Humm Baby
Posted October 3, 2010, 8:03 PM ET

My beloved San Francisco Giants found a way to finally beat the San Diego Padres on Sunday and clinched the National League West. Nothing comes easy to the Giants, and that included finding a way to eliminate the pesky Pads from the playoffs.

Up next is an intriguing match-up with the Atlanta Braves. In fact, all the entire divisional round of the playoffs should be entertaining and that's true for both the American and National League series.

In the AL, it will be the Rays vs. Rangers and Yankees against the Twins. The NL showcases the Giants-Braves along with the Phillies and Reds. There is no doubt that Philly is the team to beat in the NL, and I'm going to give the nod to Tampa Bay in the AL. Something tells me the Yankees' starting pitching isn't quite up to par.

Every year during the first week of the Major League Baseball season, I make a goofy prediction called the "Packman 9". The list consists of the 9 teams that I believe have no chance to make the post-season, and the one rule in making the selection is that you have to pick at least one team in every division.

This marked the fourth year of the smart-ass selections (I do it only to mock the idiots that rank college recruiting classes and worry about Mel Kiper's Draft)...and after another perfect year, I'm proud to announce I've been correct with 34 out of a possible 36 teams. Only the '07 Rockies and '08 Rays tarnished a perfect four-year run.

This year, my "Packman 9" teams were as follows:

I've got to hand it to San Diego.....they played great all year and had the NL West in hand before a disastrous 10-game losing streak in late August. But as a SF Giants fan, tough luck.....and screw the Dodgers, too.

I know many fans don't pay attention to baseball until the playoffs, but I truly believe that this year's match-ups will provide a wide-open chase to the World Series.

Plus, what else are we going to do to kill time before another football weekend?

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How lucky is this guy?

LSU has had some amazing, last-second, miraculous wins over the years, but nobody commands incompetence like the Tigers' head football coach, Les Miles.

LSU's latest escape was one for the scrapbook....and watching the Bayou Bengals completely mismanage the clock in what appeared to be a brutal loss did nothing more than solidify Miles' status as one of the worst clock-managers in NCAA college football history.

But this time, Miles was saved by Tennessee's ability to place a small village on the defensive side of the ball on the last play of the game. After watching a replay of the hectic closing seconds, I believe CBS announcer Steve Beuerlien counted upwards of 35 players in Big Orange jerseys.

It looked like a Keystone Kops episode.....and to say it wasn't one of the SEC's finest moments would be an understatement.

After watching Tennessee coach Derek Dooley attempt to get his guys off the field and in the dressing room ASAP, it was hilarious to see the final seconds have to be replayed in front of a delirious Tiger Stadium crowd. The home team's faithful didn't know if they should stop booing Miles, or rejoice that they had another chance.

What was funny about the Tigers' second chance is that it looked like their was illegal motion on the game-winning play.....but I guess the SEC officials didn't have the sense of humor to actually make another call that could have transferred the win back to Tennessee.

All in all, it was an amazing finish......and you can chalk up another victory for Les Miles.....the luckiest coach in college football.

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I made a comment to ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit last week that I thought this was the weakest I've seen the SEC in quite some time.

Don't get me wrong; 'Bama is a beast, and I've been impressed with Auburn's ability to come back and win (even though they were playing in the comfort of Jordan-Hare).

But I'm not impressed with Florida and after they were destroyed by the Tide, they confirmed to me that they are nothing more than a Top 25 team.

LSU is a complete joke as a Top 10 ranked team...they are one dimensional, lucky and poorly coached.

Arkansas is entertaining and easily a Top 25 team.....and I would probably agree that Steve Spurrier's best team ever in Columbia is worthy of Top 25 notoriety.

The SEC has Bama, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, LSU and South Carolina that are in the discussion as ranked clubs. That's outstanding for most leagues, but this year the SEC is down...way down.

What is equally shocking is how bad the Georgia Bulldogs have played this year. After another stinker, this time against Colorado, Mark Richt now has a team that is 1-4 and going nowhere fast.

Even the Georgia fans are calling for Richt's head. Apparently, Georgia fans have forgotten about Jim Donnan and Ray Goff.

We still have a long ways to go, but the SEC doesn't appear to be anything special this side of the state of Alabama.

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We just returned from a Southern Fried Football™ Tourstop in Switzerland....I mean, Winston-Salem. We always have a good time meeting and talking with the Deacon fans.....but isn't there a way for the schools on Tobacco Road to work out their home schedules with the State Fair?

The Dixie Classic Fair has been an institution for decades. I remember going when I was a little kid, growing up in W-S.....so it's no surprise that it's coming back to the area for decades to come.

I've also been to games at Carter-Finley when the State Fair was taking place at the adjacent fairgrounds......it's ridiculous.

So why can't Wake Forest, N.C. State and the ACC figure out a way to schedule home contests when the State Fair is in town?

Just a thought.

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The ugly cloud that has been forming over the UNC football program has become more ominous after a recent story by Yahoo Sports that placed John Blake even closer to the agent issues that have plagued the Tar Heels' season.

What has surprised me in all of this is the constant denial by Butch Davis.

It would seem to me that Davis would be wise to take a "no comment" approach until the investigation is completed by the school and the NCAA. Instead, Butch Davis gives you the impression that he has no idea what is taking place with his players and assistant coaches.

Given all the reports and headaches surrounding the program, Butch might want to at least give the impression that he does have a clue about what's taking place with UNC football.

Rumor has it that there is even more shocking evidence coming out about the UNC program, which is taking a serious hit to its credibility.....assuming there is any left.