2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: PITTSBURGH PIRATES

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: The Pirates chose to give a few young players another year to develop rather than sign quality veterans to upgrade those positions. While this plan will most likely backfire, the Pirates could have a very good core group of guys if the plan does work. The one move that made headlines out of Pittsburgh was their trade with the Braves. They sent the talented but expendable reliever Mike Gonzalez to Atlanta for first baseman Adam LaRoche. If LaRoche plays as well as he did last year he will prove to be the protection for Jason Bay that the team has lacked. Their biggest signing of the offseason was pitcher Tony Armas Jr. The often injured ex-Nationals starter will most likely compete for a spot at the back end of the rotation. Pittsburgh is also hoping on newly signed reserves Einar Diaz and Jose Hernandez to add some depth to a lineup that needed it last season. Possibly the most interesting signing they made was that of reliever Dan Kolb. He was a quality pitcher in a small market before imploding as the Braves' closer. If he regains his old form, he could once again be a tremendous asset to the bullpen. The only two losses from last year's team are Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa. Neither veteran should be missed this season.

OFFENSE: Once again the Pirates offense may have trouble scoring runs this season. Part of the problem is the lack of production from the leadoff hitter. Chris Duffy, the team's center fielder, will once again be given a crack at the job. He has good speed but his .317 OBP last season could force him out of that position. The light hitting Jack Wilson will follow him and hit second. The shortstop is another poor hitter and together they make up the worst top of the order in baseball. The heart of the order is the strongest part of the Pirates lineup. Jason Bay is by far the team's best player, and he should have an even better season this year with the threat of Adam Laroche hitting behind him. Also some where in the middle of the lineup will be last year's NL batting champ Freddy Sanchez. Despite winning that title last year, Sanchez must prove that last season was no fluke to some of his skeptics like myself. In reality, he will probably still be a decent hitter who's average will be closer to .300 than it was last season. Xavier Nady is the last reliable bat in the lineup, and his ability to hit for power and get on base should make him one of the more reliable players on Pittsburgh. Catching this season will be Ronny Paulino. He appears to be a solid hitter that can hit for contact and play well behind the plate. He emerged as the favorite to catch after a year long battle with Ryan Doumit in 2006. Finally, Jose Castillo and Jose Bautista will compete for second base and the eight spot in the lineup this season.

PITCHING: The Pittsburgh rotation is comprised mostly of young starters looking to live up to their potential. The most experienced starter is Zach Duke, who is entering his third season with the Pirates. On any other team Duke would be a middle of the rotation guy, but here he is the staff ace. Second in the rotation is Ian Snell. Often considered the best of the young starters, Snell has enough talent to eventually overcome Duke as the team's best starter. The third and fourth starters are Paul Maholm and Tom Gorzelanny. Neither of these guys performed too well last year, but will once again be given a shot because Pittsburgh does not have any better alternatives. The final spot will be given to one of several guys who will battle for the job in spring training. Tony Armas Jr. is the favorite for the spot, but his chronic injuries could open the door for Shawn Chacon or Cuban defect Yoslan Herrera. The bullpen was led by Mike Gonzalez last season who did not blow a save all year. However, with his departure Salomon Torres will be counted on to fill his shoes. Torres has been a quality reliever over the years and should be a fine option at closer. The rest of the Pittsburgh bullpen features pitchers with experience. This suggests that the bullpen may actually be the strength of the team. Damaso Marte, Matt Capps, Dan Kolb, and John Wasdin all will have significant roles in middle relief.

X-FACTOR: Chris Duffy clearly has some of the best speed in the majors which was shown by his 26 steals in just 84 games. It was a truly remarkable statistic considering Duffy barely hit .250 in 2006. If Duffy can get his average closer t0 .300, he will be able to create runs for the heart of the order. A consistent leadoff man would be a big step towards a competitive baseball team in Pittsburgh.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: All of their young starters progress, Duffy becomes a tremendous leadoff hitter, and Torres is able to be just as effective closing games as Mike Gonzalez was. Pirates fans can expect their team to be in the Wild Card hunt for awhile if the Pirates play to the best of their ability.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: All of the Pirates starters are inconsistent, LaRoche takes a step back due to a change in scenery, and Jim Tracy is this team's manager. The Pirates are the favorite for last place in the NL Central, and a year like this will put them there.

