Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup — especially everyone in Mr. Kearney’s seventh-grade class. 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:
NBA: Bulls at Celtics, 8 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI)
NBA: Heat at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Cleveland State at Butler, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Lightning at Capitals, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)

SATURDAY:
NFL playoffs: Broncos at Patriots, 8 p.m. (CBS)
NFL playoffs: Saints at 49ers, 4:30 p.m. (Fox; WEEI)
NBA: Celtics at Pacers, 7 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Lakers at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Virginia Tech at Boston College, 3 p.m. (WEEI)
College basketball: UConn at Notre Dame, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: North Carolina at Florida State, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL: Bruins at Hurricanes, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Blackhawks at Red Wings, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)

SUNDAY:
NFL playoffs: Texans at Ravens, 1 p.m. (CBS; WEEI)
NFL playoffs: Giants at Packers, 4:30 p.m. (Fox; WEEI)
NBA: Suns at Spurs, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Indiana at Ohio State, 4:30 p.m. (CBS)
College basketball: Duke at Clemson, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Rangers at Canadiens, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Tony Sparano's hiring by the Jets does not sit well with Joe Namath. (AP)

♦ Jets legend Joe Namath is not impressed by his old team’s hiring of former Dolphins coach Tony Sparano as offensive coordinator.

“I’m stumped,” Namath said during a Thursday appearance on New York’s 1050 ESPN Radio. “I am stumped. Ay yay yay.”

Namath questioned Sparano’s qualifications for the position.

“Other than calling some plays with the Dallas Cowboys I don’t know what his credentials are for an offensive coordinator,” Namath said. “This goes back … Sparano’s relationship with [Jets GM Mike] Tannenbaum goes back to the [Bill] Parcells days, too. This is the football fraternity, the coaching fraternity, the general mangers with their friends and all. That’s basically what I think about Tony getting that job. Credentials as an offensive coordinator? I don’t see it.”

♦ Following his appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Thursday morning, Theo Epstein met with about 100 grammar school students at Wrigley Field and talked about ending the team’s Billy Goat curse.

“We can break it,” said Epstein, who also discussed the team’s partnership with Bloomberg Sports that will help the team’s baseball operations department develop a new player-evaluation system. “If we stick together, if we have a plan, if we support each other, if we keep focused on what’s best as a team, and not what’s best for the individual, if we work really hard, if we prepare really hard, someday we can turn this thing around, and yeah, we can win.”

♦ Bruins fans might not realize it watching their feisty team, but fighting is down 25 percent in the NHL this season.

“I think there has been a shift in the way the game is being played,” Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said. “Right now I think the rules are protecting players, where in the past the players policed the game a little bit more.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 13, 1983, the Red Sox shipped which veteran pitcher to the Mets for a minor leaguer to be named later (infielder Mike Davis, who never reached the majors)?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m committed to the guys as long as they’re going to perform, but they’ve got to perform. They’ve got to show they have an opportunity to win. Otherwise, I’ve got to at least make an effort to go another direction.” – Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, during Thursday’s appearance on The Big Show, talking about whether he would consider changes to the roster before the trading deadline

STAT OF THE DAY: 10 – Consecutive games with a point for Bruins forward David Krejci, who had an assist in Thursday’s 2-1 victory over the Canadiens

‘NET RESULTS: In Monday night’s national championship football game, LSU could not get the ball across midfield against the Alabama defense until midway through the fourth quarter. So, on Wednesday night, Alabama fans gave a mock cheer when the LSU basketball team crossed midcourt.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Mike Torrez

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Madness lead singer Suggs, aka Graham McPherson, turns 51 Friday.

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