but by then I won't remember what I want to say right now, so here's a special edition Sports post.

In 2000, when Oklahoma was making its out-of-nowhere run to the national title, there was a huge flap over who actually belonged in the Orange Bowl, that year's national title game. Before the game, many people argued Miami and Florida State should be playing each other, as Miami had beat Florida State during the regular season, and Oklahoma was regarded as a "paper unbeaten" (as if thumping Texas and beating K-State and Nebraska were easy). Of course, after the games were played it seemed that it should have been Oklahoma and Miami playing for the title, after Miami crushed their bowl opponent and Oklahoma completely baffled Florida State's offense.

Interestingly enough in the three seasons since then, we make it into October with Miami and Oklahoma seemingly on a collision course for the national title game -- and by the end of November one of those teams is always out of the picture. The 2001 season saw OSU take away OU's chance at the championship, while Miami rolled easily to the title over Nebraska (talk about a team that should never have been in the national championship game). In 2002 OU's two losses (including another Thanksgiving weekend loss to OSU) again cost them a shot at the title; Miami made it to the game, though they lost a close one to we-cast-a-good-luck-spell-before-the-season Ohio State.

This year seemed like the best chance ever for the Oklahoma-Miami championship matchup, especially last Saturday afternoon, after OU had taken care of the OSU problem with a vengeful steamrolling. Even after Miami lost to Virginia Tech last Saturday night, there was still an outside shot Miami might work its way back into the Sugar Bowl (this year's championship) -- but only if it won the rest of its games. As of fifteen minutes ago, that was no longer possible. Miami loses to Tennessee at home; not only are they now out of the national championship game, they may not have a shot at any BCS bowl, pending the final Big East standings and the always politically suspect "at-large" BCS bids. The Hurricane-Sooner Sugar Bowl goes the way of the Cubs-Red Sox World Series; a tantalizing possibility that leaves sports fans forever asking "what if?"