By Adam Cancryn

Tim Wakefield's time as a baseball player was supposed to end in 1988. Yet here he is more than two decades later, stepping away from an improbable career built on one improbable pitch.

By now, 19 major league seasons later, Tim Wakefield's story is a familiar one.

A light-hitting first baseman drafted out of Florida Tech by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wakefield had just finished a 1988 season in which he hit .189 and managed just 11 extra base hits over 54 games. It was an uninspiring performance and, to Wakefield's good fortune, at least one scout had no problem telling him just that. You'll never make it past the AA level as a position player, said the scout, whose name has long been lost to history. Not with your skill set.

Desperate to do the improbable and salvage his career, Wakefield turned to the most improbable solution in baseball: the knuckleball.

Difficult to learn and impossible to master, with a tendency toward insubordination ("A curveball that doesn't give a damn" is how sportswriter Jimmy Cannon described it), the knuckleball is a questionable pitch to hitch your fortunes to; just 85 pitchers in Major League Baseball history have successfully put their career in the its shaky hands, by Rob Neyer's unofficial count. And none of them were light-hitting first basemen clinging to a career just a year old and fading fast.

Yet Wakefield and the knuckleball clicked almost instantly. In 1989, he threw 39 2/3 innings and finished with a 3.40 ERA. It earned him a promotion, and the next year he won 10 games. The wins grew to 15, with a 2.90 ERA, at AA Carolina in 1991. Three years removed from the bowels of the Pirates' organization, Wakefield was a knuckleballer and a rising star.

He burst onto the Major League stage in '92, going 8-1 and helping the Pirates to a playoff berth. Pittsburgh would lose in seven games in the NLCS. Wakefield would record two of the team's three series wins.

The knuckleball is a cruel mistress, however, and its dips and dives deserted him soon after that breakout year. Wakefield spent the next four up-and-down seasons in the minors. There, he simply did what he'd done his entire improbable career: show up every day, pitch whenever called upon and hope the knuckleball continues to dance and twirl.

Even after catching on with the Red Sox, Wakefield's approach never changed. His numbers were never great, but Wakefield entrenched himself at the major league level as the team mule. A string of better, more talented pitchers filtered through the organization, but none could match Wakefield's constant state of rubber-armed readiness. He filled whatever role was necessary, and threw whenever and for however long was required. A year after going 17-8 as a starter, Wakefield in 1999 switched to the bullpen and finished 28 games, saving 15 of his 18 opportunities. It would be three years until he got another crack at the rotation. When he did, he won 11 games and posted a career-best 162 ERA+, and still saved three games in the process.

That would be the sort of anti-rhythm of Wakefield's career: scattered, unpredictable and hanging by a thread, yet always available when needed, just like the knuckleball he put his faith in each time out. Nevertheless, it would net him two World Series rings, an All-Star Game appearance, and the nod in 1995 as the American League's Comeback Player of the Year.

In recent years, it's been suggested that Wakefield became selfish and single-minded in his pursuit of 200 career wins. There may be some truth to that-- after all, 200 wins is an unthinkable milestone for a converted first baseman with one pitch. Yet even then, Wakefield was a constant, the rock that the Red Sox sorely needed amid the injuries and frayed nerves that have plagued them in recent years. He pitched 33 games at the age of 44, starting 23 and finishing six. He showed up every day. And sometimes even, everything would come together and that knuckleball would swerve and drop and swirl, and Wakefield would be dominant again.

As a whole, Tim Wakefield wasn't a great pitcher, and he was never going to be. But for 19 years, he showed up every day, and piece by piece, fashioned an honorable career. For a light-hitting first baseman out of Florida Tech, that's not too bad.


For Sox fans, a long-awaited goodbye

By Parker Swenson

Tim Wakefield and his nervous breakdown-inducing outings are thankfully gone... for now.  

