pantaloons

When you look at the guys out of contract, there will be 4-6 players most of us would agree will get the chop. The one of most interest to me is Jamar. Four weeks ago, I was lamenting our desperate ruck situation, with an ageing Russian and his protégés barely progressing. When Roos replaced Jamar with Spencer I thought he was having a lend, but full marks to Roos for not waiting until the end of the year to act on the ruck department. While beating the lifeless, fetid corpse of Ayce Cordy might not be a true test of Spencer's mettle, we are at least now making the necessary steps towards the ruck division of the future. Hearing that Gawn and King played well on the weekend is great too. More of that please. The loser here is Jamar. I like him, he's battled manfully for years now and is the longest-serving player on the list. It'd be hard to be bothered turning up to Casey Fields to play out the rest of your days, but hopefully he gets a farewell game in Round 23 (provided we're not playing for a top 4 spot) and gets to steamroll T Scully on his way out. If we can get continued improvement out of Spencer, Gawn and King, then we should be able to avoid spending valuable assets via trade on a ruckman at season's end.

I don't like it. I've been reading some of Pete King's thoughts on it and he's obviously a better Football mind than me, but I preferred the old method. I get the argument that something like 4-5% of PATs fail so it's a waste of time, but I think the weighting (unlike rugby union) on the scoring is about right, with the focus on all the work that goes into a TD rather than some piddly play afterwards.

WHO DOES NUMBER 2 WORK FOR?!

I've hardly given league pass a look this year. Is Cavs-Warriors a lock?

The Clippers. What a toilet bowl of an organisation.

Always a great sign when the analysts are aghast at your team's selection. The guy we picked, Peters, was kicked off his college team and is apparently Snoop Dogg's nephew. Tremendous.

He may not be in the top 50 players in the comp yet, but he is the most valuable player in the AFL. There is not a single player in the league you would trade for him straight up.

I should give a belated heads up about one of my favourite TV programs - America's Game - which is on once a week on Saturday mornings at 6. They're going in sequential order and are already up to the 1976 Raiders this week. I find the old ones the best. The players interviewed are older and wiser and have had years to reflect on what their triumphs and teams have meant in the grand scheme of their lives. Great viewing.

KC vs Pittsburgh on October 25. There goes that idea. Niners play at home the night before I fly in.

Sorry! I was referring to the hockey team! I've been given a leave pass by the wife to get my my fix of as much NFL, NBA, NHL and Disneyland as I can cram into a fortnight. Best birthday present ever.

Cheers. I haven't been to an NFL game since 2000 at Candlestick and a friend who lived there got me tickets. I'd probably be staying in San Jose anyway if the planets aligned and the Sharks were playing at home around that date, so that's pretty close to Levi's. I've been to San Fran a couple of times and would purely be driving up there to watch sport. Anyway, it's a low probability of occurring.

I'll be in the States on the weekend of October 25. If the Chiefs are in Oakland or San Diego that weekend I'll be looking to grab a ticket.

Can't recall if I put my tip in. Pats 24-23.

Dallas beats Detroit courtesy of a shonky piece of officiating. Green Bay beats Dallas courtesy of a questionable decision. Seattle beats Green Bay with some outrageous malarkey at the death. New England beats Seattle 28-27 on the last play of the game. Tom Brady traded to Kansas City at season's end.

Sorry Macca, what a painful way to go. Just a reminder that KC beat both Super Bowl teams this season. No mention please of the fact that we also lost to teams drafting 2 and 4 in April though. The Super Bowl is set up nicely. I thought Seattle was hot garbage for most of the season and got away with sleepwalking through the campaign. Turns out that worked out for them again today. I'll pick New England in a tight one.