01/11 Quickie: Tostitos for All!

Apologies: I'm still trying to work out the programming schedule on Quickish and how that relates back to here, plus updating the site, plus writing back to all the people who email, plus try to promote the site on Twitter and Facebook, plus start fixing tech bugs.

But I am not complaining. Not for a second. Yesterday was awesome. Amazing. And today is even better. So here's today's Quickie -- heavy on the Tostitos -- and I'll get everything ironed out soon... um: Soon-ish.

Thanks for your patience here and your support over there. I appreciate it more than I can express. Back to posting....

Announcing Quickish.com

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Quickish.com.

Quickish offers real-time news recommendations -- "tips" -- to help you keep up with the biggest things that are happening.

Initially, Quickish will be focused on sports (I'm sure you're shocked).

All I can ask is that you try it out.

Wait: That's not true. I can also ask you to "like" the Facebook page (facebook.com/quickish) and I can also ask you to tell everyone about it -- friends, co-workers, randoms on the street. That would really mean a lot to me. This isn't launching a column on a huge platform with millions of built-in readers; this is building something people love, one fan at a time.

I wouldn't have launched the company if I didn't think that there was a huge value in quick-hit real-time editor-vetted analysis and context about the big topics we're all talking about, updated constantly and around the clock.

As I said a few months ago, if you liked the Daily Quickie, I think you're going to love Quickish.

I also want and need your help. The site has editors, but is powered by tips from readers -- if you find a piece of awesome analysis (and it could come from anywhere from sports news sites to Twitter to Facebook to message boards to TV to talk-radio to use-your-imagination), send it to tips[at]quickish[dot]com, and if you're the first to send it to us and we use it, you get the credit, right next to the content. I know folks here can deliver on that.

If you're looking for the usual morning "Quickie" post, you can now find it at Quickish. I'll post the link as soon as it's ready, and I will have a permanent URL you can bookmark to get the latest.

One last request: Please feel encouraged to send me your feedback about the site. What you like, what you don't, what you want or need but don't see. Just shoot me a note to dan[at]quickish. The feedback is the best part, and I especially want it from readers here.

Thanks again. It's a big swing -- and going to be even more fun.

Quickish.com. Keep up.

-- D.S.

Sunday (Very Quickish) Quickie

Launching a new company tomorrow?

Launching a new company tomorrow.

This'll be quick -- how relevant! -- but typically superlative: That was the single-best day of Wild Card games in NFL history.

The first-ever sub-.500 NFL playoff team beat the defending Super Bowl champs -- favored by a ton -- in front of a frenzied crowd and featuring the beastmode-iest run in the history of the NFL Playoffs.

Then the mouthiest team in the NFL improbably knocked out the defending conference champ -- and a nemesis its coach had been trash-talking all week -- on a last-second field goal that totally (not to mention metaphorically) tied in to the coach's presumptive foot fetish.

What more can you ask for? (Well, aside from a week of lead-up to Pats-Jets 3.)

Yesterday was an incredible day of NFL football. Here's hoping today's even remotely comes close. (Honestly, I can't see how it can.)

OK, time to head back to Quickish prep. Where has the time gone? (That would qualify for today, the last week, the last six months...)

The site should be live and accessible by 6 a.m. -- but don't hold me to that if tech issues or whatever delay it.

I cannot wait for you to check it out. And I will keep saying this, so forgive me, but I really want your feedback. It matters a lot -- to the product and to me. (At the same time, I'm going to be asking you to help spread the word. Again, please give me a little leeway on that before you get too sick of me asking -- this is only the biggest swing of my professional life.)

Back to programming!

-- D.S.

01/08 Quickie: Harbaugh, Wild Card

Happy Wild Card Weekend. Saints-Seahawks in the late afternoon; Jets-Colts tonight. More than enough to keep you entertained.

49ers hire Jim Harbaugh: A coup for a franchise that needs a lot of help. Harbaugh is the rare college coach who can/will make a successful transition to the pros.

It doesn't hurt that 8 wins will put him in the hunt for a division title.

(And if he doesn't? That's the 49ers problem; Harbaugh will always be able to command a fortune in college, basically at the program of his choice.)

LSU clobbers Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl: Was that Les Miles' last game for LSU? (Doubt it.)

But who's ready for the BBVA Compass Bowl between Kentucky and Pitt today? (No one? Fair enough.)

NBA: Carmelo to the Nets with help from the Pistons? Sure doesn't seem like it. But when it comes to Carmelo rumors, it doesn't take much to get folks talking.

MLB: Cubs get Matt Garza from the Rays. It's a display of Tampa's crazy surplus of starting pitching that they can ship out Garza -- who would have priced them out anyway, eventually -- yet still have one of the best rotations in the AL. Nice upgrade for Chicago, but the consensus is that the Rays got a ton of talent in return, led by Chris Archer, the Cubs' most recent Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

More NFL Coaching: Jeff Fisher gets another year with the Titans. Bud Adams was obviously not ready to rebuild yet, despite the need for a new franchise QB -- and how that typically goes hand-in-hand with a new coach to help pick him.

CBB Today: UConn at Texas in a Sweet 16-quality match-up. Performance to be filed away for use in March.

Enjoy

1/07 Quickie: Wild Card, Luck, Harbaugh

One more time: My new company Quickish is launching Monday. DS.com readers will get a special message. To keep up, please "like" the Facebook page and/or follow the Twitter feed. Huge thanks in advance for your support. I really hope you'll like it. Wow, is it going to be a crazy weekend....

Of course, it's NFL Wild Card Weekend, intriguing at the macro level because the road teams all seem like presumptive favorites. Here's what I like about the individual match-ups:

Saturday, 4:15 ET: Saints at Seahawks. The defending Super Bowl champs versus the first sub-.500 playoff team. The Saints have no running game; the Seahawks are terrible, but will enjoy the home-field vibe. Pick: Saints, barely.

Saturday, 8 ET: Jets at Colts. Rematch of last year's AFC championship game. The Jets have skidded to the finish; the Colts didn't look good against the Titans last week (and nearly lost). Pick: Jets, with an extra dose of Peytonfreude.

Sunday, 1 ET: Ravens at Chiefs. It's really hard to buy these worst-to-first teams in their first playoff games, even if they play at home. I'm long the Ravens' experience. Pick: Ravens.

Sunday, 4 ET: Packers at Eagles. The marquee game of the weekend, featuring the preseason favorite to win the NFC against the most enthralling player of the season. I'd love to see the Eagles win the NFC. Historically, I am a sucker for the Eagles to win the NFC. I'm going the other way this year -- congrats, Eagles fans. Pick: Packers.

The NFL's new overtime rules: Rest assured, something will happen that will make everyone freak out.

Andrew Luck staying in college: I love this, if only because I think Luck is one of the best college QBs I've ever seen, and I really want to see him at the height of his ability next season -- as if he wasn't this season, too. (And, yes, I do think that Luck is better than the two previous star Stanford QBs, but if you want to be technical about it, we can wait until Luck wins the Heisman next season -- and leads Stanford to an appearance in the national-title game.)

Don't worry, Panthers fans: You'll probably have the No. 1 overall pick next year, too. You'll get Luck eventually.

(BTW: I tweeted this out yesterday, but if your team was a lock to not make the playoffs next year and was woefully inadequate at QB, would you trade an 0-16 tank season for 10 seasons of Luck? I would, in a second. You could say real fans don't ever root for their team to lose, but how about real fans want what's best for their team to position themselves for a title at some point?)

Jim Harbaugh Watch: With Luck coming back, I would go back to Stanford and ask for a big raise, with no promises beyond next year. The NFL jobs will be there next year, too -- probably even more emphatically after he takes Stanford to the national-title game. Sounds like it's down to staying or moving down the street to the 49ers. I'd stay.

More players turning pro: Mark Ingram. Despite the way he gashed Florida in the 2009 SEC championship game, I think he was overrated -- let's be honest: He wasn't even the most talented RB on his own team (as you'll see when Trent Richardson goes wild next season as the featured RB). In the NFL, he'll have a place, but does anyone see him as a 1,000-yard-a-season-for-5-seasons RB? The "shared-RB" revolution of the past few seasons actually favors him.

Great Read: ESPN.com's Amy K. Nelson on Galarraga-Joyce, six months later.

OK: Diving back into product development. More later. Blogging all weekend. Trying for a game-changer on Monday.

-- D.S.

New Home for DS.com A.M. Post

Just a heads-up on some news (or "news"): The signature morning "Quickie" column/post published here every morning will have a new home, starting Monday: On Quickish.com.

(That publisher of Quickish is a convincing -- and might I say handsome -- person. Oh, and me. Yes, there's that.)

I can think of no piece of original programming more relevant to anchor a new site built on quick-hit content than the morning column I've been filing every day since... well, since this day a few years ago.

I'm really excited about the new spot -- for obvious reasons, and I hope you will check it out over there -- staying for some of the other stuff that will be going on. (Much like the Sporting News era, I will promote it here and link to the full version over there.)

The content itself should stay mostly the same -- but if there's anything new you want to see, please let me know.

