When I told a coworker, Tawny, that I was going to the doctor today to get a cortisone injection for my achy breaky back, she winced, and revealed that she is afraid of needles, so for the next 45 minutes or so I showed her with a pencil, over her vocal protests, where and how they give injections and take blood. It was pretty fun.

The steroid shot isn’t my first. In recent years my lower back has flared up in May and October due to what I call “Playoff Syndrome,” which is characterized by a flurry of sports I cover in a short period of time. I am on the road a bunch, and carry lots of heavy gear.

When I got to the doctor, he also offered me an influenza vaccination, which I happily accepted. ‘Roids in the rear, flu in the arm. If I could be safely inoculated against a new disease every week, I wouldn’t hesitate.

Today’s weird news is that our part-time sports writer Bob was found dead yesterday, apparently of natural causes. He was 59.