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Welcome to Super Bowl week. San Francisco arrived in New Orleans yesterday. Baltimore shows up today.
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Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for January 28, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

  • Welcome to Super Bowl week. San Francisco arrived in New Orleans yesterday. Baltimore shows up today.
  • Novak Djokovic won a record third straight Australian Open. Victoria Azarenka won her second straight.
  • Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo is lost for the season with a torn knee ligament. Without Rondo the Celtics beat Miami yesterday in double overtime.
  • Remember how the AFC was a slight favorite in the Pro Bowl? The NFC won the "game" 62-35.
  • The Farmers Insurance Open will be completed today. Tiger Woods has a six stroke lead with 11 holes to play.


2. A-Nother

And now comes word that yet another shady character associated with Alex Rodriguez is being investigated in connection with performance enhancing drugs. A-Rod sure can pick them can't he? When I was writing The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All-Time, my blue-ribbon panel of baseball experts included Rodriguez. And indeed you can make the case that if he hadn't moved to third base when he joined the Yankees, he'd probably be considered the greatest shortstop of all-time. That title still goes to Honus Wagner who last played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1917. But now Rodriguez has gone from a great player to a contractual albatross around the Yankees necks. And the PED questions won't quit. He's destined to become another one of those players on the outside looking in when he's Hall of Fame eligible.

3. Obama Care

No less that the president of the United States has joined the chorus and voiced his concerns about football. President Obama says that if he had a son, he would think long and hard before allowing his son to play. The president told The New Republic that football fans are going to have to wrestle with the fact that the game will probably change over time to try to reduce the violence. He said the changes might make football "less exciting" but in the end it will be better for the players. I find it hard to argue his points.

4. No Bowl

I asked on Facebook at "Len Berman's Top 5" if anyone was sad that the Pro Bowl could become extinct after yesterday's game? The vote was unanimous. A resounding "No." The comments ranged from "Haven't watched the game in about 30 years," to "The Tidy Bowl is more interesting." But seriously folks, the TV ratings for the "game" are usually quite respectable. The lone dissenter is a Top 5 subscriber who calls himself Dr. Bop. "The players ARE taking the pressure off and having some REAL fun with the game they love... reminding ALL of us that it is a GAME to be enjoyed in more ways than 'mash-mouth' ferocity ALL the time." Not a bad thought.

5. Couples Therapy

"Sorry dear, I wrecked the car" takes on a whole new meaning with Danica Patrick. It turns out she's dating fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Apparently, romantic interests don't count in car racing. To quote the owner of Stenhouse's racing team, drivers on the circuit "would wreck their own mother, sibling or significant other to win a race." I guess there are limited sports where one can compete against a love interest, horse racing and tennis mixed doubles come to mind. Then again down the road, if gay players come out, this might become commonplace.

Happy Birthday: Former first baseman, broadcaster and National League President, Bill White. 79.

Bonus Birthday: Actor Alan Alda. 77.

Today in Sports: A sad day in sports. The great Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella was paralyzed in a car accident ending his career. 1958.

Bonus Event: Six Americans hiding out at the Canadian embassy in Tehran escaped from Iran. Ergo Argo. 1980.

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