Before I get to the Best of the Year, I have a few people I’d like to thank. This blog required a team effort from start to finish. In October of 2008, my initial entry for the Top Blogger Contest was accepted along with nine other finalists. At that point, I needed all of my friends and family to show their support during the online vote. No one sent more people to the WEEI.com site during that contest than my sister, Erin, and my best friend, Pat Reen. Thank you to everyone who voted and pushed others to vote, particularly Erin and Pat.

I’d like to thank my wife for her patience with this endeavor. She has shown nothing but support from the beginning. We got married in August, so this wasn’t exactly the ideal year for me to take on a time-consuming second job, but she encouraged me every step of the way. My wife has spent a lot of late nights listening to the sound of the keyboard. Thank you, Lilly.

My brother, B.J., has been a key contributor to this blog on a daily basis. He has pitched jokes, brainstormed ideas and delivered feedback literally every single day. If you enjoyed the blog, it is, in part, because you enjoyed my brother’s sense of humor. B.J., I wouldn’t have been able to do this five days a week for an entire year without your help. I can’t thank you enough.

Finally, thank you to everyone who took the time to read the blog. Some people ventured to this site every day, regardless of the subject matter. I wish I could come up with something better to say than thank you. You made the process extremely enjoyable.

I’m hoping I’ll be able to return to the WEEI.com site at a later date. For now, I’ll be taking a month off. Before I say goodbye, let’s rehash the year that was.

Worst Idea: Before the blog even started in January, one of WEEI.com’s designers asked me to submit an idea for a header for my blog. If you don’t know what a header is, it’s the section at the top of this page, where I’m posing on a baseball field with about eight other 1940s reporters. I know what you’re thinking: “That header was a bad idea.” No, it gets worse. My original idea was to have a picture of me looking back at Boston as lightning struck the city. I even went into the WEEI offices for a photo shoot. The final photo made me look like a vampire with face paint. No one at WEEI was excited about that idea. We moved on. But for your benefit, I saved the creepy photo. It’s posted here.

Would you read this blog? (WEEI)

Worst Blog Post: In the opening weeks of the blog, I felt like I needed to hit a home run every day. I’d brainstorm for hours, trying to think of an interesting column that no one else would write. During Super Bowl week, I wrote a parody column about Media Day. I guarantee that if you read that column again, you won’t laugh once. The lone comment is from someone who told me there’s nothing worse than someone who has to explain his bad jokes. Welcome to the blogosphere.

Best (and Only) Link to Deadspin: On Jan. 30, I ran a Best of the Week column that linked to a story about Edgerrin James’ purchase of a white Lamborghini. James had the car shipped to Tampa so that he could show it off during the week of the Super Bowl. Somehow, my column was linked on Deadspin.com as the source for the breaking story. At that point, I thought I’d have a long, link-sharing relationship with the folks at Deadspin. As it turned out, that was my only column that appeared on their site.

Best Column Parody: On a few separate instances, I wrote parody columns in the voices of famous columnists or sports figures. I started with a Dan Shaugnessy parody in February, continued with a mock love letter from Bill Belichick to Tom Brady on Valentine’s Day and went to the well again with a mock Bill Simmons mailbag in March. Following Ted Kennedy’s passing in August, I put myself in Curt Schilling’s shoes and declared my candidacy for the United States Senate. Finally, following my family’s annual Labor Day Wiffle Ball game, I delivered my best Peter King impression, writing about the affair with the same intensity that King reserves for a Montclair High field hockey contest.

Best Celebrity Interviews: When I think back on the year of blogging, my fondest memory will be the daily interaction with the most dedicated readers in the comments section. A close second will be the opportunity to interview some of my heroes in the sports world. I had a chance to interview The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan, Celtics great Tommy Heinsohn, Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray, Celtics great Bob Cousy, Lowell boxing legend Micky Ward, long-time WBZ-TV anchor Bob Lobel and Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated columnist Leigh Montville.

Worst Professional Slight: It’s no secret that WEEI.com has grown almost exponentially in the last year. The page views have increased each month for as long as I’ve been included on the internal e-mail chain. Back in March, before the website was stocked with talented beat writers, I was assigned the task of providing insight on the NCAA basketball tournament. To say I follow college basketball from a distance would be generous. I attempted to throw my hat in the ring by drafting a College Wish List of Sweet 16 Teams. Admittedly, it wasn’t my most informed column. Boston sports media critic David Scott took issue with the piece in his review of the overhauled site, linking to my column with the description, “not yet ready for prime-time.” I’ll place that day as one of the low points of the Thanks For Playing blog.

Best Perks of the Job: I was able to play the role of professional journalist on a few different occasions. I secured a media pass for both nights (Sweet 16 and Elite Eight) of last year’s NCAA basketball tournament in Boston. I also went to Cooperstown, N.Y., for Jim Rice’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. My favorite moment came after the Elite Eight game between Villanova and Pittsburgh when I finally dropped the “professional” from professional journalist and asked Villanova point guard Corey Fisher to compare his game to that of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Derek Fisher (no relation).

Worst Jump-to-Conclusions Moment: My advice for all future bloggers: Don’t attempt to write a column within six hours of attending a Red Sox game as a fan. I made this mistake on April 27 after the Sox finished off a three-game sweep of the Yankees. The column is the definition of “overstated.” I argued that the one Sox game I had attended at that point in the season marked a turning point in the Sox-Yanks rivalry, and the Sox would forever be the Yankees’ superior. That one hasn’t withstood the test of time.

Best Comment-Inspired Idea: One of my goals this year was to generate enough comments/e-mail responses to run a mailbag without having to make up any questions under false aliases. I achieved that feat for the first time when 15-20 Orlando Magic fans responded to a pro-Celtics column on May 6. Needless to say, they were angry. All the better for my inaugural mailbag!

Best Commenter Battle: Following a Joke Book on May 19, a former participant in the Top Blogger Contest, Moonlight Graham, came forward with a critique of my blog. Before all was said and done, at the end of the 23-comment foray, The Gravy and Moonlight Graham were pinned against each other in a commenter faceoff, which included a proposed Wiffle Ball game and an exchange of photos of each commenter’s respective girlfriend.

She's reading my blog. (AP)

Best Birth of a Commenter: On June 28, I posted a tongue-in-cheek “Favre should give us a heroic comback” column. This spawned the birth of FavreSuperfan! who has spent the last six months worshipping all things Favre, including Wrangler jeans, the aw-shucks attitude and his generally fun demeanor.

Best Turning Point: Just like anything else, blogging is an acquired skill. The more you do it, the better you’ll be. I’d say it took about six months for me to develop my blogging legs. My break-through column was posted July 13, when I authored an Eckersley Glossary, poking fun at the vocabulary of NESN replacement Red Sox analyst Dennis Eckersley. The first version drew 29 comments. That inspired me to author a revised Eckersley Glossary on July 21.

Worst Fallout From the Trip to the Hall: On July 24, I announced I’d be serving as the WEEI.com representative in Cooperstown for Jim Rice’s induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The fans of another WEEI.com blogger took issue with my assignment, and the result was one of the nastiest days of commenting in Thanks For Playing history.

Best Break From the Blog: Today’s blog is the 255th posting on Thanks For Playing. There have been 1,002 comments (and counting). Over the 52 weeks, I took a grand total of two weeks of vacation — following my wedding on Aug. 1. My brother continued his best-man duties beyond the wedding, posting five blogs in my absence. My personal favorite: The Ode to Commenters.