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: You could make a very compelling argument that the White Sox had the worst offseason of anyone in baseball. They would have been better off if they just did not make a move. Their offseason was highlighted by two puzzling trades they made. The first was when they traded starting pitcher Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia for Gavin Floyd. Alone this trade is not bad for Chicago. They not only saved some money, but also opened up a rotation spot for young arm Brandon McCarthy. However, just a few weeks later the White Sox dealt McCarthy to Texas for a few middle level prospects. Once blessed with a surplus of quality starting pitchers, the White Sox now have a shortage. These trades will almost surely come back to haunt them at some time during the season. The rest of their offseason did not make as many headlines. Chicago brought in former Angels' outfielder Darin Erstad to compete with Brian Anderson in center field. Erstad has had several injury problems over the last few years, and it would be a surprise to see him play close to a full season. The only loss that may be felt this season in free agency was David Riske. He was quality reliever, but should be easy to replace.

OFFENSE: The White Sox will go with almost the same group of guys in their lineup as they did last season. Speedster Scott Podsednik should see most of the leadoff duty to start the year, but if he struggles again he will most likely lose some playing time to Pablo Ozuna. Batting behind him will be Tadahito Iguchi. He has proven to be both reliable at second base and at the plate, and his job should not be in any question. The heart of the Chicago order could be one of the best in baseball. Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, and Jim Thome are all coming off monster seasons, and there is no evidence that they are close to slowing down. As long as these players stay at the level they have been playing at, the White Sox should be in the playoff race all season. Batting behind them will be third baseman Joe Crede, who took a major step towards reaching his potential last season. Another solid season could give the White Sox the best lineup in baseball. Towards the end of the lineup will be catcher AJ Pierzinski. He is a very good hitter for a catcher, and the White Sox are a lot better when he is playing. Darin Erstad and Brian Anderson will split time in center field. Any offensive production out of either would be an added bonus to Chicago. The only question mark in the order is shortstop Juan Uribe. He has been a solid contributor the last few season and would be a lock to play were it not for his legal issues. If he is forced to miss the season, Alex Cintron will be the starter and hit ninth.

PITCHING: The White Sox rotation consists of several talented pitchers who have been known to underachieve. The best case of this is number one starter Mark Buehrle. Going into last season, Buehrle was considered one of the few sure bets to give you a good start in the major leagues. A completely out of character 2006 season has people around baseball questioning if the year was a fluke or a sign of things to come. Both Jose Contreras and Javier Vasquez are blessed with great stuff, but they seem to never be able to go an entire start without imploding in one inning. The other familiar sight in the rotation is Jon Garland. Although Garland gives up a lot of runs for an 18 game winner, he seems to always find a way to win. Battling it out for the now vacant fifth spot will be Gavin Floyd, Heath Phillips, and Charlie Haeger. The bullpen has a bit more uncertainty than the starting rotation. One definite is that Bobby Jenks will be the closer. He has done a very effective job the last few years and has developed into one of the better young closers in baseball. Outside of Jenks and setup man Mike MacDougal, there is little consistency and experience within the White Sox bullpen. Matt Thornton, David Aardsma, and Andrew Sisco will all fight for spots within the pen.

X-FACTOR- After a dreadful 2006 season, the White Sox will be counting Mark Buerhle to bounce back. Last year his ERA rose by a run and a half while his strikeouts dropped by more than 50. The White Sox have a rotation full of second and third starters, but to go anywhere some one will need to step up and be the staff ace. Buehrle must be the pitcher to fill that role again for Chicago.

BEST CASE SCENARIO- All the White Sox starters pitch to their potential, Jermaine Dye continues to play at an MVP level, and people become more reliable in the middle of the bullpen. With all these things taking place, it would not be a surprise to see the White Sox return to the World Series.

WORST CASE SCENARIO- Buerhle is awful again, both trades come back to haunt Chicago, and Jim Thome begins to show his age. Once again the White Sox will be on the outside of the playoffs looking in if a season like this occurs.

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: MINNESOTA TWINS

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: We have become accustom to quiet offseasons in Minnesota and nothing has changed this year. You know your team plays in a small market when the only two free agents they signed were Ramon Ortiz and Jeff Cirillo. Since there is really nothing else to speak of in this section, I'll take a few moments to speak about the minimal impact they will have for the team. Cirillo is the team's best bat off the bench, and he will get some time at third base if Nick Punto struggles this year. The veteran Ortiz will compete for a starting spot towards the back end of the rotation. The Twins did lose a big part of their recent success this offseason when pitcher Brad Radke decided to retire. His veteran leadership and steady production will be hard to replace. The Twins also lost Stewart and Phil Nevin to free agency, but both players are past their prime and should not be major losses in any sense.

