Of course those of us who've put a few years between those high-spirited days know different. Graduation day was nothing more than a change in scenery, and often it lead to the removal of a protective barrier from the "real world" to come.

The insular world of high school turns into either a life spent working crap jobs for people who went to college, or a Pandora's box of debauchery and much harder classes that will sharpen many and leave others by the wayside.

College leads to jobs. If you're lucky.

And then you realize you only have 40-50 years left until you can stop working. Again, if you're lucky.

But back to those days when you didn't know all that (and if you just found out, sorry). Remember back then? Remember all those possibilities?

In baseball, that's the end of spring training. Everybody is done with the games that don't really count (a great metaphor for high school), and it's time to get off into the "real world."

For those who follow the college path, freshman year is like the first six weeks of the baseball season. You can't win anything, but you can certainly screw yourself over pretty damn good.

From there through the All-Star Break is sophomore year. You're in the thick of things, but you're still working the gen eds and you're probably on your second or third major. Also, a lot of those people you hung out with all the time freshman year start to disappear.

Once you make past the All-Star Break, that's junior year. You've got a handle on things and the end seems closer than it actually is. Burnout can start to set in, and that's how you end up with an online learning industry based on people just needing 20 or so credits to complete their degree. This will only take approximately 15 more years to finish.

Then comes September and October, senior year, where the final preparations for the next stage of life are made. In college, you find out that all that work still doesn't mean that much when you can't land a decent job and have to move back into your parents' house. That's like winning 95 games and not making the playoffs.

But for those lucky ones who graduate and land that job and get into the really real word (the playoffs), well, still nothing is guaranteed. You could end up marrying a great person, having great kids and living happily ever after. Or you could end up getting fired, getting divorced, and working for idiots as you try to make your child support payments for the next 15 years.

(In case you're wondering, I'm doing great thanks largely to my incredible good fortune.)

(Knock on wood.)

So with the longest meandering introduction to a baseball article this side of Matthew Berry (Crikey!), here's how baseball's 30 clubs break down in the spectrum of higher education.

Never made it out of high school. Good chance of ending up in jail.

Minnesota Twins: Worst team in baseball and no real prospects for turning things around. Maybe we need to start talking about contracting them again. Worked the last time.

Graduated high school, but college was never really an option. Now working menial jobs while getting drunk with buddies every night.

Chicago Cubs: Not a good team, but developing.

Kansas City Royals: Like Chicago, except BBQ instead of pizza.

San Diego Padres: Fact — every fish taco stand needs a fish taco stand vendor.

Houston Astros: They're giving it a go and even took two of three from St. Louis, but there's no way it holds up.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Two more months 'till Steelers training camp!

Junior college dropouts.

Colorado Rockies: If they gave awards for fantasy baseball keepers secretly killing your team, Troy Tulowitzki would be an all-star, Gold Glover and top-five MVP candidate.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Kirk Gibson ANGRY!!!!!!!!

Oakland A's: There's always three years from now!

Disappeared after freshman year. (Flunked out, knocked up, bored, and broke. College life ain't for everybody.)

Cleveland Indians: The only starting pitchers with an ERA under 4 are Derek Lowe and Jeanmar Gomez. Anybody who thinks that's going to last has been drinking the bong water.

Boston Red Sox: With their current payroll, if the Sox play .500 ball for the rest of the season, they would end up at right about $22 million spent per win this season. That's a lot of fried chicken and beer.

Seattle Mariners: Two good starters, good closer, but nowhere near enough offense to hang for the long term.

Dropping out after sophomore year of college to be the next Bill Gates only to end up working at Best Buy.

Milwaukee Brewers: Nyjer Morgan is the equivalent of crazy chick you have a one-night stand with, then calls you 20 times per day and shows up at your dorm room and freaks out your roommates.

Kicked out for buying papers off TermPapers.com.

Los Angeles Angels: How many times are we going to see owners spend stupid money on pieces that don't fit together before they realize it doesn't work? But hey, at least they fired loyal employee Mickey Hatcher. That should fix things right up.

Florida Marlins: The Frankenstein of baseball teams.

Philadelphia Phillies: Last year was the year. It didn't happen, and now the walls are crumbling.

Chicago White Sox: If I gave you Barak Obama Electoral Votes (-80) over Adam Dunn strikeouts, would you take it?

Smoked so much pot they actually made it to junior year majoring in "Classics."

San Francisco Giants: When Tim Lincecum is your worst starting pitcher, you've got a pretty decent chance.

Baltimore Orioles: The young over-achieving teams rarely have enough depth to last the season. In a couple of years, though, Peter Angelos will have a pretty good team to destroy.

Toronto Blue Jays: And just like that, Jose Bautista became Jose Bautista again.

New York Mets: If you had to pick a team that best represents slightly-above-mediocrity in baseball, it would be these guys.

Cincinnati Reds: Scott Rolen is the zombie of baseball players. Somebody is actually going to have to shoot him in the head to make him stop playing.

Graduated with honors, but top out in middle management. Probably have an affair and buy a red sports car in the early 50s.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The fake boobs of baseball teams.

Atlanta Braves: If we're using baseball players to cast "The Avengers 2," Freddie Freeman is the "Hulk."

Graduated with a film degree, moved back in with folks, ends up winning multiple Oscars.

Washington Nationals: No team in any division is set up better for a half-decade of dominance like the Nats. They're just not there yet.

Detroit Tigers: I'd like them more if they got rid of the Mel Gibson of baseball players in Delmon Young.

Tampa Bay Rays: Just imagine how good they'll be when Matt Moore is half as good as he's supposed to be.

Graduated with a great job they didn't really earn.

NY Yankees: The Mitt Romney of baseball teams.

Future CEOs of America —Yahoo! edition.

St. Louis Cardinals: Talent everywhere, but every team needs the manager to pull the right strings at just the right time to keep things going. Mike Matheny has not yet shown that ability. That doesn't mean he won't, but he hasn't yet.

Future CEOs of America — Facebook edition.

Texas Rangers: Yu Darvish was a home run signing, and Josh Hamilton is a runaway AL MVP candidate right now. They're either winning the World Series or going down as one of the top 10-15 teams in history to not win it.

1. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth finished sixth at Darlington, posting his seventh top-10 of the year. He is second in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails leader Greg Biffle by 2 points.

"Once again," Kenseth said, "the cowardly actions of Kurt Busch have overshadowed an exciting and historic night at Darlington. Bojangles picked the right race to sponsor. They're a lot like Kurt Busch — they both specialize in 'chicken.'"

2. Greg Biffle — Biffle started on the pole at Darlington, and dominated the first third of the race before handling issues arose due to changing track conditions. He maintained the lead in the points position and leads Matt Kenseth by two.

"I've held the points lead for a long time," Biffle said. "And I plan on battling to keep it. Say what you will about me, but don't compare me to Kurt Busch, because I won't go down without a fight."

3. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin led 56 laps in the Southern 500, and sped by Tony Stewart on the final restart to claim the runner-up spot to Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin held on to fourth in the point standings and is 17 behind Greg Biffle.

"I had my fire suit signed by the great Cale Yarborough," Hamlin said. "Now I can say I'm just like Jimmie Johnson: I've got the name of a Sprint Cup champion on my suit."

4. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson led a race-high 134 laps in the Southern 500 and controlled the final third of the race. After speeding away on the final restart, Johnson had his first win of the season, as well as Hendrick Motorsports' 200th win.

"In addition to giving Rick Hendrick his 200th win," Johnson said, "I also broke a 16-race winless streak with the victory. That's called 'killing two birds with one stone.' This year, it seems I'm the only driver at Hendrick capable of 'throwing' a stone."

5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt finished 17th at Darlington, his first finish outside the top 10 in seven races. He remained third in the Sprint Cup point standings, 14 out of first.

"Congratulations to all at Hendrick Motorsports on their 200th win," Earnhardt said. "I can call myself part of a winning team for the first time in years."

6. Tony Stewart — Stewart battled back from clutch troubles to compete for the win at Darlington. But a subpar restart on the green-white-checkered finished relegated him to a solid third-place finish. He is seventh in the point standings, 42 out of first.

"Indeed," Stewart said, "we had serious clutch problems. That pales in comparison to the plight of Carl Edwards. He experienced 'clutch' problems in all 10 races of the Chase last year.

"I hear the teams of Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch had to be separated after the race. If I were feuding with Busch, everyone knows the only things needing separation would be my hand and Kurt's face."

7. Martin Truex, Jr. — After struggling at Richmond and Talladega, Truex rebounded with a fifth in the Bojangles' Southern 500, posting his fourth top-five result of the year. He is tied for fifth in the point standings, 39 out of first.

"Michael Waltrip said Darlington Raceway is probably the most intimidating track on the NASCAR circuit," Truex said. "But hearing that said in Waltrip's silky, effeminate voice quelled my trepidations. Michael puts the 'lady' in 'Lady in Black.'

"'The Lady in Black' wasn't the only lady in Darlington. Danica Patrick was there. She's 'The Lady in Red,' after finishing six laps in the hole."

8. Kyle Busch — Busch recorded his third consecutive top-4 finish, posting a fourth at Darlington. After a slow start to the season, Busch is up to ninth in the point standings, where he trails Greg Biffle by 62.

"I may be the hottest driver in NASCAR right now," Busch said, "but I doubt anyone's aware of that. I know it seems impossible, but a Busch brother can do something quietly.

"My older and less-wiser brother Kurt was involved in a confrontation with Ryan Newman's team after Kurt spun his tires through Newman's pit stall. Newman attributed Kurt's actions to a 'chemical imbalance.' That's an astute observation. Kurt often loses his balance, often after being slapped in the face."

9. Carl Edwards — Edwards finished seventh in the Southern 500, earning his seventh top-10 result of the year. He is now 10th in the point standings, 74 out of first.

"Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth are 1-2 in the point standings," Edwards said, "while good old Cousin Carl well behind in seventh. I guess that makes me a 'distant' cousin."

10. Kevin Harvick — Harvick was not a factor at Darlington, finishing 16th in the Bojangles' Southern 500. Harvick has only two top-10s in the last five races, and hasn't won since September of 2011.

"I don't know who's more 'due,'" Harvick said. "Me or my wife. I just know I bitch less about it.

"In any case, Darlington is one tough track. Not only is it hard to drive there, it's near impossible to get your hands on a Busch brother there, as well. Whether they finish the race or not, the Kyle and Kurt are always classified in the race results as 'running.'"

Age 21

Barry Sanders, 1989
1,470 yards, 5.3 average, 14 TD

Everyone knew Barry Sanders was going to be a star, and he didn't disappoint. Early in the season, the Lions were careful with Sanders, as he only carried 44 times in the first four weeks. Afterwards, he averaged 20 attempts per game, topping 100 yards seven times and 150 yards twice. Later in his career, Sanders developed a reputation as someone who shouldn't be used in short-yardage situations, but as a rookie, he ranked second in the NFL in rushing TDs.

Honorable Mentions

Jim Brown, 1957
Jerome Bettis, 1993
Marshall Faulk, 1994
Edgerrin James, 1999
Clinton Portis, 2002

Most great young RBs are contemporary players familiar to young fans. It is more common now for players to leave college early, and it is more common for them to see a lot of playing time right away. This makes Jim Brown's rookie season all the more impressive. He led the NFL in rushing by over 20 yards per game and led the league in rushing TDs. That said, I'd give the second-place nod behind Sanders to Edgerrin James, who led the NFL with 1,553 rushing yards and joined Eric Dickerson as the only rookies in history with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. His 17 TDs are also the most by a rookie RB.

Age 22

Jim Brown, 1958
1,527 yards, 5.9 average, 17 TD

In a 12-game season, Brown rushed for almost twice as many yards as second-place Alan Ameche (791), averaged nearly 6 yards a carry, and tied the single-season touchdown record. Brown's 12-game totals are more impressive, across the board, than Barry Sanders was in 16 games at age 21, and that's not a slight against Sanders. This is arguably the greatest season by a running back of any age.

