Sports Figure of the Year

Each year that we've known each other, the Rhino and I have looked back at year's end and picked out pivotal sports moments, great games and the most important sports figure. My pick for this year's Sports Figure of the Year has never been in doubt. I gave some minor consideration to a Rhino favorite, Bill Belichik, for building what some people refer to as a new football dynasty. I considered Michelle Wie (golf), Annika Sorenstam (golf), Lance Armstrong (bicycling), Danica Patrick (Indy racing), Tiger Woods (golf), Ozzie Guillen (baseball), LeBron James (basketball), Reggie Bush ('cause he's freaking amazing), and Pete Carroll ('cause he literally has been kickin' asses and taking names). While all of those individuals merit some consideration, none has had the impact on his or her sport and on the media as did...Jose Canseco.

Canseco published his tell-all book "Juiced" and the country howled. Some baseball apologists made fun of the writing---it was bad. Others nitpicked minor inconsistencies in dates. But the apologists couldn't stop the wave of revulsion that Canseco's revelations caused. Grown men, who spend their days being hardassed pricks, get sentimental about baseball. Those same guys finally said "Enough." The effects were swift. The same people who had winked at the doping problem in baseball for two decades were confronted with the horrible truth that certain segments of the public would no longer accept revered records being obliterated by juiced up freaks who, to once again use an overused cliche', couldn't carry the jocks of some of the guys whose records they destroyed. We all know that the generally useless and gutless bags of shit known as our Congress actually found something they could finally bully with impunity. They did, and the bullying worked.

As a result, a former "certain" Hall of Famer to be, Rafael Palmiero, is no longer so certain. Most writers have finally hopped off the bandwagon of glorifying balls flying over outfield fences and at least publicly, are now beginning to take a more sober look at Messrs. McGwire, Sosa and Bonds.

You might loathe him, but Jose Canseco had the greatest impact on sports and the coverage of sports in 2005.