And I will still do posts here on random things that seem interesting -- I might even get back to posting even more than usual.

Really looking forward to Monday.

-- D.S.

01/06: VY, HOF, RichRod, 49ers

My new company, Quickish, launches Monday. Very exciting. Keep up through the Facebook page and Twitter feed (and here, of course). Related post coming later today.

Vince Young is out in Tennessee: It was a disappointing career with the Titans, despite the fact that VY's drafting was celebrated, he won Rookie of the Year and he had that surging second half in the 2010 season (which almost certainly benefited from being in a backfield with the best player in the NFL, Chris Johnson, keeping defenses honest).

In between was erratic play and even more erratic behavior. Both the team and the player need a fresh start -- as ever, Young needs a coach willing to take advantage of his unique skills. Jeff Fisher wanted him to be Kerry Collins or Billy Volek.

Blyleven and Alomar make Baseball Hall: Two worthy choices. It's a shame the voters didn't take more -- Raines, Bagwell, Larkin, Trammell.

The news is about the so-called "Steroid Era" players: McGwire's support went down. Palmeiro's was nearly non-existent. The consensus is that this doesn't bode well for players like Bonds and Clemens and... well, like all of them.

If I had to bet, I would say all of the clearly worthy (McGwire, Bonds, Clemens) will eventually get in, but it will take 10 years and the inclusion of many many more voters who are less comfortable with the moral (and physical) arbitration.

Michigan fires Rich Rodriguez: This was always "when," not "if" -- going back to RichRod's first week as head coach, let alone that first season of foreshadowing.

So what next? Jim Harbaugh isn't an option. They really should make a play for LSU's Les Miles, but I suspect they will end up with former assistant Brady Hoke. And fans won't be happy.

Ironically, I think RichRod will do just fine. He will end up at a program with lower expectations -- or merely a lower profile -- and build up a winner. How about Clemson in 2012?

Jim Harbaugh: To the 49ers? He met with them for 5 hours yesterday, but what if the Dolphins are ready to break the bank for him? Should he take the money, even if it isn't the gig he wants?

(Apparently, the 49ers understand that their chances of getting Harbaugh are iffy -- they interviewed Raiders OC Hue Jackson, who will likely get an offer to be HC in Oakland, and apparently they now like Josh McDaniels, coming off a rough rookie stint in Denver.)

NBA: Rajon Rondo goes nuts, with a triple-double -- 12 points, 10 rebounds and 22 assists. Feels like Rondo should be the starting PG for the East in the All-Star Game.

(BTW: I didn't talk about the Slam Dunk contest yesterday, but I kind of like the "Big Men" theme this year. They all need to go heavy on the theatrics.)

Meaningful anniversary today. Anyone remember? (I only bring it up every year....)

-- D.S.

01/05 Quickie: Ohio St, Jobs, HOF

Reminder: My new company, Quickish, launches publicly this coming Monday. Stay updated by liking the Facebook page and/or following the Twitter feed.

Ohio State gets off the SEChnied: Though they did their best to give the game away at the end, the Buckeyes beat Arkansas to win the Sugar Bowl -- but, more importantly, Ohio State finally beat an SEC team in a bowl game for the first time in a couple decades.

What next for Terrelle Pryor? I'm no OSU fan, but that was a pretty powerful scene in the game's immediate conclusion, with Terrelle Pryor limping on an injured ankle and in obvious pain. Was it his final game for Ohio State (no matter what he or Jim Tressel say)?

Even more than the suspension, the ankle injury should remind him that he is one really bad injury away from seriously undermining his contentious NFL draft potential. If his mobility is such a big part of his ability, then ankle (or knee) injuries are no joke.

But really: Despite all those wince-inducing drops, Arkansas should have won the game by running back that final Ohio State punt, rather than falling on it -- one more piece of chokey execution failure by the Hogs.

Jim Harbaugh: No decision yet. But all the scuttlebutt has him ending up with the 49ers, with a power/control set-up to his liking. The Dolphins are also rumored to be making a push. All power equal, which team would you rather coach?

I'd say San Francisco for Harbaugh, because he obviously loves the Bay Area -- and because he has a better chance of succeeding in the NFC West than in the AFC East.

(Alas, either means he won't be able to draft Luck, but there will be plenty of potential franchise QBs in the mix when SF or Miami picks.)

I buy the rationale that now matter how he does in the NFL, he can always return to college, basically at the job of his choice, and command one of the Top 5 salaries in college football.

Speaking of Andrew Luck: Apparently the Panthers would take Luck with the No. 1 overall pick if he was in the draft. (This is news? Of course they would! Almost any team in the bottom half of the NFL would, too. Even if you have a solid incumbent QB, you don't pass on the biggest QB talent since Peyton Manning.)

Rich Rod: Out! No... not out! (Yet!) Here's the thing: Rodriguez may yet have been able to save his job by begging (or whatever would convince AD David Brandon to keep him around), but the reality is that RichRod will eventually get fired.

(So is it possible that Brandon keeps RichRod around for another season for lack of a better alternative right now? Harbaugh doesn't want the job. Brady Hoke is uninspiring. Next season may allow for a new "hot" coach to emerge.)

NFL Coaching Carousel: Tom Cable out in Oakland, but the coaching staff's impact on the Raiders' improvement this season will not go unrewarded -- apparently, OC Hue Jackson will get a promotion to HC. Meanwhile, Marvin Lewis will be back in Cincinnati.

NBA: Last night's Knicks win over the Spurs might be New York's new signature win of the season.

Mark Cuban on Phil Jackson: "I love that Jeanie Buss' boy toy had something to say about us. I don't know if it was his thought or Jeanie's thought, but it's nice to know that she lets him speak in public about other teams." (Cuban on Jackson on Caron Butler's season-ending injury.)

OJ Mayo vs. Tony Allen: When you let competitive NBA players gamble for money on team planes, fights are going to happen. Haven't we seen this before, over and over? (I'm not against it; I'm just saying it is a natural outcome that everyone should expect.)

MLB: Dan Uggla gets a 5Y/$62M extension, which was presumed the minute he was traded to Atlanta.

CBB: Notre Dame over UConn? Maybe the Irish are for real this year after all.

Baseball Hall of Fame: Today is the big reveal of the 2011 class. Roberto Alomar is presumed to be a lock. Bert Blyleven will likely get in after more than a decade of being on the ballot.

There are a bunch of other players who DESERVE to get in -- Tim Raines and first-timer Jeff Bagwell among the more contentious -- but won't. Get some background on why this year creates a new era in HOF voting in this must-read piece from Jayson Stark.

-- D.S.

1/04: Stanford, Luck, Sugar, Favre

Today's Names to Know: Jim Harbaugh, Andrew Luck, Terrelle Pryor, Brett Favre, Eric Mangini, Jeff Fisher, Carlos Gonzalez, Jeff Bagwell, LeBron, St. John's, Snooki and More.

Stanford rolls in Orange Bowl: There's not much more that the program, coach Jim Harbaugh or star Andrew Luck could have done to showcase the elite level that the program reached this season. It was a clinic of Stanford-Harbaugh-Luck-ness.

At this point, if there was a national college football playoff tournament, I think Stanford would be a popular pick to win the championship -- I think it's a good bet that on a neutral field, Stanford would beat Oregon (Stanford lost at Oregon after their only bad half of the season.)

Luck is very very good. I think it goes without saying that he is the best player in Stanford history. I'm more interested to figure out where he ranks among all Pac-10 players ever. Let's just stick with QBs: I'd take Luck over either Matt Leinart or Carson Palmer -- and over Troy Aikman, if you want to go back that far.

So what next? If Harbaugh and Luck went back to Stanford next year, I think Stanford would deserve to be preseason No. 1 and Luck would be a lock for the Heisman.

But I can't see Harbaugh staying: His stock is too high and the money that he will be offered will be too much (although I don't see why Stanford can't match any dollar figure, up to and including Saban-level money).

I know most people think he's going to end up at Michigan -- and I understand why he would like to be a college coach more than an NFL coach -- but old-school loyalties aside, Michigan is not as good of a job as Stanford, now and if Harbaugh chose to stay there.

But I think he will end up in the NFL. The 49ers covet him, as does Denver -- now run by Stanford alum John Elway, whose cutaway TV shots from the Stanford sidelines were conspicuous.

Here's a hypothetical: Harbaugh tells Elway he will come to Denver, but only if the Broncos flip-flop from the No. 2 draft slot with the Panthers to get Andrew Luck.

Alternatively, Luck could "pull an Elway" and tell the Panthers he'd rather sit out the season than sign with them, effectively forcing a trade down to Denver.

It would be even more intriguing if the Panthers said: OK, we'll trade with you. But we want Tebow. If the Broncos were going to ride with Luck anyway, trading Tebow is a necessity.)

Then again, I flip-flop: Harbaugh is so good as a college coach. He might very well be one of those successful college coaches who can successfully transition to the NFL, but I think all the rah-rah intensity works much better within college programs.

So we're right back to Harbaugh going to Michigan vs. staying at Stanford.

