You may remember Hilary Swank’s role as the nicely-muscled boxer in Million Dollar Baby. In the latest issue of TIME, she was asked how she got "rid of all that muscle" that she put on in order to play that role.

Swank’s response reveals a truth about body-building: "I just stopped working out five hours a day and stopped eating 210 grams of protein a day, and slowly - it took a while - the muscle just went away".

Contrary to popular myth, muscle does not turn to fat. A person who works out and then stops will simply return, eventually, to their genetically-determined build. Hilary Swank looks the same as she did before taking on the boxing role.

Of course, a person who stops working out but eats too many calories will gain fat. But muscle doesn’t become fat even with less activity. It simply shrinks.

I saw Million Dollar Baby and Hilary looked great. But it should be remembered that she had the time to devote to training and access to the best personal trainers, just as any big-time actor does. For most of us regular working schmoes, we have to balance our workouts around full-time jobs, family, etc.

Wouldn’t it be cool, though, to have access to all that time and advice?

The Bye week is a pretty cool idea - the NFL season gets stretched to 18 weeks, and teams get a much-needed break. But I do get tired of figuring things on a 1/2 game basis when comparing teams or a full game difference when comparing stats. All that ends after this week. But first, on with the show:

Atlanta 34, Detroit 27 - I think the Lions might actually make this close, but Michael/Mike/Michael Vick and the Falcons are as red-hot as the red in their uniforms (by the way, the red jersey/white pants combo is the only look that really works with those duds). Since it's November, it's time to start voicing my annual complaint about the Lions being on TV on Thanksgiving Day. They are way out of contention nearly every year, and yet the NFL continues the "tradition" of sticking us with them while we dine on turkey. This year is especially bad - the woeful Dolphins come to Detroit.

Baltimore 23, Cincinnati 17 - Ocho takes his show on the road. The Bengals faced two tough opponents (Carolina, Atlanta) at home and split. Brian Billick had one of the best lines from last week - when asked if he was pleased with his play-calling against the Saints, he said that he especially liked the two interception returns for TDs that he called. 

Washington 24, Dallas 20 - Everyone's high on Antonio Romo and the Kissing Tuna right now, so what better way to bring them back down to earth than a loss in the nation's capital. I have no real faith in the Sndyerskins; this is just wishful thinking on my part. I root for the Skins twice each season, and you can easily guess when. Oh, sometimes, I root for them vs the G-Men too.

Green Bay 20, Buffalo 17 - The Pack's been surging, thanks to a string of wins against lousy teams. They beat a one-win team last week, and ditto the week before. Now they play another bad team, with a chance to go 4-4. Their running game has rebounded, and that's important when playing in Buffalo.

NY Giants 31, Houston 17 - The Giants get caught looking ahead.

Chicago 24, Miami 0 - The Bears get caught looking ahead.

St. Louis 31, Kansas City 28 - The battle of Missouri, this may have represented a chance for the NFL to create a new rivalry during realignment. But alas, there's a bit too much tradition keeping Kansas City in the AFC or the Rams in the NFC. This could be the most exciting game of the day, as the Rams, one of this years best-bang-for-the-entertainment-buck teams playing a potent offensive team on the other side of the ball.

Tampa Bay 19, New Orleans 17 - My Upset Special Of The Week, served with a plate of Mexican fare in the Big Sombrero. The Bucs win it on Matt Bryant's 72-yard field goal. Tampa Bay's next home game is November 13th against Washington. Bryant will win that one on an 82-yarder.

Jacksonville 22, Tennessee 20 - Remember the Titans? They used to have the Jaggies number. They may be on the rise again, but it's gonna take time. Meanwhile,  the disgusting Adam 'Spitman' Jones must sit because he likes spreading his DNA the sloppy way. 

Minnesota 34, San Francisco 24 - Remember the Niners? They used to be good, really, really good. They had a great coach, a great quartback, great receivers, and a guy named Ronnie Lott who could really bring it. Then the salary-cap storm hit. Now they have nothing.

San Diego 21, Cleveland 9 - I doubt there'll be any  game-deciding controversies late in this game, so the refs can rest easy about getting out of the Dawg Pound alive. A small soap opera undercurrent has Kellen Can't Shut Up Winslow saying he's the league's best tight end. But since Antonio Gates doesn't play defense, this isn't a big deal.

Denver 20, Pittsburgh 13 - There, I did it. I picked against the Steelers for the first time this season. Now watch 'em win the darned thing.

New England 27, Indianapolis 24 - I do wonder how this game always seems to end up at Foxboro. The Colts would do well to assure themselves of home advantage come January, because I have a sneaking suspicion that these two shall meet again.

Seattle 26, Oakland 17 - Oh my what a wonderful MNF matchup we have here! To top it off, we get no Shaun Madden Curse Alexander and no Matt Hasselback. I'm planning to go out on Friday and Saturday nights, and watch as much of the Sunday Nighter as I can. Come Monday, I can catch up on my winks.

I'm picking only straight up this week. The point-spread thing got kinda complicated, as one game ended in a tie against the spread, for example, and I hate ties. I also hate ice hockey's "Overtime Losses", which is essentially a tie in disguise, and the eventual overtime loser gets a point. What other sport rewards a loss? But I digress. On with week 9....

The Jacksonville Jaguars, that "mentally weak" team (according to Ron Jaworski), came to the windy Linc yesterday ready to run. And run they did, 46 times for 209 yards. Hey, I like the Eagles. But I must say, what the Jags did yesterday was a thing a beauty.

I'm an old-schooler. Yeah, I like the Eagles and 49ers*, two West Coast offenses. But in terms of tactics, I just love the running game. It's the mentality of it that I dig. Pound, pound, pound. Control the clock. Play defense with your offense by keeping the other offense on the sideline. Knock people off the ball. Get your offensive line moving forward rather than backward. The Jags did all that yesterday. I didn't enjoy seeing it done to the home green, especially on the home green, but I admired it.

When the Birds finally got hold of the ball, they did little with it. Dropped passes were again a problem. They tried running somewhat, but with little success. They're so greared to pass that there's little committment to the run, and as a result, the Eagles don't beat on anybody. And yesterday they waited for the big play, which never came.

Colts-Broncos: What was Dwight Freeney thinking yesterday? And who's coaching this guy? The Broncos were ripping off huge runs, tearing the Colts D apart, and Freeney is charging upfield, toward the quarterback, on every play, totally taking himself out of position. And this guy's an all-Pro?

The Broncos and Jags both ran the ball extremely well yesterday. So why did the Broncos lose while the Jags won? For starters, Denver's Darrent Williams could not cover Reggie Wayne. Also, the Colts ran the ball pretty well themselves (contrary to popular belief, the Colts are not a pass-wacky team. They run the ball more than they pass). Also, Denver ran the ball a little too well. They plowed through the Colts with such ease that their drives were not really time-consuming, hence Peyton Manning was back on the field in short order and doing his carving work.

So whereas McNabb was ineffective, short-circuited by a solid defense (that was without three starters, by the way) no run threat and several mistakes, Manning flourished because of effective running by Joseph Addai and precise play by the entire offensive unit. As McNabb was harrassed and hurried and sacked four times, Manning's white uniform had nary a grass stain on it.

Tomorrow, the rest of week eight. And like last week, my picking wasn't pretty or precise.

* Contrary to popular belief, the 49ers in their Joe Montana heyday were not a pass-wacky West Coast offensive team. They ran the ball often and ran it well.

It was a dropped INT that cost the Bengals dearly in Super Bowl XXIII.  Most people forget about that, since the John Taylor touchdown from Joe Montana is what dominates film footage from that game. But Bengals' DB Lewis Billups dropped a sure interception, and Jerry Rice scored on the next play. With far less at stake but under similar circumstances, things went the Bengals' way yesterday.