Honorable Mentions

Gale Sayers, 1965
Franco Harris, 1972
Barry Sanders, 1990
Edgerrin James, 2000
Clinton Portis, 2003

Running backs tend to peak early, so there are some great seasons that didn't even make the list of honorable mentions, including Ottis Anderson in 1979 (1,605 yds), Emmitt Smith in 1991 (1,563), Adrian Peterson as a rookie (single-game rushing record), and Ray Rice in 2009 (over 2,000 YFS, 5.3 avg). Looking at the five I chose, Sayers scored 22 TDs in 14 games. Harris led the Steelers to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and caught the Immaculate Reception. Sanders led the league in rushing and TDs. James rushed for over 1,700 yards. Portis had 1,500 and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.

Age 23

Walter Payton, 1977
1,852 yards, 5.5 average, 14 TD

Payton's season is marred by 11 fumbles (in 14 games!), but it's still one of the finest in history. Sweetness led the NFL in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns (16), and rushing average, leading in rushing by almost 600 yards (Mark van Eeghen, 1273). Payton's 132.3 yards per game is the third-highest mark in history, better than Eric Dickerson's record-setting 1984 season.

Honorable Mentions

Hugh McElhenny, 1952
Jim Brown, 1959
Gale Sayers, 1966
Eric Dickerson, 1983
Emmitt Smith, 1992

McElhenny averaged 7 yards a carry and was an explosive receiver out of the backfield. Brown led the NFL in both rushing and TDs by huge amounts. This was Sayers' best season, with a career-high 1,231 rushing yards. Dickerson rushed for 1,808 yards, added 404 receiving, and scored 20 TDs. Smith led the league with 1,713 yards and 19 TDs. Several other outstanding seasons missed the cut.

Age 24

Chris Johnson, 2009
2,006 yards, 5.6 average, 14 TD

In the season that earned him the nickname CJ2K, Johnson rushed for over 100 yards in each of the final 11 games, over 130 in seven of them. He led the NFL in rushing by nearly 600 yards, with a superb average per carry, and scored 14 TDs despite losing goal-line carries to LenDale White. Johnson also caught 50 passes for over 500 yards and 2 more TDs. Johnson's 590-yard rushing lead (Steven Jackson, 1,416) was the most since O.J. Simpson in 1973.

Honorable Mentions

Lenny Moore, 1958
Eric Dickerson, 1984
Terrell Davis, 1997
LaDainian Tomlinson, 2003
Arian Foster, 2010

If I had to choose the single best age for RBs, it's probably 24. Moore averaged 7.3 yards per carry and scored 14 TDs. His 1,536 yards from scrimmage were far more than anyone else besides Jim Brown (see Age 22). Dickerson fumbled an astonishing 14 times, but he set a single-season rushing record that has stood for 30 years. Davis rushed for 1,750 yards and went on to have perhaps the greatest postseason of any RB in history. Tomlinson, stuck on a team that went 4-12, rushed for 1,645 yards, caught 100 passes, and scored 17 TDs. You remember Foster's season, right? 1,600 rushing, 600 receiving, 18 TDs?

Honorable Mentions, Part Two: Dan Towler, 1952; Jim Brown, 1960; Leroy Kelly, 1966; Earl Campbell, 1979; Jamal Lewis, 2003.

Age 25

Terrell Davis, 1998
2,008 yards, 5.1 average, 21 TD

This is still the only season in history in which a player rushed for 2,000 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. TD's 23 total touchdowns were then the third-highest total in history. He had 11 100-yard rushing games, with five over 150 and another at 149. In the playoffs, he rushed for 199 yards and 2 TDs, then 167 and another touchdown. In Super Bowl XXXII, Davis again rushed for over 100 yards, this time adding 50 yards as a receiver.

Honorable Mentions

Rick Casares, 1956
Earl Campbell, 1980
Marcus Allen, 1985
Thurman Thomas, 1991
Larry Johnson, 2005

Two particularly remarkable season missed this list: Emmitt Smith in 1994 and Jamal Anderson in 1998. Casares led the NFL in rushing by over 200 yards — 17 yards per game in a 12-game season — and led the league in TDs. Campbell rushed for 1,934 yards, including a record seven games with over 150 yards and four with over 200. Allen and Thomas were named NFL MVP. Johnson, a backup to Priest Holmes for the first half of the season, nonetheless rushed for 1,750 yards and 20 TDs. In the final eight games, L.J. tallied 1,244 yards and 15 TDs. That's in half a season.

Age 26

O.J. Simpson, 1973
2,003 yards, 6.0 average, 12 TD

The first 2,000-yard season in history, this is still the record for rushing yards per game (143.1) — by quite a lot, 10 yards per game. This is also the NFL record for largest margin of difference between the leading rusher (Simpson) and second-leading rusher (John Brockington, 1,144) — 859 yards, or 61 per game. Simpson's 6.0 average is also among the best in history, 5th all-time for players with at least 150 attempts.

Honorable Mentions

Steve Van Buren, 1947
Leroy Kelly, 1968
Barry Sanders, 1994
Emmitt Smith, 1995
Marshall Faulk, 1999

This is another age at which the list is agonizing to trim. I could easily name 15 Honorable Mentions. Van Buren in 1947 became just the second NFL player to gain 1,000 rushing yards in a season, leading the league by over 300 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs. In an era when offense was withering, Kelly was the NFL's only 1,000-yard rusher — with 1,239 — and his 20 TDs led the league by 6. Sanders rushed for 1,883 yards with a 5.7 average. Smith rushed for 1,773 and set the single-season TD record (25). Faulk had 1,381 yards rushing and 1,048 receiving.

Honorable Mentions, Part Two: Joe Perry, 1953; Frank Gifford, 1956; Jim Taylor, 1961; Thurman Thomas, 1992; Ahman Green, 2003

Age 27

Jim Brown, 1963
1,863 yards, 6.4 average, 12 TD

This may be the most remarkable season by any RB in history. For starters, it's the highest single-season rushing average (6.40). Brown led the NFL in rushing yardage by 845 yards, 83% (Jim Taylor, 1018). He also led the NFL in TDs (15) and became the first player in history with six 150-yard rushing games in a season. His average of 133.1 rushing yards per game is the second-best in history, trailing only O.J. in '73. Brown's combination of speed and power, evident every season of his nine-year career, was unparalleled. No other running back has so consistently dominated the league and stood out from his peers.

Honorable Mentions

Chet Mutryn, 1948
Joe Perry, 1954
Jim Taylor, 1962
Marshall Faulk, 2000
LaDainian Tomlinson, 2006

Playing for the Buffalo Bills of the AAFC, Mutryn was a standout runner (5.6 avg, 10 TD), receiver (794 yds, 5 TD), and returner (26.3 KR avg, 17.1 PR avg, TD). Perry became the first player in history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, leading the league by almost 400 yards and averaging 6.1 yds/att. During Jim Brown's career, Taylor in '62 was the only player besides Brown himself to lead the NFL in rushing, netting 1,472 yards and 19 TDs in just 14 games. Faulk set a single-season TD record (26) and won NFL MVP. Tomlinson rushed for 1,815 yards, added 508 receiving, and set a TD record (31) that probably will never fall in a 16-game season.

Age 28

O.J. Simpson, 1975
1,817 yards, 5.5 average, 16 TD

I might argue that this was an even better season than his 2,000-yard campaign two years earlier. In 1973, Simpson rushed for 2,003 yards, but he only gained 70 receiving yards and scored 12 total TDs. In '75, the Juice had almost 200 fewer rushing yards, but he added 426 receiving yards and scored 23 TDs, the most ever in a 14-game season. Are 356 receiving yards and 11 TDs worth 186 rushing yards and a few points of average? It's at least close.

Honorable Mentions

Spec Sanders, 1947
Steve Van Buren, 1949
Marshall Faulk, 2001
Priest Holmes, 2002
Shaun Alexander, 2005

If you insist on an Honorable Mention between 1950-2000, consider Jim Brown in '64 and Roger Craig or Eric Dickerson in 1988. Sanders, a single-wing tailback for the AAFC's New York Yankees football team, rushed for 1,432 yards, by far the highest single-season total in a major pro league until Jim Brown. Sanders scored 18 rushing TDs and averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, the third-best average in history. Van Buren became the first NFL player to rush for 1,100 yards in a season, led the NFL in touchdowns, and set a postseason record with 196 yards in the NFL Championship Game.

Faulk gained 2,147 yards from scrimmage and led the NFL in touchdowns and rushing average. Despite missing the last two games of the season with an injury, Holmes led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,287) and TDs (24), while fumbling only once in 383 touches. Alexander led the league in rushing, broke the single-season TD record (28), and earned MVP honors.

Age 29

Barry Sanders, 1997
2,053 yards, 6.1 average, 11 TD

In his first two games, Sanders rushed for a combined 53 yards. He was over 100 in every game for the rest of the season, setting a record for most 100-yard rushing games (14) that has never been seriously challenged. His 14-game total of exactly 2,000 yards would be the second-best in history, just three behind O.J. Simpson's historic 1973 effort. Sanders' 6.1 rushing average is the highest ever by a player with at least 300 carries.

Honorable Mentions

Jim Taylor, 1964
Jim Brown, 1965
O.J. Simpson, 1976
Priest Holmes, 2003
Tiki Barber, 2004

For ages 23-28, it's heart-breaking to trim the list of Honorable Mentions, cutting really great years because they're just a little bit weaker than the others. There are still some sensational seasons among the five above. Brown in '65 scored 21 TDs, rushed for 80% more yards (1,544) than second-best Gale Sayers (867), and won NFL MVP. Holmes in '03 gained over 2,100 yards from scrimmage and set the single-season TD record (27). The other three seasons were great, but they don't stand out the same way.

That said, I wouldn't want to give anyone the impression that those seasons weren't outstanding. Taylor in 1964 rushed for more yards and a higher average than anyone except Jim Brown, and he scored 15 TDs in 14 games. Simpson led the league in rushing, one of only six times anyone rushed for 1,500 yards in a 14-game season (O.J. three times, Jim Brown twice, Walter Payton once). Barber gained 1,518 rushing yards, 578 receiving yards, and scored 15 TDs.

Age 30

Tiki Barber, 2005
1,860 yards, 5.2 average, 9 TD

This is almost certainly the greatest season ever by a running back in his 30s. Barber's 1,860 yards rank as the best ever by almost 200 yards (Curtis Martin, 1,697), his 5.2 average is the best of anyone with at least 250 attempts, and that doesn't even include 54 catches for 530 yards and 2 TDs. Despite Barber's reputation for fumbling, he put the ball on the ground only once in 2005. Barber rushed for 200 yards three times, the only player to do so since Earl Campbell in 1980. In the final game of the regular season, with a playoff spot on the line, Barber gained 203 yards rushing and another 60 receiving in a 30-21 victory.

Honorable Mentions

Tony Canadeo, 1949
Marion Motley, 1950
Tom Matte, 1969
Walter Payton, 1984
Charlie Garner, 2002

Canadeo rushed for 1,052 yards in a 12-game season, only the third player to top 1,000 in the NFL. Motley led the NFL in rushing by over 100 yards, with a 5.8 average, and was the best blocking back in the league. Matte led the NFL in YFS and TDs. Payton rushed for 1,684 yards and added 368 as a receiver. Garner gained over 900 yards as both a rusher (962) and receiver (941), averaging 5.3 yds/att, catching 91 passes, scoring 11 TDs, and not fumbling all season. Lenny Moore (20 TDs) also had a very productive age 30 season.