Worst NFL Picks Column: In September, I entered the NFL season full of confidence in my handicapping abilities. I kicked off the season with my preseason Super Bowl predictions and vowed to make weekly picks (against the spread) for the entire NFL season. In a bit of foreshadowing, I picked the Steelers to beat the Falcons in the upcoming Super Bowl. I encourage anyone to try to pick games incorrectly for an entire season. I bet you wouldn’t post a record as bad as mine. I thought about moving on without sharing my overall season record. But I’ve always been forthcoming with you. So here’s the overall record: I posted a 5-11 record in Week 16 to finish the season at 106-130-4. I assume you’re not looking for my Week 17 picks? OK, then.

Best Twitter Correspondence: After I ripped Eagles offensive guard Shawn Andrews in a September version of my Most Wanted List, I decided to spark up a conversation with the “injured” headcase on Twitter, a site I had yet to figure out. Andrews gave me permission to post our Twitter conversation on my blog. My highlight: I attempted to befriend the self-proclaimed “Da Big Kid” by relating to his love for sleeping: “Is there a better feeling than waking up with your face caked to your pillow in drool? I say no. Da Big KID!!!!!”

Best Ill-Advised Day Off: When I first started the blog, I was under the impression that page views are solely related to the quality of each particular post. Later in the year, I realized that posting a quality column is the bare minimum. Timing is also important. If I posted a strong column on a national holiday, no one would read it. If I posted a strong column at 11 p.m., fewer people would read it than if I saved the same column for 6 a.m. the next day. Taking that into consideration, I decided to take a trip to Vermont on Columbus Day weekend. I gave myself Columbus Day off because I didn’t want to waste a blog when I figured no one would be reading. Well … on the Sunday before Columbus Day, the Red Sox’ season ended and the Patriots lost to the Broncos. It was probably one of the five biggest days of the year in Boston sports. I posted nothing and spent Columbus Day in Vermont — without cell phone service — as Rob Bradford, my parents, my brother and a few friends attempted to check on me to see if I was still alive.

Trouble on the Home Front: They say you should never bite the hand that feeds you, and I did the opposite when I drafted a Men’s Guide to Thanksgiving. The column shared some old-school 1950s family values, which included scenes that involve all of the women slaving away in the kitchen while the men drink beer and watch football. Some people (men) liked it, others (women) didn’t. In an attempt to make it all better, I went to the opposite extreme in the Men’s Guide to Christmas.

Best Misuse of a Headline: During the NFL season, the Monday blog post can be a grind. I either had to post on Sunday night, which can be tricky after a day of “indulgence,” or I had to set my alarm for early Monday morning, so that I could post a column before 9 a.m. On Monday morning, Dec. 14, I posted a follow-up column after Randy Moss’ tough game against the Panthers. I basically said that Moss mailed it in, but I made the point that the Patriots needed Moss moving forward. I encouraged Belichick and Co. to massage Moss’ psyche. After 90 minutes of writing, I started to wonder if anyone would even read the column, since it was going to be posted at 9 a.m. on the day after a Patriots game. I started to get frustrated that all of my hard work would be a waste. So I threw a headline on the column, “It’s time for Moss to go.” Then I went back to sleep. I awoke to 19 comments, many of which were surprisingly negative.

Let’s get a drum roll for the big finish!

Story of the Year: It has to be the Tiger Woods story, and I wrote plenty about it. First, I posted a breakdown of all of Tiger’s post-Thanksgiving news up through Dec. 2. To my knowledge, that was the first story I ever wrote that reached No. 1 on WEEI.com’s list of most popular stories of the day. I followed it up by repeating the feat the next day with my Tiger Mailbag.

Quote of the Year: On Oct. 11, Tiger Woods posted the following message on his Facebook page. The message has since been removed from the page.

“I’m asked why people don’t often see me and Elin in gossip magazines or tabloids,” Tiger wrote. “I think we’ve avoided a lot of media attention because we’re kind of boring …”

E-mail of the Year: I’ve been sitting on this e-mail from my brother since Week 1 of the NFL season, waiting for the perfect time to break it out. Unfortunately, my brother had to move out of his previous apartment before he would give me permission to run it. Here it is.

“This story should go right at the top of the list of people who ‘let Week 1 get away from them.’ So I have two cop roommates — a guy and a girl who are dating. Yesterday, the guy goes to the bar for a marathon 12-8 session. He gets home and decides he needs to get himself set for work tomorrow. So he decides to clean his gun after his girlfriend (my other roommate) told him not to. So he tells her to mind her own business. He then goes downstairs and while attempting to disassemble the gun, he fires a loaded weapon. So he shot a gun in the house, through a couch, then through the floor. At that point, neighbors call police and there are five officers in the house, discussing the issue. So if anyone thinks they had trouble drinking on Sunday, you have nothing on my man.

“Anyway, my roommates aren’t speaking at all and I’d say they have a 60 percent chance of breaking up. So now no one is comfortable in the house. That, for some reason, makes me more comfortable. I’m doping around the kitchen freely last night, controlling the TV.

“Greatest subplot of that gun-toting story that anyone who has seen me sleep is enjoying: I didn’t wake up for even a second. A gun was fired, a woman screamed, an argument followed, five cops entered the house, they made the bullet a crime scene, and I was off to work Monday morning none the wiser.”

Commenter of the Year: I said yesterday this came down to three commenters: TheGravy, FavreSuperfan! and KD. Each had his own style. KD took a light, humorous approach, using each of his posts as an opportunity to diffuse a building conflict. He commented for the first time on Feb. 25 and most recently yesterday. KD takes third place.

Post for post, FavreSuperfan! might be the best commenter on this site. I’ve had people send me e-mails specifically to relay their appreciation for FavreSuperfan! I’ve also had people tell me they hate FavreSuperfan! If people are commenting about your commenting, you’re doing something right. FavreSuperfan’s aw-shucks approach and consistent, top-notch humor earns him second place. He was hurt by the fact that he didn’t enter the discussion until late June.

The award goes to TheGravy. No commenter has provoked more scorn and feedback from fellow commenters. At different times throughout the year, TheGravy played the role of Wiffle Ball guru, ombudsman, book peddler, prognosticator, vocabulary wiz, comedian and level-headed observer. He commented on the first post, and I’m sure he’ll comment on the last. He may even make himself a trophy.

Tip of the Year: If you haven’t had enough of me after 255 columns, follow me here on Twitter. Or friend me on Facebook. If you don’t have either of those tools, send me a message through the “tips and feedback” section on the right-hand portion of the page, and I’ll get back to you. Or just post a comment, and only I will be able to see your e-mail address. I’ll keep you all posted when I get back to work.

Video of the Year: Here’s a video of a normal-looking guy making some of the most difficult, trick basketball shots you’ll ever see.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to read the blog. I sincerely appreciate it. Thank you, Tim Murphy and Rob Bradford, for putting together this opportunity and encouraging me every step of the way. It’s been a quality experience from start to finish. I learned more than I ever imagined I would.

Until next time … thanks for playing.

It's almost time to wave goodbye. (AP)

I apologize for the short entry today, but I am busy preparing my final two posts as WEEI.com’s Top Blogger Contest winner. Here’s the plan: Tomorrow I will be taking any and all questions for one final mailbag. Send me questions through the “Tips and Feedback” tool on the right-hand portion of this page, and I’ll answer anything and everything. Do you have questions about a year of blogging for WEEI.com? I’ll answer them. Are you in need of one final breakdown of the Tiger Woods situation? I’ll provide it.

Finally, Thursday will be my final blog for a little while, and I’m planning to make it the best of the year. It will be an extended version of the normal Friday column — only this will be a Best of the Year. I’ll dish out awards like “Best Comment,” “Best Commenter,” etc. If you think you are in the running, you have two days to leave a final impression.

Thanks for hanging in there. Stay tuned for the last two days.

Many of you sports fans will completely botch the gift-receiving process this holiday season. Yeah, yeah, it’s the season of giving, but it’s also the season of receiving. Don’t kid yourself. You’re not counting the seconds until you can see the look on your second cousin’s face when you give him an American Express gift card. You’re anxious to see your own Christmas spread of gifts. At this point, your wife or girlfriend has likely asked you what you’d like for Christmas this year. You may have answered with something sappy like, “Baby, I have everything I want.” Or maybe you just said something that makes you sound like a 6 year old like, “I just want the Patriots to win the Super Bowl.”

Take it from me, you blew that exchange. You know what you want for Christmas, you just haven’t been thinking hard enough. Think back to a time in the last year when your significant other had trouble justifying a sports fandom expense for you. At the beginning of the NFL season, did you have a discussion with the lady regarding the pluses and minuses of signing up for DirectTV? Did you come out on the short end of that “compromise,” ending up with a new briefcase? Well, here’s your chance to set yourself up for optimal football viewing on Sundays. Did you openly discuss signing up for an eight-game Celtics pack and decide together that you’d be better suited taking a long weekend in the Berkshires? There’s still time for that eight-pack. Finally, have you kicked around the idea of getting a kegerator in your basement, only to have the idea shot down in favor of new aluminum siding? Of course not, because no one has aluminum siding anymore.

You have to tell Santa what you want. (AP)

My point is this: say what you mean and mean what you say. Forecast any potential sports-viewing negotiations that may arise in the next year, and nip those “compromises” in the bud. And don’t kid yourself. Men aren’t the only ones sneaky enough to pull this move. In the next two months, the Boston Opera House will be filled with couples who are cashing in on Christmas gifts.

Next week, I may even provide a list of the top gifts for sports fans. For now, let’s get to the Best of the Week.

Story of the Week: This week’s story was the tragic death of Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, who died yesterday morning after falling out of a pickup truck driven by his fiancee. The latest news, reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer, is that Henry threatened to kill himself as he sat in the bed of the track while his fiancee drove away after a dispute. By all accounts, Henry was starting to turn his life around after a string of arrests during his first four years in the NFL. Only 26, Henry leaves three children.

Quote of the Week: In a show of just how insensitive people can be when commenting anonymously on an Internet story, this quote was posted by a commenter after a CBS Sportsline story when the news was released that Henry had lost his life.

“He was only good for one reception a game and was injured. He won’t be missed.”

I think we can all agree that a person who reacts to the death of a 26-year-old father of three by assessing his value as a fantasy football player should not be granted the freedom to express his/her ignorant opinions.

E-mail of the Week: The problem with writing these blogs at weird hours is that occasionally mistakes do surface in the published version. KD was nice enough to point out a few mistakes in yesterday’s picks column.

Dear Dan,

1. You last pick shows the Eagles making the playoffs twice (No. 3 and No. 6).
2. Cal Ripkin Jr. had a .269 batting average from 1995 until his retirement.
3. JaMarcus Russell is not starting this week, as the decision was made to start Charlie Frye.
4. Your picks are just horrible.
5. I have too much time on my hands.
6. If Chicago doesn’t work out for Mike Shanahan, maybe he can take your job at WEEI.

Happy Holidays!
–KD

Comment of the Week: I took a lot of heat for my critical column regarding Randy Moss’ half-hearted performance in Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Some of it was fair, but most of the commenters called me stupid and then proceeded to make many of the same point I originally made in my story. I couldn’t help but wonder if people simply read the headline, “It’s time for Moss to go,” and decided to post a comment without reading the story. The commenter, Jigga, wondered the same thing as he referenced a line from Jay-Z.

Game meets game. (AP)

“Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?”

Tip of the Week: If you’re a single guy, and your most endearing quality is that you’re faithful, just start flying first class from Orlando to Sweden … back and forth … every weekend. You’re bound to end up next to Elin eventually, and if you’re ever going to have a shot at a stunning Swedish model, it’s while she’s on the mend of a broken heart, stuck on an airplane, just looking for someone to listen. And remember, she’s not all looks. If you end up winning her over and marrying her, you’ll be living off of Tiger’s money for the rest of your life. Hey, it’s a better investment than following my NFL picks every week.

Conversation Starter of the Week: Alright, I’ll admit it. The Tiger conversation is getting tired. Anyone with a hint of decency has moved on. HAVING SAID THAT, whenever there’s a lull in the conversation this weekend, you can still expect people to bring it up. At this point, there’s only one way to go.

You, “I don’t get it, what happened to Tiger?”
Friend, “You don’t know?!”
You, “Is it his knee?”
Friend, “Are you serious?!”
You, “I hope he doesn’t miss any time because that injury couldn’t have happened to a better guy.”
Friend, “But …”
You, “Can I get you a drink?” And move on!

What Would Randy Moss Do? Hey, I know I’m not exactly catering to a New England audience by beating up on Moss. I’ll admit I won’t be shocked for a minute if he puts up eight catches for 120 yards and touchdown this weekend. Thus, I have to get my jabs in while I can. Let’s say it snows on Sunday as predicted. Your wife asks you to shovel the driveway. What would Randy Moss do? He’d shovel the top step of your walkway, drop the shovel into 12 inches of snow, slowly jog back into the house, and watch the Patriots game by himself in the basement.

Stat of the Week: 212 — The number of quarterbacks who have started an NFL game since the start of Brett Favre’s consecutive games streak. That’s incredible. Doesn’t it seem like the NFL keeps recycling the same 32 quarterbacks every year? Vinny Testaverde stayed in the league for 21 years without ever shedding the “bust” label. Think about it, guys like Charlie Frye, Chris Redman and Chris Simms aren’t even adding to this number this weekend. And if you’re wondering how many quarterback have started during Favre’s streak and matched his rating on the fun meter, that would be zero.

Video of the Week: Here’s a video to prepare you for any last-minute Christmas shopping, compliments of National Lampoon Christmas Vacation.

There are generally two schools of thought among New England sports fans at this time of year. Some fans want to read about football, football and more football. These fans argue that the playoffs are approaching, and the NFL is the most exciting thing happening in sports. Other New England fans are caught up in the Hot Stove portion of the baseball season. These fans contend that the Red Sox are in the process of shaping their roster for next year. This week is far more important to the baseball season than a random week in July.

I contest that fans can have it both ways. It’s all intertwined.

For proof of that, let’s take a look at yesterday’s events in Foxboro. Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas returned to practice after receiving what was, in effect, a one-game suspension from Bill Belichick for showing up nine minutes late to an 8 a.m. meeting on Wednesday. Rather than return to the facility apologetic, Thomas did something I’ve never seen another Patriot player do over the last five or six years. He stood before the media and openly criticized Belichick’s coaching style. Sure, we’ve seen players stray from toeing the company line before. Richard Seymour used to speak honestly about the team’s refusal to honor the contract demands of players like Deion Branch and Asante Samuel. Tom Brady spoke openly just this week about what he feels the team is missing in terms of toughness. But we haven’t seen a player stand up and question Belichick’s motives since Ty Law’s contract dispute in 2004.

AD could be the wrong guy for the job. (AP)

“There’s a lot of things that go on that you’re dumbfounded by.” Thomas said yesterday. “Not just (getting kicked out of practice). You know? You just roll with it. I’m an Indian. I’m not the Chief. I just roll with the punches … Motivation is for kindergartners. I’m not a kindergartner. Sending somebody home, that’s like ‘Are you expelled? Come back and make good grades.’ Get that [expletive] out of here. That’s ridiculous. Motivation…”

Based on the reports coming out of Foxboro, this is not the time to testing Belichick’s patience. Word has it that the coach was in an all-time foul mood on Wednesday. He started the day by getting in the face of each of the team members he kicked out of practice, demanding to know why they didn’t heed his advice from the day before. On Tuesday, Belichick told his players that, in order to turn this season around, they’d need to put in extra work, showing up the facility early and staying later. He took the next day’s tardiness as a slap in the face. Apparently, Thomas wasn’t as insulted by Belichick’s actions.

