THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: On the eve of Manny Ramirez’s return to the Dodgers I ask the following … do you think the average fan really cares about players using performance-enhancing drugs, or do you think fans just want to be entertained and don’t care about PEDs as long as their teams are winning and their favorite players are performing well?

RICK HUMMEL
I think many fans care about players associated with PEDs, but largely when they play for the other team. The more knowledgable ones will note that PEDs are not indigenous to baseball. But, in football, for some reason, a suspension for one-quarter of a season because of a violation of the drug policy, is treated much like a hamstring injury.

JEFF GORDON
I’d say most fans are pretty indifferent about PEDs right now. Most fans can figure out that abuse was rampant and that baseball is making a real effort to clean it up now. Some fans were turned off, of course, and some may have quit coming to games. But Manny Ramirez will get a mostly positive reaction when he returns to action for the Dodgers. The LA fans just want a winning team, like teams elsewhere. ManRam has been a force for that franchise during his brief time there, so most fans will rally behind him.

DAN O’NEILL
I think the latter part of the question is most true. Ultimately fans want to be entertained and want to watch a winner. They have become nearly immune to scandals, steroids, outlandish salaries, off-field shenanigans, etc. Do they frown on performance-enhancement, yes. Do they prefer players not use them, yes. Are they disappointed when the integrity of the competition is compromised, yes. But in the end, it’s not a make-or-break issue. If it turned out Albert Pujols was a user, would the majority of St. Louis baseball fans scorn him? C’mon. You know better.

REID LAYMANCE
I care. I get mad at the players and all of baseball for letting it go on for so long. I loved watching Barry Bonds play for the Pirates and even in his early years with the Giants. One of the game’s best. But in his final transformation in San Francisco (and despite his vows of doing nothing wrong), it has made it hard to still like the Bonds from the early years. Same with Roger Clemens, who’ve I seen play since high school. I still cheer for the players I like, but sometimes not as loudly. And that makes me mad. So I care.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Depends why you watch in the first place. I think fans who love Manny or enjoy the cult of personality don’t care much about performance enhancing drugs. I think fans who love baseball care that the use of PEDs damage the integrity of the game.

LUKE THOMPSON
I don’t think PEDs are a huge concern for the average fan. At this point, it seems like most people are getting tired of hearing about the steroid mess. Some are even attacking the media for blowing things out of proportion or speculating too much, while at the same time lashing out at them for not finding the original story sooner. For most people, the success of their team is paramount, and most fans are willing to overlook mistakes, especially when they can tell themselves things like, “Well, he had to do it to keep up.” But one potential problem that the steroid era created is that fans no longer have the same connection with players and respect for the sport as a whole. They can still root for their favorite team, but they may be less inclined to watch the Fox game of the week or a playoff series once their team is eliminated, because PEDs have distanced players even more from the fans who adore them.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Of the five current finalists for the Rams head coaching position (Jim Haslett, Steve Spagnuolo, Rex Ryan, Leslie Frazier, Jason Garrett), who would you consider to be the front-runner for the position and why?

JIM THOMAS
Too close to call. General manager Billy Devaney has played his cards very close to the vest during the search process. But if you’re going by who Devaney has known the longest and probably knows the best, it’s Steve Spagnuolo.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If Steve Spagnuolo wants their job, the Rams should hire him. He’s an excellent motivator who commands respect. He developed as a strategist under Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, the best in the league. And teams that have hired former N.Y. Giants defensive coordinators as their head coach have been pleased with the results: Tom Landry, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and John Fox all ran the Giants defense before ascending to the head-coach level.

BILL COATS
At this point, I don’t think there is a true front-runner. But I do think Steve Spagnuolo is in a good position, based on his long relationship with Billy Devaney and his strong reputation around the league. He was probably the “hottest” head-coaching candidate when the process began, and he’ll be hard to bypass.

JEFF GORDON
My favorite is Rex Ryan. Unfortunately for the Rams, Ryan appears to top the New York Jets’ wish list — and New York trumps St. Louis. So we’ll see. Jim Haslett sold me on the idea of upgrading the defense and building the offense around Steven Jackson. Ryan could make that happen AND bring fresh eyes to this leadership position. Ryan has more than paid his coaching dues. He has proven he can be a team guy and work within an organizational framework. And yet he has the charisma to rally all the Rams workers and become the new face of this franchise.

