Tomorrow, when the AFC and NFC championship games are played, four men will be coaching in one of the biggest games of their lives. But they certainly won't be dressed for the occasion. Rather, they will be wearing sweatshirts, parkas, turtlenecks, polos and any other casual apparel that has his team's logo on it. They will look more like the fans in the stands than authoritative figures. That's too bad, because it wasn't always this way. 

 Then and now.

Grainy films reveal that Dallas coach Tom Landry and Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram used to lead their teams into playoff games donning three-piece suits or a blazer and slacks. They looked serious, like they were dressed to take care of business.

Even though a spot has been reserved for him in Canton Ohio, Bill Belichick does not quite give off the same image. Each week, he looks like a vagabond in his hooded sweatshirt with a large New England Patriots logo emblazoned on the front. In fact, you start to feel sorry for him until you remind yourself that it is Bill Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls.

In the same year the NBA told its players to dress up or be fined, the NFL ordered its coaches to do the opposite. Mike Nolan, the San Francisco 49ers coach, publicly said he was planning to wear a suit and tie on the sidelines this season. It seemed like a great idea to bust out some "old-school" threads. But the NFL wasn't too keen on Nolan's idea, because Reebok, which supplies all of the clothing for the league, wasn't happy with it. Reebok doesn't make suits, dress shirts or ties, after all. They do manufacture jumpsuits, t-shirts and polos with team logos that apparently sell like hotcakes. And it's a money-making business when it comes down to it. 

But the NBA seems to get along fine without having their coaches dress like slobs. Since 1981, the Association has made them wear suits or sport jackets. They look sharp, and Miami Heat coach Pat Riley seems proud of the fact he gets to wear Armani duds on the bench. The NBA, which is ultra-conscious of how it markets its product, apparently doesn't need the coaches hawking the apparel it sells in stores. Neither does Reebok, which is the exclusive supplier of team uniforms and warm-ups. Not many fans are going out of their way to copy the look of Larry Brown and Scott Skiles, after all.

So, when it comes down to it, it's obvious that the NFL is really calling the shots here. They don't want their coaches looking presentable on the sidelines. They'd rather have them act as models for the apparel the league and its clothing supplier are selling. Dan Reeves wore a suit for a number of years before switching to a polo when he was with the Falcons. Former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice sported a tie and sweater until he began wearing a turtleneck. They were both encouraged by the NFL to make the switch as team apparel became more marketable. But by forcing the coaches to comply with a casual dress code, the NFL looks silly. And on Sunday, just like every other week, so will the coaches.

During my four years at the University of Arkansas, I had a chance to witness some great games thanks to a lanky and elusive quarterback named Matt Jones. Jones, who moonlighted as a basketball forward with the Razorbacks and now is a wide receiver for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, participated in three of the longest games in college football history -- seven-overtime affairs against Kentucky and Ole Miss and one six-overtime marathon against Tennessee (I wasn't there for the first two but I was in Knoxville for the last one -- Jones' only loss in the four overtime games he played). The man liked to run around and sixty minutes of football apparently didn't sate his appetite.

 'I've got it.'

But as much as Jones is remembered for his ability to improvise and make plays with his feet, his most memorable moment (and my personal favorite) with the Hogs was a 31-yard touchdown pass to DeCori Birmingham with nine seconds left that gave Arkansas a 21-20 win over LSU and the opportunity to go to the 2002 Southeastern Conference championship game. It was the most electrifying conclusion to a sporting event I witnessed in person and I was fortunate enough to see the play on the sidelines. At the time, I was working for The Arkansas Traveler, the campus newspaper for the university. I was well aware that Jones had a flair for the dramatic. He rescued Arkansas time and time again. For instance, Jones came off the bench in the fourth quarter in the seven-overtime thriller wth Ole Miss in 2001 and amassed 171 yards of total offense. But in that game he led the Hogs to a win mostly by using his legs.

This time he had no time to outrun LSU's defense. There were 34 seconds left on the clock and the Razorbacks were 81 yards away from the endzone with no timeouts in hand. Before that drive, Jones was having a horrible day. He was 2-of-13 passing and the Tigers' defense was giving Arkansas fits. LSU led 17-7 at with 5:34 to go in the third quarter and there was no sign that the Razorbacks were going to break out of their offensive malaise. But with less than seven minutes left in regulation, Arkansas' diminutive tailback Fred Talley burst through a seam and scampered 56 yards for a touchdown to cut LSU's lead to three, 17-14. By that point, however, some fans had left Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium. They would end up being sorry. After LSU drove down and kicked a field goal to increase its advantage to six points, the Razorbacks retrieved the ensuing kickoff and returned the ball to the 19-yard-line with less than 35 seconds on the clock.

That is when the so-called "Miracle on Markham" took place. Jones, whose throwing mechanics were somewhat unorthodox, was going to have to start chucking the ball. After completing only two of the thirteen passes he attempted, this did not seem like an ideal scenario. But he didn't seem to mind. Arkansas coach Houston Nutt later recalled that the 6-6 quarterback with blazing speed was whistling when Nutt told him the plays Arkansas was going to run with little time left. Jones, displaying an attitude more befitting of Joe Namath, simply said, "I've got it."

