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A Handy Guide For Super Bowl XXXXI Reporters
The endless loop of Super Bowl XXXXI coverage is about to begin, and we like to consider ourselves the Mainstream Media's Little Helpers. We're about to all be deluged with a flood of human interest stories — we can use that metaphor because the Saints lost — so we thought we'd make it easier on all...

To Watch Tonight
What to watch as Bob Newhart convinces Emily to get an HDTV wide screen to watch the Super Bowl ... • College men's basketball: Indiana at Illinois; Alabama at Auburn. If the Illini lose tonight, we give up. [ESPN] • NHL: Exhibition, YoungStars Game and SuperSkills, at Dallas. We feel as if the pre-...

Jared Fogel, Rising Up The Dating Chart
If that last post about the new Raiders head football coach didn't depress you enough, here's something that might finish the job. Last night, in Indianapolis, at the Pacers-Bulls game, the Conseco Fieldhouse had itself a little celebrity sighting....

Tank Johnson Will Be Allowed To Violate O-Linemen's Probation
Well, the wheels of justice grind gloriously in the land of Chicago. Defensive lineman Tank Johnson — whose name is not Feelings Johnson for a reason — will be able to play in the Super Bowl. A Cook County judge just ruled less than an hour ago that Tank will be able to travel with the team to Miami...

To Watch Tonight
What to watch as you iron your socks ... • College basketball: Connecticut at Louisville; Oklahoma at Oklahoma State; Gonzaga at Portland. Hot action in the Chiles Center which, depending on where you live, may not be over until dawn. [ESPN] • College women's basketball: Duke at Tennessee. Forget Hi...

The Truly Important Pick Of The Game
In case you were wondering when it all went wrong for the Patriots yesterday, when it all began to collapse, when the wave crested and receded ... you can take a look at this moment, with 7:18 left in the first half and the Patriots cruising to a 21-3 lead....

Ron Artest Now 53 Percent More Crazy
We understand that the mohawk is making a comeback — we guess — but now that Ron Artest has one, well, we're not really sure how to handle it. Some have said he looks like Mr. T, but, frankly, in this light, we think Grace Jones is the best parallel. And, in the grand scheme of things, that kind of ...

Parcells Says That'll Be Enough, Thank You
The Dallas Cowboys blog just reported the news: Bill Parcells has retired as coach of the Cowboys....

NFC Blogdome: Super Bowl Shuffle, V. 2.0
Dispatches from blogdome's front lines following the NFC Championship game ......

Rex Grossman, Like Jim McMahon, But Without The Sunglasses And Headband
We don't mean to imply that Bears fans can get a little crazy in their devotion to their team — they can, but they're usually not mean about it — but this sign, seen at Soldier Field yesterday, seems a bit much. We're amazed this actually stayed up, we really are....

AFC Blogdome: A Colt From The Blue
What they're saying in Blogopolis after Sunday's AFC championship game (predictably, Stampede Blue has wasted no time going to the Karate Kid photos) ......

Peyton Manning, An Image Now In Need Of An Upgrade
A confession to make: We like dynasties. We don't like them because it's fun to watch one team win everything, because it isn't. We like them because they provide clear, distinct rooting interests and fault lines. The Patriots always beat the Colts, Peyton Manning can't figure out the Patriots, one ...

Patriots vs. Colts, AFC Championship Game: 4th Quarter
- Not to go all Bill Simmons on you, but what we have here—a one score conference championship game with two of the best quarterbacks in the game—is pretty damn sweet....

Patriots vs. Colts, AFC Championship Game: 3rd Quarter
- Terrence Wilkins gets crunched by Larry Izzo on the opening kickoff of the second half....

Patriots vs. Colts, AFC Championship Game: 2nd Quarter
- It'll be a 3rd and 1 for the Pats when the 2nd quarter starts. I think they've got to get the ball to Logan Mankins here....

Patriots vs. Colts, AFC Championship Game: 1st Quarter
- I'm not really into trophy presentations, so I think I'll go ahead and switch the channel. On the other hand, I'm not really into Dan Marino interviewing Tom Brady, either. Hey, college wrestling on CSTV. Sweet....

To Watch Tonight...
• Tennis. Australian Open, Round of 16. You're not going to watch this. 7:00, ESPN2. • Women's College Basketball. Rutgers @ Louisville. You're not going to watch this, either. 7:00, ESPNU. • NFL. Postgame NFL Afterglow. This one has a chance. Anytime, ESPN or NFL Network....

Saints vs. Bears, NFC Championship Game: 4th Quarter
- The Bears lead by 4, and Rex Grossman seems to have his balls back for the moment. To start the 4th quarter, the Bears have a 1st and 10 from the Saints 45....

Saints vs. Bears, NFC Championship Game: 3rd Quarter
- The Bears will have the ball to start the second half... Grossman drops back on first down, and picks up 17 yards to Berrian. Nice job by Berrian to go up and get it, and maybe the Bears will unshackle and let Rex be Rex from here on out. I don't know if it would be good for the Bears or not, but ...

Saints vs. Bears, NFC Championship Game: 2nd Quarter
- So, the Saints fumbled three times in the first quarter, and lost two of them. I don't know if you want to blame nerves, cold weather, Drew Brees' lack of gloves, Sean Payton's Illinois upbringing, or George Bush's lack of care for black people... but they should probably get it figured out pretty...