BRYAN BURWELL
I would assume based on what public comments we’ve gleaned from GM Billy Devaney that Steve Spagnuolo is the guy. But it’s hard to say what will happen once Spagnuolo gets in the room in Los Angeles.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Steve Spagnuolo. A quick check of headlines showed that “Spagnuolo” popped up far more in our archives than any of the rest since the search began — and he wasn’t even available to talk. He and Devaney go way back, so Devaney has to know that they are on the same page. Plus, he’s finally available. The anticipation has built, as if he’s the last present you open Christmas morning.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE ROCKET’S RED GLARE: That glare would be the spotlight of a grand jury’s probe into Roger Clemens’ alleged “extensive” use of steroids. According to the New York Daily News, after considering evidence that one source called “overwhelming,” prosecutors are expected to ask the grand jurors to indict the Rocket on perjury charges.

Sure, some of us like to poke fun at Mark McGwire’s testimony before Congress (I did so in this space just yesterday), but McGwire may end up being the smartest of them all when it comes to this whole performance-enhancing mess. His refusal to “talk about the past” may be the one thing that keeps him out of grand jury’s crosshairs … something others such as Barry Bonds and Clemens are finding increasingly harder to do.

THE NEXT BLUES CAPTAIN: Alright, Blues fans, I need some help with a running dialogue I’m having with a friend about who will step up to become the St. Louis Blues next captain. This discussion is not based on any discontent with current captain Eric Brewer, so I’m not interested in another diatribe on that topic. More so, we’re looking a couple years down the line to see which Blue is most likely to personify this team and rise to the challenge of leading the club.

To me, of the guys currently on the ice there are two obvious names in the discussion: T. J. Oshie and Barret Jackman. Oshie’s young and has seen somewhat limited ice time this year due to injuries, but there’s no denying the sheer ability of Furnace Face and the effort he brings to the ice. And don’t discount him just because he’s young. Jonathan Toews is already the captain of the Blackhawks and he won’t be 21 until April. Oshie turned 22 in December. There’s a lot to be said for a guy who brings Oshie’s energy to every shift.

Jackman … remember when he was a budding young defensive star? And remember how his star seemed to fall from grace? Injuries played a large role in Jackman’s downturn in performance in recent seasons, but he has really lifted his play this year while surrounded by a ton of youngsters due to the team’s rash of injuries. And Jackman has become a major presence in the locker room and a stand-up guy with the media. He’s already got the “A” on his jersey, does it make sense he takes the next step?

And now for my darkhorse … David Backes. My appreciation for Backes’ overall game grows more and more as we get into this season. He goes into the corners, he hits as much as any forward in the league and, now … finally … he scores, too. There’s no denying Backes’ presence on the ice. I commend the Blues for stepping up and matching the offer sheet made on Backes this past offseason. Am I out of my mind thinking he could don the “C” someday for this club?

I know it may seem careless to leave Erik Johnson out of this discussion and he may be the obvious choice when the time comes, but for now I’m focusing on guys who are actually on the ice. Still, if you think Johnson’s the man, let me know. I’d really like to hear from fans of the team on which player you think will rise to the top and become the future captain.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

DO NFL TEAMS REALLY NEED A BAILOUT? The Associated Press is reporting that as one of his final acts, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt signed off on $25 million in state tax credits for the Kansas City Chiefs to aid in renovations at Arrowhead Stadium and to help subsidize the Chiefs training camp move to Missouri Western State University.

It’s funny how life circumstances can change one’s perspective. I’m such a sports-lover that once upon a time I allowed myself to be pulled along by a ring in my nose in thinking states and cities needed to do whatever possible to keep teams in town. But in our current economy — where many people already have lost their jobs and many pray to hold onto the one’s they’ve got — do our government entities really need to be giving handouts to billionaire owners? Doesn’t the Average Joe already pay enough in admission prices and concession ransom to help professional teams? Do they really need our tax dollars, too?

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STAT OF THE DAY

625 — That’s how many $40,000-a-year jobs could be saved or created with $25 million.