Age 31

Tiki Barber, 2006
1,662 yards, 5.1 average, 5 TD

Man, is this a close call. Tiki had another great season — 2,127 yards from scrimmage, over five yards a carry, eight 100-yard games, plus 137 in a playoff loss to the Eagles. But was Barber in '06 really better than Walter Payton in 1985 and Curtis Martin in 2004? Um, maybe? Payton gained 2,034 YFS, averaged 4.8 yds/att, scored 11 TDs, and played on what is widely regarded as the greatest team of all time. Martin led the NFL in rushing (1,697) and scored 14 TDs. I give Barber a slight edge, but it's very, very close.

Honorable Mentions

Joe Perry, 1958
Walter Payton, 1985
Ricky Watters, 2000
Curtis Martin, 2004
Thomas Jones, 2009

Perry was third in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 125 attempts. Watters rushed for 1,242 yards (4.5 avg), caught 63 passes for 613 yards, and scored 9 TDs. Jones rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 TDs. Since I already discussed Payton and Martin above, let's also throw a little credit toward Tony Dorsett, who just missed the cut in several years and isn't listed at any age yet. As a 31-year-old in 1985, Dorsett rushed for over 1,300 yards and had perhaps his best season as a receiver, catching 46 passes for 449 yards and 3 TDs.

Age 32

Walter Payton, 1986
1,333 yards, 4.2 average, 8 TD

Payton just missed at 31, so this year he gets the benefit of the doubt over John Henry Johnson. In '86, his final season before giving way to Neal Anderson, Payton remained a workhorse and effective all-around player for the 14-2 Bears. Third in the NFL in rushing attempts, Payton also continued to contribute as a receiver (382 yds, 3 TD). I see Sweetness as the greatest RB at ages 23 and 32, almost a decade apart. His longevity and consistency separate Payton from other RBs who were just as good or almost as good in their primes.

Honorable Mentions

John Henry Johnson, 1962
Ottis Anderson, 1989
Herschel Walker, 1994
Mike Anderson, 2005
Ricky Williams, 2009

Johnson, as I mentioned above, is the strongest in this group. He gained the 2nd-most rushing yards in 1962, behind Jim Taylor but ahead of Jim Brown and Cookie Gilchrist. O.J. Anderson enjoyed a career renaissance, topping 1,000 yards for the first time since 1985 and scoring 14 TDs. No longer a featured ball-carrier, Walker re-invented himself as the premier third-down back in the NFL and one of the best kickoff returners (27.7 avg, TD). He had 500 yards rushing, receiving, and returning, with a 4.7 rushing average and 8 TDs. Mike Anderson rushed for 1,014 yards and scored 13 TDs. Ricky Williams, half a decade removed from his retirement during the 2004 season, rushed for 1,121 yards, with a 4.7 average, and scored 13 TDs.

Age 33

Marcus Allen, 1993
764 yards, 3.7 average, 12 TD

Okay, we're dropping quickly at this point. Most running backs, even the best of them, are retired at this point. In a strange quirk, though, 33 is actually a weaker age for top RB seasons than 34 is. In 1993, Allen finally escaped from Al Davis and was reborn as a short-yardage specialist in Kansas City. Paul Zimmerman wrote of Allen that "down around the goal line, a sixth sense kicked in and his instincts for the end zone became phenomenal. It was a unique talent." The early '90s were a dry period for running backs, and Allen this season ranked 15th in rushing yards, t-9th in rushing first downs, and led the league in rushing TDs. Not bad for an old man.

Honorable Mentions

John Henry Johnson, 1963
John Riggins, 1982
Franco Harris, 1983
Ottis Anderson, 1990
Warrick Dunn, 2008

Johnson ranked 4th in the NFL in rushing (773 yds). Riggins atoned for a disappointing regular season (3.1 avg, 3 TD) with a phenomenal postseason performance, maybe the best ever. Harris is the only 33-year-old ever to rush for 1,000 yards, and his 1,285 yards from scrimmage are the most ever by a 33-year-old RB. Anderson totaled 923 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 TDs, then went on to win the MVP Award of Super Bowl XXV. Dunn gained a combined 1,116 yards from scrimmage, and never fumbled in 233 touches.

Age 34

John Riggins, 1983
1,347 yards, 3.6 average, 24 TD

Riggins had an awful rushing average (3.6 yds/att) and contributed nothing as a receiver (5 rec, 29 yds), but he ranked 5th in rushing yardage and broke the single-season TD record, setting a mark that stood for over a decade. The Diesel also made another stellar postseason run, combining for 242 yards and 5 TDs in two playoff games, and scoring Washington's only touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII.

Honorable Mentions

Joe Perry, 1961
John Henry Johnson, 1964
Tony Dorsett, 1988
Marcus Allen, 1994
Earnest Byner, 1996

Perry, a lifelong 49er, moved to the Colts in 1961. Despite splitting time with Lenny Moore, he rushed for 675 yards and caught 34 passes for another 322. Johnson rushed for 1,048 yards, only the second season of his career in which he topped 1,000, with a 4.5 average and 8 TDs. Dorsett, starring for the Broncos in his final season, rushed for 703 yards with a 3.9 average. Yeah, I know that doesn't sound great. The guy was 34, give him a break. Allen caught 42 passes and gained a combined 1,058 yards. Byner, in the Ravens' inaugural season, rushed for 634 yards — his highest total since 1992 in Washington — and caught 30 passes for 270 yards.

Age 35

John Riggins, 1984
1,239 yards, 3.8 average, 14 TD

How was John Riggins so productive at an age when most RBs are not only washed up, but so washed up that they admit they can't play any more, and finally retire? It presumably wasn't the clean lifestyle of a man known for his eccentric personality and no-holds barred partying. So we attribute Riggins' success to a historic offensive line (The Hogs), a brilliant offensive coach (Joe Gibbs), the obvious (skill, perseverance, and luck — not necessarily in that order) ... and maybe a year off. Riggins sat out the 1980 season in a contract dispute, so he had less wear and tear — at least of a football nature — than most players that age, and he'd even had a year to recover.

Honorable Mentions

Marcus Allen, 1995
Emmitt Smith, 2004

I could name more than two Honorable Mentions. There are other running backs who played and contributed at this age. But to illustrate how minor those contributions were, consider that the 5th-leading 35-year-old rusher of all time was a quarterback, Joe Theismann. Actually, 36-year-old QBs Doug Flutie and Steve Young rate even higher. Aside from Riggins, the only RBs who really distinguished themselves at this age were Allen (1,040 YFS) and Smith (1,042 YFS, 9 TD). Allen and Riggins also had respectable age 36 seasons.

Below is a list of the best RB at each age included in the study.

To simplify matters, I broke things down into three age groups: young players (21-25), medium-aged (26-30), and older (31-35). Of course, these age groups are not fairly named. Many great players don't begin their pro careers until they're 23, so the "young" group is skewed toward those who started their careers early. RBs deteriorate so rapidly that 29-30 probably should be considered old rather than medium-aged. Ages 23-28 are the clear heart of a running back's career.

The 10 best young RBs (21-25):

1. Jim Brown
2. Emmitt Smith
3. Walter Payton
4. Barry Sanders
5. Gale Sayers
6. Terrell Davis
7. Marcus Allen
8. Lenny Moore
9. Thurman Thomas
10. LaDainian Tomlinson

Emmitt Smith is not prominent in these rankings. He's not listed as the best at any age, and he only earned one Honorable Mention in this age group, but he was outstanding every year except age 21, and even that was a very good season. The 10 greatest medium-aged RBs (26-30):

1. Barry Sanders
2. Jim Brown
3. O.J. Simpson
4. Marshall Faulk
5. Jim Taylor
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
7. Priest Holmes
8. Tiki Barber
9. Emmitt Smith
10. Marion Motley

If Jim Brown hadn't retired at age 29, he would probably rank ahead of Sanders. The five best old RBs (31-35):

1. Walter Payton
2. John Henry Johnson
3. John Riggins
4. Joe Perry
5. Marcus Allen

All of these players are Hall of Famers. Even in the other groups, the top 10 is mostly HOFers. The exceptions are Terrell Davis (who should be in), LaDainian Tomlinson (who is not eligible yet but will go in first-ballot), Priest Holmes (not eligible), and Tiki Barber (not eligible).

I'll leave you with one final list: the top 10 RBs from ages 23-28.

1. Jim Brown
2. Steve Van Buren
3. LaDainian Tomlinson
4. Emmitt Smith
5. Barry Sanders
6. Eric Dickerson
7. O.J. Simpson
8. Marshall Faulk
9. Thurman Thomas
10. Walter Payton

Van Buren is not prominent on the earlier lists, because two of his best seasons (1944-45) were not played in the Modern Era. If they were eligible for the list, Van Buren's age 24 season (1945) would rank as the best of any player, displacing Chris Johnson in 2009. That year, a 10-game season, Van Buren led the NFL in rushing and scored 18 TDs, almost twice as many as 2nd-best (10) and a record that stood until Jim Brown finally broke it in a 14-game season. Only three other players even had half as many rushing yards as Van Buren that season.

He was injured after 1949 (age 28) and retired two years later. Basically his whole career was those six seasons (23-28), but they were so good that he probably should be considered one of the top 10 RBs in history. He led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing TDs four times and was also a standout returner, with 5 kickoff and punt return TDs.

It seemed highly unlikely that any player outside of the top two players the world could go through both of them and hold the winner's trophy at the end of the final day in Paris. Rafael Nadal, who would have been the only name to pick until Djokovic's amazing run since the beginning of 2011, seemed to be the favorite once again because … well … it's on clay, and it's Roland Garros!

Djokovic was also a legitimate favorite because he has been the best player in the world for over a year, including a seven-match winning streak against his top rival Nadal, that streak recently coming to an end three weeks ago in Monte-Carlo Masters Series tournament, where Nadal has not been beaten since his only loss there as a 16-year-old teenager against Guillermio Coria back in 2003.

But, as I said, that was a few months ago. Fast-forward to today, and it no longer seems so evident that Djokovic and Nadal are the only favorites to win the tournament.

That being said, let's be clear: Nadal is still the favorite to win once again, especially considering that he has rolled through competition in the only two tournaments played on "red" clay this year. If you have followed the "blue" clay charade of last week, you would know very well why I put the word "red" in quotation marks.

For those who did not follow, very briefly, the Masters Series tournament that took place last week in Madrid was played on blue clay, apparently Ion Tiriac's latest innovative idea. It fell barely short of being a complete debacle with multiple players complaining about the poor quality of the surface, and both Nadal and Djokovic threatening never to return again unless the tournament went back to traditional red clay next year. Just in case you wondered, neither of them made it to the semifinals.

Nevertheless, Nadal seems to be back on track now that his favorite time of the year has arrived: the clay court season culminating with Roland Garros. However, is he as much far ahead of everyone else in the field? If you compare his situation and the competition now to the several years past, unless you are an avid Rafa fan and are choosing willingly to deny it, the answer is clearly no. While anyone would have been shocked if Nadal lost in Paris every year since 2006 — and yes, we know the feeling from the Robin Soderling loss in 2009 — if he was not to win this year, it would not qualify as the biggest story of the tennis season so far.

Djokovic, for his part, has not looked as invincible in April and May as he did at this point last year. So far in 2012, he sits at 26 wins and 4 losses with two titles. While it seems like a redoubtable season by almost any standard, once taken into account where Djokovic was sitting at this time last year — undefeated and three wins over each of his two main rivals, Federer and Nadal — it pales in comparison. He has not faced Federer this year and he is 1-1 against Nadal, most recent one being a comfortable, straight-set win for Nadal in Monte-Carlo.

Perhaps this is why the Masters Series tournament in Rome, taking place as this article is being written, has become so important for both players. It is the last top quality event before the French Open, and each of them would be delighted to make an impression on the other by winning the tournament and mentally getting a step ahead of the other prior to Roland Garros. I don't believe it would be an exaggeration to say that the odd-makers would drastically be shifting positions on the title chances at Roland Garros depending on who wins in Rome, especially if the top two players end up playing each other in the finals.

