Speaking of Florida for a moment, I was happy to learn that all the reporters and spin-meisters and other gasbags in Tallahassee will have to vacate their hotel rooms for the weekend because the Florida/Florida State game happens on Saturday and the rooms have been booked for over a year by football fans. Unfortunately, these public annoyances will not spend the weekend homeless in Tallahassee. On second thought, that is probably a good thing because if they did, we would be treated to about a hundred "special reports" on entertainment shows masquerading as news programming for the next 6 months. At least some people in Florida have perspective. The Florida/FSU game will identify who should be playing in the BCS national championship. All the other people meandering around the streets and municipal buildings and courthouses there are observing a debate that has been heard in playgrounds of elementary schools for years: "'Tis So! "Tis Not!! 'Tiz So!!! 'Tiz Not!!!!"

Since the Harvard/Yale game is this week and our two "Presidents-in-waiting" went to these respective institutions, do you think there is any chance that they might find their way to Boston for The Game? Not bloody likely, I guess. I figure that it is about the same probability as Saddam Hussein hosting a pig roast and inviting Shimone Peres.

Tom Boswell writes today about baseball coming to Washington some time soon. No offense Tom, but I think you wrote similar predictions back in 1980 and unless I have been in a coma for a while, it ain't happened yet. If I predict in this space on a daily basis that some person in their nineties is about to die, I'm going to be right eventually. But if it takes years and years to happen, I can't begin my next column by saying, "As predicted here, Joe Flabeetz kicked it last night…" Rather, the proper beginning would be, "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while…"

In Boswell's column, however, there are some interesting points. He suggests that after the "inevitable labor strife of 2001 in baseball" several teams will be on the move because MLB finally realizes the value of having mobile franchises. Minnesota, Miami and Tampa are three that he sees moving - in addition to Montreal. Last season the two Florida franchises, Miami and Tampa, drew a combined average of 34,692 people. That is about 6,000 less per game than the Orioles drew and the Orioles were a dreadful team that did not play entertaining baseball.

Jason Giambi was named MVP in the American League; Frank Thomas was second. No problem with that. Focusing at the other end of the spectrum of player prowess, the Phillies announced that they have signed Pete Rose Jr. Surely someone can look this up if they care, but this guy has to be near 30 now and has yet to show that he can dominate a AA league. Yes, I know that there are late bloomers, but if his name were Sam Glotz, I doubt that he could get into any ballpark in the country without a ticket. Come to think of it, that is the status of his old man too. Hmmm……

The Cleveland press reports that Manny Ramirez has received "advice" from Albert Belle regarding Ramirez' free agency. Belle's advice is to "take the money and run" because the fans in Cleveland are fickle and Manny should not pay them any heed. Hey, if Manny asks my advice, I'd tell him to take all the money he can get too; I have no problem with the advice. But seeking counsel from Albert Belle?! That is kind of like asking Martha Stewart how to "kick back and toss down a coupla' cold ones and just chill out".

The Washington Wizards had one of those classic "good news/bad news" nights. They had not scored over 90 points in any game this season until last night when they poured in 109; they lost the game. The Clippers also had a "good news/bad news" night. They only scored 76 points against the Knicks; they won the game. At this point, the Clippers are one game ahead of the Wizards. If the coaching staff of the Wizards needs material for a motivational speech...

US Olympic wrestler Brandon Slay got his gold medal yesterday due to the disqualification of a German competitor. He participated in a ceremony in Rockefeller Center and was handed the medal by Al Roker and it was televised on The Today Show. Looking at the photo of the ceremony, it is absolutely clear to me that Al Roker would have to compete in the "unlimited" weight class if he were to try out for the team in 2004.

