In what will surely be an ongoing battle as to who experts and fans think should be the future quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, a common argument that has been brought up in favor of Drew Brees is his consistency. It got me thinking: is he really that consistent? Sure, one would have to give Brees credit for being more consistent than his counterpart, Philip Rivers, but that comparison is giving the younger Rivers the short end of the stick. Nevertheless, as Rivers will only be entering his third pro season, Brees is still a relative young'n himself (only 26), and while he is facing a long rehabilitation from a torn labrum, it's possible his injury could have been worse. His career is anything but over.

Still, I digress. Just how consistent is Drew Brees? Let's find out.

We all know Brees had a breakthrough in 2004. Before that, he had two years in which he was the Chargers' starter, despite being forced out from that role in 2003 thanks to the team's abysmal performance. His rating in 2002 was 76.9, and his rating in 2003 was 67.5. In 27 games from 2002 to 2003, Brees completed 59.5 percent of his passes and threw 28 touchdowns compared to 31 interceptions. Acknowledgment--Brees showed flashes of talent, but couldn't put it all together for 16 games.

That seemed to change in 2004, when he had his career year: 104.8 rating, 27 touchdowns against only seven picks, and a 65.5 completion percentage. Hello, consistency. Right?

After San Diego's first game of the year against Houston, in which Brees completed 17-of-24 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns (no picks), he stunk it up in the next two matchups, both of which were losses to playoff teams--the Jets and the Broncos. Combined, he completed 22-of-48 passes for just 267 yards, one TD and two picks. Not very consistent.

Speaking of not very consistent, I have a bacterial ulcer in my eye and it's tough for me to stay awake. Sorry to intersect the personal with the professional (or amateur, I guess), but this is a topic I definitely want to focus more on. So I will follow up soon. Promise.

It's nice that some of the talk regarding the San Diego Chargers as one of the best teams ever not to make the playoffs has subsided. Sure, five of the Chargers' seven losses were by less than four points, and they arguably have the best tight end (Antonio Gates) and running back (LaDainian Tomlinson) in the league.

Well, talent only goes so far. A 9-7 record in the AFC this season is respectable, but respectable doesn't get a team into the playoffs. Neither does a 4-4 home record. 

Last year's version of San Diego may not have had as much offensive flair as this year's version, but the Chargers sure did a much better job of closing out games in 2004 than they did this year. They were also much better at taking care of the ball--last season, they ranked third in the league with a +15 margin, but after today's loss to the Denver Broncos, they will finish 2005 with a -8 margin (their -6 margin entering the game was 23rd in the NFL).

That's a substantial drop, and that's not a hallmark of a squad coached by Marty Schottenheimer.

San Diego must make drastic efforts to improve itself for 2006, especially in a division that will likely see a changing of the coaching guard for half its teams (Norv Turner is almost certainly gone, and barring a miracle collapse by the Pittsburgh Steelers against Detroit, #### Vermeil will leave the Kansas City Chiefs no matter what happens against the Bengals). The Broncos seemed to have regained the momentum the franchise lost after the retirement of John Elway, and nothing suggests it will recede under the solid leadership and offensive strategy of Mike Shanahan and Co.

A.J. Smith will likely face as much pressure as any other NFL general manager in the upcoming offseason. Schottenheimer's job is safe, but question marks abound in many other areas.

The most important decision may not necessarily be who Smith appoints as the quarterback of the Chargers, but what timetable he mandates to handle the situation. It was dumb luck for the organization that Drew Brees sustained a shoulder injury against Denver, as it gave management a fairer chance of evaluating Philip Rivers instead of basing his performance off of garbage-time numbers--and even those chances had not been that plentiful in his two years thus far in the NFL. Not starting Rivers in a meaningless game was a mistake anyway, so ironically, Brees's injury bailed out the organization. That's good (I'm not wishing ill toward Brees, though... get better, Drew).

A decision will have to be made sooner rather than later, hopefully before the start of the free agency period--this will give the organization a clearer picture of what it has to do to get better and how it will proceed in the draft and free agency. If San Diego again designates Brees as the franchise player and signs him to another wait-and-see deal, although highly unlikely, Rivers would demand a trade and promote an unwarranted publicity storm around the team. That's bad.

If the choice is Brees, it alerts the other 31 teams that Rivers will be available in a trade package constituting a veteran or two and some draft picks. Nothing wrong with that. If the choice is Rivers, then it's sayonara to L.T.'s draft teammate and the only quarterback who has led the Chargers to the playoffs since Stan Humphries. It's a tough choice, indeed.

If it were up to me, I would take Rivers. Smith thought highly enough of Rivers to trade for him in the 2004 draft, and the only reasons he has not gotten the reps have been the competitiveness of the team and management's unwavering faith in Brees, despite his inconsistent play in 2005 and sometimes lackluster performances in big games (see 2005 against Miami, on the road at Kansas City, and 2004's playoff loss to the New York Jets). A similar situation emerged in Cincinnati at the end of 2003, when Jon Kitna was coming off another solid season as the Bengals' starting quarterback but essentially was keeping the seat warm for No. 1 pick Carson Palmer. Management went with the kid, and Kitna hasn't been heard from since. Obviously, that tough decision has suited Cincinnati quite nicely.

Rivers does not have the leverage of being the former No. 1 overall pick, but as the second overall quarterback taken in a draft that featured Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and J.P. Losman, he will get a chance somewhere. Why shouldn't it be with the team that selected him?

The Chargers' offensive line, which played well for most of the season, simply fell apart after the dramatic victory against the Colts. It was this area of the team that scared Manning the most from coming to San Diego in 2004--after all, his daddy Archie had been knocked on his butt enough to know that a strong offensive line is that important. The line had trouble consistently opening inside holes for Tomlinson, evidenced by the uber-back's conclusion to 2005--he did not break 100 yards once in the final five games, and had only one rushing touchdown. Even with a less-than-100 percent Tomlinson, that's unacceptable. And the line didn't do a good enough job of protecting Brees in losses to the Chiefs and Dolphins, who snatched former San Diego offensive line coach Hudson Houck last offseason. The line should definitely be an area of concern for the Chargers.

Defensively, San Diego had a bend-but-don't-break mentality for most of the year, and it served them well most of the time--except when they couldn't score points consistently against squads like the Broncos and the aforementioned Chiefs and Dolphins. Former first-round cornerback Quentin Jammer had arguably his best season, playing with more resolve and finally developing stronger skills as a cover corner. But every other defensive back position is questionable. During today's telecast, CBS broadcaster Phil Simms brought up an excellent point--the secondary hasn't necessarily played poorly; however, they have not made nearly enough big plays to instill fear in opposing offenses or turn momentum during the course o####ame. This might not be a reflection on the present talent but more on the coaching staff. Regardless, the secondary must be addressed via draft or free agency, as consistent pass coverage has been lacking since the team's resurgence a year ago.

One has to be pleased with the front seven, though. Shawne Merriman is a star in the making, and Luis Castillo has turned out to be a solid cog in the 3-4. A question mark is Randall Godfrey, who is contemplating retirement, but his shoes could likely be filled by the likes of the energetic Shaun Phillips. Donnie Edwards and Steve Foley continue to be strong, underrated linebackers. Jamal Williams was one of the main reasons why San Diego had one of the stoutest run defenses in the league, and thankfully he is signed until 2010 after management restructured his contract in the offseason.

Special teams is also an issue. Darren Sproles was likely not as strong as the organization thought he would be when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, and he was also prone to fumble (three total, two lost). Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifres are solid at kicker and punter, respectively, but kick and punt coverage was often horrific at times for the Bolts this year--even though Hanik Milligan will represent the AFC Pro Bowl squad as the all-purpose special teamer. I would not be surprised to see Smith go in a different direction and let go Steve Crosby, who has been the team's special teams guru since 2002.

