Socal Bloggin

Washington before the Dallas game was sitting in 6th position or the second Wild Card. Now not only is Washington tied with Dallas after the win but also helped the Atlanta Falcons also climb into the wild card race.

This year like no other someone will have to figure out which teams are going to be the wildcard teams. But whoever has the responsibility take comfort there are 6 more games left in the NFL season. A lot of teams can move up or down in 6 weeks.

The first 4 teams are easy to figure out in case you don't know. Each Division winner will make it to the playoffs.
1. New York Giants
2. Carolina Panthers
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Green Bay, Chicago, Minnesota

Right now there is a major log jam in the NFC North with Minnesota, Chicago and Green Bay all tied for first. So who would win the division? It breaks down to head to head. Then the best record in the division. Then common opponent games. Best won lost percentage in conference. Strength of victory. Strength of schedule. Maybe by the end of the season Chicago, Minnesota and Green Bay will have a clear cut division winner. But all three teams have an opportunity and a chance to make the playoffs. There is more categories for the tie breaker so after they perform each step the NFL will have a clear cut NFC North winner.

The NFC wild card teams are Tampa Bay and Washington before they play Dallas Sunday night.

AFC
1. Tennessee Titans
2. New York Jets
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Denver Broncos

The AFC Wild card teams are 4 teams New England, Miami, Baltimore, Indianapolis all 6-4.
Let's see which teams would end up to be the 2 wild card based on the tie breaking formula for wild card teams.
Miami would eliminate New England having beat them early this season. But they do meet again this weekend
Miami also beat Baltimore head to head.
Miami would claim 1 wild card spot believe it or not.

Dahlberg writing about Michael Vick was a nice hit. He smacked him around pretty good. First by talking about how much money he lost. How much he has slipped since first coming to the NFL. Then he continued to kick him by piling on with the Dog lovers groups who would attack Vick that no NFL team will want to touch him. If that wasn't enough then he says that Vick wasn't a very good Quarterback anyway.

But let the punishment fit the crime. Fighting dogs and being convicted for that was one in a million. To think that a lot of dog fighting and other sports involving animals continues to go on. But the big deal was Michael Vick was a professional athlete. Not to mention most of us that eat meat where do you think all that food comes from. It's not from no animal activists.

But soon Michael Vick will get out of prison. He'll go to the NFL and some NFL team will pick him up. The animal activist groups and the like will try and appear around Vick. Why? because of the publicity. For Vick the only thing he needs to prove to make some money and play in the NFL is that he can lead a team with his skills to a Super Bowl. If Vick wants to remain in the NFL he'll have to produce. Once that happens watch what happens. I'll be watching Dahlbergs' column. Don't be a sucker and start writing positive stuff about Vick then Dahlberg. For people like you a second chance doesn't exist. Vick didn't murder anything. Dogs are his property and he did what he wanted to. Dahlberg how was your steak last night mine was just fine.

The LA City Section Football seeding for the playoffs started at 9:00 am. Maybe the brackets will be available later today. The CIF Southern Section Football pairings will be posted some time on Sunday. I'll update the playoffs by divisions when the information is available.

The Girls Volleyball playoffs continue. Mira Costa is still alive and will face Orange Lutheran today. Palisades in the City section remains the number 1 seed and faces Van Nuys November 18 the other match features Chatsworth vs Granada Hills. The winners will play for the LA City section championship.

The city section winner and I believe runner up will get seeded in the state playoff. Mira Costa is looking to win another state title. But this years team isn't as dominate as in prior seasons. But we'll see if Costa can win a Southern Section title and remain alive to play for another state title.

We'll get to take a look at the Pac-5 seedings late Sunday. As the playoffs continue to the championship game. Everyone will be waiting to see who is seeded in the State Football Championship games based on all the various CIF Champions.

Green Bay Packers and the fodder that came from Aaron Rogers was much to do about the start with the Packers as a playoff team and the New York Jets an after thought with Favre just putting fans in the seats.

But at the halfway point in the season Favre helped lead the Jets to a win against the New England Patriots. Who many thought were dead when Brady was injured. Favre and the Jets could be on there way to winning the divison. If you said that at the start of the season no one would believe that with the Patriots and Bills playing so well.

