The Office 1.18.08: Wrap Up

Posted by Ken Schmidt on 01.18.2008

The last installment of the Office. I am not sure what will make me cry more, wrapping up my favorite column to write or the fact the Giants are one win away from the Super Bowl.

Well the Office has officially wrapped up but in the final installment I will still give you my opinions on who to bet on this weekend, give the final standings and announce the winners (I am sure it will be shocking to anyone who has ever read this column before). However, before I get into let me talk a bit about the Giants. I have to praise Tom Coughlin with all I have because he has finally turned his tenure in New York around, it took him a while but after driving the star of the team out of town and suspending most of the biggest names on the team for being on time to a meeting (and not early), Coughlin has finally decide to be a real person and not a robot and it is paying off. The players are happy and united. Than there is the number 1 improvement Coughlin made in this playoff run, don't let Eli lose the game for you. During the playoffs Manning is averaging under 25 pass attempts a game and in the regular season he averaged 33 attempts a game. Eli Manning will lose football games for his team, it is a fact. Tom Coughlin is putting the game into the hands of a solid young running back tandem and it is paying off. Add a smart game plan to the already incredible defense the Giants have for them and we have a storied playoff run in the making. Hats off to Tom Coughlin, but I still don't think they will win in Lambeau (more on that next).

The Office

Before I get into my picks for this week let's summarize the Office standings and see how badly Brad beat us all. I was going to hand out a bunch of awards, like most victories, most wins, best percentage and playoff champion but Brad would win every damn one so I will just give the final standings.

Brad Borchardt- 145-103 .585 (9 Victories)
Dan Owen- 107-87 .551 (3 Victories)
Sat 103-93 .525 (1 Victory)
Ken Schmidt- 126-122 .508 (1 Victory)
The 411- 125-123 .504
Charlie Von Plato 110-109 .502 (1 Victory)
Debbie Schmidt- 123-125 .496
Pat Kullman- 111-113 .495
Randy Isbelle- 116-124 .483
Melissa Fox- 118-130 .476 (2 Victories)
Ron Martin- 118-130 .476 (1 Victory)
Jesse James- 80-98 .449
Lofti- 52-72 .419

Playoff Total
Brad Borchardt 7-1 (2 Victories)
Ron Martin 5-3
Sat 5-3
Ken Schmidt 4-4
411 4-4
Debbie Schmidt 3-5
Charlie Von Plato 3-5
Melissa Fox 2-6

Thanks to everyone for participating this year especially those who stuck it out from beginning to end.

I really thought I was going to pick up the playoff victory last week when I was the only person to win the first 3 games. I either needed the Cowboys to win or the score of the game to go over; well that didn't happen and Brad won the tiebreaker. Unreal. Let me get to my analysis for this week.

NFC Championship

Giants @ Packers (-7)

As I mentioned in the roundtable this one is a given in my mind although I am sure most will disagree. The Packers are playing this one in Wisconsin at home, a scenario that generally ends up in Brett Favre's favor. What ref is going to be the one who makes the bad call that screws over America's team? This year America's team is the Packers and the officiating will be favorable. Than there is the way the Packers are just killing everyone in their last games. The Packers are probably the best team at home this year, except the fluke Bears game in the beginning of the season the Pack were unbeaten at home and have owned some good teams including a few 20+ point wins. Finally, there is the rumors that the Giants are "road warriors" and Eli plays better on the road. Let's take a look at the teams the Giants dominated on the road. They beat Buffalo, Philly, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, Washington and lost to the Cowboys. The Giants better be beating those teams on the road because except Washington (who was not the same team week 3 as they were in the playoffs) none of them were playoff teams or even playoff contenders. As a matter of face all the teams but Philly and Washington were jokes this season. The Packers are going to come out strong and do what they do in Wisconsin, win games in bad weather.

AFC Championship

Chargers @ Patriots (-14)

Obviously the Pats will win this game but will they be able to cover two touchdowns? Let me first talk some background. The Patriots, minus an odd case against star receiver Randy Moss (which I actually believe him in), have everything going for them. The Chargers, though red hot, are limping into this game like Michael Vick's pet pit bull "Killer." LT hyperextended his knee. That injury needs about a month to heal atleast but he is going to get right back into it the next week. The Chargers might be better playing the best back up in the NFL because the first cut LT makes this weekend he is going to blow up that knee. Than there is Phillip Rivers who is starting to look like the Bionic Man on the field, as he looks like he has been put together by metal in the legs. The odds are looking good that once or twice he is going to take a snap under center and buckle like a teenage girl on prom night to the ground. The Chargers live and die on turnovers which Tom Brady just doesn't commit. This one is going to be a cake walk and the Pats will cover.

Time to Punt

Why is Pacman Jones still going to strip clubs? Even though the woman withdrew her complaint why is he putting himself in these situations? Pacman going to strip clubs just equal trouble. That's like someone going to a crackhouse over and over again and saying "what I am just going to hang out, no big deal." Pacman can't go to strip clubs and if he ever wants to play football again someone needs to tell him "just stay home." Hell, with the internet the way it is if he really needs some T&A just go to ANY WEBSITE. Or how about the fact he is rich, get a stripper to come to his house! They do that now, just ask the Duke lacrosse team! Stop going out and getting yourself into trouble you idiot.

With that being said I would like to thank everyone for reading and don't miss my Sports Kid Rankings and Chutes and Ladders returning for the MLB season soon. Have a good one to all my readers that read on a regular basis and to all Giants fans: prepare for disappointment.