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So are we still saying that the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Westbrook is one of the game's best? I don't know if I agree with that, anymore. He had two amazing seasons in 2006 & '07. He blocks and even can play at QB. But we're talking about someone who has never, in an eight-season career, played a full season. And after two concussions in five games, his very playing future is rumored doubtful.

He's got the talent to match anyone in the NFL. But to be considered one of the best, you've got to have durability. It's not his fault that his body breaks down more than average. Nor that he plays at the halfback position, one of the most physically-demanding in the sport.

When we list the best running backs playing today, everything should be taken into account. The statistics. The all-around contributions. The clutch play. And the durability. Sometimes "durability" relates to the size of an athlete's heart (i.e. Allen Iverson); other times to how well his body takes punishment.

Westy's career is not over Not at age 30, with "only" a few concussions so far. At worst, he will sit the 2009 campaign and return next season. Or he might make a tough-guy return for the playoffs--assuming Philly gets in. Aside from the 2006 season, when QB Donovan McNabb went down to injury, and Westbrook willed the team to two playoff wins, #36 seems to fade as winter goes on.

While we're at it, we've got to look at the Chargers' Ladainian Tomlinson, too. Is he still one of the best? Or is he falling off a table?

LT missed a game due to groin injury back in January, and his team lost to eventual Super Bowl champs Pittsburgh. A year before that, he wasn't effective (five yards on two carries) in a playoff loss to New England. You've got to assume that these performances had something to do with the contentious relationship that's developed between San Diego fans/management and Tomlinson. Even in 2007, there were whispers about his toughness. Premature? Perhaps.

LT is the leading touchdown rusher in history. And Westbrook is one of a handful of players to rush for 30 TDs and catch 25.

But all the stats in the world don't matter, next to piling up numbers when it counts. Both of these men, as much as we love watching them at their best, haven't quite stepped up on that count.

Anyway, there's only one "LT" in football. He was on "Dancing With the Stars" a while back...

"MJ's a Jerk Now"

It's amazing how naive we are. People watched Jordan's commercials, the playful smiles... I watched almost every game of his career. I always felt like fans (especially casual ones) saw MJ as almost cuddly. Harmless. Then he ripped a load of people in his Hall of Fame induction speech. He went so far back to find people who'd offended him in life, he was digging up graveyards. He gave the speech the way he played--giving no quarter to any opponent. Finding a reason to not only beat you, but demoralize you. Now, suddenly, people are gasping for air. "MJ is a jerk!" more than one sports fan has said. My question is: what did you expect? The guy was the best in the world, probably the best ever. Think of all the 'best in the world' types. Don't all of them have a little jerk in them? Do you think it's coincidence? It must be a necessary quality at that level.

a Rose by any other name

So a few more names dropped off the 100-plus PED user list from around 2003. We already knew about Manny Ramirez... and David 'Big Papi' Ortiz showed up too. Predictably, people are once again quaking in their wingtips, and even saying that the Boston Red Sox need to give back their '04 & '07 rings.

Fans who follow the game closely, or claim they do, are less and less concerned about the whole issue. The ones most outraged about Ortiz and Ramirez are people who hate the Red Sox. They always thought that it was strange that the Yankees appeared to be getting picked on and witch-hunted.

Proof that fans only care when it's a team other than them.

Now it's flipped 180 degrees. And it's hard to believe that this isn't some kind of plan. Why these two names; why this team and none other? Does anyone really think this is an accident? And while we're asking questions: where are all the West Coast teams on this list? I suppose only northeastern baseball players use performance-enhancers.

One day, major professional sports are going to allow human growth hormones/PEDs. They're already coming into everyday society, like it or not. Doctors will figure a way to keep us healthier and living longer, and they will naturally trickle into sports.

Hearing this destroys the serious baseball fan, heretoforementioned as the Purist. The Purist is an endangered species; more than that, he's obsolete. Especially the ones who happen to be part of the media.

The fans just want to be entertained, no matter what, Purist says with curled lip. (As if this is a bad thing.) This was proven the day after Ortiz's name appeared in the sports section at the end of July, when Big Papi hit a homer. The crowd stood nearly unanimously and cheered.

