STRANDED AT SECOND BASE

“Culling the thoughts that occur when you’re standing around waiting for something to happen”

Manny Pacquiao, right, takes a punch from Miguel Cotto. Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages.com via US PRESSWIRE

Today is Boxing Day, the annual tradition where world-renown boxing champ Manny Pacquiao comes to your house and punches you in the solar plexus for giving him an ugly sweater for Christmas.

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Snow has forced the postponement of the second Minnesota Viking game in three weeks. Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Vikings has been moved to Tuesday night. Forgive the Vikes if they’re feeling a bit snake-bitten lately. Or is it frost-bitten?

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The Dallas Cowboys attempted a late-game Hail Mary pass on Saturday night, trailing 27-26 to the Arizona Cardinals. If there ever was a night where a Hail Mary seemed appropriate, it’s Christmas Night.

The Cowboys’ prayers, however, were not answered. Perhaps they should have put a “win” on their Christmas wish list.

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Not so good tidings exist in some basketball locker rooms these days, despite the air of holiday cheer.

Two reports have surfaced of teammates stuffing each other’s stockings with their fists on Thursday.

The first incident came in the stands between Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey of Mississippi State. The other came hours later when Washington Wizards teammates Andray Blatche and JaVale Mcgee.

In the spirit of the season, fellas, let’s move on and put these incidents behind us…and blame it on the eggnog.

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Can the NFL Network really call a Christmas night game played on Saturday as “Thursday Night Football?” Am I crazy or did I not just watch the Steelers beat the Panthers two nights ago on the same channel?

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Tom Brady, No. 12, points to his flowing hair beneath his helmet. David Butler II-US PRESSWIRE

How long before someone makes a serious reference to Tom Brady’s hair being his strength, a la the Biblical Samson.

Oh wait. According to Google, some 260,000 already have.

Interesting note about Samson: legend has it that he once slaughtered 1,000 Philistine men with just the mandible of a donkey. Let’s see Tom Brady do that.

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If I’m NFL Network analyst Randy Moss, I’m changing my handle to “Randall,” as not to be confused with curmudgeon Tennessee Titan wide receiver Randy Moss.

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STRANDED AT SECOND BASE

“Culling the thoughts that occur when you’re standing around waiting for something to happen”

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CBS reporter Bob Simon in a recent 60 Minutes report on Zenyatta, the now-fabled thoroughbred who trains at Los Angeles’ Hollywood stables:

“At more than 1,200 pounds, she’s the biggest star in town.”

That’s not that impressive, considering Shaquille O’Neill no longer plays for the Los Angeles Lakers — Shaq having personally wrested the title of biggest star in town away from actor John Goodman.

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The United States and British flags are shown during the national anthems before the regular season NFL International Series game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos at Wembley Stadium. Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The NFL is weighing the option of adding an expansion franchise in Europe.

Millions of questions and concerns flood the brain.

Consider this, worst case scenario: For the Seahawks to travel from Seattle to London or vice versa they would have to fly roughly 5,400 miles or roughly half a day in the air.

The home-field advantage the Seahawks enjoy (45-23, .662 winning percentage) could be twofold for a European team.

What division would they be it? The East(s)? The NFC and AFC eastern division are fairly entrenched in tradition.

If not for NFL convention, why else would the Dallas Cowboys play in the NFC East, when more than 25 teams are located closer to the Atlantic Ocean?

How far east can you expand before the east and west divisions overlap?

Most importantly, can fish-and-chips replace brats as traditional stadium grub?

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I’m thinking of starting a circus-type baseball team, a la the Harlem Globetrotters of basketball. The Ohio-based squad will be dubbed the Akron Bats.

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Manny Pacquiao has rattled plenty of skulls, pureed a few brains and jellied his share of legs during his 56-fight professional career.

Such is life when you’re a world champion in the poster-sport for concussions and head trauma.

The reminders are an everyday occurrence for the Filipino pugilist, who’ll need to look no further than his own corner during his Nov. 13 WBC Light Middleweight Title fight against Antonio Margarito.

Standing there, not so still, will be his jittery coach Freddie

Manny Pacquiao, right, gets his face flattened by Miguel Cotto during a 2009 bout. Fortunately for Pacquiao, he's doled out more of those punches than he's received in his career. Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages.com via US PRESSWIRE

 Roach, the victim of boxing-induced Parkinson’s disease.

In boxing, concussions are an unfortunate inevitability.    

The World Boxing Council is taking steps to prevent concussions — including a three-month ban for concussed fighters, granting more power to referees to stop fights if a boxer is showing signs of concussions, and creating an official boxing passport that details, among other things, a fighter’s medical history.  

The gesture is noble, but at the end of the day, the objective of the sport is to turn your opponent’s mind into tomato bisque.

At least the WBC recognizes there’s a problem and is attempting amends.

So, too, is professional football.

The forever image-conscious NFL is taking a hard stance this season on the frighteningly abundant amount of concussions its players are suffering.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimates in a recent report that roughly 300,000 football players of all ages annually suffer concussions on the gridiron.

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