Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

FOOTBALL: Will the Patriots rest their starters Sunday? Bill Belichick isn’t saying. Meanwhile, the debate continues in Indianapolis after the Colts quit vs. the Jets.

We know who the Patriots will play in 2010. The Patriots are seventh and the Chargers first in Joe Zarbano’s new NFL Power Rankings.

The Vikings lost to the Bears in overtime, giving the Saints home field throughout the NFC playoffs. Eagles center Jamaal Jackson is done for the season. Mike Holmgren won’t rush to judgment about Eric Mangini’s future in Cleveland.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach was suspended prior to the team’s appearance in the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl allegedly due to the coach’s treatment of a player who had a concussion. The player is the son of announcer (and former Patriot) Craig James.

BASKETBALL: The Celtics blew an 18-point lead and lost to the Warriors. Paul Flannery breaks down the loss.

Tracy McGrady wants to be traded from the Rockets. The Suns routed the Lakers. The Thunder beat the Nets, New Jersey’s 10th straight loss. Knicks guard Nate Robinson was fined $25,000 by the league after his agent publicly requested a trade.

University of Indiana top scorer Maurice Creek fractured his knee and will have surgery today. Northwestern is ranked (No. 25) for the first time since 1969.

HOCKEY: The Bruins fell to the Lightning. Graig Woodburn has the examination.

Erik Staal had five points as the Hurricanes upended the Capitals. The Blue Jackets ended a nine-game skid by beating the Red Wings.

BASEBALL: Infielder Mark DeRosa signed with the Giants.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 29, 2002, the Red Sox signed this relief pitcher from the Yankees, but he turned out to be a bust in Boston. Who is he?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Down in Foxboro, it’s not like it’s a democracy down there anyway. We don’t sit around and take votes to see what we’re going to do. It’s a one-man show. [Bill Belichick] makes the decisions.” — Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, on Monday’s Dennis & Callahan show, discussing whether the starters will play Sunday against the Texans

STAT OF THE DAY: 6 — Years since the Celtics won a road game against the Warriors

‘NET RESULTS: What’s going on with NBA players and their videos? They’re everywhere. Steve Nash has made a bunch of them, but, frankly, they haven’t been funny enough to post here. We’ll give him a break with this one.

And here’s a “commercial” featuring songs sung by Sacramento Kings players.

Here’s a high school football running back with an impressive run.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Ramiro Mendoza

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Yvonne Elliman is 58 today.

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

The big story in the NFL yesterday was the Colts giving up their pursuit of an undefeated season by pulling Peyton Manning and friends in the third quarter of a loss to the Jets. Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star doesn’t like the decision. In the New York Post, Mike Vaccaro writes that the Jets shouldn’t feel guilty about winning like this. He quotes linebacker Bart Scott: “I’m not apologizing for jack.” (Note to kids: Jack is not one of the players; go ask your mom.)

FOOTBALL: The Patriots routed the Jaguars to clinch the AFC East title. Chris Price has the Ten Things We Learned. Kirk Minihane says the Patriots are rounding into Super Bowl form. Dan Guttenplan considers which teams the Patriots would prefer to play in the playoffs. DJ Bean has the Fantasy Football wrapup.

The Steelers kept the AFC playoff race interesting by beating the Ravens. The Bengals clinched the AFC North. The Eagles edged the Broncos. The Giants were throttled by the Panthers. The Saints were surprised by the Buccaneers in overtime. The Cowboys clinched a playoff spot by blanking the Redskins. The Texans prepared for the Patriots by beating the Dolphins.

Urban Meyer is now taking a leave of absence instead of resigning as University of Florida coach. Dan Rowinski has Five Things We Learned from Boston College’s loss to USC in Saturday night’s Emerald Bowl.

BASKETBALL: The Celtics lost to the Clippers on a Baron Davis buzzer-beater. Jessica Camerato breaks down the loss, starting with two missed free throws by Rajon Rondo with 1.5 seconds left.

Ron Artest was injured in a fall at home and missed the Lakers’ double-overtime win over the Kings Saturday night.

HOCKEY: The Bruins beat the Panthers on a third-period goal from March Sturm. Graig Woodburn has the Hat Trick of Things We Learned.

The Flyers beat the Islanders for the 13th consecutive time.

