"Where's he gonna go, Cincinnati?"

Another Thursday night NFL game goes tonight with the Chicago Bears visiting the Miami Dolphins.  Hope you've been following the Prime Time Picks this year, hitting at a healthy 75%.  I'm playing the Fish at -1.5. 

Word out of the MLB meetings in Orlando is that St. Louis Cardinal and Hall of Fame lock Albert Pujols wants an A-Rod type contract in the 10-year, $300 million range.  Can't imagine it happening.  Think we're a long ways off from ever seeing that kind of deal again, particularly from a market like St. Louis.  That, and Pujols has had a lot more injuries up to age 32 - the same time A-Rod signed his extension - for a deal of that length to make sense.

The date may have changed, but the song remains the same: Portland Trail Blazer Greg Oden has an injury that has knocked him out for the year. He'll need microfracture surgery on his knee. 

The Detroit Tigers could be big players this off-season, with $52 million coming off their books from the 2010 payroll.

ProFootballTalk looks at the dilemma the Philadelphia Eagles have on their hands with Michael Vick, who is 4-0 in games he starts this year and lighting up the stat sheet.  The answer may lie in franchising him, but players are never happy with those deals, especially, I'd guess, a guy who already lost millions thanks to a jail stint and no doubt would want more years and guaranteed dollars.

Tiger Woods is now on Twitter.  What a perfect environment for a guy to speak like a robot in 140 characters.  What's next, Derek Jeter?  And what is it with these say-nothing Nike guys?

For some reason, the Arizona Diamondbacks are contemplating dealing super talent Justin Upton, and the New York Yankees are among the interested. DBacks GM Kevin Towers will know the Yankees young talent well, given he worked for GM Brian Cashman this past year.  Interesting.

The Calgary Flames traded Brett Sutter - who recently, and drunkenly, beat up a cab driver - and Ian White - who drove drunk while with Toronto - to Carolina for Babchuk and Kostoplous.  That kind of behavior will play far better among the 'necks.

Derek Jeter is said to be after a four-year deal from the New York Yankees. A little more realistic than the initial talk of wanting a sex-year pact, but still a year or two long by my estimation.  There is also word from the Yankees side of things that at least one executive is saying the team should play hardball with Jeter, because "where's he gonna go, Cincinnati?"  This is gonna get more and more interesting unless Jeter sees himself for what he is: a player on the decline.

In a bit of a surprise, it seems that MLB will indeed expand its playoffs for 2012.  Finally, they get it right.  And to those dreaming of a salary cap, I'll repeat: it will never, ever happen.

There's no shortage of Chris Bosh beatdowns lately, but this is hands down the best.  Including a definition: "Like A Bosh" [idiom, ~2010]: When someone or something desires the limelight only to wilt under the newfound pressure.

First up for the FIFA goal of the year nominees,  South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opening goal of the World Cup v Mexico.  As mentioned yesterday, I'll be including one of these daily.