In other action:

 - I logged Skins as done when they sheepishly tried a long figgie when down 33-14 with 10 minutes left. Sure, the logic is that if you get down by 16, you can still score two TDs and two 2-pt conversions. But did Joe Gibbs really think that the Colts were somehow going to be stoned by that leaky defense which had just allowed 20 third-quarter points? Boom went the kick, which was wide, and the game was effectively over. The Skins tried to create Pretzel Manning in the first half, but that didn't work either, though it certainly looked uncomfy for Peyton. Then he shredded the Skins.

 - The Chargers and the Chiefs both have guys with initials LT, but it was the skinny placekicker LT that upstaged the Chargers versatile running back. Lawrence Tynes kicked a 53 yard figgie to win it, shaking off a 5 yard penalty which negated his 48-yarder moments earlier. The other LT caught a TD pass and threw one, but it wasn't quite enough.

 - What to make of the Jacksonville Jaguars? They were throttled by the Team That Passed On Reggie 27-7. The non-Reggies held the Jags to 220 yards. Jax appears to be one of those up-down-up teams, which does not bode well, since they visit Philadelphia on Sunday.

 - The Packers had three INTs going into the game with Miami. Now they have six. And Nick Saban decided to effectively pass all blame to his players in the post game press conference. Saban is fast becoming one of the NFL's best postgame fodder guys, just behind the likes of Dennis Green, Jim Mora Sr., and Herm Edwards. Keep it up Nick, and you'll get your wish and return to college real soon.

 - You have to go back to 1934 to find a team that won five straight games in which they scored no more than 17 points. The Denver Broncos now share that distinction. But let's be realistic - sure, their D looks great, but they're playing such non-juggernauts and the Browns, Raiders, and Ravens.

 - Have you noticed all the long, game-winning figgies lately? The Falcons should have had one yesterday from 56, but the Jutting Jaw signaled timeout just before the big boom. No matter, since Old Man Andersen then put in the winner from 32. History note: Andersen has figgies of 59 yards (1995) and 60 yards (1991) notched in his belt. But he's a really old man now, so it was Micheal Konen who popped the 56 yarder that Cowher managed to negate. The Falcons simply wheel Andersen in for the shorter stuff.

 - What happened at Qwacky Qwest Stadium yesterday? The Vikes wisely left their purple pants at home and came to put a whipping on the Seahawks, breaking their 12-game winning streak at home. The Blue Men Group looked, well, like The Blue Men Group. Suddenly that post-Super Bowl malaise seems to have settled on Seattle.

 - Now we officially know how that MNF loss to the Bears affected the Cardinals.

 - The Pats drilled the Jills yesterday in one of the few games I picked correctly both straight up and against the spread. Note to Chris Berman: The Bills really don't circle the wagons anymore. In fact, they stopped doing so after Jim Kelly retired.

- The Jets discovered a running back yesterday, Leon Washington, who may be just the guy to carry the load until Curtis Martin comes back, if he ever does.

Since I stayed awake for three quarters of the MNF game (a feat for me, given the fact that I usually find the matchups boring) I'll make a separate entry on that a bit later. Plus I'll reveal my won-lost prediction total for the weekend; suffice to say, it wasn't pretty.

CINCINNATI is a 5 point favorite over Carolina: I begin with the NFL equivalent of Cats. In a dogfight, the nod goes to the Panthers. I'm less than sure about this one, but the Panthers are a different team with Steve Smith around, while the Bengals have three receivers sidelined. Pick: Panthers

Philadelphia 5 over TAMPA BAY. The Birds continue their southern swing, hoping it doesn't become a southern swoon. The quarterback advantage for the Eagles is huge, what with the Bucs starting that Gradkowski guy, who tells us not to prounouce the k. He's actually playing fairly well, but I look for the Eagles to win by 10 points. Pick: Eagles

MIAMI 5 over Green Bay. The Dolphins lost a lot when Scott Linehan left to coach the Rams. They gained little when Mike Mularkey, former Jills coach, was hired to take his place. Pick: Packers

NY JETS 3.5 over Detroit. This should be a close game. I'm very tempted to pick the Lions to win outright. I will take them with the points. Pick: Lions

Pittsburgh 2.5 over ATLANTA - Ben Roethlisberger is 7-0 against NFC teams. Pick: Steelers

Denver 5 over CLEVELAND - Denver's been winning, but not convicingly. I think they'll win, but I like the Browns with the points. Pick: Browns

New England 5.5 over BUFFALO - On opening day in New England, the Jills nearly pulled what would have been a big upset, losing by the margin of a safety when J.P. Losman unwisely backpedaled toward his own end zone. Calling plays that incorporate a seven-step drop near the goal line is hazardous, so blame the coach, Dick Jauron. This time the Pats win with room to spare. Pick: Patriots

San Diego 5.5 over KANSAS CITY - Last season, the Chargers faint hopes fizzled at Arrowhead on a rainy day. This year, the Bolts look better, and the Chiefs are still without Trent Green. But I think this one will be close, so considering the points...Pick: Chiefs

Jacksonville 9.5 over HOUSTON - You know your season isn't going well wen you're a 10-point doggie at home. Look for the Jaggies to run wild....Pick Jaguars.

INDIANAPOLIS 9 over Washington - The Sndyerskins are sliding fast, but something tells me that they might just make this close. Colts win, but Skins cover.

SEATTLE 7 over Minnesota - I see a blowout here. The Vikes are not much of a road warrior bunch, so unlike the Norsemen of the past. And Seattle is very tough at Qwacky Qwest Field. I like the Blue Men Group big.

Arizona 3 over OAKLAND - After what happened Monday Night, this game is actually getting some attention. People want to see how the Cards react after that loss to Chicago and Dennis Screamin' Green's postgame tirade. They'll win, though that ain't sayin' much. Pick: Cardinals

DALLAS 3.5 over NY Giants - The Monday Nighter, which holds interest for those who follow the Eagles. The Giants sacked Michael/Mike/Michael Vick seven times last week, so one would think that their newly awakened pass rush would sack a statue like Drew Bledsoe about 14 times. Just extrapolatin'...Pick: Giants.

"The Bears are what we thought they were!" said Dennis Screamin' Green following the MNF game. Hey Screamin' here's a thought: the Cardinals are what we thought they were too - losers.

Repeat after me: They are the Arizona Cardinals. That's why the Bears were able to come back from a 20-0 hole, completely dominated, and still win. Sure the Cards were just a missed figgie away from winning, as yes, the Bears look vulnerable against teams that are able to punch back, but the the bottom line is that these are the Arizona Cardinals.

Three winless teams got off the canvas (and one, Tampa Bay, did so in highly controversial fashion, namely, a roughing the passer call that was the worst call I may have ever seen), a relief to the NFL powers that be who want parity, parity, parity. Have you noticed just how awful several NFL teams have looked thus far? My theory: 32 teams with 53-man rosters means a watering down of talent. Add in big rookie contracts - paying novices more than established contributors - and you have a formula for failure. How many great teams are there? Now name the bad teams and you'll see what I mean.

Individual game reviews:

- Detroit won by the generic home teams wins 20-17 score. In terms of probability, Home Teams wins 20-17 is the most likely outcome if you're trying to pick exact final scores. It was the Lions first win.

- Tennessee struck a blow for the NFC East by beating the Snyderskins, and another winless team is off the hook, against a team that seems to be backpedaling quickly.

- Tampa Bay beat Cincinnati. The Bengals' Marvin Lewis said afterward that he guesses that Quarterbacks "must be cuddled to the ground". Marvin, didn't you see the red flags hagging from the QB's waist?

- Carolina beat the Edgar Allen Poes. NFL defensive coordinators need to adopt Seattle's 'Cover Steve' defense, used with great success in last season's NFC title game, because lord knows no other scheme seems to work against Steve Smith.

- Dallas won the battle of Texas, which, for a big state isn't much of a battle. The Player, meanwhile, said "trust me". I don't trust anyone who needs to ask for it.

- The G-Men handed a loss to Michael/Mike/Michael Vick and the Falcons, beating them at their own game. The Giants to their credit unleased a punishing running attack on the team that usually does just that.

- Seattle beat the Rams in what was the best game of the day. At least the Rams got to celebrate for a few seconds as they figured 10 seconds were going to be run off on the spike play.

