Answering questions you didn’t ask

How many Pro Bowlers does it take
to win a playoff game?

Apparently, in the case of the Dallas
Cowboys, it takes more than 12. I always
root for their failures, but even I was
caught off-guard to see them so unable
to get out of their own way in a loss to
the Giants last weekend. Sometimes I feel
disappointed as a fan of the NFL to see a
season end so short of expectations. Dallas
tied its franchise-best mark of 13-3 in the
regular season and earned the NFC’s top
seed. With so many Pro Bowlers and a
talented quarterback in Tony Romo – who
handles stardom well and has the best
record in the conference – would it be
unrealistic to expect at least one lousy win
in the playoffs? The team hasn’t lived up
to expectations since the days of Aikman,
Smith and Irvin, and now it has to deal
with Tony Sparano’s departure and possibly
Jason Garrett’s as well. Wade Phillips
better be prepared to field some off-season
heat, a la Marty Schottenheimer with San
Diego last season, regarding the way he
handled the team in the latter portion of
the season.

Is Eli the new Peyton?

Simply put, no. Why? Eli Manning’s
playoff misery led him to just a 0-2 record
before finding the win column. Peyton,
the older Manning brother, didn’t win
a playoff game till his fourth postseason
start. Don’t be fooled. That’s just one of
many differences between the two. Eli
has a more well-rounded receiving corps
with the Giants than his brother did at the
same career point with the Colts. Also, it’s
no coincidence that improved play by the
Giants’ defense has fueled this season’s
success. Peyton had to achieve success
mostly on his own statistical merit. But
for history’s sake, Sunday will mark the
first time in Eli’s career that his season
outlasts his brother’s (no, the Pro Bowl
doesn’t count as a continuation of Peyton’s
season).

Will Richmond forever be without
baseball after the Braves move to Gwinnett
County, Ga., in 2009?

No, the lure of a city this size is too
strong to keep prospective teams away. Especially
since the Braves will leave behind a
legion of pre-existing minor league baseball
fans and a market that has been popular
for more than 40 years. In fact, it’s likely
that another team likely will move to the
River City within five years of the Braves’
move to Georgia. The Diamond might be
the worst Triple-A park in America, but
it wouldn’t be the worst Double-A facility.
The negative aspect is that if the city
wouldn’t build a new stadium for a loyal
tenant like the Braves, it certainly won’t for
a newcomer until the Diamond is deemed
a major structural liability.

Tip of the week

Don’t sleep on the Patriots. No one
else is, OK?