BASEBALL: Pitcher Kelvim Escobar agreed to a one-year deal with the Mets. Reliever Eddie Guardado signed a minor league deal with the Nationals.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 28, 1963, the winner of Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year award was announced. Which Red Sox player, who hit 42 home runs and collected 118 RBI, won the award?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Well, the good thing about it is there are going to be some good times and some bad times in football. Just by hearing the fans and the stadium behind me, it felt good, definitely. My last performance here wasn’t really too hot, so the good thing about it is everybody had fun. I think that was just the main thing, everybody having fun.” — Patriots receiver Randy Moss, after Sunday’s rout of the Jaguars

STAT OF THE DAY: 1 — Punts yesterday by Patriot Chris Hanson

‘NET RESULTS: Comedian David Spade helps Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudamire pick out some new goggles.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Dick Stuart

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Alex Chilton, former lead singer of the Box Tops, is 59 today.

The Morning Mashup will return after Christmas. Here’s a video of musical holiday lights to enjoy while we’re away.

And because it’s such an awesome song, here it is performed by Archie Bell (older brother of former NFL star Ricky Bell) and the Drells.

Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

USC plays Boston College in San Francisco Saturday in the Emerald Bowl — that is, if the Trojans have any players left. Three players, including two starters, were ruled academically ineligible Monday. Meanwhile, running back Joe McKnight is under investigation for allegedly driving around in an SUV owned by a local businessman who is his girlfriend’s boss. This businessman, coincidentally, has the rights to the website name 4joemcknight.com and he started a company last year called USC Marketing, but he insists it stands for “United States China Marketing.” Good one. Here’s the LA Times story that broke the news.

FOOTBALL: Bill Belichick may have apologized to his team for his handling of the recent disciplinary issues. Maybe.

The Giants routed the Redskins in the Monday game. Mike Holmgren will join the Browns as team president. Brett Favre explained his disagreement with coach Brad Childress in Sunday’s loss. The Colts debated whether to go for an undefeated season or rest players. North Carolina police continued to investigate Chris Henry’s death. Key players were lost to injuries for the Titans, Steelers and Bears.

BASKETBALL: Paul Pierce said he almost got a “divorce” from the Celtics during the down years prior to the arrival of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

The Kings rallied from a 35-point deficit to beat the Bulls on the road. Jameer Nelson returned in the Magic’s win over the Jazz. The Cavaliers beat the Suns for Phoenix’ first home loss.

The University of Kentucky won its 2,000th all-time game.

HOCKEY: The Bruins ended their four-game winless streak with a shutout win over the Senators. Graig Woodburn has the Hat Trick of Things We Learned.

The Devils beat the Penguins 4-0, giving Martin Brodeur an NHL record 104 career shutouts.

BASEBALL: Mike Lowell clarified the situation regarding his thumb injury. The Yankees have to pay $25.7 million in luxury tax for last season. Pitcher Jason Marquis and the Nationals reportedly agreed on a two-year deal. Major League Baseball and its umpires reportedly are close to a new deal.

MISC.: Race car driving Jimmie Johnson was named AP Male Athlete of the Year.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Redskins safety LaRon Landry is headed for a crash landing as Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw heads upfield during last night’s game in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 22, 1954, who retired as a player and was named coach of the Bruins?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I don’t have a problem. Absolutely,” — Mike Lowell, when asked about playing for the Red Sox next season, although when asked to speculate he said: “I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea. That’s not my department.”

STAT OF THE DAY: $174 million — Luxury taxes the New York Yankees have paid since 2003, including $25.7 million this year

‘NET RESULTS: Maybe this is what Tiger Woods is doing while holed up in his house.

Here’s that Eddie House-Tony Allen Play of the Year from Sunday’s Celtics game, in case you’ve only seen it 25 times. We just wanted to have it here for posterity’s sake.

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith gave an interesting postgame interview Sunday.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Milt Schmidt

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Robin Gibb is 60 today. Here’s “Massachusetts,” one of the Bee Gees’ pre-disco hits.

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

FOOTBALL: The Patriots beat the Bills. Chris Price has the Ten Things We Learned in Buffalo. Randy Moss spoke — briefly. Dan Guttenplan says Moss deserves as much praise this week as he deserved criticism last week. Kirk Minihane calls it a Sunday of redemption for the Patriots. DJ Bean has the Week 15 fantasy football realizations.

The Dolphins lost to the Titans in overtime. The Jets lost to the Falcons on a late touchdown. The Chargers edged the grieving Bengals. The Steelers beat the Packers on the game’s final play. The struggling Broncos lost to the Raiders. The Browns had a couple of standout individual performances in an exciting win over the Chiefs. The Cardinals beat the Lions and clinched the NFC West. The Vikings lost to the Panthers but clinched the NFC North. The Ravens routed the Bears.