- Pittsburgh looked like the ring-bearing champs they are supposed to be. Memo to Troy Polamalu - get a haircut. Funny coinky-dink that Larry Johnson was involved in two controversial tackles in the past two games.

- Generic Score alert: The Jets won at home 20-17 against the Mammals.

- The 49ers look hide-your-eyes bad again this year. Oh how the mighty have fallen!

- Denver beat another hide-your-eyes bad team, Oakland 13-3. I predicted a Broncos shutout and almost got one. The Broncos are headed toward the AFC Playoffs. And once there, they will suffer yet another post-Elway era defeat.

On the week I was 9-5, and on the season my winning pct is now .693 with a 61-27 record.

Next week: The Eagles travel to Florida to meet the Bucs for a game of Cuddle The Quarterback. 

Where to begin on yesterday's Eagles loss to the Saints? After all, there seemed to be breakdowns in all phases as the Birds didn't exactly swoop into the Superdome. They looked flat at the start, were hampered by a few bummer calls and no-calls (like McNabb getting steamrolled by Hollis Thomas when he was already down), a very costly late penalty, a blown coverage (again) by Michael Lewis, a special teams gaff, and an inability to convert on third down (3-10), which is getting to be a very bad habit.

Sure, some good stuff happened. Despite all the bad goings-on, the Eagles seized a 24-17 lead with 21 unanswered points. Reggie Brown had two TDs, one on a nicely executed pitch from McNabb, who then became a fullback. Let's call him DMac Strong.

Once again, there was little committment to the run on offense, which actually worked well when the Eagles bothered with it. On the defensive side, the Eagles recorded no sacks and allowed the United Saints to convert third downs at a 50% rate (8-16).

While some of the problems yesterday can be attributed to single-game hiccups, there are worrisome trends that are becoming manifest. The lack of committment to the ground game, the lack of third-down efficiency, and the resultant lack of ball-control that keeps an offense in the right frame of mind while keeping a defense fresh are all problems that the Eagles coaching staff needs to address while the team is still a contender. Some of these problems are part-and-parcel to the Andy Reid era. Others are more recent. Whatever the case, they need to be solved.

Atlanta 27, NY Giants 17 - The Dirty Birds host the G-Men, who are coming off a big win over the Skins. The Falcons do Eagles fans a favor and claw the Giants.

Dallas 31, Houston 10 - There used to be a team called the Dallas Texans. They became the Kansas City Chiefs. There was also a team called the Houston Oilers, who later became the Tennessee Titans. The NFL then put another team in Houston, which must visit Dallas this week to play the Cowboys. By the way, there used to be a team called the New York Titans, which later became the Jets.

Baltimore 13, Carolina 10 - There is a team called the Cleveland Browns. But there used to be another Cleveland Browns that moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens. The NFL then placed a new team in Cleveland.

Detroit 27, Buffalo 21 - Two teams that appear headed nowhere, one run by a family with a failing automotive company that hired a General Manager with no prior experience, the other run by a really old owner that hired a really old General Manager, a job for which he had no prior experience either.

Philadelphia 31, New Orleans 24 - The Eagles travel to the RKH (Refurbished Katrina Hellhole) Dome to face the United Saints of America.. People who pointed to a weak early schedule for the Eagles were not counting on the Saints being 4-1. The Saints will give the Birds problems, but the Eagles should prevail.

Seattle 24, St.Louis 17 - The Hawks are without Shaun Madden Curse Alexander, and Bobby Engram is out due to an illness. Nevertheless, the Blue Men Group win a game that could go either way.

Cincinnati 34, Tampa Bay 17 - Imagine how dysfunctional the Bengals would be if they weren't winning. This team has more off-field issues than any team in the league, taking the notion of dysfunction away from Minnesota, which cornered the market on it last year.

Washington 17, Tennessee 10 - Yawn. The Snyderskins should be careful, what with the Titans giving the vaunted Colts a scare last week.

NY Jets 20, Miami 17 - An AFC East rivalry that has lost some of its lustre. Name change suggestion: Joey Harrington should change his name to Joe. Joe Harrington. It won't help any, but what the heck.

Pittsburgh 27, Kansas City 24 - The Steelers are officially on the ropes if they don't win this. I'm tired of picking this team to win only to see opposite results.

San Diego 31, San Francisco 27 - Marty Ball took a hiatus in the second half last week. Memo to Marty: Keep it that way, and maybe you'll actually win a playoff game or two this year.

Denver 30, Oakland 0 - Nobody has been scoring much on Denver, so why should the pathetic Raiders score at all?

Chicago 27, Arizona 17 - Monday Night Football gives a national audience its first look at the Cards' new stadium and their new QB Matt Leinart. Same old results.

- After five weeks of the NFL season, I'd list Donovan McNabb as the front-runner for league MVP and/or Offensive Player Of The Year.

 - My tongue-in-cheek MVP choice is Ricky Williams, who is not even in the NFL this year. Looking at the past 21 games, Miami hasn't won much without him.

- New QB, same old struggles, for the Baltimore Ravens. This offense just doesn't go under Brian Billick, a supposed offensive guru.

- In the parity-minded NFL, there's already ten teams that have little or no hope of making the playoffs.

- My early choice for Coach Of The Year is Sean Payton of the United Saints of America.

Okay, I'm no Nostradamus, though my .630 percentage of correct guesses so far this season, while nothing to brag about, is probably as good as his precentage of correct guesses. Anyway, my "Focus" picks, then the rest of the lot:

Baltimore 16, San Diego 13 - This should be a defensive struggle. I think the defenses are pretty much even, so in a tough game like this I look for Quarterback play to be a determining factor. I'll take the experience of Steve McNair.

Cincinnati 31, New England 17 - The big question is: Has New England lost too many quality players and has that finally caught up with them? Okay, that's two questions. My answer is yes to both.

Chicago 17, Seattle 14 - With Shaun Madden Curse Alexander out, I'll go with the Bears. Seattle is a fine team and I respect them, but they depend a lot on home field advantage. On the road, they were 5-3 last year. I can see this game going the other way though if the Bears have trouble covering Seattle's underrated receivers. Two years ago, these guys were overrated; what a difference a Super Bowl season makes.

The rest: Jacksonville over Washington, Cleveland over Oakland (how bad is Oakland? They're at home against a winless team and still a 3-point dog), St. Louis over Detroit in a typical 'do we have to watch this?' game, Carolina over the United States Saints, Buffalo over Minnesota in a mild upset, Kansas City over San Francisco in the 'too bad it's not Steve Young vs Joe Montana' game, Atlanta over Arizona, Indianapolis over NY Jets, Miami over Houston, and Dallas over Tennesseee in the 'doesn't matter whether T.O. plays' game.

I'll make my Monday Night Packers vs Eagles pick later.

Going 8-6 with picks is not especially impressive. That's what I was in week 3, for a 29-17 record thus far, a .630 percentage. I got off to a better start last year, and ended with a near 70% win percentage.

So last night the Saints blocked a punt! Yes, in the usually risk-averse NFL, a coach actually ordered a punt-block. It worked for a TD, and the Saints smacked Michael/Mike/Michael Vick's Falcons 23-3. The whole return to the Superdome affair reminded me of my trip to Jamaica three years ago - I stayed in a nice resort in a lush, lovely tropical setting, but the poverty and squalor of the rest of the island that I observed while being shuttled from the airport made me feel guilty for being there. So last night the Superdome looked all nice and refurbished, while whole wards of New Orleans remain devastated. Watching the game made me feel guilty yet again.

I guess Steve "Monkey Off My Back" Young needs to reassess his opinion on the toughness of Tampa Bay QB Chris Simms, who did nothing but lose an internal organ during Sunday's game. This guy got royally crushed and yet kept coming back for more and almost directed his team to a win. Meanwhile Carolina kicker John Kasay set an NFL record by kicking four figgies from 46 yards or more in one game (51, 50, 49, 46). Holy long-jump, Batman.

