Today’s big news: Alex Rodriguez may have tested positive for steroids in 2003, when they weren’t yet a punishable offense.

Not actually a big deal – first, it’s just a report, and second, using steroids carried no real penalty, so how taboo were they? Also, A-Rod may have unknowingly used steroids. Despite Barry Bonds’ less-than-robust defense of such a position, it really is possible.

Anyway, the bigger deal: 15 percent of voters on ESPN.com (scroll down) wouldn’t have considered A-Rod a Hall of Famer before this news report. So far, that’s almost 1,000 people. 1,000 sports fans, I assume.

Look, maybe you’re subconsciously biased by this positive test, or by all the negative press about A-Rod that claims he isn’t a winner. A-Rod hasn’t won a title and he has been awful in several postseasons, but he hasn’t been a loser. He also has some of the greatest statistics of all-time, even in the now post-steroid era (one assumes).

He has over 500 home runs and a career average of .302. He has 1600 RBIs, 1600 runs scored, and a career OPS of almost .1000. He has three MVPs.

OK – a 2003 positive steroid test would take away one of those MVP awards, but otherwise, it’s absolutely indefensible to say A-Rod isn’t a Hall of Famer. People can be real stupid when they take moral stands, or when they say “I knew all along and that’s why I wouldn’t vote for him.” That’s why, fortunately, very few sports fans get to vote for the Hall of Fame (but some curmudgeonly, soap-boxing sportswriters do).

How can 26 voters possibly vote against Rickey Henderson for the Hall of Fame? Stark captures the confusion of 99.9 percent of baseball fans and 94.8 percent of HOF voters in this well-voiced article. Just like Rick Reilly’s recent plea for Utah to get the BCS Championship, Stark’s writing proves that a well-informed, strong opinion always provokes a more interesting read than wishy-washy “observations.”

from sikids-tv.com

Maybe this attempt to determine the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player for 2008 will demonstrate exactly the problems such an award creates. The age-old question: do raw numbers matter more than the team’s success? The new question: how exactly do you determine value when athletes are each the most valuable player on their own team?

The Guys At Home
In 2008, we can rule out for top 10 MVP consideration almost any player not in the playoffs, though MATT CASSEL, former backup to Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC, deserves mention for his incredible work pointing the Patriots to an 11-5 season in the loaded AFC. Cassel was terrible at the beginning of the season. As the Patriots stumbled to two losses in Weeks 3-5, Cassel’s passer rating ranged between 61.6 and 77.5. Since then, he and the three-headed New England running back attack went 8-3. Six times Cassel’s rating exceeded 100 as his team averaged over 30 points over the last eleven games, scoring 40 points four times.

Other than that, I give LEON WASHINGTON, DREW BREES and ANDRE JOHNSON outside shots at cracking the top 10. Johnson’s receiving stats were through the roof for a Texans team that could have made the playoffs with a healthy Matt Schaub, while Washington won a couple games for the Jets with his individual efforts. I also included Washington to emphasize that Brett Favre didn’t help the Jets that much (running back Thomas Jones also had a career year). Brees had an incredible statistical season, but his team faded down the stretch and Brees doesn’t yet strike me as a “great” quarterback with a strong sense of leadership.

AFC Playoff Teams
1. Tennessee Titans. A true team effort by the squad I deem most likely to be upset in the playoffs. It’s difficult to come up with a single MVP candidate from this roster – even from their vaunted defense.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers. Linebacker JAMES HARRISON boasts 101 tackles, 16 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and 1 interception. TROY POLAMALU ended the season with 73 tackles, 7 interceptions and 17 passes defensed. Either one deserves mention. Harrison has the more eye-popping statistics, but Polamalu is the unquestioned leader of that vaunted Pittsburgh defense.
3. Miami Dolphins. CHAD PENNINGTON. 1-15 to 11-5. Need I say more?
4. San Diego Chargers. As good as PHILIP RIVERS’ stats are, (4009 yards, 34 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, 105.5 rating), his team’s mediocre record will hurt him.
5. Indianapolis Colts. When people said PEYTON MANNING wasn’t himself, he responded with an incredible nine-game winning streak to end the season. During the streak Manning threw 17 touchdowns against three interceptions and had a passer rating under 92.5 only once. He did all this while coping with the geriatric Joseph Addai in his backfield.
6. Baltimore Ravens. You’d love it if I mentioned Joe Flacco, I’d love it if I could mention Le’Ron McClain, but just in case you were wondering, safety ED REED had nine interceptions and returned two for touchdowns, including an NFL-record 107-yard return. He totaled 264 interception return yards and also defended 16 passes.

NFC Playoff Teams
1. New York Giants. Though his statistics are not mind-blowing, ELI MANNING has blossomed into a winner for the Giants despite the prevailing drama of Plaxico Burress and an otherwise middling cast of receivers. One problem for Manning’s candidacy: for this team to win in the playoffs, it comes down to running backs Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. Right now, they’re the key for this team.
2. Carolina Panthers. Welcome back to the national stage, DeANGELO WILLIAMS. 1,500 yards, 20 total touchdowns and a record number of fantasy football champion rosters later, the all-time NCAA leader in all-purpose yards has thrust his team into Super Bowl contention.
3. Minnesota Vikings. With the opportunity to watch ADRIAN PETERSON run almost every week, I am a believer. He could be the greatest ever if he learns how to hold on to the football (nine fumbles, four lost). His important statistics this season? 1760 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns, an absurd number of long runs and a 9-3 record for the Vikings over the last 3/4 of the season.
4. Arizona Cardinals. Five weeks ago, KURT WARNER was the favorite. No longer. He still boasts good statistics, but the Pro Bowl receiving tandem (perhaps trio with the addition of Steve Breaston) of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin deserves credit (just not enough for MVP consideration) for the Cardinals’ resurgence and inevitable first-round playoff exit.
5. Atlanta Falcons. Speak to me, MICHAEL TURNER. Your stats (1,699 yards, 17 TDs) are better than MATT RYAN’s (3,440 yards, 16 TDs against 11 interceptions), but everyone talks about the rookie quarterback as a viable MVP candidate. He has shown incredible poise for a rookie, but his value is all relative. Give Turner serious credit for the Falcons’ surprise playoff appearance.
6. Philadelphia Eagles. No one here.

In the end, here’s my top 10 :

1. Michael Turner
2. Peyton Manning
3. Chad Pennington
4. Philip Rivers
5. DeAngelo Williams
6. James Harrison
7. Matt Cassel
8. Eli Manning
9. Adrian Peterson
10. Matt Ryan

Those who disagree, give me all you have. I love arguments.