Darcy Tucker must go. Morris Peterson should stay. Why the Beatles latest album is over-rated. And Chiefs? Colts? Chiefs? Colts? It's the perfect match-up for a 98-96 game, but who is going to win it. Here's a humorous look at the world of sports, and more...

ONE: The time has come for the Toronto Maple Leafs to move Darcy Tucker. Like it or lump it, Leafs nation needs to recognize that this team isn't a real contender. Nor is Tucker the first line forward they need.

When Tucker rampaged out of the gate, on pace for 50 + goals after 20 games or so, I told anyone who would listen that Tucker would struggle to get to 34 goals. That prediction looks pretty good now.

Tucker is a very useful player, and his passion is a HUGE asset for a championship caliber team. But, the Leafs, they ain't that, so if they can get themselves some young assets for a winger having a career year as he heads to free agency they should jump at it.

The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are both apparently interested in Tucker, and, both have young players and prospects that should interest the Leafs.

The risk here is Leafs GM John Ferguson is too scared of losing his job to make the smart play. Tucker is an average skater, especially in the "new NHL," who generates most of his goals on the power-play. He's of far greater value to a playoff team that believes it can win it all.

It also would free Ferguson from the nasty scenario of being forced to overpay a player who is effectively a decent second-line player.

TWO: But the Leaf's co-tenants at the Air Canada Centre need to make sure they aren't about to trade the wrong player. Morris Peterson is on the block, and the veteran Raptor probably isn't the guy Bryan Colangelo should move, unless he gets great return.
That's unlikely, because for the first time in his career the talented swing-man has been hit by injuries.

Peterson was penciled in to be the Raps starter at the small forward position. But, that hasn't worked out, partially because Peterson's solid stroke was hampered by an elbow injury.

Originally, Fred Jones was going to be the other "small" in the rotation. But, then a funny thing happened -- Joey Graham blossomed into a legit NBA player and has shown signs he may have more upside to come. So the Raps two and three spots have become crowded, and right now Peterson seems to be the odd man out.

The thing is… the Raps have very few reliable three-point shooters. Really, they have nobody outside of "Mo-Pete." (Rookie Andrea Bargnani is developing, but is still very hot and cold.) With the ability of T.J. Ford to force the defense to collapse, outside shooters are a must for Toronto. And, with Chris Bosh coming back, the ability to force a down-low double-team the opportunity for open looks will only grow.

Jones is erratic from that distance, and while he is very athletic, his skill set is more similar to Graham's than either man's is to Peterson's.

Moving Graham makes no sense, he's on a rookie contract, and when a player shows he can improve, and has the raw gifts Graham has… well, you wait him out to see exactly what you have.

So it comes down to Jones and Peterson, and right now there just aren't enough minutes for them both, a situation that only gets worse with Bosh's return. So we know Peterson can outshoot Jones, but Fred is the sort of athletic talent that can cause major match-up problems.

So why does Jones go? Well for one, Peterson can play both the two and the three, while Jones isn't tall enough to play the small-forward position. Jones also tends to over-dribble on a team that is developing a free flowing offence that's a liability. The ability to shoot the three will be the key here. Peterson is just far more valuable because he has that ability, and is also a plus defender at the small-forward position.

True Peterson is a free-agent at the end of the year, but if he gets solid minutes he could be willing to keep the Raptors uniform as the only one he's ever worn.

In the end the Raps will be far better off with Peterson's abilities than they will be with Jones.

ONE: I picked up the new Beatles album, "Love." It had received some great reviews, but I'm largely unimpressed. I'd been led to believe there had been some truly groundbreaking work done to some of the Fab Four's classics. And, while some tracks definitely have a new and interesting flavor, particularly a stripped down version of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and a track where "Within You, Without You" bleeds into "Tomorrow Never Knows," the changes are largely too subtle to be appreciated.

One wishes the creative team had taken greater risks with the material. Perhaps that was beyond their control, but the best place to go for a radical re-imagination of the Beatles work is still DJ Danger Mouse's unauthorized "The Grey Album."

TWO: Perhaps, I'm still woozy from watching James Bond chase a bomb-maker through a construction sight in one of the most visually kinetic scenes in recent film history. But, it's hard to find a damn thing wrong in "Casino Royale." I've watched it a few times now, and it's re-invigorated my love for a franchise I had given up for dead a few short years ago.

Dry wit, combined with great acting, a new Bond in Daniel Craig, who looks every bit as good as his predecessors (and, who I might argue is the best actor of the bunch), and cold, cruel violence – "Casino Royale" is Bond grown-up.

The real key may be the woman most worthy of Bond'a attentions since "Diana Rigg" stole 007's heart in "On Her Majesties Secret Service" (easily the most under-rated Bond film in the cannon).

Eva Green is brilliant as Bond's foil. For the first time in a long, while a Bond film has remembered that what truly makes a woman desirable isn't just her form (though Ms. Green wears an evening dress with the best of them), it's her intelligence, her wit, and -- in the world of espionage -- her guts. Green's "Vesper Lynd" (one of the best Bond-names in years) is a true challenge for Craig's Bond, in the best sense of the word.

