Last year, when Citi and Merrill Lynch axed their CEO's when they started posting losses as the subprime debacle unfolded, Daniel Gross wrote an article suggesting that the nondescript replacements were just what these Big Boyz needed to help that settle down and get their houses in order. I replied that the real function of these nonentities might better be described as undertakers.

Time and time again, pundits, economists, Wall Street types and as well as the Bernankes and the Paulsens have reassured us that -- now -- the worst is behind us. But it seems clear that the worst is far from behind us. Yet again, the Big Boyz post big losses and their desperation increases.

This is no longer a credit crunch. It is a solvency crisis. Subprime has spread to Alt-A and commercial loans and home equity loans and student loans and auto loans and credit cards. Every ratcheting up of job losses, which means loss of income, together with every ratcheting up of food and energy costs, which means constricted spending, means more loans fall behind, go delinquent and become just another hollow asset on the Big Boyz balance sheets.

So, let's play the Moneybox Big Bank Deathwatch Game.

Here's some nominees for those who may not make it to January 1 --

• Citibank
• Merrill Lynch
• Lehman Brothers
• Wachovia
• ChaseJPMorgan
• Sun Trust
• WAMU
• Bank of America

Have I missed any rotting corpses? Please add them to the list, then rank them in order of most likely to croak first.