The NHL has suspended Phoenix wing, Brad May, for 20 games for a slash to the face in a game against Columbus earlier this month. This was just about the same set of circumstances as the Marty McSorley incident last year except the injury was not nearly so serious. But it shows that whatever happened to McSorley has not acted as much of a deterrent. Interestingly, the victim in this case is named Steve Heinze and he wears number 57 for the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets. He said he chose that number because with his name over that number it would be appropriate for the Jackets who would be playing a lot of "ketchup" in their first season. Honest; that came from a hockey player.

Arizona State has decided to fire Bruce Snyder at the end of the season. Yet another job opens up in college football coaching ranks. ASU is 5-5 for the year but all five losses have been in the PAC-10. Bruce - and brother Bill at K-State - seem to share a fondness for scheduling out of conference cupcakes to make the record look better than the team actually is. But it seems to have caught up with him. Danny White - who is coaching the Arizona team in the Arena League - is an ASU alum and has expressed interest in the job. Now if ASU happens to beat Arizona on Saturday, ASU will be eligible for a Bowl Game with its 6-5 record. Might there be too many bowl games?

Oh, yeah; Michigan State is at the bottom of the Big Ten and if it beats Penn State, it too can qualify for a bowl bid. Are you convinced yet?

Since the Redskins have lost two games in a row, there are the usual stories about how Norv Turner is on the hot seat and how Danny Boy Snyder does not like Turner or Turner's favorite QB, Brad Johnson. But the story now seems to be that Danny Boy will not fire Norv during the season, but that Norv's fate hangs by a thread in case the Skins don't make it at least to the Super Bowl. The "inside sources" for these periodic stories have never been right, but that does not seem to stop the writers from going back to get the same info over and over again. The new twist in this one is the speculation about who Danny Boy might hire if he gives Norv the heave-ho. One suggested name is Bill Parcells and that is too funny to contemplate. Parcells demands total control; Danny Boy wants to be on the field at practice and making the final calls in contract matters and right there in the "war room" on draft day. Parcells is about football; Snyder is about getting his picture in the papers. Having these two coexist is less likely than a Pat Buchanan presidency.

Brian Griese's shoulder separation is pretty bad and will keep him out for at least 4 weeks. That will hurt the Broncos who will turn to Gus Frerotte to lead the stretch run for the team. Hopefully, Gus will not try to bang his head into any part of the stadium support structure for the next month or so. Even worse news for the Broncos is that they will lose Mark Schlereth for the rest of the year with another knee surgery. Schlereth is a living cadaver; this will be the twelfth operation on this knee and he has had over 25 surgical procedures done in his 12 year career. He has had so many medical students observe his surgeries and maybe even participate in some small way that he may be named as an honorary member of the College of Orthopedic Surgeons when his career is over.

For a while this week, it looked like Bret Favre's streak of consecutive games started would be broken since he was on crutches until Tuesday. Except he practiced with the team on Wednesday and it looks like he will start. He has not missed a start since September 1992 which was in the George Bush Sr. administration.

The NFL has apologized to the Steelers for the third time this year saying that there was an officiating mistake in their game last Sunday. The last error involved the on-side kick that the Eagles recovered after they illegally blocked a Steeler player in the "10-yard neutral zone". That apology and $4.00 will get Bill Cowher a grande skim latte with vanilla at the Starbucks nearest to him. Here is a more important rule change the league needs to make. If a team tries an onside kick and it goes out of bounds, there is no "do-over"; the ball should go to the receiving team at that point. What is the difference between an on-side kick that goes out of bounds and a normal kickoff that goes out of bounds? That rule has to be changed!

To foreshadow the mythical picks tomorrow, there is a game where the line is backwards. (Philly radio host and annoying presence, Howard Eskin, would say that the line is talking to him. If you say so, Howard.) The underdog is going to win the game. And even though I hate games where both teams stink, I will have to take SF and the points against Atlanta.

And just to be sure you did not miss this smaller item, there is yet another job opening up in the college football coaching profession. Don Powers has resigned as football coach at The Citadel.

But don't get me wrong, I love sports...