If the reports coming out of St. Louis since last night are to be believed - and so far, there's a lot of conflicting and contradicting going on with a lot of people - then the story of Josh Hancock's death in a car accident over the weekend has taken a very ugly turn.

This is the latest story on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Web site, in which a couple at a popular St. Louis restaurant says they saw Hancock drinking fairly heavily a few hours before the fatal accident. In the same story is news of an accident three days earlier, in the wee hours before a Cardinals day game, in which Hancock walked away uninjured - but which adds that he supposedly was fined for showing up late for the game, and giving as his reason his being (in the words of the writers) "hung over.''

The story brings into question the Cardinals players' comments - relayed all over the papers, wires and TV and radio Sunday and Monday - that they had feared for his safety because he hadn't answered his phone, but it turned out that he had only overslept. The hint is that it was all a cover story.

Tony LaRussa's reaction to these accounts is a little worrisome. Yesterday he told reporters before the game in Milwaukee- at which they honored Hancock with his number on their sleeves and with his jersey hanging in the dugout and bullpen - that he had told the team to be on the lookout for "insincerity'' by reporters trying to find out more about the story. Or, in LaRussa's words, "to slam you.'' And "to further their own agendas.''

"The first time I hear insincerity I'll start swinging this fungo because it doesn't have its place," LaRussa said.

The story speaks for itself and sounds pretty complete, to this point. But obviously there is more to come of this.

The first thought that came to mind: it wasn't exactly along the same timeline, but this was how the stories about Len Bias's death evolved. First, the shock of the tragedy, then the questions of how fate can take away someone so young, then the reports of cocaine in his dorm room, then the reports of people trying to get their stories straight. Except Lefty Driesell never threatened to physically attack anyone who asked questions about it, at least as far as I recall.

Being protective of his players and skeptical about outside intrusion is understandable. But at the very least, LaRussa owes some people an apology.