T.J. Simers' provocative sports commentary has been entertaining readers since 2000.  Named 2000 California Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, he has been with The Times since 1990.  He was formerly the professional football writer for The San Diego Union, the Denver Broncos beat writer for the Rocky Mountain News; a college football beat writer for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.; sports editor for the Morristown (N.J.) Daily Record, the Beloit (Wis.) Daily News and the Coeur d'Alene (Idaho) Press, and assistant sports editor for the DeKalb (Illinois) Chronicle.  He attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill.