Cheap Shots #94.

Update: 10:11 AM

Another Tack To Note for the Super Bowl: I’d completely forgotten about the Pats’ Marquise Hill, who died over the off-season. There’s #5 for you. [First and 10 Inches]

NBA MVP?: Early, yes, but With Malice got plenty of bloggers (including yours truly) to weigh in. My vote right now goes to Kobe.

Gus Johnson Approves: Joe Buck, boring as hell — could stand to take a lesson from this Brit soccer announcer. [The Beautiful Game]

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Super Bowl XLII: So, now that we have teams playing in a match-up no one was really counting on actually happening, here are the obvious bits people will be looking for and what you will want to put a bullet through your TV over in the next two weeks.

1. Coach Hobo against the organization where he made his name, originally. Two rings on Parcells’ staff with the Giants, and now he’d like to add a fourth of his own.
2. Manning the Younger looking to beat Peyton to the Lombardi Trophy. Four years in and he’s going to the Super Bowl. About three or four weeks ago, the hyperactive NYC media was questioning whether Eli could lead a team.
3. Boston vs. New York. Again. Jesus Tapdancing Christ, I hate it when the East Coast gets ti all to themselves.
4. The Pursuit of Perfection. Obviously.

And Of Course, A Douche In Defeat: Christmas Ape does the final take on Marmalard post-loss at KSK.

Norm Chow To UCLA: Rick Neuheisel, joined by two of the coaching candidates he beat out, in Westwood. Fascinating, and potentially reeks of too many cooks in the kitchen with Chow and D-coordinator DeWayne Walker. However, the storylines are good enough to keep the Crosstown Rivalry talk going all of next college football season. [L.A. Daily News]

Speaking of UCLA: Apparently an alum doesn’t want anyone going near the Trojans — even if it’s just a condom, so he developed his own brand. [Sports By Brooks]

Aussie Open: Both Williams sisters are in the quarters, as are Henin, Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, and Daniela Hanchutova. American James Blake is the last Yank standing, and will face Roger Federer in the quarters. Nadal is also in, of course. [AP]

Do We Need Mayweather-De La Hoya Again?: Larry Brown asks a good question, and comes up with a “NO.”