“I was told to go home, I went home,” Thomas said. “I enjoyed my day off. Put my toes up in the air and relaxed.”

It’s fair to say Belichick misevaluated Thomas, who signed a 5-year, $35 million deal in 2007. Perhaps Thomas was a product of the system in Baltimore — a system that allowed him to play just about any position he wanted on defense as long as he was attacking. Perhaps he misread Thomas’ ability to buy into the “Patriot Way,” mistakenly signing a player who saw himself as the next Ray Lewis, a look-at-me superstar rather than a player content with settling into the background like Mike Vrabel.

Regardless, in signing Thomas, Belichick strayed from his long-standing philosophy never to give big money to a free agent who has made his name elsewhere. He always believed awarding big money to hired guns makes your own players jealous. It also makes the newcomer feel as if he’s been brought in to be the same player he has always been. A marquee free agent signing always seems to imply, “There are no rules. Just be you.” Remember this moment next year when the Patriots don’t make a single noteworthy move during free agency while the Redskins are signing next year’s Albert Haynesworth.

What does this have to do with the Hot Stove? Everything. Right now, Red Sox fans are livid because the world champion Yankees are getting better as the Red Sox get worse. The Sox’ major offseason moves thus far have been to sign a shortstop who hits .260 and trade the 2007 World Series MVP for a backup catcher. Meanwhile, the Yankees have traded prospects for All-Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson and resigned Andy Pettitte and potentially Johnny Damon. It doesn’t look good for the Red Sox on paper.

If we’ve learned anything from the Adalius Thomas situation, what looks good on paper doesn’t always pay dividends in the read world. Adalius Thomas, the man who was signed under the pretense that he was the most versatile linebacker on the planet in 2007, might be a healthy inactive on Sunday for the second time this season. Something tells me that when Belichick is looking to bolster his linebacking corps this spring, he’ll be looking to draft the next Jerod Mayo rather than sign the next Adalius Thomas. Red Sox Nation: Take note. Perhaps the key to improving next year is not scoring one of the big gifts — Roy Halladay or Matt Holliday — before the holidays. Maybe it’s bringing back Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard and Jon Lester a year older and wiser as they purge themselves of aging role players like Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. Making a huge splash in free agency is a good way to keep fans happy in the offseason. But as Belichick is learning, it’s not always the best way to keep a coach happy during the season.

Story of the Week: The New York Times had an investigative report on Tuesday, which uncovered the University of Tennessee football program’s unconventional recruiting strategies. Evidently the football team has “hostesses” who tend to be among the most attractive females in the student body, and they are responsible for showing the recruits a good time on campus. There is no mention of sexual favors, but imagine the following show of support as a high school senior.

In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina in which at least three Tennessee recruits were playing.

Marcus Lattimore, a running back who made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but said he would not enroll there, said multiple Tennessee hostesses attended a game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., in September. He said they brought signs, including one that read, “Come to Tennessee.”

“I haven’t seen no other schools do that,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

Quote of the Week: In case you missed it, The New York Post rolled out Tiger Woods’ text message exchanges with one of his side women, Jamiee Grubbs, yesterday. Here’s my favorite line in the text message correspondence, sent by Grubbs.

Jaimee: I have fun with u, you always make me smile and I am not afraid to be myself or say anything to u … the day I met u I thought u were going to kick me out a few times but for someone reason you didn’t and u have told me numerous times I talk to much but slowly as I get to know u i I think your absolutely amazing.

Lowell never let down Boston fans. (AP)

Comment of the Week: TheGravy gets the prize for making a solid argument as to why I should be writing about the Hot Stove instead of the NBA and NFL.

“The NBA?? Heating up??? Its December! Playoffs aren’t until APRIL. They continue until late June. PLAYOFFS?!?! Don’t talk about NBA Playoffs! Playoffs?!?

“C’mon, NC. Take a look at Dan at the top there. Where is he? At the TD Garden? On a rink? No. Dan is at a baseball game. He’s both wildly underdressed and comparatively flamboyant, but he’s in the right stop. Good on ya, Dan. Now give us 300 words on what the Sox should be doing.”

Tip of the Week: If Bill Belichick invites you to his Christmas party, go ahead and show up on time. You’d hate to drive 45 minutes through traffic and snow to the ‘burbs, and then get turned away at the door for being nine minutes late. “Oh, you brought meatballs. I don’t need them. Leave.”

Conversation Starter of the Week: There are no NFL or NCAA football games on Saturday, so it should make for an interesting day of TV viewing. In my first year or marriage, I’m planning to pay homage to my old man. Every time he ever sat down in front of the TV while I was growing up, he always demanded I “put a game on” within 10 seconds of sitting. This is probably why I watch so much sports to this day. But there are a few days every year that drive my dad crazy — the first Saturday after the conference championship games in college football, the day before and after the MLB All-Star Game, and the random days off in the middle of the MLB playoffs. On those days, he’ll start every conversation with, “What are you watching … a movie? Put a football game on … What? There’s no game? It’s Saturday! Let’s watch some football!”

What Would Adalius Thomas Do? Let’s pretend the CEO of your company schedules an office-wide meeting this afternoon. He starts the meeting by announcing the company has incurred record losses over the last year, and in order to avoid layoffs, he’s going to ask everyone in the company to take an unpaid furlough in 2010. Also, he’ll need everyone to start generating more income by any means necessary — even if it means working more hours. What would Adalius Thomas do? He’d interrupt the meeting to ask if he lay down for a quick nap.

Stat of the Week: 5 — the number of 13-0 teams in NFL history. Those teams include the 1934 Bears, 1972 Dolphins, 1998 Broncos, 2005 Colts and 2007 Patriots. The Saints and Colts have a chance to become the sixth and seventh teams in NFL history this weekend. By the way, the only team ever to start 12-0 and not win its 13th game is the 1985 Bears. The 12th game is the typical stumbling block. Six teams have started 11-0, including last year’s Titans, and lost the 12th game.

Video of the Week: In this video, your favorite party song becomes your worst hangover song.

Let’s give the Tiger Woods talk a rest for a few paragraphs as we set our clocks for the NFL weekend. For the second week in a row, I’ll roll out a picks column followed by a Best of the Week.

Have we had enough yet? (AP)

Last week’s record: 8-8

Overall record: 84-90-2

Home teams are in caps.

New England (-4) over MIAMI

Question: How will Patriots fans react if this game is tied at halftime?

It won’t be pretty, and for that reason, I may avoid watching this game in public on Sunday. After the lopsided loss to the Saints on Monday night, Pats fans are demanding a blowout on Sunday at 1 p.m. Unfortunately, it’s not the right matchup for a blowout. The four-point spread is probably right on the money. It’s the second go-around for interdivision rivals. Miami always plays a ball-control offense and a gap-control defense. The Dolphins won’t allow too many big plays. They’re well-coached. So it’s not going to be 35-0 at halftime.

Denver (-4.5) over KANSAS CITY

Question: How much do the Eagles miss Brian Dawkins?

More than they ever expected. After losing Dawkins to Broncos in free agency and losing middle linebacker Stewart Bradley to a torn ACL in the preseason, the Eagles officially became the worst tackling team in the NFL. I didn’t realize this until I saw the Broncos steamroll the Giants last Thursday night, and Dawkins made about 10 tackles a yard short of the first-down marker. I kept thinking to myself, “Hey, I remember when the Eagles used stop people short of the first-down marker.”

