[coy bacon]

Yeah, this guy Goldberg typifies lame sports writing. "This could be the year..." Gee, this could be the year i win the lottery, this could be the year the Islamic terrorists convert to Judaism, this could be the year that we don't have to pay taxes, this could be the year the Rams will 20, or 10 games, or 9 games... this could....

And the "start to fade" ... my goodness, a couple years ago it seemed like we were fading, didn't it? Have a losing season and are you fading?

Most sports writers are not bastions of intellectual analysis, fact sifting, laboring to get the bottom line. They are just hacks trying to make a living. Their gift isn't supposed to be knowledge or accuracy, it's supposed to be delivery. A sharp quip here, a humorous observation there, a historical reference thrown in, and if we're lucky, we get a great one, one who is intelligent, logical, and willing to go the extra mile to write something of value. I'd like to find a guy who could do sports writing like Cosell could do announcing. i.e. someone who brings more to the table besides the gift of gab, and obvious jock knowledge. Someone who has command of the English language and can order his metaphors, and drive his similies like Patton driving his soldiers through the Germans.