Which will happen first: Packers lose or Colts win? [Poll]

After watching Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers destroy the Minnesota Vikings, 45-7, on Monday night, it's hard to imagine these guys ever losing again. They're 9-0 this year and 15-0 since their last loss, to the New England Patriots on Dec. 19 last year.

But the Packers are still seven wins away from joining the 2007 Patriots as the only teams in NFL history with 16-0 seasons -- and many of their opponents should put up a bit more of a fight than the hapless Vikings, including five teams with winning records and six that will likely be fighting for playoff spots.

After hosting the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) next week, Green Bay visits the Detroit Lions (6-3) for a Thanksgiving meeting between NFC North rivals. Then on Dec. 4 comes a road game against the New York Giants (6-3) -- the team that gave those 2007 Patriots everything they could handle in the final game of the regular season and then prevented them from going 19-0 by winning Super Bowl XLII.

That is followed by games against a pair of AFC West contenders -- home versus the Oakland Raiders (5-4) on Dec. 11 and visiting the Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) on Dec. 18. The Packers finish off the season with home games against division rivals, the Chicago Bears (6-3) on Dec. 25 and the Lions on Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts (0-10) are trying to avoid joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only 0-16 teams in league history. Two of their best chances for a victory come the next time they take the field -- Nov. 27 hosting the Carolina Panthers (2-7) -- and in the last game of the season -- Jan. 1 at the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6).

In between, the Colts have dates at the Patriots (6-3) on Dec. 4, at the Baltimore Ravens (6-3, including losses to the Jaguars and the 3-6 Seattle Seahawks) on Dec. 11, home against the Tennessee Titans (5-4) on Dec. 18 and home against the Houston Texans (7-3, but may be without starting quarterback Matt Schaub) on Dec. 22.

Writers from around Tribune Co. will discuss which will happen first, the Packers lose or the Colts win. Check back throughout the day for more responses, and join the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment.

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Should Joe Paterno be allowed to coach Penn State on Saturday?

Penn State Coach Joe Paterno has announced he will retire at the end of the football season in light of the sex-abuse scandal involving his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. But should he still be employed by the university even that long?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss whether Paterno should be with the Nittany Lions when they host Nebraska on Saturday. Check back throughout the day for more responses and join the discussion by voting in our poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times

It's incredible to think the best deal Joe Paterno could cut for himself at the height of this scandal was announcing he would retire at the end of the season. A man who talked only weeks ago about having no intention of retiring actually had to get out in front of a Penn State Board of Trustees that might want him to step down immediately.

FULL COVERAGE: Penn State scandal

Yet, allowing Paterno to coach the next three games and a bowl game is going to be huge distraction. Paterno should probably be allowed to coach his final home game at Penn State and then step aside for remaining away games at Ohio State and Wisconsin. But even that might not sound like a good idea by the time this day, or week, is over. Things are moving that fast.

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

Joe Paterno is one of the greatest coaching legends in college football. He has done more for Penn State University in the 46 years that he has been coaching than anyone else. Until this point, his programs have remained clean during a time period when others have failed and his donations to help further education are legendary.

With his iconic black glasses and black sneakers, he is the face of Penn State. That’s why he should be allowed one last chance to say goodbye on Saturday. To walk the sidelines at Beaver Stadium and hear the cheers one last time. There will be boos, reminders of the mistakes he made being complacent instead of vigilant, and there will be protests. Wins and losses won’t matter in the end, and a legacy that had once written itself will now be forever tarnished. A legacy that started on a football field 46 years ago, should end on it as well. 

Joe Frazier: Where does he rank among all-time heavyweights?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. weigh in on boxing great Joe Frazier, who died Monday at age 67 after a brief battle with liver cancer. Check back throughout the day for more responses and join the discussion with a comment of your own.

Barry Stavro, Los Angeles Times

Frazier's greatness and immortality can be measured easily because you can't say Ali without saying Frazier, any more than you could say Dempsey without Tunney or Robinson without La Motta.

Frazier gave Ali the two worst beatings The Greatest suffered in his prime. In their first epic bout in 1971 Frazier, with one of the great left hooks in history, dumped Ali on the canvas in the 15th round to give Ali his first loss. Their third bout, "The Thrilla in Manila," in 1975 was the most punishing long fight I ever saw. Ali won it -- barely.