To me, the ideal scenario is that Harbaugh and Luck both stay at Stanford for another year and take their shot at a national title. Harbaugh will be an even BIGGER draw for NFL teams and Luck won't lose his spot as the No. 1 player in the draft.

*****

Bowling Tonight: Ohio State-Arkansas in the Sugar, in the Big Ten's last chance to avoid utter humiliation (rather than just mere humiliation). All eyes on the OSU 5 -- including Terrelle Pryor -- who are playing their last game until next October... or ever for OSU.

*****

Brett Favre and Jets sued for sexual harrassment: Based on the findings of the NFL's investigation -- with or without Favre's help -- Favre and the team would seem to be in some trouble, because you can totally buy the claims, given the Sterger background.

NFL Coaching Carousel: Eric Mangini is out in Cleveland, and while Mike Holmgren might WANT to coach the team, I don't think he will. (If I was the owner, I wouldn't want him to. I'm not a fan of your head coach also running your team as its top exec.)

But Gary Kubiak is safe in Houston. And Jack Del Rio is safe in Jacksonville. The only coach still hanging out there is Tennessee's Jeff Fisher. Meanwhile, on the hiring front, all eyes are on Jim Harbaugh, with the dominoes (John Fox?) likely falling depending on what he does.

*****

MLB Hot Stove: Carlos Gonzalez getting 7Y/$80M extension from the Rockies? He certainly seems like a "foundation"-ish player that can join Troy Tulowitzki as the heart of the lineup for the next half-decade. But what if last season was the best he'll do? Always a risk, I guess.

HOF announcement coming tomorrow: Qualitative evidence suggests that Jeff Bagwell will fall short (crime), Tim Raines will gain but also fall short (crime) and Bert Blyleven will finally make it (justice). I'm ambivalent about Jack Morris, except to the extent that I buy the "You can't vote for Morris without voting for Blyleven" argument.

*****

NBA: LeBron and D-Wade were named NBA co-players of the month in December, which seems fitting -- it's only a matter of time before someone makes the case that they should be league co-MVPs in June. Then the Heat rolled over the Bobcats, for yet another W.

CBB: St. John's had enjoyed a decent start under Steve Lavin, but there were those ugly non-conference losses. Well, those are now eclipsed by Lavin's signature win: Beating Georgetown. (Still not buying the Johnnies as a March threat in '11, but it's the right direction for the program.)

*****

Media: And I'll consider it a personal failing that Snooki came out with her book (today) before I had a chance to publish my Tebow book. Oh well....

-- D.S.

1/03 Quickie: 7-9, Bowls, More

This is a big week: Quickish launches a week from today. Connect with it through Facebook and Twitter, because I'm going to have a bunch of pre-launch beta invites to give out.

7-9! As a fan of novelty and the superlative, I cannot be anything but delighted that the 7-9 Seahawks made the playoffs, becoming the first sub-.500 team to break the barrier. (And, for superlative fans, becoming arguably the worst NFL playoff team of all time.) Now watch them upend the defending champs next week.

The NFL playoff field overall is tantalizing, if only because so many folks think the road teams will dominate in next weekend's Wild Card round. Great: The more uncertainty the better.

Yikes: Sorry, Giants fans.

Black Monday: So which NFL coaches get fired today? Tom Coughlin's job is safe. Eric Mangini's won't be. Gary Kubiak could be axed in Houston and hired in Denver a few days from now. Jack Del Rio is, as always, a push.

CFB Bowling: Stanford vs. VA Tech in the Orange Bowl tonight. Stanford has awesome enough individual stories -- Jim Harbaugh, hottest football coach in the country (college or pro) and Andrew Luck, the presumptive No. 1 pick of whichever NFL Draft he chooses to enter -- to make the game a must-see.

TCU Hangover: Meanwhile, I'm trying desperately to find the hour in the next day or so to write up the moral case for AP Top 25 voters ranking TCU at No. 1, regardless of the outcome of the Auburn-Oregon game. I think the crux is: Your flimsy "ballot integrity" doesn't trump your mandate to promote the integrity of the sport.

Charlie Weis as Florida's Offensive Coordinator: Sorry, not a fan. I don't begrudge anyone putting their family first ahead of their career -- hell, that's how I want it to be -- but that doesn't mean I want the offensive coordinator of my elite college powerhouse to do it.

I want someone who is NOT interested in "work-life balance" or a "quality of life" move; I want someone who is willing to put everything aside for the job. That's how Urban Meyer did it, and it's what made him the best -- even if it ultimately burned him out.

Maryland hires UConn's Randy Edsall: Zzz....

Tim Tebow Watch: In 2 starts and 13 other assorted snaps, he accounted for 11 TDs. In the preseason, I pegged him for 7-10, and that was considered a Tebowphile's pipe dream. If he got the same 16 games started as Sam Bradford, he would have easily surpassed Bradford's 19 total TDs -- and made the choice for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year a lot more interesting. All in all, a pretty good rookie season.

NBA: L-ack!-ers? Uh, it's one thing for the Lakers to lose decisively to the Heat on Christmas Day. It's another thing for them to get blown out at home by the Grizzlies. Panic time.

MLB Hot Stove: Adrian Beltre to the Rangers? That makes a lineup with a fair amount of pop even more dangerous.

More later.

-- D.S.

Sponsored Post: Hail the Champ

Your weekly update on my travails in the Blogger Football League, sponsored by Procter & Gamble. For background, see this intro post.

Let the record show that had I made it to the league finals, I would have likely beaten the league champ Diana from National Football Post, who will now be headed to the Super Bowl to represent the league as its winner. (Then again, I surely would have triggered some other karmic justice that would have seen me lose the game.)

It was a really fun season -- if a bit too much of a roller-coaster ride for my tastes. I got the first overall pick of the league's draft, which I spent on Chris Johnson. That looked SO good at the time; it turned out to be a complete bust. My 2nd-round pick at the end of that round -- Tom Brady -- turned out to be my team MVP.

I started the season crushing the league, then went up and down with the fortunes of Johnson and the injury situation with my two Chargers, Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates. A midseason pick-up of RB LeGarrette Blount -- Rookie of the Year! -- stabilized my running game and gave me back some momentum.

Ultimately, I simply couldn't top the combination of timing and talent that was Michael Vick in Week 15 against the Giants, a game that one half looked entirely in hand, then just an hour or so later was my league Waterloo.

What a terrific experience the league has been -- in a dozen years of playing fantasy football, I have never done as well in a league as I did in this one. It's a shame that I couldn't close the deal. Maybe in a future year.

Here is the final league recap from Jared of Midwest Sports Fans.

Check out P&G's Take It To The House page on Facebook. Be sure to look for the new contest where you predict the players who will have the top 5 rushing or receiving plays from scrimmage, and if you get them all, you win some insanely good prizes.



The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 online sports folks competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win a donation for a local charity, furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in anyway.

Sunday (New Year's) Quickie

It's the final week of the regular season in the NFL, and the day games look to be so drama-free that it's nice to know the night game is a virtual playoff game. Worth watching, especially if the Seahawks become the first team ever to make the playoffs with a sub-.500 record.

TCU rules: What an awesome team, with an awesome story and an awesome attitude about their situation -- willing to celebrate winning the Rose Bowl for its own sake, rather than freaking that they aren't going to get a chance to win a national title.

(That is, unless the AP voters do the right thing and give TCU their half of the national title. It is in the best interests of the sport for voters to nullify any individual feelings they have about the Auburn-Oregon winner and promote TCU as their champ. More on that later this week.)

Otherwise, the storyline was that the Big Ten got clobbered up and down: Wisconsin by TCU, Michigan State by Alabama, Michigan by Mississippi State and -- a bit less egregiously -- Penn State by Florida in Urban Meyer's last game at UF and Northwestern by Texas Tech.

Rich Rodriguez is almost certainly going to get fired from Michigan, leaving two questions: Who replaces him (Jim Harbaugh, if Harbaugh isn't swayed by the pitch to stay in the Bay Area and coach the 49ers) and where RichRod ends up (I'm rooting for Pitt, for the pathos -- wow, that coaching situation there is pretty awful, and it wouldn't surprise me if the AD was tossed out, too.)

NHL Winter Classic: As expected, so much cooler under the lights than during the day. The visuals were stunning -- and that's kind of the point of the NHL's biggest game of the regular season: A showcase for casual (and non-) fans to pique their interest. The Caps' retro jerseys took me back to my childhood of going to games at the old Cap Centre. Huge win for the Caps -- in the absence of a Stanley Cup title, arguably the biggest win the team has had in the Ovie Era.

The Heat's comeback from 20 down against the Warriors to get the win might be my favorite win of their season so far (to the extent I like ANY of their wins, which I really don't). But it shows an interest in Ws that inches them closer to actually being... well, if not likeable than at least respectable.

And that's it for Brett Favre's career. Maybe. Out not with a playoff run -- or even a final start -- but an "inactive" listing and a hazy lingering concussion. Say this: It's close to a no-bullets-left-in-the-gun situation, which is better than quitting after last year's NFC title game loss and lamenting that he had another season in him. (And, aside from the concussion, he probably could have gone these past two weeks.)

