Sports journalism is a profession that has been around as long as the sports it covers. It has survived the advent of newspapers, war-time work shortages, and the invention of pencils, pens and the typewriter. It wasn’t until the start of the internet age that this grand old profession began to take an unwelcome turn. The battle between digital and print caused the impetus to be placed on getting the story first, even if you don’t get it 100% right.
A classic example happened Sunday, when Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Chris Simms was injured during the team’s afternoon game against the Carolina Panthers. Simms was not made available to the press following the game, because the team said he was being “treated by team doctors.” Attending beat writers began working the phones, and it wasn’t soon after that Steve Lyttle of the Charlotte Observer filed a story that would be placed prominently on the front page of the paper’s website “Simms hospitalized in critical condition.” It seems that the young QB had an “Unspecified injury,” and was in pretty bad shape in a Tampa hospital. Within minutes, internet message boards were abuzz with the news, and flocks of NFL fans rushed to send their prayers to the Simms family. It was a grand gesture…..If it was necessary.
The story went unreported anywhere else for at least 30 minutes until Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King reported on NBC’s Sunday Night Football pre-game show that Simms was indeed hospitalized with an unknown injury, but was not in critical condition.
The Observer story stayed as it was.
Fast-forward another 15 minutes and an ESPN report corroborates King’s story, and adds that Simms had to have his spleen removed. Heavy blood loss also put him in need of a blood transfusion. He was considered to be in critical condition for a very short while, but such is common with undiagnosed emergency cases.
The Observer backtracks.
Moments later, Lyttle’s story is changed to read “Tampa Bay QB Simms Hospitalized.” It mentions that Tampa officials refuted a report that Simms was in critical condition, but never stated that they were the originator of the report. While the writer still hung his hat on the fact that he was, albeit briefly, in critical condition, he never mentions that all cases are treated that way.
While on the surface, Lyttle seemed to do nothing wrong. He reported that Simms was in critical condition, and indeed he was. But the need to be first to report the story caused a chain of events that were neither ethical, nor necessary. NBC and ESPN waited to broadcast their stories until the Simms family was notified, the Observer did not. Lyttle’s story caused a good amount of stir that could have been prevented by waiting until the facts are collected before reporting the story. Using such caution would have kept Simms’ fans from worrying about their favorite player, and would have likely cut out the mass amounts of calls that the young passer’s family likely received before actually hearing from the Buccaneers officials.
ESPN has a company policy that no story is reported until at least two sources confirm it. Even if the athlete tells you the story straight from his mouth, it isn’t reported until another source close to the situations adds their confirmation. Such policies do not exist in the cutthroat newspaper world. Ethics are throw out the window, and speed is more important than accuracy (maybe Michael Vick should have studied journalism).
But still, the Observer likely got what it wanted. Message board posts likely sent 10,000 eager readers to the story, and Lyttle had his name mentioned on two-bit blogs like this one. But in the end, lady sportswriting once again gets a blackened-eye, and the chase to the story wins again.
This injury may have cost Simms his spleen and his starting job. Fortunately, he is able to live without either.
After the first full week of training camp, let’s take a look at some of the injuries that have affected running backs around the league.
Cedric Benson, Chicago: Was pancake blocked between Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown last week, jarring his shoulder. Benson was carted off the field, and his X-Rays came back negative. The team is awaiting results from his MRI, and is saying that he will miss at least two weeks.
Thomas Jones, Chicago: Jones is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during his fitness test early in the week. He is listed as day-to-day.
LenDale While, Tennessee: White has spurs on his toe that have been bothering him throughout the first part of training camp. White has missed a few practices, but his MRI results are negative. White should not miss any time from the problem.
Chester Taylor, Minnesota: Taylor missed some practice sessions this week after hurting his leg in earlier practices. He has since returned to the field and is recovering nicely.
Mike Anderson, Baltimore: Anderson suffered a concussion during the team’s Saturday scrimmage, but has since returned to practice.
LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego: Tomlinson collided with a teammate early in the week and suffered a neck strain. He returned to practice on Saturday.
Domanick Davis, Houston: Davis has been on and off in practice all week. He is still recovering from a knee injury and is not yet near 100%.
Ahman Green, Green Bay: Green is still recovering from a leg injury from last season and has yet to be cleared for practice.
Najeh Davenport, Green Bay: Davenport is still recovering from a leg injury from last season and has yet to go full steam in practice.