USC running back Joe McKnight is being investigated after a report that he was driving a car owned by a local businessman.

BASKETBALL: The Celtics rebounded from Friday’s loss to the 76ers by beating the Timberwolves Sunday. Jessica Camerato has the Three-Pointer of Things We Learned. Camerato also writes about how Paul Pierce learned how to get things done from his mother. Lester Hudson learned from his brief stint in the NBA D-League.

Dan Rowinski has the Three-Pointer of Things We Learned from Boston College’s rout of Bryant. Jim Calhoun is close to signing a multiyear deal with UConn. UMass had an exciting win over Memphis at the TD Garden Saturday night.

HOCKEY: Graig Woodburn has the Hat Trick of Things We Learned from the Bruins’ loss to the Maple Leafs Saturday night.

BASEBALL: Mike Lowell is back in Boston — for now — and preparing for thumb surgery. Lou Merloni doesn’t understand the urgency to send Lowell out of town. Merloni also explains why trading Jacoby Ellsbury to the Padres doesn’t make sense. Dustin Pedroia spoke with WEEI Saturday and shared his thoughts on the John Lackey acquisition.

Coco Crisp is close to a deal with the Athletics.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 21, 2000, with a 4-0 blanking of the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, who became the third goalie to record 20 career shutouts as a member of the Bruins?

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Browns receiver Josh Cribbs soared over the Chiefs Sunday with two kick returns for touchdowns of 100-plus yards.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’ve been in this league 12 years, and I’ve been through a lot. And these shoulders that I have on my body, you can put the earth on it. So just to let you know, I bounced back.” — Patriots receiver Randy Moss, after yesterday’s win in Buffalo

STAT OF THE DAY: 9 — Consecutive seasons with 10 or more touchdown receptions for Randy Moss, joining Jerry Rice as the only receivers in NFL history to accomplish that feat

‘NET RESULTS: I’m pretty sure no one ever did this on “Candlepins for Cash.”

Here’s Quincy’s Chris Miller hitting a halfcourt shot worth $50,000 at Friday’s Celtics game.

Here’s the wild finish to Saturday’s Butler-Xavier game in which the clock briefly stopped with 14.7 seconds left, before Butler hit the game-winning shot, then the referees waived off the final 1.2 seconds, leaving Xavier mildly upset. The ironic part is Bobby Knight, providing color commentary, calmly saying, “I can’t agree with that.” If he were coaching Xavier, the tirade he would have thrown would have been legendary. No chair in the building would have been safe.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Byron Dafoe

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Betty Wright is 56 today.

Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

Basketball coaching legend Bobby Knight had some choice words for Kentucky coach John Calipari, whose programs at UMass and Memphis were sanctioned after he left.

At a function in Indiana Thursday night, Knight said: “We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking, and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching. You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”

FOOTBALL: Chris Price writes about What to Watch For Sunday in Buffalo. Mike Petraglia has a piece on Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a Harvard alumnus. Price looks at Buffalo’s special teams. Patriots players commented on the death of Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry. The Colts beat the Jaguars to go to 14-0. The Redskins have a new general manager. The man convicted of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of former Jaguars offensive lineman Richard Collier received a life sentence.

BASEBALL: Alex Speier explains why John Lackey was a perfect fit for Boston. Speier also examines the Red Sox offense. Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez’ surgically repaired hip is holding up fine, and he won’t need more treatment as had been expected. New Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee wanted to stay with the Phillies. Infielder Jamey Carroll signed a two-year deal with the Dodgers. The Mets agreed with Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi on a $3 million, two-year contract.

BASKETBALL: 76ers guard Allen Iverson will miss tonight’s game vs. the Celtics with knee tendinitis. The Heat routed the Magic. The Bulls rallied from 17 down to beat the Knicks handily.

University of Minnesota freshman Royce White left the Gophers on the heels of his legal problems and released a lengthy video on YouTube announcing his decision.

HOCKEY: The Rangers ended a five-game skid with a revamped lineup. The Penguins beat the Flyers in a shootout. The Red Wings blanked the Lightning but lost Henrik Zetterberg with a shoulder injury.