Both men continued to fight afterward but they weren't any good in the ring because they'd used up all their talent fighting each other. "Fight of the Century" is now a cliche in boxing, but Frazier and Ali genuinely produced two of them.

Where does Frazier rank? Easily among the best heavyweight champs of the modern era: along with Ali, Foreman, Liston and Tyson.

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Photo: Joe Frazier, left, hits Muhammad Ali during the 15th round of their heavyweight title fight at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1971. Credit: Associated Press

Who is the best choice to replace Tony La Russa in St Louis?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss who would be the best successor to former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who retired three days after the team won the World Series championship. Feel free to join the discussion with a comment of your own.

Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times

The Cardinals need someone with more than just people and managerial skills. They also need someone with the gravitas to take over a club that just won the World Series.

At the top of that short list would be former Cardinals catcher Joe Girardi. But he already has his dream job with the New York Yankees. Next would be former Red Sox skipper Terry Francona, who was run out of Boston when the team blew the wild-card playoff spot in the final inning of the final game.

But the frat-house environment Francona presided over in Boston won’t fly in St. Louis, where La Russa long ran the tightest clubhouse in baseball. If Francona has the desire to manage again, however, and can convince management, the players and fans he can be a disciplinarian, this could be a good fit for both sides.

Who will play in the BCS championship game?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the topic. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

The Southeastern Conference has had a representative in the BCS championship game the last five seasons, and there isn't anything that makes me believe that it won’t happen again.

Although LSU appears to be the favorite coming out of the SEC, my feeling is that Alabama will be playing in New Orleans on Jan. 9. The Crimson Tide have the best defense in the country and one of the best running backs in Trent Richardson. Alabama's opponent isn't as cut and dried, but I think it will be Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys have shown they deserve to be the No. 3 team in the BCS standings behind LSU and Alabama. With the third-ranked offense in the country, Oklahoma State has powered its way past opponents this season, and with a remaining schedule that includes Kansas State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, if the Cowboys can survive, they deserve to play Alabama in the BCS national championship game.

Will the World Series go to seven games and, if so, who will win?

Not that anything about the World Series between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals has been predictable, but writers from around the Tribune Co. will do their best to forecast the outcome. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment.

Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune

Mike Napoli and his Rangers teammates had no choice, really. If they were going to win the World Series, they had to find a way to win Game 5, and they did. Now they go to St. Louis with a chance to end it Wednesday night, but they’re not going to celebrate this soon. This World Series has been one of the best in a long time, and it deserves to go to the distance, which it will.

My original pick was Rangers in seven, and I’m sticking to it. I say that the Cardinals will win Game 6 behind big games from Jaime Garcia and Albert Pujols, but that the Rangers will come back to grab Game 7, scoring early and often against starter Kyle Lohse and a bullpen that has been exposed as the Cardinals’ fatal flaw. Look for Ian Kinsler to step up with a big hit or two, and the Rangers to string together shutout innings late in Game 7.

Peter Schmuck, Baltimore Sun

History tells us that the World Series team that wins Game 5 to take a 3-2 advantage goes on to win the title 66 percent of the time, which makes a pretty strong case for the Texas Rangers winning their first  championship. All they have to do is win one of the next two games against the team that had the worst regular-season record among this year's eight playoff teams.

Except it isn't going to go down that way. Cardinals Game 6 starter Jaime Garcia is coming off a terrific seven-inning performance in Game 2 that went to waste when the bullpen blew up in the ninth inning. He'll drag the Cards into Game 7 and they'll have the home crowd behind them with all the candy on the line. If they can just get manager Tony La Russa and bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist a couple of bluetooth headsets, they should complete their unlikely late-season comeback.

Bill Kline, Allentown Morning Call

With the World Series tally at Rangers 3, Cardinals 2, General Sports Fan Interest 0, if there’s any compassion at all for television viewers, this prime-time nuisance will go away Wednesday night with a Texas victory.

Is this an East Coast bias? Guilty. Is this discrimination against Middle America? Guilty. Is this bitterness that the Series is not a Phillies-Yankees smackdown between baseball’s best teams over 162 games? Guilty.

Because the sorry subplot here is that the over-managed Cardinals and their know-it-all skipper are lucky just to be in the playoffs. The Rangers are more deserving, their fans thirstier. Look for Nelson Cruz to play longball and the Rangers to romp Wednesday in a game that will drag on almost as long as the holiday shopping season.