Wave goodbye to Wake. This past week, Tim Wakefield, the infamous Red Sox knuckleballer, called it a career. With exactly 200 wins to his name, Wakefield boasts some gaudy stats for a man who’s built his 19-year career on one pitch. He finished behind only Cy Young and Roger Clemens in all-time Red Sox wins, sits behind only Clemens in strikeouts (2,046 to Roger’s 2,590) and bested both in starts (430) and innings pitched (3,006).

Yet even though the career numbers are impressive, I’m excited that Wake has finally stepped away. No pitcher in recent memory generated more anxiety among the Red Sox faithful. His knuckleball, which Wakefield threw more than 75% of the time, came in at about 65 mph to 70 mph. That's about the speed of a 13-year-old’s fastball. And Wakefield’s fastball? It wasn't much better, hitting just 73 mph to 78 mph. If the knuckleball wasn't dancing, his outings quickly become a rousing round of home run derby.

And unfortunately, his knuckleball had had some tired legs for several years now. Over his last six seasons, Wakefield was 56-57 in 147 starts and 23 relief appearances. Over those same six seasons, the Red Sox averaged roughly five-and-a-quarter runs per game, second only to the Yankees during that period. But the run support was often not enough for Wakefield, who finished with a record over .500 just twice in those six years.

In fact, Wakefield managed a winning record in only nine or his 17 seasons with the Sox, and a big contributor to that is the ease with which he could lose big leads. Wakefield pitched his way to an ERA over 5.00 six times in his career, a mark that many pitchers don’t get a second or third chance to recover from, let alone six.

Yet despite all that, he held on with the Red Sox because of his consistent health and ability to step into any role, be it starter, reliever, or even closer. He’s always been there when the injury bug hits the rotation, and could be penciled in for six innings and three earned runs on any given night.

When asked if he would consider a midseason comeback with the Sox if called upon, Wakefield responded with “more than likely.” Though his roster spot is going to someone newer and, hopefully, more talented, something tells me we're just one injury away from several anxious, knuckleball-filled games in the future for the Red Sox faithful.

The Week Ahead (all times EST)- Your guide to what to watch-- and what to watch for-- this coming week

College Basketball
Kansas St. at Missouri- Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Virginia at Virginia Tech- Feb. 21 at 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
Duke at Florida St.- Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Missouri at Kansas- Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. (CBS)
North Carolina at Virginia- Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Wisconsin at Ohio St.- Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. (CBS)
NBA

Blazers at Lakers- Feb. 20 at 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
Hawks at Knicks- Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. (SportSouth/MSG)
Knicks at Heat- Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA All-Star Game- Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
NHL
Rangers at Penguins- Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. (MSG/FOX PITT)
Red Wings at Blackhawks- Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
Bruins at Blues- Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. (NESN/FOX MIDW)
Lightning at Penguins- Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. (NHLNET)
NASCAR
Daytona 500- Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. (FOX)
Baseball
Pitchers and catchers report during the first half of this week, including the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals on Feb. 20; the Boston Red Sox on Feb. 21; the Miami Marlins on Feb. 22; and the Texas Rangers on Feb. 23. A full list can be found at Big League Stew.

In the Kitchen- Tracking the major hot stove stories

• Lions defensive end Cliff Avril is in a standoff with his team over a new deal. Avril is pushing for a long-term contract, while Detroit is mulling using its franchise tag on him. 
• Outfielder Mike Cameron will retire after 17 major league seasons. A great defensive center fielder with pop at the plate, Cameron won three gold gloves and hit .249 with 278 home runs during stints with eight different teams.
• Kyle Kendrick-- who was once tricked into thinking he got traded to a Japanese team-- signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for $7.5 million over two years. 
• Jorge Soler is the next Cuban outfielder drawing attention after Yoenis Cespedes signed with the Oakland Athletics last week. The 19-year-old has reportedly received interest from as many as seven teams, including the Yankees, Phillies and Red Sox, and could command $15 million to $20 million over five years.

