Quick Hits

O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Avoid it at all costs. As my boy told me over text message yesterday: Rain & O'Hare - terrible combination. Flying with a nine-month old when your flight is three hours delayed is never advised. Not only did it cause way too much undue stress, but it forced me to miss the entire Browns/Cardinals game. However, the delay did allow me to see pretty much the entire Kansas/USC game. Quick hits this morning to start, then we will follow with Browns analysis and links in a few hours, along with KU/USC coverage and more.

Winslow got robbed. The one thing I did see last night was the final play of the game where Kellen Winslow appeared to make a spectacular game-winning catch that would have given the Browns a 28-27 victory. The NFL rule states that if a player is indeed forced out of bounds without the ability to land in the field of play, it is the referee's digression on whether he feels the player would have successfully landed in bounds had the player not been pushed out. The play is not reviewable. Winslow clearly would have landed in bounds had he not been forced out, but the refs missed this easy call. It could be karma as last year against the Jets, TE Chris Baker was forced out on a similar play at the end of the game by Brodney Pool and the refs blew that one as well, handing the Browns a victory. That one didn't really matter, this one did. Lets hope it doesn't cost the Browns a playoff spot.

Evidently, the bad DA returned during the first half. He threw two bad picks and fumbled a snap. Yet when the chips were down, once again he led a fourth quarter comeback which would have won the game if not for a major officiating snafu. That and he threw again for over 300 and two TD's.

So the BCS games are set. Nice of the BCS to screw Missouri and give the Orange Bowl to my beloved Kansas Jayhawks. Too bad we don't deserve it, but we will gladly take it. Missouri won their division, beat KU straight up, and it's only two losses were to Oklahoma, yet they are stuck in the Cotton Bowl? Hilarious. LSU and OSU in the title game. Sorry Buckeye fans, you backed in to this one. You will be exposed once again on the grand stage. I still say Oklahoma and LSU should be meeting to win it all.

Down goes UCLA. The #1 UCLA Bruins were knocked off at home by #8 Texas last night in the Big 12/PAC 10 Hardwood Series. This was a game that completely flew under the radar and if it was played in January would get top billing. Watch out for Texas. No Kevin Durant, and all of a sudden they are 7-0 with a win at UCLA.

Here's some Tribe info: Baseball insiders told the Boston Herald that talks between the Pirates and Indians regarding Jason Bay have heated up. Kelly Shoppach apparently would be involved in the deal, but his was the only name the Herald had. Other possibilities include outfielder Trevor Crowe, third baseman Andy Marte and top pitching prospects Adam Miller and Chuck Lofrgen. Perhaps the Pirates would also be interested in Josh Barfield if they thought Freddy Sanchez would bring in a top prospect or two. Don't believe anything about Miller of Lofgren being dealt. No way those two are given up unless Johan Santana is coming on the other side, and there's a better chance of me being 7 feet tall than that happening.

Speaking of Santana. Why can't any national league teams enter the fray on dealing for him? I bet you couldn't guess that it is the Yankees and Red Sox who are most aggressively pursuing the best pitcher in the game. Allegedly now the Red Sox have upped their ante by adding stud CF prospect Jacoby Ellsbury to the deal, why the Yankees sweetener is RHP Phil Hughes. I can feel myself throwing up in my mouth.

Cavs action without Lebron...it's fantastically bad. I wasn't kidding when I said this was an NBDL squad without the king. Yesterday they scored just 70 points in a loss to Boston. They haven't won since he hurt his finger and the offense looks about as organized as the top drawer in my office.