Playoff Time!

You know, I just can't bring myself to do position-by-position comparisons. Three reasons -- first, everybody else does it, and you've probably trolled those hoity-toity websites already for their thumbnail popcorn. Second, it's usually obvious who's better at each position, and Brave-O-Matic respects your intellect enough not to waste your time. Third, it's a useless exercise -- with the exception of starting pitchers, head-to-head positional matchups don't have anything to do with how the game is played. Giles and Biggio aren't defending each other in the low post.

Instead, I'll rely on another hoary journalistic technique -- welcoming Houstonians to our fair city. I think you'll find the traffic jams to your liking, but if not, please make use of our mass transit system. Unlike yours, people aren't killed on a daily basis!

You'll need it, too, because the scene around Turner Field is a miracle of urban planning -- right smack in the middle of 4 million people, yet there's nowhere to eat, no place to stay, and nothing to do. Sure, you could walk the mile and a half to famous Underground Atlanta. If you do, please post here and tell us what it's like -- we have no idea!

Pick up a newspaper while you're here. You'll be relieved to discover that Republicans aren't the only political party capable of corrupt ineptitude. The AJC does now feature daily Sudoku puzzles, with which you can amuse yourself during Kiss Cam and the periodic PA exhortations to MAKE SOME NOISE!! We feature a notoriously laid back crowd, you see. Fourteen years of unparalleled excellence will do that sometimes.