Sure enough, he did. On the first play of the drive, Jones connected with wide receiver Richard Smith for a 50-yard completion. Smith found a hole in LSU's porous prevent defense and caught Jones' spiral while the Tigers' defensive backs were asleep. The crowd climbed to its feet and 55,000 spectators were yelling in unison. The Razorbacks charged to the line of scrimmage. A play after Jones was unable to hook up with wide receiver Carlos Ousley, Jones dropped back and heaved a pass that would have made Peyton Manning do a double-take.

Meanwhile, Birmingham, who played running back and flanker, was in the slot and ran a post play to the endzone. By the time he arrived there, he was greeted by two defenders that sandwiched him. It appeared there was no way the ball was going to arrive at its intended destination. And then it did. As Birmingham dove and crashed into the turf, it landed in his gut. The game was tied 20-20, and mass hysteria broke out at War Memorial Stadium, where the fans were ready to celebrate. So were the players, and moments after Birmingham scored the touchdown, they spilled onto the field to embrace the heroes. The referees took note and assessed the Razorbacks a 15-yard celebration penalty.

With kicker David Carlton's sure-thing extra point attempt now a 35-yard try, every Arkansas fan was suddenly overcome by nervousness. Carlton didn't do much to ease their worries when he uncurled his leg. After he made contact, the ball spun like a boomerang and barely snuck inside the left post.

When the two referees raised their arms high in the air to indicate the kick was good, the fans went into pandemonium and Arkansas had a 21-20 lead. With less than 10 seconds left, LSU's quarterback Marcus Randall needed to pull off his own miracle. But it didn't happen. He was sacked to end the game, and Arkansas was ready to pack its bags for Atlanta, while Jones had etched his name in Razorback history...yet again.

On the same day that Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots saw their 10-game playoff winning streak disappear in Denver's thin air, another man who once coached a team that dominated the AFC denied rumors that he would be returning to the sidelines. Marv Levy, the 80-year-old general manager of the Buffalo Bills, said he would not replace Mike Mularkey, the 44-year-old who unexpectedly resigned last week after calling the shots for two years in Orchard Park. And that's too bad. Levy has a more impressive resume than all of the former NFL coaches looking for a job. After all, not many of them have taken their teams to four consecutive Super Bowls.

 He has skills.

But, then again, Levy is old. He qualifies for Social Security and was born before the Great Depression. Many people wouldn't think he could succeed in the pressure-packed NFL, despite the fact that he was coaching the Bills only nine years ago. How can a man his age be expected to make a reasonable decision and choose whether to punt or go for it on fourth-and one?

Unfortunately, Levy probably sensed that would be the reaction, so he clearly stated he would not pull a Joe Gibbs and return to the team he once coached. The same people who vociferously blamed Joe Paterno's age for Penn State's woes in recent years would inevitably criticize Levy if he decided he was the best man to lead the Bills on the field. Age discrimination, unfortunately, is alive and well in the United States.

But it is hard to understand why the younger generation doubts the abilities of its elders. Paterno, who is 79, was one play away from possibly leading the Nittany Lions to the national championship game this season. His team went 11-1 and won the Orange Bowl in triple-overtime by overcoming Florida State, a team that is coached by another septuagenarian, Bobby Bowden. Bowden, of course, has also been ripped by fans and media in recent years because the Seminoles have not won a national championship in six seasons. Man, things must be bad when your team only makes the Orange Bowl. Of course, the same group grousing seems to forget that before Bowden arrived Florida State won just four games in the three previous years and considered junking its football program after years of futility. 

None of that apparently matters because Bowden is old. In some people's eyes, all of the losses the Seminoles have incurred recently are the direct result of Bowden's age. He has wrinkles, gray hair and was alive when football was played with leather helmets, so they think he is over the hill.

In the coaching profession, they say, longevity is dependent on the number of wins and losses you accumulate. But, in the public's eyes, it also appears that the number of years you live on this planet should be just as important a factor in both your survival and ability to get a job. And that is ridiculous. Paterno and Bowden's resumes continue to get more impressive with each passing year, while Levy should not feel afraid to add a few lines to his. 

Joey Porter doesn't like audibles. He is bothered by Peyton Manning's gesticulations at the line of scrimmage. He is peeved when the Indianapolis Colts adjust their formations without having to huddle and discuss the situation. Well, too bad Mr. Porter. That is what makes the AFC South Division champs so entertaining to watch. The Steelers linebacker appears to dislike the intellectualization of football or the concept of offensive ingenuity. He wants the Colts to play a smash-mouth style and show their hand by running straight at Pittsburgh's defense. He is daring them to be conventional Sunday when the two teams meet Sunday at the RCA Dome. But the Colts are new wave.

  The Field General

They have established a unique identity as coach Tony Dungy and offensive coordinator Tom Moore have channeled the offense through Peyton Manning. And as a result there is arguably not a more valuable player to his team in the league than Manning. The eight-year veteran quarterback is responsible for reading the defense, calling the plays and then executing them.

