• AZ SPORTS HUB keeps their hands off the joystick, as Matt Leinart reveals he doesn’t like to play with himself:

• WITH LEATHER is all smiles after viewing this ad for NBA toothbrushes.

• AWFUL ANNOUNCING reviews the 21st century edition of American Gladiators.

• Good grief! HOME RUN DERBY finds a real life Charlie Brown on the mound:

• AOL FANHOUSE discovers that not everyone was so thrilled to take part in Buffalo’s outdoor hockey game.

• 100% INJURY RATE plants the seeds of an Ohio State fan laying it all on the lawn.

• BASEBALL FEVER spots Robinson Cano trading his Yankee Stadium uniform for some thing in Shea, er, Che:

• The LONDON TIMES slows down at news of Switzerland starting up speed limits - on the slopes.

• YOU BEEN BLINDED gives a respectful shout-out to the Jackie Robinson of bouncing brew, the first black beer pong player.

• LARRY BROWN SPORTS can’t believe someone wouldn’t vote for Tom Brady as NFL MVP:

• Speaking of Patriot honors, Greg Cote of the MIAMI HERALD argues that naming Bill Belichick NFL Coach of the Year is like giving Michael Vick a humanitarian award.

• VEGAS WATCH bets the Memphis Tigers can go undefeated.

• AOL FANHOUSE congratulates Jeff Garcia’s better half for being named sexiest athlete’s wife of 2007:

• DC SPORTS BOG knows nothing keeps a team together like insulting each other.

• And when the Redskins aren’t talking smack, MY BRAIN SAYS RAGE notes they’re talking to ghosts.

• EVERY DAY SHOULD BE SATURDAY discovers this cartoonish comment on Florida’s effort in the Capital One Bowl:

• DEUCE OF DAVENPORT compares the NFL playoff teams to various beers.

• SMARTER finds Terrell Owens trying to trademark “I Love Me Some Me.”

• 100% INJURY RATE wonders when did Amare Stoudamire join the army:

• Chris Bosh wants your vote for the NBA All-Star Game.

• The BOSTON GLOBE learns that Reese Witherspoon is a Red Sox fan.

• THE LOVE OF SPORTS congratulates Marisa Miller on being name the AOL Sports Girl of the Year:

• STORMING THE FLOOR is impressed with Miami Hurricanes hoops coach Frank Haith.

• I’M WRITING SPORTS wants Bug Selig to bring back contraction.

• ON 205TH wonders if it’s really true love between Tony Romo & Jessica Simpson, or just a way to jump start a stalled career:

• Speaking of the mushy stuff, AZ SPORTS HUB discovers an Arizona State player pulling an Ian Johnson - except he proposed a few days before the bowl game, and the Sun Devils lost.

• WITH LEATHER drinks in news of Tom Brady getting $3 million to peddle water.

• ARMCHAIR GM predicts this weekend’s NFL matchups - through the glory of Tecmo Bowl:

• BUGS & CRANKS wonders when did the Orlando Magic become the Triple-A club of the Phillies.

• BASKETBAWFUL reminds all you kids to study hard in school - unless you’re Larry Bird.

• MR. IRRELEVANT can can’t wait to get their hands on some official Redskins Wild Card merchandise:

• PART MULE fears that Tiger Woods could become even more powerful in 2008.

• DEUCE OF DAVENPORT bounces an update from the World Series of Beer Pong.

• THE HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP goes undercover and comes up showing off a shirtless Tom Brady from the 2000 NFL Combine:

• DEADSPIN has the cold hard facts about attending the Penguins-Sabres outdoor game.

• Meanwhile, GOING FIVE HOLE gives their own observations on the blizzard in Buffalo.

• DOWN THE LINE gets a leg up on Maria Sharapova’s stockings for her holiday hitting in Hong Kong:

• LARRY BROWN SPORTS questions the logic of the Chargers signing A.J. Smith through 2014.

• THE WORLD OF ISAAC bids a fond farewell to Mike Martz.

• THE LEGEND OF CECILIO GUANTE has a suggestion for Knicks fans fed up with the circus at Madison Square Garden - stay away:

• EVERY DAY SHOULD BE SATURDAY presents D-Day, as told by Thom Brennaman.

• AWFUL ANNOUNCING meats meets the Sugar Bowl band known as Bonerama.

PAGE SIX has a sneak peek from DEADSPIN Editor Will Leitch’s upcoming book called “God Save The Fan“.

The flavorful slices center on some of our favorite folks at ESPN, namely Chris Berman, Sean Salisbury and Scott Van Pelt (we actually do like him, mind you).

Here’s Leitch riffing on Salisbury: “This blustery, mentally deformed NFL analyst reportedly took a picture of his penis and sent it out to female colleagues encouraging them to meet ‘Lil Sean.’ ”

Read more…

• The NEWARK STAR-LEDGER needs a drink, as Jets fans can’t even get a beer at the home finale:

• AWFUL ANNOUNCING finds Lou Holtz taking exception to co-worker Mark May’s opinions about the Bristol nightlife.

