Predicting the outcome of a football game, let alone a Championship game, is a futile excercise. The sample size, a regular season of just sixteen games, is far too small compared to hockey and basktball's eighty-odd-game seasons. Plus, the number of variables that need to be isolated for each phase of the game is just too immense compared to the documentable regimen of each at bat in baseball. It's better that you sleep-in than parse through eight hours of mind-numbing pre-game breakdowns anyway. The world of football prognostication is best left to a room full of typewriting chimpanzees. So, all that being said... h3. Carolina 23 - New England 19 Ha! I could give you all my reasoning about the X's and O's, but it all boils down to me pretending to read tea leaves. I don't have much rooting interest for either team. The Panthers and Patriots are both very solid, even if they aren't as hyped-up as previous Super Bowl contenders. I just happen to feel that Mike Rucker and co are that little notch more workmanlike and methodical than their opposition. Ultimately, I only hope for the game to be close and entertaining. Whatever does happen, nothing could be more depressing than having to stomach the thumping the Raiders received last year... I might just remember the term sluggo seam for the rest of my life.