The process is mesmerizing to watch, and it must be intimidating for a defense, which not only has to find a way to match up with the Colts' various weapons but also must attempt to understand all of Manning's utterances and movements he uses to communicate with his teammates. Apparently, Porter is not a fan.  

"They don't want to just sit there, line up and play football," Porter explained to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "They want to try to catch you off guard. They don't want to play smash-mouth football, they want to trick you. ... They want to catch you substituting. Know what I mean? They don't want to just call a play, get up there and run a play."

But Porter doesn't get it. What the Colts have done is take the playcalling out of the booth and put it on the field. Manning, who is both cerebral and extremely meticulous, is the conduit. After setting an NFL record by throwing 49 touchdown passes in 2004, he helped the Colts average 362.4 yards per game this year. Indianapolis ranked third in the league in total offense behind Kansas City and Seattle while compiling a 14-2 record in the regular season.

It's a wonder why more teams aren't copying the Colts. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Indianapolis' schemes require extreme precision in distracting situations. Not many quarterbacks have the work ethic of Manning, who is known for spending hours on end in the film room. And there are few offensive linemen who could stay in the stance like they do and not react to the all the exhortations Manning makes when the play clock is winding down. Such a complicated offensive system requires a lot of preparation.

Porter should realize this. What the Colts do is not trickery. They attack what the defense gives them.  It's ingenious. Deep down the Steelers linebacker probably respects what Indianapolis does. But like so many defensive players who have been burned by the Colts' offense, he is frustrated by it. And it shows.

It's less than six months before soccer's greatest spectacle will take place, and this time Americans will not be forced to crawl out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to view the World Cup. Four years ago in Korea and Japan, Brazil took home its fifth title by scoring a 2-0 win in the final against Germany, which happens to be the host of this year's tournament. Two great soccer powers battled for the trophy, but the last World Cup was more about the surprising runs made by nations that were not expected to do as well as they did. Resembling a trend that has been seen recently in the NCAA Tournament, there has been increasing parity among the countries competing for soccer's most coveted prize and that was evident in 2002. South Korea and Turkey shocked the world by reaching the semifinals and the United States was among the final eight teams in the last World Cup. Will other nations emerge this time around or will there be a restoration of the old order? Here is a glance at the ten teams that could make some noise at  the 2006 World Cup:

10.   The United States national team has improved considerably since it qualified for the World Cup in 1990 and ended its 40-year absence from the tournament. In 2002, the U.S. upset Portugal in group play and beat Mexico in the Round of 16 before succumbing to Germany in a game many thought the U.S. should have won. But this year, the U.S. will   have a lot more obstacles to overcome. On Dec. 9, when the World Cup matchups were announced, the U.S. got stuck with a difficult draw. Bruce Arena's squad will have to face both Italy and the Czech Republic in Group E. If the Americans can get standout performances from goalkeeper Kasey Keller like they did from Brad Friedel four years ago, less pressure will be placed on Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson and Brian McBride to tally some goals. But Europe has not been kind to the U.S. The Americans have never won a World Cup game across the pond.

9. It's hard to picture a Scandinavian country taking home the cup. But Sweden could be a sleeper in the tournament. Despite finishing second in its qualifying group, the Swedes have Henrik Larsson, Freddie Ljungberg and Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- a powerful trio that will make any defenders quiver in their cleats. In the last World Cup, Sweden finished on top of the Group of Death, ahead of Argentina and England. They have shown they can play with the big boys. Lars Lagerbach and Tommy Soderbergh have another strong team this year, and they will get another shot against England in what will be an interesting matchup after the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie in the previous World Cup. The game will also have an interesting subplot, as Sven Goran Eriksson, a native of Sweden, is coaching the Brits.

8. Spain has a history of underachieving in the World Cup. In 2002, the Spanish were defeated by Korea in the quarterfinals and four years earlier they failed to make it out of group play. But Luis Aragones' side would be hard-pressed not to make advance to the next stage. Matches against Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudia Arabia in the opening round should not be terribly difficult for a team that has Xabi Alonso anchoring the midfield and Fernando Morientes on the attack with Fernando Torres. Even if Raul can't recover from his knee injury in time to be on the field in June, Spain should have no problems at the outset of the tournament. Then again, many didn't think that Spain would finish second in a weak qualifying group that included Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania, Belgium and Serbia and Montenegro. But it did -- giving soccer fans more reason to believe that this team could be a paper tiger, although it might take until the Round of 16 to find out if that is indeed the case. 

7. Having played in the final game of the last World Cup and serving as host of the upcoming tournament, Germany would appear to be one of the favorites. However, there is reason to believe the Jurgen Klinsmann's side is just not as good as the other powers in world. Two months ago, the Germans lost to Turkey and only scored a 1-0 victory over China. Klinsmann has been criticized for his decision to live in the United States while at the same time preparing his team for the World Cup. In order for Germany to have a chance to get back to the final game, it will need goalkeeper Oliver Khan to turn in a series of performances that resemble his play in the 2002 World Cup, when he was named the best stopper in the tournament. Germany should finish first in its group, but a likely matchup with Sweden or England in the Round of 16 could send the hosts packing.

