By GREGG PATTON, The Press-Enterprise

As it turns out, the San Diego Chargers aren't the best team to not make the playoffs after all.
They are something far better -- the worst team to make the playoffs.

Hard as it is for us spoiled Southlanders to comprehend, not every one is smitten with Southern California.
Which is why Santa Claus may be coming to town this week, but it looks like Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira are not.

First the Los Angeles Lakers beat up the Toronto Raptors.
Then they beat themselves up, just a little anyway, to keep the edge.
"It wasn't a well-played second and fourth quarter for us," began coach Phil Jackson Sunday night, after his Lakers subdued the Raptors 112-99, taking the lead with four minutes left in the first quarter and never trailing again.

Notre Dame's visit to USC this Saturday may stir up the familiar passion that accompanies this eight-decade-old rivalry, but for the most part it's just hollow blubbering, for nostalgia's sake.
Right now, one of them has become a Happy Meal for the other.

Where Manny Ramirez ends up is anyone's guess.

Oregon State's new basketball coach has an Ivy League education, a former career as a successful investment banker and more than a passing interest in presidential politics. But it wasn't always so for Craig Robinson.

The last time the Los Angeles Lakers began a season with such high expectations was five years ago, when the team welded fading All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton to the disturbingly bitter Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant stew.

Well, well.The USC faithful can stop fretting the Oregon State loss, after all. Put down the chocolate comfort food and crawl out from underneath those baby blankies, folks. You're going to Miami! OK, it's not guaranteed. Just looking really, really good.

LOS ANGELES -- The ball jumped off Manny Ramirez's bat -- that oh, so familiar rise -- and landed in the right field pavilion. Dodger Stadium has been his personal playground for more than two months now, but unfortunately for the Dodgers Wednesday night, it was, once again, more Mannywood than Hollywood.