Ladell Betts, Washington: Betts has struggled with a hamstring injury all week and sat out the team’s scrimmage on Saturday because of it.
Michael Pittman, Tampa Bay: Pittman missed two practices this week after complication from a wisdom tooth being pulled. He has since returned to the field.
Ryan Moats, Philadelphia: Moats strained a knee ligament early in the week and will not travel with the team to their Hall of Fame game on Sunday night.
Correll Buckhalter, Philadelphia: Buckhalter has been slow returning from a series of injuries that have affected him over the last three years. He has been limited since the beginning of camp. He will not travel with the team to their Hall of Fame game on Sunday night.
With the NFL regular season now firmly in the rearview mirror, and no running backs list to update, I figured it is a good time to reflect on the past year with my annual “Runnies” awards. The awards are given exclusively to running backs in each category.
On to the awards:
The category of “Comeback Runner of the Year” is given to the Running Back that returned from an injury suffered in the previous season to play at or above their previous level.
The nominees are:
Stephen Davis: The Carolina back suffered a right knee injury during practice prior to the team’s second game in 2004. He attempted to continue playing but wound up on the injured list for the first time in his career.
Though his rushing yards may not be terribly attractive this season (180 att. 549 yards, 3.1 per carry), he played a role similar to Jerome Bettis in Pittsburgh, and was a solid goal line rusher. His 12 touchdowns this season was the second most in his long career.
Mike Anderson: The Denver back missed the entire 2004 campaign with a groin injury sustained during training camp. He came back this year slotted as the team’s second running back, but quickly took over the starter’s role.
He rushed for 1014 yards, which was the second highest total for his career, and twelve touchdowns. He was instrumental in the Broncos surprise run this season.
DeShaun Foster: Foster is the second Carolina back in this category. He lacked progress in the healing of a broken Clavicle, and was limited to only four games in 2004.
His return this season started slowly, but ended with a ####. He has firmly planted himself as the starter for the Panthers for the 2006 season after rushing for 636 yards in his last six games.
And the “Runnie” goes to……… Mike Anderson. His season has been nothing short of a surprise, and his return from injury has been remarkable.
The Category of “Most Improved Running Back” is pretty self explanatory. Any running back that has shown marked improvement over past statistics is eligible for this award.
And the nominees are:
Thomas Jones: Heading into this season, the former first round pick, and current Chicago Bear had never rushed for 1,000 yards in a single season. He smashed that mark this year, becoming only the second back in team history (and that’s a loooong history) to rush for over 1,300 yards in one season. If he wasn’t pulled for rest in the first quarter of their week 16 game, and did not miss a late season game against the 49ers, Jones may have easily gone for 1,500 yards.
Larry Johnson: After backing up Priest Holmes for the first two years of his career, the former first round pick showed not only improvement, but elite ability.
Taking over the starter’s role after Holmes was placed on injured reserve list this year, Johnson compiled seven straight games with over 100 yards rushing. He was never held under 100 yards in a game he started for the year. His 201 yards in the final week of the season put him close to the league lead in rushing despite only starting seven games.
Willie Parker: Pittsburgh led the league in rushing last year, and Parker was not a major factor in it, rushing for only 186 yards on 32 carries.
This year, after an injury to starter Duce Staley, Parker exploded. His 1202 yards and four touchdowns were remarkable for an undrafted second year player.
And the “Runnie” goes to… Larry Johnson. 1750 yards and 20 touchdowns, and he only started 20 games? The newly set touchdown record may not be safe next year. Johnson could lead the league in rushing next year and cement himself as one of the best backs in the game.
The category of “Star in the Making” is also pretty easy to figure out. A young back, up-and-coming and almost certain to be a star in the near future will take this award.
The nominees are…
Larry Johnson: See above for more information. Johnson was considered a “bust” prior to this season. He was a first round pick locked behind one of the best backs in the league.
I don’t think Chief fans will think that way any longer.
Rudi Johnson: In my opinion, this Cincinnati Bengals back is the most underrated runner in the league. Last season, he broke Corey Dillon’s franchise record for rushing yards in a season. This year his 1458 yards broke his own record. Johnson’s rushing yards have increased every year of his five year career, and he has scored 12 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
His name can’t be kept a secret much longer.
Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams: The Tampa Bay rookie reached the rare mark of 1,000 yards in his first season despite missing two games. His 1,178 yards and six rushing TD’s led all rookies.