6.  David Beckham. Michael Owen. Rio Ferdinand. Stephen Gerrard. Wayne Rooney. England's roster is a Who's Who of soccer and it's hard to imagine how a team with these players could get knocked out in group play or the Round of 16. But England has been difficult to figure out. The Brits lost to Northern Ireland 1-0 last September and dropped a game to Demark 4-1 the month before. These performances have not inspired confidence that England can relive the glory days of 1966 four decades later. After all, England has not even moved on to the semifinals since 1990. Perhaps the recent woes has to do with a style of play that favors more open attacking than containment. But don't worry anglophiles. Pencil in England for the quarterfinals if it wins its group. Surely, Beckham, Owen and the gang can overcome Poland, Ecuador or Costa Rica in the Round of 16.

5. The last World Cup felt like something was missing. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that the Netherlands wasn't participating. After finishing fourth in France eight years ago, Holland failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. For a nation that was the runner-up in two consecutive tournaments in the 1970s and has a proud soccer tradition, not competing in soccer's biggest event was a bitter pill to ####.  But the Netherlands is back and they mean business. Holland breezed through qualifying this time around, winning ten games and securing the best record among all the teams in Europe. With players like striker extraordinaire Ruud van Nistelrooy, captain Philip Cocu and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar no team wants a piece of the Orange, which should advance with Argentina in Group C.

4. Six months ago, it would have been to imagine France repeating the performance it had in 1998, when it won the World Cup on its own soil. After all, Les Bleus were shown the door in group play at the World Cup and id not fare well in Euro 2004. But then something curious happened. Zinedine Zidane heard a voice and it told him he should forego retirement and help France qualify for the World Cup. He obliged and France now has one of the best playmakers in the world to set up Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and David Trezeguet. With a favorable draw, France should have no problem moving on and beating Ukraine, the expected runner-up in Group H, in the Round of 16.

3.  The same year its CONMEBOL rival Brazil won the World Cup, Argentina did not even make it past group play. The year 2002 was not a happy one for the nation that produced Diego Maradona and won soccer's biggest spectacle in 1978 and 1986. This time around Argentina has a strong mix of youth and experience with Hernan Crespo, Javier Mascherano and Javier Saviola making up the core of a talented roster. Lionel Messi, a forward with FC Barcelona, could also play a piviotal role after leading Argentina to the FIFA  World Youth Championship in 2005. Even Brazilian striker Ronaldo is giving the young Argentine some props and openly wishing Messi could play with the Samba Boys. However, Ronaldo probably wouldn't trade his team's group with the one Argentina has. Messi and Argentina will have a tough time overcoming Netherlands, another team still smarting from its past failures.

2. Brazil has participated in the final game of each of last three World Cups and has won two of them. There is no reason to believe why the Samba Boys won't be there again. Brazil finished on top of its qualifying group after being the first defending champions to not be awarded an automatic bid to the next tournament. During their run, they scored the most goals of any South American team and flashed a stingy defense.  The same cast of characters is back with Ronaldinho leading the charge and Kaka, Dida, Robinho and Roberto Carlos right beside him. Brazil has also dipped into the past. Carlos Alberto Parreira, who steered Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, is coaching the squad again. So watch out world.

1. When it comes to World Cup play, there has not been a team more star-crossed than Italy in the last 15 years. In 1990, gli Azzurri lost to Argentina on spot kicks. Four years later, they were vanquished by Brazil in the final game when star forward Roberto Baggio launched a penalty kick over the crossbar. In a cruel twist of fate, Luigi Di Biagio hit the bar four years later on Italy's final penalty kick in a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion France. Finally, in 2002, gli Azzurri lost in the Round of 16 when they gave up a golden goal to Korea. Italy has been dealt some harsh blows, but it appears that things are about to change for a nation that has won three World Cups. Marcello Lippi has come in and restructured Italy's roster, which has the talent to play catenaccio defense and score with the likes of England and Brazil. With Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero and Alberto Gilardino up front, Italy has a strong attack. But Lippi must move beyond the conservative tactics that have hurt Italy in the past. If he does, Italy could be hoisting the trophy in Berlin on July 9.

It didn't take long for Arkansas fans to call for Stan Heath's ouster. Fourteen games into the season and the Razorbacks basketball coach is already being excoriated for his perceived failures. Tempers flared after the Hogs lost their conference opener Saturday to Mississippi State, a team that many thought would be a pushover this season after several players graduated and its point guard, Gary Ervin, transferred to Arkansas during a tumultuous offseason.

  Three's Company

For a team that started the season with a promising 11-2 nonconference record, the 69-67 loss to the Bulldogs is still cause for worry. We have seen here before, after all. Last year, Arkansas jumped out of the gates with a 12-1 record, before going 6-10 in conference play and declining an invitation to the N.I.T. because the players were "tired." Fans were angry, and many said that Heath would be fired after this season if he didn't steer the Razorbacks to March's NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.