The Chargers will have a lot of thinking to do this offseason, and questions regarding the quarterback situation will intensify as the New Year is ushered in. While that is the most important personnel decision Smith and the rest of management must make, there are other concerns as well. Don't expect San Diego to languish in these decisions. The only reputation the Chargers want to have at the end of the 2006 season is as a playoff team, and the road back to that reputation begins now.

It seems like only yesterday when Tiger Woods miraculously scored a come-from-behind win at the 1996 U.S. Amateur, his third-straight Amateur title. Then came the all-too-foreboding, "Hello world" speech, and the accolades began to reign down faster than balls into the water on the 17th at Sawgrass.

Yes, that was less than ten years ago. Tiger Woods is 30 today, and it's certainly possible his best golf is still yet to come.

Scary, huh?

I will be the first to admit that I sometimes had my qualms about Tiger, particularly his sometimes rough-and-tumble attitude on the golf course and his kooky demeanor off it. I cannot point to a singular instance, but my opinion of him has changed. Maybe it was his marriage to a beautiful woman. Maybe his newfound ability to be a bit more light-hearted during competitive events. But this man deserves as much respect and adoration as any athlete in the world for what he has accomplished in such a short period of time.

First of all, his achievements on today's PGA Tour compared to those attained by Jack Nicklaus et al when they played are simply more more astounding given the quality of competition. It seems like there are at least 50 or 60 guys capable of winning an event any given week, while during Jack's time there were probably no more than 15 or 20. Jack was good for the game of golf, but I would be hesitant to call him revolutionary--Tiger is the exact opposite.

The force by which Tiger took over professional golf prompted not only a change of attitude among his peers, but also by those who play and follow the game of golf. While the number of golf rounds in America skyrocketed during his first few years of popularity, Woods' presence prompted golfers on tour to re-assess their games and focus as much attention on physical fitness and practice off the course in order to compete with the sometimes immortal distances Tiger was able to hit the ball--particularly when he found himself in difficult lies out of the rough. He made golf easier to watch on Sunday afternoon, and prompted many more to take the driving range or the course Monday morning to see if they could emulate what they had seen on television a day earlier.

A lot will continue to change in the life of Tiger. He will have a family quite soon, no doubt. He will probably switch to a different swing coach after Hank Haney, since it didn't seem like he would ever leave Butch Harmon, but such are the the circumstances for a man who never settles and seems to get bigger and stronger with each passing year. It's difficult to say which or exactly how many records will fall as long as he keeps teeing it up, but fall they will. His performance will also be tested by a new playoff format that the PGA Tour should begin implementing in 2007. Of course, he'll probably adapt, just as he's been able to adapt to all of the courses dramatically lengthened to better challenge players like him.

Like him or not, Tiger Woods deserves respect for his affect on a singular game. Tiger would be the first to tell you that he is not above the game itself, but it sure seems like that sometimes. Happy Birthday, Mr. Woods--I hope the next ten years of your life give as much to the great game of golf as the last ten have.

I am surprised that the Los Angeles Lakers have been able to stay above .500 this far into the season, especially with a team of mostly also-rans in a loaded Pacific Division. Sure, they are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, but they were all close games that could have gone the other way with better free-throw shooting and just a little bit more offensive distribution away from Mr. Bryant.

But after Wednesday night's overtime loss to Memphis at home--a game which I was unable to watch--I couldn't help but feel a little queasy after perusing the box score:

Brian Cook, PF -- Did Not Play, Coach's Decision

Huh? Am I missing something? Cook is not a superstar by any means, but he has played in every game this year, and in December he has notched double figures in five of the team's 15 games entering the matchup with the Grizzlies--again, not dazzling, but for a team struggling to find consistent offense outside of Kobe, it is definitely puzzling to me. Cook is a hard worker and a smart player, and his spot-up jump shooting definitely has a place in Phil Jackson's triangle system--I can't help but notice a bit of a resemblance to Horace Grant's perimeter game in his prime with Chicago. Cook was particularly effective on Christmas Day against the Miami Heat, scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. And the next day, he had another reasonable outing against the Washington Wizards, registering 8 points and 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. The Lakers lost both of these matchups, but again, don't point the finger at the third-year forward. Cook is not a world beater, but he is still a young player who has shown potential.

So why didn't he get into the game against the Grizzlies? Is it because he wasn't hitting the boards hard enough? Or maybe Devean George had been too hot from the perimeter lately to stay out of the starting rotation? On a team that will likely be searching for answers on offense throughout the season--the Lakers have taken the challenge on defense to become one of the stronger squads in the West in that area--it seems an odd conclusion that Jackson would decide to not play him at all against a pretty strong squad.

Please offer ideas to a perplexed Lakers follower. Thank you...

1. My heart goes out to the family of Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. I just wish there was some way that the passing of his eldest son could have been handled by the media in a more sensitive manner. James Dungy was not a public figure, even though he often hung around his dad on the job and knew quite a few of his father's players. None of us can imagine how difficult a time this is for the Dungy family--even if you have had a close family member take his/her own life, the severity of each situation is unique and different to those who actually experience it. It's nice that so many thoughts and prayers go out to the family, but that goes without saying. Tony Dungy is already a very private and stoic person to begin with, and the most important thing the rest of the country can do is honor and respect his time away from the limelight. It truly is a difficult situation. I posted a comment earlier this week regarding the passing of Phyllis Gretzky, who was by no means a public figure herself. At what point do you determine if something is newsworthy while still honoring and respecting those who must deal with the extremely personal matter? In today's era of aggressive news coverage, who knows.

2. It's going to be a long offseason for the San Diego Chargers. Analysts will likely deem this to be one of the most talented teams to miss the playoffs, and it would have been one of the feats of the season for the Bolts to have won two consecutive road games against Indianapolis and Kansas City--two of the best home teams in the NFL in recent years. The run defense made Edgerrin James look weak, but Larry Johnson (Grandmama!!!) made San Diego's front seven look like a pack of deer in headlights. You've got to respect what Johnson has brought to Kansas City, and that franchise, like San Diego, will face a difficult offseason decision in deciding what to do with Johnson and Priest Holmes, whose career was in question for a period of time after a concussion sustained against the Chargers earlier this season. But that decision likely won't be as momentous as the one San Diego faces at the quarterback spot. Drew Brees has played well the last two seasons, but despite a solid passer rating and games where he has scarcely any incomplete passes, it is difficult to say if he is in fact part of the long-term plans for the Chargers. Now that the team is eliminated from playoff contention, I don't think there's any doubt that A.J. Smith and the rest of management will encourage Marty Schottenheimer (whose job is safe, by the way) to start Phillip Rivers in the finale against Denver. The Broncos will probably not be at full strength because they have nothing to play for, but it will still be a great opportunity for Rivers to show what he can bring to the table. The faux playoffs lasted two weeks for the Chargers, and now it's time for their offseason evaluation process to begin a week earlier than first thought. That's life in the ludicrously tough AFC.

3. I can't stand all of this "traitor" talk surrounding Johnny Damon. If the Yankees and Red Sox have taught us anything, it's that baseball is business first. The dude took more money from a team he thought would have a better chance of contending for the World Series next year. That's all. If he was really a traitor, he would have demanded a trade or acted in a fashion disrespectful to the city of Boston--two things that a current member of the Red Sox has done in the past few years (his first name rhymes with "fanny") and yet he still finds himself in Beantown. Damon is a classy guy who is without question a victim of this country's obsession with the New York-Boston rivalry. People need to stop taking this move so seriously and accept the fact that it was the Red Sox who messed up by not keeping their offensive catalyst and allowed him to sign with a division rival. It would have been just as momentous had he signed with a team like the Blue Jays. Stop putting these two teams on a pedestal just because they spend more money than everybody else. It's annoying.