The Purist treats the game of baseball as his blankie. He's going down fighting. He takes it personally when players use. Noted baseball fan George Will said of Barry Bonds in 2006, "Most people who care about baseball wish that Bonds had never played and hope he never does again." Here's hoping Will lives long enough to see Spider-Man's head on the bases, the outfield grass cut in a webbing lattice, and the Green Goblin throwing out the first pitch.

As late as December '07, baseball egghead Tim Kurkjian said of NY Yankee Andy Pettite: "A guy who used HGH a couple of times [is different from] using anabolic steroids. HGH helps in recovery. It doesn't make you bigger and stronger technically so I would be really surprised if a suspension followed this..."

The egghead may be overcooked. Just read that statement, and feel the Need To Believe in the game floating within. (And remember that Pettite, like every other user to date, lied repeatedly, inexorably leaking the truth as he was smacked with evidence.) Will and Kurkjian sound like little boys who got that blankie snatched. Is HGH/PED using cheating, or isn't it? Does it depend on who the appointed grandmasters of baseball personally like? Who decides any of this? You do.
But while we're in this moment, smelling the dying roses of summer, I am looking ahead to modern players' Hall of Fame considerations. The obvious issue of legacy is waiting for them, and for us. Will we still have the scent of Pete Rose hanging around?

There's a direct line from Pete Rose's lifetime suspension for betting on baseball (while still a dugout manager), straight to PED users. Even casual fans know that the lifeblood of baseball is streaked with things that don't line up with its All-American, noble athlete, mom n' apple pie image.

Spitballs and illegally-cut baseballs. Upper pills back in the 1970s. Corked bats. Sign-stealing. The issue of wholesale segregation up until the mid-20th century.

I'm sure I've left a few items off that list. And cheating won't ever be washed out of baseball, no matter how many tests players take. No matter how red-faced the old-timers get about modern hardball. Baseball is only noble on the outside--in the minds of nostalgics. It's like a weird, slightly-too-ripe fruit that'll crumble with a good whack of the bat. Hmm, kinda reads like I'm describing most people's idea of America. Or of humanity.

The major difference is that Pete Rose's mistakes came as a manager. The integrity was missing, but he didn't change stats or outcomes. PED users (and the other cheaters mentioned above) have done it as players.

The irony is, if not for Charlie Hustle's arrogance toward his questioners and accusers... if, to get in his head a moment, he'd just admitted guilt even if he thought it was wrong to do so... he'd be a HOFer already. We like to build people into emperors, and then we like to tear them to shreds. And we especially love it when they 'bare their souls.'

If that means anything anymore. Public apologies and visible victimhood are just more commodities. Another way to get people looking at you. And hopefully buying whatever it is you're selling.

MMA: Lesnar Goes Apescat

UFC heavyweight Brock Lesnar defended his title against Frank Mir, getting revenge on the only man to beat him so far. Lesnar has had a short but eventful mixed martial art career so far, and UFC 100 was the pinnacle.

Then Brock decided to blow things up a bit after his victory. It's hard to steady your emotions after a moment like that. However, let's be honest: the guy went off his nut. Started ranting like he's back on the WWE circuit. Needless to say, that did not make Dana White and the MMA powers-that-be too happy. Lesnar cooled off and apologized for his antics. They will be forgotten if not repeated. 

To this eye, MMA can't help but be linked to pro wrestling--its entertainment aspect. White wants the sport to dress up a bit. To be respectable. But you can't serve me raw meat and tell me it's sizzling, fully-cooked sirloin. 

Say what you want: men who are dressed for bed, grappling in front of millions of eyes, tearing and breaking each other, gladiators who don't use weapons because they are weapons... that, sir, has crazy sideshow quality. 

You can't pretend it's just two guys fighting. That's why Brock was not entirely wrong.

R-R-R-Rubio!

Why are we so enamored of point guard Ricky Rubio?

The golden-skinned Rubio qualifies as exotic, in the United States. It's the name, so pleasing to the ear. It's the court vision, the occasional Pistol Pete pass. He turns 19 at the start of the 09-10 season, and he's fun to watch.




We're left to wonder: why did Minnesota draft Rubio and PG Jonny Flynn?

There are good reasons to think he'll be All-Star caliber. (Assuming he ever plays here. Just because he was drafted, doesn't mean he'll choose to play NBA ball.) Anyone who intellectually honest will admit that his Olympic play was stellar. He was 17, remember. My guess is he'll peak five or six seasons into his career. He is already an outstanding passer--anticipatory the way John Stockton was. Obviously he's got to get stronger and improve his defense (like 95% of draftees every year).

