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.

THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Bruins at Devils, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Penguins at Rangers, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
NBA: Lakers at Heat, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA: Mavericks at Jazz, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
College basketball: Boston College at NC State, 8 p.m. (WSBK; WEEI)
College basketball: Wake Forest at Duke, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: North Carolina at Virginia Tech, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: San Francisco at Gonzaga, 10 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

LaDainian Tomlinson

♦ Running back LaDainian Tomlinson went on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” and talked about how the Jets struggled with internal strife during their 8-8 season. In the interview that aired Wednesday night, LT said the relationship between quarterback Mark Sanchez and receiver Santonio Holmes was especially poor, and it helped create a fractured locker room.

“It is as bad as I’ve ever been around, honestly,” Tomlinson said. “And I’ve been around some locker rooms and quarterback-receiver situations and what-not. But it was as bad as I’ve been around.”

Tomlinson assessed the blame for the poor chemistry on the guys who built the team: the general manager and coach.

“This is the type of football team that they wanted,” said Tomlinson, the NFL’s fifth-leading rusher. “Mike Tannenbaum, Rex Ryan are both brash, in-your-face type of style — say whatever you want, just get it done on the field. And then it leads to other things, as guys are calling each other out and saying, ‘I’m not getting the ball,’ or whatever it may be.”

Tomlinson said he loved playing for Ryan, but he would prefer the coach dial down the tough talk, noting that it provided inspiration for opponents.

“I don’t mind every now and again saying we are going to win a championship,” Tomlinson said. “Maybe at the beginning of the year just saying, ‘Hey, our goal is to win a championship.’ But at the same time every week if you are calling out a team on certain things, I think it puts a little extra on your team. Guys really want to go out there and say, ‘Let’s shut this guy up. Let’s shut these Jets up, just end their season.’ ”

♦ Actor Rob Lowe made some news Wednesday when he tweeted that Peyton Manning would announce his retirement. Lowe, who stars in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” a show set in Indiana, is friends with Colts owner Jim Irsay. But apparently he didn’t clear his “scoop” with Irsay, because it was quickly shot down. Manning’s father laughed at the report and denied it, while Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, told the NFL Network, “It was news to [Manning].”

♦ Former NFL receiver Terrell Owens announced via a video that he’s joining the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. “Uh oh! It’s official! It just went down! I’m headed back to Texas!,” Owens said. “That’s right. IFL, here I come. Allen, Texas, here I come.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 19, 1898, which two New England schools played the first recorded college hockey game in the United States?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “This is our second-longest winning streak this year. It’s a positive vibe right now in our locker room.” – Rajon Rondo, after the Celtics ended a five-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 96-73 victory over the Raptors

STAT OF THE DAY: $111 million – Amount the Rangers invested in Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, after agreeing to a six-year, $60 million contract a month after agreeing to pay a $51 million posting fee

‘NET RESULTS: A Bruins fan in Tampa does not take kindly to the Lightning mascot hitting him in the face with silly string and pushes “Thunderbug,” which appears to lead to the fan’s ejection.

Real Madrid soccer player Pepe created a controversy when he stomped on the hand of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, an act the referee missed. Tweeted Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, who was watching the game on television: Pepe. What an idiot.

The Knicks Kid Reporters, Jaylah and Ryan, ask the Knicks players tough questions, such as how to spell supercalifragilistic and if they can sing a Justin Bieber song.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Brown and Harvard, with Brown winning 6-0

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Janis Joplin, who died in 1970, was born on this day in 1943.

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