TOUCHY DOWN…Squid prefers water polo to football, but even Squid got sucked just a little bit into the games yesterday. Mostly because it meant free tri-tip off the neighbor’s grill. And because Squid’s got $20 riding on Squid’s Fantasy team, which includes 49ers and Steelers players.

Even more exciting is the ball being played in Marina, where election season’s firing up more than the barbie. For now, the City Council majority is narrowly held by Mayor Bruce Delgado’s team (including councilmen Dave Brown and Frank O’Connell). But that 3-2 could swing the other way in the upcoming election, especially if mayoral challenger Steve Emerson’s team (starring councilmembers Nancy Amadeo and Jim Ford) makes the right moves.

Witness this jaw-dropping play: Team Delgado canned then-City Manager Anthony Altfeld in March, in hopes of replacing him with someone who’ll take a lower paycheck (and, Squid hopes, actually return media calls). So Amadeo and council challenger Darlena Ridler, both on Team Emerson, blew up their suspicion Delgado contacted Napa head-hunters The Mathis Group before the City Council sealed Altfeld’s fate, which would be a no-no.

City Attorney Rob Wellington looked into the allegation and, last Thursday, wrote a letter to the council concluding there’s not much there. The Mathis Group had apparently smelled Altfield’s firing as early as summer 2011 and circled the city like vultures, but Delgado didn’t invite them.

Victorious Delgado took the ball and ran with it, zapping Wellington’s letter to local media with his usual goofy flourish.

“We all can be disappointed in what appears to be wasted time and negative energy by some community leaders but let's TRY to remain as positive and constructive as possible bcuz this kind of wasted energy only increases the need for good work in Marina,” he wrote. “Similar to when a parent drags down a family with repeated hurtful behavior causing family need to increase and requiring more work and expense to overcome misfortune for family to succeed.”

And there you have it, readers: Amadeo is now the deadbeat mom of Marina. Squid’s pretty sure that makes Delgado the spacy dad. Anyone have pork rinds? This looks like the beginning of an entertaining season.