The Athlete Formerly Known As Mark Prior

Mark Prior, I am going to offer you a little advice; the time has come to reinvent yourself.

Rick Ankiel did it. Prince did it. Now it's your turn. Having read that the Cubs are interested in trading you I have no doubt that this would be the best decision for you to make at this point in your career.

Please consider it.

Injuries and bad breaks have derailed a potential Hall of Fame career. Before your injuries you were an enormously talented pitcher. Possessing some of the best stuff, poise and pitching command that I have seen in the modern era of baseball. Unlike Ankiel, your demise was physical and not mental. Now, your team wants to dump you.

Please save face and reinvent yourself. Now is the time to explore a career other than baseball, a career in sports but just not the playing kind, or to show the world you have other talents. Heck, if nothing else maybe you could even try to make a comeback as an outfielder (just don't take HGH).

Or, accept the opportunity to move to a new environment, get healthy again and show the baseball world that you still have it. Either way, it has to be a reinvention.

I'll be there ready to cheer for you when you do land on your feet again. It really kills me to hear that the team that thought you were going to be their own version of Roger Clemens now has to consider shipping you off because it would be a dumb move not to.

Reinvent yourself in some way or another. I'll even help you pick out a weird, unpronounceable symbol that you can change your name to if you wish.

Miami Dolphins' season put into perspective

Everyone seems to be talking about the 9-0 New England Patriots and whether or not they can finish the season 16-0. Yes, it is for good reason and I know to give credit where it is due. No NFL team has went 16-0 in the regular season since the NFL expanded to 16 games in 1978. The Patriots could very well make history this season but their pursuit of the record books comes in a distant second to me. I am more interested in the 0-9 Miami Dolphins and whether or not they can become the first 0-16 team in league history. Now that would be a feat. Seriously, if I was a professional athlete and I had gotten this far I would gladly give up my pride for one season just to be a part of history. Would the shame of going 0-16 really be any worse than the shame of going 1-15 or 2-14?

Striving for futility could backfire though. I know this is not a good analogy but the story about how Robert Ford shot his once friend and idol Jesse James in the back thinking that he would become a celebrated hero comes to mind here. Instead of being labeled as a hero Ford faced backlash, ridicule and was deemed a coward for his actions. Perception can be quite tricky. You finish 0-16 and are part of the worst team in league history but deep down should it really bother you? You are still a winner in life and you are still an athlete making millions of dollars to play a game. Unlike Robert Ford, I don't think going 0-16 would make anyone question your character or courage. It is only a game. Therefore, I encourage the 2007-2008 Miami Dolphins NFL franchise to make history this season. I'll be rooting for you (wait...I mean against you).