What's $15 Trillion among citizens?

ITEM ONE: Uncle Sam can you spare some dimes?

It's as if once a week we hear about some industry that is in trouble with its finances. My initial reaction to this is that friends of mine like Brian D'Errico had the right idea about their choice of profession. Brian is currently a senior accountant for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and while I think he's found his dream job working for an NFL franchise, he's really in a good place being an accountant for an organization that constantly is under the salary cap. I say this because he and his fellow co-workers obviously know how to keep their organization profitable and running within a budget dealing with millions of dollars.

Too bad some of the companies and industries knocking on the GAO's door with their hands out don't have the same kind of people working in their financial departments. Consider the following have received government handouts in 2008 alone:

• Bear Stearns - $30 billion – JP Morgan purchased this company but needed the money as a credit line from the Federal Board to complete the purchase
  
• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac - $200 billion – poster children for the collapse of the housing market
  
• AIG - $150 billion – and there may be more on the way
  
• Auto Industry - $25 billion – and like AIG, likely there will be a lot more on the way for the Big 3, or should we start calling them the Big 3 Idiots?
  
• "Troubled Assist Relief Program" - $700 billion – acronym is TARP but it should be TRAP, as in…
  
• Citigroup - $247.5 billion – how in the hell does a bank need money anyway
  

The total damage done here in just 2008 alone: $1,352,500,000,000.00 – that's right, $1.35 trillion dollars. Yet, the average American taxpayer, struggling as badly as ever in recent memory, doesn't get to see a single dime.

So how do we fix this? Do we storm the government buildings and burn them to the ground in an effort to start over again? Do we take all of the CEO's from these failed entities and file a class action suit to recover their salaries and bonuses, which combined probably, are equal to or exceed the above sum figure of handouts?

Well I say since our government seems to think they can just print money to cover these "loans", why not take it one step further and give us loans. Think about it: if every single citizen of the United States, and I estimate there are about 350 million of us, were to receive a check for $10,000 from the IRS, the amount the government would lay out is $3.5 trillion, or only slightly more than twice as much as all of those failing businesses were loaned. What could you do with another $10,000 right now? Could you take a nice vacation with your family for the holidays? Put a down payment on a new car, or buy new furniture? Pay off some debt or invest it in a college fund? Or just have an extra $28 a day for dinner and drinks?

I mean, if we're going to go this much into debt as a nation in order to save necessary public and private industries, isn't it just as important to save our citizens as well? Aren't we just as necessary? Okay, perhaps this isn't really feasible because of the fact that not everyone in the population pays taxes, and the rich won't need $10,000 extra since that's just pocket change to them. Still, if the government is going to allow the coffers to be fully accessible for a limited time only, why not us and why not now?

It's just a thought.

ITEM TWO: Coloring in the playoff picture

So with 4 weeks to go, we are beginning to have a clearer understanding of the NFL playoff picture. Here is where we stand:

		AFC	W	L	T	WK 14	WK 15	WK 16	WK 17
	1	TEN	11	1	0	CLE	@ Hou	PIT	@ Ind
	2	PIT	9	3	0	DAL	@ Bal	@ Ten	CLE
	3	NYJ	8	4	0	@ Sf	BUF	@ Sea	MIA
	4	DEN	7	5	0	KC	@ Car	BUF	@ Sd
	5	IND	8	4	0	CIN	DET	@ Jax	TEN
	6	BAL	8	4	0	WAS	PIT	@ Dal	JAX
		MIA	7	5	0	@ Buf	SF	@ Kc	@ Nyj
		NE	7	5	0	@ Sea	@ Oak	ARZ	@ Buf
		BUF	6	6	0	MIA	@ Nyj	@ Den	NE
		HOU	5	7	0	@ Gb	TEN	@ Oak	CHI
		JAX	4	8	0	@ Chi	GB	IND	@ Bal
		SD	4	8	0	OAK	@ Kc	@ Tb	DEN
		NFC	W	L	T	WK 14	WK 15	WK 16	WK 17
	1	NYG	11	1	0	PHI	@ Dal	CAR	@ Min
	2	TB	9	3	0	@ Car	@ Atl	SD	OAK
	3	ARZ	7	5	0	STL	MIN	@ Ne	SEA
	4	MIN	7	5	0	@ Det	@ Arz	ATL	NYG
	5	CAR	9	3	0	TB	DEN	@ Nyg	@ No
	6	ATL	8	4	0	@ No	TB	@ Min	STL
		DAL	8	4	0	@ Pit	NYG	BAL	@ Phi
		WAS	7	5	0	@ Bal	@ Cin	PHI	@ Sf
		PHI	6	5	1	@ Nyg	CLE	@ Was	DAL
		CHI	6	6	0	JAX	NO	GB	@ Was
		NO	6	6	0	ATL	@ Chi	@ Det	CAR
		GB	5	7	0	HOU	@ Jax	@ Chi	DET

Keep in mind that Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Seattle have already been officially eliminated from playoff contention. I further feel that Houston, Jacksonville, and San Diego in the AFC as well as Green Bay in the NFC are also too long of long shots to get into the playoffs. It's looking more and more like there will be 3 teams from the NFC South in the playoffs this year; that 10 wins may not be enough to get in as a wild card; that 3 of the 8 division winners might only have 9 wins; and that two of the marquee franchises in the league, the Cowboys and the Patriots, would miss the playoffs if the season ended today. So as I gaze into the crystal ball, here is who I think will finish the season in the playoffs:

