you're a liar and that's the truth, you're an extra lost in the scene.

--NBA geopolitics are crystallizing pretty quickly.

• The Lakers are the lone superpower; they haven't been road tested, but I have my doubts about whether that will matter in the long run. This team just looks unstoppable.
• The Celtics and the Magic are the most likely spoilers. The former absolutely have to have everyone healthy and focused when the playoffs roll around, and the latter have to find a way to incorporate Jameer Nelson into their offense once he returns from injury.
  

• The Durantulas (OKC), Phoenix, and Houston are looking like teams you really don't want to run across in the playoffs.
• The Hornets are, a quarter of the way into the season, finally looking like they're ready for it. Chris Paul is the best player in the basketball.
• How's Shaq working out for you, Cavs? Is it finally not 2000 anymore?

--NFL geopolitics are also quite clear by now. It's a Cold War between the Saints and the Colts, who definitely look to be on a collision course. The Colts' traditional playoff foes, the Steelers and the Patriots, are both reeling, and the Saints' greatest challengers, the Vikings, just got blown out on national television.

--Suh for Heisman. If not him, Gerhart. If not Gerhart, Spiller, who didn't even get the invite to New York.

--This is awesome, both as a "Justin Vernon is a really cool guy" story and as a potentially very interesting musical exercise.

--And now a Larry Bird story, via Wikipedia: During one game on Christmas Day against the Indiana Pacers, before the game Bird told Chuck Person that he had a Christmas present waiting for him. During the game, when Person was on the bench, Bird shot a three-pointer on the baseline right in front of Person. Immediately after releasing the ball, Bird said to Person, "Merry fuckin' Christmas!", and then the shot went in. This was no doubt inspired by Person (nicknamed the "Rifleman") stating prior to the game that "The Rifleman is Coming, and He's Going Bird Hunting."