1/13 Quickie: Clips, Duke, Pats-Jets

Today's Names to Know: Duke (FSU!), Antonio Cromartie vs. Tom Brady, LeBron, Blake Griffin and the Clippers, Brady Hoke, Pat Shurmur, Brandi Favre and Don Shula. Plus so much more... all on Quickish today!

We can argue about a lot of things in sports, but here is one truth for today:

Contrary to Twitter rumor, Don Shula is NOT dead.

All clear? Great. Because there's a lot to discuss.

*Duke loses: Oh, yes, Duke loses. At Florida State -- and here it comes -- as usual. Here's the thing: Duke will be fine. They're still the team to beat in late March.

*Cromartie vs. Brady: There's a strong argument to be made that the Jets have nothing to lose by Cro's trash-talk. What, like Brady was going to play less well without the taunt?

And then there's the idea that no one seems to argue with Cromartie on the merits of his claim that Brady is an asshole. They just don't like that he said it out loud.

*LeBron vs. Blake Griffin: Clippers beat the Heat! LA scored 44 in the 1st quarter (44!) and -- of course -- let the Heat back into the game. But they held on, in the franchise's most defining regular-season win in its history.

*LeBron's "karma" tweet: As usual, there's a backtrack from LeBron. "It wasn't even a comment from me, it was someone who sent it to me and I sent it out." Right.

(Meanwhile, LeBron tweaked his ankle and is day-to-day. Smartly -- and I mean that sincerely -- LeBron said he recognizes it's only the regular season and he's best to ensure he doesn't do anything to risk further injury that might impact him for the playoffs.)

*"This is Michigan, for God's sakes": I am inclined to believe Brady Hoke is going to do a great job at Michigan, but I absolutely LOVE that quote.

*CFB 2011 Top 25 lists are trickling out: Oklahoma as No. 1? Really? Do people think that Oklahoma could beat the SEC champ (say, Alabama) in the national title game? No chance.

*CFB WRs are going to be sick next year: Justin Blackmon will be back at OK St., and Michael Floyd is going back to Notre Dame. Good times.

*Browns hiring Pat Shurmur, who is the QB guru who tutored Sam Bradford -- and Donovan McNabb before that. If only the Browns actually had a QB. (No, Colt McCoy doesn't count.)

*Mike Vick wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year (via his own Tweet) and it is arguably the most improbable award victory in NFL history. (Unless you presumed that if/when he came back, if he played well at all, he would be a lock for this award. Really, it's the fact that he will be runner-up for MVP that is the most staggering award result in NFL history.)

*Qatar plied World Cup officials with lots of money: I'm shocked, shocked.

*Brandi Favre busted in a meth raid: She shouldn't have come back.

Thanks for checking out Quickish today -- and for passing it along to all your friends.

-- D.S.