And the “Runnie” goes to… Larry Johnson. That’s two straight trophies for Johnson, who will likely be nominated next year for awards later in the ceremony.
The category of “College Back of the Year” goes to the back who gave the most outstanding performance for the NCAA season. It is awarded yearly to a back that will soon be winning awards for his performances on Sundays.
And the nominees are…
Reggie Bush: In 2005, college and pro football fans caught “Reggieitis.” No matter if it was Heisman hype or the much talked about “Bush Bowl” games in the NFL between teams hoping to achieve the dubious status of first pick in the NFL Draft, and the right to make Bush that teams employee.
DeAngelo Williams: This Memphis Tiger turned a lot of heads this year. After choosing to forego the draft and return for another season last year, Williams came in as one of the nation’s top backs.
For the year, he led the nation in rushing, totaling 1,959 yards and 18 TD’s. He’s almost a lock as a first round pick in April’s NFL Draft.
Brian Calhoun: This year for the Wisconsin Badgers, it was run or bust. Calhoun ended up fourth in the nation in rushing with 1636 yards. He also tallied an amazing 22 rushing touchdowns.
And the Winner is… Reggie Bush. Is this really a surprise? He’s exciting, dynamic and seemingly can detach his upper body from his hips while in motion. He’s the greatest college running back that I have seen since Barry Sanders, he’s that good.
The category of “Rookie of the Year” continues a trend of awards that need no explanation. He has to be a a rookie, a running back and better than anyone else in his rookie class for the year. Enough said.
And the nominees are…
Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams: He was the third running back taken in the draft, and the first to reach 1,000 yards. Is It a coincidence that he was also the only back of the “Big Three” to attend his entire training camp? Note to Reggie Bush, sign early.
Ronnie Brown: Came into Miami unsure of the status of malcontent Ricky Williams. He was taken as the second overall pick and shared carries throughout the year with Williams. Still, his 907 yards and four scores are nothing to sneeze at. He’s the real deal.
Frank Gore: Everyone thought that this award would be between the two above nominees and Bears back Cedric Benson. After a lengthy and embarrassing holdout, and a midseason injury, Benson has yet to be given a chance to follow up on the few flashes of promise he was able to show in limited play. Gore, on the other hand capitalized on poor play from incumbent starter Kevan Barlow, and parlayed in into extra carries.
He suffered multiple knee injuries while at the University of Miami (Florida), which lowered his draft stock. In the end he proved his detractors wrong, rushing for 608 yards and three scores in his initial campaign.
And the “Runnie” goes to… Carnell Williams. Again, not a huge surprise, Caddy was the best rookie this year, not just the best RB rookie.
The Category “MVB” goes to the Most Valuable back to his team. He may not be the best back in the league, but his is the most important cog to his team’s offensive flow.
The nominees are…
Thomas Jones: Starting a rookie fourth round quarterback, and implementing the system of a new offensive coordinator almost always spells doom for a team. Not this year. The Bears drafted Benson because he fit what they wanted to do more than Jones. By week three, Jones was supposed to be on the sideline, or demanding a trade. Instead, he decided to put up his best season, and give the team the only compliment they had to their stellar defense. Without him, they would have average about five points per game.
Shaun Alexander: Breaking the record for most touchdowns in a season pretty much means you are one of the most important players on your team. The Seahawks are trying to shake the label of “late season choker” and they’ll have to have Alexander’s legs to do that. He, along with their stellar passing game, will make the Seahawks one of the team’s to beat in the NFC.
Tiki Barber: Would Eli Manning done half of what he did this year if not for the guy he was handing the ball off to? I doubt it. Barber continues to get better with age. His 1,860 yards rushing was the best of his nine year career, and fell just shy of the best in the league.
He also used his legs to carry the Giants to their first division title since Y.A. Tittle was throwing the ball.
And the “Runnie” goes to… Thomas Jones. It’s easy to give it to the two other guys, but it can’t be argued that without Jones, the Bears would not have won four games this year. He was a perfect citizen when the team attempted to replace him, and only let that motivate him. He has been the catalyst of the entire Bears offensive squad, and has been the team’s best free agent pickup of the last two years (sorry Muhsin Muhammad).
The final category of the night is the oh-so-coveted “Best Back” award. Different than the “MVB,” the Best Back is given to just the, the best running back in the NFL. It doesn’t matter what his team did over the year, or how he influenced it, the winner of this award simply has to be the most productive back of the last season.
