Just thought I'd chime in on a few topics that caught my eye the last few days and see if I'm the only one thinking Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones panicked in making the trade for WR Roy Williams?

Williams is a former Pro Bowl caliber player and could easily regain that form now that he has a legitimate quarterback throwing to him, but the first post-Matt Millen move made by Detroit has all the makings of a highway robbery. Jones said he has been coveting Williams for the last two years and couldn't get a deal done during the Millen era. Knowing how smitten Jones was with Williams and realizing injuries to Tony Romo, Felix Jones and Sam Herd had decimated the Cowboys offensive capabilities, the Lions simply held out for more and Jones eventually caved. Watching billionaires like Jones get outsmarted like that makes you wonder how they built their financial empires in the first place doesn't it?

Speaking of bad Jones' decisions, it looks like the Pacman experiment was more trouble than it was worth. Seems the trouble-prone defensive back got all liquored up and started a fight with the guy the Cowboys assigned to keep him out of trouble. What? Pacman's issues would probably be more tolerable if he was an elite defender or even an above-average return specialist like many said he was but that has not been the case and now the Cowboys are forced to admit their mistake in giving him a second chance and move on.

When it comes to quarterbacks, one of the intangibles scouts and GMs look for is field awareness. In general terms, this basically means that a guy is always in the game as far as knowing the down and distance, understanding the score, his team's position on the field and most importantly what he can and cannot do with the game on the line. Apparently Lions' backup QB Dan Orlovsky was home sick on the days the team went over such things in Training Camp because his safety in last week's loss to the Vikings was both comical and inexcusable at the same time. Tied 0-0 in the first quarter against the Vikings, Orvlosky took the snap at his own two yard line and dropped back to pass in his own endzone. Minnesota's Jared Allen forced him from the pocket and Orvlosky retreated back a couple yards while scrambling from the pressure and was called for the safety as he appoached the first row of seats behind the endzone. Talk about lack of awareness. This guy was out of the endzone for about as long as the cheerleaders were coming back after the commercial before he realized what was up. Clueless, totally clueless.

And last but not least, how about a shout out to the impressive Rays of Tampa Bay. Not only are they taking care of the defending champs, they're doing it with an offensive barrage like no other. I believe the Sox are rolling out Josh Beckett in an attempt to prolong the inevitable but it might take Josh Gibson to slow down these sizzling bats.

I was fortunate enough to take in Game 3 and Game 4 of the Brewers-Phillies NLDS games this past weekend and despite the quick exit by my hometown Milwaukee squad, I couldn't have been more impressed with the effort made by the Brewers' faithful in the stands.

I've been to more than 200 Brewer games in my life and I have never witnessed anything close to the atmosphere of this past weekend. The team returned home from Philly down 0-2 in the series but you would have guessed it was the Brewers that were looking for the sweep if you based it solely on the crowd at Miller Park.

From the opening pitch on Saturday right up until the final pitch on Sunday, both crowds did everything they could to keep the Brewers dream alive. Whether it was the non-stop cheers, the feverish wavering of the Brewers towels on Saturday to the deafening noise created by the 86,000 thunder sticks that were given out on Sunday, both Miller Park crowds definitely did their part.

Unfortunately for the Miller Park maniacs, the team was simply outplayed on the field and there was nothing we in the stands could do about it. An error here, a misplayed fly ball there, coupled with the ever-popular strikeout with runners in scoring position and it translated to a recipe for disaster for the playoff-starved Crew. Sure, there were some highlights sprinkled in throughout the weekend but in the end, the quick exit was not only disappointing but it was made even more so by the fact that many of the players who helped make this season a memorable one likely won't be around for another run at the title next year.

If the Brewer brass can just keep rolling out a competitive team we'll be back to lend our support. Next year's Brewers will have plenty of holes to fill on the diamond that's for sure, but at least they can take solace in the fact that their fan base is alive and well, three million strong and growing.

Just thought I'd post some quick-hitting thoughts about what's going in the wild world of sports.

