Blackhawks on a dream run, but will it end?

So I haven't blogged for what feels like weeks. Been busy with personal stuff; haven't felt motivated to turn on a computer after work lately, let alone blog.

But through my computer-at-home time hiatus, the Blackhawks have gone on a serious run.

A. Serious. Run.

Back in October I hoped that the Blackhawks made the playoffs. If they hadn't, I would've understood. At that time a playoff series win would've been gravy.

Thanks to the Blackhawks, I've had my gravy AND gone back for seconds. The defeat of the Vancouver Canucks in round two has thrown me into an all out hockey tizzy; I'm as delirious with the thought of stick and puck action as I am pigskin action in January.

The only thing I can think right now is "holy eff balls, the Blackhawks are in the Western Finals!". For me this is like 1991 Bulls, 2005 White Sox and 2006 Colts all over again. That feeling of a good team on that first great, almost miracle run. The emotional roller coaster of facing the jaws of defeat and looking like a team that will win the Stanley Cup a full two to five years before it should has just been incredible. This run epitomizes why I follow sports ... it's been freaking incredible.

But now this incredible run faces my worst nightmare. The only team I loathe as much as the New England Patriots -- the Detroit Red Wings -- stand between me, the Blackhawks and Stanley Cup euphoria. The effing Red Wings. The Red Army, Dead Things, Soviet Army (yes, I know, that's dated), whatever you wish ... they're about ready to set off the alarm clock that will wake me from my dream. If I were to rank my Worst-Case Sports Ending Scenarios, this would rank very high. My top five:

1. Cubs beat White Sox in World Series
2. Red Wings beat Blackhawks in Western Finals
3. Patriots beat Colts in AFC Championship
4. Purdue beats Indiana in the NCAA Championship Game
5. Pistons beat Bulls in Eastern Finals

Games one and two thus far have been a gut wrenching experience. I'm drinking lots of beer during the game just to keep the nerves in check. Heck, I watched the third period of game two standing up in front of the TV. I just can't take it! There's too much riding on this thing: the possibility of getting to the Cup Finals and thus having a chance to end the Cup drought, and the pride/agony of engaging your worst enemy.

If the Blackhawks are going to win this series, they need to win games three and four at home. Then, preferably, game five in Detroit. Then, more preferably, game six in Chicago. Frankly, I don't think the Hawks can win the series if Detroit gets to three wins. The Wings are too good to mess with in an elimination game.

For the rest of this series, here's what I think the Hawks need to do to win:

• Out hustle Detroit
• Play more of a physical game
• Make ZERO mistakes
• Have Nikolai Khabibulin steal two of the next five games

It will take a miracle for the Hawks to win at this point. They have to make a lot of breaks go their way and just flat outplay Detroit in every remaining second of action. The Hawks lost all room for margin when Brian Campbell coughed up the puck in overtime. It was the last mistake the Hawks could afford to make and still have a chance to win.

I guess the only question now is if I believe in miracles ... the Red Army has fallen on the ice before. Can it fall again?

A few thoughts on Joseph Addai

I would like to offer my two cents on the Joseph Addai situation.

I have heard at least three different times that the arrival of Donald Brown means Joseph Addai will get his walking papers in the near future … if not this year, then definitely after 2009.

I beg to differ with this view. Every time now I want to evaluate a Colts move, I reference it back to 2006 when the Colts won the Super Bowl. In 2006, the Colts used the two-back approach throughout the season. I figured it was mostly due to the fact that Addai was a rookie and Dominic Rhodes was a veteran, but as the season wore on, it became clear that even if the Colts split the carries to help Addai’s learning curve, the benefit it added was that both Addai and Rhodes were fresh down the stretch. The end result was that the Colts ran the ball down the Bears throat for over 200 yards in Super Bowl XLI and took us to the Promised Land.

He's not done, yet.

When I evaluate the Donald Brown selection, I see a similar situation to 2006. Addai will get the bulk of the carries as Brown goes through the learning curve, but the end result will be that both Addai and Brown will be fresh as the Colts enter December. Given that Addai seemed to be hampered all year by injury, I think that’s a very good thing.