Now can the Jets continue to win? They've got a big game next week against the undefeated Titans. A game that hopefully we can all watch.

Altercations can happen during an NBA game. A screen is suppose to be flat footed without any movement.

Rafer Alston ran at Matt Barnes to set a pick. But Barnes instead switched to football and used a shoulder and gave Alston a forearm shiver. Alston falls back but not down. Tracy McGrady hits the 3 point jumper.

Alston mad about being hit rushes toward Barnes and bodies up to him. While Yao Ming tries to keep Alston and Barnes seperated McGrady rushes in when Steve Nash runs in and tries to grab Alston. McGrady pushes Nash to the floor. Although after watching the video several times Nash appears to be already falling and McGrady just helped him to get to the floor.

While Yao Ming was trying to hold McGrady back, Shaq along with Barnes pushes McGrady who trips over Steve Nash or Rafer Alston. When McGrady starts to fall Yao starts to lose his balance and a shove from Shaq sends him tripping over McGrady. Alston grabs Nashs' jersey while he's on the ground and pulls it Nash gets up and tries to get free from Alston. Shaq pushes Alston and Terry Porter tries to separate Nash and Alston.

No punches were thrown and most of the pushing and shoving occured in a pile of players. Everyone who fell to the ground ended up losing there balance and got some help to find the ground. Even when Barnes hit Alston with the shoulder Alston didn't fall to the ground.

But all of this would not have happened if the referee called Matt Barnes for a foul. This is basketball not football. You can't throw a should block like Barnes did. But when the game is rough players adjust accordingly.

At least this didn't end up with punches instead they just pushed each other. All the players on the floor maintained themselves even the players on the benches. But as teammates you've got to step up when you feel someone is trying to take advantage of a teammate.

Alston and Barnes should have been ejected. Tracy McGrady, Shaq and Steve Nash should have got 2 minutes for pushing and the teams would play 3 on 3. Oh thats right this is basketball not Hockey.

The Lakers are an undefeated team at 5-0. This team is starting out like no other Laker team that I can remember. The Lakers of every championship era did it with offense first and then played defense. This team puts the D down every time they get on the court. Defense could be a great trait for this team. It's starting to be something that every player is willing to do. Not only are they willing to do it. But it seems they like this style of play.

When the Lakers struggled in the past they did it for 5 minutes at a time. They can't get the ball in the basket and on top of that they don't play any defense which increases the other teams leads. Then being behind they don't lock up the offensive players by playing solid defense instead they all start launching 3 point shots causing long rebounds and the lead to turn into a loss.

But this team has changed we'll see what the Lakers develop into as the season goes on. Let's see what happens when they have to face some of the other teams in the league known for defense.

What influence does a President have over a system that has existed forever. The only College sport that doesn't have a traditional playoff. He likes a 8 team playoff. I would like to see a 16 team playoff. For a lot of people 8 teams will leave a few teams out that should be in the playoff. Even with 16 teams a few teams will feel like the deserve to be in the playoff.

The playoff should be set up to match the traditional bowls. You could set the first round games anywhere you'd like 8 games.

If the playoffs took place based on the last BCS rankings this would be the schedule. If you wanted to take all conference champions since they did win there conference and add the next 5 best teams you could do it that way.

1 Alabama vs 16 Ball State.
8 Oklahoma St vs 9 Boise St.

5 Texas would face 12 Ohio St.
4 Florida would face 13 Missouri.

3 Penn St would play 14 Georgia.
6 Oklahoma vs 11 TCU.

7 USC vs 10 Utah.
2 Texas Tech would play 15 LSU.

This is a traditional 16 team bracket by following the BCS rankings.

Atlantic Coast Florida St, North Carolina

Big East Cincinnati, Pittsburgh.

Conference USA Tulsa

Mid American Ball St

Pac-10 USC

Sun Belt La-Lafayette

Big 12 Texas Tech

Big 10 Michigan St, Penn St

Mountain West Utah

SEC Alabama

Western Athletic Boise St

The Independents Notre Dame, Navy, Army and Western Kentucky would have to be ranked in the BCS to be considered for the playoffs.

The top 11 conference champions would get seeds plus 5 wild card teams.

College sports has been using playoff brackets, dealing with conference champions and picking wild cards. They do it in every sport. Basketball has 64 teams in it. College football would require 16 teams seeded and let them play it out on the field.

