NFL: Because the football team up north is trying to get it together, people in this state are tempted to follow the rest of the league. And why shouldn’t they? There are great performances every week by teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals.

Everyone has been waiting to see if former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer was going to step up or fail like past award winners. Well, it seems he needed a learning curve in his first couple of years but is now playing like an elite passer.

MLB playoffs preview: As expected, the playoff chase was exciting down to the wire. The Chicago White Sox almost choked away their big division lead in the central and held off the pesky Cleveland Indians.

Of course, there was the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees battling for the AL East crown. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?

However, there does not appear to be a clear favorite to win the American League to challenge the St. Louis Cardinals this month. They have the pitching, hitting and the never-bashful manager Tony LaRussa. You can write them in as 2005 World Series champs.

College Football: Two of the more surprising teams in the country, Notre Dame and Michigan State, were involved in one of the best early games of the season. Michigan State won in overtime at South Bend. This was the only blip on the Fighting Irish’s radar and the Spartans are playing like a man possessed.

A non-USC early Heisman candidate hopeful is Vince Young of Texas. His running ability as a quarterback has brought on comparisons to the Atlanta Falcons’ Michael Vick. The latter has not been able to be taken seriously as a passer, but Young appears to have improved in this area during his senior season.

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