PITTSBURGH (-14.5) over Oakland

Question: What was up with Hines Ward ripping Ben Roethlisberger for not playing last week?

I understand Ward’s sentiment when he wondered why Roethlisberger would practice all week leading up to his Week 12 game and then sit out on Sunday due to post-concussion symptoms. But commissioner Roger Goodell is taking a stance on concussions. There’s now basically a new unwritten rule that players who suffer concussions are ineligible to play the following week. Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner sat out last Sunday after both quarterbacks practiced all week. Good thing Bill Belichick has never had a player who suffered a concussion — just “upper-body” injuries.

Houston (pick) over JACKSONVILLE

Question: Are the Texans on pace to finish .500 as usual?

Well, they’re 5-6, so pencil in a 3-2 finish. This seems like a game they need.

Tennessee (+6.5) over INDIANAPOLIS

Question: Are the Titans going to make the playoffs after starting 0-6?

If they win this week, I’m sold.

Philadelphia (-5.5) over ATLANTA

Question: Isn’t it time you praised Andy Reid for once?

Absolutely. Look, Andy Reid will always be an easy target for criticism because of his inability to manage the clock. That’s something you can see on TV and instantly critique. But the fact of the matter is Andy is putting together one of his best coaching jobs this season. As I alluded to earlier, the Eagles defense stinks. There are a ridiculous number of holes on that side of the ball. All three of their linebackers run around as if they’re trying to avoid contact. Between the three of them, they might tally a total of six tackles per game. One Eagles cornerback, Asante Samuel, suffers a stinger almost every week because his tackling technique is terrible. So opposing teams constantly throw screens to his side of the field. On top of that, he jumps every route so he’s an easy mark for a double-move. Their other cornerback, Sheldon Brown, tore his hamstring two weeks ago, but he’s playing through it because their third corner, Ellis Hobbs (spinal injury), and fourth corner, Joselio Hanson (drug suspension) are out for extended stretches. They never replaced Dawkins at free safety, so they have a rookie fifth-round pick at that position. Every defensive series that the Eagles hold the opposing offense to less than seven points, I’m shocked. Meanwhile, the Eagles are 7-4 and poised for another 11-5 season. Since 2000, Andy Reid-coached teams have a record of 56-27-1 in regular-season games played after November 1. If you subtract the season that Terrell Owens sabotaged (2005), Reid-coached teams are 54-20-1 after November 1 during that stretch. The Eagles have never quit on Reid in 11 seasons. The man can coach in the NFL — end of story.

Detroit (+13) over CINCINNATI

Question: Are the Bengals fading?

I think so. Since beating the Steelers in Week 10, they lost to the Raiders beat the Browns, 16-7. They don’t cover the spread anymore.

New Orleans (-9.5) over WASHINGTON

Question: Did the Saints surprise anyone else against the Patriots on Monday night?

I’ve seen the Saints play a bunch of times this year, but that was a little ridiculous. They did whatever they wanted to do for 60 minutes against a pretty strong Patriots team. Total domination. The Saints won’t play like that every week, but you have to respect the fact that they were 10-0 going into the game, and they absolutely put it on the most respected team in the NFL.

Tampa Bay (+6) over CAROLINA

Question: Does anyone else think Jake Delhomme’s broken finger on this throwing hand might actually help the Panthers?

It can’t hurt. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jake’s broken finger was caused by a teammate after his fourth pick last week. Why wouldn’t one of Jake’s offensive linemen pretend to drop a quarter around Jake, and then stomp on his hand when he tried to pick it up?

St. Louis (+9) over CHICAGO

Question: What happened to Devin Hester?

Lovie Smith happened to him. Two or three years ago, Devin Hester was such a threat to run back kickoffs for touchdowns, opposing teams would willingly just kick the ball out of bounds and give the Bears the ball on their own 40-yard-line. There was no greater weapon in football. He was feared. Somewhere along the way, Lovie decided to make Devin Hester a No. 3 receiver. So now he catches two or three balls a game, takes a bunch of hits over the middle, has to block during the running game, and he’s not even returning kicks any more. Now, instead of playing the field position game, Lovie is handing the game over to Jay Cutler, who has thrown 20 picks this season. Stupidity.

San Diego (-13) over CLEVELAND

Question: Are the Chargers legit or what?

Yeah, they’re good. They’ve won six straight by a combined 105 points. They’re 8-3. They could still conceivably capture the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Of course, they’ll lose this week just to remind us that Norv Turner’s still coaching the team.

SEATTLE (pick) over San Francisco

Question: If I have fantasy football players involved in this game, where should I watch it?

If you have players from either of these teams on your fantasy roster, you need to find a nice place to enjoy the last week of your fantasy season. I’m still pushing the Courtside in East Cambridge. I defy you to find a cheaper alternative.

Dallas (-2.5) over GIANTS

Question: What’s the deal with Eli Manning’s foot?

Apparently, his plantar fasciitis is dangerously close to turning into a stress fracture. When that happens, his season will be over. And so will the Giants’.

Minnesota (-3.5) over ARIZONA

Question: Are you going to continue the tradition of running Favre Superfan!’s best comment of the week in this spot?

Why not? Yesterday, Favre Superfan! got into an altercation with Dirk Diggler in the comment section. The Superfan responded to the Tiger fiasco by saying his hero, Brett Favre, was the only husband who still believed in chivalry. Dirk responded by questioning Favre Superfan’s sexuality and also shared that he was a war veteran who had a sexual encounter with two Maxim models on Wednesday night. He was also planning to drive his Mercedes Benz to a golf course for 18 holes yesterday afternoon. Here’s Favre Superfan’s response.

“Let me start by thanking a fan of mine for stepping to the plate for me. You know it’s humbling and I probably don’t deserve it. All I can do is shrug.

“But to address the notion that some people don’t like me, that’s fine. I can’t focus on that when I’m so focused on having fun. Caps lock isn’t fun. Abrasive language isn’t fun. And where is the ‘aw shucks’ attitude about your duty to country and your performance last night?

“In all seriousness, thank you for your service to the country. Your service overseas is almost 1 full percent as valuable as Brett’s to this country. You sound like the kind of guy who loves Wrangler jean shorts, and as a Wrangler jeans fan, I think we can agree that’s pretty mean denim. Good luck on the course today and remember to smile and have fun, Dirk!”

Baltimore (-3) over GREEN BAY

Question: Won’t this game have a huge impact on fantasy football seasons across the country?

Yeah, this is the final week of the regular season in most leagues. Between all of the fantasy options on Sunday night (Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin) and Monday night (Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Derek Mason, Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings), not a lot will be determined by 8 p.m. on Sunday. Here’s my only advice if you’re battling for a playoff spot. If you’re on the bubble, and you’re going against a team with Kurt Warner at quarterback, pick up Matt Leinart right now. Warner is still on the fence as to whether he’s going to play on Sunday night. Your opponent will have to wait to make a game-time decision. By the time Warner decides, the only teams left to play will be Arizona (Leinart), Minnesota (Favre), Baltimore (Flacco) and Green Bay (Rodgers). I’m assuming the other three guys will be taken in your league. Lock up Leinart, and your opponent will be stuck with a goose egg at quarterback.

On to the Best of the Week.

Iverson can't wait to suit up for the 76ers. (AP)

Story of the Week: I know it’s not exactly a Boston story and Tiger’s the biggest story of the week, but give me a minute to reflect on Allen Iverson’s return to Philadelphia. The 10-time All-Star and four-time NBA scoring champion resigned with the Sixers on Wednesday after spending the better part of the last 3 1/2 years bouncing around the NBA. Being a high school student in the Delaware Valley when Iverson first signed with the Sixers after being selected No. 1 in the 1996 NBA Draft, I can make the argument that no one was a bigger fan of Iverson than me until the day he got traded to the Nuggets. Watching Iverson play elsewhere for the last three years has been painful — not because I couldn’t stand to see him in another uniform, but because he seemed to be missing all of the things that made him the best sub 6-foot scorer in NBA history. Losing didn’t bother him as much. He stopped being a good teammate. He stopped playing defense entirely. He stopped caring. When Iverson stopped caring, so did I.