4. I am excited to watch the Heat play the Lakers. Not counting on any fireworks between Shaq and Kobe, but it should be a well-played game. These two squads have improved significantly since the start of the season, and it's possible that Bryant and Dwyane Wade will find themselves in an offensive slugfest before all is said and done. This will likely be a more exciting contest than Detroit-San Antonio, but I can't see any reason why the latter game won't again be a preview of the NBA Finals. The Pistons and Spurs are that much better than everybody else. The only teams that could offer a challenge are Dallas and Phoenix. Dallas would need to pull off a trade for a stout post defender to eliminate the scourge of Erick Dampier, and Phoenix's hopes rest on the healthy return of Amare Stoudemire. Unfortunately, both of those scenarios are questionable this season. It's too bad, because old pals Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash continue to be two of the league's most dynamic players.

5. I really want the PGA Tour season to start up again. Not only because I had the luxury of playing Torrey Pines South a few days ago, but simply because I think this will be a great year for the tour. Augusta has been lengthened once again, and the American majors will boast great venues--the U.S. Open will be at Winged Foot (maybe Davis Love III will use this as an opportunity to remove the label of best player ever with only one major title) and the PGA returns to venerable Medinah. Guys like Luke Donald, Chris DiMarco, Padraig Harrington, and Aussies Stuart Appleby and Adam Scott look poised to add their first majors to their already impressive resumes, and of course, there is the Ryder Cup. And also, it's been a while since Tiger and Elin have been married--is there a baby on the horizon? It would be interesting to see how Mr. Woods's game will respond under such circumstances. And any news where his wife is featured is good news. Duh.

Happy holidays everyone, take some time to catch up with family, friends, and new music and movies.

Just when the baseball offseason appeared to be getting tepid, Tuesday brought along three big moves that appear to signal that teams are far from being content with their current situations.

The New York Yankees, who have been mostly dormant since being eliminated by the Anaheim Angels, may have made the best move of any team in the AL East this offseason by snatching center fielder Johnny Damon. The Yankees doled out $52 million to sign him, but they did not have to fulfill one of Damon's prior demands in signing him to a seven-year deal. With the team's recent poor history of signing players to longer-term deals, the four-year compromise seems to be a moral victory, especially when Scott Boras is the one handling the negotiations. With Sheffield, Damon, and Matsui, New York now unquestionably has the most potent offensive outfield in baseball. Not only is this move a slap in the face to the Boston Red Sox, it is a safer move than the $102 million investment the Toronto Blue Jays made in hurlers A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan. Plus, it addresses a bigger need for the Yankees, who now have an aggressive leadoff hitter to set the table for the big boppers. It also allows Bernie Williams to play first in case anything happens to Jason Giambi.

Jacque Jones signed a three-year deal, $16 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. My first instinct was that the Cubs probably overpaid for Jones. But he made $5 million last year, so there was barely a pay increase for a player who might have a little bit of upside remaining. Jones was a higher commodity this offseason because of the overall weakness of the free-agent class, particularly when guys like Brian Giles and Paul Konerko were re-signed fairly early in the wheelings and dealings. Jones had a career-high 51 walks last season, but he still strikes out way too much, and his career .455 slugging percentage does not offset his free swinging enough. This move does not help the team as much as the acquisition of Juan Pierre, though it signals Chicago intends to take the Central Division by storm next year since its rivals have been very quiet in the offseason. They have either chose to stand pat with their younger talent (Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati) or their grizzled veterans (St. Louis and Houston). The bullpen remains a giant question mark, and it will likely be tinkered with more before spring training.

The final move was a six-player swap that is nowhere near as high-profile as the pair of free-agent outfield signings, but it went a long way to addressing two teams' needs at a variety of positions. The San Diego Padres traded starting pitcher Adam Eaton, reliever Akinori Otsuka, and prospect Billy Killian to the Texas Rangers for starter Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, and outfielder Termel Sledge (a very underrated name, in my estimation--it just rolls off your tongue in a funny way).

This trade was a bit of a moral victory for the Rangers, since they did not have to part with prized catching prospect Gerald Laird, whom the Padres were seeking as a replacement for free-agent departee Ramon Hernandez. But it's also a victory for the Padres, who were able to dump payroll by jettisoning Eaton and Otsuka. San Diego probably would not have re-signed Eaton after 2006, when he becomes a free agent. He also perplexed management when he disclosed in an interview to ESPN.com that he wanted to stay in San Diego but didn't feel like he belonged in the team's long-term scheme. Well, here's your confirmation, Adam. Eaton is by no means a bad pitcher, but he has been a bit of a disappointment since coming over as a top prospect from the Philadelphia Phillies in 1999's trade of Andy Ashby. He has a career 47-41 record and has never posted an earned run average below 4.00. Also, he has never topped 200 innings in a season (he came close in 2004 with 199.1, but fact is fact), so health has been a concern. Basically, this was a somewhat amicable way of Padres' management telling the 28 year-old pitcher that it didn't work out the way both sides had hoped. Eaton should have fun trying to hone his skills in the launchpad that is Ameriquest Field.

Otsuka is an intriguing middle reliever who could one day find himself in a closer's role. He doesn't throw incredibly hard (tops out in the low 90's, if he's lucky), and his deceptive delivery will make it tough for AL hitters to catch on--for a month or so. Otsuka was dominant as a rookie, striking out 87 batters in 77.1 innings and maintaining a 1.75 ERA, but came back to earth in his sophomore campaign, sporting a 3.59 ERA and walking 34 in 63.2 innings. Opponents hit .324 against Otsuka away from Petco Park in 2005, so like Eaton, he can't be too thrilled about pitching at Ameriquest. Killian was a third-round pick in 2004 and likely is already the most inconsequential piece of this trade.

The Padres bolstered their pitching with the acquisition of Young, who is simply enormous at 6-foot-10 and 260 pounds. He will probably find himself at the back end of the Padres rotation. At 26, Young probably has more upside than Eaton, who is two years older and has much more mileage at this point. Young ran out of gas at the end of 2005, making only two starts in September despite no blatant arm troubles. This is not too troubling, since it was only his second full season, and he had no grooming in the bullpen to develop his arm strength. He should benefit from the pitcher-friendly atmosphere of Petco, though it is often uncertain how pitchers adjust when switching leagues. It will be fun to see him step to the plate on a consistent basis, as it was for Randy Johnson when he came to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gonzalez and Sledge will be reserves for the Padres in 2006. Sledge will compete with youngster Ben Johnson for the fourth outfield position, and Gonzalez will provide insurance at first base for Ryan Klesko. ESPN.com's report on this trade suggested San Diego could still move outfielder Dave Roberts in order to make room for Sledge or Klesko in left field, but that couldn't be further from the truth--General Manager Kevin Towers already announced that his starting left fielder in 2006 will be Roberts. Even though Roberts cannot be counted on to play 162 games, the acquisition of Sledge, who hit 15 home runs and struck out just 66 times as a rookie in 2004, offers another option for manager Bruce Bochy in what is one of the most spacious outfields in baseball. To put it bluntly, Gonzalez has been a bust since being the No. 1 overall pick of the Florida Marlins in 2000. But he is a San Diego native, joining the likes of Roberts and Giles as players who returned to their hometown to play for the Padres. Gonzalez is still just 23 and might develop, but he must become a hitter instead of a swatter--he struck out 37 times in only 150 at-bats last year, and pounded only six home runs playing for a team at a hitter-friendly park. It's a flyer worth taking for San Diego, since offensive pop has been severely lacking during the team's stay at Petco. Gonzalez will not be pressured into providing that pop right away, but he could flourish in his hometown.

This is a solid trade for both teams, but both will likely make more moves, particularly for starting pitchers. The Rangers are trying to entice Kevin Millwood from Cleveland, and the Padres are still rumored to be interested in David Wells. One might assume that offseason activity will slow down with Christmas and New Year's approaching, but you never know. It's nice to see the hot stove lighting back up with the official inauguration of winter. And don't forget, Roger Clemens is still available.

Despite a four-game winning streak, the Arizona men's hoops squad was squeezed out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, which was released yesterday.