OFFENSE: Once again the Twins will be playing with one of the better everyday lineups in the American League. The Twins have quite possibly the two best hitters in the AL in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Both are perennial MVP candidates and tough outs for any pitcher. They would not be as much of a threat if it weren't for the excellent protection around them. While Torii Hunter may have lost a step, he still has 30 homer potential and cannot be taken lightly by any pitcher. While Hunter may be on the decline, it was Michael Cuddyer who had a breakout year for Minnesota last season. For the first time in his career he went over 100 RBIs. Cuddyer's ability to play several positions was also a huge help to Minnesota when they experienced their share of injuries. Outfielder Rondell White should also be able to add some power if he is able to stay healthy. Adding speed to the lineup will be second baseman Luis Castillo. His ability to get on base makes him a catalyst for the Twins offense. Rounding out the lineup are designated hitter Jason Kubel and shortstop Jason Bartlett. Both are light hitters and may be replaced before the season is over. Some positive contributors off the bench should be outfielder Lew Ford and infielder Jeff Cirillo.

PITCHING: The Twins' staff will again be led by the league's best starter, Johan Santana. There is not a pitcher in baseball who has proven to be better or more durable than last year's Cy Young. There is no reason to doubt that he won't be at this level for the upcoming season. The rest of the rotation is a giant question mark for Minnesota. Carlos Silva will start the season as their number two starter, but his inconsistency makes him too unreliable of an option. Young arms Boof Bonser and Matt Garza will be counted on to fill major spots in the rotation. They both have excelled in the minor leagues but have not shown that high level of pitching in their short major league stints. Glen Perkins, Sidney Ponson, Scott Baker, and Ramon Ortiz will all compete for the last spot in the rotation. Their bullpen is led by dominant closer Joe Nathan. He may not get the headlines that fellow closer Mariano Rivera gets, but he has been just as effective the past few years. Their set up men Juan Rincon and Jesse Crain have also been very steady the past few years, and together they make one of the better late inning bullpens in baseball. As good as they are late in games, the Twins do have some trouble in middle relief. Several current minor leaguers will be counted on to fill roles in the sixth and seventh innings of games.

X-FACTOR: When the young superstar Francisco Liriano went down last year with arm trouble, the Twins learned that they would be without him for not only the end of 2006 but also all of 2007. Without him and Radke this season, the Twins are in search of some one who can step up and be the number two starter on the staff. That responsibility will fall on the shoulders of young pitcher Matt Garza. His impressive minor league numbers led to his rise to the top of many prospect lists. Garza struggled in his first major league action, and he must show this season that he can be as effective in the majors as he was in the minors. If this happens, he will be the number two starter they are looking for.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Morneau and Mauer continue playing at their MVP level, Cuddyer shows that last season was the beginning of a good career, and Garza becomes this year's Liriano. If everything falls into place, the Twins will be making their first return to the World Series in over decade.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Hunter's play experiences a major drop off, Santana is the only reliable starter in the rotation, and pitchers begin to figure out Justin Morneau. A year like this would almost certainly result in a failure to make a repeat appearance in the playoffs for the Twins.

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: DETROIT TIGERS

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: Coming off a trip to the World Series, Detroit looked to keep the same core of guys that were on that team while adding a few players to make the team more complete. Their biggest move of the offseason was the trade that allowed them to acquire Gary Sheffield. Granted, Sheffield is past his prime, he still is the power threat that the Tigers lacked in the middle of their lineup last season. Giving up top pitching prospect Humberto Sanchez may prove to be costly down the line, but the Tigers now that their time is now. The team was very quiet outside of the Sheffield trade as shown by only making two other moves the rest of the winter. They retained first baseman Sean Casey who will continue to be their everyday guy. They also signed veteran Jose Mesa who will add some depth and experience to an already talented bullpen. The Tigers also did not lose many players from their American League Championship team. The one player who may be missed is reliever Jamie Walker, but he was only a middle man in the bullpen and will most likely not be too difficult to replace. The Tigers addressed their one need this offseason, power, and by still keeping most of their players, they have themselves in solid shape for next season.

