The big winner in the Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien stand off is the Irish guy at NBC.

No, not Conan, Jimmy Fallon.

While the two bull elephants fight, Jimmy Fallon has avoided being the trampled grass. Indeed, he looks like he may soon  be leading the herd.

Leno has dispatched O'Brien, probably to Fox,  but Fallon will fall into the 12.30 slot with no one between him and Leno for the future of NBC late night.

Conan O'Brien was the obvious obstacle now that has been removed. In addition, Leno is over 60 and now has a tarnished reputation after chasing O'Brien from the set. 

Fallon at 35 can bide his time. There is an old Irish expression that the ' quiet pig gets to eat the meal' in other words when others are squealing and grunting he gets on with it.

That could be Jimmy Fallon to a T. He is young, he understands the power of the multimedia platform in a way O'Brien or Leno never could. He has mastered twitter and finding new ways to connect with his increasing audience. He is the face of the future, now O'Brien and certainly not Leno.  He must be quietly smiling these days.

He has refused to take sides in the bull fight but he may well end up being the matador who slays them both.