The filmmakers also remembered that a well choreographed action scene, and a nasty set up , pay off far better than repeated explosions, and multi-million dollar toys crashing through walls.

In short The Beatles "Love" album is one classic brand that disappointed, "Casino Royale" succeeded, and admirably so.

ONE: My Round One NFL predictions

The Seattle Seahawks will beat Dallas at home. The Hawks have struggled all year, but they have also been without their most important two offensive players for long stretches of the season. Matt Hasselback has grown as a quarterback, and he knows how to get the ball to the best receiver in any given situation. The Dallas defense, which was carved by the Lions through the air, is in trouble. Add to that Shaun Alexander is getting healthy and the 'Hawks should have enough to punish the suddenly not so big "" in Cowboy country. The real key, however, is that the game is being played at Qwest Field. Seattle probably won't win a playoff game on the road, but they're a good bet against ANYONE in their home lot.

Philadelphia will top the New York Giants. Forget about momentum, the Eagles are just a better team. They stumbled early, but have been using all that talent to perfection down the stretch. Jeff Garcia is too smart a quarterback to hand this game away. So the Giants will have to take it. They just aren't playing well enough to do it. It'll be a close game -- the G-Men have pride, but the Eagles are arguably the best team in the NFC.

Tom Brady's clone will lose to the real thing in Foxboro. Chad Pennington is a lot like his opponent. Both guys don't get a ton of respect for their physical abilities, but both tend to win. Pennington is a smart QB, he makes good plays, he doesn't get rattled, and his health is the biggest reason why the New York Jets "surprised” the experts and made the playoffs. Gang-Green is legitimately good when he plays -- he's 31-23 in his career as a starter. Still he's facing the one guy who can out Brady-him. The New England pivot is finally getting the respect he deserves for being more than a "system" QB, and with the Patriots impressive job against the Tennessee Titans, they've given notice that they may yet win it all. New England is too much for the Jets, though this one will be a thriller.

And now we come to the game that scares me – The Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Indianapolis Colts. Could Indianapolis have drawn a worse opponent? Larry Johnson is a horse -- the prototype of the sort of back who eats Indianapolis alive. Then again, could the Colts have drawn a better opponent? Not in the AFC. Of the 12 teams dancing, only two have a worse pass-defense than Kansas City -- and if I'm right those two are losing their NFC games.

So, can K.C. run the ball enough and well enough to keep the Colts from exploiting the secondary? You, know, I don't have a clue. This game could end up 35-17 Colts. and I wouldn't be surprised. Or, it could be a dominating 31-21 Chiefs win, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash.

Anyway you add that up, it's NOT a good thing for the Colts. Neither is the fact that they are even playing this week. Whew, Manning has had better chances to be the hero before, so I just don't know if he'll take this one . But, Indy was perfect at the RCA….

Ummm, got a coin?

The Colts win. They have too much pride and talent to be one and done, but I won't watch the game.

(I'm already regretting this pick… I'm editing the column and I've flip-flopped six times on this one…)

TWO: And my pick for NFL MVP?

Drew Brees.

Not only is Brees' role in resurrecting the New Orleans Saints story-book perfect, but Brees personal history covers all the bases as well.

Top pick in San Diego, he comes in with a host of expectations, performs well, but not up to what was hoped. A younger understudy in Philip Rivers is brought in to replace him, but Brees steps it up and becomes one of the top players in the league at his position.

Than he gets hurt, and the San Diego Chargers decide to be safe and give the other phenom his day in the sun. Brees somehow flies more or less under the radar while several teams choose other players to fill their QB needs. He and the Saints are finally able to agree on a deal, and then, bang, Brees is right back at the top, playing spectacularly well on a team, that some thought might do well, but largely on force of emotion, and not really on talent.

Well Brees has shown the ability, but largely the intelligence needed to get the best out of all his teammates. How much of Marques Colston's shocking rookie season is Brees doing? How many offensive players can you say outperformed expectations on the Saints?

It's a long list, and you have to lay much of the credit for that at the feet of the QB. And that's the definition of an MVP -- making other players better. Is there a player in the league who has had a bigger impact? Whose helped a team change its entire psyche?

Don't forget Brees rarely had his most important weapon, Joe Horn, at full strength. Except for in weeks 6 and 8, Horn was more or less a shadow of his usual self. The fact Brees was able to make the Saints into such a daunting offensive threat is a testament to his smarts, and his ability to execute an excellent game-plan.

The Saints may not get anywhere in the playoffs (although I see them winning at least one round), but if New Orleans is down seven or less with time left for one drive , is there a defense in the league that wouldn't sweat to see Brees walk up underneath the center?

Not a chance. While Brees has yet to write his big game legacy, I have a feeling we're going to get the first chapter this post-season… and, I think it will be the start of a long book.