OFFENSE: The balanced Detroit lineup that a took a trip to the World Series last season will look very similar in their defense of the American League crown. Possibly its biggest question lies at the top with lead off hitter Curtis Granderson. There is no question that the center fielder has the bat to hit there, but he has shown that he lacks patience and decision making skills at times. Also setting the table will be the reliable and underrated Placido Polanco who will also handle duties at second base. The heart of the lineup should be very dangerous with designated hitter Gary Sheffield, right fielder Magglio Ordonez, and first baseman Sean Casey most likely getting the majority of the RBI chances. What makes the Tigers lineup so productive is that their bottom of the lineup can at times be as strong as the top. Veteran leader and catcher Ivan Rodriguez will most likely hit at this part of the order, and despite his age, he is still the type of hitter that opposing pitchers fear. Also, the Tigers talented shortstop Carlos Guillen will be at the back end, and his perennial .300 average makes him one of the tougher outs at the end of the lineup in the league. Rounding out the order will be Craig Monroe, who can provide some extra pop, and the steady Brandon Inge. Reserve outfielder Marcus Thames should also see plenty of at bats this season off the Tigers bench.

PITCHING: One of the biggest surprises last season was how well the Tigers pitching staff performed. Their success was the main reason why they experienced such a drastic turnaround. Once again the veteran Kenny Rogers will head the staff. Rogers doesn't rely on striking people out, so the Tigers should not be concerned about him declining with age. The real staff ace is Jeremy Bonderman. He has gotten better every year in the majors and could take the final step this season to becoming a star. The young Justin Verlander will sit in the middle of the rotation, and his combination of 100 mph fastballs and off speed pitches should show that his Rookie of the Year was no fluke. At the bottom of the rotation are Nate Robertson and Mike Maroth. Usually both these guys are dependable and good enough to give their team a chance to win. Along with a solid rotation the Tigers also have a strong bullpen. Their closer once again will be Todd Jones. Rather than using speed, Jones is just a crafty pitcher who manages to get guys out. If he does however falter now that he is towards the end of his career, the flame throwing Joel Zumaya will be waiting in the wings as the team's closer of the future. Along with Zumaya, Fernando Rodney has a great young arm, and together they make up the best set up tandem in baseball. The newly acquired Jose Mesa and Wilfredo Ledezma will also eat up some innings for the Detroit bullpen.

X-FACTOR: In a lineup that has tremendous talent throughout, it is essential that men get on base to created RBI opportunities for the middle of the order. After last season, there have been some doubts whether Curtis Granderson can do that as a lead off hitter. Last season he struck out 174 times and had an on base percentage of .335. Numbers like those will not allow him to keep the top spot in the order in 2007. It's crucial that he can put up better numbers because a consistent Granderson that bats first would be part of the ideal lineup for Detroit.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Sheffield regains his old form, both Bonderman and Verlander become elite starters, Granderson shows that he can be a lead off hitter, and the Tigers can recapture the magic from last season. This would not only result in a trip to the World Series but also with a win there.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Age catches up with Rogers, Sheffield, and Jones, Verlander suffers the sophomore slump, Zumaya experience more arm trouble, and many Tigers show that 2006 was their career year. If this is what happens in Detroit, there would be a slip back into mediocrity for the Tigers.

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: It seems as though every season the Angels are always competing with the Athletics for the AL West crown. With the Athletics losing Barry Zito this offseason, the Angels looked to upgrade enough to regain their division title. The move that made headlines was giving Gary Matthews a five year 50 million dollar contract. A lot of people, including myself, consider this a bit of a risk considering Matthews Jr.'s 2006 season could very well have been a fluke that was overrated by one catch he made in center field. In addition to Matthews Jr., the Angels added controversial Shea Hillenbrand to the offense. Although he may make a stupid comment here and there, there is no question that Hillenbrand has a pretty solid bat. He will fill in at DH until Juan Rivera heals from his injury. The Angels spent the rest of their money on middle reliever Justin Speier and long reliever Darren Oliver. Both players did a very good job last season and should only improve an already strong Angels' bullpen. Anaheim did lose two mainstays on their team for years when Darin Erstad and Adam Kennedy opted to sign with other teams. The Angels should only miss them in the clubhouse because Erstad was injury prone and Kennedy's replacement is the young and talented Howie Kendrick. They had no problem in letting them leave this offseason. While the jury is still out on the Matthews signing, the Angels on a whole did a very good job addressing their needs and filling them this offseason.