"Obviously we're disappointed. We feel like we've played a tough schedule to this point, and we'll just have to work on starting another streak," said head coach Lute Olson, whose remarks indicate he has taken great pride in this accomplishment over the course of his 23-year coaching career.

He should. Being in every regular-season AP poll since 1987-88--and 329 of 331 polls overall--is absolutely tremendous.

But in the long run, this is not a big deal. The Wildcats had already dropped out of the ESPN/USA Today poll a week earlier. It is somewhat confusing that the 'Cats would find themselves in the midst of a four-game winning streak yet still sliding in the polls, but winning matters the most.

In the eyes of pollsters, Arizona's fall is warranted. The four wins have been against cupcakes (Utah and St. Mary's have struggled this year), and even though the two most recent wins were both by at least 30 points, what could be hurting the Wildcats' ranking is the relative weakness of the Pac-10 during the non-conference slate. Teams like Stanford, which was ranked 13th to begin the year, and Oregon, which was supposed to improve off last year's disappointment, have been underachieving. The conference still has strong teams and should not be written off, though a lack of wins against top-flight schools will not help its national reputation--especially with struggles the last few years.

There is still much to be said for the 'Cats strength of schedule, as Olson mentioned. They played in the ridiculously difficult Maui Invitational to start the year, producing a staunch defensive effort to knock off Kansas but subsequently falling in competitive contests to Connecticut and Michigan State. It is often tough to stomach close losses, but there can't be too much shame in coming up just short to two squads that could easily find themselves in the Final Four at the end of the year.

It was the loss at Houston at the start of this month that signaled a tougher climb than expected for Arizona, which was ranked No. 6 before the 2005-6 season tipped off despite the loss of superstars Channing Frye and Salim Stoudamire. However, the Cougars are no slouches themselves, having knocked off LSU before upsetting the Wildcats. They may have been toppled by South Alabama over the weekend, but by no means did Arizona lose to a flukish team.

The opening stumbles may have been eradicated from Arizona's mind thanks to this recent four-game streak. They better be as far away from the team's psyche as possible once the Pac-10 schedule starts, because the first four games are brutal.

The first task for the 'Cats is a trip to the Pacific Northwest, facing #### Bennett's solid Washington State squad and then travelling to Seattle to face the No. 7 Huskies on New Year's Eve. They return home for the beginning of 2006, and will play host to No. 12 UCLA and USC, which has been playing better than expected under new head man Tim Floyd.

The first impression is, "Ouch!" Rightfully so--right now, those are the top four teams in the Pac-10. But for a veteran coach like Olson, the overall impression is, "Bring it on."

With the fall semester ending and senior Hasaan Adams's arrest not causing as much controversy as other past off-court issues in Tucson, the Wildcats have more incentives to capitalize on their winning streak and once again establish themselves as a perennial power.

Adams has been the on-court leader Olson expected him to be. He is the only player on Arizona averaging at least 30 minutes a game, and has scored in doubles figures in all nine contests, registering at least 20 points in five of those affairs. Adams was sidetracked with a disturbing peace violation last week, but as most people know, trouble has been no stranger to the school's star basketball players in the past. Just ask the busted hotel vending machines in Lawrence, Kansas.

The bigger issue for the 'Cats is the lack of consistent play from juniors Ivan Radenovic and Mustafa Shakur. Radenovic was supposed to step up and be one of the team's main offensive options after a solid sophomore season, but he has barely raised his scoring average from 8.6 points per game to 9.0 ppg this year. He posted a goose egg in the victory over the Utes, and has registered double figures in only three games. Radenovic has also struggled to be a consistent rebounder at the power forward position, forcing the 6-foot-4 Adams to play a larger role in the post.

Shakur is averaging 10.0 ppg on 49 percent shooting from the floor. However, a huge concern has to be his three-point shooting. Shakur was one of the stronger three-point marksmen in the Pac-10 as a freshman and sophomore, shooting 39.6 and 37.8 percent, respectively, but he has lost his stroke as a junior. He has made only five threes all year, most likely falling victim to the new longer three-point arc. He is also struggling distributing the ball, averaging a career-low 3.1 assists per game. Senior Chris Rodgers has been taking some of the ball-handling duties away from Shakur; however, one of them must step up and assume the reins of the offense if Arizona expects prolonged success during its conference schedule.

With Shakur and Radenovic struggling, highly-touted freshmen forward Marcus Williams has begun to pick up the slack. He has averaged 14.0 ppg during the four-game streak, including a career-high 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the victory against Sam Houston State last night. Williams still needs to work on rounding out the defensive side of his game, though his progress is encouraging. Olson knows the Wildcats are searching for a spark to replace the fireworks that were supplied by Frye and Stoudamire, and the consistent source for that punch could be Williams.

Arizona's defense has been strong, as it has surrendered just 61.5 ppg--third in the Pac-10. Despite ranking fifth in the conference in scoring (71.1 ppg), the Wildcats are ninth in overall field-goal percentage (.410) and last in three-point shooting (an anemic 26.4 percent). They're also last in free throws at 65.6 percent, almost two percentage points behind ninth-place Oregon.

Shooting is often streaky, and the loss of Stoudamire, one of the best shooters in conference history, may have zapped more of the team's morale on the perimeter than Olson expected. A long period of rest before the trip to the Northwest could give the Wildcats enough time to find their strokes and come out firing in what will arguably their most important stretch of games this season.

But If Arizona continues to struggle with consistency from key players like Shakur and Radenovic and fails to re-discover the offensive rhythm that has become a hallmark of Olson-coached squads, it will take a lot longer before the Wildcats are able to begin a new streak as members of the Top 25.

I am a San Diego resident and a lifelong Chargers fan, and I am not one to gloat. But after witnessing one of the most exhilirating football games of my life, I feel it is only necessary to revisit what I said:

(the italicized portions were published in my post on Thursday night/Friday morning)

With history in the balance for the Colts and the playoffs on the line for the Chargers, here are some reasons why San Diego could still be alive for the playoffs Sunday night and why the members of the '72 Dolphins can once again safely uncork their champagne.

-The Chargers' run defense. The Bolts are far and away the strongest team in the league at stopping the run, surrendering only 78.8 yards per game on the ground--the Denver Broncos are second at 85.4 yards. And by no means have the Chargers been feeding off of one-dimensional offenses ... The Colts may only rank 10th in the league in rushing at 125.0 yards per affair, but running back Edgerrin James has been the lynchpin for their offense in 2005. He has 1,440 yards on the ground, second only to Seattle's Shaun Alexander, and his 334 attempts are tops--actually, he has 31 more carries than Alexander. James has had at least 21 carries in every game this season, validating the strong balance of the Colts' offense. The Chargers' disruption of that balance is pivotal in establishing a chance for the upset, and their pedigree suggests it is possible.

Indianapolis ran the ball 15 times, gaining 24 yards. Enough said. Because the Colts could not establish balance in their offense, it allowed the Chargers' front seven to tee off on Peyton Manning, and he was harassed more than in any other game he has played this season. He was still able to throw for 336 yards, but he had his second-lowest completion percentage of the year (26-45, 57.8 percent) and also his second-lowest quarterback rating (70.2, deflated by two interceptions). The Chargers' secondary allowed some big plays, but Quentin Jammer, Drayton Florence, and the rest of the defensive backs made key tackles and deflections when they had to the most. Stopping James and the running attack made those stops possible.

-Lack of challenges for the Colts' defense. Tony Dungy must be given credit for fielding a defense that harkens back to his days with Tampa Bay, but I am still not sold on a unit that has faced only three top-10 offenses in the NFL. Those three teams--Cincinnati (4th, 366.8 ypg), New England (5th, 362.8 ypg) and St. Louis (9th, 355.7 ypg)--all scored at least 20 points against the Colts, averaging 28.7 points in the contests. The Chargers are eighth in the NFL at 357.3 yards per contest, in addition to averaging the third-highest point total in the league. Also, the Chargers will mark the toughest rushing opponent for Indianapolis all season. San Diego averages 130.4 yards per affair, and LaDainian Tomlinson could be due for a breakout--he has scampered for over 100 yards just once in his last four games. Tomlinson is listed as questionable with a bruised chest, but there is no chance L.T. will miss this game. If the Chargers are able to establish the run and control the clock against the semi-tested Colts defense, the streak might evaporate.

