Mark charging hard, but Teenage Bird still soaring above Picks crowd

Mark might be charging faster than Paris Hilton on a Beverly Hills shopping spree, but the 2006 Sunday Football Picks are still under the control of Alicia Lauren, who is off to one of the best starts in league history.  The Teenage Bird is still smoking after Week 4 -- a situation the Lombard Fire Department is monitoring closely in case she bursts into flames.

Fact:  Ali's 40-14 record ranks second in Picks history behind QT Pie's 39-13 mark after four weeks in 1998.  Fact: Ali tied the Picks record for most victories at this point in the season, joining Mark who was 40-15 in 2003.  Fact: Ali's spectacular performance is a whopping 19 games better than her 21-33 record after Week 4 last season, earning her the most remarkable improvement the Picks has ever seen.  Fact:  Ali is starting to scare last year's Picks champion with her unrelenting dominance.

"Daddy be frightened!" Blaine was overheard exclaiming in regard to his attempt at back-to-back titles.  The kids hadn't heard that wimpy outburst since he flew down a Noah's Ark water slide several years ago.

But Mark isn't phased by any of the steep water slides in Wisconsin Dells, and he looks determined to stay afloat in the Picks as well.  His second straight 10-3 record on Sunday moved him into third place, just one game behind Blaine and three games off Ali's blazing pace.

Some analysts believe this is Mark's season to win based on his three-year pattern of success.  He won the Picks title in his third season in 2000, then won the championship again in 2003.  Now three more years have passed and he's coming on strong again.

Mark topped everyone in Week 4 by the Skins of his teeth.  A 68-yard touchdown pass in overtime gave Washington a 36-30 win over Jacksonville, and made Mark a winner, too.  The Redskins were underdogs against the talented Jaguars, but Mark often has shown a loyalty to the Skins.

A loyalty that several Picks members are renewing this year is with the unbeaten Chicago Bears, who are considered by many experts to be the NFL's best team.  It's a coin flip between Peyton Manning's undefeated Colts and the powerful Bears, who have outscored their opponents 116-29.  On Sunday, the Bears crushed the mighty Seahawks 37-6, giving Seattle its first loss since last season's Super Bowl.