AFC SEEDS will be: (1) Tennessee (13-3), (2) Pittsburgh (12-4), (3) NY Jets (11-5), (4) Denver (9-7), (5) Indianapolis (12-4), and (6) Baltimore (12-4). This means that the Patriots at 11-5 will lose on the division tie-breaker to the Jets in the AFC East based on division record, and that 11 wins will not be enough for them to get in as a wild card. The Steelers will lose at Baltimore in Week 15, but will win the division based upon the conference record tie-breaker. Miami will have the chance to play a spoilers role, especially the last week at the Jets. Speaking of the Fighting Favres, they have 2 west coast trips still to come at San Francisco and Seattle, and even though they are the better team, Jet fans will understand why I don't think they will win them both and also sweep home games against Buffalo and Miami as well. And as the playoffs commence, many will question the Titans, despite a conference best 13-3 mark, because I think they will lose their last two games (vs. Pittsburgh and at Indianapolis).

NFC SEEDS will be: (1) NY Giants (14-2), (2) Carolina (12-4), (3) Minnesota (10-6), (4) Arizona (9-7), (5) Tampa Bay (11-5), and (6) Atlanta (10-6). The most glaring thing that jumps out here is Atlanta making the playoffs over NFC East stalwarts Dallas, Washington, and Philadelphia. This is where analyzing the schedule comes into the play. The Falcons road games (New Orleans and Minnesota) are winnable games, and they get St. Louis at home at end of season. The Eagles have too much ground to make up thanks to that costly tie at Cincinnati. The Redskins are getting injured in key spots at the wrong time, and even though they have road games at Cincinnati and San Francisco, something tells me that, in addition to losing this week at Baltimore, the Eagles will trip them up. The Cowboys last four are simply brutal: at Pittsburgh (no way), home to the Giants (giving them that one), home to Baltimore (not tough enough), and at Philly (fans alone there will make sure they get eliminated). This coming week's Monday nighter between Tampa Bay and Carolina will influence who wins the South; Minnesota should beat Detroit (who I thinks finishes with the 0-16) and Arizona at home, and I think the Giants will continue to do their thing down the stretch.

We'll see what happens…

RANDOM THOUGHTS: A little birdie tells me that Terrence Howard was among the celebrities at a Starline Films event this past week in Paramus, where they held a fundraiser and showed a preview of the Anyone's Son documentary. I've also heard a rumor that their funding is finally being put into place and that shooting could begin on both Anyone's Son and 4CHOSEN in 2009. I'll try to confirm this as soon as I can… I have long been a vocal proponent of a college football playoff system, and it's looking like this could be another year to make the argument. Imagine what happens if Missouri should upset Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game this coming Saturday. Does that vault Texas, a team that didn't even outright win its own division, into the BCS Championship against the Alabama/Florida winner? Does a one-loss USC team (providing it doesn't get stung by cross-town rival UCLA) get the nod? What about one-loss Penn State, who won the Big Ten outright? And if Florida does beat Alabama, let's say in overtime, doesn't a then one-loss Bama deserve a re-match opportunity like Florida did against Florida State in 1996? Memo to President-Elect Obama: when you are ready to convene your blue-ribbon college football playoff panel, just make sure I get a seat at the table and I guarantee it would get done… Speaking of the new president, I like the way he is using the "keep your friends close and enemies closer" approach to building his cabinet. I mean, from the sound of people still reacting to his election, not only will we have all financial issues rectified and complete troop withdrawal from Iraq finalized within the first 90 days, but he's also supposed to enact complete health care for everybody and discovered a cure for cancer. No pressure, right? Perhaps some of us need to lower our expectations because short of walking on water (which I'm not saying is impossible) he's not going to be able to make all of the change people want by snapping his fingers. If only… Since the above mentioned bailout of Citigroup amounts to $247.5 billion, and the $240 million over 20 years ballpark naming rights deal with the Mets is unaffected (which is ridiculous), here's my shopping list for the Mets this off-season, seeing as how money shouldn't be an object to them: start with the pitching – they won't get Sabathia, and I don't want Sheets or Burnett, but if K-Rod comes down to 3 years, then roll the dice. Otherwise, I'd try to get Jonathan Broxton from the Dodgers via trade to be the new closer, and add relievers Chad Durbin from the Phillies, Mark Hendrickson from the Marlins, and 2 of these 3 starters: Derek Lowe of the Dodgers, Randy Wolf of the Astros, and Jon Garland of the Angels, to pitch behind Santana, Maine and Pelfrey. Offensively, they need to just eat the contract of Luis Castillo and bring in Orlando Hudson from Arizona to play 2B, while adding either Craig Monroe or Shannon Stewart might be good additions to the outfield… temps were pleasant in North Wildwood for Thanksgiving this year, and it was great to visit with family, especially getting to see my Dad. The house that he grew up in at 107 Asbury Ave in Ocean City is no more. All that's left is the lot; the house was completely demolished and the rubble removed. We saw it on Friday; just this empty patch of land on a street with small plots of property overflowing with other homes, and it just looked odd. But it wasn't a total loss – the fried donuts from Ward's Pastry on Asbury Avenue between 6^th and 7^th were beyond delicious, if there is such a thing.