FOMB Inland Area Prep Soccer Top 5

1. Temecula Chaparral (20-2-2) — The Pumas got back on track, posting a 2-0-1 week which included a lopsided, 5-0, victory over Elsinore Temescal Canyon. Entering its final two matches of the season, Chaparral is the top-ranked team in CIF-SS Division III. THIS WEEK: 2/9 vs. Temecula Valley; 2/11 at Temecula Great Oak.

2. Redlands (14-2-9) – The Terriers tallied 14 times and posted three victories last week in wins over Yucaipa, Fontana Miller and Rialto Carter. Senior striker Miles Byass accounted for six goals, including a second-half hat trick in a come-from-behind victory over Yucaipa. THIS WEEK: 2/10 vs. Rialto; 2/12 at Redlands East Valley.

3. Hesperia (20-1-4) — The Scorpions defeated Phelan Serrano, 2-1, and Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World, 5-0, to keep pressure on the top two teams in this week’s Top 5. Only one match stands between Hesperia and an unbeaten Mojave River League record. THIS WEEK: 2/11 at Apple Valley.

4. Rubidoux (10-2-5) — The Falcons are 7-1-1 in away fixtures after going on the road and defeating Menifee Heritage, 4-3, and Beaumont, 3-1, last week. Junior midfielder Edwin Luganas had a hat trick in the win over Beaumont. THIS WEEK: 2/9 vs. Riverside Notre Dame; 2/11 vs. Banning.

5. Riverside Poly (18-3-3) — The Bears are unbeaten in their last 12 matches and own an 11-0-1 mark in the Big VIII League. Coach Alex Figueroa’s XI is ranked 2nd in CIF-SS Division II but faces two stiff tests to finalize the regular season. THIS WEEK: 2/10 at Riverside King; 2/12 at Norco.

Dropped out: Pomona Garey (16-3-5). Just missed: Fontana Kaiser (16-3-3).

Are Lakers Champs Without Kobe?

In two games without the NBA’s best player, the team has two victories and zero losses.

Can the Los Angeles Lakers win an NBA title without Kobe Bryant?

This seems like a foolish question, yes. Like asking for a cheeseburger without the cheese, or something.

But the team’s recent wins over Portland and San Antonio underscore how much better this Lakers team is than in season’s past. More confident. Tighter and tougher on defense.

From what I’ve seen, they played better in the last two games without Bryant than they did in the previous three against Memphis, Charlotte and Denver.

Can they win an NBA title without Kobe? It’s an interesting question.

New Orleans is NOW!

The New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, and in thrilling fashion I would say.

Everything is going to be OK now. New Orleans is back, baby.

What hurricane? Who’s Katrina?

Bourbon for everyone. Mardi Gras is starting early.

After the party’s finally over sometime in June, reconstruction of the city will no longer be mired in bureaucracy and red tape.

Enter an Era of Good Feeling in ‘Nawlins.

The Lower 5th Ward and all water-logged disaster areas will become clean and pristine. New, better houses for everyone who wants one.

Right?

The Incomparable Jerry Rice

Simply the finest wide receiver ever to play professional football, Jerry Rice is the standard.

1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards and 208 touchdowns. Each an all-time records unlikely to ever be challenged. See his complete stats here.

He’s a 10-time All Pro, a 13-time Pro Bowler.

He made defensive backs his play-things, even perennial All-Pros like Eric Allen and Darrell Green looked like teenagers playing a man’s game when lined up opposite No. 80. And the entire Cincinnati Bengals’ secondary in Super Bowl XXIII? They were hapless as Rice racked up 215 receiving yards (another record) en route to a Super Bowl MVP.

He turned great quarterbacks — Joe Montana and Steve Young — into icons. And now he joins both Montana and Young in that gritty monument to three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust in Canton.

In the end, it’s somewhat ironic that Rice enters Canton after both Montana and Young. Would either QB be in the football’s Hall without Rice? And yet they’re both there before Rice.

Name another receiver that contributed as much to the Hall of Fame careers of two quarterbacks?

OK. Stop. There isn’t one. There’s only Jerry Rice. He’s the standard.