I've been hearing alot of grumbling about the explosion of sports on tv on Christmas Day. This year there were 5 NBA games and an NFL game televised on December 25th. Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is one who favors abolishing the practice.  I personally like the availability of the games and if the fans will still fill the arenas on that day they will keep scheduling them. You notice also that the NBA features their best teams on Christmas so the league has no intention of changing the practice anytime soon. I have a bigger problem with scheduling a college bowl game on Christmas Eve. If the sports world can't take a breather on the night of the 24th....then something is wrong.

Donna Shalala is the former Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin and current president of the University of Miami. The two teams meet in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday in Orlando. There has been alot written this week about how Shalala saved the Wisconsin athletic program by firing Ade Sponberg and Don Morton and hiring Pat Richter and Barry Alvarez and that is certainly true. But let us also remember that Shalala also presided over the demise of the Badger baseball program which had been in existance for over 100 years. It sure would have been nice if she had found a way to "save" the athletic department without  eliminating one the oldest sports offered by the university.

Caught up with Andy Brandt for a few minutes at the East/West hockey game the other night. The West grad is still playing pro hockey with the Victoria BC Salmon Kings of the ECHL. He's got 8 goals and 6 assists so far this season. Brandt won a national championship as a member of the Wisconsin Hockey team.

Join us for Sportstalk on Monday at RJ's Bullshooters Saloon. We will have a pair of airline tickets from United airlines to giveaway good for anywhere in the continental US. It all starts at 6:05.

Songs of the Day

Disco Inferno-Trammps (1976) originally released on their album in 76' but didnt become the huge smash until it was included on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1978. Burn, Baby, Burn!

Disco Lady-Johnnie Taylor (1976) he's been recording for 20 years and had a few hits in the 60s....but nothing like this one which became the first Platimum selling single (2 million sold).