OFFENSE: The Angels have one of the more balanced offenses in the American League but their problem could lie in the power department. The only big bat in their lineup is Vladimir Guerrero. Granted, Vlad has been known to carry a team by himself, however the Angels would like to have some serious protection behind him. The player that used to carry this tag was Garret Anderson, but he has been on the decline due to injury and age. The Angels will have plenty of men on base this season, starting with Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera. Both players did a terrific job setting the table and stealing bases so that Guererro would hit with runners in scoring position. Other veterans that should help this team score are the previously mentioned Gary Matthews Jr. and budding star Howie Kendrick. The young second baseman has shown the tools to be one the best everyday second basemen in the majors this season. At designated hitter, the Angels planned to go with Juan Rivera but the injury to his left tibia forced the them to sign Shea Hillenbrand. The biggest question marks in the lineup are at first base and catcher. Casey Kotchman is the front runner to play first base, but he is clearly a better fielder than hitter and may give way to Hillenbrand once Rivera returns to play DH. At catcher last season the Angels were disappointed with the way Jose Molina played. It would not be a surprise to see Mike Napoli get significant time there this year.

PITCHING: Like their lineup, the Angels pitching staff is very solid from top to bottom. Their staff ace may not be on every one's radar, but John Lackey has evolved into one of the best pitchers in the AL. Towards the middle of the rotation will be Ervin Santana and Kelvin Escobar. Both pitchers have their problems, but on a whole they are productive middle of the rotation guys. Santana stuggles mightily on the road, and if he was ever able to put those problems behind him he would be a very good number two starter. Escobar's struggles come from injuries but in 2006 he was able to have a pretty much injury free season, so those troubles may be behind him. The young Jered Weaver will also be on the staff, and if he can pitch anywhere as well as he did last season he should be a big boost to the Angels rotation. The fifth spot in the rotation will be held by Joe Saunders until Bartolo Colon comes back from his injury. The bullpen gives the Angels a lot of depth and flexibility with their pitching. Theri closer, Francisco Rodriguez, has established himself as one of the best in baseball, and the Angels are always confident that he will get the job done. Joining K-Rod are the durable and talented Scott Shields and Justin Speier who will do the set-up work. Hector Carrasco and Darren Oliver also should prove to be solid contributors to the bullpen before the season is over.

X-FACTOR: As mentioned earlier the Angels rely mainly on Vladimir Guerrero for most of their homers and RBIs. The player that did a good job helping out last season with these categories was Juan Rivera. The key for the Angels is to get back a healthy Rivera before they dig themselves a major whole. If he returns and shows some improvement on his 2006 numbers, he will be the reliable presence that should offer some protection to Vlad in the lineup.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Kendrick evolves into one of the best second baseman in the league, Weaver continues to improve, Rivera returns and picks up where he left off last season, and Matthews Jr. proves that 2006 season was no fluke. If all this happens, we could be seeing the Angels return to the World Series

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Escobar gets hurt again, Anderson's production significantly drops off again, Hillenbrand is once again a clubhouse cancer, and no one steps up as a reliable cleanup hitter. If this is what the Angels will be facing this season, then it will be their first losing season since 2003.

SUPER BOWL RECAP: FROM MANNING TO LEGEND

The seconds couldn't go by any quicker. The always calm Peyton Manning stood there with his arms folded and an eye on the clock. As the Bears raced down the the field in their last attempts to make up the twelve point deficit, Manning was happy to finally just stand there. His mind was on the game, but there was no question some thoughts about his place in history were beginning to creep into his head. As the time went down, perhaps he was envisioning the early days as a child on the field with Archie, Eli, and Cooper. Then his focus would shift down to the disappointment he felt as a quarterback at Tennessee trying to bring his school the national championship. The NFL came next and his countless records. Those were all nice but far from his mind at this point. Instead you could expect the games against New England and Pittsburgh, as well as the terms and phrases "chokes" and "the next Dan Marino: great stats, no ring" bouncing around his head. For this was the last time he would have to field the inevitable question, "Will you ever win a Super Bowl?" All of these memories were replaced by new ones now. For this was a career that, as great as it was, had only just begun. The final seconds ticked away and Peyton pumped his fist in the air knowing a new word would be found next to his name. Legend.

As for Chicago, it was an all around disappointing performance for the NFC champs. In reality they only had two successful plays the whole game. The first being the electrifying kick return by Devin Hester, which just happened to be guaranteed here on Friday. The second was the 52 yard run by Thomas Jones that set up the second touchdown. Take away those two plays and you possibly have one of the worst offensive performances in playoff history. When you consider who is at blame here, there are many areas to focus on. First and foremost is the head coach Lovie Smith who had one of the worst game plans I can remember in Super Bowl history. He was fully aware that if the Bears were going to win they had to run the football, but once they got in a hole and got stuffed at the line of scrimmage a few times, they gave up on Thomas Jones for much of the second half. Also, the way he used Rex Grossman was abysmal. Smith basically determined from the start of the game that he would protect Grossman by not allowing him to throw. As a result of this, Grossman was unable to ever get in a rhythm, and when he was called on late in the game, he was on a whole ineffective.

