Who's Hot Who's Not

WHO'S Hot

Ronnie Brown
Put it in his hands! The hard-to-stop Dolphins back (page 86) went for 125 yards in Sunday's win over San Diego, including 48 and a TD on 10 carries after getting the ball snapped directly to him. That's two straight 100-yard games for Brown, who's back earlier than expected from an ACL tear. As Brown has said to Miami's Herald, "What injury?"

Creamer
A good year for Paula got better with a tense one-stroke win at Half Moon Bay, Calif., her fourth victory of 2008. She did it in front of a home crowd (she grew up 45 miles east, in Pleasanton), she earned $250,000 for her troubles, and when it was over, she wept.

Vanderbilt
It's been a wild-and-crazy season for a football team coached by comedian Steve Martin (right, top). At 5--0, Vandy's 13th in the AP poll—its highest perch in 60 years. After beating Auburn, the coach, who claims his name is really Bobby Johnson (right, bottom), said, "This is what coaches live for."

Pittsburgh Football
Even before Big Ben Roethlisberger rallied the Steelers to beat Jacksonville on Sunday night—now they're 4--1 and easing into a bye week—Pittsburghers were high on the gridiron: The Panthers, with a steely defense of their own, upset South Florida and vaulted into AP's Top 25.

WHO'S Not

Chris Perry
Fumble! The Bengals back has lost a league-high five of them this year, the last two game-killers in the fourth quarter. "I have to get back to my [fundamentals]," Perry observed after his muff helped Cincy fall to 0--5. He'd better hurry. Averaging just 2.8 yards a carry, Perry's feelin' the heat from newly signed running back Cedric Benson.

Fielder
A good year for his team but a lousy finish for the Prince. Milwaukee's slugging first baseman was just 1 for 14 in the Brewers' four-game bow-out of the NLDS. Said the big man, refusing to dwell, "We'll see what we can do next year."

Nebraska
Ewwww. Not only did Nebraska get seriously whupped at home by Missouri (page 36), Tigers quarterback Chase Daniel says he got spit on by a Cornhucker—uh, husker—player before the game. With two consecutive losses, Nebraska is playing down to expectorations.

Football in Michigan
The NFL's Lions keep getting notter (at 0--4 they've given up the most points and scored the second fewest in the NFC) and, oy vey, did you see what happened with the Wolverines? Try Illini 45--20—at the Big House, and after Michigan had led 14--3. What a way to spend homecoming.