Right about now, Kosmo is getting ready to dawn his green and yellow gear, and not because he's ready to support an area football team in the first round of the playoffs. Nope, soccer is on the K-Man's mind, and he is dawning the colors of Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. The Lancers are back in the Division 4 state finals on Saturday and Kosmo feels the Stanko brothers, Kramer Everett and Mitchell Dale and Co. will earn some vindication for last year's loss in the state final. The only Oakland County soccer team still playing, the Lancers will come through. Kosmo's pick is The OC 3, MCC 1

All of a sudden, the state football playoffs have become like the start of playoffs in other sports. Whether it be basketball, soccer, volleyball, hockey, baseball or softball, there are legitimate gripes about the fact that de facto state title game matchups can take place in the first round of the playoffs.
Kosmo has always believed that's not the case for the football playoffs, but he isn't so sure now.
Birmingham Brother Rice and Rochester Adams in the first round? Why are these powers meeting right away, with one being eliminated before the second round?
The Warriors and Highlanders met in the 2003 state final and the 2005 state semifinals, stages of the playoffs much more worthy of a collision.
Yes, a lot of the matchups are based on points, but Brother Rice's 6-3 record is deceiving. The Warriors lost to unbeaten Muskegon, unbeaten Warren De La Salle and traditional power Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Yet, their record seems to speak that they barely qualified for the playoffs and earn a date with a high point producer in Adams.
It should be an electric atmosphere and Adams on Friday and a heck of a game, just like it was last year when the teams played in a district final at Adams.
It's just a shame the game has to take place now instead of three or four weeks down the road.

From afar, Kosmo has taken a big interest in the boys soccer playoffs, which nearly caused a heart attack when he heard about Auburn Hills Oakland Christian's regional semifinal score on Wednesday.
After making it all the way to the state finals in Division 4 for the first time in school history last year, the Lancers returned just about everybody from that team and are a good bet to win a state title this year, something Kosmo would love to see.
Too bad the Lancers put a major scare into Kosmo by going into double-overtime against Genesee Christian on Tuesday. Sure, the Lancers dominated and deserved to win the game, 1-0, on a goal by Caleb Stanko, but that still was too close for comfort.
Kosmo has one message for the Lancers: Please don't flirt with elimination as much on Saturday in your regional final, or a possible state semifinal for that matter.
You guys have the talent to win it all, so use it wisely.

School spirit magnified even more. Bands and cheerleaders working overtime this week to get their school and players ready for the big game. Pep assemblies and guarding precious monuments to make sure opposing fans don't taint them. Teams that can make their seasons with one win despite previous disappointment.
All the above is why this is one of Kosmo's favorite weeks, and no, he's not talking about Michigan State-Michigan week.
While the in-state college rivalry will be the center of attention, Kosmo is more excited about the fact that it's rivalry week for high school teams around the area.
Whether it be in Troy, Rochester, Pontiac, Birmingham, Southfield or Farmington Hills, in-city schools are preparing for the biggest week of the year, no matter what the records are and how lopsided the matchups are. For some, it will be the last week of the season and a chance to play for bragging rights. For others, it will be chance to clinch a playoff spot or have one final tuneup before the postseason begins.
Whatever the scenario, you don't need a crystal ball to predict that this is the most anticipated week of the year for just about every high school in the county.

As much as Kosmo loves to forecast games, there are certain sports he has to stay away from. First and foremost on that list is golf. Simply put, it's IMPOSSIBLE to predict who will win a golf tournament. Every time prognosticators predict who they think are going to win a major championship in the pros, they're WAY off. It's just too unpredictable. That said, Kosmo will take a stab at a golf prediction, mainly because he's getting a real good vibe.
Hopefully the K-Man isn't putting on a jinx here, but the Rochester girls golf team WILL win the state championship this weekend in East Lansing. Mark it down, it will happen. The Falcons just have too much star power in the Meier sisters and too much depth.
Even in a sport as crazy as golf, this is a prediction Kosmo feels good about.