But there is reason to believe that won't happen. And that has a lot to do with two people: Heath's predecessor Nolan Richardson and Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt. Richardson, of course, was fired in 2002 and claimed that the university racially discriminated against him and infringed on his free-speech rights during the dismissal process.

He then brought his case to federal court in a lawsuit that was dismissed in July 2004 by U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson Jr. He has since appealed the decision and asked his arguments be reinstated by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis and those presiding over the case have yet to uphold or overturn the ruling. So what does this have to do with Nutt or Heath?

Among the claims Richardson made was that Nutt was treated better than him when both were coaching at Arkansas. If you compared just the individual accomplishments of both men, it's hard to argue with Richardson, who won a national championship and took his teams to three Final Fours. He was given a seven-year, $7.21 million contract. Nutt, meanwhile, has never won ten games in a season or come close to leading Arkansas to a BCS Bowl berth. But after his flirtations with Nebraska in 2003 he was able to leverage a $1.05-million contract with incentives. To his credit, Nutt does graduate players and has never publicly asked the university to buy him out (Richardson didn't do the former, but did the latter).

Apparently, that means a lot to the athletic director Frank Broyles, who has tolerated Nutt's back-to-back losing seasons in 2004 and 2005. Broyles didn't even ask Nutt to provide a written evaluation of the program after the football team went 4-7 this season. Of course, Heath was subjected to this embarrassing exercise after his team compiled a winning record last season.

In fact, Heath's teams have improved each year, whereas it can be argued that Nutt's best season was his first in 1998. That year, Arkansas went 9-3 and reached the Citrus Bowl. The Razorbacks have shown flashes of brilliance since, but have given fans little to cheer about the last two years.

As a result, even if Heath somehow botched this season and could only qualify his team for the NIT, the university would have a hard time getting rid of him. How can Broyles fire one coach who has produced better results each of the last three seasons when he didn't remove the other coach who has seen his program deteriorate during the same period of time?

He can't, not unless he wants to give Richardson's claims more legitimacy. Broyles has been backed into a corner and he only has himself to blame, while Richardson has inadvertently helped his replacement and at the same time stuck it to his former boss. The result? Heath can now sit back and relax -- no matter how bad things get.

There have been some interesting storylines that emerged during college basketball's nonconference season. But one isn't getting any attention. While Gonzaga's Adam Morrison has been stealing the limelight and Memphis' resurgence has been grabbing the headlines, Illinois has quietly gone 15-0 and has silenced the critics who said the Fighting Illini would be hard-pressed to do what they did last season when they advanced to the national championship game and lost to North Carolina.

 Champaign Supernova

Courtesy USA Today

Starting Jan. 31, 2004, Illinois has gone 65-4 and compiled a 53-1 record in regular season games. That is pretty remarkable. Using the foundation established by Bill Self, who left the program in 2003 to take the Kansas job vacated by Roy Williams, Illinois coach Bruce Weber has built the Fighting Illini into a national power while quickly becoming recognized as one of the best in his profession. Starting in the 2001-2002 season, when he was still at Southern Illinois, Weber has won 130 games. Not even Mark Few or Mike Krzyzewski have compiled that many victories in that span of time.

When Deron Williams, Roger Powell and Luther Head left after last season, not many thought Weber would be able to repeat the success his 2004-2005 team had when it went 37-2 and lost to the Tar Heels in the title game. The Illini had little experience and the nucleus of the team was gone. But this season Weber has been getting production out of nine players averaging more than 10 minutes per game. Led by guard Dee Brown and forward James Augustine, Illinois has defeated Michigan State in its Big 10 opener, blown out Missouri 82-50 in a rivalry game and knocked off North Carolina 68-64 to get some revenge.

Yet Illinois has flown under the radar, which is surprising for a team that has won more games than every other school but Duke in the last five-and-a-half seasons. Perhaps the lack of attention has to do with an absence of superstars. Brown, after all, is averaging only 15.5 points per game, which pales in comparison to Morrison's 27.8 points per game that leads the nation. However, the 6-0, 180-pound guard plays as important a role for the Illini that Morrison does for the Bulldogs. Brown, who was initially reluctant to accept Weber and his motion offense, has bought into the system and embraced the same coach he spoke out against after Weber publicly said Brown would be wise not to enter the NBA Draft after last season.

Now, Brown is the point man for a team that runs an efficient half-court offense while placing an emphasis on rebounding and strong defense when it has to retreat to the other end. The style of play isn't sexy. But it works, and Brown couldn't be happier after dropping in 34 against Michigan State Thursday.

Neither can Weber, who has acknowledged that he didn't think Illinois would be able to recapture the magic of last season. The pollsters were of the same opinion, and they were as wrong as Weber. Now the team that has lost only one of its last 54 regular season games seems to be gearing up for another run in the NCAA Tournament. It's too bad nobody appears to have noticed.

It's not that surprising that Texas took home the national championship this season. The Longhorns were a great team. What is amazing is that 35 years went by since Texas last climbed to the top of the college football mountain. At last, the biggest school in a state that s more crazy about football than any other will be ranked first in the final polls after such a long hiatus. It's been long overdue.