When his career seemed to end suddenly last month at the age of 34, I felt sad. The man who sold out the Philly arena  for 10 straight years deserved a eulogy at the very least. After all, no one cares about basketball in Philly anymore (29th in the league in attendance). This week, the Sixers found themselves in an extremely desperate situation. They’ve lost eight straight, their starting point guard, Lou Williams, could miss eight weeks with a broken jaw, and their rookie backup point guard, Jrue Holliday, played shooting guard at UCLA for one year before coming out too early last spring. The Sixers need Iverson, and he needs them.

Yesterday, Iverson held his press conference, and he cried from start to finish, talking about how the one thing he was born to do was taken from him. He agonized over the mistakes he’s made, the teammates he’s burned and recognized that he’ll never be perfect. He talked about how much he loved Philly fans, and vowed not to screw up his final opportunity. He never felt right playing anywhere else. For the first time in about three years, I was reminded why I love Iverson. It’s all out in the open for everyone to see. All of the flaws, tattoos, corn-rows — everything. And he’s going to give you everything he has from start to finish. The most exciting athlete of my lifetime is back in Philly. Home.

Quote of the Week: Lakers forward Ron Artest said a bunch of crazy stuff this week. He revealed that he used to drink the cognac, Hennessey, before games when he was a member of the Chicago Bulls. He said he wouldn’t have done anything differently during the Malice at the Palace. And finally, he brought up his unfinished business with Ben Wallace.

“I don’t want to fight Ben Wallace in no street,” Artest said. “I don’t want to fight Ben Wallace on no basketball court. But after our careers are over, I will fight Ben Wallace in the boxing ring. But not out of hatred. But out of it would be a good boxing match. So don’t look forward to me fighting Ben on a basketball court, because that’s not going to happen.”

E-mail of the Week: This one was sent by Jonathan Gandolfo in response to the Tiger fallout.

“I was also impressed about (Lee) Janzen suggesting that Tiger was going to the gym at 2:25 a.m. on Thanksgiving night. What a good friend and a great actor if he told somebody that with a straight face. That voicemail was a killer, though. The best thing that could happen to Tiger right now would be for Tim Tebow to get caught up in some kind of a porn video.”

Comment of the Week: I’m going with Anonymous for providing the outro for yesterday’s mailbag.

Tip of the Week: I don’t need to provide any tips. Anonymous has all of the answers.

Conversation Starter of the Week: Whenever you call someone this weekend, greet them with, “Hey, it’s Tiger … I’m going to need you to …”

What Would Tiger Do? If you’re considering calling in a bomb threat to your office this afternoon to prompt an early dismissal, you’ll want to do it Tiger-style. What would Tiger do? He’d say, “Hey, it’s Tiger. You’ve gotta do me a favor. Can you evacuate the school immediately? Just have it so it’s empty — no students or teachers. You gotta do this for me … as quickly as possible. Huge. Quickly. Thanks.”

Stat of the Week: 109: Miles per hour Adrian Peterson was going when he was stopped by Edina, Minnesota police on his way to the team’s hotel on Saturday night before his team’s game against the Bears. There’s no word if Peterson collided with five other cars, stiff-armed a pedestrian out of the driver-side window and dropped his head before reaching his top speed on the open road.

Video of the Week: Here’s the slow jam remix of the Tiger phone call.

Have a good weekend.

For most of us, it’s the last day of the work week. The most annoying bosses will try to squeeze five days of work into a three-day window. These are the same people who will walk by your desk at 5:25 p.m. and say something like, “You know what, guys? I’m going to cut you early today. Happy Thanksgiving.” The rest of us will be granted our early dismissals closer to noon. If you’re like me, you’ll start openly complaining about traffic on the Mass Pike at around 9:01 a.m. Good luck to all of you in your quest to hit the road early.

Don't be a swine flu worry-wart. (AP)

As far as the blog goes, you’ll get an extra long, two-for-one today. I’ll start with an abridged version of the NFL picks column and finish it with a Best of the Week. Enjoy.

Last week’s record: 8-8

Overall record: 76-82-2

Home teams are in caps.

Green Bay (+11) over DETROIT

Question of the Game: Aren’t the Lions awful on Thanksgiving?

Yup. They’ve lost their last five Thanksgiving games by a combined 117 points. Their average margin of defeat in that span is 23.4 points. They haven’t lost by fewer than 11 points since 2003.

Oakland (-14) over DALLAS

Question: What’s the deal with the Cowboys on Thanksgiving?

They’re actually pretty good. They’ve won their last three games by a combined 84 points. Apparently, every Thanksgiving game is a blowout. Who knew? On the other hand, Oakland is 1-0 with Bruce Gradkowski as its starter. Somewhere, JaMarcus Russell is stuffing his face with “Moosetracks” ice cream.

Giants (-6.5) over DENVER

Question: Why did Denver coach Josh McDaniels start Chris Simms over Kyle Orton against the Chargers last week?

I don’t know. I didn’t get that. Granted, Orton had an injured ankle, but if McDaniels was worried about him aggravating the injury, he should have sat him for the entire game. Instead, McDaniels gave Simms his first start in four seasons. He dropped back for six passes in the first 25 minutes, completing 2 of 4 passes for 10 yards. He also took two sacks and had one fumble. After the Chargers jumped out to a big lead in their 32-3 win, McDaniels called on Orton to relieve Simms. If McDaniels was willing to risk further injury with Orton, why not just have him start the game?

Indianapolis (-3.5) over HOUSTON

Question: Can you lay out Colts coach Jim Caldwell’s daily routine?

I’ll take a stab at it. Wake up at 10 a.m. Drive in to the Colts practice facility. Stumble upon a film session in which Peyton Manning is yelling at his rookie receivers. Grab some breakfast in the team cafeteria. Go over Manning’s proposed game plan with the offensive coordinator. Meet with Manning for a briefing before the daily head coach’s press conference. Relay whatever Manning said to the media. Lead the team onto the practice field. Blow the whistle a few times. Head home for dinner by 5 p.m.

CINCINNATI (-14) over Cleveland

Question: After this season, who will get hired as a coordinator first — Charlie Weis or Eric Mangini?

Put it this way, if the Eagles hired Mangini to be their defensive coordinator following this season, I’d be disappointed. And bear in mind, the Eagles long-time defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, lost his battle with cancer in July, and the Eagles didn’t really have another experienced coordinator waiting in the wings. So it’s not like they don’t have a need there. However, I’d actually be psyched if they hired Weis to run the offense next season. Weis stinks at the recruiting game at the college level. He’s unable to blow sunshine up recruits’ … rear ends. But I think he could figure out a way to get 30 points a game out of McNabb, Vick, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy and Brent Celek next season.

MINNESOTA (-10.5) over Chicago

Question: Can we start a new tradition for Vikings’ picks?

Sure. Here’s Favre Superfan!’s comment of the week following yesterday’s blog about the Men’s Guide to Thanksgiving.

“So the meal ends at 3 p.m. and you offer to help with dishes at 6? You stole that from my manifesto “Having Fun Favre-ever.” Only a truly great guy volunteers for something 2.5 hours after it was done. Just remember to smile, hug someone, and give them that ‘aw shucks’ shrug and everyone over the age of 50 will gush over you!”