I'm quite sure he'll put out signals in July that he's interested in coming back for a team that will have him. Won't believe he's done until next season comes and goes without him playing -- and even then, it's unclear he wouldn't get into shape and try to come back in the fall of 2012. I'm totally serious. This is what Favre has done to us.

-- D.S.

Looking Ahead to 2011

Prepared a really long post talking all about 2011 and Quickish, but I think I'm going to save it for the Quickish launch in 10 days.

I'll leave it at this: It's easy to know what I'm looking ahead to in 2011 -- the launch of Quickish, then, as I just tweeted, "Go. Go. Go." Full throttle. It's a simple new year's resolution.

Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to having you all be a part of it. It's going to be incredible. (One last pitch in 2010: Stay updated on it by liking on Facebook or following on Twitter.)

Otherwise, there are a few other things in the sports world I'm looking forward to:

*Will Muschamp at Florida.

*The Onion's new "SportsDome" TV show

*Jonah Keri's new book "Extra 2%"

*Heat not winning the NBA title.

*And one I'm dreading: The NFL and NBA labor mess.

Beyond that, the sheer unpredictability that makes every year so unique and fun.

Looking forward to another great year with you. Here's to a happy, healthy new year for you and your family.

12/31 New Year's Eve Quickie

Happy new year (in advance)! Wow, it's been a fascinating 2010 in sports (and life). Here's to a fun and safe New Year's Eve for all of you.

It's a shock but not a surprise that UConn's women lost at Stanford. If any team was going to do bust the streak, it was going to be the Cardinal at Maples. I just didn't think they'd do it.

(Question: Doesn't this kind of mitigate any chance Stanford has of beating UConn if/when they meet in the Final Four? Hard to see Stanford beating UConn twice in one season.)

*****

Yesterday's CFB Bowl Insanity: The end of that Tennessee-UNC Music City Bowl was ridiculous. I actually feel bad for Tennessee fans (rather than the schadenfreude of the LSU loss).

Then there was the end of the Syracuse-K-State game, where the K-State receiver was flagged for a penalty for saluting after the late TD that brought KSU within 2. It pushed the would-be game-tying 2-point conversion back to the 17-yard line and cost KSU any reasonable chance at tying the game.

Was the call right? By the letter of the rule, yes. But it is so inconsistently applied that it was best left as a no-call, especially given the timing. (Then again, players should know better -- and if they don't, then the coaches haven't done their job preparing them.) I personally don't find post-TD celebrations offensive in the least, and so I have a high tolerance for gestures before I'd think throwing a flag was appropriate.

(Both games eclipsed what should have been a pretty notable win by Washington over Nebraska, especially considering how badly NU pounded UW back in September.)

Four bowls today, headlined by Notre Dame-Miami in the mid-afternoon. It's not what it once was, but we'll watch, of course, because it's ND vs. Miami. Nostalgia!

(More: USF-Clemson -- dud. Georgia-UCF -- upset watch! South Carolina-Florida State in primetime -- SC, jumped by New Year's Day bowls, should roll. They were very good in '10.)

*****

New Year's Day Bowl Mania! Six bowls tomorrow, which I'll try to summarize as shallowly as possible:

*Will Northwestern get its first bowl win ever? (Remember: NU regularly ends up in some of the most exciting games of the season.)

*An hour into a Northwestern bowl game I would usually watch in its entirety, Florida kicks off against Penn State, so you know what's happening there. It's Urban Meyer's Florida finale -- frankly, it is a bigger deal that it is Steve Addazio's Florida finale. One more chance to enjoy that ineffective dive play, Gator fans.

*What a disappointing finish for the defending champs. Remember when Alabama's place in the national title game was a presumption? That's why college football is so amazing.

*Is this Rich Rodriguez's final game at Michigan? (If Michigan was smart, it would pay RichRod his reduced buyout -- but only having already backroom-secured Jim Harbaugh as its next coach.)

*The day's headliner is the Rose Bowl: Wisconsin -- which had a pretty awesome year -- against TCU, trying to win one for all the non-BCS teams out there (not to mention prove its bonafides as a team worthy of a national-champ vote or two). Wisco doesn't offer much of a strategic challenge: TCU simply has to stop the most punishing run game in the country.

*UConn-Oklahoma's Fiesta Bowl is as lame as all the UConn fans who aren't going know it will be. TCU's place as the Big East's automatic-qualifying BCS bowl champ can't happen soon enough.

*****

NFL Week 17 Preview: For all of you whose teams play their final game of the season, I'm sorry. Even watching your pathetic team stumble not into the playoffs is better than no football at all.

I love that the weekend's headliner is the "playoff play-in" game for the NFC West title between the Seahawks and Rams, which could leave us with our first-ever sub-.500 division champ, an outcome I am rooting for hard.

Otherwise, it's a handful of teams still playing for a playoff spot -- or playoff position. But most of the league is phoning it in. The good news: The NFL playoffs start next Saturday.

More NFL: Sal Alosi and the Jets fined $100K; Brett Favre fined $50K. Gotcha. (Actually, I suspect that the Jets are guilty for the same thing Favre is: "Misleading" the league. Do you think the Jets actually copped to anything more than the "lone bad actor," as far-fetched as that seems? You bet. In sports, obfuscation has always been the optimal strategy.

*****

More CFB: Quick thought about the Ohio State 5 apparently committing to return next season: If the presumptive threat was that there is no way Tressel would play them in the game if they didn't say they were returning (no matter how much pressure the Sugar Bowl CEO puts on the school), what would be their incentive to tip that hand now? What's the punishment if they say they are coming back, play in the game, then declare for the draft a week later?

As a nominal Maryland football fan, I heartily endorse Mike Leach as the next coach, if only because he would make the Terps the most entertaining/telegenic football team on the East Coast. If you're not winning a national title -- and Maryland most definitely is not -- then you might as well be fun to watch.

*****

NHL Winter Classic: My favorite NHL event of the year -- and, in my opinion, the best idea in the history of the sport. That it pits the league's two biggest stars -- and had the promotion of HBO's incredible 24/7 series -- only makes it bigger. Shame the weather might mess things up. It's scheduled for a 1 p.m. start, but it could get pushed into the evening. At worst, it gets moved to Sunday. No problem: Fans will still tune in. (Yes, even on Sunday, against the NFL.)

*****

Baseball Hall of Fame ballots are due today. Here's hoping for a good result for Bert Blyleven and Tim Raines, among others. For the record, I am part of the camp that would vote Bagwell in.

Again, best wishes for a happy, healthy and satisfying 2011 to all of you. Huge stuff ahead. Posting all weekend.

-- D.S.

12/30 Quickie: Favre, KG, K, Bowls

Per yesterday's end-of-2010 post, a bit of unexpected extra time with my kids this morning was (more than) worth the late post. Anyway, as they say: Legggooo...

Brett Favre "punished" with $50K fine: Without diminishing the underlying gravity of sexual harrassment, Favre lying to the league should have been taken by the league as worse than the original offense.

KG injured: It goes without saying that without KG and Rondo, the Celtics are not a contender. However! All that matters is that they are healthy by April and stay healthy through June. It's no sure thing, but if they are -- again: big "if" -- they will win the title.

Coach K wins No. 880, putting him alone at No. 2 on the all-time wins list -- with no question he will pass Bobby Knight early next season. You can hate Duke and still recognize that K is the best men's college hoops coach of all time.

Sugar Bowl CEO influenced Ohio State players' suspension: My favorite part is how this bowl CEO was so open -- even bragging -- about it. That is the clarity that comes with no misunderstanding about greed driving your decisions. Where Ohio State and the Big Ten and the NCAA get tripped up is in the haze of their own cynical opacity.

CFB Bowling Yesterday: Maryland sends out Fridge with a big win (really hope they get Gus Malzahn)... Illinois wins a bowl for the first time since '99 (Zooked!)... Oklahoma State showcases OC Dana Holgorsen's monster offense one last time before he leaves for WVU.

CFB Bowling Today: Quadruple-header! Noon (Army-SMU in the Bell Helicopter Bowl)... 3:20 (Kansas State-Syracuse at Yankee Stadium)... 6:40 (UNC-Tennessee in the Music City Bowl)... 10 (Nebraska-Washington in the Holiday Bowl, which annually produces high scores).

Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot Week, Cont'd: Joe Posnanski has been killing it this week, and today's post is the best yet -- about Jeff Bagwell. Baseball HOF voters coming out against Bagwell -- with some really terrible arguments -- are having their worst moment (well, worst moment since not covering the steroids story to begin with).

More NBA: Another 40-plus game for D-Wade (45) and another win for the Heat... the Lakers get off the schneid... Tyreke Evans!

Posting a look-ahead to 2011 around noon-ish, and I'll be posting tomorrow to preview the weekend -- hope you'll drop by to check it out.

-- D.S.

Looking Back on 2010

Maybe this is a function of being a parent of young kids and the founder of a start-up, but things were fairly simplified for me in 2010:

*Be the best spouse and dad I could be. (A task that where -- probably, but not always, for the best -- there always seems to be vast room for improvement.)

