Due date

It's here...this is the day Cambra is supposed to give birth. Even though it seems like some progress is being made (the baby appears to be significantly lower in her belly- who knows what that means), it is pretty apparent that the kiddo ain't coming out for a while. First births are notoriously late births. So, we wait and wait.

With that out of the way, three important events are about to happen in the sporting world. One, the Cowboys will be playing the last regular season game of this season on Sunday evening. If the Redskins lose or tie, or the Panthers lose, or the Giants and Buccanears lose and the Cowboys beat the Rams, the Cowboys slip into the playoffs with the NFCs sixth, and last, seed. If they Cowboys win and do not make the plkayoffs, it will be the first time in like 18 years that a ten win team did not get in.

Second, I am going against my arch rivals, the Malibu Hucklebuckers in the Fantasy Football Championship game this weekend. It's a good thing that the Bengals (Carson Palmer is my starting QB), Giants (I start Tiki Barber at RB and Shockey at TE), Cowboys (I start Keyshawn at WR and Julius Jones at the WR/RB slot) and the Redskins (I am starting their defense this week in a shrewd waiver wire pick up for the championship game) are all playing in particularly meaningful games. As well, Shaun Alexander of the Seahawks (who I start at my other RB spot) is going for the TD record this week, so he should plau just enough to get me 10-12 points. Who knows who will win.....the funny thing about this is that I did not even draft this team.....I missed the draft and the auto draft did its thing. And here I am after a 11-3-1 run through the regular season (first place) and in the championship game.

Third, my beloved Buckeyes take on the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl on Monday 1/2 at 2 pm PST. I think that ND and OSU are pretty much even, but I think OSU pulls one out. Here's why:

1) ND offense versus the OSU defense is the match up of this game. ND will score points, but will have to execute flawlessly do to so. OSU should be able to shut down the run. If the refs will actually call offense pass interference (ND runs a pleathora of illegal picks and screens in their pass combinations and their lanky and tall WR's both shove around defenders), our defense holds ND to around 20-24 points. We have the potential to have the figure be around 10 points if we get a few turnovers.

2) The OSU offense (I can't even believe I am saying this) should have a significant advantage against the ND defense, whose corners are quite suspect. I think the key here will the running of Troy Smith and Antonio Pittman because ND will not be able to load up in the box to stop the run because of Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes. Running against a front seven that is strong but not dominant will take some patience, but should lead to our ability to have the play action pass and control the clock. Turnovers would be the only way we don't put up 35 points.

3) OSU special teams are significantly stronger than NDs across the board.

The only thing that can make this an ND win would be OSU turnovers or some out of their minds and body play by Brady Quinn and the ND defense. Charlie Weis is a great coach who will have his team prepared to play well (particularly with six weeks to prepare) but Tressel is 3-1 in bowl games and an OSU win sends out this senior class with three wins over Michigan and 4-0 in bowl games. I think OSU wins something like 38-17.

Now, if the kid will come out sometime soon, maybe I will get to actually watch the game live. (Thank goodness for DVRs.....)

For the record, I think that Texas beats USC in a shocker for the National Championship. I simply can't believe that ESPN is doing this ranking USC against the other great college teams when they have not even won the championship game. If this game was played any place else besides the USC home field, Texas wins in a walk. This game will not be as close as people think....Texas wins 38-24.