The best to come from this process is that there isn't just number 1 playing number 2 for one game. Teams would have to earn a championship on the field. All the teams that think they can compete against the favored schools could do just that. Remember Hawaii last year. They got crushed by Georgia. But that wasn't enough. Georgia should have been allowed to continue to winning a championship.

All the bowls are is a cash cow for all those same people who control the money. It's not about what's best for College Football. It's not even keeping the tradition of College Athletics. If it was they would have organized a playoff a long time ago. The money generated must be huge. None of those pockets that get filled by the old system wants to give up a penny. But it's time for a change.

The first 8 games would lead to 4 more games and then 2 more games and then a championship. That's 15 games over 4 weeks. Every game is important. There isn't anything on the line for any other bowl except the money made from them and 1 game has the title on the line. This way the title is on the line every step of the way until the last and final championship game.

They just created a California State High School football championship. It's hard because there are so many teams in California with so many champions. But at least they try every season to put the best representatives in the state in the 3 title games.

It's not hard for the NCAA to organize the playoff to come up with a formula. They've done it for so many other sports including division II and division III football. The hard part can Obama put enough pressure on the money bags controlling college football bowl system to loosen up and yield to a playoff.

You play football with aggression. You've played that why all your life. Now your in the NFL and it gets a little difficult to play the game the way you've always played it.

Goodell and his croonies around the league no doubt trying to inject the league with money has fined more players that didn't receive a penalty during the actual game. They are changing the league and the game for the worse. They should stick to watching and get the hell out of the way.

When you line up as a Quarterback a receiver or anyone who gets the ball you know your going to receive the gift that is provided for the ball carrier. Everyone comes to take you down to the ground. The rules didn't designate that they have to see you. The rules didn't designate that you had to hit the ball carrier above the knees while they look at you or you'll be fined.

I've never saw so many fines in the NFL. Fines happened within a team for breaking teams rules. Fines against the defense for hitting. Are you kidding me. This league is the the No Fun League. Has turned in to the league that gains notice for the big hits but fines for those also. On top of that the league doesn't even support the referee on the field. Since most of the hits don't get a 15 yard penalty. Goodell and the NFL better be careful or in a few years the more they legislate away from football and go to some other protect the players type league fans are going to leave. You might see the stadiums suddenly empty and the game that use to be tackle football will be reduced to versions of flag and touch football. Goodell it's not about the money you collect it's about the game all players who plays this game have come to love. Do you see College Football games they don't get fined. They don't legislate against players. These players play for pride and maybe a chance to come to the NFL. Don't take away the game fans and I have come to know and love. I can feel it slipping away. In the next few years check the rules committee and the changes they make it will be a sad sight indeed for a group leading the NFL to change the game Coaches, players and fans love.

I say stop Goodell from policing football. We don't need no police telling the defense what they can and can't do.

Goodell and all the commissioners need to take a look at the league your destroying. But maybe Goodell is just following orders to collect money. Where that money goes, who knows.

It's never been about the money at the core of every player lives a person who loves to play football. Hey Goodell let them play the game.

Billups is now the point guard for the Denver Nuggets. This is no surprise for Denver. They seem always ready to deal the point guard away just ask Allen Iverson who now is a member of the Detroit Pistons. Dumars is building his team with young core players and in a few moves wait for Rasheed Wallace to exit.

This is all in hopes of matching the Boston Celtics. To make the Detroit Pistons a contender while getting rid of players that are old and cost too much.

Some believe in the future Dumars is looking to capture LeBron James from Cleveland. If Cleveland doesn't surround James with young talent that are good enough to compete in the playoffs James will bolt right for Detroit.

Right now Iverson is going to have to get Detroit to the playoffs. Billups moves in and maybe the veteran with championships could help the younger players on the team understand what it takes to win them. Iverson of course has never won a championship. But could get an opportunity to compete for one this season. The Boston Celtics however is the team to beat and repeat.

Only two more games to go in the regular season and then the PLAYOFFS.

Coliseum - Crenshaw is 3-0 in league and will probably win the League title. Dorsey and Locke will probably both make the playoffs this season.