The overrated and overpublicized Giants went into Seattle to play the team that nobody knows about even though they are the NFC Champions. It must be deeply satisfying to be on a no-name team when you obliterate a big-name team. The rest of the time, it must be frustrating. No wonder they embrace that 12th Man thing. They get no love outside Seattle, even though they deserve lots of it.

Dennis Yank 'Em Out Green has apparently pulled Kurt Warner in favor of Matt Leinart for this week's Arizona game vs Atlanta. Here's the deal - new home, new QB, new uniforms...it makes no difference. The Cardinals are still the Cardinals.

Ben Roethlisberger is pulling down a QB rating of about 30 right now as the Steelers seem determined to get him playing his way back to form. But he simply hasn't seen enough repetition, and while he's playing his way back, he's made costly errors. Memo to Bill Cowher - run the ball more. Isn't that what you're supposed to be known for?

New England can't seem to beat Denver. Homeless Bill Belichick is 1-5 against Mike Shanahan. He's 69-17 against everbody else. This was the Battle Of Two Teams I Dislike. I can't warm to Denver, and I'm sick and tired of New England. Too bad one had to win.

Mark Brunell shut everbody up this week by completing 22 straight passes, a new NFL single-game record. But he did it against the Texans. I think that a win over the Texans should count as just a half-win. So the Skins are .5-2 right now. Of course, that makes the Eagles 1.5-1. Okay, bad idea.

Brett Favre became the only QB besides Dan Marino to reach the 400 TD plateau in passing. Is it me or does it seem like Favre has also thrown 400 career INTs?

The Colts deal with tragedy again as Reggie Wayne's brother is killed in an accident. They didn't get to savor a tough win over a good opponent.

The Jets-Bills game looked like it was played in the 1960s. I love both uniforms. The Jets went back to their 60s look back in 1999 and Buffalo wore their throwbacks, which beat the pants off their new uniforms, which are clearly the NFL's most ghastly.

Chicago outmuscled Minnesota and gets Seattle this Sunday night. But the 'Hawks will be without Shaun Alexander, who has now fully confirmed the existence of the Madden Curse.

And last, and least, the Browns beat the Browns (2.0) 15-14. The Ravens, who used to be the Browns (well, kind of), beat the Browns Version 2.0 on a late interception. Yeah, it's confusing.

One thing I've noticed about football fans and talking heads (commentators) alike is how they seem ready to make grand pronouncements about the fate of some football teams after only one game of the season is played.

You must wait at least four to six weeks for delivery, as they say in the shipping business. It takes that long to find out if a team is going to be good, bad, or whatever. It often takes longer. So don't hurry to bury Tampa Bay, Carolina, Dallas, and other clubs who lost. Or elevate Philadelphia, Arizona (okay, nobody's really elevating the Cardinals to contender status, at least not yet, I hope), or Atlanta and other winners to Super Bowl contention.

I was impressed, for instance, with the Eagles 24-10 win over Houston. But it was against the Texans - one of the league's worst teams last year. Atlanta's win was also impressive, coming on the road against what is supposed to be a solid Carolina squad. But there's just too much football that needs to be played before indications one way or another can be stated definitively.

But the pundits need something to discuss, so off they will go on musings about who's good and who's not. Smart folks will just watch and wait.

Since June 2004, it became obvious to me that Maria Sharapova was a good tennis player. In the past two years, I've heard several people compare her to Anna Kournikova, another young tennis beauty that has made a considerable fortune from endorsements. But besides the fact that they're both blonde Russians who play tennis, they couldn't be more different in one vital area - quality of play.

Sharapova won the 2006 Women's Final at the U.S. Open last night, beating Justine Hennin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 to win her second Grand Slam title. It seems that despite routine advancement to the semifinals in major tournaments since her Wimbledon win in 2004, Sharapova needed this win to finally prove her abilties to those who think she's nothing more than a pretty face, and a wealthy pretty one at that.

Now there should be no doubt that this 19 year-old can play. Any comparisons to Kournikova should be a thing of the past, though people who know tennis, even a little, should not have made the comparisons in the first place, because the girl can play.

Maria Sharapova exults after her U.S.Open victory. In the semifinals, she defeated the world's number one female player Amelie Mauresmo, and then captured the title with a straight-set win over number two Justine Hennin-Hardenne.

A few days ago I made my predictions for the upcoming NFL season - always a quixotic attempt to foresee the unforseeable.

Anyway, absent from my playoff-bound NFL final 12 are my three favorite teams, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Tennessee (I like the AFC as a conference but I am not as drawn to the teams individually). Between the three, do I have any hope of rooting a team toward the Super Bowl?

Well, the Eagles are the best bet, looking at things from here. They should bounce back to some degree after their Terrell Owens-inspired disaster of 2005. But my feeling is that they'll finish 9-7, which won't be enough to make the playoffs.

The 49ers won four games last year even though they had the league's worst offense and defense, so one would think that the only way they can go is up. But they are still shaky in many areas, including quarterback, so I'll give them five, maybe six wins at best.

Tennessee drafted Vince Young but he's too young (pun intended) to help right now. I have doubts that he was even their best choice (I think Matt Leinart would have been a better fit). Their running game is still suspect too, despite drafting Lendale White (who I'm not sold on either). The Titans finish around 6-10.

So I'm expecting a blah year, with perhaps a bit of excitement from time to time. But I'm a football fan overall, so even if my hopeful expectations don't seem likely to be met, I'm still glad that football season is upon us.

Making predictions for the upcoming NFL season before the season even begins is an exercise in pure folly. Hence, my predictions:

AFC East Champion - New England       NFC East Champion -  Dallas

AFC North Champion - Pittsburgh          NFC North Champion - Minnesota

AFC South Champion - Indianapolis       NFC South Champion - Tampa Bay

AFC West Champion - Kansas City       NFC West Champion - Seattle

AFC Wild Cards - Denver, Miami          NFC Wild Cards - Carolina, NY Giants

AFC Champion  - New England             NFC Champion - Dallas

                           Super Bowl Champion - Dallas Cowboys

Good lord willing, I'll refer back to this entry in February 2007 to see how wrong I was.

Predicting results before the season is a quixotic attempt to somehow peer into the future. Especially in a league as competetive as the NFL and as physical as football, I fully expect many of the above projections to be totally, incontrovertably,....wrong.

By the way, Sports Illustrated magazine has issued their Super Bowl pairing - Miami vs Carolina. It'll be interesting to check again in February to see how wrong that pick is.

Meanwhile, Miami Dolphins' fans must be thrilled, since the Super Bowl will be played in Miami. No NFL team has ever played a Super Bowl in its home city - the closest any came was the San Francisco 49ers after the 1984 season; they played the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. That was the Dolphins' most recent Super Bowl appearance. Maybe they're due for another one, but in my opinion they'll have to wait.

When it comes to athletes who are accused of using performance-enhancing substances, I've come to believe that those who most strongly deny using them are also most likely to be guilty.

The latest accusations against sprinter Marion Jones, who has for years vehemently denied using performance enhancers, seem to finally stand a chance of sticking. Jones has tested positive for EPO, which boosts the user's red-blood cell count, enhancing oxygenation. The "B" sample that Jones submitted is currently being tested, but it's been my guess for quite a long time that she's been guilty of doping.

It's not just Jones, but Justin Gatlin (who championed himself as the leader of a new generation of  "clean" athletes and who Tuesday accepted an eight-year ban for doping), Floyd Landis, and baseball's Rafael Palmeiro who are among those who have issued strong denials only to test positive for banned substances or unnaturally elevated levels of testosterone.

So I'm not surprised at all about Jones, who for years associated closely with those who used and distributed performance enhancing substances. She's been adamant in her denials - which just made me believe in the veracity of the allegations all the more.

I traveled yesterday to Philadelphia for a Phillies' day game against the New York Mets. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, just a few clouds to help keep a hot sun off the crowd of 45,775  for at least part of the day.