Yet the reaction to Rubio's NBA debut is a huge man-crush. I don't remember ever getting excited about a NBA rookie. Because no matter how good they are, they all get humbled. Bron, Kobe, Jordan, Bird--name anyone you want. No one is that good.

It's the exotic-ness.

There is a segment of NBA fans that will support Rubio because he's (euphemism alert) "different."

Ricky Rubio is from Spain, which is the original Hispanic-producing region, depending who you ask. But it's hard to imagine Rubio getting quite the same love, if his parents had both been Mexican, or Cuban. We like to claim that it's all about talent. In sports, more than any other sphere right now, it is.

Reality is not always so simple. When what I hear clashes with what I see, I go with my eyes. Don't you?

The whole idea of Rubio confuses some people. Even admitted racists are confused. A 'white power' site commenting on Spainards had the forum split between they're white, leave them alone and be careful of those Spainards. Penelope Cruz has a mulatto-looking father...

But let's not judge the I like Ricky because he's 'different' types too harshly. For there is another segment, just as vocal, who already hate on Rubio for the exactly the same reason: racism. He's not black, and he's getting some early love... and these fans can't stand it. Knowing that if Rubio was black, according to the amorphous and random definitions in the U.S., they'd be kissing his behind.

Both of these groups should just let the kid play. Preferably for a few more seasons in Europe. He's still a little undercooked.

every Yes is preceded by a No

Before the deciding game of the NBA Finals, his Orlando Magic down three games to one, Dwight Howard pretty much spelled out his doom, right there in the tunnel. He was asked if he had faith in his team's ability to do the unprecedented.

"Impossible is Nothing," Howard said, quoting a sneaker ad. His tone didn't match adidas' words. There was no fire, no fury. I wanted to see D-How with his nostrils flaring, barely able to wait for the tip-off. I wanted him to be impatient with the whole idea of a pre-game interview, and telling us as much with body language.

We saw none of that. They're definitely done was the idea only one quarter into this game.

Howard's play reflected that chat. He was more Clark Kent than Superman. His tendency to bowl people over and call it a post move didn't work this time. That helped him into foul trouble.

After the loss, with the LA Lakers celebrating on the Magic home floor, Howard's words finally matched his body language.

"It hurts," he said, watching the ceremonies. "Sometimes you've got to lose to win."

Orlando may be a balanced team, but without Dwight Howard on the floor for stretches... forget it.

Yet there were flashes. Little glimpses of what could be.. footwork and shots we'd never seen him do. Makes me wonder what he could do, if his legs were as developed as his upper body.

At that point, forget "Superman". He'd be Baby Wilt.