 Too hot to handle.

The Longhorns proved they were the better team, but a major error by the referees helped them secure the title. On the drive following USC's last score, a Texas receiver caught a pass and went out-of-bounds with approximately 6:20 left in the game. The clock continued to run, and 30 seconds elapsed. At the time, it appeared that the Longhorns would suffer as they tried to make a comeback. But, when Young strolled into the end zone to give the Texas a 41-38 lead with 19 seconds left in regulation, USC ended up paying the price for the clock error.

With no timeouts, Trojans' quarterback Matt Leinart had to get his team in position for a field goal with minimal time left. It did not happen and the Trojans were denied their third consecutive national title. Still, Texas deserved to win the game, despite being the beneficiary of some bad calls by the officials and some questionable decisions by both the USC coaches and players. The Longhorns had Young, after all.  And that is all they really needed. The Trojans had never seen a quarterback like the one they saw last night. They never defended a passer that was so mobile, and it showed.

USC's linebackers were a step slow and could not contain Young, who accumulated 467 yards of total offense. In the Pac-10, USC's defense regularly lines up against pocket passers who work within more traditional offenses. Texas coach Mack Brown and his offensive coordinator Greg Davis have structured their attack in such a way that it allows Young to improvise and turn what appear to be passing plays into big runs. The Trojans were caught off guard.     

But as much as Texas grabbed the game from USC's grasp, the Trojans let a victory slip through their fingers. Perhaps hubris caused the fall of their dynasty. Running back Reggie Bush may have started to believe all the hype about his near superhuman ability until he made that ill-fated lateral attempt in the first half. Pete Carroll may have been too confident in his offense's capabilities when he foregoed a field goal attempt to go for it on fourth down in the first quarter. Leinart was then stuffed on a quarterback sneak.

Flash forward three quarters and Carroll tried to kill Texas' chance for a comeback by going for it again on fourth down. This time he elected to do so inside Texas' 45-yard line, but LenDale White was stopped short of the first down with 2:04 left in the game and no Reggie Bush on the field to make Texas think about how it should align its defense.

Two scoring opportunities and a big chunk of field position were the cumulative losses of these aggressive and perhaps unwise decisions. The same risky calls that gave Carroll a victory over Notre Dame in South Bend earlier this season backfired against Texas in Pasadena on Wednesday night.

That is one of the reasons why Texas was standing on the podium and absorbing the confetti that fell from above when the game was over. In the end, they got the breaks and made USC pay for their mistakes. After 35 years, the Longhorns were glad to win a national championship any way they could. And when it was all said and done the Trojans were happy to help Texas' cause.

When Norv Turner was fired by the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, the number of NFL coaches who have received pink slips this season climbed to seven. Add #### Vermeil's resignation from Kansas City into the group that got canned and a quarter of the league's teams now have head coaching vacancies. That's a lot of openings.

In a world where instant gratification is the norm, what has taken place in the last few days is not very surprising. Coaches have short lifespans and they know they are on a tight leash unless their names are Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick. And while there should be some sympathy extended toward the magnificent seven that got axed, don't feel completely sorry for them. They will likely coach another NFL team and stink it up there as well.

  Nine Lives

There is not a league more paradoxical when it comes to the hiring and firing of coaches than the NFL. The same organizations that are quick to get rid of one coach go out and rescue another from past failures. Look at Turner. In seven seasons with the Washington Redskins, he won one playoff game and never led the Capital Gang to a record that was better than 10-6. Yet, four years after Turner finished out his last days in Washington, Oakland owner Al Davis hired him to turn around the Raiders. In his haste to get rid of Bill Callahan, who led the franchise back to the Super Bowl in the first of his two seasons at the helm, Davis seemed to forget the fact that Turner had a losing record under an equally meddlesome owner, Daniel Snyder. In fact, Turner had won less playoff games in his seven years in Washington than Callahan had in his two seasons in Oakland.

Four years earlier, a similarly perplexing move was made by the Miami Dolphins when they hired Dave Wannstedt, a coach that had worn out his welcome in Chicago by 1998.  In his six seasons in the Windy City, the best record the Bears could post was 9-7. Rich Kotite might have done better. But Wannstedt's past failures didn't dissuade the Dolphins.  They put the franchise in the his hands, hoping that he could rekindle the winning ways of the Don Shula era. The result: one playoff win, one AWOL running back and lots of controversy in five seasons.

It wouldn't be the least bit surprising, however, if Wannstedt was mentioned as a possible replacement for one of the seven coaches that were fired. At least he won a postseason game. Butch Davis' name is floating around and he hasn't even done that. Neither has Wade Phillips, who is a possible candidate for the Green Bay job. Surely, the rolodexes for NFL general managers extend beyond ten names. Then again, maybe Ray Handley is primed for a comeback.

