* In years past the National Hockey League could be given credit for not scheduling games–out of deference to families with better priorities–on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Obviously the NHL’s unconscionably stupid lock-out rendered that moot this year.
But the National Basketball Association has maintained its holiday tradition with five games–that’s not a typo–nationally televised (from noon to 10:30 p.m.) on December 25th. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like: Celtics at Nets, Knicks at Lakers, Thunder at Heat, Rockets at Bulls and Nuggets at Clippers.
* This was the year of living dangerously for USF and the Big East. And it might get worse for USF football even under well-regarded, high-energy new coach Willie Taggart. Back on the schedule: UCF. As in the school down the I-4 Corridor that USF previously deemed unworthy. As in a lesser opponent that it had beaten four straight times.
Only now USF is coming off of consecutive losing, non-bowl seasons. UCF is coming off a 10-win season topped by a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl rout of Ball State, a team that beat USF this year. The 2013 UCF-USF game is in Orlando. USF can’t afford to be the second-best team in this two-team neighborhood.