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Left photo: Albert Pujols. Credit: John G. Mabanglo / EPA

Right photo: Texas' Mike Napoli. Credit: Tom Fox / Dallas Morning News / MCT

Should alcohol be banned from all MLB clubhouses?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the topic -- join the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times

Yes, I do think alcohol should be banned from all clubhouses, and frankly, I'm not sure why baseball didn't take such action after Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in an automobile accident that was caused by a drunk driver in 2009. What if a player drank too much in the clubhouse after a game and caused a fatal accident on the way home? By removing alcohol from the clubhouse, baseball teams would eliminate any liability in such matters. If players want to drink after games, let them do it on their own time and on their own dime.

Plus, I'm guessing that Texas Rangers star Josh Hamilton is not the only major leaguer who has struggled or is struggling with an addiction to alcohol. Removing alcohol from the clubhouse would show a sensitivity to such players and help curb or eliminate the temptation for them to drink while at the park.

Do the Cardinals need to win World Series to keep Albert Pujols?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss whether the St. Louis Cardinals' success in keeping soon-to-be free agent Albert Pujols is contingent on the team winning the World Series. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times

The short answer is yes, Albert Pujols is absolutely coming back to St. Louis.

Well, probably. Oh, just say maybe.

Truth is, even Albert doesn't know what he's going to do. And he's refusing to talk about it now. "Let's talk about how I can help my team bring another World Series to the greatest fans in baseball," he said Tuesday.

Those "greatest fans" are likely to play heavily in Pujols' offseason thinking. As will his charity work and his business ties in St. Louis.

The clincher, though, may be the offers he gets. Pujols reportedly was looking for 10 years and $300 million. He won't get either. The lessons of Alex Rodriguez, who has struggled since signing a 10-year, $275-million extension with the Yankees, will lead to caution. So unless Pujols does markedly better than the seven years and $200 million the Cardinals have already offered, look for him to remain in St. Louis.

Who will be the first NFL coach to be fired this season?

With three winless teams and many others struggling, the NFL has several coaches who appear to be in danger of losing their jobs at any time. Who will be the first to be shown the door?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the topic. Check back throughout the day for more responses and feel free to leave a comment of your own.

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune

You would not want to be in Tony Sparano's shoes these days. Or should we say cement shoes? The Dolphins are 0-5. Their prospects of turning around the season are not good with Matt Moore under center.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been jonesing for a high-profile replacement for Sparano since the offseason, when his furtive pursuit of Jim Harbaugh blew up in his face. Ross’ not-so-secret interest in Jon Gruden may have prompted Gruden's recent contract extension with ESPN.

The Dolphins want to market themselves through a head coach with a high Q rating. Sparano is not that guy. Sparano might not even last until the offseason. It's possible he will be gone in the coming weeks, with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan replacing him on an interim basis.

NBA lockout: How much more of the season will be canceled? [Poll]

So we know the first two weeks of the 2011-12 NBA season will not happen due to the ongoing lockout. But is that all the court time we are going to miss?

Will the NBA be back for the big Christmas Day slate of games? Will it return around the time the NFL season ends, just like back in 1999?

Or will there be no season?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. will be discussing the topic -- check back throughout the day for more responses. And join in the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

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Photo: Derek Fisher, center, president of the NBA players union, is joined union Executive Director Billy Hunter, right, and other NBA players during a news conference Sept. 15. Credit: Julie Jacobson / Associated Press

Green Bay Packers: Will Aaron Rodgers & Co. go 16-0? [Poll]

The Green Bay Packers are 5-0 after a 25-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his cohorts are riding an 11-game winning streak dating back to the end of the regular season last year and including their run to the Super Bowl championship.

So how long can they keep it going? Long enough to become only the second 16-0 team in NFL history? The toughest games on the Packers' schedule appear to be a pair of matchups with the league's only other undefeated team, the Detroit Lions, and a date with the 4-1 San Diego Chargers.

Writers from around the Tribune Co. will be discussing the topic -- check back throughout the day for their responses. Also join the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

Of course the Packers stand a chance of going undefeated in the regular season. Will they? I doubt it.

We’re just five weeks into the season, and so many things can happen over the next 11 games -– key injuries, a letdown, or simply a good team that’s better than Green Bay on that particular day. Plus, there’s the likelihood that if the Packers were to build a comfortable lead in the division -– no guarantee, considering how Detroit is playing -– they would take their foot off the pedal, rest some starters, and coast into the postseason.

