10.22.18: Five things you should plan for the week ahead based on unscientific evidence of guaranteed importance

Here’s our tale of the tape for the 114^th World Series. It does not mention Frank McCourt (maybe a little). Or the event at the Coliseum in 2008 where the teams played an exhibition game before a record 115,300 to celebrate the Dodgers’ 50^th season in L.A.
But it could have.
The schedule goes this way:
Games 1 and 2 at Fenway Park in Boston: Tuesday and Wednesday, 5:08 p.m., Channel 11
Games 3, 4 and 5 at Dodger Stadium: Friday and Saturday at 5:08 p.m., Sunday at 5:15 p.m., Channel 11
(Games 6 and 7 if necessary at Fenway Park in Boston, Oct. 30 and 31, 5:09 p.m.)

Prior to the Rams’ 39-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday, USA Today came out with a wacky story headlined: “7 reasons why the Los Angeles Rams won’t go undefeated in 2018.” Seven, after their 7-0 start. Why not make it eight now? The eighth could be their match up against Green Bay at the Coliseum (Sunday, 1:25 p.m., Channel 11).
Meanwhile, the 5-2 Chargers have a bye week trying to get home from London before Halloween.
To finish Week 7:
N.Y. Giants at Atlanta, Monday at 5:15 p.m., ESPN
Also in Week 8:
Miami at Houston, Thursday at 5:20 p.m., Channel 11, NFL Network, Amazon Prime
Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville in London, Sunday at 6:30 a.m., NFL Network
N.Y. Jets at Chicago, Sunday at 10 a.m., Channel 2
Washington at N.Y. Giants, Sunday at 10 a.m., Channel 11 (or Seattle at Detroit)
Indianapolis at Oakland, Sunday at 1:05 p.m., Channel 2 (perhaps)

Week 9 of the college football season finds Utah at UCLA (Friday at 7:30 p.m., ESPN) and USC playing Arizona State at the Coliseum (Saturday at 12:30 p.m., Channel 7). We’d like to get somewhat excited about each of them. We can’t, logically. But there are a few others nationally that could make a difference in the race to get aligned for the first College Football Playoff poll a few days after this:
Other key games in Week 9:
Thursday:
Baylor at West Virginia, 4 p.m., FS1
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Appalachian State at Georgia Southern, 4:30 p.m., ESPNU
Friday:
Louisiana Tech at Florida Atlantic, 3:30 p.m., CBSSN
Miami at Boston College, 4 p.m., ESPN
Indiana at Minnesota, 5 p.m., FS1
Wyoming at Colorado State, 7 p.m., CBSSN
Colorado State at Boise State, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday:
Oregon at Arizona, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Washington at Cal, 1:30 p.m., FS1
Washington State at Stanford, 4 p.m., FS1
Clemson at Florida State, 9 a.m., Channel 7
Purdue at Michigan State, 9 a.m., 9 a.m., ESPN
Florida vs. Georgia at Jacksonville, Fla., 12:30 p.m., Channel 2
Iowa at Penn State, 12:30 p.m., ESPN
Texas A&M at Mississippi State, 4 p.m., ESPN
Boise State at Air Force, 4 p.m., CBSSN
Notre Dame vs. Navy in San Diego, 5 p.m., Channel 2
Texas at Oklahoma State, 5 p.m., Channel 7
San Diego State at Nevada, 7:30 p.m.., ESPNU

Fights on an NBA court can be entertaining, right? Uhhh.
In the new Sports Illustrated NBA preview issue, a list of teams ranked according to “Entertainment Value” has the Lakers at No. 2 in the league, just behind defending champion Golden State. “LeBron (James) will play at his fastest pace ever, surrounded by promising prospects, volatile veterans and fun-loving fall guys. Their hype exceeds their ability, but James’ Lakers will be a ratings monster.” Now, consider the San Antonio Spurs – never much fun to watch in the first place with coach Paul Popovich, but even more space of star value. They’re at No. 18, generously. “No Kawhi, no Manu, no Tony and now no Dejounte Murray. Popovich’s ‘Beautiful Game’ offense cedes the court to the brutish midrange games of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. No thanks.” With that, the Lakers and Spurs meet twice in six days this week – Monday at Staples Center ( 7:30 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet) and then Saturday in San Antonio (5:30 p.m., SSN).
Also this week for the Lakers:
At Phoenix, Wednesday at 7 p.m., SSN
At Staples Center vs. Denver, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., TNT, SSN

By the way, the Clippers rate No. 17 in that poll. “Blake (Griffin) and DeAndre Jordan are gone, but their replacements are energetic, plucky and well-coached. After so many injuries and trades, their motto should be, ‘Huh, I forget he was on this team’.”
The Clippers this week:
At New Orleans, Tuesday at 5 p.m., Fox Sports West
At Houston, Friday at 5 p.m., Prime Ticket
At Staples Center vs. Washington, Sunday at 6:30 p.m., Prime Ticket

At the moment, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Galaxy (13-11-9) stands one point behind Real Salt Lake (14-13-7) for the final Western Conference playoff spot. The Galaxy just needs a win against Houston (StubHub Center, Sunday at 1:30 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet), while RSL is finished up. Meanwhile, LAFC (16-8-9) shares the same record with FC Dallas for the second spot in the West, but has scored 16 more goals. Both are two points back of leader Sporting KC, which plays host to LAFC in the finale (Sunday at 1:30 p.m., YouTube TV). Playoffs start with knockout rounds on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, leading to the conference semifinals Nov. 4 and 11 and conference championships Nov. 25 and 29. The MLS Cup happens Dec. 8 at 4:30 p.m.

Also this week:
UCLA starts its preseason men’s basketball schedule against the New York Institute of Technology (at Pauley Pavilion, Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Pac 12 Network) …
In the NHL: Kings vs. N.Y. Rangers at Staples Center (Sunday at 12:30 p.m., FSW) highlights a week that includes trips to Dallas (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Channel 13) and Minnesota (Thursday, 5 p.m., FSW). For the Ducks: At Chicago (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Prime Ticket), at Dallas (Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Prime Ticket), at Honda Center in Anaheim vs. San Jose (Sunday at 5 p.m., FSW)