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If the Phillies win the World Series this year they'll have earned it.  No more playing out-manned Milwaukee, the choking Dodgers or the just-happy-to-be-there Rays. 

They had an easy projected path for a week or so, hoping to play the gagging Braves, the happy-to-be-there D'Backs and the ultra-chokers of all time, the look for the nearest exit Dead Sox. 

Now they'll actually have to play the hottest NL team in the wild card, a much tougher Milwaukee team and the hottest of 'em all -- those never-say-die former Devil Rays.

Baseball awards, why you won't read a Phillies prediction here and a quick look at college football.

There are two serious debates in major league baseball on the season's final day.

One is whether Justin Verlander of Detroit should win both the AL Cy Young and MVP awards, a feat not accomplished in 20 years.

IT’S ABOUT TIME: It took tough guy Cole Hamels to say what every pitcher on the staff was thinking after Saturday’s craven display by the Phillies non-hitters.

Hamels – perhaps the least likely guy in the clubhouse to call out his teammates – couldn’t stand it after the stinkeroo laid in New York. 

After the game the lefthander said the pitchers are ready to go out and throw three straight nine-inning shutouts. "That’s our plan, so everybody just needs to get on board."

Why doesn’t the Big East stop whining and show some backbone by going after Duke and North Carolina from the ACC?

Instead of worrying  about which football rats are going to flee the sinking ship, grab Kansas from the Big Leftover and build a basketball conference to rival Tobacco Road.

If Kansas was brought in – and the nation’s most historic basketball power may have nowhere else to go – then UConn might stay in the Big East.  Ditto Notre Dame.

Things to think about.

DOES Ryan Madson ever retire the first batter?

NOW THAT weather has officially replaced football as the buzz topic in Happy Valley, can we get Joe Paterno to gracefully retire?

Angry reactions heard after Sunday’s emotional Phillies loss.

1. Somebody has to get Cowboy Joe West under control.
Don't forget -- this is a sport run by a cadaver, Bud Selig.

2. Charlie Manuel made a huge mistake by asking for a review of Hunter Pence’s drive to the top of wall.  By asking the umpires to review the play to see if it was a home run, he opened the way for an inveterate publicity seeker like West to jump in with both cowboy boots and rule interference.

QUESTION NO. 1. Now that Penn State has subdued that old terror Indiana State, proving we can compete with Villanova and Delaware at the upper reaches of the coveted Football Championship Subdivisions, is there a ray of hope for a breakout victory next week vs. the 'pros in waiting' from Alabama?  Didn't think so.

QUESTION NO. 2.   Are we seeing the beginning of a Phillies bullpen fatigue issue?  Charlie had to use David Herndon tonight because he no longer trusts Michael Stutes in the 8th inning of a one-run game.  If Lidge, Herndon and Stutes are too shaky to beat the Florida Marlins on Sept. 3d, how will they be in Fenway in October?  Thought so.

This is how rumors get started in the zany world of Twitter, text messaging and emails from smart phones.

On Saturday morning, Colts owner Jim Irsay said it was not definite that Peyton Manning (who is recovering from neck surgery) would be able to start the season opener.

On Saturday afternoon, Manning said he would not play in either of the final two preseason games.