Down the road we could find that the Colts won’t bring back Addai after his contract expires in 2010. That would not surprise me since it has been the Colts standard operating procedure since GM Bill Polian arrived. Despite this, I don’t think for a minute that the arrival of Donald Brown means the Colts are done with Addai or that Addai is washed up.

At least not now, anyway.

In Polian I trust

NFL Drafts of years past have been anxious events. The Colts always seem to have the same needs – defensive tackle, offensive line and linebacker. And with each year come predictions from pundits on who the Colts should select: a fat defensive tackle; big and strong linebackers; and road grating offensive linemen. And, just like clockwork, the Colts go against the grain and select guys no pundit or fan had identified for the Colts … much to the frustration of Colts fans.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve asked myself “who’s that guy?” after a Colts first and second round selection. Hours and hours of research have gone for naught every single year.

This year proved no different with regard to surprise. Colts GM Bill Polian selected RB Donald Brown out of Connecticut with the Colts first round pick; another who’s that guy? in my limited database of college talent.

Here we go again, I think. Another year of Polian going rogue in the draft war room and not following the expectations. But then my perspective changed. After a little back-and-forth texting with @Jason266, I changed my outlook on the move. I started to like rogue Polian in the draft war room. The Colts could’ve gone defensive tackle or linebacker with the first pick, but instead Polian opted to take a RB that could’ve made a difference last year given that Joseph Addai wasn’t 100% for whatever reason. Knowing the Colts weren’t their playoff best until a solid running game was in place, I warmed to the decision.

Then, after I’ve warmed to rogue Polian, he gets conventional and selects defensive tackle Fili Moala. The thing about Moala is that he’s not your typical Colts defensive tackle; rather, he weighs over 300 pounds and can stop the run. What a novel concept! Later I learned on Colts.com that Polian had decided it was time to upgrade the defensive tackle position in order to improve run defense. So much for going against the grain. (EDITOR'S NOTE: It's about effing time, Bill)

The rest of Polian’s draft followed a very conventional approach in terms of need for the Colts. Jerraud Powers, a CB out of Auburn, seems to fit the Colts mold for cornerbacks in that he lacks size, but can cover and tackle.

Fourth round choice Austin Collie – WR, BYU – looks as if he will fill the slot receiver spot while the Colts promote Anthony Gonzalez to the number two spot.

The Colts then traded back up into the fourth round to get another wide-bodied defensive tackle in Terrance Taylor from Michigan. My friend who follows U of M and covers the draft about as intensely as Mel Kiper says that the Colts got a steal, and backed that up with the fact that Taylor was projected as a top 15 pick before the season started and fell down the draft board … partly due to the fact that Michigan had its worst season ever.

The pick I’m most intrigued with is 5^th rounder Curtis Painter. If another team had selected Painter, my guess is that he wouldn’t play until his second or third year at least. Now that the Colts have him, he may not play much in the next five years. But consider this: Peyton Manning turns 38 in 5 years. How much time does he have left? I think seven years, but if Peyton hangs it up in five I think Indy has its heir apparent in Painter. Why? Two reasons: 1) He played at Purdue and thus has experience throwing the rock; 2) look no further than the success of his predecessors: Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. Let’s see how this project develops; Painter will learn from the best.

The last two picks all fill a need: the Colts get a potential starting P and future kicker in Pat McAfee and add depth on the offensive line with Maryland guard/tackle Jaimie Thomas.

My bottom line on this year’s draft is this – I like it … a lot. I think the Colts have at least 4 starters: Brown, Moala, Taylor and McAfee. There are two projects in Painter and Collie; one will develop faster than the other. The other two picks add depth at positions where depth was needed. Overall it was a successful draft in my view. Sure, it didn’t warrant an A or B grade from pundits, but it filled several needs.

I’m not sure I’ve been much more pleased with a Polian draft than I am of this one. Big time needs were filled at DT, and we now have a viable situation at RB.

I like where this is headed.

WSBE to Briatore: Stop Whining, Start Innovating

I'm perpetually amused by how much Formula One drivers and bosses whine and complain. It adds to the drama. Someone always gets upset about something, whether it's legitimate or not.