After Week 3, Kosmo admits he had given up on Farmington's football team. Sorry, as much as the K-Man should never give up on high school athletes, it's true.
It wasn't anything personal, but the Falcons started off 0-3 and it appeared as if a palm tree would have a better chance of growing in Michigan than Farmington turning around its season.
It's a good thing Kosmo has a bag over his head, otherwise there'd be egg on his face (granted, it is hard to clean yolk off of paper).
Farmington has completely turned its season around, winning the last four to go to 4-3.
Of course, the big win was the 20-19 win in Week 6 over Farmington Hills Harrison, Farmington's first win in the rivalry since 1977, but Kosmo was equally as impressed with last week's 21-0 win at Stoney Creek.
The Falcons didn't have any Harrison hangover in winning on the road against a tough Stoney Creek team on the Cougars' homecoming.
Now, the Falcons are a good bet to make the state playoffs with probable victories against Troy Athens and North Farmington to end the season.
Who would've thunk it?

For those who get bored with regular season games by this point in the season, Kosmo doesn't blame you. After two months of play, the K-Man agrees that the season can get a little bit bogged down, which is why next week is the perfect time to start getting refreshed again.
State championships for fall sports will start to be decided next week, starting with the girls golf and boys tennis finals.
On Monday, the boys soccer state tournament also begins. There's also only two weeks left in the football regular season, and volleyball league tournaments are already upon us next Saturday.
In other words, it's time to get it on. The good time of the fall sports season is here with the arrival of the postseason. If you can't get refreshed for that after two months of regular season, then shame on you.

One of Kosmo's favorite subject in school was history, but even your seer doesn't want to look at the history books to answer these questions.
When was the last time Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Birmingham Brother Rice and Farmington Hills Harrison all missed the playoffs in the same year?
Has it ever happened?
Kosmo would bet a lifetime worth of investments in caves that it hasn't, but unfortunately, there's a strong possibility none of these annual powers will make it into the playoffs.
St. Mary's and Brother Rice each have three losses and need to win their remaining games in the regular season to qualify.
Brother Rice plays Detroit U-D Jesuit (should be an easy win), at Flint Powers (a tougher opponent, but should be a win) before playing in the Catholic League Prep Bowl, likely against either Warren De La Salle, Novi Detroit Catholic Central or St. Mary's (a toss up either way).
St. Mary's will host Dearborn Divine Child (should be a win), play at Davison (tough game) before the Prep Bowl against either De La Salle, CC or Rice (again, a toss-up either way).
Again, there's no margin of error for either Rice or St. Mary's.
Meanwhile, Harrison has only two losses, but after a shocking one-point loss to Farmington last week (kudos by the way, to the Falcons), the Hawks must upset either Rochester Adams or Clarkston in the next two weeks, and then knock off an improved Stoney Creek team in Week 9.
Wow. Can this really be happening? Maybe the three most successful programs in Oakland County all not making the playoffs in the same year?
Stay tuned.

Often, Kosmo's spies come back to him with ludicrous complaints with the K-Man won't go into full detail in fear of embarassing them, but there are other times when the spies are right on when it comes to complaining.
Take the rosters schools are supposed to provide at sporting events.
It used to be that this wasn't a problem, but more and more, Kosmo is hearing stories about how schools don't provide rosters at games.
The problem is even rampant at football and basketball games.
What a shame.
Yes, these are hard economic times, and not printing rosters is a cost-cutting measure. Still, it's ultimately not good business. It makes it harder for Kosmo's spies to get correct names in the paper, which in turn make the parents very upset. Those same people look forward to seeing their kid's name in the paper and possibly clipping out any articles for scrapbook material.
However, if there's no roster, it makes it harder to identify players.
So hopefully the message is heeded to Athletic Directors around the county. Please provide rosters. You don't want Kosmo, and more importantly, parents and athletes, on your back.