Here's your wakeup call -- a combination of newsworthy andor interesting tidbits -- for Wednesday, December 26:
BASEBALL
Will Andruw Jones' early-Christmas-morning arrest on a battery charge in a domestic dispute jeopardize the contract he just signed to play in Japan next year? (AP)
In protest of the Hall of FamePED mess, one voter registered a protest by sending in an empty ballot. (NBC's Hardball Talk)
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Arizona wins the Diamond Head Classic. (AP)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
If early December is the time for college football teams to fire their coaches, late December is the time for them to suspend their naughty players from bowl games. Like Texas Tech. (AP via CSN Houston)
And Syracuse. (AP)
Jerry Sandusky just won't shut up. (AP)
PRO BASKETBALL
Quite the Finals rematch between the Heat and Thunder, wasn't it? (NBC's Pro Basketball Talk)
And Miami's win over Oklahoma City felt like it was played in "a different month" acorrding to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, referring to the springtime playoff intensity. (AP)
How intense was it? LeBron James even committed a foul. (AP)
Looks like something from Tom Thibodeau's time in Boston stuck to him when he went to Chicago: He invoked the Bill Belichick "Gotta play better, gotta coach better" line after the Bulls were routed by the Rockets. (CSN Chicago)
Can anyone stop the Clippers? (AP)
Across town, the Lakers are patting themselves on the back for reaching the .500 mark after their win over the Knicks. (AP)
PRO FOOTBALL
Whenever Bill Belichick is asked a question about an injured Patriot, he invariably responds, "I'm not a doctor." Let us introduce you, then, to Mike McCarthy, M.D., of Green Bay. (NBC's Pro Football Talk)
Steve Mariucci gives a passionate non-denial denial to reports linking him to the soon-to-be-open Chargers job. (CSN Bay Area)
Broken finger? What broken finger? (Pro Football Talk)
The Seahawks -- perhaps with an eye towards a playoff matchup against the Falcons -- may sign ex-Atlanta defensive end Ray Edwards. (Pro Football Talk)
Looking for a reason for the Ravens to be optimistic heading into the playoffs? They're getting healthy. (CSN Baltimore)
Looking for a reason to be pessimistic? They're the most penalized team in the NFL, and they've no shown no sign of reversing that season-killing trend. (CSN Baltimore)
Michael Vick will be back at quarterback for the Eagles -- Nick Foles, you see, is hurt -- as they try to finish off the all-but-dead Giants. (AP)
No one who saw Mario Manningham crumble to the ground Sunday night will be surprised to hear that he's out for the season. (CSN Bay Area)
Also done for the year: Heath Miller. But, then, so are the Steelers. (AP)
Adrian Peterson's dealing with a sore abdominal muscle as he a) gears up for a run at a 208-yard performance that would enable him to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record and b) tries to help the Vikings earn a playoff spot with a win over the Packers. (AP)
If John Fox had an MVP vote, he'd cast it for Peyton Manning . . . but he admits, "Obviously, I'm going to be a little biased." (AP)
TENNIS
Now it's a stomach virus that's keeping Rafael Nadal off the courts. (AP)