The AFC-NFC Championships Games Are Here...But, There is a Tear in My Beer*

Happy Championship weekend, everybody! The final four teams will be taking the field shortly to decide who will travel to Dallas for the chance to hoist the Lombardi trophy as the winners of Super Bowl XLV...yet...I can't help but be a little sad...

The AFC-NFC Championship games signal an ending to the season. After today, there will only be two more NFL games until next season. *Technically, no one counts the Pro Bowl, but it's still football.* After the Super Bowl, we have to wait until August to see our favorite teams take the field again...I watch the Combine, the Draft, but really, it doesn't take the place of the action on the field. Watching quarterbacks flee from Ray Lewis, watching Tony Gonzalez stretch his arms for a pass, watching my Chiefs win the AFC West...I love this game! So, could I'm wishing, hoping, praying, crossing my fingers, singing Rose Royce, that the owners and players reach out to each other and agree on a new CBA.

By the way, I am glad that Tony Gonzalez will be returning for a 15th season, even though I missed the announcement on Jim Rome is Burning. *note to self, join the 21st century and invest in a DVR.* Now, to get Shawne Merriman up and running...

Any who, here are my picks:

Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears. Readers, you know that I have no love for Jay Cutler, but here he is. I don't trust him because some times his play looks as if he has been attending the Brett Favre School for Quarterbacks under the tutelage of Prof. Jake Delhomme. I picked the Packers at the beginning of the season to go to the Super Bowl, even though I picked against them last week. (For the record: it wasn't so much that I didn't think they could beat the Falcons, as much as, I wanted Tony Gonzalez to finally win a playoff game.) I'm a cheesehead today. I'm picking the Packers.

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, the Steelers ruined my Super Bowl picks by beating the Ravens. So here we are Jets and Steelers. Like Cutler, I don't like Ben Roethlisberger. *cough* Jerk. Yeah, he has two rings...blah, blah, blah. He doesn't get the credit like Peyton and other elite quarterbacks...yada, yada, yada. I don't care. I like the Steelers, but he's their quarterback, soooo...They won't lose because of Ben, although I wish they would. These are two great defenses. I'm just hoping somebody survives to see the Super Bowl. I'm picking the Jets.

That's it, y'all. Until next week, "Pro football is like nuclear warfare. There are no winners, only survivors."~Frank Gifford

*Rootbeer, Y'all know I don't drink. :)