Here's your wakeup call -- a combination of newsworthy andor interesting tidbits -- for Wednesday, December 5.
BASEBALL
-- It didn't take long for the Cliff Lee-for-Justin Upton trade rumor to get blown up. By both sides. (CSN Philly)
-- That's quite the rotation in D.C. now that Dan Haren is aboard. (CSN Washington)
-- The marriage of A.J. Pierzynski and the White Sox might be saved, after all. (CSN Chicago)
-- And why not? Marco Scutaro and the Giants saved theirs. (CSN Bay Area)
-- The Orioles are looking to find someone to play first base, and Michael Morse might fit the bill. (CSN Washington)
-- Or maybe it'll be Mark Reynolds, just like last year. (CSN Baltimore)
-- There'll be no Yunel EscobarJohn Farrell reunion -- which was the rumor for a while Tuesday -- as the ex-Blue Jays shortstop is headed to Tampa Bay. (NBC's Hardball Talk)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
-- John Thompson III may not be very happy with Georgetown's offense, but when you allow only 41 points, well, you don't need much offense. (AP)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
-- Bret Bielema is taking his talents to Arkansas. (AP)
-- And they're none-too-happy about it in Wisconsin . . . to the point that they may not let Bielema coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl. (NBC's College Football Talk)
-- Elsewhere on the coaching carousel, it's Gus Malzahn taking over at Auburn. (AP)
-- And Darrell Hazell heading to Purdue, reportedly. (AP)
-- Meanwhile at Cincinnati, Butch Jones is said to be "weighing his options", though one of those options -- Purdue -- apparently has disappeared. (AP)
HOCKEY
-- "Cautious optimism" is the catchword of the day in the NHL labor talks. (CSN Philly)
-- In fact, NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr thinks Tuesday's marathon negotiating session might have been "the best day we've had," though he was quick to add that that's not saying much. (NBC's Pro Hockey Talk)
PRO BASKETBALL
-- The Wizards went all Rodney Harrison -- "NOBODY thought we could do it!" -- before the game, and whaddya know? It worked! (CSN Washington)
-- It happens, shrug the Heat. (AP)
-- The Rockets' Hack-a-Dwight strategy worked to perfection as they rallied from 13 points down with 10 minutes left to beat the Lakers. (CSN Houston)
-- And afterwards, both Howard and Mike D'Antoni were a little defensive. (AP)
-- That's six straight, and counting, for the Thunder. (AP)
-- The New Orleans Pelicans makes a lot more sense when you realize that was the name of the city's minor-league baseball team . . . though you have to be at least 60 to have ever seen the baseball Pelicans play. (NBC's Pro Basketball Team)
PRO FOOTBALL
-- See, this is why celebrities sit in luxury boxes. (NBC's Off The Bench)
-- Jon Gruden-back-to-the-Raiders would be a nice story if it made any sense . . . which it doesn't. (CSN Bay Area)
-- Thanks for everything, Charlie, but Ben Roethlisberger might be back this Sunday. (NBC's Pro Football Talk)
-- Just as Ben returns, Ike Taylor goes down. (AP)
-- Chuck Pagano's chemotherapy is over and he may return to the Colts in Week 17. (Pro Football Talk)
-- The Redskins' other Griffin -- cornerback Cedric -- is hit with a four-game PED suspension. (AP)
-- That Braylon Edwards thing didn't work out too well, did it, Seahawks? (AP)
-- Losing Brian Urlacher is not what the Bears need as they head down the stretch, but . . . (AP)
-- More details are emerging about the Jovan Belcher murdersuicide. Among them: While at the University of Maine, Belcher had several incidents involving domestic violence; he and Kassandra Perkins, whom he shot and killed, had a "strained" relationship and were separated for a time before reconciling around Thanksgiving; and Belcher made have been involved with another woman, whom he told police he was attempting to contact early Saturday morning. (AP)