Tom Coughlin was in his customary exit-row seat on the Giants' charter home from Dallas on Sunday night, sitting behind the two most senior Giants. Michael Strahan and Amani Toomer jawed back and forth across the aisle, talking about how much fun they're having on this wild ride to the NFC Championship Game.

It's to be expected from Strahan. But Toomer is a more mercurial sort at times. This postseason, though, the all-time-leading Giants receiver has been playing like a fresh-legged 22-year-old, not the 33-year-old coming off major knee surgery he really is.

"He is really wired, really excited, and it's a great thing to see," Coughlin said. "Strahan and him were back and forth across the aisle talking about our team and the playoffs. It's great to see them enjoying it as much as they are." .

Not an 'it' player? Don't tag

There is a time and a place to use the franchise tag.

But there also is a time and place to keep the franchise tag in your back pocket.

It does not make sense for a team to tag a player just because it doesn't want to lose him.

Mercury Mariner Premier

There's good news and bad news for the handy Mercury Mariner compact sports utility vehicle--a real suburban utility vehicle. The new the Mercury Mariner gets an extensive facelift and mechanical upgrades for 2008. That's very good. The Mariner already is adept around town--it's a crosstown cruiser. Now it looks and handles even better. But remaining are the 153 horsepower 2.3L four cylinder and the 200 horse power 3L V-6. Both run through a four-speed automatic transmission. Lack of power is a dilemma here. Yet the sturdy Mercury Mariner keeps up and can even lead in congested urban areas. That's despite the pickup. No matter how you slice the Mariner's acceleration it comes up 10 seconds plus or minus to 60 mph with the V-6. The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner Hybrid combines an electric motor with a gasoline four cylinder and does the zero to 60 mph in a flat 10 seconds.

CALDWELL'S WWE RAW REPORT 1/28: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of ...

WWE Raw Live Report January 28, 2008 Philadelphia, Pa. Raw's competition tonight is President Bush with the State of the Union address. Over/under 15 for number of random standing ovations and length of the opening Raw segment. Video intro: They opened with a recap of the Royal Rumble match last night. Focus was on Hunter clearing folks out of the ring before they asked the question of who number 30 was. They paused, then showed John Cena's surprise return. Down to Cena vs. Hunter, they put the music over the crowd's boos for Cena and cheers for Hunter, before showing Cena winning the Rumble. The question: who will Cena choose to face tonight? Live in the arena: They opened with John Cena's music and the usual mix of very loud cheers and vocal boos. He came out with a big smile on his face before hitting the ring to the loud reaction.

Pick 'n' roll: Wednesday's best NBA bets

Just when it seemed this season had gotten as bad as it possibly could, things got even worse for the Miami Heat. They were torn apart at home to the Raptors Monday night, losing by 23 points as nine-point underdogs.

Carmelo Anthony returned from an ankle injury last weekend and suddenly the Nuggets look like a more dynamic team.

Bealls, T-Mobile plan stores in Bluff

Among the expansions and new businesses, I'd like to mention that Real Life Fellowship is opening a campus in the old mini mall next to Funtrackers. When they open it will be the largest church congregation in Flour Bluff. It is a casual dress church with contemporary music. The pastor makes the Bible and it's message come alive and teaches us how to apply God's word to our lives! I would like to invite anyone who is interested to check the church out. The current Corpus campus is located at Staples and Holly Rd. , also in Portland in the movie theater on Sunday mornings, and coming soon to Calallen at the Bay Area Fitness Center!

Why Things Suck: Traffic

Our nation is gridlocked. Congested roadways mean that each year, the typical US commuter spends about 40 hours in traffic. That adds up to $78 billion in lost time and wasted fuel, not to mention environmental damage, road rage, and the proliferation of lame drive-time shock jocks. What's worse, most jams aren't the result of an accident or a breakdown; they have no clear cause at all. Drivers react to other drivers, and those drivers react in response. A tiny hiccup in traffic — you're fiddling with the radio and get a little too close to the car in front, so you hit the brakes — can send a tremor rippling upstream for miles. One Japanese scientist found that in moderate traffic, a single erratic vehicle can trigger feedback effects that push the entire system into a new equilibrium: a standstill.

Sonthi indicates he wants interior portfolio as well

Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin Saturday indicated that he also wants the post of interior minister along with the position of deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs.

Sonthi was speaking during recording of his interview to Joh Jai programme at the JSL Company Saturday afternoon.

He said he has not discussed with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont over the post of interior minister yet.

But if the Interior Ministry was involved with security affairs, it should help him take care of the security affairs much better, he said.

Sonthi traveled to the company in Mercedes Benz S600, which was once official car of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Nation

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Palo Alto road closures for Amgen ride

Billed as America's version of the Tour de France, the race includes 11 international and six American teams of professional racers.