Blaine's ranking plummets in Picks, but gas prices are falling even faster

What goes up must come down. And sometimes it comes crashing down with a big thud. According to a national survey this week, the biggest drop in 2008 has been made by gasoline prices, followed closely by President Bush's approval rating, Blaine's ranking in the Sunday Football Picks, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The average U.S. retail price for a gallon of regular gas plummeted from $4.11 in mid-July to $2.07 today in mid-November. This has meant huge savings at the pump because filling up a van or truck now costs $45 instead of $90. More good news is yet to come as experts say we haven't seen the end of the falling fuel prices. It's the one positive note in a disastrous economy that hasn't suffered this miserably since the Great Depression.

No. 2 on the list is President Bush for becoming the least popular president in U.S. history with a current approval rating of 24 percent in a CNN Opinion Research poll. When 76 percent of Americans think you're bad, you're really bad. George W., often referred to as just "Dubya," has made several terrible decisions in the past eight years, and gets laughed at every night on "The Late Show with David Letterman" during a segment called "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches." He once said, "I know the human being and fish can co-exist peacefully." What?!?!

Blaine's freefall in the Picks placed third in the national poll of biggest drops this year. Five weeks ago, he was only one game behind league-leading Dolores. But like a bag of rocks in a fishing pond, Blaine has sunk quickly from second place to seventh place, also known as the dark and musty cellar. While the season isn't over, it's looking grim for the 14-time Picks champion who trails by 10 games. At least he still believes every week that his selections are top notch, but his teams somehow just don't seal the deal when the game's on the line.

The struggling stock market placed fourth on the list of plummeting items. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped from its 2008 opening of 13,261.82 to today's close of 8,273.58 (Nov. 17). That translates into a 38 percent loss as fears of a global recession are becoming a reality. The biggest daily drop ever was recorded on Sept. 29 when stocks plunged 778 points. Shortly after that, there were severe drops of 508 points on Oct. 7, 679 points on Oct. 9, 733 points on Oct. 15, 514 points on Oct. 22, 486 points on Nov. 5, 443 points on Nov. 6, and 411 points on Nov. 12.

Here's a complete look at the Top 10 biggest drops in 2008, according to the survey:

1)  Gasoline prices
2)  President Bush's approval rating
3)  Blaine's ranking in Sunday Football Picks
4)  Dow Jones Industrial Average
5)  Kingda Ka's 418-foot plunge at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J.
6)  Cubs fans' hopes of first World Series title in 100 years after 97-64 team gets swept in playoffs
7)  Housing prices
8)  Television drama Journeyman from the NBC lineup
9)  Driscoll High School's football talent for not winning state title for first time in eight years
10)  General Motors car sales