It seems like the latest wrong doing involves the FIA and its ruling that the rear underbody diffusers used by Toyota, Brawn GP and Williams were legal. In particular, Renault team boss Flaivo Briatore seems very upset. Briatore said this about the teams:

"Our (McLaren, Ferrari and Renault) drivers are or have been world champions, and then you have a (Brawn) driver who was almost retired, and another who is 'paracarro' (Italian for a roadside concrete post) fighting for the championship,'

'I don't know how we can say we have credibility. It is impossible to recover the ground we have lost on those teams.

'In three or four races the championship will be decided and I don't know what the interest of the TV viewers will be when Button has 60 points and (Williams' Kazuki) Nakajima 50. It will be better to listen only on radio and watch something else"

Briatore has it all wrong. What has happened in the first three races -- wins by Brawn GP and Red Bull combined with a lack of competitiveness from McLaren, Ferrari and Renault -- is exactly what Formula One needs. When it's proven that any team can have a chance to win in a season if it innovates (which, by the way, is at the core of F1 spirit), that makes for an extremely intriguing season. I've seen Ferrari, McLaren and Renault win championships ... big deal! I want something new, something different ... and this season has delivered results. In my opinion, this season has been the best in years. I haven't been this into F1 since Bernie Ecclestone and Tony George put an end to the US Grand Prix.

Your bad, not the FIA's.

That I'm this interested in F1 this season shouldn't come as a surprise. What's happening in F1 this season has brought success to other professional sports in the US -- namely the National Football League. The NFL is by far the most popular sport, and a contributing factor is that any team can win in any given season. Between the hope it gives fans of the lesser teams and the change of scenery at the top, what's not to love about a little shakeup every now and then to keep things fresh? I'm sure Briatore was thinking the same thing when Alonso won his first championship with Renault after years of Ferrari dominance a few years back.

Briatore's comments sound more like sour grapes because he didn't hit on the key innovations in the off-season to field a competitive car. If anything, Briatore ought to be frustrated with himself that he allowed these diffuser teams to gain an advantage on his Renault team.

Briatore and the others must now stop their whining, step up to the challenge and attempt to implement a solution that makes their entires competitive with Brawn GP. That will make the F1 season even better.

Everything is right about the Blackhawks

The Blackhawks should be the sentimental favorite of the NHL Playoffs this year.

And I'm not saying that because I root for the Hawks.

The Hawks have all the attributes that make for a good, all-American story. Let's consider:

• Comeback story -- the Hawks were a dead franchise 16 months ago. The organization had 3,400 season ticket holders and no hope for the future. Now, the team has over 14,000 season ticket holders, a season ticket wait list and has first round home ice advantage for the first time in over a decade.
• Star players -- the Hawks have their share of star players: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Martin Havlat and Nikolai Khabibulin for starters. If they make it deep into the playoffs, Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell, Patrick Sharp and Dustin Byfuglien will be known throughout the nation of casual hockey fans.
• Team play -- despite what I mentioned above, the Hawks are a team above all else. No one player dominates the team; each plays a significant role in the team's success. For all the potential starts the Hawks have, it also has several role players like Andrew Ladd and Chris Versteeg to chip in with a little scoring and a little physicality when needed.
• Rough play -- the Hawks play their best when they play physically. Most of the team will put on a hit going into the glass. Some guys, like Byfuglien and Adam Burish, look for contact at every opportunity (they're rougher than the Bears, that's for sure).
• Fast play -- Again, another paradox. When the Hawks play physically, they also play fast. The hits usually create opportunities in either zone, and when that happens, guys like Sharp, Toews, Kane and Havlat get up and down the ice at a blistering pace to create breakaway chances.
• Bright lights, big city -- one can argue that small-market success is great for all professional sports. But for the NHL, a resurgence in Chicago is needed. It's a big market that's been dormant for a long time and the NHL can't reasonably assume that it will meet all of its growth targets without an engaged Chicago. There's too much money to be made, first of all. And second, the Hawks historically have a loyal following that the Cubs and Bears enjoy. We all know how nostalgic those fan bases are; the NHL needs this in the long run. Hockey isn't hockey without Chicago.

The Hawks aren't the best team in the playoffs, but they have a legitimate chance to make a run. Especially with Nikolai Khabibulin in net. You can bet that there are a few NHL executives in Chicago that are thinking the same thing. I know I'm thinking it ... the story of the Hawks going from worst to first is too good to pass up.