*Work as hard as I've ever worked to get my company founded and positioned to succeed. And it's exciting as hell to know that as hard as we've worked this year, things hit another level when it launches in two weeks.

Both those things have a million small pieces that go into them, but there is a clarity that comes with an overarching goal.

Looking back to this time last year, I wanted to start my own company, but it sure seemed like a long way from intention to execution. But things are positioned to be amazing in 2011.

I cannot overstate how much I appreciate you continuing to want to connect with me here, hear what I have to say and support the effort.

And I probably can't overstate how much I will want and need your support next year with Quickish. More on that tomorrow.

As for sports -- let's not lose sight of that, right? -- 2010 continued to affirm something I have experienced since the old Quickie days: Just when I think it can't get better, it gets better.

The Decision was perhaps the pivotal sports event of the year -- and a complete debacle -- but consider the impact. Who said sports always has to be feel-good stories like the Saints winning the Super Bowl, which I'd rank as "1A" among the top stories of the year.

Looking at it from a macro perspective, you could argue that despite the uncertainty in the economy -- and maybe partly because of it -- sports have never been more popular.

The NFL with record ratings. Same with college football. Same with the NBA. And my god: The World Cup.

I try to steer clear of meta discussions about TV ratings and sports business, but at the very least, let's use the audience numbers as a proxy for enthusiasm. If you don't like TV ratings, you can swap in online attention. Sports have never mattered more.

I already went through my favorite sports moments of the year. The real exercise is to think back and ID the ones that immediately come to mind: The Decision (obviously), the World Cup goal by Landon Donovan and -- weirdly -- that buzzer-beating miss by Gordon Hayward in the NCAA Tournament title game is seared in my mind.

This fall is kind of a blur -- Quickish work was all-consuming, but there was enough left over for me to feel epic disappointment, week-in-and-week-out, by the performance of Florida football. Believe it or not, I renewed my optimism each week that they would win, making the awful play and brutal loss all the more devastating. I would have been better off assuming the worst; I couldn't. It was the worst experience I have ever had as a fan: Sisyphean. (Sisyfan?)

Our memories of a sports year are a combination of the intensely personal and the intensely universal -- it's not just that there is room for both. There HAS to be both.

Sports fandom can't just be "my team." Too much of the experience is the communal -- you can love your team, but still appreciate Butler or the World Cup or the pain of Cavs fans or the elation of SF Giants fans.

But sports fandom can't just be "what everyone is talking about." That's the place I've made my career, obviously, but you need something that is yours, a uniqueness to your fandom -- some combination of allegiance to team, player, perspective, time commitment, media diet... it all combines to make your experience as a fan...yours.

I think it's both, and this year didn't just affirm that, but -- as you'll see -- I'm willing to stake my career on it.

Hope you enjoyed the sports year -- and the whole year -- as much as I did.

Coming tomorrow: Looking ahead to 2011.

-- D.S.

12/29 Quickie: Eagles, Spurs, Bowls

Well, two days late, the Eagles blew it. With a chance to put themselves in a position to win the No. 2 seed in the NFC -- and that 1st-round bye, not to mention home-field advantage in the Division round -- the listless Eagles choked at home to the Joe Webb-led Vikings.

Joe Webb Bandwagon! (Although it's clear that if Favre can go in Week 17's season/career finale, he will start and play -- as he should, obviously. We all need closure with this.)

By the way, I think that ends any chance Mike Vick had of upending Tom Brady for the league MVP award. Vick will have to content himself with earning the starting NFC QB nod in the Pro Bowl -- a combination of fan vote plus peer/coach vote that should feel as meaningful as an MVP award... even if the Pro Bowl game itself is pretty meaningless.

NBA Last Night: Are the Spurs the team to beat in the West? It's hard to count out the Lakers until another team has won that 4th game against them in a playoff series, but through two months of the 10-11 NBA season, the Spurs sure look like the best team in the conference, affirming it with a head-to-head win over the Lakers last night.

(Meanwhile, without Dirk, the Mavs were in trouble, losing to the Raptors. In Miami, D-Wade had 40 in another Heat win over the Knicks. It's not just LeBron who lights them up.)

CFB: JoePa on board for 2011. Back in the mid-decade when Penn State was reeling, I used to be with the "Oh, why doesn't JoePa retire already?" crowd, but since then I have done a 180: JoePa can do what he wants, and I kind of get a kick out of his enthusiasm to keep going.

Bowls last night: Wins for NC State (OK State OC Dana Holgorsen can't get to Morgantown fast enough) and Iowa (name to know: Iowa frosh RB Marcus Coker, who had 219 rushing yards).

Three bowls on tap today -- starting at 2:15 and going straight through until 1 in the morning, if that's your bag: At 2:15, the Military Bowl (East Carolina vs. Maryland, which appears to be zeroing in on a new coach)... at 6-ish, Illinois vs. Baylor in the Texas Bowl, which should be a points bonanza... at 9:15, Oklahoma State vs. Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, which should be an even bigger shoot-out.

CBB: As usual, Wisconsin (which beat Minnesota last night) is better than anyone thinks they are.

MLB Hot Stove: Is Andy Pettitte going to retire? (As this is Hall of Fame voting week, it begs a question: Is Pettitte a Hall of Famer? I think by the time he is up for it, the standards for pitchers -- particularly related to career wins -- will have been impacted by the quant-leaning community, and he will get in, a combination of longevity, starring in the Yankees dynasty and his performance in notably big games in the playoffs.)

NHL: Crosby's scoring streak is up to 25 games. Can't wait for the next episode of HBO's 24/7 tonight -- it really is the best piece of NHL programming I've ever seen. (A nice complement to the Winter Classic, which is the best marketing innovation in the history of hockey.)

-- D.S.

12/28 Quickie: TNF, Saints, Wusses

Forget the debate over the 18-game NFL season for a second -- when tonight's make-up "Tuesday Night Football" game gets seismic TV ratings, why wouldn't the NFL seriously consider creating a weekly Tuesday night game, to join the Monday night and (late-season) Thursday night editions?

Overkill? Not if you watch the out-sized success of the Sunday night and Monday night games. Fans can't get enough.

So consider how much money a network would be willing to pay to have throttle-the-comp, defy-the-DVR programming that would almost assuredly "win" Tuesday nights?

Fans would love it. TV networks would love it. Advertisers would love it. (Thus, the league would love it.) It makes too much sense NOT to try more aggressively.

*****

MNF: Saints upend Falcons. Now, on the one hand, the Falcons had little motivation to do anything but avoid injury. On the other hand, it is hard to now simply assume that home-field advantage for the Falcons in the playoffs means they will coast to the two wins they need to win the NFC. Meanwhile, the Saints needed (and got) a gritty win on the road that might give them all the momentum they need to make a repeat run in the NFC playoffs.

More TNF: Are we "wusses" for not playing the Eagles-Vikings game in a blizzard on Sunday night? That's what Pennsylvania governor/uber-Eagles fan Ed Rendell thinks. Yes, they probably could have played the game on Sunday -- and it would have been a spectacle -- but way more ticket-holders will get to see the game tonight. Is that so bad?

Brett Favre Watch: He won't play. Well, let's hedge that -- he PROBABLY won't play. But, of course, you never know.

CFB Bowling Tonight: Champs Sports Bowl (West Virginia vs. NC State) and the Insight Bowl (Missouri vs. Iowa). Both are kind of meh, honestly.

LeBron claims he doesn't know what "contraction" means when he said that the Nets and T'wolves should be, y'know, contracted. LeBron is either a dope -- or thinks we are.

NBA Last Night: The Mavs got a big win over the Thunder, but Dirk went down with a knee injury. Needless to say, that's a big deal.

NBA Tonight: Knicks at Heat and Lakers at Spurs are the headliners. Miami should throttle the Knicks in a redux of last week. The Lakers are coming off that Xmas Day loss to Miami, and the Spurs are still smarting from last week's shellacking in Orlando. (And yet both remain the Top 2 teams in the West.)

More: The NBA had its best ratings ever for the Christmas Day games. So much for the complaints about overkill.

CBB: Pitt staked a claim as the best team in the Big East with a win over Top 10 rival UConn, their only meeting of the regular season.

MLB: Lots of talk heading into Friday's deadline for Baseball Hall of Fame voters to submit their ballots. The most intriguing, as always, is Bert Blyleven. More:

*Jack Morris is most notable for a single game (Game 7 of the 1991 World Series), as well as being the crux of the "You can't vote for Morris if you don't vote for Blyleven" argument.

*Robbie Alomar will likely get in. Tim Raines SHOULD get in -- and ultimately will, I think.

*Mark McGwire will get closer -- enough that "Will McGwire get in?" will again become a topic of conversation.

More later. Have to put together my end-of-year lists....

-- D.S.

12/27 Quickie: NFL Playoff Scenarios

Gotta love NFL playoff scenarios. The AFC is pretty clear-cut: The Patriots are winning the conference title anyway. The only open slot is the AFC South, which is the Colts for the taking with a win next week (which they'll get). No, really, does it really matter? The Pats are going to roll all the way, anyway.

