Hell Freezing Over in Cleveland and Detroit?

Last week, the Cleveland Indians battled with the Boston Red Sox for the American League crown.

Now, two cities who had to wear paper bags on their heads for years can use those bags for a good reason—to bag their snacks for Sunday.

Cleveland Browns Are Here For The Party

While Pittsburgh and Baltimore get all the attention, and the Bengals look for bail money, Cleveland is winning ball games in royal fashion.

After coming back from a 14-0 deficit against St. Louis, the Browns held off the Rams 27-20 to go to 4-3 on the season and put themselves in a position to challenge the Steelers and Ol' Browns in the AFC North.

Am I losing it, or is it officially okay to say "Go Browns!"?

While the Patriots and Colts prepare for their showdown, the Browns look to take out their division foes—starting with Baltimore.

It's okay to be a Browns fan right now, and in all honesty, I'm starting to smile a little bit inside. So in the words of my gridiron brother, Mike Frazee: "God loves the Buckeyes...and the BROWNS!!!"

Detroit Rock City

Before the season, the Lions snagged arguably the biggest compliment to Roy Williams. in the form of Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson.

After training camp, quarterback Jon Kitna guaranteed 10 wins this season.

So far, the Lions have lost only two games, and are keeping pace with the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North crown.

Wait a minute! The Bears are bad, and the Lions are good? Is this world turned upside down? The Lions are running wild through the jungle of the NFC North, and actually doing it well.

Their defense kept the mighty Bears in check, and brought even Brian Griese back to reality. I would say that it is officially time to lose your mind in Detroit...Rock City!

The Saints Are Marching In

New Orleans was in need of some major motivation. They must have gotten it.

After three straight wins, the Saints are out of the 'Aints column and in back in charge of their own destiny.

They have put themselves in position to win the NFC South one more time—and in the wild NFC, anything is possible.

With Carolina and Atlanta playing Hold 'Em in the South basement, it all comes down to the Bucs and the Saints. Jeff Garcia vs. Drew Brees—what a perfect match up that would be.

Little Giants No More

Tiki knocked them. Strahan was pondering retirement. Coach Coughlin was on the hot seat.

All in the past. 

Tiki Barber—for the record—wasn't as good as he thought. He just had a good offensive line.

And Strahan knows how good it would feel to bring Lord Lombardi's trophy back to the NFC.

With Washington having road woes, and Donovan McNabb under constant fire both on and off the field, Dallas and the New York Football Giants are showing us some of that old-school-rivalry fire that made people think twice before messing with the Nationals.

I only have one thing to say to Tiki Barber: You bashed your old team, figured Coughlin would be fired due to not listening to you—and yet, the Giants are 6-2 and only a game behind Wade Phillips' mighty Cowboys.

How do you like 'dem apples, you whining little midget?

With the First Pick in the 2008 Draft...

Atlanta has won a game, and so have the sputtering Jets.

They are both out of the hunt for the first pick. So who's in draft mode now?

Shockingly enough, the St. Louis Rams. Unshockingly enough, so are the Miami Dolphins.

Both teams are 0-8 with quarterbacks who can't get the job done. Miami's issue? Not grabbing a quarterback when they had a chance, and wasting their pick on a limping, egotistical kick returner.

The Rams? They grabbed a guy who made some noise at Rutgers, but has been unable to find his footing so far this season. Every week they start swinging out of the gates, but they have as much chance of finishing a game as Randy Couture has of having a peaceful lunch with Dana White.

So, I guess the real question is which of these teams will win the #1 pick in the NFL Draft.

(By the way, Steven Jackson, if you're going to get hurt every time you step onto the field, be like Trent Green and just go away. You are causing more harm than good.)

The Bulls' Downfall Revisited

Now I know this isn't football, but it needs to be said: The New York Yankees should have seen this coming.

After all he has done for the Bombers, Torre was offered a one year deal. Is that a joke? Who is running that team, a clan of monkeys?

Several Yankees said if Torre was let go, they would leave too. A-Rod was the first to depart the team, and don't be surprised if Derek Jeter follows suit.

This is exactly how the Chicago Bulls' dynasty ended. Phil Jackson was sent packing, and then Michael Jordan left. The rest of his team followed suit, and the NBA hasn't been the same ever since.

The Bulls now have some high-caliber players, and can make it to the postseason, but what about the Yankees? Where's the love in the Bronx? Where's the trust?

I could be wrong, but don't expect to see the New York Yankees in the playoffs next season. Good luck, Yanks...you're sure as hell going to need it.