Speaking of Grossman, just because he was used poorly doesn't mean he gets out of this mess with his hands clean. First of all, he better pay close attention next season when the Bears go over how to take a snap because apparently he never learned this crucial lesson of being a quarterback. Also, I can't even fathom a guess on why he throws some of these passes. He need to start to recognize that when the other team is in front of your receiver, it is not a good idea to throw the ball there.

Finally, the Bears were expected to have one huge advantage in this game. What I speak of was the matchup of their rush defense versus the Colts rush offense. However, the Bears were pushed around all day by the offensive line of Indianapolis and allowed the Colts to have the threat of both the rush and pass.

As the Bears look towards the offseason and eventually next season, a few areas need to be addressed. Most importantly is quarterback. The Bears must decide whether Grossman can improve or if this is the limit for the former Florida Gator. Brian Griese did not do enough to push Grossman this season, so look for Chicago to at the very least bring in another veteran to compete with Rex. Also it is crucial that the Bears lock up free agent Lance Briggs as well as add some depth to the defense. If they can do this, there is no reason why Chicago will not once again contend for the Super Bowl.

With Super Bowl on our mind, its time we shift our focus to this year's winners. Enough has been said about Manning so let's start with running game. Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, considering what they were facing, but together one of the best rushing performances in recent memory. Rhodes rushed for over 100 yards while averaging more than 5 yards a carry and punching in a score. The versatile Addai not only rushed for around 70 yards but also contributed with ten catches. The early success of the Colts rushing game was enough to open up the offense so that the Bears were forced to respect both the run and pass.

Part of the rushing success was due to the tremendous offensive line play of the Colts. Led by center Jeff Saturday, the big men up front for Indy dominated the Bears defensive line all day long. Not only was the heralded Bears rush defense held in check, but the Colts were able to keep the pressure on Peyton Manning to a minimum. It's hard to recall many instances in which Manning was hurried let alone sacked. Their punishing play up front was the main reason they won the game, and I wouldn't have hesitated to give everyone of them a share of the MVP award.

Like the Bears, Indianapolis is in terrific shape for the upcoming season. Their major free agents are Cato June and Dominic Rhodes, however a loss of either would not have that much of an impact on the Colts. Although the defense played well late, Indianapolis will most likely look to at the very least add some depth to it during free agency and the draft. Regardless of what the Colts do, they are a lock for next year's playoffs and should be the favorites to repeat as champions. We could very well be looking at the beginning of a new dynasty.

That's it for the football coverage this season. It was a lot of fun and a pleasure to write about all the stories going around the NFL. I'll be back in April for a preview of the draft. For now, enjoy the baseball previews that will be leading up to the season.

SUPER BOWL PREVIEW: COLTS-BEARS

It's early Friday afternoon now. By now both teams are accustomed to the frenzy and craziness of Super Bowl week. Media day has come and gone. It is football time now. Unlike Super Bowls of recent memory, this game has a lot of added flavor to it. The story lines are abundant that range from African-American coaches, to Manning vs Urlacher, to Grossman versus himself. The recap could have so many headlines for a game with so much going on. Will it be, Manning finally wins big one? Maybe, Hester returns Super Bowl to Chicago? Perhaps, Vinatieri does it again? Regardless, all that is certain now is that there will be winners and losers, heroes and goats, legends and horror stories. Put aside all of the hype that has been buzzing around the city of Miami for almost two weeks now. On Sunday there will be sixty minutes of football. Nothing else matters, nothing else will be remembered.

