The Post Mortem: Do We Want Lakers vs. Celtics?

The Lakers ran the Suns off the court on Monday night, in what can only be viewed as a formality before the NBA Finals. The Lakers are in, the only real concern is how much rest Andrew Bynum is going to get for that knee.

That has folks in these parts clamoring for a Lakers vs. Cellbitch matchup in the NBA Finals. But as that old clich� goes, sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for.

Trust me, there is nothing more that I would love to see than the Lakers breaking off a foot in the Celbitches� collective bums. But this matchup for the Lakers still poses problems similar to the ones they encountered two years ago. I don�t want to bring down this party and what is considered everybody�s birthright here in the greater Los Angeles area. But I just don�t like this matchup.

Andrew Bynum, of course, would be the key. And he opens up the floor. But what if he is unable to go? I don�t want to be viewed as a heretic here, but how about the Celbitch just goes ahead and loses here allowing the Lakers to face the Magic?

Just saying.

THE COLTS are going to make GOMER the highest paid player in the game. That is inevitable. Colts owner Jim Irsay has also gone on record stating that he will take care of Manning. The price tag will likely exceed $100 million. That also is inevitable.

But at what cost?

The key for the Colts long-term success, however, is taking care of the other 19 pending free agents. Irsay told Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star that he needs to find a balance between taking care of his biggest superstar, and the long-term health of the franchise.

�We have to be wise in that we don�t corner ourselves and make sure we have room to keep some of the key guys,� Irsay said. �It�s a myth to say you can just have Peyton and you�re automatically 12-4.

�Peyton gives you such an edge . . . but we need the supporting cast if we want to do what we really want to do, and that�s win another world championship.�

The 1990s Cowboys thought they could keep Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith together and all would be good. But it could be argued that losing role players such as Jay Novacek and Charles Haley led to their downfall. The Colts obviously know this.

That puts the Colts in an unenviable position here. The team has to pay Manning. The stars from the Baltimore era are more linked with the Ravens. Manning is the lone, true Indianapolis Colt. But having to give $100 million over five years to a quarterback who will be 39 in the final year of that contract is a tough call. But do the Colts have any other choice? They will end up bankrupting their team for the long term when they do this.

And for what? A long line of divisional championships? The Eagles rightly ditched Donovan McNabb because of his inability to win the big one. Not saying that Kevin Kolb is going to be the answer, but the team had to find out.

THE BENGALS signing a high-profile free-agent WR this offseason was not a surprise. That it was Antonio Bryant and not Terrell Owens, might have been. Bryant is excited about his opportunity to play with the Bengals and QB Carson Palmer, and he will not miss former Bucs QB Jeff Garcia (via the Cincinnati Enquirer).

�You talk about timing � it doesn�t exist with him,� Bryant said. �With Jeff, he�s a good player, but for the most part you have to prepare to run two routes: The first route, and then the Jeff route. If (the play) broke down especially with his height you knew you had to make plays.�

But how hot was his wife?

AND FINALLY �

Is it wrong to laugh at Papelboner lose on Monday night? Even if it was to the dreaded Yankees?