And the nominees are…
Tiki Barber: He did it all this year. He was a running threat, blocking threat and receiving threat. The only thing he didn’t do was kickoffs and punts, though I’m sure he could have.
Shaun Alexander: Breaking the record for most touchdowns in a season was just the tip of the iceberg for Alexander. He also led his team to a 13-3 record, top seed in the NFC and oh yeah, he led the league in rushing.
I bet Seattle wishes they gave him that long term contract last year, because his price just rose a little bit.
Ladainian Tomlinson: What’s a Running Back award show without mention L.T.? Tomlinson is the most dynamic back in the league. He broke into the league’s top 50 All-Time rushers this year at the age of 28, and could easily get to the top of the list before his time in the league is done. If Quarterback Drew Brees’ shoulder injury is as bad as some say, he could be toting the rock a whole lot in 2006.
And the “Runnie” goes to… Shaun Alexander. It’s hard to argue with anything he did this year. He led all backs in pretty much every category that counts, and flirted with 2,000 yards. He’ll have some competition for this award next year as teams continue to run the ball more, but he’ll almost certainly be a candidate for it.
This was a great year for Running Backs. I can only hope next year will be even better.
Next Tuesday: A look at the Backs heading into April’s Draft. The deadline for underclassmen to apply is the 15th of January.
After seeing replays and hearing accounts of Sean Taylor’s alleged spitting incident in Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay, it got me thinking, why treat him differently because it is the playoffs?
It has been released today that he likely won’t be suspended for the altercation. If this was the regular season, it would be a certainty that he would miss at least one game.
Spitting in an opponent’s face is unacceptable. It’s worse than taking a cheap shot at someone on the other team. Fights happen, people disagree and wind up fighting on the field all of the time. Showing the type of disrespect that would lower you to spitting in someone’s face shows a total lack of discipline and sportsmanship.
Taylor should miss this week’s playoff game. Maybe then he’d think twice before letting go of a loogey during a game.
When I heard the news yesterday about former Raider Darrell Russell’s death after a high-speed car crash I was saddened, but not surprised.
Russell was always an enigmatic figure. He was full of talent, but empty of judgment. No one can dispute what he accomplished at USC, becoming the second overall pick in the 1997 draft, and going to two pro bowls after recording 28.5 sacks in just five years with the Raiders. Those numbers are astonishing for a defensive tackle, he could have easily bettered them had he learned to just say no.
Say no to his friends. The people he grew up with in San Diego, who influenced him far too heavily once his celebrity and bank account grew to NFL status. It is these very things that they teach rookies about during the yearly symposium hosted by the NFL players association, an event Russell spoke at just a few short months ago. It was his attempt to teach new players the dangers of taking your new fame and wealth for granted, a lesson that ended with an exclamation point Thursday morning.
Say no to the drugs. Three suspensions derailed a promising career, a career that saw the highest of highs, and the deadliest of lows. Drugs that allegedly played a part in an incident that caused a female to file charges against Russell and two friends after she claimed she was drugged and videotaped while being ####. The charges were later dropped, but Russell was never able to get past the label that was placed on him during the trial.
Say no to Mike Bastianelli. A former USC teammate who along with Russell passed away after their borrowed car hit a curb, tree, newsstand, fire hydrant, light pole, another tree and an unoccupied transit bus. It is not yet known if drugs or alcohol played a part in the crash, but it is known that the car was going well over the posted speed limit when Bastianelli lost control.
Darrell Russell wasn’t a bad guy. Like many others before him, he was unable to make the change that is necessary when you go from a promising college sports prospect to a high paid top draft pick. In many cases, the friends you had since childhood have to be left behind, and you have to start completely over in life. Money changes everyone’s perception of you, and many no longer view you as a friend, but as a meal ticket.
In 2000 Jamal Lewis, the soon-to-be Baltimore Ravens running back used his cell phone to set up a drug deal for a friend. What he did not know is that the person he was speaking to was an undercover FBI agent. In February of 2004, Lewis pled guilty to using the phone to commission the sale of cocaine. He spent four months in a federal prison camp, and has not been the same player since.
Coincidence? Maybe. A lesson learned too late, definitely.
You can’t always blame athletes for wanting to help members of their old neighborhoods and communities. In many cases, they come from areas where it is highly unlikely that you will ever have a chance to make millions of dollars, not legally at least. When they return home for the first time, their childhood friends often show disdain for the star, wanting to know why that person was able to make millions while they are unable to pay their bills. Naturally, the athlete, with their newfound fame and fortune would want to help out that person. What they fail to realize is that in most cases, the selfish intentions of those being helped often lead to trouble for the closely watched star, even if the gains are minimal for the friend.