Web Gems- The week's best, worst or strangest Internet sports finds

Man in Full- SI's Chris Ballard on Mike Powell, the Chicago wrestling coach who's built a high school powerhouse and inspired countless kids along the way, all while fighting a muscle-weakening disease. Brandon Sneed later interviewed Ballard about the story.

John Fairfax, who rowed across the Atlantic, dies at 74- "At 9, he settled a dispute with a pistol. At 13, he lit out for the Amazon jungle. At 20, he attempted suicide by jaguar. Afterward he was apprenticed to a pirate."

The best NY athlete (Hint: Not Lin)- Amid all the attention paid to Victor Cruz and Jeremy Lin and others, New York's best athlete has flown under the radar.

The Empire State building lit blue and orange Feb. 17 in honor of the late Gary Carter.

Coming Up- What's next at Began in '96

• Tuesday: A guide to sticking with your fitness goals, and then putting your progress to the test, by Parker Swenson.
• Thursday: Joe Schackman breaks down all of Major League Baseball's active Hall of Fame candidates.

Read more »

By Adam Cancryn

Eli Manning and the NFC Championship Game, a coming of age tale.

Even as society forever struggles with the definition of manhood, there are no shortage of milestones commemorating that mystical passage from juvenile to real, adult man.

Legally, that transition is automatic at 18 years old. Among Jews, though, it's more like 14, while Christians can jump the gun on becoming a man with that First Communion at age seven. The philosophical and literary types set the bar a little higher. Often the passage to manhood is determined by any number of transformational experiences, rather than an arbitrary age.

Yet for all of these potential man-making markers, it seems Eli Manning missed every single one. Now 31, the quarterback with 10 playoff games, one Super Bowl ring, a wife and a son to his name is still portrayed as the rug rat of the NFL, the kid pretending to be a big time professional athlete. Over the past eight years, he's been at various times the Rookie, the Work in Progress and finally the Franchise Quarterback. At all times, though, he's been Peyton's little brother.

That portrayal was inevitable, even if it's not exactly fair. Where most quarterbacks are evaluated on their raw production, Eli is judged by his unique brand of aesthetic awkwardness: The thousand-yard stare, the reflexive right shoulder shrug, the gawrsh-darnit! slap on the knee after a poor play. He's the Theodore Cleaver of the NFL, and that doesn't play well in a league built on Hulk Hogan-esque machismo.

However, Manning's image as the home by dark, in bed by 8 golden child might finally be changing, thanks mainly to his performance in the NFC Championship Game and the sheer amount of brutality he endured over its four-and-a-half quarters.

Officially, the 49ers brought Manning to his knees six times, but anyone watching knows that was hardly the full price paid for his 58 passing attempts. The Giants' quarterback was hurried, hit and knocked down all afternoon, thrashings often delivered by 6' 4", 270-pound defensive ends Justin and Aldon Smith. Yet Manning bounced back each time, albeit caked in dirt, with shoulder pads unhinged and helmet askew. He trotted back to the huddle, called the play and then returned to the scene of his last beating.

Manning did not singlehandedly win the game, the way he has done in the past. He was not even particularly impressive, managing just 5.4 yards per attempt and orchestrating only two scores. But if his dogged pursuit of pain was not particularly productive, it was at least inspiring. The aw-shucks kid from Louisiana had morphed into a bare-knuckle brawler, shrugging off the latest wound as "just a scratch." In doing so, he did more to change his public perception in one game than he'd done in eight years.

Manning will never be the bleeding-from-the-head Y.A. Tittle that Giants fans still yearn for, even after standing tall against the Niners. Maybe now, though, he can at least shed all those juvenile qualifiers. Maybe now, he can simply be Eli, the Man.