The Mets won 7-2, hammering rookie Pitcher Scott Mathieson before he was pulled in the 5th inning. Mathieson's start underscored the Phillies' delimma through the remainder of the season - they are trying to prepare for the future, and at the same time contending now for a wild-card spot. They are still just 2 1/2 games behind the Cincinnati Reds.

Despite the loss, we were treated to a Ryan Howard home run, which landed in the section below us in left field. It was his 42nd of the season. But besides that, the Phils had little offensive punch..

The Soviets have finally taken over the world. Well, sort of.

For the first time, professional boxing's four heavyweight titles are in the hands of fighters from the former Soviet bloc. Last night, Oleg Maskaev KO'd Hasim Rahman to complete the Soviet conquest.

Why boxing has four titles in just one division is a story that goes back several decades. But the collective reign of ex-Soviet fighters in a recent phenomenon. Three Eastern European champions - Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko (IBF), Russia's Nicolai Valuev (WBA) and Sergei Lyakhovich of Belarus (WBO) - hold the other titles.

Nobody really wants a reuinfication of the Soviet empire, but a reunification of the heavyweight boxing title is long overdue.

The NFL is going through the process of choosing a commissioner to replace Paul Tagliabue, who is retiring. The top five candidates are being interviewed by league owners, and voting will take place soon.

The world's most successful sports league has enjoyed excellent leadership. Tagliabue has guided the league to unprecedented success, and his precdessor, Pete Rozelle, helped revolutionize the league. The league has been very well administered; hopefully the new commissioner will keep it that way.

Update - NFL owners yesterday chose Roger Goodell, assistant to Paul Tagliabue.

On this day, Aug 6, in 1890, Cy Young achieved his first major league victory. He would accumulate 511 in his career.

That record for wins by a pitcher is one truly unbreakable sports record. That number of wins is staggering. To illustrate how insurmountable it appears to be, consider in comparison the record of Roger Clemens, who is still active in the major leagues.

Clemens, now age 44, is still 167 wins short of Young's record (Clemens won his 344th last night and celebrated his 44th birthday Friday). That means Clemens would need to average 16.7 wins a year and pitch for another decade to approach Cy Young's win total. Clemens has already been pitching for 22 years.

Clemens' record this year is only 3-4, and he didn't even start pitching until two months of the season elapsed, so it's hardly possible that he's going to get anywhere near 511 wins, even if he does hang around for a while.

Also, considering the way Major League Baseball has changed, it's tough for a pitcher to even accumulate 300 wins, let alone 500. In Young's day, the starting pitcher often finished as well (Young pitched a mind-boggling 749 complete games, another likely unbreakable record), whereas in the modern era, even pitchers who are doing well are usually lifted for relief in the late innings. In addition, during these days of huge salaries, most pitchers want to conserve their pitching arm, mindful that a large contract may depend on it.

So Cy Young's incredible record 511 wins appears to be one of those records that really will "never be broken".

Seemingly lost amid all the trading that happened during the past few days, the Philadelphia Phillies have actually been playing pretty good baseball. Last night they beat St. Louis 16-8, as Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 34 games on a changed call. The Phillies win was their 7th in the past 9 games.

I'm going to see the Phils on August 17 against the Mets. While the Mets are cruising to a division title, the Phillies still have wild-card hopes, and I'm hoping that they can play well enough to keep alive in that race so that when I attend the game, it will be a meaningful affair.

I'm also going on September 2nd, and it would really be nice to have that contest against the Braves be meaningful as well.

The Linc replaced Veteran's Stadium, which I had been in on many occasions (the Vet also served as home of the Phillies, so Citizen's Bank Park replaces it too) and the disparity between the Vet, which no longer exists, and the other two stadiums is dramatic.

Here's a comparison between the Vet and the Linc:

Veterans Stadium	Stadium Facts	Lincoln Financial Field
$63 million	Cost	$512 million
65,352	Seating Capacity	68,532
120 ft	Front Row From Sidelines	60 ft.
33%	Pct. of Seats Along Sidelines	66%
256	Wheelchair Accessible Seats	685
89	Luxury Suites	172
1,210	Luxury Suite Seats	3,040
0	Club Seats	10,828
0	Club Lounges	2 @ 40,000 sq. ft. each
16,000	Parking Spaces- Sports Complex	22,000
84	Concession Points of Sale	308
2	Number of Concourses	2
45 ft.	Width of Concourses	Range from 60 - 90 ft.
10	Total Novelty Locations	22
7	Permanent Novelty Locations	10
0	Eagles Pro Shop	1
Standard Phanavision	Video Screens	Daktronics-HDTV
1 (31’x42’)	Size of Video Screens	2 (ea @ 27’x96’), 1 (14’x25’)
750’ x 755’ – 14.5 Acres	Stadium Footprint	790’ x 825’ - 15 acres
1 for every 319	Men’s Restroom Facilities	1 for every 58

What every fan wants of course are more concessions and more bathrooms, and the Linc trumps the Vet big time in both categories, as well as in those features most important when viewing a football game. I found it a bit odd though that no comparison is included in regard to ladies' restrooms, which are always in more demand, but I'm sure the Linc trumps the Vet by a huge margin in that most important function as well.

This photo gives glimpse of the superiority of Lincoln Financial Field to Veteran's Stadium, which was nothing more than a concrete bowl and sported little in the way of distinctive features. The days of cookie-cutter multi-use stadiums are fortunately pretty much a thing of the past not just in Philadelphia but all over the U.S.

For example, the helmet, already the league's most simple design with no decal insignia, will feature a return to a gray facemask. The number on the back of the helmet will now be on the right side of the stripe, rather than split between sides.

Other changes involve doing away with the brown separating stripe on the sleeve of their brown jersey, which previously divided the orange and white trim, and a return to black shoes.

I like the gray facemask change particularly, since white ones just don't look good, especially on a colored helmet. Also, I'm a black sneaker guy, so the return to black shoes is a welcome change too.

Black shoes, as well as helmets with gray facemasks, await the Browns' players in the Browns' locker room as a new season gets underway soon.

Two hours later, the game was postponed and rescheduled for September 2. Ironically, the sun emerged as soon as the announcement was made. Maybe God wasn't too happy about messing with the schedule. I know I wasn't happy with driving four hours (two there, two back) to stand in a rainstorm for two hours. It wasn't my idea of a fun day.

I tend to choose a team with a certain core group of players from a certain era as a favorite, rather than sticking solely with an organization. The Rams of the late 60s with the "Fearsome Foursome", the Vikings of the late 60s to mid 70s of "Purple People Eaters" fame, and the 49ers of the 80s were all teams that I felt passionate about. After Joe Montana and that core group of Niners eventually retired,  I've felt little passion for any team since. The Niners are still my favorite club, but since the Joe years, I just haven't been very excited, not only about San Francisco, but about any team, save for perhaps the Tennessee Titans of the late 90s.

Most folks feel that you have to stick with a team forever, but if players and coaches can leave a team for another, why can't fans? I plan to stick with the Niners, but I like to be free to choose which team I'll follow closely, rather than be constrained by geographical proximity (technically, I should be an Eagles' fan) or choices I made when I was just a boy.

Roethlisberger was not wearing a helmet. As a resident of Pennsylvania, he was not required to, since our silly Legislature repealed the existing helmet law in 2003.

But I think Bradshaw is right - Roethlisberger should not have been riding at all. As the leader of a football team, the Quarterback should also be the most responsible player on the team. Putting his team first, he should avoid high-risk activity.

Ben Roethlisberger plays with a helmet on. He should have been wearing one while riding his motorcycle - or better yet, he should have waived the right to ride at all.

In my ideal little wide world of sports, the seasons would run as follows:

Hockey - start in November and end around the last day of April. The NHL season currently is a marathon of October through mid-June, which for me started gassing out back when the trees began blooming.

Basketball - start in Novermber (as it does now) and end in late April or, at the latest, early May, like it used to. Running into the latter-half of June is totally silly.

Baseball - start on early April, as it does now. Being the type of game it is, baseball is actually well-suited for a long season, though I'd wrap up the World Series by mid-October.