Perhaps other players have also closed the gap between them and the top two players. In fact, Federer has just moved to the No. 2 ranking ahead of Nadal, although in terms of French Open discussion, Nadal is the king of Roland Garros. Nevertheless, it shows that the chances of having a winner other than the top two players in the world have recently increased. There is no denying that Federer is coming into Roland Garros with plenty of confidence and tournament wins under his belt, and the possibility of having both Djokovic and Nadal on the other side of the draw. Roland Garros was also where he played his best tennis in 2011, so why not in 2012? Who knows if it will be enough, but it is certainly worthy enough not to take him off the possible winner list.

There are certainly other players who could come out of nowhere to step up and take the title, but it is not the goal of this article to list possible dark horses for Roland Garros. Nonetheless, I can already hear the seemingly-all-erudite "not this year, buddy" comment coming my way, but I would have probably heard it also if I listened carefully in the years 2004 (unseeded Gaston Gaudio), 2002 (20th-seeded Albert Costa), 1997 (unseeded Gustavo Kuerten), 1989 (15th-seeded, 17-year-old Michael Chang), and 1982 (unseeded, 18-year-old Mats Wilander).

If this list is not enough, then consider the No. 1 players in the Open era who have never managed to lift the "Coupe des Mousquétaires" at the end of the two weeks: Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick — okay, they are Americans, so they have an excuse — but also consider Marcelo Rios, Patrick Rafter, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, and John Newcombe.

It has been a nightmarish tournament to win not only for the No. 1 ranked players, but also the player entering the tournament as the top seed. Through the '70s and '80s, there were only three players, Jan Kodes, Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl, who lived up to their top-seeded status; but two of them, Borg and Lendl, did it more than once (Borg five times!).

Things went from bad to worse for the top seeds beginning with the '90s. Since Lendl's last title in 1987, only three times has the top-seeded player managed to win Roland Garros: Jim Courier in 1992, Kuerten in 2001, and Nadal in 2011. That is only once in each decade! If tennis was a numbers game, Djokovic winning Roland Garros this year as the top-seeded player would have to be considered an extraordinary anomaly!

With Rome going on this week, and Roland Garros beginning next month, a lot is on the line for the top two players in the world, as well as several other players looking to prove that they are ready to join the elite group of top-ranked players; and nothing would make that a reality quicker than being crowned the winner, on the last Sunday of the tournament on the Court Philippe Chatrier.

Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert took a pot shot at Miami earlier in the week, saying his team made the playoffs "the right way" when it comes to building a team. Among each of the eight remaining contenders, there has been at least one player that has made a difference via trade or free agency. However, the use of that philosophy is what provides the gap in each franchise's thought process.

San Antonio vs. L.A. Clippers

The Spurs are the probably the most unassuming champions in any professional sport over the last decade ... and they've mostly done it by drafting well. When Tim Duncan was taken number one overall in 1997, everyone knew they were getting one heck of a player. Two years later, the pairing of him with David Robinson was too much for the league to handle. Over the next four years, the organization would turn a project and a chance into the building blocks for a juggernaut. Manu Ginobili (57th overall, second to last in 1999 draft) and Tony Parker (28th overall, last in first round of 2001 draft) formed the tri-pronged attack that led to three titles since 2002.

Now, those pieces are wise veterans (or, in other terms, old). But that doesn't bother San Antonio. They've rebuilt their core of youthful exuberance with more crafty decision making. Frontcourt players Tiago Splitter (2007) and DeJuan Blair (2009) were drafted, along with backcourt mates James Anderson (2010) and Cory Joseph (2011). Rookie Kawhi Leonard became part of the team through a draft-day trade for George Hill (another Spurs draftee). These men are part of the future of the franchise. But will the past and future meet to make the present fruitful?

The Clippers began their trek on the same path. Young super-stud Blake Griffin justifies his number one overall pick in terms of jaw-dropping highlight appeal. But L.A. had more of a core to offer with Al Thornton (2007), Eric Gordon (2008), and Al-Farouq Aminu (2010) a part of the action. Those three guys are gone now, partly due to a deal that brought elite point guard Chris Paul to the bright lights of SoCal.

Putting Paul next to Griffin gave the Clips instant relevance and buzz. They've lived up to it fairly well. Now, with key veteran stars Kenyon Martin and Caron Butler around to solidify the roster, there's a chance that Donald Sterling's wallet might actually pay some dividends.

Oklahoma City vs. L.A. Lakers

The Thunder they started this ascension to the top of the Western Conference in another age (or time zone). The franchise was located in Seattle when they selected Kevin Durant with the second overall pick in 2007 (and got fifth overall pick Jeff Green in the famed Ray Allen trade). The next year, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka joined the fold as the organization relocated to their new home. In 2009, James Harden (current Sixth Man of the Year) was selected by the team.

This is the base for the Northwest Division champs. The main addition outside of draft night was Kendrick Perkins, who was traded for Green in 2011. With the defensive stopper in the middle, many think that their time is now. However, they will have a tall task to overcome.

On the opposite side, you have the Lakers and their tradition that goes back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain back in the late 1960s. Their leader, Kobe Bryant, may have flown to stardom through the Draft, but the surrounding cast is another story. Other than big man Andrew Bynum, this L.A. story was constructed outside of town.

The second-in-command, Pau Gasol, was acquired through one of those "highway robbery" trades. Metta World Peace came to the squad via free agency when he was simply known as Ron Artest from Queensbridge. Ramon Sessions just got there mid-season. Role players Matt Barnes and Steve Blake came in after playing with at least one other organization. Can their tradition of acquiring outside talent equal success this time around?

Boston vs. Philadelphia

The Celtics brought together their own version of a free agency "Big Three" when Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined forced with Paul Pierce in 2007. It's resulted in one title, another Finals appearance, and a return to Garden Glory for fans in the Northeast. It has been five years since everything turned for the better, but all three pieces are still around and still a threat.

Danny Ainge is trying to replicate what R.C. Buford is doing in San Antonio. Rajon Rondo (draft rights acquired from Phoenix in 2006) has arguably become the leader of the squad. Drafted role players Avery Bradley (2010) and E'twaun Moore (2011) are providing sparks in the backcourt. However, these team still has the fingerprints of the Superstar Triad all over it. We'll find out if that experience can help them churn out one last run.

The 76ers looked to build on their rising team in 2008 when they made a splash by signing free agent Elton Brand. Several people, including myself, thought this was an important move that would set the team up to be a contender. Although Brand has turned out to be a key cog in the team's resurgence, it plain didn't work at the outset.

The main reason for Philly's run back to the postseason happened in the board room. Andre Iguodala's selection in the 2004 lottery set the first piece in place. The Sixers went on to take Lou Williams (2005 second round), Thaddeus Young (2007 lottery), Jrue Holiday (2009 first round), and Evan Turner (2010 second overall) in following years. It's these decisions that have helped the franchise get their playoff series win since 2003. And they'll tell you that they're not done yet.

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

You guys know the story. Miami is where the latest, greatest version of the free agent sweepstakes is playing out. The newest version of the "Big Three" came about to a lot of fanfare on South Beach and a WHOLE lot of jeering around the rest of the country. LeBron James and Chris Bosh believe it'll be much easier to win a ring with Dwyane Wade than without. They got within two games of accomplishing that on the first try.

Now they have a year of playoff scrutiny and competition under their belts, which meant doom for the Knicks. Some have the Heat as the outright favorites for the title, largely based on the talent of these three. But, like I said, you guys know that.

What you may not be aware of is the new look Pacers. Until last week, the organization hadn't won a playoff series in seven years. That drought came to an end because the experience much of the young core got in last year's postseason. It was only the second time in that situation for team star Danny Granger (2005 first round pick). It was the first time for Hibbert (2008 draft day trade from Toronto), Tyler Hansbrough (2009 lottery), and Paul George (2010 lottery).

They've turned around the fortunes of this stagnant franchise. And the additions of former New Orleans Hornets David West (free agency) and Darren Collison (trade) could make this team a dark horse now and in the near future. They only just have to beat the favorites to do it.

So what's the better way to bring a squad to championship form? Do you grow the talent from seedlings up or purchase the best talent from the free agency market? The next two weeks could give us an answer.

I want to talk about Harper. When Hamels hit Harper, there were two outs. Harper then hustled from first to third on a single in the next at bat, then stole home when Hamels threw to first to check the runner. That gutsy decision showed me that Harper was somebody to keep my eye on.

Before getting hit by Hamels' pitch, Harper had a pair of spot on throws from the outfield. Neither resulted in outs, one due to the catcher, one due to the umpire, but nevertheless, Harper came into Major League Baseball ready to play and very eager to impress everybody, playing hard, hustling on the bases, making accurate throws, drawing walks, and doing the little things right. Harper was doing all that and I was paying attention.

In his third major league game, Harper didn't reach base. He went 0-3 with a strikeout. Those games happen. The Nationals lost that game 5-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was the only game in which he didn't reach base until Friday against the Cincinnati Reds.

In a game where the Nationals won 7-3 and had those seven by the fourth inning, Harper went 0-5 with 3 strikeouts. His worst game of his young career. Those days happen. To everybody. For example, Josh Hamilton is hitting better than anybody in the world right now. But on April 21 at Detroit, Hamilton went 0-5 with four strikeouts against the Tigers.

Bryce Harper reacted to his bad day (which wasn't as bad as Josh Hamilton's) by returning to the dugout after one of his outs, swinging his bat against the wall and having it bounce back and hit him in the eye, an injury requiring 10 stitches. After Friday's game, Harper informed the media that the doctor had cleared him to play on Saturday. National's manager Davey Johnson said Harper would likely miss some time. Harper got his way, going 0-4 on Saturday with 1 strikeout.

This self-inflicted piece of stupidity comes less than two weeks after New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire injured his hand after punching the glass casing housing a fire extinguisher. Stoudemire amazingly missed only one game as a result of his frustration and stupidity, but I doubt his presence would have moved the Knicks any closer to beating the Heat.

Harper's injury is far more stupid than Stoudemire's. Why? Because at least Amare was frustrated with something worth being frustrated about: his team had lost its first two playoff games.

Harper smashed a baseball bat into a wall and consequently into his face because he had a personal bad day, all while his team was destroying the Reds. Harper's frustration and attention were entirely on himself. It's like he didn't even know the Nationals were about to win the game. At the end of the day, a player who goes 0-5 while his team wins should be far happier than a guy who goes 5-5 while his team loses. Personal accolades are insignificant in comparison to your team failing.

Look at Michael Jordan and Karl Malone. They have reasonably comparable career statistics. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six championships. Malone led the Utah Jazz to zero. A fair number of basketball fans would say that Jordan was the greatest to ever play the game. How many say that about Malone? Not very many, if any.

Or look at Joe Montana and Dan Marino. When looking at statistics, the edge obviously goes to Marino. When looking at championships, the score is Montana four, Marino zero. When people talk about the greatest quarterback of all-time, Montana's name gets more support than Marino's. Nobody will deny that Marino is top-10, most would say top-five, but to put him at number one without rings just doesn't seem right.

Bryce Harper needs to take a cue from these examples and understand a few things. Firstly, the Nationals are very good this year. As of Saturday morning, their pitching ranked first in ERA, quality starts, WHIP, and opposing team's batting average. They are a playoff caliber team based on that alone. The hitting could use some improvement and Harper can be a part of that. He has the tools. He has the talent. He has the passion. But right now it's pretty obvious to me that he doesn't have the patience. Bryce Harper can be a part of a playoff team that has a relatively decent chance to advance to the World Series. In your rookie season, that should be the biggest deal to you as an athlete. Professionally, nothing else should even compare to that reality.