The Colts did a solid job stopping LaDainian Tomlinson, holding him to just 76 yards on 24 carries. But L.T. took as much of a pounding in this contest in just about any other as a professional, particularly when Indy's Nick Harper laid him out on a short swing pass in the third quarter. He was also less than 100 percent with a bruised chest entering the game, so the big hits certainly didn't help matters.

Enter Michael Turner, whose 83-yard touchdown run not only sealed the victory, but whose running gave the Chargers enough balance to prevent too much defensive pressure on Drew Brees. Turner also had a key 17-yard run in the third quarter that led to another San Diego field goal. Brees still struggled, throwing two picks in the second half and making other questionable throws when he was under some heat. However, he had four pass plays of at least 20 yards--two to rookie wideout Vincent Jackson, and two to the venerable Keenan McCardell. Add in Turner's big run, and you have five plays that accounted for 207 of the Chargers' 453 total yards. In other words, today the Colts defense looked more like the versions on display in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and that's what ultimately cost them the victory. L.T. and Antonio Gates (6 catches for 29 yards) were held in check, but San Diego proved it is a more dynamic offense than people think. And the Colts proved they have a long way to go on defense if they expect to win it all.

-Revenge factor. The Chargers know they should have beaten the Colts last season, out-playing them for three quarters to the tune of 31-16. It's often difficult to maintain leads on the road in the NFL, and San Diego has blown its share this season as well--the Bolts squandered a 14-point lead at Invesco Field to the Broncos, and the Eagle's blocked field-goal for a touchdown shockingly erased the Chargers' advantage in Philadelphia. But San Diego has also shown it can win in hostile environments, beating the Patriots by a landslide and subduing the Redskins at FedEx Field despite a horrid day from quarterback Drew Brees (22/44 passing, no touchdowns, three interceptions). Avenging last season's loss ultimately pales in importance to making the playoffs in '05, but because of San Diego's high personnel turnover from 2004, the tough loss has been anything but forgotten.

As stated, an undefeated season gave Indianapolis plenty of incentive, but this was technically San Diego's first playoff game of 2005. They had to win, not only to keep their playoffs hope alive, but to show once again they deserve to be considered in the upper echelon of the NFL. They were right there last year, when absolutely no expert picked them to make it out of the cellar in the AFC West, and this year too, when some predicted a letdown thanks to strong additions in the rest of the division and the perception that 2004 was a fluke. It was not. The Chargers outgained the Colts 453-338, and even though they had one more turnover than the Colts, they disrupted their sometimes machine-like offense enough to prevent any kind of sustained rhythm. San Diego had a tough task having to travel to the RCA Dome two consecutive seasons, but revenge in the team's return visit.

-The legacy of Marty Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer is one of the best coaches of the modern era, having compiled 185 wins and a .602 winning percentage in 20 seasons. Still, he is not given the same credit as coaches like Bill Parcells and Jimmie Johnson, and rightfully so--not only has Schottenheimer never been to a Super Bowl, but he is also regarded as not having what it takes to win the big ones to get there in the first place. This is unquestionably his biggest game as head coach of the Chargers, bigger than last season's rain-soaked conquest over the Broncos in San Diego or the playoff flop against the New York Jets. His job is not in jeopardy, but Schottenheimer is well aware that games like this define a coach. Schottenheimer's experience could pay dividends for his team in a game of this magnitude, or it could further solidify his almost-but-not-quite legacy. It's up to his team to determine that.

Again, this was not an official playoff game, but for Schottenheimer and San Diego it might as well have been. This was definitely his biggest win as the Chargers head coach, and even though the team is still outside looking in at the playoffs, it is still alive and kicking. What is remarkable about this victory is that it puts the 20-year coaching veteran in a position where he may have an even more defining game for his legacy--a Christmas Eve road battle at Kansas City, the team he coached for half his career. Adding to the drama is the Chiefs' strong home record in December, and it will also be coach #### Vermeil's last chance to keep his squad alive for the postseason.

San Diego's win is definitelty an upset, but it is also a validation that everything the team has accomplished to this point is still meaningful if it intends to make the postseason. The Chargers will doubtless savor this one; however, making the playoffs is still priority No. 1, so don't count on the victory over the Colts to be lingering in the Chargers' heads when they go back to practice this week.

"Multiple sources" have confirmed that USC's all-world tailback Reggie Bush will make himself eligible for the NFL Draft once the Trojans finish the Rose Bowl.

Duh. Spare us the suspense. Unless you are an incredibly optimistic USC fan already yelling "Four-peat!" or a staunch advocate of forcing all collegiate athletes to earn degrees before they are allowed to play professional sports, this is a no-brainer.

To me, what is not as much of a no-brainer is where Bush will go in the draft. Sure, he will probably have one of the top 40-yard dash times at the draft combine--like he even needs to attend the combine. Everyone has seen the stutter-step on the sideline against Fresno State, the punt return through a wall of defenders against Washington, and the springboard leap for a touchdown against UCLA. He is pure electricity in cleats.

But nobody has seen Reggie Bush as a featured back in USC's potent offense. The other two running backs coached by Pete Carroll--Justin Fargas and Sultan McCullough--have not panned out in the NFL. McCullough has seen only one game at the professional level, and Fargas has not been able to work his way up the Oakland Raiders' depth chart after being drafted in the third round in 2003. Nevertheless, Bush and LenDale White, who has split the running load in the Trojans' backfield, are both regarded as far better prospects than Fargas and McCullough.

Bush and White will probably be first-round picks, and Bush is already being hyped as the one of the greatest prizes in recent draft memory. While White is mostly an inside runner who has shown he can take a pounding and play through injuries (see his 14-carry, 154-yard performance playing with a bum shoulder against the Bruins), Bush's elusive style makes him look like super hero at times. He should be able to make those same nifty moves at the next level, just like Barry Sanders, Gale Sayers, and many other evasive backs before him. This year, Bush has also proved to be a better runner between the tackles. However, this so-called Superman has a much better chance of stumbling upon some Kryptonite when stronger and more athletic players are trying to track him down in the NFL.

I am not saying Reggie Bush is a risky draft pick. It is possible, however, that his style and pedigree might not be as enticing to teams in desperate need of a franchise running back.

With that in mind, here are a few other tailbacks who will merit strong consideration come April's draft:

DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Williams was mostly under the radar his sophomore season when he gained 1,430 yards. As a junior, he was second in the nation with 1,948 yards, and more people began to take notice. Now, after more than 5,000 career rushing yards with the Tigers, Williams did not necessarily become a household name, but he was anything but under the radar as a senior. He rushed for 1,726 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final campaign, and was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. At 5-foot-10 and around 220 pounds, Williams has the bulk and speed to make it in the NFL. He has also shown himself to be a capable receiver, despite a consecutive decline in his reception total following his breakout sophomore season. What could hurt Williams is his team's lack of strong competition in Conference USA, whose best squad in 2005 was Central Florida (8-4). Still, without question, Williams should be considered in the top echelon of running backs in this year's draft.

Laurence Maroney, Minnesota

Although he is a junior, Maroney will likely declare for the draft after three seasons gaining over 1,000 yards--two of them when he was sharing carries with Marion Barber III, who is now in the Dallas Cowboys' backfield. Maroney actually rushed for fewer yards as the featured back than he did as a sophomore in 2004, but an ankle injury toward the end of the regular season forced him to miss the Michigan State game and limited him to only seven carries in the finale against Iowa. Maroney had been a workhorse the whole year, three times carrying the ball at least 36 times--including a ridiculous 46 attempts for 217 yards in the wild comeback victory against Purdue back in September. Maroney has the prototypical size for a featured back--5-foot-10, 210 pounds--and the flashes of professional success for Barber III, who runs with a similar North-South style, will prompt teams to take a serious look. His performance against Virginia's stout defense in the hallowed ####lord Hotels Music City Bowl could significantly influence his stock, although he will probably declare for the draft no matter what happens in that affair.

