Who is the best team in the AFC? The unanimous choice would be the Tennessee Titans.  I completely agree with that answer. As of today, the Titans are 8-0 and they have only allowed a league-best 103 points.  They have a very solid defense and an explosive running attack. The one thing that worries everyone, including me, is their passing attack. The Titans just don't have a WR who can get that key catch in the playoffs. Kerry Collins could pull a Trent Dilfer and simply manage all the games well and win a Super Bowl; I don't think so. The fact that they are the best team at the midway point in the season means nothing. There are still eight more games left in the rugged and bruising NFL season. Because the Titans don't have a passing attack and because I still feel there are teams in the AFC who have the potential to be better than the Titans at the end of the season, I do not think the Titans will make it to the Super Bowl. There is a team in the AFC who plays better defense and can dominate a football game on the ground when the runningbacks are healthy. That team is the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After watching Monday night's game against the Washington Redskins, IN Washington, I was very impressed with how the Steelers were able to confuse Jason Campbell and shut down Clinton Portis (that hit on his knee may have played a role). The Steelers currently lead the NFL in total defense, only allowing 234.1 yards per game. That stat can get broken down into how many passing yards they allow, which is also a NFL best at 164.0 yards per game, and how many rushing yards they allow, which is 3rd best in the NFL at 70.1 yards per game. The Steelers also lead the NFL in total sacks, with 32 so far in the season. Their defense is the reason I like them so much to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. There are a couple of things that could stand in their way of making the trip to Tampa Bay in February. The health of QB Ben Roethlisberger and RB Willie Parker are two huge concerns that could derail the Steelers Super Bowl dream. It looked as though Willie Parker was getting stronger as Monday's night game went on. That is a very positive sign for the Steelers and their fans. Big Ben's injury forecast is still hazy and it is not sure how long he will be out for. The offensive line has had trouble protecting Roethlisberger, which is something the team needs to fix if they want Ben to stay healthy the rest of the season. I know the defense will continue to be the key in every game, and if there are no health issues after Ben gets healthy, look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to be holding the Lamar Hunt trophy and on their way to Tampa Bay.

Once Joe Dumars said that no one was safe during the offseason, you knew something was bound to happen. But when nothing did happen in the offseason I wasn't really surprised and I thought Joe would give the core group of guys one more run at an NBA title.  When I heard the news today that the Pistons had acquired Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheick Samb I felt the same way I do now, unsure. I've heard both sides of the deal. Iverson comes off the books next year and that creates a lot of finacial flexibility for the future. Iverson also gives the Pistons a proven scorer in the playoffs and a person who can create his own shots. Billups is a great pick-up for the Nuggets because he provides great leadership at the PG position and gives them stability at the most important position on the court. Antonio McDyess WILL be back in a Pistons uniform in 30 days. McDyess does not want to play for any other team and I guarantee he will be back with the Pistons in a month. I really feel like this deal does not make the Pistons better overall. Coming into this season I had them as the #2 team in the Eastern Conference, behind the defending champion Boston Celtics and ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last year the Pistons made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, does this deal make anyone think they have a better chance of going further this year? I don't know.

I am only 20 years old, so I wasn't really able to see the 'Bad Boys' in their prime and I'm not really sure how that team was disassembled, but (and I'm not comparing either team on a talent level) it really feels like the Pistons that I watched bring basketball pride back to Detroit is gone. I know Rip, Tay, and 'Sheed are still here but it just sucks to see it coming to an end. 'Sheed will probably be gone after this year and then there's still Tayshaun and Rip, but it won't be the same. That's not to say I'm not excited about the possibilities of the future, because I am, but it really feels like an era of Detroit basketball is coming to a close. I knew it would come to an end, but I was really hoping they would be given anothe chance. The thing that is really keeping me from being ecstatic about this deal is the fact that Chauncey Billups is no longer a Piston. I will definitely miss 'Mr. Big Shot' and I am very thankful for everything he did for this franchise. Maybe my mind will change at the end of the season if the Pistons are holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, but then I'll still think that the Pistons could have done it with Chauncey. Again, I want to thank Chauncey Billups for his contributions over the past 6 years. Who knows, if the Pistons would have won one more championship between 2005 and now, this deal probably doesn't happen.