The NFC is much more fascinating: The Packers, Giants and Bucs are vying for the final Wild Card spot. And the Seahawks and Rams are playing with the tantalizing chance that we'll see our first-ever sub-.500 division winner.

Then there is Philly trying to keep pace with the Bears to earn that key first-round bye (plus home-field in the Divisional Round). We'd have clarity, if not for the NFL's decision to postpone the snowed-out game until Tuesday.

(It's the NFL's first Tuesday game since 1946, a bit of novelty that will surely set viewing records on top of what was already a record-breaking season for primetime games.)

The bottom line is that the NFL is so much better off when meaningful games happen in the final week of the regular season.

More notes from NFL Week 16:

*Fantasy Football Championship Week: If you started Josh Freeman, you deserved to win. If you started LeGarrette Blount, you deserved to win. And if you started both, you deserve some sort of Fantasy GM of the Year award.

(How wild that many leagues won't be decided until late Tuesday night?)

*Only the 2010 Jets could lose -- giving up 38, no less -- yet still qualify for the playoffs in the same game.

*The Giants sure don't LOOK like a team that is worthy of making the playoffs, do they? (Hard to watch that head-to-head with the Packers and not think the Pack more worthy.)

*Tim Tebow. Allow a moment for triumphalism after Tebow led the Broncos on two 4th-quarter TD drives (both 70+ yards) for the comeback win. Plus 300 yards passing. And bringing the total number of TDs he has accounted for this season to 8 (in 2 GS + 13 other snaps).

*And yet Sam Bradford, who has the Rams on the cusp of a playoff spot, will surely run away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. (As he should. But can we get a little love for Tebow from the nay-sayers?)

*Tom Brady may or may not beat out Mike Vick for league MVP (he probably will), but he will finish the season with the best mark ever for TD-to-INT ratio.

*Norv Turner should be fired at the end of the season. So should Jeff Fisher. And, for blowing it at home and almost surely costing his team a playoff spot, Jack Del Rio. (That Gary Kubiak will be fired -- and likely hired in Denver the next day -- is a given, right?)

*Mike Singletary would have been on that list -- but he might not even make it to next week. Needless to say, he's as good as axed.

*You have to feel good for the Lions finishing so strong.

*Tonight: Saints at Falcons in the Monday Night Football season finale. The defending champs against the presumptive favorites to win the NFC this year. I'm going to be a sucker for my "pick-the-champs-to-repeat" thing until the bitter end. God, the Pats are going to throttle whoever the NFC offers up in the Super Bowl, aren't they? I'm steeling myself already.

More:

*Rangers get Brandon Webb: This barely qualifies as a consolation prize from losing Cliff Lee. (Did I say "barely?" I meant "doesn't.")

*Bowling tonight: AdvoCare V100 Indepedence Bowl, featuring Air Force and Georgia Tech, which should give triple-option fetishists a thrill.

*NBA Weekend Recap: Everyone still hates the Heat. It's just that they are clearly the team to beat. That said: It's a far different thing to beat the Lakers in December than in June.

*RIP, Bud Greenspan.

The countdown is on to the Quickish launch. Please "like" the Facebook page and/or follow the Twitter feed to get the latest info (including beta-testing invites in advance of launch.)

-- D.S.

Sunday (Very) Quickie

My default is to not put much stock into the NBA regular season, particularly match-ups between top teams -- the playoffs are an entirely different game.

But it's hard not to see at least some symbolism in the Heat going into Staples Center and thoroughly beating the Lakers. Still: Let's see them do it in June.

(Meanwhile, on paper, the Magic beating the Celtics was impressive -- but the C's were without their best player and MVP, Rajon Rondo. Again: Let's see the Magic beat Boston with Rondo.)

I loved the shoe stuff that went on -- yes, even the Lakers' Grinch-colored Kobe sneaks. But I particularly liked the Thunder all wearing special-edition yellow Durant models. (Durant celebrated the occasion with a season-high 44.)

NFL Week 16 today: Good luck to everyone competing for fantasy championships. Here in NYC, we're buckling down for snowpocalypse.

More later.

-- D.S.

Saturday (Christmas) Quickie

Merry Christmas, one and all. I have watched parts of at least 4 airings of "A Christmas Story." And, yes, I think I'm burning out.

NBA on Christmas Day: My favorite NBA tradition (sorry, Phil Jackson and LeBron) and the most popular day of NBA of the year.

LeBron spiced things up by supporting contraction -- and the loss of jobs for his fellow players -- which should add a layer of enmity to his duel with the Lakers (Derek Fisher is president of the players' union).

Meanwhile, the Knicks are relevant on Christmas Day for the first time in forever. The Garden should be rocking at noon. (And Celtics-Magic will be a fun one, too.)

Ho, ho, ho: I'm inclined not to obliterate Renardo Sidney over this fight with a teammate -- on top of everything else. He simply was a guy who should have skipped college altogether to play in the D-League until he was draft-eligible.

Mike Vick would pick himself for MVP: I appreciate his candor -- and I agree with him. (Although I totally understand the case for Tom Brady.)

Tulsa!

Enjoy your days. More later.

-- D.S.

12/24 Quickie: Ohhh...Fuuudge

Can't help it: My favorite Christmas tradition is watching "A Christmas Story." Over and over.

If you are celebrating, here's to the merriest of Christmases to you and your family. If you aren't, enjoy the Chinese food and movies. Forward...

Steelers crush Panthers: As expected. Looking ahead to Week 16: Good luck to everyone competing for a fantasy championship this weekend.

Weekend's Best: Revolves around New York -- Jets/Bears and, more importantly, Giants/Packers. Let's also keep an eye on the mess in the NFC West.

LeBron hates the NBA labor movement: He publicly supported contraction (and thus the loss of jobs for his fellow players), an odd position for the league MVP.

(It's particularly bad timing heading into tomorrow's slate of Christmas Day games, annually the NBA's biggest regular-season day of the year, headlined by Heat-Lakers.)

Magic over Spurs: If they can do that, no excuses for Orlando not to make a strong push to win the East -- at least get to the Finals. (Would love to see Orlando-Miami in the semis.)

Ohio State vs. the NCAA: Let me get this straight -- these 5 players are suspended for the first 5 games of 2011, but they can play in the bowl game? NCAA hypocrisy writ large.

San Diego State over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl: Only relevant to Florida fans who were watching, because SDSU's OC is a contender to be Florida's new OC.

Related: Temple hires Steve Addazio. I actually like this hire for Temple. Addazio was a horrible OC, but he is a great leader and an amazing recruiter -- he is way better as a HC than OC.

Tonight: Hawaii-Tulsa. Nope, won't be watching (unless the game is sponsored by Red Ryder).

CBB: Renardo Sidney never should have gone to college, let alone stuck around for this year. He should have gone straight to the D-League and been draft-eligible last June. Now, he's sunk.

Tourney-quality win for Georgetown over Memphis. Filed away for March. (To continue my annual in-the-tankness for G'town.)

Gillette splits with Tiger: Why now and not a year ago? In the end, Tiger is less marketable for his lack of titles than his lack of marital fidelity.

Hot Stove: Would the Yankees really sign Manny? Yes please.

Feuds: Both Kyle Shanahan and Donovan McNabb (or his agent) need to grow up.

Again: Wishing you a wonderful Christmas holiday. I'll be blogging tomorrow and all weekend.

-- D.S.

12/23 Quickie: Happy Festivus

Is it wrong that Festivus is my favorite holiday of the year? It's just not the holiday season without "the airing of grievances."

Ryan/Foot thing, cont'd: Oh, he's totally right that it's a "personal matter." Frankly, I'm quite impressed that aside from the easy jokes, most people are like, "Hey, more power to you."

Ohio State Tattoo scandal: Did players trade autographs and memorabilia for free tattoos? I'm coming around to the idea that a straight barter isn't the worst thing in the world. (I have less clarity when it comes to cash transactions, although I understand there's not much difference.)

Actually, that might be the best way for players to get compensated without the NCAA actually getting into the murky area of paying them: Let them barter their autograph or appearance for whatever they can get for it; that's much closer to a fair market value than trying to come up with a regular payment system.

Larry Brown out in Charlotte: Longtime readers know that I can't stand Larry Brown's whole "Right Way" schtick. I'd call him the Brett Favre of NBA coaches, but Favre lacks Brown's fundamental smugness.

NFL Tonight: Panthers at Steelers. Could be the worst game of the year -- Pittsburgh is going to roll.

CFB Bowling: Boise State ends season on an up note, by smothering Utah in the MAACO Bowl in Vegas. Has to be so bittersweet for the Broncos -- more than any other team.

Tonight: Poinsettia Bowl, featuring Navy and San Diego State. Have you seen that field? It's underwater -- cue Navy jokes...

CBB: Here's a grievance -- why did I pick Michigan State to win the national title? That team is having serious problems this season, the latest being losing at home to Texas last night.

More NBA: Celtics win 14th straight. But, really, did you see that dunk by Blake Griffin where his head was above the rim? Not sure there has been a more exciting finisher in the NBA since early-career Vince Carter (all the more remarkably because Griffin is a power forward, not a guard.)

