The Weak Ender

Nice win for the Lakers on Thursday, but seeing that the team doesn�t celebrate it�s championships in December, the win didn�t really mean anything during the unofficial opening of the NBA season. (There is a rumor spreading that the NBA season actually tipped off sometime around Halloween, but who watches that much regular season NBA? The most meaningless of all sports regular seasons. Yes, even more meaningless than that regular season � don�t bother putting that in the comments.)

But when you stop to consider that Mark Teixeria didn�t sign with the Red (expletives), the Patriots will likely finish 11-5 only to not make the playoffs and now the Cellbitch were disposed like a bad Christmas sweater � that�s kind of cool. Maybe some of the transplants living out here would consider moving back. Just kidding, they realize that Boston sucks, too.

PLAYOFFS UNFAIR
There is some chirping that the NFL�s current playoff system is unfair. There is some grumbling that a pair of 8-8 teams are going to make it to the playoffs. Well, why don�t you get over it? Of course, this is only an issue because it�s the Patriots who are being robbed. Don�t fool yourself. If the AFC or NFC West had a trio of 11-5 teams, nobody would say a word if the Jets qualified for the playoffs at 8-8.

But since it�s screwing the Patriots, now everybody is up in arms over it. Too bad. If the NFL was really based on fairness, why not force the East Coast teams to put retractable roofs over their stadiums? But both arguments are stupid.

If the Patriots do miss the playoffs, they have nobody but themselves to blame seeing that they lost to the Chargers during the regular season. This isn�t the BCS.

• Lot of meaningless games this weekend, and your fantasy leagues should be done by now. But if not, punch yourself in the face if you are looking forward to any of these games: Atlanta at St. Louis; Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland; Chiefs at Bengals; Tennessee at Indianapolis; Washington at San Francisco.

• Remember when people were talking up the NFC East as the best division in football? Watch the Cowboys lose at Philadelphia (with the Hatriot in attendance), allowing the Bears and Vikings to sneak in. Please allow this to happen. But for the Bears to get in, they need the Raiders to beat the Buccaneers on the road. In other words, enjoy watching the playoffs at home, Bears.

• The gutless Panthers are going to find a way to loose to the Saints, falling down to the fifth seed in the playoffs. And then, they will loose to the Cardinals in the first round. That�s probably the surest bet of Week 17 and Wild Card weekend.

AND FINALLY
Merry Christmas.

And if you don't celebrate Christmas, where the hell was my mail on Thursday?