The Week Ahead (all times EST)- Your guide to what to watch-- and what to watch for-- this coming week

Super Bowl
Patriots v. Giants- Feb. 5 at 6:29 p.m. (NBC)
College Basketball

Missouri at Texas- Jan. 30 at 9 p.m. (ESPN)
UConn at Georgetown- Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Towson at Hofstra- Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.
Syracuse at St. John's- Feb. 4 at noon (ESPN)
Ohio St. at Wisconsin- Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. (ESPN)
Kansas at Missouri- Feb. 4 at 9 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA
Thunder at Clippers- Jan. 30 at 10:30 p.m. (FSN Prime Ticket/NBATV)
Bulls at 76ers- Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. (Comcast Sports Chicago/COMCAST)
Pacers at Mavericks- Feb. 3 at 8:30 p.m. (FOX SW)
76ers at Hawks- Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. (COMCAST/Sport South)
NHL
Rangers at Devils- Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. (MSG+)
Blackhawks at Canucks- Jan. 31 at 10 p.m. (WGN/TSN)
Penguins at Maple Leafs- Feb. 1 at 7:30 (FOX PITT/TSN)
Predators at Flyers- Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. (FXSM/COMCAST)
Kings at Blues- Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. (FOX WEST/FOX MIDW)
Devils at Flyers- Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. (MSG+/COMCAST)
Bruins at Capitals- Feb. 5 at 12:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

In the Kitchen- Tracking the major hot stove stories

• Pitcher Roy Oswalt will likely be the next big name on the move, as he is expected to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals within the next few days. Oswalt has been a top-of-rotation pitcher throughout his career, but back injuries slowed him last year and continue to be a concern. As a result, he'll probably end up signing a one-year deal. The Red Sox and Texas Rangers are also in pursuit.
• The bidding for ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers is believed to have topped $1.2 billion, with one offer reported at $1.5 billion. At least eight potential buyers made it to the second round of bidding for the franchise that was put on the block amid its owners' bitter divorce.
• Reliever Koji Uehara might end up back with the Baltimore Orioles, after he rejected a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles traded Uehara to the Texas Rangers late last season for their playoff push, but after developing a bond with the city of Baltimore, would prefer to return.
• The New York Mets are on track for the largest year-over-year payroll drop in MLB history, cutting $52 million. That would be more than the $48.4 million the Texas Rangers shed between 2003 and 2004. The departures of Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez have made the biggest dent in the team's expenses, actions necessitated by a string of recent financial issues.

Web Gems- The week's best, worst or strangest Internet sports finds

Jets' Curtis Martin has shown greatness beyond football, including forgiving his father- The moving story of Hall of Fame candidate Curtis Martin, his father and forgiveness

A fighter abroad- Brian Phillips' thoroughly researched feature on the life and career of free slave-turned-bare knuckle boxer Tom Molineaux

Joe Paterno: Bury a man, keep the statue- College football devotee Spencer Hall on the late Joe Paterno

The blessed lives of Herb Pope- Herb Pope cheated death twice, and now he's leading upstart Seton Hall and is a candidate for Big East Player of the Year

Roger Federer as religious experience- In honor of Jan. 29's epic Australian Open final, revisit David Foster Wallace's iconic essay on tennis and Roger Federer

Coming Up- What's next at Began in '96

• Tuesday: Keeping up with American sports while living on the other side of the world, by Nate Nickerson.
• Thursday: Began in '96's first annual Super Bowl drinking game.
• Friday: In a matchup no football traditionalist could love, this year's Super Bowl will feature both the league's worst defensive team and the league's worst rushing offense, by Adam Cancryn.

Read more »

By Neill Thupari

A Ravens fan looks back on the past season, and the heartbreaking game that ended it.

Before we get too deep into the tragedy that took place at Gillette Stadium, there are a few things that need to be ironed out:

1. That was one hell of a football game.

Full of momentum swings, fiery intensity and the teams' genuine dislike for one another, that was a great football game from start to finish. New England overcame an uninspiring performance by Tom Brady (22/36, 239 yards, 2 INTs and a 57.5 rating), and showed that their defense can and stand tall if need be. BenJarvus Green-Ellis (68 yards, 1 TD, 4.5 yards per carry) demonstrated what an average/subpar running back can do if a defense is primarily anticipating the pass. 