MISC.: Dan Guttenplan has holiday gift ideas for sports ideas. Tigers Woods was named Golfer of the Year by golf writers.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 18, 1907, owner John I. Taylor announced that Boston’s American League baseball team would change to red stockings and go by the name Red Sox. What was the team called before that? Bonus question: What color were the team’s stockings before the change?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m not suggesting that his popularity level is going to soar again. I don’t know where that’s going to be. But I think people generally are going to want him to succeed. They’re going to want him to deal with his issues. They’re going to want him to come back having dealt with those issues. And I think he’ll find, eventually, a significant amount of support.” — PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, on Tiger Woods

STAT OF THE DAY: 10 — Lead changes in Thursday night’s Colts-Jaguars game

‘NET RESULTS: Here’s Dude Perfect’s Christmas highlights edition of its amazing basketball shots.

Rangers coach John Tortorella is mad.

TRIVIA ANSWER: There was no official nickname in the club’s first seven seasons, although there were references to the team as Americans (for American League), Somersets (for original owner Charles Somers), Plymouth Rocks, Beaneaters and Pilgrims, among others. The players’ stockings were dark blue from 1901-07.

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Keith Richards is 66 today. In this clip from “Gimme Shelter,” here he is with the other members of the Rolling Stones listening to “Wild Horses” shortly after they recorded the song.

Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

The Randy Moss defenders in the media have made their way to the forefront. ESPN’s Merril Hoge leads the way, checking the video to determine that not only did Moss not quit, “He never took one single play off during that game. In fact, it was probably one of his best games without the ball in his hands that I’ve seen him play over his career.”

The Boston Herald breaks it down for you. And here’s Hoge’s report. UPDATE: Daryl “Moose” Johnston, who was the Fox analyst Sunday, weighed in with his opinion in an interview with Dennis & Callahan this morning.

Dan Guttenplan defends his criticism of Moss before getting into his weekly NFL picks.

MORE FOOTBALL: Chris Price writes about the Patriots defense simplifying things. Bengals receiver Chris Henry was seriously injured falling out of a pickup truck in a domestic dispute. UPDATE: Henry died from his injuries. He was 26 years old.

The University of Cincinnati hired Butch Jones from Central Michigan to be its coach. San Jose State went with Duke defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre. A suspect in the stabbing death of UConn cornerback Jasper Howard pleaded not guilty.

BASEBALL: John Lackey and Mike Cameron were introduced to Boston, and rumors continued to circulate about Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Get the wrap-up at the Full Count blog. Check in at noon for a Hot Stove Chat with WEEI’s baseball experts. Elsewhere, the Roy Halladay deal finally was completed. Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez is leaving the Braves for the Orioles. Catcher John Buck signed with the Blue Jays.

BASKETBALL: Michael Holley has his NBA Power Rankings, with the Celtics moving into the top spot. Kobe Bryant hit another buzzer-beating game-winner, this time in overtime to defeat the Bucks (video below). Chauncey Billups injured his groin in the Nuggets’ win over the Rockets.

HOCKEY: Martin Brodeur tied the record for most games played in goal as the Devils beat the Canadiens. Senators center Jason Spezza and Ducks forward Joffrey Lupul are out 6-8 weeks with injuries.

MISC.: Tiger Woods was named The Associated Press Athlete of the Decade.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 17, 1957, the Red Sox released this infielder and signed him to be a player-manager for their Triple-A affiliate in Minneapolis. He managed Minneapolis to a Junior World Series championship before embarking on a long major league managerial career, noted for the fact that he became the winningest manager never to win a league pennant. Who is he?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Looking across the field from the other dugout, I have a lot of respect for the way these guys play the game. They really play it hard, they play it the right way. I think I’ll fit in well.” — New Red Sox pitcher John Lackey, on Wednesday’s Dale & Holley show

STAT OF THE DAY: 5 — Tom Brady’s finish in voting for AP Athlete of the Decade

‘NET RESULTS: Kobe. Again.

Here’s an impressive hockey shootout goal.

For the second time this season, a bat interrupted a professional sporting event. And for the second time, the bat paid the price.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Gene Mauch

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Jim Bonfanti, drummer for the Raspberries, is 61 today. Here’s his band performing on the Mike Douglas show, and guests Joe Namath and Billie Jean King meet the musicians after the song.

Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

FOOTBALL: Chris Price has a Patriots mailbag.

Vikings backup linebacker Erin Henderson was suspended for four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. The Rams released offensive lineman Richie Incognito two days after coach Steve Spagnuolo benched him for the second half of a loss at Tennessee. Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux was smoking marijuana as he drove his car Thursday night, according to a police report. Mike Holmgren visited with the Browns for a second straight day.

BASEBALL: Alex Speier has a piece on the Red Sox’ expanding payroll. Mike Cameron and John Lackey will be introduced to the media today.

