be returning a powerful team next season, but I feel their victory was more the result of emotion. Colts players wanted to prove that their quarterback could indeed win the big one and certainly took pride in having their coach become the first African-American to win a Super Bowl. With these things now past, the Colts will return to what they are accustomed to doing, winning numerous regular season games and falling to the Patriots in the playoffs.

Dave Thomas: Fact. While it might not necessarily be next year, I do think Peyton will win at least one more title before it’s all said and done. The fact of the matter is that Peyton didn’t even play up to his potential throughout the playoffs, and the Colts still won. That will give their much-maligned defense the extra dose of confidence it needed and will even fuel Peyton’s fire to get better. If free agency doesn’t break this team apart, I think it will be a contender for a long time. And if the team is contending and Peyton doesn’t have to hear the he-can’t-win-the-big-one jargon, he might just be able to win a few more.

2. Despite its meteoric rise in popularity, no more than a handful of Pitt students will care enough to tune in to NASCAR’s season debut of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

JB: Fact. Although I cannot deny that NASCAR has made tremendous strides (particularly above the Mason-Dixon Line), I just don’t feel that people in this area will care enough to watch a multi-hour event consisting of cars driving around in circles. In short – no.

DT: Fiction. While no one can argue that racing will never be as popular here at is it is in the Carolinas, I do think the growth of NASCAR has made it up to the ‘Burgh. While I’ve never sat down to watch a race in it’s entirety, I do know that ESPN will cover NASCAR this year (They’ve already begun the barrage of ads). And if the worldwide leader in sports is televising the races, you better believe they’re going to devote some of those precious SportsCenter minutes to previewing and highlighting NASCAR. That added exposure will be hard to ignore, because, if you’re like me, your television doesn’t leave ESPN. I think NASCAR is definitely on the rise, and that craze just might make it to Pitt.

3. With the recent acquisitions of Adam LaRoche and Tony Armas Jr., the Pittsburgh Pirates will finally reach the coveted .500 mark.

JB: Fiction. Despite the fact that I love the Pirates very much, as long as their current management stays in charge, nothing will change. It is true that the Pirates were more active this off-season than they normally are and that they had a winning record after the All-Star break last year. However, none of that matters as long as Kevin McClatchy and the Nutting family remain in charge. For more than a decade now, they have proven to Pirates fans that winning is of secondary importance, next to making money. Although I expect them to be a little better, the Pirates still do not have what it takes to be a .500 ball club over the course of an entire season.

DT: Fact. I know this seems like a homer call, but just by the logical thinking of probability, the Buccos have to finish at .500 sooner or later, right? But in all seriousness, I think they have a very solid defensive lineup, especially with the addition of the sure-handed LaRoche, and I think they are pretty solid in the batting order, especially if Freddy Sanchez can stay hot. While I don’t expect him to win another batting title, if he can hit better than .300, the Buccos will be in good shape through the heart of their order with him, LaRoche and Jason Bay. The only question mark is the pitching staff. If the Bucs can get quality starts from their starters, just in terms of length (seven-plus innings), their bullpen won’t be spent by the All-Star break and actually might have enough gas to get them over the .500 hump.

4. The Los Angeles Galaxy’s signing of David Beckham will result in record-breaking crowds this season and will re-invigorate the MLS.

JB: Fiction. Although I believe that the L.A. Galaxy will set a personal attendance record, I don’t feel that the entire league will grow by leaps and bounds because of a former international soccer star. The key word there was “former.” Beckham was recently left off of the English national team roster following the hiring of a new coach, and there were many people in Madrid who believed that after his contract expired, Real Madrid had no intention of retaining the falling star. His declining skills aside, however, Americans still do not care enough about soccer to be all that excited. Though I believe this is unfortunate, one man will not be able to turn that sentiment around.

DT: Fiction. While there has never been a better time for soccer in America, I don’t think the Beckham signing will take the game to new heights. The fact of the matter is that Beckham is on the back end of his career and is probably more concerned with his red carpet trips in Los Angeles than his corner kicks. Until the MLS can bring over-the-top international players in their prime, it will not garner the recognition of a major sports league in this country.

5. As the number of foreign-born players competing in the NBA continues to climb, it won’t be long before a majority of the league is foreign-born.

JB: Fiction. Although I do feel that the number of Europeans and other foreign-born athletes playing in the NBA will continue to climb, I don’t feel that they will overtake American ballplayers if for no other reason than entertainment value. Overall, foreign-born basketball players are much more fundamental than Americans and focus more on the basics than on the flashy moves. Still, the NBA is a business, and people pay to be entertained. Though foreigners may win games, the likes of LeBron James and Dwight Howard pack the stands with people wanting to see a one-handed, windmill slam. This is an area where American players excel and will continue to entertain fans for years to come.

DT: Fiction. While a foreign-born majority is eventually entirely possible, I just don’t see it any time soon. While the league has seen a constant progression of international players, it will take quite some time for that group to outnumber American players. However, as long as these players are successful in the league, they create a model for success for other foreign players. So, while the potential for great foreign numbers is there, I just don’t see it overtaking the American tradition in the NBA.