It’s this sudden rags to riches story for so many young men in professional sports that leads to their eventual downfall. Many stars, barely in their twenties, are not prepared for what will follow once they become high profile multi-millionaires overnight. The women, the long-lost relatives looking for a handout, the friends from back in fifth grade, all hanging on looking for a piece of something that they don’t have to work to accomplish.
An athlete’s fame and finances place them under constant scrutiny. It could be from family, friends, fans, the media, teammates, or in many extreme cases, from themselves. You can’t knock someone for wanting to reach out to something concrete, like a friend from the past, to bring some sort of reality to their hectic lives. You can only hope for the sake of future millionaire superstars that they look at the sad case of one Darrell Russell and learn that a friend is not always a friend when money is involved.
Ask many NFL Draft experts and they’ll tell you, the Running Back position is overvalued in the NFL. You can almost always get a top Back in the later rounds of the draft, so why waste an early pick, and all that money on first round back?
Well, here’s why.
A top RB can mean the difference between a win and a loss. A fourth and two does not look so bad when the game is on the line and you have someone in the backfield who you can trust to get it.
Five out of the last six Super Bowl winning RB’s were drafted in the top part of the draft. Only one, Tampa Bay’s Michael Pittman was drafted later than the second round (fourth). Corey Dillon (second), Antowain Smith (first), Pittman, Smith again, Jamal Lewis (first) and Marshall Faulk (first) all helped their teams win the big one.
In that same time, only one of those teams had a first round Quarterback. Can you guess who it is? Trent Dilfer, whom the Ravens won in spite of instead of because of. After Dilfer, Tom Brady is the highest drafted Super Bowl Winning QB since 2000, drafted in sixth round.
All of this adds to the fact that we are in the midst of a Running Back Renaissance. This season alone, we have had four RB’s crack the top 55 rushers of all time, which I list weekly on my website www.ThirdDownandLong.com. Lewis is currently 250 yards from being added to that, and at least two more players (Clinton Portis and Duce Staley) are likely to make the cut next season.
By the end of the 2006 NFL season, there could be 18 of the top 55 rushers of All-Time active in the league. With talent like Reggie Bush, Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney, Memphis’ Deangelo Williams, USC’s LenDale White and Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson set to enter the league within the next two seasons, the push should continue well into the next decade.
With all of the current talent at the position, most teams are starting to add a second talented back to their team, in case of injury. The Miami Dolphins spent the second overall pick in last April’s draft on Auburn back Ronnie Brown despite the impending return of Ricky Williams. Chicago added fourth overall pick Cedric Benson to Thomas Jones, and Tampa Bay added number five Carnell Williams to Pittman. All are considered upgrades over their predecessors, but none of the teams mentioned have looked to part with the second back.
A first round Running Back is not a guaranteed ticket to the Super Bowl though. Bush, for example is the first rusher to win the Heisman since the NCAA’s All-Time leading rusher Ron Dayne, look what happened to him when the Giants took him in the first. If Bush goes first overall in the draft, as is expected if he declares, he will be the first back to be tanek in that spot since Cincinnati drafted Ki-Jana Carter, not a great omen.
Running Backs don’t last long in the NFL. Their normal shelf life is far less than the average player, lasting only around five years. The beating they take on every play can only be compared to a lineman, who hits on every snap. If you take a gamble on a first round running back, and it is a gamble, you may only have a star for a brief period of time. New York Jets’ back Curtis Martin missed his first game in seven years last weekend, so there are exceptions.
It has been proven time and time again that a solid running game is as important as being able to pass the ball, and in most cases, running is what opens up a weak passing game. You can’t win without good Quarterback play, but most quarterbacks can’t play well without someone behind him to carry the ball.
Which leads me to ask, how exactly is that overvalued?
I'm a 26 year old Journalism student from Gainesville Florida. I'm a big Chicago Bears and Notre Dame fan, but I enjoy pretty much every aspect of sports.
I also run my own personal website at www.TopBacks. com, where I focus on the Running Back position from High School to the Hall of Fame. Shoot me an email if you'd like to contribute any information or writings.
I enjoy meeting and talking with all kinds of sports fans, and love to learn new things about sports in general. Feel free to drop me an email!