PHILADELPHIA (-9) over Washington

Question: What will it take for Andy Reid to get fired?

I’m not asking this question because Reid’s on the hot seat. This is actually a decent week for him, coming off a victory over the Bears. But I was kicking that question around on Sunday night, when the Eagles trailed the Bears midway through the fourth quarter. I received a text from a friend that said, “I feel like we’ve seen this before.” And I started to ponder the future of Andy Reid. The problem is that the owner, Jeffrey Lurie, and general manager, Joe Banner, absolutely love Reid. They always point to his five appearances in the NFC Championship Game and the seven trips to the postseason in the last nine years. They actually started up talks of extending Reid for another four years earlier this season. So I honestly think it would take a Grady Little-caliber mistake for Reid to finally get fired. Here’s the only scenario I could come up with. With his team up by two touchdowns with less than a minute to play, Reid calls for a passing play in an obvious kneel-down situation. The opposing team intercepts the pass and returns it for a touchdown. Reid calls a timeout before the extra point. The opposing team makes the extra point. Reid calls a timeout before the onside kick. The opposing team recovers the onside kick. Reid asks the refs to review the play within the last two minutes. He’s charged a timeout and the refs refuse to go to a booth review because the call is so obvious. The opposing team scores a touchdown and converts a two-point conversion. Reid stares at the field stoically.

Miami (-3) over BUFFALO

Question: Have we learned anything from Dolphins running back Ricky Williams?

Yes. If you’re considering requesting two or three years off so you can focus on smoking weed and joining a yoga group, remember that there’s a precedent for returning to your job as a better employee.

TENNESSEE (-2) over Arizona

Question: What was up with the referee who gave Titans quarterback Vince Young a high-five after a touchdown during Monday night’s win over Houston?

Go easy on the ref. It’s almost impossible to refuse a high-five when someone throws up a hand in front of you. Your instinct will tell you to deliver the high-five. It’s the equivalent of when a defensive NFL player is standing on the sideline, and the opposing quarterback throws an errant pass in his direction. Even though he’s not on the field of play, the defensive player is going to lay out for the pass if he has to, just to send a message to the opposing quarterback. It’s instinctive.

Seattle (-3) over ST. LOUIS

Question: Who’s the starting quarterback for the Rams this week?

That would be Kyle Boller. Don’t go running to your fantasy football league’s waiver wire. I’m sure he’s taken by now.

Tampa Bay (+12) over ATLANTA

Question: What’s the worst part about making picks on Wednesday?

I have no idea if Falcons running back Michael Turner will play on Sunday, and it actually makes all the difference in my pick. If the Falcons can run the ball effectively after they take a lead, they’ll cover. If not, the Bucs are in the money.

Carolina (+3) over JETS

Question: What was Jets coach Rex Ryan crying about this week?

A week after he literally cried in a team meeting, Ryan cried to reporters this week. His issue: he didn’t like the way the Patriots attempted a deep pass to Randy Moss in the closing minute of a 31-14 victory on Sunday. I’ll admit that was a little shaky on the Patriots part. The weird play call seemed to stem from Moss’ frustration over two tough outings against Darrelle Revis this fall. All the same, if Ryan is going to coach against the Patriots twice a year, he better set aside his feelings about sportsmanship.

SAN FRANCISCO (-3) over Jacksonville

Question: Since there is nothing interesting about this game, can you tell us when the NFL will start having games on Saturdays?

Later than I would have thought. The Saturday games start in Week 15 (Dec. 19).

Kansas City (+13.5) over SAN DIEGO

Question: Is Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson preparing for the stretch run of the season?

Yes. He’s peaking right during the final stage. Get it — final stage? Like he’s in a cycling race? Because he always rides the stationary bike during the playoffs? Next!

BALTIMORE (-2.5) over Pittsburgh

Question: What’s Steelers safety Troy Polamalu’s status for the Sunday night game?

He’s “questionable at best” according to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. If he doesn’t play, I like the Ravens. If he does, I like the Steelers. Wednesday picks, everybody!

New England (-3) over NEW ORLEANS

Question: What will be the key in this game?

All season, whenever I read stories about the vaunted Saints defense, I think about the fact that their secondary includes a guy with gray hair and Darren Sharper. The guy with gray hair looks to be about 50. It seems like the Packers determined Sharper was too old about 10 years ago. I’ll take Pats receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker against that secondary 10 times out of 10.

On to the Best of the Week.

Story of the Week: We had to know there would be some Bill Belichick impersonators in the weeks to follow his fourth-and-2 decision against the Colts. This week, Yale coach Tom Williams had a similar blunder in his team’s loss to Harvard. With his team leading by three points and 2:25 remaining, he decided to fake a punt on fourth-and-22 from his team’s own 25-yard-line. The play picked up 15 yards. Yale turned the ball over on downs. Harvard scored a touchdown to seal a 14-10 win. One other tidbit, Yale’s punter led the Ivy League with a 51.1 yards per punt average.

Quote of the Week: Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis delivered some doozies this week as he prepared to get fired after a 6-5 season. His comments regarding the toll the losing has taken on his family are a little easier to stomach now that we’ve learned that Notre Dame starting quarterbacks apparently get punched in the face after losses to Connecticut.

“The damage to Maura and Charlie Jr. is irreparable,” Weis said. “It’s watching me get hammered. I’ll never forgive the people who character-assassinated me without even knowing me. Those people did irreparable damage to my wife and son, and I’ll never forgive them.”

Comment of the Week: Excellent effort in the comments section following yesterday’s Thanksgiving guide. That may have been the best banter all year. KF gets the prize for coming up with some new suggestions for Thanksgiving.

“Embrace the Wednesday night out. That’s the best part – find out what ladies are packing on the beef and who all of a sudden became sneaky hot.

Opt for hard alcohol before the meal. Ideally a nice sipping drink like scotch. Don’t want to fill up on beer before the big meal. Every Thanksgiving, my brother and I have the scotch going by noontime.

Play the role, collect the plates from the table and put them in the sink. It takes 5 minutes, and makes you look good. You don’t have to wash them, leave that to others.”

Tip of the Week: If you take your girlfriend out on Thanksgiving Eve, and you run into your high school girlfriend, DO NOT introduce your ex to your new girlfriend by saying, “We used to date.” That information does not need to be shared. Just say, “This is my friend.” In fact, wait for your ex-girlfriend to introduce herself to your new girlfriend. Do not get involved in that process in any way.

Conversation Starter of the Week: Look, my only problem with KF’s previous comment is that girls are not the only ones who pack on the beef. You’ll run into just as many guys (probably more) who have added 20 pounds since the last time you saw them. When this happens, walk up to the person and say, “What’s different about you? Something has changed and I can’t put my finger on it.”

Stat of the Week: The Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is the biggest bar night of the year, according to CNN.com. In turn, there are the greatest number of DUIs on that night. Be safe tonight.

Video of the Week: Here’s a Thanksgiving-themed video.

Enjoy the holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!

The weekend before Thanksgiving always reminds me of my first trip to Foxboro in 2005. Earlier that fall, I had started as a part-time reporter covering high school sports for a newspaper in Gloucester. Like any sports reporter trying to break into the industry, I was working long hours for next to nothing. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, my boss asked me to cover a Thanksgiving Day high school football game. I declined the “opportunity” at first, but soon learned that my boss’ request wasn’t optional. For the first time in 25 years, I would spend Thanksgiving Day away from my family.

As part of the negotiation, my boss agreed to arrange for me to take a trip to Foxboro to cover a Patriots practice on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. He requested two press passes — one for me and one for him — and we agreed to meet in Foxboro. We mapped out our plan in the Gillette Stadium parking lot. I would work the local angle, asking players and coaches about their Thanksgiving Day football experiences even though they weren’t scheduled to play until that Sunday. My boss would write a preview story for that week’s Patriots game.

