Dear #### Athletes,

As a rational human being with the capacity for both logic and common sense, I would like to share with you a few tips on furthering your career.

First, try to refrain from riding motorcycles. It seems many of you really suck at riding them and a suit of armor would not be enough to protect you from your feable skills. See, powerful motorcycles take graduating. Try riding a Spree or Vespa, then trade up to recreational dirt bike, then a Honda circa 1985, and so on. You can't just jump on a top of the line motorcylcle and think you can ride it like Evel Knievel--I might point out that even the skilled Mr. Knievel had a spectacular crash or two from time to time.

I would further recommend the use of a helmet when you do ride, which, again, I don't suggest. NFL types wear helmets all the time, which pays off when being blasted by a middle linebacker. You should be advised that an '83 Buick hits a lot harder than Ray Lewis. A LOT harder.

If you attend Duke University--Bobby Hurley, Jay Williams, I'm looking in your direction--you maybe should consider taking a driver's training course. Driving is an acquired skill and not nearly as easy as the chauffeur makes it look. It's just like your sport. Practice makes perfect.

I understand this is a lot to take in, but I didn't even touch on striking women, hanging out with shady individuals, having large raves in mansions that have shot guns nearby, or ingesting various toxins that give you temporary remedy from a variety of ails. Further, I realize that you might not know that you're an #### athlete because, well, you're an ####. Here is a simple test to judge your risk factors: Did you leave college early or skip college completely to pursue a career in professional sports and have not subsequently returned to earn your degree? If you answered yes, there is a strong chance you could be an #### athlete. Seek help from a trusted medical professional. IA is curable and often decreases with age, but it is a serious ailment and should be treated as such.

Thank you and best of luck in your chosen field of endeavor.

Originally, I said the loser of the San Francisco-Houston game at the end of the season was actually the winner of the Reggie Bowl.

This was, of course, before Vince Young announced his plans to enter the NFL Draft. I said Bush was the top choice without question before Young entered the picture because he could add so much depth to your roster--one pick filling in three or four holes. I still feel like Bush is an unquestionably good choice and, in a lot of ways, because of his versatility, is still a better choice.

But as far as the Texans are concerned, they should really consider taking Young. Not that Young is the type of player for whom you have to contemplate the upside for any length of time. Throw the Rose Bowl performance out the window and Young is still easily a top two pick in the NFL Draft. However, for a team that some may debate is in need of a quarterback, Young is the obvious choice for a number of unrelated reasons.

Part of the way you start to rebuild a franchise, on in Houston's case, build, is to infuse hope into your fan base. The people in Houston don't need convincing. They have seen Young play more than most everyone in the country and, while most everyone else thinks that Young is great, and rightfully so, the folks in Houston probably think he's the second coming and would be beside themselves with joy if the Texans kept Young in Texas.

That excitement leads to increased ticket sales, a flood of #10 Texan jerseys being sold, and a growth in the flickering and fading light of hope in Houston. The Texans' problems are likely not with David Carr and Carr cannot be properly evaluated until he spends the season more on his feet than his back, but inlight of Houston's line issues, Young can at least make some gains with his feet where Carr can't.

Who knows? It could end up being a blessing for Carr to go to San Diego or New Orleans or somewhere like that. Young won't be able to run for miles and miles down the middle of an NFL defense like he did in college and, like Michael Vick, will learn that he can't simply run at every turn and expect to win in the NFL. However, that one addition, the ability to avoid a rush, the strength to fight off tacklers and buy just a bit of time could be what Houston is missing until it pieces together a better line.

Further, while Young might not be the purest passer ever, neither was Doug Flutie or Daunte Culpepper or even Matt Hasselback. Young is capable enough to survive with his feet long enough to develop into a guy, like Steve Young, that was more lethal as a passer later even though his running game had not fallen off much. 

The PR enthusiasm alone is worth the pick. And in the end, even if the fans in Houston are skeptical--which how that would be possible with a living Texas football God coming back home--the Texans will still have a heck of a player to build around who would have more puzzle pieces in place than Carr did when he came to town.

And as far as the number two pick is concerned, no matter what Houston does, the Saints have to be dancing in the streets with the news that Young came out early. Now they just have to pray Bush follows suit and makes an official announcement in the next few days.

As a rule, I generally try to avoid making predictions as they tend to be senseless and meaningless. That having been said, I guess it's in keeping with my profession that I offer up a sampling of Super Bowl predictions.

