MORT'S MAILBAG | Oct. 31

Q: Hey Chris, Jamal Lewis is having an amazing season, and after Week 9 will undoubtedly be the league's leading rusher over Priest Holmes. He's had six straight 100-yard rushing games, and is proving himself to be one of the most well-rounded backs in the league. My question is: where is his name on MVP polls? What more does he need to accomplish to finally get some respect in this league? -- Matt from Baltimore, Md.

	Lewis

MORT -- Matt, I could not believe the polls on ESPN.com this week that omitted Jamal Lewis and Stephen Davis. I even made my own personal protest. Priest Holmes did not belong in that group ... yet. I think the MVP leaders are Peyton Manning, Steve McNair, Stephen Davis, Jamal Lewis, Dante Hall and Randy Moss.

Q: Hey Mortimer, quick scenario question about the Falcons: What if Michael Vick didn't come back or just came back very late, and the Falcons ended up with a top three pick, who do you think they should go for? They could kind of end up like the Spurs did the year they snagged Tim Duncan after an injury ridden year! -- Ryan from Richmond, Va.

MORT -- Ryan, that's an interesting comparison. If the Falcons end up picking that high, they have to look at what is a very strong receiver draft. I mean, if Roy Williams (Texas) should be staring at them, then that's almost impossible to pass. Otherwise, their defense needs an overhaul, especially in the secondary or on the DL. When you pick in the top five, you do need an impact player who will either score points or take points away.

Q: Rams over Chiefs? I see yet again you've fallen into the trap of getting exited over high-scoring offensive teams. You'd think after the last few years you would learn: Defense, Defense, Defense. And there is no better defense in the NFL than the Dolphins. I've fallen into the trap the last few years of believing in the Dolphins D only to be let down. Not the case this year. Watch out! When they take down the Colts and Titans in consecutive weeks maybe everyone will start to believe. -- Nameless, from Newport Beach

	Taylor

MORT -- Nameless, maybe I'm just caught up in the fantasy of seeing a Super Bowl played by two explosive teams. Because it's true, the teams with fairly dominating defenses generally win the Super Bowl. The Dolphins just may be that team. And if they beat the Colts and Titans, then everyone will look at them a lot differently. The Chiefs' defense has a lot of takeaways. The Rams' defensive line (when healthy) is very underrated. But, overall, you have seen the flaw in my prediction. If I only had your name, we would have sent you to the Super Bowl with a hotel suite, limo service, game tickets and free food! Oh, well.

Q: You so called sports experts kill me. Before the games you talk all kinds of smack about how great a certain team is and how and why they're going to win. Then, if they should lose, you do all you can to belittle them. With you guys it's always, "What have you done for me lately?" You guys are nothing short of sports gigolos. -- Gilbert B. Miranda from Tulare, Cal.

MORT -- Gigolos? That's the first time I've ever been labeled a gigolo, although I know you have a rather sweeping indictment here. You know what, Gilbert? You might be right. Our business -- whether national or local, radio or TV, newspaper or internet -- is so over-reactive, it's ridiculous and even embarrassing. There is very little rationalizing that takes place in analysis anymore. I guess somebody decided it's boring. The answers to any team's success or failure on any particular day are seldom simplistic. Gigolo? Good one.

Q: Mort, I have a question on the issue as to how the NFL ruled on a player's hair being part of his uniform and that it's okay to pull it if it's out of their helmet. What about the face mask? The league doesn't let players get tackled by their face mask, which is a part of the player's uniform. I feel that you could hurt someone's neck in the same way by pulling the hair. To me, the league should make it either have your hair in the helmet or cut it off. How do you feel? -- Paul Salard from Alexandria, La.

MORT -- Paul, I would require them to cut their hair. I'm sure the league is tempted to do it, but it would raise such a ruckus, that the controversy wouldn't be worth it. Obviously, they are throwing back to the player to make a choice. Hopefully, it will never take a serious injury to actually address it at a different level.

	Vick

Q: Chris, I read your article about how Mike Vick should return and I agree that it would please the fans and also help the Falcons. But I don't agree that his return would benefit him. My reason for saying this is that he'll still be behind that horrible line. He's playing simply off instinct and he's not learning anything as far really reading blitzes and the progression of the called play. He will still have to run within 1.5 seconds because the opposing defensive lineman will be back there with him. His career will end too quickly with that group and he will not have learned a thing about being an NFL quarterback. -- Sincerely, Kevin Johnson from Atlanta

MORT -- Kevin, as you know, this is now a full-blown controversy. Remember, it's the same O-line they had a year ago and the offense has an additional weapon in Peerless Price. I will say, now that I've contemplated it a little more, that Vick does have to be close to 100 percent because without his mobility he would become just another pocket passer subject to the abuse behind the line. I do wonder whether the line would be more motivated (this happens with certain running backs) with Vick back there. Also, something nobody ever mentions, is that the Falcons are playing this year without TE Reggie Kelly and FB Bob Christian. They were unsung heroes as blockers. But, I stand by my overall point: You have to play to get better. If he sat the whole year out, he wouldn't be as good in 2004 as he was last season.

Q: In the last year or so, I've noticed both college and pro players wearing, for want of a better term, "arm garters." By this, I mean a small cloth band usually worn around the bicep or in the crook of the elbow. This band is not a wrist sweat band and, at only about one inch in width, it couldn't possibly protect the elbow from "rug burns." It is not the wide bands that some players do wear for that purpose. So what purpose do these garters serve? Or do they just look "kewl?" -- Thanks Mort, Matt from Camp Pendleton

MORT -- Matt, It might be more about that "kewl" look. Now the one-inch sweat bands that some players wear around their biceps or upper forearms may be effective in absorbing the sweat that can run down a guy's arm. For receivers, they could claim it keeps their hands dry (but they were gloves, huh); or for guys who carry the ball, that their arms won't be as slippery. I think it's just "kewl."