First off, enough already about what a big deal it is when pitchers start on just three days rest. I'm no "baseball purist" by any means and I'm not old enough to remember the days before setup men and situational pitchers and all that, but I know for a fact that pitching on three days rest was a common practice before guaranteed million-dollar contracts became the norm. With the advent of pitch counts and quick hooks, complete games are about as rare as a clutch hit from the Brewers lineup so why not roll with your ace every three days, give him the typical 95 pitches to work his magic and take your chances. The difference between most team's No. 1 and No. 2 starters is usually worth a couple runs so even a No. 1 at 90% is usually better than a No. 2 at 100%.

Give me a staff of rubber-armed Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia and Johan Santana and I'll pitch all three every third day and take my chances.

Planning on going to Game 3 of the NLDS series between Milwaukee and Philly Saturday and while the Brewers will be battling for their lives down 0-2 in the best-of-five series, I sure hope we as fans do our part to try to will a Game 4 into existence. Milwaukee has waited 26 years for this opportunity and I'd hate to see 45,000 turn their backs on the team because they weren't able to get their act together in the postseason. This Brewer team is one of the most frustrating and yet exciting teams I've ever followed, but that's only because they have the talent to advance and it would be such a shame if they didn't display it.

I saw how quick a certain contingent at the "not-so-friendly" confines bailed on their squad when things didn't go their way and I would hate to see our fan base fall into the "fair-weather" variety.

For years, there have been two topics of conversation that tend to be off limits at a bar: religion and politics. And with good reason. The two topics tend to evoke heated conversations that simply don't mix well with adult beverages. When people are drinking their opinions tend to be amplified to a whole new level which can often lead to arguments that nobody wins which is why the subjects were deemed as taboo for drinking establishments long ago.

My point is, some things just shouldn't be mixed together. For example, Chicago Cubs fans and Steve Bartman; Lane Kiffin and Al Davis; O.J. Simpson and anybody named Goldman. The latest to be added to the list is combination of political trading cards with good ole fashioned sports cards.

Both Topps and Upper Deck are featuring political inserts in their latest baseball releases which begs the question: Why? While I'm sure there are some funny satire-inspired offerings in the sets that will draw a few smiles from collectors, I'm also guessing there will be quite a few hardcore baseball card fans who will disappointed they were shorted a chance at a Geovanny Soto RC in favor of a Tina Fey lookalike (Sarah Palin).

Like most in these difficult economic times, sports collectors want to get what they pay for and pulling a cartoon-versioned card of an old war hero will likely not be met with the same passion by those hoping to find the next Cy Young in their pack.

So do us a favor Topps and Upper Deck. Do what you do best and leave the political stuff for CNN and the like and stick to producing the best-valued SPORTS cards you can.

Just got done riding one of the best roller coaster rides of my life. Another ride is scheduled to take off on Wednesday and I'll be on board for that one, too. They say this next one could be even better, but I haven't experienced the heightened level of excitement that the postseason ride carries with it since I was a kid so I hope my ticker can take it.

The ride I'm referring to is the Milwaukee Brewers incredible journey into its first postseason appearance in 26 years. The odyssey ended Sunday with a dramatic victory over the rival Cubs coupled with another late-inning collapse by the Mets.

Throughout the up-and-down season, many of my Brewer brethren were quick to exit the ride at the first sign of impending doom but I can honestly say my support for this team never wavered. Not during the team's horrific month of May, not after the Brewers were swept by the Cubs in late July and not after the Mets busted out their own brooms during a three-game sweep over the Crew to open the month of September. Sure, I spent several nights this summer swearing at the TV after a forgettable batting-practice like pitching effort or the team's inability to manufacture runs, but I always believed they'd some how find a way.

Putting yourself out there and keeping faith in your favorite team is a risky proposition much like telling that special someone you love them for the first time. It leaves you vulnerable to the prospect of being really hurt but when things work out like you hope it can leave you with a rewarding and fulfilling feeling like no other. Over the course of a 162-game schedule, the up-and-down relationship that we as fans often endure riding along with our favorite teams will often test a person's faith. Maintaining that faith throughout despite the enevitible derailments that occur from time to time makes the ride just that much more fun. I'm proud to say I stayed put for the entire ride and plan to sit tight and keep my harness locked until the ride comes to a complete stop. Here's hoping that won't happen until Oct. 30.