Secondly, Harper needs to take the following advice: calm down.

Harper is not Matt Kemp. He is not Josh Hamilton. He's not even Michael Cuddyer or Billy Butler. And he's certainly not Ted Williams or Stan Musial, so he seriously needs to calm down.

Yes, Harper has the potential to be one of the best players in the history of baseball, but he never will be if he continues to act in such a selfish, arrogant, immature, and idiotic way. And furthermore he will never even be considered a good player, much less one of the best, if he doesn't stop putting so much pressure on himself to perform. The only thing Bryce Harper seems to understand right now is that Bryce Harper has potential. He has no idea how to harness that potential, nor what the point of being a great player is (winning championships).

Nobody is expecting Harper to bat .350 with 35 home runs and 120 runs batted in his rookie year. Alex Rodriguez put up those numbers in his third season. Rodriguez made his debut in 1994 to the tune of 17 games, a .204 batting average and zero home runs. In 1995, Rodriguez played in 48 games, with a .232 batting average and five homers. After those two test pilot runs, Rodriguez finally exploded and became a star. Today Rodriguez is a player who will almost certainly reach 3,000 hits and 700 home runs. In doing so, he'll be only the second player in major league history to accomplish such a feat, along with Hank Aaron. Who knows, maybe Rodriguez will even reach 800 home runs and 3,500 hits.

Harper has that kind of potential if he allows himself to be eased into the game. If he allows himself to learn from his 0-5 games (because Friday's certainly won't be his last), instead of pouting about them and injuring himself through temper tantrums.

Davey Johnson needs to sit Harper down for a couple games in my opinion. Nearly every young player who comes up to the big leagues struggles at first with something. Rodriguez did. So did Frank Robinson (though he overcame it in time to win the Rookie of the Year award). Ken Griffey, Jr. wasn't immediately an MVP threat, either.

Bryce Harper needs to take stock of where he is right now. He needs to understand what he is good at according to major league standards right now, and what he can do to improve those things he is struggling at. The Nationals are good and if he can figure a few things out in time for the playoffs, he could be a major contributing factor to the offense, which really could use a boost.

Obviously, he has a great arm. He's already made people question if they should run on him or not. Obviously, he has that killer instinct. That drive and passion that makes him take risks such as stealing home. Those are really great things to have. No doubt about it.

But obviously, he does not handle personal failure well. Throwing a tantrum about an 0-5 game in your first month in the majors is no way to prove to anybody that you belong where you are. If Harper were a 24-year-old rookie drafted 347th overall instead of a 19-year-old rookie who was drafted first, he'd probably get sent back down to AAA for acting like such a fool.

Careers are not made in one day by one good performance. Philip Humber threw a perfect game last month. That doesn't mean he'll win 300 games or make the Hall of Fame. It's doubtful he will. Likewise, Harper should realize that even if he had gone 5-5 with three home runs in Friday's game, such a change in one game wouldn't affect the legacy of his career.

And while careers are not made in one day, they can be unmade in one day. Kirby Puckett was on his way to 3,000 hits when a high fastball from Dennis Martinez broke his jaw, destroyed his vision, and ended his career. Obviously, that's not the only example.

Imagine if Harper's bat had hit him more squarely in the eye. Do you think he'd be able to ever get a hit again if he were blind in one eye?

And one final thing that Harper needs to understand, consider it a word of warning: all eyes are on you.

When Ken Griffey, Jr. made his major league debut, I was 5-years old and I loved him. He was an icon of what kids like me could be if we worked hard and were blessed with some talent. When Alex Rodriguez debuted, I was 10 and felt the same way all over again. Kids are drawn to young players and they will be watching what Bryce Harper does on the field and they will hear about what he does off the field. And everybody will know more about Harper's successes and failures than Griffey's or Rodriguez's because of the technological advancements of the media.

And I can guarantee this: nobody is going to want to be like Friday's Bryce Harper. That Bryce Harper won't inspire anybody to want to play baseball. He'll only inspire people to laugh at him for doing something even a 5-year-old knows is stupid.

All eyes are on you Bryce Harper and trust me, people will like you a lot more and remember you more positively if you bat .250 with 5 home runs and are gracious and positive and a good teammate than if you bat .350 with 40 home runs and are a complete moron off the field. Grow up, kid. Enjoy the fact that you have been so blessed with talent and opportunity. Don't throw it away because of one bad day.

Finally, after much speculation about how it would go down, Major League Baseball has its answer to the burning question: what happens when a player "outs" himself?

But seriously, Hamels sexuality isn't in question here, only his manhood. And let's face it, in Major League Baseball, real men don't tell the truth, they skirt it. Only in baseball can one's integrity be questioned by the very act of showing integrity.

Commissioner Bud Selig bas likely never faced such a quandary in his 20 years as commissioner of baseball. In all likelihood, Hamels would not have been suspended had he not admitted to intentionally plunking Harper. But his intent was plainly evident. Even former umpire Don Denkinger, or any blind man, could have recognized Hamels' intent without having it verified by Hamels' admission. Therein lies Selig's dilemma — suspending a baseball player for telling the truth! Oh, the horror! If Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Roger Clemens, etc. were in graves, they'd be spinning in them like blood samples in a centrifuge.

According to Hamels, he hit Harper as an "old school" way to welcome the rookie to the big leagues. Harper went "new school" in his reply, by stealing home on Hamels in the same inning. The Nationals later went "old school" when pitcher Jordan Zimmerman nailed Hamels in the leg as he squared to bunt in the third inning.

That could have been the end of the situation. It was all square. Hamels made his point; the Nationals made theirs. Then Hamels had to give an interview that was too candid for his own good. Apparently, according to baseball's "unwritten codes of conduct," a player should never admit to purposely hitting another. In other words, as many steroid and HGH scandals have told us, you should lie when breaking baseball's unwritten rules, as well as baseball's written rules.

Most in the Phillies organization wished Hamels had not been so forthcoming — manager Charlie Manuel said as much when he commented that Hamels could have been "more discreet" or "less honest." Look what baseball has become; now, managers are advising players to be less honest, and not just their lawyers. As a precaution, Hamels' next post-start interview should be held in front of Congress. There's no way the truth comes out then.

Of course, Selig was left with no choice but to suspend Hamels. It was likely the easiest decision Selig has ever made, and for once, it seems, everyone can agree with the Commissioner's call. Possibly, for the first time in his tenure, Selig has an approval rating.

But give Hamels credit for having the guts to tell the truth, even when he knew he would likely be punished by the league, as well as ostracized for some, if not many, fellow players. This is professional baseball, and Hamels was well-aware of the plight of another fellow big league left-hander, Andy Pettitte. Pettitte learned the hard way that the longer you delay in telling the truth, the greater your chances of misremembering it. Everyone in the sports knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that your credibility is shot once Roger Clemens starts making up vocabulary words to describe your actions.

But Clemens, more than any player, knows when to tell the truth and when to lie. Never and always. What did Clemens say after slinging the business end of a broken bat towards Mike Piazza in the 2000 World Series? "Piazza delivery," maybe. I doubt it, but whatever he said, it wasn't the truth.

In MLB, the truth, in most cases, won't set you free. Just ask Pete Rose. He lied, and can't get into the baseball Hall of Fame. He told the truth, and still can't get in. At least, not without a ticket. If Rose had told the truth from the start, then, in all likelihood, he would now be allowed to enter the Hall of Fame. So, if you're going to lie, it makes more sense to do so well after the fact.

So, what's in the future for Hamels? Can he put this behind him, or will the only thing in the future ‘behind him' be a high, hard fastball the next time the Phillies face the Nationals? I'm guessing the next time Hamels hits a batter, he'll be nothing but truthful when he says it was an "accident."

The Indiana Pacers are going to give the Miami Heat all they can handle in a best of seven series that promises to at least come within a stone's throw of a Game 7. There's nothing flashy about the Pacers, but there are a few things that make them an undesirable matchup for the Heat.

1. They're Really Deep

I know that other teams may well lay claim to having this advantage over the Heat (and for good reason), but nobody has a deeper bench than Indiana. They could field a team of just bench players for a contest against most teams in the league, while still maintaining a solid chance of winning. Not many other teams out there can reasonably make that claim.

2. They Rebound Way Better

Make no mistake about this, the Heat are going to get beat badly off the glass. As a matter of fact, if Chris Bosh doesn't step up his game for the entire series, the Heat won't have many second chance opportunities, which spells trouble for a team that relies on their leaders, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, to convert second chance attempts. If they keep their game predicated upon creating chances off of misses, the Heat will get embarrassed until they change their approach.

3. They Play Much Bigger

I'm not necessarily saying that the Heat can't put out an ensemble of five players to match the Pacers size, but rather that at all times, Indiana simply plays like a much bigger team. Too much of Chris Bosh's game is focused on the mid-range, and David West will exploit that in this series. Despite actually being slightly shorter than Bosh, West's proficiency in the paint on both ends of the court will force Chris Bosh to become strictly a jump-shooter — not good for Miami.

4. They Have Nothing to Lose

I know this one gets overplayed every time a prohibitive favorite plays a team expected to walk away with nothing more than an "Atta-Boy," but here it fits the mold perfectly, and mostly for reasons beyond the control of the Pacers. With the relative collapse of the Heat last year in the Finals, much was expected of the "not one, not two, not three…" bunch from the very beginning of this year.

If the Heat fall again, it will be viewed as a collapse on their part, which means two things. The first is that they have all the pressure in the world on them, and the second is that any team they play (in this case, the Pacers) is ignored as simply another road block on the way to too many rings for one hand. This should let them play their game in a loose, relaxed fashion.

Regardless of what happens starting on Sunday, one thing is clear — this will be a series to watch from beginning to end. Whether LeBron and company take that next step, or fail once again, everyone will be talking about this one for a while.

1. Matt Kenseth — Kenseth led with one lap to go at Talladega, but was passed by Brad Keselowski, benefitting from a huge push from Kyle Busch. Kenseth settled for third, and advanced one place in the point standings to second, seven behind Greg Biffle.

"My first thought was to say 'Where's the Biff?'" Kenseth said. "I didn't mean to leave Biffle. Ask Carl Edwards. He'll tell you that usually when I run away from a teammate, it's on purpose.

"I just got too far out in front. That's how it goes when you're leading the field at Talladega. If you check out on the field, you better be ready to check up on the field. I was like my own debris caution."

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. — Earnhardt finished ninth at Talladega, unable to muster the momentum needed for a late-race surge towards the front. He dropped one spot to third in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Greg Biffle by 9. Earnhardt's winless streak now stands at 139.

"The No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet was fast," Earnhardt said, "but not fast enough to win. That's been a familiar refrain for me lately. I hate to repeat myself, and that's sad, because I'm getting pretty good at it."

3. Greg Biffle — Biffle posted a solid fifth in the Aaron's 499, leading 15 laps and running near the front for much of the day. On the green-white-checkered finish, Biffle pushed Matt Kenseth to a sizeable lead, but Biffle's No. 16 couldn't keep pace with Kenseth's No. 17. With their draft connection lost, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch passed the Roush Fenway duo.

"Keselowski and Busch just blew us away," Biffle said. "The 'friends with benefits' were outdone by the 'enemies with benefits.'

"But I'm still on top of the Sprint Cup point standings. At least we know one Roush Fenway driver can hold a lead."

4. Kyle Busch — With one lap to go in the Aaron's 499, Busch was in the driver's seat, in second place, trailing race leader Brad Keselowski. But Busch never got close enough to even attempt a race-winning move, and settled for the runner-up spot. Busch moved up two spots to ninth in the point standings, 70 out of first.

"I had Keselowski," Busch said, "right where I wanted him. But he outsmarted me. In other words, he had me. But I'm not upset. This made me a complete driver. Now, I can say I've been 'schooled' for going too fast, and 'schooled' for going too slow."