As seen on TV

The author of this blog is captured on television, courtesy of
Jermaine Dye.

Blackhawks breaking new ground with Twitter

Just 14 months ago the Chicago Blackhawks were in the sports equivalent of the Stone Age. Only its road games were broadcast on free television and any attempt at a marketing campaign seemed disconnected with its distant and controlling leadership team.

Fast forward 14 months and the Blackhawks feel like a team on the cutting edge -- and I'm not just talking about the fact that all 82 games are broadcast on free television.

No -- the Blackhawks are using Twitter, the micro-blogging/free texting service, to reach the traditionally toughest-to-reach 18-40 something male demographic that is the core of its fan base.

I decided to try Twitter a few weeks ago; mostly because everyone else around me was doing it. I personally find little utility for it when it comes to tweeting about my life. Who cares about what I'm up to, right? Instead I use it to people watch -- it's my virtual airport.

Twitter does add lots of utility in another way, and the Blackhawks have it the nail on the head. Rather than navigate my way to either the Chicago Tribune or Sun-Times website to get news about the Blackhawks, I get the latest news delivered straight to my phone via Twitter.

It's a really simple thing, but yet amazing. I don't know who writes the tweets, but it reads like secret insider information in that it's detailed news delivered before it hits the internet or cable television shows. Now I have this strange feeling like I'm "in the know" with the Blackhawks, and because of this, I have this new and exciting personal relationship with the team.

No matter how much I love the Colts, I never felt this connected to them.

Twitter is a brilliant and free marketing tool. For the cost of a person's time to write the tweets (Twitter accounts are free), the Blackhawks have reached out to me in a way none of its other multi-million dollar marketing campaigns have.

How many brands, be it a sports brand or other product, can say they are truly connected with their customers? Very few. The fact that Twitter enables a company to build its brand through a personal connection of this sort will revolutionize the way marketers think about online advertisement and viral e-marketing strategies. Why send bulk e-mail when one can send a tweet with a link?

The Blackhawks are just scratching the surface with Twitter. It's the ultimate of opt-in campaigns because of its timeliness and personal connection to the individual, and will build untold wealth in terms of customer connectivity, brand loyalty and increased revenues. That none of my other favorite sports teams have caught onto this surprises me. It's too easy, cheap and effective for marketing departments to deny for long.

The Blackhawks have turned me on my ear. From the Stone Age to the Cutting Edge in 14 months. What will its marketing department think of next?

Formula One shows why it's the best

Today's start to the Formula One season at the Australian Grand Prix is evidence as to why it's the best form of auto racing.

The results spoke for itself. The Brawn GP team -- remnants of the Honda outfit that closed its doors due to the global recession -- proved with its 1-2 finish that innovation within the new aerodynamic regulations can help even the smaller teams gain a competitive advantage against the top dogs at McLaren and Ferrari.

In what other series can an under achieving, bottom feeding team make such great strides in one off-season? None come to mind. Today's results had as much to do with ingenuity and innovation as it did with Jenson Button's skill.

Series that have fully (or near fully) specified cars and engines do have their benefits -- one of which is that you can make the argument that the best drivers win. But Formula One, with it's regulations that don't fully specify cars or engines, puts as much of the race outcome in the hands of engineering departments as it does the drivers and raceday crews. This leads to innovation in engineering, and from that we all benefit -- be it from enhanced competition on the race track or passenger car innovation in the automotive industry.

The other, more highly funded were a victim of circumstance, per se -- testing restrictions during the off-season kept them from learning valuable information about the performance of the car. But the lack of testing didn't give Brawn GP an unfair advantage; it just leveled the playing field.

I emphasize enough how refreshing it was to not have Ferrari, Renault and McLaren not in the running for a podium finish.

I love a level playing field. It makes sports interesting. This also gives me hope that the USGPE team can be competitive out of the box in 2010.

So bored

I must have the most appropriately named blog ever, because right now I'm blogging like the Worst Sports Blogger Ever.

There are no witty posts, or insightful analysis. I haven't made fun of an athlete or called anyone names like the more popular blogs.