All kidding aside, there were plenty of times following turnovers when New England could have folded. Instead, they persevered and forced the Ravens to make big-time plays to beat them, which they fell dreadfully short of doing.

2. Lee Evans should have caught that touchdown pass with 22 seconds remaining.

Sterling Moore ought to have a statute built for him in Foxborough. When I saw the attempted pass happen in real time, it looked just like a routine slap of the ball away, but on the slow motion replay, Lee Evans had possession of that ball and had one foot down. But before Evans' second foot came down, Moore knocked the ball out of his hands[1]. Credit goes to the refs, who made the right call on a bang-bang play.

3. The Patriots committed only one penalty for five yards all game. I am not going to expand further on this[2]. 

4. There’s a reason Billy Cundiff pushed his potential game-tying kick so far to the left. 

Cundiff went 28-37 on field goals this season. When he missed, his kicks routinely went right. I distinctly remember four or five of Cundiff’s misses that starting out looking good before fading to the right of the goalposts. On the missed field goal last night, Cundiff kicked from the right hash mark at the 32 yard line: prime territory for the fade to come into play. Aware of his penchant for pushing his kicks, Cundiff overcompensated and hooked it too far. Heartbreaking.

5. There should be no more questioning of Joe Flacco’s ability in the postseason.

I wrote yesterday that Sunday’s game was put up or shut up time for Joe Cool. Well, Joe did everything he could yesterday to lead his team to victory, short of catching his own balls and attempting his own field goals. Flacco outdueled his counterpart, finishing with 306 yards on 22 of 36 passing, with  2 TDs, 1 interception and a 95.6 QB rating. Flacco also took to the ground four times, putting his head down and barreling for 27 yards. He played downright impressive football, and had the Ravens come away with a W, I’m sure Flacco would have been lauded for ridding himself of his demons and carrying the team on his shoulders. Under tremendous scrutiny, Flacco demonstrated his true potential, and for that reason, Ravens fans should take some solace. The important questions facing the Ravens now surround the other parts of their team, and only time will shed light on the direction Baltimore goes next year.

Speaking of which…

Last July, I wrote a piece for Began in ’96 about the need for the Ravens to make one last run at the Super Bowl this year. The crux of that article rested on the fact that Baltimore’s window of opportunity was closing, and the thought of the Ravens making the playoffs four years in a row with no hardware to show for it would be devastating for fans of the Purple and Black.

Lo and behold, here we are. The Black Birds have suffered yet another gutwrenching loss in January, and my fears have come to fruition: Given multiple golden opportunities, the Ravens failed to capitalize on any of them, and fell far short of reaching their full potential.

This May, future Hall-of-Famer Ray Lewis turns 36 years old, ancient by the standards of the NFL. Anyone who saw Ray struggling to keep up with tight ends and running backs in these past few playoff games knows he is well into the twilight of his career. 

“Is this my last time as a Raven? Absolutely not,” Lewis said Sunday night, and while his spirit is admirable, it's painfully apparent that his body is wearing down. 

Lewis’ fellow defender, Ed Reed, turns 34 this year, and his best days are behind him as well. Baltimore fans are too familiar with the sight of Reed failing to wrap up a tackle as he once was able to due to his lingering neck injury[3], or crumpling to the ground after another collision. The thought of him laying it all on the line for another 16+ games next year makes me cringe, to say the least. 

Even so, the fact remains that both Lewis and Reed may be back next year, and there is no question that they would enter training camp as hungry as ever. Still, I can't help but be saddened at what has transpired over the past four years in Baltimore. And although the Ravens are an above-average team with strong organizational pillars, I believe that this chapter in Ravens football history has come to a close. The harsh reality of these past few seasons persists amongst the players and fans alike, and unfortunately, it appears that the window to glory and greatness has been sealed shut.

