Playmakers," ESPN's pro football drama, has been the best show on television since its first episode. But "Playmakers" hit new heights Tuesday when gangsta rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg played the older brother of DH, the crackhead rookie running back of the fictional Cougars.

In real life, Snoop is a former drug dealer. He hosts hard-core adult videos. In his raps, Snoop glorifies violence and substance abuse and denigrates women. He once was accused of murder.

Somehow, none of that got mentioned during "Playmakers," nor Tuesday during SportsCenter, which had a lengthy feature about Snoop coaching youth football. Confession may be good for the soul but helping ESPN get ratings can make up for a multitude of sins PR-wise.

Anyway, Snoop was great. He got shot, helped police solve a murder and inspired DH to do the right thing, namely ratting out one of his posse for two shootings. Ray Lewis must be proud.

The season's final episode of "Playmakers" airs Tuesday. The cliffhanger: Will ESPN bring back "Playmakers" for a second season despite pressure from the NFL not to do so?

The NFL hates "Playmakers" because the series paints an all too realistic ... uh, sorry, I meant to say the NFL hates "Playmakers" because the series paints an unrealistic picture of pro football. But I think the real reason the NFL hates "Playmakers" is because it's more entertaining than the NFL. Parity hasn't made "Playmakers" boring.

Assuming "Playmakers" returns for a second season, the series will need new material. It has already pirated every single real-life NFL scandal over the past decade or so.

Don't be surprised, however, to see the following happen in season two of "Playmakers":

The Cougars have a reunion of several of the franchise's retired legends when former players O.J. Simpson, Rae Carruth and Darryl Henley are inducted into the team's ring of honor. Problems arise when wacky old former coach Joe Paterno actually tries to take the Cougars over at the start of the game.

Paterno is dragged away by security while yelling, "I gotta coach! I gotta finish with more wins than Bowden!"

If Paterno is willing to play himself, "Playmakers" might borrow from Spike TV's "Joe Schmo Show" and let Paterno think he's part of a legitimate reality series. If not, James Brolin will play Paterno.

With veteran backup Leon Taylor having been released, DH faces a new challenge for his starting position: Jerome Bettis, who comes to training camp in the best shape of his life.

Bettis' brief Cougars career comes to a tragic end as the members of DH's entourage who aren't already in prison shoot Bettis and his body is found washed up on a riverbank. Jerome has been rehearsing the "washed up" part for three years, so I smell Emmy!

Thad Guerwitcz, the gay receiver who was blackmailed by Cougars owner Gene Wilbanks into going on injured reserve after being outed on the practice field by his lover, returns to the team. Accompanying him is the cast of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." They give the entire team a makeover, and the Cougars' new colors of pink, glitter and fuchsia are the hit of the league.

Guerwitcz uses his All-Pro status to negotiate a crossover role on "Queer as Folk," so he can be on at least one cable show where it's cool to be gay.

Coach Mike George finally tells the media he has cancer. A reporter played by Rosie O'Donnell says he got cancer because he lied on all those injury reports. Rosie winds up starting at right tackle.

Deion Sanders takes over as interim coach. Despite all his boasting, Deion doesn't know enough about football to coach in a fictional series.

During a special live episode, DH breaks character to yell at the director, "Hey, why can't we have a white crackhead? Or a black quarterback? Or a black coach? Why can't a cracker be the wife-beater?" The dispute is quickly resolved when it's pointed out that DH gets to sleep with strippers.

Lawrence Taylor makes a comeback to play for the Cougars, and L.T. soon joins DH in cocaine-induced la-la land. DH hits rock bottom and asks the team's PR director to call Jim Brown for help. DH is told: "Don't worry. You're young, black and in trouble. He'll find you."

Suddenly confronted with the lack of a domestic-abuse story line, the Cougars hire Warren Moon as a special assignments coach.

An anchor for a national sports cable network tries out for the Cougars, with his adventure being filmed for a TV special. When it becomes apparent that the misguided egomaniac thinks he can actually make the team, the coaches rig a passing machine to drill him in the eye from close range so they can gracefully ditch him. Quarterback Derek McConnell is fined for yelling "boo-yah!" at the moment of impact.

A scenario where the Cougars spend $80 million on signing bonuses over three years, then start the season 2-6, is rejected for being too improbable.