Football - The briefest season of all major U.S. sports. I'd start it a bit later, around October 1, but extend it until late February, so it'd be the same length. The Super Bowl has already broken the February barrier, and a later start would mean less training camp in brutal heat. Games in winter could be scheduled in southern locations and domed stadiums when possible.

My dream seasons would require cutting some games from schedules, so they'll never happen, since that means revenue cuts. But it's nice to dream anyway, as I simply shrug my shoulders even though basketball and hockey titles are hanging in the balance.

Carolina went one-up on Edmonton last night. But as I watched while wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, I could not help but feel something was wrong.

Quarterback Brad Johnson wears the Vikings new road uniform, complete with purple pants. The Vikes last wore such pants in the early 1960s. But this outfit is no throwback design - the lines are clearly a derivative of the newer look sported by several NFL teams.

After watching the segment involving Bernstein, I've got to say that she's much more than just a pretty face. Her give and take on sports, ranging from basketball to football and some stuff in between, was as capable as I've heard from anybody in the business of sports commentary.

Bonnie Bernstein is beautiful, but what really impresses me is her knowledge of sports.

I don't disllike the guy. In fact, he seems genuinely fun to be on the field with, judging from highlight segments I've seen. Basically my problem with him is his lack of efficiency as a quarterback and that he seems to thrive on drawing attention to himself. This week he drew the ire of many Packers' fans by saying "What are they going to do, cut me?" when asked about his plans.

Today,  he called a press conference at the site of his golf tournament and announced that, well,....he's still undecided about whether to play.

Favre pulled a similar act last year too. I've grown tired of it. I think the Packers need to move on. This is a case of a player greatly overshadowing an entire team, and I don't recall that ever being a good thing.

Brett Favre called a press conference to announce nothing new. Fearing the Packers won't be able to contend for a championship, he's reluctant to commit to another season with the team. The Packers should cut him and move on.

The reason for my post on this topic is that there's no real news whenever the NFL schedule is released. We already knew that the Cowboys and Eagles would meet twice, as always, since they play in the same division. So before the ink dried when T.O. signed his new deal, we knew he'd be playing a game in Philadelphia. The NFL schedule also includes a four-game rotation among teams in opposing conferences - for example, teams from the NFC East play teams from the AFC South this year. No news there. There never really is.

But in typical sports-hype fashion, we get a blaring headline today that T.O. is coming to town; the same T.O. whose Eagles jerseys now sell for $10. Just wait until the season actually starts...the hype will be unbearable.

Meanwhile, I'll comment on why the NCAA Tournament is the second-best sporting event of the year. Next to the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, the Tournament brings the most excitement to the sports calendar. The reason is simple: the one-game advancement/elimination format. Like the NFL, the sense of urgency is there for each team in each game, since it's win-or-go-home. That ratchets up the level of interest considerably.

The NCAA college bowl season in football does rival the NFL playoffs and the Tournament, but the problem with the college bowls is that, besides money, there's really not a whole lot at stake, save for the championship game that the BCS tries to come up with.

As far as the NBA, the NHL, and Major League Baseball are concerned, while their playoffs can be compelling, playing a series of games rather than once-and-done dilutes the thrill. It must be pointed out of course that, given the huge number of regular-season games that these sports have, settling things by means of a series is really the only way to do it. It's just that the seven-game format to me seems to lack real urgency until later in the series. Sometimes I think a best-of-five format would be better.

Catching up with the NCAA Tournament, your friendly neighborhood bracketologist went 24-8 in picking the first round of the tourney. That may seem like a gaudy record, but I've been forced to wince already:

 - Kansas, one of my Final Four picks, lost to Bradley. Yeah, that's right, Bradley. The Jayhawks were my Final Four darkhorse, but so much for that hunch.

 - Syracuse also lost, to Texas A&M. I had a gut feeling that the Orangemen would be spent after winning the Big East Tournament and playing four closely contested games in four days, but I picked them to advance to the Sweet 16. I should have trusted that gut feeling.

 - Tennessee beat Winthrop on a last-second shot, derailing my upset special of the first round.

Other than those somewhat major snags, I'm pretty happy with my picks. My Final Four, besides the Jayhawks, are Duke, Connecticut, and Ohio State. We shall see...

The "no" votes are puzzling, since lower-revenue teams like the Bengals and the Bills stand to benefit most from the agreement, which calls for subsidizing "poorer" teams from the earnings of richer ones like New England, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Buffalo's Ralph Wilson complained that the agreement was too complex. Ralph, it may be time to give up the ownership gig, or at least allow someone more qualified to do the actual nuts-and-bolts running of the team.

With labor peace now assured through 2011, the league can set about contuing its amazing success. Everyone seems to love the NFL, and it is the most successful sports league in American history. That's why the owners and players were intent on getting a deal done  - they don't want to mess with a good thing.

What I'd definitely like to see is the league explore some higher cap numbers. I haven't enjoyed the free agency era as much as I thought. While player movement is interesting to follow, I don't like to see teams cutting good players simply because of salary cap issues. In my view that tends to prevent teams from staying together longer and becoming more cohesive. It also hurts team depth, and in a sport as physical as football, depth is a must, especially during a sixteen game season.

If the current dispute continues, there will be no salary cap at all in 2007. I'm not sure that's a great thing either, though the league was cap-free throughout its history until 1992. I can just see Redskins owner Dan Snyder loading up on talent next year; but that may make up for problems this coming season, since the 'Skins are one of the teams that stands to lose players if there is no new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place soon.

I hit the sack at 11:00 PM with the Sixers trailing but in the process of cutting an 11-point deficit. This morning I read that Philadelphia won 106-101. The fourth quarter featured seven ties and lead changes, and yes, I missed all that.

I seldom stay up past 11:00, and that means missing most Monday Night Football games' second halves, and the conclusion of most postseason baseball games as well. But there's no getting back lost sleep, so the sack is more important.

Allen Iverson scored 40 points to lead the Sixers to a 106-101 win in Houston. I missed a compelling fourth quarter, but at least I feel well-rested today.

When Lousiville coach Bobby Petrino (from the Big East, no less) turned them down, that spoke volumes about the current state of affairs in Raider Nation. Add to that insult the fact that Steelers' offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt also turned down the job, and it becomes quite clear that no coach in his right mind wants to work for Al Davis and inherit one of the most underachieving teams in recent football memory (13-35 over the past three seasons).

What worked for the Raiders in the past no longer works in today's NFL. The Raiders won (supposedly) with intimidation and toughness during their 1970s and early 1980s heyday. They seemed to latch on to renegade players and get the most out of them. But that approach is no longer sound. It's good drafting and effecient quarterbacking that wins in today's NFL, coupled with organizational stability from the top down and shrewd general management. The Raiders are lacking in all those areas, and I seriously doubt that Art Shell can turn around a franchise in serious decline.

Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, winners of 5 Super Bowl MVP awards between them, were notably absent during the pregame MVP walk. Memo to the NFL - next time you decide to parade your MVPs, make sure you have the most prominent ones locked in to show up.

The game was in Motown, so wouldn't it have been better to have a Motown act or two performing at halftime, rather than the Rolling Stones? And while we're at it, after consecutive years of old rockers (McCartney last year), it's time to think a bit younger, wouldn't you say?

Why couldn't one singer handle the national anthem? Did it have to be split between the horrendous Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin, who sounded okay but looked ridiculous wearing a heavy fur coat in an indoor stadium?

Tom Brady became the first active player to do the opening coin toss. There are so many great players from the past who could have been chosen, many of them present for the MVP walk. Why not choose one of them, instead of a guy who, though a terrific player, has been in the league only six years? And why put him in front of a crowd of partisan Steelers fans who were booing him?

Speaking of Steelers fans, how did the fan mix become seemingly 90% to 10% in favor of the Steelers? I thought that each team received an equal allotment of tickets. It must be admitted that the Steelers do have a great national fan base as well as fans who are willing to travel (they showed in great numbers at Super Bowl XIV, played in California), but I was suprised to see so many Terrible Towels waving. Well, as John Madden implied, maybe the towels were simply passed out to everybody who wanted one, Steelers' fans or not.

