This past Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Oscar Pistorius, a 21-year old double amputee sprinter from South Africa, would be allowed to compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympics.  This ruling overturned a previos decision from the International Association of Athletics Information (IAAF).

When Pistorius was 11 months old, he had both legs amputated below the knee because of a birth defect.   He's perservered through his disability to become the premier paralympic athlete in the world.  He currently holds the world records in the 100, 200, and 400 meter dashes for disabled athletes, utilizing artificial legs that are better known as "cheetah blades).  Currently, his season's best 400 time of 46.56 is just one second below the Olympic standard for the event. 

Now, it's never fun to take a position that deviates from the politically correct opinion, especially in a situation such as this, where it looks as though you're coming down against someone with a disability or handicap.  However, I'm just going to say it (and I'm not making up a position just to be controversial): this was a bad, bad decision.

The basis for the IAAF decision was a study performed by professor Peter Bruggeman from the German Sports University of Cologne (Deutsche Sporthochschule).  Since I don't read German, I can't read the study, but Runners World magazine found someone that could, and summarized the results of the study - in English.

What Prof. Bruggeman found was that the cheetah blades were energy efficient - basically, the blades provided Pistorius with a benefit that able-bodied runners did not have.  Without boring with too much detail, the basic findings were that the blades:

• reduced the amount of energy lost when both feet were on the ground in a stride.  The blades conserved over four times more energy than an able-bodied runner's legs would.
• pushed a runner forward far more than normal legs would.
• reduced a runner's oxygen consumption by as much as 25%, which is a tremendous advantage in the later stages of a race.

The CAS, however, determined that the Bruggeman study was flawed, mostly on the basis of a study performed by MIT professor Howard Herr.  Herr's study has not been made public.  The CAS arbitration board was composed of three non-scientists, which probably was not a good move given the importance of this decision.  As Technology Review noted, the issue here should not have just been Pistorius, but also the use of technological devices in sporting competition.

Look, I'm not blind to the fact that, if Pistorius is able to achieve an Olympic qualifying time in the 400, it would undoubtedly be the greatest human interest story in the history of the modern Olympics.  Hell, Bob Costas might end up having the first ever on-air orgasm on network television doing the intro to a piece about Pistorius (take a minute and let that visual marinate).  And I'm sure many are going to point to the very real disadvantages that he has being a double amputee.  But the cold hard facts are, an athlete's disadvantages shouldn't be factored into a decision like this.  Sometimes, life is just life, and it's hard to say that to someone in his situation, but it has to be done.

What the CAS has now said is that using prosthetics in competition is ok by them.  And down the road, an amputee athlete will come along better than Pistorius with an even better set of blades, and we'll have to go through this again, and eventually everything is just going to become a battle of scientists in an arbitration hearing.

Again, no one likes to be the grinch; sometimes its just got to be done.

STUDS OF THE WEEK
Over the past week the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano has been on fire. He has 15 hits in 28 at bats, including 7 HR's and 13 RBI's. His 1.357 slugging percentage is even more impressive than the .536 clip he hit at.  Most fantasy owners have never even heard of George Sherrill entering the season, but after grabbing four saves over the past seven days the Orioles' closer is no longer going unnoticed.

DUDS OF THE WEEK
Time is running out on the Yankees' Andy Pettitte. The veteran has shown flashes of promise in '08, but he disappointed owners this past week posting an 0-2 mark with a  7.20 ERA in 10 rather dismal innings of work. Though he has shown some promise of turning things around this weekend, the Indians' Grady Sizemore still turns up as a dud after batting .192 this past week and having just 1 HR and 1 RBI.

KEY INJURIES
Roy Oswalt (groin): questionable for 5/22 start vs. PHI
Rafael Furcal (back): out until at least late May
Alex Rodriguez (quadriceps): expected to return this week
Chone Figgins (hamstring): on 15-day DL and out this week
Jason Isringhausen (hand): out until at least early June
Clay Buchholz (Fingernail): placed on 15-day DL
John Smoltz (shoulder): making progress, May return possible
Jorge Posado (shoulder): out until at least late June
Hank Blalock (hamstring): rehab assignment delayed
Troy Tulowitzki (quadriceps): Late-July return likely

TWICE AS NICE
Here are some two-start pitchers to consider this week:

AL
Must-starts:
C.C. Sabathia - @CHW (Jose A. Contreras), TEX (Doug Mathis)
James Shields - @OAK (Joe Blanton), BAL (Daniel Cabrera)
Roy Halladay – LAA (John Lackey), KC (Gil Meche)

Sleeper Picks:
Mike Mussina – BAL (Daniel Cabrera), SEA (Carlos Silva)
Boof Bonser – TEX (Scott Feldman), @DET (Nate Robertson)

