For the record

SEAHAWKS (-3.5) over Redskins
and
STEELERS (+2) over Jags

More tomorrow.

One the odder stories...

In late 2007, a boxer from South Korea successfully defended his WBO intercontinental flyweight championship against a Thai foe. Now, Choi Yo-sam is dead. Almost immediately after being awarded the win on points, Choi collapsed and went into a coma. Yesterday he was declared brain-dead and his organs were donated for transplants.

After seeing the photos on the wire and needing something off-beat to run for that day's paper, with our tongues in our cheeks we ran a picture of Choi being attended to in the ring without knowing the severity of his condition. A regrettable move.

But really, how sensational of a story is it that he died having won his fight and his title? At you least, you'd have to think his last memory was a very pleasant one, hoisting his championship belt in the air for his fans to see.

A situation like this should also warrant a boxing-is-dangerous column, but we all should know the health risks of being punched in the head and we all know that boxers have to go through physicals before any fight to be certified. Deaths like Choi's are rare, but a harsh reminder that anything can happen.

College bowl mania!

I have to admit it: when it comes to the bowl time of the year for college football, I'm usually more excited than I am now. This college season seems like a dud to me despite some great stories like Notre Dame sucking and the Appalachian State upset at Michigan. I just don't really care about any of the teams or players this season. There's no true number one or two in my mind and I feel that hurts the game. Both Ohio State and LSU are flawed and have lost but are competing for the BCS crown. I'm not interested in seeing a number one crowned when I know for a fact that they've actually lost to another team earlier on.

As for the BCS system as a whole, I have no quarrels with it. Sure it's flawed and many would love to see a playoff system instituted in college ball, but if everyone has so much trouble picking two great teams to compete for number in one game, how in the world would they be able to pick the eight best? Imagine the controversy behind selecting the number eight seed out of all the one and two loss teams. At least if they did go to a playoff system, there wouldn't be any more yearly columns condemning the BCS anymore. But then we'd all have to deal with BCS supporters clamouring for an about face. What a lose/lose situation the NCAA has here.

And what about the results so far this year? Well the only team I cared about (My Nebraska Huskers) didn't make a bowl game and the other team I liked (Hawaii) just got absolutely murdered at the hands of UGA. There's always next year though.

The glory of the win

Now, it’s not that I’ve never won a pool before or won a fantasy league championship, but this one was different. In my first year at an award-winning daily’s sports section, I was able to topple the guy who writes the Pools column to take the L’il Super Bowl. Now, for all of eternity, the name of Coney Island Whitefish will forever be enshrined via a banner hanging from the newsroom ceiling. It was an even more memorable win as after the 4 p.m. games, I was trailing by 6 with only Rod Bironas left to play. When Bironas nailed (what turned out to be) the game-winning, 54-yard field goal to give the Titans a playoff spot, he also clinched the title for me. Emotions ran high for some while dreams were crushed for others.

Now for the playoffs, congratulations to the Titans and Redskins who both earned the wild card spots in their respective divisions while none of the other games really had any relevance. The Titans are sure to run into disappointment with a first round loss to San Diego but the Redskins may have a shot at taking out Seattle. Washington has been hot since Jason Campbell went down and Todd Collins stepped in and wowed everyone by being surprisingly competent. As for the Cowboys and Patriots, the number one seeds, they both have looked shaky coming into playoffs and it’ll be interesting to see how much they can do to remedy their problems with a bye. I’d rather back a two-seed right now than the struggling no. ones.

And as for my picks for this site, well, you can’t win them all; unless you cheat like the Patriots that is.

This week: 8-7
This season: 111-117-10