Welcome to Wednesday’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.

WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Nets at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Wizards at Magic, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
NHL: Bruins at Devils (NBCSN)
College football: Orange Bowl, West Virginia vs. Clemson, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Duke at Temple, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Marquette at Georgetown, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

Bart Scott

♦ On Tuesday we told you about the Jets’ messy breakup day Monday, which included linebacker Bart Scott flipping off a photographer (who snapped a photo of the obscene gesture). The NFL was not pleased, and a league spokesman said there will be an investigation. The team also expressed disappointment.

“What he did was unacceptable,” Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum told ESPN Radio. “We’re going to address it. We’ll certainly talk to him.”

Coach Rex Ryan — who himself was fined $50,000 by the Jets for giving the middle finger to fans in 2010 — added that Scott’s behavior was “not acceptable in dealing with the media.”

Scott’s actions could make it easier for the Jets to part ways with the veteran. There have been reports that they would like to drop him, although Scott has three years remaining on his contract and is due a guaranteed $4.2 million next season.

♦ Matt Ryan‘s former Boston College teammates on the Giants had high praise for the Falcons quarterback, but they warned that they don’t plan to let up on him in Sunday’s NFC playoff game.

Asked how they could slow him down, linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said: “Hit him. You can be the best quarterback in the world, but if your head’s ringing, it’s hard to throw the ball.”

♦ Kobe Bryant injured his right wrist in the preseason, but he’s been giving it plenty of work since the regular season began. The Lakers star has put up 75 shots over the past three games, including 29 in Tuesday’s 108-99 victory over the Rockets in which he scored 37 points. Bryant hit almost half his shots Tuesday, but he shot just 26 percent in the two previous games, both vs. the Nuggets (the Lakers split the pair).

New coach Mike Brown acknowledged talking to Bryant, but he sounds hesitant to be too firm for fear of alienating the mercurial star.

“This is a players’ league,” Brown said. “Your best player has to allow you to coach him.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 4, 1985, the Celtics honored Red Auerbach by retiring which number for him?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We have to do a better job of making plays early. We have to keep preaching it. Sooner or later, we have to start figuring it out and having it click early on. We can’t wait until the second quarter or third or fourth series. We have to keep practicing, and hopefully we can get it.” – Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, during Tuesday’s appearance on The Big Show

STAT OF THE DAY: 34 – Years since the Fordham basketball team beat a ranked opponent, before Tuesday night’s 60-54 victory over No. 22 Harvard

NET RESULTS: Michigan got some cooperation from Virginia Tech to complete a pass on a fake field goal in Tuesday night’s Sugar Bowl, which the Wolverines won in overtime.

TRIVIA ANSWER: 2

SOOTHING SOUNDS: R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe turns 52 Wednesday.

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