For the last few weeks Wednesday's Rose Bowl matchup between USC and Texas has been hyped as one of the most intriguing games of the last 25 years. That has a lot to do with the players involved. Two Heisman Trophy winners and one finalist for the coveted award will be on the field Wednesday, and much has been said about the impact Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Vince Young have each made on their teams. But lost amidst all the stars in this battle for the national championship are the two opposing head coaches -- Pete Carroll and Mack Brown, who have both rebuilt national powers that were struggling mightily before they took over.

 The Real Stars

When Brown took over in Austin after the 1997 season, the Longhorns were a long way from contending for a national championship. Texas finished with a 4-7 record that year and hadn't been ranked in the Top 10 at the end of the season since 1990, when David McWilliams was coach and the Longhorns were still in the now-defunct Southwest Conference. USC, meanwhile, wasn't doing much better under the direction of John Robinson and Paul Hackett in the late-1990s. In fact, the Trojans were having greater struggles. During that period, USC had morphed into a mediocre program and never finished with a record better than 8-5 between 1996 and 2001.

Flash forward to 2006 and both Brown and Carroll have transformed Texas and USC into juggernauts. Both coaches have aggressively recruited in their fertile backyards and restored the winning tradition their programs once had by surrounding themselves with capable assistants, putting the ball in the hands of their most talented athletes and making the right calls in crucial situations.

In a game that features so many impact players, coaching decisions will likely prove to be the difference. What defense will Carroll choose to contain Young, who runs the nation's highest scoring offense (51 points per game)? How will Brown focus on stopping USC, which leads the country in total offense by racking up 580 yards per game? Will he focus on Bush and tailback LenDale White or try to limit the effectiveness of Leinart and wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith? 

Two years ago, it would have been easy to give the edge to Pete Carroll. Carroll, after all, is  a gambler who is confident in his talent. He trusted Leinart to throw a perfect fade pass to Jarrett from the Trojans' 26-yard-line in USC's memorable 34-31 win over Notre Dame earlier this season. And like so many times before, he proved he could win the big game. Mack Brown, on the other hand, had trouble beating ranked teams and rivals before this year, and his conservative game-planning hurt him time and time again.

Between 2000 and 2004, Bob Stoops and Oklahoma repeatedly got the better of Brown and his Longhorns in the Red River Shootout. The Sooners had won five straight games in the rivalry and ruined so many promising seasons for Texas that many Longhorns fans wondered if they would ever see Brown beat Oklahoma again. This year, Texas finally got its revenge and rolled over the Sooners 45-12, allowing Brown to peel the #### off his back. But even by that point, the Texas coach had shown he could get his teams to show up when it counted and began using Young in a way that made Texas nearly impossible to deal with when on offense. It all started at the last Rose Bowl, when the Longhorns outlasted Michigan 38-37 behind Young's remarkable five-touchdown performance. Brown not only got his team to a BCS bowl; he won it. And he did it by opening up his playbook and taking chances, something that both Stoops and Carroll do with great efficacy. 

Coincidentally, those two coaches were in last year's national championship game at the Orange Bowl -- one that USC won 55-19 to claim its second straight national title. Now, 12 months later, Brown and Carroll, who have constructed two of the best offenses in college football history and brought back the winning traditions to their schools, will go toe-to-toe. They may be the forgotten men in this showdown, but ultimately they are the reasons why this national championship game is being played in the first place. Brown has his work cut out for him, but if he follows the lead of Carroll and takes risks during the game Texas could very well be holding the ADT National Champion Trophy by the end of the night.

Usually when Maurice Clarett makes the news now, it is not because of something wonderful he did on a football field. He hasn't played on one in months. Instead, on Sunday, fans were once again reminded of Clarett because of the poor decisions he makes off the gridiron. Clarett, who reprised his role as the wayward running back with a once promising future, was accused of two counts of aggravated robbery after allegedly holding two people up at the bar. It was hard to not to find the irony that the incident occurred on the same day that most pro football games are played.

  Too much, too soon.

Of course, at one point it was believed that Clarett was a lock to be a star on Sundays in the NFL after he put together a scintillating freshman campaign at Ohio State during which he led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002. But almost as quickly as he became the toast of college football, his world came crashing down. He filed a false police report and was suspended from the school when he lied to an NCAA investigators about receiving improper benefits from a friend. Clarett then tried to drag the university down with him when he made allegations that he took cash from boosters and worked a bogus summer job.

As his college career was quickly coming to a close after one season, he tried desperately to gain eligibility for the NFL Draft before he was allowed to enter it. An appellate court denied his request. When he finally did qualify, Clarett turned in a horrible performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this year, running a sluggish 4.67-second 40-yard dash. Many thought he wouldn't be picked after such a terrible workout, but Denver took a gamble on him and selected the embattled running back. Not long after going to training camp, he hurt his groin and was cut in August. Teammates questioned his commitment in rehabilitating the injury, and even Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who has turned average running backs into great rushers, gave up on him. It appeared to be the last chapter that would be written in a story that would have no happy ending.

