PRO FOOTBALL: Jacksonville at Indianapolis

Who would have thought the Jaguars would be the focus of 2 TOTW's in less than a week? Even though I picked them to shock Indy and win the AFC South division, not even I saw them having a chance to take the NFL by storm so soon. After a convincing shutout of the Super Bowl champs in a defensive showdown last week, Jacksonville now needs to find some offense for this game against the high powered Colts.

As always, Indy is led by QB Peyton Manning and WR Marvin Harrison . However, missing is Edgerrin James after the veteran RB bolted in free agency. And though Coach Tony Dungy's defense is pretty good, it will always be the play of the offense that defines this team. On the other hand, Jacksonville has adopted the personality of their coach Jack Del Rio. He was a ferocious NFL linebacker for a decade and now his Jags play some tough defense too. But the offensive is still a big uncertainty. QB Byron Leftwich and RB Fred Taylor have lots of ability, but also an equal tendency for injury.

My pick: Jacksonville. I've been so hot with my TOTW picks of late that I'm calling out the upset right here. Take the points, but look for the Jags to win outright.

Today is the 102nd consecutive daily TOTW and it'll also be the last for awhile. With the expected birth this week of our son Joseph Thomas Briscoe, now is an appropriate time for me to put my love of sports and blogging on hold. I'm sure my late night hours will be better spent making bottles, burping, changing diapers, and trying everything to get the little guy to sleep.

Thanks to all my visitors and commenters during the past 3 1/2 months. It's been a great summer in the world of sports and I'm proud that I was able to capture a small part of it. Highlights for me include the exciting World Cup, the tainted Tour de France, baseball's pennant races, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, and the start of the pro and college football seasons. Look for The One To Watch to return at this same url in November. And expect some major tweaking in an effort to stay relevant in this overly-crowded blogosphere.

Finally, let me not forget my favorite part of TOTW - the girls. I think I've delivered photos of an eclectic bunch of athletes, celebrities, and other fine looking women. Ranking my top 5 has been fun too. But it turns out that my #1 choice today remains the same as it was 3 months ago or 3 years ago. It's the ultimate vixxen of the sports world (and baseball fan) Anna Kournikova.

I wish Anna made a bigger mark in the world of women's tennis before injuries forced her retirement. And I really wish she wasn't dating a pussy like Enrique Iglesias. However, in spite of these failures, I think 97% of red-blooded American sports fans agree Kournikova is still a winner in our eyes....and the ones who don't are offset by all those Russian hockey players 20 years her senior who were lucky enough to get a piece along the way!