(CLICK the pic to see highlights of Team Romney(8-1) crushing Team McCain(6-3))

Here's how it compares... with apologies to Dean Barnett:

In the NFL there are but really only 4 teams now still in contention to win it all. Yes technically not all of the other competitors have yet been eliminated but that doesn't change the fact that there are only 4 teams who will realistically share a chance at taking it all.

1. The New England Patriots as Hillary Clinton...
"The greatest of all time" or so the "experts" wonder aloud? (And many would disagree...) The most organizational strength of any of the field. Complete with "philandering quarterback who'd rather knock up a girl, and leave her for a new Supermodel" - ready to take up residence as "first lady" and whose calendar would be well... blank, thus allowing him to remain "in play" pretty much 24/7. Team Hillary is also willing to stoop to classic Belicheck cheating levels like videotaping the visiting team's signals, or even planting ONLY the questions that Hillary wishes to answer amongst those who come to the rallies.

2. The Dallas Cowboys as Mitt Romney...
Focused, has his eye on the goal, and has in Jerry Jones style been willing to spend the bucks to pick up the players and put together the organization to bring home the win. Winning the CPAC and Values Voters straw polls are proving he will keep the home team (social conservatives) happy, while going out and grabbing commanding leads in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan, and edging closer in Florida is demonstrating he knows how to play efficiently on the road. Like the Cowboys he even had an early glimpse of the likely opponent from the other conference when he and Mrs. Romney unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of the same Iowa street fair with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

3. The Indianapolis Colts as Barack Obama...
Lots of hustle play, is much more popular in the heartland, but hasn't been at it as along as the much superiorly organized Clinton Patriots. Plenty of energy and even some big play recognition (as evidently his Satruday evening speech in Iowa came off.) And should team Hillary's strategy go off course, enough energy would remain concentrated by the big payroll to stay in the game for the long course.

4. The Green Bay Packers as Rudy Giuliani...
Has been around with more star power than nearly anyone on either side of the football - like Brett Favre. Giuliani is leading in many of the national polls and so far has run a fairly penalty-free game, the problem - like the Packers is the lack of facing any particularly tough opponents. No Governorship, No Senate seat, just a couple of New York mayorships - which is the Super  Bowl of Mayor's jobs in the U.S. But let's face it - he's had a regular season schedule that hasn't added up to much so far.

None of this is to say that there aren't other wildcard options. But it is CLEAR that the Dem race is between Hillary and Obama (and the final ticket will likely include both of them at the top and number 2 spots). And in the other conference - everyone is hoping that someone will smell upset (kinda like they were hoping NYC Giants would tear up Dallas tonight in New York.) But at the end of the day everyone knows Green Bay and Dallas stand at 8 &1. It's a Rudy vs. Romney match-up and its beginning to be evident that even if Huckabee were able to break through in Iowa - his lack of discipline in the early money primaries would have caught up to him by Florida - and Rudy will march unchallenged to the nomination. Which is why an Iowa, New Hampshire, or South Carolina primary vote for anyone other than Romney will be in essence a vote FOR Rudy.

At least so says the nation's foremost Buckeye fan who is tonight weeping at the reality of the BCS!