Sometimes, there are no winners

Now that the driver of the truck involved in the Humboldt Broncos tragedy has pleaded guilty to 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, people are going to wonder what kind of sentence is appropriate in this case.

The lawyer for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu said on Tuesday that his client wanted to spare families of the victims a painful trial.

I believe that, and I also believe he is haunted – and always will be – by his terrible error in judgement on that fateful day last April, an act that will (or should), put him behind bars for several years. No matter his deep regrets, it’s just the way it has to be.

How high a price must one pay, how do you measure the worth of whatever sentence is meted out? Is 10 years enough? Twenty?

I have no idea, and I don’t think many people do.

Non-sports thoughts of the week

■ The winter of 2018-19 won’t last forever, but by the time it’s over, it’ll seem like it did.

■ U.S. president Donald Trump interrupted my Tuesday night TV viewing schedule with a State of the Union address, and rather than turning the channel, I actually watched the whole thing, wondering how much of his speech was factual, and how much of it is just his usual brand of empty thought, a blatant twisting of the facts and political hardballing, trying to appeal to his political base, desperate to shift the blame for what is currently ailing America.

You know – the usual. Two years after he won the U.S. election, it is still difficult to believe that Americans put him in the White House. It truly boggles the mind.

Trump was always a narcissist (we could start with that word in describing his personality, but it certainly doesn’t end with it), and attaining the presidency only made him worse.

NFL Prediction Time (as always, don’t take my word for it, I’m just like everybody else who tries these things: winging it).

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

Mea Culpa: In last week’s column, I referred to the L.A. Chargers as the San Diego Chargers (the Chargers played in San Diego from 1961 until 2016 and so, if you think that’s a good excuse, thank you, but even I’m not buying that).

The Chargers beat the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the NFL playoffs last weekend and head to New England on Sunday to play the Patriots. Chargers win, 30-23.

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints

Since the Saints are going to win the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, the Eagles shouldn’t even bother trying to beat New Orleans. They shouldn’t have even got past the Chicago Bears last Sunday. Saints win, 34-17.

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams

Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald is one of the best, most game-changing players in the National Football League, and L.A. is playing this game at home, which almost always helps. But Dallas can run the ball and stop the run, and they match up well with L.A. in the running game, both offensively and defensively.

Upset Special, right here. Cowboys win, 26-20.

Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs

The Colts defence will get eaten alive by the Chiefs passing game, which, when clicking, is a scary monster that can score at will. Chiefs win, 33-23.

Kevin Adshade is a writer with The News. His column appears each week.