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• Vote: ALCS: Yankees lead 3-1
• Chat: MLB with Keith Law, 1 p.m. ET.

A few years ago, the big story with the Phillies was the fact that they were the first-ever professional franchise to lose 10,000 games. Now, they may become the first back-to-back World Series winners in the new century.

Last night's NLCS Game 5 provided still more evidence that Philadelphia may be the most balanced team in baseball. With a lineup that features contributions out of nearly every player (even though Ryan Howard went hitless, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, and Pedro Feliz all homered), some shutdown starting pitchers, and a suddenly resurgent bullpen, the Phillies are sitting pretty. Surprised, SportsNation? Going by your judgments back in early July, late July, and even just prior to the series, you probably should be. Now, the only thing left for the Phillies to do is wait for the winner of the Angels-Yankees series, which SportsNation thinks won't take too long -- much like seemingly every other series this postseason.

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd don't need a marker to hit long "SportsNation" TV field goals.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

How has the umpiring affected your opinion of instant replay?
Dale Scott and Tim McClelland made calls Tuesday that clearly were wrong in television replay. They aren't the first or only mistakes this postseason.

Do you have a problem with Manny showering as the Dodgers lost?
Ramirez told reporters he went into the clubhouse after he was pulled from the lineup and did not see the play that ended Game 4 of the NLCS.

Should Titans fans be offended by Jeff Fisher wearing a Manning jersey?
Fisher wore the Peyton jersey at a charity event for Rocketown at Lipscomb University in Nashville with former Colts coach Tony Dungy.

Which WR will have the better season?
Rookie Michael Crabtree could get his first start with the 49ers this week. Veteran T.O. hasn't been getting many touches in Buffalo's anemic offense.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

Thanks to longhorncutie07 for a little perspective during Red River Rivalry week. If you can't hang out with the fans of your least favorite opponent, you might have a problem.

These are our favorite photos uploaded this week. If any of the images makes you want to tell jokes about the intelligence of your biggest rival's fans, click them to view a larger picture and to comment. If you have a great picture or saw one you think the world should see, leave a brief description and a link in the Conversation section below.

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd aren't above wearing throwback unis (see the maroon blazer) on "SportsNation" TV.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Is Saturday's game a must-win for coach Charlie Weis to keep this job?
The Irish are 4-1, but a loss to the USC Trojans could end the team's BCS hopes and increase pressure on Weis.

Which is a better summary of the Jets-Dolphins game?
Did the New York defense lose the game or did the Miami Wildcat offense win the Monday Night Football game?

Should the Bears try to get Terrell Owens?
The Bills are going nowhere, and the star they picked up in the offseason has only 12 catches for 202 yards and one touchdown.

What do you make of the Jets losing two straight after starting 3-0?
Rex Ryan apologized for his coaching and the defense after the loss. Is this the beginning of the end or just a road bump for a new staff?

Which LCS series is more interesting?
Are you more interested in the American League Angels-Yankees games or the National League Dodgers-Phillies games?

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Vote on NLCS: Dodgers or Phillies? | Vote on ALCS: Angels or Yankees?
• Chats: Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, 11 ET | SweetSpot blogger Rob Neyer, noon ET

First it was the Lakers winning an NBA championship. Now it's the Angels and Dodgers on the verge of a "Gridlock Series" in Southern California. Don't these teams know the state can't afford success if it means extra security and championship parades? At least the Warriors and Raiders have the greater good in mind. Failure is cost effective.

But while SportsNation is split almost down the middle on whether an all-California series would be a good thing, this is really all about the Dodgers and Yankees.

• Almost half of SportsNation is rooting for either the Phillies or Angels to win it all.
• Only 12 percent of SportsNation wants to see the Phillies and Angels play each other.

In other words, the Nation is evenly divided about which team they want to win the World Series, but they're unanimous in wanting the win to come against the Dodgers or Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez hits two game-tying home runs in the late innings of postseason games. Brad Lidge closes out a game like the Lidge of old (or at least unlike the Lidge of this season). And the Angels make the Red Sox look positively Pawtucket-ish. Clearly, there is some bad postseason karma looking for a new home. Good thing MLB umpires are around.

