No, Mark, the game's not over yet

Green Bay had just beaten Detroit to wrap up the NFL regular season, and somewhere, Mark Koerner of Koerner Furniture was doing a happy dance.

“And here I thought it was over and I won,” Koerner told The League rather glumly.

As the distinguished member of the Coeur d’Alene Press All-Star Pigskin Prognosticators who has led most of the season, it’s understandable that Koerner wishes the game would end while he’s ahead. But it doesn’t work that way. As even young fans know, the season doesn’t officially end until the Super Bowl winning quarterback plugs Disneyland while pounding a Budweiser.

Heading into this weekend’s playoffs, Koerner clings to a two-game lead over hard-charging Steve Griffitts of Mountain West Bank. As you’ll see on Page B2, Koerner and Griffitts disagree on just one contest: Detroit at Seattle. So Koerner will either extend his lead over Griffitts or the gap will close to a single game.

Not that it’s a two-man race. Ryan Davis and Blaine Bennett share third place, two games behind Griffitts. Those four likely will duke it out through the playoffs to determine who wins the top three prizes.

First place earns four half-page ads in The Press for the local nonprofit of his choice. If that’s Koerner, he’s playing for the Coeur d’Alene food bank.

Second place will receive two half-page ads in The Press. If it ends up being Griffitts, Kootenai Health Foundation will receive those ads.

Third place earns one half-page ad in The Press. Davis is playing for St. Vincent de Paul, and Bennett is playing on behalf of the Jeff Hinz Fund, honoring the late Post Falls High football coach.

A consolation prize of one quarter-page ad will go to the prognosticator who finishes last. If the season were to end today, Findlay Automotive GM Rob Smith would happily accept that quarter-page ad for the Holidays and Heroes program.

But as Mark Koerner could tell you, there’s still plenty of football to be played — and prognosticated.