The Super Bowl commercials were generally sub-par, and some were downright awful. Was this the best these companies, spending $2.5 million a 30-second pop, could do?

NFL, repeat after me...Full Time Refs...Full Time Refs....

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren ordered a punt with 6:32 remaining and his team down by 11. Sure, it was 4th and 13. But this is the Super Bowl, and there's no tomorrow in football terms. Plus, their punter couldn't place a punt inside the 20 yard-line all day. Go for it, Mike. 4th and 13 is daunting but not impossible. Go for it, and send a message to your team that you're going all-out for a win, not just trying to keep the final margin close.

Joey Porter and Jeremy Stevens both showed class after the game. Lucky for them, because Stevens stank and Porter was handled by Walter Jones. Next time, just shut up and play.

Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward smooches the Lombardi Trophy. His performance was one of the few good things about an otherwise forgettable day for the NFL, the referees, Seattle coaches, Jeremy Stevens, and Joey Porter, among others.

" It seems to me that the playoffs each year are marred by some gaffe(s) on the part of the refs. The NFL had better start getting very concerned about it."

I consider that my most prescient comment on this year's Super Bowl. Sadly, for the Seahawks, the Steelers, and all fans of pro football, the officials once again wielded much more influence on a game than they should have.

Time and again, questionable calls marred what could have been a very compelling game. Instead, we got a game that will not rank with the better Super Bowls of all-time.

The refs are not totally to blame for the Seattle's loss. The Seahawks played an 'okay' game, but not an excellent one. They made key errors, especially at the end of the half and the end of the game in terms of clock management, which reminded me of similar mistakes made by the Eagles at similar points in last year's Super Bowl. But the refs did wield unecessary influence, and all of the key calls went Pittsburgh's way. Keep in mind too that Seattle won every important statistical battle - yards gained, time of possession, and, most importantly, turnovers. It's very rare that a team wins all in those categories and still loses.

I'm not saying that the 'fix' was in. Nor will I go as far as saying that the NFL has some kind of agenda. But I've seen enough incompetent officiating this season to definitely shake my faith in the league. Plus, I will say this - everybody likes happy endings, and the happy ending is exactly what we saw yesterday. Jerome Bettis, a player whom everyone seems to like, got to retire after winning the Super Bowl in his home town. Bill Cowher got to hand the Vince Lombardi trophy to Dan Rooney, which he's waited 14 years to do. It all played out so nicely. And that's part of the problem. It all seemed to go according to script, in a sense. And that makes me wonder...

First of all, I didn't want to see either of these teams in this game. I was pulling for a Bengals vs Panthers Super Bowl - two teams with Cat names clawing at each other. Oh well.

I must say though that I love a road winner, and the Steelers showed that they are a tough, capable raod team, winning playoff games in three difficult venues for visitors - Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Denver. The latter two may well be the toughest road challenges in the NFL.

Given that, I'll pull for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers will never be a team that wins my affection. During their great 1970s run, I pulled for every team that played against them in the Super Bowl. I'm only swinging their way now because of what they've done on the road.

My pick: Pittsburgh 31, Seattle 21

The two Super Bowl contestants don't do much for me, and neither do their helmets or, for that matter, their uniforms. I'm just not very excited about this matchup.

1. Super Bowl III  NY Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7 - The most important phrase uttered in pro football history was "We'll win. I guarantee it". Joe Namath made good on his promise, and pro football was forever changed. The Super Bowl, up until that year not even a sellout, was transformed into what today has become the biggest event in sports and practically a national holiday. The game itself was good, though not great, but that didn't really matter. The Jets' win brought respect to the AFL and set the stage for the rapid growth still being experienced by pro football today. Since then, every underdog team in any sport can look to the game as proof that all sports contests are won on the field, and not beforehand by pundits and prognosticators.

2. Super Bowl I  Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 - The first AFL-NFL World Championship Game wasn't a sellout (30,000 seats were empty), but this game, retro-designated Super Bowl I, is obviously historic since it was the first. The disparity of the two leagues was clear on this day, but the gap would close quickly.

3. Super Bowl IV  Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7 - Had the Vikings won, the NFL would have still been able to boast some superiority over the AFL, since they would have been 3-1 going into the merger. But the Chiefs dominated the NFL's best team much more thoroughly than even the Jets did a year earlier. While the Colts could look back on squandered opportunities in their loss to the Jets, the Vikings never had a chance against the Chiefs, and the AFL could claim true parity with the NFL.

4. Super Bowl II  Green Bay 33, Oakland 14 - Vince Lombardi's last game with the Packers, and the end of the Packers dynasty of the 1960s.

5. Super Bowl XIII  Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - Up till this game, both teams had won two Super Bowls in the 1970s. Dallas was the defending champion. Had they won, they would have been considered the best team of the '70s. But the Steelers won and are considered the best team of that decade.

6. Super Bowl VII  Miami 14, Washinton 7 - The Dolphins capped their perfect season at 17-0 with this hard-fought win against a veteran Redskins team that was actually favored to win despite Miami's unbeaten status. It stands to this day as the culmination of the only perfect season in NFL history.

7. Super Bowl XXII  Washington 42, Denver 10 - The Redskins' Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback to direct a team in the Super Bowl, and he played brilliantly, sparking a record 35-point second quarter explosion. Fortunately, skin color is no longer a factor in judging quarterbacks, but it still was at that time, and Williams' performance on such a grand stage shattered any remaining myths about the competence of black athletes at the quarterback position.

8. Super Bowl XII  Dallas 27, Denver 10 - The first Super Bowl to go into primetime. Until then, all the games had starting times in the early afternoon. Super Bowl XII started later (around 5 PM, if my memory serves) and thus ran into the primetime viewing hours. To underscore the point, that week's issue of TV Guide featured a cartoon warewolf wearing a Cowboys uniform on the cover. Since then, all Super Bowls have had later afternoon or early evening starting times.

9. Super Bowl XXV  NY Giants 20, Buffalo 19 - Played in the midst of U.S. involvement in the Gulf War, security was extra tight. The game was also the first of four straight losing efforts by the Bills, and featured perhaps the most replayed kick in football history - Scott Norwood's attempt that went wide right.

10. Super Bowl V  Baltimore 16, Dallas 13 - The first post-merger Super Bowl winner was an NFL team that had agreed to transfer to the AFC, along with Pittsburgh and Cleveland. This was the first Super Bowl to be decided on the final play, a 32-yard field goal by Jim O'Brien. The game would not be decided on the final play for another 20 years (SB XXV, number 9 above). It also meant that the Colts could gain some measure of satisfaction after their bitter defeat at the hands of the Jets two years before, though most Colts players, fans, and coaches would gladly trade this win for a win in Super Bowl III.

Picking the best games is much more difficult than choosing the worst. What makes a game truly compelling? Excitement, to be sure. But consider that Super Bowl V went down to a last-second field goal and yet is seldom mentioned as a great game, because the quality of play left much to be desired, with the Colts and Cowboys combining for 13 turnovers.

I'm choosing games based on exciting finish, quality of play, and also a few less tangible factors such as whether an underdog was able to trade blows with their favored opponent and perhaps even score that knockout blow, to use a boxing analogy. Now on with the list:

1. Super Bowl XXXVIII  New England 32, Carolina 29 - This game would make most top five or top ten lists, but I seldom see it as number one. It's my choice as the best ever based on several factors. First, the the teams swapped the lead several times. Quality of play was generally very good. There were several outstanding perfomances individually on both teams. There were big plays galore - Carolina scored TDs on plays of 39, 33, and 85 yards. New England had pass plays of 52, 33, ans 25 yards. The teams combined for a record 37 points in the final quarter, and yet both defenses had good moments too - the game was scoreless for the first 26 minutes, another record.