Nope, nada. Nothing. Zilch. Zero.

I think there's just cause, though. I've been sucked into the black hole known as The Time Between the Super Bowl and the Official Start of the Baseball Season. Right now as a sports fan I've been absolutely bored to tears. I've had nothing worthwhile to say.

I hate this time of year. I haven't liked basketball since Michael Jordan hit the 18-foot jumper against Utah in 1998 to win championship number 6. The way I figure it, the game today is much more individualistic than the one I learned how to play in southern Indiana. As a frame of reference, the summer basketball camp my parents used to sign me up for used to teach us defense, rebounding, passing and dribbling in the first three days of camp. We didn't learn how to take a jump shot until day 4. Needless to say, I can't relate to the game today, and because of that, I can't stand to watch it. Couple that with the fact that the alma mater didn't make the NCAA tournament this year, I have no reason to tune in (and I haven't).

Football, my real passion, feels like it's nowhere in sight. I've been listening to Sirius NFL Radio, watching NFL Network and reading about all the free agent signings, but with the Colts standing on the sidelines during free agency (which is probably the right thing to do), I don't have a whole lot to keep me stimulated. The fact I'm internally debating on what and how to read the Adam Seward signing tells you where I'm at (but seriously, does it mean the Colts will become more physical, or what?).

I've been watching a lot of the Chicago Blackhawks this year, and it's been great. They're a fun team to watch, and I love that the franchise has been reborn. But hockey right now is more of a hobby than a real passion. Maybe I'll change my tune when the playoffs roll around, but I just can't be bothered to do much more than watch the games before bed. Blog about it? Not so much.

Baseball will be what the doctor ordered, I think. It'll give me something to look forward to everyday ... something new, something different and yet, something that actually counts. Real honest regular season baseball. I need something that I can look forward to ... something that will produce at least two news stories per day that don't rehash old news.

I haven't felt that since the football season ended. The fact of the matter is that football is so great that I require a sports that plays every single day to keep my mind off the fact that we're nowhere close to football season.

Maybe I ought to rename this the Worst Indianapolis Colts Blog Ever. I follow all sports and know a thing or two about a thing or two, but my world revolves around professional football.

And so does my blogging.

My 2009 NCAA Tournament Picks

Here are my picks for the 2009 NCAA Tournament. I used three principles in my selections:

• Value record vs. Top 25 teams
• Consider defense before offense
• Don't fall in love with Big Ten teams

Let the games begin!

Thank God that's over

Thank God the IU basketball season ended today.

After all of the misfortunes from the end of the Bob Knight era, to Mike Davis and then the Kelvin Sampson disaster, it felt like IU needed to purge itself.

It's unfortunate it had to happen to Tom Crean and his kids. They played hard and Crean coached well, but facts are facts - the majority of these kids probably had no business playing D1 basketball.

Despite that and their horrible season, they deserve a lot of credit. They took on a thankless task - keeping the IU basketball program on life support - and performed that task to the best of their ability despite the fact they probably all knew they would lose. That's no picnic at a storied program like IU, and they handled their situation well. It may have been the worst team in IU history, but it was one of the bravest.

Now comes the best part - the purge is over! Tom Crean gets help. And now that the IU program has been purged, he can start rebuilding efforts. Next year will be better!

USF1 changes name

In the latest piece of evidence that that F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone must try to ruin everything he touches, it has come to light that he has requested that the newly formed USF1 team change its name so that it does not include the letters "F1".

This strikes me as an odd request since Toyota and Williams both use "F1" in their official names.

I guess Bernie's twisted rationale leads him to think that having "US" somehow degrades the value of his trademark. Clearly he does not feel the same about the other teams that use it. Any argument F1 management might make about trademark infringement or dilution of the brand
equity will not hold water unless the action is taken with all teams.

I had always wondered, albeit a little facetiously, if Bernie is bigoted against all things American. Maybe it's actually true.

The USF1 team did agree to change its name, despite Bernie's baseless request. It will now be known as the less exiciting US Grand Prix Engineering (USGPE). It sounds more like a contract engineering outfit than a race team, but I will love them just the same.

