Why the NFL playoffs are like Schrödinger's cat

Consider the moment (1:01 p.m. ET today, Sunday, January 21, 2007).

In two hours the New Orleans Saints take the field in Chicago to face the mighty Bears on the snowy, frozen tundra of Soldier Field.

Meanwhile, the Colts and the Patriots sit in their respective locker rooms in Indianapolis, considering their game to come this evening for the right to represent the AFC in next month's Super Bowl.

If you look at the sports results circa 10 p.m. tonight, the winners' names will be in lights while the losers make their way home.

Yet at this very minute — this zeptosecond — all four teams believe their names will be the ones in lights.

Opening Schrödinger's box to determine if the cat is dead or alive

is the equivalent of turning on the news tonight to see who won.

Right now, they've all won — and they've all lost.

Only playing the games will let you open the box.

Until kickoff, you might as well imagine you won.

Because you did.

And will have done so for the next few hours, regardless of the games' outcome.

I wonder if Brian Urlacher (below)

looks at it this way.