Eastern

Atlantic            

1.) Boston*
2.) Philadelphia*
3.) Toronto*
4.) New York Knicks
5.) New Jersey Nets

Central

1.) Detroit*
2.) Cleveland *
3.) Chicago*
4.) Indiana
5.) Milwaukee

Southeast
1.) Orlando*
2.) Washington*
3.) Atlanta
4.) Miami
5.) Charlotte

Eastern Conference Champion: Detroit - One last run with the core group of guys.

Western

Northwest
1.) Utah*
2.) Portland*
3.) Denver
4.) Minnesota
5.) OKC

Pacific
1.) L.A. Lakers*
2.) Phoenix*
3.) Sacramento
4.) L.A. Clippers
5.) Golden State

Southwest
1.) New Orleans*
2.) Houston*
3.) San Antonio*
4.) Dallas*
5.) Memphis

Western Conference Champion: L.A. Lakers

NBA Finals Winner: L.A. Lakers - Best starting 5 in the league and a deep bench.

The team deserved this, the city deserved this, and most of all the fans deserved this.  The Philadelphia Philles are the 2008 World Series Champions. How many of you had that at the beginning of the season? Definitely not me. For me the Phillies were a team that would maybe make it to the NLCS but certainly not make a serious run at a World Series title. They proved me wrong; they proved most people wrong. The Rays run to the World Series was a great story, but the Phillies story just might end up being the better of the two. In a few years, everyone outside of Tampa Bay may not remember the Rays magical run; rarely does the loser of a World Series get remembered.

These Philadelphia Philles were not the best team in Major League Baseball this year and weren't even the top two favorites in their own league to make it to the World Series going into the NL Playoffs (My Cubs were and next were the L.A. Dodgers). The Phillies didn't scare anyone with their starting rotation. They had a blossoming star in Cole Hamels (who made everyone around the country take notice in the playoffs that he had arrived), Brett Myers (who was at one point this season in the minor leagues), Jamie Moyer (a 45 year old who shouldn't be this effective at his age), and Joe Blanton (who is a good pitcher but doesn't really strike fear into any batter). Their starting lineup was always viewed as dangerous, but had struggled heading into the playoffs.  The one constant the Phillies had all season was closer Brad Lidge, he held the back of the bullpen down and did not blow a save all year including the playoffs. 

Even though the World Series did not last as long as I had hoped, I feel it brought a breath of fresh air into the baseball world. It featured two teams that most baseball fans around the country don't see too often, and I felt it was good for baseball (even though the ratings aren't too good). I would like to congratulate the Philles fans, even though some people view you all as jerks and poor sports. Which fan hasn't been a jerk or a poor sport before? Phillies fans you deserved this World Series title and I hope you all enjoy it. I would also like to congratulate the Rays and their fans for a magical and inspiring season. Again, congratulations to the Philadelphia Philles for winning the 2008 World Series. (Go, Cubs, Go, in '09)

I am not a Lions fan. I have never been a Lions fan and I will never be a Lions fan. I am a Green Bay Packers fan who happens to live in Michigan. For the last seven-eight years I have had to read, watch, and listen to the idiot that is Matt Millen. To be honest, I have never felt bad for the Lions because their owner is the one who kept Millen around for that long. Every person on Earth knew Millen should have been gone the moment future Hall-of Fame coach Marty Mornhinweg was kicked out of town. When a GM is in charge of a team that goes 31-84 in his tenure he should be shown the door to the state in which his team plays. During his run as the possibly the worst GM in NFL history Millen was the second highest paid active GM in the entire league. Now you are asking yourself, how does that happen? I'm sure it was because Mr. Ford did not want to lose Millen and thought he was steering the team into the right direction or making money is making money, no matter how much losing occurs. Matt Millen once said, "I'll never quit." Well yeah, why would someone quit that job? I sure as heck wouldn't ever quit. You're getting the second highest salary for an NFL GM, you're running your franchise into the ground and your owner could care less. This is a joyous day for Lions fans all around the world and even though the rest of the season will be played out with the garbage players Millen picked up, this season will end up with a positive outlook because of Millen's firing. I'm sure the rest of the teams and fans (me inculded) in the NFC North are saddened today because now the Lions will surely be more competitive in the coming years, or they'll just always be the Lions.