The Roy Halladay trade is nearing completion, with a fourth team added to the mix. The White Sox acquired left fielder Juan Pierre from the Dodgers. Nolan Ryan is part of the group that is bidding to buy the Rangers. Toronto’s Adam Lind was named top DH. The former agent for Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman is suing his new representatives, the Hendricks brothers, in Massachusetts state court. The McCourt saga gets stranger in Los Angeles.

BASKETBALL: Rasheed Wallace is enjoying life as a Celtic. Kobe Bryant scored 42 points despite a broken finger as the Lakers beat the Bulls. Tracy McGrady made his season debut with the Rockets in a win over the Pistons. The Suns beat the Spurs to stay perfect at home.

HOCKEY: Graig Woodburn has the Bruins at No. 9 in the NHL Power Rankings. The Penguins routed the Flyers. The Kings moved into first in the West with a win over the Oilers. The Capitals crushed the Avalanche but are upset about a hit by a hit from Colorado’s David Koci that knocked defenseman Mike Green out of the game.

MISC.: Dan Guttenplan ranks ESPN’s personalities. A doctor who treated Tiger Woods is being investigated for performance-enhancing drugs. The Big Ten is exploring options to expand from 11 teams to 12.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 16, 1964, the Red Sox announced they would be moving their spring training home from Scottsdale, Ariz., to which Florida city?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s tragic that it happens to come unfortunately at a time when one of his patients is suffering through a media frenzy, which as a result has put him in the eye of the storm as well.” — Brian Greenspan, attorney for Dr. Anthony Galea, who denies giving performance-enhancing drugs to Tiger Woods or any of the other athletes he has treated

STAT OF THE DAY: 6 — Record number of players Alabama placed on The Associated Press All-America team, which was announced yesterday

‘NET RESULTS: There are bad referees and there are good referees. In the latter category, it would be hard to top Swedish hockey referee Wolmer Edqvist, who performed CPR on a fallen player during a game this past weekend. According to reports, Niklas Lihagen of Orebro HK of the Swedish Allsvenskan collapsed on the ice after getting hit in the first period of a game against Bofors and went into cardiac arrest. Edqvist, who works as an ambulance driver, successfully restarted the player’s heart.

EMBED-Swedish referee performs on-ice CPR, saves players life – Watch more free videos

Here’s the latest from Improv Everywhere: Guerrilla handbell strikeforce. A 13-member handbell choir surprises a New York City Salvation Army bell-ringer with an apparently impromptu concert.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Winter Haven

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Tony Hicks is 64 today. Hicks is a member of the Hollies, who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

Taking a quick break from the hot stove talk, here’s a followup on yesterday’s bizarre story of the day. University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams is taking some heat for his role in the ejection of an opposing fan from Saturday’s game (check Monday’s Mashup if you didn’t see the video). The fan’s offense was yelling “Miss it” at a UNC player shooting a free throw. The school tried to paint the fan as a drunk even though the video did not back up that assertion, and now the fan is defending himself.

BASEBALL: John Lackey and Mike Cameron are coming to Boston. Lou Merloni and Curt Schilling weigh in on the situation, as does Dan Guttenplan.

Roy Halladay appears headed to Philadelphia as part of a three-team trade that will send Cliff Lee to Seattle. The Angels signed Hideki Matsui. The Sox and Yankees will open the season on Sunday night, April 4.

FOOTBALL: The Patriots defended Randy Moss from a firestorm of criticism. Steve DeOssie has his Patriots report card. In the Monday night game, the Cardinals fell to the 49ers.

Jake Locker will return to Washington for his senior season. South Florida coach Jim Leavitt is taking some heat for getting physical with one of his own players.

BASKETBALL: The Celtics won their 11th straight, beating Memphis. Jessica Camerato has the Three-Pointer of Things We Learned.

The 76ers ended a 12-game slide by beating the Warriors. The Jazz lost to the lowly Timberwolves for the second time this season. Rockets forward Trevor Ariza was suspended one game for throwing an elbow. Houston coach Rick Adelman ripped the league for giving his team a “ridiculous schedule.”

Penn fired coach Glen Miller after an 0-7 start. The Big 12 has five teams in the Top 25.

HOCKEY: The Bruins lost to the Flyers. Graig Woodburn has the Hat Trick of Things We Learned.

