Good Thursday morning.  I hope you all slept well last night.  So, we’re back to this again – one day away from Friday.  It seems like this happens as often as once a week and it’s starting to grate on me a bit. 

I’ve been pretty flabbergasted by this cold weather.  I know GatorTrey mentioned the coldness down in Orlando yesterday, but I’m up here in the land of Jax and it’s pretty cold up here too…supposedly got down to 24 last night.  That’s not good for your strawberries and oranges, folks (/double entendre’d).  I’m starting to feel a little cheated out of a warm winter too.  I was under the impression it’d be pretty mild here and I’ve gotta be honest and say I was pretty pumped about it. 

Anywho, grab yer coffee…I’ve got a linky or threve for you to enjoy.

SI decided they needed a pat on the back so they compiled their most popular mag covers from 2008.  Looks like there’s 25 covers here.  And, since SI’s mag is a weekly publication, there were approximately 52 covers in 2008 (not including the Swimsuit Issue).  So, my question is, how much more popular was number 25 than number 26?  Maybe I’m the only one that finds it a little humorous.

I know the story has made it’s way around the web, but I just wanted to mention that Myles Brand has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Being the top dog of the NCAA comes with a lot of scrutiny and many times it’s deserved.  However, situations like this really humanize a person so I know I speak for everyone here when I say that Sparty & Friends wishes him the best.

Speaking of the NCAA…I can’t imagine why, but this guy seems to think that Pete Carroll hates agents.  Some advice for the coach: stop letting them hang out on campus!

Speaking of the NCAA (part deux)…I saw a World Wide Wes reference the other day and realized I’d forgotten all about him.  I wanted to share with you all who he is in case you’ve never heard of him.  Let’s just say this, he’s very close to Coach Cal and the Memphis Tigers program right now, and they are sitting fairly pretty to having a Fab Five-type recruiting class.
(Apparently, that link’s not working properly so, since I think the article is fascinating and if anyone else in interested, go to the wiki page and scroll all the way down to the bottom and click the link that says “2008 New York Times Article On Wesley.” It takes you to the exact same link but for some reason, it doesn’t ask for a password.)

A couple of somewhat contrasting stories that I feel can indirectly explain some underlying perceptions about big-time college sports:
 - The University of Tennessee athletic department is profitable; one of the few in all of college sports.  In fact, it’s so profitable that every year the department willingly, and appropriately, gives money to aid academic programs and scholarships.  The linky is a great article on the business of UT athletics in relation to UT academics and how the administration is looking into new ways for athletics to finance academics.
 - Conversely, Stanford, who is a mainstay in college sports news for being competitive in many sports is considering cutting out some sports to cut losses the overall losses of the athletic department.  Might I suggest football?  The PAC 10 can afford to become the PAC 9 and still maintain the same lousy conference strength.

Marbury to Greece!?  We can only hope…

I have to get an iPhone now. (/miz is a redneck)

Jason Whitlock doesn’t like Sam Bradford’s choice in foregoing lots of dolla-dolla-bills for another year with Boomer Sooner. 

I know for a fact that some college basketball was played last night.  I think my math is correct in that of the teams playing, half of them won and half of them lost.  Maybe somebody can recount that and back me up?  Unfortunately, I’m under strict orders to not link to anything about last night’s games so you’ll have to find your own link.

The Aussie Open is still in progress…Ana won yesterday.

With the countdown to the first checkered green flag (23 days till The 500!!) in full swing, we’ll I’ll be bringing you some news to whet that appetite:

Jeff Hammond seems to think Stewart-Haas will hit the ground running this season…of course, it’s probably in his and eveyone in NASCAR’s best interest if he’s right.  Speaking of big Tony, is there a more appropriate sponsor for his car than Burger King? 

Despite quite a bit of internal turnover and the addition of Mrs. Miz’s favorite driver, Casey Mears, to the lineup, RCR is still expected to show the same consistency by hanging around the top of the finishing orders with some keeping an eye on them as the NASCAR sleeper team.

This just seems awkward to me – Joaquin Phoenix recently debuted his rapper-ness at a Vegas club.  Next time this comes up, we have to send Big D on assignment to live-blog the potential unintentional comedy.

And finally, how could I adequately wrap up this morning’s TMA without an obligatory “only in Florida” news story?  Behold, naked man arrested on a couch…in someone else’s house…uninvited.

We’ve got some good stuff lined up today: sparty’s got something to satiate that hunger for college roundball, I’ve got another surprise for you later this morning, and with 22 of The Association’s teams in action last night, we should anticipate a Studs & Duds this afternoon.  Don’t turn that dial.

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