"I hated every minute of that." (AP)

The morning started with a Bill Belichick press conference. About 30 members of the media filed into a room with rows of tables and chairs and a small podium and projector screen in front. I can’t remember exactly what time the press conference started, but I know that Belichick emerged through a side door on the exact minute he was supposed to be there. He had on white sneakers, white mid-calf socks, gym shorts and a cutoff hooded sweatshirt. I waited through about 25 questions before I mustered up the courage to ask, “From your experience, what is the best part about playing on Thanksgiving Day? And what is the worst?” He stared me down with a confused look on his face, seeming to wonder why I had followed up a question about Larry Izzo with a question about Thanksgiving. He paused for what must have been 10 seconds. It seemed like five minutes. Then he answered, “We’re not playing on Thanksgiving this year. We’re just trying to focus on (whatever team they were playing that week).” In retrospect, I probably would have been disappointed if Belichick hadn’t blown me off during my first trip to Foxboro.

Once that press conference ended, the players’ locker room was opened to the media for about 40 minutes. I planned to find players who had played on Thanksgiving Day in high school, college or the pros. The Pats played the Lions on Thanksgiving in 2002, so I was looking for veterans. Here’s the problem with the 40-minute time span in which the press has access to the players: The players have no obligation to be in the locker room. Most of them lift weights during that time. Others watch film. But for the first 30 minutes of the 40-minute period, there were about three Patriots at their lockers. Two played special teams and one was a rookie who wasn’t really allowed to talk to the press. At that point, I thought I was sunk.

With about 10 minutes left in the media’s allotted time, a group of about 10 Patriots ventured in from the weight room. Tom Brady and Willie McGinest were the big media draws, but I also noticed that Doug Flutie had slipped through the crowd. The former Natick High and Boston College legend had surely played on Thanksgiving. I went over and asked him about 10 questions. Finally, I had a story. Over the next 10 minutes, I interviewed Christian Fauria, Ben Watson, Stephen Neal and Adam Vinatieri. With about one minute left in the media session, Tedy Bruschi strolled through a crowd of about 10 reporters, declared that he wasn’t doing interviews that day and ventured over to his locker. I practically fell on my face racing across the carpeted locker room. In a nervous delivery, I told him why I was there and asked if he could help me out. He said he could. In the final 60 seconds, I interviewed Bruschi, a guy who had returned to the NFL about a month earlier after suffering a stroke following the previous Pro Bowl. He shared that he felt thankful to be alive and playing the sport that he loved given the circumstances of the previous year.

I have never been more excited to write a story. I met my boss outside of the locker room and we traded notes. He had been stonewalled and didn’t have a story for the next day’s paper. I had quotes from several Patriots, but most importantly, Thanksgiving-themed quotes from Tedy Bruschi. I told my boss I would write the best story I’d ever written. He told me to transcribe the quotes and send them to him via e-mail, so he could figure out what to do with them. Feeling a little uneasy about the prospect of passing over all my quotes, I went home and wrote a long feature story about Bruschi’s stroke, his recovery and his thankfulness for the opportunity to be alive for another Thanksgiving. I thought it was the best story I had written to date.

The next day, I woke up and searched for my story on-line, only to find a stripped down version and, even worse, a shared byline with my editor. All of the quotes had been pulled from my story, and he ran it in a Q&A format. He changed the beginning entirely, replacing it with two sentences that read, “Like our football players in Gloucester, many New England Patriots have experience playing on Thanksgiving. Here are some quotes from a trip to Foxboro yesterday.”

I don’t even really remember how the rest of the story played out. I know I called my boss on Thanksgiving morning and delivered a rant that, at no point in the proceedings, included the words, ‘happy’ or ‘Thanksgiving.’ I know I took the rest of the weekend off and seriously considered the idea of not showing up to work on Monday. I know I eventually returned to my office and was rewarded for my understanding with a few other trips to Foxboro over the next two months. But the Tedy Bruschi story? That never ran. You can’t run a Thanksgiving Day-themed story on the day after Thanksgiving. For a while, I held out hope that the story would still be relevant the next year. It turned out I wasn’t even still at the same job by then. So one of the best stories I’ve ever written never saw the light of day. For a while, I worried that there would be no record of my first trip to Foxboro. Now, five years later, I finally have it in writing.

I’m feeling pretty good about today’s Best of the Week. Enjoy.

Story of the Week: University of Kansas football coach Mark Mangino received plenty of negative publicity this week on the heels of his team’s five-game losing streak. That’s not to suggest Mangino’s past behavior would have been acceptable had his team continued to win games. Mangino was accused of physical and verbal abuse by more than five former or current players this week. One player, whose brother had recently been shot, claims that when he dropped a pass in a game, Mangino threatened to send him back to St. Louis so he could get “shot up with (his) homies.” Another player said that, during a team meeting, he admitted that his father was an alcoholic. Mangino later used the information against his athlete by asking, “Are you going to be a lawyer or are you going to be an alcoholic like your dad?” Mangino will likely volunteer to visit sensitivity training so he can keep his job. Or he’ll issue a public apology. Or not …

Quote of the Week: Mangino addressed the accusations last evening during a radio interview. Rather than try to diffuse the situation, Mangino said this:

“We are sending kids out into the world prepared,” Mangino told the radio station. “But I can’t do the work of some parents, what they should have done before [the players] got to me. Some of these guys are bitter, they are bitter and [the allegations] are about that.

“There are some things that happen for 18 years of their lives that I can’t change in four years of college. Can’t do it. Can’t change their behaviors, can’t change their attitudes.”

E-mail of the Week: This one was sent by KD earlier this week.

“From the Onion. Couldn’t put it better myself.

“Regards, JRussFan#2Oakland”

Comment of the Week: Yesterday, I ran Favre Superfan’s response to Samuel Grozalsky’s claim that he’d take his Patriots clock and stadium picture down from his wall following Sunday’s loss to the Colts. Today, I’ll share KD’s advice to Samuel.

“Samuel – Take down that Pats clock and put up a McNabb Fathead! As the unofficial spokesman for Philadelphia Eagles fans, we would love another whiny, overreacting, half-supporter in our corner! And after reading your rant today, we know you’ve got what it takes! Just make sure you sign the petition to fire Andy Reid every week and you’re in.”

Tip of the Week: I’m taking my cue from Coach Belichick on this. Any time you know people want to pummel you with questions, show up in sweatpant shorts. It’s completely disarming! I know I’m buying a pair this weekend specifically for the next time my wife tells me, ”We need to talk.” That will be my cue to get the sweatpant shorts out and defend myself.

Conversation Starter of the Week: Explain to people that they need to cheer for the Redskins on the week of Thanksgiving. “Is there any better way to support our Native American ancestors than pulling for those Redskins?!”

What Would Belichick Do? Pretend you’re talking to a girl later tonight and you’re confronted by a guy of Sebastian Vollmer’s size. He tells you you’re talking to his girlfriend. What would Coach Bill do? He’d calmly go in for a kiss in hopes that he’d win over the girl without having to go through the small talk.

Stat of the Week: 150,000 — According to ESPN.com, that’s how many fantasy outcomes were affected by Maurice Jones-Drew’s slide at the 1-yard-line last week. So if you were affected by this, and you’ve been whining all week, please be quiet. You’re not alone. Plus, it could be worse. Some of us owned Ronnie Brown in two different leagues.

Video of the Week: If you enjoyed the HBO series, The Wire, this video is for you. It’s the top 100 quotes from the five-season series chopped into 10 minutes.

Take note, commenters: “You come at the king, you best not miss.”