A numbers game



Tiger Woods and Liverpool might have more than just the colour red in common.

After enduring dark times, the two celebrated big wins this season.

Woods won the Masters, adding to his majors tally, which had been stagnant since 2008 and Liverpool - champions of the FA League Cup in 2012 - lifted the Uefa Champions League trophy to end a seven-year wait for silverware.

But this is not the first time these two giant sports brands have accomplished this feat in the same year.

In 2005 Woods won the Masters and Liverpool completed one of the most memorable come-backs of the Champions League final.

I know this because as a sports betting man, I am frequently searching for such patterns. An attempt to travel back to the future, if you will.


So when Tiger Woods earned his fifth Green Jacket at Augusta on April 14, I thought a trip down memory lane was in order.

In 2005 when Woods won the Masters, the following also happened:
  • Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe (their fifth title)
  • Kaizer Chiefs defended the Absa Premiership
  • Chelsea defended the EPL
  • And Al Ahly won the Caf Champions League for a then fourth time.

So as a result, I figured the following might happen and got three out of four predictions correct:

  • Mamelodi Sundowns would successfully defend the Absa Premiership. They did.
  • Esperance would earn a fourth star on their badge from lifting the Caf Champions League. Well they initially did but as I write this, Caf have ordered a replay of the second leg against Wydad Casablanca.
  • And Mancheter City would achieve what Chelsea did 14 years earlier - defending the EPL. Correct.
But, I didn't back Liverpool to win the Champions League, I went with Ajax instead, but here is why.

If Ajax had gone all the way, it would have been their fifth title, just like Liverpool in 2005.

Also, in 2005 Liverpool beat Juventus in the quarter-finals before coming back from the dead to win against AC Milan.

Ajax at the time of my prediction, were about to face and beat Juventus at the same stage.

So you can say, instead of smiling all the way to the bank, I walked alone.

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