There are always late bloomers [in sport], no matter size, although big men are more often late bloomers.

Steinberg occupies a position that is very dear to those of us who've held it over the years: sports columnist at The Post. If all he wants to do is be popular--and I think Dan is better than that--then the readers of The Washington Post sports section won't be very well served. Telling readers how great they are as sports fans was never one of my priorities. The only thing worse than people who can't stand to hear an unpopular or unflattering opinion is those that are too afraid to state one.

Sports executives are great at convincing themselves whatever they believe is right and simply has to be.

Football can stand parity better than any of the other sports, I think. Baseball, basketball and hockey need a defining team, in essence to frame the season. Football? Not so much.

Chats are so new to newspapers, historically. But they're so incredibly valuable because editors/reporters/columnists get to find out what's on the minds of our readers, what you think we should be writing about, what ticks you off, what makes you happy. Sometimes it can confirm what you think readers are interested in; sometimes it can turn you around 180 degrees.

Baseball should adopt replay, plain and simple. If we can see it at home or on hand-held PDAs, the technology should be used in games.

Lombardi, Shula, Landry and Gibbs were innovators. Bill Walsh was a visionary . . . .