That’s not to say it's all tears and unhappiness. Baltimore fans were treated to a four-year stretch where their team was the only one to make it to the playoffs each year. They made it to the AFC Championship twice, and the Ravens never played meaningless games. 

More importantly, over that time the city of Baltimore adopted the Ravens' swagger. Ball So Hard University shirts are prevalent throughout the city, and no matter where you dine, drink, read, or spend time around town, people are forever thankful for their Black and Purple Gang. The collective chip on the shoulder of Ravens players is now interchangeable with that of the citizens of Charm City and its surrounding areas, and there remains hope for a bright, successful, winning future in Baltimore.

I wrote last July that if the Ravens failed to make a trip to the Super Bowl this season, their fans would look back at these past few years as the treading water era, where the Ravens were constantly in the mix, but never went anywhere. While those things are still be partially true, I'm grateful for what this team accomplished over the past decade. They restored a culture of winning and hope to a city that had most of its sporting dreams dashed by the lamentable Orioles. As a changing of the guard looms in the Ravens' future, I am confident that the fans will not take for granted the spectacular careers of men like Lewis and Reed. Instead, they'll learn from their leadership and determination, and cheer on the next generation of players like Suggs, Ngata, Flacco and Rice.

But damn, it sure would have been nice to win that Superbowl.

[1] No, Patriot fans, Tom Terrific was not going to lead the Pats downfield for a game-winning touchdown with just 22 seconds left. Not against the Ravens. 

[2] I’m well aware that last week against Houston the Ravens did not record a single penalty. I’m not saying that was fair either, but just because Baltimore wasn’t called for a penalty last week does not forgive the refs this week for their blatant lack of calling penalties against New England. Again, I’m not saying this even cost the Ravens the game, it’s just an interesting stat. 

[3] The same neck injury that befell Peyton Manning, with the only difference being that Reed did not opt for surgery because he is almost positive that surgery will end his career completely.

The Week Ahead (all times EST)- Your guide to what to watch-- and what to watch for-- this coming week

College Basketball

Texas A&M at Kansas- Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Tennessee at Vanderbilt- Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. (ESPNU
Baylor at Oklahoma- Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. (ESPN3)
Duke at Maryland- Jan. 25 at 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Harvard at Yale- Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.
Texas at Baylor- Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. (CBS)
Mississippi St. at Florida- Jan. 28 at 1:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
Eastern Illinois at Murray St.- Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. (ESPN3)
Notre Dame at UConn- Jan. 29 at noon (ESPN3)
Michigan at Ohio St.- Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. (CBS)
NBA
Magic at Celtics- Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
Pacers at Bulls- Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. (Comcast Sports Chicago/NBA TV)
Clippers at Lakers- Jan. 25 at 10:30 p.m. (FOX WEST/NBA TV)
NHL
Blues at Red Wings- Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. (FSD+/NBCSN)
Bruins at Capitals- Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. (NESN/CSNB)
Flyers at Panthers- Jan. 24 at 7:30 (COMCAST/FOX FLORIDA)

In the Kitchen- Tracking the major hot stove stories

• Shortstop David Eckstein has retired from Major League Baseball at age 37. Eckstein played 10 years in the big leagues, winning a World Series MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. However, he will most likely be remembered as a point of contention between baseball's traditionalists-- who praised him as a "gritty" player with "hustle" and "heart"-- and the newer sabermetric crowd that criticized his lack of production. Viva El Birdos has a retrospective on Eckstein's career, his intangibles and his lasting impact on the game.
• The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Marco Scutaro from the Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Clayton Mortenson. Scutaro will likely end up at second base and hitting in the two hole, after the 36-year-old hit a career-high .299 last season.
• The Scutaro trade could have a ripple effect for the Sox, who are trying to free up cash to sign former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt. Also on Boston's wish list is outfielder Cody Ross, who would fill in for Carl Crawford while he recovers from wrist surgery.
• Closer Ryan Madson finally found a home, signing with the Cincinnati Reds for $8.5 million over the next year. The market for closers has dried up this offseason, forcing many to take short-term deals. Madson's contract includes a $11 million mutual option for 2013.
• Longtime New York Yankees backstop Jorge Posada is expected to announce his retirement early this week. The 40-year-old spent his entire career with the Yankees, but saw his role diminished last year as he struggled at the plate. Posada won four world championships during his time in New York.