TV: Catch the latest HBO 24/7: Pens-Caps last night? Seeing Mario Lemieux on the ice was incredible TV. They are really doing an awesome job with the show.

(Oh, and don't forget ESPN's documentary about Tim Tebow will be on Jan. 6. I'm sure you're just giddy with anticipation.)

Know things have been slow lately around here, friends, but hopefully more than anything it's an indication of how hard I'm hustling to get ready for early 2011. I cannot wait.

Keep coming back: Posting tomorrow and all weekend long.

Happy Festivus!

-- D.S.

Sponsored Post: It's Over

Your weekly update on my travails in the Blogger Football League, sponsored by Procter & Gamble. For background, see this intro post.

It's over. My season -- once so promising -- fell apart in the semifinals, after Team Gunaxin unleashed Mike Vick on me. If not for about 7 minutes of awesome from Vick, it would be a different story. But he rolled, and so did Gunaxin.

And so my season in the league ends short of a championship -- but probably as well as I had ever done in a fantasy league in my life. (Kinda sad reality.)

I had the No. 1 overall pick: Chris Johnson. His up-and-down year, punctuated on Sunday, cost me. I also had Tom Brady, my team MVP, who won me plenty of weeks. Even Brady couldn't top Vick in Week 15.

I will celebrate my best in-season move -- picking up LeGarrette Blount -- and mock my misses, like having any faith in Michael Crabtree.

It's disappointing for a lot of reasons -- I certainly would have liked to have won the $10,000 for the youth-sports charity of my choice; I had already thought through donating it to my brother's elementary school in Florida, which could use it.

Here is this week's league recap post from Diana. I'll keep you apprised of how the league championship shakes out.
Check out P&G's Take It To The House page on Facebook. Be sure to look for the new contest where you predict the players who will have the top 5 rushing or receiving plays from scrimmage, and if you get them all, you win some insanely good prizes.



The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 online sports folks competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win a donation for a local charity, furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in anyway.

12/22 Quickie: UConn's 89, More

I really am baffled when I see backlash to coverage of UConn's winning streak -- 89, as of last night. The comparisons to UCLA in the early 1970s get people particularly riled up.

Nevermind that I see UConn's streak as more impressive -- that's just my opinion, and I'm not insisting it be yours -- but why can't we just appreciate what UConn is doing for its own sake?

The irony is that I have a complicated relationship with sports-team dominance. By default, I'm not a fan of dynasties (despite the data that shows it increases interest in a sport).

And, yet, almost to a compulsive extent, I usually pick previous champs to repeat. I was was one of the first -- and remain one of the only -- to say that two titles in a row qualifies as a dynasty.

Despite my inclination to dislike dynasties, I love this UConn team, because it's not just your typical winning -- yes, it's The Streak. But it's also HOW they are winning: By destroying almost everyone.

I was glued to the game last night not just for the history, but because I couldn't believe what UConn was doing to a very good Florida State team. They made them look like JV.

I admire UConn women's hoops for their sustained success, yes, but just as much -- maybe more -- because they are merciless in their swath of destruction.

The entire program is built around optimizing the sport for winning -- and winning big.

Now, I'm sure that part of the reason I like/admire this is because it is women's hoops, a sport I follow only for its superlative moments, like UConn's streak or the Final Four.

If there was a team in the NBA or NFL or MLB or either major men's college sport like this -- and there never has been -- I'm sure I would loathe them.

But there is something about one team out there maintaining a standard of excellence that is so high that it can turn even dynasty-haters into fawning admirers.

*****

So: Rex Ryan and his wife and the feet thing. I say: Live and let live. It is a detail that makes Ryan all the more complex and fascinating.

CFB Bowling Tonight: Utah vs. Boise State in the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas. Ouch. Consider where we were two months ago with these two teams. Now look back at me. Now look at the tumble for Boise from BCS bowl to MAACO. Now back to me. This might be the best bowl match-up of the year, and we're getting it on Dec. 22. Um, enjoy?

No, Tiger Woods isn't injured.

Congrats to Charlie Strong and Louisville on their bowl win in the much-maligned Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.

No. 11 Kansas State losing to UNLV could be spotted a mile away -- or, however far away it is where KSU's starting backcourt got those improper benefits. (And, ouch: Tennesee.)

More later.

-- D.S.

12/21 Quickie: Favre,

Today's Names to Know: UConn, Brett Favre, Joe Webb, Lovie Smith, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Charlie Strong, Beef O'Brady, Ralph Friedgen, Tim Tebow, Coach K, John Shurna and More.

Note: Thanks for the response to the Quickish intern post from yesterday. I think we'll be good, but if you missed it and feel strongly about it, shoot me an email via the post.

UConn women go for 89th win in a row: And they'll get it. Hard to envision when this team will lose again. And, yes, it IS a big deal. (Count me among the folks who think that winning 89 in a row today is a lot more impressive than winning 88 in the early 70's. Apples-to-oranges, yadda yadda yadda... I'm blown away by this UConn dominance.)

Favre: The end? There are two lasting myth-buttressing images from what might be Brett Favre's final game in the NFL:

First, him trotting out to start the game, in the snow, defying the "out" designation that has only been reversed by game-time less than two dozen times in the past decade.

Second, Favre face-down on the turf after Corey Wooton's hit, knocked out of the game. From Favre's perspective, I presume that in the hierarchy of career conclusions, being KO'ed is not as good as going out on a game-winning TD pass -- but better than standing limply on the sidelines.

Then again, he might play next week, rendering all of this moot and recycling the encomiums. That would be most Favrian of all.

Bears clinch NFC North: Does this get Lovie Smith off the hot seat? At the very least, it means playoff football at Soldier Field in January. If last night's snowy conditions were any indication, they might even win one. (Then again, they will be going against a playoff team, not the Vikings.)

Joe Webb Fan Club: Why was it such a presumption that Joe Webb would be a WR, not a QB? Shows a lack of insight from the traditional NFL draftnik-scouting complex, because Webb looked pretty good last night, particularly for a rookie who hadn't played QB all year. I know the Vikings will likely draft a QB in the 1st round next spring, but why not give Webb a chance?

Mavs stop Heat streak: As Miami has rolled along, it feels like they have feasted on many of the NBA's lesser teams; we're back to the old meme: They can't beat the elite -- at least not consistently, on the road. Leaves things pretty opaque about their playoff chances.

Magic's new additions don't help much: Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richarsdson started, and Gilbert Arenas came off the bench -- no matter, the Hawks won. (It was to be expected that the new group wouldn't gel instantly. I'm still bullish for the long term on them.)

CFB Bowling: Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Pete! Southern Miss vs. Louisville, which just signed its biggest recruit ever: Miami-area star QB Teddy Bridgewater. Oh, and I saw a stat yesterday that L'ville lost its 6 games never by more than a TD. Charlie Strong has the program on the rise.

Maryland buys out/fires Ralph Friedgen: Setting the table for Mike Leach. Unclear why they are having a "search committee"; this should be done quickly and simply, bringing in Leach. Every day the new coach isn't installed is a day when they lose ground in recruiting. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank needs to shoot Maryland's president a note about that.

NFL Draft: Is Nick Saban using the uncertainty over the NFL's labor situation to scare his juniors into not going into the Draft? Savvy by Saban, but ultimately, if the players are Draft-worthy (particularly 1st-round picks), they should get into the league as fast as they can.

Tim Tebow will start next week: Of course he will. (a) He played well enough to merit it, and (b) what would be the point, in a lost season, of leaving the young QB on the bench in favor of the vet, in an otherwise meaningless game?

CBB: Coach K is now No. 2 in all-time wins among college hoops coaches.

Florida shocked by Jacksonville: After the K-State upset, what did I tell you about Florida's inconsistency? Maddening.

Northwestern rolled at the Garden last night, thank you very much. I was the only one in the arena in the hard-to-find John Shurna jersey-style T-shirt, which will look even better in March.

-- D.S.

Serendipity in Fan Allegiance

My alma mater Northwestern is heading to my 'hood to play at Madison Square Garden tonight (and tomorrow). I will be there. I even bought a John Shurna jersey-style T-shirt to wear.

In a bit of irony, they will be playing St. Francis of New York -- D-1's smallest program, which happens to be located down the street from my apartment. (Site of my kid's 1st-ever game.)

The occasion of NU being here inspired me to combine it with this month's 20th anniversary of my acceptance to NU to point out that college fandom is largely based in serendipity.

Check out my essay over at The Awl. The premise is simple: How different would your life as a fan be if you didn't end up at the college you went to?

You certainly wouldn't, say, be going to Madison Square Garden to watch Northwestern play St. Francis in the 1st half of a doubleheader.

Want to Be The Quickish Intern?

So what are you doing over your winter break?

Quickish needs an intern. With the launch coming up soon, there is a ton of stuff to get done. I could use someone reliable, creative and detail-oriented (with some writing skill) to help me with a bunch of the different things that are getting pulled together. The job is mostly editorial(-ish) work, but I can’t claim it’s glamorous.