East Valley - Believe it or not Arleta is undefeated. Arleta is a young school with a chance to advance to the playoffs. But no more soft games there. They'll see just how good of a team they are. Canoga Park and Grant both have a loss in league. They could advance to the playoffs.

Eastern - There isn't anything like being undefeated in league. But the two teams that are in this position typically go into the rivalry game without anything on the line. Roosevelt and Garfield are both undefeated and with a win this coming week will set-up the rilvary game on 11/14 with the League championship and an undefeated league season on the line. Both teams will advance to the playoffs.

Marine - Narbonne is on top with a 3-0 league record could capture the league title. San Pedro with one loss will need help to catch Narbonne. We'll see which team can make it to the playoffs.

Northern - Franklin and Lincoln will face each other this week to decide who'll take the league championship. Both teams undefeated in league with one game left.

Southern - I don't think the league champ from this league will compete in the City Playoffs instead they'll compete in the Invitational playoff.

West Valley - The two teams that have always competed for the league will do it again. Taft and Birmingham could arrive 11/13 both undefeated in league and compete for the league title.

Western - Fairfax and Venice will compete for the league title this coming week with one game left to play.

but the Steelers couldn't win the game. So what if Manning was heard in the huddle. But Eli Manning and the Giant offense will learn from that.

But the crucial play of the game was the injury to the Pittsburgh Long Snapper. What's his name? Without looking it up I don't know. All I know I saw number 60 hobbling after the medical staff appeared to know what they are doing. Then he takes a few steps and again goes down.

After he left the Steelers replacement snaps the ball for a safety giving up the 2 point lead. The Giants end up scoring and winning the game.

Heidi isn't going to be on the LA Kings telecast very much is she? She looks nice. But when her partner almost slipped down pulling a groin she went hysterical. She kept on laughing even before her piece laughing. And when they came back after introducing the piece on Alexander Frolov. She still was cracking jokes on him. She's obviously very professional. Everyone hires the best looking women they can afford. Hope I don't have to endure her too much.

I just looked at NFL.com and saw the score of the Monday night game 34-0 Patriots over the Broncos. I see that Bill Belichick is suppose to done. The Patriots are suppose to fold up there tent and hit the road. But a team that is 4-2 and only a game behind the Buffalo Bills is a dangerous team without Tom Brady.

I don't count the Patriots out of the playoffs until the playoffs start and there not in it. If they make it they... could.... go all... the ...way. Being a Rams fan has been good the last two weeks because Haslet has got them on a roll winning games. The defense looked great against the Romoless Cowboys. Let's see if the Rams can climb back into a position where they can make the playoffs or even catch Arizona. Anything can happen just ask the New York Giants of last season.

Mike Nolan for you 49ers fans has exited the building. Linehan and Kiffin got the boot on the bye week, Nolan gets the boot two weeks before the Bye.

Golf is on the shelf for now. The number one golfer in the world has just caddied for the winner of a Tiger Woods charity event at Torrey Pines. Woods has only one thing that he doesn't know. When he'll be allowed to start making full golf swings. The Doctors don't know because most golfers aren't injured like he was. The answer for Tiger is for him to get some bio mechanics experts and doctors to help him in the future so this doesn't happen every few years.

Tiger has got to find out why he was injured. What he can do in his full swing to not have the torque tear his knee ligaments apart again. Tiger will need to alter his swing if he wants to continue playing aggressively. He's got to find a coach that not only teaches the golf swing but can also help him to avoid another prolonged lay-off from the game he loves. But he probably does like the time off to enjoy with his family. If Tiger doesn't change his swing and relies on his muscle memory to regain his top form. He'll be able to do that. But I think if he does return to golf and uses the same swing he'll damage the same knee and perhaps do it a lot sooner than people think. I'd like to see him catch and pass Jack Nicklaus. But to be able to do that he must be healthy for many years.

Tiger is a smart guy. He'll go to the experts and get opinions. He's a bit of a warrior though maybe he's hard headed when it comes to what he wants to do with his swing. But if he does return to his old swing he'll eventually have another surgery. Good luck Tiger and I look forward to all the has beens and talking golf heads analyze your swing when you come back. If you don't return to winning immediately they'll all have some type of advice. Only you know yourself and what you've done, what your going through and what your plans are for golf.

I miss seeing Tiger making all those experts eat there words. They all should know by now that your a bit different then most golfers.