Running Joke

Chris Polk steps over a Wildcat on his way to a showdown with Oregon.

Guess who is telling everyone that they have the best running back in the Pac-12. No, it's not USC. It's none other than those Delightful Dawgs from Dumbville, the Washington Huskies.

If you had watched the Arizona/Washington game on the channel Root (formerly known as FOX Sports, but still the All-Seattle-All-the-Time Network), you would have heard one of their talking heads (Not Penus Poppoluffogus or whatever his name is. The other one, I think his name is Klapp.) calling Chris Polk the best RB in the Pac-12 three or four times through the game.

And -- just like the Tea Partiers belief in the stories that pro wrestling is real and Obama's birth certificate is fake -- Dawg fans lick this stuff up like sweet ball sweat, roll in it like a cow pie from the gods, and then shake it off their stinky coats and all over the blogosphere.

Lindsay Schnell of the Oregonian talked with the Duck's running backs coach who said LaMichael James is the best back in the league. Meanwhile Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times believes Polk is the best back ever to wear a Husky uniform.

Granted, Washington's star RB, Chris Polk, is currently leading the league in a couple of categories. One thing the bloggers conveniently overlook however, is that he was only able to reach this pinnacle because LaMichael James took a couple of weeks off to heal his arm.

Allow me to show you the numbers without making you too bleary eyed.

Total yards:
Chris Polk -- 1016 in eight games.
LaMJ -- 905 in six games.

So yes, Polk has more yards. And he earned them at an average of 127 yards per game versus 150 for LaMJ.

Polk has 12 TD's in eight games. LaMJ, only 10 in six games. By the way, DeAnthony Thomas has 11 TD's and Kenjon Barner has 8. And while we're on that subject, let's not forget that DAT and Barn Burner can drop 100 plus yards on anyone, anytime, on command. 

Want more numbers? How about All Purpose Yards (running, receiving, kick returns)
Barn Burner is the "slacker" at 738 yards in eight games.
LaMJ has a mere 1201 yards in only six games.
DAT: 1262 yards in eight games.
Polk? (Drum roll please) a whopping 1265 yards. Only three more than Oregon's third stringer.

I'm not saying Polk isn't currently the running back with the best stats.  I'm not saying he's not a great back. We'll see him on Sundays next year.  What I'm saying is that come this Saturday, we're going to see who the best running backs are. And we're going to see if Polk is the best RB on the field, or the second best, or the third, or fourth.

LaMJ. Not running hurts him
worse than his arm.

We're going to see that while Oregon can focus primarily on Polk, Washington's 'D' will have to hold down LaMJ and Barn Burner and DAT. Even if Polk runs 101 yards, Oregon's three-headed monster can still run or catch for 100 yards each. . . . Oh darn, that makes Polk the better RB . . . . and a LOSER. 

As for LaMJ, the poor guy is so chomping at the bit to get back out there and smack pads. He's the kind of guy who will duct tape his arm onto his elbow and crawl on his knees for 100 plus yards if the coach would let him. He was able to put in 50-something yards against WSU. But he looked frustrated. I wonder if he's heard all this Polk talk.

I will make a prediction, if LaMJ's arm feels halfway good, he will stampede through the Dawgs. He will re-establish his rightful place as THE Running Man of the league. If his arm works at all this Saturday, he will use all the pained strength he has, just so he can lift one finger to the Huskies.

--KB