Upset with the holiday haul of 2006? It’s probably best to think twice before explaining to that certain someone how sequined sweaters reminiscent of Bill Cosby aren’t quite in style this year.

Well, what’s done is done, and what has been given has been received. Here is your chance to avoid the awkwardness of upsetting a friend or loved one. Try your luck in a different winter tradition – my first annual Husky Sports Pool.

In these multiple choice questions, pick one, all or none:

1. In the 2007 Beanpot, Northeastern will:

a. Continue to play tough against BC and BU and make it into the final round. The Huskies are 1-1-1 against the Eagles and have tied and lost 4-3 to BU.

b. See a Garden crowd joyful that they’re watching hockey that isn’t the Bruins.

c. Do better than last year’s effort, when the Huskies were outscored 10-2 by their opponents, but fail to make it out of the first round.

d. Win it all when Bruce Racine, the Beanpot MVP when Northeastern won in 1985 and ’88, returns and doesn’t allow a single goal in net.

2. The trend most likely to continue throughout the 2007 men’s basketball season will be:

a. Bobby Kelly’s ability to play 38 minutes per game and guard the opposition’s top player all while committing few fouls. Kelly committed 12 fouls through the first 13 games of the season.

b. Bennet Davis’ emergence as the big man – he is third in the CAA with 7.6 rebounds per game and second in blocks with 32.

c. The development of freshman Matt Janning as a scorer. Janning is third on the team with 10.7 points per game and dropped 21 against BC over winter break.

3. The sentence most often heard in Matthews Arena will be:

a. “That Mike Morris sure is one of the best in Hockey East.”

b. “You know, Adrian Martinez is a better passer than that Barea character ever was.”

c. “I don’t see why we have to stay for the last few minutes when we’re losing by so much.”

d. “The school should sell beer here.”

4. A key factor of the 2007 football season will be:

a. A healthy competition between Anthony Orio and John Sperrazza to decide who will be taking snaps come September.

b. The running duo of hard-nosed Maurice Murray, who rushed for 1,061 yards in 2006 and fancy-feet Alex Broomfield, who added 509 yards.

c. The development of the defense after the graduation of captain Matt Campopiano and safety Lamar Gay, who led the team in tackles a year ago.

d. The replacement of Kendrick Ballantyne, whose team-leading 655 receiving yards as a tight end was far ahead of anyone else, including Tony Lott, who was second with 202 yards.

5. Plans for a new stadium will:

a. Become clearer.

b. Remain lost.

c. Fall apart.

d. Require more money from the student body.

6. The Adam Ottavino-less baseball team will:

a. Surprise the CAA for a second year in a row with a trip to the playoffs.

b. Struggle, but develop behind young stars Mike Tamsin, whose .353 average a year ago was the best on the team, and Trevor Smith, who lead the team with seven wins as a freshman.

c. Two words: World Series.

d. Be CAA cellar dwellers.

7. Attendance will:

a. Rise in accordance with a trend of the student body finally becoming interested in Husky sports.

b. Remain weak at baseball games but skyrocket during marquee events, such as hockey games against BU.

c. Drop when cases of back failure emerge among the student body, due in large part to the horrid seats at Matthews Arena.

8. The team with the best overall winning percentage will be:

a. Field hockey.

b. Baseball.

c. Men’s hockey.

d. Football.

9. 2007 will be the year:

a. A Beanpot trophy makes its way to Huntington Avenue.

b. Northeastern athletics dominate the CAA.

c. Men’s hockey, basketball and baseball collectively win 20 games.

d. Young stars will emerge.

10. The Super Bowl champions will be:

a. The Chicago Bears behind a certain middle linebacker – Brian Urlacher.

b. The New England Patriots, lead by backup quarterback Matt Cassel after Tom Brady injures himself during a GQ photoshoot.

c. The New Orleans Saints, because not all great stories are made up.

My picks: 1. a 2. all 3. c and d 4. all 5. b 6. a 7. c 8. a 9. b 10. a.

– Matt Foster can be reached for comment at [email protected]