Making predictions is just as much a part of sports as running, throwing and jumping.

We make them all the time.

Even here in the sports cubby hole at the Butler Eagle, we throw around predictions.

Whether it be to strut down main street in, um, a birthday suit should the Pittsburgh Pirates lose 105 games again (it seems very unlikely now that an indecent exposure charge should befall a member of the sports department this year), to wearing Pirate garb from head to toe should they finish above .500 (get that Bucco hat and shirt out) we like to gaze into the crystal ball and proclaim what we see.

Sometimes we are correct. Sometimes we are

really wrong.Here are some of the best (and worst) predictions I have either made or heard:

Best predictions• “Bettis will rush for more that 1,400 yards in his first season with the Steelers.”I made that prediction about two minutes after the Pittsburgh Steelers sent a second- and fourth-round pick to the St. Louis Rams for Jerome Bettis during the 1996 NFL Draft.He gained 1,431.I wasn’t exactly going out on a limb there — Bettis was productive with the Rams during his first two seasons before struggling in his third as he found himself deep in Rich Brooks’ doghouse.Rarely has there been a player so perfectly suited for a team than Bettis to the Steelers.• “We’re gonna win this game. I guarantee it.”Those were the immortal words of Joe Namath before Super Bowl III, about 34 years before the more infamous words, “I want kiss you,” fell from his drunken lips during a sideline interview with ESPN’s Suzy Kolber.It was a bold prediction only because it came true.

Worst Predictions• “Jordan will never win a championship.”A friend of mine in college made this dubious prediction about the championship future of Michael Jordan.This was a year before Jordan’s first three-peat.And, no, he didn’t also predict Wayne Gretzky will never make it in the NHL, Cal Ripken will be injury prone and the Cleveland Browns will win at least three Super Bowls before the end of the millennium.• “The Bills won’t lose three Super Bowls in a row.”After watching the Buffalo Bills launch the biggest comeback in NFL history by overcoming a 35-3 deficit to beat the Houston Oilers 41-38, then seeing them beat Pittsburgh and Miami on the road to the 1992 Super Bowl, I predicted the third time had to be the charm.Wow, was I wrong. Buffalo committed 10 turnovers and lost to Dallas 52-17.At least Don Beebe swatting the ball out of the showboating hand of Leon Lett prevented it from being 59-17.I predict you will read to the end of this column.