By ALLEN SEYBERT

aseybert@timesobserver.com

Sorry for the delay.

While I've been hard at work covering high school sports for the paper, I've been finding it hard to keep an eye on the world of professional sports.

Instead, I've been focusing on the next greatest challenge in my life - fatherhood.

That's right - as if one of me wasn't enough - our (with my better half Ashley) little girl will be brought into the world in March.

Guess you can start calling me Big Papi.

1. Is it time for the Nationwide and Camping World Series' to switch to a Chase format?

It doesn't really matter.

Sure, Ron Hornaday Jr. has wrapped up the truck title before the last race even begins and all Kyle Busch has to do is start the Nationwide race to lock up his first crown, but there is no guarantee that a Chase format would make things any better.

While the point totals would be closer among the top 10 or 12 drivers as opposed to the current format, there is still a good chance that the title would be all but decided by the playoff's last event. If you don't believe me, look no further than Jimmie Johnson's soon-to-be fourth straight Sprint Cup title (Yawn ...).

The Chase was put into effect in 2004 to ensure that the points chase would be close as the season came to a close. But really all it has done is make the 26th race of the year exciting to see who will qualify for the 12th (formerly 10th) and final Chase spot. Call me crazy, but the sport's most exciting points battle of the season shouldn't be a battle for 10th or 12th.

NASCAR got lucky in 2004 and 2005 and the Chase got off to a sizzling start. In 2004, just 16 points separated Kurt Busch and Johnson while, in 2005, 35 points was the gap between Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards.

Since then, right around the time that the Jimmie Johnson Show began, the gaps have grown and NASCAR has become stale. Take nothing away from Johnson, he's a great driver, but as time goes on, it seems like maybe he is a great driver who just performs better at the final 10 tracks on the schedule. The 10 Chase races that rarely change.

Barring an early race accident or mechanical failure, Johnson will be a four-time champ on Sunday, joining only Richard Petty, the late Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon in that category. However, keep in mind, that without this predictable and stale Chase format, Johnson would only be claiming his second Cup title on Sunday. Gordon would've won in 2004 and 2007, Stewart in 2005 and Edwards in 2008.

And even a Johnson title in 2009 wouldn't yet be a given as it appears to be under Chase rules.

That's right, under the "old points system" - the one that caused each season finale to be so "boring" - Johnson would have a 13-point lead over Stewart entering Sunday's event with Jeff Gordon third, 56 points back. As it stands right now, Johnson has a 108-point lead over second-place Mark Martin and 169 points over third-place Gordon.

Thank goodness we have this exciting playoff system to keep the sport exciting.

2. Is this the season that a BCS Buster finds itself in the BCS Championship Game?

It feels kind of strange to type, but I'm a Horned Frogs fan.

With another college football season nearing its conclusion, the annual debate about who should play in the BCS National Championship game is heating up.

Right now the top four teams are all undefeated. Florida. Alabama. Texas. TCU.

TCU?

Yep.

The Horned Frogs are this season's BCS Buster and I'm hoping that one of these teams finally gets a chance to play in the big game. It's hard to say they won't have earned it. Many would argue that TCU doesn't play anybody - but I'm growing tired of that argument. Sure, Alabama has four wins over top 25 teams this season, but TCU has as many top 25 wins as Texas with two and more than Florida, who has just one.

I know, I know. TCU wouldn't stand a chance against a big name SEC or Big 12 school. It would be a better matchup (or maybe a better-rated matchup. Hmm ...) to watch than yet another SEC vs. Big 12 "showdown." Surely, little TCU from the Mountain West Conference couldn't compete.

After all, we know Utah had no business playing Pittsburgh in the 2004-05 Fiesta Bowl (Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7) or Alabama in the 2008-09 Sugar Bowl (Utah 31, Alabama 17). And Boise State certainly had no shot against Oklahoma in the 2006-07 Fiesta Bowl (Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42).

In fact, BCS Busters have a 3-1 record all time in BCS games. That stat alone tells me that TCU would have just as good a shot as any in standing atop the college football world when this season concludes.

Their biggest hurdle isn't being able to hang tough in a BCS title game.

It's getting the opportunity to try.

3. The Bengals taking on Larry Johnson is a gamble.

I'm for this move. I'm against this move.

On one hand, I don't really care for the Pittsburgh Steelers and any move the Bengals can make to pull away in the AFC North is a welcome move by me. After all, Larry Johnson is a talented football player. As a human being, eh - he needs some work.

And that's the part that worries me. It's probably no coincidence that as the Bengals have put their off-field issues in the rearview mirror, the team has risen back into the ranks of the AFC elite. Having Carson Palmer back hasn't hurt, either.

Perhaps more than anyone, Cedric Benson has helped fuel Cincinnati's resurgence. You don't really want him unhappy at this point as his performances in Chicago can show how far Benson can fall if his head isn't in the right place.

Sure, with Benson fighting an injury, it's nice to have Johnson on the roster. But what happens when Benson is back healthy and suddenly has to share the load with L.J.? Is he going to be able to keep his head in the right spot and keep the Bengals heading in the right direction?

I hope so.

Stay tuned.

Til next time, rant over.