Four days and counting

I took a break from my divisional playoff obsession to fill out some paperwork. Yep, I'm about to become a full-time employee at the place where I've worked as a contractor since September. This is a place where my sports obsession is supported instead of tolerated. I haven't put up anything in Columbia blue in my work area or made the picture of Cortland Finnegan obliterating Ben Roethlisberger my desktop background.

Ken Mawae is out for Saturday. At least we think he is. In his place will start seconed-year player Leroy Harris. Harris was a healthy scratch in all 16 games as a rookie and started his first game two weeks ago. Calling the offensive line signals against a tough defensive line won't be easy.

Oh yeah, if the paperwork clears in time, my first paid holiday as a full-timer will be Martin Luther King Jr. day, or in the football-obsessed world, the day after the AFC and NFC Championship games. The stars are aligning for me.