Trick or Treat?
Posted October 30, 2005, 7:30 PM ET

Happy Halloween.

It is time for the sports version of one of the most underrated holidays of the year.

Before we welcome in November, let's have some fun with the Halloween holiday as we take a look at some of the best treats and tricks of the sports year so far.

The college football season always offers some shockers and surprises, and 2005 is no different. It is still too early to predict which teams will actually make it to Pasadena to play for the title, but there is no argument that we have seen our share of tricks.

There are have been some major busts...Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee certainly come to mind. All three teams had national championship dreams, and all three have failed miserably based on expectations. And after watching Phil Fulmer's Vols lose to Steve Spurrier (again) this past weekend, the Vols find themselves with a sub .500 record and a trip to South Bend upcoming. Ironically, 6 of the Top 15 teams in the AP Preseason Poll have dropped out of the rankings....so much for the importance of a preseason poll.

Speaking of South Bend, the Irish have been a treat and that includes coach Charlie Weis who agreed to a ten-year contract extension after just a few months on the job. Other pleasant surprises include two of college football's blue-bloods showing signs of life...Penn State and Alabama. The traditional powers have positioned themselves to win the Big Ten and SEC respectively....but we still have a ton of important football games to play.

The NFL has also given some great fodder.

The treats have been a-plenty...the Indianapolis Colts look like the premier team in the league, and they can thank somebody other than Peyton Manning. The Colts' "D" has been the difference, but to put the Colts in Detroit for the Super Bowl would be a bit premature.

The AFC is loaded, and there is some fresh meat to join the elite. While the Patriots are still tough and the Steelers look formidable, too...how about Carson Palmer and the Bengals?...That's right, the Bengals.

The Denver Broncos have also played well, too. It has also been inspirational to watch Teddy Bruschi return to the Patriots...we're all thinking the same thing....I hope he's OK and fit to play.

The NFC is wide-open, and heading into the second half of the season your guess is as good as mine as to the team that will emerge as the NFC champion. But hasn't it been great to watch the NFC East return to its roots....every game between these divisional competitors seems like a big game.

The NFC South feels the same way, with the exception of New Orleans...but given the Saints' issues this year, it is understandable if they fall a bit short in 2005. But the Panthers, Falcons and Bucs will be an awesome race coming down the stretch....and it starts this upcoming week with the Panthers traveling to Tampa.

The disappointments with the NFL deal with the ongoing steroid issue and the constant denial of Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. You could also put the entire NFC North in this category, not to mention the struggles of watching Brett Favre and the Packers...I'm just not used to seeing Favre look ordinary while his great career comes to a close.

Major League Baseball produced another great "team"...the Chicago White Sox won their first World Series in 88 years...and it was also refreshing to watch the Yankees and their $205 million dollar payroll fail to advance in the playoffs.

The NBA gets underway this week, and the Bobcats have unveiled their new arena...and it is spectacular. What would be even better is if the team can improve off last year's effort....It has been a stunning off-season for the Atlanta Hawks with the shocking death of Jason Collier. The NBA dress code has created a bigger stir than the preseason games....I'm not sure if that is good or bad.

The college basketball season gets started in a few weeks and everybody believes Duke is the team to beat in the ACC and nationally, too. The ACC media also picked the defending national champion Tar Heels to finish 6th in the conference...behind Duke, Wake and NC State. UNC the worst team on Tobacco Road? The ACC's newest edition, Boston College joins the hoops ruckus, and the Eagles are picked to finished second behind Duke....not bad for a rookie.

The Charlotte 49'ers open up in a new league, the A-10. Bobby Lutz and his Niners are going to be good...really good. Some preseason magazines have them in the Top 25, and that's not a stretch. Curtis Withers can play for anybody.

So, trick or treat....the rest of the 2005 sports year has many surprises in store for us.