LenDale White, USC

White may not be picked higher than Bush, though he certainly deserves strong consideration as an NFL prospect. Like Bush and Maroney, White is a junior, but regardless of the Trojans' performance in the Rose Bowl, he will likely join backfield mates Bush and senior quarterback Matt Leinart in the draft. White has a nose for paydirt, evidenced by his school-record 54 touchdowns in only three campaigns. Many of those were goal-line runs set up by the efficient USC offense, but White is also capable of breaking a long run--in five of the Trojans' 12 games thus far in 2005, he averaged at least seven yards a carry. These were not flukish numbers based on individual defensive lapses, either. In each of those five games, he ran the ball at least 14 times, averaging 18.4 carries. White may lose appeal because of his penchant for running between the tackles and not being as fast when it comes to getting around the corner. But White is durable (again, see the UCLA game) and runs with raw power in a 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame. He should have a solid future in the NFL.

Jerome Harrison, Washington State

Harrison had a collegiate career somewhat similar to another recent Pac-10 running back--the University of California's J.J. Arrington. Both enjoyed tremendous success at the junior college level before transferring to Division I-A programs, both made an impact in their first seasons, and both ended up leading the country in rushing as seniors. The glaring difference was the performance of the teams for which they played: Arrington's Bears powered through the Pac-10 and only lost to No. 1 USC, while Harrison's Cougars did not win a conference game until retaining the Apple Cup against Washington in the final regular-season game. Harrison showed himself to be a consistent back, rushing for at least 100 yards in every game and at least 200 yards on four occasions. 1,900 yards in 11 games is quite a feat, but scouts might be hesitant to rank Harrison high on the board because of his relative lack of experience. After all, Arrington was in the same situation when he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, and his rookie season has been one to forget. Still, Harrison has good size (5-foot-10, 200 pounds) and breakaway speed. His performance at the combine will go a long way to determining his draft position, much like Arrington, who got a significant boost when he ran a surprising 4.39 40-yard dash.

Dontrell Moore, New Mexico

Moore accomplished a lot in his four years at New Mexico, but not many people know it. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards each year and accumulated 59 touchdowns, breaking just about every school and Mountain West rushing record in the process. Moore also showed that he is not fazed by setbacks, rebounding from a torn ACL suffered in the 2004 Emerald City Bowl to maintain his consistent level of production as a senior. He ranked tenth in the nation with 1,298 rushing yards, and also caught 31 passes for 371 yards. A previously torn ACL is always a warning sign to NFL squads when it comes to making a pick, but Moore's consistency and toughness make him an intriguing professional prospect. His frame is also quite similar to other backs mentioned here--at 5-foot-10, 208 pounds, he could raise some eyebrows compared to more high-profile backs coming out of the collegiate ranks.

Others:

Leon Washington, Florida State. Washington was hampered by injuries as a senior, but he has good speed and has big-time experience coming from a great program. He likely would not end up as a featured back, but he could be a backup and special teamer. And who knows--a big Orange Bowl could mean big dividends in the draft.

Gerald Riggs, Jr., Tennessee. He had a nice junior season, rushing for 1,107 yards on jusr 193 carries. He also has good size at 6-feet, 217 pounds, and runs with a powerful style similar to former Volunteers great Jamal Lewis. But Riggs, Jr. suffered a serious ankle injury in October and has yet to compete since, so his draft status is somewhat questionable.

Joseph Addai, LSU. Scouts will like Addai for the same reason they like Riggs, Jr. He has a similar frame (6-feet, 214 pounds) and is a bruiser between the tackles. But they will also be discouraged for similar reasons--ankle problems have slowed him significantly in his senior campaign after a fast start. He had four games of at least 100 yards in his first six games, but in his next six contests he combined for only 139 yards on the ground. Still, Addai is a prospect from one of the top programs in the nation, and with Nick Saban's success in Miami, scouts might be inclined to look more seriously at players he recruited when he was head coach of the Tigers.

This list of running backs does not suggest that this year's crop is extremely deep or talented. It's just that there are other people besides Mr. Bush, most notably his teammate, who actually was a third-team All-American. Team needs will dictate who falls where, and barring a catastrophe Bush should hear his name called very early on Day One of the draft. The Bush/White situation harkens back to last year's draft and two of the first three running backs selected. Auburn's Ronnie Brown split carries with Carnell "Cadillac" Williams in his final collegiate season, and both have turned out to be strong rookie runners. Bush is more highly regarded than either of those two backs, but the fact is that he has had only three games in which he's carried the ball more than 20 times. Other backs featured on this list have had to shoulder much bigger loads (except for White, of course), and some have already proved they can overcome adversity. Bush is so talented and has such a strong resolve on the field that one can only imagine him to accomplish even greater feats if he is faced with injury or any other setback. Still for every LaDainian Tomlinson or Shaun Alexander, there are many more players like Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, and Rashaan Salaam. Because of some holes on Bush's resume, it is difficult to say which side he could find himself on.

Twenty years ago, the Kansas City Royals were at the top of the baseball world. Down three games to one to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic, the "Comeback Kings" won three straight behind the heroic pitching of young Bret Saberhagen, wily southpaw Charlie Leibrandt, and dominant closer Dan Quisenberry. A World Series title brought much joy to a small-market franchise that had come close to glory in the previous years of the George Brett era.

Today, the tone at Kauffman Stadium is as bleak as the ash at the bottom of a Kansas City barbecue pit. The Royals appeared to have turned the corner with an 83-79 season in 2003, with Carlos Beltran and Mike Sweeney leading the resurgence. However, since 2002, every campaign but the 83-win effort resulted in at least 100 losses.

It is clear Royals'  General Manager Allard Baird needs to do more to make this team competitive in the suddenly formidable Central Division. The White Sox avenged their mini-curse with a championship, the Indians were arguably the best non-playoff team in baseball last year, and even the Tigers are showing promise thanks to a talented young rotation that was bolstered by the free-agent signing of Kenny Rogers.

Kansas City had been relatively quiet this offseason before yesterday, when Baird revealed part of his dynamic effort for resurrecting the once-proud franchise. He signed four free agents, signaling the team still might have the oven mitts necessary to be aggressive in the Hot Stove League.

But none of these signings are anything for Kansas City fans to get fired up about. Here's why.

Scott Elarton

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Elarton has been a pitching enigma since coming into the league in 1998 as a highly-touted arm for the Houston Astros. His best season was in 2000, when he became a full-time starting pitcher after alternating between the rotation and the bullpen for two seasons. He amassed a 17-7 record and 4.81 earned run average in 2000, but his success was overshadowed by the Astros' only losing season under Larry Dierker. National League hitters began to figure out Elarton's sneaky short-arm delivery in 2001, as the stout right-hander posted a 7.14 ERA in 20 starts before being dealt to Colorado for Pedro Astacio. Pitching in the rarified air offered no solace to Elarton, who could not regain his form and missed all of 2002 with elbow troubles. It was not until 2004, when the Indians picked up Elarton off waivers from the Rockies, that he showed signs of putting it back together. He started 21 games for Cleveland and registered a respectable 4.53 ERA, but sported a lackluster 3-5 record.

Elarton pitched 182.2 innings last year, the second-most of his career, and went 11-9 with a 4.61 ERA. At 29, it is possible his best days are still ahead of him. But a two-year, $8-million investment for a pitcher who has failed to show any kind of consistency is hardly what a team like Kansas City needs. One would expect a pitcher with an immense frame like Elarton's to be capable of dominating opposing hitters, but that has hardly been the case during his career. He is a finesse pitcher who tops out in the low 90's, and struck out only 103 batters last year.

