After a 20-day writing hiatus, one thing can be concluded: we have completed yet another Christmas Break that was far too short. After this exquisitely short break from school, it is time to get caught up on the events that occurred over the holiday. Here are the four things you should’ve seen while you were lying in bed over break:

Transpirations of the NBA

The NBA season has just recently begun, and it is already one of the most exciting seasons in recent history. To put things into perspective, the final playoff seed in the Western Conference, which usually has about a .500 record, is currently six games above the .500 mark. In addition, the 3-8 seeds in the West are all within four games of each other, shaping up for a fantastic race for the playoffs. The East 3-8 seeds are within nine games of each other, but this is still extremely close for this point in the season. No doubt about it, the NBA playoff race will be one of the most exciting races you will ever see.

NFL Playoffs

The NFL Playoffs have begun, and, this weekend, the Divisional Round of either conference will be in action. On Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens will take on the New England Patriots in Foxborough, and the Carolina Panthers will visit the Seattle Seahawks. Sunday’s action includes the Dallas Cowboys in Green Bay to face the Packers, and, lastly, the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos will square off in the Mile High City to conclude the this year’s Divisional Round of the playoffs. To state my picks bluntly, the NFC Championship Game will be the Packers at the Seahawks, and the AFC Championship Game will feature the Broncos traveling to the frigid Northeast to attempt to stop the Patriots.

MLB Hall-of-Fame Inductions

Another year of MLB Hall-of-Fame inductions has concluded this past week with another outstanding group of once-in-a-lifetime players entering The Hall. This year’s inductees are three phenomenal pitchers and one sensational utility man in Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez, John Smoltz, and Craig Biggio. This is one of the first years in which I, as a millennial child, have seen and remember each of these players play in the Big Leagues. This gives me, as well as the vast majority of this generation, a much greater appreciation for these four individuals whom have proven themselves worthy of Major League Baseball’s greatest honor.

College Football Playoffs

Not only are the professional football playoffs under way, but the inaugural college football playoff is reaching its finish. This beginning of a new era of playoffs in college football has definitely been a success, as it has pitted the best teams against each other, and it has created storylines a-plenty. In the first game of the playoffs, the Oregon Ducks flexed their muscles and crushed the Florida St. Seminoles by a score of 59-20, handing Florida St. their first loss in 29 games. Oregon’s opponent in the National Championship would be determined in the game between the Ohio St. Buckeyes and the Alabama Crimson Tide: a game that Ohio St. won 42-35 with a fantastic second half of football. This means that the Buckeyes, led by a third-string quarterback, a Heisman-finalist running back, and a stout defensive unit, will face the Ducks, which boast the nation’s top offense, Heisman-winning quarterback, and a defense with skills that can, assuredly, pay the bills.

The pick for this game is a tough one. Will it be the Cinderella story or the heavy favorites? Can the underdog third-stringer conquer the Heisman-winner? Lastly, which mascot is better, the duck or the buckeye? We know that Jimmy Fallon’s Puppy Predictor predicted that Oregon will defeat Ohio St., but it is really only my opinion that matters. And I am going to have to agree with the Puppy Predictor on this one. The Ducks’ offense is simply too dominant and well-rounded for the Buckeyes’ offense to keep up with. A running back like Melvin Gordon can only keep you in the game for so long; eventually Ohio St. is going to have to pass the football, and this is where they will falter. Here’s an early congratulations to the Oregon Ducks for their imminent victory in the first-ever college football playoff.