Here's your wakeup call -- a combination of newsworthy andor interesting tidbits -- for Tuesday, September 11:
BASEBALL
That's 19 (wins) for Gio Gonzalez, and 15 (magic number) for the Nationals. (CSN Washington)
When no one was looking, the White Sox opened a three-game lead in the A.L. Central. (CSN Chicago)
Wonder if the Phillies are rethinking that trade-deadline fire sale? (CSN Philly)
The Yankees are probably going to have to play the rest of the regular season without Mark Teixeira. (AP)
The Astros are turning their lonely eyes to Roger Clemens. (AP)
Nice to see Jose Canseco's so contrite about his illegal steroids use. (NBC's Hardball Talk)
Boston Red Sox
A disturbing charge from the Reds' Brandon Phillips. (Hardball Talk)
But in better news: Brandon McCarthy stood and walked for the first time since sustaining a skull fracture when he was hit in the head by a line drive. (CSN Bay Area)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
And because things weren't going bad enough at UConn . . . (AP)
You can understand why Billy Gillispie's sick, can't you? (AP)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
"Enough is enough" for Utah QB Jordan Wynn, who's giving up football after his latest injury. (AP)
Boy, Wisconsin's a tough town. (AP)
HOCKEY
Oh, goody: The NHL labor war is about to get dragged into court. (AP)
The players have been preparing for this rainy day, says Donald Fehr. (NBC's Pro Hockey Talk)
What's this? Optimism? Tell me more, Steve Ott! (AP)
PRO FOOTBALL
The Monday Night Football intro -- a Hank Williams Jr.-free zone after 'ol Hank compared President Obama to Hitler last year -- is now completely without music. (NBC's Off The Bench)
So it was pretty quiet -- on ESPN, at least -- before the Ravens routed the Bengals. (CSN Baltimore)
And before the Chargers beat the Raiders. (CSN Bay Area)
The Jets can't be looking forward to playing the Steelers without Darrelle Revis, but they may have to. (AP)
The Browns, meanwhile will be without their best cornerback, Joe Haden, for four games . . . and it has nothing to do with injury. (AP)
But Atlanta's loss of one of its best corners, Brent Grimes, has everything to do with injury. (AP)
Don't let that 5.1 rating against the Eagles fool you. Brandon Weeden says he "wasn't overwhelmed" in his debut as Cleveland's No. 1 quarterback. (NBC's Pro Football Talk)
The replacement refs did just fine on Sunday. (Pro Football Talk)
More or less, that is. (Pro Football Talk)
Good thing, too, because the NFL is ready to play at least five weeks with the replacements. (AP)
AND FINALLY . . .
Regarding the Chicago teachers' strike: The Bulls' Derrick Rose hopes for a resolution for the sake of the students (CSN Chicago) . . .
. . . but former Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel says the teachers bring in nothing of monetary value to the city (unlike hockey players, who he says generate "jobs and revenue" to justify the debt-ridden, taxpayer-funded arenas they play in) and should be happy they have jobs. (NBC's Pro Hockey Talk) And, no, no need to mention the irony of a hockey player -- in a sport about to endure its own work stoppage -- lecturing someone else about labor woes.