It looks to be advantage Bears in the current NFL soap opera over the suspensions to a number of players for using a diuretic that contained a banned substance.

It’s fun to watch winners.

And that’s what Bo Ryan’s program turns out.

The Badger basketball team has long ago turned the corner to where a tourney bid is a no longer wonderful surprise and that special elevation was on display Monday night in the opener of the Big Ten/ACC annual wipeout, where the Duke/Carolina-led conference usually mops up on the mopes from the Big Ten in men’s hoops.

What the heck. I'm going to my first Christmas party tonight and will see two Packer-loving buddies. Several eggnogs in, we'll decide faith must win out and talk about how the Pack still have a chance.

Here’s how to save the season, in no particular order since all of this has to happen for the Packers to make the playoffs:

ROGER AND OUT – Commissioner Goodell has to sit the Minnesota’s Williams brothers for the rest of the season. Today.

Poor defense, porous special teams and a coach who has too much confidence in the talent of his team.

The result was a 35-31 loss and the almost certain end to the Green Bay Packers playoff hopes for this year.

Second and goal from the one. A run.

Third and goal from the one. A run.

Settle for the field goal and a three-point lead with just under 2 minutes remaining.

Special teams allow a big return. Defense allows a big play. Final result: touchdown Carolina and a 35-31 gut-wrenching loss for the Packers.

Dave is kind enough to write something the day after the Packers stink it up each time, giving me a day to cool off and gain a little perspective. This week it didn’t help.

I watched the game Monday night. I couldn’t get a dentist appointment, didn’t have tin foil to chew, and there wasn’t a blackboard around to scrape my nails on so I watched the game. Or as we call it at Blockbuster, “Groundhog Day”.

You’ve got that sinking feeling again.

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints dismantled the Packers, 51-29, on Monday Night Football, leaving Green Bay fans with the feeling their team is heading in the wrong direction.

They have lost three of four since the bye week.

The defensive front four is a joke. They can’t stop the run and they can’t rush the passer.

Hold serve.

That’s the challenge for the Packers tonight.

Not hold on passing downs, not look confused and for someone to hold as they did in Minnesota, not make us hold our tongues during another shaky road performance, and not leave us holding the bag on hopes for the post-season.

Hold serve. The Bears won against the 1-AA Rams and Minnesota went to Jacksonville and got a gift-wrapped 30-14 win thanks to two quick fumbles turned into touchdowns.

Bob Jeter was on my first football card.

That collection was tiny, compared to the pile of baseball cards I amassed as a kid. The football cards didn’t even have their own shoebox; they were second-class citizens in my slovenly bedroom, piled haphazardly in a corner, doomed to share space with Wacky Packs and about six basketball cards, three of which were Jon McGlocklin.

I'd like to believe:

....that before Sunday, Aaron Rodgers knew NFL games could end in a tie after one overtime.

....Coach BB will have his team ready to play on Saturday.

....somebody wants Michael Redd.

.....Doug Melvin has a plan to spend some of the CC dough elsewhere.

....state titles mean as much as ever, even though there so many more classes than when I was in school and dinosaurs roamed the earth.

---bob

CHEESE SLICES

Al Harris is back and better than ever.

Talk about a trap game. In a year where very little has gone right for the overhyped, underperforming Badger football team, there is one last, thankless victory to secure before UW reaps any sort of miniscule bowl award. On a Saturday dominated in the Big Ten by Michigan-Ohio State, with the nation watching Texas Tech and Oklahoma, the match-up in Madison features Wisconsin against Cal-Poly. Not exactly the type of match-up that makes you want to skip deer hunting for the day, is it?