This is a surprise.

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson was arrested and booked into an Atlanta-area jail late Saturday night on a felony possession-of-cocaine charge and possession-of-marijuana charge, a misdemeanor.

Anderson, an NFL analyst for ESPN’s First Take this past season, was booked into the Fulton County jail in Georgia and denied bond.

His first hearing was set for Monday morning, the Fulton County sheriff’s office said Sunday.

Anderson, 36, was arrested at the Peachtree Tavern in the community of Buckhead after an off-duty officer working security at the club alerted police, according to The Associated Press, citing a police spokesman.

Police found a suspected marijuana cigarette in Anderson’s pocket, local reports said. Another man with Anderson was also arrested. Police said both men were in possession of cocaine, according to the reports.

Anderson never struck me as someone who would get into this kind of trouble, but who knows these days. The marijuana is not the big deal here. The hysteria surrounding the Michael Phelps story is absurd, but cocaine is another matter.

THE LOVE OF SPORTS has compiled a list of the all-time top 15 team turnarounds.

14. Atlanta Falcons (1998)
This team went from 7-9 and out of the playoffs in 1997 to 14-2 in 1998, winning the NFC West and putting together a magical Super Bowl run before losing to Denver and John Elway…

9. New England Patriots (2001)
This was the year that launched the Patriots’ dynasty, with their first of three Super Bowls coming in the 2001 season…

6. New Orleans Saints (2006)
This was, and quite possibly still remains, the best story in football in recent memory. It wasn’t only the Saints’ incredible turnaround on the field, but also how their play raised everyone’s spirits off the field…

2. St. Louis Rams (1999)
For decades, the Rams had always been a franchise that just couldn’t get it right, drafting poorly and lacking the necessary talent to compete in the NFL. The year before its miraculous turnaround, St. Louis had traded for dynamic running back Marshall Faulk, but it didn’t turn into immediate success, as the team finished 4-12…

The teams listed above are prime examples of why the NFL needs parity. Every year a team comes out of nowhere, makes a run and people enjoy jumping on the bandwagon. Remember how good the Rams were in 1999? They torched everybody that year and were fun to watch. And who didn’t get into the Saints’ 2006 season after Hurricane Katrina ruined their 2005 season? Can’t wait to see what team comes out of nowhere and emerges in 2008.