Glad Ray Lewis is going back to Baltimore

Since free agency has started I've spent the time doing what all Colts
fans do this time of year -- watch from the sidelines.

I noticed a pattern in my observation that I did not like: the
Patriots loading up on talent.

First it was perrenial Colts killer Fred Taylor.

Then it was the trade of Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel for a second
round pick. I wasn't so overly concerned about that move until the NFL
Network folks started talking about how well Belichick drafts in the
second round. Crap.

The talk about Ray Lewis almost put me over the edge. He wouldve made
the Patriots, for all intents and purposes, a Pro Bowl team.

That's not what a Colts fan needs in this off-season of salary cap
discontent. Here's to the Ravens for working something out.

(stay tuned for commentary on Jeff Saturday)

Not how I pictured Marvin Harrison's end with the Colts

I thought Marvin Harrison's career in Indianapolis would end differently. Something more along the lines of an in-season announcement about a retirement so the home fans could salute Marvin and enjoy what games were left in his Indy career.

The last-minute press conference to announce his end with the Colts in an effort to save $6M was not what I had in mind.

It's certainly not fitting for the end of Marvin's career in Indy. Marvin gave much more to the Colts, our community and the NFL to deserve this kind of an end.

But such is life in the NFL. This is the reality of the system that allowed the Colts to have and keep Marvin in the first place.

This is also a sign of the times for where Marvin is at in his career. Four years ago we don't even flinch at a $13M salary cap hit. Now the Colts are in a position where carrying $9M of dead weight against the salary cap and having $6M of open cap space provides them more utility than a healthy, 37-year old Marvin Harrison. I think that's the saddest part of all.

Marvin's best work.

I must say, though, that it's with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to Marvin. On one hand, I am forever indebted to him for what he brought to the Colts and the City of Indianapolis. He, along with Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James, brought us winning football and everything that comes with it. What made Marvin such a pleasure to watch was how he went about this business -- he never danced, called attention to himself or put himself above the rest of the team like other wide receivers. Marvin caught the ball, scored touchdowns and pitched the ball back to the referee. Marvin was all substance and no style, which is a quality that is very endearing to a Midwesterner like me. To say that I'm lucky to have watched Marvin in person throughout his entire career is an understatement.

On the other hand, there are parts to Marvin Harrison I won't miss. Like the legal trouble. Part of the deal with Marvin's lack of style came the silence ... I'm convinced we didn't really know the real Marvin Harrison. I'm not sure anyone in Indianapolis really knew him. So it's hard to say what will eventually come of the shooting incident outside his nightclub. I am glad that the Colts and the City of Indianapolis won't be part of it.

I also won't miss the regression in performance. Marvin developed a case of alligator arms in 2008 for the first time in his career. Marvin dropped balls he used to catch. Marvin didn't seem to get open the way he used to. In the playoffs the last three years, Marvin all but disappeared. 

While I'll miss watching Marvin Harrison, part of dealing with the end of his career in Indy is knowing that the Marvin Harrison we're losing now isn't the Marvin Harrison from 2004. I have a feeling we had lost him already.

Now we're left to wonder what the Colts will do with the $6M in salary cap savings. Will they re-sign Jeff Saturday, or will they use the money in free agency? Or will they hold onto the extra space to address the roster after the Draft?

I think the bigger question, though, is if Marvin's departure will signify an end to the high precision Colts passing offense and a transition to a run first, defensive-minded team. I'd prefer that over the high precision offense because I believe that will put the Colts in the best position to win in the playoffs. 

If that doesn't happen, then perhaps the $6M will be used to acquire Marvin's replacement.

Danica Patrick in F1?

Last week I blogged about the USF1 team, a Charlotte-based team fronted by Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor with the goal of being a team that utilizes American technology and American drivers.

In the post I said:

If the USF1 team wants to do it right -- right meaning making a move that captures interest quickly -- it will lure two of the five best NASCAR drivers on the circuit. It doesn't matter who of the top 5 they grab, because any of these drivers will have enough cache with American racing fans to generate a lot of buzz and interest. Who cares if they're not the best in the world? That's not so much the point now. This team needs a following more than it needs a driver that cut his teeth in Europe.