QUARTERBACKS: Peyton was praised endlessly for his final drive against the Patriots, as he should have been, but on a whole his AFC Championship performance was not at the level of the regular season Peyton Manning. After two sub par and one average performance in the playoffs, the pressure is on Peyton to raise his game or face the questions that followed Dan Marino during the latter stages of his career. If the Colts expect to come back from an 18 point deficit this week, they should probably not bother on making any orders for Super Bowl rings. The Bears defense has shown some trouble defending against the long pass, and if Manning can connect on a few of those early, he should have a very solid day. Even a bigger question mark than Manning is Bears QB Rex Grossman. At times during their win against the Saints, Grossman looked like the second-coming of Brett Favre. However, more often than not I questioned whether he knew how to play football. Personally, I feel as though Grossman would have to play the game of his life in order for the Bears to win. He might play better than usual, but I don't see him reaching that level. Manning is far more likely to positively affect the game's outcome. EDGE: INDIANAPLOIS

RUNNING BACKS: Much has been made of how the Colts' defense has taken their game to a new level in the postseason, but the Indianapolis running game is also playing better than anyone has expected. Earlier in the season teams were able to just play the pass because the Colts' running game was so inexperienced that it was barely a threat. As the year went on both Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai evolved into productive running backs. The threat of a running game has brought the Colts' offense back to the level it was at when they had Edgerrin James. If one of these running backs can have a big game, it may be hard to stop the Colts from winning the Super Bowl. Like the Colts, the Bears also rely on a running back tandem rather than just one man. Things were not supposed to be this way, but once the Bears had run away with the NFC, they began to rest Thomas Jones and gave the young Cedric Benson some work. Chicago was so impressed with the way Benson ran and how he was a perfect compliment to Jones that they continued to give him a share of the carries in the postseason. Combine the experience of Jones with the explosiveness of Benson, and Chicago has one of the better running games in football. Both teams will look to run early and often to open up their passing game. Whoever runs more successfully could determine who wins this game. EDGE: EVEN

RECEIVERS: It's quite obvious in this game that the talent at the wide receiver weighs much heavier on the Indianaplois side. With Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne catching his passes, Peyton Manning is blessed with one of the better receiver combinations in recent memory. While Wayne has maintained his Pro Bowl status during the postseason, once again Harrison has struggled in the bright spotlight of the playoffs. Harrison uncharacteristically has struggled to get open and hold onto passes. Whatever funk Harrison is in, the Colts must hope that he will be at the top of his game come Sunday. Peyton's other favorite target has been tight end Dallas Clark. After a relatively unproductive and injury marred regular season, Clark has exploded for two monster games so far during the 2007 playoffs. If all Manning's targets are playing well on Sunday, they will be impossible for Chicago to stop. Speaking of the Bears, their receivers may not have the name recognition that the Colts' wideouts have, but they have still been very productive at what they do. Muhsin Muhammed has been Rex Grossman's reliable possession receiver, and it seems as though as long as Rex throws it in his direction, Moose will catch it. Muhammed's compliment is the speedy Bernard Berrian. Chicago's deep threat is usually good for at least one big gain each game. Like Indy, Chicago looks to utilize their TE. Desmond Clark fills that role for the Bears, and whenever Grossman is in trouble he looks to his big tight end. Along with these players, don;t be surprised if Andy Moorehead, Ricky Proehl, Ben Utecht, or Rashead Davis have an impact on this game. EDGE: INDIANAPOLIS

DEFENSE: The drastic improvement to a defense that had once been described as pathetic has been the story of the Indianapolis Colts postseason so far. Rather than changing schemes or using different players, the change has seemed to come instead from players focusing more and realizing what is at stake. The way the Colts play defense is a perfect matchup against Rex Grossman. The Colts use the cover two defense, and their philosophy is to bend but not break. Grossman's strength is completing deep passes, not the short ones to the outside or over the middle. Therefore Chicago may look to run the ball more, and despite the improvement from awful to awesome that the Indianapolis defense experienced, there is still no guarentee that they will play well on a weekly basis. Chicago's defense is the one that makes headlines. While they were off the a record start this season, the loss of Tommie Harris and Mike Brown had caused some issues towards the end of the regular season. They seem to have recovered in their rush defense, but the pass defense may still be a question. Despite forcing Drew Brees to fumble numerous times in the NFC Championship game, he did have nearly 300 passing yards by the time the fourth quarter began. If they can apply similar pressure to Manning, they may be able to make up for the growing holes in their secondary. Regardless, Brian Urlacher and the Bears defense should have enough tricks up their sleeve to be the superior defense on the field in Miami. EDGE: CHICAGO

SPECIAL TEAMS: Often in the Super Bowl a key play on special teams, for better or for worse, will swing a game in one teams direction. The Colts have a kicker who has been the hero of two Super Bowls, and clearly if the game comes down to a last second field goal they will feel very confident having the leg of Adam Vinatieri. The Bears have a solid kicker of their own, Robbie Gould, who has already made a game winning field goal this postseason. Due to his inexperience, Chicago would still be sweating it out if the game was Gould's to win. However, Chicago has a different special teamer that has been known to make an impact. Rookie kick returner Devin Hester will be returning to the city where he played college and will look to give his team an edge in the return game. My prediction is that we will see Hester in the endzone on Sunday, but he will need help from his teammates if he expects to leave Miami with a championship. EDGE: EVEN