In the AFC, I have liked and continue to like the Colts. Indianapolis has a few things working in its favor. First, they now know they have the capacity to beat the Patriots and they ensured that New England, worst case scenario, will have to come to Indiana and play indoors. Second, having a "triplets" set up, which is to say a stand out receiver, quarterback, and running back is a good starting point and the Colts have the best triplets in football right now. Third, their defense has caught up. The Colts couldn't keep points off the board, so Pats or no Pats, they could never get past that last hurdle. More than ever in recent years, defense is beyond required. Baltimore and Tampa won Super Bowls with defense only. Fourth--man this is a lot of things in their favor--all previous teams that threatened the '72 Dolphins and their perfect season went on to win the Super Bowl later that season. Finally, they will have had plenty of time post-Dungy tragedy to get their heads right and focused on football again.

Aside from the Colts, I think the Steelers and Patriots have the best shot in the AFC. The Patriots have been there before and they know what it takes to get the job done, so that's an advantage in their favor. The Steelers can run and play defense and that will almost always at least keep you in playoff games and then who knows what can happen. One error in a close game is enough to get you the rest of the way. The Broncos will be a tough out if they can play their best, which is the pitfall with Denver. Rare as they have been this season, Denver has had some uncharacteristically average performances this season and if they run into one of those games in the post season, then it's over. If they can play consistent, solid football, then Denver should be able to earn a trip to Indianapolis. Jacksonville has had similar problems. A playoff caliber team should be able to stomp a mudhole in Houston and San Francisco, but the Jaguars didn't. They can't get caught in a moment of mediocrity otherwise they are one and done. The Bengals have a nice triplets combo, but their defense leaves me sweating and I just can't come to wager on them when all the marbles are on the line.

In the NFC, it's a tough call, although in the long run I suppose it's a battle for second place in the NFL. I would tend, all things being equal, to lean towards Seattle. They have a great all around team with talent across the field. Their defense is not great but it's good enough--like the defense of the Packers, Rams and 49ers during their Super Bowl years. They have an obviously great running game, which is a plus, and a quarterback that doesn't wow you but doesn't make mistakes, which is more important. But holy cow I'd like to see them do something in the playoffs. Their recent playoff history, or franchise playoff history for that matter, makes me want to hedge my bets. I would lean, for that reason, towards New York and Chicago. I have to rub my eyes to make sure I'm not seeing Simms, the Tuna, Sweetness and Ditka out there, but both teams can run the ball and have defenses that are just the slightest cut above Seattle. The Bears and Giants don't have Seattle's offense, but offense isn't as important in the post season. I can't trust the Bears' offense as much, so I think I'll lean towards New York. Maybe the sports writer in me is compelled by the added drama of a brother against brother shootout. It worked out pretty well in the Civil War...didn't it?

Washington, Carolina and Tampa Bay are all in a similar boat in my eyes. They have not collectively been consistent enough throughout the season. Tampa lost to the 49ers for crying out loud. Washington seemingly plays up to the level of the competition and with a crafty coach they could be a bit of a wild card--literally. Carolina hasn't been potent enough on offense nor dominant enough on defense to really seem like they can make that run.

In the end, I'm left with New York and Indianapolis, with Archie Manning wearing a half Colts half Giants ball cap and a ridiculous set of headphones while members of the 1958 NFL championship teams are on hand to serve as ceremonial captains. After the trainers scoop up a clothes-lined Frank Gifford--you know, for old time's sake--The Colts prevail in a tough contest that is boring in the first half and picks up late. Colts 27, Giants 17. Peyton Manning earns honors as MVP and signs a honeydew for a grateful Detroit-area grocer.

When is losing really winning? The Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers are poised to compete in the Bush Bowl, a rare and little known Bowl that promises to get 2006 going on the right foot.

The hope here in Northern California, of course, is that the 49ers lose, which is to say, win the Bush Bowl. By losing, the unvictorious team will have earned a right to draft Reggie Bush with the number one overall pick in the April draft. Unlike last season when the 49ers had the top pick and there wasn't a definitive number one overall pick, there is a distinctive top choice this season, making it all the more critical for San Francisco to win, rather, to lose, therefore win.

Detractors have said that maybe Reggie Bush isn't the solution or that maybe the 49ers don't really have the salary capacity or that maybe it isn't wise to wrap up so much payroll in two young, unproven players. Certainly the Cowboys learned a tough lesson when they drafted Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. What a fiasco that turned out to be.

Same with Edgerrin James and Peyton Manning--couple of busters, I say.

The necessity for a playmaking running back is crucial to success in the NFL and the opportunity to draft a player like Bush is rare. Great backs always come along, but a team's chance to draft someone like LaDanian Tomlinson or Barry Sanders or Smith is not very frequent.