No Speakee

The names are still falling from the sky like bird shit. Big names--only the big names. There will be a few more trickling out over the next year.
Predictable and kinda funny. Like Sammy Sosa preparing for another walk through a testimonial minefield. Sosa walked the legal line in 2005, almost as well as he lined sixty-plus homers in three straight seasons--something no other player has ever done. "To be clear, I've never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs," Sosa told the gub-mint. It was technically true. And it was the gub-mint in front of him. They don't care about honesty anyway, not until reporters come around. The gub-mint is all about technical truth. Find a hidey-hole in that law; they are the best at this game, because they write the books.
The major league players' union got their humps kicked back in February 09, when the A-Rod story broke. Maybe the union is negligent in letting this leak. They don't protect their players. Looks like that was true. The union has failed again. People like HOF pitcher Goose Gossage are saying, "Screw it--just tell us all of the names at once."
This is more evidence, if needed, that baseball isn't football. When Patriots coach Bill Belichick ran up against Spygate, remember how quickly Commissioner Goodell moved to bury the tapes. TOO quick, some might say. But you have to admire the NFL's efficiency. It was third-and-long, and Goodell converted.
Speaking about Sosa, ESPN's Sportsnation asks, "Unlike the A-Rod situation, could this be classified as 'well, duh' news?" This question puzzles me. Since when was Alex Rodriguez's name being linked to PEDs a 'well, duh?'
Some sports talking heads and journalists (not the same thing) keep saying "we were all fooled" when talking about Mark McGwire, Sosa, Barry Bonds, and so on. But the 'we' they mean is Them.
Once Rafael Palmiero got dragged in the wake of this, you knew no player was off-limits from suspicion. You knew that it wasn't just the top 1% of players using performance-enhancers--it was the very good players, too. And the just-makin'-it players, and the Triple A players with all likelihood, and maybe even those big sausages that race between innings.
We don't know who did what. Keep in mind that the idea of pitchers benefitting from PEDs is still fairly recent. At first, we all assumed it was mostly the sluggers. Turns out they were just the most visible.
Nearly every big-timer of the last two decades has been either suspiciously evasive, or a proven augmenter. So by the start of the 2008 season, there were about five players on the so-called innocent list. A-Rod. Derek Jeter. Albert Pujols. Manny Ramirez.
That list is now halved. Pujols isn't on the radar, but then, neither was Rodriguez a few years ago. And baseball's golden boy, Jeter?
People like Peter Gammons say of Jeter, "that's still the one name that would surprise me." This seems to be the prevailing theme, online and in casual convos with fans. I've got to wonder why they still feel this way. Why would they be surprised? How could any name shake you by this point?
Only the youngest stars are squeaky-clean. So far. They have the advantage of fresh starts. Evan Longoria. David Wright. Prince Fielder. Joba Chamberlain. Jacoby Ellsbury. Baseball's old guard, like the smarmy Bob Costas, will hang their derbies on this idea, this hope--that the newest and best will prove clean.
Be sure not to fall for this. Any real baseball fan or player knows that the game has quietly allowed cheating, in whatever form, since its inception.

Play Play, J.J.

JJ Redick is in the Finals. His Orlando Magic trail the series 3-1 after losing their second overtime game to the Lakers. The score was 99-91 this time. Derek Fisher saved LA's asses in Game 4 and everyone is "this thing is a wrap." Redick has scored in three of the four games (though his field goal % is down by his ankles). Hey, that's pretty good. That's three more than anyone reading these words... Redick has to feel the pressure. Not just because of the obvious--that his team is a few plays away from winning instead of losing. He's also repping Duke University.

People already think Blue Devils are cotton-soft when they go pro. Duke players never reach that next level. Or in common terms, they suck in the pros. Do they?

The school that Duke gets stacked against the most, when discussing the NCAA's best pro factories, is their long-time rival, UNC. The Tarheels have sent enough players to the NBA to make several excellent teams. The list starts with MJ and runs through Billy Cunningham, James Worthy, Bob McAdoo, Mitch Kupchak, Sam Perkins... well this is going to get boring.
But maybe things are shifting, if not completely changed. Who does Carolina have in the league today? Not just existing. Playing at All Star level.

Rasheed Wallace. Vince Carter. Jerry Stackhouse. Antwan Jamison. Except... the first three are old in NBA years. All Star-quality players, for sure, but not anymore. And as good as Jamison is, he's peaked, and no one but very knowledgable fans ever knew his best play is near-elite.
Duke had three of those in the 2008-09 season. Shane Battier. Luol Deng. Elton Brand. As these words are written, summer 09, I'd take any of them over any of the four Carolina players. Any of the Duke players is capable of making the All Star team without too many dissenters.

UNC has multiple Hall of Famers--men who moved to the pros and still excelled. Duke has zero. Its alumni are totally overmatched by Carolina's.

But in recent years, Duke has better pros. That's a first. And it probably won't change when Lawson and Hansbrough lace it up in five months.

And before Dookies think about gloating, keep in mind that Redick can't get a shot off when Kobe's guarding him. It's apparent by body language that Redick is shook by that fact. He's a very recent NCAA player of the year, and what used to be a wide-open trey for him is now a big armbanded elbow in his face. That's how big the gap is between All American and All Star. Excuse me: All World.

Apropos of nothing, if Orlando wins the series--they won't, but if they pulled a hat trick--Hedo should be Finals MVP. Like Jamison, some fans don't realize how good Turkoglu is. His ballhandling, passing, and fifteen-foot fade are sick, and opponents respect all of that. Plus he's blocked Kobe's shit at least twice in big moments so far this series.

So he fools people (especially Lamar "Now N Later" Odom) with that foul-baiting fake jumper so often, he shouldn't just get the trophy for best player in that instance. He should get a Golden Globe, too.