Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
College basketball: Florida at Syracuse, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Vanderbilt at Louisville, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: Pac-12 championship, UCLA at Oregon, 8 p.m. (Fox)
SATURDAY:
NHL: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
College basketball: North Carolina at Kentucky, noon (CBS)
College basketball: UMass at Miami, noon (ESPNU)
College basketball: Boston University at Boston College 2 p.m. (WEEI)
College basketball: Arkansas at UConn, 3:15 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: UConn at Cincinnati, noon (ESPN)
College football: SEC championship, Georgia vs LSU, 4 p.m. (CBS)
College football: ACC championship, Clemson vs. Virginia Tech, 8 p.m. (WEEI)
College football: Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, 8 pm. (ABC)
College football: BCS Selection Show, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
SUNDAY:
NFL: Colts at Patriots, 1 p.m. (CBS)
NFL: Packers at Giants, 4:15 p.m. (Fox)
NFL: Lions at Saints, 8:20 p.m. (NBC; WEEI)
College basketball: NC State at Stanford, 4 p.m. (CSNNE)
College basketball: Notre Dame vs. Maryland, 4:45 p.m. (Versus)
AROUND THE WEB:
Rolando McClain smiled for the camera after his arrest in Alabama. (AP/Decatur Daily)
♦ Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was arrested Thursday after allegedly firing a gun during a fight Wednesday night in Decatur, Ala., his hometown. McCain, 22, is accused of holding a gun next to a man’s head and, after the man begged McClain not to shoot him, firing it by his ear. He faces charges of assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and firing a gun inside city limits. The alleged victim also said McClain punched him in the face, as did one of McClain’s friends. He told police he went to the hospital with a broken nose, swollen eye and concussion.
This is the second incident for McClain in his hometown this year. In January, McClain called police and said he had been shot at while driving down a city street, causing $5,000 worth of damage to his vehicle. He also faces a lawsuit from a 2008 incident in which he allegedly assaulted a University of Alabama student.
Raiders coach Hue Jackson said McClain was in Alabama for the funeral of his grandfather. Speaking before the arrest, he said McClain would play Sunday against the Dolphins “as far as I know.”
♦ The Vikings released quarterback Donovan McNabb Thursday. At Yahoo! Sports, Jason Cole writes that McNabb may have played his way out of the Hall of Fame. In the Chicago Tribune, David Haugh writes that the Bears should take a long look at the veteran, as he’s an improvement over what they have now.
♦ Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said someone made off with $20,000 in clothing that was left in his mother’s rental car. The clothes were Christmas gifts his mother bought for the former Celtic, including sweaters, shoes and shirts.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 2, 1961, goaltender Gerry Cheevers played his first NHL game, but it wasn’t for the Bruins. With which team did Cheevers start his Hall of Fame career?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If there was one thing I was probably guilty of, it was protecting everyone in that organization. Everybody. I felt that was part of my responsibility, even to the point where in that last press conference, I said I take responsibility for this. I couldn’t get to the players. I thought, ‘OK, I’m done here. I’ll take responsibility and go away.’ Little did I know I was going to be going away limping because someone cut my legs out from under me.” – Terry Francona, during an appearance on The Big Show Thursday
STAT OF THE DAY: 4 – Interceptions thrown by Eagles quarterback Vince Young in Thursday’s 31-14 loss to the Seahawks, including one on his first pass of the night
‘NET RESULTS: Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire gives a Hebrew lesson on “Sesame Street.”
Marek Hamsik of the Italian soccer team Napoli scores on a penalty kick and then runs down the locker room stairs to celebrate. However, he’s called back to re-kick because a teammate entered the box early, and he misses the second try.
Former Harvard star Jeremy Lin of the Warriors continued to build on his cult following during the lockout.
TRIVIA ANSWER: The Maple Leafs
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Britney Spears is 30 Friday.