But then Sunday came along, and the tale of Clarett's fall from grace became darker. For an athlete who once seemed to have such a promising career aheads of him, it is sad to see it come to this. But like Roy Tarpley and Len Bias, who threw their futures away in another sport, Clarett couldn't handle so much success so soon. And that is why when Clarett makes headlines these days we are no longer surprised that he is in an alley instead of on a football field. 

In a city that is still recovering from the devastating blow delivered by Hurricane Katrina, few things are certain anymore. Will New Orleans retain the same character that made it so interesting? Will its population ever return to its pre-disaster level? Is New Orleans going to be ready for the next big storm? These questions still have open-ended answers. But for the time being residents of the Big Easy have been assured that they won't have to wonder if their pro football team is leaving them.

The NFL announced Friday that the New Orleans Saints will remain in Louisiana for the 2006 season and will play games at both the Superdome and Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. It's a smart move by the league and Saints owner Tom Benson, who appeared anxious to relocate his franchise to either San Antonio or sunny Los Angeles both before and after Katrina's wrath.

 Is he sincere?

Courtesy WWLTV

The Saints certainly would not have engendered any good will in New Orleans or elsewhere had they left when times were rough. Such a move would have been deemed selfish and inappropriate while making the NFL guilty by association. League commissioner Paul Tagliabue realized this and made clear he wanted the Saints to stay put. 

But it seems unlikely that the city's marriage with the Saints will last beyond next year. In the last three decades, New Orleans fans have not been exactly come out in droves to support a franchise that has won one playoff game since being founded 38 years ago. This season, the Saints averaged only 42,897 fans in their first three games in Baton Rouge. Even a Times-Picayune editorial suggested that more games should be played at the Saints' other temporary home -- San Antonio. That way, the NFL could see that when the novelty of having a professional football team wears off fans will stop coming and empty seats will become common there because no one is willing to support a loser. It's a fair argument, but not one usually made by a city looking to hold onto its favorite franchise.

In reality, by making the Saints play in New Orleans the NFL is actually giving Benson an opportunity to make his case for moving his team. Fan attendance will likely suffer next year for several reasons. If games are played in the Superdome, some people will not go there for the simple fact that it is common knowledge that unspeakable acts were committed there after residents were evacuated during the hurricane. Too many bad memories are associated with the Superdome. Fans will also not make the two-hour drive to Baton Rouge next season if they didn't this year. They would rather watch LSU, the most popular team in the state and one that has experienced a resurgency in recent years at the same time the Saints have struggled mightily.

New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin said that while he would welcome the return of the Saints, he said he was only "somewhat encouraged" by the decision, according to an AP article. “We are happy that New Orleanians who have lost so much will have an NFL team next season to call their own, "he said. "...We look forward to the day when the Saints organization will fully commit to this community and be a vital part of our recovery for many years to come.”

Don't hold your breath, Mr. Nagin. Benson doesn't want his team in your city and the fans don't seem overly happy that the Saints are coming back. This latest decision to stay for the time being just appears to be a prelude to an end. 

Brett Favre has a tough decision to make, but it appears as if commentators and reporters want to make it for him. At the end of his fifteenth season in the NFL, Favre must decide if he will hang up his helmet and cleats or continue a career that has been nothing short of remarkable. However, the question about whether Favre will retire has not been raised by the quarterback himself, but the media who have watched him take the field on Sundays.

 Still Kicking.

Each year, star athletes who are nearing the end of their careers are nagged by reporters about their futures. As a result, a private, personal decision concerning retirement becomes public. In many cases, these athletes are pressured into putting away their jerseys and waving good bye to the fields, courts, stadiums and arenas they once called home. And that is wrong. Players who are past their primes are constantly reminded of Willie Mays dropping a fly ball with the Mets, Johnny Unitas playing out his last days in a Chargers uniform or Rickey Henderson struggling in the minors.

They are told by reporters that they wouldn't want to go out like that. But most of the media and commentators have never been in their shoes. They don't know what it is like to be in their positions or how much these guys really have left in the tank. For every Arnold Palmer, there is a Julio Franco or Roger Clemens. Clemens, who was was believed by former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette to be nearing the end of his career in the mid-90s, led the majors in ERA last season. He is hardly a pity case.

Neither is Favre. Favre did not have a good year this season, but it is hard for a quarterback to have success when he has a weak offensive line and an unstable backfield with a group of running backs who keep going down with injuries. Not many signal callers in the NFL would be thriving in that situation, especially some of the younger quarterbacks in the league. Joey Harrington has been nothing short of terrible in his four-year stint with the Detroit Lions. Kyle Boller hasn't been much better with the Balimore Ravens. Nobody is calling for them to retire, even though they have not even come close to reaching the level of success that Favre has.

The only reason why Favre is being forced to answer questions about his future is that he is a veteran and is regarded as one of the best at his position. If Favre's skills have really diminished to the point that he can no longer effectively run the offense, Green Bay would find a way to bench him. It's that simple. Even Knicks center Patrick Ewing was run out of New York. The fact is that Favre is capable of playing and making up his own mind. He does not need outsiders deciding for him. But that is what happens to players who have made an impact on their sport. It is the price they pay for getting old while still being considered great.