Web Gems- The week's best, worst or strangest Internet sports finds

EA lawsuit doesn't mean Madden's exclusive is a license to be killed- Kotaku's Owen Good breaks down Electronic Arts' latest legal maneuvers and what they mean for the video game company's stranglehold on the NFL license.

What happened last night- Community news site Onward State explains the decisions and mistakes that led it to prematurely report Joe Paterno's death.

Yes, this is CBS host James Brown interviewing a fake baby- Fresh off of falsely claiming the scoop about Paterno's death as its own and then turning around and blaming Onward State when the news turned out to be premature, CBS further debases itself by "interviewing" the E*Trade baby. FOX later got in on the act as well

New generation of 49er success- The New York Times' Greg Bishop goes deep on the San Francisco 49ers.

Joe Flacco: An appreciation- Baltimore Sun columnist Kevin Van Valkenburg pens an open letter to the Ravens' much-maligned quarterback.

Coming Up- What's next at Began in '96

• Tuesday: New Montana resident Jason Bacaj chronicles his first time skiing The Ridge.
• Thursday: Adam Cancryn on what Saturday night taught us about the media, and why it's not all bad
• Friday: Joe Schackman on the late Joe Paterno.

Ed. note- The story originally slated for Wednesday will run on Thursday instead.

Read more »

By Adam Cancryn

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is the consensus No. 1 draft pick, and Robert Griffin III's ascension shouldn't change that.

Now that Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are both turning pro, let the games begin.

The second-guessing games.

Luck has been the consensus No. 1 NFL draft pick for two years now. Over that period, he's resurrected the Stanford football program, twice finished second in Heisman voting, inspired a "Suck for Luck" campaign and drawn comparisons to Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

In November 2010, CBSSports' Rob Rang called Luck the "best quarterback and elite prospect" he's ever scouted, and the overwhelming opinion is that the 6'4" Washington, D.C. native is as sure a thing as you can find coming out of college.

But inevitably, doubts will arise at some point between the end of the NFL season and the draft. Scouts, TV analysts and team front offices will entertain those pesky insecurities that go along with any big investment. Is Luck really that good? Have we hyped him up too much? Is his arm strength/accuracy/mobility what we thought it is?

And what about Robert Griffin III?

Let's do everyone a favor and nip this all in the bud right now. Andrew Luck is the best player in the draft, period. Every snap he's taken over the past two years has been scrutinized and dissected by thousands of experts, and those experts have consistently come to the same conclusion. Luck was the best in 2010, he was the best in 2011 and the few months leading up to the draft aren't going to change that in 2012.

Griffin isn't going to change that either. He's an intriguing athletic specimen, a track star with a strong arm and a knack for making big plays. He's also led a resurrection, turning Baylor from patsy to powerhouse. Considering the success the similarly skilled Cam Newton had in his rookie year with the Panthers, it's tempting to project that same fate onto Griffin.

Yet as exciting and flashy as Griffin might be, he is also erratic and raw; the classic high risk/high reward prospect. Luck, meanwhile, is polished and experienced and unquestionably talented, and therefore also very boring.

The No. 1 pick is made for those boring sure things, though. It's one of the largest, rarest investments a team will make, and for that reason it has to pay off. So when the Indianapolis Colts are put on the clock this April, they must drown out the doubts, go with their gut and make Andrew Luck their next franchise quarterback.


