Although there was no basketball game Monday, it was a big day for Memphis Tigers senior Rodney Carney, as he was named Conference USA's "Co-Player of the Week." It's his third time to receive the award this season.

Carney was also chosen a top 30 finalist for the Wooden Award. Carney leads the Tigers in scoring (18.2 ppg), three-point field goal percentage (42.2) and steals (32). The 6-foot-7 forward is ranked second in Conference USA in scoring and is also ranked among the league's leaders in steals and three-point field goal percentage.

In a related story in the morning's The Commercial Appeal, Tigers' beat writer Gary Parrish explores the question of whether Carney is worthy of consideration of "Player of the Year" honors.

"There should be three guys that they are talking about,"

head coach John Calipari said. "They should be talking about (Duke's) J.J. Redick, (Gonzaga's) Adam Morrison and Rodney Carney."

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Grizzlies' coach Mike Fratello calls last night's 86-77 win over Houston "much-needed." Let's see what happens Wednesday night against Dallas before proclaiming the mid-season slump is over. Still, momentum has to start somewhere & maybe beating the Rockets will get that ball rolling.

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For the die-hard college football fanatic, tomorrow is Christmas. It's National Signing Day, meaning it is the first day a high school senior can sign a letter-of-intent to play football for the university of his choice.

Yes, it's a holiday for some. I have known guys who take a day of vacation from work so they can sit at their team's athletic department & watch it all happen. Others stay glued to their computer or telephone getting the latest gossip.

Which players will have impact as freshmen? Which players are projects? Which players look good on paper but never pan out? Which players won't have the grades?

No one will know those answers tomorrow. Meanwhile, every college football coach in America will step to the podium & tell the media it's their best signing class ever. Some will be telling the truth, some will hope they are telling the truth & some will be just flat-out lying.

It's been fun to cover as a radio guy for many years & it's definitely something I will miss tomorrow.

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While I am somewhat of a Brett Favre fan, enough is enough. The Green Bay quarterback in an interview with ESPN over the weekend hinted at retirement... again.

"If I had to pick right now and make a decision, I would say I'm not coming back," Favre told Chris Mortensen. I wonder how many professional football players say that at the end of every season, but then come back for more & we never hear about it on this scale?

I have been just as guilty as the next guy for discussing Favre's retirement in years past when it pops up on the radar. It seems to come up for discussion a lot here lately. I felt Favre would hang'em up after 2004 after he told stories of missing his family & his youngest daughter begging him to be home more often.

Instead, he came back for a 4-12 season with the Packers, a team that shows little signs of an amazing turn-around for 2006. Mike Sherman is out as head coach, former Saints offensive coordinator Mike McCarthey is in, a move which has puzzled some.

I have also felt at times Favre carries too much of the burden of winning on his shoulders. He has realized his team was in decline for some time, so it prompted the three-time NFL MVP to take more chances, gamble a little bit, even force the ball in situations that left you scratching your head.

It appears the Packers are willing to give Brett all the time he needs to choose his next step. Even if I am tired of the will-he, won't-he game, he has earned it.

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What is the fascination with Anna Benson? Okay, other than the obvious?

And for now I'll just ignore the fact she's going to play poker on ESPN.

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Tony Kornheiser could be the next talking head to join the Monday Night Football crew. For those that have forgotten or misunderstood, MNF is not going away. MNF on ABC is no more. It's now on ESPN, which is owned by ABC. Confused yet?

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Music quote of the day:

"Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise."

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Bad Moon Rising"