Here's your wakeup call -- a combination of newsworthy andor interesting tidbits -- for Thursday, October 18.
AUTO RACING
Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be racing again Oct. 28 at Martinsville. (AP)
BASEBALL
When it rains, it pours for the Yankees. (NBC's Hardball Talk)
It's surgery, and a four- to five-month recovery period, for Derek Jeter. (AP)
Hunter Pence blames himself for the Giants' Game 3 loss to the Cardinals. (CSN Bay Area)
The Cards, however, may have suffered a bigger loss when Carlos Beltran went down. (AP)
Jack Morris hopes the Nationals are watching how other teams -- teams still alive in the postseason (ahem) -- use their ace pitchers. And then plan Stephen Strasburg's future accordingly. (CSN Washington)
You mean Livan Hernandez is still playing? Apparently so. Not only that, he's available. (AP)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Yeah, it's not even Halloween yet, but it's time to pick a winner! In the Big East, that'll be Louisville. (AP)
In the ACC, North Carolina State. (AP)
Boston Red Sox
And in the Big 12, it's (yawn) Kansas. (AP)
Others may abandon the Big East, but not Madison Square Garden. (AP)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Looks like No. 9 South Carolina will have to go to No. 3 Florida this weekend without Marcus Lattimore. (NBC's College Football Talk)
And maybe Kelcy Quarles, too. (AP)
But Notre Dame might have Everett Golson when it hosts BYU. (AP)
Hey, it was just a little bar fight. No need for Texas Tech to sit its starting center. (AP)
Shades of Bobby Knight! (AP)
Devon Walker, the Tulane safety who suffered a spinal fracture on Sept. 8, issues a statement thanking everyone for this support he's received. (AP)
GOLF
The turtles on the PGA Tour are forcing the fast players to deliberately slow their pace. . . to the game's detriment. (AP)
Forgotten about that Ryder Cup loss, have you? Not Davis Love III. (golfchannel.com)
Jim Furyk improved his game in 2012 in every aspect but one: He didn't win anything. (AP)
HOCKEY
Now that they've had a day to digest it, the players' enthusiasm for the owners' latest offer has dimmed a little. (CSN Chicago)
Or a lot. (NBC's Pro Hockey Talk)
Claude Giroux' complaints that Sidney Crosby was intentionally hacking his wrists during faceoffs last spring reminded Crosby of that old saying: "Hello, kettle? This is pot. You're black." (CSN Philly)
PRO BASKETBALL
A broken hand will keep Kevin Love out of the Timberwolves' lineup for six to eight weeks. (AP)
Dirk Nowitzki's ailing knee doesn't hurt Mark Cuban at all. (AP)
Turns out Steve Nash was ready to go play at home -- in Toronto -- before the Lakers came calling. (NBC's Pro Basketball Talk)
The NBA has put its preening players on the clock. At least during pregame. (AP)
PRO FOOTBALL
Scott Pioli admits he's "made mistakes" in Kansas City. Don't think he'd get much pushback on that from Chiefs Nation. (AP)
Ray Lewis might -- just might -- be back, after all. (AP)
Ed Reed says he's hurt. Ed Reed says it's affecting his play. Funny, then, that his name has never popped up on the Ravens' injury report, wouldn't you say? (NBC's Pro Football Talk)
The NFL to the Bountygate judge: Stay out of this. (AP)
Jonathan Vilma, meanwhile, hopes to return on Sunday. (AP)
The Titans are circling Oct. 28 as the date Jake Locker comes back. (AP)
Sometimes, RGIII amazes even himself. (CSN Washington)
Let's hope Paul Ryan is more familiar with economic issues and world affairs than he is with Browns quarterbacks. (Pro Football Talk)