The Week Ahead (all times EST)- Your guide to what to watch-- and what to watch for-- this coming week


College Basketball
Baylor at Kansas- Jan. 16 at 9:30 (ESPN)
Michigan St. at Michigan- Jan. 17 at 7 (ESPN)
Georgetown at Rutgers- Jan. 21 at noon
Virginia Tech at UVa.- Jan. 22 at 6 (ESPNU)
NBA
Lakers at Heat- Jan. 19 at 8 (TNT)
Timberwolves at Clippers- Jan. 20 at 10:30 (ESPN)
NHL
Bruins at Devils- Jan. 19 at 7 (NESN/MSG+)
Penguins at Rangers- Jan. 19 at 7 (FOX PITT/MSG)
Rangers at Bruins- Jan. 21 at 1 (MSG/NESN/NHLNET)
NFL Playoffs
Ravens at Patriots- Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. (CBS)
Giants at 49ers- Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. (FOX)
Santana's comeback
Keep an eye on New York Mets' ace John Santana's recovery. The pitcher missed all of the 2011 season, and is eyeing an Opening Day return after throwing on flat ground last week.
Going Pro
Expect more college players to declare for the NFL draft. Baylor's Robert Griffin III, Oregon's LaMichael James and Alabama's Trent Richardson made it official last week, among others.


In the Kitchen- Tracking the major hot stove stories 

• Highly coveted Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes has at least six teams chasing after him. The 26-year-old free agent outfielder has drawn interest from the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins. Miami, which has been active throughout the offseason, has said it will be "aggressive right to the point of stupidity" when it comes to Cespedes. 
• It's looking like the rich might get even richer down in Texas, where the Rangers have had preliminary meetings with Prince Fielder. The former Brewers slugger has also been connected to the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals, but it's believed they're not willing to shell out the kind of money that Fielder wants. Though the Rangers are currently negotiating with Japanese import Yu Darvish, should that deal fall through-- or if they have the resources to go after both-- Fielder would top their wish list.
• The New York Yankees are stockpiling arms again, trading for Mariners hotshot Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda. Outside of CC Sabathia, the Yanks haven't had great luck acquiring pitchers-- see Burnett, A.J.-- but Pineda and Kuroda represent different kinds of bets. Pineda is just 22, and under team control for the next five years, giving them plenty of time to get value before having to pay him big money. They had to give up star prospect Jesus Montero to get him, but given the Yankees' offensive firepower and their bandbox of a stadium, great pitchers are more valuable than great hitters. Kuroda, meanwhile, is 36 but was signed for just one year. It's a low risk/high reward deal that won't put New York in a financial hole. 
• Dmitri Young hasn't played in the MLB since 2008, but he's testing the waters for a comeback. The slimmed-down Young is shopping himself as a cheap gamble that could be a solid bat off the bench or even at first base. 
• The Boston Red Sox have invited longtime catcher and captain Jason Varitek to training camp, but the loyalty ends there. He'd be a non-roster player, giving him just a slim chance of actually making the team, as Boston already has two catchers. Though Varitek's offensive output has diminished, the Sox were 42-22 last year when he started, as opposed to 48-50 when Jared Saltalamacchia was behind the dish. Varitek will likely either take this invite or retire.

Web Gems- The week's best, worst or strangest Internet sports finds

From the SI vault, President Richard Nixon compares hands with then Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshow in 1970.

Did this man really cut Michael Jordan?- Thomas Lake's magnificent investigation into the story that Michael Jordan was cut in high school, and the divergent paths Jordan and his coach took in the following years.

Coming Up- What's next at Began in '96

• Later today: The Began in '96 staff makes their sports predictions for 2012
• Tuesday: Greg Mathews breaks down Prince Fielder's ongoing free agent saga.
• Wednesday: The story of the upstart UVa. men's basketball team, and the 67-year-old undergrad following them every step of the way, by Adam Cancryn.
• Thursday: Joe Schackman warns that history tells us not to expect too much from Andrew Luck too soon.
• Friday: Adam Cancryn wonders how ESPN will fill the news hole left by Tim Tebow's playoff exit.

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