I guess I was right about the splash, but wrong about the gender and discipline. Apparently Windsor and Anderson have the IRL's Danica Patrick on their short list of drivers to test for one of the two available seats in 2010.

Danica will certainly make an impact.

But the question I've wrestled with since this piece of news broke on Sunday is if Danica will make the right impact for the USF1 team. I'm sure all American racing fans have an opinion or an idea about Danica, one way or the other. This is what I think of when I think about Danica:

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, as an MBA with a marketing major, I can appreciate how she's used the resources she has available to make a nice living for herself. But what I am saying, though, is that I can't really take her seriously as a race driver when this is the image that comes to mind at the mention of her name. I'm not alone. I found these pictures using the search "Danica Patrick" in Google Images, and I made it all the way to page 3 before I found the picture of her below actually doing her day job.

My off-the-cuff argument is that USF1 should test a driver that's legitimate, and not bother with someone who's more interested in their image. But that's where the argument gets tough, because her resume isn't that bad. Here's a snippet:

• She's got an IRL win ... first woman ever to win a major race
• She's won several pole positions
• She finished 4th in the 2005 Indy 500
• She spent several years racing in developmental series in Europe
• She finished 6th in the IRL points standings in 2008

In fact, this resume looks more complete than the other name thrown out for consideration of one of the USF1 seats - Scott Speed. 

Danica Patrick raises a tough issue for me because I know she has talent, but I worry that her presence in Formula One would make some sort of mockery of America. If she wins the job and can't compete, she'll make herself and the team look foolish and perhaps undermine any effort to lure a competitive driver from America or otherwise.

On the other hand, if she goes to F1 and competes with big boys, it's hard telling how the Danica Marketing Machine will grip the world.

I still think that USF1 should try to lure drivers like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards or even Marco Andretti before they test Danica. I don't think she's got the talent to be competitive in Formula One.

However, she could be an intriguing option. And like I said before, the USF1 team should look to make a splash with its first hire in an attempt to win fans quickly. Danica would do just that.

Alex Rodriguez's steroid use not surprising

I'm not at all surprised to learn that Alex Rodriguez used steroids. Not even a little bit.

What I am surprised about, though, is that so many are surprised about it.

I think sometimes we want to think that athletes, celebrities and those in a position of power have a strong ethical compass, and A-Rod certainly gave us no reason to think otherwise. He's never been much of a trouble maker off the field (unless you consider flings with Madonna trouble), and carries himself well in the spotlight. He plays the game the right way, and has never done anything to earn the reputation has a player that would do anything to get ahead. He seemed like he went about his baseball business in the right way.

As it turns out, it was all a facade. While I think we can lay a lot of blame on A-Rod for his actions, at some level we need to accept A-Rod as simply another player who had a price he was willing to pay for success. 

I think one factor played a big role in A-Rod's decision making process - the drive to succeed. Some are consumed with the need for success more than others, and because of the level of talent and commitment needed to play professional baseball, I believe that it tends to attract a disproportionately high amount of those who are consumed with the need to succeed as compared to the general population. When anyone with that type of disposition gets placed into an environment where, A) steroid use wasn't a punishable offense; and B) the competition had engaged in the activity, it's plausible to believe that a player with a high drive to succeed would check his ethical code at the door and participate in the activity.

Steroids can't win championships, apparently

A-Rod is who he is, and he became a victim of his environment. He's not unlike the CEOs of the major financial institutions that, despite receiving bailout money from the federal government AFTER flushing the savings of thousands of workers down the toilet, continued with their extravagant ways and poor management. Those CEOs got to where they were for a reason: they were smart and they would do what it takes to get to the top. They have no ethical code that drives them. Only their need to succeed drives them. Try teaching "soft skills" to a cohort of MBAs -- you'd be surprised how fast they'd tune you out. They know that they have to be willing to make decisions others are afraid to make to get ahead, and that means regard for what's right either goes out the door or changes substantially.

I'm not surprised A-Rod participated, and neither should you. In fact, I would not be surprised to see some of the biggest names in baseball on the sealed list of 104 perpetrators that Congress holds. The environment to support steroid use was in place; it was not illegal in that it did not merit punishment, and players were gaining a competitive advantage in terms of success and money.

What would be surprising is to see the game's biggest names not on the list.