For the record...

* Norv Turner should have replaced the hobbling Philip Rivers at halftime of the AFC Championship Game. You win the turnover battle on the road against the Patriots and you only come away with 12 points? A healthy Billy Volek couldn't have done better than that?

* LaDainian Tomlinson looked pathetic sitting on the bench with his dark visored-helmet yesterday. I know he was hurt, but he looked like Aunt Edna strapped to the roof in "Vacation." Ya know, if Clark had stuck a motorcycle helmet on her head.

* Igor Olshansky now knows what's up.

* Laurence Maroney surprised the hell out of me with several long cutback runs.

* Norv Turner is a moron for thinking he could punt with 9 minutes left in the game (at the Pats' 36!) and still expect to get TWO more possessions against the best offense in NFL history. The change in field position? Barely 20 yards.

* Lawrence Tynes got up off the mat like a freakin' man.

* Is Bubba Franks dead? I didn't hear his name called once yesterday.

* Plaxico Burress never had guts like that while playing in Pittsburgh.

* Peyton Manning's last Priceless Pep Talk reinforced why he's tough to dislike.

* Brett Favre should not retire.

* Tony Dungy should.

* Does the NFL give Archie Manning a box at every stadium?

* I wanted the Patriots to lose, but I'm rather glad it didn't happen to San Diego. No offense to its fans, but the Chargers are really hard to root for, which says a lot when a team has never won anything.