It wasn’t so long ago that the 14-0 Colts did that, and, despite all the criticism from their fans, made it to the Super Bowl.

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Photo: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose team is now 5-0, with an 11-game winning streak dating back to last season. Credit: Rich Addicks / Associated Press

Where and when will Terry Francona manage next? [Updated]

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the future of Terry Francona, who stepped down last week after eight seasons and two World Series titles as manager of the Boston Red Sox. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Dom Amore, Hartford Courant

Has to be the Cubs, doesn’t it?

The Cubs are bedeviled by the most hideous curse in sports, so what do they need? A manager who has d he can break such things. There are only two out there who have d then can win with organizations that haven’t in 80 years or more. The Cubs let Ozzie Guillen slip out of town and manage the Marlins. That leaves Terry Francona, the man under whom the Red Sox told the ghost of the Big Bam to scram once and for all in 2004.

Seriously, though, Francona, like most fired managers, will land in a place where he represents the opposite approach to his predecessor. The Cubs have tried the ranting of Lou Piniella and gone with a solid, longtime minor league organization man in Mike Quade. Francona would bring the gravitas of two championships, exciting the fans, and with his major league playing, coaching and managing experience, he has the ability to handle big stars in a big market and put out brush fires rather than start them.

He could work across town with the White Sox, too, or perhaps one day in New York, should abrasive Terry Collins wear out his welcome with the Mets. But the Cubs seem like a great fit. 

Where and when will Terry Francona manage next?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the future of Terry Francona, who stepped down last week after eight seasons and two World Series titles as manager of the Boston Red Sox. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Dom Amore, Hartford Courant

Has to be the Cubs, doesn’t it?

The Cubs are bedeviled by the most hideous curse in sports, so what do they need? A manager who has d he can break such things. There are only two out there who have d then can win with organizations that haven’t in 80 years or more. The Cubs let Ozzie Guillen slip out of town and manage the Marlins. That leaves Terry Francona, the man under whom the Red Sox told the ghost of the Big Bam to scram once and for all in 2004.

Seriously, though, Francona, like most fired managers, will land in a place where he represents the opposite approach to his predecessor. The Cubs have tried the ranting of Lou Piniella and gone with a solid, longtime minor league organization man in Mike Quade. Francona would bring the gravitas of two championships, exciting the fans, and with his major league playing, coaching and managing experience, he has the ability to handle big stars in a big market and put out brush fires rather than start them.

He could work across town with the White Sox, too, or perhaps one day in New York, should abrasive Terry Collins wear out his welcome with the Mets. But the Cubs seem like a great fit. 

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Photo: Terry Francona. Credit: Nick Wass / Associated Press

NFL: How far will the Detroit Lions go this season?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the surprising Detroit Lions, who have gone from an 0-16 season in 2008 to a 4-0 start this year. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune

The Lions are legitimate, no question. They have a dynamic quarterback-receiver combination in Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Their defensive line may be the best in football. They come to play well prepared and fired up.

Their biggest problem is they play in the same neighborhood as the world champions, and as of now the Packers still are carrying a bigger stick. The Lions are not flawless. There remain questions about their running game and secondary. As time goes on, it’s more likely that some of their shortcomings will be exposed. 

But if they can keep Stafford healthy they are going to be a playoff team, and they probably will be a playoff team that no one wants to go up against. Couldn’t you envision an NFC Championship game in Green Bay between the two division rivals? It could happen.

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Photo: Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford leaves the field after a 34-30 victory over Dallas on Sunday. Credit: Paul Moseley / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

What will happen to remaining Big 12 and Big East teams?

With Syracuse and Pittsburgh departing the Big East and Oklahoma and Texas likely to leave the Big 12, there's talk of a possible merger of the two conferences as they fight for survival. Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss that possibility and others as teams try to keep up with realignment in college football.

Check back throughout the day for more responses and feel free to join the discussion with a comment of your own.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times

Think "blended family." You know, like "The Brady Bunch."

If Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech leave the Big 12 for the Pac 16, look for the depleted Big East to join the depleted Big 12 to form The Leftovers. Should Rutgers and Connecticut eventually join Pittsburgh and Syracuse in the ACC, the geographic edge goes to the Big 12.

Assume Missouri becomes the SEC's 14th team. The "Mid" East might be Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, West Virginia, Texas Christian. Then bulk up by adding Boise State, SMU, Houston. Or maybe add some Rice if you're thinking academics.

This patchwork life raft might hold until the next big expansion wave. Or not.