With Baird declaring that the prior acquisitions of pitchers Mark Redman and Elmer Dessens filled a need for "innings guys," it seems he is hoping Elarton can capitalize off of his rejuvenation in Cleveland and lead by example for young hurlers Zack Greinke and Runelvys Hernandez. It's a huge risk, and nothing in Elarton's career offers convincing proof it will happen.

Mark Grudzielanek

It's not that Grudzielanek is a bad player. He has had a solid career for four National League squads, and his career .287 average could increase against American League pitching. He is also one of the top defensive second basemen in baseball, sporting a career .984 fielding percentage at second--he has committed only 20 errors combined the last three seasons, just three more than all of Kansas City's haggard corps of second basemen accumulated in 2005. It's just puzzling why the Royals would want to enlist the services of a 10-year veteran at $4 million for just one season, with a $3 million performance-based option for 2007. Kansas City already has two above-average prospects waiting to assume the reins at second--Donnie Murphy and Andres Blanco. While it is true that duo struggled at the plate last year, combining for a paltry .185 average, isn't it also true that Kansas City is in rebuilding mode? Why would Baird allocate one of the largest contracts on the team--and yes, $4 million is one of the largest single-season contracts for the Royals--for a 35 year-old second baseman who has never had more than 60 RBIs in a year and is notoriously reluctant to take a walk (his career average is only 32 walks per 162 games)? Veteran leadership and strong infield defense are important assets for the Royals to possess, but this is still a puzzling move when more potent bats like Jacque Jones and former Royals star Johnny Damon remain available on the free-agent market.

Doug Mientkiewicz

Maybe Mientkiewicz signed with Kansas City to avoid the limelight of the Northeast media, which has hounded the former Red Sox player for his attachment to the ball that made the final out of the 2004 World Series. Doug, you can run, but you definitely can't hide, especially when it comes to the end of "The Curse." But anyway...

Along with Grudzielanek, Mientkiewicz gives Royals fans another fun name to pronounce while they continue to deal with sub-.500 seasons. And like Grudzielanek, Mientkiewicz is regarded as one of the stronger defensive infielders in the game. He was signed to a one-year deal for $1.85 million, making him the likely Opening Day first baseman. Once again, for a team in rebuilding mode, this move makes absolutely no sense. The Royals already have Matt Stairs and Mike Sweeney to patrol first base, and while neither player is a defensive stalwart, both were already under contract before this signing. And both Stairs and Sweeney are markedly better offensive players than Mientkiewicz, whose 15-homer, 74-RBI season in 2001 is far back enough in the rearview mirror to think a return to such production would be improbable. He has been a role player the last two years, and his presence will take at-bats away from Sweeney, the highest-paid and arguably most popular player in Kansas City, and Stairs, whose career .850 OPS is nearly 100 points higher than Mientkiewicz's (.764, well below average for a first baseman). Re-signing Stairs to a one-year extension in September was a puzzling move in the first place, and this signing adds to the uncertainty. Stairs will likely become the designated hitter, but where does that leave Sweeney? Trade rumors have been following the career .304 hitter as long as the Royals have struggled the past two seasons, and dumping him for prospects appears to be the logical conclusion in the wake of the Mientkiewicz addition. A trade could also open the door for the swift call-up of corner infielder Billy Butler, who has been tearing up the minors since being drafted 14th overall in 2004. However, until there is more of a resolution at first base, this signing remains detrimental to Baird's rebuilding plan.

Paul Bako

Bako, the cheapest of the four additions at one year, $700,000, will serve as mentor and backup to everyday catcher John Buck. Buck, who was one of the key returns in the Carlos Beltran trade in 2004, hit .242 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. He will be expected to learn better defense and pitching management from Bako, who is the definition of a journeyman--only once in his career has he played consecutive seasons for the same team, accomplishing the feat in 2003-2004 with the Chicago Cubs. Even for a player who has stayed in the league because of his supposed defensive prowess and game-calling skills, Bako's career offensive numbers are difficult to stomach. He showed some promise when he hit .272 with 30 RBIs in 96 games as a rookie in Detroit, but it has been all downhill since then. In 1,478 career at-bats, Bako has just 14 home runs and 371 strikeouts, and a .643 OPS. Simply put, that's horrible. And while it is sometimes difficult to gauge a catcher's behind-the-plate skills through statistics, Bako's defensive numbers are not that impressive, either. Pitchers have a career 4.23 ERA when pitching to Bako, and those numbers could be deemed partially inflated based on his stints with the 2001 Atlanta Braves and the 2004 Cubs, both of which were among the best staffs in the National League during their respective periods. Plus, players have stolen bases off Bako two-thirds of the time for his career--about average for a catcher.

Considering he is only a $700,000 investment, Bako shouldn't cause too much fanfare in the rebuilding scheme of the Royals. Unless, of course, Manager Buddy Bell starts using Bako to the point that he takes away too many at-bats from Buck, who is clearly the backstop of the future in Kansas City.

But this is a franchise in dire straits, and it will take much more than the additions of four spare parts to turn the tide of a small-market team in need of giving its fans something to feel positive about.

The San Diego Chargers know that the Indianapolis Colts have no incentive over their final three games other than to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the history books. The Chargers, on the other hand, likely need to win out to qualify for the playoffs in a brutally tough AFC.

The Colts' incentive is still immense despite the fact they already know the AFC champion must come through Indianapolis. An undefeated regular season would go a long way to solidifying the momentum the Colts have built up in 2005. Plus, four teams in NFL history have made it to 13-0, but only the '72 Dolphins were able to sport a 14-0 record on their resume. That feat in itself would be something, especially in today's parity-ridden league.

NFL experts believe the Colts have taken the extra step to greatness this season thanks to a staunch defense, which is allowing an AFC-best 13.8 points per game. But the bread and butter is still the surgeon-like precision of the offense and Peyton Manning, who may go down as the best quarterback in the history of the game before all is said and done.

Amazingly, the Colts have only trailed twice all season--3-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, and 17-0 to the St. Louis Rams in Week 6. Indianapolis ended up clobbering the Rams 45-28, establishing its season-high for points in the process.

The Colts and Chargers average 30 and 29 points per game, respectively, making them the two highest-scoring teams in the AFC. To say Sunday's matchup would be anything but an offensive slugfest would be flat wrong, especially since both teams' units were held somewhat in check in their Week 12 games. The Jacksonville Jaguars kept the Colts to just two touchdowns, one of only three defensive units that can make such a boast in 2005, and the Miami Dolphins held the Chargers to 21 points, giving the Bolts a 1-5 record in contests where they have mustered less than 24 points.

This game figures to be a fireworks display, much like last year's dramatic 34-31 Colts' overtime victory at the RCA Dome. It should be an especially interesting test for the Chargers, who have yet to play a game under a dome or on traditional artificial turf this season. It might be somewhat unfair that San Diego must trek to Indianapolis two years in a row, but it is irrelevant to harp on the NFL's schedule-makers at this point.

With history in the balance for the Colts and the playoffs on the line for the Chargers, here are some reasons why San Diego could still be alive for the playoffs Sunday night and why the members of the '72 Dolphins can once again safely uncork their champagne.

-The Chargers' run defense. The Bolts are far and away the strongest team in the league at stopping the run, surrendering only 78.8 yards per game on the ground--the Denver Broncos are second at 85.4 yards. And by no means have the Chargers been feeding off of one-dimensional offenses. Here is how they have stacked up against some of the best rushing teams, according to their rankings:

2. Denver, average: 157.6 yards per game. In Week 2, the Broncos had just 26 carries for 98 yards, but the Chargers still lost, 20-17.

