We’ll find out.
We don’t really know.
Who knows?
It remains to be seen.
Those phrases and many like them are heard whenever we watch sports programs with panels of experts, or only one holding court.
Opinions are a dime a dozen.
They’re easy to give.
I’ve given them.
So, shows, which are cheap to make, have these hosts take up various hot topics and are always assertive, as are their guests on what they believe.
But it always winds up with one of those lines that say they really don’t know.
How can they?
But I’ve also found that this style is not limited to sports shows.
It’s the same with news programs no matter which network you prefer.
The news carousel is no different from the sports merry-go-round.
Thus, in the toy department of life, we talk about Aaron Rodgers, possible NBA trades, coaches on the hot seat, the teams that will play in the Super Bowl, and, oh yes, Tom Brady’s next decision on anything.
You get the idea.
I’m not staying they don’t make for some interesting conversation, but it’s really a case of spinning your wheels.
No one ever really KNOWS.
Everyone’s guessing. Your guess can be as good as mine.
You can say those that appear on the screen have better information, but that is irrelevant. Sometimes those you see are reluctant to go against the grain.
They don’t want to be wrong. So they go with the likely scenario.
They’re afraid to take a chance. They don’t want to look bad.
So they give the knee-jerk opinion. If they’re wrong, hey, didn’t most people feel the way they did?
Ultimately, their expertise is meaningless.
Am I being too tough on these poor sage “experts”?
Not really. All I ever want is their true thoughts. Even if they’re way out of the norm.
How’s about the “expert” on NBA draft night who had inside information on who the Indiana Pacers were going to pick in the second round.
This guy also works for Fanduel, one of the betting apps.
So what did you think?
You can bet ob anything these days so I’m sure there were a few folks who put their money down on this “sure thing”.
Except for one thing.
He was wrong. So if you bet on this pick, you lost.
How would you feel about that?
In the real world of news, we get the same stuff only this involves serious events.
Remember when there was a brief uprising launched by a mercenary leader against the Russian military in Ukraine, and a challenge to the President of Russia?
The opinions ranged from the following: The beginning of the end for the Russian leader. When the challenge ended, the sure demise of the man who staged it.
The mercenary leader had to flee and would never step foot in Russia again.
No one really knew. And they were all wrong in their assessments.
How about the 2024 Presidential election, and the primaries that will precede it, not to mention the long campaign before the election?
For the challenging party, a long list of candidates have thrown their hat into the ring.
Who will emerge? Well, there’s always the former President who has a huge lead over the rest of the field, including the young upstart from Florida who is seen as the major challenger, but has not yet made a dent.
For the current resident of the White House, what will happen with his health between now and his announced run for another term.
Does his party really want him to be the candidate? If not, who?
And how do we know any of the answers to any of these questions?
It always seems to finish with the pronouncement of the latest polls.
Is there a possibility the polls will change between now and November of 2024?
And, of course, the age-old question, how accurate are the polls anyway.
They are the crutch all the commentators cite.
I never see one ever predict that the polls will change dramatically, or at all.
The unknown of the political picture is no different than whether Aaron Rodgers will propel the New York Jets to glory.
Does anyone really have a clue as to what China is thinking about their next moves on the world stage?
Does anyone really have the inside info on whether the Buffalo Bills will bounce back from what for them was a disappointing season?
Right about now you may be wondering what’s wrong with having programs that deal with conjecture, whether it be sports or news.
The answer is there is nothing wrong.
That is, if you merely soak it in and treat them like a grain of salt.
But if you are sold by a talking head with an opinion, you may be wasting your time.
I’ll tell you the program that will get me hooked.
The one that says, the presidential hopeful who has only 5% of the poll now, will run the table and wind up as the candidate for the challenging party.
Or the one that says, a name not discussed by anybody will be on the ballot for President for the party in power.
Or that China will tell Russia they are on their own and good luck.
I’ll watch a show where an expert goes out on a limb, puts his reputation at stake and makes a wild prediction based on his research, experience and contacts.
Even if he is looked upon as crazy to be saying these things.
Same thing in sports.
Where is the one voice who feels the Aaron Rodgers acquisition by the Jets won’t pan out? I do not have anything personally against Rodgers, but I have said it was not a good deal by the Jets in the long run. He’s not getting any younger, he hasn’t had those big seasons lately, and his team has not had the overall package needed to get to the playoffs at all.
I could very well be wrong, but that’s how I feel.
What we have on these sports and news shows is talk, talk and more talk.
The more I hear them, the more I wonder why I do.
Whatever is said is just an opinion by someone who may eventually be proven right or proven wrong. Does it matter?
I’d love more of them to take a chance.
Then, maybe I will be more willing to accept those final lines of the analysis.
We don’t really know.
It’ll be interesting to see.
Who knows?
It remains to be seen.