Capping off a run of mistakes around the league, home plate umpire Jerry Meals, by his own admission, blew a call that prolonged a ninth inning in which the Phillies eventually took a 6-5 lead against the Rockies Sunday night. Then again, perhaps Meals can be forgiven for freezing on a call in a four-hour game played in sub-freezing temperatures.

Buster Olney thinks it's time to bring in mechanical assistance. Back in July, only a slight majority of SportsNation thought replay should be expanded. Has October changed that?

• Vote on NLDS: Will the Phillies close it out? | Vote on ALCS: Yankees or Angels?
• Chat: "Baseball Tonight" analyst Orestes Destrade talks playoffs, 3 ET.

Matt Holliday hit .353 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Cardinals in 63 regular-season games this season. He hit a home run in the top of the second inning against the Dodgers that gave his team a 1-0 lead Thursday. And now he may rank somewhere behind Sean Payton, Dan Gladden and Bill Bidwill on the list of most popular sports figures in St. Louis.

Holliday's ninth-inning, two-out error gave the Dodgers new life and paved the way for their eventual 3-2 win. Holliday said he lost it in the lights. Adam Wainwright suggested it might have been the nefarious white towels fans in Dodger Stadium were waving (in Los Angeles, we would have thought the red glare of brake lights from fans beating traffic would have been a bigger issue). Either way, his name now lives in infamy ... sort of.

But given how much of a role he played in getting the Cardinals to this point, and how utterly humiliating an error it was, would you rip Holliday if he played for your favorite team?

• Vote: Are the Cardinals done? | How will all four division series end?
• Chat: Jerry Crasnick talks playoffs, 3 ET | Crasnick on Yankees' Game 1 win

If the Red Sox and Yankees wind up playing in the ALCS, is there a way Brett Favre can throw out the first pitch? Just to see if the world would, in fact, actually implode?

With apologies to debates over whether the Rockies can handle the Phillies' left-handed pitching, or if Clayton Kershaw is ready to be a postseason ace, the prospect of another Red Sox-Yankees clash looms over the postseason as either a return to the best rivalry in sport or as many as seven five-hour nightmares, depending on your perspective.

Are you rooting for another showdown or absolutely anything else?

• Vote: Angels-Red Sox | Dodgers-Cardinals | Phillies-Rockies | Yankees-Twins
• Vote: Pick a World Series winner and how long each division series will last
• Your rankings: Power Rankings | Playoff closers | Big-game pitchers | All-time upsets
• Chat wraps: Buster Olney | Eric Young | Joe Morgan | Rob Neyer | Peter Gammons
• Hall of Fall: Steve Bartman becomes first inductee

Moving on from last night's Favre-less drama in Minnesota, we move immediately to a playoff (now that we're finally allowed to use that word) tripleheader Wednesday. It's a quick turnaround, as the Twins will attest, but SportsNation has been prepping all week by picking the brains of some of ESPN's best baseball writers. Hey, it beats working.

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd don't complain on "SportsNation" TV when they get leading questions from reporters.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Does clinching an early playoff berth help or hurt an MLB team?
A day after clinching the American League East, the Yankees rested many of their starters. They still beat the Royals 8-2.

How should Cowboys fans feel after Monday's game?
Instead of landing among the half of the league that has a losing record, the Cowboys bounced back from their loss to the Giants with a win.

Should Al Davis suspend Raiders coach Tom Cable if charges are filed?
Raiders assistant coach Randy Hanson told Napa police that he was struck by head coach Tom Cable and suffered a broken jaw.

What is more fun?
Would you rather be playing golf or cruising about on a golf scooter? The new set of wheels doesn't have the traditional seat or roof.

Who deserves more credit for the Vikings' game-winning play on Sunday?
Since Brett Favre didn't complete the pass to himself, Greg Lewis also deserves some credit for the game-winning touchdown pass Sunday.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.