A COUPLE OF QUICKIES

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM
** Rice running back, Jayson Carter, is 4-9, 135 lbs. If he carries the ball and makes yardage, do they call it a "short gain?"

**Time of possession: Syracuse - 42 minutes, Florida St. - 18 minutes. Final score: Florida St - 59, Syracuse - 3. At least the Orange have the clock management thing down pat.

**Do you think there is a bit of a gap in talent in college football? Yesterday, FSU scored 59 points, Ohio St - 60, Baylor - 63, Clemson - 55, Wisconsin - 51.

**Dr. Orr Limpisvasti, an orthopedic consultant for the LA Angels, says a possible reason for CC Sabathia's loss of speed on his fastball might be due to his weight loss. He says that an athlete's body determines his mechanics and that much of a weight loss (20+ lbs), could change the way he throws and would contribute to his loss of velocity. Pitching coach Lee Mazzone agrees with him. "He needs to gain 25 pounds back," said Mazzone, "Somebody probably told him if he loses weight, he’ll have more longevity. Well guess what? I’d rather have effectiveness." I'll have to show this to my doctor.

**Tim Kurkjian, ESPN, hadn't tweeted in almost 6 months. He had an excuse, though. "I just got a new IPhone. My entire family helped me set it up because I am a technological idiot.."  I know how he feels. It took my wife and I three days to figure out how to make our new cell phone ring. My 12-year old grandson Andrew figured it out in 5 seconds. Via e-mail.

**New ESPN poll: Should Derek Jeter be the Yankees everyday shortstop next season? 57% of the fans in the poll say no.  The only two states that voted yes, were New Jersey and West Virginia. That seems significant but I'm not sure what it means.

**Off to see my cousin's grandson play Pop Warner football, where the players are still in it for the love of sport.  

***THEY SAID IT***
" The CIAA Division II football championship game between Virginia State and Winston Salem State was cancelled after five Virginia State players allegedly beat up the Winston Salem QB in the bathroom during a luncheon for both teams. Guess they were trying a little too hard to prove they were really the equivalent of Division I players?"  -- Janice Hough 
"A-Rod’s interview with MLB over his suspension has been canceled for tomorrow. Because the Yankees slugger reportedly has the flu. And who would ever expect A-Rod to make up an excuse? Wouldn’t you know. That’s the one shot he didn’t get."  -- Jim Barach
"Anyone who thinks football is a team game hasn’t watched the Green Bay Packers play without Aaron Rodgers."  -- Cam Hutchinson
"Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie — who’s fathered 10 children with eight women — reveals in an upcoming book that he got a vasectomy “late in the 2011 season. Now that’s one clipping call that no one would argue with."  -- Dwight Perry
"The Florida Everglades minor league hockey team started a 58-year-old goalie. He’s the first hockey player whose teeth fell out naturally."  -- Brad Dickson
"A soccer fan lost his house in a bet on the British club team Arsenal to defeat Manchester United. I can picture him yelling at the TV. His wife says, “It’s only a game.” “Honey — you better sit down."  -- Brad Dickson
"Brett Favre has admitted in a radio interview to serious memory loss. Let’s hope he remembers his retirement – any one of them."  -- RJ Currie

CP-