Sounds like Ali's in trouble after Mark extends lead to five on Christmas Eve

Much noise was coming from Alicia's bedroom on Christmas Eve following Week 16 of the Sunday Football Picks.  There were sounds of eating crisp potato chips, a soda can opening, a sneeze, Velcro ripping, coins being counted, a ball bouncing, a helicopter flying by, thunder and heavy rain, hammering nails into wood, beating eggs in a bowl, a machine gun burst, the crack of a whip, a roller coaster, rock concert applause, angry elephants and a game show buzzer.

If you listened closely, you might have also heard a teenager moaning because Mark beat Ali by one game earlier that day to extend his Picks lead to five games heading into the final week of the 2006 season.  Mark, D.J. and QT led the group with 7-5 records; Ali, Blaine and Nicki were 6-6; and Trevor pulled up the rear at 3-9.  Eight underdogs were victorious.

The gift Ali opened on Christmas Eve was a three-disc set of 300 Spectacular Sound Effects, breathing new life into her daily recordings and audio story creations.  What could be better than having at her fingertips a truck horn, baby crying, woman shrieking, bacon frying, coffee brewing, phone ringing, bowling a strike, a tray of dishes dropped, and a car going 160 mph?

But now that he's just one week from a Picks championship, Mark is more interested in the sounds of balloons being inflated, a champagne cork popping and a crowd cheering.  It's all at the touch of a button on Ali's bedroom stereo.

A customized hat proclaiming "2006 Picks Champ" might have been an ideal gift for Mark this Christmas, but instead he settled for an attractive Boston College cap in honor of Doug Flutie's alma mater.  After all, it's not over until it's over.  At least that's what Rocky Balboa said Christmas night at the Marcus Cinema, where Picks members watched him climb the famous steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and step into the ring for the final time.  The movie tickets were an exciting surprise next to the Wonka Bar in Blaine's stocking, and just as inspiring as his two-disc anniversary edition of "Field of Dreams."

Opening dozens of Christmas gifts on Monday certainly trumped the results of the Sunday Football Picks.  D.J.'s fancy handheld PSP has been going nonstop with games and music, and it even plays movies, too.  Nicki's iPod Nano is loaded with songs she can enjoy when she cruises down the street wearing new in-line skates this summer.  Ali's upgraded Olympus digital recorder is capturing all of those sound effects and funny movie lines from "Elf," and she's dancing around with her iPod Shuffle.  QT is mastering electronic Sudoku puzzles while wearing dangling gold earrings and festive Christmas socks.  Mark has Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson highlights to watch on DVD after he revisits the Super Bowl Shuffle.  Trevor has shock-absorbing batting gloves to grow into, but a Bears shirt he can wear today.  And Blaine is still talking about Rocky.