When you live in the Midwest and get a steady diet of both the NL and the AL central divisions, you don't know a whole lot about the Colorado Rockies.  But there they were, on national cable, down two runs in the bottom of the twelfth inning against the best closer (statistically) of all time.

In the top of the twelfth, Jorge Julio got lit up for a two run homer by Scott Hairston (making the first time anyone named Hairston has made a significant contribution during a baseball game) and the situation, especially with Hoffman in the game appeared to be dire.  The Padres were three outs away from making it to the playoffs with a two run lead and Trevor Hoffman on the mound.  But then, something went horribly wrong.

Hoffman, who entered the game with 42 saves on the year leading baseball's most effective bullpen surrendered a lead off double.  Then another double.  Then a triple.  And finally, after an intentional walk, a game winning sacrifice fly.  Three runs, three hits and no outs later, the Rockies were on their way to Philadelphia while the Padres, who could have clinched the wild card against the Brewers over the weekend simply by winning either Saturday or Sunday, are on their way to the golf course.

These Rockies are a great story.  Off to a horrible start, buzzards were circling the mound around the head of manager Clint Hurdle every time he went out and changed pitchers.  But with a resilient core of young players and the team anchored by fading veteran Todd Helton, the Rockies found a way, winning 13 of their last 14 and earning their first playoff birth since 1995.

This was fun baseball last night, with several lead changes and a twisty, turny, type of pace.  It was certainly more entertaining than watching Tom Brady pants the Bengals.

Colorado's Matt Holliday won the batting title by going 2 for 6 (he also allegedly scored the winning run, though replays are inconclusive on whether or not he touched the plate.)  But his grit and the determination of his teammates not to lose last night, is the stuff of legends.

These Rockies could turn out to be fun to watch in the first round.

Lighting Round

• While the Rockies thrill their fans and advance to the NLDS, the White Sox lick their wounds and vow not to repeat the disaster that was 2007.
  
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  To the surprise of no one (okay, maybe Rex Grossman) Brian Griese remains the Bears starting quarterback. Dude, if the Lions pass rush frustrated you, waint until Sunday night when the Fudge Packers blow your mind.
• Bears reserve DB Kevin Payne is now on IR and will miss the rest of the season.  They say it's a broken arm, but based on what I saw in the Dallas game it could be either whiplash or severe burns.
• Pitcher Scott Schoeneweis received packages containing steroids when he was with the White Sox.  Based on his success with the White Sox, obviously they didn't take.
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  Today's sodomy on the Elderly Hillbilly performed by SI's Peter King.  I know I keep using oral sex as analogy for the way the media is handling the Hillbilly, but here's some proof that it's not just me.
• The Genius wants to go sit under his Genius tree and ponder life for a few days.  His boss thinks he'll be back.
• Our friends at Awful Announcing say "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" is close to being canceled.  Personally, this show jumped the shark a long, long, long time ago.
• Leave it to a Chicago guy to win a grits eating contest.
• Mick Jagger envisions a rock and roll seniors tour.
• Memo to Al Gore: In addition to causing meat, gasoline and milk prices to skyrocket because you and your tree hugging friends insist on using corn based ethanol, you are also causing world starvation.  The hole in the ozone layer isn't going to matter if everyone on the planet dies from starvation.  Fix this.
• You'll be happy to know that soon you'll be able to get stains out of anything.
• Today's youngsters are brash, bold and have a huge sense of entitlement.  In other words, my step-daughter is the rule rather than the exception.  Here's why this is happening: Yesterday's discipline is today's alleged child abuse.  People, now in their forties were raised by parents who were old school and did things like ground you, forbid certain friends from coming over, whack you with a belt when you got out of line, etc.  Today's parents want to be the kid's friends and never laid a hand on the kid.  You reap what you sow, people.
• Today's list: 15 great TV opens.