Here's hoping all fans show respect at NSU-ODU game

Ready or not: There's nothing more to be said about the build-up to today's Norfolk State-Old Dominion football game, except to reiterate the sentiments of Spartans coach Pete Adrian that fans treat the game and players from both teams with respect. It's important to get this nascent rivalry off on the right step.

Quick hit The only way to handle the Ndamukong Suh stomping incident is for the NFL to put its foot down.

Talking turkey When Virginia Tech rose to No. 5 in the BCS rankings, ESPN football analyst Kirk Herbstreit asked, "Who have they beaten?" Well recently, the Hokies beat Duke and North Carolina (combined ACC records 3-11) by four and three points, respectively. That doesn't impress skeptics or explain how the coaches poll could have VT at No. 4 this week.

Reality check I don't think Virginia will upset Tech today, and, despite the good vibes surrounding U.Va., it wouldn't surprise me if the Hokies ran away with the game. But it reflects on VT's season that, despite what the rankings say, a lot of people give the Cavaliers a good chance. Would anybody give U.Va. so much as a far outside chance to beat the teams in front of VT in the BCS rankings: LSU, Alabama, Arkansas or Oklahoma State? Or BCS sixth-ranked Stanford? Some questions answer themselves.

Emoting It's one thing for U.Va. fans to be worked up over the Cavaliers' surprising season, but Mike London can be a little too excitable on the sidelines. More college football coaches are these days. They seem to be taking a page out of the basketball coaches' handbook on how to work the refs.

The race With little time remaining to impress Heisman Trophy voters, Southern Cal quarterback Matt Barkley appears to be closing ground on Andrew Luck of Stanford, though some think that with his recent gaudy passing and running performances, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III will pass them both at the wire.

No brainer The folks at BYU are not as geographically challenged as we first thought. After consulting a map, they determined that a team located in Utah does not belong in the Big East.

What it is This week's story about Joe Paterno - that he resisted Penn State's attempts to discipline some of his players - reveals him to be a football coach.

Super senior Arnold Palmer recently shot a 79 for a round of golf, which included a hole-in-one, his 20th. Not bad for 82.

Located Adam Morrison, the Gonzaga All-American and No. 3 draft pick in 2006 who sat the bench for three NBA teams before being flushed out of the league, has resurfaced in the Serbian Adriatic League, where he says he's rediscovered his joy for the game.

Coming detraction Maybe the game ultimately will surprise and delight some of the masochists who bother to watch, but going in, Redskins at Seattle is as dismal a match-up as the NFL has seen all year.

Not so fast The Cowboys might be doing enough to make the playoffs, but I won't be a strap hanger on their bandwagon. Needing overtime to beat the Redskins and a last-second field goal to get past the Dolphins at home should be proof enough that Dallas doesn't have what it takes to make postseason noise.

Shopping wars I leafed through some of the holiday advertising fliers delivered Thanksgiving morning. Tell me that people don't actually give electric toothbrushes as Christmas gifts.