NL
Must-Starts:
Jake Peavy – STL (Todd Wellemeyer), CIN (Bronson Arroyo)
Cole Hamels - @WAS (Jason Bergmann), @HOU (Chris Sampson)
Ted Lilly - @HOU (Brian Moehler), @PIT (Paul Maholm)

Sleeper Picks:
Chad Billingsley – CIN (Matt Belisle), STL (Todd Wellemeyer)
Mark Hendrickson – ARI (Micah Owings), SF (Pat Misch)

WAIVER WATCH (from leagues played at CBSSports.com)
Five most added:
SP Aaron Laffey (+26% roster change)
SP Bartolo Colon (+22%)
C Dioner Navarro (+21%)
OF Jayson Werth (+18%)
OF Jay Bruce (+17%)

Five most dropped (non-injured):
SP Randy Wolf (-17%)
SP Jonathan Sanchez (-15%)
SP Armando Galarraga (-15%)
RP Rafael Betancourt (-14%)
1B Eric Hinske (-10%)

GAMES PLAYED
Let's take a look at how many games each team will be playing this week:

American League
7: BAL, KC, MIN, TEX
6: BOS, CHW, CLE, DET, LAA, NYY, OAK, SEA, TB, TOR

National League
7: ATL, CIN, HOU, NYM, PHI, SD
6: ARI, CHC, COL, FLA, LAD, MIL, PIT, SF, STL, WAS

The start of the NFL season is still months away, but the smack talk has already began. Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson made headlines earlier this week when he announced his goals for the 2008 season, which include 2000 yards rushing, becoming a better receiver out of the backfield, and winning the MVP award.

"I definitely feel like I can do it," Peterson told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune when asked about being voted the league's top player. "Anything is possible. Especially with how my mindset is. I set my bar high. I expect a lot from myself. I'm surrounded by a great group of guys offensively and defensively on both sides, special teams, so it's possible for anything to happen."

Peterson was on pace for a 2,000-yard rushing season eight games into his rookie year, but a lateral collateral ligament tear in his right knee suffered Nov. 11 at Green Bay forced him to miss two games. Even after his return though, the knee was clearly an issue. Peterson said Thursday the knee feels "perfectly fine."

He looked good the last time we saw him on the field in February that Peterson rushed for 129 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns for the NFC en route to earning MVP honors at the Pro Bowl. Peterson said that week his goal was to rush for 2,000 yards -- an elite club that includes Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and O.J. Simpson.

Peterson has the talent to clearly make a run at these goals, but durability has always been a question. Another factor could be the success of the team's passing game, led by young quarterback Tavaris Jackson. If Jackson continues to develop and improves enough with the addition of Bernard Berrian to the passing attack, Peterson could have some pressure taken off of him. Another factor will be how much Chester Taylor eats into his carries. I would be surprised if Taylor sniffs last year's numbers, but he will still have a role.

I still consider LaDainian Tomlinson fantasy's No. 1 RB, but Peterson is right behind him and could overtake him as soon as this year if the cards fall right for him.

It's been thirty years since the last Triple Crown winner, but the wait could be over for the horse racing industry. Big Brown remained unbeaten while grabbing the second leg of the Triple Crown with a impressive 5 1/4 length victory in Saturday's 133rd Preakness Stakes at Pimilco Race Course in Baltimore.

Big Brown, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, remained unbeaten and dominated the field of 11 horses that lined up against once again.

It was a far different trip for Big Brown this time around compared to the Derby. For starters, instead of breaking from the far outside, the colt was in the No. 7 post and came out in the middle of the pack. He did not get the best break and got a bit squeezed on the rail, but once Desormeaux made his move to the outside Big Brown kicked it up a notch and never looked back.

With Kent Desormeaux up, Big Brown won the Preakness geared down by 5 1/4 lengths. Macho Again rallied for second, with Icabad Crane third, another half-length back, after encountering traffic trouble on the final turn. Racecar Rhapsody was fourth and was followed, in order, by Stevil, Kentucky Bear, Hey Byrn, Giant Moon, Tres Borrachos, Yankee Bravo, Gayego, and Riley Tucker. Behindatthebar was scratched Friday.

Next up is the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 7th, where Big Brown will attempt to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, and the first since Affirmed in 1978. Big Brown vanquished 19 challengers in the Derby, and 10 newcomers - plus Derby also-ran Gayego - in the Preakness. Several horses will be awaiting him in the Belmont, including Denis of Cork and Tale of Ekati, who were third and fourth, respectively, in the Derby. He also will face the Japanese runner Casino Drive, who won last week's Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont to set up a classic East vs. Far East confrontation.