Fellas, the "Monday Morning Couch Potatoes" feel your pain. We understand that sometimes in life, you have to make sacrifices. We've all been there before. Spent Saturday night watching Catch and Release with the lady instead of at the bar with the boys? Picked the kids up from the dance recital instead of watching the big game? It's OK. It happens. That's where we come in.

At the start of every week, the "Monday Morning Couch Potatoes" (Peter Schrager and Adam Weinberg) will fill you in on the important things you missed while trying to pretend like you really care about all the other stuff in your life. Each Monday, you will wake up with an up-to-date summary of all the vital (and worthless) things you might have missed in the past week of sports and entertainment.

These are the six stories that sparked our interest the most during the past week of sports, pop culture and entertainment. This article, and every one of its biweekly successors, will serve as a "cheat sheet" for the various conversations you will have with coworkers and friends over the upcoming week.

So get educated, then hit up the water cooler for some conversation with the boys from accounts receivable.

Water Cooler Topic #1
A Super matchup?
Super Bowl XLI will be played between the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, February 4, 2007, in Miami. Future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning squares off against Rex Grossman, arguably the least accomplished quarterback to ever lead a team to the big game. Indianapolis is a seven point favorite.

Adam's take: While the Super Bowl might be a virtual national holiday, the hype and media overkill that goes along with it is a national pain. One of the best ways to combat this unavoidable annoyance is to do the same thing that makes all neutral sporting events exciting: gamble on it. Try spicing up media week with an over/under on how many times troubled Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson will have his name used as a pun in news headlines. If that doesn’t do it for you, then put some cash on what quarterback subplot will be the most overblown: Peyton Manning getting over the hump versus Rex Grossman’s game management. Or just bet your life savings on the coin toss (that one’s always fun, too).

Pete's take: Adam’s right, senseless gambling is where it’s at with this one. Some more potential bets: Which Dancing with the Stars reject will Cold Pizza send as their “celebrity correspondent” on media day, Mario Lopez or Joey Lawrence? Also, be sure to take on an over/under for how many Bears fans look, act and smell exactly like Chris Farley’s “Ditka” character from SNL. And finally, lay some cash out on which Colts player will win the game’s MVP trophy. That’s right folks, this one’s going to be ugly.

Water Cooler Topic #2
Locking up the Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies locked up all-star second baseman Chase Utley for the foreseeable future with a monstrous seven-year, $85 million deal. In 2006, Utley batted over .300, hit 32 home runs and raked in 102 RBIs. He also added a record-setting, 35-game hitting streak -- the longest ever by a second baseman -- to his CV for good measure.

Adam's take: Here is something for cynical Philadelphia sports fans to cheer about. With the second baseman’s new seven-year deal, the Phillies have now locked up Jimmy Rollins, NL MVP Ryan Howard and Utley until 2011. Even if Donovan McNabb blows out his knee another five times, the Philadelphia Flyers continue to be cellar dwellers and the 76ers never recover from the Allen Iverson trade, at least the Phillies have a trio of young stars to build a championship around. No word on when the Philly Phanatic is up for free agency. If ever there’s someone to lock up next, he’s the man. Pete's take: Want a fun little social experiment? Grab a die-hard New York sports fan, pair him in a locked room with a Philly guy and ask them which National League East team has the best infield? Do you go with a Mets team led by Wright, Reyes and Delgado or a Phillies squad featuring Utley, Howard and Rollins? With New York, you have a nice blend of power, speed and charisma. With Philadelphia, you have a freakish mix of athleticism, consistency and glove-work. Philly and New York fans don’t always see eye to eye; this one may end with blood. One thing both sides can agree on, however, is that each team has a better infield than the lowly Braves. Ha, remember them?

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