FINAL ANALYSIS: In a Super Bowl with so many playmakers on both sides of the ball, it may appear like a difficult game to judge on the surface. For me, I find this game to be one of the easiest ones to pick in years. Peyton Manning does not need to be Joe Montana on Sunday, he just needs to protect the football. The Colts offense may struggle initially against the Bears defense, but as the game wages on Manning will start to figure out the various schemes Chicago will throw at him. For the Bears offense, it is impossible for me to envision any scenario in which Rex Grossman plays well. He makes too many mistakes to lead his team to victory. The only way Chicago can win this game is if Devin Hester and the Bears defense score touchdowns and their running game is unstoppable. The Bears would need almost a perfect day to win this game, and they will not get it. Here's an early congratulations to your Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts. PREDICTION: COLTS 31 BEARS 17

2007 TEAM OUTLOOK: NEW YORK YANKEES

OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: We're used to seeing the Yankees spend money like its their job, so considering the past, it was a relatively quiet offseason for the Boss. Rather than blow all their money on one player, the Yankees tried to both sign players to help them win in 2007, while also strengthening their farm system. Their two biggest moves were trading veterans Jaret Wright, Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson. Both players had proven to be susceptible to injury, and the Yankees were lucky to unload them for quality prospects. The Yankees used the rest of their offseason to reassemble a pitching staff that was devastated by season's end in 2006. They re-signed Mike Mussina and brought back familiar face Andy Pettite to the team. Also, the Yankees took a risk on Kei Igawa, a Japanese starter that should fit somewhere in the middle of the Yankees rotation. The only other notable move of the Yankee offseason was the signing of Doug Mientkiewicz, who will play first base and gives the Yanks a lift defensively. The only losses to free agency that the Yankees suffered were that of hardly used middle relievers, but it should not be a hard to overcome because they replenished their bullpen with solid arms Luis Vizcaino and Chris Britton. On a whole it was very successful offseason for GM Brian Cashman and company.

OFFENSE: Like usual, the Yankees are stacked with possibly the best offense in baseball. The lineup will look very similar to last season with Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter hitting at the top of the order. Also, Bobby Abreu would be the logical choice to hit third considering his high OBP and decent power. Their ability to get on base should once again give plenty of RBI oppurtunities for Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and Jason Giambi. Newly acquired Doug Doug Mientkiewicz should hit towards the bottom of the order with Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano. Despite having very solid numbers, the Yankees will most likely keep Cano ninth to act as their second leadoff hitter. Bench player Andy Phillips could see a decent amount of work as well if Mientkiewicz, struggles against lefties like has in the past.

PITCHING: Clearly the biggest question mark on this team is the pitching staff. Veterans Andy Pettite and Mike Mussina will headline the rotation. The third starter will be Chien-Ming Wang, who's tremendous sinker ball led him to a terrific 2006 season in which he led the AL in wins. He is quite possibly the most reliable pitcher on the staff. Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa will most likely start the season as fourth in the rotation, while Carl Pavano, the highly touted Phillip Hughes, and Jeff Karstens will all compete for a chance to start. The bullpen is as strong as ever and will once again be headed by the league's best closer Mariano Rivera. The fire ballers Scott Proctor and Jeff Farnsworth will be the main set-up guys, and Luis Vizcaino, Chris Britton, and Mike Myers should all see significant work this year.

X-FACTOR: In an odd scenario, the Yankees X-factor is not even a member of the team. The player I speak of is Roger Clemens. The Rocket clearly seems poised to pitch in 2007, and if he chooses the Yankees over the Red Sox and Astros, it will provide a huge lift to the rotation. While the Yankees have several solid starters, Clemens would give them the one ace that is both an ace and a big time postseason pitcher. With Clemens it may once again be the year of the Yankee.

BEST CASE SCENARIO: Clemens signs with the Yankees, Igawa is even better than Daisuke Matzusaka, and A-Rod sheds the label of baseball's biggest loser. If all this happens, it would be hard to find any reason why the Yankees would not be celebrating their 27th World Series title.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: No one steps up as the fourth and fifth starter, A-Rod continues his postseason struggles, and the team is once again plagued by injuries. A season like this could be the first one in over decade that will see the Yankees missing the playoffs.