Over-Thinking the Wire, Season 3

Family is collapsing around me, tired from getting the house in shape (and it is in great shape--buy it!) and travel.  So, a quick quarter-finals round (Grantland's results are very different from mine).

• Omar vs D'Angelo: Omar moves ahead as D was dynamic and interesting but cannot beat the Man with only a season plus.
• Bubbles vs. Daniels: Both were amazing characters, and Daniels was certainly a badass (which the Grantland folks value), but Bubbles carried a heavy load for five entire seasons--that of the addict.  He generated huge amounts of empathy despite causing a fair amount of misery himself.  Just some stunning stuff consistently over the entire series.
• Prezbo vs. Carcetti.  Toughest race of the quarterfinals, as both showed multiple dimensions, both learned a great deal about themselves and the various Games over time.  The edge goes to Prezbo for growing more, having better awareness of what he could and could not affect.
• Bell vs. Lester: Actually, this is a pretty tight race as well.  Both were smart, stubborn, dynamic, moderately successful, challenged and undermined by allies and bosses.  I guess I have to go with Stinger for having the gumption to try to change the drug business and for uttering one of the best lines in the entire series--criticizing one of his guys for taking notes (NSFW language)during one of his drug business lectures.

Your thoughts?  A dramatic final four with Omar vs. Bubbles, Prezbo vs Bell.  Nice matches of the utterly violent with the least (at least intentionally violent).