5. Brad Keselowski — Keselowski, with a strong push from draft partner Kyle Busch, surged into the lead with a lap to go at Talladega, zooming past the Roush Fenway duo of Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. Keselowski held off Busch and won for the second time this year, and second career victory in the Talladega spring race.

"I got a big push from Kyle," Keselowski said. "I'll reiterate what I said at Bristol some years back: 'Kyle Busch is an ass…et.' I'm not sure if Kyle follows me on Twitter, but he definitely follows me on asphalt. That's two second place finishes for Busch for the weekend. Apparently, M&Ms melt in your hands, and under pressure.

"It was an extremely satisfying win for me. Not only did I win the race, but I was able to tweet from Victory Lane for the second time this year. Call it a 're-Tweet.'"

6. Denny Hamlin — Hamlin was fast all day at Talladega, and was prepared to make a charge after a restart on lap 192. Hamlin's dive to the middle lane was cut off by a block from A.J. Almendinger, and the contact knocked Hamlin out of the race. He finished 23rd, and fell one place in the points to fourth, 27 out of first.

"I got dinged by the 'Dinger,'" Hamlin said. "But that's just the nature of racing at Talladega. You race all day, waiting for the 'Big One.' And, when it happens, you can usually blame the 'Biggest One.'

"Trust me. I'd like nothing more than to seek revenge. But I can't afford the penalty that is sure to follow. Therein lies the 'Catch-22' of catching 22."

7. Tony Stewart — Stewart ended a frustrating day at Talladega with a 24th in the Aaron's 499, as Stewart-Haas teammate Ryan Newman finished 36th. Newman suffered early engine trouble, while Stewart was KO'd in a nine-car wreck four laps from the finish.

"You probably heard about my tongue-in-cheek assessment of the racing at Talladega," Stewart said. "That's just my way of keeping my 'tongue-in-check.' For those too ignorant to understand sarcasm, call it Talladega Spites: The Ballyhoo of Tony Stewart."

8. Martin Truex, Jr. — Truex was collected in a lap 142 pileup started when Dave Blaney and Aric Almirola made contact. Truex's No. 55 Toyota slammed into Jeff Gordon's No. 24, ending the day for both. Truex fell one spot to sixth in the points, and trails Greg Biffle by 46.

"The No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota was running well," Truex said. "Then it all came crashing down. NAPA 'know how' suddenly became NAPA 'no how.'"

9. Jimmie Johnson — Johnson suffered a broken oil pump that sent him to the garage just 61 laps into the Aaron's 499. He finished 35th and fell two places in the Sprint Cup point standings, 54 out of first.

"We certainly don't look like 5-time champions," Johnson said. "Then again, who does?

"I watched the rest of the race from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s pit box. It's quite a view from up there. You can see for miles, and somewhere in the distance, there's a win on the horizon."

10. Kevin Harvick — Harvick was caught in a lap 184 wreck that left his No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet unable to continue. He finished a disappointing 25th and is now fifth in the point standings, 45 out of first.

"We led one lap," Harvick said, "so the car went from the front of the field to the back of the garage. Appropriately, with Rheem as our primary sponsor, we ran hot and cold.

"Brad Keselowski drove a heck of a race. He kept Kyle Busch behind him. Last year at Darlington, I couldn't keep Busch in front of me."

But Seau himself won't be present at his induction into Canton, because he died last week of a gunshot wound to the chest, apparently self-inflicted. Many athletes struggle with the transition away from playing — Seau had been a football player basically all his life, and it was surely a central part of his self-identity — but I don't have anything to add to the speculation concerning a 43-year-old's possible motivations for ending his own life.

Many fans have been struck, however, by Seau's shooting himself in the chest rather than the head. Former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson did the same thing last year, asking that his brain be used for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by his football career. Seau's family has decided to donate his brain for similar research, and frankly it would be shocking at this point if there are no indications of CTE.

CTE is associated with symptoms like depression and early-onset dementia, as well as neurological problems like memory loss or confusion, and more fundamental personality changes like irritability and aggression. Seau was a respected locker room leader, and a community icon who won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his charitable work. He never had any legal troubles, or even any controversies. But in October 2010, less than a year after his retirement, Seau was arrested on domestic violence charges. When he was released, he drove his SUV off a 100-foot cliff, surviving with minor injuries. No one knows for sure, but he didn't seem like the same man who led the Chargers to Super Bowl XXIX or created the Junior Seau Foundation.

I wrote an article last year about Hines Ward and his cavalier attitude toward head trauma in the NFL. Unfortunately, I also wrote about Ward's recent drunk driving citation, which led some readers to feel that I was attacking Ward personally rather than just criticizing his position on an important issue. I thought it was relevant, because someone who regards drunk driving as an acceptable risk probably is not a good judge of whether playing with concussions is an acceptable risk. Obviously I didn't make that clear at the time.

CTE has become an epidemic in contact sports. It's most prominent in football, but this also applies to ice hockey, boxing, mixed martial arts, and other contact sports. Muhammad Ali's condition is famous worldwide. The NHL has dealt with high-profile cases like Bob Probert and Derek Boogaard. This March, Ben Fowlkes wrote for both MMA Fighting and Sports Illustrated about the struggles of Gary Goodridge, a kickboxer and mixed martial artist whose short-term memory effectively is gone and whose personality simply isn't the same as it was when he'd taken fewer hits to the head.

The NFL has taken steps to reduce the impact of conditions like CTE on its players. Moving kickoffs back to the 35-yard line. Extra protection for quarterbacks. The new "defenseless receiver" rules. Fines for the really big hits. New guidelines for players who suffer head injuries. It's not enough. Chris Henry played for the Bengals from 2005 until his death in 2009. This isn't someone like Lou Creekmur or Duerson, or even Seau, who played before we knew how devastating head injuries can be when a player's career is over. Post-mortem analysis of Henry's brain revealed that he had CTE.

The NFL made several big announcements about its new rules for concussions, but those clearly are not being enforced. Last season, in a game against the Jets, the Chargers' Kris Dielman fell down after a block, tried to get up, and fell down again. He stumbled toward the sideline on rubber legs but stayed in the game.

Dielman wasn’t even checked for a concussion until the game was over, and suffered a seizure on the plane ride home. He missed the rest of the season and retired at age 30, a four-time Pro Bowler who couldn't risk further damage to his brain. This is precisely what Commissioner Roger Goodell promised wasn't going to happen any more. Following Dielman's seizure, the league announced that this time, for real, concussions were being monitored. The rest of the world collectively laughed at that idea in Week 14. In front of a national audience on NFL Network's Thursday Night broadcast, the Browns' Colt McCoy took a brutal hit from the Steelers' James Harrison and returned to the field despite an obvious concussion.

Preventing and treating head injuries can't just be a P.R. issue for the NFL, and to be fair, the league has taken some positive steps. Moving kickoffs back to the 35 was a great idea. Limiting contact to the quarterback's head is a good idea, at least in principle — no one likes seeing a 15-yard penalty when a defensive end's little finger grazes the helmet. It would be nice if the league can make a distinction to avoid penalizing harmless, inadvertent contact, or players who deliberately pull up and try to avoid causing damage.

That's the problem with the "defenseless receiver" rules and post-game fines — they're applied too unevenly. Players and fans and even referees don't know what constitutes an illegal hit. The league needs to clarify its policy, stop fining players who accidentally injure opponents, and begin suspending dirty players and head-hunters. I know the players union will fight suspensions, but the league can't give in. Players like Ward, who admitted lying to doctors, need to be protected from themselves.

Junior Seau was never officially reported as suffering a concussion, but his ex-wife told The Associated Press that he simply played through them. That was common until the last couple of years. When I began covering the NFL in 2002, it was almost unheard of for a player to miss a whole game just because of a little brain damage — and that's what a concussion is. The word concussion is interchangeable with the medical term "mild traumatic brain injury". And for years, we've been treating this like it's no big deal. It's in everyone's short-term interest to handle the situation that way. Players want to play, and teams want them out there.

This is not the players' responsibility. Seau played through head injuries. Dielman waved off the training staff to stay in the game. Ward lied to doctors so he could stay on the field. Guys like Ali and Goodridge and Chuck Liddell took multiple fights when it was clear they were already affected by the results of too many hits to the head.

Football and hockey players want to help the team. They feel a responsibility to their teammates, coaches, and fans. Fighters want to entertain, and they need to earn a living. Some of these guys have other ways of doing that, and some of them have made enough money they don't need any more. But then you have guys like Goodridge who have to keep fighting if they want to provide for their families, or Seau, who couldn't step away from the game he loved.

Who can blame them for that? The NFL knows it has a problem, and it has taken some small steps in the right direction. More needs to be done. You can't expect a coach or a team doctor to diagnose concussions and hold the players out. It would be nice if things worked out that way, but in many cases it is not realistic. Teams have a selfish interest in getting the most out of players as soon as possible. The league needs an air-tight, non-negotiable program for independent concussion-monitoring, both in-game and during the week.

There should be a private doctor, qualified to diagnose concussions, on the field for every game, independent of any team. With full access to players and to available replay footage, the doctor should examine any player who appears to suffer a head injury and make a medical decision about whether that player can safely return to action, or whether further testing is required first. We can't have the teams making these decisions, and there needs to be accountability. The NFL must outline a clear procedure and make clear who is in charge and who is responsible if any mistakes occur.

There will be more Mike Websters and Dave Duersons and Junior Seaus. That's probably inevitable. But we can't accept CTE as a necessary by-product of tackle football. Junior Seau was great. In every sense. He was an incredible athlete, a standout basketball player, a champion shot putter, and one of the greatest football players in the history of the sport. He was a good man who started a charitable foundation before it was common for players to do that. He won respect around the NFL as a player and as a person.

He's gone, now. Junior Seau was 43. We don't know yet whether CTE played a role in Seau's apparent personality shifts and depression. But we know we've lost a fine man too soon, and we know CTE is a problem that isn't going away. Athletes are bigger and faster than ever, and modern playing surfaces accommodate greater speeds and stronger impact in collisions.

The NFL is the most popular sports league in the United States, and among the most visible worldwide. Seau's death generated headlines abroad. Goodell and union head DeMaurice Smith have a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in defining how sports respond to CTE and protect their participants. We've made some positive changes, but not nearly enough.

R.I.P. Junior Seau, 1969-2012.

While most of the playoff guessing game centers around these possibilities, there's another team setting its sights on the league's big prize, but hardly anyone is noticing, except their fans. The San Antonio Spurs could have something to say about who grabs the brass ring. After a slow start to an already compressed season due to the lockout, the Spurs galloped into the postseason with the best record and the top seed in the Western Conference.

Could Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili have enough left in the tank for another championship? Here are five reasons the answer may be a resounding yes!

1. Momentum

After the first 21 games, the Spurs looked more like an average team than a championship-caliber juggernaut. Their record was 12-9, and many wondered if they would even be in the playoff hunt by the end of the season.

The Spurs then went on a nearly month-long road trip while the At&T Center hosted San Antonio's annual Livestock Show and Rodeo. That's when the Silver and Black suddenly found its stride, putting together three double-digit winning streaks en route to an astounding 38-7 record over the last 45 regular season games. They entered the postseason having won 10 straight, after reeling off two separate 11-game winning streaks over a two-month period.

During their 38-7 stretch, the Spurs averaged a league-best 106 points per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor, and 39.7 percent from three-point range, both league highs. The offensive firepower wasn't limited to Duncan, Parker, or Ginobili, as 10 different players led the team in scoring. San Antonio finished the regular season ranked in the top five in points per game (103.7), field goal percentage (.478), three-point shooting percentage (.393), assists per game (23.1), and fewest turnovers per game (13.5).

