NEW ORLEANS – From the start of the rebuilding process, the Detroit Lions' mantra has been simple: play tough and play as a team. Ground would be stood. Teammates would be backed. They'd hit through the whistle.

It's a reasonable concept until the Lions found themselves here, losing for the fifth time in seven games: a 31-17 defeat to the New Orleans Saints, buried as much by a blizzard of foolish penalties as Drew Brees'(notes) bombs. This club is an undisciplined mess, seemingly unaware of time and situation.

"We have to get guys to understand you don't have to show how tough you are on each play," wide receiver Nate Burleson(notes) said.

This loss was a testament to unnecessary and unlikeable play: 11 penalties for 107 yards, one seemingly both dumber and more backbreaking than the next. Beating the Saints in the Superdome is tough enough; it can't be done this way. Wild play is a coincidence that keeps on happening to Detroit, although at least they are starting to admit it.

"We

ATLANTA – There's a sizeable portion of college football lamenting that the BCS championship game will feature a rematch of two teams from the same league – LSU and Alabama of the Southeastern Conference.

Go ahead and be frustrated.

Just don't blame the SEC.

The familiar chant of "S-E-C, S-E-C" filled the Georgia Dome on Saturday night, this time LSU fans celebrating their 42-10 victory over Georgia for the league title. It was more than that, though. This was the recognition of a new level of power: The league is assured a sixth consecutive title Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

If it were up to the SEC, though, it never would've happened. At least not without giving teams from two other leagues a chance to prove themselves on the field.

In 2008, commissioner Mike Slive pitched a so-called "plus-one" plan that essentially was a four-team playoff using existing bowl games. Other than the ACC, the other conferences not only summarily rejected the plan, they refused to even discuss its details.

"I

The BCS formula is an exercise in nonsense.

It always has been; it's just more obvious this season, when there is a heated debate over the second-best team, the one that would meet LSU for the title.

Alabama, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech and others are making their pitches, pointing out this strength and that argument to get a crack at the Tigers. The campaigns will only pick up this weekend.

Understand this, though: No matter what it says, the BCS is not a system designed to choose a championship matchup. It is merely a tool to stave off the inevitable playoff bowl directors fear will cut into their millions in tax-free profits, a casino-style distraction to placate the masses.

It is what it is, and until it collapses (even a four-teamer is a major, positive step), college football is stuck.

That said, if the BCS somehow survives in its current incarnation, the formula to determine 1-2 must be scrapped.

It currently consists of two-thirds human opinion polls that are ripe for

It's championship week. Even though the BCS has taken much of the drama out of this weekend's slate of games, if you're capable of enjoying the games in a vacuum, it remains one of the best of the season, with a bunch of great matchups.

Our guest, Mike Valenti, of the "Valenti and Foster Show" on 97.1 the Ticket in Detroit, does not live in a vacuum. He joined us in September to discuss the five-year anniversary of his Michigan State rant following a crushing defeat to Notre Dame.

Now he unleashes on the BCS with some pretty good fire, mainly motivated by the thought that Michigan could wind up in a BCS bowl over Michigan State, even though the Spartans had a better season and beat the Wolverines head-to-head.

Valenti takes up for all the non-traditional programs that the BCS marginalizes – this season, Michigan State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and so on – when it allows the bowls to select teams based on brand name and television draw.

It's strong stuff.

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The NFL handed down a two-game suspension to Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh(notes) on Tuesday, the result of his stomping the arm of Green Bay's Evan Dietrich-Smith(notes) during a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers.

For the Lions, this was the magic number – a dodge-a-bigger-bullet blessing.

With that punishment, Suh should waive any appeal, happily take a seat, rest up and be thankful that his outburst will have essentially no impact on the franchise's quest to make its first playoff appearance since the 1999 season.

The Lions play at New Orleans on Sunday night, a game they would be expected to lose with or without Suh. The following week they host the lowly Minnesota Vikings, a game they would be expected to win with or without Suh.

This stretch was always about achieving a split. Anything more is a major bonus. Anything less is a disaster, but one that should be avoided no matter the play of their star defensive lineman. As long as Detroit can handle Minnesota,

Physical, fearless and with a canny sense of game-on-the-line timing that's becoming his signature, the great young Denver Bronco busted through the line, pushed past an opponent and made a result-altering play.

That Von Miller(notes) is one heck of a talent.

"That was a huge play," Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow(notes) said. Yes, there was the rookie linebacker making a clutch, overtime tackle of San Diego Chargers running back Mike Tolbert(notes) for a four-yard loss. The play forced the Chargers into a just-too-long 53-yard overtime field goal attempt that wound up off course.

Not that Tebow saw either play.

"I can't say I saw too much of it," Tebow said. "I was praying."

Praying for a miss?

"I might have said that," Tebow laughed. "Or maybe a block. Maybe all of it."

Tebow and the offense took over and six plays later Matt Prater(notes) was booting home the game-winning field goal, giving Denver its fourth consecutive victory. It moved the one-time 1-4 club to 6-5 and leaving a

Earlier this month, Syracuse assistant Bernie Fine was accused of sexual molestation by former ball boys Bobby Davis and Mike Lang. Coach Jim Boeheim immediately declared Fine innocent, defending his longtime friend. He also attacked the allegations as "a bunch of a thousand lies" and surmised that the accusers were motivated by financial gain, two damning character attacks.

Boeheim had the right to defend his friend. His counter allegations against Davis and Lang were over the top, but that was Boeheim's right also.

He went all in with Bernie Fine, choosing to take the fight right to the court of public opinion, preferring to not wait for the legal process to play out.

Now comes an explosive and troubling 2002 taped conversation between Davis and Fine's wife, Laurie. It comes on the heels of a third accuser, Zach Tomaselli, telling police he also was molested by Fine, in his case in a Pittsburgh hotel room in 2002.

Yet, Syracuse University said Sunday that Boeheim "is not commenting