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Which NFL team can least afford an 0-2 start?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss which 0-1 team most needs a win in Week 2 of the NFL season. Check for more responses throughout the day and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Dave Hyde, South Florida Sun Sentinel

Can any 0-1 team be staring at more 0-2 issues than the Dolphins?

The New York Giants' season would be in trouble at 0-2. The Dallas fan base would be in an uproar at 0-2. Jacksonville or Denver might have coaching, quarterback or ownership questions at 0-2.

The Dolphins would have all those and more if they lose against Houston in a second home game. They told you this after losing to heavyweight New England by firing cornerback Benny Sapp. Anyone else get fired after the first week?

At 0-2, the Dolphins season wouldn't be over. It'd be staring at the third week in more trouble than any other team, though.

Should Colts pull plug on Peyton Manning and try for Andrew Luck? [Updated]

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the quarterback situation in Indianapolis, with Colts superstar Peyton Manning out indefinitely and potential future superstar Andrew Luck of Stanford looming as the top pick in next year's draft.

Check back throughout the day for more responses, vote in the poll and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

We're one game into the season. One game! It's silly to suggest that after one week a team should just tank it, write off the season and give up in hopes of finishing with the NFL's worst record. A lot of things can happen between now and April, not the least of which could be Manning healing quicker than expected or Luck getting hurt.

Besides, it's not as if Luck is the only possible solution; there are other quarterbacks out there. Maybe he's a generational player, maybe he isn't. To suggest the Colts call it a season now is just dumb.

Should Colts pull plug on Peyton Manning and try for Andrew Luck?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the quarterback situation in Indianapolis, with Colts superstar Peyton Manning out indefinitely and potential future superstar Andrew Luck of Stanford looming as the top pick in next year's draft.

Check back throughout the day for more responses, vote in the poll and weigh in with a comment of your own.

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

We're one game into the season. One game! It's silly to suggest that after one week a team should just tank it, write off the season and give up in hopes of finishing with the NFL's worst record. A lot of things can happen between now and April, not the least of which could be Manning healing quicker than expected or Luck getting hurt.

Besides, it's not as if Luck is the only possible solution; there are other quarterbacks out there. Maybe he's a generational player, maybe he isn't. To suggest the Colts call it a season now is just dumb.

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Photo: Andrew Luck. Credit: Chuck Liddy / The News & Oberserver

NFL Week 1: What was the biggest surprise? [Updated]

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the most surprising aspects of a very entertaining first week of the NFL season. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with comments of your own.

Ron Fritz, Baltimore Sun

Without question, the biggest surprise of the first week was the Baltimore Ravens' beatdown of the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-7. The Ravens forced seven turnovers, a team record, and took away the Steelers' will at every turn.

It was a stunning victory. Yes, the Ravens were at home and were slight favorites, but a Joe Flacco-led team had never beaten a Ben Roethlisberger-led team. Two of the last three seasons the Steelers knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs.

The Ravens crushed the Steelers in every way possible -- on offense, defense and special teams. The Ravens' new offensive line? Baltimore rushed for 170 yards and Flacco threw three TDs and was sacked just once. On defense, Terrell Suggs (three sacks) made Roethlisberger his personal tackling dummy.

This isn't going to sit well in Pittsburgh. The rematch is Nov. 6.

NFL Week 1: What was the biggest surprise?

Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss the most surprising aspects of a very entertaining first week of the NFL season. Check back throughout the day for more responses and weigh in with comments of your own.

Ron Fritz, Baltimore Sun

Without question, the biggest surprise of the first week was the Baltimore Ravens' beatdown of the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-7. The Ravens forced seven turnovers, a team record, and took away the Steelers' will at every turn.

It was a stunning victory. Yes, the Ravens were at home and were slight favorites, but a Joe Flacco-led team had never beaten a Ben Roethlisberger-led team. Two of the last three seasons the Steelers knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs.

The Ravens crushed the Steelers in every way possible -- on offense, defense and special teams. The Ravens' new offensive line? Baltimore rushed for 170 yards and Flacco threw three TDs and was sacked just once. On defense, Terrell Suggs (three sacks) made Roethlisberger his personal tackling dummy.

This isn't going to sit well in Pittsburgh. The rematch is Nov. 6.

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Photo: Members of the Baltimore Ravens celebrate an interception of a pass by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, kneeling at right. Credit: Nick Wass / Associated Press