• THE WIZARDS OF ODDS checks their wallet, as FireRickNeuheisel.com is already available - for only $250,000.

• PEWTER REPORT notes that the Tampa Bay Bucs are turning into the Atlanta Braves of the NFL, since their playoff game hasn’t sold out yet.

• Even after a 147-yard 1-TD game there a few weeks earlier, FOX SPORTS spots Jaguars RB Fred Taylor complaining about the Heinz Field turf:

• THE ANGRY T gets a kick out of Ball State’s promotion for the International Bowl.

• EVERY DAY SHOULD BE SATURDAY gives final props to Lloyd Carr.

• The LADIES… get all white-eyed over the Penguins-Sabres Winter Classic.

Liz Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST has a piece Sunday on the influence of sports blogs on fans, noting that “in the arena of sports, the arbiter of what matters is increasingly shifting from the mainstream media to the freewheeling realm of the blogosphere, where impassioned fans opine about the playing field’s heroes, villains and controversies of the day.”

Kathleen Hessert of Sports Media Challenge, a Charlotte-based marketing company, tells the WP that, “More and more, the fans are setting the agenda now. They’re rattling the cages and saying, ‘Hey, I have as much to say about this — and have as much invested in my sport — as any media person. And my opinion is just as valid as the mainstream media’s.’”

Clarke adds that Hessert’s company “keys on the 10 or 15 most influential sports blogs, whose membership shifts but typically includes such powerhouses as Deadspin and SportsbyBrooks, and produces a list of the five biggest topics each week.”

We’re thrilled to be mentioned by the Washington Post and in the company of Deadspin, but we know we don’t deserve such profound accolades.

If we had any influence, Joe Theismann would be hosting SportsCenter every night, Brady Quinn would have Myspace, the Pittsburgh Steelers would get the credit they so richly deserve for the marketing masterstroke that is Steely McBeam, and Colin “Shrutebag” Cowherd would finally embrace his inner woman:

• THE WIZARD OF ODDS wonders if ESPN sideline reporter Stacey Dales is being groomed to replace Erin Andrews:

• WALK OFF BALK offers to do laundry for a young Packers fan, who’s worn the same Favre jersey every day for the last four years.

• Ditch the champagne: HUGGING HAROLD REYNOLDS suggests how the 2007 Patriots will celebrate other NFL teams not going undefeated.

• MR. IRRELEVANT finds a couple of Cowboys fans at the Redskins game on the warpath - with each other:

• SPORTS COLUMN notes how fan injuries at Giants Stadium are escalating.

• Speaking of the G-Men, WITH LEATHER hears that Eli Manning is pretty pleased with the loss to the Pats.

• Darren Rovell of CNBC gets caught up in the legal battles of Western Kentucky’s Big Red:

• AOL FANHOUSE writes how sports bloggers are staring to roll in some dough.

• PART MULE wants the Celtics to come up with better soundbites about their success.

The MIAMI HERALD has details today on the bloodbath ensuing this week at the Miami Dolphins’ offices. Bill Parcells already has told “several low-rung Dolphins staffers have been told to show up early for work Monday to clean out other people’s offices throughout the Dolphins’ facility.”

Both GM Randy Mueller, who was seen leaving Dolphins Stadium before the end of Miami’s 38-25 loss to the Bengals Sunday, and Coach Cam Cameron are toast.

The Herald details a bizarre concern The Tuna has about Cameron: “Parcells apparently told (Wayne) Huizenga he has heard stories about Cameron spending some of his time monitoring the team’s website to make sure the players are being asked the right questions by club-employed reporters. Cameron also wanted to make sure the players were giving the right answers.

“Parcells told Huizenga he doesn’t want a coach that is worried about blogs or website interviews. He wants a tough-minded, hard-driven football man who is more concerned with football than facade.”

And to think we thought bloggers were only responsible for plague, pestilence and world hunger. You can add another global concern to the list.

TV TAN LINE via DEADSPIN learns that ESPN knows how to pick a winner:

SPORTS MEDIA WATCH discovers that simulcasting Saturday’s Pats game on CBS & NBC was a win-win-win situation.

Jim Carty of the ANN ARBOR NEWS weighs in on how Michigan is shaping up for the Capital One Bowl.

The CHICAGO TRIBUNE just reads the articles, as Playboy head honcho Hugh Hefner is pulling for his Illini in the Rose Bowl:

MONEY PLAYERS notices their wallet feels a little lighter, as they list their biggest sports losers of 2007.

100% INJURY RATE double-dribbles word from Patrick Ewing that the Knicks’ problem may be that they’re too talented.