"Joseph Addai was a sophomore when he met "The Man," Kevin Faulk, who had preceded him at LSU and left the Baton Rouge campus in 1998 with a batch of school records that included the fattest rushing total of any player in Southeastern Conference history not named Herschel Walker.

Addai recalls his first impression: "Huh. This guy's short."

In every other regard, Addai was impressed. The two running backs began exchanging text messages and phone calls. Faulk, by then in his fifth season with the New England Patriots, became Addai's model, his mentor, his big brother, and when the Indianapolis Colts took Addai in the first round of the 2006 draft, Faulk offered his informed counsel.

"First thing he told me," Addai recalled. "He said, 'Joe, live in the moment. Live in the moment. So many people want to be at the point you're at and they can't do it. So enjoy it. No matter what's going on, enjoy it.' "

Addai always has had a quick smile, and it's seldom missing this season.

He has rushed for 786 yards. Going into today's games, only two NFL running backs have more catches than Addai's 51. Only three have scored more than Addai's 12 touchdowns -- and he has thrown for another, a 22-yarder to wide receiver Reggie Wayne that beat San Francisco 18-14. Addai is 9-of-12 on third-and-1 and running with uncommon violence.

He has become what Faulk has been through his 12 seasons with the Patriots: a complete football player."