Colts

They are who we thought they were: Minnesota, New Orleans and Indianapolis are one win away from the Super Bowl. They are who they thought they were: So are the New York Jets. That's right, the Jets are four quarters away from making it to Miami, and they've heard all the chatter outside their locker room -- that they didn't belong in the playoffs, that the Colts handed them a victory by pulling Peyton Manning in the third quarter of a Week 16 game, that they're merely accidental tourists playing on borrowed time.

The other three NFL teams in this weekend's conference championship games have the Canton-bound quarterbacks, gaudy passing numbers, and seedings that secured them first-round byes. But the New York Jets have the clear edge in one category. Disrespect. They are the slighted, the snubbed, the underdog team so forgotten that, a few weeks ago, even their coach thought they had been mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture. All that doesn't matter now; it only serves as more motivation, because the Jets -- with their rookie coach, quarterback and running back -- are headed to the AFC championship game for the first time since 1998.

The Indianapolis Colts have paid Peyton Manning tens of millions of dollars. But the San Diego Chargers own him. That was clear again Sunday night as the Chargers intercepted four of the All-Pro quarterback's passes ? returning two of those picks for touchdowns ? in a 36-14 rout of the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was the most lopsided home loss of Manning's career. The Chargers have won five of their last six meetings with the Colts, and are rapidly rounding into the caliber of team that won the last four AFC West titles.

A week ago, Carson would have been the unquestioned choice as the South Bay's No. 1 prep football team. After all, how could a team that was ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation not be the area's best? How quickly things can change. Today the Colts are perched precariously at the top of The Times' rankings, susceptible of taking a fall if they don't get their act together. Friday's 7-7 tie against Mt. Carmel of San Diego exposed Carson as a team that has yet to solve the problems that led to a 6-5-1 record in 1991, its worst finish since 1968.

For the second year in a row, El Camino Real High pitcher Karyn Wright had tears in her eyes after the City Section softball championship game. Only this time, they were tears of joy. The senior right-hander tossed a five-hitter with seven strikeouts as the second-seeded Conquistadores defeated Carson, 5-0, on Wednesday at UCLA, avenging last season's loss to Carson. El Camino Real won its 14th City title and first since 2005, when Wright's sister Kathryn played for the Conquistadores.

I went to my first Raider game, the one against the Colts. Even though the game was somewhat meaningless, I was surprised to see the Raiders virtually lay down to the Colts. What happened to "Commitment to Excellence?" It looked more like I was watching the Silver and Black A-Quack. KATHY MITSUI San Gabriel

The Sacramento Kings finally appear to be staying put in the state capital, possibly ending an emotional saga that has dragged on for nearly three years. The NBA's relocation committee voted unanimously Monday to recommend that owners reject the application for the Kings to relocate to Seattle, the latest - and by far the strongest - in a long line of cities that almost landed the franchise. The 12 league owners on the committee made the decision over a conference call and forwarded the recommendation to the NBA Board of Governors.

PASSING *--* Player, Team Att Cmp Yds TD BRIAN GRIESE, Broncos 45 30 365 2 STEVE BEUERLEIN, Panthers 44 28 309 3 JEFF GARCIA, 49ers 39 25 307 2 DOUG FLUTIE, Bills 43 28 294 1 MARK BRUNELL, Jaguars 42 21 271 1 BRAD JOHNSON, Redskins 24 16 269 3 PEYTON MANNING, Colts 20 16 268 3 ELVIS GRBAC, Chiefs 30 18 266 2 DAUNTE CULPEPPER, Vikings 29 17 251 3 DREW BLEDSOE, Patriots 34 23 231 1 *--* RUSHING *--* Player, Team No Yds TD COREY DILLON, Bengals 22 278 2 RICKY WILLIAMS, Saints 29 156 3 TYRONE