4. Kansas City, average: 142.2 yards per game. In Week 8, the Chiefs had 21 carries for 95 yards, and lost 28-20. Priest Holmes had 14 carries for just 38 yards before sustaining a concussion, and the team total was partially inflated thanks to a 46-yard run by then-backup Larry Johnson.

5. Washington, average: 131.2 yards per game. In a 23-17 overtime loss to the Chargers in Week 12, the Redskins managed only 91 yards on 33 attempts, a paltry 2.8 yard-per-carry average. Clinton Portis accounted for 87 of those yards, but did so on 29 carries.

8. New York Giants, average 128.9 yards per game. In the Chargers' 45-23 blowout win in Week 4, the Giants rushed 23 times for just 86 yards. That included holding Tiki Barber to a season-low 60 yards on the ground.

9. Pittsburgh, average 128.7 yards per game. This game, which the Chargers lost 24-22, marked the only time San Diego allowed over 100 yards to a team inside the top-10 in rushing. It wasn't by much, either, with the Steelers gaining 104 yards on 32 carries.

The Colts may only rank 10th in the league in rushing at 125.0 yards per affair, but running back Edgerrin James has been the lynchpin for their offense in 2005. He has 1,440 yards on the ground, second only to Seattle's Shaun Alexander, and his 334 attempts are tops--actually, he has 31 more carries than Alexander. James has had at least 21 carries in every game this season, validating the strong balance of the Colts' offense. The Chargers' disruption of that balance is pivotal in establishing a chance for the upset, and their pedigree suggests it is possible.

-Lack of challenges for the Colts' defense. Tony Dungy must be given credit for fielding a defense that harkens back to his days with Tampa Bay, but I am still not sold on a unit that has faced only three top-10 offenses in the NFL. Those three teams--Cincinnati (4th, 366.8 ypg), New England (5th, 362.8 ypg) and St. Louis (9th, 355.7 ypg)--all scored at least 20 points against the Colts, averaging 28.7 points in the contests. The Chargers are eighth in the NFL at 357.3 yards per contest, in addition to averaging the third-highest point total in the league. Also, the Chargers will mark the toughest rushing opponent for Indianapolis all season. San Diego averages 130.4 yards per affair, and LaDainian Tomlinson could be due for a breakout--he has scampered for over 100 yards just once in his last four games. Tomlinson is listed as questionable with a bruised chest, but there is no chance L.T. will miss this game. If the Chargers are able to establish the run and control the clock against the semi-tested Colts defense, the streak might evaporate.

-Revenge factor. The Chargers know they should have beaten the Colts last season, out-playing them for three quarters to the tune of 31-16. It's often difficult to maintain leads on the road in the NFL, and San Diego has blown its share this season as well--the Bolts squandered a 14-point lead at Invesco Field to the Broncos, and the Eagle's blocked field-goal for a touchdown shockingly erased the Chargers' advantage in Philadelphia. But San Diego has also shown it can win in hostile environments, beating the Patriots by a landslide and subduing the Redskins at FedEx Field despite a horrid day from quarterback Drew Brees (22/44 passing, no touchdowns, three interceptions). Avenging last season's loss ultimately pales in importance to making the playoffs in '05, but because of San Diego's high personnel turnover from 2004, the tough loss has been anything but forgotten.

-The legacy of Marty Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer is one of the best coaches of the modern era, having compiled 185 wins and a .602 winning percentage in 20 seasons. Still, he is not given the same credit as coaches like Bill Parcells and Jimmie Johnson, and rightfully so--not only has Schottenheimer never been to a Super Bowl, but he is also regarded as not having what it takes to win the big ones to get there in the first place. This is unquestionably his biggest game as head coach of the Chargers, bigger than last season's rain-soaked conquest over the Broncos in San Diego or the playoff flop against the New York Jets. His job is not in jeopardy, but Schottenheimer is well aware that games like this define a coach. Schottenheimer's experience could pay dividends for his team in a game of this magnitude, or it could further solidify his almost-but-not-quite legacy. It's up to his team to determine that.

All season long, NFL experts have prognosticated the potential tragic ending of the Chargers, who could be the most talented team in league history to miss out on the playoffs. With San Diego's fate sealed by virtue of an embarrassing loss to the Dolphins last weekend, talent is no longer an issue. If San Diego beats Indianapolis Sunday, they will have accomplished one of the most memorable feats in franchise history and remain alive in one of the most competitive playoff hunts in recent memory. It's certainly an "if," but at the very least, it should be pretty darn exciting.

Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 player and uber-spokesman for the game of golf, announced that he would be skipping the season-opening Mercedes Championship in Hawaii in order to get more rest after a strenuous "off-season".

Some writers are calling this the beginning of a crisis for the tour, which is seeing big-name players like Woods and Phil Mickelson take more time off from non-major events in order to rest their supposedly weary bones and have some semblance of a vacation. It's easy for these writers to express concern at these players' weariness--after all, how can having the opportunity to win millions of dollars week in and week out seem like a burden?

To anyone who has ever picked up a golf club, it is apparent how much effort and skill it takes to get to the PGA Tour. To say that top-flight players like Woods and Mickelson are hurting the tour for taking extra time off is ludicrous.

Golf is an intensely competitive sport, though it will never garner the same respect as a sport like football because of its supposed lack of physical output. However, it has more of a physical drain than the common observer would suspect, as professional practice is just as rigorous and draining as any 9-to-5er

These guys, especially Woods, do not perform their hardest work strictly over 72 holes of a stroke-play tournament. There's a reason Tiger has already won 10 majors--he really is the hardest-working man in the business. Vijay Singh may hit more balls, Davis Love III may spend more time than anyone at the chiropractor, and Ernie Els may focus immensely on smoothing out that buttery tempo, but Woods has become the beacon of the PGA Tour through amazingly hard work.

Just because he is taking some extra time off does not mean he will ruin the tour's revenue. He is still larger than ever, dominating the representation of the sports in advertisements for major corporations like Target and American Express. Even Mickelson has become more of a corporate darling in recent years, signing a lucrative deal with Ford and putting himself in the company of fellow American pop icons Brett Favre and Toby Keith.

Mickelson might not be regarded as a health nut or driving range resident, but this is also a man who removed a #### from his back by winning the 2004 Masters--and he threw the #### further into his rear-view mirror by winning the PGA Championship last year. A win at the Mercedes would mean a lot, but it is an event he has already won. And winning a non-major event such as The PLAYERS Championship, which he has yet to conquer, would mean much more.

Maybe the PGA Tour season is a little too long. No team sport's season lasts nearly long as the PGA's, and even tennis's ATP Tour does not have the same year-long mentality of the golfing season--there are no "silly" events that generate bounties for television stations in the few months following the PGA's Tour Championship.

But will golf's popularity diminish if players like Woods and Mickelson continue to play light schedules? No. They will still appear in between 15-20 tournaments, essentially playing every other week. Figuratively, the PGA Tour is their boss, and while they may make loads of cash outside the tour, their credibility as golfers is derived by how they compare to the best players in the world, i.e. the rest of the PGA Tour.

It is unlikely that Woods and Mickelson will secede from the tour and establish their own competitive digs, with every event resembling the format of last weekend's Target World Challenge. That event would have no merit without the PGA Tour, for the field of that event is determined by players' performances through the year as well as the reputations of fan favorites like Fred Couples. Last time I checked, fans would have no clue of Freddie's incredibly laid-back approach to golf if they hadn't seen him perform on tour.

The PGA has acknowledged the monotony and rigor of its schedule, stating its intentions to implement a late-season playoff system that would make all events--not just majors--more important in determining qualification to said playoff. The plan has yet to be unveiled, but it doubtless will be more exciting than the current system, in which every event on the PGA Tour schedule culminates in only one limited-field tournament--the Tour Championship.

Would this format lead to players like Woods and Mickelson competing in more events? That is tough to say, but one thing is certain--whatever concept the PGA Tour uses to separate the best from the rest, these guys will be right there waiting to show their mettle.

After all, that's how they got there in the first place.