2. Depth

While most teams narrow their rotation to seven or eight players, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is not shy about going deep into his bench. Eleven players have averaged 19 or more minutes this season. The New Jersey Nets, Charlotte Bobcats, and New York Knicks are the only other teams with 10 or more players averaging 19 or more minutes.

The Spurs bench scored an NBA season-high 82 points in an April 6 win over the New Orleans Hornets, and averaged a league-best 41.9 points per game. Ginobili, Matt Bonner, Stephen Jackson, Patty Mills, Gary Neal, and Tiago Splitter make the Spurs second unit one of the most formidable in the league, allowing Popovich to keep his troops fresh during the playoffs.

3. Experience Blended With Youth

Since Tim Duncan joined the Spurs prior to the 1997-98 season, the team has won four NBA championships and eight division titles. During that stretch, they have a .702 winning percentage, the best mark of any team in the four major professional sports, and have made the playoffs 15 consecutive years, the longest active streak in the NBA.

Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have each scored over 10,000 points during their career with San Antonio, making them the only active Big Three to play on the same team and score over 10,000 points, and just the fourth threesome in league history to accomplish the feat.

While Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have been a consistent stabilizing force, the Spurs front office has kept the team fresh by adding other veterans and young talent through the draft and free agency. Eight of the 14 players from this year's roster have less than three years of NBA experience.

In a March 23 trade, the Spurs reacquired Stephen Jackson from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford, and a protected first-round pick. That same month, they signed Boris Diaw and Patty Mills. All three have given the team much-needed depth during their late-season run.

4. Solid Coaching

If you're the general manager, and you decide to replace the head coach with yourself, it isn't always a popular decision, particularly among your fans. Such was the case with Gregg Popovich when he replaced Bob Hill with himself as Spurs head coach in 1996.

After nearly 16 seasons, the only grumbling you hear comes from opposing teams and their fans. Popovich, who relinquished his GM duties in 2002 in order to concentrate fully on coaching, surpassed Red Auerbach in April for second place on the all-time wins list with one team with 847. His tenure with the same team is the longest of any coach in all four major professional sports.

Popovich just picked up his second Coach of the Year award to go along with the one he earned in 2003. He's been named Coach of the Month 14 times during his career, including back-to-back months in February and March this year. His ability to mold an ever-changing team into a cohesive unit is one of the reasons the Spurs have won consistently during his reign.

5. Redemption

Last season, the Spurs entered the playoffs as the Western Conference top seed, only to be sent packing in six games by the Memphis Grizzlies. Fans were wondering if the teams slow start this season was due to the extended lockout and shorter preseason, or the sting of their first-round playoff exit.

The biggest difference between last year's playoffs and this year's is health. Ginobili's late-season injury kept him out of the Memphis series, but he, Duncan, and Parker all appear to be healthy. Gregg Popovich even rested his three stars the last several games of the regular season, so they shouldn't be as battle-weary during the intense postseason.

The Spurs will certainly have their hands full, no doubt about it. Even if they go beyond the Western Conference Finals, they may have to face a Miami Heat team that's looking for some redemption of their own. The Dallas Mavericks denied LeBron and Co. a championship by beating them in last year's finals, and the pressure to win is even stronger this year. But with the momentum and offensive explosiveness combined with a rejuvenated Tim Duncan, better depth, experience mixed with youth, and great coaching, the Spurs are just as motivated to win "one for the thumb."

* When the Fist Meets the Glass, You Become a Dumbass, That's Amare, or Healthy Scratch — Amare Stoudemire punched a glass casing surrounding a fire extinguisher minutes after a frustrating Knicks loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, suffering cuts that required surgery. Stoudemire missed Game 3 of the series on Tuesday, but downplayed the extent of the injury, saying it was just a "Knick."

* 'Baugh, Humbug! The Patriots Counted Ways to Defend Themselves, on Three Fingers — John Harbaugh said the Patriots three Super Bowl championships are tainted by the Spygate scandal, and those titles "got asterisks now." Several in the Patriots organization defended themselves, adding that when inlaid in championship rings, asterisks look a lot like diamonds.

* Boston T'd Party — Rajon Rondo was suspended for Game 2 of the Celtics series with the Hawks for bumping referee Marc Davis while protesting a call. Rondo said the discipline was unjustified, and cited the case of Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, who was guilty of way more "bumps" and wasn't disciplined at all.

* Re-Misremember, or Injection of Doubt — Andy Petitte took the stand on Tuesday in Roger Clemens' perjury trial, and testified that Clemens told him he had taken human growth hormone. Pettitte later said he could have misunderstood what Clemens had said, which the prosecution characterized as the best curveball Pettitte's ever thrown.

* He Aced the Physical Exam, But "Deuced" the Wonderlic Test — The Buffalo Bills worked out quarterback Vince Young on Wednesday, looking to add depth behind Harvard graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick, which is as close as Young will ever get to Harvard.

* Vil-ified, or Jonathan Swift-boated, or Paying the Price — New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the entire 2012 season for his role in the team's bounty system. Although Vilma now has a wide-open schedule, Commissioner Roger Goodell insisted he received no incentive for "cleaning his clock."

* His Football Skills Are Limited, But He's Now the Raiders Best "Player" — Oakland Raiders signed Matt Leinart to a one-year contract on Tuesday, where he'll back up fellow USC alum Carson Palmer at quarterback. Leinart now becomes the most-eligible bachelor in Oakland. In related news, Sebastian Janikowski plans to give up GHB and use Leinart to meet women.

* It Was the High Point of His Career, or Boston Brewin,' or Not-So-Clean Monster — Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd admitted he used crack cocaine every day of the 1986 season with the Boston Red Sox. Boyd was 16-10 that year with a 3.78 ERA, statistics that belie the fact that he got "rocked" often.

Though there are definitely favorites, every playoff season brings with it an x-factor that takes a team over the edge. In the last 10 years, we've seen (Robert) Horry's, (Derek) Fisher's, Manu's (Ginobili), and (Rajon) Rondo's become household names because of exceptional playoff appearances and the question now is, "Who will be this year's x-factor player that takes his team over the edge?"

Western Conference

Utah Jazz (No. 8 seed, 36-30)

The Jazz are young and fun to watch, but don't really stand much of a chance against the top-seeded Spurs. The Spurs aren't going to let an eight-seed knock them out like they did last year, and after a 15-point routing in Game 1 and three convincing wins during the regular season, I can only see one real chance for the Jazz to pull it off. In the last meeting of the regular season, the Jazz did manage to take down the Spurs, 91-84. The Jazz's "x-factor" in that game was Greg Popovich. Pop and the Spurs had a playoff spot locked up and decided to sit Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan and thus the Jazz escaped with a victory. I can't see this series going past five games unless Pop decides to rest his stars for a few games again.

Dallas Mavericks (No. 7 seed. 36-30)

You have to respect a defending champion, and because of this, I think the Mavs could actually stand a chance against the crazy talented, crazy athletic OKC Thunder. In Game 1, a shooter's touch is all that gave the home team Thunder the victory at an arena with the most energetic and supportive fans in all of basketball, and Game 2 was only decided by 3 points. If Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs can win their home games, a Game 7 upset could be a-brewin'. In last years' playoff run, Tyson Chandler was the Mavs' x-factor and he is gone. If new face Delonte West can recover from his illness and get hot, he could give the Mavericks a chance to make a run.

Denver Nuggets (No. 6 seed, 38-28)

Though sluggish in Game 1, the Nuggets looked like a playoff team in Game 2. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum are both playing their best basketball of the season and this doesn't bode well for any of the teams in their path, but if they slow down, the Nuggets might have a chance. Ty Lawson scored 25 points and took control of the game during the Nuggets' fourth-quarter charge. If he can play at that same level for four quarters, the Nuggets could make it a series.

L.A. Clippers (No. 5 seed, 40-26)

Amazing did happen in the Clippers' opener when they erased a 27-point deficit to take home court advantage from the Grizzlies. The game was more than just a win, it was a huge momentum builder and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Clip Show take down the series in four if they steal another one in Memphis. Nick Young and Eric Bledsoe both played outstanding during the fourth quarter heroics, and both deserve "x-factor" consideration, but I think I have to give the title to the superstar.

Chris Paul is arguably the most passionate player in the league and when he was sat down early in the fourth quarter, he literally had to beg his coach to let him "give our team a chance." When he went back on the floor, he simply made the game his own. If the support players can keep on doing what they're doing and Chris Paul stays in attack mode, there just might be a new king of the Staples Center after this playoff run.

Memphis Grizzlies (No. 4 seed, 41-25)

After the aforementioned heartbreaking loss to the Clippers, the Grizz will have to put it behind them if they want to stand a chance against the surging Clippers. Though I really do think the Clippers will now take down the series in four or five games, the Grizzlies are a very good team and if a few things fall into place, they can make a series out of it. They were obviously doing something right to go up by 27 points on a playoff team and if they can slow down the Clippers' offense, they can get some wins. Their scoring attack was pretty even across the board, but no one really stood out. I think the Grizzlies are the only team without an "x-factor" right now, but if Mike Conley, Jr. or O.J. Mayo (or both) can step up their games to help take the pressure off Rudy Gay, they could turn things around for sure.

L.A. Lakers (No. 3 seed, 41-25)

The Lakers are looking very good behind Kobe Bryant, who always seems to look five years younger during the playoffs, and Pau Gasol is playing solid, as well. Bynum is, without a doubt, this team's x-factor and if he continues to play at the level he is playing at, the Lakers are going to be very, very difficult to beat. After proving to the world why he was an all-star starter by posting a triple-double in Game 1, Bynum followed it up with 27 points in Game 2, when scoring was what won the Lakers the game.

OKC Thunder (No. 2 seed, 47-19)

Even with less-than-convincing one-basket victories at home in Games 1 and 2, the Thunder are still my favorite to win the whole shebang. With two of the NBA's top five scorers both playing very well, it will be impossible to beat this team by more than a few points, but if James Harden continues his role as the sixth man of the decade, it will be impossible to beat the Thunder at all. Kevin Durant is hot almost every single night, so the Thunder's x-factor title has to go to his Robin in this case. When Russell Westbrook is hot, he is as good as a scorer as Durant and his energy (as well as the fans' in OKC) just propels everyone around him to be that much better. If he plays solid throughout, the Thunder will win the championship.

San Antonio (No. 1 seed, 50-16)

The Spurs are old, no doubt, but they are still a great basketball team. If they make their way to the Western Conference finals and they play the Thunder, it will be like watching Sam Perkins play Nate Robinson in a one-on-one game, but being exciting doesn't necessarily get you victories. I think health will be the Spurs' x-factor, and if they can take down series in five or six games to give themselves rest, they have as good a chance of winning as the Thunder.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia 76ers (No. 8 seed, 35-31)

Though absolutely dismal after the All-Star break (10-14) I was glad to see the Sixers sneak into the playoffs. Most people are pointing the finger at the Bulls after their Game 2 loss because of the absence of Derrick Rose, but the Bulls were 18-9 without Rose during the regular season, so I point my finger at the 76ers and say, "Way to go!" Jrue Holliday was exceptional and if he plays like he is capable of playing, he can be the x-factor that carries the Sixers into the second round. Scoring leader Lou Williams played well and all-star Andre Iguodala did, as well. If Jrue continues his high level of playing, I think a few more people might join me in pointing the finger towards the 76ers, too.

New York Knicks (No. 7 seed, 36-30)

After a (metaphorical and literal) knock-out punch in Game 2 against the Heat, I don't see much of a chance for the Knicks. Iman Shumpert was a huge loss, as he is the only guy on that team that can keep Dwyane Wade at bay and I think Wade will be even bigger when he goes to New York for the next two games. The only "x-factor" to help the Knicks make a series out of this one would be the long ball. When Carmelo Anthony is hot, he simply does not miss. If he can put the team on his back and get some shooting help from Steve Novak and the gang, they might stand a chance. Amar'e Stoudemire might have "handed" the Heat Game 3 but if he comes back, the middle (alongside Tyson Chandler) isn't a place anyone wants to go. If they can make the series a shootout, maybe we'll see more than four games.

