While We’re Waiting…Pavlik Returns, Shaq wins NBA _____ of the Month, Chiefs-Browns Worst Matchup Ever?

Looking at Kelly Pavlik as he returns to the ring tonight in Youngstown after a long layoff: “In a weird twist of reality Pavlik went to Las Vegas to train for this fight, because it provided a much calmer and private atmosphere to train as opposed to Youngstown. Weird, huh? But by all accounts the left hand, specifically the knuckle of the index finger is back to 100%.  What also appears to be back to 100%, by Kelly’s own account, is his hunger and passion for boxing. Something many in his hometown were starting to question. I personally never looked at it like that. It appeared to be more of a year to put the boat in neutral and recharge the batteries. Kelly had a lot of irons in fire outside the ring this year, including opening a restaurant back in August. The crazy thing is the break and hand problems just may have come at the best time, in a business sense.  Boxing has a lot of momentum heading into 2010 with the headlining super bout of Pac-Man vs. Money Mayweather.  So their is money to be made across all weight divisions. As an American World Champ in a highlight division, it should be a big healthy and productive year in the spotlight for the man know as The Ghost.” [DiNunzio/Thunder Treats]

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Examining Fausto Carmona: “One of the questions that has been weighing heavily on my mind since, well, 2008, is who is Fausto Carmona. After racking my brains about it I have come to the conclusion that Fausto Carmona has 2 distinct, and very different personalities. These personalities are complete opposites from one another, if you put them in a room together it would be like comparing Pedro Martinez to a minor league pitcher, from Rookie ball.” [Lake Erie Soldiers]

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Tribe makes the list of baseball trades of the decade but not for the recent firesales: “Future Cy Youngs were exchanged — Colon won for the Angels in 2005, Lee for the Tribe in 2008 — but the Expos lost what could have been a talent base to keep the franchise in Montreal. But it’s not as if the Indians made the most of their heist. The team got rid of Phillips for next to nothing and have managed only one playoff appearance since  — and that was in 2007 with Lee stewing in the minors. But considering how good Sizemore is and will continue to be, it still counts as the decade’s best robbery.” [David Brown/Big League Stew]

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Shaq takes home an award: “The NBA has named Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal as the recipient of the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for November in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the community and for his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work.  Shaq is being honored for his ongoing commitment to helping children and families in need across the country. Most recently, in an effort to bring holiday cheer to kids this season, he became the spokesman for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.” [John Bena/Fear the Sword]

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Chiefs fans consider this as the potential worst game of the decade: “I’ve got to admit I had a bad feeling about the Chiefs/Browns game being blacked out when I saw a stat either last week or the week before that showed the Chiefs and Browns as the only two AFC teams to be eliminated from the playoffs.  You’ll clearly see why these two teams were eliminated first from the playoffs when you check out the chart I’ve posted after the jump. I’ve compared the Chiefs’ and Browns’ league ranks across a variety of defensive and offensive categories. You’ve been seeing where the Chiefs rank pop up occasionally here on AP. The Browns don’t rank much better.” [Chris Thorman/Arrowhead Pride]

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More 12th team speculation: “Then, of course, there are the fringe candidates, the AAU schools already ensconced in other conferences, the ones that don’t play football, and the ones that are just too darned far away from the rest of the conference. There’s one school out there, though, that meets all the Big Ten’s criteria. It’s an AAU member, it’s geographically contiguous to the conference, it can’t be completely happy with the conference it’s in, and there’s no question it could benefit greatly from the exposure joining the Big Ten would bring.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you … Buffalo.” [Mark Hasty/Fanhouse]