DC Pro Sports Playoffs and American Idol

Aside from the NFL's single elimination "lose and go home" playoff system, most other pro sports employ a "best of ___" series of games with the higher seed enjoying the home court advantage.

Being a homer sports fan (i.e. Redskins, Wizards, Capitals, and Orioles - sorry Nats!), I'm thrilled that both the Wizards and Caps are in the playoffs right now. The Caps - not having sniffed the playoffs in years - went on a tear to steal the Southeast Division, earning the third seed in the process. They started strong winning Game 1, but tossed the next three and were on the brink of elimination. They got their mojo back and won the last two games to force Game 7...tonight.

The Wizards thought they had a lot of mojo with Agent Zero and the rest of the team finally being healthy. They were practically salivating at the chance to face King James and his "subjects," otherwise known as the Cleveland Cavaliers, who just so happened to knock the Wiz out of the playoffs the last two seasons. Lots of bad blood here. Terms like "overrated" and "everybody wants to play them in the first round" were thrown around by some Wiz players. The Wiz promptly went out and laid two eggs (losing last night by 30) and will head back to DC down 0-2. It remains to be seen if Cleveland will indeed be the new manifestation of the "Curse O' Les Boulez."

[Sports Off. Pop Culture On]

American Idol would be savvy to follow the lead of their sports counterparts by seeding the Top 12 and employ the "best of ____" series as they whittle down their contestants. They could extend their "season" and kill the competition with their ratings. This approach would give an opportunity for more celebrity coaches and allow us, the voters, to observe who blossoms the most musically.

By lower seeds facing higher seeds, the more musically talented entries have a higher chance of facing off instead getting tossed after an average night or poor song selection, or - worse yet - suffering at the fickleness of call-in voters that cast their ballots like they're voting in a middle school election instead of a talent competition. Popularity wins one while ability wins the other. By the way, I'm boycotting Idol if Carly Smithson gets eliminated (blog teaser).

Whatever. Unemployment gives you a lot of time to think about random things.

All this to say, what should I watch tonight - Game 7 of Caps vs. Flyers (elimination game) or American Idol (glorified middle school election)? Pretend TiVo doesn't exist...