Quick Hits - 12/27/11

*When they say 40 is the new 30, they must be talking about Brad Friedel. The 40 year old American keeper got off to a rough start this season allowing 8 goals in his first two starts, both Tottenham losses, but since then he's been on quite a roll. In fact, after starting the season 0-2, Friedel and the Spurs are 12-1-2 over their last 15 matches. Today's 2-0 shutout of Norwich City gives Friedel six clean sheets on the year and 4 in his last seven starts. As a result, Spurs sit in 3rd place in the Premier League, 4 points clear of 4th place Chelsea with a game in hand.

Photo Credit: mlssoccer.com

*Here's a name for you to remember: Jordan White. The senior wide receiver from Western Michigan caught 13 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown against Purdue tonight in the Little Caesars Bowl. It marked the 8th time this year that White had at least 12 receptions in a game. White finishes his senior year with 140 receptions for 1911 yards and 17 touchdowns in just 14 games. Still, despite his gaudy numbers this year, he is ranked just 31st among wide receivers in terms of his draft prospects according to espn.com.

Photo Credit: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

*NFL Pro Bowl rosters came out today. San Francisco and New England each led their respective conferences with 8 invitees. Currently only 4 teams don't have a representative: The Washington Redskins (5-10), the St. Louis Rams (2-13), the Buffalo Bills (6-9) and the Tennessee Titans (8-7). Guess $50M doesn't buy a Pro Bowl caliber season. Yes, I'm talking to you, Chris Johnson.

Photo Credit: oyetimes.com

*The Celtics really miss Paul Pierce. This is not a very deep team to begin with and not having Pierce on the court really exposes them on both ends of the floor. Tonight the Heat scored 115 points against the Boston defense, the most points scored against Boston since the Knicks put up 116 December 15th of last year - a span of 69 games. Another interesting note from this game, the Heat squandered a 20 point lead in this one and had it reduced down to 3 points late in the 4th quarter. Who stepped up at the end of the game to bail out the Heat? Dwayne Wade? LeBron James? Chris Bosh? No, no and no. Rookie point guard Norris Cole scored 8 of the Heat's final 9 points in the 4th quarter and after LeBron James' layup with 3:54 to play, he was the only Heat player to make a field goal. The kid from Cleveland State finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

Photo Credit: orlandosentinel.com

*Kevin Love? Double double. 31 points, 20 rebounds. Business as usual.

*With NC State winning the... Belk.. Bowl... and Purdue winning the Little Caesars Bowl, here's your updated Bowl Standings: