Don't Stop Believing
Posted October 24, 2010, 8:39 PM ET

I can't believe that my San Francisco Giants are going to the World Series.

This has been one of the most improbable playoff runs that I've seen in some time, and I'm loving every minute of it. Beginning on Wednesday, the Giants will be hosting another baseball upstart as the Texas Rangers and their explosive line-up show up at AT&T Park.

Thanks to the stupid All-Star rule that determines home-field advantage, the Giants will enjoy having home-field advantage in the World Series. Is there an advantage? Probably not....even though the lack of the DH can become problematic for the American League club, not to mention that the Rangers are 2-12 all-time in games against the Giants in SF.

Texas, like San Fran, has been overcoming the odds all year long. The Rangers finally won their first post-season series in franchise history when they eliminated Tampa Bay by winning every road game in the Best of 5 series. For an encore, they did America a favor by humiliating the New York Yankees. These Rangers have big bats and Cliff Lee.....they are legit and worthy of winning the whole deal.

Of course, the Giants are, too.....somehow. With a line-up that scares nobody in baseball, the Giants have found a way to win every close game imaginable by playing team baseball personified. Heading into the Fall Classic, the Giants have 6, count 'em, 6 one-run wins in the playoffs. This is one of my favorite teams (of any sport) of all-time.

They call Giants baseball "Torture"....and it is. But as a SFG fan since I was a little kid, I wouldn't have it any other way. The Giants have been playing "pressure baseball" since August, when they were trying to chase down the San Diego Padres. On August 25th, two months ago, they were 7 1/2 games out of first and even struggling to keep pace in the Wild Card race. Even as of the last day of the regular season, there was no guarantee that they would make the playoffs....and now, they find themselves as the National League Champs and only four wins away from their first World Series title since moving to the Bay Area back in 1958.

I can't wait to watch it....I just wish there was a way to be in SF for the festivities.

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The answer to the question is......the Carolina Panthers.

The question that I posed earlier this month was which pro sports team in Charlotte will win a regular season game first: the Panthers or the Bobcats?

Thanks to a return of quarterback David Carr, the Panthers rallied for a long overdue victory that eliminated any more discussion of an "0-16" season in 2010. Now granted, it can still turn out to be 1-15, and we've experienced one of those seasons before, but there is a sense of relief that the Panthers have finally found a team to beat in the NFL.

I thought Matt Moore played much better and the team's young WRs actually made some plays.....minus Armanti Edwards, who can't seem to find a jersey. Up next is a trip to St. Louis, to play the Rams....we'll see if the team is capable of actually putting together a winning streak.

While the Panthers got their initial "W" , the Bobcats prepare to open up on the road at Dallas against the Mavs.

I don't know if you know this, but since the franchise joined the NBA in 2004, they have never defeated Dallas.....not a single time. The Bobcats are a perfect 0-12 against Mark Cuban's team. Maybe the Mavs will get caught up in the World Series hype and the decline of the Cowboys and look ahead of Larry Brown's team, but something tells me that it's wishful thinking.

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Duke is the pre-season #1 ranked team in college basketball.

Who cares?

Let me know when the real season starts....and I'm talking about conference play.

Pre-season polls are useless....but there's no doubt that the Blue Devils are a safe choice. Even with the loss of Scheyer and Co., Duke and Coach K will reload with great players.

But right now, I'm not interested in hoop projections.

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The college football landscape changes every week.....at least it seems that way, at the top.

For the third consecutive week, the top-ranked team got thumped by a fellow conference member on the road.

First it was Bama, then the Buckeyes, and now the Sooners felt the pain in a loss to Missouri.

Nothing should really surprise us anymore, in college football....the upsets take place on a consistent basis. The teams like Boise State, TCU and Utah should be loving it. They need all the help they can get, and watching the powers in the elite BCS leagues get knocked off plays right into their hands.

I'm not concerned with the BCS standings until we get into November.....which begins next week.

Isn't it amazing, how fast the college football season flies by? Every year we wait in anticipation, only to witness it take place in a flash. I love it, but I wish we had a better way to determine the champ.....one of these days.

Based on the games and teams that I've watched....Oregon and Auburn would be my #1 and #2 teams. I have no doubt that a team like Boise State can play against either one of them, if they had a month to prepare. I'd also tell you that both of them could lose in an instant, in this crazy world of college football.

The one thing that's really missing this year in college football is a dominant defensive team, and for that reason, you have to give Oregon a legitimate chance to run the table and win the title....same goes for Auburn. Usually the SEC plays great D, but I just don't see it this season. It's one of the reasons why I think the conference is down, compared to their normal lofty expectations and accomplishments.

Closer to home, we had a great time on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour, when we visited East Carolina on Saturday. As usual, Pirate Nation was a great host with BBQ, Babes, good times and a football team that is playing well. I think East Carolina is the best tailgating destination in the state of North Carolina for a college football game. N.C. State is a close second, followed up by Appalachian State in Boone.

I also had the chance to meet Coach Ruffin during and after the game....great guy.....and I can understand why ECU is excited to have him. This week is a monster game for the Pirates, as they play at Central Florida in a huge CUSA showdown.

N.C. State has a big one this week, too. The Pack hosts Florida State on Thursday night in Raleigh, and if somebody is going to catch the Noles in the ACC's Atlantic Division, it has to start this week.

I'm sure Tom O'Brien and the Wolfpack are still ticked-off at the loss to ECU, but the game this week is even bigger since it involves the race for the conference title.

I was surprised State loss to ECU, and if the season is going to be special in Raleigh, then winning on Thursday night is almost a "must". A loss to Jimbo Fisher's guys would make it nearly impossible for the Pack to represent the Atlantic division during the ACC title game.

The Tar Heels entered the Miami game on a solid four-game winning streak, but all of that went up in flames when they were bounced by the Hurricanes. I didn't expect a blowout loss, given how well the team has been performing during the last month. Plus, the Canes seemingly took a major step in the wrong direction when they were trounced at home by FSU.

It's hard to figure anybody out these days, but what isn't tough to decipher is that North Carolina will not be playing for an ACC title in Charlotte this December. The second conference loss puts Butch Davis in a tough spot....especially when you consider that a trip to FSU and home dates with Va. Tech and NC State remain.

So much for the breakthrough football season in Chapel Hill.

The good news is that Roy Williams' hoopsters are in the pre-season Top 10.

Clemson's win over Georgia Tech put the Jackets in a similar spot, as they try to defend their title. The Tigers' win also came a year late...since GT beat Clemson twice in '09, including the ACC Championship game.

Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks finally won a SEC road game, even though it was Vandy. Somehow, the Commodores give USC fits....I still think South Carolina is the best team in the SEC East.

I'm looking forward to heading down to Columbia on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour this weekend. We'll be setting up right beside the Budweiser Distribution Center, which is located across the street from Williams-Brice Stadium.

Unfortunately, the "TV Suits" have moved the kick-off to the dreaded "noon" slot. That sucks, but there's nothing we can do about it.....other than get down there early and have a great time.