If the 49ers need cap room, now is the time to figure out ways to free it up. There are certainly players the Niners can do without that could free up salary space--unless, of course, the team can't see itself without Kwame Harris or injury-proned starters that are capable, like Eric Johnson or Ahmed Plummer, but who, beacuse of constant injuries, have been as beneficial to the Niners as Bay Area fog. These guys are ghosts--they're there, but they aren't. Reggie Bush, who can add such depth to your roster as a kick and punt returner, a runner and a receiver, is the type of player who seems like the kind that you end up kicking yourself for having a chance to take and then passing over. I think we've had the Portland Trailblazers take Bouie instead of Jordan story kicked into our heads quite enough. OK, they whiffed. Point taken. Who knows if Bush will be the player in the NFL that he is in college, but it seems like an awful gamble to trade out of that spot for more picks.

And what of the "upside" as the insiders say? Here's what the truth is: there is no such thing as a franchise quarterback. The real franchise rests with the running back. A capable quarterback and a franchise running back are the real winning combo--anything extra your quarterback adds is a bonus.

Drew Brees isn't great, he's good. Tomlinson is great. Matt Hasselbeck is good. I'll even give you very good, but Shaun Alexander is great and that's why Seattle is where they are. Peyton Manning is great, but the Colts aren't the offense they are without Edgerrin James. What did Trent Green do before Priest Holmes and now Larry Johnson? John Elway was as great as it gets, but the Broncos didn't win the Super Bowl before Terrell Davis. Terry Bradshaw had Franco Harris; Roger Staubach had Tony Dorsett; Dan Marino has as many Super Bowl rings as he had great running backs; Brett Favre is great, but they were a Super Bowl champion and contender with Dorsey Levens. In New York, it's Tiki Barber, not Eli Manning.

I'm not advocating taking a dive, but if they lose, they lose and all the better in the long run. But whatever the reasons might be for not having the top pick and not taking Reggie Bush, they seem really flimsy compared to the benefits. Passing over Bush in 2006 might leave the 49er front office quoting Homer Simpson--"Why does everything bad always happen to me?"

And for the "what if Reggie doesn't come out" theorists, how is that at all possible? What is left to prove. You can't do much better than win the Heisman and position yourself as the top pick in the NFL Draft.

So the Seattle Seahawks are going to the post season once again. They may well clinch home field advantage. The wrapped up the Western Division. They've won nine in a row. Well, allow me to say this: whooptifriggindoo!

The won the West. That will get you about what the Padres got in the MLB post season, bubkus. The 49ers, Rams and Cardinals couldn't make a playoff caliber team if they combined their rosters, so who cares that they won the West?

By the way, Tim Ryan and Ron Pitts mentioned it during the recent game against the 49ers--they've been down this road before. Before we stop the presses and run off special issues proclaiming the Seahawks the leaders of the free world, let Seattle do one thing first: WIN ANYTHING.

The facts are simple: The team that wins the AFC championship might as well polish the Lombardi trophy as soon as they get to Detroit. The thought that the NFC will produce the Super Bowl champions is worthy of a laughable Namath guarantee. Certainly a team with a Buffalo Bills-esque playoff history won't just come out of the woodwork and win the Super Bowl after winning nothing all these years.

The Seahawks are 11-2 and unbeaten at home. Wrapping up home field advantage will be a big benefit, folks will say. But who have they beaten at home? They have beaten Atlanta, who might not make the playoffs, the Giants and the Cowboys. That seems like a decent track record, but they won each of those games by a measly stinking field goal. True enough, a win is a win, but that is hardly the type of dominance a superior home field should provide. It's very difficult to beat the same team twice, especially a playoff caliber team and having lost by just 3 on the road, I guarantee you the Cowboys and Giants feel like they blew it, not that they were beaten fairly and honestly by the Seahawks, so if New York and Dallas find themselves in Seattle in the post season they will be motivated to win and unintimidated by the Brewheads? Coffeeheads? What do you call the fans in Seattle?

Regardless, even if they do make it to Detroit, they aren't going to win. Indianapolis, New England, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Denver are a few things the Seahawks aren't. Those teams are a combined 12-2 against the NFC this season and they are battled hardened both by playing each other in the regular season as well as playoff wars in recent history.

Make it to the NFC championship game first, then start with the this is our year chatter. Until then, you have as much credibility as a playoff team as the Houston Texans--or the Houston Oilers for that matter.

If you really want to see exciting football, tune in for the AFC Championship game in Indianapolis. My call is Indy over New England--the exocism isn't genuine until they beat the Pats in the postseason. Call it the Curse of the Mayflower moving truck, but I think this is Indy's Bambino finally dying.