Enticing, I know. But you get to join in on what will hopefully be one of the most exciting media start-ups of 2011. And hopefully get some interesting experience.

I’m looking for someone who has a passion for the intersection of sports and media (but NOT “sports media.”) Ideally, you’re on break from college from now through mid-January, with little to do but help me out. (This is NOT meant to dominate your time; call it 15-20 hours a week, but it’s flexible.) FWIW: This is different than the "legwork" project from the fall -- that was just a few days of work and nominally paid. But if you were interested then and emailed about it, just shoot me a quick note.

You don’t have to be in New York (where I am), but if you are, that’s a bonus. You’ll be working from home/dorm/Starbucks/Gchat/Skype anyway.

If you’re interested, shoot me a note at help@quickish.com.

-- D.S.

12/20 Quickie: Eagles, Pats, UConn

Today's Names to Know: DeSean Jackson, Mike Vick, Matt Dodge, Matt Flynn, Dan Connolly, Ti Tebow, NFC West, Rex Grossman, UConn women's hoops, Zack Greinke, Grant Hill and More.

So: That DeSean Jackson walk-off punt-return-for-a-TD. Good gosh -- and made all the more dramatic coming at the end of a massive 4th-quarter rally for the Eagles. On the road, in New York, their biggest division playoff rival this season.

I don't blame Jackson for hot-dogging at the goal-line (although I really do think that it was a combo of wanting to be flashy and legitimately wanting to ensure the clock had run out). He is one of the glitziest players in the league, in an unprecedentedly glitzy situation. What did you THINK he was going to do?

(Meanwhile: Poor Matt Dodge, goat emeritus for Giants fans. The Giants punter screwed up. Undoubtedly, he knew he screwed up. Given that Tom Coughlin is going to cut him today, assuredly, when he was being reamed on national TV by his coach, Dodge should have shouted back: "Do you NOT think I get it?")

MVP Watch: With two weeks to go -- and after yesterday's comeback -- I have absolutely no problems putting Mike Vick at the top of the list. (And I say that having had Vick likely cost me a title in the P&G fantasy league -- which would have netted me $10K for charity and a trip to the Super Bowl. Oh, well. Speaking of fantasy, HEY RAY RICE: WHERE WAS THAT BEFORE?)

Meanwhile, kudos to Dan Connolly, the Pats offensive lineman who became an instant star after his 73-yard kickoff return/rumble just before halftime. Frankly, given how close this game was -- and did ANYONE see that coming? -- it was the pivotal play of the game.

More:

*Jets off the schneid: At Pittsburgh, no less. Wow, did they need that. (Anyone else think that the Steelers were definitely going to score at the end?) So if they can win at Pittsburgh in December, not much excuse for not being able to win a couple of playoff games on the road, is there?

*Tim Tebow's debut as a starter: You could probably hear my whooping up and down the block when he took off for that 40-yard TD run on the game's 2nd series. (And almost as loud when he threw that bomb TD on the very next series.) TDs included, it was a good -- not great -- start. He will get better. The Broncos' problem isn't Tebow; it's the defense.

*The NFC West is insane: With just 2 weeks to go, the 5-9 49ers nearly control their own destiny. If they win out -- no guarantee, obviously -- they only need one small break to find themselves in the playoffs (and hosting a game!) at 7-9. Nothing will hasten playoff-seeding reform like that kind of result.

*Rex Grossman: Admit it -- not nearly as bad as you thought he'd be. (Again, as with Tebow and the Broncos, the Redskins' problem wasn't Grossman; it was letting the Cowboys score 30+ points.)

*Congrats to the Lions for finally winning on the road. (Signature victory of Detroit's Calvin Johnson Era?)

Non-NFL News:

*UConn women's hoops win 88th straight: You might have missed the game yesterday because you were watching football. No excuses not to watch the record-breaker on Tuesday. It is going to be something you want to be able to say you saw first-hand.

*Brewers get Zack Greinke: The Royals had to move him for the right package; unfortunately for KC fans, it'll take years to know whether it pans out. Gratification is more immediate for Brewers fans: Greinke joins a stacked rotation that should have Milwaukee the favorite in the NL Central.

*NBA Last Night: Vintage Grant Hill. As the league still settles down from the huge pair of Orlando trades, the new-look Suns were supremely old school last night -- Grant Hill had 30 and 10 in a Suns win over Oklahoma City (and that was without the new players from Orlando). Has to rank among the best single-game performances from an NBA player age 38 or older. (Given his age and the circumstances, possibly the most impressive performance of his career.)

More later, including a Quickish update.

-- D.S.

Sunday (Very) Quickie

Let's start with the notion that Tim Tebow might/could/will start today in Oakland for the Denver Broncos. Now that's out of the way...

UConn women go for consecutive win No. 88 -- tying UCLA's legendary streak -- today vs. No. 10 Ohio State at Madison Square Garden, the biggest stage possible for one of the biggest wins in women's college hoops history. (Now that I'm back in NYC, I'm a bit bummed I'm not going to this game. I would love to have taken my kids, so they could see the history.)

Magic center of NBA mega-trade(s): This was a fun one. The Magic improved their offense considerably, dumping Vince Carter for Jason Richardson and old fan favorite Hedo Turkoglu (while giving up underrated Dwight Howard backup Marcin Gortat), then swapping overpriced tall 3-point shooter Rashard Lewis straight up for Gilbert Arenas, who is a better shooter than Lewis (and desperate for a career reboot).

*The upshot: The Magic need to try to win now. Dwight Howard is a free agent after the 2012 season, and they have to try to show him they are committed to chasing a title; the old roster wasn't cutting it. J-Rich is an upgrade over VC. Arenas is high-risk/high-reward. They might miss Gortat. (They won't miss Rashard Lewis.)

*The Suns are dismantling themselves -- Carter's massive salary comes off the books after this season. Pity Steve Nash, the franchise star who will never be traded, but has to suffer through the descent to rock bottom. Gortat will actually help a lot, I'll bet.

*The Wizards get rid of the face of the franchise, replacing him with a shooter who they can't wait to dump off the books in a year or two. Like almost every other Wizards fan, I adored Gilbert -- at least, I was obsessed with him during that glorious run when he was not only playing like a 1st-team all-NBA player, but being eccentric and wacky and blogging and doing freakish things that showed a joy for the game and a joy for life. That changed with the injuries and the "guns incident," but I will never stop appreciating how good Arenas made it to be a Wizards fan. No matter what team he plays for, I'll always be a fan of Agent Zero.

Wizards nearly beat Heat: And, in typical fashion, the Wizards -- playing without Arenas, without Wall, without Rashard Lewis and without much talent to speak of -- took the Heat to the final seconds (up 4 with 13 seconds to play!)... but ultimately choked in only the way the Wizards can (and, predictably, do).

It's possible to claim moral victory that the Wizards didn't lose by 40 -- as I honestly thought they would -- but it was deflating that they came so close to their biggest (and most unlikely) regular-season win in franchise history, only to bumble it away at the end.

CFB Bowl season starts: With blowouts! Frosh QB Jake Heaps led BYU to its final win as a member of the Mountain West... Northern Illinois and its hilariously candid interim head coach throttled Fresno State... Troy walloped Ohio in New Orleans (behind a huge performance from another frosh QB, Corey Robinson). By the way, Troy's punter has the greatest beard ever.

1-AA Playoffs: It'll be Delaware vs. Eastern Washington for the national title.

CFB Coaching Carousel: Mike Leach to Maryland? (Or is that "Marrrrryland?" I have to get on trademarking that pirate-speak version of the school's name.) Leach's issues at Texas Tech aside, this would be the ideal hire for Maryland. Leach is brilliant. His style of play is incredibly entertaining (meaning that even if Maryland doesn't win the conference, they will be fun to watch). And he is buddies with Maryland uber-booster Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour.

CBB Upset Du Jour: Illinois lost to Illinois-Chicago, in the kind of regional-guppy-beats-regional-powerhouse win that MAKES a program for a mid-major conference.

Plus: Gonzaga over Baylor. Gonzaga had seemed "down" this season, but this was a big win over a very good Baylor team -- probably enough to right the Zags and keep them on track for an NCAA bid.

(Meanwhile, I am baffled at how Florida locked down Kansas State. Florida has not been impressive at all this season. K-State is precisely the kind of "tough" team that typically gives Florida fits. Instead, Florida held KSU under 50. Many fans will file this one away when they look at Florida on their bracket next March; I see it as a near-annual "great" win for Florida that shows how much potential they have... but ultimately sets you up for a let-down loss when it matters most. Wow: We've come a long way since 2007, where my expectation was "National championship or bust.")

Josh Selby's Kansas debut: Showcasing a sweet shot, he is as good as his prep reputation that preceded him. He is likely one-and-done, but he will make KU much more of a threat to go into the 2nd weekend (maybe the final weekend) of the NCAA Tournament.

Congrats, Penn State women's volleyball: 4th straight national title.

NFL Week 15: Rex Grossman is starting in the NFL. That is all. (Actually, there's a lot more. More later.)

-- D.S.