Here's your wakeup call -- a combination of newsworthy andor interesting tidbits -- for Tuesday, December 4.
BASEBALL
Is there a bearded closer in our future? CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly says newly minted free agent Brian Wilson, a New Hampshire native, "would love to join his boyhood-favorite Boston Red Sox."
Many in Red Sox Nation -- still spooked by the name -- will be relieved to know the A's are going hard after Stephen Drew. (CSN Bay Area)
From the How Are Our Old Friends Doing? department: The Giants are trying to retain Marco Scutaro. (CSN Bay Area)
Ditto the White Sox with Kevin Youkilis, though Youk's agent has them -- and all his other suitors -- cooling their heels. (CSN Chicago)
Ruben Amaro Jr. is wondering where all the outfielders have gone. (CSN Philly)
Well, this one -- Angel Pagan -- is heading back to San Francisco. (AP)
Hey, Ruben: Your old pal Shane Victorino is still out there. (NBC's Hardball Talk)
As someone -- Gordon Edes, perhaps? -- pointed out on Twitter yesterday, the string of formerfuture Red Sox managers in the ESPN Sunday Night booth comes to an end as John Kruk takes the chair last held by Bobby Valentine and Terry Francona. (AP)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Jim Calhoun reveals for the first time that he had surgery in May to remove a cancerous growth from his lungs, but says he's fine now. (AP)
On their other side of campus, the UConn women continue to roll. (AP)
For the first time in 61 polls, Kentucky is unranked in the AP Top 25. (AP)
The University of Utah will honor the late Rick Majerus by hanging a replica of one of his sweaters from the rafters. (AP)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ladies and gentlemen, your Heisman finalists: Johnny Manziel, Manti Te'o and Colin Klein. (AP)
I bet the Orange Bowl folks are just thrilled that Northern Illinois is giving free tickets to all its students in the hopes of luring them to Miami for the Jan. 1 matchup against Florida State. (AP)
Whatever you do, don't ask ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit about that . . . although he's actually more irritated that the Northern Illinoises of the world are in the BCS. (CSN Chicago)
The Old Ball Coach will be at South Carolina through 2017. (AP)
GOLF
It's the last time players can earn Tour cards at Q-school, and nostalgia is reigning. (AP)
Count Tom Watson among those who think golf isn't an Olympic sport. (AP)
HOCKEY
All Steve Burton-sparked optimism to the contrary, the fate of the NHL season may hinge on the proposal the players are expected to hand to the owners on Wednesday. (CSN Washington)
Alex Ovechkin -- the latest to learn the age-old "grass is always greener" lesson -- now says he doesn't want to stay in Moscow after all, and that his "soul" is with the Capitals. (NBC's Pro Hockey Talk)
PRO BASKETBALL
And here LeBron James thought taking his talents to South Beach would preclude him from ever winning something like the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award. (AP)
Nuggets coach George Karl says he's been hit hard by the death of his friend, Rick Majerus. (AP)
PRO FOOTBALL
RGIII and the Redskins show the Giants there's going to be a race in the NFC East, after all. (CSN Washington)
And that certainly has London Fletcher excited. (CSN Washington)
Dan Snyder speaks for many. (NBC's Pro Football Talk)
The Texans will enter the big time when they hit Foxboro Monday night, but they might be a little short-handed when they get here. (CSN Houston)
Act in haste, repent in leisure: Andy Reid now thinks he fired the wrong guy. (CSN Philly)
Let's hope he -- or his 2013 successor -- doesn't have the same feeling about his quarterback decision. (CSN Philly)
Speaking of quarterback decisions, Tim Tebow -- whose broken ribs caused him to miss his shot to get on the field Sunday when the Jets mercifully pulled the plug, at least for a day, on the Mark Sanchez fiasco -- says he's feeling better. Hint hint, Rex: He'd like to play this week in his hometown of Jacksonville. (Pro Football Talk)
And continuing to speak of quarterback decisions, Colin Kaepernick is still the starter in San Francisco. (AP)
Apparently, Terrell Suggs doesn't intend to let a little thing like a torn triceps muscle keep him off the field. (CSN Baltimore)
Lose one game to Charlie Batch and the sky falls. (CSN Baltimore)
Right, Ed Reed? (CSN Baltimore)
Things are pretty bad in Arizona, where Darnell Dockett took the role of Roberto Alomar Jr. to Kerry Rhodes' John Hirschbeck during the free-falling Cardinals' eighth straight loss. (Pro Football Talk)
Jake Long may have played his final game for the Dolphins. (AP)
The family of Kasandra Perkins, the woman murdered by Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher before he killed himself, is asking for prayers for the Belcher family as well as their own. (Pro Football Talk)