Two Internet-Related Items

Those who know me know that I deeply resent the fact that major college football is about the only sport whose champion is not determined on the field. Every year new proposals pop up for a college football playoff and organizations like ESPN and Sports Illustrated post mock-brackets that let fans imagine what might have been. This year, however, there is a new twist! Accuscore, an organization dedicated to crunching sports-related numbers to predict the likelihood of various sports scenarios and contests, has developed a playoff simulator that lets you create your own bracket and see how statistics say it might play out. I find this much more satisfying than listening to Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit pontificate, although the first time I ran it through it named the Clemson Tigers as the National Champs. Kind of unlikely, of course--but the fact that it could happen is what would make playoffs so exciting!!

In other news, slate.com is hosting a back-and-forth among video game critics. Several have put forward their picks for game of the year, including one unconventional entry: Desktop Tower Defense. This free online game is very simple in concept, surprisingly difficult in practice, and completely addictive. The first time I checked it out I ended up playing for four hours straight. You've been warned.