2. Super Bowl XXXIV  St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 - This game featured a compelling comeback by Tennessee, with a truly gritty performance by QB Steve McNair. The game ended on the famous one-yard-short reception by Kevin Dyson, who appeared to be going in for the tying score before Rams linebacker Mike Jones made one of the best clutch defensive plays ever, tackling Dyson just short of the goal line. This game left us with a 'what-if?' type feeling - what if Dyson would have scored and the game had went into overtime? But the fact that it didn't happen doesn't diminish the greatness of this game.

3. Super Bowl XXV  N.Y. Giants 20, Buffalo 19  - The Bills came into this game fresh off a 51-3 demolition of the Raiders in the AFC Championship Game and looked unstoppable. But the Giants used a masterful game plan executed to near perfection - eating up the clock with a record 40:33 time of possession to just 19:27 for the Bills. On defense, the Giants hit the Bills receivers hard whenever passes were thrown their way, a tactic that Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick would again use 11 years later as head coach of New England in Super Bowl XXXVI to slow an explosive Rams' offense. This game is remembered most for Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood's  attempt which went wide left on what would have been the winning field goal.

4. Super Bowl XXIII  San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16 - This game is most remembered for the 49ers' 92 yard game winning drive in the waning moments, directed by Joe Montana and featuring clutch receptions by game MVP Jerry Rice, who finished with 11 catches for 215 yards. John Taylor caught the winning pass, though it's easy to forget that Bengals safety David Fulcher dropped what could have been a drive-ending interception in the end zone just two plays before.

5. Super Bowl XXXVI  New England 20, St. Louis 17 - This game can easily be listed in a higher spot. The Patriots got ahead early, then the Rams staged a comeback. Then, instead of playing for overtime, a terrific drive from the deep inside their own territory set the Patriots up for Adam Vinatieri's last second 48 yard figgie, and the underdog Patriots pulled off one of the great upsets of Super Bowl history.

6 through 10: Super Bowl XIV  Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles Rams 19 - Closer than the final score indicated, the underdog Rams gave the Steelers all they could handle. Super Bowl XXXII  Denver 31, Green Bay 24 - The Packers had a chance to tie on their final possession but the drive ended at the Denver 37.  Super Bowl XIII  Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - Would be higher ranked, but Pittsburgh opened up a 35-17 lead. Super Bowl X Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17 - Once again, would be higher ranked, but the Steelers lead 21-10 before Dallas narrowed the margin.  Super Bowl XXXIX  New England 24, Philadelphia 21 - Tied going into the 4th Quarter, but then the Patriots opened up a 10 point lead before a late TD by the Eagles made it closer.

Honorable Mention: Super Bowl XVI  San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21; Super Bowl XXX  Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17; Super Bowl XVII  Washington 27, Miami 17; Super Bowl III   NY Jets 16, Baltimore 7.

First off, here's my list of the ten worst Super Bowls of all-time. Yes, sometimes (quite often in fact) the game fails to live up to the hype:

1. Super Bowl XX  Chicago 46, New England 10 - This was not actually the widest margin of victory in Super Bowl history, but it was the worst game. New England, a run-oriented team with Tony Eason playing Quarterback, had absolutely no chance against one of the great defenses ever to take the field. If New England would have had a John Elway-type guy, at least they might have been able to do something on offense. But with Eason, falling behind was not an option, and yet that's exactly what happened, to the tune of 23-3 by halftime. Telling Statistic -  Total Net Yards: Bears 408, Patriots 123.

2. Super Bowl XXIV  San Francisco 55, Denver 10 - Denver did have John Elway, and yet this was the most lopsided score. The Niners went up 27-3 at halftime. The only reason this wasn't the worst game is that with Elway, I thought that Denver could at least hope to score a few points. Things turned out otherwise. Telling Statistic -  Total Net Yards: 49ers 461, Broncos 167

3. Super Bowl XXXV  Baltimore 34, NY Giants 7 - The Giants came into this game as one of the hottest teams to ever enter a Super Bowl, and fresh off a 41-0 pasting of the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. But this game was awful, with 21 punts between the two teams, and the Giants stood no chance against the Ravens defense.

4. Super Bowl XVIII  Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 - The Redskins entered the game as defending champions and had set an NFL record by scoring 541 points that season. Redskins running back John Riggins donned a flight suit during the week. Then the Raiders crushed them, outgaining Riggins and the 'Skins 231-90 on the ground.

5. Super Bowl XXIX  San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 - The 49ers jumped all over the plodding Chargers, whose offense was not geared toward big comebacks.

Rounding out the Top Ten: Super Bowl XXVII  Dallas 52, Buffalo 17; Super Bowl XXXVII  Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21;  Super Bowl XV Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10; Super Bowl VI  Dallas 24, Miami 3; Super Bowl XXII Washington 42, Denver 10

Dishonorable Mention: Super Bowl XXVI  Washington 37, Buffalo 24; Super Bowl XII  Dallas 27, Denver 10; Super Bowl VIII  Miami 24, Minnesota 7; Super Bowl XI Oakland 32, Minnesota 14; Super Bowl II Green Bay 33, Oakland 14; Super Bowl I  Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10; Super Bowl IV  Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7.

All told, that's 17 Super Bowls that definitely failed to live up to the hype, though it should be noted that the games played in the earlier era were not all that hyped to begin with....oh for a return to the past!

Well, the Steelers have decided to wear their white jerseys for that obscure, little-known, barely promoted affair known as the Super Bowl (you may have heard of it). Thus, my first "prediction" concerning the Super Bowl has already been fulfilled!

By the way, it wasn't always the case that teams had a choice on jersey color. Earlier in the Super Bowl era, the "home" team had to wear their dark jersey. Hence, in Super Bowl V, the Cowboys, who always wore white at home, were forced to wear their blue jerseys, which they didn't like to wear. Perhaps that contributed to their 16-13 loss to the Colts. For Super Bowl XIII, the Cowboys were again the "home" team, but the NFL allowed them to choose to wear white. They lost anyway, 35-31 to the Steelers.

Hines Ward (right), wearing white, enjoys a moment during the Steelers' win over Denver Sunday. The Steelers have decided to wear white for the Super Bowl, and I get to relish my first I-Told-You-So for the big game.

Steelers 34, Broncos 17 - You may have noticed that Pittsburgh did not blitz much at all. That was smart, since Jake Plummer, unlike Peyton Manning, can move well. I can just picture Denver's braintrust pouring over films all week, trying to figure out ways to get Plummer away from the blitz. But the Steelers wisely committed most of their defenders to coverage, since they knew Plummer was mobile and could avoid blitzers and possibly connect for big plays if fewer defensive players were left back in coverage. Shrewd move, Steelers. I also noticed that even though Pittsburgh didn't score much in the second half, they sliced a good chunk of time off the clock when they did have the ball. There's no better team in the NFL (save for perhaps New England) at using the clock to its advantage.

Seahawks 34, Panthers 14 - Quite simply, the Panthers had no weapons. The only one they did have, Steve Smith, was effectively handled by Seattle by double-teaming. With no one else to go to, Jake Delhomme looked less than ordinary. This game was a classic demonstration of why injuries and turnovers are the two biggest factors in football. Seattle is a healthy team and won the turnover battle 4-0. A team with those advantages simply will not lose.

The Steelers celebrate a score en route to a 34-17 AFC Championship win in Denver, while the Seahawks earned their first Super Bowl trip after dismantling Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers 34-14. Techincal note: Both teams that had QBs named Jake lost.

But I was 174-82 for the regular season - a gaudy .680 wining percentage. I've just bombed the playoffs so far, and one reason is that I failed to 'go with my gut' several times over the past two weeks. For example, my feeling was that Carolina would beat Chicago, but I entered the Bears as my pick. Bad move.

So what does my gut tell me to do this Sunday? Oddly for me, I have no real solid 'feel' for the two games. But, I am leaning toward a Pittsburgh vs Seattle Super Bowl, so I'll enter as follows:

AFC Championship Game: Pittsburgh 31, Denver 28

NFC Championship Game: Seattle 20, Carolina 17

I'd like to see Carolina win, but I think injuries have finally caught up with them (didn't I just say I don't check injury reports?). I'd like to see