What Matt Cassel and I have in common

We both don't have any Super Bowl rings and, as of today, neither one of us has an appendix.

I have a four-inch scar on the right side of my gut. You can still see where the staples/stiches were--the doctor lied about that. My surgery happened in the summer of 1999. I remember watching Letterman talk about Brandi Chastain and the U.S. Women's World Cup team. Also, at the time I remember being into the Humpty Dance by Digital Underground, thought that doesn't help place the year.

Today Matt Cassel had a laparoscopic appendectomy, which involves multiple tiny incisions and a miniature camera. People are speculating that he is likely to miss the game against San Diego.

(And as for the Super Bowl rings, Cassel was close. The Patriots won it the two years before he was drafted and he was a Tyree helmet catch away from winning one as a backup in 2007. I have been less close, so far.)

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Just four days before the biggest game of the Chiefs' season (a win basically clinches the division), our quarterback has surgery. But I'm not worried about the season. It was going to be a tough game even with a healthy Cassel. Brodie can hand the ball off and throw a playaction pass when he needs to. I've seen backups step in and surprise a defense, particularly when there's little film on them.

If the Chiefs do lose on Sunday, then it's essential that Cassel is healthy to play at St. Louis. Winning there and the last two at home, entirely realistic, wins the AFC West regardless of what happens in San Diego. I just ripped about five farts back-to-back. It stinks now.

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But what about the gambling? The game opened at Chargers -7.5 at home. Then it moved to Chargers -7. Now it's off the board. When it goes back up later this weekend, with either Croyle or a post-surgery Cassel, it will probably be more like Chargers -9.5. (Don't quote me on that, I'm no Cousin Sal.)

For the Hilton Supercontest, the number was and will be Chargers -7. You've got to think that everyone will take the Chargers at that number, right?

But assuming the Chargers win by 8, Vegas should make some money. Since there must have been a decent number of early action on Chiefs +7.5 to move it down to +7.