Orlando Magic (No. 6 seed, 37-29)

Dwight Howard was the reason the Magic were good this year. After he went down, I thought they would be a joke against the Pacers, but after winning Game 1 (the only game I didn't watch over the weekend, thinking it would be 125-40) I am happy to say I was way off. I don't think anyone would argue who the Magic's x-factor has to be, and that is Glen Davis. No one can be Dwight Howard, but he was darn close in the first game of the series. Glen held down the paint and scored 16 points and grabbed 13 boards (Howard averaged 20 and 14, not bad). In Game 2, Big Baby still put up the points (18), but only corralled 3 defensive rebounds. Not what you need from your starting center. If Glen can control the paint, the Howard-less Magic could definitely prove me wrong.

Atlanta Hawks (No. 5 seed, 40-26)

After an exceptional series-opener where he went for 22 points and 18 rebounds, I would love to say that Josh Smith is the Hawks' x-factor, but an untimely injury (which I guess they all are in the playoffs) in Game 2 made me go searching somewhere else. With no one in their lineup to replace Smith's size and athleticism down low, another starter will have to step up and take some of the scoring load off Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson. Kirk Heinrich isn't known for scoring, but if he gets open threes, he knocks them down. I think if the Hawks can run some off ball screens and get Heinrich in a rhythm, he could be the x-factor they need to make a run.

Boston Celtics (No. 4 seed, 39-27)

Though Rajon Rondo's chest bump was stupid, I think it will prove advantageous in the long run. With the spotlight given back to Paul Pierce in Game 2, due to the Rondo suspension, he went absolutely batty and put up 36 points. Pierce is at his best when he is confident and having the whole team on his back and coming out with a victory, his confidence is, no doubt, sky-high. Rondo plays at his best when he has something to prove (very Kobe-esque) and after the suspension, I think he is going to be incredible the rest of the series.

Indiana Pacers (No. 3 seed, 42-24)

The Pacers have, arguably, the most balanced starting five in the NBA. If they can continue the balanced offensive attack they have, they will continue winning games. Their defense is great, and will continue to be, but they definitely need one of the balanced five to step up his game and I think it will be David West. West was "the man" in New Orleans and is definitely not talked about near as much in Indiana, but I think the playoffs could be his time to reclaim the limelight. West needs to be the x-factor for the Pacers, and if he is, they can go deep.

Miami Heat (No. 2 seed, 46-20)

The Heat look disgustingly good and are my favorite to take down the east. The big three are all playing exactly how they should be playing and could triple-handedly take the team to the Eastern Finals, but then they will need someone else to step up when LeBron James and D-Wade have to go up against one of the pesky defenses that define the teams in the top spots in the East. I think this x-factor has to be James Jones off the bench. He is one of the purest shooters in the league and has already been impressive in the playoffs. If he plays his role and knocks down a few clutch threes, I think the Heat are a shoe-in to the finals and could definitely take down the Thunder (or whoever ends up being there).

Chicago Bulls (No. 1 seed, 50-16)

Losing an MVP is never a good thing, but Tom Thibodeau is one of the best coaches in the game and knows how to use what he has. I don't count the Rose-less Bulls out for one second. If everyone continues to play their roles (C.J. Watson and John Lucas III are both very good point guards) the games will stay close and the Bulls will have chances to win. Where the Bulls' x-factor position needs filled is a finisher. If Rip Hamilton can take the reins late and shoot the ball with the confidence he had during the Pistons' championship runs, the Bulls could make a run of their own.

First, all of the links I will be referring to are mostly on this page. When linking a bunch of logos/helmets in the past on such articles, I have encountered problems with link rot and borked URLs. So this time, just look on that page, and I will refer to the team/years I'm referring to.

A word about my helmet preferences. I am not a traditionalist. I don't like blank helmets or helmets with just a letter on it in an unimaginative font. But you can definitely be too gaudy, as well. I like schools that find the happy medium. I also prefer it when teams use a helmet logo that that contains just a wordless/letterless logo, as I see such schools as trying to build a brand that will eventually be so recognizable they don't even need a identifying letter/word for the world to know who they are. Onto the schools:

ALABAMA — Helmets with numbers on the side are just as boring as blank ones. However, I'm sure the spotters in the press box appreciate the extra identifying piece. And I have to give them respect in noting that there has been no cosmetic change in their helmets in 52 years.

ARKANSAS — This is what I'm talking about. You see that logo, you know who it is. You don't need an "A" to help you. They could stand to make it bigger though. And wasn't he cute when he got himself painted red, white, and blue on 09/11/2011?

AUBURN — Better than Alabama, but not great. I liked it better with the orange face-masks they wore from 1979-83. And if your name is something fierce like the "Tigers" and you're are closely associated with the name "War Eagle," shouldn't you do something like that? Like an eagle in army fatigues cocking a rifle whilst riding on top a tiger?

FLORIDA — I don't know why "our nickname, in cursive" is so popular, but there it is with Florida and until recently, Maryland and Washington State, too. And to think they used to cleverly intertwine the U and the F to make goalposts. And they got away from one of the coolest logos in sports about a decade ago.

GEORGIA — Started using this helmet logo in 1964. The Green Bay Packers started using it in 1961. So let it be known the Bulldogs ripped this off the Packers and not the other way around. Grambling uses it, too. I don't know why so many teams are so in love with it.

KENTUCKY — Oh man, those helmets you wore in 1973-74 and then trotted out again for a game in 2004. Besides the overly-detailed wildcat head (I think I even see pores and dander), it wasn't enough! Let's put an outline of the state on there, too! I honestly can't decide if I love it or hate it. As you can also see, like most bad teams looking to kickstart an identity and a "new era," every couple of years they'ved dabbled in about 50 berzillion designs, none that interesting or different from one another. My suggestion: use the current all-purpose logo, but lose the "UK."

LSU — Same problem as 1973-74 Kentucky, That tiger head is too detailed, and with it being as small as it is, makes it especially pointless. Why not use the super-cool tiger eye that graces the 50-yard line?

MISSISSIPPI — Oh man, those helmets you wore in the 1970s. This is what I mean when I say there's such a thing as too gaudy. Colonel Reb was one of the strangest mascots ever. He doesn't look like he'll kick your ass, like most mascots. But you still get the impression if you don't get him a mint julep this very second, you're gonna regret it. He's redrawing the will as we speak. And as borderline over-the-top it was to stick him on the helmet, it wasn't enough! By God, we need to put "Ole Miss" on there, too! Otherwise, they will think we are some other school with a mascot with a walking stick who can make one phone call and get the lily-livered Lieutenant Governor who's gettin' too big for his britches impeached!

MISSISSIPPI STATE — See Kentucky. "Let's experiment with about 1,000 not very interesting themes with just letters, even though we are called the "Bulldogs." Also, what is up with their 1969-71 helmet decal? Mississippi State is not on the Gulf Coast. I don't think it's big fishing school. And also it looks like you're reeling in your own team.

MISSOURI — Another school tweaking with a bunch of elements on the same theme that ... what? Starting next year, you are getting rid of the M entirely and just going with the tiger head? Bravo, Missouri. Bravo.

SOUTH CAROLINA — Well, they had it right, almost, in 1966-67 and again from 1969-74 (even if that "Scholarship - Leadership" banner was unnecessary and over the top), but then they had to add that C. Even still, they need to redesign the gamecock so it doesn't look like he's practicing judo starting moves. Of the different colors they've played with, I prefer the garnet helmets with the white circle.

TENNESSEE — This is, and has always been, so boring, that I can't even think of any interesting way to make fun of it. So please take this time to clean out the lint drawer in your dryer, and by the time you get back, I'll have moved on to the next school.

TEXAS A&M — In 1965, the A and the M were at the bottom. In 1978, they started to levitate. And expand, which it did again in 1979, 1999, and 2007. By 2018, the letters A and M will be above the T, and the whole logo will cover the whole helmet side. By 2025, the A and M will have floated off the helmet entirely and will hover above the players like weird halos (Jesus did, after all, attend A&M as an undergrad). I also think they should chuck this logo entirely and put this on their helmets (minus the title of course).

VANDERBILT — Nice. Not too plain and not gaudy, either. I'm glad they went back to the star with the V in the middle after a decade (1991-2001) of moving away from it.

To some, the job of naming a replacement starter for a departed signal-caller is a no-brainer. To others, finding that new starter is about as easy as finding Neptune on a cloudy night. But, in either case, knowing who will take the first snap of the upcoming season for their team is what keeps the fire fueled for most fans of college football.

The losses of Luck, Osweiler, Foles, and Tyler Hansen to the NFL, and Darron Thomas to an ill-advised draft declaration (he's yet to be signed by a pro team), no doubt created some gigantic holes in the depth charts of their now alma maters. In fact, of those five schools, only one of them has a clear-cut starter to begin the 2012 season. Arizona has apparently decided that senior Matt Scott will take over for Foles under center. The ironic thing about that is that Scott didn't take a snap in 2011 because Foles's backup, Bryson Beirne, was lost to graduation.

But Stanford's heir apparent to Luck is still up in the air as junior Brett Nottingham is receiving some serious pressure from senior Josh Nunes, and Arizona State, Colorado and Oregon all have up-and-comers vying for the starting job. The Sun Devils have a trio of sophomores — Mike Bercovici, Michael Eubank and Taylor Kelly – duking it out for the top spot. Bercovici and Kelly both saw limited action last season, but experience is lacking throughout on the ASU roster. Colorado is looking at Texas transfer Connor Wood and incumbent backup sophomore Nick Hirchman for the starting role. And just about everyone in Eugene thought sophomore Bryan Bennett, who looked just as good as Thomas in his brief appearances, would be the starter, but redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota outplayed him in the Ducks' spring game.

Meanwhile, only two other schools to lose starters (sort of) to graduation were Washington State and Utah. At Wazzu, senior Jeff Tuel, who was last year's starter until injuries sidelined him for most of the season (Marshall Loebbestael started the majority of those games), is being pushed by sophomore Connor Halliday, who looked brilliant at times last year (and like a freshman at others). But, barring further injuries and a collapse in ability, Tuel should be the signal-caller for new coach Mike Leach come September. Conversely, Utah's situation appears to be in hand with senior Jordan Wynn taking over for the graduated Jon Hays.

The rest of the Pac-12 seems to be more decided regarding who 2012's starting quarterbacks will be, with a couple exceptions. UCLA, under new coach Jim Mora, thought that one of its two seniors would be the definite starter, but redshirt freshman Brett Hundley appears to be a worthy challenge for Richard Brehaut and Kevin Prince. My hunch is that Mora will go with one of the seniors out of respect and for their game experience. Meanwhile, Oregon State also thought that sophomore Sean Mannion would be the starter this coming season, but a late surge this spring by fellow sophomore Cody Vaz has a few people in Corvallis taking notice.

As for everyone else, it's pretty much chiseled in stone who the starting quarterbacks will be in four months when the season starts, and they're also pretty much no-brainers. Can anyone compete against Matt Barkley at USC, or Keith Price at Washington, or Zach Maynard at Cal? Not really.

So, with those three quarterbacks firmly ensconced at the top of the depth charts, could they be the next Luck/Osweiler/Foles trio to be drafted next year? Quite possibly. But getting through the upcoming season and putting their teams in the best possibilities to win are more on their minds than playing at the next level — which is also the priority of the other quarterbacks fighting for the top job at their schools. Some will have to fight long and hard to get and keep their starting roles. But whether they've been the starter for years or are trying to win it, 2012 should be another exciting year in the Pac-12 thanks to another good crop of quarterbacks.