• Matt Mosley of ESPN’s HASHMARKS notes what the biggest reaction was to the finalization of the Pacman-To-Cowboys trade: “Patrons of Dallas strip clubs were spotted running for the exits.”

• The SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL checks in to see how well the Orange Bowl demolition is going.

• Taking a cue from the K.C. Royals, EVERY DAY SHOULD BE SATURDAY makes a date with the Oregon Ducks’ O-Line and their new calendar.

• Comedian Chris Elliott laces up with the New York Rangers. Man, we sure miss “Get A Life“.

Read more…

The MIAMI HERALD reports that the Marlins will be remaining in Miami, after city & county officials approved a deal for a new ballpark.

Two separate votes by the Miami City Commission and the Miami-Dade County Commission sealed the deal Thursday night. The $525 million plan calls for a new 37,000-seat stadium (complete with a retractable roof) to be built on the soon-to-be vacant Orange Bowl site.

However, some citizens are still upset with the whole deal. Read more…

Even in a flag football game against a college team, the Miami Dolphins can’t win.

The MIAMI HERALD reports on the last football game held at the Orange Bowl - a 7-on-7 flag football contest on Saturday between former Dolphins and former Miami Hurricanes. The ex-Canes were able to run away from the ex-Fins in a 65-51 shootout. Too bad the current stock of UM players couldn’t have done the same thing in their own home finale.

Over 12,000 fans showed up for the final football farewell to the stadium - more than the Marlins can even hope to bring out to their games. But folks are invited to come back to the OB in two weeks and pick up a urinal or two.

No word if Dan Marino was selling his new vodka at concession stands - or if Dana Jacobson was spotted in line.

Have you always wanted to go where Miami football legends have gone? Then why not bid on an Orange Bowl urinal?

The MIAMI HERALD flushes down news that the bathroom fixtures are just one of the many O.B. items up for sale for the stadium’s going out of business sale.

A public auction will be held at the 70-year-old stadium from February 9-10. Everything inside & outside the Orange Bowl will be up for grabs - including lockers, turnstiles, air conditioners, ice makers, and even the trees surrounding the stadium.

The only items not part of February’s auction are the stadium seats, which will be available for purchase online starting next week. Also, the field’s turf, owned by the city of Miami, will be transferred for use in a city park. But the soil underneath is anybody’s for the right price.

As are the urinals. An organizer of the auction admitted, “We’ve gotten huge amounts of calls asking about that.”

Probably from fans wanting to do what the Hurricanes did in their last-ever game at the Orange Bowl.

KU’S MANGINO GORGING ON COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS: Our massive man Mark has done it again. After leading the Jayhawks to an 11-1 record and a trip to the Orange Bowl, king-size Kansas coach Mangino has been named the Home Depot Coach of Year:

The KANSAS CITY STAR grabbed a front-row seat at ESPNU’s 2007 College Football Awards Show down in Disney World Thursday night. In addition to Mangino’s hardware, the Jayhawks football team was honored with the Stanley Tools Breakthrough Of The Year Award.Home Depot? Stanley Tools? Now the team can start on Memorial Stadium renovations when they get back to Lawrence.

Mangino is also licking his chops as one of the eight finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. His competition includes Virginia Tech leader and Orange Bowl nemesis Frank Beamer.And now the Hokies have bulletin board material before their Miami showdown. During the awards show, Kansas OT Anthony Collins remarked, “We’re an up-and-coming team. We’re 11-1, soon to be 12-1, and we need all the recruits we can get so we can get to the national championship.”

Dolphin Stadium is sure to be Rockin’, Chalkin’ & Jayhawkin’ with a Hokie Hokie High come January 3rd.

FIU OUTDOES MIAMI, GIVES ORANGE BOWL LAST-EVER WIN: The Orange Bowl finally closes out with a winner:

Florida International did what the Miami Hurricanes could not, and completed their stay in the south Florida stadium with a final victory - a 38-19 triumph over North Texas.Not only that, but the win snapped a 23-game losing skid for the Golden Panthers, which was the longest in the nation. FIU was also the last Division 1-A team to get a ‘W’ this season, meaning all 120 teams have at least one victory for 2007.

Saturday’s Sun Belt showdown was the last-ever college football game played at the 71-year-old facility. FIU spent the season at the O.B. while a new on-campus stadium was being built. And the Hurricanes will be taking their act to Dolphins Stadium next year.

The win was FIU football’s finest Orange Bowl moment.

KANSAS FOOTBALL ROLLS ON, AS MIAMI TEAMS FALL FLAT: Football fortunes keep shining in the Sunflower State:

Mark Mangino feasted on yet another opponent, as Kansas devoured Oklahoma State on Saturday, 43-28. The 10-0 Jayhawks are now the only undefeated BCS team left, and the real Mangenius has a realistic shot at