Welcome to Thursday’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.
WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY THURSDAY:
NHL: Sabres at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
AROUND THE WEB:
♦ Steelers linebacker James Farrior, a former Jet, said Wednesday that he was looking forward to hearing his old team talk trash in the lead-up to Sunday’s AFC championship game. “They have been doing it all year, and the last couple weeks of the playoffs they have been doing it, so I was kind of expecting something from those guys,” Farrior said. “But they haven’t really given us anything. I’m a little disappointed.”
Added Farrior: “It is funny to me. It is always funny to hear those guys talk. They do a lot of trash talking. If you really look at it, those guys really do a good job of backing it up. They talk a lot. I think it is a lot of smoke and mirrors. If you fall into it and you believe the stuff that they are saying, you’ll get beat.”
♦ The Wall Street Journal reports that NFL players often are notified a day in advance of drug tests, which would appear to violate league policy and give players time to cheat the test. Anti-doping officials aren’t pleased with this news, but the league insists that it only occurs on game days to make sure the players show up for the test the following day.
Meanwhile, new Raiders coach Hue Jackson was ordered by the NFL to sever ties with a company that sells supplements, as one of the products contains a substance (IGF-1) banned by the league.
♦ With more information coming out this week regarding the Lance Armstrong allegations, Christine Brennan at USA Today looks at the effect it has on the cancer community and those who have been inspired by the cyclist.
♦ Former ESPN announcer Ron Franklin, fired last month after making a sexist comment, is suing ESPN for wrongful termination.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 20, 1892, the first official basketball game took place at the Springfield YMCA with a soccer ball and peach baskets for goals. How many players were on the floor for each team?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s like being at a party, and the record skips, and you’ve got to get back on beat. So, you know, the record skipped a bit. But I’m at the party; I’ve just got to find that groove again.
For y’all who can’t dance, don’t take it personally.” — Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, after Wednesday night’s 86-82 victory over the Pistons, on returning from his calf injury
STAT OF THE DAY: 2 — Since 2007, times that Celtics guard Ray Allen has missed both free throws on one trip to the line, with the first coming last month vs. the Spurs and the second Wednesday night
‘NET RESULTS: BYU basketball star Jimmer Fredette showed off his ridiculous range Tuesday night.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Nine
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Slim Whitman turns 87 Thursday.