MISC.: A doctor who treated Tiger Woods is suspected of having PEDs.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 15, 2003, whose jersey number was retired by the Celtics?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Stats are for losers. Final scores are for winners.” — Patriots coach Bill Belichick, defending Randy Moss’ lack of production in Sunday’s win over the Panthers

STAT OF THE DAY: 3 — Games Mike Cameron has played left field in his 15-year career. Cameron was signed by the Red Sox yesterday, apparently to play left field in place of Jason Bay.

‘NET RESULTS: LeBron James helps himself to a fan’s french fries after getting fouled on a fast break in Sunday’s night’s game.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Cedric Maxwell (31)

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Dave Clark is 67 today. Here’s a double play of the Dave Clark Five (Clark is the drummer).

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup, where we’ll get you caught up on what’s going on in the sports world and beyond.

Interesting story on AOL Fanhouse about former Providence College basketball standout Marvin “Bad News” Barnes, whose pro career was stunted by his substance-abuse problems. Barnes not only opened up about his own drug use, but he talked about how he sold drugs — and was heavily involved in the whole process — as well. And he repeated his previous claim that he once snorted cocaine on the Celtics bench.

FOOTBALL: That was about the worst win we’ve seen from the Patriots in a long time. Chris Price has the Ten Things We Learned. Randy Moss is taking some heat for his effort — or lack thereof.

DJ Bean has the fantasy football weekly wrap-up.

The Dolphins remained one game behind the Patriots, as did the Jets. The Colts stayed undefeated and broke the Patriots’ record for longest regular-season winning streak, although Denver’s Brandon Marshall set an NFL record with 21 receptions in the game.. The Saints escaped yet again. The Chargers beat the Cowboys. The Vikings stifled the Bengals. DeSean Jackson lifted the Eagles over the Giants.

Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy Saturday. Jim Harbaugh signed a contract extension with Stanford.

BASKETBALL: The Celtics have their road game in high gear. Former Celtic Gerald Green is headed to Russia to revive his career.

LeBron James scored 44 points in the Cavaliers’ win over the Thunder. The Jazz ended the Lakers’ 11-game winning streak Saturday night. The Knicks signed Jonathan Bender, who has been out of the league for three years.

Boston College lost to Rhode Island at Conte Forum. Temple knocked off third-ranked Villanova. Xavier beat No. 19 Cincinnati in two overtimes.

HOCKEY: The Bruins and Flyers got a look at Fenway Park, where they will play Jan. 1. The surprising Avalanche beat the Flames to take over first place in the Northwest Division. The Blackhawks shut out the Lightning.

BASEBALL: Jason Bay’s agent talked tough over the weekend after rejecting the Red Sox’ latest offer. The Mike Lowell deal still has not gone through.

The Yankees let pitcher Chien-Ming Wang become a free agent. Other players who became free agents when their 2009 teams did not offer them a contract by Saturday night include Pirates closer Matt Capps, A’s outfielder/DH Jack Cust, Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins, and Nationals reliever Mike MacDougal. Reliever Grant Balfour is staying with the Rays, as is catcher Dioner Navarro. Jose Bautista and Dustin McGowan re-signed with the Jays. Pitcher Kevin Correia re-signed with the Padres.

MISC.: One of Tiger Woods’ sponsors announced it is severing ties with the golfer. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is preparing for life without its best player, after Woods announced he’s taking some time off.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 14, 1977, the Red Sox traded this future Hall of Famer to the Texas Rangers, three months after he reportedly had to be awakened in the bullpen prior to a relief appearance, his last with the Sox.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “He was frustrated in himself and the situation, and it’s something you’ve got to fight through. He keeps fighting through it. You have those days where it’s not all great, but you keep lining up and you’ve got to keep fighting.” — Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, on teammate Randy Moss

STAT OF THE DAY: 4 — NFL players who have caught 100 or more passes in three consecutive seasons, after Wes Welker joined the elite club yesterday

‘NET RESULTS: Mo Williams hit a halfcourt shot late in last night’s game as the Cavaliers stopped the Thunder.

Here’s 76ers guard Allen Iverson literally falling down on the job trying to defend Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey, right after the announcer says what a great job A.I. is doing on defense.

During a game against visiting Presbyterian Saturday, North Carolina coach Roy Williams had a fan removed from the arena apparently for yelling “Miss it” while a Tar Heel was shooting a free throw. Yikes. (Here’s the link in case the video is not showing up.) Here’s a writer from a North Carolina paper criticizing Williams for being “hypersensitive.”

TRIVIA ANSWER: Ferguson Jenkins

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Joyce Vincent Wilson, the less-famous member of Tony Orlando’s backing group Dawn, is 63 today.